Okay, I didn't forget this story, I just lost my muse when the strike started!! Then when Grey's returned I just needed to find the time to write this. Just to make everything clear, there will be some parts, or phrases from the new episodes, but not everything. I mean, Gizzie didn't happen, Mallie NEVER happened and will NEVER happen!! Callie and Hahn might hook up, I'm not sure yet.

Ok, so I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think! And if you have any questions just ask!! R&R please!

Realize

Meredith and Izzie walked into the hospital together.

'Are you sure you're okay Iz?' Meredith asked for the fourth time since they left the house.

'I'm fine Mere. Please stop asking me that!' Izzie told her as she walked towards the elevator.

George and Callie walked up towards them as they were waiting for the elevator to arrive.

'Hi guys.' George greeted them. 'Hi George, Callie.' Izzie greeted them back.

Meredith, George and Callie looked at each other with a confused look on their face.

'You okay Iz?' George asked her.

Izzie turned towards them. 'I.Am.Fine!' she said emphasizing every word. 'Stop asking me if I'm fine!'

George looked at Meredith, who just shrugged her shoulders. Izzie had been acting weird all morning and she didn't know why.

'So Izzie,' Callie began as the doors of the lift opened. 'Have you chosen your specialty yet?' she asked, trying to make conversation. The least she could do was trying when Izzie was being nice.

'No, not yet. I just can't decide.' Izzie replied.

'Oh okay.' Callie said. Silence fell upon the elevator as it moved up towards the surgical floor.

Izzie turned towards Callie 'When did you know?' 'Know what?' Callie asked. 'What specialty you wanted to practice.' 'Oh. I just knew.' Callie shrugged. 'Oh, okay.' Izzie turned back towards the elevator doors while the other three looked at each other again, confusion evident on their faces.

Izzie and Callie had never said more than two sentences to each other. They couldn't even stand one another. So Izzie talking to Callie got them all confused.

When the doors opened they were greeted by Mark.

'Good morning.' He said.

'Dr. Sloan.' They all murmured as they got out and went towards the locker room.

'Good morning.' Izzie said with a smile as she walked past him.

He walked backwards into the elevator as he watched her walking away. When the doors began to close she quickly slipped in between them.

'What …' he started but was cut off by her lips on his. She pushed him against the wall and kept on kissing him hungrily. Mark held her close and kissed her back. When the need for air became necessary Izzie pulled away from him.

'Hi.' She smiled almost shy.

'Hi.' Mark said and smiled at her.

He cupped her cheek and gently kissed her lips.

'Did you sleep well?' he asked her and kissed her again.

'Uhu' she murmured while nodding her head thinking back to the dream she had. This made her blush.

'Good.' He replied and kissed her yet again. 'Why are blushing?' He asked when he noticed that her cheeks had taken on a brighter shade of red.

'I'm not!' she claimed, blushing even harder and hiding her face in his neck. She breathed in his sent.

'Maybe we can meet in an on-call room later.' He whispered clearly affected by that gesture.

She pulled away from him and stroked his stubble. 'I realized something this morning.' She whispered.

'What is that?' he whispered back. If felt stupid, the whispering, but he couldn't help himself. She just had this affect on him.

'I really want this. You and me. I really want to give this a try.' She told him.

'That's good.' He replied. 'Cause I really want this to work.'

'Good.' She confirmed and kissed him.

He knew she was going to say no but he couldn't help himself. 'So how about that on-call room.' he asked and grinned at her.

'Let's take this one step at a time okay.' She said, but smiled. She knew he was teasing.

'Okay.' He sighed which earned him a light punch in the chest.

'Auw.' He said and put his hand were she had punched him.

'Oh, I'm sorry did I hurt you?' Izzie asked him.

He nodded. 'Good!' she grinned. Then she leaned in and kissed him deeply.

As the elevator doors opened Izzie pulled away.

'I'm late.' She said and walked backwards out of the elevator.

He held her hand in his and tried to pull her back close to him.

'Mark…' she warned him as she noticed people were watching them.

'Will I see you at lunch?' he asked her as he let her go.

'Maybe!' she replied and started walking towards the stairway.

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When Izzie walked into the locker room she was greeted by an angry Dr. Bailey.

'You're late Stevens.' She said.

'I'm sorry Dr. Bailey.' Izzie replied but couldn't stop smiling.

'Whatever.' Bailey said. 'Don't be late again, or your interns are going to hate you because you got them into the pit for the next two months.'

'They already hate me!' Izzie murmured as she walked past Meredith and started to get changed.

When Bailey left, Meredith turned to Izzie. 'Where were you?' she asked.

Izzie put on her scrub top and tied her hair back before turning to Meredith.

'I needed to talk to Dr. Sloan.'

'More like jump him.' Alex said as he walked by them.

'Excuse me?' Izzie asked, turning to Alex.

'Oh don't play stupid Izzie. I saw you last night remember.' He told her angrily.

Before Izzie could reply Bailey walked back in.

'Move it people, we don't have all day!'

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'So evil spawn, how's the new OB/GYN? She as attractive as Addison?' Christina asked Alex.

Alex glared at her, but didn't say anything.

'Christina!' Meredith warned her.

She had heard about Ava/Rebecca being back. He had been at Joe's the day before and there she was. She just showed up. Alex had tried to talk to her, to get her back home, to her husband and her child but she refused to go.

He then convinced her to go to a hotel, promising her they were going to talk. When he finally got home he was tired and pissed off and as if his day couldn't get any worse, he walked in on his ex girlfriend and the biggest man whore he knew, making out on the couch.

They continued eating lunch in silence.

'So, are you getting along with Hahn yet?' Meredith asked Christina.

'No.' Christina said pushing away her lunch. 'But I don't care anymore.'

Izzie looked at her, surprised.

'What?' Christina asked her.

'Nothing,' Izzie answered. 'It's just, you live for cardio!'

'I still do!' Christina replied. 'I just don't care about Hahn. If she's not teaching me, I'll teach myself.'

'You out of the dark place?' Meredith asked her.

'Almost.' Christina replied.

'Oh great.' Alex mumbled as he saw Sloan walking towards their table.

Izzie turned to look at what Alex was looking and smiled as she saw Mark walking towards her.

'Hi' she said when he had reached her.

'Hi' he leaned in and kissed her lips gently. When he pulled away he noticed everyone looking at them.

Christina, who had a surprised look on her face, looked at Meredith who was smiling. They turned to Alex who grabbed his tray, got up and left.

'I have a surgery later on, would you like to scrub in on it?' Mark asked as he gently stroked Izzie's cheek with his hand.

'Uhm sure. I'd love that.' Izzie replied.

'Okay I'll see you later then.' He said before kissing her again and leaving.

'What was that?' Christina asked Izzie.

'What?' Izzie asked innocently, knowing all to well what Christina was referring to.

'McSteamy Izzie?' she asked.

Izzie sighed. 'Not that it's any of your business but yeah, Mark and I are …' she hesitated, just a moment but finished. 'Dating.'

'You knew about this?' Christina pointed her finger at Meredith accusingly.

Meredith shrugged. 'Derek and I saw them leaving the hospital together and later we caught them together …'

'You caught them?' Christina yelled before Meredith could finish making people look back their way.

'Kissing on the front porch.' Meredith finished her sentence.

'Oh.' Christina said, disappointed.

Izzie glared at her.

'No wonder Karev's so pissed off!' Christina told Izzie.

'What?' Izzie asked.

'Don't tell me you didn't notice. He's been cranky all day. And I'm sure he was wondering if he should have punched McSteamy before or after he kissed you.'

'Could you stop calling him that?' Izzie asked.

'What? McSteamy? I'm not calling him Mark.' Christina said.

'I don't expect you to call him Mark, but don't call him McSteamy.'

'All right Barbie, relax. I'll call him Sloan or … whatever.' Christina replied.

Izzie sighed and looked at Meredith, who was amused by this whole conversation. She was happy that Christina was coming out of the dark place and turning back into the person she was.

She was also happy that Izzie had found someone. Mark Sloan, of course, wasn't really the kind of person Izzie would normally date or fall in love with, but she had watched them a couple of times without them noticing and she could see that Izzie genuinely liked him and that Mark had actually changed. Especially the time she saw a nurse flirting with him, but he completely ignored her and stayed all professional. Even Derek had noticed the changes in his friend and had told Meredith he actually thought Izzie was the kind of person Mark needed.

'What are you going to do about Karev?' Christina asked.

'Nothing. He just needs to get over himself and grow up!' Izzie replied before taking a bite out of her apple.

Christina raised her fist. 'Go Barbie!' she said.

'Ava's back.' Meredith spoke up.

Izzie and Christina turned to Meredith, a look of surprise on both their faces.

'What? Why?' Izzie asked.

Meredith shrugged. 'I don't know the details. I saw her walk into Joe's the other night. Alex told her to go back home, but she refused. Something about the fact that she wanted to talk to him. He finally got her to go to a hotel and then he left.'

'That's why he's so pissed off.' Izzie told Christina.

'You keep believing that, but I know better! He's jealous.' Christina answered.

'Whatever!' Izzie said while grabbing her things. 'You guys should be jealous too, cause I have a kick ass surgery in an hour!'

'Jealous?' Christina told her. 'Are you kidding me? You're doing plastics, why would we be jealous.'

Izzie just grinned at them. 'I'll see you guys later!' she said before walking away.

When Izzie was far enough Christina said, 'Damn it, I wanted that surgery.' Meredith just nodded her head in agreement.

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