A/N: Normally, I write Mer/Addie. This is my first try at Mer/Alex. Sorry if it sucks.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Except these weird blue and green pants.

He's not sure what it is that has him waking up at three in the morning, but the more awake he gets the more he recognizes the quiet sobs. The rest of the house is dead quiet. He's tempted to roll over and fall back asleep but a crack of lightning hits beside his window - followed by a loud sob and his feet are on the cold floor before he can think twice.

He realizes the power is out when he steps out into the hallway, immediately regretting sleeping in only his boxers as the cold chill hits his bare chest. Telling himself that he'll only check on the noise and climb right back into bed, he decides against finding a shirt and follows the sobs down to the last room. He's not sure what he's doing when he knocks quietly on the door, opening it and sticking his head inside.

"Mer, you alright?"

There's a quiet sniffle, a ruffle of sheets and a sharp intake of breath as the blond's head pops out from beneath her thick cover.

"I-I'm fine," her hoarse voice whispers.

The sound of thunder almost shakes the house and lightning flashes the room brightly for a brief moment when he remembers something that she had let slip months ago.

'It was storming, when she tried to - I remember that much. And red. So much redness.'

They had both been drunk off their asses and she didn't remember the conversation at all the next day. He didn't have it in him to let her know what she had talked about.

The next morning they woke up in bed together to the delightful tones of Derek Shepherd, who had relayed this information to Izzie as soon as his head shrunk back down to normal size - effectively ending each of their respective relationships. They had decided it best not to explore a relationship between their selves at the time, agreeing to pretend like it had never happened.

But that didn't mean they didn't care for each other.

"You keep saying that word and soon enough it's not going to-"

"Sound like a word," she cuts him off and finishes for him. There's the smallest hint of a smile before another crash of thunder wipes it away.

"Exactly," he smirks as he slips inside the room and closes the door behind him.

"Alex," she warns him shakily.

"Mer, neither one of us are going to get to sleep tonight if you keep on with the crying. Everyone already thinks we're sleeping together, what's it going to hurt if I stay in here to help you sleep?"

He's already climbing into bed without an answer from her, pulling the cover up over his cold legs as he angles his body towards her slightly. They know they're crossing a line here somehow but as the room illuminates again, they throw caution to the wind. When she jumps from the following thunder, he opens his arms to her and pulls her close before resting his chin on the top of her head.

It's quiet for a while as they both listen to the storm outside, both wondering what this means and how they're supposed to act when the sun comes up. He knows that he doesn't regret getting up from bed, or barging into her room. They've been friends for a while, gradually becoming more as circumstances pushed them together. Even with ruined relationships and friendships, he's glad of how they ended up here - though, he'll never tell her. It's only after another round of thunder and lightning that he finally speaks.

"If you tell Yang I'm a cuddler, I'll deny it to the grave."