Jen's A/N: Hey guys! Since we are hitting the 5 chapter mark, we would like to know if you are enjoying this fic so please leave a review down below & make sure to give it a follow while you are at it!

Jackson sat next to April. He held her hand and rubbed his thumb over hers hoping to reassure her. The nurse had walked out after telling them the test results. Nothing was wrong. The couple stayed quiet for a while, letting the news sink in.

"You're right."

"What?"

"We should keep him. We love our little boy and you know what, as long as we do this together maybe a little miracle will happen and it will be fine," he babbled on.

"I love you," April interrupted.

Her husband cracked a smile. It was moments like these that reminded him why he married her. April felt the same. They were each other's anchor when things were hard.

Jackson leaned in and caught her lips into a kiss.

Izzie slowly opened her eyes to sun pouring into an unfamiliar room. She looked around and tried to remember the events of last night but could only summon bits and pieces. She knew this was Meredith's house which helped. At least she hadn't gone home with a stranger. She summoned strength to sit up and walk to the kitchen. Thankfully, it was behind the couch she had seemingly passed out on. She looked and saw three small children sitting at the kitchen table.

"Oh my god!" Izzie was taken aback, she looked scared. She was scared.

Who were these kids? The kids all looked at her. Sofia and Zola both screamed, Bailey began to cry. Meredith rushed into the room, toothpaste all over her mouth and a toothbrush in her hand. She had a look of panic but once she entered the room it turned into a look of relief.

"Is everything okay? Meredith!" Callie called from the top of the stairs.

"It's fine!" Meredith yelled back. She wiped her mouth on a dishtowel before picking up her young son and attempting to sooth him.

"Who are these?" Izzie whispered to Meredith.

"That's Sofia, Mark and Callie and Arizona's kid. That's Zola she's mine and Derek's. And so is this one here." Meredith's regular voice had slowly morphed into her "mom" voice. She cooed at Bailey who had stopped crying and began to laugh.

"What's his name?" Izzie asked.

"Bailey." Meredith smiled.

"Like, after our Bailey? The Nazi?" Izzie was shocked.

"It's a long story. Look, can you hold him? I gotta finish getting ready for work." Meredith said, passing him off before Izzie could even agree.

Jo went downstairs after having a shower, trying to wash away everything that had happened between her and Alex over the past few days. She saw Alex alone at the kitchen table, going over patient notes while drinking a coffee.

"Where's Jackson?" She asked as she walked towards the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup.

"He left last night. He texted me this morning, April thinks there's something wrong with the baby. Told him he can crash here if he's still not up to going home after they get everything get checked out but hopefully they'll patch it all up. She's good for him."

Jo felt a tinge of guilt for behaving so awfully. She inhaled deeply before speaking again.

"Do you still want me to move out?" She asked, quietly as if she didn't want to be heard.

"Shit, I'm gonna be late to work." Alex said and rushed out the front door.

Arizona followed Dr. Herman with a note pad. She was still concerned about the conversation Amelia and her teacher had had. Amelia promised she would not tell but she did not even know Dr. Shepherd long enough to completely trust her. Focused in her thoughts, she bumped into her fellow colleague. She nodded apologetically.

"All right, that is all for now," Nicole announced.

The group spread out. The blonde followed the redhead.

"What did you and Dr. Shepherd talk about yesterday?" she asked.

"It is none of your business, Robbins."

"But," she insisted.

"Robbins!"

"I can't concentrate, alright?" she interrupted.

Nicole Herman stopped and turned towards Arizona. She sighed. She did not know Robbins for long. Apart from her experience, there were many other facts that came into play when she picked her to be one of her students. Arizona is very persistent in what she does.

"I asked her to be your friend."

"What?"

Never would she have guessed that Herman would the caring kind of person. She knew she had her secrets, obviously. The woman kept her personal so personal that she doubt Owen knows the slightest about her.

"After you call, I thought I needed to find someone to other than me to talk to," she explained.

"Why would you do that for me?"

"I," she continued "didn't want you to get attached to me since I'm dying soon. I wanted you to be okay and learn everything I have to teach you."

The blonde looked at Dr. Herman in awe. The urge to tell her about her situation and how the person she has asked to be her buddy could save her life. She stood there silently until Nicole was about to walk away.

"Wait Dr. Herman!"

"What is it, I have an appointment scheduled and I am going to be late if you keep interrupting me like that."

"About that… I asked Amelia to look at your case, don't ask me how she got the files, but she thinks she can get the tumour."

"You have no right to look at my personal files, Dr. Robbins. Not only it is illegal but also an invasion of my privacy and I want you to stay out of it," she responded angrily before walking away.

Meredith began scrubbing out after a successful surgery. Richard was scrubbing in beside her, getting ready for his own patient.

"How are things, Meredith?" Richard asked in a concerned voice.

"Good." Meredith lied.

"With Derek? Is everything okay with him being in DC?"

"Things are good." She lied again.

"Has he come to visit at all?" Richard was beginning to pry.

"How's Maggie?" Meredith changed the subject.

"Valid point." Richard chuckled.

Although it was never said between the two Richard was the closest thing Meredith had to a father. He needed to make sure she was being treated right. She deserved to be treated right. If Derek ever messed up he would be dealing with Richard.

Maggie just got out of her back-to-back surgery. As she was scrubbing out, she saw a familiar face walk by the operation room. The young woman finished off quickly and hurried out the door hoping to catch him before he disappears in the gigantic hospital.

"Richard!" she called out before the man took a right.

"Hey, Maggie. How was your surgery?"

"It went well, thanks. Um," she said nervously, "if you are not too busy today, I thought we could go for lunch later? You know, to talk about Ellis."

She wanted to make sure that it was not to get to know him. Even if he was her biological father, she did not need him. Back home, she has a family that has loved her since she got adopted and gave her everything.

"Of course. I'll see you later."

"Alex please let me talk to you!" Izzie yelled down the middle of the hospital. People stopped what they were doing and stared at the once happy couple. Alex made his way back to Izzie and pulled her into an on-call room.

"What, Iz, what do you want? What the hell do you want from me?" Alex asked angrily.

"I wanted to apologize, okay? I screwed up and I want to fix it." Izzie said, trying to not raise her voice. She wanted to yell at him, get him to yell at her. Anything. At least he was talking, that was progress.

"You're about 5 years too late." He was still hurt, she could see it.

"I can't fix this if you don't tell me what to do."

"You can't fix this Iz, there isn't anything left to fix! You left me, I was there for you I was always there for you. I spent every moment by your bed when you had cancer because I never knew if it would be the last. I married you, I put my sperm in a cup for you and after I do all that you leave! You just leave." He tried not to cry, she didn't deserve to see him cry.

"I thought it would be easier if -"

"If what? You left?"

"Yes." Izzie mumbled. "I thought the cancer would come back and we'd have to do it all over again and you didn't deserve that. And if the cancer didn't come back I thought you'd always see me as your dying wife. I was scared I would never be enough for you. I thought it was easier if I was the bad guy so you had a shot at a life."

"Well ever since you left I've been trying to piece myself back together."

There was a silence between the two of them. They had just thrown years of scars and secrets out onto the table. Izzie went to speak but the door opened before she could.

"Dr. Stevens," Jo began, "we need you for a consult."

"Can we talk later?" Izzie asked Alex, hopefully, who nodded in response.

Jo let out a scuff, ganing a glare from Alex. The young women then turned around and followed the neurosurgeon.

Owen had a busy morning covering for April who was still at the hospital. Amelia has asked him to look over a few of her cases and see what he thought of them. He straighten his tie before knocking on the closed door.

"Come in," said the unbodied voice.

The room was dark, like always. Amelia stood in front of the glowing light that made her seem like an angel.

"Hey," Owen smiled.

She had a few head scans up. Amelia detached one of them and handed it to the Chief. Before the redhead could say anything about it, Amelia cut him off.

"I think Derek knows."

"Are you sure? I mean…"

"He is my brother after all. So, yeah. I think he knows… Do you think he told anyone about it?"

Owen sighed.

"I'm sure he did not. Don't worry about it, yeah?" he said softly as he handed back the CT. "It looks pretty complicated. Do you think you can do it?"

"I think I can."

"I think you can too."

Callie walked in the front door carrying a sleeping Bailey; Zola and Sofia sleepily walking behind her. Zola became much more alert when she spotted her dad sitting on the sofa in the living room.

"Daddy!" Zola screamed and ran into his arms. He held her tightly, feeling as though she had grown too much in their time apart.

"Did you have a good day, baby girl?" He asked, genuinely wanting to know. She nodded in response.

"Meredith asked me to get the kids, she has another surgery but she should be home soon." Callie said, "your little guy fell asleep on the ride home, do you want me to put him down so you can spend time with Zola?"

"Thanks, Torres." Derek smiled and propped Zola up on his lap who was eager to read "Goodnight Moon" to him.

Zola had clonked out before she was even halfway through the book. Derek picked up his young daughter and took her to her room, tucking her in and savoring every moment of it. He missed being there when his kids went to sleep and seeing them wake up. He sighed and shut the door to her room before returning to the sofa. Callie sat at the kitchen table, nursing a glass of wine.

"How's Meredith?" Derek was quick to ask. They hadn't talked since their pact.

"Good I guess?" Callie seemed confused until she remembered the whole "30 days" thing. "Still calling you McAss but not as much. Which is good."

"Well, thanks for your 30 days suggestion." Derek said sarcastically.

"You two won't last the 30 days, talking yes. But not the sex. You're both weak." Callie replied nonchalantly.

"How are things with you and Arizona?" Derek asked, smiling knowing she hated the topic as much as he had hated the one prior.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she's dating someone. Or sleeping with someone. Either way she's having more fun with the separation than I am."

"Do you regret separating?"

"Yeah. I mean sometimes."

The two sat in silence before Callie finished her glass of wine and headed to bed. Derek returned to the sofa and waited for his wife.

Meredith sighed as she entered her home; she had had an exhausting day at work and was glad she was finally at home. She was taken aback by Derek who had fallen asleep on the couch.

They weren't supposed to talk. Or touch. And they still hadn't solved all their problems. Even so, she couldn't bear to let him sleep on the couch. She'd made him do it before the whole next day he complained about his neck and his back. She walked over to her husband and crouched to shake his shoulder lightly.

"Did I fall asleep?" He asked, groggily.

"You should have gone to bed." She smiled as he slowly woke up.

"I wanted to wait for you to come home."

"We're not supposed to be talking."

"You started it." He said shooting her his infamous "McDreamy" smile.

"Are you going to sleep in the bed or here on the sofa?"

"Is that an invitation?"

"No touching either."

"Callie doesn't think we'll make it the 30 days you know, thinks we're both weak." He chuckled.

"Oh, really?" Meredith raised and eyebrow and stood. She began to walk up the stairs, Derek followed eventually.

By the time he got to their room Meredith had changed into her pajamas and was almost asleep in their bed.

"You look tired." He remarked.

"What a nice thing to say to your wife." She retorted, making them both laugh.

He joined her in bed and held her close, breathing in her unforgettable lavender scent.

"This doesn't have to count as touching, does it?" He asked, nervously.

"As long as we don't have sex I'll allow it." Meredith replied. He squeezed her tighter making her giggle.

He was happy she hadn't asked why he'd returned home in the middle of the week. He was glad he didn't have to tell her he was working this weekend and couldn't spend time with the kids. Instead, Derek enjoyed holding his wife in their bed, watching her slowly fall asleep in his arms. It was familiar to him. As she began to snore, he placed a quick kiss on her neck before whispering "I love you" and trying to get some rest himself.