Title: Play along
Rating: M
Notes: This is the first chapter of my Alex/Izzie story which also involves other characters and there will be a love interest for George later on. Not sure how long it will be as it's my first Grey's anatomy story. It's from Izzie's POV so far.
Read and review so I know how long to continue for!
Prologue:
Hank and her were on rocky ground, Hank was handsome, talented and adored her although being an attractive model she knew lots of men adored her and most she had never met.
Modelling was a means to an end and Hank always knew that but she realised he didn't know or wouldn't accept when the end came that that would be the end of the parties and everything they enjoyed together.
Her friends she had before she was a model gave her no respect when they found her in magazines and on billboards, maybe it was jealousy she didn't know but somehow it gave her 'friends' a free pass to treat her like dirt even though they all came from humble beginnings her rise meant in their minds she had left them behind.
She didn't need to prove anything to them though, she had to prove it to herself and hopefully her colleagues when she became an intern. She could forget her modelling days and have a clean slate so she would be judged on what she could do with a scalpel not how she posed for the camera.
It was going fine until evil spawn (a.k.a Alex Karev) found a picture of her and if that wasn't bad enough he plastered photos of her in her underwear all over the locker room so she had to walk the gauntlet of humiliating stares and wolf whistles until she finally stood up to him.
He was all talk and if it wasn't for the fact she pitied someone so shallow she would have done a lot more than shout at him. You didn't become an attractive model from Hicksville without learning some serious self defence along the way.
Izzie rubbed her temples as she peered into her empty coffee cup. Coffee was like oxygen to the interns, so much so that when Izzie poured herself some from a jug that tasted like liquid dirt she drunk it up eagerly anyway. It was something about the routine of it all and of course the caffeine that kept them all functioning.
When it came to working in the hospital it was the little things that made the difference in getting you through the day and when you just had a heart surgery patient that died from untreatable complications and had a ton of paperwork ahead you had to take what you could get.
"Dr model you're surgery ended early what happened?"
Alex's voice was like nails on chalkboard this early in the morning but for the sake of her medical career at the hospital she had resigned herself to be civil unless he provoked her.
"What do you think happened? Trisha died."
"Her name was Trisha? I just remember she had a killer rack, what a waste!"
Izzie rolled her eyes trying to block out his annoying remarks but she couldn't stop herself firing back at him.
"With an attitude like that it's a wonder you're still single."
He smiled, that smug smile she wanted to wipe off his face with her fist.
"Yeah well I haven't seen or heard about your hockey player lately."
"That's because I try not to talk or see you unless it's absolutely necessary."
"So you're still together then?"
"That's none of your business."
"I take that as a no."
"Take it anyway you like."
"Are you propositioning me Dr Model?"
She knew her voice was raised because of her outrage but she didn't expect herself to be shouting, fists clenched like she was.
"I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man on earth and I'm not sure you're even human but rather a soulless creature spawned by the devil himself so either way it's a NO!"
Alex put his hand to his heart.
"God Izzie you really wounded me."
He began laughing and she fake laughed along with him before shoving him hard on the shoulder. He fell back into the centre of the corridor into a nurse.
The nurse grabbed him to steady him and there was that smug smile again.
"Why hello -"
He squinted obviously at her name tag.
"-Kerry you're looking radiant today, how about giving me a sponge bath?"
She just glared at him and kept walking.
Izzie couldn't help but marvel at his cockiness and self assurance.
He went to stand back next to Izzie but Bailey who was on the war path caught him loitering.
"Karev shouldn't you be doing some work instead of distracting Stevens?"
Alex stood to attention.
"Yes Ma'am I'll be right on that."
When she was gone Izzie smiled and repeated his last sentence in a fake sweet voice.
"Shut up."
He stormed off and although Izzie was glad she had won the battle she doubted her patience would allow her to win the war.
Izzie was sitting at the Joe's bar with Christina and Meredith. The rain outside mirrored their moods as Meredith was upset about not knowing anything about Derek and Christina was generally grumpy anyway.
Izzie didn't like to be envious but she wished she could be as detached from her patients as Christina was, she was all business and she was superb at what she did. She could go home and sleep at night whereas Izzie stayed up tossing and turning about the lives of people who died in her surgeries or stressing about the days ahead.
It was the most fantastic, euphoric feeling when she saved someone's life but for every 10 lives she saved it could never outweigh the disappointment and sadness of losing one.
You realise pretty quickly working somewhere where death is always an issue and is lurking behind every corner how precious life is and she was glad she was using hers to make a difference in the world no matter how small.
She always knew she'd spent her life fighting the good fight but the more she worked in the hospital the more she came to terms with the fact that looking at the big picture she was merely fighting a losing battle against death, old age and disease and was just giving people more time, nothing more. She was still an idealist though and despite how bleak and depressing the hospital could be she never gave up hope.
"Tequila shot please."
Izzie gave Meredith a quizzical look.
"I'm not going to have to carry you to the car am I?"
Christina sighed.
"Don't be such a drama queen Izzie it's her first shot she knows her limits let her exceed them if that's what she wants."
"Yeah well you don't have to live with her or have to hear her throwing up in the toilet all night."
Meredith burped as she motioned Joe for yet another shot.
"Hey! I put up with you're constant obsessive baking!"
"But I thought you liked my baking and I always share."
Meredith sighed.
"I do like it I'm just tired ignore me."
Izzie nodded, she knew her baking was heaven on earth that was one thing she was completely sure of and she was relieved to know she wasn't the only one who thought so."
"Where's George tonight?"
Meredith smiled.
"He's at home watching some of my mother's old surgeries on tape."
Izzie sipped her coke.
"Poor George he doubts himself so much I wish he knew how great he was."
Christina scoffed.
"What so he can be like Alex you mean? No, one resident jackass is quite enough thanks."
Meredith nodded drunkenly as she consumed her third shot.
"Here here!"
Izzie let out a long exhausted sigh that she didn't mean to sound as melodramatic as it was.
Christina turned to her.
"You sound like you've got the world on your shoulders what's up?"
Izzie shook her head.
"It's nothing it's stupid compared to what's going on with everyone else."
"Look it's bothering you, get it off your chest, I like to hear other people have problems no matter how small, it's always comforting."
Izzie smiled, she was glad she was Christina's friend because she sure as hell wouldn't want to be her enemy.
"Alex, he's just such a thorn in my side winding me up all the time."
Meredith giggled.
"But a cute thorn in your side with a cute butt, you should definitely tap that."
Izzie looked at her incredulously.
"Seriously? You hate him like me you should definitely stick to water now."
"Please, it's obvious he's into you and somewhere deep down you like the attention."
Izzie scoffed.
"He is so not into me and I would rather sleep with the chief than Alex and that's saying something."
There was an all around 'eww' as Izzie considered what she had said.
"Well at least sleeping with the chief would get you places, the only thing you'll get from Alex is syphilis."
They all burst out laughing at Christina's comment except Christina who just sat and smirked. Izzie wondered if Christina really would sleep with the chief to get places.
Somehow she didn't see Christina as the type of person who would mix business with pleasure and compromise her job like that, it meant too much to her, it meant too much to all of them when they had come this far. They lived for their jobs.
"So what should I do then? Wear slug repellent? Harass him outside of work?"
Meredith had slumped forward and was looking decidedly worse for wear.
"You should play along."
Izzie didn't know whether taking advice from Meredith in this state was wise but she could at least listen.
She was about to continue when a look of panic crossed her face before she dashed to the bathroom.
Christina smiled.
"I think you might want to take her home now."
Izzie sighed. Now she agrees with her after the damage is done.
"The more she throws up here the less I have to clean up at home later."
"You know Meredith she'll be stuck with her head in the toilet regardless, she'd rather sleep next to the septic tank in case rather than ruin her mother's carpet."
Izzie nodded.
"Meredith is right though, play along, act like you want him in the sack all the time and be all clingy and if he thinks you're serious he'll run for the hills. Alex is the classic example of an egotistical commitmentphobe."
Izzie laughed out loud.
"You are so right and as long as my I can keep my stomach down while having to be in his presence and put up with his sleaze it might just win me the war!"
"War?"
Izzie giggled.
"It's just a metaphor."
Christina just nodded, unwilling to go into meanings of metaphors this late in the evening.
"I'll go retrieve her. Bye Christina."
Ten minutes later and Izzie was driving Meredith home who had fallen asleep spread across the back seat.
Izzie grinned to herself as she watched Meredith dozing behind her. She now not only had able colleagues, she had friends that shared the same stress and experiences she did, she could relate to them and they were each other's support network, it felt great.
"Up we get."
Izzie had got George out of the house to try and manoeuvre Meredith up the outside steps and into the house.
Meredith swatted away their hands.
"Leave me to sleep in the car it's fine."
Izzie grabbed her waist and pulled her up.
"It is not fine you sleeping in my car because I don't want throw up stains in it and it already smells of alcohol without you sleeping all night in it."
George whispered to her out of the side of her mouth.
"That was harsh."
"Tough love George, tough love."
He nodded silently and together they hauled her into the house and let her crawl up the stairs herself. They watched in amusement as slowly but surely she made her way to bed and heard a long groan when she finally got in.
"So how was your night George?"
"It was okay I just got some study done and Meredith's mum is wow!"
"No doubt about that."
"Is it okay if I have one of the muffins in the bake box I kinda forgot to eat."
She smiled.
"It's fine just don't forget to sleep."
He gave her a grateful look and moved into the kitchen.
She began to move up the stairs when she called out to him.
"George?"
"Yeah."
"You're a great doctor."
There was a hesitant pause.
"I know."
She continued walking.
"But thanks, you know thanks for saying so."
"Anytime George."
"Night."
Suddenly people she had not known longer than a few months were bonded like family. Without them and coffee she wasn't sure she'd survive at Seattle Grace.
It was the little things like hauling drunk friends out of cars, listening to each other bitch and whine and telling each other what they needed to hear that made the difference between a horrible day and a day bearable enough to repeat all over again tomorrow.