You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

26┃you're impossible

S4 EP11

BIRDS WERE CHIRPING ON the thin branches of trees surrounding the narrow path. The soft sound of a nearby stream flowing and splashing was calming and soothing. The air was chilly, so to speak-they were in what seemed like a forest, after all.

The sun had barely risen when Norah was already trekking on muddy land, stiffening her third yawn in five minutes.

"Derek, are you gonna tell us where we're heading?" she questioned, her hands inside the pockets of her hoodie. "The road's mucky, and I'm starting to not feel my feet."

"Why does it always have to be about the destination?" he sighed, "Why can't it be about the journey?"

"Because you woke me up at five in the morning for this," she scowled. "Plus, I gotta start sketching out an escape route in case you're planning to kidnap us out here in the woods."

"And I'm wearing 300-dollar shoes," Mark added.

"Meredith told me she doesn't want me seeing other people," Derek stated as he looked between his two friends, who were walking on either side of him.

"She found out about you and Rose?"

"No. There's nothing to find out," he claimed, "It was just a kiss."

"And the bloody gun shot me twice," Norah blurted out. The two men turned to look at her, their eyes narrowed with worry. "Ignore me, it's the lack of sunshine," she brushed them off with a wave of her hand.

"You're sunshine enough," Mark spoke; she merely replied to him with a 'hm'.

"Something going on?" Derek questioned as he stared between the two.

"Nope."

They climbed up a small hill between some trees; Mark extended her a hand, but she declined it, leaping up the ground effortlessly. "About last night... I didn't mean to... snap, you know?"

Norah lifted her head to him, staring at the worrying crease on his forehead. "It's nothing," she insisted, "We were all exhausted and cranky. Forget about it."

"So... This friendship still stands?"

"Not so easy to get rid of me, you see," she smirked, and he rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "You're buying me coffee for the rest of the week, though."

He snorted, "You're talking as if I don't do that every week."

They continued following behind Derek, who led them into a clearing. The sky was clear, a wide patch of green grass stretched through a distance; the view of Seattle from the top of the hill overlooked the surrounding valley causing Norah's jaw to drop.

"Norah, you might wanna close your mouth before bugs fly in," Derek snickered before staring out the hill excitedly. "What do you guys think?"

"Well, what are we looking at?" Mark asked.

"The view from my new house," Derek announced, a broad smile stuck on his face.

"Whoa, this is bloody brilliant," Norah spoke in awe, "Hey, Shep, dump the nurse... whatever her name was, and date me already."

❦ ❦ ❦

NORAH HAD JUST ASSIGNED Kirian, Nina, and Jace on cases, and the three of them had scattered off in different directions. She was just about to look for someone in particular when Lexie ran up to her urgently, scratching her arms and stomach.

"Dr Lawrence, I-I think I need some epinephrine," the intern spoke.

"Um, okay...? Follow me." Norah headed towards one on the cart at the side of the hallway and found George looking for something. "What did you do?" she asked before turning to the other intern, "Hey, George, could you get her some epi?"