The sun was still sleeping behind the hills when the clock by Meredith's bedside table read 5.00am and the door to the bedroom slowly opened as a figure tip toed into the room and creeped its way over to the bed where a sleeping Derek lied on his side, "Derek" Mia whispered.

Derek didn't stir and Mia putting her hands on his shoulder gave him a shake as Derek's tired eyes creeped open, "Ally what is it?"

"Guess again."

"Mia" Derek mumbled in annoyance as he slowly sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, "what do you want?"

"Its time to go driving."

"What" Derek rubbed his tired face with his hand, "Mia what."

"I said its time to go driving" Mia repeated, "come on get your backside out of bed."

"What time is it?"

"Its driving time."

"Its 5.00am" Derek ran the palms of his hands down his face as he groaned, "god go back to sleep."

"But dude."

"Mia go back to bed, jesus."

"Okay then" Mia took out her phone, "i'll go back to bed just as soon as I send through some photos to Meredith and I must say I think she'll be surprised when she finds out what people around her have been doing."

"Okay okay" Derek groaned as quietly as he could manage as he got up as Meredith slowly stirred away from slumber on the other side of the bed, "honey where are you going?"

"To take Hannah Montana driving."

"Dude that joke doesn't click, I don't even sing."

"Lets just get on with it."

"Okay" Mia said cheerfully as Meredith rolled over in her bed to sleep before she yelped and sat up in a fright to look at Mia's sheepish grin, "what are you doing Mia."

"I was going for the feet" Mia withdrew her hand from under the blankets, "wow Meredith your buts ticklish, that's interesting."

"Mia" Meredith said with gritted teeth, "get out."

"Okay okay chill i'm leaving come on dude we got driving to do" Mia patted Derek's back as Derek moaned and hobbled his way out the door.

Derek drove to an empty parking spot and after wearily putting the car into park he got out to switch places with Mia who jumped into the driving seat and started to turn on the car when Derek reached his arm across and called out, "stop stop stop."

"What" Mia muttered impatiently.

"We have to go over what we learned first."

"I already know all that dude you told me yesterday remember."

"Then show me what you learned."

"Okay seat back, radio on" Mia adjusted the tune, "pick the right channel" Derek's face cringed as loud pop music started to play he grinded his teeth as Mia turned up the volume, "there we go now we're ready to hit the road."

"No... no... no" Derek said as he turned off the radio, "this is serious what did I teach you about safety."

Mia rolled her eyes, "that's its lame."

"Mia no" Derek let out a loud sigh which Mia mimicked with a grin as Derek shook his head in annoyance, "ok step one adjust the mirros, then step two adjust your seating position so you can see out of the mirros properly."

"Shouldn't that be seeing into the mirrors to adjust your hair."

"No you adjust your mirrors so you can see traffic so a great big truck won't crash into you when your driving on the road" Derek stared long and hard as he thought back to the time Mia had stolen and crashed Meredith's car where she had ended up in hospital in a coma, "does that sound familiar to you?"

Mia raised an eyebrow, "your never going to let that go are you."

"Its a good story to come back to every time you choose not to listen to me about driving safety, and it will be a good story to share at your high school graduation as well, if you and I manage to live that long."

"Okay so I drove Meredith's car and I crashed and wrecked it and I went into a coma but I pulled through it, so its in the past lets forgot about it."

"I'm never going to forgot about it and we're not testing to see if you can cheat death twice, now adjust the mirrors and next is the most obvious thing, put your seatbelt on."

"I was going to suggest that."

"Right i'm sure you were" Derek muttered sarcastically, "now practice looking both ways before driving off."

"There's nobody around" Mia said as she looked all around the carpark, "what am I looking for sheep, the occasional ufo I think I see a leprechaun in the tree over there."

"Mia this is practice before you go driving on the road you have to get the hang of this otherwise if your driving on the road and you crash and somehow survive you will wake up in a hospital bed with Meredith looming over you wearing a frown."

"That's a lovely picture Derek."

"Just demonstrate looking both ways and start taking this seriously."

"Okay" Mia said as she looked both ways, "you don't have to be so mean you know."

"Well if I had more sleep last night I would be feeling a bit nicer today."

Mia smirked as she continued to look both ways, "okay hows that teacher."

"Check your blind spot" Derek muttered.

"Which is?"

"Just turn your head and look in the places where the mirrors can't show you what's behind you."

"So turn completely around?"

"No just never mind we'll practice it later when we're on the road, okay now practice driving round the carpark."

"I already did that yesterday" Mia said impatiently, "can't we go on the road?"

"No not until we get the hang of driving around the carpark in a safe manner first."

"How long is that going to take?"

"As long as it takes for me to be happy with your performance."

"So years pretty much."

"At the rate we're going yes pretty much years, years of answering back from you, years of groaning from me and years again of practicing this important task."

"Okay then" Mia said as she reached into her pocket to pull out her phone.

"What are you doing" Derek was feeling the grumpiness inside him rising a notch, "you can't be texting on your phone when your driving that's very dangerous."

"I'm not texting" Mia looked up and smirked, "i'm just sending Meredith some photos that I took the other day, she likes it when she knows what me and other people are up to and since she doesn't use Facebook that much..."

"Okay Mia" Derek stopped the car and pulled back his chair, "just stop stop this."

"Stop what?" Mia said innocently.

"Stop trying to manipulate me and Meredith like this."

"How am I manipulating you?"

"Your blackmailing me to teach you to drive, your tickling Meredith and making her vomit to get money from her and your disrespecting us by having friends round when your grounded. Not to mention your not following the rules of the household."

"Well" Mia shrugged casually, "blackmail and torture are some of the easiest ways known to man to get what you want, I had friends round to study like I told you and dude the ah big book of rules Meredith did for me following that its like living in a prison."

"No it isn't the rules are there for a reason and blackmail and torture will just get you in trouble and" Derek looked at Mia's wide cheeky grin and he threw his hands up in a defeated gesture, "well you know what i'm just going to propose to Meredith and then I won't have to worry about this blackmail from you anymore."

"Ah so my cunning plan is working" Mia's grin grew wider as she leaned in, "your looking to pop the question and get hitched with the doc sooner."

Derek groaned, "Mia please just stop it." Derek leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes as Mia sniggered, "Derek do you know i'm just screwing with you."

"Are you really?"

"Yeah really" Mia said as put a hand on his shoulder, "I didn't really take photos of you looking into that wedding shop and even if I did I wouldn't send them to Meredith because I want your proposal to be a nice surprise for her."

"Okay" Derek took a deep breath and let it out as he leaned his head back in the passenger seat, "thanks for telling me that."

Mia popped a tic-tac into her mouth before turning her head to look at Derek staring at the road, "you really are stressing about this aren't you?"

"I just want it to be something that Meredith will love, I still don't know how i'm going to do it."

"Well I think you should pick a romantic place, have some music do a bit of dancing" Mia counted the steps on her fingers "pop the question and checkmate."

"If only it were that easy" Derek said quietly, "and this isn't like playing a game of chess its one of the most important moments of mine and Meredith's lives."

"Well just do something that pops into your head that Meredith enjoys and she'll like it."

"I don't want her to like it, I want her to love it."

"Your overthinking this dude."

"Yeah maybe your right" Derek looked sideways, "you know your wiser than you look."

"I've spend to much time around Meredith" Mia did a casual small shrug of the shoulders, "she's turning me into a dork."

"I think that's a good thing" Derek said smiling as Mia rolled her eyes, "its not going to get me laid."

"Mia" Derek said loudly as Mia sniggered, "god you and Meredith are made for each other your both so easy to wind up."

Derek chuckled more out of frustration and amusement before he got a hold of himself and smirked at Mia, "yeah well since I now know you don't have the blackmail photos after all, that means I don't have to take you driving anymore."

"Well ah" Mia stammered quickly, "you can still take me driving."

"And why is that?"

"Cause your a nice guy."

"Oh really" Derek said as he smiled.

"Yeah that's pretty much the reason why, your nearly as nice as crazy nice lady ie Meredith."

"There's no other reason that you can think of."

"Well you know when I get my licence I could always drive the kids to school and pick them up once I pass my test."

"That's true" Derek's eyes sparkled as he thought about it, "and now that you got me thinking when you get your licence you can do a great number of jobs for us as well. You can do the grocery shopping, pick up parcels, transport bags of smelly manuare for the gardens I work at. You could be our own little postman and deliver all the letters, I think I should start making a list."

Mia shook her head and frowned as Derek laughed, "you can stop wetting your panths with excitement i'm not doing any of that."

"Well you will when you start asking us for money."

"I'll get a job instead it sounds easier than your list."

"Well if you don't get a job by then you could become our very own turd transporter."

"Well the only way i'm going to pass my test" Mia muttered, "is if I actually go out onto the road not just drive around a carpark trying to outstrip passing butterflies."

"Okay" Derek said as he felt the fun mood he was in passing and he was back to feeling stressed again, "we'll find a quiet road for you to drive on but we'll go slowly."

"As always like a baby turtle on the beach making its way to the ocean."

Derek drove to a quiet lane and started to do a father son and the holy spirit with his hands on his chest as Mia rolled her eyes, "we're not going to die you know."

"I still think I should put on my crash helmet."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence" Mia muttered as she changed places with Derek, "okay Mia now go very slowly" Mia started to drive as Derek sat on the edge feeling his heart rate quickening, "slowly... slowly, slowly stop stop" as Mia drove faster, "fuck jesus."

Mia stopped the car and turned to stare at Derek with a wide open mouth, "I think that's the first time i've ever herd you swear."

"It happens" Derek said as he took deep breaths, "when I get scared to death."

"We're not going to have an accident, there's no one else on this road we were going like 30kms an hour."

"Well we will be in an accident if you drive this fast and we don't have to hit another driver for you to have an accident we only need to hit a nearby tree, I said drive slowly... slowly means slowly."

"Ok" Mia said slowly in a deep voice before she started driving at 10kms an hour, "hows this."

"Yeah better ok" Derek saw a car reversing from a driveway onto the road in the distance, "keep your distance from the car up ahead so we don't end up driving up its backside."

"That's a good saying" Mia said with a chuckle, "where did you learn that from?"

"From my father when he taught me how to drive."

"Right cool good" Mia started to speed up and Derek threw his arms back to the car roof, "no no" Derek made a quiet scream and Mia slowed down before she pulled over and smiled, "dude I was totally kidding."

"Mia don't ever do that again, pull over."

"We have pulled over."

Derek put his hand to his chest breathing hard as Mia sniggered, "jesus" Derek gasped.

"You ok big fella?"

"Just getting over the feeling of crapping my panths while driving."

"It wasn't that close."

"It was close and I bet that poor driver in front of us was as scared as I am right now" Derek took several deep breaths and looked at Mia's face, "why do you look so happy?"

Mia smiled, "because I like this."

"What giving me grey hairs?"

"No... well yeah I do but I mean I like this you know, hanging out with you, learning stuff from you having a laugh its nice I just" Mia's voice dropped and became quiet, "its something I always wanted to do when I was growing up, just do something normal like this you know."

Derek looked at Mia for a long time and he felt his heart melting, "as strange as it sounds to me right now I like doing this with you to. Tell you what why don't we take the car out on the road one more time."

"Cool" Mia said in a loud enthusiastic voice which made Derek start to wonder if he had been gulilt tricked the same way Meredith had been the other day, "hey afterwards can we get a fish burger?"

"From where?"

"Mcdonalds where else."

"At 6 in the morning we need a proper breakfast."

"That is a proper breakfast."

"No its not" Derek muttered.

"Yeah it is" Mia said.

"Can we just finish the driving lesson and then we'll talk more about breakfast."

"Sure sure captain Shepherd" Mia said as she put the car into drive as Derek lied back in his chair before a thought struck him, "hey wait a minute."

"What?"

"Its just occurred to me your fifteen, don't you need to be sixteen before you start doing driving out onto the road."

"I am sixteen" Mia said casually.

Derek sat up, "when did you turn sixteen?"

"A few weeks ago."

Derek stared long and hard at Mia, "why didn't you tell us?"

"Its no big deal" Mia muttered, "just another year older besides I was homeless at the time who was I going to tell."

"Its, Mia... 16 is a big deal."

"Not to me" Mia shrugged, "its just another year on the life clock."

"Well" Derek said flabbergasted at Mia's attitude, "ok we're going to have to do something."

"We are" Mia shrugged again, "we're driving."

"No I mean we should you know like throw a party for you or have a nice a dinner out... or something."

"Don't worry about it I don't care, i'm not like one of those kids from mtv who thinks turning 16 is the most important night of their lives."

"Mia" Derek whispered.

Mia shot a quick glance at Derek and tutted to herself, "if you really want to do something for my birthday then get me a fish burger."

Derek sighed to himself, "i'm not going to just get you a burger and say happy birthday that's not right."

Mia put on a sad face, "well I understand if you don't want to get me a fish burger, I mean some girls they get new cars and big fancy parties when they turn 16."

"Mia" Derek sighed with a heavy heart.

"All I have dreamed about getting for my birthday is the world famous McDonalds fish burger but" Mia looked at the ceiling of the car, "if you don't want to get me a fish burger then that's okay, i'll just have to accept it."

"There's a violin in the boot of the car if you want to start playing it."

"Living on the street" Mia continued, "all those weeks sleeping on rocks I dreamed of having a fish burger in my belly every night."

"I'm not taking you driving anymore if you keep this up."

"Okay i'll stop, could you not tell Meredith i'm 16 I don't want her to lay an egg when she finds out nothing happened for my birthday."

Derek nodded, "I still don't understand why you didn't tell us."

"I told you its not a big deal to me i've never done anything for my birthday its fine."

Derek starred at Mia with sad eyes, "not even when you were little?"

Mia made a rasping sound, "don't look at me like that it doesn't matter, birthdays are overrated its no big deal."

"Well it matters to me" Derek said, "we're going to do something."

"Just forgot it" Mia said as she started to look irritated.

"Alright we won't talk about this now, lets just finish up with the driving lesson."

Two weeks later Derek was in the living room he looked around him making sure Meredith wasn't watching from the kitchen before he packed his dancing shoes into a bag as he heard loud footsteps from behind as Mia ran downstairs and straight for the front door, "see ya doc."

"Mia" Meredith poked her face out from the kitchen, "where are you going?"

"Derek and I are going to the carpark to drive, see ya."

Meredith turned to look at Derek, "are you taking Mia out driving again?"

"Yep she's getting pretty good."

"Honey i'm glad your putting a lot of energy into helping Mia learn how to drive but your also spending a lot of your free time out with Mia."

"Yeah" Derek walked over to give Meredith a kiss, "I know we haven't been around much lately, its just Mia is really keen to learn and I have been thinking if Mia is able to drive then she can transport the children and do a lot of jobs for us if we're not able to do them ourselves."

Meredith looked deep into Derek's eyes, "you know she's not even old enough to take the test yet, or drive on the road for that matter and we're not going to turn her into a slave when she gets her driving licence."

"We won't" Derek said as he looked at the front door, "Mia's in the car she can't hear us."

"Good" Meredith nodded with a smile, "our plan for tomorrow night will still be a surprise, just try to be back by 2 today" Meredith gave Derek a hug, "I need someone to watch the children while i'm completing the reports for work."

"Sure" Derek said as he smiled and kissed Meredith again, before he walked out the front door leaving Meredith to sigh before she walked to the kitchen to make lunch for Noah and Ally.

Mia looked up from her phone as Derek opened the car door and climbed in, "does she still think your taking me driving?"

"Yep" Derek answered, "I even did up my will just in case I don't make it back alive."

"Ha ha" Mia muttered as Derek sniggered and started up the car to drive to a nearby community hall he had booked out for today.

A half hour into the dancing session and Mia was stretching out her limbs before she looked at Derek panting in a chair and shaking her head she got out a small water pistol from her bag and squirted Derek with it as Derek yelped, "come on you big lug the class ain't over yet."

"Is it possible we can do this" Derek rose to his feet rubbing the water off his face, "without you giving me a bath every time I take a breather."

"Well when your driving with me your always complaining so this is like revenge."

"I complain because the fear I feel from driving with you is going to give me heart problems and I don't use a water pistol on you every time you don't listen to me during our lessons, could you put that thing away?"

"Ok fine" Mia said as she packed the water pistol away, "just trying to motivate you to learn, now lets do the dance again."

"Which one?"

"The one we just did before you stopped for a sit down, duh."

Derek rubbed his head trying to remember what he learned, "why didn't I just find a teacher from the yellow pages."

"Hey" Mia said loudly, "i'm doing this for free."

"Well i'm teaching you how to drive for free."

"Well how could I pay you, I don't have any money."

"Could we stop arguing Mia we haven't got all day."

"Your the one doing all the arguing, come on lets go."

Mia and Derek started moving and Mia let out an ow as Derek stepped on her toes, "sorry?"

Mia stepped on Derek's feet deliberately and smiled a sweet smile, "did that hurt I am very sorry."

"No it didn't hurt that much pumpkin nose" Derek smiled as he picked Mia up from the waist who flailed her arms widely as she was lifted eight feet into the air, "dude dude dude."

"What we're just practicing some ballet."

Mia looked down at Derek's grinning face, "put me down you big bully."

Derek laughed as he lowered Mia to the ground who glared at Derek, "ok two things please don't do that again ever and please don't call me pumpkin nose its cheesy."

"Of course, how about bookworm."

"Don't call me that either" Mia said pointing her finger at Derek, "that's even worse."

"Sure... ah slugger."

"That's better" Mia pouted as Derek grinned as they continued their routine, "hows this" Derek asked as they got halfway through the dance they were practicing.

"Do me a favour and stop treading on my feet now turn." Derek tried moving his feet and Mia grumbled, "I said turn not spin."

"Ok" Derek said as he tried again, "how's this."

"A bit better."

Derek smiled as he turned with Mia, "does that mean i'm getting the hang of it?"

Mia rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't say that."

"I bet i'll be dancing better than you some day."

"Yeah want to bet."

Derek grinned, "actually no."

"Cause I could use the money."

Derek turned again and Mia nodded, "your actually doing pretty good."

"Well" Derek smiled at Mia, "I do have a good teacher." After several more steps and turns Derek felt his leg muscles getting tired and he grunted, "could we take a break?"

"Again" Mia muttered.

"Mia you might be able to do this all day but i'm turning into a stiff board."

"Ok" Mia and Derek broke apart, "I guess you can rest your old bones for a while."

"I'm just tired from doing the gardening."

"Yep" Mia smirked, "whatever you say old man."

"Next time you could help this old man with the gardening."

"I've already done my punishment from the other day i'm good."

Derek nodded, "well i'll keep it in mind next time you break the rules."

"Well its not breaking the rules if you don't get caught" Mia and Derek chuckled as Derek sat down on a chair, "hey Mia thanks for doing this for me."

"Hey" Mia shrugged in embarrassment, "you do a lot for me so its fair."

"Well still thank you." Derek stretched out his legs before he looked sideways and frowned, "you alright Mia?"

"Derek" Mia said softly.

"Yeah?"

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Sure what is it?"

Mia looked away for a few moments before she said, "what was my grandma like?"

Derek blinked several times before he thought back to the days when he had first met Ally and her grandma,"well your grandma I think if I could describe her in the best way that I could I would say she had a real zest for living, she wanted to make the most out of life and to be always doing something. Even though she was bedridden a lot and couldn't get out bed to do the things she wanted to do she was one of the most full of life people i've ever met."

"Did you look after Ally a lot when you went to work at grandma's home?"

"I... well your grandma wanted to look after Ally full time but when she got very sick and was bedridden most of the time I ended up looking after Ally a lot, its funny I was gardening one day and this little girl suddenly comes up to me starts asking me all these questions and before you know it i'm in her grandmother's house looking after her. Ally was a really big help to, it was amazing the energy she had with helping me given she was only five years old at the time."

"So" Mia nodded to herself, "grandma couldn't have looked after me then if I had gone to live with her... with Ally."

Derek put a hand on Mia's shoulder, "I think if she was healthier she would have loved to have looked after both of you."

"Then you would have found me with Ally."

"Yeah."

"When grandma died, did Ally ask you to adopt her?"

"She asked me if I could be her dad."

"And you obviously said yes."

"Actually at first I said to Ally that I was worried I wouldn't have enough money to look after her and there was a foster family that were happy to look after her and I explained it to her the best way I could, but Ally she didn't care about that. She just kept asking me saying she wanted to go with me and in the end I didn't want to let her go. I was living alone then I had been for a while and the truth is I needed her as much as she needed someone."

Mia sat in silence for a little while then she opened her mouth to speak, "if I had been there I, you would have... never mind."

"If you had been there I wouldn't have left you alone Mia, you would have come to live with me and Ally."

There was a long pause Mia slowly wiped her eyes with her fingers before she nodded as she closed her eyes, "thanks Derek."

Derek feeling himself becoming very emotional stood up, "do you want to dance one more time or call it a day."

Mia looked up and smirked, "you think you can handle it?"

"I'm not a dinosaur yet."

"No" Mia chuckled, "Just almost."

"Well let me show you what this dinosaur can do."

"One second" Mia said as she reached into her bag.

"Oh no, your not giving me a bath" Derek jumped to the bag wrestling for it before he toppled to the floor as he and Mia laughed out loud.

Meredith looked at the clock it read five minutes to 2 and feeling herself getting frustrated she went to make herself a cup of tea while she thought about how she was going to be giving Derek a stern lecture when he got home. The doorbell rang and Meredith turned around confused, "Derek you don't need to ring the doorbell to come in here" she muttered to herself as she opened the door and saw with wide eyes a group of girls Mia's age standing in the doorway, "hi doctor Grey" one of them said.

"Hi" Meredith said confused as she tried to remember who she was talking to.

"Chloe" the girl with the long brunette hair said, "we met the other day remember."

"Chloe" Meredith said slowly, "sorry I and ah-"

"Justine, Alyce" Chloe said pointing out the girls as they waved, "and this is Lyra."

"Sorry" Meredith said shaking her head a little, "I remember now um Mia isn't home right now do you want to come by later."

"We know Mia isn't home" Justine said, "that's why we're here."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Mia texted us said you needed someone to watch the rug rats while your doing boring 101 so we're here to help."

"Well" Mia said trying to find the right words as she felt a uncomfortable feeling growing in her stomach, "that's very nice of you to offer but actually Noah and Ally are watching television and they're occupied so I don't need any help today but thank you for coming round" Meredith went to close the door.

"Wait" Alyce said as she stopped the door from being closed with her hand, "can't we at least have something to eat?"

"We did come a long way" Chloe added.

"And we're street kids remember" Justine grinned.

Lyra looked into the house, "I need to use the bathroom and I bet yours is pretty sweet."

"Ok" Meredith said opening the door, "come on in but just for a few minutes because I really need to do these reports."

"Mom whose there" Meredith looked at Noah wandering into the kitchen.

Justine let out a awww sound and bent down to smile at Noah, "hey cutie pie."

Noah froze and stared with fear at the girls before he turned to run into the living room, "aw he's shy" Lyra said with a smile.

Meredith sighed and went into the living room, "Noah."

"Ally" Noah called out, "the scary people are here."

Ally wandered into view from the backyard, "the scary people?"

"Mia's friends."

Ally gasped, "we got to hide."

"Noah Ally" Meredith said firmly, "no we don't run and hide from Mia's friends, Mia doesn't run and hide from your friends when they come over does she."

"But Mia's friends will kiss us" Ally said dramatically.

"And pinch our cheeks" Noah added.

"And squeeze us till we get sqeezed into jelly."

"They won't do any of that i'll make sure" Meredith reached out her hands "now come on take my hands and we'll go into the kitchen to say hello, then you'll see they are not that scary." Meredith walked into the kitchen with Noah and Ally clinging to her arms, "girls you won't hug, kiss or squeeze Ally and Noah will you?"

"Oh but they're so cute" Lyra said as she looked at the children.

"I wish I wasn't cute" Noah whispered as Ally nodded in agreement.

"Girls please they don't like it when you do those things."

"Alright whatever" Justine said as she popped her gum.

"See" Meredith said softly to the two children looking up at her, "everything is ok, you don't have to hide now how about you go back outside."

Ally and Noah nodded before they wandered away and Meredith turned to frown at Alyce opening up the cupboards, "what are you doing?"

"Getting some grub" Alyce replied as she pulled out a packet of biscuits.

"Girls you need to ask me first you just can't come into my house and start getting whatever you want."

"Why not" Justine shrugged, "Mia does it."

"That's different Mia lives here she doesn't make a mess, and if she has told you that I am a big old softie then she is wrong."

"Mia's right" Lyra smirked, "she is very uptight."

"I am not that uptight I am just strict there is a difference, if your going to behave like this then you can leave."

"Hey" Alyce muttered grinning, "could you give us money."

"You know" Chloe added, "cause we're street kids."

Meredith frowned, "i'm not giving you money for pizza."

Justine sniggered, "who says we're going to get pizza."

"I know all about what happened at school with you ditching school to buy pizza."

"Jeez its not that big a deal" Lyra took a biscuit from the packet as Meredith felt frustration creeping in, "girls."

"Relax" Justine said with a smile, "you can relax can't you."

"Maybe" Alyce said with a sly smile, "we need to help her relax."

"Girls" Meredith stepped back as Justine, Alyce and Chloe walked slowly towards her with grins, "girls girls."

"Why do you look so scared" Lyra asked.

"Because" Meredith took small steps back with her hands out at arms length, "no reason just this is uncomfortable for me can you please stop walking towards me and give me some space."

"You know" Justine smiled, "Mia has told us all about what she does to help you laugh."

Meredith turned around to find Lyra blocking her path and feeling frightened she reached deep down to find her voice, "girls leave now."

"Or what?" Lyra whispered.

"I'll ring the police."

"No you won't" Justine said as she picked up Meredith's phone from the bench, "why don't you lie down on the carpet i'm sure its very comfortable."

Meredith saw a open space between Lyra and Chloe and she quickly bolted through it and ran past the living room outside, "Noah Ally."

"Mom what is it" Noah looked up, "come inside quickly" Meredith took the kids hands and dashed inside to see the four girls smiling at her in a line. Meredith looked sideways and with a pounding heart she ran into the bathroom with the children and closed the door before she locked it, "mom" Noah whispered as he saw the fear on Meredith's face.

"Kids just stay here."

"What's wrong" Ally said softly.

"Nothing" Meredith whispered as she kissed the kids foreheads, "we're going to be okay if we just stay here until Derek comes home."

There was a knock on the door and the doorbell tried to turn before the lock stopped it, "hey doctor Greg we need to use the toilet."

"Girls leave right now please."

"But we just want to use the toilet and you know hang out with you, have a few laughs... do a bit of tickling and-"

"Leave please" Meredith said as Ally and Noah clung to her midsection, "your scaring the children."

"Maybe we should go" Chloe said.

"Why?" Justina muttered.

"Cause likes she says we're frightening them its not-"

"We're not going to hurt them idiot."

"Yeah we're just going to have fun with the doc."

"I still think we should leave, we're still scaring them."

"Oh shut up Chloe" Lyra said, "you can go if you want."

"Girls Derek is going to be home soon and if your still here he is going to call the police."

"Well maybe we can just torture him first then when you come out."

"Please" Meredith said trying to think of a quick way out of this, "just leave."

"Come on come out, we won't hurt you."

"What are you doing" a familiar voice said and Meredith breathed a sigh of relief as she knew it was Mia.

Justine turned and looked at Mia and Derek, "we're just waiting for the doc and the kids to come out of the bathroom."

"By the way if this is her panic room then she is screwed."

Mia's eyes flared up with anger, "what are you doing that's my little sister and Noah in there."

"Hey you asked us to help out and your always tickling her so we thought it might be fun to make a video of us doing torturing her and then we could sell it online and make some money."

Derek came into the house, "what's going on here."

"These bitches are going to leave"

Justine, Alyce and Lyra smirked and sniggered, Chloe looking at them said, "Mia i'm sorry we-"

"Fuck off" Mia yelled, "get out of here."

Meredith opened the bathroom door, "Mia Chloe asked the other girls to leave."

"Oh um" Mia looked at Chloe, "sorry don't fuck off Chloe, the rest of you fuck off."

Justine made a tuh noise, "we thought you were cool guess we were wrong."

"Yeah I thought you were cool" Mia replied, "but your just bitches."

"Oh yeah" Lyra said, "well your a loser taste that."

"How about you taste the palm of my hand bitch."

"Ok" Derek quickly jumped in and pulled Mia back by the waist.

"Lets go" Alyce muttered as she, Justine and Lyra walked out the door.

Chloe looked around, "I'm really sorry.

"Chloe" Meredith said softly, "I think you should go home."

"Ok" Chloe said nodding, "sorry again."

"See ya" Mia said before she went over to give Ally and Noah a hug, "you guys ok."

"Yeah" Ally said as she hugged her sister.

"Good" Mia said, "i'm going to take you guys out to the park" she looked up at Meredith and Derek, "if that's ok."

Meredith nodded and Mia walked outside with the children. Derek walked over to Meredith, "are you ok."

"Of course i'm not" Meredith said in an angry voice, "I told you to be back by 2 and instead Mia arranges for her friends to come over and they scare the children, make a mess of the kitchen and try and make me the star of a homemade tickle torture video."

"I know" Derek said, "I was a fool."

"If you had been out for much longer who knows what would have happened."

"I'm sorry" Derek said.

Meredith sighed as she felt the anger leaving her system, "at least Mia won't be hanging out with them anymore."

"Lets hope" Derek said.

The following afternoon Derek was in the kitchen making afternoon tea when Mia came through the door from school, "hey kiddo how was school."

"Yeah fine" Mia replied as she put her bag down and made her way to her bedroom.

"Mia wait" Mia turned around, "what's that?"

"What's what?" Mia said casually.

"That bruise on your face."

"Yeah I got into a fight no big deal" Mia said quickly.

"A fight" Derek gestured Mia to come closer and he stared at the holes in Mia's shirt, "what happened."

"Those bitches that were here yesterday were messing with this Chinese girl and I told them to leave her alone then they were pushing me, I was pushing them back and one thing lead to another."

"Mia."

"Go ahead say it."

"Are you ok."

"Yeah fine i've had worst."

"When are we expecting to get a phone call from the principal about this."

"Probably tomorrow and I probably will get expelled for fighting."

"Mia you stood up for someone and they started the fight, was it with all three of them?"

"Yeah" Mia said as she got an icepack from the freezer and put it on her arm.

"Then that's on them, you shouldn't get into trouble for that if anything we should be having a word with the school about what they did in this situation."

"The principal hates me she's not going to believe that."

"Well then we'll talk to someone higher up if she doesn't believe that."

Mia nodded Derek sat Mia down on a kitchen stool, "its going to be fine."

"Yeah."

"Hey it is."

Mia nodded as Derek smiled, "by the way i'm going to ask Meredith the big question next Saturday."

Mia's face lit up and she grinned, "fuckin a."

"Could you not swear" Derek muttered.

"Sorry doc" Mia smirked.

"Well soon i'll be mr doc."

"Ahhh confident."

"With the plan I have in mind I can't lose."

"Feel like sharing."

"Nah" Derek said chuckling as Mia playfully punched his arm, "guess i'll have to hear all about it when it happens."

"Yep" Derek looked at the mark on Meredith's forehead, "anyway before Meredith comes home and starts freaking out about your bruises get yourself cleaned up and we're going out to dinner tonight."

"All of us?"

"Yeah."

"Why" Mia said confused.

"Cause it will be nice" Derek answered.

A few hours later Meredith, Derek, Mia, Ally and Noah were walking into the entrance of a seafood restaurant. Noah pointed excitedly, "look at all the pirates."

"Mia" Ally grabbed Mia's hand, "there are lots of pirates."

"Yep bumblebee" Mia muttered as she looked at men and women dressed up in costumes walking past, a slide where small children were sliding into a plastic ball pit and colourful decorations, "lots of pirates are here and thankfully no one from my school is here either."

Meredith looked at Derek, "Derek" she said with worry in her voice.

"I'll talk to the resturant manager" Derek whispered as they went to sit down at a table, "okay everyone have a look at the menu while i'll-"

"Happy birthday" a loud voice said as a man dressed with a big captains hat made their way to the table.

"Oh god" Mia moaned quietly as pirates came dancing in front of her and starting singing in a line, "happy birthday ye landlubber yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, your 16 now and another year older yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."

After two more minutes the pirates placed a large cake in the middle of the table, Noah and Ally clapped, Meredith looked immensely guilty and Derek turned to Mia who had turned beet red and softly coughed, "ah beautiful singing don't you think."

Mia glared at Derek with a forced smile as Derek looked bashful, "there's a big menu here why don't you order something, and um we brought you some clothes."

Mia leaned in close, "I am so going tell Meredith your secret."

"Tell me what secret" Meredith said.

"That ah" Mia stammered as she drew back, "um you know never mind... this is ah nice."

"Happy birthday" Ally threw herself in Mia's arms followed by Noah, "thanks little dude, thanks bumblebee and hey" Mia looked at Derek, "maybe after dinner we can make your dad walk the plank."

Twenty minutes later after a certain amount of pleading and firm no's from Meredith and Derek which were being ignored Mia after saying its ok was heading over to the ball pit with Noah and Ally, Meredith with low spirits whispered, "Derek what were we thinking."

"Well on the plus side she might look back on this and laugh."

"I didn't want this to be a laugh when you told me Mia has never had a birthday party before I wanted this to be a special moment for her. Not a moment where we embarrass and ridicle her in public."

"Well we won't show the videotape of the singing pirates to anyone else, well at least until she's a lot older and-"

"We're getting her a car" Meredith said firmly.

"What" Derek sat up, "Meredith."

"When she passes her driving test we're getting her a car."

"Don't you think that's a bit extreme" Derek muttered.

"Not really Derek unless you rather she drives your car."

Derek put on a fake smile, "you know another car sounds great."

Later that night Derek and Meredith carried the sleeping Noah and Ally to bed before they walked downstairs and wandered over to the living coach where Mia was watching television, "Mia."

"Yeah" Mia said as she and Derek sat down beside her.

Meredith ran a hand up and down Mia's arm, "we're very sorry about tonight we obviously have no idea how to throw a party for a sixteen year old and we should have just asked you first what you wanted to do, if you want to have a party here then-"

"Guys it was fun" Mia said, "yes it was very embarrassing, yes I got pelted by plastic balls from ankle biters but it was fun and you know I feel its made up for all the birthdays I missed growing up."

"Mia" Derek said, "your not just saying that cause-"

"No" Mia interrupted, "i'm not no one has every done that for me" Mia gave Meredith and Derek a quick hug, "you guys are the best." Mia got up and headed to her room.

"Well that worked out well" Derek said.

"I still think" Meredith started.

"Meredith you have a big heart but I think she's fine if we just get her the car as a surprise."

Meredith smiled widely, "okay"

"Speaking of surprises I am working out a surprise trip for us"

"Derek, Ally has just started playing soccer we can't go away on the weekend."

"No it would just be a day trip for us I was thinking next Saturday."

"Well" Meredith said as she thought about it, "we haven't had a day out by ourselves for a little while."

Derek nodded, "then we should do it."

"What are we doing?"

"Its a surprise"

"You and your surprises" Meredith said smiling as she kissed him and got up to make a cup of tea in the kitchen as Derek feeling his heart racing breathed into his hands, "okay Derek all the pieces are in place now its time to ask the big question."