It's been a long time

Chapter 23

After Meredith got discharged from the hsotpail after her appendectomy, Derek took her home.

She was sleepy, and slightly in pain, so Derek was there by her side every minute. He helped her get out of the car and gently lifted her in his arms to carry her up to the apartment. She nuzzled her head into his neck and sighed softly.

Derek wouldn't admit this to her wver, but in the rare times she let him take care of her, he loved it. He loved that she trusted him enough to keep her safe.

He opened the apartment door and gently placed her down in their bed. He tucked her in gently and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Mmm love you." Meredith mumbled. "I love you too." He whispered.

Derek left the room and quickly tidied up their messy apartment. While Meredith was in the hospital for a few days, Derek had been back a few times only, grabbing things Meredith had requested. Other than that he slept in the bed with her at the hospital and stayed with her.

Derek quickly cleaned the house and plopped down on the couch, putting on a football game when he got a call from his mother. "Hey mom." Derek said casually. "Derek Christopher Shepherd! Tell me why I had to hear about my daughters surgery from Mark and not you or Mer!?" Carolyn demanded angrily.

"I'm sorry. I've been a little busy mom." Derek apologized. Carolyn sighed. "How is she?" She asked. "She's good. I brought her home today, and she's sleeping in bed." Derek replied. "Okay. Make sure to keep up with her meds. Even thought it was a small procedure she was still cut open." Carolyn said. Derek nodded. "I have alarms set on my phone." He replied.

"Okay. I just wanted to check in. Let me know how she's doing." Carolyn said. "Okay. Love you." Derek said. "Love you too." Carolyn said as she hung up the phone.

An hour later, Meredith woke up and sleepily and slightly painfully made her way downstairs. "Hey! You should've called me." Derek said as he stood up quickly and walked over to his wife . He wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her over to the couch.

"How you feeling?" Derek asked. "Tired and sore." Meredith replied. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "Not your fault." Meredith mumbled. "I know. But I'm sorry you hurt." He said as he held her close. Meredith nodded.

"You want anytning to eat?" Derek asked. "Soup?" Meredith asked. "Tomato?" He asked with a smile. Meredith nodded. Derek gave her a quick kiss and got up to go to the kitchen.

On the couch, Meredith opened her phone and checked her messages. "How you feeling Grey?" Mark texted. "Good, thanks for asking." Meredith sent back.

She answered a few emails and then put her phone away, directing her attention to the football game on the TV. "Here is your soup." Derek said as he came into the living room.

"Derek, who's winning?" Meredith asked, intrigued. "Seahawks." Derek replied. Meredith sipped her soup and nodded.

"My mom dropped off some photo albums earlier. Want to see them?" Derek asked. Meredith nodded. Derek got up and grabbed the multiple albums and sat back down.

The first one was labeled 'Early Years.' He opened it and smiled when he saw he and Meredith on the swings. "You were so little." He commented in awe. "You were too." Meredith said.

Derek flipped to a page of a naked Meredith in the tub. "Derek, stop!" Meredith squealed. He laughed at    her embarrassed expression and flipped the page.

A while later, they got through 2 onto albums and Meredith was half asleep. "Tired?" He asked. Meredith nodded. "Want to go to bed or stay here?" Derek asked softly. "Here." Meredith mumbled. "It may be more comfortable in bed." Derek commented.

Meredith just muttered something incoherent. Derek took that as a no and he continued to hold her close. He took a blanket and placed it around the two. Derek was laying down on the narrow couch, with Meredith on top of him, resting comfortably.

Derek carefully took out his phone, as not to disturb his sleeping wife and took a quick picture and sent it to his mom and dad. "She's doing well, sleeping on top of me 😂." Derek sent with the picture.

Derek quickly fell asleep as well.

At the hsotpail, Mark and Addison, were still working. "Sloan, Montgomery!" Bailey called over. They hurried over and looked in anticipation. "How's Grey?" Bailey asked. "She's good. Derek sent this earlier." Addison replied as she showed Bailey the picture of Meredith sleepily comfortably.

"Good." Bailey said. "Now, you two want a case? I have an appy you can scrub in with me on in a few hours." Bailey offered. "Of course." Addison and Mark exclaimed happily.

Carolyn had heard about Merediths surgery after Mark and Addison called her. "Mer had surgery?" Carolyn exclaimed out loud. "Meredith had what?" Christopher asked in concern as he overheard his wife. "She had an appy apparently." Carolyn said.

"Why didn't they tell us?" He asked. "Derek said he was busy. I just called him but I just got a picture from them." Carolyn said as she showed her husband the picture. "They're cute." Christopher said. "They are." Carolyn agreed.

Okay guys,
This is a pretty short chapter. I'm running out of ideas, so if you have Any please suggest them. Anyways I hope everyone is doing okay and staying safe. Love you all 🥰🥰