A/N:

I am really, really, REALLY sorry for my absence. I've started my junior year and boy, I had no idea it is so hectic! I just took my October SAT trial so I'm like taking a breather from the mess that is my junior year, and I have a two week break so I'll try to update again asap. I have the next two chapters planned out, then I don't know - I may end it there. However, I'm grateful to have so many dedicated readers, and I'm so happy I gain new readers every day. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. Enjoy it!

PS: Seriously people, go to the poll on my page and vote - what should Baby Sloan-Grey's gender be?!

Lexie had a petite body – so logically, she should have expected the bump to start showing sooner than it usually does with most women, and more manifest of course. By the fourteenth week, the obvious curve of her growing belling was clear, and she had to go buy some new clothes sooner than she wanted. Of course Lexie didn't tell anyone how exhausted she became. She always tried to mask the sluggishness behind her movements whenever she was around anyone, but Mark – Mark could see right through her. That's why, even if somewhat reluctantly, Meredith let Lexie move back in with Mark in the condo on one condition: That they start sorting out where they'll live once their baby is here.

Lexie of course couldn't stop thinking of Meredith's words back at her own house. The house was in a lovely neighborhood – and it was her house. She had no heart to sell it. But still – she needed to discuss that with Mark, because she knew Mark could have another vision of where they'd live. God knows what was going on in Mark's mind these days. He remained distant – true, he'd showed his willingness to support Lexie through the pregnancy but he still remained reclusive. His usually very garrulous mouth was sealed shut almost all the time. Lexie wanted nothing more than to ask him what haunted his mind all the time – but subconsciously, she had an idea.

Whilst she was lying on the couch, leaning back against the pillows, Mark was in the kitchen – talking in a hushed voice with Bailey.

"What tests do you think would be safe to run at this point of the pregnancy?" He asked quietly, pursing his lips.

"As soon as she gets past seventeen weeks, we can take CT's and MRI's – and have her wear a leaded apron and collar to block out any scattering radiation." Bailey told him quietly, "That will help us keep an eye on her heart, her lungs, and her legs. We want to avoid any complications." Bailey muttered quietly before she pursed remained quiet. Mark, too, was quiet, because he was waiting. He knew that Bailey wanted to say something even though he could not see her.

"Of course, the radiation could increase the risk of childhood cancer, since the baby will be past the point of birth defects at that point." Bailey finished grimly, and Mark exhaled heavily, lifting his thumb and index finger to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Do you think she'll need to be admitted at all during the pregnancy?" Mark asked.

"Yang and I agreed that she needs to stay under our eyes. Just in case. We can't take any risk. This pregnancy is as high risk as a multiple pregnancy." Bailey answered quietly. Mark nodded curtly, before he took a deep breath, "Alright, I have to go now." He told Bailey, "Thank you." He said, before hanging up. Mark set the phone down on the kitchen island, leaning forward to put his head between his hands.

So there was a chance that they could keep an eye on Lexie should anything happen during the pregnancy, but that might cause their child to have cancer. What kind of choice was that? Mark shut his eyes tightly, trying to compose himself – because someone was going to need to be calm for Lexie. He held his breath and pushed himself up again, reaching for the waffle iron to empty the waffles he made for Lexie – the eggless waffles that he perfected himself in making. He put them in a plate, and poured some juice for her before he carried the tray to the living room where Lexie lay on the couch.

"Breakfast is served, princess." He teased as he set the tray on her lap. Lexie shot him a sharp glance before shaking her head once, "You need to stop smothering me. I am perfectly capable of making my own breakfast." She commented again, as she usually did every morning. Mark flashed his usual shit eating grin as he sat down at the end of the couch and gently lifted her feet into his lap, picking up the remote to mute the TV so he could turn to her. "So," He started as he watched Lexie bite into the waffle, "I just hung up with Bailey."

Lexie's eyes flickered up to him from her waffle, but didn't cease to eat – she really couldn't. She was caught in the giddiness that was the fact that she no longer had morning sickness anymore. She nodded once, gesturing for Mark to go on. She couldn't even tell what he was about to say from his face – whether it was good or bad news, she didn't know. So she waited for him to speak.

"She said we could start running scans on you after the seventeenth week." He started slowly, "And that's good, because that way we can keep eye on your heart and lungs, and your legs and pelvis as well." He commented and pursed his lips in a small smile, "She said you could wear an apron to deflect any scattered radiation." Then he fell silent.

Lexie chewed her waffle quickly and gulped down the chunk she was chewing with a mouthful of juice before she stared at him, "But?" She asked quickly, because if there was a 'but' coming.

"But," He started slowly, "The radiation causes a chance of childhood cancer."

Lexie stared at him for a long minute before she took a deep breath and looked down, "And if I don't agree to the scans?" She asked quietly.

"Any complication could occur, and we might not have time to save you or the baby." Mark finished quietly. Lexie looked down at her bump and stroked it gently, frowning. Mark reached for her hand, holding it his gently. "You don't have to decide now. It's three weeks away. I…don't know what to do, but we must do what's best for you and the baby and…" Mark looked down, pursing his lips. Lexie stared at his face, and she could see new lines – lines of worry, lines of pain, and lines of fatigue. She took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "We could discuss it later." Lexie muttered, although she knew the topic would be taunting her from the back of her mind. "I have another thing I wanted to discuss with you, though." Lexie started, trying to shift the mood to a brighter one as she ran her thumb over the back of Mark's hand. His eyes shifted to hers, and he blinked once. She frowned, wanting nothing more than to clear the cloudy gloom from those blue hues of his.

"You know what Meredith said about us having to find a place other than this one, and she's right. You have a room for Sofia, but we don't have any extra room for our baby, and I think we need a house." Lexie nodded once, "And I think I've found one."

Mark lifted both brows, briefly distracted, as he sat up. "This quick?" He tilted his head.

Lexie laughed a little as she tore into her waffle again, "Well I didn't do much searching. It's actually Meredith's idea." She started and looked up at Mark as she stuffed her face. Despite his eagerness to know what's on her mind, he remained silent as he watched her eat, a snicker on his face. Once she swallowed down with another mouthful of juice, she started, "She said that I should not sell my house. She said we could redesign it, and it could be hours." Lexie suggested to Mark, "I thought about it, and I think it's a great idea. I don't know what you think though."

Mark stared at her, contemplating the idea – but it didn't take him too long to realize how much the offer appealed to him. He smiled as he turned to Lexie, "Your sister is a genius, don't tell her that though." He muttered, then nodded slowly, "That's…that's a good idea. But the house will need to be emptied, and the furniture sold." He told her slowly, tilting his head. Lexie nodded, "Some stuff we can keep, but…I guess we can sell the rest." Lexie mumbled, then smiled at Mark broadly, "Do you really like that idea?" She asked, sitting up as she picked up her glass of juice.

"I do. It doesn't matter to me, where we live, as long as I have you and little Sloan." He told her. Lexie couldn't help it when the grin spread on her face ear to ear. She nodded slowly and looked down, "Do you want to…go see it now?" She asked and tilted her head, "I mean we don't have to start doing anything now, but we could just take a look. It will be our house. I mean, after we look at it, and decide – because you can change your mind after you see it. I will totally understand. I-"

Mark placed his finger gently against her lips, and lifted a brow, "Do you want to venture into the street with sweats or do you want me to help you change?" He asked casually, smiling. Lexie looked down, and shrugged once. She was wearing her Harvard sweatshirt and a pair of sweat pants. "I look good." She muttered, looking up at Mark again. He smiled at her, leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips, "Alright, I'll go get into something decent and be right back." He told her as he got up, leaving her to the rest of her breakfast.

Mark called Jackson, delegating his consults and follow ups to him for the day. He didn't have any surgeries to work on, and he'd have trusted Jackson with his work anyways. He got dressed and headed out to the living room, where Lexie was waiting for him – of course, after she'd washed the dishes and combed her hair. He shook his head as he helped her towards the door, not trusting her own hands' grip on the crutches until they've finally reached the car. During the ride, Lexie listed the clothes she wanted to buy – mentioning that she didn't want many items of the same size because she would grow out of them quickly, and a lot of things regarding maternity clothes that Mark didn't exactly pay attention to, and barely felt guilty about it.

Then the topic shifted to the sex of their baby, "In six weeks we can find out the sex." Lexie said quickly, the arbitrary comment immediately changing the topic. Mark's eyes flickered sideways to her and he pursed his lips, shrugging once, "I don't really mind…either baby would be perfect. I mean, have you seen us?" Mark told her, lifting both brows. Lexie laughed, slapping his arm playfully, before pursing her lips. "Me too." She muttered, "But wouldn't it be adorable if I had a mini you running around the house? With your blue eyes, so he can stare us down into giving him all the cookies he wants." Lexie laughed, shaking her head some.

Mark tilted his head towards her, "He wouldn't be a Sloan if he didn't have his own way of getting what he wanted." Mark commented with a grin, "But a mini you, though." He mused, his thoughts drifting to small brunette baby – slightly bigger than his palm. "She'd be daddy's little girl. And she'd conspire against us with Sofia." Mark told her with a smile, "We're still going to have two boys and girl, right?" He asked.

Lexie turned to look at him with a smile on her face – the speech he'd recited for her when she was under the plane debris echoing in her mind. The memory now seemed so far away, with a baby on the way, it seemed almost too easy to filter out the pain through that net of joy and anticipation. She remembered that he'd told her they'd have two boys and a girl, and smiled. "Of course we will." She told him with a smile, nodding quickly.

In no time they'd gotten to the house, and Mark helped Lexie out of the car. Much to her surprise, he swept her up into his arms and held her up, bridal style. "Mark!" She laughed, "What are you doing?" She asked, lifting a brow as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Mark rolled his eyes as he reached for the spare key on the ledge of the door, "I'm carrying you over the threshold, of course." He stated, matter-of-factly, and Lexie couldn't help the slight tint of pink that colored her cheeks.

They waked in slowly, and Mark easily set Lexie down on the ground, as he glanced around. The house was a warm one – it inspired a cozy feeling. He glanced sideways at Lexie, and could tell that she was reminiscing on her old memories in this house. A smile curled on her face as she started moving slowly, Mark by her side. "It's pretty normal. It's not too huge. It's a lot like Meredith's house." Lexie told Mark as she walked in the living room, the furniture draped in white sheets to keep them clean for the time being until whatever was to be done with them is decided. But Lexie had an idea now. "The frat house has no furniture." She said quickly as she turned to Mark, "We don't have to sell them! Alex lives there now, and Wilson. They're dating now. And I think some of the interns actually moved in there as well." Lexie told Mark, laughing a little. History was repeating itself with that house.

"We can give them all the unneeded furniture, the ones we don't plan to keep, and if there's any surplus on anything, we store it?" He finished off, and Lexie nodded quickly with a grin. Mark smiled, "That's a really good idea." He commented, narrowing his eyes, "When did you get so smart?" He teased, and Lexie pinched his arms as she moved back towards the stairs. Mark quickly hurried by her side, wrapping one arm around her waist so he could help her – should she fall, and neither of them wanted that.

"There are two guest rooms, and there's Molly and my room. And the master bedroom, which we definitely have to refurnish because I'm not having sex with you on the same bed my parents conceived me on." Lexie told Mark quickly with a shudder. Mark laughed, rolling his eyes, "Can't we just pick another room?" He asked, tilting his head. Lexie pursed her lips in thought. "That's a good idea as well." She mused in thought before she moved through the hallway.

Mark followed her silently, his eyes tracing the paint that was slightly chipped, the dimmed hardwood floor. The house would need work, that's for sure, but it was a beautiful house. Mark would have believed himself one of those plastic surgeons who lived in houses that had glass wall fountains and frivolous dog statues in every corner, and fake plants as well. But then again, that was the vision he had for himself in New York. That was his life in New York. He was now settling for less is more. And all of this was definitely what he wanted. It was less his old self, and more of the self he wanted to be. A family man, surprisingly enough. A decision he may have made a bit late in his life time, but he made it.

Lexie snapped him out of his epiphany when she gestured towards her room, "The last time I was here was when I returned after mom died." She retaliated. "It used to be mine and Molly's room, but she wanted her own room and I did too. I wanted to have my own privacy ever since I start high school so I could study." Lexie said with a smile curling on her lips, conveying the warm memory, "Molly and I fought all the time." She laughed and turned to Mark, "Do you think Sofia and this little one will fight a lot?"

Mark couldn't help but grin. Lexie's acceptance to Sofia has grown so much over time, and he was more than ecstatic about that. He was scared of how the arrangement would be done, but he knew that Lexie was too good to dislike Sofia. She was just Lexie.

"Mark!" Lexie exclaimed, lifting both brows, "Are you okay?" She asked, tilting her head when she'd noticed that Mark had gotten lost in his thoughts yet again.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just thinking." He assured her, then looked down when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Mark drew the phone out and looked down at the screen where Derek's name flashed. Mark frowned as he picked up, "Hey, man, I-"

"Mark!" Derek gasped, "You need to get to the hospital. Meredith, she's in labor, and Zola's at day care, and I need someone to keep an eye on her. Meredith's in labor, Mark!" Derek exclaimed, and Mark could hear the joy in hi hushed exclamations.

"She's in labor?" Mark inquired, shocked, "She's barely even into her thirty-sixth week!" Mark couldn't help but laugh as well when he saw Lexie's face.

"I know, look, I have to go now, it's progressing faster than I expected. Just get Lexie and be here." Derek told him quickly before he hung up. Mark looked up at Lexie, who exclaimed, "Meredith's in labor!" She laughed, throwing her hands in the air. Mark nodded quickly as he shoved his phone back into his pocket, proceeding to pick up Lexie again – a faster way to get out of the house than helping her downstairs. They locked the door and climbed into the car quickly, Mark driving as carefully and as quickly as he possibly could in this weather. Lexie was almost jumping in her seat, drumming her fingers against her thigh as her eyes flickered from window to Mark to the side view mirror to the dashboard, and repeated the pattern all over again.

"Meredith's in labor." Lexie started to break the rushed silence, and Mark couldn't help but laugh at the thought. "What, don't laugh. My sister's in labor!" Lexie exclaimed, biting her lower lip nervously.

"She'll be okay, I'm sure." Mark told her with a smile, "It's Meredith." Mark said simply, shrugging simply as he turned parked the car. "Don't move, Lexie." He warned her as he got out of the car and helped her out. Lexie limped beside him at a quick step, and Mark hovered beside her, seeing that he can't possibly stop her now. Lexie moved quickly, surprisingly fast for someone who moved around languidly.

Eventually they found themselves on the OB floor, and asked the receptionist on where they could find Derek and Meredith. "I'll check on Derek then go get Zola. I doubt your sister would want to see me now." Mark laughed as they finally found the room. Lexie hesitated when she heard Meredith's voice in a shrill scream, so atypical to Meredith's usual cool tone of voice. Her eyes widened as she turned to look up at Mark, "I'm too scared to walk in there." She whispered quickly, and flinched when she heard another scream.

"You should get in there. That's your sister." Mark told her as he patted her shoulder, "I'm going to get Zola." He finished as he hurried down the hallway. Lexie glared at him, before glancing around, and turning to the nurse, "Hand me a gown. Help me put my hair up." She told her, and gowned up, before slowly walking into the room. "I'm sorry I was so late." She whispered urgently as she moved to Meredith's side when Cristina stepped aside to offer her some room, wrapping one arm around her. "Hey there, Mama." She laughed a little as she stroked Meredith's hair out of her forehead.

Meredith shot a glare towards Lexie, and the brunette knew she wasn't going to get any words out of the woman right now, so she turned to Derek, who had the mixture of joy and anxiety on his face. Lexie shook her head and turned to Amanda, the OB, "How long has she been pushing?" She asked her.

"Ten minutes now. Come on, Meredith. Just a couple more pushes and your little one will be here." Amanda told her. Meredith groaned as she leaned forward, and Lexie supported herself against the edge of the bed to hold Meredith up and rub her back. "You can do it, Mer."

"It sucks! Why did I ever want to do this!" She screamed as she pushed. Lexie rubbed her back, "Because you wanted to hold your baby after it. Because you're a mother." Lexie told her, then turned to Amanda. "You're crowning, Meredith. Come on, give me one more push to get that head out."

The process went on for six more minutes until Amanda securely held the baby's head in her hands, and gently maneuvered his shoulders around the pelvic bone, "One more push, Meredith." She told her, and with one final scream – the new born was in Amanda's arms, wrapped in a blanket. She quickly cleared his nose and mouth. "There we go..." Amanda muttered with a smile when the shrill cries of the new born filled the room. Derek had moved towards the end of the bed to cut the cord and then take his son into his arms, whilst Meredith craned her neck with a stupid yet rather tired grin on her face.

Lexie never saw Meredith cry before – cry from joy that is. Because Meredith erupted into a fit of happy sobs as Derek gently placed the crying new born in her arms. Lexie smiled broadly down at her nephew, her eyes flickering between the baby, Meredith, and Cristina who stood behind her with the kindest most sincere smile on her face.

"Hey there, Sebastian." Meredith cooed between the sobs, and stroked his cheek. Derek pressed a kiss to her forehead, and leaned his head on top of hers – and that was when Lexie realized how much she wanted this.

Oh, she wanted a family. So, so badly.