All of Your Life

Meeting Ma

Derek was stood by the front door, holding Ava in his arms waiting for Meredith to come down from the bedroom, he understood that she was nervous, hell he was too, but he knew they needed to leave soon as his mother hated it when people were late.

"Meredith, we are going to be late" he called up the stairs.

"Mama" Ava called out after her daddy.

"Okay I'm coming" she yelled back down as she took another quick glance at herself in the mirror, and ran her hands over her dress, it was a deep midnight blue in colour and it rested on her knees, she also decided to go with a small pair of black heels. Derek had told her that didn't need to dress up but she wanted to make a good impression, this was Derek's mom after all.

"Meredith, we need to leave" he called up the stairs again.

"Fine" she said through gritted teeth, she wasn't sure that she could do this, she wanted to run, but she needed to do this for Derek and Ava, things had finally come together for them and tonight was the night that Meredith needed to be strong for herself and for Ava. Walking out of the bedroom, she took a deep breath before hitting the stairs.

"Meredith" Derek breathed out as she walked down the stairs, she immediately took his breath away.

"Mommy pwetty" Ava said, running over to her mother as she automatically lifted her arms up. Meredith lifted her up and gave her daughter a kiss on the head. She walked over to Derek who gave her a smile as he leant in kissing her lightly on the lips. He took her hand and rubbed over the top of her hand with his thumb.

"I promise Mer it will be fine. It's only my mom, Amy and Josh will be there as well. I love you" he said as he kissed her forehead, for some reason he found it difficult to stop kissing and touching her.

"I love you too"

"I love you mama, dada" Ava piped in.

"We love you too, baby" Meredith told her daughter, as she let Derek guide her out of the house. His hand was possessively positioned on her lower back.

__________________________________

"Hey Ma" Derek greeted his mother, pulling her in for a hug. "Amy and Josh arrived yet?"

"No"

"They will be here soon mom, I know Josh was looking forward to meeting his grandma" he said, trying to butter her up as for the second time that night he remembered how much she hated people being late. "Mom, I have someone for you to meet" he said pulling Meredith and Ava out from behind him.

"Mom, this is my girlfriend Meredith Grey and our daughter Ava. Meredith, this is Carolyn, my mom"

"Nice to meet you Mrs Shepherd" Meredith said with a smile, the hand that Derek placed on her lower back gave her some confidence.

"You too Meredith, my son has told me so much about you" she said not taking her eyes of her son and his girlfriend. She watched as Derek pulled out a chair for Meredith, before taking Ava out of her arms he whispered something in her ear causing her to laugh, and he gave his daughter a kiss on the head. He flashed Meredith a smile that she hadn't seen since before his father died. And she noticed how he pulled his chair closer to Meredith, and that Meredith automatically leaned into him even though she was sorting out Ava in the high chair.

"So Meredith, Derek tells me you are a neuro resident?"

"Yes I am"

"What year?"

"Well i am in my fourth year of residency"

"What made you choose neuro?" Carolyn didn't miss the quick look that Meredith shot Derek, who simply nodded at her.