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A/N: Chapter 10/12 of New Adventures

New Adventures is a set of stories inspired by Callie/Erica and their cupid, Mark Sloan. The action picks up after S4 finale, may contain some spoilers for S5, but not much because I don't know much. This set of stories should be completely done before the S5 premiere, and should help me survive the next month.

All chapter titles are borrowed from R.E.M.'s album, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, but rearranged to fit the narrative.

Chapter 10, Bittersweet Me, is told from Mark Sloan's POV.

NOTE: Mark's last chapter. I managed to do everything with him I wanted except to pair him with a current female on Grey's. The only real choice was Lexie, and it just seems way too old-man-creepy for me to handle. Who knows what Shonda will do in S5 but I hope it's not that. Let's find Mark a new girl! But for now, a past stand-in will have to do…enjoy!

As always, thanks for all the reviews and encouragement from everyone. Only 2 more to go – and 10 days till the premiere!!

I don't own Grey's Anatomy or R.E.M., or any of the characters therein.

……

"Bittersweet Me" – R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)

Oh my peer,
your veneer is wearing thin and cracking.

……

"Mark!" Callie screamed, barreling into me and hugging me from behind, tight – and not a good tight, but an I-can-easily-break-your-ribs-tight. I gasped for breath as soon as she freed me.

"Dr. Torres, I presume?" I coughed, turning around to face her, noting her lack of scrubs. "Working on a Sunday? Let me guess, your girlfriend got paged and you thought you'd spend the day together, curing the sick?"

"Ummmm…no, not exactly. Erica's not here. It's just me. And my dad," Callie said, gesturing towards a waiting room, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Your dad? What is it; bring your Dad to work Sunday? Did I miss the memo?"

Callie scowled briefly, and then transformed her mouth back into a hopeful smile. "No, nothing like that. My dad is here visiting, because he needs surgery. Elective. Surgery." She continued to smile.

"What kind of surgery are we talking about? No, wait, let me guess. Something to do with my area of expertise?"

"Well, um, sorta," she shuffled her feet, looked down and then back up at me again. "Okay, yes. He needs…well, he wants…um…"

"Spill it."

"Liposuction," she said, biting her lip.

"Your father wants liposuction?"

"Long story, but it's a country club thing. He feels like he's being judged by the other men. Pure vanity, I know. But he's made up his mind, and when my dad makes up his mind, nothing stops him," she took a deep breath and grabbed my arm desperately. "Here's the thing – the wait in Miami is a month, and he's already had all of his pre-op screening done. He's in perfect health; all he needs is a willing plastic surgeon…"

"And you think I'll clear my schedule for him because…why?"

"Because we're friends! And also, because if he stays here much longer than a week, I'm going to kill him," she muttered between clenched teeth. I grinned at her, grabbed a chart from the rack, and started walking toward my patient's room. She was quick, jogging down the hall and turning in front of me to cut off my path. She grabbed my arm again, pulling me in the direction of the waiting room. "Come on, Mark. Help a girl out."

"I've done nothing but help you out. For weeks," I reminded her. She let go of my arm, her eyes clouding over.

"I know. And Erica knows. And believe me; we're more grateful than you'll ever know. Really, Mark," she said, sincerely. "When my dad is gone, we've got plans to thank you. Big plans. But for right now, if you don't help me get my dad out of Seattle, those plans will never happen."

"Oh, I get it now! Papa Torres is putting a crimp in the lady love, right?"

"More than a crimp, if you must know," she grimaced, shoulders slumping. "My dad's very traditional, and so far he doesn't suspect anything – but this pretending can't go on forever. I can't live like this."

"Can't you just tell him the truth?"

With that, Callie let loose a maniacal laugh that caused all people within earshot to turn their heads toward her. She looked around, still laughing, but managing to turn the volume down.

"No," she hissed. "The truth is NOT an option."

"Honesty is the best policy, you know," I said, attempting to walk away again. She stepped on my toe, crushing down hard. "Ow! Dammit, Torres!"

"Um…sorry. Listen, I have a deal for you. I can get you something you've been wanting for a long time if you help me out. But I can't tell you what it is, just yet. You'll just have to trust me."

"You nearly broke my damn toe…and you want me to trust you?"

"I can break it for real next time," she taunted, lifting her heel up in the air again.

"Okay, deal. But it better be good, Torres. You owe me."

……

Mr. Torres's surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, and indeed he was in excellent health as Callie had reported. Early that morning, I stopped in for the pre-op evaluation.

"Mr. Torres," I knocked, opening the door.

"Dr. Sloan. Thank you again for fitting me into your schedule."

"Don't thank me, thank your daughter. She's got amazing powers of persuasion," I said.

Callie's dad guffawed. "She sure does. She learned that from her mother. Men just cannot say no."

"So true. Okay, Mr. T. Here's the rundown. I'll be performing the procedure, with an assist from Dr. O'Malley, my resident. He'll be stopping by before you get anesthesia to – "

"Wait a second – George O'Malley? As in, my former son-in-law?" Mr. Torres's face turned a bright shade of red and I could hear the frequency of the pulse monitor increase.

"Yes, the same. He's my resident, and this is a teaching hospital, Mr. Torres. He's a very competent surgeon and I am sure he won't let the past interfere with his work."

"YOU are sure. I'm not so sure. That little man never liked me; he stood up to me and told me my money was not good enough for him and my baby. THEN he cheated on my girl and made her cry! And you expect me to allow him operate on me? No way!"

"Daddy!" Callie interrupted, rushing in from the doorway. She went to his side, grabbing his hand.

"Baby! Why didn't you tell me about this!" Mr. Torres sighed, leaning back against the pillows.

"Daddy, I didn't know. Really, I didn't," she looked up at me, desperate.

"Mr. Torres, there is no need to worry. I can exchange residents for the procedure with Dr. Hahn, if it means that much to you," I said as Callie's face relaxed. "I believe that Dr. Yang is free this morning."

"I can check for you, Dr. Sloan," Callie said, rushing out of the room quickly.

Mr. Torres's pulse returned to normal. "Thanks, son. And thanks again for doing this on such short notice. Callie must really trust you, to ask this favor. She's like me in that she hates to ask for favors. Be good to her," he said pointedly, eyes narrowed. I swallowed.

"No problem, Mr. T. I'll send in Dr. Yang and then we'll get started."

……

After I instructed Yang on the post-op procedures for Mr. Torres, I scrubbed out and paged Callie. I waited in the on-call room for her, reminiscing about old times and the fun we used to have. I was amused at first that her father assumed that we were a couple, but that amusement turned bittersweet as the day went on. Callie was a great woman, and she was happy with Erica. I wish that happiness were as easy for me to find. Derek tripped over his happiness daily. I was transforming myself, being a Good Person, and still – I was alone.

Callie opened the door and entered, followed by Erica.

"Dr. Torres, Dr. Hahn."

"Dr. Sloan," Erica sing-songed. They were holding hands.

"How is dad?" Callie asked.

"He's doing great – no complications. And Yang did a good job assisting me; she's very professional. He just needs some rest and he can be discharged tomorrow morning."

"That's great, Mark. Thank you so much!" Callie let go of Erica's hand and hugged me. Erica then gave me a quick hug, which surprised me immensely. I hadn't been sure she knew what a hug was.

"Listen, you two," I said. "I know you don't want to be lectured, now that you are all happy and in love and at work, no less. But, your dad thinks – I think he thinks that we're…involved."

Callie laughed. Erica scowled. "So what?" Callie reasoned. "He'll be gone on Friday and then it won't matter!"

"That's just it, Callie. It does matter; he deserves to know the truth. I won't say anything, but you know where I stand." Neither woman said anything, but Erica nodded with understanding. "Oh! And one more thing Torres – you still owe me."

……

It was late, and I was back at Joe's bar – drinking water and eating pretzels. It seemed as if time had stood still since my first night of no drinking. Where had I ended up? Nowhere.

"Joe," I said, waving.

"Dr. Sloan. Hard day?"

"No, not too bad. I'm just a little lonely. Maybe I'll have my old regular," I said, slipping him a twenty across the bar.

"You sure you want to do that?" Joe said, concerned. Not too many bartenders questioned someone ordering a drink, but Joe was not like most bartenders.

"I'm sure," I said as my cell phone vibrated in my jeans. I smiled as I saw the photo ID of the caller. "Hey, stranger."

"Not as strange as you, Mark Sloan. How are you doing?"

"Better, now that you called. One question," I said, grinning with realization. "Who told you to call?"

"Callie, of course," Addison Montgomery intoned, voice smooth as syrup.

"Remind me to thank her."