THIRTY

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Aria finished up a surgery with Mark before walking into Izzie's room where the group of residents gathered while she looked at them all expectantly since they were trying different foods for the dinner at Derek and Meredith's reception.

They were also discussing her upcoming surgeries. "Hey what are you eating?" Aria asked the group before Alex turned to his girlfriend.

"Chicken here try some." He says feeding her his food which she happily accepted. Aria smiled widely at him.

"That's some good chicken." She said before Izzie rolled her eye before she began talking to Meredith, Cristina and George.

"How was surgery?" Alex asks before Aria sighed taking the last of his chicken.

"Just an average surgery with Dr Perfect." Aria quipped with sarcasm while Alex chuckled. "I didn't eat breakfast shall we go for coffee?" She offered before the couple headed off doing their last checks with Izzie.
~
"Hey. You got paged, too?" Meredith questioned both her sisters who sat in the chairs opposite Richard's desk.

""Report to the chief's office, stat."What do you think? Why?Why would he page us stat?" Lexie asks looking at her older twin sisters.

"I don't know. Did we kill anyone lately and don't remember?" Aria joked before both Meredith and Lexie looked at her unimpressed

"Your father's here.He's 29 days sober, just out of rehab.He's taking it seriously.He's working his steps.The ninth step is to make amends wherever possible.It's key to an alcoholic's recovery.To take responsibility for the wreckage of his past.I paged you here to ask you to please hear him out.As a favour to me, please hear him out." Richard explained to the Grey sisters.

"I'm covering the pit." Meredith added quickly before Aria stood up.

"I'm on Sloan's service." Aria added wanting to do everything but talk to her father.

"I'll cover it. And I'm sure Dr Sloan can spare you some time." Richard says looking at the twins.

"But there's a trauma..." Meredith continues to try get out of talking with her father.

"I've got it, Meredith.Please.Please." Richard says looking at Meredith who looks at Lexie. Before turning to Aria who shook her head lightly not ready to talk to her father.

"We'll talk to him." Meredith says looking back at Lexie and turning to Richard. Aria screwed her eyes shut wishing the day away before Richard allowed Thatcher into his office. Leaving them all to talk before Aria turned away watching the people pass by.
~
"I am so deeply sorry...for every time that I ever
hurt you or disappointed you,or let you down.
I don't deserve your forgiveness,but I hope...I so hope that you'll give me the opportunity to earn it." Thatcher explained remorsefully watching his three daughters.

"Thank you. Congratulations on...You seem well.
Good luck." Meredith congratulated him before excusing herself. Lexie sat with her cheeks stained with tears watching her father closely.

Aria however sat staring out of the window of the chiefs office. She wanted to say something but she couldn't find her voice. She wouldn't be able to forgive him. She wished him well but maybe too much had happened for things between them to ever be mended. Without uttering word Aria left quickly heading back to work wanting nothing more than to forget about him.
~
Aria sat playing with her food before Alex sat down beside her. She looked up at him slightly before continuing to play with her salad.  "What's going on with you?" Alex asks while Aria looked up at him.

"Nothing why?" Aria asks looking at Alex.

"You are just sat messing with your food and you haven't even said hello yet." Alex said shrugging his shoulders while Aria sighs dropping her fork.

"Thatcher is here. The chief made us sit listening to his apology. He's working the program.  The ninth step is to make amends wherever possible. To take responsibility for the wreckage of his past." Aria mumbled staring at her food that she wasn't interested in eating.

"Did you sat anything to him?" Alex asks trying to understand what she was thinking. Aria looked up at him as she could see he was trying to be supportive.

"What was I supposed to say? Meredith just stood there and congratulates him while Lexie she went to him and she cried in his arms. I don't have anything to say to him. I don't forgive him. It doesn't get to be that easy." Aria says pushing her food away before her pager goes off.

"I'm needed in the pit. I'll see you later." Aria said walking away while Alex watched her closely. He didn't know what to do for her. He didn't want to see her to struggle but this isn't something he could fix.
~
As Aria walked past the residents' locker room, her gaze fixated on Meredith and Richard engrossed in conversation. A wave of loneliness washed over her, intensifying the jealousy she couldn't shake off. It felt like everyone had someone to talk to, while she stood there, feeling invisible and alone.

She couldn't help but wonder why she always seemed to be on the outside looking in. It felt like she was the only one without a close connection, as if she didn't quite fit into their world. Aria's heart sank, and a sense of isolation enveloped her. She longed for someone who truly understood her, someone to share her thoughts and dreams with.

The person she longed for stood in before her once again. She collapsed against their chest as they wrapped their arms around her. Providing her again with the same warmth and secure feeling they always had.

"I've got you." Alex murmured his arms wrapped tightly around her small figure as Aria stood safely in his arms. Alex Karev was the only person who truly understood Aria Grey.

He was her home. The one she turned to share her joys and sorrows. The person who would laugh with her in the good time and hold her through the bad. He was the constantly reminding her that she was good enough.

In the end for Aria it would be Alex. No matter what they would face she would always choose him. And Alex would choose her in every lifetime.

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