Come lie with me

Chapter 23

I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!!

"What was that?" Thatcher asked as soon as they left the room. "Who is this Mark Sloan character?"

"Oh, you know Daddy," Molly said. "He's her other half, her special someone, her lov—"

"I think I get the picture," Thatcher said holding up his hand. He rubbed his temples, wishing that he had a flask with him. Looking at Meredith, he asked, "How long has this been going on?"

Meredith made a strange sound in the back of her throat and looked to Derek for help, but he looked just as lost as she did. "A while?" Derek said hesitantly.

"Yeah, a while," Meredith said.

"It has been…"

"A while," Meredith finished.

"Oh good Lord," Molly muttered. She turned to her father and said, "They started dating last year, just after Thanksgiving, but Mark had a thing for her well before that. Anyway, they moved in together after Christmas when Mark bought an apartment for them, and they are moving into a penthouse which Mark also owns once it is finished being remodeled."

They all turned to look at her with surprise. Derek realized then that the relationship must have started right around the time that he warned Mark away from Lexie. Both times.

"How do you know all that?" Meredith asked. She felt a pang of jealously at the fact that Lexie told Molly and not her.

"Our sister talks; I listen. It's a simple concept, really," Molly said.

"She lives with him?" Thatcher's voice showed his surprise. "I thought she was roommates with that small, nervous guy…George?"

Meredith shook her head. "George doesn't work here anymore. He left just after Christmas, right around…right around the time Mark and Lexie moved in together, I guess." Meredith shook her head, amazed at the way she had missed all the clues. Her own blindness could not have been more complete.

"This is unbelievable," Thatcher said. "First I get the call that she was in an accident, and now this…"

Molly rolled her eyes. "Which one are you more upset about, Daddy? Cause I think they are great together and you wouldn't believe how happy he makes Lexie."

"So happy that she thought she had to hide her relationship from me?" Thatcher asked.

"Whatever," Molly said. "Like Lexie tells you anything these days. You should just be happy that she is alive and in love with a good guy. Besides, he is a plastic surgeon, Daddy. That's job security, right there. Cause God knows the world isn't going to become less shallow anytime soon."

Thatcher gave an exasperated sigh while Derek grinned at her. "How old are you?" He asked.

"Twenty-three," Molly said.

"You are totally awesome," Derek said. "Just so you know."

Molly grinned. "I do know."

"This is strange," Thatcher said. "He is too old for her. I don't …" His voice trailed off as he looked in the window of Lexie's room.

Molly, Meredith, and Derek followed suit. There, lying on the bed, were Mark and Lexie asleep. Lexie was resting on his chest, and had tucked her head up under Mark's chin. He had his right arm around her, and it looked as though his lips were resting on her hair. But it was their hands which drew the most attention. Their fingers were interlocked, but resting together as if they had done so many times before.

"…like it," Thatcher's voice sounded very far away as he finished that sentence, not still sure of the meaning.

It was so odd for Meredith and Derek to see them like that. For so long Mark and Lexie had been separate entities, but to find out that they were together was just strange. But to see them together…well, it made sense. They were like two pieces of a puzzle which only looked completed when they were together.