Mine

Chapter 32

Music is optional as always.
I'm sorry for the lowkey boring chapter.

"Wake up!" I shake and sit up immediately.
My eyes shoot open from the loud noise and I groan as Ella lands on my chest. I squint at the light coming from outside the house while I pick up Ella.
"What time is it?" I groan as I rub my eyes.
"It's eleven o'clock," Chris says jumping over me and shaking Meredith.
She gets up immediately and I laugh as she wipes the tiredness from her eyes. Her hand moves down on the bed and rests on mine. I look down and soak in the feeling of happiness before kissing the back of her hand.
"I'm hungry." Chris whines.
I steady myself to the light and look at Ella. She looks pale and I feel her forehead.
"Are you feeling any better?" I ask.
She shakes her head and rests against my chest.
"Still hurts." She says.
"What?" Meredith asks as Chris who has now taken pleasure in blowing on her stomach.
"Ella had a 99.3 fever last night," I say softly as I feel her forehead.
"She is much warmer now." I pick Ella up and wipe the sweat from her forehead with the rag that fell the other day.
"Really? Pumpkin why didn't you tell me?" Meredith asks softly as Ella crawls to Meredith.
Chris jumps on top of me and I smile.
"I don't feel good," Ella whines as we get up.
"I have an idea. You and Mer stay here. Chris want to come with me?" I ask.
Nodding, he got up and jumped into my arms with his stuffed dinosaur. I walked out of the room, shooting a wink at Meredith before leaving.
"What do you want for breakfast?" I ask as I walk down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Cereal." He responds quickly.
"Really?" I ask.
"Yeah." He says.
"No pancakes or French toast or eggs?" I question.
"Can we make chocolate chip pancakes? They are Ella's favorite." He asks.
"They are my favorite too." I smile and pull out the pancake mix.
"You really care about Ella don't you?" I ask as I mix water into a bowl with the mix.
"I know. I just- she helped me a lot." He says.
"What do you mean helped you?" I ask as I heat the grill.
He moves back on the counter and I can see him hesitating to speak.
"You don't have to tell me," I say softly.
"No. It's okay. I used to have really bad nightmares and I can't sleep without Ella. Cuz, I'll wake up and cry." He says nervously.
I study him as he hugs his stuffed dinosaur.
"Yeah, Meredith does the same for me. It's harder to sleep without her." I smile as I pour the mix into the pan.
"Wait we have to add chocolate." He stops and I grab the bag with chocolate chips.
"Here. Sprinkle a few." I say handing it to him.
I laugh as he pours half the bag. He laughs as I pull the bag away.
"Can I have some? Please?" He asks as he reaches.
"Don't put them into the mix, you already put way too much." I chuckle and put it on the counter in front of him.
He smiles and eats the chocolate chips.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asks as I laugh.
"You just did. Yes, ask me as many questions you have." I say smiling.
"Are you my uncle?" He asks.
"No, I'm not your uncle," I say softly.
I flip a few pancakes on the plate and look toward him.
"Too bad. I want you to be my uncle." He says softly as he tugs on my hair.
"Really?" I ask.
"Yeah, you are fun." He says softly as I put him up on my shoulders and hand him his dinosaur.
"Mhmm. Well, I like to be fun. Meredith is fun too." I say.
"Not as much as you are." He says as I grab the plates and utensils.
"That's not true." I laugh as I carry everything up the stairs.
"Breakfast is here. Thank you." I say nonchalantly as I enter the room.
"Meredith and Ella look up and smile as I place the stands in front of them.
"Chocolate chip pancakes. They are my favorite!" Ella smiles and takes the fork from my hand.

"Good morning." I smile at Meredith and sit opposite her.
"Morning." She replies as I smirk.
I laugh and study her confused face.
"What is wrong with you?"She laughs as I stare.
"Nothing. It's just- I can look at you." I smile.
She smiles and moves my hair back on my head. Her fingertips graze my forehead and I feel even happier.
"And I can look at you." She smiles as she feeds me the pancakes.

"Can we play monopoly?" Ella asks.
"Yes, we can," Meredith says standing up.
She plants a gentle kiss on my temple before leaving the room making me blush.
"Thank you for the pancakes," Ella says as she finishes hers.
"No problem." I smile.
"So, you're feeling better right?" I ask feeling her forehead.
"A little bit." She nods as she drinks orange juice.
I nod and look back as Meredith walks in holding a large board. I smile and watch as she sets the board.
"Who the banker?" I ask.
"You are." Meredith hands me the money.
"Wait no. I didn't-" I start as she shoves the money in my hands while the kids laugh.
"I guess I am a banker then." I frown.
"I'm sorry." She says smiling.
"You're going to have to make it back to me," I smirk.
"Eventually." She says making my head pop back up.
"Ella and I are going to win," I say as Ella jumps into my lap.
"Nope. We will." Meredith laughs as Chris runs into her arms before we tickle them.
*

"I'm going to miss them," I say as I look out the window and see Molly's car drive away.
"Me too." She smiles as I turn back to her.
I chuckle as stand in front of her. Carefully, I let my hand drift up and pull a piece of crayon wax from her hair.
Her arms wrap my torso and I smile.
"I've missed looking at you like this," I say softly.
"I've missed you looking at me like this too." She says as her fingertips move the edge of my shirt.
"Kids are gone. Can I take off my shirt?" I ask.
"Yeah. Of course." She says pushing the shirt over my head.
I throw it on the couch and wrap my arms around her shoulders. She moves closer to me and lets her head rest on my clavicle.
"What's the matter?" I ask after a while.
"I don't know." She says softly as it starts raining.
"But there is something wrong?" I ask as we sway slowly.
"Yes." She sighs as I take the deep scent of her hair.
"It's not me is it?" I ask as I run her back.
"No. Definitely not. I just- I don't know." She says softly.
I kiss her cheek and smile.
"You want to scrub in on a surgery?" I ask, smiling.
"No!" She says abruptly.
"Meredith?" I question.
"I mean- no. Not yet. Let's just stay like this." She asks.
I wrap my hands around her figure tighter and kiss her temple before lifting her over my shoulders.
She smiles as I carry her up the stairs. I let my feet pull my pants off and pour bubble mix into the bathtub. As it fills with warm water, I pull off my briefs and stand in the shower. Gently, I set her on the tile floor before sinking into the water.
"Come on, we are both in need of a bath. Could be fun." I smirk as I motion for her to sit with me. She laughs and takes off her clothes. I can't help but watch her strip. My smile grows wider as she gets in the tub. I laugh as she sits in between my legs and lets herself relax against my chest. The warm water covers us and the bubbles block out view underneath the surface. My arms wrap at her body against and I feel small shocks as my fingertips re-familiarize themselves with her skin. She giggles and I feel her hand on my thigh.

"Are you going to tell me? What's wrong?" I whisper as I kiss her shoulder.
I run my fingers through her hair and move it so I can kiss her ear.
"Because you know I love you," I say muffled in her hair.
She nods as my teeth graze the helix of her ear.
"And I will go to any length to help you," I whisper.
"Mhmm." She smiles.
"But I am not pushing you." I peck her cheek.

"It seems..." She starts.
I nod and pull her closer.
"Like everyone has these expectations. Like I am supposed to change in the blink of an eye." She says as I push my nose into her hair gently.
"Like before I won the Harper Avery, I was just an intern. And then, I'm an award-winning surgeon. No one realizes that I am still the same person I was before." She says softly.
I stay quiet for a while my hands run down her sides.

"You are the same amazing, beautiful, talented surgeon you were before. People will always judge you but you have me to fall back on. I'll help you, Meredith." I say as she turns her head towards me.

I stare at her lips as I smile. Her arm reaches up and she gently scratches the hair in front of my ear and pulls me down to meet her lips. I stop to look at her eyes.

Immediately, I sense something off. A knot tightens in my stomach as her nose rubs against mine. I feel lightheaded as she waits for my lips to meet hers. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve her. I don't deserve happiness. She deserves much more than I can ever be.

I let her lead my face to hers until our lips touch. A wave of relief rushes through me and I take a deep breath before letting my lips sink into hers again. My eyes shut instinctively and I caress her cheek. The world turns even brighter and I feel warmer. My lips push my tongue into her mouth and I feel it collide with hers.

Needing air, I pull away and let out a shaky breath as the feeling returns. It weighs down on me as she looks at our feet. I hear her laugh.

Word Count - 1820
Sorry for the short chapter. I'll try to write longer ones. But I do like it. Hope you do too.