If that's what it takes

92

"Zzzzzz..." The sound had been coming from Meredith's lips for almost a half hour, pausing only to breathe as Izzie worked on her secondary therapy.

"She'll be here, Meredith... stop with the noises." Izzie whispered as she tried to move Meredith's arm, only to have her pull it out from her hands and move it away, attempting to roll over. "Meredith... stop..."

"ZZZZZZZZZZ..." She grunted loudly in protest as Izzie released her arm and stood with her arms over her chest.

"Stop being so stubborn! I'm trying to help you."

"No." Meredith grunted, her brows furrowing as she narrowed her eyes, muttering the only full word she had been able to mutter since she woke up.

"Meredith, there's nothing I can do. They said they'd be here, and they're not here yet... you know they visit every day, they're not going to forget about you. Wipe that dirty look off your face, now."

Maybe they will forget me, you don't know, Izzie. You don't know.

"Stop being stubborn and let me do your exercises... and..."

"Is she giving you trouble?" Derek's voice came from the doorway as Meredith's eyes moved to the doorway and her left side of her mouth lifted to a lopsided grin.

"Zzzzzzz..." Meredith muttered as the door opened a little wider.

"Yes... she's driving me crazy..." Izzie rolled her eyes. "You're late... and she won't let me forget it."

"Oh..." Derek said with a smirk. "I was talking to Meredith..." He winked as Izzie rolled her eyes.

"I'll let you deal with her for a while..." Izzie said with a laugh as she walked toward the door, resting her hand on Derek's shoulder for a second, she smiled at him and slipped out the door.

"Zzzzzzz..." Meredith said again as she raised her eyebrow.

"She's here..." Derek nodded from the doorway. "There's someone I wanted to introduce to you though... a visitor..." He glanced behind him and Zoey came shuffling in quickly, hopping, into the room with her hospital gown covering her clothes as she waved.

"Hi, Mommy." She said with a smile as she moved toward the bed.

"Be careful." Derek whispered as Zoey turned and gave him a scowl, followed by a half smile.

"I know, DD." She said as she turned and grasped Meredith's hand. "Mommy..." She whispered as she leaned her head on Meredith's hand. Meredith moved her fingertips as she tickled the little girl slightly, hearing her giggle.

"Meredith..." Derek said as he opened the door as Sarah stepped through with the two small children as they grasped her tightly. "This is my sister Sarah... Sarah, this is Meredith. This is Morgan..." Derek said as he touched his niece's head.

"That's Sammy." Zoey said as she pointed to Samantha as she held tightly to her mother. The sounds and sights of the hospital were new to them, and they were slightly frightened by them. "Sammy is my new friend." She said proudly.

"They're just a little nervous..." Derek explained. "Sarah is here for Thanksgiving..."

"I'm his favorite sister." Sarah spoke up, making Derek chuckle, Meredith's eyes watched her as she felt her lip move slightly into a smile. "I came a little early to get things ready..."

"She thinks I can't go grocery shopping." Derek replied.

"I never said that."

"It was implied." Derek teased.

"Still... I never said it." She said as she raised her eyebrows at him and gave him a challenging look. He gave the same look back to him as he pulled a chair from the corner to allow Sarah to sit.

"Here..." Derek said softly as he watched his sister approach. "Have a seat... you two ladies can sit on mommy's lap..." He said as the two little girls scrambled into their mother's lap.

"Now how much nonsense have you been filling this poor woman's mind with?" Sarah asked as she watched Derek walk to Meredith's bed and whisper something to her, to which she responded by blinking at him. He pushed the button and the seat raised slightly to put her in a slightly upright position, she attempted to move her head, finding that it pushed back against the pillow awkwardly, he adjusted it so she could see her guests.

"I have filled her mind with no nonsense." Derek replied, watching Meredith roll her eyes, Sarah laughed. "Okay... maybe a little." He said as her lip curled slightly. "See that smile?" Derek asked. "It's beautiful." He said as he watched Zoey trying to pull herself onto the bed. He lifted the little girl up and let her rest against Meredith's body. "Meredith talks through blinking for the most part now, but she's learning to speak clearer." Derek said as he watched her eyes watching him.

"Oh, Derek... stop talking about her like she's not here... sit down and relax... you're not her nanny..." Sarah replied. "We'll figure out a way to communicate..." She said as Meredith turned her head toward Sarah.

"Thhh..."

"You're very welcome..." Sarah said with a smile as Meredith's eyes flashed to Derek and back to his sister. "You want to hear some Derek stories, huh?" She giggled as Derek watched Meredith nod slightly.

"How did you do that?" Derek asked as he watched Sarah glance to him.

"Give me a break, Derek... You can see it in her eyes that she wants some dirt on you... and having dealt with you for two months with no other choice... I think she deserves it." Sarah giggled as Meredith emitted a slight noise from her throat, that resonated into the air.

"You made her giggle!" Derek exclaimed as he watched Meredith's cheeks turn pink. "Oh..." He laughed. "It was beautiful."

"He says that about everything you do, I'm guessing..." Sarah laughed as Meredith nodded.

"Mama, I have to pee." Sammy whispered as she glanced at the woman in the bed for a moment and then back to her mother.

"There you go, Derek..." Sarah said with a smirk. "You can follow after her... and Meredith and I will get to know one another a little better."

"Sarah... I..."

"She has to pee, Derek... don't make her hold it." Sarah said as Sammy slipped from her mother's lap and glanced to Meredith before latching onto Derek's hand.

"Pee pee too..." Morgan said as she slipped from her mother's lap and ran to Derek and grabbed his other hand.

"You heard the ladies..." Sarah said as Zoey sat up.

"Me too!" She said as she leaned up and kissed Meredith. She slipped from the bed and ran toward Derek, as he rolled his eyes.

"You planned this..." Derek muttered with a smirk.

"I don't think it could have been better planned." Sarah said with a laugh as Derek shook his head and walked out the door with the three children in tow.