Author's Notes: So first off, a few warnings. Number 1, I want to be straight up honest and transparent that Izzie is one of my least favorite characters in the history of Grey's and not just because of how she left Alex. I have tried really hard to be fair to her, but if you are a diehard Izzie fan please proceed with caution.
Number 2, just about everyone in this story is flawed, especially the main characters. Cause perfect people don't exist in real life and in fiction they bore me, lol.
Number 3, this story is full of angst, more than I've ever done before. Like ever. But I'm not as evil as Shonda Rhimes, I promise.
Each chapter takes the point of view of the character that is mentioned first. I hope that's not too confusing, I just wanted to jump around in all of their brains, lol.
Special thanks to Chanel5 for offering overwhelming support through this little venture & really helped me sort through several plot points. I doubt this story would have gotten posted without her. And also special shout out to anonymous Nicole from Scars & Souvenirs who encouraged me to try an Alex/Jo/Izzie story and KiariWill and HalleAlexis, who both wanted to see one. I hope this lives up to your expectations.
And big thanks to each of you that have read my other fics and offered encouragement. Without you there is no way I would have ever attempted this!
Rating: T for sexual innuendo and some language. Not much on either, but just to be on the safe side.
Disclaimer: They still ain't mine folks, but I really wish I could claim them!
Alex Karev tried with all his might to concentrate on the dark highway in front of him. He was unfamiliar with the Georgia interstate that was riddled with potholes and it had just started to rain. There were plenty of reasons to focus on the highway, but his eyes kept wandering over to gaze at the beautiful creature in the passenger seat.
His wife of just over eleven months was laid back in a reclined position, her dark hair sprayed over the personal pillow she insisted on bringing along for the trip. Her mouth was agape in deep sleep and every once in a while she would let out a loud snore. Her left hand rested on top of her growing belly and occasionally the diamond on her finger would sparkle in the moonlight.
Alex was completely captivated by her and decided he had never been happier.
At that moment, Jo snored loudly again, immediately waking herself. Alex smirked to himself at how sexy she was even when making distinctively unladylike noises. He was so hopelessly in love with her.
Jo was rubbing her eyes and attempted to focus on the road, "How long was I out?"
Alex smiled genuinely at her, "About sixty miles. Do you need to make a pit stop?"
"I don't have to stop that often!" Jo protested playfully. At Alex's pointed look, she let out a sigh, "Okay I do, but if your son would stop using my bladder as a soccer ball..."
"You mean if our daughter would stop practicing her ballet," Alex countered with a smirk.
Jo gave a side look that he knew meant she was about to challenge him, "Wanna make this interesting? Fifty bucks says the baby has a third arm."
"Third arm? That's quite the euphemism, princess."
"Euphemism? That's quite the big word, jerk." Jo shot back with a smile.
God he loved these interactions.
"Why would I bet fifty bucks against my wife? All that means is I would have to do all the grocery shopping, right?"
She paused briefly to consider this before a shit-eating grin grew across her beautiful face. "Okay, let's make it really interesting. Loser does all the cooking, cleaning, and laundry for a whole month," Jo countered proudly.
Alex laughed, "Oh deal!"
Jo cut her eyes at him, "What, you think you can manage all of that without any help? Whatever dude."
Alex smirked, "Well for one, I'm not going to lose." He ignored a snort from Jo and continued, "And two, you'll be the one suffering through pink shirts and burned dinners." Alex gave a smug look in her direction and laughed as she rolled her eyes.
They fell into a comfortable silence before it was broken by Jo taking his hand that was resting on the console and squeezing it lightly, "I really enjoyed this trip. Everything has been perfect."
"Yeah," Alex answered nonchalantly.
"What was your favorite part?" Jo asked eagerly.
Alex gave her a smoldering look, "The wedding sex. Hands down."
"Alex! Out of everything over the past several days, that's what you pick? God, you are such a guy!"
"Hey what am I supposed to say? You asked!" Alex said incredulously.
Jo let out a small laugh, "Touché. Good to know you are still the man I fell in love with."
Alex smiled at this. Leave it to Jo to laugh with him about him being an ass and make him feel good about what others saw as a flaw. "Well what was your favorite part?"
Jo smiled whimsically, "You walking Amber down the aisle to give her away. You had such a sweet 'proud brother' look on your face. Plus you looked smoking hot, which incidentally led to said hot wedding sex."
"Times three," Alex added proudly.
Jo laughed merrily, "Well times five for me, but who's counting?"
Alex laughed and again considered how happy he felt. "I never thought we would get this," he said quietly.
"Get what?" Jo asked genuinely confused.
"Normalcy. I mean, I'm happily married with a baby on the way. I own a home and have a stable job, as a surgeon no less. Amber just married her high school sweetheart. She's an office manager, going to night school to become an accountant. Her husband is stable in the Navy. I don't know, it just felt weird this weekend in some ways." Alex glanced towards Jo to take in her confused look, "When we were kids I would hold her in my lap with my hand over her mouth to keep her quiet as we all hid from our father in the backs of closets. It's just...I could never have imagined a weekend like this was in our future back then." Alex glanced over at Jo to see her wiping her eyes, "What?"
Jo shook her head quickly, "Nothing, just these damn pregnancy hormones." She sniffled again before looking at Alex seriously, "You both deserve all of this and more." She smiled as she grabbed his hand off the console to place it on her belly, "See? Baby boy agrees with me."
"Girl," Alex countered with a grin. He didn't think he would ever tire of feeling their baby move within her womb. There was something innately thrilling about feeling the life they created together. The rain began to fall faster and he reluctantly took his hand away to grip the steering wheel with both hands.
"Maybe we should go ahead and stop for the night. What time is our flight again?" Jo asked concerned about the weather.
"Nine-thirty. I was thinking the same thing. We should be getting pretty close to Atlanta, surely there will be some hotels soon."
About that time a transfer truck loaded with pine logs sped by, covering the windshield of the rental car with water from the roadway. The wind off the truck caused Alex to struggle with the steering wheel to keep the car in the appropriate lane. He muttered obscenities under his breath as he slowed the car's speed further.
"That jackass is going to kill somebody!" Jo exclaimed in frustration.
"Well at least we won't be the ones operating on any of his carnage...," Alex began before they watched in horror as the truck began to hydroplane before it jackknifed. Jo let out a yell as the load shifted with logs beginning to spill out onto the highway. Alex hit the brakes but realized they would not be able to stop in time. He pulled the steering wheel to the right causing the car to slide so that his side would take most of the impact. His right arm instinctively went across Jo's body as everything went black.