It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

92.

Meredith stepped up to the porch and looked back at Derek sitting in the car. She waved at him and laughed as she grabbed the doorknob as he shook his head from the car, his white beard hanging from his chin as she opened it slowly. She peeked into the house and could immediately hear the singing of the children and the sound of the happiness filling the house.

She wasn't exactly sure how she was going to approach this, having her mother, Mark and Cristina was a very new experience, but she had to make an entrance like she would have any other Christmas. She giggled as she stepped towards the family room, the sound of the children moving around made her smile as she peeked around the corner. Her eyes scanned the room as she noted her mother sitting on the couch talking to one of Derek's sisters as one of the children showed them something that she had in her hand. Cristina was sitting by the tree seemingly trying to explain to the children something about germs and how they were covered with them, keeping the attention of the boys as the little girls just rolled their eyes and talked to baby Richie who was seated on Mark's lap, laughing and giggling.

"Who are you spying on?" A voice came from behind her as she jumped, nearly slamming into the wall as she came face to face with Neil.

"Neil..." She giggled as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"Is Santa coming?" He chuckled as he glanced around the corner as he held his cup of coffee in his hand.

"He'll be here in just a minute..."

"Well come on in and make yourself known." He laughed as he grabbed her hand. "Looks like we have a spy, everyone!" He exclaimed as he pulled her around the corner as she giggled.

"AUNT MEREDITH! AUNT MEREDITH!" The children all exclaimed happily as they ran up to her and hugged her. The questions started flying about Derek and the excited children jumped up and down as they each got a hug from her.

"Oh, he'll be here in a while... he had to stop off at the store and get a few things..." Meredith shrugged as she rolled her eyes at Michael when she heard him laughing. She hugged everyone, making her way across the floor towards Cristina and her Mother, though stopping first to snatch up her son from Mark as she gave him a kiss on the cheek as payment.

"You're very popular around here..." Ellis said as several of the younger children started to climb over Meredith, telling them about this or that, about how much fun they had at the wedding, and again, asking where their Uncle Derek was.

"I've always been popular around here..." Meredith giggled as she snuggled around her son. "How are you doing among the sea of munchkins?" She asked her mother as she noted that she didn't look nervous at all.

"I'm getting used to it..." She nodded as she turned her face towards her grandson and ran her fingers through his hair quickly.

"So where is Derek, anyway?" Cristina asked as all of the children began perking up.

"Speak of the devil..." Meredith whispered with a smirk as a chorus of children screamed out "SANTA!" as they made their way to the front door excitedly.

🎄🎄🎄

One of the children swung the door open as a chorus of cheers could be heard through the house. The adults all stayed in the family room as a stampede of children came running back inside. "Mommy! Daddy! It's Santa! Santa is here!" They exclaimed as Meredith just smiled. She watched her mother's eyebrows raise as she glanced to her, and Cristina shook her head in disbelief, as did Mark.

"Don't tell me that... Oh, Meredith... please tell me that...its..." Cristina said as she tried not to laugh right away before she saw it with her own eyes.