Titel: Baseball 101

Author: Strange Music

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Mark has his own experience with Baseball 101 (Green/Ross)

Pairing: Doug Ross/Mark Green

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people that appear in my story.

Nor have I any rights to the characterization of them.

Based on the episode where Mark meets with three Ladies..only to end

up with Doug ;)

Baseball 101

by Strange Music

What did they say at Baseball.

One

Two

Three

And you are out?

Well he definitely had managed this today.

Three girls at the same time.

All three strikes.

And now he was out.

With none of them wanting to have anything to do with him.

Back to the Dugout

Back to the start.

First love.

But for Mark it had always been something more.

Doug was what he looked for in a relationship. And ever since that

Basketball game in front of the clinic Doug knew it.

"..I want someone to talk with who understands me."

"So that means that I would be you perfect partner"

He had said it in jest but Mark had seen that it hadn't been only teasing.

Only that Doug hadn't believed that Mark was still holding onto a relationship that

was so old. Not after he had been married and now had a daughter.

And that for Doug the friendship was more important that *getting his rocks off*.

Mark had only smiled.

Back to the dugout.

Doug had been the first for a lot of things in his life. He had been the first

to mention becoming a doctor.

He had been the one to tell him that this Jennifer that was watching him was

a nice girl. At a time that had told Mark clearly that in soft word he wanted

*out* of what they had.

And he had let him out and started to met with Jennifer.

But now Jennifer was gone and all that he tried to meet didn't meet what he

was looking for.

Back to The dugout.

Back to Doug Ross who was now sitting across from him at the a finished

candlelight Dinner.

"Any plans on what we do now?"

"Maybe we could see a movie?" Doug suggested

"Or we could go bowling."

But Doug gaze and his held up stick quickly reminded him that at least one

of them wasn't exactly able to bowl at the moment.

"Sorry"

So they just remained at toasting to each other and draining the bottle of Champaign

standing on the table in front of them.

*+*+*+*

It was 1 hours later that the conversation turned less serious witch each glass.

2 hours later that they were joking like in old days

3 hours till Doug told him that he loved him

4 hours till they kissed and started making out.

And it was 4 hours and 2 minutes later that they politely thrown out of the restaurant for it.

*+*+*+*

And now they stood in Doug's flat or as he called it babbling *Airport* because of

the many airheads arriving and starting in it.

"Me...do,.to?"

"No Mark..not you"

And with this the conversation was stopped again. Both man too busy trying to

use their concentration to remain on their feet. Or better remaining the hold on

the furniture that helped them remain on their feet.

Standing beside the door, all that Doug did, was wordless extend a hand in

direction bedroom and Mark just nodded and followed.

"If you flat is the airport... then I don...want to know what you... would

call your bedroom or your bed"

Doug mumbled a reply but as he was already lying face down one the bed

Mark had slight problem understanding it..

So he just replied "Okay" and fell down on the bed beside Doug.

Letting oblivion take over his sense.

*+*+*+*

It was an old-familiar guy playing drums on his head that greeted him when he woke up.

The very familiar taste of something dead on his tongue.

And the lack of memories of last night after ..after he and Doug..

He sat up in alarm.

"Doug?!"

He winced at his own voice volume. Looking around through half closed

eyes he still recognized the surrounding "Oh my God." He moaned before

letting his head fall forward into his hands. And as in reply he felt the

blanket at his side move and a moaned protest, muffled by the blanket

was heard.

"Just set the time of death on whatever time we have right now and let me

rest in peace Mark."

There was silence.

Just before Mark was finished deciding whether or not Doug had gone back

to sleep again. The blanket moved downward and a very sleep tousled face

appeared . Looking at him with shaken eyes.

"Oh my god Mark! Tell me I am seeing things."

"I you are seeing things than I would hardly be able to tell you that you do."

Apparently seeing the logic in this Doug only groaned.

"Oh my god"

Mark felt a sigh escape "I double that." He whispered as he let himself fall

back onto the bed.

Glancing to the ceiling he assumed that Doug was doing the same.

"What happened?" he heard his voice carry over to me.

"Beats me" As Mark turned my head to look over to him to see Doug eyes

spring open. And with a look of fear he held up the blanket to gaze under.

When he appeared again with a look of relive. It somehow strung Mark the

wrong way.

"Well looks like your virtue is still safe."

Not getting Marks anger Doug just replied nonchalantly "Yes you were a

very good boy."

"I?"

"Well I wasn't the one to get you drunk."

This was enough to get the rest of Marks blood pressure high.

Leaning on his elbow Mark made sure that Doug looked directly at him

before starting

"First of all! I didn't get you drunk. You did a pretty good job on this on

your own. Second.I was as drunk as you were. Have hardly any memories

of yesterday as well. And Third.Did you really think I just brought you to

this dinner to get you laid?"

He had gotten angrier at each word. And he could actually see Doug drew

away from his anger.

"I *didn't* mean to make it come out like this. I just meant that as I am not

together with Carol and you are unlikely to get a relationship anytime

soon...I just..well."

Mark didn't know if his gaze visible hardened but Doug stutter made it

clear that it did.

"I am sorry Mark."

"Never mind." After such a long time he should have given up any hope

of ever being able to be anymore than just a friend to Doug.

"How about if, five, I make us both a big nice cup of aspirin as apology."

"Actually it would be, four, but I accept anyway."

And for the moment the conversation was done. But it was definitely

not finished, not in Mark's eyes.

*+*+*+*

So it was at the table, while they were both buried into their respective

glasses, that he brought it up again.

"I don't understand it."

"What?"

"How could you think that I was only out to 'get it on with you' "

"Mark.."

"No! I mean after I had Jennifer and you had..well virtually everybody

that was female of age of consents and willing to say yes. After all our

years of friendship.." He felt his teeth grind in anger. Reaching out for

his glass he took a sip. Part to wet his throat and part to quiet his headache

that hadn't reacted well to his raising of voice.

"I wouldn't have minded."

It was a good thing that he still been drinking aspirin when he sprayed it

across the table. Coffee would have definitely been worse.

"What?"

He had been sure what he had heard yet still wanted to make sure before

he replied to it.

"I said that I wouldn't have minded 'this'" and with this Doug leaned

forward and kissed him deeply.

"Any I wouldn't have minded 'this' "

He didn't see it but he definitely could feel Doug's hand as it stroke

over his crouch. "I just would have objected being half drunk while doing it."

The only all too familiar tingling, the one that only Doug seemed to be

able to make him feel appeared.

But it wasn't what he wanted. At least not like this.

"No"

He hoped that his voice sounded strong enough.

"What?" Feeling the hand and with it the feeling drew back he had to bite

back a sign of relive.

"I said no Doug. Now I know that this is not a word that you are familiar

with. But it is still in the regular vocabulary. At least in mine."

Doug didn't say anything. Just looked baffled and also a bit hurt.

"No I mean why?" he took a breath "I thought you wanted it too. At least

I though it was so last night at the restaurant."

"Doug."

"I am sorry Mark. I truly thought.."

"Doug! For gods sake will you listen to me!"

Doug shut his mouth at the rather forceful way that Mark had taken his

attention. And Mark was sure that he was listening he continued.

"This is not whether I mind or not. Because I certainly don't mind kissing

you or anything else that you suggested. But what I do mind is being just

another one of your ones night stands."

"I don't understands"

And the thing was that Mark new that he really didn't.

It had been all so easy back then.

No Carol

No Jennifer

And especially no Rachel.

But now it was. Now they were part of his life and he had to make his

decision with them in mind. Even when he was divorced of Jennifer. Rachel

was still his daughter. And he had to think of her when he made a decision.

Too many years had passed since he had been able to make a decision like

that without thinking.

He was wiser and older now.

And Doug was...well older.

"I want either a relationship to last or none at all. If I learned a lesson at all of

yesterday that that I am not made for short relationships."

"Well I..."

Mark smiled "It is okay Doug. I understand." He stood up to pick up the coffee

that had finally run all through. His back was turned to Doug when he heard the

soft reply "No you don't."

Mark turned around and looked at Doug as he waited for him to continue.

"You can't understand something that I am still working on myself."

He nodded Doug to go on.

Which he did.

"I don't know if I am ready to leave woman behind. I am don't know if I am

ready to look into the same face each morning. I don't know if I am ready for

the kind of relationship that you have been living for so long. I don't know if I

am ready for the relationship that you are looking for now.."

Mark shrugged "That what I meant. I know that..."

"Mark!"

Doug raising his voice made him stop.

"Let me finish."

Mark closed his mouth and showed Doug that he had his attention to go on.

"I don't know if I am ready for a relationship like that.but I am willing to try.

I want to try. The question is..Are you willing to try with me? Knowing that I

might sway into another direction next month. Knowing that 2 month from now

I might tell you that in order to stay friend I think we should end it?"

He took a deep breath.

"Are you willing to take that for the chance that I will be happy with you?"

Mark felt himself smile. Here he was...The man that didn't even play in the lottery

because he didn't feel like gambling. Here he was looking at his maybe biggest

gambling game of all.

"We would both be taking chances...But yes.I am willing to try."

And leaned he leaned forward to a kiss.

And even in the dugout.

It still felt like a homerun.

The End's.

Okay..the story was written and actually finished almost two years ago. Somehow it never made

it into FFnet. And just remained on my HD.

I have to say that the strange thing about that story is that neither Green nor Ross are my particular

favourite but that the scene itself was just to good too pass.

Hope you enjoyed it. Appreciate feedback.