Love is a game

23

"Mer!" Alex yelled as he arrived home with Jo

"Hi" She wheeled inside the living room, Poppy following her

"Hi Mer" Jo smiled "Hi Poppy"

"How did PT go?" Alex asked as he grabbed two beers out of the fridge "Do you want anything?"

"No I'm good. Derek and Ellie should be back soon" She smiled

"How are things between you and Derek? He's been here every day since you were admitted and that's been over three months" Alex smirked

"Things have been nice" She smiled but that turned into a frown

"What's wrong? What did he say?" Alex asked

"He wanted to try again but- I- I changed over the years and I know I can't give him what we had before" Meredith sighed, referring to her medical condition that still wasn't fully under control but she was stable for now. The infection was still going on in her spine and slowly she had even lost sensation in her hip and lower back

"He knows that" Alex muttered "But if he ever hurts you again then I'll break all his bones" Alex sternly made clear. Meredith nodded her head and wheeled to her bedroom where she grabbed herself a sweater

"I think it's cute" Meredith heard Jo say

"He cheated on her!" Alex sighed

"I'm sure he won't do that again. Everyone has seen them and I think everyone believes they have a future together" Jo fought for Meredith and Derek

"I don't trust him" Alex scoffed

"I know you don't trust Derek and I get it. But I believe him when he tells me he wouldn't hurt me again" Meredith's voice cracked "We have a daughter now, he grew up and he had his priorities, now it's me who won't be enough"

"Mer-" Derek gasped as he heard what she said "Can we talk?"

"Aunt Jo!" Ellis giggled and jumped onto the couch

"Let's go outside" Meredith sighed and wheeled herself outside, followed by Derek. She stopped her chair while Derek took a seat next to her on the hammock while Poppy laid down in front of them

"I don't care about that, Meredith. I don't wanna have sex with you. Or I do but it's not my main concern. I just wanna grow old with you and Ellis. I wanna call you my wife again, to spend the evening curled up on the couch or in bed" Derek held her hand, his head closer and closer to her to eventually kiss her lips softly

"Oh-" Meredith blushed and leaned into his touch

"I love you, Mer. I love you so much" Derek whispered

"I love you too" She breathed and started crying

"Hey? What's going on?" Derek scooped Meredith into his arms and placed her in his lap

"I'm just scared you'll have to deal with all of this" Meredith whispered as she softly cried in his arms

"Stop talking as if you're a burden, Mer. I want to spend my life with you and I don't care if you can walk or not" Derek rubbed her back

"It's not just that, Der. It's also the nights without sleep, the nights I can't move, it's having discussions all the time at stores because they say Poppy can't enter" Meredith sighed but smiled as she saw her dog looking up by mentioning her name

"I know, Meredith. I'm a doctor, I can imagine the rough nights but I really don't care. Spending these years without you was way worse than hundreds of sleepless nights in a row, I promise" Derek looked at her with tears in his eyes

"So?" Meredith frowned

"So.. Do you wanna try again together?" Derek asked her

"Are you sure?" Meredith checked again

"Very sure" He nodded his head

"Okay" She softly laughed

"Okay" Derek laughed as well and kissed Meredith's lips

"Hmm" She moaned as she kissed him back

"Mer, Ellis is-" Jo said as she walked outside and saw them kissing, a smile forming on her lips "Ellis is asking for you, I'll tell her you'll be there soon" Jo winked

"Thanks" Meredith giggled "Der?"

"Yeah?" He frowned

"Can you lift me back into my chair?" She asked with a smile as he seemed to forget about her condition for a minute

"Oh- Sorry Mer, I-" He tried to explain

"It's okay Derek. I'm glad you forgot" She laughed softly

Derek lifted her back into the wheelchair and pushed her back inside, Poppy following slowly

"Mommy, finally!" Ellis giggled "Pops seems tired" She giggled

"Poppy must be very tired, she worked hard today" Meredith explained

"But you did as well so maybe we should go lay down on bed while watching a movie" Derek suggested

"Daddy, are you staying again?" Ellis gasped

"I think we need to talk, Ellie" Meredith said and patted her lap, waiting for the girl to climb onto it

Meredith wheeled towards the bathroom where both of them brushed their teeth and changed into pajamas

"Hey, you need some help?" Derek asked as he walked in and she struggled with undoing her pants

"If you want" Meredith nodded

"Here you go" Derek helped her out

"Come on, Mommy. We need to talk and then we can watch a movie" Ellis smiled and ran into the bedroom, almost tripping over Poppy that was asleep on the ground

"Careful" Meredith laughed as she wheeled in after the girl and Derek lifted her into bed "Thanks" She smiled

Derek joined his two girls in bed and laughed as Ellis seemed to be very excited for what they were about to tell her

"So.. mommy and daddy have been spending a lot of time together lately, do you like that?" Derek asked

"Yes" Ellis giggled

"Well Mommy and I decided that we should try again. I love your mommy lots and lots" He whispered