The Starting Line

Chapter 25

Curled up beside Mark, Eleanora wakes with a start as the sound of a pager fills the previously silent air of their bedroom. She panics, rolling over to lie on her side instead of halfway on top of her boyfriend. She grabs the pager and picks it up, squinting at it in the dark. She smiles tiredly before throwing it onto the nightstand and turning around, hitting Mark on his cheek.

"It's your pager."

Mark groaned, throwing his arm towards the nightstand to grab it. He lifted it above his head and read it before sighing and putting it back down. He turns his head to press a kiss to Eleanora's lips, holding it for a moment. She kisses him back, but soon shoos him away.

"Go, it's an emergency."

"Yes, yes, I'm leaving." Mark grumbled, throwing the comforter at her. He grabs his sweatpants from the floor and puts them on, watching in amusement as Eleanora crawls to his side of the bed and pulls the covers up over her head like a cocoon, obviously finding the warmth on his side comfortable.

"Don't get too comfortable, you still have work in the morning." Mark teases softly, leaning in for one last kiss before he stumbles tiredly into the bathroom to take a quick shower and change.

Eleanora snuggles deeper into the duvet, feeling four little paws step on her before she lies down, Josie's purr vibrating against her in a soothing way.

"I love you." Eleanora screamed before closing her eyes again, hearing Mark let out a small curse and a small thud sounding from her bathroom.

"I love you too, Nora! Shit, that hurts. We have to move this towel rack!"

"I Always knew Wallace's parents were rich, but not $25 million rich." Arizona told everyone in Callie's kitchen the next morning for a breakfast joint. "I mean, that's how much money they get, the libraries with your name. Saving babies in Africa and dining at the White House regularly."

They had started doing this after Eleanora and Mark moved in, always having breakfast together once every two weeks or maybe more. Lexie and Max even come over, which is why Eleanora was hitting her brother's hands while he was trying to snatch a piece of toast off the plate she was making.

She and Callie were usually on kitchen duties, Mark, Max and Arizona helping out from time to time. But most of all, Callie liked to be in control of breakfast and Eleanora just liked to cook.

"Keep your greasy hands out of the food, Maxwell." Eleanora hissed, Lexie laughing from her seat on the island.

"Ooh, he got the full name." Lexie teased her boyfriend; Max gave her a playful look before leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

"Careful, Alexandra."

"People don't give me that kind of money. You have an unfair advantage; you work with children." Mark grumbled, ignoring the small argument and staying with Arizona's conversation. Eleanora rolled her eyes but smiled and walked over to give him his plate. He smiled at her and put the newspaper down while he took it. "Thank you, doll."

Eleanora returns, moving forward to finish another plate of food. Callie makes a good point, raising her voice so Owen can hear from where he was getting ready in Cristina's room. "Oatmeal with fruit, wheat toast, no butter."

"Thank you." Owen told them, giving them both a quick smile before sitting down. Max narrowed his eyes at the plate, Eleanora scoffed before holding hers under her nose.

"Scrambled eggs, two pieces of crispy bacon, wheat toast with jam." Max gave her a big smile and Eleanora returned it. Mark and Lexie, who had sat on the other end of the couch from her, share a look when they realize how similar the two siblings look.