Well here's chapter four - finally! I'm sorry it took me so long to get it out, I had the hardest time trying to work on it. Every time I'd go to sit down to write this, nothing would come out. But finally I started to get some inspiration and was able to finally finish this! And it's a bit shorter than I intended it to be but I felt where I ended it would be the best spot. I have no clue when I will update this next but I promise I will not neglect this story! If it's not updated again here in November - I can promise it will be in December. (Winter break is a month long for me so I will definitely be spending time working on all of my current stories).
Chapter Four
Mark Sloan anxiously stands outside Lexie's room - occasionally peaking in through the tiny window on the door. He knows how much trouble he's in with her older sister and is trying to brace himself for it. Whatever Meredith says or does to him, he knows that he deserves it - he's choosing to leave the woman he loves, who's suffering through cancer nonetheless, for a job in New York. There are some good reasons as to why he's chosen to accept a position so far away, though Lexie and Meredith will only see those as excuses so he will just have to keep his mouth shut.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you, Sloan," Derek Shepherd's voice brings Mark out of his thoughts. The dark haired doctor is walking over to him, carrying Lexie's charts in his hand while a nurse follows behind him with a wheelchair. "Lexie doesn't need to deal with drama right now - it's her first day of chemotherapy. Do you really want to make today any worse for her, Mark? Besides Meredith is furious - she's ready to throw you in the river and watch the fish feed on you." He says, though gives a half sympathetic look towards him.
Sighing sadly, Mark nods his head as he slowly begins to walk away. He hates himself for hurting Lexie so much, especially at a time like this, but he had no choice - he has to go to New York and care for his mother. Giving one glance back at his best friend, he calls out, "Please tell Lexie I love her...I know she probably doesn't believe that but I do - I really do. I love Lexie with all my heart, Derek!" He's never loved a woman as much as he does Lexie Grey. Which is why he can't stand the pain he's caused her - yet he knows there's nothing he can do to change it, at least not yet.
Derek Shepherd enters Lexie's room, giving a friendly smile to both she and Meredith. "Good morning - you ready to start the chemo, Lexie?" He asks, even though he can already guess her answer. What person would be ready for such a drastic treatment? He glances over at his wife - trying to decipher how she's feeling.
Shrugging her shoulders, the brunette responds with, "Hardly - I just hope this works. I want this damn tumor gone so I can get back to my life. I should be the one performing surgeries and procedures on patients - not the one having them done." She folds her arms over her chest as she stare angrily ahead. It's not fair that she has to endure such a horrendous disease - especially when she's only at the beginning of her medical career. She'll have so much work to do when she's finally better and will have to train even longer to become the surgeon she wants to be.
Meredith and Derek share a sad look before returning their sympathetic eyes to Lexie. Meredith walks over to her sister's bedside, gently helping her out of bed and into the wheelchair that's waiting for her near the door. She looks at the nurse - who was only there to get her sister to and from her chemotherapy - and shakes her head. "You can go - I'll follow Dr. Shepherd down with her," her voice is a tad harsher than she meant, but she doesn't care too much. She spent most of the night comforting her sister over her least favorite person in the world - meaning she was functioning on only an hour or two of sleep. At this point she had no control or care over what came out of her mouth, all that concerned her was bringing as much comfort to her sister as she could.
Once Lexie's all hooked up to the medicine, she is left to sit and wait for the next few hours. She lets out a frustrated sigh, looking over at Meredith - who's sitting right beside after insisting that she's staying with her until it's finished. "What am I supposed to do for three hours? They can't expect me to sit here and twiddle my thumbs that entire time - I'll go crazy!"
Grabbing a hold of the younger woman's hand, Meredith gives it a gentle squeeze. "Lex - you're not going to want to do anything once it kicks in, believe me. You'll be too busy puking your guts out," she softly says while stroking her sister's hand tenderly in with her thumb. She gives an empathetic glance - it's so hard to see her sister like this. She wishes there was some way to make this easier for her, some way that she could rid Lexie of her pain.
Three hours pass, leaving Lexie to feel the biggest wave of nausea she's ever felt in her life. Just trying to stand up makes the sensation even worse - Meredith hands her a bucket, in which she lets it all out and hopes that that relieves some of the sickness. When she's done, the older woman carefully helps her to stand up and walk over to her wheelchair. "Well - that was horrible. I'm not doing this anymore, Mer. No way," Lexie says, tiredly leaning her head against the back of the wheelchair.
Pushing the wheelchair out of the room and in the direction of her sister's room, Meredith looks down at her with a sympathetic expression. She gently bends down to press a soothing kiss to the top of her head, "I know it's a dreadful treatment, Lex, but you have to finish it. You want that tumor gone, don't you?" Receiving a slow nod in response to her question, she sighs while using one of her hands to stroke through Lexie's soft hair. "Then you have to get the chemo - that's the only way Derek can get your tumor to shrink enough so that he can go back in and remove it all. I know it's making you feel like shit but I'm going to take care of you, Lex. You're not gonna suffer alone!" She says while gently helping Lexie over to the bed once they're back in her room.
Exhausted, Lexie happily lays her head back against her pillow. She looks up at her older sister and gives her a grateful smile, "Thanks for all your help, Mer. Means a lot to me. I think I'm gonna rest a bit though - I'm absolutely exhausted. You can leave for a bit, I'll be okay while I sleep." Her voice is barely above a whisper as her eyes droop close. Before long she drifts into a peaceful slumber.
Meredith bends down to press a soothing kiss to her sister's forehead before quietly leaving the room. She aimlessly makes her way down the hall and stops suddenly when she sees Mark Sloan leaning against the counter of the nurses station - obviously busy flirting with all the hot nurses, the only thing he's good at doing these days. Anger starting to boil, Meredith marches her way over to him - staring at him so intensely that if looks could kill, he would be dead instantly. "What the hell are you doing, Sloan? Are you really over here flirting with the nurses? While Lexie - the supposed woman that you love - is stuck lying in a hospital bed sick as a dog! Isn't it enough that you've decided to leave her to go to some new job in fucking New York?! Why would you cheat on her too? I mean I always knew you love to sleep around - but this, this is just pure heartless!" She nearly yells while slamming her fists on the top of the counter.
Everyone in the room stops what they're doing to stare at the scene that's unfolding right in front of them. Mark turns to face Meredith, not entirely surprised at the amount of harshness in her voice. He knew he deserved that - what kind of man just ups and moves away after finding out that the woman he loves is suffering with a very deadly brain tumor? "Look I know you're mad at me for having to leave your sister - and you have every right to be - but I swear to you that I'm not over here flirting. All I was doing was trying to find out how Lexie is doing after her first round of chemo. Because I know it wouldn't be a smart idea for me to go see her - I know that I've hurt her! And I hate myself for having hurt her. But I have to move to New York right now - I just - I need to. That doesn't change the fact that I love your sister, I'll still love her while I'm living up there." He states, though he knows Meredith probably won't believe him or even cares what he has to say. In her eyes, he's the bad guy.
"Don't make excuses - you're being selfish and moving away for your own pleasure! This is the best teaching hospital in the country, there's no reason why you should take that job in New York. You can't commit yourself to my sister so you're taking the easy way out and moving all the way across the damn country! How low can you get, Sloan? You have a beautiful, kind woman who actually loves you - would do anything for you - and you're leaving her because you can't deal with commitment! You have no heart and you are not to go anywhere near Lexie again. I mean it - if I see you even look at her, I will kill you." Meredith seethes angrily at the man, disgusted that he would cause so much pain to her younger sister - especially when she's suffering with such a terminal brain tumor. With one last glare at him, the dark-blonde surgeon continues her way down the hall and hopes the long walk will clear her mind.
Meredith gets herself a much needed coffee from the cafeteria, then sits down at a vacant table near the window. She needs time to think before going back to her younger sister. As she sits silently sipping on her coffee, she doesn't even notice her husband's presence until she hears him speak. Looking up to meet his eyes, a soft smile spreads across her face. "Didn't even see you sit down," she says, "On a break or something?"
Reaching over the table, Derek grabs a hold of her hands and strokes them lovingly with his thumb. "I am, actually. Thought I'd come have a coffee with my wife - How are you doing? I heard you had a little yelling match with Sloan. That's all the interns are blabbing about now!" He can't help the small chuckle that escapes - he knew how much Meredith despised his best friend and wasn't too surprised to hear what happened between the two.
With a sigh, the dark-blonde woman nods her head. She couldn't stand Mark for the tremendous amount of pain he caused to Lexie - her sister, and one of the sweetest people in the world. And she certainly wasn't going to let him leave without getting a few harsh words in. "I saw him standing over the nurses station - seeming to be having a good ole' time chatting away with them! That infuriated me to see him doing that after already breaking my sister's heart by suddenly deciding to move to New York! And then he tries to defend himself by making up some lame excuse 'oh I was just trying to find out how Lexie was doing'...Fucking bullshit, he just didn't want to get caught flirting with other women. The only thing he's good at! He makes me sick and if I ever see him near Lex again - he's a dead man," her tone cold as she stares sternly into her husband's sympathetic blue eyes.
"I don't understand why he's just - out of nowhere - decided to take a job in New York... Especially at a time like this, he said Lexie's the first woman he's ever really loved and he could see himself spending a long time with her. Mark Sloan has never said anything like that to me before so there's not a doubt in my mind that he really does love Lexie. Which makes it even harder for me to understand why the sudden urge for him to move half-way across the country. There must be a good reason for this otherwise he wouldn't go - not when the love of his life is suffering with brain cancer. He just won't tell us because he assumes we'll dismiss it as an excuse." Derek takes a sip of his coffee and shakes his head. He knows his best friend truly meant that he loves Lexie Grey - this is the first time he's been in a serious relationship and Derek can feel the sincerity in Mark Sloan's words. There just has to be a bigger reason for his sudden choice to move. There's no way he would willingly leave his wife's sister - not if he loved her as much as he says.
That evening, Meredith decides to take Lexie out of her room for a bit - to keep her from getting too stir crazy. She wraps an arm around the brunette's shoulder to give her extra support as they slowly walk down the hallway. After a few hours of feeling deathly ill, Lexie's symptoms slowly faded away. Leaving her bored out of her mind so taking a walk with her older sister sounded absolutely perfect to her. A smile displayed on her face, she happily stared up at Meredith, "Can we go to the little coffee shop on the third floor? I need some caffeine and they make the best damn coffee in here." Her brown eyes innocently beam at the older woman.
Shaking her head with a laugh, Meredith switches their direction towards the elevators. To see her sister smile through such a hard time in her life, it made her heart swell with unimaginable love and admiration for her. "We can do whatever makes you happy, Lex," she replies as they get onto the elevator. She presses the floor number and waits patiently with her younger sister beside her.
Once the two have ordered and received their coffees - Lexie, a large Cinnamon Latte and Meredith, an extra bold French Roast - they have a seat at one of the circular tables. Lexie has a sip of latte, staring across at the other. "You've been such a wonderful sister to me these last couple of months - that means so much to me. I love you, Mer," she reaches to take one of her sister's hands and squeezes it softly in her own.
Though before Meredith can say anyting in response, a loud crash is heard. The two women turn to see what could have caused such a noise and are shocked when they see an obviously intoxicated man. The man isn't just any man - it turns out to be Thatcher Grey, the man who was reason that Meredith and Lexie are deemed half-sisters. Not sure what she should do, she stares at the younger woman and notices just how terrified she is. She focuses back on Thatcher, who slowly stands up and starts making his way over to them - seemingly not able to walk in straight line.
"What are you still doing in the hospital, Lexie?" Thatcher slurrs angrily, his blood-shot eyes glaring straight into her terrified ones. He looks over at Meredith and shakes his head, "You've surely grown into a lovely young woman, Meredith. Unlike your little sister here! She's faking this illness - you see - and abandoning her own father! Isn't that just disgusting?" He gets closer to Lexie - his eyes dark with rage. But before he can do anything to her, he falls to the ground and blood comes rushing out of his mouth.
Lexie sits in her seat unable to move or do anything. Her body feels paralyzed as she watches the scene in front of her - her brown eyes wide and terrified. She doesn't know whether to cry or feel relieved that her father didn't have the chance to slap her. She doesn't know if she wants to help him or let him suffer - let him suffer as much as she's suffered watching him drink himself to a point like this.
Tears start to fall from her eyes and fast. She stands up from her chair - watching in horror as a swarm of doctor's surround her father, trying to revive him. She feels her body being engulfed in a strong pair of arms and her eyesight becomes muffled as the hair of her sister covers her eyes. More tears pour out of her eyes as she allows a few sobs to escape causing her body to shake with them.
Meredith holds the younger woman close and starts walking as far away from that room as possible. She can't let her sister witness that horrific scene - she can't let her watch her own father die. She runs her hand comfortingly through her hair as she enters the elevator with her. A few minutes later - when they finally make it back into Lexie's room - she sits down in the chair, holding the emotional brunette tight in her arms. "It's okay, Lexie...Everything's gonna be okay!" She soothes into her ear, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.
Shaking her head angrily as she sob, Lexie looks up at her sister. "It's my fault if he dies - I should have forced him to go to rehab or something... I knew he had a problem and I fucking ignored it! I can't - I can't live with myself if he dies...I could have prevented this from happening! My mom would be so disappointed in me for letting him drink himself to death. She would absolutely hate me for what I've done," her voice breaks with the amount of pain she's feeling. She should have done something to get him help - she should have done something.
Hearing her sister put the blame on herself makes a rage build inside Meredith. She holds her tighter, stroking her hair over and over in an effort to calm her down. "No, Lexie - this is all on Thatcher. He's a grown ass man, he can make his own damn decisions. He chose to drink himself to this point and if he dies, it's his own fault. You did nothing wrong and I better not hear another word about it! You don't need to be worrying about this - you have your own problems to deal with. You're more important," she speaks firmly - laying the brunette's head against her chest as she continues to comfort her. "Close your eyes and rest, Lex. I'll wake you up if I hear anything about him. You need your energy though - so you need to get some sleep, sweetie."
It's nearly midnight when the door of Lexie's room slowly opens. Meredith glances over and sees that it's Derek - his eyes seeming somber and empathetic. She lets out a sigh, knowing he's about to tell them the bad news - the bad news that Thatcher's - "Well, Thatcher's alive...He's in the ICU but he's doing okay, I heard. Guess all that alcohol consumption has finally caught up to him, he's in desperate need of a liver transplant. But with the rule that he has to be sober for a year before being placed on the transplant list, he'll probably be gone before that happens." His voice deadpanned as he says this - he never really cared for Thatcher, not after he left his wife in the dust and barely took any better care of her sister.
Meredith shrugs her shoulders, still holding a sleeping Lexie close in her arms. She softly runs her hand through the small amount of hair that her sister has left while staring up at her husband. "Guess he should have taken better care of himself. He better not even think of asking Lexie for any part of her liver because she will not be donating. Over my dead body will she! And I'm sure as hell not giving him mine either. He did this to himself and now he has to live with the consequences. It's his turn to suffer - the same way he made poor Lexie suffer as she watched him drink himself to death. He deserves whatever he gets! And don't even tell Lexie about his needing a liver - she doesn't need to fucking stress over it, it's not her problem. She has enough to worry about with her brain tumor - she doesn't need this added to the list," she looks sadly down at the brunette. It makes her heart ache at how much her sister's had to suffer with and is suffering with now. Pressing a comforting kiss to her forehead, Meredith rocks her gently in her arms. She will do whatever she has to do to protect her sister - even if she has to lie about the severity of their father's illness.