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

A/N: I am so sorry for the delayed update. It's taken me longer than usual, I know, and I'm terribly sorry. I honestly think this chapter isn't as great as the others. I tried to set the foundations between these two, but I don't think it worked. They're both confused at the moment, which helps seeing as I'm confused myself. Anyway, things will be building up again, hopefully, if things go to plan!

Well, that's enough of my blabbering. Sorry, once again, and let me know what you think! (:

She didn't know how they got in the position they were in now. Lying against the pillows, both of their sides, Lexie's leg wrapped in between his, his arm draped across her waist – it felt safe.

She was wearing her Harvard jersey. Lexie frowned, when did she put on the shirt? Just as she thought it, an image flashed in her mind. She was sitting on the bed, blanket wrapped around her, leaning against the headboard. She was watching carefully as Mark went through her closet. He had retrieved the old jersey and held it up cautiously. She had made a comment about him being threatened, seeing as she was an intern and had graduated from a better medical school.

He had called her an idiot. And then came to sit next to her, slowly helping her to slip on the piece of clothing.

Lexie felt herself warm from the memory. She could still feel the way his fingers brushed against her skin. Just as quickly as the last, another image flashed before her eyes. They were lying against the pillows, staring at her cracked ceiling. Her head was resting lightly against his chest, her auburn hair tickling his bare chest, his arm loosely wrapped around her, his fingers aimlessly rubbing at the hem of her jersey.

As Lexie saw the image, she smiled at how...domestic it seemed. It was an odd thought, Mark Sloan and domestic rarely fitted together, but Lexie couldn't think of a better word. It was strange to her, certainly new, that he could be so gentle. That when it mattered, he was just a normal guy that cared. Last night, he hadn't been Mark Sloan, man-whore, Head of Plastics as well as the Dirty Mistresses Club. He was just Mark – a man who wanted to help her.

Suddenly, Lexie felt pressure on her leg and she shifted uncomfortably. She glared when she noticed the smirk on Mark's face.

"That's not very pleasant," Lexie said, and removed her leg from his grip.

Mark groaned and attempted to pull her closer with the arm that was still securely draped over her side. "I'm not a very pleasant man."

Lexie snorted. "I hadn't realized."

"Mmm, funny," Mark muttered, his eyes still closed. "Go back to sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"Go to sleep."

"No," Lexie replied, slightly amused. She moved closer, placing both hands against his chest, her face in line with his neck. She leaned in slightly and placed a kiss on his Adam's apple, unable to resist.

Mark didn't open his eyes. "Why did you do that?"

Lexie hesitated for a moment. At first it had been impulsive, a sudden desire that had flared up inside her, but now that she had been questioned she realized something important. "Because I wanted to kiss you," Lexie replied quietly, a small smile playing on her lips.

Her reply made him open his eyes. He looked down at the top of her head. Kissing and Lexie were two things that shouldn't be put together in his mind. Last night, he promised himself that he would be careful with her. Her wanting to kiss him, even if it was innocent and her own choice, it was something he shouldn't be partaking in.

He knew this, but it didn't stop him. "If you're going to kiss me," he murmured, "you might as well do it properly."

Lexie grinned and backed away slightly. She looked up at him and her grin faded slightly when she noticed the look he was giving her. She could see the reluctance in his eyes although he was trying to hide it. Didn't he want to kiss her? Lexie tried to smile, "If I kiss you, are you going to freak out?"

Mark frowned. "Why would I do that?"

"I can see it in your eyes," Lexie said and when his frown deepened, she clarified. "I can see the...worry in your eyes. What's wrong?" She laughed slightly, trying to appear as if it didn't matter. "D-Don't you want to kiss me?"

His face visibly softened and Mark moved his hand from her waist to gently touch her cheek. The cheek where…The anger rose in Mark. Thatcher. He was the reason why Mark was holding back. There were other reasons; he was her attending, her teacher, a lot older than her. There was Meredith to think of, and Derek, but then there was Thatcher. Mark's jaw clenched. Of course he wanted to kiss Lexie, to do much more with her, but because of what she's been through...He didn't want to hurt her. To scare her. He knew he would do something to mess this up and so instead he was holding back. Instead, he thought if she initiated something between the two, it would matter less. It would show she wasn't afraid; he wasn't going to damage her.

Mark sighed, his fingers stroking Lexie's cheek. "Of course I want to kiss you." She had to realize that this decision wasn't up to him. "I want you, Lexie." He smiled slightly when she averted her eyes from his, a blush tinting her cheeks. He let out a breath and his eyes showed his regret. "But last night..."

Lexie refused to look up, and instead stared at the bed sheet. "You never wanted to kiss me last night, did you? You just...thought i-it was the right thing to do. I-I don't blame you." She laughed slightly, "I did kind of throw myself at you. Twice. You…You were just being polite, I guess. I don't blame you for not wanting to kiss me because let's face it–"

"Lexie," he said sternly. "I wanted to kiss you. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. Yes, I did stop you the second time but that was for your benefit, not because I didn't want to kiss you." He sighed and gently pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear. She really was stunning. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't know...I thought you probably just thought it would shut me up."

"You realize you're being stupid, right?"

Lexie looked at him, unsure if she could really trust him. He said he wanted it, and yet was withholding now. Had he changed his mind about her? Now that he knew everything – well, not everything, a voice reminded her – had he changed his mind? "Then, why are you so afraid now? If you really want to kiss me then..."

Mark stopped her when he lowered his lips to hers. It was barely a kiss, light pressure against her parted lips, slowly brushing over hers. Lexie made a small noise; it sounded much like a whimper to him, and clutched her hands to his chest. When he leaned back, he placed another kiss on her lips before speaking. "I'm not afraid."

Lexie blinked, her mind having trouble processing what had just happened. "But then..."

"I wanted it, I liked it. But, after what's happened, what I want isn't important."

Lexie frowned. "But…If it's what I want, then…"

"You don't know what you want."

She raised her eyebrow in surprise. "What's that meant to mean?"

Mark sighed and rolled over, now able to stare at her ceiling. He didn't want to have a confrontation about this now, but it was about time he vocalized the thoughts that had been running through his mind for the most part of the night. "You get drunk, you strip, and I kiss you. Maybe you wanted it, and I wanted it, but you were vulnerable and I shouldn't have done it."

Instinctively, Lexie reached out and touched his hand. "If you're feeling guilty, you shouldn't. I wanted it just as much as you. It's what I needed."

Mark shook his head. "You don't know what you need, Lexie. You cry, you throw yourself at me, you tell me things that I'm assuming you've never told anyone before. You don't know what you want. You can't expect to know what to do. You're confused."

Suddenly, Lexie took her hand away from his and rolled over so that she was now facing the ceiling as well. Her voice was steady and cold when she spoke. "Thanks for telling me how I'm feeling, Dr. Sloan."

Mark sighed; this wasn't going the way he wanted. "I'm not trying to tell you how to feel. I'm just telling you how it's coming across to me. It seems as if you're all over the place."

Lexie's jaw clenched and she felt a wave of tears appear in her eyes. She forced herself to blink them away. He had no right to tell her what she felt, or how she was acting. If she was honest with herself, she didn't know what she was doing either. The way he retold the events to her, she had to admit that it did sound as if she was confused. And now that Lexie considered it, she was confused. She didn't know what they were doing. They had kissed. Twice, now. They had spent the night together. In the same bed. Of course, they hadn't done anything but it must hold some significance, especially for Mark, Seattle Grace's resident man-whore.

The thought made Lexie smile. She was different. Compared to all the other women he had been with, she was the one he didn't sleep with. It wasn't because she was ugly – no, they had eliminated that idea already – it must be because he truly cared. He cared. Otherwise he would have been gone before she woke up.

It was simple in her mind now. Mark Sloan cared.

Lexie was about to speak, and vocalize her realization, when Mark continued, his voice low, careful. "You've been denying something's wrong and then all of a sudden you tell me. Why?"

Lexie opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She didn't know. Why had she told him? Was it because she had been emotional after a tiring day? Was it because the weight of what was happening had snapped her, forcing her to tell someone? Was it because she trusted him?

"I trust you."

Her voice had been a whisper and Mark slowly turned his head to look at her. She was staring at the ceiling, her arms against her side. He saw her swallow before she continued. "I didn't before. But, in the bar…I saw you trying to help. You came after me and it just showed me that you cared. Before then, I didn't want to admit it to myself. But last night…"

Mark nodded; last night marked a change between them. Their relationship had been slowly changing before then, but last night marked the point of no turning back. He knew now. There was no going back. "I should go."

The abrupt change in conversation was something she was used to now, though Lexie still felt the urge to tell him to stay. Although they both had to get ready for their next shift, and Mark had to go back to the Archfield, Lexie wanted to reach out and stop him. When he left, she would be alone again. She hated being alone.

Lexie sighed slightly. "Do you need a lift to the Archfield?"

Mark glanced at her, and saw the disappointment in her features. He tried not to smile. "If you don't mind."

Lexie's eyes widened slightly, she hadn't thought he would take her up on the offer. Slowly, she turned to face him, noticing the smirk on his face. "I…I'll just get changed."

Quickly, Lexie got out of the bed and looked around. Clothes. Bag. She would drop him and then go to the hospital. What was the time? Lexie looked at the alarm clock on the desk and noticed that she had two more hours until her shift started. She would drop him at the Archfield and then would go the hospital. She would not do anything else with him.

Mark watched, amused, as she hurried over to her closet to look for clothes. Her actions always seemed rushed, her words fast as she fumbled over them. Mark smiled; it was one of the many reasons why she was so different. He watched as she grabbed some clothes in her hands and then turned to look at him. She opened her mouth and then shut it again, faltering slightly. Then, as if a sudden determination washed over her, she spoke calmly. "You can't stay there."

"Can't I?" Mark asked, before settling in the bed, his hands now behind his head.

It was always fun teasing her.

Lexie huffed. "Dr. Sloan…"

"You'd think we were on first name basis now, wouldn't you?"

"Mark…" Lexie said sweetly, attempting, desperately, to keep the smile off her face. "Get out of my room. I need to get changed."

Mark shook his head. "I have a good view from here. Why would I move?"

Lexie narrowed her eyes at him. "You're…You're a pig, you know that?"

Mark pretended to gasp, and spoke mockingly. "You can't say that. I'm your attending!"

If it was possible, it appeared as if Lexie's eyes narrowed further. She was trying her hardest to keep the smile off her face. "You're not being funny, or cute, you're being an idiot." In a huff, she turned around and shut the door to her closet. "I'm going to change in the bathroom!"

With a defiant turn on her heel, Lexie stalked to her bedroom door, only to trip over her own feet. She groaned into the heap of clothes but began to laugh lightly when she heard Mark's chuckling from behind her. Slowly, she stood up, clothes in hand, and turned to face a laughing Mark.

"I thought you were going to the bathroom?" Mark said innocently.

Lexie laughed gently, "I'm going now." She smiled at him, enjoying the sight of his grin. He should smile more often. Maybe she should make a fool of herself more often, to get him to do so. "I'm going to get ready. Maybe you should do the same."

Mark nodded, his grin transforming into a small smile. "Alright."

Their eyes met for a beat, entranced by the pure warmth that radiated between the two. It was moments like this that gave Lexie strength, moments when everything seemed normal, simple. It was just her, plain Lexie Grey, and plain Mark Sloan. There was nothing holding them back, nothing to hide, nothing…just them.

Lexie smiled at him, she could do this. She would drive him to the Archfield and forget about what would happen later. Later, as she knew all too well, would bring about change. At work, they would change, she knew that. So now, she would live. Living in the moment was all that she could do now.

Turning on her heel, and taking great care in her footing, Lexie opened her door and left, leaving Mark to stare at her as she walked down the hallway. He smiled softly; she would never cease to amuse him. Sighing, Mark got out of her bed and walked to the door. Before opening it, he turned back and glanced around; taking a moment to register what had gone on in this room. A jab of hurt in the heart and then he turned around, reminding himself to focus on the new day. A new day with Lexie.

"Are you ready?" Lexie asked quietly when she walked into the living room. She saw him standing by the couch, his stance solid. She smiled slightly, and then raised the blanket that was dangling in her hand. "I'll just put this away and then we can go."

Mark nodded and watched as she began to fold the blanket. The blanket that had covered her, them, last night. Mark found himself staring intently at the grey blanket, the woolen material that would always hold significance to last night.

"Is everything okay?"

Lexie's soft voice made him raise his eyes as well as one eyebrow. When he didn't respond, Lexie continued, slightly nervous. "You…The look, the look on your face is telling me something's wrong. Is something wrong? Or am I…Just paranoid?"

Mark shook his head. "Nothing's wrong."

Lexie frowned slightly, her motions halting. "Something seems–"

"Grey," Mark said irritably. "Keep folding your blanket."

She was about to respond but then grudgingly did as he said. Grey. The word repeated in her mind, rolling over and over, and all of a sudden Lexie couldn't control her actions. "So, I'm just Grey again, am I?"

Mark sighed, "You'll always be Grey. That is your name, you know."

Lexie shook her head, desolation washing over her. It had started already and they hadn't even left her home. He was now Dr. Sloan and she was once again an insignificant intern.

"What happens when we're at the hospital?"

The question leaped from her before she had a chance to hold onto it.

Mark turned around and looked at her, his face not giving away any emotion. "I'm your attending."

Lexie looked at him and when she realized that he was serious, she looked away embarrassed. "Oh…Okay."

Mark watched as she busied herself with folding the blanket and then running her hands across the invisible creases. He wanted to tell her that he wouldn't change, that even at the hospital he would care about her, and want to look after her, but he couldn't. There were strict rules, maybe not to the hospital directly, but certainly to him. Stay away from interns. Even now, Mark wasn't going to change the rules he lived by. No matter how desperately he wanted to.

He wondered if this was the right thing. Was this what she needed? Space? If his mind had been working like it should, Mark would have realized the upset that was radiating off Lexie. He would have picked up on the difficulty she was facing being alone without his support. Quietly, Mark went over to stand in front of her. She didn't look up.

"I'm your attending. I'm never going to stop being your attending." Mark sighed, finding it difficult not to reach out and touch her shoulder. "At the hospital I'm there to teach you. At the hospital, we're professional."

Lexie stopped folding the blanket as it was too small to be folded again. She rested her hands against the soft material and stroked it gently. Professional…She could do that. But then, she couldn't help but feel betrayed. Before he knew, before she had opened her big mouth, they had never been professional, not completely. There had been jokes, teasing, but as Lexie stood in front of him, she could see all that she had with him slip away.

"We're professional," she said, her voice low. "Got it."

Swiftly, she moved past him to place the neatly folded blanket onto the couch. As she stared at the couch, images flashed in her mind. Him sitting on the couch. Her between his legs, her fingers on his thigh. His eyes when he saw her body. The look of sadness, anger, disappointment. Lexie tried not to think about last night, she didn't need the images flashing like bright lights in front of her, not when she needed to focus on getting through another day.

She turned to face Mark and sighed. It upset her that things could never stay the same, but then, she thought dully, she should have known. Nothing ever stayed the same for her. Nothing ever went the way she wanted it to, the way she needed it to. Once again, Lexie would have to cope.

Her smile barely reached her eyes, but Lexie attempted to sound cheerful. "Come on, Dr. Sloan; let's get you back to the Archfield."

Mark sighed as she moved past him to the door. He followed her out and watched as she picked up her keys from the small table by the door. She turned to look at him, her eyes trying to convince him that everything was fine – that they were fine.

He wasn't convinced. Neither of them was.