-1
Mark arrived home much later that night cursing at the down pour that had started the minute he stepped out of the hospital successfully soaking him. "I hate this city!" He fumed, tossing his now ruined black leather jacket into a rumpled pile on the floor.

Seeing a dim lamp in the living room on he walked in to find a very soaked Derek sprawled out on the couch. His clothes were stuck to his body and his hair was drenched leaving tiny ringlets dripping down his face.

Feeling dirty and exhausted, Mark ran his hands over his growing stubble and laughed at his friends drowned rat appearance. "Addison's going to kill you for ruining her couch.." Mark said only half kidding, knowing his wife hated anything coming near her fashionable furniture.

Derek stared blankly into the TV. He could make out his disheveled appearance but didn't seem to mind. "I'll buy her a new one." He responded monotone, not bothering to look over at Mark.

Mark sighed and thumped into his bedroom. Derek could hear the faint rumbling of drawers being pulled open and then the shower turn on. Time seemed to stand still and before Derek knew it Mark was back in front of him forcing a pair of shorts into his hands.

Mark got up and watched as Derek sat back down and rubbed his hands forcibly through his hair. "I'm going to bed. Stay here, sleep this selfish mood of yours off." Mark was frustrated and too tired to deal with his stubborn friends problems. He thought about Cristina for a brief moment and hoped Meredith was Ok. He felt the need to protect her.

Derek didn't respond and just sat there staring at his reflection once again. "And do me a favor, don't go flying across county because I don't have time to go chasing your sorry ass." Mark replied walking away. He used his normal dry, sarcastic tone but it was really just a cover for how worried he really was.

"You should change your clothes. Why the hell are you all wet?" Mark walked to his lounger and sat down putting his feet up loving the feel of being able to relax. Derek rolled his eyes and defensively crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why the hell are you still living in this crappy apartment when you could have a house?"

Mark shrugged sensing Derek's foul move. "I like it. When are you going to go home and talk to your wife? You look like shit." Mark had struck a nerve and Derek huffed flipping on the TV.

"I went for a walk. And I don't want to talk about her." He replied suddenly extremely focused on the remote in front of him. "Too bad. You're here, so talk." Getting angry Derek flipped through channels at a rapid pace doing anything he could think of to avoid Mark.

"I don't want to be here! I'd rather be.." He couldn't finish before Mark interrupted. "You'd rather be where? In the OR? Killing people because you're mad at your wife? Get over it Derek. She messed up, so did you...you need to talk to her."

Derek was getting more angry by the minute and flicked the TV off throwing the remote to the floor. "You don't know what I need to do! She hurt me, she lied to me, she doesn't get to just say sorry!"

Mark laughed sarcastically at his friend. "You are ridiculous! You're the one who was absent all year! You're lucky she didn't leave your ass and go find someone who cared!"

Mark had really struck a cord and Derek shot up from the couch and stood angrily in the center of the room. "What someone like you!?" He spat out not even meaning the words. Mark just stared at him...shocked at the words but not at all hurt by them.

"No. Someone better than me. Someone better than both of us. She deserves better and you still don't see that. Any other woman would have left you long ago."