Sutures and Secrets | Mark Sloan

26 | High Stakes

03x24

Over the next few days, Charlie's mind should have been fully focused on her upcoming intern exams. Instead, her thoughts revolved around Mark. They had found themselves sneaking away into on-call rooms whenever they had a spare moment and the nights were no different. They'd spend hours at each other's places, tangled up in sheets, talking, laughing and occasionally indulging in intense study sessions. Sleeping together had become their unspoken way of expressing feelings they weren't yet ready to admit aloud. They kept telling themselves - and each other - that it was all casual. Just sex, just companionship, just something to make them feel alive in the chaos of the hospital.

Yet, despite the casual label they both clung to, there were signs that it ran deeper. Mark started bringing Charlie coffee during long shifts, memorizing how she liked it and Charlie surprised him with snacks when he least expected it. When Mark helped her prepare for the exam, he was patient, attentive and genuinely invested in her success.

The thrill of hiding their growing closeness from Derek only heightened the intensity. Meanwhile, Derek and Meredith's relationship had hit a rocky patch, with Derek barely spending time at Meredith's place anymore, which gave Mark and Charlie more leeway to sneak around undetected.

That morning, Mark and Charlie woke up tangled together in her bed. The sunlight was barely filtering through the curtains, and Charlie let herself enjoy the warmth of his arms around her for just a moment longer before reluctantly getting up. They dressed quickly, sharing amused glances as they fumbled around in the familiar morning rush. The casual thing may have had its boundaries, but it no longer stopped Mark from staying the night - and, evidently, even staying for breakfast.

When they finally made it downstairs, they found Cristina, Alex and Izzie in the kitchen, surrounded by a sea of study materials. Textbooks were splayed open, flashcards scattered everywhere and Alex was muttering medical facts under his breath like a prayer. Izzie looked on the verge of a meltdown, while Cristina appeared stoic but slightly murderous.

Cristina looked up first, eyeing Mark and Charlie as they entered together. She raised an eyebrow. "Well, look who finally decided to grace us with their presence."

Mark smirked, unbothered, as he grabbed a mug and started making himself coffee. "Morning to you too, Yang.", he quipped.

Charlie rolled her eyes but grinned. "We were - busy studying.", she said, trying not to sound defensive, even though her cheeks flushed a bit.

Alex snorted, his eyes narrowing teasingly. "Busy? Yeah, we all know what kind of studying you two have been doing. Did that include anatomy practice, or -?"

Charlie threw a balled-up napkin at him, which he dodged, laughing. "Shut up, Alex.", she said, but her tone was light, even as she glared.

Izzie looked up from her notes, her voice tinged with disbelief. "How are you both so calm?", she asked, gesturing to Mark and Charlie. "I'm one breakdown away from crying in the supply closet and you two look like you had a spa night."

Mark's grin widened as he leaned against the counter, his presence somehow making the kitchen feel smaller and warmer. "That's because I'm not the one taking the exam.", he said, chuckling. "And Lola? She's got this. I've personally quizzed her on every obscure surgical question I could think of."

Charlie shot him a sideways glance, a playful smirk on her lips. "Don't give yourself too much credit, Sloan. You distracted me as much as you helped."

"Is that so?", Mark countered, leaning in slightly. "Maybe I should test you now. Name three complications of a Whipple procedure."