He felt guilty, and angry at himself. He sat up, shaking his head. "I am an idiot," He said softly to himself. He'd told her to think about it, about him, and he was still with Dani. She'd come crying to him a couple of days later after he had told her they were through, begging him to take her back. Unable to say no to her face, he'd agreed.

Now he was in the worst predicament he could possibly think of. He was in the same house as the girl he knew he loved, but he was with another girl.

He heard rustling and footsteps behind him, and turned around quickly. Marielle's face appeared from the dark, and she was smiling foolishly.

"I'm sorry, did I wake up you?" She asked.

"No, I was already up." He said, groaning as he stretched a little. Joey let out a large snore and turned onto his side, still asleep. "What time is it?" JC asked, ignoring Joey's snores.

"it's six."

"What are you doing up so early then?"

"I do work," She joked, gesturing to the hospital scrubs she was wearing.

"oh." He replied, feeling sheepish this time. "Need a ride?"

"Oh, no, that's okay. You should really get your sleep." She said. JC stood up, a head taller than her, staring straight into her eyes.

"Marielle, I have something to tell you, and I know you'll hate me for it." He told her, his body tense.

"Yes?" She asked, knowing from his tone that it had to be something bad.

"I know I asked you to think about me, about us, just before you left," He started, then turned his head away from her, "and I know I told you that I broke up with Dani, and I did. But she came back, begging me to give her another chance, and I did. I was a fool, Ari."

"Oh." Was Marielle's only reply. "So, you thought you'd just string me along for the past two weeks?"

"No, that's not what I-"

"That's exactly what you wanted," She hissed, "I thought about you for almost three Goddamn weeks! You could have told me what happened, I would have understood!"

"I couldn't!" he hissed back.

"And why the hell not!" She asked.

"Because I'm still in love with you!" He answered angrily, not even realizing the extent of his words.

She paused, letting the words sink in. "JC, I have to go." She answered, glancing at her watch and starting for the door. She stopped and turned back to face him, "you should have thought of that before you said yes to Dani." And she left.

Marielle's entire day seemed to be a blur. The hospital was unusually busy, so she was on her feet for most of the day, and she'd been working long past her shift and was due back in a couple of hours. She sat in the break room, sipping a cup of coffee as she thought about what JC had said that morning. How could he? Part of her wanted to yell. Another part of her wanted to cry, but she never cried, only for those she truly loved and she'd know it when she loved someone truly.

"Mari! Hey, what are you still doing here?" Dr. Peter Griffin, another doctor in the wing, greeted her as he walked into the break room.

"Hey, Peter." She answered, smiling at him as he sat down on one of the chairs near her. "I'm going to leave to go and get a couple of hours sleep before I come back."

He nodded, understanding as well the tough schedules of doctors. "Rough day?" He asked, taking a sip of his own steaming coffee.

"You bet. I was up late too, my roommates got back from France last night."

"That's great!" He said, his green eyes sparkling. Marielle nodded.

"Did I hear 'roomates'?" Jessica teased, popping her head into the break room. "Hey, Gabi, I think we're needed here." Gabi came in, smiling.

"What are you guys doing here!" Marielle said, surprised.

"Well, when you didn't come home for dinner, we thought 'well it's time for Ari to get her butt home' so we're here to fetch you. The guys said to drag you home quick, and we'd better if we want any of the Chinese food." Jessica informed her, then looked at Peter. "I don't believe we've met?" She said, giving him a charming smile.

"I’m Dr. Griffin." He answered, shaking her hand and Gabi's.

Marielle checked her watch, "well I'm just about off now, I'll see you tomorrow, Peter?"

"Sure. See you later, Mari." He answered, sitting down as the girls left.

"You didn't say that this 'Dr. Griffin' was a hunk!" Gabi gushed when they left the room.

"You never asked," Marielle retorted.

"He likes you too, Ari!" Jessica said, smiling.

"I know." Marielle answered, "but I don't like him." Jessica and Gabi's expressions became somber.

"We're sorry, we should have told you that JC was back with Dani." Jessica told her.

"We should have called." Gabi added. Marielle put a reassuring arm over both of her friends' shoulders.

"Don't worry about it," She said, putting on a grin for their sake. "It's neither of your faults. Now let's get home, I'm starving!"

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