Hey there! Another new chapter? In two days time? What is this madness! This is Devers avoiding homework and needing something to keep her from killing her mother! But, yes, I know I've been promising longer chapters, but I'm actually kind of liking these shorter ones. Plus, it won't be as torturous to read all 100 chapters to it, so be thanking me.

005. Son

What had happened? What made him want to do that? He knew that he had feelings for Derek for a long time, but he never thought that he was going to act on them. He never suspected that in a matter of seconds he could have messed up his life, again. He felt like an idiot for kissing Derek, but at the same time he felt relief. As Mark lay in his bed, he couldn't help but realize that maybe all this time Mark had just been waiting. Waiting for the right moment for him to finally tell Derek about this.

Sure, there were times when Derek had suspected Mark to be gay, but he wasn't. Mark loved women too much. It was just that he needed someone special in his life, and for most of his life that was Derek. What was that saying? That two people couldn't be friends because the other one fell for the other? Did that imply at this point, or was that just for opposite sex relationships? Either way, Mark knew that it was true. Mark's mind was reeling. He couldn't help but think that he made the wrong choice. Maybe it was because he spent too much time with Derek that this had happened. Mark was basically the Shepherd's other son. He spent most of his youth with Derek.

Sighing, Mark rolled over on his side. This was probably some psychological trick. His brain was just so sleep deprived that he was getting his signals mixed. Bromance for romance. Maybe he should call up Callie or another one of his wonderful booty-call mistresses. Maybe he just needed to remind his brain what it was that he really enjoyed. The curve of a woman's body. The feeling that he got when he kissed them. Their thick hair and the way that they sighed after every kiss.

But, at the same time Mark couldn't help but think about those damn hair care products, and how thick and perfect Derek made his hair look, even when he had been at the hospital for thirty-six hours. And the kiss with Derek. The slight chapped feel to his lips under Mark's. The way that his breath caught in the back of his throat (probably from the shock) and the exhale that followed the kiss.

All of it made his head spin. Mark sighed and reached for his phone. Checking the time, Mark debated on texting Derek or Callie or anyone for that matter. Just as he decided to text Callie to ask for sex, the screen of his phone lit up. Derek's name was displayed with a note saying "One new text message." The LED lights burnt Mark's eyes as he hit 'Open'. It wasn't a long text, but the five words on the screen made Mark's heart sink.

Mark. We need to talk.