The Starting Line

Chapter 4

Rambling as she walked with Mark through the hallways, Eleanora flipped through some charts.

"It's weird, you know? Meredith and Derek are... doing it, and they're both still obviously in love. Why don't either of them do anything-"

Suddenly, Mark's hand rested against her mouth, muffling her half of the conversation. Eleanora's eyes widened and a hand went to his wrist to grab it, conMerger in her eyes.

Mark didn't look at her, but nodded toward a group of people by the nurses' station. Eleanora focused on them, slapping Mark's wrist to try to get him to remove his hand before they reached the three of them.

"And this is Dr. Mark Sloan, our head of plastics." The Chief said proudly, his smile fading slightly as he saw the slightly childish position Eleanora and Mark were in. Mark smiled charmingly, trying to ignore Eleanora's punches on his arm. "And Dr. Eleanora Amedeo, one of our surgical residents. Sloan, Amedeo, this is Dr. Erica Hahn."

Hahn looked at the two with raised eyebrows and a slightly smug look. Derek sighed, turning his head away from looking at the two idiots in front of him. Eleanora finally decided to pinch Mark, the older man letting out a loud cry of pain.

She smiled automatically and offered Hahn her hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Hahn."

Mark focused on the cardiovascular surgeon in front of him, rubbing the sore spot on his arm where Eleanora pinched it. He made an impressed noise, nodding his head in recognition. "Ah, the new Burke."

Eleanora slowly lowered her hand as Hahn just looked at her as if she were the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. Her face falls, Derek realizes her and Mark's inability to be normal human beings. He gave Erica a tight-lipped smile, grabbing Mark by his shoulder with one hand and gently grabbing a pouting Eleanora next to him with the other.

"Welcome. Excuse me." Derek spoke, leading the two away. His words were low, but he laughed then. "You two are amazing. Your both children, seriously."

Eleanora's face was sad as she looked at the two attendings. "I don't think she liked me."

"She probably doesn't like anyone, doll."

Derek frowned at the nickname, but knew better than to ask about it until Eleanora wasn't around. If he pointed it out, he would probably embarrass the young woman to no end. Instead, he decided to ask them a question that he had been wondering about since this morning.

"Do any of you know what a gentlemen's evening is? Richard asked me to one."

Mark's lips twisted into a goofy smile, and Eleanora's face heated up. She quickly shook her head, turning to walk away from the two men.

"I don't want to be here for this. I'll see you guys later!"

She ran through the halls, Derek calling after her. Mark smiled, looking at him smugly.

"What exactly do you mean when you say 'gentlemen's evening'?" Mark asked, Derek focusing on him.

"I... I don't know. It's a gentlemen's evening."

"And strippers?"

"No! I don't think the Chief meant strippers." Derek's voice was surprised, looking at his friend with narrowed eyes. "Did Eleanora think he meant strippers?"

Mark shrugged, still smiling as they walked. Derek's voice became a little scared, worried, that he might have hinted that the Chief of Surgery was taking him to see strippers.

"Mark, does Eleanora thinks that means strippers?!"