Title: Big Brother
Author: A. Windsor
Pairing/Characters: Callie/Arizona, Mark/Addison
Rating: G
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. My one semester of law school could allow me to legalese this a little more, but it also tells me it's pretty useless. So please don't sue; it's not mine, I'm just playing!
Series: Zeq!verse
Summary: There's a new addition to the Sloan family, and it weighs on Ezequiel. [May 2023]
Author's Note: The latest installment in the now totally AU Zeq!verse. (Post 7x16 AU). Just a small little thing. Beta'd by the absolutely wonderful, terribly snarky roughian.
Everyone's cooing and smiling over the beautiful infant, with her dark hair and pretty almond eyes, and she's such a happy little thing, enjoying the attention of all these adults.
"Alright, now time to see Aunt Arizona," Mark beams, lifting the little girl up high and flying her over towards Arizona. "Kara, say hello."
"Hi, Kara," Arizona smiles at the girl, taking her from her father and making a few faces at her. "Welcome home! EZ, baby, come meet..."
She trails off as she meets her twelve-year-old's eyes, which flash with hurt and anger. He throws himself off of the couch and runs up the stairs without a second glance. Arizona winces when she hears the door slam. She gingerly hands one-year-old Kara Montgomery Sloan over to Addison.
"I got this," she announces.
"Do you want me to-" Callie starts to offer, frowning.
"Let me give it a try, okay? He's just, adjusting."
"Processing?" Callie quirks her brow affectionately.
Arizona nods firmly and follows after their son.
"Like mother, like son," Callie observes.
She finds Zeq curled up in the window seat in the guest bedroom, his favorite hiding spot when he needs a little alone time. He's crying, sobbing really, in that adolescent boy way where his embarrassment only fuels the meltdown. His beloved and faithful companion, border collie mix Oklahoma, is pushed up close, trying to comfort him, his big baleful eyes greeting her with clear concern.
"Doing okay, buddy?" she asks, sitting down on the window seat beside him gingerly, not wanting to push him too hard.
"They- they- they picked her out! They planned and they flew to China and they wanted her."
"EZ, baby..."
"Nobody wanted me," he sniffles and rubs angrily at his eyes, flushing with the mortification of being a twelve-year-old boy in tears. "I wasn't supposed to be here! No one picked me."
"Hey!"
Zeq's eyes snap up to his momma's earnest face.
"Ezequiel, I picked you."
"No, you didn't. You picked Mami. You couldn't not pick Mami."
Arizona smiles a little at his utter faith in his mothers' love.
"No, EZ, I picked you. I didn't have to. I love your mother. I always have and always will, but a baby is a big step and I was not expecting it. Everyone would've understood if I walked away. But I heard your heart beat." Her hand rests on his concave little chest, right above said heart. "And I picked you."
Zeq wipes his nose on his shoulder, and Arizona lets it slide, this time. His right hand slides up to cover hers.
"And maybe you were a surprise, for all of us, but once we knew you were coming, we planned and planned and planned. And we wanted you. Your mom and dad, too. We wouldn't trade you for anything. Addison wouldn't either. Dad and Addison just decided to bring another kid into their hearts; it doesn't take anything away from how much they love you."
"How come you and Mami never had another baby?"
Arizona bites her lip thoughtfully.
"It was never the right time, and we just... You were all we ever needed. We were so happy with just you. So when you were nine and asked for a little brother or sister, we got you a puppy." She pats Okie's head, but the mutt doesn't look up, curled protectively around his master. "But Dad and Addison decided to get you what you really wanted."
"I think I like O better," Zeq pouts, half-heartedly, fingers scratching at his dog's ears.
"Don't say that; you're gonna love being Kara's big brother. Plus, you don't have to feed her or walk her or pick up her poop. Way better than a dog."
"Mom-ma," Zeq complains.
"I'm serious, though. You're gonna be really good at the brother thing."
Neither is sure if that's an observation or an order, but the result will be the same.
"Did it upset you to see me hold her?"
Zeq looks away, embarrassed.
"I was just saying hi, EZ. She's a part of our lives now. But I can never love anyone the way I love you. You know that."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And your dad still loves you more than anything. He's a great dad. Things will be a little crazy as they adjust to having Kara around, but then he'll want to do all the things you've always done. And if he's busy with the baby, I'll watch basketball with you."
"Momma, you hate basketball."
"I know. But you don't."
"Okay."
"Okay. You need a few more minutes?"
Zeq nods.
"That's fine. But then we're going to go downstairs, and you're going to hug your dad and Addison and hold your sister. She's yours now; it's your job to look out for her."
Zeq wipes angrily at his face and nods again, taking a deep breath.
"Yes, ma'am."
Unexpectedly, he pushes himself up and practically tackles her with a hug. She stumbles a little at the sudden impact, but then holds him close as she feels his hands clutching at her back. She drops a kiss into the unruly dark curls he refuses to keep cut close and under control. She swallows against her own tears as he rubs his cheek into her shoulder like he used to as a little kid.
"Love you, Momma."
"Oh, EZ. I love you so much."
"Do you think he's going to be okay?"
It's late; Mark, Addison, and baby Kara have long since gone home, and Zeq is upstairs at least pretending to sleep. Callie and Arizona are in the living room on the couch, nightly news turned down low, Okie curled at their feet.
"I think he's going to be great," Arizona says firmly. She doesn't bring up what Ezequiel said, because it would only hurt Callie. "It's just hard to go from only child for twelve years to big brother. But you saw him with her. They're awesome."
"You really think so?"
"I do. He'll be a good brother, I promise," Arizona says, dropping a kiss onto Callie's shoulder. "Do you ever wish we'd had more?"
Callie tenses in her arms and pulls away, turning so she can look into Arizona's eyes.
"What about you? You're the one that dreamed of three or four."
"Or ten," Arizona laughs fondly. "I think we had good reasons to stick with just EZ. When I held Kara, did I have a moment of baby-longing? Sure. But at the end of the day, you two are all I really need."
"And Oklahoma."
"I will never forgive you two for naming him Oklahoma," Arizona swears, toes scratching lightly at their dog's back. Okie looks back at her, bored, before laying his head back down on his paws. "You didn't answer my question."
Callie sighs.
"I used to dream about a little girl that looked just like you. She's funny and smart and loyal, and she drives us all crazy. And sometimes I wish we'd met her, I really do. But I never wanted Zeq to feel like he was just for practice, or that he was different. That there were our kids and then him, our kid with Mark. And I really don't dream about her anymore. I love our life."
"Me too," Arizona promises.
They had this conversation a lot right after they got married, but it's good to know they're still on the same page.
"But he better have lots of his own," Arizona presses on, "'cause I want a whole passel of grandkids."
Callie laughs and settles back against the couch, Arizona's arm around her shoulder.
"Let's not mention that to him until he's married, okay?"
"EZ-rider, what are you doing?"
"Giving her a tour. Karev, this is my little sister Kara. Kara, this is Karev; he knows where all the good candy is."
Alex smirks at the twelve-year-old who frequents the halls of Seattle Grace-Mercy West. He has his one-year-old sister in his arms, and she holds tight to the hood of his sweatshirt with one hand, alert dark eyes taking in her surroundings. She settles on the peds attending and graces him with a little baby smile.
"She's cute. Seems to like you."
"I'm her brother," Zeq says simply.
"You introduced her to the nurses yet?"
Zeq shakes his head.
"No, sir. We're going there next. It's taking a while 'cause I can't use my heelies."
Alex laughs.
"Good looking out for her. That's what big brothers do. You're going to have to fight all the boys off of her."
"Or girls," Zeq corrects absently, bouncing baby Kara in his arms, which produces a giggle from his sister as she grabs at his ear.
"Right. Of course. Sorry."
Zeq shrugs and then asks: "What time is it?"
"Four forty-five."
"Crap."
"Don't say that in front of the baby," Karev teases.
Zeq looks terribly guilty.
"Don't repeat that, Kara," he says firmly, eyes on the girl. "I have to hurry, though; promised Addison I'd bring her back soon."
"Okay. Bye, Zeq. Bye, Kara."
Alex shakes his head as the two take off back towards the attendings lounge, Zeq talking non-stop (one of his many Robbins-isms) to the baby on his hip as if she'll answer right back. Yeah, he's gonna be pretty good at this big brother thing.
el fin