-1Chapter Two

Old Friends

It isn't any surprise that half way to the restaurant the skies open up and unleash their misery. Meredith mentally curses herself for not having the foresight to carry an umbrella or wear a waterproof coat. She knows better than to trust a sunny sky in Seattle. Seattle is never sunny for long. Hence why it was named the Emerald City. A constant watering keeps it lush and green. Placing a hand on her swollen abdomen, she jogs across the semi-busy street. Her feet barely hit the curb when the red light that allowed her to cross turns green. Past experience has taught her to get as far from the curb as possible, unless she wanted to wear muddy water, which she does not. Sure enough, a large truck sends a spray of muck flying onto the sidewalk. A man who crossed behind her yells obscenities as he brushes sludge from his khaki pants.

"Common sense, my man, common sense," she muses to herself. It doesn't take a genius to know something large and fast would send water flying in all directions. It is one of them die in the wool sort of things. Everyone knows. Except the man behind her. She ducks into the restaurant, shivering a bit. Funny, how she wasn't cold out in the rain, but the moment she hits a warm interior, she is frozen. Scanning the room for a familiar face, she smiles when she finds it.

Her grin only grows as she makes her way to the booth where Alex is seated, reading a newspaper. Pressing the paper down, she forces her face into a serious expression. "Reading the New York Times while in Seattle is just wrong."

Alex looks up, frowning. It takes him a moment, then he grins. "Meredith!" Standing, he engulfs her in a hug, mindless of his spotless attire and her damp one. "Look at you, putting the pounds, I see."

Meredith laughs, placing both hands on her stomach. "Yes. Got another two months to pack 'em on, too. I think this one is going to be a boy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I'm carrying him up high. Which Cristina and Izzie both swear that means it's a girl, but I don't. I promised Derek a son this time, and by golly I'm going to give him a son.!" Sliding into the opposite side of the booth from where Alex was sitting, she grimaces. "You would think they would take pregnant women in consideration when making these damn things."

Alex smiles faintly. He looks like he wants to ask something, but then changes his mind. "How've you been? Other than toting another human being around?"

"Just peachy. I'm an attending now, you know? At Seattle Grace." It had been strange at first, taking Bailey's position when she was named Chief of Surgery.

There hadn't been anyone else to fill the void, though. So, she had stepped up.

"Oh yeah? How's that going?" Alex leans back in the booth, smiling that charming dimpled grin he'd always smiled. He hasn't changed much. The only difference was the air of maturity around him. If anything he has grown more handsome.

"Well. You know. It's kind of hard keeping my secret intern affairs a secret, but I manage. Bailey's chief now, you know?" She had sent him an email saying as much. As with most the emails she sent him, he never responded.

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't respond. Keep busy. Work. Kylie." His voice softens a bit when saying his daughter's name.

Meredith nods. The one constant in his emails was Kylie. There had been pictures attached a couple times. Pretty girl with long strawberry blond hair and large blue eyes. It was hard to say who she looked like. Meredith didn't see Alex or Addison. Derek had one time made the remark that she looked bit like Mark's mother. Which was ridiculous, because Kylie was Alex's daughter. "So, how's she taking it? You moving out here?" It wasn't an easy choice for him, she knew that from his email. He just couldn't take being in the same town, the same state, as Addison. Their divorce had not gone smoothly. Alex had admitted to having at least one affair. A co-worker. He wasn't proud of that, he had just wanted to feel like he mattered to someone. Someone who didn't act as though he was their personal puppet.

"Not to happy about it. I just...couldn't stay, you know?" Alex sighs, taking a sip of his coffee. "She's sick, Mere."

"Who? Kylie?" She frowns. She knew there was a reason for this lunch, she just wasn't expecting it to be something like this. "By sick, you mean sore throat, achy head, right?"

"I wish. She's got ALL," Alex stares at something behind her. No. Not something, nothing. He is lost in thought. About Kylie, no doubt.

"I'm sorry. How long have you known?" Meredith lays a hand on her stomach. She can't imagine what he was going through. Whenever her two year old daughter, Eva so much as coughed she worried. To find out she had leukemia, even if it was acute lymphocytic, she couldn't grasp how terrifying this has to be. Yes, the cure rate is high. Upwards of 90 with medication. Still, it was scary.

"For a while. We've been through everything. Chemo. Even went the bone marrow route. Some fancy thing where they reuse her own marrow. Shit, I'm a doctor," he laughs. "I should know what it's called. I do know what it's called. Just isn't coming to me right now."

Meredith reaches across the table. She takes a hold of his hand. "I'm sorry. I know that doesn't mean much. It wouldn't mean much to me if...if I was in your shoes. Are...are they saying you're out of options?" It sucks. It sucks beyond all reason that Kylie has to be in that 10 who didn't respond to treatment the way she should.

"Aside from suggesting Addison and I have another child for the sole purpose of donating their marrow to Kylie, not really. I couldn't stay, Mer. I know that makes me a coward, but I just...I couldn't stay there and watch my little girl die." His voice is thick, his eyes blurry with unshed tears.

Biting her lip, Meredith looks at their entwined hands. "Do...do they think a sibling would help?" Her heart is pounding. This isn't her place. This isn't her decision. Yet, she can't sit here, knowing what she knew, and not say something.

"Yeah, but...I can't do it Mere. I can't bring another child into this world just...just because...you know? And I sure as hell don't want another reason for Addison to bitch at me." There is a resigned tone to his voice, as though he has given hope.

Meredith takes a deep breath. "Oh God, forgive me," she whispers. "Alex, I think you need to talk to Izzie."

Alex let's out a rueful laugh. "Unless Izzie's a miracle worker, I don't think we would have much to say to each other. We didn't exactly part on amicable terms."

This isn't her place. She hates being in the position she is in. The position where she has to pick a side. Taking a deep breath, she looks at Alex, her eyes full of anguish. "When...when you left Seattle, Izzie...Izzie was pregnant. She was four months pregnant. And...I think...no...I know...I know that her daughter belongs to you."