Chapter 17 – I don't play with dolls

Ever since she woke up in the morning, Meredith knew this was the day. It was before the due date her doctor had established, but it wasn't uncommon for the baby to come sooner. Daniel had hurried a few days, too.

Her belly was hurting and she was feeling the contractions ready to start kicking.

Daniel was in his room, playing with his cars, when Meredith walked in. He looked up and immediately understood there was something wrong with his mother.

"Mommy?" he questioned quietly.

"It's fine," Meredith wearily. "We'll have to go to the hospital. Can you get dressed and wait for me downstairs?"

Daniel nodded slowly, watching his mother with worry, while she went back into her room.

She needed to get the bag ready with everything they needed for Darren's arrival. She was also considering if she was in the right state of driving to the hospital or she should call someone. She had nobody at home or around, available to come and pick her up. She knew Derek had surgeries all morning, Damon wasn't supposed to arrive by the known due date, same as Derek's mother, and Cristina was on vacation just at this time.

All she had to do at that time was to stay calm and not panic.

"I am ready," Daniel announced from the doorway.

Meredith turned around and chuckled. He had pulled a hat over his ears, covering his eyes, the jacket was messily buttoned and the shoes were untied.

"We're in no hurry, so please tie your shoes," Meredith asked him. "Don't hurry. Do it as your father showed you."

Daniel sighed and sat down on the floor, to reach to his shoes. He was glancing up at his mother, checking on her. "Daddy said he's coming in a second. A second is not long, is it?"

"What?" Meredith asked confused. "When did you talk to him?"

"Now," he answered. "I called him and told him to help you."

Meredith smiled. She would worry about Daniel's new favorite thing to do – speaking on the phone- after she would give birth to the baby. Meredith winced as a contraction hit; she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I don't want this baby, mommy," Daniel whimpered. "He hurts you. He's a bad one."

Meredith would have burst into laugh is she wasn't in pain. "It doesn't hurt. I am fine."

Daniel looked at her with a knowing look, one she had seen on his father, too.

"It's just a little uncomfortable," she lied; what did he know anyway.

With his shoes tied, Daniel stood up and wiped his forehead.

"I don't think you need a hat, Danny. It's warm outside."

Daniel gladly pulled the hat off his head. When his mother wanted to pick the bag, he hurried to take it from her.

"That's…"

"I can take it," he insisted. The bag fell on the ground, but Daniel grabbed it back. He took his mother's hand and, pulling the bag after him, he walked his mother out of the room.

"Let me help you with the stairs," Meredith wanted to help, but Daniel shook his head.

He brought the bag at the stairs top and then kicked it down the stairs. He turned to his mother to take her hand, then.

"Ok," Meredith sighed, worrying a little. "I guess the bottle is safe and there's nothing else breakable in there. Now would you like to push me too?" she laughed.

Daniel frowned, not tasting her mockery.

"Are you sure you talked to your father?"

"Yes!" Daniel snapped. "He's coming."

"Ok," Meredith nodded.

The doorbell rang just then.

"He's here," Daniel hurried down the stairs and stopped at the door, looking back at his mother. He knew he couldn't answer the door without his parents' permission. In this condition, Meredith nodded for him to open the door.

"Hey!" Damon cheered, scooping Daniel onto his arms.

"Damon!" Daniel squealed, throwing his arms around him. He gasped and pulled back quickly. He remembered he had a mother in pain. "The baby is coming," he said, worryingly pointing to Meredith.

Damon looked up and just then he saw Meredith holding onto her belly.

"I am taking you to the hospital," he stated. "I can see you're ready. Were you going to drive to the hospital?" he asked her.

"Derek is supposed to arrive," Meredith explained.

"I am here, so I am taking you. He can turn back," Damon stated.

He grabbed the bag and walked Meredith and Daniel to Meredith's car.

"This baby is bad," Daniel started complaining to Damon, but in whisper, thinking his mother wasn't hearing him.

Meredith just smiled and let him pour everything out.

"He kicks mommy and he hurts her," he was telling Damon. "I never kicked mommy."

Damon looked over at Meredith. "Still having brotherhood issues?"

"Seems like it," Meredith sighed.

"However he is, we need to get him out. We'll deal with him later," Damon reassured Daniel.

…

Derek was just leaving the parking lot when Damon called and told him he was bringing Meredith, so he went back and waited for Meredith there.

"I am right here," he ran to her car when Damon opened the door. "How are you feeling?"

He helped her sit down in the wheelchair.

"Did the water break?" he asked her.

Right in that moment, she felt her tights wet. "Yes."

"Ok, ok," Derek said alarmed, almost racing with Meredith to the hospital.

"I am not a car, Derek," Meredith hissed. "Wheel it normally."

"Ok," Derek stopped suddenly. It seemed like he needed a second or two to process what Meredith had asked him.

"What's wrong with him?" Meredith asked Damon.

"He's nervous."

"Aren't you scared?" Derek asked her. "In pain, needing call me names and … hit me?"

"Do you want me to?" she asked him.

Derek looked at her, confused. "No."

"Then take me in there. I hope you called Dr. Adam."

Derek needed another second to process. "Of course."

Damon smiled knowingly and whispered to Derek, "I'll find her for you."

Derek just nodded. "Watch Daniel," he asked him.

…

"The contractions are progressing quickly," Dr. Adam stated, checking her watch. "It looks like you're going to be done with this, soon. I'll be back with you in a few minutes."

As Dr. Adam left, Derek leaned down at Meredith's side of bed and started caressing her forehead. "Do you need anything?" he asked her. "Do you need help with the breathing?"

Meredith exhaled slowly as the contraction passed, and shook her head.

"Does anything hurt?" he asked and Meredith looked at him ironically. Derek chuckled, "Sorry. It's just different then I imagined it to be. You're doing great."

Meredith smiled wearily and nodded. "You have no idea how great I am doing," she muttered, with a little sarcasm in her voice.

Derek smiled. "That sounds more like a laboring mom. You're still doing great." He leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Can I do anything for you? Do you need anything?"

Meredith nodded. "Yes. Can you stop asking me that?"

Derek stared at her for a moment, trying to figure if she was calm, still, or she was about to get pissed like any other pregnant woman about to give birth.

Derek didn't leave her bedside for the next hour, keeping her distracted from the pain with small talks. But the pain was growing and Derek was getting more restless. He knew he had no medical reason to worry for Meredith or baby's health, but he was nervous to see Meredith in such pain; every emotion he was living in that moment was a unique one, hard to describe; something between excitement and scare.

He wiped her forehead and kissed her softly. "You're handling this very well, Mer. I am impressed. Women became hysterical at his point of pregnancy," he chuckled.

Meredith furrowed her brows into a glare. "Because I have practice!" she suddenly snapped at him, wincing when a new contraction hit. "I had no one to scream at when I had Daniel, so I had to control myself!"

Derek sighed discreetly. It seemed like he had to get used to the idea of being blamed for their past, each time Meredith was getting angry. He stayed calm, understanding better the situation in that moment. He smiled lovingly at her and went to her feet, checking under the covers.

"Yes. You're ready," he noticed. He smiled at her and went to bring the doctor.

Meredith was moved in the delivery room and Derek didn't leave her side for a second. He wasn't encouraging her anymore because he knew that would piss her off; his presence there was probably the only thing both of them needed.

"Here comes the hardest part. You need to start pushing," Dr. Adam told Meredith.

Meredith let out a groan. She looked at Derek for his help. Derek smiled, looking at his hands, "How much damage you can do?" He chuckled and came behind Meredith, supporting her with his hands.

Meredith took a deep breath and grabbed Derek's hands, squeezing words through gritted teeth as she pushed, "This… much."

Derek's voice died off with pain when Meredith squeezed both of his hands.

"That's fine," he whimpered when Meredith loosened the grip. "It's worth it. I guess I deserve it."

After a few more pushes, Darren came into the world with a healthy cry.

"There he is," Dr. Adam carefully put the baby on Meredith's chest for a first bond. "Would you like to cut the cord?" she asked Derek.

Derek was staring mesmerized at the baby and seemed absent-minded when he nodded to the doctor and took the scissor.

Meredith held her hand up for Derek. He came by her side, with a smile from ear to ear. "He's here," he stated, giggling foolishly.

Meredith laughed, "You should see yourself. Is he fine?" she asked him, suddenly glaring at him. "Wake up and check on him. You need to look out for him from now on."

Derek grinned at Meredith's bossing voice. He just loved her mood swings.

…

He had no idea where Damon and Daniel were wandering. He knew the baby was still asleep, after his first medical check, so he was all for Meredith only, right now. He stayed by her bed and watched her sleep. She looked beautiful and so peaceful, as if she hadn't been trough the worst pains. He would never be able to express enough how proud he was of her and how much he loved her.

Derek stirred out of his thoughts when Meredith started to move, waking up.

"Hey," he smiled, bending to kiss her.

"Hey," she smiled sleepily. "Danny?"

"He's with his good old friend Damon," Derek answered.

"And the baby?"

"Darren?" he asked. It was time to call the baby by his name, being a real person now.

"Darren," Meredith giggled.

"He's precious. And very cute. And sleepy," Derek grinned.

"Good," Meredith smiled, sighing with relief.

"Yes," he bent down and kissed her again.

Meredith sleepily rubbed her nose. "I said something to you, didn't I?" she asked cautiously.

Derek looked at her, confused. He knew what she was talking about, but it seemed like she didn't.

"Like any other pregnant woman, who's about to give birth," he reassured her, smiling down at her.

"So… am I forgiven?"

"Hmm…" Derek teased a little as he seemed to consider it. "If you promise to behave during the next birth…"

"The next birth?" Meredith laughed sarcastically. "Whose? Mine or yours?"

Derek just smiled and bent to kiss her. He brushed the hair out of her forehead, looking into her eyes. "I didn't have such remorse when I came back to Seattle as I have now after I experienced all this. I truly missed a lot."

Meredith sighed. He didn't have to tell her what she had thrown at him with, because she figured from his confession.

"I am sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't mean it."

Derek smiled. "I am sorry, too. I didn't mean it either."

"It wasn't me," she added.

"I was myself, but I ignored it," he continued.

"Everything is different now," she reassured him. "Daniel won't remember anything from those years."

"And now I have two sons," he replied, grinning.

Meredith giggled. "I know you're still waiting for a girl."

Derek laughed and kissed her. "I know she's somewhere in there, waiting to come out."

"Ok," she laughed.

"After you and Darren come home, we should start planning the wedding," he reminded to her. "You didn't want to look pregnant in our wedding photos, so now is your chance."

"I can't get away, can I?" Meredith smiled.

"You could try, but…" he grinned knowingly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine, I guess. Considering the circumstances…"

"Do you think you can handle two boys at the same time?"

A smile grew on Meredith's face. "I can't wait to see them."

Derek got up and kissed her one more time before he left her room. Walking on the hallway, Derek stopped suddenly as he spotted Darren and Daniel at the nurses' station, chattering with a few nurses. From what he noticed, Daniel was the center of everyone's attention.

Damon noticed Derek and smiled as he walked up with him. "He's a real magnet for females. Too dangerous I might say," he stated. "I took him with me to help me and now I am left on the outside."

Derek smiled smugly. "He got it from his father."

"Right," Damon nodded sarcastically. "Because he spent quite some time with me. I taught him some things, you know."

"Right," Derek mocked Damon's sarcasm.

"He outran his teacher."

"You mean me."

"Do you want to check?" Damon provoked him.

Derek narrowed his eyes into a glare. "So you can get me in trouble with Meredith? I don't have to check anything. I know what I have and what passed on. I see now why Meredith doesn't want us to be friends anymore."

Damon just answered with a smug smile.

"Let's see mommy, Danny," Derek told Daniel as he walked to the nurses' station and picked his son off the counter.

"Bye, Amber," Daniel smiled sweetly, waving at one of the nurses.

"Goodbye, Daniel," she waved back. "I'll see you around."

Derek watched the scene, a little surprised. Daniel seemed to have some success on women, indeed. "Amber?" he questioned, looking at both, Amber and Daniel. "Aren't you a little too young to call her by her first name?" he asked Daniel.

"That's fine, Dr. Shepherd. He's a sweetheart," Amber replied.

Damon snickered quietly behind Derek.

"Can you bring the baby, Amber?" Derek asked her.

"Right away," she nodded and took off, along with the rest of the nurses.

"Do you like Amber?" Derek asked Daniel, curious, as he put him down. "She's a little old for you."

Daniel shrugged his shoulders as matter-of- fact. "I like her."

Derek rolled his eyes and took the flower bouquet off the counter. "Don't forget the flowers for mommy," he told Daniel, handing the flowers to him.

Damon wanted to give the family a little privacy, so he stayed outside, while Daniel and Derek walked in. Meredith had got up on the pillows, waiting for her family.

"Mommy!" Daniel ran to his mother's bed, almost whimpering. He was charming with women, but he was still a mommy's boy, Derek noticed, and women wouldn't find that very charming.

Derek helped him get on the bed, so he could hug his mother.

"Are you ok?" Meredith asked, gently rubbing circles onto his back.

Daniel nodded, smiling at him mother. "Do you have to sleep here?"

"You forgot the flowers, Danny," Derek reminded him.

Daniel put the flowers on Meredith's lap and gave her a kiss.

Meredith laughed, melted by her son's sweetness. "Thank you, Daniel. And yes, I am going to sleep here."

"Are you sick?" he asked pitifully.

"No," she answered, reassuring him. "I am just very tired and I should stay here with the baby for a few days. Did you see your brother?"

Daniel shook his head.

"Damon took him to shopping and just got back," Derek explained.

In that moment, the door opened and Nurse Amber wheeled Darren's crib in.

"Look who's here," Derek met her halfway and carefully took the baby into his arms. The little man was wide awake, fussing slowly in his father's arms. Derek carried him to the bed, where he put Darren into his mother's arms.

Meredith cradled him to her chest, a bright smile lightening her face.

He had missed Meredith's pregnancy with Daniel, Daniel's birth, and he had the chance to experience all this with Darren; but he remembered the day he first held his son. It was just like this one, except that Daniel was older now and Darren was the new addition to his family.

Daniel was shyly looking down at the baby as Meredith talked to him and to Darren.

Derek put a hand on his son's shoulder. "He looks like you, when you were a baby."

Daniel shook his head, disapproving. "He looks like a doll," he stated, without any intention of making a compliment.

Meredith and Derek laughed together.

"Do you want to hold him?" Meredith asked him.

Daniel hesitated a little, but shook his head again. "I don't play with dolls."

"You'll get used to him," Derek reassured Daniel, but looking at Meredith too, trying to convince her of the same thing. "I am sure you'll be best friends."

"No," Daniel didn't agree. "Tuck is my friend," he pointed out.

Derek decided not to go further. Time would fix everything.

"Come by my side," Meredith asked Daniel.

He sat down beside her on the pillows and Meredith carefully placed the baby in Daniel's arms. He took it almost instinctively. He didn't refuse it, this time, instead his eyes grew wide as he looked down at his baby brother.

His parents almost could swear they saw a discreet smile on Daniel's face.

It wasn't long before Darren started to cry, asking for his first meal, but it was probably long enough for the two brothers to bond.

N/A: The story kind of ended already. I only have 2 more chapters left and nothing major will happen; you'll get to see how Daniel is dealing with having a brother and how the story ends for the family.