A/N So in case you don't figure this out, these are one-shots, but they just so happen to follow one story. Like all one-shots, though, they'd still make enough sense by themselves.

Disclaimer All Shonda's, not mine.

Sobriety Never Works

"Look, all I'm saying is that we're different. You and I are different. I didn't mean to say one or the other of us is better, just different," Jo insisted as she and Alex quickly crossed the street to Joe's. It was a cold night and she clutched her thin coat tightly against her, trying her hardest to fend off the chill. He grunted in response and glared at her.

They entered the bar and, as had become the usual for them, walked up to the counter. Joe took one look at Jo's exasperated expression and Alex's pissed one before sighing. "What's up his ass?" he asked Jo as he gestured to Alex.

Alex opened his mouth to answer but Jo cut him off. "He thinks I think I'm better than him."

After blinking twice, "You are better than him."

Once she heard that, Jo couldn't help but laugh while Alex just glared some more. Joe looked between the two of them again and decided a change of subject was in order. "Karev, beer? Wilson, tequila?"

Nodding, Alex pulled off his coat. "Sounds about right," he said, not bothering to ask Jo.

She straightened her spine and grinned a proud smile. "Actually, I'm trying something new."

The two boys looked warily at each other.

"Gin?" Alex guessed.

"Vodka?" Joe guessed.

She gave them both her best withering glare- which made them struggle to hold in laughter. "No," she began haughtily. "For an undetermined amount of time, I have decided to try sobriety. Oh, and I'm a vegan now."

Alex snorted. "You can't be sober. Or a vegan. I give you two days," he said.

"Your faith in me is astounding," she muttered sarcastically. "Joe, get the man a beer. And, um, get me some nuts. Vegans like nuts, right?" Joe nodded and complied to her wishes before going to make idle small talk with someone else.

Giving her an odd look, Alex said, "If you're being sober then why'd you come here with me?" He raised a questioning eyebrow.

She shrugged. "Well, we've come here every Friday for the past two months. Couldn't bail on you now. And it's not like I had anything better to do." She wasn't brave enough to tell him the real reason; that she really just wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. This whole being in love with him thing really sucked.

"You're always telling me I have no friends, but I'm really starting to think you don't either," he teased. Apparently, her pledging sobriety had knocked the crabbiness right out of him.

With a smile, she popped an almond into her mouth. "You realise that would make us best friends, yeah, Karev?"

He groaned. "Oh, God. The horror," he mumbled.

Her face lit up in amusement. "And we could plait each others hair, and buy each other breakfast and-"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry; you're the most popular person I've ever met. Happy?"

Eating another almond, she grinned wickedly. "Exceptionally so."

Jo played with the fraying edges of her jacket while discreetly studying him from the corner of her eye. She chewed on almonds (they had to be her favourite thing in the world) and wondered why she couldn't just tell him. It was rather pathetic.

It wasn't that she was scared he didn't feel the same. In fact, she was actually quite sure he did feel the same. It was more that she had never been all that good at putting herself out there- and the fact that he'd turned her down once before certainly didn't help. Him being her boss also inclined her to the 'suffer in silence' route.

"Where's your head at?" Alex's voice cut through her thoughts.

She pulled a face. "Just a, uh, crabby patient I got stuck with today." Screw sobriety, she thought bitterly. "Joe! I need tequila."

Alex then laughed at her for a good ten minutes. "And you wonder why I have no faith in you," he choked out between chuckles. "I gave you two days, at least. But you lasted a quarter of an hour. That is all you, not me."

Sighing, "You know nothing. I was actually sober for three days."

He shook his head and clapped her on the back. "Good job, Wilson. Good job. I am immensely proud of you."

Once she considered his words, she smiled. "Are you by any chance proud enough to pay for this tequila?"

"That and every one after," he said, raising his glass to her. A moment later he frowned. "Well, every one tonight. Then I think I'll have shown my pride enough."

"I suppose that will do," Jo sighed and dramatically clasped her hands together, as if paying for her own drink marked the end of the world.

Alex mumbled about her being a piece of work and ordered her another shot of tequila. An hour later and they were both far more drunk than they ought to be.

"You know, Joe," Alex was saying to Joe. "I think it is super cool that you're gay. I've never had a gay friend before. I mean, Robbins and Torres are lesbians, but they're not gay, y'know?"

Joe, needless to say, looked a little freaked out by this. "Uh, okay. Great."

Eyes wide, Jo squealed. "Alex! You've been holding out on me; you really do have friends!" She threw her arms around him. "Good for you." Realising how hugging him around the torso while he just sat there was rather awkward, she pulled away. She cleared her throat. "Joe, Alex," she started. "I think I might be drunk."

They both had different reactions to this. Joe laughed and nodded, while Alex shook his head. "Nah. You're sober, remember?"

She smiled broadly. "Yes! Let's go with that. If anyone asks, I'm completely sober. But in the meantime, I have to go to the bathroom."

As she sauntered off towards the bathroom, Alex realised something. "Joe..." he trailed off, staring after her.

"Hmm?"

Alex tore his eyes away from Jo when the door swung shut behind her. "Have you ever noticed how great her ass is?" he asked.

Shaking his head, Joe took away Alex's drink. "No, I haven't," he said. "And I think you've had too much to drink."

"And she's really pretty, too. Prettiest girl I know."

Joe leaned across the bar. "Yeah," he said slowly. "And she's also an intern."

"So? That's never stopped me before," Alex protested.

Rolling his eyes, Joe shook his head again. "You're following her into that bathroom no matter what I say, aren't you?"

Alex didn't answer. Instead, he stood up and headed towards the bathroom wihout glancing back.

A/N I like reviews. *hint hint*. Goodbye, fellow Jolex fans.