"How is Ella?" asked Linda to Derek the next day at the hospital. She was due to fly back to New York that afternoon but had wanted another look round Seattle Grace.
"Her temperature went down last night and when I left she had managed to get back to sleep," said Derek. "Her first tooth is coming in."
"Poor little thing," said Linda sympathetically. "How did she sleep last night?"
"I don't know," said Derek sadly. "I couldn't get through to Meredith this morning on the phone."
"Oh well she would have called if there was a problem," said Linda. She could tell Derek was missing Ella, and hated not being there when she wasn't well, Derek wasn't the kind of person who could deal with being a part time parent well. She knew that when Derek finished work all he wanted to do was go home to his baby.
"Yeah," said Derek, then he spotted Bailey down the hallway. "Can you hold on a second Mom?"
"Sure," said Linda.
"Bailey, is Meredith in yet?" Derek asked.
"She came in and I sent her home," said Bailey barely glancing up from her paperwork.
"Why did you send her home?" asked Derek worried that something was wrong with Ella.
"That stupid girl was about to collapse in the OR," said Bailey.
"Why?"
"Do I look like her mother to you?" Bailey demanded. "She was exhausted and she has the flu, she was in no state to do anything useful."
"Is she alright?"
"A few days in bed and she'll be fine," said Bailey. "Now can I get on with some work now?"
"Right…sorry," said Derek.
"Is everything alright?" asked Linda when she saw the look on Derek's face.
"Meredith's been sent home sick with the flu and exhaustion," he said worriedly. "All her friends are working and I can't cancel my surgery…"
"I'll go and make sure everything is alright," said Linda knowing that Derek would just worry. "Write down the address and call me a cab."
"Thank you Mom," said Derek scribbling down Meredith's address. "But your flight?"
"I'll get a flight tonight instead," said Linda. "Besides it'll be nice to see my new granddaughter again before I leave."
"Thank you," said Derek. "Meredith will try to tell you she is fine, but don't listen to her 'fine' always means she is anything but."
"I can handle it," said Linda.
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"Hi Mom how is Meredith?" Derek called his mother as soon as he got out of surgery.
"She's asleep," said Linda. "You were right she is the worst patient I have ever had, I almost had to tackle her to get her to even lie down."
"At least you got her to take a nap," said Derek. "I'll be over in half an hour."
"Are you done already?"
"Yeah I took the rest of the day off and bumped my surgeries for the next few days," said Derek. "How is Ella?"
"She's been an absolute angel," said Linda fondly. "She looks like she's about to go for a nap soon."
"Yeah she normally sleeps around now," said Derek. "See you soon Mom."
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"I do not need to be babysat," said Meredith furiously when Derek arrived at her house.
"You're awake," smiled Derek. "Did you have a good sleep?"
"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself," said Meredith. "I have always looked after myself." She was standing on her the porch with a duvet wrapped around her, almost covering her face, glaring at Derek.
"I know you are perfectly capable of looking after yourself," said Derek guiding her back inside. "But my mother is the best person in the world to have around when you feel ill."
"I don't feel ill," said Meredith stubbornly.
"Of course you don't," said Derek. "You're shivering, the house is four thousand degrees and you have a two blankets on."
"It's cold," said Meredith defensively.
"You have a fever," said Derek feeling her forehead. "Where is the thermometer?"
"Right here," said Linda coming into the living room with the thermometer. "I tried but she won't let me take her temperature and I don't know her well enough to do it by force."
"I'm fine," Meredith protested.
"Of course you are," said Linda handing Meredith a cup of tea. "You need to keep your fluids up."
"Thank you," said Meredith taking the cup gratefully. "But really I'm fine."
"I'm sure you are," said Linda. "I should really be going, I have to be at the airport in an hour."
"Right," said Meredith. "Thank you for everything."
"It's no problem dear," said Linda. "But I want you to promise you will send me pictures of my adorable granddaughter every month, Derek is sloppy and sometimes forgets."
"I promise," said Meredith.
"Alright," said Linda. "Keep in touch Meredith."
"You too," said Meredith.
"Mark is on his way to take you to the airport," said Derek. "Do try and be nice to him."
"I don't know what you mean," said Linda pretending to be oblivious.
"I mean don't yell at him the whole journey to settle down and keep it in his pants," said Derek.
"He is going to be forty next year, it is time he set on one woman," said Linda. "It's for his own good."
"Forty? Really?" said Meredith inquisitively. "How old are you Derek?"
"None of your business," said Derek his eyes twinkling in amusement. "He's happy, just cut him some slack alright."
"You're right," said Linda. "When are you going to settle down and get married again? I certainly hope Ella won't be an only child forever."
"I take it back," said Derek. "Mark deserves this chat more than me, he slept with a nurse this afternoon on the on call room."
"Now dear no' one likes a tattle tale," Linda chastised. "And you can hardly talk about getting treats from nurses."
"Mom…"
"What?" said Linda. "Oh please Derek, you were married for eleven years and you have a daughter, I think I worked out the fact that you're no longer a virgin."
"Mom…"
"Now be a good boy and get bags from the kitchen," said Linda. "I think I can hear Mark pulling into the drive."
"Okay," said Derek then he spotted Meredith giggling to herself on the sofa. "It's not funny." He hissed at her.
"She kicked your ass," Meredith giggled. "You're such a big Mommy's boy!"
"He always has been," said Linda.
"You ready to go Mom?" Mark called peeking his head in the front door.
"Yes Derek is bringing the bags to the car," said Linda. "Bye Meredith, it was lovely to meet you."
"You too," said Meredith.
"Alright the bags are in the car," said Derek coming back into the house. "I'll call you tomorrow Mom."
"Make sure you do," said Linda hugging Derek, she whispered into his ear. "And take care of that girl."
"I will," he said kissing her cheek.