Alex enters the locker-room knowing that's it is the stupidest thing he'd ever done.

What do you want?" Izzie asks harshly as she turns and sees him.

"We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say and whatever you have to say isn't worth the amount of my time that it will take for you to say it."

"I deserve that."

"You do. Now I am leaving." Alex steps in front of the door blocking Izzie's escape route. "Move out of my way."

"I need to talk to you."

"I already told you, I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"Let me explain."

"Explain! Explain!" With each word Izzie jabs a finger into Alex's chest. "I thought you were kind! I thought there was something more to you then what you showed everyone else! Hell I thought there was a different side to you! That for all of your asshole ways you were different! That there was a side to you that you only showed me! It was all a game wasn't it? The sham of a date, the kind words and jokes. It was all to get me into bed wasn't? Was the bet worth it? How much would you win if you got me?"

Hating how much her words and her pain affect him, Alex grabs Izzie's shoulders and spins them around so she's against the door.

"There was no bet okay! I just told George that so he'd tell you and you would leave me alone!"

"Like I believe that!" Izzie pushes against Alex to free herself from the door but Alex leans closer in, effectively pinning Izzie back against the door.

"Ask him. I didn't make the bet months ago. I told him about it a few days ago and made him think it's been going on. O'Malley didn't care enough to stick around for the details. Couldn't wait to pass it on to you."

"Why did you do it then?"

"To be left alone."

"Why? Why become my friend if you didn't want anyone around?"

"Because I used to think I could be your friend and more. Now I can't." Alex backs away from Izzie and leans against the locker.

"Why not?"

"None of your business." Alex replies harshly. Izzie stays against the door.

"You can't just throw something like that at me and not explain it. Why tell me the bet is fake if you won't tell me why you said it in the first place? What changed?"

"I failed okay! Are you happy now?" Alex yells.

Izzie backs flush against the door again. "Failed? Failed what?"

"My lab clinicals. I have four months to take them again and if I don't pass I'm out." Alex hangs his head down ashamed that his lost his cool enough to tell Izzie. Suddenly he feels a hand on his arm and another on his cheek lifting his head so that he's looking into a pair of kind brown eyes.

"Is that why you were acting the way you were on our date?"

"I found out a couple of hours before I met you at the bar." He whispers.

"You could've told me. It doesn't mean anything. You're still a doctor right?" "Yea, for now."

"So you just take them again. I'll help you."

"Why?"

"Don't question when someone is offering to help save your ass."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Look I'm gonna get going. Have a good one." Izzie opens the door and leaves the locker-room.

"Izzie! Wait!" Alex runs down the hall behind her. "We're both off Friday. I want to make it up to you if you'd give me a chance."

After another hectic week for the interns, Friday finally rolls around. Izzie is at home hunting through her closet for something to wear.

"Nothing too sexy. Don't want him to get any ideas, to think that what he did was okay."

"Izzie? Why are you talking to yourself?" George asks as he stops inside Izzie's doorway.

"I'm just trying to pick out something to wear tonight. That's all."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"What are we like five? Just because I'm going out tonight and I want to look nice okay?"

"Going out? With who?"

"No one."

"Bull. Who are you going out with? Not Alex!" Izzie ignores George and continues to riffle through her closet. "Izzie! He made a bet that he would sleep with you! And you can't use that whole he didn't know me yet like you did with the underwear thing! You can't just go out with him!"

"He explained the whole bet thing to me. And you told me yourself you only heard of the bet when he told you about it the other day. It's fine George. Don't worry about me. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself."

"But it's Alex!" George can't help cringing at the thought.

"I know George. Just let me deal with it okay."

"I give up."

"Good. Now leave so I can get ready."

"Why do I try?" George mumbles as he leaves the room shutting the door behind him.

After giving her hair and makeup a quick once over Izzie grabs some of her old textbooks and heads over to Joe's. She spots Alex sitting at a table near the bar and smiled before heading over to him. Alex slides her the drink he had ordered for her and raises an eyebrow.

"When I said I wanted to try this again, I did mean the whole dinner and maybe a movie thing. You know me paying for food, that sort of thing. Not just buying you a drink or two at Joe's while we go through the books."

"I know. I like it here, it's a comfortable atmosphere and being so close to work it gives you an incentive, a goal to strive for." The two spend the night with Izzie quizzing Alex on various surgical procedures and medical terms while Joe looks on fondly.

"Hey guys, you know I hate to do this, but I gotta shut this place down for the night, so I'm gonna have to kick you out." Alex and Izzie look up from the book they had been reading from and look at Joe confused. They look around the bar seeing it empty with the chairs put up for the night.

"Sorry about that man. You should've told me earlier. I would've helped you out."

"Don't worry about it Alex. You guys were busy. Just think of it as an addition to your tab." Alex laughs as he helps Izzie gather up the books. The two say goodnight to Joe and head outside. Izzie checks her watch realizing that it's three o'clock in the morning.

"I didn't even realize we had been there so long. Here take the books and read through them and next time we have off I'll bring some more and I'll test you on these okay?" Alex nods and watches as Izzie starts walking to the street.

"Where's your car?"

"I don't have one, I'll just get a cab. See you tomorrow."

"You are not getting a cab by yourself in a city at three o'clock in the morning. Come on, I'll give you a ride home." Izzie hesitates a moment, before shrugging and following Alex to his car. Alex follows Izzie's directions back to Meredith's house when they arrive Izzie unbuckles her seat belt and gets ready to get out of the car when Alex garbs her hand.

"Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome." Izzie gets out of the car and starts to walk up to the door with Alex following closely behind.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Well later this morning."

"Yea." Alex replies. Before Izzie can turn around he gives her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks again." Alex turns and quickly returns to his car before Izzie can even reply. She shakes her head and unlocks the door and waves to Alex before heading inside.

"Where have you been!" Yell two voices from the living room as Izzie walks in the door. She jumps back with a hand on her chest.

"Meredith, George! You guys scared me!"

"Scared you? For all we know Alex could've murdered you and we'd be hearing about it on the news in the morning."

"George you're being a little overdramatic." Meredith soothes.

"What is this high school? Hell I never even dealt with this is high school." Izzie asks.

"Well then its past time missy. What were you doing?"

"I went to Joe's and hung out. You're acting like I went and joined some cult."

"For all we know you did. Meredith you have to check her for markings."

"Please tell me you're kidding." Izzie scoffs.

"I'm not! Meredith you need to check her!" Finally deciding enough is enough and that Izzie is in one piece Meredith sighs.

"George I'm not going to check her for cult markings. Now I'm going to sleep. I would suggest you both do the same if I thought you would actually listen to me." Meredith makes her way to her bedroom, laughing lightly at the argument downstairs.

"I can't believe you went out with him! And for the whole night!"

"George I'm tired and I have work in the morning, which if you would remember so do you. So let's just go to sleep like good little interns okay?"

"No! He made a bet that he could sleep with you! How can you just forgive that?"

"There are things involved that you don't understand okay?" Izzie turns to leave and George stands silently for a moment.

"Oh no! You slept with him! You're pregnant!"

"George I did not sleep with him and I'm not pregnant! Just trust my judgment and let me run my own life okay! Please go moon over Meredith or something."

"I do not moon over Meredith." George complains as he follows Izzie upstairs.