Today she was sore. Derek made her take a time out from the party things. Even though it was just going to be their family she wanted Avery's third birthday to be nice. It was her back's fault. Derek saw her wince and that was it, now his mother took over everything. Avery was taking her nap in the playroom while her and Derek laid on the couch in the living room.
"I'm not an invalid." She sighed against his neck.
"I know that." He smiled turning is head to kiss her.
"Then why are you making me lie down and do nothing?" She pouted.
"Because I love laying down and doing nothing with you."
"That's a lie."
"What is?" he asked curious.
"You don't love doing nothing with me you definitely love doing something with me." She giggled as she shifted to straddle him.
"As much as I love doing something with you… we have a three year-old in the next room and… my mother in the kitchen." He breathed as she sucked on his neck. His hands instantly going to her hips.
"Porny thoughts, Derek… You're turning me down?" she asked in disbelief raising an eyebrow.
"Not turning you down more like taking a rain check." He smiled running his hand up the hem of her now tight t-shirt.
"You're teasing me." She moaned.
"You've been teasing me with the t-shirt and shorts all afternoon."
"That's not teasing… I'm comfortable." She nodded kissing him quickly.
"Whatever you say." He chuckled while his phone beeped.
"I got it." Meredith grinned wickedly leaning above him to grab his phone off the end table.
"Mean." He grumbled as she handed him his phone.
"What?" she asked innocently.
"You meant to put your boobs in my face." He frowned glaring at her.
"Derek, that's inappropriate I would never do that with your mother in the kitchen." She said shocked while a giggle escaped her lips. She watched him sigh as he read the text Mark sent him.
"I have to go to the store." He sighed.
"Why?"
"There's a problem with the cake."
"But I don't want you to go." She said shimming down slightly and wrapped her arms around him.
"It will be quick." He promised giving her a quick kiss and was surprised when she deepened it. "I need to get up." He breathed.
"I don't think you have a problem with that." She giggled.
"Mer, I think I like pregnancy hormones." He chuckled shifting her gently off of him.
"You would." She giggled,
"I'll be back." He nodded hurry out the room.
"Okay." She sighed. It was his idea to lay on the couch. They were having fun and then Mark had to ruin it with a cake crisis. It wasn't fair. She heard a faint knock at the door. The smile she had earlier grew.
"I knew you couldn't stay away from porny thoughts." She said finally freezing in the doorway.
"Porny thoughts… Is that how your late mother taught you to answer a door?" the man replied smoothly.
"Gabe…Gabriel." Meredith choked out.
"The one and only, darling." He grinned, but it faltered slightly when he gave her a once over look. Her hair was in its usual messy ponytail that he was use to seeing. She had a tight black t-shirt, but the one thing he didn't expect to see was now just screaming at him. She was pregnant and the hand she was running over her stomach had a massive piece of hardware on it.
"Wh…What are you doing here?" she whispered.
"If you didn't know today is our daughters birthday." He said snidely.
"I know what today is." She snapped as her hands went to her hips to stand in defense.
"Oh did I strike a chord or is it just the pregnancy hormones?" Gabriel smirked leaning in the doorway.
"You have no right…" she started, but he cut her off.
"I have no right? I'm finding this a brilliant, Meredith… You leave home for six months and have managed to get yourself knocked-up. This is the kind of environment you want Avery surrounded in? Really, I never thought you would be this irresponsible." He hissed.
"What's so irresponsible about this situation?"
"The fact that you are carrying a strangers child… you can't be more than five months pregnant. You slept with someone as soon as you arrived here. You brought a stranger around our child." He said venomously.
"My husband isn't a stranger." She said as the words tumbled out of her mouth. It wasn't a complete lie her and Derek were engaged.
"Husband?" he yelled in question.
"Yes as in the man I share a name with and will spend the rest of my life with." She yelled back.
"I actually never thought you would ever be so stupid."
"How does being married make me stupid? I am happy… Avery is happy. I would never do anything that wasn't in her best interest… that would damage her." She hissed. He was making her furious. Thinking she was putting her happiness before Avery's.
"He is probably in this for the money." He accused.
"Oh yes, he is in this for the money especially since he makes millions a year."
"Millions?" he scoffed. "Here in Seattle?"
"He's a world renowned surgeon." She snapped matter-of-factly.
"You of all people should know that surgeon's don't have families… they're never around… Ellis is the perfect example of that. I can't believe you've dragged Avery and another innocent life into this." He berated her. Just as she was about to fight back the sound of little feet padding on the hardwood floor came from the living room.
"Mommy? Daddy?" Avery called running out into the hallway she froze.
"Looks like someone is happy to see her daddy." He grinned crouching down to his daughters level. Avery just looked at him hiding behind Meredith's leg.
"Gabriel…" Meredith said quietly knowing the war that would soon be unleashed.
"Ducky? What's wrong?" he frowned when she hid further behind her mother.
"I want daddy…" she whimpered looking up at Meredith with pleading eyes.
"I'm daddy." He hissed.
"Mommy…" she cried as tears rolled down her little cheeks.
"He went to help Uncle Mark get your princess cake, baby." She whispered wiping Avery's tears away.
"Meredith she can't possibly call this man daddy… I can't believe you are pulling something like this… brainwashing her." He said loudly still trying to savor what control he had left.
"I didn't brainwash her… she sees you for the monster you truly are." She yelled pulling Avery's little body closer to her.
"Meredith, what's going on out here?" Grace asked concerned.
"Grace Shepherd?" he said in shock.
"Gabriel." She nodded.
"Nana…" Avery whimpered sticking out her arms.
"Nana?" Gabriel asked confused, but then the look on his face showed that it all finally clicked. "You married Derek!" he fumed.