A/N ~ thanks for reading :)

Cologne and toast. That's the first thing Meredith noticed as she slowly woke up. The unfamiliar scents confused her before she opened her eyes and lifted her aching head. She looked around, blinking as she observed the room and waited for her mind to catch up. She was on a large bed, under a grey teddy fleece blanket but on top of the feather duvet. To her left was a large window covered by sheer white curtains. Her heart dropped as she slowly pieced together that she was in a hotel room. Someone's hotel room. Someone whose bed she had slept in. Someone whose bed she had slept in after finding out her boyfriend had a wife. She swallowed heavily and climbed out of the bed to leave the bedroom.

She opened the door to find the rest of the hotel room - the kitchen, living and dining area. Mark was sitting on a barstool reading the newspaper as he ate some toast. He looked up at Meredith.

"Morning sunshine."

Meredith stood in the doorway, trying to sort her memories from the night before.

"Mark..?" she hesitated as she lazily pointed at him.

Mark tilted his head to the side. "Is that a question, Meredith Grey?"

Meredith let out an exasperated breath. She gestured to the bedroom behind her and looked at Mark. "We uh, we didn't-" her mouth stayed open as struggled to find the right words. "We-"

"Did we engage in sexual intercourse?" Mark replied with a grin and playfully wide eyes. "Come on, you still have your jeans on."

Meredith sighed with a soft smile. "Well, forgive me for being paranoid when I wake up in a strange hotel room and can't remember how I got here!"

"You were asleep as soon as you laid down, not much fun. As for strange? This is luxury! In the centre of the city, too."

Meredith glanced around the room. The white marble kitchen island, the balcony with the spa, and the unnecessary large television stuck caught her eye. "It's alright." she replied with a smirk.

The two of them remained in silence for a moment, smiling naturally at each other before Meredith took a deep and audible breath. "Well."

"Well."

Meredith glanced at the clock on the wall, noticing work starts in half an hour. "Thanks. I guess. For, you know. Getting me home safe. Not home," she chuckled nervously and waved her arms dramatically, "obviously, not home." She bit her lip, nodded at the floor, and started towards the door to leave. Stopping at the coat rack to get her bag, she opened it and took out her phone to check for any notifications. Her heart dropped at what she saw.

Derek

9 missed calls & 23 messages

Cristina

1 missed call & 8 messages

Izzie

5 missed calls & 4 messages

George

2 missed calls

"Shit" she muttered.

Mark's gaze never left her. "What is it?"

She remained focused on her phone as she replied, "My, uh, my friends don't know I'm okay."

Meredith called Cristina to let her know she was fine, and did the same with Izzie. She shut off her phone, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Cristina was very short with her and Izzie was furious, following a short period of her being extremely relieved. She couldn't deal with Derek right now, so she didn't even read his messages. Meredith opened her eyes to find Mark looking at her, half amused, half concerned. "I have to go now. Thanks, again."

Mark nodded. "You don't want my number?"

Meredith frowned and almost scoffed, before her phone started ringing. Her eyes followed the sound to see who was calling her. Her lungs felt smaller when she saw his name, Derek. She swallowed and looked up at Mark. "No, I think it's best if we finish this here."

Mark held his hands up defensively, "Alright. See you." He watched as Meredith nodded at him and swiftly left the hotel room, letting the phone call go to voicemail.

The rising sun covered Seattle Grace Hospital with a golden glow, and reflected off the wet pavement of the parking lot. Meredith jumped out of the taxi with a thank you and quickly walked up to the locker room, where she forcefully opened the door and hurried to get ready.

"You look like crap" she heard Alex say.

"Would you look at that, she's alive!" Izzie said loudly, gesturing to where Meredith was now changing into her scrubs.

With a tired sigh, Meredith apologised. "I'm sorry, okay. I didn't purposely ignore your calls. I fell asleep."

"And where exactly did you fall asleep?" Izzie questioned. Meredith got her shirt on and stared into her locker, trying to figure out what to say. "Hm?" Izzie was not letting it go. Meredith turned to her right to Cristina, and pleaded with her eyes for her help. However, to Meredith's relief, Bailey came in carrying some binders and interrupted the silence.

"Okay people, assignments. Yang you're on discharges," Bailey began

Cristina leant into Meredith, and whispered, "I will find you and you will tell me exactly what happened after I left last night." Meredith didn't reply but maintained eye contact as she walked out of the locker room.

"O'Malley report to room E19, Grey, come see me, and who was on call last night." Bailey continued as she stepped toward Izzie and Alex, placing the binders in their arms. "Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy. Redo these and return them to me before lunch, understood?"

"Understood" replied Alex, as he and Izzie left.

Meredith was the last one left, waiting, anticipating.

"Somebody's popular" Bailey started, walking out of the room with Meredith following.

"Meaning?"

"There's been a special request, just for you"

Meredith's heart picked up the pace and she cringed. She was hoping to avoid Derek as much as possible today, especially now with all her friends angry at her. Meredith jogged slightly to catch up with Bailey walking down the hallway. "It's not Dr. Shepherd, is it?"

Bailey turned, offering her almost a look of pity. "It is, actually. Dr. Addison Shepherd."

Meredith froze. "No, no. Why would-"

"I don't know Grey, but she's waiting. Better get a move on."

Meredith was standing at a nurse's station with her elbows on top of the bench and her face in her hands. She was only an hour through her shift on Addison's service, and although it wasn't as bad as she was expecting, she found herself eyeing the windows and dramatically wondering what would happen if she was to smash through them and jump out. She heard footsteps approaching and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to wake up just in case this was all a really bad dream.

"You look.. Greasy."

Her head shot up and she sighed in relief when she realised it was Cristina and not either of the Shepherds.

"Thanks. I needed that." She replied flatly.

"Seriously, where did you end up last night? Izzie and George were freaking out calling everyone when you never came home."

Meredith paused. "How are you doing? You know, with the," she lowered her voice and glanced around for any eavesdroppers "pregnancy, et cetera."

Cristina just rolled her eyes. "Joe said you were talking to a man he didn't recognise and suddenly you were gone. The man was, too. Peculiar, isn't it?"

Meredith groaned. "He said that, did he?"

As Cristina nodded they heard another voice approaching.

"Well if this isn't fate…"

Meredith turned her head so fast her headache came back pounding. "Mark?" she said too loudly.

"Meredith Grey, or, Dr. Grey I suppose. It has a ring to it. You wouldn't be related to Dr. Ellis Grey, would you?" Mark said with a smile as if it was totally normal that he was here. He was dressed in dark jeans and a leather jacket. Cristina stood back and observed, completely confused.

Meredith held her hand up. "Just- stop. What are you doing here? Did you follow me here?"

Cristina's jaw dropped open. "Is this-" Meredith snapped her head back and widened her eyes at her best friend to tell her to shut up. Mark looked past Meredith at Cristina, and held out his hand for her to shake.

"Hi. Dr. Mark Sloan, lovely to meet you."

Both girls stared at him with their mouths hanging, speechless. Cristina of course recognised the name, Dr. Sloan being an astounding plastic surgeon. Meredith literally felt her life get more complicated at the news of Mark being a doctor. Mark turned to Meredith again. "So, Ellis Grey?"

"You- did you follow me?"

"Of course not. Who do you think I am" he chuckled.

Meredith shook her head, her eyebrows wrinkling. "You don't work here do you?"

Mark shrugged, looked around, and placed his hand on his hips. "I could do. I've heard great things." He looked back at Meredith, meeting her eyes. "Great people, too."

Meredith tried to hide her small smile by biting her lip. Mark raised his eyebrows at her.

"Seriously, then. Why are you here?"

"I'm looking for a Dr. Shepherd."

Before Meredith could react, Mark was on the floor. She yelped as Derek punched him right in the jaw, sending him down. Meredith and Cristina jumped back and Derek tried to shake off the pain in his hand.

"What the fuck, Derek?"

A/N ~ I think I made Mark less of a dickhead than in the show. Everyone's a bit out of character but that's the charm of fanfiction, isn't it? I think so.