Title: Messing Up The Kid
Fandom: Grey's Anatomy
Author:
klutzy_girl Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,377
Characters/Pairings: Alex, April, Meredith, Cristina, Avery, Alex/April, Meredith/Derek, past Owen/Cristina, references to Callie/Arizona and Mark/Lexie
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Warnings: Mentions of abortion, swearing
Author's Note: Brought about by a conversation I had with a friend on Twitter after we learned of Sarah Drew's pregnancy and how they could possibly handle it.
Summary: Alex and April were worried they'd fuck this kid up. After starting a relationship, they try to figure out what to do after she gets pregnant.
It started out as a couple of dates between Alex Karev and April Kepner. They just wanted something to do while their friends dealt with their multiple issues. Then somehow, it turned into a relationship. They kept it from their friends for a while. April wanted it to be a secret just for the thrill of it and Alex just didn’t want his friends to give him grief about it.
They were four months into their relationship when April and Alex had sex for the first time. He was surprisingly gentle with her, and she appreciated it. She called him a gentlemen and laughed when Alex responded by glaring.
Six months in, April sat on a bathroom floor, panicking and crying. She had hoped the pregnancy test wouldn’t be positive, but it was. She was pregnant and Alex Karev was the father. (Obviously, but her mind kept repeating that fact.) April knew almost immediately that she wanted to keep the baby. The thought of motherhood was terrifying, but she was convinced she could handle it. Jackson would support her, but would Alex? What if he didn’t want the baby? What if he dumped her?
However, she knew that she had to tell Alex. He deserved to know the truth and be given options. April would give her boyfriend an out, even though she was worried he’d take it.
After the ER slowed down, April decided to take Alex aside and tell him in private. The morning sickness was making a comeback, but the chief resident pushed the nausea down. “I have something to talk to you about, Alexander Michael Karev!”
“Whoa at the full name there, Kepner. What did I do? Are you breaking up with me?” Alex thought they had been doing great. Had he been wrong?
April sighed and took a deep breath. She stalled for a few minutes, the words refusing to come out of her mouth, before she dropped the bomb on her boyfriend. “I’m pregnant.”
He gaped at her. “You’re pregnant?” He didn’t dare voice his thought of asking if the baby was his, because he knew it was.
She nodded. “Congratulations on that, by the way. I can do this alone. You don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of help.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop right there, April. I want to be involved. The thought of having a baby scares the fucking shit out of me, but I think we can do this. Just don’t be hurt if I freak out for a little while. So, you’re definitely keeping it?”
“Yes, I am. And you’re sure you want the baby?”
“April, stop it. I’m sure. Have you had an appointment yet?”
“Not yet. I’m going once my shift is over today just to confirm.”
“Okay then. So, we’re having a baby. I knocked you up. Never expected that.”
“Me neither. We have to tell everyone now.”
“Avery is going to kick my ass for this!” Alex winced at the thought.
April laughed. “Don’t be such a baby! I’m sure he won’t beat you up that badly.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” He would have said more, but April turned green and bolted towards the bathroom.
Alex decided to let both bombs drop in the cafeteria the next afternoon at lunch. April was working with a patient and she had okayed his idea. “April and I are together and she’s knocked up.”
Meredith - who was drinking a glass of water - literally spit taked. “What?”
Cristina looked scandalized and gleeful. “You fucked April and got her pregnant? Way to go, Karev!”
“No, that’s not how it happened. We’ve been a couple now for six months, she’s about five weeks along, and we’ve been sleeping together for eight weeks.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Meredith was curious.
“Because we wanted to keep it to ourselves for just a little while. You know how the rumor mill works in this place!”
“This is a good point. Well, I’m glad I’m not the one stuck with a little brat.” Cristina had gone through with the abortion of her second pregnancy, and now she and Owen are divorcing. He hadn’t been happy he hadn’t had a say and was furious. Cristina had pointed out that it was her body, her decision. Owen had countered by filing for divorce.
“Zola has an Aunt Cristina she adores at least.” Meredith beamed at the thought of her daughter. Unlike Cristina and Owen, she and Derek had resolved their issues. She had also been hired back at Seattle Grace Mercy West on probation, which she was still on.
“That is true. At least she’s not a brat.”
“I bet April and I are going to need a lot of practice. I wonder if Callie, Arizona, Mark, and Lexie will let us steal Sofia for a night.”
“Good luck prying that little girl away from her daddy and mommies.” Sofia was very spoiled. Mark and Lexie had finally gotten back together, and she was slowly starting to think of herself as the baby’s third mother. Mark had agreed to go in for a vasectomy - that is after he and Lexie had a baby in the near future. And they were confident it would happen since everyone thought Mark had “super sperm”.
Alex snorted and then turned serious. “Do you think April and I can make this work?”
“You’ll probably fuck it up, but yes.”
“That was so helpful, Cristina.”
“You’re welcome.”
Meredith cornered Alex after lunch was over. “You’re worried about more than just being a good father, aren’t you? You’re worried that he or she will be schizophrenic like your mother and brother.”
Alex wanted to deny that he wasn’t worried, but he couldn’t. “Can you blame me? You were worried that you’d have Alzheimer’s like your mom or that you’d pass it on to your kid.”
“Oh, Alex. Talk it over with April’s doctor. Talk to April about it. You can’t hold this inside you for the duration of her pregnancy and the rest of this baby’s life.”
Alex sighed and then went in for a hug. “Thanks, Mer.”
“You’re welcome.”
Jackson learned the truth from April a few hours after Alex’s friends found out, and sure enough, he showed up to kick Alex’s ass. Luckily, the fight didn’t last too long and was broken up by Derek Shepherd and Mark Sloan. Alex won, even with a broken nose.
“You better not run or worse things will happen,” Jackson threatened.
“Noted, dude. And I can’t believe you broke my nose! That hurt.”
“Well, you deserved it for getting my best friend pregnant. Watch your back, Karev.”
Alex did in fact watch his back closely after that, but he wasn’t worried. Really. And he scowled when April, Meredith, Lexie, and Cristina laughed at him.
Alex and April experienced some bumps along the way, but they mostly made it through the pregnancy okay. They did baby sit Sofia and Zola for practice, which helped them out a lot. After a twenty-three hour labor ended in an emergency C-Section, the couple welcomed a son named Caleb Adam Kepner-Karev.
Alex held his son and stared at the newborn in awe. “I never thought anything would be this perfect.” He felt a pang of hurt that he and Izzie had never experienced this, but their relationship was long over. He was in love with April now.
“He definitely is.” April yawned and closed her eyes.
When Alex made sure his girlfriend was asleep, he started talking to his son. “Hey, buddy. I’m your dad. Now, your mom and I never expected to have you, but that’s okay. I just want you to know that you were never a mistake. It’s important that you know that. And I’m happy with your mom. Don’t tell her, but I think I’m in love with her. And I’m going to try my best with you. I’m not always going to be the perfect dad, Cal, but don’t ever doubt that I love you.” He stopped talking when the baby also fell asleep.
Although April and Alex were worried they’d fuck their son up, they had nothing to fear. And besides, what parent didn’t fuck up their kid in some way? They’d do fine.