Meredith opened her eyes. Not that she had closed them very much through the night. They hurt. Her eyes hurt. Her head hurt. She looked over at Derek, who moaned. She winced as she listened to their loud cries. They had separated them. The twins were now sleeping in their own cribs again. It was a split decision. One side of the fence said it was a good thing for them to have the companionship. The other side said that it was bad, that they needed to learn self contentment. So they suffered. The whole house suffered.

"Fuck." Derek said as he covered his head with the pillow.

"No kidding." She said as she looked over at him. "This is bad."

"Bad? More like hell. No sex. No sleep. Hell." Derek said with a frown.

"This was a bad idea." She muttered as she covered her head.

"I'll go." Derek said with a frown.

"No. I will, I guess. Everyone says to let them go..." She moaned. They both looked up when they heard the door open.

"You have to make them stop." Anna said with a clenched jaw and her hands on her hips.

"Anna..." Derek said softly as he looked up at her.

"No. I have a test tomorrow. I have to sleep. My teacher said to make sure we got sleep. I ain't got no sleep." She whined with her lip stuck out.

"You haven't gotten any sleep." He corrected tiredly as he rubbed his face.

"No. And I'm tired daddy...so tired." She moaned with exaggeration as she walked over and collapsed on the bed.

"It's not any quieter in here." Derek said with a sigh.

"I'm going. I can't let them cry." Meredith said as she climbed out of her warm bed. She gasped as her feet hit the cold hardwood floor.

"Thank God!" Anna said loudly as she covered her head with her pillow.

"No kidding." Derek whispered into Anna's ear. They both put their heads down and closed her eyes.

"Guys..." Meredith moaned as she walked into the nursery. "You're not supposed to do this. Dev, you're my big man, and Lilah, you're my brave girl." Meredith said as she picked her up. Devlin quieted down and looked up at his mom.

"Lilah... Are you hungry?" She whispered as she kissed her on the head. She walked over and sat in the rocking chair. Devlin immediately started wailing at her absence.

"Shit... Er, shoot." Meredith said as she stood back up. "Hmm..." Meredith muttered as she walked to the crib and looked around. She grabbed their carriers and placed them in them. She picked them up and walked downstairs. She made a bottle and fed Devlin with her free hand while Delilah nursed.

"Come on..." She muttered as he spit the bottle out of his mouth. "Okay." She said as she switched them around. Devlin quickly began eating and Delilah happily took the bottle. "You're as bad as your dad..." Meredith said with a giggle as she looked at him nursing.

"All done?" Meredith asked as Delilah spit out the bottle and closed her eyes. "Dev..." She said as she stroked his head. He pulled away and started crying. "Oh no..." Meredith muttered as she stood up with him.

"Sissy and Daddy are tired. You have to be quiet..." She said as she patted him on the back and walked around. He looked around the house with wide eyes as she showed him the pictures on the wall.

"Are you suffering from insomnia?" She asked as she looked at his bright eyes. "You have to sleep..." She said as she rocked him gently. "Let's take your sister back to bed." She said as she placed him in the carrier. He immediately started crying. She quickly grabbed the other carrier and started up the stairs. Delilah opened her eyes and looked around.

"Oh no..." She moaned, anticipating the wail. She looked up at Meredith and then closed her eyes again. "You're lucky Dev, really lucky." She said as she placed her in the crib and then picked him up. "Mommy's tired. How about you go to sleep?" She said as she looked down at him. "Good boy." She said as he closed his eyes. She waited a few minutes before attempting to lay him down. The minute her hands were off of him he wailed.

The night was long. Meredith sat in the comfortable rocking chair with Devlin in her arms. As long as she was holding him, he was quiet. Of course. She sat there wondering if she was going to be holding him forever. If he would have to be in her lap when he started kindergarten. If she'd have to hold his hand when he got his diploma. She chuckled as she looked down at him, completely content. At least someone was sleeping.

-----------------

Derek opened his eyes, to see his sleeping daughter snuggled into his side. He glanced over seeing that Meredith was no where to be found. Anna still had an hour before she had to get up for school, so he slowly snuck away from her and made his way sown the hallway. He smiled as he looked into the nursery, seeing Meredith's head to the side, Devlin in her arms.

"Mer..." Derek said softly as he looked down.

"Hmm..." She said as she slowly opened her eyes. "Oh my god! I fell asleep. I could have dropped him." She said in a panic.

"He's fine, Mer." Derek said as he bent down and kissed her then him. "You wouldn't have dropped him, believe me." He said with a smile.

"He wouldn't sleep. He only slept when I held him." She said with a moan.

"It sounds like we have a mama's boy on our hands." Derek said with a smirk.

"I'm beginning to wonder." She said as she looked down. He began to stir and then opened his eyes.

"Hey, there, little man." Derek said as he pulled him from Meredith's arms. His lip began to quiver as Derek held him close. "Don't cry..." He said as he rubbed his little back. "Daddy's going to change your stinky diaper." he said as he scrunched his nose and laid him on the changing table. "Ew... You stink!" He said as he wiped him clean.

"Do you need help?" Meredith asked as she watched.

"I think I can change my son's diaper." Derek said with a smirk.

"Okay..." She said as she kissed his cheek. "I could make breakfast..." She said as she looked at him. She watched his face turn sour. "No?"

"No." He said as he shook his head.

"That's not nice." She muttered as she walked over to Delilah. "How's my little Angel? Really?" She said as she talked to her daughter. "Would you like another?" She asked as she carried her over.

"An assembly line. Let's have six more." He said with a chuckle.

"Or not. After last night... Never again." She said with a frown.

"Did you sleep at all?" He asked as he handed her Devlin.

"Apparently. You woke me up this morning." She said with a frown. "It wasn't very much. If one was sleeping, the other was awake. Delilah is independent. Dev, you are such a little stinker. Just like you daddy. See, Lilah is like mommy...good. Daddy is bad." Meredith said with a giggle.

"Don't let her put lies into your head. Daddy is good...very good. In many ways." Derek said as he raised his eyebrows.

"And daddy has a very dirty, porny mind, that you don't need to know about!" Meredith said with a giggle.

"That wasn't dirty." Derek said with a smile. "Not all all."

"Uh huh." She said not believing him.

"Good morning." He said as he kissed her softly. "Good morning, Dev. Morning, Lilah." He said as he kissed them all.

"Morning Daddy." Meredith said with a smile.

"Dev, you really are a mama's boy." He said as he shook his head. "And daddy is going to make breakfast. What do you want?"

"Hmm, eggs. Eggs and bacon and potatoes and toast." Meredith said with a smile.

"Someone is hungry." Derek said with a smile.

"Yes, and she is feeding herself and two others." She told him.

"Good point." Derek said as they walked down the stairs with the baby's carriers. Derek sat Delilah down in the carrier and Meredith sat at the table, feeding Devlin.

"Here you go." Derek said as he handed her a big glass of orange juice.

"Thank you." She said with a smile. "Mmm, that smells good." She said as she took in a deep breath.

"Anna needs to get up." Derek said as he looked at the clock.

"I'll get her. Dev, you need to go in your carrier." She said as she placed him in it. He immediately began to wail.

"Just leave him, Mer." Derek said with a nod. She frowned and walked upstairs. Meredith smiled when she saw Anna curled up in a peaceful sleep.

"Anna... Anna banana... It's time to get up." Meredith said as she kissed her head.

"Too early." She moaned as she covered her head with her blanket.

"I know, baby." Meredith said as she pulled the covers off.

"I don't wanna." Anna whined. "This is too early." She said as she climbed out of the bed.

"Well, if you want to be a doctor...This is how it is everyday." Meredith said with a shrug. "Now go get dressed. Daddy made breakfast." Meredith said as she followed her down the hallway.

"Holy shit!" Meredith said as she stopped in front of the large mirror in the hallway.

"What?!" Derek said with concern.

"Have you seen me? I look horrible..." She whined as she looked.

"You look wonderful." Derek said with a smile.

"I haven't shaved in a week. My hair looks like there could be several wild animals living in it. I didn't brush my teeth this morning. And the bags under my eyes are huge..." She said with a frown as she walked in and saw all of the food.

"Gorgeous." Derek said frankly as he watched her.

"Good morning." Anna said as she walked in.

"Morning, Sweetie." Derek said as he sat her plate down.

"Thank you, daddy." She said with a smile. "Good morning, beasts." She said as she looked at the blue eyed twins.

"Anna!" Meredith said as she began giggling. Derek shook his head and chuckled.

"They are!" Anna said as she looked at them. "Keeping me awake..." She mumbled as she took a bite of her toast.

"Be nice." Derek said with a smirk. "I'm taking you to school this morning. Jane won't be here until later. And you-" He pointed to Meredith. "Stay away from the barn. Six weeks is enough as it is." He grumbled.

"Yes, dear." Meredith said with a smile.

"I have a test." Anna said. "Spelling."

"We know." Meredith laughed, having heard it a thousand times. "And we even studied yesterday. You'll do fine." Meredith said with a smile.

"Okay, banana. We need to go." Derek told her happily.

"Okay." She said as she put her empty plate in the sink.

"I'll be back." He said as he gave Meredith a kiss.

"Okay." She said softly.

"Bye, mommy." Anna said as she walked out.

"Bye, baby." Meredith said. She looked over at a whimpering Devlin. "You are spoiled." She said as she rolled her eyes and picked him up. "Shoot!" She said as she looked down at Anna's backpack. "Anna forgot her bag." Meredith said into the phone.

"Turning around." He muttered as he drove back to the house.

"Thank you, mommy!" Anna said as she ran up to the front door.

"Good luck on your test." She told her with a kiss.

"Thank you, mommy. Bye, beast." She said as she kissed Devlin.

"Did mommy have Devlin in her arms again?" Derek asked as she jumped in the car.

"Uh huh." Anna said with a smile.

"Spoiled brat." Derek said as he shook his head. "Okay, do you have everything?"

"Yep." She said as they drove down the driveway.

Meredith watched as Derek's Land Rover disappeared down the driveway. She went to close the door when she noticed a familiar car driving slowly down the driveway. She looked at the driver and passenger. She frowned.

"Shit..." She muttered as she looked up at Richard and Ellis, heading her way.

Fluff...Because the dark cloud is coming...