Just a little one shot (probably anyway because I can't imagine I'll end up extending it) that I thought up a few days ago when I got some inspiration. Anyways I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it too! So please leave me a review if you did!
P.S. I'm English but because its an American show I try and use American terms (eg mom instead of mum) so if I slip up anywhere I'm sorry thats why!
Meredith was away at a conference in New York all week and Derek was drowning under the kids. Ellis was following him like a shadow, which was cute at first, but then she started bumping into the back of his knees every 5 seconds and and standing on things he was trying to carry. Bailey seemed to have taken Meredith absense as his sign to destroy the house and undo anything Derek tried to tidy. And Zola, well Derek didn't really know what was going on with Zola. She'd suddenly become very withdrawn from the rest of them and reluctant to talk to him. He figured she was probably just tired, it was the first week back at school after all.
His phone rang then right as Ellis started pulling on his jumper again. He scooped the 3 year old up and put her on his hip as he picked up the phone and her cheery voice rang through the speaker.
"Hi Derek!"
"Hey babe, how's the conference? Do you have time to talk or are you in a rush"
"No I've got time for you, the conference is brilliant, theres like 6 clinical trials and I want in on all of them!"
"That's good, I'm really glad you're having a good time,"
"Yeah, yeah me too. Anyways how are the kids?"
"We're good Mommy!" Ellis yelled down the phone, making Derek wince she was so loud.
"Hi Ellie," Meredith giggled down the phone and Ellis laughed too
"Look El, do me a favour, Bailey has been quiet for a really long time, can you go and find him and make sure he hasn't broken anything" Derek put her down and she skipped off out of the kitchen.
"Hey how did Zola's math test go, it was yesterday right?"
"Well it was good, I think anyway. Her report slip said 90%, but when I asked her how it went she stormed off and said she didn't want to talk about it"
"Hm thats weird. But you she's getting to that age now, she's 10 she probably just thinks we're crowding her."
"Crowding her! Shes my baby girl she can't think I'm not cool already thats not fair!"
"Haha babe listen I've got to go, just you know don't freak her out, I love you"
They said goodbye, and Derek went upstairs to find the kids. He picked up the laundry basket at the top of the stairs and walked towards Bailey's room. As he walked past the bathroom the kids shared though Zola bumped into him when she was running past. His head span round as she slammed the bathroom door.
"Whoa slow down kiddo," he chuckled slightly, but then heard her gasp on the other side of the door. "Zo, Zola you ok?" Derek knocked gently, concern evident in his voice.
Zola looked down and saw blood, quite a lot of blood. It was all over her underwear and jeans, surely her bedsheets too. Shit. This couldn't be good, surely.
"Dad," She shouted tentatively through the door
"Yeah darling, are you okay?"
"Can you get mom please" her voice was shaking now as she shouted to him
"Moms still in New York, remember, what's wrong sweetheart?" Shit. She had forgotten.
Just as Derek said that they both heard the front door open and Amelia Shepherd's voice rang through the house
"Hey guys!"
"Dad is that Aunty Amelia? Can you get her to come please, now,"
"Yeah I'll grab her,"
"Amy," Derek ran downstairs and saw her taking her coat off
"Hey whats up, you look like you've seen a ghost" Amelia laughed then stopped when Derek's face didn't change
"Somethings wrong with Zola, I don't know what she won't tell me, but somethings wrong, she wants you" Derek looked even more panicked now
"Okay, I'm sure she's fine, but lets go and see if i can help," They went upstairs and Amelia lent her head against the door and knocked softly
"Aunty Amelia?" Zola called through the door again, voice still shaking
"Yeah it's me babe, whats up?"
"The doors unlocked, you can come in, not Dad"
"Okay, thats fine Dads staying out here"
Amelia opened the door slowly, then closed it and clicked the lock behind her.
"Oh Zola," Amelia sighed, then smiled with relief when she saw her
"Whats happening? Am I dying?" She voice trembled and a few silent tears rolled down her face
"No baby, not at all," Amelia hugged her suddenly feeling sad that her niece was so scared. "You got your period sweetie,"
I was like something clicked in Zola's head when Amelia said that and she didnt know why she hadn't thought of that. She knew what a period was, her mom told her when she was about 4. Not even told her really, she just grew up knowing what it was, what tampons are, why her mom got really bad stomach aches. Zola supposed she was just so shocked that didn't realise.
"Look Zo, I'm gonna go see if your moms got any pads in her bathroom, and I'll go grab you some fresh clothes, okay?"
"Okay, thank you" she smiled and wiped her tears.
"Of course babe, I love you" Amelia bent down and kissed her on the head, then walked over to the door.
"Aunty Amelia,"
"Yeah whats up?"
"Can you tell Dad, and tell him to like, not be weird or anything? And help me phone mom later?"
"Yeah of course, your Dad... he obviously loves you more than anything in the world, but he has a tendency to... well yeah, be weird," she laughed slightly and so did Zola, then left to go and sort everything out.
"Amy! What the hell happened? Is she ok? Whats wrong?" Derek stopped pacing and spun round when he heard the door open
"Derek listen, shes okay, so chill and stop shouting,"
"No damn it Amy! She's my daughter tell me whats going on?!"
"Derek listen," Amelia grabbed his hand to make him look at her. "Shes fine, she got her period," Amelia smiled at him as his jaw dropped open
"What! No Amy, thats my baby girl, shes only ten!"
"Ugh Derek I can't deal with you too, listen take Bailey and Ellis to the park or something for an hour or so. On your way home grab a couple of pizzas, some ice cream and soda. And don't make a thing of it when you see her, just be cool"
Derek took the kids out on the premise that Zola and Aunty Amelia were going to clean the house. Amelia went to Zola's bedroom and grabbed some clean clothes, put them on the floor outside the bathroom then went downstairs. She made 2 hot chocolates and a hot water bottle, then sat on the sofa with a blanket. Zola came in a minute later and lay resting her head on Amelia's shoulder and Amelia wrapped an arm around her.
"Do you want to phone mom now or later?" Amelia looked down at her softly
"Erm, now, before the little ones get home,"
"Okie dokie," Amelia pulled her phone out and tapped on Meredith
The rang a couple of times before Meredith picked up the phone on her kid free week for the second time that day.
"Hey Mer! It's me and Zola,"
"Hi Mom,"
"Hi guys, whats up?"
"Well Zola and I kind of have something to tell you," Amelia looked down at Zola and whispered "Do you want to tell her or should I" Zola pointed at Amelia and curled up slightly tighter under the blanket
"Whats going on guys, are you keeping secrets from me?" Meredith chuckled and both girls on the other end of the phone could imagine her smile
"Okay well this afternoon Zola got her first period!" Amelia smiled again, and Zola ducked her head under the blanket
"You did! Zo that's amazing!"
"Really, amazing?" Zola stuck her head out of the blanket again. "Not how I'd describe it," Amelia and Meredith both laughed loudly
"Oh yeah, I know that feeling babe. No Zo this is good, this is really exciting. How do you feel, have you got any cramps?"
"A bit but I had some asprin and Aunty Amelia made me a hot water bottle. I didn't tell Dad though Amelia had to,"
"Thats okay darling, that was probably for the best anyway he probably would have overreacted. Oh my God I can't believe I'm not there but baby I'm so happy for you!"
"You're alone on the one Mom," Zola said making then laugh again.
"Oh Zo, look I'm gonna be back tomorrow morning, I'm really sorry I'm not there now, but Aunty Amelia can give you a big hug from me and tomorrow we'll have a proper girls day, just us,"
"Okay bye mom I love you,"
They hung up the phone and Zola snuggled back in. Amelia looked down at her a few minutes later once they put the film on. She smiled when she saw she was asleep and held her tight.
Derek and the kids came back with dinner about 45 minutes later, all very noisily waking Zola up very promptly. Ellis ran and gave Amelia a hug, but 6 year old Bailey stopped in the middle of the lounge, hands on his hips and declared "Daddy said you were tidying up, you didn't do a very good job!"
They all laughed and Amelia jumped up, mirrored his stance and said "well maybe it should be your turn to tidy up mister seeing as its your mess!" Which made them all laugh
Amelia walked over to the kitchen island to grab some of the food off Derek and he grabbed her arm and whispered into her ear so the kids still on the sofa couldn't hear
"How is she?" He asked nervously
"Derek, she's fine, I told you," She smiled seeing how nervous he still looked. "Look I know she said don't be weird and make a big deal out of it, but that doesn't mean you can't talk to her, it just means don't be weird and dont make a big deal out of it"
"Yeah, you're right," Derek buffed his shoulders back and took a deep breath. "I'm a doctor, I'm a freaking surgeon, I can talk to my daughter about puberty and whats going on with her body,"
"No Derek stop, thats not chill thats weird, just be normal yeah," she smacked his shoulder as she walked pasf then went to get the the little kids sat at table. As Amelia walked away Zola came over to grab a drink. She looked at him but didn't say anything, just stood next to him and poured the drinks, and they both stayed staring at the counter for a few moments until Derek finally broke the silence.
"Zo... " but he was he was cut off by her almost knocking the wind out of him with a hug. He kept hold of her tight, because he didn't get many of these moments anymore.
"Are you okay?" Derek said quietly looking down but without letting go.
Zola turned her head so the side of her face was now resting on his chest. She didnt look up before speaking though. "I'm fine, I just...I just needed a Daddy hug."
"That's okay, I can help with that." They stayed there for a few minutes, Zola with her arms wrapped around his waist, and Derek just holding onto his little girl. "Zo, I know you think it's awkward because I'm your Dad, and I'm a guy...but I dont want you to ever think you can't talk to me. I wish Mom could have been here for you today, and of course its okay that you wanted to talk to Aunty Amelia more than me, but you dont ever need to be embarrassed to ask me for help, okay? I get that sometimes you need girl talk, but you know Mommy and Aunty Cristiana used to have sleepovers in my bed with me in it, so I've gotten pretty good at the girl talk too," They both laughed and then went to sit down for dinner. Zola wished her Mom could have been there, but she ended up pretty alright with the people who were there.