Derek was in DC, Meredith and Charlotte were cuddling on the couch after breakfast but Meredith wasn't feeling good, her stomach was hurting but she didn't wanna move and Addison was upstairs while Mark was at work
"Mom, are you okay?" Charlotte asked as she heard her mom's breathing
"Of course." Meredith nodded, her face pale and a bit sweaty
"You're not." Charlotte quickly got up and called out for Addison as Meredith started to curl up a little more, the pain kept getting worse. "Aunt Addie! Aunt Addie, come quick, please!"
Meredith's heart broke as she heard the fear in her daughter's voice, the little girl almost starting to tear up
"What's wrong?" Addison jogged inside
"Mom's in pain and she's been lying about it!" Charlotte pointed at Meredith, scared to move
"Okay Mer, is it your stomach?" Addison asked, Meredith nodded in response. "Can you lay down so I can check?"
"Hurts.." Meredith groaned
"Let's just go to the hospital, see Bailey for a check up. Either way you have to go soon." Addison shrugged, struggling to think as a doctor
"It's really not that bad." Meredith tried to insist but suddenly cried it out
"I'm calling Mark." Addison frowned. "Charlie, grab your stuff, we're leaving."
"W-What do I need to grab?" Charlotte's eyes widened
"Maybe a sweater, your charger and whatever you like to bring." Addison nodded. "And can you grab your mom a pillow please?"
Charlotte nodded and ran off, stuffing everything in her bag plus her own stuffed animal. She was a teenager but still liked to sleep with it and currently she was really scared so she needed to comfort herself
"I'm ready." Charlotte muttered, seeing how Addison finished putting Meredith's jacket on
"Let's go." The redhead nodded and suddenly realized Meredith would have a hard time walking so Charlotte helped them out
Eventually Meredith was curled up in the car on the passenger seat, a pillow tucked underneath her head. Charlotte kept holding onto her mom as Addison drove as fast as she was allowed to the hospital where Mark was waiting for them
"What happened?" They parked in the ambulance bay
"I don't know." Addison whimpered, holding onto Charlotte as Mark carried Meredith out of the car
The redhead gave her keys to some random intern and followed her husband inside
"I'm scared.." Charlotte held tightly onto her aunt
"We'll help her." Addison nodded quickly
"Go sit in the waiting room, you're of no use here." Bailey stopped Addison and Charlotte. "I promise I will take very good care of your mom."
"Can I please stay?" Charlotte whimpered
"No sweetie, not yet. I promise you'll see her as soon as you can." Bailey nodded and disappeared inside
Charlotte and Addison were sitting down, they had a good view on the examination room and saw how they wheeled Meredith out, Mark following them closely despite Bailey's protests
"Do we need to call dad?" Charlotte asked her aunt, pretty tired but adrenalin kept her awake
"Uncle Mark will as soon as we have news." Addison promised, wrapping her arms around her niece. "I texted nana and poppa, they are on their way."
"Kay." Charlotte whimpered
...
Charlotte was half asleep in Christopher's arms when they saw Mark walking up to them
"It's not good, I called Derek." Mark muttered. "It.. It spread."
"What?" They all gasped, trying not to wake up Charlotte
"It spread, it wasn't visible on her first scan. Addie, they'll need you." Mark was visibly crying now
"W-what?" Addison got up, clearly in shock from what she heard
"Come, Mer needs us." He muttered. "Derek will arrive here in some hours."
"We'll wait for him." Carolyn nodded as tears streamed over the two elderly people's faces
"Not now, Carolyn. Let's do this when Charlie isn't around," he kissed his wife's hand, they didn't wanna scare their granddaughter
"Christopher.." Carolyn whimpered
"It's gonna be okay, let's wait for what they'll say." He hugged his wife
An hour later Meredith was back on her room, Mark had gone get his parents while Charlotte had woken up
"Is mommy okay?" She asked
"We'll see her in a minute." Christopher squeezed Charlotte's hand
Meanwhile Addison was telling Meredith the news, she felt her whole life crumbling down
"It spread to your ovaries." Addison explained. "We'll have to give you more and stronger chemo." The redhead teared up, Bailey and Mark behind them, also lost for words
"How? I- The scans.." Meredith muttered, the meds made her slow but at least kept her comfortable
"We don't know, I'm sorry." Bailey sadly said, feeling responsible for missing this
"Derek is on his way, we also haven't told Charlie yet." Mark told her, walking up to her and helping lay down a bit more comfortably
"I need to tell her, she must be scared." Meredith said, clutching her blanket
"I'll go get her for you." Mark nodded
"How do I even tell her?" Meredith whispered, Addison immediately hugging her
"Do you want us to stay around?"
"No. I need to tell her." Meredith sighed. "She's so scared.."
"Mommy!" Charlotte ran inside, hugging her mother
Meanwhile the others sneaked away, leaving Meredith to tell her daughter
Mark and Addison waited outside, seeing how Meredith and Charlotte broke down in each other's arms
YOU ARE READING
Strong enough
FanfictionDerek wants to move to DC but Meredith and their 13 year old daughter don't really agree. Will some tragedy keep them in Seattle?
