AN: I know it's been a minute, but here's the next chapter.

Lexie wakes up sore, she's spent the majority of the last two days sleeping in a chair in the ICU. Even though Mark had told her to go home several times yesterday, Lexie doesn't want to risk it. Sitting up she rolls her neck and shoulders, trying to stifle her groan as her joints crack and pop.

Since waking up Mark had slept on and off. From the patient side of the hospital, Lexie had to admit that getting woken up every single hour did not make it relaxing to heal. It would still be days until she could take Mark home, but hopefully Derek would move him out of the ICU and Mark could get a little more rest.

The last few days had felt like an emotional rollercoaster, from her exam to Mark getting in the accident, and Lexie felt wiped. She wanted to take Mark home and crawl into bed and forget about everything else happening for a little bit. Since Mark had woken up Lexie had done everything in her power to keep her emotions in check and focus on him, not her feelings. A few tears escape as the past few days wash over her and Lexie quickly wipes her eyes, trying to calm herself.

Quickly once one tear falls, tears rapidly begin to fall down her face. Trying to wipe them, Lexie does everything she can avoid waking her husband up. Somehow it feels like the last forty eight hours had come down on her at once.

Despite her attempts to keep quiet, Mark comes into consciousness again to notice his wife only inches from sobbing. 'Hey what's wrong?" He asks moving his good arm to rub at his eyes.

Instantly Lexie jumps up, wiping at her face. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you up. Nothing's wrong I'm just tired." She's lying, and not well, but she doesn't want to to stress Mark out when he's supposed to be healing.

Not buying it for even a moment Mark shakes his head. "Clearly something's bothering you or you wouldn't be crying. What's wrong Lex?" He asks again, leaving little room for her to talk her way out of this.

"I just… the last few days caught up with me and how close I came to losing you. Mark we wasted so much time being mad and angry at each other. I should have told you where I was sooner or not have left. I'm so sorry." She apologizes.

Reaching out Mark takes her free hand in his."I'm not going to say that I loved everything that happened in the last year, but we're okay. We're here, and I'm a little worse for wear, but really babe it's okay. I'm not going anywhere." He promises to his tearful wife.

Nodding Lexie tries to calm herself down. Mark's here. He's okay. Derek was good at his job. Lexie wouldn't go home a widow. "I'm so glad you're okay." She repeats tightening her grip on his hand.

A knock on the door interrupts them and Lexie quickly removes all traces of her tear before turning to face whoever walked in.

"Sorry to interrupt, I want to take Mark for a CT scan to check on how the bleed is healing." Derek lets himself into the room and pulls the chart off the end of Mark's bed. Making note of how Mark's stats had reacted over the last 48 hours. "It'll take just a few minutes then I'll have him back." Derek promises. As they wheel Mark away it takes everything Lexie has to not take off after them.

Watching Mark and Derek head down the hallway Lexie realizes she needs to something to do while he gets his scan. Still too anxious to eat, she decides to take a shower. Walking towards the locker room she's about to step inside when the Chief stops her. "Oh Doctor Grey-Sloan, I've been looking for you. Your intern exam results are in. If you'd like to take a look, I think you'll be pleased." He hands her the envelope and stands there.

Slowly, Lexie opens the envelope wishing she could have Mark standing by her. In her mind, when she'd originally toeen a spot in a residency program she'd expected to go through all of this in Manhattan. She'd thought she would go through residency at the hospital where Mark had worked, they'd maybe have the pitter-pattering of little feet around the apartment.

Never had Lexie thought she would come back to Seattle. She couldn't of imagined almost ending her marriage and taking off to return to the West coast. Everything in the last year had changed her. While she had spent the last eight years sure she would never move out of Manhattan, or at least further than Long Island, here she was with her husband in Seattle.

Life had changed.

Even with everything terrible having happened in the last two days, and the terrible parts of the last year, Lexie's happy she came to Seattle. Her marriage felt stronger, it didn't feel like she had to run anymore. Than man she met at 18 was still her perfect choice, and Lexie couldn't imagine a day without him anymore.

Unfolding the paper in her hands, she scans to find the score.

100%.

A perfect score.

After every piece of crap Lexie had suffered this year, she survived.

"Seattle Grace's first perfect score in the last five years. Good job Doctor Grey-Sloan, once your husband is more stable and back at home for a bit we'll look forward to having you join our residency program. Congratulations." Richard says encouragingly before walking away leaving Lexie standing there stunned.

45 minutes and a shower later finds Lexie walking back in Mark's ICU room to find Derek settling him back in. "It looked good." Derek starts. "The swelling is going down in a way that I like, I'll feel comfortable moving him to a regular room in a few hours. And nice job Little Grey. I heard you did an excellent job on your exam."

Blushing Lexie smirks a little before shooing Derek out of the room. "Nice job?" Mark asks confused.

"I got a perfect score on my intern exam. The chief just told me when I went to go take a shower." Lexie explains sheepishly. Usually she'd jump up and down celebrating but she didn't want to put the focus on her right now.

Bursting out a smile Mark sits up as much as he can. "Babe that's awesome! I'm so proud of you. You kicked ass," Mark's excitement knows no bounds. After the year that they'd had Lexie deserved the perfect score. In his opinion she deserved to score the highest and do the best in her class.

Leaning in, Lexie presses a kiss on his mouth softly.

Everything would be okay.

AN: And that's chapter 32. So I'm debating ending it there and maybe writing an epilogue or leaving room for a sequel, or just continuing onward. Let me know what you think!