Chapter 4: We have to tell you something

"Hi Mark, Lexie, come in! Meredith is on her way, she forgot something."

Derek took their guests jackets and led them into the living room. They sat down and while Derek was serving the drinks, Meredith came in.

Lexie stood up and greeted her. "Hey sis! You look beautiful! Have you done something with you make-up? "

"Oh no, I'm just in a happy mood." She laughed: "Even I am sometimes in such a mood."

Derek and Meredith had planned to tell the news once they were all seated. So, they were a bit nervous, and nervousness hadn't got a very good influence on Meredith.

When she brought her drink – non-alcoholic off course- she dropped it. "Oh, what am I doing?"

Derek jumped up, maybe a little too enthusiastic, and said: " I'll clean it up, Mer and I'll get you a new one."

Mark and Lexie looked at each other with a face that said: 'What's going on?'.

They only had to wait 15 minutes to tell the news, but it were the hardest minutes of their lives. Usually it was so very easy to talk with Mark and Lexie, but today they hadn't any idea.

"Dinner's ready!"

While everybody was serving themselves, Meredith started talking.

"Well.. we let you come here for a special reason."

"Oh, we hadn't figured that out yet.", interrupted Mark with a blink.

She took Derek's hand. "Yeah… we are a bit nervous to tell it. It's important news for us."

Derek couldn't take it anymore and just popped it out: " We are expecting a baby!"

And, boy, faces of both couples were fan-tas-tic! Derek smiled his magic smile, Meredith was looking proud an very happy – well… the happiest that dark and twisty Meredith could look like. Lexie was looking so excited, it was like she was pregnant herself and Mark was the first to speak again. "Aaah… damn it, now I can't flirt with you again!" With that icebreaker, the felicitations started. Mark gave Derek a 'good job'-look and hugged. Lexie was talking high because of the excitement. "Wow, sis, that's great! How long do you know this? When is your due date? How are you feeling?"

Meredith took all the time to answer these questions. Mark wasn't that interested in those girls things, so the guys were going to sit in the sitting-room.

"I hadn't expect that kind of news, man! I've always thought you would have children first, but not so soon.", Mark said. "Yeah, it was a surprise for us also, but I am… so happy, Mark. Everyone always says that being a dad affects you more than you think, and I have to agree… It does. But I guess you have to experience that by yourself."

Mark looked to the ground, talking about feelings wasn't his strongest side. "That's right. I don't know if Addison told this to you, but… she aborted my baby."

Derek jumped out of his chair. "She had an abortion!"

"Yes, she did… a few months after you left. I didn't want her to do that, but she only said she wanted your baby, not mine."

Derek was already seated again. He laid his hand on Mark's shoulder. "I am sorry, mate, I didn't know that." His face looked apologetic.

"That's life, but, I just wanted you to know that: I know how it feels to have your girlfriend expecting a baby."

Back to the happy ones in the house: Meredith and Lexie.

"I am still not used to the idea that I'm going to be a mom and Derek a dad. It is so weird…"

Lexie looked worried. "But you are happy, though?"

"Off course! I have never been more sure about something: Derek, me and our baby." When she said this last word, she caressed her belly.

"Can you see it already? That your pregnant?". She looked over the table and Meredith stood up. "I don't know", she said doubtfully, "Now I know I'm pregnant, I am starting to realize all the signs I hadn't noticed before today."

"And you really have no idea about how long?", her sister asked.

"Not too long I guess, maybe a month, or two. It's stupid, isn't it? I'm a doctor, I see pregnant women all the time, and I don't see it when I'm pregnant myself." She looked confused, doubting about herself.

"But you didn't expect this Mer, I think it's quite normal. It's not like you're already due next month!"

They hugged and returned to their boys.

"So, are you girls done with your baby talk?", Mark asked with his rough and unbelievable sexy voice.

Since Meredith knew that Derek wasn't capable of being quiet about the baby for longer than a minute, she started laughing. Lexie knew what she meant. "And Derek and you probably talked all the time about cool, macho man stuff?"

Meanwhile, Derek stood up and was already standing behind Meredith. He didn't have a clue how to withhold this news for a few more weeks.

"I think we'll give you two, well three actually, some time alone, ey?" Lexie asked, watching Mark for some support. "Yeah, indeed. You have a lot to talk about. And actually, it was enough baby stuff for me today", he blinked.

And they said goodbye.