NOTES: This chapter ended up being really long so I cut a couple of scenes and put them in the next chapter, but hopefully this chapter does not disssapoint. I've ben working on another GA fic 'Something More Than This" which follows everyone in their younger years so feel fre to check it out. This chapter is dedicated to Megan over at greys forum dot com for all her ideas and feedback, thanks Megan!

A reviewer also pointed out that lexi's age wouldn't add up so I tacked another year on. The only reason i made her 23 was because I thought there needed to be a fairly big gap between her and Mer and I was going crazy trying to figure out Mer's age. I finally figured she's got to be 30 or even 31 so a 6 year gap between them does work, so Lexi is 24 now :)

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Lexi took a long drag of her cigarette as she sat down on a bench outside of Seattle Grace and tucked her loose bangs behind her ear. She had tried rather hard to keep her emotions bottled up inside but now, as the wind blew about her; she let a few tears fall.

"Hey, you can't let the drama here at S Grace get you down," a voice said from over her shoulder.

"What?" She said, wiping her eyes before she turned to see Alex come up behind her and sit on the bench next to her.

"Don't cry, makes you look bad," he said.

"I wasn't crying," Lexi said, sitting up a little higher in a desperate attempt to make herself look tough. She took another drag of her cigarette and exhaled slowly.

"Going to blame it on allergies?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. Lexi just rolled her eyes. "Bailey know you're out here?"

"She know you're out here?" Lexi snapped back, "I'm on lunch, jackass. I'm entitled to a cigarette, what are you doing out here?"

"I get better reception," Alex answered. "Why were you crying?"

"I wasn't crying!" Lexi firmly said.

"Testy today, sexy Lexi?" Alex smirked.

"Got a lot on my mind, Kinky Karev," Lexi said.

"Nice," Alex smirked again, pleased with her rebuttal nickname. "But sulking in front of the hospital is a good way to let everyone know you're a mental case."

"Are you always an asshole?"

"Just about," Alex answered.

"Good to know," Lexi sighed.

"Hey, look, this hospitals full of drama. Don't let the little shit get to you."

"This isn't about Cristina Yang," Lexi stated.

"You're not screwing a resident are you?" Alex asked.

"No! But you're not the type of person I'd confide in either."

"Try me," Alex said.

"I already know how fast rumors start here. My best friend's sister works here," Lexi said.

"Oh, so now you're an expert on Seattle Grace?"

"You gave her syphilis," Lexi said. Alex's smirk dropped to a frown.

"You know Olivia?" Alex asked.

Lexi nodded.

"So then, you've heard the one about you and Meredith?"

"Yes," Lexi said, taking a deep breath. "Not a rumor though."

"So, you know?"

"I've known," Lexi answered.

"Who told you?" Alex asked.

"No one 'told me' anything."

"Spill kid, I've got calls to make."

"When I was pretty young, my mother told me my dad was married before and had a kid. I was curious, I found out more. Long story short."

"Does that have anything to with why you're here?"

"No."

"Bullshit."

"Seriously!"

"Olivia's sisters best friend, Meredith's sister, you're a GREAT catch. You going to say anything because Big sis is having a big ass panic attack over you."

"She knows?"

"Of course she knows. I'm not writing her biography, but she met your sister or something. I'm shit for details cuz it's not my prob."

"I feel like I should regret telling you any of this."

"Eh, I don't get anything from this. I suggest you tell Meredith," Alex said.

"I'm not ready yet."

Alex's phone began ringing and he excused himself, "Gotta take this..." he said, before answering the phone. "Hey! Laura, yeah...look sorry about that night at the bar. I need a favor, for a friend...why should you help me? Uh huh...good, yeah...I...what? No! Look this friend lost someone close to them...she's going...No it’s not a chick I'm screw-" He took his phone from his ear as the young woman hung up on him.

"Who's the girl?" Lexi asked.

"What girl?"

"The one the favors for. You don't seem like captain compassionate, what gives, you like this girl?"

"Oh, yeah and you're worried about me spreading shit. I'm not telling you anything," Alex said.

"Suit yourself, I have my ways," Lexi shrugged.

"Izzie Stevens," Alex groaned.

"That was fast!" Lexi smiled.

"Keep your mouth shut, she's been throuhg a lot and needs all the friends she can get. I've been kind of a dog lately to her and am trying to make it up to her. I like the girl, so sue me," Alex shrugged.

"What's the favor?" Lexi asked.

"She sort of...mutilated her hair. I wanted to make her an appointment somewhere nice so she could get it fixed and just get a break. I don't know where the hell to send her though, I shave my own head!"

"Soci's on 65th, right off the 99, great place, that's where I get my hair done when I can actually afford it. I have their card in my wallet, I'll find it for you when I leave tonight," Lexi said.

"Thanks," Alex replied. "Just keep everything quiet."

"The same goes to you," Lexi smiled, getting up and turning towards the hospital. "Just pretend this conversation never happened."

------------------

Later, that night...

"Where are we going?" Meredith asked, bringing her hand to her mouth with a yawn.

"If you're going to continue yawning, nowhere. I'll take you home and tuck you in bed," Derek answered.

"Don't tempt me," Meredith smirked. Derek reached over and rubbed her belly with a smile.

"He's really wearing you out, isn't he?"

"Yes," Meredith began, returning Derek's warm smile. "Yes SHE is."

"Touché," Derek laughed.

"Seriously, where are we going?" Meredith asked.

Derek pointed to the ferry station in the distance.

"Ferryboat?" Meredith half asked, half laughed.

"We're going to Bainbridge island, to the trailer...for a picnic under the stars," Derek smiled. Meredith looked a little confused.

"Addison isn't going to be there, she's long since taken her stuff. I've been using it for storage until I decide what I'm going to do,"

"Don't sell your property on account of me Derek," Meredith replied.

"We'll get there when we get there," Derek smiled again, gently touching Meredith's cheek. They pulled the car onto the ferry and made their way up to the top deck. The sky was surprisingly clear for a Seattle night and a gentle wind blew, causing Meredith to pull her long sweater jacket a little tighter. Derek wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her head gently. He then rested his hand on her stomach.

"The baby is moving right now," Meredith said softly.

"Really?" Derek smiled.

"I wish you could feel it," She sighed.

"In time," he said.

"You sound like an old man when you say that," Meredith laughed.

"Yes but a dashing, intelligent, turn on of an old man, right?" Derek winked.

"Oh, of course!" Meredith giggled.

They spent the entire ferry ride cuddle together, trying to name the stars they could see high in the sky. When they reached Bainbridge island around a half hour later, they drove in the darkness to their destination and Derek pulled his picnic supplies from the back of his car.

"Pasta salad," Meredith squealed in delight.

"Not exactly fancy but you said you'd been craving it all week," Derek smiled as he pulled a precooked chicken and some more sides from the grocery bags he had just set down.

Meredith peeked into a bag and frowned, "You got champagne? I can't drink!"

"Correction, I got sparkling cider," Derek smirked.

"What's all this for?" Meredith asked.

"For you, it's not easy being pregnant. Not that I could ever understand, but you wear pregnancy well..."

"I do?" Meredith asked.

"You glow, I know it's cliché and all but you really do. This is for the months you've spent puking, in pain and exhausted on account of me and our baby. You deserve to be pampered now and then," Derek said, leaning down to kiss her lips gently.

Meredith couldn't help but get a little teary eyed.

"It's overwhelming," she said.

"Pasta salad overwhelms you?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Meredith said, trying hard not to laugh. "Everything. We haven't really thought about it all, Derek. I mean... I have a house full of people and I can't exactly kick them out...and you have all of this, this beautiful land just sitting here. I know you want to build a house but I can't just sell my Mom's house and-"

Derek gently put two fingers over her mouth to get her to stop rambling on.

"We'll work it out, trust me on this one."

"The baby needs things!" Meredith whined.

"We've got some time, and you forget my salary, money isn't ever going to be a concern so don't worry. Your appointment to find out the sex is soon, why don't we see if we can verify that it is a boy and then we can buy all the boyish blue stuff,"

"You mean girl and pinkish."

"Either way...we'll figure it out. I could always rent out the trailer to Callie and George, or Izzie..."

"No Izzie wouldn't live in a trailer again, I can tell you that, plus she's already stated she's going to be my 'baby whisperer'."

"Our mother's don't even know," Meredith sulked. "I can't tell my mother that I'm pregnant. There's no way she'd understand, but she'll see it when I visit her and then yell at me like I'm one of her interns and tell me to go on leave."

"I have no excuse why I haven' told my mother...Oh wait, backlash, that's right."

"Backlash?"

"Backlash," Derek nodded. "One of my sisters just recently spilled the details on the divorce Addison and I are in the process of completing and she called me to lecture me for hours. I mentioned I was seeing you again and she got irritated."

"Shouldn't she be happy her only son is going to be a father?"

"I'm sure once the initial backlash settles down, yes."

Derek's cell phone began ringing and he eyed the caller ID. "That's eerie." He said.

"What?"

"It's my sister Shannon," Derek sighed. "They know when I bring up family, I swear."

He flipped his phone open and pressed it against his ear, "Hello Shannon!"

"Ah, you're at Mom's...I see. How are the kids? Good, good. I'm fine, really I am. Addison and I are...dealing. She's civil, I'm civil. Yes, Mark is still here, and I doubt going anywhere anytime soon. I prefer to avoid him. Oh? That's good to hear. Nancy is there too? How...great. Sure, I'll talk to Mom. Mother! How are you? Very busy, as always. Yes, I'm still seeing that girl. Speaking of that girl, I have some news. No no, not getting married yet. I suggest you sit down. You are sitting down? Good, good. Well, Meredith and I...we're having a baby." Derek flinched and pulled the phone from his ear as unintelligible shrieking occurred. The shrieks got louder as Derek figured she told his sisters. Nancy? Oh, hi. Yes, it's true. You know, that's not exactly how I would word it. She's just about four months along. Why did I wait this long? I feared the reaction. I am NOT a coward. NOW? You...wait, she's already...I have a major surgery coming up the end of the week and...fine. You can't make it? Oh I'm heartbroken. Yes, I'll make sure...Uh...yes, goodbye."

Derek closed his phone with a deep sigh. "My mother is on the computer booking a flight for her and two of my sisters to fly out here tomorrow to see us."

"TOMORROW?" Meredith gasped.

"Yes, tomorrow."

"Wow," was all Meredith could say.

"I'll second that," Derek sighed.

“First my sister…now your mother. Does this get any easier?”

“What, life?” Derek asked.

Meredith nodded, “If I could make it easier for you, I would in a heartbeat.”

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The following day Lexi Grey was awakened the slam of her front door. She had made it through the first 48 hours successfully, already building a solid reputation at the hospital. She squinted her tired eyes to look at the digital clock on her cable box.

"Four thirty?!" She yelped, running towards her bathroom in dire need of a shower before she had to leave.

"Lexi?" A voice called out, the voice belonging to the person who slammed her door, causing Lexi to run around like a chicken with her head cut off.

Lexi ran back to peek into her living room where she was once sprawled out on the couch, she wasnt even able to make it to her bed the night before.

"It's four thirty in the afternoon, dear," the voice, belonging to her mother Susan, said. She opened the blinds and sunlight invaded the whole front room, Lexi groaned.

"Brought you some Vitamin water and soy crisps, also came to see if you needed any help around here. Goodness Lexi, look at your kitchen!" She gasped, peeking into the kitchen.

"I'm fine Mom...I'll do the dishes when I have time," Lexi sighed.

"How could one person go through so many dishes, Lexi Lynn... Tisk, tisk!"

"I'm exhausted Mom, I have to be back to work tomorrow morning. I got off at 8 this morning..."

"Too exhausted for your own mother?" Susan said, tucking Lexi hair behind her ears and taking her face in her hands. "Let me do your hair, make you something nice to eat..."

"I think I'll just wear my hair in a ponytail from now on," Lexi replied.

"Your father told me, you know. About your internship actually being at Seattle Grace...Lexi, why would you lie?"

"Becuase...I felt like you guys would jump on me if I didn't accept the internship to Mercy West, but when Seattle Grace came up I couldn't say no! They have one of the best line ups of doctors in the country, even their second year interns are amazingly skilled. I couldn't say no and I knew Dad would get all butthurt."

"Why do you say that?" Susan asked.

"Mom..." Lexi sighed. "I know. I know that Ellis Grey is Dad's ex wife, but you and Dad both knew I figured that out. You guys didn't think I'd get it? Dad was married and had a daughter, Ellis Grey's daughter. Ellis Grey's daughter Meredith, who is spectacular, and she's nice, and she's beautiful and having a baby!"

"Meredith...you met Meredith...and Meredith is pregnant?"

Lexi sat down on her couch and buried her head in her hands.

"Lexi is that why you went to Seattle Grace?"

Lexi sighed and looked up at her mother, "Yes."

"Oh! Alexandria Lynn Grey...of all the opportunities you could get, you choose this one just because of her?"

"It's a great opportunity Mom. Meredith motivated me to choose it, but ultimately it was the medical staff that cemented my choice."

"I knew you'd find out someday. My heart was racing when your father came home and told me you were at Seattle Grace...I had that feeling. You knew and you'd resent us," Susan sat next to her daughter and held her head on her shoulder.

"Why would you keep her...keep her from Molly and I? I just don't get it. I want to know her...it shouldn't have been like this, we could have grown up together," Lexi sobbed.

"Meredith's mother refused to let your father see her, she was a bitter, horrible woman and what she did was wrong," Susan said.

"Dad could have tried harder," Lexi replied.

Susan sighed. "I saw Meredith a few months ago. She met Molly."

"What?" Lexi shrieked as she moved away from her mother.

"I'm sorry," Susan sighed. "She was very nice, she worked on Molly's case when she went to the hospital. I told her she looked a lot like you, well i said both of you but I see it more in you and..."

"I don't even know her. I don't know what her favorite kind of pizza is, how she grew up, what her dreams are...and she's my sister. You don't even understand how much it hurts me, Mom! And now you tell her Molly met her and never told me?!"

"Molly has no idea who she is Lexi..."

"She will now! Lexi exclaimed, "You think I'm NOT going to tell her?"

Susan yet again gave a big sigh, "I don't think your father ever thought it would be like this."

"He didn't think at all, that's the problem."

"You can't stay angry Lexi. What's done is done. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, but Ellis really hurt your father,"

Lexi just rolled her eyes, "So if you and Dad broke up when we were young, and you left, he wouldn't come looking for Molly and I?"

Susan had no idea how to reply.

"So, she knows about me then, Meredith...she knows?" Lexi asked.

"I'm not sure. I can assume she's put the pieces together," Susan shrugged.

"She's having a baby, like I said, a baby...and Dad would have had no idea if it weren't for me," Lexi said, picking the rest of her nail polish off of her index finger.

"I can't believe she's pregnant...wow," Susan said.

"Yeah," Lexi muttered. "I...I need to sleep some more, Mom."

Susan nodded.

"Don't tell Dad I know just yet, please."

"Lexi, how can I not tell him?"

"Just...don't. For all I know Meredith could hate and resent me."

Susan's eyed focused on Lexi's dark brown carpet. "She wasn't exactly thrilled to see Molly or I."

"I wouldn't be either, honestly. Imagine finding out something like that? She probably feels like I do, like her hearts going to implode or something."

"Just, be careful...don't get your hopes up."

Lexi nodded.

"We'll get through this sweetheart, just please don't be angry at your father."

"I'll make an attempt."

Susan stood and then leaned over to give Lexi a kiss on the forehead.

"Bye Mom," Lexi said softly. She watched her mom leave and decided the last place she wanted to be was locked up in her tiny apartment. Instead she took a quick shower, got dressed and decided she'd check out the bar that Alex Karev told her all the staff frequented. I'd kill for a good drink, she thought.