AN: Thank you again, so much for the likes and reviews. It means the world to me. This has been fun to write, and is making me miss Lexie and Meredith.
Enjoy! Again I apologize for any mistakes.
"Give me that," Meredith pointed to the coffee pot that April had just made for the house that morning.
"Aren't you a ray of sunshine..." Alex greeted her between a bite full of some kind of breakfast cereal.
"You have milk dripping down your chin" Meredith stated, narrowing her eyes daring him to say more. Alex shot her a glare as he used his hand to wipe the milk from his chin.
April went to pour Meredith a cup of coffee, as the older Grey shook her head "I want the whole pot, just give me a straw."
"Long night?" She asked as she ignored the request of handing over a whole pot of coffee. She handed Meredith the mug of coffee.
"Thank you" Meredith begrudgingly accepted the mug.
"I promise, I'll pour you another one." April shook her head "I'd even make a second pot."
"I guess" Meredith grumbled as she took a long sip of her coffee. "Would save me a step to have the whole pot."
"Long night" April made a statement this time. "Is Lexie feeling any better?"
"Lexie's sick?" Alex asked, glancing up from his cereal bowl. "What has she got? I can't get sick today. Big surgery!"
"The symptoms are flu-like." Meredith looked to Alex "Stay out of my room, and maybe don't lick anything. Don't lick Lexie… Don't lick me. You'll be fine!"
Alex nodded "I have no plans of licking anything or anyone in this house... today at least…" He smirked for a moment getting eye rolls from April and Meredith. "And that explains why she gave me her lunches this week. Lexie-Pedia went down to a virus."
"Probably" Meredith sighed, holding her mug between her hands as she tried to ignore the remark of her sister going down.
"Is she asleep?" April asked sensing Meredith's discomfort.
"Finally" Meredith nodded "Fell asleep about forty minutes ago, it's the longest she's been asleep, since midnight. She was up throwing up every thirty minutes all night."
"Gross" Alex muttered.
April grimaced "Poor Lexie."
"It was a miserable night for her." Meredith agreed. "She hasn't been able to keep more then a sip of water down…" She ran her fingers through her hair "I should have brought her into the hospital." She took another big sip of her coffee. I was getting ready to, when she finally fell asleep."
"Let her sleep" April placed her hand on Meredith's shoulder to offer a little bit of comfort. "Push fluids when she wakes. Assess if she needs to go in then, bring her in. April placed a bagel in front of Meredith before taking her own chair. "Might be easier, when she can tell you more what she needs."
Meredith scoffed "Cute, you think she's going to do that." She looked at the bagel in front of her "And thank you."
"Little Grey is always talking." Alex pointed out "Always. Like the chick never shuts up!"
"No" Meredith slammed her hand on the table in frustration. "No she's not always talking, Alex! That's the problem! The chick is not talking." She paused for a brief moment as she tried to collect herself "and can we refrain from calling my sister a chick?" Meredith requested with a cringe. Something about hearing her kid sister as a chick did not sit well with her.
"What's your problem?" Alex asked, getting up, dropping his cereal bowl in the sink. "It's the flu. Chill Grey. You're acting like a first time parent."
"Alex!" April hissed "Lexie is her sister, and she's worried."
"Go to work" Meredith rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about it." She sighed. "I am running on the no sleep part of a new parent. I am tired. It's not a big deal."
Alex grabbed his keys from the counter as he headed for the door. "You're getting it, Meredith. The sibling thing. You're getting it." He called.
"See?" April smiled after Alex left. "Even Alex sees you're a good sister."
Meredith extended her empty cup towards April for the refill. "I held her hair back, I helped her change several times...I did what a nurse would do, April."
"You did what someone who cared would do." April pointed her finger at Meredith "You have to stop, thinking you're not enough Meredith. You are enough. You care... That's the first and the biggest part." April poured Meredith a bowl of cereal before handing her another bowl of fresh fruit. "I am getting you a glass of orange juice too. Can't hurt you to have extra vitamin C." She offered "You eat, you take some time to regroup."
"Thank you" Meredith responded as she swallowed a bite of bagel before placing a strawberry in her mouth.
"Derek is also home." April offered. "He was going to nap on the couch, but I suggested maybe he should go catch a nap in Lexie's bed. That way we don't keep him up getting ready for work." She smiled "And I didn't think Lexie would mind."
Meredith smiled as she shook her head. "Lexie wouldn't mind that. Thank you."
April watched as Meredith nibbled on her bagel quietly. Clearly her mind a million miles away.
"Meredith, are you feeling okay?" She asked after a minute. "Are you coming down with the bug?"
Meredith didn't look up. "No, I am not sick."
"Something more is going on with Lexie, isn't there?" April asked, biting down on her lip.
Meredith looked up "Do you know anything? Has she said anything to you about anything?"
April shook her head "No, not a thing. I am sorry."
"It's okay," Meredith assured as she took another bite of the bagel. "Thanks for giving me the fuel."
"Of course" April offered a smile. "I said this last night, but I am here, however you or Lexie need."
Meredith poked her head into the attic doorway. "Hey" She greeted Derek quietly. "You're home?"
Derek smiled and put down a newspaper he was reading down and patted Lexie's bed next to him. "I am home for a few hours." He nodded "I got two hours of sleep last night in the oncall room. "Big trauma came into the ER, right after we hung up."
"mmm" Meredith smiled as she climbed onto the bed next to him. "You got more sleep, then me."
"Lexie's sleeping" Derek pointed out. "I snuck in the room while you were in the shower to grab a change of clothing. "She was sound asleep."
"She fell asleep about an hour ago. I figure I have a few hours before she wakes up, now that she's not throwing her guts up." She scoffed "Finally understand that statement."
"Is she still running a fever?" Derek asked as he wrapped his arm around Meredith.
Meredith nodded "She was when she fell asleep. It wasn't as high as when I brought her home, but it's still there."
"Flu?" Derek asked.
Meredith sighed "I should get her in and get her tested for it. Could be."
"Are you feeling okay?" He asked as he turned and looked at the Santa Claus Blowmold looking down at him. "How does she sleep with that looking at her every night?"
"I am not feeling sick" Meredith promised "I am feeling tired from being up all night, and I am worried, but not sick."
"You're not worried about the virus?" Derek guessed. "A virus wouldn't be big on your radar."
Meredith shook her head "Not overly worried about the virus, the fever and knowing she's dehydrated doesn't bring me comfort and joy. But I am not worried about it.." She then looked at the Santa "And she complains about the Christmas decorations from time to time" She smiled "But if you ask me, she's got the best room. It's the biggest and I think it's the most sound proof."
"And you're down stairs" Derek added with a smile "She may have been the stray I brought home, but it's you who she stays for." He paused for a moment 'Or comes back for." He added since Lexie had moved out for a while to be with Mark and was now back home.
"I know" Meredith smiled "I've always known that." She closed her eyes "And this gives us something normal, I suppose."
Derek raised his eyebrow "Normal?"
"Don't sisters live together at some point?" Meredith asked.
"Yes." Derek smiled "most sisters do live together, not all sisters, there are special cases that come in to play."
"Right" Meredith nodded as she looked up at him. "But for the most part, siblings live with each other. Lexie and I are doing something normal" She repeated "I highly doubt I'll ever live with Molly, but I have Lexie. I've lived with a sister, my sister."
"I wouldn't say never" Derek warned with a smile "With the way we bring strays home...I wouldn't say never to your other sister showing up under our roof."
Meredith laughed "Fair, I suppose there is always a chance." She rested her chin on his chest and closed her eyes and just listened to the sound of his breathing for a few minutes. "If I stay like this too long, I'll fall asleep." She murmured.
Derek ran his fingers through her hair. "You could take a nap with me, I have my alarm set."
"Lexie." Meredith pointed down stairs "I don't want her to wake up, and me not be there." She sighed "I don't want her to try and bolt."
Derek raised his eyebrow. "Bolt?"
"She's going to try and get as far away from me, the minute she can stand without her legs shaking." Meredith shook her head "My gut is telling me, I can't let her do that." How she was going to stop her the older Grey had know idea. She didn't even know how to get her to talk about it at this point.
"Trust your gut" Derek encouraged. "You're good with people Meredith. I've seen you care for people. I know you'll care for her."
Meredith shook her head as she sat up quickly grabbing her head in her hands. "Derek, I don't even know where to begin with this one. I am missing all the pieces. I. am. out. of. my. element." Her voice waivered as she brought her hands down. "I don't have the answers here."
"Can you tell me anything?" Derek asked "Without betraying her trust or confidence? Maybe I can help? I have sisters." He reminded her. "Including her. She's mine too."
Meredith looked to Derek "Someone hurt her." She said quietly reaching for his hand to try and calm him down. "That's all I know."
Derek sat up quickly now. "Hurt her?" He asked his eyes getting bigger. "Emotionally? Lexie's sensitive. She gets her feelings hurt from time to time."
Meredith shook her head. "Not this time, this isn't about hurt feelings" Her hand held tightly to Derek's. "Physically." Her voice cracked as she willed herself to not cry. "She's covered in bruises. Mean. Nasty. bruises. Her ribs, her stomach, her back.. God.. her back" Her eyes filled with tears this time.
"I'll kill them!" Derek's voice grew louder as he tried to climb out of the bed to only have Meredith pull him back down.
"Calm down" She hissed "And be quiet, so you don't wake her up."
"Meredith, you just said she was hurt!" Derek reminded her.
"Oh. I know" Meredith assured him "The images are seared into my brain forever." She winced as the images of her sister's bruised body flashed through her mind. Causing her stomach to churn as she wiped at her eyes. "I don't have any details! We can't act until we have details!'
"Make her talk to you!' Derek insisted waving his hands. "Like you do with Christina!"
"Derek! She's not Christina" Meredith threw her head back in frustration "And don't you think I am trying?! I want to know just as badly as you do!. She's my sister!" Her eyes dropped and her voice became quieter "This isn't like the time we thought she was cutting herself."
Derek grabbed Meredith's hand as he took a calming breath. "I know" He kissed her fingers as they curled around his. "I know you're doing everything you can."
Meredith's eyes focused on their intertwined fingers. "I have to help her fight the virus, before I can help her fight the shadows." She closed her eyes as she squeezed his hand. "And you can't say anything, to anyone. Especially Mark." Meredith warned "We can't have him flying off the handle and beating up everyone who has crossed Lexie's path the last six weeks."
Derek nodded as he squeezed her hand back. "I am suddenly not tired anymore." He sighed "And I won't say anything. As long as you promise to keep me updated. You don't have to do this alone."
Meredith nodded in agreement. "I know I am not alone." She held his hand "And, I am going to be bringing in help." She bit her lip. "I think I may ask Callie to come over, or meet us at the hospital. Make sure Lexie's ribs are healing correctly."
"Who would hurt, Lexie?" Derek wondered out loud
"It's like hurting a baby bunny." Meredith agreed as she leaned back against. "Derek?"
"hmm?" He asked, his mind wandering. Trying to remember everyone he'd seen Lexie interact with the last few weeks.
"I am scared." Meredith admitted. "Really scared."
"You're awake." Meredith observed as she carried a tray of juice, toast, water bottles, tea and sprite into the room.
"Are we having a tea party?" Lexie asked trying to sit up, but quickly laying back down again when she became dizzy.
Meredith couldn't help but laugh slightly looking at the tray. "It does look that way, from a glance." She smiled, "Did you play tea party as a kid? I don't think I did."
"Sometimes" Lexie admitted
"Why, am I not surprised?" Meredith asked, setting the tray down beside the bed.
"Not by choice" Lexie defended as she managed to sit up this time. Crossing her arms over her chest. "I actually wasn't a tea party kind of girl. I played tea party when my mom made me play with Molly."
Meredith smiled "I can see her, making you play tea party with your sister. She was sweet and firm...I mean she once scolded me for how I talked to her, and I found myself wanting to listen. Like a child."
Lexis nodded "She mothered you, and you responded" She grew quiet for a moment as her eyes looked down to her lap. "Meredith...I really miss my mom, today."
Meredith handed Lexie a bottle of water. "I know, Lex" She said quietly "I miss her too. A Lot actually I really wish I could call her today." She sighed if Susan were here she'd know how to help Meredith help Lexie. She'd know. She nodded towards the water bottle "Take a drink, please."
Lexie rotated the water bottle in her hands as she kept her eyes down. "When Molly was having Laura, is when I found out about you...My mom used to write me letters, or call me after she saw you."
Meredith stilled for a second thinking to her days with Susan. "I hid from her in a closet once to avoid her. Did she tell you that?"
Lexie couldn't hold back a small laugh. "No. She didn't tell me you hid in a closet. She'd just tell me you were special. You'd been hurt, you were guarded. She said you were smart like me." She took a deep breath. "Pretty like Molly. She said you were my sister and that I would love you." She closed her eyes "She said she saw me in you. She said she wished she could go back in time, and fix the wrongs. So we could have grown knowing each other. She said she pictured you and I being close."
"Drink that." Meredith pointed again to the water bottle. "You need to take a few sips." she looked to Lexie "I made it really hard for you, at first… Didn't I?"
"I don't know" Lexie whispered as she started peeling the label off it. "It seemed hard, when I first got here." She admitted "But, I just lost my mom, you just your mom and my mom…Our father was drinking and he hurt you in his grief. Everything was hard."
"I lost your mom too" Meredith repeated "And you came in, right after. Looking like her. You have her eyes. You have her hope. You pushed me like her…and I couldn't." She shook her head. "I couldn't… do it again. Lexie."
"Get hurt, again?" Lexie asked "I know... I get it."
"She must have been a good mom," Meredith observed as she reached for the water bottle and took it back discarded the ripped off the wrapper and uncapped it.
"When" She started to say and found herself stumbling with her words. "Right before…" Meredith closed her eyes willing her self to continue speaking. "as we were bringing her back in for emergency surgery. I knew she was scared and in pain...but she grabbed my arm and squeezed it." The older Grey smiled to herself as she could picture Susan's hand on her arm squeezing it. "She knew I was scared too, and she was trying to comfort me."
Lexie nodded with a smile "She would. She wanted to be in your life. She wanted us to be your family. I know she would protect you up to the last second...Protective mother's do that. She would have done the same if it had been me standing there. If it had been both of us...She would have grabbed each one of our arms and held on. She would have.." Lexie rambled "In her eyes you were hers just as much as I was."
"I couldn't push her away" Meredith admitted "I tried, and she came in sounding so parental, and stocked my cupboards with groceries." She pushed the uncapped water bottle into her sister's hand. "Take a drink."
Lexie held the bottle in her hands "It was easy to push me away, because I didn't have the mom authority" She guessed.
"You won me over, and it happened quicker than you think it did. Quicker then I let on." Meredith pointed to the water bottle. "Take a sip, Lexie."
"I don't want any" Lexie shook her head as she tried to push the water bottle back to Meredith.
"You need to take a sip, we need to get fluids back into your body." The older sister insisted as she narrowed her eyes.
"I don't want to drink anything, I don't want to throw up again." Lexie exhaled as her hands shook slightly.
"Your shaking hands are telling me, you need to drink this." Meredith pushed the water bottle back "And your mom isn't here, so you're stuck with me. So take a damn drink Lexie!" Her patients growing thinner by the second. She just needed the girl to take a drink.
Lexie's eyes got wide "Meredith."
"You either take a drink, or I wait until you pass out, call an ambulance and take you to the hospital" Meredith warned. "My mom did that to me once, when she slit her wrists in front of me. I had to wait until she passed out to get help! Don't make me do that with my little sister."
"I don't want you cleaning up after me more" Lexie whispered as she took a small sip.
"Good" Meredith encouraged "One small sip, and in five minutes if that stays down you'll take another sip." She exhaled "And I am not bothered to be sitting here with you, Lexie. I am not. If I had my choice of some big surgery or being here with you today, I'd pick you."
Lexie scoffed "Right."
"I am serious!" Meredith tried to hide the hurt in her voice.
"You didn't want me to be friends with your friends, you told me to get my own" Lexie mumbled as she took another sip realizing how thirsty she was "And you told Sadie I was a priss."
Meredith looked confused for a second "I didn't tell Sadie you were a priss…" Her eyes got bigger "Sadie was asking about you, you're right.. She wanted to be friends with you, yes." The older Grey nodded "And I told her you were raised right, and you were good." She agreed. "I didn't say you were a priss" She defended.
"You didn't want us to be friends." Lexie repeated.
"You're right!" Meredith agreed "One hundred percent, I didn't want you to be friends with Sadie. I didn't want Sadie getting you into trouble! I didn't want Sadie around my good kid sister" Meredith argued before letting out a loud sigh. "And she did get you into trouble, Lexie! You could have lost your career. I didn't want her to hurt you." She took a deep breath to gather her emotions. Her blue eyes locked on Lexie. "and I see you, Lexie. I see what you're doing right now. You're pushing me away." Meredith leaned back against a pillow refusing to break eye contact with her sister. "I am not going to fight with you." She finally broke eye contact as her eyes traveled to the ceiling. "I am not leaving you. The farthest I'll go is to the living room." She warned "Your pushing will just make you more tired."
Lexie sighed as she fell back against the pillows next to her sister. "Meredith..."
Meredith shrugged as she took the now empty water "You can Meredith, me all you want. I am not leaving you, nor am I going to fight with you." She shook her head and reached over to the tray beside the bed and grabbed some Tylenol and the glass of Sprite to hand to her sister. "But I am going to fight like hell for you Lexie Grey. I am going to fight like hell."