The Seventh Sense is Love

The Glorious Shepherds

When Ian was twelve weeks Meredith went back to work. Even though he was in the Seattle Grace daycare - she still missed him like crazy. She went to see him every day during her lunch and sometimes between surgeries. One day, she walked in and Derek was there, too. He was sitting in the glider, holding their son snugly against his chest and murmuring into his tiny ear. It brought tears to her eyes to witness the strong and loving bond between Daddy and Son.

Derek saw Meredith and reached out his arm to her. She went to her husband and child and immediately felt safely cocooned in their own little world. "Hi," she whispered. Derek kissed her lips and Ian lifted his head and made a sweet little gurgling sound while leaning toward her.

"Okay," Derek said and chuckled as he handed Ian over to Meredith and had her take the glider. "I understand that I'm chopped liver in this equation. "

"No," Meredith said as she shook her head and offered her breast to Ian's eagerly searching mouth. "We're equally important to him."

"I know," Derek smiled and covered his son and wife with one of Ian's nearby receiving blankets. Then he pulled up a chair to sit beside them and rub his baby's feet. "I miss him during the day."

"Me too," she sighed and looked at her husband. "It's a lot harder being back at work than I'd anticipated."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I mean, I love that you're back here and I get to see you during the day again. But it was a lot more comforting knowing you were with Ian than having him taken care of by others."

"What do we do?"

"I don't know. I guess we wait and find out how we adjust. Hopefully it'll get easier."

"Hopefully," she replied quietly and leaned her head on his shoulder. "How often do you come down here to be with him?"

"Every day."

"Me too," she gave a little laugh. "How did we not know that?"

"Good question," he stated. "Let's start coming together."

"Okay," she nodded. They were quiet for a few minutes while Ian finished drinking from one side and was switched to the other. Then Meredith asked, "Have you told the Chief you want to cut again?"

"No," Derek answered and grimaced a bit. "I know I need to. Especially since you have everything moving for the clinical trial. I'm just not in a hurry to have him breathing down my neck about getting into the O.R. to cut."

"I have a craniotomy in an hour. Want to scrub in and do it with me?"

Derek couldn't help the huge grin that enveloped his face.

"I'll take that as a yes," she giggled.

"Yes," he said and kissed her quickly. "It would be my honor to assist you in surgery, Dr. Shepherd. Not to mention a pleasure to finally be able to watch you operate up close."

Completely humbled by his words, Meredith just nodded and put her head back on his shoulder. She finished feeding Ian and then Derek took their son. He burped him and changed his diaper. They stayed with Ian for a little while longer and then left the nursery together. They stopped in the cafeteria and shared a sandwich and a salad before going to prep for their surgery.

"The surgery is in the gallery O.R."

"All right," Derek said and sighed. They both knew that the gallery would fill up as soon as word spread that Meredith and Derek were doing the surgery together. He was all right with that, though. He was nervous, but ready to hold a scalpel again. Most importantly, he was ready to embark on this leg of the journey with his wife. He just knew that they were going to make positive medical changes together. They were going to save lives together. And perhaps make medical history at the same time.