Unleashing the truth.

Sometimes you have to confront the past before you can move forward.

For years Jo had run from her past, figuring running was easier than to deal with her past. But the truth was sometimes your past had a way of catching up with you. Jo had learned this lesson the hard way. When she first showed up in Seattle she never in a million years expected to fall for someone, this place was meant to be a fresh start, a place where she could build a home.

That home hadn't involved a man.

But the unexpected happened, Jo had found herself involved in a deep friendship with Alex, she felt herself falling for him, although she tried to resist. She knew better, getting involved would only put him in danger. But when she had heard those faithful three words from him " I love you." She couldn't deny what she wanted anymore. Perhaps that's when it all started to go wrong. Maybe if she hadn't gotten herself involved with Alex, maybe she could've prevented this from happening.

Four Years that's how long it took for her past to catch up with her. Obviously Jo knew eventually down the line she'd have to tell Alex about her marriage to her abusive husband, but the thought alone terrified her to the core. She knew his temper, she knew what he could do in order to protect her. But just like him, she wanted to protect him from getting himself killed.

Everything seemed to only get worse by the minute, Jo had been forced to turn down Alex's proposal, despite her wanting to marry him, more than anything; she couldn't. Jo was legally married still, and she didn't see herself ever being able to confront her marriage to divorce the guy. When Alex walked out that door, she was sure that meant it was over. She felt her heart break into pieces, she felt numb all over. She felt like her whole world was crashing down.

At that point Jo was sure losing Alex was the worst of it, but even she couldn't anticipate what would happen next. After a night at Joe's to drown her sorrows. " I lost the love of my life." She remembered drunkenly saying to Stephanie before she was left with Deluca. Reason one why you should never allow her to get drunk, she didn't catch herself enough before she spilled out the truth.

That's all she could deeply remember from that night before Alex had beaten up Deluca. Jo blamed herself for what happened. Maybe if she had only taken a cab home, Deluca wouldn't of been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Everything since then had gone downhill.

In a matter of 3 months, within those months Jo hadn't talked to Alex, besides the day or two before when she found herself confessing her darkest secret. Don't get Jo wrong, she wanted to tell him, not only so he wouldn't be taken off guard the following day when the trial was suppose to happen, but because she wanted Alex to hear it from herself, and because he deserved to know.

Her past had caught up with her, and now she had to face her fears. Based on Alex's reaction he understood why she hadn't told him. At the end of the day Jo still feared the male would do something stupid. She always had nightmares of those nights where her husband would beat her, slapping her across the face, sometimes kicking her in the side. The amount of make-up Jo had to buy in order to cover up her bruises. Pretending had been a hobby for her, walking the streets pretending she wasn't in pain, pretending she wasn't married to a guy who would eventually end up killing her. But eventually the beatings nearly every week became too much for her, and she fled.

After leaving the nightmares followed her, but eventually the more she built happy memories with Alex, the nightmares started to fade away. But that night triggered her, seeing Alex beating Deluca, it brought back all the memories of what she ran from. Jo knew the difference between her husband and Alex; Alex thought he was protecting her, from his side it looked like Deluca was taking advantage of her, as for her husband he found enjoyment of hurting her, even if it was over the simplest thing. But Jo was terrified of standing up for herself, still was. She knew Alex didn't mean to but the memories were bought back after seeing him lose his temper like that.

Now those were the nightmares Jo faced.

Jo could only hope with time she could force the nightmare away.

Days passed, Jo was blaming herself. Bailey told her about Alex taking a plead. She felt sick to her stomach, everyone assumed he was behind bars. It was on her right? Alex would've never gone to take a plead if it hadn't been for her confession. She ruined his life, the female was convinced of that. She was damaged goods. The worst part was everyone looked at her at the hospital feeling pity for her. Ben went as far as attempted to say he was sorry about Karev. She put him behind bars, she felt the walls around her closing in suffocating her. It wasn't until Hunt had forced her to leave did she actually crash and burn. She was built for this, destruction followed Jo wherever she went. It was like the second she was by herself the events of the last few months came back to her, but most of all she felt the guilt of Alex being in prison, and next thing she knew the tears started to come down her cheeks. Extending her arm over she took hold of the pillow bringing the item to her chest, letting herself break down for once.

She may be strong, but everyone had to break once in awhile.

It wasn't until Jo heard the knocks on the door did she wipe her eyes of any tears, before she lifted herself up from the bed. Walking up to the small mirror she made sure her hair wasn't a mess and no sign of crying. Jo couldn't help but wonder who was at her door. Taking the small strides to the loft door she pulled the door open revealing Leah and Stephanie. A soft frustrated sigh escaping her lips. Don't get her wrong she liked hanging out with her friends, but in this moment she wanted to stay hidden away.

And just like that Jo felt her whole world stop. Her friends just informed her that Alex wasn't in prison. Did everyone know but her? She felt her body start to shake, but she couldn't sit here, and do nothing. All she wanted was to see him. Jo needed to see Alex to know what she was hearing was true. Maybe she was crazy, but she couldn't stop herself from lifting herself up from the bed, and rushing around the loft before taking her keys. The female didn't waste time before she drove the short distance to Meredith's house.

Everything seemed to stay in slow motion, as she stood in front of the door. What if Alex didn't want to see her? Her body was shaking, feeling numb inside from the events of the past few hours. " You can do this." The female whispered to herself before she raised her fist to the door.

Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Then she sward her breath caught in her throat at the sight before her. Alex.. Her Alex, he was okay. Nothing was needed to be said before she felt her feet pick up until her body crashed right into him. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, his own wrapping around her waist. Her nimble fingers clutched onto his thin shirt like if she were to let him go he'd be gone.

In this moment, she felt like she was home.

Unfortunately all good things come to an end. Eventually she was forced to untangle herself from around his body taking a step back. She bit down on her lower lip wanting to say the words " I miss you." But she felt like she had no right to say the words. The look in his eyes told her, he wanted to say something; but he was holding back.

With that the silence had become too much for the brunette, so she turned on her foot attempting to escape. This felt like goodbye, which only broke her heart. That's when the unthinkable happened, she heard him.

" Jo.. Wait"

She felt her heart quicken at the thought of turning around to face the man she loved. Her mind kept going crazy thinking, how mad was he? What did Alex want? The reality was, no matter how scary facing someone was, you'll never know in less you face them.

That's when Jo felt herself turnaround..time to face the music...