Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al.

Author's Note: Thanks to all who are reading, I presume those Alex/Izzie shippers will enjoy this part! Let me know what you think.

###

Business Time – Part 4 – Alex Karev

Alex Karev stood under the awning of the Chief's high-rise apartment building with his good pal Owen Hunt as he finished a conversation with Cristina, who happened to be with Izzie. The good doctor chuckled, wondering what the hell was going on upstairs at the moment – secretly thrilled to have gotten out of there when he did – thankful that he, for once in his life, wasn't the one dealing with the fallout.

"Good enough, I'll see you there," Owen said into the line. He handed the phone to Alex. "It's Izzie," he chuckled.

"Hey babe," he greeted; he could hear her smile through the line. Cristina was yapping in the background, both women were in fits of giggles over something.

"So Adele, holy shit!" Izzie exclaimed into the line, raucous laughter erupted again.

"Hmm, hmm," he chuckled at their antics, having long-since gotten used to Cristina as his wife's friend and as much as he would hate to admit it … he liked her now – as much as he was ever going to – so there was that.

"Wow," she muttered. "So … you're on your way home I hear?" she inquired.

"Yes ma'am," he confirmed, watching as two taxicabs pulled up. "Taxis are here, I'm about ten minutes out," he added.

"See you in a few," she said and again he could hear her smile.

"You bet," he said before he snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Owen. "They're going crazy over that little tidbit," Alex muttered to his friend. "Where are you headed?" he asked.

"We're meeting at Joe's …nightcap," Owen offered as they approached the taxicabs.

"So …," Alex said as he pulled on the door handle. "Are you going to do something about that ring of yours or what?" he asked his friend for what had to be the tenth time since he had picked up Cristina's engagement ring from the jeweler two days ago.

"The time has to be right – I can't just blurt it out – even though … even though I really just want to," he chuckled as he opened the door to his taxi.

"Just get down to business and ask her – she's no nonsense – she won't want all the … grand gestures, but … you know that already," Alex counseled with a wry grin. "Ask her tonight – and don't take 'no' for an answer – lean into your fear man," he chided as he opened the door to the taxi and laughed like the devil inside.

"Yeah – tonight – maybe tonight," Owen said with a shrug and a final salute as the men slipped into their respective taxis.

Alex gave the driver – an older gentlemen with a ruddy complexion, salt and pepper hair and an amicable grin – the address of the small Tudor style he and Izzie purchased a couple of years ago, having finally felt the need to move out of Meredith's house (the only house of their youth) in favor of solidifying the idea of them. And so far it worked, for buying the house and making plans for the future had in fact propelled them to a new level of maturity and understanding and commitment in their life together.

It gave them longevity.

It gave them shelter.

It gave them hope.

The house was the antithesis of what he and Izzie grew up with and in some ways that humbled them – sobered them up – but in many other ways it just served as a reminder to dream big and work hard on the premise that those dreams might come true. And so far Alex couldn't complain because as Izzie always said they fared pretty well (cancer aside of course), they were doing pretty well, 'not too shabby for a perpetual jock and an ex-lingerie model.'

The driver pulled up to the house, Alex grinned at him in the rearview mirror. He handed the man some bills over the barrier of the front seat. "Keep the change," he offered with a smile as he exited the taxi.

He closed the door behind him, the driver waved to him and he stepped onto the curb – loping by the recycling bins and garbage cans – before looked up to find his wife's curvaceous silhouette situated just inside the open doorway. She was waiting for him. He took the steps two at a time, the porch light went on, her silhouette disappeared and only she remained.

"Hey," she said softly, clicking the latch, she opened the door for him.

"Hey," he sighed, coming to stand in front of her – her endless blue eyes sparkling now – her thick blond hair framed her beautifully round and healthy face. He closed the door behind him and kissed her full lips.

She giggled. "You taste like a 'gentlemen's evening'," she teased against his mouth.

"I know," he laughed; slipping his jacket off, he hung it on the nearby hook. He set his keys down on the table there; making a note of the familiar brown envelope that sat there unopened for weeks … the one from the adoption agency – astonishingly opened now – he couldn't help but smile. Had she reconsidered? His heart raced at the unfathomable possibility. He smiled tightly, he would wait for her to broach the subject, let her take the lead.

"Are you hungry?" Izzie asked, her beautiful eyes searching his as he turned around to face her. "I still have some stuff out from Cristina's visit," she elaborated, always aiming to please his appetite.

"Nah, I'm gonna shower … smell better," he laughed. "So I can get in bed with you," he flirted.

"Oooh, I'll meet you upstairs," she cooed, pecking him on his cheek. "I'm just gonna put this stuff away and I'll be up," she murmured, her heat radiating long after her lips left his flesh. He watched her go.

She turned around. "You okay?" she asked.

"What? Can't I watch you walk away and admire the view?" he teased.

"Oh ...," she smiled and raised her brow. "You can and you … you should!" she dished back as she sashayed more purposefully down the hallway with a laugh.

He smiled and watched her perfect ass shake from side to side as she retreated. He slipped his shoes off and stood in the foyer for a beat. His eyes moved over their comfortable living room now, complete with canary yellow painted walls, bright white crown molding (which was a bitch to install in the old place) and their own eclectic collection of furniture – soft golden light illuminated the small, but homey space where so many great memories had been made so far – yes … their space, their comfort zone had indeed become something special. And Alex even had to admit that the old wingback chairs Izzie recently rescued from a garage sale and later refurbished, were a perfect fit for the picture window in the corner there. He smiled, clicked the light off and made his way up the stairs.

Padding down the old hardwood floorboards along the hallway now, Alex bypassed the spare bedrooms – one, two, three … all decorated and intended to be guest bedrooms by design – except that now (as he came to expect), his heart sank when he thought about them as such. For they knew – they both knew – that filling those rooms with children would be a tough proposition, one that they appropriately put on the back-burner when they bought this dream house – with cancer to beat and abandonment issues to conquer – they avoided the topic … and chose to focus on the here and now, of that time anyway. But now … his heart sank because somewhere along the line Alex Karev grew up … and somewhere along that line, he realized he wanted to be a father.

Alex walked into their master suite and flipped the dimmer switch on – easy, peaceful light illuminated the space in all the right places – he heaved a sigh of relief, his eyes moving over their enclave. He allowed the serene energy and the soft, soothing tones of sea foam green and deep indigo fill his mind and heart now – calming down, he took a deep breath in – and allowed the energy of their private space to strip away at the old paint of the day like turpentine.

He padded across the plush ecru carpet to their dresser, pulling the top drawer open; he grabbed a pair of pajama bottoms and turned around. His eyes fell on their small lounge area – complete with a small fireplace and a mantle – he noted a new collection of medical reference texts and fashion magazines lay stacked near one of the comfortable chairs. Alex smiled, assuming now that Izzie had done some light reading today while she was off. He was about to turn away, but then noticed his favorite framed photograph was missing from the collection that lined the mantle.

Family. Friends. Family. Brothers. Sisters. Mama Bear. Children. Family. Family. Friends. Family.

He crossed the room and stood in front of the fireplace for a beat before he looked down and spied the frame on top of a folded cashmere blanket that lay on Izzie's chair. He leaned down and picked it up, putting it back into place. His eyes swept over the collection of memories again.

A photo of Izzie and Bailey – arm in arm, wide smiles, beautiful givers – at the Fifth Annual Fund Raising Party for the Duquette Free Clinic.

(Izzie had never been happier … soon after the photo was taken she decided to run the clinic on a full time basis.)

A snapshot of him and O'Malley from a few years ago. George's rough-and-tumble brothers, with their perpetual goofy mugs stood in the center – flanked by Owen and Mark – just before they set out to go on their annual camping and fishing pilgrimage.

(Shepherd took that photo.)

Meredith and Derek sitting on the sofa downstairs three Christmases ago, she was hugely pregnant and gorgeous, with Derek's hand resting comfortably on her belly – his glowing sister never looked happier – he smiled, she might disagree … but pregnancy agreed with her, made her face fuller … happier.

(He took that shot himself.)

Owen and Cristina at this small Italian bistro they all loved (the best garlic bread around town, they all agreed), a surprise birthday dinner she threw for him last year. They were about as happy as two serious people could be – his eyes were stoic and so were hers and yet, they were really smiling – his arm was draped around the small frame of her shoulders, she was leaning into him.

(Izzie took that one.)

George flanked by Lexie and Meredith at Joe's, the night after Lexie passed her Interns' Exam – perched high at the top of her class of course – they really looked like a couple, she and George, with their eyes locked on one another while Meredith smiled at the camera.

(Izzie took that one too.)

He smiled as his eyes fell on his favorite photo in the lot – a moment caught by Meredith – at the new Interns' Cocktail Party a couple of years ago. Izzie's hand on his chest, with her head thrown back in a fit of laughter as they joked about the flip remarks he made to her once a long time ago at their own intern mixer.

(There was a lot he secretly loved about that moment, but mostly he loved that they had survived and lived to relive that moment again. They were blessed.)

Alex sighed and ran fingertips along Izzie's face there and smiled. Sometimes it was hard to remember she had cancer at all, for she was a picture of health now. Long gone were the days in which he would wait for the other shoe to drop – wait for the red flags – fever, soreness, fatigue, new skin lesions. He watched her like a hawk until she had been given not one, but six (biannual) clean bills of health. He smiled tightly – her illness was hard to remember but even harder to forget – his eyes clouded over, he turned away from the memories and headed for the shower before he would become too emotional.

Once there, Alex flipped the light switch on and started the shower, quickly disrobed and stepped into the warm, steamy water. As he washed the cigar stench from his skin and hair, he thought about the envelope downstairs and the implications behind Izzie's review of the documents. He relaxed slightly now – exhaling a deep breath of air that he'd been holding onto – maybe even since he stepped into their room earlier. He sighed with a slight pang of relief now as he thought about Izzie contemplating the idea of adoption for the second or third or fourth time since their latest discussion about it a few weeks ago.

He shook his head, it always went something like this: both he and Izzie wanted a biological child of their own making – and they knew they could most likely use Izzie's harvested eggs and conceive (via a Petri dish) and make that dream happen – except that for a host of perfectly valid reasons, Izzie was gun-shy of the idea and if he was gonna be honest, Alex couldn't blame her. All he could really do was listen and be there for her the way she was there for him.

###

"No Alex! No more doctors, no more medical interventions, no more poking and prodding – look, I know that's what we do – I know how fucking stupid this sounds because it's our dream ... but … ," she heaved, her face beet-red, her blue eyes shocked, bewildered. He shook his head.

"Izz ... look ... I'll do whatever you want ...," he reassured, coming to stand in front of her.

She shook her head; she was defeated. Alex's heart broke knowing how hard it was to even think about giving up on the idea of being a mother, having already offered one child up for adoption. He knew this was killing her inside … motherhood, slipping through her fingers all over again. He took a step closer to her and folded her neatly into the envelope of his arms. Holding her steady how he learned to do over time, it was all he could do sometimes to calm her duress.

"Alex," she whispered into his neck, her hot breath slamming into his skin as she spoke. "As sure as I am that this would work for us – I'm just so tired – and now I'm healthy ...Alex …," she pulled back; her pleading blue eyes scanned his. "I'm healthy," she reiterated – now a statement of fact – not just something she was trying to convince him of anymore.

"I know, I know you are and I don't want to mess with that either," he soothed, trying to allay her fears. She pulled back and smiled, pressing her lips together she turned out of his embrace and began to pace – back and forth now – like a caged tiger until their peaceful living room fell away and there they stood ... alone ... with this twelve-ton elephant they learned to live with.

"I'm healthy Alex ..." she fumed, her eyes became darker and he sighed, for this is what he had been waiting for, the inevitable meltdown. He walked toward her, but she paced away from him. "I'm healthy ... and all I can think about is how it doesn't mean jack shit – I mean, look at Hannah now – and I was healthy Alex!" she sparred, turning around again. "I was a healthy reckless teenager and I couldn't even guarantee her ... longevity or ... or fortitude!" she screeched into the silence all around them, her chest heaved and her tears fell.

Alex was helpless. In that moment, he was truly helpless. He watched her work through it because sometimes it was all he could do, let her talk it out and wait until she needed him. She paced, he followed her with his eyes.

"I mean … Hannah," she sighed, tears gathering again as she came to stand in front of him. "Even if she was adopted by the nicest most-deserving couple in the world, she still –"

"But what if we're that couple this time Izz?" Alex dared himself to ask, he didn't usually push … except this time, he did. Her head snapped up and her ferocious eyes locked on his for a beat.

And that's when the tears started, tears of what he wasn't exactly sure – joy, happiness, fear, worry, relief – no, he wasn't sure, so he left it alone and instead he asked around and obtained some information on the best adoption agencies in Seattle. And that's where they stood – in a silent stale mate – carefully avoiding that topic just like they avoided the elephant they learned to live with.

###

Until now – until he came home tonight and the envelope was open for all to see – for him to see.

He turned the shower off and snaked his arm out to grab a fresh indigo towel from the rack. He stepped from the shower and turned the faucet on, ran his toothbrush under the stream, added some toothpaste and began to brush. He reached up and wiped the mirror off with a hand towel … his tired reflection appeared within. Holding the brush in his mouth, he quickly dried himself off and slipped his pajama bottoms on, not bothering to tie them. Through the mirror, he watched as the door slowly swung open as Izzie walked inside the small room wearing nothing but a low cut pink camisole and a pair of matching panties – she was the picture of health – she smiled and kissed his damp shoulder, breathing him in as she did.

"Much better," she smirked, in reference to his clean skin. She smiled, picked up her toothbrush, applied some toothpaste and began to brush alongside Alex – soapy smiles adorned their faces now, ear to ear, shoulder to shoulder, side by side – they brush and brushed, smirking at each other through the mirror like teenagers.

Alex rinsed his mouth and Izzie followed suit. He handed the towel to her; she patted her face dry, hung the towel up and followed him to bed. The couple slipped in between the sea foam green sheets and instinctively rolled into one another, meeting somewhere in the middle of the large, four-post bed. Izzie smiled and so did Alex, there was nothing quite like coming home to Izzie every night, Alex mused … just knowing she was healthy, knowing that they were in it together was sometimes all he needed. Partners for now and all time. He leaned in and without hesitation he kissed her perfect minty heart-shaped lips.

"Thanks for taking the recycling out," he teased with a wink.

"Hmm, you noticed that, huh?" she asked, leaning into his heat, she rested her hands on his chest, her chin on her hands … she batted her long lashes.

"Yep," he said, leaning down he pulsed his lips over hers. "You know …," he smiled like the devil. "I'm a sure thing," he laughed. "You don't have to take the trash out to get some," he cackled now.

Izzie's giggle filled the air. "Sure thing … really?" she asked, pumping her lips over his. "I'll have to remember that …," she teased, resting her chin on his chest again. She giggled again. "Speaking of sure things … so … how awkward was it when Adele showed up?" she asked.

Alex shook, an impromptu chill coursed through his body. "I'm home aren't I?" he quipped.

Izzie leaned up and began to kiss Alex's neck and earlobes, tugging, sucking and teasing. "Yes … and the night's still young …," she said hotly into his ear. Taking her cue, Alex rolled her over, pinning her beneath him. She giggled breathlessly, her blue eyes sparkling in the dim nighttime light. "Conditions are perfect …," she sighed, fully relaxing into the moment.

"How young?" he husked, darting his tongue into the delicious minty cavern of her mouth. "And how perfect?" he persisted, pinning her hands over her head while he attacked her neck with a fury of kisses, her hips flew off the bed and a blur of a moment, she rolled him over.

"This young," she breathed heavily, straddling his waist, she sat up and pulled her tank top over her head – her large, alabaster tits swung free as she heaved, her skin glowing in the dim nighttime shadows now – as her perfectly pert and rosy and round nipples hardened under his watchful eyes as he held her gaze, he could eat her alive – she was a vision, akin to a cherub, angelic and sexy as hell – she leaned forward, sucking on his earlobe once again, her taut nipples cutting across his chest now as he growled in her ear. "And this perfect," she said hotly as her nimble fingers worked at the waistband of his pajama bottoms, she raised herself up on her knees and he shimmied out of the pants altogether.

His cock sprang free and she giggled, the soft tip of his head brushed against the warm flesh of her inner thigh and he nearly lost it from sheer proximity alone as he rolled her over and she shimmied beneath him right out of her panties before she clasped her feet around his waist – hungry lips fused together, tongues massaging as they went, core to core, heat to heat now – for they were finally free, finally in the nude … finally ready to explore … those perfect … conditions.

"Just you tonight …," she muttered between kisses. "I just want you," she sighed. "No games Alex," she said before darting her tongue into his mouth where he sucked on it, hard.

Ignoring her lust-filled advances for now, Alex moved his mouth down from the long column of her beautiful neck, fully intending to taste her skin. He felt her hands grip his skull as he pressed his mouth over her clavicle, then down, down, down to her beautiful, rosy pleasure points – yes, she wanted just him, his cock – she wanted to bury him alive in her depths! But he … he needed to taste her – just the taste of her sweet, aroused flesh in his mouth – that was all he needed these days!

For ever since Izzie had been deemed 'healthy', he noticed how fucking good she tasted again … so fucking good and healthy …for he had been deprived of her natural elixir whilst she was sick – she tasted different then, how could she not with so many drugs pulsing through her veins – so now, even years later … every time they made love, he had to taste her … her rosy nipples, her beautiful and sinful pussy. Yes, he needed her on his tongue like his lungs needed air.

And now he did just that – he took his taste, he would drink from the well – for just a moment, for as long as she would tolerate it, for Alex also knew when Izzie wanted to be fucked … and she never minced words … so he'd be quick …after all, he knew her need to 'connect' was strong tonight – he saw it in her eyes when he first walked into the house – for he knew that after mulling over the adoption papers all day, that she would need to make sure of 'them' – that she would need to look into his eyes as they made love to know they were fine – which of course, they were and he would show her as much … after he tasted her pussy.

"Izz," he muttered, his mouth moving beyond her perfect tits, down to her soft zaftig curves … lower and lower and lower now. He kissed her hipbones, her knees fell open and her intoxicating sex arrested him. He placed the palm of his hand over the soft hair of her mound to keep her steady. "You're so fucking beautiful," he husked, her hands found his skull and she pulled upwards, he reached up and laced his fingers through hers and held her in the moment as he dipped his tongue beyond her wet folds, breaching those flood gates for the first time of the night.

Her hips bucked up and he closed his whole mouth over her delicious hole. And there he stayed, his mouth covering her essence, his tongue massaging her nerves – up and down he moved now, from her perineum all the way up to her perfect pink clit – back and forth, back and forth – all the while, drinking down the juicy fruit of her womanhood! He was selfish, he knew that much – but Izzie also knew he would take her just far enough orally – just enough to taste her precum before he would slam into her and fuck her senseless!

For if there was one person he understood, it was Izzie and he knew she wanted to cum with him and he would never deny either of them that pleasure. Not tonight … not ever!

"Oh God Alex!" came her warbled call as he felt her muscles begin to clamp down around his tongue and lips.

Her hips rose up and into his mouth – her reaction, exactly what he wanted – her delicious pink skin was all around him … the her essence was all he could breathe and taste! He was lost, lost within her womanhood, the woman she was, the woman he fell in love with all those years ago – her health, her vitality, her strength, her big heart – yes, he was lost now as he skillfully brought her just shy of that climax she craved so much. Her muscles clamped down again – systematically now, his cock twitched in response – quickly now he sucked hard on beautiful swollen clit one last time … so tasty, so perfect, so fleshy –swirl, swirl, swirl – he made little figure eights with his tongue … once, twice … she was almost there!

Izzie screamed his name over and over again now, her muscles going crazy – her chant – it was all he could hear now as she released her hands from his skull and let her legs fall wide open for him – her beautiful glistening, swollen pussy – spread out for him like a buffet! He crawled up her bountiful body and wasted no time before he settled himself at her floodgates and watched through hooded eyes as his rock hard cock disappeared into her warm and awaiting depths. He leaned down and into her heat to take all she would soon give.

His lips found hers and he kissed her mouth and pulsed into her pussy with the same rhythmic beat – with the same tenacity and intensity – he fucked her just how she wanted him to … his wild eyes found hers – they were connected – they were one once again. "I love you," he heaved, his words hung in the air between them.

The sentiment – the praise, the adoration – the raw, passionate 'I love you' was one that, somehow over the years – became perfectly natural, perfectly warranted for Alex – and yet somehow still … it jarred him, whenever he muttered it from that deep place only Izzie took him to … somehow it mattered more and always made his heart clench down inside his chest.

She was close and so was he. They were bonded, connected – finally eye to eye – ready now to take on whatever or whoever might come their way.

With his eyes locked on hers, Alex pulsed down with veracity now – their mutual need, evident – Izzie clenched her muscles around his rod again, skin around skin, stretching, covering him like a glove of ownership … holding him inside the moment exactly how she wanted to … exactly how she needed … to make sure of 'them'.

"I love you too," she husked into his mouth, pumping her lips over his. "So fucking much," she managed to say as she rolled her hips up and back to take as much of him as she could.

Alex planted his lips on her neck, kissing, sucking, nipping and tasting, moving lower and lower until he latched his mouth over her engorged peaks he loved so much, he just couldn't get enough of her.

And on that thought, he leaned into her heavenly depths with all his might. Her muscles went wild again – clench, clench, clench, milk, milk, milk, cum, cum, cum – she was his and he … he was hers! Her muscles were relentless … she was tenacious, full of life and full of love!

clench, milk, cum

The crescendo of his orgasm began ... gathering speed now.

clench, milk, cum

Untamed energy ripped up and down his spine … all he could do was hold on.

clench, milk, cum, cum

He gently pounded into Izzie's tight muscles … her beautiful friction enveloped his cock and soul and everything in between.

clench, milk, cum, cum, cum

Until in a furious culmination of lust and movement, he growled and barreled into her with all he had one last time.

cum, cum, cum, cum, cum, cum, cum

While she held him steady, his rock … his lover, his Izzie. He kissed her then, all over her face, peppering tiny wet kisses all over her heated dewy skin. Her hands were everywhere, roaming, soothing, rubbing, she held him inside of her and inside of the moment like there was nothing more important in the world. And that's how he knew – that's how Alex knew Izzie loved him – because she always held him … she always made him stay with her, she cared and so did he. She pressed her lips to his forehead and he found her eyes in the dark. She smiled and plucked his lips with hers. His softened cock slipped from her depths, he felt naked … exposed.

He rolled off of her, grabbed the quilt, pulled it up and rested his head on her pillow in one fluid movement. He draped his leg over her thighs in a jackknife and pulled her closer. Her prickly, damp skin nothing but a delicious reminder of their lovemaking now as she kissed over and over again – skillfully bringing him down from his high, like no other woman before her – as he let himself relax into her mission. He closed his eyes; she rested her head over his heart. His mantra rolled over his head – back and forth now – as he became quite sleepy, 'we're okay – she's happy and healthy – we're okay'.

"Alex," came Izzie's soft voice.

"Hmm," he opened his eyes; she rested her chin on her hands over his heart.

"I'm ready …," she sighed, her eyes were shining.

"You are," he agreed, cupping for her full, healthy face.

"I think we could do this and I think it could be really great," she sighed, her cheeks still flushed from their session, her eyes full of hope.

"I think so too, Izz," he sighed with relief, she crawled up – draping her leg over his – she pressed her head into the crook of his neck.

"You're right … we could be that couple, just like Hannah's parents," she breathed, her voice wavering now and her eyes surely watering. He squeezed her tight, holding her steady just like she did for him.

"We could," he agreed, pressing a kiss into her blond locks. "We are Izz … we are that couple," he encouraged, running his fingertips up and down the smooth skin of her back.

"I love you," she sighed, becoming heavier in his arms.

"And I love you … I really do," he whispered as she burrowed deeper into his heat.

And as he relaxed into the moment holding his wife – Isobel Katherine Stevens Karev – in his capable arms he took a deep breath of her healthy and sated sweet essence one more time before he closed his eyes for the night – because she loved him … and because she wore him out … and because they might be parents one day – and because he had to be up early in the morning and mostly because … he … really was … quite … sleepy … now.

Business Time – Part 5 – Owen Hunt to follow.