Sneaking out of a house full of people wasn't exactly an easy task. Sure it was five in the morning and not even the birds were up, but he knew that if he stayed much longer people would be up and questions asked. He owed it to Izzie to make sure she didn't have to explain herself. She was a good person and she had been overly kind twice now. He defiantly owed her one. He crept down the stairs one at a time. He made it five, four, three, creak. He stopped and listened for any signs that he had awakened anyone else in the house. He held his breath and after a good minute passed he stepped down the last step and headed for the door. He walked past the living room and quickly stopped to make sure Derek was still asleep. He was. Pretty much dead to the world actually. Mark knew Derek well enough to know that he would not remember kicking him out of the living room last night. Derek never remembered anything that happened in between sleep times. He continued past the living room and through the front door. What he didn't see though was Meredith Grey's mouth hanging open in shock from near the kitchen.

Izzie tried to silence her alarm with her telekinetic powers. She realized it would be much easier if she actually had telekinetic powers. She relented and slapped it off. She rolled over and started pondering in which part of her mind her behavior over the past few days would be deemed acceptable. She hadn't done anything wrong, but still she had let McSteamy inhabit her not only her room, but her bed. It hadn't even been that weird. Strange, but not weird. Not that it was like the first time she had slept in a bed with a boy in a platonic relationship. She also realized she had the problem of facing Meredith. She knew that Meredith was already at the hospital and with a little luck maybe she could avoid her. She dragged herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready. A long hot shower would make her feel better. She hoped.

Derek was in pain. The couch hadn't been particularly comfortable, and Izzie had woken him up by beating him with a pillow. He was glad that she had made sure he was back in Meredith's room on time, but she hit hard. Now he was observing an awkward conversation between his "friend" and his "roommate". Both terms he used loosely, because A) Mark was still earning his friendship back and B) He didn't technically live in Meredith's house. He just wished he was closer. It would be much easier to hear what it was exactly that they were saying.

"Dr. Stevens."

"Uhh...Yes Dr. Sloan?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for letting me sleep with you." He leaned in close and said the last part in his trademark McSteamy way. It took all she had not to roll her eyes.

"Don't push your luck."

"Shit."

"You don't have to get so mad. Geez."

"Why is she back here?" Izzie knew exactly who he was talking about.

Mark wouldn't have seen her if it hadn't been for Derek frantically pointing in her direction. Before he knew what had happened Izzie had taken a step closer creating a very intimate space between them. He had just reached down to clip his beeper back on his waist band and now his fingers were grazing her hipbone. He was startled by the contact and looked down into her face only to see a look of mischievousness there. He should have been shocked at her boldness or annoyed by her presumptuousness but all he could think about was how her hair smelled like some sort of tropical flower.

"Well isn't this cozy?" Madeline greeted in a voice that made glaciers feel toasty.

"Hi Madeline." Izzie countered in her friendly way. It was a battle of good and evil.

"Izzie. Mark I had a business question I needed to ask you. Alone."

"Aren't you a lawyer?"

"Yes I am, but this is about a malpractice case. It's my specialty."

"Then shouldn't you know the answer to the question you are about to ask?" Izzie didn't trust this woman at all.

"Mark can we talk?" She chose to ignore Izzie.

"Sure there's a conference room right over there." He gave Izzie a apologetic smile.

"All right." Madeline walked toward the room and reached the door before turning around and giving Mark and expectant glance.

"I hope you know what you are doing."

"I do." And with a confidant smirk he left her.

Derek walked over to the almost upset looking Izzie Stevens. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He'll be fine. Don't worry."

"I wasn't. I can only help him out so far. If he wants to be stupid fine, but I really don't care."

"Always playing defense."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I have a patient. See you around Dr. Stevens."

Izzie was worried. It was a hard thing to admit, but it didn't make it any less true. Women like Madeline get what they want, and she wanted Mark Sloan. She could practically hear her coming on to the poor man. She had to be stopped. Izzie reprimanded herself. Mark was a grown man, and she had nothing invested in him. She helped him out once and that was it. She helped people. That was a key part in the core of her being. She would have done it for anyone. Yep now she had patients and work things to do. Mark Sloan was a big boy and could take care of himself. He was none of her concern. She wished him the best of luck.

Mark was dying. He had always though of himself as full of will power and self control. Yet both were quickly slipping out of his grasp. He had never had a woman try so hard before, and that was saying something. He was a manwhore and women threw themselves at him all the time. Madeline was running her hand along his chest and standing so close to him. She was wearing red lipstick, and it was acting like a homing becon. She hadn't said one thing since bringing him into this conference room. He wanted to kiss her. He couldn't withstand her temptation any longer. He was after all a sexual being and it would be hard for a saint to say no at this point. He leaned forward inch by inch wondering with each passing second how long she would stay this time. He was so close a few millimeters more and their lips would touch and that would be the beginning of the end. He inhaled deeply and as he did he realized that her shampoo smelt like roses. He had always hated the smell of roses. Izzie's hair did not smell like roses it was closer to a hibiscus. At least he thought it was. Then he realized he had the ability to fight Madeline off. Izzie. She had risked her reputation to help him and how was he repaying her. By undoing all of her work. He pulled back with a renewed sense of fight.

"Madeline. I can't"

"But Mark we were just getting to the best part." She purred not at all deterred.

"I have someone waiting for me."

"Patients are always waiting. It's what they do."

"I don't mean patients. I have a beautiful doctor waiting for me in the hallway."

"What? You can't be serious. Mark she's still just a child."

"Twenty eight is hardly a child."

"It is in comparison to your forty one. You were thirteen when she was born think about that. While she was learning to walk you were learning what it was to become a man." She was obviously pissed off.

"Stop. I have to go."

"Mark, You barely lasted this time. It won't be long before you realize she isn't enough for you."

"I have to go." With that Mark left the room and went to tell Izzie of his triumph.

Izzie had hidden away in the abandon hallway on the Gurney of Woe. It was always her first choice of refuge. Only four other people would even think to look for her here. Speaking of which here came one now.

"Meredith is looking for you."

"I bet she is."

"I think you might be in trouble."

"I have done some things that would in fact get me in trouble."

"Besides making out with McSteamy in front of God and everyone?" Cristina took a seat next to her friend.

"I thought you didn't believe in God?"

"It's a figure of speech and stop avoiding the McSteamy hookup."

"We did not hook up. I was mearly helping him."

"Oh so this is just another good deed by Izzie Stevens? Have you noticed how much trouble you get yourself into?"

"You are so not helping."

"Spill."

"I haven't talked to Meredith about the whole situation yet and plus I think she might know that he slept in my room last night."

"Oh man. You are screwed. So screwed. Speaking of which were you? You know "screwed"."

"God Cristina. Seriously? No. We did not have sex. No one was getting screwed."

"You had an extremely attractive, rich, plastic surgeon in your BED and nothing happened?"
"Nope."

"You really are hopeless."

"Thanks."

"So is he coming back to "sleep" in your bed?"

"I don't know. We didn't talk about it."

"Well here's your chance. I umm gotta go see about that thing."

"Cristina." Izzie hissed.

"Sorry." With that Cristina abandoned the gurney and left Izzie to deal with Mark Sloan on her own.

"Dr. Stevens you are a difficult woman to track down."

"That's probably because I was hiding."

"Nothing happened."

"Umm ok. Do you want an award or something?" Izzie stood up to leave.

"I just want to tell you that and ask you if it was ok if I stayed with you until she left. You see I don't exactly trust myself and staying in the same hotel with her is asking for trouble."

"Sure. Same rules apply." She started to walk past him but stopped when he grabbed her arm.

"I just wanted to say thanks again. No one has ever gone out on a limb for me before." It was apparent he was new at this whole apologizing thing.

"It's not a problem." She just smiled at him. She started to walk again, and again he stopped her.

"Especially thank you for that kiss." She yanked her arm out of his grasp and smacked him hard on the chest. "Ow."

"You deserved it." He moved to stand closer in an attempt to intimidate her. All that it accomplished was forcing him to realize the remarkable color of her eyes. They weren't a dull brown or a dark brown, but a sweet amber color.

"Why did I deserve it exactly? I believe I was thanking you." As she started to speak he focused on her lips. They were full. Not in the obnoxious Angelina Jolie way or the botox way. And they were evenly perportioned. They were very...well kissable.

"You were being cocky. I kissed you as a favor. Not because of lust. I don't think of you in a lusty way. I respect you as a surgeon, but you can be such an..." Izzie was cut off mid lecture by his lips crashing into hers. She thought she might have been having that dream again, but before she could even respond it was over.

"What the hell was that?" He smiled at her response.

"Izzie Stevens I need to speak with you. Now!" Dr. Bailey was pissed.