Aria sat beside George, half-listening as Meredith paced the room like she was about to be executed rather than simply meeting Derek's mother.
"Ten bucks says she tanks in the first five minutes," Alex muttered.
Aria shot him a look immediately — sharp, unimpressed.
He just winked at her.
"I have faith in Death," Sadie said lightly.
Alex snorted. "She's holding that bottle of tequila like it's a life vest."
Before Aria could even think about it, she leaned over and smacked the back of his head.
"Hey—"
She took his beer straight out of his hand and took a sip.
"That's mine," he complained.
Aria didn't even look at him as she shifted, swinging one leg over and settling onto his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"It's also my bed you've been sleeping in," she said, far too casually.
George blinked.
Sadie raised a brow.
Alex just rolled his eyes, though his hands came up automatically, resting at her waist like they belonged there.
"Don't listen to them," George said to Meredith, trying to be helpful. "She'll love you."
Meredith shook her head immediately. "No. Mothers don't love me. Mothers like bright and bubbly and happy and..." she paused, looking toward the door—
"Izzie."
Right on cue, Izzie walked in.
"They do," she said. "Mothers do love Izzie. I stashed all the tequila, took the condoms out of the cookie jar, replaced your trashy magazines with back issues of Annals of Surgery. Okay?" She paused, sniffing. "Does it smell musty in here?"
Aria laughed softly, her head falling against Alex's shoulder without thinking.
"My mom's house smells like peppermint," George added. "It's... homey."
Meredith turned immediately. "My house isn't homey?"
"I was raised in a hell hole," Alex said flatly, taking his beer back from Aria and drinking from it anyway. "This place is a palace."
Aria leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
He stilled for half a second.
"Why isn't my house homey, George?" Meredith pressed.
"I can't explain it. It's just a feeling!" he snapped.
"Izzie can't fix a feeling!" Meredith snapped back.
"She's freaking out," Izzie said, looking around. "Tell me something I can fix."
"Rebecca peed on that couch cushion," Alex offered.
Aria immediately pulled back from him, scrunching her nose in disgust.
"Oh, that's vile."
"I've been sleeping there for weeks," Sadie added.
Aria and Alex both turned to look at her.
Then back at each other.
Then Aria slowly shifted further onto Alex's lap like that somehow solved the issue.
"Thanks, Alex," Meredith said. "You're a good friend."
"You're welcome. Keep drinking," he replied.
Aria mocked his tone instantly, and Alex reacted without thinking, grabbing her sides and tickling her.
YOU ARE READING
Shooting Stars
Fanfiction"But he's Evil Spawn." "Don't you think I know that. I didn't wake up one day and suddenly decide I was going to be in love with Alex Karev." Being the daughter of a world renowned surgeon was never destined to be easy. The first born of the Grey tw...
