Late that afternoon Meredith and Derek opened the door and carried a sleeping Noah and Ally into the house, while Chloe followed suit rubbing Ally's back with her hand, "I guess we wore them out huh."
"You chase after them for a few hours" Derek said, "and they are both out like a light, i'm surprised your not tired."
"We're not as old as you are dude" Mia said as she came into the house, "we don't get tired super easily."
"Uh huh" Derek said turning to Meredith, "well bedroom."
"Yes" Meredith said as she made her way with Noah towards the stairs.
"Hey guys" Mia smirked, "could you wait till we're gone before you start having sex."
"Mia we are not taking the bait" Meredith said with a small smile as she and Derek carried the kids to the bedroom before Derek came downstairs as Mia shook her head in wonder, "that is the first time i've made a comment about sex where you haven't gone in a loud voice... Mia."
"Well" Derek stretched his arms, "that comment has already been used on us so many times, it doesn't even affect us anymore. So are you girls still going to the movies?"
"Yeah" Chloe said, "the next lot of sessions are playing in an hour."
"Well while your waiting for the bus, if you like seeing movies then, we have some interesting movies here."
"Yeah black and white silent movies" Mia said with a grin.
Derek smirked, "not just that, we also have some home made videos that Chloe might want to see?"
"What kind of home made videos" Chloe asked curiously.
"Well" Derek said with a evil smile, "there is one that I think you will like, Mia's 16th birthday dinner at the buccinneer barnacle."
"No don't you dare" Mia said loudly and pointing her finger at Derek.
"What" Chloe said with a grin.
"Well do you want to see it" Derek with a smirk.
"I kind of do" Chloe looked at Mia still grinning, "are there pirates in it, does Mia walk the plank?"
"Well why spoil it with words" Derek wandered over to the dvd shelf, "when we can watch it for ourselves."
"No" Mia cried out as she jumped on Derek's back. Derek gasped for a moment before he sighed, "you know Mia your not that heavy I could easily just toss you onto the couch."
"Oh yeah" Mia said locking her legs around Derek's waist and wrapping an arm around his neck, "what if I do this?"
"Ahhhh" Derek cried out with laughter as Mia's fingers reached his neck, Derek gasped loudly and slowly tumbled to the floor as he continued to cackle with Mia on top of him tickling him to death.
"Now" Mia said, "where's the dvd of my birthday party surprise?"
"Its" Derek gasped and tried to pry Mia's loose as Mia wrapped her arms around Derek's head tightly while her devilish fingers continued to torture his neck, "I no its Mia."
"Come on talk" Mia grinned, "your almost as ticklish as the doc you know, how come I never noticed this before, I might start torturing you more often."
"Okay stop stop" Derek said gasping, "please ok ok."
"Ok" Mia fingers took a breather "where is it?"
Derek took a deep breath and Mia starting waving her hand in front of his face before making tickling motions in the air with her fingers. Derek looked at her fingers in front of his face and taking a big gulp of air he stammered, "the dvd is, its behind the history box sets."
"Thank you" Mia said as she released Derek and went to the history box sets but Chloe got there first, she grabbed the dvd and jumped to the other side of the living room as Mia blinked hard, "hey gimme."
"I want to see it" Chloe said as she looked at the dvd.
"No no no" Mia said she started to chase a laughing Chloe around the living room as Derek rose to his feet and blocked Mia's path, "hey it's two against one."
"Yeah" Derek said as he lifted Mia up over his shoulder, "hey hey" Mia stammered, "no fair."
"No fair, you know I think its toe time" Derek said as his hand reached to take off Mia's shoe.
"No its not toe time, your not tickling me" Mia yelped as she flailed her legs in the air, "no."
"Oomph" Derek gasped and tumbled to the floor as Mia accidently kicked his stomach hard. Mia got to her feet and leaned over him, "oh shit dude dude, you ok."
Derek rubbed his stomach, "okay note to shelf, don't play toe time with Mia."
Mia rubbed his head, "i'm sorry man."
"You know what will make him feel better" Chloe said waving the dvd in the air, "is watching some happy memories."
"Oh man" Mia sighed.
"Come on," Chloe made a pleading motion with her hands, "please."
"Okay" Mia said giving in, "but seriously you can never tell anyone or show anyone this, otherwise I will tickle you worse than I just tickled Derek."
Five minutes later Chloe was laughing and grinning, she clapped her hands as Mia rolled her eyes at a anxious Derek sitting next to her on the couch, "so moral of the story is, if Derek is planning a nice surprise for you, tell him to get stuffed."
Derek chuckled, "hey don't you two have a movie to go and see."
"Yeah we better get the bus" Mia said looking at the clock on the wall, "of course it will be easier when one of us gets our licence to go out and about." Mia nudged Derek gently with her elbow, "hey mr instructor."
"Is that your scuttle way of asking me nicely to take you driving again Mia?"
"Not just me" Mia gestured to Chloe, "both of us."
"We both could go driving" Chloe piped up, "if that's okay."
"Whoa hey hey hey" Derek put his hands up, "you know my heart won't be able to take the stress of two learner drivers at once."
"Don't worry Derek" Chloe said with a smirk, "i'm a much better driver than Mia is."
"Oh really" Mia said with mocking eyes.
"Really" Chloe replied.
"Want to bet."
"Loser takes Micky for a walk."
"Your on" Mia said as she extended her hand for Mia to shake, "wait" Mia looked at Derek, "who will be the judge."
"Derek will be" Chloe said with a grin showing all her teeth.
"That sounds interesting" Derek said with a smile.
"No that sounds crap" Mia exclaimed as she withdrew her hand, "Derek is just going to vote you as the best driver no matter what I do."
"I'll be fair" Derek said.
"No you won't."
"I will" Derek ruffled Mia's hair with his hand, "and besides Micky is your dog Mia, you should be walking him anyway."
"Well we could raise the stakes" Mia said casually, "and race down the highway to see who gets the fastest time as long as the cops don't see us."
"No no no" Derek said loudly as Mia said with a laugh, "what was that you said about you and Meredith not taking the bait."
"Please don't make jokes like that" Derek muttered, "I don't want to see you having another accident."
"Another accident?" Chloe whispered.
"Yeah I stole Meredith's car" Mia said casually as she ruffled Derek's hair back, "trying to escape from this madhouse and I crashed it and ended up in a coma, but I got through it so who cares anyway."
"Hang on, what do you mean trying to escape?"
Derek sat up, "Meredith found out that Mia was Ally's sister and Mia knocked her out with clorafoan and tied her up in a chair. Then she stole her car, thinking that we were going to call the police on her."
Mia turned her body in Derek's direction, "would you have called the police?"
"I" Derek sighed looking into Mia's eyes, "okay honestly I would have given it some thought and you know that I was a bit of a stubborn pig headed idiot when we first met." Derek's face softened as Mia's face changed, "you know what, what you did for me trying to get me out of jail was really amazing of you Mia."
"I put you there in the first place though" Mia said softly.
"Well I kind of understand why you did it."
"I was trying to kidnap your daughter Derek."
"My daughter is your sister and you didn't in the end, you decided not to and you made that decision for Ally."
Mia looked long and hard at Derek, "did I ever say sorry to you."
"You said sorry to Meredith a thousand times and in the end, it worked out okay."
"Well I didn't say sorry to you so" Mia gave Derek a hug, "sorry Derek."
"You know that both of us accepted your apology a long time ago" Derek whispered as he hugged Mia back, "just don't go drugging us and stealing our cars anymore."
"Well" Mia said drawing back with a sheepish grin, "I didn't actually use chloraforn Derek"
Derek narrowed his eyes, "what did you use?"
"My socks, I didn't wash them for a month they worked really well, they knocked Meredith out almost straight away when I covered her face with them."
Chloe began to laugh and Derek started to open his mouth before he looked upstairs, "you know what, I think we better not tell Meredith this information."
"Yeah" Mia grinned, "we better not, she'll go ape, anyway I won't do it again, I don't want to risk killing her."
"You did put them in the bin didn't you?"
"Ah" Mia's eyes twinkled with mirth, "maybe."
Derek raised an eyebrow, "are you holding on to them just in case."
"I put them in the bin" Mia sniggered, "don't worry um" she said turning to Chloe, "sorry Chloe we got distracted there."
"Its ok" Chloe replied with a smile, "it was nice watching this."
"Yeah um" Mia said looking embarrassed, "anyway could we go driving after school."
"Well maybe in a few days" Derek said, "when we all have time in the afternoon and, we can really practice some of the more advanced techniques."
The next day after the school day had finished Derek was sitting at the kitchen table with Meredith. He looked at the clock on the wall signalling the time of the day that the kids usually came home, "so they'll be home from school soon are you ready to do this?"
Meredith twiddled her thumbs and took a deep breath, "I feel nervous."
"How come" Derek said surprised at Meredith's behaviour.
"What if Chloe says she doesn't want to stay here."
"That's crazy, she and Mia have been trying to get us to agree to look after Chloe here for weeks. When we tell Chloe the news that we want her to stay here Chloe is going to smile, Mia is going to laugh and Ally and Noah are going to do a happy dance, it will be good."
"Well ok" Meredith said smiling, "your right we, hang on that's the phone."
Derek watched Meredith pick up the phone and wander away as he got up and made a cup of tea for both of them. Five minutes later Meredith came back into the kitchen, her smile had gone and Derek stood up, "what's wrong?"
"Your not going to believe this."
Derek looked at Meredith's face, "they found someone for Chloe?" Meredith nodded and Derek said, "well is it another foster family, if it is we can just say that we are now prepared to look after Chloe long term, don't worry about it."
"No its not a foster family its her grandmother, she has said she can look after Chloe full time."
"Ok" Derek walked around the kitchen slowly, "well that is a different story what are we going to do?"
Meredith sadly shook her head, "we can't protest when there are family who are willing to look after Chloe, it would be like us trying to keep Chloe away from her family, it wouldn't be right."
"Well what about Chloe" Derek said softly, "and what she wants she might not want to go and live with her grandmother."
"Why don't we talk with her" Meredith replied, "and we'll see what she wants."
A few silent minutes later the door opened and Chloe and Mia came wandering in to the house to put their school bags in Mia's bedroom before walking into the kitchen to raid the fridge, "hello citizens" Mia called out.
"Hey guys" Chloe added cheerfully until she saw the looks on Derek and Meredith's faces, "you look worried."
"Chloe" Meredith said softly, "honey there's something we need to talk about."
"Mia could you give us a sec" Derek said.
"This isn't what I think it is, is it" Mia said with worried eyes, "I don't want to start fighting with you."
"We're not kicking Chloe out" Derek said, "could you let us talk to Chloe in private."
Mia nodded silently and Derek closed the door before he came to sit down with Meredith, "Chloe we had a call from social services."
"Yeah" Chloe said nervously.
"Your grandmother" Meredith said softly as she covered Chloe's hand with her own, "she has asked the agency to take you in and for you to live with her."
"So" Chloe said slowly, "I would be moving there?"
"That's what your grandma wants, what do you think about that" Meredith said.
Chloe looked at the table for a long time before she nodded and said, "well I wouldn't be a burden on you guys anymore."
"Chloe" Derek said firmly, "you are not a burden on us believe me."
'Not at all sweetheart" Meredith added, "in fact we were talking yesterday and if you would rather stay here with us and not move."
"Are you saying" Chloe gulped before saying slowly, "you want me to stay here?"
"We have talked about it" Derek said, "and if you wanted to stay here we would be happy for you to stay here with us long term."
"We love having you here" Meredith added with a smile.
There was a loud laugh and cackle from behind the door and Derek frowned, "excuse me" Derek said as he got up from the table and then he heard loud running and a door closing and he slowly sat back down. "Right as we were saying" Derek said then he stopped, raised a finger to his lips, softly got up and he opened the kitchen door and Mia stumbled and fell on to her bottom, "Mia what part of this is a private conversation did you not understand, will you stop eavesdropping."
"I knew it" Mia called out loudly before she continued to laugh, "I knew you would see the light, I knew you would want Chloe to stay here."
"Mia" Derek said, "do you want to do the dishes single handed tonight?"
"Yeah cause its life skills you guys are teaching us" Mia said with a grin, "oh hey Ally and Noah just pulled up with Cristina, i'll go and tell them the good news."
"No Mia" Meredith said firmly.
Mia laughed, "don't worry i'm just screwing ya."
"Can you go to your room."
"Yeah sure" Mia said as she skipped away as Derek closed the door, then after a few moments he opened it a crack and saw Mia had gone before he took his place next to Meredith.
"As we were saying we want to let you know you have a home here, even if you wanted to go and give living with your grandma a try and, if things didn't work out you could always come back here."
"That's really good um I mean" Chloe corrected herself, "that's really nice of you."
"How do you feel about that?" Meredith said.
"I haven't seen my grandmother since I was seven."
"So why go there" Mia said as she opened the kitchen door, "you don't even know her you could just stay here."
"Mia how do you keep sneaking up to the door and... you know what, just stop eavesdropping on us."
"Yeah" Mia said ignoring Derek, "so anyway Chloe yeah, your grandma is family but you know these guys and this place you know is pretty good...mostly."
"Mia last chance" Derek said, "unless you want to be grounded leave us to have this private conversation."
"Its cool being grounded its worth it to weigh in on this conversation."
"Well what about being grounded and shovelling manure in the gardens."
"Well its life skills" Mia shrugged with a smirk, "your going to get me to do it anyway, might as well get it over with."
"Its ok" Chloe said to Mia, "I want to talk to them by myself."
"Ok but hey staying here" Mia put a finger to her forehead, "think about it."
"Goodbye" Derek said loudly.
"And don't evasdrop this time" Meredith added.
Mia gave a mock salute and closed the kitchen door.
Chloe took a few breaths and sighed, "I do remember when I saw my grandma we would always have fun and it was nice. Then my mum had a falling out with her and I haven't seen her since."
"What do you want to do?" Derek asked.
"Could I meet her" Chloe asked, "and maybe I don't know see how it goes."
"Sure" Derek nodded.
"And if its ok, if living with her doesn't work out, or if we don't get along could I come back here?"
"Of course" Meredith said with a warm smile, "we're not just going to say goodbye have a nice life, you still have a place here with us."
"Thanks guys" Chloe said with a smile.
The next day after school Meredith, Mia, Chloe and Derek approached a small house with a large array of different flowers growing around the front of the house, Meredith gave the garden a quick look around "this place looks nice."
"Sure" Mia muttered leaning back as a large bee came whizzing past her head, "if you like buzzing bees chasing you all day long."
Meredith gave Mia a stern look and Mia nodded, "I know be supportive" she softly whispered in Meredith's ear as Meredith nodded.
They knocked on the door and a woman with greying hair and kind eyes answered the door, "hi grandma" Chloe said shyly.
"Chloe bear" the woman said fondly as she threw her arms around Chloe, before drawing back, "oh look at you how much you've grown, you look so beautiful, your all grown up."
"Not quite" Chloe said smiling in embarrassment, "still a kid."
Chloe's grandmother smiled fondly before she turned her gaze, "and you must be the lovely young lady who has been taking care of my granddaughter."
"Grandma, this is Doctor Meredith Grey" Chloe said.
"Or the doc for short" Mia added.
"Just call me Meredith" Meredith said with a smile, "what can I call you."
"Kerrin" Kerrin said as she shook Meredith's hand, "and this handsome spunk must be..."
"I'm Derek" Derek said feeling a bit bashful as he smiled, "nice to meet you maam."
"Your Meredith's husband?"
"Meredith's finance" Mia muttered, "in case you hadn't guessed."
Derek coughed and Mia said, "you got a frog in your throat dude?"
Derek made another noise and Mia smirked, "you need some soothers dude?"
"You know" Derek whispered, "if you use your voice to much it shut down Mia."
"Well you better lay off the lectures then."
Derek frowned, "you always have a smartarse comment."
"You must be" Kerrin said to Mia.
"Yeah just call me by my gang name, you tube addict."
"Actually" Chloe gestured to Mia, "Mia's the one who found me and brought me to Meredith and Derek's house."
"Its lovely to meet you" Kerrin extended her hand out to Mia, "your just as pretty as your mum."
"My" Mia muttered before she said, "ah i'm actually a foster kid."
"Oh i'm so sorry I didn't know."
"What" Mia said with narrowed eyes, "your sorry i'm a foster kid, or your sorry you thought Meredith is my mother."
"Mia" Meredith said out of the corner of her mouth.
"You know what" Mia shrugged, "its cool no offence taken."
"Would you like to come inside" Kerrin offered.
"Absolutely" Meredith said smiling as she walked inside followed by Derek who said, "this place looks nice."
"Yeah" Mia muttered as she turned up her nose, "funny smell though."
"Its just cause the house is old" Chloe said.
"Its because everything in here is old, ancient like the time the USA was founded" Mia replied.
"Hey" Chloe said in a fiery whisper, "this is my grandma, she's lives alone lay off."
"Girls" Meredith said, "that's enough, Mia if you don't stop it you can go and wait in the car."
"I'll just be outside" Mia grumbled as she walked out as Meredith sighed and looked at Kerrin with a apologetic face, "i'm sorry about that."
"Its alright" Kerrin said with a understanding expression, "I can show you where the bedrooms are."
A few minutes later Chloe walked out of the house where Mia was standing with her arms crossed and glared at Mia who made a gesture in response, "what?"
"Why are you being so horrible to my grandma?"
"I'm not i'm just being open and honest about my observations, old geezers on tv do that all the time so why can't I."
"She's my grandma" Chloe said angrily, "don't you get that."
"Yeah" Mia answered back, "it doesn't mean you have to live here with her."
"She's my family."
"So what" Mia replied, "I don't live with my family and that's fine."
"That was" Chloe shook her head, "i'm sorry you can't live with your family but-"
"Your sorry I can't live with my family" Mia exploded, "you don't have a fucking clue do you, I lived in an orphanage for most of my life. I spent four years doing shit and crime with my aunt and uncle, then my parents suddenly show up out of nowhere wanting me and Ally to live with them, but I chose to defend my sister from those dickheads and live with Meredith and Derek."
"Sorry" Chloe said as her face softened, "um."
"Hey point is" Mia continued, "you should live with us to, I mean your grandma is ancient, can you imagine throwing a party in this place. Also at some stage when your wanting to lose your virginity, no chick is going to want to have sex with you here, they'll just laugh at you if you bring them here."
"I don't care about any of that and you know what your just angry" Chloe said angrily, "because grandma thought Meredith was your mum."
"This has got nothing to do with that" Mia replied looking hostile, "beside I look nothing like Meredith, no one ever mistakes us as mummy and daughter, it just goes to show you how good her eyesight is."
Mia stopped talking and turned away from Chloe, a moment later Meredith came out with narrowed eyes, "Mia."
"Oh come on" Mia hissed, "have you lojacked me or something."
"Come inside where we can have a talk."
"You mean a lecture?" Mia muttered dryly.
"Whatever way you want to look at it, we need to have a talk."
Mia grumbled and went with Meredith to one of the bedrooms, Meredith closed the door and turned around, "Mia I know this is hard for you and its hard for us to."
"Well yeah its hard" Mia responded, "why can't Chloe see that she should stay with us."
"That's just the thing we need to remember, this isn't about us this is about Chloe, this is her choice."
"Well yeah it is" Mia said making a hand gesture, "but she would be happier with us than living with granny, sylvester and tweety bird."
"You don't know that sweetheart" Meredith said trying to be gentile.
"Yeah I do living with your family sucks" Mia crossed her arms, "your better off living with strangers its a fact of life."
"Mia" Meredith said with pained eyes.
Mia screwed up her face "oh don't look at me like that you know its true."
"Its not true Mia, at least most of the time it isn't."
There was a knock on the door and it slowly opened, "dear" Kerrin said softly.
"Yeah" Mia said irritably.
"I want to thank you for saving Chloe's life."
"I didn't do much" Mia muttered, "I just brought her to where I lived and doc and d man did most of the work, anyone could have done that."
"Your a true friend" Kerrin said with a warm smile.
"Yeah" Mia rolled her eyes looking embarrassed, "um you know what I can't take this mushy mushy stuff, i'm waiting in the car before I blow my lunch on your gardens."
Mia wandered out of the house and Meredith turned to Kerrin, "again i'm sorry about her behaviour, sometimes I don't know what gets into her and without warning she gets angry."
"She's rough around the edges" Kerrin replied, "but she has a good heart I can sense it."
"Yes she does" Meredith said with a smile, "even though she is sometimes reluctant to show it."
That evening Chloe sat alone in Mia's bedroom reading a textbook for a sociology assignment, when a knock on the door made her look up as Mia came into the bedroom carrying a plate, "here."
"What" Chloe responded a bit confused.
"Its food, I made it so you can eat it."
"Oh um, well ah sure thanks" Chloe said as she took the toasted cheese sandwich Mia had made as Mia sat down on the bed and sighed, "hey look i'm really sorry."
"For what?"
"For being a bitch before."
"Its okay, you weren't really a bitch" Chloe said softly.
"No I was being a huge bitch" Mia replied, "i'm your friend and I should have been more of a buddy, not a bitch back at your grandma's house. I just want you to know that whatever you want to do, wherever you want to live, i'm still going to be your friend."
"Even if I decide to live with my grandma?"
"Yeah" Mia said, "if that is what you want to do, your grandma is pretty nice and I think she needs some kind of company, being by herself I think she might be lonely."
"Hey can I ask you, what was your grandma like?"
"I never knew my grandma" Mia sat down on the bed and looked up the celling as she thought, "but from what I have heard from everyone I know who knew her, she was nice, which is weird when she gets compared to the rest of my family. If it hadn't been for Derek and Ally, my grandma would have been all alone and well..."
"What happened?"
"Basically like I said we were both in an orphanage, I lived there since I was born. About ten years later a baby arrives and I get told she's my sister. I loved being with Ally but then I ended up with two scumbags, my aunt and uncle and Ally left the orphanage soon after to live with my grandma." Mia closed her eyes, "I did a lot of things that I regret doing when I was living with... you know. Then Derek came along to work at my grandma's gardens a few years later, then after he met Ally who jumped up behind him and scared him into the bushes, he looked after my grandma and Ally for a while before my grandma passed away. Derek adopted Ally and a few months later I run away from my aunt and uncle to go to my grandma's house to see her and Ally, maybe even live with them but it was already to late."
"I'm sorry" Chloe whispered, "then you went to Derek and Meredith to kidnap Ally?"
"And I changed my mind when I got to know doc and d man, things worked out."
"And your happy living here?"
"Despite the lectures from the doc, the endless rules and having to entertain mr itchy but all the time a.k.a Noah, I guess... yeah its ok."
Chloe smirked and Mia chuckled, "what... ok" Mia said in a loud dramatic voice, "its good here, i'm so happy living here, is that the answer your looking for."
"Yeah it was."
"Yeah well" Mia shrugged, "the point i'm trying to make is if you did want to stay here then, we could go and see your grandma once in a while so she doesn't get lonely, I promise next time I will be nice. Also doctor and Derek are getting married soon, you could play a part in their wedding if you stayed."
Chloe looked down at her textbook, "I feel kind of stuck."
"About where you want to live."
"This makes me feel bad, now I kind of wish that my grandma hadn't rang up and said what she said before Derek and Meredith gave me the offer to live with them long term."
"Yep" Mia muttered, "those two eggheads took to long, I told them to hurry the fuck up and realise that they wanted you to stay and they were like... ah um ah we can't, we don't have enough experience."
Chloe nodded, "my grandma is my family, she has the same blood that I do but, I really like your foster family."
"Its easy to like the doc and the d man, they're good eggs."
"Yeah there's more to it that that though, Derek he's a good guy, he's really great with kids and he's a lot of fun he always makes me laugh and Meredith, she's like the best mom you could ever ask for."
"Yeah I guess" Mia said quietly, "the doc is like mother Theresa, she would look after a alien kid if she found one on her doorstep."
"Ally and Noah are adorable to, I hope they stay that way for as long as possible."
"They'll be really cool when they are our age, Noah will be a babe magnet and Ally will be one of the most popular girls in whatever school she goes to."
"Yeah" Chloe grinned, "I do like them being little though, they're not just very cute, they're really sweet."
"Yeah" Mia gave a quick chuckle, "doc and d man are raising them right."
"Not to mention" Chloe smiled at Mia, "my best friend lives here."
"Yeah" Mia replied, "Micky is everyone's best friend" Mia and Chloe laughed.
Chloe sat in silence for a few moments before looking up, "I think I should go and live with grandma, not just because I want to but like you said, she's lonely I can feel it and she needs someone with her."
"I'm surprised she hasn't got any pets, they're good company."
"Maybe you can come and visit with Micky?"
"I would have to train Micky first, he still wants to chew Derek's slippers" Mia laughed again with Chloe before they stopped and after a few moments of uncomfortable silence a knock sounded on the bedroom door, "girls dinners ready" Meredith called out.
"Well should we tell the others" Chloe said, Mia slowly nodded and they walked out to the kitchen where Ally and Noah were being lifted onto the big chairs at the table by Meredith and Derek.
"Hey everyone" Mia said.
"Chloe" Derek blinked, "what is it, did Mia burn the cheese sandwhich again."
Mia smirked and her smile faded from her face as Chloe took a deep breath and said, "i've decided to live with my grandma."
"Right" Derek said softly.
"I hope that's okay with you and your ok with..."
"Of course we're ok" Derek said.
Meredith smiled and got up to give Chloe a hug, "you remember what we talked about, its your decision we will miss having you around but you can still come and visit us anytime you like."
"What's going on" Ally asked as she watched the interaction.
Derek put a gentile hand on Ally's head, "do you remember us telling you that Chloe was only going to be here for a little while."
"She's leaving" Noah whispered.
"I am" Chloe said, "but i'm still going to be your friend."
"This stinks" Ally said loudly as she jumped from the table and ran upstairs, Noah started to cry and then followed Ally as Chloe sighed, "I was afraid of this."
"Its ok" Meredith said, "we'll talk to them."
"No um" Chloe said quickly, "I mean could we talk to them me and Mia."
"Sure" Derek replied.
Mia and Chloe wandered upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door, "little pigs, little pigs can we come in" Mia said in a deep voice.
After a moment of silence Chloe sighed, "maybe humour isn't the best tactic right now."
"Yeah guess not" Mia sighed, "please guys open the door."
The door slowly opened and Mia smiled at Noah wiping his eyes, "thanks little dude" as Mia and Chloe walked into the bedroom to find Ally sitting on her bed, "why are you leaving Chloe?"
"Well" Chloe sat next to Ally, "because I have a grandma and she needs someone to live with her so she doesn't get lonely."
Noah looked up at Chloe with sad eyes, "but your our big safety sisters."
"Big sister sisters?"
"Your like our big sister and your my big sister" Ally looked at Mia and Chloe, "your our big safety sisters."
"Aww" Chloe sighed and looked at Mia, "they've brought out the big guns."
"Yep they're good" Mia added as Chloe smiled at Ally before lifting her onto her lap, "as cool as that would be for me to be your big safety sister, I am still going to be your big safety friend."
"That's still good" Ally said softly with a smile.
"Your not going to Mia" Noah whispered.
"Hey" Mia said putting a arm around Noah, "i'm not going anywhere, your stuck with me" she said with a grin as Noah smiled, Mia reached out a hand to rub Ally's head as she grinned to.
"Good" Noah said.
"We'll miss you" Ally said softly to Chloe as she gave her a hug.
"Yeah i'll miss both of you guys but, I will still come here and visit."
"Yeah" Mia added, "I mean she will be around here a lot so you don't need to be that sad, you'll see her again real soon anyway."
Chloe nodded, "you can come and visit me to."
"Does your grandma make cookies?" Ally asked.
"I'm sure she makes the best cookies."
"Then we'll visit really soon" Ally nodded as she grinned and Mia chuckled.
Chloe nodded, "well should we go down and have dinner."
"Well" Mia smirked, "we could just eat these two for dinner instead" she put her mouth to Noah's belly making snuffling noises as Noah laughed loudly and ran laughing from the room along with Ally as Mia grinned.
A minute later there was a loud male's voice calling out, "Mia, what have we told you about riling the kids up at dinnertime."
"When you go to your grandma's house could you take me with you" Mia said to Chloe who laughed in response.
Two days later the five figures approached Kerrin's house, they knocked on the door and Kerrin opened it with a smile, "Chloe bear."
"Grandma" Chloe answered going a bit red, "could you please not call me that around other people."
"Of course" Kerrin said with a nod, "i'll try and remember, your not so little anymore."
Everyone wandered inside, Derek brought a bag of Chloe's belongings into the house, Mia looked in Chloe's bedroom and clapped her hands as she nodded, "room looks good, place looks good."
Mia looked at Kerrin who stared back confused, "i'm trying to be nice to make up for, you know before."
"You don't have to try so hard dear" Kerrin with a appreciative look.
"Wooo good" Mia said as she wiped her forehead with her hand, "being nice is hard work."
"You sure you don't want to take this one as well" Derek said as he smirked at Mia, "Mia and Chloe kind of a toofer."
"Sorry d man" Mia said as she playfully punched Derek's arm, "but you see being stuck with me is meant to be."
Meredith smiled at Chloe, "if there is anything you need just let us know."
"Your welcome to come round for a sleepover" Derek added, "and to have dinner, both of you" he added as he looked at Kerrin.
"Yeah that be nice" Chloe said to Kerrin, "as Mia says the doc makes good grub." Kerrin nodded as she looked at the four figures in her house, "take your time i'll be outside." Chloe looked at Derek and Meredith for a long time as emotion dawned on her face, "I don't how to thank you for saving my life."
"Well" Derek said softly, "Mia did most of the saving."
"You could have just said to me go away when I came on your doorstep."
"It was our pleasure" Meredith said softly, "and I probably should have asked you before but would you like to be a bridesmaid at our wedding?"
"I would like that very much."
"Good" Derek said with a smile, Chloe sniffed and gave Meredith and Derek a joint hug.
"If you come back on our doorstep, we'll welcome you back in" Meredith whispered.
"Thank you" Chloe whispered back as she slowly drew back and looked at Mia who was trying hard to smile, "so ah awkward hug, or lame chick handshake?"
"What's the lame chick handshake?" Chloe asked.
"I don't know like spirit fingers."
"Spirt fingers" Mia did the handshake with Chloe as Chloe and her chuckled and Mia looked down at the carpet, "okay awakered hug."
Mia and Chloe hugged each other as Chloe said softly, "thanks for being my friend."
"Yeah, ditto" Mia whispered back.
Meredith, Derek and Mia arrived back at the house and wandered through the doorway, Meredith watched Mia hunching over as she walked into her bedroom, "are you ok" Meredith said as she and Derek looked at Mia.
"Yeah i'm great, everything's great Chloe's with family and i'm-"
"What" Derek said softly, "something you want to talk about?"
"Never mind" Mia said softly, "i'm just going to make a sandwich and do my homework."
"You know we're here" Meredith said, "if you want to talk?"
"Yeah thanks" Mia replied as she went into her bedroom.
A few days later Derek sat down next to Meredith on the coach, "your thinking about something?"
Meredith nodded, "your getting to know my thinking moments very well."
"Chloe hasn't called, I think that means she's settling in."
"That's good but it wasn't Chloe I was thinking about."
Derek chuckled a bit, "we spend a lot of time thinking about Mia."
"She gives us a lot to think about," Meredith chuckled herself, "and not just because of her behaviour."
"That's true."
"What she said the other day, I can't get it out of my head."
"What do you mean?"
"She said' Meredith said softly, "your better off living with strangers than living with family, that made me feel very sad."
"Given her experiences" Derek whispered, "I can't say that I blame how she's feeling."
"That has been making me think, Mia might of said that to hide what she is really feeling."
"What she really wants" Derek added.
Meredith looked out the window, "I think that's something Mia really wants more than anything, something she has always wanted, a family of her own who love her and accept her."
"I think your right, I think she would be very happy if she had two people she could call her...parents."
"Do you think if Mia, I don't like thinking of her as our foster child, every time I have to call her my foster kid to someone I feel bad like she's somehow different to Ally and Noah and..."
Derek took Meredith's hand in his own, "so what would you like to think of her as?"
"If I were to do something would you support me?"
"Your thinking what i'm thinking?"
Meredith felt a ray of sunshine shining from her heart and nestling in her eyes, "there are some foster carers who do it."
Derek nodded, "so we're going do it?"
Meredith nodded with a wide smile, "we're going to adopt Mia."
"We're going to adopt Mia" Derek said wearing the same smile as his fiance, "well i've already adopted the little sister, I might as well seal the package with the crazy big sister to."
"Do you think she'll like the idea of us adopting her?"
"I think she might just be, Derek did a impression of Mia which made Meredith laugh, "all like yeah whatever if that's what you guys want at first, secretly though deep down she will love it."
"Then its settled."
"So the process, i've gone down this road before with Ally I have some old contacts we could talk to."
"As do I."
"Wait, what are you saying?"
Meredith felt long dormant feelings rising to the surface, "i've been down this road before, adopting a child."
"With who?"
"With Noah."
"Wait" Derek said as his breath caught in his throat, "did you just say what I thought you said."
"Yes Derek" Meredith whispered, "i'm not Noah's biological mum, his biological mum when Noah was born was my sister."
"So hang on, i'm just wrapping my head around this, you adopted Noah when."
"When my sister died, yes Noah's adopted."
"I'm adopted" a voice whispered, Meredith and Derek's blood turned to ice and they turned to look at Ally standing in the doorway with wide eyes and Noah staring at Meredith like he had been carved from ice.