We all know that Lexie has a lot to deal with, but how does Mark feel about almost losing her?
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Mark was going towards the noise they were hearing, together with Meredith and Cristina.
He knew it would be bad either way, because it was either Derek, the only family he has ever had, or Lexie, the one thing in this world he loved more than anything.
As they got closer, they first saw one wing of the plane that had ripped off, then a hand that was hitting the metal with the seatbelt. Lexie.
He froze for a second when he saw her. She was lying underneath the wing, being actively crushed by tons of metal as he stood there and couldn't move.
Mark hurried over to her and swiftly scooted to the ground. He checked her pulse and tried talking to her.
"Lexie?"
She forced a smile. "I knew you'd show up."
"How're you doing in there?" he asked her, his breath shaky.
"Great," she lied.
Their eyes met, and the expression in hers caused a sharp pain in his heart.
"I-I'm gonna get you out of there. Okay?" he promised her, not knowing if he'd even be able to keep it.
She nodded hesitantly.
Mark turned around and saw the two women standing behind him. "She's tyachocardic and short of breath." he informed them, frightened. He was so afraid that he wouldn't be able to save her.
"We're gonna get some medical supplies from the plane. We'll be right back." Cristina decided. But Meredith wouldn't move. She just stared at her sister.
"Mer," her best friend tried, "come on. In order to help her, we need to get some stuff. It'll take five minutes. And Mark's there, so..."
But after that, he blended out their voices. He only heard them leaving a few seconds later.
He was too focused on Lexie.
"M-Mark..." she whimpered. She was weak.
"Yeah?"
"I-I'm scared." she admitted, breaking into tears.
He grabbed her hand with both of his and squeezed it tightly. "It's alright. I'm gonna save you."
He wished so hard that he could've promised her that. But the truth was, he was just as scared as she was.
"I don't wanna die. I-I'm not ready." she cried.
It was unbearable. He loved her so much that he'd give her the world if he could, yet right now he was powerless. He would trade places with her in a heartbeat.
He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and let his hand rest on her cheek.
There was dried blood on the corner of her mouth. She had probably been coughing up blood, which most likely indicated a hemothorax. And even if Meredith and Cristina got back soon enough, they wouldn't be able to do anything while she was lying under the damn plane.
"I love you," he told her, fearing that it might be too late if he didn't tell her now. It probably was anyway. If he had told her two days ago, when she had told him how much she loved him, then he could've prevented all of this.
"Y-You don't have to say it just because I said it..." she coughed. She looked like she couldn't breathe. Her lungs were filling up with blood.
"I do. I love you. I've always been in love with you, and I will always be in love with you."
He felt his tears running down his chin. He couldn't lose her. They needed more time. Why did they waste years pretending not to love each other and telling themselves that they just don't work, if really all that mattered was that they loved each other?
Mark regretted all the things he never said. He thought about how he'd never get a chance to kiss her soft lips again; he'd never hold her petite body in his arms again; he'd never get to marry her; and they'd never have children.
He wanted her. He needed her.
But it was too late. Because she was gone. And he wasn't able to save her.
Mark stroked her hair, remembering that she once told him that she wants someone to comfort her in that way when she's hurt. He kept telling her that he loved her, over and over again, not caring that she couldn't hear him anymore.
He looked at her dead body in front of him, and it broke him more than anything. She was getting cold, and her pulse wasn't there anymore. Lexie was dead.Mark woke up with a twitch. His heartbeat rose to 160, and his breathing was fast. He felt sweat pearls forming on his forehead and slowly dripping down his back.
He looked at Lexie, who had previously been peacefully sleeping next to him. But he had woken her up with the sudden movement.
She stroked his shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" she asked in a quiet voice, still half asleep.
He put one arm around her and pulled her closer, having to assure himself that she was actually real. That she was alive.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." he told her. He didn't want to bother her with his fears and nightmares as well. She had more than enough trauma herself to deal with.
"You dreamt about the crash." she figured. How did she always read him so well?
He sighed. She took that as a confirmation.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
He considered it for a moment. But there was no use in telling her that he kept having the same nightmare over and over again: that she died. There was always something slightly different about it, but the outcome was always the same: he wasn't able to save her.
"No," he replied, "just come here."
He needed to hold her.
She moved closer to him, lying her head down on his chest, while he started stroking her locks.
He had actually adapted that from her. He liked it too when she stroked his hair when he was hurt, and it also gave him comfort to stroke hers.
"I love you," Mark told her, kissing the top of her head.
She was still there. He saved her. He would tell her every day how much she meant to him. And he could still kiss her; he was holding her in his embrace like it was the safest place in the world, and they would get married soon and then have children. They had a future.
YOU ARE READING
What if We Don't Die?
FanfictionWhat if one more helping hand in the right moment could change everything? What if they were found earlier? What if Mark and Lexie survive the plane crash?