A/N - Thank you SO much for the support for this story and for the people that contacted me about it. I am sorry it has taken so long for this update. What can I say, life got in the way as usual. But I really hope this goes some way to make up for it.
ALEX
"I guess I'd better go," Lexie muttered her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she quickly buttoned up her blouse. Izzie, Mark and Alex all looking on.
Sensing the atmosphere brewing Alex wasn't quite sure what he was meant to do next. He stepped back in to the hallway, just as Lexie barged past him, heading straight towards the front door. Sounds of Izzie yelling at Mark were coming from the front room, as Alex watched Lexie fumble with the lock on the door trying desperately to leave.
Fumbling with the lock some more Lexie cursed. Alex stepped towards her, opening the door with ease, hitting them both with the cool fresh night air. She looked up at him and he saw her eyes were brimming with tears. He touched her arm gently and opened his mouth to say something. "Don't," Lexie said quickly, silencing him. "Don't tell me what a huge screw up I am, because I already know, I'm just the dirty mistress, right? I'm Lexie Grey, the queen of sleeping with inappropriate people," her voice shaking as she wiped at her tear stained cheeks with her hands.
"Lexie," Alex said firmly silencing her this time, "I couldn't care less about you and Sloan, I just wanted to check you were okay. I'm hardly in a position to be judging anyone for sleeping with inappropriate people anyway," he said giving her a reassuring smile as she smiled weakly back at him. He meant every word, he knew Sloan was married to Izzie's friend and for that reason alone he was pissed at the guy for upsetting Izzie. But other than that, it was none of Alex's business, he himself had slept with his fair share of married women over the years, without feeling even the slightest amount of remorse. He did however care about the girl standing in front of him. Lexie was one of his few real friends and he hated to see her upset and used. Even if she was technically the guilty party.
"For the record, I really liked him and he told me he was going to leave his wife and move to Seattle," Lexie said shaking her head slightly.
"Well, maybe he will, I know he's been offered the head of plastics position," Alex replied kindly, adding, "And for the record, Lex, I don't think you're a screw up or a dirty mistress….queen of sleeping with inappropriate people, maybe.." he teased gently as he thought he couldn't lie, besides their disastrous attempt at a relationship, he knew Lexie had slept with both his best friends, George and Jackson amongst others.
Lexie hit his arm playfully as she said with a fond smile, "Thanks, Alex."
"No problem," he replied, adding, "You want me to walk you home?"
"Oh, no, I'll be fine, I only live on the next street. You enjoy the rest of your night with Izzie," she said miserably as she turned to walk out the door. Closing it quietly.
…
Alex locked the door behind her, focusing again on the sounds of the angry raised voices coming from the front room.
"Either you tell her, or I will, Mark," Izzie yelled.
"You think Addison is so perfect, well let me tell you she isn't. I have tried to make her happy, believe me.." Mark yelled back.
Alex was unsure what his next move should be when he glanced back to see a little figure in pink pyjamas sat at the bottom of the stairs.
"What are you doing up?" he said as she took in the sight of Sarah hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes wide, confused and a little scared as her long blonde hair fell around her shoulders.
"Why was Lexie crying? Why is Mom yelling at Uncle Mark?" Sarah said in a quiet babyish voice.
Alex sighed slightly, he knew to him this was just another night, stuff like this was no big deal in his life. But he suddenly realized how scary it would seem to a kid, and he remembered only too well how it felt to wake up in the middle of the night and hear yelling and crying coming from downstairs. Granted this was nothing like the fights his parents used to get in to on a regular basis. But he still knew it would freak Izzie's daughter out and he wanted to reassure her, no kid should feel afraid in the night because of adults arguing.
He walked towards her and took her hand gently as he said, "It's nothing, they just had a bit of a disagreement, it will all be forgotten about in the morning. Come on, I think you should get back to bed." She nodded and stood up allowing him to lead her back up the stairs to her bedroom.
"Has Uncle Mark done something bad? Did he make Lexie cry?" Sarah asked as she lay back and pulled the covers over her, her big brown eyes fixed on Alex's face intensely.
"Well, not exactly, but it's probably best if you speak to your Mom about it," Alex said sounding a little uneasy, as he leaned over to help Sarah pull her duvet tighter around her, making sure she was snug and comfortable.
"He's made Aunt Addie cry before, Mom says he's not a bad man, just a bad husband at times," Sarah said.
Alex pressed his lips together as he sat down on the chair by the side of her bed, and looking at his girlfriend's daughter he said. "Your Mom's right there, because you know, Sarah, sometimes people make mistakes and they hurt the people they love but it doesn't make them bad people," he trailed off, silently thinking how although Mark Sloan was a womanizer there was no doubt about that, he was far from being a monster and Sarah needed to know that.
"Will you make Mom cry?" Sarah said her face full of the innocent curiosity only a child could posses.
Alex shifted slightly and coughed as he replied, "I hope not," and he smiled as he tucked a loose strand of Sarah's hair away from her eye and said gently, "Now I think you should try and go back to sleep." Turning to switch the main light off, leaving the soft glow of just her blue and pink night light swirling by her bed,
"Will you stay with me a while?" Sarah whispered her face glowing from the reflection of the blue light in the dark.
"Sure," Alex replied as he noted the yelling had quietened down slightly from downstairs.
…...
Alex awoke to Izzie shaking him. He opened his eyes with a jolt as he saw her standing there in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and stretched as he said sleepily, "What time is it?"
"A little after two, Marks left. What are you doing up here?" Izzie whispered, as Alex stood up and followed her out in to the landing.
"Sarah woke up she got a bit scared and confused," Alex explained.
"Is she okay?" Izzie said sounding concerned.
"She's fine, she's a smart kid, she just needed a little reassurance," Alex replied, moving a little closer to her.
"Right, well thanks." Izzie said moving back and away from him a little.
"So, you sort it out with Sloan?" Alex questioned, a little taken aback at her cool reaction to him.
"Yeah, we talked it through, he says he is going to leave Addison and move to Seattle. Says he doesn't think he loves her anymore," Izzie said slowly.
"I see," Alex said unsure of what he was supposed to say, instead he settled for what he did best at awkward moments, lunging towards her and putting his arms around her, moving in to kiss her.
Izzie moved her head to the side, and Alex stepped back a look of hurt instantly flashing across his face.
"I'm sorry," Izzie said running her hand through her hair as she turned to face him. "But I think I just need to be on my own tonight," she said as he nodded in confusion his stomach suddenly dropping as he was hit with an uneasy feeling. He didn't quite like the awkward slightly apologetic look in her eye. Was she having doubts about them, maybe?
"What do you mean you don't know? What they hell do they teach in med school these days?" Alex snapped angrily at his intern, as the younger doctor scurried away.
"You okay?" Lexie said as she stopped what she was doing and wandered over to where Alex was stood red faced in the middle of the surgical floor.
"Yeah fine," he said moodily.
"No offence but you don't look fine. It's not like you to lose it like that and you've been like a bear with a sore head for the past few days now. Are you sure everything is okay? Are you and Izzie okay?" Lexie said, her eyes full of concern.
It had been five days since Alex had heard from Izzie. He had tried to contact her a couple of times, then out of frustration when she hadn't got back to him he had just given up. If she didn't want to see him anymore he would just have to deal with it.
"I haven't heard from her for a few days," Alex said quietly, submitting a slight vulnerability as he looked at his friend.
"Oh," Lexie said signing, before saying quickly, "I'm sorry, Alex."
"What for?" he replied quickly.
"This is all my fault, before me and Mark, you two were really happy," Lexie said meekly.
"Listen, I don't know what's going on with Izzie, but if it has anything to do with the other night, that's her problem not yours." Alex said.
Lexie bit her lip and nodded as she said, "He's not a bad guy, Mark , I mean. He said he wants to get to know me properly, and he's left his wife for good."
"Right," Alex said a little bitterly, at least someone's love life seemed to be working out he thought as he remembered technically Izzie was ignoring him now, he had no idea where they stood.
"You want me to talk to her? I know how much you liked her," Lexie replied, taking in the look on Alex's face.
"Nah," Alex said, "If it doesn't work out, I'll bounce back, I always do," he said trying to convince himself more than anyone.
…
"Err..Dr Karev, there is a kid here wants to speak to you," one of Alex's interns said later that day, interrupting him as Alex examined the patient chart of a complicated case he was due to review with Robbins later. Trying to get Izzie and his earlier conversation with Lexie out of his head. Lexie was right, it did seem to be after the night Izzie had caught her and Sloan, that she had stopped returning his calls.
"Are they dying?" Alex said without so much as glancing up from the chart in front of him.
"No…but.." the intern stuttered.
"Then deal with it yourself," Alex said bluntly.
"But she is really insisting that she sees you, says she won't leave, I don't even think she is sick," the intern said persistently.
Alex snapped the chart shut fiercely and marched across the corridor, following the intern.
"Sarah," he said in surprise as he looked over suddenly at Izzie's pretty blonde daughter sat nervously on one of the big chairs in the patient waiting area.
He rushed towards her, "What are you doing here? He said as he gestured to the intern to leave as he knelt down next to Sarah.
"I wanted to see you," she said quietly.
"Is your Mom okay? Does she know you're here?" he said suddenly panicked.
"Yeah she's okay, a little sad but okay. I was meant to be at an after school club, but I walked here instead," she said sheepishly, glancing at Alex through her eyelashes.
"Well, we got to call her, tell her you're here," Alex said
"No," Sarah said quickly, "She'll be mad."
"Come with me," Alex said standing up and taking her by the hand, leading her in to his office where it was quieter. He picked up his phone.
"No, don't call her yet," Sarah said quickly stopping him. "I wanted to see you, I miss you," she said.
Alex sighed as he slowly put the phone down. Why was he such a sucker for a pretty blonde face he thought.
"Are you and Mom breaking up?" Sarah said sadly.
"I'm calling your Mother," Alex said, this time not taking no for an anwser, preferring not to have to answer any more awkward questions as he dialled Izzie's cell. She picked up straight away.
"Izzie, it's Alex," he said calmly.
"Alex," she said sounding a little panicked, "Sarah didn't show up for after school club. They called and said they don't know where she is."
"She's here," Alex said quickly, putting an end to her blind panic. It felt good to hear her voice. Even if he was a little mad at her for the lack of contact.
"Oh, thank God. Is she okay?"
"She's fine, said she walked here after school," Alex said smiling across at Sarah.
"I'll be right there," Izzie said hanging up.
….
"Don't you ever do that to me again," Izzie scolded as she rushed in to Alex's office, flinging her arms around Sarah.
"I'm sorry, Mom, but can we stay here for a bit with Alex?" Sarah replied.
"I thought you'd be sick of hospitals, Izzie said as she looked over the top of Sarah's head to catch Alex's eye. Filling him with a brief moment of warmth.
"I am, but we haven't seen Alex for days and.."
"Listen, miss, Alex has a lot of important work to do here and we've already taken up a lot of his time, so you say thank you, and we must go," Izzie said firmly showing her daughter she meant business.
"Sorry," Sarah said looking over at Alex as she stood up to walk out.
Sarah walked in front slightly as Izzie rushed to pick up her bag and looking at Alex, he said coldly, "You didn't return my calls?"
"I'm sorry," Izzie said biting her lip, "We can't talk now, but later, you could stop by?"
Alex looked at her his face filling with apprehension, that sounded a little like the lines he used to use on chicks, when he was about to end things with them.
"Sure later," he replied as he watched them both walk towards the elevator. Feeling like such a loser, since when did he even care if a woman returned his calls.
….
Alex felt none of the nervous excitement he normally felt turning up at Izzie's house later that evening after a busy shift at work. This time he just felt a slight sensation of dread as he rang the front door bell, he had a key but somehow it didn't feel quite right to be using it this time.
Izzie answered straight way. She looked tired but still hot, his eyes flickered over her profile, she was dressed in jeans and a white sweater and her hair was tied up loosely, he always thought she looked at her most beautiful, natural and dressed down.
She didn't say much but her eyes were full of emotion as she gestured for him to come in. It was late so he presumed Sarah would be in bed as he followed her in to the kitchen.
"Sorry I'm so late, got held up at work," he said awkwardly.
"It's fine," Izzie said as she looked in to his eyes and taking a deep breath she said, "Listen, Alex, I'm just going to say this, we need to talk, I've been thinking.."
"You're breaking up with me," he said quickly.
"What?..No. no," Izzie said looking surprised.
"But I do owe you an apology. I'm sorry I've been so distant this week. I've had a lot on. Mark has asked Addison for a divorce. She's taken it well but she's needed me and well all the stuff with Mark, it got me thinking. Are relationships always doomed to fail? But then, Alex, I have missed you so much. Sarah has missed you. I love you, Alex. I'm not sure of many things, but I'm sure of that, and I know it might not work out, and I know I should be wary. But I also know I want you in our lives more than anything, which is why I wanted to ask you to move in with us. So we can be a proper family?" She stopped talking and looked at him. Waiting nervously for his reaction.
Alex was speechless for a second. No-one had ever said anything like that to him before, no-one had ever cared about him the way Izzie and Sarah did. If any other woman had said that to him in the past, he would have run for the hills. He had told himself he couldn't do commitment, but that was before he had found someone he wanted to be committed to. Now it was all different. He was in love. Izzie made him happy in a way that no-one else ever could.
"Say something?" Izzie pleaded as he still remained lost for words.
"I'd love to move in with you, Iz," he said as he moved towards her drawing her in to his arms. "And I love you too," he added slowly kissing the top of her head.
"I love you more," Izzie replied giddily, gazing back at him.
"That's not possible," he replied unable to stop his face breaking in to a wide grin as he reached down locking her lips with his contently.
A/N - Sorry for the fluffy end to this! I just felt that us Lexzie fans needed it! And please keep reviewing, it really helps motivate me to keep writing.