Rushed this one for the holidays — hope you guys like it!

—

Today was Christmas eve and you find yourself standing outside his apartment door, holding his present in hand, unsure.

You had a fight a week ago, probably the worst one you've had since Sloan stepped into his apartment two years ago. You've been staying at Meredith's attic ever since that night, miserable. For a week now, you would avert your gaze when you pass by him at the hospital, and the only interaction you've had was that one time he walked to you and called your name, and you turned the other way. After the countless fights you've both had for years, he knew better than to push you when you're not ready to talk yet. But now, it's Christmas eve, and seeing how happy and excited everyone was in the living room right when you came downstairs only made you miss him more. And since Callie and Arizona had plans to go to Europe with Sofia for the holidays, you were pretty sure he's in his place alone, and your heart broke at that thought.

You and Mark got back together after you came to his place in Valentine's day and told him how you feel. He dwelled on it for a couple of weeks, left you at arms-length until he knocked on Meredith's house one day (while you lived there) and told you he loves you back. That he broke up with Julia then, and he's ready to wait for you to be ready for the life he has to offer. Since he has Sofia now, he hasn't really pushed you or mentioned about the future anymore. You've been back together for ten months and everything has been going so well... until last week.

You bought him several presents when you were apart that week (most of which had insulting phrases on them), all while you were angry at him, and it wasn't until you were about to pack them that you realized how much money you wasted. But the only real one you bought him that could pass as a real gift was the one you have in your hands now.

You take a deep breath before sliding your key into the knob and take a step inside. The apartment was pretty much still the same as when you left. But it was cold, much too cold for your own liking. You take a look around and see that he hasn't even put up a tree, or anything at all to make the place Christmas-y. Which was surprising because he always loved the holidays. Your chest clenches. Was he even planning to celebrate Christmas?

All the breath you were holding was knocked right out of you when you saw him on the bed, covers up to his chest, and shivering. You rush to his side, dropping the present on the floor in the process. You feel his forehead for a second, and he opens his eyes, confused. "Lexie?"

You nod, and pull the covers up higher to his neck. He is sick. Your heart breaks at this sight, and you couldn't believe he was in here, unwell and alone, when you were supposed to be here to help him. "Why didn't you call?"

He closes his eyes again, mutters the apartment is spinning under his breath, and takes a full minute before he speaks again. "You were mad."

"But still. You could've..." You sighed and climbed in bed next to him, hoping to warm him up. You stroke his hair and your other hand starts drawing circles on his chest. It is then that you realize just how much you miss him, his warmth, his presence. You take in as much of his scent as you can, trying to make up for lost time.

You both lay like that in silence for what felt like a long time, before you look at him again, unsure of whether he is asleep or not. "I wanted to ask if I could come home? Because I missed you and I'm sorry." You smile as you try to lighten the mood.

His shivering has calmed a little by then and he smiles. "Of course, Lex."

—

You wake up and check the clock: 10:30 pm. It isn't too late to celebrate. You leave a kiss on your sleeping boyfriend's lips before getting up and going to the kitchen.

You take supplies out of the kitchen cabinets and start making him soup. After you're done, you try to set up the christmas tree until finally giving up halfway, leaving only half a tree on the corner of the living room.

You check the clock again. 11:48.

It was time to prepare for your surprise. You changed into a red christmas-themed lingerie, and wear the reindeer horn headband that it came with. You pick up the soup and step back into the bedroom. Mark is still asleep so you put the bowl on the bedside table and slowly straddle him before you start kissing his neck. He stirs slowly, and you hear his low laugh, before he puts his hands on your waist.

His eyes fly open as he feels your bare skin and you giggle as you pull away. His eyes rake your body, and he groans. His voice was laced with sleep when he speaks and it stirs something inside you. "Lex..."

"Merry Christmas, you lucky lucky man." You smile before kissing him on the lips. Your tongue brushes through his teeth before he grants you access into his mouth. Your body fires up, and you restrain yourself before getting too far, and you start pulling away. "This is supposed to go differently, but you're sick and so..." You kiss him again, softly. "We're just going to eat soup and then go back to sleep."

He smiles, pushing stray strands of your hair to the side. "God, I love you."

You smile, and warmth radiates through your entire body. "I know. Now eat your soup."

He slowly sits up and does as told while you sit on his lap, watching him with anticipation. He eats in silence for a few minutes, and then looks at you with his brows furrowed. "Why are you so quiet?"

"Shut up." You say, and he laughs before going back to his soup. He scoops another spoonful, and along comes your little surprise, in the form of a rolled paper enclosed in a little plastic.

He takes it with his fingers, confused. "What... is this?"

You can't stop smiling, as you excitedly tell him to open it. And he does, reading the paper thrice before his eyes meet yours again, his jaw twitching, as a smile threatens to form.

Will you marry me?

"You... I..." He's at loss for words and you laugh, putting your hands on either sides of his face. You kiss him tenderly, full of love, and he responds, his lips conveying what words could never say.

You pull away. "I love you, and I know you've been waiting, for me to be ready. I have been ready since we got back together, and I've been thinking about it for eight months. You— you never made a move, and you've been so nice about it and—" You pause to sigh, looking at him adoringly. "I'm done waiting. I'm ready. I want a life with you. I can't imagine it any other way. I— I thought about all those months we were apart, and they were unbearable. I don't wanna go through that again. I don't ever wanna be not with you. So please, Mark Sloan. Marry me."

He wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer, as he buries his face on your neck. You wrap your arms around his neck, waiting anxiously for his answer. It wasn't until you feel moisture on your neck that you realize he's crying. He drops a kiss on your neck before holding your face in your hands, locking his eyes with yours, that he says in a whisper, almost as if it's a secret, "Yes."

—

You wake up in the morning alone in bed. You reach out for Mark, but instead found his side of the bed empty. A groan escapes out of your mouth as you sit up. You pick up your robe as you stand up and start looking for him.

Last night after your little proposal, you both just talked for hours about what you've done the past week. You insisted he "go in detail" but it was only making you sad you missed so much. He also said that Sofia slept over for a couple of nights and looked for you all around the apartment but she couldn't find you anywhere and just cried. You smiled at that. You adore Sofia and you've both gotten so close over the ten months that your heart just melts everytime she calls you "Wexie".

You step out of the room and see Mark cooking in the kitchen, his brows tightly knit together, trying to concentrate. You smile, and walk over to him, hugging him from behind. "Feeling better?"

He puts his hands on yours, and kisses them. "Yes. Just trying to make my fiancée some breakfast." You blush at his use of the word and bury your face in his back.

Then, he opens a kitchen cabinet and takes out a wrapped envelope from it and hands it to you. You smile as you take it from him. "Babe. What's this?"

"Open it." He says as he turns to face you, full of anticipation. You do as told and find two tickets to Hawaii inside it. You gasp and look at Mark, and he laughs. "It's not for another month but, I realized we never took a trip anywhere, just the two of us. Away from everyone. I already told Hunt we'll be gone for a couple weeks and he said it's fine. And... I was actually planning to propose there but you got me first and your way was better."

You jump excitedly as you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him. "Mark. I love it. Thank you."

He pulls out a folded piece of paper from another one of the cabinets and also hands it to you. "This one's from Sofia."

"Whaaaaat?" You say, surprised, that the little girl remembered you and you open the piece of paper. It was a drawing of stick figures, five of them, holding hands. There was you, Mark, her in the middle, then Callie and Arizona. She labelled them all — probably with the help of her mamas — and what got you was that yours was also labelled "Mama" before your name. You felt a sudden wave of emotion, causing you to tear up and put your hand in your mouth.

Mark kisses your forehead and hugs you. He rubs your back, and you pull away and say "i love her" in what sounded like gibberish, because you can't stop crying and you just can't help it. He laughs, taking the drawing and putting it on the fridge, holding it up with the magnets. You both look at it for the longest time, surrounded by the happy pictures of the both of you, and for the first time in your life, you feel content. Truly and completely content.

"We're gonna have the best life, Lexie. We're gonna be so happy."