"Leigh...you have to do this for Daddy and Meredith...You can come to our room when you wake up in the morning." Derek told his almost five year old daughter who was looking up at him, her eyes filling with tears after he had told her that she wasn't going to be sleeping in their bed everynight anymore.
"Why?" Leighton sniffed.
"Daddy and Meredith need...privacy. And you're going to be a big girl. You are a big girl."
"Nuh uh...I'm little." Leighton responded. He hadn't told her this was coming. He was just doing it.
"But big enough to sleep in your bed." Meredith breathed, half tempted to call the whole thing off and tell Derek to let Leighton do what she wanted. She assumed this would go differently and that they would give Leighton time to process everything. This wasn't going to help, or at least she didn't think so.
"You're going to be five. Almost five year olds have to sleep in their own bed."
"Then I don't wanna be five."
"You can't decide that." Derek laughed.
"No laughing Daddy." Leighton frowned.
"Oh...Sorry."
"Dad you can't laugh or she isn't going to do it." Trevor sighed from his doorway.
"Do you have any advice then?" Derek sighed.
"Not yet." Trevor smirked.
"Okay then." He turned back to Leighton. "We're not going anywhere, Leigh. We'll only be a room away."
"No!" Leighton bounced.
"There aren't any monsters in the closet." Trevor told his sister.
"And you can come right in when you wake up." Meredith kneeled down.
"What if I wake up during the night?" Leighton sniffed.
"Unless your sick or its an emergency, you have to stay in here." Derek told his daughter.
"No!'
"Leighton..."
"Who is gonna sleep with me?" Leighton asked.
"You can have all of the stuffed animals you want in bed with you."
"Daddy." Leighton stomped.
"Let me try." Trevor rolled his eyes, moving in front of Derek.
"Be my guest." Derek chuckled, shaking his head.
"Leighton...sleep in your bed because you are too old." Trevor said, shrugging before turning to his dad. "See."
"No!" Leighton shouted.
"Yeah...worked like a charm." Derek replied.
"I'm gonna go get my doll Daddy." Leighton said.
"Okay." He sighed.
"Derek..." Meredith whispered as Leighton walked back into her room.
"You're second guessing this."
"Trevor please go in your room." Meredith said quickly.
"You can't back off. If you back down, she's going to know she can get whatever she wants." Trevor informed them.
"Trevor...room." Meredith breathed.
"What if I stay with her?" Trevor offered. "Then sneak out when she falls asleep."
YOU ARE READING
Jump Then Fall
FanfictionDerek's wife died leaving him with two kids. His new job as chief definitely strained his relationship with them. When someone new comes into his life, will it help or hurt? What if that someone new is his son's teacher? ❗️Disclaimer❗️ I didn't writ...