Jo tried to pretend she didn't see his worry. He was working so hard to run the ER in mass chaos and seem in control, but she had seen the hurt in his eyes as his friends had worked on Dr. Webber. There wasn't much he could hide from her.
She felt she should do something. He was now her boyfriend after all. Boyfriend. She still hadn't gotten used to the idea. She felt a grin grow on her face. She wished they could go back in time to the on-call room. No one had ever made her feel so loved and secured and desired in her entire life. She got butterflies just thinking about it.
She went to the supply closet to get more gauze and suture kits and saw him surveying supplies. She walked up to him, "What are you doing?"
He glanced her way and his lip curled up slightly at her, "Looking to see what we may be short on."
She looked up at him and put a hand on his upper arm, "Are you okay?"
He shrugged, "I'm fine. Just another day at Mercy Death." He gave a panicked look, "That is that what you meant, right?"
Jo smiled, "You thought I was asking about before? In the on-call room?"
"We're okay…right?" he asked somewhat shyly.
Jo smiled widely, "Yeah, we're fine." She raised up to kiss him and felt a shiver run through her as his arm snaked around waist. She pulled back and stared at his full lips, "Can I ask you something?"
Alex nodded and answered slightly breathless, "Yeah."
Jo shakily brought her hand up to his chest, "What happened here?"
Alex sucked in a breath, "You saw that?"
Jo looked up at him, "I'm really observant."
Alex placed his hand over hers and deadpanned, "I got shot in a supply closet."
Jo pushed him slightly with a smile, "Shut up!"
Alex shook his head, "I'm not playing. The guy had a beef with some doctors after his wife died and wanted revenge." He shrugged, "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Jo felt her jaw slack in shock, "You're serious."
Alex nodded, "I am."
Jo shook her head, "Why have you never said anything?"
Alex reached up to lift her jaw gently back into place and cup her cheek, "Why would I? It's not a big deal."
Jo crossed her arms, "You got shot in the freaking chest, Alex. That's not a big deal? Did you have to be intubated? Did you have a chest tube? How many follow up surgeries did you need? How long…"
She was cut off by his lips meeting hers. She quickly gave over to the kiss and felt the tension leave her body. He pulled back and tenderly said, "I'm fine now. It's really not a big deal, okay?"
Jo nodded and reached to caress the spot through his scrubs once more, "You being hurt is a big deal to me, Alex." She looked up to gaze deeply into his eyes, "A very big deal."