Happy New Year to Everyone . . . Thanks to all who are reading this story and those who are reviewing - it is REALLY great to see what you all think. . . LOVE IT!!!! Hope you continue to read and enjoy! Maggie
Meredith finished picking up the living room. Thankfully it wasn't too bad right now. Meredith, Cristina, and Alex had agreed on a schedule to clean because none of them would do it unless they absolutely had to.
She smiled as she heard the boys knock and yell through the door, "Aunt Mer. . . We are here." She heard her brother trying to calm them down. She knew they would be excited to come over . . . they always had a great time together. She had called Alex and he was going to be home anytime and Cristina . . . who knew when she would be there. Things had been ok in the condo between the two of them. . . Alex seemed a little down and they had been so busy, Meredith and Alex haven't had a chance to really talk, but she hoped they would be able to sometime tomorrow afternoon. They didn't have class on Friday's, but it was a study day for all medical students and a practice day for Alex at the track.
Meredith opened the door to see her brother and his three children . . . she was a little surprised. She knew it was her brother standing there, but, he looked . . . tired and stressed. "Hey there guys." She said smiling at the kids before looking back up at her brother to give him a pleading look. He walked in to hug her. . . "I am fine." He said in her ear knowing exactly what she was thinking. She shot her eyes up at him the minute they parted knowing he was doing exactly what they were both good at.
"Aunt Mer, your place is very cool." Marissa said looking around.
"Thank you, kiddo. . . " She responded hugging her niece.
"I am not a kiddo anymore. . . " Marissa said looking up at Meredith and sighing.
Meredith and Bryant laughed, "I forgot, we are turning 30." Meredith said in between laughes
"No, Aunt Mer. . .I am turning 12. . . But, I still have months to go." She said rolling her eyes. 11 year olds are funny people . . . they think they are grown up, they want to be grown up, but really aren't.
"How are my favorite nephews doing?" She said turning to Banks and Braden. Bryant and Morgan were surprised when Banks was a little under a year old when they found out Morgan was pregnant with Braden. It was hard for them to get used to the idea of having another baby and that was the beginning of what seemed like the end for them although they were never great together.
"I am great, but Banks is in trouble at school." He said as his dad gave him a stern look.
"Banks, are you in trouble?" Meredith asked him.
"Um. . . " Banks said dropping his head.
"I hate to break this up, but I really need to get to the University." Meredith noticed the look on Bryant's face . . . she knew something was wrong with Bryant, but he wasn't going to talk about it. She needed to make time for her brother soon. . .
"Bye, Daddy." All three kids gave him a hug at the same time.
"Bye guys, I love you so much." He said looking down at all three of them.
"I will be back in about 3 hours . . . if no one needs anything after class." He said hoping no one would want to stay . . . he always stayed if someone had something to discuss with them because he was that kind of professor. Of course, some of the girls stayed just to spend time with him and he knew it . . . it was flattering, especially when a person gets no attention at home. . .
"You have my cell and I will keep it on . . . just in case." Bryant said looking at his sister.
"We will be fine . . . right guys?" Meredith said smiling, looking at the three of them.
"Right. . . " They all three said.
"Thanks, sis. . . I am sorry. . . I messed up your . . . plans." Bryant said as he stood at the door looking back at them.
"You didn't mess up anything. . . I love spending time with these guys." She said smiling. She was a little disappointed, but she was also excited to see her niece and nephew. She was also excited about the next scheduled 'first date' with Derek.
"I will be back in a little while." He said opening the door. . .
"And we will be having fun . . . eating pizza and whatever else we might can find." She said laughing as the kids looked at each other and smiled. They haven't ever stayed at her place before since she just moved back a few months ago. But, the kids had been around Meredith enough to know . . . she ate junk food . . . lots of it. Their mother always said she didn't know how Meredith could eat so unhealthy, but still be as small as she is.
"Love you all." Bryant said walking out of the door.
Meredith turned around, "Who wants pizza?"
All three kids raised their hands enthusiastically. Meredith laughed, "Pizza it is."
"Aunt Mer, is Uncle Alex going to be here?"
"He should be home anytime . . . he may have said he was ready for tag team wrestling. . ." Both boys lit up as Marissa rolled her eyes. Basically the young boys tag teamed Alex as he tried to teach them actual wrestling moves. He was the state champion in wrestling his junior and senior year in his weight class and was runner up his sophomore year. Bryant was never in to it, but thought it was a great sport for the boys.
"Great, they will be loud and stupid boys. . . " Marissa added watching the boys.
"We should do something girly." Meredith suggested.
"Seriously . . . girly. . . Aunt Mer. . . What happened to you?" Marissa asked with a hint of a smirk. . . one that was a Grey trait for sure . . . Meredith was pretty sure she did something very similar when she was 11.
"This is why we are related." Meredith said laughing as they all heard the door opening making 2 boys very happy.
"Uncle Alex . . . you are home." They said throwing their arms around him tight. They spent lots of time with Alex. In fact, he had lived with them a few months before he found an apartment last year.
"I may have heard I had a wrestling match to get to." He said putting his arm around both boys and picking them up by their waist, one in each arm, making them horizontal with the florr. He walked over to the couch. . .
"Put us down. . . " They both squealed over and over, both laughing hysterically.
"And a body slam." Alex said as he slammed them both down on the couch . . . gently enough so that they just laughed more.
"Boys . . . they are so weird Aunt Mer." Marissa said.
"One day . . . you will find someone . . . and they won't be so weird." Meredith said feeling herself get excited thinking about her someone . . . that was definitely not weird; well, not in the general sense of the word.
"Boys are always going to be weird and stupid."
"Keep thinking that. Boys are stupid and weird." Alex piped in as he was wrestling with the boys already.
"Glad you are finally admitting that." Meredith laughed at Alex before turning back to Marissa, "Most boys are stupid and weird, but there are some . . . that are just perfect." She said not realizing the huge smile on her face.
"Aunt Mer, you are acting really weird . . . since when do you think boys are perfect. Oh god . . . you like a stupid boy don't you?" Said the perceptive 11-year old.
"No. . . Definitely not. . . " She said trying to ignore the fact that Alex had stopped wrestling with the boys momentarily to see what her response would be.
"Hey kids. . . Why don't we talk Aunt Mer into ordering us pizza?" Alex said helping her out. He knew she wouldn't want to explain it to an 11 year old.
"You are so behind, Uncle Alex. . . Aunt Mer has already thought of it." She said again rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, Speedo, keep up . . . get with the program" She said laughing, thinking about how much her niece was like her at that age. She got her laptop to find the phone number to one of the pizza places.
The boys wrestled a little more and Marissa went to get something to drink while Meredith was looking up the phone number.
"This just isn't easy anymore. Do you know you can order online?" Meredith said in shock.
"Yes, Toots. . . I know . . . get with the program." Alex said laughing as one of the boys jumped on his back.
Just about that time, they heard the doorbell ring.
"Are you expecting someone?" Meredith looked up at Alex.
"No, You?" He asked back. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to the computer while Alex got the boys off of him getting up to open the door.
He was shocked when he opened the door and saw a stupid boy standing there with his arms loaded down. . .
"Hey Toots . . . weren't you just saying there definitely wasn't a stupid boy . . . that you liked?" Alex called in to Meredith with Derek standing in the doorway confused.
"Alex. . . I hope. . . I mean, Meredith and I had a date tonight and. . . Her. . . I mean your guy's brother called and needed her to watch the kids and I thought. . ." Somehow Derek didn't even consider the possibility of Alex being home. He was scared shitless with Alex being there . . . they had never been around each other in this way before, but he wouldn't let on to that fact.
"So . . . you are here, with bags." Alex said peaking into the bags.
"Mer said she was ordering pizza and I figured. . . I cook so I thought . . . I could . . . cook."
Meredith rounded the corner to see what Alex was talking about and stopped suddenly when she saw Derek at the door with both arms full of bags. . . "Derek . . . what in the world?"
He just smiled at her. . . "I brought dinner . . . well, actually, I brought the ingredients for dinner."
"So, now we get to see the cheesy side of Derek Shepherd . . . oh wait until I tell the other driver's." Alex said laughing.
Meredith was at the door to help Derek with the bags, "Alex . . . you won't. . . " She said glaring at Alex and then smiling again at Derek, "Let's get these inside. . . but really, we are just going to order pizza."
"Pizza is no fun . . . it never calls and it's not nearly as good to wake up to as Spaghetti. . . " Derek said laughing. . . giving Meredith his McDreamy smile.
"Oh my god . . . this is the stupid boy. . . " Marissa said watching the exchange.
"So . . . you were talking about me it sounds like . . . and for the record, I am not stupid." He said addressing Meredith with the first part giving her the smile, then looking at the girl Derek assumed to be Mer's niece.
"Boys are stupid." She told him in a very bossy tone with her hands on her hips.
"That is what you are teaching her?" Derek asked Meredith.
"Best she learned that now. . . " She said smiling back at him as they were putting the groceries down on the kitchen counter. He just laughed and turned to Marissa. . .
"So. . . I am Derek. . . " He said after he got most of the things set out on the counter, sticking out his hand to shake hers.
"I am Marissa . . . and I don't shake hands." She said with her hands still on her hips.
Alex is laughing knowing his niece is quite a lot like Meredith, "She is just like Meredith was . . . bossy. . . "
"That is one thing I love. . . " He said before realizing maybe he shouldn't say much. . . he wasn't sure how relaxed he could be with Alex there.
There was a silence . . . no one exactly said what to say. . .
"Uncle Alex . . . where did you go?" The boys came into the kitchen looking for him. They were so busy wrestling; they had totally missed the commotion.
"We have company . . . it looks like we are having spaghetti . . . that is good to wake up to or something cheesy like that." Alex said laughing. . .
Derek looked at Meredith. . . He was relieved Alex was actually joking around and didn't seem to be upset he was there. . . He just needed to relax now, "I am Derek . . . who are you to fine gentlemen?" He said bending down to their level.
"I am Banks and this is my brother Braden . . . But, I am older so I am the boss. . . " Banks said. . .
Derek loved seeing this part of Meredith . . . she seemed so natural and comfortable with these kids and it was funny how they were all very bossy . . . something he definitely realized Meredith was very quick. "Wow . . . so . . . what have you boys been doing tonight with your aunt and uncle?"
They both started talking at the same time; Derek just watched them as both faces lit up talking about wrestling with their uncle. . . "Would you like to join us, Mr. . . Um. . ." Banks asked.
"Derek . . . just call me Derek." He said smiling at them. "And, I would love to join you, but I am going to cook you some yummy spaghetti . . . do you like spaghetti?" He asked hoping his sister was right that all kids liked spaghetti. He called her to ask her opinion on what he should cook . . . she had lots of questions and he promised to call her back with more details later.
They both nodded their heads with Marissa standing there with a hint of a smile, "I tell you what boys, let me get the noodles on and then I will join you . . . if your uncle doesn't mind." He said looking up at Alex.
"No. . . I don't mind, I may have to take you down myself." He said laughing finding himself actually enjoying his time with Derek . . . watching him with his nephews . . . was a great thing.
"We will have to see about that. Oh . . . and I think the driver's would be very interested to know exactly how soft Alex is . . . at home." Derek said relaxing more and more.
Meredith just smiled. She never would have let Derek come over if he had suggested it, but now . . . she was the happiest she had been in a long time . . . he was there and he brought things to cook. "We should get started on dinner." Meredith suggested.
"We . . . you mean you are actually going to help." Derek said standing back up and laughing at her.
"I helped last time . . . remember, the cucumbers. . . I chopped them. . . " She said smirking a little. . .
Seriously, Mer. . . You had to go there, didn't you? I am just getting my nerves down and you bring up the damn cucumbers. . . SHIT. . . Alex. . .he is right there and her brother's children, but she is so damn hot. Why did she have to be wearing that cute little tank top and pajama pants . . . she is so damn cute. . . SHIT. . . I need water, "Water, can I get some water please?" He barely got out.
Alex watched them closely. . . He wanted to be mad . . . but, he found himself truly happy for his sister. He knew his sister was toying with Derek and that thought made him laugh as well.