Author's note: On to chapter 11!!!!!! I hope you enjoy it! I've been working very hard to come up with good ideas for this fic... And I LIKE it!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE keep these reviews coming! They really REALLY motivate me to keep writing!
Chapter 11: Boston
"I can't believe he hasn't called you back." Derek said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Lexie gave him the ghost of a grin, not wanting to add anything to his comment. She could see how disappointed he was in his best friend's behavior.
Meredith nodded her head in agreement. "He's an ass." She added coldly, crossing her arms.
"Meredith!" Lexie gasped, frowning at her sister.
"WHAT??? He is!"
Derek ignored her and reached out to touch Lexie's arm reassuringly. "I know Mark, alright?!?! He'll do the right thing." He told her, giving her a confident grin.
Lexie gave him a weak smile. "If you say so."
They all looked up when the flight for Boston was announced. "I guess that's it!"
Derek pulled her in a warm hug and kissed her cheek. "I'll talk to him." He whispered in her ear.
Lexie nodded her head and thanked him with a small smile. She turned to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "I'll call as soon as we land."
"You better."Meredith answered, hugging her back. "I'll miss you, Lexie." She muttered, her voice filled with emotion.
Lexie's heart tightened at her words. "So will I." She answered in a weak voice. Just a few days ago, she would've laughed at the simple thought of having this type of exchange with her sister. A few days ago, she'd been dreading her visit to Seattle. Now, she didn't want to leave.
Derek smiled at the exchange and turned his attention on the small boy who was patiently waiting by Sean's side. "Hey, buddy!" He picked him up in his arms and ruffled his wavy hair. "I'm gonna miss you!"
Zack grinned and nodded his head. "Me too, Uncle Derek! Especially Herbert. Do you think he'll remember me when I come back to visit?"
They all laughed, not at all surprised that the dog would be the one 'person' he'd miss the most.
"I'm sure he will, bud." He kissed the small boy's forehead and put him back down on the ground.
Meredith bent down to his level and opened her arms, asking for a hug. Zack wrapped his little arms around her neck and gave her a wet kiss on the cheek. "Come back to visit soon, alright? Next time you come, you'll have a little baby cousin waiting for you."
Zack gave her a huge smile and went back to stand next to Sean.
They all said their final goodbyes and boarded the plane that would take them back to Boston.
XXXXX
Mark groaned and pushed himself off the couch, realizing that the person knocking at the door just wouldn't leave. He walked up to the entrance and peeked through the peep hole, sighing when he saw who was standing on the other side. "What a surprise…" he muttered under his breath.
He squared his jaw and opened the door, knowing what he was here for. "What do you want." He grumbled, not making any move to invite his friend inside.
"I can't believe you didn't call her." Derek told him, his voice filled with disappointment.
"This is none of your business." Mark groaned, his eyes darkening with anger.
Derek shook his head and walked inside the apartment, not wanting the whole building to hear their conversation. "It IS my business. Zack and Lexie are part of my family."
Mark shut the door and turned around, glaring at him. "How long did you know?"
"I had no idea. I only found out when Sean brought Zack to Seattle. They weren't even supposed to come to the wedding." He answered.
Mark laughed bitterly, not believing his ears. "And you're asking me why *I* didn't call her back? Do you have ANY idea what she did to me?" He lifted his chin at him. "You wouldn't have called Meredith back if she'd done the same thing to you."
"I've always known you were an idiot." He laughed, ignoring his friend's dark glare. "But now, you're just plain stupid."
"SHE KEPT MY SON FROM ME!" He barked at him, his hands closed in tight fists.
"Yes, she did! Lexie knows she made a huge mistake by keeping him a secret." Derek told him, trying to calm him. "She feels horrible about what she did." He added.
Mark shook his head, grimacing. "It doesn't change what she did."
Derek nodded his head and sighed. "You're right. But she's trying to make things right, Mark. She finally told you the truth, something she'd been terrified about for a long time."
Mark snickered at him. "What was she terrified about? She must have thought I'd be a horrible father if she was THAT afraid of telling me." He grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"You're gonna have to ask her yourself, 'cause I can't answer that for her." Derek told him. "I DO know you would make a great father."
"Whatever."
"Zack is a great kid, Mark." Derek smiled as he thought about the curly-haired child. "And he needs you in his life… as much as you need him." He added, his voice soft.
Mark let out a long breath and let himself fall on the couch. He leaned his head back and brought a hand up to his head and massaged his temples with his finger and his thumb. "This is completely fucked up." He mumbled, just too tired to keep fighting.
Derek grinned and sat down next to him. "Life would be boring if everything was made to be simple."
XXXXX
Lexie opened the fridge and looked at its content, grimacing. She hadn't had the time to go shopping for groceries yet and she wasn't adventurous enough to eat what was in there.
They'd gotten back home the previous night and they're normal routine had started over the next morning. She'd taken Zack to his day care center and she'd gone back to work, like she did on every Monday morning. She'd worked her shift and picked up her son at five, and now, she was back in her apartment, completely exhausted, with a hungry little boy to feed.
"Hey, Zack? What would you say if I ordered pizza for dinner?" she called out to him, already knowing what his answer would be.
"YAY!!!!!!" The little boy shouted, running in the kitchen.
Lexie laughed and closed the fridge, bending to pick up her son. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked him, kissing his rosy cheek.
"I really really really REALLY love pizza." He told her, giving her an excited smile.
"Oh, really?" Lexie rolled her eyes and set him back down. "Go play. I'll call you when it gets here." She watched him run back to his bedroom and then grabbed the take out menu she always kept on the refrigerator door. She ordered a large pizza with Zack's favorite toppings, knowing Sean would be starving when he'd come back from the hospital a little later.
She decided to get herself cleaned up before dinner arrived, knowing she'd feel a whole lot better after a hot shower. She told Zack she'd be in the bathroom for just a few minutes and quickly jumped under the water. She would've loved to stay under the hot spray for a few hours, a luxury she'd given up a long time ago. Feeling clean but still exhausted, she walked out of the bathroom dressed in her large pink pajama pants and white tank top.
She must have spent more time in the shower than she thought since she heard a knock at the front door. Frowning, she tried untangling her long wet hair with her fingers as she made her way to the door. "Go wash your hands, Zack!" She called, grabbing her purse from the table.
Without looking up, she opened the door and started fishing through her large purse for her wallet. "That was fast! How much is it?" she asked, lifting her head to look at the delivery boy.
She gasped in shock and took a small step back.
Mark was standing right in front of her, his hands deep in his pockets. "Can I come in?"
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO????? I know I know… It's a short one. On a good note, I got the next chapter already written and done, so I'm just going to read it again and then, I'll post it.
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