Author's Notes: Just a bit more holiday sweetness before the Christmas Eve party and maybe a bit of drama... :)
Meredith and Lexie were in the kitchen prepping some of the cookies for the Christmas Eve party, while Mark entertained Zola and Bailey in the family room. Lexie was watching him with a smile on her face as she mixed the chocolate chip cookies. Meredith smirked and bumped her sister lightly. "You're staring, Lex."
Lexie blushed and shook her head. "No, I wasn't. I was just…watching. It's sweet. You have to admit it's pretty cute to watch him with the kids."
Meredith laughed. "It is." She looked over to Mark. "He's changed a lot in the time that I've known him. He used to be quite the uh…manwhore," she whispered. "But in the last few years, he's really settled down. Derek says he thinks that Mark is ready for something more, but just hasn't found the right person."
Lexie nodded. "So is he…single right now? Do you know?"
"Subtle, Lex," Meredith teased. "Yeah, as far as I know, he's single. With the way he's been looking at you, he better be single."
Lexie just laughed and shook her head before glancing over at him again. Just then, he looked up and grinned at her. She smiled back, before turning her attention back to the cookies.
Meredith's phone buzzed and she quickly rinsed and dried her hands to unlock it. "Damn it," Meredith cursed under her breath as she read her message.
Lexie's brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"Derek just texted. He got pulled into an emergency surgery. He was supposed to come home to distract the kids so I could clean without them under foot." Meredith leaned back against the counter, sighing again, before narrowing her eyes as she looked at Lexie. "What would you say to you and Mark taking the kids out? There's a Christmas carnival going on today."
"But I could help you clean! Mark seems to be distracting enough!"
Meredith shook her head, a smirk slowly spreading across her face. "No, it'd be easier to get them out of the house, at least for a little bit." She leaned in towards Lexie. "I'm sure that you and Mark can find plenty of…distractions yourself."
Lexie's brow furrowed. "I don't understand if you're trying to encourage bad behavior or get me to take your kids for the afternoon."
Her sister shrugged. "I can do both." Lexie laughed and shook her head. "C'mon, what do you think? Christmas Carnival with the kids and Mark?"
Rolling her eyes, Lexie nodded and Meredith grinned. "Hey ZoZo! Want to go to a Christmas carnival with Aunt Lex-Lex and Uncle Mark? You and Bailey could go while Mommy cleans up!"
"Yeah! Carnival! Carnival!" Zola chanted and Mark just laughed as she started jumping up and down.
"Guess we're going to the Christmas Carnival," Lexie said, smiling over at Mark.
"What else do you think our snowman needs, Zola?" Lexie asked her niece, perched on her lap. They were at a snowman craft station, making the perfect cotton-ball snowman. Mark was sitting across from them, absently moving the stroller back and forth as Bailey slept through the excitement of the Christmas carnival.
"Hat!"
"You think he needs a hat? I agree. What color should his hat be?" Lexie reached across the table for some markers as Zola's little hand held onto the little paper hat. "He could have a black hat, or a green hat, or a red hat."
"Green! Green hat!" Zola determined, reaching for the green marker that Lexie held. She laughed and uncapped the marker, handing it over to her niece, who started to color with a vengeance.
"You're good with her," Mark murmured. Lexie looked up and smiled.
"She's a good kid. You're pretty good with them too. You were fun to watch this morning. Zola was basically using you like a jungle gym, and you didn't seem to mind."
Mark just laughed and shrugged. "One of my many, many charms."
"Lexie Grey, is that you?"
Lexie looked up at the familiar voice and smiled widely. "Mrs. Stevenson! It's so nice to see you!"
An older woman came up to them, smiling widely as she looked at Lexie, then took in the little family she seemed to be sitting with. "Isn't she just adorable! What's her name?"
"Zola," Lexie said, as her niece continued to scribble. She gently squeezed her and gestured up to Mrs. Stevenson. "ZoZo, can you say hi?"
"Hi," she whispered shyly, looking up at the stranger for a moment before focusing on her coloring once again.
"Oh, she's just precious. What a lovely little family you have, Lexie. Mary-Anne didn't tell me that you had kids or a husband!" She looked over at Mark and smiled.
Lexie laughed. "Oh Mrs. Stevenson, I'm not…this is my niece, and the baby in the stroller is my nephew. And this is my…my friend, Mark. I'm still single – Mary-Anne didn't forget to share any big news with you!" She looked over at Mark, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Mark, this is Mrs. Stevenson. Her daughter Mary-Anne was my best friend growing up. She happened to be living back with her parents while I was here for my intern year, so we reconnected."
Mark grinned and extended his hand to Mrs. Stevenson. "Pleasure to meet you."
"Oh, you too! Sorry for the mix-up, Lexie. I didn't mean anything by it. You all just looked like such a happy family…it was easy to assume! I better run – Larry and I are catching a flight out to L.A. in a few hours to visit with Mary-Anne for the holidays. I'll tell her you said hello!"
Lexie grinned at the older woman and nodded. "Yes! Please do! We've been texting on and off, but we're long overdue for a catch-up. Hope you have a safe trip and a very merry Christmas, Mrs. Stevenson!"
"Oh, you too, Lexie dear!"
Lexie looked over to Mark once Mrs. Stevenson was out of sight and she laughed. "Sorry about that. She was always a bit of a busy-body."
Mark shrugged. "There are worse things than strangers thinking that I'm your husband, Lexie."
Lexie grinned. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Scarf!" Zola cried out, reaching across the table for the red marker to color the scarf on her snowman. Lexie chuckled and reached for the red marker, handing it over to Zola. When she glanced back up at Mark, he was still smiling warmly at her. She couldn't help but smile back.