...☤...

𝟏𝟐 | 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐲 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐫

PRESENT, SEATTLE

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟓

"дъщ𝑒𝑝я."

I smiled. "Баще."

"What are you doing in Seattle?" He asked.

I looked at him in his orange jumpsuit across the table and laid my hands flat in my lap. "I work here now."

"I thought you were in New York." He furrowed his brows. "Please don't tell me you moved because of me."

I shook my head. "No. I need a change."

But that's not the whole truth.

"How's your intern year?" He asked, leaning in with a slight smile on his face.

"Good," I told him. "I made some friends, and I like my resident."

"Isn't Derek working there?" Dad pointed out. I nodded. "We'll at least have someone looking out for you."

I moved my hands onto the table, wanting desperately to reach for him and touch, but I knew I couldn't from the handcuffs keeping his arms locked in the chair.

"Rayne?"

I sighed and got to the point of why I was really here. "Your hearing coming up."

"Yeah, it is." Dad frowned. "My lawyer filed it last month."

I dug my nails into the table. "Do you think it'll go well?"

"I hope so," Dad said. "But if not, I told them this is the last time."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah." He sighed, not letting his gaze leave mine. "It'll be okay, honey."

I shook my head, not believing him. "Баще, you got sentenced for life. For something you didn't do."

"I just don't want to keep getting your hopes up, honey." He explained, and I could hear the sadness in his voice. "It crushes you every time my retrial gets denied."

I blinked back the tears. "But we can't give up."

"You have to know when to choose your battles," Dad said. "And this one looks like it's not on our side."

"Time's up." A guard yelled.

I leaned back as two guards moved towards us with keys clanking on their hips, and I couldn't help as tears fell on my cheeks. They pulled my dad out of his chair, and I stood up. "Can I hug him?" The guards at each other look. "Please."

"Make it quick." The tall one grumbled.

I walked around the table and wrapped my arms around my dad. I felt him soften against my touch, which made me squeeze him tighter, not wanting to let him go, but I knew I had to.

I pulled back and wiped my tear-stained cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too," Dad said as he gave me a sad smile while the guards pulled him from the room.

I turned and left the prison as another tear fell down my cheek. It always hurt to see him suffer through a life sentence for a crime he was wrongfully convicted of for someone else's enjoyment.

"Hey."

I lifted my gaze and furrowed my brows. "Meredith?"

"Cristina told me you'd be here," Meredith explained. She held her arms out. "Need a hug?"

I blinked. "I thought we didn't hug."

"For this." Meredith sighed, pulling me into her arms. "We do."

I wrapped my arms around her waist as thunder roared against the sky, and Meredith rubbed soothing circles into my back.

Meredith pulled back. "Are you in that dark place?"

I looked into her eyes and felt sadness wash over me like a dark, gloomy cloud that I couldn't escape.

I nodded. "Yeah."

...☤...

I handed Emily's chart to the nurse and grabbed the hair tie on my wrist. I pulled my hair back as worry for my dad flowed through me.

"Rayne?"

I looked at Addison. "Yeah."

"Dr. Burke and I have reassessed." Addison began. "We think that there's a chance with the Norwood if Emily can make it through the next 10 hours." She shrugged on her black coat. "Would you look after her for the night?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Good, good," Addison said. "I've left a list of meds, and you're familiar with pediatric life support, right?"

"I'm certified," I told her. I felt something tug in the pit of my stomach as Addison avoided my gaze. "Anything else?"

"No, that should be it." Addison breathed. "This baby is your responsibility. She better be alive when I get back in the morning."

I watch her turn her back to me, walking away from me. "See you in the morning." I turned to the nurse. "Page me when Dr. Burke leaves."

She nodded as my brother looked at me and turned from him, heading to the cafeteria because I didn't know when I would get to eat in the next ten hours.

"Rae?" Derek's started heading for me.

"Please don't." I sighed as he walked beside me. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked, concern radiating in his tone. "I know you visited your dad yesterday."

I gave him a fake smile. "Yes, Derek. I promise."

I head to the cafeteria, leaving him staring after me, and sit beside Cristina, stealing her apple as Izzie rants about Alex, who cheated on her.

Dumb move if you ask me.

"I'm telling you, Meredith was all over him!" Izzie grumbled.

"Seriously?" Cristina mocked. "She was all over him?" Cristina turned to George with fake concern spilling from between her lips. "What, like, uh, mounting him? With all babies watching? Seriously?"

"Well, she would've been if I hadn't interrupted." Izzie pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "Izzie, you and I both know Meredith would never in a million years go after Alex."

"Yeah, she was talking to him." George agreed.

"You don't talk to bastards that cheat on their girlfriends, George!" Izzie ranted. "That's the rule!"

"You weren't officially his girlfriend." Georgie pointed out.

I nodded as I ate George's salad. "Very true."

"That's not the point." Izzie rushed out, glaring at him.

"It is kinda the point." George countered. "You don't see me getting all emotion over people I'm not dating."

I looked at Cristina. "Are they going to fight now?"

"Maybe?" Cristina shrugged.

Izzie raised her brows while giving George a pointed look. "Really? You wanna go there?"

I looked between George and Izzie as they stared at each other for a few seconds before George dropped his head to his half-eaten salad.

"No," George muttered.

"I'm having a movement here!" Izzie seethed. "Don't mess with me!"

I sighed. "Are you going to kill us?"

"Or have you had a nervous breakdown?" Cristina asked.

"No." Izzie shook her head.

"So there's no chance you'll kill us?" Cristina wondered, gesturing to herself, George, and me.

Izzie stood and stormed off, and I turned to Cristina. "That was mean."

"I know," Cristina smirked.

I got to my feet and rolled my eyes at my friends. "Try not to hurt anyone else feelings while I'm gone."

"No promises," Cristina said.

I left the cafeteria, heading back to the nursery, and I knew I looked fine, joking with my friends as if I wasn't worried about my dad. But in truth, I was falling apart from the inside.

...☤...

I felt a hand nudge me awake, and I looked around, furrowing my brows as Emily's incubator was empty.

"They took her away."

I blinked. "Why?"

"Dr. Shepherd told us not to." The nurse explained the writing in her chart.

I stood and turned to her. "Where's Emily?"

The nurse didn't meet my gaze for a few minutes, and dread washed over me before the nurse spoke, "Dr. Shepherd, she died half an hour ago."

I shook my head in disbelief. "No."

I left the nursery and didn't look back as sadness washed over me.

She died.

"Rayne," Addison called out, pulling me into a meeting room with clear windows. "Breathe."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I'm so sorry, Addie."

"It wasn't your fault," Addison told me.

"But it is," I said, looking at her with tears blurring my vision. "I told you I could do this. But I failed. I let that baby die."

"No, you didn't." Addison shook her head, placing her hands on my shoulder. "She was going to die anyway."

A tear fell down my cheek as I stared at her in disbelief. "What?"

"She had a restricted atrial septum and virtually no aorta," Addison explained, dropping her hands. "As soon as Dr. Burke opened up her chest, we knew she didn't have a chance."

"So, was it a test." I gaped. "You told me it was my job to keep her alive." Addison didn't meet my gaze. "Was that all a lie?"

"No, it wasn't Rae." Addison sighed.

I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. "Why?" I opened my eyes as more tears flowed down my cheeks. "Why did you do it?"

"So that if the situation ever comes up again, I know you'll be able to handle the pressure," Addison explained.

"Pressure?" I scoffed. "That's what her life meant." Addison didn't answer. "A way for you to teach me a lesson to be a better doctor. She was a baby, for god's sake!"

"You have to learn distances, Rayne," Addison told me. "You'll be a better doctor for it."

I shook my head as anger flooded my veins. "A better doctor?"

"Rayne—" Addison reached for me, but I stepped back.

"Fuck you," I said.

"Excuse me." Addison blinked.

I stared at her as all the emotion welled inside me. "I trusted you." I could see the regret in Addison's eyes. "Did you get your answer? Did I pass your stupid test?" Addison crossed her arms, looking at her feet. "Did broken Rayne meet your expectations?"

"Addison, Rayne?" Derek said as he walked into the room. "What's going on?"

"Rayne," Addison pleaded. "I'm sorry."

I looked at her. "I know you are Addie. But sometimes, sorry isn't enough."

I turned and walked away, only getting halfway down the hall as Derek shouted, "You did what?!"

...☤...

"Rayne."

I rolled my eyes. "Look, Richard..."

"You still on Addison's service," Richard said through the phone while I hugged my knees to my chest as I sat on my window seat. "It's all my fault. I told her to do it."

"I know you both mean well."I started. "But I just need some time."

"Understandable," Richard said. "Take the rest of the month off."

I ended the call and looked at the snow littering the sidewalk outside.

It was my first Christmas in Seattle, and usually, Derek and I would watch an old Christmas movie together before he had to go in for surgery. But I knew if Derek came over, he would invite Addison, and I couldn't see her right now.

I got to my feet, headed for the kitchen, opened a drawer, and pulled out a lighter. I flickered the edge of the lighter, and a small flame erupted before I lit the candle. I blew out the lighter and set it on the counter as I rested my hands on it and leaned in with my eyes closed.

"Happy Birthday, Rayne," I mumbled before blowing out the candle.

I took it out of the cupcake and put the cupcake on a plate when a knock echoed from my front door.

"I hate the holidays," I muttered.

I padded over to the front door, praying that it wasn't carolers because I wasn't in the mood to deal with them as I pulled open the door. My eyes widened, and for once in a long time, I was speechless.

"Sunshine, are you going to let me in?"

I slammed the door and leaned against it as shock overtook my senses.

I think I'm hallucinating.

"I can stand out here all night if I have to!"

Nope, definitely not.

I closed my eyes and counted down from ten in my head before a breath escaped my lips, and I opened the door.

"Sunshine?"

I stared into piercing blue eyes. "What are you doing here, Mark?"

"Are you going to let me in?" Mark asked, leaning against the doorway. "Or slam the door in my face again?"

I looked into his eyes and felt my defenses lowered as I pulled the door wider. "Depends. Are you going to answer my question?"

"Addie," Mark answered. "She called me and told me what she did."

"Oh," I said. I turned and headed into the kitchen.

I could feel his gaze on me as I jumped onto the counter and gripped the counter. I wanted to tell him to leave and that I would be fine, but I was so tired of being fine.

"Also, it's your birthday," Mark explained. He pulled a black velvet rectangle box from inside his leather jacket. "I wanted to do this in person."

I grabbed the box and raised a brow. "You're not proposing to me, right?"

"No sunshine." Mark smiled. "I'm not. I know how you feel about marriage."

A half smile graced my lips, and I lifted the lid. "Woah."

A yellow gold supernova star pendant shined in the light as crystalline diamonds paved the gold. It hung from a gold chain that interlocked like an infinity.

I lift my gaze. "I love it."

"You'll always be my sunshine, Rayne," Mark said, taking a single step towards me. "And if you want me to leave, I will. But I just had to see you and tell you I care about you. Honestly, I don't think I cared about anyone like I care about you." He grabbed the necklace, lifted it, and slowly placed it around my necklace while never taking his eyes off me. "The last three months without you have been hell."

He lowered his hands to rest on the counter beside my thighs, and all I could do was stare at him as my heart beat rapidly in my chest. I knew that Derek would never understand the way I felt for Mark. He would think I'm betraying him. But I have pushed aside what I want and followed what was expected of me my whole life.

I wanted Mark, and for the first time, I didn't feel guilty for it.

"Sunshine?" Mark's voice broke into my thoughts.

I grabbed his neck and slammed my lips against his as my eyes fluttered shut. My other hand gripped his black shirt, pulling him to me. I kissed him slowly as I poured everything into the kiss. A low growl escaped Mark's lips as I pulled his salt and pepper hair, and before I knew it, I was in his arms.

"Sunshine," Mark growled as he pulled back.

I cupped his cheeks. "I want you." A small smile graced Mark's lips. He left the kitchen and sat on the couch with me still in his arms. "Do you want me?"

"So fucking much." Mark breathed, resting his forehead against mine.

"Good," I said, pushing his leather jacket off his arms. "I only have two conditions." His hands curved over my ass and squeezed, waiting. "If you are serious, I want you to take me on a date."

"Done," Mark said, grabbing the edge of my long-sleeved green crop top and lifting it over my head. "What's the other condition?"

I waited as he pulled off his shirt. "We'll tell my brother together."

"He's not going to like it, sunshine," Mark warned.

I nodded as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. "Yes, but I'm not a dirty secret. He'll get over it eventually."

"If that's what you want," Mark said. "Any more conditions?" I shook my head. "Good." He squeezed my ass, pulling me towards it until I could feel his hard-on in his jeans. "Because I've got some lost time to make up for."

A squeal escaped my lips as Mark flipped me onto my back and trailed kisses down my neck.

God, I've missed him.

...☤...

A/N: I'M BACK!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 3.22K READS.

So Mark is here!! Here's my warning that this story will have smut scenes much more than my other books. So read at your own risk. I'll still put my warnings in during the chapters.

Also, Rayne was going through it this chapter with her dad going through with his last appeal and Addison teaching her. So Rayne was in the dark place this whole chapter until Mark came, obviously.

THANK YOU TO 650 FOLLOWERS.

I hope you guys like it.

QUESTIONS: What did you guys like about this chapter? How do you guys think Derek will react when he finds out? What are you guys excited about in season 2?

SONG: Lonely by Noah Cyrus

-MakenaBlack