Chapter Thirty-One: Even Playing Field
"I don't ever want to have to be in hospital again" Meredith whined as Mark led her into the house, she had only spend a few short hours in the hospital he couldn't imagine what she will be like when she actually gives birth.
"You're a doctor Mer, you're at the hospital everyday" Mark reminded her with a smirk.
"Yeah but that the point I am the doctor, I like it that way, I don't like being a patient" she huffed as she made her way up the stairs.
"Why don't you have a nice long bath and I will make some dinner, it's just you and me tonight" he said following her into their bedroom.
"Where is Izzie?" Meredith asked, usually her and Alex stayed at the house. Izzie had told her Alex's apartment was disgusting and she didn't know how anyone could live there.
"She's on call, so I presume Alex won't be here right?" Mark asked her hoping to have the night to themselves. They hadn't had some alone time in a while.
"Oh well a bath sounds wonderful" Meredith told him kissing him softly on the lips before making her way to the bathroom.
Mark went back downstairs to see what he could make for dinner. He found some steaks in the freezer that he could put on the grill and found some fresh vegetables that he could steam. He then decided to whip up a potato bake with the bacon, cheese and cream he had found in the fridge, it seemed Izzie was keeping the fridge reasonably stocked of late.
He then proceeded to set the table placing a clean tablecloth on and using the nicer plates, he found two candles which he placed in the centre of the table. He stood back admiring his work wishing he had of thought of some flowers.
He put some soft music on in the background and turned his attention back to the steaks on the grill making sure to cook them the way Meredith liked them.
Meredith came down the stairs taking in the set dining room table and the soft music playing. She was grateful that she had decided to put on jeans and a sweater rather than the sweatpants she had been tempted by. She recognised the song that was playing as one that had been played at their wedding. She watched as Mark expertly turned the steaks still not noticing her presence.
She walked toward him and snakes her hands around his waist and rested her head on his back.
"Smells delicious" she said as he turned around and met his grey eyes with her green ones.
"Glad you think so, usually I would offer you a glass of wine but what would you like instead" he asked her.
"Just water will be fine" she told him. "So what are we eating?" she asked as she felt her stomach rumble.
"We have grilled steaks, potato bake – just the way you like it and steamed carrot, beans and peas" he told her before kissing her lips.
"Yum" she said. "Thank you for doing this" she said softly.
"Doing what? Cooking dinner?" Mark asked her curiously.
Meredith nodded in reply. "I know with everything that has been happening we haven't had much time for us, it will get better soon" she promised him.
"It's okay Meri, I understand, next week we will get the test done and we will know for sure" Mark told her rubbing her back comfortingly.
"Mark what if they are Derek's, what about us?" she asked starting to sob in his arms.
"Meri we've talked about this we will figure it out, where is this coming from? Has something happened?" he asked concerned.
Meredith shook her head. "It's these damn hormones" she defended. "Now can we eat I'm starving" she said changing the subject.
Mark kissed her on the cheek before preparing dinner to be served.
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Addison knew she shouldn't have been doing what she was doing but she couldn't help herself. She had only known Derek a short time and she could tell there was something going on with him and Meredith. It was all in the way he looked at her. And she had known Meredith for years and could tell she was hiding something. She had been far too defensive earlier when she had tried prying into her friendship with Derek.
She stared at the file labelled with her once best friend's name. Meredith Grey. The two words stared back at her in all their boldness. She didn't have the courage to open it yet. No-one had questioned why she had requested it. She didn't even know what it was going to tell her. She already knew she was pregnant with twins and she couldn't be that far along since Mark hadn't been in Seattle that long.
A million thoughts whirled around her head as she sat in the temporary office she had been given. She still wasn't sure how long she was going to be in Seattle, she could stay as long as she needed to, as long as it took for her to sort things out with Meredith.
She took a deep breath as she skimmed the contents of the file. The pregnancy seemed to be going well; she was 12 weeks along, just out of the first trimester. She had severe morning sickness which was no longer being medicated but that happened with multiples Addison thought to herself.
She continued to scan through it when something caught her eye. Meredith had an appointment scheduled for the next Wednesday. A paternity test. That's when the realisation swept over Addison. There was a reason Derek was constantly hanging around Meredith and looking at her with his McDreamy looks. He was potentially the father of the babies she was carrying.
A feeling of relief washed over her as she thought about the fact that Meredith too had been unfaithful, Addison thought this would give her an even playing field and became more confident in the thought she could win back her two best friends.