A/N: Set after 4x11. Forget everything that was going on with Mark at the time. Mostly because I can't actually remember, I think he was flirty with Erica Hahn and sleeping with Callie but, whatever. Forget it! Slight mention of 3x07. I'm pretty sure that's all I have to say (Y) Happy reading =D Reviews please!
It was 2 months after the split that Meredith fell into bed with Mark Sloan. She'd had to watch Derek and Rose flirt around each other all day and it was back to Joe's and the tequila bottle for her. And he was there. Flirting. Because there has never been a moment gone by, from the minute they met, that Mark Sloan hasn't flirted with Meredith. And she actually surprises herself by flirting back and she doesn't even know where she got the courage to lean into his ear and whisper 'So this could be just a drink. Or this could be more than a drink' and she thinks it's the first time she's ever seen Mark Sloan speechless. But he does manage to get out a nod and they're in his hotel room within 15 minutes and they're naked pretty much instantly and it doesn't take a genius to work out what's going on in that room when Meredith reaches what she believes to be her biggest climax of...ever but the next morning they know they have to say goodbye because even though it was the best time either of them had had in...ever, they couldn't quite bring themselves to break Derek's heart. Because they might be broken up but neither of them are stupid enough to believe it won't break him. But then they don't really have a choice. Because 8 weeks later Meredith's throwing up anything and everything and she's peeing on a stick. The word 'Pregnant' glaring up at her. And it's exactly what she needs to make her believe that whatever god there is up there really doesn't like her.
~x~
Mark can't help but lust after Meredith after their hotel room tryst. He's always had a thing for her. From the minute they met. He was flirting with her when Derek punched him after all. And as he said then, himself and Derek always did have the same taste in women. Not that he's fond of his new girlfriend but thats neither here nor there. He did try it on with her again after Derek broke up with her the first time. But then he was paged and when he returned Derek and Meredith were kissing the hell out of each other at the bar. And he's completely stunned when Meredith whispers the same words he had said to her that night. And even though Mark's been with his fair share of women. And that's probably an understatement. He can honestly say that Meredith was the best he had had in...ever. And that scares him just a little bit. And even though he wants her, because he always has, he knows it has to be a one time thing. But then he's thrown into a pit of confusion when he's strolling along one of the hospital hallways and he feels a feminine hand wrap around his wrist and he's in an on-call room within a flash. And he looks up to see her face. And she does not look happy. And he's pretty sure he can see tear tracks on her face. And then she's handing him a white stick that looks suspiciously like a pregnancy test and when he actually looks at it the word 'Pregnant' is glaring up at him. So he looks at her and she nods to confirm the answers to all his unasked questions. And then they're sat on the edge of opposite beds. Mark staring down at the test. Meredith staring at him.
"What are you going to do?" Mark asked hoarsely after a few minutes of silence.
"I don't know" Meredith sighed.
"What do you want to do?"
"I don't know" she sighed again.
"We used a condom"
"Do you really need me to explain to you the risks behind using condoms Mark?" she grumbled.
"No, I know, I just, I didn't know what else to say" he stuttered.
"What do you want me to do?"
"It's your body"
"I know but, what do you want me to do?"
"Maybe, maybe it would be best if, if we just, nipped it in the bud" he sighed "If, if Derek found out about this then…."
"I know" she sighed "It's the right thing to do, I'll book an appointment at Mercy West" she said standing up.
"Do you, need anything?"
"I'll need to put someone down as an emergency contact and I'll need someone to drive me home, I would ask Cristina but she doesn't know and…."
"Just let me know when and I'll be there"
"Ok, right, goodbye then" Meredith nodded quickly leaving the room.
"Yeah, bye" he sighed as the door shut behind her. And he can't quite believe that he's managed to get 2 of Derek's exes pregnant and each one has been nipped in the bud before they can even feel the baby move. But he knows that things just aren't that simple. And he didn't actually want Addison to abort his baby even though, if he thinks about it, it was the right thing to do. Just like with this baby, it was the right thing to do. He just had to keep telling himself that to get through.
~x~
Meredith knows it's the right thing to do. Not only would this put another strain on Mark and Derek's friendship she'd be a crappy Mom and he doesn't exactly scream father material. But then she's in the gown and on the table and they're doing the routine ultrasound and the sound of a very faint heartbeat echoes around the room and she's off the table and into her clothes before they can say a word and Mark looks at her with puzzled eyes as he sees her coming towards his car only 15 minutes after she got out and he knows that's a tad too soon. And then she's in the passenger seat and she's crying and he can't get her to speak so he just holds her for a while until she gets her breath back.
"I'm so sorry" she whispered.
"What happened?" he asked softly brushing the tears from her cheeks.
"I heard the heartbeat and, I couldn't do it Mark I'm, I'm so sorry"
"So what are we supposed to do now?"
"They don't need to know it's yours, I'll just say it was some guy from Joe's, they'll believe me" she sighed.
"And what? I'm supposed to just watch you raise my kid by yourself? I just, I won't be part of it's life. Is that what your saying?"
"Well what do you suggest Mark?" Meredith snapped "Because you were the one who said we should nip it in the bud"
"And you agreed with me remember?"
"I know that" Meredith sighed "But, I just can't, they're in there Mark, my child is in there, inside me"
"It's our child Meredith, our child"
"We'll keep it quiet for another month, so I'm past the first trimester, then we'll figure out how we're going to do this"
"So, you're going to let me, be involved?"
"Of course I am Mark" Meredith said softly, she grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach "Baby, meet Daddy" she smiled softly. Mark couldn't help but grin. Screw the right thing. Since when did Mark Sloan ever do the right thing?
~x~
They managed to keep it a secret for another month and then it's really time to start telling people. They had the first ultrasound, the first proper ultrasound a week after the 'almost' abortion. And Meredith could have sworn she saw a tear in Mark's eye when the image of their baby appeared on the screen and the sound of the heartbeat filtered into his ears. And they still don't know how they're going to tell everyone but they decide they should start slowly. Almost person by person. So they're in Cristina and Callie's apartment on the day she hits 3 months and she's actually shaking at the prospect of telling her person she's pregnant with Mini-McSteamy.
"Well, I can't say this isn't a little strange" Callie starts as they sit around the kitchen table "You two, being here, together"
"Believe me, it's about to get a hell of a lot stranger" Mark said with a small smirk.
"Are you, dating or something?" Cristina asked.
"Uh, no, no we're not dating" Meredith stuttered.
"But, we did, have uh, one night together, 3 months ago, today" Mark said also stuttering.
"Ok, wow, that's, unexpected" Callie stuttered back "Uh, thanks for, telling us?" she said awkwardly.
"Why do I have a feeling they're not telling us something" Cristina groaned, and with that Meredith placed the ultrasound picture on the table.
"Meet Baby Grey-Sloan" she sighed.
"Holy mother of…." Callie started.
"Oh my god!" Cristina exclaimed.
"We know" Mark and Meredith muttered.
"So, how's this going to work?" Callie asked.
"We're just going to, go with it" Meredith shrugged "The baby will stay with me for the majority of the time, especially in the first few months, but Mark can come over whenever he wants, every day if he wants too and, we're just going to share them I guess"
"Can I be there when you tell Shepherd?" said Cristina with a smirk.
"How about no" Meredith smirked back.
"This is going to kill him" Mark sighed burying his face in his hands.
"We don't have a choice Mark" Meredith said rubbing his back a little "But I am going to make sure there are some men around to pull him off you"
"Thanks, nice to know you have faith in me" Mark said dryly.
"Anytime" Meredith said with a laugh.
"So, your doing this, your, having a baby" Cristina stuttered.
"Yeah, we're having a baby" Meredith smiled.
~x~
George, Lexie, Izzie and Alex were next. George was supportive because, that's just George. Lexie and Izzie seemed to bond over their excitable squealing. And Alex promised he'd hang around outside of the conference room where Mark set out to tell Derek the news. And then it was time. And Mark sat Derek down at the opposite side of the table to him, at least 2 meters between them. And he talked.
"I just, I want you to know that, I love you man, your my best friend, my brother, and I know I've hurt you, and I know we're just getting it all back and, I'm so grateful for that and, your my brother"
"Is everything ok?" Derek asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Meredith's pregnant"
"Wha….what? Is it…."
"Yours? No. She'd be like, 5 months if it was yours and she's only 3 so…."
"Well who's the father?"
Mark just looked at his hands.
"Who's the father Mark?" Derek asked nervously, because if he was honest he knew what was coming next.
"Me" Mark whispered, and he had never felt a silence like the one that followed it, he looked up, Derek just stared blankly at him, his fists clenched "I am so sorry Derek, it was just once, a one time thing and, she was going to, we decided we should just get, an abortion but, she went in there and heard the heartbeat and she couldn't do it and…."
"Stop talking" Derek said hoarsely "Why her? Why not some random girl from a bar? Why Meredith?"
"I don't know I just, I think, maybe it was just, something we had to do because well, I've always liked her and she's always liked me but we never did anything about it and we never would have but it just happened and we knew it couldn't happen again, we didn't want to start anything because we knew it would hurt you and, it's not like we planned this"
"I can't even, I can't even look at you" Derek said standing up "You'll always be that guy won't you, Mark Sloan, nothing but a manwhore, and always picking up Derek Shepherds leftovers but then I guess that makes you made for each other, she breaks up with me and she sleeps with the first guy she sees, she did that the first time"
And it was then that Mark's fist connected with Derek's face and Alex didn't even bother going in because he'd heard the words come from Derek's mouth and if he was honest he was holding himself back from doing the same.
"You can say what the hell you like about me but if I ever, ever, hear you talk about the mother of my child like that again I will kill you and make it look like an accident, Good-day Dr Shepherd"
~x~
The Chief threatened to suspend Mark until he heard that Meredith was pregnant and some very colorful words had come from Derek's mouth. And what went on in that room was no secret because their voices were considerably raised and it only takes one nurse to let the whole hospital know that Meredith Grey is pregnant with Mark Sloan's baby and the Mc'eamys came face to face or rather fist to face in the conference room. And it turns out that Alex had to hold Meredith back from going in there and doing some damage with her own hands. And she's in hysterics by the time Mark comes out of the Chief's office and he literally has to drag her off to a quiet room to calm her down.
"How dare he? How dare he!" Meredith rambled as she paced up and down the empty exam room.
"Meredith"
"He thinks he can talk about me like that? He's the one who wanted to see other people, he's the one who had a freaking girlfriend after like, 3 hours of us breaking up and he calls me a whore! Who the hell does he think he is?" her voice getting higher and quicker by the word.
"Meredith!"
"It's none of his business who either of us sleeps with, we're both single, we can do what the hell we like and…."
"MEREDITH!" Mark shouted.
"WHAT?" Meredith shouted back.
"Sit" Mark said grabbing her arms and sitting her down in one of the chairs, he knelt down on the floor in front of her and held her hands "Calm, baby needs calm, she doesn't need a stressy Mommy"
"She?" Meredith asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Just a feeling" Mark shrugged "So, calm ok? Breathe"
"Breathe" Meredith sighed "I'm sorry I'm, I'm freaking out and all hormonal and, nauseous and I'm tired and, I can't drink coffee and…."
"And you're not breathing again" Mark smirked.
"Sorry" Meredith said with a laugh "Breathe, right"
Mark pushed Meredith's scrub shirt up a little and pressed a kiss onto the swell of her stomach, a very, very small bump was starting to appear and Meredith knew that any day now she'd be switching to the scrub pants with the stretchy waist band.
"Baby, I don't think you can quite hear me yet but, you need to know that Mommy and Daddy love you very much and you will be the most loved little thing in, in the world because you have me and Mommy and all of Mommy and Daddy's friends who will be your Aunts and Uncles and, we don't know that we're going to be the greatest parents in the world but, we're gonna try kid, we love you" he said with another kiss on her skin, he looked up and saw tears in Meredith's eyes "Hey, you ok?" he asked softly, reaching up and wiping a small tear from her cheek.
"Yeah" Meredith whispered "I'm great"
"Good, we can do this Meredith"
"I know" Meredith smiled "I think we really can"
~x~
It doesn't take long for Meredith's bump to really pop out and she's walking around sporting an almost 5 month sized fetus in her stomach and she's as hormonal as anything and Mark's often paged to women's bathrooms to calm her down. And even Cristina's surprised at how quickly he manages to do it. And even though he hasn't really been to the hotel in weeks, spending most of his time in Meredith's bed sleeping with a hand on her bump they're nothing more than friends. And everyone finds that hard to believe. But they both insist on it whenever they're questioned by anyone. And they don't know that there's a betting pool on when they'll admit that they're falling for each other.
"Are you sure there's nothing going on with you and McSteamy?" Izzie asks over breakfast one morning.
"I'm sure" Meredith laughed.
"Because I mean, the way you are with each other, your like, the perfect couple"
"Izzie, we're just friends let it go!" Meredith exclaimed.
"But…."
"IZZIE!"
"What's with all the shouting?" Mark asked walking into the kitchen and grabbing a piece of toast from Meredith's plate taking a bite.
"Nothing, right Izzie?" Meredith said firmly.
"Yeah, right" Izzie said rolling her eyes a little.
"Oh my god" Meredith gasped her hand shooting to her stomach.
"What, what is it? What's wrong?" Mark panicked, Meredith grabbed his hand and placed it on her bump.
"Oh my god" Mark smiled "It's, it's kicking, the baby's kicking"
"The baby's kicking" Meredith smiled, tears coming to her eyes "I mean, I've felt them move before but this, this is different"
"It's amazing" Mark smiled, he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Meredith's forehead "Amazing"
"Friends, riiightt" Izzie mouthed to Meredith who just glared at her.
~x~
At 6 months they'd had the confirmation that Baby Grey-Sloan was in fact Baby Girl Grey-Sloan and their world was turned into pink and squishy land within the hour because Mark dragged Meredith off to a baby store and bought a newborn sized pink dress and a small pink teddy bear. And even though Mark officially checked out of the hotel they still insisted that they were not a couple. Which they weren't but anyone could see that that's exactly how they acted. And Mark was only living there until the baby was 6 months and then he'd move out and get his own apartment. But Izzie and Alex both new that he wouldn't be leaving and had to accept that Dr Mark Sloan would be roommate number 4. Derek hadn't spoke to either Mark or Meredith in a non-professional way since the news of the pregnancy. But he did get dumped by Rose loudly and publicly in the cafeteria because he just wouldn't shut up about them. Meredith didn't know if she found it funny or not. But Cristina sure as hell did.
By 7 months Meredith is forced onto maternity leave and for the first few weeks she actually enjoys her time off. She even enjoys going shopping for baby clothes and rearranging, with help from Mark, one half of the bedroom into a nursery. Even though Izzie and Alex both offered to move out so the baby can have her own room, Meredith insisted they stay put. Actually threatening them in a hormonal rage that if they left she would hunt them down and drag them back by their ears. But then she's 8 months pregnant and she's fed up of spending her days alone and even though she loves talking to the baby she'd quite like some conversation, so she's on the phone to the cab company and she's at the hospital within the hour. And then she almost has a heart attack when she sees a familiar red-head stepping into the elevator after her and their eyes connect and then the red-heads drift down to the hand Meredith has placed on the not hard to miss bump.
"I uh" Meredith stuttered "What are you doing here? Nobody told me you were coming"
"Nobody told me you were pregnant" Addison said obviously still stunned.
"Yeah, well" Meredith said as if that was an explanation.
"I'm just here for a case" Addison said quietly "Ectopia Cordis"
"Oh, right, ohh, that's the case Mark's been growing the skin flap for, he thinks he's god"
"Yeah well, that's Mark" Addison laughed "So, how far…."
"8 months, so I really shouldn't be here but I'm bored so I'm coming to stalk my friends and Baby Daddy" Meredith shrugged.
"Right" Addison laughed as they stepped out of the elevator and before Meredith can say another word Mark is walking straight towards them.
"Meredith Grey what in gods name are you doing here?" he exclaimed.
"Hello to you too Mark" she said dryly "I'm bored" she whined.
"You're also 8 months pregnant Meredith, home, rest, grow child" he said slowly.
"Yeah yeah, anyway, Dr Rudeness, say hello to Addison"
"Addie, hi, sorry" Mark said hugging Addison "Meredith doesn't seem to understand that Baby Girl Sloan needs a well rested Mommy"
"Baby Girl Grey-Sloan" Meredith corrected.
"WHAT?" Addison almost screeched.
"Ah, right" Mark stuttered "It's kind of a long story"
"Erm, actually, it's not really that long if you think about it" Meredith laughed "It was, once, one time, me and Derek broke up and he was dating someone else like, 3 hours after and 2 months later we were at Joe's and y'know, next thing we're in his hotel room and 8 weeks later I'm peeing on a stick"
"So you're not, together"
"No, no, no, no no" Mark and Meredith both rambled with nervous laughter "No" Meredith said firmly.
"Yeah we're just, friends, good friends, great friends, best friends" Mark stuttered.
"Riiightt" Addison said obviously not convinced "Well uh, I've gotta go, save a life now so, I'll see you later?"
"I'll be there in a minute, to show you my skin flap, yes, you can say it, I'm god"
Addison just rolled her eyes and walked away.
"Home. Now." Mark said firmly.
"Not happening" Meredith shrugged "I'll sit down, I'll watch your surgery, watch you, be god, you grew skin Mark, you're a god"
"You're a suck up" Mark laughed "Fine, but sitting down with your feet up"
"Deal" Meredith smiled.
~x~
Meredith was indeed an hour later sat with Izzie and Lexie in the gallery, her feet propped up on the window ledge and a huge bag of chips in her lap. She couldn't help but smile when Mark looked up and winked at her and she did take note that Addison looked between them curiously and she knew that she didn't believe them when they said they were just friends and she knew that logically that's what it looked like but they were just friends, they were. As the surgery came to and end the gallery emptied but Meredith stayed put, telling Izzie and Lexie that she just needed a minute, she hadn't been in a gallery for over a month so this was something she wanted to enjoy even if it was just watching the OR being cleaned. And soon enough she was joined by Addison.
"So…." Addison started "You and Mark"
"Not me and Mark"
"Meredith" Addison said firmly "You don't seriously expect everyone to believe you don't have feelings for him"
"Of course I have feelings for him, he's the father of my child, that doesn't mean I have feelings feelings"
"He didn't shut up about you in there y'know"
"You mean the baby"
"No, I mean you, and the baby, but mostly you"
"He's my best friend, other than Cristina he's my best friend, we talk and he lives with me, for now anyway and, we're just friends, we can't be anything more than that"
"Why not?"
"Because we made a deal that we wouldn't be anything more than that before it even happened"
"He's given up a lot for you Meredith" Addison said softly.
"Is that supposed to make me feel guilty? Because believe me, I already do. I slept with my ex-boyfriends best friend, a best friend he had only really just gotten back because the best friend slept with his wife and it was all my idea, I came on to him because if Derek can move on 3 hours after we split then I can have one night with a man I've been flirting with since we met and I got pregnant, we used protection but, obviously it split or something and, I peed on a stick and it was positive and we were going to just, get rid of it, I was actually on the table in the gown and then I heard the heartbeat and I couldn't do it, I couldn't and from then on, I've felt guilty, guilty for actually thinking of killing my baby girl and guilty for ruining Mark's friendship with Derek, I feel guilty all the time so you do not need to tell me that he's given up a lot because believe me, I know"
"Hey, hey look at me" Addison said wiping the tears from Meredith's cheeks "I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty, I just think you should maybe open your eyes a little, because he loves you Meredith, it's so painfully obvious and, I just want him to be happy because me, I broke his heart, multiple times, I aborted his baby, before I moved here, I had an abortion and it broke his heart which I'm sure he's told you and you, you and this baby, you're putting it back together"
"I am?" Meredith asked quietly.
"Yeah" Addison said with a laugh "You are"
"I'm not in love with him" Meredith sniffed.
"Whatever you say Meredith" Addison laughed.
"I'm not!"
"Ok, ok, I can try and believe you"
"Sorry for crying at you, I'm all, emotional lately"
"Your hormones and all over the place, I'm not surprised, is everything ok though? With the baby?"
"She's perfect, Mark thinks she has the Sloan nose" Meredith laughed "I think she'll be a Daddy's girl, she is already, when he puts his hand on my bump she kicks, almost instantly, like she knows it's him and, when he talks to her she goes crazy it's, the best feeling in the world"
"When you hold her in your arms, that will be the best feeling in the world"
"Yeah, I hope so" Meredith smiled softly "I still don't feel cut out for this"
"You are" Addison said squeezing her hand "I have to go, flight to catch, I want a phone call and some pictures when this baby comes ok?"
"Ok" Meredith smiled "Thank you Addison"
"No problem, goodbye Meredith"
"Bye" Meredith smiled, she watched Addison leave and placed her hands on her bump "That was your Aunt Addison, she says some silly things sometimes but I think you'll like her, maybe one day we'll take you to her house by the beach, I love you Baby Girl, so much, and so does Daddy, yeah, that's right Daddy" Meredith laughed when the baby kicked against her hand "I can't wait to meet you" she whispered.
~x~
Meredith was pretty pleased with herself when she went into labour on the morning of her due date, but she forgot about that fact when she was screaming her way through a contraction. And it's takes 14 hours after her water broke to begin the birth.
"Ok, Meredith, on the next contraction I need you to push ok?" Dr Smith, Addison's replacement said as she sat at the end of Meredith's hospital bed.
"You make it sound so easy" Meredith groaned.
"You can do it Mer, you can" Mark said patting Meredith's forehead with a damp cloth "Ok, so next contraction and you push"
"Ok" Meredith sighed and within the second a contraction was raging through her and she was squeezing Mark's hand and pushing with all she had and she was crying out loudly and then she had to relax and she was panting hard.
"That was great Meredith, really great" Dr Smith smiled "When your ready you need to push again"
"I can't" Meredith whimpered "This hurts"
"I know Mer, I know, but you can do this" Mark said softly.
"You do it"
"I would if I could" he said with a small smile.
"Can you, can you get on the bed?" Meredith asked softly "Sit behind me?"
Mark looked over at the doctor who merely nodded, he kicked off his shoes and settled himself behind Meredith, her back pressed against his chest, her hands holding his, and then she was pushing again.
"That's it Meredith, we've got the head, just keep going once we're past the shoulders we're almost done"
"I've decided, I'm celibate again, no man is ever, ever going near me!" Meredith snapped.
"Whatever you say Mer" Mark said with a slight laugh.
"Shut UP!" she yelled pushing again and it doesn't take much longer for the baby to arrive and the sounds of cries to fill the room and after a very quick check they place Baby Girl Grey-Sloan on Meredith's chest and Mark's reaching over to cut the cord.
"She's, she's beautiful" Meredith cried.
"She's perfect" Mark whispered kissing Meredith's temple, Meredith turned her head and kissed Mark softly on the lips, she quickly turned back to face their daughter.
"You did it Mer" he said quietly.
"We did it Mark" she said softly "Hey Baby Girl, I'm your Mommy, you are so worth the pain"
"Yeah, Mommy nearly broke Daddy's surgeon hands" Mark said with a laugh.
"Shut up" Meredith muttered nudging him slightly.
~x~
Within the hour Meredith and Baby Girl Grey-Sloan were both cleaned up and in a recovery room, Mark held the baby out in front of him taking in her appearance.
"She's definitely got the Sloan nose but she's got your mouth, and your eyes"
"Really? I think she looks the spit of you in those baby pictures you showed me"
"I think she's just the perfect mix" Mark smiled.
"She's just perfect" Meredith smiled.
"She also needs a name, I think I might have it down this time"
"Are you sure? Because I'm not naming her Mark Junior" Meredith smirked.
"I never suggested that!" Mark laughed.
"You were thinking it at one point"
"Do you want to know the name or not?"
"Yes, yes, go on then"
"Katie Elizabeth Grey-Sloan" Mark said proudly.
"You found my list didn't you" Meredith smirked.
"No, I didn't, honestly, that was all me" Mark smiled.
"Katie was my number 1" Meredith laughed.
"Well I guess that's it then, we've named her, together" Mark said perching on the edge of Meredith's bed.
"Katie Elizabeth Grey-Sloan, perfect"
"Thank you" Mark said softly.
"What for?" Meredith laughed.
"For letting me be here"
"You're her father Mark, you have to be here, I didn't have a father, not really, I don't want that for Katie, I want her to have two parents, who are there, all the time"
"We will be" Mark said squeezing her hand softly.
"Hey, can we come in?" Izzie said poking her head into the room.
"Sure" Meredith smiled, Izzie, Lexie, Cristina, George, Alex and Callie all filtered into the room.
"Guys, meet Katie Elizabeth Grey-Sloan, Katie, meet your Aunts and Uncles"
"Oh Mer, she's beautiful" Izzie gasped.
"Here, take her" Mark said placing Katie in Izzie's arms "Katie, this is your Aunt Izzie, she's going to making your birthday cakes for the next 18 years, at least" he laughed.
"You make really cute kids" Callie smiled "She's like, perfect"
"We know" Mark said proudly.
"So, Mer, how was labour?" Cristina asked with a smirk.
"It hurt, it hurt a lot, but she's worth it"
Mark left the Aunts and Uncles to coo over Katie and climbed onto the bed next to Meredith, he kissed her temple softly "She's worth the world"
Cristina just rolled her eyes and walked over to Izzie "Y'know, Torres is right, you do make really cute ki….ds" Cristina stuttered as she turned back to face the bed to see Mark and Meredith sharing a passionate kiss, she nudged everyone a little and they all turned to stare, all with knowing smirks on their faces.
"Has anyone got Montgomery's number? Because she just won the betting pool" Cristina smirked, Mark and Meredith snapped apart.
"I uh" Meredith started "Can you give us a minute?"
"Sure" Callie laughed, Izzie lay Katie in Meredith's arms with a smirk and they filtered out from the room.
"What was that?" Meredith whispered.
"I don't know" Mark said quietly.
"Everyone seems to think we're like, in love, and, and do you, love me?"
"Of course I do" Mark said softly.
"Yeah but, do you love me?"
"Do you love me?"
"I asked first"
"Then yeah, Meredith, I do love you, I've loved you for a very long time and, I don't want to be just friends anymore, I want to be with you, I want it to be me, you and Katie, a proper family, I want that, with you"
"I want that too" Meredith said quietly "I love you Mark"
"I love you too" Mark said kissing her softly "So there's a betting pool huh?"
"Seems that way" Meredith laughed "And Addison won by the sounds of it, I promised I'd send a picture"
"I'll send one now" Mark said pulling his phone from his pocket, he took a quick picture of Katie and sent it along with the message 'Aunt Addison, Meet Katie Elizabeth Grey-Sloan, and apparently you've just won the betting pool we knew nothing about' within the minute they had a message back 'She's beautiful, and I knew it! I told Meredith the minute she held the baby in her arms it would be the best feeling in the world and I really hope it is, I'll be checking on you Sloan, you've got everything you wanted right there in your arms, don't let go'
"What did she say?" Meredith smiled.
"Is it the best feeling in the world?"
"No" Meredith sighed "It's better"
~x~
They both admittedly find parenthood hard and Meredith even broke down in tears when she just couldn't get her to stop crying and Mark just sat with her all night and held her in his arms. They can't help but laugh when a box of baby stuff turns up at the house with a note saying 'Had to do something with all the money I won, there was alot of it, Addie xxx' and they're pretty sure that Katie is the best dressed baby in Seattle. And two weeks after Katie's birth Mark has to go back to the hospital but Meredith insists on coming with him to show their daughter off. And it doesn't take long for the nurses station to become surrounded by people who want to take a peek into the car seat of Baby Grey-Sloan. And then Meredith spots Derek leaning against the wall on the far side of the room so she leaves Mark to do his proud Daddy thing with the nurses and for the first time in just over 6 months tries to make non co-worker conversation with Derek Shepherd.
"Hey" she said softly taking a step in front of him.
"Hey" he replied.
"So, how are you?"
"I'm good, how are you?"
"Tired but, other than that, good" she smiled "Great"
"Good, that's good" he nodded "And the baby?"
"She's great, perfect, a total Daddy's girl already but, I kinda saw it coming" she smirked.
"Yeah well, that's Mark for you, a total ladies man"
"He misses you Derek" Meredith said quietly.
"I know"
"I miss you"
"You do?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course I do" Meredith said softly "Just because we fell out of love Derek doesn't mean we can't still be friends, and just because we fell out of love doesn't mean I don't love you, even though you did call me a whore again but I…."
"I'm sorry" Derek said cutting her off "I'm sorry I said those things, I didn't mean it, I swear to you Meredith I didn't I just…."
"You were upset, I know" she nodded "It was, it was supposed to be a one time thing, we knew it couldn't be more than that because we didn't want to hurt you but then I'm peeing on a stick and hearing a heartbeat and, and if I'm honest, even though we only admitted it the day she was born, I'm in love with him, I'm in love with Mark and, you don't know how sorry I am if that hurts you"
"I know" Derek said softly "I have to go but…."
"Just stop by the house Derek, come and see him, and Katie, she's technically your niece, he's never stopped thinking of you as a brother, so your, your Uncle Derek to her, if you want to be, just come ok?"
"I'll, I'll think about it" Derek sighed.
"That's all I ask" Meredith smiled "Goodbye Derek"
"Goodbye Meredith"
"Hey, you ok?" Mark said walking up to Meredith as Derek left.
"I think we're going to be fine Mark, just fine"
~x~
It takes a week for Derek to pluck up the courage to knock on the front door of the Grey-Sloans, and Meredith has the biggest smile on her face as she opens the door.
"Hey" she grinned "Come on in" she opened the door and let him in "Do you want a drink or anything?"
"No, no I'm fine, thanks"
"Ok then, do you, want to meet her?"
"Sure" Derek nodded, Meredith led them through to the living room and picked Katie up from her bassinet.
"Hey Katie, there's someone I want you to meet this…." she said placing her in Derek's arms "Is Uncle Derek"
Derek just stares down at the bundle in his arms and smiles softly "She's beautiful, where's Mark?"
"Just got out the shower, should be down in a minute"
"Right, ok" Derek said taking a seat on the sofa.
"I'm really glad you came Derek"
"Me too"
Derek didn't move his eyes from Katie, he just stared down at her.
"De….Derek, what, what are you doing here?" Mark stuttered.
"I've come to see my niece if that's ok with you" Derek said looking up at him.
"Well I uh, uh, um…." Meredith stamped on his foot "Yes, of, of course it is"
"And, I know I said sorry at the hospital Meredith but, I am sorry, to both of you, for everything I've said, the way I've treated you, I'm sorry"
"We've all made mistakes Derek" Meredith said softly "It's just, time to move on, for everyone's sakes, so, what do you say, friends?"
"Friends" Mark smiled.
"Family" Derek said softly.
"No more apologies?" Meredith asked hopefully "Fresh start"
"Agreed" Derek smiled "She's definitely a Sloan but she's got your eyes Meredith"
"Mark said that, I think she's all him"
"No, she's the perfect mix"
"Mark said that too" Meredith laughed "I'm gonna go get a drink, you sure you don't want anything?"
"I'm sure" Derek smiled.
"Mark, want anything?"
"I'm good" Mark smiled kissing her softly, Meredith smiled and left the room, Mark took a breath and sat down next to Derek "So….how are you?"
"I'm ok, and you? How's fatherhood?"
"It's, different" Mark nodded "But, it's amazing, I didn't think I could love anyone as much as I love her"
"Who are we talking about here Mark? Katie or Meredith?"
"Both I guess" Mark shrugged.
"Just promise me something"
"What?"
"Don't break her heart and don't let her go"
"I won't" Mark smiled softly.
"I promised her I'd bring her to see you" Meredith said into the phone as she walked back into the room taking a seat in the armchair "Yes I know she's only 3 weeks old….well when she's older we'll bring her by to play on the beach….yeah, leave Mark with her and go and drink cocktails, my kinda plan….come whenever you want….erm right now, I'm just in the living room with Derek and Mark….I know! We're high school with scalpels, what are you doing?….sunbathing on your deck….I kind of hate you now….I've never hated you! I may have been painfully jealous at one point but I didn't hate you….yeah yeah….ok well, I should go, they're looking at me….I will….ok then, speak soon….Bye Addie" Meredith laughed hanging up the phone "What?" she asked when Mark and Derek raised eyebrows at her.
"Your talking to Addison" Derek smirked.
"We're friends" Meredith shrugged.
"Leaving me with the baby so you can drink cocktails huh?" Mark smirked.
"I promised Katie we'd go to the beach when she's older and Addison said we can stay with her, if she can take me on a girls night to drink some cocktails"
"I don't think you being friends with Addie is a good idea" Derek laughed.
"Why not?"
"Oh, not for you, but for me and Mark, she knows all our stories"
"Oh yeah, you can't be friends with Addison" Mark laughed nervously.
"Shame, I already am" Meredith grinned.
~x~
It takes 6 months for Mark to propose because they had to be honest, in reality they'd been together for over a year, even if they didn't admit it to themselves. And they already act like a married couple so it's really just the next step. They don't waste any time in getting it organized and it's only really their friends that are there because neither of them have any other family, not that they'd want to be there anyway. Meredith decided that Lexie doesn't count because she's just another member of the hospital family anyway. And even though Izzie protested to hell that they get married somewhere a little more extravagant they get married at City Hall 3 months later, and even Addison makes it over for the ceremony. And of course Cristina's the Maid of Honor and even though it's probably a little inappropriate Derek's the Best Man. And if they're honest they're more interested in his speech than their vows. So then they're at a small Italian restaurant sat around a huge table when it's time for Derek's speech. And Meredith can feel herself holding her breath.
"I can't say that I didn't hesitate when Mark asked me to do this. And I don't think it takes a genius to work out why. I thought long and hard about what I was going to say when I stood here today. I could tell some stories, because I have alot of them. But I won't. I could make jokes about adultery. But I won't. I could bring up any number of things from our past. But I won't. Because all that matters on this day is that they're happy. My best friend, my brother, and his wife, they're happy and that's all any of us really want. So if you'll all raise your glasses to Mark, Meredith and Katie, The Grey-Sloans" he smiled.
"The Grey-Sloans" everyone smiled back.
"The Sloans" said Meredith.
"What?" Mark said snapping his head towards her.
"Screw it" Meredith sighed "I don't want to be Grey-Sloan, I want to be Sloan"
"But Katie…."
"Can have her name changed" Meredith said squeezing his hand.
"You're serious?"
"Serious" Meredith smiled.
"I really really love you Mrs Sloan" Mark said kissing her softly.
"I really really love you too Mr Sloan" she grinned.
"Ok then, so, to The Sloans" Derek laughed.
"The Sloans" everyone smiled.
~x~
From then on it feels like time flies by. Katie goes through every 'first' months before she should, everyone's pretty sure she'll be a genius. The history of how The Sloans got together is old news very quickly, Meredith actually finds it weird not being on the gossip trail. By the time Katie turned two Izzie and Alex moved into their own apartment leave The Sloans to be just The Sloans, and essentially giving Meredith and Mark their room back. For Katie's 3rd birthday she asked for a little sister. She didn't really complain when a brother arrived a little less than a year later. Jack Archie Sloan. They didn't try, they just stopped all contraception and decided to see where it took them. She was pregnant within the week. Ellie May Sloan is born 3 years later. And she's the last piece to their family.
They have their family traditions. Two weeks of every summer spent in LA with Addison. And every christmas was spent at their own house with their extended family. Years went by with more marriages and more kids. Kids who grew up being as close to each other as the parents were. There were already bets on which of the kids would end up marrying another. One evening Meredith stood leaning against the archway of the living room watching Mark, 2 year old Ellie, 5 year old Jack and 8 year old Katie curled up on the sofa watching cartoons all with morning hair and tired yawns and she couldn't help but smile. She knew then that it was worth it. It was all worth it.
~x~ ~x~ ~x~
A/N: The abortion thing is actually based on the experience of one of my closest friends girlfriends, she heard the heartbeat and everything changed, they now have a gorgeous almost one year old called Noah, I'm not totally against abortion but personally I wouldn't do it, I do understand why people do it though, I would never judge anyone. Pro-Choice!
Hope this was to your liking! =D I've got MerMark one-shot ideas coming at me from all angles at the minute, shame my MerAdd brain's having a little trouble =/
Love Kelly. X.