Pleasant Surprises Chapter 13, a grey's anatomy fanfic

Pleasant Surprises

Chapter 13

Okay sorry I took so long to update. I do have a confession to make – I tried to write for Mer/Der, at least a short story (a few days ago) and found that I couldn't. I couldn't do it! I was so immersed in this story and how I wanted it to play out that I tried doing another short Mer/Mark…aside from the one that I posted last week. What? You guys haven't read it? LOL! Its id#: 3177331 (chapter 6). I know; I know I should not be publicizing it…but hey it's Mer/Mark! So as I was saying I wanted to write another one but decided against it because it dawned on me after writing two pages how I was going to incorporate into this fic! Yay!

I did need a break from this story but now I'm back and have on my mind exactly what I want to see happen in this chapter. Please review and let me know your thoughts. Where did I leave off last chapter? Oh yeah, jerky Mark made an entrance. Will I redeem him in this chapter? Well read guys, read on, to see what happens! And post, post, post your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

GA…GA…GA…GA…

Meredith sat down at Joe's and looked at Cristina. "You were right." She finally stated. She had it coming. She had defended a jackass and for that reason she sought out Cristina. She would let her have it – Cristina never sugar coated anything. She would tell her: 'I told you so' and she would not put up a fight. What for? They were all right about Mark. He was a jackass! He was a jerk! He was everything everyone had warned her. She deserved to be reminded that she made a mistake.

"About?" Cristina asked and continued: "Mer, I 'm right about a lot of things." She half teased. Cristina scrunched her brow as she saw Meredith's face. Something had happened and if she was a betting woman…wait she was one…this had to do with McSteamy. She would bet her life on it.

"Mark." Meredith responded. She knew she might be exaggerating things but she had not been able to sleep that night or concentrate on anything else but the conversation that she had over the phone with him. Honestly what did she expect? For him to admit that he had a thing for her? It was just speculation – at least on her part. There was no concrete proof and what she wanted to take as concrete proof he managed to make it seem irrelevant. Damn him to hell! And why did she care so much? Why the hell did it hurt her? She meant nothing to him! Then he was less than nothing to her. So be it.

"What did he do?" Cristina questioned. Just last night she had defended him to the group as a whole; had pouted and went to her room excusing herself from her welcome home party. "Just last night he was God." She pointed out as she shrugged her shoulders. He feel hard and quickly. "Could he really have fallen from your pedestal so soon? Wait, it's Mark, of course he could." Cristina pointed out logically.

Meredith bit her tongue as soon as she felt the need and desire to defend him – no, those days were over. Instead she replied: "Nothing really..." she said honestly. "I guess I just wanted him to have a different reaction to me calling him and thanking him for the flowers." She said, her tone betraying her sadness. "In the beginning our conversation was great, fun, giddy, flirty even…and then all of a sudden it got serious and I don't know if it was the questions I asked or his attitude towards them that got the mood from fun and flirty to serious and uncomfortable. It was just an unwanted turn of events." Meredith finalized, sighing deeply. Yep. She was literally in hell.

Before Cristina could respond, Joe approached them and smiled at Meredith: "Will you be having your usual?" he questioned. Over time he had learned to read most interns and Meredith was no different. They had a tough job and they sometimes needed alcohol to feel better and stay sane. Meredith sometimes more than others but it was okay…he took care of her and made sure that she never drove home; that she took a cab and got home safely. Besides she had not gotten drunk in a while, she was due.

"Yes." Meredith said, and genuinely smiled. "Double shot Joe. I need it bad…oh, and keep them coming." She said as an afterthought. She was getting so drunk tonight it wasn't even funny. She wanted to forget everything that she was feeling. Not only this newfound realization: that she was falling for Mark but also the fact that falling for Mark meant a betrayal to Derek. Oh boy, she was in a bind all right.

Cristina laughed and shook her head as she took a swig of her beer. Okay so Meredith was getting drunk. She was going to settle in and be a comfort to her, then drive her best friend's ass home or take a cab if she ended up as drunk as Meredith apparently was going to be. "So…" Cristina started, as she was getting ready to either be a good friend and listen or be a bad friend and show her distaste of Sloan. It all depended on Meredith's story. "We were talking McSteamy…" she prodded. "Go on."

"You mean McJerk?" Meredith interjected as she rubbed her face with both of her hands. "What am I doing Cristina? I mean seriously I can't be falling for him. I just can't." she said it more to herself than her. "I love Derek! I love him, I do. I want things to work out with him but Mark, he's Mark…he's so…was…so wonderful. He made me smile, he made me laugh; he made me feel better. What the fuck!" she said, as she downed her first shot and smiled again at Joe as another one magically appeared before her the second she had finished the first one.

"Oh wow…" Cristina said, as she scooted closer to Meredith. She needed to be the supportive friend apparently. "You fell for him; it's better that you admit that now than try to hide it. You need to just nip it in the bud now." Cristina started. "It's not that you don't love McDreamy, no. It's that he left, you needed a shoulder to cry on and McJerk took advantage of that but it's okay; now you know that you need to just let it go and move on."

"You're right." Meredith agreed. "I am going to nip it in the bud. There will be no more talk of McSteamy, no more conversations between us and there will definitely be no more intimate moments." Meredith said, and cringed as Joe approached them, overheard their conversation and interjected: "Well you better get out of here because your McSteamy just walked in the door." Joe said, nonchalantly, smiling to himself as he saw Meredith's reaction.

Meredith huffed and put her face in her hands. "First off, he's not my McSteamy and second of all…" she said, refusing to turn towards him. "Did he come in with a woman?" she asked, desperate to know if that was the case. She didn't know why it was so imperative that she know that. It wasn't as if she would have any control over it or any right to curse him to hell.

Joe laughed out loud and replied: "Well I guess that's what Derek deserves for just up and leaving you without saying goodbye. However, be careful with McSteamy because you never know where his type is coming from. And before you kill me, let me answer your question, no he is not with a woman. He's with a man that is almost, but not quite, as hot as McSteamy and McDreamy."

"Really?" Cristina stated as curiosity got the best of her. "Wow." She exclaimed as she saw the man that accompanied Mark Sloane. "Joe is right. He is hot." Who the hell was that? They made a sight for sore eyes. She had never seen so much eye candy walk in the door at the same time. She loved Burke but damn hotness was hotness and the both of them were hot! Cristina took a quick inventory of the bar and saw that almost every woman – even woman that were accompanied by husbands, boyfriends or dates – looked at them longingly. If they noticed they made no apparent signs.

Meredith turned slightly and saw the man that accompanied Mark. He was handsome but she only saw him for a second. Her eyes automatically shifted to Mark and as always he captivated her with the way he looked at her. As much as she tried to turn around and ignore him and pretend that he had not fazed her, it wasn't working. She looked him straight in the eye and downed her second tequila shot. She turned to Cristina, finally able to tear her gaze from him and muttered: "Asshole." She said, more loudly than she wanted to. That earned her several glances from some women that were sitting close to them at the bar. She turned to them again and saw they were still staring at her. "Can I help you?" she questioned not caring one way or another. The women both turned and decided to ignore her.

Mark on the other hand still was looking intently at her back. He had known she was there as soon as he had opened the door to Joe's. There was something that he felt whenever Meredith was near – he couldn't pinpoint the exact word to describe it but it was a mixture of nervousness, anticipation and dread. He had treated her badly last night and he knew it. He was sorry the minute the words had left his mouth but most importantly he had lied to her and he didn't know why. He reverted back to his old ways as soon as he felt his back against the wall.

Mark finally tore his gaze from her back and turned to his companion: "Andrew what do you want to drink?" he finally asked, intent on going to the bar and getting them drinks. Maybe he would have the chance at least to say hello to Meredith and gauge her attitude towards him. He realized that he hated that she was mad at him. It made him feel uncomfortable but it also made him feel uneasy. He hated feeling uneasy. It was as if he wasn't in control and that made him feel nervous and tense. He must always be in control and Meredith was the only woman that made him feel vulnerable. This isn't good Sloane, not good at all.

"Bourbon on the rocks." He replied and smiled as he saw a table, sat down and nodded his head in thanks to Mark. He had been acting weird lately so he was glad that he made it in to town finally. Mark and Derek were both his friends and while they were not on speaking terms he did not choose sides. He remained both their friends and the way to keep both friendships intact was to not get involved and try to make things better. No…his job was to listen to them.

Dr. Andrew Matteson, thought Mark, thank God he made it into town that day. Derek was gone and Andrew was supposed to substitute for him. It had taken him a bit longer to come to Seattle but now he was here and he had a good friend to talk to, or if not talk, to drink with. He needed someone to drink with and to distract him from his problems.

He had been in a foul mood all day long. He had not slept well last night…he had Meredith on the brain and this was the first time in a very long time that he had lost sleep over a woman and he didn't appreciate that one bit. However, and most importantly, he was livid that he had bumped into Meredith and she decided to walk in the other direction. He knew that she had seen him and immediately turned left down the corridor. She was avoiding him. If he had been younger, stupider and more immature, he would have run after her. It took every ounce of restraint that he possessed but he had let her go without a word but it had not helped his mood one bit. Nurses that helped him and his attending – namely Alex – had taken the brunt of his anger. He had not apologized for it and he wasn't going to.

He approached the bar and inched right next to Meredith and heard some lyrics come from the jukebox. Great, just great, he thought to himself. Perfect! He inhaled her scent. She smelled so good. It drove him insane.

Prison gates won't open up for me
On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'
Oh, I reach for you
Well I'm terrified of these four walls
These iron bars can't hold my soul in
All I need is you
Come please I'm callin'

"Hello Meredith." He exclaimed as he signaled to Joe that he needed to get some drinks. Being so close to her was making him want her more – apparently it was possible. There he said it. He had to admit it now; out in the open. He had been a jerk because if he continued on the path that they were in he would tell her the truth: that he wanted her for himself and the thought of not being able to have her was so much to bare that he rather she hate him. If they were to even explore the feelings that were bubbling inside of him he would keep her for himself and he couldn't do that. He couldn't go down that path again.

"Mark." She replied, without a glance towards him. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her fidget or even swoon in front of him. He had made her feel like one of the many women that he was accustomed to and for that she would never forgive him. Why? Because he had told her differently and she had freaking believed him. She had believed that they not only had a connection because they understood each other in the past but also because they had developed something – something she couldn't explain – in the present that would lead to God knows what in the future. But he had shot all that down with yesterday's phone conversation.

And oh I scream for you
Hurry I'm fallin

"Can we talk?" he found himself saying. Dammit it all to hell! He was going to explain to her what was happening and if she understood just a little bit of the hell that he was in then she would understand what had happened yesterday. He never meant to slight her, well okay, maybe he had meant to slight her but it was because of the feelings that she produced in him and him not being able to act accordingly on them.

"Sorry." She muttered, still not looking at him and shrugging his shoulders. "I see you're busy; so no we can't talk, go back to your buddy." She exclaimed, half-heartedly. "I don't have anything to say to you Dr. Sloane." She finalized. She felt a lump form in her throat. She had fallen for him. How the hell did she fall for him so soon? But she would rather die than admit that to him, or anyone else aside from Cristina.

"Dr. Sloane!" He exclaimed. "When did we get back to that?" he finalized, realizing that her words had cut him to the core. What was this? He expected her to be mad but to treat him like this? He didn't expect that. She wasn't even giving him a chance to explain anything.

Show me what it's like
To be the last one standing
And teach me wrong from right
And I'll show you what I can be
Say it for me
Say it to me
And I'll leave this life behind me
Say it if it's worth saving me

"Apparently we should have never left that place." She said, being deliberately hurtful. "We should have stayed as strangers."

"Excuse me?" he said, suddenly upset and not caring what anyone else thought. "Dr. Grey, I realize that last night I might have done something to offend you but for you to revert back to Dr. Sloane…I just think that's a bit excessive, don't you?" he questioned, his face serious and contorted in anger. "Especially without telling me what the hell I did wrong."

That was it! Meredith had enough. "Are you serious?" she said, finally turning to see him and her eyes ablaze. "You cannot stand there and tell me that I am being unfair to you. Me? What was last night about? Huh? Or was it just me? I thought we were having a good time when we would spend it together and then all of a sudden because I asked you a question that made you feel uncomfortable you had to go and tell me what, Mark; do you remember what you told me?" she questioned him, suddenly getting up from her chair and standing in front of him, challenging him to blow her off or to lie to her once more.

"I remember." He said, as he looked to the floor. "Mer…" he tried but was stopped by her rambling. She was on a roll and there was no stopping her now. Didn't she realize how much of an effect she was having on him? All he wanted to do right now was push her towards him and kiss her more fiercely than he had kissed anyone else in his life.

"You told me that the only reason you treated me differently was because we were former dirty mistresses. Well you know what Mark? Fine! If that's what you feel there is nothing I can do about it. I thought that we had at least developed a friendship. I confided in you things I had not confided in anyone else and you do this to me? I don't think so." She said emphatically.

"What do you want from me?" he exclaimed. "Meredith I don't fucking know what you want from me."

"Nothing." She said, as she got up, grabbed her tequila shot and headed towards the back. Mark finally turned up and saw Cristina. She was looking at him like if he were a leper. He heard her ask him: "You really don't get it do you?"

Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin'

"Get what?" he asked her coldly. This was none of her business but he had to stay there because he still had not ordered his damn drinks.

"You hurt her." Cristina spat out. "Asshole."

And all I see is you
These city walls ain't got no love for me
I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story
And oh I scream for you
Come please I'm callin'

Mark closed his eyes in resignation and saw that Joe was standing in front of him. "Bourbon on the rocks and a shot of tequila, actually no, give me the whole bottle." He finalized as he rubbed his eyes with his hand.

"It's really easy you know…" Joe began, trying to offer a helping hand.

And all I need from you
Hurry I'm fallin'

"What?" he questioned. Why was it that in this godforsaken city everyone knew everyone's business? Holy shit!

"You want her. That's obvious. Question is: are you going to screw it up like your ex-best friend did?"

Hurry I'm fallin'…

GA…GA…GA…GA…

Okay guys…cliffhanger cause this is already like 7 pages! Let me know what you guys think. I love reviews, so go review! LOL!