Just a quick explanation…

My plan for the rest of this season of Grey's is to have Meredith and Lexie meet for lunch weekly and discuss their lives. Basically, what will happen is that they will debrief on the events of each other's lives, such as their relationships, Izzie's illness, careers, etc. It will be driven by what happens each week on the show. I hope you like it!

*******

"Hi," Lexie says awkwardly, sitting down.

"Hi," Meredith replies, equally uncomfortably.

The two of them fidget with their trays awkwardly.

"So, ummm…congratulations…on you and Derek…you must be really excited…" Lexie stammers.

"Yes. I'm really excited," Meredith repeats, although she doesn't sound excited.

"Are you planning a big wedding?" Lexie asks.

Meredith laughs, sounding a little strained. "I don't know. We haven't really gotten that far."

"I think I want a big wedding. I mean, since I was a little girl I always dreamed of wearing that big white dress and walking down the aisle. It's such a princess moment. I can't wait!" Lexie says, dreamily.

Meredith sighs. "I never really had that fantasy. But I'm not surprised that you did," Meredith says, dryly.

Something about that comment feels insulting to Lexie and makes her feel tremendously insecure. She is silent for a moment, fearing that anything she says may come out wrong.

Meredith breaks the silence by saying, "So how are things going with you and Mark?"

Lexie smiles. "Good. Really good."

"That's good. I noticed you haven't been home in a while. Are you planning to…" Meredith stops as Lexie jumps on her words.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'll get my stuff out this weekend if you want. You were really generous taking me in after George and I…well…I'm sorry. I should have gotten my stuff out," Lexie apologizes.

Meredith stops her. "No. That's not what I meant! I meant to say that I noticed you haven't been home in a while. The house seems so quiet. I mean, first Derek went to the trailer for a while, then, you started staying at Mark's, then Izzie…and well…I don't know. It's just been quiet."

"How is Izzie?" Lexie asks.

Meredith shrugs. "I don't know."

Lexie smiles sympathetically. "That oncologist seemed really tough. It's probably tough to try to get information out of her. How are her spirits?"

Meredith shrugs again. "I wouldn't know that either."

Lexie nods, understandly. "I guess she probably puts up a brave front. She seems like that type. Do you just kind of talk about nothing when you visit her? That probably helps take her mind off of everything…"

Meredith shakes her head. "I don't know because I didn't go see her before her surgery," she admits.

Lexie wrinkles her forehead, looking confused. "Really? I'm surprised. I thought you guys were good friends. I mean, you've lived together since your internship and always seemed like you were…well…I mean I know you're closer with Cristina, but I always just thought that…well…" Lexie's voice trails off as she is unsure of what to say.

Meredith shakes her head again. "No. You're right. We are friends. Good friends. I mean, Izzie's a wonderful friend. She's the one who always wants things to work out well for everybody. Do you know what I heard?" Meredith asks.

Lexie leans forward. "What?"

"I heard that when I almost drowned and they didn't know if I would live or die, all of them…Cristina, Alex, George, and Izzie stood outside my room. The doctors were losing hope. Everybody was freaking out. Only Izzie believed I was really going to make it. She told everyone she believed in the good. And she believed I would make it. And I did. I know it's not very 'doctorly' of me, but I like to think that Izzie's positive attitude had something to do with that," Meredith explains.

"So why haven't you been to see her?" Lexie asks.

Meredith looks down. "I'm not Izzie. I'm not all bright and shiny. I'm the person who sees the good in serial killers. I'm not what Izzie needs right now," she says, quietly.

Lexie looks at Meredith sympathetically. "It must be hard to see your friend so sick."

Meredith looks up sharply. "Lexie. I'm a doctor. I've seen sick. I'm used to sick. I'm a surgeon. I can't handle sick." she says, quickly.

"But when it's someone you care about…that's really hard to watch," Lexie says.

Meredith tries to lighten the conversation. "Are you just trying to get me to hang out on the oncology floor so there is one less resident around to watch you interns screw things up?" she says with a smile.

Lexie doesn't answer the question. "Did I ever tell you about Edie Sheridan?"

"Edie Sheridan?" Meredith repeats. "No. I don't think so."

"Well...you know how in junior high school you're friends with one group of people and then in high school, sometimes all of that changes?" Lexie asks.

Meredith laughs. "I didn't have a lot of time to worry about all the social intricacies of adolescence. I was kind of in survival mode back then. I'm not sure I knew most of the names of the kids in my classes, let alone who was shifting lunch tables."

"Oh…well…I was pretty involved. I mean, I was popular. I was probably one of those kids you hated," Lexie quips.

"I wouldn't have hated you. I probably wouldn't have known your name," Meredith reminds her.

"Well, there was this girl, Edie. She and I were really good friends in junior high. She lived next door to me and our mom's were really good friends. We used to have family picnics on Sundays and after school we'd go to each other's houses and bake cookies," Lexie begins.

Meredith rolls her eyes. "I'm feeling a little nauseous from all your happy little family outings," Meredith says, only half joking.

Lexie continues, ignoring Meredith's comment. "Well, the summer after 8th grade, I started hanging out with this girl Bree who was super popular. I became really good friends with the popular group of kids and kind of stopped hanging out with Edie," Lexie explains.

"Lexie. We've come a long way in our relationship as sisters, but seriously, if this is a story about your rise to prom queen, I'm going to have to mock you endlessly," Meredith says.

Lexie laughs. "I'm prepared for mocking." She continues. "Anyway…as much as I loved hanging out with them, they were a tough crowd. There was a lot of drama and sometimes, you'd show up to hang out and they'd all be mad at you, and you wouldn't know why. Or everyone would be talking about you and rumors would spread and…well…It was stressful being part of their crowd."

Meredith thinks of her own childhood. "Wow. Sounds stressful," she says, sarcastically.

Lexie ignores the sarcasm and continues. "Well, I know I hurt Edie's feelings, but to her credit, she never made me choose. When Bree's friends kind of blew me off, or there was nothing else to do, I'd fall back on Edie and she always took me back."

"Does this story have a point, because afternoon rounds are starting in 20 minutes and I still have to pick up my charts," Meredith asks.

"I'm getting to it," Lexie snaps. "When we started 9th grade, Edie was supposed to be in some of my classes, but she never showed up. I was kind of relieved because I didn't know what I would do if she wanted to sit with Bree and I and all my new friends. I mean I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but…well…you know…"

"Your tragic childhood is really moving," Meredith says, acidly, not hiding her impatience.

"But it was really unlike Edie. One day I came home and my mom said she needed to talk to me. She told me that Edie had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and was in the hospital. She told me we were going to visit her that Saturday night. I told her I couldn't go because Bree was having a party that night, but she told me I had to go. I was really pissed off she wouldn't let me tell Bree why I was not going to the party. I had to make up some stupid excuse that sounded like a lie because my voice shakes a little when I lie and I'm not a very good liar and well…"

"Lexie! Rounds!" Meredith snaps.

"Sorry. I ramble when I'm nervous. I guess I'm nervous. I don't know. Well…when I got there, she looked so small and scared in that bed. And then my mom left us alone and I didn't know what to say. So we were all silent, and then Edie said, 'Is Bree pissed that you're not at her party?' And I just launched into a tirade about how unfair she was when I called and then filled her in on all the gossip from school and it felt like old times. And I decided it wouldn't be so bad to come back and visit. I decided I'd come back after school one day." Lexie says.

Meredith bites her lip and wonders how much longer she has to listen before it would be appropriate to excuse herself and get back to work. Work feels good right now. Meredith wants to work more than anything, but unfortunately for Meredith, Lexie seems determined to continue her story.

"But I never got to. She died two days later of an infection she caught while on chemo," Lexie says.

Meredith searches for the correct response. "I'm very sorry about your childhood friend," is what she settles on.

"Thank you," Lexie says.

"I know that you're hoping that your story is going to make me go upstairs to Izzie's room right now and tell her I'm engaged. But I can't right now. I have rounds," Meredith says, gently.

"You'll always have something. You'll always be busy. Izzie may not always…" Lexie stops, startled as Meredith cuts her off sharply.

"Don't say that!" Meredith snaps.

"Don't say what?" Lexie asks.

"You were going to say that Izzie may not always be there. Derek got the tumor. She's going to be fine." Meredith says, surprising herself with the catch in her voice.

"Meredith," Lexie says, gently, "I'm sure Derek did a great job today, but there are so many surgeries and chemo and radiation and so many steps to take before she can be 'fine.'"

"I have to go. I have rounds." Meredith says, standing up.

"Meredith…" Lexie says, following her as she walks briskly, "I'm sorry. We can talk about something else. Your wedding. We can talk about your wedding."

"I told you. We haven't started planning. There's not much to talk about," Meredith says, slowing down, slightly.

"Have you told everyone?" Lexie asks.

"I told Cristina. That's it," Meredith says.

"Was she so excited for you? What was her reaction?" Lexie asks.

"She cried," Meredith says.

"She cried? That's so sweet! I can't picture Cristina Yang as the type to cry from happiness! Wow! She cried! That's so sweet!" Lexie says, happily.

"No. She cried because she broke up with Owen," Meredith says, matter of factly.

"Why did she break up with Owen?" Lexie asks.

"He choked her," Meredith says.

"Choked her? Wow. And the interns are gossiping about Mark and I? Choking? Wow," Lexie says, incredulously.

"Don't tell the interns," Meredith says.

"I won't. I promise. Why did he choke her? I mean Cristina can be difficult sometimes, I'm sure, but choking is really over the top. I mean there is no excuse for choking," Lexie says, struggling to keep up with Meredith's pace which has quickened once again.

"He had a nightmare," Meredith answers curtly.

"He was in Iraq…right? He must have PTSD," Lexie says.

"PTSD or not, there is no excuse for choking," Meredith says.

"If it were Cristina, would you visit her?" Lexie asks.

"What?"

"If Izzie were Cristina, would you visit her?" Lexie asks.

Meredith thinks for a moment. "If Izzie were Cristina, she's be a tall blonde Asian girl which is seriously weird." Then she sighs. "I don't know, Lexie. I'm going to get back to work now. I'll see you soon…okay?"

Lexie gives up. "Okay. Can we have lunch next week? Our schedules line up on Wed."

"Sure. Next Wed," Meredith says, dismissively.

"Ummm…Mer?" Lexie calls, as Meredith starts to walk away.

"What?" Meredith says, exasperatedly turning around.

"I think I'm going to leave some stuff at the house…if that's okay. I mean, just in case…well…this thing with Mark, it's still new…and well…if it doesn't work out…well…if it's okay I'll just leave a few things…" Lexie says.

Meredith's face softens. "Of course," she says. Lexie smiles as she turns to leave. Meredith calls after her.

"Lexie!" she calls.

Lexie turns around.

Meredith smiles. "We can talk about you and Mark on Wed….you know…at lunch."