"…And they can suck their thumbs now," Derek reported, looking up from his book, releasing an arm from around her as he turned the page, his eyes moving carefully over the words.

"Mmmhmm," Meredith sighed as she tried to roll out of his arms. For some reason the moment he had returned from work the day before, he had refused to let go of her for hours.

"Where are you going?" Derek frowned. "I'm reading about our babies. Big things are happening."

"I know," she murmured from her side of the bed. "But you don't need to hold me while you do that."

"Yes I do," he replied.

"Derek, I know you like holding me," she sighed, burying her face in the pillow. "I love it, I do. And so do the babies. But I'm hot. It's ridiculously hot in here and I need my own space right now."

"But the book says I need to hug you," Derek frowned. "It says you need to feel loved, so I need to hug you."

"I'm so regretting buying you that book," Meredith rolled her eyes, looking at the book for expectant fathers that hadn't left her husband's hands in the past week. She was actually beginning to wonder if he had people read it to him during surgery. He was obsessed.

"It says that you need to be hugged so you'll hug the babies," Derek argued. "So I'm hugging you."

"Seriously?" Meredith asked. "You think if you don't hug me I won't hug our babies? Seriously?"

"It's what the book says."

"If you don't stop looking at that damn book you won't be hugging me or anyone else ever again," she snapped.

"Fine," Derek rolled his eyes, closing the book. "Then I won't read it anymore. I'll just sit here."

"You don't want to know what's going on with our babies?" she asked, tears filling her eyes.

"You just told me to stop…" Derek inhaled deeply as he reached out to rub her belly, his hand making contact much before he thought it would. "Mer," he frowned, looking down at her stomach.

"What?" she snapped.

"Stand up."

Meredith rolled her eyes as she tried to sit up, frowning when she fell back against the pillows. "Help me up," she sighed.

"I think you popped," Derek breathed as he pulled her to her feet, her stomach much bigger than it had been the night before.

"Oh," Meredith frowned as she looked at the very swollen stomach. "I can't see my feet."

"Good job guys," Derek murmured as he pressed his lips to her stomach. "Now everyone will know you're in there."

"I'm only four months," Meredith whispered.

"With twins," Derek added. "Factor in how small you are…you popped early. They're making themselves known."

"They're getting big."

"They are," Derek smiled. "Can you feel them move?"

"No," she sighed. "I don't think so."

"Soon," Derek smiled. "Daddy's proud of you guys. You're growing well. And making Mommy look completely beautiful."

"Fat."

"Beautiful."

"Fat."

"Meredith," Derek laughed, standing to meet her eyes.

"Hmm?"

"Can I hug you now?"

"Oh," Meredith smiled, cuddling into his arms. "Definitely."

"Thanks," Derek smiled as he held her tightly. "I love you."

"We love you too."

Before Derek could respond, the doorbell rang loudly and Meredith pulled back to frown. "Who is that?" she asked.

"I don't know," he sighed, pulling out of her arms to move towards his dresser. "I'll go see."

"Okay," she sighed. "I'll get dressed and meet you down there. Hopefully before the babies are born."

"I'm sure it won't take that long," Derek laughed.

"Look at me," Meredith frowned. "I'm completely huge."

"I hate to break it to you, but you're going to get bigger."

"Shut up and answer the door," Meredith frowned. "And bring me some ice cream."

"It's nine in the morning," Derek pointed out.

"Are you seriously questioning me?" Meredith asked. "Because I could very easily convince these babies that fishing is a stupid waste of time."

"I'm going," Derek sighed, kissing her quickly before moving towards the door.

Meredith sighed as she reached into the back of her closet for the maternity clothes she'd bought a month ago. There was no way anything besides Derek's scrubs would fit her now, and she wasn't about to wear that if they had company.

"Derek!" she shouted down the stairs a few minutes later as she slowly made her way down the stairs.

"What's wrong?" he asked, immediately appearing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Just…balance," she sighed, resting a hand on her back. "It's weird."

"You do look like you swallowed a basketball," he smiled.

"Who's here?" she murmured, grasping his hand as he met her in the middle of the stairs.

"Mom," he sighed. "Apparently we haven't been keeping her up to date enough."

"Oh," Meredith frowned.

"It's okay," he laughed. "She just likes to yell at me."

Meredith sighed as she walked into the living room where Emma was sitting patiently on the couch. "Hi Mom," she said with a smile.

"Oh, Meredith," Emma smiled, standing to embrace her. "You look wonderful."

"Thanks," Meredith giggled, smoothing her hands over her shirt. "They made me pop."

"They're doing a very good job of growing," Emma smiled.

"Mer, you should sit," Derek said, tugging on her hand.

"I'm fine, Derek," she sighed.

"You need to sit or else your ankles will swell."

"I'm carrying two people inside of me," Meredith snapped. "My ankles are going to swell no matter what."

"Not if you sit."

Meredith opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Emma.

"Derek, why don't you go spend some time at the lake," she suggested. "I'm sure it's been awhile since you've been fishing."

"It's January, Mom."

"And I seem to recall a certain night in January a few years ago when your father had to convince you to come inside from that very spot," Emma said.

"Mer and I were broken up," Derek frowned. "I try not to think about those dark, horrible times."

"You'll be fine out there for an hour or so," Emma said. "Mark is on his way."

"But what about Mer?" Derek asked. "I can't leave her."

"Meredith is fine," Emma said. "I'll be with her. And even if I wouldn't, I know that she is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"I know that," Derek said. "But…I don't like being apart from her. Or our babies."

"Derek Christopher, I would like some time to visit with my daughter in law," Emma said firmly. "And we do not need you here hovering over us."

Derek frowned before he turned to Meredith. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Derek, seriously, go fish."

"If you need me…"

"I won't," she said. "I'm fine, Derek."

"Okay," he sighed, pulling her into his arms. "Be careful."

"I'm sitting here talking to your mother," Meredith said, pulling out of his arms. "It's not exactly strenuous work."

"I know," Derek sighed. "But I worry."

"We're fine," she promised, bringing his hand down to her stomach. "Now go."

"Fine," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her stomach before standing and moving towards the door. "If you need me."

"We'll be fine, dear," Emma smiled. "Go catch us some dinner."

"Mer can't eat fish."

"Derek, seriously, go," Meredith groaned, leaning into the couch.

"Fine," Derek frowned, storming out of the house.

"Are you alright, dear?" Emma asked, turning to Meredith and smoothing a hand over her stomach.

"I'm fine," Meredith nodded. "Derek's just driving me crazy."

"Michael was the same way," Emma sighed. "I practically had to hide from him when I was pregnant with Kathleen. He was always there."

"It's because he cares," Meredith sighed. "I know that. And he's been amazing with taking care of me and the babies. But he goes overboard sometimes."

"He wants to make sure he's doing everything he can," Emma nodded. "Unfortunately he doesn't realize he's doing too much."

"I bought him that stupid book," Meredith sighed. "And it told him that the more he hugs me, the more I'll hug the babies. Which is completely stupid to begin with, but the idiot seemed to think that if he let go of me for one second I would never hold my children."

"Men will never fully understand pregnancy," Emma said. "They want to be involved, but it really is something that women go through. He just wants to make sure that he's doing everything he can to be a good father and husband."

"I know," Meredith sighed. "And that's why I can't tell him to back off."

"You can, dear," Emma nodded. "But that's enough about Derek. How are you feeling otherwise?"

"Good," Meredith smiled. "We got another ultrasound last week." She reached for a pile of pictures on the table. "This is both of them together. They were playing while we saw them, but they're not strong enough for me to feel them yet. And this is Baby A. He or she was sucking their thumb. This is Baby B. Derek thinks he's a girl because he was kicking Baby A, and apparently sisters are mean to their brothers."

"That does sound like my son," Emma laughed, examining the pictures closely. "They're beautiful babies."

"They're Shepherd babies," Meredith agreed, lifting her shirt and revealing her bare belly. "And they're huge."

"They'll get much bigger," Emma laughed. "When are you do?"

"We scheduled a C-section," Meredith sighed. "Apparently I'm too small to carry twins, but with bed rest in the last few weeks and a C-section instead of a natural delivery, it's going to be okay."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Emma said. "And I'm very excited to meet my two newest grandchildren."

"We're excited too," Meredith giggled. "Derek insisted we have another sonogram next week just to find out the sexes."

"I'm sure you're not complaining about that," Emma said.

"Definitely not," Meredith said. "They need names. And the nursery needs to be set up."

Before Emma could reply, the back door opened and Derek walked in. "Okay, you didn't even have time to get to the lake," Meredith said.

"I forgot your ice cream," Derek replied.

"What?"

"Upstairs," Derek replied. "You asked me for ice cream and I forgot. I have to get your ice cream."

"Derek, I don't even want ice cream anymore," Meredith sighed. "And if I did, I would go get it myself."

"You need to relax," Derek insisted.

"Derek," Meredith said, pulling on his hand. "I'm in my second trimester. I'm healthy. The babies are healthy. I feel good, and if it weren't for this huge stomach, I probably wouldn't even feel pregnant."

"Are you sure?" Derek asked.

"What I'm sure of is that pretty soon you'll barely have time to fish anymore," she whispered. "You love fishing, Der. Go enjoy it."

"Fine," he said, kissing her softly before he turned back to the door.

"See what I mean?" Meredith asked, turning to Emma.

"That's Derek," Emma nodded. "Taking care of everyone he loves."

"I know," Meredith sighed. "But he's driving me insane."

"Talk to him," Emma suggested. "He's just as scared as you."

"I know," Meredith sighed. "I brought him to see Dad last week."

"I saw the pictures," Emma smiled. "I do wish Derek could take Michael's advice. He was a wonderful father."

"Derek is too," Meredith smiled, looking down at her stomach. "Right guys? You have the best daddy in the entire world."

Emma smiled at her daughter in law for a moment before she asked, "Are you hungry, dear?"

"Starving," Meredith replied.

"What would you like?"

"Um…pancakes?" Meredith requested.

"Of course," Emma nodded. "I'll make sure that you and the babies are well fed. I can't have my son thinking he can't leave your side for the next six months. Lord knows the boy needs that lesson."