A/N - Just my little version of Jo standing up for herself. My views are basically her views & aren't Meredith friendly. Sorry to Mer lovers :)

This Is My Bed

Jo Wilson sighed heavily before downing the last few drops of rum and coke; she normally was a beer drinker, but her nerves were shredded and she needed something with an extra kick to it. It had been a bitch of a day in the pit, and to top things off, she'd seen Meredith talking to Alex. So she knew what that meant. The brunette wasn't heartless or the jealous type, but Meredith Grey was working her nerves. Had been working her nerves for several months now. She understood that the attending had lost had best friend; Jo truly understood and was sympathetic to the woman, but her sympathy stopped cold when the surgeon appeared in her bedroom demanding that she leave bed.

And it had happened more than once.

Jo wasn't exactly sure who to be more mad at-Meredith or Alex. The disrespect Meredith was showing her was enough to drive her up the wall, but Alex allowing the surgeon to treat her that way did more damage than the brunette had realized. She was actually beginning to doubt her feelings for the peds surgeon.

"Hey, I thought you'd have left by now," Stephanie interrupted her thoughts as she plopped onto the barstool beside her friend.

"Nah, not yet," Jo replied glumly, but attempted to force a lightness into her tone. Fail.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to go home, do you?"

"Not really," the resident admitted before motioning to the bartender for another round.

"Seriously?" her friend rolled her eyes. "You haven't told Alex yet that his relationship with Meredith bugs you?"

"It doesn't bug me," Jo answered quickly. "I'm not that kind of girl...I don't get mad just because my boyfriend spends time with other people..."

"I know you're not," Stephanie said sympathetically, reaching out and patting the woman's leg. "You're just the girl who lets another woman kick you out of bed."

"Shut up!" the brunette exclaimed, gulping down the glass that was set in front of her.

Stephanie ordered a martini and hesitated before speaking again. "Enough time has passed that it's okay," she said quietly. "You're not coming across as a jealous girlfriend...it's okay to speak up..."

Jo bit her lip and stared into the glass. "They've been here since the beginning...they were in the hospital when we were still in school...I can't come between that..."

"She shouldn't be coming between you and Alex," Stephanie countered.

The resident mulled over the words. Stephanie had a point. Jo had been quite civil, all things considered. She didn't rant, rave, scream, or throw things. The young woman simply got out of bed and crashed on the couch until Meredith left.

It didn't matter that Meredith didn't care about Alex while Cristina was still here. It didn't matter that the surgeon had hardly paid attention to Jo's boyfriend for the past year. None of that mattered, obviously. It was clear that what Meredith Grey wanted, she got, no questions asked.

Jo straightened on the barstool as a fresh rage surged through her veins. "You know what, you're right!" she directed to her friend. "I've been completely understanding throughout all of this. I've been tolerant for months!"

"I wouldn't have let it last past two weeks," Stephanie stated before sipping her martini. "She's running over you, and he's letting her."

"Hell yeah he is!" Jo fumed.

"You should go handle that."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do," the resident agreed and slid off the stool, tossing some bills onto the bar. "Keep the change."

"Call me!" Stephanie called after her.

"Of course!" The resident continued to fume as she drove to the house that once belonged to Meredith. She was completely understanding of the friendship Alex and Meredith had, but most friendships had limits. Boundaries. And very few people had the balls to demand the girlfriend leave the bed so that they could get in. The brunette partly blamed herself-she was the one who left.

That all ended tonight.

Minutes later Jo left the car and entered the front door. "Alex?" she called after pushing the door closed.

"Bed," came the reply from upstairs. "Fast Five is on," the attending informed her after she climbed the stairs and entered the bedroom. "I even got that pour-over popcorn you like."

"Thanks," Jo smiled and grabbed a few pieces. It was hard to be angry with Alex when he was like this. "Mind if I catch a shower?"

"Not at all."

The resident leaned down and kissed him softly before heading for the shower. The two enjoyed the movie, cuddled, and made love before falling asleep in one another's arms, hands entwined.

However, the bliss didn't last very long.

"Wake up!" Meredith exclaimed hours later, slapping the end of the bed.

"You've got to be kidding," Alex groaned.

"I've finally figured out why I'm mad that Derek turned down Washington!"

"I don't care," the man growled, glancing over to her.

"You know I've got to talk to this out," Meredith sighed. "Wilson, out of the bed."

Jo squared her shoulders and faced the woman. "No."

"Come on, Wilson, I don't have time..."

"I said no!" the woman cut her off, causing the surgeon to stop cold. "I have every right to be here. You do not."

Meredith's eyes widened. "Excuse me..."

"I'm not finished!" the resident fired at her, sitting straight up in the bed and holding the blanket over her body. "I've been patient for the past three months while you barge in here and kick me out. This is my bed."

"Jo," Alex started, touching her shoulder gently.

"I'll get to you in a minute," Jo hissed, causing the man to withdraw. She turned snapping eyes back to the mute woman standing at the foot of her bed. "I understand that you and Alex are friends. I get it. I'm supportive of it. But I also know that you didn't give a damn about Alex as long as you had Cristina."

"That's not true," Meredith argued.

"Yes it is!" Jo fired back. "You sat with him at lunch and said hey to him at Joe's, but that was it. You didn't call him, and you certainly didn't make housecalls. The only reason you're here now is because you don't have anyone else." The brunette hesitated before speaking the words that she knew would anger her boyfriend. "And you're selfish."

"Jo," Alex frowned.

"I said I'll get to you in a minute! All that matters is what you want," the woman glared at Meredith. "You think that everyone is supposed to drop everything when you decide that you want something. You're even selfish and arrogant enough to think that you can kick me out of bed. You will not do it again. Are we clear?"

Meredith gaped at the woman before nodding slowly. "Yeah, we're clear. I, uh, I'll talk to you tomorrow, Alex."

"What did you do that for?" Alex directed to his girlfriend after his fellow attending left.

"Because it was clear you weren't going to," the brunette mumbled before tossing the covers back and climbing from the bed.

"What are you doing?" the man sighed as the woman yanked on her panties.

"I'm staying with Steph tonight."

"Jo, seriously?"

"Yes!" Jo snapped, hooking her bra and pulling the straps onto her shoulders. "You know what I realized tonight, Alex? All this time I was getting upset about Meredith barging in here...it was both of you. Both of you kicked me out of bed. Both of you had no respect for me."

"I have respect for you..."

"No, you don't," the brunette cut him off. "You let her do it, Alex. She was using you, and you didn't even see it! Meredith didn't have any time for you when she had Cristina, but now that Cristina's gone, she thinks she can snap her fingers and you'll come running." Jo yanked on her shirt and pulled on her jeans. "And that's exactly what you did."

"Jo!" Alex scrambled from the bed as the woman turned and left his room. "Come on, Jo, don't go!"

Jo whirled around to face him, causing the man to stop in his tracks. She almost weakened when she saw the confusion in his eyes, but she forced herself to remain strong. "Why? Why shouldn't I go?"

"I'm sorry!" the man exclaimed. "I just...I wasn't thinking...I mean, Meredith needed me..."

"I needed you too," Jo replied quietly. She let it hang in the air that he'd let her down; there was no need to verbalize it. The look on Alex's face told her that he got the hidden meaning. "Goodnight, Alex."

The next morning Jo pulled her hair into a pony tale as she entered the doors of the hospital. It had been a long night, and she'd slept little since leaving Alex's bed. The brunette prayed for a bloody surgery to wake her up and get the adrenaline pumping. "What's going on?" she asked as she approached the resident's lounge.

"Karev won't let anyone inside until he talks to you," Stephanie grumbled. "You definitely got his attention last night."

"It's about time," Jo murmured, tempted to leave him there.

"Get in there," Ben nodded towards the lounge. "We have to get ready! Dr. Shepherd is going to kill me if I'm late again."

Jo took a deep breath before stepping into the lounge. "Hey."

Alex moved from his seat on the bench and stood. "Hey."

Jo's eyes flicked over him. "You look like hell."

The peds surgeon chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't sleep much last night."

"Me either," the resident shrugged, looking away.

Alex swallowed before taking a step towards her. "I did a lot of thinking, and...you're right." He took a breath. "I should have thought of you when Mer showed up. I should have put you first..."

"You don't have to put me first," Jo sighed, taking a step towards him. "I get that you and Meredith go way back. I'd never want to break up your friendship. Never. I just...there needs to be some lines, you know?"

"I know," the man spoke quickly.

"Do you really?" the brunette asked skeptically. "You're not just saying what you think I want to hear, are you?"

"No," Alex laughed, taking another timid step closer to her. "I should have talked to Meredith the first night she showed up. We need to have boundaries."

"That's all I'm asking," Jo replied quietly and took another step closer to him.

Alex nodded and looked down. "Is the fight over? Cause it's killin' me..."

Jo felt herself melt. "The fight is over."

Alex scooped her into his arms and held her close, planting a gentle kiss to her mouth. His stupidity had nearly cost him the best thing in his life. Their first fight was going to be their last because he didn't plan on messing this up again.