Title Now
Author Devylish
Pair Mark/Callie
Words 3139
Rating Hard R maybe NC17
Disclaimer On profile
AN For Calliluvr as part of the Holiday Armadillo Exchange on LJ's Mark_n_Callie. She requested: General/Angst/Humor, and, gulp: Derek's Trailer

"I need your help."

Derek looked up at his visitor, a small smile spreading across his face when he saw who it was. "I thought you'd never ask."

((()))

Mark stuffed his hands in his pockets as the cab turned around and headed back down the hill.

It was damn cold. It was damn early. And he was going to make Derek Shepherd pay.

Yeah, they were friends. And yeah, he was happy that Derek and Grey were finally taking the leap, but really... did he have to suffer simply because the two of them wanted to move in together... finally? For good?

Apparently he DID have to suffer, cuz, yeah, here he was, up at Derek's trailer, bright and early on a Thursday morning so that he could help Derek clear out the trailer and move some of his belongings. Did he mention that it was bright and early on a Thursday morning that happened to be Christmas eve eve? Not that Mark had big plans for the holidays. With him and Little Grey being officially broken up and his parents opting to head to Maui to celebrate the season... his plans pretty much revolved around watching Scrooged and drinking his favorite beer.

So, no, he didn't actually have bigger and better things to do, but it was the principle of the matter.

Derek was going to owe him.

Big time.

He trudged up to the trailer door and knocked, bringing his hands back to face and blowing on them to try and keep them warm.

….

Oh come on Derek, answer the damn door.

He lifted his hand and knocked again, harder.

Glancing up at the decorated and lit windows he saw a shadow move in the trailer. And he waited. For fifteen seconds. No one came to the door.

This time he raised his hand to the door and pounded on it. "Damnit Derek! You dragged me out here! You better not be jerking off in there! Open the damn door!"

He was still hammering on the metal door frame when the door was finally pushed open by the last person he'd expected to see.

((()))

Callie could hear the sound of the taxi pulling up beside the trailer and she took a deep breath. Smoothing her hands along the jersey material of her red dress. She ran through the supplies she'd set out: Christmas decorations and lights, scotch, tequila, pizza – warming in the oven – everything was ready and waiting.

By the time the first knock came, she'd finished making her mental and visual review and all that was left for her to do was... answer the door.

Only, she couldn't seem to make her feet move.

She stared at the door, her body frozen. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. What am I doing? This is a stupid idea. Stupid – stupid! She looked around for an escape route only to be reminded that she'd chosen this particular spot because there wasn't an escape route... for either of them. Crap!

Another knock – louder this time – was delivered to the door.

Callie took a few more steps towards it before freezing again. This was it. Do or die time. And she was suddenly, suddenly, totally certain that things were leading more and more towards: "Die."

"Damnit Derek! You dragged me out here! You better not be jerking off in there! Open the damn door!"

Puffing out two quick breaths she forced herself to touch the door handle and pushing the metal open she greeted a very grumpy, very cold looking, Mark Sloan. "Surprise!"

((())))

"Callie? What're you doing here?" Mark ducked his head inside the trailer and looked around, "Where's Derek? Don't tell me he bribed both of us into coming up here to help him pack up this tin can!"

Mark turned his head and looked at Callie; a Callie who was wearing a red dress made of something soft and fitted. Cut just above the knee and exposing j. u. s. t. enough cleavage. Red heels... she looked amazing. Simply and per usual... amazing. He gave a low whistle then stated the obvious. "I hope you're not planning to help him move in that -"

Callie forced her tongue to move, "Get in here Mark, it's fucking cold out there."

"Tell me about it." He pushed in to the cabin and past Callie. Rubbing his hands together as he turned around to face her he took in the faint flush covering Callie's skin and he also took in the fidgeting that she was doing. Her fingers were twitching and she was biting her bottom lip – catching it beneath her teeth in that cute way she did when she was nervous.

Why was she nervous?

Mark looked around the trailer again, this time taking in the bottles ODF liquor, the two glasses, the low lighting. "Torres, what's going on?"

"Going on?" The words squeaked out of her nervously.

Mark waved his hand in the direction of Callie's frame. "You being here... Derek's aluminum home on wheels... your come-hither outfit... What's going on?"

Callie let out a breath, then let her plan spew forth.

"Derek, uhhh, lied to you... he's not moving in to Grey's... at least, not yet. He only told you that because I asked him to help me out. I … I wanted to get you somewhere where I could uh... talk to you."

"Talk to me?" Mark quirked a brow. "We live across the hall form one another, you cu8ld have knocked."

"You wouldn't have listened to me at the apartments."

"When have I ever NOT listened to you Cal?"

"Never. But this is different." She looked up from the floor that she had been staring at studiously. "If I tried to tell you... at the apartments, you'd kick me out... or you'd simply get up and leave. So... I needed to get you here."

Mark looked at Callie steadily. His blue eyes piercing.

Now? She's made a decision about us now? Sure, technically we're both, finally, unencumbered, and free at the same time, but... 5 years! It's been five years of us – him – dancing around the maypole. And I'd finally – finally - gotten it through my thick skull that she'd never truly want me as more than just a friend- or maybe a friend with benefits – and now? I'd just gotten to the point that I was okay with that. With being Callie's friend. Her best friend.

And now she springs this on me?

He didn't know if he should laugh or drop to his knees and thank a God he didn't believe in.

He opted for denial.

Snort. "Good one Cal, you had me there for half a second. Now really, what's going on?"

He was hoping – half-hoping - that his denial would make Callie back down... back away from whatever scheme or plan was running through her head. But she didn't back down. She simply squared her shoulders and looked at him, flat on. Her face open and vulnerable.

He'd always been able to read her so easily. Even when she didn't want to be read.

And now, at this moment, when she wasn't trying to hide anything from him, something in him wished he was blind. Blind and unable to see what he saw radiating from her. Now? Now when he'd given up all hope?

"I – I want to... uh... give us a chance."

"Callie, stop. We're not doing this."

"I can't stop. I made myself a promise. It's Christmas. And we're heading in to a new year, and I don't want my new year to be... to be... a lie. I – we – I think – we have spent too much time just, just -"

"Callie, I said stop it!" He pushed past her and reaching for the handle he shoved the door open. It wasn't until the bitter winter air hit him that he remembered he didn't have his own car. "Shit."

Mark moved back in to the trailer and pushing past a silent Callie he reached for the drawer that normally held Derek's spare car keys.

It was empty.

He lifted his eyes to Callie.

She was hugging herself and her eyes were larger and shinier than he'd ever seen them before.

He made himself ignore the plea that was written on her face.

"Where are the keys Callie?"

"I hid them."

"You hid them?" Mark closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck.

When he had taken a few deep breaths and opened his eyes again, Callie had moved and was leaning against the counter.

She started to speak, "So the way I see it, you can 1) walk two miles in the snow, down the hill to the main ride and hitch a ride or you can 2) stay here with me. With the knowledge that we're going to talk."

Mark closed his eyes again. He didn't want to look at her anymore. To see the hope... to feel the twinges and teases of hope licking up at him.

"Are you kidding me?"

She cocked her head to the side and scrunched her face up.

She wasn't kidding. She'd hid the key. She wanted to talk.

He took one step towards Callie. "Did you think the sexy dress would convince me to do this?"

She didn't back away. "That and the alcohol. I bought your favorite brand of scotch, which, holy shit! That stuff is expensive!"

Mark pressed a little closer to Callie placing one hand on either side of her. Leaning forward he did his own seducing. "If you wanted me Torres, all you had to do was ask. Pretty much always willing and able over here."

He smiled at that small 'eep' that escaped from Callie. Physical he could do. And he could always do physical with Callie. Both of them were pretty damn good at compartmentalizing their lives. And touching Callie, while phenomenally great, was something he could do. He could touch her. And not dream.

He'd given up on dreams.

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoaaaa." Callie pressed her hand against Mark's chest. "None of that."

"I thought you were going to ply me with liquor and try and have your wicked way with me." He pressed his lips against her neck.

"No. No! I was going to ply you with liquor, make you tell me you – you, uh, love me, and then, THEN, I was going to have my wicked way with you."

Mark sighed and backed away from Callie. "Why now Callie? We've been friends for what, six years? Why after all that time do you want to... to change what we have?"

She looked up at him. "Because I'm tired. I'm so, damn tired. Tired of being alone, and tired of being with people who don't love me as much as I love them. And..." This time she was the one moving closer. She lifted her hand to his chest, her eyes trailing after her fingers as they traced along Mark's chest. "I'm tired of being afraid."

Mark wanted to wrap his arms around Callie and pull her close.

And at the same time, he wanted to run away.

But Callie was hard to run away from; she always had been.

Mark placed his hands on Callie's hips and rested his chin against her forehead. He'd memorized the scent of her hair: lilacs and vanilla. He inhaled.

He could love Callie, so easily...

He had loved her for so long...

"What happens to 'us' when you're not so tired...? when you're rejuvenated?

Callie mumbled an inelegant 'huh?' against Mark's chest.

"When you're not feeling lonely, and not feeling unloved... when you're not afraid anymore. What's going to stop you from picking up taking off after another Arizona? Or another George?"

And with that question, it all 'clicked' for Callie. Mark wasn't 'rejecting her' at least not because he didn't feel something for her. He was afraid. Mark Sloan was afraid of being hurt... by her!

"I loved George. And I loved Arizona. But even when I loved them, I loved you. I – I had you to help me pick up the pieces after every break up. I had you to hold me close when everything else in my life was falling apart. I had you even when you were with someone else. I've always been able to count on you." She smirked, "even during those times when I didn't WANT to hear what you had to say, or didn't want to feel you holding me close... you were there. It's gotten to the point that I can't - I don't want to – imagine my life without you."

"I'll always be there for you Cal. But I can be there for you and not... I mean... we don't need to..."

"Listen you idiot!" Callie leaned back and slapped Mark on the chest. "I've finally, finally realized I'm crazy about you... and you're, you're...! I just want to … I mean..." She stopped talking, took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. "I want to tell you I- I love you. And if you feel anything, maybe, for me... I'd – I'd like to give us a try."

Something in the middle of his chest – he thought it might be his heart - swelled, pushing against the little wall he'd built around it as as protection.

Had he ever really been able to say 'no' to her?

(((())))

"Think Derek would sell this piece of crap to me?" Mark was lying on his back, Callie sprawled, leg and arm and head across his body.

"The trailer?"

"Yeah. I don't know about you, but that was definitely the most intense, best sex, I've ever had." He tilted her head up and smirked, "And I've had a lot, A LOT of sex."

Callie pinched Mark's nipple.

"Ow!"

"That's what you get for reminding me of your sexual exploits."

"I thought you liked my sexual exploits?"

"No. I like your sexual prowess, not your sexual exploits; there's a difference."

He traced his fingers over the skin of Callie's arm. "There is, huh?"

"Mmm hmmm." She breathed lightly against his skin. "So you think the good sex we had is just because of the trailer?"

"Good sex? Mind blowing sex. Phenomenal sex. My-bones-feel-like-Jello sex. Uhh," his voice skipped just a bit as Callie shifted so that she was straddling him a little bit more, her hand sliding between their bodies, stroking at his semi-flaccid length. "Yeah, really, really amazing sex."

"Because of a trailer?"

"What else could it be? I mean, mmmnnnnhhh, we've mentioned my prowess, mmm... and you're no schlub when it comes to sex, so... OW! Woman! That doesn't twist off!"

Callie grinned darkly, "Gee, thanks... it's nice to know I'm not a schlub." She tilted her head up and kissed Mark's chin - his scruffy bearded chin. "There's another, possible reason for the sex being so good; for my being so spectacularly bendy and delicious and," she passed her thumb over the tip of his cock, "skilled."

Mark's hips jerked in response to her touch and he shifted her so that she was fully atop him, her thighs surrounding his hips. "Another reason?" He moved his mouth along her jaw in soft little kisses.

"Mmm hmmm. " She slid down on his now hardened cock [he really was ever-ready]. "Maybe it was so good because you're now, officially, my man. And," she looked down at him as her hips undulated around him. "I'm, now, officially your woman."

"Yeah?"

Her hands were on his chest as she leaned forward, changing the angle of their contact. "Yeah."

Mark moved his hand along Callie's face, pushing her dark locks away from her cheeks. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

Her face lit up and whatever hesitations or fears he'd held regarding finally admitting to Callie tha the loved her, disappeared. Even if he didn't fully, completely believe that he deserved her love. He FELT her love. And three little heartfelt words seemed to make her happy. Friends, or lovers, or man and woman... making Callie happy was the one thing he'd ever really wanted to do.

"Not in the past hour."

"Well, I'm crazy about you. Crazy in love with you."

Callie pulled her body up until just the tip of Mark's length was inside of her. She brushed her lips against his before slowly
ever so slowly
lowering
herself
back
down.

"Ditto."

Mark groaned at the feel of Callie surrounding him – warm and slick – and pulsating

"Ditto huh?"

"Yeah, I was thinking," a soft moan escaped her lips as she arched her back. "To avoid being one of those gooey, overly-smushy couples? We could just use a catch-phrase... something that we say to..." Mark manouvered his hand between their bodies, brushing a finger against her clit.

"... Jesus, right there!..."

He grinned. "You were saying?"

"I was?"

His grin turned in to a full-fledged smile. "Something about catch-phrases?"

"Hmmm, oh, yeah. Or a code-word, something that we can say, in front of other people and let each other know we love one another."

"But not sound gooey."

"Right... oh, holy craaapppp! Maarrrkk...right...right there!"

One of his hands rested at her hip, the other lay between them, applying just the right amount of pressure to the bundle of nerves between Callie's legs.

"And you were thinking 'ditto' would be a good codeword?"

"Shut up and just... yes... yesss... oh Go- Mark! Yes!"

He watched as she shattered around him, her body pulsing and squeezing and pulling at him. He loved watching her cum. All tight and wet and broken/and whole all at once. Just watching her fall, pushed him over the edge. Her name slid out of his mouth in a hoarse whisper and his muscles tensed then released as the heat that had built up in his body exploded out of him.

Callie collapsed atop Mark, her frame limp and definitely satisfied. Wiping her hair away form her face again, she took a shuddering breath and happily stated, "I love you."

Mark lifted his tired arms around Callie's frame and whispered in her ear, "Ditto."