Aria was suturing up some of the patients who had come in from the school bus crash before Meredith paged her. "What's the matter?" Aria asks looking at Meredith and Alex
"Thatcher is here and I need you to deal with him." Meredith says while Alex looks at Meredith.
"I paged you not Aria." Alex says looking at Meredith while Aria looked at them rolling her eyes.
"Don't worry about it Alex it's just me cleaning up another one of their messes." Aria said before going over to Thatcher.
"Arianna." Thatcher calls out while the nurses look at Aria.
~
"I'm sorry. I really, really am." Thatcher says looking at his eldest daughter.
"I'm sure you are." Aria says not looking at him while she continues to clean up his hands.
"I was so horrible to you and to Meredith. It wasn't her fault and I shouldn't have stopped you both coming to Susan funeral. And the drinking...is unacceptable, yeah.But today, uh...Today...Is Susan's birthday, and I..." Thatcher says looking at Aria who could smell the alcohol on him.
"Should I go get Lexie?" Aria questioned him while he shook his head.
"No, just you.I just want you." He says looking at Aria who gave him a weak expression.
~
Meredith had taken over with Thatcher as he had seen her and wanted to talk to her so he could apologise. Aria sat on the gurney while Alex sat beside her.
"Well you look awful." Alex says causing Aria to roll her eyes with a small smile while she rest her head against the wall.
"Thanks Alex. I thought you were in surgery with that girl who cracked her bottom." Aria asks while Alex looked at her.
"I was. It went alright. So Meredith took over with your dad?" Alex asks while Aria looked at him unimpressed.
"He's not my dad. He didn't raise me." Aria says while Alex watches her.
"Have you spoken to Lexie?" Alex asks while Aria played with her fingers.
"Not lately. I'm not exactly allowed to talk to her without upsetting Meredith." Aria says honestly while she leans her head against the wall and looks at Alex.
"You should talk to her. I think she could do with having you in her corner." Alex says before his pager goes off and he goes to answer it. Aria watches after him wondering why he cares so much.
~
Aria stood beside Lexie as she handed her notes to the nurse. "Alex said I should talk to you. He seems to think you might need someone I guess he cares about you." Aria says causing Lexie to look up at her.
"What else did Alex say to you?" Lexie asks slightly annoyed while Aria looks at her.
"Nothing just that I should speak to you. I'm sorry if it seems I'm taking anyone's side I'm not I just don't know what to do. Your my little sister Lexie but Meredith is my twin sister and I won't chose between either of you. Now if you need me I'll be there if you want someone to talk to you can come to me." Aria says offering Lexie a small smile which she returns.
"He's a drunk." Lexie says quietly while Aria looked at her.
"I know I saw him this morning. How long has he been like this?" Aria asks wanting to understand the situation between her father and her sister.
"It got worse when my mom died but I'm handling it I'm doing the best I can." Lexie says as Aria holds her hand.
"I know and if you need to get away you come to me. He's not my dad Lexie but you are my sister and I won't hold you accountable for my parents mistakes. So I'll be your sister as long as you need me." Aria says knowing how alone she used to feel until she met her friends and Alex in particular.
Even though she was a twin she often felt alone with Meredith always turning to Cristina or having her own problems. Aria never wanted anyone to feel like that and especially not her little sister.
~
Aria sat at the kitchen counter as Alex walked in. Alex walked towards the fridge before grabbing a bottle of beer as he held one up for Aria. She gave him a small smile before nodding her head.
"Thanks." Aria says taking a sip of her beer while Alex sat beside her.
"My dad was a drunk but I had to start cleaning up after him when I was 7. I had to clean up his messes." Alex says while Aria looked up at him slightly.
"I've been cleaning up after Ellis for as long as I can remember and now what I have to do it for Thatcher? Webber spoke to Meredith to make sure she was okay. But as long as Meredith Grey is alright then the rest of the world is too right?" Aria says before taking a sip of her beer.
"You want to go get a proper drink?" Alex asks looking at Aria who nodded before the two headed to Joe's bar.