Lexie nodded on the phone, and handed her phone to Casey. "Your mommy's ready for you."
Casey giggled, and took the phone quickly. "MOMMY!"
Meredith's heart neraly melted by the sound of her little girl's voice. "Hey baby, how are you? Mommy misses you so much."
"I'm good. I wanna go home, mommy. I miss you so much. When are you coming here?" -Casey said, and sniffed back her tears.
Meredith closed her eyes tightly, holding her own tears to herself. "I know, baby. I'll be there soon, Casey. Now tell me, have you met your dcotor friends?"
Casey looked up at Lexie,and nodded. "Speak, she can't see you nod?" -Casey chuckled, and brought her lips close to the receiver.
"Yes, mommy. I met them all. Teddy and Arizona. "
"Good, good. And when are you meeting them again?" Meredith asked.
-"Tomorrow. And mom? I met a really really nice guy. He's a doctor too, and he was with me the whole morning."-she shared, and Lexie could onlyhold her breath for what's going to come next. COME WHAT MAY, was all that she thought.
Meredith listened, and she felt her heart beat a little more faster. She thought she had a clue who it was, but she also thought there could be no way. Lexie wouldn't let it happen, she hoped. "-Really? who is it?"-she asked again.
"Uhm...wait, Aunt Lexie? What was the guy's name again?" she looked up, and Lexie thought it could be a chance to somehow hide Casey and Derek's close encounter.
Lexie whispered, "uhm, Mark Sloan, Casey."
But Casey just grunted,"-I know Mark Sloan. He's the plastics guy. The other one, aunt Lex !"
On the other line, Meredith waited so nervously. She could tell Lexie was hiding something, and she perfectly knew why.
"Uhm, ahh-Derek Shepherd." Lexie whispered softly, as not for Meredith to hear.
Casey nodded quickly, "Yeah that's the one. Uhm-mommy are you still there?"
"Yes, baby. I'm still here, honey."-she answered, held her breath.
"Derek Shepherd is his name. Do you know him? Cause he said he's been here for a long long time." Casey said with all excitement. Meredith could only bury her face with her hands.
"uhmm..-" she spoke, looking for the right words to say to her princess. "-uhm no, I'm afraid I don't. But uhm, be careful with the people you mingle with, okay? Cause I love you so much. Is aunt Lexie still there?"
Casey nodded, "Yeah, I'm on her lap. Do you want to say something to her, mommy?"
"Uhm no, just tell her I want to ask some questions. But not now. I miss you so much, Casey. And I hope you understand why we're doing this?"
-"o'course, I do. You love me sooo much, and you want me to be completely okay, right?"
-oOoOoOo-
Soon enough, their shifts were over, and they were immediately home for dinner. Mark decided to spend the night, so Lexie and Csey could have a male companion. But both he and Lexie knew it was more than that. With some packs of chinese food they got on their way home, they ate dinner. It had been a long day, especially for Casey. She met with her doctors, and only told the grown ups about the truth. Meredith was right, Casey needed a transplant. But there was no way they could slip her into the top f the donor list. Unless they knew who Casey is. At least, that woud get everyone to work on getting a healthy, brand new heart for Casey.
Mark cleaned the table, while Lexie washed the dishes. "Lex." he mumbled softly, as he set some empty packs and boxes in the trashcan.
Lexie turned to where he was, and paid attention. "Yeah?"
"You're hiding something. I know." He stood by the sink, serious as ever.
Lexie chuckled, "Really, psychic?" She ignored him, but his expression didn't change one bit.
"Lexie Caroline Grey." he shot at her, and she dropped some utensils to the sink, faced him, and crossed her arms. "Whatever it is that I am hiding from all of you, it's none of your freaking business."
Mark loosened up, and sighed. "It's Casey, right? The girl's not your sister, am I right?"
Lexie rolled her eyes, and walked off, leaving the soapy kitchen sinks and counters. "Mark, you should go."
"You can trust me, Lex. You know that." He pleaded.
Lexie stopped, and looked at him. "I know I can. But this is not my secret to tell . I promise, you'll know soon."
Mark sighed, and realized there will be no point in trying to convince her. "Alright.-" he nodded, "-I can still sleep here?"
Lexie chuckled, and hit his arm. "Come on, you silly. Of course."-she smiled, and leaned closer to give him a sweet peck on his cheek. "I'll tell you a secret when the right time comes."
Mark smirked, and cupped her face lightly. "You better."
"Yeah, I promise." She said, and reached forward to kiss him, but it was then interrupted when Lexie's phone rang. "-uhm, wait." she slipped her hand through her pocket, and grabbed her phone. It was Meredith. She looked up at Mark, and hid her phone's screen from him. "-I'll take this outside."
Mark nodded as he stepped aside. "Sure,"
She smiled, and thanked him, Then she quickly made her way to the balcony, and answered the call.
"Meredith, hey." she said.
"Lexie, why the hell-" Meredith started to rant, and Lexie interrupted to stop her.
"Stop, I'm going to explain. Please?"
Meredith sighed, "Explain now."
She cleared her throat, and spoke. "I got caught into a 24 hour shift, that I couldn't make it for breakfast at home, We had so many cases, and it squeezed everything out of me."
"So you asked Derek to look after Casey. That's what happened?"
"-NO. I didn't know Derek was going to look after her. I asked Mark, since he was free. But it turned out that he wasn't free anymore, so he asked his best friend to take over. Meredith, I'm so so sorry. I know I should've been there and not let-"
Meredith sighed as she listened to what Lexie said. "-And what happened? Skip to the end."
Lexie paused, and panted. "She told me he was great. She's fond of him. He took care of what she'd wear, took her to shower, fed her, they watched a movie. They talked. Please...don't be mad? I promise to-"
"It's alright. Don't do it again. Never let Derek near my daughter."
-"She's his daughter too and-"
"Just do what I say, please.-" she raised her voice a little bit, and Casey's condition came to her mind. "-by the way, how did it go with Teddy? Please tell me her previous doctors are wrong. Tell me."
Lexie sighed, and went silent for a period of time. She tried to look for a good way to tell Meredith the truth, but there could be no possible good way to tell someone that her daughter needs a new heart, or she'll die. It seemed to Meredith that silence only proved that Casey needed transplant. She could only cry on the line. Lexie heard her soft soft weeping, and it completely broke her.
"I'm so sorry." Lexie mumbled, though she knew it was not going to comfort anybody.
Meredith cried a little more harder, and cleared her throat a few times before she could speak again. "-So she needs a heart. Tell me everything."
"Meredith-" Lexie sighed, and shook her head. At the same time, she looked around, to check if her sneaky man friend is listening.
Meredith insisted, "NO. Tell me. I deserve to know."
"Her heart defect, it's inborn. She had it since she was 0 months old, but it was too tiny, hard to see at first. The doctors didn't see it. She's five now, and her heart developed a hole, a size of an almond seed. Because it's -" Lexie paused, and held her tears back. "-because it's too weak. She'll have to get a new heart in less than six months or else...the hole's gonna-"
"IT's going to get worse, and Casey's gonna die.?" -Meredith said. She couldn't pretend that she knew nothing about the risks. In fact, she knew too much. WAY too much. And she knew even if she was going to break down, it's not gonna help Casey.
Lexie jerked a tear that fell on her cheek, "-she's on the third of the donor list. It's-It's gonna take more than six months to get her a heart. Four months, if we're lucky. Meredith, Casey needs you. It would be better for her if you come to Seattle. You know what could happen. She's getting weaker before my very eyes-and, she might not make it at all. Even if she gets a new heart, she might be gone on the table-"
"H-how can you say such horrid things?-" Meredith nearly yelled, as she weeped even harder, her words became difficult to make out.
Lexie blinked away the tears that kept on falling from her eyes, "-I'm talking to you as a doctor. Not your sister. Meredith Grey, be here. Casey would love to spend her life with you."
Meredith sniffed, and pondered on the thought of coming back to where she first found home. Although she wasn't really speaking, Lexie could still hear her cries. After all, Meredith knew her sister was right. Meredith knew Casey might not make it AT ALL. Pride was keeping her from coming back all along. And she thought, it would be best if she comes back. To fight for Casey, and if not, to be there when the time comes. "-uhm, I am-"
"Come home, " Lexie convinced some more.
Meredith cleared her throat, already certain of her decision. "I'll schedule a flight to Seattle first thing in the morning. I'll be there by noon, or...whatever."
-oOoOo-
She came back inside the house, and found Mark by the window. She didn't care anymore. Lexie pouted, as he looked at Mark. "You heard everything, haven't you?"
Mark nodded slowly, but the look in his eyes told Lexie she could always trust him. "Just the Casey part. I-I can go now."
Lexie only came closer to him, and hugged him, breaking down in his arms. "I can't bear all this. Please don't leave me."
He wrapped his arms around her tightly, trying to make her feel so loved. He ran his hand up and down her back, comforting her.
"Can you tell me the rest?"-he asked, not expecting her to say yes, but she only nodded.
They sat on the couch, Lexie facing Mark. "Casey's not my sister. She's Meredith's , she's alive. And Meredith called us, cause Casey is so sick. She's...She's dying, Mark.. If she doesn't get a heart, she'll...-" she cried in so much pity, "-she'll die."
Mark paid close attention, shocked by every detail Lexie said. "go on, " he told her.
Lexie cleared her throat, as he wiped her tears with his thumb. "-Meredith's coming home tomorrow. I-I don't know what's gonna happen next..."
"Damn, she's a sweet little girl. It's only been a month, but she'd been close to everybody's hearts. B-But, where's the father? IS he coming with Meredith tomorrow?"
Lexie looked at him, realizing he didn't know yet. She took a short moment to think, and shook her head. "No, he's not. He's here."
Mark tilted his head, completely confused. "Where is he, then? I'll punch his egomaniac face for leaving his sick daughter, considering he's just here in Seattle-"
"You're not getting it. Casey is Derek's daughter. She's a Shepherd."-Lexie told him, and she could tell, he was in a complete SHOCK.
Mark went really quiet, laid his back on the couch, taking in everything. "C-can you say that again?"
"It's true. Derek is Casey's father. Meredith didn't want to tell anybody, and they don't have to know. So Mark-" she trailed off, "-Please, keep it to yourself. If you care about me, you won't tell anybody, especially the baby daddy. Got it?"
Mark didn't move, but nodded anyway. "-Derek's a father."
-oOoOoOo-
"Lexiepedia, what did you text me last night? Is it supposed to be a joke, Meredith's coming home?" Cristina said, not caring whether there were people listening. Alex, April, Jackson heard.
Alex walked over to Lexie, "Dude, Meredith's alive? How the hell did that happen?"
"Cristina..." Lexie glanced at Cristina.
Yang only rolled her eyes. "She's coming back. There's no point in hiding it from them anymore. Well, remember the plane crash. She wasn't in it, She took another plane for Alaska. IT only happens that the plane for Italy crashed, no survivors. I saw her one night before she left. I knew she was still alive."
"-Casey's Meredith daughter." Lexie added, but looked at Cristina in a way that she wouldn't mention a thing about Derek. She was relieved that Cristina understood it.
April gasped, "Oh my gawd. This...this is too much!"
"Why are you hiding stuffs to best friends, huh?" Alex said, but deep down inside he was celebrating. Meredith was one of his very good friends. He was g;ad she's alive, and they all knew it.
"-Meredith must have said to keep a secret." Jackson added, "-She'll be here, by what time? I'll make sure I'm free."
Lexie grabbed her stuffs from her cubby, and turned to Jackson. "By noon, or so. What, you're gonna witness Meredith's and Mcdreamy's first encounter in years?"
"EXACTLY?" Cristina, Alex, Jackson and April said in chorus. "Ain't you gonna watch for it?"
Lexie rolled her eyes, "uhhh-kind of."
"See.?" Alex shot at her, with his mischievous grin on his face.
Soon enough, Mark came with Casey. They greeted, and Casey replied back. They could tell by her color, she's getting weaker. "Lexie, do they know?"-Mark asked.
"Cristina started it. Yes, they know." Lexie said.
Casey ran to her, with all the smiles of the world. "My mommy's coming today!" She exclaimed, and everyone in the room cheered.
"You know we can't wait to see your mom too, Casey." April told her, and Casey giggled.
Alex grinned, and sat close to his cubby, grabbed his things. "Yeah right. She's a very awesome surgeon."
Casey went confused. "I never knew she was a doctor too. " She looked up at Lexie for any explanations.
Lexie smiled, and stroked her face. "Pretty sure she was trying to protect you, right guys?"
"Yeah, " all of them said. Casey smiled again. "Mom would never do anything to harm me. I'm so happy she'll be here."
"You know what, I have an idea. Why don't we go shopping for your mom?" Lexie suggested, but was soon enough interrupted by Alex.
"You have surgeries starting at nine. There's no way." -he said.
April smiled, and spoke, "Oh well, I think me and Casey can get all the fun in the world, shopping for mommy. Right, Casey?"
"Oh, oh, yeah! ;) April's cool. Aunt Lex, can I go with April, instead?"
Lexie glanced at Cristina, and she seemed okay about it, so she let her. While she was gone, they talked about what to do, to get Casey on top of the list. Teddy suggested, they could sign her in the other hospitals too, so Casey could have a greater chance. Arizona disagreed, and thought it would be unfair to the other kids, even if they consider the fact that she was Meredith's daughter. They thought about a quicker, but, also, it was difficult the other way around. Casey could get a heart faster if someone from the people she was close to, donates.
"That's hard." Lexie said, and Arizona nodded. "-I love Casey, but giving her my heart would mean, I would die. I'm not being selfish here, but. I know you understand me, right?"
Teddy nodded. "-let's take that option out for now. Let's just focus on how to get her on the top of the list."
"It could be possible, that even if she's on the third, she could get a heart faster. The organs which would be coming in, might not be a match to the other patients. That's another option we should consider." -Arizona suggested.
Pens ticked on the glass table, as they thought for more. "-that could work. Except for, what if all the organs would macth the first and the second patients?" Teddy asked.
"Faith. We need lots, and lots, of Faith today,"-Lexie answered.
Silence filled the room, while they thought of more options for the little girl. Until, it came upon Arizona,and she spoke. "If Meredith's the mom, who's the baby daddy? Lexie, do you know?"
Teddy turned to Lexie, too, waiting for an answer. Lexie took a moment to think, and when she had thought enough, that she can't tell who the father is, she shook her head. "Meredith didn't mention anything."