Who would have thought

30

The ass wasn't answering his phone. Not that that was a bad thing. Derek didn't really want to talk to him. He just called to...he didn't want to talk to him. Mark was being an ass. Mark was paying guys to go out with Meredith to make sure he didn't go out with Meredith. Mark was being an ass to Meredith because of something that happened twelve years ago. It was idiotic.

Idiotic. Immature. Stupid. He could probably think of thousands of words to describe his brother's behavior. And now the bastard wasn't answering his phone. Which was probably a good thing as Derek was pretty sure if Mark Sloan answered his phone, there would be threats to kick each other's asses that would only end in violence. Still, the bastard wasn't answering his phone.

They didn't fight. There had been some times when they had been younger and full of testosterone that their mother had to break up but they didn't fight. They definitely didn't scream at each other the way they had and they tended not to ignore each other's phone calls. And they definitely didn't fight over girls. It had been some stupid rule Mark had made up when they were thirteen, no fighting over a girl.

Except this wasn't a fight over a girl. This was a fight over Mark being a four year old who couldn't let go of a twelve year old grudge. Yes, Meredith had hurt him. Yes, from what he understood, Mark had found him passed out in a pool of his own vomit and had spent the next year practically sleeping in the same bed with him. But that didn't mean he got to treat Meredith like this.

It had been over a decade ago. Derek had moved on. Or well hadn't as the case migh be but he wasn't mad at Meredith anymore. He couldn't imagine being mad at Meredith anymore. She had done nothing wrong, nothing to cause the kind of hatred Mark clearly felt for her at least. She had made some mistakes. So had he. They were both better now and not about to make those mistakes again.

He ran his hand through his hair and turned back to his computer. He had no idea why he was best friends with Mark Sloan. He should probably really examine the reasons before killing him though. He jumped slightly at the soft knock at his door. "Derek?"

"Addie, hey," he smiled at her.

"Hey," she grinned, holding up a salad. "Lunch?"

"It's already lunch time?" Derek frowned.

"That's what I figured," Addison laughed slightly. "Mark takes a day off and you forget to eat."

"I'm happy he's not here today," Derek sighed.

"You look miserable, Derek," Addison shook her head.

"I'm fine," Derek shrugged.

"You're not fine," she shook her head. "You and Mark haven't fought in years."

"I know we haven't but he's being an ass."

"Yes, he is," she sighed.

"Glad you agree," he nodded.

"But he has his reasons."

"What?"

"You know Mark, Derek," Addison said as she poured dressing over her salad. "He's not generally a vindictive or mean person."

"No, but he's generally an ass."

"Derek..."

"What? Meredith doesn't deserve how he's treating her."

"You know I agree," Addison nodded. "But, Derek, I get it. I get why he's treating her like that. I don't think it's right, and we've had a lot of fights about it, but I understand why he's doing what he's doing."

"Well that makes one of us."

"Derek, what would you do if I had hurt Mark the way Meredith hurt you twelve years ago?"