"Derek what are you doing here?" said Meredith. She had been up almost all night with Ella, who had started to teeth. She finally dropped back off to sleep when she had been woken up by Derek ringing the doorbell.
"Did I wake you?" said Derek even though it was obvious that he had.
Meredith was wearing pajama pants and her Dartmouth sweater, her hair was sticking up at odd angles and she was squinting her eyes to adjust to the light, quite adorably in Derek's opinion.
"Yes," she sighed.
"Sorry I thought you would both be awake at ten thirty," said Derek apologetically. It was only then he noticed how tired Meredith had been looking, she was doing a lot, looking after Ella and being a surgical resident were both full time jobs. "I brought breakfast."
"No I'm sorry, come in," said Meredith. "Quietly! I just got Ella back to sleep."
"Is she alright?" asked Derek worriedly as he followed Meredith into the kitchen.
"I think she's teething, she was up all night," said Meredith. She banged her knee on the counter as she attempted to get to the coffee maker. "Owwww!"
"Here let me," said Derek taking Meredith's arm and guiding her to a seat. "I'll make the coffee."
"Didn't you mention something about breakfast too," said Meredith hopefully. She had only just realised how hungry she was, rocking Ella to sleep all night was hungry work.
"Bagel, just the way you like it," laughed Derek tossing her the paper bag in his hand.
"Thank you," said Meredith as she eagerly tucked in.
"Here's your coffee," said Derek placing a steaming mug in her hand.
"Thank you, you're a lifesaver," she said gratefully.
"So Ella's teething, it's a little early for that," said Derek sitting down across from Meredith.
"Yeah but it's not that unusual for her to start teething at three months," said Meredith. "She's advanced."
"Do you need any help? I mean you must be exhausted, I could help," said Derek.
"No it's fine," sighed Meredith. "I'm used to getting almost no sleep anyway."
"Are you sure? I don't mind," said Derek.
"I'm sure, Ella will probably just sleep all day anyway," said Meredith. "Could you stay here for ten minutes so I can run to the pharmacy?"
"Sure," said Derek. "Why do you need to go to the pharmacy?"
"Ella has a fever," she explained.
"How high?"
"Not too high, but enough."
"You stay here then, I'll go and get it," said Derek getting to his feet again.
"I can do it," said Meredith defensively.
"I'm a brain surgeon I think I can manage to pick up something for a fever," said Derek his eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Okay," said Meredith sipping her coffee. "Thanks."
"Do you want anything else from the store?"
"No I'm good, thanks," said Meredith.
------------------------------------------
"Oh you can't be serious Ella," groaned Meredith as she paced up and down the kitchen rocking a screaming Ella back and forth. "Aren't you tired honey?"
"Hey who is making all that noise," said Derek coming in the back door, he dropped the bag with the medicine on the table and held out his arms. "Can I?"
"Sure," shrugged Meredith handing him Ella.
Ella quieted down almost immediately, she snuggled into Derek's chest and curled her chubby little fist round his index finger, her screaming turned into sniffles and light wailing.
"Traitor," Meredith muttered. "Such a Daddy's girl."
"Sometimes she just needs her Daddy," smiled Derek kissing the top of Ella's head. "Don't you sweetheart?"
"Well you might have been useful last night, nothing I tried would work," Meredith grumbled. "You wanna give her the medicine?"
"Sure," said Derek taking the spoon from Meredith.
"So did you come over for something besides reminding me that our daughter likes you so much better than me?" said Meredith as she watching Derek rock Ella gently to sleep.
"She doesn't like me better than you," Derek laughed softly.
"Sure she doesn't," Meredith laughed.
"I did actually come here for something else," said Derek. "About yesterday…"
"How is your mother? Did she get along with Ella?" asked Meredith.
"She's fine, she's having brunch with Mark today. She loved Ella, of course she did she's her Granddaughter," said Derek. "I meant about what we talked about yesterday, the cancelled dates and stuff."
"Oh right," said Meredith feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She was dreading the conversation, what if Derek said Rose was right and he didn't want to spend any extra time with Ella? What would she do if that was true, she was already struggling to juggle her life as it was and she didn't want Ella spending anymore time with the nanny than necessary, she wanted Ella to be raised by people that loved her.
"You were right, it was completely unacceptable. I had no idea Rose was telling you I couldn't take Ella when I clearly could and I apologise, you have my word it won't happen again," said Derek sincerely.
"Right that's okay…thanks for clearing that up," said Meredith.
"No it's not okay," said Derek. "I feel awful. I really want to help more with Ella…"
"You help more than enough," Meredith insisted. "You don't mind babysitting with hardly any notice and you understand the weird hours I have to do, so you're more than understanding."
"Babysit? She's my daughter," said Derek incredulously. "I miss her when I have to give her back, so seriously anytime I'm not at work I can take her, okay?"
"Okay," smiled Meredith, it was so cute how much Derek clearly loved Ella. He loved her as much as Meredith did and she could completely understand how much he would miss her. Meredith hated it whenever she had to go to work and leave Ella, and only now she realised that it was exactly the same for Derek only more so because he spent less time with her than Meredith did.
"Anyway that was what I wanted to say," said Derek.
"So…uh you sorted it all out with Rose because I get the impression she thinks Ella is in your way all the time," said Meredith knowing she shouldn't really ask about Rose, but she couldn't help it she was curious.
"Rose won't be a problem anymore," sighed Derek. "I'm pretty sure we won't make it past this."
"Oh…I'm sorry to hear that," said Meredith sounding sincere.
"I'm not," said Derek smiling. "She never really took to Ella, and to be honest I saw a side of her I really didn't like."
"Oh right…well if you need to talk I'm here," said Meredith awkwardly. "I mean we're friends right?"
"Yeah we're friends," said Derek. "But really I'm fine about it."