You're Like Coming Home

75.

"So how are you and Derek doing with...everything?" Beth asked a couple weeks later as she and Meredith walked down the street, shopping bags in hand.

"Okay," Meredith shrugged. "We're still us. Just an us that doesn't talk about the giant elephant in the room."

"You haven't decided anything?" Beth asked as she stopped walking, staring into the window of the nearest store.

"No," Meredith shrugged. "I can't...sometimes I think that it would be amazing to be a surgeon. To be able to save lives like that and work side by side with Derek...it would be absolutely amazing. But at the same time...I want babies."

Beth nodded. "Well, do you have to wait until after residency to have kids?" she asked. "After your internship, sure, but plenty of people have babies as residents."

"And those kids spend half their lives in day care and the other half with nannies," Meredith sighed. "Trust me. I was one of those kids."

"But you and Derek have so much family," Beth replied. "His mom could take care of them while you're at work. And of course Nate and I would help out if you stayed around here."

Meredith nodded, biting her lower lip. "That's just something else to add to the pile of thoughts in my head," she sighed.

"You want to be a surgeon, Mer," Beth laughed, turning to the entrance of the nearest store. "And plenty of people can do it."

"I guess," Meredith sighed.

"Do you mind if we run in here real quick?" Beth asked as she opened the door.

"Sure," Meredith replied, stopping as she followed Beth into the store. "Beth..."

Beth giggled as she looked around at the baby clothes and toys that surrounded them. "I'm telling Nate tonight," she said. "I want to get something for him." She walked over to the nearest bin of bibs and picked one up, looking at the green print that read, "I love my daddy."

"Beth, you're...are you?"

Beth smiled as she lowered the bib. "Seven weeks," she nodded. "By Christmas...you and Derek might not have the loudest apartment in the building anymore."

"Oh," Meredith sighed, reaching for the nearest rocking chair and collapsing into it.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked. "I know you're going through a lot and your friends having babies probably isn't helping very much, but it's not something I can exactly hide from you..."

"No," Meredith smiled, looking up at her. "I think it's fantastic. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Beth giggled as she returned Meredith's hug. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Me either," Meredith said, looking around the room. "We...you're having a baby."

"I am," Beth smiled, a hand resting gently on her stomach.

"This is...amazing," Meredith breathed. "Come on, we have to buy stuff."

Beth laughed. "He's the size of a peanut right now," she said.

"So?" Meredith asked. "I'm pretty sure that Derek's mom already has baby presents for us. Which is...well, it's never too early."

Beth smiled as she moved to stand beside Meredith as she looked over the piles of clothes in front of them. As Meredith held up shirt after shirt, Beth watched her with a gentle hand over her stomach. There was no doubt about it, Meredith Shepherd wanted a baby.

XXXXX

"Derek!" Meredith giggled as she ran into their apartment later that day, dropping her bags onto the floor and running into the kitchen where she could hear him talking quietly. "I have the best news ever...what's wrong?"