Waking up to two little kids wrapped around her middle and with Amelia's back pressed to her back while Zola was in front of the sleeping brunette was definitely something. Now this was an excellent jigsaw puzzle. She chuckled at the mess they were in the bed and wondered when exactly Zola, Bailey, and Amelia had snuck in. She had brought Ellis over because after Bailey's teasing she didn't want to sleep alone.
"Mmm." She heard Amelia groan and chuckled again.
"Morning."
"Mhmm."
"Still not a morning person?"
"Mmm."
"I'll take that as a no." She chuckled, watching the kids begin to stir and Scout jump in his crib while he held himself up. "Scout is a morning person."
"Hmph."
"I think it's time to wake up." She sat up, nudging the brunette who groaned once more.
"Five minutes, Addie."
"The kids have school."
"Can you take them?"
"Yes. But you still have to wake up."
"Tsk. Fine."
"Fine." She mimicked, mocking her sleepy sister.
"Addie."
"Yeah , yeah. Now…"
"No, don't."
"MORNING EVERYONE!"
Addison stood at the entrance checking backpacks and lunch bags making sure the kids were all set before she took them to school. Once satisfied she opened the door grabbing the keys from Amelia.
"Alright guys, let's go before you're all late."
Soon all three kids were next to her and Amelia came over to say goodbye with Scout on her hip. Addison smiled as Ellis took her hand and she leaned down to kiss her forehead. Bailey seemed jealous and took her other hand so again she smiled and leaned down for a kiss on his forehead. The moment he got it he was out the door with a bright smile making his way to the car. She chuckled and then threw a glance at Zola, who was pressing her lips together and averting her eyes.
"Psst." She walked closer and smiled at her, lifting her chin before leaning down for another forehead kiss. "You get one too."
Zola smiled brightly and went back towards Amelia to give her and Scout a kiss before heading out.
"See you in a bit." Amelia said to her and she nodded, sending her a wink.
"See ya."
The drive to the kids' school was rather short but filled with singing and giggles. She parked in front in order to let the two older ones get out in time for their class.
"Alrighty. Zozo, Bailey, here's your stop. Your Aunt will be picking you up in the afternoon." She announced to the two.
"Will you come back?" Bailey asked with sad eyes.
"Maybe sometime soon & I'll bring Henry."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" Zola asked, biting her bottom lip.
"I live in LA. Plus I'm not sure if I can come back and live here."
"Why?"
"Just complicated grown up stuff." She said, smiling as brightly as she could.
"Or soulmate stuff." She heard Zola mutter something but didn't quite catch it.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing." Zola said quickly. " Come on Bailey we'll be late. I really hope you come back soon Addie."
"Me too. Bye. Be good." She called while the two stepped out.
"Maybe." Bailey said with a mischievous grin that reminded her of Meredith. She laughed and shook her head.
"Just don't be too bad Bailey."
"Bye!" Both him and Zola said before running into the school.
"Bye… Well ladybug we have a few more minutes before you have to go in.
"Addie, do you really have to go." Ellis pouted.
"I do." She pouted back.
"Will you come back for Momma?"
"I don't know Ellis."
"But why not?" The girl asked with that same expression Meredith gave her when she was begging for something.
"It's a little difficult."
"But you have her mark. It's not difficult anymore because you found her. You don't have to keep playing hide and go seek. You won already. Now it's easy." Ellis said using her child's wisdom to tell her truths she didn't want to hear. Because right now it all seemed anything but easy.
"Sure sounds like it, doesn't it?"
She forced a smile and thanked the heavens Ellis attention had shifted to her friends playing in the jungle gym. Addison walked over with the girl and let her play a bit as she thought back to her words. "You won already." But why does it feel like I've lost?
Meredith made it home late, she was beyond mad and more than ready to blow up on pretty much everyone. The day had begun with a headache and puffy eyes. She had had her meeting where she got bombarded with questions upon questions upon questions. And while she knew it was her job to answer and explain every little detail of the research she just didn't want to. There had also been the ever persistent Nick, who after pleading with her had gotten quite the earful from her. Then to top it all off she had to sit at the airport for three hours because of a delay. Oh she was ready to pop.
So ready that when she walked through the door and saw Amelia sitting on the couch she blew up on her. Because she had known about the stupid mark. There was no way she hadn't known. She knew who Addison was and said nothing.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Meredith walked to the living room leaving her suitcase next to the stairs.
"Hello to you too. Did you have a nice flight? I did"
"Amelia." She huffed angrily.
"Fine. Tell you what?"
"About Addison."
"What are you-"
"Her mark. My mark!"
"So they really are the same. Aren't they?" Something like recognition flashed through the brunette's eyes.
"Nice find, Sherlock."
"Why are you yelling at me?" Amelia waved her arms about. "Just because I look like my brother doesn't mean I'm him."
Meredith stopped then and really stared at Amelia. Realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. Derek had known. He had known.
"He knew." She breathed out and sat on the couch next to the brunette.
"Umm…"
"He knew and he didn't tell me. Did he tell her?"
"I doubt it. Addie loves all of that fairytale crap. She's always dreamed of finding her soulmate. Finding you, I guess."
"It's too late. She's gone again and you didn't say anything." She spat with unshed tears in her eyes.
"Mer-"
"No! Why didn't you tell me? You've seen my mark. You've seen hers. She was here. She was close again. And now she left and I said the whole thing about trying out with Nick. I told her about Nick and you let me. Why didn't you say anything? Why-"
"Shut up!" Amelia interrupted her ramble suddenly. "I wasn't sure. And if it's bothering you this much you should just go find her. It's not like you don't know where she is. You can go get her. Stop yelling at me!"
"You stop yelling at me!" She spat back angrily.
"No you!"
"No you!"
"No you! Don't you get it?" Amelia huffed.
"Get what?!"
"My brain is a jumble Meredith!" Amelia stood and began to pace her eyes growing red, which in turn had Meredith soften her idiotic rage.
"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, earning herself a bitter laugh from the brunette.
"I found mine. My soulmate."
"Amelia that's… not good?"
"It's fine. It's good. It's great. It's Kai…" She sat back next to her and repeated what she had just said softly. "It's Kai."
"Amelia…" Meredith smirked. "Kai's your soulmate? They're hot."
"They are."
"So what's the issue?"
"Everything." Amelia shook her head. "I have a kid. I have Link. They're amazing."
"I don't see the problem. A kid has nothing to do with your soulmate and Kai seemed to love when you showed them the pictures. Link… who cares? And you're amazing too, you idiot."
"So it's ok?" Amelia asked as if looking for some assurance.
"Of course it's ok you dummy. Not complicated at all. Unlike me. My life is a mess."
"Mer…" Amelia began but her cellphone rang. "It's Kai." She said excitedly.
"Go." She smiled at the brunette.
"Ok." Amelia smiled back. "You should go get her, you know?"
After that Amelia was gone running up the stairs. Meredith sat back on the couch bringing her knees to her chest while wrapping her arms around them. She thought she was alone until very familiar light steps padded down the stairs.
"Mom?" Zola called.
"Hey. I missed you." She said putting her legs down and opening her arms to wrap the girl in a hug as she made her way towards her.
"Me too."
"How are you? And what are you doing up, young lady?"
"You're loud." Zola giggled.
"Oh. Sorry."
"It's ok." Zola shrugged. "So Addie was daddy's first wife, wasn't she? And daddy didn't tell you she was your soulmate."
"Zozo, I…"
"It's ok. It was wrong but I understand what daddy did."
"You do?"
"He loved you too much to let you go."
"I suppose he did."
"He made you happy, right?" Zola asked and Meredith found herself nodding because yes Derek had been an ass but mostly he had made her happy.
"Yes, he did."
"Then I guess we can forgive him a bit."
"I… I guess we can."
"But we're still allowed to be mad, mom."
"You're always so right. How do you do that?"
"You're my mom." Zola said cheekily, making her chuckle and pull her into another hug. "Mom? Are you gonna go get Addie?"
"I-I don't know, Zozo. I think it's too late."
"I don't think it's ever late. Besides, she can be more than a great love."
"... more than a great love?"
"She's your soulmate mom. She'd complete you. She'd make you happy forever. She'd be your true love like in the fairytales. She could be your grand love. Your colossal love. Your behemoth love. A gargantuan love." Zola stretched her arms as if trying to show how big that love would be and giggled.
"Wow." Meredith chuckled. "Learned new words, it seems. I think I have enough love with you and your brother and your sister. No need to be greedy."
"Mom… I told you. Love isn't like candy. You can't be too greedy for it. And you'll never be too full."
"I always forget how wise you are." Meredith smiled and kissed her cheek.
"I love you mom and I want you to be happy."
"I am happy."
"There's room for more of that too."
"Uh…"
"Hey momma!"
"Elle Belle. You're up."
"You're home." The little girl grinned and made her way to her.
"Did I wake you up?" She asked and Ellis shook her head.
"The monster came back 'cause Addie left. Bailey said."
"Bailey." Meredith scolded as she saw her son poking his head from the railing of the stairs.
"No, I didn't." He said.
"He did." Ellis insisted.
"Bailey."
"Sorry." He muttered looking at her.
"Not to me."
"Sorry, Ellis."
"And?" Meredith pressed.
"I chased the monster away."
"You did?" Ellis' eyes light up in admiration.
"Mhmm."
"Ok. Why don't we all go to bed?" Meredith said standing up.
"Yeah. Go to bed. You're all too loud." Maggie said.
"You're here."
"It's my house too."
"You came back, is what I meant."
"Oh, yeah."
"Ok. Everyone to bed." Meredith said and the two youngest raced up the steps with her following behind.
"I'll get some water. Aunt Maggie, can you help me?"
Meredith woke up from a haze feeling the presence of another person in the room. Cracking one eye open she noticed it wasn't any person, no, it was Ellis Grey.
"You're definitely my daughter."
"Mom?"
"Don't look so surprised, dear."
"What?" Meredith questioned and her mother rolled her eyes.
"That's what I want to know. What are you doing?"
"I was sleeping."
"Don't use that tone with me."
"Why are you here, Mom?"
"To tell you what you need to hear." Ellis shrugged and this time it was Meredith's turn to roll her eyes.
"Which is?"
"Again with the tone."
"Mom."
"Your daughter is smart."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Be like her, Meredith!" Exasperation bled into her mother's tone. "Don't be like me."
"What?" Meredith was still confused as hell.
"That redhead… I like her."
"Mom?"
"Go get Addison. I gotta go."
"Mom, wait."
"Make me even prouder than I already am. Be better than me ."
" Mom … Mom… "
"Mom?" Zola's voice dragged her out of the dream swiftly.
"Hmm?" She muttered sleepily.
"Morning!" Zola cheered.
"Zozo? Morning. Isn't it a bit too early for you?"
"It can't wait."
"What can't?" She asked, sitting up. "Are you ok?"
"Here." Zola grinned and handed her a paper with an airplane ticket printed on it.
"What's this?"
"Aunt Amelia and Aunt Maggie helped me."
"LA?"
"Yep." Zola smiled brightly. "So you can go see her."
"Zozo." She let out in a half whimper.
"You'll be late mom."
"Ok." She chuckled but sobered up quickly. "But Zozo, me going doesn't mean I'll come back with her."
She needed to ensure her daughter understood as well as herself. Talking to Addison was just that, talking. The redhead's willingness to come was hers and hers alone. Meredith wouldn't push or beg. She may ask once or even twice but if Addison said no then that was that. Zola snapped her out of the dark by holding onto her hands.
"But you'll have done something. Go get her. I like her."
"Morning." Amelia chimed from the open doorway.
"Hi, momma!" Both Ellis and Bailey said.
"Hi." Maggie waved from the door.
"Momma are you gonna go get Addie?" Ellis asked, jumping on the bed.
"Are you?" Bailey asked. "She's nice."
"She's awesome. She has the feather like you and me." Ellis smiled.
"Yours is different and it's black." Bailey said.
"I don't care."
"Guys." Amelia admonished.
"So?" Maggie asked eagerly.
"Wanna help me pack?" Meredith asked and everyone celebrated and cheered.
"Yes!"
ツ