New Beginnings

Chapter 21 (?)

While we were driving, Bailey was screaming, but calming down a bit now, Zola was sitting in the front seat, playing on her iPod touch that she got for her birthday. I hear a bling and then Zola starts squealing.
"Hey Zo, what's so exciting that you need to squeal?" I ask her.
"Uh, my friend just texted me, and asked if I wanted to go over to his house..." she said, trailing off after she said 'his'.
"And who would this be, Zola?" I ask.
"A classmate, Nate. " She says.
"And does this fellow, Nate, have a last name?" Derek interrogates.
Zola hesitates, and whispers something under her breath.
"Zola, speak up. What did you say?" I ask softly.
"Nate Dandridge." She repeats.
I'm momentarily stunned. "Did you say Dandridge, Zola?" I ask.
"Yeah. Is it okay if his dad comes to pick me up tomorrow? At like noon for a project? And to hang out?" Zola asks.
"Yeah, it's fine. What's Nate's father's name Zola? Did he tell you?" I ask.
"No, we're just friends Mum. I'm not like his bff or something. " Zola says defensively.
"Okay. I was just wondering. Could they pick you up at the hospital tomorrow? It's a holiday but we don't have it off. " I said, trying to prove tomorrow that it was Finn, who I dated in the second half of my intern year, because Addison decides to show up and be Derek's husband. Ahh, thinking back to the hospital prom, I ran off to "cool off and splash some water on my face" and Derek and I... kind of sort of had sex, and then Addison found my lost panties, and hung them up on the hospital cork board at the nurses station. Good times, good times.
"Meredith, honey, what are you thinking about that makes you smile.." Derek says, with a smirk on his handsome face.
"Ahh, just a few years ago, right when Addison showed up, and Webber's niece was in the hospital on prom night..." I say, trailing off, praying that he remembers that night. "And Addison found something in your pocket, and tacked it to the cork board at the hospital, and Callie covered for me..." I continue.
A twinkle shows in his eyes. "You're remembering the hospital prom?" He asks.
I nod.
"I got away from Addi by saying that I had a patient that I needed to check on. You were with-" he stops, and remembers Finn's last name. Dandridge. He glares at me.
"Derek, I just want to check. You're my life now. Not Finn. He lasted a few months while Addi was back in town and..." I stop, because the kids were here. Although, most of it would fly right over Zola's head though. The rest are too young to understand.
Derek continues to give me death glares every chance he gets while driving. Finally, we reach the hospital. Bailey is super terrified with needles, so when an intern came to draw some blood, he totally freaked out.
"Hey, who are you?" I ask the girl.
"I-I'm Dr Allison Webber. I'm a new intern here. I transferred from Seattle Presbyterian. And you are..." Allison prompts.
"I'm Dr Meredith Grey. I own the hospital with some of the other surgeons here. This is Dr Derek Shepard, and these are our kids. Bailey here, hates needles. We own the hospital with Dr Cristina Yang, cardio, and Dr Arizona Robbins, peds. " I say. "You should remember us next time you see us. "
Derek nudged me, and motioned that she ought to get working.
"Well,thank you Dr Grey, Dr Shepard. I'll keep in mind that y'all own the hospital. Pleasure meeting the family. Now, what seems to be the problem with this little guy. " Allison says, with a slight southern accent.
"He dropped a cup on his foot. " Zola says, while texting someone.
Everyone looks at her, and she feels the stares. "What, all he needs is someone to pick out the glass and suture it up. Nothing big. You're an intern. Just don't mess up. That's my brother and he better be okay once your done."  Zola tells the intern.  

"Y-yes, o-of course.  I won't mess up on your brother.  He'll be fine again in no time at all.  If you want, you can stay and watch, kid."  Dr Webber asks.

"Mom, Dad, can i stay and watch?  Please please please please?  Its cool!"  Zola asks.  

I look over to Derek, and he looks so pissed off right now, so I say yes.  

"Sure Zola.  Dr Webber, don't let her touch, only observe.  Also, teach her what to do.  I want that to be the first medical thing she learns."  I say, as I feel Derek's death glare over my shoulder.  

"Thank you Mom!"  Zola says.  

I turn to the intern, waiting for a responce. 

"Right, suture up Bailey here, teach Zola how to suture, and let her practice on a banana, right?"  Allison Webber confirms.

"Yep, and make sure she doesn't stab herself."  I add.

"derek, let's drop off Kate and Mis at the daycare, and then we can talk without your fuming rage.  I can feel your death glare right now."  I say, as I take Kate's baby carrier, and pick up Mia and place her on my hip.  I begin to walk towards the elevators, Derek on my heels.

"Let me take Mia, at least.  Meredith Elizabeth Grey.  Stop, right now."  he says, the second we get intot he elevator.  "You owe me an explination.  Why the hell did you let Zola watch AND practice suturing?!"  Derek yells.  

"Derek, this is how I was raised.  I turned out pretty damn good.  Allison is Richard's family, I can trust her.  Richard is practically my father.  He's a better father than Thatcher ever was, or will be.  Ever since Susan died, and Lexie..." I stop.  Derek ees my trouble, as the elevator opens at the daycare.  We walk out, drop the kids off, and get back on the elevator. we get back out onto the surgical floor, and I trail behind hima s we go to an on-call room.