A/N: Yay! Thank you for all of the reviews! They make my days more Bright and Shiny! So, as a reward, the longest chapter yet! Enjoy!

Chapter 7

"I think we should tell the Chief today," Mark said as they met outside the residents' locker room the next morning.

"Excuse me?" Izzie said, choking a little on her hot chocolate.

"I think we need to tell the Chief that you're pregnant today," Mark repeated.

"Why? Isn't it bad luck to tell until after the first trimester?" Izzie looked a little nervous.

"It might be bad luck to make it common knowledge, but I would feel better if at least the Chief, and probably Bailey, knew that you were pregnant so they can keep an eye on you," Mark explained patiently.

"But I'm already so far behind on everything," Izzie complained. "I've been in such a funk since the whole George thing I haven't been on my game and I feel like I'm behind. If we tell them, the Chief will start Mommy-tracking me and making me take lighter shifts and I don't want to get further behind."

"I won't let them Mommy-track you. Bailey won't let you be Mommy-tracked," Mark insisted. "I just want to know that you're being looked after when I can't do the job. I want you and this baby to be perfectly healthy. If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."

"Find another friend who would keep you honest?" Izzie suggested.

"There's only one Izzie," Mark retorted.

"So true," Izzie agreed. "Alright, if it will make you feel better, we can go tell the Chief and Bailey today."

"Thank you," Mark said graciously. "Let's go now before you have to start rounds. He's probably still in his office."

Sure enough, the Chief was sitting behind his big desk when they arrived at his office.

"Dr. Sloan, Dr. Stevens," the Chief greeted them, a little perplexed to see them together. "What can I do for you today?"

"Actually, Chief, we just came by to share some news with you," Mark said, his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. He removed one and put it protectively on Izzie's shoulder as he said, "Izzie and I are going to have a baby."

"A baby?" the Chief repeated. "You and Izzie are having a baby- together?"

"Yes, sir," Izzie said quietly. "It wasn't planned or anything, it just happened, but we're very happy about it."

"So you two are a couple now?"

"No, sir," Izzie replied quickly. "We're just two friends who are having a baby together."

"I just wanted you to be aware of the situation, sir," Mark explained. "We also plan to let Dr. Bailey know. I'll feel better knowing that someone with authority will be looking out for Izzie, making sure she doesn't overwork herself. She's also had a couple of bad bouts of morning sickness that might interfere with her work for a little while."

"Well, um, congratulations, I guess," the Chief said, still looking a little confused. "And of course Miranda and I will keep an eye on Izzie."

"Thank you, sir," Mark said, quickly escorting Izzie out of the room. Just as they exited the Chief's office, they ran into the Chief Resident herself, Miranda Bailey.

"Dr. Bailey, just the woman we were looking for," Mark greeted her.

"Who'd you piss off now, Dr. Sloan?" Bailey asked, looking mildly annoyed. "Stevens? Did he somehow offend you?"

"Um, no," Izzie said, slightly taken aback. "Quite the opposite actually."

"Izzie's pregnant," Mark said quietly.

"With your baby, I assume," Bailey said.

"Yes," Mark said. "She's only 7 weeks along, but I thought you and the Chief should be told, just to make sure everything goes alright and she doesn't overtire herself or do anything stupid."

"All of you are nasty. Nasty, nasty, nasty," Bailey muttered. "Congratulations, Stevens. Dr. Sloan, if you don't take care of that girl and her baby, you'll have me to answer to."

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to either of them," Mark said, giving Izzie a side hug.

"Alright, well, Stevens, go find your interns. Dr. Sloan, I'm sure you have a surgery or something important to do."

Mark and Izzie walked off together. "So, I'll meet you for lunch?" Mark asked, pausing by the stairwell.

"Yeah, I'll meet you around one," Izzie said, distractedly.

"Hey, you okay?" Mark asked, studying her slightly pale face.

"Um, I'm fine," Izzie replied. "I'm just a little tired and a bit nauseous."

"Do you want me to get you anything for the nausea?" Mark looked ready to run to get whatever she required.

"Once I get to work I should be fine," Izzie insisted. "You go, be Rock Star Plastic Surgeon. I've got to deal with stupid interns."

"Take it easy, alright?" Mark admonished.

"Don't worry, I will," Izzie promised.

MIMIMIMI

"Hey, stranger," a voice purred behind Mark as he stood at the nurses' station examining a chart. He was just finding a stopping point in his morning's work to go meet Izzie for lunch.

"Dr. Torres, is there something I can help you with?" Mark asked politely, stiffening as she pressed up against him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Yeah, you can meet me in the on-call room," Callie said, seductively. "Because I'm lonely and I'm horny and since all of the nurses aren't gossiping about you, I'm sure you are too."

"Sorry, Dr. Torres, I'm no longer available for consultations in on-call rooms or supply closets or anywhere else illicit altercations occur," Mark informed her.

"No longer available? Since when?" Callie asked. "I thought that was just that one night. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me," Mark said coolly. "I've turned over a new leaf. I am not Dr. McSteamy anymore. I am Mark Sloan, Plastic Surgeon, friend, and most importantly, a man with real feelings. I'm no longer a no-strings guy. Find another man-whore to scratch the itch. Or better yet, why don't you get your little girlfriend, Erica Hahn, to scratch the itch for you?"

With that, Mark put his chart in the rack and turned on his heel, to find Izzie semi-discreetly hiding around the corner. He couldn't help but grin at her, knowing she had heard everything and she was trying to suppress a smile.

"Ready for lunch, Dr. Stevens?" he asked, holding out his arm for her to take.

"Of course, Dr. Sloan," Izzie said, quickly glancing at Callie long enough to see her glowering at them, before allowing Mark to escort her to lunch.

MIMIMIMI

Later that day, Mark was sitting at his computer, looking at baby name websites, when Derek walked in the room.

"Hey, I know you," Mark teased, glancing up from the computer. "You're that guy who used to be my best friend, right? I can't be sure, because I haven't seen him in a while."

"Haha, you're a funny guy," Derek said, collapsing in one of the chairs positioned in front of the desk.

"How've you been?" Mark asked. "How're things with the whole Grey-Rose love triangle?"

"Um, things are going surprisingly well," Derek said, giving Mark a suspicious look. "Rose is history. Meredith and I are taking things slow. Did you really just ask me a personal question before saying anything about yourself or how many women you've been with?"

"Yes, I did," Mark replied, sounding slightly offended. "You're my friend, last I heard you were going through a hard time with your personal life, so I thought I'd ask. I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm the new and improved, mature Mark Sloan."

"Really?" Derek chuckled. Mark sent him a glare before returning his attention to the computer screen. "And what are you looking at?" Derek leaned forward and caught a glimpse of the site's banner before Mark quickly exited. "You're looking at a baby name website?"

"So?' Mark retorted. "What's wrong with that?"

"You wouldn't do that unless…You finally got someone pregnant, didn't you?" Derek accused.

"It's not as sordid as you just implied, but yes, I am going to be a father," Mark replied. "And I'm…happy about it. I can't wait to be a father."

"Are you exclusively with this person who is carrying your child?" Derek asked.

"Technically, no," Mark hedged.

"Technically?"

"I haven't slept with anyone else since I've been with her and I'm pretty sure she hasn't been seeing anyone else," Mark explained, smiling slightly at the thought of his relationship with Izzie.

Derek stared at him incredulously. "You're not only having a baby with this woman, but you're starting to fall for her, aren't you?"

"No," Mark denied. Then he paused. "Ok, maybe. I don't know. I like her a lot and I enjoy spending time with her. She makes me laugh and I care a lot about her, but falling for her? I dunno."

"Wow," Derek breathed.

"What?"

"I'm jealous," Derek admitted.

"You are jealous of me?" Mark asked.

"Yeah. Look at you. You're growing and maturing and you're falling for a woman. Plus, you're going to be a dad. How cool is that?"

Mark studied his friend, turning his words over and over in his head. "Yeah. How cool is that?"

A/N: Derek doesn't need to know everything. I hate Callie. As you can see, McStizzie-ness is slowly growing. More baby stuff and McStizzie interaction in the next chapter, but only if you REVIEW!! PLEASE!!