Meredith had finished her morning routine and was walking through the corridors to have a quick coffee break when she stopped as she saw Derek chatting with Cristina's husband Owen in a corner. Meredith grinned wickedly like a cat that had just gotten the cream and trying to resist the urge to skip merrily she wandered towards the pair as formally as she could. Derek saw her approaching out of the corner of his eyes and a grin started to show from the corners of his mouth. Owen got half of the message and he turned around to look at Meredith who gave a loud cough and pretending to be nervous she said to Derek, "excuse me sir could I trouble you with a question about our profession, I feel like I need your advice giving my lack of experience."
"Certainly Misses Grey" Derek said smiling, "why don't we talk in my office."
"I guess i'll catch up with you later" Owen mumbled as Derek nodded to his friend, he waited for him to disappear from sight and with a smile he crossed his arms, "well misses Grey it sounds like you're in a pickle why don't you follow me and I can give you my guidance."
"Actually I am thinking of something better that your lips could do," Meredith leaned forward "and the cupboard is closer" she whispered in Derek's ear. Derek smiled as Meredith started to skip towards the cupboard while Derek followed behind and opening the cupboard Meredith walked inside, Derek looked around him for anyone that could be watching them until Meredith tired of waiting grabbed his jacket and pulled him inside. Derek gave a loud laugh with Meredith who jumped into Derek's arms and kissed him deeply as she ran her hands up and down Derek's back, "how long do we have" she whispered.
"About ten minutes" Derek whispered back, "until i'm needed for surgery."
"Let's not waste any time" Meredith said softly as she and Derek started to make out Derek's hands wrapped themselves around Meredith' waist. Meredith's hands gripped Derek's strong shoulders as Derek moved back nearly tripping over the cupboard equipment then a heartrending tune began to play and he broke apart Meredith's lips continued to kiss his cheek as Derek looked at his phone, "damn it."
Meredith sighed, "that was too quick."
"It was" Derek whispered. Meredith wrapped her arms around Derek's neck, "are you free tonight?"
"I am I was thinking we could take the kids out to chuck e cheese for a treat, but if you want we could ask Cristina to babysit, she said she was free tonight."
Meredith shook her head and planted a gentle kiss on Derek's lips, "Derek the only thing I can think of that is better than spending time with you is spending time with you and your children."
Derek smiling, "see you tonight."
Meredith kissed him one more time, "I can't wait."
Meredith got through the rest of the morning with no dramas. She finished all her morning operations by twelve thirty and then went to the office where the other interns worked to finish recording her case notes. She kept looking at her watch every few minutes waiting for the hands to reach one o clock, with thirty seconds to go she quickly gathered up her person belongings and when the big hand finally reached the twelve on her watch she dashed out of the office and as quickly as she could she took the elevator downstairs. She ran to the childcare unit and was greeted at the entrance by the same friendly young woman who had taken the habit of saying hello to Meredith every time she came to visit, "hey you're back again."
"I am" Meredith said as she hitched her handbag on to her shoulder, "how is Josh is he alright?"
The woman gave Meredith a kind smile, "he's been excited all morning about seeing you, I think it's so wonderful that you keep coming to see him, most of his friends are away from childcare now with the flu or they are usually asleep in a corner around this time of the day."
Meredith felt a mixed feeling of joy and pride as she wandered in and saw Josh huddled over a table playing with blocks. Meredith as quietly as she could in her high heels walked over to the little boy and bending down she hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek. Josh squirmed and laughed as Meredith's fingers gently tickled his ribs, "hey little dude."
Josh turned around smiling from ear to ear, "your here Meri."
"I am sweetheart, so what have you been doing today?"
"Building blocks" Josh said as he pointed to the mess he had made on the table.
"That sounds fun" Meredith whispered as she picked up one of the wooden blocks herself as Josh nodded, "I tried to build a castle but I couldn't do it by myself."
Meredith gave Josh's shoulders a gentile squeeze, "well why don't I help you and we can build a castle together?"
Josh beamed, "yes please."
Meredith got down the tray of wooden blocks from the table and sitting down on the floor she helped Josh build a castle from the ground up until it was almost as big as Josh was. Josh looked at the castle with awe and then looked at Meredith, "it's a big castle."
"It certainly is" Meredith whispered as she looked at her watch and frowned as she realised her hour break was nearly up, "I need to leave for work sweetheart."
Josh gloomily nodded, "I wish you didn't have to go back to work its the worst time of the day."
Meredith hugged him and kissed his cheek, "I spoke to your dad today, we're going out tonight to chuck e cheese."
Josh's sad look was instantly replaced with an excited one, "we are."
"We are, you me your daddy and your sister."
"Cool bananas" Josh said.
"And we're going to get you and Cecilia a large ice cream each."
"Cooler and bigger bananas."
Meredith chuckled, "I need to go honey."
"Okay" Josh said as he climbed into Meredith's lap. Meredith looked at the little boy who was rapidly becoming one of the biggest priorities in her life with each passing day and she whispered, "I wish I could stay here with you all afternoon because work drives me bananas"
Josh smiled as he wrapped his arms around Meredith's neck and Meredith cuddling Josh and kissing his cheek again left childcare and wandered back to her workplace. She went back to the intern office and sitting down at a computer she logged in to her account and was about to continue her usual revision for the afternoon when the door opened and Cristina came in to the room wearing a stern look that made Meredith's blood run cold, "Meredith may I see you in my office."
"Sure" Meredith said feeling a strong sense of worry as she followed Cristina until they reached her office. "Sit down" Cristina said dryly as she pointed to a large armchair in front of her desk, Meredith quietly complied as Cristina crossed her arms, "I am going to ask you a simple question do you have your phone on you?"
"Yes of course" Meredith said as she reached through her pockets and pulled out her Samsung to show Cristina.
"Do you answer your phone when it rings?"
Meredith checked her phone's call log and realised that Cristina had rung her number several times in the last hour, "oh I didn't hear it."
"That's what i'm saying we had an emergency just now and a perfect opportunity for you to show the other supervisors what you are capable of and you were mucking around."
Meredith narrowed her eyes she hated being talked to like this and wasn't very good at tolerating it, "Cristina I wasn't mucking around."
"Well than tell me" Cristina said in a lowered tone of voice, "what you were doing that was so important?"
"I was just having my lunch."
"No one saw you in the cafeteria and I know for a fact that no one has seen you anywhere on this level in the last hour, if you're going to play games with me Meredith I warn you I don't play nicely."
Meredith counted to five in her head realising she wouldn't be able to fool her supervisor, "I was with Josh."
Cristina's face darkened, "he's in childcare isn't he?"
"Yes he is."
"So if he is being looked after in childcare why did you feel it was necessary for you to see him?"
Meredith felt her anger rising to the surface she had seen Josh because she knew how unhappy children could be alone with no one to play with all day in childcare and Meredith couldn't bear the thought of Josh being unhappy when she could put a smile back on his little face."Because he's miserable" Meredith said softly, "he's only four and his sister isn't there anymore and neither are most of his friends."
"And you thought it would be more beneficial for your career to see a child you have no relationship to than do your job."
"I was on my break."
"We don't have breaks Meredith" Cristina said in an angry voice, "don't you get it it's always work 24 7, we're always on call, always need to be ready to save lives, you just seem to think that it's okay for you to wander off when you like and babysit some random person's kids."
"Sorry" Meredith said not feeling sorry in the slightest.
"You have a bright future ahead of you Meredith don't throw it all away for a child you barely know."
Meredith felt fire burning inside her that comment had done it, she glared at Cristina "I know him a lot better than you think."
"The point is" Cristina said baring her teeth, "you're not his parent."
"I'm as good as" Meredith said firmly.
"What?"
"Who else has he got?"
"He has Derek doesn't he?"
"And when Derek is at work and his sister is at school who has he got?"
"You are crossing the line Meredith, I don't want to give my boss the report that you are letting personal affairs affect your job performance and that you are unsuitable to become a neurosurgeon, but I will if you don't change your attitude."
Meredith rose to her feet, "what about Josh?"
"Are you listening..."
"No listen to me Cristina he's the sweetest little boy i've ever met and he's stuck inside a hospital all day with no one to see him, he has been very sad this week that's why I have seen him because some things are more important than work Cristina and making a child that you love happy is one of them." Meredith went to the door and turning around gave Cristina a look that would make a hardened criminal cringe, "now i'm late for an appointment and if Josh wants to see me during my break I will see him you can fire me if you want to but i'm going to see him and take care of him goodbye." With one last glare Meredith stormed out of the office and walked through the hospital until she got outside she leaned against the wall feeling her anger slowly evaporate and a new feeling settling in fear. She knew her career was finished, she knew she should have just taken whatever Cristina had to say but then she thought about what Cristina had said that Meredith should just dismiss Josh's happiness in favour of her job and she felt her anger flaring up again. She didn't care about her job or her future in the hospital anymore because the only future she wanted was one with Derek and his two children she wanted to look after Josh in Derek's home and pick up Cecilia at school. She wanted Derek to come home and kiss her and tell her about his day she wanted her future to be with him and it made her feel wonderful every time she imagined it. Meredith looked at her watch if she was going to be fired she might as well finish up on a positive note and show Cristina that no matter what she could still get the job done. With that Meredith walked back inside the hospital to her next appointment.
Derek's office
"So all in all" Derek said with a frown as Cristina finished her story, "it sounds like you're in a difficult situation."
Cristina nodded, "I don't want to fire her Derek I really don't but that kind of behaviour is unacceptable."
"I see what you mean?"
"I know she's seeing your son because she cares and that's just the problem she cares too much, and when you tell her that she kills you with her glare and walks off. Not to mention you're my boss and... you're not going to fire me are you for trying to stop Meredith looking out for your kids?"
"Of course not" Derek said smiling, "without you around every intern here would think this is just a walk in the park."
"Derek I know this might be out of place."
"Cristina" Derek said putting his hand on his friend's shoulder, "after all these years of knowing you nothing you could say to me would be out of place."
"Are you seeing Meredith Grey?"
Derek tried unsuccessfully to mask the reaction to his friend's question, "we hang out sometime."
"You know what I mean?"
Derek instantly realised there was no fooling his friend and he nodded, "it's true."
Cristina smiled widely she had wanted Derek to move on and meet someone special for a long time, she had almost forgotten what they had talked about for the last ten minutes, "does anyone else know?"
"No no one else knows."
"Do your kids know?"
"No and please Cristina you can't say anything to them or anyone else."
"I won't" Cristina whispered smiling, "I know it doesn't look professional when the head of neurosurgery starts seeing an intern it could really affect your chances to get that job in Australia next year."
"I know that it could affect Meredith if people knew about our relationship."
"It appears to me she is already attached to you and your children."
"I haven't told Cecilia and Josh because I want things to become serious between me and Meredith first."
"I have a hunch it's pretty serious already."
"Well all were doing is going out."
Cristina raised an eyebrow, "Owen says you two were chatting in the corridors this morning have you been making out in closets."
Derek looked very sheepish, "well yeah that's just us fooling around."
"Call it whatever you want mate let me get this straight, the intern that I am teaching is a relationship with my boss who has kids that I have known for a long time and my intern is looking after them instead of doing her job, you can understand my dilemma can't you?"
If Derek wasn't the head of neurosurgery he would have laughed right than and there, the look on Cristina's face made him want to giggle, "I'll talk with Meredith."
"That's good it's what I wanted to hear." Cristina got up and walked for the door, "and Derek" Cristina whispered "i'm very happy for you."
"Thank you" Derek said with a smile.
Later on that day
Derek picked Josh up from childcare and late in the afternoon he drove to Cecilia's school to pick her up from the after school care program. "Daddy" Cecilia said grinning as she saw her daddy coming through the doors and ran to jump on to Derek's leg. Derek grinned as he ruffled Cecilia's head, "hey there's my little girl you had fun today?"
"Lots of fun" Cecilia said as Josh looked at her with a blank face.
"You guys ready to go to chuck e cheese."
"We're going to chuck e cheese" Cecilia said smiling.
"Yeah me, you two and Meredith."
"Meredith's coming" Cecilia said with wide excited eyes.
"Yeah Meredith is coming come on guys."
Derek drove to the restaurant while Cecilia and Josh sat in the back seat. Cecilia smiled to herself as she thought of having fun with Meredith until she looked at her brother and saw how unhappy he looked, "Josh are you sick?"
Josh shook his head, "Josh" Cecilia whispered.
"Nothing" Josh said.
Derek pulled in to a car park space and turned to look at his children, "okay kids we're here, hey why the long faces?"
"Josh is sick" Cecilia whispered.
"I'm not sick" Josh said angrily, Derek exchanged a shocked look with Cecilia his usually quiet shy sweet son was rarely like this it was so rare in fact that it amazed Derek every time his son got angry, "Josh what's the matter?"
Josh crossed his arms, "don't want to talk."
"Is it about you being in childcare?"
"No."
"Is it Meredith do you not want to see her tonight?"
Josh looked up, "I want to see Meri."
"Well what is it than?"
"Don't want to talk."
Derek ignored his stunned feelings and smiled, "Josh I don't know why your angry but if you tell me we can talk about it have I done something to upset you."
Josh just looked at the car floor, "Josh" Derek saw Meredith running towards them, "hey Derek Josh Cecilia."
"Hi Meredith" Cecilia said smiling.
"Hey sweetheart" Meredith whispered giving the girl a hug then she saw Josh's face, "is everything okay?"
Cecilia looked at her brother, "Josh is upset."
Meredith reached into the car and smiled at Josh, "are you okay Josh?" Josh looked at Meredith with wide eyes and hugged her tightly.
"I think he missed you" Derek said.
"I missed you too Josh" Meredith whispered as she carried Josh out of the car, "and you honey" she added as she looked at Cecilia who smiled in response and hugged Meredith's waist. The four of them walked inside the restaurant and wandered to the table, Cecilia saw how wide Josh was smiling as he held Meredith's hand and she herself smiled, she tugged on her daddy's hand to get his attention, "daddy can we watch the show?" she said as she pointed at the characters on stage.
"You guys can watch the show closer if you want just make sure we can see you."
"Josh come on" Cecilia said.
"Okay" Josh whispered he slowly let go of Meredith's hand and wandered with Cecilia. The two children sat down in the audience and Josh's little hand took his sister's hand, "sorry Cecilia for being bad before."
Cecilia turned her body to look at her brother, "why were you mad Josh?"
"Meredith wasn't home this morning."
"Oh" Cecilia said as she nodded.
"I missed her this morning and she didn't pick me up with daddy from the hospital today."
"Oh" Cecilia said again.
"I wish Meri would do that every day like daddy does and come home with us every day because I miss her" Josh sniffed, "why doesn't Meri do that?"
Cecilia looked at Derek and Meredith talking, "because they're not married yet."
"When will they get married?"
"When they fall in love" Cecilia said with all the wisdom that her nearly five years had given her.
"When is that?"
Cecilia thought to herself Amelia had never told her how long it would be for Meredith and her daddy to fall in love it could be a long time, "I don't know, I hope it's soon."
"Can we make it soon?" Josh whispered.
"Um" Cecilia tilted her head in concentration as she tried to think of a plan, "I know when grownups in movies spend lots of time alone they fall in love."
"They do?" Josh said.
"They do, so we need to leave them alone as much as possible and they will fall in love."
"Oh?" Josh whispered not liking the plan of not being near Meredith. Cecilia saw Josh's look and smiled, "just for a while then when they fall in love and get married Meredith will be here all the time."
Josh grinned from ear to ear with Cecilia, "she'll be our mommy."
"That's right Josh."
"What if the plan fails."
"We'll think of something else."
"So anyway" Derek said, "you will be pleased to know that you will not be fired."
"I shouldn't have lost my temper Derek but I hate seeing Josh sad."
"Me too i'll try and think of something so Josh isn't in childcare he's obviously unhappy."
"I could always take him."
"You have work."
"What if I quit."
"Well than I would think you were mad."
Meredith gave a snigger as she looked at the children, "I guess we should call them for dinner."
"Yeah that's a good point" Derek wandered over to the kids and Meredith watched them smiling until Derek came back alone, "they said they're not hungry."
"Really?" Meredith said feeling astonished.
"Yeah they said they had so much food before they would explode if they ate any more."
"Well we could ask them to doggy bag their meals."
"I like your thinking."
Derek and Meredith later walked outside and Derek seeing a pier suggested that they wander down to it to watch the birds flying on the water. They took a child each each and walked on to the wooden overlook, Cecilia nodded at Josh and they both pulled away and ran further down the wooden railing.
"Where are you two going" Derek said.
"Were going over here daddy" Cecilia called back, "we can see the birdies better."
"You can see the birds fine from here."
"But there's really big birds over here." Meredith grinned at the shouting interaction between Derek and Cecilia, Derek shook his head, "just stay in sight."
"Okay" Josh and Cecilia yelled.
"Anyway" Derek muttered, "so Amelia called me the other day and she's said what a great time she had the other day when she was with you."
"She's a very funny person."
"Yeah she is a little crazy when it comes to drinking though, i've lost count over the years how many times I have had to drag my sister out of a nightclub when she collapsed on the dance floor."
"So she's a big fan of the MTV lifestyle."
"Afraid so...kids I thought you were watching the birds."
"Um" Cecilia called out, "we're just making sure you can see us."
"Well alright that's fine."
"Aren't you two cold?" Meredith called out.
"No" the children called out. Meredith wandered down with Derek and saw Cecilia chatting her teeth, "your shivering put on this jacket." Meredith wrapped Cecilia in her coat and Derek did the same with Josh.
"Can we go over there now" Josh said pointing further down, Derek raised an eyebrow, "do you two not like us any more?"
"No daddy" Cecilia said smiling, "we love you daddy, you're a nice daddy good daddy handsome daddy."
"Concerned daddy" Derek muttered.
"We just like hanging out with each other without any old people around."
"Old people huh" Derek muttered smirking with Meredith.
"Are you old?" Josh said looking at his dad.
"Yes we are" Meredith said, "we are very old and very cold and we need you two to warm us up."
"Warm you up" Josh whispered.
"Yep" Meredith picked Josh up and hugged him close, "honey your skin is freezing here" Meredith put her beanie on his head it came down over his eyes and Meredith chuckled with Josh.
"We're warm now" Cecilia said impatiently wanting Meredith and Derek to be alone again, "can we wander away again?"
"Cecilia I think we need to go home" Derek said. Cecilia looked crestfallen her plan to get Derek and Meredith to fall in love tonight had not worked, "but it's not bedtime yet."
"Its your bedtime."
"Is Meredith coming home with us" Josh whispered.
"I think I can do that" Meredith said and the children grinned, "okay" Cecilia said.
They got home and Meredith looked at the back of the car, "they're asleep."
"Lets put them to bed" Derek whispered he gently lifted Cecilia out of the car while Meredith did the same with Josh. They carried the children upstairs, Derek watched Meredith put Josh down and kiss his cheek before he did the same with Cecilia. They closed the door and Cecilia snapping open her eyes jumped down from her bed and walked to her brother, "Josh."
Josh wearily opened his eyes, "you were supposed to pretend to fall asleep."
"Sorry" Josh whispered as he rubbed his eyes with him palms.
"Its okay remember the plan?"
"Oh yeah" Josh said looking excited.
"They're all alone now and all we have to do it wait." Cecilia walked over to the bedroom door, "I can't hear them dancing."
"Do they dance when they fall in love?"
"Yeah they dance and then they start kissing and then they do more dancing."
"How do we know they're doing that?"
"Um" Cecilia put a finger to Josh's lips and crawled out of the bedroom they peeked between the bars at their two favourite grownups in the world, "why aren't they kissing" Josh whispered.
"It will happen" Cecilia whispered back she closed her eyes and started to wish in her heart that her daddy and Meredith would fall in love she wished it over and over and then Josh burped.
Derek looked up and saw his two kids smiling nervously, "what are you two monkeys doing?"
"We're um" Cecilia muttered, "looking for carpet bugs."
"Its your bedtime" Derek said firmly.
"But."
"If I have to go up there."
"Sorry sorry" the kids said before they dashed back inside their bedroom and closed the door. Derek looked at Meredith, "is this normal behaviour for children?"
"I have my doubts its normal behaviour" Meredith said chuckling, "they don't teach you these things when you're studying at university."
"Well anyway should we go into the living room."
"Sure and shall we close the door?"
"Good idea" Derek said.
Meredith closed the door and lied down on the couch to snuggle with Derek, Derek kissed her forehead "we could pretend this is a closet."
Meredith smiled as she gave Derek a peck on the lips, "I just want to lie like this with you."
"Alright with me" Derek whispered as he turned on the television and Meredith snuggled into his chest.