Five months later

It was late in the night and Meredith feeling a familiar impulse opened her eyes and wearily rolled out of bed to go to the bathroom she rubbed her bulging stomach with her hands and yawned she had been pregnant for four months and she was feeling the symptoms growing stronger every week. Meredith had been urinating frequently, she hadn't felt this tired since her last leg injury and even though she could still do most of the fun things she enjoyed with her family she knew she would miss chasing games with the children and mountain walks with her husband as her pregnancy progressed. She couldn't wait to go on paternity leave but for now she was still going to work and it was exhausting having to concentrate on work all day and then focus on taking care of Derek, Josh and Cecilia at night. Meredith finished in the bathroom for the second time that night and after closing the door she wandered back inside the room to see Derek turning on the light, "i'm starting to wish I was the one who was pregnant."

Meredith rubbed her round tummy and smiled at the love of her life, "could you handle it?"

"Probably not" Derek said as propped himself up on the pillow with his elbow and hand, "but it would give you a break from getting up every night, Meredith I know your unhappy despite the façade you put on."

"It isn't so bad Derek" Meredith whispered as Derek took her hand in his own, "its better than the time I was bedridden in hospital, at least I can get up without any troubles and its all worth it to bring one more little bundle of joy into the world."

"You continue to amaze me just how strong you are, when Addison was pregnant with Cecilia she would always whack me with cushions every time she got up during the night. Then she got me to calm down Cecilia when she was woken up by Addison's pregnant episodes with Josh, she said and I quote she wanted me to feel the uncomfortableness that she was feeling."

Meredith smiled widely, "thanks for giving me those ideas honey."

"Oh no me and my big mouth" Derek said with a playful scared expression. Meredith giggled with Derek as she leaned forward to kiss him, "have you thought about any names?"

"There's to many names in my head to count" Derek replied as his eyes darkened in thought, "Dominic Mike Shaun for a boy, Elizabeth Phoebe Holly for a girl."

"They sound nice."

"Yeah but the perfect name still hasn't popped up, maybe the internet could help."

"We'll think of something" Meredith said softly, "we don't need a computer to help us."

"Mommy" Meredith looked towards the bedroom door and saw two five year old children softly walking into the bedroom, "did the baby have nightmares again?"

"No Josh" Meredith whispered as Josh and Cecilia climbed on to the bed, "the baby just needed to go to the toilet again."

"The baby loves to go to the toilet" Cecilia muttered as she ran her small hands over Meredith's round stomach, "it must drink a lot of orange juice."

"Is there lots of orange juice in mommy's tummy?" Josh asked.

"Tons of juice" Cecilia stared with wide eyes at Meredith's tummy, "there must be a giant factory in there."

"Do you kids want some juice" Derek said Meredith sniggered at him and Derek coughed, "and I mean juice from the fridge."

"We got to protect the baby" Josh said as he lied down in the middle of the bed.

Derek exchanged a confused glance with Meredith, "protect it from what?"

Josh pointed a small finger all around the room, "noises and monsters."

"That's why the baby keeps waking up" Cecilia added.

"Cause there are monsters."

Derek rubbed his son's shoulder with his hand before he rolled on to his side to smile at him, "mate there are no monsters inside this house."

"Well actually" Meredith said as she started to grin, "there are monsters honey."

"Really" Derek said as he saw the twinkle in his wife's eye, "what kinds?"

"There are tickle monsters" Meredith whispered.

"Tickle monsters" Josh said as he started to look wildly around with Cecilia, "where are they?"

"They're in this room" Derek said in a deep voice, "and they look for kids to tickle, kids like you two."

"Where are...oh" Cecilia looked at Meredith and Derek chuckling, "Josh I think mommy and daddy are tickle monsters."

"Um" Josh whispered before he started to scream with Cecilia as Meredith and Derek reached their arms out to them. The kids jumped off the bed and ran out of the room as Meredith rose out of bed eager to have some fun, "you ready daddy tickle monster."

"After you mommy tickle monster" Derek replied as he followed Meredith out of the bedroom and downstairs into the living room, "where are the children?"

"I can smell them" Meredith said in a theatrical voice as he saw a curtain moving, "and I think one of them is behind the curtain." Derek's hand pulled back the curtain and smiled as Josh with a giggle ran from the curtain. Derek walked after him making funny noises while Meredth heard laughing coming from a nearby cupboard she opened the door and Cecilia screamed loudly as Meredith picked her up in her ams, "tickle monster."

"Help a tickle monster is going to tickle me" Cecilia said loudly as a grinning Meredith put her down on the carpet and leaned over her, "don't be scared sweetheart tickle monsters are fun to meet." Meredith's hands tickle Cecilia's body and the girl laughed wildly as she squirmed, "they tickle your belly and they tickle your feet."

"Josh Josh" Cecilia laughed as she rolled around on the floor while Meredith's hands tickled her soles and knees, "save me save me."

There was a sound of running footsteps and Meredith started to laugh as she felt small hands tickling her neck she lied on her back and Cecilia hopped on her ankle and started to tickle a large foot with her hands, "tickle the tickle monster."

"Derek" Meredith laughed as Derek came running in to the room to pick up Josh, "there he is tickle time." Josh laughed as Meredith lifted her legs and pried Cecilia off them, "tickle monsters" Josh said loudly as Derek lifted his legs until the little boy was upside down over Derek's shoulder laughing while Derek tickled his stomach.

"Yes tickle monsters" Derek said in his deep voice, "they tickle your nose they tickle your knees, they tickle children whenever they please." Derek and Meredith tickled the children watching Cecilia laughing and Josh waving his legs in the air as he giggled until Meredith groaned as she felt the baby in her tummy pressuring her, "to much" Derek said as he put his son back on his feet and put his hands on Meredith's shoulders.

"Yeah" Meredith said as she stood up and felt two sets of small arms hugging her legs.

"Mommy the baby" Cecilia said softly as she looked up at Meredith.

"The baby has to go to the toilet again" Josh added.

"Come on baby carrier" Cecilia said as she took Meredith's hand, Meredith walked up the stairs as Derek opened the bathroom door and watched Meredith walk inside. Josh looked at Derek and grabbed his hand, "daddy."

"Yes Josh?"

"Is the baby making mommy sick." Derek looked at his wide eyed son and bent down, "it is mate but not on purpose the baby needs a lot of help from mommy and that's why mommy feels sick."

"Does she take medicine" Cecilia whispered.

"No she doesn't need medicine we just need to wait for a few more months" Derek said with a gentile smile, "and then the baby will come out of mommy's tummy and mommy will feel just fine again."

"What if it doesn't come out?"

"It will Josh" Cecilia said, "it will won't it daddy?"

"But mommy's tummy has a factory inside it and we don't have that."

"Oh" Cecilia whispered, "what if we built a factory then the baby will like it."

Derek picked up his kids in his arms, "I don't think any factory is nicer than the one in mommy's stomach but soon the baby will get to big for the stomach and will need to come out here to visit us."

"Because there isn't enough room in her stomach."

"That's right son."

"Okay" Cecilia said quietly.

"Kids" Derek whispered as Josh's hands played with his hair, "soon your mom won't be able to play rough games."

"Because of the baby."

"Your right Cecilia."

"So we got to protect the baby" Josh said.

"Just like your doing now" Derek nodded as Meredith came out, "how are you feeling honey?"

"I think the toilet needs a rest."

"Toliets need to sleep to?"

"No Josh the toilet is just fine" Meredith whispered, "are you going to put the kids to bed or should I?"

"You need to rest i'll handle these little ducks" Derek said softly. Meredith kissed the kids cheeks before she wandered to the bedroom and slowly lied down in bed she sighed and once again woke up as she felt the small bodies of the kids cuddling up to her sides, "you two should be in bed."

Cecilia patted the large mattress, "we are in bed this bed."

"Your own beds" Meredith whispered.

"But we got to protect the baby" the girl protested.

"I'm protecting the baby you two should be asleep."

"But-"

"Cecilia" Meredith said firmly, "we've been very silly tonight but we all need to sleep and you have school tomorrow."

"Okay okay" Cecilia muttered as Josh yawned and woke up, "but if you don't protect the baby you get pumpkin for dinner."

"That's a great idea" Meredith smirked, "we should have pumpkin for dinner tomorrow night."

"No no no I said."

"Sweetheart" Meredith whispered, "little dude your daddy and I will protect the baby."

Cecila ran her hands over Meredith's stomach, "goodnight baby."

"Goodnight baby" Josh whispered as she walked out of the room with his sister, "goodnight mommy and sleepy daddy."

"Goodnight" Meredith whispered as Josh and Cecilia disappeared and Derek stirred and opened his eyes, "the kids alright?"

"They're just fine they've left" Meredith turned on the lamp, "do you remember the time I said we should have ten more children?"

"I remember" Derek muttered as he rolled over to look at his wife.

"That was the stupidest thing I ever said" Meredith muttered, "we're not going to do that."

"Okay I think three children is a good number myself."

The next morning

Meredith walked into the hospital yawning and running her hand through her hair as Izzie greeted her with a cheery blinking of her eyes, "good morning lord lady of the lump."

Meredith let out a sarcastic laugh, "that's the funniest nickname yet you've come up for me."

"You look like the walking dead."

"I feel like the walking dead" Meredith said as she sat down on a chair, "three times last night I went to the toilet."

"Well in six months time it will be over and then you get to get up in the middle of the night to calm down a screaming baby and change its diapers and feed it and all that fun stuff."

Meredith looked at Izzie's wide grin and sighed, "i'm going to remember this when you get pregnant."

"No" Izzie said quickly, "me and Alex are just going to adopt a baby gorilla from the zoo and call it George."

"Really" Meredith's said with a giggle, "won't you have to shave it?"

"Well on second thought" Izzie whispered as she started to sweat, "oh boy i'm not looking forward to pregnancy."

"You can wait a while you know until your ready your not even married yet, when is the wedding day?"

"Me and Alex haven't decided" Izzie muttered, "he proposed a week ago and ever since the two of us have been rattling our heads trying to plan the perfect date for the perfect day, it feels like a space shuttle launch. It would be easier if we just eloped in Vegas."

"Well then all your friends and family won't be there to wish you well."

"We're having the wedding after you have Meredith junior" Izzie patted her friend's shoulder, "i'm going to need a maid of honour who doesn't need to use the ladies every hour on the hour."

"Well that's good" Meredith said as she started to walk with Izzie to surgery, "it means you'll get pregnant after the wedding and I will be making jokes at your expense."

Izzie smiled as she embraced her friend then she stayed back, "maybe we shouldn't do that" Izzie whispered "I like our hugs but if I push the baby into your bladder."

"I'll be running to the restroom" Meredith said, "i'm going to make sure the baby is getting lots of hugs from you when she comes."

"You know its a girl?"

"I don't know" Meredith said softly, "I haven't checked its just a hunch." Meredith saw Callie and Arizona walking through the hospital arm in arm and she waved at them, "hi."

"Hi yourself mother goose" Callie said with a merry twinkle in her eyes, "and how are you going?"

"I feel great" Meredith said and she did despite the lack of sleep she had never felt so wonderful in her life, "all things considered I feel great."

"I got to say Meredith" Callie stared at her friend with admiration, "over the last few weeks you are coming across as very confident."

"Its true" Arizona added, "you used to be a bit shy and sometimes bumbling especially when we talked about a topic that embarrassed you, now your like well super confident."

Meredith smiled it was true she wasn't as shy or as nervous as she once was, she felt like she could do anything and talk with anyone about anything, "it must be the mother genes."

"So how is the kid?" Callie asked.

"Which one?"

Arizona patted Meredith's stomach, "the one your carrying."

"She" Meredith said, "or he is doing just fine."

"Well since your becoming an expert on babies."

"Callie" Izzie said, "Meredith hasn't even had the baby yet."

Meredith smiled at her friend, "i'll be ringing Izzie for assistance with changing diapers."

Izzie raised her eyebrows, "and i'll be telling her sorry love i'm busy."

"Anyway" Arizona said as she tapped her fingers nervously, "we wanted to ask you something."

"Arizona" Meredith smirked, "I already told you i'm not getting drunk and having a threesome with you and Callie."

Callie let out a laugh with Arizona, "you have gotten confident no what we wanted to ask is we're going to apply for adoption and wondering if you two would be our referees."

Izzie and Meredith stared at each other and then smiled at their friends, "we would love to, oh that's great everyone is adding members to their family."

Meredith raised an eyebrow, "as long as your not doing anything kinky in front of the baby."

Arizona raised a hand, "on my honour as a robbins we're toning it down from here on out."

Callie's hand wandered to her girlfriend's ass, "as long as the baby is awake" Callie whispered seductively, "when its asleep the gloves and clothes are off."

Meredith coughed as Callie removed her hand from Arizona's backside, "then I would be very happy to give you a reference."

Izzie nodded, "Me as well but don't you need to be married first for your application to be successful?"

Callie casually shrugged her shoulders, "I suppose but if that is the case well everyone's getting married at the same time I think we should wait a bit before Arizona proposes."

Arizona let out a loud cough, "me I think you my love would be better at that sort of thing."

Later that morning

Derek came into work with a whistle and a skip and Cristina with annoyance put down her paper, "its a good thing you don't work in a library."

"Well I feel good" Derek said as she gave her friend a shoulder hug, "and feeling good gives you a licence to do a jig at your workplace."

Cristina gave a tutting sound and went back to her crossword, "are you happy because its summer?"

"Of course" Derek said as he threw a half eaten sandwich in the bin, "its a beautiful day even if we're stuck in hospital."

Cristina over the rim of her paper saw the dark circles around her friend's eyes and she sighed, "you look buggered."

"Well my lovely wife is dating the toilet more than me these days" Derek sat down and flicked through files in a folder, "and the other two rugrats are asking me baby questions evey five minutes."

"They must be very excited."

"Josh has always been the younger brother I think he is really looking forward to being a big brother and Cecilia well I haven't seen her look this thrilled since she saw me propose to Meredith at the airport."

Cristina gave her friend a solemn nod, "it may be a different story when the baby actually arrives."

"Yeah" Derek said as leaned back in his chair, "i've tried my best to explain to them that it isn't going to be fun and games and that babies need a lot of care and that we're going to be concentrating on looking after the baby and we won't have as much time to spend with them as we used to. They just keep telling me we'll all going to look after the baby together."

Cristina smiled at her friend, "your kids are very special."

Derek smiled warmly at the comment, "they love having a mom."

"Given how much Meredith smiles around here I would say she loves being a mom."

"Hmmm I thought that was all me."

Cristina rolled her eyes, "you and your ego."

Derek later on that day was walking in the corridors until he saw his wife walking into a nearby office and with a naughty smirk he walked in after her softly closed the door and put his hands on Meredith's shoulders, "well doctor Grey you look like you could a rest."

Meredith sighed as Derek's strong gentile hands massaged her shoulders, "that feels so good." Meredith turned around and Derek kissed Meredith deeply feeling Meredith sighing into the kiss. Derek ran his hands through her clothes as Meredith put her fingers on his shirt buttons Derek suddenly broke apart, "whoa whoa whoa."

"What" Meredith said causally as her fingers unbuttoned his shirt, "we're married remember."

"I miss it to" Derek said with a grin, "but we're at work."

"Well these raging pregnancy hormones are killing me" Meredith looked at Derek's chest and pressed her palms against his muscles before she leaned forward and planted a few kisses, "this is just to tide me over for a while."

"Oh really" Derek kissed Meredith's neck several times and Meredith laughed, "your terrible."

"That's why you married me."

"I guess" Meredith whispered as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, "so why did you marry me?"

"Well your sexy and you have a great sense of humour."

"What if I didn't have those things?"

"Then I would have married you anyway" Derek kissed Meredith's forehead, "because you have the most caring compassionate wonderful heart of anyone I've ever met and you make me feel like the luckiest guy in the world."

Meredith pecked Derek's lips, "and you despite your dorkiness and the stupid decisions you sometimes make and your lame jokes have a talent of making me feel incredible."

"Really because I thought I made you feel pregnant." Meredith hugged Derek close until she felt her pager beeping, "I should get going" Meredith whispered, "i'll see you at home."

"I'll have dinner waiting for you.

Five months later

Josh stirred as he dreamed before he shot up in a hospital bed and blinked in the dark. He looked around for his parents and they weren't there he looked at the clock and realised it had been hours since he had fallen asleep on the bed with his sister and their babysitters but he didn't know where his mommy and daddy were. Josh looked at Callie and Arizona sleeping with their own baby cuddled up to Arizona's stomach and then he looked at Cecilia sleeping next to him before he gently shook his sister who yawned and shot up, "did the baby come?"

"No Cecilia, its-"

"Josh what is it?"

"Will mommy be okay" Josh whispered. Cecilia blinked quickly as she pondered, "she said she would be okay but she looked scared."

"Will the baby hurt her?"

Cecilia bit her knuckles, "I don't know."

Josh looked at the door, "lets find her."

"Yeah" Cecilia hopped down from the bed and ran to open the door as Josh stared at Callie sleeping peacefully, "but Callie and Zona-"

"Don't worry Josh" Cecilia said.

"They'll get mad."

"They will and we'll get in trouble" Cecilia took a deep breath, "but even if we have to eat all the cabbage in the world and clean up our rooms until our arms drop off we are going to make sure mommy is okay."

"Who's going to look after the other mommies?"

Cecilia looked at the baby cuddling up to Arizona's chest, "Mayu can protect them."

"Do babies protect grownups?" Josh whispered.

"Grownups protect babies when babies are in the mommy's tummy so the baby can come out and protect the mommy. Its like I help you and you help me."

"That means" Josh hopped down from the bed, "we protect mommy from the wait um why are we protecting mummy from the baby."

"Because the baby doesn't know that she needs to protect the mommy so we'll tell the baby not to hurt mommy and then the baby will be okay."

"Okay" Josh whispered as he reached up and opened the door, the children ran out into the hallway as Mayu woke up and started to cry. Arizona yawned and looked at her baby daughter in her arms, "love."

"Hmmm" Callie muttered as she opened her eyes.

"Mayu is awake."

"Hmmm" Callie muttered again, "i'll get up in a minute."

"Callie we're in public have you got Mayu's bottle."

"Right" Callie whispered as she reached into her bag.

"Callie."

"What?"

Arizona looked out the door and turned to stare fearfully at Callie, "where are the other two moppets?"

The hospital lights on the third floor dimed as two children walked through every corridor that they could see jumping on benches and chairs looking through every window they could see, "not in there" Cecilia said as she looked into a room with monitors.

"Not in here either" Josh said from the other side.

"The hospital is big."

"Cecilia what if we get lost" Josh said softly as he looked around him "and mommy has to rescue us."

"Daddy can do that because he can run and mommy can't" Cecilia hopped down from a chair and walked with her brother by her side, "and daddy won't do that because we'll find him and mommy first." The children walked softly until a loud yell sounded from a nearby room Cecilia and Josh grabbed each other's hand, "what was the scream?" Cecilia whispered.

"That was mommy" Josh looked at his sister and they started to run down the hallway and saw a big closed door, "we're coming mommy" Cecilia tried to jump up "the door shiny thing is to high."

"Lets get a chair" Josh said as he started to push a large chair until he yelped as he felt felt someone picking her up, "oh no you don't" Amelia said.

"Amelia" Cecilia grabbed Amelia's hand.

"That place is off limits to children."

"But mommy is in pain" Josh protested.

Amelia picked up the squirming kids, "she'll be alright."

"How do you know?" Cecilia protested, "we're out here we can't see them."

"I just know" Amelia muttered, "trust me kiddies you do not want to go in there."

"Mommy is in there and she"

"She'll be fine Josh your daddy is protecting her and if you walked in that room right now you would scarred for the rest of your life."

"What does scarred mean?"

"It means" Amelia said as she put the kids back on their feet, "you'll be you'll be seeing a child psychologist."

Cecilia looked back at the door, "there's a monster in the room."

"Apart from daddy the tickle monster" Josh started to run back the way he came, "we got to save." Amelia quickly caught him and stopped Cecilia, "there are no, you know what lets just find your babysitters and i'm going to give them a lecture about stopping kids from escaping." Amelia led the kids down the hallway until Cecilia pointed at the door, "the door is open."

"You two turnips are not going in there until-"

"I knew it was a smart choice Amelia hiring you to guard the door."

"Daddy" Josh said as Amelia let go of their hands and the children ran to Derek, "is mommy okay?"

"She's very happy" Derek said as he bent down, "are you ready to meet your new sister."

"This is like Disneyland" Cecilia whispered as she and Josh walked into he room where Meredith was sitting on the bed holding a bundle of blankets, "hey you two this is your new sister."

"Baby sister" Cecilia smiled wildly as she looked at the baby in Meredith's arms, "i'm Cecilia."

"I'm Josh" Josh said as he stared closely at the baby, "daddy do we shake hands?"

"No mate and her name is-"

"Molly" Meredith said softly, Derek nodded, "Molly Shepherd I like it."

Amelia whistled to herself, "well what do you know i'm an auntie again."

One week later

A familiar crying sound echoed in the night and Meredith stirring opened he eyes, "Derek can you get up this time."

Derek nodded as he rolled out of bed, "okay honey i've got-"

The door opened and two children came running in with toys, "the baby protection squad is here" he finished.

"At your service" Josh said as he and Cecilia climbed on to a stool and leaned over the crib.

"Here Molly" Cecilia said as she waved a toy turtle at Molly.

"Toys" Josh said as Derek and Meredith smiled at each other with amusement. Cecilia looked at Derek, "she's still crying."

Meredith got out of bed and walked over to the crib to pick up Molly, "here let me shhh its okay its alright shhh."

"Good job mommy" Josh whispered.

"I had a lot of practice with you two" Meredith said as she sat on the bed with Derek's arm around her, "helping you smile when you were sad."

"You did" Cecilia said softly as she put her small hand on Molly's head.

"Anyway she's fine and asleep" Meredith put Molly back down in her crib and kissed her forehead. Cecilia and Josh watched their sister sleep, "okay now there are two more children that need to be in bed."

"Okay" Cecilia and Josh jumped on to the big bed Derek smirked, "we mean your own beds."

"We need to be here" Cecilia said as she darted under the blankets.

"To look after Molly" Josh added.

"Well" Derek said as he looked at Meredith's smiling face.

"Please daddy" Josh whispered.

"Please mommy please" Cecilia looked at Meredith with wide eyes, "please"

"Just for tonight" Meredith whispered as she and Derek held the kids in their arms and smiled, "Molly is very lucky to have you two as her big brother and sister."

"If she didn't have mommy she would never stop crying."

Derek coughed, "you know it was me that stopped you two from crying when you were babies."

"You'll both be crying from tiredness" Meredith whispered as Josh snuggled in her arms, "if we don't sleep."

"Okay goodnight" Cecilia said softly as she cuddled up to Derek.

"Goodnight all" Derek whispered.

"Goodnight family" Josh said.

"Goodnight everyone" Meredith whispered as the family drifted off to sleep.