You've got a Way

8.

Meredith sat at the kitchen counter of her Stepmom and Father as Emma slept against her chest. Lexie and Susan were baking as Meredith watched, every now and then taking a bit of cookie dough into her mouth, trying to not wake Emma since she had missed her morning nap. "So..."

"Cookies will be ready soon." Susan smiled.

"Do you think Emma could have a cookie?" Meredith asked, looking up at Susan.

"If it's soft enough...I don't see why not."

"Just take a few of the crumbs and put them on her tongue." Lexie giggled, as she iced a cookie in her hands.

"Did you see Derek this morning?" Susan asked as she took a cookie sheet out of the oven, the aroma filling the kitchen.

"Unfortunately." Meredith sighed, stroking Emma's back.

"Unfortunately?" Susan frowned, turning around and looking at her step-daughter.

"Sore spot." Lexie muttered.

"Oh dear..."

"He snapped at me this morning because Emma nearly rolled off the bed." Meredith groaned, trying to speak in a low tone. "He acts like I haven't been there either."

"You have to expect that he's going to be upset." Susan sighed.

"I said I was sorry...a lot."

"We told you that you should have told him..." Lexie muttered.

"Lexie...not helping." Susan sighed.

"Sorry." Lexie groaned, icing a heart shaped cookie.

"I can't take it back so he's going to have to deal." Meredith shook her head, wiping her hands on a nearby dish rag. "This morning...he had the nerve to tell me that Addison wanted to by her a nicer coat. Apparently the one I got her isn't good enough."

"We don't like Addison, right?" Lexie asked.

"No...we don't." Meredith said quickly, kissing Emma's soft hair.

"I think what you two need is an official arrangement...something you can both agree on." Susan suggested.

"They can't even spend two hours with Emma without fighting." Lexie pointed out.

"Why don't you bring him over here?"

"Why?" Meredith asked, a scoff on her face.

"Sort of a mediator thing."

"Susan...."

"Mom wants to be your mediator." Lexie giggled, sliding a cookie onto a tray.

"You two just need to agree that you can't change what happened and move on and raise Emma together." Susan said, putting a bowl into the sink.

"Together?" Meredith shook her head quickly, looking up at Susan. "No...we're not getting back together. He has that stupid red headed Barbie."

"Jealous." Lexie mouthed.

"I saw that!" Meredith raised her voice, quickly frowning as she startled Emma who a moment later fell back to sleep.

"I wasn't suggesting that you two have a relationship...I meant you need to raise Emma as team."

"He's only been in her life for two and a half weeks." Meredith argued.

"But he's determined to be a part of raising his daughter, correct?"