He was sitting at the bar trying to drown his sorrows away for the last time in Seattle when she entered Joe's. Spotting him, the only familiar face present, she took the stool next to him. Taking a look at Sloan's dejected expression, she shook her head compassionately.

Glancing over at her, he cursed under his breath. "Stevens, don't even try to cheer me up. Leave me to my misery."

"No," she murmured, motioning to Joe for a drink. "Helping you with yours will help me forget mine."

He snorted. "Did Karev sleep with your almost girlfriend too?"

"No."

"Give him time," he muttered vengefully.

She took a sip of her drink, using the opportunity to survey him carefully. "Alex and Dr. Montgomery, huh?"

He cringed and ran a hand roughly over his face. "Oh yeah, which means I'm history. On the next flight out once I'm sober enough to find one. You can drop me off at the airport, can't you?"

She chuckled. "You're not leaving."

He nodded vehemently. "Yes, I am."

"You can't leave."

He turned to look at her, irritation coloring his face. "Why would I stay?"

She shrugged carelessly, but her mind searched for reasons. "Because… the hospital needs you."

He groaned. "They can find another plastic surgeon."

She raised an eyebrow at his statement, grinning slightly. "One as good as you?"

"Well, no," he admitted slowly, "but one good enough."

"The Mark Sloan I know wouldn't say that," she replied jokingly.

He took a painful sip of his drink. "Please. I'm busy drowning him in scotch."

"Stay for Derek," she suggested.

"He hates me."

She shook her head vigorously. "No, he doesn't."

"Yes, he does," he replied, his words slurring faintly.

"No he doesn't," she insisted.

He set down his drink and turned to stare at her. "How do you know?"

She waved her hand casually, as if brushing off the question. "I just do. I'm very good at reading people."

He raised his eyebrows.

"I am!" She declared, defending her statement.

He rotated back, facing away from her and towards the bar. "Not good enough of a reason."

She scoffed. "Your best friend isn't?"

"Not when he doesn't want to be my friend," he muttered sorely. "So, really, Stevens, you've got nothing."

She stared at him for a few silent minutes before speaking again, this time with a grin on her face. "Oh, I do. I've got a secret weapon."

He sighed heavily and turned again to look at her. "Lay it on me."

She shot him a coy look. "I'm not sure if I want to use it. It's life-altering."

He picked up his drink and took a lengthy sip, before setting it down once more to address her. "Now I'm intrigued."

She gazed back at him intensely. "Intrigued enough to stay?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "Not until I know what it is."

"Well," she started, with a flip of her hair and a slow grin, "I have the unique position of being the only one of Dr. Bailey's interns yet to sleep with an attending. Can you believe that?" She sighed, feigning desperation. "And, you know, Drs. Shepherd and Burke aren't really my type."

He stared at her blankly, his glass raised in the air. "Pity."

She winked flirtatiously. "I know."

He quickly swallowed the rest of his drink. Standing up, he offered her his hand. "Well, I'm convinced. Let's go."

She also hopped to her feet, but paused to look up at him. "Where?"

"Anywhere but here," he told her with an amused look.

She gazed at him curiously. "So does this mean you'll stay?"

He shrugged. "For now… but I can't stay here forever."

She took hold of his proffered hand and grabbed her bag. "That's what you think."

Fin

If you got this far, thanks for reading! I was in drabble mode and you're just feeding it by doing so. Much love to all (especially Team McStizzie!).