disclaimer: see ch 1 & 2

Authors Note: I am in the midst of finals, so I will update when I get the chance. Thanks for the great reviews, makes a girl feel good. Hope you enjoy. PS: not much MarkIzzie in this chapter. This is the first step in learning about Mark's secret.


Mark Sloan and Derek Shepherd had been best friends since childhood. Of course, until Mark screwed up and slept with his wife. Everyone knew the story at the hospital. It had become tabloid fodder as soon as he decided to join the staff. However, only Derek knew another story. A secret, kept hidden from everyone since Mark's days as an intern. But now the secret was here at Seattle Grace. Mark feared the worse.

"You paged me?" Derek stood in the doorway of Sloan's office.

"I need to talk to you. Close the door."

"Mark, I'm really busy today. Talking to you isn't high priority on my list of things to
do."

Mark sighed in frustration. "It's about Anna, Derek."

Derek stopped in his tracks. "Anna?" He closed the door behind him. "What about her?"

"She's here in Seattle with Melissa."

"I didn't know that they had moved."

"They didn't. Anna had off school for spring break. Melissa decided to bring her here so we could visit."

Derek smiled, "And how is my favorite little girl?"

Mark couldn't help but smile too. "She's good. Not so little anymore."

He continued,"When they came to Seattle, Anna had a slight cold. Turn's out that the little sore throat is tonsillitis."

Derek laughed quietly. "So she's here in the hospital and you don't know what to do?"

"She's here, freaking out upstairs about getting her tonsils removed. Melissa has tried to remain calm, but her little girl is getting surgery for the first time. No mother manages their composure in a situation like that."

Derek nodded his head in agreement.

"And as much as I want to be up there with Anna and hold her hand, I have to keep up appearances. Do my job. I cannot let anyone find out about Anna. But then I told Melissa I would make sure to get the best surgeon for the job."

Derek backed away. "Don't look at me Mark. I am a neurologist, you know that."

Mark waved his hands around in aggravation. "I know, I know. I am thinking of asking Miranda, but then I might have to explain the situation. And then her interns would get involved. Stevens would probably be the intern…."

Derek was confused. "What does Izzie have to do with this? Is there something going on?"

"No, no. It's just… I had her assigned to me today and forgot about it. I was upstairs on the pediatrics floor and that's where she found me. I was coming out of Anna's room and practically ran her over."

"Do you think she suspects anything?"

Mark sat quietly for a few seconds. "I don't think so…but."

"Look, I am not going to tell anyone. Miranda will not tell anyone if you ask. Just do it for your little girl, Mark."

Derek turned and hesitated before exiting the room.

"Hey."

Sloan lifted his head off the desk.

"Seattle is a place to start over. Maybe it isn't such a bad thing to let the secret out. Just think about it."

"Thanks, Derek."


Izzie walked towards Sloan's office with drink in hand. She noticed that Derek was leaving the room. That's weird, she thought. It was well known that Derek and Mark had a very awkward relationship, one that did not normally involve talking. Izzie continued down the hallway and knocked lightly on the door. When she did not hear a response, Izzie pushed the door open. The lights were off and Mark's head was on his desk.

Hesistantly, Izzie whispered, "Dr. Sloan. I brought your coffee."

Mark gave a noise between a grunt and a moan.

"Well, I am going to put it right here. If you need me, I will be in the clinic."

She began to tiptoe out of the room.

"Stevens, wait."

Izzie grimaced at Sloan's command.

"When you go to the clinic, can you tell Dr. Bailey that I need to see here immediately?"

"Is there anything else you need me to tell her?"

"Just tell her that it is urgent."

"Okay."

"Thanks, Stevens."

Izzie left the room and made her way towards the clinic. This day was getting more confusing by the moment.


Miranda Bailey was focused. She did not enjoy getting involved in the drama of Seattle Grace. This did not mean she was exempt. To the contrary, Miranda was always involved in some way. It's not her fault that her interns can't keep it in their pants. And the attendings, they were just as bad. Currently she was preoccupied with paperwork at the clinic; focused. That was until she saw Izzie Stevens walk through the doors of the clinic.

"Stevens, what are you doing here? I thought I assigned you to Sloan today."

"Dr. Bailey, I am assigned to Sloan. He told me to come get you."

Miranda panicked a little, but then realized who Izzie was talking about.

"What does he need me for Stevens?"

"I honestly don't know. He didn't tell me. He just said it was urgent."

Bailey packed away her paperwork, "Alright. Izzie stay here until I get back. Where is he at?"

"His office."

"Thanks, Stevens."

It took about 15 minutes for Miranda to get to Mark's office. When she opened the door, the lights were off and his head was on his desk. She flicked the lights on and slammed the office door shut.

Mark jumped at the noise. "What the…"

"Don't' finish that statement. We're busy at the clinic today, so I need this to be quick."

"Dr. Bailey, you should probably sit down."

"Does this have something to do with Stevens?"

Mark shook his head in confusion, "Why does everyone assume that my problem has to do with Dr. Stevens."

Miranda took a seat. "Maybe because the last time she was assigned to you, she got special privileges against the chief's wishes. And then you made a special request for her today. Is there something going on?"

Mark groaned. "Wait…I don't even want to know."

"Look, Miranda. I asked you here because I need a favor."

"A favor? What are you talking about Sloan? I don't want anything to do with plastics."

"It's a personal favor, Miranda."

"I don't know if anyone has told you Mark, but I don't like getting involved in the drama in this hospital."

Mark ignored Bailey's apparent frustration.

"I need to tell you something that only one other person knows in this hospital. And then I am going to ask you a favor, and I will hope that you'll say yes."

Bailey saw all the signs of Mark's stress; his body posture, the crinkle in his forehead. She knew that it must be important.

"Okay, but just this one time."

Mark breathed a sigh of relief.

"There is girl on the pediatrics floor. She needs to get her tonsils removed, not a major surgery I know. But I want you to do it Miranda. I promised her mother I would get the best."

Bailey was puzzled. "What aren't you telling me?"

"She's my daughter, Miranda. The little girl is my daughter."