It was an extremely windy December morning in Seattle. The wind was rather aggressive and the air smelled as if snow would soon be falling. Mark Sloan was fighting against the wind to get from the Seattle Grace parking lot to the front entry of the hospital. Despite Mark's muscular and fit demeanor his fight against the wind was not a success. The wind practically picked up Mark and dropped him off at the front entrance of Seattle Grace.
"Warmth!" Mark thought aloud as he stepped foot into the hospital.
" There goes daddy!" Yelled out a perky Arizona as she bounced over to Mark with baby Sofia in her arms.
A big smile came across Mark's face as he watched Arizona bounce over with his giggling daughter.
Mark placed his arms out for Sofia to come him. The baby practically jumped out of Arizona's arms when she was close enough to Mark.
" Hi there Princess," Mark said as he began to give Sofia kisses.
Arizona looked on as Sofia was laughing hysterically while Mark continued to give her kisses.
" She really missed her daddy last night. The whole ride into work all she kept saying was da-da and pointing to the turkey doll that you bought her for Thanksgiving. "
" I know I missed my Sofia so much last night ," Mark smiled as he directed his attention towards his daughter.
" So you and Julia seem to be getting comfy at one another's places," Arizona said with a smirk directed towards Mark.
Mark looked up from playing with Sofia "I slept there last night and two nights ago no big deal. And anyways I'm a big boy Arizona. I can sleep where I please without you or Callie snooping into my personal life."
"I am not snooping in your life Mark Sloan." Arizona said in a defensive tone.
A smirk came across Mark's face " Oh really, So, your next question wasn't going to be (Mark mimicked Arizona) Mark did you tell Julia you love her yet?"
Arizona shook her head no.
" Lies Lies Lies," Mark said to Arizona
Baby Sofia began to mimic Mark " Li,Li,Li"
Arizona and Mark both shared a laugh together thanks to baby Sofia.
" See even Sofia knows her mom is lying. Isn't that right Sof," Mark said as he smiled down at Sofia.
" Okay fine. You're right that was going to be my next question but it wasn't my question by choice."
Mark looked up at Arizona and rolled his eyes "Callie?"
Arizona nodded her head yes " Yep. She said it has been three weeks since Julia told you she loves you and she said Julia deserves to know if you love her to.
Her exact words were Julia is a nice girl. Mark needs to wise up and get over...then Callie paused and said you need to get over your fear of commitment."
Mark shook his head and his tone began to rise "Tell Callie to mind her business and that I have been over my so called fear of commitment for a year now."
"Really a year? I thought your commitment phobia ended a couple years back when you first started to date Lex…"
Mark began to look frustrated and decided to cut Arizona off " Just tell her what I said and that when I do tell Julia that I love her I promise that Callie Torres will be the first to know. "
Sofia's eyes began to widen as Mark's voice rose " Okay okay relax. Your voice is starting to scare the baby."
Mark hugged Sofia close to him "Daddy's sorry so-so. " He looked back towards Arizona " Please, just stay out of my personal life with Julia that's all."
" Fine by me. Have fun telling your best friend Callie that one. "
Arizona leaned in and gave Sofia kisses " Mommy loves you. Daddy is going to bring you to daycare and I'll come see you on my break. okay." Sofia gave Arizona kisses back.
Arizona handed over Sofia's diaper bag to Mark. " And you'll pick her up at 6 tonight right?"
Mark placed the diaper bag on his shoulders. " Correct. Goodbye now Arizona."
Mark grabbed Sofia's hand and motioned her to do bye's bye's to Arizona as he began to walk away from Arizona.
"You Know Sof your two mommies are crazy," Mark looked down at Sofia as he walked towards the hospital daycare.
Sofia gave Mark a pleasant smile.
"Especially your mommy Callie she is trying to rush me into this relationship with Julia. And you know kid besides you there has only been one other girl who has stolen my heart..."
Sofia cut Mark off with a fit of excitement screaming out " Exie! Exie! Exie!"
Mark directed his eyes down the hall and about 2 feet away he could see Lexie Grey standing next to her sister and playing with her niece Zola Sheppard outside of Settle Grace Daycare.
Mark Smiled down at Sofia and whispered to the baby "How do you know daddy's heart thief so well?"
Mark walked a very squirmy Sofia over to the entrance of Seattle Grace Daycare.
Meredith took note of Mark and Sofia heading in their direction.
" Come on Zola let's get you into school. Looks like it's your friend Sofia's turn to play with Aunt Lexie," Meredith smiled at Lexie and motioned her head to show her Mark and Sofia were heading her way.
Meredith leaned Zola into Lexie so she could give her a kiss then brought her daughter inside the preschool.
" Exie, Exie Exie!" Sofia yelled as she tried squirming out of Mark's arms into Lexie's.
Lexie reached her arms out as Mark placed Sofia into them. Lexie smiled at Sofia "Hi there So-So. Is your mommy going to bring you up to visit us today?"
Mark looked on amazed and couldn't help but smile as Lexie interacted with Sofia.
"She really likes you Lex," Mark said still smiling at her and Sofia.
"Yeah well I have been hanging with So-So for the past few weeks when her mommy brings her up to peds to hang out , " Lexie said still looking at Sofia and not making any eye contact with Mark.
" You know how hard I have been trying to get her say Julia's name. It's crazy your name rolls right off her tongue," Mark said in a calm and collective voice.
Lexie took a deep breath and mumbled still keeping her attention on Sofia. " It's crazy how Julia's name rolls right off your tongue."
Mark scrunched his eyes and looked down at Lexie "What was that?"
"Crap, Hopefully he misunderstood my mumbling," Lexie thought as she looked up at Mark in a panic.
"Oh nothing just saying that its crazy how quick Julia's name will soon be rolling off her tongue." Lexie told mark with a forced smile
"I guess I just need to give her time that's all," Mark said as stepped closer to brush Sofia's hair out her face with his hand.
Lexie could feel the butterflies full up in her stomach as Mark stood inches away from her.
"Yeah time that's all she ever wanted."
Mark looked at Lexie confused by her last comment.
"Crap, my word vomit is horrible today," Lexie thought.
"Wha wha what I meant was..." Lexie was cut off by Meredith who came out of the daycare and walked over to Sofia.
"Hi there Sofia, Zola is inside waiting for you. You two are going to paint unicorns today with the big kids in honor of the letter U," Meredith said grabbing a hold of Sofia's hand.
Mark noticed Lexie's eyes began to widen and he began to burst out laughing.
Meredith looked over at Mark "I'm sorry what's so funny?"
Mark who kept his eyes on Lexie ignored Meredith's question "Lex you do know they aren't going to be painting an actual unicorn today."
Lexie who let out a nervous giggle "umm I know Mark" She mouthed the words "Shut up" to him.
Mark let out another fit of laughter.
"Seriously, What's so funny?" Meredith asked annoyed.
"Your sister. She get's freaked out by unicorns and a little part of her believes they actually exist," Mark said trying to contain his laughter.
"Mark it's not funny an.. and… and… I do not think unicorns exist," Lexie said in a defensive manner.
"You're stuttering Lex. You're nervous I'll tell Meredith about your childhood fear of unicorns." Mark said with a huge grin on his face.
" Seriously, Lexie a fear of unicorns?" Meredith asked with her one eyebrow raised.
Lexie placed the side of Sofia's face against her breast and then placed a hand over her ear that wasn't against her chest.
"Lex, are you ear muffing my daughter?" Mark asked in a slow confused manner.
Lexie nodded her head yes very fast then began to hiss her words at Mark " Yes, because you are a jerk Mark and I don't want Sofia to hear that I think her dad is a huge jerk. " She then swiftly turned her head to face Meredith " And Mer stop giving me the look you would only give to a patient on the psych floor." Lexie's voice began to crackle a bit "Anyways Mark is lying about this so called childhood fear of unicorns."
Lexie released her hands from Sofia's ear and allowed her to sit up. " Sorry Sof but your daddy is a poopy head. Hopefully your mommy brings you up to peds to see me later," Lexie handed Sofia back to Mark.
Mark's grin stayed stuck on his face as he grabbed a hold of Sofia " Don't worry Lex your fear is safe with me ."
" It's not a fear!" Lexie screamed as she began walking away from Mark and Meredith.
Meredith looked on at Mark as he watched Lexie walk away. She broke his gaze by asking a question. " So Lexie and Unicorns?"
Mark turned to face Meredith " Oh yeah big childhood fear that began at your sister Molly's 5th birthday..."
Sofia began to pout and let out a soft cry and pointed in the direction where Lexie walked away.
Meredith made a sad face at Sofia "You have been hanging out with Zola too long that's the same cry that usually comes from her when her aunt Lexie leaves."
Mark swayed Sofia back and forth to soothe her. "Hey don't worry So-so I know what it feels like to have Lexie walk away from you."
Meredith made a disgusted face "That's not fair. Lexie had her reasons for leaving you."
" I guess you misunderstood my tone. I was just joking. I haven't been with Lexie for over a year now. Enough time has passed so I thought I could make a light joke about our relationship."
Meredith placed her hand on Mark's shoulder " It's you and Lexie Mark. A lifetime could pass and that still wouldn't be the right amount time to poke fun at your relationship. "
She took her hand and rubbed it down Sofia's teary face " Little do you know Sof your dad cried much harder than you when Lexie WALKED AWAY from him. " Meredith looked up at Mark with a half smile as she strolled off.
Meredith stepped on the elevator and reached out and tapped the number 10 button. Her eyes wandered around the empty elevator as she took a step back and thought about her ride into work earlier that day.
Meredith was driving her car through the rugged Seattle winds as she partially listened in on the conversation going on with her one year old daughter Zola & sister Lexie.
Lexie was sitting in the passenger seat but her body was turned around facing Zola who was bundled up in an off white bubble jacket and buckled in tightly to her car seat.
" That's right Zola Santa is going to be coming in a few more weeks," Lexie said with way more enthusiasm then one should have at 6 am.
" Sa...Sa," Zola replied back in a soft voice.
"I can't wait to see your face on Christmas morning when you see all the presents Sa-Sa brings you."
Meredith smiled as she quickly glanced in her rear view mirror and seen the soft smile that appeared on her daughter's face.
" So, you are going to join us for Christmas again this year?" Meredith asked Lexie.
Lexie twisted her body back around and sat back down in the passenger seat. " Well ugh yeah. If that is okay with you."
" Of course it's okay. I think Zola would be very upset if she woke up Christmas morning and didn't have her Aunt Lexie there."
A big smile came across Lexie's face as Meredith mentioned how much Lexie means to Zola.
"I just assumed you would want to spend Christmas with Molly & her family or dad and that girl he was dating."
Lexie looked out of her window and stared at the passing trees "Well Molly is going to Disney World with Eric's family and Well Christmas was always me and my mom's holiday. So having to sit there while my dad and Danielle fond over one another isn't my idea of a very Merry Christmas."
Meredith placed a hand on Lexie's leg "Well I'm happy you chose our little family for the Holidays."
Lexie turned around and smiled at Meredith "Thanks….You know I also couldn't pass up that Christmas dinner. It was pretty amazing last year."
"Well this year I won't be hosting the Christmas dinner. Derek and Mark got into a boyish argument over who was the better cook out the two. So Derek handed over Christmas Dinner rights to Mark to see if he could cook a better dinner than Derek did at Thanksgiving."
A look of panic came across Lexie's face. " Ma Ma Mark's place but that's a small apartment. I mean it was cramped when I use to just stay there. Can you imagine all of us cramped in there trying to eat. Mark's a terrible cook anyway. You need to steal Christmas dinner back Mer! Being stuck in Mark's little tiny apartment with me you Derek Mark & Julia is just well insane….Don't you think?" Lexie let out a nervous laugh.
Meredith pushed up on her right turned signal and pulled off to the side of the road.
Confusion set in on Lexie's face "umm Mer what… are… you doing?"
Meredith placed her car in park and looked over at Lexie with a straight face. "I'm not moving this car until you admit you love Mark Sloan."
Lexie's eyes began to widen " Wha wha me love Mark? No I love Jackson. I can't believe you even think I love Mark. What makes you think that? I moved on. And again I love Jackson. "
Meredith just sat back and watched as Lexie babbled on " Yes you love Mark and No you don't love Jackson well you may have but not in way you love Mark. And you're the one who made me think you still love Mark. Well Drunk Lexie actually allowed me to realize it. And no you haven't moved on and again you do not I repeat you do not love nor have you ever loved Jackson the way that you love Mark."
Lexie was baffled "You thinking I love Mark is just as insane as trying to have Christmas dinner at his stupid little apartment."
Meredith smiled "You're like a kindergartner Lexie. You have to say some sort of Childish insult about him whenever he is brought up in a conversation."
Lexie's eyes wandered around the car "Yeah well his apartment is stupid and everyone knows common Kindergartner love psychology is when you bully or pick on the person you like. And I do not bully, pick on or even talk to Mark for that matter."
"You know in kindergarten when you have that one toy you play with everyday. It's your most favorite toy. You and that toy do everything together but then one day that toy….. asked you to turn into a person that your just not ready to be. Even though it kills you to do it you decide to place that toy back into the toy box. Now a couple days or a whole year goes by and another kid opens that toys box and takes your toy. You think to yourself it's okay she can have my toy because I have a new toy anyway. But seeing this kid hanging all over your toy kills you and makes you realize you want your toy back. So you decide to hit the kid who has your toy with a…..softball" Lexie interrupts Meredith's metaphor.
" Wait Wait first off Toys can't speak and second I can't believe you think I hit Julia with that softball." The words spill out of Lexie's mouth.
" I don't think it Lexie. I know it. You admitted it to me."
Lexie shakes her head. " No no no no. I never admitted that to you because I didn't hit Julia with the ball on purpose."
"You really don't remember do you?"
"Remember what Mer?" Lexie asked anxious.
Meredith took her car out of park and placed it back into drive and hit her left turn signal on and entered back onto the road.
"You may not want to admit it today that you still love him but I guess I can come clean to you on how I figured out you're still in love with Mark. "
" I'm not in love with Mark," Lexie said in a monotone.
Meredith smirked at Lexie "Okay if you say so but before I tell you why I think you are still in love with Mark I thought you would like to know that Julia will not be at Christmas dinner."
" I don't care," Lexie said as a smile tried to wiggle its way onto her face.
Meredith took a quick glance at Lexie "The kid who stole your toy won't be at Christmas Dinner it's okay to let that smile out."
"He's not my toy Mer."
"Just because you put him back into the toy box doesn't mean he isn't yours anymore."
Lexie began to nervously play with her hands "Can we just stop referring to Mark as a toy."
"Fine by me" Meredith said as she slowly began to stop at a red light. "I just really need to refresh your memory from a night that happened over a month ago."
The sudden stop of the elevator moving caused Meredith to snap out of her thought process. The doors opened up on the 10th floor and revealed Christina Yang waiting to get onto the elevator.
"Hey Mer. "Christina said as she began to enter onto the elevator as Meredith exited it.
"Oh hi Christina." Meredith said in a dull manner as she continued to keep walking.
Christina placed her hand on the elevator doors to stop them from closing "Mer. Everything Okay?" Christina said as she rose her voice.
Meredith turned back around and took a few steps back to Christina "Yeah it's not me. It's Lexie. "
"What did the young and the restless do now?"
Meredith gave Christina a light smile. "It's not Jackson. It's actually worst than her breakup with Jackson. "
"Worse than sad puppy dog Lexie?"
Meredith shook her head.
"Woah I didn't think it could get any worse than that," said Christina as the doors began to shut on her.
"I'll talk to you at lunch okay?"
"Okay," Christina said as the doors began to close.
As the doors began to close Christina thought what could be worse than her breakup with Jackson that has Meredith so worried…Wait a minute Christina thought.
She reached her hand into the middle of the doors shutting and pushed them open "Mer!" Christina yelled down the hall to Meredith.
Meredith heard Christina scream out her name and walked back towards Christina's direction.
"I'm not one to care for all this relationship type crap but does this Lexie problem have to do with…." Christina resorted to a whisper "Sloan?"
Meredith gave her the type of the look that she gave her terminally ill patients when there was nothing more she or medicine could do for them. It was the type of look that said " Yes it's true but I really wish it wasn't"
Christina caught onto Meredith's look " Oh woah…Seriously?" Asked Christina as she let go of the elevator doors as two elderly men began to enter onto the elevator.
Meredith with a stone straight face shook her head. "Seriously." As the elevator doors closed between her and Christina.