by Aiden Bates
Alex chuckled. "It kind of makes you the perfect partner here, you know? You're outside it all. You can see it all more clearly."
Derek made himself laugh and changed the subject. When Alex slipped back into his own apartment, Derek retreated to his bedroom and prepared for bed.
Everyone knows I don't do family.
It was true. In foster care, he'd been a guest in someone else's home but never part of the family. It hadn't been a problem for him, or at least not a problem he recognized. After all, those weren't his real parents. It was a good thing that they weren't pretending to be his Mom and Dad. Amadi's family tolerated him, even liked him, but he wasn't really one of them.
He'd dated a few guys, alphas and betas both, but there hadn't ever been any question of anything long term. Derek was young, but most of the omegas he knew were paired off already. Derek hadn't ever felt the desire to tie himself to anyone.
He knew why, of course. He'd known why ever since his first therapist. He would always associate marriage, and commitment, with smoking guns and brain-spattered walls. He didn't need that in his life. He'd believed, for most of his life, that tying himself to another person would mean giving them free reign to hurt him.
So why did this casual dismissal by Alex hurt?
He had to sit back and examine himself and his conscience. What did he really want from Alex?
He liked being cuddled up against Alex on the couch. It made him feel oddly comfortable and safe. That made sense, if he tried to think about it rationally. Omegas tended to be tactile, and Derek had few outlets for that need in his life. If Alex was willing to allow that, at least in private, it was only natural for Derek to get attached.
That didn't mean he had to start getting his boxers in a twist when Alex wouldn't let his family think they were an item.
To be frank, Derek didn't want to join Alex’s family. Simon hadn't been wrong when he'd pointed out that Derek wasn't their kind of people. Both of the senior Brennans were college professors. They had multiple PhDs between them. Simon had turned up his nose at Derek, and then he'd gotten miffed when Derek didn't have booze in the house.
Why would Derek want to be part of a family of overeducated, drunken snobs anyway?
They did seem to care about one another. That could all be an illusion, but Derek hadn't missed the way they seemed to all show concern for one another. Even Ayla, who'd stayed apart from her family on purpose, couldn't stay separated from her twin for more than a minute or two when they were together.
What would it be like to be part of something like that?
Derek laughed at himself. He could never be part of something like that. He would always be less than. He'd never be able to keep up with the conversations had by folks with all those degrees. He could only sit on the outside and watch. Derek knew from experience that hurt more than being excluded altogether.
He turned his face to the wall and tried to sleep. His shoulder hurt. His arm ached from inactivity. Soon, hopefully, he'd get to move it again, and get back to work. He needed to get his mind off all of this maudlin stuff and focus on what was important.
So what if he didn't have a family? He had Amadi. He had friends. He had his fling with Alex, for whatever that was worth. He had a job he loved, and a roof over his head. He didn't need anything else.
***
Alex squirmed. He hadn't wanted to be rude, or mean, but he couldn't drive Derek to the meet-up. His dad would have lost his ever-loving mind at even the slightest hint that Alex had gotten involved with Derek. Not that Dad had any right to get his nose up in the air about anyone else's sex life, but Alex didn't want to get into that right now.
Ayla didn't need to deal with that. Mom didn't need to deal with that. Carmela didn't need it, and Derek probably didn't need it either. Mom and Ayla had to be Alex’s priority though. Maybe it wasn't fair to Derek, but Derek was a grown man. He'd get over it.
Besides, Dad had a point. Alex wasn't necessarily hung up on class distinctions, not the way Dad could be, but he couldn't imagine what Derek would do at, say, the Brennan family Christmas party. Surrounded by educated professionals, he could only feel out of place. And the tongue ring might well give Grandma Larisa a heart attack.
It nearly gave Alex a heart attack, but that was for different reasons entirely.
So Alex headed out early and ran some nonsense errands, just so he wouldn't have to look Derek in the eye as they got into whatever ride service they took. He bought some new clothes, and he got Carmela a gift card to the mall so she could get herself something pretty. Then he headed out to Dewitt and got ready for the big reveal.
Derek and Carmela waited outside the restaurant. Derek had his arm around Carmela, and Carmela wore a hoodie with the hood up. Derek acknowledged Alex with a nod, but that was all.
Well, that was what Alex wanted, wasn't it?
Mom and Dad were already at the table. Alex and Ivy had decided not to tell them why they were here. The anticipation would be too much for them, especially for Mama. She wouldn't be able to function if she knew Ayla was in the area, but out of reach until Saturday. Since they were still in the dark, Mama's face was bathed in serenity.
Dad wrinkled his nose. "I saw that punk who lives next door to you outside. He's still got that sling on. Don't you think he's kind of milking it?"
Alex huffed out a little laugh. "No, Dad. I did the surgery on his shoulder myself, and on his lung. I don't think he's milking it at all. The guy's a mess and he's very bad at taking it easy. Keeps trying to vacuum."
"Seriously?" Mama turned her head toward the entrance. "Who would try to vacuum if they didn't have to?"
"Derek Brown would. His brother finally hired a cleaning service for him and confiscated all of his cleaning supplies." Alex laughed and shook his head. "Good times."
Mama narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, but said nothing. Dad pulled a face. "Why do you even know that? You're neighbors, but you're not friends. You don't have anything in common with someone like him."
"Carmela's feet weren't healing, so he asked me to take a look." Alex’s stomach flipped. He'd almost given himself away with simple loose talk. He needed to be more careful. "We've been chatting because of Carmela."
"That's kind of you." Mama gave him a gentle little smile. "He must be a kind man, if he's taking in a strange child like that."
"He seems to be." Alex kept his tone neutral. "I mean a person would have to be, right?"
He caught sight of Ayla and Ivy as they walked into the dining room. Fortunately, Mama and Dad were paying more attention to him than to the door. They didn't see their daughters, accompanied by Derek and Carmela, until they were right at the table. "Mama, Dad," he said, "welcome to the real reason Ivy and I asked you to come out today."
Mama recognized Ayla first. Her face just melted. Tears streaked her beautiful face as she stood up from her chair and wrapped her arms around her baby girl. She buried her face in Ayla's shoulder and sobbed, babbling in Russian.
Ivy put a hand on Mama's shoulder. "Mom, Ayla has a hard time with Russian right now."
Mama pulled back and looked into her daughter's stunned eyes. She accepted the tissue packet Derek passed over to her and dabbed at her eyes. "Of course. You'll explain, when and if you're ready." She glanced at Derek, who gave a little nod.
How in the world did Mama accept Derek as the expert here?
Ayla hugged Mama then. "Thanks, Mom. I've missed you." Her voice was no more than a whisper.
Now Dad hugged her, too. "Welcome home, baby girl," he murmured.
Alex looked away, blinking away tears. He could be proud of this. No matter what came next, he could be proud of this moment. He'd done well. He'd made this happen. It had taken twenty years, but Alex had found his little sister and brought her home at last.
After a long, wordless interval filled with hugs, the family sat down. "Can I ask why this gentleman is here?" Dad asked, with his jaw set. "This is supposed to be a family reunion!" He kept h
is tone jovial, but Alex understood his father's meaning.
Ayla gasped, and the color disappeared from her face.
Derek met her eyes and took over, a calm and professional smile sliding into place. "Dr. Brennan, thanks for asking. You know part of Carmela's story already—sorry, Carmela, but it was in the news."
Carmela nodded and looked down, unleashing a brief stream of Spanish.
"Right. I'm Carmela's guardian. Ayla, as it turns out, is Carmela's legal advocate. She's spent her life fighting for children." His smile became more genuine as he shifted his gaze back to Carmela. "She's a real hero, with an impressive track record. Anyway, we've tracked down Carmela's family back in California. She's nervous, obviously. She comes from a religious background, and one of the ways traffickers keep their victims down is by convincing them their families won't want them once they've been taken by the traffickers.
"Ayla thought it might be therapeutic to see a reunion for another such family. And Carmela isn't comfortable leaving the house without me yet, so here I am." Derek put his arm around Carmela's shoulder.
Dad frowned at Ayla. "Did you only meet up with us as a project for work?"
Damn it. This was supposed to be a good experience, for Ayla and for Carmela, but now Ayla's breathing was coming short and fast and Carmela didn't seem to know where to look. Mama bowed her head, and Ivy gripped her fork like she was going to stab Dad with it.
Alex clenched his jaw. "Dad, no. That's not how it was at all. She was terrified to meet up with you, but we talked her into it because it was the right thing to do. Dad, she hadn't even tracked down Carmela's family or found out what happened when we convinced her."
Dad glared for a minute, and then he relaxed. "I'm sorry, Ayla. It's just—we've been so lost without you, and you've apparently done pretty well without us."
Ayla bowed her head. "I'm sorry." She tried to catch her breath. It didn't sound to Alex like she was succeeding very well. "I was pretty convinced you wouldn't want me back. Because, you know. Because of what happened. How I got there."
"Ayla—" Dad's eyes blazed, and he looked like he wanted to go on, but Derek stood up.
"Dr. Brennan, could I speak to you in private for a minute?" He didn't wait for an answer, but stalked toward the front of the restaurant.
Dad looked like someone had hit him with a poleax. "I'd follow him," Alex advised. "He'll just come back and say whatever he has to say to your face."
Dad obeyed.
Alex watched him go and turned to Carmela, but Carmela was already speaking to Ayla. Ayla gripped the table, but her breathing slowed and she answered Carmela in a more regular tone of voice. Alex would have thought Carmela would be too scared to speak, especially without Derek there to defend her, but apparently helping Ayla was enough to nudge her out of her shell just a little bit.
"I'm sorry you felt that way." Mama took Ayla's hand. "I don't know what happened, but I can guess. And I'm going to just be happy you're alive and safe." She kissed the hand in hers. "Whenever you want to tell me, you'll tell me. And whatever it was, I love you. You'll always be amazing in my eyes."
Ivy perked up. "She's a child advocate, Mom. That means she's fighting for kids like her, to make sure their interests are represented."
"That's how I found her again." Alex smiled at Ayla, blushing. "She was assigned to Carmela's case, because she's bilingual. I was coming out my door one morning and I literally tripped over her."
"It was a little fraught," Ayla admitted. "I was so afraid—so ashamed."
"I could never be ashamed of you, Ayla." Alex and his mother spoke at the same time, and then they looked at each other and laughed.
Dad and Derek returned from outside a few minutes later. Dad's whole face was red, like he'd been out in the sun too long. Derek just had two spots of color in his face, and his jaw was set, but he sat down beside Carmela with a pleasant enough smile on his face.
The server showed up to take their order just then. Once she left, Dad gave the rest of the table a tight smile. "Well, I will say this for Mr. Brown. He's certainly a devoted guardian. Ayla, I apologize. I was insensitive."
All four of the remaining Brennans stared, wide-eyed, at Derek. Derek had the good grace to pretend he didn't notice.
Lunch came out fairly quickly. Mom and Dad were curious about Ayla, and everything she'd seen and done since they'd last seen her. She didn't talk about her time in captivity, of course. She wasn't ready to talk about that with her parents yet, especially not after her father's outburst. Maybe she would be, someday. Maybe the trust would never come.
After the meal ended, Ivy and Ayla realized Derek and Carmela were planning to call Amadi and wait for a ride. Ayla wasn't okay with that, and neither was Ivy. Alex felt about two inches tall when Ayla sniffed. "I know you're afraid to be out and exposed like this. We'll drive you home."
Alex looked away at that.
He headed back to his parents' place. He wanted to make sure his parents were okay. Dad didn't stick around. Alex wasn't sure that was a bad thing. Dad hadn't really been around during deeply emotional family moments, not for years. If he started now, it would probably just herald oncoming dementia.
Alex could be there for his mother, though. She didn't say a word, just went to the freezer and poured them both vodka. "To life," she said, and raised her glass in salute.
"To life," Alex said, and tossed his shot back along with her.
They retreated to Mama's space. Mama sat in silence for a long moment and looked out the window, and then she turned to look at Alex. "She's not a child anymore."
"No, Mama. She's thirty."
Mama looked back out the window. "I could wish she'd come home before now. But her uncle, he sold her. I can only assume they told her we were in on it." She twisted her face. "If I could, I would raise him from the dead so I could kill him myself." She straightened her shoulders. "Your father was unimpressed by your young man."
"He's not my young man." Alex wasn't lying to his mother. He might wish he was, at least on some level, but they weren't compatible. It wasn't logical.
"Of course he is. I have eyes, Sasha. I could see the way you looked at him." She waved a hand. "Simon thinks Derek should be more respectful of his education and years. And shouldn't tell him off for the way he speaks to his own daughter."
"Is that what Derek did?" Alex slid down in his seat. "He's a mouthy little omega, isn't he?"
Mama smacked Alex’s knee. "Hush. He was defending your sister. And he told your father that since Ayla had brought Carmela to show her that a reunion can go well, he had every right to say it since he was defending Carmela too. That's his job. He's a strong young man. Handsome too." She sat back and winked at Alex.
"Mama!" Alex jumped back, mouth agape. "It would never work!"
"It would if you wanted it to." She shrugged. "Why listen to your mother?"
Alex's face would have melted steel, it was so hot. "It's just a fling, Mama. He'd never fit in with the rest of the family."
She made a dissatisfied sound in the back of her throat. "And that's a bad thing, now?" She left the subject alone after that, though.
Alex didn't head home for several hours. He was strong enough to admit he was being a coward. He wanted to avoid confronting Derek about not standing up for him at lunch, and not helping him and Carmela out.
He knew he'd been wrong. He couldn't see any other way he could have avoided tipping his father off, but he hadn't taken Carmela's needs into account. She was still too scared to even enjoy the sunshine, when they had it. Expecting her to sit in a public place and wait for a ride had been wrong.
When Alex got back to his condo complex, he found Derek's light still on. Was Derek waiting for him? Did he want to talk? Did he want to break things off? Alex wouldn't blame him if he did.
He trudged up the stairs and waited by the door. He couldn't hear anything behind it. He couldn't hear the television, even if he strained to listen. He couldn't hear anyone talking, either
. He couldn't hear any footsteps, either.
Maybe Derek had just left the lights on. That would certainly make Alex’s life easier, and neater.
He knocked on the door, just lightly. If Derek had accidentally left the light on, he wouldn't hear and Alex could go back to his own place. He could wallow in his own guilt and get over it.
The door opened a crack, and then it swung all the way open. Derek stood before Alex, eyes wild. "Hey."
Alex forgot all about his own issues. He ushered Derek back into the condo and closed and locked the door behind them. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
