Are you with me

7

"What's wrong?" Meredith asked as she ran in Ellis' room

"Mommy" Ellis smiled

"Hey baby girl. How was your nap?" Meredith asked

"Okay" She smiled a bit

Meredith tucked the blankets a bit tighter as her daughter started to shiver

"Are you cold?" Meredith asked concerned and Ellis nodded in response

Meredith pulled off her sweater and carefully wrapped it around her daughter

"Thanks mommy" Ellis smiled

They sat there in silence as they were watching some tv before Derek and Tom walked into the room

"Hi Ellis" Tom smiled

"Hi" She quietly responded and tightened the grip on her mother's hand

"What would you think about you could sit up again and then you can get ready for the night" Tom suggested

"Do I have to?" She asked her mother

"Maybe give it another try. Daddy and I will be here" Meredith assured her

"I can try" She quietly said

"We're proud of you, sweetie" Meredith said and smiled

"Okay, Ellis. Can you do the same as earlier? Just pushing yourself up and try to find your balance" Tom said

Ellis nodded and carefully pushed herself up with the help of her parents

"You're doing great" Derek said

Ellis was struggling and it was very obviously that she didn't like this

"Okay, I think you are done for today" Tom said

Meredith and Derek helped Ellis to lay back against the bed again as Ellis sighed in relief, pain visible on her little face

Meredith climbed in the bed next to her daughter and held her close

"I'll get a nurse to give you some more pain meds" Tom said before leaving the room

It didn't take long before a nurse entered the room and administered the meds and Ellis quickly fell asleep in Meredith's arms

...

Later that night, Meredith was laying on the bed as she was lost in thoughts

"We should renovate the house as soon as possible" Meredith finally spoke up

"I already arranged that. They will come over tomorrow so I have to be there for a while during the day" Derek softly said

"Thank you" Meredith smiled

"We need to get her a chair soon.." Derek sighed

"I know" Meredith's voice cracked. "Maybe we can look at it tomorrow?"

"Yeah.." Derek whispered

"Sorry.. For earlier" Meredith quietly said

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped" Derek said

"Do you blame me?" Meredith asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but didn't dare to look at Derek as she was scared for his answer

"Why would I?" Derek asked

"Because I should have picked her up" Meredith said as she was blaming herself

"I should have been here instead of in DC" Derek quietly admitted