Is Forever Enough?

Chapter 65

"I told you she was flying home daddy." Ava told Derek.

"I know you did and something tells me you'll never let me forget it." She was rather bossy like her mother and had no problem pointing out when someone else was wrong. All three of them were sprawled out on the sofa enjoying the last few minutes of A Christmas Story playing on TV. Ava had come home antsy and bounced from one end of the house to the other wanting it to be Christmas already.

All the bouncing wore her tiny body out, but she was fighting sleep in order to catch a glimpse of Santa. Derek still had presents to wrap including attaching a giant red bow to the swing set. He could have done it while Meredith and Ava settled to watch the movie but he couldn't bring himself to leave their side. It had been so long since the three of them got the chance to be alone, he didn't want to spoil it by remembering all the things he had to do.

"You're going to have to go to bed soon princess, Santa wont come if you're awake." He told her and knew just from her frown that he was going to get a fight. Meredith let him address the situation, opting to step in only if she were needed.

"I want to stay up and wait for him."

"But he wont come if you're awake. He knows who's sleeping...he's smart like that." He stood up so that he could grab her but she moved closer to Meredith and buried her head in her shoulder.

"No daddy I want to stay up. I'll hide from him, he wont see me."

"He'll know. Don't you want to have presents under the tree tomorrow? If you don't go to bed he wont come."

"What will he do with them?"

"He'll send them to Bella in New York. I talked to him on the phone this morning and he said 'I hope Ava goes to sleep or her cousin will love her new bike..' "

"Santa made me a bike!!"

"Maybe. But you'll have to go to bed to find out. Right Meredith?" She rolled her eyes but agreed anyway. She didn't really want to part with her daughter, but knew her sleeping was important. She was glad she had Christmas night to spend with her as well.

"But I wanna sleep with you and mommy. You let me sleep with you all week daddy." She pouted, extending her tiny lower lip just the right amount. She had him there. She had been sleeping in his room so she wouldn't see hers until Christmas.

"That's because you weren't supposed to see your room till Christmas."

"Derek um....just where is she sleeping? I don't want her up in our room by herself all night. Our beds too high for her." Meredith asked and he looked at her curiously. He hadn't really thought of where she was sleeping. Instead of dragging Meredith upstairs, they had just opted to pull out the sofa bed and sleep in the family room since he would be up most of the night wrapping anyway.

"I guess she could sleep down here with us." He said, but frowned knowing that idea wouldn't work. She wouldn't get a sound sleep with them still awake.

"That kind of kills the whole S.A.N.T.A idea you love so much."

"I guess I could wrap them in my office." He said looking at Ava who was too busy watching the movie to pay attention to their conversation. Meredith frowned and gave him a pleading look that he couldn't resist even if he tried.

"I don't want you all the way in there. I wanted to spend the night together."

"Me too." He agreed and put his brain into action. There had to be a way it could work, he didn't want to be away from Meredith more than he had to be.

"Why can't I just sleep in my new room daddy? Oh please can I see it!?" Ava asked proving that she really had been listening all along. He stared at her with wide eyes hoping she hadn't followed the whole Santa discussion.