The morning sun barely peeked through the blinds as Alexis dragged herself out of bed, her body sore and her mind heavy. She quickly dressed in her doctor's uniform—a clean white coat over navy scrubs—preparing herself for a double shift split between Grey-Sloan Memorial and Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. It was going to be a long day, but she was used to juggling her chaotic life.
She tied her hair back and went downstairs, greeted by her dog wagging its tail excitedly. "Morning, buddy," she said softly, filling the bowl with food before preparing her own quick breakfast of scrambled eggs smothered in hot sauce. Sitting at the small kitchen table, she ate quickly, glancing at the empty house.
Her mother and Ava were already gone for the day, likely off to school and errands. But Steve was still there. She could feel his presence looming even before he walked into the room.
"Don't forget who keeps this roof over your head," he muttered as he passed by.
Alexis didn't respond, biting her tongue. When she reached for her bag to leave, he suddenly grabbed her arm tightly, his grip digging into her skin.
"Don't you think for a second you're better than anyone here," he hissed, his voice cold.
Alexis winced but yanked her arm free. "I have to go," she said quickly, avoiding his eyes as he grabbed a handful of her hair on her way out.
She didn't let herself cry. Instead, she hurried to the bus stop, her mind racing as she focused on the hours ahead. The familiar hum of the bus engine soon calmed her nerves as she stared out the window, pushing the morning's events into the back of her mind.
When she arrived at Grey-Sloan Memorial, her cousin Alex Karev was already in the hallway, leaning against the nurses' station with his usual smug grin. His wife, Jo, stood beside him, rolling her eyes at whatever he was saying.
"Well, look who it is," Alex called out when he saw her. "Miss Overachiever. What's it now? Five jobs? You going for six?"
"Four," Alexis muttered, brushing past him, but Alex wasn't done.
"She's probably running the entire hospital by now," Alex joked, nudging Jo. "Or moonlighting as a superhero. Who needs sleep, right?"
Jo smirked but shot Alexis a sympathetic look. "Leave her alone, Alex. She's got enough on her plate without your teasing."
Alexis gave Jo a grateful glance but didn't stop. "I've got patients to see," she said briskly, heading toward the locker room.
As the door swung shut behind her, Alexis took a deep breath, leaning against the cold metal of the lockers. She closed her eyes, willing herself to shake off Alex's teasing and the weight of the morning. Her pager buzzed, snapping her back to reality. It was time to focus. Her patients needed her, and that was something she could control. Alexis hesitated at the doorway, her hand tightening around the clipboard she carried. She adjusted her glasses nervously, her hair neatly pinned back, a deliberate effort to look as different as possible. As she stepped into the room, she froze for a brief moment. Sitting by the window, casually thumbing through a book, was Jason Gideon.
Her breath caught. What is he doing here? she thought, her heart pounding in her chest. She had prepared herself for a long day of patients and procedures, but not for this.
Jason looked up from his book, his eyes sharp but calm, instantly assessing the person who had entered. Alexis felt the weight of his gaze and quickly glanced down at her clipboard, pretending to check the patient's chart.
"Morning," Jason said, his voice even, though there was a flicker of curiosity in his expression. "You're my doctor today, I presume?"
Alexis nodded, keeping her voice steady. "Yes, I'll be overseeing your care today. Mr. Gideon, is it?" She kept her tone professional, praying he wouldn't recognize her.
