"I broke up with Maxie."

Elizabeth was standing behind the computer at the nurse's station when she heard those words. Her fingers stopped in mid-type, hovering just above the keys. Her eyes slowly met Matt's as a timid smile spread across her wholesome face. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said kindly. "I know that you guys had hit a rough patch lately, but I was really thinking that you all might be able to work it out."

Matt shrugged as he dropped a stack of charts on the desk. "Well, you know, these things happen," he brushed it off. The truth was that the breakup had been long and messy but completely necessary after the night he had shared with Elizabeth three days ago. It was only after being there with her at her house that he saw a glimpse at what a relationship should be. "The truth is that we haven't been happy together for awhile. I care about Maxie a lot, but her priorities are different than they were a few months ago. Well, maybe that's not true, but mine definitely are."

He wasn't the only one who was left feeling different, better, after everything that had happened between them recently. That night was one of the most intimate of her life, and that ws saying a lot given her romantic roster. What amazed her even more was that nothing had happened. They had spent the entire night talking before eventually falling asleep separately on her sofa. They had shared coffee and breakfast with the boys the next morning before Matt headed to the hospital for his shift and Elizabeth took Cameron to school. It was so natural, so much like a family, that it scared her just a little. It also thrilled her.

"Do you want to talk about it? I have a break coming up. We could get a coffee if you need a shoulder," she offered. The last thing she wanted to hear was Matt wax poetic about Maxie, but if he needed a friend, she would be a friend.

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe I could ask you out," he told her softly. Elizabeth's eyes went wide, sending a small chuckle up Matt's throat. He reached for her wrist and led her away from the station and the prying eyes and ears of Epiphany. "I have these tickets to the circus. I got them from my building manager. I was planning on taking Emma and Robin, but she came down with a cold. What do you say, do you think the boys would like them?"

Elizabeth felt a twist of something familiar – that same something familiar that visited her a few days ago – as she mulled over his offer. Here was this great guy, a doctor no less, asking her and her boys out. "Matt…" Her voice drifted off as small tears wet her eyes. She felt silly for tearing up so easily, but the whole thing was just sweet. "You don't have to do this. I'm okay, really. I know that I was a mess for awhile. You were a great friend to me. You don't have to keep taking care of me."

"That's not what I'm trying to do," he said softly, his voice deep and thick. "Elizabeth, a guy would have to be crazy not to notice how great you are. I know that you have a lot going on. I won't even begin to understand. What I do know, however, is you've helped me more than you probably know. I just want to pay you back a little and spend some time with the boys. I had a lot of fun playing with them. Let me do this, please, if not for you then for them."

"Guilt trip, very nice," she acknowledged. "Okay, a day at the circus would be fun. I'm sure the boys would love it. But you have to let me pay for lunch, I insist."

Maxie never offered to pay for a meal. It wasn't like Elizabeth had extra money laying around, but she was generous. It was just another thing Matt liked about her, not that he had to look hard. "Fine, alright, but I'm not quite done," he told her. "I was wondering what you are doing next Saturday evening? I checked the schedule, so I know you're off. Do you have any other plans?"

Elizabeth scanned her brain for a minute before shaking her head. "None that I can think of," she answered. "Why?"

"Well, I just got some more big news," he grinned. "I'm being published."

"What?" she cried excitedly, covering her face in her hand. "You're on a roll."

"Yeah, this writer from a really great medical journal read about my grant and asked to see some of my findings. I sent it over a couple days ago and then I just received word this morning."

Elizabeth pulled Matt into her arms for a long hug, burying her face in his chest as she squeezed him tightly. She leaned back to meet his dark eyes. "I am so proud of you," she whispered to him as he leaned his chin on top of her head.

Matt resisted the urge to place a kiss on her forehead and instead opted to cup her cheek gently. "Thank you," he replied. "So will you go with me?"

"You never told me where we'd be going."

"There's sort of this dinner, a thing with some of the hospital administrators and the Journal and then a few people from NCI who helped me get the grant. It's in the city. I was hoping you'd be my date."

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment as dreams of pretty beaded gowns and stimulating conversation danced in her head. This was different from any other first date she'd been on. Matt was also different from any other man who had pursued her. He was nice. He wasn't too complicated, save for a few brotherly issues. He didn't have a criminal record, a vendetta or list of aliases. His ego was average for a surgeon and he didn't seem like the selfish type. Most of all, he was safe. And he made her feel safe.

"I would love to be your date."

"Just for the record, is this as friends or, you know, as something more?"

"What do you think, Dr. Hunter?"

" I think that I hope that it's the latter but that I could be happy with the former."

"I think that you won't be disappointed," she smiled kindly. "I'm really liking spending time with you, and I am already looking forward to our date. In fact, I already have the perfect dress in mind."