(no subject)
TITLE: Precious Things [[[ two \\ ??? ]]]
AUTHOR: babyfirefly (with major help from the fantastic _nigella_, seriously...girl, what would I do without you???)
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Welcome to the reformed dirty mistresses support group. Izzie & Mark make a pact, Callie learns George's dirty little secret, people move on, people work things out and people realize that true love isn't so hard to find.
In this chapter...George meets up with the Chief, Callie consults her best friend and Izzie & Mark grow closer.
George awoke the following morning with a bad crick in his neck, his toes numb from the cold and his back aching. He sat up with a groan and peered out of the bathroom. Callie was nowhere to be found as he walked into the main room, trying to crack his neck. He gave a sigh and turned back to the bathroom. He quickly showered, dressed and combed through his cropped locks before grabbing his keys and heading downstairs.
Seattle Grace. He needed to walk through the doors and he needed to speak with Richard Webber. He had failed the exam and now he needed to figure out where he was going to go, what he was going to do. Meredith, Cristina, Alex and even Izzie would be starting their first shifts as residents and he would not be joining them. Would they ask where he was? Would they feel like something was missing? Would they see him walking down the hallway and feel the same disappointment in him that he felt towards himself?
The halls of Seattle Grace were surprisingly empty. No familiar buzz of voices or the smell of coffee in the air. He could hear his footsteps as he walked down the hall, approaching the elevator. With a ‘ding’ the doors opened and he slipped in, alone. The elevator gave another chime at the second floor and the doors opened as a small crowd stepped in. George moved to the back of the elevator, his eyes shifting to his sneakers.
He looked upwards when the number three became illuminated and pushed through the crowd towards the opening doors. He took a deep breath as he walked towards the Chief’s office, thoughts racing like the Indy 500 through his mind.
He raised his hand to the door, pausing before his knuckles actually hit the wood. He couldn’t get the sound of Callie sobbing out of his head. He closed his eyes and sighed before knocking.
The door swung open and Patricia, the Chief’s assistant, poked her head out, “Oh, hello George!” she exclaimed, opening the door wider and motioning for George to come in.
George nodded and stepped inside the office, nodding to Richard. “Chief,” he said softly.
“O’Malley,” Richard nodded, his eyes shifting to the seat across from his desk.
George sat down and nervously tapped his heel against the floor.
“Right on time,” Patricia smiled at George before looking back at Richard, “I’m going to deliver some paperwork, leave you two alone,” she said and Richard thanked her.
“I can assume you scheduled this meeting to discuss the ramifications of failing your exam,” Richard said after he cleared his throat.
“You make these...commitments. Everything is set in stone, everything has a place and then...roles switch and you get distracted. You...lose sight and...the foundation starts to crumble...and you didn’t even know it was shaky to begin with...and then, before you know it, nothing is set in stone anymore,” George’s eyes shifted nervously and he began to stutter, “I...I...I had it all mapped out, I knew exactly what I wanted! I swerved too far off course...I lost control.”
Richard leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at George.
“Distraction is a surgeon’s worst enemy,” Richard stated. “Are you trying to tell me that you were distracted and that is why you failed your exam?”
“I had sex with Izzie Stevens,” George blurted. Richard leaned forward and his eyes widened. “I failed my exam because...I made a stupid mistake that didn’t just affect my marriage, it affected my career because...it’s all I could think of, it’s all I cared about...protecting Callie...keeping secrets...one stupid mistakes lead to a series of stupid mistakes. I failed my exam because I couldn’t keep my personal life separated from my career...” George sighed.
Richard took a deep breath. “Secrets will always be exposed. You think you might be protecting someone and when you least expect it they could come forward and say they know the whole truth. Your personal life and your career can never overlap, but you are married to a fellow surgeon, you chose to be unfaithful with a fellow surgeon. Therefore, your personal life could not be avoided. I spent over two decades of my life thinking that I had done the right thing by refusing to tell my wife about my infidelity only to find out that she knew all along,” Richard said.
“I told Callie last night,” George sighed.
“Oh,” Richard said, his eyes softening.
“I couldn’t hold back, I mean...she was talking about how nice it was to have me and...and how I always come around and...I slept with Izzie. I slept with Izzie and I waited to tell Callie and she looked at me this certain way and I felt like...scum of the earth! I told her...and she cried herself to sleep and...I sat there on the bathroom floor...scum of the earth! SCUM OF THE EARTH. I slept with Izzie and...”
“You were honest, George,” Richard sighed. George’s eyes lifted when he heard the Chief say his first name. “That is much more than I could ever say for myself. You need to decide what exactly you want from your life, your marriage, your career.”
“I know what I want from my marriage,” George sighed. “I want to be a good husband, provide a good life for her...be her family and...I ruined that. It’s not my choice. It’s hers...and...I have to accept it...I guess...but I don’t want to...I want to fight for it. I...I made this mistake and all I want to do is fix it, but why did I do it in the first place?” George’s fingers slipped to his temples and he sighed.
“You cheated because you were overwhelmed. You were overwhelmed with the realization that you would be with this person for the rest of your life. Your desire to never fail her only set you up for the downfall; your insecurities caused you to feel as if you were not good enough. You turned elsewhere. The elsewhere seemed nice for the time being, fulfilling even. You know now that it was only a temporary solution; you stuck your finger in the dam in order to silence your inner demons. Your finger has been pulled from the dam and you are fully experiencing the repercussions.”
“I don’t know what I want from my career. I knew in the beginning of the internship; now my mind is...blank. I barely even made it in and...I thought I could prove myself.”
“Then prove yourself!” Richard exclaimed, standing and pressing his palms into his desk. “You either prove yourself or you leave here today and find a new career.”
“If I repeat the internship...” George began, his eyes shifting to his hands that were busy playing with the zipper of his jacket.
“You may retake the exam,” Richard stated.
“What?” George gasped, lifting his head, his doe eyes filling with confusion.
“You may retake the exam,” Richard said again, peering down at George. “Don’t even think that you are getting the easy way out because you have won my sympathy. This is your chance to try harder, to truly prove yourself. Your second chance, you take this today and you fight every day for the rest of your residency to prove to me that I am not making a mistake myself by doing this.”
“Thank you, Sir!” George exclaimed, jumping up to enthusiastically shake Richard’s hand. “I will fix this...I can fix this...”
Richard nodded and then explained to George what would happen. After Patricia retrieved a test for him and set everything up in one of the patient/doctor conference rooms. Richard escorted George and Patricia volunteered herself to stand by with him.
George peered into the small room at the test on the table. There was a new number two pencil and a bottle of water to the right of the bleach white paper with black ink staining it. Never in his life had black ink intimidated him so much. He took a deep breath and stepped forward. This test WASN’T just his career: it was his marriage, it was an attempt to be the man he was before he slept with Izzie, to be BETTER than that man and to make his wife believe in him again. He pulled the chair out and sat down, staring at the intimidating piece of paper before him. This was his second chance, and he was going to make something of it.
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Callie sighed as she swirled her spoon around the cereal bowl in her lap.
“I should have told you when I first had the inkling,” Addison Montgomery sighed.
“It’s not your fault,” Callie nodded, handing the cereal bowl to Addison, who shoveled a spoonful in her mouth.
“I’m the best friend, and I’m supposed to be honest with you and say hey, I think your husband is a whore and I have convincing evidence.”
“Addison...you were trying to protect me, I get it. I forgive you,” Callie said. “I appreciate everything you do. Even if it’s allowing me to come take a shower in your room because I don’t want to step over said whore of a husband in the morning.”
“What am I going to do, tell you no? I think not!”
“What do I do now?” Callie asked, taking a deep breath.
“Do for YOU,” Addison stated. “What does Callie want?”
“To push Izzie Stevens from the top of the hospital,” Callie growled.
“Okay, let’s cross homicide off the list; that’s a no go,” Addison said.
“I don’t know what I want,” Callie sighed.
“I think you know exactly what you want, you just don’t want to tell me because you’re afraid I’ll think down on you,” Addison said, handing the cereal bowl back to Callie.
“I want to give him a chance,” Callie sighed again.
“You love him, of course you want to give him another chance,” Addison nodded.
“Should I?” Callie asked.
“You are asking the wrong woman,” Addison laughed. “Derek gave me a second chance and yet he loved someone else. You have no clue how strongly he actually feels for Izzie Stevens...”
“I don’t,” Callie sulked.
“George needs to grow a set, that’s a given,” Addison said.
“He told me he’s going to spend the rest of his life fixing this. And...I believe him,” Callie said. “I keep thinking I should be more upset than this. That I should be livid and packing his things or keying up his car...but I’m sitting here whining about him over a bowl of frosted mini wheats. Ugh, I...I don’t know. I’m stupid and naïve I guess.”
“You are neither. You’re in love...okay, actually love makes you stupid. But that’s a given. You, however, are not stupid...and I make no sense but I’m sure you get me,” Addison nodded.
“I do,” Callie laughed.
“Look, you can either send him packing and wonder what kind of a man he could actually be, or you can keep him around and fear that he’ll do it again.”
“I can’t let him go,” Callie said.
“Then give him that chance,” Addison stated.
“I don’t want to let him off easily though,” Callie groaned.
“Don’t. Make him go to counseling with you or set up ultimatums...”
“Counseling?” Callie asked.
“Don’t knock it, okay? It may help you guys.”
Callie nodded, “Anything is worth a try I guess.”
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“Wow, way to turn me off,” Mark groaned as he sat down next to Izzie who was deeply focused on her knitting needles and yarn.
“Shut it,” she muttered. “It’s a good distraction. It’s also good for surgical dexterity.”
“I’m already good with my fingers.” Mark grinned. “So I could give a shit about your...knitting.”
“You don’t have to be an asshole all the time you know,” Izzie sighed.
“It comes naturally,” Mark stated.
“You’ll wish you were knitting when a hot nurse starts hitting on you,” Izzie stated.
“I’ll wish I wasn’t sitting next to you if I get hit on,” Mark laughed. “Your bitter old lady act is bad for MY image.”
“Aw, I think YOU are the bitter one,” Izzie giggled, waving a knitting needle in his face. Mark snatched it from her and held it out to his left.
“You are a miserable man,” Izzie whined and Mark gave a grin as he waved the needle around to his side.
Izzie sighed and climbed over him, reaching for the needle as Mark laughed. Izzie leapt forward, almost falling when Mark wrapped his free arm around her waist and kept her from falling forward. He reluctantly released the needle that she now had grip on and Izzie smiled triumphantly.
“Want to try that again...in my bed?” Mark smirked.
“No, I do NOT,” Izzie growled.
“Suit yourself,” Mark said, resting his hands behind his neck, watching the surgery below.
“You should try this,” Izzie stated.
“Knitting?” Mark gasped, “Me? I’m a man; I have a penis...I don’t KNIT.”
“Yes, well, you’re not using said penis and this is really great for helping clear your mind of all the sexual tension...” Izzie said.
“Bullshit,” Mark laughed.
Izzie set down her needles in her lap and took Mark’s hands into hers. She looked into his eyes for a second before she let go and then slipped a knitting needle in each of his hands. Mark groaned but surprisingly didn’t protest. Izzie’s hands were soft against his skin and he cleared his throat to distract himself from how much he was enjoying her touch.
Izzie guided his stiff hands for a few moments, looping the yard around his fingers and explaining what to do. Mark reluctantly did as he was told and soon enough Izzie helped him knit a sloppy row.
“This is disturbing,” Mark sighed.
“Shut up,” Izzie laughed, “You’re doing better than Meredith.”
“What the...? Alright, enough of this. I had originally come up here to make a lunch offering but now you have me playing your bitch...” Mark pushed her hands and the needles away and Izzie couldn’t help but laugh again.
“You get massive points for knitting as long as you did,” Izzie nodded.
“Points for what? Can I cash in my chips for some sex?” Mark smirked.
“The constant sex talk DOES get old, seriously,” Izzie said, rolling her eyes. “You don’t have to put that defensive up with me, you know. I’m not here to judge you, reformed dirty mistresses, remember? Keyword here...reformed.”
“About that lunch...” Mark grinned.
“You’re buying?” Izzie asked.
“I brought it up, didn’t I? Please don’t bring the knitting stuff though; just being near it makes my testosterone levels drastically drop.”
Izzie rolled her eyes again. “This constant need to prove your manly-ness, are you trying to make up for...a lack or something, perhaps?”
“There is no lack when it comes to Mark Sloan, trust me on that one...or I could show you,” he winked.
“Why do I have the feeling you will not be making it to six weeks?”
“Because you’re thinking about giving in to me?” Mark asked.
“Oh yeah, that’s it, exactly...wow, you’re so good,” Izzie said, laced with sarcasm.
“That’s what they tell me,” Mark smiled.
Izzie and Mark made their way to the cafeteria where they settled on chicken Caesar salads and made their way to the attending lounge.
“Moving on up,” Mark laughed as he pushed through the doors.
“I can seriously come in here?” Izzie asked, looking around.
“Addison brings Callie in here all the time, why not?” (cuz they do each other on the table)
“Callie is Chief Resident,” Izzie stated.
“Well...you’re moral support, so therefore you can come in,” Mark nodded. “You look like you just got caught smoking in the girls bathroom. Lighten up, Stevens.”
Izzie sat down in a large comfortable chair, setting her tray in her lap. Mark pushed a chair over to sit next to her. Izzie peeked over at Mark’s salad and jabbed her fork in it.
“Hey!” Mark exclaimed.
“You have more chicken than me,” Izzie laughed, popping a piece in her mouth.
“You’re taking advantage,” Mark stated.
Izzie laughed so hard she nearly choked, “I don’t even have a reply to that.”
Mark stabbed a crouton from Izzie’s salad and stuffed it in his mouth.
“You didn’t protest lunch with me, aren’t your friends going to be suspicious?” Mark asked.
“They won’t miss me,” Izzie sighed. “Word spread fast about George and I this morning and they’re all acting weird to me. Cristina’s all ‘team Callie, woo’ since Callie was in her almost wedding and...seriously? I was there for Meredith when she was the dirty mistress, when SHE slept with George...and Cristina’s got her all brainwashed since Mer’s all have to support my best friend who was jilted at the altar...”
“Meredith Grey of all people can’t get preachy on you...but, they’ll get over it. If they don’t...they are hypocrites.”
“Whatever, I’m not even going to worry about it,” Izzie sighed.
“But you are, you have that woe is me look on your face. I’ve said it before, you’re not a convincing liar,” Mark said.
Izzie sighed, “It just hurts, okay? I’m alone, George won’t even talk to me and the rest of my so called friends are turning their backs on me.”
“You’re not alone, you have me. I know I’m not much but...I am here, allowing you to steal from my salad, and ruin my image by forcing me to knit.”
Izzie couldn’t help but laugh, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, you’re doing enough already,” Mark stated.
“I am?”
“Stop fishing for ego boosts,” Mark laughed, “but to be perfectly honest, despite your Martha Stewart approach to things...you’re good company.”
Izzie smiled, “And despite your Ron Jeremy approach, you’re good company too.”
AUTHOR: babyfirefly (with major help from the fantastic _nigella_, seriously...girl, what would I do without you???)
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Welcome to the reformed dirty mistresses support group. Izzie & Mark make a pact, Callie learns George's dirty little secret, people move on, people work things out and people realize that true love isn't so hard to find.
In this chapter...George meets up with the Chief, Callie consults her best friend and Izzie & Mark grow closer.
George awoke the following morning with a bad crick in his neck, his toes numb from the cold and his back aching. He sat up with a groan and peered out of the bathroom. Callie was nowhere to be found as he walked into the main room, trying to crack his neck. He gave a sigh and turned back to the bathroom. He quickly showered, dressed and combed through his cropped locks before grabbing his keys and heading downstairs.
Seattle Grace. He needed to walk through the doors and he needed to speak with Richard Webber. He had failed the exam and now he needed to figure out where he was going to go, what he was going to do. Meredith, Cristina, Alex and even Izzie would be starting their first shifts as residents and he would not be joining them. Would they ask where he was? Would they feel like something was missing? Would they see him walking down the hallway and feel the same disappointment in him that he felt towards himself?
The halls of Seattle Grace were surprisingly empty. No familiar buzz of voices or the smell of coffee in the air. He could hear his footsteps as he walked down the hall, approaching the elevator. With a ‘ding’ the doors opened and he slipped in, alone. The elevator gave another chime at the second floor and the doors opened as a small crowd stepped in. George moved to the back of the elevator, his eyes shifting to his sneakers.
He looked upwards when the number three became illuminated and pushed through the crowd towards the opening doors. He took a deep breath as he walked towards the Chief’s office, thoughts racing like the Indy 500 through his mind.
He raised his hand to the door, pausing before his knuckles actually hit the wood. He couldn’t get the sound of Callie sobbing out of his head. He closed his eyes and sighed before knocking.
The door swung open and Patricia, the Chief’s assistant, poked her head out, “Oh, hello George!” she exclaimed, opening the door wider and motioning for George to come in.
George nodded and stepped inside the office, nodding to Richard. “Chief,” he said softly.
“O’Malley,” Richard nodded, his eyes shifting to the seat across from his desk.
George sat down and nervously tapped his heel against the floor.
“Right on time,” Patricia smiled at George before looking back at Richard, “I’m going to deliver some paperwork, leave you two alone,” she said and Richard thanked her.
“I can assume you scheduled this meeting to discuss the ramifications of failing your exam,” Richard said after he cleared his throat.
“You make these...commitments. Everything is set in stone, everything has a place and then...roles switch and you get distracted. You...lose sight and...the foundation starts to crumble...and you didn’t even know it was shaky to begin with...and then, before you know it, nothing is set in stone anymore,” George’s eyes shifted nervously and he began to stutter, “I...I...I had it all mapped out, I knew exactly what I wanted! I swerved too far off course...I lost control.”
Richard leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at George.
“Distraction is a surgeon’s worst enemy,” Richard stated. “Are you trying to tell me that you were distracted and that is why you failed your exam?”
“I had sex with Izzie Stevens,” George blurted. Richard leaned forward and his eyes widened. “I failed my exam because...I made a stupid mistake that didn’t just affect my marriage, it affected my career because...it’s all I could think of, it’s all I cared about...protecting Callie...keeping secrets...one stupid mistakes lead to a series of stupid mistakes. I failed my exam because I couldn’t keep my personal life separated from my career...” George sighed.
Richard took a deep breath. “Secrets will always be exposed. You think you might be protecting someone and when you least expect it they could come forward and say they know the whole truth. Your personal life and your career can never overlap, but you are married to a fellow surgeon, you chose to be unfaithful with a fellow surgeon. Therefore, your personal life could not be avoided. I spent over two decades of my life thinking that I had done the right thing by refusing to tell my wife about my infidelity only to find out that she knew all along,” Richard said.
“I told Callie last night,” George sighed.
“Oh,” Richard said, his eyes softening.
“I couldn’t hold back, I mean...she was talking about how nice it was to have me and...and how I always come around and...I slept with Izzie. I slept with Izzie and I waited to tell Callie and she looked at me this certain way and I felt like...scum of the earth! I told her...and she cried herself to sleep and...I sat there on the bathroom floor...scum of the earth! SCUM OF THE EARTH. I slept with Izzie and...”
“You were honest, George,” Richard sighed. George’s eyes lifted when he heard the Chief say his first name. “That is much more than I could ever say for myself. You need to decide what exactly you want from your life, your marriage, your career.”
“I know what I want from my marriage,” George sighed. “I want to be a good husband, provide a good life for her...be her family and...I ruined that. It’s not my choice. It’s hers...and...I have to accept it...I guess...but I don’t want to...I want to fight for it. I...I made this mistake and all I want to do is fix it, but why did I do it in the first place?” George’s fingers slipped to his temples and he sighed.
“You cheated because you were overwhelmed. You were overwhelmed with the realization that you would be with this person for the rest of your life. Your desire to never fail her only set you up for the downfall; your insecurities caused you to feel as if you were not good enough. You turned elsewhere. The elsewhere seemed nice for the time being, fulfilling even. You know now that it was only a temporary solution; you stuck your finger in the dam in order to silence your inner demons. Your finger has been pulled from the dam and you are fully experiencing the repercussions.”
“I don’t know what I want from my career. I knew in the beginning of the internship; now my mind is...blank. I barely even made it in and...I thought I could prove myself.”
“Then prove yourself!” Richard exclaimed, standing and pressing his palms into his desk. “You either prove yourself or you leave here today and find a new career.”
“If I repeat the internship...” George began, his eyes shifting to his hands that were busy playing with the zipper of his jacket.
“You may retake the exam,” Richard stated.
“What?” George gasped, lifting his head, his doe eyes filling with confusion.
“You may retake the exam,” Richard said again, peering down at George. “Don’t even think that you are getting the easy way out because you have won my sympathy. This is your chance to try harder, to truly prove yourself. Your second chance, you take this today and you fight every day for the rest of your residency to prove to me that I am not making a mistake myself by doing this.”
“Thank you, Sir!” George exclaimed, jumping up to enthusiastically shake Richard’s hand. “I will fix this...I can fix this...”
Richard nodded and then explained to George what would happen. After Patricia retrieved a test for him and set everything up in one of the patient/doctor conference rooms. Richard escorted George and Patricia volunteered herself to stand by with him.
George peered into the small room at the test on the table. There was a new number two pencil and a bottle of water to the right of the bleach white paper with black ink staining it. Never in his life had black ink intimidated him so much. He took a deep breath and stepped forward. This test WASN’T just his career: it was his marriage, it was an attempt to be the man he was before he slept with Izzie, to be BETTER than that man and to make his wife believe in him again. He pulled the chair out and sat down, staring at the intimidating piece of paper before him. This was his second chance, and he was going to make something of it.
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Callie sighed as she swirled her spoon around the cereal bowl in her lap.
“I should have told you when I first had the inkling,” Addison Montgomery sighed.
“It’s not your fault,” Callie nodded, handing the cereal bowl to Addison, who shoveled a spoonful in her mouth.
“I’m the best friend, and I’m supposed to be honest with you and say hey, I think your husband is a whore and I have convincing evidence.”
“Addison...you were trying to protect me, I get it. I forgive you,” Callie said. “I appreciate everything you do. Even if it’s allowing me to come take a shower in your room because I don’t want to step over said whore of a husband in the morning.”
“What am I going to do, tell you no? I think not!”
“What do I do now?” Callie asked, taking a deep breath.
“Do for YOU,” Addison stated. “What does Callie want?”
“To push Izzie Stevens from the top of the hospital,” Callie growled.
“Okay, let’s cross homicide off the list; that’s a no go,” Addison said.
“I don’t know what I want,” Callie sighed.
“I think you know exactly what you want, you just don’t want to tell me because you’re afraid I’ll think down on you,” Addison said, handing the cereal bowl back to Callie.
“I want to give him a chance,” Callie sighed again.
“You love him, of course you want to give him another chance,” Addison nodded.
“Should I?” Callie asked.
“You are asking the wrong woman,” Addison laughed. “Derek gave me a second chance and yet he loved someone else. You have no clue how strongly he actually feels for Izzie Stevens...”
“I don’t,” Callie sulked.
“George needs to grow a set, that’s a given,” Addison said.
“He told me he’s going to spend the rest of his life fixing this. And...I believe him,” Callie said. “I keep thinking I should be more upset than this. That I should be livid and packing his things or keying up his car...but I’m sitting here whining about him over a bowl of frosted mini wheats. Ugh, I...I don’t know. I’m stupid and naïve I guess.”
“You are neither. You’re in love...okay, actually love makes you stupid. But that’s a given. You, however, are not stupid...and I make no sense but I’m sure you get me,” Addison nodded.
“I do,” Callie laughed.
“Look, you can either send him packing and wonder what kind of a man he could actually be, or you can keep him around and fear that he’ll do it again.”
“I can’t let him go,” Callie said.
“Then give him that chance,” Addison stated.
“I don’t want to let him off easily though,” Callie groaned.
“Don’t. Make him go to counseling with you or set up ultimatums...”
“Counseling?” Callie asked.
“Don’t knock it, okay? It may help you guys.”
Callie nodded, “Anything is worth a try I guess.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Wow, way to turn me off,” Mark groaned as he sat down next to Izzie who was deeply focused on her knitting needles and yarn.
“Shut it,” she muttered. “It’s a good distraction. It’s also good for surgical dexterity.”
“I’m already good with my fingers.” Mark grinned. “So I could give a shit about your...knitting.”
“You don’t have to be an asshole all the time you know,” Izzie sighed.
“It comes naturally,” Mark stated.
“You’ll wish you were knitting when a hot nurse starts hitting on you,” Izzie stated.
“I’ll wish I wasn’t sitting next to you if I get hit on,” Mark laughed. “Your bitter old lady act is bad for MY image.”
“Aw, I think YOU are the bitter one,” Izzie giggled, waving a knitting needle in his face. Mark snatched it from her and held it out to his left.
“You are a miserable man,” Izzie whined and Mark gave a grin as he waved the needle around to his side.
Izzie sighed and climbed over him, reaching for the needle as Mark laughed. Izzie leapt forward, almost falling when Mark wrapped his free arm around her waist and kept her from falling forward. He reluctantly released the needle that she now had grip on and Izzie smiled triumphantly.
“Want to try that again...in my bed?” Mark smirked.
“No, I do NOT,” Izzie growled.
“Suit yourself,” Mark said, resting his hands behind his neck, watching the surgery below.
“You should try this,” Izzie stated.
“Knitting?” Mark gasped, “Me? I’m a man; I have a penis...I don’t KNIT.”
“Yes, well, you’re not using said penis and this is really great for helping clear your mind of all the sexual tension...” Izzie said.
“Bullshit,” Mark laughed.
Izzie set down her needles in her lap and took Mark’s hands into hers. She looked into his eyes for a second before she let go and then slipped a knitting needle in each of his hands. Mark groaned but surprisingly didn’t protest. Izzie’s hands were soft against his skin and he cleared his throat to distract himself from how much he was enjoying her touch.
Izzie guided his stiff hands for a few moments, looping the yard around his fingers and explaining what to do. Mark reluctantly did as he was told and soon enough Izzie helped him knit a sloppy row.
“This is disturbing,” Mark sighed.
“Shut up,” Izzie laughed, “You’re doing better than Meredith.”
“What the...? Alright, enough of this. I had originally come up here to make a lunch offering but now you have me playing your bitch...” Mark pushed her hands and the needles away and Izzie couldn’t help but laugh again.
“You get massive points for knitting as long as you did,” Izzie nodded.
“Points for what? Can I cash in my chips for some sex?” Mark smirked.
“The constant sex talk DOES get old, seriously,” Izzie said, rolling her eyes. “You don’t have to put that defensive up with me, you know. I’m not here to judge you, reformed dirty mistresses, remember? Keyword here...reformed.”
“About that lunch...” Mark grinned.
“You’re buying?” Izzie asked.
“I brought it up, didn’t I? Please don’t bring the knitting stuff though; just being near it makes my testosterone levels drastically drop.”
Izzie rolled her eyes again. “This constant need to prove your manly-ness, are you trying to make up for...a lack or something, perhaps?”
“There is no lack when it comes to Mark Sloan, trust me on that one...or I could show you,” he winked.
“Why do I have the feeling you will not be making it to six weeks?”
“Because you’re thinking about giving in to me?” Mark asked.
“Oh yeah, that’s it, exactly...wow, you’re so good,” Izzie said, laced with sarcasm.
“That’s what they tell me,” Mark smiled.
Izzie and Mark made their way to the cafeteria where they settled on chicken Caesar salads and made their way to the attending lounge.
“Moving on up,” Mark laughed as he pushed through the doors.
“I can seriously come in here?” Izzie asked, looking around.
“Addison brings Callie in here all the time, why not?” (cuz they do each other on the table)
“Callie is Chief Resident,” Izzie stated.
“Well...you’re moral support, so therefore you can come in,” Mark nodded. “You look like you just got caught smoking in the girls bathroom. Lighten up, Stevens.”
Izzie sat down in a large comfortable chair, setting her tray in her lap. Mark pushed a chair over to sit next to her. Izzie peeked over at Mark’s salad and jabbed her fork in it.
“Hey!” Mark exclaimed.
“You have more chicken than me,” Izzie laughed, popping a piece in her mouth.
“You’re taking advantage,” Mark stated.
Izzie laughed so hard she nearly choked, “I don’t even have a reply to that.”
Mark stabbed a crouton from Izzie’s salad and stuffed it in his mouth.
“You didn’t protest lunch with me, aren’t your friends going to be suspicious?” Mark asked.
“They won’t miss me,” Izzie sighed. “Word spread fast about George and I this morning and they’re all acting weird to me. Cristina’s all ‘team Callie, woo’ since Callie was in her almost wedding and...seriously? I was there for Meredith when she was the dirty mistress, when SHE slept with George...and Cristina’s got her all brainwashed since Mer’s all have to support my best friend who was jilted at the altar...”
“Meredith Grey of all people can’t get preachy on you...but, they’ll get over it. If they don’t...they are hypocrites.”
“Whatever, I’m not even going to worry about it,” Izzie sighed.
“But you are, you have that woe is me look on your face. I’ve said it before, you’re not a convincing liar,” Mark said.
Izzie sighed, “It just hurts, okay? I’m alone, George won’t even talk to me and the rest of my so called friends are turning their backs on me.”
“You’re not alone, you have me. I know I’m not much but...I am here, allowing you to steal from my salad, and ruin my image by forcing me to knit.”
Izzie couldn’t help but laugh, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, you’re doing enough already,” Mark stated.
“I am?”
“Stop fishing for ego boosts,” Mark laughed, “but to be perfectly honest, despite your Martha Stewart approach to things...you’re good company.”
Izzie smiled, “And despite your Ron Jeremy approach, you’re good company too.”