Author's note: No long rambles today. Enjoy and REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Meredith walks out of the examination room and closes the door behind herself. She only has about two more hours of her shift. Since last night she had successfully avoided Mark, Derek, George, and Addison. For the better part of the day, Meredith hid in the examination room with her patient. They had bonded over checkers and more than a few games of war. It was a simple distraction for Meredith, and most importantly it kept her out of trouble.

Meredith drops the chart on the nurses' station. Her patient had just been discharged. Meredith looks down at her watch.

Maybe I can get out of this place early.

Meredith checks on the rest of her patients who were all in various parts of post-op. There is nothing else for her to do tonight. She quickly walked to the locker room hoping that she will be able to avoid Bailey.

Great, one more person I have to avoid.

Meredith goes into the locker room and sits on the hard wooden bench. One by one she pulls off her sneakers. She pauses for a moment and allows herself to give into the pure exhaustion that she feels.

The door to the locker room opens and George walks in. George pauses for a moment at the door as if he is deciding if he still wants to enter the room. His eyes glance around the room and enters. He gives Meredith a cold look and walks over to his locker to change.

I have to say something to him, but I mean what can I say? Sorry, I fell on top of Mark.

Meredith buttons up her white shirt.

"George…"

"You know what Meredith, I don't want to hear about it ok?"

"George you've been ignoring me for weeks."

George pauses as she puts his sneakers into his locker. He turns to look at her, "You know I mean it should make sense. I mean he's a hotshot surgeon. Complicated and completely unavailable. He seems exactly your type, and as an added bonus Addison Shepherd likes him as well. Meredith you don't surprise me."

Meredith winces at George's harsh tone.

"George why are you so mad. So what if I like to put myself in difficult situations, and make a slew of bad choices. Why are you taking this so personal?"

"Meredith your bad choices affect everyone. Meredith you're embarrassing yourself. No one cares that you have the potential to be an amazing surgeon. They only care about who you're sleeping with this week?"

"My private life is exactly that—private."

"Seriously Meredith? You make it public. You and Mark earlier in the on-call room. For Christ sake, Meredith the door wasn't even locked. Then earlier today everyone knows that you and Derek were alone in an exam room."

"Fine George, I get it. Everyone thinks I'm a big whore, and maybe I am. But it gets me through the day. I'm sorry I'm not ready to act like a mature adult and put myself together. I have to take care of me, and I chose distraction. I try to avoid these situations but they always seem that happen."

George moves closer to Meredith facing her. "Do you honestly believe that these things 'just happen'? Meredith you put yourself into these situations. I don't know why. None of this is going to stop happening until you take some responsibility. Until then you deserve to be known as a whore." George picks up his bag and walks out of the locker room. Meredith puts on her shoes and closes her locker. She grabs her bag and heads out of the room.

She is only a few steps out the door when she bumps into Derek.

"Shit."

"Good evening Dr. Grey."

I have to go.

Meredith turns to go back into the locker room and he follows her.

She turns to him visibly flustered. "What do you want from me?"

"Just for you to hear me out." He moves towards her pushes her against a locker and kisses her.

No Meredith you can't do this. Listen to George; get out of this situation, now.

Meredith gives into the kiss for a moment until she is able to muster the strength to push him off her.

"Derek stop! I've heard you loud and clear and you love me. I love you Derek, you know that. But at the end of the day you still go home with your wife. Derek I can't live in limbo. I need something real, and you aren't willing to give it to me. You have to let me go. If you love me, Derek, you'll let me go."

Derek does not say anything for a while. He brings his hand up to Meredith's face. "I will find a way to make this all okay?"

"I think we're well past the point of okay."

Derek gives her a small, sad smile. He kisses her softly on the lips.

"I love you."

"I know." Meredith allows her eyes to linger with his for a second. "I have to go." She walks past Derek and back to the main corridor. Everyone's eyes are on her. She adverts her gaze and walks to the stairwell.

There's no chance in hell that I'd take the elevator.

gagagagagagagagagaga

Mark leans against the cool metal of the elevator. He's finally on his way home. The door stops on the 4th floor and Addison steps into the elevator. They don't speak as the elevator descends.

"Addison?"

"Not now Mark."

"Damnit, Addison then when?" Mark pulls the emergency stop button.

"Mark…"

"No, Addison listen to me. I love you more than Derek ever could. You know he's in love with Meredith, and has actually cheated on you with her. What are you doing? What do you think is going to happen next? Addison your better than this."

Addison begins to cry as she looks up at Mark.

Mark hold your ground. Don't comfort her.

"Mark I can't. We're trying we can fix our marriage."

Mark slams his hand on the elevator wall. Addison jumps.

"Are you serious. How are you guys trying when he off having sex with other woman with you down the hall and he doesn't even try to hide the fact that he's not in love with you."

Addison's eyes flare up. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Actually I do. I know you and Derek very well. Neither of you are going to give up; you're both going to be miserable because of it. I'm here for three months and I have no choice but to stand here and witness the downfall. Addison I want to catch you, but you wont let me. You're adamant about hitting the ground—alone."

Mark moves closer to her. He kisses her softly on the lips. Addison's entire body trembles. Mark caresses her cheek with his thumb. Slowly he moves back to his side of the elevator and presses the emergency stop button back in. He hits the button for the second floor and wait for the elevator to stop. He pauses for a moment gives Addison a sad look and walks out of the elevator.

Mark walks to the stairs and throws open the door. The door hits the wall and everyone turns to look at him. He glares at them and begins to walk up the stairs to let off some steam.

Is she serious? Does she enjoy being in pain, I mean, it doesn't make sense…

Mark continues to climb the stairs. He looks out the big bay window in the stairwell and he sees the Seattle Nightline. He smiles to himself a sad smile and pauses for a moment. He hears whimpering sounds and walks higher to see who was making the sounds. He climbs the final set of stairs and sees Meredith sitting by the door that leads to the roof. Her face is stained with tears and she is crying.

Mark hates it when women cry. He drops his bag and sits beside Meredith.

"Derek?" he asks as he wipes her face with the sleeve of his coat. She looks at him and nods. "Yeah Addison and I just had a fight too. Want to talk about it?"

Meredith shakes her head no, leans in, and kisses Mark.

I need something that feels real. I can't wait around for Derek forever. This has to be enough, at least for now.

Neither of them wastes time being tender and loving. Meredith's hands run up Mark's chest. Mark grabs Meredith to her feet. Meredith rips off Mark's jacket. Mark's hands clumsily unbutton Meredith's shirt. He begins to get frustrated and tears the shirt open.

Mark steps back for a moment and takes in Meredith.

God, she's beautiful. No wonder Derek fell in love with her.

Mark moves close to Meredith again. Meredith pulls him closer as she grabs his shirt. She kisses him hard on the mouth. She pulls his belt off his pants and unzips his jeans. He kisses her hungrily.

Mark picks Meredith up and places her on the banister of the stairs. Meredith slip-on shoe falls down the stairs and makes a loud crashing sound as it hits each tile step on its way down. In one smooth motion Mark pulls off Meredith pants and underwear. Meredith wraps her legs around Mark's torso and explores Mark's mouth with her own.

"You know people are talking about us, right?" Meredith whispers in between kisses.

"Let's give them something to talk about," Mark growls as he grabs Meredith onto himself and kisses her ferociously.