Chapter 17

Time...

That's all Alex had was time as he awaited the news of Izzie's surgery.

He was so surprised when she had agreed to have it. It had come out of nowhere, when he least expected it. She gave in.

Alex had walked into Izzie's room and he saw her staring at something.

"Are you looking at George?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Izzie nodded her head. "George fell asleep in the chair over there."

Alex smiled sadly at his wife who was probably going to die. Little did he know that Izzie was now thinking the exact opposite.

"If I died..." Izzie started.

"Shh," Alex stopped her. "Don't talk about that."

"No," Izzie said. "Let me finish." She waited for Alex to nod and when he did she went on. "If I died... that wouldn't be very acceptable if I didn't give a fighting chance first."

Alex cocked his head to the side. "Iz, what are you saying?"

Izzie took a deep breath, still staring at George, before she slowly turned to Alex and smiled very slightly.

"I think I might want the surgery."

Those words were the best words that he had ever heard. He had been thrilled, he had a chance to keep his wife.

After everything that happened he thought he might finally deserve to keep her.

He loved her.

But the surgery was very risky, and more than likely Izzie wouldn't make it.

But she had a chance. She had a very good one.

And now all he had was time as he sat in the chair outside the waiting room and waited for her.

Tick tock, tick tock

The clock kept ticking and his heart kept beating.

But as his heart continued to throb loudly in his chest he couldn't help but wonder whether Izzie's was doing the same.

Was her heart still beating... or not?

Meredith slowly walked over to Alex. He looked up at her and when there eyes met he knew that she was worried too.

"Don't worry," Meredith whispered. "Derek is the very best. If anyone could do this surgery it would be him."

Alex didn't respond. Instead he just looked away with tears in his eyes.

Meredith sat down next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. She rubbed it slightly, but it didn't even get his attention.

"You want to know something funny?" Alex said out of nowhere.

Meredith was confused. "What?"

Alex wiped his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I've always been so tough. I hardly ever cried. As a child I practically raised my siblings. I've never been emotional." He took a deep breath and sighed. "Except for Izzie," he continued. "When I cried about what happened to Rebecca it was Izzie who held me. She was the only one who I would cry in front of. And when I found out about the cancer... I cried. I cried because it was her, because I love her."

"I know you do," Meredith said lightly.

"The thing is though, now I'm crying all the time, in front of everyone. She made me emotional. She made me love her. And now I'm scared to death that she could... die on that table... What if I lose her Mer?"

Meredith shook her head. "I know Izzie Stevens," she said, he voice breaking for the first time. "She fights for the people she loves." Meredith sawllowed hard and then cleared her throat. "And damn it, she will fight for you Alex. I can tell you that much."

Alex took a moment before he could find his voice. "You think so?"

Meredith reached for Alex's hand and squeezed it. She didn't have to answer.

Alex touched Izzie's arm lightly. She woke up and turned over.

"Hmmm," she moaned.

"Iz, they're getting ready to prep you for surgery."

"Oh," Izzie whispered. "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything," Alex said immediately.

"Tell Shepherd he better not kill me."

Despite everything Alex chuckled.

"I will," Alex murmured.

Izzie smiled but it quickly faded. "ALex," she muttered. "If something happens durring the surgery...

"It won't," Alex told her.

"Just remember," Izzie said. "Keep living your life. I would want you to. Well I do want you to."

Alex nodded and bit his lip. "I love you Iz."

"I love you too Alex."

tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock

Izzie walked onto the elevator that she had been on almost a year before. As it slowly lifted up through the floors she knew what she would find on the other side.

And as the doors open she saw George standing there, still in his army costume.

"Did I die?" she whispered.