Another filler. I may post two-three times today just get thru them… Thanks again for the awesome comments!

Chapter 12: I missed this

"Oh! You remember this?" Meredith giggled and held up a large piece of wood. Mark couldn't help but smile.

Someone, probably himself, had carved, or scratched you may say, three people in the wood. Two of them were big boys; they were both holding hands with the smaller girl in the middle. She had an M on her t-shirt. All their faces wore brilliant, happy smiles. And underneath them all was a single word in bad handwriting: friends.

"I believe I do."

"I remember an entire summer where you wouldn't do anything but carve in wood. So mysterious, so tender, so deep…" Meredith smirked.

"So you're saying that I'm not deep now?" Mark asked, feigning hurt.

"Well Markie, you're no Shakespeare…" Meredith hinted and broke into giggles when Mark threw his empty soda can at her.

"Hey!"

Mark sighed, a content smile lingering on his lips. It was almost like in the old days, hanging out in the tool shed, drinking hot sodas, sorting trough old stuff. He had missed that.

Not entirely like it used to be, though. In the old days, he, Derek and Meredith would talk for hours about everything and nothing. That had been the best part of having a girl in their middle; it was nice to just talk once in a while. But now it was just Meredith and him. It had been a lot like that in the two weeks he had been home.

In that moment Mark realized that even though Derek was right, Mark might have a small crush on Meredith, he would never in a thousand years act on it. This part of their friendship was something he could not bear to loose. And Meredith deserved something better than the eternal man whore.

"Markie?" Meredith was still smiling. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Mark hesitated. "I- I just missed this."

Meredith's grin faded and Mark was sure that she was thinking about Derek as well.

"Yeah" she smiled but it was not a happy one. Meredith walked over and squeezed his shoulder. "Me too."

They went back to their comfortable silence; it was a thing he especially liked about Meredith. There was never any pressure to keep up a conversation, no expectations, and no awkwardness. Unlike most girls, Meredith didn't assume anything. He loved that.

"Hey guys! I've been looking for you," a light voice cheered. Mark noticed how Meredith stiffened and fought an urge to roll her eyes.

Addison appeared in the doorway, her face as bright as always; her body language, on the other hand, suggested that she wasn't exactly the tool shed-type.

"What are you people doing here? Am I interrupting?"

Meredith stood up, tossed her half-finished soda can in the bin and smiled at Addison and Mark, her lips pressed into a thin line. It looked like she was about to cry.

"No it's okay. I was just leaving anyways. I have to do my… laundry. It's- err… very dirty."

Mark looked at her, trying to decipher the look in her eyes but Meredith just shook her head a little bit and walked out the door.

Man, she's not a big fan of red, Mark thought to himself and found himself pretty much in agreement.

Addison's thoughts seemed to be similar.

"She hates me. My boyfriend's best friend hates me."

"Mer doesn't hate you" Mark lied as he absentmindedly traced the patterns of three happy children he had caved in a piece of wood so many years ago.

"Oh really?" Addison snorted. "Then how come she disappears every time I walk into a room?"

Luckily, she didn't give Mark a chance to answer because he had no idea what to say.

"Do you think she has a crush on Derek?" Addison asked.

Mark's fingers stopped dead right over wood-Meredith's head.

It made sense. Meredith had been sadder than she used to be ever since he and Derek came home. She had this weird expression in her eyes whenever his name was mentioned. And she was on the verge of tears just looking at Addison.

Knowing Mer, Mark thought, it was probably a lot more than a stupid crush. She didn't do things halfway and she would definitely have treated Addison differently if it weren't hard on her.

Addison continued when Mark didn't answer.

"I know Derek loves her – as a sister, I mean. That's why I have to get her to like me."

"Don't you think that's a little manipulative?" Mark asked, hardly trying to disguise the dislike in his voice. Addison looked surprised.

"Mark, you know me. She seems like a nice girl. We could be friends if it wasn't for Derek."

"She is a nice girl," Mark muttered, thinking that Addison and Meredith were complete opposites in almost every way he could think of. "The best."

"I just wish she wasn't clinging to my boyfriend!" Addison sighed, exasperated. "I caught her staring at him. She is always staring at him."

"She misses him," Mark admitted and decided it was time to be honest with Red. "She's used to him spending all the time he can with her and now he has you."

"So…" Addison began. "She's lonely?"

"I guess you could say that-" Mark began but was interrupted.

"You know what? I have a great idea!" Addison shouted, suddenly back to her normal, cheery self.

Uh-uh.

"You know I have a brother, Lucas, right?" Mark nodded, not seeing where this was going. "He's coming to New York the day after tomorrow. He's a really good-looking guy. Funny too."

"So?"

"Maybe I could tell him to sidetrack her? You know, keep her entertained. Distract her. Keep her busy."

"Seriously?" Mark asked. "Addison, don't do that! She'll just get hurt!"

"Nonsense," Addison laughed. "I'll just tell him to keep it light! Meredith's not an idiot."

She flipped her phone open, still beaming.

"Okay, I'm going now. Derek will be home in a sec."

With that she left. Mark stayed in the tool shed, not noticing how the night began to darken outside.

This couldn't end well.