Introduction

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or the characters.

"Ellis pleaaaaase!" Meredith sweeps a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and rests her tired eyes for just a split second more, "I'm coming!"

She feels the familiar tug of Zola's small hands brushing her bare arm enjoying the humid Seattle summer. Three little ones was more than she had bargained for by a long shot yet here she was, alone in the house that she had spent her own childhood growing up being something that she had never imagined herself as; a mother.

Sing her Itsy Bitsy Spider.

"Good idea…" She smiles into thin air, Zola following her every footstep up childproofed staircases and through uncracked buckets of paint before ending up in the room that Meredith had called her own many years prior, "Come here baby…"

She cradles the little one in her arms, all smiles as she noted the familiar sparkle. Her once bald head was beginning to become covered in dark hair just like Derek's; what a lucky girl to have hair as nice as Daddy's.

"The itsy bitsy spider went up the water sp-,"

Zola begin to chime in, her puffy ponytails rocking back and forth along with her head and before they knew it, it was a full blown sing along, the familiar lyrics on repeats as the cries from Ellis' mouth turned into giggles.

"She loves me…" The brunette coos picking at her little sister that was being cradled so tightly in her mother's arm.

"Well you're her favorite big sister…" Meredith taps her daughter's nose, "Why don't you go check on Bailey?"

Zola nods running out of the room and down the hall, comfortable silence filling the room before a familiar voice returned.

Beautiful just like her mother.

"Well she has your hair…" Meredith mutters to herself wiping a lock away from her eyes, "It's going to be a pain to brush!"

A laugh filled the room; Derek's laugh.

"We're going to be late!" Meredith yells through the open doorway.

We're always late….

"Come on baby, we can put your shoes on when we get there we have to go!" She balanced two kids in her arms, waiting on the third to meet her at the front door, "Zola!"

"She's almost ready!" A familiar male voice called from the kitchen, "Cool your jets!"

A groan came from the blonde as she stared both Bailey and Ellis in the face, the two of them amused at her frustration.

"There!" Alex runs through the door, clad in familiar scrubs pushing Zola towards the door, mismatched shoes and a janky up do to match the chaos that was already this day.

"Thanks Alex!" Zola threw her hands in front of her and smiled wide.

"You're welcome Zo, now don't drive your mom too crazy on that drive to the airport… but maybe a little crazy!"

A thumbs up was shot his way by the youngster followed by a glare from his [best] friend, "Just make sure that the guest room is in order and that all the cereal is set out for her when she gets here! I want to make her feel at home…"

"Will do Boss!" Alex winks, pushing the four out and opening up the car door before placing Bailey in his seat, "Are you sure you don't want me to watch them?"

"No, no! Get the house ready- I promise they will do less harm to my car then to the house… Plus they love Christina! Oh yes we do!" She nuzzles her nose onto Ellis' forehead while buckling her in, "Thanks for you all your help today…"

"Not an issue, now everybody will be here when you two get back but you have to go!" He opens up the driver's door and smiles, "Drive safe!"

Yes, avoid that crash near the overpass and take the back roads once you hit exit 30.

Meredith grips her hands tightly around the steering wheel; she hadn't seen Christina since Ellis was born and had barely mentioned her. It was too hard to see her person's eyes turn so sad at the mention but she listened to the sound advice of her husband, avoiding the overpass by remaining in the right lane and then taking the back roads once she hit exit thirty just so she could get there on time. On time was always ten minutes late in Meredith's world which was perfect with delayed flights and missing luggage. Pulling into a spot at just the slightest angle she brushed away the nerves and unbuckled Zola, reminding her to stay close before pulling the other two out. She was nervous- that familiar feel like she might throw up or pass out or something. She hadn't felt like this since her first day of med school what felt like a million years ago.

"Alright sweetie, stay close!" She mentioned to Zola, putting both Bailey and Ellis into a stroller and grabbing her hand, "No running off no matter how excited you are!"

Zola nods, "I know, I know!"

"Terminal 4C…" Meredith squints, looking around for signs.

To your left.

She turns her head, turning the stroller and pulling Zola along, rushing just the slightest bit, "Keep your eyes peeled!"

Zola stands on her tip toes trying to peer through mounds of people into mounds of more people. Being waist high was hard, "I don't see anything Mama!"

"Right there!" Meredith's face lights up, smile running from ear to ear, "Christina!" She calls out, pushing forward, holding Zola's hand even tighter, "Christina!"

The curly haired female turns beaming in the monotonous way that she did, arms outstretched to embrace her best friend, "They lost my luggage, idiots I swear… if we had an airport even half as organized as the one-" She stops herself, "How have you been?" Those sad eyes return.

"We're good, we're… good…" Meredith stares lovingly at the three children, "We're coping…"

"Hi Zo Zo!" Christina wraps the small girl up in a hug and spins her around, "You're getting so big!"

"I'm starting real school soon…" Her sass was undeniable as she held tightly to Christina's hand, jealous of the attention that her younger siblings were about to receive.

"And Bailey is so big too…." Christina brought her hand up to her mouth, eyes wide in shock switching back and forth from him to Mer, "And this…" She drops Zola's hand, "Is…."

"This is Ellis… We call her Elle for short!" Meredith unbuckles the strap on the stroller and hands her to Christina.

"She looks so much like…"

"Like Derek, I know, look at the full head of hair!" Meredith chuckles lightly, "Poor Bailey got my genetics!"

Christina snuggles the small child close, "She's beautiful Meredith…."

Tears sting the ducts of the blonde's eyes but she manages to catch a glimpse of Zola's pout and it takes it away, "You're beautiful too sweetie…" She ruffles Zola's hair, "Well I bought all your favorite cereal and I set up the guest room and…"

"And I brought tequila… oh and chocolate… that's a thing in Switzerland!" The brunette holds onto Ellis tightly, "I would share right now but I ate all the bars I packed in my carry on…. Long flight and DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FOOD!"

The two begin to walk off, Meredith pushing Bailey and holding Zola close and Christina snuggling Ellis closer than it was thought possible.

We did good.

Another smile, "We did good…."

Christina stares down at the sparkling eyes on Ellis, "You did good…"