Warning: None.

A/N: I will put your mind at ease if you're wondering this. There will not be a Sloan Riley in my story. I, too, hated that ENTIRE storyline. :)

Thank you for your continued support and comments to the story!

Chapter 7 – A Change Gonna Come

One Month later…

"You got paged too?" Mark asked, when he spotted Derek waiting at the main lobby where their surgery board was hanging.

"Yeah," he replied. "Not much details, just that there was an important consult."

They both sipped at their coffee while they waited for the mysterious immediate consult that needed to occur involving the both of them.

"How's wedding planning?" Mark asked.

Derek sighed. "I had forgotten how many decisions need to be made. Having a bride that isn't into the fluffy sentimental stuff doesn't make it any easier. All I keep getting is "I don't care, whatever makes you happy" type of response," he replied. "I thought women liked this kind of stuff. Lived for it."

Mark laughed when they looked at each other in unison and said, "Dark and twisty."

"What about you. How is living with Lexie?"

He beamed. "It's great. She's great."

Derek shook his head, humored by his friend's constant good mood. He genuinely looked happy and settling down into a committed relationship worked wonders from him.

"Speaking of…" Derek let it trail off when Lexie approached them.

"Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Yang assigned me to you today," she said, giving a quick glance to Mark and trying to keep her expression professional. He thought it was cute how hard she tried.

"Ok. I don't have anything for us yet. Why don't you start charting and I will come and get you once I have an idea on what we are working with today."

She nodded, turned and started walking back down the other direction. Not before she stopped slightly, tossing a glance over her shoulder and shot him a wink.

"You know," Derek said as Mark continued to stare after his girlfriend who was walking away and clearly enjoying the view, "I never realized until she was on my service that she can be a little bossy."

Mark grinned, and took a sip of his coffee. "I know, and I dig it."

Derek looked at his pager again. "Where is the chief, maybe he can include us in on what or who called us here."

"I know. What could possibly be such an important consult not currently trauma incoming?" Mark agreed.

"Me."

Derek and Mark turned to see none other than Addison Montgomery standing before them. Her lips spread wide into a grin; her hair just as red as Mark remembered the last time, she had visited Seattle Grace before she took off to LA.

Derek's forehead creased. "Addison?"

"Addison," Mark confirmed.

Her grin turned cat like. "Hello boys, did you miss me?"

"What are you doing here, Addie?" Derek asked.

She let out a long sigh, and her sudden easy-going banter faded. "I need a consult, and you two—believe it or not—are the best. I need the best."

"One of your patients?" Mark asked.

She swallowed slowly. "It's Archer."

They moved to a small room on the floor for privacy, to discuss the matter in detail. Even though things were left amicable between the three of them when Addie left, he never really expected her to return. To much history and feelings that were dredged up every time all three of them were in the same room together.

As Mark took a good look at the woman, he once thought he could live the rest of his life with, he could see now how wrong that would have been. That they never would have worked together. She was still extremely attractive with her vibrant red hair color, and cool blue eyes, but as he took in the rest of appearance, he felt absolutely nothing for her but love of friendship.

The fact that she had retuned here and needed their help meant that it would have to be something that was big. When she had indicated that it was her brother that was the consult, his gut clenched further. One: because Addie and Archer were close together. Two: Derek and Archer never really got along together. This case just got a whole lot more complicated.

Once Derek shut the door, he stood across from Addison with his arms across his chest. Mark chose to sit at the edge of the table in the room, legs crossed, and arms on his lap.

"What's going on, Addison?" Derek asked. "Where's Archer?"

"Back at the hotel. I thought I would come along first and clue you in on what's going on. A couple of months back, Archer started complaining about headaches. They gradually got worse and he insisted nothing of it. Then the seizures started," she said.

"How frequent?" Derek asked.

"At first, maybe just once a month. Then it started to happen every few weeks, to bi-weekly, and then now weekly. This last one he had a couple of days ago…" she paused and breathed out, her hand running through her hair. "I've seen your cases before, Derek, I have seen people have seizures…but I can't ignore it anymore no matter how much Archer wants to say it's nothing."

"Didn't you get him checked out in LA?" Mark asked.

She snorted. "I should have known he was lying to me. He said he saw a doctor—even after I mentioned wanting to come here for you—and said he was told it was nothing. Just a benign cyst. I had been so preoccupied with the practice, and wanted to believe that he was ok, that I just accepted it."

Mark could see that she was blaming herself even harder since she was a doctor. She should have picked up on the signs and not let the fact that Derek and Archer had a complicated past get in between making sure he had the best care. He wasn't going to voice that out loud or make her feel anymore guilt then she had. At the end of the day, it was still Archer's decision when it came to his medical decisions.

"Addison, if what your saying—"

"Don't coddle me, Derek," she cut in. "I am not some patient that doesn't understand how bad this can be. I already know we are most likely working with a terminal case here. I just need you to tell me the truth, and what we are working with," she said.

"Ok," Derek agreed. "I need you to get Archer here as soon as possible, and let's get him an MRI so I can see what we are dealing with."

"Thank you," she replied, her body relaxing. "I'll make the call."

"I'll go and order the scans. Just let me know when he's here and we will get started."

Addison nodded, and then Derek left the room, leaving them alone together.

"You look good," Addison noted.

He grinned. "I always look good."

"Glad somethings never change," she said, leaning against the wall. "Settle seems to be treating you well. Head of Plastics, and kicking butt."

He nodded. "Would you expect anything else?"

"From Mark Sloan, no, I guess I would not." She paused and tilted her head. "There's something else about you."

"I'm happy," he said. Because he was.

"That's good."

"How's LA treating you? Your practice."

Her smile grew wide showing the whiteness of her teeth. "LA's good. The best decision I have ever made." She pushed off against the wall. "Well, I better go and call Archer and get him in here. Maybe the three of us can go out for drinks, for old time sakes? Really catch up."

"That sounds nice," he agreed.

She opened the door and turned back. "And…thanks. For your help on this case. It means a lot."

"It's what friends are for," he replied automatically.

Her face transformed, losing some of the earlier teasing and easygoing demeanor. "Friends," she said, before walking out the door.

Lexie had just finished the charts, rounds, and ordered a serious of tests and an MRI per Derek's request. He had been vague as it related to the patient this far, only telling her that he knew of the patient and that there was a history, but Lexie could tell for now that he was keeping it close to his chest.

She was just coming from the supply closet with a load of goodies in her hands when she ran into Meredith.

"Whoa, easy there," Meredith said, after Lexie's shoulder bumped into hers. Some of her supplies toppled out of her arms.

"Sorry," she shrieked, quickly bending down to pick up the fallen supplies.

Meredith bent down to help. "Why the rush?"

She blew a strand of hair from her eyes that had fallen when she bent down to pick up the supplies, since her hands were full. "Your soon to be hubby has a very lengthy list of chores for me today."

"What I hear, it's a pretty complicated case. Did he tell you yet what you're working with?" Meredith asked.

She shook her head, pushing up from her calves back to a standing position. "No. I am headed that way now. Hoping he would have more after the scans came back in."

Meredith had a genuine interest in neurosurgery. In her internship and even most of her residency, she had leaned towards that being her surgical specialty. Her interest was more personally related, due to the fact that her mother suffered from Alzheimer's and ultimately passed away because of it, and she wanted to be a part of trying to locate a cure.

Unlike her and Mark, Meredith and Derek's working relationship often got strenuous at times due to Meredith's insistent need to want to push the limits and keep going when research, studies, and clinical trials said otherwise. They had both agreed for the sake of their relationship, that neurosurgery probably wasn't the best way for her to go. Now, she had moved onto general, and she was kicking ass there. From time to time, she still showed her interest when Derek got a really rare or complicated case.

Lexie too was finding neurosurgery rather interesting. For now, her heart still seemed to be pulling her to plastics—and not just because of her impressive boyfriend—but because of the other depths of amazing things she could do in that arena. Not that Derek's cases weren't amazing in their own merit, there was just something about that fact that as she grew into strengthening her skills around plastics cases, she liked what it did for her own growth and confidence personally.

"Oh, boy," Meredith said, causing Lexie to shake her thoughts and follow her line of sight.

Derek, Mark, and another female that Lexie had never placed before were down the hall at the surgery board talking. They all seemed comfortable together, so that must've been what Derek had mentioned to her earlier in the day that with this patient, there was history there. Was the patient the doctor?

"Who is she?" she asked.

Meredith's eyes never left the group, and it was then she saw a hint of emotion on her sister's face that she almost never showed. Meredith was the queen of keeping all of her thoughts and feelings bottled up under lock and key, so the fact that she was able to tell at all that the presence of the vexing red head bothered her, was cause for concern.

"Addison Montgomery," she answered begrudgingly.

Lexie cursed when the information caused some of the supplies in her arms to fall again. She quickly picked them up. "The Addison Montgomery?"

"Yep." She turned back to her. "Keep me posted, but don't be surprised if I keep myself scarce today. Our history is a bit…complicated."

"Wait…" she called, but before she could even get the words out, her sister was headed off back towards the pit.

She looked back at the group who seemed to be in a deep discussion of what she assumed was the case. Derek had his arms across his chest—she realized his go to stance—while Mark was running his hand through his beard—his tall tale sign that the case was in fact complicated with intricate factors—and Addison's gaze was a ping pong back and forth between the two.

Mark said something, and Addison's hand reached out to his forearm resting there. Lexie could see that it was done as a reaction to whatever had been said—a reflex for support—but that didn't mean she liked it anyway, considering the history between the two of them. Addison was the only other woman Mark had ever attempted to change for, and it suddenly made her uncomfortable and nervous. Mixed that in with Meredith's feelings on the matter—even though for her own different reasons—Lexie's guard was up when it came to this new doctor in town.

She watched them move towards the wing of inpatient rooms and decided now was a good idea for herself to make her presence known.

"Addie!" Archer said, as soon as she entered the room.

Archer's face grinned at seeing Mark follow next, and then his grin dropped into a scowl when Derek walked in last.

Archer extended his hand out to Mark. "Good to see your pretty face again, Sloan."

Mark shook his hand in return. "Almost as pretty as yours."

Archer finally turned his attention to Derek. "Dr. Shepherd," he said with less warmth, a more bored tone of his presence.

"Be nice," Addison warned.

"You want me to be nice to the guy who abandoned you, and then did it again after you tried to repair things?" he shot back.

"Archer, let it go," Addison groaned. "I told you that Derek and I split amicably and we are in a good place."

Mark could see Derek's level of patience was feigning, especially since they were talking directly about him as if he wasn't even in the room.

"Just because you forgave him doesn't mean the rest of us need too," he argued.

"Considering he is now your doctor and the best in the business, I would button it up and show a little gratitude." she chided.

"Derek is the best," Mark agreed trying to break the tension.

Archer looked back at Derek with a prim disapproval. "Fine," he relented. "Only because it would mean that much to you," he said to Addison.

Derek started running down the diagnosis from what he could see, keeping in mind that everyone—Archer included—were doctors, so didn't feel the need to have to sugar coat any of the information.

"I already know it's a brain cyst. My sister seems to think that you are able to tell us something different then the other four doctors I have seen that said they can't touch it," he sighed, pinching his nose with his forefinger and thumb.

"It's not just where in the brain it is located, it's that you have something called— neuro cystopsychosis."

All three doctors in the room looks went to confusion. "What is neuro cystopsychosis?"

"Worms in the brain," Lexie said upon entering into the room.

Derek turned, a silent nod that he was impressed with his young intern when she stopped next to him. Her eyes briefly glanced to Mark, and he shot her a smirk of his own. Lexie caught the look of Addison watching the two of them.

"I'm sorry, you are?" Addison asked stepping forward and breaking the contact between Mark and her.

"Addison, Archer, this is Lexie Grey. She is an intern here at the hospital working on my rotation and this case," Derek supplied.

Addison raised her brow, her eyes burning with recognition at the name. "As in related to Meredith Grey?"

"Yes, Dr. Montgomery. Meredith is my half-sister," Lexie answered.

"I see." Addison looked between Derek and Mark whose expressions were deadpan.

"Anyway," Derek said, getting the conversation back on track. "The scans show these parasites are intertwined in with the cysts."

Archer's eyes shot up. "Cysts? As in more than one?"

Derek seemed surprised. "You didn't know that?" he asked looking between him and Addison.

They both shook their head no in unison. "It's possible the other doctors didn't catch it, or the parasites are just more pronounce now, which is why your symptoms are getting worse and more frequently."

Addison's voice was bleak. "So, can you operate and remove them along with the cysts?"

Derek's face showed the sympathetic signs of what he was about to say next. "No. I wouldn't be able to navigate through the mess in Archer's brain without rupturing a cyst in his ventricle. It would kill him instantly."

Archer snorted. "See, sis, I told you…even boy wonder over here couldn't do the case. It is what it is."

Addison shot her brother a glare. "Shut up. I will not accept the diagnosis."

He clucked his tongue. "You should, you're a doctor," he said.

Addison looked to Derek and Mark. "Can I talk to you outside, please."

Everyone left the room, Mark signaling for Lexie to follow them as well. Once they were outside, Addison turned on her ex-husband.

She scowled. "I didn't come to you to be told you can't do anything."

"No, you came to me because you needed my expert opinion and you knew I would tell you like it is. You know I would do everything, everything, in my power if something could be done."

Addison turned to Mark. "Would you help me here?"

"Addie, you know Derek is the best. I'm sure if he could find a way…"

She groaned. "No. What I need is for you to be a god," she said. "Just today. Be a god." She turned to Mark. "And I need you to help him. Because when the two of you get together, you can push the boundaries. You are the only two I would trust to operate on my brother. You're the only chance he has left."

Derek let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. I will take another look. Don't get your hopes up, Addie. I still don't know if anything can be done."

"All I ask is that you try."

Derek turned towards Lexie. "Grey, with me. Let's see if we can take another look at these x-rays."

Addison's eyes traveled over Lexie, securitizing her ability and worth on the case, but was wise enough to keep her mouth shut. Lexie looked back to Mark, her eyes glancing between the two of them, but quickly scurried after Derek. Mark watched her leave.

"Does Derek know you are sleeping with her?" Addison asked abruptly once she was out of earshot.

Mark's eyes snapped to her. "What?"

Addison crossed her arms, her eyebrow lifting in a challenge. "Dr. Grey. Meredith's younger sister. Is he aware you're sleeping with her?"

He hesitates a beat, then says, "Not really any of your business." He didn't want to get into his personal life with Addison right here and right now.

"I just think—"

"If I want your opinion on the matter, I'll let you know," he said with a finality, leaving her stunned as he walked away.

Mark met Derek in his office after he paged him to discuss Archer's case. He was sitting in his chair, and Mark was starring at the details of the case.

"I'm not really seeing that there could be anything that could be done," Derek resigned, rubbing at his face.

Mark leaned back in his chair, his coat draped over the back, clicking a pen in his hand. "What's the obstacles?"

"Besides the fact that he has multiple cysts and parasites all wrapped around like a ball of tangled strand of Christmas lights in his brain."

Derek showed him each of the cysts and from what he could see where the parasites were located, disclosed there was no saying that once they got in and opened him up how many more there could be and if it is far worse then what they are seeing now.

Mark pushed out of the chair, and joined his best friend. "What if we don't look at it like the bigger picture?"

The hand resting on Derek's chin dropped, as he turned to his friend with a curious expression. "What do you mean?"

"Well, on some of my more complicated cases, I have to break them down. Do each one a step at a time to lead up to the big picture." He pointed to the chart. "What if we go in and tackle each of the cysts one at a time," he suggested.

Derek's eyes lit up as he looked back at the chart. They discussed the case further and for the first time that day, they had come up with a plan that could possibly end up working out. They could go back and give Addison the hope and answer she was looking for in saving her brother.

They talked through trying the procedure out on test dummies in hopes to be ready for the actual surgery for the end of the week.

"Addison has already figured out that Lexie and I have something going on," Mark confessed.

Derek's chest rumbled with laughter. "Not surprising. You two aren't that secretive."

Mark threw his pen at him. "She wants the three of us to go out for drinks while she is here."

"Let me guess, your worried what Little Grey might think of that."

He shrugged. "It's not like she has anything to be worried about."

Derek let out a noise followed by a shake to the head. "You sure about that?"

"Derek, I'm committed to Lexie and our relationship."

"I know, I know," he agreed. "I'm just saying, how would you feel if she went out with someone that she used to sleep with?"

His face balked at the idea, but then remember who he was talking about. "I trust her. If she told me, they were just friends, I would believe it."

"Man, you really do have it bad," he said.

"What? You wouldn't trust Meredith?"

"It's not about whether I trust her. It's about whether I would want another good-looking man that also happened to previously be in a sexual relationship with her, still hanging out with her."

Mark's lips clamped together, his finger pointing to his lips. "Maybe you have a point."

Derek laughed, and patted him on the shoulder. "This is going to be fun. I'm on for drinks for tonight," he said before leaving the office to go and update Addison and get things in motion.

"Dr. Grey?"

Lexie turned to see Addison was standing behind her. Addison offered her a smile and extended her hand. "I thought if Derek was going to keep you on this case that we should properly be introduced. I'm Addison Montgomery."

Lexie dropped the charts she had in her hand and took Addison's hand in her own. "Lexie Grey."

"So, your Meredith Grey's sister," her question more rhetorical than an actual question.

"Half-sister, but yes. We have the same dad," she answered.

"And you're an intern?"

She nodded again. "First year, yes." Addison seemed to regard her carefully. "I promise that I am a good doctor. I have this thing…where I can see something or review something and kind of be able to picture it in my mind whenever it's needed. Comes in pretty handy. I have been working under Dr. Shepherd and Mark—Dr. Sloan—for a while now, and have gotten really good at anticipating their needs and wants," she rambled on. She took a deep breath. "What I am trying to say, is your brother is in good hands, and I will make sure he gets nothing but the best care.

Her chest was heaving up and down, and she felt like she had just run a marathon even though she hadn't moved from her current spot in the last couple of minutes. Addison Montgomery sure was intimidating. Or, maybe it was because she was comparing herself to the only other woman Mark had ever wanted anything more than just sex. They had nothing in common or comparison when it came to looks, accomplishments, or talents.

"So, then, you aware of my past with your sister, Derek, and Mark?"

Lexie gasped, at how blunt and confident Addison was, in speaking to her. "Uh, ye—yeah, I know."

"Listen, I hope this isn't being forward since this is the first time, we are meeting, but I wanted to ask you about Ma—"

"Addison, glad I could find you," Derek said, interrupting what she was about to ask her. "You too, Dr. Grey."

Derek filled them both in on his and Mark's thought on the procedure, their current testing that would be set up on the practice dummies, and timeline for surgery. He was still pretty upfront that this could be extremely risky, and still have a high percentage chance that it might not work.

"Dr. Grey, do you mind getting to work on getting everything set up and scheduled?"

Lexie nodded. "Right away, Dr. Shepherd," she answered, nodding to both before stepping around them to get started on her tasks.

As she started to walk away, she could hear Addison and Derek's voices from behind her still reaching her. "Oh, and Mark mentioned getting drinks tonight. Meet at Joe's at seven?"

"Three, why are you in the pit?" Christina asked.

"I need to see Meredith," Lexie answered.

"She's busy. Go and bother someone else."

"You don't understand," she stammered. "I need to speak to her. Please, just tell me where I can find her."

Cristina sighed, and waved her hand. "Check the labs."

Lexie raced to the lab, sighing when she found Meredith in the room.

"Everything ok?" Meredith asked when she came barreling in, Lexie's hand on her chest trying to get her breathing back under control.

"Addison, Derek…Mark," she wheezed, clutching her side. Meredith waited patiently. "There going for drinks later. Did you know?"

"No. Not surprising though. They all have history and Mark and Derek haven't seen her in a while. It would make sense it would be something they would do," she replied.

Lexie bit her lip. "You're not worried?"

Meredith gave a little chortle. "About Derek and Addison? No. I am not worried." She looked to her sister. "What's this about? Are you worried about Mark and Addison having drinks together?"

She shrugged. "I mean she is Addison Montgomery and her and Mark have a complicated past."

Meredith looked down into her telescope. "We all have complicated pasts," she reminded her.

"So, I'm overacting?"

Meredith looked up. "Yeah. Mark is crazy about you. I think he has learned his lesson when it comes to Addison Montgomery."

"Thanks, Mer."

"Yep. Now, shoo…" Meredith said, through her grin.

Lexie still couldn't seem to quiet her mind when it came to thoughts of Addison and Mark. She was letting her jealousy get the best of her, letting her mind run ramped with thoughts and ideas of them together.

She trusted Mark, she did…but she didn't trust Addison. So, when she found herself in the locker room inviting Jackson and April for drinks at Joe's, she kept telling herself it had nothing to do with spying on her boyfriend. Nope…nothing to do with spying.

Mark, Addison, and Derek sat at the bar at Joe's and ordered their drinks after a long, emotional and taxing day.

"To being badass gods," Mark raised a glass in the air. Addison raised hers in return.

Derek shook his head. "I think you're a little ahead of yourselves," he said taking a drink instead.

"Now, the Derek I know would be confident that we won't fail. Because we won't," Mark rebutted.

"It is a beautiful day to save lives," Addison added, looking at him by throwing his own saying back in his face.

"Fine. You win," he acquiesced, raising his glass to theirs.

Mark pumped his fist. "That's more like it."

"So, what have I missed since the last time I saw you two?" she asked.

"Derek and Meredith are getting married," Mark divulged.

Addison's head snapped to her ex-husband. "No kidding. I guess I can't say I am surprised by that, seeing the way you two were the last time I was here. Did you set the date?"

He chuckled. "I'm lucky I even got her to accept the ring," he said.

"Well, I'm happy for you. You seem happy," she said sincerely.

"Thanks." He turned his head and shot Mark a look that it was payback. "Mark is dating her sister, Lexie Grey."

His hand bringing the scotch to his mouth stilled. "Thank you, Derek."

Addison turned from Derek's smirk and peered towards Mark. "Dating?"

He brightened. "Yes, we are dating."

"A couple of months now," Derek added.

He scowled at his friend. When he looked back down at Addison, her eyes widen, before her expression closed up hidden behind her taking a swig from her drink. He figured she would be surprised by the information considering how they had left things and the fact that he had said he would always just be the kind of guy that wouldn't want to settle down, but this was different. This, seemed like she was visibly upset by the news.

"Wow." Was the only thing she had said.

"Wow in a good way or wow in a bad way?" Mark asked.

"Just wow," Addison responded. "What is with these Grey sisters," she mumbled as she took another sip of her beer. "Are you happy?" She asked, peeking in his direction.

"Yeah, Addie, we're happy," he answered.

Her face fell, but she quickly covered her expression. "That's great," she said numbly.

April, Jackson, and Lexie grabbed a table at the back of Joe's were most of the interns usually sat to play drinking games.

"I heard Karev and even some of the other interns might stop by too," Jackson said as they sat down.

Lexie nodded and added "oohs" and "ahs" throughout the conversation at the table even though her attention was focused solely on the front of the bar where Derek, Addison and Mark were having a drink. Addison was sitting in the middle of the two, each of them laughing and bantering back and forth.

"Earth to Lexie," April said.

Lexie turned back to the group. "Sorry, what?"

"Why don't you just go over there?" Jackson asked having seen where her attention was lying.

"I…I don't want to go over there," she lied.

April shoved another peanut in her mouth and grunted. "You so want to go over there," she agreed. "I mean, can't blame you. If it were my current boyfriend hanging out with their ex-girlfriend, lover, sex-partner…what were they again?"

Lexie scrunched up her face. "Ugh, I think I am going to go to the bathroom."

She spent the first couple of minutes, splashing her face with cold water, then giving herself a stern pep talk that she had nothing to be worried about and everything was just in her head. She and Mark were happy. They were living together; the sex was great—it was good for him—right?

She shook her head and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Regardless, of whatever Addison Montgomery was to Mark, that was the past, and she and him were the future. She fixed her hair, added another coat of lip gloss and decided that there was no need for her to have to continue to worry about something that wasn't there to begin with. She would have a couple of drinks, and then head home so by the time he got back she would be anxiously awaiting him in their bed. Her cheeks grew warm just thinking about it.

When she opened the door to the restroom, she paused, having seen Addison stop Mark just before he was about to enter the men's restroom. The alcove was small here in the back, just the restrooms, an ATM machine, and a payphone. Lexie quietly let the door shut close most of the way, but not all the way so she could hear the conversation. Ok, so she would let it go after eavesdropping this one.

"Mark!" Addison called, grabbing his upper arm before he went inside.

"Addison." His nose crinkled as he looked to her and then back to Derek who was still sitting at the bar where he had left him. "Something wrong?"

"I wanted to talk to you a moment. Privately, if that was ok."

Mark stepped away from the bathroom door to not block anyone else, and turned towards her giving his undivided attention. "What's on your mind?"

"First, I wanted to thank you again for what you're doing for Archer, and helping Derek with this surgery," she said.

He smirked. "You stopped me from going to the bathroom to thank me for an upcoming surgery?" He crossed his arms. "What is it, Addie?" His brows snapped together. "Are you in some kind of trouble or something?"

"No…no," she said quickly. "I…I wanted to talk to you about us."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Us?" he said perplexed.

Lexie watched as Addison took a step closer and placed her hand on Mark's arm. Her lips pursed together at the action. Mark shifted uncomfortably as he looked down at her hand on his arm, but he didn't pull away.

"I regret how things ended between us the last time I left," she said dejectedly.

Mark relaxed. "It's in the past, Addison. We're different people then we were back then. I am not mad at you or hold anything against you anymore if that is what you're worried about."

"That's good," she said softly. "But that's not what I meant when I said things ended."

He gave her a once over. "You have to help me out here, Addie."

"These last few weeks watching Archer going through what he has been going through…it made me think long and hard about my life. My mistakes. What I am trying to say, Mark, is that me leaving you was a mistake."

The corners of his eyes crinkled, his forehead rose. "I…I'm not sure what to say," he answered.

Lexie's hands formed fists at her side. Her face must've been so red she could swear it was on fire. She knew exactly what Addison was trying to say.

"When Derek told me just now that he was marrying Meredith, I expected to feel something—anything—that my ex-husband has really moved on and found someone else, but I felt nothing but happiness for him."

"That's a good thing," Mark said. "You may not be together, but will always be friends."

"And you? You and me?" she pressed.

"We're friends too," he confirmed.

Her eyes casted down, as she sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth. "Friends," she whispered. "What…what if I wanted more than that?"

"Addison…"

"I'm in love with you, Mark," she blurted out.

Lexie gasped, her body going stone cold at hearing her confession. Her anger rose next, listening to her tell her boyfriend that she was in love with him and wanted him. She had her chance, and she walked away. She didn't get to come back months and months later and try and change things now.

"I know that isn't what you expected or even wanted to hear," she laughed awkwardly. "But it's true. I slept with Karev because I didn't think I was ready. You wanted it so bad, and I was so unsure. I did the only thing I thought was right. I pushed you away, because I needed the time to think."

He blew out a breath, his eyes flashing with anger. "That's a hell of a way to make a point."

He turned away from her, but she grabbed his arm and turned him back to her. "I know. You don't know how much I regret—have regretted—that decision since then." She paused, her hands coming to her face before she slid them away. "Mark, when Archer told me he was dying and we talked about everything we'd been sorry about in our lives…the one thing that continuously stood out for me was you."

"I'm with Lexie. I'm happy with Lexie," he said abruptly.

Lexie's heart thawed a little at hearing his declaration for her.

"I know. I know that." Addison's voice grew desperate and held an added urgency. "But being happy with someone and loving someone are vastly different things."

He glowered at her. "Don't stand there and tell me how you think I feel, or how I should feel."

"I'm not…"

"You left Addison. You had a chance with us. I was right there. I followed you from New York to Seattle. I put my name in the hat to fight for you, and you walked away. You never loved me in that way. You just needed me to get to Derek," he said harshly.

"That's not true," she argued.

He looked heavenward. "Don't lie to me, Addie."

She sighed. "It's true when I came out here, I was trying to get Derek back and I used you for that, but then something else happened. My feelings did morph into something deeper. I wanted more. I was too scared to act, because after Derek I was afraid what would happen if you hurt me. If you walked away from me, or slept with someone else. I mean, you didn't keep to the pact either," she shot back.

He leaned in, his face raging like a thunderous storm. "I never slept with anyone else."

She winced. "You didn't sleep with anyone else? But…why did you say you did?"

"When I saw you with Karev, and when you told me you had slept with him, I knew then and there you didn't want this. You didn't want me. So, I gave you what you needed. I gave you the out you were running towards."

"I'm sorry," she said, her head dropping with shame.

"It is what it was. You went to LA, and you built a practice you've always wanted. I'm here, Derek and I are better than ever, and I'm happy. We each got everything we wanted," he said, his voice sounding so clinical.

"Not everything," she countered.

"Addison, it's not going to happen."

"Please," she begged. "Just don't give me an answer yet."

He let out a breath. "Addison—"

"Please," she repeated feebly. "I will still be here a couple of days with Archer's surgery. Just think about it, ok? For all our history, you at least owe us that," she pleaded.

Before he could even open his mouth to respond, she turned and walked back towards the bar. His face twisted as he looked after Addison, before heading into the restroom.

Numb.

Lexie felt numb after hearing the entire exchange. Mark didn't say yes, but what hurt the worst was that he didn't fully say no either. He didn't squash that hope in Addison that they would never be together again. He didn't even seem so sure about their own relationship when he was talking to Addison.

She quickly got back to the table and feigned some excuse that she wasn't feeling well and dipped out the back to avoid any opportunity that Mark or the others might see her.

She pulled her jacket closer, her purse tighter and grabbed a cab to take her home, since her car had been totaled in the accident.

Home.

Did she still have a home? We're Mark and her still going to be something, anything together? Was she going to wake up in a couple of days to have her own heart broken when he decided to leave her and go back to Addison? She was closer to his age and accomplishments. It would make the most sense for him to pick her. Would he leave Seattle? Would he stay?

Her head pounded, the endless questions floating around making her nauseous and dizzy. The thought of him leaving tore at her. But the thought of him staying and being with Addison and having to watch it—that would kill her.

When she walked into their apartment, she stood there and just glanced around. She noticed how in the last month they blended their two styles, with their belongings together. A picture of them rested against the fireplace, one that made her smile always. They were at Mer's place, Mark's arms around her waist, she's twisted in his arms so she can look at him, both of them smiling as they stared into each other's eyes.

An hour later, Lexie heard the keys in the door. "Lex!" Mark called as he shut the door behind him.

She came out of their room still dressed in her jeans and sweater. She masked her expression, figuring this might be the hardest conversation she would to date with him.

Mark stopped at seeing her standing there, her expression sad, her eyelids drooped. He noticed on the barstool by the kitchen a black duffel bag was sitting there. Packed. When he looked back at her, the line between her eyes had him frowning. Something was wrong.

"Lex, what's wrong?"

"I was at Joe's tonight," she said her voice bleak. "Some of us interns decided to get a drink. I saw you there with Derek and Addison."

"Before you get the wrong idea…" his voice trailed off, when her milky skin turned scarlet, her expression hardening.

"I was coming out of the bathroom, you and Addison didn't even know I was there," she filled the dots in for him her face contorting into anguish.

"It's not what you think," he said.

She closed her eyes. The proverbial coined phrase one always used before the other person learned it was in fact exactly what they thought or what it looked like.

"So, your ex didn't confess that she was still in love with you, and you didn't tell her that you weren't interested. That you didn't want to be with her?"

"I don't want to be with her. I told her no," he reaffirmed.

She gave him a sad smile. "So, when she asked you to think about it for a couple of days and let her know…that was you telling her no?"

"Lex…"

"She offered you everything you ever wanted, and that means I'm in the way," she said, reaching for her bag on the barstool.

His hand shot out to stop her immediately. "Don't do this, Lexie," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking up the pain written all over his face. "Don't put something here that wasn't there."

She hesitated. "Why didn't you tell her no?" she asked searching his eyes.

"I did tell her no," he repeated. "She's got a rough couple of days with Archer's surgery, and Derek and I still don't know if there will be anything we can do. She's a friend—a friend Lexie—I am just trying to get her through these next couple of hard days. I don't want her."

A muscle in her jaw twitched. "If I am understanding you correctly, her feelings seem to matter more than mine?"

His face looked as if she had just slapped him. "No, of course not."

"Then call her now, and tell her now that you want to be with me. Only me," she said.

"Lexie, please try and understand that this has nothing to do with me wanting her at all. That part of our relationship is over."

Her faced darkened; her eyes grew hard. Mark's face transformed by her reaction, his normally cool, calm demeanor starting to slip knowing that she was moving towards the door and away from him.

"Wrong answer," she said, grabbing the bag from the stool, and pushed past him.

"Lexie!" he called; his voice panicked.

She half-turned back, almost caving and dropping the bag and running back over to him with the grief and longing in his eyes. She kept her feet planted exactly where they were. She had told him once that he had the power to break her, and if she waited for him to walk out on her—end it with her—she wasn't sure she could survive it.

"Please don't go," he begged. "Let's talk."

She licked her lips. "Your time to talk was telling Addison the truth about your feelings for me. You chose your loyalty, friendship, and whatever it was you shared together over us. So, no, I can't stay. I can't look or be around you right now."

She opened the door, placed the strap on her shoulder and walked out of the apartment, each step shattering her to pieces further.

Lexie paid the cab driver and climbed out starring up at her sister's place. She couldn't go back to her parent's home, not with things with her dad unsettled. She couldn't go to the Archfield hotel, that held too many memories that she cared not to remember right now.

"Lexie!" Meredith said, her eyes round as she met her on the front stoop of her house.

Meredith's face softened when she saw the water start to build behind her eyes, recognition dawning on her face with the bag that she clutched to her side.

"Can I stay the night?" Lexie asked, her voice breaking.

"Of course," she answered, opening the door wider and allowing her thorough.

A/N: Don't kill me…I know. I promise next chapter will make up for it. ;)