AN: Thank you again for all the support and encouraging me to keep writing this story. You all mean the world to me.

***Trigger warning*** This chapter has some graphic description of violence and child abuse. Please read at your own risk.

I also apologize for any mistakes. It's hard proofing your own work. :)

Meredith stood frozen for a moment, her eyes locked on her sister's phone and keys in Arizona's hands before she took the phone and keys. "Are you kidding me, Lexie?" She groaned as she began to pace. "Where is she? How do we find her without her phone?"

"Maybe she just went for a walk, her phone was charging." Arizona reasoned.

"But…" Meredith kept pacing "But she's got injuries...She shouldn't be out there all alone."

"Meredith, I did tell her the other day she needed to be up walking around more." Callie reminded her. "You were there when I told her."

"Yes'' Meredith agreed "You said walk, not take off...We have to find her…" Her mind began to race before she whirled around her eyes wide. "God, we have to find her before Tami does."

"Wait...what?" Arizona asked "Why would your aunt be looking for her?"

"God knows!" Meredith shook her head "But I don't trust her, what if she finds her… What if she uses whatever it is Lexie is doing against her. Gets her declared mentally unstable and gets her committed to a hospital.. and then separates us. I wouldn't be able to protect her."

"Grey." Callie reached out and grabbed Meredith by both arms stilling her movements. "You're spinning."

"You heard her just now! She went on and on about how unstable Lexie has been." She reminded her "What if she is pulls whatever that break she had when she was three, and the break she a few months ago with whatever is happening now puts it together and gets medical power of attorney?" The older Grey asked. "I mean she has known Lexie her whole life, what if a court system listens to that? She could take her away from me and ruin her career. I can't let that happen."

"Meredith." Callie squeezed Meredith's arms a little to try and get her attention. "You were just telling Arizona and I that she was starting to come around, you made her laugh, remember?"

Meredith nodded "Yes, I made her laugh. Yes I am getting her to drink chocolate milk and usually eat dinner with me… but that's it. We also got into a big argument last night before she went to bed because I wouldn't let her drink.. and I made her recite to me how the medications she is on could interact with alcohol. I knew she knew. She also knows I don't want her driving."

"Did she?" Callie asked. "Know the side effects?"

"Of course she did." Meredith nodded "Recited it word for word. Lexipedia still exists."

"Can I ask about the breakdown when she was three?" Arizona asked "what are you talking about?"

Meredith shook her head "We don't know what happened, but Tami told us Lexie has always been emotional, and was a fussy baby. Which bothered her."

Callie nodded in agreement "Yeah, she really didn't like that Lexie cried as a baby… I sure hope she didn't have kids of her own."

"I don't think she did." Meredith shook her head as she tried to recall what she did know as she responded to Callie before turning back to Arizona. "She said that when Lexie was around three she had a tantrum that turned into a thirty six hour meltdown, with screaming, crying, throwing up, hitting… Susan had to take her to the hospital. They ended up sedating her to calm her down." She explained to Arizona the number of hours not lost on her. When Lexie was in the hospital a few months ago...She slept for 36 hours...

Arizona frowned as she thought about that. "That is concerning." She agreed. "That's not a tantrum in a child Meredith, that's trauma in a child."

Meredith nodded "I know, but I don't know what kind of trauma and I don't know if it connects to Tami, but I think it does." She responded "My gut says it does...and my gut also says that Tami doesn't want it coming out."

"If Lexie hasn't said anything all these years, do you think she would now?" Callie asked "And even if it's something horrific, wouldn't it be past the statute of limitations?"

"Maybe" Meredith bit on her lip slightly "I guess it would depend on what it was. I am more concerned about getting Lexie help and healing...and telling Tami where to go and how to get there. If I never see that woman again…"

Arizona pinched the bridge of her nose as she glanced outside "It's cold outside, it's drizzling and the temperature is going to keep dropping, so right now let's find little Grey. Get her home. We can worry about Tami later."

"I am worried about Tami, getting to her first." Meredith mumbled.

"Maybe we should call in the others?" Callie suggested "More eyes out looking for her, the better."

"Good idea. I am going to go check to see if she at least brought her purse or wallet with her." Meredith headed for the stairs. "If you two want to start calling in the troops to start a search party."

Arizona nodded as she pulled her phone out.

"Okay, Tuck Tuck" Bailey smiled, zipping her coat up around herself tighter as she walked her son to the bottom of the porch steps of his friend's house. "Did you remember your toothbrush?"

"Yup" The little boy grinned "Clean unders too."

She couldn't help but laugh "Good choice, pajamas? clothes for tomorrow?"

"Check and check" The boys smile grew "And my favorite video games, and buster my puppy." He patted his bag referring to his favorite stuffed animal "Though he's probably just gonna sleep in the bag." He whispered. "Because I am a big kid now."

Miranda ran her hand over her son's head as she waved up to the mom. "Hi, Mel. Thanks so much for having Tucker over to play with Eddie tonight. He's been talking about this sleepover for days.'

"Eddie too" She grinned as she waved down at Tucker. "Come on big guy, Eddie is waiting for you. Pizza's been ordered. Cookies are in the oven. Movies have been rented."

Tucker's smile grew bigger as he turned to his mom shifting his overnight bag sleeping and pillow. "Goodnight mommy. See you tomorrow."

"Have fun honey." She nodded "And if you need anything at all, call me."

"I won't need anything. I am brave." He added more himself before smiling "But I know I can call. Love you!"

"Love you too baby, now go get in from the cold."

Melanie met Tucker on the bottom step taking a few of his things as the little boy ran past her. "They're going to have fun" She promised "And we'll call, if we need anything. I promise."

"Hopefully he's on his behavior for you." She smiled, "Thank you again."

"Tucker is always a doll," She assured him. "Eddie could take some lessons from your boy."

"Well thank you for saying that." Miranda smiled, "I hope you all have fun."

"Have a good evening, I am going to get inside now… It's so cold out here tonight… Darn drizzle."

"I am getting back in my nice warm vehicle, with my seat warmers." She smiled and waved before darting to the curb to get to her car. She had her eyes down trying to get the drizzle off her face when she realized she was about to step in front of someone on the sidewalk, so she looked up to see them with a smile and an apology. "Sorry...I almost didn't see….Lexie?"

Her eyes got bigger as she realized the person she almost ran into was Lexie Grey.

"Oh." The younger woman jumped in surprise looking from the ground. "Bailey...Hi."

"What are you doing down here?" She asked as she began to look the girl over with her eyes. She was in jeans and a t- shirt, goosebumps ran up and down her arms. While beads of sweat and drizzle etched down the young woman's forehead. Her lips were chapped and her teeth looked like they were chattering. Her hair was limp and stringy as it lay wet by her face. Showing how long she'd been out in the drizzle for quite awhile.

"Walking." Lexie responded as she tried to keep going only to have the shorter woman step in front of her halting her movements.

"Walking to where, honey?" Bailey asked cautiously. Meredith's house was a good five miles away from Tucker's friend's house. With Lexie's injuries and recent surgery she really hoped the girl hadn't walked that far.

"Bus stop." Lexie pointed by behind her. "Got on a bus by the house, got off down there and now I am going to walk the four more blocks to my mom."

Miranda did a quick calculation of the area and remembered there was a cemetery about four blocks up. "I see." She nodded "How about I give you a ride there? I just dropped Tuck off for the night, and have some free time."

"No" Lexie tried to step around her again, finding herself blocked again. "I need to walk. Callie said I need to be walking."

"Let's try this again, Lexie get in my car. It's freezing out here." She reached out and caught Lexie's cold damp wrist to prevent her from bolting as she moved two steps closer to the car and quickly unlocked the passenger door. When the younger Grey sister didn't fight her she let out a sigh of relief as she moved her to the car.

"Grey, don't make me physically put you in my car…" She tried to stand taller. "You're freezing, you're soaked and I can tell you are in pain. Now get in the damn car." She pointed to losing patients. This child really was Meredith's little sister. The stubborn gene was just as strong in her. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes daring Lexie to argue with her.

Lexie's resolve broke after a few seconds as she nodded as she pulled the now unlocked passenger door open.

Bailey quickly slipped her coat off and reached up and draped it over Lexie's shoulders just before the girl climbed in the car. She quickly shut the door after Lexie before rushing around to the driver side and slipping in quickly. She started the engine quickly, turning on the heat as fast as she could before leaning over and flipping Lexie's heated seats on. "You must be freezing.."

"No, I am okay." Lexie responded but the chatter of her teeth told a different story.

"Honey, why did you take the bus? Where is your coat?" She asked "What's going on?"

Lexie leaned back against the seat, her eyes focused on the light on the roof of the car. "Meredith and I got into a fight the other day over alcohol and driving. She's being bossy." She muttered a little ending in the perfect pout.

It took everything Bailey had in her to not to laugh. "She's Meredith, are you surprised?"

Lexie shook her head "No, but she doesn't need to be my boss. She should be Cristina's boss. That's her person." She rubbed her forehead "She's getting on me about the medications I am supposed to be taking, and how they can't be mixed with booze...Or they say don't operate heavy machinery."

"That's valid." The older woman nodded "She's just looking out for you."

Lexie exhaled "She shouldn't be stuck with me."

"Girl, she is not stuck with you." Bailey insisted. "Trust me, if your sister wanted nothing to do with you. She'd have nothing to do with you. Meredith Grey does not do anything, Meredith Grey doesn't want to do." She reminded the younger Grey. "So you didn't drive your car, because of the pain pills, what about your coat? Where's that?"

"What's with the third degree, Bailey? Just take me to my mom." Lexie demanded crossing her arms over her chest shooting her a glare.

Under normal circumstances there is no way Miranda Bailey would take that kind of disrespect from one of the baby interns. However right now it was just making her worry more. This was not a typical Lexie Grey response. "I am just trying to understand your evening." She offered reaching out and placing a hand on Lexie's bouncing knee. After the shooting when they did group therapy sessions. Lexie's knee was always bouncing. She couldn't sit still.

"My aunt Tami showed up at the house." Lexie finally answered as she began chewing on her lip. "She was banging on the door...I was the only one home... As much as I say my sister is driving me crazy, I didn't want to be alone with Tami. I wish Meredith had been home." She exhaled loudly her body still shaking as she tried to warm up. "I didn't think, I just wanted out. I grabbed some cash Meredith keeps hidden in a cookie jar above the fridge and I just left… Forgot my coat, my keys, my wallet and my phone..."

Bailey was about to ask more when her cell rang, startling them both. She glanced at the screen and saw Callie Torres's id pop up. She held up her finger to Lexie before answering the phone. "Hey...Now's not really a good time."

"It'll just take a minute." Callie responded. "Meredith came home to find Lexie gone, her keys phone and wallet are still in the house. Can you keep an eye out for her? Or join our search?"

"You can call it off." Bailey responded calmly.

"What? Call the search off?" Callie asked "Wait...Do you know where Lexie is?"

"I do."

"Is she with you?" She asked quickly.

"Yes..."

"Is she okay?" Callie asked in rapid fire.

"Still determining..."

Callie grew quiet for a moment "Are you responding in short one word responses, to keep from freaking Lexie out, and keeping her from bolting?"

"Yes..." She smiled.

"Gotcha." Callie nodded "Well Meredith is really worried...Where can we meet up?"

"Trying to figure that out, can you give me like ten minutes?" She asked. "I'll keep you in the loop."

There was a rustling sound as the phone changed hands quickly. Which led Miranda to realize Meredith had pulled the phone out of Callie's hands. "Bailey? Where is she?" her voice urgent. "I need her home, quickly...Please..."

"Give me ten minutes." She repeated, "And I'll call you back."

Meredith groaned, "Please hurry."

"I will." She nodded before hanging up the phone and turning to look at Lexie.

"Do you still want to go see your mom?" She asked "Or would you like to go home, where you can take a hot bath, take a painkiller...Have something to eat?" She asked "And maybe have someone go with you to see your mom. Meredith or Arizona...I know you and Arizona have been spending some time together. She's a good man to have in a storm."

"That was about me, wasn't it?" Lexie asked, pulling Bailey's coat around her tighter as she began to finally feel the to the core of her body.

"Yes" Bailey admitted "Your sister is really worried about you. Can I please take you home?"

"Please" Lexie relented quietly as she watched Bailey send off a quick text before starting the car.

Lexie wasn't surprised when Dr. Bailey followed her up the steps leading to her home. She wasn't surprised when the door flung open before she even got to the door.

Meredith was there with a blanket and a look on her face that Lexie didn't quite recognize. Worry mixed with anger?

"Are you okay?" The older sister asked, dropping the fuzzy blanket around Lexie's shoulders. Before gently pushing her inside the house.

Lexie gave a slight nod "I am fine, Meredith."

"Good" her response was calm and cool. "Arizona just ran you a hot bath up in my tub." She explained. "I think you should go get in the tub and warm up… Our clean laundry is on my bed. I haven't finished folding it. You can find something there." She added. Since the hospital stay Meredith had been combining their laundry together and just doing it. Just to give Lexie a break. Laundry can seem daunting when you're in the midst of a storm. Or at least that had been her experience in the past.

"Sure" Lexie frowned as Meredith pushed her towards the stairs.

"And Lexie?" She called as Lexie started up the stairs. "Do not lock the door this time…"

Lexie turned to look down at Meredith, but she already was leading Bailey towards the kitchen where she could hear the soft whispers of Callie and Arizona. Out of all the reactions from her sister, that wasn't the one she was expecting.

Lexie's whole body was shaking as she slid into the hot water. She inhaled slowly and could smell fresh lavender. After further inspection she found that Arizona had filled the tub with bubbles and fresh lavender. She wasn't even sure where she'd gotten it, but she had to admit the smell was comforting.

She brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them resting her chin atop of them. As tears began to fall. "Come on Lexie, get it together." She whispered to herself. "You're not crazy...not crazy." She repeated over and over to herself." As she began to rock still holding onto her legs. Tears had now begun to fall as well. Her body shuddered as she held back a sob.

Cleary Meredith was now thinking she was crazy. She saw the distanced look in her sister's eyes. She saw the worry written in Bailey's face. She could hear the tone Callie used when talking to her. Arizona's watchful eyes. The way everyone who lived in the house avoided her since the funeral. They all thought she was crazy. They were all walking on eggshells just waiting for her to blow up. So they could commit her again. Just as Mark had done several months prior. Just as Tami had tried pushing every holiday her entire life. If it hadn't been for her mother. She was pretty sure Tami would have gotten her way eventually. The hold she had over her father was intense.

Lexie knew it was because she practically raised Thatcher. She'd sacrificed her own childhood to protect him from their abusive alcoholic parents. She'd taken every beating. Every belt to her own back for him. She'd gone hungry so he could eat. She worked three jobs in high school so he could go to college. So he could break the cycle and be free. In some ways he had, when it came to raising her and Molly… and in some ways he hadn't when it came to Meredith and his drinking.

She also knew the horrors her aunt saw as a child was the very reason Tami turned out the way she did. She wasn't completely to blame for everything. At least that's what Lexie had told herself as a child growing up. Some how it made it easy to interact with her aunt believing that.

"Hey, Lexie." Meredith knocked gently on her bedroom door that was closed. "Callie wants to check you over since you missed your appointment today."

When she didn't get a response she knocked again. "Lex…" She called out. "I am coming in." At this point it probably didn't matter if she knocked or not. However she was trying to give her sister a sense of normalcy and privacy.

She carefully pushed the door open to find Lexie sitting on the end of her bed. Freshly changed in some sweat suit from the laundry. That Meredith noted also had been folded neatly and was in three different piles. Derek's. Meredith's and her own. A comb in her hands. Her long dark wet hair hung down her back, causing drip marks down the back of her sweatshirt.

"How was your bath?" Meredith asked as she entered the room slowly. Upon making her way to the bed. She crawled on the bed and got on her knees behind Lexie and reached over her shoulder plucking the comb from her sister before she began to carefully comb through the hair.

"Are you mad at me?" Lexie asked after a minute of silence.

"No" Meredith responded quickly, the comb stilling for a moment as she thought her answer over carefully. "I am not mad at you."

"Do you think I am crazy?"

"No" Meredith responded as she kept combing the hair carefully combing out snarls. "I am worried about you."

Lexie sniffed as she wiped her eyes with her arm.

"You have been through hell, the last few days.. I mean even this year honestly." Meredith answered "The shooting, Mark...The beating losing dad and Molly. It's a lot for anyone…"

Lexie nodded slightly. "Almost the same thing happened to you, and you're fine."

"No" Meredith responded "I am not fine, When you came home today...I could see how badly you were hurting. And I walked away...I turned my back on you and walked away, because I don't know what to do for you. I don't know how to help you...and I don't like not having the answers. I don't like not being able to control a situation. That's not okay, it's surviving but it's not okay." She kept her eyes on Lexie's hair "and I still see your bruised body every time I close my eyes. I still can hear your sobs when it is quiet from the day Molly and dad died… and I can still feel dad's hand going limp in mine as I watched the life leave his body… and don't even get me started on the shooting…I am not the poster child of okay."

"Meredith, I don't think you turned your back on me." Lexie offered as Meredith began to separate Lexie's hair into sections so she could braid it back. Her heart slammed against her chest as she heard Meredith's confessions. She always thought Meredith had it together all the time. Hearing other wise hurt.

"Can I tell you that Tami has me scared?" Meredith asked. "I feel like she has the power right now, and I really don't like that feeling at all."

"She tries to have the power." Lexie admitted. "My mom never let her have it, but dad sure gave it to her."

"Yeah, what's up with that?" The older Grey asked, tilting her head to the side. It was so easy for Thatcher to walk away from her mother for her toxic behavior. Why hadn't walked away from his seriously toxic sister.

"Dad wanted to protect her." Lexie responded "Because he felt like he owed her. They also had horrible childhoods, especially her. She sacrificed a lot to protect him. It's like she gave the good parts of her away back then for him."

Meredith couldn't say she was surprised.

"Eventually she got to the point where she couldn't keep a job, where money became an issue, and drugs...She hung out with the wrong people. Mad bad choices." Lexie scoffed as she pulled away from Meredith. "Like me...I am literary her. I make the worst choices."

"That is a bunch of shit Lexie Grey!" Meredith's voice grew louder with each word. Yelling at her sister wasn't something she had planned on doing, but letting her compare herself to that woman would not be allowed.

Lexie looked surprised for a moment at Meredith's tone, at the scolding behind it. Her nostrils flared as her stomach filled with rage. "What do you know Meredith?"

"Enough to know, you're allowing yourself to believe lies!" Meredith stood in front of her placing her hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at Lexie. "And I love you enough to not allow you to do that!"

"Then you are clueless Meredith. Absolutely clueless. Or blind." Lexie yelled. "Maybe you're the one that lives in a make-believe world."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "You want to yell at me, you want to try and be mean by throwing lies at me. Do it… Go ahead. If it makes you feel good to try and bring me down to the level you were treated. Do it!"

"You can't see the reality right in front of you!" Lexie snapped as she sidestepped Meredith trying to get the hell out of the room.

"And what reality is that?" Meredith demanded stepping in front of her again. "I am not going to let you run away from me! So give me your best shot."

Lexie grabbed a pile of the freshly clean clothing from the bed and threw them at her sister. "How are you so damn naïve?!" She yelled watching as Meredith ducked the clothing and side stepped. "It's my fault Meredith!" Her body shook with rage as her face turned red.

"Tell me?!" Meredith demanded as she got closer to Lexie getting her face inches from her sisters. "Tell me what I am missing!"

Lexie used her hands to gently shove Meredith back. Hurting her sister wasn't something she'd do but she sure the hell get her out of her face. Something she should have done to Molly all those years ago when Molly would taunt her.

"Go away!"

Meredith stepped closer again "No! Tell me Lexie."

Lexie shoved her again this time harder. "Go to hell!"

"Not today, little sister" Meredith snapped as she tried everything she had to keep her own temper in check.

"I hate you!" Lexie yelled, pushing her again before grabbing another pile of laundry from the bed, throwing it with everything she had. She grabbed the last pile and threw it as well letting out an anguished scream. "I hate you! I hate you!" She chanted over and over again as big hot tears rolled down her cheeks. Her now red and sweaty.

"No you don't!" Meredith grabbed onto her arms firmly planting in her place stilling the motions of throwing anything. "You don't hate me.."

"I hate…" Lexie screamed.. "I hate…." She tried to fight Meredith's hold off her arms but wasn't able to. "I hate.." She kept repeating over and over…"I hate...Me, Meredith." Her rage turned into sobs.. "I hate me...I hate me...It's all my fault.. Dad and Molly...It's all my fault."

As the rage gave away Meredith let go and took a step back this wasn't the first time she'd heard Lexie say it was fault her and she was guessing it wouldn't be the last.

Lexie sank to the ground as gut wrenching sobs consumed her. She lay in a fetal position on the ground "They are dead because I didn't tell.. I didn't tell... and they're dead." She repeated.

Meredith couldn't hold back the tears. Watching Lexie lay on her bedroom floor brought back the visual of Izzie in her pink dress on her bathroom floor after Denny died. Taking the lead she took back then she lowered herself onto the floor laying across from Lexie reaching for her hand. Thankful when the younger sister didn't pry it away. She lay on her back facing Lexie holding her hand.

"I didn't tell…"

"It's not your fault." Meredith whispered "What happened to you, what happened to them, it's not your fault."

"If I'd gone to the police, he would have been arrested. Dad and Molly would be alive."

"You were scared, and you were trying to protect me…" Meredith reminded her. "You weren't thinking clearly...It's not abnormal for victims of assault to not report it."

"I didn't tell…" Lexie repeated "And now Tami has the house… I didn't tell daddy…" Her voice cracked. "I didn't tell daddy. He would have been so hurt."

Meredith realized she was no longer talking about Alan, but something else. "Didn't tell daddy, what?" she asked softly. Her eyes locked on her sister. She watched as Lexie's eyes clouded over. As she was being taken back in time and reliving something and Meredith knew enough about her sister to know that with Lexie's photographic memory that whenever she had to relive something it was like living it all over again for the first time.

Tami held Lexie's hand tightly as they walked into a run down apartment on the wrong side of Seattle. Newborn Molly was sick and Susan needed a break. So she'd offered to watch Lexie for the day. So Susan could get a nap in with Molly. Chasing after a gifted three year old and a newborn was never easy.

Lexie's eyes were wide as she took in the apartment. She glanced up at Tami in confusion.

"Aunt Tami owes a nice man some money." Tami tried to explain to the three year old. Running her hand over her pigtails. "We won't be long, then we can get some ice cream. Okay?"

Lexie's eyes brightened at the idea of her favorite sugary treat. "okay!"

"Can you be a good girl for me?" Tami asked, knocking on the door.

Lexie looked up at the door "Numbers 24 C." She said out loud.

"Correct we are at apartment 24 C"

"My address is 324 E Chestnut street Seattle WA" She rattled off to Tami proudly. "I read addresses!"

"Smart girl" Tami nodded with a proud smile. Lexie was smart. Both of Thatcher's older children were smart girls. She wondered what Meredith was doing in Boston. Had she been tested yet? Gone to a gifted class? How she missed that blonde cutie. She wished Thatcher would get over himself and go to Boston and take back what was his. The devil woman didn't deserve to be a mother. It wasn't fair that people like Elis Grey could have children...and Tami who loved them couldn't have one. She'd take Meredith in a heartbeat.

"You're late…" A voice sneered as the door threw open.

Lexie let out a whimper and took a step back.

"Remember ice cream." Tami whispered to her as she pulled her into the apartment.

"Want mommy." Lexie whispered no longer wanting to be at the apartment. Even her favorite treat no longer sounded good. The apartment was dirty and smelled foul. Her stomach turned.

"Who is this?" The man with the beard peered down at Lexie. His eyes were cruel but a smile tugged at his lips.

"My niece. and don't get any ideas" She warned.

"She's cute." He knelt down in front of her, running a hand over her pigtails. "I like your purple ribbons." She smiled, "And your dress is very pretty."

Lexie looked down at her purple sundress with tiny white and yellow flower print.

"Did your mommy paint your toenails?" He asked, tapping the big toe that was seen from her saltwater white sandals.

"Yep" Lexie smiled proudly "When the baby was sleeping. Mommy Lexie time." She grinned. "I am a big girl."

"Beautiful big girl."

Tami cleared her throat as she pushed Lexie behind her. "James" She warned as she moved Lexie to the couch and handed her an apple from her purse. "Eat that baby, while Mr. James and I go talk."

Lexie shrugged as she took her apple and bit into it while Tami led James away.

The apartment was sparse and smelled bad. She could hear James and Tami yelling in the back bedroom. Something about being short a thousand dollars and how it wasn't acceptable. Their voices became hushed and she could no longer hear what they were yelling.

She continued to eat her apple, but something about the apartment made her feel uncomfortable and she wanted her mommy and daddy. "Auntie Tami…" She called her eyes filling up with tears. "Want mommy" She called.

It was still quiet…

"You get pictures, and nothing else." Tami's voice grew louder as the back bedroom door opened "And all my debt is gone...From here on out."

"Pictures." He agreed.

"And I am free of you…" Tami stated

"Pictures and you are free." He replied.

"I swear to God if it goes beyond pictures you will regret it."

"Just pictures Tami, baby." He grinned coming out into the living. "Hi sweetheart." He dropped to his knees in front of the couch. "Do you want to play a game with me?"

Lexie had just taken a bite of the apple and suddenly it tasted horrible in her mouth as her stomach turned. She didn't like this man.

"I want my mommy." Lexie whispered.

"Okay" James agreed. "How about we play a game of pretty princesses and you go see your mommy?"

Lexie looked at Tami who nodded "We will go after the game is done."

"I do like playing princess." She agreed.

"Perfect." James grinned as he pulled Lexie up. "You're the princess, and I am going to take a lot of pretty pictures of you."

"K" Lexie agreed.

"Good girl" He carried her to the back bedroom. Tami following closely behind.

"Just lay here" He smiled.

The bed smelled awful and Lexie didn't want to lay on it, however she wanted to go home. So she did what he asked, watching as he grabbed a camera.

He began to pose her body in different ways, taking pictures along the way. He said things to her she didn't understand. About looking hungry, or look sexy.

"She's three!" Tami snapped, "She doesn't know what sexy is."

"Shut up!" James yelled at Tami causing Lexie to wince as he spread her legs apart taking more pictures. Lifting her dress up.

"Barbie panties! Cute" He smiled as he pulled them slowly down. "Can I have them?" He whispered in Lexie's ear.

"Okay…" She agreed knowing Tami had another pair in her purse in case she had an accident. She couldn't figure out why the man wanted her panties.

"She's so beautiful Tami" His voice changed and Lexie didn't like it. It was like a desperate growl.

"Just take your damn pictures' Tami snapped as she turned her back, no longer able to watch.

"You could make so much money." He commented to Tami. "Just let me have her…"

His finger trailed up Lexie's legs "I want her…"

"No" Lexie cried out "No more play this game." she cried out as the man's finger touched her.

"I said pictures only you bastard!" Out of nowhere Tami slammed a knife through the man's hand.

He let out a horrific scream as blood began to pool on the mattress right next to Lexie's thighs.

She watched in horror as a knife went all the way through his hand.

"You bitch" He yelled.

Lexie found herself throwing up the apple she'd just eaten. She'd never eat another apple again.

Tami quickly grabbed Lexie "You got your pictures, now go to hell James." She yelled as Lexie began to scream.

He screamed in pain as he pulled the knife out, blood now pouring from his hand. He tried to stand but quickly fell. Grabbing the only thing he had close to him. Lexie's pink Barbie panties placed it on the wound. As he watched Tami flee from the apartment with the hysterical child in her arms.

"Baby… girl." Susan could hear her kid screaming before the door even opened. She quickly settled Molly into the swing and rushed to greet Tami and Lexie as they came into the house.

"What happened?" Susan demanded as she quickly took Lexie from her sister in law's arms.

"No" Lexie screamed "No…" She pushed against Susan, slapping her away.

"She won't stop!" Tami yelled over Lexie's screams. "She had an accident at the park, and I told her no ice cream and she hasn't stopped screaming since.

Lexie had been having a hard time since Molly had been born but never did Susan ever see a tantrum from the little girl.

She quickly checked her over and found spots of blood on her dress and her panties were gone. "What kind of accident?" She asked.

"She peed her pants and had a bloody nose." Tami shook her head "And melted down. I can't get her to stop."

Susan wanted to question more but Lexie's wails had now woken Molly and she was crying too. She sighed "Can you check on Molly while I go change Lexie?"

Tami avoided looking at Lexie before nodding. "Of course."

"No" Lexie yelled as she pushed against Susan before covering her eyes with her small hands… "No.. No..No….."

Susan brought her upstairs to her room and set her on her bed. Which caused Lexie to scream louder before she backed to the corner.

"I am just going to grab a pull up and some pjs" She explained to her daughter. Her little girl had never been this upset; she quickly grabbed the items and tried to reach for Lexie.

"Come on baby, come to mommy." She spoke softly as she reached out to grab Lexie only to have the three year old bite her hand and scoot up the wall. "Damn it. No biting Alexandra!" She warned which seemed to make Lexie scream louder.

"Baby…" Susan tried again as tears filled her own eyes. "What happened you can tell mommy. What happened?"

"No" Lexie sobbed but this time she reached for Susan allowing her to pick her up, but the screaming did not stop.

Nor would it. Susan would try everything she could for close to 36 hours before she'd have to bring her toddler to the hospital to have her sedated.

Susan would never know in her lifetime what happened to her daughter that day. Everyone claimed it to be a childhood tantrum from a genius child. A child that didn't know how to handle her emotions.

Over the years Susan did discover that with Lexie's photographic memories that watching or reading scary or sad things did bother her daughter in different ways. How she was never able to forget the details. Most people's minds grew hazy over time as a way to project themselves but not Lexie's. She'd spend countless hours getting Lexie the tools she needed to move on from those things. Though she knew something deeper and more sinister lay rooted in her daughter's memory. Even if the girl never spoke of it.

While Thatcher and Tami often joked about Lexie living in la la Lexie world creating happy fantasies. Because she was overly emotional...Susan always suspected that was not the case with her daughter. She never once thought she was over emotional. She just learned that Lexie had created a way to cope with a world that taunted her vividly all the time.

As Lexie had begun to relive the memory she began to tell Meredith what she'd seen that day. What Tami had allowed happen to her. The thought their phonographic pictures of her three year old sister out in the world enraged a side of Meredith she'd never tapped into before. The need to protect Lexie now had become so strong. That if Tami ever showed her face again. Meredith could quite possibly go to prison for murder.

She ran hand over Lexie's forehead before kissing it. "You're safe now Lexie, you're safe. It's not your fault...You were a baby. It's not your fault." She kept repeating over and over as fresh tears fell for baby Lexie.