I've been out of commision for a bit and for that I apologize. I got a sweet review and this chapter is for three special readers. You know who you are and thank you. Here's that chapter I promised.
As sweet as falling asleep with the one you love is in theory, it's not so sweet in practice. Well at least not the next morning when you a bridesmaid in your friends wedding and there is a crick in you neck that makes you want to just walk around with your head cocked to the side all day. Izzie was massaging the soreness when she looked up to see a determined George walking in her direction. He stopped just in front of her and without uttering a word motioned for her to follow him into a supply closet. He paced a minute searching for the words. He stopped when he thought he had found them.
"I thought we were best friends Izzie."
"We are George."
"We are best friends and you felt that you couldn't tell me that you had gotten married. Izzie we are always suppose to share those kinds of things."
"I didn't know I needed you permission."
"You don't. I just would have been nice to be informed."
"Yeah it would have been."
"Exactly...wait...what do you mean."
"You neglected to tell me about your plan to marry Callie."
"Eh...well...yeah."
"See, not much fun to be left out is it."
"Does this mean I get to go crazy on Sloan."
"Shut up George. I thought we moved past me being slightly bratty toward Callie."
"Slightly?"
"Now that this conversation is over I have one last thing to fill out before I head to the church to get ready. Are you almost done here?"
"Yes I will see you in a little while."
"K bye."
"Bye Iz."
Izzie was almost out the doors. She was so close, but a familiar looking attending was standing near the elevator and was well on his way to getting her alone in a supply closet. He turned the knob, opened the door, started to gently pull her inside and Addison's voice could be heard traveling down the corridor.
"Mark, Izzie."
"Hey Addison." Izzie greeted her with some gusto while Mark decided to glare at her. He was in the mood for some alone time. Addison was standing in the way of that.
"I just wanted to say congrats on the news. No one had any idea."
"I was suppose to be a secret, but you know how that goes."
"Yea I do." Just then Alex came out of nowhere.
"Izzie is your phone on?"
"Umm...yeah why?"
"Yang just called me. She said and I quote "Get your perky pregnant ass to the church ASAP"."
"She really is a sweetheart isn't she. Ok I'm going." She gave Mark a looked that said "I'll make it up to you later." The look he gave her in return could only be explained as a small child who hadn't gotten their way. She kissed him quickly before heading off through the doors and to her car. Mark turned back to stare Addison and Alex down. Alex headed off to finish a post op, while Addison just returned it. He finally relented and stalked off mumbling something about seeing her at the wedding. Addison thought to herself. Either that child would be scarred at a young age or would enjoy sleepover's at her various aunt's and uncle's houses...a lot. It seemed that not even something like pregnancy could stand in the way of the desire of Mark and Izzie. It was something Addison didn't really want to think about. So instead she went to find a pregnant person.
Izzie was touching up Cristina's makeup. Cristina was babbling. Meredith was off trying to find something blue. As Izzie sat there finishing off her friend's lipstick she wondered what kind of lipstick she would wear when she was sitting in the white gown. Probably a dark pink. It was her favorite. She smiled and Cristina noticed.
"What?"
"Huh..oh, it's nothing."
"No what is it?"
"I was just thinking about what color lipstick I would wear when I get married."
"To McSteamy."
"Thanks, Cristina." She just rolled her eyes and went back to her job as a makeup artist.
"Seriously. I bet you would pick a pink."
"What are we talking about?"
"That Barbie here will wear pink lipstick on her wedding day. Did you find something blue?"
"Yes and Of course she would. Pink's her favorite."
"Thank you all for helping me decide not to wear pink."
"Oh come on. It's your day. Wear what you want Iz."
"Actually Meredith it's Cristina's day and we have exactly 45 seconds to get to that door before they start playing the walking music."
"Well what are we waiting for?"
Though he would never admit it, Mark loved to dress up. He loved the feel of putting on a silk lined jacket and the overall professional appeal of it. He sat next to Alex who looked like he would have loved nothing more than to rip off that tie and run far, far away. It was obvious weddings made him nervous. It was understandable. After all he was still in his twenties. Marriage wasn't on his need-to-do-soon list. Mark just smirked to himself and waited for the music to start. He didn't have to wait long. First there was Meredith. She was beautiful and smiley. He was happy that his favorite dirty mistress was finally getting to begin her happy ending. Then he saw Izzie. Something about her walking down the isle in a church made him want to be at the end waiting for her. She was stunning. He couldn't even tear his eyes away from her long enough to look a Cristina, other than the brief moment when she passed between them. He knew there were sweet words of forever spoken between the bride and groom. He knew there must have been rings exchanged and a glass stepped upon, but all he could see was her. All he could think about was her in a white gown walking toward him. All he could hear was himself promising her the rest of his life. He didn't once leave his dream world until the applause of the audience broke his steady concentration. He clapped with them and watched the happy couple walk down the isle, this time bound in holy matrimony. Izzie shot him a sly glance and a perfect smile as she walked out with George. Could he be so deeply irreversibly in love with her after 8 1/2 months? Obviously he could.
Derek had been best man at his good friend's wedding that day, but he had observed his best friend completely lost in the pretty blonde bridesmaid. Mark Sloan wasn't the kind of man that got lost in any woman ever. Well that was until he fell for that pretty blonde bridesmaid. He wondered what exactly had caught the famous bachelor. Izzie Stevens was a beautiful and kind person. She was feisty and intelligent, and could put even Martha Stewart to shame in the kitchen. He didn't know what exactly it was, but he was glad he didn't, because if she could make Mark Sloan fall in love, then he was pretty sure any man would be doomed.
The reception was a perfect as the wedding. Meredith and Derek gave tear jerking speeches. There was champagne and cake. Dr. Burke danced for the first time with his new bride and they were both extremely happy. The chief watched the dancing couples and wondered how interns could change four attendings. Christina and Burke were dancing at their reception, Meredith and Derek were laughing as he spun her around the floor, Addison and Alex were whispering and giggling with one another off to the side, but the couple that held his attention was the couple that surprised him the most. He had know of Mark Sloan before he had ever met him, and two things were always mentioned. One: He was a gifted surgeon. Two: He was a ladies man. Right now what Richard Webber saw was a man so in love he would do anything for the woman he held. The other thing that he saw filled him with joy. Izzie Stevens was a woman that had to fight to get everything she got. He had seen her lose out on forever with Denny. He had seen her rise again. Now it seemed she had her happy ever after. She was just as much in love with Mark Sloan as he was with her. It was a beautiful thing. He nudged the newest Chief Resident standing beside him.
"Dr. Bailey, they look happy."
"It's always one of mine sir, always one of mine." It was a serious tone, but the smile on her face gave her away. They may all be residents, but they would always be her baby interns.
Izzie was happy. The kind of intoxicating happy where the entire world could burn down but if she was here in his arms she really wouldn't notice or care. They were as close as her stomach would allow and they were gently swaying to the sound of the small jazz band as it drifted across the room. He hated jazz and she knew this, but here they were in a state of near nirvana just going with it. She felt the baby stir and was reminded of something she wanted to talk to Mark about.
"I have been thinking about the baby a lot and well I'm Catholic."
"You do realize there are about eight different ways this conversation can go."
"I'm catholic and as a tradition babies usually have godparents."
"So you want our baby to have godparents."
"Yes. I mean I know that you could really care less about organized religion, but it's..."
"...important to you. And because it's important to you, it's important to me that our baby has godparents."
"Really?" She smiled her biggest smile at him. Man, he would say anything just to see her smile.
"Yes really. Did you have anyone in mind?"
"Derek and Meredith. They have been so supportive."
"Derek and Meredith it is."
"I love you."
"Just because you are getting your way." He smiled down at her and she playfully smacked his arm.
"No I really really really love you. In a really really really big way."
"I love you, too."
Eventually the night came to a close. Friends said their goodbyes and wished the bride and groom a lovely honeymoon. Everyone broke off and went to their cars heading for their respective homes. Alex and Addison went back to her room and made a night of it. It really had been a long day. Callie and George went home to their new house on the edge of town and Callie watched George paint the rest of the nursery a sky blue before they went to sleep. Cristina and Burke made it to their hotel and did what all newlyweds do. Meredith and Derek were getting ready for bed when Izzie burst into their room. There was Derek in midfluff and Meredith stepping out of her bathroom. They both had a look of alarm on their face at her sudden appearance. Meredith spoke first.
"Is everything ok?"
"Yes. Can we talk to you for a minute?" As if on cue, Mark appeared in the doorway behind her.
"Sure what about?" Meredith made her way to the bed and sat down next to where Derek was fluffing.
"I'm Catholic."
"Yes we know Iz."
"We want you both to be godparents of the baby." Sometimes Izzie got excited, and when she did she really couldn't break things to people gently. Meredith was taken aback, as was Derek. They exchanged a look and looking back at their friend's exuberant face they knew their answer. Even though it was a huge commitment there was never anyway to say no to that face.
"Of course we will." This was met with hugs and joy. Mark thanked his old friend and explained why he had given into the idea of godparents. The excitement eventually wore off and Izzie and Mark left Meredith and Derek to go to sleep. As they lay there, Meredith looked at Derek and with a smile wondered aloud, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
Izzie nestled against Mark and prepared to read the bedtime story again to their unborn baby girl. It had been a long day for the both of them.
"Iz when are we going to start house hunting?"
"Umm...tomorrow?"
"Good. I can't wait."
"Me either, now be quiet. I have to read this story."
"Someone is being bossy."
"I thought you liked it when I took control in the bedroom?"
"You aren't allowed to be dirty tonight. I'm to tired to be dirty and your holding a children's book and wearing pink pajamas. Dirty isn't allowed."
"Dirty is always allowed and you were the one that wanted to be dirty earlier this afternoon."
"True, but now I'm sleepy so read."
"Ok."
Izzie read the story with gusto. Mark loved to hear her. She was quiet entertaining. She finally finished and set the book on the nightstand. Mark turned out the lamp and the settled down and drifted off to a comfortable sleep.
It was 3:08 when Izzie woke up. There was a pain shooting through her lower back. It was excruciating. She sat up so quickly that it woke Mark up.
"Izzie? Are you ok?"
"No, I need to get to the hospital. It's the baby."
I have. I have you
Breathing down my neck, breathing down my neck
I don't, don't know
What you could possibly expect under this condition
So I'll wait, I'll wait
For the ambulance to come, ambulance to come
Pick us up off the floor
What did you possibly expect under this condition
So slow down... this night's a
Perfect shade of dark blue, dark blue
Have you ever been alone
In a crowded room when I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning down
Dark blue (dark blue)
Have you ever been alone in a crowded room well I'm here with you
I said the world could be burning 'til there's nothing but dark blue..
Just dark blue
Dark Blue Jack's Mannequin
So that was a cliffhanger right there. I understand your frustration. We were all on the Fluffy train to Fluffington and then bam detour to Angstville. I apologize. If you read and review and send love and rainbows I won't keep you in suspense much longer. Yes I'm bribing you my loyal and faithful readers. Humor me.