Alright everyone, we've made it to the last chapter Together We Can. Can anyone believe it's actually been almost five months since I started this story? I want to thank everyone that reviewed, commented and helped with the ideas for this story. You guys rock! =D But fear not for I am writing a sequel! "Snapshots" will follow up with this story. The chapters will be longer in this story and will really focus in on one main idea in each. Because of the chapters being longer, I probably won't be updating as frequently but keep your fingers crossed that I will! The first chapter you can probably expect to be up sometime this week. For anyone who read this entire author's note, thank you! Happy reading guys!

Two months later

Meredith sighed as she put the phone down again for the third time that morning. It was early on a Saturday and she was standing in the ER on-call. She had been back to work about a week now, and definitely missed being at work but definitely missed Maeve a lot more. Maeve had come down with some sort of cold and had a slight fever. Meredith being as paranoid as she was had phoned Derek three times within the last hour. He reminded somewhere in one of the calls, that he was a doctor and could handle it. She sighed as she rested her head in her arms against the nurse's station.

"What's with all the sighing?" asked Cristina as she walked over and also leaned up against the desk to fill a chart out.

"Maeve's sick, and I wish I was at home with her. I mean I want to be here, but I want to be there too." rambled Meredith.

Cristina turned and looked at her, as if she had three heads. "Your turning into Mommy goo." said Cristina. "You need to stop worrying, and cut something."

Meredith nodded as she stood up and stretched her hands. "She'll be fine I mean Derek would call if….."

"Help!" interrupted a voice. "Somebody help my daughter!" called a woman as she held her daughter who was wailing loudly, and evidently had blood and cuts all over her.

Meredith immediately called for a gurney as both she and Cristina rushed up to the distraught woman and they carefully took the child out of her arms. They then quickly laid her on a gurney as they started to inspect the damage.

"She was climbing a tree, in our backyard. I was sitting out on the deck. The tree wasn't very high so I thought she'd be fine. I turned my head for a second and the next thing I knew she was on the ground." said the woman as she watched them and tried to step forward more.

"Miss we're going to have to ask you to step aside." said Cristina. "I'll take you over to where you need to sign some paperwork." said Cristina as she pulled the curtain and then took the woman away.

"Sweetie can you tell me your name?" asked Meredith above the child's cries as she waved a penlight over eyes. She then took out her stethoscope and laid it on the girl's chest.

"Sarah." answered the little girl as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. She looked up at Meredith her green eyes filled with tears.

"Sarah? That's a very pretty name. I'm Dr. Grey; I'm going to help you. Now can you tell me where it hurts?" asked Meredith.

"My arm." Sarah answered as a fresh batch of tears made their way down her lacerated cheek.

Meredith quickly ran over to the other side of the bed and examined the arm that Sarah had gestured too. It was definitely swollen and bruised. She'd have to page Callie to take a look at it.

"Does anything else hurt?" asked Meredith as she examined the lacerations on her face and arms. She'd definitely have to have Mark look at those.

Sarah with her good arm, pointed to right under her rib cage. Meredith lifted up her shirt and had to restrain herself from gasping at what she saw. There right under her ribcage as expected was a red mark that would probably bruise, probably from the impact of the fall. But that wasn't the problem. Around Sarah's stomach and along the sides of her hips, were purple bruises and across her midsection a large laceration. But they were definitely not from this fall.

"Somebody page Dr. Sloan."

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Meredith continued to stay with Sarah after her arm had been set, and as they for Mark to came down. She looked up when she heard footsteps outside the curtain. She quickly told Sarah she'd be right back and pulled the curtain and stepped out.

"You paged me for lacerations?" asked Mark as he raised his eyebrows slightly.

"No I paged you to look at some bruises….. I went examine her ribcage and saw bruises that weren't from this injury… I think…. I think that her mother is…. is hurting her. So I need you to look at the bruises and tell me if I'm right or not."

Mark looked at Meredith and saw the emotional connection that was already starting to grow with this patient. Mark solemnly nodded as Meredith turned and they opened the curtain.

"Sarah? This is my friend Dr. Sloan. He's going to take a look your scrapes and bruises." said Meredith as they stepped closer to the bed.

The child immediately tensed up as she saw the man in front of her. Her eyes widened slightly as her fingers clutched to the blanket that had been put on her. Mark looked back at Meredith; she nodded signaling for him to continue anyway.

"Hi Sarah." said Mark. He then walked closer to the bed, but stopped when he heard the girl let out a small whimper. "Is it okay if I look at your face and stomach? They won't hurt as much then.

Sarah looked at Mark almost warily, before nodding her head and agreeing. Mark then sat down on the stool and lifted her face gently to examine the damage on her left cheek. He turned to Meredith.

"This is definitely going to need a couple of stitches. Can you get the kit?" asked Mark as Meredith nodded and took off for the supply cart. "Sarah your face is going to need a couple of stitches. You know what those right? It's probably going to sting a little bit, but then you're going to feel a lot better." said Mark

Sarah looked up at him. "Will I still get a lollipop even if I cry?" she asked.

Mark smiled gently. "Tell you what, you'll get a lollipop no matter what." said Mark as he winked at her. He then pulled on gloves before he took the kit from Meredith and got to work. Around twenty minutes later Sarah's face was clean and neatly stitched.

"Dr. Grey can you get our patient here a lollipop. She was very brave." said Mark.

Sarah smiled as she was handed a lollipop and then began to unwrap it. Meredith looked at Mark and indicated him to examine her stomach.

"Sarah Dr. Sloan is just going to look at your stomach quickly okay?" asked Meredith as they lifted the hospital gown she had been put into. Mark looked over her stomach quickly without looking at Meredith. He then pulled Sarah's gown back down.

"Alright Sarah, you rest up. In a couple of weeks we'll take those stitches out and you'll be back to your old self. Until then, no more climbing trees." said Mark with a small smile as Sarah nodded and sucked on her lollipop.

Mark pulled the curtain and exited, followed by Meredith. When they were far enough away from the area, Meredith looked at him, looking for an answer.

"Those bruises are not from today. They're definitely not from impact either." said Mark.

"So you're saying?" asked Meredith dreading the answer he was about to giver her.

"I think you need to contact social services."

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Meredith approached the area where Sarah had been staying. She pulled the curtain and was surprised to see Sarah's mother sitting next to her. Meredith cleared her throat before continuing.

"There's just one more test we need to run on Sarah, just for pre-caution. So I'm going to have to ask you to step out. There's coffee cart down the hall and to the left." said Meredith.

Sarah's mother nodded and stepped aside. She then nodded once again at Meredith before pulling the curtain and leaving the area, in search for the coffee cart.

"I have to have another test?" questioned Sarah her green eyes widening slight in fear of what was next.

"No you don't. But I do need to ask you something." said Meredith as she sat at the edge of the cot. "I need you to answer me honestly. Can you do that?" asked Meredith as she watched Sarah nod her head. "Those bruises aren't from the fall are they?" asked Meredith knowing the answer.

Sarah's eyes immediately began to tear up as she her head no. She then played with a piece of the blanket, not wanting to meet Meredith's gaze.

'Sarah, did your mom give you those bruises?" asked Meredith gently.

Sarah looked up from the blanket and met Meredith's gaze. She nodded her head gently as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. Meredith let out a small sigh. She then pushed back a piece of the girl's hair.

"Don't worry. We're going to make sure you're safe." said Meredith.

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Meredith had truly had an exhausting day. Between waiting with Sarah for almost two hours for social services to come and get her from Sarah's mother having seething ager towards her. It was just an all around long day. All she really wanted to do was hold her baby and crawl into bed. She quietly snuck into the house, long after she assumed Derek had gone to bed, but she was wrong. She saw a soft light coming from the master bedroom upstairs and quietly climbed the stairs and entered to see Derek sitting up with a whimpering Maeve. She went over and stroked Maeve's head and kissed Derek gently, before grabbing pajamas and quickly leaving to change. She re-entered moments later, and sat down next to Derek.

"Her fever has gone down, but she's still uncomfortable I think. We've tried everything, right princess?" said Derek as he directed his comment to Maeve as he gently stroked her fingers.

"Here let me try." said Meredith as they together carefully maneuvered Maeve into her arms.

She then cradled her in her arms as she ran her fingers over her arms.. Derek then proceeded to gently shush her, as he also ran his hand up and down her tiny arms. A few minutes later Maeve had quieted down and was on her way into a peaceful slumber. They both continued to watch her for a few minutes before Derek broke the gaze and looked up at Meredith.

"We make a good team." said Derek as he gently kissed Meredith's forehead.

"Together, we're un-stoppable."

And that is the end everyone! Once again thanks to everyone who has been with this story since the beginning, this would just be a word document on my computer without you guys. Also remember, reviews make my day =)