All I Want Is This

17

Meredith started waking as she felt the bed wiggling beneath her. She stretched her body sleepily and rolled on her side. As she opened her eyes slowly and heavily, Meredith smiled. Alicia was in bed beside her, sitting in her bum, frowned, arms folded over her chest and glaring at Meredith.

"Hey, Al." Meredith smiled sleepily.

"You didn't come to sleep with me. You don't want to sleep with me anymore." At first, Meredith hadn't noticed Alicia's bad mood, but she became aware of it as Alicia expressed her discontent. "And why are you and my daddy sleeping naked?"

"What?" Meredith jumped in her seat, pulling the covers over her. Just then, she realized. She had spent the night with Mark and now Alicia was standing in bed between them.

Meredith's shout made Mark rolled over to their side, groaning. "What's going on here?" Alicia turned her glare towards Mark as she heard him. "Hey, Al." He smiled sleepily.

"She's in bed with us, Mark!" Meredith spat.

"What?" Mark had the same reaction as Meredith had, jumping upright and covering himself with as much sheets as he could. "Get out of here, Ally!" He snapped at her, harsher than he would have intended to. Alicia started, scared; her frown deepened and her eyes started tearing. "Leave the bed already and wait in your room!" Mark spat again.

Shaking of anger and sadness, Alicia crawled to the edge of the bed and climbed down, silently sobbing. She stormed out of the room and walked across the hall to her room, slamming the door shut.

Mark and Meredith watched her leaving already regretting the morning greeted they had given her. "You were too harsh on her." Meredith muttered.

Mark scowled mutual at her and got out of the bed, bending and picking up his boxers. "Shouldn't you get ready for work?" He asked.

"I'll go see Ally first." Meredith grumbled as she made her way out of the bed. Her underwear and Mark's shirt had been thrown around the bed, so it didn't take her long to put them on.

"No, I'll go see Ally first." Mark grumbled, nervously.

"I don't think she wants to see you now." Meredith replied, glaring.

"I'm her father so she has to see me either she wants or not!" Mark spat angrily.

Meredith took a deep breath, trying to calm down, as she knew that confronting Mark while they were both angry wouldn't be in her benefit. "What would you answer to her question about finding us naked in the same bed?" She ask calmly and sounding casually.

And she was right. Mark remained blocked, staring at her dumbfound. "I'll go take a quick shower." He mumbled as he passed past Meredith and walked out of the bedroom.

Meredith smiled glumly, as she realized how easy to fight against Mark was. Her smile disappeared instantly as Meredith heard muffled sobs coming from Alicia's room. She walked out of the bedroom and paused in the middle of the hall not knowing how she could comfort the girl. She heard the shower starting and then the water splashing and then she knew Mark was under shower. Meredith sighed and grabbed the doorknob, twisting it and pushing the door open slowly. She peeked inside at first and spotted Alicia sitting at the other side of the bed, on floor, with her face buried between her knees.

Meredith stepped inside the room and walked slowly to the place where Alicia was crying. Sensing Meredith's presence, Alicia sniffed and glanced up at her, wiping her cheek in the same time.

"He didn't mean to yell at you like that," Meredith sat down beside Alicia, speaking in a soft voice. "We were both scared because we weren't expecting to find you there," She tried to explain. Alicia looked up at her, frowning, obviously not accepting or not understanding Meredith's explanation. "You know... like when you wake up in the middle of the night knowing that you're alone, but then you find someone in room with you." Alicia shrugged, sobbing and looking down at her feet.