The Future of Us: A Slexie Story

Part 12

I'm dead a a rock by the end of the day, but I have a surgery at 9am tomorrow that I have to scrub in on with Meredith, Derek and Lexie.
I wander into the nearest on call room to find a small, curled up figure on the bed I was about to fall onto.
The person there has chestnut coloured hair, pale skin, and black rings around her eyes.
'It's Lexie. What was she doing in here crying? I heard her epic blowout with Meredith today in the cafeteria, but I didn't to now it would have such an affect on her. I sit by her, and stroke her hair, gently brushing it out of her face.
She lifts her head and looks around.
"Mark? Is that you?" Lexie says quietly.
"Yeah. I was going to get some sleep before the surgery tomorrow on Ms Mills, to finish the skin graft and make sure Derek's sutures aren't going to cause any scaring. Meredith will be there-" I get cut short.
"Don't ever mention that awful persons name again, okay? At least not in the next month. Refer to that person as Dr Grey, otherwise I won't talk to you until you apologize."
"Of course, Lexie. So Dr Grey and her husband will be there, but would you want to scrub in with me and help with the sutures and skin graft?" I offer. She nods her head.
"Great. I'd say get some sleep, but we can go practice in the skills lab, so you're prepped for the skin graft. Based on if I'm impressed in the skills lab, you can place the skin yourself and help dress it so it won't get infected."
"That would be an honor, Mark. We just have to make sure that you don't show favouritism for me over the other interns, otherwise they might get suspicious, and we also have to make sure that I don't stand next to Dr Grey, otherwise with a scalpel, I don't know what I would do."
"I think we can make that happen, you not standing next to her. Shall we go prep?"  I ask.
Lexis nods and we stand up and go to the skills lab. 
I coach her on all of the things she will need to know for the surgery.  Before I know it, the clock says it's time to prep the patient, and scrub in for the surgery.
"You ready, Lexie?"  I ask while starting to clean up the skills lab.
"Uh, I guess so."  She replies.
"Nervous?"
"Yeah. Not to mention on my second day here, I get to assist on an advanced procedure." 
"True, but now you'll be ahead of the rest of the interns."  I say. 
"Oh, that's right!" Lexie says as we walk into the scrub room. 
The patient is already in there, and the anesthesiologist is putting her under.