a/n: Thanks to everyone who gave reviews they are much appriciated.

Alex sat with Izzie all morning and all afternoon. He left only once when a police officer stopped by to take his statement. They used a small family room on the ICU floor to take it. The whole time he was talking, describing to the office what happened he was thinking about Izzie. He was thinking about how things should have been different, how he should have been there to protect her, should never have left her alone. He gave the statement as quickly as he could so he could get back. The thought of her being alone scared him. He made a promise to himself that she would never be alone.

On his way back to the room he was stopped by a reporter.

"Hi," The woman said a little more enthusiastically then was appropriate. "My name is Cindy Shaw. I'm from the Seattle Gazette. I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes of your time to give me an interview."

Alex didn't even acknowledge the woman. He kept walking and the woman chased after him.

"It would be really great if I could get a comment from you. Everyone wants to know what the hero was thinking."

Alex reached the door to Izzie's room and walked in shutting the door in the face of the reporter.

"Did you hear that Iz?" he asked her as he resumed his bedside vigil. "They think I'm a hero. What a load of crock that is."

/\/\/\

That night Alex fell asleep with his head resting beside Izzie's hand. He didn't sleep well though. He found himself waking up every few hours from nightmares of the shooting. In his dreams he could see Izzie getting shot. He could actually see the bullets going into her and he couldn't stop them; his feet were glued to the grown.

By the time morning came he wasn't rested and was struggling more than ever to keep himself together. Shepard came by early in the morning and took Izzie away for another CT scan and told Alex he should go home and get some rest. Alex didn't go home though. He waited in Izzie's room for her to come back. When she returned he asked Shepard what the results were. He said there was no change. Depending on how you looked at that it could be good news or bad news. It was good that she wasn't getting worse but bad that she wasn't getting better.

For the rest of the day Alex tried his best to remain positive and upbeat. When Shepard had returned he'd pulled Alex aside and practically ordered him to go home because what Izzie needed now was people to be strong for her and at the moment he wasn't strong. Alex couldn't leave though; he didn't want to leave so instead he was doing his best to be positive and up beat. A nurse had brought him some tabloids and slightly out of date magazines so he was reading them to Izzie. He was making fun of the celebrities and the reporters who chose to cover the stories in the first place. He tried to laugh but his laugh was hollow.

Around lunch time Meredith showed up pushing George in a wheelchair. They both looked worse for ware. George's leg was in a heavy brace and his eyes were red like he'd been crying. Meredith looked better, her eyes weren't as red and she didn't look as lifeless.

"Hey Alex," she said as she pushed Georges chair up to the other side of Izzie's bed. "How's she doing?"

"Alright. She's not getting worse."

Meredith nodded as she read between the lines of the comment. "How are you doing?"

"Alright."

"You look like shit."

"Gee thanks."

"When was the last time you ate?"

Alex thought about it but he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. He was still trying to remember when Meredith started talking again.

"You haven't eaten anything since the shooting have you?" Alex kept thinking. It couldn't have been that long could it.

"Let me take you out for lunch." Alex didn't respond. He was still trying to remember the last time he'd eaten something.

"Alex you need to eat something. Izzie needs us to be strong for her, which means you need to eat."

Alex really couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. 'Wow' he thought to himself, it really must have been that long since he'd eaten. He wasn't hungry though. The thought of food made him feel sick. "I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat Alex."

"I can't leave Izzie."

"George will stay with her." Meredith reached out her hand for Alex. "It'll be okay."

Alex stood up reluctantly. He really didn't want to leave. But he knew he had to. Izzie wasn't going to be able to do this on her own but neither was he.

"I'll be back soon." He whispered to her and kissed her hand goodbye. To George he said "Take care of her while I'm gone."

George replied with a simple "I will." And Alex believed him. Izzie would be safe with George he thought and he walked out the door with Meredith.