Never grow up [1/2]

22

"Meredith, we catched it on time. You probably developed it after the drowning but it's been under the wraps ever since. Luckily for you we can easily keep this under control with medication" Teddy explained

Meredith nodded

"I do want you to take it easy for a while. No surgeries, no running around,.. you got it?"

Meredith nodded again

"I'll take care of that." Derek said with a flushed face. He didn't see this coming. He knew something was up but 'only' expected it to be her making her body exhausted, not a serious heart defect that could lead to way more serious issues in the future

"Thank you Teddy" Meredith smiled as she cuddled closer into Derek's arms

"Page me if you need anything" Teddy smiled and left the room

"How have the kids been?" Meredith asked

"Exhausting" Derek laughed "I'm thinking to as Alex to watch them tonight"

"What?" Meredith gasped

"Mer, it's been busy with you here and Ellis who doesn't wanna sleep at night" Derek sighed

Meredith quickly sat up "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked a bit harsh

"Mer, it's been 3 days since we knew something was up with your heart, we just learned about your diagnosis. I couldn't stress you out more!" Derek replied

"Our daughter is just stressed out. She needs some more attention than Bailey and Zola!"

"Mer, I know what our daughter needs! I'm just telling you I can't do this by myself!" Derek yelled

"Now you're blaming me? Leave Derek. Take Bailey and Zola. I'll ask Alex to bring Ellis here" She said without much emotion

"Are you sure?" He asked

"Yes I am sure. Did you do her exercises?"

"I was gonna do them tonight" Derek looked at her with puppy eyes

Meredith nodded and smiled a bit at him "I'll do it when she's here" Meredith whispered

Derek nodded and kissed Meredith's head "Call me if there's anything. We'll be back in a couple of hours"

While Derek left, Meredith called Alex and asked him if he could bring Ellis to her room

"Mer?" Alex peeked into the room with Ellis on his hip

"Hi Alex, hi baby" Meredith smiled

"M-ommaaa" Ellis giggled

Alex placed Ellis on Meredith's bed and the little girl jumped in Meredith's lap

"Hey baby. Shall we do your exercises and then take a nap with me?" Meredith asked

Ellis nodded and started doing what Meredith asked her. Of course Meredith didn't have Ellis' book so she just grabbed some stuff to let Ellis pronounce the words

"Now let's stretch your muscles, ready for it?" Meredith asked as she tickled the little girl

"F-inger!" Ellis spread her fingers

"Good and now make a fist" Meredith giggled as they continued until everything was done

"You're such a brave girl" Meredith kissed Ellis' head "I'm exhausted. Are we gonna take a nap together?"

Ellis nodded and crawled in Meredith's arms

Meredith waited until the little Ellis fell asleep to fall asleep herself

...

"Alex, is Ellie still with Meredith?" Derek asked as he walked in the halls of the hospital

"She is. I checked on them 20 minutes ago and they were still asleep" Alex replied

"Shepherd, how's Meredith doing?" Miranda asked as she walked towards them

"Hey guys, we're gonna pick up a snack and then we'll go see your mom and sister" Alex smiled and took Bailey and Zola with him

Derek waited until his kids were gone before he started talking to Miranda

"She's gonna be okay" He replied

"I'm sorry Shepherd. I already apologized and I'll do it again but i had to make that call"

"Bailey, this is my family. I breathe for Meredith and my kids and all we have now is one big struggle. I'm tired and I can't complain!" Derek started "Mer has been taking care of Ellie all day because I couldn't. She made the right decision to go home and I know you don't like that but she made the right call" Derek said with a frown

"Derek, can I do anything to help you guys?" Bailey asked

"I don't think we can change anything now" Derek said a bit too loud

...

"Did you hear it? Doctor Shepherd literally said he wants to change the things of his youngest daughter" one nurse was gossiping against the other

"I heard he said there's nothing he can change so they have to cope with her stuff. And now his wife who worked herself into a hospital bed, almost getting a heart attack"

"M-ommy? 'Bout u-s?" Ellis asked as she and Meredith were slowly walking around the halls to stretch their legs

"No baby, come on" Meredith whispered and lifted the girl, grabbed her IV pole and made her way back to her room

"Good to see you back" Derek smiled as his 2 girls entered the room

Meredith fakes a smile and sat down on the bed where Zola was reading

"D-addy, t-hey tal-k 'bout u-s!" Ellis frowned

"What did they say? Mer, what's this about?" Derek frowned and stood up

"It's nothing" Meredkth whispered and closed her eyes as she laid down

"Ellie, what did they say?" Derek asked

"It's nothing! She yelled as she started to sob

"M-ommy? M-ommy kay?" Ellis got concerned

"Mom?" Both Zola and Bailey wanted to check

"Mer, talk to us" Derek pulled her against his chest

"Just.. those stupid rumours. My.. my kids should never hear them" She kept sobbing

"Again?" Derek asked with an angry face "Don't listen to them. We're happy, we don't listen to these stupid rumours"

"We can't talk about it now. I don't want this to ruin our day" She laid back down "I wanna cuddle with my babies" Meredith said and pulled her kids close to her

AN // New story on my account 'I'm still standing' go check it out!