A/N - This is a very, very different story for me, but it's one that is dying to be told. Just trust me, and embark on this journey of love, passion, and infactuation


Chapter 1

Jo Wilson's feet felt like lead as she slowly stepped into the loft after a long day in the pit. She'd been dreading this moment since she'd headed for the hospital that morning. Luckily, she hadn't run into her boyfriend, so that was good. He'd see it on her face. Etched in her eyes.

It was over.

The thought made her heart tighten and instant tears spring to her eyes. Jo brushed them away stubbornly as they trickled down her cheek. The anger had left her core, and now the pain of the situation was taking root. Tonight, she was ending her relationship with Alex Karev. She was ending the one thing she'd known since coming to Seattle. She was cutting her person out of her life. A sob involuntarily left her lips.

Maybe, just maybe...maybe she could talk to Alex. Explain herself, open up to him and tell him how she was feeling. Tell him that things needed to change. If things didn't change, she was leaving. He could at least be warned, right? But deep down, Jo knew that things wouldn't change. Alex would instantly defend himself, his friend, and tell her that she was being ridiculous.

But she knew that no one else would have tolerated everything she'd put up with for the past few months.

The brunette released a slow, steady breath as she slid the jacket off her shoulders and hung it on the hook behind the door. It was going to be a heartbreaking event, but in the end, she'd be better off for it. She had no one in her corner, not even Alex. The one person who was supposed to defend her no matter what constantly hung her out to dry. Their house couldn't be their house-it was open to the public because that's what was done for him. He wanted kids with his ex-wife, but suggested they get a dog. Alex constantly told her where she was dropping the ball at work, and she needed to up her game.

Jo felt that little spark of anger returning as she retrieved the boxes she'd brought home on her lunch break. Balancing a box on her hip, the resident moved to the dresser first, taking Alex's garments out and dropping them into the box. Her fingers smoothed over the material of his boxers, the pair she'd bought him for Valentine's Day. They had so much history together...did she really want to end it?

A memory of the dinner at Meredith's house rushed to the forefront of her mind. For once, Meredith was decent towards her; for the first time, the infamous Dr. Grey didn't look at her as if she were a speck of dirt under her shoe. No, Meredith had been civil to her that night.

And Alex even thought it was weird.

Alex, her boyfriend, the man in her corner, thought it was weird. Which meant not only was he used to Meredith treating her like crap, but he expected it. He allowed it.

Jo shook her head somewhat sadly as she stuffed the box with the remainder of the dresser and taped it up quickly. Next, she hauled his clothes from the closet, tossing the pile on the bed and then folding each article of clothing carefully. This would be the last time she'd touch these clothes. The last time she'd smell his scent... The brunette brought the shirt to her nose, inhaling deeply. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed and dropped to the floor, clutching the shirt to her chest as she cried and cried. She cried for every hurt, every argument, every time he threw her under the bus. Every time he picked his former life over her. Every time he told her he had roots, and she could do whatever she wanted. Every time he pushed her away when she was only trying to help.

She cried for hours it seemed; long enough for her eyes to hurt. Jo lay in the fetal position, clutching his shirt as she willed herself to stand. No matter how much it hurt, she had to do this. The surgeon began softly reciting the periodic table of elements as she packed his clothes, gathered his things from the bathroom, and stacked box after box by the door. Once the loft was free of everything that belonged to Alex Karev, she looked to the boxes by the door. A small part of her wanted to put everything back, but she knew that would be the biggest mistake of all.

Instead, Jo turned towards the refrigerator, grabbing the six pack of beer and sitting on the couch. She downed the first one quickly in hopes of making the pain go away. By the second bottle, she wished she had something stronger than beer. After the third, she suspected nothing would ease this pain. Nothing but time away from him.

Jo's heart lurched as the key sounded in the lock and the knob turned. "Hey," she croaked, standing quickly as he stepped through the door.

Alex stopped, his gaze sweeping over her slowly. "What's wrong?" he asked, closing the door quietly. Her eyes were red, her skin pale, and three empty beer bottles sat on the coffee table.

"I need to talk to you," the resident's voice waivered. "And I just...don't say anything," she pleaded. "Just let me talk."

The bag slowly eased off his shoulder, landing on the hardwood floor with a thud. "Okay..." He moved towards her, closing the distance between them in a few strides. "Jo, what is it?"

Her hands went up defensively. "Don't, don't," she whispered, the tears springing to her eyes once more. If he touched her, it would all be over.

"Jo, tell me what's wrong!" Fear clutched his tone; he'd never seen her like this before.

"I can't do this anymore," Jo whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. She didn't bother wiping it away; she knew there'd be more to come. "I...us...we're just...we're not working anymore, Alex."

He blinked. "What do you mean we're not working? We're fine, everything is fine!"

"Everything is not fine! Nothing is fine! It hasn't been fine for a while."

Alex sighed in frustration. "Is this about Meredith? I'm getting really tired of your thing with Meredith."

Jo looked to the floor, shaking her head as he snatched up a beer from the table. "This is not about Meredith, this is about me. For once, it's about me." She took a breath before speaking again. "I'm not going to make you choose. I'm not going to be the girlfriend who makes you choose between me and your friends...your friend. So, I'm taking myself out of the equation."

Alex sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair. "Look, I've had a bitch of a day, and I'm not talking about this again." He strode to the closet, snatching open the door. "Where the hell are my clothes?!"

"They're in the boxes by the door."

He stared at the boxes for a few moments, then looked to her. "Jo." The pain filled his voice as he continued to stare at her, as if seeing her for the first time.

"You haven't been listening," she sighed heavily, more tears rolling down her cheeks. "I've been talking and talking, but you don't listen." Her breath caught, and she forced the words through her quickly closing throat. "I needed you in my corner, Alex. Not all the time, but I needed you there. I needed to know you were on my side, but...you're not on my side. I don't know if you ever have been..."

Alex crossed the loft quickly, gathering her in his arms. She was stiff at first, but eventually her arms wrapped around him in return. "I am on your side," he whispered into her hair. "I am in your corner, I've always been in your corner, Jo. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Jo moved her hands to his stomach, pushing away from him, turning her back on him. "You've never been in my..." She turned back to him, gasping. "Oh my God..."

The diamond ring in his shaking hands caught her off guard.

"You suck at proposing!" she exclaimed, bringing the heels of her hands to her eyes.

Alex's eyesbrows drew together in confusion. "What, you don't like the ring?"

"It's not about the ring, Alex!" she exclaimed. "It's the timing...you're falling apart, I'm falling apart...marriage isn't a bandaid to a weak patch in a relationship!"

"Do you think I grabbed this at the minimart on the way home?" he frowned deeply. "I planned to buy this, Jo! I worked extra shifts for this ring! I went into a jewelry store with you in mind! I want you with me, not for a night, not for a year, but for the rest of my life!" How could this frustrating woman not see what she meant to him?! This was the first time he was truly proposing! This wasn't some spontaneous wedding because she was supposed to die of cancer in a few weeks. This was his lifetime commitment to her! "I've thought about this night for the past six weeks! Mer has been trying to give this ring to me all day, but you were always around! Do you know how hard it was for her to give this to me without you seeing?!"

Jo shook her head, almost wanting to laugh at her own bad luck. "That doesn't change anything."

Alex gaped at her, feeling as if she'd physically punched him in the gut. "This-This doesn't change anything?" he asked quietly. "Wanting you in my life doesn't change anything?"

"You've had me in your life," she whispered. "You've had all of me, all the time. It just wasn't enough."

"Jo," he pleaded, moving to her and catching her wrist. "I've been listening to you, I swear! I've heard you, and I'm here. I'm here in your corner. Now and for the rest of my life."

His words made more tears roll down her cheeks. God, how she wanted to believe him. She wanted him to put that ring on her finger, but this was yet another gesture of his to fix whatever was going on inside. Just like with his father. "Alex," she half whispered, half pleaded, meeting his oh so confused eyes.

"I love you," he said desperately.

"I love you too," she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Then it's a simple question, Jo," he whispered back, extending the ring. "Yes or no? Do you want to be with me or not?"

The woman stared at him for the longest, time seeming to stop as an act of tug of war raged within her. "Alex, don't do this," she begged, feeling herself weaken.

"Yes or no?" he pushed ahead, fighting back tears of his own. Never in a million years did Alex think he'd lose the one person he couldn't live without.

Jo's bottom lip trembled as an actual ache surrounded her heart. "Not now," she whispered, reaching out and closing the ring box.

Alex stood stunned. "Yeah, okay," he staggered back.

"Maybe later, but not..."

"Yeah, I get it." He ran a hand through his hair, looking around the loft. "I'll just, ummm, I'll go..."

Jo reached for him as he moved to the door. "I've packed your things," she choked out as his hand landed on the knob. "I think, we just, we need some time apart, some time to think..."

Alex sniffed deeply, looking to the boxes by the door. "I'll get them later," his voice cracked. In one swift motion the door was open and he was gone.

Jo crumpled to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself. It was over.

Slam goes the door
Hush goes the phone
Out goes the flame
And I'm standing here alone
Burn goes the drink
Down go the tears
Drip goes the sink
And I'm missing you like hell
Break goes the heart
Wrong goes the right
Good goes the bye
-Good Goes the Bye Kelly Clarkson