Chapter 14

Two days later - June 4th

A baby bomb went off, that was the one and only was to describe the current state of Jo and Alex's house. Every where you looked; in every nook and cranny there was some sort of baby product.

All five babies had been home together for no more then 48 hours and they had already turned their parents lives upside down. A schedule and routine was their saving grace and both Alex and Jo relied on the 'Karev quint schedule and routine' religiously. Their was no way they could get by without it. It housed all of the important details for each quint: When they last ate, how much they ate, bowel motions, wet nappies, when they last slept, how long they slept and when each said task was due to take place again.

Currently all five babies were in the living room and asleep in their 'rock- n- plays.' "I've never been so tired," Jo sighs as she flops back on the couch next to Alex.

"Me either," he adds.

"I thought being pregnant and exhausted would of prepared me for this, but nope, it didn't even come close to preparing me," She replies with a sigh.

"And we're only two days in having them all home," Alex complains.

"I don't think I've showered since they've been home. I'm too tired to remember if I have, you?" Jo asks as she looks over at Alex.

"I don't remember the last time I ate," he sighs.

"And I look like a hot mess who can't pull herself together," She complains. Jo's hair was half in a ponytail while the other half had fallen out and looked like a bird's nest. She was wearing no makeup and had a patch of spit-up on the back of her tee-shirt. Large bags were under her eyes and she felt like a zombie.

"You look like a woman who's just brought quintuplets home," Alex replies.

They lie in complete silence for the next too minutes until hearing the doorbell ring.

Jo and Alex look over at each other, "Did you invite somebody over?" he asks her.

"No… I don't think," Jo replies.

"Who could it be?" Alex questions.

"I don't know, but I'm not ready for people to come and visit. Look at this place…. Look at me! We're both complete messes," Jo states frankly.

The doorbell rings once again and one of the babies begins to stir, 'Crap, no, no!" Jo says as she leaps over to Bella to settle her before her stirs became cries that woke up the other babies.

After Bella was settled Jo and Alex both headed to the front door. Alex opens up the door and they see Steph standing in front of them, "Hi," Steph says while Alex and Jo stare blankly at her. "Do I get a hi?" Steph questions.

"Steph," Jo says shocked.

"Wow, you guys both look like a hot mess. What is going on in there?" Steph questions.

Jo gives a faint smile before they begin to hear a baby cry. "Oh no, Grace awake," Jo sighs exhaustedly.

"Isn't that Felicity?" Alex questions.

"No, It's Grace," Jo replies. She heads back down the hallway and to the living room to attend to Grace.

"Oh my goodness, did you guys have twins?" Steph questions excitedly. She rushes past Alex and down to the living room to find Jo. As she turns the corner she notices the mess and stops. "Oh, My, God. One, two, three, four and five," she says in shock.

"We didn't just have twins, we had quints," Alex says as he walks up behind her.

"Ah yeah, I can see that," Steph replies horrified. "That explains this," Steph states as she points to the hot messes that were Jo and Alex.

Scene break

"Wow, I don't even know what to say," Steph states as she sits in the dinning room of Jo and Alex's house with them.

"I don't think there is anything you can say," Jo responds.

"I leave you for a year and this is what happens? You knock her up with Quints Karev?" Steph questions.

"What can I say. My boys are powerful," Alex grins.

"Well, you're not wrong there," Steph remarks. "What are their names? How old are they?" She asks curiously.

"They're 19 weeks old… 7 weeks corrected," Alex replies.

"Their names are Phoebe Helen, Felicity Brooke, Bella Alexandra, Lina Meredith and Grace Stephanie," Jo smiles.

"Stephanie?" She questions.

Jo nods her head, "After you. You're my best friend. You're my person."

"Well then, don't tell the kids, but I have a favourite," Steph laughs.

Jo and Alex give a little chuckle. "God, I can't imagine what you you must have been through. Being pregnant with 5 babies, a long NICU stay and now you have 5 babies. I can't believe that you have 5 babies. That's just freaking insane," Steph says unbelievably.

"It was a journey of mixed emotions and struggles, but we did it and all we have to do now is survive the next 18 years," Jo laughs.

"I would have loved to see you pregnant ," Steph laughs.

"You would have taken much pleasure from that," Alex chuckles.

"So um, how have you been?" Jo asks Steph.

Steph smiles, "I've been good. Traveled a lot. I've been to most of the world by now."

"Oh! I bet! What was your favourite place? Where are you off to next? Oh! Photos, photos! I need to see photos. Like lots and lots of photos, " Jo rants.

"Wow, That was a lot of questions in such a short amount of time. Are you alright? Karev, is she alright?" Steph questions.

"She doesn't get out much anymore," Alex replies a mater of factly.

"Karev, you need to walk her. She will go insane and I will tell you that I told you so," Steph warns.

"She's stubborn. She won't leave them," Alex replies.

"Well, after everything we went through in the NICU, can you blame me?" Jo questions.

Alex shakes his head, "no."

"You didn't answer my questions Steph. And if my calculations are correct, we got exactly 10 minutes and 42 seconds until Lina wakes up, with the rest following in suite," Jo advises.

"I literally never thought I'd hear you say that," Steph chuckles. "Anyway. Favourite place by far has been Europe. You just can't beat those sunsets. I have plenty of photos, don't worry. And yes, you will get to see them all. And I'm actually not going anywhere next. I'm back," Steph smiles.

"Like, back in Seattle back?" Jo questions.

"Back as in Grey Sloan back," Steph responds.

"I know I'm insanity sleep deprived, but did you just say what I thought you just said?" Jo questions.

Steph nods her head, "I talked to Bailey. I'm back. I start next week. I'll be a fifth year resident again."

"Oh my god, that's great! I mean, I won't be there, which is sad for you, but Alex will look out for you. And this just gives me one more excuse to go to the hospital with the girls," Jo says excitedly.

"Karev, Like I said, you NEED to walk her," Steph responds in a serious tone.