Everything Is Right
Seattle, Washington 2011 - S8E06
When Mark said goodbye to Julia, he knew he meant it. In some ways, it was a relief that he didn't have to see her for a while. It was a lot of pressure, trying to be who she wanted him to be, twenty four hours a day. He felt like there was still a piece missing. When he walked out the door he walked with a sway in his step and looked forward to getting to the hospital. In the two elevator rides between his apartment and the nurses' station on the inpatient floor, he looked forward to getting into the OR. He tried to pretend that it wasn't about the fact that Lexie was on his service this week. It wasn't working very well. The smile on his face that arrived when he saw her was enough to prove that.
"Good morning, Doctor Sloan." She said seriously, he wasn't sure exactly why she was taking that kind of tone, but he had three guesses.
"Doctor Grey," he replied, almost motioning to tip his hat, but decided against it. She didn't look like she was in the mood for goofy. "We have the surgery on Tom Bridger today," he said, hoping it would perk her up a little.
She hesitated, looking through her charts to check he was right. "Oh yeah," she whispered. Then she looked up at him, "thanks, Mark."
After the surgery went well, Lexie dragged her clothes out of her locker and put them on. She checked her watch and then waited for Jackson to walk into the room and sweep her up and disappoint her with a kiss that she was still trying to convince herself was as good as Mark, but it wasn't. It was never going to be. As she walked out she saw him leaning over the edge of the nurses' station, laughing about something Mark was saying. She forgot they were getting all close and guy-y and weird. She kind of hated it.
But she had to go home, so she put on a smile and walked towards them. "Hi," she said, looking up at Jackson and kissing him quickly. "Ready to go?"
He looked down at her and his eyes flipped, he put on that look that told her he wanted something. "I thought maybe we could go get a drink? Sloan's going down there and-"
She looked down, trying not to pick at the skin around her fingernails. "Yeah, I mean go if you wanna go- I-I can go home with Mer." She pointed her thumb over her shoulder awkwardly, and looked behind her hoping that Meredith would appear magically.
Jackson interrupted, "I mean, if you're sure?"
Lexie nodded, trying to stop an overwhelming wave of tears from leaking out of her, "yep, I'm sure." Then she turned on her heals and went home. She cried, because everything felt wrong, everything felt out of place and not right, and like she was kissing a wall sometimes. She didn't understand how he wasn't perfect for her. He did everything right, and she still wasn't happy.
