Beware: This is a post-16x16 fic that is faithful to cannon. Only proceed if this is the type of content you are interested in.

Prompt via FYAJ: Jo and Alex are with their families in the same resort and meet for the first time 10 years after Alex letter. The both don't know the other is there. Alex realses he is still in love with Jo.

Alex grumbled to himself as he made his way through the dense crowd of mostly crying children, probably all agitated from missing their afternoon naps. His pace quickened as he spotted an empty spot on a bench in the shade no less. He collapsed, fully exhausted, realizing his coworkers weren't lying when they said the trip to Disney would wipe him out. He sighed and started to pull out his phone from his back pocket when a voice that had haunted his dreams and days made his heart stop, "Well Alex Karev as I live and breathe." He glanced to his left in complete surprise causing Jo to laugh slightly at what he was sure was a ridiculous expression, "What are the odds?"

"Astronomical no doubt." She smiled widely at him causing his nerves to calm somewhat, his voice softening, "How are you, Jo?"

"Currently sweltering under this weight," she quipped as she tilted her head towards the sleeping child in her arms. "But otherwise good. How are you?"

He couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to her. He always thought if he ever saw her again it would be contentious or frosty. But here she was, warm as ever, "Currently wanting to strangle teenagers. Enjoy them when they're like this."

Jo laughed quietly, "The older kids not wanting to join in family time?"

Alex's eyes widened slightly, immediately realizing she knew as little about his life as he did hers. Meredith wasn't lying when she said she had kept mum to Jo about his life. "Umm, not exactly." When Jo gave a questioning look, he shrugged, "They're here for a band competition. I'm chaperoning."

Jo laughed so loud, he thought her son might wake up but he didn't budge, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That just sounds so ridiculous coming from you." She covered her mouth and looked at him apologetically, "I'm sorry. I just in my mind think of you as a chaperone would be mixing laxatives into the drinks of the brats that got on your nerves during the day."

"Don't put it past me." He looked down to see her wedding set shining in the sunlight that had filtered through the leaves. Jo seemed to notice this lingering stare and pushed her hand under her son's bottom, "So how are you really doing, Jo?"

She smiled and gazed out at the crowd, "I'm good." She paused briefly seemingly trying to decide how to respond, "After you left I finally rescued that dog we always talked about." She glanced over at him with a hint of sadness shining in her eyes, "I felt so lonely especially when I would go home to that empty loft and he really helped. But he had some health issues and I kept taking him to the vet over and over. One thing led to another and three and a half kids later, here we are."

Alex's eyebrows shot up, "You married a Vet?"

Jo shrugged with a whimsical smile, "Yeah I did. He keeps me grounded and is a great father. The steadier hours help a lot given my chaotic schedule. He's a great cook and has taught me so much in the kitchen. He supports my work and helps me through all my bio family and abandonment issues. I'm lucky."

Alex nodded, feeling as if she was stabbing him further in the heart with each word, "I'm glad."

She smiled sadly at his tone, "How have you been? How are Izzie and the twins?"

Alex smiled and met her gaze for a moment before looking away and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, "The twins are great. As far as teenagers go anyway. Outsmarting me day and night. Izzie...Izzie died three years ago."

His head shot up at her gasp as he met her anguished eyes, "I'm so sorry, Alex. I never would have asked if...I didn't know that. I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," he offered sincerely. "We split pretty soon after we got together." He looked over to gauge her reaction, but her face was a mask, "I thought about coming back but...I knew I had screwed up so badly and I just...I couldn't leave the kids. And then she got sick and they mostly stayed with me and then we moved her in when she went on hospice so they could have every moment possible together." He shook his head quickly, trying to not get sucked into those memories, "They've been so resilient, it's been amazing."

Jo didn't respond, causing him to look over at her. She shifted the child on her lap to free up her hand to put on his thigh, the touch sending a jolt of electricity throughout his body, "I'm sure they get that from you."

He gave a crooked smile, unable to believe she was really here talking to him as if no time had passed, "He seems to get sleeping hard from you. I remember seeing that face a lot."

Jo's mouth dropped open slightly as if she couldn't believe what he had just said. She removed her hand, Alex already mourning the loss of contact and seemed as if she was about to respond when a small voice yelled "mama" and ran up behind them, throwing her arms around Jo's shoulders.

Jo's face lit up as she tilted her head back to look at her daughter, "Hey baby, where's Daddy?"

"He took Jack to the bathroom. He made sure I got here first because of the strangers."

Alex watched with wonder as a five or six year old mini-Jo made her way around the bench to stand in front of her mother. Jo had seemingly forgotten he was even there as she asked about the rides they had been on and the characters she had seen with her daughter hopping in place excitedly filling Jo in on what was missed. Jo gasped exaggeratedly, "Did you guys have ice cream without me?"

The little girl's eyes widened, "No ma'am."

Jo shook her head, a smile still on her face, "It's all over your shirt, silly!"

She reached out to grab the girl around the waist causing the girl to shriek as Jo tickled her playfully. Alex looked on in amazement, "She's so much like you."

Jo looked over with a grateful smile as the boy in her arms finally started to stir, "Thanks, I think so. Sometimes it freaks me out. Do the twins take after you?"

Alex shrugged, "Sometimes. Not always in the best ways."

Jo started to respond when a brown haired man walked up with a young boy on his shoulders, "Little man finally wake up?"

The pitch of Jo's voice shot up dramatically, "Finally did! Probably won't sleep a wink tonight."

Jo started to put the sleepy child on the ground to stand on his own when her husband looked at her with worry immediately picking up on her weird mood, "Everything okay?"

She looked up to smile appreciatively at him, "Yeah. Finn, this is Alex. Alex, this is my husband, Finn."

Alex reached out to take the hand that had been offered to him, "You guys bond over the shade?"

Jo shook her head, finally standing giving Alex a full view of her expanded abdomen, "Not exactly. She looked down at her daughter who was playing in the mulch unconcerned with their conversation. "Alex used to work at Grey-Sloan."

Her husband's eyes widened, "Oh...well turns out it is a small world after all." Jo smiled as she rubbed his arm, Finn gazing at her with concern.

Alex stood awkwardly and put his hands in his pockets, "Yeah it is."

Finn smiled slightly, "I always said if I ever met you, I owed you a beer. Never thought it'd be in the happiest place on earth."

Alex watched as Jo closed her eyes briefly, in a look he knew meant she was trying to hide an eye roll, before turning back to the other man, "Yeah. You definitely owe me one." When Jo looked up in surprise he smiled softly at her, "I'm really glad I got to see you and your family. And I'm so glad you're doing well. I knew you deserved so much better. I...I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am. For everything I...I'm sorry."

He watched as Jo's expression fell with everything he said. He wanted so desperately to hug her or touch her in anyway just one more time. She forced a smile, "It was good to see you too. Good luck with the chaperoning." She then rubbed her expectant belly absentmindedly as she turned to her daughter, "Come on guys, let's check out Peter Pan's ride."

He watched with longing as she picked up her still sleepy son and took her daughter's hand. He couldn't take his gaze off the family as they walked away, hoping Jo would turn to look back at him one more time, but she never did.