Seven Thousand Hours

Chapter 53| McDreary babies

"I just want to go home" she mumbled as they drove home from the care home. "Okay" Derek nodded. "But I need these stupid hours" she suddenly groaned as she rummaged through her bag. "Okay, okay. We'll go to the hospital and you can sleep on the sofa in my office for a few hours" Derek reasoned with her as he parked up.

They walked into the hospital and upstairs to the surgical floor. "Here, can you take my things to your office whilst I go change into some scrubs?" Meredith asked. She slipped her handbag onto his shoulder and gave him her jacket and scarf. She couldn't help but laugh at him as he strutted round like a fashionista model. "I love you" she giggled before she kissed him. "love you more" he smiled before they turned in opposite directions.

Derek had made it up to his office and placed her things on his desk before pulling out the sofa bed and grabbing his blanket that she forever complained about. He was exhausted himself, the day had started with intense love making and was now feeling rather sorrowful as he thought about his conversations with Ellis; along with being back in the OR and physical therapy. He was yet to return to normal therapy, and he was almost certain that Dr Wyatt hated him.

He laid down as he waited for her to return. Pulling the blanket over him so she'd be warm when she laid down.

He was startled by a ringing sound as he quickly awoke, confused and disoriented. "What the-" he looked at the clock and saw it was now 4am. He looked around and saw that the blanket had never moved, and Meredith hadn't come back to his office. He frowned as he sat up, trying to shake himself of his tired confusion. Usually he was good at night shifts, he preferred them, but the last few days had been difficult and stressful; their big fight, the house of candles, the Harper Avery, being back in the OR and finally meeting her mom.

He climbed off the sofa bed and stumbled to the sound of the ringing, which lead him to her jacket pocket. He didnt even look at the number, he just accepted the call as he closed his eyes and leaned against his desk. "Dr Grey's phone, may I pass a message?" He mumbled as he slapped his own cheek to wake himself up. The man on the other end began speaking and Derek straightened himself out right away. "Okay- yes I'll let her know- thank you." Derek sighed before hanging up.

He made his way down the hall and to the nurses station. "Have you seen Dr Grey?" Derek asked Nurse Tyler. He shook his head. "I saw her a couple hours ago when she was with you, that's it" he shrugged. Derek looked at the board of people using the on-call rooms for the night but her name wasn't there. "Derek! Hey!" Izzie smiled as she approached him. "Have you seen Meri?" Derek asked her. She shook her head. "I thought she went home after her shift last night. She was with you?" Izzie frowned. "No, we came back in." Derek mumbled before walking away.

"Lexie!" Derek called after her as he jogged down the hallway. "Have you seen Meri?" He asked. "Yeah she's in the residents locker ro-" she started but Alex cut her off. "Hey dude, your girlfriend's snoring on the floor in here. Take her home"Alex called from the locker room. Derek made his way down and walked in, sighing at the sight in-front of him. she was curled up on the floor of the residents lounge, one of his sweatshirts under her head and she was fast asleep.

He walked over to her and gently shook her. "Meri- wake up, sweetheart" he whispered. She groaned and pulled away from him "No."she grumbled before hiding her face in his sweatshirt. "Come on, you need to come with me." Derek sat her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. With his good arm, he managed to get her too stand. "Come on, Sweetheart. We need to talk" he whispered. He knew everyone was watching him with confusion, wondering why he needed her so desperately at 4am.

She eventually complied as leaned into his body as he walked them down the hall and back to his office. They stepped inside before he gently let go of her. "Go lay down" he whispered. She went and flopped on the sofa, closing her eyes.

"Meredith..." Derek whispered as he came and kneeled down next to her, stroking her hair. "My mother is dead, isn't she?" Derek sat back a little, confused but consumed with worry. "Yes." He confirmed before climbing on the bed and spooning her body. She stayed very still, frozen. "Is that okay?" Derek whispered into her neck. She nodded. "I think so" she sighed.

They laid in silence for what appeared to be a whole hour before she rolled over and curled into his chest, sniffling a little. "I want to go home" she mumbled against him. "Okay, I can drive you there" he smiled at her before kissing her forehead. "No," she shook her head. "Home. The trailer. Home" she said. He nodded quietly, but the warmth that filled his heart made him want to scream out loud.

He jumped up and grabbed their things before locking hands with her and walking over to the trailer. He brought them inside and went to the kitchen to make her some tea.

"What happened?" She asked quietly. "Pneumonia and it was an infection. She passed in her sleep, she wasn't in pain" Derek reassured her as he came and stroked her arm. She nodded quietly. It was strange. She'd never thought about how she'd feel without her mom, and the emptiness yet relief was a strangely calming feeling.

"Stupid instincts. I knew it was the surge." She mumbled before she laughed weakly. "I know, I thought so too. But you got the opportunity to say your peace and so did she" Derek smiled before kissing her forehead. "She died thinking I was pregnant" Meredith said. Derek pulled away and looked at her. "Are you-" he started but she cut him off. "No, I just needed to give her a little hope." Meredith smiled at him before nuzzling her nose in his neck.

"I'm not apposed to the idea though" she said quietly. "Huh?" Derek frowned. "Babies. Little me and yous" she giggled. "You want kids?" He asked. "I've been thinking about it" she shrugged. A smiled grew on his cheeks. "With everything this past year, it's just made me realise that I don't want to be just a surgeon. My mom, Cristina, Richard, they all just wanted me to work until I'm dead, "use my talent" they call it. But that's not what I want. I want waffle Sundays with you and our cute babies, I want to travel. There's lots of things I want to do that don't include being a surgeon. I'm 29 in August and of course little McDreamy babies are on my mind" she explained before letting out a defeated laugh.

"Little McDreamy babies, huh? You've changed your tune, 6 months ago you would have called them McDreary babies" Derek joked in hopes of cheering her up. She gently shoved his shoulder and laughed.

"After the accident and the miscarriage, I just- it's you, it's always been you" Meredith sighed happily. "I want to marry you and have your cute McDreary babies" she smiled at him. He brought his hand to her forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" He smirked. She threw her head back laughing. "I don't know, Dr Shepherd, maybe you can fix me" she whispered as she batted her eyelashes.

"I want McDreamy babies with you too"

"Then let's make one"

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