Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy

Chapter Sixteen

"I think we covered some rather important ground today," Dr. Wyatt announced as she shoved some notes into one of her folders. The doctor seemed satisfied with their session, but Lexie Grey did not.

"I don't feel like we did much. It felt like I ranted to you for an hour," Lexie said dryly, causing Dr. Wyatt to chuckle.

"I know it does, but the first step sometimes is just letting it out," Dr. Wyatt replied. "Your sister wasn't too keen on the idea of therapy when she first started."

This caught the surgeon's attention as she raised her eyebrows. "You used to see Meredith?" Lexie questioned.

"Obviously I can't discuss it, but I know what you're going through. I know what your sister is going through," Dr. Wyatt said. "You two have been through hell."

Lexie nodded. "We have. Meredith more so than me sometimes."

"Putting down your traumas because yours might not seem as great doesn't mean you don't deserve help," Wyatt pointed out gently. "Because Lexie, you went through a great deal. You deserve to feel better."

Lexie nodded stiffly. She muttered out a "thanks" before heading out of the office and back to the neuro floor to return to her shift.

The night of April's bridal shower was enough to get Lexie to officially start therapy, especially after she had a panic attack in a closest and couldn't be helped until Mark found her in there. It was embarrassing enough to have to be coddled by her ex-boyfriend, especially after everything that had occurred since his birthday.

Lexie felt helpless once again and decided it was time to figure out the tools to make herself stronger. It'd been months since the plane crash, but it still haunted her and would probably haunt her for the rest of her life. But she needed to get stronger for Bailey and Zola– who have already made her life so much lighter just being able to take care of them. It's why she was starting to see Dr. Wyatt and would continue to do so until she felt like she would be able to deal with the horrors of her PTSD a little bit better.

"Where have you been? Some of us have actually been trying to save lives."

The head of neurosurgery had gotten off her break when she heard Morrison's tasteless remark behind her back. He was starting to get more pushy as the days went by.

"Will you literally go bother someone else?" Lexie snapped at him. "I don't have time to babysit you today, Morrison."

"I think it should be the other way around."

"Look, if you hate working here so much, do us a favor and try out a different hospital," Lexie shot back venomously.

"I would, but this is Seattle Grace Mercy West. The prestige here is too much for me to pass on," Morrison answered as he picked up his files for the day. "I'm not going to move my life and job because my boss doesn't know what she's doing."

"I can arrange that if you continue to act like this in the workspace," Lexie hissed.

Morrison just rolled his eyes before leaving the area. Lexie frowned as she went to checking her own charts for the day. She wanted to fire him, terribly, but she had no cause except that his personality was God awful. He was an excellent surgeon, despite being a cold hearted jerk. Finding someone to replace Morrison would be a nightmare, especially if she fired him for irritating her. Maybe she could find actual evidence of him being a nuisance, but until that she'd have to deal.

The dinging of elevator doors took Lexie out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Jackson Avery making his way out of the pair alongside a couple of other doctors and nurses. She and Jackson would be working on a case today together. It had to do with the upcoming brain surgery for John Solomon, a firefighter who suffered severe burns. They wanted to make sure their methods would be the safest options for him.

"I'm screwed," Jackson announced as he got to Lexie. He dropped his papers on the counter and let out a sigh.

Lexie raised her eyebrows. "Screwed? What for? Hope it doesn't have to do with this case."

"I don't have a date to April's wedding," Jackson cried out, running a hand over his hair. "I don't have a date and I really should have one."

"You don't need a date and you also shouldn't have one in the state you're in," Lexie replied, eyeing him carefully. "You're about to witness the woman you love marry abutter man and you want to trauma dump that all on some poor woman?"

"No. I just want to have someone there to distract me. To tell me there are plenty of other fishes in the sea," Jackson continued. "I don't know if that's stupid or cruel. Is it?"

"Maybe you shouldn't go. Maybe you shouldn't watch her get married before you ruin something or hurt someone's feelings," Lexie suggested gently.

"What if it was Mark getting married? Would you let it happen?" Jackson countered, causing Lexie to look down at the floor.

"I have no comment to that."

"You wouldn't like it," Jackson insisted. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"No. I wouldn't like it," Lexie confessed. She thought about what she talked during therapy the last couple of sessions. She and Dr. Wyatt did cover Mark, after all she lived with the man. Dr. Wyatt told her she should maybe confront Mark about her feelings, but Lexie was scared. She didn't know how to react, but also part of her knew what the answer would be and what would be best for the plastic surgeon. He had a future with Julia, not Lexie. "However, if Mark doesn't love me like that then I can't stop him. I need to be happy for him and move on with my life. That was a ship that sailed a long time ago."

"I don't believe you," Jackson retorted, narrowing his eyes.

"Well please. Do," Lexie replied. She sighed as she looked around and then back at Jackson. "Hey…Why don't we go together?"

Jackson looked at her in surprise. "Us? Go to…"

"Go to April's wedding," Lexie summarized. "We can keep each other busy. We're friends. It doesn't have to be a date or romantic, but if you need support I shall provide that. Besides, I have to deal with Mark and Julia all night so…I think it'll be a win-win situation, don't you think?"

"I actually would love to go with you," Jackson said, smiling a little. "I wouldn't hate it."

Lexie laughed at this. "Then it's settled. I'll be your date."

"Thanks, Lex," Jackson said as the neurosurgeon linked arms with him.

Meanwhile, Mark Sloan was bouncing Bailey on his lap as he discussed further legal actions with Richard Webber. Webber offered to give Mark a hand with some hospital stuff tied in to the case, to which Mark was grateful for. They were coming to terms with the settlement and the money and what plans they'd have to enact next to make it all final. Mark already knew he'd be using this money to build Zola, Bailey, and this new baby's future. That way they'd never have to worry about anything. Mark wanted to care of everything.

"He's gotten so big," Webber said as Mark let the young boy down to run around the office they were currently working from.

"Yeah. He's growing like a weed. It's very different when you're raising them, ya know?" Mark said. "It's like everything just flashes before your eyes."

"Adele and I never had children of our own, but I know what it was like to be an uncle. To be what you were before," Webber said. "But it's a wonderful thing you and Lexie did for Derek and Meredith."

"He's getting more like his dad every day," Mark commented fondly. "I think he looks the most like Meredith, but he's got Derek's personality for sure and his father's eyes. And Zola, well, she's honestly the best of both her parents."

"How is Zola?" Webber asked.

"She's going great," Mark said. "She is funny, that kid. She's always asking me and Lexie so many different kinds of questions. The other day she asked where babies came from and I just lost it. She's still not quite convinced with my answer."

"Why? What'd you tell her?" Webber questioned, his lips curling with amusement.

"Something about the stork. It seemed to satisfy her enough, but she's too smart for that," Mark said. "She probably already knows because she reads so damn much and is waiting for me or Lexie to crack. To which, we will not do."

"Sounds like you go your hands full," Richard remarked, chuckling.

"You could say that," Mark continued,

"How is Julia?" Webber asked curiously. "You two going to the wedding?"

"Yeah. She'll be my date," Mark confirmed, smiling a little. He thought about his girlfriend. She seemed thrilled to be attending the wedding. Mark could tell she was trying to send ideas in his direction recently. He's noticed them, but he wasn't sure at first. Now, he's sure. Mark needed some time to think, but he also knew that this wedding would only make Julia's wedding fever more intense along with her anger.

It's not that Mark didn't care about Julia, he did, a hell of a lot. He could picture a future with her, but at the same time, he didn't want to tie her down to him if he still had feelings for Lexie. Julia was someone special and he thought that she deserved someone special. Part of him wanted to break it off the more he thought about Lexie, but then the little green monster in his head would remind him that Lexie might not want what he wants. That he should go through with Julia so he can secure what he's always wanted.

"You two are getting rather serious," Webber said. "I'm happy for you, Sloan. You've come a long way since you got here."

"I guess so," Mark answered, chuckling. He remembered how he used to be his first few weeks at Seattle Grace. He was so hell bent on getting Derek back. It worked, but so much more opened up for him. He met Callie, his other best friend, and he met Lexie. Even though he lost Derek, he has a family. It wasn't the way he wanted to create one, but this unconventional family he's created has made Mark feel stronger. Derek gave him so much. A gift.

"How's it going along?" the two men looked up to see Jackson Avery making his way into the room. Bailey squealed when he saw the new member of the group, causing the plastic surgeon to swing him up in his arms. "Hey there, kiddo!"

"Hey there, Avery," Mark greeted him as Jackson took a spot beside them at the table. He was also helping out in the legal process being that he had a lot of knowledge on the subject and had the lawyers available. It also looked like a possible partnership with the Avery foundation could help the hospital keep afloat, considering it seemed that all the survivors of the plane crash were going to buy out the hospital.

"We're almost finished," Webber told the younger plastic surgeon as he shoved some papers into a folder. "How's the Solomon case going? I knew Solomon back in the day. He's a good man. It's a dreadful thing to hear about what happened to him."

"Is that the case you're working on with Lexie?" Mark questioned curiously. "She mentioned it last night."

"Yeah," Jackson said. "We're getting there. We spent all morning talking about possible surgical methods…" the plastic surgeon paused for a moment, thinking about his next choice of words carefully. However, he knew what he had to do to get the fire lit under both Mark and Lexie. "In fact, we're actually going to April's wedding together."

"What?" Mark's eyes widened at this as he looked at the man he mentored. Jackson shrugged as casually as he could while he began to review the files before him.

"We figured we'd go together. Needed dates," Jackson filled in, scratching the back of his head. "Besides, I rather go with Lexie than whoever Karev was going to scourger up for me. Lexie's pretty great and we get along fairly well."

"She is pretty great," Mark agreed, swallowing hard as he looked down at the legal papers before him.

"Anybody need a coffee?" Jackson asked, looking around at the others. "Because I think I'm going to need one if I want to concentrate."

"I'd love one," Richard said, grinning.

"Cookie!" Bailey cried out.

"Not right now, kiddo," Mark said, swinging him up in his arms. "It's too early. You haven't had dinner yet, you don't want to spoil that do you?"

Bailey began to pout. "Pleasseeeeeee?"

"Oh. Alright, if Uncle Jackson is willing to take you," Mark said, eyeing Avery– who just chuckled.

"More than welcome to," Jackson said as Mark passed off the child to him. "C'mon, Bailey. Let's go get you a cookie."

Bailey made a noise of happy agreement before they headed out the door. Once they were gone, Mark sighed and began to make notes throughout the margins of his document. However, he couldn't concentrate as he noticed the way Richard Webber was staring at him.

Mark frowned irritably. "What?"

"Nothing," Webber said, holding his hands up in the air. "Oh just nothing."

"You got something to say, Richard, let me hear it," Mark said, putting his pen down. "I know that look you're giving me."

"It's just…" Richard Webber struggled on his words. He thought for a few moments before he said, "You're jealous."

Mark scoffed. "Jealous? Of what?"

"Of Jackson. Jackson and Lexie to be precise," Richard called him out, leaning back in his chair.

"Am not," Mark insisted fiercely. "I'm dating Julia. She's…Lexie's not interested. At all."

"I'd disagree. Look, Lexie Grey may not be Ellis Grey's daughter, but she is Meredith Grey's sister," Webber told him. "And in a way, she's very similar in holding onto her feelings. That's how Grey women operate. I was in love with one once…"

"We tried and it didn't work. I don't want to ruin the family we have," Mark explained, running a hand through his hair. "I care about Lexie a lot, but Julia wants what I want. She could be my chance at having that. Lexie and I have always been at different stages of life. We're too far apart in age and it just…She should be happy. With someone her own age like Jackson. Jackson could give her what she wants, I…I'm just a sad old man. I'm not going to ruin our family because I'm in love with her."

"But you won't. In fact, I'd argue that you might ruin it even more by not trying to make it work," Webber said, sitting up in the chair. "Mark, if you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing. Even if you're scared that it'll cause problems. Even if you're scared that it will burn your life tot he ground, you say it, and you say it loud and you go from there."

Mark studied the older man carefully for a few silent moments. "You might have a point…"

"Take it from me, Sloan," Webber said, getting up from his chair to pat the man on the back. "Don't wait. Especially after all you've lost."

Mark nodded as he was left with his thoughts. A little later on, he'd come home to find Lexie on the sofa in her sweats with a bottle of wine. She looked annoyed as she shoved popcorn into her mouth.

"What's bothering you?" he asked pointedly.

Lexie shrugged as she shoved more popcorn into her mouth. "Morrison being a jerk again, therapy, an insane case I have to do and I have to get all my work semi done by Friday so I can go to April's wedding without someone paging or bothering me."

"Sorry to hear that," Mark murmured as he threw his jacket on the nearby kitchen chair. "Mind if I join you?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Yeah, sure, you're more than welcome."

"Thanks," he said, sighing as he grabbed a wine glass for himself and poured a rather large helping.

"Should I assume you had a bad day too…?"

"You could say that," Mark said. "Just stressed from the settlement and a bunch of other different things. You know…"

"Sure," Lexie answered as the two of them clinked their glasses of red wine together. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Mark replied. "It's just something Webber told me. Something I think I need to consider seriously."

"That sounds good," Lexie said as she took a sip of wine.

He looked back at Lexie and the way she had moved her attention gently back to the T.V. This wasn't the time to tell her, but he would figure everything out. Somehow…