Warning: Rated T for strong language.

A/N: Thank you again for your support.

moonxue5 – What I meant when I said with George being a 4 and Mark a 10 was being all around. Looks, personality, sex, etc. It's usually a common thing at least in the States where a guy or woman might be asked on a scale from 1 to 10 how attractive someone can be on first glance.

Chapter 4 – The Reading

Lexie

Lexie yawned the next morning as she quickly dressed into her scrubs to meet her friends before rounds.

"You were out pretty late last night," April observed.

"Hot date?" Jackson added.

"No, hot date," I replied.

I mouthed a thanks to April when she handed me a hot cup of coffee. She really was the best friend a girl could have.

"Then why are you blushing," Jackson pointed out.

Apparently, I hadn't gotten any better when it came to hiding my emotions either. It wasn't like my drinks with Mark last night would classify as a date. In fact, it couldn't be a date. I did not invite him, we did not make plans, he just happened to show up. We just happened to have a couple of drinks together. We just happened to have really good conversations.

Ohmygod, it was a date without the title of a date.

The worst part, it was probably the best non-date I have had in the longest time. I can't remember the last time I had been with a guy that wasn't classified as a friend that I could just easily talk too, like I could with Mark.

It didn't matter. He was my attending and boss. He was way older than me, and there was no way that he would even be interested in someone like me. Besides, even if he was interested in me, he would only be interested in just having sex with me. Most would probably jump at the chance to just have a no string attached night with Dr. Mark Sloan, but that wasn't me.

In fact, I tried the whole 'no strings attached' type of behavior when I was a freshman in college, because the guy, Greg Simmons, was that type. I so badly wanted him to notice me and since he was similar to Mark in that regard, I made it seem like I was that way too. Until, I ultimately started to develop those feelings that I deep down knew I had, and it didn't end up working out for either of us. After that, there was no point trying to change who I really was.

Who I am…is an intern. An intern that needs to focus on learning all about medical diagnosis and surgery and not about their hot bosses that tend to be hot and cold one moment from the next. An attending that I had no business even thinking about other than learning whatever medical experience I could from.

Luckily, Jo coming up to the group with a look that indicated she was just itching to tell us something, prevented me from having to respond to Jackson's comments about my blushing.

"This is so cool," Jo said, as she approached our group.

"What is?" asked April.

"I was just minding my own business over by the attendings…"

"How you do that and not get caught is beyond me," I mused, with a shake of my head.

Jo grinned. "What can I say, mad skills. Anyway, apparently, Dr. Sloan just got a really interesting patient and everyone around the halls is talking."

"What kind of patient?" Jackson asked.

"A physic," Jo answered. Jackson laughed, while April looked uneasy. "What, you don't believe in that kind of stuff?"

Jackson shook his head. "No, I think it's just a bunch of bullshit. They latch on to one thing that can be so broad and people so badly want to believe it because it plays on their emotions. There just quacks."

Jo rolled her eyes, and turned to April. "What about you?"

April sucked in her bottom lip. "I don't believe in that stuff either. I think if you want answers, you should turn to Jesus."

"Of course, you do," Jo responded.

April bristled at her tone, so I gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. Jo turned to me. "And you, Lexie?"

I shrugged. "I really don't have an opinion. I guess if I had to say, I am more in agreement with Jackson. Usually, they say stuff like, "I am sensing a close male presence that passed," and then the person who so badly wants to believe it could be their loved one, will shout out the one they lost and then go on and on about how amazing that physic was when in reality it was the person that gave up the information."

Jo snorted. "Well, for someone that doesn't really have an opinion you certainly have an opinion."

Jackson grinned. "Why is the patient even here? It sounds like they would be a better candidate for neuro."

"I don't know. But Lexie is going to find out soon enough," Jo answered.

I turned my surprise gaze to her. "Me? Why me?"

There was a sparkle of amusement in her eyes. "Like I said, what I heard in passing is that the Grey's would be on this case."

"Grey's? Like Meredith and I?"

It was Chief Owen's voice that boomed around the room, talking about the day and list of patients. After he was done with his announcements he turned and looked to Mark, who stepped forward. Everything that Jo had heard had been correct.

"So, unless you are on this case, I don't want to see anyone hanging outside of the room, or trying to inquire about possible readings," Dr. Sloan said, a little agitated. He looked as if he was annoyed to have to be even having this conversation. "Little Grey, Big Grey, O'Malley, you are with me today."

"Two residents and one intern…wow," April commented once everyone was dismissed.

"I am so jealous you get this case," said Jo.

"Grey!" Lexie turned to see Mark looking at her expectantly. "If your done chatting, we have a case."

"Coming!"

I managed a quick bye and scurried after Mark. George and Meredith were already there by his side.

"Why do you need two residents?" Meredith asked.

"Because," Mark replied.

"Because…"

"Because I am your attending and I say I do." He stopped in front of the patient's room, turning back to all of us. "Does anyone else have any other actual questions before we enter our patient's room?"

All of us shook our head no. Mark turned and opened the door. "Mr. Jensen, good to see you again," he greeted, his entire demeanor changing to one with a big smile and easygoing attitude.

Mr. Jensen, extended his hand out to shake Mark's. "Good to see you too, Dr. Sloan." His eyes closed for a second, before he blinked them open. "Wow…I don't think I have ever read you this conflicted before," he said.

George leaned next to me. "Here we go…"

I snickered quietly, but the whip of Mark's head in our direction, and narrowed eyes in George's direction specifically was our only warning that future comments were not accepted.

"How are you feeling today?" Mark asked, easily ignoring Mr. Jensen's question.

"Good. Excited about the skin graph today."

Mr. Jensen turned his jovial smile on the rest of us. I felt a little bit of uneasiness shoot up my spine as his eyes took in each of us. I could almost tell as his eyes glanced over us that he was pausing in what must've have been whatever reading he was potentially getting. Still, I wasn't buying any of this was real.

Mark turned to Meredith. "Dr. Grey, if you would please."

Meredith stepped forward. "Patient is Andrew Jensen. Mr. Jensen was in a car accident three months ago. While trapped, Mr. Jensen experienced burns over fifty-percent of his body."

Lexie observed that most of those burns seemed to occur from the neck up. She couldn't even fathom how painful that might have been, but at least he was here and Mark was the best, at giving him a chance to have any resemblance of what he used to look like prior to the accident.

I stepped forward next to present the possible complications of the procedure and speak to the aftercare once it was over, which granted me another approving nod from Mark once I was done.

"Any questions, Mr. Jensen?" Mark asked.

Mr. Jensen looked over at George. "Can you stop stressing. You passed your test," he said.

George's eyes went wide. "I'm…sorry, what?"

"Your intern test. You passed. You can stop stressing," he said, rubbing at his temples. "Your father is so loud and boisterous, that he is driving me crazy."

George's face paled in seconds. I looked over at him to give him an encouraging nod, but he looked as if he was somehow frozen in time. I elbowed him in the side as discreetly as possible, which seemed to finally snap him back into the present.

"Uh, thanks," George finally managed.

I managed to keep my expression neutral. I still didn't know if I believed that Mr. Jensen's abilities were real. What if Mark was messing with George? He did say last night that he wasn't fond of George, and liked to mess with him. Everyone in the room knew that George was retaking his exams, and even though I didn't know about the fact that George's father was dead, that was something that Mark or even Meredith could have supplied to make it sound real.

Mr. Jensen turned to Meredith next. "You need to stop being closed off. You're missing out on important relationships and people that have come into your life," he said.

I was wondering—hoping that he might be talking about my relationship—or lack thereof—when it came to Meredith. Unlike George, Meredith's surprise reaction was quick, but she recovered.

After a moment of silence and no response from Meredith to his comment, he added, "You are also not your mother. You're extraordinary," he said. "That comes from your mother, not from me," he added.

Meredith blinked this time completely taken back. It was the first time in the weeks that I had been here that I had not seen her controlled and her emotions in check. I had heard whispers of Ellis Grey. That she was an extremely skilled surgeon that was ahead of her own time. She had been tough to work for and with—a force to be reckoned with. I wondered what life must've been like for Meredith growing up with a mother like that, a woman who certainly had a particular level of expectations.

Mark frowned. "Dr. Grey, if you could please go and check on the lab results."

For a moment, I thought he was talking to me, until I realized his gaze and direction of that order was to Meredith. He looked at Meredith with concern, and I recognized that he was giving her an out. She stood there for a moment, until her eyelashes fluttered, nodding and then walking out of the patient's room.

I had to admit that after George and Meredith, it was a little freaky at the information he was providing, but it still wasn't information that he couldn't have gotten from either Mark or any of the other doctors close to Meredith. Based on Mark's own frown and actual concern for Meredith, I didn't think he was in on it, and since George was still stunned into silence next to me, I didn't think he would be in on it either. It could've have been Cristina Yang. She was closest to Meredith out of anyone…so she would definitely know about her relationship with Meredith and her mother.

It hit me in that moment; I was the only other doctor left in the room that Mr. Jensen had not addressed directly. It wasn't like what he said about Mark was anything solicitous, but whatever he had said still had Mark pondering on that cryptid comment he had previously made.

Mr. Jensen chuckled. "I guess that leaves you for last."

"No offense, Mr. Jensen, but I don't really believe any of this, and I am pretty certain no one would want to deliver a message to me. I'm not that important," I said.

Mr. Jensen shot me a knowing smile. "Not all messages or things I pick up are direct messages from your loved ones."

"Okay," I said dismissively.

"Your surrounded by darkness," he said. "You shouldn't have to deal with it on your own. Eventually, it could swallow you whole," he said.

I just stared at him. "I have no idea what you are talking about," I replied simply.

I felt three pairs of eyes turn towards me. George looked at me, but still seemed concerned with his own message. His was just looking at me now out of curiosity now that Mr. Jensen was not reading any messages on him. Jensen was looking at me with a knowing gaze that seemed to say, 'you can't lie to me young lady.' Then there was Mark. His brows were pinched together, and his expression taking on one that I could have sworn that the thought of me being in any kind of danger, was hard to countenance.

"You do. I see you are not ready to address it. But hear me, you should, and soon," Mr. Jensen said tersely.

Mark cleared his throat. "Mr. Jensen any other medical questions I can answer for you?"

Our patient snapped back into his more jovial demeanor, the thickness from what he said about me all gone now. "No, my good man. I am ready when you are."

Mark advised him that George and I would get some additional samples of bloodwork and prep him for surgery and that we would get things started this afternoon. The last thing I wanted to do was spend another minute longer in this room, but I had a job to do, and regardless of what Mr. Jensen had insinuated, I had to plaster a smile on my face and make sure he got the best care possible.

George quickly got his sample of blood. "I'm going to run this down, and Dr. Grey here will finish your prep for surgery."

I shot George a look of panic. It practically read, please don't leave me alone with this guy, but George just gave me a sympathetic look and then bolted from the room.

"Coward," I muttered under my breath.

I let out a sigh, plastered a smile on my face, and turned back to Mr. Jensen. "I am used to people running away from me. No one wants to hear information they aren't seeking out," he said.

"You don't let it stop you though, do you?" I asked more out of curiosity then anything.

"No," he said honestly. "The messages and information I receive. It's a gift. I have a moral obligation to make sure I pass along the information. It's up to the person on what they want to do with it."

"Have you always had this, um, ability?"

He looked so relaxed; his hands folded neatly in his lap. I wondered how many times he probably answered these very questions. He could have answered these same questions thousands of times, but yet he still smiled and patiently answered me anyway.

"Since I was a young boy. You can't imagine how many doctors my parents forced me too, thinking something was wrong with me. I've had more physic evaluations then you can count." he chuckled.

"And that still hasn't deterred you?"

He shook his head no automatically. "Let me ask you this, Dr. Grey. When you know there is a real possibility that you have information that could save someone's life or diagnose their condition, would you let anything stop you?"

"No, I guess not."

"Of course, you wouldn't. It's why you saved your last patient from seven years of unbearable pain."

My mouth fell open. "How did you—"

Mr. Jensen tapped his head and smiled. "Still don't believe me?"

I gave him a long look. "You're making it hard not to believe you."

I finished taking all of his vitals and wrote them down in the chart, placing it back in front of his bed.

"Earlier, when you said that Dr. Sloan was conflicted…what did you mean by that?"

His features relaxed as if he just came to some other realization, his eyes twinkling. I did not really like that look as he met my gaze again. "I wish I could tell you, love, but only the messenger can inquire. Almost like a patient client privilege," he answered.

Darn. It was worth a shot. He gave me a half-smile, which suddenly made me think he was getting ready to get another message, one I didn't know if I wanted to hear.

"I should go, and, um, make sure everything is getting ready," I said.

He nodded, even though he knew I was escaping. "Of course. Until later, Dr. Grey."

Mark

"Your surrounded by darkness. You shouldn't have to deal with it on your own. Eventually, it could swallow you whole."

I left my patient's room, wondering what the hell Mr. Jensen could have been referencing when it came to the message he gave to Lexie. I thought about the last few weeks. She hadn't been on my service every day, but the days she had been on my service, I hadn't noticed anything that would attribute to the fact that something was wrong.

Expect last night. When I had gotten to the bar, something had been on her mind. She had downplayed the entire thing. I had thought maybe it had been about the fact that I was hard on her, or because I was being hard on George, but now I wasn't so sure. She had seemed so carefree once we started talking about laughing about everything.

Until she had to leave.

It was only eleven in the evening when she suddenly indicated she had to go. It wasn't that late, but considering she was putting in long shifts as an intern and that she had to be up early for rounds each day, it was plausible that her wanting to get home early was reasonable.

I started to kick myself that I hadn't actually offered her a ride home instead, or followed directly behind her for that matter. We lived in the same building. We lived on the same floor. It had been challenging these last few weeks to try and avoid running into her in the hall again. It hadn't been that hard when it came to the fact that we often were on different schedules.

"Hey!" I called out, when I spotted Derek up ahead.

"Hey. How's your patient? He's certainly been the buzz around here," replied Derek.

"Have you seen Meredith?"

Derek's forehead puckered. "No. Why? Did something happen?"

"My patient you were teasing about might have struck a nerve with your girlfriend."

Derek clicked his pen, shoving it back in his pocket, turning and giving me his undivided attention. "What did he say?"

I told him everything Mr. Jensen had said. "She seemed upset. But that wasn't all."

Derek looked even more intrigued. "About Meredith?"

"No. Lexie. Do you know if Meredith has made any strides when it comes to getting to know Lexie?"

Derek paused thinking about it, but then shook his head. "No. I will say she didn't seem as cynical or negative about possibly getting to know her like she had when she first learned about Lexie."

Well, that's a start. "Have you noticed anything when Lexie has been on your service?" I asked.

Derek started walking, Mark following into step with him as they started moving towards the bank of elevators. Derek gave him long appraising look. "What's this about? What's really going on?" he asked.

We stopped at the elevators, Derek hitting the button that would take him up. I contemplated telling Derek all of my thoughts. The fact that Derek was dating Meredith and Lexie was her half-sister, I could see that there was a part of him that was protective over Lexie. Even if he or Meredith didn't know her yet. Derek had four sisters, so he was used to being protective when it came to family.

I recalled the look on Lexie's face when Mr. Jensen gave her the information. She tried to hide it, but there was truth behind what he said. There was something going on in her life. Something that she could resonate his words too. Whatever it was, I could sense that she did not want to take into consideration his second part of his message. The not dealing with it on her own.

It made me that much more want to find out what it was that could possibly be bothering her. Troubling her. Circling her in darkness. Protect her.

"I don't really know. It's just that he may have alluded that she could use a friend."

Derek's face transformed. "Let me guess, you think that friend, is you?"

"No, that's not what I am saying," I replied, clearly affronted.

"Good."

My mouth twitched. "Good?"

Derek nodded. "She's young, Mark. She's not one of your conquests."

"Conquests?" I growled. "I am not some predator."

The doors to the elevators opened. "I didn't say you were. Lexie's going to eventually become my sister, which means I need to look out for her. That means you keeping Big Sloan away from her." The doors started to shut. "I'll talk to Meredith."

I was angry. Literally standing there and shaking from the anger. Derek was someone I considered to be my brother—or so I thought—did he really think that is who I was? That I didn't have any ability to think of someone other than myself?

"Dr. Sloan?"

"What." I snapped.

George took a step back from me, seeing whatever expression must've been on my face.

"Uh, just wanted to give you Mr. Jensen's bloodwork and let you know we are ready for his surgery."

"Fine. Thanks."

Mr. Jensen's skin graph surgery went well. It was Lexie and I that were standing in his room for post op conversation and details of his after care. I could tell that Lexie seemed guarded in having to come back into the room and see our patient again.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that it didn't matter what she did. I had been working with Carl Jensen for the last three months. If the man had a message to pass along to you, it was coming whether you wanted it too or not.

I still didn't know whether I believe in his abilities or not. I'm a man of science. I'm not oblivious to the fact that there have been some pretty incredible things to happen in medicine that could not be attributed to any scientifical proof, but I still wasn't sure that I bought into all of Andrew's projections and information he spouted. Even if I couldn't explain as a stranger how he might have gotten that information.

I thought back to the last month when I saw Andrew to check how his skin was healing and whether he would be ready to even attempt a skin graft soon. He was even cryptic with his message to me then.

"Mark, my boy, it's good to see you," Andrew said.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Jensen." I grabbed the rolling stool, sat and moved in to take a look at his body.

"You wander because you are lost," he said, breaking the silence.

"Excuse me?"

He looked down at me from the exam table. "I said you wander because you are lost," he repeated.

I snorted, shaking my head. "I didn't realize I was lost."

Andrew's mouth curved into a smile. "That's because you haven't found your home yet. But you will. Soon."

I smiled flatly. "That's great." After a few minutes, I scooted the stool back, and stood. "Everything looks good. I would say about thirty more days and we are good to go. My skin grafts should be done by then."

"That's great!"

I extended my hand. "Good to see you again."

"You too, Dr. Sloan." I turned to walk away. "Dr. Sloan?" I turned back. "Don't be afraid to fall. Change is good, my son."

If the man wasn't so nice, I probably would recommend him a physic consult. "Ok, Mr. Jensen. Have a good day."

Now he was telling me that I was conflicted. I still didn't experience this big change that he was referring too, and now this. It was always little bits and pieces but nothing that could give me any indication of what it could be. Personally, I think he just liked to mess with me. I didn't even know why I was spending any time giving this any thought.

Andrew stirred, his eyes fluttering a few times, before they finally opened.

"Mark? Is that you?"

"Sure is, Mr. Jensen. The surgery went well," I said.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me, Andrew," he said.

I smiled. "A few more, Andrew."

"How did the surgery go?"

I turned to Lexie. She picked up on my cue and stepped forward. "The graft took perfectly. Your vitals are doing well, and there will be medication we will prescribe to help with the pain. We will want to keep you for a few days to make sure everything continues to take well, and then you can be discharged," she said.

Andrew smiled. "Thank you, Dr. Grey. By the way, I agree with Mark over here that you did a nice job when placing and lining up the graft."

"How did you—"

Andrew tapped his head again, and Lexie's mouth slowly started to close.

"Any other questions for us?" I asked.

"No questions," Andrew said. He paused and looked at me and then Lexie and back to me. "You two…it's nice."

Lexie's brow creased in confusion, as she looked at me before looking back at Andrew. "I'm sorry, what?"

Andrew frowned. "You two. You're a couple, aren't you?"

I cleared my throat, interjecting before Lexie could. "Uh, no, Andrew, were not. I'm her boss. We're just colleagues."

His lips pursed together in thought. "Huh. I could have sworn…"

He let his sentence trail off, and neither Lexie nor I said anything. The air in the room suddenly got thick. The space between us specifically might as well included enough space for an entire high school marching band for how awkward it suddenly became.

Andrew shook away whatever thoughts or messages he was probably getting and offered us another smile. "Oh well, at least I can confirm that you two work well together. Guess that's good for when it comes to being colleagues."

"Sure does," I agreed. "We will let you get some rest. Just page if you need anything and the nurses will help you."

Andrew thanked us again, and Lexie and I left the room as quickly as we could without looking like we wanted to bolt from there. I didn't like the wide berth of space that was between us, and I didn't mean physically.

"You're not uncomfortable being around me, are you?" I asked.

She stared at me with a perplexed expression before finally meeting my eyes. "Huh?"

"What Mr. Jensen said back there. I mean him obviously getting things wrong between us. Not that there's an us," I clarified. Shut up, you idiot.

She smiled. "Oh. No. It's not like I really believe in that stuff."

"Me either." I agreed.

She looked at her watch. "Anything else you need today, Dr. Sloan?"

"No," I answered. Lexie turned and started walking away, but something made me start to catch up and walk next to her. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Why?" she asked in perplexed tone.

"You just seem a little distracted," I answered.

Her eyes fell, her face turned red. "No…no. I'm fine." She stopped, her hand reaching out to my forearm to stop me as well. I could feel her touch even through the sleeve of my lab coat. An odd sensation shot through me. "Did I do something wrong with Mr. Jensen back there?"

"No. I was just—" I rubbed the back of my neck "—wanted to make sure that if something was bothering you…that you could talk to me. You know, since we did agree last night that outside, we can be friends."

She laughed. "Thank you, Dr. Sloan. I'm fine though."

I nodded. "Are you going to be at Joe's tonight? I might be interested in tapping into the photographic memory of yours."

What the hell is the matter with you?

She bit her lip. "Uh, no, sorry. I have plans."

She started to walk again, and I fell into step with her. I arched my brow. "Ah, gotta a hot date?"

I don't know why in that moment; I held my breath waiting for her answer. I don't know why in that moment; I was hoping her answer was no.

"No date," she supplied.

We reached the end of corridor that would lead her to the locker room. I could already hear voices behind the door, no doubt the rest of the interns and her roommates already inside changing.

"Well, have a good night. Good work today," I said.

"Thank you, Dr. Sloan. You too."

She turned and took off into the locker room, while I turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Lexie

I said good-bye to my friends as they headed for Joe's. April begged for the fifth time to come with them, but tonight I couldn't. Tonight, I couldn't ignore my responsibilities.

It was a cold night, and the sky opened up, cold drops of rain started falling from the sky. Even with my heat cranked up high, my skin still felt damp from the cold. Luckily, the rain had slowed from a complete downpour to more of just a mist by the time I pulled up and shut off the engine.

I sat there in my car for a few minutes. Part of me would rather be with my friends. Drinking and talking about our cases and bragging about how awesome I did today. How awesome we were all doing.

I was bummed when Mark had mentioned that he too would have been at Joe's and was interested in getting a drink. Even if it was just to pick my Lexipedia like brain for research. That's what friends did after all.

That wasn't my life. My internship wasn't just all of my responsibilities. Meredith still wasn't interested yet in talking to me, and my other sister—Molly—lived almost three states away due to my brother-in-law, Eric's, job.

Realizing that I couldn't put it off any longer, I opened the car door, and started my way up the walkway. I was about to put my key in the door, when the door opened abruptly.

"Where the hell have you been?"

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Hi, dad."

A/N: Thanks for reading.