I just want to take a second to once again thank each and every one of you who who have supported this story. Whether, it be those who have followed from the beginning or those who are just now discovering this story. You all mean the world to me and I am so grateful that you guys have supported me. There are many chapters to come and I hope you all continue to follow me on this literary adventure.

Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy and all its characters belong to Shonda Rhimes and ABC Studios.

It had been a month and a half since Mark and Lexie had last spoken and continued to make it clear that he was still in love with her. He sent flowers, spent every moment he could with Haley, and he even wrote letters; none of which Lexie had opened. The idea of what those letters held terrified her beyond belief. Having Mark around didn't help her feelings either. He was around every Sunday for football with Derek, plus there were the awkward meetings when he would pick up or drop off Haley. All in all, she was finding it harder and harder to push him away. Lexie had the afternoon free as Derek took Haley to the supermarket with him, leaving her and Meredith to keep each other company. The pair were cleaning, something they found to be therapeutic when having a rough day.

"I think you should give it a shot." Meredith told her.

"What if I get hurt again, Mer?" Lexie asked. "There is a reason the man has the reputation that he has earned, okay? It's nearly impossible for him to commit."

"I knew him when he first showed up here and yes, the reputation held true, but, Lexie, I don't think I have ever seen anyone look at someone the way he looks at you." She explained. "When you hurt, he hurts. When you're upset, he looks for who's responsible. It's kind of poetic."

"Where do you get this crap?" Lexie asked, clearly not buying it.

"It's obvious."

"Really? Obvious?"

"Only to a guy on the sidewalk with a dog selling pencils." Meredith paused at Lexie's confusion. "Yes, it's obvious. When are you going to quit fighting it and just accept that a really great guy wants to be with you?"

"I don't know. Maybe when you finally learn that you are not the best person to be giving relationship advice." Lexie retorted. "You tried to drown yourself, for God's sake."

"Hey." Meredith said. "That's all water under the bridge. No pun intended."

"I'm sorry. Just this whole Mark situation is completely stressing me out."

"Can I ask you a question? I want a completely honest answer."

Lexie nodded.

"Do you still love him? I mean, enough to really see a future with him?" Meredith asked.

Lexie sighed. "I hate to say it, but I do. It's like despite all the bad he's done, I'm still in love with him. I can't help it." She paused, looking down. "I see myself growing old with him and sharing my days with him, but that doesn't mean it is the right thing."

"Oh, jeez. If you want him Lexie, go get him. Stop trying to figure out whether or not it is right because it only matters if it is right for you." Meredith said.

"You don't get it. Okay? This didn't happen to you." Lexie said.

"No, you're right. I only fell hard for a guy to find out he was married." She explained. "I know a thing or two about what it's like to be hurt, and I know what it looks like when you're hiding. Stop hiding."

"I'm not feeling so well, I think I'm going to go lay down." Lexie said, walking out of the kitchen and heading upstairs.

"Lexie." Meredith tried. "Nice, Meredith. Way to go." She said to herself.

Lexie knew on some level Meredith was right. She was hiding. Part of her thought that if she went for what she wanted she would just be sorry for it later. Hiding was just easier, safer. As long, as she hid, Mark couldn't hurt her again. Meredith was right though, she couldn't hide forever. She decided to break out of her protective shell. She picked out her best jeans and a red fitted tee. She added her Converse Chuck Taylors to the ensemble; she preferred comfort over raunch and headed downstairs to let Meredith know she would be heading to Joe's, but as she rounded the corner she heard two men's voices.

"Mark, I don't get it." Derek said.

Lexie backtracked and hid around the corner. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but she couldn't help herself.

"Derek, I said I don't want to talk about it." Mark said, irritated.

"Just tell me why you chickened out." He told him. "Everyone was excited, including you, and then all of a sudden, you're out. What's going on with you, man?"

"Derek." Mark tried.

"You can talk to me, man." He told him.

"I'm scared." Mark said, looking down.

"Scared?" Derek asked, trying to make sure he had heard correctly.

"Yeah." Mark explained. "She is perfect, Derek. She's too perfect. Everytime she looks at me, I don't understand what she sees. So when it came time to tie the knot, I panicked. I felt like, no matter what I did, I wouldn't measure of to the kind of man she deserves. That's what it boiled down to…fear."

"You should have told her." Derek said.

"Derek, you knew my parents, okay? Marriage wasn't exactly a happy thing when it came to them. I'm scared we will end up like that." Mark said. "Yeah. I'm scared. It's not easy to admit."

"Yeah, but at least you did." Derek said, patting him on the back. "I have a feeling it will all work out."

"I hope you're right. I miss her so much." He told him.

Lexie ran upstairs and practically barged into Meredith's room.

"Lexie, what the hell?" Meredith said.

"I'm going to do it." She told her, proud.

"Do what? Knock? Because if you don't know how, I can show you. You just do this-" She said, demonstrating a fist.

"I'm going to talk to him." Lexie said with a smile.

"Mark?"

"No, Johnny Depp." Lexie said, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Mark!"

"What changed?" Meredith inquired.

"I just realized that maybe we both have fears and maybe if we can talk them out we can reach some sort of medium and make it work. I feel like I owe it to him and to Haley to at least try." She explained.

"Well, I'm glad and just know no matter what you choose, I'll support you." Meredith told her.

"Thank you." Lexie said, hugging her sister.

She turned around and walked to the door, before turning back.

"Oh do you think you and Derek could watch Haley for a couple hours?" Lexie asked.

"Of course." Meredith said. "Go get the guy."

Lexie waited around the house until Mark went home. She borrowed Meredith's car and drove downtown. She rode the elevator and walked to apartment door that had become so eerily familiar to her. She tried her best to mentally prepare herself for what she was getting herself into. She shook her head and turned to walk back to the elevator. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. No. She had to do this. She willed herself to walk back, she firmly planted her feet on the ground, thought about what she would say, and knocked. She found herself holding her breath. Mark opened the door, wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt she could tell he just threw on. From the glistening of his skin, she could tell he was probably working out.

"Lexie." Mark said, surprised. "What are you-"

"Heights." Lexie blurted out.

"What?"

"Heights, and clowns." Lexie said. "Two of my biggest fears."

"I don't understand." Mark said, confused.

"I am afraid of heights and clowns, but most of all, I'm afraid of you." Lexie said.

"What?" He said, looking her in the eye as she continued.

"I'm afraid of getting hurt, of getting left behind." She said, tearing up. "And I'm afraid of how you make me feel."

"Lexie-"

"No one has ever made me feel like you do and that scares me because the idea of losing it is completely devastating to me." She said, beginning to cry.

"Come here." Mark said, taking her into a soft embrace.

"You're not going to lose anything." He comforted her. "No one makes me feel like you do, either, and that's not something I can just forget."

She sniffled in his shirt. "I miss you." She whispered.

"I miss you, too." Mark said. "I'm sorry I screwed everything up. I had everything I ever wanted and in a flat second I had nothing."

"Everyone is afraid of something. Next time, you have to talk to me about these things, that way if there is a freak out, we can freak out together." She told him.

"Next time?" Mark asked, his face full of hope.

"You didn't rent out my space did you?" Lexie said, anxious.

"Get in here." Mark said, pulling her into the apartment and kissing her intensely. The two broke apart, breathing heavily, their foreheads pressed together.

"Where is Haley?" He asked.

"Mer has her. We have a couple hours." She told him.

"Perfect." Mark said with a smile.

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