„Alex, I know you're not in Iowa. Where are you?". Meredith didn't really expect him to answer. Alex has been ghosting her since three weeks now. Constantly reading her texts but ignoring them nevertheless. Sometimes he was typing but obviously he could never get himself to send an answer. During the last days Meredith has started to worry about him. It was so typical for Alex to deal with his problems all by himself when he was going through something. He wasn't really able to admit that he needed help even when the world was crashing down on him. It has always been like this, when he failed his medical boards, when Ava went crazy on him, when Izzie got cancer, when Izzie left him, when he got shot, when Jo turned him down, during his trial. Every single time he had to be pushed to rely on someone. But this time was different. Everytime before he had stayed in Seattle. He had been grumpy and silent and pissy, but he had stayed. Her last information was Alex has gone to Iowa to take care of his mum. Meredith hasn't bought it from the beginning but she was willing to give him some time to figure out whatever he was dealing with and she was also willing not to freak out Jo but right now it was enough. Like she has expected her phone stayed quite.
„Ok Evilspawn, pity party is over. Tell me where you are or I have to get the police on you tomorrow." she texted him. One hook, two hooks, the hooks went blue. He has red her text. Meredith hold her breath starring at the phone. „Come on, Alex, write something, anything." she thought. Alex was typing and there it was – his answer. Well, it wasn't a real answer anyway, but his first reaction in weeks. He sent her his position, a bar in downtown Seattle. Meredith heart skipped a beat, her body tensed. „He was in Seatlle, only a few miles away and did not manage to see anyone in weeks?! Oh Alex, what has happened to you?" she thought by grabbing her keys.
Meredith spotted Alex as soon as she entered the the run-down bar. Her heart sank. He was pale, dark circles under his eyes, tensed shoulders and this deperate look in his eyes and he was spilling one Tequilla after another according to the numberous glasses in front of him. She made it through the bar and took the seat next to him. „Two Whisky Soda.", she ordered and looked carefully at Alex, „I guess you wanna keep drinking?".
Alex didn't look up. He couldn't exactly say whether he was happy Meredith came out to reach him or not. He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to be pitied, he just wanted to keep drinking and forget everything, like he had tried the night before, and the night before that, and the one before that. He grabbed his whisky soda und skulled it down. „Alex.", Meredith squeezed his shoulder. He starred at the bar. „Another round" he directed at the barkeeper. He could feel Meredith looking at him with sorrow and he couldn´t deny her presence, her warm hand on his tensed shoulder, her company was comforting even though he wasn't able to say anything, not even able to look at her. He skulled his drink, his vision blurred, he had started early this evening. He ordered another shot of Tequilla, he didn't know what alse he should do. „Ok, Evilspawn, I think you've had enough for today or you end up with alcoholic poisoning." Alex lifted his head. „I really don't know what to do or where to go, Mer. Can't go home.", he slurred. Meredith looked at him. „Alex, I really don't know what this is about but I am here and I won't leave, damn it Alex, after all those years you should know you can trust me. You can't scare me away no matter how hard you push. And so you can't Jo. We are here, we are your family, no matter what." Alex felt the upcoming tears in his eyes. „Isn't about you or Jo or me, Mer. It's about Iz." Meredith froze and starred at him with disbelief, of all scenarios she had imagined, this having something to do with Izzie, she hadn't expected.