Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy.
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"Hey," Derek cheered from his spot on the couch as Meredith rounded the corner into the attendings lounge.
She stopped in her tracks and pointed at him sternly, "Don't do that," she told him.
Derek scoffed a laugh, "Don't do what? Say hello to my wife?"
"The whole 'I'm excited for you so I'm gonna make a big deal out of everything you do today' thing," she glared at him, making her way toward the coffee pot.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, faking innocence with a smile.
"Yes you do," she said with a glare as she opened a cupboard.
"And in that moment," Derek began in a deep voice, "the infamous Meredith Grey reached for a coffee mug and the world was a better place," he exaggerated, a smirk playing on his face as he uncrossed his legs and threw his chart onto the table to stand up.
"That is what I'm talking about," Meredith laughed, "It's creepy, don't do it," she said, turning around to fill her mug.
Derek smirked and came up behind her, "Look at the precision, not a drop out of place as she…oomphf," he grunted as she jabbed her elbow into his stomach.
"Would you quit?" she said, shoving the coffee pot back.
"I can't," he laughed, putting his hands on her waist and sliding them across her stomach as he dipped his face into her neck, "You're so cute when you're annoyed," he told her, pecking her neck.
"Stop it," she squealed with a laugh as he hit the ticklish spot on her neck.
Derek laughed evilly and hugged her closer, pulling his face back to look at her, "Hi," he said cheesily.
"Hello," she said, amused as she turned her head to look at him, "I'm gonna drink my coffee now," she whispered to him.
"Ok," he grinned, "I'm gonna kiss you one hundred times now," he said, closing the distance between them.
"Please don't," she snorted with a smirk.
Derek just raised his eyebrows and kissed her again, "For one hundred surgeries," he said, licking his lips as they hovered, nearly touching hers, "Good thing I brought my chapstick," he whispered loudly.
"Don't the two of you have offices to do that in?" Dr. Bailey grumbled as she walked into the lounge.
"We do, but…" Derek grinned.
Meredith kissed him again, "Shut up," she whispered with a laugh.
Dr. Bailey rolled her eyes, "Would you move this tail wagon, you're blocking the caffeine."
"You're so mean to me," Derek scoffed, pulling Meredith with him and shifting away from the coffee pot, "Zola would suggest a punishment party," he laughed as she spun away from him with her coffee.
"Zola would suggest a lot of things if she had the final say in everything," Meredith laughed, walking toward the door.
Derek raised his eyebrows as he nodded, "True," he said simply, grabbing a water out of the fridge, "Hey, Dr. Grey," he called with a smirk as he watched her near the door.
"What?" she asked, turning around and rolled her eyes.
"It's a beautiful day to save lives," he told her with a wink.
Meredith just laughed and shook her head, turning around again.
"Little did she know," Derek began in a deeper voice again, bringing his water bottle to his lips as a microphone, "...she'd save a hundred," he finished, reaching out and letting his water bottle fall on to the floor, "Mic drop," he whispered to himself, watching Meredith shake her head and laugh as she walked out the door.
"You better pick that up," Bailey told him, unimpressed as she took a seat at the table.
Derek chuckled, swooping down to snatch the water off of the ground quickly before taking a seat next to her, "How's it going Bailey?" he asked her.
She looked up at him over the paper she was reading, "Well, ten years ago, I didn't think I'd still be walking in on you and Grey sucking face."
"Hmmm," Derek hummed with a small smile, "Lucky you."
Bailey rolled her eyes.
"No, seriously," he said, the smile falling off of his face, "How are you?"
"I am..." she sighed heavily and nodded, "tired and stressed and I have mountains of paperwork but not enough time to do it. Tuck was supposed to be at his father's this week but he's conveniently out of town with his girlfriend so now I have less time and an upset child," she told him honestly.
Derek nodded, raising his eyebrows in understanding, "It's a demanding job. I thought I wanted it for a long time and once I had it," his eyes widened and he shook his head, "I'd rather chase away monsters with water in a spray bottle than deal with that," he chuckled.
Bailey's face twisted in confusion as she looked at him, "Monsters with a spray bottle?"
"It's a kid thing," he told her, shaking his head, "Bailey's going through a monster phase. He thinks they're everywhere so we put some water in a spray bottle and… nevermind," he chuckled, "My point is, it's tough. I get it. If you want us to take Tuck for a night, just say the word," he offered.
Bailey raised her eyebrows, "Are you sure about that?"
Derek shrugged, "The house is already a zoo, what's one more?" he smirked, "Bailey has a bunk bed in his room, he could spend the night and we can drop him off at school with Zola in the morning," he offered, "Think about it, let us know."
"I will," she nodded with a sigh, shuffling a few more papers, "Thank you."
Derek smiled and nodded, checking his watch, "I have an aneurysm to clip," he told her, standing and moving over to the couch to grab his things before making his way out of the lounge, "Bailey," he said, stopping at the door.
"Hmm?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.
"If anyone can handle the job it's you," he told her seriously.
"Thank you," she grunted with a smirk, looking back at her papers with a sigh.
"Dr. Shepherd," Jo called, walking up to him quickly as he sat on the bench outside the OR.
Derek looked up in surprise, "Wilson," he said, "What are you…"
"Where's your wife?" she breathed, coming to a stop in front of him.
"Why? What's wrong?"
Someone's pissed. What the hell did Meredith do?
"Where is she?" the resident seethed.
He gave her a confused look and glanced down at his watch, "Probably at lunch or in the daycare with the kids," he told her.
"Thanks," she said shortly, turning abruptly to walk away.
Derek shot up and grabbed her forearm, "Woah Woah Woah, what happened?"
Jo ripped her arm away, "Alex Karev is a jackass," she spat, "and your wife is the only person in this damn hospital who understands his dumb ass," she told him angrily before stalking away.
Derek shook his head, huffing a laugh as he sat back down and adjusted the booties over his tennis shoes.
That'll be a fun conversation. She isn't wrong though, Meredith is one of the only people who gets Karev.
"What was that all about?" Amelia laughed as she walked over from the nurse's station and took a seat on the bench across from her brother.
He looked up at her with a smirk, still adjusting his shoes, "Oh just Karev being… Karev I guess," he shrugged, "I'm sure Meredith will tell me later," he added, looking down again to retie a shoe.
"Ahh," she said, amused, "So he was an asshole and she needs Meredith to translate?"
"Mmhmm," Derek nodded with a chuckle, sitting up straight and looking at her suspiciously, "What's up with you?"
Amelia shook her head and pinched her lips together, raising her eyebrows, "Nothing," she told him unconvincingly.
"Look, Amy, I have a surgery in twenty minutes," he told her with a sigh, folding his hands together, "so you can spit it out now or we can talk about it tonight," he said, giving her a pointed look.
"Don't look at me like that," she snapped, rubbing her hand through her hair, "Like you look at your kids when you're trying to…"
"Amy," he said simply, unmoving.
She bit her lip and rolled her eyes, looking around her for a moment before leaning in a bit, "You know Cristina Yang, she was practically a third of your relationship for a long time."
Derek snorted a laugh, but nodded in agreement, "Where is this going?"
"What happened between them?" she asked quickly, "Cristina and Owen. What happened? All I ever hear is that they fought a lot and then she got a job somewhere else and left and I just…"
"It's a long story, Amy," Derek told her with a sigh, "Meredith knows a lot about it… we both do, I guess… they loved each other a lot," he nodded, "but they also hurt each other a lot," he told her honestly.
Amelia swallowed thickly, "What did he do?"
Uncrossing his legs and looking over at the clock, Derek sighed again, "Look, Amy, this isn't a conversation that can happen in the next five minutes. Why don't we talk about it later?"
So I can figure out what the hell I'm supposed to say this to you in a way that won't make you run for the hills.
For a moment, Amy sat there, unmoving as she looked her brother in the eye.
It's bad. If it weren't he would have just told me. What the hell happened between them?
God, this is making me sick to my stomach.
What could Owen have done? As much as I love him and trust him, he just... had this whole other life I know nothing about.
"Amy," her brother said softly, reaching to rub her knee, "I'll tell you, I promise. I just… I have a surgery and this isn't the place…"
"No, no I get it," she said quickly, looking up at him, "I'll see you tonight," she nodded.
"Amy.." he began, standing up just as she did.
She's freaking out. Dammit, Derek, why did you even say anything?
"Dr. Shepherd," a chipper young intern with glasses said, walking up to them.
"Yes?" They chorused, turning toward him with raised eyebrows.
Same face. Same name. Yup, definitely siblings but uhh…
"Oh I… umm… sorry," he stuttered, "Lady Shepherd."
Lady Shepherd? Really dude?
What the hell else are you supposed to call her?
In the future, anything but that.
"Yes?" Amelia asked again.
Derek smiled at the intern and then turned to his sister, "I have to scrub in, I'll talk to you tonight," he promised, squeezing her elbow as he walked away.
"Dr. Simmons wants a consult on…" he heard the intern begin.
Tightening the ferryboat scrub cap onto his head, he released a breath and walked through the doors to the scrub room.
Ok. Forget everything else, all of the stress and the what ifs and the other responsibilities.
Ferryboats, ferryboat rides with Meredith, with the kids.
Derek smiled to himself as he opened a package and turned on the faucet, scrubbing the soap over his hands and up his arms.
Happy thoughts, relaxed thoughts.
Meredith.
Zola, Bailey, Ellis.
Ferryboats.
"Ok," Meredith murmured, walking down the hall with a sleepy Ellis in her arms, "You and I are gonna help Mrs. Pierce feel better," she told her, rubbing her back, "So just smile and be your cute little self and don't lose it, ok?" she asked her, holding the baby out in front of her and kissing her nose as she stopped outside the door.
Ellis grinned and patted her face, "Mmmmama," she squealed as Meredith pulled her close, holding her against her chest.
"Just like that," she cooed with a grin, shaking her head and kissing Ellie's cheek.
"Thank god," Maggie groaned, walking up to them, "She's driving me insane with her death face."
"Death face?" Meredith snorted with a smirk, "That's not very nice," she whispered to Ellis.
Maggie rolled her eyes, "Thanks again for bringing her," she said seriously, her hand resting on the door handle, "After Derek left with Bailey the other day she was a whole new person," she smiled.
Meredith shook her head and laughed, "With the amount of charm the two of them dish out I'm not surprised," she told her sister, bouncing Ellis on her arm.
"Derek's teaching him well," Maggie smirked as she walked through the door, "Hey mom, I brought some visitors."
"Maggie," she sighed gruffly as she continued staring out the window.
"It's just Meredith and Ellis," she told her as the three of them moved into the room.
Ellis held onto her mom and looked around the room at all the machines with a bright smile.
"Hi Mrs. Pierce," Meredith smiled softly before turning to the baby, "Ellie can you say hi?" she cooed tickling her belly and eliciting a giggle.
Reaching a chubby hand out, she grinned and waved wildly, "I!" She squeaked.
Good job, kid. Your perfect little face will make her day.
"Good job," Maggie encouraged her, noticing the soft ghost of a smile that made its way onto her mom's pale face as she finally turned her head to look at the little girl.
There she is. It's working.
"Do you mind if I sit?" Meredith asked, gesturing toward the edge of the bed.
"Not at all," the older woman smiled, "She looks a lot like Derek. A blonde Derek," she offered, watching as Ellis climbed up to a standing position.
"She does, I swear when she's angry she makes the exact same faces," she laughed, "Don't you?" She asked her, kissing her ear and causing her to scrunch her nose.
"Hi," the older woman said to the baby with a smile.
Ellis grinned at her and grunted as she pulled away from her mom, plopping down before crawling further up the bed and patting her shoulder as she babbled.
"Oh really?" Mrs. Pierce laughed.
Maggie smiled, her eyes burning with tears as she took a seat in the chair next to her mom's bed.
Look at the happiness… the life in her eyes when she looks at her.
"Be careful," Meredith warned the little girl softly as she bounced and played with Mrs. Pierce's oxygen cannula.
She grunted and dropped it before grinning at the older woman and laying her head against her shoulder with a babble.
"Aww," Maggie cooed with a laugh, squeezing her mom's hand.
"She likes you," Meredith smiled, rubbing Ellie's back.
Mrs. Pierce shook her head with a soft smile, releasing Maggie's hand and bringing an arm around the baby as she cuddled closer, "I don't know about that," she murmured.
"Trust me," Meredith laughed, looking over Maggie, "If she doesn't like you, she'll scream."
"Kid's got a set of lungs," Maggie nodded, glancing between her mother and Meredith, "The first time I held her she screamed until Derek took her back."
Meredith rolled her eyes, "She was three hours old," she laughed, "...and Derek has some kind of… superpower with crying babies."
"Hmmm," Maggie's mother sighed, looking down at Ellis, "Maggie was the same way with her father when she was little," she smiled.
"Really?" Maggie asked softly, a bit surprised.
"Oh yes," her mother laughed as Ellie sat back up and squealed as she saw her earrings, "Do you like those?" she cooed to the little girl.
"Remember when he went on that business trip?" Maggie laughed, "I was so mad at him, I gave him the silent treatment for a week."
"I do," her mother laughed, letting her head fall back against her pillow tiredly, "That was impressive for seven-year-old."
Meredith smiled as she watched Maggie and her mother.
She's happy. Her mother's happiness makes her happy.
"Well," she began with a soft smile, "We should let you get some sleep," she said, rubbing Ellie's leg as she played with her sweater, "It's almost naptime for this one too," she cooed, poking the baby's stomach.
"And mommy has a big surgery in a couple hours," Maggie added with a smirk.
Meredith shook her head with a laugh, "It's just a tumor resection, another day at work…"
"Mom," Maggie interrupted, sitting up and looking her mother in the eye, "Meredith's on a streak, a surgery streak. This surgery this afternoon will be her one-hundredth save."
"Ok," Meredith cheered, "Come here cutie," she crooned to Ellie, leaning forward to pick her up with a smile.
"That's impressive," Mrs. Pierce said, her eyes widening.
"Shhh," Meredith cooed, holding Ellie close and standing as she whined, "It's… just a day," she said stubbornly, "Say bye-bye. Bye-bye," she told Ellie, waving toward Maggie's mom.
"Goodbye, dear," she smiled softly, "Meredith…" she began slowly, "don't let your fear of failure keep you from celebrating. Whether this patient lives or dies today, you have been successful ninety-nine times," she smiled widely, "That… is impressive," she told her sternly, "Be proud of that. You deserve it."
"Thank you," Meredith smiled softly, swaying back and forth as Ellis rested her head on her shoulder.
It's just a number. It's a big number, but it's just a number. You deserve to be excited. Derek may be excited enough for the whole family but… you should be too.
"There you are," Jo sighed as she swung into the room, "I need to talk to you now," she said sternly, looking at Meredith.
Meredith turned around in surprise, "Umm, ok," she said slowly, Ellis squealing happily at the quick movement, "I'll see you later," she smiled toward Maggie and her mom.
"I'm going to kill Alex," Jo seethed watching Meredith shut the door and walk over to her as Ellie played with her hair.
"What did he do?" Meredith sighed knowingly, bouncing the baby a bit as she squirmed.
Dammit, Alex, get your shit together. I am tired of cleaning up your messes.
You can do this. It's just another tumor resection. You can do this.
Meredith swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath and grasping the rim of the scrub sink tightly as she leaned into it and stretched her neck.
What if she dies? If you go in there and this surgery isn't successful everyone will know. A woman will be dead and your streak will stop at ninety-nine. It's a good number. A big number, but so close, too close for comfort. That's how it always goes, right? You're always almost there, but not quite.
Taking another deep breath, she shoved herself off of the sink and snatched her phone from her pocket.
"Hello?" a gruff voice came through the receiver.
"I can't do this," Meredith spat out, "It's too much, there's too much pressure. I'm gonna get in there and I'm gonna crack, I know that I am. Everyone knows, everyone and this woman could die but people are ready to celebrate, Derek," she told him frantically.
"Meredith," he said softly, she could hear the smile in his voice, "You can do this, you know that you can."
She shook her head a bit, putting her free fist on her hip as she cast her eyes toward the ceiling, "Derek I don't…"
"Don't worry about anyone else," he told her slowly as she heard rustling from his end, "This is about Mrs. Fields. It's about the patient and it's about you. You're her doctor, Meredith and you are more than capable of doing this."
"But there's… there's a number hanging over her head," Meredith told him sternly, "...and my head. There's a number over both of our heads and if I don't…"
"There are no numbers," he interrupted her sternly, "In that OR there will be a patient, you, and a couple colleagues doing your jobs. That's it, that's all there is to it."
Meredith sighed with a groan, "Just doing a job," she muttered with a nod. There was a beep on the other end and the line went dead, "Derek?" she asked, receiving no reply.
"You can do this," she heard him say as the door creaked open behind her and he walked in with a grin on his face.
She rolled her eyes as she turned to face him, "But what if I mess up?" she asked him harshly, "I… I could slip and cut an artery or cut too far away from the tumor or…"
Derek walked closer, "If you mess up," he nodded, stopping in front of her, "You'll fix it... but I don't think you'll mess up," he whispered, placing his hands on her arms.
Meredith sighed, looking past him for a moment before looking him in the eye, "I'm tired of almost, Derek."
"What?" he asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion.
"I don't want this to be another thing that I almost did or that almost happened," she told him honestly.
His eyebrows knit together, "Explain," he said gently, rubbing his hands down her arms and catching her hands in his.
"We almost had a baby and then you got shot and I had a miscarriage," she began with a huff, "We were almost back to normal after we got Zola and we were in a plane crash. We were almost happy for the first time in a long time and you were hit by a truck," she said, tears gathering in her eyes as she looked at him, "So why should this be any different?" she asked him desperately.
Derek smiled sadly and shook his head, squeezing her hands, "We did lose a baby, but now we have three. We were in a plane crash but now we own a hospital. I was hit by a truck, but I'm still here and our life is pretty great," he told her, his smile widening, "Bad things happen and a lot of bad things have happened to us... but a lot of good things have happened too."
"What does that have to do with this surgery?" Meredith asked him angrily, "What does that even mean?"
Stupid brain man and his stupid, wordy words.
"It means," he said slowly, releasing her hands and reaching up to untie her scrub cap, "...that whatever happens, we'll deal with it. We always do," he whispered with a smile, pulling the purple cap off of her head.
"What are you doing?"
"Just wait."
"Derek, I have to scrub in, I can't…"
"Just. Wait," he said again, a bit more sternly as he shoved the cap into one pocket of his lab coat and pulled another one out of his other.
"Derek…"
What is he doing? What is that?
He ran his fingers along the design on the scrub cap, smiling down at it, "You remember that huge fight we had right after you told me you wouldn't go to D.C?" he asked, glancing up at her for a second.
"Yes, but…"
"You said that I would always be the hot-shot surgeon and you would always be the intern that fell in love with me," he recounted, swallowing as he shifted on his feet, "but…" he chuckled, shaking his head, "You're not. Now you're the hot-shot surgeon," he said with a grin.
"Derek," she said again as she realized what was in his hands, "Don't."
The ferryboat scrub cap.
"I want to," he said with a smile, unfolding the cap and placing it on her head, "You are an amazing surgeon and there's no doubt in my mind that you're as great if not better than I am," he told her softly as he adjusted it just right, "You're going to wear this today and you're going to take a deep breath, think happy ferryboat thoughts," he chuckled with a grin, "and you're going to kick some surgical ass," he finished, tying it tightly to her head.
It looks good on her... makes her eyes look greener.
"But it's yours," she argued, "Ferryboats are your thing, you have a thing for ferryboats," she breathed as he brought his arms down and looked her in the eye.
"I have a thing for you," he smirked, placing a kiss on her cheek, "I love you. You can do this," he said firmly, grabbing her hand with a squeeze.
Meredith smiled at him, "I love you too," she whispered, "Thank you."
"Anytime," he promised with a wink, kissing her lightly before pulling away and making his way to the door as she turned on the faucet. Halfway out the door he turned back and smirked at her, "Look at that technique. Even her scrubbing is flawless," he said in that same deep voice he always used.
She whipped her head toward him with a glare, spraying water toward him, "Get out," she laughed.
Derek just laughed and stood there for a moment with a grin on his face before turning to leave.
"Ferryboats, ferryboats, ferryboats," he heard her murmur to herself as she closed her eyes for a moment and let the water run over her arms.
She can do this. She's an extraordinary surgeon. Maybe someday she'll believe it.
"Ok, Bailey, put that one right there," Derek directed him, pointing toward the gap he had to fill with the last cupcake.
Bailey nodded and stuck his tongue out as he carefully nudged the cupcake with purple icing and rainbow sprinkles between two others, "Done!" he announced with a big grip, clapping his hands together.
Derek smiled, gathering up some dishes and tossing them in the sink, "Perfect," he cheered, "Mama should be home any minute, why don't you go wash your hands."
"It's so pretty!" Zola squealed as Bailey hopped off of his stool and ran toward the bathroom. Zola pranced closer and pulled herself up a bit to see better.
"It is," Derek nodded, wiping down the counter quickly, "I think purple was a good choice," he told her with a wink, kissing her cheek and glancing over toward Ellie as she plopped onto the bean bag chair with a doll.
Zola nodded excitedly, "Mama's gonna love it."
"She is," he agreed, turning to grab two wine glasses out of the cupboard, Derek placed them on the counter as Zola shoved some sprinkles into the sink.
"Mommy," Bailey yelled, darting across the room as he heard someone at the door.
Zola's face lit up, "She's here!" she squealed to Derek who returned her grin as he searched for a bottle of wine.
Just as Bailey stopped in front of the door, bouncing on his feet, it swung open, "Hey, little guy," Amy smiled.
Bailey's face fell, "Oh…" he muttered, standing still as he turned away, "It's just you."
"Awww man," Zola groaned.
"Hey, be nice," Derek nudged her, snorting a laugh as he set a bottle of wine on the counter.
Amy rolled her eyes, "Nice to see you too," she muttered, closing the door behind herself and kicking off her shoes.
"Mmmama, mama," Ellis babbled, hugging her doll close as she toddled toward the kitchen.
Derek searched through the drawer for a wine bottle opener, "She'll be home any second," he said, smiling at her for a moment.
"You said that five billion seconds ago Dad," Zola groaned, reaching for her cup and leaning against his leg.
"Yeah," Bailey agreed with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest as he walked up next to Zola, "What are we doing?" he asked.
"Getting Mama something yummy to drink," he told them, twisting the opener into the cork and glancing over as Ellie plopped on the floor by the fridge and grabbed a magnetic letter.
"Oooh, cupcakes," Amelia said happily as she walked up to the other side of the island, "...that form the number 100, how cheesy," she laughed, rolling her eyes.
"Hey, Mama loves cupcakes," Zola said sternly as Bailey slid up to his little sister on his knees.
Derek pulled the cork out of the bottle, "Watch your fingers," he said, shoving the opener back into the drawer as Zola watched him carefully. He moved around her to grab the wine glasses, but his foot got caught on the step stool and he tripped, catching himself on the counter, only to knock both glasses off, "Shit," he groaned, his foot throbbing.
"Daddy!" Zola yelled as Ellis burst into tears.
"Be careful," Derek told Bailey as he shifted on the floor, his eyes wide and filling with tears, "No, no, no, no," Derek said loudly lunging toward them as Ellis moved, leaning over the sea of glass and swooping them both up in one arm.
"Daddy," Bailey began sobbing, clutching onto his arm as Ellis cried next to him and Derek stood up straight with a grunt.
"I'll grab a broom," Amy offered with wide eyes.
"Daddy I'm scared," Zola whimpered, pulling on his arm.
Derek sighed heavily, trying to sooth the two younger ones with some bouncing, "It's ok, everyone's ok," he said pulling her onto his hip with his free arm, "It's just some broken glass," he huffed.
As she walked back into the kitchen with the broom, Amy burst out laughing and reached across the table for her phone, setting the broom aside, "I'm sorry… I've gotta get a picture of this," she told him as he stood there glaring at her, all three kids sobbing in his arms as he tried to calm them down.
"Amy," he groaned as the door clicked open.
Shit, Meredith's home. This is just great. So much for a happy, stress-free night.
"Hey!" she called, her smile falling from her face as she stopped in her tracks to take in the scene in front of her.
Derek plastered a huge smile on his face, "Happy 100 surgeries!" he cheered, all three kids still crying as Amelia burst into another round of uncontrollable laughter.
Meredith snorted laugh as she shut the door, kicking her shoes off, dropping her bag, and making her way toward the hot mess of her family, "Thank you," she laughed, shaking her head.
"Mama," Bailey sobbed as Derek lifted his leg and pulled them higher up his body to keep them from slipping.
"What happened?" she asked, concern and amusement crossing her face as she looked between Derek and Amelia.
Derek just shook his head with a chuckle as he let her pull Bailey and Ellis onto her chest, "Oh you know..." he muttered pulling Zola around to his stomach as she clung tighter.
"Daddy fell and… and there was a loud… noise and he... said a bad word," Zola hiccuped, lifting her head off of his shoulder and looking at her mom with tears streaming down her face.
"Oh no," Meredith said, giving her daughter a sad look with a hint of a smirk as she held the younger two close to her and glanced at Derek, "Are you ok?" she asked him in amusement.
"Oh I'm fine," he chuckled, placing a kiss on her lips, "Congratulations," he said. Bailey had stopped crying and Ellis' cries had dulled to whimpers as they held their mom closer.
"Thank you," she grinned, kissing him again.
"Well," Amy said, finally composed, "I have somewhere to be so I'm gonna take one of these and send you those pictures," she told Derek deviously as she reached to pluck a cupcake out of the number.
"Hey!" Zola cried as Derek swatted her hand away, "Those are not yours," she told her aunt sternly.
"Those Mama's cupcakes," Bailey said from Meredith's hip.
"Cupcakes?" Meredith asked with a smirk.
"Zola and Bailey will bring you one and apologize in a few minutes," Derek told her.
Zola looked at her dad, "Why do I have to?" she asked as Amy huffed a laugh and walked away.
"Did you make these?" Meredith gasped with a laugh as she peered over the counter and Bailey wriggled out of her grasp.
"Yup," Bailey grinned, peering over the counter.
"Mmhmm," Derek smiled, rustling Bailey's hair, "We did."
"Just for you, Mama," Zola grinned, turning her head to look at her, "Cause you operated on one-hundred people and all of 'em got to go home, right Daddy?" she asked him.
"That's right," he nodded, smiling at Meredith proudly.
Meredith smiled widely, brushing her hair behind her ear, then hugging Ellis closer, "Thank you," she said softly, leaning over to kiss Zola's cheek and Bailey's head.
"Can we eat 'em now?" Bailey asked, smacking his hands on the counter.
"Yes we can," Derek nodded, letting Zola down, "Go climb up and you can pick one out," he told them, "Other way," he said, grabbing their shoulders and turning them away from the glass. They giggled and ran around their mom and then the counter and hurried up to their seats.
"Woah," Meredith said, glancing down at the floor, "What did daddy do?" she cooed to Ellis, kissing her head.
Derek rolled his eyes, "Daddy tripped over the silly stool and it hurt," he said with a laugh, "I'm gonna clean this up before someone cuts their feet," he said before turning to Zola and Bailey as they sat at the island, "You two stay right there until I'm done, ok?"
"Ok," Zola nodded firmly before turning her attention to her mom, "Cupcake?" she asked sweetly.
Meredith laughed and nodded, shifting Ellis on her hip, "Shove your sleeves up, " she told them, turning to grab plates as Derek grabbed the broom and began sweeping up the broken glass.
100 people have gone home to their families because of you.
Now here you are in your kitchen with your own crazy, sweet, dysfunctional family.
Ellis Grey better be rolling in her grave… or… gurgling in the scrub room sink.
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!
- I'm a sucker for some good real-life family scenes.
Exams are officially out of the way which means so is my mini-hiatus, yay! I'm excited to be able to focus more on writing again. I've missed this MerDer family a lot.
Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed! I appreciate you SO much and I love hearing your thoughts on my stories!
{Side Note: For anyone following Somewhere Only We Know, I'll be working on an update. It should be up within the week!}
Happy Holidays :)
