Alice ✧ [a. karev]

23. hello, brother

Despite the promised vacation days, with Derek now as chief things were a bit chaotic and both of them ended up having to work and Alex called the road trip off. In spite of her quiet relief, she was a little disappointed. He already knew everyone in her family, she thought it would've been nice to meet someone from his.

Little did she know her wish would still be granted as she pulled up in front of Meredith's house. If Alex wasn't at her apartment he was still staying there. When he didn't stay over she would usually pick him up on her way, sometimes he would text that he rode in with Derek and Meredith.

She hadn't received a text that day and she knew Derek's schedule varied now that he was chief so she drove by.

She beeped a couple of times with no answer but their car was still in the driveway. She huffed as she got out of her car, jogging up the multiple steps to the porch.

When she was almost at the door Lexie, who also lived with Derek and Mer and was blonde now, came rushing out the door.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile.

"Morning," Jade greeted back. "Is Alex still here?" She asked as she watched Lexie walk by and down the steps.

"Yes," she yelled back as she ducked into her own car.

Jade pulled the door open, passing Derek in the hallway as she swiftly made her way to the kitchen.

"Meredith, by the way," Mer's voice rang out as Jade entered the door.

"I was beeping. We're gonna be late," Jade made her presence known.

Three heads turned towards her in the door of the kitchen. Two being Meredith and Alex and the third of a man she didn't know sitting at the island.

"Hello," Jade said politely when she noticed the stranger and he waved a hand at her.

"Jade, this is my brother, Aaron," Alex said and his tone almost sounded bored as he looked back at his brother. "This is my girlfriend."

"Oh," Jade immediately said. She knew he had a brother and a sister but he didn't talk about them much, didn't talk about them at all really. "Nice to meet you," she moved a little closer, switching her keys from one hand to the other and extending a hand towards him, a pretty smile on her face.

He half stood from his chair and shook her hand, smiling. "You too. How'd my brother land such a pretty girl?"

She laughed politely at the compliment and moved to stand next to Meredith who had a small smile on her face as well.

Aaron wasn't how Jade had been picturing him. He was tall, taller than Alex, his legs extending out even from the barstool he sat on. She had pictured brown eyes, similar to Alex's, but Aaron's were a bright blue and framed by thick lashes and she wondered which parent had which color eyes. She could still see the similarities though, they had similar face shapes and the same smile. He was cute.

"Anyway. Amber was ten last time we saw you," Aaron said, pointedly but not meanly to Alex, seemingly carrying on with the conversation they had been having before Jade walked in.

"Aaron, what's going on? What do you want?" Alex asked, and Jade could tell how even the small smile on his face was still a forced one.

How different their individual reactions were to their brothers showing up unannounced and interrupting their new lives, Jade thought.

"I do miss you, okay? And I- I did want to say hi, but since you're a doctor, I thought I'd ask," he trailed off as he lifted up his shirt. "Should I be worried about this?"