Title: Facade
Episode: 3x01 ("Time Has Come Today")
Word Count: 230
Rating: K
Note: Thanks to McLonely for helping me choose this one as the next ficlet, and for her review that made me want to review sooner ;). You see, reviews do make a difference! I also enjoyed this moment very much, so here it is. Once again, suggestions as to what the next few ficlets should be are welcome. From this same episode, there's actually another ficlet I'll post at another time. R&R, Enjoy!
They're performing surgery on the most fragile thing in the world, and this is when she realizes that all she needs in order to have a complacent conversation with him, is a baby between them. Because they spoke peacefully at the incubator, and they've just spoken peacefully now. This is that other side of him that doesn't irritate her to no end. This is the real side, the one that's not masked by sarcasm or bitter truth. Just his own truth, from what she can only assume is from experience. This is not just Karev, it's Alex Karev. And behind his blunt, jerk ways, are his wise, experienced ways.
"You can get over a bad childhood," he's just said.
She had sighed, thinking he was going to go on a macho-routine, but the way he said the next words, showed it really was just the way he had learned to cope. And really, that mechanism was true in every sense.
"I mean you can have the worst crap in the world happen to you and you can get over it. All you gotta do is survive."
When she looked up to meet his eyes, he had averted them, which was just typical. But she couldn't help but admire how he had allowed her a real glimpse at himself. An insight at the real man that lay behind the boy façade.