Would you cry

If you saw me cryin'

Would you save my soul tonight?

-Enrique Iglesias

Over the next few days, it became obvious to the other interns that something was wrong between Izzie and Alex. Meredith had a better idea than most, and gave Alex sympathetic glances every time she caught him looking at Izzie with the pain in his eyes just barely concealed.

Izzie was the recipient of some unsolicited advice. "I don't know what you did to Karev, but he looks like a puppy you keep kicking over and over," Cristina observed on the third day. "Fix it. I can't stand those mournful brown eyes another minute."

"You're miserable, Izzie," George complained the fourth time he had to repeat what he said while she stared into space. "You know I don't like Alex, but it's obvious to everyone he's in love with you and you're in love with him. I don't know why you're not together, but if you don't figure it out soon, you're not as smart as I thought you were."It was those words ringing in her ears when she looked up at the people who were staring at her as if she was their personal Savior. "Dr. Isobel Stevens?"

And with those words, her world came crashing down yet again.

She was lying facedown on the bed, her thoughts spinning out of control in her head, when Bailey came in wearing a concerned expression. "Let me call Karev. You need him here with you."Izzie shook her head. "No," she denied, her voice muffled against the bed. "I don't want him to know.""I didn't say you had to tell him," Bailey reminded her. "I just said you need him."

"Does everyone in this hospital think Alex and I are meant to be together?" Izzie muttered in resignation.

Bailey smirked. "I still think Karev needs a good smack upside the head now and then, but he's a good man. Better when he's around you. And you're better when you're around him. Happier. Seems to me that isn't something you should let go of easily."

Izzie was silent for a moment. "Please get him," she whispered, and Bailey walked out with a smile of satisfaction.

It was only a few minutes later when Alex came into the room, worry etched across his face. "Iz, what's going on?" he asked. "Bailey wouldn't tell me anything but that you needed me."

Izzie's face crumpled. "My baby," she whispered, the tears choking her and making it impossible for her to say any more.

Alex was thunderstruck. Izzie was pregnant? His mind went blank and he fought to remember what was important. They could deal with the pregnancy later, right now he needed to know why Izzie was so upset and what he could do for her.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently, looking her over for signs of physical ailments or distress. "Are you having a miscarriage?"Izzie shook her head and gave a hiccupping laugh. "No, Alex," she assured him. "I'm not pregnant." He didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed, but waited patiently for the rest of what she had to say. She took a deep, steadying breath before speaking. "I have an eleven-year-old-daughter. She's in Peds, waiting for a transfusion of my bone marrow because she has leukemia. Her adoptive parents asked me to donate because she'll die without it." Her voice hitched on the last few felt like he'd taken a punch to the gut. Izzie had an eleven-year-old daughter? He wondered how much else he didn't know about her, but it didn't matter. Everything he learned only tightened the bond between them.

"She's going to beat this, Iz," he promised her. He took her hands and gripped them tightly. "She's your blood. She's a fighter, and she's strong, and someday she's going to thank you for giving her everything it took to survive this, not just the marrow."

Izzie smiled through her tears. "I bet she's beautiful."Alex grinned at her. "Of course she is. She's yours, isn't she? With a mom as beautiful as you, she's got to be a knockout."

Izzie laid her head back down as the doctor came in to withdraw the marrow. "Don't leave me."

Alex laced his fingers through hers as the needle entered her spine and she flinched. "Never."