Meredith shook her head as she came out of her dream. It hadnt been the first night that she had relived that night in her dreams, and she doubted that it would be her last.

She could still remember everything about that night. The sharp pain she had first felt when he had slipped himself inside of her. The way they had nervously waited until they thought it was okay to move again.

Their bodies had jerked and shivered from the new sensations. Both finding a new level of love and respect in each other.

The months that followed had been amazing and then he had gone, leaving without a trace. She could still remember the night she had found out that she was pregnant, and the hell raising fight that she had with her mother that followed, and yet it was so long ago now.

15 years Meredith thought. It had been 15 years since he had disappeared and she had to go through all of this alone. He was supposed to have been there for her, and she him, but he was gone now, and she knew that she shouldnt dwell on it too much.

Shaking her head, she look to the clock to see that she needs to be getting up. Her first day of work was today and it was already going to be hard enough without adding being late to the list.

Moving to find a pair of pyjama shorts, she then pulled her hair into a messy bun before leaving her bedroom. Her main aim was to run down to the kitchen and start the coffee maker before heading for the shower. Her daughters didnt need to be awake just yet, so she figured she would get them after she finished her shower.

Running into the room she was surprised to find the coffee maker already on and Hope, the oldest of the twins, carving up strawberries to go with the pancakes that she had made.

"Wow" Meredith murmured as she moved towards her daughter and dropped a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you baby." Meredith murmured as she then moved to pour herself a coffee.

"Grammy says that the best way and only way to begin the day is with a big strong breakfast, and Grumpy says that first days are really important" she told her mother.

Meredith smiled and nodded, quite use to the nicknames that Hope and Grace had given their grandparents. "Grammy" or caroline as Meredith knew her, was her mothers partner and had been for 16 years, "Grumpy" of course was her mother Ellis Grey, who indeed was a grump.

"Sounds familiar." she murmured as she practically inhaled her coffee as Hope placed a plate of breakfast in front of her.

Hope smiled as her mother before sitting across from her. "so big day." she said as she cut into her own pancakes.

Meredith nods and smiles at her before taking her food into her mouth. "Are you nervous?" Hope then asked, studying her mother closely.

"Whats there to be nervous about?" Meredith replied. "I was practically raised in an OR."

Hope giggled.

"She's asking if you want us to be there, you know, hold your hand?" Grace said as she walked in, pulling her hair back out of her face.

Meredith and hope both rolled their eyes at her comment.

"What? Its true." Grace said as she gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "We were there on your first day of college, and of med school." Grace winked. "We want to be there for your first days of internship."

Meredith sat up a little straighter and eyed her 14 year old daughters. "What would Grumpy say?" she asked.

Both girls giggled. "Meredith your a grown woman, they do not have to o everywhere with you. This is not the place for children." they chorused.

"Exactly" Meredith said with a smile.

"Well?" Hope asked giving her the face. The face that occasionally found her in her dreams, much like the one this morning.

"You're uncle Mark did promise to drive you to school." Meredith replied with a smirk.

"Not an issue." a voice said, causing them to all turn to look at the source....

All 3 girls look up to see Caroline Shepherd walking through the kitchen door.

"Hey Grammy" Hope said with a small smile, unable to hide the guilty look on her face.

Caroline smiled at her granddaughter. She moved further into the room, kissing both of the girls foreheads before moving to kiss Meredith cheek.

"Not that we're not happy to see you." Meredith said with a smirk "but what are you doing here this early."

Caroline moved to sit down at the table. Looking at her grandchildren, she moves to suggest that they go upstairs.

Meredith watched her daughters obediently leave the kitchen and turned to face Caroline.

"Your mother and I are proud of you." Caroline opened.

"You don't" Meredith started.

"It's true." Caroline said, effectively cutting her off. "You just don't stand still long enough for your mother to tell you." Caroline said as she reached over and took
Meredith's hand.

"Then where is she?" Meredith asked as she looked at Caroline carefully. "She could be the one here telling me this."

Caroline let out a groan. "She has to get the hospital ready for interns. Its bad enough that your brothers have to have interns, but your mother has her speech to give. You know the deal."

Meredith eyed her carefully.

"Look, she asked me to make sure you get to work on time, and that i could get the girls to school. She also wanted me to give you this. She said it would help. That it did when she had to leave you and Allie at home."

Meredith watched as Caroline reached into her bag and retrieved a small box and a card.

Accepting the gift, she looked at it awkwardly and began to open it.

"Read the card first." Caroline ordered, and she quickly moved to do so.

"CONGRATULATIONS MEREDITH, I DIDNT KNOW WHETHER YOU COOULD GET THIS FAR. MOM."

"Wow, nice and straight to the point." Meredith murmured.

"You know that in another universe she'd be able to tell you that she loves you."
Caroline said before gesturing for her to open the gift.

Meredith sighed before moving to open the ox. She was stunned when the box revealed a locket. Carefully she removed it from the box and pried it open. She couldn't help but smile when she found a picture of Hope and Grace in there.

"I don't know if you've ever noticed but your mother wears one that looks pretty similar." Caroline told her.

Meredith looked at the person who could only be considered her step mother curiously.

"She does." Caroline told her. "She's worn it ever since you were little. I don't recall ever seeing her take it off."

Meredith looks down at her new locket.

"Inside there is a picture of you and Allie. I found it beautiful." Caroline said quietly.

"And she doesn't take it off?" Meredith asked.

Caroline shook her head. "Not even when she sent you to Seattle for a few months, or when Allie married Nick before college. She may have been extremely upset with you both, but not once did i ever see her take it off."

Meredith nodded slightly before moving to put the chin around her neck. She clipped it on before looking back up at Caroline. "Thank you." She said softly.

Caroline smiled and reached for her hand. "Now go shower and get dressed. That way i will follow you to work and then take the girls to school."

"So they will be there for my first day?" Meredith asked nervously.

"Can't break tradition." Caroline said with a nod. This earned her a hug from Meredith before she made a run upstairs.