Cristina took the first flight to Seattle she could get and even that wasn't soon enough. She was still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Derek was dead. It wasn't right. Him and Meredith were meant to grow old together, go grey and retire whilst their grandkids ran circles around them in the dream house. That was what was meant to happen. That was what Meredith deserved.

Cristina had no clue how her best friend was keeping it all together at a time like this. When Mere had rang her she wasn't sobbing down the phone. Her voice was just flat, as though she had completely given up and that scared Cristina more than if Mere had been screaming and crying down the phone. Mere had said she was trying to hold everything together for the kids and was trying to comfort everyone at the hospital. The latter had infuriated Cristina. What the hell were they all playing at? Surprisingly enough, Alex was the only reliable one through all of this. He was around the house whenever he had a spare minute. But she could not believe that Mere was still having to look after everyone else. Surely a situation like this warranted them holding her up and helping her get through this.

The flight to Seattle was, annoyingly, indirect with a six hour layover. Cristina had screamed and yelled down the phone to the airline trying to find a flight that would get her to her best friend's side sooner but it was the best they could do. The best they could do. Her best friend's soulmate had just died leaving her with two kids and Christina was stuck in some random airport for the next six hours. When she finally boarded her second and last flight on the day, Cristina coils even try and relax. She had no clue was state Meredith would be in when she got there. Alex hadn't been a fountain on information. All he had said was that Mere was coping the best she could. What did that even mean!? How had she ended up entrusting Evil Spawn with her Person?

When the plane finally landed in Seattle, Cristina ended up being one of the first people of the plane. Her sharp elbows doing most of the work in getting her to the front. Snatching her luggage off of the carousel and nearly taking someone's head off in the process, not that that was a concern for her. Leaving the airport, Cristina looked around for a cab and pushed an elderly man in a suit out of the way and dove into the first one that appeared. She leant back in the seat as the cab drove her to her destination and text Mere three small words.

On my way.

Chucking whatever cash she had at the driver Cristina stumbled out of the car, suitcase behind her and rushed up the path of the dream house to the door. She had only managed to bang on it a couple of time before the door opened revealing a fairly well put together Meredith.

"Christina!" She hissed, "I just put the kids don for a nap."

Cristina just raised an eyebrow and Meredith stepped aside to let her in. A quick glance over the living area ended up shocking Cristina, it was the tidiest she ever seen Meredith's place. When she eventually looked back at the young widow, the two of them collapsed in a hug. Meredith's shoulders were heaving up and down from the force of her son's that were muffled by Cristina's shoulder who found her own eyes watering. She gently stroked Mere's hair, hushing her. After a few minutes, Cristina began to guide Meredith over to the sofa and sat her down.

"Let me get you some water."

With tears still steaming down her face, Meredith just gave her a nod. She didn't trust herself to open her mouth, worried that all that would come out would be loud sobs that would end up waking her two children up and worrying them no doubt. Christina came back with a glass of water which Meredith accepted with shaky hands and took small sips from it whilst the two women sat in silence.

"Mere..."

"I haven't been able to cry, Cristina." Meredith put the glass down on the table in front of her and Cristina took the now empty hand. "I haven't been able to. There have been a million things to sort out with the kids, and the hospital, his family and his funeral and the will and I just... I just needed to keep myself together for all of it."

Meredith let out another cry and Cristina held her head to her chest, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "I've got you, Mere. I've got you."

Cristina stayed with Meredith and the kids whilst she was in Seattle, she knew that Meredith was going to need the support and it made sense. The next week was filled her helping plan Derek's funeral, running around after the kids and accepting a lot of casseroles that were dropped off at the house. Whilst people were around, Mere put on a strong front, she didn't get in front of the kids. She just pushed on. But when the guests left and the kids were in bed, Cristina would be her shoulder to cry on.

The day before the funeral, Meredith had spent the morning throwing up. Cristina had managed to give the kids breakfast and they were playing with their toys by the sofa when she finally managed to check in on a very pale looking Meredith, clutching the toilet.

"Everything okay in here?" Cristina left the door open so they could keep an ear out for the kids and sat down opposite Meredith.

"I feel like hell..."

"Probably something dodgy from the Chinese yesterday." Cristina shrugged.

"So why aren't you throwing up? We had the same thing." Cristina just shrugged in response again.

Meredith's eyes suddenly widened, "Cristina, what's the date today?"

"Uhh, the 16th I think, why?" It took a moment before Cristina suddenly clocked on, her face mirroring Meredith's.

"Are you?..."

"I don't know!"

"Do you have a test here?"

"No!" They both shot up.

"Okay, I'm going to go to the pharmacy and you're going to stay here and not freak out!"

"Cristina, I don't know if I can.."

She grabbed Meredith's shoulder before she could continue. "Let's not jump to conclusions here, okay. We'll take the test and then figure out where to go from there, okay?" Meredith nodded.

"Now I'm going to get that test for you. okay?"

Meredith took a deep breathe, "Okay but please don't be long."

Cristina hurried out of the bathroom, Meredith on her heels, grabbed her coat and Meredith's car keys and headed out of the house whilst Mere sat with her kids. Thirty minutes later Cristina walked back through the door with a small paper bag in hand.

"I would have been quicker but you love in the middle of nowhere." She handed Meredith the bag, who immediately went to the bathroom.

Hearing the sound of a door opening three minutes later, Cristina stood up and turned to face Meredith who just nodded at her before joined Cristina on the sofa, looking at her kids.

"He said he wanted more. The morning he left, he said he wanted more."

Cristina wasn't sure what to say to her.

"I don't know if I can do this Cristina..."

"Do you want to..."

Meredith whipped her head to look at Cristina wide eyed, "No! Absolutely not! I'm just... scared."

"Mere..." Cristina wrapped an arm around Meredith, "You're an awesome, mom. And I know Derek isn't here but you coped without him when he was in D.C."

"This is different though, Cristina."

"I know it is. But Mere, you are the strongest person that I know. You've faced more loss in your life that most people will ever have to deal with by the time they're 90. So, trust me when I tell you that you can do this. You're superwoman, Mere."

Meredith just slowly nodded, "And you'll still be there for me to call?"

"Every single day, no matter what. You will always be my person, Mere."