So...Here it is?
Crash!
Meredith instantly jolts awake at the sound. Sitting up in her bed, she quickly throws the duvet to the side before scurrying out of the room. In a house with this many people, a loud clatter cannot be a good sign.
She exits her bedroom, lingering in the doorway and scanning the hallway for any indication of injury or damage. To her confusion, nothing out of the ordinary presents itself. Her friends are in the bathroom, getting ready for work, as they do every morning.
Alex brushing his teeth with a scowl on his face, a figure who she assumes is Jackson in the shower, April shaving her legs on the toilet, and…who was she missing? She stands there, mentally scratching her head and trying to get herself out of her groggy daze.
"What was that noise?" Meredith asks to no one in particular.
April opens her mouth to respond, but Alex beats her to it by saying, "Your sister."
"My sister?" Alex nods.
"She thought it would be a great idea to make breakfast for everyone before the social worker comes." April responds.
Damn it. The social worker, she completely forgot. Well, not completely, but she didn't remember a few moments ago.
A week ago she had received a phone call from Child Protective Services, telling her that they would be having a meeting at their house discussing a complicated situation. Could they be vaguer? The social worker who was handling the case did not want to brief her on the situation, claiming that it would be better if they all met in person.
With a sigh she descends the stairs, following the repeated clanking. In the kitchen, her younger sister, wearing a purple cotton shirt and striped pants, stands over the stove mixing something. Meredith walks toward the coffee maker and indulges herself with her daily caffeine. The clink of the mug as Meredith brings it out, signals to Lexie her sister's presence.
"Hey!" She smiles widely, "How are you this morning?"
"Fine." Meredith shrugs.
"You want some pancakes?" Lexie offers, gesturing to the pan.
"Not hungry." She responds leaning against the counter, holding the mug to her mouth and letting the steam tickle her face.
"It's going to be okay Mer." Lexie tells her. "They aren't going to take Zola away." Zola is Meredith's year-old adoptive daughter. Lexie, knowing that her sister's anxiety might be peaking as time gets closer to the meeting, offers her an assuring smile.
"Yeah." Meredith sighs. To be honest, the thought had crossed her mind. They had already taken her away once, what would stop them from doing it again? Why else would they come?
Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Both sister's whip their heads to look at each other in alarm.
"It is time?" Lexie's eyebrows knit.
"They said ten a.m." Meredith says, looking at the microwave clock that blinks eight. In the distance they hear the door sweep open and her husband, Derek, offer greetings to the unexpected visitor.
"Meredith!" Derek calls to her, "Meredith, Cristina is here!" Lexie cocks her head to the side, and Meredith just nods. "Meredith?"
"Kitchen!" Lexie shouts back. Moments later, Meredith's best friend, Cristina, enters the room fully dressed.
"It's about time you showed up." Meredith sasses.
"Hey, one can only do so much at the crack of dawn." Cristina rolls her eyes. "Especially when it's my day off. You're lucky I'm even here."
"I guess." Meredith shrugs. Lexie turns the stove off, now getting the hint that breakfast was not going to happen. Nerves and uncertainty wouldn't let them enjoy the food.
"Plus, you weren't even answering my calls. I had to text Derek to ask what time to be here." Cristina takes a seat on one of the bar stools.
Meredith takes a seat beside her and puts her head in her hands. "Don't worry. It's not like they are going to take Zola away again."
Meredith rolls her eyes. By reassuring her that the government wouldn't be taking her daughter away, makes her even more terrified that they may just do that. Why in the world is her entire family involved? It isn't usually like this.
A couple hours later after showering, getting dressed, and trying her best not to vomit, Meredith paces in the living room. The worst part is, she was nervous and confused enough when she finds Lexie talking to her boyfriend, Mark, via FaceTime.
Derek sits in an armchair and watches her pace with a calm expression. "Meredith, do you have a surgery today?" He asks. She ignores him, knowing that it is his attempt to get her to think of something else. "Meredith." "Meredith?"
"Not now Derek." She tells him. With a smile, he stands up and embraces her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.
"So appendectomy?" He smiles cheekily.
"No, liver transplant." She says. "At two."
"Take me through the procedure." He tells her, hugging her tighter.
"First you…"
"Meredith." Mark calls through the phone. "Where is Zola anyway?" Meredith purses her lips together. She contemplates not answering. Seeing as she hasn't fully approved of their relationship since they impulsively got together after the plane crash, but Lexie included him, so she would have to put up with it.
Cristina opens her mouth to say something, most likely insensitive.
"She is sleeping." Lexie jumps in, knowing full well the awkwardness that is Meredith and Mark's relationship and Cristina's blunt nature.
The doorbell rings, and she feels herself wanting to sprint in the opposite direction. Cristina stands and assertively answering it, Meredith silently thanking her. If it weren't CPS coming, she would be sipping on a bottle of Tequila right now. Unfortunately, lack of sobriety is frowned upon by government officials.
Suddenly, she is snapped back into reality by a woman in a pantsuit gazing at her intently. She approaches her with her arm outstretched. Meredith disentangles herself from Derek's grasp and takes her hand.
"Meredith Grey." She says, smiling awkwardly.
"Angela Rogers." The woman smiles. The room simply stares at her, no one speaks, not knowing what exactly to do. "Should we get started?"
"Oh! Yes." Lexie laughs. Everyone takes a seat throughout the living room, the family looking at one another expectantly.
Rogers reaches into her suitcase, pulling out several stacks of documents and laying them out on the coffee table. Derek and Meredith lock eyes. Derek winks in her direction, and Meredith smiles while rolling her eyes.
"Alright." Rogers exhales. "I am sure you are all wondering why I have asked to meet with you all. Let me tell you that the mystery is now to be revealed." She explains in a very lighthearted tone. No one except Lexie humors her with a courtesy laugh.
"I have arranged this meeting because the government has recently become aware of a complication when it comes to the care of one of your family members." She begins.
"You can just call her Zola." Lexie tells her.
"Excuse me?" Rogers knits her eyebrows.
"Zola? Mer's daughter." Cristina explains, pointing to Meredith. Meredith nervously smiles.
"Oh, no. This isn't about your daughter Mrs. Shephard." Rogers starts, but the way she addresses Meredith causes the room to swallow their giggles and Meredith sigh.
"It's Dr. Grey." Meredith politely clarifies.
"Oh! I apologize." Rogers smiles sheepishly.
"It's fine." Meredith waves her hand in dismissal. "Back to the task at hand, if this isn't about Zola then…?"
"Yes, allow me to explain." Everyone nods.
"Alaska Grey is the daughter of Thatcher Grey and Valeria Gomez, born October 2002. Mr. Grey only has legal custody, not physical custody, of the child but agreed to provide Child Support. Unfortunately, in the last three years, Alaska has been in and out of our care because her mother was not always fit to care for her. About six months ago, Ms. Gomez passed away from an overdose. We got in contact with your father, but he resulted to be admitted in a rehabilitation center at the time. When he was released, he met with us and ultimately renounced custody of the child, but signed it over to you Dr. Grey."
"Oh, crap." Cristina says.
Meredith's eyes grow wide, as do everyone's in the room. Custody of an unknown sister? Not to mention, a teenager. A freaking kid! "M-me?" Meredith stutters.
"Yes. However, you do not need to accept custody, but the purpose of this visit is to inform you of the situation and if you agree, to sign legal documents for temporary custody. You know, just to try it out and see if it is a good match." Rogers smiles, knowing full well how overwhelming this information may be.
Meredith looks at Derek with pleading eyes. What is she supposed to do?
"I think we will need to have a minute." Derek tells Rogers, flashing her a dreamy smile.
"Of course," She nods. "Take your time."
Derek stands taking Meredith by the hand and leading her to kitchen. Once the door swings shut Meredith whips around to face her husband. "What are we supposed to do?"
"What do you want to do?" Derek asks her, leaning against the counter.
"I know what you want me to do." Meredith sighs, once again placing her head in her hands.
"That is not what I asked." He lifts his eyebrows in anticipation.
"…but Derek, we are full-time surgeons with a baby daughter and our house is a frat house. I am just getting used to being a mom to a baby, now I am being asked to be a mom to a teenager. A mom to a kid that my dad decided to have, and being asked to pick up the pieces of another life Thatcher wrecked?" Derek is silent, he simply looks at her as if he is waiting for her to say more. "What?"
"What?" He echoes.
"What do you want me to say?" Meredith asks defensively.
"What do you want me to say?" He parrots.
"Derek." She rolls her eyes with a huff.
"You know what I think, this is your choice." He gently tells her.
"You are thinking that we have to do it. That little girl is my sister and I can't just leave her to be raised by just anyone. By default she is my responsibility and who knows, maybe I'll like her." She begins to pace, and talking more to herself than to her husband. "I mean, I know what it is to feel alone, and inflicting the same pain on my sister would be wrong right? God! Why did my parents have to have so many children and not tell me about it?!"
Derek sighs and shrugs.
"I mean he left me and my mother for Susan, having Lexie and Molly, and didn't tell me. Now I find out that Thatcher had a kid with some other unknown woman and didn't TELL ME. A woman who decided to off herself, and my father wants nothing to do with this girl. This girl who didn't ask for any of this, but the universe dealt her a crappy hand. God, what do I do?" Silence. "You're right. I hate when you're right." She playfully scowls.
"I didn't say anything." He smiles.
"You didn't have to." She rolls her eyes and exits the room.
At this point, the Lexie huddles in the corner, holding the phone to her face speaking intently. Cristina purposefully stuffs her face with the pathetic spread they had set out, old biscotti that they found in the pantry and stale coffee. While Rogers sits in her chair, sifting through paperwork.
Both adults take their seats on the couch, causing everyone's gaze to be fixated on them.
"Have you reached a decision?" Rogers asks. The couple steal a glance at each other before looking back at her.
"Yes, we have." Derek nods.
"I believe that we will take custody of…Alaska is it?" Meredith quirks an eyebrow.
"Yes. Alaska." Rogers nods. "Is this a definite answer? You can take a few days to think about it, and get back to us."
"No, that won't be necessary." Meredith interjects, although there is slight hesitation in her voice. "That is my sister, and what I have learned in recent years is that you don't turn your back on family." She gestures to the Lexie and Cristina. Cristina tightly smiles and Lexie beams encouragingly in her direction.
"Alright." Rogers affirms. "Would you like to sign papers now or at a later time?"
"We can sign the papers now." Derek says. Meredith nods.
"Alright." Rogers picks up a stack of paper and holds it closer to her face. "The reason that the state requires that the most important people in the family be present is because we need to inform the every one of the protocol that comes with having a foster child.
"Just as a reminder, this process is quite rigorous. It requires home visits and therapy…"
Two days later, after signing the papers for temporary custody and mulling the whole thing over, Meredith sits anxiously in her room. Still trying to calm her nerves and convincing herself that this whole thing is a good idea. Is she fit to be the caretaker of a teenager? Yes, right now everything may be temporary, but obviously there is no way that she could turn this girl away. She inhales deeply and exhales.
Suddenly, her bedroom door cracks open slightly. Her head whips in the direction of the creaking and sees a hazel eye peering at her.
"Hey Lex." Meredith mumbles. The door creaks open all the way revealing a slim young woman, shuffling into the room and taking a seat beside her. A comfortable silence befalls them.
After a few moments, Lexie says, "I will help you, you know?"
"What?" Meredith turns to her.
"You don't have to do all of this alone. You've got me and Derek to lean on, since we both live here. We won't abandon you. Plus, she is my sister too."
"Thanks." Meredith half-smiles.
"She'll be here any minute." Lexie observes. No excitement. No dread. Just stating a fact.
"Yeah." Meredith responds. "I wonder…"
"Yeah."
The doorbell rings. It's time. Both sisters stand up with a sigh and head downstairs, where Derek is two feet from the door. Soon it is opened, revealing Rogers right behind it.
"Hello."
"Hello."
"Dr. Shephard." She shakes his hand. "This is Alaska." She steps aside and gestures for the girl to enter the house. Before anyone can say anything, their jaws drop slightly. If one were to enter a factory and find a way to combine both Lexie and Meredith into one person, Alaska would be the product.
She has most of Lexie's facial features; large eyes, small nose, mouth, long face, and hair. On the other hand, she has Meredith's lighter hair color, grey eyes, and eyebrows.
The sight of Alaska hits home for Meredith. The tips of the girl's hair is pink, she is wearing a black Queen T-shirt, dark skinny jeans, and black Converse.
She has a passive, almost bored, look on her face. A face Meredith knew well. A face she used to hide her emotions. Fortunately for her, Alaska wasn't as good as Meredith had been when she was her age. She had been blessed with Lexie's eyes, which always show passion, pain, and excitement. Transparent eyes. She is looking at her thirteen year old self. A young girl with so much pain and frustration, but so much love to give. Alaska Grey.
"Hi. I'm Meredith."