It was eight in the morning when the docters left. Amelia had gone to the cafeteria, leaving Meredith with her husband alone. Surgeons from Atlanta General had gone back to Atlanta one hour ago, but before that Simone had talked to Meredith. Meredith promised to call her when he wakes up, and Simone promied to come and visit them then.

Meredith sat next to Derek's bed and took his hand in hers. She was doing it a lot.

"Der, it's me, Mer." She said and looked at his face. His eyes were closed and he had a tube in his throat. "I know that you can hear me and that's why I am talking to you."

She smiled and touched his hair. "Your hair is longer and you have some beard, but I love it. I love your grey hair, they look good and that means that you are alive… I still can't believe, you know." Meredith touched his face. "I am thinking this is just a dream and you are not here."

"But you are here, next to me. You are just sleeping in a very deep sleep and no one can wake you up, but… I promise you, Der, we will wake you up, because you have to live. You have to watch your kids grown up, see your little daughter's first steps and hear her first words. You have to take boys fish flying, because they love it. They need you… and… and I need you. You are my world, Derek. I can't live without you.. and I don't want to. If you die, I die."

Meredith stood up kissed his forehead. It was the first kiss in the past year.

"How is he?" Amelia came into the room. She was carrying two bags of food. "I got us something. I hope you like salad."

"Derek loves hospital's salad." Meredith smiled and took one bag from Amelia. "Thank you, Amy."

Amelia smiled and went to the table on the other sde of the room. It was made of dark oak and had five seats around it. Amelia sat down and watched her brother, while Meredith closed room's door and sat next to her.

"No changes." Meredith said and opened the salad, but she didn't want to eat.

Amelia, seeing Meredith's reaction, put her own fork down and said. "Meredith, you have to eat."

"I don't want to."

"But you have to. Please, Mer." Amelia asked. "You have to be strong, Meredith. He needs you and you kids need you. How are you going to be strong for them if you won't eat?"

Meredith didn't replay, but took her fork and started eating salad. After Amelia was sure that her sister was eating, she started eating her salad. When Meredith was finished, there was a knock on the door and soon into the room came Jo. She was carrying a bag.

"Good morning, Meredith and Amelia." She said and put the bag on one of the couches in the room and looked at Derek. She didn't know him that well, but she knew how much he meant to these woman.

"Hi, Jo. Thank you for watching them!" Meredith stood up and hugged her.

"I don't mind, Meredith… It it really him?"

She nodded and then saw the bag. "What's in there?"

Jo looked at bag and gave it to Meredith. "Alex thought that you and Amelia would need these things."

"Thank you, Wilson."Amelia said and continued to eat her breakfast.

"How are the kids?"

"Asking for their mommy." She said and looked at the clock on her wrist. "I have to be in a surgery in 15 minutes. See you later?"

Meredith nodded and Jo left, leaving them again alone. Meredith put the bag down and took out her phone. She had to do something before she calls Alex and asks him about her kids.

Calling Carolyn was scaring her. She didn't want to do it, but she had to. She had to say that Derek was alive. She wanted to be a good wife and daughter-in-law. This wouldn't change anything in their relationship, but this would change Carolyn's and the rest of Shepherd woman lives.

"I have to call her."

"I can do it if you want."Amelia answered and took the empty containers to throw them away.

"No, I have to do it." She said and left the room, closing door behing her.

Meredith stood in the emply VIP floor hallway and watched phone in her hands. She had to call her mother-in-law and say that her only son was alive. Meredith had to do it, she knew it.

Since the funeral, she had promised to herself that she would not see them again. Nancy's and Liz's words hurt her so much. Derek was her husband after all, the father of her children and the love of her life. If she didn't love him, she would have never married him. She chose to be with him, have kids with him and grow old with him. She chose and that's the only thing that matters for her.

"This is it." Meredith thought and called her mother-in-law. After five rings she answered.

"Hello." She heard Carolyn's voice.

"Hello, this is Meredith – Derek's wife." Meredith said. She was nervous and afraid, just like the last time when she had called her.

"Oh, Meredith." She answered, but Meredith could hear dislike in her voice.

"I need to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes?" Meredith tried to sound polite.

"I don't think it's the right moment now."

"It's about Derek, Carolyn."

There was a silence for a moment, before Carolyn spoke again.

"What is it?"

"Derek is alive." She simply said. Meredith had done it. She had said her mother-in-law that Derek was alive.

"This is very bad joke, Meredith. Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drinking, Carolyn." Meredith was offended. Did they all thought about Meredith this low? Did they think that Meredith was an alcoholic, who drank every day? No, she was the mother of four childer, whose husband had come back from death. Meredith was a woman, who was trying to rebuild her life and make decisions they may change her life. "He is really alive."

Carolyn didn't replay and Meredith started to talk again.

"He is alive, Carolyn. I know it's hard to belive, but he is. I am calling to tell you that he is alive. You can decide what you want to do, but my responsibility was to call you and inform you about him. It would be great if you could tell this to your daughters." Meredith said again. When Carolyn again didn't replay to her, she wanted to end the call, but then she heard her voice on the other side.

"You are not lying?"

"No, I am not, I don't have a reason to do it."

"Where is he?"

"In Seattle, Grey Sloan hospital."

"Can… can I go and see him?"

"You are his mother after all." Meredith answered. "…I know that feeling."

"I will see you soon… And Meredith?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for your call, this means a lot to me."

And with that their call ended.