You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

AU│without him

IN WHICH Norah dodges a tragedy, but that doesn't mean that the world is on her side...

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This AU chapter continues the last part of Chapter 84 'calm before the storm', ignoring the part where Derek asks Norah to join their case in Boise (:

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[CW: plane crash, description of injuries, trauma, character deaths... and tears]

S8 EP23

NORAH SENT A GLARE TO Derek as she walked up to Mark, the Neuro attending returning her with an apologetic smile. The group of surgeons gathered in the hospital's lobby, and all dressed in jackets with suitcases beside them.

"Did you pack enough clothes?" she asked the plastic surgeon, who was staring at her with a stupid smile on his face while she zipped up his jacket as she would do to Kai. "Toiletries? Towel? Cash? And no shaving-I love this face the way it is."

He nodded half-heartedly before cupping both sides of her face and planting a long, sweet kiss on her lips. "The mom-side of you is turning me on, oddly enough," he admitted, and she rolled her eyes back at him.

She leaned up to his ear, whispering, "Get back in one piece, and we shall see what happens tomorrow night."

"Laurie, that's not helping with everything happening below the belt."

Before either of them could add another comment, Mark yelped as he got attacked by an item thrown at his back.

"Keep the dirty talk elsewhere, for love's sake," Timothy faked a gag, picking up the rubber lizard from the floor. He had a bag over his shoulder and another in his hand; Lexie snorted at the look he gave her when she placed a rubber lizard on his shoulder.

Norah smiled at them. Everything was fine.

A prick of chills ran down her spine-one that was clouded with the thickest layer of fog.

Her face faltered slightly as her brows furrowed, but Timothy had snapped her out of her thoughts with his arms held open, wanting a hug. She shook her head with a small smile before crushing her brother in her arms.

"Ow, ow, ow-"

"See you in two days, cheeky sod," she smirked, glancing over to the other resident. "See ya, Lexie."

"Thanks for letting me on this surgery!" the younger resident piped up. "I mean, obviously, this is a rare opportunity-conjoined twins, who're we kidding?-And Derek was about to ask you, and-"

"Lexipedia-I'm expecting a full recount on the surgery, every detail," Norah chuckled as Mark placed a kiss on her head. She lifted her head to him, losing herself in the pair of blues. She narrowed her eyes, which made him raise a brow curiously.

"What?"

"Nothing... I just love you, a lot."

He felt a skip in his heartbeat, a grin creeping up his face. "Well, not saying that it's a competition, but I love you more than that," he shrugged before giving her one last hug.

"I should get Kai from daycare... It's getting late," she stated, slowly backing away from the group after waving them goodbye. "Remember to-"

"-text you when we land," he finished her sentence with a smile. "Don't worry. I won't forget."