Breathe

5: Shine bright, tonight.

Denny proposed the day after I had fully recovered. Izzie ran into my room, breathless, and I knew immediately from the look on her face. She told me about it. It sounded so romantic, and yet forbidden. I knew the rules, now, the rules of life. The best news I got that week was that Mark had broken things off with the girl. But I didn't care anymore. I was more concerned about Denny, now. Why? Because he didn't have a heart. And he was a fiancé and he was still dying. His health had been deteriorating as long as I had known him, and everyone was taking note of it.

One day, Izzie and I were having lunch, discussing how we could get Denny a heart. No-one knew I was planning on taking an internship at Boston in a hospital, so I had a little insight on to what went on in the body. "UNOS says he's second on the list. First is some other guy at Mercy West. There's nothing we can do about it." She sighed. I was so deep in thought, I hadn't seen him creep up on us, but most other people had, as well as Izzie. He was hard to miss, and lots of interns spent their days staring at him anyway.
"Hi, Dr. Sloan. Did you want something?" Izzie smiled, and I saw him nod at me. She winked at me, then got up and left. I rolled my eyes and looked up at him.
"Lexie. I need you to do something for me."
"Dr. Sloan, the last time you 'asked me to do something' for you, I was used as a pulling method. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was? You used me to seduce another woman!" I hissed, cautious not to draw attention to myself.

"I really hope that that's not true, Sloan, because I hate your guts already, and if you messed with my... um, I mean Meredith's little sister, that gives me double the reason to punch you." Derek smiled, his teeth gritted. Everyone was staring at us, since my voice hadn't been as quiet as I had originally thought. It was a standoff, and I had more support, it seemed. Even the people who didn't know me were frowning at Mark. Derek gave Mark a look, and he looked at me, panicked. I stood up and put myself between the two men. Derek wouldn't calm down anytime soon, and Mark didn't quite deserve to have a bruised face. He was the plastics attending, after all.
"You're Meredith's sister? Maybe since you're little grey you'll want to meet my little sl-" he started, and I laughed out loud, until Derek span around and stuck his fist out. A punch that was intended for Mark, but because I'm an idiot, I blocked it. With my face.

"Lexie! I'm so sorry! Oh my God, Mark I fucking swear to God." He hissed. It hurt much more than I let on, but I shook my head and told him not to worry. "Lexie, you know that wasn't meant for you. Please forgive me." He looked scared, but I nodded my head. It wasn't his fault: it was mine.
"Here, Lexie, let's go get you cleaned up." He said, Derek giving him a murderous look. I was tired of all the fighting, so I left the room. Mark followed me out and, when he made sure no-one was looking, draped an arm over my shoulders protectively. I smiled and looked at my feet, not wanting him to see my smile.
"Ow!" I flinched, my cheek hurting where I had been hit. He looked down and his brows knitted in concern.
"Are you okay? What happened?" He asked, taking me into a room and sitting me down on a bed.
"I was just smiling. And then my cheek started hurting because I was stretching the muscle, or something, I guess." I blushed, not looking at him.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking down at the floor. Even when he squatted, he was almost as tall as me. I shook my head and lifted his chin. "What are you sorry for?" I asked. Sighing, he stood up and sat on the bed next to me. "Derek wanted to hurt me, not you. I practically did that to you." He said, stroking my cheek where I assumed there was already a bruise forming. "It's okay. You didn't know I would do that. Now are you gonna give me something to help with the pain?" I smiled, taking his hand away from my face. He stuttered out a 'yes' and gave me a painkiller as well as a shot to help with the bruising.
"What did you want? Earlier? You need another girlfriend?" I smirked, getting up off the bed. He shook his head and took a step forward.
"I'm sorry. That was wrong and stupid of me and I'm never gonna do it again. What I needed was an excuse to talk to you," he took another step forwards, "alone. You see, I've apologised now. But I'm going to again because I haven't been to see you in ages because I have had an extremely busy week."

"It's okay Mark. I understand. That's what friends are for, right?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded and smiled at me. I got up and went back to my room. He came in and sat with me and we talked, like good friends would. After Denny and maybe Izzie or Derek, he was my best friend at the hospital. He left to go to a surgery, and I heard him talking sternly to someone outside my room. I waited to see who it was, and, of course, it was Derek.
"Lexie, I am so sorry. You probably hate me and I get why, but if you could just tell me we're okay, and that you're okay, I'd be much less worried and-" he rambled.
"Derek. It's fine. You're rambling, and it's fine. I know your intentions weren't for me, and I don't know what bad blood you have with Mark, but it's fine." I smiled, my cheek hurting.

"He slept with Addison. My wife." He said, out of the blue. I choked on the water I was drinking. "He slept with Addison. They had an affair. That's why I hate his guts. And you're Meredith's little sister and I'm not letting him fuck you either." He said, angrily.
"I'm not sleeping with him." I chuckled. "And why do you care? You chose Addison over Meredith. You had your chance and you blew it. And that's on you. I see the regret in your eyes when you look at her. I see it. So you'd better wipe that look off of your pretty face and do something about it. And stop being all grumpy and mean to Mark." I said, huffing. He smiled at me and left for surgery.

I went straight to Denny, after. He smiled and told me he had proposed. I told him I knew and that Izzie seemed happier than ever, but I still saw the sadness and fatigue etched into his features. We needed a plan. And we needed it fast. Or he would die and I would be devastated. I didn't even want to think about how Izzie would react if he died.