Attendings and Residents: Loving You

Chapter Three

"Are you sure you're okay with me staying here?" Lexie asks, looking at Meredith and Derek.

"Of course we are." Meredith said. "You're my sister and I want to help."

Lexie looked down shyly.

"Plus, Zola has been talking about meeting her Aunt Lexie." Derek continues, sending her a reassuring smile.

"She has?" Lexie glanced up at Derek.

Nodding his head, Derek points toward the door where three year old Zola was waiting patiently.

"Hi." The little girl said happily.

"Hi." Lexie said, smiling softly at the girl.

Zola looks toward Meredith and grins. "Mama, is that Auntie Lexie?"

"It is." Meredith said with a smile, nodding.

The little girl instantly runs up to Lexie and holds her arms up.

Lexie watched the little girl, glancing at Meredith and Derek uneasily.

"It's okay." Meredith mouths to her.

Lexie bent down in front of the little girl, afraid of ripping her stitches if she picked Zola up.

Zola wraps her arms around Lexie's neck and hugs her.

Lexie wasn't sure what to do. She sat there awkwardly while Zola hugged her.

"Hug her back." Derek mouths.

Lexie cautiously brought her hand up and placed it gently on Zola's back.

The little girl instantly relaxes.

"Okay, Zo Zo, bed time." Meredith said. "I promised you could stay up to see Auntie Lexie and now you have so it's bedtime."

Whining, the little girl turns to look at her mother. "But mama."

"No buts, Zo Zo." Meredith said. "Come on."

Pouting, the three year old reluctantly pulls away from Lexie and walks over to Meredith.

Lexie took a deep breath and stood up.

"You okay?" Derek asks, moving over to her.

Lexie nodded. "Sore." She whispered.

"Why don't I take you to your room?" He asks softly.

Lexie nodded slowly. "Please."

Smiling warmly, Derek nods and leads her into the house.

Lexie followed Derek cautiously.

"No need to be cautious." Derek says, glancing toward her.

Lexie looked at Derek and swallowed.

"What's wrong?" He asks in confusion.

Lexie shook her head. "Nothing."

"Here's your room." He says, pointing toward a room down the hall from his and Meredith's.

"Thanks." Lexie said quietly.

Nodding his head, Derek makes his way out of the room and toward his own.

Lexie swallowed and sat down on the bed. She looked around the room. Meredith and Derek's home was very welcoming and calming. The walls were decorated with a nice cream colored wallpaper with some of Zola's drawings and paintings from daycare. The floors were a wooden oak type. The house was nothing like Lexie had expected it to be and nothing like what Lexie was used to.