How can a knock out change your life
Chapter 12
NY, Day1 "Did you buy tickets for Santa?"
"Derek, Sandy, I hope you two are packing now!"
Derek and Sandy were in Derek's room looking together over a book. Both of them looked at each other and giggled when they heard Meredith yelling at them from the other room.
"Now tell me what did you like the most from this book!"
Sandy was holding her chin with both hands and giving one more look through the book's pages, she stopped at one and put the finger on picture "The statue!"
"The Statue of Liberty!"
"We will see it?"
"Of course we will! We will visit the entire town!"
Sandy giggled and returned her look over the book "Where is New York?"
"Here… let me show you!" Derek pulled the book closer to him and started to browse through its pages "This is the map …. Here it is Seattle, where we live and here… it is New York!" Derek showed her careful the location of the two states.
Sandy put a finger on Seattle and another one to New York measuring the distance "Is it far?" She asked Derek showing him the distance between her fingers.
Derek grabbed her hand and closed the fingers "It is about 5 hours with the airplane"
"Mommy told me we are going to fly up on sky, like the birds!"
Derek chuckled and kissed her hand "That's true, but we are going to be in a plane!"
"The plane is big?"
"Very big!"
"How big?"
"So big that I cannot even show you!"
"Missy, do you think that your baggage will pack by itself?" Meredith appeared in the doorframe holding both hand on hips and looking at them angry.
"Look mommy! Here is New York!" Sandy didn't seem to be scared by her mother's tone and remained on her position, while Derek stood up when he saw Meredith.
Meredith came to her and gave a look over the page pretending she is interested "Okay, now that we found out where New York is, we can start packing, right?"
"Right!" Sandy stood up on her feet and threw herself on her mother's neck to make her way down easier.
Because this took her by surprise, Meredith just smiled shaking the head and put her down from bed.
Once that she saw herself on ground, Sandy ran out from there "I can't wait to see the statue!" she was giggling happy as she was heading to her room.
"She is very excited about this trip!" Meredith watched her daughter's excitement from these last days, but now she was even more thrilled knowing that in the next day she will meet her grandparents.
Meredith took a few clothes of hers and put them on bed to fold them.
"And you are not?" Derek was still laid in bed looking over the book about New York.
"I am rather nervous than excited!"
Derek felt her nervosity, so he grabbed one of her arms and pulled her down to him. He moved from his position to get closer to her "You should follow your daughter's example and worry less about this!"
"I was surrounded just by a few people all my life! The Christmas meant only Sandy, Christina, Izzie and Addison for me; just the 5 of us, now… it's going to be different! I am not used with big families, Derek!"
Derek watched her smiling all this time and brushing her hair slowly. When Meredith finished her confession, he gave her a kiss.
"I am a freak, Derek! I know!"
Derek let out a chuckle and pulled her closer to have her in his arms "This is why I love you!"
"Then you are more freak than me!"
Derek started to tickle her neck with his breath "I know!" and continued with kisses on the spot that he had previously tickled.
"They will love you, Meredith and you will love them too, I can assure you!" he stopped from kissing and looked into her eyes. "It might feel weird in the first day, but you will see how in the next day you will start feel like in family!"
Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself a little so that she can reach to his lips "I hope so!"
"Mommy, the Barbie dolls and the white dog don't fit in my bag!"
They laughed at each other and pulled apart.
"I should go and help her! I bet she has no cloth in that suitcase!" Meredith stood up from bed and headed to door. "You should hurry too with the packing and be careful what you put in yours!" she looked back at him smiling.
"Just the gifts from Santa!"
"And clothes, Derek!"
"Why? I thought you like to see me naked!" he gave her a suggestive smirk.
Meredith smiled and shook her head as she was going out from there.
In Sandy's room, she found Sandy trying to box up her favorite toy dog.
"Sandy!" Meredith smiled rolling her eyes, when she saw what she was doing.
Sandy didn't look up at her and continued to struggle with her toys, "Help me mommy, please!" she begged her with a crying voice.
Meredith came to her and took the dog from her hand to put it aside "Let me pack for you!"
Hearing that, Sandy smiled happy and left to look for other toys to take with her. She returned with the arms full with games and toys, but then she saw that her mother had already emptied the suitcase. She didn't look scared, thinking that she will rearrange them.
"Now Sandy, while I am packing your suitcase, I want you to choose just four toys or games to take with you and put the rest of these back to their place!"
Just then, Sandy understood that she won't be able to take all those toys with her "Mommy!" she looked up at her sad and begged her "Please mommy, I don't have toys there!"
"Sandy, we've already talked about this! You will have plenty toys there too and you can play with those!"
"But these are mine!"
"And so will be those, not let's hurry because it's getting late and you have to go sleep!"
"Mommy?" Sandy tried one more time, this time with a whisper and sounding very disappointed.
Meredith ignored her and went over to closet to see what clothes to take for her "If you won't help here, then I will choose them for you!" she told her serious without looking at her and showing her this way that she has no chance with the toys.
Sandy sighed disappointed and put the toys she had brought on bed, going then to choose her wardrobe for trip.
Sandy was telling her which clothes and with her mother's help, she made a selection. Then she was handing each to her, to be folded and placed in bag. Because the selection was a little too big, Meredith didn't make her to give up on any and took them to put them in hers.
Derek had finished with his luggage in the meantime and joined them, just watching amused how easy to convinced was Meredith at Sandy's pleadings sometimes.
"You know Meredith, one of the things that we have in plan for New York this trip are the shopping, lots of shopping, so I am afraid that you will carry all the baggage on our way back!"
"Talk to her then!" Meredith motioned to Sandy, who was still in closet looking for more things to take with her.
Derek went to her and picked her up without any comment, moving her then on bed.
"I am not done daddy!" Sandy pushed him away and wanted to jump from bed.
Derek guessed her next move, so he caught her immediately. "Did you hear what I just said… shopping Sandy, new clothes, many clothes?"
Sandy looked at him with big eyes; she was obviously thrilled.
"So stop! Now because mommy already packed them, these ones we'll leave them at grandma to have them there for your next visit to them, ok?"
Sandy was very attached on her wardrobe, so this didn't sound very exciting.
"We'll buy prettier clothes then these ones, I promise!" he picked her up in his arms to cocker her a little, enjoying this way the sound of her laugh. He put her over his shoulder, with the head down and held tight her legs. At this point Sandy was screaming hysterical between laughs to be put down. She was pulling him by his shirt, but nothing was making him to bring her into the stand-up position.
Derek set down on bed and leaned on back a little. Sandy was now touching the mattress with her hands and she was able to support herself in them. She was now in the position to roll over, so Derek let her legs go.
Sandy laughed hard when she return in the normal position after that rolling and jumped on Derek's neck "Again!"
Derek laughed and brought her in his arms "You are like a little gymnast!"
Sandy liked the compliment she received from him, so she pleaded him to do it again.
While Derek was exhausting Sandy with all kind of twists and rolling, Meredith finished with her baggage and then started to clean around the living room.
Somebody knocked on door and because Sandy was too busy and too noisy, she didn't hear it to run as usual and answer the door. This time, Meredith was the one who did it.
"Hi girls, come on in!" She opened the door for her friends.
They immediately heard Sandy's hysterical laugh.
"What is happening to her?" Izzie was almost laughing too just hearing her.
"I think Derek wants to be sure that she gets even more excited with this trip than she already is!"
All four of them stepped in living room and set down on couch.
"How about you? Aren't you excited too?" Christina looked up at her, while she was still gathering some of Sandy's things from around.
"I am going to meet the big family so excited is not the right word for my spirit right now!"
"You will have to get used with crowded houses from now on!" Christina told her handing her one of the Sandy's shirts.
The laugh suddenly stopped. "That's Christina!" Sandy told to Derek and in the next second, she came out from her room.
She didn't know who to hug first, so she remained at the end of the couch, looking at them smiling.
"Come!" Addison motioned her to come to her.
Sandy hurried to go to her and started to climb on her lap. Addison helped her and picked her up to make her access into her arms easier.
"How's my little mermaid doing? Are you ready to meet your grandparents?"
Sandy nodded excited at her "And my cousins!"
"Wow! I can't wait to see photos from this trip!"
When she heard about photos, Sandy asked to be put down and ran to her parents' room.
Derek was just coming out from there, when Sandy ran into him.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Your friends are over there!" Derek told her pointing to living room.
"I need something!" she told him pushing him away from the doorframe, to make herself room to go in.
Derek rolled his eyes and went to join the others.
It didn't take her long to come back with the book that Derek had showed her. She put it on Addison's lap and opened it.
"Look Addie, here is New York!" she showed her excited two pages with photos.
"Wow!" Addison picked up the book and started to browse it, pretending she is impressed by what Sandy was carefully showing her. "You have to take many photos to show me when you will come back!"
"I will!"
"And don't forget the gifts!" Christina told her, getting all the eyes on her.
"Christina!" Izzie pinched her arm as twit.
"Of course we'll bring gifts, Christina! Sandy will be the one who will choose them, right Sandy?" Derek picked her up and took a seat next Addison, placing Sandy on his lap.
"Yes! Many gifts!"
Meredith chuckled at him amused having the feeling that this trip will cost him a fortune if he said that.
"Well… I don't know if there will be many gifts! One for each is enough don't you think?" Derek guessed the trouble he might have got into and he was looking at them hoping to receive an approval.
But in exchange he got only dirty stares from Addison, Izzie and Christina and an amused one from Meredith.
"Don't worry Derek we'll thank you for that gift no matter how small and cheap it will be!" Addison looked at him smiling and teased him.
"What do you want me to buy you, Addie?"
"I don't know Sandy, but I am sure that whatever you will buy for us will be the greatest gift!" Addison cupped her face and kissed her.
"Besides, this should be a surprise!" Meredith told her "So we'll pick something without telling them what!"
Suddenly Sandy had another usual reaction as hers, as if a fear got her. She climbed down from Derek's lap and went over to her mother who was sitting down on a chair across them.
"Mommy"
"What is it now?"
"We didn't write the letter for Santa!"
"Oh, you're right!" Meredith stood up "We should write it now, not to forget later!" Meredith started to walk to her room closely followed by Sandy.
"Meredith is about to freak out because of this trip, so I suggest you to watch her closely when you'll get there!"
"And try to convince your family to take it easy with her!"
"They would better be nice to her otherwise she will never accept them"
All these were Addison, Izzie and Christina's advices, when Meredith and Sandy had stepped in bedroom. Ok, Christina's tone sounded more like a threat than an advice.
This took Derek by surprise a little. He knew Meredith was confessing to them all the time and they were talking probably about their sex life too, but he also knew all this about her, just seeing how nervous she has been lately. But it took him by surprise their spontaneous reaction, like they had planned it.
"I know and I also said it to her, my family will love her; L O V E her!" he told them smiling "Of course I will be there for her, but I am sure that it won't need any comfort!"
"I hope so!" Christina shrugged from her shoulders as she wasn't very convinced.
"I'm going to miss Sandy, this Christmas!" Addison said with regret looking at her friends.
Izzie patted her shoulder and sigh approving with a nod what Addison had just said, "Yeah… it will be weird without her!"
Sandy and Meredith came out from Meredith's room together, Meredith holding a sheet of paper and a pen and Sandy bringing with her an envelope.
"So again, what is this letter for?" Addison stood up and came to join them on table.
"It's for Santa!" Sandy told her putting the envelope down on table and trying to climb on chair on her mother's lap.
Meredith helped her and put her down comfortable.
"We are writing a letter to Santa to tell him where to find us!" Meredith looked up at her with a suggestive look, like 'you know what you have to do'.
"Oh, this is a great idea!"
"Ok Sandy, now tell me what to write!" Meredith told her taking the pen in hand and being ready to start.
"I don't know mommy, tell him where we are going!"
"Ok, look how we are going to do…" she started to write down on paper " 'Dear Santa,' and now it's your turn to continue because it is your letter. You can't write, so I am helping you with this, but the words have to come from you so that Santa will know that you wrote it!"
"Ok!" Sandy took a second to think about it, " 'Dear Santa, mommy, daddy and me left to New York to meet grandma Helen and grandpa David', did you write it mommy?" Sandy bent over the paper to check herself.
"I did! Go on!"
"Hmm… 'They have a Christmas tree too, so you can bring the gifts there in New York'… it's good mommy?"
"Very good, continue!"
"What's their address?" Sandy looked curious at her.
"I don't know! What's their address Derek?"
Derek came behind them leaning over the chair's backrest "330 West 95th Street"
"Write it down mommy!"
"Ok!" And Meredith wrote down the address. "What else do you want to tell him?"
"Thank you?" Sandy looked at her questioning.
"That's it? Don't you have anything else to tell him?"
"Don't forget about my story books!"
Meredith looked up at Derek laughing and then she wrote it down "P.S.: Don't forget about my story books! Thank you,… and now you have to write your name!" Meredith took her right hand and gave her the pen "Just like I taught you!" she took her hand in hers and slowly they drew each letter down on paper, writing this way Sandy's name.
"Ok, let's read it one more time:
' Dear Santa,
Mommy, Daddy and I left to New York to meet Grandma Helen and Grandpa David. They have a Christmas tree too, so you can bring the gifts there in New York.
……………
P.S. :Don't forget my story books!
Thank you,
SANDY'
"It sounds more like a telegram than a letter" Meredith smiled amused seeing the few rows that Sandy had managed to invent. "But I am sure that Santa will be impressed, especially because you wrote your name by yourself!"
Sandy looked up at her happy and then she took the paper and folded it. Then, with Meredith's help she put it in envelop, licking it to glue it!
"We don't have stamps mommy!"
"We don't need stamps, because it won't get to the post office. Santa will come to take it by himself!"
"But what if he will come too late?"
"He won't, because these days he comes every day to check if the children wrote him something and if they are nice or naughty!"
"I was nice mommy!" Sandy cuddled in her arms.
"You were very nice sweetie and Santa saw this!" Meredith cupped her little face and kissed her nose.
"We have to leave the door open for him!"
"We can't leave it open, but one of the girls will come to open it from time to time to let him in!" Meredith told her pointing to Addison and the others.
Sandy looked at Addison, because she was the one who was standing closer to her and waited for her to confirm it.
Addison got the message and nodded "Don't worry! He will get it!"
"We have to leave him cookies and a glass with milk mommy!"
"I'll take care of that!" Izzie came to them to assure Sandy that Santa will be very well treated.
"Ok!" Sandy smiled with relief that this problem was solved, but then she bitted her lower lip and stood up on her knees in Meredith's lap hanging on her neck. "Mommy" she whispered in her ear.
"What is it?"
"Mommy, can they come with us, please?" referring at Addison, Izzie and Christina.
Her whisper was loud enough to be heard by the others too.
"We talked about this Sandy, and I told you they can't come!"
"Why?" her voice was now crying and much louder.
Meredith looked at the others not knowing what to tell her. She knew she wasn't fine with this idea.
Christina was Meredith's salvation, "Because we will have to work a lot these days! Dr. Burke is a very bad boss!"
The others hardly could hold not to laugh. After her break up from Burke, Christina was obviously not a fan of his.
"I don't like Dr. Burke! Dr. Webber was nicer!" Sandy pouted sad and crossed the arms at chest.
"Many of us think like you Sandy!" Christina nodded happy to see that not even Sandy likes him.
"I guess we should let you get ready for bed!" Addison stood up and took Sandy from Meredith "I'll see you next year Sandy! Be a good girl in New York and have fun, okay?"
Sandy nodded sad and hugged her "I'm gonna miss you Addie!"
"Aww… I'll miss you too sweetie!" She rubbed her cheek and kissed it "But you will have so much there that you won't even notice when the time came to return home!" Addison kissed her one more time and put her down.
Christina, who was near them bent down on her "I am sure that Santa will drop this year too some gifts for you in our apartment!"
Izzie picked her up too and kissed her "I am sure too, and when you will come back we'll have a small party to unpack the gifts and will have some cookies too! And you are going to tell us about everything that you saw there, ok?"
"Ok!" Sandy answered them sad. Not even the idea of a party with cookies was making her feel better.
In the meantime, they had started to walk to door; so when they got there, Izzie put her down.
"Don't forget to leave cookies for Santa, Izzie!" Sandy looked at her dragging her by pants to get her attention.
"Don't worry about that Sandy! And we won't forget to unlock the door either!"
Sandy gave her a small smile and nodded.
They took goodbye from Meredith and Derek too and then they went out on door. Sandy followed them outside on hallway, standing near by the door and looking after them.
"Bye!" She waved them.
"Bye Sandy and don't forget to take pictures!" Addison shouted from elevator.
"And don't forget the gifts for us, ok?" Christina needed to remind her and just then the elevator was there, so everyone waved back at her and got in it.
Sandy returned inside sad and closed the door. Derek and Meredith were sitting on couch in each other's arms talking about this trip. When they saw her coming back and looking so down, they called her to them.
Derek picked her up and put her between him and Meredith.
Meredith pulled her to her to have her head resting on her chest, "I know you are going to miss them sweetie, but we'll come back and you heard what Izzie said about a party."
"But I want them to come with us! They can meet grandma and grandpa!"
Meredith and Derek understood now how difficult it is going to be for her when they will move from there. Sandy grew up with them so they were part of her family too.
"Guess what Sandy?" Derek tried to distract her from this break up and to bring back her excitement for this trip.
Sandy just looked at him curious.
"I heard that your cousin Carrie will be there too tomorrow when we'll get there!"
Carrie was one of his nieces and she was the same age as Sandy. Derek talked about her a lot hoping that they will become good friends during their visit there.
"And she is very excited to meet you!"
"She will want to play with me?"
"I am sure she will!"
Meredith stood up and picked her up "It's time to get ready for bed!"
Sandy smiled for the first time since the break up from her friends "I can't wait to get there!"
Meredith kissed her and carried her to her room. She helped her with the bath, then to get in pajamas and then she put her in bed.
"Do you want mommy to read you a story?"
Sandy shook the head at her "I want to look in daddy's book!"
Derek was in the doorway, when Sandy said that so he was the one who went to bring it to her.
Meredith got in bed next to Sandy tickling her tummy.
When Meredith stopped, it was Sandy's turn to tickle her, but of course, her fingers were not having the same effect as Meredith's on her. Meredith was laughing to make her believe that she was indeed revenging for the previous tickles.
She stopped when Derek came back with the book and she lifted the covers for him to get in bed next to her too.
Her bed was small, so Derek dragged her in his arms and he came next to Meredith.
It took them some time to make her fall asleep and when they made it, Derek put her back down in bed and let her sleep.
They got ready for bed and Meredith made sure that everything was ready for road. She turned off the lights and got in bed next to Derek.
Derek received her immediately in his arms kissing her forehead.
Meredith suddenly jumped up and turned on the light.
"What is it?" Derek stood up too worried.
"I don't know where I put the tickets and the passports!"
"They are in your purse, Meredith!"
Meredith was already out of bed and went directly to her purse. Indeed the tickets and the passports were there.
"Ok, I am going to leave them here, but if tomorrow morning I will change the purse, remind me to take them from it!"
Derek smiled and shook his head "Come here!" he lifted up the covers inviting her back in bed.
Meredith joined him and turned off the light. She snuggled in his arms with the face in his neck.
"Mer?" Derek spoke after a few minutes of silence.
"What?"
"Are you sleeping?"
"No, I can't sleep right now!"
Derek pulled his head away from her so that he can see her face "You know what I just realized?"
"What? That you don't want to marry me anymore and to be Sandy's father?" she asked him joking.
Derek smiled to and leaned on her for a kiss "No! You have no chance to escape from me now!"
"Good!"
Derek started to run his hand through her hair and from time to time to run it along her neck's curve "We didn't have a real date yet! You know… you and me to a restaurant or a movie!"
"This is what happens when you have a child!"
Derek rolled on top of her, taking her legs between his "I think we didn't have one yet, because none of us could let Sandy alone for a night! But I think we should do it once!"
"You are getting bored of her, aren't you?" Meredith asked him, but she was not reproaching him anything; contrariwise, she was running her hands through his hair too.
"I love to spend the time with her, but I also love to spend some time with her mommy only!" Derek started to kiss her lips first, then he moved down on chin and lower on her neck.
"I know! I wish we could have more time for ourselves!"
"Sandy is sleeping right now, so we have some hours!" Derek raised his head from her neck and smiled cocky at her "What do you say?"
"I say we should start!"
Derek chuckled and sneaked his hand under her shirt, slowly started to lift it up lowering his head down to her belly giving kisses on the spots he had exposed. With a hand he uncrossed her legs and lifted one of it on his waist, letting himself down on her. His mouth found it hers again and forced his tongue to get through her teeth and meet hers.
Meredith grabbed his shirt and brought up along his body pulling it up over his head and throwing it immediately around the bed. Her fingers where now running up and down on his back digging into his skin each time Derek was touching the spots that were driving her crazy.
Through their moans, another noise interfered and made them stop and look at each other.
"Tell me that wasn't the door handle!" Derek told her in whisper.
"It wasn't!" Meredith grabbed his face and pulled it back into a kiss.
But the noise was heard again and this time Derek rolled onto his back groaning. "She is awake!"
Meredith stood up pulling the shirt back and removed the covers from her "Damn it Sandy!" she stormed out from bed and headed to door.
Indeed, when she opened the door Sandy was hanging on the door handle.
"What is Sandy? Why did you wake up?"
"Mommy, did you buy tickets for Santa?"
Derek burst into laugh and Meredith smiled shaking the head. She had ruined her sex session with Derek, just to ask if she bought tickets for Santa.
Meredith picked her up in arms and smoothed her hair "Sweetie, Santa won't come to New York with the airplane, because he has his sleigh, remember? So he doesn't need airplane tickets"
"Ok!"
Meredith started to walk to take her back to her room, when Sandy stopped her "Mommy, can I sleep with you?"
"Sandy, you are a big girl now! You can sleep alone!"
"Please mommy, please, please!" Sandy crossed the hands as pleading.
Meredith considered that night crushed once again for her and Derek, so she sighed and nodded.
Derek knew already what was going to happen so he pulled the shirt back on and waited for them to return.
Sandy jumped in bed right next to Derek and laid down. "I'm sleeping with you daddy!" she told him happy and snuggling into him.
Derek laughed and pulled her closer "And mommy and me are very happy to have you here!" he looked at Meredith smiling.
Meredith shook her head and got in bed next to them.
Derek stood up a little and bent over Sandy to get to Meredith "I can't believe what I heard from you a minute ago!"
"Shut up Derek! You were saying the same thing in your head, I just said it loud!" She gave him a quick kiss and pushed him back.
Sandy turned around to her mother "Mommy, can I take my angel and put it in their tree?"
"What angel?" Derek asked them curious.
"She has a favorite angel as ornament for the Christmas tree. We buy one each year, but because this year we are not going to spend the Christmas home, we kind of forgot to buy it!"
"I see! Of course you can take it, Sandy and remind me tomorrow to put on our shopping list another angel!"
"Ok!" Sandy closed the eyes satisfied.
After just a few seconds, she opened them again. She looked first at Derek and saw he was having his eyes closed, and then she looked at Meredith to see that she was sleeping too.
She then turned the eyes over the ceiling, but since there wasn't anything fascinating on it and she couldn't sleep, Sandy looked again at each of them. This time she saw Meredith looking at her.
She felt her fussing so she opened the eyes to see what is going on with her.
Seeing her mother awake, Sandy moved closer to her.
"Mommy!" she whispered her.
"What's it baby?"
"I can't sleep!"
"Me neither, but we have to try! Come here and close your eyes!" Meredith pulled her into her arms, resting the head over hers.
"Mommy, do you think Carrie will be nice with me?"
"I am sure she will be!"
"Ok!"
Sandy didn't say anything more and this is why, Meredith thought she is asleep.
"Mommy?"
Apparently, she was wrong.
"What is it Sandy?"
"I want to play in snow!"
"Right now?"
"When we'll get there! Do they have snow there?"
"If it will snow, then you will be able to play in snow!"
At 4 o'clock a.m. the alarm went on and filled the room with its annoying sound for a several seconds, until Derek woke up and turned it off. He looked over to Sandy and Meredith, who didn't seem to have heard it.
Derek made his way out of bad lazy and went over Meredith's bedside to wake her up.
He bent down over her and kissed softly her lips, "Mer, wake up hun!"
Meredith ran a hand over her face to remove what was disturbing her and turned with the face to Sandy.
Derek took a seat by her side and approached to her ear biting the ear lobe "Wake up Meredith! We have to get ready!" he knew this will wake her up and indeed, he wasn't wrong.
Meredith rolled back on her previous position and opened the eyes rubbing them.
"Come Mer, get up!" Derek stood up and grabbed her hand to drag her up.
Meredith stood up in her sit and looked over to Sandy, who was still peacefully sleeping next to her. She bent down to her and kissed her, but nothing could have waked her up in that moment.
With Derek's help she got out of the bed "Let's give her more minutes!" she mumbled stumbling on her way out from bedroom.
She made some coffee and some sandwiches for road, while Derek took a shower.
Derek drank his coffee while he was dressing in the same time and Meredith was taking her shower.
After half an hour, Meredith knew she has to wake Sandy up, so she returned to bedroom.
"Sandy sweetie it's time to wake up!" Meredith nudged her gently bended over her. "Come on baby, it's time to go to New York"
Sandy mumbled some words, but they sounded more like sounds.
"I want to sleep more, mommy!"
"You will sleep in car and then in airplane, but now try to wake up and get ready!"
"Uh hum!"
Meredith knew there was no chance to wake her up, so she went in her room to bring her the clothes.
"Is she awake?" Derek asked when he saw her coming out.
"No and she won't be very soon either!"
"Well you two had a long chat last night!" Derek smiled after her as she was getting in Sandy's room.
Meredith just looked back at him smiling; she knew what he was referring at.
While Meredith was dressing the sleepy girl, Derek started to take the suitcase down in car.
Meredith finally managed to dress Sandy, even with her winter jacket and the hat.
"Do you want me to carry her?" Derek asked when he came to see what they were doing.
"No, it's fine! I have her!" Meredith picked her up to carry her.
Sandy made herself comfortable in her mother's arms and rested the head on her shoulder.
"Are we ready?" Meredith asked Derek looking around to see if he took everything.
"I got your purse with the tickets and the passports, we have the sleeping beauty!" he laughed pointing to Sandy. "You have me, I have you so … we are ready!"
Meredith smiled and walked to door.
"Mommy!" Sandy mumbled from her shoulder "The letter!"
"The letter is still on table, see?" She turned around so that Sandy can see the letter. "And we took the angel too!"
Sandy sighed and closed back the eyes.
Meredith stood in the backseats with Sandy in her arms and slept all the way to the airport together with her daughter.
Derek parked the car in the airport's parking lot and just then Meredith woke up. Derek helped her to get out of the car, putting Sandy back on her shoulder, and then he took out the suitcases.
As they were heading to entry, they saw a few snowflakes coming down from sky.
"Look Sandy, it's snowing!" Meredith patted slowly her back to wake her up.
Sandy opened the eyes sleepy and looked up to see how a snowflake landed on her nose. She giggled amused and hung back on her mother's neck to continue her sleep.
She slept until the boarding started.
They found their seats in airplane; three seat in the middle row.
Sandy was excited to see how the airplane looks on the inside, since this was her first flight with one.
Meredith was now nervous for Sandy, because she didn't knew how she handle the flight.
Sandy took the seat from middle, between Meredith and Derek and waited patiently for the other passengers to come looking around her curious and analyzing each detail. Her eyes spotted a pair of old people, who had just got in and took the seats from Meredith's left. Because they saw her looking at them, the old woman smiled and waved at her.
Sandy smiled and waved back.
The flight attending gave them the regular instructions and then came to check if they have the seatbelt tied.
The take-off was pretty scary for Sandy holding tight her parents' hands. Once the airplane was in air, she calmed down and seemed to feel fine.
Derek gave her the book with animals to keep her busy, while Meredith was napping and he took a book for himself to read it.
Soon Sandy started to feel sleepy again, so Derek covered her with the blanket and gave her a pillow.
Meredith woke up later and since her face was turned over Sandy and Derek's seats, she saw Derek sleeping and Sandy missing. She straightened in her seat immediately and looked around. She sighed relieved when she saw her on her old woman's lap watching outside on the small window. She stood up and went over to them.
"Sandy, why are you disturbing them?"
Sandy turned around at her, same as that couple.
"She is not disturbing us!" the lady told smiling and very kind.
"Look mommy, why are over the clouds! See?" Sandy pointed with the finger outside.
"I can see sweetie, but you should come back!"
Sandy climbed down from the lady's lap and came to her.
"I'm sorry for this!" Meredith apologized to them and returned to their seats.
"It's fine!" the old man told her "She told us she going to meet her grandparents! We are going to meet our new granddaughter!" he told her proud and with sparkles in his eyes.
"Congratulations!" Meredith answered them politely.
"Thank you!" both of them answered and the old man handed her back the book that Sandy had shown them.
Because she was getting bored, Sandy wanted to show her mother that she knows what sound makes each animal. Meredith tried to stop her or at least to make her keep the voice down, but there was no hope for that to happen. She was finding it amusing and embarrassing in the same time, because now if there was anyone in that airplane that didn't know how the cat mews, then Sandy was the right teacher to show it.
Derek woke up by the strange noises that were coming from nearby and started to laugh amused hearing her.
"Sandy please stop! It's enough!" Meredith was trying to make her shut up, seeing all the eyes from there on her "You are disturbing the other passengers!"
The old couple said they are not disturbed and contrary they are having fun listening her. Same two of the passengers from the row behind them said it's fine and to let her go on.
The flight attending also came to them laughing to see if she needs a glass of water or something else.
"No, she is fine! Thank you!" Meredith told her visibly embarrassed by that situation.
"I want water, mommy!" Sandy protested immediately and the lady went to bring her water.
"Please Derek, make her stop!"
"Why? If she is having fun and the others are entertained by her, then why she should shut up?"
"Derek!" Meredith pinched his arms angry seeing that he is about to play along with Sandy.
When the lady brought her the water, Sandy took the glass and thanked her politely, just like her mother taught her, receiving this way a series of compliments from the flight attending and other passengers.
Once that she felt her throat wet again and the sounds coming out smoothly, Sandy started again, this time accompanied by Derek. Now Sandy was the cat and Derek the dog, and they were mewing and barking at each other. Meredith made herself small in her chair; she was laughing too but it was in the same time too embarrassing for her.
After more than 5 hours they announced their arrival in New York.
The landing was also very unpleasant for Sandy, but once that the engines stopped she forgot the shaking and the difference of pressure and get her joy back. Most of the passengers were saluting and complimenting her, while they were passing by her.
"It was fun mommy with the airplane! I liked it!" Sandy was jumping happy holding her mother's hand, while they were waiting for their luggage.
"I am sure it was sweetie! Thank God you are just 4 years old otherwise I don't think they would have found it amusing!" Meredith laughed and arranged her hat on head.
"I'm hot mommy!" She protested lifting the hat a little.
"Keep it there, Sandy! We'll be out in a minute and it will be cold."
"It's snowing outside?"
"It doesn't look like!"
Sandy sighed disappointed and waited for them to take all the suitcases.
Derek put her up on the luggage cart over suitcases and pushed her until out. They rented a car and loaded everything in it. Meredith tied the safety-belt in back, and then she and Derek got in too. All the way from the airport to Derek's house, Sandy was staring outside on window. She gasped and when she the Statue of Liberty.
"Do you see it mommy?"
"I see it sweetie! Amazing, isn't it?"
"Yes! Do you see it daddy?"
"I see it too baby!"
Sandy was having her eyes glued on window, "Wow!"
But just the Statue was the only thing that impressed her, because in rest she was disappointed. There was no snow!
After half an hour of driving, Derek turned the car on a secondary road and soon he stopped in front of a huge house.
Meredith looked at him shocked "Is this your house?"
Derek smiled and leaned on her to kiss her "The family is big so trust me the house is not big enough!"
From the second two the door opened and around six persons came out to greet them.
Derek saw the panic from Meredith's eyes, so he squeezed her hand as encouragement and got out of the car. Immediately everybody jumped on him with hugs and kisses.
In the meantime, Meredith went you and helped Sandy too. Same as Derek, she was immediately greeted by those persons.
She recognized from photos, Helen and at first sight just one of his sisters, Kathleen.
"Meredith!" Helen was the first one who came to her and greeted her "I finally meet you!"
Meredith hugged her back "I'm glad to meet you too!"
Helen broke the hug and looked down at Sandy, who was hiding behind Meredith.
She bent down and opened her arms for her smiling, "And this is my newest granddaughter! Come here Sandy!"
This was one of the rare, extreme rare moments when Sandy was shy for real. If anyone would have expected for one of them to freak out in that moment, that person it would have been Meredith; but it wasn't so. Sandy was the one who got scared by all those crazy people that were laughing, talking loud, hugging and kissing.
Sandy hided her face in her mother's legs refusing to let her pants go.
Meredith was trying to bring her in front, "Sandy, aren't you going to say hello to grandma?"
Sandy's grip was tightening with each try of her mother's to bring her in front of her.
"Sandy, this is not nice of you!"
"Don't worry dear! She must be scared to see all of the sudden so many people around her! Let's give her some time to get used with us!"
"I am sorry, usually she is not like this!"
"So I heard, but it's fine!"
Sandy let herself to be picked up in arms by Meredith, but she was refusing to talk or even to look at each person that was saluting her and Meredith.
They stood outside in front of the house until the greetings were done.
Meredith met Derek's sisters Kathleen, Carol and Nancy, their husbands and three of their kids. None of those kids was Carrie.
"Mommy, I am thirsty!" Sandy told in her mother's ear.
Derek who was there with them heard her and took her from Meredith "Do you like it here?"
Sandy shook her head sad.
Derek knew the reason, so he didn't get worried or upset "Let's go inside because we are thirsty!" he told the others.
They walked to house with Helen in front of them and the rest of the family, or better said a part of them, behind.
"Where is Carrie?" Kathleen asked looking around and seeing that her daughter was missing "Laura, go and find your sister!" she told her to her 11 years old daughter.
In the meantime, Helen, Derek, Meredith and Sandy went to kitchen. Derek put Sandy down on counter and went over to his mother to hug her one more time.
"I've missed you mom!"
"I've missed you too son!" Helen hugged him back, but she fast pushed him away to get the water for Sandy.
"Where is dad?"
"He went to visit his old friend, Luke and you know how hard the say goodbye to each other! I told him not to go, because he will miss your arrival, but he didn't want to listen."
"It's fine mom! He has to come back at some point!" Derek came over to Meredith, took off her coat, and took Sandy's too. He gave Meredith a quick kiss and left to take the coats to wardrobe.
When she saw herself alone in there just with Helen and Meredith, Sandy grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her to her.
Meredith came to her and arranged her hair "What is it, Sandy?"
Sandy didn't answer and buried the face into her.
"Here you go sweetie!" Helen handed her the glass of water.
Sandy raised the head and took the glass "Thank you!" she answer shy and hardly to hear.
Helen smiled happy to hear her talking for the first time since they got there. "You're welcome sweetie! Now let's get back to the other!"
Meredith took the glass from Sandy and put it down, then she picked her up to put her down.
"No mommy!" Sandy pleaded her to take her back in arms.
Meredith took her back and kissed her "Don't you think you are a little too big to be carried in arms?"
Sandy shook her head smiling.
Meredith and Helen smiled at each other and walked together in living room.
"Look who else is playing shy today!" Derek picked a little girl up in his arms and came over to Meredith and Sandy "Carrie, this is my little girl, Sandy! Your cousin! And Sandy, this is Carrie!"
At first both of them looked at each other shy, but Sandy was the first one who smiled and extended the hand for shake. Just then Carrie smiled back and shook the hand with her.
They put them down and told them to go and play together.
Because they didn't know each other very well yet, none of them hurried to do it and stayed around them; Carrie following Derek and Sandy following Meredith. They took a seat on couch between them looking at each other and then around them.
Sandy started to drag her mother's sleeve "Mommy" she whispered to make sure that no one hears her.
"What is it?"
"Look" she pointed to a photo from wall.
Meredith saw that for the first time and was same as surprised as Sandy. It was a photo of hers with Sandy and Derek taken at Sandy's last birthday.
She knew that Derek had sent photos of theirs to his parents, but she wasn't expecting to see them hanging on wall together with the photos of the others members of family.
"Laura, go and take the girls to play in the play room, please!" Kathleen told her daughter when she saw them standing there so quiet.
Laura came to them and stopped in front of them "Come Carrie, Sandy!" she offered them her hands to go with her.
Since she saw that photo, Sandy felt more comfortable in that house so she accepted immediately to go with her.
There were actually more photos of them alone or together with Derek and this impressed Meredith and helped her to get used with them easier.
"Did anyone call dad? Is he still coming?" Derek asked his family after some time. "We got here an hour ago!"
"Kevin talked to him 5 minutes ago and … he is stuck in traffic!" Nancy told him rejoining their group in living room. "So, when is the wedding? We didn't find out anything about date?"
Derek looked first at Meredith and then back at them "We were thinking somewhere in June!"
"In June?! Why so far away?" Helen jumped fast when she heard that.
"As you know the house is not ready yet and on the 1st of May is going to be Sandy's birthday, so we already have too many things to plan! We delay the wedding just a little!" Derek answered.
"Why don't you celebrate the wedding and Sandy's birthday in the same day? It would be a double party!" Kathleen came up with the idea.
"Sandy likes to be the main attraction on her party, so she won't be very happy to celebrate her day together with our wedding!" Meredith explained them the reason "But we are expecting you to come to Seattle for her birthday!"
In all this time Meredith was resting her hand in Derek's; when she told them about the invitation at Sandy's birthday, Derek squeezed and made her to look at him, so that he can thank her with a smile. Meredith smiled back and squeezed his hand too.
"Of course we'll be there for the first anniversary with our granddaughter!" Helen was happy to for her invitation and smiled grateful at her.
"I hope dad will make it there in time and he won't show up when Sandy will go to college!"
"He will be here in a minute, Derek! Be patient!"
They saw the two little girls coming together at them. Carrie stopped at her mother, who was standing across Meredith and Derek and on couch and Sandy stopped at her mother.
"Mommy, can I have my puzzle with "The secret garden"? I want to play with Carrie!"
"It's in one of the suitcases, but…" she looked first at Derek and then at the others "I don't know in which room!"
Helen stood up laughing, "That's right dear! We're sorry, we took you under interrogation and we didn't even let you unpack!"
"It's fine mom, I'll take her!" Derek stood up and took Meredith's hand to lead her upstairs.
Sandy immediately came to him and rose her arms to him "Pick me up!"
Derek picked her up in arms without any other comments and started to walk towards to stairs. When they passed near Carrie, she started to follow them and then stopped in front of Derek. "Pick me up too, uncle Derek!"
Derek bent down a little and with one arm he took her up "You two are getting to big to be carried in arms!"
"We're not big yet, uncle Derek!"
"That's right!" Sandy sustained Carrie's statement.
Derek showed Meredith the door from his old room and motioned her to open it since he was having the hands full.
Meredith opened the door and stepped in. Their suitcases had been brought up and put down around the bed. The room was simple, clean, painted into a light blue color with sheets on bed that were into a different tone of blue, but matching perfect with color from walls; not with many personal things of Derek, just photos of him and his sisters since they were kids and some more recent.
Derek put the girls down, took a seat on bed to rest until Meredith was giving them their desired game.
Meredith unzipped one of the suitcases and found Sandy's puzzle right away.
"Here you go!"
Sandy took it from her mother and showed the box to Carrie "See, this is the picture we have to build!"
"Let's do it!" Carrie motioned her to go in their room.
Meredith watched their interaction smiling and when they walked out from there, she went over to Derek and took a seat next to him wrapping her arms around his "Nice room!" she said giving one more look over it.
"Yeah, it's just a room!" Derek took the arm from her grip and put it around her waist, pulling her to rest on him "What do you think so far?"
"They're nice!"
"I was right, wasn't I?" Derek looked down at her with a big grin on his face.
Meredith chuckled and gave him a quick kiss "You were right!"
"I've told you so!" Derek needed to brag proud at her.
"Ok, shut up now, because I haven't met your entire family! I still have to meet one more sister and your father!"
"My dad? Everybody loves my dad and so you will! And Liz, I am sure you will love each other too!" Derek rubbed the thumb along her cheek and kissed her lips softly.
They heard a car stopping in front of the house, Carrie yelling excited and Helen yelling angry.
"Dad's home!" Derek told her smiling and stood up. He took her hand and leaded her downstairs.
"Grandpa" Carrie jumped in David's arms when he was still in the doorway.
David picked her up and kissed her, "Hey Carrie! Did you miss me that much sweetie?"
Right in that moment, Helen joined them patting the floor with the foot "Nice hour to show up, precisely today!"
David just smiled at her and looked back Carrie "I know and I can't wait to meet her too!" he put Carrie down and pretended to look around trying to figure out who is Sandy "Now let's see if I recognize her!"
Sandy had stopped somewhere behind Carrie and she was watching them smiling and quiet.
David saw her right from the moment he got in, so immediately he went over to her and picked her up "Hello Sandy!"
"I'm Sandy!"
"I know you are Sandy! Just for a second I thought you aren't because you are more beautiful in reality!"
Sandy giggled flattered by his compliment.
David kissed her cheeks and walk with her in living room "Now what do I have to do to get a hug and a kiss from you?"
Sandy didn't say anything; she just smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him.
"Hey, that's not fair!" Helen protested when she saw that "He was late and he receives hugs and kisses, while me I was here and I didn't get anything?"
"Your grandma is jealous and because she is the one who cooks for us, we should not upset her!" David told Sandy to ear and put her down "Now go and make sure we'll have food for dinner tonight!"
"I heard that David!"
Sandy ran to Helen and this time, without any shy she opened the arms to be picked up. Once that she was up in Helen's arms, Sandy gave her not one kiss, but two kisses!
Meanwhile, Meredith and Derek came down to say hello to David.
"Hi dad!" Derek walked towards to him to hug him, but David had fixed his eyes on Meredith, so he passed by Derek "Hello son!" and just patted his shoulder and went over to Meredith.
"Hello son?! That's all I get after all these months of absence?" Derek looked back after him disappointed.
"I saw you 8 months ago, but I haven't met my future daughter-in-law! Hello Meredith!" David hugged her happy to finally meet her.
"Hello David! I'm glad to finally meet you!"
David broke the hug and pulled away holding her hands and giving her a better look "My son sure has great tastes in women!" he complimented her.
"Thank you David!"
"Like mother like daughter!"
In that moment realized that she didn't talk with Derek about Sandy's birth parents, but because she wasn't sure, she just thanked him again.
Then, David turned around to Derek and hugged him too patting his back "It's good to have you back, son!"
"It's good to be back!"
"I hope next Christmas you will show up with at least one more grandchild!"
"At least one?" Derek looked at him amused.
"Yes, maybe you will have twins or triplets!"
"We'll have to wait and see!"
Carrie and Sandy watched this reunion in silence until Carrie got bored and went to them.
"Grandpa, come and play with us!"
David turned around and looked down at her "Puzzle? I don't know how to play it!" he said joking.
"We'll teach you! Come!" Carrie grabbed his hand and started to drag him after her.
"I want to come too!" Nancy's 6 years old daughter, Mia, said, while in all this time she had stood with her older cousins.
David took their hands and started to walk to stairs. "Come Sandy!"
Sandy didn't follow them, instead she ran to Derek and took his hand, "Are you coming too?"
"I think I will, because grandpa can be a little dummy sometimes and he will need my help too!" Derek laughed and took her hand.
"Don't forget Derek that I paid for your education!" David shouted without looking back at him.
Derek chuckled and took Sandy in his arms to hurry after them.
Because Sandy, Carrie and Mia were the youngest and the rest of the children were from 9 to 14 years old they didn't mix to play together. The older ones preferred to do something else together than to play with them and grandpa.
Helen went upstairs with Meredith to help her unpack some of their things. Not all, because they were soon leaving to spend the holidays at the Shepherd's vacation house.
"You have no idea Meredith, how happy I am to see that Derek has finally decided to have his own family!"
Meredith looked up at her while she was taking out from suitcase Sandy's toys and smiled.
"Sandy is a wonderful girl! Derek told me Sandy's story and let me congratulate you for the great job you've made with her!"
"So, he told you I didn't birth her!"
"He did, but don't worry, she is still our granddaughter and Derek's girl!" Helen came over to her and rubbed her arms "We are very happy to have you in our family!"
Meredith was very touched by Helen's word and smiled tearing.
Helen gave her a hug and patted her back "You two would better take good care of her from now too!"
"I sure will! I can't imagine my life without her now!"
Helen wiped her eyes and returned to what she was doing before this "Let's not get too sentimental and enjoy these days together!"
Meredith nodded and continued with the unpacking.
They took Sandy's clothes and toys in the room that she was going to share with Carrie, Mia and Laura.
"Umm… Helen?"
"Yes dear!"
"Does everybody know about Sandy? I mean, that she is not my…!"
Helen guessed her question, so she didn't let her continue "Just me and David! We didn't know if you will agree to tell the others!"
"Well…I would prefer not too; I mean, I don't want the others kids to find out because you know… they might…"
"Be mean to her, I know! Don't worry! This is just a minor detail and they don't really have to know it!"
"Thank you, Helen!"
Helen smiled and nodded.
Derek and David were having a real fun with the girls. The girls finished the puzzle right away, so to they soon moved to the construction of a house from leggo pieces.
They built the house and then they started to make the fence around it, placing after that trees and different animals in miniature in the new yard.
David let the girls to decorate the yard and motioned to Derek to follow him. He took him aside watching them smiling.
"You're a father now!"
Derek nodded smiling and watching the girls too "Yes, I am!"
"Are you happy?" David turned his look over him.
"I am dad!" Derek looked at him and the sparkle from his eyes was confirming it "I am very happy! I love them more than anything!"
David smiled and patted his back "How are you finding the fatherhood so far?"
"Amazing but so exhausting sometimes!"
"And you have just one; imagine how I felt with five! That was exhausting!" David chuckled and looked back at girls.
"Before another baby I want to take Meredith out for a date! Can you imagine that we haven't been on a date since we met?"
David laughed "Why do you think we stopped at Liz! Don't worry, you can try to take her out while you are here! Sandy can stay with us and as you can see she has new friends too now and I kind of doubt that she will miss any of you!"
"You know, that's a great idea! But just to be sure, don't tell Sandy what we want to do!"
"Who would have thought that my only son is not capable to take a woman out for a date!"
Derek laughed and shook his head returning to girls.
The rest of the day passed pleasantly for everyone and before going to sleep, most of them gathered in the girls room, where David was telling the kids stories invented by him. Because Sandy was the special guessed, she was the one who stood this time in David's arms while he was telling them the stories.
"He's better than you!" Meredith whispered to Derek standing together in the doorframe.
"Hey, I'm still learning!"
Sandy was exhausted after such a long day, so she was the first one who fell asleep. Soon, each kid fell asleep, and just then, David ended his stories.
Meredith kissed her girl as good night and then joined Derek in their room.
Meredith snuggled in his arms and relaxed. "How many girls did you bring in this room?"
"The number is not important, but none of them was as sexy as you!" Derek rolled on top of her letting his body to press over hers as his hands where smoothing her hair to back.
"I am the sexiest?" Meredith questioned with a cocky smile.
"You definitely are the sexiest!" he told her and right away his mouth dropped over hers kissing with hunger.
Meredith took his head away from her massaging her own lips because of the pain that Derek's kissed produced to them, "How sexy?"
"So sexy…" he smiled and slipped a hand under her night shirt "…that you turned me on with just one kiss" He leaned his head down starting to kiss her abdomen and to make circles with his tongue around her belly.
Meredith moaned quietly pulling his hair with both hands.
"You should…stop Derek!"
Derek returned to her face and covered her mouth with kisses to stop her protests "It's your fault …you are too sexy!"
"But we are in your parents' house and Sandy… God Derek" he had touched a soft spot as he was kissing her neck and his hand grabbed one of her breasts.
"Sandy's sleeping… deeply!" he pulled apart and rolled over until he was out of the bed.
He walked to door and locked it, then he turned around to Meredith smiling and starting to undress himself.
"Derek, I have the feeling that we shouldn't do this now!"
At this point, Derek was completely naked "We should and we should do it right now!" he came back in bed and lifted her up to pull her shirt off "The door is locked, Sandy is having nice dreams, and we…" he lifted her butt a little to drag the pants off from her "we are going to continue from were we had left it last night"
It didn't take them long until they were ready and cum together.
Derek fell breathless on her to catch back is breath while Meredith was running her hands along his body.
"This was…" Meredith tried to describe it but she wasn't able.
"Amazing!"
"Yeah"
Derek rolled over from her but stayed close enough to her to have her body glued to his and to breathe into her neck. "Are you ready for one more? Coz I sure am"
Meredith giggled and stood up in her sit "So am I, but right now I really have the feeling that we shouldn't continue"
Derek stood up and started to kiss her shoulders as his arm surrounded her chest and held tight one of her breasts.
"Derek…" Meredith moaned letting her head fall on back.
"Yes Meredith!" Derek continued to send shivers along his back with each kiss he was placing on her skin "Come and lay back" he brought her back on pillows and kissed her passionately.
"Derek, is that a baby cry?" Meredith pushed him away from her and stood up to listen better "It is… OMG, it's Sandy!" She jumped out of bed and started to dress fast "You should dress yourself too!" she told him as she was heading to door.
Getting out of the room she saw Helen carrying a crying Sandy in her arms.
"Mommy!" Sandy continued to cry when she saw her mother and extended her arms to come and take her.
"I think she had a nightmare" Helen gave Sandy to her.
"I'm sorry for this!" Meredith apologized seeing almost everyone getting out from their rooms sleepy to see what was going on "The first night in a new house is always difficult for her!"
"Don't worry! We understand! Have a good night and I'll see you on morning!"
"Good night!"
Sandy calmed down when she saw herself in her mother's arms and put the head down on a shoulder.
Meredith brought in their bedroom, where Derek was just coming out to see what happened.
"She probably got scared waking up into an unknown room, right baby?" Meredith picked up her head and looked at her.
Sandy nodded rubbing her eyes.
Derek smiled and took Sandy from her.
"I'm sorry Derek!"
Derek leaned on her kissed her "Stop saying you're sorry! You warned me!"
Meredith smiled and followed them in bed.
"How did you know this was going to happen?" Derek asked her as he put Sandy down and laid down next to her.
"Mother's instinct!"
"I should start working on my instincts as parent too!"
"You don't have to work too hard; they will come by themselves soon!"
Derek leaned on her and kissed her "Good night!"
"Good night!" then she bent over Sandy, who had fallen asleep already, and kissed her.
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