Today was the day everyone was waiting for. Not a day everyone wanted to have, not a day people wanted to come, but more a day people just wanted to get over with. This one Monday was the day Lexie Grey would be buried with last goodbyes from friends and family.
Mark Sloan stood at the back of the church, away from everyone else. He couldn't bring himself to talk to her family, but he couldn't look at her pale, beautiful body lying still in the coffin. So he stood by himself, waiting for the ceremony to start.
3:00 came around, so Mark went and got a seat. As he entered the room, Derek came walking up to him.
"Mark, I'm... is there anytthing I can do?" Derek's left arm was in a sling, but he reached out with his right hand to pat Mark on the back. Mark flinched away from his touch, and pushed by him. He went to sit on the opposite side of the room, away from all the doctors he knew.
The funeral started soon after. It was a nice, traditional ceremony, going a little over the top at times. The way Mark knew Lexie would've wanted. He didn't pay much attention to everything, but once the speeches started, Mark finally looked up from his lap. He hadn't been crying, but he didn't want to see everyone's sorrowful faces. Listening to friends and family talking now, each speaking about different memories they'd had with Lexie, his own memories of them started flashing through his mind. The first nigh they'd gotten together, her words 'teach me' making him smile slightly. All those days they'd been happy back before Sloan Riley had arrived... when she'd broke his - ... when they'd reunited after a break up... and when just a couple weeks ago she had told him she still loved him. All the good memories he wanted to remember forever.
"Is there anyone else who'd like to say something?" The Minister asked the crowd.
Mark looked around, waiting to see if anyone else would go up and talk. So far, Lexie's dad, Thatcher had spoken, as well as her sister Molly. Derek had said a few things, as well as Meredith, who had actually had to be escorted away when she'd broken down in tears.
Should he say something?
Of course he wanted to, of course he should. Standing up, all eyes now on him, Mark spoke. "I'd, um... I'd like to say something."
Walking slowly up to the podium, he started thinking through what he would say.
"Hello. I'm Mark Sloan, and I'm, well, I knew Lexie well. We first met when she started her internship at Seattle Grace, and from there we became friends, great friends, more than friends. And soon she became the best thing in my life. Our relationship was off and on, but all those times we were together could only be described as great. Great. Great. That's how I would describe Lexie. Great, amazing, beautiful, smart, funny... she lit up the world, but could calm people down in an instance. Even though she went crazy at times, I still loved her..." Mark paused, looking around at everyone. "I have always loved her, from the beginning, when we weren't together, when we were together, until the end. She is the love of my life and that will never change. Goodbye Lexie."
The longer he spoke, the softer his voice got, but he didn't cry.
Instead of going back to his seat, Mark walked away from the podium and straight outside. A few people made a move to stop him, comfort him, as he passed, but he kept going, not looking at anyone. Mark found a tree beside the church, so he decided to sit under that until the funeral was over.
What felt like hours later, people eventually started filling out the doors. The tree Mark was under was hidden from sight, so no one came toward him.
"Mark."
Startled, Mark looked up at the sound of his name. Thatcher stood above him.
"That was, um... that was a nice speech. She would've liked that, Lexie. It was good of you." All Mark could do was nod. Seeing that nothing was going to come from the young man, Thatcher continued. "You know, you'd think I'd be used to death by now. I was married to a surgeon, I spent half my adult life in a hospital. But she died. Then my second wife died from the hiccups. Two of my daughters became surgeons, but now one's gone. And death hasn't gotten easier. If anything, it's gotten harder.
"But hearing you speak of her t... like that somehow made it better, because I know she at least had love here. I never got to meet you much, but... but when Lexie spoke, you were half the things she said."
Tears started falling from Mark's eyes.
"We weren't together when it... when it happened. I hurt her. I hurt her many times." Mark said.
"But she loved you, and you loved her."
"I love her... I love... her..." Everything came crashing down on Mark at once, all the emotions and stress from the past few days. Tears streamed down his face, falling to the ground under him. His sobs were quiet, but continuous. All Thatcher could do was stand over him, and wait for the sorrow to wash away from Mark. No matter how long it took, he would be there for his daughter's love, and they would get through it together.
