Sunday Afternoon

It's a choice to stay
It's a dream and I wanna wake

You have blood on your hands
And I'm feeling faint
And honey, you can't decide

I'm a drug you don't wanna give up
Smoke your cigarettes
Make your love

You poured blood in my heart
And I can't get enough
I'm drowning, drowning
And you can't decide

It's not about geography, or happenstance
You need to fly, & take a chance
You don't need to soar to emptiness
Float on high, & forever dance alone

You're scared, scared, scared
'Cause I feel like home

Hear your voice
Knew right away
If you were here
Your eyes would say

There is blood on my feet
As I'm walking away
Rivers are red
It's starting to rain

I'm not gonna live for you
Or die for you
Won't do anything anymore for you
'Cause you leave me here on the other side
You leave me here on the other side

Not gonna shed one more tear for you
Shed one more tear for you
I'm not gonna shed one more tear for you

At least not til sunday afternoon
Sunday afternoon

Leave or stay
Leave or stay

"Where have you been?" She said, and the realization hit right away as he looked around and saw pink party hats and candy wrappers on the floor, "Oh--shit. Callie, I'm so sorry."

"NO. Where were you??"

"Callie--I'm sorry…"

"Just--shut up. Your daughter is a year old. She knows about ten words and the only one I heard her say today was 'daddy'. lucky she doesn't understand much, otherwise I would have had to lie to her and told her you were at work, right?"

"I was at work, Callie." He said, scared of the direction the conversation was taking.

"You know what I think?" She said bitterly, "I think that you're over the family think. I think that the long hours you've been 'working' have not been at the hospital, and I highly doubt it included patients--or maybe it did I don't know."

"What?"

"Who is she? Or they? Or 'him', if you've been getting creative."

"Callie, stop--"

"No. YOU stop!" She shouted, then thought about Sophie and lowered her voice, tears threatening to fall even against her will, "I knew this would happen--you remember when we talked about whether or not you'd be a good father? You said you didn't remember dates or birthdays--"

"Callie, you do NOT get to call me a bad father for this--" He growled.

She continued, unaffected, "--you remembered EVERYTHING with me. Birthdays, anniversaries--doctor appointments. And I was the idiot who though, 'hey, maybe he has changed. Maybe he just needed to find the right person', but--"

"NO." He repeated, stepping closer, "You ARE the right person. You and Sophie--Callie don't do this over THIS! Let's talk about it."

"Get out."

"No."

"If you don't get out, I am going to have to wake up a little girl who cried herself to sleep because of you. And it's going to hurt her when she sees you and realizes we're leaving you--" She held back a sob, "--so be a man, for ONCE and just--GO."

"Don't do this, Callie. Tomorrow I'll wake her up and we'll go to that pizza place she likes and we'll celebrate like-- a family. And there is no woman that I want other than you. You're more than I can handle and that's just the way I like it." He rambled on.

"I don't want to hear this."

"Call the hospital? Or - or go there and look at the charts? There was a car wreck and a woman needed a facial reconstruction. Do it!" He pulled out his cell phone. "Call."

"No."

"Then you believe me?"

"No." Callie shook her head. "I believe that you have to go away right now. And I believe that I'm okay with that."

"WHAT? WHY?"

She wiped a stubborn tear from her cheek and sighed heavily, "Because I won't let you hurt Sophie the way I, stupidly, let you hurt me."

His toned softened, "Callie, I have done nothing to you."

"Then keep doing nothing Mark, but go away doing it."

"Callie, you're upset. Let's talk about this--"

"No! I'm tired of trying to talk to you! I've been trying to get your attention for TWO seconds for the past month and you just--not only did you forget Sophie's birthday, but you forgot everything I asked you to do. I had to ask Izzie fucking STEVENS to bake me a cake. You can take ME for granted, but will not destroy Sophie."

"Callie--"

"Just--get out, Mark!"

"Mommy?" Sophie began to cry in her bedroom.

Callie picked up the monitor that was on the coffee table and said, "She had too much cake. It was the only thing that made her forget that you had forgotten her. I don't' want you here when I come back.", she said, and dragged two bags from behind the couch, tossing them at his feet.

Mark grabbed his bags and said, "We're not finished."

Callie stalked past him and up the stairs. Mark watched her go and then walked out to his car. He dialed Meredith and when Derek picked up the phone, he said, "Today was Sophie's birthday and I forgot the party."

"I was actually there for that, I reminded you of that," Derek replied. "It's also after midnight and I'm asleep."

"Callie kicked me out."

Derek sighed. "I'll unlock the front door."

"Thanks." Once in his car, he angrily slipped the key into the ignition, and stopped at seeing the light turn on in Sophie's room. "FUCK!" He exclaimed, realizing his mistake over the past month.

He didn't get much sleep that night. Forgetting the fact that Meredith's couch was too lumpy to even sit on, it just wasn't home. He had finally closed his eyes, when a pillow was pounded onto his chest. "What the shit!" He yelled, standing up quickly and wincing as his eyes adjusted to the light.

Meredith loomed over him with her hips disapprovingly on her hips, "I'm going to ask you ONE TIME. After all you've been through--your transformation from McManwhore caterpillar to decent family butterfly--are you CHEATING ON CALLIE??"

"Butterfly???"

"Are you?!"

"NO!"

"Oh--"she said calmly, "--good." After thinking for a second, she became aggravated again and she picked up the pillow and hit him again, "--then, what is your problem???"

"I messed up! And stop hitting me!" he stood up, he had slept in his clothes and they were now wrinkled, "I MESSED up. And I am an idiot, and I got no sleep over it, so thank you very much for the bashing."

"Sorry." She said finally and after a long pause, sat on the couch, "What happened?"

He sighed and took a seat next to her, "I don't know. I don't' know what happened. I just--we fought. She kicked me out and she doesn't want to see me."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to talk to her. I have to fix this."

He rubbed his face with his hands, and Meredith patted his shoulder affectionately, "Well, figure it out while we eat. Come on."

He looked up then, smelling the eggs and bacon in the kitchen, "You cook?"

Meredith snorted a laugh, "Sure."

As they walked into the kitchen, izzie looked up form the stove, where she stood with a spatula in hand, flipping pancakes, "hey, good morning." She greeted warmly, "Mere, I saved you sour candy from my goody bag."

"Oh, thanks." Meredith said, sitting next to Mark at the table.

"Do you want some food?" izzie asked him, her head tilted to the side sympathetically.

He winced at the look, and then realized that Izzie looked kind of like a puppet, "No, thanks. I'll just have some coffee."

"You should eat. Get some energy."

"Yes!" Derek said, walking in and kissing Meredith's cheek before taking two plates full of food from Izzie, "Energy. Mark, eat." He set one of the plates in front of him, "What happened last night?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Well, I wouldn't worry about it—" Derek said, taking a mouthful of pancakes as he sat down, "—you've been together, what? Two years?" You're safe."

"It's actually almost three years now."

"Hmm—maybe not so safe."

"Why?" Meredith asked.

"Because, two years is not quite one year, not quite three. You're still testing the waters, but three—if you mess up, you MESS up. You have to be careful."

"What?" Mark asked, not really interested.

"Anyway!" Izzie interjected, "—good party yesterday, huh? The cake was good."

Meredith smile at her as George walked in through the back door, "Iz, you ready? Ooh, food!" he made a beeline for the plate of bacon on the counter and did not notice Mark until he had a mouthful of it, "Oh. Hey—did you and Callie break up or…"

"I'll get my jacket and we can go…" Izzie interrupted, giggling nervously as she exited the kitchen, passing Alex, who was walking in.

He stopped, looked around and stiffened at the tension in the room, "What's with the family reunion?" After getting no answer, other than a meek smile from Meredith, he retrieved backwards and through the door, "I'll wait in the car." He said as the door closed after him.

"Did she yell?" George asked, oblivious to mark's obvious discontent with having him in the same room, "She can really yell when she's angry. But she—she looked pretty yesterday…"

Mark placed his palms on the tabletop and started to get up, his mind set on breaking his legs, until Derek shoved him back into his seat.

"Okay, let's go!" Izzie called from the other room and George left shortly.

"What are you doing, man?" He asked Derek, "You're married. What's with the family circus? Kick them out."

Meredith sneered at him, "This is the kind of attitude that is going to get you dumped." She grimaced one last time before drinking from Derek's coffee, and mark took notice because Callie had made it a habit to do the same thing.

Their attention was quickly shifted towards to swinging door again.

"Oh, so you DIDN'T show after all." Cristina said mockingly to Mark as she took a seat next to Meredith, "Did you bite the bullet, then, McSteamy? Did you confess?"

"Confess to what?" he asked, confused, "And what are you DOING here? Shouldn't you be in bed, resting from a long, LONG night of torturing innocent civilians?"

She clutched her chest and tilted her head, "Aww. Are you cheating?"

"Why does everyone think I'm cheating?!" he rolled his eyes in response to the 'come on' looks he received, "Well, I'm NOT. God, I need to go home."

XXX

Callie strolled down a corridor, headed for the hospital nursery. She was exhausted. She had stayed up all night, sitting by Sophie's bed to soothe her whenever she'd wake up crying for her dad.

She yawned as she stepped through the nursery door and smiled at the nurse in charge. She walked slowly towards the play area, where Mark was sitting on the carpet with Sophie on his lap, and her heart melted hearing her laugh with him.

He held up a hand puppet and tickled her until she was squealing with laughter. He looked up at Callie once Sophie had spotted her and squirmed to free herself and go to her mother, "Hey." He said, picking Sophie up and setting her on her feet on the carpet.

"Hey." She answered, kneeling to meet her daughter as she wobbled towards her and stumbled, but she caught her before she could fall, "I got you. Mommy's got you." She said, quietly, busying herself with holding Sophie close as the little girl cuddled up to her and lifted her tiny feet off the floor, attempting to climb onto Callie's lap. She finally picked her up and stood up with her in arms, mark following soon after.

He didn't' know what to do. He didn't know what was off limits, so he held back from making any physical contact, "Callie, we need to talk." He said, watching her kiss and cuddle Sophie, "Callie…"

"I know." She said, finally meeting his eyes, "We do need to talk. Can you meet me out front? Two o'clock, maybe?"

"Yeah. Sure." He couldn't help but sound hopeful. His pager went off and he smiled apologetically as he silenced it, "I have to go."

"Okay." She answered calmly.

"He leaned forward to kiss Sophie and both he and Callie laughed when the baby grabbed his face and offered her best interpretation of a kiss, leaving her saliva on his cheek and chin, "Bye, baby." He said, kissing the top of her head again, then hesitating at first, leaned in and kissed Callie's cheek, "Bye."

"Bye." She said, catching his eye before he left.

XXX

She walked out through the main doors and immediately spotted him sitting on a bench just a few feet away. She stopped for a second and watched him—sitting back comfortably, his head turned to the other side, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. She smiled when he turned his head and saw her, lighting up instantly.

"Hi." He said with a smirk as she sat next to him.

"Hi." She smiled back, and after a long pause, took a deep breath, "So—we should talk."

"Yeah." He nodded, "Callie—" He sighed, "I'm so sorry…about Sophie's birthday. I honestly, just--"

"Forgot." She finished for him.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never--"

"Except you are." She said and shrugged, "And I'm just wondering if you really are just getting jaded. Are you bored?'

She bit her lip when he frowned and looked away.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." he said, honestly.

"You're bored." She said with a nod and scooted further down the bench. "What do you WANT, Mark? What's it going to take."

"No--" he shook his head defensively, "--it's not like that. I'm not--you KNOW I'm not seeing anyone. I love you. BOTH of you. I'm just--not used to it."

"You WERE used it. You seemed perfectly fine with it. What changed? Are you just itching to get back to your old ways after three years? Because if so--"

"God damn it, Callie--" he growled, jumping to his feet, "--I forgot her birthday! Yes, I messed up, but you can't throw my past in my face for it. It was ONE time."

"No, it was not one time. It was TWO MONTHS of me trying to get you to spend two seconds with us--'

"We're surgeons!"

"Yeah. And somehow, I managed to make time. You used to make time before. I just don't understand--"

"Did it ever occur to you, that maybe this is YOUR problem?"

Her jaw dropped and she rose slowly, her nostrils flaring as she stood toe to toe with him, "This is NOT about me."

"Yeah, well, I'm starting to think otherwise."

She was taken aback by the slight hint of cruelty in his tone.

"You think I don't hear the nurses and the interns talking?" he said, "Callie Torres tamed the manwhore. Mark Sloan is on a leash. You must LOVE that, huh?"

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying--or slapping him. She took a shaky breath and leaned in close, "You couldn't have any more twisted. I couldn't give a SHIT about what those idiots say about us. I…" She paused as a couple of nurses passed by them, "--I ignored them. The rumors, the giggling behind my back. You think it was easy to hear that McSteamy was sticking it to the Bone Crusher while seeing a couple of nurses on the side? It wasn't--" she said, now, painfully holding back angry tears, "--but I knew it wasn't true. Do you know why? Because I was--because we were HAPPY. At least I thought we were."

"Callie--" he started, feeling like the selfish asshole he made himself out to be just then.

"Save it." She said sternly, "I guess it was too much to hope that maybe the last few years weren't just a phase. That you could deal with the pressure without using some bullshit excuse to justify you completely disregarding your family and becoming that raging asshole everyone else loves to hate. And that's pretty sad--" She said, her voice finally breaking, "--because I really love you."

He reached out to her, cradling her hand in his, "Callie, please don't."

"I think we should spend some time apart."

He sighed heavily and buried his face in his hands in frustration, "Some time apart, like--what? A couple of days?"

She swallowed hard and blinked the tears away, "Time apart indefinitely. Time apart like, you move out--or I move out. Whatever--"

"No--no, you and Sophie stay in the house."

"Great."

He watched her avoid his eyes and started to really feel what it was like to hate oneself, "We're going to get through this." His gut twisted as she looked at him with a look that said she wasn't so sure, "Callie…"

"If you could get your stuff before I got home, that'd be great." She sniffled.

"Okay."

"Great." She nodded sadly and quickly turned around to leave. She heard him call after her, but she couldn't bring herself to turn around and face him, mostly because she needed to hide somewhere and cry.

XXX