Shooting Stars

CHAPTER 54

Aria cradled the sleeping infant gently in her arms, relief washing over her as the soft rhythm of the baby's breathing steadied. It had taken her a while, but she'd finally managed to soothe them. Earlier, the parents had been desperately trying to get their little one to settle, their mounting frustration clear in every movement. When she and Arizona had gone to check on them, they found the couple on the verge of tears, utterly exhausted. Without hesitation, Aria had offered to take over, giving them a much-needed break.

Her time working in pediatrics had taught her more than a few tricks to calm fussy babies. With practiced ease, she'd quieted the child, only for her efforts to falter when she tried to transfer them into the crib. The baby stirred the moment their head touched the mattress, eyes fluttering open as cries started anew. Aria sighed but quickly adjusted, realizing the little one seemed to find comfort only in her arms.

Resigned but determined, she settled back into a steady pace, gently swaying as the baby drifted off again. In the meantime, Arizona had gone to run tests, hoping to uncover the reason behind the baby's persistent discomfort. For now, Aria focused on giving the parents a chance to rest.
~
Aria stood near the window, half-listening to Alex as he vented about his morning on Derek's Alzheimer's clinical trial. Alex had been chosen to assist, and the decision had sparked a storm of drama among her sister and her boyfriend. Meredith's two-hour rant about the injustice of it all was still fresh in Aria's mind, a long-winded diatribe that she'd endured with polite nods and the occasional neutral comment.

Aria paced back and forth, the faint creak of the hardwood beneath her feet the only other sound in the room. She was gently rocking the infant cradled in her arms, a patient from the NICU who had found comfort enough to sleep through the muffled frustrations of Alex's storytelling.

"Day one, and this thing already blows," Alex muttered, his tone exasperated. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze shifting to the floor. "You got one guy begging us to get his wife in the trial, and then this other guy's wife asking me to steal the drug for her husband. Like, are you kidding me?"

Aria glanced up at him briefly, her brow furrowing as she processed his words. "Well," she said lightly, her tone carrying a trace of amusement, "you're the one who wanted in on the trial of the century."

Alex shrugged, the corner of his mouth twitching in what might have been a smirk. "Yeah, but with peds, the problem's right in front of you," he said, his voice picking up a note of frustration. "Sick kid, worried parents—it's clear-cut. Here? You've got a sick parent who doesn't even know they're sick. It's a whole different kind of mess."

Aria stopped pacing, her gaze softening as she looked at Alex. "I know what that's like," she said quietly, her voice carrying an undercurrent of something deeper. She adjusted her hold on the baby in her arms before continuing. "About five years ago, I was visiting my mom. She starts telling me she thinks she has herpes and that she doesn't want to go to the hospital because she's afraid everyone will find out. And at first, I'm just sitting there, trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Wait, what?"

Aria let out a small laugh, though her eyes were tinged with sadness. "Yeah, turns out, she thought I was her best friend from med school, and it was 35 years ago. She had no idea who I actually was. I sat there for two hours—two very long hours—talking to my mom about her possible herpes because it was what she needed in that moment."

Alex blinked, then cracked a grin. "Advice about herpes?"

"Advice about herpes," Aria confirmed with a soft chuckle.

The weight of the moment lingered between them, heavy with unspoken empathy. Alex seemed to process what she'd shared, his expression softening as he realized the depth of her connection to the patients he was trying to help.
~
Aria pushed the door open to Lexie's bedroom, finding Lexie curled up on the worn couch in the corner. Her little sister had her knees pulled to her chest, her face buried in her hands. The sight immediately tugged at Aria's heart. She closed the door softly behind her, letting the quiet click of the latch signal her presence.

"Lex," Aria said gently, stepping closer.

Lexie looked up, her eyes red-rimmed and glistening with fresh tears. "I—I can't do this," she stammered, her voice cracking. "It's too much, Aria. I feel like I can't even breathe."

Aria didn't respond immediately. Instead, she crossed the room and sat down beside Lexie, the couch creaking under their combined weight. She didn't reach out yet, giving Lexie the space to fall apart if she needed to.

"It's like... everything I thought we were building—it's all a lie," Lexie continued, her words tumbling out in a rush. "Mark and I just got back together, and for once, I thought we were in a good place. And now? Now, he's having a baby with Callie."

Her voice broke on the last word, and Aria felt the familiar ache of helplessness that came with watching someone you love in pain.

Lexie sniffled, brushing at her tears with the back of her hand. "He told me at dinner, you know. He just sat there, looking so calm, and said, 'Callie's pregnant.' Like it was no big deal. Like it wouldn't destroy me." She let out a shaky breath, her voice cracking. "How could he say it so casually, Aria? How could he not see how much it would hurt me?"

Aria sighed, leaning back slightly to meet Lexie's gaze. "Mark's not great at handling emotions, Lex. He probably thought being direct was the best way to handle it. That doesn't mean he didn't care about how it would affect you."

Lexie shook her head, her jaw trembling. "But it's not just about telling me. It's about what this means for us. For him and Callie and that baby. Where do I fit into all of that? Or do I even fit at all?"

Aria reached out and gently took Lexie's hand in hers, squeezing it. "You fit because Mark loves you, Lex. You fit because he chose to tell you the truth, even if he didn't do it perfectly. I know this feels impossible right now, but just because there's a baby doesn't mean he doesn't want a future with you."

"But what kind of future is that?" Lexie whispered, her voice breaking. "A future where I have to share him with Callie and Arizona? Where I'm always second to his child?"

Aria took a deep breath, wishing she had all the answers. "It's going to be complicated, Lex. There's no getting around that. But you don't have to decide everything right now. You're allowed to feel hurt, angry, even unsure about whether you can handle this. It's okay to take your time."

Lexie let out a shaky sigh, leaning her head against Aria's shoulder. "I just... I thought we were finally getting it right. I thought this time, we could really be happy. How the hell did he manage to do this to me twice."

Aria wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. "You still can be. If you want this, if you want him, you'll figure out a way to make it work. And if you decide it's too much... that's okay, too. Whatever happens, I'll be here for you, Lex. Every step of the way."

Lexie sniffled again, her voice muffled against Aria's shoulder. "I don't want that and he knew that.You always know what to say. How do you do that?"

Aria chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of Lexie's head. "It's my job as your big sister. And honestly? You'd do the same for me."

The two sat in silence for a while, the weight of the situation still heavy but slightly less suffocating. Aria continued to hold Lexie, letting her know that she wasn't alone, no matter how messy things got.

"Thank you," Lexie murmured after a while, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Always," Aria replied.

For now, that was enough.