I should be studying, but I love you all entirely too much. Screw finals, I need a Mark and Lexie fix. Read and review, please and thank you!
Whisper Hello, I Miss You Quite Terribly
Lexie awoke the next morning to a bottle a aspirin and a cup of water on the nightstand beside her, a leather jacket that covered her arms and back, and a note that read 'That's my favorite jacket, don't even think of skipping town before you give it back.' Signed only with a little heart at the bottom.
Lexie smiled, before being ominously reminded of her all the tequila she consumed the night, well morning, before. With a pounding head, she took the aspirin with the water and checked the time on the alarm clock. The numbers 12:47 shined in bright red lights. Lexie moaned slightly and forced her body out of bed. She opened one of her suitcases and pulled out various shower supplies along with a purple sweater, a pair of dark-washed jeans, and undergarments. She set the clothes on her bed and made her way down the stairs and down a hallway. She stopped at a closet and grabbed a few towels before heading towards the bathroom.
She quickly stripped down, turned on the shower, and immersed herself in the scorching water. As she ran her fingers through her hair, she closed her eyes and allowed herself so recall the events from the previous night. She could still faintly detect Mark's cologne on her skin, probably in large part due to the fact that she forced him to give her his jacket before she would close her eyes last night. She had asked for the jacket, and as he took it off, he questioned her motives. She responded with a cheeky smile and simply told him that if she had his jacket then she had no choice but to see him again.
Their banter, the night before as they laid on her bed with their legs and hands intertwined and her head on his chest, had reminded her exactly why she had fell for him all those years ago. He was freaking perfect. They hadn't shed many clothes, other than jackets and light sweaters. They hadn't done anything really, besides talking and kissing, a lot of talking and a lot of kissing.
Even now, completely alone, Lexie blushed at the intimacy of their relations, and they didn't even get naked. The ability to connect with a person, on that kind of level, without sex, that was something. That had to be something. It was like they were content with just being. And, God, did she miss just being with Mark. It had been around 10:00 a.m. before Lexie had even allowed herself to succumb to sleep. Earlier in the night, or morning rather, Mark had mentioned something about sleep and having to go into work at 12:00 p.m., but Lexie shrugged it off, pulling his body close to hers and kissing his jawline, quickly shutting him up as he scooped his head down to capture her lips. And, oh the kissing.
She could kiss him forever. If she could spend every waking second of everyday just kissing him, she would be deliriously happy. The way his scruff scratched her cheeks, the way his course fingers delicately stroked her cheeks, the way his soft lips melded perfectly into hers, it was all so flawlessly perfect. She smiled every single time his lips lingered over hers, she felt foolish and immature, but she couldn't help it.
Lexie got out of the shower and dried herself off, wiping the mirror with her hand, she stared at herself in the mirror. Sure, she was pretty, but she didn't look nearly as attractive as Mark always made her feel. It was an ever-growing conundrum, why Mark settled for a girl like her. He could have any girl in the world, any woman, why Lexie?
Lexie ran a hand through her wet hair, wrapped her towel around her chilly form, gathered her clothes, and made her way back to her room. She was going to go insane just sitting around, especially when she was only used to work, work, work. She needed to cut, she needed blood, she needed to see a hopeless situation fixed, right now, she needed hope.
After getting dressed and grabbing an apple from the kitchen, Lexie called a cab and headed toward Seattle Grace. Upon arrival, and paying the driver, she again stood outside the doors stoically. Snow covered the grass and gravel that surrounded the hospital. And though it was no longer falling from the sky, like the night before, Lexie felt as though she was in a dream, like she was living a life that wasn't her own. She took a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air; it was all too perfect to be her life.
Lexie wrapped her arms around herself, though she was tempted to wear Mark's jacket to Seattle Grace, she knew if anything stayed the same, the gossip mill would be as alive as ever. And while it may have given her a laugh or two, she didn't want anyone analyzing their relationship before she got a chance to talk it out with Mark. So instead, Lexie opted for a dark green pea coat that made her brown eyes pop.
Finally, having accumulated enough courage and frostbite to force herself to walk into the now bustling hospital, Lexie made her way to the surgical floor. She shivered as she passed old scrub nurses and faces she had never before seen. Some said hello, some welcomed her back, some offered her a smile, but most just walked right past her. It was odd, because at one time, actually at many times, she couldn't walk anywhere without whispers following her. Rumors about her being the estranged Grey, rumors about her relationship with the promiscuous attending, rumors about her break-up with said attending, whispers about her and the gun that was aimed directly at her forehead. It was odd, but refreshing. Some knew her here, but more were just as oblivious as her coworkers in Chicago.
First, she headed towards the Chief's office, speaking with him briefly about assisting in the OR. He quickly and enthusiastically granted her allowance into any OR and any case she desired, mentioning something about showing up Chicago Presbyterian and winning her back. She then made her way towards the resident's locker room, quickly changing into the light blue scrubs she had so desperately missed, having never been a fan of the salmon colored scrubs she was forced to wear at Chicago Pres. Finally, she headed to the OR board to gain an understanding on her friends' current positions.
"Lexie?" A feminine voice cracked, "What are you doing here? In scrubs? By the board?"
Lexie smiled without facing her sister, "The Chief granted me temporary residency while I'm here, so I don't have to sit on my ass, car-less, in your empty house." Lexie turned with a bounce, making Meredith jump in surprise, "He says he wants to win me back." She said excitedly.
"Who wants to win you back?" Meredith asked, raising an eyebrow.
Lexie huffed, turning her attention back to the board, "The Chief, did you not hear what I just said? He said that I could stay as long as I want, request any specialty I want, and edge my way into any surgery I want. He says he hopes that I'll remember why I chose this program to begin with. He said he hasn't seen potential like mine in an intern since I left."
Meredith chuckled, "So he stroked your ego and now you're in love with him?"
Lexie nodded, "Pretty much, yeah. I love being reminded how awesome I am."
Cristina appeared beside the sisters, rubbing her temples while taking in the board, "What's going on?"
"The Chief gave Lexie full reign of the kingdom, any specialty, any surgery, anytime she wants." Meredith explained with a playful roll of her eyes.
"What? Why?" Cristina asked, looking from the board to Lexie's eyes back to the board, trying to guess which operation she seemed to find most interesting.
"Because I'm awesome," Lexie said simply.
Meredith smiled at her sister, "You're not that awesome, he's just trying to make you come back."
Lexie tapped her chin with her index finger, "Shepard's repairing an aneurism and removing a tumor in OR two, I think I may go Neuro today."
Meredith let her jaw fall open, "That's my surgery!"
Cristina stuck her tongue out at Meredith, "Ha ha, that's what you get. Besides, you totally stole my cardiac repair last week, serves you right." Cristina said, exasperatedly.
"Oh, Altman's got a heart transplant, that sounds super fun," Lexie said, narrowing her gaze at the squares that held the operation's information.
"Oh, no, no, no! That is so mine! I know everything about that patient! You're not taking that case away from me." Cristina said confidently.
Lexie turned to her with a slightly defiant look in her eye, "Two words, Yang. Photographic memory, do you really think it would take me longer than two minutes to find out everything I need to know?"
Cristina's eyes widened in horror, before slightly relaxing in approval, "You're ruthless and cruel, little Grey. I've taught you well."
Meredith watched their exchange, mouth still ajar, "Seriously?"
Lexie smiled before turning her attention back to the board, "Seriously."
Meredith shook her head, "Keep your hands off my aneurism, or you won't have a place to sleep for the next month."
Cristina still stared at the dark brunette before her, "I'm not sure if I'm more angry or in awe. I'm so proud."
"What is everyone talking about?" Alex asked, walking to a nurses' station, finishing a chart, a few feet away.
"Lexie's on a power trip," Meredith sighed, turning on her heel and positioning herself beside the male resident.
"Little Grey's back in the big city and thinks she's hot shit, huh?" Alex chuckled, finishing his notes and closing the binder.
Lexie skipped over to the counter, placing her elbow on the cold, white countertop, "Excuse me—" She stated before being interrupted.
Meredith rolled her eyes, "Apparently, she is hot shit. According to the Chief at least."
Lexie smiled, "Thank you."
"Any specialty, any surgery, anytime." Cristina repeated Meredith's earlier words, at her position by the board.
"No way," Alex said, shaking his head in disbelief. "What are you into these days, anyways little Grey? Neuro? Cardio? Ortho? Plastics?"
Lexie smiled mischievously, "PEDs, actually."
Alex's mouth dropped, and Meredith nodded, "I'm telling you, total power trip," the pregnant woman sighed.
As the residents talked, the head of plastics made his way over to the conversation. Clad in navy blue scrubs, Lexie smiled at his presence. Meredith, Cristina, and Alex dispersed, each mumbling something about having some place to be, with Alex making a small comment about her inevitably choosing plastics.
"I am so choosing PEDs today," Lexie said, watching Alex's retreating form, before turning her attention to the attending in front of her. "Hello," she said, still high on the occurrences of the day so far.
"Hey," Mark said with a smile that spread across his whole face.
Lexie furrowed her brow and her face soon adorned a frown, "Don't look at me like that?"
Mark chuckled aloud, "Look at you like what?"
Lexie raised a finger and waved it up and down his form, "Like that, don't look at me like that."
Mark smirked, "Why not?"
Lexie rolled her eyes, "Because you know what happens when you look at me like that." Lexie, again, walked towards the OR board.
Mark followed her, stopping behind her, close enough to brush his fingers against hers, "I like what happens when I look at you like that."
Lexie smiled in spite of herself, but refused to turn to meet his gaze, "We need to talk, eventually, you know."
Mark lightly ran his fingers up and down her arm, causing her to shiver slightly, "I know."
"So?" Lexie asked, still staring at the board, of which she had already memorized long ago.
"So, come to my place. Tonight, I'll make dinner, we'll talk." Mark smiled, and he brushed his fingers across hers, and she reached out slightly to interlock her fingers with his.
"Promise we'll talk," she asked, emphasizing the work 'talk'.
Mark squeezed her hand lightly before letting it fall back to her side, "Promise, and don't forget my jacket."