Sometimes there are moments in our life that are foggy.  Hazy even.  We wonder if it was all real in the first place.  People come in and out of lives so fast that it helps us to appreciate them more.  It helps us realize that the little moments are just as important as the big.  But then we are brought back to reality and wonder if it was all just a dream.

-

Alison was given the okay to do small things that didn't require standing on her leg for a long period of time but unfortunately she couldn't do surgery yet.  Alison was now in the beginning of her two year fellowship program and she was so thankful she passed her exam and boards.  Since she was making a lot of progress in her therapy, her therapist Matthew thought she could be released to go back to work in three months.  It was a huge relief to her.  

Right now they were working on balance training with the bosu ball.  When she first started therapy they mainly focused on controlling her pain and swelling with ice and electrical stimulation treatments.  He also did some massage techniques to help with that as well which came as a relief to the blonde.  

"Hey, Matthew," Mark greeted the therapist and kissed Alison on her temple.  "How's our girl doing?"

"Hey Mark," the young therapist greeted the plastic surgeon with a smile.  "She's doing really great.  Making a lot of progress.  Only has one more month to go until she can start putting weight on her left leg.  Want to show him some of the exercises we did today, Alison?"

She nods her head with a smile.

*

"Hey, how did therapy go today?" Derek asked his person as she was at the nurses counter talking to one of them.

"It went really good," she said with a big smile.  "Matthew said if things continue going as well as they are that I can go back to work in three months."

"That's amazing, Ali.  I know how much that would mean to you."

It wasn't until a few moments later that he saw Meredith talking on the phone and he excused himself to go talk to her as Alison watched the whole interaction with an amused smile.

"I have a patient with a severed arm and no one seems to be able to find it," Meredith explained to the both of them.  "Have either of you seen it?"

"Your severed arm?" Derek asked.  "No, I haven't and Alison wouldn't have either because she's been in therapy for the past hour.  Meredith-"

"Hey," a brunette came up to the three of them and talked to Meredith.  "I'm so sorry about before.  I was just so nervous about meeting you.  I was just so nervous and I learned my lesson."

"Your the girl from the bar," Derek said to the younger woman and Alison brought a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"Sorry?"

"The girl from the bar."

"Oh my God," she said and Alison couldn't hold it in anymore as she let out a laugh and the three of them looked at her.

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly.  "It's just pretty ironic."

"Yeah, oh my God," Lexie exclaimed.  "You work here."

"Yeah, I do."

"Girl from the bar?" Meredith asked jealous.  "I'm the girl from the bar," she said and left.

"She hates me," Lexie said to Derek and Alison.  "My sister hates me."

"Wait, did you just say sister?" Alison said remembering that Susan had told them she had a daughter studying to become a doctor.

"Meredith is your sister?" Derek asked as his eyes widened.

"My half-sister.  Hey, your Doctor Shepherd?" He nodded his head.  "I'm supposed to be finding you for a consult."

"Okay," Derek nodded his head and looked back at his person.  "I'll see you later Alison."

*

"Wait, Addison is gone?" Mark asked with his eyes wide.  "She can't leave just like that without telling anyone.  She can't just leave Alison like that."

"She can, Mark, and she did," Richard said letting out a sigh.  "Addison told me though that she had talked to Alison before making her decision of choosing to leave.  She didn't have to tell Alison what her decision was though."

"But they were the golden hands duo," he whined.  "She can't just leave."

"The only thing that would have made her stay was if I made her chief of surgery and I didn't."

*

"Meredith told me that there was a pregnant woman who lost an arm.  Why are all the good surgeries coming in when I can't work?" Alison said with a pout as she sat down at lunch with Mark and Callie.  

"Sorry babe," Mark sympathized with his girlfriend.  "There is.  I worked on her this morning."

"I wish I could at least just sit in one of the surgeries.  You know?"

*

"Come on, Doctor Webber," Mark asked the chief as they walked in the hallway.  "Alison can't perform any surgeries for four months.  Can't she at least be in on the surgery I'm performing today?"

"Alright, alright," Doctor Webber finally gave in.  "As long as she has a chair to sit in then I'll allow it."

"Thank you, Doctor Webber," he smiled at the chief.  "You just made her whole month."

They were now in surgery for the woman and Mark looked at his girlfriend who had a sparkle in her blue eyes.  A sparkle he hadn't seen in a while and it made him feel good.

"Interns listen up," he said catching the attention of the few interns that were allowed in the surgery which included George and the rest of Meredith's interns.  "You see that gorgeous doctor sitting down in this room?  That's my girlfriend Doctor Alison Anderson.  She is your pediatric surgeon who specializes in neonatal and fetal surgery," he said with pride and Alison was a little embarrassed but still thought it was cute.  Mark went on to tell the interns that she won't be performing any kind of surgery for at least three more months due to having surgery on her femur fracture.  "If you have any questions you ask her.  Got it?"

The interns nodded and they continued performing the surgery as they were now working on attaching her arm back to her body.

"We got a big bleeder," Mark said to the group.

"She's having contractions," George announced looking at his watch.

"Well, take a look George," Meredith told him.  "It's probably the stress."

"No, these are strong and these are two minutes apart."

"Call OB and get someone in here," Meredith said.

"I don't think there's time to call an OB.  Her water just broke and she's crowning."

"Can we get a warmer in here?  This baby is coming out.  O'Malley get her up in stir ups," Mark said.

Alison was nervous as she watched George get Nancy ready to give birth.  

"Try it without all of the jostling," Mark told him.  "I'm working on a major artery here."

"Okay, clamp," George said.  "Scissors.  I got it.  I got him," he announced and Alison had a smile on her face even though she wished she could be the one in George's position.

"Nice job, George," Meredith told her best friend.

"Yeah, yeah," Mark said as he continued operating.  "We're all heroes.  I'd like to get to back to getting her arm back on.  Like she said - she's going to need it."

*

"Mrs. Burke," Alison asked as she stopped walking with her crutches having just gotten done with her physical therapy for today.

"Alison!  Is that you?" She asked the doctor as she got up to give her a hug and help her to a seat next to her.  "What happened to you?"

"I was on that ferry boat when it crashed.  I fractured my femur bone and had to have surgery on it so instead of doing surgery right now I have to do therapy."

"Yes, I did hear about that crash.  It was all over the news.  I had no idea you were injured.  I'll have to get on Preston for not telling me.  And what happened to your wrist?"

"Oh second degree burn," Alison told her and Mrs. Burke winced.  "How are you doing, Mrs. Burke?"

"I'm doing well.  But I think the real question you are looking for is how is Preston doing.  Am I right?" She asked the doctor and she slowly nodded her head.  "He's doing as well as anyone could.  He's a gentleman."

"He's not coming back is he?  He's not going to say goodbye to any of us?  Like he left without a trace almost as if none of his time here was real..."

"He always said you were his favorite," Mrs. Burke pointed out to the blonde doctor and they both gave a small smile.  "He always called you Wendy Darling.  His time here was real," she told Alison as she held onto her good hand.  "Never forget that.  It's just hard on him.  He wanted me to give this to you," she rummaged through her purse and grabbed a note handing it to the blonde.  "Do me a favor and read it when I'm gone, alright?  That was Preston's request."

"I will," she smiled at the older woman she had come to love since working with Burke.  "I have to get going but it was nice seeing you."

"You as well, Alison.  I hope you get better soon," she smiled at her as the blonde got up and walked away.

*

"So, this is your favorite pizza place, huh?" Mark asked his girlfriend as he opened the door for her as his New York accent came through thick and she thanked him.

"Yeah," she said with a smile as she welcomed the warmth from inside since it was a bit chilly.  "Trust me you're going to love it here.  If not I won't ask you to try pineapple pizza ever again."

"Okay," he says with a confident smile and the couple walks up to the hostess.

"Hi, welcome to The Independent Pizzeria.  How many are in your party tonight?" The boy asks the couple.

"Two please."

"Alright," he says with a smile and grabs two menu's.  "Table for two - if you'll follow me."

"What can I get you both to drink?"

"Can I get the cider, please?" Alison asked and the waitress nodded her head.

"I'll take a beer," Mark said.

"Alright.  Any starters?"

"Yeah, we'll take the chevre + honey: goat cheese, honey, house bread," Mark told her.

"Perfect.  I'll be right out with those for you while you take a look at the menu."

She came back soon later with their appetizer and drinks as she brought out her black notepad and a pen.

"Did you guys have a chance to look at the menu?"

"Yeah, can we get a large hala kahiki pizza as well as a medium the village pizza?  And then can we get the Tiramisu for dessert?" The waitress nodded her head and left to go get their food.  The Tiramisu was one of Alison's favorites which had whipped mascarpone and ladyfingers drenched in coffee, espresso and rum.

"How are the new interns?" Alison asked her boyfriend as they were sitting in their booth and eating the house bread with goat cheese and honey.

"Annoying as hell," he whined.  "Slightly better than the last class but still annoying."

"I saw that Meredith's sister is one of them.  I actually met her today when I saw Burke's mom earlier.  Talkative but seems sweet.  Did you know she was the girl who flirted with Derek at Burke's bachelor party?"

"Really?" Mark asked laughing at the thought.  "Seems like the Grey sisters have the same taste in men.  This year will be really interesting then."

"I still can't believe George has to redo his intern year," Alison said letting out a sigh.  "I really thought he would pass."

"Really?  You thought O'Malley would pass?" 

"Don't give me that look.  He made some mistakes but he was really good.  He never gave up and that was what I like about him.  Besides he did good delivering the patient's baby today when I couldn't."

"But you wanted to," he pointed out taking another bite of the pizza.

"I wanted to so bad.  Do you know how hard it was for me to just sit back and let someone else do my job?"

"I don't," he told his girlfriend honestly.  "I can't imagine what you are going through but I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you though."

"And so you just had to admit all of that to everyone in the OR room today?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"I did.  I get to brag about how amazing my girlfriend is," he said making her heart flutter.

"You know, I'm proud of you too.  Not just with your work but who you are becoming.  You're still you but you are wanting to be a better man.  Have you ever had a threesome?" Alison asked and Mark coughed as he drank his beer.

"What?" He asked wide-eyed.

"You heard me," she said taking a sip of her cider.

"Why do you want to know?" He laughed shaking his head.

"It's a yes or no answer."

"Yes.  Alright?  Yes.  Satisfied?"

"Immensely," she smirked at him making them both laugh.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have you ever?"

"Had a threesome?  No way," she shook her head as her eyes widened.

"Ever been curious?"

"No!" She let out a nervous laugh.  "It's just - you intimidate me sometimes," she confessed.  "With your knowledge and experience.  I mean don't get me wrong it turns me on but I've never been with as many guys as you have been with a lot of women."

"I can't change my past," he told her.  "But what I can do is change my future.  I don't want to scare you off so if it ever gets to be too much let me know.  Okay?"

"Okay," she nods her head with a smile. 

"Think I got your family's approval?  Because I think I did," Mark asked as he was eating the pizza.

"Wait we go from talking about sex to my family's approval?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I guess we are," he said with a smirk.  "I know I got their approval."

"Oh really?" She asked raising an eyebrow.  "What makes you so sure?"

"Because your brother James took me in a room and grilled me for two hours straight.  Two hours!  I'm not normally someone who is intimidated very easily... really ever.  But he's in the military.  I thought your dad looked like he wanted to kill me sometimes but-" he shivered slightly just at the memory.

"Relax, bubs," she calmed him down.  "You got their approval.  My brother was very impressed by you," she said and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Good.  That's good to know."

"So what do you think of the pizza?" She asked excited for his reaction.

"It's okay," he nods his head.

"If it's just okay then why do you keep on eating it?" 

"If you tell Shepherd that I agree with you I'll never try anything you like again.  Deal?"

"Deal."

--

So I know Mrs. Burke isn't coming back until the next episode but I'm skipping that one to allow Alison to go back to work early.

Hope you guys don't mind!