She started out as a patient at Seattle Grace, with face deformed from a terrible accident when the ferry crashed in Season 3. Alex Karev found her, pregnant and in bad shape. He tended to her and helped through the recovery. She didn't remember who she was or how she'd gotten to Seattle. She was a mystery with eyes he could look deep into. After weeks of recovery, a surgery to restore her face, Alex helped her pick out a name to go by. The name they decided on was "Ava." It was an exciting moment when Alex realized that she had in fact gotten her memory back only to find out that her memory had returned some time ago and she wanted to keep it a secret. She was bored with her life, her husband and despite her pregnancy had run away to escape her boring life. She gave Alex every chance to ask her to stay, but he wouldn't be a part of it. He found out her real name was Rebecca Pope and called her husband to come and get her. She left Seattle sad and leaving Alex behind. We were all shocked when "Ava" returned to pursue Alex. They quickly ended up in bed, but he was unwilling to give her a reason to leave her husband. He seemed put out at the suggestion of having a real relationship and breaking her from her family where she had a child. She returned again and he told her to leave when she suddenly blurted out that she was pregnant. At first Alex wanted nothing to do with it, but now he's starting to embrace the idea of being a father. He plans to move in with her and she's leaving her husband. The twist is that Ava went into the clinic to be checked out and Isobel Stevens has found out that she's not really pregnant. So the question is, why did she tell Alex she was?  Things get worse, she finds out she was not really pregnant, but has trouble believing it.  She shuts down and can't even feed herself, but Alex is trying to help her through the rough patch.  After she slits her wrists and ends up in the E.R. he's forced to face the facts.  Ava is not alright.  She has an "underlying borderline personality disorder."  He can't help her and he has to let her go to the psych hospital.

Related Articles:

Alex Karev Can't Help Ava (episode 16)

Ava Isn't Pregnant (episode 15)

"Izzie Steven's Secret" (episode 14)

Ava is Pregnant. . .And Babies Are Everywhere (episode 13)

Lexie Grey and Ava Meet (episode 9)

Halloween at Seattle Grace (episode 5)