Author's Note: I'm not really sure what to think of this chapter. It's different than my original plan but it works the way it is I think. Reviews are wonderful of course. And if you have any ideas as to what you'd like to happen, don't be afraid to tell me in a PM or review. I've got the general idea down pat, but I'd be more than happy to try and work them in.

George smiled weakly in Lexie's direction, blatantly ignoring the stares they were receiving. He was used to drunken calls across the bar as he'd been there before, but had rarely had his presence brought up in such a manner. "Hi, guys."

"Bambi, hey." Cristina called. She watched as several heads turned in her direction. She had just finished her turn and was taking a moment to celebrate when all of the commotion started. Her eyes drifted to George's left and she saw Callie. "Torres."

Callie nodded politely, preferring to remain calm. "Yang." She caught Meredith's gaze. "Has someone cut her off yet?"

Meredith shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

George walked up to the bar. "Beer for me, Joe. And-" He smiled, still unable to believe it himself. "Gingerale. For her."

Izzie snorted. "Gingerale, huh?"

"Iz-" Mark warned as he rested a hand against her waist.

She turned to face him. "I'm fine. Everything's cool."

"Here you go." Joe said as he placed the two orders in front of George. "If you don't mind my asking, is everything okay?"

Callie laughed nervously. They had planned on going out for a little celebration. She hadn't planned on breaking the news that way. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Everything's...peachy. Why?"

Joe shrugged. "You usually order something a little more...risky, you know?" He pulled a rag from behind the counter to wipe off a spot someone had left.

It was stupid and childish to purposefully not look in their direction. She and George were back to being friends, but Callie was still a bit of an issue. There had been a few instances when they were forced to interact, but Izzie had tried her best to remain professional. She resigned herself to being nice for George's sake. There had to be something else to focus on-something other than the thought that progressively began to eat away at her other thoughts. Alex and Cristina's dart game. Alex was currently up, and Cristina still looked happy so she assumed she was in the lead with points. "Didn't know you could get beat by a girl."

Alex glared in her direction. "Yeah, yeah. I don't see you up here."

"How about I play winner?" She asked. Anything but the happy couple. After all: she was happy, wasn't she? There was no need to dwell on other things.

"Actually guys, before you do, there's something I'd-" George looked to Callie. "We would like to say."

Mark felt more than saw Izzie tense. He hated the stress she forced herself under but was at a loss to stop it.

"What is it?" Derek asked. "We were celebrating here, by the way. Mer and I got engaged."

"Oh." Callie replied. "Oh. Well, um-" She cleared her throat. The reason for so many people from Seattle Grace being there at the same time suddenly made sense. "George, maybe we should wait."

"Wait for what?" Meredith asked as she linked her hand with Derek's.

"No, really guys." George shook his head. His eyes were directed at Izzie, and he nearly winced as she looked back at him. "It's your night."

Lexie coughed. "Come on, George. What's the good news?"

"Who said anything about good?" Izzie mused. The thing she'd been thinking had propelled itself to the surface and she was unable to keep it locked tight. The second Izzie locked eyes with George she'd gotten what she wanted to know.

"Well, who knows?" Mark asked. He could tell she was upset but was confused as to why. Deciding it was better to just move on from the subject altogether, he clapped his hands. "Izzie said she'd play the winner. I'm up for playing the winner from that. Maybe something good can come out of tonight." He winked in Derek's direction, already knowing he knew it was a joke.

"Callie's pregnant." George declared.

Looks were exchanged, each looking to the next for some sign of what to say. No one really expected it, though it wasn't universally thought of as a bad thing.

"Congratulations." It was Derek who broke the silence with a smile and a raise of his scotch glass.

George breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thanks. Thank you, Doctor Shepherd."

"Who knew Bambi could reproduce?" Alex asked sarcastically as he made his way back to the bar.

"He's happy, Alex." Lexie countered. "I mean, shouldn't all of us be happy for that?"

"Yeah." Izzie replied. Inside, she wanted to feel happy for him. For the both of them. They had managed to salvage what was left of their marriage and piece it back together. The next step, having children, only seemed like a natural progression. She still couldn't define the reason that she felt a slight tinge of anger running through her. "Everybody should be happy."

The night continued on, but everything for Izzie remained the same. They had come to celebrate Meredith and Derek's finally getting it together, only to have another cause of celebration come in a short while later. She found it ironic that they had in fact chosen a bar to celebrate in, though she supposed it was better than the hotel room they'd been living in. A baby. George and Callie were having a baby. Downing the rest of her drink, she sat the glass back on the counter with resolve. She'd be happy for them. At least as much as she could.

Mark watched her curiously throughout the night. She would say all the right things; smiling whenever appropriate and laughing all the while. It was a lie, though. On more than one occasion he made an attempt at bringing it up, but she quickly brushed him off. Meredith and Izzie were outside making sure Cristina got into a cab safely, and he took the chance to talk to Derek. "Interesting night."

Derek laughed. "I guess you could say that. I wasn't really planning on O'Malley coming in and saying what he did, but if anything it made the party that much livelier."

Mark sat on the stool next to him. "Izzie doesn't seem too happy about it."

"Why would she be?" Derek asked, knowing his tone probably sounded harsh. "I mean, not to say she shouldn't put those feelings aside. But she and George were friends long before Callie ever came into the picture."

Mark sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you're right."

Derek studied him for a minute before speaking. "You're worried."

"What?" Mark frowned. "What do I have to be worried about?"

Derek grinned, knowing he'd gotten it right. "Come on, Mark. Mer and I are engaged. O'Malley and Torres are having a baby. And Izzie's...well, she's Izzie. You two have a good thing going, and you're worried she'll catch the fever."

Mark shrugged his shoulders. "If she does, she does."

Derek raised an eyebrow. "That wouldn't bother you?"

"Of course it would." Mark confessed. "But we'd find our way through it."

"So she understands you're not the marrying kind of guy, and that kids are out of the question?" Derek asked. He hated feeling like the bad guy and accusing Mark of such things, but he was aware of his past. Of the things Mark had done. Izzie Stevens was different, but Derek wasn't so sure.

Mark shrugged and let out a sigh. "I don't know. She's the type that wants that life, you know? The house with the two-car garage and fence. Kids. Soccer practice. Dividing her time between the hospital and home. She'd be good at it." He mused. "I'm just not sure that I would."

"Do you really think that's what I want?" The voice came from behind them. She'd only come in recently, but the serious tone of their conversation made her halt.

Mark swallowed harshly before turning to looking at her. "I don't know."

Izzie stared at him for a moment as she was searching for the right thing to say. What could she say? "I'll go."

"Iz, wait-" Mark called, slipping from the stool and grabbing her arm in one move. He waited out the length of a breath to see if she'd speak. "You didn't hear everything."

"I heard enough though, didn't I? After everything, you still have this ridiculous picture of me. You still make assumptions without bothering to ask if it's truly what I'd think." Izzie replied, stubborn tears clinging to her lids. She wouldn't cry. "And you're happy for them."

"Of course I am." Mark said, realizing a second too late it was probably the wrong thing to say. He watched the expression on her face change from sadness to anger. "Izzie, he's your friend. After everything-"

"Don't you think I get that?" Izzie cried. "After everything, Mark. I get it. I do. Because the truth is that I want to be happy for them. I know that I should be. It's all a little hard to take in though." Sniffling, she noticed for the first time that Derek was still standing there. "Sorry."

Derek held up his hands, signaling that she'd done him no harm. He looked over her head to see Meredith standing confused a few feet away. The thought of whether or not he should leave crossed his mind.

"I'm going home." Izzie said finally. She wiped at her nose and sighed. Her brown eyes looked at his blue ones and she hoped he wouldn't refuse.

"Iz-"

"I just-" Izzie squeezed her eyes shut. "I need to think, okay?"

He hated it, but it clicked with him then. The look she had as she was asking him, like if he said no she would accept his refusal. Mark felt vulnerable then, which was something he'd never really felt before. He'd probably give her whatever it was she would ask. "Yeah."

Meredith had too much to drink that night and wouldn't be able to drive. Instead, Izzie looked to Derek. Though she hadn't exactly kept tabs she was aware that he had drunk much less.

Wordlessly, Derek nodded. "Don't worry about it."

Mark caught him as he passed. "What are you doing?"

"She's Meredith's friend." Derek replied, as if the single statement was the best possible answer. He wasn't blind to the confusion and aggravation Mark was surely going through, though. Smiling, he patted his shoulder. "Give her time. And next time you feel like venting, make sure people aren't within listening distance."