"Becky, sweetheart, don't put that in your mouth," Meredith giggled as she reached out to take her cell phone out of her hands. "You can play with your rattle. Look at Mel, she's playing with hers. Watch your sister."
"They're so active," Emma smiled as she walked into her living room, two cups of tea in her hand.
"They are," Meredith smiled, graciously accepting the cup of tea as she curled into the couch, watching her daughters wiggle on the floor. "I can't believe how big they're getting."
"Well, you can get used to that feeling, dear," Emma sighed. "I can't believe I'm about to have six grandchildren."
"And your son is already pushing for seven," Meredith rolled her eyes. "He actually thinks I want another baby right now."
"The girls are barely two months old," Emma laughed. "I don't think he'd rationally want another one either."
"According to him we need to act now if we want to ensure that the boys beat the girls in this generation," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Apparently there's no doubt that our next one will be a boy."
"I hope you told him that he's going to have to wait a little while before that happens," Emma smiled.
"Three years," Meredith nodded. "I want there to be a solid age difference between the girls and any other siblings."
"You're a smart woman," Emma nodded.
"Married to an idiot," Meredith giggled as she moved to the floor, Emma following her. "Alright, smelly Mellie, let's change your diaper."
Emma reached out to take Becky's rattle from her hands, playing with her grand daughter as she watched Meredith gently change Melanie's diaper. "You're a wonderful mother, Meredith," she murmured.
Meredith smiled softly as she reached for a clean diaper. "That's what everyone keeps telling me," she said.
"Because it's true," Emma smiled, reaching to cradle Becky close to her. "Your children clearly love you."
"They have to," Meredith smiled down at Melanie. "I'm their mother. I feed them, so they love me."
"That's true," Emma nodded. "But I've seen lots of new mothers, and you're outshining them all."
Meredith smiled as she set Melanie back on the blanket, turning to shove the dirty diaper into a plastic bag to be thrown away later. "That's a real compliment coming from…" she trailed off as she turned back to the blanket, seeing Melanie resting on her right side as she reached for her rattle. "Melanie," she breathed. "Oh sweetheart, good job. That was amazing."
"Is this a first?" Emma asked with a smile.
"It is," Meredith murmured, blinking back tears as Melanie flopped back onto her back. "Oh, wow."
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Emma murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Becky's head and placing her on the blanket.
"It really is," Meredith breathed, picking Melanie up and kissing her cheek. "Good job, sweetheart. Mommy's so proud of you. So is Grandma. You'll have to do this again for Daddy when he comes over. He'll be here soon."
"Assuming he'll be able to get away from hearing Mark talk about Jake," Emma laughed. "Apparently Addison had a check up today, and Mark was planning on showing him off at the hospital."
"He is a really proud father," Meredith nodded. "He's giving Derek a run for his money."
"Derek loves his girls more than anything in the world," Emma smiled. "I've never seen his eyes light up more than when he looks at these little angels. He's out doing his own father."
"Believe me, I know," Meredith laughed, shaking Melanie's rattle above her head. "I'm old news. He only pays attention to me when the girls are sleeping. Which thankfully is longer periods of time now."
"I'm sure that's not true," Emma said.
"Not really," Meredith smiled. "I just had a little bit of an adjustment period to not being the center of Derek's universe anymore."
"I remember that feeling," Emma smiled. "When I first came home with Kathleen the only time Michael paid attention to me was when he wanted me to change a dirty diaper. But we worked it out."
"Hmmm," Meredith nodded. "We've had to be a little more creative with spending time together, but I think we've finally made it work."
"Good," Emma nodded. "My son loves you, and I'd hate to have to lecture him because he's not being a good husband."
"He's an amazing husband," Meredith nodded. "Right, Mellie? You saw the dinner Daddy made for Mommy last week with candles and sparkling grape juice. Because I'm still feeding you, and we don't want drunk babies. Then they'd take you away from us, and we don't want that."
"Drunk babies would be a very bad thing," Emma laughed. "But I'm glad you're getting some time together."
"Me too," Meredith sighed. "We're thinking about maybe going out, just the two of us sometime soon."
"Separation anxiety is making that hard, I assume," Emma said. "They're both pretty shy."
"I think I have more separation anxiety than they do," Meredith sighed. "I've never left them."
"It's hard," Emma nodded. "I remember. But you have to do it eventually. And you know I'm more than happy to watch them whenever you need me to. They are my only Shepherd grandchildren."
"I know," Meredith nodded, leaning down to tickle Melanie. "What do you say, sweetie? Do you want to spend a night at Grandma's?"
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea," Derek announced as he walked into the living room, sitting down in between his mom and wife. "How are my girls? I missed you today."
"We're good," Meredith smiled, handing him Melanie's rattle. "Hold this to the side of Mel's head."
"Why?" he asked, taking the rattle and holding it to the side of her head, gasping as she rolled onto her side, reaching for it. "Oh, wow."
"That's what I said," Meredith giggled.
"They're getting so big," Derek breathed.
"I know," Meredith sighed.
"Before you know it, they'll be grown and having children of their own," Emma said softly. "And not even acknowledging you when they walk into the room like you just did."
Derek rolled his eyes as he leaned in to kiss his mother's cheek. "Sorry," he said. "Hi Mom."
"Hi dear," she smiled as she ran a hand over his hair. "How was your day? Any interesting surgeries?"
"Pretty good," Derek nodded. "Saved three lives."
"No one likes arrogance, dear," Emma sighed as she handed Becky to him as the baby giggled up at him.
"Thanks Mom, I'm glad you're proud of me."
"Of course I'm proud," Emma smiled. "But a little modesty never hurt anyone, you know that."
"Yeah Derek," Meredith smirked.
"You hush," Derek rolled his eyes.
"Alright," Emma sighed as she stood. "I'm going to start supper. I'm more than happy that you're staying."
"Do you need help?" Derek asked without looking up from Becky as he tickled her stomach.
"I'm alright dear," Emma said. "Although…"
"What?" Derek asked, looking up at his mother as he noticed the sudden change in her voice.
"I think it's high time your daughters met their grandfather," Emma said softly, looking at him carefully.
"Oh," Derek breathed, pulling Becky into his arms and inhaling her soft scent that was uniquely baby.
"Think about it," Emma said gently, leaning down to kiss the top of her son's head and turning towards the kitchen.
"Derek," Meredith sighed, lifting Melanie to rest against her chest and looking at him carefully. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he sighed, kissing Becky's head carefully. "I…is that okay with you? If we take them to meet Dad?"
"Of course," she smiled. "Today's the perfect day. No rain, it's warm, they're old enough to stay outside for a little while as long as we shade their faces and stay out of the sun."
"Good thing they have those pink Yankees baseball hats," Derek laughed as he stood, Meredith following suit.
"Right," Meredith rolled her eyes. "They're totally going to be Red Sox fans. Boston girls at heart."
"Are you having the baseball argument again?" Emma asked, a sparkle in her eyes as she looked up from her chicken.
"We'll never stop," Derek laughed. "So…we're going to bring the girls to see Dad."
Emma smiled softly as she squeezed his hand. "He'll be happy, dear," she murmured. "I've told him all about them."
"They've heard about him too," Derek sighed. "I just…it's hard."
"I know," Emma nodded, tears filling her eyes. "But he deserves it."
"He does," Derek nodded sadly.
"Come on, Der," Meredith said, reaching or his hand. "I'll drive."
"Okay," he sighed, following her out of the house. He was completely silent as they walked out of the house and strapped the girls into their car seats, and as soon as she backed the car out of the driveway he reached for her right hand and held onto it tightly. She squeezed his hand as she drove the short distance to the cemetery, turning to him when she parked the car beside the road.
"Derek," she said softly. "If this is too hard…"
"No," he shook his head, squeezing her hand. "We need to do this. I want to do this. I just…it's hard."
"I know," she smiled, leaning forward to kiss him quickly. "It's been a long time since we were here."
"Since we found out they were girls," Derek nodded.
"So…let's go visit Dad," Meredith smiled, squeezing his hand one last time before she slid out of the car and reached for Becky. "Come on, sweetie," she whispered. "You have to be good here. No loud crying, okay?"
"Listen to Mommy," Derek nodded as he cradled Melanie close to him, reaching for Meredith's hand with his free one. "We have to make a good impression for Grandpa."
They carefully made their way across the grass of the cemetery, stopping when they reached the familiar site of Michael's grave. Derek inhaled sharply as he knelt down on the ground, Meredith following suit.
"Hi, Dad," Derek murmured. "Sorry we haven't been to visit in awhile."
"We've been busy," Meredith smiled. "As you can see."
"These are our daughters," Derek smiled down at Melanie. "Your granddaughters."
"This is Rebecca Elizabeth," Meredith smiled. "Also known as Becky."
"And this is my princess," Derek said. "Melanie Emma."
"Girls, this is your grandpa," Meredith murmured. "We're very sad that you'll never going to meet him. He was a very good man."
"And he loves you very much," Derek added. "Dad…I can't believe how amazing these girls are. Being a father…it's incredible."
"Our daughters really are amazing," Meredith said as she stroked Becky's cheek. "And Derek is an amazing father."
"Which works well because Mer's an amazing father," Derek said, smiling warmly at his wife.
"We all miss you though," Meredith sighed. "I know Mom comes a lot, but…we should come more."
"It was a hard pregnancy," Derek continued. "Bed rest and then she had to deliver a couple weeks early, but it was completely worth it. Everyone was completely safe and healthy, and now the two most beautiful girls in the world are ours."
"They're already getting so big," Meredith murmured. "And are starting to have such real personalities."
"Mel looks exactly like me," Derek smirked. "She's even got the Shepherd hair."
"And Becky looks like me," Meredith nodded. "But she's stubborn like her daddy."
"Because Mommy isn't stubborn at all," Derek rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," Meredith giggled. "So we just wanted the girls to meet their grandpa. And say hi and we miss you."
"We'll be back soon," Derek nodded. "It's actually not raining as much, so…we can bring the girls out here a lot."
Becky began to squirm in Meredith's arms, looking up at her mother with tear filled eyes, and Meredith sighed. "I think she needs a diaper change," she sighed. "Do you want me to take Mellie?"
"No, it's okay," Derek shook his head, turning back to the gravestone. "We've got to go, Dad. Our lives aren't really our own anymore."
"But they're amazing," Meredith sighed. "Bye, Daddy. We'll be back soon."
"Bye, Dad," Derek murmured. "Thanks for helping me to be a good dad. I hope I can do half as well as you did."
Meredith smiled as they stood, making their way back to the car. "Are you okay?" she asked softly as she opened the trunk and laid out a small blanket, resting Becky on it as she reached for a new diaper.
"Yeah," Derek nodded, planting a kiss to the top of Melanie's head. "I'm glad we did that."
"Me too," Meredith nodded as she slid Becky's pants back on. "I wish he was here."
"So do I," Derek sighed, pulling her and a clean Becky into his arms. "But this….it's pretty nice."
"Yeah," Meredith smiled as she snuggled into his arms and closer to her daughters. "It really is."
"We should leave the girls with Mom sometime soon," Derek murmured into her hair. "I miss you."
"I miss you too," Meredith admitted softly, pressing her lips against his quickly before moving back towards the car. "Let's go have dinner with Mom," she smiled as she moved to place Becky in her car seat. She loved her daughters, but she knew she had to trust them with someone else for at least a little bit so she could have a life besides Mommy.