AUGUST 4, 2013

"I uh.... I was on my way to the hospital and then uhh I just... they called me... my dad.. he's.. he's been in an accident.." She stood there. Flustered. Tears running down her face. She couldn't speak a straight word.

"Lex, are you okay?" Mark didn't know how to feel seeing his ex-girlfriend outside his door, when his date was inside his apartment. But more than anything, this is Lexie. Lexie who's crying in front of him. Distraught.

"I just... I called Mer but she wasn't answering and there was nobody at home. Jackson's at the conference. I just didn't know who to go to. And I... I don't know what to do. I can't do this alone Mark. What if he doesn't make it this time?" Lexie tries to catch her breath in between words. Seeing Mark and feeling his presence somehow made her feel a little safe.

"Why don't you come in first." His voice was gentle.

"Is everything okay?" Savannah stood up from the couch when she heard that the girl standing outside of Mark's apartment seems to be crying.

"Lexie what's wrong?" She asks her when she stood beside Mark and saw who it was.

"Oh Savannah... you're here.. your date... no... you know... this is..." Lexie tries to catch her breath, "uhh I should go.. I'm so sorry." She gave a brief smile of regret, stopping the tears from falling before turning her heel around to walk away.

"Lexie!" Savannah shouts for her to come back but she didn't. She turns to Mark who was standing next to her. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"Her dad's been in an accident and she couldn't reach Mer and Jackson's not here. Savannah I'm so sorry. But I think..."

"You should go." Savannah interjected knowing that it was the right thing to say.

"Are you sure?" Mark gazed at her, his expression soft and tender.

"Yes. Go. She needs you right now. I understand." She nods, giving him an assuring smile. "I'll get the other stuff from the rooftop then i'll probably head off. Let me know how it goes."

"You don't have to do that. Stay here. Eat the breakfast. I promise I'll make it up to you." He smiles back at her and gives her a kiss on the cheek before leaving to catch up to Lexie.

A million thoughts running in his mind. Should he be with Lexie? Or should he stay with Savannah, who he finally was about to kiss just moments ago.

But no.

Lexie needed him. And he knew that he would regret if he didn't go.

It doesn't mean anything. Right?

Savannah sat down on the stool in front of the kitchen counter. Swirling the teaspoon around her cup of chamomile tea.

Is this a way of telling me that this was a mistake? Had I involved myself into something more complicated than I should've signed up for? She thought to herself.

A moment later Callie opens the door with Arizona behind her who was carrying a sleepy Sofia.

"Hey you're here! Sofia woke up crying then she stopped but the crying continued. Was that Lexie I heard? Crying?" Callie asks the surgeon.

"Yeah, her dad got in an accident. Mark had to leave." Savannah answers in a soft tone. Still the thought of Mark and Lexie invading her mind. She knew about their history. Alex told her all about it. But he said it was a long time ago and she's already involved with Jackson.

"Whoa, is everything okay?"

"I hope so."

"Are you okay?" Arizona pats her on the back.

"Yeah! Ofcourse! It was an emergency! I had that last night, so I understand." But Savannah couldn't help but answer in a higher tone.

Yep. Definitely okay.

But more than anything, Lexie and Mark have history. While he and I have only gone to one date.

❀

Arizona and Alex have been in the operating room for only thirty minutes — and of course, Arizona has started telling Alex about the date that went on with their best friends.

"It's too bad Lexie showed up."

"What?" Alex paused from moving and tilted his head up to look at Arizona. "Lexie showed up?" His dark brows pulled together in a frown.

"Yeah apparently her dad got in an accident. And she says its fine since she had to operate for their dinner so it was like the same thing with him and Lexie. But to be honest i don't agree. She had to go because of a patient. Then he had to go because of his ex girlfriend." Arizona being Arizona, rambled on about what happened but Alex only had a serious expression plastered on his face.

"Well hasn't Savannah told you?" Arizona paused on the surgery to look at Alex, the strong glare on his face kind of made her understand where he was coming from. And it finally sunk in that maybe he didn't know about it just yet. About anything that really happened last night and this morning.

Oops.

She grimaced in embarrassment. "Ohh maybe I wasn't supposed to."

❀

Meredith, Lexie, Mark were sitting inside the gallery, watching Yang and Bailey operate on Thatcher.

"Hey Mer I heard, how is he?" After Alex's surgery, he tried to call and find Savannah but she didn't answer. But when he found out that Thatcher was having the operation, he went in and found Mer sitting at the back. He took the seat next to her.

"They're just about to finish. I think he's going to be okay though." She glances at Alex, flashing him a smile but noticed that his eyes were fixed on Mark who was comforting Lexie. His arms were around her while she leaned and rested her head on his shoulder.

He didn't know how to feel about all this. A part of him wishes that Thatcher would be well but mostly, he cared for his best friend.

"Jackson wasn't here and he was. I don't really know what happened." Meredith whispers.

"Yeah me too. Well I hope he gets better Mer." Alex answers, running his hand on her back.

"I don't really care. I'm only here for Lexie. But it looks like she might not need me at this point." Meredith and Alex took one more glance at them.

❀

An hour later, Alex found Savannah inside the NICU checking up the baby's heart rate. Alex puts on the pink gown and gloves and softly touches the baby to help Savannah record his vitals.

He studied her, tiptoeing around the conversation he wanted to start.

He cleared his troat, "Lexie showed up during your date?" He whispered to his her and Savannah looked at him, surprised.

"How did you find out?" She asks in a whisper while her brows furrowed. "Arizona." She exhales from the realization and shakes her head before turning back to the baby.

"Its fine. Her dad was in an accident and she needed someone and Mark was the only one there." She explains, keeping her eyes on the baby and away from Alex's. Refusing to let her best friend's powers of honesty rule her right now.

"Mer was there. And Derek." He murmured as Savannah continues to check the baby's breathing while Alex's frustrated gaze locked on her. She could feel his strong stare piercing through every wall.

"Yeah, but they live in the forest apparently. So he was the closest." She argued, like she needed to win this conversation. She took a swift glance at Alex, trying to tell him that she was 'fine' because she was 'somehow' looking at his eyes — totally telling the truth.

"You're not even bothered? Its your first date since forever!" Alex might have talked a bit louder than needed.

"Alex! You'll wake this baby up! It was a great first date. And technically it wasn't our date anymore. She showed up in the morning." She mustered every ounce of confidence and looked at his eyes, exhaling.

"Its fine. Im fine."

She assured him again, with a high pitched voice on the last two words. Even though in truth, she really didn't know what it was that she was feeling.

Alex knew his best friend all too well. Right now, a million thoughts would be crowding inside her head and she's gonna do her best to ignore it. He looked at her, trying to figure out what he would do in this situation.

"Im fine!" Alex mimics her high pitched tone, making a silly face and she chuckles softly while looking at the baby, at the same time trying to deal with the swirling in her stomach. She hasn't felt this. This wasn't butterflies at all.

Was she mad at Lexie? No.

Was she mad at Mark? No.

But there was something different in her. And she's trying her best to hide it. To hide it from Alex, from everyone.

And maybe even from herself.

❀

As Callie waited for her hot coffee in front of the stall, she sees Mark sipping a cup on the green bench outside the hospital. After being served, she walks towards her best friend and sits beside him.

"Hey, I heard about everything." She talks in a soft tone while Mark nods with a grin on his face. "How's Thatcher?"

"He's going to be fine. As long as he doesn't drink again." He takes a sip of his coffee, afraid to look Callie in the eye, knowing that she'll see right through him.

"So..." she looked at him, hesitant to continue, but she does anyways. "You and Lexie?"

Mark sighs. "It's not like that Torres."

"Is it not? Are you sure?"

Mark didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He thought this was done. He was finished with this. With Lexie. He has moved on. But why is it that one moment that he sees her in distress, he has this want in him, the desire to comfort her and be with her.

But more than that, an unfamiliar emotion was tugging him. He couldn't pinpoint what it was.

The only thing is though, even when he was with Lexie, Savannah never left his mind.

❀

After making sure that Elyse's baby was doing well, Savannah got tied up in the ER almost the entire afternoon.

She was headed to the attendings' lounge, her hands clenching and unclenching inside her white coat, her mind somewhere in between of trying to figure out her and Mark, and also, if their date was a mistake.

Who knew dating could be hard again?

Wait, scratch that, who knew first dates could be so complicated?

But it wasn't complicated, right? Lexie's dad got in an accident and Mark was a friend.
She thought to herself as she absentmindedly continued to walk out of the elevator and through the halls of the hospital.

A few steps away from the attendings' lounge, she briefly closed her eyes for a moment and drew a long breath. Entering the room, she walked straight to the kitchen.

"Hey, I've been looking for you." His husky voice startled her, making her jolt from where she was standing.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Mark! You can't keep doing that." She held her hand on her chest, feeling the rapid beats of her heart as she chuckled with him.

"Hi." He smiled and spoke softly as he stood up from the couch and walked towards her direction.

She smiled back, feeling a slight hint of nervousness, "Hi, is everything okay? How's Lexie and her dad?"

He gave her a lopsided smile. "He'll be okay. The surgery finished an hour ago."

"Oh that's good to hear." He stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out her mood. She nodded and pivoted away from his stare, grabbing a mug from the cabinet.

"Savannah, I'm sorry I had to walk out on you this morning. I didn't..."

"No. Mark. It's fine. Seriously, don't worry about it." She turned to look at him once more. "I understand completely."

"So we're good?" His blue eyes were hopeful.

"We're good." She shrugged and answered softly as her mouth curved into a smile.

She turned back to her mug, trying to do something that would not require her to look at him. His presence was too overpowering for her at the moment. Looking at the counter, her hand, like having a mind of its own, grabbed the coffee pot.

Savannah, you hate coffee.

"Can I make it up to you? We could grab dinner together? Even at Joe's would be fine, if you want." He strode closer to her, close enough that he could smell her light floral scent.

"But I won't be done til' eight tonight. I'm sure you're tired." She answered as she poured some black coffee on the yellow mug.

"I'll wait for you, Peters. I always do." Savannah couldn't help but swallow the lump that was forming in her throat. Her mouth was dry and she couldn't speak. Why was she nervous? And why did he have to stand so close to her?

I got this.

She swayed her head towards his, her eyes immediately catching his strong gaze on her. And then she knew.

"I can't say no, can't I?" She pursed her lips, trying to fight the smile that wanted to escape.

He didn't answer. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a lop sided grin as he shook his head — telling her no.

She shook her head, finally letting that smile escape. She breathed in and out before answering. "Okay."

Mark couldn't help but smile, a sudden rush ran through his spine and made its way to his stomach. He opened one of the cabinets and took a mug — still standing next to her.

He grabbed a bag of green tea from one of the containers and poured some hot water on the mug.

"Here." She saw his hand grab the mug of coffee that she was holding on to and exchanged it with the red mug with a bag of brewing green tea.

"You don't drink coffee remember?" A smirk formed in his lips. He turned around ready to walk away, but went back to whisper something behind her ear.

"You know, I was really looking forward to that kiss." Savannah stood there, flabbergasted. She could feel her cheeks burning in flames and she was so sure, SO sure, that they were flushed with a strong red tint.

She heard his steps as he started to walk out of the room. She refused to turn her head back, she wasn't going to let him see her cheeks right now.

"Good bye, Sloan."

❀

|author's note: play the song from this point|

Mark had to drop Sofia home, and on his way to pick up Savannah at the hospital, she had already messaged him that it would be fine to just meet at Joe's since she was already done with work.

Savannah tried to look somewhat date worthy, even though this wasn't a date. Well thats what she thinks. What she wants to think.

Just dinner.

And just a tiny bit excited for it.

She glanced at her watch, 8:12 — not too bad. Savannah sits on the bar, waiting for Joe to serve her a glass of peach iced tea when Alex came near her, touching the small of her back.

"Hey, are you alone? I'm meeting Jo here, want to have dinner with us?"

Savannah thanked Joe for the drink and took her first sip. She flashed him a grateful smile. "No. Don't be silly. You guys enjoy your date."

"It's not a date." Alex's brows furrowed, but the smile forming on his lips couldn't hide the anticipation he was feeling.

Savannah chuckled to the sight of her best friend. "Uh-huh. Whatever, Alexander."

"Why are you here anyway."

"Mark asked me to dinner. Something about making it up to me." She took another sip of the iced tea, the coldness running down her throat — she avoided to look at Alex.

"Right. That's good. Well, let me know alright, Jo's here." He ran his hand on her shoulder before standing up from the stool.

"Let me know too." She grinned, happy for Alex, who was finally making something happen for himself. He's been through a lot, and if Jo was someone who would make him smile like that, she knew that Jo would be lucky, because in reality, he would make her smile more than she could ever make him.

Alex was always and will always be that caring and loving, even when he tries his best to hide it.

Savannah has finished the glass of iced tea, and the ice cubes were melting as she spent another second waiting for Mark. She glanced for the fifth time tonight on her watch, 8:56.

She fumbled through her bag to check if he messaged her, but her phone was nowhere to be found. She must've left it on her cabinet when she was changing her clothes.

She scolded herself internally. Maybe he messaged her for a rain check.

"Want another glass while you wait?" Joe asked her while wiped the counter top.

"No, its okay. Thanks Joe, I actually have to head back to the hospital." She gave him a smile and stood up from the stool.

Passing through Alex and Jo's table, her best friend noticed that she was already leaving, "What happened to Sloan? Not showing up?"

"He probably had a 911." Savannah answered and gave Jo a brief smile before turning to Alex.

"You can have dinner with us Dr. Peters." Jo offered.

"No! No. Don't let me spoil your dinner." She shook her head with a smile on her face.

"You're not spoiling anything." Alex argued.

"No, its okay. I have to go back to the hospital anyway, I actually forgot my phone. Thank you though. Have a nice evening." She retorted before leaving Joe's Bar and heading back to the hospital.

When she got to the attendings' lounge, her phone was indeed left sitting on her cabinet with a few text messages from Mark.

Mark