Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy is not mine. I wish it were mine. More importantly, I wish McSteamy was mine...


Meredith escaped from the hospital uneventfully. She was relieved that she didn't see Derek again before she left; she wasn't up to another confrontation. She drove carelessly back to her house. Her mind was concentrating on her unpacked suitcase…and her decision to bring Mark along. Wouldn't it be awkward? The Mark who essentially broke up her ex-boyfriend's marriage. The Mark who was a total manwhore. The Mark who told her to bring lingerie to Italy. Meredith was anxious, yet oddly excited. He was an amusing person. She hoped that they would have fun together.

Meredith pulled into her driveway and ran up to her room, packing hastily. Mark was coming to pick her up in less than an hour, and she still had a lot to accomplish. She sorted through her closet, throwing piles of sundresses, shorts, and other random clothes onto her bed. She crammed it into her suitcase and added her other last minute items. She opened her underwear drawer and curiously held up a pair of black lacy panties. She couldn't help but throw in a couple of sets of lingerie…for the sexy Italian men…of course… Meredith closed her suitcase and drug it downstairs, placing it by the door. She went to the couch and began fiddling nervously. She was about to go to another continent with a man she barely knew, not a day after she left her boyfriend, who apparently loved her. Meredith's anxious reverie was broken by Mark's car pulling up to her house. She watched Mark step out of his excessively expensive car, in his characteristic swagger. She grabbed her suitcase and ran out the door.

'Hey, Mer.'

'Hi.'

'You ready to go?'

'Yeah.' Mark took his suitcase and put it in his trunk. Meredith got into the car, and watched Mark closely as he joined her. Mark began to notice her scrutiny.

'What?' Meredith just stared, shaking her head.

'I don't know. I guess I'm just kind of freaked out. This is weird. I mean, not bad, but random weird,' Meredith admitted. Mark smirked at her.

'It's just a little different. But don't worry, I'm an amazing traveler.' A little bit of the worry eased off of her face. 'And, there are other things I'm even better at…' Meredith lightly hit his arm. 'Hey, you look better now. Not to jumpy and twitchy.'

Meredith and Mark talked for the rest of the brief trip to the airport. After the extensive check-in procedure, they found their departure gate and sat down, waiting for the plane to arrive.

They waited in silence. Mark began observing Meredith's habits. It didn't take long for him to notice the obvious melancholy expression. He figured that it would not be the best time to bring it up, but he surmised that it was something relating to Derek. He watched as she stared off, in deep thought, breathing slowly and deeply. Mark's curiosity grew. But before he got up the courage to ask her, they began to board the plane.

Burke had gotten first class tickets, especially necessary for the extensive trip to Italy. They were flying into Rome and would spend a few days in the city before driving to the coast to take a small, exclusive cruise around the Mediterranean Sea.

'So, this is the time that I play the gentleman and let you have the coveted window seat,' Mark smirked at Meredith, who grinned back at him.

'You say that like you even had a hope of getting it. You forget that I was courteous enough to invite you on this honeymoon.' Her remark got confounded stares from the unknowing people sitting around them as they playfully argued.

They listened to the pre-flight routine, only paying half attention. Time passed rapidly and soon they were preparing for the take off. Meredith's grip on the arm rest tightened, which Mark took immediate notice of.

'Grey, are you afraid of flying?' He questioned, with a tone of good-natured mocking.

'Oh, it's nothing. The take offs have always made me slightly uncomfortable. It's some irrational little quirk.' Mark placed his hand atop Meredith's. This subtle gesture took her by surprise, and she inhaled sharply. But Mark did not notice. With her free hand, Meredith began to fiddle with her hair. Mark was quickly beginning to pick up on her habits, nervous fiddling being a big one. He found it oddly endearing.

After the plane was in the air, Mark checked on Meredith. 'Was that so bad?'

'No. It wasn't bad at all.' She became aware of his hand still holding hers.

'See, I told you. Nothing to worry about.' Mark followed her eyes to their intertwined hands. He abruptly released the grasp.

Meredith and Mark had both flushed. After a moment of embarrassed silence, Meredith motioned to the list of movies that they could watch and their conversation became easier. Conversation became unnecessary as they both became suddenly interested in using their televisions. Mark watched as Meredith settled into some chick flick, appeased that her gloomy nature had lightened, at least for that moment. Mark flipped through the channels some five or six times before watching on an entirely random movie that he didn't pay the least bit of attention to.

Meredith eventually tucked away her miniature screen and looked out at the darkened sky. Mark watched as the sadness resumed and turned to her, gently placing his arm on her shoulder. Meredith turned to face him, with a few tears meandering down her pink cheeks.

'We shouldn't be here. It's supposed to be Burke and Cristina's honeymoon. They should be married right now. I just don't understand. They were perfect together. They gave me hope that I could be happy too. I don't know what to do anymore.'

Mark looked at the raw emotion in her face. 'I remember when Burke told us that they were engaged. I had been expecting it. I wasn't surprised. It was natural. They belonged together, like you said. I might have predicted that Cristina freak out, but not Burke. He was always so committed.'

'What the hell happened?' Mark shrugged. 'One minute, we were fine. Then he said he didn't want to breathe for me anymore.' Mark realized that now she was talking about Derek and began to listen more intently. 'We were uncomfortable around each other and then he tells me he met some whore at a bar.'

'He did what?' Mark was furious. How could he hurt her so?

'He said nothing happened. But that it was the highlight of his week. He wouldn't cheat on me, but he was mad at me. My mom died. I almost died. My stepmom died. My dad blamed me and hit me. And he hits on a bar whore.' Mark was not often rendered speechless, but this was one of those rare occasions. She had been through so much grief. What could be possibly say to make this better? He hoped that it wasn't the words that mattered so. He put his arm around Meredith, pulling her to him in a comforting gesture. 'And then he tells me I'm the love of his life. But asks me to put him out of his misery, if that was my choice. I mean, what the crap? I was confused. I didn't want to walk out. I don't like that I respond to things by avoiding them. But seriously. I didn't know what to say. And then the whole Burke thing. I had just lost all hope. And now he wants to talk to me again. I'm just not ready. I bring all my pain on anyone else. It's just not fair.' Meredith paused. 'I begged for him once, you know. I mean, begged for him to pick me. I loved him enough to beg. I'm not a beggar. How did I get to this point?' Mark held her tighter. All of these wounds were so fresh. He could hear her poorly-suppressed sniffles.

Meredith cried herself to sleep in Mark's arms. Mark just held her, thinking about what she had said. He had never felt such grief. He tried to sleep, but it was not very successful. He dozed every now and again, but essentially, he wanted to be awake in case Meredith woke up and needed someone to talk to again. He wanted to try to make her at least forget her pain, if not begin to heal, on their honeymoon. But he needed everything to be laid out. He looked down at Meredith's sleeping figure, seeing great tranquility. He sincerely hoped her subconscious was much happier.


So I guess this is a set up to Mark's sensitive side, one rarely seen on the show. It also sets up potential romantic Mer/Mark adventures. Next chapter will include Roma, Italia. Yay!

As always, reviews are greatly loved. If you feel the desire, I shall indeed love you forever.