Meredith got sick a few weeks later. It started out as a bunch of scattered symptoms. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, moodiness, exhaustion. She stayed home a few days thinking it was the flu, but nothing she took relieved her symptoms. Then it dawned on her.
"Cristina, can you go to the store for me on your way home today?" Meredith asked over the phone. Cristina sighed.
"Why can't Derek do it?" She whined.
"Because I need you to buy something... sensitive. It's just a hunch, but you know how Derek is. I don't want him getting his hopes up only for me to be wrong." She said. Cristina was silent for a second.
"You think you're pregnant?" She asked. Meredith sighed.
"I don't know. Maybe. It would make sense. We didn't use... protection that night at the prom and I had stopped taking the pill because Finn and I weren't going anywhere fast..." she trailed off.
"Okay, Yeah. I'll get a few so you're sure. See you in a few hours." Cristina said, hanging up the phone. Meredith sighed, leaning back in her bed. She couldn't do anything but lay there and read and watch TV. If she tried to get up to do something, she would get dizzy and nauseous and end up throwing up.
Cristina showed up a few hours later with a grocery bag filled with little boxes.
"I told you I'd get a lot." She said, placing the bag at the foot of the bed. Meredith chuckled.
"How much pee do you think I have?" She asked. Cristina pulled out a large water bottle from under her arm.
"Drink up." She said, handing the bottle to Meredith. She sighed, getting up slowly and taking the bag and the bottle into the bathroom. She paused for a second and breathed deeply to stop herself from throwing up.
She took every one of the tests and placed them back in the bag where she couldn't see them. She wanted it to at least be a little bit of a surprise. After she was finished, she walked back out into her bedroom, where Cristina was sitting on her bed watching the TV.
"It took you long enough. So, are you knocked up or not?" She asked. Meredith set the bag down and fished a test out.
"Positive." She said, half surprised. She pulled out the next test.
"Positive." She read again, locking eyes with Cristina.
"Could've two false positives. Turn the bag over, let's check them all." Cristina said. Meredith emptied the bag onto the bed and they made a pile of positives and a pile of negatives. There were 8 positives and 2 negatives.
"Looks like I'm pregnant. Or pregnancy tests suck." She said. Cristina smiled at her.
"When are you going to tell Derek?" She asked. Meredith shrugged.
"Tonight, I guess. I'll get Izzie to make dinner or something." She said. Cristina scoffed.
"For a second I forgot you were gone most of thanksgiving. Izzie can't cook. I'll have Burke come over and make something." She said. Meredith sighed and smiled.
"I'm pregnant..." She smiled. Cristina stood up and took the bag and empty water bottle with her.
"McBaby." She whispered loudly, making Meredith laugh as she left the room to go get Burke. Meredith pulled out her phone and called Derek.
"Hey, Meredith. Are you feeling any better?" He asked.
"No, not really. What time are you getting home?" She asked. He sighed.
"I have one more surgery, but it'll be quick. I should be home in a few hours." He said. "Why?"
"Oh, uh, Cristina and Burke are coming over and he's cooking, so I thought you might want to come. And I have something I want to talk to you about... in person." She said.
"Okay. I'll be home soon. I love you." He said.
"I love you too, Derek." She hung up.
XxXxX
She locked eyes with him across the table. He looked up from his pasta and salad and met her gaze, feeling the tension like she had something to say but confused as to why she wasn't saying it.
"You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" He broke the silence and everyone at the table looked up at them. Cristina smiled smugly and George, Izzie, and Burke looked at her confusedly.
"Oh, um... yeah. I think I figured out why I'm feeling sick." She said. He raised his eyebrows at her.
"Really? What is it?" He asked. She couldn't conceal her smile anymore as Izzie's mouth fell open and her eyes glazed with realization.
"I'm uh... I'm pregnant." Meredith smiled. Burke smiled with amused surprise. George was frozen, staring at Meredith in shock. Izzie giggled and Cristina and Meredith watched Derek for a reaction.
He was frozen. Hit with a wave of shock like a tsunami. All he could do was stare at the woman he loved as she smiled at him, watching him for a reaction. The words she had spoken repeated in his head over and over again. Finally, he found the capacity to speak.
"Oh, my god." He was flushed with ecstasy as his dropped jaw transformed into a smile. "Oh, my god!" He cried, jumping up from his seat and running around the table to her. He swept her up into his arms and held her tightly, tears springing to his eyes. She smiled wildly.
"I love you, I love you, I love you!" He smiled, kissing her over and over again. He set her down on the ground and squatted so that he was level with her stomach, lifting her shirt to reveal her belly button and kissing the soft skin above it. "And I love you." He said softly. Meredith smiled at him as he hugged her again, their eyes shining with tears and full of happiness.
"Congratulations, you two." Izzie beamed. Meredith nodded at her as they both took their seats again, unable to stop smiling. Cristina and Burke congratulated them as well. George stood up from the table and left silently. Everyone stared at each other for a tense second. Cristina finally broke the silence.
"Does this mean you're getting married? Because I need to know if I'm going to have to go to some big white dress wedding and deal with you as a bride." Cristina asked. Meredith chuckled awkwardly and looked at Derek for an answer.
"Uh... I don't know. We haven't really thought about anything like this yet. Trust me, if we get married, you'll be the first to know." He said. Cristina nodded and Meredith let out the breath she was holding.
She kicked him softly under the table and raised her eyebrows briefly, leaning forward to whisper in his ear.
"Find an excuse. Let's go to bed." She whispered. He raised his eyebrows at her and she smirked at him. Derek stood up suddenly.
"Well, I have a long day tomorrow, so I think I should just go to bed early. Thank you for the dinner, Preston." He announced, leaving the room. Meredith stood up and followed him.
"Try not to be too loud, some of us have to sleep!" Izzie called after them and Meredith giggled as they turned the corner and slammed the bedroom door.
XxXxX
Yay, McBaby! This was probably really predicatable but I promise this story is anything but predictable. Next chapter will be up tomorrow!
Kisses!
-E