Elevator Love
Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies
Pairing: Joel & Alex (or if you prefer Alex & Joel)
Rating: T
Summary: Alex turns to Joel for comfort after a long day.
Joel Goran waited for the elevator. When the doors opened, he saw none other than his beautiful wife Alex Reid standing inside with her back to him. Even though he couldn't see her face, it was clear that she'd been crying.
He could hear her sniffling faintly.
A few strands of her dark hair had come loose from its topknot.
She'd removed her scrub cap and was wringing it in her hands.
He took a step forward into the elevator, forgetting every thought other than easing her pain.
"Alex, what's wrong?"
When she didn't answer, he took another step closer and laid one hand gently on her shoulder.
She jumped, startled, at the contact, her breath catching in her throat as she turned halfway around and exhaling slowly at the sight of her husband.
"Joel, baby, you scared me." She said, softly turning the rest of the way around so that he could see her red rimmed eyes and tear-stained face.
"Sorry," He replied, wrapping an arm around her waist pulling her close, "Hey, Reid. Talk to me. What's wrong? Are you all right? Is it one of the kids?"
Alex quickly shook her head, "No the kids are fine."
Joel nodded, "And you?"
She shook her head again, "Well no. As you can see I'm a mess." She said leaning heavily into his embrace.
"You're my mess Reid. Now tell me what's wrong." He insisted, pressing the red emergency on the elevator so their conversation wouldn't be interrupted.
After a long moment, Alex took a deep breath and spoke, "I lost a patient today…I just keep thinking there's something I missed you know?"
Joel nodded, giving her an empathic look, "I know."
Because he did know.
He knew what it felt like to hold someone else's life in his hands.
And he knew what it felt like to have that life slip through his fingers.
No matter how hard he tried to stop it.
"I'm sorry, love. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, letting her lean her weight against him, pressing his back against the wall of the elevator.
She shook her head again, before she let it rest against his shoulder, as she went on, "And if that weren't enough my mother called me today and told me that she's been diagnosed with lung cancer."
Joel knew all about Alex's contentious relationship with her mother.
Because it mirrored the relationship he had with his father.
Both of their parents had cared more about their addictions than their children's lives.
For Joel's father it had been other women.
And for Alex's mother it had been alcohol and drugs.
But it had been worse for Alex because all the parental responsibility had been thrust upon her at a young age after her father's suicide and her mother's spiral into addiction.
And then her younger brother Luke had followed in her footsteps and become an addict.
"I always thought it would be cirrhosis that would get to her first. But I guess smoking two packs a day for thirty years was bound to catch up with her sometime. Oh God, Joel I can't believe I just said that… I'm a terrible person…I mean I know she wasn't there for me for most of my life…But she's still my mother…"
"I know." Joel whispered, gently caressing her neck with the palm of his hand, "That doesn't make you a bad person."
"And thinking about my mom inevitable makes me think about Luke and miss him and then I get so angry at him for leaving me alone…"
Joel stopped the flow of her anxious words with a kiss. "You are not alone. You have me and the kids. You are not alone. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"
She nodded and this time the breath that caught in her throat was a result of desire rather than emotional turmoil.
He felt her lips brush the mole behind his ear as she whispered, "Joel…I love you so much…I don't know what I'd do without you…"
He kissed her once more, wrapping both arms around her waist, and lifting her off her feet, "I love you too, Reid. And you'll never have to find out."
"You promise?" She asked, pulling him as close to her as she could in the confined space of the elevator.
"Yes ma'am." Joel said smiling, seconds before his pager beeped. He looked away from Alex and glanced at the pager.
He cursed under his breath and reluctantly pulled away from her.
"Damn, they need me in the O.R. Are you all right?"
Alex nodded, and this time he almost believed her.
Almost.
"Are you sure?"
"Joel, baby I'm fine. Go. I'll see you at home tonight."
He gave her one last quick kiss and pushed the emergency stop so that the elevator began to move again.
"I'm sorry I fell apart on you." She said, still holding his hand.
Joel shook his head, and reached over and brushed a strand of her hair from her face.
"You never have to apologize for falling apart Reid. I'll always be here to put you back together."
"You promise, Dr. Goran?"
He nodded and flashed her his best Joel Goran grin.
Oh yeah.
Definitely.
"Yes, Doctor Reid, I promise."
Alex smiled and spoke just as the elevator doors opened, "Let's pick up where we left off at home tonight okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." Joel replied, before he stepped out of the elevator.