Why me? ~ mark sloan

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Vanessa was walking through the halls of the hospital to get to Mark's room when she saw Jackson running toward her.

"Vanessa, come quick!" He yelled and she couldn't read the look on his face as she ran with him, worry clouding her mind as she ran into multiple people on her way.

"Where's Cristina? What's happeni-" Vanessa came to a halt outside Mark's room only to see him awake and groggily talking to Derek as he checked him over.

Vanessa let out a little gasp and Mark's tired face turned toward the sound. He immediately broke into a massive smile as she ran into his outstretched arms, careful not to get too close so that his stitches didn't break.

She rested her forehead on his as he cupped her cheek with his hand, his eyes searching hers quickly.

"I would hit you if you hadn't just woken up from two surgeries." Vanessa comments, tears falling down her face.

"Hey! I could've died." Mark smirked, instantly erasing any anger in her system.

"Exactly." She said quietly, taking her forehead from his and drifting her eyes down to the bed.

"Hey," Mark placed his fingers on the bottom of her chin and brought her head up gently to face him, "I'm here." He adds softly and she nods her head but keeps her eyes looking at the bed, not able to process the emotions that presented themselves to her.

"I'm not dead, right?" He jokes, making her chuckle slightly and move her eyes to look at him. She sniffles and he uses the pad of his thumb to wipe her tears from her face.

"You're not that upset that I lived are you?" He jokes again and she laughs, more tears falling from her eyes at the movement. 

"Come here." Mark laid back in the bed and ignored the pain that followed when she laid down half on him and half next to him. She snuggled into him and buried her face in his neck as she fell into some much needed sleep - she had only gotten around half an hour with Alex.

Mark kissed her hair tenderly as her breathing slowed. Derek walked into the room to check that everything was alright and Mark put a finger to his lips - guessing that this was the only time Vanessa had truly slept since he had been in the hospital.

Derek nodded his head and sat on the chair in the room, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward slightly.

"How you feeling?" He asked and Mark shrugged slightly.

"Better now," He breathed as he cast his eyes down to the sleeping woman in his arms, "Hurt like hell before, though not as much when it happened." 

"There was a moment where we thought you weren't going to wake up." Derek admitted and Mark looked back at him.

"Me too. But I had to. I mean look at this," He gestured to Vanessa, "Who would want to leave this - and the twins."

"Yeah. I wouldn't leave Mer for anything." Derek nods, understanding what Mark was talking about. Mark placed one hand over Vanessa's ear and pushed her other one closer to his body, making sure she couldn't hear what he was going to say next. Derek furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. 

"I bought a ring." Mark informs and Derek's eyes widen slightly as he rubs the bottom half of his face.

"I never thought you would get married." He finally says, making Mark smile slightly.

"Neither did I but she makes me want things I've never even considered before." He sighs and Derek smirks.

"You're so whipped." 

"Oh, shut up."

***

"Oh my gosh." Mark cooed as Vanessa and Owen walked in with the twins.