Changes For Better or Worse
A/N:I am so so so so so SORRY. I know I promised it days ago and I totally planned to except…I didn't. Did I say I'm sorry? Anyhow thank you all for your great reviews and I hope this is up to its usual standards.
Chapter 6
Meredith had just laid down, her head finally resting on her soft pillow when heard the click of the door closing downstairs and the muffled voices of Izzie and George downstairs. 'Damn…' She had thought the two were on shift till the morning. They must have gotten off early. 'Now what..,' She had hoped to slip out before they came back and then explain it to them at a more reasonable hour. Knowing it wouldn't be good for them to just discover them there; she sat up and put her hair back into a ponytail, though sloppily if anything. It was only then that she noticed her choice of pajamas that night had been a little froggy design which she had picked to match her daughter's during one of their mother daughter shopping days. She was just about to head downstairs to talk to them when she heard a wailing come from Emily's room. "So much for talking to them about this first…" She had mumbled this under her breath in sarcasm, but her thoughts were focused more on the worry that had shot through her at the noise from her daughter's room.
She could hear the pounding of George and Izzie's feet coming up the stairs at the sound, in addition to the fast padding of her own as she ran to their room.
"Meredith!? What are you…when-" Izzie's voice was full of surprise and yet there was a hint of concern there as well. However, before she could question her Meredith had flung open the door to reveal a crying Emily, her bed's sheets thrown apart, her pillowcase on the floor the pillow itself not far away. The little girl's face was streaked with tears and she had a death grip on a ragged teddy bear in her left hand. "Emily? Em? What is it? What is the matter? Mommy's here, are you hurt?"
George and Izzie stood at the door rooted in shock as they watched Meredith checking over every inch of Emily and whirling around the room as if to find some intruder.
Hic. The little girl began to hiccup in between her now silent sobs. "It's gone! Mommy it's gone! Someone musta took it!" Had the she not been so distraught Izzie would have chuckled at how cute she sounded.
"What's gone? I don't see anything missing and no one's been here but you and me."
"Maybe they took it!" At this Emily had pointed to the two of them still standing in the doorway, her big green eyes brimming with tears.
"Emily what have I told you about pointing? Now apologize to them and tell me what is missing, ok?" Meredith's voice was soft yet had a firm motherly tone to it. Something that Izzie hadn't thought Meredith had in her.
"Sorry Aunt Izzie. Sorry Uncle George. But Mommy, someone took my picture. The one of us and Daddy." At the thought of the missing picture the girl's eyes began to leak fresh tears. "I woke up and it was gone, Mommy!"
Izzie and George stood there stunned at how the girl had addressed them. She knew them? But how, she was certain she had never met the girl before today.
"Are you sure you put it under the pillow?" Meredith began to rub the girls back and kissed her on the top of her head.
"Uhuh!" Emily had bobbed her head up and down ferociously before gasping. "No! I brung it with us today Mommy. I musta dropped it…" Her face crumpled in horror at this revelation.
"Brought, not brung." Meredith corrected her lightly before continuing. "I'm sorry Emmy, but it's probably in the garbage by now. Tomorrow I'll fish out a new picture for you, I promise."
The small child, however, was not put at ease. "But Mommy! Daddy gave me the picture, 'member? He said that I had to keep it safe! I don't want to make Daddy sad!"
"Shh… you would never make Daddy sad, he loves you so much, and he will always love you. Tomorrow I'll go find your picture how's that?"
The girl continued to sniffle but the tears had stopped as she nodded sadly.
Izzie gave a little oh before running down the stairs, alerting the pair to their presence again, as if they had forgotten they'd had an audience. George stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Meredith avoided eye contact with him and he was about to say something when Izzie emerged in the door way again, this time coming in and kneeling below the little girl. She held up the photography to the little girl, watching as the girl's face lit up with joy as she grasped it in her small fingers.
"Thank you!" Emily leapt at Izzie, wrapping her arms around her neck, and hugging her tightly. "I love you Aunt Izzie! Thank you!" The girl was all smiles.
Izzie felt a small smile creep onto her face. "Your welcome…Emily, right?" At the girls small shy nod she went on. "I found it on the floor earlier. It's a very pretty picture, I'd keep good hold of it. Ok?"
"Ok! I promise! Pinky swears?"
"Pink swears." The two wrapped their pinkies together and pulled causing Emily to let out a yawn.
"Come on Em. Time for bed, my little bonzo." Meredith tucked Emily back in bed, and kissed her on the forehead before turning out the light. She was about to leave the door when she turned around and whispered, "Sweet dreams and heavenly things…"
There was silence for a moment before Emily's sleepy voice came through the crack finishing the lullaby, "good night, the angel sings…"
"Love you Emmy."
"Love you too, Mommy."
Meredith slowly pulled the door shut, before taking a breath and turning to Izzie and George, her mask of indifference once again on her face. Walking past them she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her voice floated up the stairs, breaking the two out of their reverie, "Are you going to stand there all night, or are you going to come downstairs?" Her voice held no malice or sarcasm, but rather was more of a simple and yet straightforward question, holding no real emotion.
Izzie stared at George for a moment before sighing and making her way downstairs slowly, as if trying to take in all that had happened in a matter of fifteen minutes.
It took George an additional minute to snap out of it as he wrapped his mind around tonight's events as well, still trying to digest how…motherly… Meredith had been. From what he had seen at the hospital he had pegged her as being similar to Ellis, but from what he just saw, Meredith seemed to have a much different relationship with her daughter. In all honesty George hadn't thought Meredith had, had it in her to be a good mother. Meredith had always been so messed up, a constant drinker, her life always in ruins, how could someone like that possibly be a good mother? But her…she seemed so perfect at it, it seemed like it had been natural for her. Shaking his head, George hurried down the steps to catch up with Izzie. This was not a talk he wanted to miss… or did he?
To be continued…
A/N: Again I am so so sorry for the lack of update! I've just been so busy (I know, everyone says it. I guess people weren't always lying like I though p, just kidding). Anyhow, please RR, or for those of you like myself who are totally clueless to what that means (well I know now…) please read and REVIEW!! That's right! Review! Push the button people!!!!