Burke was summoned to the hospital on a consultation with Derek regarding a patient. It was Christina's day off and she had decided to spend time with Meredith and Jesse.
"So, what'd you tell him?" Christina asked her friend as she bottle fed the baby.
"Well, I said I was visiting the both of you. We just chit-chat a bit. Nothing more."
"Mer, don't be surprised if he shows up unexpected and uninvited. How are you going to explain my god child? I mean, you could say, Jesse's mine, but, I don't think he'll buy that," Christina said sarcastically.
Meredith stayed quiet as if she was in deep thought. After a few minutes, she broke her silence. "It's been such a long time since I've seen him. One year since I..." her voice trailed off.
"Since you left? A lot happened to you in a year. You left your job, moved to another state and you had a baby. That's a lot of changes. You need to clear your mind and see what steps you plan to take regarding Derek. Could I ask you something?"
"You've never stopped before," Meredith spoke softly.
"Do you still love him?" Christina waited for an answer, but, she did not reply. "Meredith?"
"Truthfully? I don't know. I look at my child and wonder if he was made out of love or lust. I don't want him coming back to me just for the baby's sake. Besides, I'm still hurt. He didn't choose me. He chose her," she answered painfully. "I think I've done fine so far on being a single parent."
"Yes, but, you have to tell him and soon."
"Says the woman who hid her pregnancy from her boyfriend," Meredith mumbled under her breath.
"Excuse me?" Christina voice's changed from a caring tone to a sharp one.
"I-I'm so sorry, Christina. I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."
"You're right and I've regretted every minute of it," she lashed out at Meredith. "So, don't make the same mistake. If you're planning to hide it from him, he'll eventually find out. You know, the baby might one day need him due to a rare blood disorder or whatever, then, you'll sure as hell have a field day in trying to explain it to him why junior has his blood type. That's just great! I've got to stop watching "General Hospital"!
Meredith listened and nodded.
"I guess now's the best time to tell you this. Addison left Derek. She left a couple of days ago."
"Oh." It was Meredith's only reply. She did not even bother to ask any details.
"Their marriage wasn't working out. Everyone at Seattle Grace could feel the tension between them. It got to a point that no one wanted to be in their presence. I got the feeling that Addison didn't love him anymore. She's a fighter, you know, hanging on to him, but, for her to have left, I'm guessing she's had enough of him. He wasn't about to leave, so she did."
It was early evening, Burke and Christina had gone out to dinner. Meredith and Jesse declined the invitation and decided to have a quiet evening together. An hour passed and she heard footsteps at the front door. She swung the door open and gasped, instead of expecting the two doctors home, another doctor stood in front of her, one she did not expect, Dr. Derek Shepherd.
He stood rigidly. "Meredith."
"Derek." Her voice was soft. "You, you shouldn't be here. You should have called first."
He was still mesmerized by her beauty and reached out for her. Meredith quickly stepped back.
"Uh, what do you want, Derek?" She spoke to him with the door half open.
"You left suddenly, Mer. You didn't even say goodbye."
Meredith imagined how exactly she would break the news in telling him he fathered their son, the most precious thing to her. She knew every detailed words she was to say to him. Whatever occupied her thoughts at that time diminished as his intensed look in his eyes penetrated through her and at that very moment, her mind was at a blank.
Those McDreamy eyes melted her heart that she agreed to let him in when asked. Their voices were low-keyed as she answered only when spoken to. His eyes moved around to the surroundings and noticed stuffed animals next to the living room sofa atop a baby's futon which was spread on the floor. Either Meredith or Christina had regressed to infantile, Derek wondered what was the purpose of those items around the house. He strutted towards the sofa, bent down and took hold of "Winnie the Pooh" and "Tigger", too.
Meredith held her breath.
It's been a year since she left, he thought to himself, of course she would have moved on. She nervously waited for him to question her, but he kept silent and waited for an explanation.
Meredith rushed into the bedroom suddenly as Jessie cried out, leaving Derek bothered and bewildered. After several minutes, her pint-sized love quieted down and both emerged out into the living room.
Derek's eyes widened as mother and child took steps towards him.
He was so sure that the baby could hear his heart as it pounded hard as mommy placed his son into daddy's arms.
"Mer-Meredith?" It was all he could ask, knowingly what the outcome would be.
"Derek." She spoke softly, calmly and slowly. "This is Jesse. He's yours...mine...ours."
TBC - Chapter 9
