Lost and Found

Chapter 17

A/N: Big chapter here! Enjoy!

Lexie slipped her empty dish in the sink. Dinner with Mark had been awkward. They talked a little about their day and about Sofia, and about her trip... but, hello, Big Elephant was in the room, ie, their relationship.

Mark kept sneaking glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. But she noticed, because, it was Mark and her attraction to him must be something beyond normal. She was a proton, and he was an electron and... well, you know...

Soon there'd be almost three-thousand miles between them, and no matter how much she tried to hate him for being an immature- sex-crazed teenager, she would miss him. And it wasn't about the sex, okay well it was... but it was also... she pursed her lips, thinking. It was the sparkle in his eyes over his surgical mask when they worked together. It was his interest in her... how much he knew about her. He knew the little things, like her favorite snacks, and her little OCD moments before a surgery. He knew her photographic memory, while a gift was also a curse, and he never abused that, asking for random facts like Cristina and Alex used to do.

He read all the Harry Potter books just so they could talk about it. They had surprisingly deep philosophical conversations over the series, he even went so far as to purchase Harry Potter for Muggles. Although he nicknamed her 'little Grey', he never considered her 'little.' He respected and encouraged her talent, more than anyone at SGH. He was the one who pressed her for neuro, even though Derek wasn't there to teach her. He actually got Owen to bring in Weller from Cleveland Clinic to foster her talent.

Now she was leaving him... sorta kinda. She wanted to grow out of pleasing people. She didn't have to 'try' with Mark, like she did with George. Mark noticed her. He wanted her.

Just...

Was this 'space' thing the right idea? Or was she just punishing him? Because she would also be sex-deprived.

She walked down the hall, Mark was reading "Green eggs and Ham" to Sofia for probably the fifteenth time.

She smiled as she listened to his bass timbre...

"And I would eat them in a boat, and I would eat them with a goat..."

Mark looked up when her shadow crossed the door. "And I will eat them in the rain and in the dark, and on a train..." he smiled. Sofia was nodding off in his arms. He put the book down and scooped her up, placing her on her new big bed. After he tucked her in, he kissed his daughter on her forehead and tucked the blankets in and around his beautiful daughter.

"Hey," Lexie said.

"Hey..."

She chewed her lip. "Space is good right? I mean... we need to mature right?"

Mark patted the floor next to him. She stepped into the room and sat beside him indian style.

"Lexie, I hurt you, remember?"

Yes, she did remember... but-

"If you let me in now," Mark continued, "How am I supposed to learn anything? How am I supposed to treat you better? Respect you? Love you?"

"Oh..." she said.

"It's you I want, Lexie. It always was. But if you make this easy... We won't grow. Let me win you over again, okay? Give me that chance. It'll be worth it." He pulled her close to him and kissed her temple.

"Okay," Lexie relented. So space was good. For now.

"I was gonna take off, Cheryl next door is coming over to watch Sofia. I, uh wasn't sure if you were going to stay tonight."