Everyone knew Lexie Grey was in love with you. Everyone. Meredith, Cristina, even Alex—especially Alex—rolled their eyes every time she floated into the room, smiling like the sun had risen just for her because you were there.

She brought you coffee just how you liked it. Sat next to you during every lunch. Fought for shifts that aligned with yours. She never said it out loud, not directly. But it was in every glance, every time her fingers lingered a second too long when passing you a chart. She didn’t hide it. She didn’t need to.

You never really gave her an answer. A maybe. A no. You were always… somewhere in between. Careful.

Then, one day, she stopped.

She started smiling at someone else. Laughing louder at Mark’s jokes. Staying a little closer to Dr. Jacobs in the elevator. Her hand touched their arm too casually. Her laugh came too easily. Everyone noticed.

Cristina muttered, “Finally.”

Meredith tilted her head, watching Lexie flirt across the nurse’s station.

—“Guess she moved on.”

And you?

You didn’t say anything.

Until that one night.

Late shift. You were walking out to the parking lot when you turned the corner and almost bumped right into her. She looked different—lighter, her hair up, jacket half-zipped, cheeks pink from laughing too hard. She blinked, caught off guard.

—“Oh,” she said, stepping back. “Didn’t see you.”

You just stood there.

So did she.

For a second, the air stretched between you, heavy with things never said.

—“Have a good night,” she added, quiet, polite.