Meredith is walking around the living room with Ellie in a newborn sling. She has food in her hair and looks like she hasn't slept in weeks. The living room is covered in piles of blankets, bottles, vomit-covered baby clothes, and lots of toys.
"Mommy can I have cinnamon cereal" Zola asks as she runs into the kitchen. "Of course sweetie" she says. Zola and Meredith talk about Zola's day in school and Zola asks tons of questions about Ellis. Derek walks into the kitchen holding Bailey and looking just as disheveled as Meredith. "Okay he's all dressed and ready for day-care! Good morning Zozo" he says and places a kiss on her forehead. "Morning daddy" she replies. "Okay kids it's time to go" Christina says as she walks into the kitchen. She picks Bailey up and walks to the door. Derek helps Zola put her backpack on and goes outside with Christina and Meredith to put the kids in the car. 'you have the address for Zola's school?" Meredith asks. "Yes Mer. And I have Bailey's bag, and Zola's art project, and the cupcakes for Sofia's birthday. Stop worrying. Go kiss your baby or something" she says sarcastically. "You're the best" Meredith replies with a smile. "What would you do without me." "I have no idea. Thank you for doing this, seriously you've been such a great help." Christina smiles her big smile she saves just for Meredith. "Anything for you Mer" she says.
Derek collapses onto the couch and is sitting for 5 seconds before is phone rings. "Ugghh" he groans. "This better be important Torres." "The new sensors just arrived." "How are the working with the legs?" "Like you wouldn't believe! The reaction time and control has improved by 70% and the implant surgery should be much less invasive." "That's fantastic!" "Derek, this is really getting big. Like Harper Avery big." "Don't jinx it Torres!" "Okay okay!" He could hear the excitement in her voice. "Oh I hear Ellie crying I gotta go." "I'll keep you updated!" "Thanks Torres." Derek gets up and walks into the nursery. 'She won't go to sleep" Meredith says when she sees Derek in the doorway. He can tell she's stressed out and exhausted. "Let me hold her. Go take a nap" he says. "I love you" she says in reply. He takes Ellie from her arms and she collapses into the rocking chair. "Callie just called. The new sensors I developed are even better than projected." "That's awesome" she says with a tired smile. "I've been thinking that once we go back to work that I'm going to spend most of my time on this project. I'll have more time to spend with the kids and I can make this Harper Avery worthy." Meredith frowns and looks up at him. "Why do I feel like this is exactly where we were after Bailey was born?" "Mer I'm not going to make the same mistake I made last time. You and the kids are my everything, I'm not going anywhere." He puts Ellie down in her bassinet and Meredith stands up. She wraps her arms around his waist from behind and they both look down at their sleeping baby. "I want to spend as much time with them as I can and if that means fewer surgeries so be it." He turns around and kisses her softly. "Thank you" he says softly. "For what?" He cocks his head and gives her the McDreamy smile. "For all of it. For never giving up on us." Meredith kisses him in response. "I love you" she says. "I love you too."
Meredith and Bailey stand in the back of a crowded elevator. It's been 12 weeks since she's been in the hospital and she is very ready to get back to work. Derek went back 2 weeks ago but only for a few hours a day.
"Welcome back Grey" Dr. Bailey says. "Thanks" she replies with a small smile. "How's Ellis?" "Oh she's great" Meredith replies proudly. "Good" Bailey replies as the both get paged and the elevator doors open. "I'll see you later Grey." Meredith walks out of the elevator and goes into the attendings lounge. "Hey welcome back" Maggie says when Meredith walks into the lounge. "I convinced Alex to have a few people over tonight if you're interested." "I'll have to see if Derek is willing to watch the kids but that sounds great" she replies. Meredith grabs her coat and scrub cap from the closet and changes into her scrubs. Derek walks in with Ellis in a front body baby carrier. "Bailey is all settled in day care and Zola walked into class with a new friend" he says as he kisses Meredith's cheek. "Zola has been asking for a playdate" she replies. "I'll see if Julie can get the parent's numbers when she picks Zola up" he says. "Alright well I have a surgery with Bailey" she says. They kiss quickly and Meredith heads to the OR while Derek goes to his research lab. "You ready for this" Bailey asks when Meredith walks into the OR. "I am. Ten blade" she says confidently with an outstretched hand. Bailey watches her intently as she makes her first cut.
That night when she gets home she sees Amelia sitting on the couch, rocking Ellis in a baby seat next to her. Zola and Bailey are playing in front of her with their toys scattered around the floor. "Hey Mer I'm just waiting for the chicken nuggets to finish cooking and then I can feed the kids." "It's okay I got it. Go home to Owen" she says with a smile. Amelia smiles and goes over to Bailey and Zola. "Bye my munchies I'll see you tomorrow!" "Bye bye auntie 'melia" they reply. Meredith gets the kids to sit at the counter and she starts giving them their dinner. Derek walks in from the porch a few minutes later. "Sorry that was one of my research patients" he says. Meredith hands him a glass of wine and smiles in understanding. "So how was your first day back" he asks. "Did you save anyone" Zola asks. "I did! I had to remove a spleen and help a nice old lady with her abdominal pain" Meredith replies with a smile. "No whipple" Zola asks sadly. 'No not today sweetie." "Hey Zo tomorrow I'm going to put a sensor in a man's brain isn't that cool" Derek asks. "Not as cool as a whipple" Zola says. Meredith laughs as Bailey chants "whipple, whipple, whipple!" "Well you think my sensors are cool, don't you Ellie" he says as he picks Ellis up and swings her into the air. She laughs a little and makes some ooohh sounds in response. "Alright you two time for bed" Meredith says. Zola and Bailey go get ready for bed and Derek pulls a bottle out of the fridge. "So it was a good day?" "Yeah it was" she replies with a smile. "Good" he says, giving her those McDreamy eyes.
Meredith stands in front of the OR board and rights her name in her surgery slot. "Hey" Amelia says as she comes up next to Meredith. "Just finished my Corpectomy did I miss it?" "No you're good" Meredith replies with a smile. Meredith's phone rings and she pulls it out of her pocket. "Wow that was fast" she says. "What was fast" Amelia asks. "I texted the parents of Zola's new friend and they want to have a playdate this afternoon." "That's so exciting!" "Why do people constantly feel the need to kill their arteries" Maggie complains as she walks up to the OR board. "Oh are they here yet" Callie asks excitedly as she comes up behind Amelia. "Oh did I miss it tell me I didn't miss it' she asks Meredith with a fake pouty voice. "No" she replies with a smile. "I almost forgot" Maggie says. "I can't wait to see the beads of sweat on their freaked out little faces" Callie adds. Alex comes up behind Maggie; "oh man did I miss it" he asks. "Nope" Callie and Meredith say at the same time. "I wanna see someone crap; actually crap" he says seriously. "Seen it, smelled it, not as fun as you think" Callie says. Maggie makes a disgusted face. "It's happening the baby chicks are here" Arizona says in a high pitched, very excited voice as she walks past them quickly. They all turn and follow her into the OR gallery. They watch as the new interns slowly walk into the OR as Richard recites he age-old speech. Derek slips into the gallery and sits behind Meredith and next to Arizona. Arizona, Callie, Meredith, Alex, Ben, and Derek recite Richard's words because they all know them by heart. Amelia, Owen, and Maggie just look down in enjoyment and awe. "They look stupid" Alex says with a laugh. "They look like babies" Meredith says as others giggle. "Were we ever that young" she asks. "They're so…well rested" Ben says. "And stupid" Alex adds. "Hmmph, and eager like puppies" Meredith says. "No not like puppies" Arizona says laughing a little. "Chicks and ducks" she and Maggie say at the same time. "Left to their own devices they would drown" Derek says. "And take the patients down with them. God help us all" Callie adds. Owen glances up to Amelia and they share a loving look.
Owen and Amelia are walking down the stairs in the front lobby. "Are you sure that you want the blue couch instead of the brown one" she asks semi-seriosuly. "You're mocking me!" "I am not. I just think its adorable that you care so much" she says. "Hunt, how much longer is Richard going to be interim chief because I want to expand my department and he has kind of a different approach to the budget" Arizona says as she approaches Owen and Amelia. "I need more hours and staff for my research and he wants the funding to go into OR supplies" Derek says coming up to the group. "So when are you coming back" Arizona adds. "Ughhh I'm not the boards going to appoint a new chief" Owen says. "We are?" Arizona and Derek ask in surprise. "When?" Arizona asks; "Why?" asks Amelia. "Yeah why" Derek says. "Because I've been chief long enough" Owen says with a shrug of his shoulders. His going away for 4 months had been hard on Amelia but he has been back for a few months and she assumed everything was going to go back to the way it was. "And…. It's time for something else" he adds. He turns and walks away, leaving Amelia, Arizona, and Derek to look at each other in confusion. "Hey doctors!" The three of them turn to look at the nurse that called out at them. She points to the TV and they all turn to see an accident report starting on the news.
