The Ga on call room

Two weeks had passed

Two weeks had passed since Meredith arrived back in Seattle, which also meant that two weeks had passed since Mark had been right about something for once.

"You better stock up on the scotch now Joe, 'cause I get the feeling that Derek's ass will be a frequent visitor to your barstools over the next month or so."

So it was unsurprising that Derek and Mark could be found drinking at the Emerald City Bar, after a long shift. Derek was drinking away his sorrows, while Mark was drinking away his last weeks of freedom. It was a win-win situation for them both.

Derek was in the process of discovering that the road to moving on, or attempting to, was a road that could not be taken with ease. Unfortunately for Derek, but fortunately for Rose, this road required subtle public displays of affection and a complete indifference towards Meredith and this was something that Derek had always found difficult.

"So are we ever going to engage in the art formerly known as conversation, or are you just going to sit there, stare contemplatively into your glass and mooch?" Mark bluntly asked.

Derek slowly raised his head, narrowed his eyes and responded, " No one asked you to come mark. I'm perfectly capable of drinking on my own." And with that Derek raised his glass for Joe to refill.

"I'm aware that you're perfectly capable of drinking on your own." Mark said as he watched Derek gulp down his scotch, 'But if you don't remember, the last time you drank alone, you took home a tiny blonde, or she took you home, and you've been pining after her ever since." Mark finished.

"I have not been pining after her...I just...I'm moving on!" Derek spat out firmly.

"Really? How's that workin' for you?" Mark asked wryly.

"It's...been a little difficult, but when has life ever been easy?"

"When it comes to you, my dear, unfortunate friend, life has and never will be easy. Personally, I blame it on the hair." Mark mused. "God graced you with hair that makes women swoon, so now he has to find some other way to torture you."

"Thanks Mark. I'm just so glad I forgave you for sleeping with my wife, otherwise I'd have no idea what I would have done without your wise words."

Anytime." Mark paused, " The wisdom, I mean...not the whole sleeping with your wife part."

"Good to know. Don't you have table settings to pick out, or flower arrangements to choose? Derek inquired, "Is there anything that will get you out of my apparently cursed hair?"

"That makes me feel so appreciated." Mark told him. " For your information, Izzie and I chose pack six for the table arrangements."

"Mark Sloan, "Wedding Planner Extraordinaire", who would have though?" Derek asked, "Certainly not half the female population of the United States."

"You're just bitter because you were one of those skeptics that never thought I would settle down and commit to the one woman, and you're also pissed by the fact that I did it before you." Mark responded with a knowing smile.

"You're forgetting that I've already done the whole marriage thing once before."

"Yeah, and look how well that turned out."

"No thanks to you."

"Are we really going to have this talk again?" Mark asked, slightly hurt.

"No.. I just... I guess you're right... I always thought by now that I have the American Dream...you know? Or at least some version of it. Now all I've got to my name is a tab at Joe's bar." Derek said.

"Jesus Derek, wallow in self pity much? I hate to break it to you, but you've got no one else to blame for your current predicament but yourself."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"No problem. Anyway, enough about you, let's talk about me...well me and Iz. I am honored to tell you that you have been summoned for you're first best man duty." Mark informed Derek.

"Oh yeah? What does this duty entail?"

"Wedding cake tasting."

"Excuse me? You need my help to taste cakes.?"

"Actually, we need yours and Meredith's help. Izzie wants varying opinions from people she can trust, so that she can make an informed decision. Apparently if we don't have the perfect cake, we'd starting our marriage a step behind. So the cake is critical to the success of our blessed union." Mark said, while trying not to smile as he recalled Izzie's words to him.

"Meredith and I?"

"Is that the only part you heard? Do I really need to repeat myself?

Derek glared at Mark before replying, 'Okay...fine, I'll be there. When is it?"

"Saturday evening. Izzie managed to convince the place to open just especially for us. I hate to see what the cost will be for my credit card because of that little privilege. I'll find out the address from Izzie and give it to you tomorrow, 'cause I wouldn't have a clue where it is." Mark stated.

"It's good to know that you're so involved in your own wedding preparations, that you know exactly where your all important cake will be coming from." Derek muttered.

"I know the important shit Derek. You know...like the time and date of the wedding and when I have a suit fitting."

"You're going to be a great husband Mark."

"I know. Oh, and ah...Izzie told me to tell you that no Roses will be required for the cake testing..." Mark winked.

"Funny. You're a funny guy."

Cake testing with Meredith Grey, how sweet. Literally