Chapter 8- Building the New

After a week and a half of trying to stay off her ankle, Meredith was getting annoyed. She knew she wasn't on bed rest, and she knew she could do some limping around, but she really was missing her hikes to explore the waterfalls that her new town was known for. Before, the hikes had been soothing and helped her to focus her crazy brain. But now that she wasn't hiking, she had plenty of time to think and order things on the internet. She had ordered some maternity clothes, which had seemed most important, and was even starting to look really closely at what she would need for her little girl. Being trapped in bed or on the couch was leading to an Amazon addiction, which wasn't great considering her current employment status, and really, she was just bored.

But she did want to be careful as she got further into her pregnancy. According to the app she had downloaded, she was now officially twenty-three weeks pregnant and her daughter was the size of a coconut and she really didn't want to take the chance of hiking on a twisted ankle and then falling again. She had gotten lucky on the first fall and she didn't want to risk anything. Her little daughter was growing and healthy, and that was all that really mattered to her any more. Well, not all that really mattered but it seemed to be the thing that got all of her attention anymore. Baby Girl Grey wasn't so much as fluttering anymore, but she wasn't really kicking yet either. She was moving around, gentle little movements that made Meredith smile a lot, and she just wanted to know that her little girl was going to be okay. So she just had to put up with the boredom for a little bit longer.

She hadn't moved from bed yet, if only because it was a little chilly and she had had to sleep in a pair of exercise shorts the night before because her leggings were all in the wash. She needed to get up and get her day started, especially because today was the day she was going to tell Lexie, Hillary, and her parents about Baby Girl Grey. She really couldn't wait for them to see the ultrasound picture, but first she needed something to eat and her one cup of coffee she allowed herself every day. Usually, she walked down to the coffee shop and sat with the people of Oakbrook Falls, but with the whole leggings in the wash situation, she was pretty sure she was going to have to just make coffee here and just…make some toast or something.

It could just be another quiet morning at home, bored out of her mind while resting her ankle. She stretched in bed and moved her hand to her belly just as she felt the lazy movements of her daughter. Her t-shirt had rolled up sometime in the middle of the night and as she ran her fingers over the tightening skin, she suddenly realized that the curve that had been so tiny over the last few weeks was suddenly…not. She had been having the round ligament pains that Derek had told her about for a couple of days, but now the reason why was more than obvious. She sat up quickly and threw her blanket off before smiling down at her stomach.

It wasn't small or slight at all. It was this pronounced bump or whatever people called it and she couldn't help but grin as she splayed her fingers over the skin. "Look at you," she breathed softly. She knew it wasn't all baby, that it was actually her uterus growing, but she couldn't help but imagine her little baby girl working so hard to get bigger. "Good morning, baby girl." The baby stretched again inside her and Meredith shook her head slightly, feeling her smile grow. She was really showing. She was pretty sure that if she put on her clothes, people would actually know that she was pregnant. She hadn't actually experienced that yet but it seemed liked something that was really good. Her daughter was growing and was ready to show off to the world and that couldn't be anything but amazing, especially after the whole fall in the shower thing.

She reached for her laptop and immediately turned it on, one hand still resting on her stomach. Her little girl was definitely awake and Meredith was actually kind of craving some French toast, which meant she needed to look up how to actually make French toast. But first, she really wanted to show Hillary and Lexie how Baby Girl Grey was doing. And maybe try to figure out a name because Baby Girl Grey was kind of a mouthful and it would be nice to have a name for her. She opened FaceTime on her laptop and then leaned forward just as both Lexie and Hillary answered. "Hey, guys," she greeted.

"Meredith!" Hillary gasped.

"Hey, Hills," Meredith giggled softly. "I think this is a miracle."

"What's a miracle?" Lexie asked as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She was in her scrubs, obviously in an on call room, and Meredith paused for a moment.

"Am I interrupting sex?" She frowned.

"I…no, no!" Lexie gasped as her eyes went wide. "I mean…no, of course not. I just…we just…he got paged away but there was…I mean, there was sex but we finished and he went to operate and…no!"

"Oh my god, we're definitely on the phone with post-orgasm Lexie," Hillary laughed.

"I'm just happy I have good timing," Meredith grinned.

"I had to stay overnight with a patient and he was just…" Lexie shook her head quickly. "What's a miracle, Mer?"

"That I was able to get both of you at once," Meredith shrugged.

"Okay, I'm a mom to a busy three year old whose whole life revolves around pre-k and Paw Patrol," Hillary shrugged as she grinned widely. "Which he's currently watching with his daddy and it's so cute. I swear they sit the exact same."

"How is pre-k going?"

"He loves it," her best friend stated. "Our entire fridge and Kev's office is just…covered in drawings. I think he's getting pretty good at it."

"That's great, Hills."

"I'm a busy surgeon," Lexie pointed out. "Saving lives. Cutting into brains. Busy busy surgeon."

"She's been getting laid," Hillary laughed. "Every day. Constantly."

"Oh my god, Hills," Lexie blushed.

"It is not my fault that you texted me that information when you were drunk the other night," Hillary shook her head. "I know almost as much about your boyfriend's dick and techniques as I do about my husband's. You're very chatty when you're drunk."

"It's not my fault Mark is a god with his tongue!" Lexie gasped, her eyes wide and her cheeks pink. "And he does this thing with his fingers…I…sorry, Mer."

"No, Lexie, it's okay," Meredith insisted as she fidgeted with the ultrasound picture in her hands. A few months ago, Lexie would have been texting her about all of her sexcapades with her boyfriend, but apparently her sister had decided not to tell her things anymore and it was more than a little hurtful. "I'm still your sister."

"My pregnant unemployed sister who ran off to the middle of nowhere to avoid the fact that she's pregnant and unemployed instead of letting me help her," Lexie said bluntly and then her eyes widened. "I…oh god, Mer, I didn't…I mean, I did but I didn't…that came out really wrong and I'm really, really sorry because I shouldn't have said that. I'm tired and I haven't had coffee and I just…I'm really, really sorry."

"Lex, you're right," Meredith murmured, resting her hand over her belly. "I did run off because it's scary and big and I just…being in the city was really hard and I wasn't ready to face things and I just…I feel really good here."

"I get that and obviously I want you to be happy but you still have to face things and you need people," Lexie pointed out.

"I…can I tell you guys why I called?" Meredith smiled at her friends as she heard Ryder and Kevin laugh and Hillary's grin widened.

"What's up, Mer?" Her best friend asked.

"I…I wanted to introduce you guys to Baby Girl Grey," she grinned before holding up the ultrasound picture in front of her face. For a second, there was silence and then suddenly she heard a lot of gasping and squealing. She grinned widely and lowered the picture slightly to see her best friend and sister laughing happily.

"It's a girl?" Hillary gasped.

"She's a girl," Meredith confirmed, glancing at the profile of her baby daughter.

"Oh my god, Mer!" Lexie. gasped, clapping her hands. "She's beautiful! And so cute. I love her little nose. And I am so happy she's a girl. I mean, I would have loved a nephew but…"

"No, I get what you're saying," she shook her head. "I'm glad I'm having a girl, too. It would have been too weird…but she's a girl and I think she's pretty cute."

"She's adorable," Hillary murmured. "Hold the picture closer again."

"Okay," she giggled, holding up the picture again. "The nurse said she was blowing kisses and I realize she does't actually know what that is so she can't do it but…she was super cute and moving a lot.'

"God, she's precious, Mer," Hillary breathed. "I can't believe she's already so big and so…god, she's so cute."

"She's going to look like you," Lexie insisted as she leaned closer to her phone. "Look at her little feet! My niece has really cute feet."

"She does have really cute feet,' Meredith agreed, rubbing her stomach slowly as she felt her daughter move.

"I'm so glad you finally went," Hillary sighed. "I thought your appointment was later this week?"

"I…it was," Meredith agreed before holding up the picture again. "Just remember that she's doing really well and she's a she and she's moving right now."

"Okay…" Lexie frowned.

"I fell in the shower last week ago," Meredith said quickly.

"Wait…you what?" Hillary gasped.

"I fell in the shower but I'm okay and she's okay."

"You fell, Mer!" Lexie shook her head. "How did you even fall? Did you hit your head? Have you felt any contractions? Because I get that she was doing okay a couple days ago but sometimes it takes some time for these things to pop up."

"She's moving right now, Lex," she insisted, shaking her head. "And it's a long story and I just…I sprained my wrist and twisted my ankle but I'm doing fine."

"How is falling in the shower a long story?" Hillary asked.

"I…I was trying to put up a shower caddy and I climbed on the edge of the tub…"

"Meredith!" Lexie gasped.

"You do not have to lecture me about the dangers of me climbing on things," she sighed heavily. "The doctor already did and I'm not going to do it again. Now I just have to stay off my ankle for a few weeks."

"Well, I'm glad he lectured you but, seriously, my niece is going to get bigger and you're not going to be able to see your feet and she's going to make your center of gravity all off and you really need to be careful."

"Lex, do not make me pull out my last resort of showing you my belly," Meredith rolled her eyes.

"Okay, to you that sounds like a threat but I'm dying to see you with an actual bump," Hillary cut in.

"Me, too, actually," Lexie grinned, her concern apparently forgotten. "Are you showing showing or still kind of showing?"

"No, I'm definitely showing showing," she rolled her eyes before adjusting against her pillows until her belly came into view. She really did look big, at least compared to how she had looked in the last few weeks and judging by the squeals from her sister and best friend, they were noticing it too.

"You look amazing," Hillary squealed. "Seriously. You look completely amazing."

"Look how big she's getting!" Lexie grinned. "Oh my god, Mer, can I please buy her presents? I have been trying so hard not to buy her presents but now you seem all…excited so I think I should be able to buy her presents."

"What are you going to buy her?" Meredith asked as she rested her hand on her stomach.

"I don't know. Cute clothes or some toys or…maybe a towel with a hood that makes her look like an animal," Lexie nodded eagerly. "Would you say she's more of a bunny, a puppy, a unicorn, or a lion?"

"I…I don't know," she shook her head. "I don't really…I mean, maybe I'll know once she's born?"

"I'll think about this," Lexie nodded eagerly. "You're going to have to come home at some point to do apartment hunting so we can decorate her nursery, Mer."

"I…that's…we'll talk about that later, Lex," Meredith breathed just as Lexie's pager went off and her sister groaned. "You have to go."

"I have to go," Lexie agreed as she shrugged on her lab coat. "I'm going to call you later so we can talk about my niece and her nursery and all the fun things I'm going to buy her."

"And your boyfriend who is apparently giving you amazing sex?" Meredith raised an eyebrow at her little sister.

"Well, yeah, him too," Lexie blushed. "Tell my niece I love her and I can't wait to see her grow more."

"I will, Lex," Meredith giggled softly.

"And I love you too and please be careful," Lexie stated. "Bye, Hills."

"Bye, Lex, I'll talk to you later," Hillary laughed before Lexie ended the call. Hillary sipped at a cup of coffee and Meredith rubbed her stomach soothingly as her daughter did her gentle little flips or whatever was happening inside her. "You want to stay."

"What?" She gasped.

"You want to stay," Hillary stated as she shrugged. "I saw it in your eyes for a second. You have no intention of coming home before she's born."

"I don't know what I'm doing yet," Meredith denied. "I just…things feel good here so far. I like it here a lot and the doctor does have a plan."

"What kind of plan?"

"Since my pregnancy is uncomplicated so far, he'll keep an eye on it until the last month and then I'll go to a doctor in Syracuse," Meredith reported. "He isn't an OB but he's…I mean, he's really good and I liked him a lot."

"I get that, Mer," Hillary said carefully, "but I just want to be sure you weigh all your options. I mean, Syracuse is an hour away and you're alone. And you're due in winter. And pregnancy is unpredictable sometimes."

"I know it is," she murmured, looking down at her stomach. "I'm still thinking about everything. I'm just surprised by how much I love it here."

"So am I," her best friend agreed. "You did not strike me as a small town girl at all."

"Apparently waterfalls and hiking helps," Meredith giggled softly. "I…can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, Mer, always," Hillary assured her.

"You've been pregnant," she stated and then shook her head. "I mean, obviously you've been pregnant. You have Ryder and…the point is…you've been pregnant. During your second trimester were you ever…I mean, did hormones make you…"

"Angry? Sad? Happy? All of the above in a fifteen second span?" Hillary laughed.

"Horny," Meredith admitted.

"Oh…" Hillary laughed as she nodded. "Oh yeah. Is your vibrator getting a work out?"

"Not yet," Meredith felt herself blush. "But I…I mean, there's…I might want to fuck the town doctor and I'm honestly trying to figure out if it's a hormone thing or just…an actual thing?"

"Wait, you want to fuck the town doctor?" Hillary gasped as her eyes widened. "Isn't he like…eighty?"

"Okay, I'm glad you had that thought, too, because I definitely did," Meredith agreed, shifting slightly as she felt her daughter wiggle. "But he's not. He's…I don't know…early forties? And gorgeous. Like…dark, messy, curly hair and five o'clock shadow and…his eyes, Hills. He has these amazing blue eyes that do this sparkly thing…"

"Sparkly thing?" Hillary raised an eyebrow.

"I can't describe it besides sparkly thing," she shook her head. "And listen, I was sitting there and I was worried about the baby but also imagining having sex with him which is really fucked up."

"I mean, hormones definitely make you horny during the second trimester," Hillary advised. "Kevin's tongue was exhausted by my twenty-sixth week. Which I realize is too much information but well…"

"So it might just be hormones?"

"It might be," her friend shrugged. "Or you have a thing for the town doctor."

"Yes, at five months pregnant, I have a chance with the sexy town doctor," Meredith rolled her eyes. "I just actually started showing and I'm sure that's what he's always wanted. A pregnant chick."

"Mer, you never know," Hillary pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure no one signs on for a pregnancy if they don't have to," she shrugged. "Or a newborn baby screaming all night."

"Please tell me you're not writing your whole life off just because you got pregnant," her best friend groaned before sipping at her coffee. "You're an amazing woman and a badass and your daughter is going to be a badass. And any guy with half a brain would be lucky to have you both in his life."

"I appreciate the moving speech, Hills, I do," Meredith murmured. "I just…listen, right now I just need to focus on her and figuring out what my steps are going to be when she's here. I just wanted to know if wanting to sex my doctor was problematic."

"I think it's problematic in that you're going to talk yourself out of trying to get what you want because I think you're going to keep punishing yourself for something you couldn't have predicted," Hillary shrugged. "And for being used by a complete and total douchebag."

"I'm not punishing myself," Meredith groaned. "Isn't this some mom thing?"

"I always promised not to be the mom who gave up a part of who I am to be a mommy," Hillary murmured as she turned to look towards her living room. "I love Ryder more than anything in the world and he is easily the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. But I love Kevin and I love that we can still be us even after a long day of having a busy kid."

"I…I hear what you're saying but this is…it's different," Meredith sighed. "And seriously…he's the town doctor. I swear the whole town worships the ground he walks on. Women were literally sitting in the waiting room to flirt with him and at the local coffee shop, he has his own table that no one else is allowed to sit at."

"Leave it to you to get horny for the town's celebrity doctor," Hillary laughed and then paused. "I am being called."

"You're going to watch the dog show, aren't you?" Meredith giggled softly.

"Paw Patrol and this is your future so no laughing," Hillary threatened. "She really is beautiful, Mer."

"I think so, too," she smiled widely. "Call me later. I have to rest this ankle and it's getting really boring."

"Just stop climbing up on the edge of tubs," Hillary rolled her eyes before the call ended and Meredith sat back against her pillows and wrapped her arm over her belly. If she was being honest, she did miss the crazy support of her best friend and her sister. She loved Oakbrook Falls and she really wasn't sure she'd ever want to leave, but she did miss being able to meet them for a cup of coffee or have Lexie come over and watch Property Brothers with her. But she was happy here, even if she was five months pregnant and horny for her doctor. Pregnancy was just weird.

She had to stop thinking about the whole Derek thing. He was her doctor and she had bigger things to worry about then the town doctor with the sparkly eyes who made her feel all calm. Even when he had called a couple of days earlier, she had immediately felt like she could breathe or something. It was just crazy to be thinking about that, especially when her hormones were clearly running the show right now and she was pregnant with a wiggly daughter who didn't need the complications of dating in a small town, but probably needed some breakfast. Meredith swung her legs over the side of the bed and then paused when she felt it, an insistent and powerful nudge that pushed against her belly. She looked down, her eyes wide, and she rested her fingers against the spot as it happened again, her skin rippling slightly. "Wow, baby girl," she grinned widely, pressing her fingers against her daughter's kick. "Good morning to you, too. You must have done a bunch of growing."

This was where her focus had to be. No matter how pretty Derek's eyes were and no matter how calm he made her feel, she just had to focus on her tiny baby girl who was growing and doing a lot of kicking. She would probably get past the horniness at some point anyway and then just be too uncomfortable to worry about sexing the town's hot doctor. There were a lot of things going on in her life and for once, she needed to not be taken in by a guy with nice eyes. Right now, all that mattered was the life she had to make a life for.

The way I feel so obvious now

Cause I'm paper thin in love with you now

I'm bursting out