AU after Season 8 episode 22, Lexie does not go into work the next day since she had covered Steve's shift a week before when he hadn't been able to find a sitter for his kid, when the kid got sick. Everything is the same at the hospital sans Lexie.
Lexie woke up the next day to the sun hitting her in the face, a rarity in Seattle. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she got up knowing that Meredith and Derek were getting ready to leave to work, and that they would most likely be taking Zola to daycare. She jumped into the shower hoping to catch them before they left for work.
Making her way into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee, she saw the mess from last night's celebration. Hearing noise coming from the kitchen, she opened the door and saw that April, Jackson, Alex and Cristina had stayed the night and they had already started breakfast. More like April had already made breakfast since the other three couldn't really cook edible food, or be awake or not as hung-over to make breakfast at seven in the morning.
"Morning."
"Hey, Lexie," greeted April happily as the others merely grunted in response as they were all still sleepy and slightly hung-over. "How was it at the hospital yesterday? Anything interesting happen while we were gone?"
You mean apart from me humiliating myself by telling Mark that I am still in love with him and he is like a disease, than no nothing interesting happened yesterday.
"Yeah," said Lexie after a brief pause. "I had a cranioplasty with Derek and Mark yesterday. We attached a titanium plate to the man's skull. The guy decided that it would be a brilliant idea to climb onto his roof to fix it, and he fell because according to his wife he is really clumsy."
Lexie and April continued talking while eating breakfast, waiting for Derek, Zola, and Meredith. The others ate their breakfast in silence, while sipping their coffee. Lexie didn't ask about their boards, having already known that April hadn't passed her and that the rest of them had passed theirs.
"Lexipedia why aren't you getting ready for work?" asked Alex having finally woken up properly after having his breakfast. "I thought that you were going to go with us to Boise to help with the conjoined twins case."
"I am going to Boise. I'm just not working today. I covered one of Steve's shifts last week when his kid got sick. Steve wasn't able to take him to daycare because he was sick, and he didn't have anybody to watch him while he was at work."
"Why didn't Two just leave the kid with the kid's mom?"
"Megan went to visit her parents," Lexie told Cristina. Rolling her eyes at the fact that Cristina stilled referred to Steve as Two. "She's coming back in a few days. Besides it was Steve's turn with his son."
"So what are you going to do on your day off then? The rest of us are working, while you get to lounge around doing nothing," asked Alex.
"Not much, hanging out with Zola. Probably take her to the park, or stay here and watch movies."
"So, you are going to spend your day off with a one year old," said Jackson.
"Yup," answered Lexie as Derek, Meredith, and Zola walked into the kitchen.
"Exie!"
"Hey, how's my favorite little niece doing today?" said Lexie picking up Zola, who had run to her as soon as she saw Lexie.
"Isn't it bad to play favorites with your nieces and nephews?" said Alex seeing Lexie making faces at Zola, who burst out laughing at her aunt's theatrics.
"Probably," responded Lexie sitting Zola on her lap as Zola played with her hair. "But seeing as she is the only niece that I actually get to see more than twice a year, I get to play favorites and spoil her. Isn't that right Zola?"
"Lex, why aren't you ready for work?" asked Meredith looking at her sister dressed in jeans and her old Harvard Med t-shirt. "We have the surgery at Boise tomorrow remember, we are suppose to be flying out tonight, remember?"
"Does nobody remember me saying that today was my day off? I traded shifts with Steve the other day when his kid was sick with a 24-hour stomach flu. I told you that I could take care of Zola today and take her to the hospital in time for us to leave for Boise."
"Just make sure that you get to the hospital on time or we are leaving without you," stated Derek grabbing his coffee mug. "And don't give her sweets today Lexie. She's staying the night with Callie. We don't need Zola being hyper and awake for the entire night because you gave her peanut butter cups again."
"It was one time. Besides I'm taking the candy with me on the flight, if I gave her any that would mean less for me."
"Whatever you say," grinned Meredith knowing that Lexie couldn't say no to anything that Zola wanted. "Can you go to the store and get some diapers, and wipes?"
"Yeah no problem. Is there anything else?"
"No, I think that's everything."
"Good then me and Zola are outta here. Say bye-bye Zola."
"Be good for your Aunt Lexie today, okay, Zola." Meredith and Derek gave Zola a kiss before leaving with the other four.
Lexie walked to the living room to place Zola in her playpen, while she cleaned up the mess from breakfast. She left Zola with her toy giraffe, and some music playing in the background.
Two hours later Lexie was pushing Zola's stroller in the park, while Zola walked next to the stroller holding onto it. Lexie parked the stroller near one of the benches next to the playground. As soon as Lexie let go of her hand, Zola took off for the jungle gym, climbing up the steps to get to the slide. Lexie let Zola run around for a bit on the jungle gym, while taking pictures of Zola. Lexie had been taking pictures of Zola every chance she got, hoping to make a baby album for Meredith and Derek to give to them this Christmas.
Lexie was pushing Zola on the swings when her phone started ringing.
"Grey," Lexie answered the phone without checking the caller ID, thinking that it was probably the hospital asking her to head over.
"Lexie?"
"Yes, who is calling?"
"Ms. Grey, it's me, Parker."
"Hey, Parker," greeted Lexie with a smile on her face. It had been several months since Lexie had talked with Parker and her other friends from college. "How's it going? What have you-?"
"Lexie," interrupted Parker. "I'm not calling to say 'Hi.' I have some bad news. Mike and Claire were in an accident."
"What kind of accident? Are they ok? How is the baby?" Lexie was panicking thinking that Claire had lost the baby after everything that she had already gone through. The doctor in her knew that it was not a good idea for her to panic, but at the moment she wasn't thinking as a doctor, she was thinking as a friend.
"No, they're not fine. They were in a car crash. Some drunk ran a red light and crashed into their car. Lex," paused Parker taking a deep breath to deliver the bad news. "Mike didn't make it. Claire, she's not doing so well. The doctors are operating on her as we speak."
"H-H-How is the baby?" asked Lexie trying to keep clam and keep the tears at bay. She quickly got Zola off of the swings and into the stroller. "Do the doctors have to take the baby out?"
"I don't know Lex," Parker practically shouted, starting to lose his calm. "The doctors won't tell me anything. You need to get here and fast."
"Okay I'm on my way," said Lexie nearing her car. "I'll catch the first flight out. And Parker please try to stay calm. Claire is going to need the both of us to be calm."
"I'll try Lex."
Lexie ended the call and tossed her phone into the passenger seat along with her purse. She grabbed Zola and buckled her into her car seat.
"Okay Zo-Zo. Looks like you are going to be going to day care after all."
Lexie and Zola arrived in record time to the hospital, Lexie had already booked her flight out of Seattle to Boston, the flight leaving within the next hour. Lexie was so busy worrying about what was happening with Claire, and trying to get Zola out of the car she forgot her phone on the passenger seat.
Lexie grabbed Zola's diaper bag, and picked up Zola before running out of the parking lot towards the hospital. Lexie was in such a hurry that she almost ran into several people as she made her way to the daycare center. She made a sharp turn around the corner nearly knocking over Arizona, who had just dropped off Sofia at daycare.
"Sorry!" shouted Lexie; not noticing who she had nearly ran into, as she entered the daycare center.
"Grace can you still take Zola today?" asked Lexie lowering Zola onto the floor. "I have an emergency, I was suppose to take care of her today. I've been trying to reach Meredith and Derek but they won't answer their phones."
"Yeah, we can still take her today," answered Grace opening the gate to let Zola through. "I believe Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Grey are in surgery. If you want I can have them paged."
"No, that's okay," replied Lexie finishing the note that explained why she had to leave. "Can you page either one of them after surgery, and give them this?"
Lexie handed the note over to Grace along with Zola's diaper bag.
"Tell them I'm really sorry but I have to go. Can you also let Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Hunt know that I won't be able to go to Boise tonight? They'll probably have to get another resident to go with them. Here are my car keys, I still have Zola's car seat."
"I hope everything turns out okay Dr. Grey."
"I hope so too. Bye Grace. Bye Zola."
Lexie quickly ran out of the day care and made her way out of the hospital to catch a cab to the airport. She was busy texting Parker that she, once again bumped into someone, this time sending the both of them to the floor.
Seriously? What is it with me bumping into people today, thought Lexie picking up her phone, which she had dropped when she fell. Looking up to see who she had run into, she froze when she realized that it was Mark.
Great, just perfect. "I'm so sorry," apologized Lexie helping Mark pick up the papers that he had dropped. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"It's okay. No harm done," replied Mark taking the papers from Lexie. "Are you okay? You seem a little flustered."
"I'm fine," answered Lexie automatically, the answer that had become almost a second nature to her where Mark was concerned. Looking at her watch she saw that she had to leave now if she wanted to catch her flight to Boston. "Sorry but I really have to go."
"Look, Lexie about last ni-," started Mark remembering Lexie's declaration of love.
"Mark," interrupted Lexie knowing that this was not a conversation that she wanted to have right now, else she say something that she would regret later. She was at her wits end with anything emotional right now. "Now is not a good time. I really have to go."
Lexie ran out of the hospital to hail a cab, not letting Mark say anything else.
"To the airport please," said Lexie once she was inside of the taxi.
Five hours later Derek and Meredith were making their way to the cafeteria when their pagers went off.
"Why would they be paging us from the daycare?" wondered Meredith as they made their way to the daycare. "Zola is with Lexie today."
"I don't know," replied Derek. "Maybe they want to know why Zola isn't at daycare today, since we usually tell them when she won't be going."
Walking into the daycare they were very surprised to see Zola playing with Sofia. Wondering if something had happened to Lexie or if she had been called into work, they made their way over to Grace who was talking with Arizona.
"Dr. Shepherd. Dr. Grey."
"Grace why is Zola here?"
"Where is Lexie? She is suppose to be taking care of Zola today."
"Why were we paged here?"
"Is there something wrong with Zola?"
Grace held her hands up to stop the barrage of questions. "To answer your questions: Zola is here because Lexie had an emergency, and she had to leave. I paged you because Lexie asked me to page you both after you were finished with your surgeries. And no, there is nothing wrong with Zola."
"Did Lexie say what kind of emergency it was?" asked Meredith breathing a little bit easier knowing that there was nothing wrong with their daughter.
"I'm afraid that she didn't say what the emergency was," answered Grace walking to her desk to retrieve the note that Lexie had written. "All she said was to give you this, as well as her car keys."
Grace handed the letter to Meredith before turning to Derek. "She also said to tell you that she, unfortunately, would not be able to accompany you to Boise. I have already informed Dr. Hunt."
"Thank you Grace."
"We'll be back later."
"Goodbye Grace."
Derek, Meredith, and Arizona waved their goodbyes to Zola and Sofia before making their way to the cafeteria.
"So what emergency did Lexie have that she couldn't tell us herself that she wouldn't be able to go to Boise, or take care of Sofia for the rest of the day?" asked Derek, feeling a little upset that he now had to find someone else to assist him with the conjoined twins.
"Apparently a couple of friends from college were in a really bad accident," answered Meredith sitting next to Derek with Arizona. "Lexie got the call from one of their friends while she was at the park with Zola."
"Oh my god," gasped Arizona as Mark, Cristina, April, Jackson, Alex and Callie pulled up a table and chairs to sit with them. "That probably explains why Lexie was in such a hurry this morning. Are they okay? What kind of accident? Why would Lexie have to go? I mean, I get that they are her friends but why leave?"
"Who was in an accident?"
"Why did Lexie leave?"
"Where did Lexie go to?"
"When is she coming back?"
"Is she gonna be back in time for the flight to Boise?"
"Lexie's friends from college were in a car crash. One of them died and the other is in surgery. Lexie had to go because she is really close to them, and they have no living family members. She went to Boston, she doesn't know when she'll be back, so, no she isn't going to be able to come back in time for the surgery in Boise," said Meredith answering all of their questions. "She said that she would try to call when her plane landed in Boston. Hopefully her friend recovers soon and she gets back here soon, or else she is going to miss the interview for Chief Resident."
Three thousand miles away, Lexie was getting off of her plane, while trying to call Parker. Only getting his voicemail, Lexie left a message saying that she had arrived in Boston and that she was going to catch a cab to the hospital. Twenty minutes later Lexie arrived at Mass. Gen. looking for Parker. Not seeing him in the waiting room, she made her way over to the nurses' desk.
"Um, excuse me," muttered Lexie to the nearest nurse. "My name is Alexandra Grey. I was wondering if you could tell me where Claire Evans is at?"
"One moment please," stated the nurse with a solemn look on her face. She picked up the phone to page the number that she had been given moments before, should a Alexandra "Lexie" Grey arrive. "Someone will be here shortly."
"Um, thank you," mumbled Lexie with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had seen similar looks before on the doctors and nurses at Seattle Grace Mercy West. She knew that whoever was going to speak with her was not going to tell her any good news. Waiting for Parker or whoever it was that was going to show up to tell her how Claire was doing, Lexie pull out her phone to send a message, not wanting to speak on the phone with anyone unless they had information on Claire, to Meredith telling her that she had arrived in Boston, and was now waiting to find out how her friend was.
"Alexandra Grey?"
Lexie saw a woman in dark green scrubs standing next to the nurses' station with a grim expression.
"Yes?"
"I'm Dr. Sanchez," greeted Dr. Sanchez shaking Lexie's hand. "Can you please accompany me?"
"Sure."
Dr. Sanchez led Lexie to a nearby conference room before shutting the door. "Ms. Grey I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."
"Claire didn't make it did she?" cried Lexie already knowing the answer, having heard similar words back in Seattle, she herself having delivered them before. "What happened?"
"I'm afraid that Claire had an aneurysm that blew during surgery," explained Dr. Sanchez. "We had been attempting repair several of her injuries sustained in the crash, when the baby went into distress. We got the baby out, who is doing fine even if they were born three weeks early. Sadly, due to the stress of her injuries, the delivery of the baby, along with her aneurysm, we were not able to resuscitate her."
There was a brief knock on the door, before whomever was on the other side of it let themselves in. It was Parker and he was carrying a folder.
"Lex," whispered Parker making his way over to her. He put down the folder that he was carrying before pulling Lexie into a hug, letting her cry.
A few minutes passed before Lexie was able to stop crying. Parker looked at Lexie knowing that he was about to drop a bombshell on her. Wiping the tears away from his eyes, he pulled out the papers that he had gone to get from his office.
"Dr. Sanchez may I please have a moment alone with my friend here?"
"Of course," replied Dr. Sanchez standing up as she pushed her black hair behind her ear. "I will wait outside for when you are waiting."
Parker waited until Dr. Sanchez had closed the door behind her, before turning to Lexie.
"What's going to happen to the baby Parker?" asked Lexie wiping the tears from her eyes. "Mike is dead, and now Claire is too. Who's going to take care of that baby? You know as well as I do that Claire and Mike were trying really hard for this baby."
"Lexie that's what I wanted to talk to you about," explained Parker handing her some of the papers. "A few months ago Mike and Claire came to my office to have a will written, after Claire was in her first trimester. They came by my office again a few days ago to update the will."
"Why? Why would they have a will drawn up, they were barely thirty years old for crying out loud? Why would they update it,-?"
"You know as well as I do that they both did not have the easiest life or the best of luck when it came to family matters," Parker interrupted Lexie, knowing that Lexie was a heart beat away from rambling. "They actually had another appointment in about month set up to update it again. My point is that they were prepared in case anything were to happen to them. You know Mike and Claire, they hoped for the best but prepared for the worst."
Lexie was only half-listening at this point, having seen her name on the papers in her hands. With her hands shaking, she re-read the same paragraph over three times before turning to Parker.
"Parker," gasped Lexie setting the papers down with shaky hands. "This must be some sort of mistake right. I mean, clearly they weren't of sound mind, when they had this written up."
"No, Lexie there isn't a mistake," responded Parker finally meeting her eyes. "Mike and Claire clearly stated that if they were to both die that you would be granted custody of the baby."
"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it," hissed Lexie standing up and walking around the room. "Why in the hell would Claire and Mike list me as the biological mother!?"
"Alexandra," snapped Parker, "You know that Claire has always had these sort of feelings when something bad might happen. She had been having these uneasy feelings for weeks, so they went to the office to have that clause written in the will. Claire had a feeling that she might die during childbirth like her mother, so she and Mike wanted to make sure that the baby wouldn't grow up without a mother, more specifically the baby's biological mother."
"But I'm not the mother Parker. You know that that was the agreement that Claire, Mike and I had made when I agreed to donate my eggs to Claire," argued Lexie standing on the opposite side of the table across from Parker. "We had papers drawn up where it said that I wouldn't try to gain parental rights over the baby."
"Lexie, Mike never filed those papers," explained Parker pulling out another sheet of paper from his folder. "They had other papers made where it stated that Claire was the surrogate, and that you are the mother. They were waiting until after the baby was born to file either set of papers with the District Attorney's office. As far as anyone else is concerned, you are that baby legal and biological mother. You can either keep her or you give up your rights and she is put up for adoption."
"H-Her?" stammered Lexie finally sitting down. "It's a baby girl?"
"Yeah," smiled Parker. "You know how much Mike and Claire wanted a little girl. By the way she looks just like you."
Lexie smiled weakly thinking back to all the conversations that she had had with Claire in the past few years. Claire crying when she found out that she was infertile. Claire crying in happiness when the pregnancy test showed up positive. She then thought about the baby, who would never grow up with the parents that so desperately wanted her. If Lexie gave her up for adoption, she knew that the people that adopted her would be happy, but she couldn't live with the fact that she had given up her own flesh and blood. There was also that small percentage that the baby could end up with people that could be horrible or that she could end up in foster care.
"Where do I sign?" questioned Lexie after a few moments of thinking it over. "When can I see her? When can I take her home with me?"