A/N: So, I wasn't expecting all that excitement and curiosity about the connection between Meredith and Carolyn, but I guess this chapter will answer some of your questions. And well, the long awaited meeting of David is here. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Derek closes the front door behind his back, allowing the light of the early morning to filter through the foyer for a second, trying to make the less noise possible as he sets down the keys and his bag on the small table right beside the jackets. He takes off his tennis shoes, grateful that his feet can now breathe, then he takes a deep breath.

His apartment is silent, a few traces of David's presence scattered here and there in the living room, but he is probably still asleep. He peeks in the kitchen, finding his mother sipping coffee from one of the mugs, as she silently reads a magazine. Derek's smile widens.

"Morning, Ma," he greets in a whisper, and her eyes snap up to him.

She gives him a wonderful smile when their eyes meet, and she immediately lowers her coffee to stare at him. "How was your shift?"

"Long, but I loved it. Meredith Grey says hi, by the way," he grins, taking a seat in front of his mother.

"Meredith Grey? Little Meredith?"

"She's not so little anymore," he chuckles. "She was my Neuro attending for the day. We saved a life together."

"Really? A Neuro attending? I remember her when she was David's age and I kept an eye on her when her mother was in surgery…" she sighs, a wistful smile on her lips. "Ellis is still around, I assume."

"Chief of Surgery."

"I see." His mom nods, a strange expression on her face. He has no idea what to think of it. "So, you saved a life?"

"Teenage girl. She had an aneurysm, we clipped it," he beams.

"I'm happy for you, I really am. Have you gotten any rest?"

"It seems that having David trained me for losing a lot of sleep," Derek chuckles, standing up to grab a glass of water and sipping it slowly. "Is he in bed?"

"Yeah, he went down a little later than usual last night, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Did he give you a hard time?" Derek grimaces, knowing how hard it can be to be around his boy some nights.

"He's a good boy, Derek."

"So he did," Derek sighs. "What was it?"

"I just baked a different kind of cookies. The chocolate chips were too big and tasted weird because it was milk chocolate instead of dark."

Derek sighs, rubbing his temple. "I should have told you about that; sorry I forgot."

"Hey, it's not a big deal. He did not have cookies, he's still alive."

As if on cue, they hear a pitter patter of feet running down the stairs, until David's head peeks from the kitchen door.

His dark hair is ruffled and unkempt, his dinosaurs pajama wrinkled, but his eyes are a sparkling blue. He has the widest of smiles, stretching on his whole face, and Derek can't believe he hasn't seen him in two days. It's been awhile since he has gone this long without seeing his son.

"Daddy!" He leaps into Derek's lap, hugging him tightly. "Daddy, I missed you!" he exclaims, burying his face in his shoulder.

Derek grins brightly as well, frowning only when David recoils a little at his touch.

"You scruffy," David says puzzled, his hand going on Derek's cheek, tickling his beard.

Derek swallows thickly, chastising himself for not having shaved before leaving, but his heart leaps when his son cups his cheeks with both his hands and plants a kiss all over his stubble, then hugs him even more tightly. Derek is always so unsure about touching him, his heart swells when David is the one initiating contact.

He squeezes David with a fake groan, making the boy giggle uncontrollably, squirming into his father's hold.

"I missed you too, D-Man."

David sighs, settling a little lower in Derek's arms, resting his head over Derek's clavicle, not wanting to let go of him. "Daddy, were you a superhero?"

Derek smiles brightly. "You know, I saw the inside of a brain today." He tickles David, who only squirms and grimaces in disgust.

"Is it slimy?"

"Gooey like Jell-o." Derek chuckles, watching the faces his boy makes.

"Gross!"

"Yeah, kinda gross, but kinda cool too." Derek grins.

Unlike many parents, he has given up on the idea of his son liking the same stuff he likes. Surgery, cooking and fishing all involve touching slimy, gross objects at some point, and it will be a no-go for a kid like David, but he still likes to tease him about it. Sometimes he manages to convince David to tag along to a fishing expedition, or to help around the kitchen, but Derek knows that surgery will be a farfetched option for him, no matter what.

"Daddy, wanna play?" David's eyes light up as their eyes lock, and Derek sighs. He hates disappointing him.

"Can we have breakfast together first?" Derek asks, though he's not sure he will get through breakfast awake either. He managed to sleep a few hours last night, but they feel like a lifetime ago. He's only glad he has the next day off and he doesn't have to be back to Seattle Grace the next morning.

"Dave, your father worked for two days straight, he needs to take a nap."

"We can nap together, Daddy!"

"Right," Derek chuckles, putting down his son. "You haven't napped in years."

"I'm a good napper," David retorts, frowning at him.

"I think I remember your last nap. You were two and you collapsed on the floor."

"I did not!" David giggles, as Derek smirks at him.

They both sit down at the table and Derek hums in delight when he sees the steamy pancakes his mother is sliding onto a plate. If he has to be awake for a few more hours, he definitely needs food. Surgery high tided him over until breakfast, but he needs to recharge his batteries.

"How was your day, Nugget?" Derek murmurs, helping his mother set up what's missing from the breakfast table.

"I had heaps of fun with Nana. She's old, but she's fun!"

"David Langston!" Derek admonishes. "Sorry, Ma."

"He's right, dear, I am getting old."

"Still, it's not nice to say that to your face," he rumbles, giving a poignant look to his son. "You need to learn how to be polite, Dave."

"But, Daddy, I am polite if I say facts," David grumbles, frowning at him. Derek is only glad he still hasn't learned how to roll his eyes.

"Derek, do you want to go to bed or are you taking him to OT?" his mother asks, knowing that he has dug a hole that he can hardly get out from unscathed. He's thankful his mother knows these things, after raising five plus one kids.

He sighs. "I can take him."

Occupational Therapy is usually fun for David, and Derek likes being there to witness all the things he learns how to do, or gather new insight from the therapists at the center. Also, sometimes he gets to play with David in the gym, and he loves going back in time and play with him. Having David really awakened his childish side, and he wouldn't change that for the world.

"Oh, Daddy, you're going to play all my games with me today!"

"I am," he grins with fake enthusiasm. He only wants a bed right now, but David needs him. He can't let him down.

"Benny is going to let me play in the ball pit today," David's eyes brighten and Derek can feel his excitement too. He knows how much his son loves the ball pit, after all.

"That sounds really exciting. When is your session again?"

"In about an hour," his mother says with a gentle smile, as they both start to dig into their pancakes.

"It's clothes time after breakfast, okay, David?" he smiles. "Want me to pick something out for you?"

"You can help," David shrugs, drenching his pancakes in cinnamon and honey, making Derek cringe a little. David is definitely not a health nut. Even though he eats his vegetables, he does have a sweet tooth.

They finish breakfast chatting about everything and nothing, David being his usual entertaining self. He's gregarious and funny most of the time, though people hardly get along with him because of his issues. It's hard to find the true David behind all his social limitations.

David is quick to bolt upstairs, though Derek barely has the time to put away some of the dishes before he's bellowing for him, asking for help to get dressed.

They settle for comfortable loose shorts and a t-shirt with a dinosaur on it, and even if it's already looking a little faded, he doesn't have the heart to tell him to wear another. Sometimes it's so hard to find something David likes and feels comfortable in that every item of clothing purchased is always a small victory. Too bad the boy grows like a weed.

"Ready!" he exclaims, his t-shirt turned back to front. "Okay, maybe not," he giggles, staring down at his chest before he pulls his arms inside and turns the t-shirt in the right position.

"Let's go, then," Derek grins, not bothering to change out of his baggy jeans and t-shirt.

They drive to OT with the radio on, soft tunes playing, and the fact that David is humming along from the backseat doesn't even make him miss listening to The Clash. David looks beyond bouncy today, and Derek is not sure if he can handle a day of bouncy David after a forty-eight-hour shift. He knows he has to, though. He needs to get used to this, no matter how brutal it will be for his body.

David bolts inside the familiar building, calling out for him.

"Slowpoke!" David giggles, following a well-known route to the gym.

Benedict, aka Benny, is already waiting for them, a wide smile stretching and contrasting with his mocha skin, his curls looking wilder than usual, since they're not collected in a bun. David greets his occupational therapist like an old friend, going as far as hugging him, and Benny reciprocates it gladly.

"Derek." Benny smiles, shaking hands. David takes off his shoes and starts his exercises on his own, knowing that the faster he gets through the mandatory sets, the earlier he'll be thrown in the ball pit.

"Hey, Benny," Derek says, smiling brightly.

"You look dead on your feet," the therapist smirks, glancing at David to check on him.

"First shift as an intern. Forty-eight hours."

"So glad I'm not a real doctor," he chuckles. "Then you look good."

Derek shakes his head, amused. "How is he doing?"

"Steady progress. He seems to be more open with his feelings though."

"Yeah, he hugged me today when I got back. And he hugged you."

"We're working on touching, yes. Also, he's getting better with fine and gross motor skills. He's a lot more centered in his running, and I'm sure he'll be okay holding pencils before we know it."

"He'll be in kindergarten in September," he gulps. His baby will be five in not even two months, and he still can't believe it. It doesn't seem real that he's already so big.

"We'll make sure he'll be ready for school, Derek."

Derek's phone rings, and he hopes with all he can that it's not the hospital. He sighs in relief when he sees that it's Mark, instead.

"Hey, my man," Mark greets him. "How was it?"

"I missed the surgeries. I so didn't miss the scut work."

Mark laughs. "Grey let you clip an aneurysm, I heard."

"She did," he beams, the excitement making him feel a lot less tired all of a sudden. "I just closed the clip, she placed it and all that, but, wow, the rush…"

"God, those were the days," Mark sighs. "You up for a drink tonight?"

"Early? I still haven't slept, I'm with David at OT."

"Wow, that sucks. Tomorrow better?"

"No, we can do tonight if we do...nine-ish? I will have Mom get David ready tomorrow and sleep in."

"We can do eight thirty if you want. Or grab a bite to eat together earlier and then stay for a drink."

"Even better. I want to be back by David's bedtime, though."

Mark laughs. "What is it, ten?"

"Just about it," Derek laughs. "I'll move it up when school starts and I'll have to take him in when I start my day."

"Poor kid, up at six."

"He's a morning person."

"Well, you are a morning person too," Mark argues, and Derek smiles. "Joe's, then. Seven-thirty."

"I'll call if I have to cancel," Derek adds.

"I'll bring Addie," Mark uses as a conclusion, then hangs up.

Derek smiles, watching David's eyes light up when Benny looks towards the ball pit, and then he puts his phone away, knowing that he's about to dive in the pit himself. He's going to cherish these moments with his boy, even if they rob him of very necessary sleep.

As long as he doesn't collapse, he'll find a way to be there for his son.

A/N: So, you met David Langston Shepherd, and he's quite the kid. I've kept him under wraps for a bit, but this won't be the last you've seen of him, I promise. Sorry for the lack of Meredith, stay tuned to see more of her!