"Shh, munchkin.." Meredith cuddled her youngest daughter close to her chest
"Mommy, is Charlie sick?" Emma asked
"She is wheezing, which is her asthma." Meredith explained and patted the spare seat next to her
"You'll be okay." Emma smiled softly at her small sister, hugging her mom softly
"I think we should watch some movies today, what do you think?" Meredith suggested
Emma shrugged, she honestly had hoped they could do something else today
"What's up honey?" Meredith asked
"Daddy promised we'd go to the theme park soon or to the trampoline park but we never went.."
"Oh sweetie.." Meredith sighed sadly. "Let's talk to daddy about it."
"Wanna play-" Charlotte coughed
"First you need to nebulize, honey." Meredith told her daughter but Derek was grabbing all her belongings
"Can we go anywhere with Charlie as well? So you and daddy can both come?" Emma asked carefully
"I- Maybe we can go to the aquarium." Meredith whispered, not sure if Charlotte would be ready for it after treatment
"Hmm.." Emma nodded and walked off
"Derek!" Meredith called out for her husband
"I'm here." He walked inside with the nebulizer and set it all up
"Em is sad, you promised to go somewhere and now she's disappointed.." Meredith stroke her hand over Charlotte's back and started the machine
"I'll go talk to her." Derek nodded and walked off to Emma's bedroom
"Yeah?" He heard Emma's voice, she seemed to be on the edge of crying
"Hey sweetie, what's going on?" He frowned
"You promised we'd do something, daddy. You promised!" Emma turned away so she wouldn't be facing Derek
"I know I did, and I shouldn't have. Charlotte isn't feeling very well, we can always see if she'll feel better after her treatment." Derek suggested
"I- I love my family, I really do.. but.. we always need to change things because of Mommy and with Charlotte often being sick.. we just never do things anymore.." Emma muttered, some tears slipping down her cheeks
"Emmie-" Derek walked up to his daughter and hugged her tight
"I'm sorry, daddy. I don't wanna be mean, I really love mommy and Charlie!" She excused herself
"Don't apologize, you were respectful when you told me, and I understand it's not always easy for you. What if you, Grace and I go to the trampoline park and afterwards we'll meet here at home with Mommy and Charlie for a bunch of snacks? And meanwhile we can think of some accessible things we can do when Charlotte is feeling better?"
"I'd like that if it won't make mommy and Charlie sad." Emma nodded
"It won't, I'll go tell them while you tell Grace and get the two of you ready, okay?"
"Thank you, daddy!" Emma nodded and walked out of the room, Derek went back to the living room and found Meredith trying to make Charlotte smile
"Hey, me and the girls are going to the trampoline park if that's okay with you?" Derek asked her quietly, even if he knew Charlotte usually didn't even like these things
"Of course, make sure they have fun, maybe take them for ice cream or a ferry ride, me and Charlotte will be fine."
"Sounds great, I'll make sure the girls can lose all their energy, how are you feeling today?" He asked her
"I'm fine, Derek. Go get dressed in a tshirt." She chuckled a bit, Charlotte readjusting as she started to fall asleep. "See, little one and I will just go take a nap, we'll send you a list of snacks we want during tonight's movie."
"Perfect, I'll go get ready." Derek laughed softly and left
...
Meredith and Charlotte were cuddled up on the couch but the little girl seemed to be doing worse. Nebulizing didn't have much effect anymore so Meredith had called Alex who told her to bring in Charlotte for sole checks
Meredith had decided to not call Derek yet and just text him. He hadn't responded, she assumed he was playing with the older girls. Instead Addison was on her way to come pick them up
"Okay monkey, let's close your jacket, by then aunt Addie will be here." Meredith kissed her daughter's head and closed the girl's coat, she then wheeled outside as she saw Addison arriving
"Hey monkey, mommy told me you're feeling a bit sick." Addison said and lifted Charlotte off' Meredith's lap
"Can you place my chair in the car? I wanna sit in the back with her." Meredith said, she hated feeling this limited whenever her kids needed her
"Of course, Mer. Just remain calm, Alex is waiting for us." Addie eased her friend and soon enough they both drove to the hospital, Alex was indeed waiting for them but Charlotte didn't wanna leave her mom
"I'll place her in my lap and I'll come along." Meredith said
"I'm sorry, my surgery is starting, call Derek or mom and dad." Addison said before running off
Alex took Charlotte into an examination room and checked her out
"I'm afraid this is the start of pneumonia." He told his best friend. "I'll get a room settled for her, I want her here for fluids and antibiotics."
"Oh monkey-" Meredith held onto her shivering daughter
"Mama-" Charlotte whimpered weakly, tears streaming down her red cheeks
"I know sweetie, it's not fun but I'm staying with you." Meredith promised
"Let's go to a room. I'll get you the prettiest room we have." Alex smiled at the little girl
Meredith unlocked her brakes and lifted her daughter onto her lap and wheeled after Alex
They got assigned to a room and Meredith got Charlotte installed and dressed into the gown Alex had given her while he went to Meredith's office to grab a pair of emergency pjs for the little girl so at least her bottom would be warm as the gown made it easy for the doctors to get an IV started and do more tests
In the meantime Meredith realized she'd have to take her own meds and made a mental note to call Derek as soon as Alex would be back
YOU ARE READING
What was I made for? |2/2|
FanfictionSEQUEL OF FROM NOW ON Meredith and Derek now have three daughters but the care of them combined with work and life is getting a lot for Meredith's own health and even her own abandonment issues start acting up again
