Peer Pressure

A/N And into S6. Okay so I was going to cover the apartment thing at the end of S5 but then I rewatched S6E1-2 and I could see all the reasons why Lexie changed her mind about moving in with Mark. So that's what this is I suppose.

Everything was easy then. When we were just new into this relationship and he was still buying me coffee every morning. But then things happened that changed all that. It changed the way I looked at us, the way I lived because life is too short to waste it. I was avoiding moving in with Mark because I thought I wasn't ready. I've never lived with a boyfriend before and it felt like the last step before finally excepting I'm a grownup. And I'm just about to become a resident and everything is slowly falling into place, so why was I so scared?

Seattle Grace Hospital, Seattle, WA 2009 - S6E01

"George died." Lexie said, teary eyed and tired. She sat - like most of the residents over the coming weeks - staring at George O'Malley's locker. All his stuff was just sitting in there like he'd gone to lunch or something. Mark was sitting next to her, trying to make her laugh because that was how he comforted people. He hated seeing her cry, at least if there was a sad smile in there he wouldn't fall to pieces too. Then he let her rub her tears into his shoulder. There would be two little wet patches on his scrubs but he didn't care.

George dying was the first thing that changed. That and Izzie's almost-bout with death really had me thinking that I had no idea what tomorrow would bring. Then there was Clara. Cristina had her assigned to me so I had to pretend to be her friend whilst she recovered. She was in a boat crash and had had her arms reattached as well as a leg amputated. She was travelling around the world until this happened, then her friends just dumped her at the hospital and left. They did send postcards but they were excruciating accounts of events Clara would never get to be a part of. Which of course, I had to read out.

She had been assigned my friend but by the time Clara left the hospital it felt like I was making a difference. She kept telling me to move in with Mark, I ended up telling her quite a lot about him, but mostly because she needed a distraction.

Seattle Grace Hospital, Seattle, WA 2009 - S6E01

"So he's what-" Clara made a face like she was doing some serious math in her head. "Sixteen? Years older than you?" Lexie nodded and then looked down at her lap, she tried not to blush but she could feel the gracious pink rising over her cheeks. This made Clara laugh, "wow, that's quite- I don't know. Impressive?" Then Lexie laughed too, because really it was ridiculous.

"But he's serious, I mean we're serious, together."

"Be honest? Is it just about the sex?" Clara caught herself asking, because it was the thing you said to a friend when they told you about their boyfriends. Lexie was a friend now, or at least she was becoming one.

Lexie shook her head, smiling as she thought about Mark and where he'd be tonight. This was the first time since George died that she felt okay again. Like she had to keep living because he couldn't. Izzie was. "No! Sometimes we stay up late and have deep chats."

Clara laughed even harder this time and then clamped her hand to her side, "no stop, I can't. Don't make me laugh - it hurts!"

Then I had a go at her for not talking to her mom about her accident. And then I had another go at her for not having the life-saving bowel surgery she needed. I was probably a bit too harsh, and too overinvested, overtired and overemotional. But I think a part of me was fed up of her having a mom and not talking to her, I'd give anything to talk to mine again. But it was also me willing her to live, she'd already survived so much and this problem was fixable. She just gave up after every hurdle, but I'll give it to her, she got back up again. But after the surgery she was stable for a while and I had other things to think about.

Mark had just moved into his new apartment, which I had to admit, was much nicer than Meredith's attic. But I still wasn't budging on my decision, despite his persuasions.

Apartment 501, Seattle, WA 2009 - S6E02

"Oh come on Lex, please?" They were laying on his bed and he was looking at her with his best puppy dog eyes. And she had to admit it was pretty cute, him begging like that. But she was standing firm. "You don't even want a shelf in the bathroom?"

Lexie shook her head until he dug his face into her neck and started 'persuading' her otherwise. "Why didn't you tell me Callie lives across from you?"

Okay PAUSE. I forgot to mention this part. Yeah you heard right, Mark had failed to inform me that he was living across from a woman he used to have regular sex with. Now I wouldn't have really minded if he hadn't let me find out in the most embarrassing way possible. I know how much they need each others' friendship, even if it seems a bit extra sometimes. But really?! Changing in the hallway? In front of him? I thought she had a girlfriend anyway.

Mark look up at her and said nothing. He had that awkward smiley look on his face that was trying to dodge the question. Eventually he let a squeak of a sentence, "I didn't think it was important."

"Sorry what was that?" Lexie replied, "I couldn't quite hear you."

"I said I didn't think it was important. I really care about you and I want you to move in with me. Why does it matter if Callie is around occasionally?"

He was being serious. He wasn't trying to persuade her anymore, he was just telling the truth. The atmosphere changed immediately, Lexie looked down at him, her face dropped a little. She took his cheek in her hand, "I'm not ready. I'm just a resident Mark. This wasn't part of the plan yet." He nodded and let the issue fall away. She bent down to kiss him, hoping he would let it go after this.

Then I walked in on Derek and Meredith having sex on Mer's kitchen counter. Apparently their post-it note wedding really counted and now their acting like overexcited newlyweds. I love that for them but it's hard to eat your breakfast the next morning when you know things about that counter. When I told Mark about it he laughed, I laughed too but it did get me thinking about moving out. If they were married now they were going to want their own space, plus I couldn't keep on walking in on them like I was back in college again.

Then the saving grace came when Clara started to walk again. We stood her up and started walking her down the corridor but she did it! She really started walking, one foot after the other. We laughed and cried and then she asked me to call her mom. It was like everything had culminated in that final moment of clarity. She was walking and she wasn't giving up and she was letting people back into her life. That evening I called her very straight-laced but kind English mother and explained who I was and why I was calling. Then I told her all the ways that Clara was improving and everything she had done. Then I let her have the phone because hogging it was rude. I waved goodbye as she was still chatting and got changed for home. I went home to Mer's and started packing up, I'd never properly moved out of case anyway, and a guilty drunk me had started packing it a few weeks ago after George died and I just wanted to be held.

Lexie stood in the elevator for only minutes at the maximum, but with the steady creaking of the old contraption it felt like years up to the fifth floor. She pulled her squeaky suitcase along the floor and knocked. He opened it topless because it was past midnight and he was probably in bed. He smiled when he saw her and she couldn't help but grin back at him mercilessly. Her bright eyes open and alert for this moment of surrender. Because that's what this was, surrendering fully to him because she could no longer think of a reason for them not to live together.

"Hey," he said, hanging in the door frame. She sighed, holding up her toothbrush and a pair of panties. That made him chuckle so she handed them to him. Then she pulled her case through the door and right past the kitchen. She was sleeping in his bed tonight, she'd unpack in the morning. Not his bed, their bed. There were still boxes piled around some of the living space and a belt lying abandoned on the floor. But the bed was warm as she flopped down onto it. She heard him locking the door before she came crawling over her, her hands clawing over his bare chest. He undressed her and then they really 'went to bed.'