"Dinner was great guys. I ate more than I have in a long time." Meredith raved about the food, taking a sip of wine; they were all drinking and had gone through a few bottles of wine already.

"You ate that much the other night when we went to The Coral." He smiled at her before realizing what he said and hoping she didn't freak out.

Meredith looked at him and returned the smile, "It was good . . . Mr. Levangie really took care of us."

"Coach . . . it was good seeing him." Derek smiled.

"That man loved you; you were football god around here . . . his protégé of sorts." Addison said thinking about high school . . .

Meredith, Mark, and Alex looked at Derek, "I was not . . . I just loved the game." He didn't talk about his days as the starting quarterback from the time he was a sophomore. He really was a football god in high school.

"Derek, you lead your team to state 2 years in a row and won your senior year. You would have been just as good in college if you weren't a stupid ass and played baseball in the spring of your senior year which you had no business doing . . . with a full football scholarship waiting on you at the University of Colorado." Addison said reminding Derek just how stupid he was doing that.

"So, did anyone else play sports in high school?" Derek diverted the attention, looking around at everyone else.

"I played volleyball. I mean. . . I did have pink hair and all, but volleyball players . . . we did stuff like that." She smiled thinking about hitting the ball and how good it felt each time . . . it was like she was hitting to take out all of her anger in life on the ball each time she served overhand.

They turned their attention now to Meredith. "You . . . played volleyball. Were you good?" Alex quickly said, a little shocked.

"Oh . . . I was . . . yeah . . . I was ok . . . I was named MVP of the state tournament my senior year and made all-state my junior and senior year." She said shyly.

"You had pink hair." Izzie said remembering their conversation almost two months ago now. She probably wouldn't have said anything, but the wine was taking affect for all of them.

Meredith giggled which had a little alcohol in her, "Yeah, we were crazy . . . I was one of a few with pink hair."

"Pink hair, I can imagine what people would say about the doctor in town with pink hair." Derek was picturing the site before him, chuckling a little to himself.

"Yes, it was a phase . . . one never to be repeated. Did anyone else play any sports or have pink hair?" She giggled some more, asking the group.

Alex talked about his wrestling days, Addison talked about being a cheerleader, and Mark was a star lacrosse player. It seemed they were all the best at their respective sports in high school. Izzie wasn't quite sure what to say, so she decided to talk about her time as a cheerleader, before she got pregnant.

They sat drinking and talking as Izzie got desert for them. She baked a chocolate cake, one of her specialties. She did bake cakes on the side for people; Adele was always telling her she missed her calling when she went into veterinarian school.

"So, Addison, where is Abigail tonight? I haven't seen her in a few weeks." Meredith asked as she ate the wonderful chocolate cake.

"She is with Hannah at Izzie's." Addison answered.

"Who is Hannah?" Mark asked. He figured Abigail must be Alex and Addison's daughter because there were pictures everywhere and she had come up in conversation, but he hadn't heard anything about Hannah yet.

Izzie looked up, with a little worry in her eyes. She wasn't ashamed, but this guy . . . there was something about him, "She is my daughter."

Mark looked over to Derek not really knowing what to think, "Your daughter . . . How old is she?" He knew she must be older in order to be keeping a baby.

Izzie smiled, looked at him, "She will be 15 in 2 ½ months and you would think she is turning 21." They all laughed knowing it to be true. Izzie was so proud of her and even though, it was hard on her to decide to keep her baby, she couldn't imagine a better joy in her life.

Mark was about to say something when he sees Derek out of the corner of his eye . . . giving him the 'shut the hell up' look.

"I can't believe Abby will be a year old soon." Derek said, "It seems like yesterday you were calling and complaining about how terrible she was being . . . kicking you at all hours of the night."

"Yes, and my dear, sweet wife is planning a big bash that Abby won't even remember." Alex said a little sarcastically, kissing his wife's cheek.

Addison turned to him, "Don't you want the best for your first born daughter?"

"Hey Izzie, do you want to help me clear the table?" Meredith suggested wanting to step away from this.

"Don't worry, Meredith, you get used to this . . ." Alex said giving Addison a kiss . . . one that became a little steamy for the other four sitting there.

"You really will and I would love help." Izzie said to Meredith as both of them got up. Izzie just laughed because Alex and Addison have always been like this since she introduced them. They really are great together. Not many people could put up with Alex's shit day in and day out except for her. He and Izzie were good friends through vet school and worked together, but there were many days she just wanted to kill him.

Izzie and Meredith made a few trips to the kitchen before staying in the kitchen a second to talk.

"So, you and Derek . . . you guys came here together." Izzie said smiling.

"We just . . . he drove me, no big deal." She said.

"I also heard something at the clinic this week . . . you accepted a date . . . with Steve." Izzie wanted to find out if this was true. She was sure she had it correctly at the vet clinic.

"Nothing gets by in this small town does it?" Meredith said rolling her eyes because if truth be known, she really wasn't ecstatic about her date tomorrow night . . . not like she had been with Derek.

"So, it's true . . . you have a date and you are going to TJ's? First Derek at The Coral last weekend and now Steve. Good going Meredith." Izzie said happy that Meredith seemed to be getting out even though it was . . . Steve. It was something people talked about when she first got to town . . . how the new doctor needed to get out and about more often.

Meredith looked at her shocked that she knew so much, "How did you know . . . Derek . . . I mean, it wasn't a date . . . or anything . . . I just repayed him or something . . ." She stuttered.

Izzie looked at her a little stunned. When asked about Steve, Meredith blew it off, but when asked about Derek, she could barely form a coherent thought, "So, Steve?"

"I thought I should go and be nice. He seems ok you know." Meredith sighed slightly.

"Yeah . . . but, not like Derek." Izzie said pushing Meredith a little.

"Yeah" She said without thinking, "I mean, no . . . Derek is nothing . . . He is helping me and that is it."

"Clearly." Izzie said before continuing, "You know Steve and Derek hated each other in high school. Well, more like Steve hated him and Derek didn't have the time to care."

"What do you mean?" Meredith asked.

"Derek was the football god, no matter what he says, he was and Steve just didn't like him. Steve never got the chance to get to know him, but he hated Derek and always tried to start things. Steve's best friend, Ronny Miller liked Derek being they had honors classes together and that fueled Steve's hate towards Derek. He tried to fight him once and it was pretty funny."

"Seriously?" Meredith said laughing along with Izzie.

"Ladies?" Mark said coming in the room, giving that face . . . the one that only Mark Sloan could give to Izzie.

Izzie blushed a little and Meredith looked between them. She noticed the looks between them all night, but this . . . there was something stronger than just looks, "Mark . . ." Izzie barely got out.

"I am going to . . . see if there is anything left on the table." Meredith said giving those two a chance to talk.

Mark wanted to ask more about Derek being he just heard everything they talked about, including the part about Meredith's date tomorrow night. He would definitely be talking to Derek about that, but right now, he needed to . . . talk to Izzie. He really had no idea how to talk normally to a girl without trying to get her in bed. He did want her . . . in bed, but there was something more about this beautiful blonde, "So, you are a veterinarian in town with Alex."

She looked down, a little nervous, "Yes, I am."

Mark was disappointed, he wanted more and he could tell she was nervous and if truth be told, he was as well, "You grew up here as well?"

"Yeah, I grew up in this small town . . . Well, my mom and I moved here when I was five, so, yeah, I grew up here." She looked up at him . . . at his gorgeous eyes and jawline, before continuing, "And have you always lived in a big town?"

"I love the big city. I am from New York, Manhattan actually. I came out this way for school because I wanted to ski all winter so I decided on Colorado. I fell in love with Denver and haven't wanted to leave ever since." He smiled down at her.

Mark moved close to see her eyes . . . beautiful golden brown. He did now know how this was happening, but when he reached for her chin, she didn't back away. He leaned the rest of the way in . . . her lips . . . so soft . . . so perfect.

Their tongues danced around . . . Mark started moving his hand through her hair and she pulled him closer to her . . . both wanting this more than anything.

Mark quickly pulled back all of a sudden, "I am so sorry. I have no idea what got into me. You were just . . . you are beautiful."

"I . . . that was . . . wow." Izzie said unable to speak.

Mark breathed a sigh of relief when she seemed ok with it, "It was . . . it really was." He had no idea what that was. He had kissed many women, more than he cared to even admit, but that . . . there was nothing like it.

"We should . . . go." Izzie said pointing to the door.

"Yeah." Mark says watching her take the lead out of the door.

They went into the living room and joined the group. They had decided to play games with light music playing in the background. They had a great time playing and drinking together.

The married couple watched the other two natural couples in the room and smiled. Addison and Alex realized how many sparks were flying in the room during the night. They knew that Derek and Izzie both deserved happiness in their life and they think . . . maybe they have found it.