Meredith and Mark, AU Christmas One Shot.
Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or The Song.
Leona Lewis, Run
I'll sing it one last time for you And I can barely look at you Light up, light up Louder, louder To think I might not see those eyes Light up, light up Louder, louder Slower, slower Have heart my dear Light up, light up
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear
Mark Sloan stood looking at himself in the mirror, he had everything a man could possibly wish for. He had a stable career as New York's top plastic surgeon, he owned some of the best cars and properties in Manhattan and best of all, he had a wife that any guy would of dreamed of having. But as he stood looking at himself, he couldn't help but remember the days when he had nothing, when he relied on his best friend to provide for even the most basic things, like a place to stay or just someone to talk to when he was down. He fixed his bow tie and did the buttons of his dinner jacket before turning around to face his wife who was coming out of the bathroom placing on a pair of earrings.
Mark had met his wife 4 years ago at the hospital where she worked at. He was there to do some pro banal work on a couple of burn victims and the rest, well the rest was history.
Mark sat down on the bed and waited for his wife to finish getting ready for the party at Seattle Grace Hospital. Many prestige and talented Surgeons from all over the US were all invited to attend a party that Richard Webber was hosting, and it just so happened that both Mark and his wife were talented surgeons.
Mark eyed his wife, watching as she hurried around their hotel room looking for her new pair of Jimmy Choo's that she had planned on wearing.
"Need help?" He asked; clearly annoyed that she was taking so much time. Mark took less than 20 minutes to get ready whilst she took nearly 2 hours. He didn't understand why she needed so much time and now it was clearly getting annoying. She gave him an annoyed sceptical look and carried on shuffling around the room.
Mark couldn't take her behaviour no more so instead he decided to go down to the bar and wait for her there instead. He stood up and grabbed their room key heading for the door. Before he closed it behind him, he stopped. "I'll be down the bar, come get me when your ready"
"Okay okay, just go get drunk or whatever" she waved, telling him to just go and leave her to find her own shoes. Mark sighed and nodded closing the door behind him.
As he sat down in the bar drinking his scotch, he forced himself, yet again to believe that his wife was the right woman for him. Their first year of marriage was awesome, they would spend time together, have fun together and tell each other secrets. But as the second year came around, everything started to change.
Addison would blame him for everything, saying that he kept her away from her friends and family. Mark didn't understand and would blame it on her hormones, knowing that underneath this whiney and patronised woman, was the woman that he fell in love with. He ran his hands over his face trying to remember the last time the two actually did something together, something that didn't revolve around work.
He looked around the hotel and noticed a young couple getting cosy on the sofa, he smiled and remembered his past.
Mark ran through the heavy snow with a huge grin on his face, he didn't worry about the snow making his head all wet or that he couldn't feel his fingers no more because right now, he was having too much fun with his best friend. He looked over his shoulder and he could see her still chasing after him. He saw her house and quickly ran up the steps and opened the door. Just when he was closing it shut, she had pushed the door open again making him fall onto his back. She laughed at him before closing the door behind her. He laid on the floor watching as she took off her jacket, hat and scarf still with that silly smile on her face. She gave out her hand and he grabbed it and got up with her help.
"Thanks" He blushed knowing that she was thinking that he was a loser. She shook her head still smiling and headed into the living room and switching on the TV. He took off his jacket and followed placing himself next to her. She looked at him and he looked at her, he knew what was going to happen next and so did she. He gazed into her eyes, feeling himself feel safe. She gazed into his eyes and knew that he would be her knight in shining armour.
"Meredith…" He whispered feeling nervous. "I… I think I love you" He swallowed hard feeling the lump in his throat ease a bit. He looked at her trying to see what she would say but instead of words, her actions told him everything. Because at this very moment, Meredith had her lips pressed tightly against Mark's. He closed his eyes savouring this moment, the moment that he had waited for 15 years.
Meredith opened her eyes and noticed that Mark had his eyes shut and she smiled which made their kiss come to a stop. She watched as he opened his eyes and smiled at her. He couldn't think of a word to describe the kiss but knew that he could be kissing her for the rest of his life.
"I think I love you too" She admitted gently placing her hand on the side of his face.
Mark was soon back to reality when he felt someone touching his shoulder, he looked up hoping that it was Meredith but instead, it was just his wife, Addison.
"You ready?" She asked. He nodded and stood up and shoved both hands into his pockets. Addison snaked her arm around his and the two headed for the door. Mark looked at his wife and pushed back all the memories that he had of Meredith, because right now, in the present, he was, correction, is married to Addison and not Meredith.
The car ride to the hospital was quiet; Mark didn't look over at his wife not once but he felt her place her hand onto his thigh resting it there gently. He'd look at her hand but not her face, for some strange reason he just couldn't. They eventually arrived at Seattle Grace and being the gentleman he was, Mark helped Addison out of the car. Seattle was different from New York and he hated the rain, which was pouring down on the two now. Mark groaned in frustration but kept quiet about his feelings not wanting to give his wife another reason to scold him. She snaked her arm around his and lead the way towards the hospital, Mark just followed and soon enough they were greeted by Richard Webber.
"Dr Sloan! Dr Montgomery!" Richard bellowed walking towards the two with a huge smile on his face. He gave them both a hug, which he had given to all of his other guests.
"Webber, nice to meet you again. Long time no see" Mark smiled turning on his doctor mode.
"Too right my boy. And how's your lovely wife doing?" Richard asked looking over at Addison who was giggling slightly. "I'm doing just fine sir" Addison replied, Richard nodded and told the two where it was taking place and they left leaving Richard to greet his next guests.
Addison and Mark entered the highly Christmas decorated hall, there were several doctors already there talking to one another most likely about surgical skills. Addison took her arm out of Mark's and looked up at him, "I'll get us drinks" He nodded and watched as she walked off to grab them a couple of drinks, as she did, he couldn't help but remember last year's Christmas that they had spent together.
"Merry Christmas" Mark beamed holding a cup of hot steaming mug of coffee in his hands. Addison sat up and smiled brightly at him thankful that he had a cup of coffee with him. He handed the cup to her and she thanked him. He watched as she drank the cup before placing the cup onto the table.
"So…" he started, "I was thinking… maybe we could spend this Christmas together. I was thinking the ice-rink and then me cooking you a nice meal" He had planned this out last week making sure that everything would be perfect. Since their marriage was anything was perfect, he tried to perfect other things which could eventually lead up to a perfect marriage.
"I thought I told you that I was going to spend it with a couple of my friends that came over from L.A"
Mark frowned getting slightly annoyed, "You never told me anything. I wanted to actually spend Christmas with my wife this year. Last year you went out with your cousins leaving me to spend Christmas on my own! It's not happening again Addison!"
Addison came to her defence and came up with a reason, "Mark I see you everyday! And as for Naomi and Sam, they only visit me once a year!"
"You see me everyday because you're my wife and it wouldn't hurt if you'd actually spend this one extra day with me"
"Maybe it would hurt Mark, because your keeping me captive… once again"
Mark was clearly offended and got off the bed, "You know what, just go. I'll just spend Christmas on my own… once again" Before she could say anything else, Mark had already left their room. He grabbed his jacket and left the house leaving her to spend with anyone she wanted.
When Addison returned with drinks for the two on them, she noticed that he looked slightly stressed, he had his head in his hands resting them on the table. She shook him gently and he slowly rose his head from the table looking at her, "what?"
"We just got here and your already acting up"
Mark sighed knowing that she's say something like this to him, she didn't bother to ask him how he was feeling and instead she assumed that he was acting up. He just watched as his wife sat back in her chair sipping on the champagne that she had in hand, he looked at the glass of champagne in front of him and sat up.
"I'm going to talk to a couple of other people" She informed him as she stood up and left, leaving him to sit on his own with the champagne glass still sitting there looking at him. He watched her go sighing once again, she was beautiful without a doubt but sometimes he would just wished that they loved each other more. He knew that other people only saw them as a power couple, he was handsome with talents and she was beautiful with talents. He wanted people to see that they truly did love each other for who they were and not for what they looked like and what their social status was. However, the word "Love" was out of their vocabulary, Love was long lost in their relationship and he hated it. For some strange and absurd reason, he never did cheat on her in their 4 years of marriage; even when things were bad.
He sat back in his seat looking around the room, everyone seemed so occupied in their own thing apart from him, he rubbed his hands up and down his face before giving his beard a scratch. He was starting to get bored and stood up and decided that he needed something to eat. He shoved both hands into his trouser pockets and headed towards the table that held all the little snacks. He looked down at his shoe's and noticed that one of the laces on his expensive Italian shoe's had come undone. He bent down and did it before standing up, as he did, he knocked over a woman causing her to fall onto her bum. He turned around and reached out his hand helping her off the floor.
Once he took a glance of her face, his eyes stayed locked and so did hers. There she was, the girl that Mark had been yearning to see, Meredith Grey. Mark was speechless, he never thought he'd see her again but here she was, in person. His hands were still in hers and neither said or did anything but look at each other.
"Meredith" Derek called coming up behind her placing his arm around her waist. Suddenly the two were snapped out of their intense gaze, Mark was still in a slight shock and he knew that Meredith was too.
"I was looking for you" Derek told her, "Are you okay?" He asked, worried that she wasn't okay. She turned around and gave him a smile, "Yeah I'm great"
"Well Keith Fitzpatrick over there wants to talk to us about our method"
"I'll meet you later" Derek nodded and headed off leaving the two. Meredith turned herself back to Mark smiling at him, he returned her the smile and shoved his hands into his pockets again.
"I can't believe you're here" She said happily. She leaned towards him and they both gave each other a hug, Mark didn't know what to say and made hand movements waving it around slightly.
"It's so good to see you!" She beamed taking in his appearance, he had changed a lot since their last encounter. Mark had grown into his looks and he was much more built up.
"It's good to see you too Grey" He said, now taking in her appearance. She wasn't like the old Meredith Grey that he had been used to, She actually looked like a mature grown woman, a grown beautiful woman.
Mark was so caught up in gazing that he didn't notice her waving her hands in front of his face, "Mark! Mark!"
"Oh sorry. It's been so long"
"It has" She agreed, "I actually remember the last time I saw you"
Mark chuckled slightly and nodded, "I was hoping that you wouldn't"
It was Christmas Break and Meredith was at a party with Cristina, the two attended Stanford which was a million miles away from where Mark was studying. Meredith was hoping that she would visit him but Cristina had told her to give up on him because he hadn't called her not once she was here. She and Cristina were both drunk on tequila and they were dancing around with boys they had never met before.
Meanwhile, Mark was in his rental car on his way to the Stanford campus, he felt guilty for not calling her but he had his reasons. Mark had only got into Cornell University because of his football scholarship. Many of the Ivy league schools had offered him a football scholarship but he decided to take Cornell's offer. Since he got there, he decided that he wanted to do medicine. He had originally planned on doing engineering but Meredith had somehow convinced him that doing medicine was the best. As the school work came in, he struggled to be on top and with his football practice to top it off, he never had a minute to himself.
As he came closer to the campus he noticed that it was somewhat eerie silent. He looked around and noticed a couple of student, he went towards them asking them if they knew of a 'Meredith Grey', to his surprise, they did. He asked them where she was and they told him that it was likely that she would be at a party.
As he came towards the house that was blaring with loud music and a bunch of college students running around drunk or naked. He parked the car nearby and walked towards the house. As he entered, a shirtless boy holding a bottle of scotch in his hand greeted him.
"Hey man!"
"Do you know where Meredith Grey is?" Mark asked not caring about the shirtless boy. The boy shook his head and Mark gave him a smile and pat on the back before getting through the crowd to find his girlfriend. He walked around for a while nervous, what was he going to say when he saw her?
A few minutes later, he found her sitting on the couch with a guy on one side and an Asian girl on the other. He's heart started to beat faster, he wondered if this boy was her boyfriend. He hadn't spoken to her in about 3 months, and in that time, many things could of happened. He walked towards her and looked down at her with a smile.
Meredith felt someone overshadowing her and as she looked up, she found Mark looking down at her with a smile. She immediately stood up wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Mark!" She squealed.
"Mer" He whispered cherishing this moment, he hadn't held her in nearly 3 months and it felt so good to have her around him.
"You must be Mark, I'm Cristina" Cristina said holding out her hand, Mark shook it and watched the Asian girl let her head rest again on the back of the couch. Meredith giggled and said, "Don't worry about her" Mark nodded then looked over at the boy who was sitting beside Meredith. Meredith didn't notice Mark looking at the boy, but he felt his hand getting pulled; he looked down at his hands noticing Meredith pulling him out of the house through to the backyard.
"I've missed you Mark" she said pulling his head down and smacking her lips against his. Mark could clearly tell that Meredith was drunk and pulled away, once he did she giggled and tried kissing him again. He could clearly taste all the alcohol that she had consumed and decided that it would be best if he took her home.
The next day, Meredith woke up with a pair of arms around her. She quickly panicked and got out of bed making sure that she didn't sleep with someone inappropriate. Once she realised that she was fully clothed, she sighed with relief and turned around to see who had been sleeping next her. Once she saw that it was Mark, she smiled brightly and jumped back into bed, "I've missed you" She smiled giving him a kiss on the lips.
"You told me that last night" He smirked returning the kiss. She blushed and he placed his arms around her and they sat there in a comfortable silence. After a while, Mark knew that Meredith was wondering at this very moment why he hadn't been calling her, he turned to face her deciding that it was now the time to tell her the truth, even if that meant ruining the moment they were having.
"I'm sorry I haven't been calling" He apologised waiting for her response. "I was so caught up with all the school work and football practice that I didn't have a minute to myself" Again she didn't say anything, he tried reading her eyes but she was just staring at him.
"I thought we talked about this whole football thing?" She said in a tone slightly angrier than she had hoped. He frowned and took his arm away from her sitting up properly, "I know we did, and I told you that I'm not giving it up"
"I never asked you to give it up, all I asked was for you to be less focused in football and become more focus in things that are way more important"
"Things like what Mer?" He asked throwing his arms in the air, "I'm focusing on my studies and football. Those are the things that matter to me the most more than anything." Meredith gasped and jumped out of bed and Mark suddenly realised what he had just said. He got out of bed trying to take her hand saying that he was sorry but she was already in tears.
"I didn't mean what I said, I am so sorry Mer. You do matter to me, you are the most important person in my life" He pleaded, Meredith shook her head wiping away her tears, "Cristina was right, all boys are jerks"
"I'm not like the other boys, I'm different because unlike them, I know what love is and you are the one person I love"
Mark watched Meredith shake her head again still with tears rushing from her eyes. He knew that what he had said could not be taken back but he didn't know what he was saying, all he was trying to do was defend himself.
"You think you can say that and think it's all whole and healed again? Well it's not going to work"
"I'm sorry Meredith" He pleaded; she closed her eyes tightly shaking her head. What Cristina said was all right, it was all coming together and now she realised that all boys were nothing but a bunch of assholes.
"This whole distance relationship isn't working out. I think it's over Mark" As much as she wanted this relationship to work out, she kept re-winding what Cristina had told her and knew that it would never work.
"It doesn't have to end this way Mer. I'm sorry!" He pleaded, she still had her eyes shut knowing that he was giving her the face that she would fall for and forgive.
"I'm sorry Mark"
"Meredith please!"
"You should leave now" She cried without looking at him.
"I'll call you later then" He sighed gathering his things and heading for the door.
"Don't bother" Meredith forced out with tears of pain trickling down her face.
The two had gone and found themselves a table and drinks just sitting there looking at each other. Meredith had a smile on her face; playing with her wrist nervously whilst Mark just stared at her beauty. He quickly looked down at her married finger and noticed it empty.
"So, are you married?" He asked, wanting to make sure that what she was showing was true. She smiled and nodded looking down at her empty finger, "Don't plan on getting married either" she replied with a small chuckle which led him to chuckle slightly as well.
"I see that you are though. Who's the lucky woman" Meredith felt slightly jealous of this woman but knew that Mark would obviously move on instead of holding back like what she was doing. Mark looked down at his silver band and quickly placed his hands under the table.
"Someone" He replied not wanting to talk about him being married no more. "So what have you been up to, since I last saw you" Mark asked feeling the slight pain when Meredith didn't return any of his calls and changed her number.
"Well I finished College, then me and Cris did our internship at Seattle Grace and now I'm a Neuro Resident. What about you Mark? How's the football?" She asked knowing that he'd laugh when she mentioned the football, and as she did, he gave her a chuckle shaking his head.
"Let's see, for starters. I gave up on the football right after Christmas break. You made me realise what was more important and football was nothing. I focused on my studies and I got accepted for an internship with Elliot Clarke, you know that famous Plastic Surgeon on the east coast. And then from there I started my own practice"
Meredith smiled, noticing how softly and intensely Mark had said all of this, "I'm proud of you Mark" She said placing a hand on his shoulders. Mark looked at her hand on his shoulders and took it down and into his. They both looked down at their hands that was now both intertwined on Mark's lap; they then both looked up at the same time smiling and looking each other in the eyes.
"I've missed you more than you could imagine Meredith" Mark whispered with his voice strong with emotion. "After we broke up and you kept refusing to speak to me, I cried like a little girl" This earned a giggled from Meredith and he smiled missing her giggles. "I knew you'd laugh. But that's not the point, the point is that, I lost someone that I should of never lost in the first place. You were right, all us boys are stupid and brainless"
"I missed you too Mark, I should of never broken up with you. I was too harsh on you"
Mark shook his head caressing her hand, "You weren't. I said things I shouldn't have said and you had every right to kick me out"
The two stayed silent again before Meredith broke it, "You know how hard it was to not talk to you? Every time you called I would pick up but Cristina would take the phone away from me. She threw out my old phone and brought me a new one"
"Do you think we would of worked out?" Mark asked, wanting to know if he still had a chance with her.
"I don't know" She replied honestly, "Maybe"
He nodded, not very satisfied with her answer, right now he wanted her, he wanted them to get back together like how they were back in the days.
"Run away with me" Mark said suddenly, Meredith looked a bit shocked and Mark was too after he realised what he had just said.
"Your married and I have a boyfriend Mark"
"I know, but I haven't loved my wife in nearly 3 years"
"That doesn't matter, your still married to her. And let's not forget about Derek!"
"Is he the one?"
"What?!"
"I said, is he the one for you? Because if he is potentially the one then I'm happy to go back to my loveless marriage and let you have your happily ever after, if he's the one then tell me now Mer" Mark said almost pleading, she looked at him shocked but knew where he was coming from.
After a while Meredith replied, "He's not the one".
Mark felt his heart swell with the joy and love that he was willing to give to this very woman in front of him. He smiled at her and leaned forward to kiss her but was stopped by her hands.
"Not here" She said. Mark nodded and looked around noticing people still caught up in their own little world just like he had been in with Meredith. Meredith stood up and Mark looked up at her with a frown and she motioned for him to stand too. She took hold of his hands and went through the crowd making sure that nobody noticed them and luckily for them, both their other partner's didn't notice them leave the hall.
"Where are we going?" Mark whispered letting Meredith lead the way. She didn't reply and he would just follow looking into each room as they walked by each. Suddenly he came to a halt and he bumped into her. She giggled and he apologised and she opened the door to a room and pulled him in.
She locked the door and leaned against it looking at him the dark. Mark was slightly confused and looked around trying to figure out where he was, but as soon as he looked back at her, he felt her lips against his and all of a sudden, all his tension was eased and he slowly kissed her back closing his eyes tight. The kiss made all memories of her flooding back into his head, the kiss that he had missed so much.
They parted for air and she looked up at him whilst he looked down at her, "You're the one" She said softly, "You've always been the one for me"
Mark was speechless and kissed her again and before they knew it, they were making love inside an empty exam room.