Post- 3.19 My Favorite Mistake. This is my version of how the characters rationalize everythign that has been going on. Alex/Izzie

This fic is dedicated to Karevsanatomy. I hope it's everything you were looking for!


Complicated. The good things in life always are. There has to be some unwritten rule of the universe that requires it; that necessitates that the one thing that you truly need has to be the most difficult to achieve. It seems so frustrating, to think that all of the pain, the aggravation, the disappointment you face is just a cruel prank planned by the master of ceremonies: fate.


Complicated. He'd told Jane Doe.. or Ava as he was now prone to calling her.. that his relationship with Dr. Montgomery was complicated. And it was; isn't everything? She was his boss. And as a red-blooded, testosterone-filled male, he hadn't failed to notice her sleek curves and gorgeous face. They could be a man's undoing. And they were, just not for him. Mark Sloan was the real goner.

Yes, they'd kissed. And it had been a great kiss, that much was undeniable. Yet, he hadn't lied when he'd said he wasn't interested. As terrific as the kiss was, he couldn't be with Addison Montgomery. It wasn't because of their jobs or her other prospect- those he saw as only minor complications. If he'd wanted her, the way he really wanted to want her, he could overlook them. But unfortunately, there was one complication which he couldn't overlook, for the sheer fact that she was everywhere in his universe- Izzie Stevens.

Moving into Meredith's house really seemed like a bad idea in hindsight. Because now, not only was her stunning figure and cheerful personality torturing him at the hospital, it was at home too. There were some nights when he wanted to run to Joe's and pass out in a bathroom stall just so he didn't have to face another minute with her. It was hard, unbearably hard, to be so near to her, to feel her with almost every sense he possessed, and not be able to run his hand down the length of her hair and onto her warm skin as he remembered doing so many times. His memories haunted him. There were times when he would stumble into the hospital in the morning, spot her in the hall, and almost kiss her good morning, simply because each individual nerve in his body was itching for him to do so.

He wondered what she'd do if he was to do that. But those weren't good thoughts. He'd been an ass. And she'd moved on and fallen hopelessly in love with her patient. And when he'd tried to kiss her again, she'd not been ready. Or really, she wasn't ready for him again- and probably never would be. Because he was an ass. It was true. It was practically synonymous with his name.

But a guy could change, couldn't he?


Complicated. As if her entire existence didn't seem screwed up enough, she'd had to go and make it more so. By sleeping with her best friend. Whom she had been feuding with. Because he had a wife.

And it was all her fault. The day she'd woken up in the middle of what she now saw as her worst nightmare, she had thought herself in love with George. Or at least she had wanted to think that, because it would mean that she hadn't royally screwed up. It had made sense. They were best friends and what if subconsciously those feelings had been there? What if?

But he hadn't run into her arms with passion; he'd gone back to his wife. While at first this had seemed rotten, it had given her time to follow Addison's advice. Dr. Montgomery had told her to stop. Stop what, she'd wondered. But now she knew. Stop trying to manipulate fate. Stop yourself from making things what they aren't. Stop and think. The last had been especially trying, because of what she had realized about herself.

Izzie Stevens was a hypocrite. She had believed that George was trying to run from the grief his father's death had caused him. She had convinced herself that his relationship with Callie was a mistake. But what she hadn't realized until that moment was that she had been doing the same thing. She had been trying to create something with George that wasn't real; it had just been a means by which she could fill the palpable, empty hole in her life. She had been fighting with her best friend because of what she believed he was doing: using a defense mechanism which also seemed to be her method of coping.

Maybe his relationship with Callie was real. Maybe it was borne out of a true sentiments of love and devotion. She couldn't say it wasn't any longer. But what she could attest to was the fact that her relationship with George, the one she'd invented, wasn't real. It was a figment of her mind, the conferring of her feelings for someone else onto him.

What was even more staggering, though, was that those feelings she possessed weren't for Denny. She would always love him. It was undeniable. But she had accepted the place he would hold in her heart, in her life. The feelings she had were for someone much more… complicated.

Alex Karev. She could remember how much she'd hated him when she first met him, so rude and yet so attractive. He'd grown on her and they'd had something. It had been lighthearted and fun, but it wasn't mean to be. He'd cheated on her and it had been devastating; it had reaffirmed the fact that they weren't ready for something serious.

And then she'd fallen in love with Denny… and lost track of Alex. He wasn't the focus of her life, the person whom her heart yearned for. But what had happened in those months? He'd grown. He'd become a person who was warm, and compassionate, and worth the risk if she'd been in a position to take it.

She was now, though. Yes, he'd cheated on her. But, she was a girl who believed in second chances and sometimes needed one herself.

He'd understand, wouldn't he?


"I slept with George."

He looked up at the blonde who had slammed his bedroom door shut following her entrance into his room.

He put down his book and grimaced inwardly, hoping that his features didn't betray the feelings her announcement had brought forth.

"Congratulations. Do you have any more gossip or should I be angry that just O'Malley is getting more sex than I am nowadays?"

She groaned, frustrated. "Alex, listen to me. I slept with George. I was drunk. And I thought I wanted to.. boy did I think I wanted to.."

"Do I look like Grey to you? Don't think that because I live here I am an available to hear about your.. you know." He glared at her and sat up straighter on his bed. "Don't need to hear this…"

She sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed, eyes downcast and studying the stitching of his comforter.

"I slept with George and…" She knew what she wanted to say, but couldn't seem to get the words out. Biting her lip, she raised her eyes to study his impassive face.

"Do you believe in second chances?"

He could feel his heart splitting further and further apart with every second that passed. But when she asked him that question, he would've sworn it broke.

"For you and O'Malley? Sure, why not, knock yourself out. But I'd watch out for his wife. I bet she has a killer right hook."

She swore and jumped to her feet. "You! I asked you if you believed in second chances. Do you see George here? If I was interested in George, I'd ask him!"

He raised an eyebrow, curious at where she was going with this, halfheartedly trying to downplay his hopefulness.

"Yes, I do."

He stated his answer so confidently, it startled her and she had to question it.

"Why?"

He shook his head at her inquisitiveness and stood up. Walking slowly, he came to stand a few feet in front of her. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his words direct and intense.

"Because sometimes people screw up. We have to learn. Give ourselves a little time to… figure out what we want."

She gazed up into his tender brown eyes and nodded.

"I slept with George. It's complicated, but… trust me. What I really want is you."

She smiled at him hesitantly, hopefully. He could feel all of those shattered pieces of his heart being stitched together again, one by one.

He grinned, allaying all of her worries. "Why don't we leave all the complicated, sleeping with inappropriate men stuff to Meredith from now on?"

She let out a joyful laugh and kissed him fervently. Pulling back, a smile radiated on her face.

"Shouldn't be too hard. This is happy Izzie. Izzie's going to be sickeningly happy from now on. As long as Alex feels the same."

He shook his head, amazed at how quickly her newfound bliss had overtaken her and then realized that he felt the same.

"Alex does. Plus, happy Izzie turns Alex on."

He pulled her close once again, but this time their mouths met softly, tenderly. The kiss slowly escalated from almost hesitant, reverent, to fiery and aggressive. He started to run his hands down the side of her body as he had ached to do for so long and she shivered at his touch.

Pulling back, she sat down on his bed and leaned back to look up at him suggestively.

"Izzie thinks Alex has dirty in his eyes."

They both did. But what was ultimately more important was the love in their hearts.


Complicated. The good things in life always are. There has to be some unwritten rule of the universe that requires it; that necessitates that the one thing that you truly need has to be the most difficult to achieve. It seems so frustrating, to think that all of the pain, the aggravation, the disappointment you face is just a cruel prank planned by the master of ceremonies: fate.

But what we often fail to realize is that all of the hoops that we jump through, the tribulations we overcome, are crucial. They make us stop and think and question ourselves. Do we really want what we're going after? Is she worth the pain? Is he? If you find yourself answering positively, then you're on the right path. Those obstacles that seem so complicated, so intolerable, are just detours that you can manage- if it's predestined.

Fate might seem cruel, but take heart. It's just leading you in the right direction.