Author's Notes: I don't know if this is the best time or the worst time to come back as a writer of Jolex fanfiction. Maybe it's both. Maybe it's neither. Maybe it doesn't matter. But I have always said I will finish this story and that's what I'm doing. After this chapter there are only two left, so I'm getting there.

As for what happened on the actual show, how Alex's story was wrapped up... it sure was a huge shock and I hate everything about it. But I won't let it ruin my love for Jolex as a couple, nor Alex as a character. Honestly, the whole episode was so over the top and ridiculous, I don't think I will have much of a problem pretending none of it ever happened.

I hope you're enjoying this chapter, and although I don't expect much anymore, some reviews would be greatly appreciated.


Chapter 28

Dozily, Alex rolled around in his bed, habitually reaching for Jo beside him to pull her to him. Instead of the warm body of his girlfriend, his hand gripped only cold crumpled sheets. Even though sleep was still tugging at his mind, he forced his eyes to open up. He lifted his head, squinted, then blinked a couple times, thinking he was not awake enough yet to see straight. But there was no doubt, Jo wasn't there.

As his body grew tense with worry, he tried to analyse the situation. Jo not being there didn't have to mean anything bad. She'd just woken up before him. Nothing unusual about that. It didn't have to do with insomnia. Alex knew she had gotten over it a while ago. Therapy seemed to really help her; she was doing much better lately. Plus, by the daylight leaking through the thin curtains, he could tell that it was morning already and not the middle of the night; which used to be her sneak-out time before. It was Sunday; they both had the day off, so Jo was probably downstairs fixing breakfast. Which, admittedly, could be a bad thing in its own right. The mental image of Jo burning down half the kitchen as she prepared toast, eggs and bacon was entertaining enough to bring a brief grin to his lips.

Everything's fine, he tried to reassure himself.

Pushing back the cozy comforter, he turned to his nightstand to check his phone. That's when he saw Jo's note. On the back of a Walmart receipt, she'd scribbled, "Went for a run by the docks. I'll bring bagels for breakfast :)"

He exhaled, relieved. Everything was, indeed, fine. Early morning runs seemed to have turned into a new hobby of Jo's, but he could deal with that. And fresh bagels beat burnt toast for sure.

He picked up the phone to check the time just when it started to buzz in his hands. The name that appeared on the screen brightened his face.

"Hey, Amber, what's up?" he asked as he picked up.

"Nothing much, actually," his sister replied, "I just thought, I'd ring up my brother in Seattle on this fine, sunny Sunday morning. What's the weather like in Seattle? Let me guess, it's raining?"

"No, it's not raining at all." He went over to the window and pulled away the curtains. "There are a few clouds, but I can tell the sun is going to chase them away in no time." He went to the other window to draw back the curtains there too. "How have you been doing? And how's Aaron?"

"He's fine. He recently started a new job. As a bag boy at the supermarket." Her tone was bitter. "Can you believe that? He's packing groceries for a living. He deserves so much better. But people don't wanna hire him because he's mentally ill. At job interviews they don't even care that he's got it under control. As soon as he mentions it, they dismiss him."

"I know it sucks," Alex said, leaning his rear end against the windowsill. "But if he can hold down this job for a while, I think things will get better. Isn't there a saying about success being a stairway and not a door?"

Amber cackled excessively at that comment. "What, are you a motivational speaker now?"

"Shut up. All I'm saying is perseverance can take you a long way. Eventually he will get a better job."

"Maybe…" Amber sounded uncertain. "I sure hope so."

"Now, what about you? What are you up to?"

"I don't know. Not much. I'm working at the bar. And I'm thinking about going back to college in the fall."

"I think that's a good idea."

"Yeah, I thought that you'd approve."

They both chuckled. Then Alex carefully broached a different topic. "So your birthday is coming up soon…"

"It's still six weeks, but okay, what about it?"

"I was thinking that maybe uh… you… maybe you would want to come to Seattle to celebrate it with me? Uh… with us, me and Jo, you know."

"I-"

"We could visit the Space Needle. Which, I know is cliché, but they have a revolving restaurant up there, so that's pretty cool."

"Alex-"

"Or we could take a ride on the ferry."

"Alex-"

"Or how about we visit the Microsoft Center in Redmond? Since you're so into IT?"

"Alex-"

"Or maybe not. You've probably got something planned with your friends. Just forget that I said anything. It was a stupid idea."

"ALEX!" she yelled so loud that Alex had to hold the phone away from his ear. "Just shut up for a minute will you? I was gonna say I'd love to come. You don't have to sell this to me. I'm gonna take Aaron and we'll all celebrate my birthday together. Aaron, Jo, you, me. Like a family."

"Like a family," he repeated quietly. Silence fell between them as they both had to think of the one person who would not be there for the celebration.

"I think Mom would have liked the ferries too," Amber said then. "The revolving restaurant might have freaked her out, the Microsoft Center wouldn't have interested her, but I think she would have liked the ferries."

"I think so too."

Amber cleared her throat. "So how's Jo doing?"

Alex was not surprised Amber changed the subject so quickly. He knew how much their mother's death still weighed her down. At least she had stopped blaming herself.

"Jo's fine. Or better. Getting better." Alex pushed himself off the windowsill, looked out of the window, wondering if she would come home soon. "She has a birthday coming up too. Hers is next week already." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I have no idea what to get her."

"Just ask her."

"Ask her? I wanted to surprise her, you know?"

"Then uh… play Never Have I Ever with her to find out things she's never done but would like to do."

"Amber, we're not some dumb college kids, we're grown ups."

"Never Have I Ever is not just for college kids; it's a drinking game that can be enjoyed at any age. And trust me, it is a good way to find out stuff about people."

Alex was not entirely convinced, but he said, "Well, I'll think about it."

"Great. Listen, I need to get going. Tell Jo I said hi, okay?"

"Okay. Will do."

"And, Alex?"

"Hm?" There was a pause at the other end of the line, and Alex thought they'd been disconnected. But then Amber spoke again.

"I just… I uh… wanted to tell you…. I love you, big brother."

Alex smiled to himself, amused by her awkwardness, but touched by the words. "I love you too, kid. You don't even know the half of it."

"I think I do," she said softly. "There was a time when I wasn't sure, but I am now."


Jo stood at the railing watching the seagulls fly around in wild circles above the ocean. Their piercing screams mixed with the noises from the port facilities and the sound of the crushing waves. Some of the seagulls landed in the water just to be rocked back and forth by the same turbulent waves.

She could feel Alex before she could see him. No, it had nothing to do with some big, romantic soulmate telepathy. She could feel him because he snuck up on her from behind and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Guess who?" he asked as he covered her eyes with his hands.

Jo grinned broadly. "Must be the good-looking peds surgeon I have a thing for."

"Good answer." Alex spun her around so he could kiss her. While he did that, he sneakily grabbed the paper bag she was holding. "Are those the bagels?"

"Yup."

"Great. Because I'm super hungry, and we don't have any food at home. And you were taking so long, I thought I'd go looking for you."

Jo arched her eyebrows at him. "Because of the bagels?"

"Exactly," he confirmed succinctly.

Jo didn't believe him, but she didn't say anything.

They walked a few feet, then decided to sit down on a bench near one of those coin operated viewfinders you could find everywhere around here.

Jo unpacked the bagels and handed Alex one with bacon and cheese. She'd chosen one with avocado for herself.

"It's nice here," Alex remarked as he took a bite.

Jo chewed and nodded. "It is."

Although it was still pretty early it was warm and bright. A light breeze blew Jo's hair, but she could feel the warmth of the sun on the crown of her head. There was no doubt it was here to stay today and be a welcomed contribution to a beautiful Sunday.

"By the way," Alex said, "Amber is coming for a visit in a few weeks, for her birthday. Both she and Aaron, actually."

"That sounds good." She looked at him and smiled knowingly.

Which seemed to irritate her boyfriend. "What?" he demanded.

"Nothing. I just like how casually you talk about your siblings. I'm glad they're part of your life now."

"Our life," Alex corrected.

"Right. Our life." She leaned her head against Alex's shoulder. "I've never met your brother. Do you think Aaron will like me?"

Alex didn't miss a beat. "Of course he will like you. He will probably think you're too good for me."

Behind them they heard the excited shrieking of small children. A dog barked. Lots of people were out early today. Some were walking their dogs, some were on their way to the ferries for a family trip to Bainbridge Island. Some people just went for a run like Jo had done.

Alex finished his bagel quietly, looking out at the horizon where the ocean met the sky. Jo knew there was something on his mind. She could guess what it was, but she knew he would never talk about it on his own. She thought about how to broach the subject, then she remembered something she'd talked about with Dr. Wyatt in therapy the other day. Maybe if she started to share, she could get him to open up as well.

"Hey." She put a hand on his knee to make him look at her. "Did I ever tell you that I ran away once, when I was a kid?"

"No, you didn't." He took her hand into his and squeezed it. "Crappy foster parents?"

"No. I had good ones at that time, actually. They were an older couple, in their fifties, who couldn't have children of their own. I was really happy there. Until one day that girl at school, Nevina Cuttler, teased me that they only kept me around for the monthly check. She said they didn't really care about me. And somehow her words got stuck in my mind, and when I came home I got into a giant fight with my foster mother. I acted like a real brat and then I stormed out, told her I would run away and never come back."

"Where did you go?"

She laughed a little. "Not far, actually. I went to a nearby park and I sat on a bench by the fish pond, waiting for her to come get me. To tell me that she was sorry, even though I was the one who'd acted out. I wanted so much for her to come after me. To make the extra effort to show me that she did care about me beyond the money. But…" She trailed off and blinked as her eyes started burning. "She never came. I stayed in the park for hours, watched the ducks swimming in the pond. I remember I wanted to feed them, but I didn't have any bread with me." She sighed, rubbing her face. "Anyways, after that day I never stopped being… difficult. I yelled, I fought, I acted out all the time. Just to test them. And a few weeks later they sent me back into the system. They said I was too much of a trouble maker and that they couldn't handle me."

Without saying a word, Alex gathered her into his arms, stroked her forearm and kissed the top of her head. They stayed like this for a while. Jo leaned into him, her eyes closed, enjoying his comfort and the warmth of being close to him.

It was dumb, really. Jo didn't know why the whole thing still affected her. This story seemed so insignificant and trivial compared to everything else she'd had to endure in her life. Maybe it was because she'd never fully believed that she was worth walking the extra mile for.

Now, with Alex in her life, it was different. He was always willing to put in some extra effort for her. He'd come all this way out here just to look for her. It was sweet, she appreciated it, but at the same time it made her a little sad. For she knew it was a sign of his excessive worrying. If only she could make him realize that that wasn't necessary anymore.

Jo freed herself from his embrace so she could look at him. "Alex? Thanks for always coming after me."

He flashed her a fleeting grin. "Anytime."

Playfully, she nudged his shoulder. "I love doing life with you."

Her words made him laugh, but when he replied his eyes were tender and his voice soft. "Me too."

"But I also want you to know that you can stop worrying now." She dove right into it. She had to.

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you always give me this worried look, all the freaking time. Like when I found you in the NICU to tell you that I was going to play baseball with the attendings that one evening. The first thing you did was ask me if something had happened. And today… you didn't have to come looking for me, I-"

"What are you talking about? I came for the bagels."

Jo rolled her eyes at his lame attempt to deflect.

Alex sighed. "Okay, fine, I'll try to dial it back."

"And you can. 'Cause I'm okay now. And if I weren't, if I had anything going on, if anything happened, I would tell you. You'd be the first to know."

He nodded, but Jo could detect an exhausted sadness in his glance. His lips were pinched tightly as he stared into the distance again. The silence stretched uncomfortably between them before he finally spoke. "The thing is, you didn't talk to me. About Baker and everything. You shut me out completely. You broke up with me. I practically had to pull the truth out of you when you were about to move to the other side of the country."

"I know that was… stupid. I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "I get why you did it. Kind of anyways. But I can't shake the thought that one day you'll slip away again and I'll lose you and… that scares the shit out of me."

"Hey!" She took his face into her hands so that he had no choice but to look her in the eye. "That's never ever gonna happen. I promise."

She pressed her mouth to his as if to seal her promise that way. "I'm not leaving you," she whispered against his lips when she pulled back slowly. Alex nodded again, a slow smile stretching across his face. Then he hugged her, buried his face in her neck and held her so tightly as though his life depended on it.

They stayed embraced like this for a long time, blind and deaf to the fact that every passerby would be able to witness their very public display of affection.

Ultimately Alex peeled away, surreptitiously brushing over his eyes with his right hand. Then, trying to sound as casual as possible he said, "So, about your birthday next week, what do you want to do?"

"Oh, we've already got plans for that."

Alex perked an eyebrow at her. "We do?"

"Well, for one I have to work. But I thought afterwards I'm gonna join you at the Peds Party in the Park. This is a really stupid name, by the way."

Alex scrunched his face. "You really want to go to this thing? I mean, I have to because Naomi is my patient, but why on earth would you want to go?"

The Peds Party in the Park was a small fair, organized by Nicholas Beckett, a very rich father of one of Alex's patients. Little Naomi Beckett had been brought to the ER a few weeks ago with undefined abdominal pain. Alex had diagnosed her with chronic mesenteric ischemia and had saved the girl's life.

To show his gratitude, Mr. Beckett promised to invite the entire peds floor — patients and staff alike — to a big fair in Green Lake Park. There would be carousels, bumper cars, cotton candy and everything else that could make kids happy.

"Excuse me? Of course I want to go," Jo said. "It's going to be fun. Do you think they're gonna have a bouncy house too? Because I've never been in a bouncy house before."

"Bouncy house?" Alex couldn't stifle the laughter. "Are you serious right now?"

"Of course I'm serious! Come on, give me a break! I had a crappy childhood. One that was severely lacking bouncy houses. So let me have this."

Alex was still laughing. "Alright, alright. So we're going to the fair for your birthday. And then I'll take you out for dinner. How does that sound?"

Jo beamed at him, bristling with excitement. "Sounds perfect to me."

They set off for home and Alex teased Jo mercilessly about the bouncy house the entire time. Jo was not surprised and only mildly annoyed. She let him make his silly little jokes. What mattered to her was that he seemed happy again.