A/N: Here it is!! The next one!! Reviews are always welcome! Enjoy and Adios!!
P.S: A special thanks to Leann Nickerson for your support!
Chapter 3: Cat-fight
Lexie forced herself to swallow two more bites of food, all the while trying not to look at Callie, but it was proving to be an almost impossible task what with Callie being seated straight opposite her. In fact, she was monopolizing most of the conversation, rambling on and on about asinine things which might seem random at first, but if anybody with two brain cells had been paying close attention, they would realize that all of her anecdotes somehow ended up focusing on her pregnancy with Mark, her friendship with Mark, Arizona's acceptance of Mark into her so happy and so complete family, or the future she envisioned for her child with three loving parents, including Mark.
It was evident to Derek that Meredith was losing patience with each passing minute, and when she reached for the bottle of wine and drank straight from the bottle not even bothering to refill her glass, he was sure that a blow-up was imminent if he didn't interfere.
"Hey, Mer, could you please come help me with something?" he scrambled of his chair, pulling his wife with him and herded her out of the room. Lexie looked like she might throw up when she saw she was being left alone with Callie and an oblivious Mark who seemed to be the only one enjoying himself. Derek shot her an apologetic look before he disappeared with Meredith into another room. And Lexie wished for the thousandth time she could drink something, anything strong enough so that she might endure another hour of Callie.
Meanwhile, Derek tried to calm his clearly infuriated wife, who didn't even seem to hear him.
"Stop it! You'll only make it worse."
"But that…that was just like, I don't even have words to describe that. It was like…like…like she was metaphorically peeing on him, marking her territory."
"What?" that distracted Derek completely.
"Yeah, you saw that. That was what she was doing. Marking her territory."
"Okay, I never ever want to hear the words Callie, or Mark, or peeing together ever again." Derek made a disgusted face, which actually seemed to prompt Meredith out of her infuriated state. She cracked up too and said, "Yeah, that's disgusting."
"But seriously, we should keep out of this."
"Why?"
"Because Lexie needs to learn to stand up for herself. And us interfering so openly would put Mark in a tight spot."
"What? He needs to be hit over his head so he can finally open his eyes and see what's happening right in front of him."
"Yes. But you need to understand that an all-out confrontation is not a good idea. Both are his kids. He can't choose. He shouldn't have to choose."
"But I don't see it ending any other way with how Callie is being."
"It'll work itself out. We just have to wait."
"You are just saying that because you want to protect Mark, but Lexie is my sister."
"Don't say that. She is my family too. Just like Mark. That is why she must learn to stand up for herself. You know I'm right. You can't go poking in there. There are too many people already involved in this mess."
"Fine, I won't say anything. For now. But I'm talking to Lexie. Give her a good kick in the ass, so that next time Callie decides to be obnoxious, Lexie can knock her down a peg."
"Okay."
"Okay."
They decided to head back to the dining area, where Callie was yet again reliving another incident with Mark, which it turned out to be the first time she had the ultrasound.
"I mean, it was magical, wasn't it, Mark? When Lucy showed us the heartbeat the first time, it was like our family was complete finally, you know, and Mark and Arizona were both amazed. I mean, the first ultrasound is really special. The very first time. Was Meredith amazed Lexie? She was with you right?"
Lexie shifted uncomfortably because she knew what Callie was implying. For that case, both Derek and Meredith understood that Callie was trying to imply that Lexie had denied Mark the magical opportunity to hear his baby's heartbeat for the very first time. The only one oblivious to her crafty implication was Mark, who was only interested to know Lexie's answer. He wanted to know every detail of Lexie's ultrasound, because it never crossed his mind that he was denied something. He was just sure that he will be there for the next one. He was staring at Lexie waiting for her answer and Lexie struggled to hold his gaze. And that was when Meredith decided to butt in.
"Yeah, it was. It was truly magical." She smiled blandly at Callie, who just harrumphed, like her point was proven.
The dinner was tedious and mentally exhausting to Lexie, who literally bolted to her room the minute Callie and Mark left.
"That was not normal." said Derek.
"Yeah, you think? Callie was like a dog with a bone, going on and on about.."
"No, I meant Mark."
"What?"
"I've known him a long time Mer. It's not like him to be on the sidelines. He hardly spoke anything today, like he was content to sit back, and let Callie take over. That was not normal."
"Stupid, that was what it was. He is blind and stupid." Meredith fumed. Derek made up his mind to meet up with his friend in private so he can understand what was going on, while Meredith made plans to encourage Lexie to stand up for herself, without really letting Lexie know what she was up to.
Derek's chance came the next day itself, when he and Mark met up for drinks after work. After spending some time easing Mark into the conversation, Derek decided to bring up Lexie and Callie.
"So, you've spoken to Lexie?"
"I saw her this morning, but she was going into surgery, so we didn't really get a chance to talk. Speaking of which, I think that she isn't eating enough, you know. I mean, with Callie, she just gobbles up everything in sight. It's like her stomach has a mind of its own. But Lex, she's…she looks thinner, like she lost weight. You think she is eating enough?"
"Yeah, she is eating…better now, than before."
"Oh."
"Yeah, so about that, I've been wondering why you guys didn't patch up, you know? With the way you've been pining after her, I thought you would…you know?"
"Well, Lex doesn't want a relationship, she made that clear."
"Oh."
"What?"
"Nothing. Just surprising really. Mark Sloan being mature."
"Well, I am going to be a dad." Mark smiled goofily. Derek just rolled his eyes at him.
"But that doesn't mean nothing will ever happen. We are having a kid together Derek. That means lots and lots of shared time, making decisions together, fighting about such decisions, and all that….passion, who knows what will happen?" Mark winked at Derek. "Not to mention the hormones, let's just say I'm very comfortable waiting it out."
"And there it is. That's the Mark I know."
"Hey now, Lex loves me. You know it. I know it. All those reasons she didn't want to be with me, well, they are just moot now, aren't they? She need space now? I'll give her space. She's growing my baby. She gets whatever she wants. But she'll come to me. I won't push her."
"Really?"
"Yup. Besides, how long do you think she can resist this?" Mark said gesturing at himself.
"Okay fine. But you are sure?"
"Why?"
"I just don't want you to get her hopes up and then back out."
"No. No. What? Come on, Derek. She is it for me. She's the one."
"In that case, I'm very happy. Just make sure you don't mess up."
"Yeah, me too."
"And Callie is fine with this?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't she be?"
"I don't know. Just asking. She's your person. And the mother of your other child. So, you've spoken about Lexie with her?"
"Yeah, she is thrilled. Although, with me and Lexie running hot and cold again and again, she's kind of….cautious."
"Oh?"
"Well, with kids in the mix, I don't blame her. But, don't worry. She's always been supportive of me and Lex."
"Yeah."
"What? What is it? Why are you making that face?"
"Nothing. Nothing."
Derek changed the topic to an upcoming surgery and Mark was suitably distracted.
At the same time, Lexie had just finished her shift and was walking out of the hospital, while she heard her name being called. She turned to find herself facing the walking nightmare that was Callie Torres. She blinked and cleared her throat.
"Yeah?"
"We need to talk." Callie's face was impassive, giving nothing away as to what she was thinking.
"Okay?"
"Not here." So saying, Callie turned around and walked towards a lone bench on the far side of the hospital, partially enshrouded in darkness. Lexie stared at Callie's retreating back, wondering to herself if the other woman had finally snapped and possibly planned to murder her. She chastised herself for even thinking it, repeating to herself that she had nothing to fear. She followed Callie who parked herself on the bench and looked at Lexie expectantly, patting the seat next to her. Lexie breather in and out deeply and sat next to Callie.
After a few minutes of silence, Callie coughed a small laugh and began, "You know, I first thought it was a joke." She turned to look at Lexie who just looked confused.
"Your pregnancy, I mean, what are the odds? We just conceived a month apart, to the same man." She laughed and that condescending laugh sparked something in Lexie.
"Oh, believe me. I know that. I can't ever forget the fact that Mark is the father. To both our kids. Not even for a second."
"Really?" Callie smirked. Lexie was lost once again.
"What?"
"I mean, really? Is he? The father, I mean?"
Lexie let out a shocked "What?", but she was incapable of processing Callie's impudent question, much less formulate an answer. But Callie didn't seem to pay her any heed. She looked straight ahead and ploughed on.
"….but then, the timing was really suspicious, you know. You had months after you and he were broken up. And I knew that you were trying to get back with him. I mean, I thought you would have learned by now that you and Mark don't work. But you still kept stalking him. I saw that. For weeks. I thought you would stop when you realized that Mark had moved on. But, to pin a baby on Mark, when you knew how much he wanted to be a dad, well, that was…..that was really low Lexie." Callie turned towards Lexie and opened both her eyes wide and looked at her with pity. She continued patronizingly while Lexie just gaped at her unable to believe her ears, "This is not healthy Lexie. Come on, you need to get over your obsession with Mark and tell everyone the truth."
Lexie was still gaping at her. Callie continued as if she were talking to a baby, "Even after you said the baby was his, he doesn't want you. That should tell you something right?"
Callie stared at Lexie with so much pity and condescension that Lexie snapped out of her shock.
"How…How dare you? To even suggest….I don't…I can't even…how dare you?"
Callie's faced transformed in an instant from pity to fury.
"How dare I? How dare you? To be so cheap and cruel? Mark is not a toy for you to…"
"Just shut up. Shut your mouth. I've had enough. One more word, and I won't be responsible for what I do." Lexie got up and so did Callie. They literally turned to one another and were shouting into each other's faces.
"Really, oh what will you do, little girl?" Callie spat the 'little' at Lexie's face as if it were a slur. "Truth is a bitch. And it hurts. And it will come out one day."
"No, no. You are a bitch. A monstrous vile skanky bitch." Lexie screamed at Callie.
"Oh, is that all you got? Is that…"
"What the hell is going on here?"
Arizona Robbins stood staring, open-mouthed at the two of them, who looked ready to just about pull each other's hair out.