Forever and Always

17

It had been a few weeks since they'd gotten Doc and the girls adored him. But recently he'd been getting sick so Addison and Derek decided to take him to the vets. "Momma is Doc gonna be ok." Eliza's small voice echoed from the back seat. Addison turned from the passenger seat, "I don't know pumpkin but I hope so." Addison said.  A tear slipped down Eliza's cheek. "Don't cry Liz." Derek said looking though the rear view mirror. "It's ok Liza, Doc will be ok." Lilly said looking at her sister. Eliza smiled, "thanks lills." She said.

"Bone cancer." Addison said. "Yep I'm afraid so." The vet said. Derek sighed, "how are we going to tell the girls?" Addison asked turning towards Derek. He looked over at the two girls in the waiting room, Lilly had her head in Eliza's lap. "Um what are our options." Addison turned to the vet. "Yeah what are our options Dr. Dandridge." Derek said mocking his names. "Um you can gall me Finn and we could go with chemo, which would be a long and messy road and it only would give her a little while longer or we could..." he trailed off. Derek sighed, "Well, Finn. What do you think the best option is?" Derek said. Addison eyed Derek, "I hate to say it but I think we should put....him...down." Meredith let out a breath she didn't know that she was holding. "I'll go talk to the girls." Addison said walking away. Derek locked eyes with Meredith but she soon pulled her eyes away.

"Hi darling." Addison bent down in front of her girls. "Mommy what's wrong." Eliza said. Lilly picked her head up, "Doc's really sick and he's not going to get better." Addison said. She grabbed her girls hands into hers. "So does that mean he has to go to heaven." Eliza said tears bubbling in her eyes. "I'm sorry baby." Addison said rubbing Eliza's cheek with her thumb. Lilly went into Addisons arms, as Derek came over and took Eliza into his arms. "It'll be ok." He said rubbing her back. "B-b-b-ut." She was hiccuping. "Shhh." He said.

Lilly was still in Addisons arms and Eliza was laying with Doc. "Ok I'm ready whenever you guys are." Finn said. "NO NOT YET." Eliza said gripping onto Doc. "Liz." Derek grabbed her back trying to pull her off of him. "NO." Lilly put her face into Addisons chest. "Elizabeth." Derek pulled her off of him she kicked and screamed and fought. A tear slipped off of Meredith's cheek as Finn injected Doc. Derek took Eliza out the room. Addison and Meredith locked eyes from across the table, "thank you Dr. Dandridge." Addison said as she brushed her fingers through Lilly's hair. He nodded his head. Addison grabbed her purse and walked out. Lilly held eye contact with Meredith.

"Dr. Shepard." He snapped his head. "Meredith." He came closer. "Don't. I wanted to tell you to stop." She said. "Stop what?" He smiled. "Dr. Shepard, you chose your wife. You didn't choose me. So stop. Stop the flirting and the smiling and the talking and just leave me alone. Please." Tears bubbled in my eyes. "Mer-." She walked away before she could hear what he had to say.