MerDer: Make Your Heart Feel

There is a baby in the bed.

Meredith's POV:

There is a happy buzz of noise in the living room, lots of small kids running around playing laughing and four gorgeous brunettes that must be Derek's sister. They all look so much like him, same hair color, same nose, same smile, but only one the women shares his ocean blue eyes. She is obviously the youngest and I rack my brain trying to recall her name. Amelia that's it!

"These are my sisters, Nancy, Kathleen, Liz, and Amelia" Derek smiles squeezing my hand in reassurance  "this is my girlfriend Meredith Grey"

The all stare at me, judging, trying to decide if I am good enough I assume. They oldest three shake my hand respectfully telling me coldly how nice it is to finally meet me. Obviously their mother was wrong, not everyone in this house hugs. Finally it gets to Amelia and there is something so familiar about her blue eyes that I instantly feel relaxed looking at her.

"Hey I'm Amelia" she introduces herself. She doesn't hug me but her handshake seems much more friendly.

"It's nice to meet you Amelia" I smile at her, feeling genuinely comfortable for the first time since we got here.

The eldest sisters introduce me to their husbands and their many children running around and I cant help but smile. I never had this growing up, this thanksgiving family tradition thing. I actually like it.

"Okay everyone time for dinner" Carolyn announces clapping her hands together excitedly.

The food is all set up at the table, and everything looks and smells delicious. Derek pulls out a chair for me and sits down next to be. I am seated in between him and Liz's husband and across from Amelia. Derek's nine nieces and five nephews are all sat down at the very end of the long table. We all dish up before Derek's mother gets up to grab wine.

"Is white okay Meredith?" she asks me reaching for my glass.

"White is fine, thank you" I smile at her as she fills my glass.

"Is she even old enough to drink" Nancy asks from a few seats down.

Amelia sputters and coughs choking on her water and Carolyn silences them with a look. I feel my face turn pink with embarrassment, but I expected this so I try to brush it off.

"Yes, I am old enough to drink" I reply calmly and respectfully taking a small sip of my wine.

Amelia mouths the word sorry to me form across the table and I just smile at her. The conversation turns away from me thank god and everyone begins eating and talking, having a great time. I've learned a lot about his sisters, how each one of them is actually a doctor. The eldest Nancy is a OBGYN, Liz is a pediatrician, Kathleen is a psychiatrist, and Amelia is in her first year of surgical residency.

"So Derek, how did you and Meredith meet" Liz prompts turning the conversation back to me.

"We met at the college" he lies not wanting to tell his family that we where a one night stand.

"Oh, do you work there?" Nancy asks me a knowing smirk on her face.

"No, I am a student there" I smile tightly at her.

"So, Meredith what does your mother do?" Carolyn quickly changes the subject.

"She is a surgeon" I reply and I watch as Amelia's eyes get wide.

"What is your moms name?" she asks excitedly.

"Ellis Grey" I reply slowly unsure of what her deal is.

"No fucking way!" Amelia exclaims loudly causing her mother to gently smack her shoulder.

"Sorry mom" she apologizes sheepishly before turning back to me "Like Harper Avery award winning Ellis Grey"

"Yes" I sigh deeply taking another sip of my wine.

"Your mom has a Harper Avery" Kathleen looks at me eyes wide.

I don't know what to say everyone is staring at me there eyes wide.

"Her mom doesn't have just one Harper Avery" Amelia says looking at me as if I am the chosen one "She has three of them"

They all look at me stunned, as if somehow my mother being an award winning surgeon has made me more suitable. Derek quickly changes the subject and rests his hand on my knee comfortingly. I don't know what the hell I would do without this man.

Derek's POV:

Its been quiet sometime since we finished with dinner, and luckily there were no more awkward conversations between one of my sisters and Meredith. However Nancy did take it upon herself to continually make jokes about how young Meredith is. But it's Nancy, so I kind of expected it. By now all but one of the kids has passed out and been put to bed in one of the empty rooms upstairs.

The youngest of my nieces Lidia who is currently in the terrible twos has -to Nancy's dismay- taken quiet a liking to Meredith and now throws a fit every time someone tries to pry her off. I would find it quiet adorable if Meredith didn't look so uncomfortable.

"Come on Lidia, it is time to go night night" Nancy smiles reaching for her youngest daughter.

"No" Lidia pouts grabbing the collar of Meredith's blouse with her small chubby hands and snuggling her face into Meredith's neck

"Lidia Elenore Shepherd, it is passed your bedtime, come on. You can see Meredith in the morning" Nancy adopts a more serious tone as she is now feeling exasperated.

"Momma, I want to sleep with Meredith" she sticks out her lower lip pleading with her blue eyes.

"You know what fine!" Nancy sighs throwing her hands up in the air "But you have to ask Meredith and Uncle Derek if its okay?"

"Can I sleep with you?" Lidia asks turning to us sticking her lip out once more.

I look at Meredith and I have to suppress my laughter when I see the look on her face. She looks at me for the answer and I just shrug my shoulders signaling that it was up to her.

"Of course you can" Meredith smiles down at Lidia.

Her reaction is priceless, her baby blue eyes went wide as if she was expecting a no, and her smile takes up almost all of her face. I don't think I have ever seen a child of Nancy look more excited.

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We are now all in our pajamas packed tightly into my very small bed. Lidia is curled up snuggling against Meredith tiny snores escaping her. It is both a jarring and calming sight to see the woman you love with a small child. It gets you thinking things you wouldn't normally think about. Like what if we had kids? Would our kids have her eyes, or her wonderful smile?

"There is a baby in the bed" She looks at me with wide eyes.

"There is a baby in the bed" I smile at her.

To my surprise she smiles reaching for my hand. There is something so intensely beautiful about this moment and I wish I had a way to burn it into my memory. It is the memories like these that make the future seem crystal clear.