One {Mark Sloan}

The Birthday Party

"Oh honey, don't sleep,"

Renee looked at Ilaria who was now starting to drowse off a little, her birthday started a little late as everyone had either Trauma or surgeries to complete, she was sitting on her couch looking at the door waiting for everyone to arrive. She looked over at the food and the party decorations she had done over the last few hours and frowned as she looked at the clock on the wall, it was late and she didn't think anyone would show up. 

She put the asleep Ilaria in her crib as she started removing the decorations from the wall when the doorbell rang, sighing she opened the door and halted a little when she found Reyansh on the door, a big gift in his hands as he gave an awkward smile. She hadn't expected him to show up and in all honesty, she hadn't given him the invitation wholeheartedly.

"I am not here for the party, I want to meet Ilaria and hand her the present," he said timidly.

"She's asleep," Renee moved aside allowing him inside and showed him to the crib.

"Hey, baby, Happy Birthday," he said before keeping the present on the table and picked Ilaria up and pressed a kiss to her head.

"She's gotten so big, has she spoken yet?"

"No,"

"I hope her first words are 'mom'. You're a great mom,"

Renee didn't say anything as she waited for him to leave and Reyansh seemed to pick up the memo and gave her an awkward hug before leaving her home when Mark walked him dressed in a heavy coat and snow flakes covering his hair.

"What's the git doing here?" he said loudly.

"Excuse me?" Reyansh asked.

"Nothing, he was just dropping off the gift," Reyansh looked between Renee and Mark before leaving.

"Where's everyone?" Mark asked as he took his coat off and hanged it over at the coat hanger.

"No one bothered to show up," Renee said as she handed him a towel to dry of his hair.

"Thank you. No one came seriously? I thought I would get an earful for being late," Mark looked over at Renee who looked very disappointed as she removed the decorations from the wall. He felt incredibly sad as he knew how much work and thought Renee had put into the party, he looked over at the crib where Ilaria was and walked towards it.

"May I?" Mark asked as Renee  looked over surprised he asked for permission.

"Of course," 

"She's not made of glass, she's not going to break," Renee laughed as she saw Mark holding Ilaria in a weird position and with a sigh he held her properly.

"What would you like?" Renee asked.

"Hot chocolate?" Mark asked hopefully. It was cold outside, he was cold and Renee, according to him, made the best hot chocolate.

"Spiked?"

"Of course,"

There was something magical about a cup of hot chocolate and a late night, Mark and Renee were sitting on the couch drinking with Ilaria sleeping in Renee's arms, ever so often she's glance at the door hopeful someone would come. 

"I heard you get to mentor someone," Mark asked hoping to spike up a conversation.

"Yeah, he's a little cocky but overall good, reminds me of you in Med School,"

"I was never cocky," He said defensively, Renee just laughed.

"You were. I was so jealous that you'd get everything so easily while I had to struggle to compete,"

"What do you mean?"

"You'd attend parties and hook up but still you managed to show up on time in class, complete assignments and still get good results,"

"You had no reason to be jealous.....if you'd just told me that you liked me sooner we'd have hooked up earlier than we did," He smirked.

"You're the worst,"

"I suppose I am,"

As the time went on Mark found Renee asleep with Ilaria in her crib, he could see her shivering a little as he went to the bed room to summon a blanket and he placed it on her tucking her in as he went to sit on the couch. He could've easily left but he couldn't bring himself to leave, something about this setting felt natural to him as if this is how it should have been. He made over the food counter and made himself a meal as he flipped through one of Renee's oncology book. As he flipped through the book he came across a photograph, it was his photo and he very clearly remembered when was the photo taken, it was when Derek was going to propose to Addison and just wanted a photo before proposing.

He looked over at Renee who had cudled up in the blanket, she was always the blanket hogger between them, he took a seat on the floor beside him, a thought going on in his mind, where would they have been if he hadn't cheated. They would still be in New York, Derek would still talk to him but most importantly they'd still be together and probably be married. 

Lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the doorbell until Renee snapped him out, shaking his head he opened the door to find Callie, Erica, Derek and the first year residents standing there as karev yawned.

"Whose is it?" Renee yawned as she wrapped the blanket around herself.

"Sorry for being late," Derek said as he pressed a kiss to her cheek and procedded inside followed by everyone. Renee looked over at Mark with an raised eyebrow who just shrugged and nodded towards everyone.

"It's late we know but we just wanted to be here, for you and Ilaria," Callie said with a smile.

"Come on, Ren, quit being grumpy," Derek said as Renee narrowed her eyes at him.

"Great house," Erica complimented.

"Thank you,"

"Look she's awake," Izzie said as she picked Ilaria up and the other residents surrounded her trying to make the little girl not cry.

"You're late and you didn't have the decency to even call me to let me know," Renee snapped at Derek and Callie. Mark was standing behind Renee with an evil smirk on his face as she continued scolding Derek and Callie.

"How about we cut the cake?" Mark suggested pulling Renee away from the others.

"I know you called them," 

"Yeah because them being here mattered to you,"