Season 1 Episode 2

Margo screws the top of the cap onto the syrup and tops the waffle off with one large strawberry. "A very special breakfast for a very special lady."

Aurora claps in excitement. "Waffles are my favorite, momma! How'd you know?"

Margo pretends to think before gasping. "The fairy god mother visited me in my dreams last night and told me you were dreaming of warm, fluffy, waffles."

Aurora slightly pouts. "She didn't visit me."

"She was busy granting your wish for waffles, hun!" Margo laughs as a shy smile appears on the girls face. "Now eat up, we have about twenty minutes before we head out for another day of school and work!"

The door opens up behind Margo and she spins around in surprise. "Derek! I didn't know you were coming this morning." She grins as Aurora squeals and hops off of her chair to tackle the man in a hug.

He beams as he catches her and throws her into the air. "I've missed you so much, Rory!"

"Uncle Derek!" She giggles in pure happiness, the kind that only a child could possess. "You saw me this many days ago, silly!" She exclaims as she holds up three fingers.

"That's too many fingers for me, Rory." Derek enthusiastically responds as he takes a seat on the stool and holds her in his lap as she resumes her meal.

"So what brings you here so early?" Margo smiles as she hands him his favorite Muesli bar from the cabinet.

"I had some free time to spare and figured I'd take my two favorite girls to work and school today." He tells them both.

"That's very nice of you Derek you didn't have to do that." She shakes her head.

"Yes he does, momma." The little girl disagrees. She slowly turns toward the man behind her. "Where's my treat uncle Derek?"

"Hmm?" Derek mocks confusion. "A treat? What treat? You have a treat for me?"

The little girl gasps. "You promised me a treat!"

The man in question hums again digging in his pockets. "Is this good?" He pulls out a Hershey's bar and the little girls eyes light up.

"Okay you two, we need to get going. Go put your treat away for after school, hun."

"After school?" The little girl groans.

"Yes, now chop chop you two!" She looks down at her watch and runs out of the room to grab her purse.

Derek looks down at the little girl who gives him a 'who knows' shrug.

•

"I feel like we haven't had a moment to sit down and talk since you've started." The chief kindly tells her as she gets comfortable on the office chair.

"I apologize, I have just been trying to get up to date with all of my new patients." Margo says sincerely. The man waves her off. "No worries, Margo. How has it been? Moving from New York to Washington can be a slight cultural shock."

Margo swallows hard. "We've been adjusting."

"Oh yes!" He smiles kindly. "Your daughter, Derek has told me all about her. Aurora is it?"

"That's right." A smile rests on her face as she thinks of what the little girl was doing in school at the moment.

The chief sighs. "I have to admit I did ask you here to ask you a question."

Margo hesitantly nods. "I figured."

"Are you going to keep the last name Shepherd?" He questions as delicately as possible. "No one knows you as Dr. Shepherd, we both know that."

Margo is silent for a moment as she looks to the floor before peering through the glass walls. She can see Derek laughing with another co-worker.

"Margo Edith St. Claire... will you make me the happiest man on this earth and marry me?" He questions, still on one knee.

Margo's eyes blur with tears as she frantically shakes her head yes. "Y-yes! Of course yes!"

She throws her arms around his neck, tackling him in a hug making them both fall into the sand.

He grunts as he hits the ground but laughs nonetheless pulling her into a breath taking kiss. As they pull apart he breathlessly whispers. "Margo Edith Shepherd."

"Margo?"

She blinks coming out of her memory. "I'm sorry, I just..."

He nods his head in understanding. "I hope that didn't come off as insensitive, I figured as much."

"Yes, I will be keeping my current last name." She confirms. She couldn't change it back. It was apart of him that she held dearly. She also wouldn't want to confuse her daughter.

"You know, once the interns find out who you are you'll never have another moment alone." He chuckles attempting to lift the mood. It was true though, especially as his mind goes to a certain black haired Asian intern obsessed with cardio.

"Let them figure it out themselves." She giggles lightheartedly. Just then there's a knock on the door and Meredith peeks her head in. She notices Margo and ducks her head back out. "I can come back later!"

"Dr. Grey." Margo calls out, Meredith hesitantly steps into the room. Margo sends her a kind smile. "I was just leaving, please stay."

Meredith nods, refusing to make eye contact. The chief sends the attending a confused glance and she shrugs walking out of the room.

•

Derek looks up as there's a knock on the doorway. Seeing Margo send him a comforting smile he slumps into the chair.

"I heard about your case from some of the nurses talking. Figured I'd see how your doing." She places a hand on his shoulder as they both look to an unconscious Alison.

He's silent for a moment. "That night..." She tenses. "When you two never came back I had this horrible twisting feeling in my gut. She kept telling me not to worry. That you two probably lost track of time, I was worrying for no reason. But I knew you'd never leave Aurora in the care of anyone with out checking in. She and Aurora eventually fell asleep but I stayed up all night staring at the door. I am the one who convinced you to go. Neither of you ever wanted to leave her and I just wanted you two to get a deserved break. I ignored that feeling and you suffered for it. I'm so sorry Margo."

They both stare at each other with tears streaming down their faces. She cups his cheek. "It's not your fault Derek. I have never blamed you. He never would have blamed you. Please know that."

"When we got that call..." He continues, not acknowledging her words. "When we got that call that we needed to get to the hospital I knew. I knew he was gone."

Margo turns around trying to keep it together. They never really rehashed that day, she never spoke of it. They were both okay with that. But with the move and everything that had happened Derek couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I stayed by your side the whole four days you were out. I needed to be the one to tell you because it's my fault. It's my fault your whole life was turned upside down and it's my fault Rory will grow up with out a father." Derek continues, self loathing coating his voice. "It's my fault he's gone."

Margo's heart simply couldn't take it anymore and she leaves the room and enters the nearest bathroom. Not paying attention to any presences in the room she falls to her knees in front of the bowl and retches her breakfast up.

Only a minute later she wipes her mouth and flushes the toilet breathing harshly. She tries to take deep breaths but she can no longer hold it in and chokes out a sob. She covers her mouth and shakily stands frantically trying to wipe the tears away. As she steps out of the stall she pauses as her eyes meet Miranda's.

Margo purses her lips and drops her head. "I'm sorry you had to witness that Dr. Bailey."

Miranda sighs and holds out a tissue toward the woman. "Call me Miranda."

Margo tried to smile at the woman but she knew she looked a mess. "Thank you, Miranda."

"Don't mention it." The woman shakes her head and walks out of the bathroom. As the door closes Margo can faintly hear her tell another person to use a different restroom and she chuckles to herself.

•

Margo is filling out release paperwork as Burke and a sheepish Meredith approach.

"Dr. Shepherd?"

Turning around she smiles at the two. "I've told you to call me Margo."

Burke clears his throat. "My apologies. A situation has arose and as the head of pediatrics I feel it's only right to inform you."

Concern washes over Margo's face. "What's going on?"

"Meredith here had noticed an abnormality with one of the infants in the nursery, she brought her concern to the intern on watch who dismissed her concerns and then brought in a peds resident to tell her that she had no business meddling." Preston says professionally.

"Oh my." Margo's eyes widen. "We'll talk about who those people exactly are later on, my main concern is the baby. Were any tests done?"

Burke sighs and nods. "It's a birth defect. Tetrology affirmed lower pulmonary artresia. I'm booking the OR for tomorrow."

"Thank you Preston but please don't worry about it." She assures. "I will take over the surgery and apologize to the parents. Dr Grey will be scrubbing in."

"I-I really don't need to." The woman in question blurts out. Burke raises a brow in her direction. "I mean maybe a peds intern would appreciate the opportunity."

"You'll scrub in Grey." Bailey sternly says as she walks past the three.

Meredith sighs accepting defeat.

•

It's dark outside and slightly past Auroras bedtime as she lays her head on her mothers shoulder. "Momma, why are we out so late?" She yawns.

Margo kisses the top of her daughters head as they trudge through rocks and dirt. She knocks on the metal door.

Just as it opens, Derek's very tired face comes into view she lightly sighs. "Your uncle Derek needs us."

He brings the two into a tight hug. "What're you two doing here so late?"

"We thought we'd have a sleep over." Margo smiles at him, like this morning had never happened. "Like old times."

A/N: Leave a comment with your thoughts on the chapter/ Book