Are you with me

18

"Mommy?!" Meredith heard somewhere in the far distance as she opened her eyes

"Shit!" She yelled and jumped out of bed. She was upstairs instead of downstairs with her daughter

She heard her daughter's cries and ran down the stairs on full speed

"Mommy's here, I'm so sorry" Meredith ran in Ellis' room and saw the little girl panicking

"Mommy, you weren't here!" Ellis cried out

"I'm so sorry baby, I am so sorry" Meredith stroked Ellis' hair "Are you okay?" She checked the catheter bag

"Mommy" Ellis kept whimpering

"Sorry baby, I'm gonna turn you on your side, okay?" Meredith did so to prevent pressure sores

"Mommy, stay!" Ellis cried as Meredith stood up again

"I'm staying. I'm not leaving again" Meredith said and climbed back in the bed

Ellis grabbed a fistful of Meredith's shirt as she kept whimpering

"I'm really sorry honey, so so sorry" Meredith's voice cracked. She was angry at herself for falling asleep while her daughter needed her

"I was yelling for you" Ellis whispered as she buried her head deeper into Meredith's chest

"Sorry, Ellie. I'm so sorry" Meredith wrapped Ellis in her arms

"I couldn't get out of bed by myself" She whispered again, "I needed to find you. It hurts mommy."

"Where does it hurt?" Meredith asked, already knowing the answer as she checked her watch confirming her suspicions that she couldn't have anything for a few more hours.

"My back" Ellis whimpered

"Okay, okay." Meredith said while untangling herself from Ellis' grip while getting the heat pad they keep plugged in. She placed it on her back and climbed back into bed.

This seemed to alleviate some of her pain as Ellis soon fell asleep. Meredith held her daughter close, moving her hand over her hair making sure that Ellis knew that her mother was still there despite her being asleep. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore she did everything she could to make sure that Ellis was comfortable and watched for any sign that her pain may be increasing.

When Derek awoke he immediately went to find Meredith's hand, instead finding a cold, empty left side of the bed. He sighed and moved to stand up wanting to find his wife. He knew where she would be, but some part of him hoped that he would wake up next to her. He missed that. Once downstairs he headed into the kitchen to make coffee for them both before making his way into Ellis' room. Derek opened her bedroom door to find Meredith watching over her daughter stroking her hair away from her face.

"I thought I would find you down here," Derek said as he walked over to the bed and kissed her forehead.

"Shhh!" Meredith chastised, "You can't do that Derek, she needed me and I was so far away."

"Why don't you come into the kitchen so we can talk about this properly?" Derek asked

"No, I promised I wouldn't leave her." Meredith said, turning her attention back to Ellis.

"Mer, you'll be in the kitchen and not all the way upstairs. You will hear if she needs you-" Derek said until he saw Ellis' eyes slowly open, "Hey, monkey."

"Daddy," Ellis smiled, "Mommy, you stayed."

"I did, how about we get all cleaned up and dressed, then daddy can make us some breakfast?"

"Pancakes?" Ellis questioned, looking up to Derek.

"If that's what you want!" Derek said, "I'll see you girls soon."

Meredith offered one arm to Ellis for leverage so she could pull herself up, something they were working on in PT, and placed one on her back for support. As she was close to sitting her face changed.

"Ellie?" Meredith asked

"Mommy," Ellis began to cry, "It hurts. Make it stop."

"Okay, you're okay. Your meds are due." Meredith said, taking the tablet box off the bedside table. She sat behind Ellis giving her the support she needed while taking her meds. Soon enough, the small girl's tensed muscles relaxed as she softened in her mothers arms.

"Do you want to go and shower now?" Meredith asked and Ellis nodded her head.

Meredith lifted her out of the bed and began to place Ellis in her chair. Before she could she felt Ellis' grip tighten on her top and the shake of her head on her shoulder. Instead Meredith took Ellis into the bathroom where thankfully the shower chair was already inside the shower. Placing her on the chair she began to take off her pyjamas and began to run the water, checking the temperature. Meredith started at Ellis' feet, wanting to get that part out of the way first, working her way up. She saw how Ellis was gripping the handles of the chair and how she was tensing all of her muscles, trying to stay in the chair properly.

"Hey, look at me Ellie." Meredith said, trying to get her attention, Ellis looked at her mother, "You're okay, I've got you."

Meredith tried to make it more fun once she got up to her chest, she tickled her with the flannel and made big bubbles in the soap blowing them softly into the air as Ellis watched them with fascination. Ellis' giggles came to an abrupt stop when her legs started to spasm. Meredith ran her hands over her legs massaging them, while getting Ellis to look at her. After they stopped, she stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel that was on the cabinet beside the shower.

"Okay Ellie-bell let's dry you off." Meredith smiled and pulled her into her arms once she was dry.

Meredith changed her catheter bag and Ellis picked out her clothes. The pair were soon in the kitchen making pancakes with Derek and before long, Zola and Bailey both were hurrying down the stairs, ready to start breakfast

...

Ellis and Meredith were cuddling on the couch together while Derek took Zola and Bailey to school. Ellis, again, had her hand wrapped round the ring that hung on Meredith's neck as if it was soothing her.

"I love you, Ellie-Bell," Meredith said while squeezing her daughter close, "You know that right?"

"I know that, Mommy." Ellis said, looking up at meredith.

"Shall we quickly do your hair before daddy gets back?" Meredith asked and Ellis nodded, "What would you like one or two plaits?"

"Two, please." Ellis replied.

Meredith shifted Ellis beside her on the couch as she went to get the supplies she would need. When she returned she placed Ellis between her legs and without Ellis seeing this as PT, Meredith asked her to stay sitting after she helped her find her balance. After finishing the second plait in Ellis' hair, they heard the door opening signalling Derek's return.

"Daddy!" Ellis shouted happily.

"Hey Ellis! I see you've had your hair done!" He said

"Mommy did it!" Ellis told him

"Well you guys," Derek began as he sat beside them, "Daddy has been called into work for a few hours, I've got to cover someone's shift and there's no one else to do it. I can say no if you want me to?"

"No it's okay, Derek you can go. Ellie and I will be okay, we need to get used to it just being the two of us anyway. How about we come and see you at lunch?" Meredith asked.

"That would be perfect." Derek smiled, kissing his wife on the cheek.

"What do you think, Ellis?" Meredith turned to her daughter, "We don't have to, we could find something to do here?"

"No, I want to see daddy." Ellis said adamantly

Derek knew this stubbornness. He saw it in Meredith even after everything she had been through. There was no mistaking that Ellis was Meredith's daughter and it made him love them more and more. 

AN // We hope you all enjoyed this update. Thanks again to my amazing co-writer! I'll tag her in the comments <3