Hello!
I can't even begin to thank you all for your patience and support. You've all truly been amazing.

We've only got a couple more chapters left after this one! I'm almost sad to see it end but I'm excited to finish it up as well :)
I mentioned a sequel awhile back and a few people showed some interest. I'm not sure when it would happen, but I do like the idea of exploring life with Zola and a pregnant Meredith.
Thoughts?

Also, in case you didn't hear, I run a MerDer fanfiction tumblr blog where, aside from posting excellent MerDer fics, I also post updates about where I'm at in writing all my updates.
If you want to follow, drop by for a peek, or even ask me questions (about my writing progress, expectant update date, or anything else you may be curious about) that'd be awesome :)

merderfanfiction (dot) tumblr (dot) com/

(the website won't let me post links so I had to write it like that)

Anyway! On with the show!

Enjoy!

Chapter 20

Derek was anxious.

Actually, Derek was anxious 10 minutes ago. He was so past anxious at this point and it showed as he stalked around the kitchen like a caged lion.

"For the love of God, Derek, would just please be stationary for 2 minutes before you drive me insane," Amelia snapped as she finished drying the dish her mother had just handed her.

Derek huffed and reluctantly plopped himself in the nearest chair.

"It's not like Nancy's going to do anything. Besides," Liz chuckled, "my money would be on Meredith anyway. I bet she could take her."

Derek honestly couldn't tell if his sister was being serious and the teasing wink she sent him afterward didn't help anything either.

It wasn't that he was expecting Nancy to physically assault his wife or anything. But Nancy had an edge to her. If she wanted to cut someone down, she would do it and she'd make it sting.

More stress was the last thing Meredith needed right now.

It took everything in his power not to fly from his chair to her side when Meredith finally reappeared in the doorway from the living room. Instead, he calmly rose from his seat while silently sending her questioning looks. When she gave him a small smile and a subtle nod, Derek was finally able to let the strain of the evening start to fade off his shoulders.

"How are you girls?" Carolyn asked in a mothering tone.

"We're fine," Nancy replied offhandedly. "Right, Meredith?"

"Of course," she agreed, looking straight at her husband.

"Mom made peach cobbler for dessert," Kathleen piped up. "We could break into that and start really catching up. I for one would live to hear more about my new niece."

Meredith smiled at the mention of Zola and everyone else voiced their agreements as they made their way back to the dining room.

Surprisingly enough, conversation flowed easily the rest of the night. Children seemed to be a safe topic that just about everyone had a story to contribute to.

"Is Zola talking yet?" Kathleen asked, still chucking from the story Nancy just recalled featuring her youngest son, the living room walls, and big bowl of Spaghetti O's.

Meredith too was still recovering from laughter, but shook her head in response. "No, not yet. She's only ten months old. She babbles a lot though."

"We think she might be walking soon," Derek added proudly. "When we last had her she would try to pull herself up if she was by the coffee table."

Meredith laughed at the memory and launched into the story.

"My friend, Cristina, had come over and we were going to watch a movie and just relax," she began. "I brought snacks out to the coffee table and left Zola on her play mat while Cristina watched her so I could go back in and get our drinks. All of a sudden Cristina starts screaming at me get back in there. Of course, I immediately start thinking the worst and just about dropped the glasses I was holding. So I run in there trying to prepare myself for the worst and find Cristina filming Zola trying to pull herself up by the table to get a cookie. She fell a few times, but eventually she managed to stay up there long enough to grab a cookie before she plopped back down."

The table erupted in various giggles and 'awww's while Derek gazed at his glowing wife.

He remembered that night vividly but with bittersweet emotions.

During the week they spent estranged after the trial, he only had time with Zola when Meredith would drop her off at the hospital daycare. He knew that was his own fault though. If he had been willing to spend more than 30 seconds in Meredith's presence, he knew she wouldn't begrudge him more time with his daughter at the house.

He had just found an empty on-call room for the night and was about to try to catch a few hours of sleep when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Meredith's name blinked excitedly on the small LCD screen and he had to fight his immediate urge to ignore it.

He opened the text to find a video attached and the caption 'I know you still want nothing to do with me and you don't have to respond, but look what your daughter just did! :)'.

He was instantly intrigued at the mention of his daughter and soon Cristina Yang's voice filled the once quiet room as she yelled for Meredith.

When Zola finally stood he was grinning so hard his cheeks were starting to hurt.

"Zola! Look at you!" Meredith's voice sounded from off screen. "What a good girl!" she continued to praise as she entered the shot to scoop Zola up in her arms and cover her in kisses.

"What do you have, Zo? Did you get the cookie?" Cristina asked in a voice Derek would have never imagined she was capable of.

Meredith beamed at the baby and laughed as Zola extended her chubby, little arm to show the camera her drool covered treat.

Still laughing, the on-screen Meredith looked up past the lens to address her friend. "Send me that video, Cristina. I have to show Derek!"

Right as the last syllable of his name escaped her lips, the frame froze and the video stopped.

That overwhelming happiness he had been experiencing while watching the video was suddenly replaced by a tight, twisting feeling in his chest. His daughter stood for the first time. She stood.

And he missed it.

For ten straight minutes, all Derek did was stare at the freeze frame on his cell phone screen. Her bright, green eyes were even more captivating in her excitement and her smile radiated a degree of happiness that took his breath away.

Fuck, he missed her.

These were the things they were supposed to be experiencing together. Instead, because of his reluctance to deal with her right now, Meredith was sending him text messages that she didn't even expect him open.

Instead of sleep, he hit replay and watched the three minute video until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore, mesmerized by the giggle of his daughter and his wife's infectious smile.

"Do you have any pictures of my new niece?" Liz questioned excitedly, bringing Derek back to the present.

Derek immediately whipped out his phone to locate a picture of his daughter before passing it to his sister to pass around the table.

"Awww! You guys, she's precious! Look at that little smile," she cooed and passed it on to Nancy.

"When do get to take her home for good?"

"Monday, actually," Meredith beamed.

"Thant's amazing, you two. Congratulations," Carolyn praised. "We'll have to plan a family trip to Seattle so we can meet her."

"That'd be great, right?" Derek turned to Meredith for confirmation. "Maybe after the house is finished."

"Yeah," Meredith yawned unexpectedly. Noticing his wife's tired features, he decided to excuse the two of them for bed.

"I know we'd both love to keep talking but I think it might be time for Mer and I to head up to bed."

"Of course," Carolyn agreed, also rising to clear the plates. "You two have good night. Don't worry about your dishes."

After bidding a good night to the rest of the family, Meredith and Derek trudged up the stairs for some much needed rest.

"I had a nice time with your sisters tonight," Meredith murmured in the darkness.

The two had quickly readied for bed and were now securely nestled against each other.

"I'm glad," he whispered into her hair before placing a firm kiss on the crown of her head.

"Der," she began with some apprehension. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

"We are" he confirmed with some confusion.

"Derek, I know you haven't really talked to Amelia yet. You've been avoiding it."

He had to force down the defensive side of him that wanted to lash out and mention that she of all people had no room to reprimand anyone about avoiding. Instead, he chose to release an exasperated sigh and stare straight ahead in front of him.

"She called you out here for a reason. She wants things to be okay with the two of you. Just talk to her."

"Meredith…"

"No, don't 'Meredith' me," she scolded, lifting her head from his shoulder. "If we leave here on Sunday and you don't give the both of you the chance to say what you need to say, you're going to regret it."

"I know you're right," he reluctantly admitted.

"Good," she smiled, kissing him on the cheek before settling back against his warm body.

"Do you know how much easier our lives would be if you just conceded to that right from the start every time?" she teased. "Think of all the fights we'd avoid."

"That may be true, but think of all that make-up sex we'd miss out on," he grinned, tightening his arms around her further and rolling on to his side to pepper light kisses along the column of her neck.

"Hmmmm," she sighed in complete contentment. "That would be a waste…"

"So does what happened right now technically count as a fight?"

His continued advancements were making it harder for the words to coherently form in her mind. "I don't know…You didn't exactly put up much of a fight."

"For argument's sake," he purred against her skin, "let's pretend I did."

Thank you so much for reading!
Reviews are always appreciated!