Chapter 2
"Well it's 10am," said Derek the next morning.
"Yeah I noticed," said Mark taking a large drink of his coffee. "I already lost a burn victim, waste of perfectly good skin if you ask me."
"She hasn't called yet."
"Who? That chick from Saturday?"
"Meredith," said Derek. "She said she would call so I could see Abby."
"Right, sorry I forgot," said Mark. "She's probably still asleep.. jet lag and stuff."
"Should I call her?" Derek asked anxiously. "I got her a present."
"Who? Meredith?"
"No I bought Abby a present this morning, but should I call Meredith? I just can't wait to see Abby…"
"Well you haven't seen her for 6 months what difference is a few more hours," said Mark lazily.
"When you have kids you'll understand," said Derek. He wasn't angry at Mark for being insensitive, he just didn't understand what it was to be a father.
"I pray to God that never happens, the poor kid would end up in a padded cell before it's 1st birthday."
Just then Mark and Derek turned as they heard a scream. Suddenly a little child came flying from down the corridor. It was Abby. Alex scurrying after her wearing a Shrek mask, and making monster noises.
"Monster! Monster! Monster!" Abby squealed as she ran round the nurses station. "Mummeeeee Monster! Alex Monster!"
"ARGGGHHHH Feee Fi Fooo Fumb I smell the blood of a little one," Alex grunted in his monster voice. "And I'm going to eat her up!"
"No… No eatin' me," Abby squealed.
"ARRRRGGGGHHHH"
"AHHHHHHH Jorrrgggeeeee," Abby squealed as she spotted George coming out of the room behind Derek and Mark. "He's eaten me!"
"He can't do that," laughed George as Abby ran to him and he scooped her up into his arms. "Come on Alex you'll scare her."
"Not scared," said Abby definitely.
"Of course she's not scared, she's tough," said Alex taking off his mask.
"Where is Mer?" asked George.
"With Tina," said Abby smugly. "Play again? Play again!"
"Sorry Princess later," said Alex. "I have to go and cut people open now."
"Make them all better, like Mummy?"
"Yeah, only I do it much better than your Mummy," said Alex. "You okay to watch her? Meredith is having coffee with Cristina in the cafeteria, just take her there if you have to go."
"Okay," said George placing Abby back on the ground.
"Color…Color! Lets color," squealed Abby as she clapped her hands.
"Okay," said George putting Abby on the chair at a nearby desk. "You color and I'll do charts."
"Okay," said Abby taking out her crayons.
Just then George's pager went off. "Oh 911…Abby I have to take…crap…" he muttered.
"Dr. O'Malley, I'll look after her and take her back to her mother," said Derek.
"Oh are you sure?" asked George looking between him and Abby uncertainly.
"I'm positive," said Derek sharply.
"Okay," said George bending down to Abby. "I'm going to leave you with this man, okay? Do you remember him?"
"Ummm…that's Daddy?" said Abby looking up at Derek.
"Yeah that's your Daddy," said George.
"He bought me Mandy," said Abby, meaning the doll Derek had given her on his last trip. "Hi Daddy."
"Hi sweetheart," said Derek sitting on the chair next to her. "What are you drawing?"
"My new house," said Abby. "And there is Alex and Bizzie and Mommy and me."
"Are you moving house?" asked Derek feeling guilty that he was using his daughter to get information.
"Uh huh and it has a big seat swing," said Abby still coloring in furiously.
"And you live with Alex and Izzie?"
"Uh huh," said Abby. "Daddy where you live?"
"I live in the middle of a magical forest and there is a big lake there and lots of room to play," said Derek handing Abby a crayon.
"Do you have a baby?" asked Abby.
"I have a little girl…"
"Do you stay in her house? I not have a Daddy," said Abby. "I have a Mummy though."
"Abby I'm your Daddy."
"Daddy is your name silly," said Abby. "Can I go see Mummy now?"
"Yeah," said Derek slowly. "I'll take you to see her now."
"You want a picture?" asked Abby holding out the picture she had just drawn.
"Thank you," said Derek taking the picture. "Come on we'll find your Mummy."
"Okay," said Abby jumping down and taking Derek's hand.
"She thinks Daddy is my name," said Derek to Meredith. He had taken Abby to the cafeteria and found Meredith, he had asked her for a quiet word.
"She does?" said Meredith.
"Yeah she thinks Daddy is my name, she told me she doesn't have a Daddy."
"I'm sorry," said Meredith. "I'll talk to her about it. She's only a year old, she doesn't understand that you can have a Dad that doesn't live with you."
"You never thought to explain it to her," said Derek angrily yet calmly.
"It never came up," said Meredith. "She didn't really talk about you."
"Well thanks for that," said Derek.
"What did you want me to do? She's a baby," said Meredith.
"I want to see her more than once every six months," said Derek. "I want her to know who I am."
"Alright."
"Alright?"
"Yes alright I agree. Abby should see you more than once every six months, I grew up without my father because my mother decided that was best for me. I'm not going to do that to Abby and I haven't. I have never made it difficult for you to see her."
"You moved to Boston."
"I had to get away from you!"
"You didn't have to stay away," sighed Derek. He had deserved that, and he knew he was the reason she had left in the first place.
"I know," said Meredith uncertainly. "And if everything goes well next week, I'll be moving back to Seattle. So you can see as much of Abby as you'd like, I'll never stop you."
"You're coming back?"
"It's a definite possibility," said Meredith dryly.
"With Abby?"
"Well I'm not going to leave her behind, am I?"
"Can I see her today?" asked Derek. "I want to take her to the park or something."
"Okay," said Meredith. "I'll pack her bag, if you pick her up at my house in an hour."
"I'll be there."
