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Ø9

I tell Max first, obviously." Eleanora told Mark, who was making breakfast. "You're gonna tell Derek first, but I have to let Meredith know before him, otherwise she'll be mad. If I tell Mer, I also have to tell Cristina because then she'll be a little upset I told Meredith before her. And if I tell Max, I have to tell Lexie, but I can't tell Lexie before anyone else because she'll accidentally run her mouth. But, I can't tell Max without telling Lexie because they're dating and-"

"Doll." Mark interrupted, turning around to face her. Eleanora went quiet, cutting off her rambling with a slightly panicked look in her eyes. "How about, you tell Max today, and then we can tell everyone else together. Besides, I have to tell Torres. She's going to want to go shopping for baby stuff as soon as she finds out."

Eleanora took a deep breath, calming down at his words. Mark hands her the plate of eggs and fruit, her giving him a grateful smile. "Right, okay. I'll tell Max then we'll tell everyone else."

Mark grabbed his own plate and rounded the island, sitting down beside her. He pressed a kiss to her lips, his eyes bright as he laid one hand on her stomach.

"Hey there, little baby. Daddy's here." Mark spoke softly to her stomach, his voice just as awe-struck as it was when he first found.

Eleanora smiled, her own eyes bright as she watched Mark speak to their baby. However, his words made her mind wander and she let out a gasp. Mark's head snapped up, eyes worried and tone frantic.

"What? What, is there something wrong? Are you in pain?"

"My dad!" Eleanora exclaimed, moving to place her head in her hands. "I have to tell my parents before I tell anyone else!"

Mark relaxed at those words, closing his eyes as he let out a deep breath of relief. "You can't just gasp like somethings seriously wrong now, Nora. You're gonna give me a heart attack."

"My dad is going to kill you." She spoke slowly, finally looking up at her husband. "He always said I should wait until I was finished with my residency before I had kids, said my career should come first and then family. He's going to actually skin you alive, and then I will be a single mother."

It took a moment for the words to sink in. When they did, Mark's face paled a bit and his eyebrows rose, eyes wide. He cleared his throat but his voice was still a little shaky.

"Your father is going to kill me."

_______

Amedeo laid in his bed, staring up at the ceiling with a pale face and wide eyes. Callie was beside him, her own hands resting over her stomach. She had stopped at his place before work, needing to talk to him about some serious news.

"You have to say something. Words, make words, Max." Callie sighed, moving her head to look at the younger man a bit. Max didn't take his eyes off of the ceiling, his voice a little high pitched.

"Oh my god?"

"Yep."

"A-a baby?" Max squeaked out, his eyes widening as the words finally sunk in. "Us, a baby? We...."

"Growing like a weed in my uterus." Callie confirmed. Max sat up a bit at that, turning to look at his friend. His eyes then traveled down to her stomach, his voice a little less strained.

"Not a weed. " Max corrected her, his hand floating towards her stomach. Callie furrowed her brows and looked at him.

"I don't speak fluent Italian, but I'm pretty sure you just called it a miracle." Callie then sat up, laughing a bit in shock. "Max, you don't have to do this. You can just be fun Uncle Max."

"No." Max stated firmly. "I want to do this, Callie. It's...I mean it's a . A little, tiny human that we made together. It didn't happen the way I wanted it to, and I'm sure this wasn't how you wanted it, either, but it still happened. We're gonna be parents, Cal."

Max finally let his hand rest on Callie's stomach, the ortho surgeon grinning and letting out a small, happy laugh as Max's face broke out into pure joy.

"Okay, you're in! We're gonna have a baby."

"Should we get married?" Max asked, tilting his head. Callie made a face and sat up, shaking her head.

"Oh, no. Definitely not. I'm fine with co-parenting and raising a baby with you, but there is a line. Marrying you would totally be crossing it."

"Yeah, you're right." Max agreed, let out a little relieved sigh. "I mean, it'd probably go over with my parents and God a bit better if we were married, but I'm in love with Lexie so- "

Max's face paled again, Callie getting off of the bed to stare at him with a raised brow. "Lexie. I have to tell Lexie I'm going to be a dad. Sh-she didn't even want to move in with me, how is she....."

Callie stared at him for a moment then gave a tight-lipped smile, nodding her head curtly. "Okay. You think about that, and I'm going to head to work."

Max stared at the wall, running his hand over his jaw, ignoring the shutting of his front door and the fact he had work to get to as well. Instead, he sat there, trying to figure out how to tell his girlfriend he knocked up Callie, and that they were gonna raise the baby.

_______

   stood in front of the OR board with Derek, helping him schedule his day around the Alzheimer's trial. It started this morning, and Eleanora was the first resident he put on the case, which meant she was more involved with more than just helping prep patients.

Eleanora looked up when Meredith walked up, settling in place next to her husband. Eleanora sent her a smile before focusing back on the schedule, listening half-heartedly to the conversation.

"You didn't say goodbye this morning." Meredith stated, giving her husband a look. Derek took a deep breath, knowing he had to be careful, otherwise this could turn a little ugly. He had refused to let Meredith even attempt to be on the trial, something that Meredith was not happy about.