"What are you doing Aves?" Derek laughed, sitting on the couch with his arms around Meredith as they watched their little girl play on the floor in front of them. She was finally perked up from her last chemo treatment and had so much energy today that it was almost hard to keep up with her. And while it was hard not being able to take her anywhere, Ava always seemed to find a way to amuse herself
and entertain them.
"Playin' Babies." Ava said, walking around her toy changing table, holding her baby over her shoulder. She was wearing a bright pink princess dress and fake clip on earrings.
"Playing babies." Meredith mimicked.
"What's your baby's name?" Derek laughed, kissing Meredith's cheek.
"Umm...Barbie."
"Very creative."
"It's the only name she knows." Meredith giggled.
"You're very nice to your baby." Derek smiled.
"I'm like Mommy." Ava smiled proudly, before sitting the baby in the toy stroller.
"I think that was a compliment for you." Derek smiled, squeezing Meredith's hand
"Ava you are just so nice." Meredith laughed, as Ava walked over to them.
"What's up pumpkin?"
"I want up." Ava crawled onto Derek's lap.
"Do you feel okay?"
"Yep." Ava giggled.
"I love you Ava." Derek kissed her head.
"Love you." Ava whispered, before kissing Meredith's head. "Love you Mommy."
"Love you Ava."
"I'm sorry you couldn't go out with Uncle Mark and Grandma." Derek told her.
"It's okay." Ava shrugged. Unfortunately their little girl was more than used to having to stay behind.
"I promise we'll take you when you're better."
"I wanna go to the zoo when I'm better." Ava replied, playing with Meredith's long hair.
"We can do that."
"Ava...are you sleepy?" Meredith asked.
"Nope." Ava shook her head, jumping off of Derek's lap.
"Careful Ava." Derek breathed.
"I'm fine." Ava rolled her eyes, before standing up on the other side of the couch.
"Oh okay." He laughed, looking at Meredith. "The eye roll is already starting."
"She gets it from me." Meredith jumped up, holding her hands out for Ava. "Here Miss. Ava..."
"Mommy play dress up with me!"
"What am I going to dress up as?" Meredith asked, kissing Ava's cheeks.
"A princess."
"Oh okay." She laughed.
"And Daddy can play too!" Ava jumped up and down.
"Come on Derek." Meredith giggled, hugging Ava tight.
"What am I going to be?" Derek asked, standing up.
"The prince!" Ava shouted.
"Prince Daddy?"
"No!" Ava groaned as she handed him a hat. "Prince Derek!'
"She told you." Meredith laughed.
"Do I get to kiss the princess?" Derek asked, putting the hat on.
"You gotta." Ava nodded.
"Ooh...lucky us." Meredith teased, crawling over to him.
"Okay." Derek grinned. "Can I kiss the princess now?"
"You gotta wait." Ava sighed.
"Okay okay." He laughed.
"You are just so cute." Meredith pulled Ava into her lap. She had never thought she would be the mother to kiss it better and want to cuddle at every moment but since the moment Hunter had been born she had been. She was still able to be a great kick ass surgeon but her kids mattered. She wasn't going to do what her mother did. "And who are you miss Ava?"
"The queen." Ava giggled.
"Oh I see...well you are a very pretty queen." Meredith kissed her cheek.
"I am going to steal you and Daddy...he...has to rescue you!" Ava gasped.
"So you're a scary queen?"
"No..."
"Then why are you going to steal me?" Meredith asked.
"Cause I gotta."
"Oh okay." Meredith giggled, noticing how pale her daughter had become in the past three months. Still she looked better than she had in weeks.
"Can I have something to drink though?" Ava asked, looking up at Meredith. "Please."
"Of course." Meredith kissed her nose. "I'll be right back...stay with your Dad."
"Kay." Ava smiled.
"Juice?" Meredith stood.
"Apple please."
"Yes mam." Meredith said, before leaving the room.
"Are you going to wear a crown Aves?" Derek asked.
"The queen one."
"That's a big crown for such a little girl."
"But I'm a good queen." Ava said proudly, jumping up and down.
"I bet."
"And you gotta be good to Mommy cause she's the princess." Ava sniffled.
"Do you need to blow your nose?" Derek asked.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Uh huh."
"I'm back." Meredith walked in with a Minnie Mouse sippie cup.
"Juice." Ava jumped up and took the cup.
"She seems a little congested." Derek stood up.
"Is she running a fever?"
"Ava, let me feel your head." He put his hand on her forehead quickly before she started to move around again. "She doesn't feel warm."
"Well let's just keep an eye...last time we freaked out over her stomach pain and she was just constipated. So we'll keep an eye...maybe she just needs a nice warm bath tonight." Meredith shrugged.
"Yeah." Derek sighed.
"She's been jumping around."
"I know." He smiled, kissing her quickly.
"Ava its kind of nice to have you to ourselves when you're feeling good." Meredith giggled.
"Can we play outside?" Ava asked.
"Um...I don't see why not..." Meredith looked up at Derek.
"You have to put your coat on and a hat and gloves." Derek told her.
"Kay!" Ava clapped. "I'll be right back...stay here!"
"We're not going anywhere." He laughed.
"I missed this." Meredith breathed.
"Hmm...me too."
"It almost makes me forget she's sick."
"I know." He sighed, wrapping his arms around her.
"I got my stuff." Ava came running in with her hat, and gloves. "I already put my coat on."
"Good girl."
"Let's just put the gloves on..." Meredith sat up.
"We can't go too far from the house okay?" Derek helped her put the pink hat on.
"Can we play on Grandma's swingset?" She asked.
"Sure."
"Come on!" Ava ran for the back door.
"Ava...wait for us." Derek called.
"Come on." Meredith laughed, reaching for her coat.
"I don't think she should stay out for long but a little while couldn't hurt." Derek smiled, holding Meredith's hand as they walked out the back door.
"Agreed."
"Are you warm enough Aves?" Derek asked as they got outside.
"Yeah." Ava coughed.
"Do you want to swing?" Meredith asked.
"Uh huh!"
"Come on." Meredith walked over to the swing, lifting Ava onto it.
"Daddy! Push me!"
"Okay...but not too high." Derek walked behind the swingset.
"You gotta push kinda high!" Ava shouted.
"I'll try." He laughed, starting to push her.
"Ava smile." Meredith held out her phone, trying to get a good picture.
"Okay." Ava grinned, looking at the camera.
"Good girl." Meredith smiled proudly. She was smiling ear to ear because Ava looked like she was actually having fun and that meant something.
"Is that high enough?" Derek asked.
"Yeah." Ava giggled.
"Okay." He laughed.
"This is..." Ava cleared her throat, letting out a small cough. "This is fun!"
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Only a few more minutes, okay? We don't want you to catch a cold."
"No." Ava groaned.
"Sorry pumpkin."
"I'm not cold." Ava whined.
"I know...but you don't want to get sick."
"I won't."
"It's cold, Ava."
"Please Mommy." Ava pouted.
"I..." Meredith looked up at Derek, her eyes pleading.
"Okay. A few more minutes."
"Yay!"
"But then we have to go inside."
"And then I think you should take a nap." Meredith suggested.
"But I'm not sleepy." Ava whined.
"If you're going to stay outside you have to take nap. And when you wake up Hunter and Zo and Grandma will be home." Derek told her.
"What will it be?" Meredith asked.
"That's not fair." Ava crossed her arms.
"Oh it isn't?" Merdith kneeled down.
"I want to stay outside and play." Ava whispered.
"I know." Meredith breathed. "How would you feel if after we went inside you and I laid in bed and watched a movie. We can have quiet time."
"No..."
"Why?"
"Cause..."
"Oh dear." Meredith giggled, standing up before lifting Ava onto her hip.
"I don't want to go inside!"
"I know but your nose is running..."
"Put me down." Ava squirmed.
"Ava Sophia...we're going inside." Derek sighed.
"Sweetie...I know you want to stay longer but you can't. You can't get a cold."
"No!"
"Somebody needs a nap.' Derek opened the back door for her to carry Ava inside.
"Ava you won't admit that you're sleepy but I know you are." Meredith replied.
"Í'll go lie down with you." Derek suggested.
"No." Ava cried as Meredith sat her down on a kitchen chair.
"You don't wait to go upstairs and lie down in the big bed with Daddy?" Derek asked, kneeling down in front of her.
"Huh uh." Ava shook her head.
"Why not?"
"Cause!" Ava groaned, before coughing again.
"Ava..." Derek frowned.
"Ava you need to calm down." Meredith leaned over as Ava coughed harder.
"Take deep breaths." Derek whispered, rubbing her back.
"I don't like that cough." Meredith frowned.
"I think she just overdid herself."
"Okay..." Meredith sighed, lifting Ava again.
"Go upstairs and lay down with Mommy." Derek sighed.
"Can we go lay down now?" Meredith asked.
"Okay." Ava coughed again.
"Are you coming with us?" Meredith asked Derek as she took Ava's gloves off.
"I'll be up in a second."
"Okay." Meredith kissed him quickly.
"I'll see you in a second Ava." Derek smiled, sitting down at the kitchen table. For the first time in weeks, his daughter was actually having fun. She was running around and playing like a normal kid should and it was great to see. But it was amazing how one cough, or one sniffle put him and Meredith immediately on high alert even though he was sure it was nothing.