"Richard, I need to talk to her alone. Can you watch them?" Christina said as Richard walked up. She had been waiting for him outside his office.
"What's wrong, Christina?" Richard said with concern in his eyes.
"We have to talk about it later." She passed Aubrey to him. "We'll come find you when we're done."
He nodded still confused. "Just make sure she's okay."
"I will." She watched as he walked away before knocking on the door. When she didn't hear anything, she pushed the door open. Meredith was pacing the room, in tears, and mumbling things to herself. "Meredith?"
Meredith glanced at her. "I think I'm going to throw up." Before Christina could say anything, she ran to the trashcan and emptied her stomach. Christina crouched down beside her and rubbed her back. When she was finished, she fell back as tears continued to fall from her eyes. "He can't be here. No. He can't." She cried.
Christina brought her into her arms to try and comfort her. There were very few time and very few people Christina would hug. But she knew that Meredith needed her.
"Sh… It's okay." She whispered.
"He's not supposed to be here."
"I know. We can get through this. Like we get through everything else. We can do this."
They stayed in the room not talking but just sat there for nearly an hour as Meredith cried. Christina tried to comfort her and the whole time was thinking. "Oh god, what do we do now? What would I do? What if this were Burke?"
"Isn't it ironic that all these years Dad has had the father of my children… the man that I fell in love with years ago, working for him all this time?" Meredith said after a long silence and tears had dried up.
"He never knew?"
"Nope… I never told him. He knew that someone with the last name Sloan obviously, but… never his first name."
"And the kids?"
"I don't know, Chris…We should… go find Dad."
"Are you going to be okay?"
"No, but I'm not too okay anymore these days." She answered as Christina helped her up. "I just want to see my kids."
"Come on, Mer. Let's go fine Richard. But get your sunglasses. We don't need any rumors going around the hospital before we even start working here."
Meredith smiled light. "You're always looking out for me."
"Are you kidding? I'm looking out for myself. What would happen to my reputation if everyone thought my person was a cry-baby?" Meredith giggled a little bit despite herself and put on her sunglasses.
"Thank you, Chris."
"Don't worry about it."
Meredith stopped before they made it out the door. "Do you think he recognized me?"
"I don't know, Mer."
She kept her eyes low as she walked through the hospital. As they turned a corner, she ran into something firm causing her to stumble back a little.
"Sorry." She mumbled still keeping her head low.
"No, it's fine." Mark said with a cocky smirk. Christina looked between the two. He stared down at the other doctor. "Do I know you from somewhere? What did you say your name was?"
"I, ah, have to go." With that she and Christina hurried away with Mark watching her the whole way. "Oh god."
"He doesn't know who you are. He just might recognize from… somewhere."
"Christina, this is bad."
"You have change since you've seen him last right? I mean in appearance."
"Yeah… I mean. Some. But Chris… I can't do this. I have too much to deal with."
"I know."
It was true. Meredith had enough on her mind not to deal with him. Christina had watched her fall once because of Mark Sloan. She wasn't about to let him crush her again.
They found Aubrey, Nicky, and Richard in the cafeteria haven just finished eating. They were inside this time which Meredith was silently thankful for. She wasn't sure if anyone had seen Nicky if they would have known or seen the resemblance.
"Hey, Sweetie." Meredith said as she picked up her son. "Have you got the call?" She asked her stepfather.
"Mer, are you okay?" He asked with a voice of concern.
"I don't want to talk about it right now. Have you gotten the call yet?"
"No not yet. She'll be her soon."
"Guess what, Mama. Guess what, Meredith." Aubrey said in an excited voice.
"What?" Both mothers answered at the same time.
"Grandpa said that he might take us to the zoo soon."
"And there will be monkeys…and… and tigers." Nicky said with a huge smile.
"Sounds like a lot of fun." Meredith said kissing her son's forehead.
"Can Allie come?" Aubrey asked.
Christina and Richard glanced at Meredith before back at the kids. "I don't know, Aubbs." Christina answered sadly. "We'll see when that time comes."
"I miss Allie being able to play with us… Remember, Mommy, when Allie and I played with bubbles, and Allie blew that huge bubble?" He said enthusiastically.
"I sure do, Buddy." Meredith sniffled straining not cry.
"Come on, guys. Let's go check out the daycare." Richard offered.
