Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies.
Pairing: Joel & Alex (Jalex)
Rating: T
Author's Note: This fic has been rattling around in my head for ages. I finally had the time to write it so I decided to make it an early birthday present for my friend Clare. Happy Birthday! And don't worry you're getting actual presents too.
Summary: Alex runs into an unexpected detour on her way home from work.
It was almost midnight when Alex Reid finished her shift at the hospital. She was exhausted. And she wanted nothing more than to go home, drink a glass of wine, take a hot bath, and fall asleep in Joel's arms.
Alex smiled at the thought as she walked out of the building and headed slowly to the car, holding her purse in one hand and pulling the rubber band out of her hair with the other.
The ponytail that held her dark shoulder-length hair back felt too tight and she sighed with relief, as it fell in loose waves.
She unlocked the car, her usually nimble and precise fingers clumsy with the combination of fatigue and her dystonia.
Alex climbed into the driver's seat, reaching into her purse for her cell phone so she could call Joel and ask him to wait up for her.
The phone rang twice before she heard her husband's familiar New Zealand accent on the other end of the line. His voice was thick with sleep.
"Hello?"
"I was going to ask if you'd wait up for me. But I guess that ship has sailed."
She heard him chuckle, and she was certain that if she could see him he would be giving her one of his trademark Joel Goran grins.
"My apologies, Doctor Reid. It's been a long day."
"For me too, Doctor Goran." She replied, exhaling softly. "Do you need anything on the way home?"
"Just you." Joel answered without hesitation, sending an involuntary shiver of desire through her body and she tried not to giggle like a teenager, as she whispered, "Are the kids asleep?"
"Yes ma'am. They certainly are," Joel said groggily, "And you should be too. You sound exhausted."
"I am." Alex agreed. "I know it's late and you're tired. And I know it's Sunday. But I was thinking when I get home I'd have a glass of wine and take a bubble bath. Would you like to join me?"
Alex Reid, you saucy minx.
Joel thought smiling against the receiver.
"I'll see you in twenty minutes, Reid." Joel said his voice low and husky, filled with seductive promise."
"I love you, Joel." She whispered as she started the car.
"Alex, I love you too. Now, hang up the phone and come home to me."
Alex smiled as she hung up the phone. She was thinking of three things.
A glass of wine.
A bubble bath.
And Joel.
"Joel…Joel…Joel…" She whispered, smiling as she put the key in the ignition and started the car.
"I'm here, Alex. I'm right here, love." She heard Joel's muffled voice as if it were coming from underwater or from very far away.
Had she spoken aloud?
She wasn't sure.
Suddenly Alex was aware of another voice, clipped, familiar, but not as gentle as her husband's.
"Alex, can you open your eyes for me?"
After a long moment Alex was finally able to place the voice.
Shahir.
Alex did as she was told and immediately regretted it. She was unable to stifle a moan of discomfort as the bright light flashed within her field of vision, making her blink.
"Don't blink, Alex." Shahir said, as he continued to shine the light in her hazel eyes.
Alex sighed, exasperated, then suddenly she felt the warm familiar weight of Joel's hand in hers, followed by the smooth, confident voice that he used in the OR to put his patients at ease.
The voice that she found so incredibly sexy.
"You were in an accident, Alex." Joel said, squeezing her hand gently.
I don't remember.
And as if he could read her mind, Joel spoke again.
"I know, Reid. It's okay."
"Her pupils are equal and reactive. She definitely has a concussion but I think she'll be okay."
Concussion? That's why my head is pounding.
"I think we can take it from here, Shahir. Thanks mate." Joel replied, taking a step closer to Alex and leaning over her bed, and bending to kiss her.
In seconds, Shahir was gone, mumbling something about checking on her later.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Alex felt her fragile composure slipping away.
"Joel, I don't remember…Oh God, are the kids okay? Where are the kids? Was anyone else hurt?"
The words tumbled out of her mouth in a breathless anxious rush. Her eyes danced back and forth with panic.
"Alex…The kids are fine. They're at home with Maggie."
And then Joel put his hand on her shoulder.
It was only then that she was calm.
"Hey. Look at me…" Joel said calmly.
Panicked hazel eyes met exhausted, yet calm brown ones.
God, he looks as exhausted as I feel.
Joel, baby, I'm sorry.
But even exhausted, my husband is still sexy as hell.
"Breathe." Joel whispered.
It was only then that she could finally breathe.
Alex let out a long, deep breath and reached for Joel's free hand.
And he gave it to her without hesitation.
"What's the last thing you do remember?" Joel asked, stroking each of her knuckles gently as he held her hand to keep it from shaking.
"I finished my shift. We talked on the phone. I was on my way home."
I was thinking about three things.
A glass of wine.
A bubble bath.
And you.
Joel nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as though he had all the time in the world to fill in the gaps in her memory.
"That was around midnight. It's six a.m. now. The next phone call I got was Zack telling me that you'd been brought into the ER. No one else was hurt. The other driver that hit you was drunk."
"Is he?" Alex began. Bur Joel stopped the flow of her words with a kiss. "They arrested him. You're safe. Do you hear me, Alex Reid? You'll probably have to give a statement when you're feeling better. But…"
Alex nodded, pulling him close. She didn't realize that she'd started to cry until he was kissing away her tears.
"Joel, baby I'm sorry." She mumbled into his chest, her tears falling onto the fabric of his T-shirt.
"Hey," Joel whispered, "Alex…you have nothing to be sorry for…"
"I kept you up all night. You're probably exhausted."
At this, Joel flashed her one of his trademark grins and shrugged, "It's in the vows. Remember?"
Alex smiled, stifling a yawn of her own, "Which part?"
"In sickness and in health, Reid." Joel replied.
"Joel, I'm not sick." She insisted, as she sat up too quickly and found herself feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous.
"You were saying? Doctor Reid?" Joel said, with humor in his voice.
"Okay. Doctor Goran. You win. My head is pounding and I feel like I'll vomit any second. Happy now?
"No, ma'am I most certainly am not. My beautiful wife was recently in a car accident and has a concussion. I've been worried about her all night."
He climbed into the narrow hospital bed, and wrapped his arms around her.
"Joel, baby, I already said…"
"Shh, Alex stop apologizing and rest." Joel whispered, pulling her closer to him.
"I can rest at home, Joel. Please can we go home?"
Joel shook his head, "Not for at least another eighteen hours. You want me to get you something for pain?"
Alex nodded reluctantly, and Joel kissed her forehead and was on his feet in seconds.
"I'll be right back, Reid."
Alex could barely keep her eyes open long enough for Joel to come back with the medication.
As she drifted off to sleep Alex thought of three things.
Home
The kids
And Joel