Author's Note: Thanks, Aubri and Les. Enjoy and Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Meredith digs through her large leather bag. She flicks open her cell phone and checks the time.

4:45, and I have to be at the hospital at 5:30. Shit, where the hell is my toothbrush?

Meredith continues to dig through her bag. She hears Mark sit up in the bed. She looks at him and smiles.

"Good morning Dr. Sloan."

"Good morning Dr. Grey."

Mark has been in Seattle for three weeks now. Meredith dropped by last night as she had the previous nights. Meredith and Mark have yet to discuss what they were doing. They both understood the terms of their silent agreement.

Addison and Derek were still "trying." In the beginning Meredith only came to Mark after getting into a fight with Derek, and Mark the same with Addison. It was almost as if they used one another to help wash down the painful reality of the situation with their respective lovers.

Then their trysts became almost habitual. Meredith would toss and turn in her bed at night unable to sleep. She would drive over to Mark's hotel and let herself into his room with the hotel keycard he gave her. She would climb into bed with him and she would fall asleep. With him she felt wanted, comfortable and most importantly not alone.

Meredith finally finds her toothbrush holder and runs to the bathroom to wash-up and get ready for work. She quickly gets cleaned up and turns to catch Mark looking at her. He's still sitting in bed. He's head is resting against the bed's wooden headboard and he just sits there contently watching her move about the small bathroom.

Meredith averts her eyes and put the top of her toothbrush holder back on. She throws it in her bag and flings it over her shoulder. This is how it was every morning she stayed over. She always came to Mark's, never the other way around. They never made small talk in the morning or acted in a way that would resemble an actual relationship.

"See you at the hospital." Meredith says as she reaches for the door. Mark doesn't respond but rather looks at her intently. Meredith's eyes linger on him for a moment. She gives him a sad smile and then closes the door behind herself.

gagagagagagagagagaga

"So is it true?" Christina asks Meredith as she sets her tray down on the table across from her.

"What are you talking about?"

"You and McSteamy."

Shit. No it's not true. I'm only using him for sex.

"Christina, that rumor is weeks old."

"Exactly, it refuses to die. I mean when it started they were saying something about stair sex, which is just ridiculous, but this rumor of an illicit affair won't die, which means…"

"That people don't have anything better to do with their lives," Meredith snaps as she takes a bite of her sandwich.

Christina doesn't touch her food. She sits there and narrows her gaze on Meredith.

Oh Go,d she's looking at me. I can't handle it when people look at me.

Meredith lowers her voice, "What do you want me to say?"

Christina lowers her voice to match Meredith's, "That you're sleeping with McSteamy."

Meredith pauses for a moment, "Okay."

"So the rumors are true!" Christina leans back in her chair with satisfaction as she takes a bite of her cookie.

"Aren't they normally?"

"Meredith you've outdone yourself this time. I mean normally you make so pretty bad choices but this one tops them all."

Meredith slumps down into her chair. Her body language shows that she knows Christina is right.

"So how is it?"

"What?" Meredith asks, slightly appalled.

"Is he good? I mean obviously, but I mean…"

Meredith looks at her questioningly.

"Oh come on," Christina cries, "Give me something. Burke's libido has been at like zero since his surgery. I need something," grabs Meredith's hand. "I need this."

Meredith looks at her friend and laughs at her desperation. "Stair sex… so hot."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How long has this been going on for?"

"A little less than a month."

"You've been banging him since he got here."

Meredith blushes, "I guess I have."

"Are you two…"

Meredith stops her before she can finish. "No, no nothing like that. He's just…" stops, searches her mind for the right words, " a nice change. The sex is amazing and we both understand that we are emotionally unavailable."

"Okay you keep telling yourself that." Christina throws a fry at Meredith.

"He's still McDreamy and he's still Mc-freaking-Married, so until that stops Marks the best I can do in the moment."

"Seriously Mer, you don't feel anything?"

"No, nothing."

Okay maybe a little, but not beyond that I feel for a good friend.

"Well I guess you have the ideal situation. I mean, what else could you ask for?"

Meredith doesn't answer but just gives Christina a half smile. She takes another bite of her sandwich.

Love, maybe?

gagagagagagagagagaga

Meredith descends down the last flight of stairs. She has consciously avoided the elevator as well as Derek. From time to time she allowed her eyes to linger a little too long. She let her hand touch his a little too long as she assisted him a surgery. Apparently the last time she yelled at Derek he listened to her. She misses him more than she ever has before. They never had just stopped talking for longer than a few days even if they were just talking about not talking.

Meredith skips over the last two steps, pulls open the heavy wooden door, and is face to face with Derek.

So he's been avoiding the elevator too.

"Derek," she says a little too softly. She hasn't been this close to him since that night in the locker room. She steps backwards.

"Hey," he says as he averts his eyes to the floor.

"How have you been?"

"Good," he responds a little too quickly.

"Good."

The two of them stand there for a moment unsure of what to say next.

"Well I have to…" Meredith begins.

"Yeah me too…"

"I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah."

Meredith looks at him a moment as she closes the stairwell door behind her. She doesn't hear Derek on the other side as he whispers, "I miss you."

gagagagagagagagagaga

Meredith sits on the examination table of an exam room. Mark stands over her. Her interaction with Derek today has unnerved her.

"Bad day?" Mark asks and he uses he hand to lift up her face.

"Kind of. I just don't know how long I can keep this up. I can't deal with this forever. They are going to stay together and we are just…" Meredith stops.

"Just what?"

"Passing time." Meredith states blankly.

Why is it beginning to feel like we are doing something else?

"If we are just passing time what do you suggest we do instead."

Meredith shakes her head, "I don't know. Maybe I should transfer hospitals or something. This is obviously going nowhere."

"Yeah, you're right," Mark casts his eyes down to the floor as he begins to roam around the small examination room.

"Am I?" Meredith stands up and touches Mark's shoulder. He turns around to fully face her. His hands slides up her face and he kisses her tenderly on the lips. Meredith kisses him back.

Something about this feels different. He's touching me differently, softer, more carefuly.

Meredith pulls his lab coat off him and reaches for his belt. Mark moves her hands away from his belt as he continues to kiss her. His kisses her neck all the way down to her collarbone. He runs his hands up her scrub top.

"Are we really just passing time," Mark whispers into her ear as he pulls at the string of her scrub pants.

Meredith doesn't respond but silences him with a kiss. Neither hears a small knock on the examination room door. Meredith unhooks Mark's belt and places her hand underneath the thin material that separates them.

The door slowly opens. Meredith quickly retracts her hand and fumbles at the string of her scrubs. Mark's jacket is on the other side of the room. Both Mark and Meredith are flushed. It would be obvious to whoever walks into the room what was going on.