The Secret Ingredient

The Secret Ingredient

Addison is having some unusual cravings, and Meredith is getting better at satisfying them.

"Tell me, what is it you need?" says Meredith, as she soothingly places a cold cloth onto Addison's forehead.

"I need..." Addison pauses to consider. "I need those Little Debbie oatmeal pies," says Addison. "Ooh, and a banana-flavored milkshake. With ice!"

"Coming right up," Meredith chuckles. "Well, I'll have to go to the store to get the oatmeal pies, but I'll see what I can do about that milkshake," says Meredith.

"Mm, yes please," Addison murmurs, as she holds the cloth to her forehead.

So far, this is the fourth time that Meredith has been sent to the store in order to find a snack food for Addison, but this is the first time she's asked for oatmeal pies.

Usually, she can't stand the things, but hey, pregnancy does some strange things to one's body sometimes.

And Addison of course, being an OB-GYN and all, understands this, and she's articulated it to Meredith, who now understands how serious she is.

So she heads to the kitchen, with Addison's very clear instructions, and peels two bananas, and mixes in some ice cream, some milk, some ice, and a dash of cinnamon to the blender, and she pours a tall glass for her sweetheart.

"Here you go," says Meredith. "I even got your curly straw."

"You are the most wonderful woman alive ever, and you're so beautiful, and tall, and I hope our baby has your blonde hair, because I love blondes..." Addison babbles.

"I'm sure they'll be beautiful," says Meredith.

"And I just can't tell you how much I care about you, and I'm gonna care about the baby, and even if I'm at all like my mom you'll be a great mom, and-" Addison sobs happy tears, and Meredith holds her hand as she drinks her milkshake, and moves a piece of the blonde's hair off of her face.

"I love you, Addison," says Meredith. "And I'm going to love this baby too!"

It's been several years since they adopted Zola and Henry, and now Addison and Meredith are trying for their own child.

Years ago, Addison had been devastated with the news that she was infertile because she only had two eggs left. She'd always wanted a family, and she was overjoyed when they'd adopted, but then they finally found a way that they could conceive children together.

Meredith had gotten tested, but she had a hostile uterus, so she wasn't an ideal carrier.

Together though, they formed the perfect combination. Using reciprocal IVF, Meredith's ovules had been extracted and fertilized by a donor, and then implanted into Addison's uterus. And on their second try, Meredith and Addison had found out that they were having a baby.

It was one of their happiest days, and they are so excited about it.

"This milkshake is like crack," says Addison.

"That's because I put a secret ingredient in it," says Meredith.

"Is it crack?" says Addison.

"You're funny," says Meredith, giggling. "It's love," says Meredith.

"Oh no, did you break something!?" says Addison.

"No, no, I didn't I promise," says Meredith.

"Oh good," says Addison.

"You taught me everything about the kitchen before you got too pregnant to cook, and I'm doing just fine. And now I'm going to go to the store and get you some oatmeal pies, okay?" says Meredith.

"Okay," says Addison.

"Henry and Zola will be home soon from school, and I'm just a call away if you need anything," says Meredith.

"Okay," says Addison. "Wait, come here," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith.

"Come closer," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith.

Addison reaches up, and wraps her arms around Meredith's neck, and she kisses her.

"Now you can go," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith.

"Secret ingredient," says Addison.

"Secret ingredient," says Meredith, waving as she gets her purse, and gets Addison a fresh washcloth for her forehead before she heads off to the store.

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***** FIN