Damn it Shepherd, take the step. Let go of the rail and take the damn step

Derek let go of the rail and moved his left foot forward without holding onto the rail. Once his foot reached the ground, he smiled. He'd been doing physical therapy for the last two weeks with Callie to try to improve his walking. His recovery was long and tedious. He was tired of not being able to be independent in his own home and having to rely on a walker or a chair. He was exhausted from not being able to play with kids or carry them like he did before the accident. He was tired and he needed to get better.

As he prepared to take the next step he heard the door open. Meredith walked into the physical therapy room with her hands in her coat pockets. She smiled as she made her way towards him.

"Hey!"

Derek grinned and put both his hands back on the railing.

Okay, you need a break. And if she sees you tired, she's gonna worry.

He returned her smile, "Hey."

Meredith stopped next to him as she glanced from his chair and back to him, "Callie says you've been pushing this PT thing hard."

He'd been pushing himself since he had started and it worried her. She made it a point to send an intern every now and then to grab something from the PT room just to have someone check in on him.

Derek rolled his eyes as he leaned down to peck her lips, "Oh yeah, she's merciless."

Meredith pulled back and looked him in the eyes. She knew he was running out of patience being bound to the chair and then the walker. Callie was tough but knew his limits. She had mentioned to Meredith that she was worried about him.

If he continues pushing himself the way he is, he can cause more damage. He needs to be patient, Meredith.

Meredith raised an eyebrow as she stared at her husband, "She's merciless or you're impatient?"

Derek turned back and reached for the chair. He sighed knowing he was about to be given a speech, "I need to get better. I am getting better."

She shook her head, "You can't hurt yourself. You have to take it slow. Be patient."

"I'm fine. I promise."

Meredith rolled her eyes, "You don't look fine."

Derek sat down and looked at her, "I am. I'm a little sore, but I'm fine."

Meredith huffed and began to pace around a short area of the room as Derek continued to stare at her. She stuffed her hands back into her pockets and stared at the floor as she went from one side to the other.

He knew she worried and she didn't want him to overdo it. She'd been overwhelmed with him, the kids, and her service. She was good at hiding it from him but he knew better.

He sighed, "Tell me something. Tell me anything."

Without looking at him Meredith grumbled, "What do you want me to tell you?"

Derek smiled, "Tell me about your day. Distract me from the pain. What did you cut today?"

If he got her talking about some great surgery she had scrubbed in on, her mood would change. She'd be excited and would explain everything in detail.

Meredith avoided his gaze and began to stutter, "I, I- I um-I have a very boring caseload. I have nothing interesting to tell."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "Oh c'mon, there's always something going on."

Meredith began to fidget with her hands as she turned to look at him briefly.

"Maggie is sleeping with an intern," she blurted.

Weird. Maggie is the topic she chooses?

Derek's eyes bulged out, "Maggie? An intern?"

She glanced at him as she nodded, "Mmhmm. She's freaking out about it."

Derek chuckled, "Did you have sage advice to give her?"

"No!" she claimed. She began to motion with her hands as she continued, "Because I was the intern sleeping with the attending. But you'd probably have some advice for her."

"Ha ha."

Meredith laughed.

Who does that? Who sleeps with the intern?

The father of my children.

Callie had called them a frickin love story. Maggie had called them the exception. They were the miracle of what should've been a complete disaster.

"She'll be fine. She'll get over it," Meredith waved her hand as she continued her pacing.

"The intern or her freaking out?"

"I don't know," her voice dropped to a whisper as she fidgeted with her fingers again.

Derek noticed her distant look and tilted his head in amusement, "Why are you pacing? What did you do? What rules did you break this time?"

Meredith stopped and glanced at him and took a deep breath. She stuffed her hands back into her pockets and looked down at her navy sneakers.

"How serious were you about having more?" she asked.

Derek was confused, "What do you mean?"

"That morning," she looked up and continued, "You said you wanted more."

Oh that.

"I was dead serious," he smirked as he crossed his arms

Meredith's eyes widened.

Too soon, dammit!

"Don't say that!" she pointed a finger at him.

Derek shrugged, "What? You asked!"

Meredith shifted her weight as she asked again, "Were you serious?"

"Yes, I was serious."

She could hear the certainty in his voice. He had the same tone he used with her that morning.

I want... more. Of this. Of us. Of...I want to have more. Let's have more.

If she closed her eyes, she could still see him lying next to her, propping his head with one hand while the other rested next to her. They had spent all morning in bed just talking about their time away from each other, how much they missed each other, their kids, teasing each other about snoring and staring while she slept. They ended up tangled in each other's arms and had breakfast together while they got the kids ready and he searched for his phone before leaving for DC.

I just have to stay here.

You're right you need to...stay here. Don't move. Wait for me.

It was supposed to be his final trip. The one that tied up any loose ends so he could finally stay home.

Instead, that trip almost cost him his life when he took an alternate route to the airport and ended up saving four lives after a car accident. As he made his way back home, he stopped in the middle of the road to pick up a call. A semi hit his car and he ended up in an ambulance to the emergency room at a second-rate hospital. If the incompetent neurosergon on call had arrived later than he did, her husband would not be alive. Once he was stable enough, she had him transferred to Grey-Sloan Memorial where by some miracle, he came through the other side.

If she could go back in time, she'd give in and stay in bed with him all day. Force him to stay or reschedule his flight. Sneak into on-call rooms or spend the day with the kids riding ferryboats. They'd avoid the nightmare altogether.

Suddenly she was nervous and began to pace again, "You're sure?"

Derek took a breath before responding, "Meredith, if you don't want to have more that's f-"

Meredith stopped and shook her head, "No, that's not it!"

Derek studied her face. Suddenly it hit him. She had been avoiding breakfast the last few weeks, the kids had been a little more needy, and she had been more tired than usual.

His eyes widened at the realization, "You're pregnant again."

"I'm not sure but I'm pretty sure I am," she gulped.

Derek shook his head a little confused, "That doesn't even make any sense. How did-"

"I've been feeling sick every morning at the same time but I thought it was all because of the accident so I-I didn't even consider it. It didn't even cross my mind," she rambled, "But then Alex made a stupid comment about me getting enough food to eat for two in the cafeteria. I panicked and I ran out to run the tests. Twice."

Derek was in disbelief, "So you're pregnant?"

"Yes."

"You're pregnant?"

"Yes!" she replied with an irritated tone.

Derek didn't speak. He didn't show any expression. He was too shocked to even react.

Meredith dropped her shoulders as her eyes began to glisten.

She whispered, "Derek, I'm pregnant."

She took a deep breath ready to tell him exactly what was on her mind since she discovered the news, "So you can't die. You can't drive on some empty road or save some stupid teenagers, or sweet little girls from car accidents, or check your damn phone in the middle of the road."

Derek still showed no reaction.

She couldn't help her voice crack as she continued, "You can't push yourself in PT so hard that you'll hurt yourself! You can't do anything stupid again because I am outnumbered. We are outnumbered. There's going to be three now. Three! And they're going to need their dad! And I am going to need you! And if you-"

Derek stood from his chair and closed the area between them- the most steps he had taken without any support.

He cupped her face with his hands as he kissed her. He pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"What did I just tell you about doing something stupid! Sit down!"

Right now, he didn't care. At this very moment, any pain or soreness he felt was not important. He couldn't even feel it. All he felt was joy.

"Meredith, we're having another baby."

She smiled back, "We're having another baby."

They stayed like this for a moment. Relishing in the fact that he was still here, and they were going to be parents again. That after all the darkness, the sun came out again.