Jo was walking down the hall with a basket of laundry on her hip when she heard whimpers from Haley's room. She sat the laundry on the floor and leaned to put her ear to the door. When she heard Haley sobbing she gently knocked on the door, "Haley, are you okay?" She waited for a response but only heard the crying lessen marginally. "Haley, I'm gonna just wait here until you're ready to answer, alright?"

A few seconds later the door cracked slightly and Haley looked up at her mother with swollen eyes, "I'm fine, mom."

Jo tilted her head to the side, "You're a bad liar, honey. Now what's wrong?"

Haley shook her head quickly, "I can't say."

"Haley you know you can tell us anything." She paused and waited for the young girl to speak. When Haley looked down and was silent, Jo relented, "Okay, just find me whenever you're ready."

Jo bent to pick up the laundry basket and was almost at the stairs when she heard Haley's small voice, "Mom?" Jo turned to see Haley's door standing open with her meekly leaning on the frame, "Please don't go."

Jo dropped the basket and walked back to Haley, pulling her into a hug as Haley sobbed loudly. She held Haley's head against her shoulder and whispered comforting words, trying to not allow her own anxiety to be heard in her voice. She walked Haley back to her bed and sat down next to her. She rubbed Haley's back as Haley cried into her shoulder. Jo kissed her forehead and murmured, "Whenever you're ready."

Haley choked on a sob, "I don't know what to do."

Jo racked her brain for what could be causing her daughter to act this way. She petted Haley's hair, "Does this have to do with Brian?"

Haley straightened up quickly, pulling away from her mother, "What makes you say that?"

Jo smiled and patted Haley's knee, "Boys have a tendency to make us cry from time to time."

Haley nodded and looked down, "Well yes and no. He didn't do anything. I mean…he hasn't been mean or cheated on me or anything like that. I just don't know what to do now."

Jo frowned as she tried to decipher her daughter's frantic ramblings when a small drug store bag peeking out from under the bed caught her eye. Her heart sank as she realized what was going on and took Haley's hand gently in hers, "Haley, are you pregnant?"

Haley's eyes shot up to hers, "How did you…? Oh my God, does dad know?"

Jo shook her head, "Have you taken a test?"

Haley shook her head, "No. I have one, I just can't…"

Jo nodded, "Okay. Why don't you do that now. Does Brian know?"

Haley nodded, "Yeah. I told him yesterday and he freaked. I haven't heard from him since."

Jo nodded, "Okay. Here's what we'll do. You go ahead now and take the test and then we'll just figure it out from there, okay?" Jo wiped Haley's tears with her thumbs and gave an encouraging smile.

Both were startled by Alex's voice at the doorway, "What's wrong?" When neither answered his voice rose, "Did that jackass downstairs do something?"

Haley looked up in surprise, "Brian is here?" She turned to Jo, "I can't."

Jo nodded and stroked her daughter's hair, "Yes, you can. One step at a time, okay? Call us when you're ready." She waited until Haley nodded in acknowledgement, then stood and walked over to Alex, making a shooing gesture, "Out."

She put her hands on his waist and pushed him into their bedroom. He turned in agitation, "What's going on?"

Jo left her hands at his waist, "Don't you dare flip out on me, Alex." She waited until he nodded before informing him gently, "Hales may be pregnant."

Alex's eyes blazed, "What? How?" Jo tilted her head sarcastically as he balled his hands into fists, "I'm gonna kill him."

Jo put her hands on his shoulders, "You will do no such thing. Sit down."

Alex looked at his wife challenging and spat out, "What?"

Jo shushed him, "Don't let her hear you upset, it'll just make it worse."

He collapsed on the bed, "I can't believe this."

Jo sat beside him and patted his thigh, "We don't know anything for sure yet."

Alex looked at her bleakly, "Well we know one thing for sure." He paused, "I don't know if I can look at her."

"You can and you will. She needs to feel like we accept and support her regardless. And when things calm down a little I'll review safe sex practices with her again."

Alex leaned over, putting his head in his hands, "Ugh, I can't handle this. She shouldn't have a boyfriend at all!"

"Alex Karev, she is sixteen years old. What exactly were you doing at sixteen? Or should I say who? Was it still the school nurse?"

Alex sank lower and rubbed his head, "What are you doing to me?"

Jo rubbed his back soothingly, "I'm just saying we can't treat her differently just because she may be pregnant. Especially when we were doing the same things at her age with people we didn't care about. At least her and Brian have feelings for each other."

Alex rubbed his forehead, "What are we gonna do?"

"We're going to wait for the result and go from there. And we are going to be kind and supportive and loving and nonjudgmental regardless of what it says."

He looked at her with wonder, "How are you so calm?"

Jo smiled slightly, "I'm sure I'll lose it later tonight when the shock wears off. Then you can talk me down."

Alex leaned forward to kiss her softly and rested his forehead on hers, "Deal."