A/N: To be honest I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter. It is a little bit of a filler chapter but I do promise this is going somewhere.

Chapter 10 – Explode

After breakfast Jo told Thomas it was time to go home.

"Why? Can't we stay at Daddy's" Thomas whined.

"Because daddy has things I am sure he needs to do and I have some study to do. So you young man have to go upstairs and pack your things." Jo said sternly.

Thomas looked at his father for back up. He wasn't getting any. Alex didn't want to push the co-parenting thing too hard. Jo was still the boss for now, especially after last night. He wasn't prepared to jeopardise that.

"You don't have to go, you know." Alex said as soon as Thomas was out of ear shot.

"Thanks, but I have so much work to do." Jo said looking down.

"Hey, you aren't regretting last night are you?" He asked a little concerned.

"No! Not at all. I just...well I can't believe I just caved so easy. Alex I need you to know I don't do that, I...It's you..."

"I know. It wouldn't matter anyway. Jo you have to know it has always been you."

"I have no self control were you are concerned." Jo hurried the last bit and blushed slightly.

"I have no self control around you either." He whispered as he moved in closer to kiss her. The kiss lasted a little longer and as his arms went around Jo's waist, his tongue met hers.

"Daddy, why are you kissing mommy?" Thomas asked.

The couple pulled apart quickly.

"I was just saying goodbye, that's all." Alex said hoping that sounded believable.

"Have you got everything?" Jo asked. Trying to focus on what she was doing and not on Alex's lips.

"Think so. Bye daddy." Thomas said as he went to his father, who picked him up and kissed him before putting him back down.

"Bye Tommy, be a good boy for your mom." Alex said as they both left.

The next couple of weeks went by quickly and Jo and Alex had managed to find some alone time. They were being careful; they didn't want everyone to know yet, especially Thomas. It would be confusing for him, when they had worked it out for themselves, they would tell him, and then they would let the rest of the world know. For right now they stuck to stolen kisses at work, and they would make love when Thomas had gone to bed, being extra quiet.

Alex came over for dinner most nights, and on the nights that Jo was working night shift, Thomas would sleep over at Alex's house. They had worked out a make shift routine and it seemed to be working.

Alex had set up one of the spare bedrooms for Tommy. This way it would feel more permanent and he would feel more comfortable. It was really important that Thomas knew he had two homes for now anyway. If things went the way Alex wanted them too, Jo and Thomas would be moving into his house sooner rather than later.

Jo couldn't remember a time in her life when everything felt right. She knew Alex was far from perfect but then again neither was she. Jo never dreamt that Alex would want her back after leaving him the way she did, but he had. Thomas's easy transition in learning that he had a father, and having grown to love his father very quickly was also a dream come true. The last piece of the puzzle was to admit to Thomas that maybe mommy and daddy would live together just like Bailey's parents did. Then the fairy tale would be complete.

Then of course if that wasn't enough, Jo had found her true calling in medicine. She thrived on working in psychiatry, her mentor Dr Ryan Hardy was amazing and gave her so many opportunities to learn, he was a great teacher and was fast becoming a good friend.

Thomas was staying the night at Alex's house as Jo was working a double shift.

"Jo, you go home. You look exhausted; it's been a long day." Dr Hardy said.

"Are you sure? I don't mind staying to see how Miss Taylor is through the night."

"No real need Jo, she is pretty heavily sedated, and hopefully we can start fresh in the morning. She just needs sleep; before we can convince her she needs to start on her bi-polar medication again."

"Well if you're sure?"

"I am. I'm going home too. I'll walk you out."

"Thanks." Jo smiled as they left together.

Dr Hardy was a Fellow of Psychiatry and head of the department. He was also known by several nicknames from the female staff, Dr Clooney or GC. By those descriptions he was tall dark and handsome. He had dark hair and blue eyes and had just had his fiftieth birthday and resembled George Clooney.

Ryan was single and very much interested in his new protégée. He knew Jo had a son, had met him a few times and liked him a great deal, he also knew her son's father who ran the Paediatrics ward. For the life of him he didn't see them as a match, which pleased him. Jo was way too smart for Alex. From what he had heard about Dr Karev he was great with kids but had a bad temper and used women for his own carnal needs.

He had time, he would wait, he had waited a long time to find the right woman, and if she was twenty years younger than him so be it. He wasn't going to rush her; he would start with being her friend. Ryan knew he was the right fit for Jo not the Neanderthal that fathered her son.

Alex had put Thomas to bed after many protests eventually by nine pm. He was just about to head up to have a shower and had just taken his shirt off, when he heard a knock at the door. All he could see was a flash of dark wavy hair. He smiled as he opened the door.

"You can use your key..." He trailed off and his smile dropped. It wasn't Jo.

"I don't have a key babe. You can always give me one though."

"Rachael, what are you doing here?" He asked as he glanced up at the stairs just hoping Thomas would not walk down those stairs.

"Oh babe I'm hurt, I haven't heard from you in months." She said as she ducked under his arm and began to take her shirt off."

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? Come on Alex let's just stop the talking and fuck."

"Not gonna happen. You have to leave." Alex said pointing to the front door.

"Why, we always hook up, what's changed?"

"My son is upstairs asleep and you just need to go."

Rachael moved closer to Alex standing only in her short skirt and bra. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, completely ignoring the fact that this was the first mention of a son.

"Come on babe, it's been so long, let me make it up to you." She said as she began to kiss his neck.

That was the sight that greeted Jo when she arrived at Alex's earlier than expected.

Alex pushed Rachael off him, Rachael turned around and looked at Jo, and Jo looked at the pair of them.

"Jo this is not what it looks like." Alex said.

"Well I'm up for anything do you want to join us?" Rachael asked Jo as she looked her up and down.

"Gee thanks, think I'll pass." Jo responded her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Rachael I really need you to go."

"Sure but when you're done with the domestics here, you have my number." She said, putting her shirt back on and walking out the front door.

"What the fuck Alex?" Jo asked as soon as she had left. "What if Thomas had walked in?"

"I know, I know it looks bad, but nothing was happening. Rachael and I we used to have a thing, on and off, she would just turn up sometimes and it's been a while..."

"Right, so you had regular women to service you while I was gone."

"Hey I never lied about that. I never said I was a saint. Unlike you I didn't live like a monk for four years." Alex responded.

"No. You just picked up women that had similar features to me. There is something not right about that Alex."

"Don't turn it into some psyche thing. Just take it as a compliment."

"A compliment! How does that work."

"That I really only wanted you, so if they looked similar I could pretend it was you."

"My God, will you listen to yourself. That is so wrong Alex, surely you can see that. You don't give yourself time to mourn or grieve, you just move on. You really have to get this stuff sorted out."

"And you need to stop thinking like a freaking psychiatrist every minute of the day."

"I can't stay here, please bring Thomas to day care in the morning as we had arranged."

"So that's it you're just going to walk out? Well I guess that is what you do. When it gets tough you walk."

Jo stopped in her tracks, if he wanted to hurt her anymore he couldn't have chosen anything else more damaging to her soul. She had regretted everyday that she left Alex four years ago. So for him to throw that up in her face was the cruelest thing he could have done.

Jo turned slowly around. She wasn't afraid of him but she was damned if she would let him see her cry. Nothing hurt quite like those few words.

"I was just going to go home and clear my head, but seeing as though you have that little faith in me then maybe we are done here."

"Over this! Over one mistake, a random woman turns up who resembles you and so now I have a psyche problem and need help."

"No maybe you need help Alex because you explode so quickly. You need anger management or you need to deal with your demons. But right now, I can't be around you. I trust you implicitly with Thomas, that won't change, but you and me..."

"Just go. I don't need this. I don't need you." Alex said as he walked up the stairs to take a shower.

A/N: Please don't hate me. I promise there is a point to all this! Please review!