Several days went by the same way that they had been going by for the last three years in Meredith's life and with the weekend came Meredith's long awaited day off. Meredith croakily opened her eyes "strange" she whispered she had expected Ella to be in her room going bananas in the same manner that she had been last night when Meredith told her they were going to the zoo. She got out of bed got dressed and had made breakfast for herself and her daughter when she finally gave in to her worries and went to check on Ella she opened the door, "Ella" she got no response.
Meredith softly walked into the dark room, "honey are you sick?"
She peeled up the covers and saw her little girl fast asleep, "you must have been so excited you couldn't sleep" she whispered. She kissed Ella's cheek and went downstairs to drink her coffee and watch the news half an hour passed and at last Ella came running at top speed into the living room she jumped into Meredith's arms.
"There you are sleeping beauty I thought you would never wake up."
"Mommy" Ella yelled, "we're going to the zoo."
"Yep to see all the wild animals."
"Can we go now?"
"What about breakfast."
"Not hungry" the girl said.
Meredith raised an eyebrow, "well you will be hungry later I made pancakes."
"Yummy pancakes" Ella jumped around before running into the kitchen with a chuckling Meredith following closely behind.
Later that morning
Ella swang off Meredith's hand and pointed excitedly at all the animals in the cages, "there are a lot of animals."
"They sure are you want me to take a few pictures of you with the animals."
"Will I be in the cage?"
"Of course not Ella I don't want the animals to pick you up and carry you away."
Ella made a pout with her lips, "can they do that please?"
"No Ella mommy says no."
"Okay mommy" Ella nodded, "the elephants first please."
After they had seen all of the animals they made their way to the gift shop where Ella pointed at the cards, "can we get one for Auntie Christina?"
"We sure can."
"And grandma and grandpa."
"Okay."
"Mommy" Ella pointed at the soft toys, "can I look over there?"
"Okay" Meredith rubbed her head, "i'll just pay for the cards."
Meredith took her place in the queue checking every few seconds Ella was in her sight the lady behind the corner greeted her with a polite smile, "you have a lot of cards."
"They're for my relatives."
"Oh how nice" the woman said her smile growing wider.
"Yeah" Meredith said with a nod.
"24.99 thank you."
"Thank you" Meredith turned and she froze as her eyes quickly searched the shop Ella was nowhere in sight. She ran out of the shop and scouted the area "Ella" she yelled she tried hard to breath calmly and think for a moment then she started to walk quickly to the places that she had taken her daughter.
Ella slowly wandered through the zoo with her fingers in her mouth looking around her as people pushed past her she felt scared and ready to cry but she kept it in as she tried as hard as she could to find her mommy then after a while tears began to fall on her cheeks and she looked around wishing her mommy would come then she gasped as she saw someone who she thought only existed in her favourite book.
Derek was strolling through the zoo taking pictures for his bedroom wall when he felt a tug on his shirt he looked down and saw a beautiful little girl crying Derek's heart melted almost instantly, "hey there" Derek bended down, "are you alright?"
Ella sniffed "here" Derek gave her his hanky, "are you lost are you looking for someone?"
The girl looked up with pleading eyes, "Prince Charming please help me."
"Um" Derek felt taken aback, "i'm sorry."
"Prince Charming I can't find mommy please help me."
"Sure I can" Derek shook away his uncomfortable feelings and smiled kindly, "do you know your mommy's name?"
"Um its mommy isn't it" Ella whispered unsure of herself.
"Well what does she look like?"
"She looks just like a princess she's really beautiful and really nice and she's the best mommy in the world."
"She does sound amazing" Derek whispered, "well I think I know where your mommy might be."
"You do" Ella whispered with wide eyes.
"Yeah we can go and wait for her."
"Thank you" Ella said smiling widely.
"You're welcome" Derek said feeling good about himself, "what's your name kid?"
"Ella i'm Ella" Ella started to walked beside Derek, "Mr Prince Charming?"
"Yeah" Derek said feeling a bit embarrassed that women walking by were smiling at him.
"I thought you had a sword where's your sword?"
Meredith trying hard not to give in to her building feelings of panic ran through the zoo looking everywhere she had asked nearly every person that she had seen if they had seen Ella and her response was a mass of shaking heads then her heart nearly stopped when she realised Ella could have left the zoo and she ran to the exit she gasped as she saw Ella by the gate running towards her, Meredith bent down and Ella ran into her arms clinging to her tightly.
"Mommy" Ella whispered as she softly cried.
"Ella" she whispered she pulled back and started to raise her voice, "don't you ever run away from me again like that Ella you understand me."
"Sorry."
"You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"I'm sorry mommy" Ella sobbed.
Meredith hugged her again, "i'm just glad you're okay" she said softly.
"I thought I lost you mommy."
Meredith kissed her cheek several times then she looked up and gasped, "Derek."
"Mommy" Ella drew back and pointed at Derek looking as excited as she did when she saw an elephant, "Prince Charming rescued me."
Derek smiled at the girl, "Ella my name really isn't Prince Charming."
"Wha" Ella whispered in shock.
"Ella my name is Derek." He exchanged an amused smile with Meredith as the girl looked disappointed, "oh I thought for sure you were Prince Charming."
"Well I was happy to rescue you." Ella thought to herself then her smile bloomed back on her face, "then you're like Prince Charming your name just is not Prince Charming."
"Well" Derek smiled uneasily at Meredith who gave him a smirk "do I have a hero stalker?" she said enjoying how Derek was as embarrassed as she was when they first met.
"What no no I was just in the neighbourhood you know taking snapshots and looking at the birds and then I met Ella and….. I should have guessed she was your daughter you look alike."
"I look like mommy?" Ella whispered with hope evident in her voice.
"You're just as pretty as your mom" Derek said and Ella beamed, "anyway I should get going."
"Derek thank you" Meredith whispered.
"My pleasure" Derek stood still for a moment gazing into Meredith's eyes and then his head snapped back to reality he gave her one last warm smile and waved at Ella, "bye Ella."
Ella ran and jumping in front of Derek she raised her arms, "don't go please."
"Ella" Meredith said firmly, "Derek needs to go now."
"But mommy we didn't thank him properly for saving me."
"Well what are we supposed to do honey we haven't got any medals."
"We get him ice cream mommy."
Meredith looked closely at Ella who slowly started to giggle, "you just want ice cream don't you."
"Um" Ella smiled slyly, "no."
"Do you really think you deserve ice cream after making me wet my pants?"
"No" Ella said in defeat.
"I should go" Derek said, "see you around maybe i'll rescue you or your kid again next week." Meredith laughed and then felt embarrassment creeping in.
"Bye Mr Derek" Ella waved.
"Bye Ella."
"Mommy" Ella said, "why is your face red?"
"Um" Meredith shook her head, "it's nothing come on we need to go home."
"Are we getting McDonalds?"
Meredith looked down at Ella, "no we're going to have lots of lovely boiled cabbage and pumpkin for dinner."
"No mommy please please anything but that" Meredith chuckled as Ella dropped to her knees and hugged her mommy's lower legs and feet mumbling over and over before looking up with her puppy dog eyes.
Meredith bent down and patted Ella on the head, "Because it's our special day out we're going to get McDonalds" Ella jumped to her feet and started to dance. "But" Meredith said Ella stopped jumping up and down, "tomorrow night they'll be lots of lovely vegies."
"That's tomorrow night though so it's okay."
"You won't be saying that tomorrow night come on buttercup lets go home"