Title: Shifts and Changes
Summary: What happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that fighting the change would be futile.
Rating: T (will increase)
Note: It's a two-shot, and this one ends abruptly. So, do you want the next part today? Well, that's up to the readers, so you might want to hit that little purple button on the bottom...
Seven months ago, seven months after she had ended things with George, she had befriended the unlikeliest of men. It hadn't been an easy transition--cutting off ties with a man who had at one point been her best friend, and then becoming friends with a man who very well was the opposite of George. It hadn't been easy to trust him, to ensure that he wanted nothing more than friendship with her, but simultaneously it had felt so natural.
Because he was the opposite of George, and each understood the consequences and ramifications that came from being a dirty mistress. It had been difficult to have others understand their friendship, but Isobel Stevens had never been concerned with what others thought of her.
Unfortunately for her, that little habit of her not caring for others thoughts had done nothing for her in the wake of the George affair. She had the capacity to stand again though, and it did her well when she came across a misguided Mark Sloan. Misguided just like her.
A small talk here and there, lunch meals, and minutes of comfortable silence in the gallery had gradually transformed into a friendship.
What happened that night however, on the couch in front of the TV in Meredith's house, neither could foresee. In a similar fashion to her old friendship with George, Izzie had affirmed her bond with Mark by spending hours and hours together, and trading off barbs and laughs.
She couldn't account for the warm feeling and wonderful sense of being that Mark had been providing in her though, certainly because she'd never had this build-up with George. And because from early on she had made the decision to not compare George with Mark. They were opposites for a reason, and as such, there was no reason to tie them into the same sentence.
Mark had comforted her dozens of times, had helped her come to terms with the end of a relationship that had required so much self-sacrifice, and in turn she had helped him with Hahn.
Of course, when Mark had finally 'bagged' (for lack of a better term) Hahn, the relationship had lasted nothing short of three months. Well, in all truthfulness, the relationship lasting that long was a miracle. Another miracle was the fact that it had been Hahn's consistent resistance to any real intimacy (aka, non-bedroom-related intimacy) that had doomed the relationship. Of course, Mark being a man and all, stuck it out a while for the 'great sex.' At which Izzie would always slap him behind the head over.
That brief, if momentous, relationship had ended two months ago and except for the little detail of Mark not having chased any tails for the past two months (excluding the sexist remarks and flirtatious talk-ups of course) everything seemed right in the world.
Meredith and the gang wouldn't say this due to the odd (to them) friendship between Mark and Izzie, but after much debate and Alex's promise to 'kick their ass' if they ever again insinuated there was anything more than just a friendship, they had given their shrugs and continued with their own little mellow-dramatics.
But what happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that no matter how much they could pretend that what happened was of no grand significance, fighting the change would be futile.
Sprawled out on the couch, fighting once again over whether Kate Austen end up with Sawyer or Dr. Jack Shepherd, a moment passed over them that signaled a shift in the friendship.
"If she ends up with the doctor, then they'll be sending the message that even ex-cons, not just princesses, can have their prince in the end."
"He's not wearing a crown--I doubt he's a price."
"They friggin put him on like he's the martyr and hero of the group! He's the prince of losties!"
"He's got the makings of a tragic hero."
"No, Sawyer's the tragic hero. Con man, with a good heart that's just a bit soiled."
"Speaking of soiled, how many times do you think a lostie's walked in on another lostie while their taking care of business."
"Mark?!" she slapped him across the chest.
He laughed, knowing that remark would cost him a point.
"Gees, I'm trying to have a serious conversation here!"
"I don't think serious conversations involve fictional characters dealing with fictional plots in a fictional setting."
"This can apply to real life--see Kate, she's made her mistakes, and sometimes she really pisses you off. Also, she likes two completely different guys, one who could be bad with her and one who would be good for her. So, should she go the safe route or follow her heart."
"By going with Sawyer, she would be going the safe route because it's the familiar path."
"Well, maybe it's what she deserves."
"Right, because no one in life should get a second chance. Especially someone who risked their freedom for the sake of her mother's freedom."
"Then why'd she run?"
"Alright Izzie, you keep saying she'll end up with Sawyer. But answer me this--who do you think she should go with?"
Izzie opened her mouth, only to close it again, clearly not wanting to answer. Mark chuckled at her, and nodded his head in disbelief.
"I knew it--you want her with Jack."
She scoffed and prepared to protest, but decided against it.
"Fine, yes, I would like Kate to go with Jack, but realistically what are the chances that a girl like her will end up with a guy like him."
"Hey, Jack's got his demons, he's just better at hiding them."
"Maybe, but you're bias. Of course you're going to root for the doctor to get the girl. And he's a Shephard."
"Look, Kate's mistakes may be far greater than Jack's, but her strength , will, and her heart is what he sees. It's what he loves about her."
"He loves her?"
"No Izzie, he just willingly throws himself in harms way and protects her from judging eyes just for the hell of it. What do you think Izzie?"
"No need to get all offensive, Mark--and since when can you interpret an action as one of love?"
Wearily, he glanced at her, trying to concoct an answer that wouldn't give way to his own feelings.
