Shepard came back in an hour, exactly like he said he would. He drove Alex home and made sure he went inside. It was a little weird Alex thought, Shepard of all people. In the car driving over he asked him "Why are you doing this for me?" Shepard didn't answer straight away, he thought about what to say.
"I don't want to see you break down right when Izzie will need you most" he finally answered.
"But why do you care?" Alex didn't understand Shepard's generosity toward him.
"Because you're my friend. Well you're Meredith's friend which makes you my friend."
"Oh." The two men continued to drive along in silence.
"I guess I feel I owe it to you."
"You don't owe me anything."
"Yes I do. You saved a lot of peoples lives."
"So?"
"You saved Meredith."
"I wasn't trying to. I was only trying to save Izzie."
"I know but that doesn't change what you did. I owe you Alex." Shepard paused for a moment. "I'm going to do everything in my power to help Izzie get better."
"Thank you."
"Like I said I owe you." Shepard pulled the car up in front of Alex's apartment. "Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?"
"No I should be okay." Alex started climbing out the car. He was about to close the door when he asked "Do you want to maybe come up stairs for a drink?"
Shepard thought about it for a second before deciding against it. "I think I should probably head home. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Okay." Alex shut the door to the car and began walking up the steps towards his apartment.
/\/\/\/\
When he entered everything was exactly like he expected but completely different all at the same time. He knew he would feel Izzie's presence or absence as soon as he walked in the door but it wasn't like he expected, it was so much more.
It had been almost a week since he'd stepped foot inside his apartment. Things were exactly like they had been left. Izzie's presence and therefore absence was everywhere. A pile of wet cloths in a basket by the washing machine. A dirty muffin tray in the sink, two dozen muffins on the counter. A bottle of nail polish and a pedicure kit on the coffee table. One side of the bed made. These were all little signs of Izzie, signs that this wasn't a bachelor pad anymore. Izzie hadn't agreed to move in with him yet but she practically lived there already. A little part of Alex didn't want to clean up the messes. To do so would be like erasing Izzie from his apartment. But he knew he couldn't leave things like they were.
He sighed and slowly began the process of cleaning up. He started with the wet clothes. After five days of sitting out a slight odor was emitting from them. He brought them to his nose and breathed in, they smelt like washing powder and must. The morning of the shooting Izzie had run around the house looking for clothes that needed washing; she'd wanted this one top clean and needed to make a full load. They'd been running late and all she'd had time to do was pull the clothes out of the machine before they had to run for the door. She was going to hang them up when she got home. Alex sighed and put the clothes back in the washing machine to be washed again.
In the kitchen he ran hot water into the sink to do the dishes. The night before the shooting Izzie had baked muffins. She was going to bring them into the hospital but they'd left in such a hurry that she'd forgotten them. Alex picked one up and took a bite, even after sitting out for five days they were still incredible. He wrapped the rest of the muffins up and placed them in the freezer, he might need them later he'd thought.
He cleaned the kitchen until it was gleaming. With every wipe he felt he was whipping a little piece of Izzie away. He didn't like that feeling but he couldn't leave things the way they were either. Izzie liked things clean and she'd never forgive him for letting the place go to disrepair while she was gone. He closed his eyes and remembered the first time he'd brought her over. The place had been not exactly tidy and Izzie had made him clean up before they did anything. At the time he'd hated her, well, disliked her for it but now he treasured the memory. He wasn't cleaning Izzie away he was making the place ready for her return, however long that might take.
After things were clean Alex showered and went to bed. He didn't realize how tired he was until he lay down. He'd been running on adrenaline and will power for the last five days and now there was not reason for him to keep going, not at that very instant anyways. He curled into his side of the bed and closed his eyes. He felt Izzie's absence for only a minute and then he was asleep.
That night Alex slept soundly, he didn't have nightmares, he didn't dream at all. When he woke up it was morning, the clock by his bed read 7:42am he'd slept later than he'd planed. He'd been hoping to be at the hospital by 8 but he couldn't do anything about it now. He quickly showered and changed into some clean clothes. He heated one of Izzie's muffins up for breakfast, there were still twenty two of them left it would be okay if he ate one more.
As he walked around the apartment eating he collected some of Izzie's things to bring down to the hospital. He picked up the scented candle she'd burn when ever he farted, they wouldn't be able to burn it at the hospital but it still smelt good on its own. He picked up the Iowa t-shirt of his that Izzie always wore. He brought it to his nose and smelt it. It still smelt like Izzie. After a moments thought he decided that he wasn't going to take that to the hospital. And lastly he picked up a photo of the two of them. The photo had been taken only a couple of weeks earlier at a hockey game. It had been an amazing evening, one of the best outings he'd ever gone on with a girl. He closed his eyes remembering that night. He could still feel the atmosphere in the air and see the smile on Izzie's face as she's laughed at his attempt at commentating the match. He wondered for a second if she'd ever laugh like that again and then he shook the thought out of his head. She would laugh like that again, she was going to get better he reminded himself. He placed the things in a bag walked out the door.
He was almost at his car before he realized his car wasn't there, it was still at the hospital. So much for getting there early he thought and began walking. He walked quickly with his head up. The faster he moved the better he could avoid everyone. People were still double taking when he walked past but no one came up to him.
He arrived at the hospital a little after 9. He stopped at the hospital gift shop and brought the paper and another magazine to read. Alex's photo had finally moved off the front page but it had been replaced by a story on gun controls. The shooting was still very much on everyone's mind.
Alex was walking up the corridor to Izzie's room when he heard someone yelling his name. He turned around and saw the Chief running up behind him.
"Karev,"
"Yes Chief." Alex wasn't quite sure what the Chief wanted, he was still on sick leave.
"How's Dr Stevens?"
"She's doing well, I'm actually on my way to see her. What was it you wanted?"
"Oh, well I'll let you keep moving. I wanted to talk to you about…arrr…what happened the other night and what you did."
"Yeah what about it?"
"There are people at the hospital and in the community who believe that your actions that night were very heroic."
"It was nothing."
"There are a lot of people who would disagree with that. The hospital and the community would like to officially recognize your actions by presenting you with an award."
"That's really not necessary." The last thing Alex wanted right now was to be paraded in front of everyone like something special.
"But it is. The ceremony has been organized for tomorrow morning. You need to be at the front of the hospital at 10am."
"Okay. I guess I'll see you then." Alex continued walking shaking his head. A ceremony? You've got to be kidding.
Like always thanks so much to everyone who had reviewed the story and please keep them coming. I know this part wasn't as intense as some of the other parts but I think it's an important bridging part. We're almost back that the beginning.