Running in Circles - Lexie Grey x OC

You Are Already There

Saturday Morning
Dexter Avenue — Eric and Lexie's Townhouse

Rain continued to fall over Seattle.

It had softened sometime during the night, settling into a steady whisper against the windows overlooking Elliott Bay.

The bedroom remained dim.

Gray morning light gathered beyond the curtains, barely reaching across the floorboards.

Eric woke slowly.

Not all at once.

First came the awareness that his throat still hurt.

Then the pressure behind his eyes.

Then the uncomfortable heaviness that remained in his arms and legs, as though his body had spent the night arguing with itself and had not yet decided who had won.

He stayed still.

For several seconds, he wasn't entirely certain what had woken him.

Then he realized his right hand was moving.

Searching.

His fingers slid across the sheet beside him.

They found warmth almost immediately.

Lexie was curled on her side, facing him, one hand tucked beneath her cheek. Her hair had spread across the pillow during the night, several strands falling over her face.

Eric's palm settled against her waist.

The movement stopped.

So did something inside him.

He released a quiet breath.

Lexie was there.

His eyes closed again.

He had nearly fallen back asleep when she shifted beneath his hand.

"Mmm."

Eric remained still.

Lexie's eyes opened gradually.

She blinked at him.

Then at his hand resting against her.

Then back at him.

"Hi."

"Good morning."

Her expression sharpened almost immediately.

Before Eric could react, the back of her hand landed against his forehead.

He closed his eyes.

"I see we've abandoned greetings."

"Temperature first."

"I distinctly remember saying good morning."

"And I said hi."

"That hardly seems equivalent."

"It counts."

Lexie kept her hand against his forehead.

Eric waited.

She frowned slightly.

"You're still warm."

"I'm beneath a comforter."

"You were warm yesterday too."

"The comforter was also present yesterday."

"That is not how fevers work."

"I'm aware."

"Are you?"