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3

The next day Meredith and Ellis had arrived at the cemetery, to visit Finn

"Mama! Come see papa!" Ellis was hurrying

Meredith nodded and wheeled after her daughter, her chest getting heavy as she reached Finn's grave

"Hi.." Meredith whispered soflty, fighting the tears that were welling up in her eyes

"papa! papa! I made you pictures!" Ellis started talking and took everything out of Meredith's bag to show her dad

Meredith watched how Ellis showed him the pictures she had drawn for him. Her heart ached as the little girl hardly knew her father as she was only two when he passed away

"I think papa's really happy with your drawings." Meredith nodded, wiping away some tears that escaped her eyes

"Did papa love me?" Ellis asked, climbing onto her mom's lap

"papa loved you so, so much." Meredith nodded, hugging her daughter tight

"I wish he never had died.." Ellis whispered

"Me too, monkey. Me too.."

"Uncle Mark said I had to give you strong hugs." Ellis mumbled against her mom's chest

"Hmm.." Meredith nodded.

"I tiwred.." Ellis muttered

"Let's go home. Let me grab your pictures." Meredith said and carefully bend down to grab them, giving them to Ellis to hold while she wheels to their car

Meredith took a minute to compose herself as she sat there in her car

"Mama, you kay?" Ellis asked from her seat

"Yes princess, mama's okay." Meredith took a deep breath and drove off. She didn't know what to do so she just decided to go home

"Dewek's home! Maybe he can have a tea party with me!" Ellis smiled in the backseat

"Sounds good." Meredith nodded and got out if the car, also helping Ellis out and the girl ran up to their front door

"Hey, I saw you guys arriving." Derek opened the door

"Can you have a princess tea party with me?" Ellis asked without hesitating

"Oh, sure." Derek chuckled

"Can you watch her for a bit? I- I gotta do some stuff." Meredith said, clearly upset

"Of course." Derek nodded, not wanting to ask any more questions

"Thanks." She muttered and wheeled off to her bedroom, he heard water running afterwards

"It's kay, mommy misses my papa." Ellis explained and pulled at Derek's hand to drag him to her playroom

"I'm sorry to hear." Derek said softly

"It's kay." Ellis said. "I miss my papa too."

"I miss some people too." Derek nodded understandingly

"Your also know someone in heaven too?" Ellis' eyes widened

"Yes, sadly I do." Derek nodded while putting all Ellis' stuffed eyes ready around the small table

"Oooh! Mommy knows many people in heaven too!" Ellis nodded as she understood. "I was two when papa went!"

"That's very young." Derek nodded

"And mommy was in the hospible so I was with Auntie Addie." She smiled

"Oh, I bet you love your auntie a lot then." Derek nodded

"Yes! And uncle Markie!" She giggled. "I luf them soooooo much!"

"That's great, and they also love you sooooo much." Derek smiled softly at her

"Dewek?" Ellis looked up at him

"Yes?" He looked down and saw her frowning

"Do my cuddles help mommy when she's sad?"

"Oh sweetie.. I really think they help her a lot." He nodded

"Otay." Ellis smiled and looked at her mom's bedroom door

"She'll be out soon, then you can go give her a very tight hug." Derek eased the girl

"I wish uncle Mark was hewe.. He helps mommy a lot." Ellis muttered, hugging on of her stuffies close to her chest, her eyes starting to flutter

"What about you go take a nap on the couch with your stuffy? I'll get some cookies baked while you sleep so we can have a big tea party later today." Derek offered

"We can?" Her eyes went wide

"Yes princess, let's go lay down right now." Derek helped her to the couch and tucked her in

"Thank you." She smiled before her eyes closed and small snored filled the room

"You're welcome." Derek smiled back as the girl was soft asleep. He heard the water stopping and wasn't sure if he should go knock on Meredith's door or just leave her be

"Sorry." Meredith suddenly wheeled inside, Derek saw her eyes puffy and dark

"Are you okay? Ellis is asleep on the couch." Derek explained

"Thanks for watching her." Meredith nodded and wheeled to check on her daughter

"Can I do anything for you?" Derek offered

"No, I'm fine." Meredith said quickly. "Sorry, I'll go take a nap."