Title: Glimpse
Author: xxCallicaTruLovexx
Pairing(s): Merica {Mark and Erica}
Summary: Mark finds out why Erica won't go out with him.
Rating: T, M for later chapters
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story and this idea. Characters and show belong to their respective owners.
Author Notes: No set time frame, but is set between seasons 4 and 5.
"You're a mom?" Mark asked, a look of shock on his face.
"Not exactly," Erica said quietly as the little boy peered around her legs at the man standing at the door.
"It's a long story," Erica answered when she saw the strange look on Mark's face.
"Are you a friend of my mommy?" the little boy asked as he stepped out from behind Erica, looking up at Mark with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Sort of," Mark answered.
"I'm Deacon," the little boy said, holding his hand out for Mark to shake. Mark knelt down to his level.
"I'm Mark," Mark said with a chuckle as he shook Deacon's hand.
"Are you going to the park with us?"
Mark meet Erica's eyes and she mouthed 'you don't have to'.
"If it's alright with your mom," Mark said, looking back down at the child.
"Can he, mommy? Please?" Deacon asked, turning to face Erica with his hands held together.
Erica wanted to say no. She wanted nothing more than to say no and have Mark go home and not burst the perfect little bubble that she had built around Deacon and herself. But one look into the blue eyes that mirrored her own and she caved in.
"If Mark doesn't have anything planned and he doesn't mind hanging out with a five year old, I have no problem with it," Erica gave in. Deacon turned his head so fast back to Mark that Erica thought for sure that he would have whiplash.
"You gonna come with us?" Deacon asked Mark, his eyes wide.
"Sure, why not," Mark said, smiling at Deacon.
"Can we go now?" Deacon asked, turning his head towards Erica.
"Yeah, let me just get my bag. Do you mind watching him for a minute?" Erica asked Mark.
"Not at all," Mark smiled at her.
Erica walked into the house and back into the kitchen. She leaned against the sink as she mentally shook herself. She knew it wasn't a good idea to have Mark play tag-a-long on today's outing, but she just simply couldn't refuse Deacon. Erica at home was completely different than the Hahn who worked with Mark at Seattle Grace. And to admit it to herself, she hated the fact that he would see her laid back side today.
"Mom, hurry up," she heard Deacon yell from the front door. She took a deep breath before pushing herself away from the sink. She grabbed her bag and keys and made her way out the door, locking it behind her.
"Ready?" Deacon asked impatiently. Erica laughed at his persistence and nodded her head.
They got halfway down the block before Deacon stopped.
"Are you any good at giving piggy back rides?" Deacon asked, looking up at Mark.
"Deacon," Erica warned.
"Mom, I'm just asking."
"I'm not sure. I've never given a piggy back ride," Mark told Deacon.
"You've never given a piggy back ride?" Deacon asked, shocked.
"I don't have kids of my own. I could always try though," Mark offered. Deacon seemed to ponder this for a second before agreeing. Mark hoisted Deacon onto his shoulders and started after Erica.
"Comfortable?" Erica asked, smiling up at Deacon.
"Yeah," Deacon nodded his head.
As soon as they got to the park, Mark let Deacon down and the child immediately took off for the swings.
"He's a great kid," Mark said as he and Erica settled themselves on a bench and watched as Deacon played.
"He is. He reminds me so much of my sister," Erica said.
"Your sister?" Mark asked.
"Deacon's biological mother. When Deacon was four months old, my sister and her husband were driving home from my house one night. They had brought Deacon over for me to watch while they went out for a night to themselves. They never made it to the restaurant. A drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned their car. They both died on impact.
They hadn't told me, but they had written up a will and made me primary caregiver of Deacon. Ever since that night, he's been with me. It's sad because he doesn't even remember them.
His first word was mama and I didn't have the heart to correct him. Instead of being Aunt Erica, I was mama almost literally overnight," Erica said as a lone tear inched down her cheek. Mark reached his hand up and brushed it away.
"Do you think you'll ever tell him?" Mark asked.
"I'm not sure honestly. I sometimes think that maybe someday I will, but then I realize that if I do, his whole world will come crashing down. I'm watching him play and he doesn't have a care in the world. He's being a child and I don't want to take that from him. But I know that not everything is set in stone and I might tell him one day."
"You're a great mom to him. I can tell by the way he looks up to you. I wish my mom would've been like that."
"Mark Sloan didn't have the perfect childhood?" Erica questioned.
"Mark Sloan had the shittiest childhood you could imagine. The only reason I'm sitting here now is because when I was born, having a baby was the trend. By the time I was able to walk and talk, my parents wiped the glitter from their eyes and realized there's much more than glitz and glamour to having a kid."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Erica apologized.
"Don't worry about it. Their lack of parenting made me who I am today, no jokes needed. But I didn't need them anyways. I met Derek when I was eight and his family excepted me straight away. They were they only family I needed."
They sat in silence for the remainder of the time just thinking about what they had been through. Deacon had come over and drug Mark off to play some game or another. Erica found herself smiling as she watched Deacon laugh as Mark pushed him high on the swings.
Mark walked back over to where Erica was after playing with Deacon for a few hours.
"I don't know how you keep up with him," Mark said as he sat next to her and tried to catch his breath.
"I'm not sure how I do it either. After spending countless hours in the OR and then coming home to him, it's a miracle that I am able to drag myself out of bed every morning," Erica admitted.
"Mommy, I'm hungry," Deacon said as he ran over to where Erica and Mark were sitting.
"Why don't you ask your mommy if you two can go to lunch with me," Mark said, leaning down and whispering in Deacon's ear.
"Mom, can we have lunch with Mark?" Deacon asked, smiling sweetly at Erica.
"I don't see why not," Erica answered without hesitation.
"Deacon, slow down. You're going to choke," Erica warned as Deacon shoveled food into his mouth.
"But I'm hungry," Deacon replied.
"You better listen to your mom. You don't want her to go all Hahn on you, do you?" Mark asked, leaning across the table to whisper to Deacon even though Erica could still hear them.
"I heard that she's mean when she's in doctor mode," Deacon whispered loudly to Mark.
"You two do realize that I can hear you, right?" Erica asked, raising her eyebrow at the two of them.
"See what I mean," Mark said as he leaned back in his chair and took a bite out of his French fry. Erica playfully smacked him on his arm, eliciting a laugh from Deacon.
"Teach my kid bad things," she muttered under her breath.
"So Mark, are you going to come back to my house and play with me?" Deacon asked as he pushed his plate away from him. Erica's eyes grew wide at Deacon's question. Being out with Mark was completely different than being inside her own home with Mark. At least outside of her house she could still maintain a shred of Dr. Hahn, but inside it was a no go.
"Dee, Mark might have his own plans. Did you not think of that?" Erica asked her son.
"Do you have plans, Mark?" Deacon asked, turning his attention back to Mark.
"No, but," Mark started only to be cut off by Deacon.
"See, then you can come to our house. My mom's a real good cook if you get hungry later. And I'll teach you how to hid the vegetables," Deacon offered.
"I don't think that's a good idea, Deacon. Maybe your mom wants to spend some time with you," Mark offered.
"She always spends time with me," Deacon retorted.
"How about I make you a deal. Let your mom spend tonight with you, and then she and I can make plans for me to come over some time later this week and then we can play. Sound good?" Mark offered to Deacon.
"Yea, I guess so," Deacon pouted.
"We should get going," Erica said, standing up from the table and gathering her stuff. "Thanks again for lunch and today."
"Any time," he said, his eyes meeting hers. She broke hers away as a light blush started to creep up her neck to her cheeks. She ushered Deacon away from the table and Mark before the boy could come up with another way to bring Mark home with them.
TBC