You are my person! (Jo, Alex Fanfic after the storm) GREY'S ANATOMY

Chapter 5

Meredith was caught by Bailey on the way up to check on Alex.

"Grey! How's our favorite problem child doin'?"

"Actually, just going up to see. Cristina had to go back in, little tear in his abdomen. She said he's fine, but I want to go see for myself. You know how he can be." Meredith kept walking and talking heading for the elevator.

She planned on brining Zola by today expecting Karev to be so much better. Change of plans. Zola didn't need to see Alex with a tube in his nose. She'd know that wasn't normal with Uncle Alex, the man who'd share a not so secret dish of ice cream at 9:00 a.m. She'd probably want to pull the tube out, and Alex would let her. Partners in crime.

"Coming with," said Bailey brusquely walking around Meredith to take the lead.

How those short legs moved so fast was still a wonder to Mer.

Izzie found Alex's room empty for once when she rushed up there after ditching Meredith with the excuse of another ortho consult with Torres. Seemed like a damn beauty pageant occurring in the Karev room, constant rush of women checking on Alex. Some things never change, thought the blonde with a small smile.

Alex was coming to, Karev scowl affixed to his forehead. Izzie touched it lightly trying to rub it away. He brushed her hand away from his face, eyes still closed. He looks like a damn little boy, thought Izzie, feeling that familiar tug on her heart. She stroked the scowl again and laughed out loud when his hand tried several times to bat it away.

"Stevens! What the hell," muttered Alex recognizing that laugh and not quite believing she was giving him shit when he just got out of surgery.

"I'm sorry, you just look..." Izzie laughed losing control, "look like you're five and, and..." She completely lost it laughing hard now with one snort added in the middle of her outburst.

"Glad my pain is amusing to you. Yeah, Yang tries to off me twice and you're laughing your ass off. Whatever. Get out." Alex's trademark crooked grin was on his face, eyes still closed.

That made Izzie really lose it, laughing until tears came to her eyes.

Alex chuckled a little opening his eyes and seeing his ex-wife with tears running down her face. Freak.

The memory of O'Malley's funeral came back, a vivid display of just how twisted Iz was... is. Alex was always considered the dark one, but Izzie was right up there. She just hid hers beneath a veneer of blonde locks, perfect teeth set in a perfect smile, and a perky disposition. She was messed up too. That's why they were the perfect match. Were, he reminded himself.

Thinking of George's funeral made Alex laugh harder. I'm a sick bastard, too.

"Aaahhh!" Alex groaned wondering if he'd done something to his stomach.

Laughing hard. Right after surgery. Second surgery in three days. Stupid.

Crap that hurts. Like hell.

"Aaahhh!" Alex groaned louder not being able to control it, wishing he could. Where was little Grey when you needed her to stuff something in your mouth?

He hated that Izzie was there seeing this, him weak, needy. His only desire at the moment was for her to see him fine, great, moved on, hot intern at his side. Nix that, one more desire, make that pain go away.

Izzie's laughter disappeared as quickly as it came. Her doctor instincts kicked in as she peeled back the sheet and lifted up Alex's hospital gown.

"Ah, hey! Cut it out!" Alex was again batting her hands away with his uninjured arm.

"Really? I've seen your junk, Alex. Many times. Let me look," she pushed his hand away to better inspect his incision. "Looks fine. No more laughing."

Bossy as ever, thought Alex.

"You started it," he muttered hoping Cristina would show up soon. She could up the morphine.

"You ended it," Izzie answered regretting the words the second she said them.

Meredith and Bailey had made their way up but hung back once they saw Alex with his ex-wife. Looked like something heavy was going down. Bailey held Meredith from barging in.

"Whatever's goin' on in that room you don't want any part of, Grey. Trust me on that. Oh, no we're stayin' out of that whole pile of whatever."

Meredith stayed out. Every fiber of her being told her to rush in and save her friend. She resisted and let Alex deal with it or not deal. Mer knew she'd be hit with the aftermath later.

"Whatever," said Alex quietly. He had nothing left to yell, scream or anything else.

"That's your damn answer for everything, isn't it?" yelled Izzie apparently with a whole lot left. "You act all injured bird, tortured soul, but YOU left ME! Remember? You told me to go and NEVER come back. I was just following your direct instructions."

"Yeah, because you ALWAYS did that so well!" Alex could feel his blood pressure rising, adrenaline kicking in. Just go away, he thought.

"By the way, Alex. How did that work out for you? Huh? Life just peachy now?" It was a low blow and Izzie knew it. Damn, what was it about him that got her blood going? That made it so she couldn't control her mouth.

"Not good, Iz. That what you want? A tree fell on me. That says it all. Crap life. Crap luck. You good now? Great. Just leave." Alex literally had nothing left, running on fumes. Rush gone, fatigue of two surgeries catching up with him.

Izzie could see all this. She pushed the call button and had the nurse page Yang.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I see you and..." she began not wanting to finish.

"Just go," Alex repeated.

"I see you and wonder what could've been. Honestly, Alex, no one has made me feel the way you did." Her first moment of honesty since re-entering her ex's life.

"I know, Iz. I know. If you never got cancer..." Alex found himself being equally as honest.

"We'd be married, have kids...a bunch, I think." said Izzie obviously having imagined this many times.

"I hate kids, evil little beings."

"Zola? You hate her? Because Meredith said..."

"Grey lies. Anyways Zola's not really a kid, more like a mini grown up," Alex explained.

"All the kids in peds? Can't stand them?"

"Doin' my job. Peds equals kids."

"I'm living with someone," blurted out Izzie. What is wrong with me? Alex already looked so weak, defeated. Am I trying to do him in? Just shut up, she thought.

"Who cares? Whatever." Alex was done. He had no more words, wishing he hadn't said the earlier ones. No matter what she says, I'm just shuttin' my mouth.

Cristina burst through the door, a vial and needle in hand.

"I knew it was you! Did you try to put a pillow over his face?" asked Yang clearly angry with Izzie for upsetting her patient who needed rest.

"That would be my move," replied Alex, so much for remaining silent.

"Get out!" Cristina yelled at Izzie, startling herself with the fury.

"This is going to knock you out, okay?"

"Please," begged Alex ready to enter the darkness for a bit and forget about Izzie Stevens' roommate. Forget Izzie Stevens even existed.

Aw, so Izzie is living with someone. They'll finish their conversation in the next update with Meredith playing a more prominent role. What do you think?