There were certain days of the year that just screamed particular departments. 4th of July always brought an abundance of burn victims for plastics, Christmas and thanksgiving seemed to come with a lot of general related incidents. But Halloween...halloween was all paediatrics. He wasn't sure if it was the kids overridden with candy or the pure chaos out on the streets but every year like clockwork kids came wheeling into the E.R making Alex's paediatrics department a whole lot busier.

Pulling the mask from his face, Alex barked a set of orders out to the interns hovering behind him, checking his pager to where he was needed next.

"Dr Karev! How many times do I have to remind you this is not a daycare." Tracy the chief peds nurse appeared in front of him as he entered the peds floor, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at him.

"Dunno what you're talking about Tracy."

"Oh...you don't?... I believe these two belong to you." She quips, pulling two children out from behind the desk. Alex withheld a laugh as he watched his children sheepishly look around, both armed with pillowcases full of candy, clearly, their night had been as eventful as his. "We are not a babysitting service."

"Oh come on they weren't hurting anyone…" Alex argues pointing towards Haley who'd pushed her bottom lip out her eyes watering as she looked up at Tracy flashing those puppy dog eyes that her mother like to use to get her own way.

"Hmmm...you think that's gonna work on me girl Karev...think again" Tracy hummed, shaking her hand at them as her pager began to beep, disappearing off back into the ward without another word.

"Guys I told you to be subtle…" Alex warned sternly narrowing his eyes at the two monsters standing before him, watching them both carefully before cracking a smile. "What did you get anything good?" He grins, laughing as they both race towards him excitedly to show him their haul of goodies.

"BOO!" Suddenly a figure appears from behind the door dressed in Ghostface mask, jumping out in front of them, stopping Haley and Josh in their tracks.

Alex rolled his eyes immediately recognising the masked form as her laugh rings out, watching as Jo pulled the mask down from her face, her eyes lighting up as she throws her head back laughing the second she gets a good look at their kid's terrified faces.

"Woman don't do that…" Huffed Josh, his grumpy frown making him the double of his dad as he turned away from Jo.

Jo continues to laugh, clutching at her stomach as she moved to stand wiping away the tears that had formed. "Woman?" She questions looking between her son and Alex who just shrugs.

Alex shakes his head, pecking her lips lightly. He hadn't seen her all day, unfortunately, Jo had pulled the short straw and had been the general attending in charge today. She hadn't seemed to mind, despite the fact Halloween was her favourite holiday of the year. She loved her work and she knew as well as he did their jobs were important, they couldn't always have the holidays off.

"So munchkins are you having fun?" Jo mumbles wrapping on arm around Alex's waist as she looked down at Haley and Josh, ruffling Josh's hair as they excitedly opened up their pillowcases to show her what they'd got so far.

"Yeah we got seven kitkats and I saw…"

"Well if it isn't all the Karevs." Dr Bailey appears stepping off the elevator. "I didn't know I was running a daycare." She raises an eyebrow looking between Jo and Alex who slowly pull and Hailey Josh closer to them, Bailey was pretty lenient especially around the holidays but her patience definitely runs thin around the Karev kids.

"Yeah yeah heard it all from Tracy" Alex waves his hand at her rolling his eyes, his kids weren't any trouble, believe me, he'd be the first to say if they were.

"Hmm"

"Hello, Dr Bailey" Haley whispered quietly in a sing-song voice as she held on to Alex's hand,

"Hello Haley...josh"

"Hi Dr Bailey"

"What are you meant to be?"

"A witch doctor…" Haley supplies spinning around in her costume, which consisted off navy leggings and T-shirt to match her parent's scrubs, with one of Alex's dress shirts rolled up as her lab coat and her face painted a bright shade of green to match the witches hat that was sitting lopsided on her mass of dark curly hair.

"She had trouble picking so we went with both" Jo grinned, she made their Halloween costumes, she'd always laughed at moms who had the time to do it because God knows she didn't, she assumed she be an Amazon last-minute kinda mom and yet there she was this morning getting them all ready before her shift started.

"And I am a wrestler just like dad." Josh grinned looking over at Alex, he was so happy to be dressed up like his dad, he idolised Alex and it was clear to see whenever they were together but if Alex was honest it was something that he felt guilty about, he tried like to hell to be a good father but he never felt like he was doing enough. He felt so much pressure when his son looked up at him to be the best kinda man he could be, he'd never want his son to be like him...younger him anyway. He wasn't really sure he was the type of guy that should be idolised or emulated.

Bailey nodded pursing her lips. "I can see that," sighing she looked down at the chart in her hands a guilty look spreading across her face as she met Alex's eye. "I hate to do this, I really do but I need you in OR 4"

Alex inwardly groaned, he knew he was on call but he honestly thought he would manage at least a half an hour with his kids on Halloween.

Jo seemed to know what he was thinking before he could even say anything, squeezing his waist and leaning in closer to him. "Hey it's okay…" she whispers softly. Leaning forward pulling both Josh and Haley closer to her, "I got these hellions...I'll raid their candy while we wait." She jokes, as the kids both start to protest.

Alex laughs watching as Jo bends down, wrapping Haley in her arms as Josh escapes her grip making the little girl squeal as her mother begins to tickle her. Man, he's a lucky guy, he's reminded just how lucky he is every day but it only makes it that much harder to leave them. "No…you should go home, take them trick or treating."

"Are you kidding me?" Jo exclaimed, grimacing at the thought. "These two have had enough...they just hit the best trick or treating hotspot in all of Seattle."

Alex nods, lifting Haley up so he can press a kiss to her cheek, making he giggle as she wiped the green face paint from his lips, before feeling Josh knock into his legs, holding onto him tightly, they made it to so hard to leave. Alex was in constant battle every time he walked out the door, the only thing that got him through it was knowing there was a child out there that needed his help and how much he'd want someone like him to helo his kids if they ever needed it.

"Come on guys...there's a little kid out there that needs dads help...let's go," Jo mumbles ruffling Josh's hair, rubbing his back slowly as he untangled his arms from around Alex's leg.

When Alex got out of surgery a few hours later he was surprised to find his family camped out in the cafeteria. When he hadn't found them up on the peds ward he'd assumed they gone home, but here they were Josh and Haley chasing each other around the mostly empty room. He caught sight of his wife half asleep leaning against her hand, piles of candy surrounding her.

"You guys are still here?" Alex mutters, gently touching her shoulder so as not to startle her. Pressing a light kiss to her head as he slumps down in the chair beside her. Today had been exhausting.

"Not going anywhere without you…" Jo hums peeking her eyes open, her eyes searching the room for the kids before settling back down in her chair. She took in her husband's exhausted face, noting the off look in Alex's eyes as their eyes meet, almost as if something was wrong.

"Hmm, you just didn't wanna put these two to bed on your own while they're all hopped up on sugar." Alex jokes placing a hand on her back, smiling at her tired face.

"You got me." Jo laughs sitting up, leaning into Alex as he wraps his arm around her, resting her head against his shoulder. "I love them more than anything but my god have we created monsters."

Alex chuckles he's about to respond when Haley catches sight of him racing forward she leaps onto his lap. "DADDY...daddy look at my tongue...it's blue." She squeals poking her tongue out dangerously close to Alex's face as he leans back in his chair.

"Yeah, I can see that Hales." He laughs, wrapping an arm around her as she grabs some more candy off the table. Turning his attention to his son who is currently trying to do a handstand against one of the far walls. He's pretty sure he should stop him before he hurts himself, it's never a good look for the chief of peds to be wheeling his own kid in. "What are you doing Josh?"

"Being a bat…" Josh replies like it was the most normal answer, not bothering to even look back at Alex as he continued to try and push his body up off the floor.

Alex grimaces looking back at Jo who is equally confused. "How much did he have?" Alex hisses as Jo simply shrugs grabbing a Reese's from the table. "We're the worst parents in the world."

"Oh come you know that's not true…" Jo protested, watching a Haley ran off to join Josh. That was the look on his face...the one she hadn't been able to place earlier. Guilt. Sighing Jo snuggled closer into his arms, rubbing her nose along his neck as they both watched their children play happily. Honestly, there had been so many times over the years that Jo could never have imagined her life turning out likely this. She was sure Alex was having the same thought. "Do you realise both our are children dressed like you for Halloween?"

"Because I'm scary…"

"No, because they love you...you're their hero," Jo whispered, cupping Alex's cheek gently pulling him down so she could meet his eyes, she could see the torment playing out in his mind.

Alex nodded, he knew the fierce look in his wife's eye and he knew better than to disagree with her. "You're my hero but for the record, I'm pretty sure Haley is meant to be you minus the witch part of course…"

"I know that face Dr Karev...talk to me." Jo urged him, running her hand across his stubble slowly,

"I just...I hate missing the holidays with them."

"They look happy to me…" Jo watched as Alex's face twisted up, how could he not see what she saw. How much their kids loved him, he's come so far from that Dr that was sleeping around with interns, never forming attachments that she'd met all those years ago. "They have two parents who love them, they have way more than we ever had going on, stop it, Alex, you're not him...you'll never be him, so what they trick or treat in the peds ward and sometimes they celebrate Christmas on the 26th...maybe we don't go on as many vacations as we'd like but they are two very happy and spoiled kids...stop doubting yourself."

Alex smirked, feeling Jo's lips find their home against his as she pulls him in for a sweet kiss. "Mhmm, I love you."

"I love you."

"When did you get so good at speeches?"Alex ponders, as Jo returns to her position wrapped up under his arm.

"Are you kidding me? I've always been excellent at them." Jo exclaims, pulling a face as she pops the rest of her leftover candy in his mouth. "We all get down days babe, you pull me out of mine and I'll pull you out of yours."

All of a sudden there's a loud crashing sound, making both doctors jump up out of their seats, immediately scanning the room for any danger near their children. Spotting them both standing near the doorway where a nurse was currently helping an elderly patient up. "Did he just knock over that old woman over?" Jo cries.

Alex winces, nodding as he watched his kids sheepishly back away from the door. "If he didn't he definitely gave her a heart attack…"

"We should go."

"Okay monsters let's go home."

It was almost midnight when Alex finally managed to slip away from the kids, having been tricked into reading them two stories instead of one in exchange for his favourite chocolate bar. He was pretty much ready to hit the pillows when he shuffled out of Haley's room, watching the way Bear curled up at the end of the bed, guarding the pair.

"Kids asleep?" Jo called quietly from the ensuite as Alex slipped into their room, collapsing on to the bed with a loud sigh.

"Mhmm" He mutters closing his eyes, sinking into the pillows, Halloween aka hell on earth for a paediatrics surgeon. "Too scared to move Josh, if he wakes I'll never get him back down."

Alex hears Jo mumbles a response, as she continues to busy herself in the bathroom. After a moment Alex begins to wonder what was taking her so long as he hears her huff and puff.

"What are you doing?" He mumbles confused as the door to the bathroom opens, leaning up on his elbows to reveal his wife standing there, a mischievous look in her eyes as she cocks her head to the side doing that little thing she does when she looks through her eyelashes at him. She'd let her loose curls down from the bun they'd been in all day, so they were falling around her shoulders effortlessly, her wedding dress clinging to her body, she'd had it dry cleaned so you couldn't see the various fake blood stains she'd poured on it year after year.

"Putting on my wedding dress I told you I'm gonna wear it every year…"

Alex gulped trying to think of something intelligent to say as he stared at her. She was still as beautiful as she was that day she'd stormed into his dressing room all guns blazing. "You've only got four minutes left…" He stuttered lamely, gesturing to the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"Well, we better make the most of it then." Jo grinned coming around to the side of the bed as Alex moved to the edge, his hands wrapping around her waist as she stands in between his legs.

Jo just smirks, a knowing look in her eyes and she looks down at her husband, who was just gulping at her, eyes wide, mouth open, he never failed to make her feel anything less than beautiful and she knew just how lucky they were to still have this spark after all these years.

"Happy Anniversary, Dr Karev." Jo teased bending down until her lips were dangerously close to Alex's, hearing his breath hitch as she straddled his lap.

Alex grinned, tangling his hand into her messy locks, guiding her head down until their lips meet. "Happy Anniversary Dr Karev."

Jo moaned into their kiss, feeling Alex pull her impossibly closer, suddenly not tired anymore as he intensified their kiss, feeling Jo's body pressed against his.

"MOM."

Alex groans, feeling Jo pull back, panting slightly. "You've got to be kidding me." Leaning her forehead against his, she squeezes her eyes shut, both of them waiting to see if they'd get away with it.

"MOM" Haley's voice calls out again, making Jo moan in defeat as she goes to move off of Alex.

Alex shakes his head in protest, keeping a tight hold of her waist.

"Josh said there was a man in the wardrobe." Haley's voice calls out again.

"Well ignore him," Jo calls back, turning her gaze to Alex. She pouts, keeping her grip on him. The moments over.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

"Haley hit me."

"No, I didn't!"

"There's always next year," Alex mumbles pulling Jo in, pressing a row of kisses down her neck before releasing her, a soft smile spreading across his face as she pecks his lips lightly before rushing out of the room.

Alex waited for a second, taking a breath before he followed her out of the room. They were far from perfect but he'd take this day of busy surgeries, stolen kisses and five minutes of laughter with his kids over any world without them. He wasn't sure the fear of being anything less then the perfect dad his deserved would ever go away but he sure as hell would try to be that, and as long as Jo was by his side...well nothing ever seemed scary because he had her.