Baby Day

It turned out Callie had managed to organise a very elaborate baby shower / house warming / engagement party. Since Molly couldn't be there Callie had arranged for join the party by web cam on Mark's 50" plasma TV.

Derek looked up from his chart when he stopped by the nurses' station and someone said his name.

"Lexie what are you doing here?" He asked confused seeing her sat there in scrubs.

"I got fed up of sitting at home waiting so I came in."

"You're supposed to be on maternity leave not doing whatever you're doing."

"Spell checking my interns' charts." Lexie clarified. "Hold on." She gripped the edge of the desk until her knuckles went white and then let out a slow breath. "Sorry."

"Lexie is there any chance that you're in labour?" He asked.

"Yes." Lexie replied.

"Yes there is a chance or yes you're in labour."

"Both." Lexie sighed.

"We should get you admitted and down in the maternity ward and where is Mark?"

"In surgery for the next four hours." Lexie replied. "And I'm already admitted." She held up her wrist to show her hospital bracelet. "I'm only four centimetres dilated, so Dr Chang said it was fine for me to leave as long as I go back every hour and when the contractions are only a few minutes apart. Meredith keeps sending interns to check on me."

"And Mark is fine with staying in surgery?" Derek questioned.

"He doesn't know yet. Please don't tell him. I'm fine, everything is going to plan, but this is going to take a lot longer than four hours, I'll tell him when he's done."

"He'd want to know." Derek insisted.

"I have a contraction then there is twenty minutes of nothing. He might as well stay where he is and be doing some good rather than stood around annoying me."

"Here you go." Callie came up and handed Lexie a soda cup.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"You know about this too?" Derek asked. "And you don't have any objections?"

"Mark did his part nine months ago, Lexie is doing great and there is nothing he could be doing anyway. He'll get to be there for the important part." Callie stated. "Page me if you need anything."

"Thanks." Lexie agreed. "Please don't tell him."

"Ok." Derek held up his hands. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I will."

"Mark?" Lexie called when he walked through the hall with another doctor five hours later.

"What are you doing here?" He walked over to the nurses' station.

"Nice to see you too." Lexie rolled her eyes.

"Sorry."

"Dr Grey." The Chief interrupted. "Did you have time to look...?"

"All done." Lexie dumped a stack of files on the counter.

"Thank you. How far apart are they now?"

"Twelve minutes." Lexie replied.

"I'll check back on you later."

Lexie turned to look at Mark who was processing.

"Did I mention I was in labour?" She asked innocently.

"We need to get you down to OB."

"No we don't." Lexie stated. "I'm already admitted, I'm six centimetres dilated, Dr Chang says I'm doing fine and if I'm happier up here keeping busy then I can stay here until the contractions are five minutes apart."

"Lexie." Mark said in a warning tone. "How long have you been having contractions?"

"What time did you leave this morning?" She asked.

"Six."

"Then since about four."

"Twelve hours and now you think to tell me." He was annoyed.

"You've been in surgery for eight hours." She reminded him. "And this is still going to take hours. So go and be brilliant and I'll page you when it's nearer the time."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Hold on." She told him as another contraction hit, he rounded the counter and tried to take her hand but she batted it away and grabbed something from the desk and squeezed it. When it was over she let out a breath. "See I'm fine." She made a quick notation before looking at him.

"Lexie." He then noticed what it was she had in her hand heart and bone shaped stress balls.

"Callie's idea. So I didn't break your hand." She explained. "Go back to work."

"No."

"They didn't have any grape juice only apple." Derek stopped when he saw Mark and then handed over Lexie's food.

"Thanks." She took it and tore open a packet of chips. She could feel Mark watching her. "What? I need to keep my strength up and I'm starving."

"You knew about this?" Mark turned to Derek.

"You were in surgery and there wasn't anyone who could go in a replace you until you were almost done. We've been keeping an eye on her, she's doing great."

"And she hates being talked about like she's not here." Lexie pointed out. "Derek can you just take him with you and keep him busy for a few hours otherwise he's going to drive me crazy and I've managed to be very calm and relaxed up until this point."

"As long as you promise to page him as soon as you hit five minutes and you have to go back to OB." Derek bargain.

"Or you could just lock him in a closet." Lexie suggested.

"I'm not going anywhere." Mark insisted.

"Either you go or I go and I'm comfortable here." Lexie stated.

"Mark, come on you can harass Chang for a while." Derek told him.

"Fine." He said through gritted teeth before kissing the top of Lexie's head.

"Owen." Derek walked up to Hunt who was talking to a nurse.

"Shepherd."

"I need you to keep Mark down here for a few hours, no surgery." Derek requested.

"Do I want to know why?" Owen signed the chart and handed it off.

"Lexie is up stairs at the nurses' station in labour and Mark has only just found out about it as he was in surgery. She doesn't want him around until she is closer so he doesn't drive her crazy."

"You don't know want to piss off a woman in labour." Owen nodded. "I'll keep him busy."

Lucy Susan Sloan entered the world at 4.02am, weighing in at 8lb 3oz and with a full head of brown hair. Lexie smiled as Mark sat on the edge of her bed holding the bundle of joy wrapped in a pink blanket.

"Do you want to have another one?" Lexie inquired.

"You just had a baby less than two hours ago and you want to have another one already?"

"I'm not talking about tomorrow, but in a few years."

"Let's see how we do with this one first." Mark suggested before giving her a quick kiss.

There was a knock on the door and it opened and Alex stuck his head in.

"Hey Lex, congrats."

"Thanks." Lexie smiled.

"Dr Sloan, I have a patient. 47 year old female who fell through a plate glass window three days ago while she was visiting her sister in Florida, she got back yesterday but woke up with searing pain in her leg. The wound is necrotising, I need to debried it but I don't know if the leg can be saved."

"I'm a little busy here Karev, find someone else to help." Mr told him.

"He'll be right there Alex." Lexie assured him, and then looked at Mark. "It's been a long 24 hours, I'm going to try and get some sleep, I'll have them take Lucy to the nursery, you can go and get her when you're done with your consult."

"Lexie..." Mark started to say in a warning tone.

"Mark, the woman's body is eating itself. We can manage without you for twenty minutes." Lexie insisted.

"Fine." Mark conceded.

"Thank you." Alex mouthed to Lexie before starting to pull the door shut.

"Hey Alex?" Lexie called stopping him. "When do I get my money?"

"What money?" Alex asked.

"I picked the first eight hours of today so that means I win the pool." Lexie reminded him.

"I think that was rigged."

"When I picked a date four months ago I don't think so."

"You'll have it by the end of the day." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Thank you." She smiled and looked at Mark who was scowling. "It's not my fault you didn't win; babies come on their own schedules."

"I'm never going to have control again am I?" Mark pondered out loud.

"I just had an 8lb baby without any drugs; I think that buys me a few months at least." She carefully took Lucy from Mark. "Go and help her."

"I love you both." Mark gave them both a kiss before he reluctantly left.

When Lexie woke up from her nap a couple hours later, her room was empty. She slowly climbed out of bed and slipped on her slippers and robe. She walked down the nursery, as she approached she saw a woman leaning against the glass.

"Are you ok?" Lexie asked.

The woman turned her head, her skin had no colour, she slowly held up a hand covered in blood.

"Oh god." Lexie said. "I NEED A LITTLE HELP OUT HERE." She yelled as she had to move quickly to catch the woman before she hit the ground.

A nurse had heard her; Lexie had her robe pushed against the woman's stomach trying to stench the bleeding while feeling for a pulse.

"I need a crash cart now; she needs to be back in surgery." Lexie instructed. The nurse ran for help, and came back with four other nurses. They had to shock her heart and Lexie left one of the nurses performing CPR as she instructed them to take her up to the surgical floor.

"What the hell is going on here?" One of the OB/GYN attending demanded as Lexie who was covered in blood grabbed the desk phone.

"I'm trying to save your patients life." Lexie dialled an extension as the nurse handed her the patients file.

"Who do you think you are?"

Lexie ignored him and spoke to Dr Bailey explaining the situation.

"She's Dr Grey, one of the surgical residents. Dr Sloan's fiancée." The nurse explained.

"I need to shower." Lexie said when she got off the phone. "Can you get me some scrubs and bring Lucy in in about ten minutes?"

"Of course." The nurse smiled at her. "Thank you for your help."

"There you are." Mark found Lexie stood in the surgical observation room, holding Lucy. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I had to come and check on Mrs Mayers."

"And you had to wear scrubs for that?" He questioned.

"Her stitches burst outside the nursery and her heart stopped I got covered in her blood trying to save her. Dr Bailey is still trying to stop the bleeding; she's already had to perform a hysterectomy. I may have pissed off one the attending."

"Lexie you just had a baby you shouldn't be running around the hospital."

"Women in Africa have babies and go back to work. I just needed to check on her." She glanced through the glass. "Life's too short." Molly's words came back to her.

"What?" Mark asked.

"Life's too short." Lexie repeated. "Here take Lucy, I need to go and find Meredith."

"Meredith?"

"I love you." She kissed him before disappearing out the door.

"Lexie?" He called after her, but stopped when Lucy started to stir.

"Meredith." Lexie found her.

"Lexie, what are you doing here? I was coming to see you when I finished these charts."

"I need your help with something."

"Anything."

"I want to get married." Lexie told her.

"I thought that's what this meant." Meredith held Lexie's hand up which was sporting her engagement ring.

"I mean today. Life's too short to wait. I've spoken to the hospital chaplain we can have the hospital chapel at 5."

"Lexie, you need a licence unless you planning having a post-it note wedding too."

"We have one. We were planning on going to city hall when Lucy was a few weeks old; it's on the mantel piece behind the clock. We have rings that are hidden in the back of Mark's underwear drawer; he has a grey suit in a drycleaners bag at the back of the closet."

"Ok." Meredith tried to take it all in. "What about you?"

"Can you just grab something and I'll hope it fits?" Lexie suggested handing her her keys. "By the way you might want to grab something for you and Derek, Mark's going to need a best man and I need a maid of honour."

"Does Mark know about this?" Meredith inquired.

"No and don't tell him. I'll explain it to him after you convince Derek to get him in a suit without telling him why."

A few hours later Meredith stuck her head round the door and looked around.

"Where's Mark?" She asked Lexie who was sat on the bed holding her sleeping daughter.

"He's gone to check on Alex's patient." Lexie replied.

"Good." Meredith beckoned to someone outside before stepping in and closing the blinds.

"Hey." Izzie came in holding a garment bag.

"Hi." Lexie echoed. "What's in the bag?"

"You can't get married without a dress." Izzie stated.

"You bought me a dress?"

"Hired." Meredith corrected. "It has to be back in three days."

"It's a little Pride and Prejudice. It should hide the post baby bump. Not that you don't look great."

Five minutes later Lexie heard a familiar whistle coming down the hall.

"That's Mark." Lexie was stood in the dress, Izzie sat on the bed holding Lucy and Meredith was near the door.

"I'll stall him." Meredith offered.

"Get him to check on Mrs Mayers for me." Lexie suggested.

Meredith slipped out the door then stood in front of it.

"Meredith." Mark stopped in front of her.

"Hi Mark, congratulations again."

"Thanks." He paused. "Can I go in?"

"Lexie needs a minute."

"Why?" He crossed his arms eyeing her.

"It's a girl thing." She hesitated. "She wants you to check on a Mrs Mayers whoever she is."

"The woman she saved from bleeding to death earlier." Mark studied her. "I'm going to find out what's going on."

"She just had a baby and needs a minute,"

"I'll be back in five minutes." He turned and walked back down the hallway.

"We have five minutes." She ducked back into the room.

"Help me with the buttons." Lexie requested.

At 4.45 Mark found Derek.

"What is so urgent you had to page me and why are you wearing a suit?" Mark asked.

"Come with me." Derek led him into the Attendings locker room. "Put this on." He handed Mark a garment bag.

"Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Mark demanded.

"Lexie told me to give you this." He handed Mark a note which read.

'Put the suit on and I'll explain everything. I love you. Lexie.'

"She just had your daughter, give her a little leeway." Derek suggested.

"Fine."

When he was ready Derek took him to where he knew that Lexie would be waiting. She was still dressed in her scrubs, but Izzie had pinned her hair up, and applied the slightest amount of makeup.

"What's going on Lex and why am I in this suit?" Mark asked.

"Can you give us a minute?" She requested of Derek.

"I'll be over there." He moved away.

"Lexie..." Mark prompted.

"I think we should get married."

"I thought we were." Mark was confused.

"I mean right now."

"Now?" He questioned.

"Meredith and Izzie have been great helping me organise everything, they even managed to find me a dress that doesn't make me looking like a deflated balloon."

"You're serious?"

"Yes. Everyone is waiting in the chapel."

"You couldn't have decided this six months ago?" Mark asked trying to process.

"You didn't propose six months ago." Lexie reminded him.

"I did twice though."

"I'm not sure the first attempt counts. You showed me the ring, told me you didn't want me to freak out but when I was ready you thought maybe possibly we should get married."

"That's a lousy proposal." Derek commented.

"Coming from a guy who hit his mother's ring with a baseball bat?" Mark looked at him.

"Your second attempt was better." Lexie tried to focus his attention. "So what do you think?"

"Is this what you really want?" Mark asked.

"Alex is going to record it for Molly and Dad who seems to have thought this was a good time to go out of town. Life's too short to wait for the perfect moment."

"Ok." Mark agreed.

"Ok?"

"Ok." He kissed her. "Let's get married right now."

"Give me five minutes to put the dress on. Lucy's in there with Callie and Arizona. I'll be right back."

"You knew about this?" Mark turned to Derek once she disappeared.

"Only for an hour or so." Derek replied.

"A heads up would have been nice." Mark ran a hand through his hair.

"I thought this is what you wanted Lexie and Lucy, a wife and kid."

"It was, it is. I just didn't expect it all in one day."

"You got involved with a Grey, life never goes as expect. Let's get you married." Derek slapped him on the back.

The wedding ceremony didn't last long, and after the kiss to seal the deal they talked with their friends. Then the cascade of pagers went off.

"I'm sorry; there was a bus crash two blocks from here." Richard apologised.

"It's okay. Thank you for coming." Lexie told him.

Callie reluctantly handed a sleeping Lucy back to her mother.

Lexie looked at Mark when they had all gone.

"You should go to."

"What?" He looked at her.

"It's a bus crash, they'll need a plastic surgeon somewhere, and they might as well have the best. Lucy and I will go back to my room and try and get some more sleep. It's been a long day."

"They'll manage without me."

"Mark. Go and be brilliant." She kissed him. "Or you take the baby and I'll go and help."

"Ok." He conceded. "I won't be long."

"Just change out of that suit first. You look good in it."

"And you look good in a wedding dress. I love you Mrs Sloan." He kissed her.

"I love you too."

It was late when Mark finally made it back to Lexie's room.

"I'm sorry I got stuck in surgery." He apologised.

"It's ok." She moved over so he could lie on the bed and she rested her head on his chest.

"Is Lucy in the nursery?"

"They took her back about ten minutes ago." She confirmed.

"We should get some sleep." Mark told her.

"I have a confession first."

"You changed your mind?" Mark guessed.

"No." She paused. "I would have said yes when you asked me to marry you the first time if you hadn't given yourself an out."

"An out?" He questioned.

"You told me it was my decision, it sounded like you were proposing because you thought you should not because you wanted to. The second time you made it clear it was what you wanted too."

"Either way you're stuck with me now." He kissed the top of her head.

"I know this isn't how you imagined spending your wedding night..." She started.

"I have you and I have Lucy it sounds pretty good to me."

"Then I have another confession."

"You want to run away and join the circus?" He guessed.

"When I went to visit Molly I had every intention of telling you I'd move in with you when I got back. Right up until Meredith called."

"So buying a couch was what?"

"A result of me being mad and you really did need to buy a couch."

"Anything else you want to confess?" He wondered out loud.

"You really do look good in a suit."

"Go to sleep." He kissed the top of her head.

At four am Lexie slipped out of bed and made her way down to the nursery.

"Dr Grey." She ran into one of the nurses. "The other Dr Grey is feeding Lucy."

"That's fine." Lexie assured her. "Can I go in?"

"Sure." The nurse swiped her in.

Meredith looked up when she heard the door open.

"Hey." Lexie whispered.

"I had a few minutes free and the nurse said I could..."

"It's ok, she looks happy there." Lexie smiled.

"So a baby, husband and a mortgage all in one day?"

"No mortgage, Mark bought the house outright and put it in my name. He didn't want Lucy and I to worry about where we were ever going to live." Lexie explained.

"Wow." Meredith said. Lucy started to fuss.

"You need to burp her."

"I don't..."

"Here." Lexie took her daughter and held her up to her shoulder to burp her.

"You seem to have got the hang of that." Meredith smiled.

"It's on the job training." Lexie agreed. "I know Mark is going to talk to Derek but we were wondering if you wanted to be Lucy's godmother."

"Me?" Meredith was stunned. "What about Molly?"

"We're asking her too." Lexie confirmed.

"Sure." Meredith agreed.

"We also were wondering if you and Derek would be her guardians if anything happened to us."

"I don't know anything about babies."

"And I hope you don't have to find out until you have your own and the odd bit of babysitting."

"Ok." Meredith agreed.

"Good."

"So why Lucy?" Meredith inquired.

"Mark's grandmother was called Lucille; she died when he was five. From what Mark and Carolyn told me she was the only one who gave a damn about him. But if Mark asks it was just because I liked the name."

Meredith's pager vibrated.

"I have to get back to work; I'll come and see you both later."

"We're going home after morning rounds." Lexie stated.

"I thought hospital policy was at least two days."

"We're both fine, we were running around the hospital all day. Besides Dr Chang knows we're both going to be under the very watchful eye of a doctor, so he said we could home. The Chief gave Mark three days off."

"I'll come and visit when I get off."

"You're welcome anytime." Lexie smiled.

TBC