When you're little you think growing up will be fun. You tell yourself it's all going to be so much better. You'll get to stay up late, eat whatever you want, make your own rules. Sometime in the middle though, between being grown and being a kid you start to rethink things. You realize growing up means bills, and aging, and all those decisions you were ready to make, look so much scarier the closer they get. Still, you have to move forward, because no matter how hard you try, you can't stop time. And sometimes if you're lucky, really lucky, being an adult is even better than you ever dreamed it'd be.
Alex smiled as he high-fived a seven year old that sat in a wheel chair looking up at him. "No more climbing trees at night Cade," he smirked. "Those broken legs aren't fun, got it?"
"Yes sir," Cade nodded.
"And if you climb during the day?"
"Don't go too high and make sure mom's outside," the little boy smiled.
"Good boy."
He watched as the nurse wheeled Cade out followed behind his mother. Some days were easier than others, he thought to himself.
"Hey Alex, can I talk to you?" He heard Jo sound behind him.
"And today's not one of them." He grumbled under his breath. Slowly he turned around as Jo's sad eyes made contact with his. "Do we have to do this?"
"I just..." She began. "You got most of your stuff, there's like nothing left much."
"Yeah, I'll come get the rest soon." He nodded. "I'll leave you the key under the mat or something." He shrugged.
"So we're really doing this?" Jo asked.
Alex let out a laugh, "Doing this? Jo we're not doing anything, that's kind of the point."
She dropped her head, "You know what I mean."
Alex frowned, "I proposed, offered to have kids, buy a dog, I would have even done the picket fence thing if you had asked, you turned it all down, so yes we are really doing this." He spoke.
"But, I just..."
"What Jo?" Alex asked.
"I didn't think things had to end."
"Well they can't stay the same," he frowned. "I want more than that, and obviously you don't."
"I do love you, you know." Jo frowned.
"Are you sure?" Alex laughed bitterly. "Because from where I stand you don't care enough about me to even consider a future." Dropping his head he ran his hand through his hair, "Look I'm not doing this now, I have patients to see, and then I have to pick Zola up from school."
"Meredith already has you doing carpool?" Jo huffed.
"Is there something wrong with me helping out with Mer's kids?"
"No, of course not, never has been," Jo spoke dryly.
"Look, maybe you can come by this weekend and get the rest of your stuff. We can talk this out..."
"Talk this out?" Alex laughed. "Do we have something to talk out?"
"I don't know.." Jo sighed.
"Have you changed your mind about anything?" He questioned.
"No but..."
Alex glared at her, "I have a date this weekend anyway."
Jo let out a gasp, "Seriously?"
Alex rolled his eyes, "With Zola," he added. "There's this daddy daughter thing at her school or something, so I told her I'd take her."
Jo glared at him, "You're taking her to a father/daughter dance? Really?"
"Do you want me to let her sit in her room and cry all night?" Alex asked.
"You're relationship with Meredith and those kids is a little much don't you think?"
"Guess that's not really your business anymore is it?" Alex questioned. "Whatever, I'm not doing this. I'll get the rest of my stuff when you're not home. I have to go."
"Alex wait..."
"No." He muttered, "I've waited long enough." He huffed turning on his his heal he let out a long sigh and he walked off.
Meredith stared at her chips as Maggie sat down at the lunch table. She smiled over at her sister as she let out a sigh and put her tray down.
"Today is a long day. Does it feel long to anyone else?"
Meredith nodded, "It's one of those dragging days for sure."
"I just want sleep and cake, in either order," Maggie frowned. "And not cafeteria cake, real bakery cake, maybe with ice cream."
"I'd just be happy with sleep," Meredith smiled. "Bailey had a nightmare last night, he ended up in my bed with his feet in my face."
"He kicks too doesn't he?" Maggie laughed. "Poor little guy, I think it was that movie Amelia let him watch the other night... I warned her, but she never listens."
"Listening is not one of Amelia's best qualities," Meredith agreed.
"Women will be the death of me." Alex's voice suddenly boomed as his tray plopped down on the table beside Meredith. She hadn't even realized he was behind her until he sat down.
"Long day for you too?" She asked with a smirk.
"Jo made me talk to her," he grumbled.
"That sounds fun," Meredith smiled.
"Right fun." He groaned. "She thought we could still be something."
"Seriously?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah, crazy right? She almost seemed offended I had moved out."
"She does understand why you left?" Meredith asked.
"Who knows," he shrugged stealing a fry from her tray. "I don't understand her, or any of you for that matter."
"You understand me," Meredith laughed.
"Sometimes," he shrugged. "Other times you go into weird girl mode and I figure it's best to leave you with the sisters or something."
"The sisters?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah, you and Sheppard." He spoke with a sigh. "I just don't want to do all the talking and crap, like we have something to say. We don't. It's stupid."
"Maybe she wants to work it out." Maggie shrugged.
Alex looked up at her and rolled his eyes, "Doubt it, nothing has changed. Women are just confusing."
Meredith laughed gently as Alex grabbed one of her chips, "Are you still going dress shopping with Zola today?"
"Yes," He spoke, "Why did you get barbecue chips? You always get Ranch Doritos. I like them better." He muttered. "And yes, I'm taking Zo to get a dress, thanks for that suggestion by the way," he smirked. "Afterward we are going by to get our puppy, and buy it's bed and things."
"So we are really getting a dog?" Maggie asked.
"Basset Hound," Alex nodded. "I got it from the shelter," he spoke, "The mom was a drop off and pregnant when she got there, I'm not promising it's full blooded but it sure looked like it."
"At least you're saving a life," Meredith sighed.
"That's what we do," he shrugged. "Had to wait for it to get old enough, Zola can't wait."
"She's excited about dress shopping too," Maggie smiled, "She was telling me all about it this morning."
Meredith laughed, "Because she knows Alex will spoil her."
"Shut it Grey, I have my ways, you have yours."
Meredith simply smiled as Alex grabbed another fry, this time stealing ketchup off Maggie's plate.
Alex yawned as he opened the front door and sat his keys down. His day had been much longer than he had expected. After picking Zola up and taking her dress shopping he had been called back to the hospital to deal with a set of newborn twins. He let out a sigh as he looked up and saw Meredith sitting outside by the fire. Without even thinking he grabbed a blanket, pushed back another yawn and headed toward the back door.
When he slid the door open he saw Meredith look back at him, her eyes dark.
"You okay?" He asked.
"I guess," she shrugged. "Long day?"
"Yes," He spoke sitting down beside her, "Dress shopping with Zola was interesting." He laughed.
Meredith eyed him, "You bought three dresses Karev," she smirked.
"She couldn't decide," he shrugged.
"I got Bailey a cool new bat and glove too," he smiled. "I thought I'd try him at some real ball, you know pitching and stuff."
"And that new talking Cinderella doll in Ellis' room, did you have something to do with that?" Meredith laughed.
"She sings too," Alex muttered as Meredith let out a laugh. "Shut up, Zola said she'd like it."
"She also seems to like the puppy too," Meredith smiled. "You spoil my children Karev."
"Her name is Anna," he shrugged. "Because Zo said she likes Anna better than Elsa," he laughed.
"Anna the Basset Hound," Meredith chuckled. "Nice."
Alex looked over at her and realized for the first time there was ice cream in her hand, "So why are you out here this late?"
"I think I'm old," she shrugged.
Alex let out a laugh, "Old?"
"I heard some of the doctors today talking about the hot new interns, and I remembered when that was us," she shrugged. "And then I had this patient, he was like late twenties, and he kept calling me ma'am."
"Maybe the dude was southern, they do that in the south."
"He wasn't calling the young hot nurse ma'am," she groaned. "It just hit me that I'm a frumpy mom that spends her off days in pajama pants eating ice cream and listening to music that's on the classic rock station now." She groaned. "When did all this happen."
"Dude," Alex laughed, "You're not old and frumpy."
"I am." Meredith groaned, "So I came home got the kids to bed and sulked on the couch until I got bored watching television and came outside with this ice cream."
"Nice." Alex laughed.
"It's not funny, I liked when we were the young and hot ones," she muttered.
"Shut up Grey, your still hot," Alex chuckled.
"You think I'm hot?" She asked arching a eyebrow.
"Uh yeah," He laughed, "Always have been." He shrugged, "Now you're just a hot mom, which is actually even better."
"This aging thing sucks," she groaned.
"You've barely freakin' aged," he smiled. "Quit having a pity party Mer, all the doctors still talk about how hot you are, you just never hear them." He shrugged.
"All?"
"Well not all," he laughed, "But I hear it."
"I hate when I get in my own head." She groaned.
Alex wrapped his arm around her and grabbed the ice cream out of her hand, she smirked and handed him the spoon, "You don't do it nearly as much as you used to," he shrugged.
"So I'm not old?" She grinned.
"Or frumpy." He nodded. "Seriously Mer, do you not realize how hot you are?"
"Even in my pajama pants?" She laughed.
"Well I might get rid of the Winnie the Pooh pair," he smirked shoving a bite of ice cream in his mouth, "But when you wear than flannel pair with that tiny red shirt..."
"Shut up Karev," she laughed.
"And then you decide to dance it out with your hair down..." He added trying not to laugh.
He watched as Meredith ducked her head, her laughter sounded out through the back yard as she shoved him gently with her shoulder. He wondered if she knew how beautiful she looked when her eyes lit up like that.
"Okay okay, I get it," Meredith smiled.
"Look, being hot and new was pretty awesome, and all that crazy inappropriate stuff was totally worth it," he smirked, "But now we're these adults and that's not too bad either. Dances with Zola, ball with Bailey, crazy huge breakfasts in the mornings, all that stuff is where we are now, and it's weird how amazing it is."
"Yeah it is pretty great." Meredith nodded.
"I used to never want to grow up," Alex laughed, "But this family stuff..."
"I know." Meredith nodded.
"When I was growing up I heard about it, but figured it was just stuff on TV," he sighed. "I used to actually watch old reruns of Leave it to Beaver and wonder if that kind of thing was real."
"Our lives our not Leave it to Beaver," Meredith chuckled.
"No, but it's just as awesome." Alex laughed. "And you can grow old if you want to, but the way I see it? I'm just getting better with age."
"Now that I can agree with." Meredith smiled.
"So," Alex spoke winking, "You sayin' you think I'm hot too?"
Meredith grabbed her ice cream from him and let out a laugh, "Shut up Karev."
