Hey guys! So, the reviews I got made my whole day. Thank you guys so much for keeping up with this crazy story and giving me something to do. Read, enjoy, and review!
Lexie's eyes slowly opened to the bright morning sun and instantly she regretted the night before. She felt nauseated and exhausted. She knew it wasn't the best idea to follow up the Kung Pao Chicken with all that chocolate and ice cream. She slowly dragged her tired body out of bed and trudged into the kitchen, looking for anything to quench her thirst. Mark was sitting at the bar with a bowl of cereal and the paper, Haley beside him, eating a granola bar in her high chair.
"How you feeling, champ?" He asked her, recieving only a groan in response.
Lexie grabbed a bottle of water and sat on a stool next to Mark, propping her head on her hand.
"My stomach hurts." She told him, opening the water and taking a small sip.
"Can we talk?" He asked her.
"Mm-hm" She nodded.
"Lexie. I don't want this to become a problem for us." Mark explained. "The Josh thing, I mean."
"The Josh thing?" She repeated. "He is my best friend, Mark. Where is this coming from?"
"Lexie, you are spending nights with another man!" He protested.
"One night!" She fired back. "It was with Josh! I don't even understand why we are having this conversation right now."
"What a shocker, you don't see it...again."
"What does that mean?" She asked.
"Do you seriously not see how he wants you?" Mark pointed out. "It's so blatantly obvious, Lex."
"Do not be ridiculous. We are friends, nothing more!" Lexie replied. "Why do you do this everytime I even speak to another man?"
"Do you honestly expect me not to care when another man is hugging all over you?" Mark asked, seemingly lost.
"I expect you to keep your cool like a normal person and realize that Josh is not a threat." Lexie sighed.
"I saw what I saw, Lexie!" He yelled.
"Stop yelling at me!" She tried.
"Don't act like he is innocent, he is weaseling his way in and-"
"Oh, for goodness sake, Mark, Josh is gay!" Lexie blurted.
Mark stood in shock. "What?"
"Gay." She repeated. "Trust me, he does not want me like that."
"Lexie, I-"
"Notice how I never said anything when you would hang out with your friend, who happens to like men." She went on. "You used to sleep with her!"
"Lex-" He tried.
"No. You want to talk about trust." She said, throwing her running shoes on. "You have to know what it is first."
She walked across the room, picked Haley up, and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To see Josh." She snapped. "We'll be home later, if I'm not busy having sex." Lexie slammed the door.
"Well, if it isn't Alexandra and...little Alexandra." Josh chuckled.
"Hey, I thought we could grab some lunch and maybe..." Lexie paused. "What's with the bags? Are you leaving?"
"Scrappy-"
"Don't call me that!" She shot. "Are you leaving?"
"I have to." He sighed.
"Why?"
"I have some stuff I have to take care of." Josh dodged. "Some engagements."
"I don't believe you." Lexie fought. "What is going on?"
"Alexandra."
"Josh!"
"Okay." He sighed, walking her over to the bed, slowly sitting. "I am flying to Pheonix to meet with a specialist."
"Specialist?"
"Cancer, Scrappy." Josh said. "Pancreatic cancer."
"How-How advanced?" She found herself stumbling on her words.
"Very." He told her. "It's not looking good for me."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lexie quietly asked. "Why?"
"Because I knew you would do this." Josh laughed, wiping a tear from her face. "Baby, it is okay. I will be fine."
"But you're not fine!" She began to sob. "You're far from fine. Why wouldn't you let me know last night?"
"I didn't want this visit to be about me being sick." He said. "I wanted it to be about you and me, the way it was."
"But it is about you being sick!" She continued to let the tears fall. "That is what it's about now!"
"Shhh...Come here." Josh pulled her into a hug.
For what seemed like forever, Josh just held her.
"So..." Lexie stepped back. "This is goodbye?"
"It's see you soon, buddy." He nudged her. "I'm not going down without a fight."
"There's so much I want to say."
"Don't." Josh stopped her. "Don't turn this into a depressing moment."
"I won't." She promised. "Just let me get this out, okay?"
"Okay." He smiled.
"J.J., I love you, okay? And I want you to know that no one will ever know me like you do. You're the big brother I always wanted." She wiped a tear from her cheek and pulled Josh into a hug.
"Hey, Scrappy?" Josh asked.
"Hmmm..." Lexie responded.
"I will always be here for you, even when I'm gone." He said, causing her to begin to fall apart. "And promise not to cry over me for too long, because you are far too beautiful not to smile. And be sure to laugh...alot, unbelievably loud and ridiculous."
Lexie laughed.
"Just like that." He said. "If I leave anything behind, I want it to be that. That smile.
Promise you won't lose it, even if you lose me."
"I promise." Lexie replied, as they heard a car honk outside.
"That's my cab." He stood up, pulling his coat on. "It's been real, Alexandra."
"Call me...soon." She emphasized.
"Of course." He hugged her again, then placed a small kiss on Haley's forehead. "Take good care of your momma."
Josh walked to the door with Lexie right beside him.
"I love you like red and yellow Skittles." Josh told her.
"I love you like triple chocolate cake." Lexie replied.
With that, Josh walked down the hallway and disappeared into the elevator, leaving Lexie to let a few more tears fall. Twenty minutes later, Lexie gathered her daughter and her composure and headed back home. She carried her daughter on her hip and slowly closed the door, placing Haley in her playpen and sulking on the couch.
"Lex?" Mark rushed over. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"He is going to Pheonix." She said, slowly.
"Why?" He pushed. "Because of what I said?"
"He is dying, Mark." Lexie sighed. "Pancreatic cancer."
"What?"
"My best friend is going to die." She began to sob into Mark's chest.
"Shhhh" Mark soothed. "It's alright."
"No." She cried. "It's not."
Mark held Lexie until she fell asleep and carefully put her and Haley to bed. With Lexie completely out, Mark grabbed his phone and dialed quickly.
"Dr. Watson, please?" He asked. "Dr. Mark Sloan. I'm an old student of his and I need to speak with him." He paused. "Tell him my brother has advanced pancreatic cancer and I need him to call me as soon as possible. Thank you."
Thanks again, guys for all the love and support. Just so you know, the decision to give Josh cancer was not an easy one, but I feel it was right for the story, as was making him gay. I knew as soon as I created him, he was gay. Anyway, remember that reviews make me smile and I love each and every one of you. Peace and love. XOXO