Loved all the comments, thank you! This chapter, last stop for Christmas. Next stop, college again!
Hope you enjoy! :)

Just over three hours later, Meredith was wheeled back into the hospital room. She was conscious, but only interested in sleeping. By this time, Amy and Carolyn had joined the two boys, even having brought a few supplies from home including some of Derek's sweats. Whilst Carolyn didn't understand why she would want these, Amy assured her that they would be appreciated. They sat around her bed, talking quietly until she awoke. She looked around the room, her mouth dry.

"What's going on? Where am I?" She tried to move but winced in pain.
Derek and his mother quickly stood and moved to her bedside, Derek sitting down next to her. "You had your appendix out but it was too far gone to be laparoscopic. Don't try and move too much. We've all come to hang out with you for a while."

Carolyn moved in closer, "You can go back to sleep in a moment, dear. I'll take these ones away from you and we'll come visit later on. But Meredith, would you like me to ring your mother?" Meredith felt her stomach drop. She wasn't looking forward to that conversation. She would surely have something to say about the quality of the hospital or the surgeon, and tell Meredith that she shouldn't have gone out or she should have gone straight to the hospital. Whatever she would say, it wouldn't be sympathetic and it would highlight that Meredith had done the wrong thing, like usual.

"My phone…" Meredith's question trailed off.

"It's right here, dear." Carolyn said, pulling it from her purse.
"I'll call her later on, thank you." She took her phone and slid it onto the table next to her. "She'll still be at the hospital." Meredith shifted in her bed to make herself more comfortable when Amy spoke.

"This hospital?" Carolyn asked, looking towards the door where streams of doctors and nurses were hurriedly passing, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive 'Ellis Grey'.

"No, she works at Pres." Meredith's eyes fell to the oxygen monitor on her finger, and the IV in her wrist. Derek shifted in his chair as he was beginning to understand why she had been so adamant to avoid heading there earlier this morning.

"Mer, we brought you some clothes too. They're not yours per se, but I know you like this jumper." Amy spoke up.

"Once the doctor has done the post op check up, you should put them on." Derek urged. He loved seeing Meredith in his clothes, it made her look even more huggable. She smiled over at him, before putting her head back on the pillow, exhaling.

"Well," Carolyn started, "Mark, Amy, I have to go do some shopping. Would you both come with me?"

"Of course. We'll be back later on to check up on you." Amy said, smiling, patting Meredith's foot.

Meredith turned to look up and met Derek's eyes. "Will you stay with me?" He nodded, smiling sweetly at her, "and thanks Mark for driving."

Mark, Carolyn and Amy all smiled, waved and left down the corridor to return a few hours later, leaving Derek alone with Meredith. She pulled his hand, signalling for him to come and sit on her bed with her. "Thank you very much for bringing me here too, and staying with me, and looking after me. I really appreciate it."

"Mer, you know I'd do anything for you."

"I'm still allowed to thank you." She smiled and nestled her head into his tshirt, closing her eyes. He put his arm around her, pulling her in closer. She was asleep within minutes, so he leant over for the tv remote finding a terrible movie to pass the time.

The doctor came and went, checking her vitals. It was the same doctor that he had spoken to earlier, and when he noticed her asleep in his arms, he just smiled. "She's looking fine, if there is any pain, just call one of the nurses. I'll order some meds, and one of the nurses can fix her up. If her vitals remain this good, we should be able to send her home in a day or two." He paused, adjusting a few buttons on the machine before continuing, "no physical activity or heavy lifting. Lots of rest, and for the first few days, make sure there is someone around at all times." He smiled, looking back down at the charts as Meredith stirred, Derek rubbed her shoulder, "but you seem to be doing a pretty great job. Any questions, I'm on call all night, don't hesitate to have one of the nurses page me." Derek moved slightly in the bed, reaching out to shake the doctors hand warmly.

"Thank you very much for all your help. We really appreciate it."

"Just my job." He stated, closing the chart for a final time that day, sliding it into the holder at the end of the bed. "I'll be back in a few hours to do another post-op check up and if she keeps her next meal down, I can clear her for solid foods."

Although Meredith's eyes remained shut she was quick to reply, "Good. I'm hungry."

They both laughed, and Derek nodded in affirmation. "That's always a good sign." He laughed. It'd been a long day.

XXXXOXXOXXXX

Meredith sat on the end of her bed at home. After having surgery early Friday morning and discharged Sunday afternoon, she had been living with Derek and needed to come home to get some new clothes. A part of her wished that her Mum would be home when she came by but she knew that was too much to ask. Ellis Grey spent every waking hour at work and most non-waking hours there too. Meredith had a little under two weeks until she had to head back to college, and they'd barely spent an hour together so far.

Meredith rung her mother telling her about the surgery and she even came to visit her in hospital. She checked her incisions, criticised her for her choice of hospital and studied her charts before asking if she needed any medication. She barely stuck around for the small talk, telling Meredith to make sure she keeps up with her schooling and quoting the signs of infection. She wished her a Happy Thanksgiving, before Meredith interjected.

"It's Christmas, Mum." She looked at her, concerned. "December."

"Right." Is all her mother could reply, shrugging it off, "That's what I meant."

Although she didn't talk to her mother often, Meredith noticed how she was forgetting things more and more. It was lucky her operating time had been halved in the past year due to an increase in teaching time required at her hospital. Ellis was now undertaking a major study, which required full devotion. Meredith began to hope that the chief had noticed too for the safety of the patients, as Ellis certainly wasn't going to admit a weakness.

"I'm going home with Derek, I'm not allowed to be alone. You're working." Meredith stated dryly.

Her mother nodded, "My work is very important. It pays for the house, your food, your father. Everything." She put back the chart and went to leave. "Ring me if you have any pain and don't get anything stop you from succeeding. Be extraordinary in everything you do, Meredith."

"Thanks." And with that, she was gone.

As if by a turn of fate, Ellis' most juxtaposed character drifted into the room carrying a bag of new clothes, including pyjamas, sweats and underwear, and Tupperware containers of home cooked food. "Hospital food is appalling and you can't go wearing Derek's old grotty clothes. I'm sorry, I don't know what size you are but you look to be similar to Amy. She helped pick them out." She slid the bags over and helped Meredith to get changed. Meredith felt more loved than when her own mother had visited.

"Thank you, you really didn't have to. Please let me pay for these"

"I know, but I did. I'm not letting you pay. Amy and I had fun, don't you worry. You're welcome to stay with us after you're discharged. Someone needs to be around at all times, and well, Derek says your mother isn't home a lot..."

"No, she's not."

"You're Derek's girlfriend, which means that you're family. You're like my fifth daughter, and I want to know that you're safe and well looked after. You'll never be an imposition." She stated.

"Well… Thank you."

"No need. Now, eat. I don't want you losing any more weight!" She laughed, sliding her over a fork and opening the container in front of her.

She'd lived with them for 4 days, and Derek dropped her home on the way to the supermarket to grab anything she needed. On the way home, Derek dropped by to pick her up again. When he knocked on the door, she appeared at the top of the stairs, signalling for him to come in.
"It takes too long for me to climb these," she said as he entered the foyer area. Just as she had done when she entered his house, he recognised the similarities and the different feeling.

"Are you just about ready?" He asked, taking the stairs two by two to meet her at the top.

"Yeah, just let me grab my bag."

"Ha!" He laughed, "I wouldn't even let you do that before your surgery." She'd managed to drag it from her room to the top of the stairs, so he was able to quickly haul it over his shoulder before she tried. His chivalry was always noted and appreciated, especially when she was in pain. She slowly took to the stairs and he walked behind her, ready to give her support if she needed.

"Bye house…" She whispered as she locked the front door behind Derek. She lowered herself into the car slowly, being careful to avoid any sharp movements. They rode back to his house listening to the radio whilst she thought about how glad she was to be heading back to Derek's. However, she couldn't help feel a little guilty that while she was happy, safe, warm and well fed, she wasn't looking after her mother - not that she was ever home, but being there in case she was, and ensuring that she ate properly. She always worried that her mother put her health second to surgery, but there was nothing she could ever do about that.