So it's been a long time between updates and for that I apologise. I got writer's block and just couldn't find a way to continue with the story. I got a little inspired (and encouraged :P) by my friend Eve who just started writing her own fanfic. So this one's for you, EP4.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or any of the characters.

Chapter Fourteen; Choices, Choices

Bed rest sucked. Meredith had taken to spending her days on the couch, and had already memorised the daytime television schedule. Oprah, Dr Phil, Ellen and even Judge Judy if she didn't fall asleep before then. She couldn't go for a walk outside on their land, she couldn't dance it out like Cristina suggested, she couldn't even have sex with Derek! Addison had let that little bit of news slip before she left the hospital, and Meredith saw Derek's cautious smile falter slightly. He'd slapped it back on his face, and whispered quietly that he'd make it worth the wait, once their baby was finally born. The thought of waiting another seventeen weeks for sex made Meredith weak at the knees, and not just because they hadn't been used for days.

Derek was, as always, being a complete gentleman. He even insisted on carrying Meredith around the house, which she hated because she knew it put strain on his chest, and she often ran her fingers softly down the pink scar just below his shirt buttons. He catered to her every whim, cooked whatever she requested and told her constantly how brave she was for doing this for their baby. Meredith didn't feel brave though, she just felt bored and stuck, but she would do anything for her baby.

Late that afternoon, when Derek's car finally drove down their driveway, Meredith woke immediately from her nap and sat up in bed. She heard the keys turn in the door and the lock click, and Lucy's happy barks as she greeted Derek at the door.

"Meredith?" Derek called.
"In bed," Meredith said. "Exactly where I've been for the past three weeks, Derek!"

She heard his heavy footsteps up the stairs and grinned as he entered the bedroom. He walked over and collapsed onto the bed, his face buried into the pillows.

"How was your day?" they both asked at the same time.
"Mine first," Meredith said. "It's clearly the least exciting."
"Debatable," Derek laughed, hugging her tightly.
"Well, Oprah was awful, but Ellen Pompeo was on the Ellen show, and you know how much I love her. And she has the most gorgeous little baby girl called Stella!"
"Pretty soon we'll have our own gorgeous little baby girl," Derek said, rubbing Mer's belly gently.
"We will," Meredith agreed. "But I really hope that my appointment with Addison tomorrow goes well enough that I can get OFF bed rest and go back to work! What's gossip at the hospital?"
"Paperwork," Derek said, sighing loudly and rubbing his forehead. "Lots of paperwork. This whole chief thing really sucks sometimes."
"But you love it, right? The paperwork's worth it in the end?"
"Most of the time," Derek agreed. "But if I was just a plain old neurosurgeon I'd have a lot more time at home with you and Mini."
"You've never been a plain old neurosurgeon," Meredith said, running her hands through his curls. "You've always been the spectacular neuro-god and sex-god, Derek Shepherd."
"Sounds like me," Derek smiled, kissing her gently. "Any chance Addison will overturn her other decisions as well as the bed rest?"
"I doubt it, "Meredith replied with a loud sigh, crossing her arms over her bump. "Ouch!"

She rubbed her belly in gentle circles, trying to calm down the frantic kicking that was going on.
"Mini," Derek said, pressing his lips to Meredith's belly. "You really have to calm down a bit. We know you're excited to meet us, and you don't know how excited we are to meet you, but you really need a little bit more time in there to develop, okay? So calm down, and let Mummy have some peace and quiet."

Meredith sighed happily, lying on her side and watching her husband talk to her belly. She could deal with the bed rest, she supposed, as long as her days all ended like this.

Late the next morning, Meredith walked slowly up to Addison's consulting room on the third floor of SGMW. Derek had tried to insist on a wheelchair, but Meredith had threatened that if he made her use a wheelchair it would be a hell of a lot longer than seventeen weeks before they'd be having sex again. Not surprisingly, he'd backed right off and only insisted on accompanying her upstairs and into the room.

By the time Addison swirled into the room, Meredith was already settled on the bed and had her shirt pulled up over her rather expansive belly.

"Okay," Addison said. "Let's have a look at the baby here."
"Great," Derek said, smiling at Meredith encouragingly .

The ultrasound wand slid over her belly, bringing up a clear picture of their daughter.

"Her size is great for 24 weeks," Addison said, taking some quick measurements. "Right on target. I'm just going to have a quick look at your placenta."

Moving the wand lower, Addison stared at the screen carefully.

"And the placenta has shifted slightly, away from the cervix, which is good. And it hasn't detached any more from the uterine wall. Have you had any spotting?"
"Nope, none since that first week of bed rest," Meredith said.
"Fantastic. Well you are free to be off bed rest for the mean time, but no work. You shouldn't spend longer than two or three hours on your feet at any one time. Keep hydrated and rested. And still no sex, I'm afraid."
"Sorry Derek," Meredith said, poking her tongue out.
"Anything for Mini," Derek replied, shaking his head at Meredith.
"Have you guys chosen a name?" Addison asked while she was cleaning the ultrasound equipment.
"We haven't even really looked," Derek said. "I haven't had that much time."
"I've been flipping through a few baby books," Meredith said, "But I haven't found anything special yet."
"My last patient in LA named her twins Diesel Harley and Carson Bentley."
"Wow," Meredith said wincing. "That is a lot of automobile references in two names. I can't say I'm really into the 'themed' thing, I just want to find a sweet, simple name that works well with Shepherd."
"Sounds like a good plan," Addison smiled. "Okay Meredith, I'll see you in two weeks time!"
"Thanks Addison," Derek and Meredith said as they left the exam room.
"You know what this means, right?" Meredith said to Derek as they walked down to the lobby.
"You can watch daytime television whilst standing up?" he teased.
"Shut up," she said, poking him in the side. "It means that we can finally go shopping for nursery stuff!"
"Yay," Derek replied, poking his tongue out at her. "Tomorrow then? I've got the day off."
"That sounds like a plan," Meredith said, reaching up for a quick kiss before she got back in the car and drove home.

That night, when Derek finally got home from surgeries, he found Meredith on the couch, curled up with a book.

"Hey," he said quietly, kissing her. "How're you doing?"
"Enjoying being able to stand," she grinned. "I made dinner! There's a lasagne in the oven. The sauce is out of a jar, but it should still taste okay."
"Trust me," Derek said. "I haven't had a thing to eat all day, I'm sure it tastes amazing."

He sank next to her on the couch, and wrapped one arm around her, balancing the other hand on her belly. He felt the soft kicks of the baby, hitting against his palm.

"Hi Mini," he said. "I hope you've been nice to mummy today."
"She's been fine," Meredith said. "But I think we really need to find her a real name. Not just Mini."
"Any suggestions?" Derek asked.
Meredith passed him the book she was reading, and he read the title.
"10,000 Names for Your Baby," he said. "I'm not sure I have the patience to read 10,000 names tonight."
"Well, only half of them are for girls," Meredith teased. "But I've got a couple of favourites."
"Which are?"
"Emily," she suggested. "Emily Shepherd sounds really cute. Or Leah? And then there was Zoe, Abigail, Olivia, Hannah, Imogen or Piper as well."
"Lots of names to choose from," he said with a smile. "At least we won't be stuck for choices."
"What do you like?"
"I really like Emily. And Hannah and Leah are pretty cute too," he said. "How about we just stick with those for now, and decide later, over some lasagne?"
"Or we could call her a mixture of all three," Meredith teased, rubbing her belly and grinning. "Emileahannah?"
"Oh that's beautiful," Derek grinned. "Emileahannah it is."
"Poor baby," Meredith sighed, as Derek kissed her belly. "I promise we won't call you anything too crazy."
"Dinner?" Derek asked, helping Meredith to stand.
"Dinner," Meredith agreed, hugging her husband close.