walks in with tail in between her legs Hi Guys…I know this took REALLY, long, ridiculously long, in fact. But I was in a serious funk that I could not get out of. And for being so patient you all get big cookies… really big ones…. Like HUGE cookies…

Welcome to the dark side. Song's by Anna Nalick

Here's ch 2..

In The Rough

At one o'clock in the morning, Izzie quickly opened one eye. Something was wrong. She couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling that something was wrong. She turned towards Eric, who had an arm draped around her, to make sure he was still sleeping. Then, Izzie gently got out of bed and walked into Kennedy's room. Twizzler, from her position on the windowsill, hissed loudly at her.

" Twiz cut it out." She said softly and turned her attention to the small figure in the bed. Izzie watched as Kennedy twisted and turned in bed. Sometimes letting out a small, yet perceptible 'Mommy.' Izzie gently pushed back the covers of the bed and got into it.

" Shh. It's ok. You're ok." She whispered. Kennedy, still asleep, continued to turn. Izzie wrapped an arm around the little girl, hoping to calm her. The moment Izzie's flesh hit hers Kennedy shot up and gave Izzie a teary look.

"Mommy?" She asked blonde.

God, Izzie hated Addison for this. How could she do this to someone so innocent? How could she leave this all behind," No sweetie. Mommy's not here."

>>

" Hey." Meredith said submissively into the phone.

" Hello." Burke's deep masculine voice answered.

" She there?"

" Yeah. Hold on. I think she's diaper changing."

" You've got her changing diapers?"

" And she's starting to enjoy it. I'm considering having her checked out."

Meredith smiled, able to hear the happiness in Burke's voice, " Oh, god. What did you do to her?"

" Nothing!" He objected. " Here she is."

" Hey." Cristina said letting out a tired yawn.

" Hiya, Mommy. Practicing your ABC's?" Meredith teased with a slight giggle.

" Oh, God."

" So, um I never asked. What's her name?"

" His. Ephraim. Ephraim Christian Burke."

" As in Christian Barnard, Cris?" Meredith asked in reference to the cardio thoracic surgeon who had performed the first open heart surgery.

" Maybe."

" Sure." She shook her head laughing. " Look. I'm sorry. I just was really surprised that you didn't tell me."

" Well, I didn't want to make it a big thing. And honestly, I thought, I don't know, maybe, that it wouldn't stick."

" Cris--,"

Cristina quickly interrupted, " No. It's not one of those 'Awww Cris' things, Mer. It was just.. I don't know. It's just I'm not mommy material. And well, I just figured since I'm not cut out for it, it wouldn't happen to me. And then it did.. and it's just. I don't know. It's hard to explain."

" Oh."

" Yeah.." There was a moment of awkward silence before Cristina couldn't help herself. " Any new surgeries I should know about?"

>>

" Dr. Grey!" Eric chased after Meredith on the catwalk.

" Oh. Dr. Newport," She stopped allowing him to catch up, while he let out a huge sneeze. " G'bless You. Are you feeling ok?"

" I'm fine. Thanks. I actually need a consult." He said with a chart in his hand.

" Patient?" She said, taking it from him.

" Casey Barnes. 14-year-old female. Complaining of lethargy, vomiting, and mood swings."

" Ok. I'll be right in." Eric continued to stand by her side. " That it?"

" Uh.. Have you talked to Izzie recently?"

" Yeah. A couple days ago. Why?"

" Oh. She just seems" Eric took a moment's pause and sneezed. "…off."

"G'bless you, and she sounded fine to me."

" Umm. Ok." Eric said putting a pen in the pocket of his lab coat. " I'll see you in a minute." He paused briefly, and yet again sneezed.

" Gesundhiet!"

>>

" Hey." George said as Meredith walked over to his table.

"Hey." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

" How's your day? Any good surgeries?"

" Umm. Nothing as of yet you?"

" Yeah. I'm assisting Murphy on a whipple."

" Oh.. Jealous."

" You know it." He said taking a bite out of her salad.

" Hey!"

" God, I hate hospital food!"

She smiled, " Have you talked to Izzie?"

" Uh. Yesterday, she dropped Eric's PDA off. Why?"

" Eric thinks she's off. Do you think she seemed off?"

" No. Actually, she seemed happier than ever."

"Hmm and the other weird thing was the sneezing. I don't think I've ever heard Eric sneeze."

" Oh, right." George scarfed down his granola bar. " The cat thing."

" What cat thing?"

" He didn't tell you? He thinks he's allergic to Twizzler."

" Really? So does that mean Izzie's getting rid of her?"

"No." George said frankly. " Izzie hasn't even noticed the sneezing. And if she had, she wouldn't give up Twizzler. She was her last birthday present to Ken from her mother."

" Oh, the tangled web we weave." Meredith said, looking for something to steal off his plate.

" Don't even." He said, biting into his sandwich.

" Selfish."

>>

Eric entered the apartment, desperately trying not to sneeze, to find Izzie and Kennedy at the table, playing a game of Candy land.

" Hello." He said sitting down in the chair next to her.

" Hey. How was your day?" Izzie asked drawing a blue card and moving her game piece accordingly.

" Fine." He said leaning over to kiss her cheek, but she turned away to pick up the medical magazine that had just fallen to the floor. He could feel that itch coming on.

"Any interesting surgeries?" She asked, focused on the game.

" Not that I know of." He gave up his fight and sneezed loudly, "You'd have to ask Mer or George."

" Right."

" So who's winning?" He questioned leaning over Izzie's shoulder to see the board, only to back away and sneeze into his elbow.

"Bless you, Eric!" Kennedy said politely. " I just need an purple card and I'll win the whole game."

Izzie went to pick the card of the top of the deck, but she took a peek and saw that the card was purple. Knowing it was the card Ken needed, she opted to take the orange card that lay underneath it. Eric, seeing this, gently whispered in her ear, " You never let me win."

Completely ruining the moment, Izzie sighed, " That's cause you're not four,"

So what do we think? Love it? Hate it? Review. Please. It makes me happy. Thanks too Jess, Crys, Chrissie, Brandy and Kendy for making me update this...