Author Devylish
Title Little Surprises
Chapter Hope 10/?
Fandom Grey's Anatomy
Pair Derek and Callie
Rating PG13
Words 1996
Warning/Spoiler/Summary None. None. Business trips always end up like this, right?
Disclaimer All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are the property of the creators of the TV show Grey's Anatomy. Any original characters, settings and plots are the property of devylish. devylish is in no way associated with the TV show Grey's Anatomy and no copyright infringement is intended. This work is an amateur fan effort and no profit is being made.

Week 35

"I don't waddle."

"Dude, you waddle." Alex sat his tray down on the table next to Callie's, and yelped when Yang kicked him. "What the fuck was that for?"

"Never tell a woman she waddles."

"You said it first!"

"Yes, but I'm a woman. Women can say shit like that to one another, boys cannot."

"I swear there are more double standards in this world created by chicks than were ever created by men."

Yang turned back to face Callie, "But, yeah, you are waddling."

"Fuck."

"One dollar please." Yang held out her hand, and watched as Callie reached into her pocket and pulled out cash.

"You're still doing that?" Karev dug through his salad looking for something appetizing.

"She needs to stop swearing before the baby is born. They pick up words and behaviors quickly. And Callie's words…? Not good for a child."

"It's the dam-rn Braxton Hicks. I swear, women shouldn't be forced to have pre contractions and contractions. They make me cranky. And when I'm cranky I drink and swear."

"And since you can't drink…?"

"I've doubled up on the swearing."

"Think of it as adding to your baby's college fund."

Callie gave Yang the finger. When Yang held her hand out expectantly, wiggling her fingers for more money, Callie shook her head and responded, "Nope, sorry, that's not a swear word."

Yang shrugged and looked down at her brownie, "speaking of sitting on it and spinning… where's McDreamy? Has he given up following you around the hospital like a puppy?"

"He's not a puppy; he's a concerned father to be." Callie dropped her fork on to her plate, "And he was driving me crazy…, so I gave him an assignment."

Yang raised a brow as Karev grinned, already aware of where Derek was spending his free hours.

"What? What assignment?"

"The nursery. I'm being a pain in the ass about the nursery. He's spending all of his free time at the house trying to make it perfect."

"And?"

"And I'm keeping him busy…. I keep changing my mind about the paint color. Last week it was greens, the week before, it was yellows."

"And this week?"

"Purples."

"That's kind of mean." Yang offered.

"Kind of mean?" Karev sipped his coffee. "You women find a switch on a guy, and you'll flip it until it breaks." He looked at Callie, "let the guy be near you. He's crazy about you, you're carrying his child"

Callie sighed, "He can be near me. I- I want him near me, but, Karev, he was following me to the bathroom. I don't really want him near me then."

Karev chuckled. "He's definitely whipped."

"He's not the only one," Yang offered.

"Shut up Yang."

Karev sat up. "Spill Yang."

"She makes dinner for him every night."

"Not every night."

"Every night that isn't 'date night'."

Callie put her hand on her belly, soothing the baby who was trying to stretch, find more space. More non-existent space. "He works hard."

"Yeah," Karev offered, "painting nurseries over and over again."

"And we're not talking pizza in the oven dinners. We're talking full fledged steaks, and pastas and casseroles." Yang arched an eye at Callie, "You never cooked shit like that for me when we lived together."

"You never hit my g spot."

"Whoa!" Karev slid back in his chair and held his hands up. "TMI ladies. TMI."

"Oh please, you're eating this shit up." Yang responded, then she turned to face Callie with a sniff, "and, if I'd ever attempted to hit your g spot, I would have hit it, and hit it hard."

Karev leaned back into the table. "Okay seriously, anytime the two of you want to ratchet this flirtation up to reality, I'd be happy to watch it… or film it… or partake in it… just let me know. I'm there."

Both of the women lifted a hand and gave him the finger.

****

Derek turned off the radio and stared at the wall, paintbrush in hand and ruminated. It was probably too pink. Or too light. He took a step or two back and sighed. Dropping the brush he ran his hand through his hair, then cursed, realizing he probably just left a streak of 'lavender light' in his hair. Picking up the paint pan and the brush he kicked off his sneakers at the door of the nursery and headed downstairs to the garage. Rinsing the pan and brush out – because he was pretty certain he was going to need them again – he glanced at the clock radio to his right.

Callie would be home soon. He wondered if he had enough time to order dinner in. Callie was an amazing cook, but he wanted her off of her feet, especially now that they were in the last four weeks of the pregnancy.

Turning off the water, he walked back into the house and headed to the computer. Pulling up the online menus he flipped through some of their favorites before settling for the ma and pa restaurant a few miles down the hill. The food would be good and it wouldn't upset Callie's stomach.

Picking up the newly installed phone, he dialed the restaurants number as he stood up and started to pat his pockets down for his cell phone. Unable to find it, he called in the order as he paced the finally finished house. They'd moved in three weeks ago. And while they were still painting and ordering furniture, the house itself was done.

He hadn't asked her to move in. Not in any official manner. They'd simply taken the dating, and the sleeping together, and the being together from the RV to the house. The RV was now happily parked, in a shed behind the garage, while Callie and he were happily entrenched in the house.

"Yes, I'd like to make an order for delivery…. Yeah, sure." While he waited for them to find a pen or help a customer, or whatever, he tried to remember where he'd last seen his phone. Coat. Where'd he put his coat.

Heading back up to the nursery he stood in the doorway. He actually kind of liked this color. He was going to have to see if he could get her to keep this one. Yeah, he knew Callie was changing her mind about the nursery color in order to give him something to do; in order to make him feel useful, and he was okay with that. He knew he had been kind of overbearing; kind of overwhelming for a few weeks there. …Following her everywhere she went, making certain she wasn't walking too much or standing too much, or doing anything too much.

He was lucky she hadn't knocked his head off.

No, instead, she made him paint. And paint. And paint a little more.

Reaching into the room for his jacket, he spoke to the waitress who'd come back to the phone. "Hi, right, yes… 2 orders of your broasted chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, chocolate cake." He waited as she read his order back, "1256 Westwood Ln…. right. Right. Okay, thanks." Shutting off one phone, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and grabbed his cell out of his pocket.

It was lit up like a Christmas tree.

Flipping it open, he started heading to the garage almost automatically. 'Call me – Callie'. '911 – Callie'. 'ER – Callie'. Then, the calls from Callie stopped and the next two recorded on his phone were from Yang, and… from Bailey.

He dialed the hospital as he backed the truck out of the garage.

****

"Where is she?"

"Shepherd, she's fine."

"Where is she?"

"Shepherd. Derek!" Bailey grabbed his arm, "I need you to calm down. If you don't calm down I'll have security remove your ass from the hospital. Callie needs you to be calm. SHE needs to remain calm, if you go in there all… all blustery and he-man-y she'll get emotional and upset, and we just got her to relax a few minutes ago. Got me?" He slowly nodded his head, and Bailey released her amazingly strong grip on his arm.

Glancing around them she looked at the staff that were staring at them. "What!? The man's going to be a father. GO back to work!" Grabbing Derek's jacket she started to pull him down the hall filling him in as they went, "She was complaining of contractions all day long. She -- we all thought -- they were more Braxton Hicks. But her water broke at around 1500."

"It's too early."

She shot a look at him over her shoulder but refrained from calling him an idiot because she knew he was in shock. "She tested for streptococcus. Dr. Martinez is going to need to induce."

He said it again, unable to stop himself, "It's too early."

Pulling to a stop in front of a room, Bailey shook her head, "Okay, master of the obvious, get a grip and go in there and keep Callie calm. Can you do that?" Looking up at him she gathered her patience. "Derek, go be with Callie."

****

Derek pushed in to Callie's room, his hands in his pockets because he didn't know what else to do with them.

"Cal?" Her eyes were closed and the lights in the room were dim. He took a few steps closer and tried again, "Callie, baby."

She blinked and opened her eyes, tears rising against her will. But she was still Callie, scared shitless or not. "Where the hell have you been?"

He smiled. That's my girl. "Painting the nursery, again."

She flushed. "And where the hell was your phone while you were painting?"

"Muffled by my jacket…, and the radio; Prince Retrospective."

She smiled.

"Sooooo…?"

"Guess they weren't Braxton Hicks."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Now? I'm fine. I'm doped up up to here." She lifted her hand and let it drop back to the bed.

"And… the baby?"

"They're probably going to have to induce me." her nostrils flared, the only sign that she gave that she was afraid, but he was at her side in a second. He wrapped his hand in hers and leaned forward, kissing her forehead.

"You'll be fine. The baby will be fine."

"I know." She sniffed. "There's a 90% chance that the baby will be fine. So… so it'll be fine. We'll be fine."

He ran his thumb along her cheek, knowing that both of them were scared to death of the 10% chance that their baby wouldn't be fine.

"When are they going to do it?"

"You got here just in time. They'll probably take me in another couple of hours."

He glanced at his watch without seeing the time. "Move in with me."

She gave him a confused look.

"We've dated, and had sex, and… we're having a child. Move in with me."

She laughed, a little laugh. "Aren't we already, kind of living together?"

"Let's make it official. Give up your apartment; the RV has been put away. Move in with me."

Her throat was closing. She couldn't speak. She could barely breathe. If he'd asked her yesterday, she would have jumped his bones. But now. What if… of course everything would be fine. The baby would be fine, but… what if…? "Ask me tomorrow." Her voice was low.

"No. I'm asking you now." He wanted their child. He wanted their child to be perfect and whole and as beautiful as its mom. But… if… if for some reason, that couldn't be. He still wanted Callie. And he wanted her to know that. "Move in with me."

"Derek."

"Simple question Calliecat."

"Derek." She looked up at him. His jaw had that determined tilt to it. and his eyes were still blue and beautiful. And… and she was on drugs, which could be her escape clause. "Fine! Fine. I'll move with you."

He bent his head to hers and kissed her. A kiss that held hope.