A/N: The third and final part of our story has arrived. As I said in the original author's note, this story originally was me trying to fill the GAPING hole left by the death of Derek Shepherd. Instead of being a fluffy family piece like I originally intended, the two first chapters were actually pretty angsty, especially for me who is a sucker for writing fluff. I hope you all enjoyed this fic so far and enjoy the conclusion.

Some people got nothing, no place of their own
There's no place, like home, like home, like home
I musta got lucky, found my way back here somehow
Home – Tandy

the start of after

"I want to go home," Zola repeated, "I want to go home with my Mom and my Dad and Ellie and Bay and my stuffed giraffe," As she spoke she started crying, "And where Sofia is and Aunt Maggie and Uncle Alex and my bed and I want to go home. I want to go home to my Mom and Dad." Zola's words trail off as her crying intensifies, more than ready to be reunited with her parents. As their daughter practically begged the judge to let her return to her adoptive parents, Meredith let out a cry both of shock and joy, she was getting her daughter back. Meredith's knees became weak below her and she leaned against Derek to steady herself. He wrapped an arm around her as a massive smile broke across his face. They watched together as a bailiff walked across the courtroom to open the gate and lead Zola back to them. When the bailiff reached Zola, the little girl turned to her biological mother and gave her a short hug, whispering something in her ear that nobody else could hear. Once the bailiff was next to her, Zola let go of her biological mother and followed the bailiff toward Meredith and Derek. As soon as the gate separating the sides of the court was open, Zola took off at a sprint, straight into the open arms of parents.

The scene seemed to play in slow motion, manic grins on the faces of all three Grey-Shepherds, as Meredith dropped to a crouch to be level with her approaching daughter. Zola leapt into her mother's arms, wrapping her arms around her neck, her legs around her waist, and burying her face in the crook of her neck. With one hand Meredith supported her daughter's weight while the other cradled the eleven-year old's head close to her. As Meredith stood, her daughter clinging to her frame, Derek wrapped his arms around them both and began peppering his daughter's face with kisses. If not for Zola's size, the image of the family reuniting would be almost identical to when she officially became their daughter over ten years prior. For the first time in months the only tears shed were happy tears.

Pulling her daughter even closer to her, Meredith laughed through her still falling tears, "I am never letting go of you, never ever. You're going to spend the rest of your life right here in my arms."

Burrowing deeper in her mom's embrace Zola made a comment about needing to eventually use the bathroom and the reunited family started laughing. After being lost in their reunion for an unknown amount of time, the three made their way to their car, Zola still in Meredith's arms. As they left the courthouse, Derek called his sister-in-law, who was at their house with their other two children, to share the good news. Zola seemed to be talking a mile a minute as she told her parents about how excited she was to see her siblings, her toys, her family, her friends, and everything else in the never ending things she had missed while away for six months. Reluctantly, Meredith put Zola down so they could all get in the car. Derek's grin, though it seemed impossible, grew wider at the joyous cheer Zola let out at the sight of her prized stuffed giraffe sitting in the car, waiting for her.

Derek Shepherd had always loved ferry boats. Even though his daily commute included crossing the bay in a ferry boat, he still felt a small surge of excitement every time he drove onto one. His love for ferry boats had led to many memorable experience onboard them, but in his opinion nothing would ever compare to holding his daughter, who he had feared he would never see again, so she could watch the waves of Elliott Bay. When they were halfway across the sound, Zola pulled her gaze away from the water and looked up at her father, "Dad," She whispered as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, "As much as I missed ferry boats, I missed you and Mommy a whole lot more."

Pressing a kiss to Zola's forehead, Derek replied, "I missed you, too, Zo. So much."

Once the ferry boat docked, it was a short drive to the Grey-Shepherd house. Pulling up their long driveway, all three people in the car were surprised to find the lights in the house off. Confused, Zola climbed out of the car. She waited to walk up to the house until she had her father's and mother's hands in her own. Walking up the house, Derek unlocked the door. He stuck his head in to find a dark and silent room he called out an intrepid greeting, to no response. The three of them shuffled in, looking around wondering where everyone was. Derek opened his mouth, ready to call out for his other children, when a happy squeal filled the air. From behind one of the couches, Ellis stood up and sprinted across the room, throwing herself at her older sister in exuberant hug. Behind her was a just as happy Bailey. He caught up to his younger sister right in front of Zola and threw himself into the embrace. As the two children ran across the living room, the lights flicked on and cries of "Welcome Home" filled the previously quiet space.

From every corner of the room people stood up, smiling widely. With the lights on, a colorful banner was visible hanging over the mantelpiece the words Welcome Home, Zola elegantly laid out. Around the room there were pictures of Zola. The earliest picture was from the very first day she met her parents. Derek and Meredith were dressed up for a wedding they never did attend, holding a smiling baby Zola who was fresh out of surgery. The newest picture was from just days before Meredith and Derek's custody was temporarily revoked, it was taken at Ellis' fifth birthday party. It was of all three Grey-Shepherd children, their faces smeared with icing and mischievous sparkles in their eyes.

"How did you do all this?" Derek asked Maggie, later in the night. Zola was sitting comfortably in her mother's lap in front of a large crowd of guests, telling them about her most exciting moments in Malawi.

Maggie shrugged as if the party was no big deal, "We had the order for the banner on standby but Alex and I were sure you were going to bring her home so everything else was already prepared."

Grinning, Derek earnestly thanked his sister in law and pulled her into a tight hug before making his way across the room to sit beside his wife and daughter.

The part went on for most of the night. Because of the excitement of Zola's return, both Bailey and Ellis were allowed to stay up to celebrate up until the moment they fell asleep among the party guests. When the party ended, Derek and Meredith helped Zola prepare for bed and tucked her in. As they were climbing into their own bed, Meredith looked at Derek with happy tears shining in her eyes and told him, "My cheeks hurt from so much smiling but I don't think I'll ever stop," Glancing towards the bedroom door, Meredith let out a content sigh, "I can't believe she's really home."

"I know exactly how you feel," He replied.

Just as Derek was reaching to turn off his bedside lamp, there was a soft knock at the bedroom door. He opened the door to find Zola holding her giraffe and looking up at him with a pleading expression, "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Zola asked her father.

Scooping his daughter up into his arms Derek immediately said, "Of course," and carried her across the room. Snuggled warmly in a tight embrace from both her parents, Zola fell asleep quickly. For the first time in six months, Zola, Meredith, and Derek, all had a good night's sleep.

five months after

"And more than anything, I'm thankful to be home," Zola said as she finished her turn. The Grey-Shepherd family was sitting around a large dining room table in the dream house. Accompanying the five of them were Amelia, Maggie, Alex, and Jo. While in some ways it was not the most conventional gathering, it was their family and it was who they wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving with. Done speaking, Zola glanced over to her mother who sat at the head of the table, opposite her father. Before they had started going around and sharing what they were thankful for, Meredith had requested to be the last to share.

There was a happy twinkle in Meredith's eye as she looked around the table at her family and she made eye contact with Derek. The two of them had a silent conversation through their gazes, he looked proud and excited, the intensity of his stare caused a gentle blush to cover Meredith's cheeks. She had a small smile on her face as she shared, "I have so much to be thankful for. Besides a job I love, I have a great family, a dreamy husband, and my daughter back where she belongs," At those words Meredith looked down at Zola and gave her hand a quick squeeze, she made sure to look at Ellis and Bailey, giving each of them a warm smile as well, "I have the three greatest children a mother could ask for," Meredith paused for a second before adding, "And a fourth one on the way."

"You're pregnant?" Zola asked, a wide smile on her face.

one year after

Gently rocking her newborn daughter in her arms, Meredith vowed to her husband that she was never getting pregnant again. Pressing a kiss against her forehead, Derek laughed and told her it was all up to her. He cooed down at his daughter who looked up at both her parents with wide curious eyes.

"She's perfect," Derek whispered in awe.

Nodding, Meredith placed a soft, tender kiss to her daughter's forehead, "Yeah, she is."

They sat together, parents and their newborn, for another ten minutes before Derek gave his wife a quick kiss and left to get their three older children to meet the newest addition to their family. He was gone for about five minutes and returned with three bouncing children, who he warned to be quiet because the baby was tired before letting them in the room. As soon as their father gave them permission to enter, the three kids sprinted across the room and climbed into the hospital bed with their mother. Looking down at their youngest sibling they all oohed and aahed. Laughing when Ellis, now a middle child, stated that she had been cuter when she was born.

After soaking in the view of her baby sister, Zola looked up at her father and asked, "What's her name?"

Meredith was still gently bouncing the sleeping baby in her arms, lightly patting her to soothe her from any sounds. Derek smiled at this family, all of them gathered together on the hospital bed. "Her name is Ainsley," Derek said proudly. He wasn't just proud of his newborn daughter, or his wife who had her third C-section. Derek was proud of his entire family, gathered together for the first time. His entire life Derek had dreamed of being a father and as he watched his children meet their newest sibling, Zola carefully taking the newborn into her lap with direction from Meredith, Derek knew that his life was exactly what he wanted it to be.

six years after

For the past five hours Zola had been sitting between her bickering siblings. At ages fourteen and ten, Bailey and Ellis were constantly bickering. Somehow, Zola had pulled the short straw and ended up sitting in the center seat of their row. Glancing across the aisle. Zola saw her dad flipping through a medical magazine, Ainsley curled up in his lap asleep, and her mom watching one of the inflight movies. On the verge of strangling her siblings, Zola begged her mom to switch places with her. Seeing the pleading look in her daughter's eyes, Meredith agreed. As she shuffled past Derek, Meredith whispered, "You are so lucky Ainsley switched over to your lap."

"Mmhm," Derek hummed, running a hand through his sleeping daughter's hair and giving Meredith a smug look. She shot him a glare before passing Zola in the aisle and taking the now vacant seat between her still arguing children.

Instead of sitting in the now open window seat, Zola sat directly beside her father, resting her head on his shoulder. She sighed and closed her eyes, relieved to no longer be between the growing fight Ellis and Bailey were sharing. The family were just hours into a very long flight and she couldn't understand why her siblings had to argue with such a long time in a confined space ahead of them.

Looking down at Zola and trying to read her expression, Derek asked softly, "Are you ready for this?" As he watched his eldest daughter, Derek rhythmically stroked the dark curls of his youngest, keeping her calm and comfortable as she slept against him.

"Yeah, I think I am," Zola responded confidently. The this Derek was referring to was the family trip to Malawi. Roughly six months ago, Zola had sat both her parents down and told them that she wanted to spend the winter break of her senior year of high school on a family vacation. When they asked where, Zola answered with confidence that she wanted to go back to Malawi, but this time she wanted to go with her entire family. After tickets were booked and hotel reservations made, Zola placed a call to Ife, who she hadn't spoken to in years, and told her she wanted to visit her while the family was in the country. After her six months in Malawi, Zola had always wanted to see Ife again, she had always wanted to stay in contact with her birth mother. Contact fell through early, because despite wanting to know her birth mother, every call or letter in the mail made Zola nervous that she would be taken away again. Ife had been thrilled when Zola reached out to her, wanting desperately to see her daughter again. She was hesitant when Zola made it clear that her family would be with her the entire time they were together, but Ife still agreed to meet them again.

"Honestly?" Zola said, her voice cracking a little under emotions she hadn't realized she had been harboring after so many years. She took her father's empty hand into her own and confessed, tears shining in her eyes and a brave smile spread across her face, "I'm just glad you guys are here this time."

Derek smiled as he pressed a kiss against Zola's forehead, "Me too, Zo," Derek told her, "Me too." Zola sighed as she settled against her father, her head still resting on his shoulder. Neither of them spoke for a while, just content to be together. In the background, as Zola drifted off into sleep, she heard her mother arguing with her siblings and the soft snores of her youngest sister. A small smile spread across her face as she drifted off, comforted with the fact that this time she was going to Malawi on her terms, that this time she was going with her family. Zola's last thought as she fell asleep was how lucky she was.

A/N: That's all folks! If you enjoyed this fic, please take some time to review, it means a lot. This fic was a great distraction to work on during finals and to give me something to write in between writer's block for my other two fics. Finals week is upon me and I leave school on Tuesday (!) so the updates for this fic are gonna be it for all of my fics until I'm home for the summer. Thank you so much for reading!