Who Would Have Thought

Chapter 27

"The game sucked last night, Mark," Derek sighed, poking the lettuce in his salad with his fork. "You really didn't miss anything."

"Yeah, that's what Addie spent half the night saying," Mark groaned. "Apparently you tell a chick you love her and it's all about dates and shit."

"I'm sure it's been very hard on you," Derek rolled his eyes.

"If it didn't end in sex," Mark shrugged. "At least the sex hasn't gone to shit."

"Why would the sex go to shit?" Derek frowned slightly.

"Sex always goes to shit in relationships. Everyone knows that, Shep."

"Everyone doesn't know that," Derek sighed. "Plenty of people in relationships have amazing sex."

"Like you would know," Mark smirked. "You and Grey still aren't screwing?"

"We're not," Derek frowned slightly. "We're...going slow."

"There's slow and then there's torture."

"Yeah, I know."

"So what's the fucking problem? Grey gone frigid?"

"Definitely not," Derek shook his head. "She's...amazing. And things are going great. Just...slow."

"Slow is bullshit."

"We're getting there. I think we are at least."

"You know, if you're not sure...I've heard the blue pills help," Mark chuckled to himself as he stabbed at his salad.

"Don't be an idiot."

"I'm not. What's the hold up?"

"We're taking it slow," Derek sighed. "We need...I want us to be strong before we get back into all of that."

"You're such a girl, Derekina."

"Because I want this thing with Mer to last?"

"Because you're into the emotions and shit. What the hell difference does it make?"

"It makes a difference," Derek shrugged. "I want it to mean something...I want...we're not even together yet."

"You're starting to sound like me. You date her, you sleep at her place, hell, you have a toothbrush over there."

"I know," Derek nodded. "But we're still unofficial and right now...right now is not the time to talk about becoming official."

"Why the hell not?"

"She has sisters."

"Grey doesn't have sisters."

"Actually she does," Derek sighed. "She just found out that apparently her dad got remarried and had two girls."

"And now Grey has sisters," Mark shook his head. "That's messed up."

"It is. Her one sister is in the hospital...brain tumor. Roberts removed it."

"And Grey's freaking out, right?"

"Completely."

"Great," Mark groaned. "I say end it with her now, man."

"What? No."

"Come on, Shep, you remember last time."

"Of course I remember last time," Derek sighed. "And I'm...terrified. But I'm not ending it with her just because I'm terrified."

"It's a preemptive strike."

"I'm not ending it with her," Derek shook his head. "I'm...I can't do that. I don't even want to do that. I...I'm falling for her again, completely and totally falling and I'm not walking away just because things are getting a little bumpy."