Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN1: Sorry that It's been a few days, personal life stuff have gotten in the way, please enjoy this chapter, and let me know what you think.
Seconds after Ariel called her Aunts name she runs up to Addison and hugs her, and Addison hugs her back,
"It's really good to see you." Addison tells the girl that she will always consider to be her niece, no matter what the state of hers and Derek's relationship is.
"It's good to see you too." Ariel responds, telling the truth, and the two of them break apart.
"What are you doing here? Where's your Mom? And Dad? And Siblings?" Addison asks, honestly expecting to see a lot of people with her.
"Not here, I came alone." Ariel admits, as she avoids looking at her aunt in the eye as she hasn't thought through her entire plan, something which she has only just realised.
"Okay." Addison says, suspecting that something is going on, "Page both Doctor Shepherd's for me." Addison requests, looking at the nurse, "Let's talk." She tells Ariel, who she leads into the conference room across from the nurses' station.
Once they are in the room Addison closes the door behind them and she turns to her niece,
"What's going on, Ariel?" Addison asks, making sure her voice is calm as she hasn't seen Ariel in a while, and she always tried her best to be a great aunt.
"Mom and I got into a fight." Ariel admits.
"Okay." Addison says, with a nod, not saying more and instead giving Ariel the chance to open up on her own.
"And I told her I was going to go stay with my friend Willa, but instead I went to the airport, and came here." Ariel admits.
"So, let me get this straight, you flew to Seattle, alone, and your mother has no idea?" Addison asks, already knowing that Kathleen must be completely panicking right now.
"Yeah." Ariel confirms.
"Ariel, your mother has to be so worried right now." Addison informs her.
"I have five siblings Aunt Addison, mom probably hasn't even noticed that I'm not where I'm supposed to be." Ariel explains, there being an undertone of bitterness to her voice.
"Ariel…." Addison starts to say, but before she can say anymore the door opens, and Derek and Amelia walk in,
"Uncle Derek!" Ariel says, with a grin, "Aunt Amelia!" she says, looking between her uncle and aunt.
"Ariel?" Derek asks, sounding surprised, as Ariel hurries over and hugs Derek, followed by Amelia, "What are you doing here?" He asks as his niece hugs his sister.
"Yes Ariel, tell your Uncle Derek why you're here." Addison says, giving Derek a warning look, telling him to stay calm.
"Ariel?" Amelia asks curious.
"I got in a fight with Mom, and kind of got on a plane and came here without telling her." Ariel explains.
"Ariel! How could you do that!" Derek says, pulling out his phone, "Your Mom and Dad have got to be so worried, I have to call them." He says.
"I don't care if you have to call, I'm not going home." Ariel reveals, telling the truth.
"Ariel…" Derek and Addison start to say, but before they can say more Amelia, who has an idea, starts to speak,
"It's Thursday, how about Ariel stays here in Seattle with us for the rest of the weekend." Amelia suggests, "That way both Ariel and Kathleen have a chance to calm down." She says, giving both Addison and Derek, a look trying to get them to agree to what she is saying, as someone who wasn't the most well behavioural teenager she knows that this is probably the best idea there is.
"if you stay will you go home Sunday?" Addison asks curious, looking at her niece.
"Yeah, I guess." Ariel says, being pretty sure that that is the best thing she can do.
"Okay, if it's okay with your mom you can stay with me at the trailer." Derek reveals.
"A trailer? I'm not staying in a trailer." Ariel reveals, it being clear that she isn't thrilled with the idea.
"It's okay, Derek, she can stay at the house with Amelia and I." Addison offers.
"Okay." Derek says, realising that that is probably best, "I've got to call Kathleen." He says, stepping out of the room, leaving Addison, Amelia, and Ariel together.
Once he is outside the conference room Derek calls his sister and puts his phone to his ear.
"Wow, my Little Brother actually calling me, this really must be important." Kathleen, the only Shepherd sibling who is older than Derek, says.
"Kathleen, I'm calling about Ariel." Derek reveals, figuring that what is best is to cut to the chase.
"Okay, what's going on? She's at a friend right now." Kathleen reveals.
"Actually, she's not." Derek reveals, "Ariel's in Seattle with me, and Addie, and Amy. She flew here on her own." He explains.
"She what!" Kathleen says, clearly angry.
"She's okay, completely safe and not hurt." Derek assures his sister, "If it's okay with you Addie, Amy and I are going to let her stay with us for the weekend, letting both of you calm down, is that okay?"
"Yeah, it's okay." Kathleen says, realising that it might be best, "But I want to talk to my daughter, Derek."
"Okay, hold on." Derek says, heading back into the conference room, "Ariel, your mom wants to talk to you." Derek explains, handing his niece the phone, and once she has the phone Ariel walks over to the other end of the conference room, "Any idea what the fight was about?"
"No." Addison confirms.
"For Ariel to get on a plane it must have been bad." Amelia admits.
"Are you sure you're okay with Ariel staying at the house?" Derek asks curious, looking at Addison.
"Of course, I am, it's okay, she's family." Addison assures him.
"Um, we're going to have surgeries for the next couple of days, what are we going to do?" Amelia asks curious, as she doesn't really want to think about the kind of problems a teenager alone in the hospital can get up to, especially considering she's her niece.
"Ariel stays with whichever one of us isn't in surgery, and if we're all in surgery then she sits in the gallery of whoever will be finished first." Derek suggests.
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Addison says, with a nod.
"Mom, you need to let me make my own choices! I'm sixteen, not six!" Ariel yells, clearly annoyed, before hanging up.
"Ariel? Do you want to talk about it?" Addison asks curious.
"It's just so frustrating! Mom treats me like I'm Lisa and Lily's age, not a teenager." Ariel says, that being part of what she is angry about, though not the biggest thing, "Of course she has me look after my brothers and sisters, but when it comes to me choosing what College I want to go to it's like I can't make any decision for myself, and everything I want is wrong!" she says, clearly annoyed.
"Ariel, she's being your mom." Derek tells her, trying to get her calm down.
"Right." Ariel says, rolling her eyes.
"How about a tour of the hospital." Amelia suggests, feeling like it would be a good idea to change the subject.
"Ah yeah, definitely." Ariel says, really wanting that.
"Then let's go." Addison says, having realised what Amelia is trying to do and thinking it is a good idea, and the four of them walk out of the conference room so that Amelia, Derek, and Amelia can start to show Ariel around the hospital.
While Addison, Derek, and Amelia are showing Ariel around the hospital Mark is walking with Callie and Arizona,
"I like it, I really like her." Mark reveals, telling the truth.
"That's great, Mark." Callie tells him.
"It really is." Arizona confirms, "Julia seems great and I think she's good for you."
"Thanks." Mark says, actually glad that both Arizona and Callie like his girlfriend, and as they walk Mark sees someone he almost can't believe he's seeing, "I don't believe it." Mark says, as he walks forward, and towards the person that he can't believe he is seeing, "Ariel?" Mark asks.
"UNCLE MARK!" Ariel yells, sounding shocked and glad, as she hurries forward and hugs him, "I haven't seen you in forever."
"Yeah, it has been a while." Mark says, as the two of them break apart, "What are you doing here? Are the rest of the family here?" he asks curious.
"I'm alone, and it's a long story." Ariel says, as Arizona and Callie walk up, "Hey." Amelia greats.
"Someone going to introduce us?" Callie asks curious looking between Mark, Addison, Derek, and Amelia.
"This is Ariel, our niece." Derek says, it being clear that he is speaking for all four of them when he sees niece as Mark is an honorary uncle, "Ariel this is Doctor Callie Torres and Doctor Arizona Robbins." Derek introduces.
"Sofia's moms!" Ariel says, looking excited, as she was hoping for a chance to meet them, "It's great to meet you both, I've seen the photos that Uncle Mark sent Mom, Sofia's adorable."
"She really is." Callie confirms, "So, you're the daughter of one of Derek and Amelia's other sisters?" she asks, trying to understand the family connections.
"Yeah, Kathleen." Amelia answers.
"Ariel's going to staying with us until Sunday." Addison explains.
"Great! It's great to have you here." Arizona says, getting the impression that there is something going on.
"Why don't all three of you come for dinner tonight, and bring Sofia." Addison suggests, thinking it could be a good idea, for all of them, and Ariel.
"That would be great." Callie says, with a grin, "Seven thirty?"
"Sounds good." Addison says.
"Can the cafeteria be next on the tour?" Ariel asks curious, "The food on the flight kind of sucks." She admits.
"I'll take you." Amelia says, wanting to give Addison and Derek a chance to talk to Mark, Arizona, and Callie, plus it would be good if she got a chance to talk to Ariel, without the stress of the others.
"Thanks Aunt Amelia." Ariel says, and the two of them head to the cafeteria.
"Okay, what the hell is Ariel doing here alone?" Mark asks, sounding shocked, as it really doesn't seem like something Kathleen would allow.
"She and Kathleen got into a fight, and Ariel flew out here without telling either of her parents." Addison explains.
"Are you serious?" Callie asks, sounding shocked.
"Her parents must be so worried." Arizona realises.
"When I called Kathleen hadn't realised she was gone because Ariel said she was going to a friend's house." Derek explains.
"Oh." Arizona says, not sure what else to say.
"Yeah. Addison says, and the group drift into silence.
While Addison and Derek are talking to Mark, Arizona, and Callie, Amelia is walking with Ariel towards the cafeteria.
"So, you know you can talk to me, Ariel." Amelia tells her niece, "I'm the family screw up, so there's no judgement here, no matter what's going on with you, you can always tell me."
"You're a Neurosurgeon Aunt Amelia, I'm pretty sure you're not a screw up anymore." Ariel assures her aunt.
"Pretty sure everyone still sees me as one, sees me as Hurricane Amy." Amelia admits, and as she does Ariel turns and looks at her Aunt.
"You know I've heard the stories, but I never saw you as Hurricane Amy. One of my earliest memories where when you came home for a visit from college and taught me to write my name." Ariel says, smiling at her Aunt.
"I remember that." Amelia admits, "I remember you were so happy to talk to me then, so talk to me now." Amelia requests.
"Okay, I was three then." Ariel points out, and as she does Amelia gives her a look, "Okay, fine." Ariel says, rolling her eyes, "I'm a good student, Aunt Amelia, like really good, and I really want to go to Stanford, and my advisor thinks I have a good chance, I might even be able to get a scholarship, but when I told Mom that she freaked out." She says, once more explaining one of the reasons why she is in Seattle, though not the main reason, not the catalyse which made her so annoyed about the college thing.
"She doesn't want you to go so far away." Amelia realises.
"Yep." Ariel confirms.
"You're her baby girl, her first born, it's not surprising that she doesn't want you to go so far away." Amelia comments.
"You're on her side!" Ariel says, looking annoyed.
"Of course not." Amelia assures her, "I just see what her side is." she explains, "Look, if you want to go Sandford, apply to Sandford, but to help your mom with her worry check out Princeton, and Colombia, maybe even NYU and Brown, so that you can honestly tell your Mom you checked out places closer to home, it might help with your Mom's protectiveness, plus you should apply to more than one place."
"That's good advice." Ariel realises, "Thanks Aunt Amelia."
"No problem." Amelia says, putting her arm around her niece, "And after you graduate High School I'm going to talk to your mom and take you on a trip."
"Oh, where to?" Ariel asks curious.
"That's a surprise." Amelia reveals, and the two of them drift into silence as they continue to walk.
A little while later Amelia, Ariel, Addison, Derek, Mark, Callie, and Arizona are sitting at a table at the cafeteria eating together,
"Okay, why is that group of residences staring at us?" Ariel asks curious.
"You can tell that they're residences?" Arizona asks.
"Yeah, there are a lot of Doctors in my family." Ariel explains, and as she does she remembers something, "Wait, is one of them Uncle Derek's Slutty Intern?" she asks curious.
"ARIEL!" Derek scolds, as Amelia and Mark laugh.
"What? Mom and Aunt Nancy talk, I listen." Ariel explains, feeling like she did nothing wrong.
"Of course, they do." Derek says, not even surprised by that.
"Ariel, just because your mother and aunt talk like that doesn't mean you should." Addison reveals, trying to be responsible.
"Seriously? But she…." Ariel starts to say.
"Ariel what happened in the past between me, your Aunt Addison, and Meredith, is complicated, and you shouldn't call her that name, okay?" Derek asks, trying to speak calmly.
"Okay, yes, Uncle Derek." Ariel says, though she can't help but continue to watch Meredith and the other residents so that she can try to figure out what her Uncle could have seen in her, as for her entire life she's seen her Uncle Derek and Aunt Addison together, knew how much they loved each other.
"Okay, I've got patients, I'll see you later, Kid." Amelia says, standing up.
"See you, Aunt Amelia." Ariel says, and Amelia walks away, allowing the others to continue their lunch.
A little while later Addison, Derek, and Ariel are walking around the hospital together, as Derek and Addison have continued to show her around the hospital,
"I've got to get to surgery." Addison reveals.
"Okay, I'll see you later." Derek says, and once he does Addison hugs both him, and Ariel, before walking away, "So, where do you want to see now?" he asks his niece curious.
"Wherever." Ariel answers, "Uncle Derek, what's going on with you and Aunt Addison?" she asks curious, "Are you back together? Because that would be great, and If you don't want me to I promise I won't tell Mom, or Aunt Nancy, or Aunt Lizzy, or Grandma."
"Yes, we're back together." Derek reveals.
"YAY, that's great!" Ariel says, before hugging her Uncle.
"And you can tell your Mom, and our entire family, if you want." Derek informs his niece, as they break apart.
"Okay." Ariel says, and as she does she realises something, "Hang on, are you telling me to tell them so that you don't have to?" she asks curious.
"Of course not." Derek says, not overly sure if he is lying.
"Right." Ariel says, clearly disbelieving.
"How would you like to watch your Aunt Addison's surgery?" Derek asks curious.
"I would love to." Ariel says, with a grin.
"Okay then follow me." Derek tells his niece and he leads her towards the gallery of the OR that Addison is performing her surgery is in.
A little while later Derek and Ariel are sitting in the gallery watching as Addison performs surgery,
"This is so cool." Ariel admits.
"I'm glad you think so." Derek says, telling the truth, "Though, you probably shouldn't mention to your Mom that I let you in here."
"I'm pretty sure she expected that either you Aunt Addie, or Aunt Amelia would let me watch a surgery." Ariel admits, telling the truth.
"Yeah, you're right, she probably would." Derek realises, and as he doses the door opens and Meredith walks in.
"Derek." Meredith says, as she sits down a few seats away from Derek and Ariel.
"Meredith." Derek greats, purposely keeping his voice pleasant, "This is my oldest niece, Ariel."
"It's nice to meet you Ariel, I'm Meredith Grey." Meredith introduces.
"I know who you are." Ariel informs her.
"Right." Meredith say, not sure what to say, "What are you doing here, Ariel?" she asks curious.
"I'm just visiting Uncle Derek, Aunt Amelia, and Aunt Addison." Ariel explains, looking between the screen, and down in the OR, and seeing what her Aunt is doing, "Wow, Aunt Addison's kind of amazing." Ariel says, with a grin.
"Yeah, she is." Derek confirms, causing Meredith, who can detect the fondness in his voice to frown, and as he does his pager goes off, "Okay, we've got to go Ariel, Aunt Amelia is out of surgery and I've got a patient."
"Okay." Ariel says, even though she would very much like to continue to watch Addison perform surgery, "We can go." She says, "Nice meeting you Meredith." She says, giving Meredith what is clearly a fake pleasant smile, as she and Derek leave the Gallery.
A few hours later Ariel, Addison, Amelia, Derek, Mark, Callie, Arizona, and Sofia are all at Addison and Amelia's house, out in the backyard and while Derek and Mark are using the barbecue to cook dinner everyone else is sitting around the backyard, enjoying themselves.
As he is cooking with Mark Derek's phone starts to ring, and as he sees the caller ID he knows he has to answer it,
"I've got to take this." Derek says, to Mark, and Addison who is nearby.
"The hospital?" Addison asks curious.
"Mom." Derek says, before heading into the house, as he is pretty sure that this conversation is going to be far from pleasant.
While Derek heads inside, Callie and Arizona notice that Ariel is just sitting and watching as Amelia plays with Sofia, and so they both exchange looks and walk over to her.
"You alright there, Ariel?" Callie asks, curious, as she and Arizona sit down near Ariel.
"Yeah, I'm fine."' Ariel says, forcing a smile as she isn't telling the truth.
"Ariel, we know you just met us today, but you can talk to us, either of us, if you want." Arizona offers.
"Thanks." Ariel says, looking grateful, and as she does Callie and Arizona exchange looks, both recognizing the signs of a girl who has closed herself off, and even though they can't place why they both see something familiar in the look she has on her face.
"Ariel…" Callie starts to say, but before she can finish what she is going to say Ariel starts speaking.
"Can I ask you guys something? It's personal." Ariel admits, sounding nervous, and once more Callie and Arizona exchange looks.
"Sure." Callie says.
"Of course." Arizona says, giving Ariel a supportive look.
"Um, so, I was wondering, how did you know that, you know, you liked women?" Ariel asks, sounding nervous, and from the tone of her voice both Arizona and Callie know why they found the look Ariel has on her face familiar.
"It's different for everyone, but for me, it was just something I always knew." Arizona explains, "There was a part of me, and I just knew." She explains, using the kindness voice possible.
"Oh." Ariel says, not sure how to feel about that.
"For me it was different." Callie says, "It was something I never though off." she admits, "And it was actually your Aunt Addison who actually made me start to think about it."
"Really?" Ariel asks, looking surprised.
"Really." Callie says, "She said something to me, and I started to think, and there was a woman who I realised I really liked, and it took me sometimes, but I realised, and accepted that I'm Bi, and it's a part of who I am." She explains.
"Do you think that you like girls?" Arizona asks curious.
"Yeah, I think I do." Ariel admits, "I have a friend, and the way I feel about her is how my friends talk about boys they like."
"Have you talked talk to anyone about this? Maybe one of your parents? Or siblings, or cousins, or friend?" Callie asks curious.
"No." Ariel admits, "I go to tell Mom, because I really don't think she'd react badly, but I get scared, and defensive so I don't tell her and then we start to fight about something irrelevant." She explains, "So that's why I came out here, to spend some time with Uncle Derek, and Aunt Addison, and Aunt Amelia, maybe tell them, and even talk to the two of you, is that creepy?" she asks, sounding nervous.
"No Sweetie, it's not." Arizona assures her, "And we're both really touched that you decided to talk to us, to reveal this to us." She says, trying to be as supportive as possible.
"Give me your phone." Callie requests, and feeling confused Ariel unlocks her phone and hands it over, "I'm giving you both mine and Arizona phone numbers, so if you ever need to talk, or anything else, call us."
"Thank you." Ariel says, looking incredible grateful, "How do I tell people? My family?"
"You just say it." Arizona reveals, "It's hard, and difficult, and it may not even go well, but you start with one person you love, tell them, and then tell one more, and just keep doing that." She says.
"I know you have a large family, and that means a lot of people to tell, but if you had to pick just one to start with, who do you want to tell?" Callie asks.
"Uncle Derek." Ariel says, without thinking, "Or Aunt Addie, or Aunt Amelia." She adds.
"We'll they're all here, when you feel you're ready, and only when you're ready, tell one of them." Arizona tells her, "Coming out to the people you love is important to you, but it is also important that you don't do it until you're ready."
"Okay." Ariel says, with a nod, "Thank you Arizona, Callie." She says, looking between them.
"It's no problem." Callie says, before giving the teenager a hug, and for the first time in a while Ariel doesn't feel like there is a huge weight on her chest.
Having realised that it was his mother who called Derek stepped into the house, and once he was in the study, and has the door closed behind him, he answered the phone,
"Hello." Derek answers.
"Derek, it's your mother, what is going on?" Carolyn asks, "I got a call from your sister, she said that Ariel flew, on her own, to Seattle."
"Yes, she did." Derek confirms, "But she's completely okay, and is here with me, Addie, and Amy." He explains, not being completely sure that her niece is completely okay, but he doesn't want her to worry.
"Addison's with you, Amelia, and Ariel?" Carolyn asks.
"Of course, Ariel's going to stay with Addison and Amelia when she is in Seattle." Derek explains, being pretty sure that his mother isn't going like that, but he really doesn't care.
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Carolyn asks, it being clear that she doesn't approve.
"Of course, Addie loves Ariel, and Ariel loves her, she always has, and it was Ariel's idea anyway, she wanted to stay with Addie and Amy." Derek explains.
"Maybe you should have talked her out of it." Carolyn says.
"Mom, enough." Derek says, getting annoyed, and because of that he doesn't realise when the door is open and Addison walks in.
"Derek, I'm just trying to look out for you, and I don't think Addison being back in your life is a good thing." Carolyn admits.
"Well I do! Mom, I love Addison, we're back together and happy." Derek explains, "So if you can't get on board with that, I don't know what to say to you."
"Derek, I just want what's best for you." Carolyn explains.
"Being with Addison is what's best for me." Derek explains, "Now, I've got to go, Mark, his daughter and her mothers are over for dinner." He says, before hanging up before his mother can say anymore.
"Derek, you didn't have to say all that." Addison says, walking towards him, though she is touched by his words.
"Yes, I did." Derek says, "Because for over a decade I didn't, and I need to now." He says.
"I love you." Addison tells him.
"I love you too." Derek responds, and the two of them kiss.
After a little while the two of them break apart and they head back outside and re-join the others, and as proceed to enjoy their dinner, and time with their family as that's what everyone who is outside is to Derek and Addison, family.