(Shattered...) Dreams Fulfilled

Brothers, again.

They walked out of the room together, again holding hands.

"Let me run this to the lab," he said, and kissed her, but before releasing her hand, saw the look in her eyes. "Hey, what's this," he said wiping away a tear, "Meredith, what's wrong?"

"We're...we're...going to know...we're going to know for sure...in a little bit...will know for sure."

"Yes...we will, but why are you crying?"

"I'm happy...and I'm scared."

"Why don't we deal with happy...there's no reason to be scared right now. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," she said with a quiet sniffle.

"Ok. I'll be back in a few minutes and find you," he said and kissed her again before walking away.

Meredith went to meet up with her interns, and make the corresponding assignments for the day. She was going to stay out of surgeries if she could, her mind would be nowhere near focused until she got her test results.

Izzie was walking towards her, and she realized she had not spoken with anyone since leaving Joe's last night. "Mer, is everything ok...with you and Dr. Shepherd?"

"Yes, Iz, thanks...we're fine."

"What do you know...Mer is fine," Cristina commented as the three happened to coincide at the nurse's station. "For how long this time, before he makes you miserable."

"Dr. Yang," Tracy interrupted, "these are your charts, and apparently there are some patients that need your immediate attention."

"Excuse me. Since when do nurses give orders to doctors?"

"Apparently, Dr. Yang, when doctors fail to recognize the callousness of their conversations."

"Dr. Sloan, it's all right."

"No, Grey, it is not. Dr. Yang, may I have a word with you."

"Dr. Grey, I apologize, I was out of line, but, after last night, I just didn't want you to be upset again, when ...well, I'm sure you know what happened, it's not like Dr. Yang implied before you walked out."

"Yes, Tracy, I do, and thank you. But, don't worry, I know that's what Cristina is like."

Mark had Cristina follow him to the office behind the nurse's station. "Listen to me, I don't know you well, but I do know you are supposed to be her friend. But, what I heard last night and what I you just said was nasty and spiteful, and she does not need that right now."

Cristina did not say a word.

"Why would you want to make her feel bad, what you said last night was misleading and it created a very unpleasant situation."

"He has done nothing but create unpleasant situations for her."

"Even if that is the case, it's her decision to make, and he apparently does some things that make her happy. Why don't you support her, instead of feeding her insecurities all the time?"

"Are we finished?"

"Yes. I hope you will really be her friend, because if not, there's other of us that will."

"Like he will ever allow that, he doesn't trust you as far as he can throw you."

"Dr. Yang, you should remember you are my subordinate."

"Dr. Sloan, I should remind you, you are not talking to me about a professional situation."

"Be her friend Yang, don't be a robot."

Cristina walked back to the nurse's station and grabbed her charts, and started to walk away.

"Cristina, I want to talk to you."

"I'm sorry, I don't have time, and, it seems you have a slew of people ready to protect you."

"Stop it," she said, and pulled her in to the resident's lounge. "Are you my person or not."

"It seems to me you have enough people around you to fight your battles."

"Why are you being like this?"

"Being your person doesn't mean I have to watch you make the same mistakes over again. He has done nothing but hurt you and lie to you and you continue to let him."

"He is not lying to me...last night, you implied he left with her, and that is not what happened."

"You are right. I did not mean to imply that."

"But that's the way you said it, and you know, I'm going to react like that."

"He never should have asked her out, you let him get away with that."

"Cristina, I really really do value that you are trying to protect me."

"I'm not trying..."

"Yes, you are, but you need to take a look at what's really happening with me."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm trying to make my relationship with Derek work, and it's not easy with all the things that have happened between us. But, I'm happy, I can honestly tell you, today I'm happy he is in my life...and we have a lot of hurdles to overcome, but we want to work through them together. Can't you be my friend, and support that?"

"How many times have you done this?"

"None."

"Are you delusional? Living in denial? Meredith, this is constant between you."

"No, it is not. Where we are right now, we have never been before, and we are never going back to how things were before."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I love him, and he loves me."

"Meredith, you haven't even told him that in months."

"But I have..."

"You told him?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why? When?"

"Because it's how I feel, because there is too much at stake between us...for me to have kept it to myself any longer."

"You think you can really trust him?"

"I know I can trust him with my life."

"Things have changed."

"Yes, they have...you have no idea," she said.

"Then I hope it all works out. I really do."

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes, but Mer...stop with the emotional and sentimental crap."

"My person is back..."

"Meredith, I didn't think about what I said last night, but it wasn't intended to hurt you."

"I know."

"I honestly did not think you'd be so irrational."

"You are lucky...I recognized that last night, or you'd be in serious trouble right now, I don't much care to be told I'm irrational."

"Yeah, well, you've been acting irrational a lot lately."

"Derek has pointed it out. I'm trying not to do it anymore."

"Since when?"

"Since last night."

"Fine with me. You going to Joe's tonight."

"No, Derek and I have plans."

"I'll see you later," she said and walked away.

Meredith saw Mark walking in her direction and quickly went the opposite way, hoping at all costs to avoid him. It was quiet silly, but he'd had that look last night, as though he really could tell if a woman was pregnant, and she did not want to be the protagonist of any more Seattle Grace rumors.

She felt the vibration of her blackberry, and knew it was Derek without even looking.

-hey
-hey, all ok
-better
-how
-test results before I go to airport
-really?
-yes
-page me
-of course
-love you Derek
-no crying
-I'm not
-promise
-no
-please
-will try

"Not hard enough apparently," he said as he was suddenly was at her side.

"Are you stalking me?"

"Nope...just watching after you."

"Oh, God, Derek, here comes Mark again, I'm trying to avoid him."

"Why?"

"He thinks he knows..."

"Well, he would be right."

"Derek, it will be all over the hospital."

"No it won't."

"Derek, we're talking about Mark"

"I know. That's why I'm sure of this."

"If it isn't the two love birds. Derek, I need talk to you."

Meredith rolled her eyes, averting her gaze. "I'll see you later."

"You don't have to leave, it might be good that you're there."

"Grey, Tracy meant no harm, she was trying to avoid any more issues with Yang"

"It's ok, I spoke with both of them."

"What happened," Derek asked as he grabbed her hand, and walked with her towards his office.

"It's not important."

"Meredith."

"Mark stood up for me, when Cristina made some snide remark earlier."

"I thought you'd resolved that."

"Guess not, but it's ok now."

"So, Mark to the rescue, again?"

"Hey, it's my future sister in law"

"What is it with all of you and the in law syndrome?"

"Don't knock it Grey, wait till you're part of the Shepherd clan."

"I'll leave you boys," she teased them, emphasizing boys, "to talk."

Mark was watching them carefully and grinned, waiting for the right moment to say something.

"Derek," she said kissing him softly, "you won't forget to page me...when..."

"Do you think I could possibly forget," he said, as he held her hand in his, and
lovingly stroked her hand with his thumb, making her smile into his eyes, and experience all sorts of emotions and fluttery feelings in her stomach, as she turned to walk away.

"Grey, don't go anywhere."

"What?"

"Turn around and look at me."

"I have to go...I'm late," she said, casting a 'help' me look at Derek and rushing to leave, but Mark caught up with her, and held her in place, carefully turning her to face him.

Grinning widely and letting out a hearty laugh, he looked at her, "I'm going to be a godfather...son a bitch, Shepherd, you're going to be a dad."

She didn't move, but looked at Derek and he smiled, and nodded, and she found herself engulfed by Mark's embrace.

"I was right...last night... I knew I was right," he said while he lifted Meredith who was light as a feather and hugged her, then slowly put her down.

"You're going to be a Mom..."

"We're not sure..."

"I am..."

"Technically," Derek said as he reached her side, "we're waiting for the lab work."

"Who do we need to call, to get this done now?"

"I already took care of it, we'll have the results in a couple of hours."

"Shep," he said, and hugged him, "you're going to be a dad, and I'm going to be a godfather."

"We never agreed to that, you know."

"Of course you did, Grey agreed, and you do as she says."

"Derek, what do you say? If I'm pregnant, that is?"

"He's going to be a godfather."

Mark was speechless, at first, and they both saw the emotion in his eyes.
"I am...you're really going to let me be the godfather...to your first child?"

"That's what his mom wants."

"His mom? You know it's a boy?"

"No, just Mer's feeling, we still need to get the test results back."

"Shep," he said, now a bit more serious, "congratulations."

"Thanks...now you have to keep your mouth shut, Mer doesn't want to say anything yet, not till she goes to the doctor."

"You're both doctors."

"Don't be an ass, you know she needs a doctor."

"Yeah , but, you're ok, right, you're feeling ok?"

"I think so...but, just want to make sure."

"When is your appointment?"

"In a couple of days."

"Ok, then...I can keep a secret."

"Mark...you have to promise me...you won't tell anyone."

"My godchild's mother," he said and kissed her cheek, "I take it everything worked out last night."

"Yes...yes it did," she said and reached for Derek's hand. "Now, I really have to go."

Derek kissed her and she reminded Mark not to say anything, or she just might change her mind.

"Shep, we need to talk about last night."

"What's going on?"

"Kathleen called me this morning, well to be more accurate, she woke me up at the crack of dawn to let me know she was coming this morning and to keep an eye on you. What the hell happened?"

"How much time do you have?"

"As long as it takes. I have surgery at ten thirty, do I need to reschedule it now?"

"No, her flight gets in around ten forty-five. But, it won't take long, and we can certainly talk later. In fact, I'm planning on having an early dinner with her tonight, she's going to be tired, and I want you to join us, give Meredith some support, she hasn't gotten over the meeting with Nancy."

"Yeah, well, Kathleen's a whole different ball game."

"Thank God," Derek said, and they both laughed.

Careful not to betray any of their most intimate confidences, Derek felt the old familiar bonding with the man that had been his best friend, and shared with him his moments of despair the night before, and what led to calling Kathleen.

After a long silence, Mark said, "is she going to be ok?"

"I believe so, we have never been where we are right now, Mark. I really feel, deep in my soul, that after last night and today, we've reached the point where we can handle anything that comes our way."

"Shep, why the gloom and doom?"

"She's concerned over the pregnancy, and I'm not sure we're out of the woods."

"Is there reason to be concerned?"

"Yeah...I think there is."

"Should she be working?"

"Once we get the test results, we'll know more."

"Can I do anything?"

"You already have."

"How?"

"You're being her friend."

"My favorite dirty mistress...it's hard not to, once you know what hell she's been through, and that woman for a mother, hell, how can you not want to protect her."

"Don't even think about it..."

"Shep...don't be an ass... ever since I found out about Halloween...and
the other day in the OR, she's like a sister."

"Don't forget it."

"Shep...today...that you'd confide in me...that you'd agree that I'd be your child's godfather," he paused, too choked up to continue, "that means more than you can ever know...and I wouldn't ever do anything to jeopardize our relationship again. You're my brother...and I value that more than anything else, and now, taking care of her...that goes with the territory, just like watching over you."

Derek felt the emotions as well, and simply said, "you are my brother, again."