Mark Sloan Lexie Grey Novels & Stories

Lennox Graves was no longer the man who flinched from touch. At least not now, not in this moment. The world beyond the shower curtain had gone silent—the gym, the past, the noise, everything that had ever stood between them blurred into the steam. Only his body remained. And hers. Sloane. This woman. This beautiful, strong, devastatingly alive woman standing before him, with wet hair, damp skin, flushed cheeks, and a vulnerability in her eyes that flipped something irrevocably inside Lennox.

Lucy came in last… carrying a pitcher of fresh orange juice, eyes bright but tired, like she hadn’t slept much but was determined to show up anyway. She set the pitcher down. Looked around the table. At Ophelia and Chase wrapped together. At Elara stealing a piece of bacon. At Marcus already reaching for the syrup. At the empty chair waiting. And then… quiet footsteps on the stairs. Sloane appeared in the doorway. She wore soft gray leggings and a loose sweater… hair down, no makeup, looking younger than she had in years. She hesitated. Just for a second. Then stepped inside. The room paused.

Keeping my head down, my GPA up, my mouth shut when people like Ashley Alexander go out of their way to remind me I don't belong. "Hey, Goggles." That's me. Sloane Carter. The girl with the thick-rimmed glasses and thrift store cardigans. Freshman year, I used to shrink into myself. Not anymore. Now when they say it, I just keep walking. Focus, Sloane. Graduate with honors. Secure the job. Show the world what beauty actually is. It was simple. It was working. Until that night. I shouldn't have gone to Lexter Gray's pool party.

Half of Lexie’s body was out the window, her hand waving in the air, calling my name. “A friend of yours?” Dan asked, looking at Lexie like she was something out of this world. I waved back and sipped out of Dan’s hold. Lexie was already out of the car, coming to meet me. She was stunning in denim shorts that made her legs look longer. She paired them with a matching denim jacket and an orange tank top, making her skin look like glowing gold. Her short brown bob was in disarray from the wind twirling it in every direction, but when Lexie placed her sunglasses over her head, it looked good on her—she looked spunky… and happier than ever.

Or at least not boring. Outside the window, the sky is turning that particular Chicago purple-gray that means snow is coming. People hurry past with shopping bags and exhausted faces. The holidays are over and everyone looks like they lost a fight with joy and lost bad. Jackson leans forward, elbows on the sticky table. "Can I ask you something?" "You’re already asking." "Fair. Are you always this… unfiltered?" I consider lying. Most people get the polished version of Sloane: competent, witty, slightly aloof. Safe.

Alex says slowly, and I just want to fucking disappear and leave this family to its rot, then I turn my neck and see her. My mother. Grace Donovan…or Cross. Whichever the fuck. She stands in the doorway but doesn't come in, just rests her head against the frame and stares through dim eyes at her failure of a daughter who can't do anything right. Does she know too? Do they all know? “You know what's funny?” Sloane asks, choking out a bitter laugh as she turns to Cassian, “I was going to say no. I mean…I'm pregnant. I can't work,” her breath hitches, “I'm fat, and I cry all the time…I would be a corporate nightmare. But to hear YOU say no?”

They were very strict about the age at which one could participate, and I knew his daughter wouldn't be twenty for a couple more years. Sloane was not Ellie. I knew that for a fact. Ellie had green in her eyes that my mother had swooned over for a solid twenty minutes when they had come to visit. Sloane's eyes were brown. If there was one thing that I hated, it was liars. Charles McKenna was a liar, and now I was starting to think my little Firefly was one, too. "You told me your name was Sloane." "It is." Sloane nodded, her hand pulling at the bottom of her shirt.

Arder glanced at him as they turned onto the street of Cara's. "I should head back to school," Grey said, dropping Arder's hand and brushing his dark curls off his forehead. She nodded, and Grey followed her gaze to the cafe's window. He could already smell the fresh coffee, and the rich scent alone filled him with warmth. He could see Lexie waiting inside, which made it much easier to leave her there. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow," she answered. Grey then surprised her by gently touching the end of one of her red curls. He twirled it softly before stepping back, a smile present on his face.

I used the pseudonym. "Everest this is Lexxi." She pointed to a girl that was somehow shorter than her. She had jet black hair that curled at the ends. "Donna." She pointed to a girl with a rounder face and deep purple eyes. "Jade." She pointed to a girl that had dark roots and a deep matte purple hair color. "Summer." She pointed to a girl with short pixie cut hair. Her eyes were a dark gray letting me know she was probably a siren. "Finally this is Cassie."

She walked over to the oldest woman in the group-a slightly overweight, stylishly dressed blonde-linked arms with her and led her forward. "Liam, this is my friend Sloane. Technically she's a liaison-she stands between the team and the real world, taking care of all the details the scientifically gifted seem to be so bad with. In reality, she's my best friend and the reason I'm just so darned normal." He eyed the other woman and wondered how many Eva's secrets she knew. "Nice to meet you," he said as he shook hands with Sloane. Sloane smiled. "I'm enjoying meeting you, as well," she said. "Finally."