How Sweet It Is

31

She was tired, her body ached and she wanted nothing more then to crawl in bed but she couldn't do that because being the idiot that she was, she had promised Mrs. Shepherd she would take Adam and Stella to the zoo and keep them for the night while Mrs. Shepherd went to visit her friend. Idiot. She didn't even have the energy for this and her mood wasn't any better. She groaned as she opened her car door, reaching in her back seat for the grocery bags she had picked up as she ignored Derek's cell phone calls. He was probably mad at his point but she didn't care, she just wanted to get home, not think about work and take a two and four year old to the zoo. "I'm back!"

"Mehdith!" Stella called as Derek walked into the foyer of the older home that his mother owned.

"We're here." Derek smiled, following behind his niece and nephew.

"Hey guys." Meredith breathed, smiling at Stella and Adam before walking past Derek. "Did Stella take a nap? Your Mom said she needed a morning nap."

"For about ten minutes before Adam woke her up." Derek laughed, trying to give Meredith a quick kiss.

"Crap." Meredith groaned, avoiding his kiss as she walked into the kitchen. "Well maybe she'll sleep in the stroller...she did that over the summer when your Mom and I were out walking."

"Right..." Derek sighed. "Adam...why don't you take Stella into the living room so I can talk to Meredith."

"Okay Uncle Derek!" Adam grinned, taking his little sisters hand and leaving the room.

"Bye!" Little Stella waved, a hand in her brothers as he small feet rried to keep up with him.

"Bye." Derek laughed.

"Crap." Meredith groaned as she dropped her cell phone on the floor after placing the shopping bags on the counter.

"What's going on?" Derek frowned, starting to take stuff out of the bags.

"Nothing." She said, looking up at him before walking to the kitchen table to grab the diaper bag.

"How was work?"

"It was fine." She replied, sitting the diaper bag on the counter before opening a box of fruit snacks. "Damn it...I meant to get the stupid Backyardigans ones and not the Elmo..."

"I'm sure they're fine."

"Could you not stand there and possibly get me their cups?"

"Sorry." Derek sighed, going to the cabinet to grab the two sippy cups.

"Fuck." She groaned as she stubbed her toe on the edge of the counter.

"Okay...Stop..." He whispered, putting the cups down and going over behind her, his hands around her waist.

"Derek not now..." She scoffed, reaching over and grabbing a hold of her foot.

"Just calm down."

"Stop."

"I'm trying to help."

"I don't need you to help."

"You're freaking out."

"I'm not freaking out."

"You know...we don't have to do this today."

"Derek...I have no problem with doing this." Meredith groaned.

"Fine..." Derek murmured, walking over to the kitchen table.

"Fine."

"Did something happen at work?"

"What?" Meredith stopped, looking over at him.