The Good Deed
Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither Saving Hope nor Daniel Gillies.
Pairing: Joel & Alex (Jalex)
Rating: T
Summary: Alex tries to do a good deed.
As Alex Reid pulled out of Hope Zion's parking garage, she spotted a young man running towards her car.
She let out an audible sigh as she pushed the button to roll down the window.
"It's after midnight and I just want to go home," She thought to herself wearily.
To Joel.
To Luke.
To Charlotte.
To Theo.
But she knew that if she simply drove away without first finding out if the young man needed help, she'd feel terribly guilty and imagine the worst.
"Can I help you?" She asked the young man leaning out the window, so she could hear him.
"Yeah, actually. I could use a ride." The young man replied.
Alex nodded, reaching under the seat for her purse, "You can use my cell phone if you need to call a cab or…"
The words became a gasp that got stuck in Alex's throat as the man pointed a gun through the open window.
"Just drive, and you won't get hurt, lady." The kid said forcing open the passenger door and getting in.
"Okay. Where are we going?" Alex asked, trying desperately to remain calm despite the panic rising in her chest.
"Shut up and drive, lady." The young man shouted. Alex had been around enough drug addicts to know that he was high.
"Listen, I'll take you wherever you want to go. But I have a family." Speaking the words conjured images in her mind.
Joel.
Luke.
Charlotte.
Theo.
Please let me make it home to them.
Joel Goran awoke with a start. He reached toward Alex's side of the bed. But it was empty. He reached for his phone in the darkness to check the time.
3:30am.
She should be home by now.
Joel picked up his phone and dialed her number.
Alex felt like she'd been driving for a long time in the tense silence. They'd just passed the sign for Coburg so she knew that she was at least two hours away from home.
From Joel.
From Luke.
From Charlotte.
From Theo.
Her phone rang inside her purse and the gunman jumped. "Gimme the phone!" He shouted reaching under the seat for Alex's purse.
Then the phone stopped ringing.
Joel cursed as his call went to voicemail.
"Hey, Reid, it's me. Are you still at the hospital? Call me back. I love you. Bye."
He tried the hospital. Malanda told him that she'd left at just after midnight.
Joel dialed her cell phone again.
And again the call went to voicemail.
"Alex, are you all right, love? Please call me back. I love you. I need to know you're all right."
Something was wrong.
He could feel it.
Alex always answered the phone.
Or called back.
After the third phone call, the jumpy gunman reached for Alex's purse.
"Who the hell keeps calling you?" The gunman shouted.
Joel.
"Probably my husband. I was supposed to be home three hours ago."
I have to get the kids up for school in the morning.
The gunman reached across the passenger seat for Alex's phone once more.
She knew she couldn't let him grab it.
If she surrendered her phone, Joel wouldn't be able to find her.
If she lost that phone she'd never make it home.
The kid in the passenger seat grabbed for the phone and Alex fought him, momentarily letting go of the wheel.
She heard the crunch of metal against metal and the sound of shattering glass as the car collided with a guardrail and flipped over.
And then Alex heard nothing at all.
She regained consciousness but she didn't know how much time had passed.
It could've been seconds, minutes, or hours later.
She also knew she was injured but she wasn't sure how severely.
And she knew that she was alone in the overturned car.
The assailant must have crawled out of the shattered passenger side window.
Alex reached for the seatbelt to try and unbuckle it.
It was stuck.
Something warm and sticky flowed into her eyes.
Blood.
She was bleeding.
She tried to take a deep breath as the steering column pressed uncomfortably into her abdomen. She felt around in the darkness for her phone. The screen was cracked but thankfully it still had battery.
Alex dialed one number.
Joel.
She heard his voice calling out to her frantically on the other end of the line.
"Alex, where are you, love? What happened? Alex! Alex!"
His voice was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness again.
"Alex…Look at me, Alex…"
"Joel?" She whispered uncertainly, unable to trust her own senses.
"I'm right here, Alex. I'm here, love." Joel replied, reaching for her hand.
Alex opened her eyes slowly, the light burning her retinas.
"Where's here? How did you find me, Joel baby?" Alex whispered her throat parched, raw, and scratchy.
"I'll always find you. No matter where you are. Do you hear me, Alex Reid?" He asked, pressing a soft kiss on her bruised forehead.
Alex nodded, "Oh God, Joel, I thought…I thought…"
"Shh…It's all right, Reid. You're safe now, I promise."
"But how did you find me?" Alex asked again.
Joel sighed knowing that she wouldn't be satisfied until he answered her question. "The kid who carjacked you turned himself in. He told the police in Coburg about the accident. Between that and your phone call. Here I am."
"Are we still in Coburg? What about the kids?" Alex asked, struggling against I.V. lines, pain, and pillows to sit up.
But Joel's gentle yet firm hands on her forearms held her back. "No, Alex…Hey… Just relax okay? The kids are fine. Luke and Charlotte are at school. And I've got the little man here with me." Joel pointed over at the baby seat on a nearby chair where Theo slept.
"You and the kids were the only thing that got me through, Joel. I love you so much…"
Alex couldn't continue because Joel's lips were on hers. "And I love you, Alex Reid."
"Can we go home now?" Alex whispered, sitting up slowly.
"Alex, you should rest." Joel insisted.
"Joel, I can rest at home. In our bed, please?"
Joel raised his hands in mock surrender, "Okay, Doctor Reid, you win. Let's go home. But just so you know, I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again."
"Is that a promise, Doctor Goran?" Alex asked, playfully leaning forward so he could kiss her.
"Yes, ma'am, it most definitely is." Joel whispered, just before they kissed.