Chapter Thirty-Eight: Drifting For a Long Long Time

"George!"

He rolled over in bed and collided with Callie and they both groaned. Izzie appeared in the doorway, fully clothed and clutching a mug of coffee.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, pulling the covers further over both of them.

"You will never guess who Alex spent the night with," she said excitedly.

George fell back onto his pillow.

"I don't even care a little bit," he moaned.

"Come on, you have to get up anyway," she wheedled. He reluctantly got out of bed and was followed by Callie, who surprised Izzie by being fully clothed.

Izzie quietly pushed the door open. George let out a snort of laughter, and Callie smiled.

"Okay, I always knew he was an idiot but I never knew he was enough of an idiot to sleep with his boss' wife," said Callie.

"And his mentor's ex!" agreed Izzie.

"They're both wearing pants," said Callie skeptically.

"Yeah, but it's Alex."

Upon seeing him move slightly, George pulled them both away.

Addison woke up heavy headed, as if she'd gone to bed drunk. She knew she hadn't had a drop and yet she still felt like a twenty year old co-ed waking up in a stranger's bed after a long night of partying.

But Alex Karev wasn't a stranger, he was a friend. He was all but her only friend, as much as she'd come to think more of him. She watched him sleep in his plaid pajama pants and his bare, muscular chest and wished she could go back to a time where it would have been so much easier for them to be more than friends.

"Morning."

She jumped slightly, not having known he was awake.

"You too."

He woke up fully and noticed in apparent interest that she was dressed only in a long t-shirt that she'd stolen from his underwear drawer.

"How're you doing?" he asked. She remembered the nothing that had drawn her here.

"I have to talk to Derek," she murmured.

"Will he be worried?"

Addison looked up and met Alex own, worried, eyes.

"That's the problem. I really don't think he will be."

Izzie Stevens, who had been moping and angry ever since she'd been dumped by her quasi boyfriend for her less tall, less blonde, less buxom best friend, was bright eyed and interested when Addison Shepherd walked past the kitchen in the same clothes she'd been wearing the night before.

"Hey Dr. Shepherd," she called after her, barely receiving a greeting in response.

"So Alex is hitting that," remarked Callie in surprise. "Who would have thought?"

"So I guess that means all of us are sleeping or have slept with a superior," agreed George.

"Some of us have slept with many," commented Izzie.

They fell silent when Alex came in. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table, seemingly ignorant of their probing stares.

A moment later, he cracked.

"Look, I'm not sleeping with her. She just needed a friend."

Izzie smirked at George.

"Yeah, but don't you want to be?" asked George.

"Don't you?"

Callie punched George in the forearm when he failed to respond, and they both laughed.

"They're still married, right? The Shepherds? I mean dysfunctional, lusting after other people and hating each other but they are still married?" asked Izzie desperately.

"We would have heard if they'd broken up. Everyone would have," said George comfortingly.

"Like they all heard about me and McSteamy," said Izzie bitterly. George sighed and dropped down onto the chair next to Callie.

"Yes. Exactly like that."

Later in the day, after an apologetic Addison had explained (lied about) the situation to Derek and Bailey had severely chastised all of her interns, minus Cristina who was mysteriously absent, for whispering amongst themselves and gossiping, Mark and Meredith stood outside Richard's office.

"Maybe we should do it later. At home. You know it's more personal," she said, beginning to walk off. He caught her hand and pulled her back.

"He has to address this as Chief of Surgery. You know that," he said reasonably. Meredith pouted.

"At least Cristina wasn't his daughter. I just wished you'd never told him about Izzie," she said regretfully.

"He knew about Derek, does that put us on equal footing?" wondered Mark. She shrugged and they both walked in.

Richard had his back to them as they walked in, but he quickly turned around when he heard the door open. He stopped, stared at them and sighed. He turned to Meredith.

"So, I guess you've made your choice?" he asked. She led Mark to the two chairs in front of his desk.

"You look like you think I've made the wrong one," she commented. Richard sighed, glanced at Mark.

"I guess you understand that no man thinks anyone is good enough for his little girl?" asked Richard. Mark nodded.

"I remember feeling the same, Sir." Richard smiled.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked.

"A few months," said Meredith bravely.

"Meredith, can you head down to the ER? They're backed up down there," said Richard. Meredith looked between her stepfather and her boyfriend and realized what was going on, and left.

Richard laced his fingers together and stared at Mark over the frames of his glasses. Mark nervously tapped his fingers along the arm of his chair.

"Do we need to have this talk, Mark?" asked Richard.

"If it would make you feel better."

Richard rose from his chair and began to pace.

"Meredith may not be mine, but as far as you're concerned that doesn't matter. She's my little girl, she always has been, and her mother and I have always done our best to keep her safe. We didn't do it alone, you and Derek always looked out for her too. I always knew that one day I'd have to let go, let someone else take care of her. I guess I'm lucky that you're so willing to do so."

He sat down again, fiddling with his wedding ring.

"Izzie Stevens?" he asked sternly.

"It's over," responded Mark.

"You're not exactly known for your commitment, Mark. What about Addison?" he asked.

"I'm committed now."

Richard nodded.

"You understand that if you hurt her..."

"I won't. I'm not going to hurt her. I love her, I want to marry her. I want to start a family with her. I want to grow old with her."

Mark looked down, embarrassed by the sincere emotion in his voice.

"She's going to need more time. She needs to believe first."

"I can wait."

Richard nodded, and Mark reached across the desk to shake his hand before leaving the office. Meredith, predictably, had remained hovering outside of the office instead of going to the ER.

"How'd it go?" she asked anxiously. He took her by the shoulders and kissed her, in view of the whole hospital.

"Extremely well. Now I have permission to be your boyfriend," he said.

"Which really didn't stop you before."

Mark put his arms around her shoulders and they walked down the hallways together. When Meredith saw Derek walking toward them instead of awkwardly separating as they'd done before, she bravely looked up and met his eyes and managed a bland but honest smile. He nodded back in return and continued down the hall.

He walked with her to the locker room. All the other interns were there, and Izzie looked away to avoid talking with her as she'd been doing since Mark had broken up with her. Meredith sighed but was relieved when Cristina and Burke entered, causing a slight commotion.

She glanced between them in interest for a moment, as if about to ask a question, but was steaded by Burke's hand on her shoulder. Meredith glanced down at her belly which looked about ready to pop at any second.

Cristina glanced up at Burke with a wide, honest smile, and the room gradually hushed.

Blushing, and looking ready to be finished with the whole thing, Cristina held up her left hand.

"We got married last night," she admitted, pulling a face when the room started to cheer and her new husband leaned down to kiss her.