The Group Chat

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson Characters: Jo Wilson, Alex Karev Additional Tags: Depression, Angst, Caretaker Alex, Depressed Jo Summary:

She couldn’t feel hurt right now, she couldn’t feel happiness right now. He hopes that she can feel how much he loves her, though.

Our story starts with Izzie Stevens dropping her twins, 13-year-old Eli and Alexis Stevens-Karev, off at summer camp. It’s her own beloved childhood summer camp at the base of Mount Rainier that she had many treasured memories of. Alexis and Eli are both rolling their eyes at the story but Izzie just kisses them and reminds them that their dad will be there in two weeks to bring them home.

Meanwhile, across the camp we have Link dropping off Scout Shepherd-Lincoln and Audrey Wilson-Karev, his son and Jo’s daughter who are both eight years old and absolutely inseparable. Scout is nervous to leave his dad but Audrey is bursting at the seams to get some freedom from her mom and her Uncle Link for two weeks. Scout, Link, Jo, and Audrey had all lived together since Audrey and Scout were infants, the best friends deciding to raise their children together after experiencing their own heartbreaks. Audrey finally pulls Scout away from Link and they go to their respective cabins.

Later that night at dinner Audrey ends up accidentally knocking someone’s dinner over and they get into a fight. The camp director breaks them up and the girls end up calling a truce between themselves. They sit together and Audrey finds that she and Alexis are easy friends. Alexis brings her twin brother over and Scout looks curiously between Eli and Audrey as the two have matching crooked smiles and both scrunch their noses in contemplation as they think.

Eli, Alexis, Audrey, and Scout quickly become an inseparable quartet. A few days after their first meeting they’re all in line to do an activity together. When their names are called Alexis and Audrey realize they have the same last name. Alexis explains that she and Eli hyphenated their last names when their dad moved to Kansas to help raise them when their mom got sick. Audrey says that hers is from her dad, that her mom wanted her to have some piece of him, but that she’d never met the man. She did however have a picture of him, one that she happily showed Alexis and Eli later that day. It was her parents' wedding photo, Alexis had said. She knows because her dad carries the same one in his wallet to this day.

Alexis and Audrey are over the moon to realize that they’re sisters. Eli is a little confused still and Scout the poor nervous wreck that he usually is worried that somehow they’ll get in trouble for this. The girls brush him off and quickly begin to plot how they’re going to get Jo and Alex back together so they can see each other all the time.

The last day of camp rolls around and Alex and Jo are both coming to camp to get their kids. Alexis and Audrey told them they’d meet up at the mess hall, all four kids hiding in the bushes outside of the building eagerly waiting. Jo shows up first, Alex not far behind her. Alexis doesn’t miss the look of awe on her dad's face as he realizes who the woman in front of him is. Jo is shocked, nervous even, as she takes Alex in for the first time in almost a decade.

Things are silent between them before he finally asks what she’s doing at a kid's summer camp. There’s a pause, Jo opening and closing her mouth before uttering the only thing she could.

“Alex, I’m so sorry.”

It clicks for him then, why she’s there. He starts to say something, then stops. His hands are on his knees as Jo watches with tears in her eyes. Eli and Scout both try to pull Alexis and Audrey away but the girls are watching intently, hands clasped in the others.

“Jo, you had no right.”

“Me? You left me! You mailed me divorce papers because you wanted to be with your ex wife!”

“Izzie was sick! She was dying and I had to help her.”

“I could’ve helped too! I would’ve come with you and helped raise Eli and Alexis!”

“You remember their names?”

“I’ve memorized every word of that stupid letter. I-“

Audrey snaps a branch and suddenly she’s face to face with a man she’d only seen in photos. Alexis squeezes her hand as silence envelopes them. Alex stares at Audrey standing next to Alexis, both of them equal parts him and the two women he’s loved.

Alex and Audrey are both frozen, Jo speaking up when it’s clear that neither of them is going to say anything more.

“Alex, this is Audrey. Audrey, this is… your dad.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Alex can pick out the features of Audrey’s face that are his, the same way he can also see Jo’s. She’s truly a perfect mix of the two of them both.

“Jo, can I talk to you? In private?”

Jo eyes Audrey for a moment before nodding, following Alex’s lead and disappearing around a corner out of sight.

“Oh my god, they’re still in love! You can tell by the look on dad's face.”

“They’re not in love, dad was just shocked.”

“Auntie Jo seems calm about the whole thing which is pretty shocking.”

“Do you think that they’ll get back together?”

“No dads still with Jenna so I doubt-“

“Who’s Jenna?”

Audrey turns to Eli and Alexis who both look slightly guilty. Eli nudges his sister who finally speaks up.

“Dad’s girlfriend. But she’s the worst, don’t worry about her. I doubt she’ll stick around much longer.”

Eli and Alexis banter back and forth about Jenna but Audrey tunes them out. She eventually wanders away from Scout and the twins, lost in her thoughts.

“I just want a chance to get to know my daughter, Jo!”

“I’m not shipping her halfway across the country just for-“

“If you’d just told me when you found out you were pregnant then we wouldn’t be-“

“What so you could leave me all over again and disappoint our daughter in the process? That’s not what I wanted for her.”

“I never would have left if I’d known! I told you I only stayed for the kids to make sure that they-“

“I heard you but that doesn’t explain why you wrote me that stupid letter, Alex!”

“I just-“

“Mom?”

Both adults freeze as they turn to look at Audrey. Alex is flushed and Jo is crying but quickly wipes her cheeks as she walks over and wraps an arm around Audrey’s shoulders.

“Hey sunshine, I was just… How about we get out of here? Okay? Uncle Link is ordering pizza for dinner.”

Audrey looks from Jo to Alex and then back to her mom, “I don’t want to leave Alexis or Eli. Can’t they come with us?”

Jo pauses, tears welling in her eyes again as she looks behind her to Scout, Eli, and Alexis who are still bantering. She looks back to Alex who’s staring at her with a look that’s both familiar and altogether new.

“Audrey, maybe we can meet up when you get back home if it’s okay with your mom. Alexis and Eli and I will be in Seattle for another week.”

Audrey looks to Jo who nods silently before turning back to Alex. She looks at him for a moment before launching herself into his arms, Alex wrapping them around her easily. Jo turns away, the moment too much for her to handle. Instead, she goes over to Scout and the twins and lets Alex and Audrey have a moment to themselves.

When Audrey and Alex return to the group the kids all say goodbye, knowing it’s not going to be a long separation but still discontent with the fact that they all have to separate. Eventually, Alex and Jo pull the four kids apart, meeting each other’s eyes again. Alex lets a shocked gasp out as Jo launches forward just like Audrey had and wraps her arms around his waist. He hugs her back for what seems like only a second before she’s pulling back and wrapping her arms around Scout and Audrey.

“My number is the same, you can text or call me when you get back to town.”

There’s a silence between the two as their eyes meet, but Jo quickly shakes her head and leads Scout and Audrey away. Eli and Alexis hug Alex, and he focuses on his kids and asking them about their time at camp.

Three days later Jo and Audrey are getting ready to meet up with Alex and the twins. Audrey is excited but Jo is worried about the situation, lamenting to Link about truly seeing Alex for the first time in so long. Jo knows Izzie will be there since they’re all visiting Seattle and she’s not eager to meet the new-ish woman in Alex’s life. Audrey and Scout are quick to correct Jo that Izzie and Alex are not together. Despite this new information Jo still spends an exorbitant amount of time freaking out.

Jo, Audrey, Link, and Scout arrive at Pike Place and meet up with Izzie, Eli, Alexis, and Alex. The kids run off almost immediately and Link and Izzie hit it off, leaving Alex and Jo to fend for themselves. It’s awkward at first but they fall into an easy and familiar rhythm together. Their day is going well and Alex is about to ask Jo more about Audrey when the kids find them again and beg to go on a ferry boat ride. Although Jo is hesitant at first Alex agrees and they all hop on a ferry. The trip brings around memories for both Jo and Alex but all hope of anything fruitful happening is dashed when Jenna, Alex’s girlfriend, unexpectedly shows up.

The next few days are pleasant but awkward. Alex and Audrey try to spend as much time together as possible, bonding quickly much to Jo’s exasperation. The situation bothers no one more than Jenna who’s upset that she had to find out about Alex’s other child from a Facebook post by Izzie. Jo attempts to befriend the woman but is quickly pushed aside, Jenna informing Jo that she has no place in Alex’s new life.

The night before everyone leaves back to Kansas Audrey is reluctant to leave her siblings and Alex. Alex suggests she comes to visit for a week which Jo agrees to after much convincing from Audrey, Alexis, and Eli. While the kids are basking in their excitement Alex pulls Jo out of the room, wanting to speak privately. At first Jo thinks that he’s going to pick a fight with her but he quickly pulls her into a hug, thanking her for giving him the opportunity to connect with their daughter.

“It’s really… I’m sorry that I never said anything. I know that, I mean I know…”

Jo heaves a sigh, turning her gaze from her hands up to meet Alex’s eyes. She thought the action would make her nervous, instead she feels at peace and her words come out with a renewed ease.

“I should’ve told you, I’m sorry about that. More sorry than I’ve ever been about anything. I was so angry, I was so hurt by you leaving me. I was in pain for weeks on end, it took me months before I realized that Audrey was on board and as soon as I did I hated you even more for leaving me with this perfect little girl. I wanted you by my side through every doctor's appointment and every kick. I wanted you there holding my hand while Audrey came into the world, I wanted you by her side in the NICU instead of Link. I wanted… So much for us but you left me.”

Jo’s cheeks are soaked as she continues to look at Alex, her heart beating wildly in her chest as they both step closer to each other. She’s not entirely sure why she suddenly feels the need to be so vulnerable with Alex, but Jo feels as if her whole heart could spill out of her chest right now. Her hand reaches up to cup his cheek, blinking up at him as if no time had passed between them.

“Alex, I-”

“There you are, I was looking for you.”

Alex and Jo leap apart as Jenna comes into the room, all fake smiles and passive aggressive tone. A quick excuse has Jo leaving the room just as quickly as Jenna had shown up. The moment comes and goes in a flash, Alex trying to decide if it actually happened or not as Jenna begins to talk about something he couldn’t quite interpret over the vision of Jo playing over and over in his head.

The next day Jo brings Audrey to the airport and tearfully says goodbye to her. Alex is quick to reassure her that he’s going to take good care of Audrey and have her call everyday.

“At least you know I’m actually going to Kansas this time,” Alex smirks as he comes to stand in front of Jo. “I’ll even call you when we land.”

“You’re a jerk, you know that,” Jo rolls her eyes, looking up at Alex with a smile. “Take care of our girl, okay?”

Alex nods and seems like he’s about to say something more. Jo waits with bated breath, a heavy sigh coming from her as Jenna comes up and drags Alex away. Jo stands in the airport long after everyone is out of sight, her heart beating slightly out of time as she lets the last few days truly sink in.

Back in Kansas the twins and Audrey have fully hatched their plan to break up Alex and Jenna. They’d been tagging along with Alex to the hospital and sneaking off to the dermatology floor to play harmless pranks on Jenna that annoyed her to no end. Alex knows that something is up, but no one will fess up and Izzie refuses to get involved. Finally Alex is fed up with the tension between his kids and his girlfriend and insists that they all spend the weekend at the lake.

As soon as they arrive it’s a shit show.

Alexis has added green food dye to Jenna’s suntan oil, Eli has switched her salad in the picnic basket with a container of baked beans, and Audrey makes a big show of doing a cannonball directly in front of her beach towel. Jenna keeps her displeasure to herself until she exits the shower in the cabin with blue hair. Her anger overflows then, shrill yelps echoing through the small space as she comes out to find Alex.

“Your little brats have gone too far! My hair is blue Alex! I can’t do this anymore.”

“I mean it’s not that bad, they could’ve gone with green to match the suntan oil,” Alex struggles to hold back his laughter as he looks at Jenna. At her piercing look he schools his features. “I’m sorry, I’ll talk to them later.”

“No! I am not doing this, I’m not enduring a stupid rivalry with a bunch of pre teens. Alex I-”

“Mom!”

All three kids are darting across the living room to the front door of the cabin where Izzie and Jo stand. The sight of the two women infuriates Jenna, her high pitched voice ringing in Alex’s ears.

“Nope! I can’t, not with them here too. You need to choose Alex, me or them.”

“What?”

“Either we leave right now or you can stay here with them.”

There’s a pause as Alex begins to chuckle, thinking Jenna’s question was a joke but as she stares him down he realizes that she’s serious.

“So? Who’s it gonna be?”

“Them. Always them.”

Jenna leaves the room in a huff, going to pack her things up as Alex greets Jo and Izzie with an apology. They both waste no time in teasing him over the situation as he brushes them off, rolling his eyes.

That night after the kids and Izzie have gone in for the night Alex and Jo find themselves sitting next to each other on the deck, the firepit between them slowly burning out. They’d grabbed a bottle of wine from inside and were sitting in a comfortable silence.

“You said Audrey was in the NICU?”

Jo heaves a sigh as she concentrates on her fingers, “She was five weeks early, I had preeclampsia and nearly bled out after she was delivered. I made Link promise me that he’d go sit with her while Carina rolled me into surgery. I told him he could only call you if I… If I died.”

“Jo-”

“You broke my heart Alex. I didn’t want you there because it would’ve made everything more painful. I know that I kept our daughter from you but I figured one parent here full time would be better than her getting her heart broken again and again every time you came and left.”

“I’m sorry too. For how I left, for how much I hurt you. If I’d known…”

“You should’ve known, you’re not stupid. You should’ve known that I would be miserable without you. I love Audrey more than life itself but everyday since you left me has been empty. You took a piece of me when you left.”

Jo and Alex are staring at each other in the dying firelight, nine years of heartache between them. Alex brushes Jo’s hair back from her face and it feels like there’s no air around them. Suddenly they’re both leaning forward, lips brushing so softly that Jo barely would’ve registered it had it not been for Alex’s hands in her hair. They pull back a moment later and Jo’s shocked by the tears welling in her eyes.

“I can’t Alex… I can’t get hurt again.”

Jo rushes inside after that, Alex left with his thoughts as he sits in the quiet of the night.

Two days later Jo and Audrey are set to go home. The dynamic between all three kids and their parents is something that makes Jo sad for the future they all could have had together. She gets misty eyed saying goodbye to Izzie, promising that they’ll come and visit for the holidays. Alexis asks them to stay, Eli offering up his room so they don’t have to leave but Izzie reminds the twins that Jo and Audrey have their own life in Seattle and they can’t drop everything to move to Kansas. The twins begrudgingly say goodbye to Audrey, making sure that she sends them a text from Jo’s phone once they land in Seattle.

Audrey and Alex share a long goodbye as he promises to come and visit before they come to Kansas. He does his best to keep a smile on his face as Audrey lets a few tears leak onto her cheeks. She goes to say one last goodbye to Eli and Alexis, leaving Jo and Alex face to face.

“I really hate this feeling. It feels like you leaving Seattle all over again.”

Jo’s voice is barely above a whisper as she meets Alex’s eyes. Her fingers just barely brush against his hand and the contact sends sparks through his whole body.

“I’ll see you soon. Two months at the latest. Okay?”

Jo nods, but the tears welling in her eyes say otherwise.

“This one hurts more than last time because I know what exactly I’m giving up by saying goodbye.”

Alex can’t find it in himself to say anything else, instead he wraps his arms around Jo and keeps her there for a few minutes. The two of them keep their tight holds on each other until Audrey tugs at Jo’s sleeves and informs her they’re going to miss their flight. Jo pulls back from him and he can almost feel his heart breaking in his chest as his daughter and the love of his life walk away.

Link and Scout pick Jo and Audrey up from the airport, the Seattle rain welcoming them home. Scout excitedly talks with Audrey about the science camp they’re attending the following week and Link tries to engage Jo in a conversation about one of his surgeries he’d done while she was gone. He notices Jo’s silence and asks if she’s alright, a lackluster nod of assurance coming from her. They get back to the penthouse and Audrey and Scout are off in a flash. Link orders pizza and Jo tries to focus on anything besides the gaping hole in her chest.

“Hey Jo?”

Link’s voice sounds from the doorway, Jo rolling her eyes as she grabs cash from her purse, assuming that he forgot to tip the pizza guy. When she walks over however, her heart leaps for just a second as she takes in the twins and Izzie at their front door.

“You, I just… What are you doing here?”

“It took us about 30 seconds after you guys left for us to realize we didn't want to lose you two again,” Alexis smirks and the simple words make Jo’s knees weak.

“We?”

Alex appears behind Izzie and the twins, hair soaked from the Seattle rain and that same stupid crooked grin on his face.

“We. I made the mistake of leaving you once, Jo. I'm not going to do that again no matter how brave you are.”

Jo lets out a wet laugh as Audrey and Scout appear in the hallway. Audrey’s eyes are wide as she realizes who’s at the door.

“You can’t just show up here! You have a life in Kansas! All of you!”

“It’s not fun without you and Audrey,” Eli wears a frown that makes Jo stifle a chuckle.

“None of that matters if you’re not with me Jo. With us.”

“And I suppose you just expect me to go weak at the knees, and fall into your arms, and cry hysterically. And say we'll just figure this whole thing out. A cross coutnry relationship with our daughter being raised here and there,” Jo can’t help the tears streaking her cheeks as she takes in Alex’s stupid smirk that she wishes she could wipe off his face. “And you and I just picking up where we left off and growing old together? C'mon, Alex, what do you expect? To live happily ever after?”

“Yes. To all of the above. Except you don't have to cry hysterically.”

“Oh yes I do.”

Jo is in Alex’s arms before he can blink, their lips melting together as he holds her tightly. Their kids cheer triumphantly and Izzie and Link share a knowing look, as if to say they could’ve called their best friends getting back together.

The next summer Eli, Alexis, Audrey, and Scout are getting dropped off at summer camp. Alex reminds them that Link and Izzie will pick them up in two weeks when they’re back from their honeymoon. Alexis makes sure to remind Jo to call them if she goes into labor because they’re anxiously waiting to see who wins the bet for boy or girl. Jo laughs and rests a hand on her stomach, insisting that the camp will be their first call as soon as the baby is born.

“Have fun!”

always grateful to be your annie

more updates for y’all. and yes, yes y’all ARE the corn kids

@trebleclefstories is in time out bc she said something MEAN AND BAD. TIMEOUT FOR HER.

🎶it’s the most wonderful time of the yearrrrrr🎶 jk we’re all annoyed tbh but also we’ve made this a thing now and enjoy it so we’re doing our own personal bingos again like last year.

*sing to the tune of family madrigal from encanto*

🎶so many thoughts I think it’s time for a headcanon roundup (headcanon roundup!)🎶

this one specifically came from this tiktok @jobrookekarev sent me

Like okay imagine tho if lunas like 10-12 and she finds like the wedding album tucked away somewhere and the letter is in it too and she reads it and sees like this happy couple and how beautiful her mom looked etc and she like searches on the internet Alex karev and finds then number for the KC hospital so she gets on the phone and asks for Alex and she’s like “you left my mom” and he’s like “excuse me who is this?” “I found the letter you left my mom. She was happy and you left her!” And then she hangs up and Alex is MINDFUCKED and he needs ANSWERS and so he KNOWS whoever that was it was from jo and he thinks maybe jo and him had a kid and so he flies out and goes to GSM and confronts her and Jo’s like wtf are you doing here and he’s like “did you did you have our kid and not tell me?” And jo is like wtf are you talking about and he’s like “i got a call yesterday to the hospital and the kids voice said “you left my mom she was so happy. I found the letter and you left her and so I flew out here” and jo is a little upset w luna but like “no Alex she’s not your child” “she’s not?” “I adopted her” “oh” and then she sees luna walk up and luna spots alex and she’s like “oh crap. Hi?” And jo is like “you called him? We’re gonna have a chat—“ “mom you looked so happy! Those photos the wedding the tear stains on the letter? You haven’t been with ANYONE my entire life he deserved to know he messed up!” And Alex is like standing there and like it’s silent bc this kid isn’t wrong but like everything is a mess. And she just is like “cmon it’s time to go home grab ur backpack.” And Alex is like “can we talk? Jo please?” “Alex i have to take care of my kid” “i leave tomorrow night” “coffee, tomorrow. I drop her at school at 750 I’ll meet you at 8 at the coffee cart” “thank you”

And then she almost tries to skip the cart but he sees her and talks w him and “she’s right y’know? I was happy. I was so happy. Y’know I would’ve gone with you.” (She notices he’s not wearing a ring etc) “I would’ve moved to Kansas with you to be with your kids we could’ve been a family” and Alex is just. Stunned. Bc he fucked up bad. Ofc he knew jo would’ve gone. “You didn’t deserve that. To uproot your life again—“ “I would’ve done it for you! We were married!”

Alex is all like “I messed up big time didnt I?” “You think?” “Jo, I’m sorry” “I don’t regret it tho. I got luna in the process and she’s-she’s the best thing to happen to me. I used to think you were but you left me just like everyone else.” “Being a mom looks good on you. I wish I’d been there to see it” “you could’ve. You could’ve been. You would’ve been her dad to. But you’re a freakin idiot and left without talking to your wife. You just left. You went and had a family without me.”

So Jo’s just hurt. And “why are you still here? Rub in my face how happy you are? Berate me for keeping a kid from you when I didn’t? I would never. Especially with what you went through with the twins. You’re a good dad Alex, even if you’re a shitty husband and person” “i deserved that. I just. I didn’t know and I freaked if I had another kid out there y’know?” “I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t do that to you.” “Thank you. So how much trouble is she in for real? Because she shouldn’t be. It’s my fault for coming out here” “she shouldn’t have been snooping under my bed but I just we just talked last night. She asked a lot of questions.”

*flashback to last night walking in the door w luna*

“So how much trouble am I really in?” She bites her bottom lip nervously.

Jo rubs her hands over her face, still completely blindsided by the things that had happened in the past couple hours.

“Can i just ask why you would call him? A stranger?” “He’s not a stranger—“ “he’s a stranger to you, Luna. You cant just call random people and yell at them on the phone.” “He’s not a random person! He was your husband!”

Jo slumps down on the couch and pats the cushion next to her.

“Before alex, I was married to someone else.” Luna looks up at her mother and sees the nervous look on her face. “He uh, he did some pretty awful things to me, and I had to leave him—“ “now we know where Alex got the idea” luna pipes up sarcastically and jo swallows back her anger. “My ex husband used to beat me, and he almost killed me the last time so I left and changed my name and started a new life in seattle. Alex, Alex was nothing like him. Alex was good. He was patient and kind and a good man. He—“ she’s fighting back tears now and luna leans into her mom’s arms. “He was the love of my life until I met you.”

“What about the other guy? Is he going—“ “he’s dead.” Jo deadpans, shutting down any of lunas fears that Paul could come back. “But he’s why you’re so mad that I called? Not because it was Alex but because I didn’t know if he was good or bad?” “Yeah, baby. Because everyone in my old life never knew. Never suspected that he was hurting me. And I know you didn’t know and Alex is good we have no worries, but you need to be careful okay?” “I will mom.”

They sit in silence for another few minutes before luna looks up at her mom. “Is alex a good dad? The letter said he had twins.” “He’s an amazing dad.” “Did he leave because of me? Did he just not want to be my dad?” Jo’s heart breaks at the comment. “Oh, baby. No he, I didn’t get you until almost a year later after Alex had left. He didn’t know about you.” “You think he would’ve stayed if I’d have come sooner?” “I just wish he would’ve talked to me. I would’ve gone with him. I don’t regret him leaving because I got you, my whole world, but I would’ve gone with him to Kansas if only he had asked. And I’d like to think we were meant to be together, you and me, so we would’ve ended up with you still somehow.” “You looked happy in those wedding pictures. Happier than I’ve ever seen you before. Are you happy now?” “Im happy, lu.” “But you’re still a little sad? You’ve never had any boyfriends or girlfriends or non-binary-friends” jo sighs. “I just need you.” She says, but they both know it’s a lie.

They both know that she’s still sad that Alex had left that her whole world at that time left and it broke her and while luna helped piece her back together, there was still a piece missing. An Alex karev sized piece missing from her heart, because he took it when he left all those years ago.

*end flashback*

“She thought she was the reason why you’d left me.”

Alex looks down at the text on his phone seeing an unknown number with a seattle area code flash upon the screen. He opens the text and reads it.

>>she still loves you. my mom deserves to be happy, and you can fix that y’know.

He laughs to himself and jo raises a brow.

“Nothing, just, one of the kids” he says vaguely.

“How are they?” She questions tentatively.

“They both sixteen, got their licenses, and my hair has been grey since. Lex is in the running for a full ride volleyball scholarship to university of Denver. And Eli’s looking into MIT for computer engineering I have no idea where he gets that expertise from because both iz and i are pretty technologically illiterate.”

“And—“ Jo’s hesitant “and how is izzie?”

Alex reads her like an open book just as he’s done all the years before. He smiles to himself, looking up at jo.

“Happily married.” He says. And watches Jo’s face fall before he finishes. “To this guy who owns a bar in town. Since her second bout of cancer, she decided to give up medical and she threw herself into finally opening her own bakery that she’d dreamed of, and when she expanded and moved buildings she befriended the guy who runs the bar across the street and they’d hit it off they’ve been married for like nine years now? He’s a nice guy. They still live at the farmhouse and I have a house closer to the city and the hospital. We’re pretty cordial and see each other regularly. The twins now that they can drive they commute to our houses themselves.”

“You’re an ass” jo says after he finishes his tales. “A giant ass.” She says, punching his chest playfully.

Eventually jo gets paged into work and they have to split ways. Alex has to go home and catch his flight anyway.

Luna gets home from school, she’s hanging with uncle link and scout til her mom picks her up and brings her home.

“How’d it go with Alex?” She asks nosily.

“It was fine but I got paged and then had to leave and he had to go home.”

“Oh. That’s it? He didn’t say anything?”

“Say anything about what?”

“Nothing. I don’t know just. What’s he been doing all these years? He wasn’t wearing a ring and google says he’s not married.”

“You–“ jo says pointing a finger at her daughter as she grabs a box of Kraft mac from the cabinet. “You are too nosy for your own good” She grabs a bag of frozen vegetables from the freezer and pops them in the microwave while she puts water in a pot and starts the stove to boil the noodles.

“And?” Luna replies sarcastically.

“And nothing. No he’s not married. The twins are 16 and he’s got partial custody of them basically and they’re going to be going to college in like a couple years and he still works in the hospital”

“That’s it? Nothing else?”

“Nope. Now go finish your homework” “I did At scouts!” “Then go read a book I’ll call you when dinners ready” “fine!” She huffs dramatically.

A few months pass by and Jo’s delivering babies of course left and right and she’s got one, born 28 weeks via c-section and reminds her a bit of luna but there’s something wrong w the baby and no one can seem to figure it out.

She hovers over the number in her phone before finally pressing call.

His voice travels thru the phone and warms her entire heart.

“Hello this is Dr Karev” he answers

“It’s me”

“Jo? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, kinda. I mean. I have this patient. Well she’s not my patient anymore. But i delivered her baby and he was born at 28 weeks and he’s almost 30wks now and can I send you his file? I can’t figure out what’s wrong and neither can anyone else. I haven’t trusted any of our peds attendings since hayes left years ago but I’d like to hear your thoughts if you don’t mind?”

He accepts and she emails him over all of the files.

They end up talking a bit every night after Jo’s off work and can chat about her ex-patient’s baby.they brainstorm ideas of what could be wrong and even consult with arizona in New York at one point.

And the after work conversations turn to late night conversations and talking about their kids and their lives and how much Alex has missed this missed jo and she’s quiet because he doesn’t deserve to know that she feels the same way he doesn’t deserve to know that she still loves him just as much as she did the day he left.

But she does.

And after one too many glasses of wine it slips, that she misses him.

She goes to bed that night, still bummed without a breakthrough for the baby, who’s slowly dying and she feels like there’s nothing they can do.

And then she’s woken on the couch to chatting in her kitchen, and she looks over seeing luna sitting at the island with a bowl of cereal, and Alex happily making two cups of coffee in her kitchen.

She jumps up. “What the hell are you doing in my house?!”

“Kid let me in” he shrugs nonchalantly

She eyes luna “what did I tell you about letting strangers in the house?”

Luna laughs so hard she starts choking on her cereal. “Alex? A stranger? Sure mom. It’s not like you don’t fall asleep talking to him every night for the past month. You usually pace the house and can’t sleep and you’ve slept like all night ever since you started talking to him. Alex isn’t a stranger” Luna calls her out

“I asked her for your address and to let me in this morning”

“You have my kids number?”

“To clarify, she found my number and i had hers before I had yours”

Jo just stands there with her mouth open

“You’re gonna catch flies.” Luna smirks.

“Well, now that I’m here can we go visit the Perkins Baby? I think I know what’s wrong.”

Jo’s eyes light up.

She accepts the coffee and tries not to let on that she’s happy that he remembered how she takes her coffee and they let luna finish eating before dropping her off at school and heading off to the hospital

Sure enough, Alex figures out what’s wrong with the baby, gets him started on new medications and his stats start to rise almost instantly. Jo’s eyes light up, so proud of him and as they leave the NICU, Alex pulls her aside, into his arms and holds her, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her. Reveling in the feeling of her back in his arms.

She tucks her face in the crook of his neck, not wanting him to see the tears she’s fighting back, but she knows he already knows.

He lifts his head, cupping her chin and tilting her head up towards his, standing at the window just outside the nicu.

He leans his head down, forehead touching hers, their faces, their lips are so close. “Y’know this is where we had our first kiss” he whispers to her. “Where i told you I loved you”

She closes her eyes as the shivers run down her spine, the memories of a lifetime ago flashing in her mind and before she can stop herself, she’s closing the gap, kissing him like it’s the first time again.

“I love you too.” She whispers, breathlessly.

🎶so many thoughts I think it’s time for a headcanon roundup (headcanon roundup!)🎶

[apparently the only thing we do in the jolex gc is trauma dump and have hcs. idk what writing is anymore but here y’all go]

It’s been a really tough couple years. With Alex sending her that fucking letter and jo showing up at the hospital calling him out on his bullshit and them reconciling. To izzie’s brain cancer coming back again and this time her not beating it. To jo and Alex working day in and day out, dealing with thousands of miles and handful of states between them through a long distance relationship, a move into Jackson’s old penthouse, the adoption of luna and becoming a family of five in less than two years.

The twins had been enrolled in elementary school in Kansas that year, and Alex jo and izzie had decided they wanted to let them finish their kindergarten year there before moving them to seattle.

Izzie had decided to undergo some chemotherapy but when it had yielded no results, they’d made the move to seattle, hoping that shepherd could find something to help.

She hadn’t and izzie had finally had to let go, saying goodbye to her babies while they were only six years old.

And then the decision to add luna to their family after jo had delivered her during covid, the twins having been enrolled in first grade online due to covid their first official year in seattle.

So when second grade had finally come around and mandates had been lifted, kids were able to return to in person schooling, the twins had been excited to finally meet their friends from last year face to face.

Jo’d been acclimated to helping the twins grieve and everyone in their circle all knew the stories and knew what had happened.

She’d been thrown when she’d arrived home around bedtime, Alex walking down the stairs after getting all three kids down before he looks at her.

“We have a problem and I have no idea what happened but Lex has been upset and said she only wants to talk to you. I barely got her to eat dinner tonight she took about three bites. Will you bring her an uncrustable or something?”

Jo’s mouth opens and closes quickly before she grabs two pb&js from the freezer and books it up the stairs still in her scrubs.

She knocks softly on Alexis’s bedroom door, letting her know she’s coming in. “It’s me, Lex”

She opens the door and peeks in, seeing Alexis’s dark eyes shining in the nightlight lit room. She pads over softly, laying the sandwiches on the nightstand and scooting the girl over on her bed before she slides in next to her, grabbing one of the sandwiches and opening it, taking a bite.

“Dad says you wanted to talk to me?” She says casually.

Alexis doesn’t reply, just plays with the worn pink stuffed cow in her arms.

Jo let’s her sit quietly, knowing she’ll talk in her own time. “How was Lu today? Did she eat her dinner tonight or just throw it on the floor and make daddy clean it up?” She asks, taking another bite.

“She ate, more than me even.”

“Why? Did daddy burn the food?” She knows he didn’t, she’s just trying to get her to talk.

“No.”

“Want a bite?” She asks, offering the uncrustable to her.

Alexis takes the half sandwich that’s left and takes a bite, keeping a hold on it. Jo takes it as a win and grabs the other sandwich, opening it and taking a bite of that one now, realizing she was hungry.

The two eat in silence together, side by side in bed before alexis looks up at jo as she shoves the last bite of uncrustable into her mouth.

“‘Member last week when you helped me with the ‘my family’ picture?” She asks and jo nods.

“I do.” She says, not completely knowing where this was going yet, but trying to follow along.

“Mason said that you can’t be me and lunas mom because we didn’t look ‘like. That you and daddy look like eli so only he’s your kid. And I told him it’s cause my mommy died, and then neveah and peyton called me an orphan and i said that you’re jo, but you’re still the mom.”

Jo rubs a hand over her face, appalled at how brutal some of these kids could truly be.

She could honestly flick all three of them right in the forehead for the comments they made to alexis and how they made her feel.

She takes a deep breath, “I love you.” She says softly, wrapping her arms around the seven year old. “You know that looks don’t make a family. That it doesn’t matter if we have blonde hair or brown hair or blue hair even. It doesn’t matter if we have dark skin or light skin. And after Mom died, I got the privilege to become your mama jo, but regardless of your mom dying, I would always be your family and luna will always be your sister and eli will always be your brother and daddy will always be your dad.”

“I know. It just made me mad that they said you couldn’t be my mom or lunas mom and called me weird because I call you jo. And–and” she starts, getting herself worked up again and starting to tear up.

“You know that it doesn’t matter what you call me or what anyone says, Lex. You’re as much as my child as Luna is or as Eli is. Okay? And if you decide that you want to call me mom in hopes that it might help at school, or anything, I’m fine with that. This is all up to you. But I will be here just like a mom will. I promise you that.”

Alexis looks up at her with watery brown eyes. “Can i call you mama jo then?”

Jo holds her just a smidge tighter, running her hand through Alexis’s long blonde hair, cradling her head against her chest.

“Lex, you call me whatever feels comfortable to you.”

“Luna calls you mama, and eli calls you jo so I put them together, mama jo.”

“I will be mama jo to you, as long as you’ll have me. I’ll email your teachers tomorrow and maybe we’ll send you to school with the ‘that’s their family’ book for show and tell?” she says and Lex nods. “You ready for bed now? It’s way past your bedtime.”

Alexis nods. “Will you read me the family book?”

Jo nods, grabbing it from Alexis’s nightstand and opens it, starting to read to the tune of the Addams family.

Jo finishes the book and closes it, grabbing the sandwich wrappers and slipping out of the bed.

“Night mama jo, love you” she hears the tiny whisper.