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

14

A few hours later, Meredith and Derek were sitting in the living room, currently talking to Alex and Jo

Some of their friends would come over to celebrate Meredith's birthday. She didn't know about this as Derek and the girls had arranged all of this with the help of Carolyn and Christopher

"Alex, LVAD wires are the past" Meredith laughed softly as she was leaning into Derek's touch

"I still don't get it how Webber didn't fire you" Jo laughed

"Believe me, we don't either" Alex laughed and grabbed Meredith's hand "Don't leave me alone, okay?" The smile immediately disappearing as concern took over

Meredith nodded sadly and her phone started ringing. Derek grabbed her phone off the table and handed it to her

"It's Cristina" She smiled softly before she picked up the phone

"Hi Mer!" She heard Cristina's voice

"Hi" Meredith replied

"Happy birthday. How are things there? McDreamy throwing a party?"

"He invited some people over" She smiled softly

"Bad luck Yang, Derek's mom's cookies are the best. You're missing out" Alex chuckled

"Ah Evil Spawn" She chuckled "Mer, I'm really trying to come as soon as possible"

"Cristina, you really don't have to-" Meredith started but got interrupted

"I'm coming soon" Cristina said sternly "I have to go now. Say hi to everyone. Bye Mer"

"Bye Cristina" Meredith breathed and closed her eyes for a minute

"I love you" Derek whispered in her ear

"I love you too" Meredith whispered back as Alex stood up to grab another drink

"You think my mom would have been proud?" Meredith asked

"I'm sure of that" Derek kissed her forehead "Do you miss her?"

"Yeah.. It doesn't hurt that much anymore, it's been a while and it was better to not see her suffer from alzheimer and I know we didn't have the best bond but she was still my mother-" Meredith rambled

"I know" Derek kissed her head

...

"Mom, can I do anything?" Derek asked when the party had ended and Meredith and the girls were sitting on the couch

"Oh, Derek. Would you mind putting the table back?" Carolyn asked him

While Derek was putting the table back in its place, he heard Emma and Ava's cries. He quickly ran towards them and found Meredith on her knees throwing up

"It's okay. I'm here" Derek said as he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom while his parents took care of the girls and the vomit on the floor

"Sorry" She muttered as she kept gagging

"Shh" He gently rubbed her back, avoiding the spot where they radiated her spine

"It's okay" She whispered "Go, I'll be fine" She leaned heavily on the toilet

"No, Mer. I'm staying. The girls are with mom and dad" He told her

"Feel awful" She couldn't lift her head without getting dizzy

"You wanna go to bed?" Derek asked her and she nodded in response "Let me clean you up really quick" He whispered and started undressing her. She had lost a lot of weight in a short time. She looked pale and skin over bones as if she would snap in two any second

Derek started washing her with a warm wet washcloth but it didn't stop her from shivering. He put his bathrobe over her when he ran to her closet to find some warm pajamas. He chuckled when he took out the baby pink pajamas with white dots she had gotten from Carolyn. They were so warm. He grabbed those and helped her change into them. He lifted her up in his arms and gently placed her down in the bed

He wanted to tie her hair together in case she would have to vomit again but when his hand went through her hair, several stains fell out. He quickly tied it without paying too much attention to it

"I wanna cuddle with the girls" She whispered weakly as he stomach had calmed down again

"I'll go get them" Derek kissed her forehead

"Thanks" She whispered

Derek nodded and sadly walked downstairs where he heard Emma's sobs

"Daddy!" Ava yelled and launched herself into Derek's arms "Is mommy okay?"

"Mommy is okay, honey. She had to throw up because of the chemo. Remember the yucky medicine?" He explained

"Wasn't it gonna make mommy better?" Ava frowned

"It is making mommy better but sometimes those meds make mommy sick too" He was lost, he didn't wanna explain this to his six year old daughter "Emma, baby. Are you okay?" He asked his four year old that was still crying in Carolyn's arms

"She's a bit shaken up" Carolyn whispered

"Mommy wants to cuddle with the two of you. Shall we go upstairs and give mommy some well deserved snuggling?" Derek smiled softly and Ava immediately nodded in response

"Em, are you going with daddy?" Carolyn asked softly but the girl shrugged in response

"Come on, Em. Mommy wants to see you" Derek tried

"Mommy scared me" Emma whispered

"Mommy's really sorry, baby. Come on, let's go upstairs. Please" Derek was close to crying

"I don't wanna!" Emma yelled

"I'll bring up Ava first" Derek said and walked upstairs with his oldest daughter

"Mommy?" Ava whispered

"Hi" Meredith opened her arms and frowned

"Emma is saying goodbye to mom and dad. I'll go get her in a minute" Derek said as he helped Ava lay down before walking downstairs again. He couldn't tell her that their youngest daughter was scared of her

"Emma was scared" Ava admitted to her mom once Derek left the room again "Because you threw up" She said as her lower lip started trembling

"I'm sorry if I scared both of you" Meredith kissed Ava's forehead

"It's 'kay mommy" Ava snuggled closer to Meredith "It's the yucky medicine"

"I love you" Meredith whispered

"We're here" Derek announced as he walked in with Emma in his arms

"Hey baby" Meredith softly smiled and opened her arm for Emma to crawl closer but she was scared "I'm sorry for scaring you, baby" Meredith's voice cracked

She hated being sick, she hated scaring her kids and being unable to help them

"It's 'kay, Em" Ava nodded

Emma nodded and slowly crawled closer to her mom and laid her head down on Meredith's shoulder

"I love all three of you" Meredith whispered, a tear escaping her eyes so she quickly closed them and felt Derek wiping them away

"And we love you" He whispered softly

"So so much" Emma added softly as she and Ava softly kissed her cheeks

"Did mom and dad leave already?" Meredith asked softly

"Mom was cleaning up a few things while dad is putting together the lounge chair they bought for you"

"They're too sweet" Meredith softly smiled but closed her eyes as her body was completely exhausted

"Sleep. We're staying here" Derek kissed her head and kept watching her as she fell asleep