So, hopefully you guys like this chapter. It wasn't exactly how I planned for it to be, but we'll see how it goes. It could go in the crossover section, but it's mostly Grey's, so I just put it here. I'm thinking Mark will come back in the next chapter so don't worry. A lot of the story is Meredith/Lexie family, but Mark/Lexie relationship is also a big deal. So just clearing that up.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for great reviews, keep them coming, and feel free to put in suggestions that will go into thought.

Brooke

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice.

Chapter 4

Meredith and Lexie pulled up to Addison Shepherd's office, and walked up to the front desk. Lexie turned to Meredith before they spoke to the receptionist.

"Mere, I don't think I can do this." Lexie said. Meredith could see and hear the fear that had been concealed the whole trip there. Meredith had no response for her, so she just reached out and grabbed her by the hand gently. Lexie relaxed a tiny bit, comforted by her sister's touch.

"Patient's name is Alexandra Grey." Meredith told the receptionist, still gripping her terrified sister's hand.

"Appointment?" The receptionist asked.

"No. Tell Addison Montgomery that Meredith Grey is here with Lexie, and it's urgent." Meredith said with authority. The woman at the desk looked shocked that Meredith had made a direct request to Dr. Montgomery, but she complied. She got up and went to find Addison. After waiting 5 short minutes, Lexie looked up at the sound of a door opening, and made eye contact with the tall red head who was Addison Montgomery.

Addison's gaze shifted quickly to Meredith's as she approached.

"What brings you to LA?" She asked coolly, masking her discomfort. It was Lexie who responded, her words jumbled and rushed.

"I know you don't really know me very well, but I came specifically to see you because you're the only one I can trust right now in my situation, and you don't live near Mark and you have an obligation to keep my secret and not tell him until I'm ready, and I'm scared, and I need you to help me and—" Meredith cut her off by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Lexie needs prenatal care." Was all Meredith told Addison. Shock took over Addison's face as she took in everything that was said.

"Lexie is pregnant with Mark's baby and hasn't told him yet and came to ME to do her prenatal care?"

Lexie and Meredith both nodded.

Addison laughed hard for a second before she said, "Come on back, Grey."

/

Addison came up from under the curtain covering Lexie. "Everything looks good down here. We just need to do the ultrasound to check where I can't." Lexie nodded, curious to find out more about her unborn child. Addison set up the machinery, and squirted gel onto the wand. She placed the cool gel onto Lexie's stomach, moving it around gently, trying to locate the child. After a minute of so, she spoke.

"Oh, I found it. Look here." She said pointing at the monitor. "That's the head." She pointed to other various features to Lexie. After a while, she said, "It appears you are around twenty weeks. I'm amazed you aren't showing at all."

Lexie gasped. The baby was already 20 weeks? She tried to remember symptoms of being pregnant. No cravings, no weight gain, no sickness…wait. That flu earlier could have been pregnancy sickness.

"I can tell you the sex, if you want. If I can find it. It's late enough into the pregnancy." Lexie nodded. Of course she wanted to know. For a few minutes, Addison maneuvered the wand with skill to find what she needed. After a while, she smiled, and stopped moving it.

"Ready to know?" She asked. Lexie took a deep breath.

"Yes. I'm ready."

Addison smiled and said, "David, Sam, Eli, Joshua…you have tons of names to consider when you're naming your baby boy." Lexie couldn't help but smile. She had a tiny Mark inside her. After a moment, her smile faded, and she turned very pale.

"Lex, you ok?" Meredith asked her. Lexie just nodded.

"You'll need to come back in another 5 to 6 weeks for another appointment, ok?" Addison asked tenderly. Lexie, again, only nodded. "Meredith, can I have a moment alone with Lexie?" Meredith agreed, and vacated the small examination room.

"Lexie, is there something you want to talk about? That you don't feel like you can talk to Meredith about?" Addison asked, concerned.

"I trust Meredith. I do. But I don't trust her to not talk to Derek. And I don't trust him to not talk to Mark. I'm surprised she has kept the secret so long." Lexie said, soft and fast. Addison smile gently.

"Lexie, I'm here. I'm obligated to not tell anyone, and I think I'm a pretty decent person. You can talk to me. Bottling things up causes tons of stress, which is bad for the baby. Talk to me." Addison said, placing her hand on Lexie's leg, comfortingly.

"Lexie took a deep breath, and answered. "I'm not ready for this. I can't…I can't have a baby. Not now, not with Mark, not with anyone. I left Mark because he wanted his daughter to live with us. What am I supposed to do with a BABY? I just c-an't handle it." She said, her words breaking at the end. She started to softly cry. Addison stood up and walked over to her. She wrapped the younger woman in her arms, and stroked her hair softly. After crying for a bit, Lexie pulled away.

"Damn hormones." She cursed.

/

"Hey, you can come back in now." Addison told Meredith as she leaned out the door. Both ladies walked back into the room together, where Lexie was sitting up on the table, nose running, eyes red and puffy.

:Ok, now that you're both together again, I need to ask you two where we stand." Addison inquired.

"Well…" Meredith started.

"You and Meredith, I don't know. But what I do know is that me and you…we need to be friends. I need someone who understands Mark to help me. I need to talk on the phone with you, and you have to be willing to help me and comfort me and cry with me or this won't work. Most of all I need to be able to trust you to not tell Mark. That is where you and I stand." Lexie let Addison know exactly what she was thinking.

There was silence in the room as Addison let this sink in. Slowly, she nodded. "Of course." She said, her voice cracking on the first word. She was nervous, sure. But this young woman, so young, basically a child compared to Addison and Meredith, needed her help. And she would give it to her. "Definitely." She added confidently. "What about you, Meredith?"

"Just…tell me if anything goes bad, and don't keep anything from me. Lexie is my only family, really, I'd like to keep her here." She said honestly. Lexie smiled at the clear concern her sister had for her. Tears sprung into her eyes, threatening to spill.

"I promise. I will do that." Addison assured Meredith. All three ladies smiled. Meredith grabbed Lexie's hand.

"This will work out. I know it will." She said softly to her sister. Addison walked over, and added her hand to the stack.

"I will make sure of it." She said, adding onto what Meredith said. Lexie's tears finally fell as the realization that this would be ok hit her. She could make it through. The two ladies clutching her hand would be the ones to make it possible.