AN: I finally finished it and it only took a little over a month.
It was a June Saturday night spaghetti dinner at the Steven-Karev farmhouse. Jo and Luna had officially become Karevs four months ago when Jo and Alex got married again in a simple ceremony at the courthouse. Followed by Alex adopting Luna, who was now two, with little Este joining them all just two months ago. Jo loved being a Karev when they first got married and always mourned the loss of her last name. So when they got remarried Jo decided to take the name back, along with the loving family that came with it.
A lot had changed in the year since Jo and Luna had come home with them. Jo had quickly moved everything from the penthouse to the farm in Kansas. Everybody in Seattle was sad to see her go. Especially Link, but he and Scout visited often. Jo had moved into Alex's room and the twins argued that Luna should share their room. However, having three kids in one room was too much. Therefore they added a fourth room above the garage, but down the hall from Jo and Alex and across from the twins. Luna shared with Este, but the three-month-old mostly slept in the bassinet in Jo and Alex's room.
Jo was accepted to the OB residency at the same Hospital Alex and Izzie worked at. Although it wasn't as good as the program at Grey-Slone under Carina's guidance. Jo was ahead of her class and able to implement the things Carina had taught her to provide better care for her OB patients. Luna was settling into the daycare near the hospital well and had made a few friends already. She was still adjusting to Este's arrival and preferred her older siblings, but she did at least like her baby sister.
Tonight, Izzie and Eli were in the kitchen finishing up the spaghetti sauce. Jo and Alexis were cleaning up the living room. While Alex was setting the table with Luna and Este on his shoulder.
"Is it almost ready?" Alexis called out from the living room, popping her head up behind the couch.
"It'll be ready in a minute," Izzie and Eli said back in unison, neither of them looking up from the pot.
Alexis sighed as she slid down the couch and Jo tickled her sides as she laughed. Then they went back to picking up the rest of the toys.
"The table is set," Alex said as he placed the last plate. "Right there, Luna."
Alex pointed to the spot where the spoons went as Luna put the last one down. Este fussed on his shoulder and Alex started bouncing again to calm her.
"How's the garlic bread doing?" Jo asked, poking her head up and looking into the kitchen.
"It'll be ready in a minute," Izzie said again as she peeked into the oven.
"I'm starving," Alexis proclaimed as she came over and sat down at the table, and propped her head up on her hand.
"I'm with you on that one, Lex," Jo sighed as she put away the last basket of toys and joined her at the table.
"Well the garlic bread is ready," Izzie said, as the timer went off and as she pulled the garlic bread out of the oven and brought it over to the table, trying to placate them. "But it's far too hot to eat just yet."
"I'll blow on it before I eat it," Alexis said, her eyes licking her lips as she watched the garlic bread intently.
"I think Este's hungry too," Alex said as he moved Este off his shoulder and looked back at the drool stain she had left as she had chewed on his shoulder.
"She wants dinner just like us," Eli said as he smiled over Este.
"Either that or she's just teething," Izzie said as she smiled and handed him a paper towel to wipe his wet shoulder.
"It's been a few hours, she's probably hungry," Jo said as she held her arms out for Este as Alex handed her to Jo. "But if I feed her someone has to feed me."
"Can I feed her a bottle?" Alexis asked, leaving her seat at the table in favor of her baby sister as she stood next to Jo.
"Sorry kiddo, I haven't pumped in a few hours so I need to nurse her," Jo said as she pulled up her shirt to feed Este and Alexis sulked back to her seat.
"The pasta is ready," Eli declared as he ate a strand before he hopped down from his stool next to the stove.
Izzie took the pasta over to drain in the sink and Eli helped Luna into her booster seat at the table next to him. Alex got the oven mints and carried the pot of sauce that had been keeping warm on the stove over to the table. Izzie came over with the pasta and sat down with them and everyone started to dish up.
"Lots a pasta, Daddy?" Luna asked him as she looked up at him.
"Yeah you'll get lots of pasta, kiddo," Alex reassured her as he loaded up her plate.
"I'm so hungry I can eat the whole thing," Alexis said as she loaded up her own place with a large amount of pasta.
"Me too" Jo agreed as she grabbed three slices of garlic bread.
"I swear you eat more now than when you were pregnant," Izzie said as she put a bit of the salad she made into the kid's plates. Alexis and Eli mostly picked at it, but at least Luna was still young enough to eat it without protest.
"Blame the chunky Karev baby," Jo said looking down at Este, but smiling as she ran her finger along her cheek.
"She's a growing girl, she needs all the calories she can get," Alex said as he smiled and grabbed Este's little foot, giving her little foot a rub.
Este was indeed growing big as she was in the 93rd percentile and had the cutest little fat folds. She took after Jo, although Jo argued she looked more like Alex. She had dark brown curls from both of them, but Jo's oval face and broad forehead along with Jo's eyes. But she had Alex's lips and nose.
"Alexis slow down, you're going to get a tummy ache," Izzie insisted as they all looked over to see Alexis shoving the pasta into her mouth.
"Jesus kid, You've already inhaled half your plate," Alex said with a shake of his head as he dished up Jo's plate for her.
"I'm just so hungry," Alexis completed her words slightly muffled as her mouth was full of spaghetti.
"Please slow down, Alexis. There's plenty of spaghetti for you," Jo insisted as she tried to hide her laughter.
Izzie just shook her head and tried a new approach. "All right everybody so how was your day? Alexis, how did your math test go?"
"It went well," Alexis said, taking a break from eating for the first time. "I got 18 out of 20."
"That's great," Izzie said as she leaned over and hugged Alexis.
"Congrats kiddo," Alex said as he high-fived her.
"I knew you could do it," Jo said to her with a smile.
"How was your day mama Jo?" Eli asked her.
"It was really good, I read my new OB journal, Este and I took a nap, but then she spit up on my entire outfit," Jo said, although she looked down at Este with a smile.
Jo and Alex were still on leave although Jo was still studying for her OB residency they were enjoying the time off. Luna was in daycare every couple of days to keep up with the routine of it.
"I was a victim of the Este special too," Alex said as he shook his head and fed Jo a bit of spaghetti.
"Yeah, I can tell," Izzie said pointing her fork and his shirt as Alex looked down and frowned at the little bit of spit up on his shirt.
"How was your day Eli?" Jo asked as Alex offered her another bite.
"It was good, we had to make a paper airplane and try to make it arrow-dynamic," Eli said, slowly trying to pronounce the complex word. "And tomorrow we're having a contest to see whose airplane can go the farthest!"
"That's fun, I'm sure yours will do well," Izzie said with a proud smile. "And how was your day Luna? What did you do today?"
"I see people?" Luna said as she spooned the cut up spaghetti into her mouth.
"What people did you see Luna?" Eli asked her.
"People," Luna said as if it was obvious and they all laughed.
"Did you do some people watching at daycare baby?" Jo asked her with a giggle.
"Yeah," Luna said as she went back to her meal.
"How was your day Mommy?" Alexis looked over at her with a smile.
"It was alright," Izzie said with a shrug.
"I'm sorry Izzie," Jo sighed and wished she could reach out to hug her.
"It's okay, tomorrow will be better," Izzie said as she forced a smile onto her face.
One of her patients whom she had been particularly close to, died the day before, but they never told the kids these things. Today she had taken care of all the patients' things and paperwork. Izzie had personally run the code for two hours. It had hit her hard and she had called them afterwards in tears. Alex and Jo had both raced over to the hospital and comforted her. She had called William too and he was there before they were, holding Izzie in his arms as she cried. They stayed with her for an hour until she felt up to going back to work and were planning to attend the funeral with her later.
"I think I'll just steal this little one for some extra cuddles tonight," Izzie said as she looked over at Este and reached out to hold her hand.
"You can have her as soon as she's done eating if you want?" Jo offered, she knew how it was to hold Este and enjoy the baby cuddles.
"Sounds good to me," Izzie said with a genuine smile as they both looked down at Este.
"Yeah Este is good at making anybody's bad day into a good day," Eli said as he leaned forward in his seat to look over at her.
Of all the kids, he adored his baby sister the most. From the moment Jo had told them she was pregnant he was very protective of her. Eli jumped at the chance to help take care of her and would soothe and play with her, even putting her down for a nap now and then. He loved to play with her and would read all his books to her. He even begged them to let him take Este to school with him so he could spend more time with her, and take her for show and tell.
"Can I have more?" Alexis asked, holding up her empty plate to show that she had even eaten her salad.
She also had spaghetti sauce across her face and looked at them with pleading eyes. For some reason it made Jo and Alex burst out laughing while Alexis smiled. Izzie just shook her head and laughed as well as Eli and Luna giggled.
"Alright," Izzie said as she just dished up Alexis some more spaghetti.
Dinner went by too quickly and so did homework, Jo helped the twins with their math and went over the things that Alexis got wrong on her math test. Izzie got her cuddle time with Este and Luna as they played in the living room while Alex did the dishes. As they winded down for the night Alex and Jo did bathtime with the kiddos while Izze got some time to herself.
"There's my little moon," Jo said as she wrapped Luna up in her towel and dried her off.
"Mama I a burr-eo," Luna said with a smile.
Jo laughed and hugged Luna close as she pulled her into her lap. "Okay, my little burrito. What about you Alexis, are you ready to be a burrito?"
"Not yet," Alexis said, as she was laying on her belly in the tub with her goggles on as she blew bubbles in the water and put her head under again.
"Alright," Jo said as she grabbed the hair brush and started to brush Luna's hair.
After Alexis finally got out they went to the twin's room where Alex was already helping Eli settle in as he picked out a few books. Soon they all settled into one of the twin's twin beds, and the three kids laid on top of Alex as he started reading to them. Jo leaned against the door frame as she watched them all. She should go get Este from Izzie. Este was probably getting fussy as she did around this time of night. But as she looked down the hallway she saw Izzie coming over to her with Este.
"She wants her Mama," Izzie said, but she smiled down at her as she gave Este to Jo.
"I hope she wasn't too fussy for you?" Jo said as she took her and smiled down at her girl who just stared up at her.
"No, but I know how she gets this time of night and she's tired," Izzie said as they both watched Este yawn.
"If you want to bring her over here and I'll put her down while I read and put these ones down?" Alex asked, catching her attention as they both looked up to see him and the kids staring at her.
"She won't fuss for her Daddy, either," Izzie reminded her, as she smiled down at Este.
"Yeah Mama Jo, bring Este over here and let her cuddle with us and she'll fall asleep in no time," Eli said as he beckoned them over with a wave of his hand.
"Alright," Jo easily agreed as she brought Este over and laid down on Alex's chest.
He cradled her with one arm and Alexis, Luna, and Eli cuddled around her too. All four of the kids settled in and looked quite sleepy as Alex went back to reading the book. Although this time Alexis had to turn the pages from him. Jo went back to the doorway smiling as she and Izzie watched them for a little bit longer.
"Do you want to help me get ready for my date?" Izzie whispered to her after a few minutes as she put a hand on Jo's back.
"Of course," Jo said with a smile as she followed Izzie down the hallway.
Jo helped Izzie do her hair and makeup as Alex got all the kids to sleep. Afterwards, they all retreated downstairs. Jo laid on the couch against Alex's chest while Izzie paced up and down the room, waiting for William.
"Stop pacing and come relax with us while you wait," Jo said as she waved her over, but Izzie was too excited for her date.
"He should be here any minute," Izzie said, peeking out the windows again. "Oh, there he is."
Jo and Alex smiled at each other as they watched Izzie light up as she saw him. She and William had started dating after Jo had officially moved into the farmhouse with Luna. Although they had been dating for a while, they still acted like teenagers in love. Jo and Alex were happy for her and William. He had gone from a good friend to a beloved fourth parent, although he left the disciplining to Izzie. He helped take care of them and was often around for dinner, playtime, and homework. That is when he wasn't working in the fields. The kids loved him just as much as they had grown to love Jo. Eli and Alexis had started calling him Papa Will. Alex was quite jealous at first, but he had gotten over it as he allowed someone else to love his kids just as much as he did and take on a fatherly role in her life. However, Alex knew he was Alexis's number one Daddy.
Although they joked that if anybody else moved into the farmhouse they would need to make some more renovation to fit everyone. Izzie had discussed with them whether William should move in or they should move to William's house, even involving the twins to see how they felt about it. The kids loved living together so much and they didn't want to split up their family unit, so for now, they all stay together and with William occasionally sleeping over.
"Are you sure you're going to be warm enough?" Jo asked looking her over at Izzie as she was dressed in a mid-length red wrap dress. Although it was June, the nights still got a bit chilly.
"I'll be fine, I've got a jacket too," Izzie said as she grabbed her jean jacket.
Finally, William made it to their door and knocked. Izzie rushed to open the door and welcomed him in.
"Hello William," Izzie said with a smile as William took off his cowboy hat and came into the house.
"Hello Izzie you look mighty beautiful tonight," William said with a smile as his eyes looked her up and down and Izzie blushed a deep red.
"Thank you. Well, we should get going," Izzie said as she grabbed her purse and William put her jacket over her shoulders.
"You two have a good time," Jo said as she said goodbye with a wave.
"We will," Izzie said as she waved back to her. "And I'll text you when we're headed home.
"Be sure not to get into any trouble and you make sure she's home by midnight," Alex said pointedly at William as Jo hit his chest with her hand and rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry sir, I will," William said, putting his hat back on and tipping it to Alex who nodded.
"See you guys later," Izzie said with a little wave to them as she pulled William out the door.
The house grew quiet as Jo and Alex flipped through Netflix, trying to find something to watch while they ate some popcorn. Alex absentmindedly ran his hands up and down her arms and Jo played with the cuff of his shirt on the arm that was wrapped around her waist. Jo found her eyes wandering from the screen as she looked around the living room.
She thought about the first time she had stepped into the living room. She remembered how much it looked like Izzie's space but with the twins' toys and other things scattered around. Now there were touches of her and Alex around the space. His wrestling magazines were on the side table and his record player and records were displayed on the shelves. Her attempt at knitting, no wool of course, in the basket on the shelf. Next to it was her collection of books, both medical and fiction. There were more toys this time around with the addition of baby things.
There were also pictures of her and Luna and now Este as well as pictures of all six of them as a family. Including the one that they had sent out in the Christmas card on the mantle. It was next to that little Christmas house that Izzie never let them put away. Along with the string of lights in the window, she insisted they needed to keep up because it also served as a night light. Jo had the big family she always wanted, and it meant everything to her.
No longer did she feel like the farmhouse was a stranger's home she was stepping into. It was her home with her husband and their kids and one of her best friends. Never in a million years did she imagine calling Alex's ex-wives farmhouse home, but here she was. As Jo thought about it, it was one of those things that hit her suddenly. The feeling of home surprised her, especially, how much the little farmhouse had truly become home.
"Jo Jo?"
"What?" Jo asked as she heard Alex call her name and tilted her head to look up at him.
"Hey I was asking you about the movie, but you were so lost in thought," Alex said with a smile. "What were you thinking about?"
"Oh just that I'm home," Jo said, as she smiled up at him.
"Good," Alex said as he leaned down and she reached up to catch his chin and pull him in for a kiss before she pulled back and laid her head on his chest.
"But what movie were you trying to ask me about?" Jo asked as she looked up at the tv.
"I was wondering if you wanted to watch this one?" Alex said as he pointed with the remote to the movie on the screen.
"Yeah it looks good," Jo said as she settled back into his arms and Alex played the movie.