Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I realized after getting one of the reviews, that I left some gaps in the explanations. Some of that was purposeful and other bits of it was that the characters and who they are, who they're related to, etc. are so stuck in my head that I didn't think about it. If I can ever help explain the story better, just leave a review or pm me. I promise I don't bite and will give you some sort of answer. Please enjoy and review. As always thank you for reading, Jen.
Disclaimer:I do not claim to own any of the characters of Grey's Anatomy or the lyrics to this week's song "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Those belong to ABC and Bon Jovi, respectively.
Chapter 2- Who Says You Can't Go Home?
Who says you can't go home?
There's only one place they call me one of their own.
Melanie was greeted by the smell of home style cooking when she opened the door. She dropped her purse and suitcase in the living room and walked towards the kitchen. She smiled when she saw her family. "Izzie, Aunt Mer, Aunt Christina, Aunt Lexie," she said as she hugged them in turn. "It's so good to see you all. I know it's my fault, but it has been far too long."
Izzie smiled at her step-daughter and replied, "It has been. I guess Derek ruined the surprise." Melly just nodded. "The whole family's here, except your father. You know what he says 'Babies wait…'"
"'For no one.' I know." Melly completed the familiar saying, having heard it often throughout her life.
"I think we might have surprised her anyway," said a voice from behind her. The voice was a familiar one despite not having heard it in years.
Melly spun around. "You certainly have Mother," she said as she tried to keep a smile on her face, though it didn't go past the surface.
Kathleen hadn't seen her daughter since Christmas, nearly three years ago. They hadn't spoken since Melanie had told her a secret that Kathleen couldn't support. That day Melly had packed up her suitcase and spent the remainder of her break at her father's. That had been the last time Melanie had bothered to come out to Seattle at all. Kathleen now offered her daughter a similarly hollow smile. "Izzie do you mind if I steal Melly for a few moments," Kathleen asked not giving her daughter the option of refusal.
"Of course," Izzie replied. "Alex just texted me a few minutes ago saying he's just out of surgery, so dinner won't be for another fifteen minutes at least. I made your favorite Melly; filet mignon."
"Thanks," Melanie replied before she was dragged out of the room by her mother.
"Well," Meredith started after mother and daughter were safely in the living room. "That was certainly awkward."
"You know they haven't talked in close to three years," Lexie offered. Gossip was still the de rigueur at Seattle Grace.
"She didn't even know Melanie was coming back to Seattle until Alex told her." Christina divulging what Alex had told her during a particularly long surgery the day before.
"They both have too much pride to apologize and neither will admit what they fought over," Izzie said sadly. "The poor dears don't realize we know they still aren't on speaking terms."
"It breaks my heart every time I see Katie's face when she hears the latest about Melly and she tries to pretend it's not news." Lexie said equally concerned, "I hope they work it out."
"I hope so too," agreed Izzie. "That's why I invited Kathleen over. I've known Melly since she was a little girl. She's not going to do anything to move forward on her own."
As all this was being said, Melanie was facing her mother in the living room, oblivious to what was being said only yards away. "Mom, you really did surprise me," she said simultaneously acidic and pleasant with a fake smile on her lips.
"So this is how we're going to play it?" Kathleen asked her tone and her features genuinely disappointed.
"Are you going to apologize?" Melanie asked as Kathleen remained silent. After waiting a moment for a response but receiving none, Melly continued bitterly "Then yes, this is how we're going to 'play it.'" Her eyes wandered looking for an escape from the situation. "I should move my stuff up to my room, it's in the way here."
Unfortunately for Melanie, her mother followed her upstairs to a light gray bedroom. "Is this where you'll be living?" she asked.
"No," Melanie said tersely until she saw the hurt on her mother's face. Offering her mother more information like a dog a bone she continued, "Dad found a place for me and my friend Erin. She'll be along tomorrow with our stuff. I had to go to Iowa for a few weeks, you know. I'm sure Grandma told you."
"I heard about your Grandpa Charlie. Is Erin from Buffalo," Kathleen asked. "Or wasn't I supposed to know you transferred to UB half way through med school?"
Melanie resisted the urge to pick a fight. "Yeah, Erin's from Buffalo, born and raised." A moment of silence passed. "I told Dad to tell you about Buffalo. Even if I wasn't going to talk to you, I still thought you had a right to know."
"Thanks. Why did you transfer?" Kathleen asked.
"UB has a great oncology program since Roswell Park is so close," Melanie answered purposefully. That was the reason she had given her father over two years ago when he asked the same question.
Kathleen let the answer set for a moment before asking, "Were things awkward between you and Clark after…"
"Mother," Melanie interrupted her face livid before being interrupted by her father's voice downstairs. She allowed her features to relax and made a transformation of mood so sudden anyone but those who knew her temper would be disturbed. "Daddy's home. We'll probably be eating soon. Will Ted be joining us?"
Kathleen, realizing that any personal reasons for Melly's transfer were off limits to her, simply answered the question at hand, "He's out back with the other men. Izzie has them grilling the steaks."
They both started walking down the stairs. "You know, I always liked Ted. He's good for you." Melanie offered as a truce.
"Did you hear we're having a baby finally?" Kathleen asked excitedly.
"No I didn't. I thought you guys had stopped trying." Melanie replied thoughtfully.
"We did," nearly twelve years of trying had broken her heart once a month. "We're due in December. I'm 5 months along. We're having a boy."
"Well I'm happy for you," Melly said wanting to drop the topic of babies.
At the bottom of the stairs another voice aided her in that goal. "Is that my Melly Belly?" Alex asked playfully. Despite having a second child, Michael, Melanie would always be his little girl.
"It sure is Daddy," answered Melanie, hugging him as excited as the young girl who had earned the nickname.
"How has my little doctor been?" Alex asked, leading her to the kitchen, almost forgetting that Katie was behind them.
"Fine, you heard about Grandpa Charlie, right?" Melanie asked, knowing her father's feelings about his own father.
"Yeah, I heard. How he survived that long is beyond me." Alex said bitterly. There had never been any love lost between him and his father "Answer one question for me and then let's not talk about it anymore. What happened to the house?"
"He left it to me. I knew how you'd feel about it, so I sold it. It went really fast. I paid some of my student loans with the money." Melanie answered anxious for the reaction.
But Alex smiled, "I'm glad something good came out of that hell hole. You paying off loans is probably one of the best things that could have happened."
"Speaking of houses," Melanie began, changing the topic, "how's my place?"
"It's nice. I'll take you there after dinner, unless you want to wait for Erin?" Alex said.
"She'll be here in the morning, so I'll just wait until then." Melanie didn't want to rush the last family time she'd have before starting her internship.
"Guys, dinner's ready," came Izzie's voice from the dining room. Everybody filed in and engaged in harmless small talk, not mentioning the tension between mother and daughter that could be cut with a butter knife; not mentioning the fact that Alex had skipped his own father's funeral. They talked about the weather and the latest antics of the smaller children who were eating in the other room. It was simply lovely.
Later on that night after the desert plates had been cleared and every one had left, Melanie got around to calling Erin.
"Hey Mel," answered the voice from the other end.
"Hey Eir," Melanie said returning the greeting. "How was the drive?"
"Eh. All right, I hate driving through mountains. Did you see the place yet?" Erin asked.
"Not yet. I'm going in the morning." Melanie answered. "My dad said it's really nice."
"Did you get the price for this really nice place yet?" Erin asked.
"No, he's trying to pretend that I don't need to know." Melanie replied. "I texted you the address, right?"
"Yes, you did. I'm going to try and leave real early in the morning. So I'll see you when I get there, I'm guessing around noon." Erin said, saying her goodbyes.
"Sounds great, see you then." Melanie said before hanging up. Now that she had talked to Erin, there was nothing left to do but sleep and dream.