And here is chapter ten! There has indeed been yet another time jump. Don't worry. You missed nothing but cravings and sore feet. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say it? I don't own Grey's...

"Are you awake?" Meredith whispered to Derek's sleeping form. Just as she'd hoped, she received no response. She got out of bed as quietly and as gracefully as her enormous stomach would allow, and tiptoed downstairs for an early morning snack of caramel ice cream and… Cheerios?

Well, whatever works.

She watched the red numbers on the microwave tick slowly by: 4:53… 4:54… The ice cream was cold down her throat. She felt the baby stir and rested a hand on the top of her belly. She was an incredibly restless person these days. She hadn't been working for the past month and a half, mainly because the hospital wouldn't let her. In theory though, just two more weeks and she'd be back at work.

"You know, Meredith, usually not having to be at work bright and early means people sleep in," Derek asked, pulling up a chair at the table. He was quite the sight in the morning, as always. His usually perfect hair sticking up at all angles.

"I was hungry," she shrugged. She knew the 'eating for two' thing really wasn't true… but she still milked it for all it was worth. The baby stirred again, "She's moving around," Meredith took Derek's hand and placed it slightly to the left of her belly button.

"It's a girl this morning?" Derek teased, "I seem to recall that last week you were so sure it was a boy." His face lit up as he felt the baby move, just like it always did.

Meredith childishly stuck her tongue out at her fiancé and took another bite of ice cream. Derek just shook his head, "I can't see how Cheerios would be good with ice cream," he sighed, "They'd get all hard, wouldn't they?"

"Yes," Meredith replied, "but then they melt in your mouth and are all sweet and caramel-y." Derek tried one. She was right.

"Well, I'd better get going. I have to be at the hospital at 6:30."

"Ok," Meredith stood up too, "I'm going back to bed."

"Goodnight, crazy lady," he kissed her forehead.

"Have a good day," she called over her shoulder.

---

Around 10:00, a sharp pain suddenly shook Meredith awake. After the first brief moment of panic, she took a breath and tried to remember who wasn't working today. She'd leave ambulances for emergencies. George. It was George's day off.

She reached over and picked up the phone. It rang four times before George picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi George, it's Meredith."

"Oh, hey Meredith," he smiled, "I was just on my way out the door. Can I call you back in a couple of hours?"

"Um… well, I was kind of wondering if you could come pick me up and take me to the hospital."

"Meredith," George shook his head, "They told you not to come in until you had your baby."

"Well, that's kind of why I'm asking you to pick me up," she laughed.

Suddenly flustered, George replied sharply, "Well why didn't you say so? I'll be over right away!"

"No hurry. I think I'm going to have a shower," she said thoughtfully, "And I have to pack my bag."

"Ok. See you in a bit."

It was nice, all of your friends being doctors, and not at all panicky about the baby coming RIGHT NOW and Meredith really appreciated this. Her heart was beating fast enough with the mixed emotions of anticipation and dread. Was she really capable of doing this? Well, she'd find out soon enough.

"Hey," George called when he let himself in the door twenty minutes later.

"Hi George," Meredith's voice floated down from her room. He took the stairs and let himself in her room. She was leaning over a backpack, breathing hard.

"You ok?"

"Fine now," she stood up, forcing herself to smile.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure," Meredith closed the zipper.

"Let me take that," George said chivalrously.

"Thanks," for once, Meredith didn't protest. They made their way downstairs and into the car. Halfway to the hospital, Meredith gripped the side of the seat and grimaced. It passed quickly.

"I'm going to drop you off in emerg," George told Meredith as he pulled into the parking lot.

"Aw, George, the ER interns are idiots. Can't we just go straight in?"

"Well, you're a patient right now… not a doctor…"

"George."

"Ok, fine."

Derek was just checking up on a patient when his pager went off. He went to the nearest nurses' station, and they sent him to the waiting room down the hall. When he got there, he saw George sitting with Meredith, rubbing her back. He broke into a run.

"Meredith! What are you doing here? Is it time?"

"No, I just felt like hanging out here," Meredith smiled. "Of course, Derek."

"Well, let's go! I'll tell the chief to get someone else to cover my rounds. Let's go!"

---

"Hello, Meredith," a familiar voice sounded from the door. Meredith looked towards the voice. She was shocked by what she saw. Curly red hair cascaded down the woman's shoulders.

"Addison," Meredith turned to Derek, "Addison?"

"I was going to tell you…"

"Well, it's a nice thing to find out about now! Dammit Derek!" she hit her head on the pillow. He didn't tell her that his ex-wife was back in town. It's not exactly something you forget about.

"Hello, I'm right here," Addison waved at the bickering couple.

Derek hadn't been able to believe that Addison was back. She'd arrived last week when their replacement neonatal surgeon had retired. He hadn't actually spoken to her, but they both knew she would come back eventually. When they'd returned to New York, they'd only taken a leave of absence from Seattle Grace. Derek prayed that she wouldn't come back. It would be very awkward, and he knew it.

And now, here they all were. The love of his life was in labour, and his ex-wife was going to deliver his child. The twisted, twisted world they lived in, "Mer, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you, I was just waiting for the right time."

"This is most definitely not the right – ahh!" a particularly strong contraction cut her off, "I really don't like you right now," Meredith glared at Derek as the pain subsided.

"You have no idea how often I hear that one," Addison rolled her eyes. Meredith and Derek both just stared at her, "What? It's true."

Derek shook his head, "Addison, do whatever you have to do, and then please, do us all a favour and leave."

Without a word, Addison came over and examined Meredith, "A couple more hours at least. I'll be back to check on you later."

"I cannot believe that you didn't tell me," Meredith repeated in a low voice.

"Meredith, it's not something I wanted to even be true. She's back. I was kind of hoping never to have to see her again."

"So you avoided the subject. If you didn't tell me, it wasn't going to go away. All it's succeeded in doing is making me cranky."

"Meredith, I'm sorry. But now we know. Everyone knows that Addison is back. And look at the bright side. She's one of the best. You're in good hands, whether or not it feels like it."

Meredith gave him a look. She knew what he said was true, and she also know that he didn't truly believe what he said. Finally she sighed, "Well whatever. I don't really want to think about Addison while I'm having your child. Our child," unwillingly, she smiled.

Derek reached over and brushed a strand of hair off her face, "Our child."

---

"Alright, Meredith, I need you to push," Addison's voice came soothingly into Meredith's consciousness, "One more, this is the last one."

"Come on Mer, you can do this," Derek held her hand and allowed her to squeeze it, without so much as grimacing as she crushed it. She was remarkably strong for someone so small, he realized.

A contraction gripped Meredith, and as the final wave of pain washed over her she let out a quiet scream. A tiny wail split the sound of the room as the newest member of the world fought for its first breath. Pink and slippery, and frankly quite ugly, Meredith looked upon her baby as the most beautiful thing in the world.

"Would you like to cut the cord, Derek?" Addison asked. His eyes met Addison's for a brief moment, and then he happily obliged, and an intern took the baby away to be cleaned off and wrapped up.

Addison couldn't help but think that he was so incredibly happy. She had never seen him this happy in all their years of marriage, and regretfully wondered why she hadn't been able to give him this happiness. Right, she remembered, it was because she wasn't Meredith Grey.

"Congratulations, Meredith," she forced a smile, trying to be happy for them, "You have a healthy baby girl. Six pounds, five ounces. She's small, but she'll be just fine," she said as she handed the tiny baby to an exhausted Meredith, and stepped backwards out of the room.

"Thank you," Derek said sincerely. Addison smiled as she shut the door.

"Derek," Meredith said hoarsely as the nurses slowly left the room, "look at what we did." The baby had stopped crying almost as soon as she had touched Meredith's chest.

"It was all you, babe," he said as he kissed her forehead, "She's beautiful."

"She has your eyes."

"Do you know what you want to name her?"

"I thought I'd let you."

Derek smiled. He had a favourite name, "Kamila?" he asked, "It means 'perfect'."

Meredith nodded, "How 'bout Rae as a middle name? It means 'grace'. I think it's fitting, seeing as she will probably see a lot of this place in the future. For visiting her parents only," she said, seeing the look on Derek's face. "Her last name should be Shepherd. I'm going to take it soon myself, and it would be strange for her to have my last name when I don't have it anymore."

"Kamila Rae Shepherd." Derek tried out his daughter's name, "I think its 'perfect'," he said happily.

"Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course," he took the tiny pink bundle from her arms. "Welcome to the world, Kamila Rae."

---

You cannot allow the presence of someone not wanted to ruin a perfectly good moment. Take a breath, and allow the bad feelings to leave you. Allowing the other person to ruin your day is allowing them to win. You can't invite the unhappiness in. Set your differences aside, and enjoy the moment, regardless of unwanted presences.

Maybelline