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jobrookekarev · 3 years

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Darling, Let's Run

Chapter One of One

Words: 12,001

Summary: Jo and Alex spend their time sneaking out of class and driving around the rural streets of Iowa. Jo’s desperate to get out of their small town and go away to college, but Alex doesn’t have that option.

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy.

Relationship: Alex Karev/Jo Wilson.

Characters: Alex Karev, Jo Wilson, Lexie Grey, and Ms. Schmidt.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences,

Additional Tags: High School AU, AU, First Love, Teenage Relationship, Teen Drama, Car rides, Car Chases, Foster Parents, Foster Care, Fluff, Fluff and Angst.

Read at AO3

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AN: Happy very late birthday to Leya. @iamtrebleclefstories I hope you enjoy this!

……………………………………………………………………

Jo Wilson knew of Alex Karev long before she had actually met him. At Grace High School, he and his friends were the most popular people and Alex Karev with his Playboy charm made quite the reputation for himself. Although several of her friends had slept with him, Jo was determined not to make herself his girl of the week. Then he was her biology partner, and he was an ass. They did little more than discuss the current biology project until he stopped her from fighting Kimmy Thompson.

She bragged about leaving her baby at the hospital and Jo yelled and walked up to her, ready to throw the first punch. Then Alex came out of nowhere, he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her back. That day she told him what only Lexie knew, that her mom had done the same thing and left her at a fire station. She had been bummed around foster homes and lived in her car until Ms. Schmidt brought her home. Before she knew it, they were friends and then she was in love with him. She knew he loved her back, but it took the worst thunderstorm in Iowa history for them to admit that to each other. Since that night, they’ve been inseparable. Jo always scoffed at everyone who said they met their High School sweetheart, married them, and lived happily ever after until she met Alex.

One, two, three, four.

Jo counted the seconds as she sat on the stool in what was usually her favorite class, but today, she couldn't wait to get out. She listened to Ms. Schmidt talk about taxes and financial responsibilities, but being Ms. Schmidt's daughter, she was always talking to Jo about financial responsibility. Jo had heard this lecture when she had practiced it last night. She glanced up at Alex as he was sitting at the table in front of her, and he looked back caught her eye with a smirk.

“Mr. Karev, please pay attention in my class,” Ms. Schmidt said as she raised her voice, catching their attention as they looked up at her.

Ms. Schmidt wasn't Alex's big fan. Partly because of his reputation, but mostly because he was dating her daughter. Ms. Schmidt’s eyes glanced over at Jo before she turned down to look at her notes.

“Sorry, Ms. Schmidt. It's just that I need to go to the bathroom, can I go?” Alex asked over at the clock, but the second he did Jo knew Ms. Schmidt would say no.

They had half an hour left of class and then they were free for the day. However, every single kid in the entire school was thinking the same thing. In Iowa, you could get a license at fourteen and Jo’s had hers since she was 14. With over ¾ of the student body driving either a car or a moped, combined with the little parking lot meant a massive traffic jam that took at least a half-hour to get out of. Alex and Jo had been planning to sneak out early and get the hell out of town before everybody else could. It was something they had gotten away with before, but now that they had home EC instead of P.E. at the end of the day, Ms. Schmidt was adamant about not letting them get out early.

“Of course, Mr. Karev, but if your intention is to try to sneak out of my class with Josephine, then you'll have to try harder than that,” Ms. Schmidt said, giving both of them a look that Jo knew all too well as she shrank back in her chair. “Well, off you go then.”

“I, um don't really have to go as much as I thought I did,” Alex said as he stumbled over his words and refused to meet Ms. Schmidt's eyes.

The rest of the class giggled. Even Lexie, her best friend, who was supposed to be on their side, laughed from the seat next to her. Although she shut up when Jo glared at her.

“Well, what did you expect? You shouldn't be sneaking out of class,” Lexie said as she leaned in to whisper to her.

Lexie had been Jo's best friend since they had both arrived at Grace High School two years ago. Although Jo was originally from Pennsylvania. When she was 12, her then foster parents moved her and her other foster siblings to Iowa after inheriting their grandfather's house. According to the foster worker, it was illegal, but they didn’t want to ship her all the way back to Pennsylvania.

Lexie had moved with her family from Washington when her father had gotten a job as a professor at Iowa State College. The two had met on their first week here in high school and had been best friends ever since. There wasn't anything either of them did without the other, except for when it came to their boyfriends. Although Alex and Marcus, Lexi’s boyfriend, were used to double dating.

“I’m a straight A student and Alex's grades have improved too,” Jo protested, leaning in to whisper back to her while she pretended to take notes.

“Yeah, because you make him study,” Lexie said, smiling as she elbowed Jo. “You're a good influence on him, don't let him be a bad influence on you.”

“I need my Alex time not to be spent in the parking lot,” Jo whispered back and she couldn't help but pout.

“You can spend time with him after school like I do with my boyfriend,” Lexie whispered as she resumed her note taking.

“It's not the same, we're so busy studying and doing extracurriculars. Alex and I both have jobs you and your boyfriend don't have,” Jo said with a sigh as she stared at the back of Alex's head, resigning herself to spending time with him in a parking lot jam.

Until she saw what was in his hands. Alex was playing with his car keys, turning them around before he reached back and held them out to her. From his position, staring straight ahead with his arm back, Ms. Schmidt couldn't see him, and when she turned away to write something on the board, Jo reached forward and grabbed the car keys. Alex glanced back at her and gave her a wink as Jo took a deep breath and decided to pull out all the tricks in the book from her street kid.

Jo glanced over at Lexie to see her rolling her eyes. “Just don't skip school tomorrow. We have a mathlete's meeting and I'm not sitting through another meeting with Jacki unless you're there.”

“I promise, I’ll be back tomorrow,” Jo whispered back before she slipped the keys into her pocket.

Jo then started to tilt her chair back and forth just once before she forested it to tip over and braced herself as she fell back. Jo was smart, she wanted to be a doctor, so she knew how easily she could break a bone doing this move, which is why she put her hand up and pushed the chair away so her legs wouldn't get tangled up in it. She landed on her ass before she deliberately laid back on the floor. The entire room was silent as all eyes turned to her and Jo pulled out the final thing that would make her fall believable, tears.

Jo pretended to hold her head as she started to cry. Lexie instantly adopted a look of concern and kneeled down beside her. Alex and Ms. Schmidt ran over to her and Jo continued with her charade, letting out a light sob as she held her head.

“She bumped her head really hard, Ms. Schmidt. She could have a concussion. I think she should go to the nurse,” Lexie said, playing along with fake concern.

“I'll take her,” Alex said eagerly as he came over to Jo's side, putting an arm around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Oh my sweet girl,” Ms. Schmidt said,

gently rubbing her leg and totally falling for it. “Lexie, can you be a dear and take Josephine to the nurse's office?”

Jo pouted and wiped her eyes as she let Lexie and Alex help her up. Ms. Schmidt wrote them a pass, and Jo held her head as Lexie led her out of the classroom. As soon as the door closed, Jo dropped her act and groaned as Lexie giggled, giving her a light shove.

“Stop, that fall hurt,” Jo said as she rubbed her butt.

“It serves you right for faking a fall to getting out of class,” Lexie said as she laughed and gave Jo’s butt a little pat before Jo jumped away from her.

“Well, it didn't even work anyways,” Jo said, resuming her pout as she crossed her arms and they continued their walk of shame down the hall.

“Didn't it?” Lexie asked, raising her eyebrow as she paused. “You still have Alex's keys, you could go get his car and bring it around back. I'll go back to class and tell Ms. Schmidt that the nurse said I should take you home. Then I'll make sure Alex goes to the bathroom in about 15 minutes, which will be just enough time for you to bring the car around. And Ms. Schmidt will be none the wiser since she usually doesn't leave till an hour after school and the teachers have a meeting today so she’ll be home late.”

“See, this is why you’re my best friend,” Jo said with a smile as she reached out to wrap her arms around Lexie in a quick hug before she started to skip down the halls.

“Just get going,” Lexie called after her with a little wave before Jo took off.

She knew the halls of the high school like the back of her hand and she easily snuck her way out to the parking lot and jumped into Alex's rusty old 1971 Chevy Chevelle SS. His dad had left it behind when he ran out two years ago and Alex had been working on getting the car fixed. Although the old car took a bit of time to finally turn on. The engine had a few kinks, but it worked and it went fast and that was all Alex cared about. Although, Jo wasn't too fond of the rip in the leather on the passenger seats that cut her leg when she wore shorts.

Luckily though, it was quiet enough for her to drive around to the back of the school by the shop class that was always loud enough to cover the sound of the engine. Jo put the car in park before she climbed over the console into the passenger seat. She didn't doubt that Lexie would help Alex, but she was sure that Ms. Schmidt wouldn't let him go.

Jo loved Ms. Schmidt, she really did. The older widowed home EC teacher was the only person in the whole world who gave a crap about her. When she found out that Jo was living out a stolen car at 14, she forced her to come home with her. Ms. Schmidt wasn't even a foster parent, but she got licensed just so she could keep Jo. The day Ms. Schmidt officially adopted her was the best day of her life. Ms. Schmidt was the mother she never had, but she was also insanely overprotective and she didn't approve of Jo dating Alex. Although Jo was hoping to change that and Alex had reluctantly agreed to weekly dinners at her place so Ms. Schmidt could see the kind of guy that Alex was. Still, sneaking out of school together didn't really help that, but hopefully, Ms. Schmidt would never find out.

She bit her lip as she watched the door, again checking the clock on the old radio that barely worked. When she looked back at the door, it opened and Alex smirked as he swaggered over to her. Jo smiled as he got into the front seat and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. She leaned in and pressed her hand against his cheek before she kissed him. She let her lips claim him for a moment, enjoying the feeling of electricity that always flowed between them.

“Did Ms. Schmidt really let you go?” Jo said as she pulled back from the kiss and Alex took the car out of park as he started to drive out of the schoolyard.

“Well, Lexie came back with a very convincing story about how the nurse said you had a concussion and she was taking you home. So I think she let me go thinking I would take you home and take care of you. I think she's starting to like me,” Alex said as he relaxed, keeping his arm around her shoulders as he drove.

“I hope so, but you got to stop being a smartass in class. I want her to see you like I do,” Jo said as she settled her head against his shoulder.

They stared out at the road in front of them as they headed out of town. Iowa City may have been one of the bigger cities in Iowa, but just like all the towns as soon as they got out, it was nothing but fields and farms. The early spring sun had melted most of the snow, and thankfully the heater was working, meaning that Jo didn't miss the fact that she had left her jacket in her locker, especially with Alex's arm around her. They did what they always did. They just drove around, speeding down the roads that crisscrossed like squares, up and down the hills and across the open plains that made up Iowa.

“Still, we can't do this again,” Jo said, picking her head up off her shoulder as she looked up at him.

“Why not, we do this all the time and it's not like our grades are suffering?” Alex said with a shrug as he looked over at her.

“You're such a bad influence,” Jo said with a laugh and a shake of her head.

“Relax, princess, we're not missing much and I know you could teach that class in your sleep,” Alex said as he glanced over at her with a smirk.

Jo just turned to stare out at the road before then. The empty fields quickly passed by and she watched the rows of corn stalks where the farmers had left them after the Harvest that fall.

“I’ll have you back before she gets home and she'll never even notice,” Alex said as he reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. “Because unlike me, you're a good kid and you have a parent who cares about you.”

“I care about you,” Jo said as she leaned over, wrapping her arm around him, and laid her head on his shoulder. “Which is why I care if you skip class too because you need to get good grades so we can both get scholarships and get out of here.”

“I know, and I will, thanks to you,” Alex said, as he stopped at a stop sign and leaned over to kiss her. It wasn't the first time they had talked about this plan, so Jo didn't bother him anymore as she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

She could feel the car rumble underneath them and feel the heat from the heater warming her skin. The car smelled like leather and gasoline and Alex smelled like that dollar store deodorant he bought, but she loved it. She could feel Alex’s chest rise and fall and he let her have one of his hands to hold and he rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. Of all the places she had ever been, sitting here in the car with Alex was the closest to home she ever got.

Finally, they reach one of their favorite spots. There was a little forested area near one of the abandoned farm houses. Nobody knew who the land belonged to and it was a popular hangout spot among the kids. There were usually a few other kids there, but with school having just gotten out, it was just the two of them. Alex followed the dirt road down to the stream and parked the car where no one would see. Jo reached for the door handle before Alex reached over and caught her arm. She scrunched up her eyebrows and gave him a look as he pulled her back. Alex took a deep breath as he opened the console and pulled out a box. Her eyes went wide, and she put both of her hands over her mouth as her jaw dropped.

Alex never gave her presents. He completely missed her birthday last year and ran out to the store and bought her flowers and chocolates and a teddy bear. Most girls would have liked that sort of thing, but not Jo. She slammed the door in her face and told him to do better. In Alex's defense, he did do better. He returned the chocolates and the teddy bear and he gave the flowers to Amber. Then he returned with a cupcake and the new album from her favorite band. Since then he had gotten much better at giving her gifts that were meaningful to her. Yet, this tiny little box wrapped in a ribbon was something he had never done before.

“You better not propose to me, Alex Karev,” Jo said as she dropped her hands over her mouth and glared at him.

“Relax, princess,” Alex said, holding out the box to her again, but he still looked nervous as Jo took it.

She looked up at him as she pulled at the ribbon. Alex rubbed his hands on his jeans, a telltale sign that he was nervous as he watched her open it. His eyes stared at her hands and glanced up at her face to gauge her reaction, but never willing to meet her eyes. Finally, Jo opened the box to reveal an oval shaped gold locket with an intricate design of little half-shaped circles with a dot in the middle and tiny little flowers that surrounded a red ruby. Jo couldn't help but let her lips part as she gasped and stared at the locket.

“I know you're not really a jewelry girl, but I just, I thought you might like it,” Alex said, fumbling over his words as she stared at the locket.

“It's beautiful and I love it,” Jo said with a smile as she looked up at him before she reached out and wrapped her arms around him.

“Good, you should open it too,” Alex said when she pulled back.

She leaned into him as she took the locket out of the box and opened it. Inside was a little ripped up piece of notepaper carefully folded to fit. Jo smiled, this was the Alex part of the gift that she loved as she opened it and read it.

‘When you're ready, we'll run,’ was written in Alex's scrawled and messy handwriting and she smiled before she looked back at him. She didn't have to ask him what it meant, they both knew. Having this little promise with her was more meaningful to her than the locket that it came in.

“Come on. Let me put it on you,” Alex said, holding out his hand for the locket.

Jo folded the piece of paper and put it back in before she handed it to him and turned around, pulling her hair over her shoulder. Alex fastened to the locket around her neck and it hung low enough for her to see it right near her heart.

When he was finished, she turned around and put both of her hands on his cheeks as she kissed him. She quickly climbed over the console and the gear shift to sit in his lap as they kissed. This time it was less electric and more soft or at least it started out that way, but the second she climbed into his lap, he pulled his seat back and put his hands on her hips, grounding her against him as he kissed her with more heat.

Alex pulled back as his lips trailed down her neck and his hands went under her shirt. Jo closed her eyes and moaned as Alex quickly pulled her shirt off. But as Jo opened her eyes she saw something on the road. The sound of the cop car turning on the siren once as a warning was enough to have her jumping into the passenger seat. As soon as she jumped out of his lap, he turned the key in the ignition. Despite the fact that she was 16 and he was 17, they could still get in trouble for having sex in public and technically being somewhere they weren't supposed to be. The cops use any excuse to arrest the kids they found there.

Alex revved the engine, and Jo had just enough time to click her seat belt before they took off. He headed onto the main road before the cops could even realize what was going on. Although they gave chase, Alex knew these roads and they quickly outran the cop. Jo laughed as she pulled on her t-shirt on again, watching the fields go by before she glanced over at Alex. He glanced over at her, quickly giving her a wink before he held out his hand and she took it, intertwining their fingers. No matter where she went so long as she had Alex to run with, she knew she would be all right.

Give me the keys, I'll bring the car back around

We shouldn't be in this town

And my so-called friends, they don't know

I'd drive away before I let you go

So give me a reason and don't say no, no

There's a chain 'round your throat, piece of paper where I wrote

"I'll wait for you"

There's a key on the chain, there's a picture in a frame

Take it with you

And run, like you'd run from the law

Darling, let's run

Run from it all

We can go where our eyes can take us

Go where no one else is, run

Oo-oo-oo, we'll run

……………………………………………………………………

Jo knew the second that Ms. Schmidt’s car turned onto their street. As a foster kid, she always used to predict when her foster parents got home and some things never change. Especially when she was hanging out with her boyfriend in her room when she wasn't supposed to. Jo instantly got up from where she was laying on the bed with Alex watching TV and went over to the window, picking at the blinds as she looked out onto the street to see Ms. Schmidt approaching the driveway.

“She's here?” Alex guessed, already getting off the bed as Jo nodded and the two of them ran downstairs.

Jo grabbed an ice pack from the fridge, wrapping it up in a tea towel before Alex met her in the living room, holding the book she was supposed to be reading for English. Jo ran over to the couch as Alex motioned for her to lie down. She put the ice pack on the back of her head as Alex pulled her feed into his lap. Then, he pulled open the book and took out her bookmark as he began reading from the top of the page. By the time Ms. Schmidt walked in the door, the two of them were perfectly arranged on the couch, innocently reading while Jo iced her head.

“Hello,” Ms. Schmidt called into the house as Jo heard her set her bags down in the mudroom.

“Hello, Ms. Schmidt,” both Alex and Jo called out.

Ms. Schmidt came into the living room, giving both of them a smile as she rolled up their sleeves on her blouse. “Mr. Karev, what a surprise to see you here.”

“I just wanted to make sure Jo was all right,” Alex replied, giving her a polite nod before he looked over at her.

“How are you feeling, dear?” Ms. Schmidt asked as she leaned down to put her hand on Jo’s forehead and kiss her head.

Jo looked down, playing with the hem of her shirt, avoiding even Alex's eyes as Ms. Schmidt pulled back. After living with Ms. Schmidt for a number of years, she never got used to the motherly affection and sweet nickname she gave her. Jo had always wondered and dreamed about being adopted or her birth mom coming back and taking you away. Now that she had Ms. Schmidt, it filled the hole in the heart and Jo’s longing for a mother.

“I'm doing better,” Jo said, giving her a light smile as she still held the ice pack to her head.

Ms. Schmidt smiled down at her with a little sparkle in her eyes that told Jo that although she had initially believed her, she now had her doubts. “I was thinking about a tater tot casserole for dinner. Are you staying, Alexander?”

“No, I should get going, Amber and Aaron will be home from school by now and I should go make dinner for them,” Alex said, giving Jo’s legs one last pat before he slipped out from under her.

“Well, you and your siblings are welcome to join us anytime,” Ms. Schmidt said, giving him a smile.

“Thanks,” Alex said, he gave Ms. Schmidt a nod before he looked over at Jo and she beckoned him forward and he leaned down to kiss her goodbye.

He was always so awkward around Ms. Schmidt and it made her smile. She pulled back after placing a gentle kiss on her lips and looked at Ms. Schmidt giving her a nod before she pulled him in for a hug. She squeezed him for a second as Alex looked at Jo over her shoulder with a surprised look, but Jo smiled. Alex hugged her back a little bit before he gave them both an awkward little wave. Then he left and both of them watched him go.

“That boy does not get enough hugs,” Ms. Schmidt with a sad little smile before she went to walk back into the kitchen. “Are you up for helping me with dinner, Josephine?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Jo said, getting up and grabbing her English book as she followed Ms. Schmidt into the kitchen.

……………………………………………………………………

“Our song is a slamming screen doors, sneakin' out late, tapping on your window,” Jo sang at full volume, her head bobbing to the music as she jammed out to her favorite song on the radio. The song that she also claimed was their song.

Alex couldn't help but laugh and hum along. Jo didn't have the prettiest voice in the world, but she looked so happy and carefree as she sang. He let himself laugh. His Dad once told him that he used to laugh in his sleep. Alex didn't laugh like that anymore, but with Jo, he did.

“Stop laughing at me,” Jo looked over at him and caught him laughing again as she reached over to slap his chest. Although he caught her arm before she could pull away.

“I'm not. I promise,” Alex said as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her palm. “You're just so happy. It just makes me happy too.”

Jo rolled her eyes as she looked back out the window, but he saw the little bit of blush that appeared on her cheeks and it made him smile. She continued to sing to the song as it finished before his eyes went back to the road. It's the middle of summer and hot as hell outside. The old 71 Chevelle didn't have air conditioning, so they've got both the windows rolled down and the air comes flying in, whipping the wind around them. Jo’s tied her hair back into a bun to keep it out of her face. Still, all the little strands catch in her lips as she sings. Summertime means more time together and fewer responsibilities, although they still work part-time. Today is their day off and Alex intends to make the most of it.

“How's Amber and Aaron doing at their new foster home?” Jo asked, poking his arm to get his attention as he looked over at her.

“They seem to be doing good. The parents are nice, I think and Aaron says they are treated well,” Alex says with a shrug, although he knows all too well that just because things are good at the start doesn't mean it always will be.

Jo nodded, she knew that too. “What about your latest foster parent?”

Alex just shrugged. “I don't know. He works the night shifts so he sleeps a lot during the day, but he gets up in the morning and eats cereal with me and tells me to have a good day.”

“That's not so bad,” Jo said, tilting her head with a smile.

“Yeah, I guess. It won’t matter for long. I’ll be 18 in a few weeks and then I'll just live at my mom's place,” Alex said with a shrug.

It was nice that his foster parent stayed out of his business, but it felt weird to have someone who got up and ate breakfast with him. He'd never had that before and Jo was right it was. It wasn't so bad, in fact, it was kind of nice.

“It'd be better if I could eat cereal with you in the mornings,” Alex said as he took his eyes off the road for a second to glance over at her.

“As much as I'd love that too, I don’t think Ms. Schmidt would allow it,” Jo giggled as she leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek.

“Yeah, if she ever caught us in bed together, she'd skin me alive,” Alex said with a chuckle, although he did generally fear her.

“She'd kill you dead if she knew about the things we did when we're in bed,” Jo said in a low voice as she leaned over to whisper in his ear.

Alex chuckled too before they both laughed. Neither one of them were used to having parents, someone who gave a crap about whether you were out too late, or having sex with your boyfriend, or whether you got breakfast in the morning. They were used to doing what they wanted and figuring things out for themselves, so they weren't used to abiding by their guardians' wishes. As was such on a day like today. Although both of their foster parents knew that they were spending the day together, Jo and Alex didn't exactly give them the details of where they were going.

“Can we stop somewhere now?” Jo said as she looked out on the fields.

They had been driving around town and the surrounding county roads for a while. They just kept going and passing farms and fields.

“Since when do you complain about us driving around for hours?” Alex said, only teasing her further as he just smiled as he turned towards the river.

“It's been hours Alex. Most of the time when we’re driving around for a while, we only do it for a couple hours and then stop and mess around somewhere.” Jo complained as she threw her head back against the headrest.

“Are you 7 or 17?” Alex said with a laugh as Jo slapped his chest again.

“Alright, alright,” Alex said as he slowed down and turned onto the next Road. “Why don't we go over to the river and we can mess around.

Jo giggled as they drove down the dirt road to a spot by the river. She leaned over and started kissing his neck, distracting him even more as her hands trailed down his chest to his jeans.

“Stop, I still have to park,” Alex said, ignoring her teasing hands as he tried to keep his focus on the road.

“Please, you know this road like the back of your hand, you could park here with your eyes closed,” Jo argued back as she pressed her lips to his neck again.

Alex groaned and rolled his eyes as she continued to distract him. Although he put his foot on the brake and pulled to a stop. Then closed his eyes and let himself enjoy her distractions before the familiar sound of a Sheriff Gardner's police siren went off. Alex's eyes flew open as he looked in the rearview mirror to see him pulling onto the dirt road.

Alex swore as Jo pulled back as he shifted his foot to the gas and they took off.

“I swear to God one day he's going to catch us and you and I are going to end up in juvie for indecency and trespassing,” Jo said with a huff as she sat back in the passenger seat.

“Yeah, but you'd make a hot little jailbird,” Alex said, glancing over at her with a smirk as he watched her roll her eyes.

“Shut up,” Jo said, reaching over to smack his arm, but she laughed and the sound filled the car as they drove off again.

So you laugh like a child

And I'll sing like no one cares

No one to be, no one to tell

I could see this view a hundred times

Pale blue sky reflected in your eyes

So give me a reason and don't say no, no

And the note from the locket, you keep it in your pocket

Since I gave it to you

There's a heart on your sleeve

I'll take it when I leave

And hold it for you

And run, like you'd run from the law

Darling, let's run

Run from it all

We can go like they're trying to chase us

Go where no one else is, run

Oo-oo-oo, we'll run

……………………………………………………………………

“Hey,” Jo said, greeting Alex from behind.

She had wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. He was sitting at the table in the library after school, working on a stack of documents. Alex smiled, he was the only one who put up with her clinging.

“How was your mathletes meeting?” Alex asked, turning his head to look at her.

“Good, I think we're ready for state nationals,” Jo said, still hanging onto his neck.

“Nice,” Alex said with a smile leaning in for another kiss.

“What are you working on?” Jo asked, looking at the papers in front of him.

“Oh, just getting a start on all those college applications you keep bugging me about,” Alex said, showing her the forms for various colleges, including Princeton and Udub, where both Jo and Lexie wanted to go.

“Good,” Jo said with a smile as she sat down next to him.

She sorted through a few more applications for several schools, all of them out-of-state, some on the east coast, some on the west. A few were for the states nearby, including Mayo up in Minnesota, but the one he was working on was the application Iowa university with for Iowa State next to it.

“What's this?”

“Well, I just figured it'd be good to have some backups,” Alex said with a shrug as Jo looked over the nearly completed application.

“Well yeah, but what about New Jersey state university, or a state university somewhere other than here,” Jo said, shaking her head as she leaned over him before noting his serious look. “You aren't really thinking about staying here?”

Alex turned away from her eyes, but she caught his look long enough to read his face. She looked over the applications again and realized that the ones to the school they had agreed on hadn't even been filled out yet.

“Alex.”

“Look, Jo, it's not that easy,” Alex said, his voice rising as he gestured to applications in front of him. “It's not like I have the grades to get into those places.”

“But I've been helping you,” Jo argued, she always made sure they finished their homework before they did anything else.

“It's not enough,” Alex yelled again as Jo leaned back a little bit. Alex looked down before he adopted a softer tone, still upset but not yelling. “I lied okay. I'll sit with you and I'll do a couple of problems or work on papers or projects, but you think so fast and school work comes so easy to you. By the time you're done, I'm barely halfway through, but I say that I'm done because I want to hang out with you and I don't want you to think that I'm stupid.”

“I know you're not stupid,” Jo said sinking into the chair next to him.

“No, but I'm not nearly as smart as you and I'm not smart enough to get into these schools. On top of that, I can't just up and go and leave everybody behind. I have Amber, Aaron, and my mom.”

“Amber and Aaron are at St. Savior's. They're being completely taken care of and I thought your mom would be fine on her own. She's on her meds at least, right?”

“She's not,” Alex said with a sigh, shaking his head. “She's off her meds and she keeps wandering out of the house in the mornings, so I have to get up and go find her. That's why I've been late to school so often. The only reason she's not out now is cuz I lock the door behind me from the outside, but I can't do that while I'm at the house.”

“Alex, if things are that bad with your mom, then maybe you should get her committed,” Jo said, she'd seen how burned out he'd been recently, but she thought it was just senior year. She knew that regardless, trying to take care of Helen was way too much for an 18-year-old.

“No,” Alex said firmly, glaring at her for even bringing it up.

“Alex, you can't spend your entire life taking care of your mom. You have to live your own life. You want to become a doctor, a good one and you're never going to be able to do that if you go to these second-rate schools and spend your entire free time taking care of your mom. You've got to think about yourself for once!” Jo leaned in to whisper as she argued with him.

“I can't!” Alex argued back, his voice rising again. “They're my family. It's my responsibility to take care of them. You want to get out of here so fast that you don't care who you leave behind. All you think about is yourself. Well, I don't have that luxury, Jo. I'm not going to abandon them for my own selfish ambitions. You just don't know what it's like because you don't have a family.”

Jo sat back, her lips parted as tears filled her eyes. “You're wrong, I wasn't just going to leave everybody behind. I wasn't just going to abandon Ms. Schmidt, she's an adult, she can take care of herself and we can still have a long distance relationship. I guess you just don't understand that I want to get out of here so bad it hurts. I know what it's like in other places. I grew up in Boston and every part of me wants to go back. I thought, I thought that when I left you would come with me because you're my family, Alex, but I guess I'm not your family. I love you Alex, and I was never going to abandon you, but I guess it's easy for you to abandon me.”

“Jo, I didn't mean it like that. Jo wait,” Alex pleaded with her but she just got up and practically ran out of the library.

Alex rushed after her for a bit, but she just ran. Jo ran through the school headed for Ms. Schmidt's classroom. Ms. Schmidt had always told her to be careful with Alex, to not plan her life around a boy. To choose her own path in life and to be careful and not get pregnant. Jo had known she was right and she was careful. But he just wanted to stay here close to his family. Jo was determined not to be another one of the girls in their hometown who married their childhood sweetheart, got pregnant, and became a housewife. Although she didn't see anything wrong with that kind of life, she wanted more than just that.

For the first time in her life, she had a good future ahead of her. She wanted to be a doctor, a surgeon, an excellent one. She wanted to go to the top schools and study at the top hospitals. She wanted to be the best she could be and she thought Alex shared that dream. She wanted more than the life that this small town could give her and now she was alone in her ambitions.

The second she got to Ms. Schmidt's classroom, she stopped. Tears were still streaming down her face, but Jo put her hand over her mouth to stop from crying out. What if Alex was right? By going away to college Jo was giving up the only home that she'd ever known. Ms. Schmidt didn't have anybody. Her son had left long ago and only visited once a year. She was getting older and Jo knew how hard it was for her to do things around the house. If Jo left, she would be all alone. She turned around, putting her back against the lockers, and sank down. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hid her face as she cried. Jo tried to keep her sobs silent, but they echoed in the long hallway and Ms. Schmidt opened the door to find her.

“Oh Jo, what is it, sweetie?” Ms. Schmidt asked as she bent down next to her and wrapped her arms around her.

Jo picked up her head and looked up at her, wiping her eyes and swallowing the lump in her throat. “If I go away for college, will you hate me for leaving?”

“Oh heavens no, child. What put that idea into your head? I’ve always known that you would leave, that you would spread your wings and fly away to something greater. I knew this even before I adopted you. But I did so because I wanted to give you the love and the family you deserved. I fell in love with you, Josephine Wilson-Schmidt.”

“Really?” Jo asked, still not quite believing her.

“Yes,” Ms. Schmidt said confidently as she slowly got up before offering Jo her hand. Jo got up as Ms. Schmidt put an arm around her shoulder. She let her into her classroom before guiding her into a chair and pulling out a box of tissues. “Now, what brought all this on?”

“Alex,” Jo said as she wiped her face with the tissue and tried to ignore Ms. Schmidt’s sigh. “He doesn't want to go away to college. He wants to go to Iowa University here so he can stay and look after his mom, instead of trying to get into Harvard or Princeton.”

“I think the boy is trying to be realistic and I understand his want to stay near his family,” Miss Schmidt said, offering her another tissue. Jo looked down and scrunched up the tissue in her hand. Of course, Miss Schmidt saw right through her. “Was there something else he said?”

Her tears clouded her vision as she clutched the tissue in her fist, Jo whispered. “He said I didn't get it because I didn't have a family, but I thought I was his family because I made him mine.”

“Well, I hope you know that's not true because you have me. You will always have me, Josephine,” Ms. Schmidt said as she just gave her a sympathetic smile and wrapped one arm around her. “And someday, when you're a big shot doctor, I hope that you love me enough to call now and then and visit for Christmas.”

“I will, I promise,” Jo said with a nod as she let her tears fall freely again.

She knew she would always have Ms. Schmidt, despite how Jo knew she would have to leave her to spread her wings. She thought that she would always have Alex and he would always be by her side. They would go through life together, but instead, she now faced her future alone.

……………………………………………………………………

Alex knew he messed up the second the words left his mouth. He didn't mean it the way he said it. He kind of did, but not really, not like he said it. It's just that Jo didn't have anybody relying on her. She was free to do whatever she wanted, and she had got the grades and the means to do so. Sometimes he envied that luxury. He'd love to be able to fuck off and not have to worry about his mom and his siblings. He knew that Amber and Aaron were doing well at St. Saviour's, the nunnery that ran a boarding school and the home for kids, but he still felt the need to check on them every so often. He made sure they were keeping their grades up, that no one was messing with them, and that they knew someone loved them.

Still, he meant it when he’d said he wanted to get in his car and drive away and never look back. He had been carrying the weight of his family since he was a kid, even before his dad left. It’s a burden that so heavily weighed upon him that he didn't realize how much until it was taken away.

It was late on a Wednesday night, as Alex drove up Jo’s street and parked in front of her house. All of the lights were off in the house as it was pretty late. He tried to be quiet as he snuck around the back of the house, avoiding where he knew the window was to Ms. Schmidt's bedroom. He walked around the house to Jo's window, facing the backyard. Then he walked up to the flower bed and picked up a few little rocks before stepping back. He threw a couple of rocks in quick succession at her window before he saw the lights turn on. He waited and threw one more before the curtains part and her window opened.

He knew it wouldn't be easy to apologize this time. Alex knew that he'd hurt her, deeply, with what he had said. He wished he could think things through before he said them, but he'd never been very good at that. He wished it could and he realized now that he really had to try. More importantly, he had to apologize and make it up to her.

“What?” Jo whisper-yelled in a way that is both silent and deadly as she glared at him.

“I'm sorry, can we go for a drive and talk?” Alex offered, holding out his arms to her in the hope that she would take him back.

Instead, Jo just glared at him more. “No, it's 11:30 pm on a school night!”

And with that, Jo slammed her window shut and closed the curtains before turning off the light. Alex stood there in surprise, thinking that maybe she would change her mind and come downstairs or open the window again, but he knows better than that. Jo had always been as stubborn as he was and when she made up her mind, that was it. But he wouldn't give up on her, he couldn't. Jo was the one good thing in his life and he wasn't going to give her up just because he said something stupid.

Alex let out a sigh and kicked the grass as he walked back around the front of the house. He glanced up at Ms. Schmidt's window to see that it was still dark and the curtains were still closed, so at least he didn't get caught. The next day at school, he caught her eyes in the hallway and he knew she saw him, but she didn't approach him and she didn't sit next to him at lunch like she usually did. Alex instead ate lunch with the rest of his wrestling buddies, who were pleased to have him without his girlfriend, but it wasn't the same.

Finally, Saturday rolled around and Alex once again snuck around the side of Jo's house. He picked up a few stones from the flower beds and tossed them at her window. Once again, Jo's light turned on before she opened the window and looked down at him.

“It's not a school night, can we talk now?” Alex pleaded with her.

Yet, Jo just glared and angrily whispered down to him. “No, I'm not going to sneak out just because you can't apologize to me in the daylight like a normal person.”

Once again, she slammed the window shut and Alex sighed again as he stood there in the dark, alone. First, she didn't want to meet with him on a weeknight and now she didn't want to go out with him on the weekend. They used to push the bounds of their curfews, not that Alex had one and Ms. Schmidt had rarely enforced it. Jo was lucky like that. Ms. Schmidt knew that she was a teenager set in her own ways and had been taking care of herself. Still, she had rules in place to make sure that Jo was safe. She had a 1 a.m. curfew on the weekend, but so long as both of them were in the house by sunrise the next morning and told Miss Schmidt where they were, she didn't mind if they stayed out later. Jo was the only person in Alex's life who cared if he got home. She was the only person who gave a damn about him in this world and he couldn't lose her.

Finally, Monday afternoon, Alex waited for her after school. He leaned against his car in the parking lot. He deliberately parked next to Jo that morning and waited for her to come out of school. He spotted Jo coming towards her car with Lexie right beside her. Both of them remained quiet as Jo walked over to her car until finally, they were standing in front of him. Jo looked away from him, but Lexi glared.

“Can I please apologize to you now?” Alex asked, raising his eyebrows and trying not to seem as anxious as he was.

“Okay,” Jo said in a neutral tone.

Alex was relieved especially as Jo came over to him. He opened the side door for her and she sat down in his passenger seat. He had never really opened the door for her before. It felt a little chivalrous and weird, but Jo smiled up at him and he smiled back. He closed the door and went to walk around to the driver's side before Lexie blocked his way and put a hand on his chest to stop him.

“You better really apologize to her because Jo deserves better than all the crap you gave her,” Lexie said, still glaring at him.

“I am going to apologize and I'm gonna make it up to her. I love her, Lexie and I can't lose her,” Alex said, pleading with her and hoping that she would believe him.

Lexie's glare softened as she let her hand drop and stepped aside. Alex was glad that Jo had such a fierce friend who looked out for her like Lexie did. Lexie got into Jo's car and drove off. Alex took a deep breath before getting in the car. Jo immediately stared at him as Alex took a deep breath and turned the key in the ignition.

“I'm sorry, I was an asshole,” Alex said, staring straight ahead but glancing over at Jo before he started to pull out of the parking spot.

“It's a start, go on,” Jo said in a soft tone as Alex moved into the line that headed out of the parking lot. It was pretty much bumper-to-bumper which gave him time to glance over at her.

“Look, I was wrong to say you don't have a family. You do have a family, Jo, don't let anybody tell you that you don't have a family because you do. You have Ms. Schmidt and you have me. But I also have Amber and Aaron and my mom, even before my dad left. I felt like I was the one who had to be responsible and take care of them. I've sacrificed everything to take care of them, but you're right. I can't sacrifice my entire life anymore and it looks like I won't have to.”

The entire time he spoke, Alex just looked at the car in front of him. So when Jo reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, he looked over at her and he knew she could see the pain in his eyes.

“Alex, what happened?”

“A week and a half ago, my mom didn't take her meds and wandered into a convenience store. They said she kept mumbling about needing to buy shoes or something and she started pulling things off the shelves and making a mess. So they called the police and when the police got there, she fought them, and they arrested her.”

“Oh God, Alex, I'm so sorry,” Jo said, no matter what, Alex has always tried to keep his mom from getting into trouble and away from the police. So she knew what this meant. “Is she okay now, did they…. Where is she?

“Well, she's actually not in jail, which I guess is something,” Alex said with a shake of his head. “Still, they weren't going to release her. Instead, they sent her to the psychiatric Hospital. It's not the worst in the world, but it's not necessarily the best either. Anyway, I guess because of what she did to the convenience store, the state is going to charge her with something and then I guess that gives her a free ride in the hospital for the next four years. I don't know, but anyway, the hospital is going to take care of her from now on.”

“Are you okay?” Jo asked, rubbing her hand up and down his arm, but Alex just laughed.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m free. I’m free Jo, for the first time in my entire life I don’t have to worry about my mom or my siblings. I'm 18 now, so all I gotta do is pay the rent and take care of myself and I’ve been doing that for years. I’m free and I can finally do whatever I want!”

Alex was so relieved. He felt happier and lighter than he had in years. He had never felt like this. Even when they would skip school and drive around town without any care in the world, there was always that lingering knowledge that it was just for a few hours and then the burdens of their lives would come back. Every day the burdens of his life weighed upon him. Now as he looked over at her with a smile, he just felt happy.

“Alex, that's great!” Jo said, matching his smile as he looked over at her and leaned over the console to quickly press his lips against hers.

Alex felt that familiar spark of electricity between them as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he got lost in her lips. It was hot and heavy and he felt like the rest of the world faded away as he kissed her. That is until the car behind them honked and they realized they had to move forward.

Jo giggled as she pulled back and Alex looked over at her with a smirk on his lips that he knew drove her crazy. They finally made it out of the parking lot and Alex headed straight out of town. He looked over and held out his hand for Jo as she interlaced their fingers. For the first time since their fight, it felt like old times again as they drove around. Alex went back to the river, but this time they found a quiet spot overlooking the river as Alex parked the car.

Instead of staying in the car like he usually did, Alex got out and quickly ran around to her side of the car. He opened the door for her, which was strange as he never did that unless they were going out on a date. Still, Jo took his hand and let him pull her to the front of the car overlooking the river.

“There's something I have to do. It's a little cheesy, but,” Alex said as he got down on one knee before He pulled a little black box out of his pocket.

“Oh my God, Alex,” Jo said as she put her hands over her mouth and watched him open the box to reveal a silver band with an intricate design of hearts.

“Josephine Wilson,” Alex said, looking up at her and holding the box out to her as he started his speech, but Jo quickly cut him off.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?!”

Alex's smile dropped as he looked up at her in Surprise. “Well, I um.”

“You better not be asking me to marry you, Alexander Karev. I am 17 years old and there's no way I'm getting married until I'm at least 26 and have graduated from med school, and then there's no way I'm letting you knock me up until I'm at least done with my residency, so you better put that went ring away right now or I’ll….”

“Jo, will you just shut up and listen to me for a second,” Alex said, shaking his head as he smiled and Jo shut her mouth. “I’m not trying to propose. This is a promise ring. You think that I don't know that you don't want to get married until after med school, you only tell me like all the time.”

Alex rolled his eyes and Jo scoffed as she reached out and gave his shoulder a shove, but she finally relaxed and let him continue.

“Jo, I love you. It's always been you and me since the moment we met. My life is supposed to be with you and I want to be your family, so I want to give you this ring as a promise to you that I'm always going to be in your corner. I'm always going to be your family and one day, if you let me, I want to be your husband.”

“I love you too Alex, and I want a big giant career, but I don't want to go anywhere without you. You are my home and you are my heart. I want to be your family too and I want you to be mine.”

Alex smiled as he stood up and pulled her in for a kiss. Jo smiled against his lips as she held him. They pressed themselves up against each other and she wrapped one arm around his neck, pulling him in. It wasn't like the heated kiss in the car earlier. It was sweet and full of promise and the love that they had for each other.

When they pulled back, Alex reached out and took her hand and took the ring out of the box, but Jo pulled back. She could see the disappointment flash across his face, but she reached out and took the ring and with her other hand, she pulled the locket from under her shirt.

“I love the ring, but if I put it on my ring finger everyone’s going to assume we’re engaged and Ms. Schmidt is going to kill you,” Jo said as Alex chuckled and nodded as she put the ring in the locket. “But I promise you one day, if you propose with a diamond ring, I’ll say yes, but not until.”

“After you graduate med school, I know,” Alex said as he finished her sentence and his eyes sparkled as he just stared at her.

The spring sun warmed the grass and a gentle breeze wound through the trees to tickle their skin. It was a nice enough day that Jo didn't protest when Alex pulled her down to the grass. He leaned in to kiss her again and reach for the hem of her t-shirt. Jo reached for his T-shirt to pull it off as well. She was undoing the belt around his waist when his ears picked up the sound of another car on the gravel road and pulled away from her. Jo turned around and her eyes went wide as she spotted the familiar cop car make its way down to the river.

“Shit,” Jo said as she quickly grabbed her shirt and Alex's hand and pulled him over to the car.

The two of them quickly got into the car, pulling their shirts back over their head before Alex turned the key in the ignition. The second the car roared to life, the officer turned on the sirens. Jo looked back at the cop car. They were close but Alex was quicker as he put the car in drive and raced off. She quickly put her seatbelt on and did Alex's for him as they raced off. The cop car chased them, but they were faster and easily outpaced them before hiding around the corner of old Mr. Higgins Barn.

“Why is it that whenever I go to the river with you, we always end up running from the law,” Jo said with an eye roll as she finally pulled her t-shirt back on.

Alex didn't respond, he just laughed and Jo couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. “You know that since my mom’s been committed, I technically have the house to myself?”

“Oh really, so you're saying that instead of being out here rolling around in the grass where we could get caught, we could have been at your place?” Jo said, staring at him with a deadpan look.

“Alright, alright, we can go there now,” Alex said with a smile as he started the car again.

……………………………………………………………………

The second her name was called, Jo took a deep breath before walking across the graduation stage. Unlike all of the other students, there wasn't a large crowd shouting her name, clapping and cheering for her. As she looked, she saw Alex, Ms. Schmidt, and Lexi clapping and shouting, Alex even whistled. Her chest was filled with so much pride as she accepted her diploma, shaking the hands of the principal and the other staff. She had done it. She remembered being 14 and wondering how she was going to do this when she was living in her car. Yet here she was and she had a home, a boyfriend, and people who cared about her. She smiled for the rest of the day and after throwing her cap up in the air and catching it, she immediately ran to find Alex and Ms. Schmidt.

It took a while to find them amidst the crowd, but as soon as she spotted Alex she ran for him. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up as they kissed. She relaxed in his arms as her lips melted into his. She laughed as he spun her around and he eventually set her down. Ms. Schmidt soon claimed his place, pulling her in for a hug and Jo relished the feeling of being in the woman who was like her mother's arms. However, she knew that these hugs would be few and far between after she and Alex left that afternoon.

She and Lexie had a joint graduation party, although Lexie’s side had more people, a lot of Jo's friends came as well. It was a good time and Jo enjoyed it. However, she couldn't wait in anticipation as the party ended. Finally, Alex helped her pack the last of her things into the u-haul they had attached to Alex's car as they prepared to leave for Boston. They both had officially been accepted into Princeton University that year and Jo had a special invitation to attend the summer program. She and Alex were finally moving to Boston and getting out of this small town.

“Are you two sure you don't want to stay the night and leave tomorrow morning? It's such a long drive and I'd hate for you to have to drive through the night when you could get a good night's sleep,” Ms. Schmidt said as Jo loaded up the last of the boxes and Alex pulled the trailer door down.

“It's only 18 hours and if we leave now, we’ll be there by 3 p.m. tomorrow. Plus, it's not like we won't sleep. We’ll be taking shifts through the night,” Jo said as she fiddled with the strap to her bag that she hadn't put in the car yet.

“I suppose I'm only putting off the inevitable,” Ms. Schmidt said with a sigh as she looked at Jo.

Jo could tell that she was holding back tears because she was doing the same. She took a deep breath, trying to hold them back, but they clouded her vision as she reached forward and wrapped her arms around Ms. Schmidt. “Thank you for everything, Mom.”

Jo hadn't meant to call her Mom. It just came out, but it felt right as she hugged her close.

“You’re so welcome, my dear,” Ms. Schmidt said, holding her tightly, squeezing her a little bit too hard, but Jo didn't mind. “You have grown into such a wonderful young woman, Josephine and I love you with all my heart.”

Jo couldn't manage to say any words in return, she just hugged her and nodded against her shoulder. Jo didn't want to let go and it seems that neither did Ms. Schmidt as they hugged each other. Finally, they pulled apart and Ms. Schmidt held her shoulders before reaching up and holding Jo’s face. She brushed away Jo’s tears before she pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She finally let go, and Jo stepped back as Alex wrapped his arm around her waist and she let herself lean into him. They stared at each other for a moment before Jo took a deep breath and Alex let her over to the passenger side door opening it for her like he always did. Jo put her bag down in the seat and moved a few things around. She looked back at Ms. Schmidt before getting into the car.

“Now, you two, stick to the speed limit. I know how you like to speed, Alexander, but you got my baby girl and your front seat, so I hope you'll be careful,” Ms. Schmidt said to him with a scolding finger.

“Yes, ma'am,” Alex said with a simple nod as he climbed into the car.

“And if either of you get too tired, just pull over and get a motel somewhere, and be sure to get a good breakfast somewhere good, not McDonald's! Go to a breakfast restaurant somewhere and when you get there….” Ms. Schmidt paused, and she seemed to think of what to say next, but instead, she just clapped her hands in front of her and smiled at them. “You two just take care and call me whenever you need me.”

“We will,” Jo I assured her before she looked over at Alex to see him nodding as well.

Alex turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. He looked over at her and just smiled as she held out her hand as he reached to intertwine their fingers. He gave her hand to squeeze before he put the car in drive and turned out of the driveway.

“Bye,” Jo said, waving her hand out the window as Ms. Schmidt waved back at her.

Jo waved until they turned the corner of the street and Ms. Schmidt disappeared from view. A bit of grief hit her then, although she knew they would be back to see her at Christmas. Yet it was soon overtaken with a bit of excitement as they headed out of town for the last time. Jo let a smile spread across her face. They were finally getting out of here and going to Boston. Unlike what they usually did, they hopped onto I-90 as they headed east. Jo watched as the cornfields passed by. Although, she soon felt a tug on her hand as Alex looked over at her.

“There's something I got to tell you,” Alex said with a nervous expression as he avoided her eyes. “I didn't get into Princeton.”

“What?” Jo momentarily freaked out. The only reason they were moving to Boston was because they had both gotten into Princeton. What was he doing? Why was he throwing away his education for her? “Oh my God, Alex. Why didn't you tell me this earlier? You're screwed now.”

“Okay, just hold up, princess. I didn't get into Princeton, but I did get into New Jersey University,” Alex said, holding up his hand and taking in her shocked expression. “My grades have improved since I started at Iowa State University, but when I applied for a transfer to Princeton, it just wasn't enough. So I also applied to New Jersey University and I was accepted. I know it's not Princeton, but it's in the same town, and we'll still be able to live together.”

Jo let her shock fade as she absorbed the news, although she quickly reached out and punched his arm. “I can't believe you didn't tell me until now, you asshole.”

“Ow, hey,” Alex protested as he rubbed his arm. “I'm sorry, but it's not like we won't be together anymore. We survived a year with me at college and you’re still in high school. We're going to be together now, that's all that matters.”

Jo let out a breath as she looked back at him. She reached out for his hand again and gave it to squeeze. “You're right. We're together, that's all that matters.”

She pulled Alex's hand forward and kissed the back of his hand. He looked over at her and gave her that crooked smile that she loved. They both looked forward as Jo put her head on his shoulder. They had their whole futures ahead of them and they were finally getting out of this town. They weren't running from anything this time, not their guardians, of the law, or High School, or anything. They were running, and they would run as far as fast as they could towards bigger and better things. They were both one step closer to becoming the doctors they'd always dreamed of being and they were together. They always would be.

There's been this hole in my heart

This thing was a shot in the dark

Say you'll never let 'em tear us apart

And I'll hold onto you while we run (and we run, and we run, and we run)

Like you'd run from the law (and we run, and we run, and we run)

Darling, let's run (and we run, and we run, and we run)

Run from it all (and we run, and we run, and we run)

We can go where our eyes can take us (and we run, and we run, and we run)

Go where no one else is, run (and we run, and we run, and we run)

Oo-oo-oo, we'll run

#jo wilson #jolex #alex karev #grey's anatomy #lexie grey #otp: home and heart #grey's anatomy fanfic #my work #my writing #my fanfiction

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