#IRIATW

[jobrookekarev]

I Remember it All Too Well Chapter 5

Chapter Five of Six: Whispers Of ‘Are you sure?’

Words: 6500

Chapter Summary:  Jo and Alex’s eyes meet across the hall at a wedding reception. The heat between them reaches a boiling point as they finally get back together and later discuss how they want to repair their relationship.

Story Summary: Alex knew from the moment he signed the divorce papers that leaving Jo and Seattle was the worst mistake of his life. As Alex works his way back to Seattle, he sees Jo again four times before she allows him back into her life. Or the four times Alex saw Jo after their divorce, and the one time they finally got back together with her, plus a soft epilogue.

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Relationship: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson, Atticus Lincoln/Amelia Shepherd, and Winston Ndugu/Maggie Pierce.

Characters: Jo Wilson, Alex Karev, Eli Stevens, Alexis Stevens, Meredith Grey, Zola Grey-Shepherd, Bailey Grey-Shepherd, Ellis Grey-Shepherd, Atticus Lincoln, Amelia Shepherd, Winston Ndugu, Maggie Pierce, Scout Lincoln Shepard, Cormac Hayes, Liam Hayes, and Austin Hayes.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences.

Additional Tags: Regret, Longing, Pining, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Wedding, Parenting, Fluff, Heavy Kissing but that’s it, Implied Sex.

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AN: Hey guys, heads up before you begin reading this that there has been a change to the ratings, to Teen And Up Audiences for reference to and implied sex.

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Alex looked around the reception hall as Maggie and Winston’s wedding came to a close. The bride and groom were completely enraptured with each other. As the party fizzled out around them, they just kept on dancing. He was happy that Maggie and Winston felt comfortable having him and his kids at their wedding. Eli and Alexis had played with Meredith’s kids and the rest of the Grey-Sloan kids the entire night. While Alex had sat at a table with Meredith and Hayes as they all conversed warmly. 

As the kids wound down Alexis, Eli, and Bailey laid on the floor watching the tablet and falling asleep on each other, until Alexis crawled in his lap. Alex smiled at her and put his arms around her as he held his daughter. Alexis wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her little head on his shoulder.

“Are you ready for bed, sweet girl?” Alex asked, as he rubbed her back and held her close.

“No,” Alexis mumbled, clearly exhausted and Alex knew that her eyes were closed. 

“Alright, I think we’re ready to head up for the night?” Meredith said appearing next to him with Ellis in her arms and Zola training behind her, the only one who was still fully awake. 

“Mom can’t I stay down here with Austin and Liam?” Zola asked as Hayes and the boys appeared next to them.

“Sorry Zola, these two are headed up as well,” Cormac said, subtly putting his arm on Meredith’s back.

The two of them thought that no one would notice when they started dating, but it was currently the worst kept secret at the hospital. Alex was happy for Meredith, and she and Hayes were good together.

“We don’t have to go to bed once we get up there, do we?” Austin asked as he grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair.

“I don’t want to go to bed either,” Zola said as she grabbed the basket she had used for the flowers.

“How about this?” Meredith said to her. “Since you’re the only one awake and you’re older now, I think it would be okay if you and the boys put on a movie after you help us get everything upstairs?”

“Deal!” Zola instantly agreed as she reached down to grab the tablet from Eli and Bailey.

“Come on boys,” Alex said as the boys slowly got up half-asleep. 

Liam and Austin agreed and they all helped to put away their plates and cleared the table. Grabbing stray jackets, and purses, and the little mint chocolate wedding favors Maggie and Winston had put out.

“Did you have a good time buddy?” Alex asked Eli, as he put his hand on his son’s back Eli leaned into him and gripped his dress shirt while they walked. 

“Yeah, can we hang out with Bailey, and Zola, and Ellis all the time?” Eli’s sleepy voice whispered up to him as he looked up at Alex with big brown eyes. 

“I don’t know about all the time, but how would you like to have a sleepover with them tonight?”

“Un huh,” Eli said as he leaned into Alex further. 

Alex paused and leaned down, shifting Alexis to one arm as he picked up Eli. The one thing he learned about having twins was that what he did with one child he needed to do with the other. Sometimes that meant carrying two sleepy six-year-olds at once. Luckily for Alex, he had always been strong enough to carry them both. It was something he relished doing when he could as they were getting a bit old to be carried around and he had missed out on carrying them around when they were babies. Eli sighed in his arms and Alex could tell that he would be asleep by the time they got back to the hotel room.

As part of the wedding package, Alex, Meredith, and Amelia had a three room suite that made the wedded festivities with six kids easier. They put all of the little kids down in Meredith’s room and she said she’d take the extra queen in his room. Alex quickly got his kids changed into pajamas. They woke up again but quickly fell back asleep as he tucked them into the bed next to Bailey and Ellis, with the rollaway left empty for Zola.

True to her word, Zola helped them put her siblings to bed, before going out into the main room where Hayes and the boys were picking out a movie. Alex walked out into the main room, just in time to see Amelia and Link come in. Amelia was carrying Scout and Link had Asher as the boys held hands.

“Did you two steal an extra baby?” Meredith asked in delight as she walked over and put her hand on Asher’s back as he smiled at her.

“No,” Link said and he and Amelia paused. “These two threw a fit when we tried to separate them, so Jo said we could take him up and she’ll come to collect him later.”

“Well that’s not a problem, is it Asher?” Meredith said with a smile as she helped Link and Amelia put the boys down in their room.

Alex smiled as he watched Asher lay his head on Link’s shoulder, fighting sleep as they disappeared into the room. He settled on the couch next to Zola as they scanned through the movies before Meredith came over and tapped on his shoulder.

“Hey I think I forgot my purse downstairs could you please go grab it, it’s at the bar,” Meredith said with a smile as she bit her lip. 

“Yeah, no problem,” Alex said, getting up as Meredith took his place next to Zola.

He quickly rushed downstairs and went over to the bar to ask the bartender if he had Meredith’s purse. The bartender nodded and handed him the blue clutch that Meredith had and Alex took a second to look around the room before he went back up. The party was still in full swing and quite a few couples including Maggie and Winston were still dancing.

As he looked around again he caught sight of Jo as she sat at a table sipping the last of her wine and people watching like he was. All night he had been trying not to stare at her, but he couldn’t help the way his eyes were drawn to her. Jo had even caught his eyes halfway through the reception and smiled at him, which only encouraged him. Alex blamed his staring on the alcohol and the fact that the twins were down for the night in the hotel room upstairs. Jo was the most beautiful woman in the room, although he would never say that aloud, lest he offend Maggie. 

She just looked so gorgeous in that little black dress. Alex was reminded of the way she looked at Bailey’s wedding all those years ago. She always wore black to weddings. It was a simple neutral color that fitted her so well. The short dress hugged to her hips with an open back and v-neck that allowed for ample cleavage. Her brown hair fell in loose curls and her dark mascara and eyeliner made her brown eyes pop. 

He couldn’t help but imagine what Jo looked like without her dress on. It had been a full year since they had slept together and lord knows that his body had changed. Alex felt older, there were wrinkles around his eyes and more gray hairs on his head and beard, but Jo was still the same beautiful woman that he remembered. 

Jo caught him staring and Alex took in a breath as she held his gaze. Ever since things had become more amicable between them, the two of them had exchanged lust filled looks. It was only a matter of time before the heat between them reached a boiling point. As she looked over at him, she had hot and heavy eyes. It was the same way they used to stare at each other across the halls of the hospital. That look of lust sent them to the nearest room with a lock so they could tear each other’s clothes off. His body craved her. Alex missed her, more than anything, but he decided to stay where he was and see what Jo would do. He wanted things to be on her terms. 

Jo licked her lips, they were wet and swollen and he could almost taste her lips on his tongue. Something made her bold and she walked over to him. She took a step towards him, and then another. The closer she got the more he could remember the way her hair felt as he ran his fingers through it. He remembered how his scruff felt against her soft skin and the way her lips lingered on his neck. He remembered the way his hands held her waist and how her arms wrapped around his neck. He missed the weight and the warmth of her body on top of him. 

Jo took another step forward until they were only inches apart and he inhaled the sweet scent of her perfume. It was still the same one that he had gotten for her last minute on their first anniversary, but she had loved it. Since then, it had become her signature scent. Alex was surprised she still used it, but then again he still wore the same cologne that she always bought for him. 

Jo stared into his eyes as they stood only inches apart from each other. They were so close, yet so far away. Alex rubbed his hands on his suit pants in a desperate attempt to keep them from her waist. He waited for her to make the first move. If anything was going to happen between them, he wanted Jo to decide what it was. 

Jo put her hands on his shoulders, running them up to his neck and tilting her head before she moved to trace her fingers down his chest. The ache in his soul that he had for her was like a pain in his chest that had been torturing him from the moment he stepped on the plane to leave Seattle. A piece of him was missing, but the second she touched him he felt whole again. 

Alex thought she would kiss him then, but instead, Jo grabbed his tie and pulled him out of the reception hall. He followed her like a lovesick puppy. Alex knew he had a stupid infatuated smile on his face as he jogged to keep up with her. His eyes were glued to the open back of her dress and he put a hand on her back, feeling her bare skin under his hand as he moved to walk next to her. 

As soon as they were out in the hall Jo let go and pushed him up against the wall. Her hands are on his face, but for a second Jo just stared at him. Her brown eyes were wide and so full of love and lust, but she hesitated for a moment. All Alex could do was watch her and wait. Then, she tilted her head, closed her eyes, and slowly brought her lips forward as she kissed him. At first, it was just a peck, as if she was testing the waters, but then her lips met his in a frenzy. It was desperate and full of lust, and Alex loved it.

It was the kiss that he had been longing for since he got back. It took a second for him to react, but then he realized that it wasn’t a dream. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. It was the kiss Jo used to give him when she wanted him to make love to her all night long. She couldn’t seem to get enough of his lips and she just kept kissing him over and over. They would only pull back to breathe before they dived back in.

The moment their lips touched Alex found himself falling down the rabbit hole and into her love. Jo wrapped her arms around his neck just like she used too and Alex put his hand on her waist and pulled her close. Her body still felt the same, so soft and warm as his fingers brushed against the bare skin of her back. Jo melted into their kiss and Alex moaned as he tasted her lips. She tasted like the lipstick that she always wore for special occasions and the Chardonnay that she had been drinking. 

Their hands seemed desperate to touch each other and to relearn each other’s bodies. Her body was still so much the same and yet so new to him. Alex trailed his hands up to tangle in her hair as they kissed before he moved them back to her shoulders. Alex moved down around to her chest as Jo pushed herself into his hands. Jo moved her hands down to his chest as well, undoing the buttons on his dress shirt. Her fingers seemed desperate for his bare skin and the second she touched his chest, she sighed into his lips.

Jo pulled back suddenly and Alex looked into Jo’s eyes, they were filled with lust. Her pupils were blown so wide he could barely see the honey brown of her irises. Jo’s face was flushed and the red blush continued down her neck. Her hair was a wild mess from where his fingers were tangled in it. He figured he didn’t look any better and he could tell his hair was sticking out and his shirt was undone from where her fingers were still on his chest. 

They heard laughing coming from inside the hall and Alex looked around the hallway. They were alone, but just behind the door, they could hear the other people talking at the reception. Now that it was later in the evening, there was bound to be more people headed their way. Besides, Alex didn’t want his first time with Jo in over a year to be in the hallway of a hotel. He wanted to lay her down on a bed and see her body and all its glory before he worshiped her. 

“My room is empty. Asher’s upstairs with Link and Amelia,” Jo said as she dug her fingers into his lapel.

“Wait, Jo are you sure?” Alex said staring into her eyes and seeing her blown pupils. He knew she had been drinking and he had too, but he wanted to be sure.

“I’m more sure of doing this than I was kissing you the first time,” Jo said looking into his eyes as her lust had given way to a soft gaze.

“The twins are asleep with Meredith’s kids in our shared suite,” Alex said, still staring into Jo’s eyes.

The fire lit between them again and Jo nodded with a smirk as she pulled him away with her. Instead of just letting her drag him along, Alex grabbed her hips and walked beside her. As they headed towards the elevators, Jo giggled as he leaned in to nip at her earlobe. They kissed the entire way to her hotel room and Jo kept fumbling with her key card as Alex held her hips against his and kissed her neck.

Jo’s room was a simple one bed hotel room, but Alex couldn’t tell you anything more about it as they went straight to the bed. Alex closed his eyes as he kissed Jo, she pushed him backward until his legs hit the mattress and she pushed him back as he fell. Alex pulled Jo down with him, his arms wrapped around her waist, and his fingers digging into the skin of her back. Then Jo pulled away, she leaned back and stood up as he got up on his elbows to watch her. They both stared at each other for a moment and Alex was still breathing heavily from their kissing and their run up to the hotel room. 

As they continued to stare at each other for a moment he wondered if she would ask him to leave. Alex sat up and folded his hands as he looked at her. Jo took a single step forward in between his legs and put her hands on his neck. She held his head and Alex’s hands went to her hips, gently holding her. Jo tilted her head to the side as she leaned down, but she didn’t kiss him just yet. Instead, she stared into his eyes as if they held all of the answers in the world. In reality, Alex didn’t know anything other than that he was sitting there in her hotel room and she had a hesitant look across her face. 

“I slept with Jackson,” Jo admitted and Alex’s head shot up as he looked at her. Jo looked down at her hands and she chewed on her lip before she continued. “It was after the divorce when I was still waiting to get approved to be a foster parent. I was trying to figure out how to be single again and I didn’t know how to have sex with anyone who wasn’t you, so I asked Jackson to help me. It was only supposed to be a one-time thing, but we ended up being friends-with-benefits for a few months. However, I haven’t slept with anyone since, well since you got back.”

“That’s good,” Alex just nodded, he wasn’t sure what to think about it, but he was okay with it. “I’m glad he was there for you.” 

Jo let out a full laugh as she placed her hands on his shoulders. “You’re glad?”

“What?” Alex said he wasn’t sure how to react to the news that Jo had sex with someone else, but he didn’t expect Jo to laugh either.

“I don’t know,” Jo said, as she continued to giggle. “I guess it’s just weird. You and I were together for eight years. Other than that time with Schmitt, I have only been with you for eight years. And then I tell you I've been with someone else and then I don't know, I thought you'd be jealous or mad.”

“I slept with Izzie so I'm not really in a position to judge you,” Alex blurted out as Jo suddenly grew quiet. He looked down at his hands on her waist because he couldn’t bear to see the look of betrayal that would be across her face, but e couldn’t do this without her knowing. “She kissed me before the divorce was finalized, but we didn’t start sleeping together until I got word that you had filed the divorce papers. I lied in the letter, I didn’t leave you because I loved Izzie, I didn’t love her at all. I thought I could, but I didn’t, but she was there and she wanted me and we were trying to be a family and I don’t know, it was stupid. We slept together for a while until the pandemic started, but we haven’t slept together since then.”

Looking back, Alex wasn’t even sure why he had tried to be with Izzie at all. He thought he did it because they were trying to be a family and make things work between them, but things quickly fizzled out. He wasn’t in love with her. Izzie wasn’t Jo, he didn’t love her like he loved Jo, like he lusted for Jo. Alex was in love with Jo and he had been for the past nine years. He loved her because Jo didn’t try to mold him into a good man or the perfect father, she loved him just as he was. Jo made him feel secure and loved more than anyone else and Alex wanted Jo now because he loved her.

“When I read your letter, I figured you were already sleeping with her. So I’m glad it didn’t start until after our divorce. I hate that you were with Izzie and that you cheated on me, by kissing her,” Jo said running her hands up to hold his face and tilted his head up to look at her. “But I forgive you, Alex, and I’m ready to start over with you.”

“If it makes you feel better, I pretty much broke down when she kissed me and the first time we had sex,” Alex said, mortified as he remembered how he had burst into tears as he realized what he was actually doing and how much he missed Jo.

“Oh God, I did the same thing,” Jo said, putting her hand over her mouth. “I pretty much snotted in Jackson’s mouth as we started making out and then I cried on his couch for the rest of the night.”

“You did?” Alex asked with a little laugh, relieved that he wasn’t the only one who had trouble moving on.

“Yes I just, I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t and the second he didn’t kiss me like you did I just cried,” Jo said, shaking her head. 

“Izzie didn’t hold me like you did. She didn’t wrap her arms around my neck like you did,” Alex said as he pulled her close and Jo wrapped her arms around his neck the way she always did.  

“Like that?”

“Yes,” Alex whispered and sighed into her touch as she leaned in to almost kiss him. “Jo, are you sure you want to have sex with me?”

Jo looked up from his lips to his eyes and glanced at him with more clarity. She suddenly softened with a smile and closed her eyes as she leaned down and finally whispered to him. “Yes.”

……………………………………………………………………

They laid together as they recovered from their tryst. Jo laid her cheeks on his chest as Alex wrapped his arms around her. He ran his fingers through her hair, as he pulled it to the side, lest it get trapped between their sweaty bodies. Jo seemed to relax and almost melted into his arms. They let themselves lay together for a little while as their hearts slowed down and their breathing even out. Alex looked down at Jo in his arms once again as she closed her eyes she seemed completely content. She must have felt his eyes as she picked up her head and smiled at him before he tilted her chin up to kiss her again.

However, they couldn’t lay there forever and fall asleep in each other’s arms like they used to. Alex got up and started the cleanup, he got a warm rag and brought it over to her. In the past when Jo tried to walk right after, she would stumble around like a baby deer, and as cute as it was, he’d rather let her rest. He went into the bathroom and got cleaned up and washed his hands before he walked back over to her. 

Jo was still lying in bed and she gave him a lazy smile when she caught his eyes and Alex couldn’t help but stare at her. He got back in bed and crawled over to her as he laid down next to her. Alex looked down at Jo next to him as she smiled and he reached out to pick up her hand. He pulled it up to kiss her palm, he couldn’t help the way his lips needed to be on her skin. The touch of affection was warmly received as Jo hummed and rolled over to cuddle against his chest, putting one leg over his legs.

“I missed you so much, every night I slept without you in Kansas I just tossed and turned,” Alex said as he put one arm around her shoulders and held her close. 

Jo laid her head on his chest as her fingers danced across his skin. “I didn’t sleep in our bed for a month after you left. I just slept on the couch, because although it still held memories of you, the bed was just too big and empty. I missed you so much, Alex.”

Alex leaned in and kissed her again before he pulled back and let himself hover only inches away from her lips. “I won’t go anywhere if you don’t want me to.”

Jo closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she pulled away to sit up. “I want you back in my bed and I want to love you, Alex, I do, but.”

It was a desperate whisper that flowed from Jo’s lips, and it seemed like she truly wanted to be with him again.

“But you don’t trust me,” Alex said, as he laid back and watched her close her eyes and nod. “If you let me, I can be a man you can trust to love you and not abandon you. I made that mistake once and I won’t do it again. I want the opportunity to prove that to you and earn back your trust.”

“It’s just that, we had just gotten married again, we were trying for a baby and you just left. I get why you did it, but it was so easy for you,” Jo said, the painful expression across her face was one that grabbed his heart and squeezed it. “I love you, and I want to trust you again, but I don’t know how, at least not yet.”

Alex nodded as he took in her words. “Not yet, that’s not never?” 

Jo looked back at him, from where she was fidgeting with her fingers. “Not never.”

“Can we try dating or can I at least see you regularly?” Alex asked, tilting his head as he looked into her eyes. “I love you, Jo, and I want the chance to love you, if you’ll let me.”

Jo looked away, staring at the abstract painting on the wall. Alex watched as her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath before looking back at him with a nod. 

“Okay.”

Out of everything that Jo had ever done for him, this was the one thing that surprised him the most. After everything he put her through she was willing to let him back into her life. Jo laid back down and put her hands around his neck as she pulled him in to kiss her. Alex happily kissed her lips again. He never wanted to stop kissing her, but she pulled away. 

“But that’s going to start with us taking things slow. We can still sleep together, but you need to go back to your own room tonight,” Jo said, with a smile as she sat up and got out of bed.

“You’re right, we need to do this right and take things slow,” Alex said, with a nod as he got up as well. “It’s not just us anymore we have kids. You have your son and I have my twins. We need to make sure that they’re comfortable with us being together too.”

Jo smiled and Alex dipped his head as he smiled too. She did walk around like a baby deer as she grabbed a pair of sweats from her suitcase. Alex slowly gathered his boxers and the pieces of his suit. His eyes lingered on her as he watched Jo as she walked around and got dressed. Alex smiled to himself knowing that this wasn’t the last time he would get to see her. 

“Speaking of the children,” Jo said as she pulled her hair out of the collar of the sweatshirt she pulled on. “I should go get Asher, he’s not used to being away from me overnight and I’m sure your kids miss you too.”

“Yeah, the twins are slowly getting used to Meredith and everyone else but I don’t think they’d be comfortable if they woke up without me there.” Alex nodded as he buttoned up his shirt again. 

The two of them shared a smile, before Jo disappeared into the bathroom and he finished getting dressed. They were parents now and it was strange, but it came so naturally to them. There was still a hint of regret that they weren’t parenting together, but perhaps that could change. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror and he still looked a little disheveled. Jo came out of the bathroom and smiled as she reached up to run her still wet fingers through his hair. The water smoothed away the tufts of hair she had made stick up earlier and the gesture made Alex smile. It was so easy and natural for her to do. It made him forget that she hadn’t fixed his hair in a year. 

Alex grabbed Meredith’s clutch and walked towards the door before looking back at Jo who had grabbed a baby blanket and had followed him to the entryway. Suddenly they both realized they were going to the exact same room, at the exact same time. All of their friends would know they had slept together especially considering that Alex promised he would only be a few minutes, but instead more than an hour had passed.

“Why don’t I go up ahead of you and then you can come in a few minutes. I love Meredith, but I think she’d never let it go if she found out we’d slept together,” Alex said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Meredith hadn’t always been Jo’s number one fan, but a year before their wedding that changed. Ever since Alex returned to Seattle, she had been urging him to make things right with Jo. And by make things right, she hinted that they should get back together. Her not-so-subtle hints were something Alex had been ignoring in favor of waiting for Jo to decide how she wanted to interact with him. He would probably never hear the end of it if Meredith knew she was right.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best and I should warm up a bottle for Asher. He can’t go back down without it,” Jo said with a nod as she went back to the kitchenette and pulled out a bottle and formula.

“Yeah, the baby days,” Alex said, with a smile as he watched Jo make the bottle. 

Jo looked up and caught his eye before she returned his smile with a soft smile of her own. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry you never got that with the twins.”

“You’re not the one who has to apologize for that Jo,” Alex said and he reached out and filled up the bottle with water while Jo measured out the formula. “Besides, I’m happy that I’m in their lives now.” 

“Yeah, I watched you with them this evening. I remember you let Eli eat the rest of your baked potato when I know it’s your favorite and you danced with Alexis as she stood on your toes. You looked so happy with your kids and I was so happy that you got the chance to be in their lives.”

“I saw you with Asher too. You were holding him as you swayed back and forth and danced with him. You always have such a wonderful smile when you’re looking at him and I’m glad you have a family too, Jo.”

Jo was standing there, next to him at the kitchenette with a baby blanket over her shoulder, shaking the bottle in her hand as she prepped the bottle warmer. It was everything Alex had ever envisioned when he imagined what it would have been like to have a baby with Jo. Seeing her with her baby was all of those dreams come true, the one piece that was missing was him. He wanted Jo in his life and in his kid’s lives too, he wanted to meet Asher as well and he wanted the five of them to be a family.

Alex wanted to do what he should have done from the beginning and be a father to Alexis and Eli with Jo by his side. He wanted Alexis and Eli to get to know Jo, and for her to be a part of their lives. He wanted to meet Asher and be a part of his life too. He wanted them to be a family.

Alex wanted to go to the park with Jo and the kids. He wanted to sit in the sandbox and build sandcastles with Asher and Jo would push Eli on the swings while Alexis moved between the two of them, never able to decide where she wanted to be. He wanted waffle Sundays with Jo, both of them in their pajamas as he made the waffles and she made them coffee and chocolate milk for the kids. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her in their home with their children around them. He wanted his life with Jo and he knew that it wouldn’t happen in an instant, but he knew where to start. 

“Do you want to like, go out Saturday or something?” Alex asked fumbling over his words, he was so nervous because he wanted this so bad.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Jo said, a light blush appearing across her cheeks as she looked down and focused on putting the bottle in the warmer.

“Good, I’ll talk to you Monday and we can schedule something,” Alex said with a nod as he tried to keep his excitement inside, but he just couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face

“Yeah, sounds good,” Jo agreed, sharing his smile as she finally looked up at him. 

Alex couldn’t help how he was already head over heels in love with her again. He had always been in love with her and he was so happy to have the chance to love her again.

Alex went up to the hotel room and wasn’t surprised when Zola snapped at him for taking so long, but Meredith just gave him a knowing smile, especially when Jo came up a few minutes later to get Asher. However, neither she nor anyone else said anything about his disappearance.

Alex watched her cradle the sleepy baby in her arms and get him settled with the bottle. He loved watching Jo with Asher. Sometimes he’d find himself walking by the daycare at lunchtime, just to try and catch a glimpse of them. Just before she left Jo caught his eye and smiled at him. Alex couldn’t hide the smile that stretched across his face visible for everyone to see. 

He was so grateful that Jo was even given him the chance to see her again and he was over the moon about what happened tonight. She had kissed him, they had slept together, and she was going to let him date her. Alex knew that it was going to take a lot to rebuild their relationship. But, he was determined to do everything he could to prove to Jo that he was worthy of her trust.

……………………………………………………………………

The vomit never seemed to end as Jo leaned over the toilet and produced the bile that was left in her stomach. She had been feeling nauseous and had thrown up a few times in the past few days, but she seemed to get the worst of it today. This morning she had woken up and had to make a mad dash for the toilet down the hall and she hadn’t stopped throwing up since. Suddenly she heard Asher cry and tried to get up, but she was dizzy and nauseous and she had to sit back down before she dry heaved again. 

“Aunt Jo, Asher’s crying,” Zola said as she came into the bathroom, but lingered by the door, hesitant to get near her.

“I know Zola, can you get your om please, and ask her to pick up Asher for me?” Jo said, leaning against the toilet bowl.

“Okay,” Zola said quickly leaving the bathroom.

Jo listened to Zola knock on Meredith’s door. Meredith got up and Jo let out a sigh as Meredith got Asher and his cries stopped. Jo closed her eyes and laid her head on her arm.

“Hey Zola said you were puking your guts up and you look pretty disgusting,” Meredith said as she appeared in the doorway with Asher on her hip. 

Jo just groaned and looked up at Meredith. She hated being sick, especially knowing that it wouldn’t end anytime soon, but at least it seemed to end for now.

“Mama,” Asher said, leaning out to her.

Jo smiled and reached out for him as Meredith brought him over. However, before Meredith could even put him in her arms she got a whiff of his dirty diaper and leaned over to dry heave in the toilet. Asher fussed when Meredith didn’t put him in Jo’s arms and Meredith tried to settle him. Jo pulled back after she finished heaving, but knew she couldn’t take him right now. 

“Can you change him and get him settled,” Jo asked as she sat back against the wall. “I’ll be fine soon, I just need a minute.” 

“Yeah of course, do you want some meds or something? Whatever you’ve got it looks pretty bad. Is Asher sick too because if not I’ll take him to the daycare for you so you can stay home and rest?” Meredith offered soothing Asher as he fussed still leaning out to Jo.

“I don’t need a day to rest, I just need a few minutes,” Jo said, she knew from how things have been the past few days that once she got her stomach settled she would be fine, until sometime around lunch.

Jo cursed the universe for getting her into this position. Of all the crazy and stupid, things she had ever done this had to be the top one. She was frustrated and nervous and excited all at the same time. She loved Alex, but this was something else. They had been dating for the past month and a half and he was working to rebuild her trust. They were taking it slow, but things were about to go from 0 to 60 in an instant. They hadn’t even met each other’s kids yet and Jo wasn’t sure about her place in his life. 

“Jo if you’re sick it’s no big deal, you can take a day to rest,” Meredith said, setting her with a look. “I’m pretty sure all of your patients would appreciate you not getting them and their newborns sick.”

“I’m not sick,” Jo insisted, looking over at Meredith. She wasn’t sure about telling her, but it would all come out eventually and she needed Meredith’s help. Especially as, regardless of how she and Alex were still working things out, she had decided to keep it. “I’m pregnant and Alex is the father.”

Jo watched as Meredith’s jaw dropped in shock. It was pretty much the same expression Jo had on her face when she got her blood work back a few days ago. Alex Karev had gotten her pregnant and now Jo was having a baby with her ex-husband.

……………………………………………………………………

AN: I promised a soft epilogue and I do intend to make good on that, but I couldn't resist the urge to add another baby to this. I can promise it will go over well and there will be a happy ending.

[jobrookekarev]

I Remember it All Too Well Chapter 6

Chapter Six of Six: You'd Come Back to Me

Words: 19,500

Chapter Summary: After hooking up at the wedding, Jo realizes she's pregnant. Jo decides to take a leap of faith and the two of them agree to meet each other's kids, now Jo and Alex with their three, soon to be four kids, try and make it work as a family.

Story Summary: Alex knew from the moment he signed the divorce papers that leaving Jo and Seattle was the worst mistake of his life. As Alex works his way back to Seattle, he sees Jo again four times before she allows him back into her life. Or the four times Alex saw Jo after their divorce, and the one time they finally got back together with her, plus a soft epilogue.

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Relationship: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson.

Characters: Jo Wilson, Alex Karev, Eli Stevens, Alexis Stevens, Meredith Grey and Atticus Lincoln.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences.

Additional Tags: Regret, Longing, Pining, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pregnancy, Birth, and a Baby.

Read at AO3

Read at FFN

AN: Okay so this is probably a lot longer than it should have been and includes a lot of scenes that aren't really necessary, but I'm going to keep them in there because they're light-hearted and fun and I enjoyed writing them so I hope you enjoy reading them!

……………………………………………………………………

Jo hoisted Asher higher on her hip as she and Meredith walked into the hospital. She wanted to enjoy holding him for as long as possible as she would soon have to balance two babies. She was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she would have two kids. Things seemed to be going so fast, despite how she had nine months before the new baby would be in her arms. 

When she became a foster mom, it took months of planning, home studies, and training, but the day she said yes to Asher she had him in her arms by the end of the day. She went from zero to one kid in a day and she hoped that the nine months would give her more time to get used to going from one to two kids, that wasn't the only thing she was worried about.

“So,” Meredith said, trailing off as she tested the waters and looked over at her.

Jo let out a sigh and just looked straight ahead. She knew she couldn't avoid Meredith forever, but she would for now. As they walked over to the daycare, the only one who seemed oblivious to the tension between them was Asher. He happily babbled as he chewed on the ear of the Mariners moose that Link had given him. 

“Look I know that it’s none of my business,” Meredith said with a shrug.

“You're right. It’s none of your business,” Jo said cutting her off.

“But you told me for a reason.”

“Yeah, because I'm still kind of freaking out about it,” Jo said as she paused in the middle of the empty hallway and turned to look over at Meredith. “It’s going to wrack everything. We didn't plan this. It's not like we got back together and decided to have another kid. It just happened and now all our plans to take it slow have gone out the window.”

“I know that this is a shock to you and that you're still trying to process it and I want to help you, but I won’t know how unless you talk to me,” Meredith said reaching out and putting her hands on Jo’s shoulders. “Do I need to do something like yell at Alex for knocking you up or just be there for you at your exam with Carina? I can do either of those or both, I just need you to tell me what to do.”

“I know it takes two, but honestly I think I might yell at Alex myself,” Jo said with a slight smile as she shook her head and moved her hand to Asher's back as he tried to wiggle out of her arms. 

“Well, for starters are you keeping it?”

“Yes,” Jo said without hesitating. 

It was the one thing she was sure of. She was ready for a second kid even if it was unexpected. She always thought she’d adopt or start fostering again as Asher got older so he could have some siblings. She was ready for a second kid even if this wasn't how she saw it coming into being. 

“Okay,” Meredith said, but Jo cut her off.

“It's just that things between Alex and I are good right now and adding another kid to the mix is going to push us to move in together and meet each other's kids, and I don't know if I'm ready for that. I don't know if Alex is ready for that. I love him and I want to be with him, but he hasn't even met Asher yet, and what if Asher hates him, what if the twins hate me,” Jo said as she nearly cried and bit her lip to hold back the tears as she looked away. 

“Jo, I know that you're scared, but if you give it a chance, I'm sure that Asher is going to love Alex. There's not a kid in the world that has met Alex Karev and doesn't like him at least a little bit. And the twins are so sweet and they're so much like Alex. You've already got one Karev head over heels in love with you, I'm sure the twins will love you too. I know you'll put in the effort to get to know them and spend time with them and they’ll appreciate that.”

“But you don't know that Meredith,” Jo said with a sigh.

“And you won't know that either until you meet them.” Meredith stressed, rubbing her hand up and down Jo’s arm. “If I've learned anything in the past year it's that Alex Karev truly loves you, and he is going to love Asher too.”

“It's not just that, I mean it is but,” Jo sighed as she shook her head. She pulled Asher closer as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his, it helped calm her before she spoke again. “I know that as soon as Alex finds out about the baby, he’s going to jump all in. I know he’s going to be there for us, but I don’t want him to do it just because of the baby. I want him to stay with me because he loves me and he wants to commit himself to me, not just because we have a child. I don't want to string him along like Izzie did or to make him feel like he has to stay with me out of obligation.”

“You, Jo Wilson, are not Izzie Stevens that's for sure,” Meredith giggled and put a hand over her mouth

“I sure hope not,” Jo rolled her eyes as she moved to walk away again before Meredith grabbed her arm. 

“No Jo wait, it's not that. It's just that, Alex loves you. Before you two started dating again he came to me in a panic, because he didn't want to screw things up with you again. He wants to be there for you and he's taking things slow because he wants to make sure that you're comfortable. He’s going to be there for you because he loves you. Alex isn’t going to go anywhere, he’s all in, Jo. With you and this baby, and Asher too, just give him the chance.”

“I know. Over the past month I’ve realized that Alex is in this for the long haul, but I knew that Alex would never make the choice to willingly walk away from me again, regardless of this baby, but I still need to know that things will work with Alex and Asher and the twins two,” Jo said, with a nod as she reached out and squeezed Meredith’s hand. 

“Okay so meet them,” Meredith said as if it was that easy.

“Fine,” Jo relented as she rolled her eyes, but knew that Meredith was pushing her in the right direction.

Meredith’s only response was a nod and a small smile as they continued their walk to the daycare. Jo was grateful to have Meredith’s support in this. The two of them had become so close since Alex left. She knew that regardless of whether she had Alex, she and her children would be okay because they had Meredith. Meredith had helped her so much when she adopted Asher and throughout the process of her divorce with Alex. She had always been there for Jo with whatever she needed and she knew that wouldn’t stop now. 

Jo had always wondered what it would have been like to have a big sister and now that she had Meredith she didn't have to wonder. It was one of the reasons why she told Meredith she was pregnant and not anyone else. Link would just be overprotective and would definitely go after Alex. Whereas Levi would have no idea what to do or say and both boys would hover over her. However, Meredith had ushered her in the right direction and would be there for her regardless and that was what Jo needed right now. 

“But you are going to tell Alex about the baby?” Meredith asked looking over at Jo apprehensively.

“Of course I'm going to tell Alex, I'm not going to keep him from his child. I just need a few more days to process everything,” Jo said, she knew she could never keep her baby from Alex. He was such a good dad and he was everything she wanted for her child.

“I just had to ask,” Meredith said, putting up her hands before she looked over at Jo with a slight smile. “Also partly because I was wondering if I could be in on the surprise, There's a lot of cute ways to do it too.”

“Meredith.”

“I know, I know, you're so overwhelmed and you need to process the fact that you're pregnant before you can even think of telling Alex. I'm just saying there are some really cute ideas out there. I gave Derek a t-shirt that said world's best big sister. I mean I stole the idea from April, but it was pretty cute.”

“I’ll think about it.”

Jo shook her head as she walked towards the daycare. She quickly got Asher checked in and said her usual goodbye to him before she and Meredith went up to the lounge and got changed into their scrubs.

“Hey Jo,” Meredith said, grabbing Jo’s arm before she left. “Whatever you need, let me know and I’ll help you.”

“Thank you Mere,” Jo said, giving her a smile. “My appointment to confirm the pregnancy with Carina is at 10 a.m. and I’d really appreciate it if you could be there.”

“10 a.m. I'll be there,” Meredith said, giving her a smile before she left. 

……………………………………………………………………

Alex felt like he was home. Ever since he returned to Seattle a few months ago he felt like he was still on the outside. Everyone at the hospital seemed to take their cue from Jo on how to act around him, but now that they were together again everyone seemed to warm back up to him. He was finally settling back in and was getting to know the new residents and other staff while working with Hayes. These days Alex felt like he and his kids were part of the family again. 

Things with him and Jo were good too. They were dating and seeing each other regularly, although they hadn't introduced their kids yet. Things between them felt like they did before their divorce. Alex would catch Jo smiling at him across the hallways of the hospital. He would wrap his arms around her waist and kiss her as if he'd never left her side. Things were good, regardless, they were still taking things slow. Alex knew that Jo was still hesitant, but they were good and he was happy.

“You complete and utter asshole, Alex Karev,” Meredith said appearing out of nowhere and slapping his arm as she glared at him. 

“What'd I do?” Alex asked quickly, running through a mental list of things he had done in the past few hours since they talked last night.

“I thought you and Jo were taking it slow,” Meredith asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

“We are.”

“But you're sleeping together?” 

“We've only done it a couple of times and it's none of your business,” Alex insisted, despite how Meredith scoffed and shook her head.

Her mouth scrunched up like she wanted to continue to yell at him, but she paused as a few of the nurses passed by them in the halls. Alex crossed his arms as he took in Meredith's expression. She knew they were dating and he didn't understand why the fact that they were sleeping together caused so much trouble. 

“It's my business if you end up hurting her again Alex,” Meredith lowered her voice to a whisper, despite her anger.

“I'm not going to hurt her again,” Alex insisted as he looked at Meredith. “I swear to God Mere, I'm never going to do anything to intentionally hurt Jo again. I screwed up with her once and I'm never gonna do it again.”

“I know,” Meredith sighed, as her eyes softened and her anger faded away. “It's just, things happen and you don't expect them. I just….”

Alex watched Meredith avoid his gaze after she tailed off. “Just what?” 

“Just, just go check on Jo, she’s got the flu or something. I was just with her and Carina and she was continually throwing up, but she refuses to go home. Can you get her to at least take a nap in an on-call room or something,” Meredith said before she quickly walked away.

Alex scrunched up his eyebrows and his lips turned down as he watched her go. He couldn’t figure out why Meredith was being so weird today. Given the conversation they just had he decided to do as he was told and go see Jo. Alex quickly finished up with his patients, before he walked down the hall to the maternity ward. 

The sight that greeted him was all too familiar as Jo and Carina talked at the nurse’s station. Carina stood above her with her arms crossed as she looked down at Jo who was sitting in a chair with her head resting on her arm.

“Hey,” Alex said, stopping at the counter as Jo greeted him with a sleepy smile that quickly disappeared as she rubbed her head. 

“Buongiorno Dr. Karev,” Carina said, before she continued in Italian, gesturing to him and carrying on as if he understood a word she said. Alex looked between Carina and Jo for a second before Jo caught on and smiled. 

“I think we forgot to switch back to English,” Jo said as she reached out to him. 

“Yeah, and since when do you speak Italian?” Alex asked as he sat down in the chair next to her before putting an arm around her shoulders. He didn’t think twice about leaning over to kiss her forehead, as whatever she was sick with he probably already had. 

“Carina would just say stuff to me in Italian when I was first working with her and so I started looking it up. Eventually I just actively tried to learn the language and so now I speak Italian.”

“It was very impressive how quickly she picked it up,” Carina said with a nod and a little smile that told of how proud she was of Jo. “Everything I throw at her she just seems to suck up like SpongeBob.”

“Like a sponge, SpongeBob is a kid’s cartoon character.”

“Ah yes, and Josephine is helping me with the English slang.” 

“Dr. Wilson, your patient is here in exam room two,” one of the nurses said as they handed Jo the chart. 

Jo let out a sigh as her smile faded. She looked over the charts and Alex could tell how tired she was. He looked up at Carina and could tell she was thinking the same thing. 

“Are you doing okay?” Alex asked, rubbing her shoulders and pulling her closer.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Jo said, despite how she leaned against him and closed her eyes.

“She has been lethargic and nauseous all morning, perhaps you can convince her to let me send her home. I can take care of your appointments today and I will call you in if any of your patients go into labor,” Carina said as she tilted her head with a look of concern.

“I told you I'm fine and I need to learn how to work through this anyway,” Jo insisted glaring at both of them despite how Alex had only asked.

Alex watched Jo for a moment. She had one hand on her forehead and the other on her abdomen as she rubbed her belly like she always did when she felt nauseous. She looked tired and weary and Alex could see why everyone was so concerned. 

Suddenly she got that look on her face. It was the one she always got when she was about to vomit. Alex had long since memorized that face and developed the instinct to grab the nearest bowl. He looked around frantically before he spotted a bin on one of the nurse’s carts and ran over to grab it before he shoved it under Jo’s chin just as she leaned forward and threw up. 

“Okay, that's it. I am sending you home,” Carina said, gesturing to the sight of Jo before her.

“Carina's right, Jo. You're clearly not feeling good, you should go home,” Alex said as he put the bowl down and rubbed Jo’s back.

“No, I'm not going home just because I puked, it's just something I ate,” Jo said as she continued to protest, although Alex didn't know why she was putting up such a fight this time around. 

Usually, whenever she got sick in the past, she would always come over to him and wrap her arms around his waist and tuck her head under his chin. Even if it was just her nervous stomach, they would at least go to an on-call room and rest for a few minutes together. Jo knew her body and usually, she didn't push herself so hard. 

“I am not sending you home just because of your morning… your vomit,” Carina said she struggled to use the correct terminology. “I am sending you home because you've been like this all morning. You have barely been able to take care of yourself let alone your patients.”

“But I have a C-section scheduled for this afternoon. My patient has already checked in, you know how nervous she is and for the past eight months I’ve worked to gain her trust. she doesn’t trust any other doctor, you know this,” Jo said despite how she sighed with a look of defeat as she leaned against Alex. 

“Why don't you and I go find an on-call room and you can take a nap,” Alex suggested as he continued to rub his hand up and down her back. “If you're not feeling better after that then, I'll take you home.”

“I hate this, I hate feeling like I can't do anything,” Jo said as she put a hand over her face and tears collected in her eyes. 

“I know my bambino,” Carina said kneeling down and putting her hand on Jo’s knee. Alex remembered how Jo had told him about the affectionate nickname Carina had started using for her when she took Jo under her wing for her OB/GYN training. “Your sickness is at its peak around this time, but it will get better soon.”

Jo nodded and turned her head to sob into his shoulder as he held her. Alex wasn't sure if it was the English barrier or what but something in the way Carina had said it, Alex got the feeling that there was something else going on. Although Jo was clearly not in any state to tell him what was going on.

“Come on,” Alex said, as he helped Jo get up from her seat and slowly walked over to the on-call room. 

Jo’s sobs fizzled out as she let herself be led away and Alex wrapped his arms around her waist as they walked down the hall. He found the nearest on-call room and opened the door to see that it was empty. Alex led Jo over to one of the beds and pulled back the blankets before she sat down. He kneeled down to take off her shoes and pulled the blankets back over her when she laid down. 

“Will you stay for a little while?” Jo asked her hand lingering on his scrub top as her fingers dug into the fabric.

“Of course,” Alex said, getting in next to her and wrapping one arm around her shoulders as she laid her head on his chest. 

Jo quickly fell asleep and Alex continued to trace his fingers up and down her back. He tried to think about what was going on with her, but his mind drew a blank as his only conclusion was the flu. He would have stayed with her until she woke up, but he got paged and had to go. Before he left, Alex wrote a quick note saying he'd meet her for lunch. 

As he leaned down to kiss her forehead, he brushed away the little hairs that stuck to her skin and noticed how sticky with sweat her skin was. She wasn’t running a fever, but she was warm, so he thought it was just because she was sick. Alex brushed the hairs away before he kissed her forehead and readjusted the blankets around her.

After he answered his page he went and found Meredith finishing up with a patient in a trauma room. “Hey is something going on with Jo, I know she’s not feeling well but this seems different?”

Meredith had her back turned to him and she paused for a moment before she shrugged and stripped off her gloves. “I don't know, you’d have to ask her?”

Alex put his hands on his hips and just glared at her. Everybody was being so weird about what was going on with Jo and he couldn't figure out why. He knew she was sick, but... 

Then it struck him. The vomiting, the fatigue, the sweaty skin, and the crying. The way Meredith yelled at him in the hallway and the way Carina gently talked to Jo. 

“Oh my God,” Alex said as he put a hand over his mouth. “Is Jo pregnant?” 

Meredith gave him a slight smile that told him that it was true. Alex reached back to the empty stool and sat down as he processed the information. A million things were running through his head, excitement, joy, fear, terror. It was all happening so quickly and they were trying to take things slow. They haven’t even met each other’s kids yet and now they were throwing a whole new baby into the mix. Sure they had nine months to get ready, but nine months wasn’t very long in the grand scheme of things. 

Alex didn’t even know how Jo felt about it. Things were going back to the way they used to be before their divorce, but he knew how Jo was still hesitant to trust him again. He had no idea how to even broach the subject with her and no idea what he would say. Alex wanted to let her know that he was all in and that he would do whatever she needed him to. He wanted her to know that she and their baby would have him for the rest of his life, but he didn't know how to put it into actions that would prove to her that he was there to stay. 

“What do I do Mere, what do I do,” Alex asked if he shook his head and looked over at her.

Meredith gave him a sympathetic smile as she came over and put her hands on his shoulders, giving them a slight squeeze. “Right now, I'd say that you just be there for her. Continue to take things slow like you already are, but other than that, I really don't know. What I do know is that Jo is ready to trust you again, but she’s still trying to process the fact that she’s pregnant, just like you are. Just give her a little time and I know that this is all going to work out.”

“Thank you,” Alex said, as he let out a deep breath. He knew Meredith was right and he'd make sure that he was there for Jo with whatever she needed.

……………………………………………………………………

A few days later, Jo stared at the packed lunch she had made as she sat in the lounge with Meredith, Link, Amelia, and Maggie. She had packed leftover chicken and rice from the night before, along with some broccoli and carrots, but staring at it now it looked entirely unappetizing. Jo considered venturing down to the cafeteria, but she didn't want to do that either as it was filled with too many smells that turned her stomach. So while everyone talked and ate their lunch, Jo just stared at her container of rice and chicken. Until someone placed a bowl of instant mac and cheese in front of her. 

“Here,” Alex said, pushing it towards her. “I know you’re still sick, so I figured that was the only thing you would want to eat.”

Jo could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she looked down at the mac and cheese. He was right, it was the only thing that she wanted to eat. Whenever she got sick the only thing she wanted to eat was mac and cheese and Alex would go out of his way to make it for her. It was the little things like this that made her forget that they had ever been apart. They were still so in-sync and the thoughtfulness of the gesture brought tears to her eyes, which she blamed on her hormones.

“You okay,” Alex asked, his eyes full of concern as Jo looked up as he sat next to her.

“I love that you made me mac and cheese,” Jo said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

“I know,” Alex said, he whispered in her ear as he scooted closer and put his arm around her.

Jo pulled back after a moment but continued to lean against him. Alex had his own tray of food from the cafeteria and kept his arm around her waist as they ate. Link got up from his place next to Amelia and moved over to sit next to them, glaring at Alex before Jo kicked him under the table. Jo loved that Link looked out for her, but she had forgiven Alex. Although she knew that Link was still worried, it was getting to be a little much.

“Jo are you sure you're doing okay? I heard you threw up again this morning. You’re not still sick are you?” Link asked as he raised an eyebrow at her.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Jo said, taking a deep breath as she continued to eat her mac and cheese. 

She wasn't surprised that she had become part of the hospital gossip, no one did anything in this hospital without the nurses knowing about it and they usually spread it around like wildfire.

“Are you sure?” Link asked, looking over at her again and raising an eyebrow.

“If she says she's fine, then she's fine, leave her be,” Meredith insisted, giving Link a look.

“Okay, fine,” Link said, putting his hands up and backing off, but stayed seated next to her.

Jo smiled as she looked over at Alex. He returned her smile with one of his own and moved his hand to rub up and down her back. His eyes crinkled as he smiled and she could pick out the gray hairs in his stubble. She had always liked him with a little bit of facial hair, just enough to tickle her cheeks when he kissed her. 

Jo subconsciously put her hand on her stomach where their baby was growing inside her. 

“You're in love with him again aren't you,” Link said he leaned over to whisper to her. 

Jo turned her head to look at Link again before looking back at Alex. She didn't need to tell him her answer, he already knew it was true. Jo was in love with Alex Karev.

Lunch ended and Alex walked her back to work like he used to do when they were married and he had taken up the habit again now that they were back together. Jo twisted her fingers and looked down at her empty hands. She used to twist her wedding band around and she missed the feeling of the rings on her fingers. They stopped just outside the doors to the L&D floor and Alex was about to go in, but Jo reached out and grabbed his hand. 

Jo turned to look at him and her lips were parted as the question was on the tip of her tongue. She had wanted to come right out and say it, but the words died on her tongue, the second she thought them. Jo wanted them all to be a family, so he decided that was what he would offer.

“I want you to meet Asher,” Jo said, suddenly blurting it out. Jo looked over at him with her lips slightly parted as she just stared at him before she continued. “I'm ready for you to meet him. It's not just us anymore, we have kids and if we're not in it together with our kids then you and I can never work and I want us to work Alex. I love you so much and I want you to be a part of my son's life. And I'm not asking you to be Asher's father, I just want you to be a part of both of our lives, mine and my son’s. I understand if you're not ready for me to meet the twins, but I want you to meet my son.”

“Of course I want to meet Asher,” Alex said as a smile spread across his face and she could see the excitement light up in his eyes. “Truth be told I've been thinking about introducing you to Eli and Alexis as well. A few nights ago Alexis was telling me about how her teacher is getting married and she wanted to know why I wasn't married. The conversation turned to why I didn't have a girlfriend and I didn't want to lie to them, so I told them about you. I kind of turned our story into a fairy tale about how we met and fell in love and how we found our way back to each other. I know they would love to meet the princess of my stories.”

Jo couldn't help but smile and blush at the thought of being the princess in Alex's fairy tale stories, especially as he used the nickname he had for her. 

“Maybe, we can have a playdate or something and let them meet each other too. I want them to get to know each other. I mean, I'm not sure how two seven-year-olds and a fourteen-month-old are going to get along, but we can try,” Jo said, as she shared Alex’s smile and excitement. 

“Why don't you and Asher come over to my place. I have the twins with me this weekend, so maybe Saturday around noon,” Alex said, with a shrug, trying to seem nonchalant, despite his wide smile.

He seemed so delighted at the thought of meeting Asher and Jo was happy to meet the twins as well. She dared to dream that they could all be a family and she loved the idea of Asher having siblings apart from the new baby.

“That sounds great, but how well is your place baby proofed?” Jo asked as she bit her lip. 

……………………………………………………………………

Alex rattled the baby gate only for it to shift out of place again as he let out a sigh. When he got the baby gate out of the box he didn't think it could be this complicated. In all his time working with kids he had never set up a baby gate. Things were mostly baby proved around the hospital and he never needed to baby proof things with the twins. He missed the baby stage with them. Now he was getting a chance to be a part of his kid's life from the very beginning and he was determined to do it right. He hoped that by showing Jo that he was all in with her and with her son that she would be willing to open up and tell him that she was pregnant. 

Alex finally got the baby gate in place and looked around the downstairs of his house. He had put baby proof knob covers on all of the doors and locks on all the kitchen cabinets, as well as outlet covers, and corner covers on the sharp furniture. He had also put away anything that he thought Asher could potentially get into trouble with. According to Jo, Asher had recently started running instead of walking and was getting into anything and everything his little feet could carry him to. Alex couldn't help but smile at the thought of Jo chasing after the little boy. 

When he moved back to Seattle he had searched for the perfect home and eventually settled on a house in Queen Anne. It was only a few blocks away from Meredith’s place. It had four bedrooms, with a study downstairs that he figured he could turn into a bedroom for one of the twins when they were older. Alex wasn't sure why he bought such a big house when he first saw it. He couldn’t explain it, but something told him that he would need the extra space. Now he knew that the extra bedroom would be for Asher and the baby's nursery. That is if Jo wanted to move in with him. Alex wanted to ask Jo to move in with him as soon as possible, but he didn't want to push her or the kids to be together before they were ready. 

Alex looked up at the clock, it was almost noon and Jo would be here soon. Unfortunately, Izzie was running late and hadn't dropped off the kids yet. Alex wasn't ready for Jo and Izzie to meet and he had no idea what he would do if they showed up at the same time. There was a knock on the door and Alex looked up. Alex was worried about whether it would be Jo or Izzie or both as he went over to open the door.

“Hey,” Alex said when he swung open the door to see that it was just Izzie and the twins and he crouched down to open his arms to Alexis and Eli as they ran to him. “I missed you too.”

“We missed you too Daddy,” Alexis said as Alex leaned down to kiss her forehead before kissing Eli’s forehead as well.

Even though it was just a week-long separation and they had been doing it for a while, Alex would never get used to the feeling of being away from his kids. He missed them so much when they were gone. Alex hated that he was only a part of their life half the time, but his decision to separate from Izzie was for the best. 

“Alright, you two go put your stuff away and get cleaned up,” Alex said, standing up again. “We have that play date remember and they're going to be here really soon.”

“Okay,” Alexis said, as both of them ran off and Alex waited until they were out of earshot to address Izzie.

“You're late,” Alex said as he glared at her.

“I know, I'm sorry, it's just traffic on the way back up was crazy and you know how it is,” Izzie said as she tried to brush him off. 

“I told you how important this was Izzie and I told you not to be late,” Alex said as he tried to keep from yelling. He didn't want to fight with her in front of the kids. 

“I'm sorry Alex,” Izzie said, getting defensive and crossing her arms. “But traffic really was crazy and we tried to leave on time, but you know how it is trying to get them out the door.”

“Whatever, just say goodbye to the kids and then leave,” Alex said as he glanced back to the empty living room and heard the kids rummaging around upstairs. 

“Why? I think I have every right to meet the person who's going to be around my kids half the time,” Izzie insisted as she glared back at him.

“We've been over this,” Alex said, trying not to let his anger get the best of them as he suddenly realized why Izzie was late. “I told you about Jo as a courtesy, but you don't get to dictate what I do and who the kids meet when they're on my time. Jo is a part of my life and I want her to get to know the twins before she meets you. If you want to meet Jo, I'll give her your number and you two can work it out, just not today.”

“I want to meet her today, Alex,” Izzie said, cutting him off.

“That's not going to happen, Izzie,” Alex said, raising his voice.

“Daddy, Alexis won't let me have the blue cup,” Eli said, running over to them and tugging on Alex's shirt to get his attention. 

Alex froze and he could see Izzie’s eyes go wide as they realized Eli had probably heard the whole thing. The last thing either of them wanted was for the twins to hear them fighting. They had both grown up around that and it was the last thing they wanted for their kids.

Alex put on a smile and tried to let his anger go before he turned around to talk to his son. “Do you know what Bud? I was at the store yesterday and I picked up an extra blue cup and it should be in the dishwasher. We can go get it after you say goodbye to your Mom, okay. Alexis come say goodbye to your Mom.” 

“Okay, bye Mommy I'll miss you,” Eli said running forward and wrapping his arms around Izzie's waist as he hugged her. 

“I’ll miss you too buddy,” Izzie said, leading down to hug Eli and planting a kiss on his head. 

Alexis came running and almost bowled into Izzie as she wrapped her arms around her waist as well. “Can't you stay longer, Mommy? You said you would?”

“Yeah, I thought you said you were staying for lunch?” Eli piped up as well.

“I said that I might stay for lunch if your Daddy said it was okay, but I don't think it is,” Izzie said, as she looked at Alex as he rubbed his forehead. 

“Daddy, can't Mommy stay?” Alexis asked as both of them turned to look at him with identical puppy-dog eyes. 

Alex sighed again as he crouched down to talk to them. He hated that Izzie made him the bad guy in these situations. She would make promises to them for things she couldn't keep and then make him be the one to say no. 

“I would love for Mommy to stay for lunch,” Alex said as he took one of each of the twin’s hands. “But you guys know that we have the playdate and it's very important to Daddy that you guys meet Jo and Asher because guess what?”

“What?” They both asked as their puppy-dog eyes turned into intrigued looks. 

“Do you remember the stories I told you about my princess who lived in her chariot and grew up to help the queen of general surgery with her mini-liver mice?” Alex said as he smiled and he could see them start to get excited.

“Uh-huh,” Alexis nodded eagerly, she was the number one fan of his princess bedtime stories.

“Well, you know that some of these stories are based on real life and I told you about my girlfriend Jo, and her son Asher, the princess, and the little prince. They're coming to play with you today, I told Jo all about you two and she’s so excited to meet you both!” Alex said, with a smile as he shared their look of excitement.

Ever since he moved to Kansas he had told them bedtime stories. There were about some of his and Jo's adventures at the hospital spun into fairy tales of princesses and knights.

“Jo’s real!” Alexis said, her eyes growing wide. “I thought you made her up so you wouldn't be sad when we were at Mommy’s house.”

“Of course Jo is real. I do hang out with other people when you're not here Alexis,” Alex said, deeply offended that his kids would think so little of him, but Alexis only shrugged. 

“But she’s coming to meet us. She wants to play with us?” Eli asked still doubting his father's words.

“Yes she's very real and she’s coming to meet you two, so I need you guys to get ready for the playdate and unfortunately that means Mommy can't stay today. I promise we will have her over for lunch another time though, yeah.” 

“Okay,” Alexis still smiling at the thought of meeting Jo.

“Is that okay with you buddy,” Alex said as he looking at his son who was still hesitant.

“Yeah, okay but I’ll miss Mommy,” Eli said, his smile falling a little, between the two of them, Eli was the one with the most separation anxiety.

Alex looked back up at Izzie who didn't seem happy, but had plastered on a smile when both of the twins turned around to hug her goodbye.

“I'm going to miss you guys so much,” Izzie said hugging both of them and kissing their heads again. 

“We’ll miss you too mommy,” Alexis said, as they snuggled into her arms. 

The twins were getting a little more used to the transition between the two households. Especially since Izzie had decided to move back to Seattle meaning there wasn't a plane ride between them, but it didn't help when Izzie dragged out the goodbyes and acted like it was the worst thing in the world. 

Eventually, Izzie stood up and let go of the twins. “Well, I guess I'll go then.”

“Have a good drive back,” Alex said with a forced smile as he waved to her. 

Izzie smiled although her eyes glared at him before she turned around. Yet both of them froze as they saw Jo standing in the walkway with Asher on her hip. Alex hadn't even heard her car pull up and Jo just stood there staring at them like a deer in the headlights. Jo looked between Alex and Izzie and the twins before she looked back at Asher as he wiggled in her arms. She adjusted her grip on him before she plastered on a smile and walked up to them. Izzie turned and smirked at Alex before he glared at her. 

“Be nice,” Alex whispered to her, hoping that she would at least be polite for the sake of the kids.

“Hey, Alex.” Jo seemed relaxed as she walked up the steps onto the porch. “And you must be Izzie, it's so nice to finally meet you.”

It was a lie and he knew it as Jo had said before that she wasn't wild about the prospect of meeting Izzie. Jo had always been a good liar, he remembered how she lied about her twenty seven fireplaces back when she was an intern. He had fallen for the lie back then, but after years together Alex could tell when Jo was lying. He could tell when her smile faltered for a second and how her eyes didn't share her happiness.

“And you must be Jo. It's nice to finally meet you, I've heard a lot about you from Alex,” Izzie said as she held out her hand to Jo who gave her a friendly shake. 

“And who is this handsome little fellow,” Izzie asked, smiling at Asher as he hid his head in Jo's shoulder. 

“This is my son Asher,” Jo said, putting a protective hand over his back. “And this must be Alexis and Eli.”

Alex looks down at Alexis and Eli as they watch Jo and Asher. Eli smiled and gave a shy wave as Alexis tugged on Alex’s hand before she looked up at him with big eyes.

“Daddy she is real and she looks like a princess,” Alexis whispered up to him, although it was loud enough for all of them to hear.

“Yeah that's why her nickname used to be princess, but she never really liked it when I called her that,” Alex said as he looked up to see a real smile on Jo’s cheeks as a blush appeared alongside it. 

“I don't suppose you told them your nickname, evil spawn, or do I need to call Cristina and have her tell them that story,” Jo teased and suddenly it was as if Izzie wasn't there as Alex smiled at her. 

He was so happy that she was there and he couldn't help but stare. His eyes lingered over her before he looked down at her stomach. Her grey shirt and jacket were draped loosely over her middle so he could see anything. Alex had tried to estimate the date of when it could have happened and how far along she was. By his estimates, she was between six or eight weeks and wouldn't be showing, but he couldn’t wait for physical proof of her pregnancy. 

“You know Cristina?” Izzie asked, looking between Jo and Alex with one raised eyebrow as her smile fell.

“Yes, we all worked together at the hospital,” Jo said, turning to talk to Izzie. “We kind of keep in touch, but mostly through Meredith as she and Cristina are constantly texting and calling each other.” 

“Did you used to work with my Mommy and Daddy at the hospital,” Eli said standing up on his toes as he looked up at Jo. 

“I never worked with your Mommy, but I did work with your Daddy a lot, and your guys’ Auntie Mere,” Jo said as she smiled over at Eli before she looked up at Alex. “And as I'm sure you know, your Daddy is an amazing doctor.”

“You know Meredith too, wow I guess you must know everybody,” Izzie sneered with a tight lipped smile.

“Pretty much, but Meredith in particular. She was my teacher when I was a resident,” Jo said, standing taller and even Asher peeked out from her shoulder. “We worked together on the mini livers and on the abdominal wall transplant that won her the Catherine Fox award.”

“Oh that's funny I read the paper Meredith published for the JSA, but I didn't see your name on it,” Izzie said, narrowing her eyes at Jo.

“There were some extenuating circumstances,” Alex said, stepping towards Jo as if his physical presence could protect her from Izzie digging up Jo’s past and the pain Paul had caused. “Meredith could only have her name on the paper and Jo politely stepped aside, but she and Meredith have been working on that project together since the beginning.”

Jo smiled and took a deep breath as she reached out to put a hand on his arm. “Why don't we all go inside.” 

“That sounds great,” Alex said, putting his hand on Jo's back as she relaxed into his touch. “Kids say goodbye to Mommy.”

“Bye-bye,” Asher said, waving his hand at Izzie.

The twins said goodbye and Izzie grumbled but bit her tongue and by some miracle left without further issue. Now here he was, with Jo and Asher, in his house with his kids, as they all met each other.

“Alexis, Eli, this is Jo and her little boy, Asher.”

“Hello,” Eli said with a wave.

“Hi,” Alexis said as she continued to stare at Jo in awe.

“Hello,” Jo said with a bright smile as she set Asher on the floor and crouched down to hold on to him as he stood up. “We're very excited to play with you today. Asher, can you say hi?”

“Hi,” Asher said in the cutest voice as he gave a brief wave before he turned around and wrapped his arms around Jo’s neck. 

“I think he's still a little tired. He just got up from his nap,” Jo explained as she picked him up again and he buried his head in her shoulder.

“That's okay, Daddy told us all about babies and he said they need a lot of sleep. He also told us about you too, and that he loves you. Do you love our Daddy?” Alexis said with a very serious face as if it was the most important question in the world.

Jo let out a little laugh and looked away as her cheeks turned pink again before she smiled and looked back at Alexis.

“I do love your Daddy very much,” Jo said as she looked up at Alex before glancing back at Alexis. 

“Good,” Alexis said with a nod as Alex let out a breath of relief. 

“Why don't you guys get out the new train set and show Asher?”

“Yeah,” Alexis said, reaching out to take Jo's hand as she pulled her over to the rug in the living room where Alex had left out the bin of wooden trains. “We've got a whole zoo train set and there’s even one with water in it that's got an octopus.”

Jo briefly smiled at Alex before she let Alexis pull her over to the rug and sat down with Asher in her lap.

“What do you think, Eli?” Alex asked, looking down at Eli who watched Jo and Alexis get out the trains.

“She’s nice and Asher’s cute even if he is a baby,” Eli said as he watched them. Alex had no idea where the observant side of his son came from. Both he and Izzie were rather bold, but Eli was always quietly watching everyone and taking things in.

“Should we go play with them?” Alex prompted as he put a hand on Eli's back. 

“Yeah,” Eli said, taking a step forward and going to sit next to Alexis on the rug as she handed him some track pieces.

Before he knew it, the five of them were playing together and they had a web of train tracks that spanned the length of the living room. All three kids quickly warmed up to each other and Alex was relieved at how Alexis and Eli didn't seem bothered by Asher as he would grab things out of place and put them in his mouth. Jo quickly traded them out for a pacifier which kept him from putting stuff in his mouth again, but he still grabbed things like any baby would. The twins quickly learned that they could hand him something else to get back what they wanted. They all built the tracks around where he sat on the rug and made a game of delivering things to him on the trains. 

The twins quickly warmed up to Jo as well. Alexis came to sit next to her and Eli followed his sister’s lead as the three of them built a train station out of Lincoln Logs. It warmed Alex’s heart to see Jo and the twins interact. It was everything he ever dreamed of after he first met his kids and there was a part of him that grieved that he could have made this a reality sooner. Yet, he was happy that he was doing this now.

With Jo’s attention on Alexis, Asher took the opportunity to slip away and Alex quickly got up and followed him. Alex watched the baby tottle over to the baby gate he had just set up. It was a good thing that he tested the baby gate earlier as Asher quickly grabbed onto it and gave it a shake. 

“Hey buddy,” Alex said, crouching down in front of Asher. “Let's go back to the trains yeah?”

Alex held out his hands to Asher who looked at him for a second, deciding whether he should let Alex pick him up. He held his breath for a moment before Asher turned, letting go of the gate, and reached out his hands to Alex who quickly scooped him up. 

Alex tickled Asher as he laughed and he moved to hold Asher out in front of him. He pretended to fly them around the room as the boy shrieked and laughed. It was such a wonderful sound and it reminded him so much of Jo’s laughter. Alex could feel himself falling in love with the baby boy as they took an extra circle around the room. Alex finally plopped down on the carpet with Asher who seemed content to sit with him as he picked up a train. 

Alex looked up and caught Jo staring, her smile was so big and happy as she watched them. She scooted to sit next to him and Alex put his arm around her waist as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. He wasn't sure how much PDA he wanted to show in front of the kids, but none of them seemed to care as they kept on playing. Alex looked into Jo's eyes again as she tilted her head to look at him. He stared into her eyes and got lost in her golden gaze. This was everything he could have ever dreamed of, his kids and Asher playing in the living room with the woman he loved, Jo, in his arms.

“Daddy, can we have something to eat?” Alexis said, interrupting them.

“Yeah sure,” Alex said as he tore his eyes away from Jo to glance at Alexis. “What do you want?”

“Do you have goldfish?” Eli asked knowing that Alex did have goldfish.

“Fishy fishy,” Asher said as well as all three kids looked up at him with hungry eyes. 

“Alright, I guess it’s goldfish for lunch, but I'm going to make some apple slices and peanut butter sandwiches with it,” Alex said as he got up and put Asher next to Eli.

“Why don't I help you and we can talk,” Jo said, getting up as well and Alex looked back as she followed him into the kitchen.

Alex could feel his heart beating in his chest and he wondered if this was the moment Jo would choose to tell him. 

“I got a high chair for Asher,” Alex said, pulling it out at the corner and up to the table.

“You didn't have to go out of your way to buy one, I've got the travel chair in my car,” Jo said, gesturing in the direction of her car parked outside.

“I wanted to. I want to be all the way in with you and Asher, and that means having everything that you need for him when you guys come over. I got diapers and wipes stocked up, and I set up a little changing station and a pack and play set upstairs in the spare bedroom. Although I wasn't sure of his size so I just guessed that it was size three.”

Alex stood behind the high chair and with both of his hands still on it. He knew that it wasn't just for Asher, but that they could use everything for the new baby as well. However, he kept himself from saying that part. He just wanted to show Jo that he was all in and that his house could be their house.

“Yeah, size three, thank you, I really appreciate that,” Jo said looking at him with a soft smile, they stared at each other again for a moment before Jo went over to Asher's diaper bag by the door and came back with a teal silicone plate. “I was sort of thinking the same thing. Since I'm still living with Meredith and you know how crazy her place can be sometimes, so would it be okay if we just hang out here when we get together. I brought a few extra things and I thought maybe I could keep them here?”

“Yeah, that’d be great, I’d love to have you guys here as much as you want and you can bring over whatever you need. You could move in if you wanted to?” Alex said but immediately regretted it as he watched Jo’s eyes grow wide. “You don't have to or anything and I know that with the kids, we should let them get to know each other before we try and combine our families, just never mind, forget I asked.”

“Alex it's okay, really. I thought about it too,” Jo said before she looked down at the plate in her hands. “But you're right we should take things slow with the kids and let them get used to each other first, but then maybe we could give it a try.”

“I'd like that, there are two extra rooms upstairs so maybe in the next couple of months if things go well you could move in with me?” Alex offered with a shrug as Jo smiled.

“Yeah, that sounds good, maybe in less than a couple of months though,” Jo said, as she looked over at him with a kind of longing that he knew all too well. “I miss sleeping next to you.”

“Me too,” Alex said as he stared at Jo, her skin glowed from the pregnancy and suddenly he imagined what it would look like when she was further along with her round belly or even when she had their baby in her arms. 

He could imagine what it would be like in a few months when they lived together, Jo would hold their baby and sit at the table as they ate together, with their three kids around them. He would sit next to her and have his arm around her shoulders as he talked with Eli, Alexis, and Asher about what they wanted to do that afternoon. He wanted them to all be a happy family together. He wanted it all right now and he hated that he had to wait for it to happen. However, Jo was right they needed to take things slow for the kid’s sake and he knew the wait would be worth it. She smirked as she caught him staring and came over to pull him out of his daydream with a quick peck to his lips.

“I also got something for the twins, to help with the adjustment,” Jo said as she went back to the diaper bag and grabbed out a book before handing it to Alex. 

It was a children's book titled ‘You're Getting a Baby Brother!’ Alex smiled as he flipped through the pages. The story detailed what it was like to live with a baby brother and Alex thought it was fitting, especially considering that if they were going to be a family it would include Asher as well as the baby Jo was pregnant with.

“This is great. I'm sure the kids will love it and it'll help them get used to Asher, although he's not a baby anymore,” Alex smirked as he smiled over at Jo and he couldn't help the way his eyes trailed down as he stared at her stomach.

Jo caught his eyes and sighed as she shook her head with a smile. “You know, don't you?” 

“Know what?” Alex said, looking back up at her as he played along, waiting for her to say it.

“You know that I'm pregnant,” Jo said, raising an eyebrow and waiting for him to deny it and knowing that he wouldn't.

“It wasn't really that hard to figure out,” Alex said with a wide smile, he was absolutely giddy at the thought of having a new baby with Jo. 

Alex put the book on the counter and reached out to her. Jo allowed him to place one hand on her stomach as they both stared down at her belly. He knew that she still wouldn't be showing for a while, yet he was still disappointed when her stomach felt the same as it always did. 

“I’m only eight weeks, so I’m not showing yet,” Jo said as if she was reading his mind as she placed her hand over his and they both looked down at her belly. “I've had Carina check me just to be sure. She did a full exam and work up and everything’s fine, but I haven’t scheduled the ultrasound. I wanted to wait until after I told you so you could come too.”

“You want me there for the ultrasound?” Alex asked, looking up at her again.

“Of course I do. I want you there for all of it Alex. I want you to be a father to our baby,” Jo said as she squeezed his hand. 

Alex was so relieved that even after everything he put her through, Jo was willing to allow him to be in their child's life. He thought that she would still be hesitant because he had left once before and he didn’t think that she wouldn't trust him again so easily. After breaking her heart he knew it wouldn't be so easy for her to trust him again, but he was so thankful that she was giving him his chance.

“I promise you Jo, I'm not going anywhere and I know that I said that to you before and that I broke that promise as well, but I made that mistake once and I'm not going to do it again,” Alex said as he looked down at their hands still on top of each other on her belly and he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead against hers. “And I'm going to stay with you because I am so absolutely in love with you Jo. I went crazy without you and I'd be crazy to leave you again. I want this life, this love, this family with you. It was always supposed to be with you Jo, and I'm not going to walk away from that now.”

“I know,” Jo said with a nod. “Since you came back you've proven to me, not just with your words but with your actions. This afternoon alone, with everything that you've gotten for me, for my child, and for our new baby. You bought a high chair,” Jo said, pulling back a little bit to gesture to the high chair next to them. “And you chose me over Izzie. You stepped in when she asked why I wasn't in the magazine article. You protected me rather than explaining to her why I withdrew my name. You chose me and my family. You’ve shown me that you're not going anywhere, but they're still a part of me that says you could still up and walk away from me again because of how easily you did it the first time.” 

Alex looked down at her belly again. He knew in his heart that he would never walk away from her again and not just because of their child, but Alex knew that there wasn’t anything he could do to make Jo trust him. She had to trust him on her own and he knew how hard that would be for her.

“But I'm willing to trust you and be all in with you,” Jo said as he looked up in shock and stared at her. “I can't let my fears hold me back from loving you and having a family with you. I can trust you again. I can trust you not to leave me again, and not just because I know you would never abandon your child and since I'm carrying one of them for the next eight months or so, I know you’re not going anywhere and I trust you not to leave again. You're here right now and I’m willing to be all in with you because I want to be happy with you, and right now you make me so happy, with everything you do for me.” 

Alex let out a sigh of relief. The one thing he had been working for since he got back was to regain her trust. He was so excited and happy and wonderfully in love with her. “I love you so much Jo and I want to have a permanent family with you too. I want you to be a part of the twin’s lives as they grow up and I want you to be a part of my life again. I want to be a part of Asher's life too, we're going to be a family, all five of us well, soon to be six.”

“I want us all to be a family too,” Jo whispered, as he closed his eyes for a second and Jo relaxed into his touch. “I want you to be a permanent part of both of my children’s lives and I want to be a part of your kid’s lives in whatever role they’ll have for me. I want my children to know their siblings.”

Jo paused to look over and watched all of the kids play as Alex followed her gaze. He smiled as he watched Eli hand Asher the train that he was holding. Asher of course immediately put it into his mouth and Eli just laughed. Alexis reached over and spoke to Asher so kindly as she handed him, his pacifier instead. All three of the kids just clicked together as if it was meant to be.

“This afternoon when I watched you fly Asher around the room and I knew that you are all in with both of my kids,” Jo said as they looked back at each other and he stared into her eyes. “It makes me fall in love with you even more and I do love you, Alex.” 

Alex pulled back to look at her. She looked back at him with her lips parted as their words hung between them. He knew that it wasn’t easy for her to say even the first time around. They had been together for two years before she had truly said it. He never needed to hear it, but he knew that by her saying she loved him now, that it was her signal to him that she was all in. 

“I love you too,” Alex said, pulling back before he quickly leaned in and kissed her again.

Jo giggled against his lips before she pulled back. “Wait so, how long have you known I was pregnant?” 

“I've known since, well since the day you threw up at the nurse’s station and then I put you down for a nap in the on-call room,” Alex said with a knowing smile, teasing her just a little bit.

“You put me down for a nap? Is that what happened?”Jo asked with a little laugh as she put a hand on his chest.

“Well you did kind of need one and you were protesting like a little kid.”

Jo let out a laugh and smiled as she shook her head. She looked back at the kids and Alex held her as they watched them play in the living room. They all seemed to be enjoying each other's company and completely oblivious to their parents. Eli and Alexis showed Asher how to put the train on the tracks and press the button so it would go around on its own. It warmed his heart to see the three of them getting along.

“We're having a baby,” Alex whispered in her ear.

“We are,” Jo said with a wide and happy smile, and Alex leaned in and kissed her again because if he didn't, he felt like he’d burst with joy.

They couldn't seem to contain their excitement as they laughed and smiled and kissed. Alex pulled her in and Jo moaned against his lips. Alex felt like he was floating on air. This was everything they wanted and more. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in. He kissed her with every ounce of love he had poured into his lips as he held her close. Jo moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their kiss was tender and sweet and he could feel Jo melt against him. 

“Eww Daddy, what are you doing?” Eli asked as they parted to see all the kids staring at them. Eli had a grossed out look on his face, but Alexis smiled, while Asher just looked up at them.

“I'm kissing Jo is that okay?” Alex asked them as Jo moved back so she wasn’t pressed up against him, but still let him hold her waist.

“Un-huh,” Alexis immediately nodded excitedly. “Jo is your princess and you kiss princesses.”

“No,” Eli replied, shaking his head. “Kissing is gross.”

“Mama,” Asher babbled, as he got up and walked over to them, pulling on Jo’s pant leg and demanding to be held.

Jo smiled as she reached down to pick him up. As soon as she did, Asher laid a kiss on her lips before looking at Alex and giving him the stink eye. He clearly wasn’t happy that he was no longer the only man in Jo’s life.

Jo scoffed at Asher's look and Alex raised his eyebrow at him before leaning in and tickling Asher’s sides and his frown disappeared as he shrieked and laughed. 

“All right well we'll try to keep the kissing to a minimum of grossness, but would you guys be okay with Jo and Asher being over a lot more going forward?” Alex asked as he looked over at the twins. 

“Yeah, I like Asher and Jo’s nice too,” Alexis said with a nod that Eli quickly shared.

“Sounds good to me,” Jo said, looking over at him and smiling at Alex before Asher tried to wiggle out of her arms and Jo put him down so he could go back to his play. 

“We're going to be a family,” Jo said as she put one hand on her belly, reality seemingly sinking in.

“I think we already are,” Alex said with a nod before he leaned in and kissed her cheek. She smiled and leaned against him as they watched their children play before Eli and Alexis complained about the lack of goldfish. They quickly finished lunch before calling the kids over. They all sat around the kitchen island talking and eating as Alex looked up and caught Jo’s eyes. She smiled at him as he reached out to put a hand over her belly. They were a family and it was everything he had ever dreamed.

……………………………………………………………………

The last few months of Jo's pregnancy seemed to fly by and all three kids were slowly getting used to the prospect of the new baby. Eli, Alexis, and Asher all seem to adapt rather quickly to the new family situation and Jo and Asher moved into Alex’s house when Jo was five months along. Asher had come to love Alexis and Eli and looked up to his big siblings. Asher also loved Alex as well and the day that Asher looked up at him and called him Dada, Jo and Alex's hearts melted. The five soon-to-be six of them were a family and Jo thanked whoever was in charge of the universe for this wonderful family she had been given.

Before they knew it, It was the first BBQ of the season and two days past Jo’s due date. Jo lounged on a deck chair with Alexis laying beside her. Alexis pressed her ear against Jo’s round belly listening to the baby move and kick inside of her. She was whispering secret things to the baby that even Jo didn't catch as she ran her fingers through Alexis’ long blonde hair. 

Meredith was hosting a Backyard BBQ with most of their friends in attendance. Eli, Asher, Alex, and Link were playing soccer in the yard with Scout, and a few of the other kids. Meredith was talking with Amelia and Maggie, as Heyes and Richard barbecued the stakes and other food. Bailey and Ben were talking with Jackson and April while a few of the others lingered around the yard and watched the kids play. 

“Thanks,” Jo said, as Meredith came over and handed her a drink, a lemonade. The most exciting thing Jo was allowed to have.

“Has she moved at all?” Meredith asked, looking down at Alexis as she sat next to them.

“Nope,” Jo said, with a smile as she brushed Alexis’ hair away from where it had fallen in her face. 

Alexis was so excited for the new baby and couldn’t wait to meet them. Eli still wasn't quite as sure about it but said he wanted to see the baby after they were born. Whereas Asher was just mad that Jo's big belly was preventing him from sitting on her lap.

In the past seven months, Jo had gotten to know Eli and Alexis and had grown to love them as if they were her own. They were both so much like Alex, stubborn and caring, but they were also sweet and kind. One of the things that made her fall in love with them was the way Eli and Alexis loved Asher. They were the best big siblings to him that she could ever ask for. They were patient with the toddler and always took the time to make room for him in their play.

Eli would try to teach Asher everything he was learning while he did his homework and Asher was constantly learning new phrases from his big brother. Alexis would play dress-up with Asher and all three of the kids had the cutest little theater performances. Asher was always happy to let his big sister dress him up and they rocked the princess dresses together. Asher was the first person they hugged when she and Alex picked them up from Izzie’s and always talked about how they loved to have a little brother. 

“Are you asking if they’re ready to come out and play with you already?” Meredith asked Alexis.

“No,” Alexis said, not taking her head off of Jo’s belly. “Mommy Jo said they’ll come when they’re ready.”

The twins had recently started calling her Mommy Jo. Although Izzie hadn't been happy about it, Jo was over the moon. She loved Alexis and Eli as if they were her own and she felt honored that they saw her as one of their moms. 

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Jo said, rubbing her side as she had another Braxton Hicks contraction. 

They had started coming frequently in the last few months, and she had a few the last couple of hours, but nothing consistent or particularly painful. Meredith eyed her as Jo breathed out, but didn't say anything. She just grabbed Jo's hand and let her squeeze her hand until it passed.

“Oh, then what were you telling them?” Meredith asked, after Jo let go of her hand and she leaned over to try and engage Alexis in conversation.

“It's a secret!” Alexis insisted picking up her head and putting her finger to her lips and shushing them, before returning to her spot on Jo's belly and continuing to whisper to the baby.

Jo and Meredith exchanged a look before they both laughed. They talked for a little while and Jo leaned back to enjoy the first sun of the spring, but that didn't last long as she had to pee. Jo always had to pee. 

“Sorry Alexis, I gotta get up,” Jo said as Alexis picked up her head and Jo shifted to sit up and turn to put her feet on the deck.

Meredith came around to help her up as Jo couldn’t get up without help these days. That was definitely something she was looking forward to doing again after she gave birth. As soon as she stood up she had another Braxton Hicks and put one hand on her belly as she gripped Meredith’s arm. 

“Another Braxton Hicks?” Alexis asked as she picked up Jo’s phone and reset the timer they had.

“Yeah...” Jo stopped to groan as it was a particularly strong one. Meredith moved to hold her up, her hand going to rub Jo’s back. 

She breathed through the pain and it soon passed. Jo stood up straighter and let go of Meredith to put her hands on her back. She looked over at Alex who was still playing soccer and was relieved that he hadn’t seen her doubled over in pain.

“I’m fine. It’s just another Braxton Hick,” Jo said, ignoring Meredith’s look of concern. 

“It looked like a contraction to me,” Meredith said with a smirk. 

“It’s just another Braxton Hick,” Jo insisted, rubbing her belly.

“Oh really, Alexis?” Meredith asked, turning to look at her. “How far apart are your Mommy Jo’s Braxton Hicks contraction?”

“Umm, about ten minutes or so?” Alexis said, holding up the phone timer that they had set as she scrunched up her eyebrows up in such a way that was so cute that it was hard for Jo to be mad at her for snitching.

By the time Jo had become pregnant, she had been an OB/GYN for almost a year and by now she had delivered over two hundred babies. She knew what labor looked like and she noticed when the contractions started getting stronger earlier that afternoon. Jo had been tracking her Braxton Hick contraction for a few hours, but she still wasn't in active labor and was comfortable relaxing on the deck chair as she labored.

“Okay, so I'm in labor,” Jo whispered to Meredith as she rubbed her back. “And before you ask, yes they last for a minute, but they're still ten minutes apart which means we can't even think about going to the hospital yet, and I just wanted to labor in peace without you or Alex hovering.”

“Jo, you should at least let me or Alex check your cervix, especially if your contractions are this close!” Meredith insisted as Jo rolled her eyes.

“I’m a board-certified OB/GYN, I’m perfectly capable of checking my own cervix. Which I will, but right now I have to pee,” Jo whisper yelled before she waddled off to the bathroom.

She stayed in the bathroom a little longer than necessary, she knew the second she returned to the backyard Meredith and Alex would hover over her. Meredith was right, she was several centimeters dilated which meant they should probably head to the hospital, but Jo wanted a moment to collect herself before everyone around her started panicking. Jo was no stranger to painful experiences and she preferred to handle them on her own.

“Hey Jo, you alright?” Link called out to her as he knocked on the door. 

Jo groaned and swung open the door intent on telling him to leave her alone, but suddenly gasped as she felt a gush of liquid trickle down her legs. Jo was embarrassed to admit that she had peed her pants once or twice, but she knew the moment it happened that this wasn’t her bladder. As Jo looked up at Link, her expression must have conveyed her situation. 

“Your water broke. You’re in labor.” Link said eyes wide as he froze.

Jo nodded as she felt another contraction start. Suddenly it was all so very real and she was in a lot of pain as she gripped the door frame. She needed Alex. However, she couldn't speak as the contraction continued. Thankfully, Link was there for her and put his hands on her lower back offering counter-pressure. Jo sighed in relief as soon as her contraction passed and Link put his arm around her. 

“No, get Alex,” Jo insisted as Link nodded, but helped her walk over to the living room so she could sit down before he left. 

As Link left, Jo finally had the peace and quiet she wanted earlier, but all she could think about was how much she needed Alex. She put her hand on her belly, She hadn't felt the baby move in a while, and she missed the feeling of her baby kicking her, but she knew she would soon hold them in her arms. 

“Ready to meet us, honey?” Jo asked and the baby responded with one strong kick giving Jo her answer. “Yeah, us too.”

“Jo?” Alex called out as he ran over to her, trying to hide the panic in his voice. 

“Hey, I hope you're ready to meet them because they’re coming,” Jo said, smiling up at Alex as he came to kneel in front of her.

Alex laughed, but Jo knew it just meant that he was nervous. “Yes I know, Meredith and Link are getting the kids sorted, and then we’re going to head to the hospital as soon as Mere gets the car for us.”

“Oh god,” Jo moaned as another contracting hit. They were closer together and stronger now that her water had broken.

Alex had a look of pure panic as she grabbed his hand. Seeing him panic made Jo frustrated. She was in so much pain and she needed Alex to comfort her. It took him a moment, but Alex wrapped his arms around her waist as Jo leaned in and buried her head in his shoulder. He took both of Jo's hands and leaned in close as he instructed Jo on how to breathe.

“You can do this, Jo,” Alex said with a nod as he looked into her eyes and that was exactly what Jo needed to hear.

“Okay, Link and Amelia are going to watch the kids like you planned, we’ve got the car seats moved out of your car, and we’re ready to go,” Meredith said walking into the room. “Were you able to check how much you were dilated before your water broke?”

“I’m only 4cm, which means it could be hours!” Jo whined as she leaned back against Alex. 

“I know, that’s why we’re going to the hospital so you can get settled and you rest for a few more hours before you have to push,” Meredith said, reaching down to help her up. “Come on, let's get in the car before you have another contraction.” 

……………………………………………………………………

It took several hours for Jo's labor to progress and after a few hours, she asked for an epidural. Jo had gone back and forth initially about whether she wanted one, but was happy she got it, as it allowed her some to rest and even sleep before she had to push. Alex had been at her side the entire time, he had one arm wrapped around her shoulders and held her hand, while Meredith was on the other side holding her other hand. Link would have been there as well, but Jo loved him like a brother in that she didn't want her brother to see her naked and pushing out a baby. Besides Link was one of the only people Jo truly trusted with Asher overnight.

After twenty minutes of pushing their baby girl came into the world with a set of lungs that alerted the whole OB floor to her arrival. The second Carina put their daughter on her chest Jo just stared down at her in amazement. She was so perfect. She had round cheeks and thick tufts of dark hair. Jo cooed and gently brushed the tuffs of thick brown hair, she had so much hair. The baby stretched out her legs on Jo’s chest kicking her from the outside now before she curled back up into a tiny little ball. She continued to scream as Alex cut the cord, but calmed down as Jo rubbed her hand up and down her daughter's back before Meredith put a blanket over both of them.

Jo glanced back at Alex as he choked out a cry and he reached out to hold one of their daughter’s hands, letting the newborn’s hand wrap around his big finger. Jo held her closer as the baby looked up at them with big eyes that seemed to look straight into their souls. 

“Hello,” Jo whispered to her. “I���m your Mommy and this is your Daddy and your Auntie Mere and we're so happy to meet you.” 

The baby seemed content as Jo spoke to her and Jo closed her eyes as silent happy tears fell down her cheeks. Alex took a moment to comfort her, leaning over to kiss her forehead and squeeze her shoulders.

“You're so amazing, I know it was hard, but you did so good Jo,” Alex whispered in her ear before he kissed her cheek. 

Carina let them settle, taking quick measurements and checking the baby over while she was on Jo’s chest. When she was done Jo looked up at Alex.

“You ready to hold her?” Jo asked before she transferred their daughter into his arms. 

Alex held his daughter for the first time and seemed completely in love with her as he just stared down at her. He had never gotten the opportunity to be with the twins as newborns and Jo knew how much that meant to him. Jo turned her head and looked at Meredith. 

“Well done Jo, and congratulations on your baby girl,” Meredith said as she smiled at Jo and squeezed her hand. 

Jo relaxed back in bed as Carina finished cleaning her up. Alex finally looked over at Jo as she gave him a tired smile catching his eyes. 

“Thank you,” Alex said looking down at her as he moved to sit on the bed as Meredith let go of her hand for the first time and let them have a moment alone.

“For giving birth, you better be thankful,” Jo said as she teased him with a light smile and reached out to adjust the blanket around their daughter. 

“For telling me that you were pregnant, for letting me be a part of our daughter's life from the very beginning, for trusting me, for letting me be a part of your life and Asher’s life,” Alex said if he looked between his daughter and the woman he loved. “I didn't have that with Eli and Alexis but you let me have that with her and I will forever be grateful Jo.” 

“I never would have kept her from you Alex,” Jo said as she reached out and Alex took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “But you're still welcome.”

They exchanged a smile before they looked down at their daughter again. Jo reached out and ran her finger over their baby’s cheek as she turned her head towards Jo. They were both completely in love with their new daughter as they got to know her.

Alex gave her back to Jo after a few minutes and Jo held her daughter for as long as possible, but she quickly grew tired from her long labor. Jo barely even protested when Alex lifted the baby off of her chest and pulled the blanket up to tuck her in. 

“Don't name her until after I wake up,” Jo mumbled half asleep already.

“I promise I won't name her until after you wake up,” Alex said leaning down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Despite how cool of a middle name princess would be.”

“Our daughter's middle name is not gonna be princess,” Jo insisted, not bothering to open her eyes to argue with him.

“But it would be so cool and no one would even notice,” Alex insisted, his voice full of excitement.

Jo groaned as she opened her eyes and looked over at Meredith. “Please don’t let him name our daughter princess.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll hold the birth certificate hostage until you wake up,” Meredith said with a smirk.

“Thank you, Meredith,” Jo said, closing her eyes again and melting into the bed. “You’re a good friend.”

“I thought you were supposed to be on my side, you’re my person,” Alex argued, although he had the decency to whisper.

“I am your person and as your person, I can't let you name your daughter princess,” Meredith insisted, whispering a little lower Alex but still audible for Jo to hear.

“Shut up or get out,” Jo said, throwing her hand out and hitting Alex’s arm.

“Ow, sorry, shutting up,” Alex said as Meredith giggled, but they remained quiet as promised and Jo drifted off to sleep. 

She slept for a few hours before the baby woke her up to feed. Jo had opted to try and breastfeed, and Carina came back in to help her and the baby get a good latch and soon her daughter was happily suckling at her breast. Several of the nurses and other staff, including Bailey, also stopped by and cooed over the baby. When She left, Bailey remarked that she couldn't wait to see the baby again and it warmed Jo's heart to know that her daughter would grow up surrounded by a whole hospital that loved her.

“Okay, here's the birth certificate paperwork,” Carina said, as she left everything on the table next to Jo’s bed. 

“And the other paperwork when you're ready,” Meredith said, giving her a wink.

“Why don't you get started on that,” Jo said, staring down at the little girl that was adorably milk drunk in her arms. She was so in love with her baby and she could barely take her eyes off of her, plus she had one last surprise for Alex and she didn't want her smile giving it away. 

“Yeah okay,” Alex said, although he didn't take his eyes off of the baby and continued to rub his finger over her little hand where it was still wrapped around his finger. 

Alex finally tore his eyes away from their baby to glance over the papers in front of him, before he began to fill it all out. Carina had already put down the time and their baby girl's weight and height so Alex filled out the parental information, leaving the name for last. 

“So are we settled on the name Princess Edith Josephine?” Alex asked looking over at her. 

“Just Edith Josephine, yes, I think we are,” Jo said as she reached out to capture Edith’s now free hand.

“Edith,” Meredith said with a smile as she reached out to capture the baby’s hand. “Derek had two babies named after him, but both of them go by other names. I have a baby named after me that will go by my name.”

“Derek's not here Mere, you can stop competing with him,” Alex said, not even bothering to look up.

“Just because he's dead doesn't mean I can't compete with him a little bit,” Meredith insisted with a smile as she rubbed her thumb on the back of Edith's hand.

“In that case, we’ll change her name to our second choice of Cristina Stephanie,” Alex said looking up from the paperwork to glare at Meredith.

“Alright, I'm shutting up, only because Christina Stephanie is too much of a mouthful,” Meredith said, rolling her eyes. 

“Thank you,” Alex said sarcastically.

Jo smiled as she looked down at Edith again, who let out a yawn that was so adorable and Jo sighed and melted at how darling she was. They had considered naming her after a number of their friends, but they had settled on Meredith because if it wasn't for her their baby girl wouldn't exist. 

After Alex left, Jo probably would have moved away, but Meredith had been there for her and encouraged her to stay. When Alex came back, she was the first person to encourage each of them to talk to each other. Looking back now they both realized how Meredith had orchestrated their meet up at the wedding. She had conveniently left her purse downstairs while working with Link and made sure that their kids were taken care of so they could have the alone time that led to the creation of their baby girl. She was the reason that their little girl existed and had two parents who were together, and it felt only right that Edith shared Meredith's name. 

“I guess I can settle on Edith Josephine Wilson, Edith after Meredith, Josephine after you, because it's only fair since Alexis is named after me, and then your last name because we're not married,” Alex said as he picked up the pen.

“No, Edith Josephine Karev,” Jo said as she smiled down at Edith.

“Karev?” Alex asked, a little hesitant as Jo finally looked up at him.

“Yeah,” Jo said, the last name was the one thing they hadn’t discussed, but Jo had always known that her baby would be a Karev. “She's a Karev and I want to be a Karev again too, I want to marry you again and I love you. I miss having the last name of someone I love and I want my kids to have your last name too.”

Alex smiled so big and wide as he just stared at her so in love. “Of course I'll marry you again. I'll marry you right now if you want me to. Jo you've made me the happiest man in the world.”

“Well Alexis has already said that she'll kill us if she's not the flower girl at our wedding so maybe we should hold off,” Jo said with a smile, she was eager to be married again as well.

“Why don't I go get them now? It's not too late, and I'm sure they'll be waiting up in anticipation anyway,” Meredith said as she got up to leave, but not before she held Edith and cooed at her namesake, before handing her back to Jo.

Jo loved having Meredith around but she was also happy to have this moment alone just the two, well three of them. Especially with what she had planned for Alex to see.

“There's one other person I want to have your last name as well. Look under the birth certificate paperwork,” Jo said as she blushed and looked down at Edith again, biting her lip as she tried to wait for the big reveal she had planned.

She looked up again as she heard the shuffle of the papers to see Alex pulling out the adoption papers for Asher. His jaw dropped as he read over the papers, looking up at her before looking back down to read them again. 

“Is this real? You want this? You want me to be Asher’s Dad?” Alex asked in disbelief as he stared at her.

“He calls you Daddy, and it’s not just because he hears it from Alexis and Eli, every time he says it, he means it. He loves you so much Alex, you're a father to him and I love that you love him too. He's yours in every way, but name and so I want you to adopt our son. I want him to be both of ours.” 

Jo could feel the tears start to collect in her eyes as she spoke and she could see Alex getting teary eyed as well. He slowly made his way over to her, sinking into the chair next to her. Alex reached out and took her free hand giving it a squeeze before he leaned in to kiss her, giving her his answer in his lips. When he pulled back he kissed her forehead before he sat back down in the chair.

“I would be honored to adopt Asher and to be his father,” Alex said, getting choked up as he leaned in to kiss her again. Then he smiled and reached over to grab something from her hospital bag. It was a stack of documents all too similar to the one she had handed to him. “And I want you to be a legal guardian to Alexis and Eli. They call mom, you’re a parent to them and they look up to you. Nothing makes me happier than seeing you love them as much as I do. I talked it over with Izzie and we agreed that if anything happens, you need to be able to take care of them and have legal custody too.”

“Okay.” It was the only thing she could say as she nodded and the tears finally fell from her eyes. Alex reached out to grab her a tissue and Jo just smiled because she was so happy. In that moment her family was complete. 

……………………………………………………………………

Jo let out a breath as she looked over at the door before she looked back at Edith as she slept peacefully in Jo’s arms. Meredith had texted and said that she was on her way up with the kids and Jo and Alex were quietly waiting for them. 

“Relax Jo, take a deep breath,” Alex said, reaching out and putting a hand on her leg as he rubbed her knee. “They're gonna love her.”

“Alexis for sure, you saw how she clung to my belly, she’s never gonna want to be apart from her, but Eli and Asher. I don’t know. Eli still isn’t used to sharing things with Asher and Asher is so clingy. He's going to hate that I can't hold him 24/7 anymore,” Jo said as she stared down and Edith who was completely oblivious to the chaos her siblings were about to rain down on her.

“Okay, Yes Alexis is going to love her and probably steal her away from us half the time. But Eli is slowly getting used to having a younger brother and having Asher follow him around and it's not like Edith is going to be taking anything from him anytime soon. And Asher is so busy chasing the twins around half the time and I’ll take Edith so you guys can still have your nightly cuddles before he goes to bed. We've spent the past nine months getting ready for this, we can do it Jo.” 

“Okay, you're way too calm for this where's my grumpy Alex,” Jo demanded looking over at Alex as he laughed and she smiled before letting out a breath. 

There was a knock at the door and Jo looked to where she knew Meredith was waiting for them. She took a deep breath into her nose and out through her mouth cradling Edith just a little closer to her. Jo adjusted the hat on her head, it was just small enough for the regular baby hats and a little bit of her brown hair she had peeked out.

“Ready?” Alex asked, squeezing her knee.

“Yes,” Jo said, looking down at Edith before she reached out and grabbed Alex's hand.

“Okay come in,” Alex said as the door opened to reveal Meredith holding Asher with Alexis and Eli walking in front of her.

“Hi guys.” Alex smiled as the kids came over, a little hesitant, and Alex beckoned them to come closer. 

Alex wrapped his arms around Alexis and Eli as Meredith stood next to them. All three of the kids seemed hesitant to come closer and Jo tilted her arms so they could see the baby. 

“You guys have a sister,” Alex whispered, giving the twins a little squeeze. “Her name is Edith.”

“She's all wrinkly,” Eli said, scrunching up his eyebrows while Alexis just looked at her in awe.

“Mama, I miss you,” Asher said, not caring about the baby at all and reaching out to her although Meredith kept her grip on him. 

“I miss you too, but I had your sister, see,” Jo said with a smile, as she pulled the blanket back so he could see Edith. Asher tilted his head and stared at her, but looked back up at Jo after a moment.

“I have a sister,” Alexis said looking up at them wide-eyed before she promptly dissolved into tears. 

“Oh sweetie,” Jo said, reaching out to her as Alex tried to comfort her, but Alexis crawled up onto Jo's bed.

Jo was surprised that Alexis chose to curl up in her arms rather than seeking comfort from Alex, but just held her as Alexis tucked herself against her side. Jo kissed her head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Alexis continued to cry. She seemed completely overwhelmed and Jo just rubbed her hand up and down her arm.

“Do you want to hold her?” Jo said as she leaned into Alexis and whispered to her.

Alexis just nodded as she continued to cry as Jo shifted Edith into her lap. Jo wrapped her arms around Alexis and Edith as Alexis held her sister. As she looked down at Edith who was still sleeping, Alexis’ cries slowed to a stop. 

“She's so tiny,” Alexis whispered as Edith moved in her sleep and one of her arms slipped out from the loose swaddle and Alexis reached out to hold her hand. “But your belly was so big.”

Jo glared at Alex and Meredith as they both laughed. “Well my belly held a lot more than just the baby, remember there was water in there too that kept her cushioned and the placenta that fed her.”

Alexis just shrugged as she rubbed her thumb over Edith's hand and became completely engrossed in her little sister. “Hi Edith, I'm your big sister, I love you.”

Jo couldn't stop the tears that collected in her eyes and she took a moment to glance over at Alex who just smiled at Alexis and Edith. Jo had never had a big family even with Asher, it was just the two of them, but now she had this huge family with Alexis and Eli. Her kids had two siblings who loved them so much and would look out for them as they grew up.

“Can I hold her?” Eli asked in his small little voice that Jo barely caught. 

“Yeah Bud, let's sit back and you can hold her,” Alex said as he traded places with Eli so he could sit in the chair. 

Alexis gave Edith a little hug goodbye before Alex lifted her off of Alexis’ lap and set her into Eli's arms. Eli was a little awkward at first and seemed to freeze as she was placed in his arms, but Alex showed him how to hold her and Eli just stared down at Edith.

“Hi,” Eli said to her a little unsure as Edith opened her eyes and stared up at him. The brother and sister seem to stare at each other and eventually, Eli smiled. 

“Can I have her back?” Alexis asked, watching Edith and Eli intently as everyone just laughed.

“You can have her back in a minute, you've got to share her remember,” Jo said, hugging Alexis close before looking up at Meredith and motioning for her to give her Asher. Jo held her first baby as he snuggled closer to her and Jo sat him on her left side before she wrapped her arms around both of her kids, Asher and Alexis. “What do you think of the baby Asher?”

Asher stared intently over at Eli and Edith and looked back at Jo before looking back at Edith and Eli and pointing. “Baby sissy.” 

“Yeah that's right, that is your baby sister,” Jo said as Asher looked back at Eli and Edith staring intently at them. “Eli are you done? Can Daddy bring her over so Asher can see her?”

“I want to hold her longer,” Eli said, looking up at Jo for the first time since Alex placed Edith in his arms.

“I promise, you can hold her later,” Alex said as he lifted Edith from Eli's arms. “You've got your whole life to hold her, let's let her and Asher meet.”

Alex paused when he looked at Jo as she had one arm around Alexis and the other around Asher, so he sat down on the bed and moved the blanket so Asher could see. Jo watched her son take in the new baby. One of her fears throughout this pregnancy was that Asher wouldn't adjust well to being a big brother. He took to being a little sibling with the twins so well, but when they weren't there he got one hundred percent of Jo and Alex’s attention. He loved being the center of their attention and Jo wasn't sure how he was going to act with Edith around. 

Asher stared at Edith as Alexis crawled over to Alex. With Alexis freeing up her other arm Alex moved Edith into Jo’s free arm. She had a moment of panic as she held both of her babies. It felt so overwhelming to have both of them at the same time, but she quickly got used to it. Edith stared up at her for a moment before closing her eyes again and Asher leaned forward to look at the baby as Jo held them. 

“What do you think, Mommy?” Alex asked, looking at Jo with a smile. He had one arm around Alexis with him on the bed and the other around Eli as he leaned against him. “We've got two little ones now and two big ones?”

“I think it’s perfect,” Eli said as he leaned into Alex's side. “We've got two girls and two boys and two A names and two E names.”

“Yeah, I think it's pretty perfect two,” Jo agreed with Eli looking up as she caught the way Alex's eyes sparkled. He smiled as he leaned forward to kiss her lips and Jo smiled against his kiss. 

……………………………………………………………………

If Jo thought going from one kid to three was hard, going from three to four was absolute chaos, but some days were calmer than others and lazy Sunday mornings were the best. Edith was now two months old and it was waffle Sunday at the Karev house. The first Waffle Sunday since Jo and Asher were officially made Karevs at a joint adoption and Wedding ceremony. The only person who was not in their pajamas was Edith because she had spit up on them, but the rest of them lounged around the living room with cartoons playing in the background.

Jo leaned against the couch with Edith as she set the baby on the rug and grabbed the pair of jingly keys and held them in front of her. Asher took the opportunity of her free arms to crawl into them and Jo hugged her boy and planted a kiss on his cheek. Alexis came to sit next to Edith and immediately picked her up.

“Alexis, she’s doing tummy time, you can hold her in a second,” Jo said lightheartedly although she made no move to take Edith from Alexis. 

“But Mommy Jo she wants to play with me,” Alexis said, giving her a smile she knew Jo wouldn't refuse before she looked down at Edith and cooed at her.

Asher reached out from his place on Jo's lap to hold Edith’s hand. Of all the kids, she was worried most about how Asher would adjust to Edith, but he loved his little sister and always wanted to just be near her. Edith held onto her brother's fingers and stared up at him until Alexis caught her attention with the toy keys again. 

“I hold her hand,” Asher said looking up at Jo.

“I see you are holding her hand,” Jo said with a smile. 

Eli crawled over and laid down on the couch as he grabbed one of the many toys laying around and held it above Edith. Asher grabbed for the toy and Eli laughed as he let him have it and Asher got off of her lap and crawled up next to Eli. Jo looked over at Alex who was busy in the kitchen making the waffles. With the kids occupied, Jo went over to the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around Alex’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder enjoying the feeling of him in her arms.

“Are you getting hungry Mrs. Karev,” Alex asked as he got the last waffle out of the waffle iron and put it on a plate.

“That's Dr. Karev to you,” Jo said, swatting his ass before he tilted his head to quickly kiss her. 

“Hey, you think we could sneak away for a little alone time?” Alex asked, he turned around and grabbed her hips pulling them against him as he leaned in to kiss her.

Jo looked back at all the kids as they were occupied in the living room. Alexis had put Edith back on the floor and was holding the keys above her head as she reached for them, while Asher and Eli were completely engrossed in the TV show and had scooted close to cuddle together. 

“I'd say we got about five minutes until someone gets hungry, but I think we should make it work,” Jo said as she wrapped her arms around Alex's neck and tilted her head to kiss him.

Both of them quickly snuck off down the hall getting just as far as the door to the study. Alex kissed his way down her neck and Jo tried not to moan. She fumbled for the doorknob and just as she was about to open it and push Alex inside Eli called out to them.

“Daddy, Mommy Jo, I'm hungry, are the waffles ready?” 

Of course, this set off a cry of replies from Asher and Alexis also demanding waffles, and on top of that Edith started crying as well. Jo knew she would be hungry as she hadn't eaten since 5 am that morning when Alex got up with her. 

“Okay guys, go wash your hands and sit at the table and we’ll be there in just a second,” Alex said with a sigh as he leaned his forehead against Jo’s.

“We were so close,” Jo said with a sigh as she shook her head. 

“Do you want to serve the waffles or calm the baby?” Alex asked, wrapping his arm around her waist as they both walked down the hall into the living room. 

“I'll take Edith, she's probably hungry,” Jo said, walking over to where she and Alexis were still lying on the rug.

“She's also stinky,” Alexis said, while turning her head away and wrinkling her nose.

“On second thought you can take her,” Jo said, picking Edith up and handing her off to Alex before quickly walking away. 

“Why do I always get stuck with diaper duty?” Alex asked as he moved to cradle Edith and gently swayed as she fussed.

“Because I was pregnant with her for nine long months during which I took care of her 24/7. Then I was in labor with her for over nine hours and I pushed her very big head out of my vagina, so I’d say you owed me a lifetime of diaper changes,” Jo said, setting him with a look. 

“Mommy's always going to hold that one over me isn't she?” Alex asked Edith as he grabbed the diapers and wipes from the basket they had in the living room. The changing station had long since moved to the side of the couch easily in reach.

“Daddy you should be grateful. Mommy Jo sacrificed a lot to have Edith,” Eli piped up as he ran up to the counter to help Jo with the waffles. 

“Thank you Eli,” Jo said as she put her arm around his shoulders and gave him a quick hug before popping a Waffle on a plate and handing it to him. 

“Mommy Jo when are you and Daddy going to have another baby?” Alexis asked as Jo gave her a plate.

“We're done having babies Alexis, I think our family is perfect just the way it is,” Jo said leaning down and swiping Alexis’ nose as she giggled.

“Yeah, but I want another one,” Alexis insisted as she sat down next to Eli.

“No babies,” Asher said as he came over and Jo lifted him up onto her hip before she grabbed the stack of waffles and walked over to the table. 

“How about we get you a doll Alexis?” Jo asked as she sat down and put Asher in the highchair. 

“Can it be one of those ones that looks really real and cries and eats and stuff,” Alexis asked with excitement. “Ellis and I found one online and it looks so real.”

“If Alexis gets a real baby doll can I get a real oven,” Eli said from where he was shoving his waffle into his mouth.

“We have an oven, buddy,” Alex said, coming back in with Edith and sitting there next to Jo, before handing her the baby. “I think she’s hungry, she keeps trying to eat my shirt.”

Jo laughed as she saw the drool stain on Alex's shirt. She got Edith settled before she lifted up her shirt and pulled out her breast before quickly getting Edith latch on.

“Daddy we've lived here for almost a year and you and Mommy Jo have never once used that oven. I don't think it's even real,” Eli insisted gesturing to the oven and Jo couldn't help but laugh. 

“Okay, listen the oven does work and I'll prove it to you. This afternoon you and I are going to use the oven, what do you want to make?” Alex said, pointing his fork at Eli before he grabbed a piece of waffle and held it out for Jo to eat since she had her hands full. 

Eli took a moment to think and he got this adorable little serious face as the breakfast table quieted down as they all waited for his response. 

“I want to make a cake,” Eli decided with a nod.

“I want cake,” Asher said, his eyes lighting up as he smiled.

“Alright, cake it is,” Alex said with a smile. “We can go to the store and get the ingredients after breakfast.”

“Alex, are you really going to cook a cake from scratch?” Jo asked as Alex fed her another piece of waffle. “Do we even have cake pans?”

“No we’re going to go to the store and get a boxed cake mix which can't be that hard to make,” Alex said before taking a bite of his own waffle. 

“Chocolate cake?” Asher asked, getting excited as he bounced in his seat.

“Oh, can we get sprinkles?” Alexis asked, talking with her mouthful.

“Chocolate does sound really good,” Jo added, before looking down and Edith. “You want cake too, don't you baby. Yes, yummy cake milk from Mommy.” 

“Alright, we’ll go and get chocolate cake with sprinkles that everybody can enjoy,” Alex said, as he leaned over to smile down at Edith from where she still nursed at Jo's breast and reached out to grab her fingers as she waved her arm up at him.

Jo looked down at Edith and watched her baby happily eat for a few minutes before she looked up and watched the rest of her family. Eli went on about how he would decorate the cake while Asher got more excited and actively bounced in his high chair. Alexis asked if they could add some flowers and Alex of course happily gave in to all of it. 

It wasn't anything special, just a normal Friday at the house with all of the kids, but Jo was so happy. Jo had once imagined what it would have been like if she and Alex had never divorced and had made things work with the twins together. If they had they might not have had Edith and they certainly wouldn't have had Asher. Despite all of the pain, she and Alex had somehow found their way back to each other and created this wonderful family together. 

She looked over at Alex and reached her hand out to him, he captured her outstretched hand and gave it a squeeze. Jo tugged on his hand as a silent signal to him and Alex smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her lips. Jo smiled against him as his beard tickled her cheeks. 

“Was that for anything in particular,” Alex opened his eyes and pulled back just a little bit so he could look at her with a soft smile.

“It was just because I can and because I love you,” Jo said, stealing another kiss before she pulled back.

“I love you too,” Alex said, as he put his arm around her shoulders and scooted closer to her.

This family, this life she had with Alex, didn't start out perfectly, but somehow they worked it out and now they had this beautiful family together.