Family life

Exhausted

Adjusting to life with two children under the age of 2 was exhausting. They say to sleep when the baby is sleeping but what do you do when one child is sleeping the other is awake? Sleep is none existent. Meredith shuffled through the house, with a sleeping Willow cuddled tightly in her arms. Her hair was thrown up in a messy bun, wearing her tracksuits bottoms and over of Derek's tops, that was covered in all sorts of stains.

Oscar had become attached to her hip, constantly wanting her attention which anytime Meredith would love but right now, right now she just needed space. A break. As she walked through the house, her eyes barely staying open, she heard a loud squeal and giggling coming closer and closer. She grimaced as Willow started to stir in her arms. Bouncing her in her arms, trying her hardest to keep her sleeping. That was until Oscar came running round the corner screaming loudly before slamming straight into her legs.

At the loud and sudden commotion, Willows eyes shot open and her face scrunched up as she spat out her pacifier and started to cry. Meredith sighed and threw her head back trying to keep her composure. Derek was close to follow Oscar stomping his feet and pretending to be a monster, smiling until he saw the expression on Meredith's face. He quickly stood up and took Willow out of her arms, seeing that was close to collapsing.

"Mer, Meredith." He tried to get her attention as she continued to stare straight ahead, tears pooling in her eyes. Oscar was tugging at her trouser legs. "Hey little man, why don't you go into the living room and play with your trains? Daddy will be in with you alright." Derek smiled widely at him and watched as he ran quickly into the room.

Willow was quick to quieten down in Derek's arms, happily with her pacifier back in her mouth as her eyes started to drift shut. Derek reached out and placed his hand on Meredith's cheek.

"I am so tired." Meredith leaned into his hand, her eyes shutting and sighing loudly. She felt Derek wrap her arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Her tears starting to flow freely. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying it's just-just, what if they hate me? I'm not...they deserve better than me, I'm just like my mother." Meredith sobbed.

Derek shook his head in confusion, having no idea where this had come from. He moved to place Willow in her Moses basket that was in the living room before moving to wrap Meredith tightly in his arms.

"Hey, hey. No none of that, where is all this coming from?" He shh'd her, running his hands over her hair and placing loving kisses to the top of her head. Derek knew she had struggling to adjust to having two kids but he didn't know it was this bad. "Come on." He pulled her into the living room, pulling her into his lap as they sat down.

"Look, look at ours kids." Derek said watching as Meredith looked between Oscar and Willow. Oscar sat on the carpet, pushing his trains round the track and Willow slept peacefully, finally. Meredith attempted a smile but it quickly fell. "You're the best mother to this kids, I wouldn't want to be doing this with anyone else. Yes, it's hard, but you're doing this, I am so proud of you." He turned her head towards his and brushed their lips against one another's.

They finally pulled apart, keeping their foreheads touching and he reached up to push the loose curl behind her ear.

"You are going upstairs and you're going to sleep." Derek said, putting his hand up to stop Meredith from interrupting. "I've got this, their is bottles in the fridge for Willow and Oscar will play trains and soon go down for a nap, so go now. I'm not taking no for an answer." Derek said forcefully.

Meredith smiled lovingly at Derek, cupping his cheeks in both her hands and then leaned down so their lips joined once again. She pulled apart and whispered down to him. "I love you." Pushing herself off his lap, she moved towards the stairs where she got into bed and immediately fell to sleep.

Derek sat on the sofa, running his hands through his hair. He didn't know what to do, he would be going back to work soon but he didn't feel comfortable leaving Meredith yet. Not that she wouldn't do anything to harm the kids but he didn't want her to break down and he not be there for her like he was today. His thought were interrupted when he felt a tug on his trousers and saw Oscar smiling up at him.

"Dada, me hungy." Oscar's little voice spoke in broken sentences. The boy sure did inherit his mom appetite. Derek leaned down and scooped him up in his arms, holding him close.

"Let's get you some food little man." He stood up and looked down, seeing that Willow was still sleeping, smiling before he moved off into the kitchen.

Oscar sat in his chair, kicking his feet as he picked at the sandwich and fruit that Derek had prepared for him. Derek sat in a chair, sipping at his coffee when he heard a light knocking at the door. Frowning her moved from his seat and pulled open the front door.

"Ma, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you today." He wrapped his arms round his mom, before allowing her into the house and taking her coat off her shoulders, hanging it up.

"I thought I'd pop in and say hello. See if you need anything doing, I know how hard it is to go from one to two children." She smiled at him, squeezing his arm before moving into the kitchen. "Where's Meredith?" Carolyn asked, as she placed a kiss on the top of Oscar's head.

"Sleeping. She kind of...well, we've had a rough morning." Derek rubbed the back of his head and smiled at her forcefully. He also watched as Oscar yawned and rubbed at his eyes, which were slowly starting to close.

"I get it." She rolled up her sleeves. "How about you take Oscar upstairs for his nap and then you join your wife for a nap because son, I love you but look like crap." She shrugged as Derek frowned at her before laughing. "Look, I'll keep an eye on Willow, so go sleep."

"Ma, I owe you." Derek moved and pressed a kiss to the top of her head before pulling Oscar into his arms and carried him upstairs. As they reached the top of the stairs, Oscar was fast asleep already with his head resting on his shoulder. Derek was gentle to place him down in his bed, moving his favourite teddy into his arms and then kissed the top of his head before moving out of his room.

Derek slowly crept across the landing and moved into his and Meredith's room. He smiled when he found Meredith cuddled into his pillow, snoring as per usual. He walked into the room and lay down behind Meredith, smiling as she settled into his arms and sighed happily. He kissed the back of her neck and then settled down, falling asleep himself.

Life wasn't easy but that's the thing it's not meant to be easy. It wouldn't be worth it otherwise. But with your loved ones by your side then it definitely makes it easier.

*A/N*
Not me saying I was going to get better at updating and then leaving it another 4 days before I finally updated...lmao
I do promise I will be updating more now as I've been quite ill recently, again, so the motivation to write has been literally none existent...

Thanks again for bearing with me, you guys are the best!! Also, thank you for 10k reads on neighbours!!