It's Not Over

38.

Three years later...

"Ow! Damn Iz, pin the dress...not me!" Meredith said, rubbing the spot on her hip that Izzie had pricked.

"Sorry...but no one told you to get knocked up six months before your wedding Mer. I am doing the best I can. This is why I told you to have a fitting but did you listen to me? No. No one listens to me." Izzie ranted.

"Can it Tinkerbell. It is not like she is Shamu the whale, she is...there is...just...more of her." Cristina said, hesitantly.

Meredith whirled on both of her bridesmaids.

"Are you calling me fat?" She demanded, her hands on her hips.

Cristina's eyes widened a bit as she looked at her best friend. Her best friend with out of control hormones at the moment.

"No, of course not Mer...you are stunning...way too skinny before." She back tracked quickly.

'Whatever...How do I look?" She asked.

Cristina and Izzie flanked her in the mirror. They were wearing lavender halter dresses that stopped at the knee and Mer was wearing an simple A-line dress with spaghetti straps that ended at her ankles. She had a flower in her hair, a necklace at her throat and her engagement ring on her hand...simplicity worked best for her.

"You make a beautiful bride Mer." Izzie said, wistfully.

Although she and Alex were together, they were a long way from marriage still. Cristina was closer, having met and fallen in love with Major Owen Hunt, their trauma attending. The Chief had retired one year earlier, appointing Derek as Chief of Surgery. Meredith was very proud of him but it had taken some adjustment for them as Derek was now in total control at work. She just reminded him that she had total control at home and that seemed to work best for them...at the moment.

"Yeah but will Derek like it?" Meredith asked.

Cristina rolled her eyes.

"Mer, you could walk down the aisle in wearing a paper bag over your head and Derek would think you were a Penthouse Pet."

Izzie and Meredith looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"What? He would...I bet he wanted to get married at a nudist colony or some bullshit like that." She said.

Meredith smirked, remember their conversation over wedding planning. His suggestion had been getting married naked in a field of flowers. She had vetoed that especially after finding out she was pregnant, which was surprising to both of them, but not to anyone who had been forced to listen to their sexathons while waiting for their house on Derek's land to be finished. Izzie, in particular, had breathed a sigh of relief when they had moved out. She really hated knowing how loud her Chief of Surgery was when humping her friend.

They turned when they heard a knock at the door.

"Hey Grey, you ready? Shep is getting anxious out here." Mark said, poking his head in the door. The past three years had healed all wounds and Mark had gotten back into Derek's good graces. He had also gotten back into Addison's good graces and they were now living together in a Manhattan high rise apartment.

Meredith looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"He has waited a total of six years to marry me and now he wants to get impatient? Tell him I will be there in a damn minute. Oh and get me Alex." She ordered.

Mark shook his head and grinned.

"Now there is the Fiesty Grey, I know and love." He said.

'Yeah, yeah...go spread your love somewhere else.' She said, waving him off. He shut the door and proceeded to follow her orders. Meredith grinned at Cristina and Izzie and wrinkled her nose adorably.

"Hormones are freaking awesome." She said happily. "Everyone is all afraid I am going to go ballistic and they do everything I tell them to. It's great! You two should get pregnant."

"Hell. Fuck. No." Cristina responded.

"Well that is funny, cause I know I just heard Hunt say he wanted an 'army' of brats with you Yang." Alex said, entering the room. He looked dashing in his casual suit. No one wanted to get too dressed up today. It was hot and muggy and the wedding was outdoors on their brand new patio overlooking their cliff.

Cristina's eyes widened into saucers.

"Please tell me you are shitting me Alex." She pleaded.

"I never did get that saying...how exactly do you shit someone?" He asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Tell me you are joking or you will be shitting on yourself." She warned.

Alex laughed.

"Okay, okay...he didn't say that...so violent. Okay, the groom is about to start convulsing out there and the guests are all melting. So lets get a move on it Grey." He ordered, playfully. He was actually the only person who could handle Mer when she got all bitchy. He thought it was hilarious.

She shared a smile with Alex.

"Okay girls, you heard him...let's do this." Meredith said, hugging Izzie and then Cristina, ignoring her protests about not hugging. They walked out ahead of Meredith and Alex to get into position.

Meredith looked at Alex with bright eyes.

"I can do this right? I can be a girl who is married with a kid and have warm and fuzzy feelings and still be me, right?" She looked to him for assurance.

Alex smiled warmly at her.

"Yes Mer, you can do this...you have been doing this. It is just going to be legalized, that is all." He said.

"Really? So you and Izzie living together and having sex...getting married would only legalize that, right?" She smiled sweetly.

"I...um...well...I...shit Grey...not cool." Alex stuttered.

"Wow..." Meredith said.

"What?" He said, defensively.

"The look on your face is a look that says I am so screwed. I got that look too when Derek proposed and then once again when the stick turned blue." She said gleefully.

"Why do make me hate you?" He said.

"Oh, you love me." She stated matter of factly.

"Unfortunately, I do." He said, smiling.

Their moment was interrupted by Cristina banging on the door.

"Hurry the hell up, I am getting grayer by the second. I am hungry, let's get this shit over with. " She yelled sarcastically.

"What a lovely sentiment on my wedding day...leave it to Cristina." Meredith muttered, grabbing her bouquet and glancing once more in the mirror. She turned to Alex.

"We joke cause it's our thing, but I just want to say thank you." She said seriously.

'For what?" He asked.

"For being there for me six years ago and for understanding about how I felt about Derek and for dragging his ass back here and for smoothing things over with the others after we reconciled and for walking me down the aisle today." She said softly, tears gathering at her emerald tinted eyes.

Alex shrugged uncomfortably.

"You are my friend." He said simply.

Meredith nodded, took a deep breath and took Alex's arm.

"My groom awaits." She said.

They followed Cristina and Izzie down the stairs and through the cleared out living room where the reception would partly be held. The French doors opened wide leading to the deck where Derek was impatiently waiting for her. Izzie stepped out of view and then with a last glance at Meredith, Cristina followed her. The flautist stopped the music for a quick moment and then launched into a swell of music that had Meredith rolling her eyes. She exchanged a look with Alex.

"Izzie.' They said simultaneously.

'You ready Mer?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think I am." She said.

She took another deep breath and then approached the doors.