Family member | Merluca

Part 4

In the Evening

(Kids are in bed and Andrew told them a story again)

"How many stories can you tell them before you have to repeat them?"

"Is that really a question that concerns you?" He was slowly moving towards her, until he was just centimeters away. Then he leaned down to kiss her.

She knew he was teasing her and she could live with not knowing the answer at the moment. But she really was curious and also, she loved listening to his stories.

She softly placed her arm around his neck and kissed him back. Then she whispered, "But you still owe me an answer" before she leaned in for another kiss.

...

Later this evening

Meredith laid next to Andrew, he had his arm around her, gently holding her like he didn't want her to go anywhere. They were almost asleep, when Meredith heard someone knocking on the door.

"Mommy, uncle Alex is downstairs" Zola stated.

"What is he doing here? And why are you up again? Nights are for sleeping, sweetie." Meredith whispered; she wasn't sure if Andrew was already asleep and she didn't want to wake him up. But it was already too late for that. Andrew looked at her sleepily.

"I don't know what he wants and I was thirsty." Zola answered.

Meredith sighed "Okay, sweetie. Just go back to sleep, we will talk about this in the morning. And I'll check on Alex."

Then she turned her head to Andrew "I have to go and check on him, but you can go back to sleep"

"Alright" Andrew was too confused and tiered to say something else.

Meredith gave him a smile before she went to her bathroom to get her bathrobe and then downstairs to see why Alex came to her house.

.

"What are you doing here?" Meredith asked sleepily as she motioned him to follow her into the kitchen. She took two glasses out of the cupboard and went to the refrigerator to get some water.

"So what's going on?" She asked again, because he still hasn't answered.

"I just needed some company"

"In the middle of the night?"

"It's not the middle of the night. It's 11 p.m.. I didn't know you were already sleeping."

"Well, I appreciate all the sleep I can get. And I had not slept yet if I had slept, I wouldn't be here… But do you want to tell me what really happened, because Jo is at your place, so theoretically you have company there."

"I know. It's just... I know I have to give her time. And I know it's hard for her. But it is a difficult time for me, too. It's hard to see her suffer every day and not be able to help."

"She'll talk to you, when she is ready."

"I know. And she has every right to need time. I'm just saying that it isn't easy for me. I see that she is desperate and depressed… and I'm not able to do anything. I love her. I want to help her... We help people every day. And the one person I really want to help... I can't help her."

"Alex, she will come to you at some point. But for now she needs you just to be there and not to pressure her." Meredith really hoped that Alex and Jo could work through this, she could see how exhausted and helpless he looked.

"You can stay, if you want" She added, because she wasn't sure if he was in a good shape to drive home.

"Thank you. Do you have something to eat?"

"Are you hungry?" Meredith was confused.

"Yes, I didn't have dinner"

"Well then, you are lucky, Andrew made pasta. We have some leftovers" She went to the refrigerator to get the pasta for Alex.

"I will go to bed. I really need my sleep, but you know your way around here, so stay if you don't feel like going home." She smiled at him and then left to get back to sleep.

.

"What did he want?" Andrew asked when Meredith sneaked back into bed.

"I'll tell you in the morning" Meredith tried to keep the conversation short, because she really wanted to get some sleep.

She laid down again, giving him one last kiss, before she closed her eyes. He laid his Arm around her and started to caress her shoulder.

.

Next morning

"Hey" Meredith turned herself so she could look at Andrew before she kissed him softly.

"Do we have to get up?" He asked more asleep then awake.

"No, we still have some time"

"So, do you want to tell me, what Alex was doing here last night? You still owe me that story"

"I owe you? I think you mean, you still owe me an answer to my question about your hometown memories" she teased him.

Then she added "Alex has a hard time not knowing how to help Jo, he needed some company so, I offered him to stay"

"So he is still here?" Andrew was confused.

"I don't know. He said he was hungry. I gave him something to eat. Then I offered him to stay in case he didn't feel like going home. And I went back to bed, because I was really tired." She explained to Andrew, whose confusion changed into a smile.

"I noticed, you fell asleep 10 seconds after you laid down again"

Before Meredith could answer, Alex knocked on the door. He didn't wait for an answer, but came straight into the room. "I have to go. Thank you, Mer. And the Pasta was delicious, Deluca"

"Alex" Meredith yelled and then started to laugh.

"I'll leave you alone now. See you at work" He said smiling as he left the room.

Meredith couldn't help but laugh about this situation. For her it was fine that Alex came in or at least a lot less awkward then it was for Andrew. He was her person and she was his, so when they needed each other they were there for each other. But she figured that it must seem a bit strange to Andrew.

When she had her laughing under control again she tried to explain the situation to a confused Andrew. "I think I have some explaining to do…" She smiled at him. "Okay, Alex is my best friend so… In the past, whenever I needed some company I could go to him and he was there for me… " she paused before she continued "And one time it might have happened that I kicked Jo out of his bed, so I could talk to him… I think that was his revanche… I kind of feel sorry for Jo now"

"Well, then I'm glad he didn't kick me out of your bed" he said in a teasing way. Andrew knew that Meredith and Alex were close friends. And for whatever reason he never felt threatened by him. But he preferred Alex not being in their bedroom.

After looking at his watch he added smiling "But I think we should get up anyway."