Okay, so...starting a new story...something I probably shouldn't be doing right now. But I figure, if I'm going to get this out of my system (I've had this idea for quite some time), then I'd might as well do it, now or never.

So the inspiration for this fic comes from an old plotline that everyone thought Shonda was going to use in the middle of season three. Basically, it involves Addison, Alex, Izzie, and Mark. And I think you might like it. :)

"You are a sorry man, Alex. A sorry, sorry man."

Alex's head snapped up. "Something fly up your ass today, Christina?"

"She's not trying to be rude," said Meredith.

Alex snorted. "And I'm the Queen of England."

"No, we're talking about the moping," said Meredith, sitting down next to him so her lunch tray hit the table with a little plunk. "The endless moping. It's not good for you."

"We've had enough moping for a lifetime," said Christina. She jerked her head at Meredith. "Especially from this one over here."

Meredith glared, but went on talking. "We're just saying, that whatever it is, just fix it. Or at least tell us what it is so we can stop wor- I mean, paying attention to it."

"I'm not moping!"

Christina ripped open a bag of chips. "Oh, so we're just supposed to assume that the permanent frown you now have is a side of your personality we haven't seen before? Give me a break."

"There's a lack of a sneer on your face," added Meredith. "That's just not natural."

"What's not natural?" George approached the lunch table, carrying his own tray of food. Alex shot him a look of disdain. "What's everyone talking about?"

"Alex. We're talking about Alex and his moping," explained Meredith.

"Did you mention the spacing?" asked George. "He spaces. A lot."

"You're right," mused Meredith. "He does."

"Go to hell," muttered Alex.

"I expect we'll be seeing you there, then?" asked Christina. She stuffed a handful of chips into her mouth. "Sickening."

"You can't blame him," said George. "I'd be pissed too if I were working with Sloan."

"I'm on Montgomery's service today," corrected Alex.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Christina, tossing a chip up into the air in triumph. "I saw it on the board today. I just didn't believe it."

"Shut up."

"You know your true place is on the gynie squad," Christina said, waving her hand. "Just admit it."

"But he's moped way before that," Meredith pointed out. "It's got to be something different."

"Is this about Izzie?" asked George. "Because if it is, well, she's okay now and everything…but just tell us and we'll back off."

"This is not about Izzie!" exclaimed Alex, resulting in silence from the other three. They finished the rest of their lunch in silence…until Christina's beeper went off.

"You know what?" said Christina, checking the beeper. "If you want to mope around, that's fine with me. You go ahead and be like everyone else with their heads stuck down at the bottom of the well around here. I could care less." She got up, threw her empty wrappers down on the table, and speed-walked inside.

"Where is Izzie anyway?" asked George.

"In surgery with Callie," answered Meredith. "She should be out in about an hour."

"It's not about Izzie," repeated Alex.

This got hold of George's curiosity. "There's a person then. Who's it about?"

"Whatever," muttered Alex, glancing at his watch. "I have to go. She needs me." He got up, threw his and Christina's lunches away, and left the courtyard in the same direction Christina had gone.

George and Meredith stared after him. "Since when does Alex clean up after people? Since when does Alex clean up, period?"

Meredith, however, looked thoughtful. "She needs me…do you think…that he could…?"

"What?" asked George. His eyes widened in realization. "No way."

Meredith shrugged. "It could happen." She shook her head. "I don't know. You're probably right."

"How weird would that be? If he…"

"It wouldn't be the weirdest thing that ever happened here."

"God, that's scary," said George. He looked at Meredith's half-eaten sandwich, sitting in front of her. "Are you going to finish that?"

Meredith picked up the sandwich, picked out the lettuce (George hated lettuce), and handed it over.

Tell me what you think!