The Ring
Disclaimer: Sadly, I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies.
Pairing: Joel & Alex (or if you prefer) Alex & Joel
Rating: T (for suggestive language)
Summary: A domestic incident reminds Alex & Joel of their past.
Joel Goran walked through the front door, trying not to wake Alex or any of the kids. It had been a long day and as always he was happy to be home.
"Alex? Are you still up?" Joel called softly as he walked up the stairs, draping his jacket over the banister as he went.
It had been his wife's day off and she'd been home with all three of the kids all day.
She's probably just as exhausted as I am.
As he reached the top of the stairs he saw the light on in the bathroom. The door was ajar and he could see the familiar silhouette of his wife body through the partially open door.
Joel pushed opened the door and smiled at the sight of his beautiful wife on her knees in front of the bathtub, barefoot and wearing nothing but one of his white T-shirts.
She always looks like a million bucks.
No matter what she's wearing.
He let out a low whistle as he caught a glimpse of her rear end.
"Are you considering a career change Reid? Because you're definitely the most beautiful plumber I've ever seen."
When she didn't reply, he laid his hand on her shoulder. She jumped a little and muttered a curse.
"Joel, baby, you scared me," She said, turning slightly to look at him, and he could see the dark circles of exhaustion beneath her eyes. There was a mysterious orange stain on the front of the T-shirt she wore. Several strands of her dark hair had come loose from her ponytail. And he brushed them away from her face with a touch of his hand.
"My apologies, Doctor Reid. And not that I don't appreciate this beautifully domestic tableau, but can I ask what you're doing?"
Alex sighed, "Kiss me first, because after I tell this you'll realize what a terrible wife I am and you'll take the kids and leave me."
He met her eyes and took a step closer to her, "You're a wonderful wife and no matter what you do I'll never leave you. Ever. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?"
Before she could answer he gave her a kiss so passionate that it left her breathless.
After a long moment he pulled away but he put his hand on the small of her back, and smiled, "Now, Doctor Reid, please tell me the reason for your recent foray into the fascinating world of plumbing."
"Well you know how Theo had a fever last night?"
Joel nodded, as he recalled the fact that Alex had been awake all night with their youngest son.
That's probably why she looks so tired.
"He still had it tonight and I had to give Luke and Charlotte their baths before I put them to bed anyway so I figured why not just bathe all three of them, right?"
Joel smiled, "Sorry, I missed that, love. The most exciting thing I did today was a double knee replacement."
It was Alex's turn to smile, "So after that, I put Luke and Charlotte to bed and gave Theo some Children's Motrin which he then spit up all over my shirt."
That explains the orange mystery stain.
"I believe you mean my shirt, Doctor Reid," Joel interrupted smiling.
Alex shrugged, "Yes well, Doctor Goran, it just so happens that you weren't here and I missed you. So I put on one of your shirts. Would you like me to take it off?"
This time it was Joel who smiled, "Yes, ma'am I would but finish your story first so you'll have my full undivided attention."
"I got Theo out of the tub, got him dressed, and he finally went to sleep. And that's when I realized that my ring was missing."
"Which ring?" Joel asked, although from her agitated and anxious state he could clearly deduce that her wedding ring.
She looked at him with her blue eyes wide and incredulous. Her face flushed and tear-stained.
"My wedding ring, Joel!" Her voice rising with the force of her emotion.
"I've looked everywhere. In the soap dish by the sink. Between the couch cushions. I even moved Theo's crib and checked behind it. It's gone. Then I realized that it must've gone down the drain. I'm sorry. Joel, baby, can you ever forgive me?"
There's nothing to forgive.
If anyone should be asking for forgiveness, it was Joel.
Alex had already forgiven him for so much.
For the failed mess that their relationship had been before they'd had Luke and gotten married.
For the cheating.
For pushing away the only woman that had ever really meant anything to him.
He stopped the flow of her words with yet another passionate kiss. "Does that answer your question, Reid?"
She was only nodded because she was too breathless to speak as Joel smudged away the tears on her face with the back of his hand.
"We'll find your ring, Alex." He said in the same confident voice that he used in the O.R. that could convince her of anything and turn her on at the same time. "And if we don't I'll buy you another one. I'm not a first year resident, anymore."
"That's not the point Joel. That ring represents this part of our lives together. The best part."
"I know," He replied. "We'll find it." He repeated in the same confident voice.
He remembered everything about that ring.
The moment he saw it in the shop window and knew it was the perfect ring.
The fact that he'd been so nervous to ask her that he'd worn it on a chain around his neck for weeks while he got up the courage to ask her.
How scared he'd been when he'd almost been blown up, and hadn't been present when their son Luke was born.
How he almost hadn't gotten the chance.
The way his hand shook as he slipped the ring onto her left hand.
The way her voice shook when she whispered the word yes so softly that at first he wasn't sure if he'd heard it.
"I bet you a dirty weekend that we find that ring, Doctor Reid."
"You're on, Doctor Goran. Why does everything have to be a competition with you?"
"Because I know you can't resist it."
She smiled, pulling his towards her, "It's not competition I can't resist. It's you."
Joel chucked, "Why don't you go and take a nice hot shower in the master bathroom while I find your ring?"
"I'd love to. But I can't." She replied, exhaling deeply.
"Why not?" Joel asked.
It was at that moment the answer finally dawned on him.
Her right hand from wrist to fingertip was stuck in the tub's drain.
"Jesus, Alex, you really do know how to bury the lead don't you, love? How long has your hand been stuck like that?"
Alex shrugged, "Not sure. Maybe a half hour before you got home."
"A half hour! Alex why didn't you call me?" Joel shouted, incredulously.
"I was bathing the kids and I didn't have my cell phone handy. No pun intended. Plus I knew that my gorgeous orthopedic surgeon husband and his steady as a rock hands would come home and come to my rescue eventually."
Joel chuckled again, as he leaned forward to see how deeply his wife's talented general surgeon hand was stuck in the drain.
"Don't move, Reid. I'll be right back."
Alex just rolled her eyes as Joel pressed a kiss against her forehead and then disappeared down the stairs.
Joel returned to the bathroom a few minutes later with a pair of yellow rubber gloves from under the kitchen sink, a tub of butter and a bottle of Crisco.
Alex laughed out loud, and Joel flashed her one of his trademark grins, "It'll be sticky and slippery but it beats a pair of bolt cutters."
"God, I would've killed to have seen that, Joel."
"Well, you're about to see something almost as miraculous. Just try to keep very still and let me know if you feel any pain all right?"
Alex pursed her lips together and tried not to laugh as she watched Joel slather her hand and the drain with cooking oil and butter.
"You know what this reminds me of?" Alex asked.
Without missing a beat or looking up, Joel answered, "The guy who got his hand stuck in the condom machine."
"I can't believe you remember that!"
"I remember how terribly awkward that double date was. And I remember getting that guy's hand out of that machine was the best part of the evening."
"Hey, at least you were on a date with someone you actually liked. I was on a blind date with a guy who's only goal was to get into my pants."
"If he'd tried to so much as kiss you I would've punched him."
"And if you had you'd have broken your hand in another bar fight."
"For you, Reid, it would've been worth it."
Alex laughed, "My hero. Don't worry, Joel baby nobody gets into my pants but you."
This time it was Joel who laughed, " Can you imagine if we would've been on that date together? It would've made things a lot easier."
"When have we ever done things the easy way?" She asked wincing as Joel tried and failed to pull her hand free.
"That's true. After all I am trying to pull your hand out of a shower drain right now."
"It's my wedding ring, Joel!" Alex protested, wincing once more, as Joel made a second attempt to set her free.
"I know, love. I know. And we'll get it back. Just promise me that if this ever happens again you'll call me. Or a plumber."
"I promise but if I call you will you wear the ass-crack bearing jeans just like a plumber?"
Joel didn't look up, but Alex didn't have to see her husband's face to know that he was smiling.
"Doctor Reid, if you want to see my ass all you have to do is ask."
"You promise?" She asked.
"Yes ma'am. I promise. Now, I want you try to put your hand out very slowly."
Alex moved her arm, just the slightest bit and her hand came free with no injuries other than a bloody scraped knuckle.
Joel peered into the shower drain, "I'm sorry love. I don't see your ring."
"Thank you, Doctor Goran." Alex whispered, slowly getting to her feet after too much time spent on the bathroom floor.
"You're welcome, Doctor Reid. Let me take a look at that hand."
Alex shook her head, "No, Joel baby it's fine."
"Alex, just humor me please. I just want to make sure you're okay."
Alex sighed, and sat on the edge of the bathtub, while Joel carefully examined her hand.
"Flex your fingers."
Alex did as she was told and glanced at Joel who nodded, "Okay, make a fist."
Again Alex did as her husband instructed, and he gave her one final nod.
"Your hand might be sore for a few days. Once you're out of the shower, I'll bandage that knuckle for you."
Joel got to his feet and took the butter and the Crisco back to the kitchen while Alex headed for the master bathroom to shower.
A few minutes later, Joel heard the shower running and went into the bedroom to get a change of clothes.
On the nightstand on Alex's side of the bed was the familiar black velvet box. Joel pulled his shirt over his head, threw it in the hamper, and then opened the box.
The ring was in the box, almost as if it had been there all along.
Joel stripped out of the rest of his clothes and went into the master bathroom, pulling back the curtain even as his wife still stood under the hot spray.
"You owe me a dirty weekend Reid. I found your ring."
Joel smiled as he watched her eyes light up as she pulled him into the shower with her.
"Care to join me, Doctor Goran? I'd like to see your ass."
"Yes ma'am." Joel replied, kissing her lips and closing the shower curtain.