The next time Meredith woke up, she felt pain in her leg but it wasn't too bad

She opened her eyes and saw a sleeping Bailey on Derek's lap while her daughter's giggles filled the room, they must be playing on the couch

"Hmm" Meredith groaned

"Hey sleepyhead" Derek said as he stood up with a sleeping Bailey in his arms and grabbed Meredith's hand "feeling good?"

Meredith nodded

"Hi mommy" The girls said as they stood next to her bed

Meredith gave the girls a small smile and waved a bit with her hand

Derek placed Bailey on the chair and handed her a cup of water and let her sip to lighten the pain in her throat.

She nodded her head once she finished drinking

"Look" Zola said as she handed a picture she drawn to Meredith

Meredith smiled again as her eyes started to droop

"Sleep, we'll be here when you wake up" Derek whispered and kissed her forehead, helping her adjust her pillows before she immediately fell asleep

...

The next day, the pain was still there but Meredith was excited. Her jaw would finally be opened and that meant she finally could talk with her kids

"Hey, Meredith" Bailey smiled "We're gonna release you from these wires" She said as she started placing everything ready

It took a while until they were finished. It seemed as Meredith had difficulties opening her jaw, which isn't unusual after having it wired shut for this long.

"Hi" Derek whispered once her doctors left the room

"H-Hi" She smiled, her voice raspy and weak

Derek was smiling as some tears escaped his eyes. She could finally talk again, he needed this, he needed her to talk to him, to talk about the kids, talk about everything that has happened the past weeks.

"Hmm" She groaned as her hand rubbed her jawline

"The pain will go away" Derek told her and she nodded

"What.. about my leg?" She asked

"Callie said the surgery went okay and that we'll have to wait to see if it will be enough for now or if you'll need a second transplant" Derek told her as he checked her cast "The kids have been asking to draw on it" He smiled

"When 'they come?" Meredith asked

"Addison and Jo took them to the playground but I think they'll be back soon"

"I'm sorry" Meredith said, looking away from Derek as her voice was cracking

"Mer? What?" Derek gasped and hurried his way closer to Meredith, grabbing her hand

"Your ring" She sighed "And all of this.. I don't want this for you and the kids"

"What's with the ring? And we wanna be here for you. We don't care about anything else"

"H- He took the ring" She said as tears streamed down your face

"Oh" Derek said "But Mer, I don't care about the ring. I only care about you!"

Meredith shook her head "It's your mother's and I.. I was too weak to protect it, I-"

Derek interrupted her "Mer, you weren't too weak. He did awful things and the only thing I care about is you. I can't imagine losing you" Derek told her in a whispery voice

"I'm sorry" Meredith whispered.

"Mer, you have an appointment later today to talk about this but please let me in too"

"Der, it's the ring your father gave to your mother" She started to rasp out "He.. he took it and.. I- I begged him not to.." She started to sob

"Mer, let it out" Derek whispered as he sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her

"I was so scared.. I needed you and the kids, that was all I could think about" She told him

"We're all together now" Derek whispered as his hand kept firmly on her back

"I was so scared and it hurt so bad and- and then-" She started but didn't finish

"Then what Mer?" Derek asked her as his fingers brushed her hair

Then I was stuck here. Unable to hear or talk, having to make the decision if they could chop off my leg" She laughed harshly as she kept sobbing "I still haven't even seen any other male human being except for you and Bails" She said, staring as her fingers were playing with her blanket

"Mer, I love you so much" Derek whispered in her ear and kissed her temples

"I love you too" She said as Derek wiped away her tears

"Wanna talk more?" Derek asked but she nodded her head

"The kids will be here soon" Meredith whispered and crawled closer into Derek's embrace

"Mommy!" They heard the kids screaming as they ran into the room

"Hey guys" Meredith smiled and opened her right arm

"Momma, when you coming home with us?" Bailey asked her

"Mommy has another appointment in a bit and then we'll go eat something and then we can bring mommy home, how does that sound?" Derek asked the kids

"Mommy's coming home" they yelled and made Meredith and Derek laugh

After a few hours, Meredith was finally ready to get discharged.

"Ready to bring mommy home?" Derek asked the kids as he packed the final items

"Finally" Bailey sighed

"Okay let's get you in the wheelchair Callie said as she helped Meredith sit up in the bed

Derek gently carried her to the wheelchair, trying not to hurt her even more when gently placing her braced leg on the foodrest as he adjusted her casted leg

"I'm a big man! I'm gonna carry mommy's bag!" Bailey announced

"Wow Bails! See that eating your vegetables really help, huh?" Meredith laughed

"You ready?" Derek asked her

She was nervous but nodded her head anyway

"Mommy can I sit in your lap?" Ellis asked

"Of course Ellie" Meredith smiled and Derek placed the little girl on Meredith's lap, being careful that she won't hurt her mother.

"If you feel uncomfortable or anything, just tell me and we'll go in an on call room, don't worry" Derek said and kissed her forehead

"Mommy" Ellis whimpered as she snuggled closer against Meredith. Meredith wrapped her arms about the cute little girl and tried to shut out her surroundings as Derek, the kids and Meredith left the room