Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy. I am also not a doctor and I'm basing a lot of this off other episodes of Grey's and the limited knowledge I have on this subject. So, I do apologize if something is medically incorrect.

Chapter Nine

Mark Sloan's mind swirled as he replayed the events from today in his head. Until Meredith woke up, he and Lexie would legally be responsible for her and Derek's children. And if Meredith didn't make it, they'd permanently be responsible. He used to want a family with Lexie, but this had to be the most messed up and backwards way of doing it.

The plastic surgeon sighed as he took a long sip of his beer. He was currently seated on the back porch of the McDream home while he stared out at the darkening Seattle horizon. This home had been Derek's gift to Meredith– and now Mark and Lexie would be living in it which made him feel all sorts of confusing feelings.

Most of the Shepherd family had left to go spend the night at the hotel they'd be staying at. Amelia and Addison were the only ones left. Lexie seemed to be getting along pretty well with Amy– which Mark wasn't surprised to see. They were both Derek's baby sisters and they had a common love of brain surgery.

He still couldn't believe Derek didn't say anything to him about this. Regardless of the shock, Mark knew he was needed here. He promised his best friend he wouldn't let anything happen to Zola or Bailey. It was his job to protect and care for them now. And if Meredith were to pull through, he'd still be there. He wasn't leaving their lives anytime soon. This was his family and they were going to need someone to step up and be a father figure.

"Hey."

Mark looked up to be met with the understanding blue eyes of his former lover. Addison gave him a bittersweet smile as she brushed her red hair back and came forward.

"Hi," Mark replied gruffly as he watched his best friend's ex-wife lean against the frame of the glass backdoor.

"Are you okay?" Addison asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Obviously not," Mark stated flatly. "I got into a plane crash and somehow managed to miraculously survive, lost my best friend, and now I'm a father of two with my ex-girlfriend. Which, might I add, starting a family was the main reason we had an explosive breakup in the first place. Not the best week of my life."

"Understandable," Addison said as she took a seat beside him. She curled her hands around her own beer as they sat in silence for a few moments. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I will be," Mark answered. "I'm worried about more than myself…How's Amy doing?"

"She'll survive this. She's a fighter," Addison said softly. "She has a good support system in LA…"

"She needs that," Mark muttered, looking down at the ground. "Derek used to be the one to look out for her…She's going to need you, Addie. You'll be the only one that will keep her steady. Her mother and sisters, I love them like family but you know they will not give her the help she needs. As for me, I'm her big brother's goofy, man-whore BFF– not a great voice of reason. As Big Grey or Yang would say, you are her person."

"I know," the redhead whispered. She paused for a moment, biting her lip as she seemed to grow hesitant. Her eyes fell on where Amelia and Lexie were currently chatting inside– the two neurosurgeons sharing a bottle of red wine as they did the dishes. "You never told me you were still dating Lexie when we…"

"Because I didn't realize. I thought we broke up, but now looking back on it, I guess we didn't. I'm too messed up to even tell the difference," Mark explained, shaking his head stressfully. "No offense, but this isn't something I really want to talk about right now."

"Well, I feel like garbage knowing that you two were only in a fight," Addison spoke gently. "It all had to do with Sloan?"

"Yeah. I made the irrational decision to take Sloan and the baby in without asking Lexie first," Mark said. "And, I didn't realize how much that might be for her, asking her to start a family but in reality I was forcing the concept on her….And well, she left and you came…And you comforted me when I was upset about the fight and trying to figure out what was best for Sloan and one thing led to another…"

"I understand," Addison replied, nodding her head. "So, what I'm gathering is that the two of you broke up because of miscommunication? And now you're supposed to raise two children together…."

"We'll figure it out," Mark insisted sincerely. "I want this to work. Despite the fact she hates my guts, we make a pretty great team."

Addison rolled her eyes. "I don't think she hates you. I think you two just have a lot of unresolved stuff you need to discuss."

Mark let out a grunt while Addison patted his back. "Look, if you need help with anything, let me know…LA is a short flight away."

"Thanks," Mark told her. "But truthfully, what I need more than anything is someone who will stand by Amy. You and I both know she doesn't have anyone else."

"Don't worry. I got my sister's back," Addison promised, reaching out to squeeze his hand gently. "Speaking of, we should probably head out and get some sleep. I know Amelia wants to be there when Koracick gets here to examine Meredith tomorrow morning."

"Alright."

"I'll see you later," Addison told him as she got up from where she'd been sitting.

Mark nodded as the redhead disappeared to gather Amelia for the night. That left Lexie and Mark as the only two up. Zola and Bailey were upstairs and tucked in their separate bedrooms for the night.

"Hey," Mark began as he greeted Lexie, beer in hand. The younger Grey sister was currently putting some discarded glasses away in the dishwasher. He could tell she was on what looked to be her second or third glass of wine by the way the bottle was almost empty.

"So, I guess we should probably figure some stuff out," Lexie began gently.

"Probably should," Mark said, taking a long sip of his beer as he took a seat at the kitchen island. "For starters, we need to figure out things like schedules and changing diapers and–"

Lexie paused, frowning as she turned the dishwasher on. "You've never changed a diaper?"

"Ah, no. I never had the fortunate chance to," Mark explained.

"Ok, well we will need to fix that," Lexie said, clearing her throat. "There's a lot of things we need to talk about. Things to organize, etc."

"Yeah," Mark agreed as he fiddled with the glass bottle in his hand. He took a deep breath as he looked at his ex. "Look, I….I'm sorry I was hesitant about saying yes earlier."

Lexie frowned. "Why are you apologizing? That was a big decision. I wasn't going to force you to do it if you didn't want to."

"Thanks. It's just…" Mark trailed off. "I did that to you once and…I…"

"Mark, this is something we're mutually agreeing on," Lexie continued softly. "We may not be a couple anymore, but from now on the two of us are partners. We could end up raising these kids for the rest of our lives and we're going to have to come to some sort of common ground."

"Well, before we go any further with this partnership, I do want to apologize," Mark announced, swallowing hard. "If I ever made decisions without thinking about you first and for this partnership to work, I want to stop doing that, especially if it concerns the kids. I won't make any decisions without letting you know first."

"Thank you," Lexie replied, her face softening at his words. She bit her lip as her hands curled around her own wine glass. He could tell she was trying to muster up her own words. "And I won't run away. I know I ran away once before and well, I'm not gonna run. If there's a problem, I want to face it."

"Glad we cleared that up," Mark said, clearing his throat.

"Ah, same," Lexie stammered. "Now we should probably get some rest…It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Yeah," Mark agreed. With that, the former couple split ways for the night with their minds still swirling with their new life decision. Despite the fear they held in their thoughts, it wouldn't stop them from having a night filled with hiccups. They'd almost gotten ready for their respected rooms when they were approached by the angry form of their usually patient and sweet tempered niece.

"I don't wanna sleep all by myself!" Zola wailed as she looked up at her aunt and uncle with tear stained eyes.

"Sweetie, you're a big girl, don't you want to sleep in your big girl bed?" Lexie tried to coax her niece.

"No! I don't want my stupid big girl bed!"

"ZoZo, the big girl bed is just for you," Lexie continued, kneeling before her the little girl and clasping her hands in hers. "Don't we want to try and–"

"No! No! No! No!"

"Lex, maybe we just give in for one more night," Mark suggested quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Mark, if we keep letting her then she'll never stop," Lexie pointed out.

"She's also probably just scared. This is the second night she's back at home without her parents," Mark added in a soft tone. Zola was too busy throwing a tantrum to pay attention to what the adults were saying. "Maybe we just let it go this week and then next week we figure it out."

"Oh alright," Lexie caved in, not wanting to make life any more difficult for her niece. She proceeded to pick up Zola in her arms and coddle her as they once again made their way to the guest bedroom.

They fell into a natural rhythm– the two adults with a small child squished right in the middle of them. Zola was at complete peace while Lexie and Mark tried their best not to toss and turn at the uncomfortableness of their positions on the queen sized mattress. They could try and proceed to sleep in the master bedroom in the large, king sized bed, but something about it still felt wrong.

Lexie was up for most of the night, even though she tried her best not to show it, and even though she knew Mark definitely knew she was up. For as long as they were together, he was used to when she was restless at night or when something was bothering her. Back then he'd usually pull her in close and run a hand through her hair until she'd fall asleep. However, there was no chance of that happening so Lexie just suffered.

As for Mark, for most of the night he had to deal with Zola's arm in his face or Lexie's persistent tossing and turning. He was trying to muster up some sort of game plan in his head when Bailey's piercing screams managed to wake them all up, all except Zola who could probably sleep through any world war.

"I don't wanna get him!" Mark groaned into his pillow.

"Why me?" Lexie questioned groggily.

"Because he's a baby. You're the woman. I don't know," Mark muttered sleepily. "Coddle him."

"Because I'm a woman?"

That had Mark's eyes shooting wide opened as he gently turned to his side to see an angry Lexie Grey with steam practically coming out of her ears. "Did you just imply that because I am the woman I am the one to take care of the baby? That it's my duty as a woman?"

"I will go check on him now," Mark answered quickly as he scurried out of the bed to go comfort the wailing, red-faced baby. Bailey was standing up in his crib as he screamed and cried.

"Come here, bud," Mark said, picking him up in his arms as he started to bounce him. "Come on little dude, let's let Uncle Marky go back to sleep."

Yet, the baby kept crying. And crying. Nothing Mark did or said could pacify the little tot. "Jesus Christ, your father is really testing my limits up there. Just as stubborn as he was, huh?" Mark muttered as he rubbed the back of the sobbing baby that lay against his shoulder. "Come on, want me to sing? I can't believe I'm even offering ah…Old McDonald had a farm. Ee-eye-ee…How does it go?"

This only made Bailey cry louder.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh, everyone's a critic," Mark muttered, shaking his head. "Ah…How about– She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean…She was the best damn woman that I ever seen. She had the flightless eyes, telling me no lies. Knocking me out with those American thighs–"

Bailey's cries began to soften at this, to which Mark grinned as he continued to rock the baby back and forth and continue with his singing. "Take more than her share, had me fighting for air. She told me to come, but I was already there! 'Cause the walls start shaking, the Earth was quaking. My mind was aching and we were making it! Oh and you shook me all night long! Yeah you shook me all night long!"

This had Bailey sound asleep in his uncle's arms, to which Mark merely grinned like a fool as he walked around the room with this bundle in his embrace. "Just like your old man, huh?"

"Did…Did you just sing the baby AC/DC?"

Mark froze in his tracks to see a wide eyed Lexie standing in the doorway. She looked exhausted by the circles under her eyes, but also quite awake by the horror evident on her face. "You…You're joking, right?"

"Hey! It worked!" Mark pointed out as he gingerly placed the baby down in the crib. "Like I said, maybe you should take some parenting tips from me, Little Grey."

Lexie rolled her eyes as Mark made sure to gloat his way all the way back to the bedroom, much to her dismay. Bailey seemed to sleep with no issue after that and when they woke up the next morning, they prepared themselves to see Meredith and weigh in on what Dr. Koracick had to say.

Little Grey met Tom Koracick during her time at Mass Gen. They met working on a pretty difficult case together. Lexie had been finishing up her residency and she was the only resident that sparked interest in the brain surgeon. What Derek didn't get the chance to teach her, Koracick taught her. She trusted him whole-heartily and knew that Amelia felt the same– being that she also studied closely under the surgeon.

"Does he know what's he's doing?" Lexie looked at Mark as his knee bounced up and down and he bounced Bailey in his arms.

"You're going to make him spit up," Lexie replied in a deadpan.

"Well maybe your doctor friend should hurry up," Mark muttered, eyeing Koracick through the glass hospital window. The neurosurgeon was currently examining Meredith as the ex-couple watched. Meanwhile, Zola was in daycare while they still took care of Bailey. They could tell Zola missed her friends from daycare and it'd be best that the little girl got to interact with some after the last couple of days she had.

"Besides Derek, Tom's probably one of the best neurosurgeons in the country," Lexie mentioned tiredly as she aimlessly observed her former colleague.

"Well guess he is now," Mark commented, his tone slightly bitter. Lexie was taken aback by his words and looked at her grieving ex clench his fits.

"Derek will always be number one in my book. In a lot of people's books," Lexie spoke up softly. "Tom isn't replacing him, you know that? Right? Don't take it out on him."

"I'm not. I'm just angry," Mark confessed, exhaling deeply. "Angry because this shouldn't be happening in the first place and my best friend is no longer here. That's all."

Lexie simply nodded and gently placed a hand over Mark's enclosed fist. The plastic surgeon relaxed a bit and slumped back in his chair. The two proceeded to sit in silence for the most part until Amelia came shuffling in with Addison following close behind.

"Did he say anything yet?" Amelia asked anxiously as she watched Tom's every movement.

"Not yet," Lexie answered. "He had a couple of tests he needed to run, I assume based on the fact he was whispering to a nurse about something, and has been waiting for the results. I think he knows something but wants it confirmed."

"Whatever it is, it has to be big," Amelia muttered darkly, biting her lip.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Addison spoke up, placing a hand on Amelia's shoulder.

Ever since the two came here, Lexie couldn't help but notice how Addison and Amelia reminded her strongly of Cristina and Meredith, but also her and Meredith. Amelia was dark and twisty and so alike to her sister. She could see why Meredith often bickered with the youngest Shepherd sibling. As for Addison, she was Amelia's sister in the way Cristina was Meredith's. They understood each other, were best friends. However, Addison was a lot less twisty than Cristina. Addison reminded Lexie a bit of herself sometimes– the more lighthearted sister in the equation. Not always, but there were some moments when their relationship made Lexie ache for hers with Meredith and Molly.

"Wait, I think he's gonna come and say something," Amelia piped up. "Wait, wait, no he's just checking another clip board."

"This is going to drive me crazy," Mark mumbled under his breath as he rubbed the bridge of his nose with his free hand and his knee bounced up and down once again. It'd been one of Mark's well known, nervous ticks. He always got that way when something was bothering him and he just wanted to internalize it all.

"Once again, let's not shake the baby like he's a salt and pepper shaker," Lexie advised wryly as she looked at her nephew in Mark's grasp. Her hand gently reaching out to grasp his knee as a way to soothe his nerves.

"Yeah," Mark said, swallowing hard as he looked back at Lexie who gave him a gentle smile. However, their moment was interrupted by the throat clearing noise of Tom Koracick.

"Tom," Lexie spoke up as the others grew quiet. "How…How is she?"

"Do you see the possibility of her getting out of this?" Amelia added quickly. "There's a chance, right, I've been looking at her x-rays and–"

"I'm not certain. The swelling in Meredith's brain is…concerning," Tom explained, clearing his throat. "There isn't much I can do. She already had surgery to fix a bleed in her brain and there's activity there, it's just…I don't know if she will wake up."

"So…Are you suggesting we take her off life support?" Lexie asked slowly, her stomach feeling like it'd been incased in lead and her head starting to feel lightheaded.

"No…There's ah some complications we discovered," Koracick said. "And they were only proved further with some consultation with Dr. Montgomery and some other hospital records– we wanted to wait until now to inform the two of you what we discovered."

Mark looked at the redhead doctor as she nodded in silence. "Why would you need to consult Addie?" he asked, his voice wobbling. "Unless she's…"

"Meredith is pregnant," Addison spoke up, causing the other three to freeze in their tracks. "She's about two months, almost three. Hadn't been showing. It's a miracle she did not lose the baby– but there is a healthy fetus growing inside of her."

"So, what, are you saying we use my sister as an incubator and unplug her after this baby is born?" Lexie sputtered, her mind racing. "I mean, it's my niece or nephew in there, but also I don't know if that's what Meredith would've wanted in this situation, and are you sure this is even okay for the baby? This is insane, this is–"

"Lex, slow down," Mark advised, causing the brunette to swallow hard and nod– her wide eyes fixated on Addison.

"It would be fine, but the main reason we are bringing this up is the fact that Meredith's body will go into labor at one point," Addison explained gingerly. "And I've read about a case like this before and even had a patient attempt to do this with his wife who was in a coma, but the labor could be enough to wake her up."

"Are you serious?" Amelia questioned, bewildered. "What if it doesn't work?"

"The baby is born and we loose Meredith, but it's worth the try," Koracick added. "It is up to Dr. Grey though if we go through with this."

Lexie wanted to puke as all eyes went to her. She knew Meredith wouldn't want to be kept on life support, but she also knew Meredith loved her children, more than anything. She'd want Lexie to give her baby a chance. "Did she and Derek know about the pregnancy?" Lexie blurted out curiously, tears in her eyes.

"Our sources confirm that they did. They just wanted to wait a bit because Meredith's pregnancies have not been easy in the past," Addison confirmed. "According to the OB I discussed it with this morning."

Mark and Lexie shared eye contact. The neurosurgeon's head was spinning, but she knew the right choice to make. Meredith's choice. "I say we try it…If it's a way to save Meredith and allow her child to be born, then I say let's do it."

"Alright…I'll be monitoring her for the next few months and see if any changes occur with her brain," Koracick declared. "She will have only the best care. I promise."

"And when the time comes for the delivery, I will be flying back out here so I can oversee everything and make sure it's flawless," Addison added.

"Can I talk to Lexie for a second?" Mark asked, clearing his throat as he stood up with Bailey in his arms. "Amy, can you hold him for a second?"

The youngest Shepherd sister nodded as Mark then gestured Lexie away from everyone else and down the hallway. "You really didn't know she was pregnant?" Mark asked her as they proceeded to go to the side for privacy.

"No! But I'm not surprised no one knew yet. Meredith had such a traumatic miscarriage and then almost bled out giving birth to Bailey," Lexie pointed out. "They were probably going to let us know soon. Remember they talked about having us over for dinner after we got back from Idaho. They were probably going to tell us then."

"This is insane. We went from two kids to a baby on the way. This means that we will have the prepare for the arrival of an infant, not Meredith and Derek. We're going to have to make sure everything is perfect for when Meredith hopefully wakes up. If she doesn't, this'll be our kid to raise from womb to adulthood," Mark said, taking a deep breath. "And on top of that, Bailey is still just a baby."

"He's going to be two, but I get what you're saying," Lexie replied. "But if you're in and you're okay with this, I'm in 100%. I need your support Mark...I think I made the right decision, right?"

"Of course you did. You know your sister," Mark said, grasping her shoulders. "And I'm in…This is just going to be an insane couple of months, isn't it?"

"We'll get through it," Lexie vowed as they looked towards the others and Meredith's hospital room. "Remember– you and I are partners."

Mark nodded in confirmation, "Partners." He proceeded to walk back to the others and take Bailey from Amelia's arms. As he did so, the baby proceeded to yak up spit up all over Mark's leather jacket. The plastic surgeon looked at the baby and then at Lexie who smirked a little.

This really was going to be a long couple of months.