Confide in Me

Chapter 18

Maddie had been released from the hospital after three days of being in and out of sleep. Meredith and Derek alternated between being curled up with her. Laura hadn't come back after their run in with her, and hadn't sent any messages. Derek had put off asking Maddie if she wanted to see her while she was still in the hospital. The young girl had clung onto Meredith, asking for her when she wasn't there, wanting her in her eyesight at all time.

Derek hadn't stopped thanking Meredith for rearranging work and staying with them. It was obvious how much Maddie needed her, and Meredith had a feeling that she was there for Derek as well.

They were finally home now, and Derek was rushing around the house to sort things out, insisting that Meredith stay with Maddie on the couch. The house wasn't even that much of a mess, they hadn't been there and Meredith was sure that Carolyn had been around at some point. She figured Derek just needed to be kept busy.

He was still putting off the topic of Laura. Meredith couldn't say she was trying to bring the topic up herself, though.

"Mer, thought you going away?" Maddie mumbled, pulling Meredith out of her thoughts.

"I couldn't leave while you were poorly, could I?" Meredith murmured, running her fingers through Maddie's dark curls.

"Stayed for me?" she looked up with slightly wide eyes.

"Of course I stayed for you, I had to make sure you got cuddles, and movies, and ice cream," she grinned softly.

"Love you, Mommy," Maddie whispered, her small arms wrapped tight around Meredith's waist and squeezing as tight as she could.

"I love you too, Maddie," she felt her eyes tearing up slightly as she leant forward to kiss the top of her hair.

"Hey," she heard Derek's quiet whisper and she glanced up at him, blinking her wet eyes a few times.

"She's still awake," she told him as he moved to sit beside them.

"Oh, I thought you were sleepy, Maddie?" he asked, reaching over to run his hand over her hair.

"Talking to Mer," she shrugged, looking to Derek with his coat on, "Where you going, daddy?"

"I just need to go to the shop, are you okay staying here with Meredith?"

"Yeah, I'm good," she nodded, snuggling against Meredith's side with a soft yawn.

"I won't be long," he murmured, kissing the side of Meredith's head.

"We'll probably move up to your bed," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

"Good idea, do you want anything picking up?"

"I'm good," she said, lifting her hand to her mouth as she yawned slightly, "Just tired."

"Go get some sleep," he squeezed her shoulder gently, "Want me to take her up?"

"It's okay, I've got her," she shook her head, "See you soon."

"Like I said, I won't be long," he glanced to Maddie who had started to drift off before looking back to Meredith, gently pressing his lips to hers.

"Go," she laughed softly against his lips.

"I'm going," he chuckled as he got up off the couch and grabbed his keys, "I really won't be long."

"I know, it's okay," she grinned softly, gently pulling Maddie into her arms as she stood up, holding her on her hip as she slept.

"I just... okay, bye," he grinned softly as he left, shaking his head slightly.

"Come on, Princess, let's go up to bed," she murmured, gently rubbing Maddie's back as she headed upstairs to the bedroom with her.

She didn't think she would ever feel this overwhelming, unconditional love again. She couldn't deny that she considered Maddie to be like a daughter to her, if not her daughter. She didn't even know if that's what Maddie wanted, for her to be her mother, or if that's what Derek wanted. From what she'd heard of Laura she wasn't exactly going to be winning mother of the year anytime soon, but she didn't want to assume she was replacing her as Maddie's mother. She would be happy being in Maddie's life anyway she wanted her to be, even if she would just be her best friend.

She climbed into the bed with Maddie, cautious of the dressing on her abdomen as she gently pulled her against her side, smiling wide as Maddie cuddled against her instantly. She pressed her lips to the top of her head, closing her eyes as she felt the exhaustion hit her like a truck. She didn't even realise she was this tired, but she hadn't exactly been able to sleep much in the hospital for the first time in her life. But now they could relax and sleep without any interruptions.

****

He's been gone for just over an hour, and hadn't wanted to be away for too long so he'd probably forgotten to get things that he'd remember later on, but he'd managed to get enough to feed them for a few days. He tried to be as quiet as possible as he made his way inside with the bags, taking them into the kitchen and putting everything away. He grabbed a bottle of water for him and Meredith and a juice carton for Maddie before he made his way upstairs, noticing all the lights were turned off. He slowly opened the bedroom door, quietly taking his shoes off as he stepped inside. He grinned softly as he saw them both lay there, Maddie curled up against Meredith as they both slept, Meredith holding her close.

This was the family he'd always wanted. He couldn't remember a single time he'd walked in with Laura holding Maddie like this, not even when she was a baby. It had been a complete shock that she'd initially taken full custody of Maddie after the divorce, because she barely spent time alone with her. She couldn't imagine what the couple months Maddie had spent alone with her was like, and presumed it was mainly day care and nannies.

Meredith had been more of a mother to Madeleine in the past year than Laura had been her whole life, and it honestly was one of the reasons he loved her. He hadn't spoken to Maddie much about it, he just knew that Maddie loved her and looked up to her in a big way, but he hoped that they could be a family.

"You're staring," he heard Meredith mumble.

"I am," he chuckled softly, moving to lay behind her on the bed, "Why're you awake?"

"Maddie started fussing a bit, she's okay now," she murmured, turning her head to look at him, "and then I heard you, so figured I'd say hi."

"Hi," he grinned softly, gently touching his lips against hers, his hand resting on her waist.

"Hey," she grinned back against his lips.

"Thank you for staying," he whispered, burying his face against her neck, pressing a kiss against her shoulder.

"It's really not that big of a deal," she spoke quietly, and he felt her fingers running through his hair.

"Yes it is. You didn't have to stay," he sighed softly, his lips moving with slow kisses up her neck.

"Of course I did, I couldn't just leave when Maddie is in pain, and you were in just as much pain seeing her in pain. You both needed me here more than anyone needed me to be anywhere else, so I stayed," she explained.

"Meredith... I love you," he breathed, pressing a kiss just under her ear as his arm wrapped tight around her middle, "You're just so... I can't even put it into words."

"Derek," her fingers brushed over his cheek as her lips met his in a short kiss, her words a soft murmur, "I love you too."

"I'm really tired," she murmured as her eyelids began to droop.

"Go to sleep, I'm not going anywhere," he murmured, nestling his nose against the back of her head as she lay her head on the pillow again.

"Me neither," she mumbled, clearly almost asleep already.

"Good," he grinned softly, kissing the back of her head.

He looked over her a moment to see Maddie still peacefully asleep, her lips parted slightly as they usually were when she slept, cuddled up against Meredith still with no sign of moving away from her. Meredith's arm had returned to holding her, and he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be than right here with the both of them.