The prequel announcement messed up the whole chapter thing so I deleted it and Imll just say it here again.

Please check out the prequel to this fic, it's called The Best You Had.

Sorry this took so long, enjoy!

—

December 27th — Seattle.

It was a chilly morning when Lexie got out of her car and into Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital. She didn't have anything to do today, and seeing as everyone she knows is working, she decided to pay them all a visit.

She rubs her hands together as she walks inside the elevator. So far, everything appears the same. She recognized a couple nurses, both of whom said hi to her.

The Christmas eve dinner was alot to handle for her. Mark apparently not being married, Liam showing up from nowhere. She needed time to think. Not only about her personal life, but also her career. Liam has been pressuring her into staying in New York for her fellowship, but Derek has also given her an offer. And who the hell would turn down the chance to learn under Derek Shepherd?

She moves further back into the elevator as it fills up, and Mark steps in. She was about to call his name when she sees him smiling and briefly putting his arm around the redhead beside him. Her brows furrow when she recognizes who it is — Addison.

—

"So, I didn't know Mark and Addison were..."

Cristina sets her tray down on the table and looks at Lexie, appalled at how the younger Grey is talking to her (of all people!) about this. Meredith was still in the lunch line and she was thinking of just bolting. She watches as Lexie has her eyes fixed on Mark and Addison a few tables away.

"Why do you care? You're with Leon."

"Liam."

"Whatever."

Lexie sighs, and stuffs a chip into her mouth. She really shouldn't care this much, but she thought when he said he wasn't married he was... at least single. Not that she cares, of course. But, it's Addison. Her blood boils as she remembers he once slept with her when he was in LA. She can't really blame him. She's... perfect. Lexie can't compete with Addison, can she? Well, not that she's planning to.

Callie notices her staring and raises her eyebrow, in a what do you think you're doing way. Lexie looks down at her plate. Cristina sees the exchange and puts her fork down in exasperation.

"Addison's like, married, okay? And Mark... he's obviously miserable. Just look at him. Left in the altar, left by his... whatever the hell you are to him, and his best friend's on his back 24/7. I know you're still in love with him and I'm on your side but don't do anything if you're just going to leave him hanging in a few days. This back and forth thing is getting depressing to watch. And besides, like I said, you have Leon."

"It's Liam."

"Whatever."

—

Mark sits in the gallery, watching Callie do a hip replacement surgery. To be honest, he didn't really give a crap. He just wanted somewhere quiet so he could think. His eyes are fixed on the procedure, but his mind is somewhere else. He sighs as he remembers what happened on Christmas eve.

Derek gives him an apologetic look when he catches his eye. Everyone started taking their seats in the dinner table, and Lexie has been avoiding eye contact with him ever since her boyfriend showed up.

What did she even see in him? He knows his type. The guy has been hovering over Lexie the entire night, won't talk to anyone who isn't her (which pisses Mark off endlessly because he hasn't had a chance to talk to her all night) and he's big on public displays of affection. She looks uncomfortable too, he can tell. The way she smiles awkwardly or how she subtly tries to free herself from his grasp...

"Oh crap, I gotta go. 911." He says as he waves his pager up and walks to the coat rack. Everyone turns to look at him.

Jackson laughs. "Your pager didn't even—"

Callie glares at Jackson and he stops speaking. Arizona gives Mark a knowing nod. "We've got Sofia."

Later that night, Mark hears a knock on his apartment door. He knows it's Callie or Arizona, coming to talk and "fix" him again. Just like they always did for the past six months.

He was surprised however when he opens his door and sees that it's... her. She takes a silent gulp, as she shifts from one leg to another, nervous and unsure. "Hi."

Mark just stares at her. He doesn't remember how many times he's imagined this scene right in front of him for the past few months. She bites her lip, and he invites her in with a nod before she gets the chance to overthink and bolt.

"I... brought you food. I figured you haven't eaten yet?" She hands Mark a paper bag and he takes it, his eyes never leaving hers for a second.

The eye contact makes her even more nervous than she already is, and she starts to ramble on. "It's from the deli, a few blocks away. The one we liked? Uh, I don't know if you still like it there but I got you most of what I've uh, I've seen you eat before. When we... when we were together, I mean. Not after, when Meredith and I were stalking you and Teddy. So um... we... you and me... we're good right?"

Mark tries to hide his amusement at the revelation, and thanks her. He puts the food on the counter. He wasn't really hungry. Not after tonight. "We're good, Lex."

"We can be friends, right?"

He sighs and looks down at his hands. "The thing is, I don't really—"

"We were friends before. Before all of this. We were friends. That was good. We can do that, right?" Her eyes were so hopeful, that it would feel so wrong to tell her he wants more.

He's always wanted more. Even when she was an intern, when they were "friends", he was drawn to her. He's basically that kid in school who keeps pulling the pretty girl's hair to get her attention. He teased her just to get to talk to her.

He nods. Because he misses her and it's all he could do to get her back to his life. He decided that he's going to take what he is given, because the last few days before she leaves again is all he has. And being friends is better than being nothing at all.

So, they spend the entire night talking and catching up, while they sit on the stools by the counter, leaving two empty ones between them. They talk about New York, and surgeries, and that one month Derek, Meredith and Zola all had the chicken pox. She throws her head back laughing and it takes every ounce of his self-control not to pull her into his arms and kiss her.

She stayed over that night. No sex, just them laughing in bed and sleeping. Even he was surprised. They finished almost three bottles of wine and they were both piss drunk. Lexie rolls over to lay her head on Mark's chest, giggling as he tells her his last joke for the night. He put his arm around her.

"I really missed you." He hears her say before she closes her eyes and falls asleep.

Lexie finds Mark in the gallery, deep in thought. She sits beside him and bumps her shoulder with his. That definitely brought him back to the present.

She gives him a warm smile and watches the surgery with him. This isn't hard so far — being friends. Except for the fact that he spent more time with Addison than with her today. Not that she's jealous, of course... because she's not. Or at least, she's been trying to convince herself she's not.

She thinks back on Christmas eve. She was just so uneasy after Mark left that she completely forgot about Liam at Meredith's and instead drove to Mark's apartment. She remembers feeling lighter and happier than she's been in a long time, just talking and laughing with him. It's as if everything in the world made sense again. So, she pretended to be too drunk to drive home, so he insisted she stayed.

Lexie brushes it off as her missing him, which she obviously does. The only off part though, is that she was pretty sure it came out of her mouth then while she was thinking it. But Mark never said anything about it.

She sits with him in silence in the gallery. His hand fidgets nervously, before he stands up and walks to leave. Her brows furrow in confusion. "Mark."

He rubs his jaw as he turns to look at her. His face was devoid of emotion, almost as if she was nothing to him. Her heart clenches a little.

"We're... okay, right?" Lexie says, her voice laced with confusion and uncertainty. Weren't they friends just a couple days ago?

Mark just walks out the door, completely ignoring her question.

But she wasn't having it. She can't leave for New York with the same bullshit as she did six months ago. She won't allow it. So she stands from her seat and follows him out.

"There you are!" Liam appears out of nowhere, pulling Lexie into an embrace. "Let's go?"

She was preoccupied, trying to find Mark's back in the hallway, but nothing. She was tired. She didn't want to deal with Liam right now, all she wanted was to talk to Mark. She wanted to know what was wrong. What she did. Because whatever it is, she can fix it. She can fix it and then she'll have him in her life again, and it would all be okay.

She gives the hallway one last look. Nothing. So instead, she fakes a smile at her boyfriend and they walk out of the hospital, hand in hand.