The following morning Zoey found Mark and Derek talking together. She was pretty good at lip reading, which was how she knew the two men were talking about her. She sent Lexie a text saying, "Phase two complete" and smiling to herself, she walked off in the direction of the day care centre. She knew it would only be a matter of time before he came down there again to tell her he was being an ass and that nothing happened. She was right. Within the first hour she was in the day care centre Mark had come down and was trying to get her back.
"Zoey I promise you nothing happened."
"Oh really? What was she doing in there then?"
"She was trying to get me back."
"Oh was she, really? So you thought you'd fucking her on your desk would show her you don't want her back?"
"Wh-how-I mean that did not happen! I did not fuck her on my desk."
"Course you didn't." Zoey replied in a disbelieving tone.
"Listen Zoey, I'm sorry about what you think you saw, it wasn't like that at all."
Zoey stayed silent for a moment before answering. "Okay." She said simply.
"Okay?"
"Okay." She repeated in the same tone.
"What does that mean? Do you forgive me?"
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Will you give me another chance?"
"Don't see why not. I mean, you guys are definitely not together anymore are you?"
"Oh no definitely not."
"Because if you are still together, you know nothing will ever happen with you and me – EVER!"
Mark swallowed. "Me and Lexie are not together anymore." He lied.
Zoey smiled in a knowing way. "Okay I'll give you another chance."
"Thank you Zoey." He said moving in to kiss Zoey who moved her head so he would only get her cheek. "I'll see you tonight?"
"Sure. Meet me at the front at 8."
"I don't finish until 8.30 … could we make it then?"
"You're an attending. Can't you get out half an hour early?"
"No can do Zoey. I've got a surgery at half 6 so the likelihood of actually getting out on time as it is, is slim … but I'll see what I can do." He said quickly after taking a look at Zoey whose face said he had better do what she said. He kissed her again on the cheek as he left. Watching him do so, she made a quick call to Lexie. "Yeah, he came crawling back like I knew he would … yeah, sure. I'll be there in five minutes." She said hanging up the phone. Lexie wanted to run through the next step although what it was Zoey didn't know. If she was perfectly honest, she was making it up as she went along. It just so happened she knew Mark Sloan better than he knew himself and she knew that what would work and what wouldn't. She made her excuses to go on a break and made her way to the elevator.
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Mark came up the stairs with a wide grin on his face, which slowly faded away when he saw Addison making her way over to him. "Sloan." She said slowly and with a hint of a smile.
"Montgomery." He said in the same tone.
"Are you coming then?"
"Coming where?"
"To the day care centre." She said as if it was obvious.
"I've already … why would I need to go to the day care centre?"
"Oh I don't know, to see your daughter maybe?"
"Wh-wh-what?"
"Stop stuttering and come on."
"You mean she's at the day care centre? Here in the hospital?"
"Yes, where else would I put a five year old little girl while I work?"
"That's a point …" he said breathlessly. "What are you doing?" he asked as Addison pressed the button calling an elevator.
"Calling for an elevator, what does it look like I'm doing?"
"Let's take the stairs." He said suddenly, grabbing Addison's arm and dragging her over to the stairs. There was no way he was willing to take the elevator, anyone could get in, at least this way he could see who was coming and there would be room to run if need be. As Mark and Addison bounded round the corner, the elevator doors pinged as they opened and Zoey walked out and hurried off to find Lexie.
Addison took hold of Mark's wrist as he was very hesitant to enter the room where the love of his life would be working, with the woman he had slept with five years ago just after he brutally dumped said love of his life, so he could see the daughter he never knew he had with said woman he slept with five years ago after he brutally dumped said love. Mark sighed as he walked in. Fate was some nasty son of a bitch. He thought to himself. He quickly scanned the room and thankfully Zoey wasn't anywhere to be seen. He let go of the breath he was now well aware he was holding. "Mommy!" he heard a little voice call out from across the room. He looked over and saw a mini version of Addison run across the room to where they were standing. Addison held out her arms and let the little girl run in to them. "Hey sweetie. Was today any better?"
Cammie nodded her head. "I made a friend. His name is Tuck."
"Wow that's brilliant baby."
"In a minute Tuck I'm talking to my mommy!" She called over to the little boy who belonged to Dr. Bailey.
Mark smiled. Yep, she's definitely Addison's child.
"Mommy who's this?" she asked, pointing to Mark.
Addison looked from Cammie to Mark and back to Cammie. She took a deep breath before bending down to the child's level. "Do you remember me telling you that your daddy lived in Seattle with Uncle Derek? And I told you that one day we'll fly over and you'll get to meet him?"
Cammie nodded, not taking her eyes off Mark. "Is this my daddy? Are you my daddy?" she asked.
Smart girl. Mark thought to himself. "Yeah, I am." He replied smiling. He looked in to the little girls eyes, which he automatically recognised as his own. Other than the eyes, everything else was Addison. Zoey had never met Addison; the eyes were just a small detail so there was a possibility that if Zoey had already met her she wouldn't have put two and two together.
"Do you know my name?" Cammie asked Mark.
"Hmm I think I do."
"I bet you don't." she said with a cheek smile.
"Oh you do, do you? Can I take a guess?"
"You can have three guess and then I'll tell you."
"Hmm, is it Katie?"
"No!" Cammie exclaimed.
"No? Okay, is it Addison?"
"No that's my mommy's name."
"So it is! Ah I know, it's Cassie isn't it?"
"Nope! See! I told you you didn't know!" she said smugly.
"Oh no! Ok you're going to have to tell me."
"Cammie."
"That's what I said." He said smiling, teasing his new daughter.
"No you didn't you said Cassie." She said giggling.
"So I did!" his smile grew wider. He loved her giggle. He could get used to hearing that a lot more often. He may have just met her but he could tell she was a gorgeous, intelligent little girl and he was only too happy to call her his own. "Okay, Cammie, how would you like to get some ice cream with me and mommy?"
"Yeah!" she shouted.
"What do you say Addi?" he asked turning round to face her. For the first time he realised she hadn't said a word since introducing him to a whole new world that was fatherhood.
Addison had stepped back and was watching the beauty of Cammie bonding with her father, a sight she never thought she would see in this lifetime. If she could giver her daughter nothing else, at least she could say she gave her her father, the one thing both Cammie and Addison wanted most. She was so busy watching them interact she didn't hear what was being asked. "What do I say to what?" she asked.
"Ice cream!" Cammie shouted. "Daddy said we could get some with you."
Both Addison's and Mark's hearts had melted at the sound of their daughter call Mark daddy. "Of course baby."
Cammie grinned and took hold of Mark and Addison's hands and the three of them left to get some ice cream together.
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"So what's the next step?" Lexie asked for what seemed like the hundredth time in the past five minutes.
"Lexie, you know what the next step is, will you relax?"
"I'm sorry. I've never really done anything like this before."
"I'll be honest with you, neither have I."
"Really? You sure fooled me."
"Listen, I'm really just making this up as I go along."
"I don't care as long as it works."
"It will work, don't worry. Just whatever you do, do not let him break up with you. Do whatever it takes to make him stay with you. His birthday is next month, so hopefully if all goes according to plan, we'll be able to keep it going until then. Anything that occurs that you think will jeopardise the next step and we'll move it forward. However, we can't skip a step – they are all vital."
Lexie nodded. "I don't understand why this step one of the most important?"
"Because it will make him panic more will therefore be become more like putty in our hands. Trust me Lexie, it will work. Meet me at the front at 7.55."
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At 7.45 Mark had managed to get out of surgery 45 minutes earlier than expected. He couldn't stop thinking about Cammie. Addison's daughter. His daughter. He couldn't believe they had managed to create something as wonderful and as beautiful as Cammie but there was still that nagging feeling at the back of his mind - why now? Why did Addison tell Mark about her now, five years later? Yes Cammie needed her father in her life and she seemed to accpet that Mark was her father and not some random man her mother was trying to pass off as her father but something wasn't quite right. He saw the look on her face when he and Cammie were talking and it wasn't the usual look a mother would get. It was more emotional. It was as if she was capturing each moment like it could be her last. Everytime Cammie laughed or giggled or even dropped a bit of ice cream on her lap, she would look as if she would cry at any moment. Mark didn't understand it and didn't want to put it down to that time of the month - or TOTM as he liked to call it as code word although it wasn't much good as a code word as most people knew what it meant. He had a feeling something was wrong and he wanted to know what it was. He managed to catch Addison coming out of the day care centre carrying Cammie who had fallen asleep.
"Hey Addie are you free to talk?" Mark asked, jogging up to catch her.
"Does it look like it?"
"Er, right, yeah, sorry. Is she okay?" he asked, referring to Cammie, genuinely concerned.
"Yeah, she's fine, just fallen asleep. It's a long day for a five year old."
Mark nodded. "Do you need any help with anything?"
"No, I've got everything under control." she said smiling.
"Okay. Can we talk tomorrow then?"
"Of course."
"Thanks. Tomorrow morning, say 8.30 at the day care centre? That way I can see Cammie too."
Addison started to tear up which didn't go unnoticed by Mark. "Yeah sure. That would be great."
"Great. Hey Addi, is everything okay?"
Addison nodded. "Everything's fine. It's just great you took to being a dad so quickly."
"Don't speak too soon. I might still screw things up."
"I doubt it." She said with a smile. "That's why-" she began but decided against it.
"That's why what?" He asked.
"Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow Mark. Goodnight."
"Night Addi..." was his reply. He looked at his watch and saw it was 8.05. Shit! he sprinted over to his office to change out of his scrubs and over to the front of the hospital to meet Zoey. As he bounded round the corner all thoughts of Addison left as he came to an abrupt halt when he saw the last two people he wanted talking together. Lexie and Zoey were sitting together and looking like they were best friends chatting and laughing together. Double shit! he thought to himself. What had he done in a past life to deserve this?