Author's Notes: An update before a busy weekend and after a very busy week! Our fave lovebirds might finally be on the right track, but that doesn't mean that everyone is quite on board... One of the really fun challenges of this story has been to keep some of the events of the show the same, even though the circumstances leading to them might be different. Hope that you enjoy! As always, I really love to hear what you guys think!
The next morning, Mark woke up first, with Lexie still pressed against him. They'd shifted in their sleep and Lexie had ended up sprawled mostly on top of him. He grinned down at her, running his hand up and down her back and gently kissing the top of her head. "Hey…Lexie, wake up."
Lexie swatted at him and buried her face further against his neck. Absently, Mark wondered how she was able to breathe with her face pressed against him like that. "Lex, you've gotta wake up. Meredith and Derek will be up any minute."
She groaned and swatted at him again. "I don't care. Just let me sleep."
"If Derek really doesn't think we should be dating, this really isn't the way that we want him to find out, Lex," Mark murmured tugging at her hair.
She sighed and finally lifted her head to glare at him. "Isn't your head pounding?"
Mark chuckled and leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers briefly. "Nope. Wasn't nearly as drunk as you were last night. I wasn't trying to avoid you."
Lexie groaned and her head fell again, this time she buried her face in his chest.
Mark smoothed her hair down and pressed another kiss to the crown of her head. "Lex, seriously, we've gotta get up before Derek and Meredith get down here."
"Too late."
At the sound of Derek's voice, Lexie shot up, her elbow digging into Mark's side. He grunted and nearly threw her off of him, only grabbing her around the waist at the last second so she didn't tumble to the ground. Derek stood in front of them, his arms crossed and a disappointed look on his face.
Lexie scrambled up and off the couch, anxiously tucking her hair behind her ears. "Derek! Hi! Hi…I swear…this isn't what it looks like."
"I thought you said he hadn't made a pass at you," Derek murmured, turning on his 'big brother' voice and placing a hand on Lexie's shoulder. "I thought you said you were just friends. You were drinking a lot last night, Lexie – did he take advantage of you?"
"What? No! No! Derek, he wouldn't, you know that. We were…we were just sleeping. Clothes stayed on. We just kissed…we're…me and Mark, we're…" Lexie looked back at Mark for assistance, but he was staring at his hands in his lap, his mouth a grim line. "We're together," she whispered. At that, he finally looked up at her and gave her a small smile. She smiled back and then turned to Derek. "We just didn't want you to find out like this. It's…new. We're new."
Meredith had been standing on the stairs and suddenly came into the room, grabbing Lexie's arm. "Let's get you some coffee, Lex, and let the boys fight it out." She pushed Lexie towards the kitchen and then turned to Derek. "Be nice. No punching. They're both adults."
Mark stood up, regarding Derek seriously. They waited until Meredith and Lexie were in the kitchen before Mark finally spoke up. "You thought I'd do that to her? Take advantage?"
Derek sighed and shook his head. "No, not…not really. But if both of you weren't thinking clearly…you're not exactly known for your restraint, Mark."
Mark scoffed and nodded, looking down at his feet. "Great. Thanks, Derek. Always good to know how you really feel about me."
The other man shook his head and held his hands out in a conciliatory manner. "Mark, you know I didn't mean it like that. It's just…Lexie's young. She's…vulnerable."
"And doesn't need big, bad Mark Sloan messing her up? I get it, Derek, really, I do." He shook his head and sighed. "Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. I'll be out of your weirdly perfect hair once I go and say goodbye to Lexie…if you don't think that'll damage her too much."
"Mark—"
Mark brushed past Derek, already making his way towards the kitchen. Lexie sat at the island, nursing the cup of coffee that Meredith had just handed her. She looked up at him, her eyes soft. "Hey, you ok?"
He sighed and shook his head, before leaning forward and kissing her forehead. "Come over later if you want," he murmured.
He turned to leave, but Lexie reached out and grabbed his arm. "Hey," she said, pulling him back. She cupped his cheek and waited until he looked at her, instead of fixing his eyes on the ground. "Are you good to drive, Mark? I don't want you driving home while you're upset."
A soft smile spread across his face. "I'm fine, Lex." He glanced up at Meredith, who conspicuously had her back turned to them. He leaned forward again, properly kissing her this time. Lexie's hand grabbed onto the front of his shirt, keeping him in place. "Text me," he said as they broke apart.
Lexie nodded and finally unfurled her fingers from Mark's shirt, absently smoothing out the wrinkles before he straightened up. "See you later, Meredith," he said, and Meredith finally turned around, smiling and waving at him as he left out the back door, rather than go through the front and see Derek again.
Lexie sighed and took a sip of her coffee before looking up at her sister. "You were right. He was McSteamy-staring at me. He wants to date me, Meredith."
Her sister grinned and took a sip of her own coffee. "I told you so."
Lexie's nose wrinkled and she stared down at her coffee contemplatively. "I just hope…"
"I'll talk to Derek," Meredith said, cutting off her sister's wandering train of thought. "He's coming from a good place. But he's known Mark a long time and I think that seeing who he is now is going to…take some time. He's used to old Mark. McSteamy Mark. The Mark that you thought I should be warning you away from." She grinned at Lexie. "That's not the Mark that just walked out of here."
Lexie smiled softly. "No. No, he's not the same."
Meredith rolled her eyes and grinned at her sister. "Go upstairs and shower before you head over to Mark's. I'll talk to Derek. Promise."
Sliding off the barstool, Lexie grinned. "Thank you, Mer. Seriously."
Meredith listened as Lexie went up the stairs and soon after, Derek made his way into the kitchen. Meredith poured another cup of coffee and offered it to her boyfriend. He took it with a soft 'thanks' and then took a sip, before sitting down heavily on the bar stool that Lexie had just vacated.
"You can't possibly think that is a good idea," he said, after his sip.
Meredith leaned against the counter. "Why not?"
Derek sighed. "I've known Mark almost my entire life, Meredith. I love him like he's my brother, but he can't do relationships. He only knows how to hurt women. I've had to clean up so many of his messes…" He shook his head and took another sip of his coffee. "I don't want him hurting your sister."
Meredith shrugged. "I don't think that he will! And they're both adults, Derek. They can make their own decisions."
"But getting involved with Mark is a bad decision."
She scoffed. "You're aren't one of their parents. You're their friend. Mark is growing up. And Lexie has been there for that. She likes him, Derek. And he likes her. And if you would actually see them instead of seeing my little sister and your best friend, you'd see that they're actually pretty good together."
Derek sighed and shook his head, so Meredith tried another approach. "Ok, so you think that Mark is a mess. Would that Mark be helping his pregnant teenage daughter? Would that Mark have bought a house, just so his pregnant teenage daughter had a home? Would he have just slept on the couch with a beautiful woman all night without having sex with her?"
Derek looked up at her, sighing heavily. "No. No, that doesn't sound like the Mark Sloan I'm thinking of."
"People can change Derek. I'm proof of that. So is Mark. So cut him some slack. If he breaks Lexie's heart, then you can throw punches. But maybe give the guy the benefit of the doubt." She walked around the kitchen island to stand in front of Derek, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"When did you become a relationship guru?" Derek teased, his hands going to her hips and pulling her close.
"We're bright and shiny now, Derek. That means I'm qualified to give relationship advice," she said, grinning, before leaning forward to brush a soft kiss against his lips. "Now we better go and get ready for work. We have to be at the hospital in an hour."