Love is a game

21

Meredith was wheeling through the hallways of the hospital with Ellis on her lap. Her daughter's weight on her legs made them hurt but she didn't want her daughter to walk alone through the halls and there was no way they could easily hold hands as she had to push herself

Meredith tried to hurry back to her room as she needed Ellis to get off because pins and needles took over her legs

"Ellie, can you climb off my lap?" Meredith asked, her head slightly red, Poppy noticed something was off and trotted in front of them

"Wait a minute" Alex helped and lifted Ellis off her mother's lap "How did it go?" He asked Meredith

"It went okay" She quietly nodded her head

"Do you wanna get back in bed?" Alex asked her

"Please" Meredith whispered and Alex softly scooped her up in his arms, placing her onto the bed "Maybe Derek needs to pick her up. She must be bored out of her mind" Meredith sighed

"I can take her to the playground if you want?" Alex suggested to help her out, rubbing Poppy's fur

"That would be nice, yeah" Meredith nodded "She needs some movement, she's been inside all day" Meredith picked at her nails, hating that she was responsible for that

"Don't you wanna come with us? You can test out your chair, it's on the other side of the street. Maybe seeing her play can clear your mind?" He asked

"I don't know" Meredith whispered. She hated how people were staring while she was limping, she hated how people staring as she entered a room with Poppy and now she'd have to wheel herself inside all the time

"Just think about it" Alex softly smiled, he really hoped he'd be able to convince her so she'd join them. The sooner she'd get out, the sooner she could start adjusting

"Mommy, please?" Ellis quietly asked

"Can we just wait a little longer?" Meredith didn't dare to look up as she asked her best friend and daughter

"Of course. Maybe I go home really quick to grab you some clean clothes" Alex suggested

"Thanks" Meredith breathed

"I'll be back" Alex walked out, leaving Meredith, Poppy and Ellis by themself. But that didn't take long, someone knocked on the door

"Meredith?" They recognized Derek's voice "Can I come in?"

"Hmm" Meredith groaned as she tries to sit up "Yeah"

"I'm sorry about yesterday" He quietly said as he went to say hi to his daughter and then to Meredith

"Not with Ellis around" She warned him "Monkey, can you show me the picture you drew?"

"Yes" Ellis giggled and climbed up her mother's bed

"Oh it's beautiful" Meredith smiled "I think we have to hang it on the wall so I can see it all the time" Meredith smiled and wrapped her arm around the girl

"How much longer do you have to stay?" Ellis asked with panic in her eyes

"Oh honey, I don't actually know but you can stay with daddy" Meredith hugged her daughter

"But I want you to be home as well" Ellis frowned

"I know, sweetie. But we'll have to ask aunt Amelia" Meredith explained

"Daddy! Call aunt Amy!" Ellis ordered and crossed her arms "Me and uncle Alex can take care of you, daddy'll help too" Ellis quickly said

...

"Meredith- You have a long road ahead" Amelia sighed as she saw down on Meredith's hospital bed

"When haven't I?" Meredith muttered

"But your house is adjusted and you have Alex living with you-" Amelia explained

"I'm helping out as well" Derek quickly said

"You really don't have to" Meredith sighed, feeling guilty for needing so much help all the time

"I want to. I love you" He blurted out without thinking, it made both of them quiet

"Meredith, do you think you can go home?" Amelia asked

"I want to" She quietly admitted, Poppy immediately checking on her as she noticed she got stressed

"Okay. Let's get you home" Amelia smiled "But not without a list, we need to keep that infection from doing more damage" Amelia warned them

"So antibiotics at home?" She sighed

"Yeah" Derek nodded

"Okay" Meredith nodded "When?" She asked Amelia

"Today if you want" She suggested

"Yeah" Meredith nodded

...

Alex was driving Meredith home while Derek and Ellis were going to do some grocery shopping

"Alex?" Meredith turned her head around to watch her friend as he parked the car

"Hey, what's wrong?" He frowned as he saw tears pooling up in her eyes

"I feel so guilty" She whispered "To Ellis, to you, to Derek-"

"Hey, you listen to me. No one of us is doing something he doesn't wanna do. You're my family, Mer. You and Jo are all I have so helping you out is just normal. It's what I wanna do for the people I love" Alex held her hands in his own and pulled her in for a hug

"Thanks. Thank you so much" Meredith breathed in his chest

"Stop thanking me, you're like my sister. Now let me get your chair so we can get inside, I bet Poppy would love to run in the garden" Alex smiled and got out to collect her chair and help her in it. For now she was unable to feel anything below her waist but she could feel pain so they hoped she'd be able to make a full recovery anyhow

Alex helped her wheel inside and suggested going to the garden for a bit. Meredith was slightly struggling to get through the door but Poppy helped her where possible by running in front of her instead of staying at her side

"Pop, run!" Meredith instructed with a smile and watched as the dog started running around like crazy

"She for sure enjoys running around" Alex chuckled

"She does" Meredith laughed 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. This isn't really one of my fave chapters as I feel like writing it was a bit harder than usual, probably because I'm very sleep deprived and I have a very busy time ahead but here we go