Three and a half weeks.
Meredith had been completely bored for three and a half weeks now as she waited for her daughter to be born. She'd barely left the house, save for the few visits to the doctor and once to have dinner at Mark and Lexie's, but she'd mostly stayed home, making sure that everything was completely ready for Katie to come. Her nursery was finished and the play room was already filled with toys.
The day before, Dr. Cooper had informed her that she was about fifty percent effaced and a centimeter and a half dilated, causing Derek to completely freak out. Although she wasn't in active labor, Derek had completely gone overboard making sure that everything was all set to get to the hospital when the time came, some time in the next couple days according to Dr. Cooper.
"Hi Mom," she sighed as she walked into the kitchen and collapsed onto a chair at the table.
"How are you feeling, Meredith?" Carolyn asked, rushing to her side. "Do you want something to eat?"
"No," Meredith sighed. "Maybe some juice?"
"Of course," Carolyn nodded. "Apple or orange?"
"Apple please," Meredith nodded, a hand moving lazily over her stomach. "Where's Derek?"
"He's putting the car seat in the car," Carolyn smiled as she handed Meredith her glass. "He's very excited that Katie will be here soon."
"I know he is," Meredith sighed.
"And you?" Carolyn asked, sitting down across the table from Meredith with a sandwich in front of her.
"I'm excited," Meredith nodded. "Of course I'm excited because she's my daughter. But I'm terrified too. And right now, that's kind of over powering the excitement of her being here."
"You're still scared that you're not going to be a good mother?" Carolyn frowned.
"No," Meredith sighed. "Or well, yes, but right now I'm terrified of labor."
"Ah," Carolyn said with a smile. "That's normal."
"I've never done it, and I know it's natural or whatever, but…there are complications," Meredith whispered. "Scary complications."
"Scary and rare," Carolyn assured her. "You and Katie are going to be completely fine."
"I hope so," Meredith sighed. "I just…when I think about what could happen to her or me or both of us….it makes me want to keep her in there."
"I know it's scary," Carolyn said, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "But in the end when you hold your little girl in your arms for the first time, it will be completely worth it. I promise."
"I know," Meredith sighed. "I wish I could just have her right now. I want her so badly."
"She'll be here soon enough," Carolyn smiled. "By the end of the week."
"Which is causing Derek to completely freak out," Meredith giggled.
"That boy has never been able to sit still," Carolyn smiled. "He's very excited to be a father."
"He's going to be amazing," Meredith nodded. "He already loves her so much."
"He loves both of you," Carolyn said. "And he's making sure that you're both receiving the best of care."
"Alright, the car seat is in," Derek announced. "I also made sure that the camera and video camera are in the trunk, along with Katie's blanket and the outfit we want to take her home in."
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?" Meredith asked as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.
"Definitely not," Derek shook his head. "As soon as you tell me what you need, I'll pack your bag and put it in the trunk as well."
"You're insane," Meredith informed him.
"I'm prepared," Derek argued.
"Well, I see Boy Scouts taught you well," Carolyn said with a smile as she moved to place her plate in the dishwasher.
"You were a Boy Scout?" Meredith giggled. "Somehow I can't imagine that."
"I was the perfect Boy Scout," Derek said.
"Yes, I'm sure that's why I had to drive out to Connecticut to pick you up from camp early," Carolyn said.
"You got kicked out of Boy Scout Camp?" Meredith asked.
"It was Mark's fault," Derek insisted. "He's the one that snuck over to Girl Scout Camp and put the snake in the shower."
"Hmm, that's interesting that they found you guarding the bathroom door," Carolyn replied.
"I married a rebel," Meredith giggled as she leaned forward to kiss him. "You're such a bad boy," she murmured in a low voice.
"Mer," he groaned, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
Meredith giggled as she pulled away from him, reaching for her glass. "We should do something today," she said.
"Do something?" Derek asked.
"Yeah," Meredith nodded. "These are the last couple days just the two of us. We should…I don't know, go on a date or something."
"We can do that," Derek nodded. "As long as we stay within a ten mile range of the hospital."
"What?" Meredith asked.
"I mapped out routes to the hospital from various points in Seattle," Derek said. "We have to make sure we get there as quickly as possible."
"Seriously?" Meredith asked. Her husband was an idiot.
"Seriously," Derek nodded, reaching for a pile of papers from the counter. "And I got the schedule of who's working at what times, so we know which door to go to."
"Are you delusional?" Meredith asked. "We can just go into the hospital like normal people. We don't need an entire surgical team waiting for us at the front door."
"Well, we only need to go to the front door if it's night time and no one we know is on call," Derek nodded. "If it's night time and Lexie's on call, we go to the pit and she'll meet us there to give us priority."
"I can't believe you did this," Meredith frowned as she winced slightly. She hated practice contractions.
"Well, if it's during the day we can go to the clinic and sneak in that way," Derek nodded. "Mark and I have a system set up. But if he's in surgery…"
"Derek," Meredith breathed as a sharp, sudden pain rocked through her body.
"I know you think this is crazy, but it's necessary," Derek nodded. "If it's over the weekend we'll have to go in the front door because the clinic isn't open."
"Derek," she said, reaching for his hand.
"And if it happens Sunday night Mark's on call, so he'll have a room all set up and page Dr. Cooper a 911."
"Derek, is there a plan for the afternoon?" Meredith asked, her fingers digging into his arm.
"Yeah, Lex will meet us at the ER door," Derek nodded. "Why?"
"Because it's the afternoon right now," Meredith said, clutching her stomach. "And I'm in labor."
"Seriously?" Derek asked. "Really in labor not just false labor?"
"Really in labor," Meredith gasped, the pain ceased. "I thought it was just practice, but they're getting closer together."
"Okay, we…hospital," Derek nodded.
"I'll drive," Carolyn nodded. "You can sit in the back with her."
"Hospital," Derek nodded. "Katie's coming."
"Katie's coming," Meredith giggled as she braced herself on the table and pulled herself to her feet.
"Oh God," Derek breathed as he sank back into the kitchen chair.
"Derek?" Meredith asked as she looked down at him with a frown. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he breathed. "I just…Katie's coming."
"I know," Meredith rolled her eyes. "We have to get to the hospital."
"I'm going to be a father."
Meredith exchanged a worried glance with Carolyn before she turned back to her husband. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.
"I just…" Derek turned to the garbage can and began to cough up the contents of his stomach.
"Seriously?" Meredith shouted, bracing herself against the counter as another contraction washed over her. "I'm in labor and you're throwing up? Seriously?"
"I…" Derek took a deep breath before he turned back to the garbage can.
"Alright," Carolyn sighed as she stepped forward to squeeze Meredith's hand. "It's alright, dear. Just breathe through it."
"It hurts," Meredith whimpered as she leaned over, clutching her stomach. "It really hurts."
"I know," Carolyn sighed, rubbing a hand over her back. "It will be over in a moment."
"Derek…"
"I'm here," he said, reaching her side and grasping her other hand.
"Are you done throwing up?" she snapped.
"Sorry," Derek breathed. "I'm just…nervous."
"You're nervous," Meredith repeated, anger suddenly taking over the pain of the contractions. "Derek, your daughter is about to completely tear my body to pieces and you're nervous? Seriously? Seriously."
"I've never done this before, Mer, I'm nervous," Derek sighed as he rubbed her back.
"You don't have to do anything," Meredith snapped. "All you have to do is sit there and watch while your daughter attacks my body. And this is all your fault. You and your stupid boy penis had to go and knock me up."
"I wasn't actually trying to get you pregnant," Derek pointed out.
"Well you did," Meredith rolled her eyes. "And now I have to have a baby, Derek. A baby. So I don't need you sitting in a corner throwing up while I'm trying to give birth to your baby."
"I'm done throwing up, I promise," Derek nodded.
"You better be," Meredith snapped. "Or else you're not allowed in the delivery room."
"What?" Derek frowned. "It's my baby."
"And you're an idiot."
"Alright, we don't have time to debate this," Carolyn said with an amused smile. "We have to get to the hospital."
"I'll call Mark and Lexie on the way," Derek nodded.
"And Dr. Cooper," Meredith breathed as she walked slowly out the door.
"Definitely Dr. Cooper," Derek said as he helped her into the car.
"Ow," Meredith breathed as another shot of pain ripped through her. "Derek…"
"It's okay," he whispered, squeezing her hand tightly. "Just breathe."
"I can't," she whimpered. "It hurts."
"Just follow my breathing okay?" Derek whispered. "I know it hurts, but you just have to breathe."
Meredith inhaled deeply a few times before she felt a sudden wetness between her legs. "My water," she whispered.
"Hmmm?" Derek asked.
"My water just broke," she whispered.
"That's good, Mer," he whispered into her hair. "Katie's coming."
"Now," Meredith said, her body relaxing. "She's coming now."
"We'll have our little girl by tonight," Derek nodded. "And we'll see how completely perfect she is."
"At least we already know she has my nose, not yours," Meredith giggled as she tried to keep her mind off of her contracting body.
"I know that's an insult," Derek smiled as he reached out to stroke some hair behind her ear. "But your nose is perfect, so I'm okay with the fact that my little girl has your nose."
Meredith smiled slightly, but then another contraction hit and she squeezed her eyes closed as she gripped his hand tightly. "Derek…"
"Breathe," he whispered. "I'm right here, just breathe with me. It will pass."
Meredith felt a tear streak down her cheek as her stomach contracted again, the pain washing over her entire body.
"It will be done soon," he murmured.
"This sucks," Meredith whimpered as her body relaxed against his again.
"I know," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "They'll give you an epidural soon."
"Thank God."
"Here we are," Carolyn sighed as she pulled up outside the emergency room where Lexie was waiting with Dr. Cooper.
"Okay," Derek sighed as he got out of the car, reaching to help Meredith out as well. "Can you walk?" he asked.
"I can walk," she rolled her eyes. "I'm not dying, Derek."
"Right," he nodded. "Sorry."
"Meredith," Lexie breathed as they met her at the door. "Katie's coming!"
"I know," Meredith sighed. "Sorry if I don't look too excited but I'm pretty sure Derek's daughter is trying to kill me."
"Now she's my daughter?" Derek raised his eyebrows.
"Yes," Meredith nodded. "Only the child of an idiot would cause this much pain."
"How far apart are the contractions?" Dr. Cooper asked as Lexie pulled a wheelchair over for Meredith.
"About five minutes," Derek said. "Lasting about a minute."
"Alright, it sounds like the labor's progressing fairly quickly," Dr. Cooper nodded. "We'll get you upstairs and get you an epidural right away."
"Derek," Meredith whispered as Lexie began to push the chair towards the elevators.
"I'm here," he nodded as he walked quickly beside the wheelchair, grabbing her hand. "I won't leave."
"Promise?" Meredith whimpered, completely terrified at the thought of doing this without her husband.
"Promise," Derek nodded, squeezing her hand. "No running, remember?"
"No running," Meredith sighed.
"You guys, your little girl's coming," Lexie smiled as they stepped onto the elevator. "This is so exciting!"
"We know," Derek said as he reached out to run a hand over Meredith's head. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Scared," she whispered. "Nervous. Excited."
"So completely as expected," Derek sighed. "I love you. I love you so much, and I can't tell you how much this means to me."
"I know," Meredith whispered. "I love you too. And so does Katie."
"Good," Derek said, standing again as the elevator doors slid open. "Here we go."
"Shep!" Mark cried from down the hall. "It's about time the two of you got here."
"We're having a baby, Mark," Derek sighed as Lexie led them into an empty room. "We don't have time for this."
"For what?" Mark frowned. "Family?"
"Mark," Lexie rolled her eyes as she pushed him out the door. "I'm not allowed to be the intern on your case, but we're going to wait with your mom. Page us as soon as she's here."
"We will," Meredith sighed as she reached for Derek's hand, her body contracting again.
"Breathe," Derek murmured.
"We're going," Lexie said as she pushed Mark out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"You okay?" Derek asked as Meredith's body relaxed again.
"Yeah," she sighed as she reached for the hospital gown. "Katie's coming."
Derek smiled as he leaned forward to kiss her stomach. "Katie's coming."