III – Part 23

"Good morning Meredith, Izzie," Addison said nodding to each woman. Richie stood patiently at her side waiting for his mom to ask Meredith if he could visit Ellie.

"Good morning Addison," both women said in unison.

Meredith smiled down at Richie, "Good morning Richie."

"Good morning Dr. Meredith," the little boy said with a smile.

"Richie this is Dr. Stevens I used to work with her too," Addie said smiling as she introduced her son.

Izzie reached out to shake the little boy's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Richie, you can call me Dr. Izzie," she said grinning at the little boy.

"It's nice to me you too Dr. Izzie," he said enthusiastically as he vigorously shook her hand.

Richie pulled on the hem of mother's skirt looking up at her eyes wide asking an unspoken question. She smiled down at her son again and nodded knowing what his question was. "Meredith Richie was hoping he could visit Ellie again today."

She smiled at the boy and nodded, "She would love to have you visit Richie."

Richie's face brightened with a large smile, "Good, because I brought some cookies for Ellie. We made them with grandma yesterday."

Addie smiled at her son again, the fact that her mother had learned how to make chocolate chip cookies still amused her since before she had grandchildren her mother had never stepped foot inside a kitchen. She had insisted on learning because she decided a good grandmother should be able to bake cookies for her grandchildren.

"I thought you could take Richie to visit Ellie while I check on the Swift baby."

"Sure that would be fine." Meredith's pager started to go off she looked at it and frowned. "Nine-One-One I have to go. Would you mind if Izzie took him to visit Ellie?"

Addie looked down at Richie with raised eyebrows, "Would you like Dr. Izzie to take you to visit Ellie?"

He nodded grinning up at his mom. "Sure, she can take me."

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Ella face lit up as she watched Richie enter her room with her Aunt Izzie, her daddy told her he was her big brother and that he was going to live with them when she got all better.

Izzie smiled at Ellie and led Richie inside. "Hi Ellie I brought Richie to play with you."

"Hi Ellie are you feeling better today?" Richie asked.

Ellie grinned and nodded that's what big brothers were supposed to do, make sure you were feeling okay.

He smiled back and said, "Good, I brought you some cookies I hope you like chocolate chip." He handed her the plastic baggy full of cookies.

She nodded her head vigorously, "Yep those are good cookies."

Izzie's pager went off and she looked down at it pursed her lips then asked, "Will you two be okay? I have to go check on a patient."

Both nodded and she left the room.

Ellie opened the bag and took out two cookies handing one to Richie. "I'm glad you're my big brother," Ellie said with a smile as she ate her cookie.

Richie looked at Ellie puzzled and frowned. "I'm a big brother, but I'm not your big brother, I'm A.J. and Maddie's big brother."

"Daddy says you're my big brother."

"Well your daddy is wrong."

Ellie shook her head vigorously no. "Daddy isn't wrong. You are gonna live with us."

Richie wasn't really sure that he liked playing with Ellie so much anymore. "Ellie I already have a mom and dad."

"But you are my big brother so you have to live with me," she insisted.

Richie looked around the room. He wished Dr. Izzie would come back because he really was ready to leave. He didn't want to move in with Ellie and her dad. "I live in New York so I can't live with you and your dad and mom."

"But daddy says you get to stay and be my big brother," Ellie persisted with a pout crossing her arms over her chest.

Richie's eyes widened he didn't want her daddy to make him stay. "I . . . I have to go Ellie, I hope you like the cookies." He quickly left the room. He had to find his mom.

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Derek leaned over and kissed Meredith his smile broadened. It was nice to see her in such a good mood this morning. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her genuinely happy.

"Richie is visiting Ellie today," Meredith told Derek with a wide smile on her face.

The smile dropped from Derek's face, "He can't."

"What do you mean he can't? Addison said he wanted to visit her."

"You don't understand he can't see Ellie," the worry was starting to show in his voice.

"Why not?" Meredith asked perplexed.

He lowered his head and looked ashamed, "Because I told her."

"You told her what?" She narrowed her eyes at him hoping he wouldn't say what she knew he would.

"I told her that Richie is her brother and he is going to live with us."

"Oh god Derek, how the hell could you do something so stupid?"

Neither Derek nor Meredith had seen Richie standing just around the corner. He could hear their entire conversation. As soon as he heard Derek say he was going to live with them he took off running.

Derek quickly ran down the hall to his daughter's room with Meredith following closely behind. They both stopped short at the door seeing only Ellie inside the room. She looked like she was crying.

"Ellie where did Richie go?" Derek asked with concern.

Ellie pouted with her arms across her chest, "I don't know."

"Did he leave with Aunt Izzie?"

Ellie shook her head, "No."

"Daddy?" she said with a sniffle.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Why doesn't Richie want to be my big brother?" she cried.

Derek and Meredith exchanged looks, well that answers their question. Ellie told Richie and he left upset.

"I'll go find Addison maybe he is with her." Derek nodded at Meredith and she quickly headed for the elevator.

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Meredith exited the elevator and headed to the NICU. She watched Addison through the window going over a chart with Dr. Stiles. Richie was nowhere to be seen. She quickly opened her cell phone and called Derek.

He picked up on the first ring. "He's not with her you better alert security." She closed the phone and entered the NICU. How the hell was she going to tell Addison they lost her son because Ellie told him Derek was his father?

She took a deep breath and headed into the NICU. "Addison?" she said with a crack in her voice.

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