Just as she had for the previous two weeks, three days, and fourteen hours, Isobel Stevens walked the halls of Seattle Grace Hospital with a false smile plastered to her face, acting pleasantly and cooperatively with each patient and hospital employee, yet praying that time would somehow speed up, effectively ending her shift so that she could seek solace in the quiet emptiness of her bedroom. Every time she turned a corner, every time she entered a new room, and each and every time the elevator doors would slowly part open, her heart would speed up in her chest, her breath hitching in her throat as she solemnly raised her eyes to see if he would be standing just a few feet away.

No one was more surprised than she that luck had been on her side. Ever since leaving her house following their intense encounter in her bedroom, he had made no effort to push her toward any sort of reconciliation, and she had been grateful. For two weeks, three days, and fourteen hours, Isobel Stevens had gone without the slightest bit of contact with Mark Sloan. The sometimes confining walls of Seattle Grace had, for once, proven to be large enough to hold both of them. The only times they had been near one another, in fact, had been quick glimpses across the cafeteria and a couple of awkward attempts not to be caught staring at one another as they sat at opposite ends of the Emerald City Bar. She was fully aware that she wouldn't be able to avoid him forever, that eventually the topic of their heated split would have to be broached, but her reluctance to have that particular confrontation fueled her endeavor to avoid him like the plague and to gladly accept all the luck that she could get.

At that precise moment, though, as she pushed her way through the stairwell door en route to radiology, Isobel Stevens realized that her luck had finally run out.

Izzie's eyes dropped to the ground when she saw Mark making his way up the stairs, knowing that their paths were finally going to cross. Her chest burned as she listened to his footsteps echoing on the concrete walls, growing closer and closer to her with each step he look. When the reverberating of his shoes ceased, Izzie allowed herself to glance upwards, her eyes meeting his from where he stood a mere three feet away.

The look between them was intense, as if they'd suddenly unwillingly entered into a childish staring contest. Izzie tried to ignore the wary lines that marred his forehead as he drank in her appearance, knowing instinctively that he was critically assessing her exhausted face. She couldn't help but wonder if he recognized the physical consequences of her misery for what they were, if seeing the dark circles beneath her eyes and the ashen, sunken look of her cheeks gave him a twinge of satisfaction.

Beginning the night of their final tryst, Izzie had been unable to sleep, lying awake for hours as she stared at the shadows that danced across her ceiling in the dimness of her moonlit bedroom. She liked to blame her inability to fall asleep on the constant stress of her newly begun residency. It was easier for her to think that the pressure of her career prevented her sleep rather than to acknowledge that she, in the short time they were together, had gotten used to the amazing and often unpredictable relationship that she had formed with Mark, and that she was now unable to find rest because her body seemed to constantly ache with symptoms of withdrawal.

Days after her frustrating insomnia had begun, Izzie had surrendered herself to the sleepless nights, often rising at two or three in the morning and making her way to the kitchen. Each day her roommates would awaken to countertops filled with delicious baked goods. Muffins and cakes, cookies and brownies, and various other assorted sweets were constantly being thrown into the garbage, growing stale due to their inability to be eaten quickly enough as Izzie continued to produce more and more with each passing day. Despite the pounds of sugar that she mixed with equally succulent ingredients, the sweet aromas of the baking treats did little to whet her appetite. In fact, the anxious throb in the pit of her stomach seemed to have an acidic effect on her desire to enjoy food, leaving Izzie uncharacteristically devoid of an appetite.

Now as Izzie stood before him, she was increasingly aware of her exhausted appearance. She pushed aside her desire to win their unofficial staring contest, breaking his gaze as she bowed her head, giving in to her self-consciousness by crossing her arms across her chest. She swallowed nervously, her heart drumming loudly in her ears as she stood before him awkwardly.

Before she realized what was happening, she saw Mark's hand rising upwards, reaching toward her in an effort to gain her diverted attention. "Izzie…"

She jumped at the sound of him quietly uttering her name. The resonance of his deep voice sent a quiver through her body, and she looked up quickly, trying to keep her face free of the inner turmoil that she was currently experiencing as she stood before him. A part of her wanted to shove his hand away, to turn around and flee the stairwell, but there was a greater part of her that couldn't disregard the fiery desire that she felt as his piercing eyes seemingly attempted to burn a hole into her soul.

She breathed in a jagged breath, her eyes flickering to his outstretched hand before settling on his face. She blinked once, then twice as she struggled to formulate words that would seem appropriate for their first meeting.

Apparently, there were none.

She swallowed around a lump forming in her throat, trying to keep her tears at bay as she lifted her chin proudly. "Yes, Dr. Sloan?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, his hand immediately falling to his side as he set his jaw irritably. With a slight nod of his head, he began walking again, moving past her to the door behind her body. "Have a good day, Dr. Stevens," he told her, the words sounding rough as they echoed in her ears long after the door slammed shut behind him.

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Izzie pressed her lips tightly together, sniffing back her tears as she sliced a newly cooled batch of brownies into tiny squares. She sighed when she heard the front door open and then close, knowing instantly that her roommates had arrived home from the Emerald City Bar.

Within seconds their noses had lured them into the kitchen, and the three of them sat themselves in the stools across from Izzie, smiling at her expectantly as though they were children awaiting an after school snack. Izzie frowned, putting down the knife as she looked at them impatiently. "What?" she snapped.

At her question, Alex looked at her as though she'd suddenly lost her mind, as though it was unthinkable that she didn't know why they were sitting before her. "We're here for the drunk-eat."

Izzie's eyes narrowed with confusion. "The what?"

"The drunk-eat, Izzie. I'm wasted, and I'm starving. Feed me," Cristina commanded, her body swaying into Alex's as they huddled against the counter like vultures.

Izzie rolled her eyes, picking up the knife again as she continued to slice the brownies. "Feed yourselves," she muttered. "Everything's on the counter."

Cristina scowled, leaning forward so that she could pluck a chocolate chip muffin off an already overflowing plate. "You know I like you bitter and pissed off, Barbs, but you're starting to get on my nerves. You should think about getting yourself laid. You were seriously a lot more enjoyable when Sloan was hanging around."

At her words, Izzie's eyes instantly filled with tears, and she threw the knife against the counter so that it bounced, clattering loudly to the floor. The others jumped at her outburst, looking up at her with wide eyes. "Could you not mention him?" she demanded irritably, her voice quivering with emotion.

Alex and Cristina looked down at the counter uncomfortably, but Meredith's gaze remained unwavering as she stared at her with sympathy. "Iz, I know you miss him, but you can't wallow over this forever."

Izzie glared at her. "I'm not wallowing," she insisted, wiping the corner of her eyes with her shirtsleeves.

"Iz-"

"I'm not!" she snapped, but her face softened moments later as her shoulders slumped with defeat. "I just…I do miss him, but I'm scared of getting hurt. I haven't had the greatest luck with men this year," she admitted, her gaze turning to her obviously insulted roommate. "No offense, of course."

Alex shrugged. "Whatever," he grudgingly replied.

She closed her eyes, pressing her weight into the countertop. "I've just been so disappointed, and when…and when I realized how much Mark could hurt me, I just didn't know what else to do."

Cristina snorted, ignoring her mouthful of muffin as she spoke. "So to keep yourself from getting hurt, you broke things off with McSteamy?"

Izzie stared at her blankly, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip. "Well, yeah…"

"Well that's just stupid," Cristina muttered.

Izzie's eyes sharpened irritably. "What?"

"That's stupid," Cristina replied, saying the words slowly as though Izzie were incompetent. "You'd have to be an idiot to break up with someone just to keep from getting hurt later on."

Meredith grinned at Izzie's scowling expression. "She's kind of right, Iz. I realize that you're scared Mark will break your heart, but look at you now. You're hurting, which is exactly what you wanted to prevent in the first place, so what have you really accomplished?"

Izzie frowned, her eyes shifting to Alex's face as he slowly chewed on a slice of pound cake. When his eyes met hers, he offered her a smile, knowing that she was looking to him to back her up. "I know that I was an ass about you and Sloan, and I realize that you want me to agree with you on this one, but Iz, they're totally right. If he's who you want to be with..." She lowered her eyes to hide her quivering chin, but Alex leaned forward, momentarily covering her hand with his own so that she was forced to meet his gaze. "I hate Mark Sloan, but if you like him, I guess I could learn to like him. I just want you to be happy."

Meredith smiled at her, nodding her head in agreement. "Me too."

Cristina scowled when Meredith abruptly elbowed her in the ribs. "Fine, I do, too, but just for the record, it wouldn't hurt if you'd throw in a little 'bitter and pissed off' just to balance things out."

Izzie chuckled, wiping away a tear that had slyly escaped her eye. She untied her apron, setting the pink and white striped material on the counter and walking slowly around the kitchen island. "I think I'm going to go to bed," she told them tiredly, eyeing the food. "Can you guys take care of this?"

Alex and Cristina grinned, immediately standing from their stools and grabbing the plates full of baked goods, setting them in front of their seats. "Don't worry, we've got it covered," Alex muttered, already stuffing a bite of brownie into his mouth.

Meredith laughed, shaking her head at the site of her roommates devouring the desserts. She turned back to Izzie, eyeing her as she stood in the doorway. "Will you please think about what we said?"

Izzie offered her a small smile, nodding her head lightly. "I'll think about it, but maybe you should try taking your own advice for once," she quietly responded, causing Meredith to scowl.

When Meredith traveled upstairs an hour later, her stomach aching from her binge on leftover coconut cake, she stopped by Izzie's room to check on her, and she couldn't help but smile at the site before her as she peaked through the cracked doorway. With a light chuckle, she placed her hand on the knob, shaking her head gently as she quietly shut the door of the empty bedroom.

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As the key slid easily into the electronic slot, unlocking Mark's hotel room door with a click, Izzie couldn't help but wonder if she still had a right to enter his room without a prior invitation. Too late now, she wryly thought, pushing the door open and entering the room cloaked in darkness.

She held her breath, scared that the noise of her breathing would somehow seem irreverent in the otherwise silent suite. Carefully slipping off her shoes as she shut the door behind her, she turned toward the bed, blindly feeling her way as she traveled across the room.

When her foot hit the metal bed frame, she paused, mentally preparing herself for the possible backlash as she carefully lifted the sheets covering the bed. She could faintly see the outline of his slumbering body, the sharp contours of his chest peaking out from beneath the comforter. She took in a nervous breath before lowering herself to the mattress, sliding across the cool sheets until her body was pressed against his.

She could tell the instant he became aware of her presence, knowing that he was awake as soon as he went ridged when her warm skin came into contact with his naked body. His eyes slowly opened, adjusting in the darkness as he watched her with a blank expression. Izzie's heart fluttered, a nervous ache appearing in her stomach as she waited for his reaction.

He surprised her when his arms snaked out, wrapping around her frame and pulling her closer toward him. Her eyes initially widened in shock at his easy acceptance, and she briefly wondered if he was even aware of what was going on.

He let out an anxious breath, his cheek falling to her forehead when he felt the softness of her body pressing into his. "Izzie…"

She relaxed her muscles as she realized that he actually did know what was happening, willing herself not to cry as she carefully molded herself against him. "I'm sorry," she whispered shakily, her hands coming up against his chest. "I-"

"It's fine."

She paused, unprepared for his forgiving response. "It's…it's fine? That's all you have to say?"

He smiled at her nervousness, resting his chin on the top of her hair as he breathed in the feminine scent that he'd missed with alarming intensity. "That's it for now. I don't want to talk about anything tonight; I just want to lay with you."

Izzie nodded, hoping that he didn't notice the tear that had rolled off her chin, disappearing onto the planes of his chest. "Okay," she whispered, her hands rising up so that her fingers could clench the muscles of his shoulders. She sighed, her mouth closing, then opening, and then closing again as she attempted to comply with his request, but no matter how hard she tried to remain quiet, she couldn't dismiss the feeling that she might explode if she didn't immediately utter the words that she'd practiced over and over during her drive to the Archfield. "It's just…it's just that it's not okay. I can't not talk about it; I need to tell you how sorry I am, how-"

"Iz-"

"No, Mark, I need to. I should've given you the benefit of the doubt where Addison was concerned. I mean, not that you've ever given me a reason to trust you, but you've never actually given me a reason not to, either. Sure, you've been a bit of a manwhore since coming to Seattle, but that was before we started our, uh, our whatever you want to call it, and-" She groaned in frustration, realizing that she was rambling. With a sigh, she tried again. "When I saw her standing in your room…god, Mark, you have no idea how…how terrible it was to think that you'd been with her…to think that I hadn't been enough for you. I felt like I'd been slapped in the face, literally slapped, and even when you told me what happened, I couldn't forget that feeling of rejection and hurt. I don't know what I would do if you ever really betrayed me like that. And it's scary, you know? It's scary to think that someone has that much power over my feelings, especially when-"

"Izzie, stop talking," he whispered, interrupting her thoughts as his lips captured hers in a kiss filled with passion and pent up frustration. She moaned as he took her lower lip between his, sucking gently before thrusting his tongue into her mouth. Her toes curled as goose bumps covered her body, her desire heightening as he ravished her lips in a kiss that left her breathless. When he pulled away from her, he smirked knowingly, satisfied with himself as he watched her panting in the darkness. "Do you think you can be quiet now?"

She swallowed, staring at him earnestly with wide eyes as she nodded slowly. "Probably," she whispered.

She settled against him, concentrating on his breathing as she placed her head over his heart. Silence engulfed the room as they lay entangled in one another's bodies, Mark's hand slowly stroking her back in rhythmic circles. Izzie was nearly asleep when a thought suddenly occurred to her, and she opened her eyes, staring blindly into the darkness. "Did you know that I was coming?"

"Hmm?"

"You didn't seem very surprised when I came in. Did you know that I was going to come?"

He pursed his lips in thought, his hand momentarily stilling on the middle of her back. "I didn't think that you'd come tonight, but I thought that you would probably come eventually," he admitted. "I'm glad that I didn't have to wait, though. I've missed having you beside me."

She turned her head, angling her face so that she could stare into his face. "Well I missed being beside you, a lot more than I thought I would," she acknowledged with a small smile. "But I was still afraid to come."

He stared at her curiously, his eyes narrowing on her face. "Then why did you?"

She shrugged, a small grin coming to her face. "I couldn't stay away, I guess. I think I might be a little bit addicted to you," she teased.

He smiled, resuming his rhythmic caresses. "Really? Because I think I might be falling a little bit in love with you."

She blew out a surprised breath, her eyes going wide with astonishment as they sparkled with tears. For the first time in Isobel Steven's life, she was truly speechless.

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