"Ellie?" Derek entered the little girl's room

"Sorry" She whispered

"Zo, can you go get Bailey?" Derek asked her and she nodded

"I'm scared for mommy" The little girl said, almost impossible to hear

"Don't be, sweetie. We'll have a couple of rough months and then mommy will be fine again"

Zola and Bailey entered the room and sat down on Ellis' bed. The three kids were looking at Derek, trying to guess what he'd say.

"You guys don't have to worry so much about mommy. I know it's hard to see her like that and I know it can get scary when mommy starts coughing but I'm here. I don't want you to worry so much and if any of you has any question, please know that both mommy and I love to listen to you" Derek told them

"Does mommy stay home with us now?" Bailey asked

"She will for the weekend and we'll see on monday" Derek answered

"What does it mean that mommy needs new lungs?" Ellis asked

"For now mommy has a hard time breathing. The doctors will help her with meds and treatments but there's only one thing that helps the disease to be fully gone and that's a double lung transplant. That means they take mommy's lungs out and she'll get new ones"

"Isn't that dangerous?" Zola spoke up

"It can be. Every surgery is kind of dangerous but it helps if you have the best doctors and mommy does"

"So, you're gonna do surgery on mommy?" Ellis asked

"No, Ellie Belle. Mommy doesn't need a brain doctor" He smiled

"Can we go to mommy?" Bailey asked

Derek nodded and went downstairs with the three kids.

"Daddy, let's make pancakes!" Bailey said

"Or cupcakes! Mommy loves them" Zola said as she already took out the tools

Derek hesitated for a minute. Knowing that Meredith probably won't eat too much but he gave in. As long as she eats something, this will help get the kids distracted for a little while.

...

"I wanna write mommy on them" Bailey said as they were decorating the cupcakes.

"I'm tired" Ellis started to cry out

"Shh, Ellie" Derek picked her up and held her. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and was dozing off. "I'll go lay her down" Derek said against Zola and Bailey who were having a lot of fun decorating the cupcakes

Derek walked over to their big couch where Meredith was sound asleep. He double checked her oxygen mask and laid Ellis next to her. The little girl grabbed a fistfull of her shirt and cuddled against Meredith's side. Derek smiled at the sight of his wife and his youngest daughter, cuddled into each other.

Derek returned to the kitchen and helped finish the kids with the decoration before he started to clean the kitchen. Zola and Bailey brought the cupcakes into the living room and sat down on the couch. They were careful and quiet, in a try not to wake up Meredith or Ellis.

When Derek returned, Bailey was cuddled into Ellis while Zola's head was resting in Meredith's lap. He smiled and Decided to join them

The family was napping and didn't wake up until late in the afternoon when Derek's alarm went off to remind them that Meredith had to take her next round of meds and start her treatment at home.

Derek turned off the alarm and gently woke the kids first "Mommy will need to do treatment. Why don't we give her a cupcake first and then you guys can go play a bit more"

The kids nodded and helped wake up Meredith. Derek was already prepared and held the tissues so she could spit out her thick mucus.

As he already predicted she woke up with a small smile on her face but turned into pain and concern a bit later when she started coughing to clear her airway.

Her hand flew on her chest as she tried to take easy breath's, Derek rubbing her back and holding her close "In a minute it's over" He whispered

"Mommy we made cupcakes for you" Bailey said innocent as she was catching her breath

Meredith reached out and stroked his cheek. "Thanks" She smiled

"Bailey wrote 'mommy' on them" Zola told her and got another smile in return

"Thanks.. guys" She said and smiled at the three little kids

"Can I go play outside?" Bailey asked

"Yeah, why don't you all play outside for a bit? The weather is nice today" Derek said and the three kids ran outside

"How are you feeling?" He asked Meredith who was still in his arms

"Tired" She sighed and closed her eyes as her head kept resting in his chest

"Let's grab your nebulizer" Derek said and prepare everything for her treatment.

Meredith put the cupcake back on the table and rested her head on a pillow

"You're not hungry?" Derek asked

She shook her head no and waited till Derek was finished

"Let's get this over with" Derek said as he started the nebulizer and held Meredith close while holding the nebulizer as he noticed she couldn't keep her hand up that long

A couple of strong coughs and whimpers left Meredith's tiny body during the treatment but she felt better afterwards. Once she was done, Derek helped her lay down again as she was tired from the medication. Derek put the nebulizer away and went back to the couch. Holding her close as she was resting.

"Dad?" The kids entered the room again after a while

Derek opened his free arm and Bailey climbed under it, close to his dad

Zola and Ellis joined, on the other side next to their mother

"I'll make spaghetti for dinner, how does that sound?" Derek asked them

"Yay!" The kids said as Derek turned on the tv