A/N: Thank you all for the faves and reviews. You all mean so much to me! Hope you enjoy this chapter. I really enjoyed writing it!

Chapter Nine

"Do you think they had a fight?" Maggie asked.

"They must have. It's the only time he winds up here lately. That and when they have their drinking parties. But I don't smell alcohol." Amelia said, wrinkling her nose.

He opened one eye to watch the two of them, hovering over him.

"Do you two have to do this? Can't you let a guy sleep?" He should be annoyed, but truth be told he was in too good of a mood. Meredith had agreed to go on a date with him.

He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He saw that they had not budged, silently demanding an answer to their questions. He sighed. "Yes, we had a fight." He hesitated, running his hand through his hair. "More than a fight. We broke up. For good, this time."

Maggie sat down next to him. "Oh, Alex, I'm so sorry!" She put a comforting arm across his shoulder.

Amelia, however, took a different tact, crossing her arms in front of her chest and leaning back on her heels. "What did you do?" She asked, accusatorily.

Maggie looked up at her sister, aghast. "Amelia!"

He looked up, annoyed. "I didn't do anything. It just ended, okay?"

"Is there anything we can do?" Maggie asked.

"Thanks. No, I'm fine." He saw the look of concern on Maggie's face. "Really, Mags. I'm fine. Thanks."

He heard Meredith coming down the stairs and stood up. The sisters headed into the kitchen, leaving the two to talk.

They both regarded the other, sheepishly.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked.

"Great. It's a great couch." He said, awkwardly. "How'd you sleep?"

She laughed. "Great."

He joined her laughter. They both knew the other had not been able to sleep.

They made their way in to the kitchen. "Coffee?" She asked Alex.

"Yeah."

She walked over and took down two mugs, then turned to Maggie and Amelia. "Can one of you watch the kids tonight?"

"Sure. I can do it. Where are you gonna be?" Maggie asked.

"I have a…thing." She said mysteriously, setting Alex's coffee in front of him, giving him a sly smile.

"A thing," Amelia repeated. Her eyes grew large at her realization. "You mean a date!" Amelia flashed her a wide smile. "Well, good for you. Glad to see you're taking my advice!"

Meredith thought back to Amelia's advice from yesterday to "Let your lady live a little!" and chuckled. "It's not related to your advice," she said, using air quotes around advice.

"What advice, exactly?" Alex found himself asking.

Meredith shot Amelia her best 'Do not say anything!' stare, which Amelia promptly ignored.

"Meredith has been having sex dreams about some guy and I told her it probably just means she needs to, you know, have some fun!" she said, unapologetically.

Meredith groaned and sat down next to Alex on a bar stool with her coffee.

"Really!" Alex was amused. "Who's the guy?"

"That's the thing. She can't see his face." Maggie chimed in.

Meredith put her head in her hands, her face turning crimson. "That's it. I need new sisters."

"So, a mystery man, huh?" he teased her.

"It's a stupid dream and I don't want to talk about it." She muttered into her hands.

"So, who's the date with, Mer!" Maggie exclaimed.

She put her mug to her mouth. "Seriously, shouldn't I have a new sister coming through the door any moment?"

"Yeah, Mer. Who is this mystery guy?" he asked, bemused, clearly enjoying the moment.

"I don't know if he would want me revealing that yet," she said, sliding him a sideways glance. If he wanted to play, she would send the ball squarely back into his court.

"Oh, I'm sure he'd be okay with it." He easily returned the lob.

"Really? You don't think maybe there are factors he would want to consider?" she hoped he would understand that she was referring to Jo, who she knew he would not want to hurt with the inevitable hospital gossip.

"Okay, what are we missing?" Maggie asked.

Meredith stood, scraping her stool back from the counter. She grabbed Alex's mug as well as her own. "We're going to be late." Meredith said, placing the mugs in the sink. I've got to get ready to go."

She turned an left the kitchen. Alex watched her leave, a dejected look on his face.

"I think we pushed too far," Maggie said.

"I got this." Alex said, and left the kitchen in search of Meredith.

He found her up in her room, the door ajar. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands, which rested in her lap. He knocked lightly on the door. "Mer? Can I come in?"

He didn't wait for her answer. He entered, and closed the door behind him. He watched her for a second before crossing to her, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Listen, I'm sorry. That was wrong. I shouldn't have pushed you…"

She held her hand up. "Are you sure, Alex? Really sure?"

He understood her question. She wanted to make sure that he really wanted to go out with her. He found her insecurity adorable. He reached up and gently turned her face to look at him. "I'm sure sure."

He gazed into her bluish green eyes. The corners of her mouth turned up in a little smile. He gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes, letting his hand linger for just a second on her cheek, before allowing it to slide behind the nape of her neck and pull her to him. Closing his eyes, he gently pressed his lips to hers, and pulled back, until their lips were barely brushing against each other's. He opened his eyes and peered into hers. He had not been planning on kissing her then, it's just that he could not not kiss her. They seemed to sit like that for an eternity, but in actuality was closer to ten seconds. His breath caught in his throat as she leaned in to kiss him back, gently at first. He felt her hand slide up into his hair as the kiss deepened and he gained entry to her mouth. The kiss was slow and sensual, causing his heart to pound loudly against his rib cage. His hand wound in her hair, enjoying the closeness he never thought would be his.

Their reverie was broken by Maggie calling to them up the stairs. "Mer, Alex, come on. We really are going to be late."

They reluctantly broke from the passionate embrace, pressing their foreheads together momentarily.

"So, I'll still see you tonight?" He asked, still gazing into her eyes.

She nodded slowly, her eyes not leaving his. "Oh, yeah."

They lingered another moment.

"Guys!" Maggie bellowed.

Meredith stood up, and reached her hand out to him.

"You go ahead. I, uh, need a moment."

She grinned at him, and left the room.