GA Fic: A Bonding Moment (M/C)
Title: A Bonding Moment
Author: hazel170
Characters: Meredith/Christina, Lexie
Disclaimer: Really not mine in any way whatsoever.
Summary: Lexie and Meredith experience an unexpected bonding moment in the aftermath of Crash Into Me.
posted to greysgirlslash
Lexie Grey is sitting on the couch sipping from a cup that recently contained tequila (the tequila has been exchanged for water). She is trying without much success to figure out how she got here. This morning she went to work and was assigned to baby sit the world’s greatest patient, then somehow the events of the day had lead her to dancing in the living room of her estranged half sisters house with said sister and her friends.
It was odd to think that this may have been the worst day of her life. Lexie has never really known how you could tell which days would stand out amidst the other thousands in a lifetime. She is a great rationalizer, always thinking, ‘I’m exaggerating,’ or ‘I probably won’t even remember this a year from now.’ But upon reviewing the events of the day she finds herself experiencing a certain clarity,
‘It is not often that we truly feel helpless. The moments that we lose control, the moments when we aren’t good enough; they are usually rare. Surgeons work their entire lives to avoid being helpless in the face of death. But maybe we need these moments. They exist to open us up. To shake up our lives. To makes us take that next necessary step forward. Sometimes it is only when we feel helpless that we are able to find out what we are truly made of.’
Her thoughts went on like this for a while leaving her idly wondering if anyone else ever summed up their experiences with pseudo insightful ramblings.
When it came down to it, if her day had not been so truly awful, she would not have gained Dr. Yang’s respect. If she had not gained Yang’s respect she would not have been invited to Meredith’s house to drink and dance and try to forget (something that appeared to be a Grey specialty). Most importantly, if she had not been invited she would not have had this opportunity to observe her sister away from work for the first time.
Meredith is on the other end of the couch with Christina Yang asleep between them, her head in Meredith’s lap. George had gone to bed an hour ago and Izzie is dozing in an overstuffed armchair across the room. Lexie is still a little astonished that the residents all seemed to live together. Even Alex, whom she didn’t really want to see, lives here. As far as she knows she is the only intern so far who has been allowed inside the inner sanctum, first with Alex, then with Christina. Away from work she has discovered she really likes all of them, even Christina whom the other interns call ‘The Evil Dictator.’
She takes another sip of her water, hoping it will speed her sobering process so that she can drive home. The commiserating is done and she should be getting into bed. Inadvertently she feels her eyes drift to Meredith who hasn’t said anything yet to persuade Lexie to leave. Meredith dangles a beer between the fingers of her left hand, the only one still drinking. She is looking straight ahead, but her eyes are unfocused. She is thinking about something, but Lexie know she isn’t going to share those thoughts with her half sister. Her right hand is playing with Christina’s hair, stroking and twisting the long black strands. Lexie gets caught up watching her fingers disappear and reappear as they move.
Christina groans and turned a little in her sleep, causing both Greys to snap out of their trances. Lexie starts and sits up a little straighter while Meredith looks down at Christina and gives her a smile that betrays a deep affection that Lexie hasn’t really noticed before.
Ever so gently, Meredith eases her lap out from under Christina’s head. She rises from the couch and stretches placing her beer bottle on one of Izzie’s many coasters.
Quietly she says, “Lexie, will you help me move her?”
“Sure” says Lexie, her hasty reply betraying her desire to ingratiate herself with Meredith through any means possible.
“I’ll take her arms you take her legs,” Meredith instructs, “Don’t worry, she sleeps like the dead.”
They both wince at that, after so much death today it was hard not to associate that phrase with the men they had failed to save.
Together they negotiate the stairs, hauling Christina to one of the white unmarked doors, which turns out to be Meredith’s room. They place her onto the bed and Meredith fusses with the covers tucking her in. As she does a look of understanding steals across Lexie’s face. She can’t for the life of her imagine Meredith tucking Dr. Shepherd in the same way.
Meredith straightens up and leads Lexie out of the room. She stops at the hall closet to pull out two blankets, and then continues down the stairs. They go back to the living room and Meredith spreads one of the blankets over Izzie in her chair. She puts the other on the couch.
“I hope you’ll be okay on the couch tonight.” Meredith says, breaking the silence.
Lexie’s eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, “I can stay?”
Meredith rolls her eyes and says, “Lexie you and I both know you are in no condition to drive.”
“I know,” Lexie admits, “I guess I’m still surprised you let me stay in the first place when Dr. Yang brought me in.”
Meredith sighs, “If it had been anyone else I probably wouldn’t have.”
“Yeah, I caught that,” Lexie says with a small smile, “You’re in love with her.”
Meredith grabs her arm saying, “Don’t tell her. Seriously Lexie, I don’t want her to know.”
Lexie smiles because this is the first secret her sister has ever told her to keep. She has gained some of Meredith’s trust, and she will never, ever, betray that.
“I won’t,” she says with utmost sincerity.
They look at each other, and Lexie feels for the first time Meredith’s gaze without some traces of hostility. It is a beginning, and that is all Lexie wants. Meredith lets go of her hand and heads towards the stairs. Before she reaches them she hears Lexie call her name.
“Yes Lexie?” she says, in that same exasperated tone she usually uses, only without the undertones of deep-seated loathing.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure Dr. Yang will figure out why it’s your bed she always ends up in…. eventually.”
Meredith smiles, “Good night Lexie.”