TWO

"She was flatlining for a long time and we don't know how long she was under the water. There is a high chance that she has brain damage."

Richard was the first one to break the silence after Meredith came back to life. The silence was first filled with silent cries, long relieved sighs, and smiles.

But with what Richard said, it's time to face reality because the Meredith's heart stopped beating for a long period of time resulting to numbers of possible complications.

"All we can do know is wait for her to wake for the next 24 hours." Miranda sighed knowing it's not over yet. "If she wakes up." Christina muttered, mostly speaking to herself, but was still heard by everyone in the room. She still didn't leave Meredith out of her sight, watching her chest moving up and down, slightly making her feel better because right now, all that matters to her is that her person is alive.

Mark was frozen at the door, but unlike Christina, he is looking at Meredith's face, comparing how blue she was when she first entered this same room.

Saying he's relieved is an understatement. All he wanted to do right now is to rush to Meredith's side, hold her hand and never let go. But of course he can't, because Derek is already doing that. He knows he should be sad at that thought, but right now, all that matters is Meredith, and her now beating heart.

Everyone's attention was focused on Meredith. Addison was the first to break her gaze to the girl on the table knowing that there are other people who are out there that needs to know the current situation.

When she turned around to walk towards the door, she saw Mark. She was surprised on what she saw when she saw him. It's almost the perfect reflection of the look on her ex-husband's face, except there's this loneliness mixed in all the emotions swimming in his eyes.

She realized that Mark seems to be in a trance, frozen. He's just standing there staring at the woman on the table, not really paying attention to anyone but her.

Addie noticed his eyes shift from Meredith's face to her hand. The hand held by the man Meredith loves. As she realized this, her eyes snapped back to Mark's. She can't help but pity the man in front of her, because she can't help but see herself in him. This was her before. This was her before she realized how her marriage with Derek was over before they even tried. That she was no match for Meredith Grey.

She shook her head. It's not the time to think about the past. All that matters now is the man in front of her, because she knows. She knows what it feels like to be on his shoes.

She walked to him and touched his arm in a comforting way. Mark was startled at first, but when he realized who it was, he relaxed. But Addison can still see how tense Mark is.

"Mark, why don't you come with me and update the rest of her family?" Addison didn't wait for any response because she knows she won't get any, so she just pulled Mark with her, relieving him from the scene inside the ER. Mark's eyes were never leaving Meredith. The whole time he was being dragged by Addison, his gaze never wavered. He couldn't. It wasn't until the door of the ER that Mark lost his sight of her.

It was then when he broke.

It all comes crashing down.

She almost died. She almost lost her. She almost left him. His knees gave out.

Addie was instantly by his side. She doesn't know what to do because this is the first time that she saw Mark like this. Then she thought of the time when she left him. Was he also like this? Did he felt like this when she left him? When she told him that she killed their chi-? Addie shook her head. She doesn't want to go there.

Mark cried uncontrollably. He hasn't cried like this ever since he became 9 years old. He didn't even cry when Addie left him. Maybe he let out a few tears, but not really cried. Now, he feels every pain and hurt that he tried to block inside his head. He can't control it.

How his mother's hand went limp.

Every lash from his father.

The day he lost his best friend.

The day he lost his Addie.

And the day he found out that she killed their baby. His baby.

The day she chose him.

He just let it all out. Every pain, every disappointment, everything. He was glad Addison was there, even though she was one of the people that brought him pain. She was anchoring him, at this moment.

Addison cradled Mark's head in her shoulder.

"She's alright. She's okay." She kept repeating this over and over until Mark calmed down. Addie thought Mark was peeling himself of her, but then he suddenly rested his head on her shoulder, burying it there almost painfully.

"I almost lost her, Addie." It was a whisper, but Addie can feel every emotion that Mark was currently feeling at that moment.

Worry. Desperation. Anger. Relief. And Love.

Mark Sloan loves Meredith. It's clear to her know. She noticed the way Mark looks at Meredith before but didn't bring much attention to it at that time, she thought that maybe, it was just a simple attraction, because it's Mark. He has a reputation. But seeing him now, there in front of her, clinging to her like his life depended on it, feeling helpless. Mark Sloan is deeply in love with Meredith Grey.

She just held him there, not really knowing what else to do.

They stayed like that for almost 20 minutes until Mark decided to peel himself completely from Addison and stood up, putting on his McSteamy mask, although not really doing a good job at it because she can still see the pain through his eyes.

"Want to come with me and inform the rest of her family about the good news?" She emphasized the 'good news' to let Mark remember that Meredith is alive.

Mark just smiled. A genuine one, expressing his gratitude to Addison. Addison smiled back, knowing the meaning behind Mark's smile, before walking towards the group of interns sitting on the hall outside the ER.

Izzie is resting her head on George's shoulder while George is leaning his on the wall. Alex is the only one standing, walking back and forth, the anxiety clear on his face. He is the first to notice the two attendings walking towards them.

"How's Meredith?" He immediately asked, while both George and Izzie stood up, also wanting to know. When Addison smiled, it was like a weight was lifted from their shoulders knowing that Meredith was alive before Addison got the chance to even say it.

"She's now stable, but still unconscious. There is a huge possibility for brain damage because she's been down for a long time, but as of right now, she's okay."

Izzie just hugged George, while Alex just let out a long relieved sigh.

"Can we see her?" He said. "Of course."

Although her plan was to lead the rest of the interns to the ER, it all went down when the three interns ran past her as fast as they can towards the room Meredith was in.

She then looked at Mark then walked towards where the three were heading. As she went inside the room, she noticed that the presence behind her was missing. As she went outside the door, she found Mark sitting on the floor, head on his hands. She knelt in front of him and touched him on the shoulder.

"I can't. I- I can't." Addie can feel him trembling beneath her fingers.

"Mark."

"I can't, Addie."

"Mark, she's awake."