Chapter 3

Derek woke up to the sound of screaming. He shot up from he was just asleep and bolted towards the noise. He ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time to see what was wrong. He followed the noise into the kitchen and saw Meredith sitting with Dillon at the table in the dining room.

"What's wrong?" Derek sat down on the chair next to Dillon. Dillon just continued to cry.

"He woke up crying. That's why I brought him down here, so you wouldn't wake up. Guess that plan failed. Now he's refusing to eat." Meredith looked frustrated and on the brink of tears. Derek walked over to her and put his arms around her.

"Hey, hey. He'll be okay Mer. I'll get him to eat something. Just go upstairs and get ready, okay?" She nodded and walked away. Derek sighed and walked over to his son and picked him up.

"Dillon, you've got eat something before we go." Derek opened the refrigerator for him to look inside.

"Bye bye?"

"Yes, Dillon we're going bye bye in a little while, that's why mama and dada need you to eat." He pointed to the cereal that Meredith had grabbed out of the cabinet. Derek made him his cereal and set it down in front of him at the table. He sat down at the table with Dillon while he ate silently. He really only took three or four bites before he altered his focus to the mail on the table. Derek sighed. He was really worried about his son. He knew Meredith was too and he knew that Meredith almost broke this morning.

"You all done?" Derek asked Dillon but he got no answer. He got a closer and said it again.

"Dillon, are you done?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"Okay. Let's go get ready." Derek carried him up to his room and got him ready. He had to call his name a few times to get him to hear him but he was ready nonetheless. Derek took him into the bathroom with him to brush his teeth. After they were done, Derek ran into his own room to get himself ready. He walked in just as Meredith was finishing up, Dillon hot on his trail. Once Derek was finished getting ready, he and Meredith grabbed Dillon and headed out the door. Once again, Derek had to stop and grab his Monsters, Inc stuffed toy for Dillon.

The family drove to the hospital in complete silence. Meredith and Derek each reflecting on everything silently. They were worried about their baby.

"Where goin mama?" Dillon asked from the back seat. Meredith turned around and answered him.

"We're going to the hospital honey." She said back to him. Derek looked over at her and saw the worry written all over her face. He reached over and held her hand, silently reassuring her that everything was going to be okay.

"Okay Dillon, just one more. Alex is going to get some blood." Arizona told him. She had Alex on her service today, which she arranged so that Dillon would feel slightly more comfortable while he was getting his work up done. At this point, Dillon was crying. He didn't like the shots. Meredith was trying to hold him still but it wasn't working very well. Alex distracted him by talking to him about his toy.

Once Alex finished, Dillon had completely calmed down. Arizona had let Meredith and Derek know that she was just going to take Dillon in an exam room and she and Alex were going to do a developmental screening. Meredith took to busying herself with some work. Derek went to go check on his patients while they awaited the news from Arizona and Alex.

"Hey Dillon can I see your car?" Alex said to Dillon rather loudly from across the room. Dillon made a face at the sound but gave no other reaction. Arizona tried as well and only got the same face made at her voice. Alex set down a little box of cars that the pediatrics unit had for the kids. He also placed down a small stack of books. Alex started to play with the cars and Dillon noticed and followed suit. Alex watched closely as Dillon took each car and expected it carefully. He lined them up perfectly. The red cars first, then the blue, the green and then the lone white car.

Arizona made a note in her book and looked back to Dillon. She watched as Alex and him sat and 'played' silently for 20 minutes before she gave Alex a look. He came over to her and she noticed that Dillon didn't even bat an eye as he left.

"He hasn't said a word in 20 minutes." Arizona said worried.

"I know."

"I want to check a few more things before I make a diagnosis." She told Alex, who nodded in response. Arizona walked over and sat next to Dillon.

"Hey Dillon its time to clean up." Dillon looked up at her and quickly averted his eyes to the floor, but he continued to play. Arizona repeated her sentence but this time Dillon said no. She had expected this. She picked up the toddler and carried him while Alex picked up the few toys.

Arizona and Alex took Dillon into the room to do a few verbal tests. After a few minutes, Arizona had all she needed. She laid out a couple of toys for Dillon while she talked over the final diagnosis with Alex.

"It's definitely ASD. Autism." Alex looked torn.

"How do we tell our friends that their son, has autism?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. We're just going to have to do it. On a professional basis." Alex set off to page Meredith and Derek.

As he was paging Derek, he saw him walk across the lobby and hand a chart to the nurse.

"Derek." Alex turned towards him.

"All done?"

"Yeah. We're just waiting for Meredith now." Meredith soon enough walked around the corner and greeted Derek with a kiss.

"Are we ready?" Meredith asked Alex who just nodded to her in response and led the two of them to the room.

Dillon was sitting down playing with a toy truck when he saw Meredith and Derek walk in.

"Mama!" He ran over to her and hugged her around her legs. She smile and picked him up.

"Hey baby." He looked to Derek.

"Dada."

"Hey little man." Meredith looked to Arizona. She sat down with them and explained everything while Alex played with Dillon. She explained that the blood tests just revealed that he had the flu. She explained the interactive tests she and Alex had performed and what they revealed. She squeezed Derek's hand tighter after she told them what each test revealed.

"Dr. Karev and I have looked at every possible aspect and we have concluded it to be a form of The Autism Spectrum Disorders, specifically, Autism." Alex had walked over with Dillon and sat with him.

"All it means is that you have a very special son. You guys have always been great with him. He's very well behaved. You guys just keep doing what you're doing and Dillon will be happy. You are great parents." Alex said. He saw this look in Mer's eyes. One that said 'how could I have missed this?' He needed to reassure her that they were excellent parents.

Arizona had some reading material printed out and the names of some informative websites. Sure, they may have been doctors, but this time they are parents and the experience would be so much different. She was through talking to them as their child's doctor.

"Derek, Meredith, I know this isn't the easiest thing to hear but anytime you need anything, anything at all, you can give me a call or just ask." Arizona spoke softly.

"You know I'm always around, no matter what, I there." Alex said in response. Meredith and Derek gave small appreciative smiles to them. They talked for another half hour before they were ready to go.

They walked out of the room, saying bye to Arizona and Alex and made for their way home. The car ride home was awfully silent. Dillon being asleep allowed for Meredith and Derek some time to think. Derek thinking about what was to come next for Dillon and Meredith had her thoughts completely focused on trying to keep it together for her son.

Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait. Having a shoulder operation definitely delayed everything. Anyway, today is my birthday so I wanted to leave all of you with a little gift. I promise, this time there will be more to come in the next two days. Also, I just wanted to say thanks for all of the awesome reviews and say that I appreciate it. I never thought the story would become at all popular. Thanks again everyone! Hope you enjoy!

-Andrea