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Chapter Four

Parent Talk

It wasn't that Meredith Shepherd was oblivious to the fact that her daughter was close to Nathan Sloan. He had become a regular fixture at their Shepherd home ever since Meredith could remember. Yes, Nathan was handsome and she could see how a teenage girl could like him and she supposed that she always thought Lily would never fall under a Sloan's power. It wasn't that Nathan wasn't a good boy. He was in his own little way…well if you ignore the time he convinced Lily to go out and drink on her sixteenth birthday, or the time he convinced Lily to take the car and drive to the lake when she was thirteen. Meredith was still mad about that car being ruined. When Lily tried shifting into neutral to save gas she accidently put the car in reverse and the engine ripped out. She had been so upset and Nathan just laughed. But he wasn't all that bad. When she was out of school from strep throat he had come to the house every day after school to cheer her up. And when Slutty Hames told everyone at school about Lily getting her period, Nathan snuck into the principal's office and announced over the intercom that Sally was on the market and on birth control pills for her period cramps. And he does bring out the fun side in her. He helps her to be brave and she helps him be kind. Still, if Lily really did have feelings for Nathan like Meredith had just heard, Nathan could easily hurt Lily who was so much like her father, so open and honest.

Meredith walked up the stairs to her bedroom where she found her husband of eighteen years reading in their king sized bed. He looked as handsome as ever in his white tee and light blue boxers. "What's up sexy?" She asked playfully. Derek marked his book and put it on the table next to him.

"Nothing hot stuff," Derek teased, "It's getting late. Is Gwen spending the night?"

"No I think she has a meet tomorrow so she should be gone soon. Scream 2 is coming to its inevitably bloody end."

"Sounds like fun." Derek said sarcastically. "I never could get into scary movies. So what's up Mer? You have that 'I know something' look on your face."

"No I don't." Meredith insisted. Her husband looked at her questioningly. "I have a 'I'm not quite sure what's going on' look on my face."

"Hmm." Derek mused, "Would you like to talk it out?"

"No. I think this is a mother daughter type thing. I let you know when I know more."

"Is it a prom problem," Derek asked, "because I think all my fears went away when I found out Lily was going to go with Gwen. You have no idea how good it feels for me as a father to not have to worry about my little girl being fondled on prom night." Meredith laughed.

"It's not a prom problem." She assured, "It's a mixed up feelings thing and I'm good at those seeing as I've been through more than my share so I'll talk to her when Gwen leaves."

"Okay. I trust you. Your better with these girl situations anyways."

"Did you hear that?" Meredith asked. She didn't wait for an answer. She was sure that she had head Gwen's car door slam and the engine turn on. She left her husband to his reading and made her way to the stairs passing Jackson's room. She came down slowly trying to think of what to say. Her mind was still blank when she saw her daughter on the couch watching some standup comedian with fixed eyes and a smile on her full lips. "How was movie night?" She asked taking a seat next to her daughter.

"Kind of heavy," Lily replied resting her head on her mother's shoulder, "mom, does it get any easier? Life I mean. When you get past high school and college and you get settled down is it any easier?"

"I don't really know to be honest." Meredith told her daughter, "for me getting older got me more responsibilities, more homework, more heart break, but then I got your dad and I had you and Jack. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it."

"I know you heard mom." Lily said softly. "I heard you gasp and then go up stairs. You're not very subtle."

"So are you in love with him?" Meredith asked stroking her daughter's long hair.

"I don't know mom." Lily told her. "I know that I love him because he's my best friend and even though he can be a complete ass sometimes… he's the only one who can make me laugh when I feel like crying. It's just so complicated. I just wish we could be five again playing hide and go seek around the house."

"Oh sweetie," Meredith said hugging her daughter fiercely, "everything will work it's self out. I promise."

888

When Nathan arrived home he found his father on the couch with a bottle of Budweiser in his hand and a blank stare upon his face. It wasn't uncommon for Nathan to see his father with a beer every once in a while, but he could count on one hand how many times he had seen Mark Sloan drunk.

"Have you ever been in love Nate?" Mark asked his only child. Nathan turned around at the sound of his father's voice. The teen was surprised that his father even knew he was there what with his current state. Nathan made his way over to the couch and took a seat.

"I don't think I have been dad."

"I was. I still am. Nathan if you find it never let it go."

"How did you know you were in love? Was it instantaneous?" Nathan asked curiously.

"No. It came on subtly. I could be myself with her and at the same time I wanted to be better for her. She could always make me laugh and even when she made me stark raving mad I still wanted to be around her…then I blew it."

"It sounds nice, but you don't have to worry about me ending up alone. I'll marry Lily when I'm done with my wild stage." Nathan teased trying to lighten the mood.

"I know you're joking, but Lily won't be waiting for you to marry her." Mark said soberly, "in case you haven't noticed, the pretty little girl you grew up with is now an insanely beautiful young woman and you're into the 'sexy' girls right now and you still see her as your best friend, but Lily is a classic beauty that guys can only dream about and she's smart as hell. I'm surprised she's not dating anyone yet."

"Well Wesley the wanker wants to 'dance' with her at prom." Nathan said grudgingly. "But anyway who is this girl you're in love with dad?"

"Lexi Grey."

"What's the problem? Go get her."

a/n- I'm back from Florida! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Review please!