It had been a week since Jo had decided to keep the baby, it was a decision she was trying to not question daily but it was proving harder than she had hoped. Alex had decided to remain in Seattle a week longer but Jo knew he'd have to go back at some point and that thought was kinda terrifying as much as he promised to prove all her doubts about him wrong there was still a part of her that wondered when they day he had to return to Kansas came if he would ever be coming back.

For the last week they'd had brief conversations, usually mediated by Meredith as they tried to wade through the mess that was this whole pregnancy, right now Alex could split his time between Seattle and Kansas at least while his work was here, but at some point that would change, he wouldn't be able to afford to be here as often. Jo had been going over this in her mind all morning, hoping she'd get some sudden clarity on how this was all gonna work out, at least she was up until five minutes ago when she'd a message from the daycare.

Rushing around the corner, Jo pushed the hair out of her face as she headed towards the daycare centre. She'd received a page that had requested her down here ASAP, the various thoughts running through her head making her already nauseous state worse as the doors to the daycare came into sight. As they swung open she caught sight of Mia, the poor thing was clutched to one of the workers, her little face bright red with tears streaming down it.

"Mia...Baby..." Jo instantly reaching out for her, lifting her into her own arms. "What's wrong?" She questioned, spinning around to see the daycare director there. Jo was trying to comfort Mia by bouncing her gently, one hand brushing through curly locks as she waited for an explanation.

"It would seem she has a fever...maybe a slight earache." The director explained, seeming unsympathetic to Mia's state. Slight...slight...her little baby was crying her heart out and this woman has the audacity to call it a slight earache. Guilt floods Jo there was no way this could have come on so suddenly in the last few hours, had she missed something? Mia hadn't eaten all her breakfast but Jo had assumed she was just tired, having tossed and turned in Jo's bed all night, or had Jo been so tired, so consumed with this new pregnancy and Alex, that she hadn't noticed her daughter was feeling unwell. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, it seems to be going around at the moment but you know our policy she can't be in here with a fever."

Jo grumbles something, she'd really like to give this woman a piece of her mind, tell her it was probably her fault Mia had this fever, she'd obviously caught it from one the snotty brats here. "Okay….Okay sure...come on Mia baby hmmm...you come with Mommy." Jo whispers pressing a light kiss to Mia's head, as she brushes her hair back, her face felt hot..too hot.

Link found them half an hour later, Mia having calmed down enough to stop crying was now sat in Jo's lap, her stuffed bunny under one arm, she was quite happy sucking on her thumb while Jo rubbed her back softly. "Hey, I heard there was a little love bug around here missing her uncle Linc?"

"Uncle wink…" She mumbled weekly, it was muffled through her thumb as she looked up at him, unmoving from Jo's arms. Sighing Jo gave Linc a sad look as he meets her eye, Mia was a bit shy around people she didn't know, for a while there she'd really only ever liked to be with Jo but she was getting better at being open with new people, however, there had never been a problem with Uncle Linc, he was her favourite person in the world, and her lacklustre response only further proved how under the weather she was.

"I sent one of the interns to get her results...I don't know if this idiot got lost or whatever." Jo mutters, she's trying to remain calm for Mia's sake, feeling her twist around in her arms to look up at her. Her baby wasn't well and if she didn't get those results soon she would end up killing someone, preferably that incredibly slow intern.

Link nodded, moving to sit beside them, he played with one bunny's feet affectionately as he looked over Mia for himself. "I'm sure it's nothing Jo...all of mine have had this bug in the last month..it'll pass." Jo chewed on her lip, that was easy enough to say, and sure if the tables were turned she'd probably say the same thing, but they weren't. "I have surgery...but I'll come to check on you guys later? Hmm, Mia bug...I'll come see you in a bit...maybe I'll bring ice cream?" Link whispers, brushing Mia's cheek gently as he stands to leave.

Its a while later when that intern finally returns looking a little flustered, Mia had fallen asleep her little face leaning against Jo's chest, her hot breaths making Jo twitch uncomfortably she tried to stay still, his face was sickly pale and the sight of it makes Jo's heart beat faster. Oh god, he has bad news that's why it took so long.

"Jo?" Alex appears behind him, a confused look on his face, as he steps into the room. "You're the patient? I mean your daughter?" He was here for them? As a doctor, my god it really was bad news, who gets an attending pediatric surgeon for the freaking fever.

"Is...it...is it bad? Oh god, it is, isn't it? It was just a fever...she has an earache...I'm a freaking doctor for god's sake. I would know if something was wrong? How did I miss this?" Jo begins to panic, struggling to catch her breath.

"Jo...Jo…" Alex's voice breaks through the noise, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder gently. "Jo nothing is wrong...I have..." He looks down at the results checking the name. "I have Mia's test result back and it's just an ear infection, I can prescribe her antibiotics if you'd like or you can down to the clinic."

"Everything is fine...completely fine," Jo mumbles shocked, her eyes wide as she looks between Alex and the resident still standing in the doorway, nodding gratefully as Alex hands her the results for her to check herself.

"Everything is absolutely fine except the fact you picked the stupidest idiot to get your results." Alex chuckles, pulling a chair over so he can sit down in front of them. "I found him hyperventilating in the hallway he was too scared to give the results apparently…"

"You kind scare me…" The intern whimpers from the doorway, keeping his eyes to the floor.

"Scare you?... I swear if I wasn't holding my baby right now I'd do more then scare you...you idiot." Jo glares, if looks could kill he'd be dead, how inept were the interns this year that they couldn't even give good news.

"This is the part where you get lost." Alex mumbles, nodding his head towards the hallway as he gives the intern a pointed look, smirking as he backed away, shaking as he looked back at Jo's deathly glare.

"I'm usually much calmer…and nicer to the interns" Jo murmurs, cradling Mia closer in her arms, shielding her a little more from Alex's view, she wasn't ready for them to meet, she'd accepted at some point they would have to, he was gonna help with the new baby. When Jo finally figures out how to tell Mia about a new baby in a way a three-year-old can even try to comprehend, she'll have to tell her that this baby has a daddy and that it's Alex. But not right now, not while she's ill, not when Jo doesn't know where she stands with Alex or how this co-parenting will even work with him living across the country. It's not like they're gonna send a baby back and forth every week. The thought of having to split her time with her children genuinely made her heartbreak but that wasn't something she needed to dwell on now.

Alex raises his eyes brows, tilting to the side as he tried to get a better look at Mia. "You know...when he said he was scared to talk to an attending, I didn't think it was you." Rolling her eyes Jo smileys softly at Alex, hating the way his smirk seems to infect her.

She watches as he leans over hesitantly placing his hand against Mia's forehead. The sight makes Jo uneasy, watching Alex look over her little girl made everything feel a little more real, they weren't living in the past anymore he was here now, with her and Mia and this unborn baby she has growing inside her. It was like there was life before Alex left and life after Mia and the whole mess in between that was suddenly merging together.

"She's still quite warm...hopefully, the antibiotics will call that down," Alex says, putting on his Dr Karev voice turning serious as he leans back in his chair, meeting Jo's eyes he gives her polite smile, once she'd watched him give plenty of patients parents over the years.

"Dr Wilson...there you are" An out of breath resident appears, her face hot and sweaty as she stands in the doorway trying to catch her breath. "You're needed in OR 3...Dr Avery has a complication."

"Go find someone else…" Jo grumbles pulling Mia tighter to her chest. She's not leaving her baby, not for any emergency, she was already feeling the guilt from not noticing her fever earlier.

"I.." The resident looks flabbergasted clearly not expecting Jo's response as she looked between her and the pager, her foot tapping frantically against the floor. "But it's an emergency, we need a general surgeon."

"Then get someone else-" Jo snaps, shifting in her seat, wincing as Mia begins to stir, her little hand rubbing her eyes softly as she begins to wake. Blinking a few times, she reaches up brushing her hand across Jo's cheek. A small smile spreads across her face as Jo leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"There is no one else...why do you think I've been running around the hospital looking for you...you're the surgeon." Exclaimed the resident, desperately throwing her hands about. "Please Dr Wilson we've wasted enough time looking for you.."

Jo was shocked, her mouth hanging open as she stared up at the resident, she was ready to go tell her to stuff the patient, oath or not she wasn't going to leave her daughter. "Who do you think you're talking to?...I-"

"Jo." Alex cuts her off, placing a hand on her arm he draws her attention back to him. "I can watch her...you should go, it sounds like they really need you." He mutters, looking down at Mia, who was awake but still sleepy in mother's arms, her little bunny tucked under her chin.

"No...I'm not...she's not well." Jo protests, shaking her head at Alex like he was mad, he had children, surely he knew she couldn't leave Mia.

"She's got a bug...she'll be fine," Alex assures, squeezing lightly on her arms. She hated the way he was looking at her, she could read him, she wanted to trust him, she did but leaving her child with her ex-husband...her sick child with a man she had assumed would've been the father of all her children just didn't sit right with her.

"No, not you anyone else but you."

"I'll find someone else...Link?"

"He's in surgery."

"Dr Wilson…" The resident seems to almost be bursting in the doorway, their head popping in out of view like they could see the surgery from where they were standing. Sighing Jo nods, they were clearly desperate and logically she knew Mia only had an ear infection, she'd be fine, someone didn't deserve to die because she felt uncomfortable leaving her with Alex.

"I've got it, Jo...I'm a pediatric surgeon I can't watch a...how old is she?"

"Three...god no this is a bad idea I can't leave her with you." Jo grimaced, god he didn't even know how old she was, he didn't know her, he might not notice if something is wrong, no...no he's a pediatric surgeon...one of the best. This is Alex. Her...what used to be her Alex, he'd never let any harm come to Mia.

"Yes..you can."

"Mia...Mia baby...mummy has to go to work this is Dr Alex, he's a friend of mommies he's gonna sit with you okay?" Jo shifts, sitting Mia up, she felt a little cooler then earlier that was a good sign at least.

"No momma don't go…" Mia's face scrunching up, her tiny fists clutching tightly at the front of Jo's scrub top. God damnit why did everything have to be so hard in her life. Holding Mia closer to her chest she stroked the little girls back, rocking her slowly.

"Hey, I know you don't feel well," Jo whispers, pulling back to look at Mia's face, the tiny tears making her heartaches just that little bit more than it already did. "Momma is gonna be so quick and then she'll be right back and we can go home and have ice cream." She assured her, forcing herself to put on a bright smile, hoping Mia would find it comforting.

"Pwomise"

"Promise...you're such a good girl bug," Jo mumbles, pressing another kiss to her forehead, from the corner of her eye she can see Alex kneeling down on the floor in front of them, meeting Mia at eye level.

"Hi, Mia...I'm doctor Alex" He introduces himself, his rough exterior melting the minute Mia turns her face, his lopsided grin spreading across his face, making Jo's gut twists uncomfortably, as Mia sinks back into her, hiding her face away in her neck.

"It's okay bug say hi" Jo encouraged, lifting her up, so she could face Alex. "Dr Alex is very friendly, he's one of mommas friends."

"Hi" Mia whispers quietly, only slightly meeting Alex eyes before finding more interest in her stuffed bunny, pulling at its worn ears, as she squirms on her mother's lap.

"Hello, Mia...I like your bunny" Alex grins, reaching out hesitantly, he lifts one of the bunnies arms up, pretending to shake it, making Mia giggle slightly. Jo could so easily get caught up in the site of two of the people who she loved and had loved most in the world interacting but the impatient cough from the resident reminded her she had places to be. "What's his name?"

Mia looks hesitantly at Jo, who simply nods, tapping Bunny lightly as she waits for Mia to answer. "Funny"

Alex chuckles quietly nodding. "Oh is he a funny bunny"

Mia shakes her head fervently, pulling bunny up, clutching him tightly to her chest. "No its short fundopwication" She corrects, her little forehead creased as she squeezes the stuffed toy tighter.

"Fundoplication." Jo clarifies to a puzzled Alex.

For a moment he looks confused his forehead creased before he lets out a sudden burst of laughter, completely out of character for Alex, making Jo jump and Mia giggle uncontrollably. "Oh...interesting choice...you must be very clever Mia." He grins tapping Mia's nose.

"I am." She nods, making Jo rolls her eyes, once you get to know Mia you'll find she is not the shy sweetie she pretends to be, no she's much like her mother in that respect, they're good at playing people, no Mia is sort of a handful, with more confidence then a three-year-old should have.

"Do you like Disney princesses?...my daughter used to love Disney princesses when she was younger."

"I do...I wike Rapunzel and Mulan."

"Rapunzel is my favourite...I like pascal personally"

"ME TOO" Mia exclaims, slowly slipping from Jos' lap, her legs a little wobbly still. Jo's glad she seems to be feeling better but she'd never seen Mia take to someone so quickly, it's not like Alex had done anything out the ordinary, he'd barely spoke to her and she was already off to hold his hand. God damn, she really was her daughter, clearly, Jo wasn't the only one that seemed to melt looking in Alex's eyes.

"You know I think we might have a copy of Rapunzel on the peds floor shall we go watch it...yeah let's go" Alex chuckles, his hand clutching Mia's tightly, as they look back at Jo. "Jo go we'll be fine…"

Mia had fallen asleep after about 10 minutes of the movie, she was laid out on one of the empty peds room beds, her mother's lab coat used as a blanket with her stuffed bunny tucked under her arm. She was cute she looked just like Jo...maybe not in an obvious way with her blue eyes and blonde curls but she had Jo's nose and lips, she was her twin basically but you had to really know Jo's face to see it and god Alex did, he'd spent years just trying to memorise every inch of her face and now he could clearly see it back in this little girls face.

He'd been checking her temperature every 10 minutes, it was probably overkill, but this was Jo's child so no precaution would be too much.

The surgery had taken much longer than usual, she'd been desperately trying to get interns to track down someone other then Alex to watch Mia but to no avail. She was exhausted and she really didn't wanna deal with him right now, she had a sick child to look after. She'd really just like to find Mia and take her home and forget this whole mess.

As she made her way down to the peds floor, she tried again to get through to Alex. She felt more anxious with every passing second, he wasn't a stranger but he wasn't someone who knows Mia and she's just left her with him, he'd given her those stupid eyes and she'd rushed off trusting it would all be okay.

As she approached the peds reception desk she looked around desperately for a sign of Alex or Mia before finally asking one the nurses who had kindly pointed her towards one of the rooms that was being done up, all part of the plan to have the rooms on the paediatrics floor split so they were more age-appropriate for all ages.

Opening the door she was met with heartwarming sight, Alex curled up on one those uncomfortable visitors chair, softly snoring away beside a sleeping Mia. His face was adorned with various dinosaur stickers, the sight had Jo resisting the urge to sneak a picture as she slipped into the room, coming around the bed, she gently placed her hand against Mia's forehead, she felt much cooler than this morning, breathing a sigh of relief she gently lifts the three-year-old up, so she can slip onto the bed with her.

"Hey…" Alex's raspy voice startled her as she looked up to find him rubbing his eyes slowly, his nose scrunching up when his fingers trail over what looked like a headless tyrannosaurus sticker that Mia had probably applied haphazardly. "How did your surgery go?"

"Fine…" Jo whispers, flashing him a soft smile, he looked ridiculous and that made her heart flutter more then she'd like to admit. "I tried to get someone down here, I'm sorry you've been here so long...how was she?"

Alex smiles, leaning over to check on the still sleeping Mia. "She was great." He mumbles checking the time on his phone before turning his gaze back to Jo. "She's a really great kid...even when she's ill which is rare...I always knew you'd be great mom, it shows you know, with how amazing she is, super-smart for three...way better than me at Ispy."

Jo nodded, her eyes falling down to Mia, running her hand across her tiny cheek, she really was the greatest thing to ever happen to her. She made everything worth it, every moment of Jo's life all the bad, good and downright heartbreaking moments were worth it the minute Jo laid eyes on her. "Yeah she's pretty fantastic…" Jo watched as Alex's eyes flicked down to his lock screen, a clear image of two kids hanging upside down a fence lit up the screen. "You must miss them...you've been here longer than expected right?"

"Yeah...Yeah, I miss them." He whispers his fingers tracing over the two faces on the screen. "I have to go home tomorrow...for a week or so." He meets Jo's eyes, an apologetic look written across his face as he continues. "I've been here longer than expected obviously." He gestures slightly towards her, the pregnancy had really thrown Jo for loop, she'd almost forgotten she wasn't the only one affected. "I'll be gone a week or two but you can reach me any time, and if you need me for erm something… I dunno appointments or babysitting.."

"Alex...Alex...it's fine. I'm all good you don't have to worry about me."

"Right...well when I'm back we can sit down, figure this all out properly, a proper schedule or something...I am coming back, Jo."

"I know." Jo's not sure she believes the words that fall from her mouth but honestly, maybe it wouldn't be so bad with him gone, she could maybe get back to normal, figure out her own plan without his constant presence setting her off guard. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Yay chapter 9, honestly I wasn't gonna update this soon I don't even know where it came from. It's kinda boring but we gotta set a lot up before it gets juicier, trust me it's coming.

(Ps. not as much Mia as I hope but she was ill so I had to downplay her, trust me there's some cute fluff coming.)

Thank you for reading and thank you for leaving lovely comments both on here and in my asks on Tumblr, I see them and I love and appreciate them.

I couldn't really find a song to name this chapter after.

Waking Up Slow - Gabrielle Aplin

Heaven help me my mind changes like the wind. Please excuse me I don't know where to begin but I didn't think I cared, I could be your friend but I'm unprepared.

Oh, I've never felt like this