So, my thoughts about what should happen in this story change everyday! We'll see where this goes. Any suggestions? Enjoy and review!



"I'm sick Mark."

Mark's briefcase dropped with a thud along with his coat. He slowly turned around, running his hand down his face. Mark was processing. "You're sick?"

Margret let out an impatient sigh. "Yes Mark. I am sick. I have a metastatic brain tumor. It spread from breast cancer. Sit down Mark." Margret said making a motioning sign with her arm, "I will pour you a drink."

So, this is why she had come. Mark Sloan's mother was sick. Why should he care though? I mean it's not like his mother had ever been the most maternally person. Still…she was his mother. "So your sick," he suddenly blurted, "What are you going to do now? What treatments have you looked into? I could call Derek…"

"Just stop Mark. It's over. I have tried a lot of treatments and they haven't worked. I am getting weak…and I just don't know if I can handle anymore. As a doctor, I know it is in your mentality to just keep fighting till the end, but I am done fighting. It's time to start accepting. Death and I have become good friends anyway."

His head was in his hands and his drink long ago downed. He couldn't handle anymore deceit. First Lexie and now his own mother who had always made sure everyone knew what she was thinking. Did everyone think he was too weak to handle the truth? "Why…why didn't you tell me when you first found out?"

"Well, it is not like you and I were exactly on speaking terms. Besides, my illness is irrelevant. What's important is Lexie."

Lexie. The thought of her name made his heart warm and his insides tingle. She was his shining star in the dark night, the potato to his chip, the pencil to his paper, the…He cleared the thoughts from his head as he remembered he was suppose to be angry with her. As much as he did love her, he was infuriated with her and the events that had gone down today. Until she told him the truth, their relationship would just have to wait. "Lexie and I are having some…technical difficulties."

"What kind of difficulties?" Margret asked simply.

Mark hesitated to answer this. Never had his mother taken an interest in his life. "None of your business," Mark mumbled.

"Look at me," Margret said moving to sit down next to Mark. "Look, I know you and I haven't been the best of friends to say to least, but I am your mother and a woman."

"I sure hope so."

Margret shook off quirky remark and continued, "I can help you win her back."

For the first time in many years, Mark looked his mother in the eyes. He saw the eyes of an old, sick woman who had many regrets. And somehow that made the word vomit come out. "It wasn't me this time, Mom. She..she lied too me," Mark said quietly, looking down at his feet. "I love her so much. She is the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I thought I knew everything about her. I was going to ask her to marry me, but how can I grow old with a women I really don't know even know?"

"She's no good for you Mark. Even if she does tell you the truth this time, how do you know when she is lying to you the next time? I know you don't want to hear this, but it's time to cut your losses. You lived, you loved, and you lost. That's all you can hope for."

Mark was at loss for words. Here comes the lion… "What are you talking about Mom? You can't give up on love like that! We can work this out! I know we can! We just hit a little bump in the road…"

Margret put an arm around her sons' shoulders. "You can't marry a woman who is always going to be walking on egg shells with you. I know it hurts, but you have to let go. For her sake and yours."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Mark screamed as he stood up. "I love Lexie. We aren't any ordinary couple. We have a higher, deeper understanding for each other and…and…you will not dictate what happens with us!" he said as he stormed out of the room. He stopped under the arch of leading into the hallway. "You," he said pointing, "will not dictate what happens with us."

"Mark," she said quietly, "I am a one woman wrecking ball. I have ruined my relationship with you, your father, your aunts, your uncle, your grandfather…everyone. I have ruined everything in my life. So, like I said before, Death is an old friend. If you don't see how unworthy Lexie is of you, Death will make you see it." With that, Margret retreated to her room.

Yes, Death was a good friend indeed.


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