AN: Thank you for reading!
"And she's mad at you?" Cristina asked as she and Meredith hopped up on a hold gurney in the basement pulling out their lunches and trying to steal a quiet lunch to themselves.
Meredith nodded as she pulled a bag of mixed carrots and cucumbers from her sack lunch and popped a slice into her mouth. "Very" She with a mouthful but used her hand to cover it.
Cristina's brows wrinkled in disgust "That's misguided anger. Annoying."
Meredith sighed as she grabbed a carrot out of the bag. She bit into it. "Won't even stay in a room with me longer than a few minutes."
"Must be quiet." Cristina tried "That has got to be nice."
"Not really." Meredith admitted "I actually hate it." She laughed at the irony "When she first showed up, I would have given anything for her to see me in a room, and turn around and walk out of it." She admitted "For her to just give me my space." She took another bite of her carrot "And now…" Her voice grew quiet. "I miss her, I miss my kid sister, and she's not even gone."
"I don't think she has the right to be mad at you." Cristina tried "She's the one that ignored you. she's kind of being childish right now."
"We would have done the same thing…We HAVE done the same thing." Meredith reminded her. "When we thought for sure, we knew how to handle a situation. That we had it under control."
Cristina couldn't argue that as she took a bite of her pasta salad. She chewed on it quietly for a moment as she processed what Meredith had said. "She should know, we've been there, done that, and are trying to spare her the same outcomes we have had?"
"Logically" Meredith agreed "That's how I want her to respond." She agreed as she dropped the veggies back in her bag as she pulled out a bag of strawberries. She wasn't hungry and nothing tasted good. "However that's not how she is responding, which tells me there is a deeper issue at hand, and she won't talk to me!" She exhaled loudly and fell back against the wall.
"I could make her work, scut work, and deal with every really gross abscess that comes in the next few days, until she's ready to sit down and talk to you?"
Meredith gave a small smile "Old Meredith would have jumped at that opportunity." She admitted. "But, I'd rather you not. Honestly I don't want you to pick sides." Dropping the baggie of strawberries onto her lap as she began to examine her thumb nail. "I need you to kind of look out for her right now, since I can't get close enough to."
"Now where is the fun in that?" Cristina asked. "I want to make her squirm, it's so fun."
"I know you do," Meredith said quietly "And sometimes it is fun." She admitted "But it's only fun, when she knows it's coming from a good place, and out of love. Right now, with as mad as she is. It's not fun, nor is it the time. Please Cristina..Help me?"
"I'll make sure the Lexipedia doesn't self-destruct." Cristina sighed "Until you two kiss and make up, then all bets are off, and I go back to making her squirm."
""Eww" Meredith rolled her eyes "but, deal."
"For the record, Meredith. I don't think you were wrong, for being mad. Things could have gone so much worse. You both could have been hurt. She has to know when her Disney Princess warm personality can't turn everything into sunshine and rainbows. There is darkness that is stronger and more sinister than even her unicorn sticker glitter power smile."
"I love her hope, and her compassion" Meredith smiled "And I hope she never loses her compassion for others, her sense of wonder and everything good. I just need her to learn how to protect herself better."
"You fell under her spell" Cristina teased
"Yeah, I know." Meredith grumbled."And I miss her."
"Yes, I promise I'll be back to check on you before I leave." Lexie placed her hand on her heart at the doorway. "Cross my heart, Rosie.. You just get some sleep. I'll be back."
"You. Me. Now." Meredith grabbed Lexie's wrist no sooner as the door had closed.
"Okay, Ouch." Lexie winced as she was being drug down the hallway trying to free her wrist from the hulk-like grip her sister had on it."What the hell, Mer. What could I have possibly done wrong now?"
Meredith ignored her pleading and kept her grip tight on her wrist until she shoved her into the locker room slamming the door behind her. "I have been nothing but gracious and patient with you the last few weeks." The older Grey's voice raising level after each word.
Causing Lexie to take a step back in surprise at the tone.
"And you have been acting like a tantruming child for weeks now.!" Meredith threw up her hands in annoyance as she wrung the air out of frustration.
The anger that had been harboring in the pit of Lexie's stomach the last few weeks that was finally starting to waver made its way up her chest threatening to boil over.. "Have you lost your mind?"
"Have you lost yours?" Meredith countered. "What in the actual hell is wrong with you?" She demanded her eyes landing on the yellow and green shades on Lexie's neck. Her eyes softened for a brief moment and the tone of her voice came down.
"I don't know why you're so mad at me, butI have been your punching bag for weeks now" She snapped "And I can handle that if that's what you need to process, but what I can't handle is you double crossing me, questioning me on how I am a doctor, and stealing my patient!"
Lexie's hand went to her neck subconsciously covering her neck. Before she let her hands fall when she realized what Meredith was now accusing her of. "What?" She asked as anger and hurt filled her features. "I didn't…"
"Rosie was my patient," Meredith accused "I was working with her, and what do you know when I come back from lunch with Cristina, I have found that you are now handling her care. I have been assigned elsewhere."
Lexie scoffed for a moment "I didn't steal your patient." She crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "Hunt asked me to check on her, after an alert had gone off in her room. I started to talk with her. We clicked. She felt really comfortable, and heard today with me so she asked if I could stay with her. That was out of my control."
"Are you saying I wasn't listening to her?" Meredith demanded "I knew you were mad, I just didn't think you were petty, Lexie Grey."
"Not once did I say you were not listening to her!" Lexie's voice continued to rise as the locker room door opened and Arizona and Callie hurried into the room, shutting the door very quickly behind them.
"What is with all the yelling in here?" Callie demanded "We can hear you out at the nurse station down the hall, Ladies.."
"Oh, just my sister accusing me of stealing her patient." Lexie snapped. "Not that it's any of your business, Torres."
Callie looked shocked for a moment from the attitude radiating off Little Grey. That wasn't normal. "Now wait a minute Little Grey, check yourself.."
"And what reasons have you given me the past few weeks, to let me believe otherwise?" Meredith demanded as she ignored Callie completely. "I am done waiting for you to come and talk to me. I am done! You want to act like a spoiled brat, and make mistakes that can tank your career or life… Have fun! I won't be a spectator."
Lexie stepped forward only to have Arizona rush around and stick her arm out blocking the younger Grey from moving any further. Once she stopped moving she placed a gentle grounding hand on her back trying to calm her down. "I would never steal your patient Meredith. I have NEVER questioned you on how you practice. I wouldn't do that to you. It sucks!" SHe defended "And I never asked you to look out for me! I can look out for myself."
"Clearly, your neck tells me something completely different." Meredith scoffed as Callie stepped in front of them pushing Meredith back a little while Arizona pulled Lexie back. "You've got everything under control all the time."
"You two need to walk away, before you say things to each other that you can't take back" Callie cautioned. "You guys do actually love each other, that's why whatever your feeling towards each other feels so big right now."
"Fine by me" Meredith's tone grew quieter as she stepped back farther holding up her hands as she regained some composure. "When you finally figure out what the hell your actual problem is with me, come find me. Until then, stay out of my path, and I will stay out of yours" She warned "Because two, can play at this game, Alexandra Grey… and I guarantee you, I can out stubborn you any day of the damn week."
"Come on, Mer" Callie rubbed her back "Lets go get a coffee.." She encouraged the older Grey as she successfully walked her to the door. "My treat."
Meredith turned her around and her eyes went to Lexie, their eyes locked for a brief moment.
Lexie's stomach churned as she saw not only the anger in her sister's eyes but the very clear hurt and confusion.. She turned and fell onto the nearest bench once Callie and Meredith slipped from the room as she buried her face in her hands. She felt movement on the bench next to her as she felt Arizona's hand gently rubbing her back.
"I didn't steal her patient." Lexie defended quietly "I would never do that to her, at least not on purpose." She said quietly. "I didn't know she was Meredith's patient. I was just doing what Hunt wanted and the lady took to me. I didn't know."
"I believe you," Arizona offered.
"Meredith doesn't." Lexie sighed "And why should she, honestly after the last few weeks. Every time I turn around I am just failing her… I can't live up to her greatness Arizona."
Arizona was quiet for a moment as she thought her words overly carefully before speaking.
"Who is asking you to, Lex?" She questioned "Are you really being held to be just like Meredith, or have you gotten into your head, and now you're spinning?"
"Can it be both?" Lexie asked "We are called Big Grey and Little Grey for a reason… and Little Grey will always be in the shadows." She said quietly "I just didn't realize how hard and lonely it would be here."
"You know who would understand what it's like to live in the shadow of greatness, better than anyone else in this hospital?" Arizona questioned gently.
"Meredith." Lexie guessed with a sigh "Living under Elli's name…"
"Derek, I don't know about this." Meredith exhaled to her husband as he pulled her and Lexie's suitcases from the back of the trunk, placing them on the sidewalk of the Seatac airport.
"I am not sure Lexie, and I should be traveling alone together right now." She whispered glancing at the back window of the car where her sister still sat in the back seat checking her wallet to make sure she had everything.
"It's exactly the reason you should go." Derek encouraged placing his hand on her shoulder.. "You and Lexie need to get away from the hospital. Away from the house…Just away. Together."
"We've been at each other's throats for weeks." Meredith reminded him. "We could probably take down a plane… Right now…"
"You've got this." Derek assured her. "You guys need a reset. This opportunity is the perfect timing for you and Lexie."
"Is it a set up?" Meredith asked, narrowing her eyes. "Addison, really called Webber asking for either two residents or interns to come down and shadow the Practice for the week? Plus help with very high risk in utero surgery?" She asked "And somehow Lexie and both aced that test, that was given to be the two that were chosen?"
"It was Addison's test." Derek shrugged "I don't have any clue on what she's thinking. I stopped trying to understand Addison lingo a long time ago."
"Derek.."
"You're about to miss your flight." Derek tapped on Lexie's door. "You guys need to go through security now. We already got here later than we should. Since you two insisted on working a full day."
Meredith sighed as she looked at the building shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I don't know…"
"Just go with it, Meredith." Derek said honestly as Lexie's door opened. "What do you have to lose?" He asked "and besides you're still going to get an opportunity to be a part of a very rare surgery. You're going to see how Addison's practice runs. You're getting hands on learning, in California, on a beach… with your sister. Who you actually love." He was quieter. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"Don't say things like that." Meredith warned "That statement always invites disaster into the universe, and we Grey's attract it!"
"You'll be fine." Derek assured her pulling her into a hug as Lexie finally emerged from the back of the car and grabbed her suitcase handle and started to head inside.
"Lexie" Derek called after stopping her movements. "You guys have fun" He tried "And look out for one another." He added.
Lexie glanced at Meredith before nodding "We'll be okay." She promised him. "I promise your wife will come home to you." She then started to head back for the airport "But I may not come back." She added under her breath.
Depending on what they saw, maybe she'd just see if Addison could get her an internship at the hospital she had permissions at. Or maybe she'd change her course of medicine all together.
"What'd you say?" Meredith asked sprinting to catch up with her. Her suitcase dragging behind her.
"Nothing at all" Lexie mumbled as she slowed her pace slightly so Meredith could catch up to her.
"Oh" Meredith said with a sigh as she caught up to her and the two walked quietly together to check their luggage.
"Thank you all for coming" Derek checked the lock on the conference room door to make sure it was locked and the blinds were drawn.
He looked around the room at his colleagues and friends. Mark was leaning back in a chair sipping on a coffee, a blueberry muffin in his hand.
Callie and Arizona sitting in front of him each picking at a pastry that had been provided.
April standing by the door as his official lookout.
"I heard there were muffins." Alex shrugged, "I am hungry."
Cristina sat with her arms crossed over chest, her eyes narrowed at Derek. As he had asked her to come and not tell Meredith, something she didn't like being a part of.
Altman, Richard, Bailey and Jackson had been the last four in the room and were still picking muffins from the back of the room and chatting quietly amongst themselves.
"Now I am sure you are wondering why I called this meeting." Derek stated as everyone collectively around the room nodded.
"I don't actually care." Karev responded by shoving a bite of muffin into his mouth while Arizona kicked the back of his chair. He turned around with a grin "You like it when I tell the truth." He reminded her. "I am just being honest."
Arizona went to respond but found she could not, as she did prefer the truth so she let hand fall to her lap as Callie patted her knee. "Good try," She whispered."He's still a work in progress" She smirked.
"Is this going to take long?" Bailey asked, sipping her coffee "I have a surgery soon."
"Not at all, I just need a few minutes of your time." Derek assured her. "I am sure all of you in this room have noticed the feud between the Grey sisters…"
"Feud?" April scoffed, "That's putting it mildly."
Cristina uncrossed her arms and sat up in her chair. "We are all aware, the whole hospital is team Big or team Little."
"Which is fueling the fire if you ask me." Arizona added "I am sure neither one of them wants to be compared to the other."
"Plus all the stories of how it started" Callie added "Aren't even close to the truth, it's become a gossip mill of how Big Grey and Little Grey are trying to destroy the other's careers and lives. Each one wanting to be the strongest smartest Grey. The one to overtake Ellis's Grey's title of best Grey." She shook her head. "That's not at all what's going on" She pointed out. "Arizona and I actually broke up a fight a week or so ago… I can attest they aren't purposely trying to destroy each other.. Those rumors are only hurting them farther."
"Their feud is spilling into home life, and our work life." Jackson admitted. "I am a little tired of the cold air it brings out."
"The hospital does flow better, when the Grey sisters are at peace" Richard observed. "I believe they are each a valuable member of this this hospital's team."
Derek nodded "Agreed, and this is why I called this meeting. Operation Grey sister's get united."
"Just lock them in a room until they can be nice to each other again." Alex shrugged, "Problem solved."
Everyone in the room shot him a look causing him to shrug. "They'll either rip each other's hair out, or talk. Either way. Win."
"That's disgusting," Altman shook her head.
"I wasn't thinking of a room…persay." Derek shook his head "But I was thinking that maybe we could come up with some kind of project, mission, medical conference, something that we could send just the two of them on… Something that they would have to work together could give them a chance to become a team again, and all of us would finally get some peace and quiet."
"Manipulative" Bailey cautioned holding up her hand. "Though it could actually work."
"Or could backfire." Mark cautioned as he stood up and began to pace. "Though I have an idea. Addison."
"Addison?" Derek questioned, confused.
Mark nodded "Addison has the Private Practice, we can ask her to come up with something that she wants two hand picked by the chief, either residents and or interns to come and observe her. Use it as a teaching moment.." He explained "Everyone takes some kind of test she sends up, to be fair…and the Grey sister's happen to be the highest scorers on it."
Callie pointed at Mark before looking at Derek "That's actually brilliant, they get to go learn something as well! My parents actually own a vacation condo a few doors down from Addison, they could stay there for the week. Just the two of them in the condo on the beach…"
"Could we pull that off?" Arizona asked, raising her eyebrow. "Or is it too manipulative, mean maybe?" She bit her lip "I don't want to further hurt them, by helping them."
Dr. Webber rubbed his jaw line as he thought it over. "If you can get Addison onboard and you make sure that she actually uses this time to teach them something. It might not be so bad for them to get away from this hospital for a few days. It's been a tough year for them.. It would actually do them some good."
"I say we do it" Cristina finally spoke up. "I can't believe I am saying this, but Meredith is miserable. She hates fighting with Lexie. She misses her." She shook her head "The irony, considering not too long ago she didn't even want the girl to so much as look in her direction."
"Lexie's miserable too." April admitted. "and she even mentioned maybe moving out last night.. I don't think either one of them is ready for that just yet." She sighed. "I live there, I see them growing…They need this time."
"Operation send Grey's to Addison?" Derek asked "All in favor raise their hand." He watched as everyone but Alex raised their hands.
Alex shrugged "Free muffins" He reminded them all "But yeah whatever, and I can get a few nights of sleep without door slamming and stomping…okay…I am in." He reluctantly raised his hand.
Lexie looked at her ticket as they embarked the plane seats A and B of row 27 they were on the two rowed side of a plane. Convenient. She thought to herself. She had the aisle seat and Meredith had the window.
They came to their row and Meredith went to scoot in but paused. "Do you want the window?" She asked "I can swit…"
"No" Lexie cut her off "aisle seat is fine. She motioned Meredith with her hands "just get in, people are behind us."
Meredith shrugged and slid in her seat as she put her carry on bag on her lap and immediately started digging in it. Pulling out her ipod, her book and a sandwich.
Lexie's stomach rumbled just looking at the sandwich. She hadn't packed the night before like Meredith had. She then worked all day and ended up with only ten minutes to pack. There was no time to make a sandwich or eat anything before they left or even grab anything since they'd been running late. A bag of tiny peanuts and coke would have to do, until they landed.
She kicked her carry on under her seat and leaned closer to Meredith trying to avoid being hit with other passengers' bags as they walked down the aisle to their seats. Her stomach rumbled again as she glanced at Meredith's sandwich. A few weeks ago she could have just asked Meredith if she'd share, but after her spiel on not needing her sister's leftovers she knew she couldn't ask now.
She felt Meredith's eyes on her, so she closed her eyes trying to block out the hunger. Trying to block out all the noise of the hustle and bustle of those walking past. Maybe she could just sleep.
She felt Meredith move beside her as she leaned back down to rustle through her carry on bag again. Before she felt something land on her lap. She opened her eyes and looked down at lap and discovered a sandwich bag with the letter L written in her sister's penmanship. She glanced over to Meredith who had her sandwich bag on her lap and the Letter M was written on that bag in the same writing.
Meredith had not only made a sandwich for herself, but she had packed one just for Lexie. Even after all the tension and fighting the last few weeks.
The younger Grey sighed she didn't deserve the sandwich but she was thankful for it. She turned to thank her sister but found she had put on earbuds, had music blasting and was already deep into her newest book.
Lexie inwardly sighed as she opened the plastic baggie that held her sandwich and pulled out half her heart and did another flop when she realized it was a peanut butter and fluff sandwich.
Her sister remembered.
"What are you doing?" Meredith asked, raising her eyebrow as she came into the kitchen after a very long day at the hospital to find her sister at the counter making a sandwich.
"Making a sandwich?" Lexie questioned holding up a slice of bread that she was spreading peanut butter on one side with a bread butter knife.
Meredith pulled a bottle of tequila down from the shelf and poured herself a shot as she slid onto the barstool to watch Lexie's process. "I see you're making a sandwich, but what is this for?" She asked, tapping a jar of marshmallow full.
Lexie paused midspread and looked up. "For my fluff A nutter."
"Your what a nutter?" Meredith asked as she burst into laughter. "Lexie Grey, talking dirty."
Lexie's cheeks began turning several shades of pink as she cleared her throat "Fluff a nutter, Meredith, Get your mind out of the gutter, you pervert." She shook her head "You've never had a fluff a nutter?"
"Uh, no." Meredith wrinkled her nose in disgust "Is it a real thing?"
Lexie nodded eagerly "It is a real thing" She smiled as she put her freshly peanut buttered piece of bread on her plate and pulled out two more slices of bread from the bag. She put one on her plate and set forth to spread peanut butter on half of the piece of bread in her hand. Once that one had peanut butter on one half of it she put it on the plate next to her slice before she began working on spreading the marshmallow spread on the remaining untouched pieces of bread.
"My mom didn't let us have these a lot, she didn't like the amount of sugar." Lexie explained "But whenever we had a really bad day, or a really special occasion she'd make us a fluffernutter sandwich. Molly and I loved it." She smiled sadly at the memory. "I don't have to tell you how hard today was at the hospital." She said quietly "Losing all those kids, in that bus accident…" She shook her head trying to brush the images out of her head.
"I don't know, it made me miss my mom." She added "So fluffernutter for dinner." She pulled out a second small plate and put half a freshly made fluffernutter sandwich and pushed it across the counter to Meredith. "Now you can try a Susan Grey cheer me up, or special occasion sandwich. She held up half of her own sandwich. "Cheers." She extended it out.
Meredith eyed the half sandwich in front of her. Curiosity out weighing the disgust side as she picked up her piece and bumped it with Lexie's. Little moments like this with her sister. Sharing what maybe they could have had together, had her father had set his foot down and demanded he had partial custody of his daughter. Always made Meredith's heart heavy at the same time brought her a little closer to her kid sister, and she loved the little connections she was making with her little Grey. She brought the sandwich up to her mouth and took a little nibble, expecting to be grossed out and forcing herself to swallow it to not hurt her sister's feelings. However she was pleasantly surprised. It was actually quite good. Not something she'd make for herself ever, but something she'd eat if her sister ever made it for her.
And now she had something to store in the back of her mind, to make for Lexie if she ever needed a pick me up.