Breathe

Chapter 24: Mending

Chapter 24: Mending

"McSteamy." Cristina said under her breath as she stood next to Aelwyne, who had immediately shot up at the sight of him.

All three interns were completely shocked when the man appeared. He looked like a man on a mission, his eyes landing on Aelwyne's. Meredith noted the shift in Aelwyne's eyes and signaled to Cristina to make sure she held her back. They still had no idea what happened but now they could discern the handsome man had everything to do with it. If looks could kill the man would have already been buried.

"What do you want?" Aelwyne's voice came out eerily calm while anger swirled in her eyes.

"I'm here to talk to you about Addison." Mark said calmly unfazed by her demeanor.

"I don't want to talk to you about Addison or anything to do with her." Aelwyne replied, her eyes still full of anger and even hate.

"Yes you do." Mark countered.

"She said she doesn't want to, pretty boy. So you can see yourself out. Unless you need my help getting out." Cristina said, pushing her sleeves up.

"I suggest you leave. Cristina isn't the only one that could help you out." Meredith added as menacingly as someone of her stature could seem.

"I'm not leaving until you hear me out. You stubborn little kid." Mark replied again unfazed by the threats.

"I'm warning you, pretty boy." Cristina said, stepping towards him.

"You're making a mistake. You're hurting her more than anyone has ever hurt her." Mark simply said.

"I'm hurting her? I'm hurting her?!" Aelwyne bellowed. "Don't make me laugh. She's the one that hurt me. Now she has you. She doesn't need me. I was just some pastime. A placeholder for you." Aelwyne spat bitterly.

"God I wish that were true." Mark said and instead of his smug smile a bitter and sad one appeared on his face.

"I don't want to hear you. Just leave." Aelwyne said, dropping his gaze.

"Addison is amazing, isn't she?" He began dragging her attention back to him. "She's caring and sweet and loving and warm. When she's doing something she likes or when she's truly happy her eyes have this sparkle, I can't quite explain. It's like they glimmer without any light. You've seen it, haven't you? She's looked at you that way. She did it today. She looked at you as if you were the only person in her whole world. She's nice but she's not very trusting and yet she trusts you. She doesn't give herself to anyone and yet it looks like she gave herself to you." As Mark spoke a certain sadness bled into his tone. Meredith and Cristina noticed the hesitation on Aelwyne to have him leave so they let him continue.

"Sh-she... she kissed you." Aelwyne finally said, her voice soft.

"No she didn't. I kissed her. The kiss meant nothing to her. That hurt but what hurt more was the fear, guilt, and shame that crossed her eyes when you walked away." Mark explained his pained expression unchanged.

"You kissed Addison." Cristina stated more than questioned yet he replied once more.

"I kissed Addison." Mark began. "I hurt you and honestly I don't know you so I don't really care but then I also hurt her and that I care about. I have never seen her that way. Not even when Derek left her. She's breaking with every minute that goes by. Her pain is my fault. So I'm here to tell you to go to her. To beg you to take her pain away because, as it stands, only you can." Aelwyne could see the sincerity in his eyes. She could see the pain that admitting that caused because he did love Addison.

"I... she's... breaking..." Fresh tears appeared in her golden eyes. "Not just because of you... b-but because of m-me." She finished sitting down on the couch holding her face in her hands.