I am so beyond sorry for taking forever to post this. The next chapter is nearly finished, so I PROMISE I will post it very very very soon.

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Chapter 14: "One Fine Day"

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"What the hell was that?" Meredith was standing in the doorway, forcefully asking for an explanation, but Alex didn't know what to say or how to respond. He had no clue what made him walk away. When he didn't respond, Meredith left the doorway and went back out to the living room.

Alex closed his eyes tightly in an effort to fall asleep. When he realized that Meredith wasn't returning to come to bed, he picked up his head to listen to what she was doing. He heard silence, and then, suddenly, the sounds of keys rustling. It took him less than a second to put it together before he launched himself out of bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, wincing at the bright light.

Meredith looked at him with cold eyes, which made him wince. He was used to getting those eyes, just not from Meredith.

"I thought … I don't know what I thought, but I don't want to be somewhere with someone who doesn't want me around." Meredith had her bag in one hand and her keys in the other. It occurred to Alex that they'd left her car at Seattle Grace, but he didn't want to remind her, for fear that she'd just get more upset at him.

Alex had something to say. In fact, he had a lot of somethings to say. But none of them would come out, no matter how hard he tried.

Meredith looked away and Alex thought he saw the hint of a tear in the corner of her eye. Over the past couple of weeks, Alex had seen Meredith Grey cry a lot. He never thought he would ever be the cause of her tears.

Something inside of him pushed him forward. Alex took her hand and removed the keys, throwing them onto the couch. He stripped her of her bag, too, without much resistance.

With a gentle thumb, he wiped her falling tear from her cheek, then lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. "Grey, when are you going to figure out that I always want you around?"

Meredith's glassy eyes searched his for meaning, for an explanation, which was given in the form of the sweetest kiss she had ever received.

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Alex was swimming in his own head, wondering if this was actually happening. His arms were wrapped around Meredith Grey, and his lips were attached to hers. What's more, she wasn't pushing him away. In fact, she seemed to be pulling him closer. Eagerly.

Alex wasn't sure how long they'd been standing there, making out, before he pulled back. It was mostly to make sure that Meredith wasn't completely intoxicated, but partially because he had to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Hey," he whispered.

Meredith smiled. "So you always want me around?" she teased.

His smirk returned, full force. "Well, you're pretty hot." Alex pulled Meredith closer as she giggled into his ear. "You still want to leave?"

Meredith shook her head and kissed him again. "Alex?" He raised his eyebrows. "Do you think … I don't want to rush things."

Alex nodded and sweetly kissed her forehead.

And for the first time in his entire life, Alex made out with a girl all night without even trying to take off her pants.

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Meredith was gone in the morning.

Alex didn't even remember falling asleep, let alone the moment when her warmth left him behind. It bothered him much more than it should have. He stared at the empty spot next to him on the bed for a moment before getting up and getting ready for work. Her lack of a car the night before was harsh; she must have called a cab.

She ran away.

Alex took a shower and tried to wash himself of her smell, of her memory.

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"Hey," he heard behind him. Her happy, bouncy voice.

He nodded at her and continued rooting around in his locker, hoping she would disappear.

"Sorry about this-"

"Whatever," he spit out. "You got cold feet. I get it." Alex shrugged, trying to will her to go away.

Except, when she stomped her foot and anger and left, Alex felt all the hope in his body drain out of him. He'd expected her to fight, at least. Meredith was a fighter. And the fact that she wasn't willing to fight for him spoke volumes.

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Sorry for the short chapter. And, I know. Mean. So close, yet so far …