[In the course of 9x03]

[Leah]

You know what? I could lie here forever. As in… forever. The used bedding underneath me and the stuffy air in this room, it's not that bad, it tells of… adventurous, exciting, and fulfilling lovemaking. The view through the hazy unwashed windows – not so bad either, you know, the thing about an unclear perspective lets you never give up on hope, cause there's always that surprise factor. The mattress hundreds of doctors have rested on – it's not bad either. It snuggles up to my body, mirrors my shape perfectly. Speaking of which… That hand, those fingers, those strong, manly fingers running up my upper arm…oh how perfect. I could lie here forever, I swear. I have never touched fingers like his. I've never breathed air like he breathes. I can feel his sixpack pressed up against my back. I can feel goose bumps building on my skin underneath his touch. I believe this is my forever. I can see that. I can see us lie like this until well… someday very far from now. I just… I can see it right before my eyes. This is perfect. He is perfect. I could lie here forever. I smile to myself.

"You up for another round?" his husky voice breaks the silence.

"Hmmm, I don't know, I'm sleeeeeepy…," Leah replies, sliding around to face her lover in the small but not uncomfortable on-call room bed, smiling at him, throwing her arms around his neck. "You wore me out, stud," she tried sounding seductive. There was a pause. "We should probably…rest up a bit,…together I mean," she suggested. Alex smiled at her crookedly… self-conscious maybe?

"Um, you know what, though, on second thought, I have this patient I need to check up on," Alex excused himself smoothly, sliding out underneath the sheet and getting himself dressed. Leah was confused.

"Wait, what? Now? You just suggested another round…," disappointment was obvious in her voice.

"I'm sorry, you know, with Robbins on leave… I really… I mean I really wish we could spend more time together, I just… I gotta…," Alex seemed to be looking for the right words. "You know, as sorry as I am to break this up… but patients always come first," he argued masterfully, earning big admiring eyes and a sappy smile.

"You really are the perfect guy," Leah gave him a huge smile, trying to catch Alex with her pointer. "Of course you must go take care of your patients. But don't keep me waiting for all too long," she winked at him. Alex forced out a thin smile before leaving the room hurriedly, steering away straightforwardly.

[Alex]

Phew, what an exit.

Alex walked up the corridor, thinking about the girl he had just been trying to escape from. Ugh, those claws. What is it with all of them? Well, but then, he really couldn't blame them. At least he couldn't blame that Leah chick. He had actually called her back into the on call room. After that surgery. He had just needed to blow off some steam. He should have definitely called Brooks. Yes, she was weird. But she wasn't clingy. Well, but then again, maybe she would have turned out clingy if he had called her again after their couple of times of… fun.

Alex smiled at the nurse that had just passed him, still deep in thought. I don't know her, do I? No, she's new. Looks fine, though. A bit like that one nurse down in the pit… that E.R. nurse…what was her name? Kacey? Hmm…nah, doesn't sound right… dark, straight hair, lightly toned skin, long legs… oh, Stacy, that's it. Alex smiled widely. Ugh, yeah, totally, I should totally hook up with that one again.

"Karev," a sharp voice reached way down Alex's subconscious and alarmed him. His eyes wandered towards where the voice was coming from and halted when meeting Dr. Bailey's eyes, trying to look innocent.

"Dr. Bailey," Alex gave her back questioningly, shaking his head at her.

"You never came to update me on that JRA patient of yours, I thought I had expressed very clearly that I had a personal interest in that case," she reprimanded him, looking for answers. Alex sighed.

"Sorry, Bailey, haven't seen the results myself yet," he gave her an apologetic look before passing her. Alex hoped his intern had taken care of that already. He definitely needed Ortho on that one.

"Wait, what?" Bailey turned around to look after him.

"Yeah, lots to do around the kids ward once the head of your department decides to lay low," he said with some resentment in his tone of voice. Bailey's face immediately changed to an understanding one, nodding.

"Have you heard from her at all?" she kept on asking, even though Alex was already walking away.

"Nah, I guess I'm the last person she wants to see or talk to right now," he admitted, feeling guilty. Once again. Bailey sighed.

"Just… keep me updated, alright?" she yelled after him, making him nod and take long strides, walking down to the next level swiftly. He walked up towards the nurses' station, spotting his intern. Perfect.

"Dr. Karev, I've rounded on your pre-ops and post-ops, I've run your labs, and I'm updating your charts right now," the intern told him eagerly.

"What about my consult for the JRA kid. Have you scheduled that yet?" he directed towards her, looking through some papers.

"Um, no," the intern stuttered. "I- I haven't had a cha—".

"Are you kidding me? Stop with the charting, do it now," Alex ordered, going through the girl's chart. Seriously? That intern hadn't seemed to be too dumb, at least until now. Just do your job, really. Alex slowed his doings and looked up when he thought to have heard a sob. She's crying. Do something. Say something. "…or don't."

"No, I'm, I'm sorry, I'll schedule-God, I can't believe I'm crying in front of my boss. I told myself that I wouldn't do this," she stopped short. "Look, I'm not supposed to be this person, I don't fail. I was valedictorian of my high school, graduated cum laude from Princeton, I was first in my class at Harvard, how am I not getting this?" God, stop rambling, I was just asking for that stupid consult. "I've somehow become the loser intern," she sobbed. What have I done now?! "I-I blew the appy with Dr. Grey, you've been piling on the scut, so clearly I pissed you off somehow…," she tried her big thinking. Alex interrupted.

"You get scut because you're an intern," he started. Who hadn't? Don't fret. "That's what interns do, it's the best way to learn," he continued. Well, and to get it done. "And," he stopped, thinking. Alright, Karev, time to explain yourself…. Hmm, how to say this? 'Callie said not to screw you, too?!' "You haven't pissed me off," Alex tried.

"I haven't?" the intern looked confused. What was her name again? Look at her badge. Preferably, without her noticing. Uh, yeah, Jo Wilson. Got it.

"No," he stuttered, trying to think of words. "Dr. Torres may have told me not to…," yeah, what, Karev? "…flirt with you… because… it may be possible that I dated a couple of other interns…," that sounded good, right? Classy…

"You mean Heather," the intern named Jo stated.

"Yeah, her," Alex replied. She was being specific. Great.

"And Leah," she added. Hmmm.

"Loo-," he tried to explain, when she started piling.

"And Susan, Stacy, Tina, Irene, don't worry…about the flirting, I have absolutely no interest in you since you've already screwed every one of my friends…,"

"I should go," Alex replied. Definitely, yeah. He started walking away. Phew, that was… embarrassing. And definitely not what he had hoped his 'attending image' would be like with the interns… maybe it was time to set a new example… "8 a.m. tomorrow," he turned around swiftly, "I'm doing a Nissl, don't be late," he advised her, walking away.

Maybe this wasn't so bad, right? She's an intern, she's scared. She's terrified. She's eager. She wants to learn… I mean, yeah, I just made a big fool out of myself… I mean… they should totally respect me more than listing all my one nighters to my face… but she'll forget, right? I mean… she still wants to learn… she'll prioritize, right? There's no reason to get all gloomy about that, right? I mean everybody sleeps around… except for those who're married around here… and not even those are safe probably… I don't know… Kepner and Avery are doing it for Christ's sake, why shouldn't I? It's natural, right? It's not about growing up… or… you know… I mean… I have been married before. I tried going that way… and see how that worked out. Namely not. It was fine. It's fine. Those interns should respect me for what I do in the OR not what I do in the on call room. Just because I am getting my needs fulfilled, they won't NOT wanna be taught by me. Right? What the fuck am I worrying about anyways? They have no idea. No freaking idea. I should be in Baltimore by now. I should have stuck to that job I was offered. I should have gone to Johns Hopkins. Nobody cares about me doing everything for Robbins anyway. Everybody's too busy with their own stuff to even look my direction. Robbins is pissed with me. Callie is pissed with me for some reason. Everybody's just pissed. I can totally pull off my own thing. They shouldn't care if I'm sleeping around. What is this whole thing anyway? Forever, pff, my ass. If they really think their marriages are gonna last forever, they're wrong. Forever doesn't exist. We're doctors for God's sake. Surgeons. We don't have time for forever. We experience the end of forever every freaking day. There is no such thing as forever. So why not live in the moment? Why not screw until it's done and then screw forever. It's pure logic. I take what I can get, enjoying my little lasting forever in those moments of bliss, and everybody else just screw themselves. I don't care what they think. They're wrong. No such thing as forever. I'm doing my thing. Forever! Bite me.

[Jo]

Jo adjusted her scrub top, inhaling deeply before wiping away the fake tear clinging to her eyelashes. Phew, that was some strong luck back there. Jo had almost thought she had overdone it a bit with the attending. The intern piled up the charts neatly before taking them all into her arms and walking away from the station. Good thing tears creep everybody out. Especially people that don't like crying themselves. She wasn't all too familiar with the Karev guy yet but she had dared making the assumption that he was just as shallow as he looked. Smart guy, uncaring for the most part, grumpy, antisocial apart from the socializing with the bigger part of the female staff around here that he obviously took great pleasure in. Driven, though, she thought. A loner. Well, I'll see what he has to teach tomorrow. Not sure how he managed to get into Peds, though. Is he gonna be an asshole with the kids also? That doesn't mesh well… Jo's mind flew all over the place. She could totally understand why he would sleep around… or… let's say, she could understand part of it. He's good from what I've heard… ew, stop thinking about that! Jo shook her head, irritated with herself and got comfortable on the spare bed at the tunnels, spreading the paperwork before her. Why in the world would an attending Pediatric surgeon screw around the hospital like that? I mean, why would he do it that obviously? That carelessly? Doesn't he think about his job? His reputation? I mean, all I know about him as of this moment is what he's like in bed… I know nothing whatsoever about his work. Well, he probably wouldn't be here if he was a crap surgeon. This is a high profile hospital, top program. Getting in was a ridiculous hustle. Receiving a fellowship… well, there has to be something more to him than good…well… you know. Jo sighed, scribbling down notes.

But much deeper than the Karev guy, Jo's thoughts kept circling her intern friends and the rest of the female staff that had been jumping between the sheets with the attending. I mean… never! Never in my life would I have dared to even look at that guy… at least with someone watching… Jo felt how a tiny blush crept up her neck. What the hell? Jo frowned about her own bodily reactions and looked up, rattling her brain. Well, alright, I looked at him, too. However, I can't really say if that's because I knew stuff from all the others before that… or… would I have looked at him if they hadn't directed my attention there? Ugh, whatever… he's good-looking and yes, I was curious, but no… I would never. Never would I ever. God! How could you be so freaking stupid? Sleep with your boss? After you just made it into the program? It's hard… I mean, right? The program? It's freaking hard work! Am I taking it too seriously or are they carelessly flinging their careers around? Phew…. Never. Jo felt as agitation set in her guts. Just calm down. It's their careers, they're old enough… Jo rolled her eyes at herself. Why am I getting so invested in this?

Jo scooted around, sitting cross-legged on the bed, leaning the back of her head against the cool stone wall, closing her eyes. Never. Jo wasn't stupid and she wasn't hallucinating, she was well aware of that. Still, it was daylight outside and she could hear the voice of someone right next to her ear that she knew had been six feet under for the better part of her life. "Never say never, sweetheart. There's no such thing. Oooor… can you predict the future and haven't told me up until now?" Jo heard the childish shrieking and laughter of the elementary school aged Jo, the chuckles of her late mother clear as day. She opened her eyes. Never say never. You were right, mom. Jo put her face into her hands and sighed dramatically. You did tell me there was no such thing as never, and you proved it all too soon... "Never leave me again, mommy". Jo sat up. Really? Now you're talking to your dead mother? Jesus, Jo, you really should get some sleep in between your shifts… you're exhausted. The intern scrunched up her face and tried to focus her tired eyes on the letters. I know I shouldn't judge. I know, I know nothing about his or their motives. It's sex, for God's sake. I need some myself. Desperately! Still… my career is my top priority. I'd never… ugh… alright. I just really wanna know why they're doing it… I mean if it were… something serious… but it seems he's just screwing everything that walks… no feelings, no relationship… no forever or at least a part of that. Well, forever's overrated anyway…. I can't believe I'm even thinking about that. Forever, ha. Humbug!

Well, anyways, back to what I was doing… ugh.