It had been a week. A week since everything happened. A week since the plane crash. It had been an unimaginable week. Lexie was dead. Mark was fighting for his life. Arizona couldn't feel her legs. Derek didn't know if he would operate again. Cristina and Meredith were okay physically, but mentally in a very bad place. It had been a long hard week for everyone, but today was the day a new week began. It was going to be a better week.

Meredith woke up her eyes wet with tears. For a moment she thought it was all just a dream. Then reality sunk in as she saw Derek move his cast as he stretched. The reality of what happened still scared Meredith, her life, Zola's life, would never be the same. Lexie was gone. Zola would never see her aunt again and in a few years would not even remember her. She then glanced around the room, knowing she would not let sleep meet her eyes again tonight. It was 2am, on May 28th, 2012. Meredith got out of bed and wandered into her little girls room. The precious baby was sleeping so soundly. She gently picked up little Zola, careful not to wake her, and just held her. The only thing that gave Meredith any hope was holding her baby. Meredith eyes slowly closed as she rocked Zola in the rocking chair. To her surprise the next time she awoke Zola was awake to.

"Mama mama" Zola cooed at her mother, waking her from the deep sleep she has surcummed to.

"Hi Zo, you're awake early today." Meredith told her thinking they had not been asleep for too long. The Meredith looked at the clock on Zola's pink wall, it was 9:22 am.

"Let's go down and make so breakfast for Daddy." Mer told Zo as she got up and lead Zo downstairs to the kitchen.

To Meredith's surprise Derek was already downstair making breakfast with one.

"Good morning my girls," he greeted them.

"Der, are you sure you can make breakfast with your cast? I don't want you to be in pain." Mer asked expressing her concern.

"I'm fine Mer, I thought it would be something nice to do for you. I know how hard today is going to be for you." Der told her.

Today Mer thought to herself. Why was today going to be any harder than yesterday. Then she remembered. Today was Lexies funeral. They had waited until Mark was out of the woods to have Lexies service. He needed to be there. But Mer had put the funeral of her beloved sister in the back of her mind, because she knew that would make Lexies death final. She also knew she would have to explain to her little girl that Aunt Lexie was not coming home again. She couldn't bare the thought of telling her.

"Oh Mer," Derek said noticing she was deep in thought. "I'm sorry, I know how hard this is going to be on you today. Remember I will be right by your side the whole time. We get through this together, I love you Meredith Grey." He told Meredith.

"I know Der, I love you too." Mer said in response.

All three sat down to eat Dereks one-hand made breakfast of french toast, bacon, and fruit salad. Laughing at how Zola had syrup all over her hands, because using a fork was way too difficult. They are just enjoying every moment they have together, because they don't know what the next moment might bring.

Meredith and Derek drove into the church parking lot, looking quite somber. Mer was wearing a black summer dress and Derek was dressed in a suit. Zola brought the only spark of colour to the church. She was wearing a pale yellow dress with the sparkly shoes Meredith had bought her to wear to Lexie's birthday party. As they arrived they saw Callie, Arizona, Mark and Sofia all emerge from their car. You could see the sadness and anger in Mark's face. He looked beaten down and exhausted. He looked as though his heart was ripped out of his chest and broken into a million small pieces. Arizona was holding Sofia on her lap as an exhausted Callie pushed her into the Church. Everyone but the two little girls looked as though they were going to fall apart at the seams, even before the funeral had begun.

They all entered the church together to see Lexie's favourite flowers everywhere. They were early, so no one else had arrived yet. Mer wanted Derek to have some time to talk to Mark. And they also needed to try and explain to a one year old that this is for Aunt Lexie, because she went to heaven. The entered the room where the service was being held, and Zola immediately ran to the picture of Lexie.

"Wexie, Wexie!" Zola shrieked happily, clearly she had missed her Aunt a lot through the past week.

"Yes Zo, that is Lexie. Lexie is in heaven now." She explained to Zola.

"I wuv Wexie, mama," she said as she tried to kiss and hug the picture of Lexie.

"I love her to Zo, and one day if you are a good girl you will get to see her again." Mer told her one year old.

"Otay." Zo responded.

"ZoZo why don't we go find Sofia, Aunt Callie, and Aunt Arizona." Meredith asked her.

"Yes!" Zola said happily.

Zola was mesmerized by Arizona's moving chair and it kept her distracted while all the other guests began to arrive at the church. Once everyone had arrived the service began. On one side you had all of Lexie's family from her childhood, including her sister Molly, along with Molly's family. Her Dad was also there. Meredith was worried about seeing her father again especially at a time like this. Last time Meredith was there when her father was dealing with the death of a loved one, she was the one he blamed. That made her nervous. On the other side of the church, you had her 'work family' everyone from the hospital was here to say one final goodbye to 'Little Grey'.

Overall the service was beautiful. It showcased how much Lexie had truly meant to everyone in the room. By the end everyone was crying not only tears of sadness, but also tears in celebration of Lexie's beautiful life. Mark left an arrangement of lovely flowers by Lexie's picture and everyone began to shuffle into the reception area.

"Meredith" Thatcher said as they walked into the reception area.

Mer turned her muscles tensed, not knowing what to expect. "Hi," was all she said when she turned to look at him.

As she turned Thatcher pulled her into a hug. "Thank you Meredith. Thank you for letting Lexie be your sister, thank you for this beautiful service."

A that moment she did something she had not done since she was 5 years old. She cried in her father's embrace. Thatcher was shocked, but he did exactly what he did when she was five, he held her tightly and whispered in her ear, "I've got you now, it will be alright again one day."

As they were hugging, Meredith felt a tug on her dress and little Zola asked, "Mama, why you sad?"

Thatcher looked down in disbelief, not knowing his oldest daughter had a beautiful little girl.

Meredith picked Zola up and reassured her that she was okay, then she turned to her father and said, "This is Zola, she is my daughter, your granddaughter."

Thatcher's somber look turned into a smile as Meredith said the words granddaughter. He looked at Zola and said, "Hi Zola, I'm your Grandpa."

"Papa?" Zola questioned.

"Yes sweetheart, I'm your Papa."

At that moment Meredith realized she might not be able to bring Lexie back for Zola, but she could give Zola a part of her family that can help her remember Lexie. She could let Thatcher, Molly, Laura, and Eric all be apart of Zola's life. They could tell her stories about Lexie that Meredith was not around for. They could be her family, and Zola's family.

As Meredith was thinking, and Thatcher was still totally mesmerized with his new granddaughter, Derek and Mark walked over.

"I see you've met my Zozo," Derek said looking at Thatcher.

"I have, she is absolutely wonderful!" Thatcher said, still overwhelmed by the little girl's laugh.

"I know." Derek says proudly.

As Derek and Thatcher are talking about Zola. Mark wanders back in the the service room, and looks at Lexie's picture.

Lex, I love you and I am always going to love you. I have never loved anyone the way I loved you. You changed me. You made me a better person. I would not be half the man I am without you. You are the love of my life. I don't know how I am supposed to live without you. I don't know if I want to live without you-

Mark was interrupted by Callie. "You are going to live without her though. You are going to live for Sofia. She needs you, and I know you miss Lexie, but Sofia needs you too. She needs someone to protect her from the mean boys. Someone to take her fishing and camping. Someone to be her Dad. Lexie might have been the love of your life, but Sofia is your life. Mark she needs you."

"I know she needs me. But I don't know how I am going to get through this. She is all I think about day in and day out. I didn't tell her I loved her, until it was too late. What if she doesn't know how much I love her?" Mark asked Callie.

"What you had with her Mark, was special. She knew you loved her. She would not want you to be sad. She would want you to put your energy into Sofia. She loved you Mark. Someone who loved you wouldn't want you to be sad." Callie said to Mark, as they embraced in a hug.

Authors Note: So that is the first chapter of my fanfiction. If you would like me to continue let me know. I am open to ideas, suggestions and constructive criticism. I am not the best proof reader, so I am sorry if there are mistakes.