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jobrookekarev · 3 months

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Not for the Faint of Heart

Chapter: One of Three

Words: 3,042

Summary: When Jo is rushed into an emergency c-section Alex has a hard time seeing his wife in surgery and ends up on the OR floor. However, it's Jo’s life that’s at risk.

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy.

Relationship: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson.

Characters: Alex Karev, Jo Wilson, Meredith Grey, Cormac Hayes, Atticus Lincoln, Levi Schmitt, Carina DeLuca, and Amelia Shepherd.

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences.

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Family, Alternate Canon, Firsts, Medical Procedures, C-Section, One Shot, Happy Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Trauma.

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Jo stared up at the lights in the cold OR. She took a deep breath in and smiled. The OR had always been the place where she felt most comfortable. It was the place where she had learned and grown into the surgeon that she was. Where she fell in love with her husband. In her therapy sessions, it was her safe place, where she would go when things got too intense. The OR was the place where nothing bad could happen to her. Even now, as Carina prepped her for a crash C-section, Jo was calm. But then again, she had lost a lot of blood and was on a lot of drugs.

“Are you seriously smiling right now?” Alex asked as his hand cupped her face and his thumb rubbed across her cheek, careful not to move the nasal cannula tubes.

Alex was sitting next to her and focused completely on her. While everyone else scurried around and focused on where Carina was cutting her open.

Jo smiled up at him, he was wearing his familiar brown scrub cap. She loved that scrub cap. “Our baby’s going to be born in an OR, I think it's kind of fitting?”

“You're scaring the shit out of me, I hope you know that,” Alex said with a nervous laugh as his eyebrows knitted together in worry, but Jo just smiled.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Jo said as she looked over at him with a smile.

Her labor had started out normally. She had felt a few contractions earlier that morning, but hadn't registered that they were anything more than a few Braxton Hicks. So she hadn't bothered to count them. As she went on with her day though, Alex insisted on keeping an absurdly close eye on her. Although he had done this throughout her pregnancy. Still, she knew he suspected she was in labor before she did. Finally, around lunch, she admitted that she might be in labor. She allowed him to pull her over to the maternity ward as a patient rather than a doctor.

Carina quickly set her up on the monitors and things were going smoothly. Jo was handling her labor well. The contractions were pretty far apart. She just hated that she was in a hospital gown and confined to the maternity ward. Alex had vetoed any suggestions she had made on what to do while she labored except walking the halls. So they walked around a little bit and it did help.

After a few circles around the hospital, Jo had started to feel a little light-headed and before she knew it, she collapsed in Alex's arms. She awoke back in her hospital bed with the alarms going off and several nurses around her. She had begun to bleed internally and a few minutes later, when her water broke, it all came gushing out. Carina quickly ran in and Jo was then rushed to the OR with a trail of blood behind her.

Jo knew that she was in danger. That she could lose her life. That if Schmitt didn't get back with the blood soon, there would be dire consequences. She also knew that Carina was the best and her baby's heart rate was still good. It was her life that was on the line and she was so tired.

“Hey, stay with me Jo,” Alex pleaded with her as her heavy eyelids closed just for a moment. “You gotta stay awake and meet our baby.”

“Just a few more minutes then they’ll be in your arms,” Carina assured her, glancing over at her before looking back to where she was cutting her open.

“I'm trying, but I’m really tired. I just wanna close my eyes for a second,” Jo complained, her eyelids fluttering again.

She was so tired, she felt like she'd drift off if she closed her eyes. Especially as Alex squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. It would be okay. She'd wake up with renewed strength and she'd get to meet her baby.

“Have you two decided on the name yet?” Meredith asked, peeking over the divider from where she was assisting Carina.

“No,” they both replied as Jo opened her eyes to look up at Meredith.

“Didn't the two of you agree on the name Kaitlin, for Kate?” Hayes asked, his heavy accent changing the pronunciation as he looked down at her from where he was next to Meredith, ready to receive their baby.

“I thought you said it was gonna be a boy?” Meredith asked, looking between the two of them with raised eyebrows.

“We don’t know for sure,” Alex clarified, looking over at Meredith for a second.

“It’s a boy, I know it,” Jo said, confidently as she smiled.

“Yeah, only because you peeked at them, on the ultrasound,” Alex said, trying to be mad at her, but failing miserably.

“I didn't, I just know,” Jo smirked as she looked up at him.

She thought about how even now, he joked around and played with her. He refused to stay mad at her, even though he thought she had broken their rules and peaked at the baby's gender. But worry overtook his face and his eyes betrayed him as he looked down at her. She didn't want him to worry about her. She understood him worrying about the baby. She was worried too, but she didn't want him to worry about her.

Jo would be all right. If she lived she would be fine and if she didn't well… She had lived long enough and she finally found happiness and that had been enough for her. If that's all she got in this life, it was enough.

“You're going to be… a, a good dad,” Jo whispered, the words coming out of her slowly as she used the last of her breath to speak and a few tears escaped from the corners of her eyes.

“And you're going to be a good mom too,” Alex said, begging her to stay in his own way as he brushed the tears from her cheek with his thumb.

She thought about never watching him be a father to their child. To watch him hold them for the first time. To watch him play with them and goof around. To watch him teach them to ride a bike and help them do their homework. To watch him teach them to drive and send them off to college. To watch him give them advice as they found their way in the world.

She didn't want to miss it, but she feared she would. She wanted to stay too. She wanted to watch her baby grow up and do all of that with them. She wanted to be a mom more than anything. She wanted to be there for them because her mom wasn't there for her. To love them because she wasn't loved. Jo loved her baby so much more than words could ever express. More than she ever thought she could love her child.

Yet, she was so tired. She felt like if she could just close her eyes and get some rest, then everything would be okay. But she wasn't sure if she would wake up if she did. Jo fought her heavy eyelids with everything inside of her but it felt like a losing battle. She was just too tired.

“Please, please, Jo, stay with me. I need you here,” Alex said as he leaned closer as the desperation spilled over and his eyes filled with tears.

“I'm right here,” Jo whispered again, smiling up at him. She promised him she was there, taking in this moment with him.

“Please stay,” Alex begged her, but she couldn't promise she'd stay and changed the subject.

“As soon as this is over, I'm going to take a nap for a week and you can take care of the baby,” Jo said with a smile as he chuckled. It helped relieve some of the tension and his eyes smiled as he looked down at her.

“When we get out of here, you can nap for as long as you want and I'll take care of the baby and you, I promise,” Alex said, smiling as he looked down at her still brushing his thumb over her cheek and she knew he would keep his promise.

“I'm here, I'm here, I have the blood,” Schmitt said, running into the OR as Jo turned her head to see the blood bags.

“Great, let's get them hung,” Meredith said immediately, moving to help Schmitt hang the bags of blood. There was a lot, but Jo knew she needed all of it. She could still feel the blood dripping between her legs and she knew she was soaking the table underneath her.

“Dr. Karev,” Carina said, looking over at him. “Do you want to come over here and cut the cord, I’m almost ready to pull your baby out.

“Yes,” Alex said eagerly, but he looked back at Jo.

“Go watch our baby boy be born,” Jo said with a smile.

“Our baby boy or girl,” Alex reminded her with a chuckle.

“It's a boy,” Jo said for sure.

Alex just leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead through his mask as Jo smiled. Then he stood up and looked over to where Carina was working inside of her. Jo smiled but she watched Alex freeze as he looked over the curtain to her open belly.

“Alex?” Jo asked, staring at him as his eyes glanced over at her. Then back to her belly, then back to her face and as the color drained from his cheeks.

“Alex?” Meredith asked as well, looking over at him.

“Alex!” Jo said again more insistently as he just stared at her.

But he gave them no warning before he fell to the floor.

“Alex!” Jo screamed again, picking up her head to look over at him, despite how dizzy it made her feel.

The nurses ran to him as Jo watched them swarm around where Alex had fallen, although she couldn't see him on the floor. Then Meredith appeared in front of her. “It's okay Jo, we’ve got him.”

“He's all right, he's just fainted,” one of the nurses said with a shake of her head.

Jo sighed in relief as she laid her head back down. Alex was okay.

The next thing she knew, the cries of her child filled the room. It was a loud screaming cry, but it was the best sound Jo had ever heard. Her baby was here and they were alive and screaming. Jo looked up at Carina, but she couldn't see anything except her masked face as the curtain was too high.

“Your baby boy is here,” Carina said, excitement filling her voice as she finally held up the baby for Jo to see.

She looked up and saw her big baby boy. He was clenching his fists and his eyes were shut as he wailed with an open mouth. His lips were full like hers and he had her round cheeks, but he was his father's son. He was huge with a chubby stomach and chubby arms that he swung around. He also had a large Karev sized head.

“He's beautiful,” Jo said with a cry as the tears streamed out of the corners of her eyes in full force, but she smiled.

She was so unbelievably happy and all she could focus on was her baby. She watched as Carina handed him over to Hayes, who took her baby boy over to the warmer. Jo felt a sting of sadness that Alex didn't get to cut the cord as she remembered her husband.

“Is Alex okay?” Jo asked, watching Hayes look over her baby in the warmer as his strong cry still filled the room.

“He's going to be fine, Jo,” Amelia said, although she couldn't see where they were.

The room was a buzz as nurses and doctors moved around her and Carina shouted orders for medications although Jo could barely hear them as she focused on her son. She watched Hayes wrap him up in a hospital blanket and look over at her.

“Do you want to meet your son, Jo?” Hayes asked, his eyes crinkling under his mask as he smiled.

Jo eagerly nodded as he brought the baby up to her, so they were cheek to cheek. She nearly cried in relief as she got to meet her son. Someone unstrapped one of her arms and Jo held her baby boy.

“Hi my baby,” Jo said as she turned to kiss his cheek.

The moment Hayes brought him over, his cry had softened and after she kissed him, he fell silent. Jo knew his eyes were closed, but she couldn't see his face. Her son, she had the baby boy she knew she would. And she loved him so much. He snuggled up next to her and she kissed him again. She couldn't wait to actually hold him in her arms and look down at his face.

“Is he okay,” Jo asked, looking up at Hayes, who nodded.

“He's absolutely perfect Jo,” Hayes said with a reassuring nod. “His APGAR scores are a perfect 10.”

“That's good, that's good,” Jo said briefly, closing her eyes again as she felt like she could rest now. Hayes kept the baby on her cheek and she relished this moment.

“Is that him?” Alex asked as Jo looked over to see that he was getting settled in a wheelchair, his eyes still a little foggy as he stared at them.

“It is,” Jo said with a large beaming smile.

“What happened?” Alex asked, rubbing the back of his head.

“You fainted,” Jo said of the little laugh. “What went wrong? I saw you staring at me and then at my belly and then you just passed out.”

Alex just took his head, unable to take his eyes off their son. He looked down at their beautiful boy as Meredith wheeled him closer so they were both together. Alex reached out to run a finger across his cheek as well. As they both stared at the little miracle of their child.

“He's perfect,” Alex said, his eyes crinkling as he stared at their baby boy and she knew he was smiling under his mask.

“Yeah, he's perfect,” Jo agreed, looking back at their son.

Jo closed her eyes as she felt her baby boy's hand against her cheek. She relished in this little moment together. She felt her vision going dark as sleep overtook her. But she was desperate to fight it and stay with her son. He needed her. Jo quickly opened her eyes again to see someone standing over her.

“Stay with me, Jo,” Meredith said sternly as she looked at her.

“Where's my son?” Jo asked, turning her head to look for him.

“He's right over there,” Meredith said, pointing to where Hayes had the newborn on the warmer again.

Jo didn't even remember him leaving her cheek. She must have slipped out of consciousness. Jo felt so tired, she just wanted to fall asleep as her eyes fluttered. Still, she mustered up the strength to glance up at Meredith again.

“Meredith.”

“Yeah, I'm right here Jo.”

“Meredith,” Jo said, looking up at her again. “You have to promise me that Alex won't name our son Alex Jr. or some male version of Josephine like Joe or something.”

“AJ is a good name, though,” Alex countered and Jo smiled, but she shook her head.

Although it made her dizzy, she heard everybody shouting around her. She looked up to see that Schmidt was hanging more bags of blood and starting to squeeze them. She was still so tired and her legs felt very wet.

“What are you talking about, Jo? You're going to be here to pick out a name with him,” Meredith said, trying to sound lighthearted, but failing.

Jo closed her eyes before opening them again. They were so heavy and all she wanted to do was sleep. But she had to do this. “Promised me.”

“Okay, I promise,” Meredith said with a nod.

“Where's Alex? I want Alex,” Jo demanded, she didn't want to be without him right now.

“I'm right here, Jo,” Alex said as she looked over to see him sitting on a stool across the room, although he couldn't meet her eyes as Amelia was pointing a flashlight in them to check him.

“I want Alex,” Jo said again, losing the fight to keep her eyes open as they closed.

“Jo, Jo! Alex, get over here,” Meredith shouted, as she gripped Jo's hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Jo, I'm here, I’m right here,” Alex said, his voice pleading with her as he held her cheek.

She managed to open her eyes and smile up at him. As Alex glanced down at her, his eyes filled with tears but still he put on a smile for her.

“Can I hold our baby again?”

“Of course,” Alex said, glancing back at Hayes.

He had heard her request and was already bringing their baby back to her. He handed the baby to Alex who held him against her cheek.

She smiled and looked over at Alex again. “I like the name, Leo, Leonard.”

“I like that one too,” Alex said with a smile as the tears spilled over onto his cheeks. “And for a middle name, we should do Michael or Wilson for you.”

“I like Wilson,” Jo said, glancing over at her baby as he snuggled against her cheek.

“Yeah, I like it. Leonard Wilson Karev,” Alex said, rubbing a finger against Leo's cheek.

“It's kind of a mouthful,” Jo chuckled as she looked up at him.

“Yeah, it is,” Alex agreed, but he smiled too.

“I love you and tell Luna and Leo that I love them, to the moon and… and…” Jo couldn’t finish her sentence as she was too sleepy and had to close her eyes.

“No, Jo, please, please, don't go,” Alex begged her, but she had already closed her eyes and before she knew it she had drifted off into the darkness.

#alex karev #jo wilson #jolex #grey's anatomy #otp: home and heart #jo karev #meredith grey #cormac hayes #atticus lincoln #levi schmitt #carina deluca #amelia shepherd.#grey's anatomy fanfic #my fanfiction #my work #my writing

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