I feel like readers are slowly dropping off of this story. It is understandable since I can't update as often as I'd like. Anyway, my die-hards are still here and you guys mean the world to me. For you...ENJOY! : D

"Why won't you come to the hospital?" Meredith asked her younger sister who seemed to be ignoring her as she focused on the contents she was placing in Haley's go-bag. "Lexie!"

"What?" She snapped back to reality.

"The hospital?" Meredith said slowly. "I thought you were going to come and sit with Mark today."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I have stuff to do." Lexie continued rushing.

"What stuff?"

"Just...stuff!" She sighed, dropping the small bear she was holding in her hand. "Look, Mer, just...stop probing, okay? It's just not going to work today, alright? Just give it a rest."

Meredith just shook her head. "I don't get you."

"What's to get?"

"Mark is fighting for his life." Meredith's voice grew louder. She knew there was no getting through to Lexie. "He could be in his last moments and what are you doing? Making play dates and brushing it off like nothing has happened!"

"You think that I don't understand what's going on?" Lexie stood in disbelief. "I know perfectly well that this could be it...but if I am sitting there next to him while he...when he goes, I won't move on, Mer. I won't recover. A few years ago, that would have been fine and I could have afforded to be a mess and mourn my loss without a care. But now, I have someone that I have to hold it together for."

"Lexie..."

"No." She gained her composure. "I don't get to fall apart, because the second I do, Haley's lost me too."

"He's going to wake up."

"And I hope against hope that he does." She replied. "But I also have to be aware that there is a chance that he won't."

"Okay." Meredith sighed in forfeit. "Well, if you happen to find the time, I think it would be really great if you could stop by."

Meredith slowly exited the apartment as Lexie sunk down, taking a seat on the couch. She knew she was coming off like she didn't care, but she knew that she couldn't show herself caring too much. She didn't need Haley asking questions about why she was so sad.

"Mommy!" Lexie quickly pulled herself together.

"Yes, baby?" She answered.

"Is Daddy still on his trip?" She asked, brushing her brown curls out of her face.

"Yeah. I'm afraid he is."

"When's he gonna come home?" Haley added, holding up fourn fingers. "Do he knows he missed this many dinners?"

"He's just having his dinners somewhere else, baby."

She groaned.

"Hey." Lexie nudged her daughter. "You ready to go to your play group?"

"Can we watch Nemo, instead?" Haley looked at her with her big blue eyes, so clearly Mark's.

"Yeah." She melted easily, tossing the bag to the side. "Let's watch Nemo instead."

"I tried." Meredith spoke, more to the room than Mark. "She's just about lost all the hope that she has. She is staying so strong for Haley and I respect that. Believe me, as a mother, I do, but who is being strong for you?"

The machines just beeped in response.

"Mark, you gotta wake up. Just come back to her. My sister needs you, because...right now she's forgotten how to smile and it is no coincidence that those smiles were tied to you. So...if I get her in here then, I need you to open your eyes. Deal?"

"Did you like the movie, Hales?" Lexie asked, turning the tv off with the remote.

"Yep." She answered with heavy eyes. "Do you think Daddy will come back home like Nemo did?"

"I hope so, bug." She held her little girl tight. "You ready for bed?"

"The monsters are under my bed again."

"I'll go get rid of them, okay?"

"No." Haley protested. "Only Daddy knows how."

"Oh." Lexie responded.

"I wanna sleep in your bed." She pouted.

"Honey."

"Please."

"Okay." Lexie caved. "I could use the company."

Haley laid snug, fast asleep, right by Lexie's side in the enormous king size bed. Their bodies laid similar, showing more than just their physical resemblance. There was no denying that Haley was a miniature Lexie. Her mother, however, was wide awake. She couldn't help but feel like a huge piece of her was missing and she knew that was due to the fact that she had gone days without seeing her husband. She slowly moved, careful so as not to wake the sleeping child next to her and grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." She spoke barely above a whisper. "I hate to ask this, but can you come stay with Haley for the night? I wasnted to go be with Mark."

"Yeah. I'll be right over." Callie answered sleepily.

Within minutes, Callie had arrived from across the hall, greeted by Lexie who had thrown on a tshirt, jeans, and some sneakers.

"Thank you for doing this."

"Not a problem." Callie hugged her. "Tell him hi for me."

"Of course." She smiled. "Haley is out like a light. She is in our bed, she says monsters are under hers."

Callie giggled. "I'll crash on the couch."

"No, don't be silly." Lexie told her. "There is plenty of room in there next to her. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back first thing in the morning."

"Okay. Take your time."

Seattle Grace Mercy West looked as dead as she felt on the inside. Most of the people were gone. Visiting hours were over and other residents and interns had already headed home after their shifts. She walked into Mark's room and pulled the small cot in the corner over next to his bed. Kicking her shoes off, she crawled onto the makeshift bed and pulled his arm close so that she could hold it as she fell asleep.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier." She whispered. "But I'm here now and I'm gonn stay for a while."

The next morning...

Lexie slowly turned over, her eyes fluttering open to adjust to the new lighting. She looked around, taking in her surroundings. It took a split second for her to leap from her bed.

"Nurse? Nurse?!" She yelled at the girl walking by.

"It's Candace." She said, clearly annoyed.

"Okay. Candace, where's my husband?" She was panicked.

"Who's your husband?"

"Mark Sloan! Where is he?!" She grew more and more frantic.

"I'll call Dr. Shepherd. He'll explain." Candace walked away.

She knew this was it. He was gone and they had taken him to the morgue while she slept. She began to break down.

"Just tell me where he is?!" She yelled after Candace.

"Turn around, beautiful." She heard behind her in a voice that caused her breath to catch in her throat.

She turned to find Mark being pushed on a gurney by Derek and immediately she began to sob.

"Hey." He chuckled as he tried to console her. "Come here."

"I thought you were gone."

Derek pushed the gurney into the empty room and helped Mark back into his bed.

"When he woke, I took him down for a precautionary CT." Derek explained. "I was hoping to have him back in time to surprise you."

"I thought you had left me." She sniffled as she climbed in the bed next to him. "You wouldn't wake up."

"I'm sorry, baby." He held her close. "There's no way I was going to let you raise our little girl alone...or our little boy."

"What?"

"I heard you." Mark told her. "When you were talking to me. You said that we hadn't had the chance to meet our son and you were right. We have so much stuff they we haven't gotten to yet."

"You can't ever do that to me again, okay?" Lexie laid her head on his shoulder. "I won't allow it."

"Got it." He smirked as he held her. "I'm not going anywhere."

This chapter rolled out alot easier than I had anticipated. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for all the support and I hope to have the next chapter up soon! XOXO