Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for a crazy mind.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews and story alerts. I'm glad people are sticking with this story (: Let me know what you think!

- Vin

Lexie was still smiling as she entered the patient's room. Her eyes fell on the man sitting up in the bed. From reading his chart she knew that he was twenty-five, Caucasian and had injured his eardrum after an injury on the football field. From reading his chart, what she didn't know was that he had striking features in the form of bright blue eyes, tanned skin and a strong jaw line.

When he looked up at her she grinned, and spoke in a loud voice. "I'm Dr. Grey, how are you feeling today, Mr. Roy?"

The man looked at her and grinned. "No need to shout, Dr."

"Oh!" Lexie looked down at his chart. She frowned, "I thought the damage to your eardrum was…"

"It isn't that severe," the man said, enjoying the sight of the flustered doctor. He tilted his head to side, looking her up and down. "Shouldn't you know that?"

Lexie snapped shut the chart and held it against her chest. "I, er, should…yes, I'm sorry Mr. Roy."

He held up his hand, "Please, it's Henry." He smiled gently at her as she blushed and rounded the bed, checking his vitals. "You're an intern, aren't you?"

Lexie quickly looked at him and smiled before looking down at his chart. "Yes, I am."

Henry nodded. "Harvard."

Lexie looked up from taking notes in his chart to give him a quizzical look. "I'm sorry?"

"You went to Harvard, didn't you?" Henry smiled, and raised his hand to indicate at her.

A small, unexpected laugh burst from her lips. "How do you know that?"

Henry titled his head to the side. "I recognize you."

"I'm sorry, I don't…"

"Countway Library," Henry stated. "Bottom floor, by the row of computers at the back. I remember you sitting on that floor reading a book on Neurofibromatosis, or something smart like that."

Lexie stopped writing in his chart, flipped it shut and stared at the man in front of her. Although she had a photographic memory, he wasn't imprinted into it. She frowned slightly trying to place him in her many memories of that library and her semi-regular place on that section of floor. Lexie shrugged, "I-I'm sorry, but I don't recall…"

"Don't worry about it," Henry grinned, flashing his set of perfect white teeth. "We never met, not properly. I never worked up the nerve to interrupt your reading. After the first time I saw you, I was only there for another couple of months. I dropped out."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you…"

"School of Public Health," Henry smiled slightly at the memory. "But then I realized I didn't care much about biostatistics."

Lexie smiled slightly. "I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to meet sooner."

Henry nodded, his eyes steady on hers. "Me too."

Lexie opened her mouth to reply, when the door opened and Mark's voice alerted them to his presence. "Dr. Grey, prep Mr. Roy for surgery. An OR just opened up."

Mark glanced between the two, noticing the look the patient had on his face as he stared at Lexie. Mark found him curious and slightly annoyed at the…lustful look on the man's face. Was that even the correct word? Mark didn't know, but he was glad he interrupted when he did.

Lexie nodded, "Okay, Dr. Sloan."

Mark glanced at Henry. "How are you feeling, Mr. Roy?"

Henry watched as Lexie for a moment and then turned to face his surgeon. He noted the look on Dr. Sloan's face and grinned. "Great, Dr. Sloan. You've got a good one, here."

Mark looked over to Lexie who blushed. Mark nodded curtly, "She's good when she isn't being so pathetic."

And with that, Mark turned on his heel and left the room. Henry watched as Lexie opened her mouth and then shut it again, shaking her head slightly. "You're used to that?" Henry enquired, wondering why Lexie had suddenly become so quiet.

"I'm an intern," she replied. "We've been called worse, trust me."

"I guess…" Henry shrugged, "I just don't think it should be allowed. You're still a human being."

Lexie laughed lightly, "I'm sure you've been called worse on the football field."

"Oh, yes, I have." He beamed at the thought, "I've called men worse names too."

Lexie finished up her task and then backed away from Henry, his chart held against her chest. "I'm finished now. One of the nurses will take you into surgery briefly."

"Shouldn't you be the one wheeling me in?"

The way he had said it, so teasingly, Lexie found herself hot in the cheeks. "Er, yes, I normally would but…I kinda want, need, to be in the OR early."

Henry laughed, "So that you don't annoy Dr. Sloan?"

"Got it in one."

"Alright, fine. I'll see you when I get out, then."

Lexie smiled at the hopeful tinge his voice adopted. "I'll see you then."

She moved across the room and opened the door. Just before she was about to leave, his voice floated to her ears. "I look forward to it!"

Lexie smiled slightly and shut the door behind her.

"Dr. Grey," Mark drawled as he stepped up to the surgical table. He looked down at Henry and then at Lexie who was standing opposite him. "Are you ready?"

Lexie looked at him defiantly, knowing that he was smirking underneath his mask. "Of course, Dr. Sloan."

"Alright…" Mark picked up the scalpel and carefully made an incision so that he could access the tissue under the skin around the ear to make a graft for the eardrum. As he worked, Mark couldn't help the question from escaping him. "So, where do you know him from?"

Lexie peered closer to get a better look at the reconstruction. "We went to the same school," she replied, not really concentrating on his questions.

"High school sweethearts?" Mark asked airily.

Lexie looked at him in surprise, but then glanced back down. "No, Dr. Sloan. College friends…" She paused then, realizing that she hadn't even talked to him during her years at Harvard. "Actually, I, I hardly knew him…"

Mark nodded and continued to work, not entirely sure what Lexie meant. After a while, he spoke again. "He likes you."

Lexie didn't look up. "I'm a nice person; I would hope patient's liked me."

Mark couldn't help but chuckle. "You know what I meant."

"No, I don't actually, Dr. Sloan," Lexie replied calmly as she continued to crane her neck over Henry so that she could see what was happening.

"Unlike some people, you aren't that oblivious, Grey." Mark looked up at her and was finally greeted by her gaze on his. A small frown marred her features and Mark sighed, before looking down. For some reason, he was annoyed that he was talking about this. It was none of his business. They were in surgery, he should be teaching her, not enquiring on her non-existent relationship with the patient.

"Well, I'm going to pretend that I don't know what you're talking about," Lexie replied.

He had been right, she wasn't oblivious. Although Lexie realized Henry had been flirting with her–or something along those lines–she didn't want to discuss this with Mark, of all people. There was no reason why he needed to know how she felt over the fact that Henry may fancy her. The thought made her flush with color, and Lexie was glad for her surgical mask.

"That's not very nice, Dr. Grey," Mark said lightly.

"Enquiring about my relationship with a patient isn't very nice either, Dr. Sloan."

Mark grinned at her response. "Would you like me to apologize, Grey?"

"That would be nice," Lexie replied, knowing that he wouldn't.

"Get over here."

Lexie's head shot up and she stared at him. "Excuse me?"

Mark continued to work on Henry as he spoke again. "Move around the table and come here so you can rim the perforation."

Lexie continued to stare at him in shock, this was his apology? If this was the way he would apologize, Lexie made a mental note to appear offended more often.

Mark stopped working and looked at her. "If you prefer learning from a textbook, then be my guest, but if you're really interested in reconstruction…"

"Oh, yes, sorry!" Lexie suddenly jerked into life and rushed around the table, eager to help perform such a delicate surgery. Taking the Rosen Needle and cup forceps from him, Lexie carefully placed the instruments where she thought she would need to make the incision.

Mark nodded, "Make your incision."

Lexie smiled as she carefully made a circular incision on the margins of the perforation. Despite her feelings towards him–and what exactly were those feelings, Lexie found herself wondering–Lexie was glad he was giving her this opportunity. Not many surgeons would.

Once she had finished, Mark stepped closer to observe. "Good, Grey. Do you know how to elevate the ear canal skin flap?"

"Of course, sir," Lexie replied and looked up, silently asking for permission to continue.

"Show me."

Lexie nearly squealed in delight when she turned to the surgical nurse and asked for an Austen Duckbill knife. As she worked, Lexie felt respect for the man next to her well up inside her. He trusted her enough to give her this chance and Lexie couldn't respect him more for it. At this moment it didn't matter that he mocked her and snapped at her. He was her teacher and a damn good one at that.

Lexie grinned under her mask. She hoped Cristina would send her to Plastics more often.