Author's Note: I hope that everyone had a great New Year, and that 2008 is off to a great start. There's only one new Grey's episode left, which leaves me kind of sad. It does however make me happy that Lost will be back, and even more so that it will be on Thursday. Though Wednesdays will now be strangely vacant for me. Anyway, I hope that you like this latest addition. There may be a little fluff involved, though as I'm sure any McStizzie writer will tell you, it's tough to do true fluff when McSteamy is involved. I got the new Grey's calendar for Christmas, and was pleased to learn that he is the face of January. The new year, my birthday several weeks away, and one of the best looking faces on TV today to stare at when I wake up every morning...what could be better?
Well, getting McStizzie might. But for now we'll have to revel in the idea in fanficdom, won't we?
If there was anything that Izzie Stevens hated, it was the smell of the antiseptic used to clean to the hospital rooms. Groaning as she awoke, that very smell invaded her nostrils. "What the-"
"Easy there, Doctor Stevens." Derek said as he put out an arm to block her from sitting up. "You suffered quite a fall, and sitting up too fast won't exactly make you feel any better."
Izzie closed her eyes, remembering what happened up on the bridge. "What happened exactly?"
Derek nodded, clicking his pen into the on position to write something in her file. "You were up on the bridge with Mark, talking about God knows what, and you fainted. We took tests, and determined that luckily, you didn't suffer a concussion. However, you are severely dehydrated. That probably explains the reason for your fainting, along with your stress levels."
"My stress levels?" Izzie asked, frowning. "What?"
Derek sighed, not really sure of what to say. Mark hadn't been clear on what their conversation had been about, just the fact that she had passed out. "I know you're not going to like this, but I'd like to keep you for observation, at least until the end of my shift. I'm pretty sure that you'll be fine, as we're working on rehydrating you as we speak. However, I do think we need to make sure."
"So I'll be fine?" Izzie asked, just trying to make sure.
"As far as I can tell, yes." Derek said, settling himself at the foot of the bed. "This is probably none of my business, but what was it that you and Mark were discussing before you collapsed?"
Izzie folded her arms, wincing when she felt the medical tape pulling at the hairs on her arm. "You're right. It isn't any of your business." She deadpanned. "Why does it matter, anyway?"
"Because that very well could have triggered your fainting spell." Derek said, shrugging. "That, and I don't wanna get chewed out by Meredith tonight because my friend was responsible for her friend being hospitalized."
Swallowing hard, Izzie knew that he was right. While she had no reason to tell him, she knew that if she hid what happened, he'd find out anyway. "Mark...he didn't do it. He was just talking to me about a...case. I got worked up, trying to offer an alternative. That's all."
Not quite believing her, Derek began to protest when he heard a knock at the door. He turned to see George looking crestfallen in the doorway. "Alright then." He said. "I'll leave you to rest, I'll see to it that you have plenty of liquids. Take care of yourself, Doctor Stevens."
After Derek left, George still remained close to the door. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again.
"I don't bite, you know." Izzie snapped, feeling both comforted and offended by the fact that George seemingly wouldn't budge.
"Yeah, I know." He said, avoiding her gaze. "I just...I came to-" He stopped, shaking his head. Finally, he looked up to see a sad look echoing in her eyes. "-I hadn't intended to. Looking back on it, I really wish that I hadn't. She's my wife, Izzie. She's my wife, and all I had to do was confirm it basically. Last night-" George said, for the first time since he entered the room finally taking a few steps closer. "-I came home, and Callie started going on about how I've been distancing myself. She said that she wanted to think it was because of the stress that I've been under. Interning and all."
Izzie stared at the defeated form standing mere feet away from her, and realized something strange for the first time. This wasn't George. Well, biologically and physically speaking he was. But he wasn't George; any semblance of who he had been before what happened seemed to be a distant trace.
"I hated telling her. I hated knowing what it would do to my marraige, but I knew even more what it was going to do to you." George said, shuffling his feet. "She wants us to work."
"What?" Izzie asked, her mouth hanging open. Of any possible scenarios, that one certaintly hadn't crossed her mind.
"Us...our marraige. She said she wants us to try marraige counseling, that there's still a chance." He said with a shrug. "I don't know if it'll work, but I'm willing to give it a try."
She remained frozen, not really sure of what to say. Sure, she knew that George had loved Callie, but enough to give it a second chance? It didn't make sense. Trying to formulate a sentence, Izzie couldn't think of a single thing to say.
"She won't torture you, you know. If that's what you're worried about. Callie's a great wife, but above that she's...she's an even better doctor. Callie's a doctor that wouldn't intentionally try and harm another doctor." He said, noticing the way that she hadn't spoken.
"Just like that, huh? She just forgave you like it never happened?" Izzie bit back, her words coming out like spurs. "And you're just so willing to make it work, right? I mean, who cares about Izzie or the friendship that we had long before any of this crap ever happened."
"Izzie-"
"No, George. I was your friend. I was there after everything that happened with Olivia, and through the stupid thing with Meredith. And what about you, huh? After Denny died, you were there for me. You were...I mean, sure...Callie was in the picture then. But you-" Izzie paused, blinking back the tears that formed in her eyes. She struggled to formulate how she was feeling, but couldn't say anything else. Just as she was about to speak again, she saw Mark opening the door.
"Is something going on here?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.
Izzie shook her head, sending a dismissive look in George's direction. "No, I think we're done here."
George opened his mouth to protest. "I just thought that-"
"George, I'm really not feeling well." Izzie cried. "Please?"
He stood there for a moment later, contemplating whether or not he should refuse. Finally, he shook his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, Izzie. I hope you get to feeling better." George muttered before shaking his head again as he exited the room.
Mark stood, hands buried in his labcoat pockets, trying carefully to think of what to say. In a matter of days, he'd grown to see Izzie Stevens as more than a doctor or blonde that he'd occasionally flirt with. He thought of the moment before she fell against the hard linoleum, and a shudder when through him. "So how are you feeling?"
"He's staying with her." Izzie said, staring straight at the wall. "They're going to counseling, they'll work things out. George and Callie freaking O'Malley. The perfect family."
"Izzie-" Mark protested, knowing the pain she must have been going through. "Maybe it's not what you think."
"But it is, Mark." She replied sadly. "George stood right there, and practically spelled out the end of our friendship. Why would he want me when he has the Chief Resident to go home to every night?"
Mark sighed as he stood at the foot of her bed. "As much as I'd like to say something to make you feel better, I really don't know what to say."
Izzie laughed, shaking her head. The pain that occured seemed only fitting in a way as an awkward smile crossed her face. "But I guess in the end he'll be happy. And that's what matters, right? That George is happy. That he...that he has someone. I don't, but he does. I guess I can deal with that."
"You've got me." Mark volunteered, not realizing what he'd said until after the words left his mouth.
"But for how long?" She cried. "Anyone that is even worth a dime in my life always seems to leave. I mean yeah, I've got Meredith. But with her Derek problems, and dead mother problems, she's not exactly a walk through the park. And Alex. Well, he's just...he's Alex. Never really opening up, but always there for a sarcastic remark."
Sighing, Mark made his way to her bedside. He shook his head, moving to brush a strand of hair out of her face. "I get that you're hurt. I get that you think everyone who's ever cared for you has left your life. But me? I'm not going anywhere."
Mouth gone dry, Izzie fought to stay calm. "But how can you just...make me a promise like that? How do you know that a couple of weeks from now, you won't get an itch when some hot nurse comes in? I know what happens to people when their...needs...have been supressed for too long."
Mark struggled to supress a smirk at her obvious embarassment. "I'm here for you, Iz. Whenever and-" He ducked his head a little, subconciously lowering his voice. "-however you need me."
A flush creeped up on Izzie's cheeks as she slowly became aware of the hand that covered hers. She allowed herself to indulge in the feeling, realizing that she hadn't felt so secure in a long time. "I'll have to remember that." She managed to choke out. "So um...Derek says I should get my rest."
"That's my signal to leave, then?" Mark asked, noting the awkward air that hung in the hospital room. "I'll see you later then, Doctor Stevens."
Izzie frowned upon hearing him utter her professional name.
He grinned, shaking his head. "You're cute when you're mad. Did you know that?"
"I'm beginning to realize a few things lately." Izzie muttered, reluctantly letting go of his hand. "I'll see you later, Doctor Sloan."
Near the end of Derek's shift, he came back to see Izzie, and determined that she was safe to go home. He recommended that she take the following day off, but knowing that she would refuse, told her to drink plenty of water during her shift. After agreeing to do so, Izzie was free to go home.
Driving through the streets of Seattle, one thing seemed to ring clearly in her mind: there was no way that she could go home. True, physically she could. But mentally, she wasn't prepared for the onslaught of questions and sideways looks she knew she'd recieve from Alex and Meredith, and on the off chance she was there, Cristina. Instead, Izzie managed to find a restaurant that was still open for business, and ordered herself a cup of coffee. She stayed there, drinking small sips, until the waitress told her it was closing time. She nodded, paying her bill before quietly slipping out the door.
Izzie realized fully well that she'd have to face her friends sooner or later, but chose to wait it out a while longer. There had been a question that was nagging at her brain since she'd left the hospital, and Izzie knew she wouldn't get rest until she found the answer.
Her knocking came as a surprise to the person in the room, but after seeing the look on her face, he quickly let her in. "Is something wrong?"
"I don't know." Izzie said. She turned to face him as he shut the door. "Did I wake you?"
"No, no..." Mark quickly replied. "And even if you had, I don't mind."
She drew a deep breath, quickly nodding in agreement. "It's just...I mean, I didn't-"
Before she could continue, Mark placed a silencing finger against her lips. "You never have to apologize to me." He said.
Izzie nodded, suddenly feeling the need to gasp for air.
Mark's hands slid down her arms before finally claiming her hands in his. "I was worried about you, you know. When you fell. We were just talking and then all of a sudden, your knees just buckled, and you fell."
She closed her eyes, trying to calm her shaking nerves.
"I didn't know what to think. I mean, I knew what to do..." Mark paused, shaking his head. He studied the brown eyes that bore a hole into his, knowing full well that she was just as anxious as he was. "Izzie..." This time, his voice came out as passionate and caring as opposed to simply worried.
Izzie lifted her gaze, feeling a sharp intake of breath as she saw Mark staring back at her. She'd look back eventually and realize that he'd said more in that one look than he'd actually ever say, but for the moment, Izzie just let herself fall into his grasp. "I'm just so tired..." She muttered against his shoulder.
"Of what?" Mark's voice croaked.
Relaxing in Mark's arms, Izzie sighed. "Of everything. Of trying to be this...person...that everyone expects me to be. Of being this upstanding doctor for my interns. Of..."
Before she could speak further, Mark claimed her mouth with his own. It was on impulse, but in that moment, he'd hoped it was what she needed. Hands running the length of her back, he sighed as he felt her reluctantly pull back. "Tell me you're not tired of that."
"No, I'm not." Izzie said immediately.
"Are you sure?" Mark asked, not wanting to intrude her space. "Because I'd really hate to-"
This time, it was Izzie's mouth that was pushed against his. Her tongue darted out, slowly going against Mark's bottom lip. The thud of her purse hitting the floor, then the feel of her arms circling his neck, urgently pulling his head closer. He gasped a little at the feel of her chilly hands against his neck, but felt the need to disregard it.
Eventually, the need for air invaded their lungs, and both pulled back. Mark stood frozen, caught between wanting what was clearly going to happen, and trying to stop it if it wasn't what she wanted. When Izzie didn't release her stronghold, Mark took it as his answer. "My uh...my offer still stands, you know."
Izzie nodded, feeling her body go numb to anything else. Try as she might, her mind couldn't form a single coherent thought as the feeling of his hands roaming the length of her exposed skin took hold of her thoughts. "Mark..." She muttered, and for the second time that day, her knees buckled. But that time it was in the safety of him holding her.
Wordlessly, Mark carried her into his room, quietly planting kisses along her jawline before moving further to her collarbone, hands working furiously at buttons that quickly gave way. He'd never felt the need to go so fast and slow at the same time in his life. Lightning lit up the sky as he finally gave in to the need that he'd been struggling for too long to supress.
Later on that night, Izzie lay her head carefully against his chest, for the first time truly letting it sink in at what had just happened. In less than twenty four hours, she'd gone through a whole array of emotions, and felt exhausted to say the least. She felt a hand carefully rubbing circles against her stomach, and relished in the feeling of the contact. Clearing her throat, Izzie remembered the reason she'd gone to his hotel room in the first place. "Mark?"
"Yeah?" His voice came out rough as he continued his exploration of her skin.
"Earlier today...before I blacked out," She said, not sure if she was ready to look him in the eye. "you said something. What was it?"
