"Grab me a refill while I'm gone, will you?" Mark says, slapping a five-dollar bill onto the table he and Meredith were sharing.

"Just one call?" Meredith said, grinning at her new friend. Her fellow member of the 'Dirty Mistress Club'.

"Just one," he assured her, "then I'm all yours." He flashed a cocky grin and stepped outside Joe's.

Meredith shook her head to herself. For the first time in days she was happy. She was laughing. Why did she feel guilty? It's not like she and Derek were dating. In fact he seemed quite interested in not associating himself with her at all.

She stood up, the empty beer mug clasped in her 'tiny ineffectual fists'. There she went again, thinking about Derek. That needed to stop.

She walked up to the counter and slid the mud across to the bartender. "Beer," Meredith said with a small nod, and Joe began to fill the cup a hearty amount. Meredith began to turn around, beer in hand when-

BAM. She ran smack into one. Meredith looked up. Not just anyone, Derek.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Meredith stuttered, sidestepping and looking down. She couldn't help but still feel guilty that she was at the bar with Mark. That despite everything, Mark had a more positive affect on her than Derek. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much this evening.

"No," Derek said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I wanted to talk to you."

Meredith looked up, an impatient expression on her face. Derek recognized the emotion and got on with his spiel.

"This is where we met. We were just a girl and guy in a bar. No emotions attached, but we both managed to find each other again. I know I am so late to finally say this, but I love you, Meredith. I would do anything, and all I ask is a chance at a fresh start. Everything is ended with Addie. The only thing I want is you."

Derek was hoping for Meredith to immediately jump back into his arms. Meredith knew it. She almost did, but made herself remember how lost she had felt. How Derek made her feel lost. How could she trust him then? How could Meredith rely on Derek to be her person?

"How do I know you wont just disappear like last time? I… I cant handle being hurt again. Not like I was before." Meredith actually saw Derek's face drop. He thought he could walk in after he lied for months and they would be a great couple?

"Meredith… I love you! I would never do that to you." Derek took her hands in his.

Meredith felt safe. Embraced, she felt like there was nothing to fear. He would never hurt her, he loves her! But over Derek's shoulder, she saw a somber face. It was Mark, and he looked slightly betrayed. Suddenly that brought another thought to mind. She took her hands out of his "I'm sure you said you love Addie too. Look how that turned out." She sighed. She was tipsy and tired, not in shape to make a decision like this. "Look, Derek. I'm tired, and all I want to do is go home and sleep. Can I please make this decision in the morning, when I won't do something I regret?"

Derek closed his eyes for a few moments before responding. "Sure. Of course Meredith. Take all the time you need." He gave her a light kiss on the cheek before walking out of the bar, brushing past Mark on the way out. She stood there until she heard the sound of his car driving away.

Even after that, all she did was sit on the nearest barstool and look blankly in front of her. Why did she turn him away? He was the one, everyone said so. That is, until they broke up and everyone talked about him being a lying bastard. Meredith sat there, tightly gripping the beer mug.

"Hey, did someone possess my drinking buddy?" a teasing voice said beside her. She looked to the right, and there was Mark, leaning against the counter and her empty tequila cup in his left hand. "Another one for the lady," he said to Joe with a small wink. Joe grinned and complied, handing back the filled glass. Mark slid it to Meredith.

"When I came back and I saw McDreamy holding hands with my fellow mistress I thought I lost her for good. What did he want anyway?"

Meredith shrugged, still not letting go of Mark's beer and not picking up her tequila. She was still shocked by what just happened. Frozen in time.

Mark lightly touched her hand that was holding his beer. He very lightly pulled her hand off of it, and when he pulled the beer away he patted her hand a few times. "Mer, its okay," he said. "I'm sure whatever he said couldn't have been that bad."

"He… He wants me to get back together with him." Meredith whispered.

Mark shrugged. "So what? Everyone knew it was going to happen. So what can I do to help?" he asked. She wondered if she was imagining the double meaning behind those words.

Meredith closed her eyes. "I just want to take my mind off of things," she said, putting her face in her hands. "Why does he have to make things to complicated?"

Mark put his hand under her chin and pulled her face up so that their eyes were inches apart. Now Meredith knew she wasn't imagining the double meaning in his words. "I may not be good at much, but I do know how to distract very attractive young ladies… like yourself."

Meredith wanted to lean in and smell his neck; the scent of cologne was indescribable. How Mark managed to stay perfect after a work shift she had no idea. But man, she was glad he could. "I think…" she began, "I think I could use a distraction." She said, leaning slightly forward so that their lips were barely touching.

Mark jumped up startling Meredith. Derek had walked into the bar. He luckily had not seen them, but still walked to Meredith's direction. He grabbed the jacket off a nearby chair. "Forgot my jacket," he said with a smile to Meredith. "Mark," he acknowledged with a nod before walking back out of the bar.

Meredith looked back up at Mark. His face was serious a moment longer before breaking into a confident grin. He grabbed Meredith's hand, and before she could stop him he already had pulled her out the door and into the his car.