Gray's anatomy reverse

As Lexie finished clamping the vessel, Mark motioned to April to take over for a moment. “You’re doing great,” he said softly, his hand brushing Lexie’s shoulder. “Step aside for a second. I need to talk to you.”

Lexie blinked, startled. “Now? In the middle of—”

“April’s got it,” he interrupted, nodding toward April, who was already stepping in with a calm, focused expression. “Come on.”

Reluctantly, Lexie let Mark guide her out of the OR, pulling her aside into the nearby scrub room. She stripped off her gloves, her heart pounding—not from the surgery but from the intensity in Mark’s eyes.

“Mark, what’s going on? I was fine in there. I was handling it—”

“You were more than fine,” he said, cutting her off. His voice was steady, but his concern was clear. “Lex, you were incredible. I’ve seen seasoned trauma surgeons struggle in cases like this, and you handled it like a pro. I’m proud of you.”

She stared at him, her heart softening at the genuine warmth in his tone. “Really?”

“Really,” he confirmed. “But…” He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. “Last night was rough, and I know you didn’t sleep much. You’ve been carrying around all this anger for years, and now, suddenly, you’re diving headfirst into one of the hardest surgeries we’ve seen in weeks. I’m proud of you, but I’m worried about you, too.”

Lexie crossed her arms, a flicker of defensiveness in her eyes. “I’m fine, Mark. This is what I want. I can handle it.”

“I know you can,” he said, stepping closer. “But I also know you, Lex. You’re running on fumes right now, and I can see it in your face. You don’t have to do everything at once, okay? You’re allowed to take a breath.”

Lexie opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, the sound of voices carried through the hallway. They both turned toward the noise, recognizing Alex Karev’s distinctive tone.

“Lizzie, you’re not carrying that by yourself!” Alex’s voice was sharp, filled with a protectiveness that was almost overbearing.

“Alex, it’s just a chart,” Lizzie replied, her tone exasperated but affectionate. “I’m pregnant, not made of glass.”

“I don’t care,” Alex shot back. “You’re two months along, and I’m not taking any chances. Just let me carry it, okay?”

Lexie raised an eyebrow, glancing at Mark. “Is he always like that?”

Mark smirked. “When it comes to Lizzie? Yeah. He’s in full-on dad mode already. It’s kind of terrifying, actually.”

“Kind of sweet, though,” Lexie said softly, her expression softening as she watched Alex fuss over Lizzie like a mother hen.

“Sweet, sure,” Mark replied, his tone teasing. “But if he keeps it up, Lizzie’s going to kill him before the baby even gets here.”

Lexie couldn’t help but laugh, the tension from the OR starting to fade. Mark reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“See?” he said quietly. “That laugh right there. That’s what I want to see more of. You’re amazing, Lex, but you don’t have to be superwoman all the time. You’ve got me, okay? Lean on me when you need to.”

Her smile faltered slightly, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. “Thanks, Mark. I mean it.”

He nodded, leaning in to press a quick kiss to her forehead. “Always, baby.”

The moment was interrupted by Alex’s voice again, louder this time as he and Lizzie passed by the scrub room.

“I swear, Lizzie, if you don’t let me help you more—”