Little Shepherd

Chapter 39

"This is the best day ever." Josie announces as she plays with her new doll. She's taken out the dolls removable organs and put them all back together dozen's of times while the party guests chat and mingle. Josie put her doll down long enough for everyone to sing happy birthday and cut the cake. She sits the doll beside her plate as she happily eats a slice. "Mmm yummy!" she exclaims, shocked that Izzie could bake so well. She was so grateful for the effort from the start, but Derek can't bake to save his life and Addie usually ended up having to buy a cake from the store, so Josie didn't have much hope that it would taste as good as it looked. Boy was she wrong. Izzie smiles at her, proud of her work. Derek, who is standing behind Josie's chair with a plate of his own in one hand, runs his free hand over his little girls hair. He's so beyond happy to see her out of that hospital bed and having fun. It's hard to imagine that not too long ago she couldn't even hold her own spoon and now look at her, able to feed herself her own birthday cake.

The party lasts for hours. They play child friendly games, help her open and explore her new toys, they even set up a piñata for her. She wasn't anywhere near strong enough to even make a dent in it. She grew frustrated quickly, so Alex took it into his own hands, literally. He hated seeing her discouraged. He ripped into the piñata with his bare hands, flinging candy everywhere like a gorilla. Josie laughed hysterically. She enlisted her 'friends' to help gather up all the candy and decided that she wanted Arizona to take the majority of it to the hospital for the other kids still stuck there.

As the party winds down and people begin to leave, the remaining guests help start to clean up some of the mess.

"Has anyone seen Josie?" Derek asks curiously as he places a stack of dishes into the sink. The group was so busy cleaning they hadn't realized when she slipped away. They all look around and it's not long before Meredith peaks her head into the kitchen from the living room.

"Found her." She whispers with a smile. Derek follows her into the living room and they find Josie sound asleep on the couch with her Anatomy Jane doll tucked tightly in her arms.

"She really loves that doll." Derek whispers to Meredith, so beyond grateful for the sentiment behind the gift. Meredith nods happily as they watch Josie sleep.

"I'm so glad, nothing makes me happier than being able to share things like that with her. My mom she..." She stops herself. Derek turns to her.

"What is it?" He asks her softly, wanting her to continue. He'd love nothing more than to get to know her even better. Meredith shrugs.

"She was at the hospital all the time, never really made time for me. She was so goal oriented that by the time she realized what she'd missed I was all grown up and it was too late. Even then when she saw me she only wanted to push her legacy onto me. I don't want that for Josie. I want to be better than that with her." She explains. Derek caresses her cheek lovingly.

"Meredith Grey you've already gone so far above and beyond that. For Josie and for me. When we came to Seattle I had no idea what we'd find here. We'd lost everything we'd ever known, besides each other. We were broken, and you...you pieced us back together. She loves you so much...I love you so much. You're nothing like your mother, and you never will be. You're an incredible surgeon, and you still make time for your family. With all due respect, 'The Ellis Grey' could never be half the amazing woman that you are." She has no words. There are so many things she'd like to say, but none of them feel adequate enough. So she doesn't speak. She cups her hands around his cheeks, pulling him into her, letting the way her lips dance against his convey everything she wants to say. They pull away quickly when Addison walks into the living room from the kitchen where the remaining guests are still gathered.

"Oh-uh-sorry, I'll just-uh." She fumbles with her words and goes to turn back toward the kitchen, her cheeks are as rosy red as her hair.

"No, it's alright. We were just.." Derek cuts himself off.

"I just came to check on Jose." Addison replies. Derek waves his hand, gesturing the sleeping child.

"Party must have tired her out." Meredith jokes. Addison nods.

"Today was a big day, I'm sure I'd be tired to." Derek and Meredith both nod awkwardly.

"Well, I'm going to get going. The dishes are done, I shouldn't be working too late tomorrow if Josie would be willing to have dinner or something." Addison tells them.

"We were actually planning to grill at the new place, she's really excited, but you're welcome to join us if you'd like." Derek answers.

"Oh, um, yeah sure. I'll stop by when I get off." She replies as she puts on her coat and grabs her purse.

"Thank you for coming, I know it meant a lot to her." Meredith says.

"Yeah, of course. Thank you for the invite." They say their goodbyes and she leaves.

"Well that wasn't so bad." Meredith says to Derek honestly.

"Josie deserves everyone in her corner, I'd do anything to make sure that happens."

"She's really lucky to have you." Derek smiles at her lovingly.

"I'm the lucky one."

"We should get her to bed." Meredith suggests quietly. Derek nods in agreement and carefully lifts Josie into his arms. Meredith grabs the dolls that falls from her limp arms and brings it up the stairs with them. Josie squirms a bit, partially waking up as Derek places her into George's newly purple bed.

"Daddy?" She whines sleepily. He sits on the edge of the bed beside her, fixing her hair.

"You're okay love." He whispers gently.

"Mama's doll." She replies, worried that it was no longer in her arms.

"Right here baby." Meredith answers softly. She hands Josie the doll which she gratefully takes. She wraps her little arm around it as she rolls onto her side to face them. Her eyes blink heavily as she begins to fall back to sleep.

"Thank you mama." she whispers as her eyes fully close. Derek kisses her forehead and then moves out of the way so that Meredith can do the same.

"Sweet dreams beautiful girl."