If/Then (Grey's Anatomy)

If Lexie and Mark broke up, then Jackson and Lexie dated?

Lexie saw Mark and Callie hanging out more and more often. Today was different because they seemed to have some tension between them. She deeply missed Mark and Jackson was sweet to her. He didn't have a secret child that he suddenly wanted to care for and wanted her to become a stepmother. She was far too young to do that. She was barely living life.

During the past couple of months, she was dating Jackson Avery. The infamous grandson of Harper Avery was dating Grey. Lexie Grey that is. Everyone coveted the relationship except Meredith and Derek. They were happily married by post-it note and raising Zola together blissfully. She enjoyed being an aunt to Zola.

She and Jackson met in the supply closet. Nearly tearing clothes off each other and kissing fervently. He noticed she was slightly distracted and stopped. He asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about a past case." She said semi-truthfully. A past case that she worked on with Mark Sloan. The man who broke her heart and yet she still loved him.

They continued to make out until both got paged. Jackson got paged to Mark and Lexie was paged to Cristina. Lexie's face scrunched up in confusion because she was supposed to be at Derek's service today. Why the change?

Cristina overheard Callie and Mark talk about Lexie. She didn't want Lexie to be unprepared. She had April go with Derek for the day in exchange for Cristina would promise Derek to not interfere in his teaching Lexie neurosurgery. April was promising for a cardiovascular surgeon, but all interns had to take turns with other specialties. Lexie arrived and Cristina smiled.

"Hey Lexie," Cristina said. "Today we have a good case. An open-heart surgery but with no anesthesia."

"Wow. Hi Cristina. So open heart with only local anesthetic?" Lexie said cheerfully as Cristina closed the door.

"Callie wants to talk to you. About their child but how Mark wants to be with you." Cristina said.

"Look I am with Jackson. Mark should commit himself to Callie and their unborn child. It is the right thing to do." Lexie stressed. She did not want to become a step mother before the age of 30. "Is this the open-heart surgery? Our conversation about Mark and his inability to not procreate for one damn moment!?"

"I understand the whole not wanting no kids. For me I don't want them at all. I adore Zola because she isn't mine and at the end of the day, I am not her parent. Mere and Derek are her parents. However, Mark seemed serious about ensuring that you are not going to be a stepmother. She even suggested only if you want but Mark and Callie will only co-parent." Cristina said. "The right thing to do is get back with Mark and make it work. You are stringing Jackson along while in love with another man. Maybe you might come to terms that Jackson might be the one for you, but it is clear as day that Mark loves you and you love Mark. You might come to love Mark's spawn. Hear them out."

Lexie left the room immediately after Cristina said that speech that shook her down to the core. Cristina is right because she never got over Mark. She lied to herself, and she still loved Mark so passionately. She dreamt of him in her sleep. He would come back to her, and all would be forgiven. As she was walking, she ran into Jackson. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the supply closet. He noticed that she was in tears.

"What's wrong?" Jackson asked. He was worried. "Is everything okay? I saw you were pulled into Cristina's service, and she's known to be brutal."

"No everything is fine." She said as she tried to gather courage and wipe away the fallen tears. "I am so sorry Jackson. I must call our thing off. I –"

"I should apologize. I knew what I was getting into. Especially the whole situation." Jackson said. "I wanted to help you heal and it has been ever so clear you didn't heal. Or rather get over him and it is understandable. My mom caught him just now and told him to pursue you."

"Oh." She sighed in relief. "I shouldn't have strung you along. I hurt you when I was hurting."

"I don't mind honestly. I knew you were in pain, and I feel that I took advantage of your pain and such." Jackson said. "I think if you two got together again, he would be much nicer. He was nicer with everyone when he was with you."

"Oh geez." Lexie laughed. "I don't know. I can see what happens after the talk with them. I don't want to become a stepmother before I'm 30. Does that make me evil?"

"No." Jackson laughed. "I can't see you as an evil stepmother."

'Thank you." Lexie smiled. "I appreciate the thought."

"My pleasure." He said. "We can still be friends you know. Just no benefits if you are screwing my boss."

"Of course," Lexie said.

She left the supply closet feeling better. She breathed a bit easier knowing that Jackson wasn't entirely hurt. The way she felt about Jackson was more like a friend than a romantic interest. The sex was good but spending time with each other in between moments of peace and chaos of being interns at Seattle Grace. She couldn't handle hanging out with April. She tried once but April always talked about her boyfriend, Matthew, all the time. Lexie wanted to talk about medicine and if not medicine just anything. Jackson offered to talk about anything and everything under the sun.

Lexie saw Callie walking towards Lexie, grabbing her and pulling her into an empty patient room and closing the door. Callie turned to Lexie and said, "I am sure you might have heard the news that Mark and I are having a kid. I just –"

Lexie stopped her. "Mark should be the one talking to me. However, I am willing to give it a try. If we schedule once the baby is born he can still be a dad and I'm not involved as much. I'll only change diapers in emergency cases, but I don't want to become a stepmother yet."

Callie smiled and hugged Lexie tightly. "Thank you, Lexie. Don't worry I only want to co-parent with Mark, but we will ensure everyone is on the same page."

Callie let Lexie go and left the room. Callie was excited and happy for Mark. Mark and Lexie were practically soul mates like Meredith and Derek. Everyone knew that. Lexie took a deep breath and left the room. She walked down the hall and her eyes met Mark. Mark had been trying to find Lexie in between cases to talk to her himself. Callie brushed past him with a smile. That was a good sign. Lexie walked up to Mark.

"Tonight, meet me at Mere's house," Lexie said. "Have Callie come along."