"Hey so I know I'm on your service this week but is there any way I can switch to Dr. Lincoln's? Everyone is already saying I'm getting by because of you and Amelia so," Lucas searched for any signs from his uncle.

Derek stared at the black screen in front of him. Mute. Unmoving. Stoic. Frozen.

"Dr. Shepherd?"

Nothing.

"Uncle Derek!" Lucas hissed.

"What? Oh um, yeah, actually yes find another service," Derek turned the tablet on again.

"Hey, uh, you okay?" Lucas followed him, "We didn't hear from you after last night."

"Adams?" Derek sighed as he looked up briefly from his tablet, "Go work."

Lucas sighed as he stuffed his hands in his pocket he turned away before pausing and turning back, "If you and Aunt Mer need me to ever watch- I mean I know I got crazy hours but maybe Zo just needs- look I'm just tossing my name into the- you know what-"

"Luke," Derek stopped him before he could go any further, "Thank you."

He watched as his nephew shyly nodded and ran away. Lucas Adams was proving himself. He was determined and fighting to prove he was up to the task of living up to the family name. Even if he was an Adams.

And Derek couldn't deny that he enjoyed having his favorite nephew around. Even if it opened old wounds.

He always expected work to be a distraction. But today, his mind was on his family. On his wife. And on his eldest. Derek walked towards the elevator and pressed the button. He needed silence. Complete silence.

The elevator rang as it opened its doors, revealing the current chief of surgery. Meredith raised her head and made eye contact with the piercing blue eyes in front of her.

He had left early that morning and didn't even bother to tell her. Did she push too much? What buttons had she pressed this time that warranted silence? Didn't he understand that this was frightening for her?

Derek stepped into the elevator and pressed the button that she had previously pressed. His back was to her as the doors closed in front of him. The chilling silence hung in the air until he pressed the emergency stop and turned to face her.

"You okay? You didn't sleep at all last night?" he stuffed his hands in his white coat as he turned to face her.

"You didn't say goodbye to me when you left," Meredith hissed, "We don't do that, we tell each other when we leave so I don't have to pack the bags and the kids and run out to San Diego!"

"Why would you go to San Diego? Nothing's out there-"

"Derek!"

"You were asleep," he furrowed his brows, "You slept less than a full hour. You tossed and turned all night. I had an early surgery and I didn't want to wake you."

He leaned down to kiss her quickly and brushed back a stray hair, "I'm sorry. I should've told you I was leaving but I didn't-I just- I wanted to let you sleep in for a bit."

Her eyes searched his blue ones. How could she tell him the truth? How would she tell him that her heart had been shattered into a million pieces?

She licked her lips and took a deep breath as she couldn't help the tears that welled up, "Zola kicked me out last night."

"What?"

"She didn't want me to stay," she sobbed, "She got off the car this morning without- she-"

"Meredith," Derek whispered as he pulled her into a deep embrace, "It's gonna be okay. We're gonna find a way to help her."

"What if we can't help her? What are we gonna do if we-" she sobbed into his shoulder.

Derek pulled back and cupped her cheeks, "I don't know. I don't have all the answers right now but I know that we love our daughter too much to let her go through this on her own. We'll talk to her therapist, her teachers-"

"Promise me we're gonna do whatever we can to help her," Meredith swallowed a lump, "Promise me-"

"I promise," Derek wiped the tears from her cheeks, "I promise you that no matter what it takes, we are gonna help our daughter. We're gonna help our children and we're gonna do whatever it is they need us to do. Okay?"

Meredith sniffed as she weakly nodded. It didn't go unnoticed to her that in this very place, she had previously broken down in tears asking why the universe was so unfair and cruel. Why the universe was so mean and wouldn't let her have a child. He had promised her they'd have a baby one way or another and sure enough, Zola had come into their lives soon after.

"I need you to promise me something," he pressed his lips close to her ears and closed her eyes. What he was about to ask of her would be something he knew was difficult for her, "Promise me you won't go numb. And if you do, I'm right here. I'm right here, Meredith."

She released another sob and nodded again.


"He has a right to be pissed Maggie," Amelia shook her head, "You've been pushing his surgeries over and over again."

"It's just that we don't have- Meredith!" Maggie sat up straighter as her sister-the chief walked into the room, "How are you doing? You guys left without saying anything last night."

"I don't want to talk about it," Meredith sighed, "I just broke down to Derek in the elevator and that's all I can manage for today."

"You sure?" Amelia asked as she watched her sit on the chair next to Maggie.

"No," Meredith answered shortly, "Who's pissed at Maggie?"

"Winston!" Maggie sighed, "He's upset because-"

"His surgeries keep getting pushed? Yeah, I've heard complaints from his patients you need to leave the guy alone," Meredith sighed as she pulled her legs on the couch and wrapped her arms around them, "We have interns now. Use them. That's how they learn."

Amelia smirked, "See, even the chief agrees!"

"I just like things done a certain way," Maggie sighed, "And we don't have any senior residents-"

"Schmitt is taking over that-" Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Winston just knows exactly what I need and how I need it," Maggie finished, "I don't want any of the interns to royally screw up."

Meredith glanced at Amelia with a telling smile. Both sisters laughed before Amelia spoke up, "He screws up one time- one time!- and you automatically think every intern is going to screw up? How many times did you screw up your intern year?"

Amelia turned to Meredith who was shaking her head, "If you ask your brother he'll give you a list and Bailey will add twice as stuff to it."

"I was also a screw up and so was Derek- at least that's what Addie says," Amelia turned back to Maggie, "What about you? You had to-"

"No! I never did!"

Meredith listened to her sister go on and on about perfectionism and her need for it, "Zola is like that. She likes things done perfectly and holds everyone and everything to high expectations. She gets it from you."

"Ha!" Maggie chuckled.

"Huh?" Amelia furrowed her brows, "I never realized that. She's a lot like her."

"She is," Meredith nodded, "If I didn't know better, I'd say Maggie was her mother."

Maggie eyed Meredith carefully, "Have you talked to her about last night yet?"

Meredith shook her head, "She doesn't want to. And I can't push her because I don't want her to be angry and then totally shut me out but she-she-"

Meredith swallowed, "She kicked me out last night and she's never done that before. Where the hell did she get the idea that we were going to get Alzheimer's?"

Amelia shook her head, "She's a smart kid, Mer. You and my brother are raising three incredibly bright children. She was gonna put it together one day"

"Have you ever considered-" Maggie's phone rang, "Crap, Winston. I'll see you two later!"

Maggie ran out of the room leaving Amelia and Meredith alone.

"You okay?" Amelia asked.

Meredith blinked, "How did you feel when you were going through your own- I mean when your dad-"

"It's not the same thing," Amelia sighed, "My dad died. He was dead. You and Derek are very much alive. You are both here for her."

"But," Meredith stared ahead before Amelia continued, "I used to have these nightmares where my mom would die."

Meredith turned to look at her. She listened carefully.

"When my dad died," Amelia continued quietly, "I thought I'd lose her and she'd come in my room and would kiss me and tell me that she was there. And she'd always be there. She did it so I always knew I'd always have one parent."

"Did that help?"

Amelia shrugged, "I wish I appreciated it more then but now looking back I know she did her best. And I knew she was there. She's still there."

Meredith raised a brow and nodded.

"Even though we have our problems," Amelia added, "She's there. I know my mom is there."

Meredith's phone was next to ring. A familiar number stared at her, "Crap. It's the kid's school"


"And if we do that what could happen?" Derek asked quietly under his mask.

"Infarction of the internal capsule and adjacent basal ganglia," Benson Kwan answered. He reminded Derek of a version of Cristina. The intern who was solely focused on surgery and nothing else.

"Right," Derek replied, "You're good. Have you started thinking about your specialty?"

Blue nodded, "I'm partial to neuro, sir."

"You don't need to say that to kiss my ass, Kwan," Derek muttered, "You are allowed to branch out and you're still early in the game."

"The game?"

Derek chuckled as he thought back to Richard, "You have good hands, you're quick on your feet, you know your stuff. Just don't forget that there's a human side to all of this."

The intern nodded.

"Alright," Derek sighed, "Let's close up. Clive has a spouse to get back to. Let's make sure he gets back to him."

For a moment, Derek felt satisfied with his role as the teacher. What he was unaware of was the pair of eyes from above the gallery.

Lucas watched silently. His uncle hadn't noticed him there and if he had, he probably ignored him just like the other times. His phone beeped with a page. Lucas rolled his eyes and made his way out. Away from the reminder that he had to work his ass off to prove himself.


Derek walked out of the elevator with Blue trailing behind him.

"I want neuro exams every hour and if you see any changes, page me," he looked up to spy his wife and daughter walking in, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"You didn't see your phone?" Meredith asked, "I called you before I got her-"

"I've been in surgery," he shook his head, "A trauma came in. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Zola shook her head, "I don't know why mom-"

"She had a panic attack," Meredith whispered, "The school called. They asked to come pick her up."

"Wait, what? What triggered it?" Derek turned to his daughter as he reached for her. She pulled away and shook her head.

"Nothing! I don't know! I'm fine!" Zola turned to her mother, "Can I just go to your office now? You said I had to stay in the office!"

"Zola," Derek chided, "You don't talk to your mother that way."

"I just want you to leave me alone," she cried, "Can I please just go?"

"Zola, we are just trying to help," Meredith reached for her only for her daughter to pull back again.

"Mom, please?"

"Okay fine," Derek conceded, "But you're going to my office and you're staying in there. You're not wandering around. Down the hall, make a right."

Zola shook her head, annoyed that he reminded her as if she didn't already know the hospital by heart.

Meredith released a sigh and leaned against the nurse's station in front of her as both parents watched their daughter, "What the hell was that?"

Derek rubbed his face and yanked off his scrub cap. His fingers ran through his messy curls before placing both hands on his waist in frustration, "I have no idea. She's never ever acted like this before."

Meredith bit her lip and thought for a moment.

You want to know why I'm so unfocused? So ordinary? You want to know what happened to me? You! You happened to me!

"It's me she's pissed at," Meredith whispered, "She's pissed at me over the whole-"

"It's not your fault-"

"I was angry at Ellis," Meredith explained, "Even when I set aside all the crap she put me through, I was pissed at her for having it and I hated her for making me feel that way."

Derek sighed as he turned when her phone rang.

Meredith groaned as she read the page, "Pit. I'm needed in the pit."

"Meredith-," Derek sighed.

"Don't," She put a hand up before taking a moment, "I can't be mom or wife right now. I need to be the chief."

Meredith walked down the hall. Derek watched as she walked away. To anyone, they'd see Chief Grey making her way to a case. Determined to help and ready for anything. But he knew that on the inside she was pushing through. Barely.

"Teenagers, mm," Miranda Bailey hummed, "When Tuck hit that age, he would give Ben and I attitude for days."

Derek turned to her and leaned against the counter, "She's never acted up that way. She had a panic attack at her presentation last week but she just- It's like she doesn't want us to help."

Miranda sighed, "Teenagers have a way of telling you things without actually telling you. You just have to find a way to listen and to get them to talk. She still taking her sessions?"

"Every week," Derek nodded.

"See? You're doing your best," Miranda reached for his arm, "You and Grey are great parents, you are just experiencing the beauties of teenage years."

She reached to grab her tablet, "Welcome to the club."

"Yeah, I hear it's fun," Derek chuckled softly, "Thank you, Dr. Bailey."


"It presented like textbook food poisoning," Meredith stared at the red book in front of her. She practically had it memorized and yet this case still baffled her, "And then it evolved into septic shock within hours."

Teddy turned to her, "Do we have the source for infection?"

"Not yet," one intern, Jules Milen, suggested.

The voices drowned out around her. So much had gone unsolved over the last few days. So much had clouded the perfect happiness she had finally felt.

She was at a loss.

And now she was at a loss again with this case. The interns had paged both Meredith and Miranda but they could not conclude a diagnosis. They brought in Teddy as the only available cardiothoracic surgeon and they were still unsure.

"Dr. Grey?" Bailey called out, "Chief Grey!"

"I'm sorry," Meredith shook away her thoughts, "Yes. Do that. All of you."

Bailey smirked as she watched her former protege bring herself back to planet Earth.

She turned to the interns behind her, "Take the rest of the interns and go research. Find something and then page us."

Teddy smiled and followed the interns out of the room.

"Puppies," Bailey scoffed, "You sure about this class?"

Meredith sighed, "I am. This place needs a second chance and they need a second chance, we're a perfect match."

"Mm," Bailey sighed, "Alright well I'll wait for the page, you scrubbing in or-"

"Maybe but I doubt it," Meredith shook her head, "But I do want to follow up so please page me?"

"You got it chief," Bailey jokingly saluted her as Meredith walked out of the room, "Hey, Grey!"

Meredith turned to look at her. They had been at each others' throats for a few months before she took over as chief. A lack of communication and understanding stood in the middle of a friendship and mentorship they had developed over the years.

"You're doing a great job," Miranda nodded, "You haven't burned this place down, yet."

"And I plan on keeping it that way," Meredith couldn't help the slight laugh that escaped her, "Thank you."


"What are you doing here?"

Zola looked up, "Chief let me in here."

"No she didn't," Derek raised his brows, "I know for a fact she didn't because you were mean to her out in the hallway."

Zola looked up sheepishly. Her father knew her well. Derek sighed as he watched his favorite brown eyes lower.

"I went to the office and I didn't find you in there," Derek sighed, "I figured you'd be causing havoc in one of the labs."

Zola was growing up. He knew that. He understood that. He had made peace with it a long time ago. He expected outbursts and had joked about it with his wife. And they'd seen some of it sprout when they were traveling back and forth to Minnesota. They didn't blame her. She was feeling a sense of loss and that feeling was something they never wanted any of their children to experience.

"Dad," she muttered as he sat down in front of her, "I didn't want to be so mean I'm just- I'm sorry. "

"I know, princess. But it's not me you need to apologize to," Derek sighed as he plopped on the stool in front of her, "Hold those a little tighter."

"Like this?" Zola maneuvered the instruments and looked at him for approval. Once he nodded, she looked back into the microscopes and seamlessly continued, "Were you scared? When you found out? Did it scare you?"

Derek didn't need to ask what she was talking about. He knew exactly what she was asking.

He could lie. He could tell her everything would be fine and there was nothing to worry about. That was his job as her dad right?

"I'm scared everyday, Zola," he gulped, "I uh, I worry when she forgets her keys. Or when she asks me what day it is. When she forgets whose day it is to pick you guys up. I think I became even more scared when we decided we wanted to have kids."

Zola played with the instruments again and pulled it out, "If I become a general surgeon, would you get jealous?"

"You're avoiding the topic," he observed, "And yes, I would."

Zola giggled, "Maybe I'll be a general surgeon like mom-"

"Zola," Derek called out.

He tilted his head as he searched her eyes, searching for answers. He couldn't find any.

"Mom has the gene doesn't she?" Zola set down the instruments.

His daughter was bright. He knew that. When she found out what took Ellis Grey away, he knew she'd put one and two together. He just never expected the reaction he got out of it.

"She does."

"Did she always know?"

Derek shook his head, "She only found out when we she was pregnant with Bailey and she decided to have you go through genetic testing. She wanted to fight for you in case you needed any more medical attention and she wanted to make sure she'd be here for the long run."

Zola looked back into the microscopes.

"I didn't want to know," Derek continued, "I was too scared but your mom, oh Zo your mom's always been the braver one."

"What's gonna happen if she gets it?," Zola muttered quietly.

"Is this why you had questions about your birth mom?" Derek quietly asked, "Why you started watching your grandmother's old surgical videos?"

"I was an orphan once," Zola looked up at him, "I don't want to be one again. I don't even remember what that's like. All I've known my whole life is you and mom and Bailey and Ellis. What's gonna happen if I lose-"

"You're not gonna lose us," Derek leaned forward.

"You don't know that," Zola insisted.

Derek suppressed a chuckle. She was just like her mother sometimes.

"Before we met you," he leaned his elbows on the table in front of him, "I started a surgical clinical trial to find a cure for Alzheimer's-"

"Like the Parkinson's one?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "I didn't want your mom to help because it hit too close to home. And then your Uncle Alex knocked some sense into me and told me she was perfect for it. Because she's- she's who she is."

Zola stopped and looked at him.

"We learned some things," he continued with a soft voice, "But we didn't get far."

Zola stopped moving the instruments, "What happened?"

Derek pondered for a second whether or not he should tell her the truth, "If I tell you, you can't tell your mom I told you."

"I promise," Zola nodded before realizing why her mother wouldn't want her to know, "She did something didn't she?"

"She tampered with it," he nodded, "For a good reason!"

"You must've been mad."

"I was," he sighed, "Actually Zola I don't think I have ever been meaner than the day I found out she tampered with it."

Zola furrowed her brows. It didn't seem like her dad. As far as Zola knew, he was always taking care of her mom. Always watching out for her. Even when they argued, her parents were never like other parents.

"At the time I thought I was angry because, professionally, what she did was wrong. She should've never tampered with it-"

"But?"

"But I know your mom does things because she loves so much. It's why I love her," he sighed, "And I was scared because-"

He gulped.

"I know," Zola finished for him.

He was angry once. So angry he had been cruel and said things he knew deep down he didn't mean. They were both good at fighting each other. They were good at aiming and shooting exactly where it hurt. Maybe it was that very reason that they also knew very well when they needed each other most. And right now, he knew his wife needed their daughter to understand that she would fight until the very end to know that she loved them. And he'd do the same. He knew his daughter needed her mother. They needed each other.

"You can't be mad at your mom over this, Zola," Derek whispered, "It's not her fault she has the gene."

She looked down at the instruments before looking up at her father with tears in her eyes, "I don't want her to forget me."

Derek stood and quickly embraced her, "I know, you don't. I know."

He rubbed her back gently as he felt the tears seam through his shirt, "I don't want her to either."


The elevator doors opened revealing the hallway she once walked down many times. She spotted Derek and Zola waiting by the door playing thumb wars. Zola giggled as Derek exaggerated a loss.

He turned and smiled as he noticed her walk towards them, "Hey Zo, start walking ahead please."

Zola nodded and walked ahead to the door. She pulled out her cell phone and walked towards the door.

"I'm on a four day regimen of antibiotics," Meredith sighed as she took his hand, "I hate today."

"I heard, Link caught me up," he sighed, "Interns did okay?"

"They have a good teacher," Meredith wrapped her arm around him as they followed their daughter out, "Where's Lucas? I thought he was riding back home with us."

"Owen let him scrub in on a trauma and honestly, he needs the practice," Derek shook his head, "This class is a little too selfish. It makes me a little worried."

"Someone else is keeping me worried," Meredith sighed as she stared ahead before turning to her husband, "Did she talk to you? Has she said anything."

Zola sat on a bench as she typed away on her phone. Derek watched her before licking his lips and turning to his wife, "Yeah. We talked."

"And?" Meredith waited, "What did she say?"

Derek sighed deeply. One glance at his daughter and his heart cracked. Another at his wife at it completely shattered.

How the hell was he supposed to save them both?

"She has questions that honestly I just-" he twisted his mouth unable to find the right answers, "She's a smart kid, Mer. She knows enough that I can't hide anything from her and what she wants is the truth. She wants the truth."

Meredith closed her eyes, "I don't think I'm ready for that."

"Me either."


"Bailey did you do your homework?" Derek called out as he went through the countless mail envelopes.

"Yeah!" Bailey's voice called out as he ran down the hall. His socks helped him slide into the kitchen. He looked around confused before turning to his father, "Where's Lucas? He said he'd play with me tonight."

Derek chuckled, "He asked me to tell you he was working tonight, bud. Sorry, a surgery ran long."

"Aw man," Bailey sighed, "Will he be here tomorrow?"

"Uh, I think so," Derek smiled at his son, "I can play with you. If I haven't been replaced yet-"

"I don't think you can beat me at racing, dad" Bailey chuckled as he leaned against the counter.

"Okay, first off," Derek looked up at his son. He had a mischievous glimmer in his eye that reminded him of himself, "I have been the one to play with you hours on end before Lucas got here so I've had enough practice. Second, yes I can."

"Okay, I'll set it up," Bailey exclaimed before running back to his room.

Derek chuckled as he watched him run away and his wife walked into the kitchen.

"Woah, Bails, slow down!" Meredith called out, "He has your energy, I swear. He's a Shepherd all the way."

Derek laughed, "Ellis do her homework?'

"Reluctantly but she got it done," Meredith opened the fridge and looked through it, "Zola on the other hand didn't get to finish what she missed at school because she was apparently distracted practicing her sutures-"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Derek offered nonchalantly as he opened an envelope and read it quickly.

"Uh huh," Meredith closed her eyes and reached to embrace his back. She pressed her lips against his shoulder and looked over it, "What is it?"

"Zo's report card," he muttered, "Straight A's. For the millionth time."

"At her age I was arguing with my mom over wanting to dye my hair pink," she sighed, "She's a genius. Even if she's mad at me."

"She's a little too smart," Derek hummed. "Her teacher wants to meet with us soon."

"I saw the email and she mentioned it briefly when I went to pick up Zo earlier," Meredith replied, "We can meet with her next week when we're both off."

Derek released another hum in agreement.

"Bailey's?"

"Solid grades," he shuffled the papers and showed her the other report, "We're gonna have to have an ice cream family date soon."

Meredith chuckled as she released him and walked around the counter, "Unless Ellis' report says she's tormenting her poor teacher again."

"She is not tormenting them," Derek laughed.

Meredith opened the yogurt and put the spoon in her mouth, "Can I ask you something? And you'll be honest with me?"

"Yeah," Derek looked up and placed the report card back into the envelope, "What is it?"

"Do you think we made a mistake by staying in Seattle?" she whispered, "Do you think we should of gone-"

Derek shook his head, "I would've followed you anywhere, you know that."

His eyes dropped as he searched for words, "But when I look back, I think that if we had left we would've- Minnesota wasn't meant for us."

"It was a good project though," Meredith sighed, "I think a part of me is stuck on-"

"What if we had cured it?" Derek finished for her knowing very well she still had questions and curiosity, "Yeah, same here. Kai says you've been hard to replace."

"Oh, I'm sure David will manage," Meredith chuckled, "It could've been a fresh start for Zola."

"It could've," he sighed, "but she made it very clear she didn't want to leave either."

"Okay, I have another question."

"Shoot," Derek reached for a glass of water.

"Does having Lucas here make you want to go back to New York?" she asked almost in a whisper, "Or at least closer to your mom?"

Derek sighed. He thought about it, he couldn't lie about that. Leaving a life behind and firmly shutting the door wasn't easy. Especially when his own family began to grow and all he wanted was to share that with the other part.

Meredith couldn't understand that yet. At least not when he was pushing to move back east. Now, she was at least open to the discussions because she could see how much every sister, niece, and nephew meant to him. And how much his mother missed on her grandchildren.

But the ties in Seattle were equally strong. Each of their sisters- or at least his favorite sister- was in Seattle, their children were in Seattle, and their lives were firmly planted in Seattle.

Leaving was hard. And honestly terrifying.

"The thought of being closer crossed my mind but," he sighed, "the kids have everything here. I can't do that to them unless we're all on the same page."

Meredith nodded unconvinced, "Okay."

"What?" He furrowed his brows.

"Nothing," she snorted, "I just said okay."

"In that little tone you use when you don't believe me!" He snorted back.

'Meredith set her spoon down, "I think that if my son was across the country and didn't at least call to check in, I would be pretty pissed."

"She called you," Derek watched as she threw the yogurt tin in the trash and made her way to the room, "My mother called you. What did she say?"

Carolyn Shepherd was a complicated person. She was overprotective. Overbearing. Quick to judge. All things that would've irritated Meredith. But she knew that the woman had also pushed the darkness as far as she could. She had five children to carry forward and darkness had no place around them.

And for some strange reason, Carolyn Shepherd liked Meredith Grey. The feeling had grown mutual.

"She called looking for you because you didn't pick up your phone, Derek," she sighed, "You have a terrible history at not picking up so she was worried. She was just checking in."

She reached to peck his cheek, "I can't be doing a better job at this extended family thing. That is your job. Call her please."


If there were an award for a father and son duo who were so annoyingly similar, Derek Christopher Shepherd and Derek Bailey Shepherd would win it.

Both were competitive. Overeager. Overcompetitive. And Overconfident.

They were over- everything.

Bailey's look of concentration matched his father's as his racecar swerved on it's final lap.

"Oh, no, no, no!" Derek groaned as his son defeated him for the second time. Bailey laughed as his watched his car reach the finish line, "Best two out of three?"

"That was the third race!" Bailey laughed as he turned to his father, "But I'll race you again?"

Derek sighed as he checked his watch, "It's late bud, you really need to get some sleep."

He pushed himself off his son's bed and took both remotes to put back in their place. Bailey thanked him as he pulled the sheets and tucked under them, "Dad?"

"Yeah Bails?"

"What happened with Zola?" Bailey asked curiously, "Why was she crying last night? I thought she was excited for her- whatever it was?"

Derek released a sigh before plopping next to his son, "She's uh, she's having a tough time right now, Bailey."

"Why?"

"She's worried about-" Derek paused, unsure of whether or not his son knew everything the way Zola did, "She was researching about your grandmother Ellis and she got a little nervous."

"She's having panic attacks again?"

Derek nodded surprised that his son was so aware, "She is."

"Is she gonna be okay?"

"I think so," Derek nodded, "We just have to be there for her and remind her that we love her."

Bailey nodded, "I'll keep an eye on her at school. I'll make sure she's okay."

"Okay," Derek grinned proudly. He was proud his son had been turning out to be a good brother. He was reliable and kind. Even if he enjoyed bickering with his sisters- especially his youngest, "Get some sleep. Love you kid."

"Love you, too," Bailey smiled as his father ruffled his blonde hair.

Derek walked out of the room and made his way to the one across. His youngest was sprawled on her stomach drawing a picture. He chuckled as he made his way inside.

"You're supposed to be sleeping, Ellie," he sat next to her, "Momma tucked you in a while ago."

"It's still one minute until my bedtime," she argued. That young baby voice she once had was gone. She had even gone through a growth spurt that had broken his heart just a little, but no matter what, the same stubbornness followed her around. And she would always be his little girl.

"Okay, well now my watch says the minute is over and you need to sleep," he laughed, "C'mon under your sheets. Hand over the goods."

Ellis groaned as she passed him her coloring supplies. He helped her tuck back in.

"You're no fun, daddy," Ellis groaned.

"I know, baby girl," Derek chuckled, "I'm never fun when I don't give in to you."

"Please daddy, another minute?" Ellis pleaded as she threw her big green eyes at him. She did the same thing her mother often did. She looked up at him with longing eyes and a slight grin. The kind of grin that told him she knew what she was doing and she knew it would work. She slightly quirked her brow until Derek released a long sigh.

"You learned that look from your mother," Derek shook his head, "You really need to sleep or else you're gonna be grumpy in the morning."

"I'm not grumpy with you," Ellis smiled as she realized her tactics were slowly failing, "What if I promise I won't be?"

Now she was negotiating. That she learned from him.

"Ellis-"

"Please," she pleaded again before whispering, "Just one more minute."

Derek sighed again. Damn she was good.

"Fine but I'm counting it down," he returned her coloring book before sitting next to her.

"Maybe two?" Ellis grinned before seeing her dad's reaction. He wouldn't cave this time she could tell, "Fine, start the clock."

Elsewhere, Meredith mustered the courage to enter the third room. Zola's.

She took a deep breathe and knocked twice before opening the door slightly, "Hey, did you get through your work?"

Zola looked up from her novel, "I just finished it."

"Okay," Meredith gulped before sighing, "Zo, can we talk?"

Zola closed her book and nodded. Meredith closed the door behind her and made her way to the bed.

"Mom?" Zola began, "I shouldn't have been mean earlier today. I'm sorry I was."

"I know, Zozo," Meredith sat in front of her daughter and pulled a pillow to her chest, "I know you are. And I also know that everything you found out about Ellis scared you."

Zola nodded without answering.

"I was angry at my mom too," Meredith whispered, "I was angry that she left me alone to deal with the mess she left behind."

"You were?"

"I was," Meredith nodded, "I was mad that she refused to let anyone in her life and that she left everything up to me. I didn't think it was fair and I didn't understand why she did it. I didn't understand anything because she never talked to me about it. So I was mad."

Zola listened carefully.

"I can't control what happens Zo. I wish I could," Meredith continued, "But, I can promise that I will do my best to not burden you. You are not alone, Zo. You never will be."

Zola did her best to grin, "I know, mom."

"Okay," Meredith reached to caress her cheek, "And it's okay to be scared and upset. Just try not to let it push us out, okay?"

Zola nodded again.

"Love you, bug," Meredith reached to press her lips on her daughter's forehead before making her way out the door.

"Mom-"

Meredith turned, "Yeah?"

Zola stared for a moment, "Thank you."

Meredith smiled gently, "Sweet dreams, Zo."

Meredith walked out of Zola's bedroom and closed the door behind her. She watched as Derek closed the door behind him.

"Rough one?" she asked.

"Very," he sighed, "You?"

"Me too," she sighed back as she watched him make his way towards her. His arms enveloped him as her palms laid flat against his back, "They're gonna be okay, right?"

"I hope so," he answered, "We can always return them. I'm sure they're still taking back returns somewhere. There wasn't any age caps when we got 'em, was there?"

Meredith laughed as she shook her head against his chest, "We can't do that!"


A/N: In the words of Dr. Bailey...we are planting seeds. Don't forget to review! And to those of you who already have, thank you so much!