Dreams On Fire

Top of the World

With Thanksgiving over, Meredith could now focus on her next hurdle – Christmas. Derek had a great idea for them to go up in the mountains and cut their own Christmas tree, and while the idea was great, 27 week pregnant Meredith so didn't feel like trekking out in the snow. But that was where she found herself one Saturday morning, bundled up beyond belief as she pulled Zola from her carseat. She and Derek had deemed that it was too much for Bailey, who had screamed and cried to go along with his parents and big sister, but Maggie and Amelia had promised waffles, toys, and movies with him.

Holding Zola's hand, she pulled up the hoods of both of their coats; it was snowing lightly and freezing cold as they caught up to Derek, who had managed to get a saw.

"Come on," he grinned, taking Meredith's hand and she grinned up at him.

"You ready Zozo?" she smiled down at her daughter, who was enjoying the snow around them. It had snowed at their house, but here there was much more to trudge through. Derek laughed, reaching down and swinging Zola up in his arms as they set off to find the perfect Christmas tree for their house.

After what seemed like hours, Derek finally found a tree that satisfied him. Meredith was beyond cold and Zola had ended up running after them, playing in the snow. She wouldn't deny this was fun though, because it was. They went back and forth for a few minutes about the tree, before finally, with much stumbling, the tree was down. Luckily for them, the Christmas tree farm that they were cutting their tree from came along and picked up them and the tree to take back to the car. Meredith snuggled up under blankets with Derek, Zola on her lap and she smiled.

"Next year there's going to be another one when we do this," she grinned, reaching up and giving him a kiss. He wrapped his arms around his two girls and held them tight, content to just sit there in the wagon with their tree. Meredith let her head fall back, comforted by the fact that his arm was around them.

Later in the day, once they had gotten home and gotten the tree inside the house, Meredith was in awe at how beautiful it was and she decided it was worth it, having trekked out in the freezing cold to chop it down. It was snowing harder now, the snowflakes falling more rapidly, but she didn't care. Derek had hung up the white lights on the tree, and Meredith had surrounded herself with boxes upon boxes of Christmas ornaments. Amelia and Maggie were still at the house and she smiled, wanting to hang the ornaments as a family, and she felt a sudden pang in her heart for Lexie. She used to do this with Lexie, the two of them baking Christmas cookies and decorating her Christmas tree. She tried to shake the feeling off and sighed, touching her bump with a sigh. Part of her wanted to name the baby Alexandra, call her Lexie, but she knew she couldn't. Alexandra was the baby's middle name.

"Guys, want to come help me decorate the tree?" she said, brushing away her momentary sadness, as she stood up from the floor with a smile. Derek had just returned to the room with Zola and Bailey trailing behind him. She had never been one for traditions, and a few years ago never thought she would have traditions at all. "Bailey, do you want to put the first ornament on the tree?" she smiled, grabbing hold of the three year old and hanging him his ornament, the one that had his name and birthday on a blue baby bootie. She helped him hang it on the tree and kissed the top of his head with a smile. Derek helped Zola with hers, and then the rest was a free for all, with four adults and two kids hanging ornaments everywhere.

Meredith was officially off of bed rest and back to the hospital, clocking in her fellowship hours. Today she was with Amelia, which made her pout, but it was redeemed by the fact that they had a doomsday sucker, which Amelia felt confident that they would be able to completely remove. Meredith was excited; the last time something like this had come into the hospital it had ended dramatically and drastically, with Derek retreating to the woods for a few weeks and throwing her engagement ring away with a bat. She felt confident that wouldn't happen this time.