Chapter 8: Page Shepherd

Derek found a nice quiet and completely empty corner in the hallway right next to a vending machine to make his call. He slipped a dollar into the machine and clicked a button to choose a chewy granola bar. As the machine slowly dropped purchase, Derek pulled Mark's cell phone out of his pants pockets and found Julia's number under his contact list. This was going to be awkward. But it had to be done. Derek clicked the connect button and picked his granola bar out of the drop-box as the line rang. It wasn't a breakfast of champions but at least it'd keep him satisfied for a while.

The phone rang about twice before the frantic voice of Julia answered with a husterical sounding, "Oh my God, Mark! Where have you been! I have been calling and calling. I thought you were DEAD. I was just putting on my coat to come to the hospital because I didn't know what else to do!"

"I…I'm sorry but actually this is Derek Shepherd…Mark's good friend." Derek cut in.

"Oh, oh my…Oh my God, is he? Is he dead?" She yelped.

"No...No nothing like that." Derek answered.

"Well then what is it? He rushed out of the apartment while I was in the bathroom and just disappeared on me! He wouldn't answer any of my damn calls. He didn't even bother to say anything before he left or leave a note, he just fricking left! I have been waiting up all night like a mad person not knowing what to do. And Callie didn't know where he was either. I was just about to report it to the police as a missing person! Is he alright? Is he hurt?"

"It's…It's complicated. He's not so much hurt I guess. It's just that a…A dear friend is…hurt. He's here with me at the hospital. We were just trying our best to save the patient, he didn't really have the time to call you and now he…He's torn up real bad about it. He isn't ready for you right now. I hate to say that but he's very emotional and so I think it's best that you just wait it out." Derek tried to answer calmly and as collected as he could, also purposely avoiding to mention patient's identity.

"Wa wa whoa." She interrupted, "Just wait! I have been waiting all NIGHT. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"I know it's hard. I do. It's the best thing though. It's what Mark wants right now, it is what he needs right now. He needs this time right now to just be alone, okay? So I think you should just stay away for now,"

"I'm sorry I'm just really freaking out. I mean, why won't he at least talk to me? Is this person really that good of a friend? I mean you sound okay at least. Who is this person…Do...Do I know them? I…Are you sure I can't come, just for a second?"

"I'm sorry, I understand your pain. Just listen. I have a strong feeling that if you show up you might not like what you see. Mark is at his worst; I don't want this to affect your relationship with him. He's already exploded on quite a few people. I don't want you getting involved it this. I will keep you posted. I'll call back when it's okay for you to come, just please….Don't come any sooner. I'm gonna hang up now, and I will call you back in a matter of time. Alright? I have to go now, so goodbye." And with that he clicked out of the call.

That was hard. Harder than he thought it'd be. He just hoped Julia would take his advice and stay away, cause if she walked in on Mark crying like a baby over another woman…..He didn't know what would happen. Maybe he didn't call either. Maybe it was a good thing she came, because he loved his friend and he loved his sister. And they both loved each other. So didn't it make sense for them to end up together?

It was now nearly 7 am. The sun was just rising in Seattle. Mark had finished off his coffee. It'd given him a temporary spark of energy from the caffeine but now he was starting to crash. His eyes felt so heavy, all he wanted to do was close them. But he couldn't. He wouldn't let himself. He kept rubbing at them as if he could rub the sleepiness right out, but all it was doing was making his eyes even more sore and itchy. Mark was rubbing his eyes, lightly sobbing when a nurse came in to check on Lexie. Mark tried to toughen up and straighten out as the woman walked in, but she wasn't judging him for showing his emotion. She informed that everything was coming up normal and that she was still stable, which was a very good thing. She was so strong. She might seem weak to others because she gets overly emotional, she cries a lot and she has her quirky nervous habits, but she was a fighter. Nothing was failing which meant that all of her vital were good. The nurse had put her stethoscope back around her neck and was about to leave after offering Mark a smile when he called out to her, "Excuse me, I really hate to ask this of you but…Do you think you could get me another coffee? I…I promised her that I wouldn't leave her side until she woke up and that's a promise that I really don't want to break," He said, obviously extremely upset. There were large purplish bags under his eyes that showed his exhaustion. His face looked sunken in and he was pale. This was really eating him up inside. He just had an overall, general haggard appearance to him. The nurse could tell how much pain he was in, and it was just so heartfelt that she couldn't turn him down.

"Of course," She answered, flipping the chart book closed and exiting.

Mark watched her leave and then restored his attention to Lexie. The waiting was agony. Mark just needed some kind of sign. Some kind of sign that she was going to be alright. Something to give him hope. Because right now he felt very helpless. His emotions were overpowering and getting the best of him. Mark laid his head down on Lexie's lap and dozed off for about fifteen minutes when he heard a soft voice say quietly into his ear, "Sorry it took so long. I brought you that coffee you wanted though."

It was the nice mid-fifty year old nurse with the caring eyes and gentle smile. What was her name again? Jan…Or Jane? No, it was Jan. Short for Janis. Mark remembered now. He'd read her name on the chart.

"Thanks so much," Mark thanked as he was handed the to-go cup. He held it close to his mouth, feeling the warm steam spewing from the hole in the lid moisten his lips. He took one large drink, the warm goodness filling his whole body. After that he set it down on the table beside Lexie and picked up her hand again, laying his head back in her lap. The nurse seemed to be fiddling with something behind Mark but he paid no attention. He just tried to focus on the memories he and Lexie shared. The good and bad, but they were still memories at least. He pondered their future, if there would be one or not. In the middle of his thoughts something weird happened. Mark felt it. It was almost like a tremor through her body. Did she? Yes! She breathed! All on her own! Without the stupid machines! It was a quick gasp and then a deep, labored exhale. Mark propped his head back up to see Lexie's chest moving rapidly and her mouth opened a little wider. The heart rate on the monitor seemed to quicken so that the beeping was close together. And then she looked like she was struggling. Gagging from the intubation as she tried to fight it. Her eyelids were fluttering and then a soft murmur escaped from her mouth. It sounded like a single cough. And with that her eyes slowly, ever so slowly started to part. Mark whirled around in his seat and turned to the nurse who was behind him still, writing in her chart book.

"Page Shepherd!" Was all he said to her.