"So, I'm living at Meredith's house now." Amelia explained on the drive home from the hospital.

Me and Hunt went over treatment options, and the surgery that would be needed. Just me and Hunt. Amelia got all emotional and started crying, and I can't handle her tears. She's the only person that can make me cry along with them, and I didn't want to cry yet.

"Okay. So...is that where I'll be living too?" I asked.

"Well yeah. You sure as hell aren't living on your own." Amelia said. "Not with your tumor the way it is."

I nodded. "Okay...Can I, share the room with you?"

"Of course." Amelia smiled at me quickly before turning her head back to the road. "I wouldn't let my baby sister sleep on the couch, now would I?"

I smiled to myself. Amelia Shepard was not one to allow her baby sister to sleep on the couch, definitely not. I remember one specific memory, when I was four. I'd slept at Derek and Addison's house, because my mom had kicked me hard enough to knock me into the wall. Derek thought I may have had a concussion, so he took me for the week. Amelia came over, I think I was begging for her.

"Hey, Baby." She grinned at me, lifting me above her head.

I remember giggling, "Amy. My head hurts."

"Aw, does it?" She pouted, pulling me close to her chest. "I'm sorry, sweetie. But Der and Addie are gonna take really good care of you."

"Can you stay?" I had begged. "Please?"

Amelia had looked at Derek for approval, and I assume now, that he'd nodded yes, because Amelia smiled down at me and said, "I can stay a few more hours, how about it?"

"I'm tired." I yawned, stretching out my arms.

"No sleeping for you." She said, poking my nose. "Not yet anyways. A few more hours. You missy, do need a bath."

"Amy, you don't have to do that." Derek had said. "I've got it covered."

"Nonsense." Amelia spun me around, making me cackle. "Me and the little bug are gonna go shower. Isn't that right?"

"Uhuh!" I nodded, but held my head in my hands afterwards. "Ow."

Derek sighed. "Okay." He kissed my forehead. "No falling asleep, Baby."

I smiled a toothy smile. "Okay, Der Der."

"Addison should be home soon with food." Derek reminded. "Don't take too long."

We'd showered together, and after we'd eaten, Derek offered me the couch, but Amelia absolutely refused.

"You're not letting your baby sister sleep on the couch, all alone." Amelia scoffed. "She'll sleep with you and Addison."

"Derek it's fine." Addison had smiled. "Baby is more than welcome to share the bed with us. It wouldn't be the first time."

I yawned against Derek's chest. "Yeah, Der Bear. I'll share with you."

Let's just say, that night, I had slept with Derek and Addison.

"And...I can share the bed. Right?" I asked.

"Why are you so worried I won't want you in the bed with me?" Amelia asked softly. "Ellie. What happened?"

"Nothing." I said sharply. "Nothing happened. I'm just asking."

She grabbed for my hand and held it tightly. "Okay. That's fine."

She knew I was hiding something. She always did, unbeknownst to me. She'd always known me like the back of her hand. Truth is, I just didn't want to lose sight of her. I'd lost sight of Derek and he dissapeared right beneath my feet. I couldn't lose Amelia. She's all I've got left. Just thinking about it made my eyes red and wet. I had to stop.

"Okay. We're here!" She said happily.

I inhaled deeply, and picked up my backpack. "Okay, here we go, then."

When we stepped inside, I looked around. It was homey, and definitely lived in. Childrens toys littered the hall and all the rooms, Meredith had children? I had nephews, or nieces? News to me...although when Derek skyped me, he never did tell me much about his life. I think it was to keep our 'mother' from finding out anything. He did tell me about his divorce with Addison, though, and his marriage to Meredith. Other than that, his life was a mystery to me.

"So, this is Meredith's place." She smiled at me. "Wanna see our room?"

I nodded, rubbing my arms.

She ran up the stairs, and I walked after her. Following down the hallway, she went into the first door to our left. I took off my backpack and set it to the side. It was a pretty big room, and the bed was definitely large enough to share. "It's cute."

"Yeah, it is." She agreed. "You wanna get into pajamas?"

I looked up at her and shrugged. "Sure, I guess. You?"

"Always, as soon as I get home." She nodded, heading towards the dresser.

"Like before." I mumbled. "Whenever you got home you'd always get into pajamas, first thing first."

"Comfort before food." She chuckled.

I picked up my pack, and took out a sweater and some leggings.

She raised an eyebrow at my choice in clothing. "Whatever happened to your tanktop and shorts?"

"Dunno." I murmured quietly.

She looked at me in confusion. "Ookay...whatever. Meet me downstairs, and we'll do some catching up, yeah?"

"Sure." I nodded.

So that I did. I got undressed, making sure to keep the door locked when I wasn't dressed. I threw my hair into a pony tail and walked down the stairs, my cold feet hitting the cold wooden floors made a small padding sound. I turned the corner and found Amelia looking around the kitchen for food. She was wearing a white tanktop and purple pajama pants.

"So. Meredith has kids?" I asked, coming up from behind her.

"Yep. Three." She answered. "Zola is six, Bailey is five, and Ellis is one."

"Aw." I made a pouty face. "That's so cute."

"They'll absolutely love you. You're so great with kids." She said, pressing her hands to her chest. "It's like, so sweet watching my baby with other babies."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a baby."

"But you are Baby Shepard." She joked.

"I thought we agreed that my name wasn't Baby anymore?" I rasied an eyebrow.

"Right. Sorry." She raised her hands in defense. "I'm not able to call you that anymore."

I never let Amy call me Baby after she'd named me Royal. Only Derek was allowed to call me Baby...

A light smile reached my lips. "Do you have a drink?"

"Ah, let me guess, Pepsi?" She asked.

I nodded, grinning. "You didn't forget?"

"Maggie's kind of hooked on it too, so." She laughed.

"So what's the deal with Maggie? She lives here too?" I asked.

"Well...she's sort of Meredith's half sister." Amelia shrugged, opening the fridge to grab me a can of my favorite beverage.

My eyes bulged. "Really? That's gotta be awkward, finding out you've got a half sister as an adult?"

"Well try finding out twice." Amelia said.

"Twice?"

"Well, there was Lexie." She mentioned. "But uh, Lexie died."

"Aw. Poor Meredith." I mumbled. "Her sister really died?"

She nodded.

"Poor thing." I sighed. "I'd hate if..."

I was about to say I'd hate if my siblings were dead, but then I remembered that Derek had died, and my heart began to ache, so I changed the subject. "So. Do you happen to have a bath tub in this house?"

"Of course." Amelia nodded. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Some homes only have stand up showers." I shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first home I've lived in that didn't have a bath tub."

Also known as my 'mothers' house.

She gave me a sorrowful look.

Baths were my favorite thing in the world, ever since I was little. Very, very, hot baths, with extra bubbles and nice smelling candles. But I didn't like to take them alone, Amelia always took baths with me when I was younger. Addison also did, until she stopped coming over. I think she stopped when Derek left her. I never did get to say goodbye to the red head...But anyways. I think the last time me and Amelia took a bath together, I was twelve. That was also the last time I had seen her sober. And hey, don't judge me. I had been abused my whole life, Amelia was my big sister, and I her little. It wasn't anything the other hadn't seen before. We felt comfortable around each other, and I loved her more than anything. Plus, I was scared of water. It was one of many forms of punishment my great old mother used to love to use on me, and the sight of it would make me shriek unless someone was there expiriencing it with me.

"Are you okay, El?" She asked.

"Great." I lied.

She came around to me, and hugged me from behind. "I love you, Ellie Bellie."

I groaned of the use of the nickname. "I love you too, Mimi."

She groaned back, which made me laugh.

"So. Can we like, I don't know, go talk on the couch? Catch me up on your life." I offered.

"Sure thing. C'mon." She grabbed my hand and lead me to the couch.

We sat that way for a few hours, chatting about how her life had been for the three years I'd been gone, and how mine had gone.