Come lie with me

Chapter 23

***

When Mark woke, he slowly came to consciousness. This was new for him. Usually he was alert the moment that he woke, but right now his exhaustion was preventing him from opening his eyes and rejoining the world. He knew there was some reason he was so tired, but it was escaping him at the moment. It wasn't until he felt a finger drawing circles on his hand that he remembered where he was.

Lexie. Accident. Hospital.

When he opened his eyes, Mark smiled against Lexie's hair. "Stop that," he said.

Her head moved and her eyes met his, "You're awake!"

"That's supposed to be my line," Mark mumbled.

Lexie grinned. "When have I ever said what you wanted to hear?"

"Off hand?" Mark said, resting his eyes again. "Can't think of once."

"How long were we asleep?" Lexie asked.

Mark checked his watch. "Little more than an hour."

"Damn," Lexie said. "I was hoping I would sleep long enough for my family to go home."

Mark chuckled. "They just care about you."

"And normally I would be grateful," Lexie said. "But now is not one of those times."

"Why?"

"Because I want to be alone with you."

"We are alone," Mark said.

Lexie's eyes traveled to the people standing outside their room and the many doctors and nurses who were walking ever so slowly outside the door. "Not so much. I guess the cat is out of the bag, huh?"

Mark grinned down at her. "Um, yeah. You could say that." He didn't want to tell her about his incoherent confession when her vitals crashed; that could wait for later.

Olivia and one of her fellow nurses walked by whispering to each other as they tried to get a good look into the room. "What are they doing here?" Lexie muttered. "They don't work in the ICU."

Mark chuckled. "I hate to break it to you Lex, but the ICU is now everybody's new favorite place to walk through."

"Why?" Lexie asked. Her eyes bulged when she saw the look on his face. "You mean because of us?"

"Correct, oh wise one," Mark said, kissing her gently.

Lexie's eyes softened. "It doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No," Mark rasped, parting her lips. "It doesn't."

"You don't care what they think?"

"I really don't," Mark said, capturing her lips.

Their hands remained interlocked as they kissed.

When they pulled away, Lexie grinned, "Now you've gone and done it."

Mark winked. "Gotta give 'em a show."

She rolled her eyes. "You are so bad."

"You know it," Mark murmured. His free hand reached up and touched her hair, wrapping the silky strands around his fingers. "So I have been thinking…"

"Good for you," Lexie murmured. "Very industrious. I approve."

"Smart ass," Mark said. "Now I am not going to tell you what I am thinking."

"Oh come on," Lexie smiled. "Tell me. I'll be good."

"I don't know…"

"Don't be a baby," Lexie said.

"Fine, will you be quiet?"

"As a mouse," she affirmed.

"You ready?"

"Spit it out already!" She said with a laugh.

"Okay," Mark said, then pausing.

Lexie said nothing, sensing some seriousness in his silence.

"So I have been thinking," He began again. "There is this thing that I have to say to you, but I don't want you to think that I haven't thought this through. That I haven't totally considered what I am about to say. Because I have."

Lexie turned, ignoring the way her stitches tugged and looked at his face. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that for two months now I have been holding onto something, but I think it is time that I gave it to you." Mark pulled out a ring box that had been in the pocket of his scrubs and placed it on his chest.

Lexie gasped, looking up at his eyes for confirmation.

"Open it," Mark murmured.

Lexie nodded her head and began to cry as she opened the box. She fumbled a bit, trying to open the case with shaky fingers and the blood pressure monitor inhibiting her dexterity. But once she had it open, it was all worth it. Sitting inside was the most perfect diamond ring she had ever seen. It was a round cut stone, at least a couple of carats, and it was sitting on a platinum setting looking like it was floating. It was amazing.

"I wanted to do this right," Mark said. "I was planning this romantic way to do it, and I would have made a total ass of myself too, just for you. One knee and all," he said with a grin. "But when you were in your accident I realized I couldn't go another day without knowing that you will be my wife. I took the ring out of my locker when Derek dragged me to eat something, and I promised I would ask you the moment that you opened your eyes."

Tears fell unchecked down Lexie's face.

"Not quite that moment, but close enough," Mark said, brushing away her tears with the pads of his thumbs. "So, Lexie Grey, I have a question to ask you."

Her eyes were filled with love and tenderness.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" She practically yelled, kissing him with abandon. He grinned against her lips as he kissed her, thoroughly enjoying her reaction. Mark felt something click into place and he knew that he had finally found the thing that had been missing all of his life. It was her…Lexie.

"Put it on," he said, as he pulled back.

Lexie smiled. "Would you…?"

Mark grinned as he took the ring out of the box, carefully maneuvering around all the wires and monitors on her hand and slid it onto her fourth finger. "Looks good on you," he said with a laugh.

Lexie smiled widely as she kissed him, "You wonderful, amazing man. How long have you been planning to propose?"

"Since just after you told me that you loved me." Mark pulled her close as she curled up against his side. He tried to avoid her stitches as he adjusted her to him. "I bought the ring and then went and put it away. I don't know what I was waiting for. The right moment, I guess."

"And did it come?" Lexie asked, titling her head to look at him. "Did you find the right moment?" A smile was playing about her lips.

"Every moment is the right moment with you, Lex," Mark rasped.

***

Derek, Meredith, and Molly clutched their coffee cups tighter in shock. Having just returned from the cafeteria, they witnessed Mark slip the ring onto Lexie's finger. Their faces showed varying degrees of surprise and astonishment, with Derek looking merely stunned and Meredith looking as if her head was about to implode.

Molly looked at them, her mouth opening and closing with wonder. "Probably best if we don't mention this to Dad just yet."

"Yeah," Derek said.

"Totally," Meredith agreed.