23. Forbidden

"Then Mer and Cristina went on Cristina's honeymoon without me," Izzie said with a glance at the two best friends. Emily laid down on the bed beside Alex, reading up on some of the newest medical innovations.

"Girl-on-girl honeymoon."

"And then Alex took a roadtrip to see Ava without me."

"I did not go to see Ava. And her name's Rebecca. And I didn't go see her. I just drove in that direction." Letting her book drop onto her abdomen, Emily tilted her head back far enough to give her friend an incredulous look.

"Right," she sang, picking up her book again.

"And then Emily went to every tourist attraction in Seattle ever with Sloan. The Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Needle, Pike Place Market, every museum ever, like every single day trip possible."

"And a boat tour," Emily added helpfully. Rolling onto her stomach, she placed her book on the bed to smile cheekily at Izzie.

"Oh, why is everyone so tingly and hurt? I mean, I'm the one who was left at the altar. I'm fine, by the way. I honeymooned in Hawaii and I snorkeled. Thank you, Em, by the way." Perking up, the brunette shrugged.

"No problem. Mark paid for most of it," she said, "and helped with changing stuff. I don't know. I'm glad you had fun, though."

Cristina groaned at that, slumping against the wall. "Great. Now I have to thank Sloan for giving me my honeymoon."

.

"How's it going so far?" Mark whispered in his ear with a slight smile. Her skin burned as she smiled back.

"In control. Good." She knew he was hovering and she turned to look at him in this elevator. Her interns all stared curiously at her and she rolled her eyes as the doors opened. Walking out first, she snapped her fingers when they didn't follow.

"I'll see you later," he murmured and she nodded in response. His hand touched her arm briefly before brushing past her. Tying her hair up, she shot stern looks at the interns.

"Okay." She assumed an aura that she hoped would make Bailey proud. The resident herself was organizing the E.R. staff. "We've got multiple MVCs coming in. I'm assuming you know the proper protocol. You are to ask questions, listen to me or the attending, and not get in our way of patient care. Not only do I not want to hear that one of my interns is the reason there was a time of death but you are here to learn. Got it?" They froze. "I am waiting." They nodded jerkily, tying their trauma gowns clumsily.

"You are really kickin' the pups," Alex scoffed as she shrugged.

"And you aren't?" she quipped. "Alright, all four of you need to stay here and get gowned. What are your names?"

"Michael Kinney."

"Ethan Lawson."

"Liam Johnson."

Running their names over in her head, she turned to the last one, the only female.

"Charlotte Young," the redhead said and she nodded.

"Prep beds, get gowned. I want you to come meet the ambulances when you're done." Walking out to the ambulance bay, she pulled on a pair of gloves and brushed past some of the other interns with her friends. Bailey and Callie both accompanied them as the ambulances pulled in.

"You wait until we're done with this situation, write down your questions and we can answer them later," she added to her interns as they fidgeted with tying their gowns around their necks. "Alright, people. Let's go."

.

"Young, get over here! We need to staunch that bleed. Meredith, you got this?" she asked the blonde as her hands replaced the other's with gauze. Wheeling her to trauma room one, the brunette pulled out he ultrasound as Charlotte Young watched in awe. "I'll do the arm you do the ultrasound?"

"Sure."

"Interns, against the wall and writing questions," Emily said and they all filed in. "I'll call on you when I have something for you to do." Taking the pillows away from the sedated woman, she propped up the severed arm as the E.R. staff hooked her up to monitors before leaving. Meredith sent her a bemused glance before asking about her sister.

Bending over, she peered at the damage and began to gently slow the bleeding. The damage was severe but the cut was clean. There might be a chance to reattach it. Or at least, Emily hoped there was.

"Kinney, page plastics." The man nodded, going for the phone and taking out his pager book.

"Oh, you - you met Lexie?." George asked. Meredith hummed, asking why he didn't tell her. "I've kind of had a lot going on."

"This is trauma room one," Izzie announced, coming in. "And you can see, it's - there's a trauma. Hey, guys, do you need some help?" she asked, leaning in beside the fetal monitor. Emily smiled to herself, grabbing more gauze and surrounding the wound. "Please tell me you need some help."

"It's a little crowded in here already, Iz," Meredith whispered, taking a cloth and rubbing away the gel for the ultrasound. Emily straightened up, watching the blood stain the pillows. Pressing the white material softly against the wound, she glanced at the patient to make sure she was still unconscious.

The door from the other side of the room swung open and Emily turned around to see Mark. He groaned, rubbing out a crick in his neck as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

"Good morning," he whispered and she rolled her eyes to herself. The older surgeon slipped into work mode immediately as he asked for a summary of the injuries.

"Uh, Nancy Walters. Complete amputation."

"The baby looks fine, but she's having some contractions." Nancy began to wake up and Emily made sure her arm was covered up once more so she wouldn't freak out. The woman slowly drifted her gaze over her surroundings.

"Hi, Nancy. I'm Dr. Sloan. You mind if I take a look?" he asked as Izzie walked around the bed. She leaned into Emily's space as the brunette moved her head back in surprise and confusion.

"It's a clean cut," said Emily in a reminder that she was still here, prompting Izzie to pull back. "I thought there would be a chance of reattachment?"

"I thought so, too. Hang antibiotics and put on a sterile, moist dressing. There's a good chance of recovery here. Grey, do we have an arm?"

"They're looking for it."

"My baby has no father. He's already down two arms. So he r-really needs me to have an arm," she mused aloud. Mark lifted the gauze once more before covering it. Emily sighed, reaching for more of the stuff to replace it. Blood was oozing slowly, but it was still enough to be worried about.

"Get me that arm," Mark ordered sympathetically.

"Does anything else hurt?" She asked the patient who chuckled.

"Besides having only one arm… not really."

"We're going to take really good care of you, okay?" Mark sighed, pulling off his rubber gloves and paused on his way out besides Emily. His nose brushed her ear and she paused in her work, biting her lip.

"Dr. Sloan," she whispered, resuming her work and he hummed huskily under his breath, turning away and leaving. Meredith arched an eyebrow at that and Emily sighed, knowing she wanted to say something.

"Interns, go somewhere else and explore. I page you, you come running," she instructed. They filed out dutifully and Emily faced her friend.

"What was that?"

"Nothing is happening."

"I saw something that definitely happened," Meredith sang. "You, you, and you, go run labs. George," Meredith tilted her head to Emily and the brunet had a slight, smug smile upon his face. The other three interns left as George pretended to busy himself. "I thought you said you guys were just friends."

"We are. Nothing happened."

"Something happened."

"Nope-"

"Yes," Nancy piped up, "and I have two arms. Are you and Dr. Sloan dating?" Emily sighed, resting her gloved hands on the side of the bed atop the pillow. Glancing down at their patient, she shrugged.

We're… thinging."

"Thinging?"

"A mutual understanding. We're not dating yet."

"Why not?" their patient intervened and the two of them glance down at her. "Sorry. It's just he's really hot."

"Because there are other things about you know." She raised her eyebrows expressively. Meredith nodded and Emily pulled off her gloves, fidgeting with the knot at the base of her neck. Meredith's lips pressed together and Nancy glanced between them.

"Yeah, I know."

.

"Oh, look at them," Emily murmured as the babys squirmed. Adjusting the grip on her bag, she made sure it didn't catch on her cream-colored coat. "So cute." Mark came up behind her, hands in his lab coat pockets. "Aren't they cute?"

"Yeah," he muttered and she turned to him. His eyes raked over her figure, tugging on the breast lapels and making sure they weren't pressed underneath her bag straps. "I told Derek i came to Seattle for him and it sounded completely unmanly."

"Aw, that's cute," she teased, hands running down the front of his shirt. Wiggling the pen clipped to his breast pocket, she sighed and brushed off invisible dust from his shoulder. "That's good."

"Yeah." He held her arms and her eyes met his. They silently asked for something and she leaned up to peck his lips. His eyes fluttered shut and she stayed there for awhile, just savoring in his smell and presence. A perfect goodnight kiss.

"I've got to go; get some sleep," she whispered and lowered herself back onto flat feet. "Goodnight, Mark."

His hands cupped her face and she pressed her forehead between his eyes. "'Night."

.

"Ooh… espresso machine. You better get it," Emily exclaimed as she bounced beside Mark. He had his eyes set on the device as Cristina brokered a deal. Accepting it, he removed Izzie's hand with a slight territorial glint in his eyes. "Yes! Come to us, baby!" They high-fived and she leaned up. "Congratulatory kiss," she said.

Leaning down, he glanced back and forth to make sure Derek was nowhere in sight before quickly pecking her lips. "Congratulatory kiss," he echoed before holding up a hand. "But high-five for the best friends." Slapping her hand against his again, she watched him go.

"So much better when it's two against one," she sighed as Bailey approached them and their black market dealings. Emily slid away subtly towards her interns, about to take them on rounds. Their pagers began to beep and she snapped her fingers. Her interns fell in and she started leading them to the pit.

"Let's go. Carnage trumps rounds."

.

Emily waited by the nurse's station, slowly pushing her phone in a circle around her pinched fingers as she spotted Meredith walking up to the station.

"Hey, Mer," she said and the blonde gave a smile back.

"Em. Whatcha up to?"

"Waiting for someone. You?" Meredith sighed, glancing around. Emily wondered if it was because she knew her well or if it was a lucky guess, but the brunette knew her friend was looking for Derek.

"Same here." Emily came over and stood beside her, offering a smile. "Are you waiting for Mark?"

"Yeah. We're going out for drinks, if you wanna come. We're going as friends," she added hastily upon seeing Meredith's apprehensive look.

"I don't get that."

"Yeah? And I don't get you waiting for the guy you broke up with," Emily said.

"That obvious?"

"Mark is, a, one of the biggest gossips, and b, my best friend. How wouldn't I know?" Meredith conceded to that. "Besides, I sleep at your house sometimes. I sleep on your couch after Izzie lets me in. I can hear him leave 'cause your staircase is the creakiest piece of work ever."

"Izzie lets you into my house?"

"Yeah." Emily shrugged. "Sometimes, your place has more food than mine."

"Is that why you randomly show up in the morning?"

"Maybe." Meredith chuckled as Mark strode up to them, the espresso machine box in his hands.

"Dr. Grey. I'm heading over to Joe's with your lovely friend here. You want to grab a drink with us?" Emily shared a look with Meredith before eyeing the man.

"Already asked her. She's waiting for someone." Mark paused, eyes flickering to the floor briefly as he trailed off.

"Yeah… Derek asked me to track you down. He's, uh, stuck with a patient. He's not gonna be able to meet you," he explained and Emily frowned. Meredith adjusted her grip on the bag as the hazel-eyed woman turned to stare up at him. "He sends his apologies."

"Oh, okay." The disappointment bit her tone greedily but still a smile found a way onto her face as Mark started backing away. Emily rolled her eyes at Meredith as Mark plastered a silly smile on his face.

"So, Joe's?"

"Leave her alone, Mark," she said and the plastics surgeon laughed. "I'll see you later, Mer."

"Have a good night." Nodding, the two best friends walked towards the entrance closest to Joe's.

"Derek wasn't really held up with a patient, was he?" Emily asked as soon as they hit the sidewalk. Mark shifted his grip on the box, pondered over his response for a few moments, and then responded.

"No."

.

"Mark, this is Really Old Guy. Really Old Guy, this is Mark, my best friend who I've been talking about."

"He's got a name."

"Yeah, well, I didn't pick the nickname," she said, biting into her apple. He sighed.

"I just wanted my good morning kiss," he complained and she shot him a look. "I didn't want to be dragged into some old guy's room."

"Mark, I'm tryna show you my life before you," she exclaimed and he sighed. As she bit into her apple again, he turned her just enough to face him, leaned down, kissed her lips and left. Gawking after him, she swallowed her apple and then turned to Really Old Guy.

"Did you see that? I mean, you didn't but did you hear it? I can't believe this." Pinching the apple between her teeth, she followed after him as she tied her hair up into a easy ponytail.

.

"Hey, Mark," she greeted, coming into the office. Mark turned around in the office chair and smiled despite himself. He had to admit, the words were starting to blur his vision. "What is that?"

"Hemiglossectomy." Reading the papers, she frowned thoughtfully and brushed her hand to move the first sheet and read the second and he watched her eyes dart across the pages.

"Have you even done one before?" Glancing at him, her eyebrows knit together as he shook his head guiltily. Taking the papers, he tapped them against the table to realign them before placing them beyond his mug of coffee.

"Did connect leg to elbow once," he said unhelpfully. She ran a hand through his hair, taking hold and shaking it gently. The presence of her hand calmed him and he looked helplessly at his emails. Typing out hemiglossectomy research papers, he watched the browser load. "I feel old." Her hand ran down the back of his head, prompting him to look up at her.

"You're not old. You're very young and energetic."

"Thanks." Her hand trailed down to his shoulder as she leaned against the table. "I want you to scrub in, if you'd like." Crossing her arms, she nodded.

"Sure." The door opened soon after and she glanced up. "Hey, Derek."

"Hey." Sitting down on the free office chair, the neurosurgeon's gaze flickered between the two. Mark raised his head from his hand, glancing at his friend as Emily looked around the room. There was a long awkward silence before she made up something about her interns and left.

"No sleeping with Noah Moore's little sister," Derek immediately said as soon as she was gone. Mark's head shot up and his eyes widened considerably. "You have, already, haven't you?"

"Of course not. She's his little sister."

"Yeah, and now she's forbidden. Keep your hands off of her," he warned with a smirk. Mark rolled his eyes but his mind was a whirlwind. Things just got more complicated. "She's our best friend's little sister and she doesn't need you baggage."

"Well, yeah, I know that." Except she had already held it for him, shouldered the weight with him. He wondered if she even wanted it or if she just did it because she felt something. He wouldn't tell Derek, Mark decided. No, he would not. "Don't worry. I have the nurses to sleep with."

"Oh. How many have you slept with already?"

"Not that many," he lied. Before the wedding, the list was way more than it should've been for the foremost plastics surgeon in the west coasts. The hemiglossectomy research results showed up and he sighed, staring at the tongues. "You ever feel old?"

"I'm young. I'm a fetus."

"Nah, I mean you ever feel like there's gonna be a time when new techniques pass you by?"

"I'm a genius," Derek said between spoonfuls of whatever crap he was eating. Mark couldn't tell if it was porridge or yogurt. It was something like a mix between the two, "and a scholar."

"Shut up."

.

"Callie?" The brunette searched for the resident after that embarrassing event in the cafeteria. Izzie herself was probably embarrassed and Emily knew even she was still burning from the second-hand embarrassment herself. She walked around a corner before bumping into a shorter woman. "Oh! Dr. Grey. Lexie."

"Dr. Moore." She stepped back, eyes wide. "I was just… I'm sorry."

"Emily," she amended before noting the blood tests in her hands. "Did you need to take these up to the labs?" The intern nodded and she smiled. "I can take you up there. You're new, you can still get lost."

"Thank you, Dr. Moore."

They reached lab and found no line for once. Handing it to the woman behind the counter, she quirked an eyebrow. "Page Dr. Grey when they're done. This Dr. Grey. 'L' not 'M'." Nodding, the woman took the samples as Emily turned back to Lexie. "You should probably be getting back to Cristina before she gets on your ass."

"You're right. Yeah, I have to go. It was nice talking to you!" She watched her go before remembering what she was even doing roaming the halls. Then, she thought about the cafeteria and sighed heavily.

Callie, right. Choosing a direction, she made a loose floor plan and set off.

.

"Derek said you were forbidden and illegal," Mark said and she shot him a look.

"Derek isn't the boss of you," she teased and he sighed, flicking a tendril of hair off her shoulder. "So, not the right time?"

"He said you don't need my emotional baggage. You should, though." He sniffed haughtily and she laughed as she signed her name off in the chart and settled it on her pile. "It's vintage."

"Haha," she muttered sarcastically. "Well, mine is designer. Very valuable." He laughed, leaning over the counter as she looked up at him. The hospital was quiet, dark as the night and only the glow of the computer screen as well as a single lamp lit up her workspace.

"So, you don't mind me being moody and unreasonable?"

"No, because you are unreasonable when it comes to me," she said loftily. He smirked, pressing forward on his forearms. She stood up and his eyes followed her as she gravitated towards him. He straightened up, their faces mere centimetres apart.

"You're not wrong there, jailbait." Her eyes flickered from his lips to his eyes, a sliver of her tongue poking out between her lips before a coy smile curled her lips.

"But I'm forbidden, and illegal. So, you must stay five feet away at all times."

"That's unfair," he complained as she took her stacked charts. "Who am I supposed to hang out with?"

"What about the guy who just put up police tape around me?" she called as she walked away. His head dipped as she began filing away the charts on the metal rack. Returning to the desk, she turned off the computer and lamp. They plunged into darkness, and she reached a hand to feel his face. Her eyes closed.

A hand covered hers and she opened her eyes again as he took her hand and pressed a kiss to his palm. His lips stayed against her palm and she sighed, feeling her heart in her ears.

"I can't stay away from you," he whispered against her skin and she used her other hand to cup his face. "But, Derek-"

"I know." Her eyes closed and every fiber ached for his body against hers. "We can wait."

"We can wait," he echoed, bypassing her hand and aiming for her lips. They met quietly as she sighed softly into the kiss. Again, and again, they continued on in their own little bubble until they needed air and even then, she wanted more.

"Mark, I don't want to wait."

"I don't either, but I just got my best friend back."

"Yeah, I know you did. And I'm so happy for you, so that's why I will."

"You should go home before the police come. I broke the restraining order." She chuckled at his words. Her hands drew away from his face. In the darkness, she could only feel his breath and his heat. The smell of his cologne invaded her senses and she walked around the countertop. His gaze followed after her and she stopped before him. Even in the darkness, she could see the faint outline from the light in a hallway behind him. Brushing past him, she was about to turn the corner to go to the resident's lounge before pausing.

"You know I'd wait for you forever, right?" she asked, staring straight ahead.

"Yeah. And I'm never leaving you alone. Not if I can help it." That warm feeling surged up her chest and spread down to her toes and she looked down to her shoes, continuing forward. Her hand in her pockets, she turned the corner before he could see the stupidest smile on her face.

.

"Identical techniques?" Emily asked, nearly choking on her coffee as the nurses continued.

"We formed a club. Nurses United Against Mark Sloan," Olivia informed as Mark paused for a second.

"Are there any, uh, club activities?" Walking away, the nurses shared annoyed glances as Emily smacked him on the arm. "What?"

"I thought you stopped sleeping with nurses," she said.

"I did. Ever since you, I haven't touched a single woman." Touched, she hid her blush behind her coffee cup. Turning around, the two surgeons saw a certain neurosurgeon approaching and the two glanced at each other. Mark mouthed words to her and she slowly inched a professional distance away. She faced away, leaning on her elbow and sipping her coffee.

"Oh, man. You would not believe what just happened to me." Mark started and she tilted her head slightly to listen in on the conversation.

"There's, uh, a kid looking for you." Unable to help herself, Emily turned around.

"What?" A small child appeared from behind Derek, a hearing aid placed firmly in his hair as he stared up at Mark with wonder.

"Daddy?" The shock shared between them would have been enough for the rest of their lives as Mark gaped. Emily nearly spat out her coffee and she placed a fist in front of her mouth, choking. Mark sent her a glance but was unable to say anything with Derek gazing at them suspiciously.

"What?"

The boy started laughing as Derek pulled out a bill and handed it to the child, complimenting him on his acting skills. "I'll be getting you back for that." Mark warned as the neurosurgeon chuckled.

"Looking forward to it," the man countered, walking away. The boy stepped forward, pocketing his money as the two surgeons stared at him.

"You're not my father. But I am hoping you'll build me some ears."

.

"You're carrying your dead mommy's ashes in a bag? Happy Halloween,"

"Oh, shut up. Car or cubbie?"

"Cubbie until you know what to do with her. I just think carrying about dead mommy's ashes is bad juju."

"Bad juju?" Emily nodded. "See? This is the kind of help I need. Now I need to go to the chief about this favor for the pro bono surgery.."

"Good luck. And tell Mark I say hi." With a wink, the brunette left Meredith to her own devices.

.

"You're in a gentlemen's evening?" Emily asked, bemused as an intern brought her a danish. "Thank you, Liam but there's no need to. I had breakfast."

"I just wanted to, uh, thank you for allowing me to practice intubating again yesterday" the brunet replied earnestly, wringing out his hands. Mark sent the intern a look before Emily smacked him.

"There is no need, Liam," she repeated, "but you're very sweet. You're here to learn. I was just doing my job. Now go do scut." Nodding, he scurried back to his friend and they both ran out of the older surgeons' sight.

"You're too nice to your interns," Mark chastised as she tore off a bit of the pastry and offered it to him. "Though, it does come with perks." Popping it into his mouth, he raised his eyebrows when it was surprisingly good.

"Indeed it does," she agreed, savoring its taste. "You know a gentlemen's evening sounds like you're gonna go to a strip club?"

"Yeah, well, it's the Chief so I highly doubt strippers will be involved."

"Ugh, but you have to go?" He nodded and she pouted playfully. "Your old best friend is stealing you back from me, your new best friend."

"Jealous?"

"Extremely, as I am neither a man, nor have I known you for more than two years." He smirked, exhaling through his nose as she bit into her danish. "It's really annoying."

"Oh, poor you," he simpered as Derek walked past them, spotting Mark and pausing. Emily shifted her danish and offered it to him. He frowned, studying the danish and ripping off a piece of the bakery goods. He threw it into his mouth and let out a delighted hum.

"Mm, good stuff. Where'd you get it?"

"My intern," she replied at the same time Mark said: "Her intern."

"Mark," Derek warned and the plastics surgeon widened his eyes. "Remember what I said."

"Police tape. Forbidden and illegal. I got it," he said, taking an over exaggerated step away. Emily glanced between him and Derek.

"Derek, why can't we talk?"

"I'm not saying you can't," he said. "I'm just saying Dr. Sloan can't go past professional mentor-student boundaries."

"So, I can't even be friends with her?" asked Mark to which Derek shook his head.

"I'm just saying you can't cross a specific border."

"Oh, we see." Emily shared a look with Mark who rolled his eyes. "Well, I better not do anything that'll annoy the friend police." With her danish in hand, she walked away from the two friends, thinking that despite it all, she knew Derek would find out eventually.

A/N: Edited - September 21, 2018

Next: As a doctor's life hangs precariously in the balance, Mark Sloan is forced to re-evaluate how long he is willing to wait.