Cassandra Barrett had been roaming the streets of Seattle for what seemed like hours, no months, days. Okay, she was being slightly dramatic, but it had been for longer then she had expected. She was looking for a particular house, she had forgotten the name of the street, but she was fairly certain she was in the right area. She hadn't seen this house in over 12 years, and she was uncertain as to whether she would recognise it. It could be different now; a lot can happen in 11 years including the redecoration of a house. She was starting to get tired when she noticed a house.

She knocked on the door slowly, she was hoping that it was the right house or else she'd scream as loud as she could. She couldn't face another two hours of searching. After a few minutes an African-American woman with the curliest hair Cassie had ever seen opened the door.

"Hi," said Cassie with the fakest smile on her face "Is Amy Sheppard here?"

The woman stared at her in confusion and Cassie would almost bet her life on it that his woman had no idea who Amy was. "Amy Shep-?" she began, and Cassie could see her confused facial expression change into realisation "Oh do you mean Amelia?"

Cassie couldn't help but heave a tiny sigh "Yes, that's her. Whatever she goes by these days," she replied "So is she here? It's sort of, kind of urgent,"

The woman eyed her curiously and Cassie could tell she was suspicious of her sudden appearance "Who's asking?"

"A friend," she replied simply.

The woman was silent for a few moments "Aren't you a little young to be friends with Amelia?" she asked, "You can't be any older then 20,"

"Can you just get Amy – Amelia for me please?" she asked, her patience was starting to wear thin, who was this woman and why was it such a problem to speak to Amelia?

She could hear footsteps approaching the door and a blonde woman appeared at the door, but Cassandra knew who this woman was – she knew all too well.

The woman looked at Cassie and a look of confusion was sketched upon her face "Oh…," she trailed off. "Carly, right?"

"It's Cassandra," she said sharply "Carly's my sister. Nice to see your as sharp as ever auntie Mer," the sarcasm was so clear in her voice that Meredith seemed taken aback.

"Auntie Mer?" questioned the first woman as she glanced between Cassie and Meredith "You're not … belonging to Lexie…. Molly?"

Cassandra's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The first name sounded familiar, but she couldn't figure out how. "No, I'm Kathleen's daughter,"

The woman gasped "You have another sister?" she practically shrieked.

Meredith shook her head "No, or at least I hope not," she paused "This is Derek and Amelia's niece," Meredith gave a small smile "This is my sister Maggie, are you looking for Amelia?"

Cassandra nodded "Yep, can I come in?" she asked and without waiting for an answer she walked past Meredith and Maggie into the sitting room. She peered around as she examined the place. It hadn't changed abit from the summers she had spent here visiting her Uncle Derek – the only thing that had changed was the addition of toys and clutter.

"So where is my auntie Amy then?" asked Cassie as she glanced around the room "Off the wagon again? Back in rehab?"

Maggie and Meredith exchanged shocked glances and Maggie piped up sharply "Actually she's at the hospital, she's working,"

"We're heading there now if you want a ride," said Meredith as she grabbed her keys off the coffee table "We were just about to leave before you arrived,"

Cassandra pursed her lips together, she'd rather jump off a cliff then share a car journey with Meredith Grey and that was putting it lightly. The less time she spent with her on this trip the better. She turned to Maggie "I'll go with you," she announced.

"We carpool," said Maggie "It's with us both or you can find your own way there,"

Cassandra shrugged "Fine, but I'm sitting in the back," she said as she left the room. She could hear the two sisters muttering as she left but she didn't care. They were nothing to her, she needed to find her aunt Amy.

XXXX

Cassandra had been in many hospitals throughout her life. When your entire family practises medicine hospitals tend to feel more like home then your actual home, and that was the case for Cassie and her siblings growing up. She had remembered being in Grey-Sloan Memorial from when she was younger, but it had been Seattle Grace Mercy West at that time. She walked along the corridor slowly behind Meredith and Maggie, she didn't want to walk with them. She noticed how much the hospital had changed since she had been here, it seemed completely different. She could hear Meredith calling Amelia's name, so she assumed her aunt was within sight. She approached Amelia who was standing with Meredith and Maggie at the nurse's station.

"Cassie?" asked Amelia as she stared at her in shock "What are you doing here?" She wrapped her arms around her niece and gave her a right embrace. She looked at her niece closely "You're so grown up looking,"

"I'm 22 auntie Ames," she said with a small smirk "It tends to happen,"

"What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Can't a girl come to see her second favourite aunt," she asked.

"Oh charming," replied Amelia "Do I even want to know the favourite?" she smiled at her "What are you doing here?" she asked again "Usually when someone visits, they call and let their aunt know when they're coming,"

"Mom kicked me out," she said simply "I was due to start my internship in Columbia and now I'm homeless,"

"So you decided to fly cross country because?"

"I felt like it,"

Amelia raised her eyebrow "I was a troublesome teen once upon a time, what's really going on?"

"I actually went to LA first to see auntie Addie," admitted Cassandra sheepishly "But she's too pregnant and I didn't want to stress her out,"

"Ah got it, Addison is your favourite aunt," said Amelia "Makes sense now," she looked at her closely "So you wanted to stress me out?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes "No," she said pointedly "I didn't want to stress you out but auntie Addie is having an extremely complicated pregnancy I didn't want to add to that,"

Amelia nodded "Yeah she's not having the best time lately, is she?" she said in a small voice.

Cassandra pursed her lips "Maybe you should call her," Cassie knew that communication had been little to none between her aunts who had once been as close as anything. She knew that Amelia's sudden move to Seattle had been hard on Addison whilst she was pregnant with her miracle baby, as she fondly referred to her little girl Saffron as. Now that Addison was pregnant, by complete utter chance once again, Amelia wasn't around she barely called. Cassandra knew that Amelia was told little snippets about Addison via Charlotte whom worked with Addison in LA but as for that there was no communication.

Amelia sighed "You hardly came all the way to Seattle to lecture me about that?" she asked, "Look I know you're close with Addison, your whole family is, but I've been busy myself,"

Cassandra nodded "I didn't come to lecture you at all, what you do is up to you Amy," she said "I just need a place to crash until Addie has given birth then I'll go to LA and help with the baby,"

Amelia stares at her niece "What about your internship? Your education? Your career?" she asked, "You're supposed to be starting your intern year,"

Cassandra could barely believe her aunt cared about this sort of stuff. Her whole life Amelia had been the cool, crazy aunt that she wouldn't see for a while but when she did she had nothing but presents and stories. She adored her growing up and she always wished she could have seen more of her.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, I'm serious," said Amelia "What about your internship?"

"I'll take a gap year, do one in LA," she shrugged "I'm not going back to New York auntie Ame, I mean it, I'm never going back to that house?"

Amelia looked at her niece symmetrically, she knew exactly what she mean. Her sister could be a handful at times, and she wasn't exactly the most caring person in the world, which was ironic due to the fact her entire profession was based around the ability to be caring.

Amelia wrapped her arms around her niece "You can stay with me for as long as you need to Cass," she said sincerely "But you need a plan, you need a job," she said. She glanced at the clock "Look, I must go consult with a patient, go into the attending a lounge and I'll be with you okay?" Cassie nodded at her aunt. "The lounge is on the third floor next to the nurses station, room 321, help yourself to whatever you want," Amelia gave her niece one last smile and walked away.

XXXXXXX

Cassie was sat on the leather couch in the attendings lounge, she had been to the canteen but felt awkward downstairs so she brought her food to the lounge. So far, nobody had entered, and she was hoping it would stay that way. She didn't want to make any unnecessary small talk with anybody that she didn't know.

Meredith entered and smiled at her "Hi Cassie," she said as she made her way over to the fridge "Is Amelia still with Mrs. Thompson?" she asked.

Cassie didn't respond, she kept flicking through the magazine and began to hum a song. Meredith tried again "Mrs Thompson is a really interesting case, you should ask Amelia if you can shadow the case, she has a cyst -,"

"Um are you not breaking the number one golden rule of doctor patient confidentiality?" asked Cassie cutting her off. Meredith stared at her blankly "Uh, yeah I guess," she mumbled and decided to stay quiet.

Amelia entered the lounge talking loudly on the phone "Yes I know that," she sighed loudly "Okay - yes yes okay Addie," I wouldn't dream of letting her go to Joe's," she looked at Cassie and rolled her eyes which caused her to giggle. "Okay, she'll be fine with me. Love you too, mind yourself, don't forget to send on those pictures of Henry and Saffy," Amelia sighed as she put down her phone "Poor Addison," she said quietly.

Cassandra nodded "It's been tough for her, those two months in hospital really broke her,"

Amelia bit her lip "Why didn't I call her? She could have died," She wipes away a tear as her phone beeped and a small smile spread across her face "She sent the pictures,"

Cassie sat beside her aunt and looked at the picture of Henry and Saffy at the beach laughing "Oh that's my favourite one," she cooed "Carly and I sent her that pink hat,"

"I can't believe she's five already," murmured Amelia "And Henry is 7,"

"They're cute," said Meredith as she glanced into the phone "Both of them are Addison's?"

"Yep," replied Amelia "Addison & Jake's,"

What did Addison say?" asked Meredith as she drank a cup of tea "About Cassie?"

Cassandra gave Meredith a dark glare "It's Cassandra," she said and turned to Amelia "Well?"

"Addie said you're more than welcome to come to LA before or after the baby is born," said Amelia "You won't stress her out," she said, "But I could have told you that Cass, Addison adores you,"

"Maybe you should go to LA. She'll probably be glad to have the extra help," said Meredith "When the baby arrives,"

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you," muttered Cassandra under her breath low enough for only Amelia to hear. Amelia threw her a quizzical look but didn't say anything.

There was silence for a few minutes until Amelia spoke "I think you should stay here,"

"You do?"

"Yeah I like having you around," she smiled "I've missed out on so much,"

Cassie nodded "You have, did you know Andrew has a boyfriend?"

Amelia gasped "What?" she practically shrieks "I thought he was engaged to Lola? Lizzie Facebooked me a year ago to tell me,"

Cassie shook her head "Turns out he was using her as a cover, she found his phone and freaked out," she said, "He introduced us to Gabriel at Nanny Sheppard's last Thanksgiving," she said.

Amelia shook her head "Wow baby Andy has a boyfriend and little Cassie is about to start an internship,"

Cassie raised her eyebrow "You mean, not starting an internship," she said quietly. "I couldn't stay in New York, I couldn't afford to live out on my own,"

Amelia gave her a small smile "Maybe we could get you an internship here?" she suggested "If you want to stay, that is,"

Cassie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion "It's not that simple Amy, you can't just request an internship, it takes ages to fill out an application and interviews, and even then, you're not guaranteed to get the one you want,"

Amelia looked over to Meredith "What do you think Mer?" she asked, "Would Bailey hire her?"

Meredith shrugged "I don't know," she said truthfully "You'd really have to plead your case,"

Amelia smiled at her niece "We'll figure something out Cass, but you're welcome to stay with me and Owen for as long as you need to,"

"Would Owen mind?" asked Meredith "You couldn't have asked him already, he's been in surgery for hours,"

Amelia shrugged "It'll be okay, he'll understand, Cassie is family," she said as she squeezed Cassie's hand.

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review