Chapter Eleven

Meredith and Stella were in the kitchen making cookies.

"Mama this cookie is made full of love." Stella giggled.

"God your Aunt Izzie has worn off on you and your baking skills." Meredith said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"You have gotten better at baking cookies Mama. I'm proud."

"You think I have?" Meredith questioned.

"Okay, least there not burnt. Don't get too happy." Stella said.

Meredith laughed at her. "Oh I won't."

It was later in the afternoon. Meredith had spent the whole day with Stella. She turned off her phone sat it on her dresser that morning. She told herself that today was her day with Stella, and no one would distract her from that. If they need her bad enough, they would stop by.

After telling Stella that Meredith would no longer be fixing boo boos at the moment, Stella was excitied about the thought of spending time with her mother. But she was going to miss her friends at daycare truely.

They were busy dancing around the kitchen, and finishing up the cookies, when someone knocked on her door. Except this person was eager for her to open the door.

"I bet it's Aunt Cris. She always does that when she figures her key." Stella told Meredith.

"I'll look." Meredth sighed. She walked over to the door and opened it up.

"Dr. Grey."

Meredith stepped back. "Broady? What are you doing here? Wait, how do you know where I live?"

"I think you should come with me." He told her.

"What happened? Oh god. It's Derek." Meredith started to panic.

"No no no." Broady assured her. "Everythings fine. We have to hurry though."

"Hurry for what? Why are you here?" She asked again.

"It has to do with Mr. Morgan and the attorneys Meredith. You're getting your job back." He smiled sadly.

"What." Meredith said, more of a statement then a question.

"Mama you get to fix boo boos again!" Stella exclaimed.

"Hurry we have to go. Go get dressed." He pushed.

"Uh.." She turned and looked at Stella.

"Mama lets go get ready. Mr. Broady says we need to go, so lets go." She said taking her mother's hand.

"But Stella.."

"We can always have another girly day. You got boo boos to fix." She giggled.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Derek sighed. Him and everyone else was standing around in Richard's office. The attorneys and The Board were on their way.

"Can you believe this?" Richard said with excitiment.

"You're excitied that someone is losing there job?" Derek laughed.

"Meredith is getting her job back. I really didn't want to have to sign that form for Rachel Maddison."

"Rachel Maddison?" Derek asked. "As in...

"Meredith's old Chief." Cristina told him.

"So your saying that Meredith was going back to California..."

"Because that's were she could get a job. Rachel didn't want her to leave and come here. But a promise is a promise." Richard laughed.

"That's interesting." Derek said quietly. Everyone looked over at him.

"I know you all want to be here, but you all have work to do. So get busy. She'll come see you all later I'm sure." Richard told them.

Everyone but Derek and Cristina left.

"Now what..."

"I was in that OR too Chief." Cristina said. "And Meredith and I are best friends."

"I am the head of Neurosurgery. Meredith is the mother of my child, and I love her. Therefore I will not leave this room, even if it cost me my job. And she isn't leaving either." Derek spoke.

Richard looked at Derek. "Fine. You two can stay."

GAGAGAGAGAGAGA

"We have to hurry Dr. Grey. The attorneys and The Board are probably already here." Broady told her.

Meredith was holding Stella's hand, and Broady was walking along the side of her. They had just entered the hospital.

"I need to take Stella to daycare."

"We don't have time."

Meredith looked down at Stella as they walked onto the elevator.

"I'll behave." Stella promised her.

"Okay then Stel."

The elevator dinged and everyone got off. Meredith and Stella walked, Broady leading the way. They got to the catwalk, and she could see the attorneys and everyone in the room. She noticed Derek and Cristina off in the corner. They all turned to look at her.

Stella stopped walking and Meredith turned around. Broady didn't notice, and kept walking on.

"Stel, we got to go." Meredith told her, bending down.

"Please hold me. They're all looking at me." Stella frowned. Meredith turned to look at all the people, then back at her daughter. Meredith sighed and picked her daughter up.

They got around to the Richard's office, and Broady opened the door. Meredith walked in with Stella and set her down. Stella instantly hid behind Meredith.

Broady closed the door and everyone just looked at eachother.

This is awkward. Meredith thought.

"So can someone tell me why an intern was beating down my door in this late afternoon?" Meredith asked.

No one answered her. One of the attorneys that was a lady, looked at Meredith.

"How about you sit down Dr. Grey."

Derek polietly stepped around one of the attorneys.

"Stella." He whispered at her. Stella looked over at him. "Come here."

"They're looking at me!" She whispered back to him loudly. Meredith turned to looked at her.

"Go to Daddy, Stel." She told her.

"Is that your daughter?" The lady asked.

"Yes."She said smiling.

"She's beautiful. She looks like you. How old is she?"

Meredith looked at Stella. "Can you tell the nice lady how old you are?"

"Um, three. But I'll be four in two weeks." Stella said with excitment.

"That's fun. What do you want for your birthday?"

"A puppy." Stella exclaimed.

"Oh boy." Meredith and Derek said in unison. She looked at them and laughed.

"I'm guessing your her father."

"Yes, I am." Derek smiled at her.

"That explains the eyes." The lady laughed.

"Everything about her makes her just like her mother." Derek said looking at Meredith. "But the eyes defeantly came from me."

"I can tell." She smiled. "Well Dr. Grey if you could sit down for me, it will only take a minute."

Derek went and picked up Stella, going to stand back by Cristina. Meredith walked over to one of the chairs in front of Richard and sat down.

"Dr. Thomas if you could please take a seat too." Broady moved over to the chair beside Meredith.

"Now Dr. Thomas, if you will tell Dr. Grey what you told us and Dr. Webber."

Broady nodded and looked at Meredith. Meredith looked at him.

"Dr. Grey, I just want to say first of all I'm very, truly sorry for all the pain I have caused you. You've worked so hard for the career you have, and I'm sure that yesterday almost killed you." He paused. "Dr. Grey I gave Tommy the wrong medication that he was suppose to be on before his surgery. I know you prescribed to him some medications to take, and I gave him the wrong medication. I must have picked up the wrong chart."

"What were you giving him?" Meredith asked.

"Somehow I was carring an chart from Ortho and didn't realize it. The patient that was suppose to have that medication, was on blood thiners."

"That explains him bleeding out." Meredith sighed.

"I'm sorry. It was a stupid mistake. I knew what I did when you opened him up and there was all that blood. I remember the chart saying something about a fifty three year old male, not a seven year old boy."

"Yet you let me take the fall for it."

"I didn't want anyone to get in trouble or to lose their job. I was scared. But when I heard that you officaly lost your job, I knew I had to go to the Chief."

Meredith nodded. "Thank you for being honest."

He smiled.

"So what does this mean?" She asked.

"Well you are no longer being sued." The lady told her. "But as for Dr. Thomas, it's a different story."

"And as for your job..." Mr. Jennings said, stepping in. "You can have it back. It wasn't your mistake, and I apologize for everything. I want you to work here."

By then, Meredith was standing infront of him. "Well I don't know..."

"What..." Mr. Jennings said with wide eyes.

"I'm just kidding." She giggled. "I would love to work here...again."

"You're one of the best Meredith. You're mother would be so proud to know that her daughter is well on her way to being one of the top neurosurgents in the world."

"I wouldn't go that far." She smiled.

"We're sorry again for the inconvience Dr. Grey, but it looks like we've got some matters to take care of." The attorney said. "Shall we?"

They walked out of the room, including Broady and Mr. Jennings. That left Meredith, Derek, Stella, Cristina, and Richard.

"I'm so glad you're here with us." Richard said, getting up and hugging Meredith.

"Me too. I'm glad I don't have to move again. I wasn't looking forward to that at all."

"Move where Mama?" Stella asked.

"No where now Stel." She told her.

"I've got some other paperwork to finish. I'll see you tomorrow bright and early." Richard smiled.

Meredith stood there. She looked at Stella, and saw her sad eyes.

"I want the next week off." Meredith stated.

"What?" Richard asked.

"I want the next week off. I deserve it after all this has went on." Meredith told him. "And I promised a little someone I would take them to dinner. And have a beauty day. I like to keep my promises. So I'll see you in a week?"

Richard laughed. "I'll see you in a week."

Meredith nodded before turning towards the door to leave.

"Bye Dad." She said on the way out.

"Bye Dear." He said back. "And bye Stella."

Stella ran over to her grandfather and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Bye Grandpa." And she ran out the door.

When they all got outside, Meredith sighed and turned to face Derek and Cristina.

"Well if anyone can lose their job and get it back the next day it's my person." Cristina smiled. Meredith hugged her. "We don't hug."

"Oh shut up." Meredith laughed. Suddenly, Cristina's pager went off.

"Damn. 911. Got to go. Bye Mer, Bye Stel." Cristina said. "And by McDreamy."

They laughed and Cristina turned to leave.

"Some things never change." Derek sighed.

"No they don't." Meredith said. "Well Stel, you ready to go."

"Yeah, I guess." She spoke.

"What do you girls have planned for this, lovely evening?" Derek asked.

"Oh just playing games, watching movies, maybe a little dinner." Meredith smiled. Stella got excitied.

"How about I come over? I'll bring dinner. I'd like to spend the evening with my two favorite girls." Derek grinned.

That did not go unheard by Meredith. She smiled nervously.

"Please Daddy?" Stella begged. "And bring chocolate too. Mama kind of burnt the cookies today."

"You told me they tasted fine?" Meredith giggled.

"I didn't to make you sad Mama. But you tried. That's all that matters." Stella said, hugging her legs.

"Bring dinner. And like Stella said, don't forget the chocolate." Meredith winked.

"Oh I won't." Derek flirted back.

"Come on Mama, you said we could go get our nails pink." Stella told her mother.

"Okay, let's go." She said. She looked at Derek. "See you tonight?"

"It's a da..."

"Don't finish that sentence." Meredith warned before turning back and smiling.

"Daddy's the best." Stella smiled.

"You got that right." Meredith smirked.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Meredith was upstairs picking up her bedroom, when she heard the door open.

"Daddy's here!" Stella exclaimed, running to the stairs. "Daddy!"

Derek went and put down the food on the kitchen counter, before turning to his daughter.

"Hey Baby Girl." He smiled.

"Look Daddy, I got my piggys done." She said, wiggling her toes. "And my nails. They're pretty and pink aren't they?"

"They are very pretty." Derek said. "Is that a flower on them?"

"Duh, you have to get a flower silly." Stella assured him. "You should see Mama's fingers and piggys. There red."

Meredith walked down the stairs laughing.

"Come here Mama." Derek smiled. "Let me see your fingers and piggys."

Meredith walked over to him and showed him her fingers and toes.

"Sexy." He mouthed to her, smiling.

"Shut up." She smirked. "What did you bring us?"

"I brought Stella her own little pizza.."

"Cheese?" Stella asked.

"Cheese. And I brought you chicken tortileni. And don't worry, I brought a chocolate cheesecake too."

"Oh you wonderful, wonderful man." Meredith sighed, reaching into the bag.

"I wish you would tell me that more often." Derek told her.

"Don't push it." She said back. "What about for you?"

"I got a salad."

"Health nut." Meredith and Stella said at the same time.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Derek was running around with Stella on his bag. Stella was giggling, and couldn't stop.

She had a bad case of the giggles.

They had got done eating dinner, and Stella was ready to play. Meredith was running behind them, tickling Stella.

"Please..." Stella said through the giggles.

"Okay, okay." Derek said putting her down on the ground, before dropping to the floor himself.

"Come on Mama.." Stella told Meredith.

Meredith sat down on the floor and sighed. She really needed to start jogging again. They sat there for a few minutes catching their breath, before Derek spoke.

"Hey Stella, you know who hates being tickled?" He smirked.

"Uh oh." Meredith gulped.

"Uh oh's right." Derek laughed before pinning Meredith beneath him. "Get her Stella!"

Stella started tickling her mother, and Derek held her down. Meredith also got a bad case of the giggles. They were having fun, until Meredith hit her head on the leg of the coffee table in the living room.

"Ow." She said, touching her head.

"Are you okay Mer?" Derek asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, up at Derek. She was still underneath him.

"I'm going to go pick out a movie and we can all lay in your bed Mama and watch it." Stella said, running upstairs to her room.

Meredith laughed. "Um, your still on top of me."

Derek smiled. He bent down and put his mouth to her ear. "Yeah, and?" He whispered before moving his lips to her mouth, and kissing them softly. Meredith moaned quietly. Derek pulled back from her, looking down at her. Smiling at her flushed skin, he bent back down and went in for another kiss, this time deepening it. He loved that he had this reaction to her. They continued kissing, and Derek pulled Meredith's lower lip into his mouth, sucking on it. Meredith pulled back and looked at him. "And you call me the tease?" She laughed. He laughed along with her and kissed her again, only to be interupted.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Stella asked, standing midways on the stairs.

Derek instantly pulled back and looked up at his daughter. "I was just helping your Mama get something out of her hair. And I was checking her boo boo on her head."

"Right.." Stella giggled. "Come on the movie is starting!"

Derek got up and went to walk upstairs. "Coming." He smirked, turning to look at Meredith.

"You are cruel!" Meredith cried.

GAGAGAGAGAGAGA

The movie was over and Stella was asleep in her father's arms. Derek got up and sat her back down, tucking her in underneath the covers. He kissed her on the forehead and whispered 'I love you' to her, before walking around the bed to Meredith.

He turned the TV off and bent down next to Meredith, were she was 'asleep.'

He put his hand on her cheek and rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb.

"I know you're not asleep. You want to know how I know? Because you're not snoring." Derek whispered to her.

Meredith laid there before starting to giggled. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I'll try to come by and see Stella tomorrow. You two have fun, and enjoy your week off." He smiled. He kissed her softly on the lips. "Goodnight Mer."

He stood back up and turned to leave. "I'm sorry about the other night. I do want to talk. I just had a lot on my plate. I've had time to think about things though. And tonight was a lot of fun. For both I and Stella. I hope that we can spend more time together like that. As a family I mean. It's not all the time we're both together with her, and we should cherish those moments and try to spend more time with her together." Meredith spoke.

"We'll talk when your ready." Derek said. "And as for spending time together with Stella, I would love more than anything to be a family. And not just some nights Meredith. All the time. I hate things can't work out that way."

Meredith sat there silently.

"Well goodnight." He said, before walking out of the room. He stopped at the door.

"I love you both." Derek turned his head slightly. "I hope you know that."

"We love you too." Meredith smiled, and she watched as he walked out of her bedroom. She heard him shut the door downstairs, and she sighed.

She wanted things to be like this all the time. She wanted Derek to be there and instead of leaving, sleeping in bed with her. She wanted Stella to grow up in a family. She missed Derek. She wanted nothing more than to be with him.

But could she really trust him with her heart again?

I love the lil' family I've created. Ahahahah. (: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and the fact that Meredith isn't off to California..again. Please keep reviewing and telling me what you all think. This is really the first story I've written, that I've really clicked with. I'm glad that you all are liking it too! You're all so wonderful, and I hope all is well with everyone. Now it's time for me to shut up, and you to review. (;