Title: Leave a Trail (9/x)
Rating: T
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Addison Montgomery, Alex Karev, Izzie Stevens, Mark Sloan; est. Kevin/Addison
Summary: Set a few years post season four, Addison Montgomery finds herself back at Seattle Grace, albeit to find that things are quite different. Along with her life set and in order, she sees that many of the doctors have also come to terms with love life. As time progresses, however, these doctors will witness the phrase 'the more things change, the more they stay the same' manifest. (AU post mid-S4)
Note: Update! Hee, see, I can keep track of my fics on this site...hopefully. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed--you're much too awesome. Enjoy!

There was a buzzing noise in his ears that pushed his feet forward, that kept him moving along as he asked where Dr. Stevens was.

He barely voiced thank you to those who told him, as he could only feel the necessity to reach her before--

"Dr. Karev?" a nurse stopped him.

He turned around to see one Nurse Katie poking her head out of a patient's room.

He scratched his head, wondering what the hell she needed, but he jogged to her quickly.

"Yeah?"

"I don't mean to worry you," she glanced off and bit her lip.

She was a temp nurse who had only been working there for a few months and was barely getting accustomed to the job, thus he could understand if she felt something wrong had occurred.

"Nurse Katie, I'm kind of in a hurry--"

"Sorry, right, well I had Marie just a few minutes ago and I turned around for one second…"

"Shit," Alex muttered and he looked around the room.

"Okay, head that way," he pointed his finger in the opposite direction he was headed, "inform the nurses at the station and I'll tell Izzie."

She didn't hesitate and scurried off, knowing the longer it took to find the girl, the harder the chastisement.

"As soon as I find Izzie," Alex muttered to himself when the nurse left. He turned his head around, hoping to catch a glance of her, but when he didn't he continued the way he had been going, with an even quicker pace. He continued asking others if they had not only seen Izzie, but also Marie. This was shaping up to be a bad day.

--

"Mark!" Derek called out to him.

Mark turned from the nurses who were greeting him (a crop of new ones who had been told a great deal about him but instead of being wary of him, they were very curious) and smiled at Derek.

"Derek!"

The two doctors gave each other a firm handshake and a quick pat on the back, and they grinned at each other.

"It's great to see you here," Derek commented.

"Really. Wow, did I enter a parallel universe? First I find Addison here, who is in a steady relationship, then I find these nurses who are not part of an alliance against me, and now you're glad I'm here!"

Derek chuckled and shook his head.

"Looks as though some things have changed--but the big question is, are you the same old Mark Sloan?"

Mark pretended to contemplate Derek's question but then he cracked a smile.

"I've been through my fair share of changes, Derek. Have no doubt about that," he said in an intentionally low whisper, as though he did not want anyone else to hear him.

"Hmm," Derek nodded, inspecting this man with whom he had practically grown up with. There was definitely something different in the way he narrowed his eyes at him, although he could not quite pinpoint it. Nothing too grand for Derek to really think this was anyone other than the guy who had been like a brother to him, however.

"Well how about we discuss it further when I got off my shift--I'm assuming you're not working today, anyway?"

"No, I'm not," Mark confirmed that.

"Good, alright I'll find you later. I have a consult to get to," Derek gave his friend a pat on his forearm and began to walk away, but Mark turned to ask him one thing.

"Derek," he said in a low voice.

"Is Stevens here?" he was hesitant in his question, and if Derek didn't know any better, he'd think Mark even sounded afraid to ask it.

"Yeah, yeah, she's here. Somewhere--maybe one of the nurses could point you in her direction, but Mark?"

"Yeah?"

"Things are different. Keep that in mind."

Derek didn't wait for a response, as he simply gave him that sharp look that meant there was no sense in discussing the topic. Things were different, but Mark had no idea to what extent, nor could he have inferred the extent to which things had changed. He simply turned back around and went to ask a nurse, but remembered the Chief was probably waiting for him and Burke. Burke had already disappeared, presumably already with the Chief (always business first with that guy).

He sighed and made his way to the Chief's office--Izzie would have to wait.

The Chief would also have to wait apparently, though, because as he began making his way up the stairs to the walkway that led to the Chief's office, he spotted a little girl skipping down the stairs.

She was a little thing, with dark blond hair that came down in soft waves to her shoulder, and bright blue eyes. She didn't seem to notice him, but he did find it odd that this girl was here by herself. He glanced around to see if anyone was watching her, but the people around them seemed to be minding their own business. As he should be, so he shrugged and made his way up the first several steps, just as her leg strode forward onto the last step that would lead to the last set of stairs.

She wasn't paying much attention to the length of the step however, and instead her toes slipped on the surface. Instinctively, her arm reached for the staircase handle, but she was too late, as was he when reached for her, and she fell down.

She landed with her legs spread on the floor, but thankfully reacted in time so her head did not hit the ground as her elbows propped her up.

Mark bent down to her, and pushed aside her hair. He could hear her whimper, but she did not cry.

"You alright?" he whispered down at her.

She didn't answer, and he sighed.

"Here," he reached a hand toward her arm, but she flinched.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor."

The little girl paused, but she turned her head to him slowly. Her eyes were a bit watery, but she had yet to shed a tear. He almost smiled to himself--this girl sure did not like to cry, that much he could tell.

"Come on, let me get you some help," he pleaded to her.

She didn't nod, but when he reached out to carry her, she didn't protest. He hoisted her up as carefully as he could, and headed back down those set of stairs, and scurried off to the nearest unsolicited patient room when a nurse appeared at his side.

"Excuse me--" she pulled back his arm.

"It's alright, I'm an attending here--Dr. Mark Sloan," he explained, never turning to the woman nor stopping.

"Dr. Sloan? Oh why yes, I recognize you now from those fancy articles…"

It was an elderly nurse, but apparently one new to Seattle Grace.

"You okay?" he whispered down the girl.

"Uh huh," she whispered and tilted her head up to look at him.

"You've done some wonderful work, Dr. Sloan, like that woman--" the nurse continued to ramble, but Mark easily got irritated, so he cut her off.

"I need you to find this girl's parents," he demanded.

"Right, her parents shouldn't be too far off."

"Hey, who are your parents?" Mark asked the girl bluntly.

"Oh, no worries, I know who they are," the nurse interrupted him.

He stopped abruptly and turned to her.

"Then what are you still doing here?"

He gave her a pointed look, and soon as she received it she nodded and scrammed off.

The girl giggled in his arms and he rolled his eyes.

He turned into a room then and set the girl down.

"So I'm guessing you're feeling better?" he asked her as he looked at the scrapes on her knees and the forming bruises near her elbows.

"A wittle," she whispered.

"Well don't worry you'll be fine," he winked at her while he grabbed some supplies from one of the drawers. He pulled a chair by the bed she sat on, and began wiping the small scrapes with a little antiseptic. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her wince a bit and could her breath catch, but she didn't say anything, much less openly complain. It wasn't too long after he cleaned them off and placed a bandaide or two on her scraped knees, that someone came rushing in.

"Marie," the relieved voice came--a familiar one at that.

Mark swiveled around, to come face to face with none other than Dr. Karev, whose eyes were trained on the little girl.

"Dr. Karev?" Mark scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. At his voice, Alex's eyes snapped to him, the soft look he had one two seconds ago disappearing.

"Dr. Sloan," he mumbled, gaze hardening at him.

"Daddy!" the girl exclaimed, and Alex's eyes fell back to her.

"Daddy?" Mark made no effort to hide his surprise. Alex ignored him though, and whisked by him to stand in front of the girl.

"Hey baby, you alright?" he bent down and looked at the clean wounds.

The little girl nodded her head fervently, and Alex looked up to her.

"Good, cause I'm not sure your mom is going to be."

She giggled, and Mark just stood back as he watched the exchange.

"He helped me," she pointed a finger at Mark.

Mark could tell Alex was hesitant to look him, but after a moment he stood up and faced Mark.

"Thanks," he extended a hand to Mark.

"Don't mention it," Mark shrugged but accepted the hand to at least appear amicable in front of the girl.

"So what's her name?"

Alex's jaw set firmly, like he was intent on not telling him, but as if on cue at the doorway a voice gasped, "Marie."

There was no mistaking the voice, and Mark felt himself freeze when he looked up to see her. Instantly she felt a pair of eyes on her and she turned to find Mark staring at her.

This time, she felt her own ears buzz, but she shook herself from it and turned back to Marie.

"Sweetie," she said, walking towards the girl and embracing her.

Mark felt himself constrict, and his eyes took in the scene as Alex walked away from him and to Izzie and the girl.

Alex lay a hand on Izzie's shoulder as she pulled back the girl's hair and questioned her, while placing kisses all over her face.

"Momma," the girl whined and strained away from Izzie's suffocating hugs.

Izzie laughed and she pulled back.

"Don't you ever do that again, young lady," she whispered to her.

There was no mistaking it then. That girl, apparently Marie if he heard Izzie correctly, called Dr. Alex Karev daddy and Dr. Izzie Stevens momma. The two had a child together.

He had to clear his throat in order to grab their attention, and even then Karev and Stevens were reluctant to turn to him.

When Karev did manage to turn to him, all he said was, "Thanks Dr. Sloan, but we've got it now."

"Dr. Sloan," the little girl repeated after her…dad.

"Yeah, but you can call me Mark," he grinned at her.

The girl flashed her back a smile, and Mark faltered a bit when he saw how it was exactly like Izzie's. Exactly.

"I'm Marie," she said.

"That's a pretty name."

The room grew quiet for a moment, until Izzie spoke. She brushed back Marie's hair and whispered, "what do you say, sweetie?"

"Thank you!" the girl quickly added after Izzie's reminder.

This was making him too uneasy. This situation, he couldn't help the feeling that it wasn't all right. Something about it just didn't add up.

"Come on, Marie," Alex spoke up and reached for Marie's hand.

She took it without question and jumped down from her seat. Izzie stood and began to follow them when Mark made a quick move to block her way.

"Excuse me, Dr. Sloan."

She met his eyes for the briefest of seconds and glanced to the door, where Alex looked at her wearily with Marie in tow.

"Daddy," she tugged him, impatient as always.

Izzie took a deep intake of breath and she said even firmer--"Dr. Sloan, excuse me."

He wouldn't budge, only said, "I'd like to speak with you."

Alex kept his eyes steady on her, willing her to remain resolute, but Marie was only getting more impatient.

"Alex, I'll…" she paused, "I'll catch up with you in a minute."

"Izzie, we could--"

"It's fine, nothing to worry about," she waved him off. Alex was not pleased with this, but he couldn't very well discuss the matter in front of Sloan.

"Alright," Alex complied and left Izzie alone with Mark.

Izzie forced herself to meet his eyes that were as inquisitive as she figured they'd be.

"Dr. Sloan, I didn't know you'd be visiting us."

"Returning actually."

He was doing a remarkable job at keeping a steady gaze on her, without flinching or showing any emotion. It was helpful for her, a challenge to remain just as passive.

"Oh," she let out, "welcome back then."

Her words left an open space, a foreign atmosphere as each respective individual was left without knowing what to say.

Izzie moved her eyes away, and she turned her body so it wasn't directly faced towards him.

"So you have a daughter?" he eventually asked.

Even then it was too soon.

"Yes," she nodded, "Marie. Alex's and my daughter."

Quickly she added that last part, earning herself a scolding for being a bit too quick to defend something that was yet to be questioned.

"How old is she?"

The fact that he asked her just like that, it made her heart begin to beat quickly. She had this answer rehearsed, and she never had a problem reciting it. There should be no difference in this instance.

"She's two years old."

For an instant, he had the urge to ask her how many months Marie was, but none of that really was his business. Except he couldn't help the feeling…

"Is she mine?" the words tumbled out of his mouth, and he had no urge to pull them back. His mind worked quickly enough, and if that little girl with dark blond hair and blue eyes were to be three soon, she could very well be his. And he wasn't going to beat around the bush about it.

"Wha--" her mouth formed in a frown, forehead scrunched and she gave him an incredulous look.

"Jesus, Mark, no," she scoffed.

She could handle him even as he stood there in front of her so confidently, staring at her with the dare to speak without qualms. She knew how to control her range of emotions--for the most part. Because this, she wouldn't discuss it with him.

She shook her head in disbelief and moved to push past him, but in a step he blocked her again.

"Izzie, be honest with me."

She pushed aside her frustration and took a deep intake of breath.

"Dr. Sloan," she spoke with her tone of professional demeanor, "three years and some months ago, Alex and I initiated a relationship. Then I got pregnant, and seven and a half months later, we had a beautiful baby girl. Ten months after that, we moved into our own apartment. Five months later, here we are, with our little Marie. And as a co-worker, that's more than enough of what you need to know. So if you're done with this idiotic line of questioning, I have some work to get done."

Mark looked at her, at how sure she was in her words, and how logical it all sounded. She didn't appear to be lying, nor was there any reason why she should be…

"She's a premie?"

She nodded, "Was. Yeah."

"She was born here, in this hospital?"

She rolled her eyes, "that's hardly any of your business, Dr. Sloan."

Before he could reiterate, she stepped around him and left the room, still bewildered of this change. It all added up just fine, but still his mind nagged at him, as if telling him to keep pursuing the subject. But apparently he had lost the right to pursue the subject of Izzie or anything relating to her the moment he left Seattle.