Chasing Cars

Chapter 19

"Mads? Derek?" Meredith entered the living room after another nap

Nothing

She walked around Derek's house in a try to find them both

"Mama!" Maddie spotted her mom as Meredith walked past the little girl's playroom

"Hi sweetie." Meredith smiled and took a seat on the spare chair in the room.

"Hey, how did you sleep?" Derek asked from his spot on the ground next to Maddie

"I really needed that nap." Meredith softly smiled. She wrapped her cardigan around her waist as she watched Maddie play with her father

"I was thinking of starting on dinner, you two wanna watch a movie or something?" Derek suggests

"Sounds good, right, Mads?" Meredith smiled

"Yes! Fwozen!" Maddie giggled and jumped up, cleaning up her dolls

"You can go, we'll come as soon as this little princess cleans up her stuff." Meredith smiled at Derek to assure him they'd be fine

"Mama, I wanna wear my Elsa dwess!" Maddie said as she opened the small box where she kept all her costumes

"Okay princess, I'll help you get switched." Meredith said and did.

When they were finally done Maddie grabbed Nannas and took a seat on the couch with her mom

Derek made them some pasta and eventually brought the food out to the couch

"Maddie, sit at the coffee table honey, we're eating here." Derek said and got everything ready so Maddie would be able to eat without making a mess. Then he made sure Meredith was sitting comfortably as they started eating

Because Meredith had been admitted she couldn't receive chemo so she actually felt hungry for the first time in a while. She took a few bites but felt her stomach hurting

"You don't like it?" Derek asked her as he noticed her slow down

"I like it." She nods. "But my stomach isn't used anymore." Meredith quietly explained but slowly took tiny bites as she knew how important it would be to still try. The mouth sores were still painful when she ate something that triggered the tingling feeling but Derek had thought of everything. He had cooked the pasta nice and soft

"Daddy, it's really yummy!" Maddie nods as she ate her pasta

"Thanks Mads." Derek proudly smiled as he watched his daughter eat as much as she could

"I was thinking of making us a nice snack this afternoon. Any suggestions?" Derek asked as he would do everything he could to get Meredith back to eating

"You don't have work?" Meredith asked him, still trying to keep eating

"No, I took some time off. Wanted to make sure you would be doing okay." He smiled at Meredith

"You didn't have to do that." Meredith flushed a little, she wasn't used to spending her life with someone and suddenly Derek was here again, after they had been divorced for almost two years

"I wanted to. And I think Maddie loves spending some time with both her parents, don't you, sweetheart?" Derek asked

"Yes! I wanna go to the zoo! And the pwaygwound! And the park!" Maddie nods, abandoning her food as she was full anyway and climbed up the couch telling her parents all the things she wanted to do

"What about we start by making sure mommy is recovering and then we'll see. Okay?" Derek suggests

" 'couwrse daddy!" Maddie smiled, causing the adults to giggle a bit

"Are you finished? Why don't you go play for a little while mommy and I finish our lunch?" Derek suggests

"Otay!" Maddie runs off

Meredith and Derek had a moment for themselves and it seemed like Derek immediately took the opportunity

"Mer.." Derek started and looked into Meredith's green eyes

"Derek.." Meredith looked him into the eyes

"I'm sorry. I was way too busy with work. And when you left with Maddie.. I just let you go, I was scared to hurt you two even more" Derek admits

"I just couldn't deal with everyone gossiping over us. And then I saw my friendship with Cristina fading.. moving was the best option back then. But I admit that I regret it." Meredith tells Derek

"I didn't know whether to stop you or not. But I was glad mom was around often. And then I stopped by or you came over.." Derek thought back of how all those years had been going

"I always wanted to return." Meredith suddenly admits. "I was just scared people would judge me for it. And then.. when.." Meredith stopped to compose herself. "When I got diagnosed it didn't even cross my mind. I thought I would die alone and then Maddie would be send to Seattle and-" She stopped again, sobs taking over

"You aren't gonna die. Especially not alone." Derek put their food on the table and scooted closer. "I don't want you to be alone at all." He said and held her hand

"You wanna try? After all these years? What about Maddie? She will be so confused and-" Meredith started rambling but instead Derek cupped her face and softly kissed her

"I don't wanna hurt you. So I won't force you to kiss me back, I just hope you won't pull away.." He whispered

But instead Meredith kissed him again. But softly, to make sure the mouth sores in her mouth wouldn't make her wince in pain

"I wanna try again, Meredith. I hope you'll let me. I hope you'll let us be us again." Derek quietly said

"I'd like to try, even if I don't have much to offer right now." Meredith nods. "But Maddie goes first. Whatever happens." Meredith sternly nods

"Mer, I don't care about dirty sex. Yes, of course I wanna have sex with you but I know we can't right now. And I won't ever pressure you into it, just know that I'll do everything to make you two happy." Derek kissed her lips again and felt Meredith returned the kiss

"Mama! Daddy!" Maddie smiled and ran into their arms, hugging them closely

"Hmm.." Meredith winced but tried to smile through it. Derek was immediately worried

"Your stomach?" He frowned

"Yeah.." Meredith sighed

"Come here you two." Derek opened his arms for both Maddie and Meredith

We hope you enjoyed! Thanks to my co-writer _Ktje_