CHAPTER 2

After another long and difficult surgery, Alex was sat in his office leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. He suddenly stirred, as he heard a knock on the door and looking up, he saw Dr Moyer, his boss and head of Paediatrics, stood in front of him. "Great work, Dr Karev. You just saved that boy's life," the older, white haired man said to Alex.

"Thanks sir." Alex replied, as he felt a rush of pride. He knew Dr Moyer didn't give out compliments lightly. He also knew that when the older man eventually looked to retire, Alex wanted to be first in line for his job. Although his boss had made it clear he wasn't planning on going anywhere for a while.

After Dr Moyer had left his office, Alex sat back and sipped a well-earned coffee, whilst munching in to one of Izzie's home made chocolate muffins, and he thought of Arizona. The woman that had taught him just how to perfect that extremely complex procedure that he'd performed so expertly earlier. The procedure that had so impressed his boss, Dr Moyer. Arizona, had been his mentor throughout the good and bad times back in Seattle and had been single-handedly, responsible for making him in to the surgeon he was today. Alex then smiled as he thought about how good it had been to catch up with her at her birthday party the other week and to watch her letting her hair down for once. He'd been meaning to drop her a quick email to say thanks ever since, but it had completely slipped his mind due to how busy he'd been since he'd got back to Hopkins.

There didn't seem to be any time like the present though, he thought, as he also remembered how he had wanted to ask her advice anyway, about a new procedure he was due to perform on a twelve year old girl the following week. As he brushed the remaining muffin crumbs off his hands and put his coffee down, he typed out a few quick lines to her and hit send. It was short and sweet, but Alex was a man of few words when it came to modern communication, his emails, like his phone conversations, had never been lengthy.

He then turned to pick up his phone to call Izzie and check in on her and the boys, but as soon as he picked it up it instantly lit up in his hand and Alex saw Arizona's name flash up on the screen. He put it to his ear and grinned, as he said "Hey, you must be psychic. I've just sent you an email."

"Hey, yeah I know….I thought it would be easier to just call, rather than type out a response and then wait for a reply. I don't know why people can't just have plain old fashioned phone conversations these days…" Arizona babbled at him, as she suddenly paused to take a breath.

Alex wrinkled his forehead in confusion, as he took in her frenzied words of introduction and said "Are you ok?" She sounded almost nervous, he thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine, more than fine. Great actually," she replied, in her usual upbeat, bubbly voice again.

"Great." Alex said, slightly bemused now.

"Actually, Alex, I was calling because that procedure that you mentioned in the email. I haven't actually performed one myself for a while, so how about I come and scrub in with you?….".

Alex ran a finger across his lips, as slightly taken aback, he said. "Oh, okay…. Well, that would be great I guess. But you don't have to. I mean, you could just talk me though it over the phone beforehand?"

"No, no, I'd like to," Arizona replied quickly.

"Okay then, if you're sure. But on one condition…. You come and stay with us. I know Izzie would love to see you, and the boys wouldn't want to miss out on seeing Aunt Arizona."

"Oh, well the thing is, Alex. I was going to bring Callie too, so we were going to check in to a hotel, you know, make a little break of it, take in the sights of Baltimore…." Arizona replied slightly awkwardly.

Alex grinned to himself, and chuckled down the phone, as he said "I gotcha."

'So, that was what all this was about then', he thought. Arizona had mentioned at her party, that things might have needed spicing up a little in her marriage, and she was obviously looking for an excuse to have some alone time with Torres. Well, who was he to argue with that, he thought, as he added "But, you'll have to come and have dinner with us at least. I'll never hear the end of it from Izzie otherwise."

"We'd love to," Arizona replied, and Alex could immediately detect the huge smile on her face, beaming down at him from the other end of the phone.

Arizona tentatively opened the door to Callie's office, to see her stood with her back to her, examining some x-rays, her long shiny dark hair, falling down her back.

"Oh, hey," Callie said, as she turned and glanced over at Arizona, before frowning and looking back at the x-rays

Closing the door quietly behind her, Arizona walked slowly up to her, as she twisted her hands together and bit her lip saying "I spoke to Alex. We agreed that you and I would go and visit next week."

"Oh," Callie said sharply, as she quickly turned to face her wife, giving her, her full attention as her eyes flashed a mixture of anger and confusion, and she said. "I thought we decided we'd wait and talk about this later."

Arizona stepped closer to Callie, as she said softly "I don't want to wait. I want to go and speak to him now. I want to get started. I want us to have another baby Callie… and we're running out of time, you know the score. Please, I know you're not entirely comfortable with the idea, but all I'm asking is that you support me. Like I supported you…."

Callie's dark eyes searched Arizona's face intently, she loved her so much and she hated upsetting her, but she couldn't help how she felt. It was true that she was slightly reluctant to have someone that they knew father their child, as she thought of all the complications that it could bring. But she was also a little apprehensive and a tad jealous, that it was Arizona's turn to be the one carrying the baby this time too. So taking a deep breath and placing her hands on her hips, she raised her voice and said "That is not fair. You can't compare this to what happened with Mark."

"No, I can't, because I'm not planning on having sex with Alex. I am not asking for any kind of emotional involvement with him. I am simply asking him to father our child. Because, in case it had slipped your mind, you don't have the equipment to be able to do that." Arizona said, snapping back at her, as her face flushed a light shade of pink. She had known that this wasn't going to be easy, that Callie would need persuasion, but she also knew Callie and she knew that she would come around eventually, as Arizona said. "You're the one I love, the one I want to raise another baby with" and she affectionately rubbed the side of Callie's face as she looked at her.

Callie just gazed back at her for a second, before her voice softened and she said "Okay, well if we do go ahead with this then, and only 'if'.. there are just a couple of minor details that you've over looked…".

"I know, Alex hasn't agreed to it yet," Arizona said, as she sighed gently and ran her hand though her hair.

"And even if he does agree to it. He has a wife, and that wife happens to be Izzie Stevens!" Callie replied.

"Is this what this is about, Izzie Stevens? When are you going to get over your huge grudge against her? Yes she screwed up, but it was many years ago, and haven't we all screwed up at some point." Arizona suddenly said, her eyes flashing angrily again.

"This has nothing to do with Izzie Stevens, as far as I'm concerned that's all in the past and you know that… but aren't you forgetting that she did sleep with my husband, so I think I'm allowed to have a grudge against her for as long as I want, don't you?….." Callie replied defensively.

Arizona swallowed and took a deep breath, as she grabbed Callie's hand and said "Let's not argue, this is supposed to be an exciting time for us. We'll go and speak to Alex and Izzie together and I'm sure they'll understand."

"Great work partner," Arizona said, beaming at Alex, as they both scrubbed out of the surgery they had just performed together. It had felt so good to be working with him again, he hadn't changed one bit since the old days back at Seattle Grace. He was still confident and brilliant and willing to do whatever it took to get the best results. Exactly like she was herself. It had also been a refreshing change to work at a different hospital. Everything at Hopkins seemed brighter and newer now.

Suddenly the door swung open "Um... Dr Karev. Do you need anything else?" A second year intern that had been in on the surgery with them said, as she poked her head shyly around the door and gazed at Alex. She was petite and pretty, with short dark hair and she continued to look adoringly at Alex, as he said "No, that's all Dr Stewart thanks," and as the young intern tuned to walk away, Alex stopped her saying "Great work in there," and she looked back at him, as her cheeks flushed bright crimson and she said "Thanks."

Arizona smiled and raised her eyebrows at Alex, as he just looked at her and said "What?"

"You've still got it Karev," she teased, as Alex just smiled and shook his head. "You've still got young, impressionable interns, imprinting on you. I saw the way that girl looked at you. You're the McDreamy around this place." Arizona said, teasing further.

Alex smiled again and looked away, as he said "Shut up." He was more than aware, that, 'particular,' intern had been paying him extra special attention. He hadn't missed the longing glances, subtle flirting and accidental hand brushes, she was throwing in his direction. He was flattered, but it made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He was no Mark Sloan anymore, he was a married man and he would never cheat on Izzie, she was his world.

He turned back to Arizona and changing the subject, he said "You still coming to ours for dinner later?"

Smiling widely at him, Arizona said "Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world, oh and there was actually something that we wanted to talk to you and Izzie about."

"Great, because I think Izzie's planning to cook up something special." Alex replied, not really taking in Arizona's words, as he glanced at his watch.

"Ah, yes, I forgot what a good cook she is. That must be why you married her." Arizona said playfully.

"Well, that, as well as her many other talents," Alex said, grinning as he winked back at her.

Izzie was stood frowning in to the cook book, as she wiped the back of her hand against her forehead. The pastry on her apple tart just wasn't rising like it should be.

She suddenly jumped as she heard the front door close and pulling her apron over her head, leaving her just dressed in her casual black skinny jeans and tight t-shirt, her blond hair piled on top of her head, she rushed to the front door to greet her husband.

As he put his bag down and walked towards her, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. They had been married for years, but it still filled her with a rush of butterflies every time Alex got home. After a rocky start to their marriage the first time around and then a couple of years apart, when they had decided to give their marriage another shot they had fallen more in love than ever.

"Eughhh, Mummy's kissing Daddy," a little voice suddenly said, as both Alex and Izzie looked up to see the two little faces of their son's, peering through the banisters at them from the top of the stairs, where they were both sat in their pyjama's.

"You two should be in bed," Izzie said sternly.

"You said we could wait up until Daddy came home with Aunt Arizona," Daniel, the older of their two boys said.

"I, said, that Daddy would be up to say goodnight when he got home," Izzie replied sternly again.

Alex laughed, as he said "Go back to bed you two and I'll be up in a minute."

As they heard two little feet quickly scurrying across the landing, Izzie turned back to Alex and said "Where are Arizona and Callie anyway? Because I am running so behind, I haven't even changed yet."

"Relax, you look gorgeous," Alex said, as he pulled her towards him. "They're going to be a bit late anyway. Oh and they said they had something they wanted to talk to us about too," he added, as he drew her even closer and kissed her slowly, breathing in her scent and savouring every moment of having her in his arms after his long, challenging day in surgery.

"So, Izzie, how do you like being a stay at home Mom?" Arizona said, as she sipped her wine, after they'd finished dinner, and they were all sat chatting around the rectangular oak table, in Alex and Izzie's dining room.

"Oh, I love it." Izzie gushed, as she added "But I'm actually getting back into surgery again. I know it's not going to be easy, but I kind of feel it's the right time now" Glanced across at Alex as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"That's great," both Arizona and Callie said together.

There was a small pause then, as Arizona suddenly said "Your kids are so adorable, you're not considering having another? You guys must want a little girl, right? Complete the set?"

"Maybe," Izzie said, as Alex said "Nah," at the exact same time, and they both looked at each other and laughed awkwardly.

"You think I'm made of money?" Alex said playfully, as Izzie cleared her throat and said "I think we just feel really fortunate for the two healthy children we do have, because at one point we didn't think it would be possible for us to ever have a child of our own." She twirled her hair around her finger then, as she said…"'But... if another one did come along….." and she smiled sweetly at Alex.

Causing Alex to shake his head and let out a small laugh, as he said, "Okay, maybe, then," as he looked at his beautiful wife, thinking how he knew he would do anything to make her happy.

"So, how about you guys?" Izzie suddenly said with a twinkle in her eye. "Think Sofia might have a little brother or sister any time soon?"

Arizona swallowed and looked at Callie nervously, as she sensed both Alex and Izzie's eyes burning in to her curiously, waiting for her response. She sipped her wine again, as she felt her stomach somersault and glancing at Callie for reassurance, she fiddled with her nails and said "Actually, we are thinking of having another baby."

Both Izzie and Alex smiled then, as Izzie said "That's wonderful."

"Well, yes it would be, except obviously there's a slight problem with us being able to conceive a child," Arizona said, as she paused and all four of them laughed awkwardly.

Arizona then cleared her throat, as she said "So, we need to find a donor and well we don't want just any old donor. We want someone that we know, someone who's smart and funny and handsome and a good person." She paused again, to see Alex was just nodding his head in agreement, and she realized he had absolutely no idea just what she was about to say next.

So she clasped her hands together and taking a deep breath, said "So, I was …..I mean, we, were wondering Alex, if you would be our donor and father our child?"

The room was deadly silent then, as Arizona felt Callie squeeze her hand reassuringly under the table, and she took a large gulp of her wine as she looked across the table at the 'overwhelmingly' shell shocked expression, on Alex's face….