We get the kidney, go back to the hospital and do the transplant surgery. I'm scrubbing out of the surgery when Nathan walks into the room. We continue to scrub in silence, then I look up and his lips are on mine. I find myself kissing back, and enjoying it.
"Dr Grey." Nathan says.
"Dr Riggs." I say back.
"Would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"
"I would love to." I say smiling. "I'll ask Maggie or Amelia to take the kids."
"They can come, if you want." Nathan says.
"Really? Then we can't go somewhere nice. I mean, Zola can do well sometimes in a restaurant, but Bailey and Ellis are still louder." I say.
"Don't worry, Mer. I've got an idea for a place that I think you'll love, and that the kids will love." Nathan says.
"Okay. So meet at the lobby at 6?" I ask.
"That sounds great. See you then." Nathan says smiling.
My phone starts ringing.
"Is this Dr Meredith Grey?" A voice says.
"Yes, who's this?"
"This is Dr Samantha Knox. I'm a doctor in Sweden. I have some news for you. Maybe sit down somewhere?" Samantha says.
"Alright, I'm sitting." I say as I sit down at a nurses station.
"Your husband, Derek Shepard, was transferred here after bad car crash last year. He was in coma for 11 months, and has been awake for one month now. He lost a lot of memory, but part is coming back. He kept asking for Meredith Grey, so we looked you up and found you." Samantha says.
"What the hell?!" I say frustrated.
"Would you like to speak to him?"
"Sure." I say and wait for Derek to come on the phone.
"Mer?" A very familiar voice says.
"Derek. What the hell happened? Why didn't they contact me earlier? You were in a freaking coma for almost a year! Derek, why didn't you call earlier?" I whine.
"I'm so sorry honey. I tried, but they didn't know who I was talking about. How are Zola and Bailey?" He asks.
"Zola is fine, Bailey barely remembers you, and Ellis-" I start.
"Wait, who's Ellis? Your mother? I thought she died?" Derek asks confused.
"Shit. You remember when you said you want more kids? Around a year ago, Derek?" I ask.
"Yeah. Why?" Derek asks.
"Ellis is your daughter. She's around three months. Zola, well, she's pretty sad and confused. Bailey is just going with the flow. He's a quiet kid. Not talking too much, but loves art." I say.
"Really? We have another daughter?" Derek asks.
"Yeah. Listen, I have to go, but do you still have your cell phone?" I ask.
"Yeah, it's the same number I think." Derek says.
"I'll call you back later today. Maybe tomorrow. I have to tell Amelia and a few other people."
"Don't tell Amy yet. Let me tell her." Derek says.
"And how are you going to do that if you're in a hospital in a different country?"
"Where do you live now?" Derek asks.
"I'm back at my mother's house. I still have our house, but it held too many memories so I moved back in with Alex, Maggie and Amelia." I say. "The locks are the same as years ago. Meet at our house?"
"Yeah. Three days from now, noon time. I'll be there." Derek says.
"Okay. In three days, at noon." I say and hang up.
I run down the hall to the bathroom and get to a stall. I throw up and then slide down the wall and sit on the floor. I hear someone come in, and I look up.
"April, what are you doing here?" I ask the red head.
"I heard crying and someone throwing up. Are you okay?" April asks.
"No. I just got a call." I start. "From someone in Sweden, saying that Derek isn't dead." I say through sobs. April is now sitting next to me on the floor, rubbing my back.
"So what are you going to do?"
"I have to meet him at our land in three days at noon. But right now, I'm going to pick myself up, re apply my makeup, and get on with the rest of my day." I say.
"Well, I know I'm not Cristina, but if you ever need to talk, you can always come to me." April says.
"Thanks." I say, wiping the mascara from below my eyes, and giving April a light hug. During the merger, I had never imagined that April Kepner would ever become one of my close friends.
I walk out of the bathroom and almost run into Nathan.
"Hey, are you okay?" He asks in that adorable and endearing accent of his.
"No. I just got a call that Derek woke up and has received extreme medical care in Sweden. Why Sweden? Why didn't they contact me earlier? I just told him about Ellis. I haven't told him about us." I say, putting my face down into my hand.
"Hey, hey it's alright. I'm sure things will get worked out. Meanwhile, there's an us?" Nathan says smiling.
"Yes, there's an us. Whatever this is," I say motioning back and forth between us. "Whatever this is, needs to get figured out. Derek is coming back to the states in three days and I have to meet him at our old house at noon. I don't know if I can do this alone. Nathan, please, can you help me?" I whisper, almost crying.
"Of course. Of course I will help you, Meredith. If you need me to watch the kids I can, or drive out out to the land, or anything else you need, I'm here." Nathan says softly.
"Thank you." I say quietly.
We part and I go through my day, dazed, and walk on autopilot to the daycare.
"I'm here for Zola, Bailey and Ellis Grey." Nathan says to the woman there.
"Alright. Zola and Bailey are all set, Ellis is napping still so it'll just be a few minutes." The woman says.
I walk up to Nathan.
"You're so sweet." I say.
"For picking up your kids?" He asks.
"Yeah. And for today. I really needed that. You're so kind and considerate and well, perfect." I say staring into his hazel eyes.
"You're perfect, too. Your kids are angels, and so sweet and you're so smart and it's rather sexy." He say quietly so Zola and Bailey don't hear.
"Thanks." I say smiling.
"Alright, Ellis is up. You're free to go." The woman says, handing me my youngest child.
"Zola, Bailey, hold Nathan's hands please. We're going to be walking through a parking lot." I say.
"Yes Mommy." Bailey says and reaches up as takes Nathan's hand. Zola tentatively reaches out and Nathan smiles and Zola is reassured.
We walk into the parking lot and get the three of them buckled into their seats.
