That night after Derek had tucked Ally into bed he wandered from Ally's bedroom to the kitchen to make himself a hot drink which Derek found the biggest cure for stress when Meredith wasn't with him, he poured out the milk checked his phone and looking at the screen realised he had a dozen missed calls from Meredith. Derek put the cup of milk in the microwave and clicked a button on his phone a moment later Derek heard fast breathing, "hi Meredith."
Derek i've been ringing you all afternoon, where have you been?
"I'm sorry i've had a lot on my mind i've just put Ally to bed."
Okay i'm listening what happened.
"I picked Ally up from school" Derek looked towards the bedrooms and when he saw Ally wasn't at the door listening he continued "and the school admin told me that there were five people there at the school before I arrived. I didn't see them, two of them were claiming to be Ally's parents, another two of them were saying they were her aunt and uncle and there was a young woman with them as well."
Who was she?
"Tattoos, blonde hair with purple hair extensions" Derek said with a sigh, "I think it was Mia."
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone before Meredith spoke again, Derek I think you need to tell the police and notify them of this, your Ally's legal guardian if there are people coming to Ally's school to see her than they could try and ambush you and Ally outside of school as well. We don't know who these people are but if Mia's aunt and uncle are as dangerous as she described her parents could be the same.
"I tried to tell the police but they said to me there isn't enough going on for them to become involved at this point. The school have said they'll call the police if they come to the school again but then if there is a different admin who doesn't know who they are and what they look like" Derek put his remaining hand to his forehead, "Meredith I don't know what to do."
Derek Meredith said in a calm voice, if Mia is leading them to the school then she could lead them to your house maybe you both should stay with me.
"Meredith that won't work, if they come to my house and they find it empty Mia will just lead everyone to your house."
But they'll also be more people if we're all together if they come to the house, Derek until we know otherwise we have to assume the family based on what we know are criminals and we can't take any chances.
"Meredith, how do we know for sure that what Mia said about them was true a few weeks ago she told us her and Ally's mum and dad had died when she was eleven and now four years later she's leading them to Ally's school."
Derek I think we should focus right now on the most important thing and that is keeping our children safe.
Derek thought to himself for a few seconds and nodded to himself "your right i'll pack up my things tomorrow and we'll come and stay with you."
Derek, is going to be okay you know
"Yeah it is" Derek sat down, "thanks goodnight."
Goodnight
That night Derek barely slept and before he knew it he heard the sound of small feet pattering nearby his room and the sound of the door creeping open, "daddy."
Derek got out of bed and gave Ally a cuddle, "hey Ally cat."
"Good morning daddy" Ally said as she hugged Derek.
"Yeah good morning to you to, well Ally we've got a big day ahead so we better eat some breakfast."
"Why is it big?"
"Because um were going to move and stay with Meredith and Noah for a little while."
Ally blinked her eyes in a curious manner, "why?"
"Because we're" Derek had been trying to figure out what to say to Ally all night but he still hadn't found the right words, "um okay Ally i'm not sure how to say this, you know that I adopted you."
"Yeah" Ally said softly.
"That means before I became your dad you had another dad and a mum when you were born."
"But your my dad."
"Yes yes" Derek bent down to Ally's eye level, "I am your dad Ally but your other dad and your mum are looking for you."
A worried look started to cross Ally's face, "why are they looking for me?"
"Well they are looking because, Ally we don't know why they're looking for you Ally so try not to worry we're going to go live with Meredith and Noah things will be fine."
A few hours later Meredith was busy baking in her kitchen when the doorbell rang and Meredith jogged to open it, "hey Derek" Meredith kissed Derek before she bent down to give Ally a hug, "hey sweetheart."
Ally just stared straight ahead as Meredith drew back to smile at her, "Noah's been helping me set up your new room all morning, do you want to go and see it"
Ally nodded "and then afterwards we can have lunch and I have been baking some cupcakes I hope I haven't burnt them."
"Okay" Ally said quietly before she walked upstairs as Meredith looked at Derek with pained eyes, "Derek she looks completely lost."
"That's very accurate" Derek watched Ally reach the top of the stairs, "I told her what I knew and she has barely said a word since, I think she's worried and I wish I knew more about what's going on myself to try and calm her."
Derek looked up again and saw Ally staring at them from the stairs, "Ally can we talk with you."
"Don't want to" Ally responded.
"Ally" Meredith said softly.
"I said don't want to" Ally said angrily as she stormed down the stairs and went to the living room.
Meredith woke up the next morning filled with her own thoughts like Derek she was worried about Ally, Ally was angry, Noah was confused as to why everyone around him was worried and Derek was trying hard not to think about what could happen. Meredith wanted to do something anything to help so she got up from bed, put on a robe and walked to the children's bedroom where she opened the bedroom door a crack. She saw Noah fast asleep while Ally was sitting on a mattress and a sleeping bag staring at her, "Ally."
"Yes Meredith."
"Do you want to have some breakfast?"
Ally nodded as she wandered out of the bedroom and raised her arms to ask Meredith to pick her up, "where's daddy?"
"He's just gone to get some things from home he'll be back soon."
Meredith made Ally some porridge and after looking at Ally's face brushed her hair from her face before gently kissing her cheek, "Ally you can talk to me, if there is something worrying you its good to talk to people about it."
"Daddy's lying to me."
Meredith sat down on the chair next to Ally, "why do you think daddy's lying to you."
"My fake daddy and fake mommy are looking for me" Ally said softly, "daddy won't tell me why they're looking for me."
"Honey we don't know the reason why they're looking for you."
Ally stared at Meredith, "you know everything."
"Ally I don't know everything no one knows everything."
"Why are they looking for me."
"Ok Ally, listen I think the reason why they are looking for you is because they want you to live with them."
"What."
Meredith saw Ally's face was rapidly dissolving into tears and she gently put her hands around Ally's small shoulders, "its going to be ok because we're going to make sure you don't go and live with them and you will continue to live with us"
Ally nodded and Meredith gently kissed Ally's forehead, "I love you Ally."
"Love you to" Ally said as she hugged Meredith. Derek opened the door and Ally went to hug daddy in tears, "hey hey what's the matter."
"Derek I told her."
"Told her what?"
"I told her why we think Ally's parents are looking for her."
Derek was about to say something along the lines of we don't know that for sure or why would you tell Ally this then Ally drew her arms around his neck and he simply said, "ok."
A week passed and sure enough as Meredith and Derek had predicted they had received a letter informing them that Ally's parents were applying for full custody through the courts. Meredith couldn't for the life of her figure out why two people who had not chosen not to be in Ally's life suddenly wanted full custody of her and why they thought they would win a legal battle if their only playing card was that their were biologically Ally's parents when Ally didn't even know them and didn't want to live with them. Meredith and Derek were not taking any chances however and they had hired the best lawyer they could find to help them with their case to keep Ally with them.
Meredith and Derek were sitting in a comfortable office when the door opened and in came their lawyer Victoria Gold. Introductions were made pleasantries were exchanged Meredith didn't want to waste time she wanted to find out where they stood and what they had to do to keep Ally with them while Derek was trying his best not to show how worried he was for Ally's safety. Victoria pulled out her documents and her glasses, "well I have gotten up to speed on the issues on Ally's parents applying for full custody of Ally. Her parents have put together a argument about how well their lives are and how happy Ally would be if she was with her biological family."
"How does it look" Meredith said softly.
"Its a strong argument they are very well off, but their trump card is they also have statements from their own daughter Mia who is saying she lived with you for a period of time. Now Mia is saying while she was living with you Meredith she was abused verbally and physically abused, you treated her like Cinderella, pressured her to drink alcohol and when you drank alcohol yourself you would hit her and your son and when you were working you would neglect your son leaving Mia to take care of him. Mia has also said and you Derek that you are a drug user who drinks all the money you earn and you never have any money for Ally and Ally was always starving in the house."
Derek and Meredith felt shocked and angry they sat in their chairs for a long period of time, "I see" Derek finally said.
"Now the facts that the court will look at is you have been to prison recently due to the police finding drugs in your house."
"Mia put those drugs in the house" Meredith said, "and she later admitted it to the police Derek wasn't charged."
"That's true that's good because it shows that Mia does have a penchant of lying but they may still bring it up in court. Now the questions I have for you is first your support network who is currently living with you and Ally."
"Its just me and Ally" Derek said.
"No one else" Victoria asked.
"If that's a problem" Meredith said sensing where this was going, "then Derek and Ally can move in with me and Noah."
"Um" Derek said, "could you give us a second" Victoria nodded and Derek lead Meredith out of the office, "Meredith I don't know."
"Derek look we have been given the facts your a single parent and you make ends meet but Ally's parents have a lot more money than you, they're together and there is also the accusations of you taking drugs and being in jail. A judge is going to compare you to them and it won't look good for you."
"Even so I don't believe in moving in with your partner because your afraid of something happening to your children, we should at least talk about it."
Meredith put her arms around Derek, "I was hoping to find a time to talk to you about this before all this happened but now we might not have that time."
"Are you sure you want me and Ally living with you full time?"
"It will be a big adjustment but Ally and you and have been here for a week and before that Ally was coming here for sleepovers and you were around every week it will be a big change for the kids but they're best friends I think they will be thrilled with the idea."
Derek still looked unsure, "I think we should talk with the kids about this first."
"Derek" Meredith stopped Derek in his tracks, "we are talking about Ally and her future if we don't do something we might not see Ally ever again."
"Yeah I know."
"Ally's father has had nothing to do with her and now he wants full custody of her you have been Ally's father the one loving her, looking after her you know what Ally's family is like. Her sister, aunt uncle all of them are criminals, whose to say Ally's parents aren't any better."
"Meredith Mia was forced to become a criminal when she was little and she was forced to do those things she didn't make those decisions."
"Derek we don't know that" Meredith took a deep breath before saying her next sentence, "and after all the things Mia has said she could have chosen to become a criminal and made up everything else, but if she was pressured into becoming a criminal Ally could very well follow in her footsteps."
Derek nodded and looked deep into Meredith's eyes, "you think we're ready to move in together to live together as a couple."
"Derek" Meredith kissed him, "I love you if I didn't think it would work I would say so."
"I love you to" Derek smiled.
"Then we're ready" Meredith said.
"We sure are" Derek replied.
"Then lets go talk to our lawyer."
Meredith left the meeting with Victoria feeling good and the next morning she came into work focusing on her patients to occupy her mind from what would happen when they went into court next week she had a calm morning was doing paperwork and was just deciding what to have for lunch when she heard a unusual sound from several corridors away and she walked towards the source. Meredith saw a figure sprawled on the floor in a one piece blue uniform and Alex bending over the figure, "you spilled that water all over my suit go on pick up the mop, well go on pick it up."
Meredith looked through the crowd and with wide eyes saw a teenage girl wearing a community service uniform scrambling to pick up rubbish before Alex kicked over the mop bucket spraying the girl with water and feeling rage she pushed through the crowd, "Alex that is enough."
"What's it to you" Alex said with a smirk and Meredith snarled, "leave her alone Alex."
Alex just shrugged, "whatever her lady says." The crowd dispersed and Meredith bent down and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, "Mia."
Mia just stayed in one spot breathing heavily, "Mia's its me its Meredith."
Mia looked up and tried to give a small smile, "hi."
"Are you okay" Meredith said as she helped Mia to her feet.
"Getting used to it" Mia said.
"You want to come in my office for a while."
"I got to finish this off" Mia pointed to the floor, "I got to mop it."
"Just take a break for a little while, i've got cakes."
Mia looked at the floor rubbing her arm and nodded before she started to walk down the hall with Meredith, "how many hours of community service do you have left?"
"To much" Mia responded.
"It will be over before you know it."
"Yeah guess it could have been a lot worse, I could be like cleaning the bedpans or something."
Meredith closed the door to the office and Mia turned around, "hey how are the kids?"
"They're great really good, Ally and Noah have been really getting into puzzles and they're learning loads at school."
Mia rolled her eyes and smirked, "very un-interesting."
"Well what about you" Meredith said with a smile she had forgotten how much she had missed these talks with Mia, "how's school going for you?"
"You know there is more to life than school and work doc."
"Well what else have you been up to?"
"You know me i'm getting in fights at school and picking on nerds getting them to do my homework its a living."
Meredith chuckled, "I know you and I don't think bullying is in your nature."
"Yeah your right I just I ah got out of foster care my mum and dad after I thought they were dead for four years suddenly showed up out of the blue and yeah things are...upside down."
Meredith looked at Mia's face, "Mia.
A look of horror dawned Mia's face, "I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't even be talking to you."
"Mia" Meredith gently blocked Mia's path to keep her from running out of the office,"its ok we don't have to talk about court."
"Aren't you mad at me?
Meredith smiled, "you mean for your comments about how I treated you like Cinderella and got drunk and hit you and Noah."
Mia slowly nodded, "yeah... those comments."
"I was at first, then I remembered the last time we were in court you told everyone how nice I was to you."
"And you did write up like 50 rules to help me."
"And I remember you saying the rules sucked."
"Yeah I did" Mia chuckled before her smile faded, "Derek's angry with me isn't he."
"He's just afraid Mia he's scared of what could happen to Ally."
"Don't worry" Mia said quickly, "when Ally comes to live with us i'm going to look after her make sure she's okay, she'll be fine."
"Mia" Meredith said with pained eyes, "listen to me you can see Ally and us any time you want you don't have to do this."
Mia's face cracked "you don't understand."
"What don't I understand sweetheart."
"I've wanted to be with a family my family my whole life and now I finally get that chance."
"Mia" Meredith said softly, "I thought you lived with your parents when you were little."
"I lied" Mia said, "I lived in an orphanage my parents abandoned me when I was born I thought they died then when I was eleven a baby comes to the orphanage and people are like Mia we don't know how to tell you this but this baby is your sister her name is Ally your parents had her before she died. It really hurt and it was easier to say I had good parents than saying they abandoned me."
"Than when you were eleven and Ally was a baby you got adopted by your aunt and uncle while Ally was adopted by your grandmother" Meredith reached out a hand and grasped Mia's shoulder, "and the rest...sweetheart i'm so sorry."
Mia blinked back tears and brushed off Meredith's hand, "don't tell me your sorry I don't care what happened, its in the past it doesn't fucking matter."
"Yes it does matter, Mia I don't know your mum and dad but what they did-"
"Than don't judge them people change, my parents they've changed the last few weeks have been the best of my life being with my mum and dad."
"What if they haven't changed Mia, your parents could hurt you they could hurt Ally."
"They wouldn't hurt me or Ally, i'm out of here" Mia tried to push past Meredith who stood her ground, "Mia you don't have to live with them."
"And do what, sleep on the street again."
"We can talk about it."
"Yeah that will be productive."
"Mia."
"Get out of my way" Mia shouted, "we're getting Ally and we're never seeing you ever again bank on it" Mia pushed past Meredith and stormed out of the office. Meredith just sat on the desk in shock before she buried her face in her hands.
Meredith tried to get through the rest of the work day but her mind was fractured filled with thoughts of Ally, Mia, Derek, Noah and the future. Hours passed she decided to call Derek talk about things she looked at her phone but then she didn't feel like calling she had no energy left she just wanted all of this to end.
The week flew by and in what seemed like no time at all court had arrived. Meredith after spending an hour making sure she was as well presented as possible went to the bedroom to wake up Ally and saw Ally and Derek talking on Ally's new bed, "do you remember the day we first met Ally cat."
"Um kind of" Ally said.
"I was digging in my garden and you crept up behind me and said hello in a really loud voice and I jumped straight into the bushes."
Ally smiled "I remember, that was funny."
"Yeah and then you asked me to be your friend you've always been good at making friends."
"Then I asked you to be my daddy."
"Yeah you did at nan's funeral you asked if I could be your daddy."
"And you said yes."
"I did and it was the best decision I ever made."
"You passed the interview."
"Oh were you interviewing me for the position."
"Yeah and you passed good job."
Derek laughed and kissed and tickled Ally while Ally giggled "i'm glad I passed." Meredith smiled and closed the door the bathroom opened and Noah came out, "mom is Ally going to be taken away."
"Noah me and Derek are going to court today to stop that from happening."
"I heard Derek say Mia wants Ally to be taken away from here."
Meredith bent down, "Noah if Mia is trying to take Ally away then we will stop her."
"I don't like her anymore" Noah said with a frown, "she's bad."
"Honey don't say that Mia isn't bad and you like her she just wants Ally to live with her its all very complicated but Mia is not bad."
Noah just looked at Meredith, "make sure you win."
"We will win honey I promise."
A few hours later Meredith stood in a box watching the proceedings Ally's parents, aunt and uncle were well dressed looked nice but even though they talked like they had Ally's best interests in mind there was something corrupt about them that Meredith could sense even though she did not know herself what it was. Meredith watched Derek come forward to say his piece and to talk about Ally's life and family Meredith knew he was scared and inside she was proud of the way Derek talked when Derek talked about how he now lived with Meredith as a family Meredith nodded and smiled. Ally meanwhile was being interviewed by a lawyer elsewhere.
"Your honour" a voice said, "I would like to bring forward Ally's sister Mia who was Derek and Meredith's foster child to talk about her experiences with Derek and Meredith."
Meredith watched Mia walking to the witness box she was so still, her face her body language like moving stone as she looked out, as the lawyer of Ally's parents spoke, "Mia you were the foster child of Derek and Meredith, true."
"Just Meredith" Mia corrected.
"But Derek was also there."
"Yeah he was there a lot in the house."
"So tell the court what was it like living with Meredith?"
"She gave me a lot of rules" Mia said, "and told me off when I did something wrong."
"How did she tell you off?"
"She would give me a big lecture, ground me tell me how important it was I did the right thing for my own sake."
"What else did she do when you were living there?"
"She would" Mia stopped speaking as she took a deep breath, "she would take me out to buy me clothes and we would do fun stuff like bushwalking and shopping."
"Mia" the judge said, "it says in your answer that Meredith was abusive and drank alcohol and hit you and her son can you tell the court anything about that."
"Yeah I lied" Mia said quickly.
"Your honour" the lawyer said, "request a break."
"Shut up" Mia said in a raised voice, "I bullshitted in my statement Meredith helped me she is the only person who has ever helped me without wanting me to do something wrong and Derek's a great dad they love Ally they're Allys real parents my parents are scumbags who just want to get Ally so they can use her to steal things just like my aunt and uncle did when I was little."
Ally's mum Jamie rose and shouted, "that's enough Mia stop telling these lies tell the truth."
"Fuck off mum i'm telling the truth I heard you and dad talking the other night."
"That is enough" the judge said in a firm voice, "Mia is there anything in your statement that is true."
"No" Mia said.
"Than you may walk back."
Victoria got up, "your honour we've heard from all parties now I think its time we heard from the most important person in this proceedings which is Ally."
A video recording started to play on the screen which showed Ally sitting far away with a children's lawyer, "okay Ally i'm here today to ask you some questions about your family."
"Okay" Ally said as she rocked back and forth in her chair.
"Do you know why you are here today?"
"To see if I will live with either daddy and Meredith or the bad people."
"Sorry Ally when you say the bad people who are the bad people?"
"My fake mum and fake dad."
"Why are you calling them that?"
"Because they are."
"Did anyone tell you to call them that?"
"Nope."
"Ally am I right to say you want to live with your daddy and Meredith?"
"Yep."
"Do you like your daddy and Meredith?"
"I do I do like them, I want daddy to marry Meredith."
"That's nice why do you want that?"
"Because then I will have repaid my debt."
"Your debt?"
"Yep daddy became my daddy and I get him married that's the deal I made."
Half of the court laughed and Derek felt Meredith's hand rubbing his bicep as she sniggered and Derek feeling a little embarrassed smiled in return."
"Who do you want living with you?"
"Daddy, Meredith and Noah."
"Then I think we know everything well done Ally you have been very brave."
The court took a break and Meredith and Derek came in they smiled at Ally who was standing in a box, Ally didn't see them she had her hands together and her eyes closed as if she was praying. The judge sat down and all parties sat in turn, "i've heard all the arguments Michael and Jamie are Ally's biological family and when Ally was born they gave her up for adoption and she was later adopted by her grandmother they also gave up Mia for adoption and she was later adopted by her aunt and uncle and then disowened by them for reasons unrelated to this matter. Then her parents came back and welcomed them Mia into their lives and they are wanting to do the same with Allison better known as Ally. Derek has been a single father for over a year he took care of Ally when her grandmother died and from what Ally has said she clearly loves him and wants to be with him his low salary is a concern but having his partner Meredith to support him is helping him. From the readings and what I have presented I have decided that custody of Allison shall remain with Derek Shepherd."
There was a gasp of protest from Ally's family and Derek felt a weight lift off his shoulders and Meredith's arm hugging him.
"I have made this decision on the basis that Ally's family have never gotten to know Ally up until now and the comments Mia has presented in court today show that Meredith and Derek can make this work and Ally wants to stay with them."
The children's lawyer lead Ally outside and when Meredith and Derek walked out to meet her Ally came running over, "daddy are you still my daddy?"
"I sure am" Derek said with a smile.
"I'm staying with you" Ally said in a happy voice as she jumped into Derek's arms.
"You sure are" Derek replied.
Ally cried and Derek with tears of his own drew Ally into a big hug a minute later Meredith joined in, "we're still your family sweetheart always."
"Always" Ally replied as she hugged Derek tightly Meredith smiled then a thought suddenly crossed her mind, "excuse me" and she quickly walked outside the court and looked around saw Mia in the distance shouting with her family then she saw Mia's mother grabbing her arm and with boiling blood Meredith started to walk over until a long truck driving past stopped her from crossing the road Meredith anxiously waited for it to pass but by the time the truck had passed Mia had vanished from Meredith's sight.