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

10

"Okay, can you get up?" Derek helped Meredith on her feet and into the wheelchair

"O-Okay" Meredith sighed as she catches her breath

"I'll push the chair, can you grab the bags?" Addison asked

"Thanks Addison" Derek thanked her

"Of course guys" Addison smiled softly "Mark is getting your car, he'll wait at the entrance

Derek nodded and the three made their way outside in silence. Mark was waiting at Derek's car. They both helped Meredith inside the car. Derek had brought a bag for if Meredith would get sick, he had water and meds in the car. He even brought a blanket for her and placed it over her once she buckled herself in. She had to chuckle but appreciated it dearly

Addison and Mark waved at them and Derek drove home

"Mer, sleep. I'll wake you when we're home" He put his hand on her thigh

"Okay" She whispered and rested her head against the window and slept until they were finally home

Derek loved their cliff and their dreamhouse but it was a pain in the ass for Meredith. He could imagine she would rather curl up in bed after a round of radiation or chemo but he also knew she would be too proud to go live at their parents' house

Derek parked his car on the porch and woke up Meredith

"We're here?" She mumbled

"We're home, yeah" He breathed before getting out and opening the door on her side of the car "Do you think you can make it?" Derek asked

"I'll try" She nodded and tried to move her body but winced. Her back was bothering her, she was a few days post-op from a tumor removal on her spine

"Shit" He muttered but heard their front door opening

"Do you need some help?" Christopher asked

"Dad, can you please help her out?" Derek asked

"Of course" Christopher ran up to them and helped Meredith get out of the car

"It's okay" She breathed "It's okay" She nodded as she tightly held onto Derek

"I'll grab the bags and lock the car. Go take her inside" Christopher suggested and watched as Meredith, who was heavily leaning on Derek, was taking slow steps inside, Derek's arm tightly wrapped his arm around her waist

"Hey, I changed your sheets, I did some grocery shopping. I got you all kinds of stuff you could eat and drink without any issues with your previous chemos" Carolyn softly rubbed Meredith's arm

"Upstairs?" Derek asked Meredith

"Can we stay here? I wanna see the girls and I wanna feel useful" Meredith sighed

"Okay but bed in an hour" Derek kissed her forehead "You have radiation tomorrow"

"I know" She sighed as Derek helped her over to the couch

"I'll go get the girls" Carolyn softly smiled "They just had dinner, they're already bathed and in their pajamas"

"Thanks mom" Meredith breathed as Derek helped her get comfortable on the couch and buried her in warm blankets as she started shivering

"Are you good now?" Derek asked

"Yeah" Meredith smiled but her smile only grew when she heard little footsteps coming closer, mixed with the familiar giggles

"Mommy!" Both girls yelled and ran towards the couch and launched themselves on the couch, making Meredith wince slightly

"Mommy, look!" Emma giggled as she showed her socks

"Oh wow! Did Nana and Poppa buy them for you?" Meredith asked

"Yes, I have the same!" Ava giggled and showed them off

"Here, I bought them for you and noticed they had them in child sizes. Now you all have matching socks" Carolyn handed Meredith the fluffy socks she had bought earlier "They will be great to wear on days you have chemo

"Thanks mom" Meredith smiled softly as the girls installed themselves next to her

Derek was helping his dad with carrying the stuff inside and eventually took a seat on the couch, together with Carolyn and Christopher

"And Poppa said we could jump on the trampoline!" Ava explained what happened during their day as Meredith tried to keep listening without falling asleep

After a bit, Carolyn and Christopher excused themselves and left

For now it was just Meredith, Derek, Ava and Emma. The four of them were watching some tv. At least they tried to, Meredith had fallen asleep as she was exhausted and the girls were close to falling asleep so Derek stood up, turned off the tv and all their other stuff before carrying Meredith upstairs, closely followed by the girls

"Daddy, can we say goodnight to mommy, please?" Ava asked

"Of course, Ava. I'm gonna lay mommy down in bed, wake her up and you can say goodnight" Derek assured them and did so

He carried her upstairs to their bedroom and tucked her in before kissing her nose to softly wake her up

"Mer, wake up. The girls wanna say goodnight" He whispered

"Hmm.. Kay" She groaned and opened her eyes "Goodnight babies" She kissed the girls goodnight "I promise that we'll do something more fun tomorrow" She whispered

Derek felt it was coming.. Her act to stay strong, to not being able to show her vulnerable side again

"Goodnight mommy" The two girls giggled and followed Derek to their rooms. Meredith was half asleep when he returned. He gently tucked her in and made sure her feet were covered properly

"Did you call Cristina yet?" Derek asked

"C-Can you call her?" She weakly asked

"Okay. But she'll want to talk to you" Derek brushed his hand over her cheek

"Tomorrow, in the morning" Meredith whispered as her eyes were drooping more and more

"I'll go call her. I'll be right back, just try to sleep and yell if you need me" Derek nodded and walked back downstairs where he turned the lights back on and dialed Cristina's phone number

"Hello? Shepherd, it's freaking midnight" Derek could imagine her rolling her eyes

"I'm sorry" Derek's voice cracked

"Derek, what's wrong?" Cristina suddenly asked

"It's about Meredith.." Derek sighed "She.. Her cancer is back"

"Another brain tumor?" She gasped "I thought her scans were clean a few months ago"

"A tumor on her spine. It's very aggressive, it already spread to her stomach, uterus and ovaries" He explained

"Wait, when did all of that happen?" Cristina gasped

"A few days ago. I brought her home a few hours ago. She has surgery to take the tumor out on her spine, she has gotten her first sessions of radiation and chemo the past two days" He explained

"What's her full treatment plan?"

"For now she has chemo twice a week. So the day after tomorrow she has another round and daily radiation which already has left some nasty burns" Derek sighed

"Okay, I have to wrap up some things here but I'll try to visit" Cristina tells him

"She won't want you to hurry anything. Just make it here safely, please. Mer.. She'll need all of us" Derek sighed

"I know, Derek. I'm keeping you updated. Is she asleep right now?" Cristina asked

"Yes. She can call you in the morning if she's doing well enough?" Derek suggested

"That's good.. Okay" Cristina said before they hung up and Derek walked back to his and Meredith's bedroom. He climbed in next to his wife and held her close, scared to let her slip away