A/N: Oh how I wish there were men like Derek Shepherd around! Hopefully after reading this chapter you will know why I say this, lol!
Hi! I am so happy I am finally able to post this. I am okay after Irma and so glad to hear that you all are as well. We lost power for three days and just got internet back tonight! My iPad didn't have enough juice to write during the storm (stupid bad charger!) and then I had no way to post because I write this on my iPad and I had no wifi. I could write, but not post lol. So, I am so sorry this took so long. Your reviews are all so amazing and continue to make me wanna write. They really make my days. Please read the A/N at the end lol. Also, I really want this chapter and the next to be perfect, so I hope this one is so far! Thank you, thank you!
Chapter 28:
"Ugh! Not that one." Meredith moans, defeated while looking at her computer in bed. Derek peeks out from the bathroom, looking at her inquisitively while brushing his teeth. "Seriously?!" She grumbles again. Derek wipes his mouth and walks to bed, pulling down the blankets.
"What's wrong, Mer?" He looks at her curiously.
She looks at him, her expression one mixed with worry and annoyance at her current predicament. "It's nothing, Derek." She mumbles.
"Meredith. You've been yelling at the computer for the last ten minutes." Derek laughs.
"It's just, I can't find anything that I like." Meredith sighs. She fumbles with the arrow keys on the computer, looking at the screen.
He looks at Meredith in wonder. "Any what?"
"Nurseries. Derek. I'm almost seven months pregnant and we have nothing for the baby. A couple of onesies, and Zola was much bigger when we got her, so we don't really have any clothes either. We don't have a crib anymore or a changing table or…" Her list gets longer as baby necessities pop into her head. Derek just listens, always amused by her rambles before deciding to stop her.
"Meredith." Derek calms her by guiding her eyes to his and giving her a reassuring smile. He pecks her on the lips for good measure before looking deep into her eyes. "We have plenty of time. Our day off is only three days away and you, me and the kids will go look for nursery ideas. We can look here together tonight as well." Meredith looks away briefly before slowly moving back to his eyes. A feeling of calm comes over her as she listens to his reasoning. "As for the clothes and those kinda things, maybe we let Torres line up a bunch of people to buy us gifts. I'm sure between her, Kepner and my sisters we will get plenty of stuff." He chuckles at that last statement.
"I don't want a baby shower, Derek."
"I know, but we don't have to call it that or treat it like that." Explains Derek. Meredith looks at him like he's crazy, tilting her head indicating that he needed to explain himself. "Hear me out. " He begins before she has a chance to argue back. "We invite everyone over for a dinner, order a bunch of food and just hang out while people bring us presents." Meredith contemplates before responding. "Like a night at Joe's, without the presents." He finishes as a side note.
"No games or guessing how big I am or anything like that?" She asks tentatively.
"None of that. We'll even invite all the guys. Usually there aren't many men at showers and this will not be a shower."
"Guys don't usually go to baby showers?" Asks Meredith.
"Not usually, not at my sisters anyway. It's usually just the husband and maybe an uncle or a male friend." Derek tells her. He pictures his sisters baby showers, he usually went because it was his sister. The only other male would usually be the father to be and occasionally Mark.
Meredith looks away again, down at her computer and then her baby bump. The baby flutters underneath her hand. Looking up into his blue eyes, she gives him a big smile. "Okay." She agrees finally.
"See, we got this, Meredith, plus, Callie is not Izzie. She won't go overboard." His hands caress her cheeks as she giggles at his last comment while he leans down for a kiss. His warm tongue brushing against her lips asking for entrance. "So, who would you like to invite?" Derek's asks between kisses. His voice is warm and deep, filling her heart to the brim.
"Umm, just our usual. Callie, Arizona, Bailey, Alex." Meredith thinks. "Weber, Jackson, April. We can see if Cristina wants to come."
"Sounds good, Mer." Derek smiles before scooting closer and pulling her computer towards him a little. "I'll tell Callie tomorrow, but for now, let's check out these nurseries." His one arm goes around her shoulders, securing her to his chest while the other holds the laptop on both of their laps. She lays her head in the crook of his neck as they look at the website that had been infuriating Meredith for the past 45 minutes.
"Okay. I have no idea where to start. Why was it so much easier for ZoZo and Bailey?" She groans.
Giving her a squeeze makes her breathing calm a bit. "Because, with Zola we had to be quick and typically, boys are much easier to plan for, since there are not as many options." He smiles at her, kissing the top of her head. "Let's pick a place to start." Placing his fingers on the computer, he clicks into the search bar. "What color should we paint the room?"
Meredith thinks, carefully picturing the room in different colors. "I think lavender and some dark purple."
"That sounds perfect, Mer." Derek adds as he types "purple baby bedding" into the search bar. Multiple pages pop up, causing Meredith's eyes to widen.
"Derek, some of these are so elaborate!" She says as her eyes skim the page.
"I know, I'm not sure if people actually do some of these." They look at the first image that popped on the screen. The walls are a light lavender with a white crib. The rim of the crib is curved to look like a wave with purple, grey and white sheets and blankets. Behind the crib is a softly painted metallic silver tree that was shimmering and had crystals embellished on the branches. Hanging in the center of the room is a large, silver chandelier.
"Wow!" Breathes Meredith. "Holy crap!" The words fly out of her mouth as she sees the next image. The nursery is purple with a huge metal contraption around the crib to look like Cinderella's carriage.
"Damn! That's beautiful, but I don't know if I'd do that one." Derek laughs. "It even has wheels!"
"Definitely something simple. Plus, I don't think Zola would ever forgive us for giving the baby something that looks like something from her favorite movie." Meredith laughs as she clicks to the next page. "Oh! I like this one, Derek."
He looks at the screen and sees a lavender colored room with dark brown furniture. There's purple butterflies all over one wall in different sizes. "I like that too, Meredith." He smiles as he takes in how happily Meredith is looking at the design. "A butterfly theme."
"Yeah. I really like this one." She smiles.
"Me too, Mer. Let's see what we can find for the room when we go shop, okay?"
"Hmm, okay. But, Derek?" He looks at her questioningly. "Can we do something a little elaborate for the room?" Meredith asks, sheepishly. "I mean, nothing like double ruffles and loads of lace and silk surrounding the crib. But something nice? No ruffled curtains surrounding the crib or anything like that either." She adds as an afterthought.
"Of course, Mer!" He smiles, stroking her hair. "This little princess will have a special room, just like Zola has her special princess room."
"We have enough time?" Meredith says, worry evident in her tone.
"Plenty." Derek comforts as he closes the computer. "Now. It's time to sleep." He puts the computer on the nightstand and lays Meredith down, resting her head carefully on her pillow. With extreme delicacy, he brushes back her hair and gives her cheeks a featherlight caress. His hand ends up resting on her baby bump. Derek leans down and kisses her stomach, like he does every night. "Goodnight, little princess, sweet dreams." He whispers before moving back up to Meredith's side. She turns on her side and cuddles into his chest as Derek wraps her in his arms.
"I love you, Derek." Meredith says softly into the fabric of his shirt.
"I love you, too Mer. Goodnight."
"Night, Der." The end of Meredith's words cut off with a yawn as they drift off to sleep.
"Hey! Torres!" Derek calls the next morning as he sees his friend in the elevator. He runs quick to catch the door before it shuts.
"Hey, Derek." She looks up briefly from her phone.
Derek presses the button to any random floor as he ponders how to broach the subject of the "non-baby shower." Sighing, he decides to start. "So, you know the play date the kids had last week?" Callie looks up at him.
"Of course, Sofia had so much fun, we all did."
Derek chuckles, "us as well. Anyway, you know how you mentioned a baby shower?"
Callie turns fully towards him, excitement evident in her eyes and smile. "Yeah? Does Mer want one? I'll totally plan one for you guys."
"Well…" Derek starts. "She doesn't want an actual baby shower, but she would love a dinner with all of our friends."
Callie contemplates this for a moment. "I could do that. What about games?"
Derek's eyes widen, "no, no games. Definitely not." He laughs a bit.
"Ok, so a dinner with people from the hospital. No games. How about cake? Presents?" Derek nods at those suggestions. "I can do that." Callie says. "That is definitely doable." She adds, racking up ideas in her head. "Which people from the hospital?" The elevator rings and they step off together.
Taking a breath, Derek begins to list. "You know, you, Arizona, me, Weber, Bailey, Hunt, Jackson, Karev, Cristina, April, Amy. That should be about everyone."
"That's good, it's just the people she cares about." Callie mentions. "When should we have it?"
"Uhh, Mer and I have the weekend of the 13-16th off for Meredith's birthday, which she doesn't know yet. So maybe the 13th?" He waits for her to nod before continuing. "I have Karev coming over on the 14th to hang at the house with her while I work on her birthday present."
"While she's at the house? That's risky, Shep." Callie chides.
"Nah, he knows what I'm planning and between him and the kids it should work." Derek argues.
"Hmm, okay. Anyway, 13th should be good. Wanna help me get everyone off that night?" Callie asks.
"Yeah, why not, but after that this is all yours." Derek smirks.
"That works. I have surgery in half an hour, whoever we run into let's tell them." Callie adds.
"Ok, and whoever sees Hunt, tell him who plans on requesting the evening off." Derek finishes. They both agree to the last suggestion before Callie heads of to her surgery prep and Derek goes to his office. He smiles as he walks down the hall, glad that his plans seem to be going along the way he planned.
"Where we going, daddy?" Bailey asks from his car seat a couple days later. Meredith and Derek had the day off and as Derek had promised, they were shopping for the baby. After waking to Zola and Bailey bouncing on their bed, Derek made them French Toast before getting ready to head out for the day.
"We're going to "Baby City." Derek answers, peeking in the rear view mirror.
"What we gonna see there?" Zola asks.
"We're going to pick out some things for your baby sister." Answers Meredith, she looks up at Derek and smiles. He responds by squeezing her hand lovingly, his thumb stroking hers.
"I help, mama?"
"Of course, sweet girl." Meredith replies.
"Me too?" Questions Bailey.
"Absolutely!" Meredith giggles. They pull into the parking lot of a large blue and white building. The store is bustling with customers as they walk inside. "Oh…" Meredith groans, grasping Derek's hand tighter. He immediately looks at her with worry.
"Mer?" She feels Derek tuck some hair behind her ear as she sighs.
"I just… I want this room to be special… Bailey and Zola had special, this one deserves it also."
"I know, Mer. I know." He calms her with soft words. "She will, I promise." Derek pulls her into a tight hug, his cheek rubbing against hers. "Let's go look at cribs, okay. That's a nice place to start." Grasping her hand, Derek leads them to the baby furniture. The huge carpeted area is filled with cribs. White, grey, mahogany, cherry and black baby furniture appeared in front of them,
"Wow! Look at all the beds!" Zola says, standing by Derek.
"There are a lot, Zo. Let's walk around and see which one would be nice for your sister." Derek says, beginning to walk. "Oh, I like this one." He points to a white crib that was rectangle in shape, simple bars along the side.
Meredith shakes her head. "No. No white." She walks ahead, looking around.
"Mama! Look! Bailey points to another crib. It was a deep, dark grey with elegant designs carved into the back of the crib and the railing. In addition, the back and sides of the crib had light grey padding built inside on the head and footboards.
"I like the color, Bails. But it's a little extravagant." Derek rubs her back as she walks forward after answering. He watches as she stops at one crib. Meredith's eyes light up as her fingers run over the smooth wood. She walks to the next one and the next one. But, she keeps coming back to that one. It's a rustic grey with simple wood panels on each side that are shaped into a sleigh design. You can see the texture of the wood grains on the crib.
"I like this one, Mer." Derek says, going up to the crib Meredith kept looking at. It was a beautiful crib he thought and he could see her picturing their baby girl inside.
"Me too, Der." She adds. "Is it right, though?"
Derek tilts his head, "of course, it's beautiful and it will look wonderful with the lavender we want."
"Okay, do you like it?" Meredith asks Zola and Bailey.
Bailey grabs onto a bar and looks inside. "Ya, mama. It's pretty." Zola agrees vehemently as well.
"Look at that, Mer!" Derek smiles happily. "We got one thing done!" They write down the item number along with the one for the matching dresser and changing table.
"I can't believe we let them take the crib when we got Bailey's big boy bed." Meredith exclaims. "But, this one is pretty and more girly."
"Exactly, Mer. Plus, it's fun looking at all these things." Derek says as he picks up a box for a baby monitor.
"I guess." She giggles as she watches Zola and Bailey run around sitting on rocking chairs. "We do have a rocking chair. The one that's still in Bailey's room."
"It matches the new crib too, which is perfect." Derek adds, feeling Meredith begin to relax. "Should we make a registry?
Shaking her head, "No, we'll just get the big stuff and other basics and everyone can get us whatever they want." Derek agrees and they head to the bedding section.
"What are we lookin' for mama?" Bailey wonders.
"We're looking for purple sheets and blankets for the crib." Meredith explains, taking Bailey's hand.
Zola runs ahead and pulls at a big package, "look!" She cries. Meredith and Derek look at the picture of the design. It's white with purple flowers.
"Oh, that's pretty, Zo." Meredith says.
"It is, but let's see what else we can find." Derek adds.
Meredith laughs, "don't want flowers, huh?" She banters.
"Somehow I don't see us putting a bunch of flowers in a baby room… But, if you want." Derek trails off as Meredith shakes her head quickly. Derek smirks knowingly in response.
"Here's another, mama!" Points out Zola.
"Wow! That's so pretty!" Bailey says softly as he takes in the picture of a purple blanket with a lavender border with little hearts. The inside has a darker purple border and the middle is filled with lavender and dark purple butterflies.
"Derek! Zola picked it. She picked the one!" Meredith smiles.
"She sure did! Great job, Zo!" He praises the little girl who is beyond proud in this moment. "It even has matching sheets." They continue walking around the store, selecting a new baby monitor, diapers and pail, washcloths, first aid for babies, bottles and some new nursing pillows and pumps for Meredith. Meredith and the kids have a blast picking out bibs and cute baby towels. Zola insists on getting a pink Minnie Mouse bib with a big picture of Minnie right in the middle. Bailey picks a pack of bibs with cupcakes and stripes all over them.
"Oh! We have to get this one, Derek." Meredith grabs a purple bib set with Cinderella's carriage on one and the words "Princess" and "I believe in fairytales" on the others. Derek smiles as he agrees, placing it in the cart.
Derek walks down an isle and comes back a few minutes later with his arms filled. "We need these, Mer." He puts a bunch of towels in the cart.
Meredith looks at him in shock while the kids laugh. "Seriously, Der?! All of those?" He nods, a big smile plastered on his face.
"They're too cute!" He says, pointing to the bath towels with hoods that look like butterflies, princess crowns and even a fuzzy grey one that has an elephant hood. Meredith shakes her head at her husband, secretly loving every single one of them as much as Derek. They head to the play set area next where Bailey picks out a colorful Baby Einstein play mat for his sister along with one other one with zoo animals.
"Oh, Derek! Look!" Meredith says as she spots a bouncy seat with Princess Aurora on it as well as little crowns. Derek instantly agrees to get it, knowing that is her favorite princess. He loves the way she was getting excited about picking things out for the baby, so it was impossible to say no. They go pick out a purple baby swing with polka dots for the house before moving on to the next section.
"This is a pretty dress!" Zola squeals as they walk past the clothes. In her little hand she held out a little yellow sundress with big, white and yellow flowers on the bottom in front.
"It is Zo! Should we pick out some clothes?" Derek asks. He is met with enthusiastic nods from the other three. He's beyond surprised when Meredith just as eagerly as Zola goes rummaging through the racks of baby girl clothing. They pick out a bunch of onesies in all sizes. Pink ones, purple ones even yellow and blue.
"Wow! I never realized how many more options for girls clothes there were compared to boys! Meredith giggles while holding up a pack of thick long sleeved onesies with hearts.
"You have no idea, Mer. I expect boxes from my sisters any day now. Even Amy mentioned shopping on her day off." Derek picks up a pink pea coat that was fuzzy and had matching flowers along the bottom. "Oh, this is perfect since she's due in November." Meredith nods as she strokes the fuzzy material. They pick a 3-6 month one for her to wear during the cold Seattle months.
"Daddy! Mama! These all have words!" Bailey says from a table filled with baby clothes. "What do they say?" He asks as Derek and Meredith walk up behind him.
"This one says,Total Daddy's Girl!" Reads Derek.
"Hmm, definitely need one like that!" Meredith laughs, earning a smirk from Derek. "Oh, no! This is the one you need!" Meredith laughs hard as she shows Derek one that says, "My finger may be small, but my daddy is STILL wrapped around it." It's black and gold with matching leggings and headband.
"We can get that one, along with one for Zo and Bailey if we can get this one." Derek counters, showing Meredith an outfit that says, "Sorry, ladies, my daddy is taken." This one is purple and pink with polka dot leggings.
"Oh, we can get that. She can wear it when we bring her to the hospital." Meredith banters.
"I figured you would like that. We'll look for bigger ones in that other outfit also." Derek says.
"Maybe that'll get the nurses to stop looking." Meredith grumbles.
"Hmm… I only have things for hot doctors who are both a neurosurgeon and general surgeon. Who smell like lavender and give me three beautiful kids." Derek croons as he wraps his arms around Meredith's waist from behind. His lips brushing against her neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps. Meredith giggles, falling back into his arms.
"There are so many cute ones! Oh, look!" Meredith says as her eye catches another. The pink words on the red onesie with a matching skirt, reads, "I found my king, his name is daddy!"
"Oh Mer, I love it! How about these?" Derek holds up one that says, "strong like mommy!" And another that says, Mommy's little girl!" Meredith smiles as she nods and takes them out of his hands to place them in the cart. They continue looking, placing a few more outfits in the cart.
"Look at these Bailey, Zo." Meredith says as they pass a couple outfits that say, "Little Sister" with matching leggings and bows. "There is even a matching one for you, Zo. It says "Big Sister."
"So I could match my sister?" Zola asks, looking up at Meredith.
"Yes, Zo." Meredith tells her, placing the matching pink and yellow legging and jacket sets in the cart. One for Zola and one for the baby.
"I wanna match too!" Bailey says as Zola jumps up and down.
"Here, buddy. We'll get a regular "Little Sister" shirt and then a "Big Brother" one." Bargains Meredith. Bailey smiles with joy as Meredith finds a shirt that says "Big Brother" that matches a "Little Sister" one. They are navy blue and the baby one comes with matching navy and white leggings. "Wow." Meredith inhales, looking at their carts. "As much as I want everything, I think we have enough for today." She giggles while shaking her head.
"Yeah, I'd say we made some progress." Derek laughs, heading to the cash register. They pay for their purchases and set up the furniture delivery before heading home.
"You what I'm craving for dinner tonight?" Meredith asks later that afternoon as they are cleaning up a recently made mess from the kids.
"What's that, Mer?" Derek asks, picking up a green truck and putting it back in its correct place.
"Pasta with pickles." She states seriously as he looks at her in shock. "Then, I hope something chocolate for dessert."
"Wow, Mer. Your cravings were never this way with Bailey." Derek bangers, earning a stuffed cat thrown at him.
"What can I say? Your daughter wants that." Meredith smirks, loving the way Derek beams when she says the word "daughter."
"Anything for my girls." Derek says with a smile as he gets up to make dinner, "all three of you." Sure enough, Derek makes pasta for everyone with a side of pickles for Meredith. For dessert, not only does he help Meredith's chocolate craving, he makes Zola's favorite double chocolate cookies, making her jump for joy when she sees them.
Three weeks after their shopping day, it was the week of Meredith's "non baby shower." Two mornings before the party, Meredith was laying on her side, awake. Her mind was racing with different problems that could happen. As if he could read her mind Derek opens his eyes to see his wife facing away from him. His hands go up to her arms, gently soothing her. "Mer?" He whispers.
"Something is gonna go wrong, Derek." Meredith whispers back.
"Oh, Mer." Derek sighs, kissing the back of her neck. "Nothing will go wrong. The baby is happy and healthy and so are you." He smiles as he sits up more so that he can kiss her cheeks. Meredith takes in the feel of his lips before turning towards him. Propping herself onto her elbow, she looks at Derek with nervous eyes.
"Something always happens to us, Derek. Especially when things are going good." She says weakly. "What if the baby has some heart defect or tumor somewhere that didn't show up on the ultrasound?"
Derek moves her chin so she can look into his eyes. "Then we will do everything we can to take care of her. We have a whole hospital who can help." He rests his head on her forehead and inhales deeply. She brings her hand to rest on his chest. "We can get through anything, remember?" He pulls her close, into a tight hug. Derek let's out a breath of relief when he hears her mutter "okay" into his chest with a nod. "That's my, Mer." He croons, rubbing her back as she giggles into his chest. He doesn't know where this sudden onset of worry started, but he is hoping that between the party and the other special events he has planned, that they will go away. "I love you." He whispers into her hair.
"I love you, too." Meredith replies, her heart swelling, before they fall asleep for another couple of hours before their alarm rings for them to start their day.
Meredith seems less worried as they make their way through their day. Zola and Bailey effectively distracting her by chatting up a storm about the crafts they're going to make in daycare and what story they think they're reading today. Derek can really tell she is more relaxed when she jumps him in the supply closet after her surgery, before he goes to get the kids. After they "finish", they sneak out of the closet, giggling. Derek then gives her a breathtaking kiss right in the middle of the hall that makes her knees go weak before heading to the daycare.
"Hi, daddy!" Zola cheers when she sees him.
"Hey, Princess! I missed you today." He lifts Zola into his arms, kissing her little face. She giggles and squirms as his stubble tickles her face. "You ready to finish shopping for mama?" He asks as Bailey comes running up to them.
"Yeah!" Zola cheers as Derek places her on the ground and moving to greet Bailey. They head out to the mall to get some last minute gifts. Derek was grateful that he didn't have to deal with the food, so all he had to worry about was getting everything for his surprise on Sunday.
"What are we going to get first, daddy?" Bailey asks as he holds Derek's hand, dodging people.
"We are going to get some last things for the bedroom and then I need to get the rest of my gift." He explains, turning into their destination. Derek knows exactly what he wants as he heads towards a display of lamps and then guides the kids to an isle containing wall décor. "What do you think guys?" He smiles at Zola and Bailey who are looking up at him.
"I like!" Bailey says, giving a thumbs up.
"Me too, daddy." Zola adds, rocking back and forth in her pink converse.
"Good! Just one more thing and then we're all done." He smiles as he heads to the jewelry store. There, he picks up an addition to a previous gift he bought Meredith. "Okay, guys, all set!" He says after paying for his present.
"Can I hold a bag?" Bailey looks up at Derek with an irresistible smile. He hands one of the smaller bags to the little boy and they head home. Together, the three of them make dinner and before long they hear a familiar key in the door.
"Mama's home!" Cries Zola, her arms high in the air as her little feet pound quickly against the floor. She leaps into Meredith, getting partially obstructed by her baby bump. "Hi, mama!" She giggles as Meredith gives her a small smile, lifting her in her arms.
"Hi, baby girl." Meredith replies, her voice very quiet.
"Mama! Mama!" Bailey screeches as he runs towards her. Meredith puts Zola down to welcome Bailey into her arms. Just as with Zola, Meredith squeezes him tight and holds him close. She allows herself to be comforted by her kids hugs and laughter. Her eyes move upward to meet Derek's worried blue ones.
"Hey." He purrs as she rocks Bailey, who is resting on her shoulder, back and forth. He leans close and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "You okay?" He asks.
Meredith thinks for a minute, considering her response. "My back hurts." She starts. "And my ankles are swollen." She looks up at Derek when she finishes. "You're daughter has also been kicking me in the side all day. She must be starting to turn because I think she got my rib." She adds as an afterthought.
"Meredith." Breathes Derek. He tilts his head to the side while gently easing Bailey out of her arms and into his. "Maybe it's time to take more breaks?" He says worriedly, leading her to the sofa. Following suit, he sits down next to her as Bailey scampers off to play. Meredith gives him a look of understanding before answering.
"I know, Der. I did rest, a lot. I even told Owen how I was feeling and he made me sit and rest for an hour before I left." She explains and then sighs heavily, getting to the real reason for her quietness. "What if my over tiredness means something is wrong with the baby? Maybe she's tied around the cord and she's moving around trying to get out." Derek strokes her hair, soothingly as he listens. "All the pressure on my back is her wiggling trying to get out." Her face makes Derek's heart sink at how worried she seems.
"Meredith, look at me." He pulls her towards his chest and leans her chin up to make eye contact. "Everything is going great. The baby is happy and moving around, that's a good sign. A bright smile fills his face as he rests his hand upon where their daughter lay. "What's she doing now?"
Pausing before answering, Meredith says, "she's kicking softly."
"Do you feel any pain or pressure anywhere in your stomach?" Derek asks. Meredith shakes her head as she rubs her stomach. She feels the baby kick in response and she smiles. "That's good then, Mer. From what I remember, nucal cord is very common since the baby doesn't actually breathe until they are born." He reminds her.
Meredith sighs and squeezes Derek tight. "I think I just needed to hear that, Derek. Thank you." She kisses his chest as Derek holds her as close as possible. "I'm sorry, Derek. I'm just prone to worry about things. Bad things happen all the time."
"Hey. Don't be sorry, Mer. It's what I'm here for, you can always tell me when you're having the dark and twisties." Derek laughs, the feeling rumbling through her chest. Meredith smiles widely up at him, her demeanor much more light now. She leans up and kisses him, letting her tongue push inside his mouth.
"Thanks." She mumbles sweetly as she kisses him, Derek humming in response as the tension that had formed in his stomach dies down.
"My pleasure." He moans happily. They pull back and Derek caresses her cheeks lovingly. "Now" he begins, gazing into her eyes, "stay here, I will bring dinner and the kids to you, okay?"
"Okay." Meredith nods. Derek goes to the kitchen and sets up plates with homemade chicken nuggets and some carrots. He also grabs some cookies and then, after calling Zola and Bailey, they all have a picnic in the living room before watching a movie together before bed. Derek carries both sleeping children off to bed and then returns to scoop Meredith into his arms and take her to bed. She laughs contently as Derek tries to run her to their room where they lay down and fall asleep in each other's arms. Both way more relaxed after Derek settled Meredith's worries.
The day of the party was a blur, Derek spent the morning cleaning while insisting Meredith stay off her feet as much as possible. Therefore, Bailey and Zola had Meredith playing multiple games of Princess Tea Party and with Paw Patrol characters. Derek pauses while watching Meredith hold Bailey in her lap while playing with his Chase and Rubble toys. He's in a trance as he watches her play so naturally with the kids, making them laugh. After about five minutes, he is unwillingly is pulled away by the doorbell. He turns and walks towards the door, pulling it open. "Hey, Callie, hey Arizona." He greets when he sees who's behind the door.
"Sofia!" Zola yells, dropping her Skye toy and running to hug her friend. The girls giggle enthusiastically as their parents watch in amusement. Meredith attempts to stand and Derek immediately runs to her side to help.
"I got you, Mer." He says as he holds onto her as she gets her balance.
"Thanks, Der." She smiles, stroking his cheek adoringly. She greets their guests as she walks towards them.
"Thanks for doing this, Mer." Callie says. "Don't worry, I just brought a bunch of food that can be reheated and I made some cookies with Sofia." She grins widely, "nothing fancy. Oh, we got a cake too, because what's any party without cake?"
"That sounds perfect, Callie. When is everyone coming?" Asks Meredith, cuddling into Derek's chest.
"Uhh, between 4 and 4:30, so we figured we'd come get the food set up so we can just stick it in the oven a little after four." Arizona pipes. "We have a little bit of time, what do we have left?"
"Not really anything." States Derek. "Everything is clean and I figured we could hang out on the deck." The ladies nod in agreement before its decided to move an extra table outside for presents. Meredith is sitting at a table putting out glasses when the mailman comes up the driveway, a large box in his arms.
"Derek!" She calls in an almost panic as she sees the moving box sized package. Derek comes out and stops in his tracks.
Grabbing her hand, he lets out a chuckle, "ah, I bet that's from my sisters." Meredith looks at him in utter shock. "I can't say I didn't warn you." He takes the pen and signs to accept the gift.
"Woah! Looks like the wolves have been busy!" Comes a voice from behind.
"Hey, Amy." Derek greets, his eyes going wide at the stack of gifts in her arms.
"Amy, are you going to help me with the rest?" Derek and Meredith look around to see Owen standing by his truck, several more boxes in the back. None of them very petite.
"I guess I should have put a disclaimer on the size of the gifts." Derek exclaims.
"It's okay, Der. I'm not opening all of them in front of everyone, but I will some. Besides, this is our family." Derek looks at her in awe as she simply refers to his sisters as their family.
"I love you, Meredith." He is unable to resist proclaiming his love at this moment. Meredith laughs as he sweeps her into his arms, tilting her over as he kisses her deeply.
"I love you, too." Meredith says as she pants from the intense heat Derek just stirred. He stands her back up and stares at her, admiringly. "I guess we don't have to worry about baby stuff anymore." She giggles as Amy and Owen move the gifts.
"How's my favorite neurosurgeon/sister in law?" Amy asks haughtily as she hugs Meredith. Derek rolls his eyes at the jab but forgets any annoyance when he hears his wife giggle and begin speaking with Amy.
"Hey, Derek." Owen begins, walking up besides him. "I just wanted to, uh, say that I'm glad you're okay with Amy and I." He looks sheepish as he finishes.
"Of course, why wouldn't I? You both are adults and I want my sister to be happy. That being said, you do anything to her and I may have to take action." He smirks at the look Owen gives him, like he wasn't expecting a big brother speech.
"Oh…um, okay. I wouldn't, but yeah." Owen stutters, unsure of what to say. Derek hands him a beer from the cooler and they head back to the girls. The party gets going as Jackson and April arrive and Callie begins putting food in the oven. Shortly after, Richard and Alex arrive.
"Hey, Mer." Alex says, hugging his friend. He hands her a box wrapped in purple with hearts all over.
"Thanks, Alex." Meredith replies as she grabs it and puts it on the table. "Where's Cristina?"
Alex looks down and away, "oh, uh she should be here soon. She said she got caught up at work." Meredith looks confused but shrugs it off for now.
"This is wonderful, Meredith. I'm so glad you decided to celebrate." Interrupts Richard.
"It felt right, I wanted to do something, just not have a bunch of those typical shower games." She laughs.
"I completely understand. Now, I hope you don't mind, I got something for little Zola and Bailey as well." Richard hands Meredith one of the two bags he is holding. "My sister did something like this when she had each of her kids." Meredith takes the bag and pulls out two canvas style bags. One sparkly pink, the other blue with cars all over. On the front of both, have words that say, "Big Brother/Sister Toolkit."
Staring at them happily, Meredith hugs Richard. "Thank you, these are adorable. They will love them."
"Good, I'm glad. I wanted to do one for Zola when Bailey was born, but the period of time before and after was a bit crazy." Richard adds, strategically.
"Oh, it's okay, I understand." Begins Meredith. "We actually got Zola a bunch of new books and a baby doll when Bailey was born, so these will definitely add to the fun." She feels a strong pair of arms slip around her from behind and instantly falls back into the security. "Hey." She hums gently. "Richard got Zola and Bailey these cool big sister and brother bags." She hands them to Derek who looks them over.
"These are cute, Richard. The kids will be very excited." He thanks him before pulling Meredith back to look at him. "Callie says the food is ready and everyone is here."
"Good, I'm hungry, but Cristina's not here yet."
"Do you wanna wait?" Derek wonders. Considering the knowledge that Cristina could very well be in surgery, Meredith shakes her head.
"I'm hungry. Baby is hungry and I wanna see what's in those boxes and bags." Meredith giggles as Derek kisses her neck, unable to resist with their proximity. Everyone gathers out on the patio and grabs food. Meredith piles her plate with chicken wings, potato salad, baked beans and some salad that Derek adds to her plate. She also adds some pipping hot cheesy bread with the steam still floating upwards. "Callie, this is perfect!" She exclaims as she sits between Derek, not wanting to be away from him, and Miranda.
"My pleasure, Mer." She says from her spot near April.
"So, have you guys chosen a name yet?" Dr. Bailey asks.
"Hmm, no. We've talked about some, but we can't decide." Meredith and Derek share a look.
"It may be just like with Bailey, no name until she's an hour old." Derek laughs, causing Meredith to roll her eyes.
"We've had the kids suggest some but, we only get Minnie, Skye, Daisy and Cinderella." Adds Meredith.
"Oh, Skye is such a pretty name! Why not that?!" April says with excitement.
"Skye Shepherd is kinda a mouthful" Derek retorts. Everyone laughs as April just shrugs and Jackson rubs her shoulder soothingly. They are pulled from their food as they hear footsteps.
"Hey." Cristina mumbles, she carefully looks around, pausing her gaze for a moment at Owen and Amy cuddled together, eating.
"Hey, Cristina! You're just in time! Go get some food." Meredith says with a smile. Cristina agrees and quickly grabs some food before sitting down.
"What's everyone talking about?" She asks, with an unusual unease.
"Derek and Meredith were just about to go over some name choices." Alex informs. "I personally think since you named Bailey after Derek, you should name this one Alex." He gives her a smug smile.
"I like Ava, personally." Richard adds, missing Alex's darkening expression.
"Um, no, definitely not Ava. It's pretty, but, it has too much of… A history." Meredith says quickly.
"Oh, okay, then. What about Clarissa or Carly." He suggests again. Derek and Meredith look at each other and shake their heads.
"You know what names I always loved?" Owen begins as he looks between Amy, Derek and Meredith. They look at him, urging him to continue. He takes a breath and no one misses the extra look he gives Amy. "I've always loved Gracie, Jenna and Lia." A peaceful tone comes over as they take in his honesty.
"Those are great names, Owen." Meredith says as she rubs her belly. "We won't take those from you." Owen gives her a sheepish but thankful look. "Anyone else have suggestions?" She giggles, looking around.
"If Tuck was a girl, I liked Noelle." Bailey gives. "I also like Maria and Jeanna."
"How about Olivia?" Jackson suggests. Derek and Meredith shake their heads as Arizona, Amy, April and Callie offer suggestions as well. They continue talking before Arizona brings out the cookies and the cake. They all just spend time together, laughing and watching the kids play. Everyone except Cristina laughs as they watch Zola, Bailey and Sofia completely get their little faces covered in chocolate and then insist on giving their parents a kiss.
"Oh! Present time!" April shrieks suddenly.
"Okay, uh, yeah. Let's open some." They call Zola and Bailey over to see if they want to help. Sure enough, Bailey climbs into Meredith's lap and Zola squeezes between her parents. Derek looks at Zola and then Meredith and Bailey as he wraps them in his arms, stroking her hair back and placing a lingering kiss on her cheek. She smiles up at him and takes the first gift.
"That one's from me." April pipes. Meredith opens the box to find several beautiful, frilly dresses. She finds herself pleasantly surprised that she completely loves them.
"Wow, these are so cute!" Meredith thanks April before moving to the next.
"Toys, mama!" Bailey shrieks as he opens the next couple. It's a box filled with baby rattles, teethers, toys for the car seat and other sensory toys.
"Yes, it looks like Uncle Jackson got the baby some toys to play with." Meredith replies, grinning at Jackson. The next boxes are some soft pink, yellow and purple baby sleepers and swaddlers from Miranda.
"Oh, those are nice." Derek complements as he looks at the colorful designs. They find more in the boxes from Miranda, including two baby blankets, a little baby sweatsuit and a purple teddy bear in scrubs.
"Aww, look at that!" Meredith lights up at the sight. "I love it, thank you."
"Well, I saw it and knew you two had to have it and I couldn't resist with the baby girl clothes." Miranda laughs.
Amy's present is next and Derek rolls his eyes as he sees the little shirt with matching pants that says "I never dreamed of having the coolest aunt, but there she is, killin' it!" and more sweaters and leggings for the baby. In the next bag, they find some stuffed animals including a green and grey owl, a pink monkey and a zebra that had a bumpy texture. Owen's gift is next and both Meredith and Derek are touched when they see a purple butterfly nightlight and a little seahorse that sings lullabies. There is also a little plaque that says, "Thank Heaven for Little Girls." "These are great! Thanks Hunt." Derek says sincerely as Meredith grasps his hand and glances teary eyed at him. They continue to open the rest of the gifts including a set of pajamas that say "I love my uncle" and a picture frame that says "My Uncle Loves Me" from Alex, more clothes, books and cute little decorations for her room. When the last gift is opened, they all sit back and just talk. Meredith sits back and relaxes further and further into Derek's arms as it gets later and later. Zola wanders up to Amy and snuggles into her lap as she drifts off to sleep listening to the adults talk. Bailey follows suits, but snuggles with Alex. Derek and Meredith fill with pride as almost everyone coos at how cute the kids are being. Meredith does notice the odd look Cristina gives as she watches Amy snuggle with Zola and then, watches Owen lean down to lift Zola up before offering to bring her into her room. Cristina is the first to excuse herself for the night, cueing everyone to start trickling out. With the kids already in bed, Meredith and Derek lay together in their own bed.
"Wow, I'm so glad we did that." Meredith says as she plays with Derek's curls.
"Hmm, me too. We still have those boxes from my sisters also." He says as he pulls her close.
"I know, I wish we could do it tomorrow, but we have to work." Meredith groans. She looks up after nuzzling her nose in Derek's neck to see him with a sly smirk that she knows too well. "Derek."
"Meredith." He teases back, matching her tone.
"What did you do?" She asks, worried.
Derek cups her cheeks and allows himself to get lost in those pools of green. "Nothing." He banters.
"Yes you did." Giggles Meredith as she continues the banter.
"I may have got us from tomorrow until Tuesday off." He gives her a McDreamy smile as Meredith gasps, feeling her heart swell.
"Oh, Derek!" She breathes in wonder.
"Are you okay with that?" He asks smoothly, his lips very close to hers.
"Actually, I am Derek." She says huskily as he crashes his lips onto hers.
"Good." He murmurs as they pull away for a breath. She pushes him onto his back and flashes him a seductive smile as she straddles him.
"Thank you, Derek. For everything." She cradles his face as she pours all the love she can into the warm kiss she places on his lips. In that moment, Derek's pride in the growth of his wife blows him away. A few years ago, all of this would have scared her and now, she didn't even have to tell him how much she loved tonight and how much it meant to her. He could feel her happiness seeping through her skin, through her kisses and touches. Derek holds her close as they begin to make love, cherishing the feel of her skin on his.
"Der!" Meredith moans as he buries his nose in her breasts. "Oh, I love you!" She coos, her fingers roaming his curls. Her hands travel to his shirt, ripping it over his head following with hungry kisses to his cheeks, lips and neck. Derek feels his breath quicken as her movements cause his penis to get hard with need for her. He feels her smooth skin underneath his hands, rubbing all over. His mouth forms a wide smile as he feels her baby bump.
"Let's get those pants off." Derek says saucily, helping her awkwardly, because of her baby bump, get out of her pajama pants. He unhooks her bra and licks his lips as he sees her full breasts spill out in front of him. Meredith screams with joy as Derek continues caressing her, clutching him tight. They continue make love, and soon, both are screaming with pleasure from their orgasms. They fall asleep overjoyed and sated, Derek more excited than ever to get all of his surprises for Meredith together.
A/N: I think only you guys will know what I mean, but I keep getting unwanted reminders in my daily life about the so called situation Meredith is in now with "love" interests that are incredibly annoying lol. It is seriously freakishly ironic and strange. Therefore, the end of this chapter and the next one will have lots of hot, steamy, sexy DEREK and Meredith loving to make me (and hopefully you all) feel better lol. Hope you don't mind lol.
