DISCLAIMER: Grey's Anatomy is not mine, I just like to borrow it so I can construct a happier storyline than the one written by Shonda Rhimes.
For Eve, because she's officially old – happy (belated!) birthday EP4!
Chapter Two; The Other Shepherd
Meredith had finally fallen asleep at five o'clock, curled up in the bed, and she was awakened just an hour later by Zola rolling over and drooling on her face.
"Hi baby girl," Meredith said tiredly, yawning. "Is it breakfast time?"
"Get a room," Cristina muttered under her breath, pulling her pillow over her head.
"Funny that," Meredith said, pulling the pillow off Cristina's head. "I do have a room and you're sleeping in it!"
With that, Cristina rolled onto her belly and pulled the doona up over her head and Meredith took Zola downstairs. She danced around the room with her, making her giggle loudly as they snuggled. Meredith changed Zola's diaper and started to warm up a bottle.
"What else would you like for breakfast, Zola?" Meredith mused. "Apricots? Or, I think we have a banana somewhere in here."
She snapped Zola securely into the highchair that was delivered, along with a truckful of furniture for Zola's new nursery, yesterday. Zola sat up there happily, watching Meredith potter around the kitchen, mashing up the banana and bringing Zola her milk before sitting down beside her with a cup of coffee. She looked into and sighed.
"Decaf just isn't as good as the real thing," she told Zola. "But I really don't want your baby brother or sister to be born with two heads, so I think we'll lay low on the caffeine front for a while."
Zola happily started to eat the bananas, and ended up getting it all over her face, and onesie.
"Daddy's coming over this morning," Meredith told her as she changed Zola into a fresh pink onesie and a pair of jeans. "And I think he'll be in a better mood this morning. I know he's looking forward to seeing you."
Zola gurgled happily in reply, and then Meredith heard a knocking on the front door.
"Perfect timing," Meredith sighed, kissing the top of Zola's head. "I bet that's Daddy now."
Meredith walked back downstairs and opened the front door. There stood Derek, looking mildly guilty, and she stood back to let him walk inside.
"Hey baby girl," Derek whispered to Zola, and Meredith held her out for him to take.
They walked into the kitchen, and for a few minutes sat in silence, with the exception of Zola's gurgles and murmurings.
"I'm sorry for waking her up last night," he told Meredith uncomfortably. "Did she go back to sleep?"
"Yep," Meredith said. "Look, Derek, I know we're having a thing at the moment, but Zola's still your daughter as much as mine. You can come and visit her any time you like. I hope you know that."
"Thanks," he said quietly. "I was going to ask if I could take her out this morning? My mum's in town and I wanted her to meet Zola."
"Sure," Meredith said, handing over the keys to the jeep. "The jeep has the car seat in it, so it'll be easier for you to just take it. Give me a minute to pack some of her things, alright?"
She could hear Derek talking happily to Zola as she walked up the stairs and into the spare room where all of Zola's things were being kept. She pulled out the new diaper bag and shoved a tonne of diapers, one of her favourite green pacies, two changes of clothes and a few other bits and pieces into it. Finally she went down to the kitchen and grabbed a few packets of goldfish crackers, some cheerios and a handful of dried fruit.
"She'll want a snack in about two hours," she told him. "There's goldfish in the bag, or cheerios, and some fruit. You'll be back by lunch, right? Because she's due a bottle then and I don't have any water boiled, so I can't give you any to take."
"I'll be back," he promised. "Thank-you Meredith."
He leant over awkwardly and kissed her on the cheek before bundling Zola into a little jacket and handing Meredith the keys to the Porsche.
"Thanks," she replied, leaning over to kiss Zola. "Love you Zo."
Zola gurgled in return, and smiled her big cheeky grin.
"I'll bring her back safely," Derek said, before he left.
Meredith watched him walk out to the car with Zola, a smile plastered across both of their faces. She sighed, and ran a hand over her belly.
"Don't worry baby," she said softly. "He loves you too, I promise."
"Are you talking to your stomach?" Cristina asked, walking up behind her.
"Maybe," Meredith said.
"Do you want to go to the hospital, hijack an ultrasound and actually see the little alien you're attempting to make conversation with?" Cristina asked.
"Seriously?" Meredith asked.
"Seriously."
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"I feel kind of guilty," Meredith said as she lay back on the exam room chair. "Derek should be here for this, Cristina."
"Yeah well, until he stops being an ass, and gets his head out of his ass as well, he doesn't deserve to be here."
"You're probably not far along enough to see anything here," Cristina said squeezing on the gel. "But we'll give it a go. Otherwise it'll have to be the vaginal ultrasound."
She waved the ultrasound wand over Meredith's stomach and a picture of a tiny, perfectly formed baby showed up.
"Holy crap Meredith. I'm no OB, but even I can even tell the difference between a four week old fetus and a twelve week old."
"Twelve weeks? Are you kidding me?" Meredith said, her eyes nearly popping out of her skull.
Cristina pushed a few buttons, and suddenly the room filled up with a "whoosh whoosh" sound that melted Meredith's heart.
"That's amazing," Meredith said. "But seriously, twelve weeks?"
"Give or take a few days, yep. Even I'm not sure how you managed to get this far without noticing Mer."
"Gee thanks for the vote of confidence, Cristina. But this really doesn't give me much time to figure out how to handle this."
"You're keeping it though, aren't you? I mean you and McDreamy have been trying forever."
"Of course I'm keeping it," Meredith said, staring at the fuzzy picture onscreen. "But I'm not telling Derek. I don't want him coming back to me just because of this baby."
"Are you sure?" Cristina asked, curling her lip.
"Yes," Meredith said definitively. "Don't you dare mention this to anybody Cristina, okay?"
"Meredith, you're my person. You're the only one I'd even consider telling this kind of news."
"Good to know," Meredith said happily. "Now show me this baby again."
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Derek dropped Zola back at the house before lunch, just as he promised. He said thank-you tersely, kissed Zola goodbye and then practically ran out the door.
"Did you have a good morning baby girl?" Meredith crooned, holding Zola close.
Just then, she heard the door bell ring.
"What did Daddy forget?" Meredith asked, walking towards the door and opening it.
She opened the door, to find a Shepherd standing there, but not the one she expected.
"Mrs Shepherd," she said unsurely. "You just missed Derek."
"I wasn't looking for Derek," the older lady said with a smile. "I'm looking for you. And please, it's Carolyn."
"Would you like to come inside? I don't have any coffee, or any tea, but I have water. I think. I might have some juice. At the moment the fridge is really only full of baby stuff but Zola really doesn't seem to like any of it. Especially that weird apple/pea/squash combination. Not that I blame her because I find that really, really weird."
"Meredith," Carolyn interrupted. "You're rambling, dear. It's all okay, I just want to chat for a minute."
Meredith took a breath and stood back, letting Carolyn into the house before directing her to the kitchen. She held Zola close in her arms as she took a seat opposite Carolyn.
"I just wanted to let you know how glad I am to have you as part of the family," Carolyn said warmly.
"I don't really know whether Derek agrees with you at the moment," Meredith mumbled.
"Yes," Carolyn said. "He told me about your little argument. Honestly he can be so closed-minded sometimes. He's always been that way though, ever since his dad was shot."
"I did do it though," Meredith said. "I did swap the placebo and the treatment drug."
"For somebody who you know well, am I right? Richard Webber's wife?"
"Right," Meredith said.
"Well, I've tried to tell Derek for a long time that he needs you Meredith. You see the world in shades of grey, pardon the pun, and he needs that. He needs a bit of colour, some different shades. Things are far too black and white in his mind."
They sit amicably and chat for a few more minutes before Carolyn stands up to leave.
"It was lovely to see you, dear," Carolyn said, hugging her closely. "And look after that baby, okay?"
"Don't worry," Meredith smiled, looking down at Zola sleeping in her arms. "She really is an angel."
"I was talking about the other baby," Carolyn said, looking quickly at Meredith's stomach and raising her eyebrows.
Meredith spluttered and her jaw was hanging open, unable to believe what Carolyn was trying to say.
"Don't worry," Carolyn said. "I won't tell Derek. I assume that's what you're worried about?"
"Uh-huh," Meredith confirmed, unable to produce words.
"Well keep safe," Carolyn said. "All three of you. And give Derek a chance. He can be a real ass sometimes Meredith, but I know he loves you, and Zola. And if you give him the chance, I know he'll love this baby too."