Easy on me

19

"Grace, come here" Meredith asked. Grace was finally able to take off her cast so Meredith was getting them ready to leave

"Hey, do you want me to drive you to the hospital?" Derek suggested

"Grace, come here honey-" Meredith repeated before she turned at Derek "That would be nice yeah. Thank you" She smiled

"No problem. How are you feeling?" Derek asked as he rubbed her stomach. They have been getting much closer since Grace broke her elbow almost two months ago

"I'm done with being pregnant but I want her to be in there as long as possible" Meredith sighed and placed his hand over Derek's

"Mommy!" Grace ran towards them "Lift me!"

"Gracie, I can't carry you right now, I'm sorry" Meredith had issues but kneeled down and kissed Grace's head

"Derek, can you carry me?" Grace asked with her puppy eyes

"Of course munchkin" He chuckled, lifted her in his arms and led his girls outside towards his car. He placed Grace down in The booster seat and made sure she was buckled up before he got in himself

Meredith had climbed in as well already and the sunny Seattle day made her feel even more exhausted after such a simple task

"Are you doing okay?" Derek grabbed her hand

"Oh. I am" She giggled softly

"I'm glad. The three of you need the best care possible. That's why I was thinking I can make some mexican?" Derek suggested and saw Meredith and Grace's eyes widening "Soft tacos with pork and cheese, some guacamole with tortillas and lots of melted cheese"

Meredith's jaw dropped more and more as he kept talking about the food

"Or I can just make some soup-" He joked

"Mexican food is perfect!" Both Meredith and Grace yelled which made Derek chuckle

"You two look so much alike" He smiled and squeezed Meredith's hand softly as he continued the drive

Meredith was resting her head against the window and closed her eyes as she drifted off to sleep

Meredith woke up as Derek and Grace were singing together. As she looked around she was Derek just entered the parking lot

"Mommy, you're awake!" Grace giggled

"I am" Meredith yawned

"I hope you enjoyed your nap. You didn't even notice we used the ferry" Derek chuckled

"We stayed in! Didn't wanna leave you" Grace giggled

"But she did climb on my lap to play as if she was driving" Derek laughed

"My boss lady" Meredith smiled as she stretched her body

"Mommy, can you help?" Grace frowned as she had issues unbuckling herself to to the pink cast that was wrapped around her whole arm

"Of course" Meredith climbed out of the car and opened Grace's door to help her out

"Thank you mommy" Grace smiled and grabbed Meredith's hand as they walked inside

Derek was walking next to them, his hand on Meredith's shoulder

He knew she had a hard time with sudden touches but she has been reacting very well to them lately. But only if it was Derek, Addison or Alex. There were moments she flinched when Mark did it and even though she loves Mark with her whole heart, she found it impossible to explain why. At night she regularly shook awake when she heard something. She often joined climbed onto the couch and eventually woke up with Derek joining her

She never had asked if he joined her during the night because he woke up early. She was scared any question would scare him away. She didn't wanna start a relationship with Derek, especially not now or in the near future. She and Grace had been through too much to get herself and her daughter attached again to another man

"Let's hope you can have that cast off today. Uncle Alex will take a look at it" Meredith smiled

"I bet it can come off!" Derek smiled

"I hope!" grace giggled and skipped inside the hospital

The three of them made their way over to PEDS after Grace went to get new scans of her casted arm

"And I have the results!" Alex walked in, accidentally making Meredith flinch as she didn't expect someone to come in without knocking

"Shh" Derek rubbed her arm

"It's okay" Meredith nodded

"Let's cut off your cast!" Alex announced

"Really?" Grace gasped

"Really!" Alex confirmed

"Mommy, did you hear? Did you hear?" Grace jumped up and down

"Hmm?" Meredith frowned

"My cast can come off!" Grace giggled

"That's amazing!" Meredith smiled

"You're a trooper!" Derek winked

"Okay, Mer, maybe you should sit with her" Alex suggested as the three doctors in the room knew the sound of the machine to cut off the cast usually makes a lot of noise which scared a lot of kids

Meredith climbed in behind Grace and held her close to her own body despite her huge stomach sticking out and poking into Grace's back

Grade hid her face in Meredith's arm as Alex used the saw as fast as possible

"You're out of it, you're free again!" Alex smiled

"You were so brave" Meredith kissed Grace's head

"Do you wanna take it home? So you can look at my beautiful drawing?" Alex suggested

"Yes!" Grace giggled

Once The cast was cut off, Grace held her mother's hand and together they walked back to the car until Meredith stopped in her tracks, let gi of Grace's hand and clutched her stomach with both hands

"Meredith, are you okay?" Derek asked concerned

"My- My- I'm having contractions" Meredith's voice cracked a she was on the edge of a mental breakdown "But it's too early" She whispered

"Let's go to OB, now" Derek said sternly "Can someone give me a wheelchair?" He yelled

"Derek?" Grace whimpered as a nurse helped Meredith into a wheelchair

"Let's go check on your little sister, munchkin" Derek lifted Grace in his arms