Nurse Olivia's head pops around the door of the locker room.
-Alex, sorry I mean Dr Karev. Dr Bailey is looking for you in the ambulance bay, hurry and get changed!
-Can't she get someone else, I'm busy.
-Yeah I can see that, lounging around still in your street clothes. She specifically asked for you, I wouldn't mess with her at the moment, she is still in charge of you.
Alex shrugged stood up and changed into his scrubs, Olivia disappeared from the doorway. He tucked the letter into his lab coat and headed down to the ambulance bay. Upon arrival at the bay he was almost bowled over by Meredith and Cristina.
-Watch it, he snapped at them.
-Oh bite me, repeated Cristina, what's got up your ass this morning?
-Nothing, where are you two going in such a hurry?
-We've decided to lay low in the Clinic till things blow over with Shepard and Burke, said Meredith over her shoulder as she and Cristina skirted around the arriving ambulance.
-What's going on? Asked Izzie stepping out of the hospital, tying up her hair and looking distractedly at her two friends retreating backs.
Bailey burst through the double doors, followed by a few stray interns.
-Karev, good you're here and Stevens to, glad you got your pages. Your expertise is needed, she said looking at Alex, there was a head-on collision, the car went straight into a wall. I don't know much else other than that.
-Why is my expertise needed? Asked Alex looking annoyed. The ambulance doors opened and the paramedic hoped out,
-Margaret Sanders, 7 months pregnant, involved in a head on collision with a wall, she was the pasenger. As the patient was removed from the ambulance, a large shard of glass could be seen sticking out of her bump. There was an intake of breathe by all those waiting in the bay, the new interns looked on eagerly, some slightly green. As they began wheeling the gurney into the hospital, Bailey barked orders to the interns, Alex narkily said:
-I still don't see why I'm needed.
-Well Karev, you're not usually one to turn down surgeries. And usually I would flip and tell you where to go, but unfortunately we need YOU! With Addison gone you are the most qualified to look after this woman's baby, there has been little foetal movement detected by the paramedics. If this baby is still alive we need you to look after it while I take care of the mother. You spent so much time working one on one with Dr Montgomery and she rated you the best interns she had ever worked with, despite the attitude.
Izzie smirked and snorted slightly at the one on one comment, muttering, I'll bet he did under her breathe. Alex glowered at her,
-Something you care to share Stevens? Asked Bailey, Izzie shook her head, Good go and prep OR 1 we need to see what's going on in there.
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-That was amazing! Said Izzie, sitting down on a gurney in the deserted hallway Alex sat beside her and started eating not saying a word, she continued, I have never seen anything like it. You took complete control, and preformed that C section flawlessly. You saved that baby's life! She took a breather to take a bite of her sandwich and waited for a reply, or some sort of acknowledgment. Alex just kept staring at the lino floor in front of him, not saying a word, munching pensively on his own food, he didn't seem to be listening to a word she said. The way you stood up to Bailey, I have never even seen the other attendings do that. When the baby became distressed and she insisted on continuing with the mother, the way you just took control and opened her up to rescue the baby! Amazing! She said, still not getting a response, she looked at him funnily, he didn't even appear to be listening to her at all. She asks him is everything ok, he still ignores her. She places her hand on his arm and shakes him slightly, Alex? You alright, you're being very quiet!
-What?...Oh yeah,…no I'm fine. She looked at him sceptically and doesn't look like she believes him.
-I'm going to the vending machine, do you want anything?
-I'm fine, he said, she gave him another odd look and then walked off to the vending machine, somehow she didn't think he'd heard the question at all.
Alex took the letter out of his pocket, unfolded it and reread it. He's so engrossed in the letter that he doesn't notice Izzie returning.
-What you got there? Anything good?, She asks and takes the piece of paper out of his hand thinking it's test results. He tries to take it back off her but she squirms away.
-Izzie, give it back! Her eyes widen in shock, Oh my God Alex! I'm so sorry, this is none of my business.
-No it isn't, he says and snatches the letter back. She looks awkward for a minute, then looks at him and asks, what are you going to do?
-I don't know yet, I haven't decided
-Alex, he's your dad,. She says
-It's not that simple, Iz, you don't know, you couldn't possibly understand. He says getting mad, his jaw jutting out in anger.
Flashback to a younger Alex pulling a man off a woman and throwing him out of the house. Then Alex walks back over to the woman, picks her up and holds her. "It's okay mom, I won't let him hurt you again."
-Try me, says Izzie sympathetically, God knows I need a distraction. She could see the pain on his face, she saw the distant look. She placed her hand reassuringly on his arm and gave it a squeeze. Alex looks at her and sees the pain in her eyes too.
-Tit for tathe says, you tell me, I'll tell you. That's how friendships work right?
-Deal, she says then repositions herself on the gurney to listen to him, you first.
Alex tells her all about his childhood, his dad abusing his mother and not seeing him since he fought back and threw him out after he hit his mom again, about his mom dying when he was half way through med-school and her pride in him being the only thing that kept him going. And now his dad was dying of cancer and doesn't have very long and how he's unsure whether he wants to see him again. His sister wrote the letter,telling him that his dad was asking for him, he was too much of a coward to write to me himself, he finished bitterly.
-Oh my God Alex…
-Your turn now, tell me what's bothering you.
Izzie sighs, Where to begin? I slept with George, after he married Callie. They had some argument and he came running home, we got drunk and ended up sleeping together. Then I realised I had feelings for him, but he loves Callie and wont leave her, and then he put in for a transfer to Mercy West to get away from me. And then on Cristina's non-wedding day Callie announces that they are trying to have a baby together and that she is now our boss as she got Chief Resident. I feel like I've lost my best friend and I just want him back.
-What is it about Bambi that both you and Grey fell for? Must be the deer caught in headlights, lost puppy thing he's got going on, smirks Alex.
-Not funny! She says but smiles while playfully slapping him. He looks at her seriously,
-Look Iz, if George can't see you for the amazingly beautiful woman you are and chooses Torres over you then he doesn't deserve you!
-About your dad, I think you should go see him. Alex tenses and shakes his head, I don't know if you remember the car crash kid from early in our intern year. His dad was abusive, and you told him that if you could do it over you'd want to see your dad again. Now's your chance, don't let it pass you by, you may not get another one. Her beeper went off and she looked at it.
-You heard all that?
-Yeah, she said blushing slightly, it was that compassion, honesty and vulnerability that had me fall for you. Looking awkward, she stands up and smiles softly at him. I'll catch you at home.
-Izzie, don't worry about O'Malley, all that stuff will sort itself out.
-How do you know? She asked doe eyed and worried,
-Because it did for us and we were in much deeper. You just need time… He smiled softly at her also standing.
-I'd best answer this page, thanks for everything Alex. He hugged her, she rested her head on his shoulder and nuzzled into his neck, they stepped back from each other a little surprised at how right that felt. Erm, I have to go get this page, she said looking kinda awkward then turned and walked off down the corridor.
-Thank You Iz. He said softly, then picked up the chart off the gurney and headed in the other direction to check on the premi baby that he had just delivered on his own, smiling slightly to himself.
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George stepped out of Callie's office. I have to do this Callie, this is where I belong. She nodded, he kissed her on the cheek. Her face looked like thunder as she watched him walk down the corridor towards the Chief's office.
Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for the reviews, it's great to know people are reading and enjoying what I'm trying to do. I'll try and get the next chapter up before I am without internet for three weeks, but I'm not making any promises as I still have an exam to go. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
