All I Want Is This

26

Meredith started waking as she felt something tickling her nose. She sleepily opened her eyes to see blonde strands of hair in front of her eyes. Meredith yawned and slowly stretched her body. As the image became clearer, Meredith saw the position Alicia was sleeping in; she was sleeping crosswise over the pillows, having her head towards Meredith and her legs over Mark's chest, but still holding Lolo and Bambi. Meredith smiled as she imagined Alicia stirring just a little and hitting under her father's jaw. Slowly she smoothed her hair to back and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Alicia moaned sleepily and snuggled her stuffed friends.

Watching her sleep was the most relaxing thing she had ever experienced. Dim light peaked through a crack of the curtains, but Meredith was in no hurry today. She was no longer sleepy either, but she decided to just lay there and spoil herself with the moment. So much had changed her life in just a few weeks. Things she hadn't planned to happen in the near future were now rolling out. She was still confused about the place she had in Mark's plans, but last evening he seemed convincing. She hung her hopes on that kiss.

A muffled growl came from under the blankets. She felt a discomfort in the pit of her stomach and Meredith rubbed intensively over the spot that ached. She rolled onto her back, closing her eyes and breathing slowly to relax and ban out the pain. A deep breath and a slow exhale, but the pain wasn't fading and Meredith knew she should visit the bathroom before it was too late.

Meredith lifted the blanket and slowly slipped out of the bed. She tiptoed towards the door and exited the room in a perfect silence. As the door was closed again, Meredith started running to the bathroom. The door flew open, almost slamming against the wall and Meredith landed in her knees in front of the toilet, already empting her stomach.

As she felt her stomach calming, Meredith raised her head from the toilet. "Oh crap," she muttered under breath. "I shouldn't have eaten all those cookies," she concluded, but as she mentioned the word cookie, she felt her stomach revolting and she was again over in the toilet.

With her face still hovering over the toilet, Meredith felt cold hands in the back of her neck as Mark came behind her and held her hair to back.

"I told you not to dirt my toilet," he grumbled once that Meredith's stomach seemed to be finally empty.

Meredith didn't pay any attention to his comment. She sat down on the floor and let her body rest against his, exhausted. She held her eyes closed for a moment in attempt to relax, and ran the back of her hand over her forehead to wipe the cold sweat.

Mark stood up and let her hold herself steady as he went and wet a cloth with cold water. He returned to the place where Meredith was and wiped her face and neck with it.

Meredith moaned and her body looked for his support as he sat down behind her.

She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Thanks," she muttered huskily.

"Yeah, yeah," Mark rolled his eyes with sarcasm but then he returned the smile. "I..."

"I know," Meredith cut his words off, wincing. "I'll never eat cookies again," she groaned, resting her against his shoulder. "At least not in this house," she looked up at him and giggled as she saw him rolling her eyes. "Help me up."

Mark stood up and helped Meredith get back on her feet. The effort she had made over the toilet left her exhausted, so Mark had to wrap his arm around her waist when he felt her losing her balance.

It wasn't only weakness in her knees she felt; Meredith also felt her head spinning.

Mark gently patted her back in encouragement. "The cookies were good. You've poisoned yourself by eating the whole box," he snickered.