fragments of my life [MERDER]

TWENTY-SEVEN

Weeks later, Derek had finally been discharged and cleared to go home from the hospital, although his incision sites were still sore and at risk of infection, so he was ordered to take it easy, and by that, no strenuous physical activity was allowed. Zola and their two-month-old triplets settled into the house, into their new rooms and nursery. Meredith wondered how they'd done such a great job on the room, it looked like a carbon copy of the one in Boston. Derek and Meredith, or mostly Meredith, had moved all their stuff into the dream house, beginning to co-exist happily and peacefully again; their two post-it notes hanging from above their bed, side by side, signifying their past and future.

They wouldn't dare mess this up again, not after what happened for them to find their way back to each other.

They'd just finished the morning feedings, changes, and naps for their three babies, Noah had taken his medicine, and Zola was in her highchair eating her baby cereal. It was only eight in the morning, and Derek was already exhausted. It would be so much worse if his babies cried at all hours of the night; Ava, Luca and Noah were quiet babies, only crying and forcing either Meredith or himself to get up once or twice a night. He slumped down into the sofa, Meredith leaning into his shoulder as she finished folding the ridiculous amount of laundry that came from having four children under two, who enjoyed throwing up or defecate on all their clothes and blankets.

"I missed this." Derek sighed happily, kissing into the crook of Meredith's neck.

"Mmhmm... I missed that." She exhaled with pleasure. Derek cupped her face with his right hand and pulled her in for a kiss, Meredith biting his bottom lip playfully as he moaned.

"Just because we can't have s-e-x", he spelled out, wary of Zola's presence in the room, "doesn't mean we can't have fun..." Derek mumbled into the kiss, but he was cut off by the blaring sound of Meredith's phone and pager beeping. She grumbled as she disconnected her lips from his, leaning over to the table adjoining to their sofa before picking up the call.

"Owen? Why are you... I'm at home... Yes, he's with me... They're fine... What...? But... Oh, I guess... Um, I'll be there in half an hour."

She groaned audibly as she flung herself back into the head pillow.

"Hey, Der? I have to go into the hospital."

"I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another week?" He pouted, wanting to continue where he'd left off.

"They've got an incoming head trauma, twenty minutes out, and everyone else is either in surgery or off. They've even got both on-call doctors in ORs already."

"It's a beautiful day to smash your head open, I guess". Derek sniggered, "Go, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure... I-"

"Meredith, I'm not an invalid. I can still walk. You can take Zola to day-care, and I'll stay at home with the little ones. I'll be fine."

"Okay so, the nanny will be here at 10 to help you out, this one's called Jemimah. She's from the same company we always use, but we've never had her before."

"I don't need a babysitter." He grunted.

"I'm not so sure I agree, but she's not for you. Without me, you're outnumbered three to one. I think you'd appreciate the extra help."

Meredith kissed him on the cheek as she rushed upstairs to say goodbye to each of her snoring babies, who had inherited that lovely, charming snore from Meredith that drove Derek insane, planting a kiss on each of their heads as she rushed to get Zola ready and get to the hospital.

"Drive safe, I love you." Derek smiled from the sofa.

"Love you too... come on Zozo, let's go see Sofia", Meredith grinned as she bounced Zola on her hip, grabbing her bags off the counter to get to the car.