I walked through the front door of me & Mark's flat and grimaced at the mess. I hadn't been home in at least a week and his shit was everywhere. Dishes were piled up in the sink, his presumably dirty clothes were strung up and down the hallways, he had takeout pizza boxes stacked on our coffee table & the smell was God awful. I couldn't believe the damage he had done in only a week, well actually I could. I've lived with Mark for years and it's never been a secret that I was the one to enforce cleanliness.
"What are you doing here?" Mark said coming out of his bedroom clad in just a pair of boxers. He must have heard me come in and grimace at our place.
"I live here" I replied with an eyeroll making my way past his crap and over to the fridge. I assessed it. A pizza box and at least 20 beers.
"Oh? I was under the impression that you moved in with Meredith and her friends." He stated with a tiny twinge of hurt evident in his tone. I turned to look at him and saw his arms crossed with a scowl. I couldn't help but find it amusing.
"Awh, are you lonely?" I asked him with a laugh
"No. I'm not lonely. It just would have been nice to receive a little communication from my best friend on his whereabouts."
"Are you seriously lecturing me on communication? What are we in a relationship?" I asked him turning back to the fridge to grab a beer all while laughing at how ridiculous he sounded.
"I'm just saying man, you could have let me know that you were going to be gone for over a week." He continued reaching out his hand to me indicating he wanted a beer too.
I rolled my eyes but reached back in the fridge to grab him one.
"At least admit that you'd rather be here with me than in that house with Meredith and her annoying friends" Mark said amusedly while he grabbed our beer opener and popped the top off his PBR.
"Sure Mark. I'd rather be here with you and the pile of dirty dishes and 10 empty pizza boxes than with my girlfriend who gives me sex on multiple times a day basis." I replied taking a long swig.
"Multiple times a day? Woah. Even in her… you know…. State?"
"State?" I asked confused
"Never mind, probably better if I drop it." He replied finishing off at least half of the beer I gave him.
"Probably" I agreed taking another gulp of mine.
Mark and I had this unspoken game when we both started a beer that we would casually see who finished theirs first. We didn't really talk about it, but we were both keeping score. Usually, it was Mark who won but I had a bit of a head start today and I needed it. Meredith had been exceptionally moody this past week and we fought a little more than I would have liked. I love her so much, but I feel like it is beginning to creep up on us that we never really got to know each other as people before she got pregnant and made the decision to make some sort of relationship work. I'm not saying I wouldn't choose Meredith, because I would. I would choose her over and over and over, but it's been stressful.
"Can you believe we graduate in 2 months?" Mark asked breaking me from my thoughts.
"Can you believe I'm going to be a father in 2 months." I countered.
Mark sighed "I still don't know how that happened." He finished his beer.
I sighed as well and was about to respond when my phone rang. It was Ma.
"Ma" I said answering the phone
"Derek, Amy's in labor. We're at the hospital."
"Holy Shit. Is everything okay?" I asked
"About as okay as you can be for a 16-year-old child about to have a child."
"Right. Well, should Mark & I come?"
"That's up to you. I need to go. Amelia needs me."
"Bye mom"
"Amy's in labor, we should go" I told Mark. He grabbed his keys. So much for taking a day to be back home.
M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D
"So, where's McDreamy been the past few days?" Izzie asked me as I poured a bowl of cereal for breakfast
"His sister had a baby. He's spending some time with his family." I told her grumpily. I was exhausted and didn't have Derek's help the past few days to help make meals and hang out with. We had been fighting this week and desperately needed the space from each other. We had been glued at the hip the past few months both deciding that we wanted to make a relationship with each other work. We never took into consideration that we're in a brand-new relationship with a lot to learn about the other. On top of that, I still haven't told Derek that I love him. I'm not sure if it bothers him, but I'm sure it would make him feel more secure in everything. On top of everything else, this 7th month of pregnancy is really kicking my ass. I felt like my usual self just a little larger up until the start of this month. Now, I was exhausted all the time and cranky and my ankles were swollen, and I felt like I doubled in size.
"Isn't his sister like 16?" Izzie questioned
I rolled my eyes "I'm not really in any position to judge right now." I said gesturing down to my enormous 7th month pregnant stomach.
"You can judge a little. I mean you're 21 at least. That's a lot older than 16." Izzie stated grabbing the box of cereal from me and pouring her own cereal into the extra bowl on the counter.
I didn't respond. Amelia might be much younger but in just two months, I would be in the same place as her and the last thing the situations needed was outside judgement.
"Things seem pretty serious with McDreamy" Izzie continued grabbing a spoon out of the drawer and making her way over to the couch where I had moved.
I sighed aggressively "I am having his baby Iz"
"I know that. I'm just saying you two seem really in love. It's cute." She told me with a giggle.
"I love you Iz. I really do, but I am exhausted and cranky, and I don't want to talk about feelings right now." I knew I was being a little too harsh on Izzie but as much as I loved my friend her bright and shiny this early was annoying. Plus, Derek and I didn't leave off in a great place. We're both frustrated with each other right now and before we got the chance to work it out, Amelia went into labor.
"Okay fair enough. I'll change the subject."
There was a moment of silence as we both ate our cereal side by side on our old couch.
"Should I make muffins or brownies today?" she continued.
"Muffins. The baby is craving blueberry ones. Must be Derek's stupid healthy genes." I told her rubbing circles on my stomach. Muffins sounded amazing.
"Ah, blueberry muffins. That will be perfect!" I grimaced at her loud perky tone.
"Morning" Alex said groggily walking into the living room where Izzie and I were sitting.
"I'm making blueberry muffins today!" Izzie exclaimed
"Cool." Alex replied uninterested before plopping down between us and grabbing Izzie's spoon and taking a huge bite of her cereal.
"Hey" she yelled out
"Hey Barbie, some of us actually like to sleep in" Christina groaned coming out of her bedroom.
"That's what I'm saying. Some of us have to carry around a living breathing creature 24/7 and need the extra rest." I replied.
"Mer, you're just cranky because McDreamy is on McVacation and Christina whatever. I clean up after you and your mess all day."Izzie retorted.
"She has a point" Alex pointed out kissing Izzie on the cheek. They subtly started dating and all of us are just trying to be cool about it.
"Christina, you are exceptionally messy." I agreed.
"She lives like a pig" Alex said laughing
"Go ahead, get your little digs in. You all need your small little victories more than I do." Christina announced.
I laughed. Christina would for sure make all of us pay for this later.
I told my friends I was going back to bed, so I could have some time alone before Derek got back tonight.
M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D
I woke up to Derek perched above me looking down at me with a grin. It took me a second to come into reality.
That must have been a long nap or maybe we were already in tomorrow "What time is it?" I asked sleepily
"3:00 in the afternoon" He replied with a smile leaning down to kiss my forehead.
I sat up a little "How's the baby?" I asked
"Perfect. She named him Scout Thomas Shepherd." He told me happily
"That's a cute name. How's Amy?"
"Exhausted but happy. She says she can't wait for our babies to meet each other."
I laughed. "Speaking of babies, how is it that your belly is already so much bigger after just a few days?" he asked moving both his hands to my stomach.
He pulled up my shirt revealing the full glory of my baby bump. I was surprised Derek was so into me this pregnant and not turned off by how large I had gotten.
He leaned down and whispered something to our daughter before leaving a kiss on my giant stomach. It felt good to have him back home even though there was a lot still that we need figure out.
"Derek, I'm sorry about this past week and everything…" I trailed off
"I know and I am too. It's just been difficult in some ways. We didn't have the opportunity to get to know each other as just Meredith and Derek without throwing a baby in the mix so early on."
I nodded "I don't disagree, the fighting has been…. A lot and I can't help but think if there were no baby in the mix, would we still be here right now." I told him honestly.
"Mer, of course we would. You do know that I love you baby or no baby, right?" He told me sincerely holding my cheeks in his hands and giving me his McDreamy look.
"I love you too. I love you… a lot. It's just taken me awhile to say it."
Derek kissed me evenly.
"You were like coming up for fresh air. It's like I was drowning, and you saved me. I just didn't know that I was drowning at the time."
"I was drowning too before you." I told him sincerely
He smiled and kissed me again. "Everything with us, it's going to work out. I'll make sure of it."
I sighed contently. "We should start trying to figure out a name for this one." I told him stroking my stomach.
"Yeah?" he asked sheepishly
"She's going to be here before we know it." I replied.
"Okay, but before we do, I desperately need a shower. Mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
He kissed my cheek "I'll be back in a minute and then we can figure out what to name our girl" he told me excitedly.
I laughed at his enthusiasm. "Oh by the way, Amy gave me a photo of Scout for you. It's in my backpack if you want it." He mentioned before shutting the door of my bathroom.
I leaned down to where Derek's backpack was by the bed and began looking for the photo. What I didn't expect to come across was a letter from Columbia medical school outlining the next steps to Derek's enrollment in the fall.
I knew Columbia was his dream medical school but we both agreed to him staying at Brown so that I could finish my last year. We had a whole discussion, and he accepted his offer from Columbia without so much as even saying a word to me. My stomach was in knots. Was he planning to just leave me and our baby? Columbia was 3 hours away at least.
M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D M&D
I came out of Meredith's bathroom a few minutes later feeling completely refreshed from my shower and ready to start figuring out a name for our daughter. I was excited that we worked out our fighting situation and that Meredith had finally shared with me that she loved me. For the first time, I felt without a shadow of a doubt that Meredith and I would be able to make this work forever. Maybe, I should plan to propose with the ring my mother gave me. Sure, it was all fast, but Meredith and I only knew one speed and it was not slow. When I walked out of the bathroom, I saw Meredith sitting on her bed reading something. She looked dazed and maybe even a little perturbed.
"Mer" I called.
I will never forget the look on her face when she met my eyes. I visibly gulped. I will never get out of my head that mix of hurt, betrayal & anger. Maybe, I never deserve to.
"What the hell is this?" It came out of her mouth more like a choke and a whisper.
What have I done?
TBC…
Quick Note: I haven't been seeing many reviews on this story. I only want to continue it if there is a legitimate interest. With that, please send me a quick review if you want to see it continued. I have a part two planned for this story that I am so excited about, but only want to spend the time writing it if there are interested readers. Thanks everyone