If that's what it takes

108

Mark sat across the room, scrolling through his blackberry as he listened to Zoey talk to Meredith. The little girl's voice was high and excited, full of happiness as she became incredibly animated in front of Meredith.

"And DD gave me a hug to say everything was going to be alright. He said he was dis-pointed bout the finger turkey that I gave to Mister Mark..." She said as she glanced to Mark and watched him push the buttons on his blackberry. "But I promised DD, I'd make him a better one..." She whispered as she held her finger over her lips. "Are you sad cuz DD isn't here, Mommy?" She asked as she watched Meredith's eyes droop slightly.

She didn't move or make a sound, her throat was swallowing involuntarily as she listened to the little girl, her voice caught in her throat. Her heart was pounding as she watched Zoey watch her curiously.

"Mommy, are you alright?" Zoey whispered as she swallowed hard again, not responding, her eyes just lost on the little girl's face. "Mommy?" She whispered. "Mister Mark, Mommy isn't talking to me." She said as she turned her head and watched Mark glance up at her.

"She must be tired, monkey..." Mark said as he watched her look to Meredith and back to him. "She's just tired..." He said as she turned her face toward Meredith again.

"Mommy, are you just tired?" She asked as Meredith's eyes went to Zoey and she didn't respond, only watched the little girl. "Mommy... please talk to me..." She whimpered as she turned to see Mark walking toward her. "Mister Mark..." She whispered.

"She's just tired, baby... she has had some medicine to help her sleep." Mark said as he watched Meredith's eyes move to him. He reached his hands to Zoey and lifted her into his arms as she held him tightly.

"I love you, Mama." She said softly as Meredith lifted her hand toward Zoey, a movement that made Zoey feel better as she reached down and grasped Meredith's hand. "I love you..."

"Zzzzz..." Meredith whispered as her eyes drooped slightly and her hand slipped from Zoey's.

"Are we going, Mister Mark?" She asked as she watched Mark's eyes watch her mother carefully. "Are we going back to DD now? You said DD was at home, we have to make sure he got home okay..." She said as she wiggled in his arms.

"Yes..." Mark said as he kissed her cheek as he let her slip from his arms. "Go pick up your crayons and coloring book..." He said as he set her on the floor. "Mister Mark wants to talk to Mommy."

"Okay..." She said as she crawled across the floor toward her coloring book and crayons and began to clean them up.

Mark watched Meredith for a moment, her eyes locked with his as he stepped closer to the bed. His eyes flashed to Zoey quickly and back to the woman in the bed as he leaned closer to her and watched her eyes. "Meredith..." Mark whispered as he tried to keep his voice low. "Meredith... I am going to be honest with you." He said softly. "I get... that you're stuck in that bed, okay? I get... that you've been in this bed for six long, excruciating years... do you understand?" He whispered. "I even get... that you're in pain, and you've been in pain for a long time... and you're going to be in pain... for a long time." He said softly. "But you have absolutely no right to treat Derek the way you did today." He said softly as Meredith's eyes stared into his, her lower lip sliding into her mouth as she bit it softly.

Mark glanced to Zoey as she stood up and smiled at him. "I'm ready to go, Mister Mark." She said with a smile as she glanced to Meredith.

"Okay, sweet pea... go sit over in Mister Mark's chair for a minute... and then you can say goodbye to mommy." He said softly as she nodded her head and smiled.

"Okay, Mister Mark." She said cheerfully as she skipped toward the chair.

Mark's attention then went back to Meredith as he glanced to the little girl and watched her lift a children's book to flip through it as he watched Meredith's eyes meet his again. "You have no right to tell him that you don't need him, Meredith." He whispered. "From where I'm standing, you could use all the friends you can get. Pushing him away will get you nothing but pain, it will give him nothing but pain, and as you can tell... from your own daughter's lips, Meredith... it will give her pain. I know you don't want to hurt her." He whispered. "I'm not threatening you, Meredith. I'm not using your child's love as collateral for Derek." He said softly. "But I'm not on your side, either." He whispered. "I'm on Derek's side, and I will always be on Derek's side." He said softly. "I'm on Zoey's side." He whispered.

Mark paused for a moment as he watched a tear roll down Meredith's cheek as he spoke, the pain in her eyes was evident, the exhaustion of the sedative's effects was still clear. "Derek will do what you want him to do, Meredith." Mark whispered. "He's an honorable man with honorable intentions. He loves your daughter as if she was his own, and will love her until the day that you rip her from his loving arms, and forever after that." Mark said softly. "Tomorrow is a busy day, and I will bring her to see you because you refuse to see him. I will bring her here, and you should know that I'm not here for you, like Derek was. I'm here for her." He whispered as he pointed toward the little girl. "I do care if you get better... and I do care that you find happiness... but I also care about my friend, and I care about that little girl... you can't do this alone, Meredith... and you may be able to pull her from his arms physically... but his love for her will never disappear... and his love for you will never disappear."

"No!" Meredith exclaimed suddenly as she made Mark jump, her voice was angry as her finger pointed toward the door. "NO!" She exclaimed.

"Mister Mark?" Zoey whispered.

"Come on, sweetness." Mark glared at Meredith as her eyes narrowed. "Mommy needs her rest."

"Okay..." She said as she slipped from her chair and walked toward him, grasping his hand tightly. "Are we going to see DD now?" Zoey asked as she looked up at Mark. She watched as his eyes went to her mother as soon as she asked her question, his eyes moving to Zoey as he smiled sweetly.

"Yes, Ma'am... we're off to see DD." He said softly as she smiled brightly. "Say goodbye to Mommy." He said softly as Zoey walked over to the bed and grasped Meredith's hand.

"Goodbye, Mama..." She said with a smile as she watched Meredith's sad and frustrated face. "I love you... feel better soon." She said softly as she leaned forward and kissed Meredith's hand softly. "Feel better..." She said. "Maybe tomorrow DD will be able to visit again too." She said with a hopeful smile as she turned and grabbed Mark's hand, smiling up at him, he led her out of the room without another word to Meredith.