Sutures and Secrets || Mark Sloan

32 | Mark's Mess

04x14

The on-call room was quiet, except for the hurried sound of breathing and the occasional soft laughter. Mark and Charlie were lost in the moment, their clothes long discarded, their limbs tangled together on the narrow cot. They had stolen what little time they could at the hospital, but their stolen moment was interrupted by an insistent knock at the door.

"Dr. Sloan!" Bailey's unmistakable voice carried through the door, firm and demanding.

Mark groaned loudly, his head falling back against the wall. "Are you kidding me?", he muttered. Charlie stifled a laugh, running a hand through her disheveled hair while trying to catch her breath.

"Go answer it.", she teased.

Mark shot her a playful glare as he hastily grabbed his scrub top to drape across his waist, then made his way to the door. He cracked it open just enough to peek out, his face flushed and his hair a complete mess.

"What's up, Dr. Bailey?", he asked, clearly out of breath.

Bailey was standing there, her son Tuck next to her in his stroller. Her sharp eyes instantly zeroed in on Mark's state, her expression shifting into one of exasperation. "You've got a liposuction scheduled at ten, but nurse Tanya isn't available. Should I cancel it or do you want me to find someone else?"

Mark sighed, glancing back at Charlie, who was still lounging on the cot, clearly enjoying the situation. "Get me another nurse.", he said quickly. "What about nurse Kate?"

Bailey gave Mark a once-over. "Nurse Kate's only available at twelve, so I'd have to move the procedure."

"Move it to twelve.", Mark said, already trying to close the door. "Thanks, Bailey." He turned back to Charlie, ready to dive back in.

But before he could take a step, Bailey knocked again.

"Dr. Shepherd!", she called, her voice sharper now.

Charlie groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Oh, come on!", she mumbled.

Bailey's voice came again, this time with an edge of impatience. "I know you're in there, Dr. Shepherd. Dr. Sloan's surgery is now at twelve, but you're scheduled with Dr. Hahn at that time. So who's it gonna be? Sloan or Hahn?"

Mark smirked, leaning against the door with a suggestive eyebrow raise. "You better pick me.", he whispered.

Charlie rolled her eyes but couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. She threw on a sheet, quickly wrapping it around her, before making her way to the door. She cracked it open just enough to reveal her flushed face, still trying to catch her breath.

"I'll assist Dr. Sloan.", she said quickly. Then her gaze softened as she noticed Tuck. "Hi, Tuck."

Bailey gave her an unimpressed look. "You two are ridiculous.", she muttered under her breath.

"Don't judge me, Bailey.", Charlie shot back, a small grin tugging at her lips.

Bailey didn't respond, though her expression said plenty. She turned and walked off, muttering something about unprofessionalism while Mark and Charlie closed the door and burst out laughing.

Mark leaned against the door with a grin. "Now, where were we?"

Charlie raised an eyebrow, letting the sheet drop. "Right about here.", she teased, pulling him toward her.

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Later, Charlie adjusted her scrubs as she made her way through the hall, still slightly out of breath and trying to shake off her earlier distraction with Mark. As she approached the bulletin board, she noticed a small group huddled around it - Meredith, Izzie, George and Lexie - all looking at something with intense focus.