Stay Till Midnight || Jolex

Memories made

It has been three days since I found out that Alex has a case at Grey Sloan. Meredith told me Izzie's here too which is terrifying to say the least. Lucky for me, I've gotten pretty good at avoiding him. I saw him at the nurses station talking to Jackson yesterday but I don't think he saw me. I head down to the pit with Amelia. 

"So when are you coming home tonight?" the head of neuro asks. 

"I don't think I'm coming home tonight actually," I explain. "I have a surgery scheduled for ten, I'll be out by five so it would be easier to stay here overnight." We enter the ER and immediatly get sent to bed 4. 

"Doctor Wilson!" Helm runs up to me. "Your patient in room 219 is crashing!" 

I look up in surprise. "What?! Why didn't you page me instead of running across the hospital looking for me?" 

Helm could be useful somewhere else instead. Why didn't I get a page? The young resident quickly replies, "We tried. Your pager isn't working."

 Damn it. I set of at a run to room 219. By the time I got there Hunt is walking out of the room. He looks at me and shakes his head. Damn it, I lost a patient. 

"We did everything we could, let's go tell the family."

I walk to the daycare. On a day like toaday all I want to do is hug my babies. "Hi Robin! How's my baby?"

 I pick her up and shower her cheek in kisses. She squeels and makes babbling noices. "Yes, excactly! Right baby?" I pretend to know what she's saying.

 "Mommy! Are we going home? School ended an hour ago so Ellis is home." I can't help but smile at Brooklyn's enthousiasme to see Ellis. 

"Yes baby, let's go home." 

Brooklyn squeels and grabs my hand and starts pulling me towards the parking lot so fast she almost trips over her little legs.

 "Hold up there kiddo. Not so fast," I scold. "We'll get there when we get there, no need to rush." 

My daughter let's out a huff but slows down. I lay Robin in her car seat then walk to the other side of the car to help Brooklyn in. I go to help her do up the buckles. 

"Let me try."  the tiny brunette says.  "I can do it! Watch mommy." 

I watch as she tries to do it up. It takes her a few attemps but eventually I hear a tiny click noise. 

"See I told you I could do it!" Brooklyn smiles, clearly proud of herself.

 "I know babe, good job." I say and kiss the top of her curly brown hair. I hop in the car and start it. "So Brooks, pick a song." I hand the four year old my phone. I watch as her blue eyes scan the playlist carefully. After a few seconds she clicks on All Of Me by John Legend. I hear the familiar tune blast through the radio. 

What would I do without your smart mouth?
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out
You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down
What's going on in that beautiful mind
I'm on your magical mystery ride
And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright

Brooklyn and I both start singing along. We probably sound like dying cats, or at least I do. Brooklyn's voice is actually pretty good for such a young girl.

My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

My mind drifts off to the fist time Alex and I kiss. Stop it, Jo! Stop thinking about him! He left you pregnant, twice. You should hate him. Even though my brain tells me I should, I can't. I can't hate him. I am who I am today because of him. I don't want to ever see him again, but that doesn't mean I hate him. Or ever stopped loving him. I look through the mirror at my eldest daughter. She's such a Karev, stubborn as hell and very cheeky. I like to think Alex was like her as a kid before his childhood became a nightmare. I pull into the driveway and notice a strange car is parked here too. Amelia and Meredith's cars are parked beside it. I have no clue who this person is. I debate on turning around and taking the kids for a drive. My gut tells me that's what I should do but I'm curious. Who could it be? I could ask Amelia later, it's not like I'm missing anything important. I'm not supposed to be home today anyway. 

"Mommy let's go! I wanna go play with Elle."

 Well that settles it. Were going in. I help Brooklyn out of the car and lift Robin on to my hip. Brooklyn bounces on her toes, eager to get inside while I unlock the door. 

"I'll be in the kitchen, okay, love?" 

 My daughter replies with a mhm and runs upstairs. Robin and I walk to the kitchen. Who could be the other person here besides Meredith and Amelia? I have a bad feeling about this. 

Robin grabs a handful of my hair. "No, Robin. Ow.  Le-let go." I pry my hair out of her hand. I look up and freeze the second I see who's sitting at the kitchen table. 

"Al-Alex?" I can feel my heartbeat rising. "What are you doing here?" 

I'm shocked. I really should have known. Damn it. He doesn't reply to my question. He just looks at me then looks at Robin. Back and forth. Me. Robin. Me. Robin. 

A voice cuts through the room like a knife. "I think the better question is, what are you doing here, Jo? You said you weren't coming home tonight." Amelia asks, looking back and forth between me and my ex-husband.

 I was about to answer when it hit me. Alex, my baby daddy Alex is in the same house as my daughters. I feel this unbelievable urge to protect them. 

"What am I doing here?! I live here! Plans change, my patient died! Now who the hell gave you permission to bring him in to my house?!" I yell.

 Everyone looks taken aback by my outburst. Robin lets out a little wail. "Shh honey, it's okay. I'm so sorry." I hug her closer to me and bounce lightly on my feet. "It's okay, baby girl." 

I take a quick glance at everybody else and notice a blonde woman sitting beside Alex. Izzie. Can this day get any worse? I start picturing the worst possible outcomes for if Alex finds out about our kids. Oh God, he can sue me for custody. Tears start to well up in my eyes. 

I rush out of the kitchen and up to where the kids are playing. Brooklyn and Ellis are sitting on the bed playing doll together. I walk over to them and pull Brooklyn in for a hug. I can't lose them too. Tears run down my face. 

"Are you okay, auntie Jo?" Ellis gives me a concerned look. 

"Yes, I'm fine. I had a hard day." I say with Brooklyn and Robin still pulled against me. Ellis pats the arm that is wrapped around my eldest daughter gently. 

"I'm so sorry, Auntie Jo." Ellis is such a sweet compassionate little girl. I wipe my tears from my face. In that moment the bedroom door opens. It's Alex. 

"Kiddos can you let me and Jo talk alone for a second please?" Brooks wriggles out of my embrace and follows Ellis to the boy's room. So only Robin and I are left sitting on Ellis' pink bed. I take a deep breath and ask "What do you want?"