Izzie pounded the front desk in frustration, ignoring the not so subtle stares from other patrons that were directed at her.

"I'm sorry Miss, but it seems that all of our rooms are booked for the evening," the receptionist said nervously. "There's a rather large wedding going on now and…."

"I know all about the wedding, I'm in the wedding party," Izzie snapped.

The receptionist flinched, nervously thumbing through the book of guests for availability. "I promise to let you know the minute something comes up," she said nervously, picking up the hotel phone.

Izzie sent the girl an apologetic look. It's not her fault that Alex is a creep, she muttered, drumming her hands on the table.

The girl's eyes brightened as she came across a cancellation. "We have a single room that has just become available."

"I'll take it," Izzie said quickly, digging in her purse for a credit card.

The receptionist shook her head, "The room has already been paid for two nights by the previous occupant, she insists that you stay in the room at no charge," the receptionist added.

Izzie broke into a smile at her good fortune and apologized to the girl once again for snapping at her.

"I'll have someone show you to your room," the girl said as a bellboy came forward.

Izzie followed the man up the stair case, as Rebecca watched from behind a pillar, smiling to herself. She had just done a good deed in leaving her room to Izzie and felt that she was finally on the right path.

-----

Alex searched the crowd for Izzie, dismayed that she was nowhere in sight. Once again an outside force had attempted to keep him apart from Izzie. When they first met at Seattle Grace their freshman year it was his male ego that distanced him from Izzie and the rest of the interns. Then it was failing his board exams, which led him to the arms of Nurse Olivia. Denny Duquette had attempted – and succeeded – to keep Alex and Izzie apart from the moment he was admitted to the hospital. Even when Denny was deceased, his spirit kept Izzie from Alex for over a year. Alex wasn't about to let another person influence his relationship with Izzie. They had both come too far, waited too long.

Alex raced into the hotel, hoping that Izzie was still in their room. Thrusting the key into the door, Alex was stunned to find that all of Izzie's belongings had been removed from the one bedroom suite. Alex let out a heavy sigh, bracing himself against the wall of the room.

"She checked out," Maddie Sharp said quietly, standing outside the door.

"You saw her?" Alex asked curiously.

Maddie shook her head. "My cousin did," she said quietly.

"Who is your cousin?" Alex queried, frustrated.

"Rebecca Pope," Maddie said, hanging her head.

Alex glared at Maddie, urging her to continue.

"I did a terrible thing," Maddie said quietly. "Rebecca had told me so much about you when she came out of the hospital; I could tell right away that she was in love with you." Maddie fidgeted with her fingers. "Leaving you was one of the hardest things she ever did."

Alex inched closer to Maddie. "Go on."

"She sent me your picture, saying you were one of the most attractive men she had ever met. After seeing it I had to agree," she chuckled. "That first night, when I saw you with all of the wedding guests, I was so surprised; I never thought I would ever meet the man that saved my cousin's life – and the life of her baby girl." Maddie boldly continued her tale. "That same night I called Rebecca to tell her what I saw – I wasn't even thinking when I told her." Maddie nervously met Alex's gaze. "I thought she should be able to see you again – she couldn't get you out of her mind ever since she left."

"She left me," Alex pointed out. "Not the other way around."

Maddie nodded her head. "Rebecca was afraid; she was torn between two men. So she took the easy road and went back to her husband. I knew the minute she told me about you that she regretted going back to him. She wasn't the same person after the ferry boat accident." Maddie gave Alex a small smile. "You changed her."

"She changed me too," Alex chuckled. "And I thought I had real feelings for her."

"Did you?" Maddie asked shyly.

Alex shook his head. "The more I think about it, the more I realize that the feelings that I thought I had for Rebecca were never intended for her, but for someone else."

"Dr. Stevens?" Maddie questioned.

Alex nodded his head. "We're both victims of bad timing," he chuckled. "Izzie saw me with Rebecca, and now she has the wrong idea."

Maddie placed her hand to her mouth and quickly apologized. "I didn't know that you two were together."

"We weren't," Alex admitted, "But I thought after this weekend, maybe we could be."

Maddie let out a sigh. "Me and my big mouth."

"Don't be so hard on yourself – you thought you were doing a good thing."

"Rebecca's gone," Maddie said. "Izzie's checked into her room, it's next to mine."

Alex perked up. "Do you know if she's still there?"

"I have no idea," Maddie said. "If there's anything I can do to help –"

"I'll let you know," Alex assured her, racing down the halls.

Alex narrowed in on Izzie's floor, eying the open the door. Without knocking, Alex walked into the doorway, eying Izzie's elegant silhouette looking out the window. "Iz."

Izzie Stevens spun around and frowned at Alex. "What are you doing here?"

Alex closed the door and locked it shut.

"Alex?" Izzie asked nervously.

"We need to talk, and I can't have you leaving until I've said everything I want to say."

"Actions speak louder than words Dr. Karev," Izzie snapped. "And what I saw you doing with Rebecca is more than reason to know that I am wasting my time with you."

"Nothing happened," Alex insisted. "Rebecca sought me out and found me."

Izzie prodded Alex to continue.

"Things were complicated when Rebecca left the hospital."

"Things are always complicated with you," Izzie retorted.

"She wanted to know if something was still there and I told her there wasn't."

Izzie stared at Alex, telling him to continue.

"Nothing could happen between me and Rebecca."

"And why is that?" Izzie asked softly.

Alex ventured toward her. "You know why."

Izzie backed herself against the wall, bracing her arms against the paint. "Alex…"

"I have been thinking about you for over a year," Alex whispered. "You've ruined all other women for me – I'm just not interested in them." Alex lifted Izzie's chin so that she was forced to look into his eyes. "You are the only woman I want."

Izzie opened her mouth to speak but Alex cut her off with a kiss. This time Izzie didn't pull away, she pulled Alex closer to her, intensifying the kiss. "Wow," she murmured as Alex broke the embrace.

Alex massaged Izzie's shoulders and gave her a warm smile.

"You've been waiting over a year?" she asked quietly.

"I've had my eye on you since the day we met at the Seattle Grace Mixer."

Izzie playfully slapped Alex's shoulder. "You went home with Olivia that night," she laughed.

"Only because I was too shy to ask you out," he smirked.

"I see," Izzie grinned.

Alex slowly lowered the strap of Izzie's top.

"You're not wasting any time are you Dr. Karev?" Izzie said in a low voice as she began to unbutton his shirt.

"Three years is a long time to wait don't you think?" Alex asked as he danced Izzie over to the bed. Alex and Izzie had fought and flirted with one another since the beginning of their intern year and now it seemed that they were finally getting it right.