Amen 4

Ferry Boats

Meredith and Derek sat in the car on the ferry, too frenzied and tired to get the kids out of the car. Meredith happened to glance over at the nearby set of stairs. Owen and Amelia were approaching the stairs and Mer nudged a half asleep Derek, saying, "Derek. Wake up. Look over there."

Derek sleepily opened his eyes and glanced over, "What? They're just walking." As Derek and Meredith watched, Amelia caught her foot on a stair and began to fall. Owen caught her by grabbing her around the waist, then appeared to ask her if she was ok. He helped her stand as he playfully slapped her rear. Amelia looked back at Owen and smiled. "Hmmm…" Derek mused.

Meredith said, "I feel like we're spying. Does this count as spying?"

Derek grinned, "Mer, first rule of being a big brother: it's not spying if you're keeping an eye on your little sister and ensuring her safety."

Meredith asked with a hint of laughter, "Owen's unsafe?"

Derek shrugged, "Well, I guess not. How about the second rule of being a big brother: a big brother is always entitled to know what's going on with his little sister."

Meredith chuckled, "I'm not so sure about this rule book of yours. Please tell me you don't have a version for husbands." Derek smiled broadly and shrugged his shoulders. He leaned over and kissed his wife, attempting to end the topic with charm. As they kissed, Derek's phone sounded a text alert.

Derek looked down at his phone, "It's Amy. She wants to know if we want anything from the coffee place."

Meredith smiled, "Sure. How about a large coffee with one cream."

Zola added to the order, "and a doughnut."

Derek texted back, Two lg coffees, one with one creamer. One doughnut for the soap dodgers.

A few minutes later, Owen and Amelia came down the stairs. Their eyes were searching the lines of cars, and Owen's hands were balancing a drink carrier. Owen spotted Mer's car, then put a hand on Amelia's shoulder to show her where Derek and Meredith were parked. Meredith, touching up her makeup in the visor mirror, witnessed the interaction and observed, "He's constantly touching her. Has he always been so handsy?"

Derek, his head back and his eyes closed, responded, "Not with me." Mer just shook her head as Derek laughed at his own joke.

Owen and Amelia approached Derek's window and Derek rolled it down, saying, "Thanks. That was so thoughtful, Amy." Amelia handed Derek one coffee, "That's Meredith's," and then another, "Here's yours," and then she peeked her head into the car and said with glee, "And a doughnut for my favorite kiddos!"

The kids smiled with joy as they reached for the doughnut. Meredith intercepted it, began to separate it into pieces, and said, "Wait a minute, you can each have a little now and a little later."

Derek put his coffee in the drink holder and reached for his wallet, asking, "What do I owe you?"

Amelia put her hands up to her sides and said, "You'll have to ask the boss, he paid today."

Owen responded quickly, "Don't worry about it. It's on me."

Derek nodded his head and mumbled as he motioned back to Zola, "That's not the only thing I hear is on you." Both Owen and Amelia provided their best uber-confused expressions as if they hadn't understood him.

"Derek!" Meredith mumbled under breath as she widened her eyes and clenched her jaw. Then she leaned to see Amelia and Owen better and added with a grin, "Thanks so much, Owen. Very sweet of you. Oh! And Cristina says hello."

Owen looked awkwardly and quickly at Amelia and then back at Meredith, "She's good? Cristina?" Meredith responded with a nod, "She's good."

Owen nodded his head and looked at Mer somewhat expressionless, then looked at his watch, "Good. Umm…wow, We're going to be really late today." Owen looked at Amelia, saying, "I'm going to call the hospital to check in." Amelia nodded and handed him the car keys.

Amelia turned to Derek and shoved him on the shoulder, "What the hell was that?!" Derek acted oblivious as he drank some coffee and shared an expression that said, What are you talking about? Amelia looked at him sternly and without a trace of a grin, adding, "The 'on you' comment?"

Derek smiled and chuckled, "Ahhh, yes. Zola was telling us all about how fun it is when you babysit and Uncle Owen comes over and plays slap and tickle." Derek just couldn't resist being a brat to his sister.

Meredith interjected with insistence, "Chase and tickle, Derek. Chase and tickle."

Amy, trying her best to look puzzled, responded uneasily, "Well, you gotta wear the kids out somehow. Thank God I've been able to call in military reinforcements!"

Derek rolled his eyes and then lowered his chin as he looked at his sister, "Nice reinforcement, Aim, one that slaps your back side as you go upstairs, puts his arm around you and guides you by gently touching the small of your back. Nice soldier moves." Amy just looked at Derek expressionless as Derek added, "Oh! Oh! And a reinforcement that plays chase and tickle before he falls on top of you onto my couch."

Meredith, who had been listening without watching, turned and asked inquisitively, "So, Amelia, is there something going on between you and Owen?" Derek raised his eyebrows and kept eye contact with Amelia as Meredith leaned in.

Amelia, quick as always, tried to look like she couldn't believe the words coming from her family, "Yeah, right, Derek. My dating history isn't the responsible doctor type." She rolled her eyes as she folded her arms then looked to the left, "I like dating boring doctor types who are like a brother to me."

Derek looked ahead dismissively, "Uh huh. Ok Amelia. Ok. You should get back to your car – we're about to dock."

As Amelia walked away, Meredith pointed out, "Did you see how she folded her arms and looked to her left? Supposedly those are both non-verbal signs that someone is lying." Derek just shook his head, not sure what to think.

Amelia walked over to her car, her heart beating fast as if she'd been caught red handed. Owen had moved into the driver's seat when he called the hospital, so Amelia slipped into the passenger seat, saying, "Do. Not. Look. At. Me. Pretend to be texting and completely uninterested in me."

Owen looked down and played with his phone, trying to speak without noticeably moving his lips, "Uh, ok. Why?"

Amelia sighed and looked out the side window as if she were bored as could be, "Because my niece has a big mouth and has been telling my brother and Meredith that we play chase and tickle and that you fall on top of me and onto the couch. Derek is also convinced he's spotted some subtle touches between us."

Owen glanced at Amelia out of the corner of his eye without moving his head and said seriously, "See. Today's the day, Mia. Today's the day. Now how the hell do we do this?"

As they drove off the ferry and toward the hospital, they made a plan. Owen would approach Derek and Amelia would approach Meredith. Once they knew, Owen would call a board meeting. He wasn't sure which interaction was more concerning: telling Derek or informing the board.