Gray's anatomy reverse

A couple of weeks later, things started to feel a little more normal for everyone. Mark had been staying home with Lexie as she continued to recover, but it was time for him to go back to work. Lexie had made more progress in her recovery than they’d anticipated—her leg, while still healing, had improved enough that she could get around without crutches for short distances, though she still wore a boot for stability.

Mark was nervous about leaving her, but Lexie had been adamant.

“I’m fine, Mark,” she’d insisted that morning, her arms crossed as she leaned against the kitchen counter. “You’ve been hovering for weeks. You need to get back to work before you drive both of us insane.”

He looked at her skeptically, still holding his coffee mug mid-air. “Lex, you’re still healing. What if you overdo it and I’m not there to help?”

Lexie rolled her eyes but smiled. “I’ve survived this long, haven’t I? I can handle being on my own for a day. Besides, Meredith is going back today, too, and you’re not hovering over her.”

“That’s because she has Derek,” Mark replied, setting his mug down and walking over to her. “You don’t have anyone—”

Lexie raised an eyebrow, cutting him off. “Oh, so I don’t have anyone? What are you, then? A figment of my imagination?”

Mark chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You know what I mean. I just worry.”

“I know,” Lexie softened, resting her hands on his chest. “But you’ve got to let me do this. I can’t sit around the house forever, and you need to get back to your life, too. We’re both doctors, Mark. It’s what we do.”

He sighed, reluctantly nodding. “Fine. But you take it easy today, alright? I’ll call to check on you.”

“Mark,” Lexie said, exasperated, though there was affection in her voice. “I’ll be fine. And I’ll be at the hospital too. I’m not working yet, just paperwork and catching up, but I’ll be around. If anything happens, I’ll be right there.”

Mark shook his head but gave her a smile. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah, but you love me,” she teased, leaning up to kiss him quickly before pulling away. “Now, go get ready. You’re going to be late.”

At Seattle Grace, the atmosphere was a mixture of tense and relieved. Many of the doctors who had been involved in the crash were back at work, though some of the wounds were still fresh. Cristina had already been back for a while, burying herself in surgeries as a way to cope, but today, the rest of the team was trickling back in.

Meredith walked into the hospital with Derek, her stomach in knots despite the brave face she’d put on that morning. It felt strange being back after everything, but work was a distraction, and she needed that. As they walked through the familiar halls, she spotted Cristina already in scrubs, pouring over a patient’s chart.

“You’re early,” Meredith said as she approached, slipping into doctor mode almost instantly.

Cristina didn’t look up from the chart, her tone sharp but not unkind. “Surgery waits for no one, Mer.”

Meredith smirked. “Good to see you too.”

Cristina finally looked up, giving her a brief but genuine smile. “Welcome back. Don’t get too comfortable. I’ve got my eye on a solo surgery later, and I’m not sharing.”

Meredith raised an eyebrow, but her smile widened. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Meanwhile, Mark made his way through the halls toward the nurses’ station, trying to shake off the sense of unease that had settled in his chest. It wasn’t just about Lexie—though he’d been thinking about her all morning—it was about being back. He hadn’t realized how much the crash had affected him until he stepped back into the hospital, the weight of everything they’d been through hitting him all at once.

“Dr. Sloan,” a familiar voice called from behind him.

Mark turned to see Callie walking toward him, her expression a mixture of relief and concern. “You’re back.”

He nodded, giving her a tight smile. “Yeah. Feels... weird, though.”

Callie nodded in understanding. “I know. It’s been strange for all of us. Arizona and I are still getting used to things. But it’s good to see you. How’s Lexie?”

“She’s doing okay,” Mark replied, his voice softening as he spoke about her. “Still healing, but stubborn as ever. She practically shoved me out the door this morning.”

Callie laughed, though there was sympathy in her eyes. “That sounds like her. I’m glad she’s doing better. It’s going to take time, but you both went through a lot.”

Mark nodded, glancing down the hallway. “Yeah. But we’ll get through it.”

Later in the day, Mark found himself sitting in the break room, sipping a coffee while flipping through patient files. He was distracted, his thoughts constantly drifting back to Lexie, even though he knew she was fine. Still, the nagging worry wouldn’t leave him alone.

Meredith walked in, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge before sitting across from him. “You look like you’re somewhere else,” she noted, taking a sip.

Mark sighed, setting the file down. “I’m just... I don’t know, it’s weird being back. And I keep thinking about Lexie. I know she’s okay, but—”

“But you’re still scared,” Meredith finished for him, her voice soft but understanding.

Mark nodded, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah. She’s been through so much, and I just... I don’t want to push her too hard, but I don’t want to hold her back either.”

“You’re not holding her back,” Meredith assured him. “She’s stronger than you think. But it’s normal to feel like this after everything that happened. You’re not the only one.”

Mark glanced at her, grateful for the support. “How are you doing?”

Meredith shrugged, though there was a flicker of something darker in her eyes. “I’m coping. It’s strange, being back here after the crash. But work helps. Being a doctor—it’s the one thing that makes sense.”

Mark nodded in agreement, though he knew they were all just trying to find their footing again. “Yeah. That’s why I’m here. Trying to get back to normal, whatever that means.”

Meredith smiled slightly. “It’ll take time. But we’ll get there.”

Just then, Derek poked his head into the break room, grinning at them both. “There you are. Ready for rounds?”

Meredith and Mark exchanged a look, both of them slipping back into their roles as doctors, the weight of their personal lives momentarily set aside. “Let’s do this,” Meredith said, standing up and grabbing her clipboard.

As they walked out of the break room, heading toward their patients, Mark couldn’t help but glance at his phone, fighting the urge to call Lexie just to check in. She’d kill him if he did that, he knew, but the protective part of him couldn’t help it.

But as the day wore on, he found himself getting lost in his work again, just as Lexie had hoped. Surgery after surgery, patient after patient—he was in his element. This was where he belonged. And even though the trauma of the past few weeks still lingered, Mark realized that this was exactly what he needed: to be a doctor, to help people, to get back to his life.

By the end of the day, when he finally left the OR, Mark found a message waiting for him from Lexie: I’m fine. Stop worrying.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he sent a quick reply: Can’t help it. See you soon, beautiful.