A/N:
Exams are over! GA is over! Time for a full rewatch and to hopefully finish this story over the summer! I'm so excited, like I said before a bajellion times about the current plotline. Huge revelations in this chapter, guys! I hope you enjoy it :D~
Mark kept a careful eye on Lexie as she moved beside him, slowly because of her crutches, but he was ready to just let go of the trolley and catch her in case she tripped. The last thing he wanted now was her tripping – they had very little information about how far she was and how she really was at the current moment, and till they got to hospital, Mark wanted to make sure she was perfectly fine. He wouldn't let her carry anything but her purse, and occasionally she'd meet his gaze, and he'd smile. Lexie knew he was watching her – and it was kind of endearing actually. She couldn't bring herself to complain. Not really.
He paid for the car's park in the parking lot and handed over the trolley to the parking lot worker as he stepped closer to Lexie to place his arm around her. Their gazes met and they exchanged secret smiles. The baby was their secret for now – their little secret.
In no time, Mark was pulling the car out of the parking lot and into the highway. Lexie glanced up at the nebulous sky and she smiled. She may have missed Seattle's sky. Lexie leaned back into the leather seat and took a deep breath, blinking once as she pressed her hand over her belly. Mark noticed the small gesture and glanced sideways at her, "Is it time?" He asked and tilted his head.
"It's not 8:00 am yet." Lexie said slowly as she took a deep breath and placed a hand over her mouth to quench the nausea that washed over her, "But I think the time difference is taking effect." She said finally and Mark pursed his lips as he looked forward again, "Well, we're almost there." He said quickly, "Please don't throw up in my car."
"Wow." Lexie laughed and rolled her eyes before she sat up straight again, fidgeting in her seat as she tried to distract herself from the nausea. "Drive a little faster, Mark." She said, her voice a little desperate as she glanced sideways at him. Mark laughed, "Bossy already?" And Lexie shot him a glare before she rolled her shoulders once. Her head lingered over the house where she'd grown up – and Lexie realized she still didn't sell it yet. Since she was the eldest Grey, or at least the eldest Grey to have lived in that house, she now held responsibility for it. It had been three months – and she was still paying for the bills and everything, but she still couldn't sell it. Not just yet.
"We're here." Mark said as he glanced sideways at Lexie and smiled. Lexie's eyes drifted along Mark's window to the building where their place was, and she nodded once as she took a deep breath to start getting out of the car. As if reminded by her urgency, Mark immediately climbed out of the car and strode to her side in two long leaps, his arms encircling her as he guided her to the elevator. He rubbed her back soothingly as she took a deep breath and tried to hold it in – cursing a thousand times under her breath for not slipping the barf bags from the airplane in her purse.
Mark quickly rushed her to the apartment, fumbling helplessly with the keys as Lexie leaned against the wall. To his surprise, the door to Callie's place was being unlocked and Arizona walked out holding Sofia in her arms. "Mark, you're back!" She said quickly with a grin on her face – truth be told, after the plane crash, these two had become closer friends than anyone could possibly imagine.
"Arizona!" Mark exclaimed, not looking away from the lock that seemed to be giving him a hard time. "Yes, yes I am. Just give me a second." He muttered under his breath as he finally unlocked the door and turned back to Lexie. Arizona lifted both her brows as she watched Mark literally drag Lexie across the apartment towards where she knew was the bathroom. "Okay." She whispered and looked down at Sofia, "Wanna check it out?" She asked the little girl, "Oh well, your dad is always over without permission anyways." Arizona muttered as she hitched the girl up on her hip and trudged into the apartment that was left open anyways.
Mark was holding Lexie up by the sink when Arizona walked in with Sofia. Arizona lifted a brow and tilted her head, "Is she okay?" She asked Mark and he glanced back at her, nodding once. "It's the plane." He explained and shrugged once. Arizona pursed her lips and nodded slowly as she bounced Sofia on her hip then glanced sideways, "I'll go get a glass of water." She offered with a smile and turned to leave the bathroom. Lexie took a deep breath as she stood up straight again and gulped. "Morning sickness is a very, very…mean way to announce your presence." She whispered, and Mark chuckled once as he wrapped his arm around her to help her back to the couch.
"There you go." Arizona smiled down at Lexie as she handed her the water, and Lexie nodded once at the blonde in gratitude as she guzzled down the cold liquid, then sighed. Lexie looked up when Mark reached for Sofia and held her above his head, "Did you miss daddy, princess?" He asked once then brought her close again, pecking her cheek and laughing as she scratched it when she felt his beard. Lexie felt her heart warm up whenever she watched Mark with Sofia, but now more than ever, she couldn't help the stupid grin that spread on her face. Mark looked down and he met her gaze before he sat down and gently sat Sofia in Lexie's lap.
"Hi, Sof. Did you miss me?" Lexie asked as she tilted her head at the three year old, "Lex!" She exclaimed and hugged Lexie's neck, and she couldn't help but laugh and wrap her arms around her, rubbing her back as she tilted her head to meet Mark's gaze. Mark, on the other hand, was jumping with joy, or that's what he wanted to do anyways.
"We'll take her to day care. I had an appointment with the physical therapy guy for Lexie anyways." Mark said as he looked up at Arizona, who frowned a little, "Why? Are you okay?" She asked, but Lexie was too distracted by Sofia to answer the questions. "She's fine. It's the monthly follow up." Mark lied smoothly – the monthly follow up was next week, and the appointment wasn't with Jared, but with Doctor Bynes from OB. Arizona set Sofia's bag down and kissed the girl's cheek, then turned to leave.
Mark disappeared into the room that he'd turned to Sofia's and came back with a stroller, then picked up the little girl to settle her down in it and helped Lexie stand up. "It's almost ten." Lexie muttered as she looked up at the clock hanging on the wall and yawned. Mark frowned and pursed his lips, "I still think we should have taken an appointment at later time. You need to rest." He muttered as he pushed the stroller forward and linger as he waited for Lexie to leave the apartment. "We didn't even get our luggage from the car." Mark mused once as they passed the car and started to the hospital.
Mark and Lexie remained silent – or well, they were silent to hold back the urge to grin like idiots as they walked through the sterile hallways of the hospital. Luckily for them, they didn't run into any one in the elevator or in the day care. After they dropped off Sofia, they arrived to the OB floor just as the nurse called their names. Mark glanced sideways at Lexie and took a deep breath, "Okay, here we go." He muttered as they both started towards the exam room where Doctor Bynes would be waiting for them.
"Doctor Sloan, Doctor Grey." The woman smiled as she looked up at them from the kit she was sorting out. Mark helped Lexie sit on the exam table and stood beside her as he watched the woman uncover a butterfly needle to draw some blood before she looked up at them, "I understand that when you called," She said as she turned to Lexie, "You said you were two months late for your menstrual period." She said, reciting every word Lexie said when she called her, "And that you had taken a home pregnancy test that test positive. You also said you experience morning sickness, fatigue, & pallor."
Both Mark and Lexie nodded before they turned to her again, "My advice to you is to not get your hopes up on a home pregnancy test. Usually there is more than one reason for the occurrence of amenorrhea." She said, keeping her tone leveled. "So until the results of this blood lab work is out, don't get your hopes up." She finally finished as she adjusted the tourniquet on Lexie's arm. Mark breathed out and closed his eyes – he knew she was right, he knew he should balance out possibilities for both case scenarios, and that if Lexie wasn't pregnant that something worse was occurring and he had to be ready for that too. He took Lexie' hand and held it tightly as he looked down at her – and she squeezed his fingers when the needle pierced her skin and the doctor drew out the blood sample before sealing it off then she left the room.
"Can't you do an ultrasound?" Lexie asked quickly when Doctor Bynes walked back in.
"Lexie..." Mark sighed a little as he looked down at her, "You have to be patient."
"No, I mean. If we know now what's going on, the blood test would simply be something I'd need to base my vitamin pills on, right?" Lexie started as she looked up at Mark, "And if not, then we'd have a starting point to figure out what really is wrong with me. An ultrasound will only add cost to the insurance company. It won't do much. It's only a few minutes." Lexie rambled on, her voice close to a tiny squeal as she almost started pleading.
Mark and Amanda, the doctor, exchanged worried glances before she nodded once, "I guess it wouldn't hurt." She muttered, "I'll leave for you to get ready." She closed the door and left the couple alone. Lexie dangled her feet over the edge of the exam table and started to shrug off her pants.
"Lexie, what are you doing? She said don't get your hopes up. What if you're not pregnant?" He started with a frown on his face as he moved forward to put his hands over hers. Now that Mark wasn't stuck within the high of joy that was last night, he started weighing out possibilities of everything in his head, and was almost astonished that Lexie wasn't. Lexie looked up at him with wide eyes, and she didn't even need to speak before he gave in and helped her shrug her jeans off. He folded them neatly and set them aside, before helping Lexie lie back and pulling the cover over her.
A few second later, Amanda walked in and smiled when saw that they were all set. She pulled the monitor closer and pulled the small chair out to sit down as she started up the machine. Lexie placed her right hand beneath her head as she propped it up some. "This is going to feel a little cold." She muttered as she squired the gel over Lexie's belly, which caused goose bumps to rise on her skin and a slight shiver to run through her body. Mark moved to stand beside Lexie, and his hand reached to take hers, their fingers lacing together.
Lexie took a deep breath when she felt the light pressure against her belly, and her eyes drifted up to the monitor. Amanda's brows furrowed as she fixed her small almost black eyes on the monitor. Mark's eyes flickered between the monitor and Lexie's face, pursing his lips in concern.
"I can't seem to find anything…" Amanda whispered, and Mark felt his heart sink deep within his chest. It was true, maybe he didn't have his hopes up much, not as much as Lexie did, but he still wanted to father a child with her. It was still his greatest desire to start a family with Lexie, and even when he knew they'd have other chances, special at a time that Lexie's body would be ready for pregnancy. He talked himself out of the grief, but when his eyes settled back on Lexie's face, his heart shattered.
Lexie didn't know what came over her – she didn't even want a baby so bad, at least not now. She just survived a plane crash, she was still in shock, and she still couldn't walk properly. Having a baby now would be a mistake, no? She wasn't ready. She wasn't. But still, that didn't stop her eyes from welling up as she sighed and looked down. She felt some pressure applied to her hand, and looked up at mark, meeting his sympathetic gaze. She smiled a little and pursed her lips, before a small sigh escaped her lips.
"Wait," Amanda said as her other hand traveled to the key board, tapping a few buttons. Lexie's eyes turned back to the screen and she frowned as she watched the picture get zoomed at. Mark frowned as he gripped Lexie's hand tightly, and they both stared at the screen. "Well…" Amanda started, and the couple held gazes in worry.
"We're doctors too, Doctor Bynes. What do you see?" Mark asked sternly, despite the strength of his voice, the helpless concern is apparent in his tone.
Amanda turned to both of them and pursed her lips before she looked at the screen again, then she took a deep breath and started, "Well, I see…an about ten weeks old fetus." She announced – and the room fell to silence.
"A baby?" Lexie whispered, breaking the silence. The tears were still there – her eyes were still glistening beneath the light of the room, but when they rolled down her temples, her mouth was stretched into the widest smile. Mark was staring at the screen agape, his hand holding Lexie's as his heart beat loudly against his chest. He remained silent – and Lexie uttered nothing more than the simple word as she craned her head up to get a good glimpse at the screen.
"A baby." Amanda nodded once to confirm her words, her hand drifting to the screen, "Look at this. See that small bean-shaped thing? That's your baby. Can you see the flicker? That soft movement…that's the heart beat." Lexie stared in wonder and awe at the screen, her eyes registering the hummingbeard heartbeat flickers before her eyes. She glanced sideways at Mark, trying to register his expression, but she couldn't pry her eyes away from the screen.
Amanda smiled down at Lexie before she tapped on another button, and a small piece of paper protruded from the machine. Amanda then picked it up and handed it to Lexie, "Here you go." She said as she shut down the ultrasonography machine & got up to leave the room, "Once the test results get back, I'll expect to see you soon to start putting you on your vitamins. Congratulations, Doctor Grey. Doctor Sloan." The woman nodded towards the two of them as she left the room. Lexie was still holding the picture of their baby, staring at it in complete awe. So was Mark, before his eyes turned to Lexie's face, "We're having a baby." He muttered, with his other hand he caressed her cheek. Lexie looked up at him with teary, joyous eyes before she let out a small laugh and wrapped her arms around his neck. Mark held her close, hugging her tightly as he pressed a kiss to her temple and to her ear. "We're having a baby, Lex." He whispered into her ear.
He pulled away briefly, only for a minute, before he pressed his lips to hers. His hand traveled down between their bodies before he pressed it against her belly gently. Lexie's hand fell on his before a small sigh left her lips as she peered down at herself. Mark stepped away and shed the covers off her body, his eyes bypassing the faint scars on her legs as he reached for her jeans to help her put them on. Mark handed her the crutches back carefully and helped her get down, before he picked up the picture and smiled at Lexie, "Should we tell them?" He asked her as he lifted a brow and looked down at the picture again.
Lexie stared up at him and then pursed her lips, before she nodded quickly, "I can't keep it a secret."
"Neither can I." Mark laughed a little as he placed his hand around her waist and opened the door to guide her outside. He handed her the small picture as they walked up to the counter and made another appointment with Doctor Bynes, tomorrow. "Let's page them all to the attendings' lounge." Mark suggested as they walked into the elevator. Lexie smiled again and nodded quickly, holding the picture close to her chest. Mark wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his chest, pressing a small kiss to her temple, before he sighed contently.
When the couple walked in, Bailey looked up from something she was reading, and she lifted a brow. "You're back." She noted and smiled at Lexie before she looked down at her journal again. Mark helped Lexie sit down on the couch before he turned to Bailey, "Can you page everyone here? Meredith, Derek, Alex, Jackson, April…just page'em all." Mark said quickly and Bailey lifted a brow before she nodded once and picked out her pager, "You too, Bailey. You should stay." Lexie added quickly, and the short woman lifted a brow as she set her journal down.
"What are you two up to?" Bailey asked as she set the pager down and lifted a brow, her eyes flickering between both of them. Mark and Lexie exchanged mischievous looks but remained silent, "Really?" Bailey rolled her eyes and leaned back into the seat, picking up the journal again – trying not to give in to the curiosity that was gnawing at her.
First to walk in were Richard, Meredith, and April. Lexie's eyes brightened when she saw her sister's baby bump – if Lexie counted right, Meredith would be five months along, halfway into her second trimester.
"You're back." Meredith smiled as she sat down beside her sister and the siblings greeted each other with an embrace. "I'm proud of you, Lexie." Meredith said with a grin as she patted her sister's cheek. Lexie smiled broadly and pulled Meredith in for another hug. When the girls finally pulled away, Lexie placed her hand over the bump, "How's the little McBaby?" Lexie asked with a grin.
"He's doing great." Meredith laughed, and Lexie stared at her, agape. "It's a boy!" She exclaimed and Meredith nodded quickly. "Meredith! That is so great!" Lexie couldn't wipe the grin off her face, and her eyes flickered up to Mark, who shook his head once. She whined silently and he laughed, leaving the rest of the room in the dark.
"Why did you page us here, Bailey?" April asked as she turned to the short doctor again who shrugged, "They asked me to. Ask them." She muttered, trying to sound nonchalant despite the fact that she was peeking over her journal, watching them through eyes of a hawk.
Just as Bailey finished her piece, Derek, Jackson, Owen and Cristina walked in – all of them looking somewhat surprised to have all been paged to the same place all at once. Derek turned to Mark for information, but was greeted with a hug. Derek laughed as he hugged Mark back, "Congratulations, man." Mark muttered as he pulled away, "You're naming him Mark, right?" He joked once and Derek rolled his eyes as he went to sit down beside Meredith. Mark then greeted Jackson, and for a minute they spoke about nothing but how Jackson ran the department while Mark was gone.
"What? What is it?!" Callie came running in, then stopped to stare at the herd of attendings staring at her. "Okay." She muttered and lifted a brow as she glanced around, looking back when she heard Arizona's voice, "I told you, it's nothing too serious." The blonde said as she looked back to make sure Alex was following her. Lexie took a deep breath; finally everyone was here. She looked up at Mark who strode towards her end of the couch and sat at the armrest, placing his hand over Lexie's shoulder. Lexie looked up at Mark- she was going to let him do all the talking.
"So, we all know that Lexie has officially passed her boards." He first started, and then glanced down at her, "But there is some other good news." He added as he glanced around. Arizona narrowed her eyes a little, before her lips parted when her blue eyes lit in realization, and the grin spread on her face quicker than a forest fire.
"We're having a baby." Mark finally gushed out, and the grin broke out onto his face. No one seemed to react first, but when they finally did, there was a lot of laughing and cheering and hugging. Meredith hugged Lexie again tightly then pulled away, looking down to her still very flat belly, "How far along are you?" She asked quickly, and Lexie grinned, "Ten weeks." She answered. Meredith looked up at Derek, and Derek finally caught on, "So that's why you were so…sick those past few days." He muttered and then looked down at Lexie; before he knelt down to hug her. April replaced Mark's place when he got up to receive the congratulatory pats on the back.
However, Callie and Cristina remained at the door, talking in heated whispers. Bailey noticed them and pulled herself out of the conversation, moving back to stand with them. "Her body is not ready for a pregnancy." She heard Cristina say, before the Asian doctor glanced sideways at her and pursed her lips. "No, go on." Bailey nodded once as she frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. Cristina sighed once, "She suffered a massive hemothorax. That left a huge deal on her lung capacity and her heart. And the chest tube we inserted was poorly conducted and she didn't even give her body the time to heal completely yet." Cristina explained, "Once she starts to get bigger, she wouldn't be able to breathe." She finalized. Bailey turned to Callie, who sighed once and rubbed her forehead, "She's still limping. She's still using crutches. The extra weight will negatively affect her healing bones. And natural birth is completely out of the question." Callie said quickly with a frown on her face.
"Callie? Why haven't you congratulated me yet?" Mark demanded in a playful tone, and the Latina looked up at him with a troubled expression on her face. Mark frowned and tilted his head, the room immediately falling silent. "What is it?"
"I'm happy for you, Mark. You should know that. You too, Lexie…" Callie started as she flailed her hands, trying to show how sincere she is. "But…this pregnancy. It's too dangerous." Callie muttered, her tone falling quieter. Everyone in the room exchanged worried looks before they all stared back at Callie. Callie frowned at all the attention she was given and glanced sideways at Cristina and Bailey helplessly.
"Your lungs and heart are not ready to breathe for two." Bailey explained as she stepped into the middle of the room, "Your pelvis and legs are not ready to handle two people either. There are a lot of possibilities here. A lot of outcomes. But the worst case scenario is," Bailey took another deep breath as she let her hands fall at her sides, "This pregnancy…might eventually kill you."