Meredith unpacked another box of decorations as she got out the tinsel and wrapped it around the Christmas tree in the living room taking care not to tangle it up with the jingle bells, "mom I found the angel" Meredith turned at Noah waving a angel on his hand. "Okay lets put her up in the tree" Meredith picked Noah up and lifted him up as high as she could and Noah stretched out his arms to put the angel on top of the tree, "got it."
"Good job" Meredith lowered him back down into his arms before kissing his cheek, "that's my trooper."
A blast of cold air hit her body and Meredith turned to see Derek walking through the front door pulling his gloves off with his teeth, "well its taking a little while but the lights outside, getting them all around the house are slowly getting there."
Meredith smiled apologetically, "i'm sorry I have so many lights, I assembled quite a collection over the years and I haven't had this many out for a long time." The truth was Meredith hadn't had hardly any Christmas lights out during Christmas since her husband and daughter had passed away all those years ago and every Christmas after that with her main priority being on call with work and doing paperwork in the meantime she usually just put out a Christmas tree every year just for Noah but this year was different, this year she had changed, this year she had Derek.
"I think the house is going to look great" Derek said as he got himself a drink of water, "once it all gets done."
"If your family comes here and likes it then i'll consider the decorating to be a good well done."
"They'll like it no matter what we do, I would be more worried about the noise in the house since my sisters are all coming with their husbands and all of them are bringing their children with them as well."
"Ally and Noah will be very happy" Meredith said with a small smile before going back to sorting through the tinsel on the Christmas tree in silence. Derek sighed as he walked over and put his hands on Meredith's shoulders, "Meredith."
"I'm fine Derek" Meredith said quickly.
"Meredith look, we can't keep avoiding this."
"I said i'm fine Derek."
"Meredith your not fine I can see it every day, your worried sick about her and its eating away at you we have to talk about it."
"Derek its Christmas there's a lot to do and I have no time to think about her, i'm sure Mia is fine. Now I have to get back to the decorating." Meredith picked up a box and walked over to the living room as Derek sighed again he was worried about Mia to but he was more worried about Meredith he had seen her constantly checking her phone as if she was hopeful that Mia would message her and let her know she was okay. Derek couldn't blame her considering what she had seen the last time they had seen Mia but Meredith was refusing to talk to him about it and it made him feel powerless.
A day later Meredith was sitting at the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a cheesecake she was making when she heard her mobile ringing, Meredith looked around her and then realised her phone was in her bedroom. Meredith put down her tools and quickly ran up to stairs she reached her bedroom panting and she quickly picked it up to answer it "hello" she said with held breath.
"Hey could you open the door."
"Derek" Meredith hissed feeling very frustrated, "I have a doorbell for a reason."
"I'm afraid my hands will freeze as soon as I get out of this car and I won't be able to press it."
"Okay" Meredith said as she took her phone with her "hang on" she added as she went down the stairs and opened the door to see a big mass of suitcases which were put down before a young woman threw her arms around her neck, "hi you must be the famous Meredith I've heard so much about."
Meredith reached up her hands to pat the woman's back, "Amelia I presume."
"Correct" Amelia said as she drew back.
"Aunty Amelia" Ally said as she ran down the stairs.
"There's my little niece" Amelia said with a grin as Ally flew into her arms, "and holy potatoes you are growing up fast."
Ally grinned back, "i've grown loads since the last time."
"I bet you have" Amelia said as she twirled Ally in a circle as Noah approached shyly from behind Meredith, "and who is this cute little boy."
"This is my son Noah, Noah this is Amelia."
Noah blinked with confusion then his mouth opened wide, "your the evil genius."
"Yeah" Amelia chuckled, "that's me."
"Daddy and Meredith are still not married" Ally grumbled.
Noah wandered to Amelia before grabbing her free hand, "you got to tell us a new evil plan."
"Okay" Meredith said feeling very keen to get off this topic of conversation, well I have a big cake prepared so why don't you three grab a slice and I will make us some tea, has Derek frozen to death out there?"
"Oh dam" Amelia muttered as she went to open the door, "I did bring a lot of presents."
Meredith couldn't help but chuckle as a second later she saw nothing of Derek but his legs as he came in carrying wrapped boxes, Derek put everything down and took a deep breath to compose himself, "what did you bring us for Christmas a kitchen sink?"
"Just all the things your family and everyone else's will ever need."
"So a kitchen sink."
"Would a slice of cake cheer you up?"
Derek nodded at Meredith, "it would a lot."
"Well i'll get everyone a slice and then you can tell me all about you Amelia."
"Well there's not much to say, I like to cook up evil plans to get people married as a hobby and i'm Derek's sister."
"Well there is definitely more to you than that" Derek muttered as they went to the kitchen, "so lets get some cake and then talk about things other than evil plots."
A day later Derek rolled over in his sleep and felt Meredith's cold hand on his elbow he kept his eyes shut and then the sound of footsteps grew louder and louder and the door opened with chants of, "its Christmas its Christmas."
Derek let out a groan as two small bodies flew onto the bed and climbed all over their parents, "its Christmas."
Meredith opened her eyes and wrapped a arm around Ally while Derek did the same with Noah as the kids laughed, "I think our kids are giving us the not so subtle message that its Christmas."
"I think they are" Derek said, "well you two shall we wake up Amelia and go downstairs."
"Amelia went jogging" Ally said.
"On Christmas" Meredith said feeling surprised.
"She has a thing for fitness" Derek replied, "no matter what the holidays she always goes out jogging first thing in the morning, still we could always start without her."
"We're not opening the presents for a few hours, do you two want to get ready for when the family arrives."
"More people are coming" Noah said looking thrilled.
"Yes honey they'll be lots of people coming today."
"That's awesome" Noah ran out of the room with Ally right behind him while Derek put his arm around Meredith and kissed her cheek, "Merry Christmas, Noah is very excited."
"Usually Christmas is just me and him and the last few Christmas I didn't try as much as I should have to make it a happy occasion."
"Well this year Noah's going to have the most special Christmas he's ever had."
"I think we both will" Meredith said as she kissed Derek and rose from the bed.
Meanwhile Amelia was jogging through the snow she breathed in hard through her nostrils as she jogged along the path looking out at families going outside their doors and walking through the snow, she looked at children having snowball fights and she jogged past a playground and into the woods. Amelia stopped to pant hard as she breathed in cold air and looked around rubbing her arms as she felt the cold of the air spreading to her body then she squinted her eyes as she saw something that looked out of place, "what on earth" as she jogged over and felt her eyes blink as she saw a mass of blonde hair peeking out from a blanket and looking closer she saw what appeared to be a woman sleeping on the soft ground. Amelia reached down and rubbed the woman's shoulder with her hand there was a groan and the woman turned around and yelped as she drew back, "hey are you ok."
"Yeah i'm fine" the woman said, "sorry i'll get out of here."
"Sorry I woke you just wanted to check to see if your...wait a second" Amelia stared hard as memories bloomed in her head, "its you."
"Wha" the woman said groggily.
"Its you...its you your the punk who broke into my house last year."
"Wait no no" the woman stammered as she tried to get her legs working to stand up, "i've never met you before."
"Yes it was it was definitely you, I remember you broke into my house, you tied me up, then you stole my things and then when you finished you tickled me with a brush on my feet for an hour before leaving me to pass out."
"No no I swear" the woman got to her feet and walked backwards with her hands outstretched in a pleading motion, "that wasn't me."
"Oh bullshit it was and this time your not getting away" the woman walked backwards before turning to run and Amelia sprinted quickly tackling the woman to the ground before sitting on her legs, "what are you doing?"
"Getting my christmas present by calling the police."
"No wait please don't call the police."
"Oh its to late to beg for mercy, the police are going to come and your going to spend Christmas in a cell you little punk."
The woman struggled and flayed her arms around, "get off me you bitch."
"Not a chance, now stay still until the boys in blue arrive."
"No" Amelia felt a slap across the cheek and next second chased after the woman who slipped on the ice and fell down, "ow fuck."
"Nowhere to run now just accept your fate you deserve it."
"Shit" and Amelia looking down from her phone in her hand looked at the woman or girl rather lying still on the ground with scrunched up eyes and she heard soft sobbing. Amelia looked at her phone and her heart slowly softened as she put the phone down, "okay" she said as she bent down and put a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"No no" the girl cried out squirming around.
"Its alright jeez you look terrible, just come and lets sit down over here." Amelia helped the girl to her feet and the girl gasped in pain before putting the weight of her body on her one good ankle.
"Just limp" Amelia said as she carried the girl over to a log, "look i'm not going to hurt you and i'm not going to call the police."
"What are you doing?"
"Look your lucky I have a soft spot for kids and your still a kid otherwise I would be calling the police."
"Just ring the police."
"What?"
"I deserve it anyway so just get on with it.'
"No i'm not going to just get on with it" Amelia sat next to the girl on the log, "now you stop that talk and tell me why your sleeping in the woods."
"I'm homeless."
"Okay" Amelia nodded, "i'm guessing you ran away from home."
"My parents are psychos."
"Psychos, okay so your homeless and you have nowhere to stay and its Christmas."
"Look i'm fine" the girl said with closed eyes, "just go home and leave me alone."
"Well i'm having Christmas at my brothers house, so why don't you come with me and you can have Christmas with us."
The girl just sighed and Amelia put a hand across the girl's shoulders, "there's tons of food."
"What would your brother say?"
"My brothers a good guy he won't turn you away and his girlfriend is pretty nice to, they'll be a lot of us there and you can be my special guest."
"This isn't a trap is it?"
"No kid its Christmas you can't be huddled here all by yourself in the snow with nothing in your belly on Christmas... come on lets go."
The girl slowly nodded and with Amelia's help got up and put her arm around Amelia's shoulders to support herself, "what's your name anyway?"
"Its ah Rose."
"Rose."
"Yeah Rose" the girl said with a unconvincing face.
"Right and my name is Cassandra."
The girl sighed, "no its not."
"Your right its not just like your name isn't Rose."
"Okay its Mia."
"I'm Amelia, we better get you some ice when we get inside for your ankle."
Mia groaned as she started to hop, "can't we get a taxi or something to your house."
"You have money for one because I didn't bring my wallet, we'll stop on the way for some breaks it will be fine."
Elsewhere everyone had arrived and Meredith was rushing to the kitchen to put the kettle on and serve drinks and get out trays of food stumbling and nearly falling over along the way. Meredith breathed hard feeling sweat building on her forehead and nearly leaped when she felt Derek's hands on her neck, "Derek this is no time for a massage."
"Meredith you have to relax."
"There's dozens of people here I can't relax."
"They're fine they're happy, don't be in such a rush to do everything at once let me help."
"Derek." Meredith sighed as Derek turned her around to face him, "Meredith hey look at me its all going well."
"Okay your right" Meredith muttered, "its going well."
There was a knock and a elderly woman with kind eyes walked into the kitchen Derek smiled, "you haven't met my mum yet."
"Hi dear i'm Carol, oh you are even prettier than what Derek described."
"Ah mum" Derek said as Meredith started to blush.
"Sorry I have a alligator mouth Derek has told me so much about you its so nice to finally meet you."
"Me to" Meredith said as she gave Carol a hug, "merry Christmas."
"Oh let me help with you that."
"Its ok."
"Come on I insist come on lets go in here and we'll talk about your life in Seattle."
Carol wandered into the living room while Meredith grinned at Derek, "well as I expected she's very friendly."
"She is and she raised me well" Meredith looked at the clock, "shouldn't Amelia be back by now."
"I'm sure she'll be here soon" Derek got the other tray from the bench, "she's probably just taken the scenic route she often does that when she starts jogging around a unfamiliar city."
Amelia carried Mia round the corner and Mia feeling a lot of pain gritted her teeth, "are we nearly there."
"Just round the next bend."
"You said that already, I think your lost."
"We're not lost yes I've never been here before but my sense of direction is excellent."
"Yeah, bullshit."
"Would you rather I drop you off here and find you a nice sandwich in the bin."
"Okay i'll shut up" Mia looked up and her eyes grew wide, "this is my brothers house."
"Wait" Mia muttered, "this is your brothers house?"
"Yeah its big isn't it."
"Ah" Mia stuttered as her face became pale, "you know what you've been really cool but i'm going to have to say no to the party."
"Come on" Amelia said placing Mia down on a ledge and standing in front of her, "it will be fine no one is going to kick you out my family's very nice."
"Yeah" Mia said nodding slowly with wide fearful eyes, "I bet they are but i'm going to have to say no."
"Look I just helped carry you for three kms, i'm not going to let you wander off by yourself with your ankle the way it is. You'll be like the easiest fish to catch for all the predators of the city."
"No i'll be fine" Mia rubbed her ankle, "really I will my ankle's much better."
"Why do you look so afraid?"
"I'm not" Mia said unconvincingly.
Amelia looked at the house and looked at Mia, "did you break into this house as well, did you torture the people living here with hairbrushes to"
"No" Mia said definitely before her face softened, "well sort of."
"Okay you know what" Amelia got out her phone, "I was willing to let this go for me, but you did the same tickle torture and stealing to my family so now i'm calling the police."
"No no wait wait" Mia grabbed Amelia's arm with her hands, "I can explain."
"Okay explain."
"I used to live there."
"You used to live with my brother?"
"Well I used to live with his girlfriend she was my foster carer."
"Well this is getting interesting, so let me guess you don't want to go into the house because you don't want to see Meredith."
"Its not that's she bad its just well she'll leture me and be disappointed and say to me Mia why are you living on the street and I kind of promised her I would be good and well you know what I mean."
"Why are you living on the street and don't tell me its because your parents are psychos I need more detail than that."
"Because I pissed my parents off, like really really pissed them off and they were going to kill me."
"Did they say that?"
"Yes because I helped fucking Meredith and Derek out."
"You helped Meredith and Derek out and your parents wanted to kill you?"
"My parents were going to take Ally away from them and I stood up in court and said my parents are shit and they well you can guess what happened next."
Amelia just stared with blank eyes at Mia, "i'm really lost"
Mia groaned loudly, "I came to kidnap Ally cause shes my little sister I changed my mind because she was happy with Derek. Meredith found out who I was and I tied her up and stole her car I crashed it before I could get away. Meredith felt sorry for me and to keep me out of jail she was my foster carer for like a month then I went to live on a ranch where I shovelled horse shit all day and then my mum and dad show up and we are all like yah we're going to be a family again and i'm like dude that's awesome. Then I find out they want to sell Ally to a paedophile ring as soon as they got her so I stand up in court say my mum and dad are shit and they're like we're going to kill you bitch when we get home so I kick my dad in the balls and ran away to hide and so here we are and i'm not going in there for a fucking lecture from the doc. I hate doc's lectures they're boring they're depressing and I hate them."
"Okay okay wait wait" Amelia raised her hands to stop Mia from rambling, "Ally's your sister?"
"Yes Ally is my sister were you not listening to me."
"If Ally's your sister than...that makes you my niece."
Mia blinked hard and screwed up her face, "no it doesn't."
"Yes" Amelia replied, "your my niece."
"I'm not your niece, Derek like adopted Ally and your Ally's aunt, it doesn't mean your my aunt as well."
"I'm definitely not letting you go now."
"What are you gonna do" Mia said definitely, "you can't make me go in."
"No" Amelia said with a nod, "but I can carry you in."
"No no you can't no no fuck-" as Amelia lifted Mia up over her shoulder, "no no fuck put me down put me down, fuck your freakishly strong, help help this bitch is kidnapping me, help fuck oh fuck no not a lecture not a lecture."
"Its ok" Amelia called out at a couple stopping to stare, "this is my niece" as she pointed to Mia flailing and kicking.
"I'm not your niece" Mia cried out as Amelia opened the door and wandered in with Mia still struggling on her shoulder, "hey everyone merry Christmas I bought you all a present."
"Put me down" Mia called out as Amelia did and Mia jumped at the door as Amelia stood in front to block as she sniggered, "your evil get out of my way."
"Amelia" Derek called out as he came to the door, "what the heck is with all the noise... Mia."
"The one and only" Amelia said as she waved her hand at Mia as if she was a prize Derek had won on a gameshow. "I found her sleeping on the street."
Mia glared daggers, "oh you bitch."
"Hey hey" Derek said firmly, "watch your language there are small children here come on we're going upstairs."
"Like hell I am" Mia said as she tried to get past Amelia, "get out of my way."
"Derek" Meredith called in the distance, "what on earth is going on."
"Come here guess what Amelia bought into our house."
Meredith walked to the door and she dropped her glass as she dashed forward and threw her arms around Mia, "oh god Mia I have been worried sick about you where have you been?"
"Sleeping on the street" Derek said.
"The street" Meredith said loudly.
"Oh god" Mia groaned, "its about to start."
"Mia" Meredith said in her firmest voice, "get upstairs."
"But" Mia said.
"Now" Meredith said.
Mia looked at Amelia, "does she have to come."
"Yes" Amelia smirked, "i've been looking forward to this for the last two minutes."
"Amelia" Derek said, "can you please leave this to us."
"What if she lies."
"We'll get her to tell us the truth."
Meredith looked firmly at Mia, "upstairs young lady."
"I can't walk upstairs with my ankle."
"I can carry her again" Amelia said.
"Lets just use the free room downstairs" Derek muttered.
For the next few minutes Meredith and Derek listened intently as Mia reluctantly told them the same story she told Amelia, "ok so after court you went with your parents and they said they were going to kill you."
"As soon as they reached a red light" Mia said quietly, "I just threw open the car door and I ran they gave chase but they didn't catch me."
Derek leaned forward, "do you think they're still looking for you."
"I don't know they're not from here, so I think they may have gone back home by now they live in L.A."
"Okay" Derek said, "lets address the elephant in the room why didn't you come to us."
"I'm not you charity case you've saved me before already."
"Mia do you remember what I said to you when you left us,"
Mia looked at Meredith, "I don't remember."
"I said if you ever needed anything you could call us, Mia I wish you would have come to us right away instead of being homeless for four weeks what do you think this is the hunger games."
"I thought you would be mad at me."
"Of course we're mad at you, you've been sleeping on logs and sidewalks."
"No I mean I said things" Mia said as she looked down, "about you in court, about you being terrible people and evil parents and all that."
"Mia" Derek said after a long pause as he put a hand on Mia's shoulder, "assuming that what you said was really that terrible which it wasn't at least not to us. We know you only said those things because you wanted Ally to live with you again."
"I just wanted" Mia shook her head, "never mind."
"Okay lets not talk about this right now" Meredith said with a soft smile, "why don't you have a bath, we'll get you some clothes and then you can have some dinner and you can meet Derek's relatives."
"Are they all like Amelia,"
"No they're worse" Derek said with a grin.
Mia let out a chuckle as Meredith smiled, "okay i'll get the bath going and Derek if you could get a icepack."
"I'll also get you some food to eat in the meantime, cause I bet your starving."
"Why aren't you two lecturing me more?"
"Well what were you expecting" Derek asked.
"I was expecting a big long lecture from Meredith with her saying things like, you've been living on the street, you could have been killed when you left you told us you would be better and you lied."
Meredith stared long at Mia, "sweetheart its Christmas otherwise I would be lecturing you for hours and i'll probably be lecturing you tomorrow."
"I can stay the night?"
"Of course you can knucklehead" Meredith said with a smile, "i'll get started on the bath come upstairs to the bathroom when your ready, if you need help getting up the stairs we can call Amelia."
"She scares me" Mia muttered as Derek and Meredith smiled, "we'll get some food."
Mia just nodded silently as Meredith and Derek wandered out, "you feel better" Derek said.
Meredith nodded, "never better."
Mia massaged her sore ankle and then got up to limp slowly out of the room she looked at the front door leading outside and looking back with pained eyes she started to open the front door before there was a gasp and she turned around and quickly bent down as two small bodies ran into her arms, "hey guys" she whispered to Ally and Noah.
"Santa brought you here for Christmas."
"Not Santa Amelia did" Mia said with a smile.
"Mia" Meredith said from the top of the stairs as she looked at the three children hugging each other and then at the open front door.
"Hey" Mia said.
"Mia" Meredith said as the muscles in her cheeks tightened, "if you try and sneak out of here, i'll chase after you and carry you back inside myself."
"God its like a prison here" Mia muttered.
"That's right" Meredith said firmly as she walked downstairs and closed the front door, "Noah and Ally I want to give you two a very important job."
"What is it?" Noah asked.
"Stop Mia from escaping the house."
"We'll do it" Ally said.
"Okay okay i'll stay" Mia grumbled trying not to let a grin show on her face.
"The bath is ready."
"Could I like entertain the rugrats."
"As long as your ankle is up to it and as long as you have a bath first and change those clothes."
"Yeah I do smell like but, i'll come and play with you guys in a little bit" Mia started to walk up the stairs and turned around as she heard footsteps behind her, "what are you guys doing?"
"Guarding the escape places" Noah said.
"I'm not going to run away eggheads, i'm just going to the bathroom."
"There's a window in the bathroom" Ally said as Noah nodded.
"Its high up and I don't have a rope to climb down so I can't escape" Mia ruffled the kids hair with her hands, "i'm coming down soon and then I want to play some games with you guys."
"Promise" Noah said.
"Yeah dude I promise."
A few hours later Meredith was having a drink of wine with Derek's sisters feeling like she was becoming part of the family when she felt Noah's little hands tugging on her forearm, "yes honey."
"Mia is asleep on the sofa."
"She's just very tired" Meredith said as she put her glass down and got up, "whoa whoa wait wait" Amelia said loudly.
"Wait for what?"
"I got this" Amelia said as she creeped into the living room as Meredith followed, "you got what" she said as she saw Mia collapsed on sofa snoring softly.
Amelia made a shushing motion with a finger on her mouth and then started to scratch Mia's feet with her nails until Mia woke up laughing before yelling and scurrying back on the sofa, "payback's a you know what."
"Yeah" Mia said as she sat on her own feet, "well so are you."
Amelia grinned, "just having fun with my niece."
"I'm not your fucking-"
"Mia" Meredith said firmly, "why don't you just come with me I've set up a bed for you."
Meredith opened the door to the study and Mia made a face as she looked at the mattress on her floor, "wow this looks cosy."
"Its better than sleeping on a bench, "you don't have any other clothes do you?"
"No" Mia muttered as she punched her pillow to fluff it up.
"Okay" Meredith sat down on a chair, "we're going shopping tomorrow."
Mia moaned, "god your so nice its so annoying."
"Why is it annoying" Meredith said feeling amused.
"Cause I was gonna rob an old lady and then your voice was in my head and I stopped your turning me into a nice person."
"Oh sweetheart that's not true, you already were a nice person."
"Whatever" Mia grumbled as she lied down on the sofa.
"I got you a Christmas present."
Meredith sat up, "wait you didn't know I was coming."
"Well no but just in case you did" Meredith gave Mia a small box and Mia looked inside at a pendent with a picture of her, Ally and Noah smiling for a photo together.
"You like it" Meredith asked and her eyes softened as Mia nodded looking like she was holding back tears, "thanks" Mia whispered.
"Mia can you promise me something."
"Yeah sure."
"Promise you won't run away during the night."
Mia just nodded, "yeah I promise."
"Okay" Meredith said softly, "i'll see you in the morning."
Meredith turned around until she felt her elbow being pulled and Mia engulfing her in a hug.
"Merry Christmas" Meredith whispered.