I'd do anything for love (3/4)

3

"Mer, are you sure you wanna see them now?" Derek asked

"Yes Derek" Meredith said sternly

"Son, it's better to tell them now" Carolyn rubbed Derek's back

Meredith turned on her side and looked out of the window. She didn't move when she heard Mark walking inside of her room and walked up to her "Hey Mer, you got this. Okay? I'll stitch you up so you don't have a nasty scar" Mark said before kissing her head "I'm gonna let the girls in"

By now Meredith had turned and sat up. She watched as Ava, the 6 year old girl with Dark brown curls walked in first. Derek helped her on the bed "Be careful with mommy" He warned them

Meredith wrapped her arms around Ava and waited until Emma would enter

"Come on Emma, mommy wants to hug you" Addison said as she held hands with the four year old girl, usually full of energy

"Mommy okay?" Emma asked

"Come here baby. We'll explain" Derek said and lifted her up to place her next to his wife

Meredith buried her nose in Emma's blonde curls as she hugged the little girl

"We're gonna get ourselves some coffee" Carolyn said as she wanted to give them some time for themselves

"Mommy, why are you in the hospible?" Emma asked

"I- I was in a bit of pain so Dr Tom checked me out" Meredith tried to explain

"Are you all better now?" Ava asked

"No monkeys. I'm sick. Something in my body is making me feel sick so I will need treatment for that" Meredith softly told them

"No shots!" Ava's eyes grew wide

"Well.. They're gonna operate in a bit but that's okay" Meredith rubbed their backs

"Daddy operates! And aunt Amy and uncle Alex! And uncle Mark and aunt Addie!" Emma started raising her voice in a cheerful mood

"Dr Tom is gonna do it. Mommy will be in the hospital for a bit" Derek told them

"No!" Ava said sternly

"Honey, mommy has no choice" Derek tried to intervene

"No! Mommy needs to be home with us" Ava started crying so Meredith tightened the grip on her kids

"I maybe can come home earlier, Der" Meredith cracked out

"What?" His eyes grew wide

"Just.. I.. It's not fair to any of you" Meredith's voice cracked

"Hey, we'll talk later but you will do everything your doctors say, we need you." Derek said sternly

"But daddy, when I'm sick I get yikkey medicine and snuggle with you and mommy" Emma whispered

"Mommy will get medicine too. It will make her very sleepy and sometimes a bit sick but mommy will need lots and lots of snuggling" Derek told them while Meredith started crying

"Mommy don't cry" Ava wiped Meredith's tears away with her tiny hand

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" Meredith kept whispering

"Hey Mer, stop that" Derek rubbed her back and kissed her forehead

The family stayed like that for a little bit longer until Carolyn and Christopher returned with coffee for Derek as Meredith couldn't eat or drink anything before the surgery

"Mark is coming to get the girls in an hour" Carolyn explained "He'll take them out for dinner and he'll take them home for the night" She rubbed Meredith's back

"Thanks" Meredith forced out

"Everything will be okay" Carolyn kissed Meredith's forehead

Meredith was laying down with her two girls in her arms

"Mommy, can we come see you tomorrow?" Ava asked as her lower lip started trembling

"Of course baby" Meredith assured her daughter "But it might be a bit scary" She explained

"Why scary?" Ava asked as she looked up to her mother

"I'll probably need to wear a brace. It's like a hard corset around your body" Meredith explained

"Like a princess!" Ava pointed out

"Yes,Ava, you're right," Meredith sighed and kissed their heads. Derek sat on the side of the bed. His hand resting on top of her hand. He couldn't look away, he even tried not to blink as he was scared she would be gone, that he had lost her forever

This was their worst nightmare.. And history kept repeating itself

They kept quiet until Mark came over to bring the kids home

"But daddy I wanna stay with you and mommy" Ava whined

"I know Aves, but mommy needs a bit more rest and then they will do the surgery. It will be very boring to wait that long" Derek tried to explain

"You'll need to snuggle mommy" Ava asked

"Of course, monkey" He hugged Ava closely before the little girl went to say bye to Meredith

"Emma, you okay?" Derek asked but the little girl shrugged "We love you, baby" Derek kissed her forehead and let her crawl to her mom

"Bye babies" Meredith's voice cracked as she said goodbye. She gave them a very tight hug and a kiss on their foreheads "Be good for uncle Mark and aunt Addie!"

"Yes mommy" The two girls giggled at the same time as they followed Mark outside of the room

"Why? Why did it return? It's been so long and K was cancer free!" Meredith started to yell as tears streamed down her face as her arms flew in the air, causing the awful pain to flare up again

Derek pulled her in for a tight hug so she would stop hurting herself

"Meredith, dear. We're here for you and your family. Always" Carolyn rubbed the blonde woman's back

"I hate it!" She spat out before completely falling apart in Derek's arms

"I know" Derek whispered "I hate it too but you can't stop fighting. Please don't stop fighting" Derek whispered but she didn't reply "Mer, please don't stop fighting. You need to promise me" He looked scared and vulnerable

"I- I promise" She whispered