Driving Sideways

4.

Meredith walked with Richie to the cafeteria and helped with his tray as they got their lunch. She brought their lunch to the table and Richie sat in his chair quietly as he stared at the food on his tray. He looked up at his mother and she seemed to be doing the same thing.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Richie asked his mother as he tilted his head, his hand was on his fork, but he made no attempt to lift it.

"I...Mommy's not really hungry, sweetheart." She said softly as she gave him a little smile, her eyes were caught on her son's face as he gave her a sad smile.

"He'll be okay, mommy... he's just little..." Richie shrugged. "That's what you always tell me." Meredith looked into her son's eyes and smiled. He knew what was running through her mind. Nearly five years old and he could practically read her mind. He was getting to be more and more like his father every day, from the tip of his thick black hair to his tiny little toes, he was becoming more of a young man every day. "I promise, mommy." He said as he tilted his head and took a forkful of spaghetti. He shoved it into his mouth and grinned. "Boy, he's missing a yummy lunch!" Richie exclaimed as Meredith laughed.

"He is, huh?"

"Mmhmm!" Richie exclaimed with a grin as he shoveled another mouthful.

Derek had lifted Greyson to the floor and held his hand as he walked with him to the elevator. He pushed the button and Greyson looked up at his father as he stood beside him. He looked at his father's feet, and noticed that they were spaced out just so. He looked at his own feet and moved them so that they were in a similar position. He looked up at his father and watched as he leaned against the side of the elevator and he found himself leaning slightly as he nearly fell over.

"Woah, there..." Derek said as he grasped his son's hand. "Where are you going?" He chuckled.

Greyson giggled as he stood up straight. "Nowhere..." He laughed as he held Derek's hand tightly as the elevator doors opened.

"Silly..." Derek shook his head as he walked with Greyson down the hallway towards Ellis' office. They got to the outer office and Derek stopped. "Go on in and ask for Snuggle bear..." Derek said nodding his head.

"Daddy..." He said, shaking his head.

"Go on in and see GG... tell her that you left Snuggle bear..." He said, persuading his son to do it for himself.

"Daddy...no..." He whimpered. "You go..."

"Grey, I can't do this... you want Snuggle bear, you have to go get him yourself." Derek shook his head.

"Daddy... daddy, no!" he exclaimed.

"Greyson... that's enough... now go see GG... you love GG... go on in...ask her for..."

"No! No! No!" Greyson shouted.

"Fine." Derek said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You can stand out here and shout all you want, but daddy is not going to go in there and get Snuggle bear, you're going to have to be a big boy and go do it yourself."

"Daddy... no, please..." He whimpered.

"If daddy goes inside with you, will you ask GG for Snuggle bear by yourself?" Derek asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes." He whimpered as he reached up for Derek's hand. "Daddy... please come with...?" He asked, tugging Derek's hand.

Derek sighed as he let his son lead him into the outer office. He smiled at the secretary as he noticed that Ellis was sitting at her desk.

"Doctor Grey, Doctor Shepherd is here to see you..." She said as Derek watched Ellis look up and smile softly.

She stood up and walked towards the door. "Well, I thought we already had our visit for the day..." She said as she looked down at her grandson as he started to slide behind Derek.

"Greyson has a question that he needs to ask..." Derek said as he looked down at his son. "Go on, Grey... GG is waiting for your question..."

"You ask..." Greyson whimpered.

"Grey, we had a deal..." Derek said as he took his son's hand and led him back around him to the front of him. Derek placed his hands on his shoulders as they both looked up at Ellis. "Go ahead, Grey..."

"Daddy..." He whimpered as he hid behind Derek again.

Ellis walked towards Derek. She crouched down and waited for him to peek out at her. After a moment, she was rewarded with a peek at his crystal blue eyes. "You know... I never did get my hug and kiss today..." She said with a sigh. "I always get my Greyson hug and kiss... and today it feels lonely without it."

"You got Richie hug and kiss..." Greyson mumbled from behind Derek.

"Yes... but Richie's hugs and kisses are very different from Greyson hugs and kisses..." Ellis exclaimed. "Now come on, GG isn't going to be upset with you... what's your question, sweetheart?"

"GG... GG, I left Snuggle bear here..." He whimpered as he closed his eyes tightly and hid behind Derek.

"Snuggle bear? You left him here?"

"I think..." Greyson mumbled.

"Well... come help me look for him... I'm not sure I remember what he looks like..." Ellis said as she glanced up at Derek with a half smile as Derek smiled at her. Greyson looked up at his father and back to his grandmother and sighed. He slowly reached his hand out and let Ellis take him by the hand so that she could lead him into her office.

They walked towards the chairs where the two boys had been sitting, and there, slid between the two seats was his worn teddy bear. "There he is, GG!" He said with a happy smile as he pointed at the bear, looking up at her proudly.

"There he is... now, you get him... and take him with you... and make sure he behaves himself and doesn't run off again..." Ellis said in a soft scolding tone.

"Silly, Snuggle bear..." Greyson giggled as he shook his head, pulling the bear into his arms, he wrapped his arms around him and breathed in the smell and warmth that he had been craving.

"Oh yes... those teddy bears can be quite tricky if we don't keep our eye on them..." Ellis said as she nodded her head and watched Greyson return to his father's side.

"See, Daddy... I told you he was here in GG's office!"

"And you notice how GG didn't get upset with you for leaving him here... if you ask nicely and don't yell and get upset, you can get by a lot easier..." Derek laughed as Greyson smiled. "Now give GG a big hug and kiss for helping... and an extra one for not giving one to her earlier..."

"Okay..." He said as he gave Ellis a bashful look, running to her side, he grasped her hand and tugged on it as Ellis leaned down and hugged the little boy, taking his sloppy kisses on her cheek as she laughed. "All better?" He asked.

"All better." Ellis said with a smile as she looked into his eyes as he skipped to his father's side and grabbed his hand. "I'm hungry, Daddy... let's go eat..."

"Alright..." Derek chuckled as he smiled at Ellis. "Thank you for the help." He said with a smile.

"Well, it was a serious thing that needed to be dealt with." Ellis said with a serious look as Derek nodded.

"We'll see you later." Derek chuckles as they headed towards the door.

"Doctor Shepherd." Ellis said as she looked down at her desk for a moment.

"Hm?" Derek asked as he looked up at her.

"Before you leave for the day... do you think you could possibly come in here and meet with me... there's something I need to discuss with you and it's rather urgent." She said seriously as she raised her eyebrows.

"Of course." Derek nodded, tilting his head curiously as she shook her head and her eyes glanced to Greyson as they met back up with Derek's. He nodded in understanding. "I'll be here at two... and then I'll pick up the kids in daycare." He replied.

"That will be fine, thank you." She said as she sat down at her desk as Derek and Greyson slipped out of the office slowly.