Chapter Three
much delayed.
...
sorry.
After Derek walked away to answer his page, Addison showed her kids the door to Richard's office. Addison gave them all a hug before heading off to deal with the transfer from Mercy West.
Aidan knocked before opening the door. "Hello, Uncle Richard."
"Come in," Richard said standing up to hug them, "Hello Aidan, Avery and Baby Avery."
Avery laughed at that, "How about Eddie for short?"
Richard gestured for them to sit down, "Shall we get started?"
"Avery, this is the patient's file."
"I can see why you need a Pediatric Otolaryngologist," Avery said as she started reading the provided information.
"And possibly a Pediatric Neurosurgeon," Richard replied as he looked pointedly at Aidan.
Aidan laughed as he settled Eddie on his lap, "I take it you have a case for me to consult on, as well?"
Richard's only reply was to place a patient's file in front of him on the desk.
The next day it was nearly 8am before Derek saw Avery heading for the that he had been waiting for her though.
He hesitated before calling out to her. Avery turned and waited for him to catch up.
"Avery, I'd like us to talk. Do you have a minute now?" Derek asked.
"Okay," Avery replied.
"Let's get some coffee," Derek leading the way to the doctor's lounge.
Derek nervously played with his coffee cup as he settled into a chair across from Avery at the table.
After an uncomfortable silence Derek cleared his throat before saying, "I'm so sorry, Avery, that I couldn't be there when you needed me."
Avery refused to meet his eyes as she replied, "I understand why you left Mom, why you refused any contact with her. I don't understand why you couldn't get over yourself enough to be there when Nick was in a coma and the twins born. You missed meeting your granddaughter. You didn't even bother to call me back. What were you doing that was so important as your granddaughter took her last breath in your daughter's arms?"
"I couldn't call because I knew Addison would be there and I wasn't ready to deal with everything yet," Derek said moving to the chair next to his daughter, "I regret every day that I missed meeting my granddaughter." His hand hovering over her shoulder as he tried to figure a way to sooth her distress.
She shrugged off his attempts before saying, "NO! I talk. You listen."
She waited for her Dad's nod before continuing, "Mom was a mess when you left. Yet she took time off from work, flew cross country to be there when I went into labor weeks early from the car accident that put my husband in coma. She was there to hold my hand when they took him off life support. Did you know she stayed to take care of me when I was nearly inconsolable about losing my daughter and my husband?" Avery said as her eyes started filling with tears, "She helped remind me that my son still needed me and that in spite of his grief at losing a niece, my twin was still at my side, taking care of my son and that he needed me, as well. You couldn't even be bothered to return any of my phone calls. Mom stayed with us until Uncle Richard called asking her to come for a consult."
"It's nice to know that your lusty intern is more important than your own children," Avery whispered with a heated glare.
Avery took a shuddering breath before continuing, "You're my dad and I love you but I don't really like you much right now. Did you know that people asked me and Aidan all the time what's its like having Derek Shepherd as a dad. It is rather sad when the only kind thing we can say is that he's an excellent doctor."
She stopped to wipe the tears brimming over, "Dad, out of 20 birthdays I can count the number of times on one hand that you actually remembered our birthday or even celebrated it with us. We get that you and Mom had us young. But Mom is every bit as in demand as you but she still always made time for us. She didn't make us feel like work was more important than us. She's a good mom."
"So, I'm going to say this once. If you hurt Eddie, I will hurt you. If you hurt Mom again, my kind & gentle twin will hurt you. If you disappoint Aidan again, I will hurt you."
She looked him in the eyes as she whispered furiously, "Don't think I don't about why you went home early that day."
With one last heated glare Avery stood up and walk out the door with her head held high.
Derek's heart wrenched in his chest as he notice how much she looked like her mother when she was angry and as he wondered if his granddaughter would have had that trait as well.
