Strong enough

3

Meredith had woken up at 3am and had to rush to the toilet where she had started to throw up again

"Mer?" Derek walked up to her, holding her hair as she threw up

"Sorry." She whimpered

"What's going on?" He frowned

"Dunno.: Stomachache.."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Derek's eyes widened

"No no." She weakly shook her head but started to gag again

"I think your stomach is completely empty. Let me give you a glass of water." He softly said and got up

"I'm fine, I just wanna go to bed." Meredith stood up but got a bit dizzy

"When was your last period?" Derek asked her

"I don't know, Derek." She sighed annoyed. "We haven't been able to get pregnant again for years, it won't magically happen now."

"Sorry.." He muttered and led her to the bed, offering her a glass of water

"I just wanna sleep." She muttered and laid down, curling up in a ball, covering herself with the blankets as she was cold

"I'll heat you up." Derek climbed in next to her, wrapping his body around her

...

The next morning Derek had gotten up and made breakfast, Charlotte appeared in the kitchen, disappointed to see her father. She quickly grabbed a bottle of water and walked back out of the room

"Charlie, can you stop-" He tried but she was already gone. He sighed and kept going to make some oatmeal for himself and oat pancakes for Meredith and Charlotte. He went to wake up his wife

Meredith was still asleep in the big bed, in the exact spot she had been when he had gotten up

"Hey, good morning." Derek kissed her lips

"Hi.." She muttered

"Breakfast is ready, can you convince Charlotte to stop being stubborn and come out for breakfast?" He asked and got up

"Sure." Meredith shrugged and got up, putting on her favorite sweater and went to use the bathroom, then making her way over to Charlotte's bedroom

Meredith softly knocked on the door and waited for Charlotte's responde

"Monkey, breakfast is ready. Will you come, please?" Meredith said as her daughter did not respond

"Coming." She heard her daughter sigh and waited for her to open her door

"Talk to your father." She hugged Charlotte and grabbed her hand as they walked towards the kitchen

"Morning." Derek smiled at both of them

"Morning." Meredith said, glancing over at her daughter.

"Hi." She muttered and sat down, digging into the pancakes

"Aren't you hungry?" Derek frowned as Meredith didn't start eating

"It's way too early and my stomach is still upset." She shrugged

Charlotte quickly squeezed her mom's hand and continued eating in silence

Meredith couldn't stand the behavior between these two, she just wanted her husband and daughter to get along again, she had no idea what had gone this wrong

"Can you two please start talking again?" Meredith sighed sadly, clearly affected by seeing the two people she loved most like this, intentionally avoiding each other

"Why should I? It's not like he tends to listen to me." Charlotte sighed and placed her head in her hands

"I have no idea what has been up with you lately!" Derek stopped eating to watch his daughter

"And that's the issue!" Charlotte started sobbing and ran off, slamming the door of her bedroom shut as she went there to hide, hating when anyone saw her cry

"You did an amazing job." Meredith rolled her eyes and clutched her stomach, the stress was too much on her small body.

But she got up anyway and headed towards her daughter's room

"Charlie? It's me, can I come in, please?"

Charlotte opened the door for her mom. The girl was still sobbing; her cheeks completely wet

"Come here." Meredith pulled her daughter in for a hug and led her to the bed, laying down together. "I love you so, so much"

"I hate daddy!" Charlotte whimpered

"I understand that you're angry, but don't use those hard words, please." Meredith practically begged her daughter

"But it's not fair! He never listens!" Charlotte held tighter onto her mother

"It's not always easy." Meredith sighed

"Stop defending him, please.." Charlotte begged her mom

"I love you so, so much." Meredith kissed Charlotte's head. "I'll talk to your dad. I promise."