Lexie couldn't believe that just last year, she and Andy were spending Christmas in their Boston home. Funny how much had changed in a year. Lexie sighed heavily as she stepped on the elevator. Andy had been on winter break for a few days and she hadn't spent any time with her; she'd been stuck at the hospital for the last forty-eight hours. Meredith was having a Christmas party tomorrow and everyone was going to be there—even Cristina. Ever since she'd been a mom, Lexie always made sure she'd work Christmas Eve but get Christmas day off. Hopefully, Josh would be accompanying her to Meredith's party. They'd been spending a lot of time together and they were indeed dating. Not to mention they were sleeping together and he was a sex god. She was so lost in her thoughts about the holiday and Josh that she didn't even realize that she was no longer alone on the elevator.
"Hey." Mark greeted her.
"Hey." Lexie replied tiredly.
"I'm doing some last minute Christmas shopping and I got Andy a few things but I realize that I don't really know her and I don't know what she wants for Christmas." Mark shrugged.
"She pretty much has everything," Lexie chuckled at how privileged their daughter was. "I've been having the same problem ever since she became a teenager. It was so much easier to shop for her when she was kid."
"Sofia too. She's got every electronic device imaginable."
"Andy is more excited about her birthday than Christmas." Lexie commented as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator.
"Oh yeah," Mark said as he started stroking his beard. "We've gotta start talking cars pretty soon."
"We?" Lexie arched her eyebrow as she looked over at him.
"Yeah, we. Don't you think I should be a part of this decision?" Mark asked tersely.
"I…I didn't really think about it. It's just been me making all of the parental decisions—"
"Yeah well…you've better get used to making them with me."
"I didn't mean anything by it, Mark." Lexie put her hands up in defense.
"You sure?"
"Are you okay? You're being more of an ass than usual today." Lexie pointed out as she faced him.
"I'm fine." Mark grunted roughly.
"Alright then," Lexie said as she faced away from him. "I guess this will be the first parental decision we'll be making together."
"Yeah I guess."
"For Christmas, I think you should do something special for Andy." Lexie suggested.
"What do you mean?" Mark asked.
"Something dad like," Lexie shrugged. "Something sentimental."
"Such as?"
"I don't know! You're a smart man, Mark. I'm sure you'll come up with something great." Lexie said before the doors to the elevator opened and she stepped off of them, followed by Mark. Lexie headed towards Meredith and Derek who were at the nurses' station.
"How'd you sleep, man?" Derek asked as Mark walked past them.
"Just peachy." Mark said sarcastically as he kept walking.
"I better go check on him." Derek muttered before he started walking briskly to catch up with Mark.
"What happened?" Lexie asked her sister.
"Apparently, Mark and Julia got into some argument and he spent the night at The Archfield."
"No wonder he was giving me a hard time in the elevator." Lexie realized.
"Is this your third day on?" Meredith asked as she looked at Lexie.
"Yep and I'm dying." Lexie stressed.
"I understand if you don't want to come to the Christmas party—"
"Don't be ridiculous," Lexie chided. "I'm going to go see dad while Andy is with Mark and then I'm coming over. This will be our first Christmas together in over a decade after all. All I need is a good night's rest."
"Uh huh." Meredith said skeptically, worried about her little sister.
"You worry too much, sis." Lexie said as she started walking away.
"Hey!" Meredith called after her. "Are you bringing Josh tomorrow?"
"If he says yes." Lexie said as she turned around to look at her sister.
"Yes." A voice said behind Lexie. She turned around and looked up into Josh's face.
"Make that a yes, Mer!" Lexie said as she turned back around to face Meredith. She then faced Josh and smiled brightly at him. "How're you today?"
"I'm just fine. You on the other hand look very tired." He commented.
"I wish everyone would stop worrying. I'm fine," Lexie assured him. "You guys act like I'm the first surgeon to be on for three days in a row."
"Okay, okay. Sorry."
"No," Lexie shook her head. "I'm sorry. I get a little grouchy when I don't sleep. I just need to get some coffee."
"Totally understandable," He told her before his pager began to beep. "Gotta go."
"See ya," Lexie said as she watched him break into a sprint down the hall. "God his ass is cute."
"Sure is. I bet it's ten times cuter without the scrubs on." Meredith said coming up next to her.
"Ugh! I hate it when you do that." Lexie smack her sister's shoulder playfully as they both laughed and started walking towards their respective patients.
Ten hours later, Lexie was so grateful to be walking in the front door of her house. She could hear the incessant giggles upstairs of her daughter and her niece. She trudged up the stairs after hanging up her coat and stood in the doorway of her daughter's room.
"Hey Aunt Lexie!" Kylie said as she noticed her Aunt standing in the doorway.
"Hey mom!" Andy greeted with a smile.
"Hi girls. What're you watching?"
"When Harry Met Sally." They said simultaneously and giggled.
"Classic," Lexie smiled. It was one of her favorites after all. "Kyls, you spending the night?"
"Yeah. Mom or dad will come get me when they wake up."
"Alright," Lexie nodded before she turned to go to her room.
"Mommmmm! Don't you want to watch movie with us?" Andy begged. Lexie knew she hadn't been spending much time with Andy since she'd been on winter break and she felt guilty as hell.
"Yeah! C'mon Aunt Lexie!" Kylie chimed in.
"Oh girls, I don't know. I'd probably just fall asleep. I've been on for three days. I really need some sleep."
"Awww. Alright." They whined.
"Sorry. Some other time," Lexie said as she tried to stifle a yawn. "Good night." She said before giving them a tired smile and walking to her room. She flopped on her bed and could feel herself drifting into sleep but a knock on her door made her become alert again.
"Come in." She mumbled.
"Hey mom. I just wanted to let you know Mark said he's going to come pick me up at 11 A.M."
"Alright."
"Night." Andy said before she started to leave.
"Andy?" Lexie called out as she sat up and looked at her daughter.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry I haven't been spending a lot of time with you. Things have just been really busy at the hospital. I promise the next day I have off, we'll go shopping or go to the movies."
"It's okay, mom. I understand," Andy said as she walked over and flopped down on the bed and Lexie went back to her laying position. "Sometimes I wish you weren't a surgeon with such a busy schedule but you make up for."
"Thanks, kid. That means a lot to me. You have no idea how scared I am of being a bad mother and screwing you up."
"I don't think that's possible. I couldn't ask for a better mom."
"I love you, Andy."
"I love you too, mom."
"I thought we were going to go to your place and open presents with Sofia, Julia, Dr. Torres and Dr. Robbins." Andy said to Mark. They were in the car and Andy had no idea where they were going.
"Well that was the plan but this is our first Christmas together and I want it to be one that you're going to remember."
"Okay good," Andy sighed deeply. "I wasn't that excited to see Dr. Torres anyways. She hates me." Andy mumbled.
" She doesn't hate you."
"Fine. She hates the idea of me." Andy corrected.
"She just has to warm up to you." Mark tried again.
"Sure." Andy said as she looked out of the window.
"So how's ummm….Andrew?" Mark asked
"Aiden is fine."
"Right Aiden," Mark mumbled. "So you're still dating?"
"Yeah. Did you think that thing you pulled would send him running for the hills?"
"Maybe." Mark said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"Pftt…unbelievable." Andy shook her head.
"Sorry. It's a dad thing." Mark shrugged as he turned off the car. Andy looked around anxiously trying to figure out what they were doing at a lake.
"What're we doing at a lake?" Andy asked confused.
"You ever been fishing?" Mark asked.
"Isn't that more of a father-son thing?" Andy arched her eyebrow.
"I don't have any sons if you hadn't noticed," Mark chuckled as he started getting out of the car. Andy followed suit and looked out at the lake. It was so beautiful. "Ready?" Mark asked as he came up behind Andy with the equipment. They started walking to the dock in silence until Andy interrupted the quietness.
"Have you ever done this with Sofia?" Andy asked.
"No. I've never even brought Sofia up here," Mark answered. "I have brought on person up here though."
"Oh. Who?" Andy asked disappointed.
"Your mom."
"Oh okay." Andy smiled. She was relieved that it had been her mother and not someone else. She was thrilled that she was making a memory with her dad that no one, except her mother had. "So this is kind of like our spot?"
"Yeah. I guess it is." Mark smiled as he sat down at the end of the dock and Andy did the same.
"I don't know what I'm doing." Andy laughed.
"Neither did your mother." Mark said slyly.
"Mom can't fish!" Andy laughed.
"No, she can't. She tried pretty hard though," Mark laughed at the memory. "I'll teach you the way my grandfather taught me." Mark said as he began setting up the equipment.
"Your grandfather?"
"Yep. My parents weren't exactly kid friendly," Mark told her. "They didn't really have time for me but I loved my nanny to pieces."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I guess I won't be meeting them." Andy sighed.
"Well they're both dead now but no you wouldn't have been meeting them anyways." Mark told her.
"I'd…I'd like to know more about you if that's alright." Andy said timidly.
"Of course it is. You're my daughter, Andy." Mark said as he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, causing Andy to smile at the progress that she and Mark were making.
"How's he doing today?" Lexie asked her step-mother as she walked into her father's house.
"He's a little weak," Danielle said honestly. "Lexie, I think…" Danielle trailed off as she rang her hands.
"You think he's going to die soon," Lexie said with a faraway look in her eyes. Lexie could see out the corner of her eyes that Danielle was nodding her head. "He had a good run." Lexie smiled as tears started to fill her eyes. She quickly wiped them away before going into the den where Thatcher was watching A Christmas Story.
"There's my girl." Thatcher said before he started to cough. Lexie waited until he was done to speak.
"Merry Christmas, dad." Lexie said as she hugged him before taking a seat next to him.
"How've you been doing? How's everybody? Andy?Meredith?" Thatcher asked,
"I've been doing alright. I'm seeing someone." Lexie blushed.
"How does Mark feel about that?" Thatcher asked.
"Dad?! What does Mark have to do with this?"
"Are you trying to tell me that there's nothing there?"
"Yeah dad. There's nothing there. He's practically married!"
"Oh…I just thought—"
"It's alright but no…we're just Andy's parents. That's it."
"Oh yes and how is Andria?"
"She's fine….she's seeing someone." Lexie chuckled.
"And Mark is allowing that?"
"Barely." Lexie snorted.
"I hope he gives him hell."
"Dad," Lexie groaned. "You weren't this hard on any of my boyfriends." Lexie pointed out.
"Remember when I'd always talk to your boyfriends in private when I first met them?"
"Yeah." Lexie nodded.
"I was showing them my gun."
"Dad!" Lexie laughed. "No wonder I could never keep a boyfriend for long." Lexie shook her head.
"I wish I could've gone in the backyard and thrown you a couple one last time." Thatcher said wistfully. Everybody was always so surprised at how good Lexie was at baseball. It was only because Thatcher was obsessed with the sport and passed on his love for it to Lexie.
"Dad…don't talk like that."
"I know you don't want to hear it, Lex but I've got maybe a month left in me. I'm surprised I lasted this long." He said truthfully.
"I love you, dad."
"I love you too and although I didn't want you to, I'm glad you moved back here."
"Me too." Lexie gave him a watery smile.
"Hey! We're here!" Mark announced as he and Andy walked into the condo. Although he and Julia had a bit of an argument the other night, they were still going to spend Christmas together.
"In here!" Julia's voice called from the kitchen.
"Hey!" Callie said as she came out of the kitchen. "Merry…Christmas." Callie trailed off as she caught sight of Andy.
"Merry Christmas," Mark said as he hugged Callie. Mark knew that Callie was still on the war path but he knew nothing he could say would change her mind; Calliope had to come around on her own. "I'm going to talk to Julia. Are you alright here?" Mark asked turning to look at Andy.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Andy smiled before Mark looked at Callie sternly and went in the kitchen to talk to Julia.
"Merry Christmas, Dr. Torres," Andy said politely. "Where's Sof?"
"Merry Christmas to you too," Callie said stiffly. "Sofia will be here soon."
"Wow! Look at all these presents and the tree is so beautiful." Andy beamed as she walked over to the tree.
"We would've opened gift sooner but we were waiting on you and Mark." Callie said snidely.
"Why do you hate me so much?" Andy asked as she turned around to face Callie.
"Excuse you?"
"Or do you just hate my mom and therefore you hate me? I've never given you any reason to hate me and neither has my mom. I know I haven't been here very long but I love Sofia and Mark very much. They're my family too. I don't think it's right for you to treat me so cold just because you didn't like the relationship between my parents. So I want to know can you put this behind you and stop treating me and mom like utter crap?"
"I'm just trying to protect him." Callie said truthfully.
"From me? I'm his daughter!"
"Sloane was his daughter too and she walked out on him…left him heartbroken. You're mom walked out on him…left him heartbroken. How do I know you aren't going to do the same?"
"Because I wouldn't! I love him….did Sloane love him?"
"Didn't your mother? And she still left him! Like mother like daughter."
"She left because she was scared and she wasn't ready for the responsibility of being a step-mother so young. That doesn't mean she didn't love him." Andy said. She looked up when she saw Callie sigh heavily.
"It's not right of me to treat you so mean…you are just a kid after all. I'll lighten up on you because you seem to genuinely love my daughter and best friend." Callie softened.
"Thanks."
"You ramble like her."
"Huh?" Andy knitted her eyebrows in confusion.
"Your mother. She rambles a lot too."
"I guess it's a Grey thing, Dr. Torress." Andy chuckled.
"You can call me Callie."
"Okay….Callie." Andy smiled. She was happy that she was finally reaching someone who had so much influence in her dad's life and her sister's.
"Hey Andy!" Sofia said as she walked in with Arizona. She came up to her and hugged her before handing her a gift. "Merry Christmas, sis."
"Merry Christmas, Sof," Andy smiled. "Your gift is at my house but I told my mom to bring it to Aunt Mer's Christmas party."
"No problem," Sofia waved her off. "Dad! Julia! Hurry up! I want to start opening presents." Sofia whined.
"Alright, alright." Mark said as she and Julia joined everyone else in the living room. Sofia and Andy sat by the tree, handing out presents as Mark and Julia sat on the couch, while Callie and Arizona sat in chairs. Mark smiled as he watched his two girls rummage through the gifts. He knew he would always remember this moment. The first time Andy was a part of his Christmas.
"Three! Who is this hot piece of ass?" Cristina Yang said as Lexie and Josh walked in the door.
"Is she drunk?" Lexie laughed as she walked over to Meredith.
"Very." Meredith rolled her eyes as she shuffled Cristina away.
"Hey mom! Where's Sofia's gift?" Andy ran up to her mother.
"Hello to you too," Lexie said before she handed Andy the gift. "Did you have fun with your dad?"
"Yeah. It was really sweet. I'll tell you all about it when we get home." Andy said before she was about to go back to being with Kylie, Sofia, and Jennifer.
"Andy?" Lexie called her back.
"What?" Andy asked. She didn't get the hint until her mother jerked her head towards Josh. "Oh! Sorry. Hi, Josh. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas to you too, Andy." He said, handing her a gift.
"Oh! You got me something? I didn't get you anything!" Andy said apologetically.
"Don't sweat it." He said as he watched her open it.
"Thanks!" Andy smiled at him as she placed the gift card to her favorite clothing store in her back pocket. She gave her mom a kiss and went back from where she came.
"You didn't have to do that." Lexie told him as they moved into the living room.
"I know," He shrugged. "I wanted to."
"Trying to get in good with the kid, eh? I like it," Lexie laughed as they started dancing to the Christmas music.
"Do you mind if I cut in?" Derek asked.
"Not at all Dr. Shepherd." Josh said.
"How many times have I told you, you can call me Derek?"
"Alright," Josh said before stepping back and letting Derek dance with Lexie. "I'm going to go get something to eat." He said before leaving.
"Merry Christmas," Lexie told Derek. "What's up?"
"It's Mark. I'm worried about him."
"Soooo? Why're you telling me this? Shouldn't you be talking to Callie or Julia?"
"I just think you—"
"Mark isn't my concern anymore, Derek. Why everyone thinks he is, is beyond me."
"I can't talk to Julia because she's kind of the problem and well….Callie would just flip a lid. He's second guessing proposing to her."
"Okay…" Lexie didn't really know what she wanted him to do or say.
"He's denying it but I don't think he's in love with her anymore. Not like he used to be."
"They've been together so long. I think he still loves her. Why would he be with her if he wasn't in love with her?"
"You're right. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it."
"You are. I'm pretty sure you'll be the best man at his wedding soon," Lexie smiled. "Will you excuse me, Derek? I have to go to the bathroom."
Lexie walked down the hall and was happy to be out of the stuffy room. She was about to go into the bathroom but stopped when she bumped into the person who was coming out.
"Sorry," She looked up at the person. "Why is it always you I'm bumping into?" She laughed.
"I don't know. Merry Christmas by the way." He smiled.
"Merry Christmas to you too." She returned.
"I'm sorry I was being such an ass yesterday….I've been having problems with Julia." He said honestly. Lexie was going to ask why he was telling her all of this but she could smell the scotch on his breath.
"It's alright," She told him. "I'm sure you two will work things out." She said encouragingly.
"Thanks," He sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "I didn't know Meredith and Derek put mistletoe on the ceilings." Mark laughed.
"Me either." Lexie laughed nervously.
"Well come on. Let's just get it over with."
"Let's get what over with?"
"When two people stand under mistletoe, they're supposed to kiss."
"We really don't have to. It's just a stupid tradition anyways." Lexie said.
"Scared huh?"
"What would I possibly be scared of?" Lexie laughed.
"That you'll feel something."
"That is ridiculous." Lexie said forcefully.
"Prove it." Mark said huskily.
"You're drunk, Mark." Lexie rolled her eyes.
"On the contrary. I've just started drinking this."
"Why are you flirting with me and you have Julia?"
"I'm not flirting with you. I'm just all about tradition but of course you're just going to run away like you do—" Mark didn't get to finish his sentence because Lexie had placed her lips on his and was kissing him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped one hand around the small of her back, while he placed his glass of scotch on a nearby table. Neither one of them could deny that it was like no time had passed. It ended all too soon for Mark's liking. Lexie gasped as she backed away from him.
"That can't happen again." Lexie whispered. Mark looked down at her lips that were now slightly swollen and her hair had gotten a little mussed.
"Are you going to tell me you didn't feel anything? Because I sure did." Mark said honestly.
"I felt nothing." Lexie said as she looked everywhere but his direction.
"You and I both know that is a lie, Little Grey." He said as he came dangerously close to her face.
"I just did it to shut you up." Lexie said, finding her voice.
"Whatever you say, Lex." Mark said before kissing her on her forehead and walking away, back to the party.
"Holy shit. I kissed Mark Sloan." Lexie sighed as she slumped down the wall.