Little Shepherd

Chapter 23

"Derek I found her." Meredith says into her phone as Josie clings to her like a koala on a tree.

"Oh thank God." He sobs, his whole body overflowing with relief. "Meredith found her." He tells Addison. Meredith brings Josie to them, the worried parents running to meet her half way.

"Josie!" Derek cries out at the first sight of her. Meredith places the child on the ground enabling her to run full force towards her father.

"Daddy!" Josie whines as she sprints. He drops to his knees, enveloping her in his arms the second she reaches him. She wraps her tiny arms around his neck as he buries his face into her flaming red hair. He can't help but cry, the utter joy of having his little girl back in his arms is so overwhelming.

"I'm so glad you're okay." He manages to say through his tears. He stands with his daughter in his arms, pulling Meredith into the embrace. "Thank you." He says to her, beyond grateful that she brought Josie back to him. He kisses both of their foreheads seemingly forgetting Addison who's standing a few feet away taking in this whole scene. The heart break is obvious on her face. She had hoped that staying away for so long would make Derek realize how much he truly needed her so that he would forgive her and reunite their family. But now she sees that he has not only managed just fine without her, but that he's thriving. He's moved on, found someone else. Someone who's seemingly replaced her role in his life. She always thought he would come running back, that even despite what she had done Derek still loved her the way that she still loved him. She can't even fathom how wrong she had been. Josie looks to her, snapping her from her pity party. She forces a small smile through her soul crushing realization.

"Baby I'm so sorry." Addison says to her. "I never meant to hurt you. I never should have-" She stops herself unsure of how to even begin to explain herself.

"I missed you Mommy...why didn't you come for me." Josie asks tearfully. Her little heart unable to process all of the emotions she's feeling right now. Her mommy is here. She wants to be happy. She wants to run to her and let her mother hold her. She wants everything to be okay again, like it was before. But it's not how it was before. She's anxious now, nervous around her own mother after being apart for so long. She wants her to go away, it was easier that way. So many conflicting emotions swirl around in her little head as Addison approaches them.

"I have no excuse, nothing that I can ever say will ever make up for what I've done." She says truthfully. She chokes back tears as she speaks. "I love you Jojo, so much it hurts. I hated being away from you more than anything."

"But you stayed away...why?" Josie asks hardly containing her composure.

"Shame. Fear. Guilt. I could go on forever. I knew you were safe. I knew that your daddy would take good care of you."

"Why now?" Derek asks her. "Why come here now." Addison clears her throat uncomfortably.

"Richard  asked me to come here to consult on a case." Derek scoffs. He can't understand why his mentor, his friend, the man he operated on literally just hours ago would go behind his back and do something like this.

"You..you came for Uncle Wichard?" Josie asks. Addison nods.

"I did."

"You came for Uncle Wichard but you wouldn't come for me?" The little girl sobs.

"Baby I-"

"It's been a long night...I think maybe we should go." Meredith says to Derek quietly. He nods.

"I wanna go home." Josie cries. Meredith reaches over and runs a hand over her back.

"I know sweet girl, it's okay we're going." She whispers soothingly. Josie sniffles, burying her face in the crook of Dereks neck.

"I'm sure we'll see you again soon." Derek says to Addison not sounding enthused.

"Please don't take her away again. I just want to hold my baby, please Derek." She begs, silent tears streaming down her face.

"You made your bed Addison." He says quietly as he begins to walk by her.

"Derek I'm begging you! Please just five minutes."

"It's not up to me." He says calmly.

"Josie...Jojo baby. Come see momma, please angel. I miss you." She begs almost hysterically. Josie doesn't even look up from Dereks neck.

"I want to go home!" She whines again.

"Alright, I hear you. We're leaving." Derek whispers comfortingly.

"No...please." Addison cries.

"Give her time Addie." Derek says gently. Seeing her like this, so fragile, so broken it's turned his anger into something new. Pity. He pities her. He turns and carries Josie away with Meredith at his side leaving Addison sobbing alone in an empty hallway.

They inform everyone that Josie has thankfully been found and make their way back to Merediths house. It's late but Izzie and George are still awake, sitting in the living room with a bottle of wine. One look at the sight of the three of them and they knew something was up. From their red puffy eyes to a traumatized Exhausted Josie that refuses to be put down.

"What's wrong.. what happened?" Izzie asks worriedly. Meredith looks to Derek as if to ask his permission. He nods.

"Josie's mother is here."

"Here?? As in Seattle?" George asks.

"No here as in the hospital we work at." Meredith explains. Their jaws drop. She nods and fills them in on the rest of the story as Derek goes up stairs and gets Josie changed into her pajamas.

"God.. that poor kid." Izzie says in response.

"I don't think she's doing very well with it all." Meredith tells them honestly.

"She's strong and she's got all of us on her side. She's got this."

"Thanks George." Soon she joins Derek and Josie upstairs. Josie is hysterical again.

"Hey...what's wrong?" Meredith asks.

"She doesn't want to sleep." Derek explains.

"May I?" She asks, holding out her arms for Josie.

"You can try." He replies with an exasperated sigh. Meredith takes Josie into her arms bouncing her gently.

"What's the matter love?" She asks Josie softly.

"I'm scawed." She cries. "I'll get lost."

"Oh honey.." Meredith looks to Derek with sad eyes. "How about you sleep with us for the night? Would that make you feel better?" Josie nods and wipes her nose on the back of her hand with a sniffle. "Alright" Meredith gets her settled in bed between her and Derek. "See, you're safe. No getting lost now." Josie wraps her arm around Merediths belly snuggling into her side.

"I love you mama." She whispers. Meredith leans down and kisses her forehead, running her hand along her hair.

"I love you too Jojo." Soon Josie is fast asleep. The gentle rise and fall of Merediths chest as she breathes lulling the exhausted child into a comfortable rest.

"Hey.. you awake?" Derek whispers into the dark careful not to wake his daughter.

"Yeah, I'm awake." Meredith answers almost immediately.

"You're a god send Meredith Grey, you know that?" Meredith laughs a little. "No Meredith I'm serious. I don't know what we ever would have done without you...what I would have done without you."

"Derek I-"

"I love you Meredith." He practically blurts out. He's never said it before. Not to her. He's felt it for awhile but he's been too afraid to say it out loud to make it real...but after today. After watching the way she loves his child. After seeing how she instantly snapped into action to find her. After she brought his baby back. There's no denying it.

"I.."she pauses for a second. "I love you too." He carefully reaches across his sleeping child and takes her hand and Before long they to fall into a deep comfortable sleep.