You Promised | Mark Sloan ✓

87┃promise, and sealed

Derek was grinning at them-the two who were made for each other. He stole a quick glance towards Webber, who had a different look on his face. "You think it's the surge?" he queried carefully.

"Mm. I-It might be," Webber replied with a brief nod.

"I don't. I don't think it is," Derek claimed before furrowing his brows at the pair; the way Mark was staring at Norah brought smiles to everyone's faces. "It can't be. She won't... She won't survive it. So it can't be."

It was not a strong argument, but he held onto the chance that they would be alright. He needed both of his best friends-both of whom he considered as family-to get the happy ending they deserved.

❦

IN THE ROOM, NORAH HAD been next to Mark in the ICU right after dropping Kai off at daycare. There, they talked on for hours, catching up with everything he had missed, and she blabbered on while he listened attentively.

She furrowed her brows at him, whose bright blue eyes she drowned herself in. "You know," she started, "I've been rambling for a while now. And as much as I like you staring at me, I really love your voice and words as well."

He chuckled lightly, tilting his head at her. "Your presence make me speechless-you make me over my head, had I mentioned?" He scooted aside on the bed, gesturing for her to sit with him.

"That's funny, because you do me, too."

She sat partially on the edge of the bed; her injured leg rested on the bed, while the other was on the floor supporting her weight. It was enough for her, for him-for them.

He draped an arm around her shoulder, and she rested her head on his chest. They sat with each other, watching the many nurses and clumsy interns walking by in front of their room.

"Laurie?"

"Hm?" There was a long silence, which got submerged in their love. She lifted her head to him, raising a brow when she felt his heart beating quicker in his chest; him staring at her oh-so-dearly. "Mark?"

"Marry me."

She was caught way off guard, without a doubt-the way her eyebrows shot up immediately showed it all. He was praying that she would not freeze or freak out, but she was blinking back at him as though trying to make out that this was not a dream.

"I-well-I know this is a very crappy way and situation to do it, but uh... I've been planning it for months now... And I just... couldn't quite find the right timing, you know? With Kai being so little and all..." he chuckled nervously, his gaze not leaving hers.

"The day you screamed in the woods, my heart broke. My heart was torn into pieces because yours did. The pain of it reminded me that I was still alive, and I'm still fighting to feel the pain over and over again," he brought her hand to rest above his heart, "This one beating in my chest? The rhythm you love most? It belongs to you, and only you."

He stared into her eyes; the fluttery that overwhelmed him had never changed. "God-after all these years, you'd think that the butterflies wouldn't be so intense anymore, but I'm still falling for you day after day, over and over again... You drive me completely insane, and I love you for it. Our journey and our love weren't easy, and I don't think they'll ever be-we're complicated... but we are complicated together.

"And, also... it kinda sucks that I can't get down on one knee since, um, you know... And uh, I-I do have the ring, but it's not with me right now," he narrowed his eyes slightly before chuckling, "But um, I want us to be complicated together, for the rest of our lives..." his gaze stared into the glistering hazels, "Do you?"

It was wicked how all grief could get paused-even washed off-in a single moment.

And if that one single moment, with that one special someone, could make the past weeks of thrashing and struggle to feel like nothing-isn't that someone the one?

―

"I know, Laurie. And I'm not going anywhere. Because you're the one."

―

"Mark, I love you, and I'm not going anywhere anymore. Because you're the one."

―

She leaned up and kissed the side of his jaw, a grin forming on his face. "I want us to be complicated together for the rest of our lives, and every life to come," she mumbled before pulling back. "But I'm not accepting your proposal."

"W-What...?"

She stared into the blue eyes frowning back at her while her hand rest rested at the side of his face. "Love, I'm not letting you do this just because you're hooked up on machines on a hospital bed," she spoke softly, shifting closer to him. "You're gonna get better, and you're gonna get out of this bed and get down on one knee."

She placed a kiss on his lips, and he leaned in for more, his hand travelling to the side of her neck. "You're gonna promise me to recover, and I'll promise you my hand in marriage," she mumbled, and he smiled against her lips. "So, you put your mind in healing yourself, and I put my mind in dealing with my head and leg-because we are gonna be perfect."

He broke into a grin, smiling at her until his cheeks felt numb. His eyes were starting to sting, too, knowing that they would spend the rest of their lives with each other. "I'll hold onto that promise. You?"

"Promise, and-" she smirked, pecking a kiss on his lips, "-sealed."

She snuggled into his chest, and he hugged her close, never wanting to let her go; her grip did not feel like she was about to loosen it anytime soon either. "I love you, Laurie, so, very much. You know that?"

"I had always known," she lifted her head to him, "And I love you more, Mark, love. So much more."

He chuckled, shaking his head to himself. "And here I thought you would've known that that's impossible by now."

It was hours after, and she fell asleep with her arms still tight around his body.

It was hours after when his smile finally faltered, and his eyes started to sting.

He never wanted to let her go. Ever.