Author's Note: Thanks to all who've commented/alerted this story! You're the best!

Chapter Five – Alex

Alex parked his car in the half full hospital lot. It was four in the morning and still dark. He was exhausted. Shepherd's spinal tumor removal had gone later than the attending had anticipated. Of course it hadn't helped that the guy was still a little gun shy in the OR. Frankly, Alex was surprised Shepherd had come back as quickly as he did. But, as Alex knew all too well, a loss of confidence was not something a surgeon just got over. He'd been much the same after that incident with George in the elevator. Not even his first successful solo surgery could get the remembered sense of helplessness out of his head. Plus Alex lived with the guy. He was willing to cut him a little slack.

Still, that extra hour in the OR had cost Alex some much needed sleep. Not that he was getting much to begin with. Between his long hours at the hospital and whatever was going on with Izzie, Alex found himself getting less and less sleep. He'd briefly considered sleeping at the hospital after Shepherd's surgery – he had rounds at five – but he was afraid that Izzie would suddenly decide to tell him what was going on the minute he wasn't there to tell. So he went home instead. He regretted that now. Alex didn't want to go inside just yet, so he rested his head on the steering wheel and closed his eyes. Five minutes. I just need five minutes.

A half hour later Alex awoke abruptly to the sound of a slamming car door. His eyes tried to focus in the predawn light. What he saw nearly convinced him that he was still asleep. The slamming door belonged to Hunt's Jeep. The person who slammed said door was Cristina Yang.

Damn. Izzie had mentioned in passing that Hunt and Cristina had gone on a date, but he hadn't really believed her. Hunt didn't strike him as the type to get caught up in Seattle Grace's romantic carousel. Clearly he's been wrong on that one. But…the guy was such a…badass. Alex had seen him save more than one life when it looked damn near impossible. Hunt was the one attending Alex had unflinching respect for. Curious now, Alex waited until Hunt's Jeep pulled away before climbing from his own car. He grabbed his bag and tore off after Cristina.

"Yang! Hey, wait up!"

Cristina turned, eyebrows raised. "What do you want, Evil Spawn?"

"Hey! Can't a guy say hello to a co-worker?"

"Guy, yes. You, no." With that, Cristina turned and pushed the front doors open.

Alex was right behind her. "Was that Hunt's Jeep I saw you climbing out of a minute ago? Are you guys an item now?"

Cristina spun so fast her hair hit Alex in the face. "Watch it, Karev, or you may find yourself on the wrong end of my scalpel," she said in a low voice.

Alex raised his hands in mock surrender. "Cool it, Xena. I didn't mean anything by it. Just trying to get the facts straight. It's a little out of the blue."

"Oh." Cristina backed away a couple of feet. She didn't look entirely convinced of his sincerity, but at least she was out of his face.

A few people in the lobby were staring. Alex shrugged. By unspoken agreement, they fell into step as they crossed the lobby to the elevator. Alex didn't try to make conversation. To be honest, Cristina's reaction surprised him. She must have it bad for the redhead if she was threatening to cut him to ribbons. Although, upon further reflection, his question had come off a little more ass-ish than he'd intended. He liked Cristina. She was no-nonsense, hardcore and smart. She didn't take his shit. She gave as good as she got. He respected her, both as a surgeon and as a person. As little as a few months ago, he wouldn't have cared what she, or anyone else, thought of him. The idea that she probably considered him an ass bothered him more than he'd ever admit. He considered her…well, not a friend exactly…but someone whose respect he wanted to earn.

"Look, Cristina," Alex began as they entered the elevator, "I'm sorry if I came off as an even bigger ass than usual. It's really none of my business."

Cristina looked at him and blinked several times, clearly shocked. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Alex?"

Alex laughed. "Fine, don't believe me," he said with a grin. "Just know that your secret's safe with me." The elevator dinged. "Catch you after rounds."

Alex stepped off the elevator, still smiling, leaving a dumbstruck Cristina in his wake…

UP NEXT: Lexie