AN: Happy belated Birthday to Dani and Theo ( kidneys4karev)

"Hey," Alex said, he came up behind Jo as she was standing at the nurse's station and wrapped his arms around her waist

Alex pressed a kiss to her cheek as Jo smiled, his lips lingered against her skin and Jo melted onto him as she relaxed in his arms. It was almost lunch times so he had popped over to the maternity ward to see her. He loved that they worked on the same floor now as it was easier to pop over and see her something he often took full advantage of.

"Hey," Jo said as she turned her head to greet him with her lips in a proper kiss and once she pulled back, Alex smiled at her.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Alex asked if he smiled at her. It had been on his mind all week as he tried to think of something to get her, eventually, he realized he should just ask.

"What?" Jo asked as it took her a second to process his question.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Alex asked as he repeated himself and carried on. "June 1st is in a few weeks so I thought I'd ask you now, so you can start thinking of things you want or what you want to do this year? I know you loved that chocolate cake that was in the nurse's lounge last week so I fingered I'd order one and we could get your favorite pizza and beer. I also thought we could have Meredith and Link and everyone over for a little party. What do you think?"

Jo was staring off into the distance and Alex could tell that she barely heard a word he said. Alex could see a million thoughts running through her head and her lips parted as he moved to face her. He cursed himself for not seeing this coming. It was the first time that they were celebrating her birthday since Jo found her birth mom. The year before she had been too deep in her depression to do anything, despite how Alex tried.

"Jo," Alex asked in a soft voice trying to prompt her out of her head as he put his hands on her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"My birthday is not June 1st," Jo said and she blinked her eyes focusing on him again as she gripped the lapel of his white lab coat.

Alex nodded as he took in Jo's face as she spoke. She didn't smile, but she seemed more focused on him and more grounded than she was a few minutes earlier. Jo took a deep breath her fingers trailing down his waist and she pressed against his rib finding the 4th intercostal space. She whispered the steps have a chest tube and Alex nodded along. When she finished Jo let out of breath and looked back at him.

"I was born June 10th, 1987 at 6:30 a.m. It was a Thursday. I know my real birthday," Jo said as she smiled at him.

"Good, this is good," Alex said as he relaxed, knowing that she was okay, but still held her face.

"Yeah, it's good," Jo agreed with a nod.

"Yeah, and that gives me 10 extra days to find you the perfect gift,"

Jo let out a laugh as she leaned in to kiss him, knowing that Alex was a terrible gift giver and if left to his own devices would buy her beer and cheap perfume.

"I'll start making a list for you and yes we should have Link and Meredith and all of our friends over like we did the year before last, it was nice," Jo said with a smile as she leaned in to kiss him.

"Yeah, sounds good," Alex said wrapping his arms around her and kissing her again.