Hey, here's another ER Oneshot set during the season 1 finale at Carol's almost wedding to Tag. A 'what if' Mark had asked Susan to dance scene. It has Mark/Susan and little bit of Carter/Susan. Hope you like it I don't ER or any characters please read and review and tell me how it is. I might start a short ER story soon so let me know what you think of this one. Thanks~ Serria Spell23.
Dance with me, Susie
A Mark Greene and Susan Lewis Oneshot
I glanced at Susan standing in her pale pink bridesmaid's dress talking to Carol. I grinned as she laughed, hiding it under my hand. The music in the reception hall swayed tenderly and my eyes briefly locked with my best friend. A smile—though tight-lipped—appeared a moment later. I sensed the split-second hesitation and tension within her features, sighing I knew what the issue was: Chloe. I had to do something to amend her pain even if things turned messy.
Rising from my table, I walked over to Susan, holding out my hand impulsively. She broke her conversation with Carol, gazing into my expression light-heartedly, the familiar, teasing smirk lighting her lips. "Yes, Mark, what can I do for you?"
The words had left my mouth before I could swallow them. "Dance with me, Susie." She blushed I never called her by her childhood nickname in public especially when Jen was around. Why? Shrugging, Susan ignored the lingering feeling that began to quicken her heart.
"Of course." I took her hand and led her onto the dance floor as the music changed to the crooning, romantic vocals of Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love with You. My complexion burned, embarrassment and a ting of guilt making it hard to focus. "Mark, relax just look at me." I nodded, drawing my co-worker close.
"So how's the 'Chloe' situation," I muttered, leading my friend gracefully around the floor. "Still as flaky as ever?"
Susan rolled her eyes, exhaling a sigh and hugged me tighter, lifting her evasive gaze to mine sadness passing between us. "I can't do it anymore, Mark…I was fine helping her out that's the decent sisterly thing to do…but now she's gone. She abandoned her child, Mark!" A ghost of a smirk tugged at the corners of my lips, not even a minute had to pass before I decided to cheer Susan up, yet again and maybe give her a small thrill. I dipped her slowly, cradling her body against mine. Once I set her upright, I watched her eyelids flutter open my fingers stroking her cheek.
"Shh, I know. You'll get through this."
She pretended to brush off the rush she'd received after I dipped her standing on formality however my best friend didn't know how. "Mark?"
"What is it, Susie, lightheaded?"
"You could say that. Why did you ask me to dance? You should have asked Jen."
I shook my head slightly. "I wanted to dance with you, Su."
"That's my point, Mark you shouldn't…your loyalties lie elsewhere."
I frowned, wrapping my around her waist. "Do you want me to let you go?"
"No," Susan whispered not missing the double meaning behind my statement, tears pricking her eyes as her head fell onto my shoulder. "Honestly I wish this dance was endless."
Jen's gaze flickered between the scene in front of her then back to Carol. "Should I be jealous, Carol has Mark neglected to tell me something?" Carter stared in the direction of Susan and me— our romantic twirling briefly halted on the dance floor—the rocking of my body the only motion as I tried to calm Susan, subtly kissing her hair. The longing the med student felt gazing upon his starry-eyed superiors gravitated specifically to Dr. Lewis. He'd developed as the others had termed it a 'puppy-dog crush' on her and now hated to see her go through pain.
"It depends on how much you read into it, Jen," my co-worker deflected, "if you choose to assume the worst possibility then yes but otherwise no." Carol took note of our friend's faraway, distance expression, shaking his shoulder. "Hey, Carter, you okay?"
"Oh…yeah…fine."
My wife scowled. "Cut the damn cryptic answers! Is my husband in love with Susan Lewis or not?!"
"It's really just speculation at this point. I wouldn't worry about that in case you haven't noticed your relationship is cracking because of your jealousy and insecurity. You need to trust, Mark."
Jen shook her head, crossing her arms. "You're saying I'm sabotaging my marriage?!"
"In the plainest terms yes," the nurse countered, offering a wry grin. A moment later, I released Susan from my embrace.
"Sorry Su, give me a minute," I mumbled into her ear, caressing her cheek tenderly, walking over to join Jen.
On shaking legs, Susan strode to a chair placed at a far-off table, sinking into it. She laid her palm to her forehead, lips pursing as she attempted to reign her emotions. Carter noiselessly sat down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder, clearing his throat nervously. "Dr. Lewis, are you okay?" Leaning into the med student's chest—an action that surprised even herself—she messily mopped her face with a hand, eyes red and tear streaked.
Our protégé stiffened slightly shocked by the sudden turn of events, cradling his superior in an awkward hug. "I'm in love with a man I can't have, Carter," Susan said, her voice defeated.
He smiled, brushing a flyaway hair behind the woman's ear, catching a stray tear with his thumb. His smile faded a little as he came to the realization. "Mark…I mean…Dr. Greene."
"Yes, hey what's the matter?"
"Nothing, I'm fine…just concerned about you," he lied, his frown deepening.
"Aww that's sweet and you're terrible liar, Carter."
Grinning a forced half-smile, the man nodded in concession, covering the hurt within his expression. "I suppose you're right, Dr. Lewis."
In the distance, my friends heard the raised voices of Jen and me. "…Honey, I assure you there's nothing to be paranoid about…Susie and I are just friends." Out of the corner of his eye, Carter saw Susan blush as I used my old affectionate term of address for her—that I now only said sparingly.
"Now you think I'm overreacting? Why did you just refer to her as Susie?!"
"It's a nickname we've known each other since we were kids, Jen. Nothing more, relax."
I cast my co-worker an evanescent gaze, inaudibly asking for assistance. She complied rising to her feet and kissing Carter's cheek before she came to my aid. "Thanks for listening, Carter. You're really sweet."
He nodded, watching the girl he loved go off to resume the dance with the one she loved —at Jen's discretion of course. He knew he would always remain in the background to her. Never being worthy of the enigma that was Dr. Susan Lewis.