Sutures and Secrets || Mark Sloan

25 | Mr. Almost Right

03x22

The next morning, Charlie woke up nestled in Mark's arms, the warmth of his body pressed against her back and his steady breathing brushing against her neck. For a moment, she laid there, allowing herself to sink into the feeling.

His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close in a way that felt both intimate and safe and she could feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest. It was a rare kind of comfort she wasn't used to.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked at the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, illuminating her room in gentle hues. Memories from the night before came rushing back - whispers, laughter, the way his lips had felt on her skin and how she had lost herself completely in the moment. It was surreal to be lying there in the aftermath, wrapped up in Mark Sloan of all people.

She turned slightly, enough to look over her shoulder at his face. He was still asleep, his usually mischievous features softened in rest, a hint of vulnerability she rarely saw. His hair was tousled and she couldn't help but let a tiny smile tug at her lips. For a moment, she allowed herself to admire him, her heart doing an unsteady dance in her chest.

But reality crept in and she knew that the bubble they'd created for themselves was fragile and fleeting.

Derek, Meredith and the other interns were probably somewhere in the house, so sneaking Mark in the night before had been a risky, adrenaline-fueled decision. But sneaking him out would be even more challenging.

Taking a deep breath, Charlie gently shifted in his arms, turning to face him.
"Mark.", she whispered, placing a hand on his bare chest to wake him. "You need to get up."

He stirred, his eyes slowly opening as he adjusted to consciousness. His gaze met hers, still heavy with sleep and a crooked smile appeared on his lips. "Morning.", he murmured, his voice rough and warm.

Charlie swallowed, pulling herself away from his warmth even though it felt impossible. "We have to sneak you out before Derek sees you.", she said softly, standing up and grabbing her clothes from the floor. As she slipped into her shirt and jeans, she glanced back at him.

Mark sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair and looking groggy but stunningly attractive all the same. He started to pull his own clothes on, moving slowly and for a moment, the air between them felt thick with something unspoken. They stood there, fully dressed and suddenly awkward.

Charlie shifted, breaking the silence first. "Thanks for last night.", she said, her voice almost too casual, as if trying to brush off the gravity of what had happened between them.

Mark's smile faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered, nodding. "Yeah. Thank you." His blue eyes held hers and it was clear that both of them wanted to say more - to talk about how the night had felt different, how it had meant something. But neither of them was brave enough to speak those truths.

Charlie bit her lip, glancing toward the door. "I'll go downstairs and check if the coast is clear.", she told him. "Just wait here until I give you a signal!"

Mark nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets and watching her go, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the space between them.

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Charlie made her way downstairs, trying to act as nonchalant as possible despite the thundering of her heart. As she entered the kitchen, she was met with the sight of Alex, Izzie and Meredith sitting around the table, lazily enjoying their breakfast. Meredith looked up from her coffee and raised an eyebrow.

"Morning.", Meredith greeted, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.

"Morning.", Charlie replied, running a hand through her hair. She quickly looked around, trying to sound casual. "Is Derek already off to work?"