Right person, wrong time

Part 49

Carolyn sat and watched as her granddaughter wondered round her garden and picked at the flowers that were growing. She was cherishing in this moment as she was certain that wouldn't get to see Phoebe grow up and that Meredith would never come home.

"Look nana!" Phoebe shouted as she helped up a flower towards her.

"That's beautiful Phoebe!" She shouted back. "Why don't you pick some more for daddy? He will be here soon."

"Ok!" Phoebe nodded her head excitedly before getting back to her task of collecting flowers.

Carolyn had to say she was shocked when Meredith was stood at her front door with Phoebe and their bags, she had given up on the idea of them coming home after 1 week became 2, which became 3 before it finally became 4 long weeks.

Off the distance she heard the click of the front door, alerting her to Meredith and Derek's arrival.

"Hey ma." Derek said as he stepped outside with the first genuine smile on his face she had seen in weeks. Meredith followed closely behind him, one hand cradling her bump whilst the other one was resting on her back.

"Hey." She leaned round Derek and smiled at Meredith. "Hey Meredith."

"Hey Carolyn, was she good?" Meredith asked as she moved to sit down, her back screaming out to her.

"Of course, she's always good. I'm happy to have her whenever. I'm just happy your both back." She reached to squeeze Meredith's leg. "Phoebe, look who it is!" Carolyn shouted.

Phoebe turned and faced them, gasping when she saw Derek was there. All the flowers in her hands were long forgotten as she dropped them and ran straight towards Derek and dived into his arms.

"Daddy, I missed you so much." Phoebe cried as she clung into Derek tightly.

"I missed you too P, you've got so big." Derek said as he cradled his little girl in his arms, holding tight. Never wanting to let her go ever again.

Meredith sat back and realised she was the reason for this. The reason that Derek and Phoebe were holding on to one another so tightly because she had split up their family by running away.

"Meredith." Carolyn reached over and placed her hand on now bouncing leg. "Are you ok dear?" She asked, making Meredith away that her breathing was becoming erratic.

"I did this, I...I kept them apart. Things got tough and I ran. I sometimes forget that it's not just me anymore, I was selfish. I do this, I self sabotage but I forget that it now affects my family. I...I can't breath." Meredith said, gasping for air.

"Derek." Carolyn said as she rubbed up and down her back.

At seeing Meredith's now disheveled figure, he turned to Phoebe wouldn't see it and placed her down on the floor.

"You know what Phoebe, mommy hasn't been feeling very well, so how about you go and pick her some more flowers. Then we have some good news to tell you,ok?" He said as he ran his hand over the top of her head.

"Ok daddy, I get lots of flowers for mommy and baby sister!" Phoebe exclaimed before running off back down the garden.

Pushing himself back up right, he made sure Phoebe was busy before going and crouching down in front of Meredith. Carolyn decided to leave them to it as she headed inside to give them some privacy.

"Hey Mer, look at me." He said as he watched her lift her head slowly. "That's it, just breathe for me, breathe with me. Slowly, in and out..." he said breathing in time with one another. "That's it." He said taking her hands and let her squeeze them tight.

"I'm sorry." Meredith whispered to him as her breathing settled and the tears stopped streaming down her face.

"I understand why you did it, why you left. I shouldn't have pushed you, we can stay here with ma. I have plans for us though and we don't ever have to go back to that house. You don't have to apologise, ok?" Derek said as he reached up and wiped the tears off of her face.

"Ok." Meredith smiled at him before they leaned in and kissed one another quick. It was until she saw Phoebe out of the corner of her eye that they pulled apart and she dried her tears completely.

"Here mommy." Phoebe said as she held a large bunch of flowers out in front of her.

"Thank you so much P. I love them." Meredith said as she squeezed her tight in her arms.

"Daddy, what's the news?" Phoebe asked as she stayed in Meredith's arms comfortable.

"Oh." Derek said as he crouched down next to her, he said smiling up at Meredith. "Daddy has found us a new house for us to live in. Me, you, mommy and baby sister are going to have a fresh start."

"What?" Meredith asked as she looked at him shocked.

"I know how hard it was to go back home, so I found us a new home. It's perfect, lots of land. A fresh start for us Meredith." Derek smiled.

"I...I thank you." Meredith was left speechless.

"Yay! I get a new room!" Phoebe twirled round happily. "I'm going to tell nana!" Phoebe exclaimed before running into the house.

"Derek, you didn't have to..." Meredith started off.

"No but I did. I want you to feel safe, comfortable and at home, which you wouldn't there. So we are moving, before this little one comes." He said placing both hands on her bump. "It will all be perfect."

"Perfect." Meredith whispered back softly to him as she moved her hands down to rest on top of Derek's.

Life really does have a funny way of working itself out but in the end it works out the way it should be.