Now or Never ➼ Mark Sloan

𝗜𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘀 & 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 (𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲)

Bella burst out laughing. Drawing attention from everyone. She felt Bailey slap the back of her head. "Can't keep it together while your man is talking."

Bella grinned. "My man is amazing. I hope you know that."

"Quiet Little Shepherd."

Bella's eyes widened. She looked to Bailey. "You... you didn't not Little Shepherd me?" She asked.

"I did."

Mark spoke again. "This computer, it knows me better than I know me," he said.

Derek shook his head and sighed. "Chief. This thing has rearranged my schedule for the entire week," he told him. He looked around. "I mean haven't we had enough change here already?"

Everyone started mumbling. Webber stopped them however. "Change is good. Embrace it," he told the doctors before he walked off.

Mark walked over to Bella. He looked to the blonde. "So did you enjoy my speech?" He asked, standing behind her.

Bella shrugged and smiled. "Well it wasn't too bad. I don't think I caught your good side though," she said with a tilt of her head.

****

Isaac walked over Derek. "Dr. Shepherd?" He said as he looked to the neurosurgeon.

Derek smiled. "Isaac, if you don't stop calling me Dr. Shepherd, I'm seriously gonna have to cut you off," he told him as a joke.

"Right. Forgot. Derek. Thanks. I have your scans, Derek."

"I didn't order any scans," Derek said as he looked to him.

Isaac nodded. "I think they're for a consult, But I can come back if you're busy," he said.

Derek shook his head. "No, it's okay," he said  as he took the scans. "Oh. It's a tumor on the spinal cord, possibly a hemangioblastoma."

"You've seen one before?" Isaac asked with a look towards the doctor.

"Not this big. You see how the tumor has worked its way up the spine? It's taken over the blood supply," Derek said.

"Hmm."

Derek nodded. He turned to Isaac. "It's a perfect tumor. You know if the patient still has leg function?" He asked.

"Yes."

Derek was in shock. "Incredible. He shouldn't be walking. He should be paralyzed, dead."

"You'd have to operate quickly, then, to take the tumor out?" Isaac asked. He knew he was the patient. And he was worried about it.

Derek shook his head and sighed. "I'd love to operate on this. But, no. No, you have to cut the cord, Paralyze the patient, to kill the tumor. Who's the doctor on this one?" He asked.

"You."

Derek frowned as he turned to him. "I'm sorry?"

"These are my scans. The tumor is mine. I'd like you to take it out. I'd like you to try. One doctor said it was bad circulation, Another one, pinched nerve. But when the pain started to interfere with work, I decided to run an M.R.I. On myself," Isaac told him.

"Isaac, had I known this was your scan, I wouldn't have..."

"I have been to every doctor, Derek. Every time, it's the same thing. They look at the tumor and they're defeated. But not you. You were inspired. That's why I know I was right to come and work here. I needed to meet you," Isaac told him.

Derek frowned. "You got a job here to meet me?" He asked. He had no words at all.

Isaac nodded and smiled. "I have researched every neurosurgeon in this country. I know their statistics, I know who wins the most prizes, but I also know who takes the most risks. That's you."