"Derek, Christopher is crying," Meredith said nudging Derek in his chest.

"Mhmm," Derek said half asleep as he strode across the hall into the nursery. He looked at his five month old son trying sit up in his crib. "Hey my boy," Derek said as he lifted his son up. He looked exactly like Derek, same eyes and curly hair. Although Christopher had Meredith's facial features, like a softer spin of Derek's face. "Are you hungry?"

"Mummm," Christopher said as he reached up to grab Derek's hair. Derek sat down with his son and started to think. A lot had happened in the past three years, Meredith and Derek were having trouble conceiving, until the point where Meredith gave up complete hope, and that's when it happened. Nine months later Grace Ellis was born; it was one of the three best days of Derek's life. And just in time their house was done. Meredith and Derek were so happy with Grace, but one day Meredith surprised Derek with a positive pregnancy test one night after they put Grace down. Although Lillian Elizabeth was an accident, she was the best accident that ever happened. Time flew by and Meredith could tell Derek wanted a boy, so they tried and tried again and thank god Christopher Alexander came along. With an almost three year old, a one and a half year old, a five month old and two demanding careers, life was more than hectic but they would not change a thing.

"Daddy, mommy won't wake up," Grace said suddenly from the doorway. Her curly blond hair past her shoulders and tangled, her blue eyes sparkling, she was wearing her favorite pink pj's. "And I am hungry."

"Okay, I have to give your brother a bottle first. Where is Lily?" Derek asked curiously. Usually the two sisters were joint at the hip.

"She did not look like she felt good," Grace said her thumb in her mouth innocently.

Derek panicked, his daughter is sick. Derek put Christopher back into the crib. "Can you tell mommy that Lily is sick and Chris needs a bottle sweetheart?" Derek asked and she nodded. He ran upstairs into Lillian's room. "Lily, are you okay princess?" Derek asked her. Nothing was as scary as seeing your child sick.

"Daddy," Lily said and she coughed.

"Can you go 'ahh'"? Derek asked as he himself opened his mouth.

"Ahh." Lily said weakly. Derek knew she had strep, he had some medicine in the cabinet, because unfortunately his kid's got sick often.

"It will be okay, just rest okay?" Derek asked his daughter her blue green eyes tired and her dark curls bouncing. Derek kissed the top of her head and walked to get the medicine. He saw Meredith in the kitchen downstairs feeding Chris, and Grace at the table with a bowl of fruit loops, her favorite. Meredith's face looked concerned, "Is she okay?" Meredith asked as soon as Derek reached the bottom step.

"She has strep throat," Derek replied.

Meredith nodded and set Chris down in his playpen full of toys. "Mamma, is my sisther going to be otay?" Gracie asked with her thumb in her mouth still, it's what she did when she either was trying to be cute or was worried.

Meredith bent down to her level. "Gracie, remember when you were sick a little while ago and it felt icky right here?" Meredith asked as she pointed to her throat.

Grace nodded. "Yesth," Gracie said her thumb still in her mouth.

"Well that's what Lillian has, so we have to let her rest okay?" Meredith said carefully.

Grace nodded, Meredith picked her up. "How about you, Christopher, and I go to the park today?" Meredith asked trying to cheer her up. Grace and Lily were really close, although Grace was a year and a half older, Lily looked up to her big sister so much.

Gracie smiled. "Strawberry ice cream?" she asked hopeful.

Meredith smiled a glowing smile. "What would a day at the park be without our favorite ice cream?"

"What bout Daddy?" Grace asked as she looked up at him her eyes big.

"Sweetie, I have to take care of Lily," Derek said then kissed the top of Gracie's head.

"Otay, well you take good care of her," Gracie said in a bossy tone so much like her mother.

"I promise I will honey," Derek replied.

A half hour later, Derek had a given Lily medicine and she was asleep. Meredith had packed everything they needed. Christopher looked like a little Derek; he had a hat so that his curly hair stuck out, a t-shirt, and jeans. Derek looked at his son; he was such a daddy's boy. "Have a good day bud, don't cause your mom too much trouble," Derek whispered to his son as he buckled the car seat up for him.

"Daddy! I want a hug before we go!" Gracie said as she came out into the driveway. She was wearing pink sunglasses and a green dress. Her blonde curls put into two long pigtails. Derek laughed at his little princess. He ran up to her and took her into his arms and kissed her on the check, he started to tickle her and she giggled hysterically.

"Here is your hug!" Derek said he tickled her.

"Daddy!" she said in between laughs.

"I won't stop till you give me a kiss," Derek said. Grace kissed his check soberly.

"Bye daddy, take good care of Lily. I love you," Grace said as she climbed into the car into her booster seat next to her brother.

"I love you too, have fun, be nice to mommy," Derek said as he buckled her in.

"Our children are always nice Derek," Meredith said as she walked out into the driveway gorgeous as ever in shorts and a t-shirt. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail. It was a sunny summer day in Seattle which was rare.

"I know they are, you look beautiful," Derek said as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

Meredith giggled when Grace yelled, "Mommy and daddy that is gross!"

"Take care of Lily, call me if something happens," Meredith said as she pulled away from him and got into her new Jeep.

"Will do!" Derek replied as he waved goodbye to them. He darted back into the house and checked on Lillian who was asleep still. It was quite in the house which was really rare.

Meanwhile, Meredith put Christopher in a baby swing and was pushing both Grace and Chris at the same time which was a workout. Grace squealed, the swings were her favorite. Her third birthday was in about three weeks; Derek had ordered a play set. It was way over the top, and he was spoiling her but all three kids would end up using it. It was not a play set it was more like a playground, the whole nine yards. Their yard was big enough to get one, but Gracie is going to be so happy.

Christopher was swinging with a huge smile on his face; he looked like Derek's twin. He was a lot like Derek personality wise too. He was sweet, happy, and he was shy. Not as outgoing at Grace or Lillian. He was a little gentleman, even had that damn charming smile to boot, he is going to be a heartbreaker one day.

Lillian…she is just Lily. Not much to describe her. She is sweet; her laugh is enough to make your day. She seems to always be smiling, except of course when she is sick. Even when she was a baby, she barely cried. She gives big sloppy kisses every morning, and her eyes could play wonders on Derek. She followed her big sister everywhere and hugged everyone she met. Lillian was like a breath of fresh air from a world of mayhem.

Meredith remembered the time where Gracie had ran through the hospital in her ballerina outfit, ready for Halloween, singing the trick-or-treat song. Derek had 'lost' her, turns out that she was with Richard sitting on a nurse's stations counter. Of course Meredith saw nothing of this because she was on maternity leave with Chris, but Christina had told her how she found Grace sitting on the counter talking to Richard about how daddy and she are going to get candy and they were playing hide and go seek. Although, Derek had nurses looking for her. One thing was for sure Gracie was independent, loving, smart, and bossy. She was a lot like Meredith, and Derek loves that about Grace.

Later, Meredith was sitting down with her kids as she fed Christopher in his stroller. He loved strawberry ice cream, as well as Grace, although, Lillian preferred vanilla. "Mommy, I had a good day today," Gracie announced.

"I am glad honey," Meredith said. Chris smiled and clapped his hands. Meredith took a bite of her ice cream, and her thoughts traveled back to her daughter at home, sick. "I think we should get going soon to make sure Lily is okay," Meredith told Gracie.

"I want to take care of my sister!" Gracie announced. Meredith laughed and Chris caught on and laughed too.

It was not until he heard the garage door open that Derek woke up. He was sitting in a plastic kid's chair from Lily's tea table. He looked at his daughter who was getting better, the medicine was working thankfully. Derek had blasted the humidifier and both Lily and he had an afro going on. "Hello?" he heard Meredith say from downstairs. Derek got up and walked across the room when he heard.

"Daddy," in Lillian's sweet innocent voice. The only word she knew were yes, no, Grace, Chris, mommy, and daddy. Derek turned around to see his daughter her eyes big and he could tell that she was pleading him to stay. Derek sat back down next to Lily and held her hand.

"I am here sweetie, always," Derek said then kissed her forehead.

Lillian Elizabeth- dark green Grace Ellis – blonde blue Christopher Alexander- black blue