NEVER LEAVING YOUR HEART ALONE

WITHOUT A MOMENT'S NOTICE

Meredith finally fell asleep. Izzie came in and checked on her before she went to bed. Meredith was moving around, and whimpering "Nate" in her sleep. Izzie didn't know what to do with for friend. She sat a glass of water down on the table next to Meredith's bed and quietly walked out. Meredith tossed and turned. Her sleep wasn't peaceful. It was full of haunting memories of a man she once loved.

"So, are you almost ready?" Ian asked, as he tied his shoes.

"For what?" Meredith asked as she took one last look in the mirror and ran her fingers through her hair.

"To go out." He said. "It's Saturday. It's our night to go out."

"Every night is your night to go out!" She said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I have a thing."

"I know you do. You have two very nice things!" Ian said walking up from behind. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her breasts.

"Hands off." She snapped as she smacked his hands away.

"Ow. So what is this thing?" He asked, looking at himself in the mirror. "And can I come?"

"No, you cannot." She laughed. "It's just a thing. No big deal. Go ahead and leave. Maybe you'll get lucky!" She said. She thought to herself how abnormal that was. To tell your husband that maybe he would get lucky.

"Maybe I will!" He said with a chuckle. "Well, have fun at your thing..." He said as he walked out the door.

Meredith sighed a big sigh of relief when she looked out the window and saw him climb into a cab. She didn't want him to know she was going on a date. That was against the rules. Ian said he wanted to have fun. He didn't want to date or be in a relationship with anyone else. So meaningless sex, that was okay. Going on a date, having feelings that was a big no no. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She was going on a date. She heard a car pull up. She looked out the window to see Nate. She went outside and met him at the car.

"You look amazing!" He said, as he looked at her in her dark green dress. Her hair was laying softly on her shoulders.

"You don't look so bad yourself!" She said as she looked at him.

"Shall we go?" He asked, opening the car door for her.

"We shall..." She climbed into the vehicle.

They drove the shot distance to the nice restaurant. Nate kept looking over at her. She fascinated him. He didn't know what it was, but he couldn't stop looking at her, When they arrived at the restaurant, he opened her door. She laughed, no man had ever done that for her. The restaurant was busy, luckily he had made reservations. The sat at a quiet table in the back. He looked at the candlelight dancing on her face,

"So, I want to know everything about you, Meredith. Intrigue me." He said with a smile. The waiter came and he ordered a bottle of wine.

"Well. You already know I was born and raised in Seattle. I grew up lonely, I was an only child. My mother divorced my father when I was seven. My mom was always busy. She is a surgeon. She never had time for me. I was raised by a nanny until I was thirteen. By then my mom said I was a teenager and I could take care of myself. So I did. She sent me to private school. I worked my ass off to please her, and I graduated early. When I was eighteen I got the hell out of her house. And now I am here..." She explained as she buttered a piece of bread.

"Interesting. Sad, but interesting. I can't imagine growing up like that. I have three brothers and two sisters. I grew up in a big family. Family is so important to my mom and dad. We didn't have a lot. My dad worked two jobs to support us all, but we were happy. I got a full ride scholarship, and here I am..." Nate told her, as he sipped his wine.