News that both Addison and Meredith were pregnant spread like wildfire through Seattle Grace; Every ear heard, every eye could see that the news was a slab of prime meat—juicy, delicious and just so damn satisfying! After all, it wasn't every day that the best Neurosurgeon in town got both his ex-wife and mistress pregnant at the same time—and to top it all off the three of them had to see each other almost every single day.

It was interesting to the rest of the staff to watch the tension and anxiety that constantly surrounded the three when they were within five feet of one another—but downright nerve-wracking for the three involved so deeply, their lives now wound around each other and it made it ten times worse because they knew that everyone was watching. Judging. Waiting to see what happens when the next page was turned.

For Meredith, the days were long and mostly made up of trying to avoid Addison--- which was impossible----and trying to sustain enough energy to work without throwing up every fifteen minutes—which also seemed impossible. But, she was happy for the first time in so very long and she intended to keep it—forever keep it. She and Derek were thrilled at the thought of having a baby that was made out of love, out of such passion and longing—a baby that truly was a part of both of them.

They had been living in Derek's trailer for two months and loving every minute of it. He loved to sit up at night and rub her stomach and talk to it gently. Sometimes he'd lay with his head on her abdomen and talk endlessly about what they were going to do together, the places they'd go. Meredith found herself in a state of euphoria—her wildest dreams were really coming true. She had always imagined her and Derek together and even with Addiosn's pregnancy, they still found themselves awaiting their arrival with great joy.

Both felt that they had found exactly what they had been looking for. To hell with the stares; they'd put up with them—and to hell with what the rest of the hospital thought—they were in love and they didn't care who knew it.

Still, she felt bad for Addsion, knowing that Derek was completely un-involved in her pregnancy. As far as she knew he hadn't even asked her how she was feeling. Meredith could sense that the other woman's pregnancy wasn't treating her well—the dark circles under her eyes, the almost greenish pallor in her skin at times and the always tired look that she wore on her face. Yes, it was sad that Addison had no one to ask her how she was feeling—at least not the father of her baby.

It was spring and everywhere she went, blue skies seemed to follow. The buds were ripening on the trees, the flowers starting to bloom, and Meredith was pretty sure she'd never been as happy. At three months, she was starting to get sick only once or twice a week. Her body hadn't changed much, maybe only a slight thickening around the middle, but her breasts were no longer sore—but bigger—and she thought it made her figure look more mature, or at least that was what Derek told her.

One morning she was walking down the hall with Izzy, who was back from her extended honeymoon in Europe with Denny, and they were talking excitedly about Izzy was planning to do with the house that Meredith and George no longer lived in. Yes, things were changing for everyone and although they all missed living together, they had all moved on in positive ways—ways that were good and meant to be.

"So, George and Callie found a condo right on the waterfront and it's just super." Izzy explained, as they walked toward the cafeteria for their lunch break. "It has two bedrooms and a fabulous bathroom with a whirlpool tub and sky lights."

"That's great!" Meredith exclaimed, happy that George was finally starting to get active in his roll as a soon-to-be father. It had taken him a while but he had decided that he did love Callie and that their relationship was worth it. He wanted them to live together and didn't want to raise a child in the basement of the hospital or in Meredith's house, and so, after Meredith moved out he and Callie started looking for a place of their own. Meredith had decided to leave the house to Izzy and Denny. They had wanted to rent it from her but after talking with Derek, they decided to let them live in at as long as they tended to the upkeep and repairs. "How is Callie feeling these days?"

"Oh, I think she's doing great." Izzy answered, as they reached the cafeteria line. She picked up a tray for herself and handed one to Meredith. "She says that George is starting to talk about baby names and stuff. She's glad that he's finally coming around to this baby idea. It's funny—" She continued as she piled food on her tray. "It must be something in the water around here. Everyone's pregnant!"

Meredith laughed. "Ya. Three so far. You're sure you're not next?"

"Not yet."

"Never say never, Mrs. Duquette."

"We'll see. I just want to spend as much time with Denny as I can. It's like I don't want to share him with anything, not even a baby. Not now." She said, as they sat down at their table. "So, how's it going with the ex She-Shepherd?"

Meredith sighed. "It's alright I guess. I mean, I see her in the halls and she doesn't talk to me and I don't talk to her—but I feel bad for her because Derek doesn't ask her about the baby, he doesn't even mention it to her as far as I know and—I don't know, Iz—she just seems so alone and sad all the time. But lately she seems not too bad."

Izzy nodded. "It's probably hard for her to see you two so happy and excited over your baby. Her baby isn't going to have the father that yours will have."

"I know. That's why I feel bad."

"There's not much you can do about that."

" I know." Meredith shrugged and bit into a french fry. "So, how's Alex been to you since you got back?" She asked, changing topics. "Is he still mad at you?"

"Not at all. He's been—" She tried to think of the right word. "Normal. If that makes any sense. It's like he's really distracted or something. But I think he's definitely over me and that's a good thing. I think he's seeing someone."

"Why do you think that? I never heard anything."

"It's just a feeling I get. I know him, Mer, and he's seeing someone. I just don't know who. You know that look he gets on his face when he's boiling about something or someone underneath?"

Did she know? The whole hospital knew when Alex Karev was in one of his moods. He was usually the brooding, 'look what someone did to me, look at poor me', kind of guy and not much had changed with that. Alex was always being slighted by somebody—it's just that this time no one knew who was turning his gears.

"All too well."

"Well, he's got that look now. I wonder who it is?"

"Beats me."

They finished their lunches and went their separate ways. As Meredith walked down the hall she saw Alex go into the on-call room and shut the door softly. Deciding to go and speak to him and see if he was alright, she proceeded down the hall.

"Well, hello there." Came a voice from the nurses station.

She turned and grinned. "Derek. I thought you were in a surgery."

He grinned back at her and placed a chart on the desk before coming around the side and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Just finished. So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Not much. I have to check on Mrs. Williams and Mr. Peterson and then I'm all done."

"How's my little guy doing?" He asked, patting her stomach.

Her eyebrows raised. "Little guy? What if it's a little girl?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I just have a feeling."

"Oh, you do, do you?"

"Sure do. I thought about the greatest name today—if it's a boy." He waggled his eyebrows at her. "Wanna hear it?"

She laughed. "As long as it's an improvement on the last three names you ran by me."

"What do you mean? I think they were great names."

"Willis?" She rolled her eyes. "Or, my personal favorite—Beecher, or how about Donald?"

"Those are perfectly respectable names, Mer. What's wrong with them?"

"They are the kind of names that will have him running for his life on the playground. Those names are off the table."

"Fine. How about 'Nolan'?

"Keep trying, honey. Not a chance." She patted him on the arm. "I have to go, but keep on thinking about those names."

"Nolan is a great name!" He stood watching her as she walked away, his hands jammed into the pockets of his lab coat, a huge goofy grin on his handsome face. "You'll come around!"

"I'm sure it is, but not for this baby." She called back, as she walked away. "Dream on, Dr. Shepherd."

She walked toward the room, thinking that Alex might need a little heart-to-heart. She hadn't really talked to him in the last few weeks. She'd been so busy, and there had been so much to do. She turned the knob and poked her head around the corner.

"Alex?"

She stepped in and switched on the light and gasped.

"What the hell?" He half yelled, jumping up from the bed and adjusting his scrub pants, or rather, pulling them up. "Meredith, what the hell to do you want?" He barked, moving behind her and slamming the door shut. His eyes darted between her and his companion on the bed, who was buttoning her blouse hurriedly. " Haven't you heard of privacy?"

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, so shocked, she could barely speak. Her eyes could hardly adjust to the sight before her. "I just wanted to talk to you." She backed toward the door, coving her eyes as she did so. "I'm sorry." She mumbled, again and left quickly, shutting the door behind her.

"Well, I'd say that we're no longer a secret." He said, sinking down on the cot and running his hands through his short hair.

"I think you're right." She replied. "How long before the rest of the hospital knows?" She asked dryly, standing up and smoothing down the front of her skirt.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I thought I locked the door."

"It would appear that you didn't."

"Why are you mad?"

"I'm not mad." She corrected. "I'm just not used to being walked in on during sex." Her tone was clipped and it bothered him.

"I don't care who knows."

"I do."

"Why?" He asked, for the hundredth time. "Why do you care? Everyone else is running around her boning each other and not caring who knows--- Are you embarrassed of me?"

"No. I'm not."

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm not ready to go public with us."

"Addy, it's been over----"

"I know how long it's been." She said, leaning down and kissing him softly. "And I'm not ready yet. Please understand, this isn't about you. I like you, Alex, I really do. But I need a little more time."

He didn't respond, only watched her as she walked out of the room and shut the door.

"Ya—and I love you." He mumbled irritably, lying back down on the cot. "But what the hell kind of difference does that make?"