At some point in our lives we never know what the right thing to do is.  We're torn.  We know what the right decision is but that also means betraying the person we love most.  And sometimes our jobs.  But where do we go when we have no where to turn to?  When it seems like everything bad keeps on piling up one right after the other and we just want to explode.

-

"I don't understand why you don't just get your own place," Alison said as they just had their food delivered.

"Why would I do that when I have everything here?" He said as he lifted the cover off of their plates, revealing their breakfast.

Since Alison had spending more time with Mark since their trip to Canada, she ended up leaving a few clothes at his place including toiletries and some makeup.  It worked especially because they sometimes had the same times for their shifts.  She had to admit that she really enjoyed getting to be with Mark lately.  It was such a different feeling she had with Mark then what she had with Anthony. 

"I guess now looking at it I kind of see your point," she shrugged her shoulders as she took a piece of bacon and dipped in her maple syrup.

She looked up and saw her boyfriend's look of disgust when she ate that and let out a small laugh.

"What?"

"How can you eat bacon with maple syrup?"

"The question is how can you not?" She said leaning forward and eating more bacon.

"It's just like pineapple on pizza.  Some things just shouldn't be together," he replied shaking his head and taking a bite of his omelette and she gasped.

"Don't tell me you're one of those."

"Don't tell me you're one of those who likes pineapple on pizza."

"I do, it's one of my favorites.  How can you not like it, Mark?"

"I just don't, okay!"

"Have you ever even tried it?" She asked.

"I did and I had a really bad experience at a pizza place I ate it at."

"Okay, I get that, actually.  But what if I took you to my favorite pizza place here in Seattle and had you try it?  Would you?"

"Okay," he let out a sigh.

"I'll even pay for it if that makes you feel better," she said as she patted his cheek, laughing at his reaction.

"You're too kind."

"I know," she sassed back and flicked her blonde hair off of her shoulder making them laugh.

They enjoyed their morning full of laughs and getting to know each other even more before they headed into work.

*

"Aw, thanks for the coffee," Addison said as Alison handed it to her.

"Your welcome.  It's only the best - pumpkin spice latte.  Brings good juju."

"Damn, is that time of year again?"

"It is," Alison said with a smile as Addison took a sip and rose her eyebrows in surprise.

"Okay, you're right.  It is the best.  I've been meaning to ask you something..."

"Yeah?"

"How long have you been sleeping with Mark?"

Alison was in a slight shock and she wanted to widen her eyes, but she didn't.  If she did that would give it away.

"I- I'm sorry?"

"I see that you've been talking to him a lot more lately and when you both leave you leave together.  Besides you have this glow.  So, how long?"

Alison let out a sigh, but she was thankful it was just them.

"Since I broke up with Anthony so a month now."

"Damn," Addison said impressed.  "He's not a rebound is he?"

"N-no, definitely not," she said as she tried to hide her smile by drinking her cold pumpkin spice latte.

"Shut up!  You're actually dating him?" She asked slapping Alison's shoulder in shock.

"Keep it down will you," Alison said as some nurses were staring at the duo as they walked by.  "Yes, okay?  Yes!  We are dating."

"Wow, well I can say I was not expecting that.  But I have to admit that you guys make a cute couple.  You would make cute babies."

"Thanks.  Is it weird for you though?  Because if it is I can-"

"Do not end things with Mark just because of my history with him.  Please don't.  I just want you both to be happy and I can honestly say this is the happiest I have seen Mark in a long time.  Does Derek know?"

"No," she shook head.  "We wanted to wait to tell him because we want to see where this goes.  We weren't going to tell him if it didn't lead anywhere..."

"Just know when Derek does find out I don't think he will think that way."

"I know," Alison let out a breath.

"Well, if it makes you feel better Derek is one of the most oblivious guys I have ever known.  The only reason I knew something was happening was because Mark has a little pep in his step and greets me with smile instead of glaring at me.  You deserve to be happy."

"You deserve to be happy too, Addison," Alison said as she reached forward and put her hand on Addi's as the two women smiled.

"This little love fest that you two have going on is great and all but it's all hands on deck right now," Bailey said interrupting the Ped's duo as they laughed at Bailey and followed her.

"What's going on?" Alison asked as they were gowning up.

"All we know so far is that it was a big crash at a fish market."

"So you said that you were inside the fish market when this happened?" Addison asked a patient.  "Okay, I need you to get a -"

Alison looked up right then and motioned at Addison when they saw the ER doors open and a women who was covered in blood from head to toe as she walked in almost in a zombie like state of mind.  Even though they were both doctors and used to this - it still shocked them at first.

"Ma'am?" Addison said as she then stopped walking and Alison walked up to her fast.

"I need a stretcher over here!" Alison said as the patient began to speak.

"I think I might be parked in a red zone," she said as she then fainted into Alison's arms. 

"We need a stretcher please," Addison yelled as she caught up with her resident.

*

Karev was taking out shards from a wound of the patient as she began to speak.

"I flew through a window.  I flew."

Addison and Alison were working on some wounds that were on her head. 

"Karev," Addison scolded the intern as he had pointed out how awesome the patient's cuts looked.

"Stop manhandling my intern, that's my job," Mark told Addison and the ped's duo shared a knowing look. 

"Can you tell me you name?" Addison asked as Alison was treating her wounds.

"Janelle Zuko," the patient said.

"Janelle, what do you do for a living?" Alison asked as they tried to keep their awake and trying to get more information from her.

"I sell vegetables at the fish market."

"Janelle, honey, can I get you anything?" A random woman came up to their patient as she asked her.  "Food maybe?"

"Mrs. Dickerson, is that you?" Janelle asked and she nodded her head.

"I'm sorry but Mrs. Dickerson, you can't be here right now," Addison said to the woman.

"Larry is a good driver," Mrs. Dickerson tried to defend her husband.  "The car went crazy is all," she said ignoring Addison as the other doctors tended to Janelle's wounds.

"You know, she's my best customer," Janelle said as Cristina was able to pull the woman away.  "Her and Mr. Dickerson are always at the fish market every week.  They buy a lot of vegetables."

"I'm going to check on some other patients.  Are you okay if I leave you here?" Addison asked Alison and she nodded her head.

"I'm alright."

"She's not an intern Addison," Mark said.  "She doesn't need you to hold her hand.  No offense, Karev."

"None taken, I think?"

"Alright, just let me know if you need anything."

"Mr. Dickerson is such a nice man," Janelle said as the doctors continued to work on her cuts.  "I hope he didn't kill my baby."

"Shit," Alison and Mark muttered.  "Addison we need an ultrasound!  She's pregnant."

"How far along are you?" Addison asked as she brought the ultrasound machine along.

"Ten weeks," the patient said as she screamed in pain due to Karev working on her.

"Try a lighter touch," Mark scolded his intern and Karev apologized.

"Are you two dating or something?" Janelle asked the blonde resident and Mark.  "Because if I were you I would.  He's hot.  Actually you all are hot.  How did I get hot doctors?  Do you two think they're hot?"

"They are pretty hot," Alison said agreeing with the patient with a smile as Addison agreed checking on the patient's stomach.

"They're man candy," Addison agreed.

"Even better that they are smart too," Alison said.  "Beauty and brains.  Pretty hot combination," she joked slightly but was also serious.

Alison and Mark shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by Alex when Janelle sat up as she began to cough up blood into her Kleenex.

"That's not good, right?  It can't be!  I've never coughed up blood before."

"Her stats are over eighty," Addison said.  "I gotta get her oxygen and I'm going to need a portable chest stat!"

*

Alison was in a room with Mark, Addison, Alex, Meredith and their patient as she was performing the ultrasound and Addison was watching over.

"Did Doctor Bailey see the chest x-ray?" Alison asked Meredith.

Addison had been letting Alison do things more hands on this year especially as it was her final year as a resident.  She wanted her to be as prepared as she possibly could for her exam and boards.

"No, but with the decrease breath sounds and low pulse ox she suspects she'll need a chest tube," Meredith told Alison.

"Damn.  I have to get freaking glass splinters out and she gets to do a chest tube?" Karev complained.

"You signed on for this," Mark fired back.

"I can't believe this is happening to me today," Janelle said as her mom held her hand through it all as Mark was stitching up her forehead.  "This is not a good day for me."

"Maybe when you make out of here you should get a spa day.  Or do something for you.  Have a self-care day," Alison said as she was finishing up the ultrasound.  "Your baby looks good.  Heartbeat is strong.  Your baby is a fighter just like you."

"Do you want me to call the father?" Addison asked Janelle.

"You can do that but that would require me speaking to him and then him finding about the baby.  It might not go over well."

"So he doesn't know?" Alison asked as she looked at her patient and at Mark.

"No, he doesn't deserve to know.  He hurt me and cheated on me."

The door opened up and Callie came through, upset.

"Grey, can I speak with you?" She asked the intern.

"Uh- I'm setting up a chest tube right now."

"I need to talk to you when you're done."

"I'll come find you," Grey said and Callie let out a frustrated huff as she left.

"Wow, what did you to do piss her off?" Alison asked the intern.

"No idea."

"Well come find me later before you talk to Callie and I'll get you a Starbucks pumpkin spiced latte for good juju."

"Oh God, is it that time of year again?" Grey groaned sick and tired of all the pumpkin spice stuff already.

"Not a fan of pumpkin spice?"

"God, no!"

"Alright then.  I'll get you something else.  Hey, do you know how George's father is doing?" Alison asked Meredith.

"I know he's going into surgery today with Doctor Hahn.  But I haven't been able to see George today to ask him how his dad is."

"Wait, what do you mean Burke isn't operating on O'Malley's dad anymore?" Alison asked Meredith shocked.

"Yeah, I don't know much else other than that and Doctor Hahn is now operating on Mr. O'Malley," Meredith said.

"Don't Burke and Hahn hate each other?" Alison asked furrowing her eyebrows.  "I just don't get why O'Malley would decide to do this if he has complete confidence in Burke.  I mean they're like best friends..."

The door opened again and Bailey came in with the results as she looked a little frazzled which was understanding given everything that has happened today.

"Change of plans.  We're not doing the chest tube, Doctor Grey."

"What's going on?" Addison and Alison asked at the same time.

"There's a shard of glass going into your heart," she told the patient as she showed her the results.

*

"Hey, O'Malley, how's your dad?" Alison asked the intern.

"He's o-okay.  Yeah.  I'm just glad we have Doctor Hahn," he said with a slight smile.

"I heard about that.  I thought Burke was operating?" She asked, still confused.

"H-he was.  But now he's not."

"Burke's better than Doctor Hahn though.  You said he was the best cardiologist."

"Ask Cristina," he said and left as she furrowed her eyebrows, even more confused.

What the hell does Cristina have to do with any of this?  Alison can tell it's something really big and whatever it was she didn't want to know so much anymore.  She knew that Bailey was trying to figure out what was up.  And Bailey somehow always does. 

*

It was just Alison who came in as Addison ended up getting busy with another patient.

"It looks like we'll have the OR in a few hours," she told their patient.

"So if I get hit by a car, thrown through a window, have a big shard of glass in my chest and my baby survives.  That's pretty much a sign I should have this baby, right?  Even without a father?"

"I think so," Alison says.  "With everything you have gone through today it shows how incredibly brave you are.  So that tells me that not only are you brave for overcoming this but you can be brave and raise your child.  And who knows, maybe the baby's father wasn't the right guy for you but that doesn't mean there isn't someone out there for you even later if you decide to move on.  Always remember that."

"My thinking is what about the kid?" Alex asks the patient as Alison brought her stethoscope up. "What happens when they are six or seven and wants to meet his dad?"

"Karev, this is none of your business," Mark says quietly.

"It's okay, Doctor Sloan," Janelle says.  "He has a point.  Everyone who disagrees with me does.  He cheated on me."

"Well, in my opinion, it doesn't have to be a forever decision," Alison said after she was finished listening.

"What do you mean?" Janelle asked.

"I mean that the ball is in your court.  I know cheating sucks and it's a hard thing to overcome.  But if at any point you feel like it's in your child's best interest to meet their father then I would say yes and if not then no.  Play it out and see how it goes.  There's no rule book on how to be a mom.  I mean if there was, then every mom would pass, right?"

"Wow, you sure seem like you know a lot about being a mom.  Are you one?"

"No," she let out a little laugh.  "I just have the best mom there is," she grinned and Mark gave her a small smile. 

All of a sudden Janelle's breathing became deep, shallow and fast making Alex pause what he was about to say.

"Ms. Zuko," he said catching the attention of both Mark and Alison as they watched her eyes roll to the back of her head and her blood pressure change drastically.

"Bp is eighty over sixty," Mark said trying to remain calm but working fast as he took out the nasal cannula out of her nose.

"JVD and muffled heart sounds, she's officially unstable.  The OR can't wait.  Karev find Burke and tell him we need him now.  We need a unit of blood, have to get her ready for transport people.  Now," Alison said after she listened to her patient again.

*

"Today was a long day," Alison said as she leaned against her boyfriend's chest as they were now in the bathtub of her apartment.

It was the first time since they began officially dating that he had been at her place and while it was new, it felt right.

"You can say that again," he let out a huff and wrapped his strong arms around her.  "I'm just glad Janelle and her baby survived.  You were amazing with her today.  Encouraging her and motivating her every step of the way.  I'm proud of you."

Alison felt her heart flutter in a good way when Mark told her that.  She hadn't realized until then how good it felt to hear him say those words. 

"Thank you bubs," she said as she leaned her head slightly back as she kissed his scruff making the texture of his beard tickle her and she scrunched her nose at the feeling and he laughed.  "You were good with her too.  And with Karev too even if you threw little jabs at him," she said making him chuckle again as he was peppering kisses along her neck.

He stopped then and laid his hand on her soft cheek as he rubbed his thumb soothingly, almost as though it were light as a feather.

"I do it just to piss you off," he smirked as he saw her face go into a surprised expression and she splashed water at him.

"I knew it!" She shrieked making him laugh harder and press her against him.  "You asshole," she said laughing along with him as she aligned herself up with him and sunk down on him.

No matter how many times they had sex, it always felt better than the last. 

Everybody hurts eventually at some point or another.  But it's what you do with the pain, anger and frustration that matters.  To have a support system there for you when you need them.  To feel wanted.  To feel heard.  Everybody deserves that.  And maybe then, just maybe, we can all heal.

--

hi friends!  this is not a drill, this is a real update lol.  I was already watching this episode anyway when I was writing the last chapter.  It's definitely longer. 

By the way, how cute are Alison and Mark? 🥺

Does anyone have any ideas how Mark will meet Alison's family?  I already have one and I'm so excited to write the chapter.  Any guesses?  Hint: it's in this season.