Driving Sideways

3.

Greyson held tightly to Meredith as they entered the elevator, Richie looked up at his mother and she nodded as he smiled and pushed the button for the floor where the cafeteria was. She smiled at her little boy and ran her fingers through his dark hair as he smiled up at her. "Your birthday is coming up... have you thought about what you would like?" She asked.

"Um... I don't know." He shrugged. "What do five year olds get for their birthday?" He asked.

"It has been a very long time since I was five years old..." Meredith nodded as Richie giggled.

"Come on, Mommy... you're only maybe twice as old as me... that's not a lot..." He said with a smile as he watched Meredith smile back at him.

"Well thank you, Richie..." Meredith said with a laugh as she took his hand as the elevator door opened. They had taken two steps out of the elevator when suddenly, Greyson lifted his head.

"No! No!" He exclaimed as he started to reach his hand out towards the elevator. "No! No, Mommy, No!" He screamed as he pulled at her hair.

"Greyson, stop pulling on Mommy..." Meredith said as she tried to understand why he was pulling on her so hard, struggling to be let down. "Baby, what's wrong?" She said, though she couldn't get him under control as he continued to fight her. "Greyson, stop it..."

"MOMMY! NO! NO! NO!" He screamed loudly as she let him down and he ran towards the elevator, jumping to push the buttons.

"Greyson, what are you..."

"NO!" He screamed as he slapped his mother's hands away from him as he pushed the button on the wall, fighting as Meredith tried to lift him. "NO! PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN! NO!" He screamed as everyone continued to stare at the scene that the little boy was making as Meredith tried to lift him again, he kicked and struggled.

The elevator door opened as Meredith tried to walk down the hallway with the screaming boy, though he was putting up a very big fight, he broke free and ran towards the elevator. "Richie, stay right there!" Meredith exclaimed to her older son who was just watching on in surprise as his brother ran into the elevator and gripped tightly to the handle on the side.

"Greyson Robert Shepherd!" Meredith exclaimed as she tried to pull him from the railing, he grasped it tightly as he sobbed, his fingers gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. "Greyson... please... please..." She begged as the little boy screamed, leaning down he nearly bit her fingers as he continued to yell.

"NO! NO! NO!" Greyson screamed, closing his eyes tightly as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Derek was walking down the hallway to meet his family in the cafeteria and heard the commotion. He saw his older son standing in the hallway staring in shock at the scene in the elevator and Derek rushed as quickly as he could toward them.

He pushed his way into the elevator and grabbed his wife's arm for a moment. "Meri..." He said as she looked up at him desperately.

"DADDY!" Greyson exclaimed as he turned and grabbed hold of Derek, gripping him tightly as Derek lifted him from the ground, releasing his grip from the railing. He buried his head in Derek's shoulder as he continued to cry, his grip on Derek was just as tightly as it was on the elevator railing. "Daddy! Daddy!" He sobbed, tears soaking Derek's shirt as he cried so hard.

"What... what happened?" Derek whispered.

"I... I don't know..." She whispered as she held the door open for the elevator, tears coming to her eyes as she watched her son put his thumb in his mouth and cuddle into Derek as Derek stepped off the elevator.

"Snuggle bear..." Greyson whispered into his father's ear. "Snuggle bear, daddy..."

"We... will be back in a couple of minutes..." Derek said as he nodded towards Richie. "Go on... take Richie down to lunch... I'll take Grey..." He said as he watched Meredith look on with a painful frown. "He'll be alright..." Derek said, taking her hand. "He'll be alright..."