A/N: I can't that everyone enough for the positive feedback I have received for this story. I special thanks to my good friend Jamie who helps me with my "Americanisims" if that is a word. lol

I have plenty of twists and turns planned for this story so I hope you all stick around for it!

Chapter 2 – Gentle Approach

Alex fast tracked the paperwork and admitted Thomas for the night. Jo followed and she could see that her son was being taken care of by his father. Thomas' father. God that sounded so surreal to her ears. Jo sensed how easily Alex transferred his demeanor from doctor to carer. It wouldn't be hard for him to slip into being a father. She knew that. She had always known that.

"Mommy is just going to be down the hall, okay? You be a good boy and get some sleep please." Jo said as she kissed and hugged Thomas.

Jo's whole body relaxed and Alex had a nurse show her to an on call room for some sleep.

Thomas slipped into bed and even though the oxygen was on standby, he was breathing normally. Alex pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. He put his hand over Thomas' and sighed, a million thoughts running through his head.

"Can I have a d'ink please?" Thomas asked in a quiet, polite voice.

"Of course, let me buzz for a nurse to bring you in some water." Alex replied.

"Can I have juice? Mommy always lets me have juice when I have been in hos-i-tal."

"Yeah sure, juice it is." Alex said smiling at Thomas' pronunciation.

A nurse appeared shortly after hearing the buzzer and walked into the room.

"Dr Karev, what is it?" The nurse said sounding concerned. You never saw Dr Karev just sitting bedside, no alarms going off, no CPR being performed. He was just sitting there calmly holding the little boy's hand.

"Can you please bring in some juice?"

The nurse gave him an odd look as if to say do I look like kitchen staff? She knew better than to question the Head of Paediatrics so she nodded her head and went in search of juice.

"Where is my mommy?"

"I sent her off to get some sleep. She is very tired. Is it okay if I stay with you instead?"

"But my mommy always stays with me."

"I know she does, but mom needs some sleep, and so do you little man."

Thomas seemed to think this over as the nurse brought in a few different juice boxes. He took the apple one straight away.

"Apple is my fa-o-rite." Thomas clarified for Alex. Alex smiled at him. Apple was Alex's favourite flavoured juice too. After a big drink, Thomas asked "What's your name?"

"Um well you can call me Alex." He thought this would be safe.

"Dock-or Alex. Not Alex." Thomas said giggling a little bit. "You have to be called Dock-or. My mommy is Dock-or Jo. I'm not 'llowed to say that." Thomas said again with a giggle.

This made Alex smile. He had instantly fallen in love with this little boy. His son. Those two words just kept going around and around in his head. His Son. It was just so unbelievable.

Jo would be strict with rules; he knew that, just as he knew as pissed off as he was, he knew she was a great mother. His son Thomas was smart and polite. That was all Jo.

"Come on little man, how about you lay down and get some sleep and I will be right here if you need anything."

"Okay Dock-or Alex." Thomas said as he slid further into the bed and hugged his old Teddy Bear that looked to have seen better days, but obviously meant a lot to him.

Alex squeezed Thomas' hand and turned the overhead light off so they could get some sleep.

Thomas drifted off to sleep pretty easily but Alex, even though he should have been finished work hours ago, was wide awake. He couldn't stop staring at Thomas. How could Jo do this to me? How could she keep him from me? Did she really think I would be a screw up as a father?

Hours seemed to pass and Thomas didn't stir and Alex didn't take his eyes off him. He kept thinking about all the things he had missed. All the memories Jo had stolen from him. Alex was lost in thought when the nurse walked in as was protocol to do the patients observations.

"What are you doing?" Alex said getting up from his chair.

"Um my job." The nurse replied sarcastically, turning the light on and walking over to the sleeping child.

"Leave it! I am here and quite capable of making sure his temperature, blood pressure and oxygen levels are fine. He has had a rough night and needs his sleep more than anything else right now." Alex exploded.

Thomas woke with a frightened look on his face. His bottom lip began to quiver and tears began to form in his eyes.

"Now look what you've done. Go!" Alex yelled pointing to the door for the nurse to leave.

At hearing Alex yell again, Thomas began to really cry asking for his mother over and over again.

Fuck! I can't even care for him for one night without him wanting Jo.

Alex did not want Thomas to start to gasp for air again so he sent the nurse to wake Jo and bring her to be with her child.

Jo came running into the room; her eyes were wild with worry.

"What is it? What's happened?" Jo said her eyes darting from Thomas to Alex.

"Dock-or Alex yelling at lady." Thomas said through tears.

"Its okay honey, come here." Jo soothed as she got into bed with him and pulled him into a hug.

Jo knew Alex, probably better than he knew himself. Every single fibre of his being would now be on alert to protect his child at all costs. That would mean biting anyone's head off who dared to enter the room and wake the resting child. It was just another reason Jo had never stopped loving him, and she knew she never would.

Alex stood by watching feeling helpless. He now expected a tongue lashing from Jo. He expected that he had proved her right that he was a shit father, who yelled and couldn't control his temper.

"Well Doctor Alex doesn't mean to yell. I am sure he was just a little bit upset because he didn't want anyone to wake you."

"I don't like yelling."

"I know honey but, sometimes adults have to yell. Doctor Alex was just doing that because he is looking after you and didn't want the nurse to disturb you."

"Okay." Thomas said quite happy with his mother's explanation.

Alex was amazed Jo defended him. He stood there a little awkwardly, not knowing what to do. He was waiting on Jo's cue as to what to do next.

"Um Thomas, why have you got all of these juice boxes here?" Jo said sternly with her hands on her hips.

"Dock-or Alex said I could."

"I'm sure he did after you asked for all of them, telling him I said it would be okay. What have I told you about too much juice?"

"It will rot teeth." Thomas mumbled.

"Yes, it will rot your teeth. One juice the rest water okay."

"Sorry mommy" Thomas mumbled, reasonably chastised. Jo pulled the blankets up, gave him a kiss, and walked out.

Alex followed her out of the room. Despite everything that had happened, Alex was smiling. It was a genuine smile, a warm and content smile that he hadn't felt in a really long time.

"Our son just played me, didn't he?" Alex laughed.

"Afraid so. He tries it any chance he can. If I let him, he would drink apple juice all day long and have rotten teeth. Did you know there is so much sugar in fruit juice that it rots baby teeth."

"Well obviously I should know that but clearly don't. Sorry."

"Alex you have nothing to be sorry for. It's me; I am the one who is sorry. I am the one who has so much explaining to do."

At hearing that, Alex stiffened. He wasn't ready to hear it. He had had enough of a shock for one night. There was so much to talk about. But it all came back to the one thing for him. Jo had left him. She left him with so much hurt and pain, which even four years later he still wasn't over. He wasn't over her, and he had long realised he never would be. If that wasn't bad enough, she had done the unthinkable. She had kept his child from him.

"Not now, I better get back in there. You go and get some sleep. I will send for you if anything happens."

Jo could feel Alex pull away. She expected it. Fuck, she deserved it. She had her shit together now. She just needed Alex to give her a chance to explain. She wasn't expecting him to ever love her again. That would be asking for too much. But she knew, without question, that he already loved their son. Jo would settle for that.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it and please review