It had been five days since she had met the kids and things were going smoothly. Since she was doing much better, Jo encouraged a reluctant Alex to start working again—even if it was only for a few hours a day. Dr. Bailey had been flexible in coming to an agreement with him about a new schedule. Since Alex had gone back to work two days ago, Jo and the kids spent a lot of time hanging out in her hospital room. She had ordered toys and games and movies for them to watch during the hours that they were with her. It was surprisingly easy to fall in love with these kids. She could see why Alex's eyes shined a bit brighter anytime he was around them. In the last couple days, she had learned their personalities and their quirks.
Eli was the angel child. He was sweet and kind with a bit of a mischievous side. He was funny and loved to joke around and make people laugh. One of her favorite things about him was that had that same crooked smile as Alex. Anytime he said something funny, his face would contort into that same grin and it would make her heart swell. It was obvious that he was going to be a heartbreaker. She was determined to steer him from the path of his Father's wild youth however. No, Eli would break hearts because he would be such a sweetheart that all girls will fall in love with him. He had Alex's eyes and loved to wrestle. He was obsessed with superheroes, specifically Thor. He was a morning person and loved breakfast food. He was allergic to cats. His favorite color was yellow, and he hated beans, licorice, and lizards, but he loved snakes.
Alexis was their mini evil spawn who hid it behind a façade of shyness. It was kind of scary how similar she and Alex were. If she didn't know any better, Jo would've thought that Alexis had known her father all along. Jo already knew that this little girl was going to be the death of her husband in her teen years. She was sneaky and bold. Her favorite color was green, just like her father, and she wanted to learn to play guitar. She had blonde hair like her mother, but her eyes were all Alex. Jo thought that she looked quite a bit like Amber in many ways. Anytime she'd get caught doing something she wasn't supposed to, she'd make the same dorky face that she had seen so many time on both Amber and Alex's faces. She was allergic to peanuts and hated peas and broccoli. She absolutely adored Disney princesses. Her favorite used to Anna from Frozen, but ever since meeting Jo, she decided that Belle was her new favorite. One thing about Alexis that surprised Jo was her honesty. She was open and didn't mind sharing her fears.
Jo wondered what kind of personality her baby would have. She wondered what kind of music they would like, what their favorite subject in school would be, their favorite colors, favorite movies, food aversions, strange quirks, what they want to be when they grow up... Seeing these kids—Alex's kids — only confirmed that she had chosen the right person all along. There was no other man that she'd want to raise children with.
An idea popped into her head and she waved the kids over from where they were playing in the corner of her hospital room, "Eli! Lex! Come here."
Jo pat the bed and the kids jumped and sat down on the bed with her. She smiled, "I need your help with something."
Alexis' eyes widened, "Ooh! Is it a pwank, JoJo? Please tell me it's a pwank!"
Jo chuckled, "No Lex, it's not a prank. But it is a surprise. A very big surprise and I need both of your help with it."
"I wanna help, Josie!" Eli exclaimed. "I love surpwises. Who are we supwising?"
"We're surprising your dad," Jo supplied.
"Is it hims biwthday?" Alexis asked.
"No. It's not his birthday," Jo took a deep breath. "I've been keeping a secret from your dad for a very long time. A very big secret, and now I think it's finally time I tell him, but I want your help to do it."
The twins nodded excitedly, "Okay!"
"Alright, remember what I'm telling you is a secret. You can't tell your dad until we figure out how to make it special. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"You know how babies come out of Mommies bellies?"
"Yup! I remem'mer learning that in a movie!" Alexis shared.
"Okay, well... I have a baby in my belly."
Eli's jaw dropped as he gasped, "For weals?"
"Haha, yes for reals," Jo laughed. "That means in a few months you're going to have a new baby brother or sister."
"Serwiouswy?" Alexis jumped up and down. "We're habbin' a baby?"
"Yes, we're having a baby," Jo confirmed, laughing at the twins' excitement. "Like I said, your Daddy doesn't know, so we've got to come up with a really fun way to tell him."
Eli scrunched his face up in thought, "What if we dwaw pictuwes?"
Alexis shook her head, "No. It's gotta be mowe cool than that, Eli. Does Auntie Mer know?"
"Yes she does, Lex."
Eli sprang up, "I got it! We can give him clues all day. And we can have all his fwiends give 'em to him."
"Yes!" Alexis nodded. "And then he can come hewe and... and... and we can have shiwts that say big sissy and brotha on! My fwend Lily from Pweschool had one! It'll be like a game!"
Jo had to say, she was quite impressed. She thought Alex had been exaggerating about how smart they were, but this brainstorming session had proved to her just how creative kids can be. She made a face looking like she was contemplating their plan and then grinned, "I think that's a great idea guys! Lex, I need you to go up to the nurses station and ask for some paper and envelopes. Can you do that?"
"Yup! I'll ask nuwse Millie! She's the nice one that bwings us ice pops and jello."
"Great! Now Eli, I need you to grab all of your markers and colored pencils and bring them here to the bed. Oh and pass me my phone!"
"Okay JoJo!"
"We are going to surprise your daddy and he's going to be so shocked."
Though bright for their age, the twins still had the attention spans of 5 year olds. They took four hours and 2 tantrums to agree on two clues. Jo decided to scrap that rest of that portion of the reveal realizing how ambitious their plans had been. If anything, it reminded her that Alex also had no patience for puzzles and would be more frustrated than excited by the end.
Instead of getting everyone involved with clues, she decided to ask those who wouldn't be handing Alex clues to write him a letter with advice about having a newborn or being a parent. She drafted the last clue to get him to her room to spare any drama from the kids.
Circling back to the clues they did make, Jo started by texting Helen and Amber the plan. Eager with anticipation, Amber came by the hospital to get the first clue she and the kids crafted for Alex. For the kickoff clue, she got Amber to put it in Alex's go to breakfast cereal box. Amber had been picking up the kids and bringing them to Jo in the mornings, so it wouldn't be weird if she showed up to the loft a bit early to plant the first clue. Next, she got Meredith in on her portion and gave her the last paper craft clue. Then she ordered the twin's shirts online and marveled at the wonderment next day shipping. The shirts would arrive at Meredith's house the next morning and Amelia—who had a later shift tomorrow morning—would bring them in by noon. Bailey had agreed to keep Alex very busy tomorrow and Hayes made sure to defer any long procedures to Alex, specifically so that they could drag the anticipation out. In the midst of it all, their friends would interrupt him throughout the day to give him a letter or a verbal word of advice before he located Meredith with the final clue.
The next morning, Jo woke up to a phone call from Amber, "Hey, Ambs. Did you get to the loft?"
"I sure did," Amber replied. "So, I'm supposed to put it in the cereal box? What if he doesn't eat cereal today?"
"He always eats cereal when he's in a hurry and he's almost always in a hurry so you don't have to worry about that," Jo chuckled.
Amber laughed, "Okay. I'm going in. I'll text you when I'm leaving with the kids."
Amber walked into the loft quietly and scanned around for her brother. She saw the light on in the bathroom and proceeded to tiptoe past the sleeping children to the kitchen. She grabbed the box of cereal that was on the shelf and deposited the envelop holding the clue inside. Amber helped herself to some strawberries that were in the fridge and put on a pot of coffee.
Alex walked out of the bathroom with a look of confusion on his face as he caught a waft of coffee fill his nostrils. Looking around, he saw his sister at the kitchen table, "What are you doing here so early?"
"I-Uh... I couldn't sleep last night so I just decided to swing by early this morning to spend time with you before I fly mom back to Iowa tonight," Amber supplied. "I've been out here way too long for a resident. Thankfully, my boss has been very understanding and allowed me to take these weeks of leave. The entire situation sounds so crazy that she didn't even hesitate to let me come here. The moment you mention schizophrenic moms making cross country trips to visit your critically injured sister-in-law and a brother who just found out that he had twin five year olds that his ex-wife hid from him in the midst of caring for injured wife, people are a lot more willing to make allowances for you."
Alex laughed at his sister's summary of the past few weeks, "Yeah, as former chief of surgery, I'd let you go for as long as you needed."
Alex opened up the cupboard and grabbed a bowl. He then reached into the refrigerator and took out the milk, placing it on the table. Amber watched as Alex finally took the box of cereal down from the shelf and opened it. She took a deep breath as he began to pour it into his bowl and an envelope fell out. Alex picked up the envelope and looked at his sister strangely, "What the hell is this?"
"The kids created a scavenger hunt for you to do," Amber shared.
"What?" Alex whined. "No way in hell am I doing that today. I've got a long day with lots to do and I don't have time to play games."
"Suck it up," Amber rolled her eyes. "It'll be worth it in the end. Trust me. Don't be a grumpy old man. You're a dad now, you have to do stuff like this. That envelope holds your first clue."
Find the person
Who fits this clue
Then they'll have
The next step for you!
Ssshhhh be quiet
When you visit
Hand knitted presents
That are most exquisite
"Mom? They want me to find mom? But she's at the hotel sleeping. I was planning on going to see Jo before my shift today. Going to see mom is going to make me go completely out of my way," Alex complained.
"Mom's not at the hotel," Amber shook her head. "She stood at the hospital with Jo last night. She said something about wanting to spend some more time with her favorite Karev."
"Of course she prefers Jo to either of us, " Alex scoffed. "Alright, well I'm going to go to the hospital and find mom to finish this scavenger hunt as quickly as possible."
Alex finished his breakfast and said goodbye to his sister as he headed out the door. The drive to the hospital was an annoying one. There was a minor accident on the way to the hospital that was causing traffic to slow significantly. Alex was in a sour mood by the time he arrived to work. The traffic had set him back thirty minutes, drastically diminishing the amount of time he'd be able to spend with his wife.
He parked his car and walked into the hospital, noticing his mom waiting for him in the lobby, "Hey. How's Jo?"
"She's good. She was getting rounded on when I left," Helen smiled. "I'm guessing that you are here to receive your next clue."
"Why am I doing this?" Alex asked. "I don't have time for this. I've got a lot to do today, and I really just want to see Jo in the five seconds of free time I have because technically I'm already late for rounds."
Helen slapped him upside the head, "Nothing is stupid or a waste of time when it comes to your kids. Especially, when you already missed this much time with them. Why do you think I came all the way out here when I heard you were being an idiot and hadn't called your wife in weeks? I didn't want to, but you're my kid."
"Ugh… whatever," Alex scowled. "Just give me the next clue."
Yay you did it!
You're on your way
Next please locate
The one who would say
You're my person
Whether near or far
I love you best
With Tequila at the bar
"Meredith," Alex stated, looking at his mom. "Where is she?"
"I don't know," his mom shrugged. "I was just told to give this to you. I'm going back to Jo's room. You should go look for Meredith."
Alex sighed, "Okay, I'll go find Meredith and finish the kids' scavenger hunt. Tell Jo I love her and that I'll come by the room whenever I get a break today."
Alex walked over to the attendings' lounge, hoping he'd find Meredith in there eating breakfast or studying for a surgery. He popped his head in only to find it empty. Which was unsurprising considering that he was late to work today. He was about to walk out when Jackson walked into the room.
"Karev! Hey, man. How are you? How's Jo? I haven't had a chance to visit her in the past few days. I've had Harriet and Ruby the past week because April and Matthew went on some medical missions trip to Ecuador and I offered to watch both girls," Jackson shared. "But, I mean, you already know how that is right? It's different with babies, though. They can't talk or let you know what they need. You've got to figure it out as you go along."
"Yeah I kind of work with babies who can't tell me what hurts on a daily basis so trust me, I know," Alex nodded. "Listen, I'd love to stay and talk, but I really need to find Meredith. Have you seen her?"
"Nope," Jackson shook his head. "I haven't seen her today, but I was told to give you this."
Jackson handed Alex another envelope. Confused because he was sure that the last clue pointed to Meredith he looked up at Jackson, "What's this?"
"Oh, a few of us wrote you some letters regarding parenting and relationship advice since lately you've been thrown for a loop," Jackson smiled. "Thought it would be good motivation to help you get the hang of everything that's about to change within the next few months."
"Huh," Alex raised his eyebrows. "Thanks, Avery. I appreciate the gesture."
Alex looked as Jackson walked away and try to determine what his next move would be. Clutching the letter in his hand, he decided to just go ahead and do his rounds. He could find Meredith later. Alex quickly changed into some scrubs and put the letter in his pocket. He walked out of the lounge and boarded the elevator. Having a moment to himself, he decided to read Jackson's letter while making his way down to the peds wing. He opened the letter and read what was inside:
Dear Alex,
The first time I found out I was going to be a father, honestly, I was stressed. April and I had been fighting over our values and how we'd raise our hypothetical children, when all of a sudden, they weren't hypothetical anymore. I think everyone remembers the pain and hurt that April and I experienced when we lost Samuel. It was so great that it broke us. The second time I found out that I was going to be a father, I was scared. I was terrified of a repeat of what happened last time. I was terrified of falling in love with a kid that might not make it. Thankfully she did, but if I have learned one thing since becoming a parent, it's that every moment is so damn scary. That scared feeling never really goes away, especially since there's so much to lose.
I'm sure you were terrified when you found out about the twins. And I'm sure that you'll be terrified repeatedly in the future. But don't let that fear steal the joy that your kids will bring you. Take advantage of every moment. Every bed time story. Every bottle feeding. Every game you play. Every diaper change. Every walk in the park. Every milestone. Because those are what keep you going despite fear.
Jackson Avery
Alex folded the letter back up and put it into his pocket as he exited the elevator doors. The letter resonated with Alex. He had been terrified when he found out about the twins. He was still terrified every moment of every day that he would mess it up. That he'd mess his kids up. Honestly, he needed that reminder to revel in the little things. Now, Alex wasn't quite sure why Jackson was talking diapers changes and bottle feedings because his kids were five, but he didn't think much of it.
Alex caught up with the residents on the peds floor and joined them for rounds on his patients. After about an hour of rounding, he finally had a moment free to go look for Meredith to get the next clue and complete his kids' scavenger hunt. He was about to go ask about Meredith at the nurses station when he ran into Bailey.
"Karev! Exactly who I am looking for," Bailey said, causing him to stop. "I need you to come with me. I've got a fifteen year old kid in the ER that going to need abdominal surgery. I would do it, but I've got some things I need to take care of. You know how it is, when you're chief."
"Can't Hayes do it?" Alex asked. "I really need to find Mer. Give the case to him."
"No can do," Bailey shook her head. "I already talked to Hayes. He said to let you have it since you've been out for so long and are probably itching for surgeries."
Alex rolled his eyes, "Normally, I'd say yes. But I really need to find Mer. My kids did this thing and I gotta finish it because if not I'll break their little hearts and even I'm not that big of an ass. On top of that, I haven't had a chance to see my wife today."
"You can handle this," Bailey narrowed her eyes at him. "I know you are stressed with Jo and the twins, and work, and there's about to be a lot more things you can stress about, but you've got this. I've seen you beat impossible odds. So, you can handle this crazy day. The kid is in bed 6 in the ER."
Alex sighed and began to walk in the direction of the Emergency Room. Just then, Bailey interrupted him, "Karev! Wait. I almost forgot. I was told to give this to you."
Bailey handed Alex another envelope, "Is this one of those letters Jackson mentioned this morning?"
"Sure is," Bailey nodded. "Make sure you take some time and actually read it."
Alex took Bailey's letter and decided to take a moment to read it before going down to the ER to treat the kid Bailey had assigned him to. He sat down on an empty gurney and opened the envelope:
Alexander Karev,
The moment you came into my care, you were an utter pain in my ass. I never thought I would see you become the man you are today. In many ways, I raised you. Seeing you in the position you're in makes me feel like I've done something right in this life. I look at the man you are today and I can only hope that one day, Tuck will be as great of a man as you have become.
Because I've raised you and I care about you, I feel that I can tell you some things, though. Not telling your wife know where you were for an entire month and then showing up with two kids and this idea of wanting to give her an out, was probably the stupidest thing you have ever done. Jo is a strong, tough woman. She is probably the only woman in the world that would put up with all of the things you have put her through. Don't throw that away because things get messy.
You two have a very long road ahead, full of a lot of complicated, new and unexpected things. Over the next few months, Jo is going to need a lot of support. She's growing something and you two will be embarking on this journey together on top of learning how to navigate raising a couple of five-year olds. Remember to love her and be patient. Teach the kids to love her and be patient as well. I cannot wait until you discover all of the wonderful things in store for you and your family. And if you ever need a babysitter, I guess I could offer my services (Don't let anyone else know that I offered that because I will deny it).
With Love,
Miranda Bailey
Alex smiled at Bailey's letter. It was almost as if he could hear her saying those words aloud. He put that one in his pocket next to the other one and began to walk towards the ER. Bailey's letter reminded him of a conversation he had with Jo before he left.
"Oh! I wanted to ask you, how long do you think you'll be gone? I know you didn't buy a return ticket yet because you won't know the situation until you get there, but I have something exciting... that I'm... doing and I want to share it with you, but once I tell you, you might not want to leave."
Alex's face grew somber, "I don't know when I'll be back exactly. Depends on how things go over there... why don't you just tell me now?"
"Like I said, this thing is so exciting and you're gonna be so happy for me that you're gonna want to celebrate and help me prepare for it. But your family needs you, so go and see them and come back quickly so I can share my news with you and you can be excited with me and help me see it through," she beamed.
Now that he thought about it, he still did not know what Jo had been doing. She had been so excited to share it with him and he left for a month without saying a word to her. He felt like the biggest douche in the world. Bailey was right, Jo was a saint and deserved so much better than what he had been giving in the past few months. He had been distant and uninterested and stressed. He wanted to run to her and go ask what it was that she had been working on all this time. He wanted to ask what he could do to help her while she was in the hospital and complete whatever it was that she needed help with.
Instead of going to talk to his wife though, he was stuck in the OR performing surgery on a fifteen year-old boy that decided that it would be funny if he filmed a video of himself running into an unstable structure to prove that he was brave to a bunch of his buddies. Alex was guiding one of the residents—Glasses—on the ex-lap that they were performing.
"Okay, Schmitt. I need you to be really careful right here. Don't touch anything you aren't supposed to touch. We don't need his mom yelling and accusing us of anything. She was extremely high-strung and agitated. Let's get her kid out of this without any complications," Alex warned.
"Got it," Levi smiled. "I saw Jo earlier this morning. She looks really good. She was smiling and watching a movie with the kids."
"Why is it that I feel like I'm the only person who hasn't gotten a chance to see my wife today?" Alex grumbled. "It's almost noon and every time I go to try and visit her, someone interrupts me. On top of that, I keep trying and failing to locate Meredith."
"Oh, Dr. Grey? I saw her working with Dr. Pierce in OR 3 before we came in here," Levi shared.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Alex demanded.
"Didn't know you were looking for her," Levi shrugged. He debated saying something that had been on his mind for a while now but had never had the chance—or the courage—to vocalize. Deciding that it was now or never, Levi spoke. "Listen, I know that you're my boss, but I consider Jo a friend, and what you did to her the past month was so crappy. And I know this probably isn't my place to say anything because you had your reasons for what you did, but just don't ever do it again. She was so worried and stressed and did not deserve any of what you did to her. Things are different now because you've got kids to take care of, but trust me when I tell you that if you ever pull something like that again, I will not hesitate to choose her side."
Surprised at the typically reserved resident's outburst, Alex nodded in understanding, "I hear you loud and clear. For what it's worth I'm glad Jo has people like you on her side."
After scrubbing out from that surgery, Alex got a call from UNOS that one of his patients on the transplant list had just received a heart. He paged Maggie Pierce and went over to prep his patient. Walking back to the OR floor, he sees Maggie putting new boot covers on, "Hey! You ready for our heart transplant?"
"Yes," Maggie smiled. "I love being able to give a sick kid a new heart."
"You were just in surgery with Mer, right?" Alex asked. "Do you know where she'd going after this? I've been trying to find her all day."
"Nope," Maggie shook her head. "I'm pretty sure she has a few more surgeries scheduled for today, so it might be a while."
"Okay, whatever, let's just go scrub in," Alex sighed.
About halfway through the procedure, Maggie decided to change the subject of their conversation from light-hearted things, to more serious things. Maggie took a deep breath, "You know, I think everyone is very pleased with Jo's progress in the past two weeks. I was worried when they first brought her in. The damage was so bad that I didn't think she or the… I didn't think she'd make it. We tried like hell though, and she made it through. Not without complications, though. We were so happy to find out that you were alive and on your way home, because I don't think anyone would've wanted to make the decisions that would've had to have been made, had she not woken up."
"I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if things would've gone south and I wasn't here," Alex admitted. "I was such an ass. I say I try to be better and that I changed, but have I really changed? I don't know."
"You know, I may not have known you as long as Jo, Meredith, or Jackson have, but I do know that you are a good man. Even in the years that I've known you, I've seen you change and become a better person," Maggie paused her work to look up at Alex. "You've made some wrong choices, but we all do. What matters is that you learn from those choices and decide to be the best version of yourself every single day. Do it for you. Do it for Jo. Do it for your kids. Let them see what it's like to have parents that are all-in."
Alex nodded, "I will."
After they were done, Maggie stopped to pull something out of her lab coat that was hanging in the scrub room, "Oh! By the way, Amelia and Link asked me to give these to you. Something about a letter."
"Thanks," Alex said, taking the letters into his hands. These were the third and fourth letters he'd received today. Alone in the privacy of the scrub room, Alex decided to read them.
Karev,
They told us to write you these letters about parenting, but I'm not a parent yet so what the hell do I know? What I do know, is that ever since I met you, your heart beat for Jo. You were loving and protective and so attentive to every single little thing about her. For the past seven years, it's just been you two, and now it's not. Now you've got kids to take care of, and I know it might seem impossible to juggle, but don't give up on Jo to be there for your kids. Be the guy I met a year ago who would look for her anywhere he went and talk about her whenever he got the chance. There are things that she has bubbling underneath the surface that she hasn't told you yet, but she should. And she will soon. So, stick around, communicate better, and never forget that she's the reason you are who you are today.
Sincerely,
Link
Alex,
You my friend, are special. I didn't think we'd be as close as we are now, but look at us. When I shared with you about my son Christopher, I never thought we'd be here; becoming parents at the same time, going through all the wonderful and scary firsts together. It's insane to think of how far you and I have come in the years we've known each other. One of the reasons of think we get along to well is because you and I are both kind of a mess. We do things impulsively and in many cases, without thinking. But we need to change. We're no longer responsible just for ourselves. We have these little lives to take care of and nurture. They are going to depend on us to do absolutely everything for them. To clothe them, feed them, bathe them, love them. It's such a new and unfamiliar concept. I'm excited that I'll be able to share all of these moments and new experiences with you. You have truly become the brother I needed after I lost Derek, so thank you and go be a kick-ass father.
With Love,
Amelia Shepherd
Alex really wanted to find out who had the idea to write him letters. It was a touching notion, but if anything, reading all of these letters encouraging him to be a good husband and father just made him miss his wife and kids even more. It was five in the afternoon and he still hadn't had enough free time to go over to Jo's hospital room and visit her. Alex debated foregoing the scavenger hunt and just going to see Jo and the kids, but immediately felt guilty for thinking that, so he decided to go look for Meredith for the next clue.
He wandered around the hospital for about half an hour when he finally found Meredith sitting on a bench outside the ER. Alex let out a frustrated sigh, "Dude, where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you for all day long."
"Oh, calm down. Don't get your panties in a twist," Meredith rolled her eyes. "Have you enjoyed your letters today?"
"You know about that?" Alex asked.
"Uh huh," Meredith nodded. "I thought about writing you one myself, but I don't think I could fit all the reasons that you shouldn't be an idiot and ways you could improve in one letter, so I think you and I will just have many frequent talks in person."
"Whatever, yeah I know. Don't be an ass. Just give me the next clue."
"Fine, geez. You're really pissy today," Meredith commented as she handed over an envelope. "Here, read it."
One step closer
Just one more move
Please don't give up
You're in the groove
Come and find us
Your mischievous pair
We anxiously await you
With your Princess so fair
"You've got to be kidding me," Alex scoffed. "Jo and the kids? I've been running around the hospital looking for you all day only to find out you were gonna tell me to go see my wife and kids?"
"Hey don't hate the messenger," Meredith replied. "Stop complaining. Come on, let's go see Jo."
In her hospital room, Jo received a text from Meredith stating that she and Alex were on their way. Jo looked up at Amber, "Amber! They're on their way here. Tell everyone to come inside."
Within minutes, the room filled with their friends and family. Helen walked in with the twins that had on T-shirts underneath their jackets that said, Just Got Upgraded To Big Sibling. Bailey, Webber, and Jackson walked in, with Cristina and Arizona waiting on Facetime. Amelia, Link, and Maggie ushered into the room followed by Levi and Helm. The anticipation and excitement were palpable in the room.
Finally, Meredith led Alex into Jo's hospital room. Alex scrunched his face in confusion seeing that the room was full of people, "Oh, so you guys keep me busy all day, but come in here and hang out without me?"
"Yeah. Pretty much," Amelia shrugged.
"Hey, babe," Alex turned to his wife. "I was told I needed to come here to retrieve a clue."
Jo grinned and motioned for the kids to come over. The twins were careful to keep their shirts covered by their jackets as they walked closer. Eli was bouncing up and down with excitement as the handed the envelope to his father, "Here you go, Daddy!"
Alex laughed slightly as he ruffled his son's hair and took the envelope out of his hand. Seeing his kids' so happy and excited made him feel bad for complaining about the scavenger hunt they planned for him that day. Alex smiled as he opened the final clue.
We keep saying thank you
To the stars above
Never could we imagine
We'd have this much love
Though it's a tall order
We'll do our best
Jojo has a secret
The words are on our chests
Alex glanced up at the twins shirts. He saw something about being upgraded on their shirts that didn't quite make sense. He looked at the clue again and felt around for the letters in his pocket and tried to piece the puzzle together. He looked back at Jo and all of his friends waiting excitedly. Finally, a look of confusion crossed his face, "I don't get it."
"You're kidding, right?" Amelia made a face.
"No... seriously, what is going on guys?" Alex shook his head.
"Oh my God," Jo exclaimed. "You're an idiot. I married a moron. Did you leave half of your brain in Kansas?"
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
Eli face palmed and Alexis rolled her eyes before saying what everyone had been waiting to hear, "Daddy! Look at our shirts! Josie's gonna have a baby!"
Alex's jaw dropped, turning to face Jo with a look of stunned wonderment, "You're pregnant?"
"You knocked me up, dummy," Jo shook her head.
Alex's eyes widened and grew teary, "We're having a baby."
Jo gave him a watery smile, "Yes, you dumbass. We're having a baby."
Jo found herself being pulled into a hug as the crowd of friends and family cheered for them. Alex lifted the bedsheet covering her midsection and looked in awe as he actually saw the small bump for what is was. He carefully placed his hand on her stomach, trying to avoid her stitches, "So it isn't just post-op edema?! You're showing! How far along are you?"
She looked over at Meredith who mouthed, this is all you. Addressing the crowd, Meredith announced, "Maybe we should give them some privacy. Let's go. Eli and Lex, you two come with us."
Jo waited for everyone to leave before she turned back to Alex, "Sixteen weeks."
"WHAT?" Alex was shocked. "When did—how long have you known?"
She cringed, "Since a couple days before you left."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew if I told you, you'd stay," Jo looked down at her hands. "You would drop everything for me and our baby, but you said your family needed you. So, when Meredith told me that my blood test was positive, I decided to wait until you got back. You were only going to be gone a week…." Though she had rehearsed the timeline in her head, Jo's voice stuttered and suddenly she fought back tears. After a few measured deep breaths she continued. "You never came back, though. So, I did it all with Mer. She went with me to my appointments and was there for my first ultrasound. She and Amelia gave me some maternity clothes that I can use when the bump grows. I tried to keep it a secret because, you should've been the first to know. You should've been there for all of it, laughing and crying with me. But apparently, I suck at keeping my mouth shut when it comes to the baby, because pretty soon everyone knew. I was going to tell you as soon as I woke up that first night, but then you told me about Izzie and the kids. I didn't want to dump a third kid on you so soon."
Alex shook his head as a few fat tears rolled down his face, "We are such idiots… I'm such an idiot"
"Yeah," Jo laughed.
Alex stared at her for a minute and then carefully wrapped his large calloused hand around her dainty one. He kissed her fingers one by one and then placed his other hand on her growing abdomen. With a melancholy sigh he whispered "Oh, Jo. You really have no idea how much I love you."
"I love you more," she smiled as she wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"Impossible," Alex scoffed. Following up with a bright grin—one of the ones he only reserved for her—and tenderly kissed her swollen belly. "And I already love this kid more than life itself."
They spent a few more moments alone in blissful embrace before Mer poked her head in. Getting the go-ahead she ushered their friends and family around Jo's bedside. Alex looked around at their faces, "So you all really knew about this before me?"
Bailey rolled her eyes, "We sure did."
"Literally everyone knew before you," Jackson chuckled. "Even your kids."
"Hey it's only fair, considering I was practically the last one to find out about the twins," Jo deadpanned.
"Yeah I deserve that," Alex grimaced. He began to laugh softly, transitioning into full-out belly-aching laughter.
"What's so funny?" Meredith asked.
Wiping tears from his eyes, Alex took a deep breath to steady himself, "It's just… back in November I had just legally remarried my wife, had no kids, and was starting back up here at Grey Sloan. Now I've come back from Kansas with two kids and one on the way. This just doesn't happen in real life. I never knew I could be this happy."
"My sweet boy," Helen smiled and placed a hand on his cheek. "You deserve all of this and more."
The doctors lingered as long as they could, before having to get back to work. It was amazing having everyone around. It felt like for once, everything was right in the world. After some time, Helen and Amber said their goodbyes, since they would be traveling back to Iowa and Oregon, respectively. By the time night rolled around, it was just Jo, Alex, and the twins—who requested a sleepover with their "Josie" and "baby bubs." The kids had fallen asleep on cots that a couple of the nurses brought in a few hours ago. Alex had climbed in next to Jo, being careful with her still healing injuries. His hand was rubbing small circles on her belly and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you," Jo broke the silence.
"For what?" Alex asked.
"For this," Jo motioned to her belly and the kids sleeping in the corner. "When I was kid, I never thought I'd have this. But you came into my life and loved me. You changed me. Forever. You made me feel worthy of love and affection and attention. You gave me all of you, and you never once took it back. Even when we weren't together, I knew that your heart was mine, and mine was yours. You have given me the best gift I could've ever hoped for, a family. And I will spend the rest of my life showing you how grateful I am for every single moment we have together."
Alex kissed her deeply and smiled, "You know… I always pictured us having way too many kids and being a family but I have to say, I didn't think it would be like this."
"Neither did I," Jo replied. "But I wouldn't change it for anything in the world."
"Me neither."
"We definitely need a bigger house," Jo reminded.
"Shit... I hadn't even thought about it. I should've never sold Mer her house back," Alex mumbled.
"No way. We'd never fit in there," Jo shook her head. "We already have three kids, and what if we have more?"
"How many more exactly do you want?" Alex asked.
"I don't know," Jo shrugged. "Maybe two more?"
"Five! You want five kids?" Alex placed his hand over his chest.
"Why not? We'd have our own basketball team," Jo grinned.
"You are insane," Alex laughed. "Maybe one more."
"We'll talk again in a year or two," Jo smirked. "Maybe by then I would've changed your mind. Or gotten pregnant on accident because we definitely conceived this baby on Halloween as karma for me freaking you out and telling you that I was pregnant."
"Ah you see. That's what happens when you mess around with stuff like that. You have a karma baby," Alex hummed. "If you really want five kids... we can figure out a way to make it work."
"Wow. You are so whipped," Jo let out a huff of laughter. "I don't want five kids. That's crazy. Three is great and maybe one more if we're feeling ambitious."
"Oh, thank God," Alex let out sigh of relief. "I was a little worried there. You know if you asked me for the moon, I'd find a way to get it to you."
"Yeah, I know," Jo smiled. "I can't believe we're parents!"
"We sure are," Alex shook his head in disbelief. "And we're gonna be kick-ass parents, too."