Rain

Angel

"Hey, Sloan." Her greeting was hesitant, as if she couldn't believe they were okay again. Her cheeks were dusted pink as she passed. Burke nearly snorted in amusement as Mark followed after her with his eyes subconsciously. Emily glanced over her shoulder and smiled before ducking her head and sitting at the nurses station.

"Infatuated with an intern? Are you the real Mark Sloan?" the man asked with a teasing tone. "Hey." He snapped his fingers in front of his colleague's face. Snapping out of his daze, Mark looked at Burke blearily. "Sloan."

"Yeah?"

"Stop staring at Dr. Moore."

"I was not!" Laughing, the cardiothoracic surgeon pressed the button again. "What-"

"You looked like a lost puppy." The man added as an afterthought.

"No I wasn't even - Okay, you know what? I hate you." When the elevator doors opened, Mark nearly tripped. His legs felt warm and gooey as did the rest of his body. Entering the elevator first, he spotted the Chief, his hair an unfamiliar black color. Slowing down, he stared at it intensely.

"What happened to your hair?" Burke asked bluntly, pressing the elevator button to close the doors. Addison cleared her throat, not lifting her eyes from the article she was reading.

"Leave him be,"

"He dyed it." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them, the pure shock in his voice surprising even him.

"But why?" Derek asked before Addison whacked him in the arm.

"Leave him be," She hissed as he winced, whispering back at her.

"Okay, but why?" Burke cocked his head when Webber finally looked at him and Mark smirked, eyebrows knitting together, trying to figure it out.

"Men who have grey hair are noticed less than men who don't," he explained reluctantly as the attendings all shared looks.

"By who?" Four pairs of eyes fixed on Derek as he glanced back at Mark and Burke, trying to contain a smile. He raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly before eyeing the Chief. Mark scrunched up his face, trying to keep it neutral and failing.

"Well..."

"By the ladies?" A fit of laughter bubbled in Mark's chest before he could reel it back in but when the Chief sent him a dead look, he started to cough. Addison sent him a glare and he cleared his throat before Derek nodded.

"Looks good, Chief."

"Oh, very natural." Burke agreed as Mark pulled at his ears to hide the color of red that marred his skin. The redhead noted their teasing and pushed them back against the wall of the elevator, a chastising tone filling her voice.

"He is alone," she started lowly, "All alone. Do any of you even know what that's like?" she asked, meeting their gazes as their smiles faded. "Lives with Cristina," she addressed to Burke before turning to Derek, "dates the perfect twelve year old," she continued. Mark smirked at Derek and his eye twitched, like they were friends, "Man-whore,"

"Well, actually," Burke began with a impudent smile, "he's with-" Mark stomped on the cardiothoracic surgeon's foot, hard. "Ow! What was that for?"

"What was that for?" The man whispered furiously as Derek furrowed his brow at the attending.

"The point is, his wife left him after twenty-five years of marriage. So if the man wants to dye his hair for the ladies, let him dye his hair for the ladies. Leave him be," she finished, glaring at Derek who over-exaggeratedly mouthed 'alright'. Whipping around, she exited the elevator followed by the Chief.