One Heck of A Party

It had been two days since the kiss that neither of them had discussed with anyone. It was quite comical really; both would stare at the other when one was sure the other wasn't looking. The surface of their relationship hadn't changed, though they both desired something deeper. Not willing to jeopardize the friendship just yet, they continued as if nothing had occurred, no matter how much they wanted to play jeopardy.

Meredith's friend Grace was leaving, and in true Grey household fashion, a party was being thrown. Everyone even managed to convince Derek to give them time off in shifts; that way, the hospital would always be covered and everyone could still attend the party. It also helped that Derek was the love interest of the honoree and that several surgeons the general population disliked were on-call for the majority of the evening. It just happened to work out that way.

"Are you on crack?"

Meredith looked up from the couch to find Christina hovering over her with a paper in hand.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, stealing a glance at the list.

"You invited Lexi?"

Meredith shrugged. "Yeah."

Christina plopped down next to her. "Why?"

"I don't know. She just seems like she needs to have a little fun." She met Christina's stare. "Besides, it's not like I hate her; I don't know her. She starts her internship next week. It'll be a good chance to meet the staff."

Christina, convinced that Meredith wasn't planning some evil embarrassing outing at her father's daughter's expense, sighed. "Fine, as long as she doesn't pull a Meredith on the first night, she should fit right in." She thought for a moment. "Heck, she better pull a Meredith if she's gonna fit in."

Mark stared at his closet. He was looking for a shirt. Something seemed to be wrong with the eleven shirts he had previously tried on.

It was official. Mark Sloan was falling for Meredith Grey.

He sat on his bed and sighed. 'Since when do I get nervous? It's just Meredith. Whatever will be fine.'

Temporarily regaining his resolve, he stood up and went to work on his hair. He was just about to apply product when someone knocked on the door. He answered in a wife beater and jeans. He smirked when he saw his guest; he wasn't the only one freaked out.

"Derek." He looked at his friend who had so much stuff it looked like he was spending the night.

"Help me."

"Grace!" Meredith yelled. She was tired. She'd spent the last thirty minutes waiting for Grace as she was trying on her fifth dress at Macy's.

"Okay, okay. I found it!"

Grace came out for Meredith to see.

"Wow. Okay, I'm a lesbian."

Grace grinned, turning to change back into her clothes. "Just the look I was going for."

One hour until the party was to begin, George and Izzie were leaving the hospital. George spotted Lexi on her way in. He shuffled his feet and motioned for Izzie to walk a little ahead. She too caught sight of Lexi and smirked, nodding and doing as was requested.

George shuffled his feet and waited for her to near. "Lexi!"

Lexi turned and smiled. "George, right?"

"Yeah." He brightened up at her recognition. "What are you doing? You're not going to the party?" he asked, hopeful that she was.

She nodded in confirmation. "I am. I just had a few more papers to get signed before I start. I also wanted to check in on my dad."

"Good," he managed. "I mean, not that you have to visit your dad. I mean, that you want to visit your dad. I meant it's good that you're coming. To the party. I'll see you later then?"

She smiled, amused and perplexed at his apparent nervousness. "Yeah."

George walked towards the car, smiling. He was now definitely in the mood for another party.

"Okay, is it me, or are there a lot more people here than the last party?" Meredith asked as she surveyed the scene. "People always gossip but sure do come running whenever I have a party!"

Izzie laughed. "Yeah, definitely more people." She looked at Grace. "I guess you're popular!"

Grace grinned. "I invited basically anyone I saw up until today. Things should get interesting."

Christina joined them with her second beer. "What does that mean?"

"I may have said that there would be free lap dances from Meredith," she blurted out.

"GRACE!"

"Chill," she chuckled. "I was just kidding." Once she was sure Meredith was no longer going to kill her, she revealed the real reason. "I invited some guy who said he used to know you. Finn?"

Grace's three companions spit out their beers.

"Oh gosh," Meredith muttered.

"That'll be awkward," Izzie added.

Christina raised her glass to Grace. "Oh, yeah. Interesting it will be."

"You're staring."

Mark answered, still looking in the same direction. "Uh?"

"You. Are. Staring." Derek repeated, gesturing his beer towards the women's direction.

"I'm not." Mark turned his attention back to his friend.

"You are so invisibly whipped."

"What the heck does that mean?"

"You like her; a lot."

Mark took the last swig of his beer. "I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Meredith. You like Meredith. I'm pretty sure she likes you."

Mark couldn't believe what he was hearing. His best friend was practically begging him to admit that he had feeling for the ex-love of his life. "No."

"No what?" Preston asked, handing out the beers he'd retrieved.

Derek nodded thanks, gesturing to Mark. "No he doesn't have feelings for Meredith."

Preston scoffed, "Right; and I'm not Black."

Grace was talking to Derek and Izzie joined Alex and Addison in a game of Taboo with some other surgeons. Christina and Preston were dancing, thanks to Preston's willingness and Christina's high blood alcohol level.

Meredith was sitting on the couch with Mark, leaning into his arm and playing cards with George and Lexi.

Mark would say it later, but he was proud of Meredith for trying the half-sister thing. It was going to be at her own slow pace, but she was making an effort. He smiled to himself as he looked at her, beautiful in the simple dark denim and royal purple tank she was wearing. This is when he thought her the most beautiful, relaxing with no make-up (save some lip-gloss) and laughing with her friends. He loved her laugh. And that lip-gloss.

Meredith was having fun. She was really having fun. She was a little sad that Grace was leaving, but also happy. She knew she'd see her soon. She was also grateful what her arrival did for her relationships. She and Derek had never been better.

Never playing the game, Meredith consulted with Mark before shouting, "Full house!"

The 'losers' having to fetch the next round, got up to retrieve the beers. Meredith turned around and gave Mark a kiss on the cheek.

He thought he was going to have to jump her right there.

Sure, she'd kissed him on the cheek many times before, but this time it was different, more intimate. He smiled back, trying to normalize the situation.

"What was that for?"

She smiled. "Cuz we won. And because I'm glad you're here."

"Well, if that's all I have to do to get a kiss…"

She nudged him in the side. "And that's how you ruin the moment!"

The two laughed when Grace and Derek plopped down beside them, all smiles.

"What's so funny?" Grace asked.

"Mark's just being a Mark," Meredith chuckled.

Derek eyed Mark and grinned.

"How about we raise the stakes and do tequila shots instead?"

George couldn't hold his laughter in.

"What?" Lexi asked.

"You have no idea how much you two have in common." He grabbed the tequila and some shot glasses, ushering her out of the kitchen. "Let's go."

"I'll be right back, I have to pee."

"TMI Grey," Mark replied.

Meredith offered the group a smile and a wave as she made her way to the bathroom. She stopped when she heard a familiar voice, not even getting two steps from the couch.

"Hello Meredith."

She turned around slowly. The party was loud. 'I could be hearing things, right?'

She turned around. No, Finn was definitely standing in front of her. He looked…good.

"Finn."

He grinned. 'She looks great.' "So, still throwing parties I see?"

She smiled, nodding her head. "Yes. I can't believe you actually are showing up at one."

Mark's interest was peaked. He observed their interaction. Derek noticed.

Finn shrugged, gesturing towards Grace. "Well, you know me. I can't resist a pretty lady."

Derek's focus shifted from Mark to Grace and Finn. 'I'm so not losing two women to him.'

Derek got up and offered his hand. "Finn."

"Ah, Derek." He shook his hand. "So you must be the man Grace was talking about."

Derek looked at Grace and smiled, pulling her close. "Yes, I must be."

Christina and Preston neared. Christina whispered to Mark, "Awk-ward."

Finn returned his attention back to Meredith. "I'm sorry to hear about everything."

Meredith nodded politely after glaring at Grace. "Thank you." She looked up. "Can I get you something to drink?"

He nodded, "Sure."

Finn followed her to the kitchen just as George and Lexi returned. Before they could offer, Mark spotted the tequila-filled glasses.

"I'll take one of those."

A half-hour later Meredith still had not returned. The group had begun a game of taboo. Some people were really competitive.

Losing interest before it was gained, Mark got up and nonchalantly searched for Meredith. On his way he found Finn talking with a brunette by the pool table. He smiled, quickly realizing he was wearing his hea….whatever, on his sleeve.

After not finding her anywhere in the house, he looked in the backyard. Bingo.

She was sitting in a corner by herself; he favorite spot in the backyard in fact. She was looking at the tree she used to climb up when she was smaller. She sat on the bench big enough for two with her knees to her chest, chin resting on her arms that draped over them.

He took a seat beside her. She smiled.

"What are you doing Grey? This is a party," he joked.

"Just thinking."

"About?"

"Just stuff; thinking about stuff." 'I'm so not telling you I'm thinking about you. My head hurts. Stop thinking.'

He chuckled as he leaned back. "And that's all I'm going to get."

She nodded.

"Excuse me."

The pair turned to see Finn.

"Could I speak to Meredith for a second?"

Mark looked at Meredith and she nodded. This guy was really starting to bug him. He realized that it was for no reason. Okay, it was for THE reason.

He mustered a smile and kissed Meredith on the forehead while eyeing Finn. "Sure."

He walked away as Finn took his seat.

"He doesn't like me very much," he chuckled.

Meredith grinned, "He's just very…protective."

Finn shook his head. "No, he likes you." He waited a moment. "And you like him."

Just when she was going to protest she exhaled and smiled. "I do."

Mark watched for a good fifteen minutes as the two laughed. He walked away and towards the rest of the gang when Meredith was leaning on Finn's shoulder. He felt a twinge of an unfamiliar emotion that he seemed to be feeling a lot that night: jealousy.

"Dude, you okay?" Alex asked. The rest of the group was talking among themselves.

"Uh, yeah," Mark replied distractedly.

"Then why do you look like you're killing whoever you're thinking about with your jaw?"

"What?"

"You're clenching. It's…creepy."

Mark stopped himself. "Oh. It's nothing."

Alex grinned and looked outside. "Okay."

Twenty minutes later Finn left. Mark was feeling like he wanted to do the same. The night wasn't going as planned. He wasn't sure what he had planned, but it wasn't what was going on. He had avoided Meredith pretty much the rest of the night. He went to look for her to say goodnight.

Mark made his way back outside to find Meredith beginning to clean up.

Whatever he was feeling vanished at a particular memory. "Sober this time?"

Meredith looked up. "Ha, ha, very funny mister."

Mark sat down and watched her.

"So you're just going to sit there and watch?"

He nodded. "Seattle doesn't have a better view."

She blushed, but luckily she was bending down to pick up trash. It could easily be blamed at the blood rushing to her head. "Perv."

She sighed and smiled, continuing to clean up. He was about to help her when he caught her, saving her from going face down in some very suspicious-looking liquid.

"Thanks," she whimpered, dangerously close to the lips she'd been wanting to meet again for two days now. It was getting harder to breathe around him. It was dang near impossible in this vicinity.

"You're welcome," he replied, staring right into her eyes. 'Man, this is such a cliché moment.'

She let him guide her to the bench as they sat down, not tearing their eyes away.

'Oh, what the heck,' Mark thought. And then he did it.

He kissed her.

If Meredith wasn't sitting down, she would have crumbled to the ground.

He was that good.

If Mark wasn't sitting down, he'd gladly be on his knees, grass stains and all.

She was that good.

It was definitely…good. Great even.

Only coming up due to the biological necessity for oxygen, the pair broke apart, eyes finally reopened. Both tried to look away.

"Oh," Meredith blurted.

"That was, uh," Mark said, still unsure of how she felt.

Meredith snapped partly out of the haze. "Um, I should uh, get back." She stood up, her legs like jell-o. "We can pretend that this…never happened. Okay, yeah. Okay."

She took a few steps. Mark snapped out of his own and grabbed her, spinning her around. "Meredith?" he pleaded, needing her to understand that he wanted her.

"It's okay Mark. I know you didn't mean it." If Mark was going to let her down, she was going to give him a way out, immediately. They could still salvage the friendship. 'Right?' She turned again. He didn't let her go. "Mark."

"No."

She laughed nervously. "No what?"

"I…like you a lot. More than a friend. I meant that kiss; I've wanted that kiss."

She seriously did not need to get involved at the moment. She had too much to deal with. Mark was her rock. Now that rock seemed to be getting holes in it. She couldn't handle another rock turning into sand. 'Keep telling yourself that Meredith.'

"Well, I don't like you like that Mark. You mean a lot to me. But we can't be anything more than friends."

Spending the last couple of months with her let him learn a lot about her. She was trying to push him away. He would do some pushing of his own.

"Then why did you kiss me first?"

She dropped her hand, looking like a deer in headlights. "Wha?"

He got her. He knew it.

"Exactly. I know you kissed me the other night."

"It…it was a goodnight kiss," she stammered.

He grinned. Man how she hated that grin; how she loved it.

"Not the second time."

She just about lost it.

"You were awake!"

He nodded, smirking.

"You're a jerk! You were supposed to be asleep!" she fumed.

He chuckled, "So I'm the jerk because I was awake? You're a perv than."

She scoffed, unable to find words. When she finally did, she knew it sounded as dumb as it did in her head.

"Well, that didn't count."

Amused but not surprised at her inability to admit defeat, he gently pulled her back to the bench. "It did. I'm glad you did it."

Searching for something sarcastic, under-minding, or temporary, Meredith stared at Mark. She couldn't find anything resembling those traits. Her face still refused to light up.

"Mer?"

She didn't answer.

"Mer."

"This isn't going to work," she blurted. "I come with enough baggage to fill my own plane. We haven't known each other that long. Your best friend is my ex; like, the ex of the exes. You're gorgeous," she looked at him, "in a non-feminine way. You like to work-out; my definition of a work out is climbing the stairs to my room. I tend not to cry and then let it out all at once. You don't cry at all. You make me want to cry. Not in the way that you do something to me, but like, you make me feel it's okay to cry in front of you." She continued to play with her hands, avoiding eye-contact. "And, if we have sex, you'll crush me. I'm like, all of 110. You're like 200, hence the crushing. Every girl wants you; I can't compete with that. You're my best friend, you know, besides Christina. I can't lose that. I really can't."

She finally looked up with tears threatening to spill. They didn't though. Mark wiped a stray hair and tucked it behind her ear, grinning. "Done yet?"

She nodded, unsure of what his response would be.

He smiled. "It is going to work. It may be hard, but we're worth it. You're worth it. We all have baggage; I haven't even opened up all of mine yet. You're not so bad looking yourself," he cocked his head to the side. "You're right; I don't cry. But you make me fell like I could if I wanted to, which I won't." Meredith giggled. "And, when we have sex, I won't crush you," he smirked. "And maybe you're right, maybe every girl does want me," which earned him an incredulous look from Meredith, "but you're the only woman that I want. You have nothing to worry about. Besides Derek, you'll always be my best friend. That's not something that's gonna change."

She smirked.

"What?"

She spoke softly. "How did you remember everything I rambled about?"

He smiled. "I remember everything about you Meredith Grey."

"Okay."

"Okay, what?" he asked, intrigued.

"Let's try this."

"Try what?" He already knew the reference. He was just being, Mark.

"This." She cupped his face and kissed him. This one was a little slower, still hungry but partly satiated. It was more of a dessert to the previous main course.

He pulled away, a smile permanently plastered on his face, a grin on hers. At least for the night.

He held up his arm and she placed herself under it. They sat together for a few moments.

"Umm, Mer?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Could we, maybe try that again?"

She broke away to sit up, stealing a glance of the near empty house. "Sure. If you can handle it."

A/N Lol. Guess this one was long! Hope it was worth it. Stay tuned for next week. They will definitely use the new development of their relationship in times ahead!

Eternalgorithm, Frenchnavygirl: Thanks! MerMark!

Surgery-Girl, MarianaTeresia: Thank you…stay tuned Monday for an update!

Onlyone-chance8720: Thank you! Really. Hope you were satisfied!

Km157: Here ya go!

KatherineAusten: Luv you! Here's your ribbon! Hope you like this one…finally! Did it kind of by just blurting it out…not sure if they would dance any longer! Hahaa…glad you still enjoy my humor! Gexie and the Thatcher twist…more to come!

KB22: Okay, here's two non-sleeping kisses for ya!

Best thing since cookies: Wow, that was a huge compliment…thanks! Here ya go!