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10

"Derek?" Meredith muttered as she woke up a few hours after the procedure that completely tired her out

"I'm here. Kids are on their way, Jo took them to the playground down the street" Derek told her as he was stroking her cheek

"I'm.. okay" she smiled

"I know, I know" he smiled back

"How's my infection? Breathing is easier" Meredith whispered

"I hear." he laughed. "Infection is almost completely gone." Derek told her

"Good" she muttered

"Get some rest" Derek said as he kissed her head

"Wake me when the kids are here" She told him, her eyes already closed

"Of course" He smiled

"Hmm" she groaned as she was trying to get comfortable "Can you lay with me?" She finally asked, still not opening her eyes

"Of course" Derek said and he climbed in the best newt to her. Gently and carefully pulling her a bit closer to his chest

...

"Mommy, aunt Jo helped me off the slide!" Ellis was telling Meredith

"We went to grab ice cream!" Bailey jumped in

"You ate ice cream without me?" Meredith joked

"Can't you put ice cream in your belly with the tube?" Bailey questioned

"No silly" Zola rolled her eyes

"No, only yikes food" Meredith joked "But I can still eat and once I'm out of here, all five of us will go get some ice cream. How does that sound?" Meredith asked

"Yay!" Bailey screamed before the others followed

"I guess they're happy" Derek said as he kissed her forehead "And I'm happy when all four of you are happy"

"Cheesy" she laughed but burst into coughs

"Easy, Mer" Derek said as he rubbed her back

"Here mommy" Zola said as she gave her mom the cup of water

"Thanks.. sweetie" Meredith said between coughings.

"When can mommy come home?" Ellis asked Derek

"Let's ask aunt Miranda when she comes" He replied

"I miss the our house" She muttered as her lip started shivering

Meredith's eyes filled with tears. This was her fault..

"We'll be back when mommy got her transplant, baby" Derek hugged Ellis while holding Meredith's hand.

"I'm sorry, babies" Meredith whispered

"Mer" Derek sighed. Feeling bad at seeing how guilty Meredith felt about all of this "You didn't choose for all of this"

"No" she shook her head slowly

"Now, let's do something. Should we play a game or watch a movie?" Derek suggested

"Play a board game!" Zola and Bailey both yelled in response

"That's clear. Is that okay for you Ellie?" Derek asked and she nodded

"Okay, Zo, Bails, can you set everything ready? Me and Ellis will go grab something to drink"

"Yes" both kids replied. Before leaving the room, Derek checked to see if Meredith was comfortable and then left with Ellis. Her tiny hand in his as they walked into the hallway

"You okay, Ellie Belle?" He asked her

"Fine" she replied

"You're so much like your mom" He laughed and took her inside an on call room

"Sweetie, tell me what's wrong"

"Everything is so different and I miss mommy"

"We've been here to see her every day"

"I know.. but I miss mommy at home. I miss mommy reading me a story"

"What do you think of sleeping in the big bed all together?" Derek suggested

"With mommy?" Ellis asked

"Mommy has to stay here a bit longer, baby"

"I don't want her to stay here" She muttered

"I know.." Derek sighed "Ellie, stay here. I'm just gonna run tomy office. I'll be back" Derek said and placed Ellis on a chair at the nurse station

"God, I came here to learn from the Harper Avery award winning Meredith Grey but instead I have to watch her die?" An intern was talking to another intern

"Well is she gets her transplant she's not gonna return before we finish our interyear"

"If she's gonna get those lungs, I doubt it. Imagine, Meredith Grey dying on out watch"

"Cmon, finish these charts before Karev's gonna yell at us again"

"He's just being an ass because his friend is dying"

"Poor kids and doctor Shepherd will be stuck with his three kids"

"Poor man"

Ellis heard all of this. She had no clue how to react to all of this

'Is mommy dying? Will daddy be stuck with us? What will happen if daddy doesn't want us anymore and mommy dies?' Ellis' mind was full of these bad thoughts that she didn't even saw that Derek had returned

Hey, Ellis. Wanna go back to mommy's room or should we go for a walk?" He asked her

"Mommy's dying?" She asked with a tiny voice, almost unable for Derek to understand what she said. But he did understand her and now he was questioning if he understood her right

"Ellie, what are you asking?" He asked

"Mommy's dying! You all lied!" She yelled, tears running down her face

"Mommy isn't dying, baby. Mommy's waiting for new lungs" Derek explained

"Mommy won't get those lungs! I heard the doctors talk!" She yelled back

"Ellie, come" Derek grabbed her hand

"No! You all lied!" She yelled and pulled away her hand

"We didn't.." Derek sighed now carrying her into an on-call room

"No! Leave me!" She yelled and kicked as he was carrying. Once they were inside, Derek placed her down on the bed and she curled up in a fetal position.

"Ellis, what doctors did say that?" Derek asked

"I.. I don't know them" She kept crying

"They were lying, baby. Mommy needs new lungs and then she'll be okay."

"Stop lying! I wanna see mommy" Ellis yelled and ran out of the room towards Meredith's room, followed by Derek.

"Mommy!" She ran in and practically threw her little body onto the chair to climb up the bed. She jumped on Meredith and accidentally made her wince

"Mommy" She sobbed

Meredith looked at Derek with big and confused eyes, not understanding what just happened

"I love you mommy, you can't die" Ellis said as she kept crying