Meredith took a sip of wine as she looked across the table at the man she was out with looking deep in thought, "Derek are you alright?"
"Hmmm" Derek replied as he turned his eyes to Meredith.
"You've been quiet all night what's the matter?"
"Just thinking about things and I don't know if your going to like it."
"Okay" Meredith said as she put the glass of wine down to give Derek her full attention, "I still want to know."
"I think i'm going to let Mia go"
Meredith's spirits dropped she looked at Derek for a long few seconds before answering "why do you want to let Mia go?"
"Mia scares me" Derek looked at the table, "she scares me the way she interacts with Ally, Ally never stops talking about her, she's always around all the time she keeps coming to my house at random moments throughout the day I never know if she's lurking outside my house and its frightening."
Meredith reflected on Derek's words for a moment Mia did spend a lot of time showing up unannounced at both of their houses sometimes in the morning sometimes in the evening eating her food and wanting to socialise but Meredith hadn't been bothered by it she liked having Mia around, she was funny and nice. Noah and Ally loved having her around Cristina got along well with her to the only person who was put off by her was Derek. "Derek isn't it a good thing that the kids love having her as their babysitter and yes she is around a lot but its probably because she just loves hanging out with the kids"
"Meredith come on its more than that, this isn't normal a girl that age hanging out with two families she barely knows who hire her for work."
Meredith slowly shook her head, "why are you mean to her Derek?"
"I'm not" Derek replied quickly.
"The other day you asked her how old she was and when she answered you said and I quote your parents should be congratulated I would have drowned you at birth."
"She was laughing, she thought it was funny."
"She was laughing on the outside but i'm sure her feelings would have been very hurt, and the other day when she asked to come grocery shopping with us you said in a sarcastic voice you know Mia as much as we love spending every hour of the day with you we need the spare seat in the car for the shopping."
"Look" Derek said in a slightly raised tone of voice, "I can't have her around anymore she just creeps me out every time she's around I have this vision of her putting a knife to my throat and stealing my belongings or kidnapping Ally to sell to a pedophile ring, it just has me scared."
"Derek" Meredith chuckled a bit, "seriously a paedophile ring, okay yes her behaviour is a bit out of the ordinary."
"A bit" Derek muttered.
"Okay more than a bit but she's a good kid, she does a great job she doesn't deserve to be fired."
"Meredith its my decision as a parent."
"Okay" Meredith nodded, "it is your decision if you don't feel safe then you can let Mia go."
"Ally will be crushed but its for her safety, do you think Noah will be okay?"
"Noah will be fine because Mia can keep babysitting him."
"What?"
"Derek" Meredith resumed to drinking her wine, "as you said its my decision as a parent."
"No hold on you can't-"
"Of course I can i'm not going to take away my son's babysitter and make him miserable because of your paranoia."
"No if you do that then Ally is going to hate me for Mia being at Noah's house and not at ours."
"That's a possibility so make it easy on yourself and just keep having Mia as our babysitter."
"Meredith" Derek's eyes flashed with worry and silent fury, "look think about this."
"Derek" Meredith stared at Derek with a face as hard as stone, "I don't think Mia is going to kidnap the children to sell to slave dealers and if she wanted to steal our things she could have done so while we were away camping or when i've been asleep at night."
"But what if she is waiting for the right time."
"Derek have you ever heard of a phrase called never argue with a woman they're always right."
"Yeah I think I heard that from a movie once."
"Well you should always abide by it" Meredith said with a triumphant smile as she picked up the menu, "now what would you like for dessert."
They arrived at Meredith's house and she turned to Meredith, "do you want to come in?"
"Sure."
Meredith giggled as she drew her arms on Derek's shoulders, "do you think we should lock and reload our stun guns before we see Mia."
Derek didn't laugh back, "what if she did do something bad?"
"Then I would call the police" Meredith said simply.
"You promise."
"Of course Derek" Meredith said with a kiss to his lips as she walked in the door and wandered in to find Mia lying down on the sofa watching tv, "hi Mia how did it go."
"Yeah he's cool" Mia replied as she slowly rose to her feet, "just asleep I put him to bed." Mia stumbled dazed and disorientated Meredith heard Derek whisper drunk in her ear and feeling her initiation as a doctor kicking in she gently stopped the groggy Mia from making her way to the door, "Mia wait hold on."
"I'm fine" Mia muttered in a soft voice.
Meredith placed her palm on Mia's forehead and felt hot sweat, "your burning up."
"Its cool" Mia replied stubbornly.
"Mia" Meredith fastened the lock on the front door, "how are you getting home?"
"The bus."
"Forgot the bus, what's your moms number i'm going to give her a ring to come and get you."
"No don't" Mia muttered.
"Mia you can't go home by yourself when your sick, you should have told me you were sick before we wouldn't have let you babysit."
"Sorry doc just didn't want to let Noah down."
"Its alright" Meredith said in a soft voice, "just what's the number?"
"My folks are out of the country."
"Again" Derek said in disbelief.
"I'm just managing the home."
Meredith felt a hot surge of anger and sympthay and she gently took hold of Mia's shoulders, "Mia."
"What?"
"Come with me" Meredith started to steer her to the guest room, "your going to stay the night."
"Um" Mia said weakly as she held her forehead in her hand.
"Meredith" Derek started.
Meredith shot Derek a glare and he backed off as Meredith helped Mia into the large bed of the guest room, "okay i'm going to get you a theomoeter and a cold towel, are you hungry do you want something to eat?"
Mia snuggled into bed and nodded.
"Okay" Meredith said with a warm smile as she walked to the bathroom with Derek behind her harassing her like a persistent wasp, "Meredith."
"Never aruge with a woman Derek."
"Meredith just think about this."
"Derek" Meredith looked him right in the eye with fierce resolve burning on her features, "I am not going to let her walk home by herself in the middle of the night when she is this sick I do have a conscious even if you don't, now can you make some soup."
Derek sighed, "sure" as he walked to the kitchen leaving Meredith to search her bathroom cabinets for what she needed.
Meredith walked to the guest room and looking up sprung into a run as she bolted past a stumbling teenager to block the front door, "ah ah ah ah no no no back in bed young lady."
"I got to go" Mia said as she feebly tried to push past Meredith.
"Mia don't be silly you are staying the night." Meredith steered Mia's shoulders and led her back to the bed of the guest room.
"You and Derek are fighting because of me."
"Don't worry about Derek i'll sort him out."
"I don't want to drive you guys apart."
"You won't" Meredith looked at the moisture dripping down Mia's forehead and she gently applied the cloth to the girl's forehead and put the thermomotor in her mouth, "you are hoter than a oven" she took out some panadol and poured a glass of water, "here take this."
Mia took the medicine and lied her head back on the cushion, "thanks." Meredith heard a small cough and turning around took the bowel of soup from Derek's hands to place it on the bedside table, "thanks mr shepherd" Mia said to Derek.
"Your welcome" Derek said without smiling, "I should get home."
"Okay" Meredith said.
"Wait" Mia sat up, "give her a goodbye kiss dude."
Derek bent down to give Meredith a quick peck on the lips as Meredith grinned at him and rolling his eyes he left the house as Mia clicked her tongue, "are you sure he's not angry at you."
"He's fine" Meredith lied, "have some soup." Mia sipped the soup and nodded, "its good."
"So where did your folks go this time?"
"Austria."
"Did they take your brothers with you."
"My aunt is looking after them."
"And why aren't you with them?"
Mia gave her shoulders a little shrug, "I chose to stay at the house."
Meredith saw how tired Mia was and she put a gentile hand on her shoulder signalling her to lie down, "okay so i'm going to go to bed and as your doctor I suggest you go to sleep, now your not going to leave the house are you?"
Mia smiled, "no doctor/warden i'm not."
"Very good" Meredith rubbed the hair of Mia's forehead, "if you need anything just give me a text i'll be upstairs."
"Thanks doc."
"Goodnight" Meredith said with a smile as she turned off the light and watching Mia close her eyes went upstairs to bed. The next morning she felt something crawling on her and rolled over to find Noah lying in the bed next to her she gave him a kiss and a cuddle, "how did you sleep?"
"Good" Noah said as she lied down on his mom's chest, "but I didn't get to say bye to Mia."
"Well you didn't need to Mia stayed the night."
Noah flipped his body around and blinked, "she's here?"
"She is here and Noah Mia is very sick."
"Sick?"
"Yes we can't jump on her or do anything rough with her until she feels better understand."
Noah looked at Meredith as he nodded, "okay." They wandered to the guest room and Meredith saw Mia in a deep slumber, Noah tip toed up and put his small hands on Mia, "mom she feels like a fire." Meredith picked Noah up, "lets be quiet and let Mia sleep."
"To late" a amused voice said.
Meredith chuckled as she let Noah down, "sorry we woke you."
Mia smirked, "if you didn't I would have thought I be kidnapped."
"Your still feeling crook?"
"Yeah a bit."
"I think its more than just a bit" Meredith sat on the bed and rubbed Mia's shoulder with a gentile hand, "if you like you can stay here for a little while until you feel better."
Mia smiled widely, "I would like that very much."
"Good" Meredith said simply as she smiled back as Noah came into the room with a glass of water.
"Oh thanks handsome" Mia said as she took the glass from Noah's hands.
"Mommy" Noah looked up at Meredith, "i'm not going to school."
"Your not?"
"No i'm staying home to take care of Mia."
"Well guess again sugarplum your going to school and i'm going to stay home to take care of Mia."
"But."
"Noah Mia will be here when you get home and you can help me take care of her then."
"Okay" Noah hopped on the bed and gave Mia a quick kiss on the cheek before running out, as Mia smiled widely, "will you be okay if I leave you here for an hour while I run Noah to school."
"Yeah of course" Mia replied.
"You won't leave the house?"
Mia chuckled, "am I your prisoner?"
"No" Meredith laughed back, "but if I come home and find you gone I will search the city for you, and when I find you I will take you to hospital where you can be a prisoner."
"Okay" Mia muttered, "i'll stay in this bed all day and be bored."
"I'm glad your sickness isn't affecting your personality, there's a television right there it has cable i'm sure you'll find something interesting to watch." Meredith patted Mia's shoulder one more time and got up to take Noah to school. A while later she returned to the house and knocked on the door of the guest room, "Mia."
"Just a sec" Mia called out, "okay come in" she said as Meredith opened the door, "i'm making some chicken rolls for lunch do you want some?"
"Sure" Mia slowly rose to her feet, "I can help."
"Mia" Meredith shook her head.
"Come on doc i'm bored."
"Mia okay but the second you feel weak you go back to bed."
"Cool" Mia said as she adjusted the bed covers and an album tumbled to the floor, "ah."
Meredith walked over and picked up old photos of her family and looked at them before looking at Mia, "Mia were you going through my belongings?"
Mia looked immensely guilty as she sat on the bed, "I just wanted to know more about you."
Meredith started to put the photos away in the album not stopping to look at them, "whose the little girl?"
"That's Amber my daughter" Meredith replied, "she died two died years ago with my husband."
Mia put a hand on Meredith's knuckles, "misses Grey i'm so sorry."
"Its alright" Meredith tired to smile.
"I'm sorry for going through your private things."
"Its okay but in the future if you want to know more about me you can just ask."
Meredith put the album away in the cupboard, "does Ally remind you of Amber?"
Meredith turned around, "what do you mean?"
"Is Ally like your um like, does she like fill the hole of ah shit i'm not saying this right um..."
"I think I know what you mean, and no Ally's not a replacement for my daughter."
"No" Mia quickly said, "I didn't mean it like that I mean like-"
"Mia" Meredith sat on the bed, "I think Ally is a gift, like Noah."
Mia smiled, "that's good."
"Do you want some lunch?"
"Yeah hey does Noah miss her, you know Amber?"
"Noah was to young when she died he doesn't remember her."
"Really" Mia whispered.
"Its complicated" Meredith said inside she felt strange the only person she ever felt comfortable talking about her past apart from Ally was Cristina and yet she felt fine talking with Mia she wondered to herself why she felt this way.
"Do you ever want to get married again?"
"I would like that someday" Meredith took one of Mia's hands in her own, "you know i've answered a lot of questions about me in the last five minutes how about you answer some of my questions."
Mia blew air between her lips, "oh my favourite game."
Meredith didn't smile she looked at Mia with a serious look, "can you tell me what life is like at home."
"Yours or mine cause yours is pretty good."
"Your home sweetheart."
"Its okay."
"Are your parents okay?"
"Yeah they're cool."
"What are the good things about home."
"I don't know the food's pretty good."
"Anything you wish to change?"
"You and Derek should get married."
"I mean anything you wish to change in your life?"
"Nope."
"Mia" Meredith said as she realised she wasn't getting anywhere talking like this, "your parents shouldn't be going away and leaving you at home by yourself."
Mia just shrugged, "i'm fifteen doc not five I can take care of myself."
"All i'm saying is that if there are things that make you feel scared at home then there are people who can help you."
Mia groaned and flopped back on the bed, "i'm not going to ring child services and please don't do that either the last thing I need is a dorky person wearing a dorky suit asking me dorky questions about my dorky future."
"So are you saying i'm a dork because I ask you about your future?"
"Its different we're mates."
Meredith got up and wandered to the kitchen a minute later Mia followed, "Mia if there is anything you want to talk about you can trust me you can tell me anything."
"I'm fine" Mia said loudly, "could we just drop it."
"Okay" Meredith gave in, "but before you leave I want to ask you some more questions."
"Couldn't you do something less painful like drill my teeth."
"Okay Mia if you don't want to tell me I understand."
A few hours passed and Meredith heard the front door opening and Cristina coming in followed by Noah, Noah said a quick hi to Meredith and dashed to the guest room as Meredith exchanged a look and a giggle with Cristina, "that's the first time Noah hasn't run to give me a hug when he comes home from school I think i'm starting to lose him."
Cristina helped herself to a fresh pot of tea, "all the way home he was talking about how his babysitter is living with him and his mommy."
"Well I hope he doesn't get to sad when Mia goes home she's only here for a few days until she feels better."
"Where is her family?"
"They're away on holiday and they left her."
"Well maybe they thought she is independent enough to look after herself."
"Cristina" Meredith felt heavy in the heart, "there's something about this picture that doesn't feel right."
Cristina sat down and checked to see no one was in the hallway before saying softly, "are you saying Mia's being abused at home."
"I don't think so" Meredith replied, "but there's something that's troubling her that she doesn't want to tell anyone I can feel it and I want to find out what."
"You don't want to ring child services?"
"I would but I think they mainly help young children and Mia doesn't want to talk to them. I think Mia will open up to me I just got to give her time."
"Meredith" Cristina as she put her arm around Meredith's shoulders, "you can't keep her here against her will and if her parents find out that you are keeping her here you could be in trouble with the police."
"I know but-"
"And another thing."
"Cristina please don't tell me off for looking after Mia, i've already had a gutfull from Derek I just can't let her live at home by herself when she is this crook."
"I'm just going to say that I think you are a real mother hen."
"Mother hen?"
"You look after every kid you see, if you saw a dozen homeless orphans in the street you would take all of them home and take care of them."
"I" Meredith started, "you know what your right, does it make me a crazy person?"
"It makes you a thief's dream and the essence of mother Theresa but I don't think its a bad thing."
The next morning came and Meredith stirred as she moved her arms then she opened her eyes and pulled her arms were tied to the bedposts and looking down she saw her feet were tied with ropes to the ends of the bed, Meredith looked around her with fear and hearing a humming saw a smiling Mia coming into the room, "oh Mia thank god get me out of here."
Mia chuckled as she fiddled with one of Meredith's big toes with her fingers, "why would I do that?"
"Mia I don't know how I got like this just hurry please before the person who tied me up comes back."
"Relax dude it was me that tied you up."
Meredith's eyes widened with terror, "what?"
Mia grinned wider, "yeah you know you are probably the easiest person I have ever robbed from as well as the richest."
"Mia if you need money I can help you, you don't need to rob me."
"Well its not just your money i'm after doc i'm also going to take Noah with me."
Meredith struggled and fought against the bondages for all she was worth, "no no please no."
"Don't worry Noah is in safe hands I protect my interests i'll take good care of him well until I can sell him. I know a few paedophile rings that can offer good money for a cute little boy like him."
"Mia please" Meredith's face cracked with tears, "take my money but please i'm begging you don't hurt Noah, don't take him away don't-."
"Oh shut up" Mia said in a irritated voice as she strapped ducktape on Meredith's mouth, "there much better, now I got all your valuables in this bag but hmmm well actually I got a bit of time before I pick up Noah from school" Mia brought out a large bristle brush from her bag, "how about before I go we have some fun with your favourite friend mr footbrush."
Meredith squirmed as she tried to break through as Mia brought the hairbrush to Meredith's feet, Meredith yelped in agony as Mia laughed and sang "ha wake up in the morning quarter to one if you and the doc want to have some fun brush her toes a huh huh huh you brush the toes."
Mia kicked widely, "doc doc" Meredith opened her eyes and looking at Mia stumbled back on the bed, "no no."
"Dude bad dream" Mia said as she made a time out signal with her hands, "bad dream" Meredith looked at her hands and feet saw nothing had her tied down and sighed, "just a dream."
Meredith sat on the bed next to Meredith, "it sounded like a nightmare."
"You wouldn't believe it."
"Try me."
Meredith sat up and ran a hand through Mia's blonde reddish hair, "I dreamt that you had tied me up to this bed and was going to kidnap Noah to sell to a pedophile ring and that you were torturing my toes with a brush."
Mia grinned, "that sounds like a funny dream."
Meredith laughed, "i'm sorry I don't know why I dreamt those things."
"Doc" Mia gave Meredith a pat on the shoulder, "I would never hurt you or Noah, I like both of you and you both are really good to me."
Meredith smiled in response, "that's good."
"But" Mia with a twinkle in her hair quickly grabbed the brush beside Meredith's bed, "the brush well that's enteriely different."
Meredith looked at Mia and stumbled away from her, "what no no Mia."
"Your nightmare is coming true" Meredith stumbled back, "Mia if you tickle my feet with that brush you can leave this house right now and never come back."
Mia blinked, "would you really do that?"
Meredith sighed, "well not real...Mia" Meredith laughed as the brush reached her feet, "just checking" Mia said with a giggle as she ran the brush up and down Meredith's soles as Meredith stumbled away. "Hey we can try this" Mia brought out a electric toothbrush and ran it over Meredith's belly button as she screamed in laughter, "Mia."
"What i'm just cleaning your bellybutton" Meredith shook Mia off and Mia fell back as Meredith grabbed the girl's foot, "hey hey hey woah whoah it was just a joke."
"Really well so is this" Mia laughed as Meredith tickled her foot before getting on top to tickle her belly and her armpits as Mia wriggled and yelped, "okay okay okay sorry sorry sor" Meredith saw Mia coughing and she stopped as she placed a hand on Mia's face, "your still crook."
"I'm a bit better."
"You should be in bed."
Mia got to her feet, "okay i'll get a bit more sleep."
"You'll need it when Noah comes home" Mia chuckled and walked downstairs as Meredith got up to take a shower.
A half hour later Meredith walked in and found Mia fast asleep and she looked at her bag she opened the bag and turned up her nose. The contents were awfully smelly and dirty. Meredith looked at Mia and decided she would wash the clothes before Mia left she went to the laundry room tipped the bag's contents into the washing machine and heard a clang and looking down saw a case holding a blank dvd. Meredith looked at the case it was labelled first steps, she looked at it with confusion and was about to put it back in the bag but then a thought hit her maybe this somehow had answers to Mia's story and against the part of her that was telling her not to intrude she walked to the living room and put the dvd into the video case. A minute or two went by and Meredith saw a baby probably ten months old crawling on its hand and knees.
"Mia honey" a voice called out.
"Yeah mom."
Meredith saw a girl probably around ten years old walking into the living room, "show our viewers how far Ally has come with her walking."
"Okay" the girl said, "come on Ally stand up stand there" the baby stood up and started to slowly walk with Mia holding on to her hands, "cool okay come on walk walk."
"Well done Ally" a man sitting on a chair said, "you know Mia Ally's really lucky to have you?"
"Why is she lucky dad?"
"Not many kids are lucky enough to have a big sister as nice of you."
Mia picked up Ally to give her a hug and a kiss, "I love you bumblebee."
Meredith paused the dvd as her mouth opened in shock, "oh my god" she whispered she turned off the television as she processed what she had just seen, then she cried as fabric covered her nose and mouth she waved her arms but there was nothing her hands could touch the world became a haze of colour and then black as Meredith slumped unconscious to the floor.