"We're gonna get her, baby," Catherine crooned, a sharp edge to her voice, "We're going to catch her in this lie, and make sure that once the baby is out of her body, she never sees them again."
"Mom, that's not-" Jackson sighed, his back heavy against the wall, "I don't even know if that's what I want." Yes, he was beyond furious that April had knowingly kept this information from him. He was the father, she had no right to tell anyone before telling him. She lied about this huge factor going into their divorce! She was infuriating-
"Catherine," Richard slowly walked to the woman in the room, "I think this is something Jackson needs to figure out for himself. It's a difficult situation."
"Oh it's difficult, alright," Catherine murmured, gritting her teeth together, "But that girl is going to get what's coming. How dare she do this to us? Does she know who we are?"
"Mom-" Jackson exhaled, exasperated, but was interrupted by the conference room slamming open.
"The hell are you doing?" Meredith uttered, more of a statement than a question, with pure anger dripping from her voice. "What are you trying to do to April?"
"Dr. Grey, I really don't think this is any of your business," Catherine started, but quieted down as the younger surgeon simply raised a finger towards her.
"I said," Meredith repeated, "What the hell are you doing?"
"What are you even talking about?" Jackson looked at her, infuriated, "She's the one who kept our pregnancy a secret from me, the bloody father!".
"Oh, you found out a couple weeks late? That's shitty," Meredith rolled her eyes, "He found out three decades late!" She gestured to Richard, who's eyes were now staring a hole into the floor. It's true, he missed out on all of Maggie's childhood, her first steps, first words, graduation ceremonies, proms, everything. But he was finally a part of her life now, and he was not letting go.
"Sofia barely got a year with Mark," Meredith continued, pausing before her next phrase, "Derek… Derek never got to meet his last child. You have time, use it."
There was silence. Meredith hardly ever opened up about how Derek's passing impacted her and her children. Her heart belonged to him, always would, that was clear. Watching Jackson act like a wounded soldier over something this petty was enraging, and she had had enough. She had seen how scared April was, how alone she looked without her person. Meredith had to take care of her children by herself because she had to, but this new baby had the opportunity to have two incredible parents.
"April is terrified! She is all alone! You want to cry, pout, mope a little, fine." Meredith walked closer to Jackson, "But get your head out of your ass, and stop pretending to be a victim."
"Dr. Grey," Catherine walked towards the general surgeon, a sense of superiority in her tone, "Like I said, this is none of your-"
"Dr Avery," Meredith interrupted with a cold tone, turning to her, "It seems to me that you are unaware of the fact that Jackson is a grown man who doesn't need you to fly across the country to fight his battles for him, or threaten the mother of his children."
Frozen in place, Catherine stared at the younger surgeon, mouth open in shock.
"Now I know you are used to everyone trembling when they hear the name 'Avery'," Meredith walked towards the older woman, her voice growing softer, "But do not forget that I am a Grey, and we do not back down."
With one final look around the room, she saw Richard's eyes finally move from their resting place on the floor, looking at his surrogate daughter with a sense of pride and respect. She could see the wheels inside Jackson's mind turning, as he finally began to put his bruised ego aside. He looked at her, eyes shining with a mixture of hurt and gratitude. Seeing that, Meredith knew she had done the right thing. Jackson and April might fight like hell, but they were both fighting for the same thing, to keep their child safe. Now, if she could play a small part in helping them realize that their child would be happiest with the both of them, that was enough for her.
Sparing one last glare at the older Avery, she walked out the door, she had to find April and tell her that even though she didn't have Jackson at that moment, she still had her. The redhead had become an integral part of her life, and no matter what, Meredith would make sure that she was not alone.