98. Waddling and a Wedding

Disclaimer: It's not mine.

Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate each and every one! So, my last semester of college is officially in progress, which means less time for writing, but I'm doing my best. I'll update as often as I can. I know everyone is anxious for Lilly to get here, myself included. Thanks for you patience!

The last wedding they'd gone to was nearly eight months ago, on the night of which Meredith found out she was pregnant. And today was another wedding, a mere seven days away from her due date. Her bump had gone from nonexistent to highly unmistakable, overtaking her body. As much as Meredith loved being pregnant, she wanted nothing more than to meet their little girl. Getting her figure back would be nice, too.

"Ugh. Stupid. Why did I think this was a good idea?" she huffed, sitting on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table. She thumped the bottle of nail polish down harder than was necessary, and leaned back in defeat.

Derek walked downstairs, freshly showered and looking ridiculously handsome even in his tee shirt and shorts. He kissed the top of her head after entering the living room. "Hey. You okay?"

"Fine, except for the fact that I can't paint my toenails, because I can barely reach them," Meredith said.

"That shirt looks really cute on you," Derek grinned. He dropped down next to her on the couch and picked up her bottle of rosy, pink nail polish off the table.

Meredith smoothed his Yankees tee shirt over her belly and sighed amusedly. "Yeah, I'm trying out a new look," she joked. "All of my shirts are too tight. Yours are comfy. And they don't squish my boobs."

Derek pulled her feet up onto the couch and set them both in his lap. When he opened the nail polish bottle, she laughed. "What're you doing?"

"Painting your toes," Derek said. "Now hold still."

"You don't have to do that," Meredith replied, though she knew he wouldn't listen.

Derek smiled as he applied the pink polish with surgical precision on her big toe. "Yes, I do," he said. "What kind of husband would I be if I didn't?"

"A normal husband," Meredith teased him.

"Guess I'm not normal then," he chuckled. "Besides, we're having a daughter. I need to learn how to do this girly stuff."

Meredith relaxed into the pillows. If he wanted to pamper her, she wasn't about to stop him. "Hmm, that's true."

"Pretty color."

"It matches my dress. Oh, by the way, did you write your toast yet?" Meredith asked.

"Yes, I did. And I made sure to make it just as hilarious as his was for our wedding," Derek said, dipping the brush back in the bottle.

"Oh, you mean how he dropped that fun little anecdote about catching us having sex in the linen closet? In front of your mom? Oh, and the Chief?" she assumed, laughing.

Derek nodded. "Yep."

"Yeah, that was really sweet of him," Meredith said playfully. She felt the familiar sensation of a Braxton Hicks contraction rolling through her, and she inhaled slowly.

Derek looked up from her toes, his eyes etched with worry. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just another Braxton Hicks," she told him. "I'm fine."

"Mer…"

"It's not labor. They don't hurt," Meredith promised. Once it passed a few seconds later, she smiled. "See? Totally fine."

Derek cocked his head at her, unconvinced.

"Okay, you can stop with the face. And you're not examining my cervix to double check, either," she said, reaching for her glass of orange juice off the table. "Just… keep painting."

"If your water breaks during the ceremony—"

"…Then you can say 'I told you so,'" Meredith said. "But it's not going to. I already told Lilly not to come on the day of her Uncle Mark and Aunt Bridget's wedding. Anytime after that is fair game."

"Uh huh."

Meredith smirked. "Don't say 'uh huh' like that. Lilly's okay. I'm okay." She hoisted herself forward and kissed his cheek. "And it's really sweet that you're worried."

"Of course I'm worried," Derek said. "Which is why I'm not leaving your side all day. Except, you know, when I'm standing next to Mark on the altar."

"Cristina is sitting next to me in the pew. She'll fill in for you," Meredith appeased him.

"Good. That makes me feel better," Derek nodded.

"Two coats," Meredith said when she saw Derek screwing the lid back on the bottle of her nail polish. She wiggled her toes at him and smiled. "You're doing an excellent job."

Derek laughed. "Thank you."

"Do you give back massages, too?" Meredith asked.

"Naked back massages?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Okay," she shrugged. "I'm not picky."

"Then it's a date. Naked back massage after we get home from the wedding reception tonight. You know, as long as your water doesn't break on the dance floor…" he joked.

Meredith narrowed her eyes playfully at him. "Shut up."

…

Derek pulled into the parking lot of the church and maneuvered their car into one of the spots near the entrance. The less Meredith had to walk today, the better, especially considering her Braxton Hicks contractions that were popping up more and more frequently.

"Ready?" he asked.

Meredith slipped her feet, complete with shiny, pink nail polish on her toes, into her gold flip flops. Wearing heels was out of the question, not to mention an impossibility. "Yep," she said.

Just as they got out of the car, Owen's pulled into the spot next to theirs. "Hey," he called from the window.

"Wait for us," Cristina said.

After getting out of their car, Cristina walked over to them, her eyes wide as she looked at Meredith. "Damn it. Someone's a MILF," she greeted. "Your boobs are enormous."

Meredith looked down at herself in her pink sundress, and smiled. "Yes, thank you."

"That's Cristina's way of saying hello," Owen chuckled, hitting the lock button on his key fob.

"Yeah, she's charming," Derek teased.

"Oh my God," Cristina said as she glanced into the window of the backseat of their car. "Is that a car seat?"

"Um, yes…" Derek replied.

"Holy crap."

Meredith laughed. "What?"

"No, nothing, it's just," Cristina searched for the right words. "That makes it real."

"You should see our house. Two baby swings, baby monitors, diapers, pacifiers…" Derek said. He put his hand on the small of Meredith's back and they headed for the entrance to the church. "Lilly isn't even born yet, and she's already taken over everything."

"I still can't believe you're gonna have a baby in a week. Kinda freaks me out," Cristina said.

"Us, too," Meredith echoed. "We really can't wait."

Cristina snorted. "Can't wait for the crying, pooping miracle to arrive?"

"Hey, that crying, pooping miracle is your goddaughter," Derek reminded her, opening the church door and letting the three of them pass through before he entered, too.

"Where are you meeting Mark?" Meredith asked.

Derek cocked his head toward the short hallway to their right. "In the dressing room. I'll see you out there." He kissed her cheek, then turned toward Cristina and Owen. "If my wife goes into labor during the ceremony, will one of you call an ambulance?"

Meredith elbowed him in the side and rolled her eyes. "I told you, I'm fine. Now go do your best man thing. Mark needs you," she said, giving him a small pat on the ass.

"Alright," Derek agreed. "I love you."

She smiled. "Love you, too."

Owen opened one of the double doors leaning into the chapel and gestured for them to go in. "Are you having contractions?" Cristina asked.

"Thank you," Meredith said to Owen. "Braxton Hicks. I'm surprised he didn't insist on pushing me around in a wheelchair today."

"If your water does break, try not to get any amniotic fluid on me," Cristina requested as the three of them scooted into the pew where Alex and Izzie were already seated.

"I'll do my best," Meredith said.

"Hey," Izzie smiled. "Good God, Mer. Pregnancy really freaking agrees with you."

"MILF, right?" Cristina said.

Alex whistled. "Nice rack, Grey."

"We're in church," Meredith reminded him. "But thank you. That's very sweet of you, Alex."

"Hey, guys," Lexie said, entering the pew behind them, George sliding in next to her.

Izzie smiled at the two of them. "Hey. You guys look nice."

"Thanks," Lexie said. "I wasn't sure at first because the dress is kind of low cut, but with Mer here, no one will be looking at my boobs," she laughed.

Meredith turned around in the pew, mouth agape in feigned insult. "My boobs do not look that big," she defended.

"They kinda do," Izzie said gently. "But not in a slutty way. In a glowy, pregnant way."

"I'm sure Shepherd enjoys them…" Alex said, mindlessly flipping through the wedding program book.

"I let him look, but not touch," Meredith said. "They'll all swollen and sore and leaky."

Owen laughed. "This is what you guys talk about in church?"

"Yeah, pretty much," George said regretfully.

"What else are we gonna talk about? The pretty flowers or the stained glass windows?" Cristina said sarcastically. "Sadly, Mer's boobs are about the most interesting things here."

"The church does look nice," Lexie said. "Bridget has good taste."

"I bet Sloan's only interested in getting laid tonight," Alex joked. "Probably why it looks like Barbie's dream church in here…"

Izzie nudged him with her hip. "Oh, stop. They're in love."

"Mark's totally changed since he met her," Lexie agreed. "He's…"

"Not a manwhore anymore?" Alex offered as he checked his watch.

"Exactly," Izzie nodded.

Meredith smiled. "I knew from the second I met her that she was the one. MFEO."

"MFEO?" Owen echoed.

"Made for each other," Meredith clarified. "It's the same way I feel about Derek. It was never just about sex. It was always more than that."

"Oh, God," Cristina said, disgusted.

"What?" Meredith asked.

"It's official. Your heart lives in your vagina," Cristina stated.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "It does not. A baby just lives in my uterus. That's all."

"Same thing," Cristina upheld.

"So, baby equals heart, and uterus equals vagina?" Izzie assumed.

Cristina shrugged. "Metaphorically, not literally."

Bailey shooed George over in the pew and took a seat next to him. "Did I just hear the word vagina… at a wedding… in a church?" she asked, adjusting the front of her blue dress.

"Yes," Lexie admitted. "But Cristina started it."

Arizona and Callie entered from the other side of the pew, and sat down next to Lexie. "Hey," Arizona waved. "It looks beautiful in here, doesn't it? The flowers are gorgeous. Are those peonies?"

"See? Aren't you bored already?" Cristina asked Owen. "Admit it, Mer's boobs make for a better conversation."

"Why are you talking about Meredith's boobs?" Callie asked, laughing.

"Dude, have you seen them?" Alex asked.

"Okay. Let's get all the boob jokes out now. Deep down, I know you're all just jealous of my amazing rack… men excluded," Meredith said teasingly, looking down at her breasts. "And the sooner you can admit that, the better."

"We've already established that you're a MILF. Embrace it," Alex encouraged, reaching around Izzie to pat Meredith's shoulder.

The music from the piano started up, and Owen and George audibly sighed in relief. "I'm glad that conversation is over…" George said.

Owen shook his head. "You and me both."

…

It was halfway through the ceremony, right before the vows, that Meredith felt another Braxton Hicks coming on. She rubbed her hands over her belly and inhaled deeply. Just as the tightening feeling started, Derek glanced over at her from his place next to Mark on the altar. His smile quickly dissolved when he saw the look on her face. He knew it well. It was her Braxton Hicks face.

Meredith saw him, and she smiled at him in reassurance. "I'm okay," she mouthed.

Cristina looked over at her, then to Derek, then back again. "You okay?" she murmured.

"Yeah," Meredith said as she exhaled. "Braxton Hicks."

"You sure?" Cristina asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Meredith replied. Once it passed, she gave Derek a thumbs up and smiled. "I'm good," she mouthed again.

Derek swallowed thickly and nodded subtly at her. He wasn't going to interrupt the wedding to make sure she was okay, so he had to take her word for it. But if it happened again, he decided, all bets were off.

But by the time the minister pronounced Mark and Bridget as husband and wife, she hadn't had any more, something Derek was thanking his lucky stars for. Having to escort his laboring wife out of a wedding ceremony wasn't high up on the list of things he wanted to do.

"Hey," Meredith said, smiling when he walked over to her on the front steps of the church after everyone had processed outside. "You're a very good best man."

"Thank you," he chuckled. He took her hand as they walked over to Mark and Bridget. "How are you and Lilly?"

"We're fine, I promise. I was hoping I wouldn't have a Braxton Hicks during the ceremony because I knew how much you'd worry, but of course… I did," she sighed.

Derek kissed her cheek. "Now that the wedding's over, I'm not leaving your side all day," he joked.

"That's okay. You're free to hover," Meredith said, squeezing his hand.

"Hey!" Bridget called out happily. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Why wouldn't we be here? We love you guys. And you look beautiful," Meredith said, hugging Bridget as best she could with her belly getting in the way, then hugging Mark, too.

"Well, you're all waddly and pregnant. We would've understood," Mark said.

Meredith smiled. "It's your wedding day, so I'll let the 'waddly' comment slide," she laughed. "Actually, I feel good. And Derek is watching me like a hawk, so don't worry."

"No hard feelings if you pop the kid out today. Bridget and I don't mind sharing our anniversary with her birthday," Mark grinned.

"Lilly knows not to come today. She and Mer have a deal," Derek said, making sure Meredith caught the teasing smirk plastered on his face.

Meredith felt Lilly wriggling around in her belly, and felt the daily head-butt to the bladder. She winced, and Derek's eyes flashed with concern. "Mer, what?"

"Damn, are you in labor?" Mark asked nervously.

Meredith sighed. "If someone asks me if I'm in labor one more time, I'm gonna lose it," she said. "No, I just need to pee."

"Go, go," Bridget said, waving back towards the doors of the church. "You look so pretty. You don't need to pee on the dress," she laughed. "We'll see you guys at the reception."

Derek patted Mark's back, then kissed Bridget's cheek. "Alright, we'll see you. And congrats again."

"Thank you, Derek," Bridget smiled.

"You were a good best man, Shep. Not as good as I was, but close," Mark joked.

"And hey, you'll be a godfather in seven days," Meredith reminded him as she and Derek started walking back up the steps toward the church entrance.

Mark shrugged. "Or maybe even tonight. You never know…"

Meredith playfully pointed her finger at him in warning. "I mean it, I will hurt you."

…

"This place is really nice," Meredith complimented, taking her seat at the round table in the reception hall.

"How'd you guys get into the Andover Hotel? Isn't there like a year long waiting list for this place?" Derek asked.

"We were on that list until a few months ago, but apparently, another couple changed their wedding date to the fall, so I jumped on booking this as fast as I could," Bridget explained.

Mark laughed. "Maybe we should've just had the reception at Joe's. Close to hospital in case of… pregnancy-related surprises."

"Haha," Meredith said dryly. She felt the need to pee—again—and used Derek's shoulder for leverage to get out of her chair.

"Where are you going?" Derek asked.

"Bathroom. Have to pee. Again," she sighed amusedly.

"Damn, Grey. I swear you have to pee every five minutes. We should just get you a catheter," Mark said before taking a drink from his water glass.

"I'd love one. Have one with you?" Meredith giggled. She draped her hand over her belly and smiled. "I'll be right back."

Cristina caught up with her on her way to the bathroom and smirked. "Peeing again, are we?" she assumed.

"Yes, I am," Meredith replied. "I'm so tired of peeing. It's exhausting."

"Okay, you think peeing is exhausting?" Cristina said, holding the bathroom door open and allowing Meredith to enter first. "Wait till you have a mewling, poo-covered infant hanging off of your boobs twenty-four-seven."

Meredith laughed as they each went into a stall. "Why is my baby going to be poo-covered?"

"Aren't all babies?"

"Not my baby," Meredith said, sighing in audible relief as she emptied her bladder.

"Are you gonna break out those famous Meredith dance moves?" Cristina asked.

"Shut up." After fixing her dress, she unlocked the stall and joined Cristina at the line of sinks. "I used to be kickass at the limbo. I won every time. Now I can't even paint my own toes," she giggled.

Cristina looked down at her feet. "Your toes are painted."

"Derek did them this morning," Meredith said, smiling. "Admit it, he did a good job."

"Eh, not bad," Cristina relented.

"And if I'm not completely exhausted when we get home, he's getting sex for it."

"You two still do the nasty-nasty?" Cristina asked.

Meredith dried her hands off with a paper towel and laughed. "Why wouldn't we?"

"Just seems like it would be complicated," Cristina shrugged.

They exited the bathroom and started walking back toward the cluster of tables. "I sit at home all freaking day watching daytime television and eating entire boxes of cereal. I practically pounce on Derek the second he walks through the front door," Meredith giggled.

"And it's still, you know, good?" Cristina prodded.

"All of the extra blood flow and hormones? Hell yeah it is," Meredith replied. "I'm hornier than a sixteen year old boy. Seriously, I recommend getting pregnant just for the sex."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Meredith retook her seat next to Derek, smiling in excitement when she saw that the salad and dinner rolls had arrived. "This food looks delicious," she said.

"Get this… chocolate wedding cake with butter cream frosting," Derek grinned, knowing how ridiculously happy that would make her.

"Okay. This is officially the best wedding ever," Meredith decided, spreading a glob of butter onto her dinner roll. "You two should be wedding planners," she told Mark and Bridget as she chewed.

"Mer is very passionate about food," Derek said.

Meredith looked over at him and narrowed her eyes. "Don't mock me."

"You made me go to Taco Bell at four in the morning last week. I get to mock you a little bit," Derek defended before taking a bite of salad.

"You're so whipped," Mark said, patting Derek's shoulder.

"You're married now," Meredith said. "So are you."

"Hey, guys," Callie said, walking up to the table. "I'm heading over to the bar. Anyone need a drink?"

Mark and Bridget both shook their heads. "Nah, we're good. Thanks, Torres," Mark said.

"No, I'll stick with water," Derek smiled. "But thanks. Mer, want anything?"

Meredith rolled her eyes and smirked. "Derek, you can drink. One beer isn't going to inebriate you."

"He's just worried about being drunk if the baby comes," Bridget said.

"I am not," Derek argued.

Callie patted his shoulder. "You so are. It's cute."

"He is cute," Meredith agreed, stealing a tomato off of his salad plate. "Oh! Could you get me a cup of maraschino cherries? The bar has those, right?"

"Yeah, I'm sure they do," Callie laughed. "Coming right up."

"That's gross," Mark chuckled.

"You should see our cabinets. It's like Willa Wonka's Chocolate Factory," Derek said.

Meredith shook her head dramatically. "It does not."

After dinner was served, speeches had been given, and the cake had been cut, guests migrated to the dance floor in the center of the reception hall. The night was winding down, and though Meredith's feet were tired and swollen, she was determined to live it up as best she could.

Derek smiled at her as she danced with Cristina, Izzie and Lexie. Her burgeoning pregnant belly didn't seem to bother her at all. His wife was beautiful.

Mark wandered over to where Derek was sitting, and dropped down into the chair beside him. "Hey," Derek said. "So how's it feel to be a married man?"

"Feels pretty good," Mark grinned. He tapped his beer bottle against Derek's glass of water, and they both took a sip. "Damn, I'm impressed. Mer is due in seven days, and she can still limbo."

Derek glanced over at the dance floor, and saw Meredith triumphantly high-fiving Lexie after she maneuvered her body under the limbo pole. He shook his head in amazement. "Wow, I hope someone was taping that."

"So, uh, thanks… you know, for being here today. Means a lot to me," Mark said sincerely before chuckling to himself. "I'm a husband, and in a few days, I'll be an uncle. What the hell happened to me?"

"You grew up," Derek replied, raising his glass to his friend. "Congrats."

"Thanks, man."

"By the way, you've been an uncle for years. Remember the fifteen nieces and nephews on the east coast that idolize you?" Derek joked.

"Yeah, but this is different. This is your kid. My goddaughter," Mark stressed. "That's big."

"I made a human being," Derek grinned, feigning pretentiousness. "Top that."

Meredith walked over to them and picked up her water glass off the table. "Hey, we made a human being," she corrected, pointing to her belly.

"Right. Team effort," he winked at her. "By the way, nice limbo skills."

"Gold medal for that, Grey," Mark complimented, patting her shoulder as he got up and joined Bridget on the dance floor.

"I've always been very flexible."

Derek grinned. "I know."

She held out her hand and smiled. "Wanna dance with me?"

"Love to."

They walked onto the dance floor and Derek splayed his hands over her back, pulling her to him. "This was easier last time," he chuckled.

"That's because Lilly was the size of a blueberry then. And we weren't even sure she existed," Meredith said, draping her arms over his shoulders and settling her hands at the nape of his neck.

Lilly's foot pressed into her side so that even Derek felt it, and his breath caught in his throat. "She definitely exists."

"We could be sitting in a hospital bed in seven days, holding her." Meredith shook her head and laughed softly. "All these months of waiting, and it's really almost over."

"Hmm, T-minus seven days until you detonate," Derek joked. "You know, give or take. Due dates are just estimates."

"Okay, to be clear, you just compared me to a bomb," Meredith smirked. "That's very romantic, Derek."

Derek smiled. "Bad metaphor. I'm a doctor, not a poet."

"Well, clearly," she agreed.

"I meant it with love."

Meredith leaned in and pressed her lips to his. "I know."