After many hours of tests and scans it was decided that Lexie was bruised and sprained but no major damage was done. No physical damage that is, all of the people involved were effected by it. The thought that some beast that had once claimed love for someone and then could do this was beyond comprehension. Carter had kept his questions to himself and was not going to make anything worse by giving an interrogation although his curiosity was killing him. He had worked with Romano for far more years than he would ever be comfortable admitting to anyone and he had never seen him react that way to anyone. He has shown Lexie nothing but love and compassion through out the entire process and everyone had noticed. His protective presence and demand for only the best for her had made most people question the unconfirmed rumor that Romano had no heart and was actually the devil sent to earth to make people's lives hell. Romano kept his distance but had not been far away from her all day. Every time a staff member would page him or request his help he would tell them to ask someone else because he was busy. It wasn't that Carter liked the fact that he was so interested in his sisters care but a small part of him felt respect for the man who would was obviously just as pissed at the whole situation as he was.

Lexie spent the night in the hospital for observation and Carter found out the next morning that Romano had spent the night in his office just incase she needed him. Carter had tossed and turned when he finally went to bed. He had spent hours fighting the urge to get on a plane. His father had been no help. The prick had actually seemed annoyed that Barbara had left Landon. They had fought and finally Carter couldn't deal with it anymore and had hung up on him. He had called to make sure that she was ok before he finally went to bed. The entire staff knew that if Landon so much as stepped foot in the hospital that Carter was to be call immediately and Romano had given the same instructions. Lexie had begged them not to call the police and both agreed not to for the moment.

Lexie spent the night having nightmares. She could still feel his breath on her skin and it took everything she had not to scream. Every noise in the hospital, every movement in the halls sent her heart into panic and she just wanted the night to end. A part of her felt safer knowing that Robert was in the same city. She had no idea he was just down the hall but regardless it made her feel more secure just knowing he was close. She had missed him terribly. Every time Landon would hit her she would take comfort in the one thing he couldn't destroy, her memories. The thrill that she had always gotten from Robert's presence would help to remind her that she was still alive when she thought for sure her tired body couldn't take anymore of the pain. So many nights she had lay awake convincing herself that she need to find out if he still wanted her, or if he had ever wanted her. But she knew he was married and that there was a good chance he would reject her. And if that happened than her fantasy world would collapse. So she had stayed away and day by day tried to convince herself that they were never meant to be.

Lexie rolled over as a small bit of light shown through the doorway. A dark figure stood quietly watching her and she knew without a doubt whom it was. He walked in and sat down without saying a word. Their eyes locking and his hand gently caressing her cheek. The thrill was still there. After all of the years she still felt the passionate way his touch could make her skin come alive.

He was overwhelmed by the emotions that ran through him. He was disgusted and angry, sad and scared and mostly relieved that she was all right. The part of his heart that had been empty since he had left her all of the years earlier was finally at ease but he took no comfort in the way she was brought back to him.

Her eyes never left his as her brain tried to except that he was really here and this wasn't one of her dreams again. So many nights she had woken up and cried when she realized that he wasn't real. That he was off living his life with his wife and she was there, trapped in a life that she was sure she would never leave.

He took her hand and in the still darkness she felt his lips softly touch the skin of her palm. He stayed at her bedside all night. Never saying a word, never falling asleep. Just standing guard over her sleeping form as he tried to calm the fears that were slowly creeping into his heart again. As the sun came up he slipped out of the room and locked himself in his office and let the tears finally fall.

"John, I can walk." Lexie protested as he wheeled her out to his Jeep.

"Just sit there and enjoy it will you?" She rolled her eyes and let him push her out of the hospital. They were quiet on the ride home and as they pulled up to John's apartment she finally sighed.

"Ok, go ahead and ask. I know you are dying to know what is going on with Romano and I."

John grinned at her. "Romano? Hum, is something going on? I hadn't noticed. I mean you never mention a word about even knowing him and then all of a sudden you two are right out of a Shakespearean play or something."

Lexie laughed and they got out of the jeep and went inside. After the tour of his apartment they settled in on the sofa for what both were sure would be a long talk.

"Do you remember my Chief Resident while I was doing my internship?" Lexie asked with a smile as she took a drag off of her cigarette.

John nodded. "Yeah, you and he had some weird sexual tension thing happening right." Lexie laughed and nodded and John started to put the pieces together and couldn't help but scrunch his face up as if he had eaten a lemon.

"Oh dear God no."

Lexie laughed and nodded at him.

"Romano? Really?" Carter had stared having suspicions that something weird was going on but has chosen to try to ignore it for his own sake.

"I have no idea what to say Barbi. Well, a few words come to mind but due to your delicate state of mind I will forgo you the pleasure of my comments."

Lexie smiled at him. They were quiet for a minute and the John broke the silence. "Do you want to tell me what happened with Landon?"

Lexie looked down at her lap and bit her lip. "Not yet. I just want to take some time and try to figure it all out for myself but I will tell you everything eventually. I promise." John nodded and went to the kitchen.

"I have to work tonight so if you want I can drop you off at Gamma's on my way." Lexie put out her cigarette and shook her head.

"Naw, the last thing I need is her giving me twenty questions. I think I am going to just take a long shower and go to bed." Carter finished making the sandwich he was concocting and went to take a shower. "Please tell me you didn't eat that sandwich in the shower." Lexie quipped as John was getting his stuff together to leave for work.

"No, I ate it while I was shaving." Lexie looked at him horrified and he laughed. "I will see you in the morning." She nodded and he left.

She got up and went to shower. The hot water on her skin felt like heaven and she was amazed when she got out that she had spent a half an hour in there. The answering machine light was flashing and she hit play.

The voice took her breath away. The tone that had caused her so many nights of terror spoke to the machine as if he knew it. "Lexie darling, it is time for you to stop being so dramatic and come home. I am in Chicago with your father and we are here to collect you. So please just pick up the phone." Her mind raced as she looked around the apartment for any signs that he had been there. The phone ringing made her start to cry as she crouched down on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest. She pushed herself as far as she could into the corner and she listened to Landon's disgusting voice purr out of the machine. "I am getting annoyed with all of your games and you know how much I hate games. Do everyone a favor and pick up the phone. I know that you are there. I know everything that you are doing." His laugh echoed through the apartment and all Lexie could do was cry. She sat frozen in fear as she waited for his next move. She had no doubt that he would show up there and she didn't know what to do. She ran to the phone and called John's pager number. She sat and waited for him to call back with no response. Her blood froze in her body as she heard a knocking start on the front door. She sank to the ground and her body rocked slowly back and forth as she let the tears of terror fall down her face. Her sobs were getting louder and as he knocked again she could stop herself from screaming at him to leave her alone.

"LEXIE!" She heard Robert's voice call from the other door as he started pounding on it harder. She leaped up and ran to the door, throwing it open and flinging herself into his arms. His arms wrapped around her as his hand went to her hair. "You are shaking." He said as she continued to sob on his shoulder. He took her inside and tried to calm her down. She refused to let go of him as they sat on the sofa and all he could do was hold her. His heart started to slow down as her crying decreased to soft hiccups. "What happened?" He asked and she took a deep breath to stop the crying.

"He is here." She whispered.

Robert's eyes went wide. "Here? In the apartment?"

She couldn't help but give a slight chuckle. "No in Chicago. He has come to get me."

Robert closed his eyes and shook his head. "Where is Carter?" She sniffed and finally looked at him. "He is on overnights all this week." Robert thought for a second and then nodded to himself. "Ok, get your stuff."

Lexie looked at him confused. "Why? Where are we going?" Robert stood up and helped her up also. "You are coming with me to my house. There is no way I am going to let you stay here alone all night."

Lexie shook her head. "No. Really, I am sure it will be ok."

Robert laughed. "Carter, go get your stuff and stop being a pain in the ass before I have to drag you out of here."

Lexie grinned. He was the same old Robert. "But, um, won't Donna mind?" She asked hesitantly.

Robert laughed and shook his head. "I doubt it. Right now I am sure she is sleeping with her divorce lawyer."

Lexie looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You are divorced?"

He nodded and she couldn't help but grin. "I told you she was wrong for you but no, you had to go and marry her anyway."

Robert grinned and rolled his eyes. "Go get your stuff so we can get out of here before he shows up and I kill him." Their eyes locked and the tension was stifling.

"Ok." She simply said and they got her stuff and left.