She never spent enough time with the three year old in front of her, or was he four, when was his birthday anyway? He was staring at her oddly through the same hazel eyes his father had. She could almost laugh at the sight of mini Alex. She had heard Izzie refer to her son by the strange pet name but could only remember the babbling five month old with bright blond hair. No the little man in front of her was no babbling five month old with bright blond hair but a smart mouthed brunette that looked as if Alex decided it would've been a fun idea to clone himself in a miniature version, like that movie Austin Powers. It felt weird, as if the baby was judging her. Why did they even leave him with her? And why was she coming to a blank for his name? She really never spent enough time with this kid.
"What's Carter doing here?" Carter that was his name. Why couldn't she have remembered that stupid name? She turned her head at Meredith's voice.
"All I know is that Izzie dropped the kid off with me so she and Alex could find an on call room somewhere or something." Christina bit out staring at Carter as his hazel eyes studied her intently. "What am I suppose to do with a four year old?"
"He's two. He'll be three in November." Whoa she was off, but he was freakishly tall for his age, must've got that from his mother. "You could take him with you, on rounds." Meredith urged from her side.
"Fine, whatever" She grabbed a stack of charts that were by her side at the nurses' station and walked toward the small brunette. "Follow me." Christina started to walk and turned around to see the boy standing in the same spot staring at her. "Did you not hear? Follow me." She said loudly and clearly as she pushed the charts against her chest.
"No" Her mouth fell open as the toddler crossed his arms across his small chest. "No" he said it again.
"Why don't you ask him nicely?" Meredith grinned as she watched the scene unfold in front of her.
"Why don't you just take care of him?" Christina pressed her lips into a hard line.
"Izzie didn't ask me, she asked you."
"Carter can you, please, follow me?" Christina forced a smile at the boy twelve feet away from her. He shook his head before repeating his decline. Meredith laughed as she walked over to the boy her right hand in her pocket. She knelt down to Carter's eye level and whispered into his ear before pulling out a green lollipop from her white jacket pocket. Carter shook his head with a smile and eagerly took the candy from Meredith's hand before running toward Christina.
"Open, open, please" He held the candy up toward Christina as she looked down at him. She took it from his small hands and opened it before giving it back. Carter excitedly shoved the lollipop into his mouth and began to suck on the sweet flavor of lemon lime. "Tank you" He said as he pulled the lollipop out and smiled up at her.
"I just promised him a surprise if he's good for Aunt Christina." Could she really be considered this kids aunt when only a few minutes ago she forgot his name. She had heard Izzie refer to Meredith as Aunt Meredith from time to time but it was still weird, well at least to her. She watched as Meredith patted the kid's shaggy brown hair before turning the corner leaving them alone.
"So Carter…" She cringed. She was talking to a two year old. "Want to help me?" He nodded his head holding his hand up to the woman.
"I help you Isina." She almost found it adorable the way he couldn't say her name. She took the small hand extended out toward her and they made their way down the hall to her interns.
"Aw how adorable." She heard the yelp of Lexie Grey as she cooed over the child next to her. "What's your name little guy?" Somehow she didn't feel as horrible not knowing Carter's name now that Lexie didn't.
"His name is Carter." Christina said almost too quickly as Lexie shot her head up from her bent position in front of Carter.
"Oh I know I just love hearing him say it. He has like a little Boston accent where he can't say his Rs, it's stinking cute." Lexie pushed herself up and Christina grimaced, even Lexie Grey knew the child's name. She wondered if Lexie was called Aunt Lexie like Meredith.
"I help isina exie!" Carter jumped up with a wide smile. Lexie turned her attention back to the boy.
"You are, what a big boy!" Lexie gushed. Christina was growing impatience with her interns making a fuss over the Karev boy. She pushed the charts into Lexie's hands which quickly stopped the laughter from the group.
"This isn't a tea party, get to work." They scurried off quickly leaving her once again alone with Carter. "Where is your mother?" Christina groaned as she looked around the surgical floor. This was no place for a baby to be as a patient let alone a visitor. She looked down at Carter that was looking back up at her with a white stick in his hand.
"Done" She took the sticky stick from his hands and dropped it into the trashcan a few feet away. Carter let out a long yawn. "Up" He lifted his hands in the air. Christina didn't want to carry him, especially if he was going to fall asleep. But she couldn't just say no to the two year old. She lifted the boy and rested him on her hip.
"What do you want to do?" Was she seriously asking that question to a two year old? Goosebumps started to rise on the back of her neck as Carter took one of her dark locks and twisted it with his tiny fingers. She couldn't help the smile as she heard the soft sigh from her shoulder.
"Did you bore him to sleep Yang?" The teasing voice came from behind her. She didn't have to turn around to know that she was soon going to have to give the resting baby back to his father. But she did turn around, slowly.
"Finally done with the on call room?" Christina smirked as Alex reached for his son.
"What, no, we had an appointment. I'm sure Izzie is going to want to tell you but we're having another baby." Alex smiled proudly as he positioned Carter comfortably on his chest.
"That's amazing Alex." She felt genuinely happy for her coworker. She reached out and rubbed the back of the dark green shirt Carter was wearing and grinned.
"Just act surprised when Izzie tells you, ok?"
"Will do, now go, I have work to do. And I can't stand to see the sight of you and your mini me." Christina laughed as she shooed them away with a smile.
"Thanks for watching him Yang." He called back as he made his way down the hall. She nodded, not like he could've seen her but she nodded. With this next baby she wouldn't forget its name, she would know the age, and she would remember the birthday. With this next baby she would be Aunt Christina.