Where You Belong

96

Derek tore his eyes away from the OR Board at the sound of a throat clearing. Turning his head, he spotted Mark beside him, appearing grumpier than usual.

"Hey," he greeted evenly. "Haven't seen you around since I got back." It was Wednesday morning, and he had been back at work since driving straight from the airport to the hospital Monday morning.

Mark shrugged. "Didn't want to be around the new interns."

"This is a teaching hospital," Derek pointed out.

"But that's not why I'm here."

Derek sighed, knowing why Mark had come to Seattle, and with that knowledge, knowing why he was grumpier than normal. He had been surprised when he had returned to Seattle after two weeks to discover his ex-wife had moved on. From the Chief's curt explanation, Derek understood Addison had moved to Los Angeles to work with their old friends, Sam and Naomi. Though he had always expected Addison's presence in Seattle to be temporary, he hadn't expected her to leave so suddenly. And he hadn't stopped to consider how Mark would feel about that.

"So," he prompted, "Are you going to L.A.?"

Mark shook his head. "It's not going to happen."

"I've listened to you complain about Seattle since you showed up."

"You've barely talked to me since I showed up," Mark countered.

"Doesn't mean I haven't had to listen to you whine."

"I don't whine."

"You whine. Like a little girl, you whine."

"You're the girl."

"Nice comeback."

"You're the one who resorted to name calling."

Derek chuckled and shook his head, amused that they could fall back into an old routine so easily. It had happened a few times before Derek had gone on vacation, and now he felt like he wanted his friend back. "So, what you're telling me is you left New York, which you love, to follow her to Seattle, which you hate, but you won't follow her to L.A.?"

"Pretty much."

"L.A. would be good for you. It's a plastic surgeon's dream."

"Funny."

"You'd get lots of business."

"I make more money for this hospital than you do. Webber said twice as much. I'm so good people from all over are willing to travel as far as they need to come to me, despite the cost."

"I save lives," Derek countered. "And I don't choose my patients based on their annual income."

"You're just jealous that Webber likes me better than you."

"Never going to happen. Webber can't stand you."

"Whatever you say. I'm staying in Seattle."

"It's okay if you want to go after her," Derek told him honestly. "I've moved on."

"So has she. And so am I. I tried to make it work, but it's not going to happen."

Derek hesitated before pushing the issue. They weren't quite back in the friend zone yet, but he still wanted the plastic surgeon to be happy, even if it was with his ex-wife. "It really is okay. You came here for her and-"

"I didn't come here for her."

"But-"

"I didn't come to Seattle for Addison. I came here for you; to get you back."

Derek sent him a look in time to see Mark sigh and shake his head. "I know. I want to take it back now, but I already said it, so..." He trailed off with a nervous laugh.