"Alex," Jo spoke softly, trying to read through a page they had just been staring at. "Alex," she chided him more forcefully now, since he didn't seem to be paying much attention to what he was scanning through. She leaned over and elbowed him gently but meaningfully to quit his random shuffling through the pages. "Just," she breathed, frowning at him with a confused face as well, shaking her head at him. "Let's go through it reasonably, alright? I can't even read what the-," she talked onto him when he only sighed, pushing the stack into her lap and got up. Jo's eyes followed his movements, fixating on the back of his head, waiting for him to do or say something. He was just standing there, both arms resting on his hips, staring at something on the other side of their bedroom. "Alex," she wanted to soothe him, try to get him to communicate but he only held up his hand towards her, not even looking back. Jo rolled her eyes, sighing, letting her eyes drop to the documents again, starting to read. This is a joke, right? She can't just leave all her shares with Alex… that'd be insane! It's a crap load of money and investment and… a seat on the board… and she didn't even ask him, for God's sake! This is all a wicked joke, right? That can't be legal… right? Or can it? What's this? Right, this is signed by a notary. Seriously, Yang has always been one for surprises… but this?

"YANG," Jo startled when Alex barked something into his phone, making her sigh dramatically, raising her eyebrows at his shape that was now strolling back and forth aggressively. "Call me as soon as you hit ground, I mean it, do not think you can get away with this," he hissed into the phone before ending the call, throwing his phone on the bed and glaring at Jo in irritation. Jo who had been biting her lip to not let any possibly inappropriate words slip her mouth dropped her head to the side. She had learned at least that much in the course of their still rather new relationship.

"Don't you want to at least look at these?" she asked him, countering him with wide eyes. Alex brought up one of his hands to his forehead and rubbed it, deep in thought it seemed, while the other one was still propped on his hip. After a moment, she could make out how he was shaking his head slightly. Jo didn't know what to do, she was too overwhelmed with the news as well. Nevertheless, she took a deep breath, putting the paperwork down besides her and got up, taking timid steps towards him and closing the gap between them, making him look up at her. "Come on," she whispered, putting her left hand on his chest before running the fingers of her right hand across his cheek. "Let's just try to digest this, alright?" she suggested, insecurely though, not having gotten any input from her boyfriend for a while. She didn't wanna say anything wrong. Even though she guessed there wasn't anything much that could be classified as right or wrong in this situation since they both seemed to be too stumped with everything at the moment. However, she knew Alex, and she knew that he tended to blow up on bystanders when things outgrew him. Alex just stared back at her eyes, pondering. Just say something. Say something. I don't know what to say anymore if you don't hint where this situation is going. Please, just say something.

Jo yanked her head back in surprise when Alex swooped down to kiss her, deeply. She frowned while reciprocating the kiss but placed both her hands on his chest, trying to put some space in between them. "Hey, hey," she murmured against his lips but he only continued to place kisses on her cheek and towards her ear and neck, having wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. She closed her eyes and smiled before grabbing his head, cupping both sides and made him look at her. "We need to talk about this," she followed his eyes with hers, propping her head down for him to not be able to avert them.

"I don't wanna talk about it," he rasped, trying to kiss her again but she was still holding him off.

"We kinda have to," Jo pointed out, her eyes wide and her mouth pulled to the side as if she was suggesting something that she really wasn't all too sure about herself.

"Not now," Alex came back immediately, already busying himself at her neck again. Jo sighed, letting him do so this time, shifting towards him slightly to tighten her left arm around his neck while her right hand was going through his hair. This is the good stuff. Let's do this instead of bothering ourselves with paperwork. When he had made his way up towards her lips again, he engrossed them in a passionate kiss, his hands having found their way underneath her red top. Jo moaned lightly before pulling back again, resting her forehead against his. I wish I could just let you kiss me, baby. I really do.

"Stop running from things that scare you," the words came out mingled with a gasp.

"I'm not," Alex shook his head in a tiny motion. "I'm just not letting Yang prevent us from getting some," he told her, smirking. Jo rolled her eyes and laughed voicelessly, still running her fingers through his hair.

"Come on, we can do this later, let's at least try to get some clarity on this? Please?" she urged him, pecking his lips. Wrong move. He was all over her again. "Alex," she tried to shape against his lips. "Come on, how can you not be curious?" she bounced up and down on her toes, trying to make him see that she wasn't into this. She would be, totally. And he knew how to distract her. But this was big. It was huge. She needed him to deal with it. Suddenly, while still dealing with her own thoughts about it, she felt him pull away roughly, passing her by to walk over towards where the documents were lying on the bed.

"Alright, if that's what you want," he told her in a mock rejected voice. Jo caught his arm that was still sliding around her waist while passing and stopped him, giving him a death glare, cupping his chin.

"Do not twist my motives, Karev," Jo advised him, having raised her eyebrows dangerously high. Alex sighed, rolling his eyes and let go of her, sitting down and reading the first page out loud.

"Alright, what do we have here?" he started off in obvious fake motivation. Jo sat next to him and looped her legs over his right thigh when he pulled her closer to make her go through it with him. "M-hm, m-hm, sounds very interesting. Here it states that Dr. Cristina Yang's shares of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital of Seattle will be transferred to Dr. Alexander Michael Karev, m-hm, alright, okay, this is signed by the hospital's notary, seems legit," he rambled on, completely unserious. Jo pressed her lips together into a thin line, trying to not smile about his stupid joke and slapped his shoulder.

"Stop joking around, this is serious," she reprimanded him, earning a chuckle and then a sigh when his phone went off.

"This better be Yang," he ranted, while motioning for Jo to shift and retrieve his phone from the other end of their bed. Jo did as told and grabbed for it, only to scrunch her face up at seeing who was calling him, shaking her head.

"It's Grey," she said, shoving it into his hand, watching him pick up the call impatiently.

"Did you know about the shares?" Alex instantly barked into the phone, foregoing proper greeting. Jo tried to make out what Grey was saying on the other end of the line but all she could hear was something close to static noise and the distant memory of her superior's voice. She tried to read Alex' face when he listened to what his friend said and shook her head at him questioningly, not gaining a reply. "What? Hold on, why? Is this about Cristina?" he inquired after a moment, listening again. He shifted slightly and motioned for Jo to move her legs from his for him to get up. "What? What happened? No, I haven't talked to her, why? No, I was asking if you knew about Cristina transferring her shares of the hospital to me," Alex repeated, walking around the room aimlessly. "I don't know, Mer, that's why I'm asking you," he told her in an irritated voice. "Yeah, alright," he dropped his arm that was holding up the phone to his ear and ended the call, scrolling through something on his phone.

"What? What did she say, Alex?" Jo asked him impatiently when he didn't share immediately.

"Um, she's on her way over," he answered dismissively, still engrossed into whatever he was looking at.

"What, why?" Jo scrunched up her face. Secretly she wished the last couple of minutes hadn't happened. She wanted to spend the night with Alex. Alone. She wanted to spend the night with Alex at their newly very empty house they now had to themselves. Alex looked up at her, obviously distracted, and flitted his gaze across her annoyed looking face.

"I don't know, she said something about not going to DC and I don't know… she sounded upset or something. She's already left their house," he explained, walking over towards the door.

"Wait, what about the documents? Alex, wait a second," she ran after him quickly, annoyed with this sudden game changer.

"What?" he looked back at her, already moving down the hallway.

"Are you seriously ditching me for Meredith Grey?" Jo asked him, seemingly on the edge. Alex rolled his eyes at this.

"I'm not ditching you, stop fussing," he shot back, jogging downstairs.

"You wanted to get it on a minute ago, I consider this ditching me," she pointed out for him, running into him when he suddenly turned around mid-step. "Whoa, sorry," Jo startled. Alex swooped down and kissed her lips before saying anything else.

"I'm not ditching you, stop fussing," he told her, his eyes burning into hers, a smile tugging at his lips, making her blush.

"Okay," Jo stumbled out awkwardly, looking up at him timidly. He rolled his eyes at her sudden change in demeanor and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the living room.

"Come on." Jo sat down on the couch while Alex busied himself with switching on the lamps and then going over towards some shelves, looking through binders, pulling one out eventually.

"What are you doing?" Jo watched him, feeling like she was left out of the loop.

"I'm looking for my resignation paperwork," he told her busily, already pulling a bunch of sheets out of a transparency.

"Why?"

"I don't know… I feel like… there must be something that says she can't just transfer those shares and her seat on the board to me. I don't even work at the hospital anymore," he pondered, scanning the lines on the sheet.

"I thought you said Shepherd and Grey are keeping their seats, and they were supposed to leave for DC, right? They won't be working at the hospital anymore, either,… but they still get to keep their shares and their seats? Why would it be any different? And why would it say something like that on your resignation papers?"

"I don't know, Jo, I'm just trying to work it out, alright?" he said, looking up when the doorbell rang. Jo sighed and got up, walking over and opening the door for Dr. Grey who was looking all upset. Jo took an instinctive step back. Wow, if Jo didn't know any better she'd say Dr. Grey had gone back to being Medusa. Well, to be honest, she actually really didn't know any better.

"Hi," Jo greeted her insecurely, making Grey smile, insincerely though, and motioning her towards the living room. "Alex is in there," she voiced but her superior had already made her way in.

"What do you mean she gave you her seat on the board? She gave you her shares?" Jo heard her say unbelievingly, walking in behind her slowly. Alex looked up from the papers he was studying and locked eyes with Meredith in irritation.

"As I said, I just found the paperwork back in my room, she didn't even say anything. She just left them there. But they look all official and legit… I don't know, Mer, I'm not good with that kind of crap, I didn't even know one could do that…," he looked up at her questioningly. Meredith stared at him before walking over and looking at the papers he was holding. Alex shook his head. "No, these are not them, these are my resignation papers, I was just…," he tried to explain but Meredith had already straightened up again and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you can do that. It isn't any different from selling your shares or whatever… have you talked to her?"

"I told you, no," Alex shot back madly. Meredith sighed, dropping down on the other end of the couch, putting her face into her hands. "What's your problem?" Alex observed her, seemingly confused.

"Derek and I had a fight," she just stated before looking up at Jo. Alex' gaze followed hers which made Jo feel rather uncomfortable.

"Alright, then," she voiced in defeat, slowly backing out of the room. Did you really just leave that room because Meredith Grey seemed to want privacy with your boyfriend? Jo rolled her eyes at herself while walking up the stairs. She really didn't sign up for a night like this. Ugh, she really just wanted to be left alone with Alex. She never got to see him anymore with him working at the practice and all. And today had been crazy. With the explosion and the E.R. being all crammed. Ugh, she just needed some downtime. And now this. Jo sighed, picking up the hospital documents and moving back down the stairs. She walked over towards Grey and shoved them into her hands. The other woman looked up at her in surprise before looking at the folder in her hands.

"Maybe you can help him with this, I sure can't," Jo told her and she heard her words come out a little harsh even though she hadn't actively realized that she was feeling a bit left out. But now that she was thinking about it, she did. Which was ridiculous, and she knew it, so she tried to steady herself and put on a nice voice. "I'll be upstairs if you need me, alright?" Jo glanced over towards Alex who smiled a small smile at her and immediately busied himself with talking to Meredith about the shares.

Jo plopped down on their bed and switched on her computer. Just because Dr. Grey monopolized Alex didn't mean she couldn't at least try to help somehow as well. She logged onto her Skype and typed away.

JW: Shane, are you on?

SR: What's up?

JW: [typing]

SR: No time for small talk, though, if that's what you're aiming for, I'm packing…

JW: Did you know about Yang's shares of the hospital?

SR: You didn't...?

JW: Ugh, Shane, I mean do you know anything about how she left things?

SR: Not sure what you're talking about...

JW: So, you don't?

SR: Know what, Jo?

JW: She transferred them to Alex…

SR: You're kidding, right?

JW: No

SR: Why in the world would she do that?

JW: Why wouldn't she?

Shane Ross could be such a douche sometimes. Of course he was thinking his precious Yang had done a much better job on the board than Alex ever would. Jo could feel herself become more agitated.

SR: I don't know. I would have kept them

JW: So, she seriously hasn't talked to you about this?

SR: Why would she?

JW: Well, keeping in mind that you used to sleep with her

SR: Oh look who's talking now

JW: Oh come on you know that's not the same

SR: Well regarding this it really is

JW: Fuck off

SR: Oh who's getting defensive now

JW: Just don't tell anyone yet alright

SR: Who would I tell I quit my job today. I got a last minute flight to Zurich for early tomorrow morning

JW: So you're actually doing this huh?

SR: Awesome isnt it?

JW: Have you thought about this at all?

SR: Through and through. I admit though if I had my girl sitting in on the board I'd consider staying as well

JW: Alex is not sitting in on the board. Yet I guess

SR: Well have fun with that

JW: Are you in touch with Yang?

SR: She sent me a msg a while ago

JW: Tell her to call Alex

SR: Tell her yourself

JW: Just tell her if you hear from her, alright? Thanks

Jo put down her laptop, sighing. She felt empty. She hadn't expected that turn of events that night at all. Of course, who would? But then… how was she supposed to feel about that? How did Alex feel about it? God, how was this gonna change everything again for him? With his new job and all? Jo went into the bathroom and got herself ready for bed. It was late but it didn't seem like Alex and Meredith were gonna be done soon. When she put her head out to listen to any talking from downstairs, she could make out their soft voices discussing something. Jo sighed again. This was gonna be a lonesome night. She walked over to her bedside and pulled back the sheets, climbing in and switching off the lights. That much to celebrating their official first night alone at the house.

Jo hadn't heard Alex get into bed during the night, and she couldn't remember him sleeping next to her. When her alarm clock went off the next morning, she padded her hand around clumsily before shutting up the obnoxious beeping. Jo yawned widely, stretching and cracking her neck before switching on her bedside lamp and surveyed her lonesome existence in their usually shared bed. Please don't tell me they talked through the entire night. Please just tell me he got up really early. He's not getting up early anymore for the practice, though. Ugh. Jo closed her eyes and scrunched up her face, moaning. She got up and got ready for her day before leaving the bedroom and instantly making out the smell of coffee and bacon. Alright, he hadn't come up to sleep if he's cooking remorse bacon. Jo rolled her eyes before dropping her purse by the door and walking back towards the kitchen. Upon entering, Alex looked up at her, ruefully as anticipated, and Meredith Grey turned around on her barstool, sipping at her coffee.

"Morning," Jo said, walking in, smiling at Dr. Grey politely who mirrored her face.

"Sorry for keeping Alex up all night," she apologized towards the younger woman who just smiled on her way over towards Alex who was halfway between her and the coffee machine that she needed badly.

"Shut up, she didn't need to know that," Alex hissed towards his friend, eyeing up his girlfriend. Jo snorted.

"Oh, but I did know," she wriggled her eyebrows at him, running her fingers softly across his back when passing him and aiming for the coffee machine straight forwardly.

"Was it the bacon?" Alex looked after her, his face showing an innocent smile. Jo chuckled while enjoying the first sip of coffee, immediately awakening her. "I knew it was too much," Alex mockingly stomped his foot on the floor.

"Any news?" Jo asked him, leaning back on the counter. Alex sighed.

"I left like ten messages on Yang's voicemail, she hasn't returned them. We went through the papers but we both don't really speak law, so that wasn't of any help… Meredith called in a board meeting for this morning, though, I'll probably just have to go and see… hey, do you think Hunt knows about all this?" Alex turned over towards Meredith questioningly. The woman looked at him ponderingly before sighing.

"I'm not sure he does. Probably not. I don't know… but then again, with Cristina having done this with the help of a notary and all… I could imagine the chief having had to be there. I don't know… I don't know anything anymore…," Meredith shrugged.

"What about your seats? Are you…," Jo started to voice her question when she spotted Alex' meaningful eyes and an almost unnoticeable shake of his head from the corner of eye. "Um… what I'm trying to say is…," she stuttered. Shit, think of something, fast. "How did you get to your seats?" Lame, Jo, pretty lame. You're presenting yourself as stupid. Meredith looked at her through narrowed eyes, sizing her up.

"We bought our seats to the board. We bought the hospital…," Grey responded slowly, observing Jo almost condescendingly. "But I'm sure you know that…," she completed her own thought.

"Cut her some slack, she couldn't have known you decided to cancel DC," Alex snapped at Meredith making both the women look at him in surprise.

"Alex," Jo tried to stop him from getting too defensive.

"Oh, so you think a second year resident needs to know about my personal life?" Meredith gave back to him saucily. Alex rolled his eyes.

"It's fine, Dr. Grey, I'm leaving for work in a minute, anyways," Jo tried to defuse the tension.

"She's not a second year resident. She's my girlfriend," Alex countered.

"Alex, stop," Jo begged him. As much as she loved Alex defending her, she didn't wanna get into more trouble than worth.

"I'm just kidding, it's fine. It's not like the entirety of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital won't have heard about my personal problems by the end of the day," Meredith sipped at her coffee again. Jo looked at the other doctor understandingly. Jo didn't know anything about Meredith Grey's personal problems but she definitely knew what being the gist of everyone's conversations felt like. It wasn't good. She wouldn't wish that on anyone. But the more you try to keep your personal life private, the more it was becoming the issue to talk about at their workplace it seemed.

"Come on, Mer, it's gonna be fine, you know it," Alex tried to back his friend up now, his voice sounding unsure, though.

"I'm not sure it will," Meredith just looked at him with big eyes and a put on smile. "But I guess we will have to see," she got off her barstool, readying herself too. They stood in silence for a bit, none of them knowing how to continue.

"So, does that mean you'll be giving me a ride into work?" Jo turned towards Alex after a minute of awkward silence. He nodded.

"Let me go have a shower and change, I'll be down in like ten minutes, I swear," he added when Jo replied by rolling her eyes impatiently. He swept down to kiss her cheek before vanishing from the kitchen.

They drove into work separately, Jo riding with Alex while Dr. Grey took her own car. Jo had turned over to watch Alex while he rested his hand in her lap, intertwined with hers.

"I missed you last night," Jo whispered, placing a soft kiss on Alex' biceps, smelling his freshly scrubbed skin underneath his white button up shirt. Alex smiled, squeezing her hand he was holding.

"I'm sorry, baby," he glanced over at her quickly. "Mer and Shepherd had a bad fight. I mean they had bad fights before but this one was… bad bad," he told her, giving her big eyes.

"So, it wasn't all about the shares?" Jo asked tentatively.

"Yeah, some of it was. But as said, we didn't get very far. And then we talked Cristina and then the whole DC story came up… I just… I couldn't leave her like that… with Yang gone and her having had a fall out with her husband… you know what I mean?" Alex looked over questioningly, seeing Jo smile. "What?" he spat out almost defensively. Jo chuckled, nuzzling his upper arm again.

"Nothing," she breathed out hotly against his skin. "I just didn't think you had it in you," she said mockingly. Alex rolled his eyes at this. They stayed in silence for a bit. "You're a good friend, you know that?" Jo offered after he had parked the car in front of the hospital. Alex looked over at her, not seeming to even plan to respond. They looked at each other for a bit. "Are you nervous?" she ran her fingers across his face lovingly, making him close his eyes and lean back his head.

"A bit, yes," he said. "But mostly tired," he smiled. Jo nodded.

"It's gonna be fine. You'll work it out, alright? And whatever comes your way, we'll deal with it alright? We're in this together, okay?" she told him, hoping for him to open his eyes back up. When he did, she smiled encouragingly.

"You are a pretty good girlfriend," Alex nodded at her, knowingly, making her chuckle.

"Well, I try," she told him in the same tone, making them both laugh and get out of the car, strolling across the lot hand in hand.

"Well, well, look at you, Karev, all fancied up," Jo turned back to see Ben and Bailey walking in just the same. Bailey almost seemed to burst from her good mood or something. Somebody got laid last night and it sure as hell wasn't me. Seriously, do I radiate like that after a night with Alex? Alex chuckled, glinting his eyes back at Bailey.

"You don't look so shabby yourself today," he pointed out, looking his ex-colleague up and down, noticing for the first time how made up she looked. "Special occasion?"

"Oh, I'm just appreciating a wonderful new day," Bailey giggled with a small squeal, exchanging meaningful looks with Ben and walked on. Alex and Jo shared a look of hidden laughter before boarding the elevator behind the other couple. They parted on different floors, Jo and Ben strolling over towards the residents' locker room casually, engaging in small talk.

"So," Jo wriggled her eyebrows at her colleague. "What got your wife that high this morning?" Ben chuckled at Jo's insinuation, glancing around the room. He waited until the last couple of residents other than themselves had exited before turning back towards Jo and beaming at her.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Do not tell me anything dirty," Jo warned with a raised finger. Ben shook his head.

"No," he replied, losing his shirt and putting on his scrubs. "Webber told Miranda about the vacancy on the board… you know with Yang gone…," he started his news, Jo stopping what she was doing mid-way, listening to him closely, frowning. "And he told her that she was the best candidate to replace her and he is gonna suggest her for the job to the remainder of the board this morning," he let loose of his big news and beamed. Jo looked at him, taken aback. Well, this is awkward. One of us sure as hell isn't going to get lucky tonight…

"What do you mean by that? I mean… that seat can't just be passed on… I mean just like that…," Jo tried to get more out of Ben.

"Well, it has to be filled, right? They have to appoint someone…," Ben pointed out, still oblivious to Jo's skepticism.

"Yeah but what about… I mean… you know… isn't Yang deciding who gets to act as her replacement?"

"No, I mean not really. I think. I mean, the shares are hers… but the seat on the board may be independent from those… I'm not sure, though," Ben looked up at the ceiling, taking a step back to think about it. "Unless she sells of course…," he pondered further. Oh, crap. This is not going to be pretty. She needed to go talk to Alex. Unless they were already halfway into the board meeting. Unless he didn't even wanna sit in on the board? The shares were his all the same… Ugh, I need to go talk to Alex. Why hadn't she asked about it already? What the hell had she been thinking about all night and all morning? Would Alex take a step back for Bailey's sake? Or was this something he'd actually enjoy doing? What the hell is the decision here, anyways? I'm confused. This is going way over my head… Why wouldn't I even have a clue what Alex thinks about that… Ugh, what to do…. What to fucking do?!