Hi, I'm a first time GA author, but I've been writing for other things for a while now. Hope you enjoy my fic. 'Twas originally going to be a one shot, but it was too long, so it'll be posted in two parts. Review and tell me what you think before I post the second part please :D

By the way, I live in Northern Ireland, so I haven't seen any Season 3 yet, or even the end of Season 2. This is based on the spoilers I've read, and the clips I've seen on YouTube.

Also, I know no medical stuff, so I avoid it where possible

Set a month after staring at the sun

Broken

"Where's Karev?" Bailey looked up from her chart, surrounded by four of her interns. There was a general murmuring and shrugging from the other four. He had seemed fine yesterday, but then again, he hadn't gone to the bar with them that night…

"Anyone know?" she asked impatiently

"Maybe he's sick" Meredith piped up

"Hopefully seriously, extremely sick," George muttered darkly, "Might keep him off for a while. Give us all some peace."

"What was that, O'Malley?"

"Nothing" he replied quickly. Izzie fought the urge to laugh out loud. She knew she shouldn't for a number of reasons. She was still on probation since returning to work for one thing. She didn't want to meet anymore of Bailey's wrath.

Secondly, since the whole Denny think had unfolded, Alex had been her rock, making her smile again, which at times, she'd never thought she'd be able to do again. He'd walked with her, sat with her at lunch, and spoken to her, when it seemed like the entire hospital was never going to cease staring at her, only speaking to her in hushed tones, as if they expected she would shatter if anyone spoke any louder to her. He and George were the only two to follow her out when she quit the hospital, her two boys. George, the best friend, and Alex, the… she didn't really know how to describe him. Once upon a time, so very long ago, it would have simply been 'boyfriend', but no longer.

Ironically, Alex and George couldn't stand one another, their only connections being the hospital and her. They took every opportunity to get at each other, such as George had, seconds before.

"He's probably just slept in" Izzie assured Bailey

"For his sake, I hope he's dying" Bailey snapped, "Because if he's late again I'll have him out of surgery for a fortnight." Izzie suddenly hoped her friend was sick too, because she knew what it was like to be out of surgery for elongated periods of time. It was torture to watch your friends go in, and excel, while you were alone in the viewing area, watching enviously.

"Anyway, if he decides to turn up, he can catch up with us. We can't wait any longer." Bailey led the way through the corridor, and Izzie glanced one last time over her shoulder, expecting to see him burst through the doors as they left, but he didn't appear.

Sighing, she promised internally to call him later. It wasn't like any of the other interns would. She tried to focus on the patient Bailey was introducing, but she couldn't concentrate, her mind drifting off to meaningless matters, such as what she'd get for lunch, anything to keep her wandering mind to Denny. She was slowly getting over him, but it would take time before she could ever fully commit to another man. Alex had made the mistake in kissing her a month back, but she'd attempted to let him down gently. It wasn't like she'd never get back to him, she still had some feelings for him, buried deep beneath the regret, hurt and sorrow that wracked her body, but it would take time for her to heal emotionally. Luckily, Alex got that, and they'd gotten back to being 'just friends', an act which she could tell was painful for him, but she needed him right now, so couldn't push him away completely.

"Stevens!" Bailey half bellowed, bring Izzie back to Earth with a bump

"Sorry, what?"

"Page Addison Montgomery Shepherd. I need a consult on this patient. And pay attention!" Izzie nodded silently, fiddling with her pager, "Stay here and wait for her, give her the details of this case" Izzie nodded again, thankful that she'd been at least half listening to what Bailey had been saying. Enough to pick up the jist of the case, anyway.

However, she waited for what seemed like an age, and she'd received no response from Addison. Frowning, and apologising to the waiting pregnant woman, she walked to the nurse's station, and asked Nurse Olivia

"Is Dr. Montgomery Shepherd in today?" now she thought about it, it did seem odd that both she and Alex would be absent. She'd heard rumours through the grapevine that there had been a lot of flirting flying between the pair, but she hadn't really thought anything was ever in it. Alex would surely have mentioned it if there had been, wouldn't he? Despite that surprisingly comforting thought, she couldn't help but imagine what they would look like as a couple. Alex's clearly handsome figure teamed with Addison's beauty was certainly believable, but would they actually consider one another as a potential lover? Izzie found herself hoping that they couldn't.

Anyway, Alex still cared about Izzie, didn't he? Or had he finally moved on, after another rejection? Despite knowing she still wasn't ready for a relationship with him, Izzie was now desperate to know the answers. She vowed to ask him next time she saw him, even though she was full aware of the hurt it would cause him if he still did want her, and the pain she would feel if he no longer harboured those feelings.

"Hold on, I'll check" Olivia said rather coldly to Izzie, startling her from her train of thought. She'd half forgotten she'd asked her a question.

"Yeah, she was late, but she's here now," she said, flipping through a chart

"Thanks" Izzie returned to her patient's side. Where could she be then?

She soon found her answer. Less than thirty seconds later, Bailey, closely tailed by George, Christina and Meredith strutted through the ward, heading directly towards her.

"Doctor Montgomery Shepherd hasn't…" she trailed off when she noticed the serious look on all of their faces, "What's wrong?"

"Izzie" Meredith placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. That couldn't be a good sign

"What is it?" she asked, getting more and more worried every moment Meredith took to choose her words.

"There was an accident; on the road between the city and our house… the cars were completely wrecked…"

"Why are you telling me this?" Izzie had a sickening feeling she knew what was coming

"Alex was driving one of them." Meredith finished. Izzie had predicted that it would be something along those lines; from Meredith's expression and tone, but that had still thrown her.

"Is he okay?" she finally managed to speak.

"We don't know, we're going to see him now. His ambulance is on the way."

"Not everyone can come" Bailey interrupted, "Burke needs two interns for a surgery" Izzie was out of active duty for surgery, so that excused her indefinitely

"I'll do it" George volunteered.

"And me" Christina agreed. Neither of them was close to Alex. Izzie gave them a watery smile, before falling into step beside Meredith as Bailey led the way to the ambulance bay.

Izzie barely noticed as Meredith tied the protective plastic sheet for her. She was too anxious to focus on anything, apart from the approaching ambulance, that could contain Alex. However, as it pulled up, and the paramedics pulled out a young woman, Izzie asked Meredith,

"What happened?"

"A man tried to overtake someone. He ploughed right into Alex's car."

"Why was he going that way anyway?" Izzie wondered, "The hospital's in the opposite direction…" Meredith shrugged, and Izzie lost all focus again as another ambulance pulled in. Again she lost interest as a teenager was pulled from it. The paramedic called out some background information that Izzie paid no attention to, already spotting the other ambulance

"That's the boy that hit Alex" Meredith whispered from beside her, bringing Izzie back to Earth. Her eyes fell on the culprit instantly, and were surprised to notice a young man, who barely looked old enough to drive. He was conscious, a look of complete panic on his face, eyes wide, and hands clutching at the oxygen mask on his face. All anger she'd felt towards the boy for hurting Alex dissolved instantly and pity replaced it.

"Someone needs to go with him" A resident said from where he was attending another man

"Stephens, go" Bailey ordered

"But I…"

"Go. Now"

"I can go instead" Meredith offered

"I need you here in case we have to operate on Karev. Izzie, you have to go with the boy. Now!"

"Okay" Izzie replied numbly, following the stretcher.

Izzie stumbled through her care of the man, all thoughts elsewhere. What if she lost Alex, like she'd lost Denny?

"Izzie" Meredith's voice sounded from behind her, making her jump, "Alex is going to be okay. He doesn't even need surgery. Bailey told me to take over here, so you can go see him. He's on the 2nd floor, third room on the right"

"Thanks" was all Izzie managed to blurt out before she half ran to the stairs.

She burst into his room, without bothering to knock.

"Alex, I…" she trailed off when she noticed there was someone else in the room; perched on his bed "What are you doing here?" she couldn't help but ask

"I was worried about Alex" Addison replied innocently. Izzie nodded, trying to control her suspicion. Alex had been assigned to her for a while after all; of course they'd grown close. It didn't mean anything was going on. However, one look at Alex's guilty expression told Izzie everything she needed to know.

"I'm sorry, I'll come back later" she told the pair, turning to leave the way she came in

"Izzie, wait, I was just leaving" Addison stood

"No, it's okay, really" Izzie backed out of the room, "I just wanted to… I have to go,"

"Izzie" Alex called after her, but she kept on walking, raising a trembling hand to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes.

What does everyone think? Worth my while continuing?