Hey everybody. First of all, thank you for all of the amazing reviews! I love them! Anyway, just wanted to say hi. I really liked writing this next chapter. It explores the Meredith/Alex friendship a little bit, which I found really fun to do. Hope you enjoy!
As soon as Christina fell asleep, Meredith slipped out of the bedroom. Burke looked up at her hopefully. She smiled at him and took a few steps toward where he sat on the couch, with a book open in his lap. "She's fine," Meredith told him. "Sad, but fine."
Burke nodded and bowed his head slightly, closing his book and shifting in his seat. "Did she ask for me?" he asked.
Meredith shook her head. "She was really tired."
"Right, of course," Burke said, sitting back. "You heading home?"
Meredith nodded and began to backup towards the door. "Yeah," she said. "I'm pretty tired."
"Okay," Burke said, smiling slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow."
xxx
Meredith walked into her house and shut the door quietly. She looked into the living room, but no one was there. She then walked upstairs and found Derek in bed, reading. "Hey," she said, taking off her shoes and jacket and climbing into the bed beside him.
"Hey," he said, wrapping his arm around her. "How's Christina?"
"Her mom died," Meredith said quietly.
Derek looked down at her. "That's horrible."
"Yeah," Meredith said, glancing up at him. "It is."
xxx
Christina awoke in the middle of the night alone. For a second she forgot what had happened and wondered where Burke was. Then she remembered. She sat up in bed and stared at the bedroom door, which was slightly open. I miss him, she suddenly thought to herself. The thought startled her slightly, but was oddly comforting. It was nice to realize herself that she truly loved him.
She slid off the bed. The floor felt cold on her bare feet as she walked on tiptoe over to the door and opened it quietly. He was asleep on the couch, a book open across his chest. She walked over and sat cross-legged on the floor beside him. She reached out and traced his jaw line softly. He opened his eyes and looked her. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly, not moving.
She folded her hands in her lap and looked down. "I missed you," she told him, glancing up at his face. His expression was somewhere along the lines of relieved.
"I missed you," he said. She smiled faintly, as her eyes filled with tears. "C'mere," he said when he saw her tear stained face.
She stood up and lay down alongside of him on the sofa, resting her head on his chest. "I'm sorry I was bitch," she said.
"I forgive you," he said.
"I guess when your mom dies you get major sympathy points," she said.
"Guess so," he said, leaning down and kissing her on the forehead.
"I'm gonna be sad for a while," Christina said.
"Okay," Burke answered in a whisper. "Okay."
xxx
Meredith couldn't sleep. Which was really annoying, because she was utterly exhausted. She turned and looked at Derek, sleeping peacefully with his arm slung across her stomach. Slowly, she slid out from under his arm and off the bed. She tiptoed across the room and out the door, grabbing her robe on her way out.
She walked into the kitchen and switched on the light, wrapping her robe tighter around her. She walked over to the fridge and opened it, examining its contents. Nothing caught her eye so she just grabbed a glass and filled it up under the tap. She took a long slow drink, letting the cool water run down her throat, soothing her slightly and…
"Jesus Christ!" Meredith yelled, spilling her water all over the floor as the kitchen door banged open. She turned and saw Alex walk in towards the fridge. "Holy crap, Alex, you scared me!"
"Sorry," he grunted. "Couldn't sleep either?"
"No," Meredith said, grabbing a towel and mopping up the spilt water. She stood up and threw the towel in the sink, leaning back against the counter and bowing her head. Alex glanced up at her.
"You okay?" he asked.
Meredith opened her eyes and looked up at him. "I'm exhausted," she told him.
"I thought you said you couldn't sleep?" Alex said, grabbing the orange juice out of the fridge and walking over next to her.
"I know, it sucks," Meredith said. Alex chuckled beside her, filling a glass and taking a sip.
"Probably hormones or something," Alex said, walking over and sitting on a stool.
"That seems to be the answer to everything lately," Meredith said, letting out a sigh.
"Sorry," Alex said.
"No," Meredith replied. "Don't be. It's probably true." She looked away from him and subconsciously rubbed her stomach.
"Are you scared?" Alex said suddenly.
Meredith turned and looked at him carefully. "Of what?"
"Being a mother."
Meredith closed her eyes for second and her lips curved into a faint smile. "Kind of," she said honestly.
"I couldn't do it."
"Be a mother? I hope not."
Alex smiled slightly. "I mean, be a parent. I would be horrible at it."
Meredith couldn't help but smiling at him. "No, I don't buy that," she told him. "I think you would be good at it."
Alex looked at her like a child asking for reassurance. "You think so?"
"You would be the cool dad," Meredith said. "The one that coached little league and took his kids on camping trips."
Alex nodded his head slowly, a distant look in his eye. "That doesn't sound so bad."
Meredith laughed. "See? You'd be a good dad." Alex nodded. "Hey, why the sudden anxiety?"
Alex shook his head. "No reason." He finished off his orange juice and got up, walking over to Meredith and putting it in the sink next to her. "You tired yet?"
Meredith frowned. "No."
"You want to watch TV or something?" Alex asked, motioning towards the living room.
Meredith nodded. "Okay."
They walked outside and sat down on the couch. Alex picked up the clicker and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels. He finally settled on a hospital show. "This okay?" he asked, turning towards Meredith.
"Yeah," Meredith said. "It's fine." She settled back against the cushions and rested her hands on her stomach, smiling to herself.
xxx
Alex turned and found that Meredith had fallen asleep next to him. He smiled faintly and got up, walking upstairs. He walked to Meredith's room and knocked on the door softly. He could so the faint outline of Derek as he sat up in bed. "Hello?" he said, his voice hoarse from sleep.
"Hey," Alex said. "Just wanted to tell you that Meredith is asleep on the couch. Thought you might want to save her from a serious neck-crick in the morning."
Derek rubbed his eyes and looked at Alex strangely. "How did she get on the couch?"
"We both couldn't sleep," Alex explained.
Derek nodded his head. "Oh." Alex waved slightly and turned to go. "Thanks!" Derek called after him, before getting up and walking downstairs.
He found Meredith on the couch and smiled. He walked over and scooped her up in his arms. She opened her eyes slightly. "Hey," she said softly.
"Hey," Derek answered, making his way up the staircase.
"How did you know I was down there?" Meredith said softly, resting her head on his chest.
"Alex told me," Derek said.
Meredith smiled faintly. "He isn't that bad, you know."
Derek smiled and kissed her on top of the forehead. "I know," he said. Meredith smiled again, closing her eyes as Derek laid her on the bed and climbed in behind her, pulling her against his body. "I love you, you know."
"I know," Meredith replied before falling asleep.