Wrapped Up In You

Chapter 2: A Night to Remember/Forget

Lexie plopped herself down at one of the barstools, and shot Joe a declarative look. "Joe, the usual. Now."

"Rough night?" Joe questioned.

Lexie let out a prolonged sigh, and began to slowly shake her head. "Rough year."

"What's going on?"

"I just need to drink. Tonight, drinks. Then tomorrow I can resume my crappy life." She stated, full of disappointment from the day's events.

Many drinks later, many many drinks later, the truth began to pour out from Lexie's mouth like a waterfall. "Y-you know, you know what Joe? S-surgeons are assholes. Especially the ones s-specializing in Plastics. It doesn't-t get any worse than an arrogant Plastic Surgeon, y-you know." Lexie slurred out.

Joe knew she overdid herself tonight, and any more would result in a killer hangover that would be very inappropriate for work the next day. "Okay, Lex, I think you're done for alcohol tonight. How about we get some water in you--?" As Joe was filling up a glass of water in hopes to sober her up, she was gone. She disappeared in just a matter of mere moments, and Joe decided that she must've finally come to her senses and had gotten a cab.

However, Lexie didn't go home. While at the bar, the alcohol in her prompted her to scope out her next victim. She found something even better: Mark Sloan. Even though he treated her terribly earlier that day, the shots in her allowed her to get past that and confidently act on her attraction towards him. So, she flipped her hair back behind her ears, and downed the remaining liquid in her glass before strutting her way over to the table he was at. She knew she was interrupting his conversation with the slutty woman he was hitting on, but in that moment, she didn't care one bit. All she knew was that she wanted him, and didn't want to wait even one second longer.

Mark grinned slightly when Lexie reached his table, taking in how she reeked of alcohol and how she was persistently stumbling on her walk over. "Hey, I'm sorry, um... Ashley. I, uh, have to take care of something. So I'm gonna need you to give me and my drunk friend here some privacy, thanks."

He knew blowing her off wasn't exactly very kind of him, but his Little Grey was in trouble and the last thing he needed was her to suffer as a result of all the horny men in the bar.

"Hey, Mark!" Lexie squeaked in his direction.

Mark cleared his throat and resisted the urge of acting on what he so desperately wanted. He wanted her, but not like this. He doesn't play by taking advantage of heavily intoxicated women. Well, with Lexie, at least. "...Little Grey. Looks like you've had quite some fun tonight."

"Well, you can never go wrong with shots of tequila." Lexie flirtatiously said as she batted her eyelashes.

"Ha, of course not."

"I have a question for you, you know. A deep, burning question that has me upset all day long. Why don't you like me? I mean, you shoot me eye sex gazes all day long, but when I try to talk to you, you act as if you couldn't be less interested in talking to me. So why, Mark?" Fortunately for Lexie, being drunk gave her the ability to summer up the courage to freely speak her mind, without having to face the expected humiliation if the situation turned sour.

"Oh, Lex. I like you, it's just you, you don't want this. Trust me." Mark gently told her.

"You don't know what I want. Have you ever thought that maybe this, this complicated, confusing, big mess of a situation, is exactly what I want?" Lexie boldly declared.

She couldn't tell, but Mark's heart seemed to stop for a second when she told him exactly the thing he's wanted to hear for as long as he could remember. However, being as drunk as she is, he wouldn't do anything stupid to mess things up, even if it isn't true. He respected her too much for that. "Listen Lex, let's get out of here. You're drunk out of your mind, and you don't know what you're saying. C'mon, I'll take you home"

Lexie looked up into his perfect blue eyes, and as much as she didn't want to go home, she didn't suspect he would take no for an answer. "Only if you give me a second chance tomorrow as your intern."

Ouch. Hearing her remind him of exactly what she is to him, his intern, stung. It reminded him of everything he had to lose and what could happen if things didn't work out, but wierdly, he wasn't totally discouraged. He almost saw the whole situation like surgery, a challenge that has to be solved. And Mark believed he wanted it bad enough that they could make it work. "Fine, Lexie. Let's go." He reasoned with her.

He scooped up her tiny frame up in his muscular arms, and positioned her head to rest against his shoulder, carrying her back to his car. She was safe with him. She always would be.
_____

Once he finally laid her down in the passenger seat, he made his way back over to the driver's side of the car and glanced over at her. She looked so peaceful, being on the verge of sleep. "Where am I going, Lexie?" Mark prompted her.

Silence.

"Lexie? C'mon, I know you're tired, and you can sleep once you get home, but I need you to tell me where that is first, okay? Please, Lex." Mark begged. He didn't like having her in his car with no destination. He was scared something could happen to her, and all he wanted was for her to be safe and sound in her home.

"You know something, Mark? I don't sleep at home. I haven't been able to in a long time, actually. I mean I lie in bed, but all the lights are on in my room and my eyes are awake. I don't sleep at home. So you're wrong." Lexie murmured.

Mark's face became cut with lines of worry, and he looked at her with a serious expression this time. "Why not, Lex? You need your sleep. You're an intern, how do you even go without sleep? Not possible." Mark pushed her.

"..Thatcher... He, he, I can't sleep. Not with him around. I just can't." Lexie whispered, just so quietly that Mark barely even caught the words himself.

He suddenly slammed on the brakes, and did a u-turn.

Lexie was jolted up from her almost-sleep with the sudden movements. "Mark, where the hell are we going?"

Mark was pissed. No one hurts his Little Grey, so he wouldn't allow it. Not anymore. "Well, I'm not bringing you home just so you stay wide awake and in fear. I'm not bringing you home to him, Lex."

"So what's your big plan here, Mark? Kidnap me, and whisk me away to some unknown location in God knows where?"

"Calm down, Little Grey. Tonight, you can sleep in my room at the Archfield. Don't worry about it, because it's not a big deal. I'll take the couch, and then we can work on finding a more long-term solution tomorrow." Mark offered.

The thought of sleeping in Mark's bed absolutely terrified her, and as much as she wanted it, she couldn't. It wasn't fair to him. "Just take me home, Mark. I'm not comfortable with just barging in and imposing on your life like this. So please, just take me home."

Mark's voice was stern and clear. "No. I'm not letting him do this to you. Not if I have anything to do about it."

"Mark, I can't..." Lexie pleaded.

"You can, Lexie. And you will. You need this. Don't worry, okay? Just trust me." Mark desperately hoped that she would allow him to do this, allow him to take care of her. She deserved so much better than Thatcher's constant drunken state, and he was determined to help her in any way he can.

Lexie just barely managed to hold back her tears; she was safe now. Everything was going to be okay. "Okay, Mark. Let's go. Thank you. Really."