It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

88.

They drove along in virtual silence, Meredith periodically sighing loudly as they neared the town where Derek's mother's house was. Her eyes were on the scenery as she shook her head. "You guys really shouldn't have to do this... you really shouldn't have to drive me all the way here... you should be at your own Christmas doing your own thing, not covering for Derek because he's too obsessed with work to be with his own family... to be with his son on his first Christmas... he's so selfish... so selfish..." Meredith mumbled as she sighed, continuing to stare out at the passing scenery.

Richie watched his mother's face as they drove along, his eyes watching the concern in her eyes as she sighed loudly. "It's just not fair..." She whispered. "It's not fair to you guys... I mean... it's just not fair... we were supposed to have Christmas Eve... he promised..." She whimpered as she pressed her forehead against the window.

"Da...Dada..." Richie said, his arm raising to his mother as he tried to get her attention. "Da..." He said, his voice resonating through the car. "Mama..." He insisted.

"Meredith, seriously, it's no problem... you have really got to just relax... Derek will be there and you'll be there and..."

Cristina's voice was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of Meredith's cell phone. Meredith lifted the phone up and pressed the button quickly as she took a slow deep breath. "Hello?" She said into the line, her eyes on the seat in front of her.

"Hey... you sound upset, what's going on? Did Cris and Mark pick you up?" Derek's voice sounded concerned as he heard the frustration in her voice.

"It's about time you called me!" She exclaimed as she leaned forward and stared at the floor of the car as she growled into the phone.

"Hey... calm down there..." Derek said softly as his voice relaxed. "Are you guys still on your way?" He asked.

"Derek... we were supposed to do this together...Christmas was supposed to be us, together... and... and...."

"Are you almost there?" Derek asked again, interrupting her whiney tirade as he listened to her loud sigh on the other line.

She looked up and stared at the scenery for a minute, noticing that they were just coming up on the town that Derek's mother lived. "We're just coming into town." She said as she sighed. "Are you on your way?" She asked, her voice nearly cracking as she leaned down again to stare at the floor of the car.

"Meri..." He said, his voice was small, nearly disconnected. She had heard him say her name a million times, but nothing broke her heart in nearly as many pieces as the way he said it at that moment. "Meri..." He said again, soft and tenderly as a million thoughts traveled through her head, sending a wave of tears to her eyes.
"Derek..." She whimpered, a lump in her throat as she tried not to let Cristina and Mark hear her upset voice.

"Meri..." he said again, whispering her name from the tip of his tongue to the bottom of his heart. "Meri... in the diaper bag... Richie's diaper bag... there should be a gift in there for you." He whispered tenderly.

"A gift?" She whispered.

"Yes." Derek replied. "I... I put it in the bottom of his diaper bag..." He said, his voice rattling as she swallowed hard.

"Derek, why would you put...I mean... did you... did you already know that we couldn't...?" She whimpered.

"Meri... reach to the bottom of the diaper bag and pull the gift out... I want you to open it while I'm on the phone with you." He whispered.

"Derek..."

"Come on, Meri... you can do it... reach into the diaper bag." He said, his voice was soft, nearly coddling as he waited for her response, waited for her action.