Christmas was always one of Derek's favorite time of the year. He loved the decorations and the atmosphere, but most of all he loved the time that he got to spend with his family and he was so happy to have Ava home as they prepared for Christmas. He had gone and picked up the tree that morning from the same place they had always gotten their tree from and now it was time to decorate it.

"Here are the lights..." Derek carried a box in from the garage and set it down in the living room.

"Thank you dear." His mother grinned as she and Amelia walked around the tree, fluffing each branch. "Hunter I think we picked a good one."

"It's huge." Hunter smiled.

"It is." Ava gasped.

"You like it?" Derek smiled, picking Ava up.

"Yeah." Ava nodded, feeling the branches. "Spikey."

"Where is your Mommy Ava?" Amelia asked, leaning over to kiss her nieces cheek.

"Changing Zo's dirty diaper." Ava giggled.

"Ew." Amelia winced.

"Stinky." Ava laughed, pinching Amelia's nose.

"Oh let me get a picture of that." Derek's mother said quickly.

"She still takes pictures of everything." Derek laughed.

"Grandma took a picture of me with the tree guy today." Hunter announced as Mrs. Shepherd snapped a picture.

"She used to do that with Dad every year." He breathed, patting his son on the back.

"Zola is clean." Meredith laughed coming into the room.

"Look at you." Amelia laughed, taking her niece. "I'm definitely her favorite aunt."

"She loves every one of her aunts." Their mother said quickly.

"But me the most." Amelia whispered.

"Give her back so you can help me with the lights." Mrs. Shepherd laughed, shaking her head.

"I've got her." Meredith giggled, taking Zola back into her arms. "Ava how are you feeling?"

"Good." Ava smiled.

"Good." Meredith smiled, sitting down on the couch. "Hunter, what are you guys making?"

"We're gonna make our lists for Santa!" Hunter dumped out a box of markers in front of him.

"What are you asking him for?" Meredith asked, reaching for Zola's toy.

"Um...video games...and legos..."

"I'm asking for Barbies." Ava added as Derek put her back onto the floor, but not before pressing a kiss to her soft cheek.

"Of course." Derek laughed.

"And I'm asking for no cancer."

"Aves..." Derek breathed.

"What Daddy?" Ava asked, reaching for a purple marker.

"Nothing." He looked over at Meredith.

"And I want a drawing table!" Ava replied.

"You've been good. I'm sure Santa will bring it." Amelia pulled a string of lights out of the box.

"Hunter has been good too." Ava giggled.

"All three of you have been good." Derek smiled.

"Ga!" Zola clapped.

"Mommy what do you want from Santa?" Ava grinned up at Meredith.

"I want for you to get better." Meredith smiled warmly. It was amazing how that one thing could be the best gift.

"Me too!" Hunter shouted.

"Me three." Derek laughed.

"Me five!" Ava jumped.

"Okay..." Mrs. Shepherd laughed. "I need someone to go get the boxes of ornaments."

"I'll go." Amelia stepped out from behind the tree. "I need to refill my coffee anyways."

"Mark is going to come over later to help with the outdoor decorations." Mrs. Shepherd told them.

"You guys can put them up while Ava and I work on her colors." Meredith stood, kissing Derek quickly with Zola on her hip. "We haven't done any schooling today and I want to try and get something done because Arizona said her chemo side effects would kick in around this time with the new medication."

"I can help too." Hunter offered.

"Thanks bud." Derek smiled.

"No problem." Hunter replied, writing slowly.

"Sleepy Ava?" Meredith asked, her voice soft as she looked down to find her little girl resting her head over her paper.

"Just a little."

"That's okay..."

"But I don't want to go to sleep."

"You don't have to right now...why don't you come sit and tell me what you want to ask Santa for...that way we can finish your list when you're ready."

"I wanna help decorate."

"Right..." Meredith sighed, kissing her cheek. "Well sit with me until they're ready."

"Kay." Ava crawled into Meredith's lap and rested her head on her shoulder.

"Are you having fun with your brother?" Meredith asked, sitting Zola onto the couch next to her.

"Yeah."

"Good." Meredith giggled, stopping Zola as she tried to climb around the couch.

"Am I gonna be here for Christmas?" Ava asked.

"What?" Meredith breathed as Derek stopped what he was doing.

"Am I gonna have to be in the hospital?" Ava looked up.

"Oh..." Derek sighed. "I don't know, Ava."

"We'll deal with that if the time comes...but Arizona thinks you should be okay to stay home." Meredith replied, pulling Zola back into her lap as well.

"Okay." Ava sighed.

"Don't worry Ava...Mommy and Daddy said Santa would come no matter where you are." Hunter smiled.

"But I wanna be here."

"Well hopefully you will be." Meredith rubbed her back.

"Can we decorate now?" Ava asked.

"Yes." Derek told her. "But we have to be careful okay? The ornaments are fragile."

"Like glass?" Ava breathed, standing up.

"Right. Like glass."

"Come on Zola...let's hang the ornament Grandma got you." Meredith stood.

"Mommy?" Ava asked, picking up an ornament.

"Yes sweetie?" Meredith asked, helping Zola put her first Christmas ornament onto the tree.

"Is Santa gonna be mad at me cause I got sick?"

"Absolutely not." Meredith sighed, stepping around Amelia. "It's not your fault."

"I don't want to get coal in my stocking."

"You definitely won't be getting coal." Amelia added.

"Do you promise?" Ava whispered.

"I promise." Derek told her.

"You children are going to have an amazing Christmas." Mrs. Shepherd replied, taking Zola into her arms.

"Do you want to put some more ornaments on?" Derek handed Ava another ornament.

"Yeah." Ava giggled, taking the Barbie ornament from her father's hand.

"I'm so glad we had Mrs. Hops next door ship us the holiday ornaments." Meredith breathed. "That way the kids have some of there favorite's." Meredith kissed Derek's cheek.

"Hmm...and you made fun of me for being so organized. She wouldn't have been able to find them." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her as Ava reached for another ornament.

"I admit it...organization matters."

"Did I hear you right?"

"I won't repeat it." She giggled.

"Look Daddy!" Ava pointed, carefully placing another ornament on the tree.

"I see." He laughed. "Good job."

"Daddy when Mommy was teaching me yesterday...she um...she said that next time we do math we're gonna count to a hundred with candy!"

"Really? That's a lot of candy."

"Yeah." Ava laughed, before running over to Hunter.

"Careful please."

"I hope they sleep well tonight." Meredith breathed.

"Me too."

"She's been finally sleeping. I just hope this round of chemo doesn't bother her too much."

"Who would have thought we would be talking about chemo on Christmas." Derek sighed.

"I wouldn't have."

"What are you two talking about?" Amelia laughed.

"Oh...just about Ava." Meredith smiled, standing up straight.

"Be happy." Amelia put her hand on Meredith's shoulder. "She's home."

"I am." Meredith breathed, watching as Hunter and Ava laughed at each other's jokes.

"Mommy!" Ava ran over to Meredith.

"Yes?" Meredith looked down.

"Can I have some juice?"

"Yes you can..."

"Ava I'll get it." Amelia offered. "Come with me?"

"Okay." Ava grinned, taking Amelia's hand.

"Don't let her run." Meredith warned, before moving towards Derek.

"What do you want for Christmas...besides Ava getting better?" Derek whispered, kissing Meredith's cheek.

"Hmm...nothing."

"There's has to be something."

"A baby..." Meredith giggled then stopped. "No...not now. Not...I was joking."

"So you're not trying to tell me something?" Derek joked.

"I could use socks." Meredith said, changing the subject.

"Seriously?"

"My socks have holes."

"Okay...socks it is."

"And maybe...a house."

"A house?"

"Well...I mean if we're going to be here...the kids really like it here."

"We can start looking."

"So we can move here?" She whispered.

"Yeah."

"Really?" Her face lit up.

"I think it'll be good." Derek smiled.

"Okay..."

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas...decorating day or whatever."

"When do you want to tell the kids?"

"Let's wait...we need to figure everything out with Seattle and the house there..."

"Okay."

"Mommy...Daddy!" Ava ran in with a sippy cup.

"Yes Miss. Ava?" Meredith giggled, lifting her little girl.

"Can I get Sammy a present?"

"I...maybe we can get her one sometime before Christmas." Meredith smiled, kissing Ava's nose.

"I wanna get her a Barbie too so we can match."

"We'll take it to her when they have the Christmas party at the hospital for the little kids on your floor, okay?" Meredith offered.

"Okay." Ava smiled.

"Mom are you guys gonna help and decorate?" Hunter asked, putting one of the candy cane ornaments onto the tree.

"We're coming." Derek laughed.

"Okay...I say we start a fire in the fireplace after this." Amelia replied, walking back into the room. "But the little people have to stay away from the flames...that means you to Zola."

"Ga!" Zola laughed.

"Hey...I'm not little." Hunter laughed. "I can help make the fire."

"Hunter the fire is only to be made by adults...or your older cousins." Meredith reminded her son, who stuck his chest out like a strong man.

"Nice try bud." Derek laughed.

"Aw man." Hunter sighed.

"Maybe next time."

"Okay." Hunter sighed.

"It's okay Hunter." Ava patted her brother on the back.

"Siblings and best friends." Derek's mother smiled warmly.

"Like me and Mark?" Derek chuckled.

"No what you and Mark have is a bromance." Amelia laughed.

"What's that?" Ava asked her aunt.

"It is...it means best friends." Amelia said quickly, before laughing.

"Nice one." Derek shook his head.

"I thought so." Amelia laughed.

"Like me and Sammy?" Ava grinned

"Yeah..." Meredith smiled.

"Kind of." Derek laughed.

"Mama..." Zola giggled.

"Zola..." Meredith laughed, kissing her baby girl's cheek and stroking her head.

"It's almost someone's birthday." Mrs. Shepherd smiled.

"Zola isn't gonna be a baby anymore...she's gonna be a big girl." Ava said, putting another ornament on the tree.

"All of my grandkids are growing up." Mrs. Shepherd sighed, shaking her head.

"When is there gonna be another baby in the family?" Hunter asked.

"I don't know bud. Maybe one of your aunts will have another baby." Derek said, looking over at Meredith.

"I like babies." Ava giggled, jumping up into Amelia's arms.

"Yeah?" Derek laughed.

"Do you like babies Zola?" Meredith asked, bouncing the baby on her hip.

"Da!"

"Yeah?" Meredith giggled.

"I think she's saying yes." Amelia laughed, holding Ava.

"I'm just happy that you're here for the holiday...even if we're dealing with illness." His mother said, smiling as she pulled Hunter close.

"We are too." Derek smiled.

"I like grandma's house." Ava replied.

"Me too." Hunter replied.

)

"I'm glad." Derek breathed.

"I think Zola loves exploring here." Mrs. Shepherd laughed.

"She's been getting into everything."

"And he means everything." Meredith breathed, handing Zola to his mother.

"That's okay." His mother laughed, kissing Zola's cheek. "She's growing and has to learn."

"Ava...I think its time for your bath but we can finish decorating the tree first." Meredith breathed, putting a duck decoration on a branch. "We need to get you in bed at a good time."

"No." Ava shook her head.

"Yes." Meredith nodded.

"Nope."

"You don't want us to call you stinky Ava." Amelia scrunched her nose.

"I'm not stinky." Ava pouted.

"Not yet you're not." Amelia laughed, handing Ava to her mother.

"I want to stay here and play."

"Not when you're sleepy." Meredith sighed.

"But Mommy..."

"Ava...you know you won't win this." Meredith rolled her eyes. "We'll go up in ten minutes for your bath."

"No fair." Ava stuck her lip out.

"Be careful...if you keep doing that, it'll get stuck." Derek teased her.

"Your Daddy used to tell me the same thing." Amelia laughed.

"No it won't." Ava started to giggle.

"Are you sure about that?" Meredith asked.

"I think."

"Yeah?" Meredith looked at her strangely then down at her watch. "Oh what do you know...bath time."

"Fine." Ava sighed dramatically.

"Maybe we can have hot chocolate before bed." Derek smiled.

"Yeah!" Hunter gasped.

"What do you think Aves?"

"With fluffy on top?" Ava asked.

"A little bit."

"Kay." Ava wrapped her arms around Meredith's neck.

"We'll be back." Meredith tipped her head up to kiss her husband.

"We'll be here." Derek smiled, kissing her softly.

"Come on Ava." Meredith kissed Ava's nose before leaving the room.

"She's doing...amazingly well." Mrs. Shepherd breathed.

"She is." Derek sighed.

"She has a lot of questions." Amelia added.

"She's curious." Hunter said.

"And that's okay." His mother assured him, touching his arm. "I'm going to get the candles lit."

"Alright." Derek breathed, sitting down in the same chair his dad always used to sit in, watching as Hunter played with Amelia and he heard Ava giggle from upstairs. From the outside looking in, everything was perfect, at least for today. Everybody was happy and he loved to just sit and listen to his kids laugh but he knew that things were far from perfect. His daughter had cancer and his dad

wasn't there to celebrate them but even with all of that, he was still filled with joy to see his kids smile and laugh.