The Seventh Sense is Love

Mommy Meets Ian

When Derek walked up to the nursery, Kathleen and David were gazing through the window. He went to stand beside them and said, "I'm taking him to meet his Mommy."

"Oh," Kathleen said, startled from admiring her new nephew. "She's awake?"

"Yes," Derek grinned and nodded toward Ian, "and being very bossy and demanding about seeing him."

David just laughed while Kathleen replied, "Of course she's demanding to see him. That baby is the culmination of the past -"

Derek cut her off by hugging her tightly to him and saying, "I love you, Kathleen."

"Well," she said, flustered and teary-eyed. She handed him his camera and said, "Get your son and take him to his mom. We'll tell everyone Meredith is all right."

Derek pulled his credit card out of his wallet and tried to give it to Kathleen as he said, "Could you take everyone in the waiting room to dinner? I really want Meredith to have a good chunk of quiet and quality time while she meets I - er, our son."

"You were about to say his name," Kathleen huffed. "Of course, we'll drag everyone to dinner but don't insult us by handing off your credit card."

"Thank you," he said and started to walk into the nursery.

"Derek?"

He turned back to Kathleen and she continued speaking, "I'm your sister. I'm sure Meredith wouldn't mind you telling me his name."

"Ian Christopher," he said after pausing for a brief moment.

"Oh," she sighed, and her eyes filled with happy tears again. "After Dad."

"Yes," Derek nodded. "Be careful not to say his name at dinner, though. I'm sure Meredith wants to tell her own sisters."

Kathleen smiled and stuck her tongue at her brother. Derek just laughed as he stepped into the nursery. He stopped to speak with the nurse on duty and show her his identification band. She checked his against Ian's before clearing Derek to take the infant from the nursery.

As Derek wheeled Ian down the hall in his plastic bassinet - his son started stirring in his sleep.

"Hey Ian," Derek said, "I'm taking you to meet Mommy. Of course, you know who she is since you've been in her tummy all this time, but now you get to feel one of her amazing hugs."

When Derek walked into their postpartum suite another nurse was helping Meredith get situated in bed. As soon as she saw him - Meredith grinned at him and immediately leaned to look inside the bassinet.

"If you're feeling all right," began the nurse with a smile, "I'll come back a little later."

"I'm fine," Meredith replied, distracted as she watched Derek take Ian from his bassinet and cradle him close. Then he walked carefully to Meredith's bed and grinned at her again.

"Mer," he said, sounding reverent and placing Ian in her outstretched arms, "can you believe we did this? Ian, this is your Mommy."

"Wow," Meredith whispered as she held him to her and stared at their son. She grinned and felt like her heart was going to pound out of her chest with love for this tiny boy. "Derek," she said and looked up at him as she started giggling. She realized he was taking pictures and reached for him. "Come here."

Derek put the camera away and sat on the bed - close to his wife and child. Meredith reached over and laced her fingers with Derek's and held tightly. "He's amazing."

"He is," Derek agreed.

"Daddy."

"Mommy."

They looked at one another and just started laughing. And then, even while she was still laughing, tears stated rolling down Meredith's cheeks.