A/N: I'm so so so sorry for the lack of updates! I have been in graduate school and this past semester has been crazy busy, but I hope to finish this story for you guys. Bare with me and enjoy this extra long chapter as an apology! And review!

Lexie came into the apartment and was hit with the wafting smell of Italian food already cooking. Both Arizona and Mark were phenomenal cooks, at least compared to her, and could make anything from scratch; whereas Lexie did good to do the basics and was still learning to cook. Cooking took more talent than just following recipes, which was what she was quickly learning as she was taking lessons from Mark. But the learning was fun with him because their lessons started in the kitchen and often ended in the bedroom.

"Something smells really good," she said, coming in and taking off her sweater to hang up near their door as she came in.

"Chicken Parmesan and traditional garlic bread," Mark replied, coming over and kissing her with a grin.

He looked so handsome in a tight black t-shirt with a hand towel draped over his shoulder. Lexie smiled and waved to Arizona, mindful of using her right hand so the ring wouldn't be exposed to someone else. Their secret still hadn't been revealed yet and she wanted to tell everyone at the same time since they were all family, friends, and had been close over the years because of how much time they spent together at the hospital and outside of it.

"Do you want some wine?" Arizona asked, grabbing a glass from one of the cupboards in the kitchen before finding some of the wine had.

"Oh yes, some white wine would be wonderful," she replied, smiling at Mark before taking the glass and watching Arizona pour some in it before sitting down at the little bar they had.

"Dinner should be done by the time Callie picks up Sofia from daycare and by the time that Meredith and Derek arrive too," Arizona went on as she put the wine bottle down and checked on the dinner cooking in the oven. "Give it another thirty or so minutes and we'll be good to go."

Dinner preparations went on until Callie arrived with Sofia, followed by Derek, Meredith, and Zola. Everyone was chattering away as dinner was served and Lexie found herself happily talking with Meredith about her fifth year and the boards that would be upon her in a few more months. Though Lexie had a photographic memory, she knew that she tended to ramble on when she was nervous and hoped that it wouldn't affect her score or ability to pass and be certified by the boards. But Meredith assured her that she would do fine and that it was a piece of cake once you were prepared for it. Even though Lexie was nervous, she was ready to take that step in her life and go toward the future in Neuro with her brother-in-law as her mentor. Derek told her that she had real promise in Neuro because her hands were small and nimble, she had a thirst to learn, and had real talent for what was happening in the field. And Lexie knew that she wanted to be in that field. It was her strongest desire and she was going to go for it.

About halfway through dinner, she glanced at Mark and smiled knowingly. They were going to finally tell their family and friends the good news that they had been keeping to themselves for over a week now.

"Mark and I asked all of you over for dinner tonight because we wanted to tell you all something important," she began, reaching over to take Mark's hand, revealing the ring on her finger. "We're engaged. I know that it's fast and we just got back together, but we're tired of waiting and letting things run our lives when we know we're meant to be together."

Everyone seemed pretty happy as they buzzed with excitement about the engagement. And most of them seemed relieved almost that it had finally happened because they all knew how Mark and Lexie felt for one another. Lexie had even spilled out her heart to her brother-in-law because he was Mark's best friend and the one person she could trust with her feelings about Mark who wouldn't tell him or make something of it. He had been one of the few people who knew directly that she still loved Mark…most people just kind of gathered it from the jealous glances she gave Julia or when she outright socked her in the boob with a softball. But that was neither here nor there in her mind.

"This is so exciting!" Arizona gushed as she looked at them from where she was sitting beside Callie. "Do you know when the wedding is going to be?"

"We were hoping to get married in the Spring, before I take my boards," Lexie replied. "And postpone our honeymoon until after I'm done and have a nice little break to take from the hospital."

"Oh that'll be wonderful," Arizona went on, smiling and taking Callie's hand. "If you need any help at all, please let us know because we loved planning a wedding."

Callie nodded in agreement and grinned knowingly, since she had figured out the engagement earlier that same day. "It'll be a big affair for sure."

Derek stood up and held up his glass of wine. "To Mark and Lexie. It's about damn time."

Lexie laughed and toasted with their family, so happy that all of this was finally happening for real this time. She had wasted a lot of time running from Mark because she wasn't ready for marriage or kids, but she had seen what life was like without him and was tired of running away from him and started going toward him. While she wasn't ready for kids yet, necessarily, she was ready to marry the man she loved. Mark was her soulmate and the love of her life after everything they had put each other through. But now it was just them. No more surprises with long lost daughters who show up pregnant or lesbian best friends that were his baby mama. Now it would be just them starting their lives together. Lexie was going to become Lexie Sloan and she was completely proud of that.

After dinner and a little dessert, everyone headed home, leaving Mark and Lexie alone. The apartment was all but cleaned up and she was doing the last of the cleaning while he was putting away the extra chairs they had put at the table. As she was putting the clean dishes away from the dish washer, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck once. She smiled and turned her head to catch his lips in a kiss of her own.

"Are you happy?" he asked.

"Happier than I've ever been," she told him, smiling as she turned to face him in his arms. "I can't wait to marry you and become Lexie Sloan."

Mark smield and kissed her deeply as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their relationship had been through the wringer time after time, but they were stronger than ever because of all they had been through together as a couple and apart when they were broken up. No matter what had happened in the past, it was all behind them now as they looked to their futures together as a couple.

"I love you, Lex," he murmured against her lips, making her smile.

"I love you too," she replied, looking into his blue eyes with a bigger smile. Those were the very same eyes that she loved seeing when he looked at her from behind his surgical mask or when he glanced at her from across the room.

"Now we're alone…we can do anything we want," he went on, smirking at her in his usual Sloan-y smirk. One she knew all too well.

She laughed. "Are you trying to seduce me, Mark Sloan?"

"Possibly," he grinned, winking at her. "Are you seducible, Lexie Grey?"

Instead of a verbal response, she leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed him deeply. Everything about this man was intoxicating and drove her nuts, but drew her in over and over again each time they had broken up. He made her fall completely and totally in love with him. It didn't matter that he was much older than her, had two daughters and a grandson, and had been in a completely different place in his life. She had no choice in who she fell in love with and Mark had been the one for her all along, even if she had been in denial for a long time about their relationship after they had broken up both times.

Breaking the kiss, she looked at him and winked before turning away and putting the final dish in the cabinet and walking toward their bedroom.

"I'm going to shower, but I could always use the company from my hot…hot naked fiancé," she hinted as she was walking.

Going into the bathroom, she got out of her clothing before turning on the hot water and stepping in the shower stall. It didn't take Mark long to strip down and join her, kissing her deeply beneath the spray of the water. Her hands ran along his bare chest, making her smile in the kiss.

"Hmm…my fiancé is very sexy in the shower," she purred, looking him over once as the water cascaded down his body. There really was no other perfect man in the world than Mark Sloan and she was the lucky woman who got to have him all to herself.

"Well my fiancée is sexy all the time," he countered with one of his usual grins that made her smile more. "And I appreciate every surface of your body."

Lexie shivered as he ran his hands down her sides to her hips and further down to her backside. A while back, she found out that her behind was one of his favorite assets that she had. He knew all the right moves to make to turn her on. Out of all the men she had been with, Mark was the most skilled and talented lover she'd ever had. As he kissed down her neck, she moved her own hands down his bare back to his hips and moved one between them, grazing her fingers along his length, eliciting a deep grown from his throat as she grinned proudly.

"Lex…" he breathed huskily, kissing her neck as he pressed her back to the wall of the shower. The tiles were cold, making her shiver a little more.

He moved his hand down, lifting her leg up to hook onto his thigh, teasing her slowly with his tip. Impatient, Lexie pouted and jerked her hips forward a little, urging him to fill her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately as he thrust up into her completely, making her gasp sharply. Mark kept her pinned to the wall as he began thrusting slow and deep, tangling their tongues in a passionate kiss. Her chest was flush against his as they made love in the shower.

Lexie could feel her tension building in the lower part of her stomach as Mark kept thrusting and tightened around him, gripping his arms with her fingers. Her breaths were quickening and she felt herself right on that edge as she arched her back toward him. He was kissing her everywhere he could reach and his thrusts were becoming faster and deeper as she tensed around him several more times. Digging her fingers in his arms, Lexie cried out his name as she came hard. He followed shortly after and held her against the wall, both panting and out of breath, but sated. Lexie would have happily stayed in his arms, but a voice at the door and seeing it swing open made her freeze.

"Hey Mark I just left my…oh God…I'm sorry!" Callie shouted, immediately walking out in embarrassment.

Blushing profusely, Lexie looked at Mark before both of them were laughing out loud.

"God I think that was karmic payback for when I walked in on her and Arizona in the shower," she said, shaking her head as she remembered how awkward that had been for all of them.

Mark laughed. "Well now she'll know not to just use her spare key to come in the apartment now that you're here and we're engaged."

"Think we should get out and see what she needed?" she asked, looking at him, still pressed up against him.

"Nah, she can wait," he answered, kissing her again.