Chapter 3
Fireworks & Forest Fires
Teddy
"Mark, please do something. Anything, just something." My voice broke and I gripped his arms tighter. I felt tears stinging in my eyes. I blinked to hold them back, wetting my lashes in the process. "Please." I begged in once last attempt to bring him back to earth. He was the color of chalk, on the verge of hyperventilating, trembling, and frozen in place. I didn't want to admit to myself what was going on, but the truth was unavoidable. Mark had just seen his best friend laying on a stretcher nearly dead, and now he was in shock. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, mimicking the droplets sliding down Mark's face. What I did next is something I still can't explain the reasoning behind.
I leaned close to him and pressed my lips against his. For a moment he was motionless, my lips moving against his without any reaction. Then, like a switch had been turned on he kissed me back, his lips trembling against mine. Within seconds he had his arms around me, one hand at the small of my back, the other between my shoulder blades. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he let his fingers tangle into my hair. I'd felt sparks before, but nothing like this. Even fireworks seemed pathetic next to this feeling, it was almost like a whole forest had caught fire. I can't remember how long it lasted, but I can remember never wanting it to end. When we finally pulled away we were both gasping for breath. I smiled when I finally caught mine and looked up at him.
"Welcome back." I murmured softly our lips nearly touching. "I couldn't have asked for a better way to come back down to earth." I could feel his warm breath against my lips as he spoke, his voice a low whisper. It was then that I caught Lexie Grey staring at us out of the corner of my eye, her face twisted into a tortured look of pure agony. It was that look that made me pull away from him, to wish that the kiss we'd just shared had never happened. I tried to run, but I didn't make it very far. He caught my arm and pulled me towards him, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "Don't walk away. Whatever you do, please don't walk away. I've had too many people walk out of my life and never come back. I've let you walk away once, and it was a stupid mistake. I need you, I want you, and I love you. So please, don't walk away from me." He was begging me, his arms tightening around me, and tears forming in his eyes. My mind was drawing a blank and I had no idea what to say. I wrapped my arms tightly around him and let him pull me closer.
"Lexie." I mumbled staring into his eyes, I felt a tear I hadn't realized I was holding back slide down my cheek. He touched his still lips to mine and I felt a tremor move down my spine. "What about her?" He whispered softly against my lips. "The way she looked at you after we kis-" He cut me off before I got a chance to finish, his lips molding to mine. I moved my lips with his and let my eyes flicker closed. I felt the feeling return, the same burning sensation that ran through my body with every beat of my racing heart. He pulled his lips away from mine and touched his forehead to mine. We stood there staring at each other and choking breathlessly. "You were saying?" He whispered, smiling softly at me. I blushed and smiled back at him. "I'm not sure if it matters anymore." I whispered back gazing into his eyes. He smiled and his eyes seemed to sparkle. He pressed his lips to mine and kissed me again. I forgot what was going on around me, it all seemed so far away. All that mattered in that moment was him and the fact he was mine.
"Teddy! Shephard is awake and ready for his post o-, umm." Owen's voice startled me and I pulled away from Mark quickly. I turned to look at him, and had to stifle a laugh. He looked humiliated, his cheeks were turning pink and his eyes were cast downward. "Sorry, I didn't realize you two were…" He stopped himself before he could finish that thought. Mark smirked, and I had a feeling he was going to make a smartass comment. "You didn't realize we were what?" He replied cocking an eyebrow at Owen. It certainly wasn't the smartass comment I'd expected, but it had the same effect. Owen went red, and I could see him tensing. I sighed and rested a hand on Mark's chest. "Why?" I whispered softly, turning my eyes on him. "Couldn't help myself." He whispered back holding me tighter.
Well, this chapter is a little longer than the others, and they'll probably get progressively longer. We'll try not to mob you guys with something that's going to take you forever to read, but the chapters are going to get a little longer [:
