Disclaimer: If we owned Grey's, Alicia would be buying sex toys in sex shops for her and Paddy. Sadly, we don't own Grey's.

Nine months. Well nine months and one week. We had finally made it, we had more than made it. The last 2 months had gone smoothly, more smoothly than either of us could have expected considering how bad the other seven months had been. Dillon's party had gone off perfectly with me and Lucas heading it up. Mom was doing better, Mom had even had supper at her place the week before.

It had been great to have a Shepherd family dinner at the house, even if the entire time people were asking Meredith if she were okay. Meredith had been excited then, and had fielded the questions beautifullly. Now, though, talking to Mer was basically guaranteeing being yelled at. Dill was actually thankful to go to school in the morning, if only because Meredith could only yell at me, not him

I avoided her, I was avoiding her like the plague, which wasn't all that easy in our too tiny house. But I tried my best to stay out of her way, because the excitement of a week before had turned into annoyance. Because she was sick of feeling like a beach ball. She was sick of wadling around. Meredith was sick of just about everything.

I spent more time fiddling with the heating and air conditioning as she complained about being too hot or too cold. Her feet hurt. Her back hurt. Our daughter was determined to torture and kill her before she was even born. I more or less tried to block whatever she said out, but she had even taken to making me sleep on the couch, and if I complained about the neck or back pain the next day, she shot me the kind of look that made me fear for my life.

No one had told me to be afraid of her by the time she hit this point, no one had warned me about this part of the pregnancy. And I wish they had, because I would had moved out. This was hell. I heard a small moan from the other room and wondered if I should go and check on it. "Mer?"

"What?" she snapped, sounding a little breathless.

"You okay?" I asked terrified. Because if she was okay she would kill me for asking.

"No, Derek, I'm not okay. I'm not okay because I'm nine million months pregnant. What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Sorry, Mer," I sighed. "I heard a moan and I was just...checking."

I didn't hear anything and then, "Ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?" I asked confused.

"They're ten minutes apart," she clarified as she came into the room, her hand on her back.

"We're in labour?" I asked my eyes wide open.

"No," she shook her head. "You. You are not in labour. You are definitely not in labour. Because you're back doesn't hurt. And you don't feel like you're being ripped from the inside out every ten minutes. I'm in labour, Derek. So no more of this we shit."

I smiled. Meredith was annoyed and adorable and about to give birth to our daughter. "We have to go."

"Not yet," she rolled her eyes, lowering herself onto the couch. "Addison would kill us if we paged her for contractions ten minutes apart. We're supposed to wait until they're five to seven minutes apart. Or until my water breaks."

"Okay," I nodded. "The bag, we need to grab the bag. And Dillon, we have to tell Lucas to pick him up."

"Then go grab the bag," she sighed. "And call Lucas. Just...leave me alone and don't hover. I will kill you if you hover."

"I love you," I smiled at her like she was a big gift on Christmas. I couldn't help it, even if she was annoyed. I jumped off the couch and ran up the stairs to grab the bag we had packed a couple of weeks ago.

I quickly dialed Lucas's number, a big stupid grin on my face. My daughter was coming. My Meggie would be here soon. It was finally happening. I paused for a second, my heart suddenly pounding in my ears. I was going to be a father soon. I would be responsible for a new human life in just a few hours. And suddenly, I couldn't breathe. "Derek!" I heard Mer cry from the other room.

Listening to the ringing on the other end I headed to the room where Meredith was. "Yes?"

"It hurts," she moaned as she doubled over, reaching for my hand.

"I know," I said, letting her grib my hand, trying not to wince at the pain. Apparently even though she was tiny the pain gave her a stronger grip.

"Kelley," Lucas suddenly answered.

"It's me," I answered. "Mer's in labour, can you get Dill at school?"

"Yeah," he said quickly. "How far apart are the contractions? Do I need to tell Addison you guys are on your way?"

"10 minutes, so we'll be headed that was soon," I answered.

"Good luck," he said. "I have a bypass surgery I need to do, but call me when Meg's born. Dill will want to be the first to see his little sister."

"We will," I nodded, hanging up the phone. "Where are we, Mer?"

"In our living room," she snapped as she stood up, starting to walk around.

"Your funny," I laughed. "Contractions...how far apart?"

"Still ten minutes," she sighed. "God, she's going to take her time isn't she? She's going to take her blessed time while I'm in pain and..." There was suddenly a splash of water and Meredith looked down. "Der..."

"It's okay, Mer," I smiled. "Let's get going."

"Why the hell are you smiling?" she asked as I helped her out to the car. "What is so great about this?"

"I'm going to be a daddy," I laughed. "Megan's coming."

"Yes she is," Meredith sighed. "Finally."

"You're happy, right?" I asked, squeezing her hand.

"Yeah," she nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "I am happy, Der, it's just...labour isn't exactly a picnic in the park. It hurts. And it's not fun."

"I know," I laughed. "I wish I could do something to help."

"Hand," she suddenly said, squeezing my hand tightly as she groaned. "Ow. Ow. Ow."

"We're almost there," I reassured her.

"Call Addison," she said through clenched teeth. "And tell her eight minutes apart now."

I nodded quickly, flipping open my phone and dialing her number. This was good, this was great, this was perfect. And this was bad and scary and terrifying. Meredith was in labour, our daughter was coming. We definitely weren't ready for this.

"Montgomery," Addison's voice came over the phone, though she sounded a little breathless herself.

"Mer's in labour," I gasped not bothering to say hello.

"What?" she asked, and I could hear the sound of a hand smacking bare skin.

"Meredith. Labour. 8 minutes apart," I breathed.

"Okay, okay," I heard her say, sounding muffled a little. And then possibly Mark's voice in the background. "Meredith's in labor," she whispered and then more loudly to me, "Has her water broken?"

"All over the living room floor," I answered.

"What's your ETA?"

"About four minutes," I told her.

"I'll send Mark down with a wheel chair," she stated. "See you in four."

"Thanks," I breathed, hanging up the phone and looking over at Meredith who's face was scrunched up in pain. "Breathe, Mer."

"I'm trying," she sighed as she gripped my hand. "God, Derek, we're not ready. We really are not ready for this. Not at all."

"Yes we are," I nodded my head, even though I had had the same thought minutes before.

"Are you sure?" she stared at me. "I mean, a baby. This is a baby, Derek. She's going to need things. And she won't sleep through the night and she'll cry and keep you up and you have to be a surgeon."

"Meredith, we will be fine," I said. "We can do this."

We pulled up to the hospital where Mark was standing outside with a wheelchair, his hair all over the place and a frown on his face. "Haven't had sex in two days," he mumbled as he came towards us. "Oh, baby! Babies have to be born. Stupid babies." He stopped. "Hey, guys. What brings you here to Seattle Grace Hospital?"

"You're an idiot," I groaned, helping Meredith into the wheelchair. "I heard you, I know you know why we're here."

"You don't think you could have waited a little longer?" Mark stared at Meredith. "An hour at least?"

"Oh yes," Meredith breathed, wincing in pain. "I asked for this."

"Should I call the family?" Mark asked me as Meredith grasped my hand, squeezing so tightly I let out a small whimper.

"Call Mom," I nodded. "But wait on the sisters. They'll all want to be here, and we don't need them all right now. Wait until Megan's here."

"You realize they're going to kill you if you make them wait?" he stared at me. "I mean, this could take hours. And Mom's probably going to call the entire damn world anyway."

"Fine," I groaned. "Call the family. But they are waiting in the waiting room."

"You better believe they are," Meredith gasped. "No one is video taping my vagina."

"It will be just us in there," I soothed her.

"Seven minutes," she sighed as she leaned her forehead against my hand. "I'm getting drugs, I just want you to know that. You don't have say in this."

My hand was already sore from all the squeezing she had been doing. My 2 million dollar a year, soon to get a raise hand was nearly broken. "I support the drugs."

"Yesterday you were saying you read an article about natural child birth and how great it was," she stared at me. "What's changed now?"

"I don't like seeing you in pain," I partially lied. Only partially. Seeing Meredith's face scrunched up in pain wasn't the most pleasant experience. It ranked slightly below getting my hand squeezed in her vice like grip.

"Hello, Shepherds," Addison greeted us as the elevator doors opened. "How are we doing? Ready to have Megan?"

I smiled at the use of just my last name. "Yes. Please. Make this fast," I pleaded.

Addison laughed as she wheeled Meredith into a room. "Megan's in control of how fast this goes," she smiled. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Seven minutes," I answered for Meredith as she winced along with another contraction.

"Breathe, Meredith," Addison coached softly as she rubbed Mer's back. "Breathe through it."

"Drugs, Addison, I need drugs," Meredith pleaded.

"Let's examine you first," Addison said soothingly. "Sometimes labor progresses so quickly the drugs just aren't possible. And this is your second pregnancy, labor should go much faster."

Meredith looked up at me, a pleading terror in her eyes. "It's okay, Mer," I whispered.

"Derek, go help her into her gown," Addison handed me the gown. "And please keep your hands to yourself."

"Addison, she's in labour, I have some self control," I said, shaking my head.

"Of course you do," she nodded. "Now go. Meredith, your labour with Dillon was seven hours, correct?"

"Yeah," Meredith nodded.

"Usually labor is cut down by half with the second child," she said as I helped Meredith towards the bathroom. "So we could be talking another three or four hours before Megan is born."

"That's too long," Meredith moaned leaning against me.

"It's okay, Mer," I whispered, rubbing her back. "We're going to be fine."

"You try to push a bowling ball out of your va-jay-jay and then you can tell me that," Meredith sighed.

"Va jay jay?" I chuckled a little as I pulled her maternity shirt over her head.

"Now is not the time you want to be mocking me, Shepherd," she warned.

"I love you," I whispered suddenly, ducking my head down to kiss her quickly.

"I..." she started. "Hand."

"Mer, uh," I said as she squeezed my hand, harder this time, "I know you're in a lot of pain right now but my hand makes me about two million dollars a year. So if you could try really hard not to break it or injure it, that would be good."

Her eyes immediately met mind. And narrowed. "You and your stupid boy penis might have considered that about nine months ago."

"My stupid boy...what?" I asked as she squeezed my hand even harder. "Mer, hurting."

"Penis!" she hissed, sounding a little breathless. "And the day you deliver a baby you can teach me something about hurting."

"Okay, okay, sorry," I said quickly as I pulled my hand away, rubbing it as I helped her into the gown.

"Der..." she sighed. "I don't hate you. I hate you right now, but generally speaking, I don't hate you."

"Good to know," I smiled as I pushed her hair away from her face. "We're going to be parents, Mer."

She nodded slightly as she let her body fall against mine. "This is actually happening."

"It is," I nodded carefully. "Princess Meggie is coming. Our little girl is coming. My princess."

"We need to get back out there before Addison starts thinking you're doing something you shouldn't be," Meredith sighed.

I laughed and led her back into the room, helping her into the bed and taking her hand again as Addison tied her surgical cap on. "Okay, Mer," she said, "I'm just going to see how dilated you are, and if you are at all effaced, all right?"

"Okay," Meredith nodded, squeezing my hand gently.

"All right," Addison said, "you look to be about five and a half centimeters dilated, which is very good and very hopeful. I don't think she'll take much longer, really."

"Thank god," Meredith sighed.

"I want you to move around, for now," Addison nodded, taking off her gloves. "Walk around the room, take a walk along the hallway. Don't worry about timing every contraction unless you feel something has changed. I'll be back in an hour to check on you."

"Thanks Addison," Meredith nodded.

Addison left the room and I turned to Meredith, giving her a big smile before leaning down to give her a kiss. "I love you," I said for the third or forth time. "I love you and you look beautiful right now."

"I look beautiful in a hospital gown in mid-labour?" she asked me, looking rather skeptical.

"Definitely," I nodded, sweeping her hair off her forehead. "Do you feel up to taking a walk?"

"Not really, but if it's going to make this faster," Meredith groaned.

I nodded and helped her off the bed, rubbing her back a little. "Room or hallway?"

"Room," she answered.

"Okay," I nodded, grasping her hand as we walked around in a comfortable silence, stopping as Mer had another contraction, her hands grabbing onto my shirt as I rubbed her back. "It's okay, Mer. You're okay. Breathe. Just breathe."

"You're a lot better at this then Izzie was," she giggled as her contraction passed.

"Really?" I grinned a little, I liked being complimented by the woman who had been close to killing me just a few hours earlier.

"I still hate you, but I'm glad your hear," she admitted quietly.

"Thanks, Mer," I laughed as we resumed our walking. "You okay? Need anything? Ice chips or something?"

She shook her head quicky. "I'm find right now."

"You sure?" I asked, rubbing her back.

"Ice chips might be nice," she relented.

"Right," I nodded. "Ice chips. Will you be okay by yourself? Or should I send Mark in?"

"I'll be fine," she smiled slightly.

"I'll send Mark in," I nodded as I ran out of the room, leaving her to walk by herself.

"Mark, I'm running to get ice chips, can you keep an eye on her?" I asked him, slightly surprised to see him pacing outside.

"Uh...yeah," he nodded and then grabbed my arm. "There's not actual baby coming out, is there? Because it's gross and I don't think I should be looking at my best friend's fiancee's...you know."

"Addison has her walking for an hour, you're safe," I laughed.

"Thank God," he sighed. "Mom's on her way. She wanted me to tell you to not be an ass and to remember that she's in more pain than you'll ever be able to imagine."

"What? Why would I be an ass?" I asked, confused.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Mark shrugged. "I don't do the baby thing."

"You will eventually," I shrugged.

"Never man," he shook his head. "Addison doesn't know it yet but kids are toxic. It's hard enough dealing with the brats that you Shepherds keep pushing out."

I laughed and slapped him on the back. "You're last name might be Sloan but you're just as much a Shepherd as the rest of us. Now go watch the newest two, I have ice to get."

I watched as Mark went into Meredith's room and then set about to get the ice chips, moving the muscles of my hand, trying to assess the damage. Maybe I would get Dr. Torres to check it out after Megan was born, because it definitely hurt. I had never even thought that my tiny Meredith could inflict so much pain. But then, my tiny little Meredith was giving birth to my daughter, my little girl.

I was going to be a dad, an actual real dad. I had been one for months now, I loved Dillon as much as I would love all of my own children, but this still...this felt real. Meredith was going to give birth to a tiny little person that was a combination of her and me. A tiny little person that had started one night on the kitchen counter of all places. I was going to be a read dad, someone was going to have my name.
And suddenly, my injured hand started shaking a little. I was going to be a dad. Someone was going to depend totally on me for everything. Dillon could get up by himself in the morning and pour himself a bowl of cereal. He dressed himself, didn't need me to change his sheets or diapers. I had come in after he had learned all that. But my little girl would need me for everything.

Scary words ran through my head. Stuff about the first five years being the most important, the most formative. I had missed Dillon's first five years, but I wouldn't this time. This time there's be a little girl depending on me to help her figure out who she was. When up until just under a year ago, when I had walked into that bar and seen Meredith, I had had no idea of who I was.

I wasn't sure I could do this. I wasn't sure I could wake up in the middle of the night. I wasn't sure I could even hold a baby properly. I had nine nieces and five nephews, but they were usually deposited in my arms for five or ten minutes, tops. Never for long periods of time. I would be depended on to take care of a little life and I didn't know the first thing about how to do that. I saved lives every day, but actually taking care of a life, actually forming life? I was lost.

Meredith knew. She was scared, she was terrified, but she knew what she was doing. She had done it before, she had done it perfectly the first time, and ended up with Dillon. Meredith knew. So it was up to me not to screw up Megan, not to be the one to drop the ball. I was going to be chief, and there was going to be Dillon and a newborn and a wedding to start planning. It was so much.

"Derek?" my mother's soft voice pulled me out of my slight panic, my hands still shaking and my breathing a little labored. Great, I was having an anxiety attack while my fiancee was in labour.

"Mom," I breathed. "You didn't have to come."

"Of course I had to come," she smiled lightly. "It's my grandbaby. Are you all right?"

"No," I shook my head. "I have no idea how to do any of this. I don't know how to be a dad."

"Derek," she smiled softly, leading me to a chair and sitting down, "you've been Dillon's dad for almost a year now. And he worships the ground you walk on. You're wonderful with him."

"But Dillon doesn't need me," I sighed. "He doesn't depend on me. He can do things. He was him before he met me. Megan...Megan is just a baby."

She gripped my hand softly, and I avoided wincing. "What do you remember about your father, Derek?"

"Not much," I shook my head sadly. "He laughed a lot. And liked fishing and pancakes. I remember falling asleep on his lap watching hockey games. And hearing about his surgeries."

"He loved you and your sisters," she told me. "And most of the time, he had no idea what he was doing. Neither did I. But he loved you. That's all it takes, Derek. And you already have so much love for that little girl, everything else will fall into place."

"I just...Mer did such an amazing job with Dillon. I don't want to mess this up for her," I sighed.

"You won't," she squeezed my hand again. "Meredith learned. By trial and error. It's the most any parent can do. You'll be fine, Derek. When you hold her in your arms for the first time, it will all make sense. All of it."

"Thanks, Mom," I nodded, giving her a quick hug. "I should probably get back in there."

"You should," she nodded. "Your father would be very proud of you, Derek. I know I tell you that all the time, but I think today he's definitely here."

"I like to think so," I smiled.

"Good," she nodded. "Now go. And don't complain about your hand, Derek. She's hurting much worse than you."

"My hand is going to put the 5 kids she seems to want through college," I moaned.

"Five kids?" Mom laughed. "She didn't say that today, did she? Because I told your father after you that if he wanted more kids he could have them himself."

I laughed. "No we came up with the number a couple of months ago, the night we found out you were better. She wants three more."

"Ask her now," Mom shook her head. "She'll tell you she doesn't want anymore kids at all. Ever."

"I'm definitely not asking her," I shook my head. "Because knowing Mer she'd expect me to stick to that. And I want three more.""Then no complaining about your hand," she smiled. "Now go, Derek. She needs you."

I smiled at my mom and headed back to the room to find Meredith mid contraction and Mark looking completely lost. "Mer, it's okay, I'm here," I breathed calmly running up to take her hand. "Breathe."

"Thank God," Mark groaned as he rubbed his hand. "She has one hell of a grip. I won't be able to perform surgeries for a week."

"Mark!" I exclaimed. "She's giving birth to a sizeable human being, pushing a large object through a small hole. Show some sympathy."

"My hand is broken, Shep!" he held up his hand, which he was holding like a claw. "I am a surgeon. I make nearly two million dollars a year making people pretty. And my hand is broken."

"Toughen up, Sloan," I laughed kissing Meredith's head quickly.

"My hand," he muttered as he left the room. "Broken."

"Sorry it took me a while, Mom just got here," I explained to Meredith, gently dabbing away some sweat that had formed at her brow with a cloth.

"It's fine," Meredith panted. "They hurt, Derek. Megan needs to come, now."

"She's on her way," I encouraged. "Addie should be back to check soon."

"Mark says he's Megan's godfather," she said as she took to walking again, trying her hardest to keep moving.

"If that's okay with you," I said.

"I don't know," she shook her head. "He told me toughen up...at least, I think that's what he said."

"Mark's an ass," I laughed. "But you know how he is around kids, you've seen him with Dill. He stops being Mark."

"That's true," she nodded. "But you realize Cristina wants to be her godmother?"

"We can never die. We have to wait till all of our children are at least 18 to even think of dying," I answered seriously.

"Very true," she giggled and then grabbed my hand. "This is going so much faster this time," she said through clenched teeth. "Four minutes now."

"Should I page Addison?" I asked.

"No," she shook her head. "Really, I'm fine. She'll be in here soon anyway."

"If you're sure," I nodded.

"How's it going?" Addison asked, almost on cue as she came into the room.

"The contractions are four minutes apart now," Meredith panted. "And getting more intense."

"Let's check you out then," Addison said as I helped Meredith back onto the bed and Addison began her exam. "Progressing nicely, Mer. Seven and a half centimeters dilated. But don't get too excited just yet, some moms reach this point and then it takes another three or four hours to get to the pushing point. Either way, I want you in bed now, all right?"

"Bed, I can do bed," Meredith nodded.

"We're going to hook you up to a fetal monitor," Addison said. "Just to make sure Megan is doing okay as the labour progresses. Derek, do you remember how these work?"

"A little," I shrugged.

"Keep an eye out," Addison ordered. "Tell me if the baby's heart beat gets too low, all right? I don't think it will, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Okay," I nodded, feeling a little nervous.

"Everything's fine," she assured us, patting Meredith's arm.

"I just want this to be over with," Meredith moaned.

"It will be in the next couple of hours," Addison smiled encouraginly. "You're doing great, Meredith. Moving very quickly. Had you been in labor before you told Derek and just didn't think to say anything?"

"Ummm..." she cleared her throat. "He's Derek, Addison. He would have done exactly what he did, which was want to rush immediatetly to the hospital. I didn't see a point of telling him until I actually needed the hospital."

Addison laughed. "You have a point, Meredith. And thank you for waiting. There would have been no point, you're right. I'll be back in thirty minutes unless you feel any major changes. Derek will page me if you do, okay?"

I nodded. "Thanks again, Addie."

"No problem," she smiled and then walked out.

"You didn't tell me?" I asked turning to Meredith.

"Derek," she sighed, "we can fight about this later, right now, we have more important things to worry about."

I frowned. "I'm the father, you should have told me."

"Derek," she groaned and then grabbed my hand, squeezing it tighter than ever before. "Ow...damn it."

"Breath, Mer, beathe," I whispered, trying not to wince at her grip. I wasn't sure where the strength was coming from on such a tiny body.

It went the same way for the next two hours, Meredith squeezing my hand as the contractions intensified, and me trying to find a way to make her a little more comfortable, though it seemed mostly impossible. Addie had predicted our situation correctly. It took Mer an hour and a half to get to eight and a half centimers, and by the time Addie came in again, Mer didn't seem to have a second's rest between contractions.

"Please tell me she's nearly there," I begged, not wanting to complain about the complete lack of feeling in my hand.

Meredith grasped my hand tightly as she said through clenched teeth. "I have to push, Addison. Please let me push. I have to push."

Addison looked at us and smiled. "Actually, things are looking perfect. It's time, Meredith."

"Thank God," Meredith panted as they started getting the room ready for the arrival of our baby girl.

"You've been amazing," I whispered, ignoring the activity around us.

"God, this hurts," she sighed into my shoulder as yet another contraction came over her. "I need to push now. Right now."

"Give it a second, Mer. They just have to get things ready and then you can push all you want," I assured her.

"Addison," Meredith pleaded, "please."

"Just as impatient as Derek," Addison laughed, positioning herself at the bottom of the table. "Okay, Meredith, push."