Sutures and Secrets | Mark Sloan

8 | Divided Loyalties

02x03

One morning, in the locker room, me and the other interns were watching Izzie and Alex flirt with each other. "What is she doing?", Cristina asked, making a disgusted expression. "She's hanging out with Alex.", George replied. "Why?" "I don't know. I think - I think they might be friends." "I should probably warn her." The other interns looked at me in confusion. "We used to sleep together. No big deal. I stopped when I found out that he almost gave me the syph."

As we were walking down the hall, Izzie tried talking herself out of whatever her and Alex were doing in the locker room. "You guys are wrong about him, all right? Once you get to know him, he's really sweet." "He's Alex.", George said. "Punk-ass.", Cristina added. "Hey, you know what? Maybe he can come over tonight and we can all watch Mer's mom's surgery-tapes together.", Izzie suggested, waiting for us to say something. "Oh, yeah, if this were a hell dimension.", Meredith replied. "I think that someone here has a thing for Alex.", I said, smirking. "No, I don't." Bailey turned around, giving them us stern look. "Are we saving lives or having a tea party? Walk faster, people."

"Kelly Roche, 23 years old, in for a scheduled E.T.S for treatment of erythrophobia with hyperpyrexia.", Alex said, presenting our next patient. "Erythrophobia?", Izzie asked. "Blushing.", Cristina replied. "You have any questions about the procedure?", Bailey asked, turning to Kelly. "Dr. Shepherd explained everything. He was very helpful. He gave me some litera - sorry.", Kelly explained while basically turning into a tomato. "Don't be. Half the patients that come through here have the hots for Shepherd. The male one, at least." "Asshole.", I whispered, rolling my eyes at Alex.

"Mer, now you and Addison are not the only one's blushing over Derek.", I said, nagging Meredith as we were getting a snack in between rounds. She looked at me, giving me a stern look. "Too soon?" Suddenly, Bailey called us. "Hey, there's a new surgical case coming up from the pit. Likely diverticulitis. Let's go." We quickly followed Bailey down the hall. The patient, an elderly woman, was screaming and trying to get off the gurney. "Patient's name is, uhm - complaining of intermittent cramping, pain and diarrhea. Also suffers from Alzheimer's.", Cristina said, presenting the patient's case. But something was off. "The patient's name? Yang, the patient's name?", Bailey asked as Cristina was hesitant to tell us the patient's name. "Ellis Grey."

We all then gathered in front of the locker room where Meredith was hiding. Bailey was keeping us from entering, giving Meredith some space. "Dr. Karev, stick with the E.T.S case. And, Alex, her blushing impulse, not a toy for you to play with or a button for you to push, understood?" "Hey, Meredith, you know, uhm, my great-grandmother, she died with Alzheimer's.", Cristina said, making all of us look at her in disbelief. "My God. Why would you say that?", Izzie asked. "Look, I'm just trying to help." Bailey then interrupted, giving the rest of us some work to do. "Charlie, the Dr. Shepherds need an intern up in the N.I.C.U." I looked at her, just as confused as the other interns. "Wait, both of them, together? And me? You really like family drama, don't you?" "Just go." I knew that trying to argue with her wouldn't work, so I just made my way to the N.I.C.U.

"Where's the mother?", Derek asked as Addison and I were watching our patient, a newborn with a bunch of health issues. "Gone. She stuck around long enough to get the kid strung out, and then took off. Nice, huh?", Addison replied. "Addison -" "Derek, I know it's a long shot. I know that." "You told me that you had a newborn with an invasive mass. You failed to mention she's premature, underweight and addicted to narcotics. There is no way that this baby is gonna survive spinal surgery.", Derek said, handing me our patient's chart. "You don't know that.", Addison said. "Even if she does, she's a mess. Look at her, she's got meningitis, seizures. She's just gonna live a short and painful life." "You're not God, Derek. You don't know that. Look, if a patient has any chance at survival, which I think she does, then you have a responsibility -" "Don't talk to me about responsibility." "You took an oath, Derek." "Oh, and don't you dare talk to me about oaths." "Derek, I messed up. People mess up." "You slept with my best friend in my favourite sheets." "The flannel sheets? You hate the flannel sheets." "No, I loved those sheets. I did." "You like the Italian sheets with the paisleys." I looked back and forth between them, as they continued fighting with each other. Some part in me really wished that Bailey had just assigned me to take care of the screaming Ellis Grey. As much as I didn't wanna interfere, I just couldn't continue listening to them fighting about their stupid sheets. "Okay, guys, that's enough. I know that you still have a lot to talk about, but that's not what matters right now. What matters, is that someone stands up for this baby who doesn't have anyone. So, I think that Addie's right. You should at least try to help her.", I said, looking at Derek. "Addie? That's what you're calling her again? And you're taking her side? After all she's done to me?", Derek said, looking at me, as if he wanted to punch me. "I can't believe how dramatic you are. I'm only taking Addie's side because she's right. You're being a real McBastard." Derek's jaw tightened as he stared at me. I could tell that he had a lot to say, but instead, he turned around and walked out of the N.I.C.U. "Yeah, walk away. It's what you do best.", I yelled after him.