Trapped in fear as history repeats

23

"Derek, she needs to wear her night braces to straighten her legs" Meredith sighed

"Mer, can you try? She didn't let me do it"

"Yeah" Meredith sighed. She's been exhausted after she did a 24 hour shift.

Meredith moved over to the couch where Bella was watching some tv before she went to bed "Hey baby girl" Meredith said as she took a seat next to her daughter

"Mommy!" Bella said.

Bella has been making a lot of progress the last year with her speech, she's now four years old. She still doesn't use full sentences and has trouble with longer words but she's getting there although her walking hasn't improved that much. Her doctor wanted her to wear braces on her legs at night because she curls them up too much. She still walks around with her walker at home except when she's moving from one spot to the other. They renovated the house a couple of months ago. The bedrooms are now downstairs and only Derek's office and the guestroom were upstairs together with some storage room. It became clear that stairs were too dangerous for Bella to climb the stairs unsupervised so they wouldn't take any risks.

"Hi, daddy just told me you don't want to put on your braces, is that right?" Meredith asked

"Hurts, mommy" Bella said

"It's for the best, baby.. We don't wanna do surgery on your legs but that's what needs to happen if you don't wear them.. I'm so sorry baby girl" Meredith smiled sad

"Okay" Bella sighed

Meredith walked over to Bella's room and grabbed the braces before walking back to the livingroom and putting them on.

"So how was it at auntie Addi and uncle Mark's house today?" Meredith asked the little Bella

"Wev played mommy! Played hi seek!" Bella said smiling

"You've played hide and seek? Who did lose?"

"Uncle Mark!" She laughed

"Of course he lost!" Derek said as he placed Bella's nebulizer ready on the table in front of them before taking a seat on the couch.

"You ready, Bel?" Meredith asked as the little girl bravely nodded. Meredith placed her on her lap. She was a tiny girl for her age. Derek passed her the nebulizer and Meredith placed it on Bella's face as the three of them kept watching the TV until Bella's treatment was done.

"Are you ready to go to bed, Bel?" Derek asked

"Bit longer, mommy?" She asked

"Can you ask again? Slow but correct, baby" Meredith said

"Can I.. uh.."

"You can do this" Derek said

"Can I stay up bit longer?" She said

"Very good and a bit but if this program is finished me and daddy are gonna bring you to bed, okay?"

"Kay!"

Meredith, Derek and Bella were sitting on the couch as Bella clapped enthousiast which made her wheeze a bit. Meredith immediately started rubbing Bella's back as Derek ran to Meredith's purse to grab her inhaler.

He immediately passed it over to Meredith and Bella took it without arguing.

"Me tired, mommy" Bella whispered

"Well, let's bring you bed" Derek said as he carried her to her room

"Story?" Bella asked

Derek grabbed Bella's favourite book and started reading out loud

...

"Morning, Bel" Derek said as he entered Bella's room

"Daddy!" She said as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes

"Let's get you out and get dressed" He said

"Mommy?" Bella said as she looked around

"Let's get you dressed and you can wake mommy up, how does that sound?" He asked

"Yes!" Bella clapped

Derek scooped her up and started to put her braces and clothes off before he placed her in the bath.

Once she was clean and dressed she stumbled to Meredith and Derek's room and climbed up the bed with a little help from Derek

"Mommy!" Bella said as she gently placed a kiss on Meredith's cheek

"Hmm.." Meredith murmured as she woke up

"Mommy! Wake!"

"Morning" Derek whispered as he kissed her forehead

"Hi" Meredith says as she sat up

"Mommy! Daddy make pancake?" Bella asked looking at Derek

"Mommy would like some pancakes" Meredith said while giggling

"You'll find me in the kitchen" Derek said as he left the room

Bella crawled under the blankets close to her mom.

"Hi, big girl, did you sleep well?" Meredith asked

"Yes, mommy! You home today?"

"Yes, Bel. Daddy needs to go to work but I'm home with you today" She explained

"Yeay! We play game?"

"Bella, can you ask again, sweetie?"

"Can we play game" Bella said again

"Yes, Bel. We can do whatever you want" Meredith smiled as the two of them dozen off again.

After a while Derek walked back in with a tray with a few plates with pancakes and fruit. "Wake up, girls. Pancakes with fresh fruit" Derek smiled as he placed the tray on the bed as Meredith and Bella sat up, still close to each other

"My 2 perfect girls" Derek smiled as the three of them started eating before Derek went into the bathroom and Meredith cleaned up the plates bringing them to the kitchen while Bella followed her slowly but instead of walking to the kitchen she went to her room to grab her walker before following Meredith into the kitchen

"Bella, do you want to wash your hands first?" Meredith asked

"Kay, mommy" Bella said as she walked to the lowered sink, specially made so she can wash her hands without the help of her parents.

"Do you want to go to nana and dada today?" Meredith asked Bella

"Ya!" Bella clapped her hands again

"But first we're gonna do the exercises once daddy leaves, okay?"

"Wat cises?" Bella asked

"Today we need to work on your sign language and your legs, sweetie"

"Kay, mommy" Bella said as Derek entered the kitchen

"Daddy, work?" Bella asked

"Yes, Bel. I need to go to work but I'll be home after dinner, how does that sound?"

"Ya! Mommy and I go to nana and dada!" Bella told him

"Really? Give them a kiss from me!" Derek said

"Will do!" Bella said

"Now I have to leave, goodbye Bel" He said as he kissed her forehead before moving to Meredith and kissing her smoothly on her lips while his hands hugged the cheeks of her butt.