XX

Alex sat fiddling nervously with the menu in front of him. He knew this was a bad idea, he thought to himself, 'Why on earth did you suggest this you fool.' Everything about him felt fake, nothing felt like him. He was sitting in a restaurant, a restaurant; he hadn't been in one of these places for years. He had never been in a place this upmarket before. Not wanting to look out of place but also not wanting to look like a chump, he had carefully considered everything about his appearance tonight.

He was so nervous that he asked Yang for pointers not only on what to wear, also how to act. Usually he would go to Jackson, but he couldn't tell him about this. He would consider Mere his second choice but she would just lecture him. Cristina was the only one who would be honest but at the same time, she wouldn't be judgemental, and she had a similar mind-set to him. Plus she wouldn't tell anyway, she was one of the few people at that hospital that knew a secret was a secret.

Cristina had decided that he should wear black dress pants and an olive green dress shirt. Both of which he had to go out and buy, because as she had said, "You're going to a restaurant not a country diner or some gross dingy pub. You need proper clothes." He hated shopping, and he hated it even more with Cristina nagging him and also whining about how intolerable and tedious she found the whole shopping experience. Just before he had left the hospital to make his way to the restaurant she had come to the residents lounge and given him some last minute pointers on how to behave.

"I have eaten before you know." He had said. To which she snorted in reply and continued telling him the proper behaviour at an upscale restaurant. Begrudgingly he had listened and staring down at the cutlery in front of him now, he was glad he had. He didn't understand why you had to use your forks in a certain order, but that didn't matter as now he knew how.

Picking his phone up off the table he checked the time, 8.28 pm. He was meeting her at 8.30 but for some reason he wanted to get here early because otherwise he would be late but now he was sitting alone, like he had been for the last 8 minutes, looking like a complete ass. Remembering what Cristina had told him he laid his phone onto the right corner of the table, screen facing down. He then draped his napkin over his lap, just as Cristina had told him to do.

His eyes watched the door, waiting for her. Again his shaking hands held the menu, he started flipping through the pages, his eyes glued to the doors not noticing the food noted within. He thought to himself, 'Why didn't you just offer to pick her up, or to meet at the hospital. What if she doesn't show?' This is why he didn't do dates at fancy restaurants, because they made him feel like an outcast, the posh people sitting around him were ordering $200 bottles of wine and then leaving with half empty glasses still on the table. They were all dressed formally, their hair done exactly right, their wrists and necks holding prestigious, expensive jewellery, that would cost him over three months' rent.

He always felt inadequate around these sorts of people, so why did he want to come here in the first place. The reason was simple, April. He had never taken any girl to a restaurant, not even Izzie. But April was different, not because he felt differently about her, not yet anyway. It was because April was April. This relationship couldn't start like every other relationship that he had, because they had all failed. He wanted to take this slowly; he wanted to get to know April not Dr Kepner.

Waiting in the restaurant alone when the clock struck 8:30 was nothing compared to actually having to ask her on a date, to this restaurant for 8.30. He was nervous now but two days ago on the front porch; he was practically terrified of being rejected.

They had been kissing for a few minutes before he pulled away, hands shaking, an idea forming in his head.

"April." He stammered, unsure of how to ask her.

"Seriously…" she started, getting the wrong idea, oblivious to his shaking hands and his odd tone just focussing on the fact that he pulled away, that he broke their kiss.

"April, shut up." He said. He may have been nervous but he was still Alex and he needed to say this before he lost his nerve and he did not have time for her to spin out.

"Alex?" she asked him this time her voice shaking. She slid her hands into her pockets, now almost as nervous as he was.

"Do you, ahh do you, we ah, well uhmm?" he mumbled, his eyes on the floor. He inhaled deeply and then looked straight into her eyes and said, "Would you like to go a date with me?"

The nervous expression on April's face changed to a smile as she replied joyfully, "Yes, of course! Tomorrow night?"

"No the night after, I can't do tomorrow." He answered. He smiled back at her, this hadn't gone nearly as badly as he had imagined, he thought it would end badly, but it went surprisingly well.

"Sounds like a date. Keep me posted on details ok?" she said as she kissed him quickly on the lips.

"I will." Alex replied, pulling her in and kissing her again, his hands holding on tightly to her hips.

Breaking it after a few seconds April looked into his eyes and said, "I have to go back inside now."

"Okay." He murmured kissing her again.

Pushing him back she repeated, "I have to go." She spoke much more weakly this time, but with her last ounce of will power she took a step back smiled and then walked into the house.

Alex smiled as he watched her saunter off down the hallway.

"Well, well, well." A voice said.

Alex turned to face the voice and squinted into the dark, whoever it was was invisible in this time of night, but they had to be close. A few seconds later he watched as out of the shadows stepped Cristina a wicked grin on her face.

"How much did you hear?" He asked her, the smile on his face fading.

Climbing up the steps she replied, "Oh I heard enough. What restaurant are you taking her to then? McDonalds?" she laughed as his expression went from shocked to worried.

"Oh shit." Alex exclaimed, "I don't know any restaurants. What the hell was I thinking."

"Not to worry, Yoda will teach you." Cristina replied, placing her arm around his shoulder. She pointed out into the darkened front yard, "You will soon see the light."

That was how Alex came to be sitting in this restaurant wearing a beautiful olive dress shirt, dark pants and dress shoes at 8.31 pm waiting for April, hoping that she would come, worried that she would cancel on him via text due to some work commitment which could either be real or complete bullshit.

His eyes were on the door as it opened and in walked another random. Sighing he looked down at his menu. Over the top of his menu, he could see the door opening and shutting but now his sole attention rested on the menu. He began to accept the fact that he was going to be stood up and that this was all for nothing. He had to listen to Cristina for hours on end, moaning, mocking and mentoring. But at least this food looked pretty good, maybe this wouldn't be all bad.

"Hello." April said warmly. Placing his menu quickly on the table he smiled as he saw her scanning his outfit and nodding slightly in approval. She wore a scarlet strapless dress that was tight at the top but flowing and slightly layered from the waist down.

"You look beautiful." Alex blurted out. She smiled, draped her coat over the back of the chair and sat down.

"You look good too." She replied as she picked up the menu. Alex noticed then that the lipstick she was wearing was the same shade as her dress. For someone who had little experience in that area she was rather good at it, it was obvious she was a virgin on account of her own beliefs not that she couldn't get any.

Moving his eyes back to his menu he looked over the first page in slight disbelief. "If I were you I would ignore the entire first page, it's full of, overpriced salads." Alex remarked, lowering his voice to a whisper at the end part. As soon as he said that it then occurred to him that perhaps April would like an overpriced salad so once again he was full with nervous energy.

However April smiled and said, "Wow you aren't kidding" as she scanned the page. Flickering over she continued, "I think I will just stick with the steak."

"That was quick." Alex remarked he was impressed with how fast she made a decision. Usually whenever he did anything, his date would take forever to make a decision, then get some measly meal and eat most of his, but that was a thing of the past, he was an upmarket man now. Plus that usually took place at the bar before they headed back to his house after knowing each other for about an hour, that wasn't the case tonight.

"Well they do a good steak here." April replied, closing her menu, placing it in front of her and draping her napkin over her lap.

Still mulling over his decision Alex didn't even look up when he asked, "You've been here before?"

He didn't see her smile nervously, nor did he see her play with her hands before she answered, "No, but I read a few reviews on the place. Most people talked about how great the steak was."

Looking up from his menu he said, "You stalked this restaurant."

Blushing slightly she stammered, "I didn't want to seem out of place."

"Really?" he asked her, completely surprised. He understood him not fitting in, but April. April was beautiful and classy.

"I grew up on a farm Alex. I haven't been on a date since med school and the last time I went to a restaurant was, I don't even know when." She replied, her eyes on her lap, obviously embarrassed by this revelation. Bringing her gaze up from her lap she saw Alex with a massive grin on his face. "Are you laughing at me?" she half whispered, careful to keep her volume down.

"No. Well yes. I grew up in foster homes as a teenager and as a child my parents weren't exactly fine dining people. Then I was piss poor while in med school, so upscale restaurants aren't exactly a place I often find myself in. But you seem to fit right in here." Alex replied, chuckling a little as he said.

A smile spread across April's face, she could tell that he was nervous too. "I'm hoping that was a compliment. Should we order?" she asked as her stomach rumbled quietly.

"It was. Sure, I'm ravenous but how do we call her over?" Alex replied, indicating towards the waitress.

Raising her arm April waved her hand ever so slightly and the waitress started rushing over.

"If you grew up in a barn how do you know how to do that?" he asked her as the waitress was walking towards.

"Farm, not barn. I already knew but Cristina taught me, quite condescendingly may I add." She replied as she quickly scanned the drinks menu.

'Of course she did' he thought to himself. Taking a quick breath, he recalled what Cristina had said to him and placed his hands on top of his menu, ready.

"Good Evening, I am Annabelle and I will be your waitress for tonight. Are you ready to order?" the perky waitress blurted out, obviously in a rush. Her hair in a messy bun and a pen in one hand, pad in the other, and was subconsciously hitting the pen against the pad as she looked at them expectantly.

Taking control Alex said, "Number 37, mild please. April?"

"46, medium rare." She instructed Annabelle.

"37 and 46. Yes good. What drinks would you like?" Annabelle asked.

"Scotch on the rocks," Alex began, he paused and looked over at April, she nodded back at him and he continued, "make that two and a bottle of red wine. 14 should do nicely."

"Is that all for now?" Annabelle asked, impatiently waiting to serve her other customers who were waving her over.

"That will be all." Alex replied curtly.

Annabelle nodded and then ran off to another table that demanded her attention, taking the menus with her as she left.

Reaching across the table April took Alex's hand in hers and commented, "For someone who doesn't eat in restaurants, you did a good job of ordering."

"Much like you I got lessons." He replied, smiling as he stroked her hand with his thumb.

"From?" she asked.

Smirking he answered, "Cristina."

"Oh, of course. Did you know she took me shopping to go buy this dress, she volunteered and then complained for hours while I tried stuff on, that she forced me to try on I might add." April said, she was moaning about Cristina but still had a smile on her face. It was evident she was grateful for her help.

"For me too! She was highly critical of almost everything I tried on, which she picked for me and then forced me to buy her lunch, for her troubles." Alex beamed.

"She told me that my shoes were a colossal mistake. Not ones I tried on, but the ones that I owned. She said that she wondered what on God's earth would possess me to buy such ugly things." April added.

"Sounds like Cristina." Alex remarked.

"It was nice to know that she cared enough to help us both." April pondered aloud.

"Either that or just enjoys our humiliation." Alex replied.

"Yea that makes more sense. Although she did give pretty sound advice, plus she picked this entire outfit for me, shoes, jewellery, dress and make up. She sure knows what she's doing, especially for someone who shows no interest in the stuff." April commented.

They sat silent for a second as Annabelle came back carrying a tray with their drinks. She placed their scotches in front of them, then the two empty wine glasses. Filling the glasses, she left the bottle in the middle of the table and hurried off again. They both took a sip of their drink and then opened their mouths to speak at the same time.

XX