Lexie Grey

Alexandra Caroline Grey
Grey's Anatomy character
The Season 7 Promotional Photo of Chyler Leigh as Dr. Lexie Grey
First appearance	"Testing 1-2-3" 3x24, May 10, 2007 (As guest star) "A Change Is Gonna Come" 4x01, September 27, 2007 (As a series regular)
Created by	Shonda Rhimes
Portrayed by	Chyler Leigh
Information
Nickname(s)	Lexipedia Three Little Grey Lex
Aliases	Lexie
Occupation	Surgical Resident at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital
Title	M.D.
Family	Thatcher Grey (father) Susan Grey (mother; deceased) Meredith Grey (paternal half-sister) Molly Grey-Thompson (sister) Laura Grey-Thompson (niece)
Significant other(s)	Mark Sloan (ex-boyfriend) Alex Karev (ex-boyfriend) Jackson Avery (ex-boyfriend)

Alexandra Caroline Grey,^[1] more commonly known as Lexie Grey, is a fictional surgeon from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy.^[2] The character is portrayed by Chyler Leigh, and was created by Shonda Rhimes. She was made an official series regular for season four.^[3] The character is a surgical resident at the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital.

Storylines

Background

Lexie is the daughter of Thatcher Grey and his wife, Susan. She also has a younger sister, Molly Grey Thompson. Her older half-sister is Meredith Grey, born to Thatcher and his first wife, Ellis Grey. She graduated from Harvard Medical School before being accepted in Seattle Grace's Intern Program. She was to start her internship at Massachusetts General but her mom's sudden death brought her to Seattle. She was very popular in high school, had a great group of friends, was crowned prom queen, and became class valedictorian. During her elementary school years, she skipped the third grade. It is also known that she has photographic memory, which was mentioned on the Season 4 finale when she read the residents' files and memorized everything that she read. It was highlighted in the fifth season when she remembered an illness she came across while reading medical journals for George's review. She not only remembered the diagnosis but the name of the journal, the volume number and the page number of the article - which in turn led her to be nicknamed "Lexipedia" by Alex Karev and Cristina Yang.

Because of her relationship with Meredith Grey, she tends to speak her mind more often with residents. She objected when Cristina Yang made them line up in the cafeteria to discuss which interns to pass on to George (who was now a resident) saying that they were being treated like "livestock." When Alex Karev took over the several cadavers Lexie had initially put out for the other interns, she also objects. However, she is seen to eventually acquiesce to the residents' orders.

Season Two

Lexie is mentioned in the episode in which her sister Molly is brought to Seattle Grace pregnant. The baby Molly carried needed surgery. It was the first time Meredith learned that her father Thatcher had actually remarried, and she also learned that her other half-sister, Lexie, was studying at Harvard University.

Season Three

She is introduced in the penultimate episode of the third season in which she meets Derek Shepherd at Joe's Bar. Her mother Susan suddenly died when Lexie was just about to start her internship at Mass Gen. In the third season finale, Derek confesses to Meredith he met another woman (though he doesn't specify who, since he doesn't know her identity) and when she asks if she should be worried, he confirms her fears, stating that it was the highlight of his week. Lexie makes her first appearance in Seattle Grace when she introduces herself to George by the last few minutes of the finale.

Season Four

Lexie is assigned to surgical resident Cristina Yang for her year-long medical internship, and bears striking similarities to her half sister, Meredith Grey. She tries on several occasions to bond with Meredith, who wants nothing to do with her. Meredith sees Lexie's life as the one she could have had if her father hadn't left her and her mother, and thus has no desire to bond with her initially. Later, Meredith sits down with Lexie and explains the circumstances around her mother's death when Meredith was caring for her, suggesting they might kindle friendship.

Lexie learns that George O'Malley is repeating his intern year and helps him keep the other interns unaware of his failure. She and George develop an unlikely friendship over intern struggles and their strained relationships with Meredith and Callie, respectively.

She has entered into a casual-sex relationship with Alex Karev, similar to the one between Meredith and Derek Shepherd. Lexie was angry when she learned that Alex still had feelings for Rebecca Pope who believed they were still a couple. She bonds with a patient named Nick, played by Seth Green, who admits he likes Lexie; however, he dies in Lexie's care and she is devastated. Meredith allows her to stay over the following night and decides to try to repair their relationship, making Lexie breakfast the next morning (unaware that she is allergic to eggs and causing her a massive breakout of hives.) She and Meredith have a good relationship after that, with her referring to Meredith as her sister, and constantly apologizing for Rose's actions. George moves in with her after Izzie kicks him out, and she steals items from the hospital to furnish their unsightly apartment. At the end of season four, Lexie and George share a quick kiss on the lips. It is uncertain if this a friendship kiss or hints to a romantic relationship in the fall, though Lexie's expression makes it clear her interest falls to the latter.

Season Five

In season five, Lexie is shown to have been smitten with George. Mark Sloan notices this and vows to be less mean to George if she'll admit her feelings to him. This starts Mark and Lexie's playful banter, with him teasing her about her "lack of taste in men" and she constantly retorting with his "reputation" around the hospital. As a result, Sloan is slightly more polite to the two of them and George misunderstands, thinking Lexie and Sloan are sleeping together.

Lexie continues to vie for George's affections in the following episodes. She correctly diagnoses a patient who had been experiencing constant pain at an eight for several years, much to Cristina's chagrin and her colleagues' amazement, and the consequent revealing of her photographic memory caused her to be nicknamed "Lexipedia."

George finally passes his intern exam and seems to pay less attention to Lexie. The final straw occurs when he receives his new interns and Lexie discovers he hadn't the decency to even ask to have her assigned to him. She breaks down in front of him, calling herself stupid and him a jerk. By the next episode, Lexie had chosen to forgive George and makes a peace offering, keeping her feelings for him quiet.

Along with the other interns, she forms an underground "teaching" club, where they learn to put IVs in each other, as their residents don't bother to teach them. A new intern, Sadie, comes to Seattle Grace. After Meredith asks if Lexie is a secret cutter, she begins to think that they should be more careful but Sadie says they will "learn only so much by being careful" and cuts her own back and offers to let an intern stitch her up. Lexie watches disapprovingly. After the Chief of Surgery praises Lexie about the quality of her suturing, Cristina Yang grows suspicious and orders the interns to stop practicing medical procedures on themselves. Derek and Meredith become suspicious of the tension between Mark and Lexie, even before they started sleeping together. Having been 'sort-of-friends', Mark affectionately nicknames Lexie as "Little Grey," which Meredith mistook as a sign that they were sleeping together. They both warn Mark not to get anywhere near Lexie because of his reputation of being a 'man-whore'. This both confuses and amuses Mark, as he and Lexie were not even in a sexual relationship at this point. Eventually when he realizes his attraction towards Lexie he tries to keep Derek's word in mind because he already broke his friendship with Derek before by sleeping with his ex-wife.

Lexie is the only one aside from Callie, Meredith, and Derek who sees right through Mark Sloan and isn't afraid to tell him the truth. He visits her at Joe's once and asks her about her photographic memory, and she impresses him with what she can do. Their platonic relationship turns romantic after she becomes impressed when he fixes a woman's vocal cords. She shows up at his room later and the two sleep together. In the episode after that, Mark tells her it was a "one-time thing" but to Callie, he reveals it was more than just sex because apparently he and Lexie talked and laughed for hours after they slept together. Though he and Callie make an agreement not to give in anymore, Mark realizes he can't deny his attraction, and asks Lexie to come home with him again. Their sexual relationship continues until during the midst of another sexual encounter, Lexie accidentally injures Mark's penis. While Mark receives surgery to correct the injury, he remains embarrassed and tries to push Lexie away, although she refuses and instead chooses to comfort him.

When he and Derek are decorating Derek and Meredith's room with flowers for Derek's proposal, Mark talks to him about love and the future, and seems to be very serious about Lexie and their relationship. Lexie later breaks up with Mark when he doesn't want to come forward about them being a couple. When Mark and Derek's friends Addison, Naomi Bennett and Sam Bennett come to Seattle Grace, Addison soon notices the tension between Lexie and Mark, and wonders if they are together. Later, Lexie hears about a fight Mark had with Derek, and understands that it was because Mark told Derek about his relationship with her. When she arrives at his hospital room where Callie is treating him, she finds Mark beaten up, his hand injured. Lexie tells him he was being stupid, but Mark says it was worth it, and smiles proudly when both realize people will soon know about them.

In the next episode "I Will Follow You Into The Dark", Lexie tries to get Mark to talk to Derek, but Mark, who still has his injuries and can't operate yet, refuses to do so and walks away angry. Later, Lexie tells him that she knows everybody is against them and their chance of survival as a couple is very low, but she wants to try it anyway. She also tells him she's sorry for breaking his hand, his penis, and just him. Mark tells she didn't break him, she's the one who put him back together, and then they walk out together. Lexie grows more and more agitated by Derek's refusal to speak to Mark and begins to compulsively overeat, until the two reconcile their friendship.

In the season finale, Mark thinks about buying a house and asks Lexie to move in with him, but Lexie doesn't think it's a good time for moving in together. Mark is upset by this, and takes a patient's advice about "fighting like a girl," and decides to buy a house by himself anyway, in an attempt to make Lexie believe he is moving on.

Season Six

Despite their argument earlier that day (in season five), Mark and Lexie seem to have made peace and are there for each other when news arrives about George's death. Mark later moves into his own apartment across the hall from Callie, which visibly upsets Lexie. Mark asks Lexie several times to move in or at least get her own drawer, but she keeps refusing until she finally caves after a reassuring conversation with Callie and happily moves in with Mark.

It is also revealed on Episode 2 that Lexie and the fellow interns of her class have progressed to residency and are no longer interns. The merger with Mercy West Hospital causes three-quarters of her class to be cut from the Seattle Grace surgical program, as notified by an email sent from Chief Webber to the relinquished staff. Lexie and Steve - another notable intern, find themselves safe. Mark finds her crying in grief and relief and consoles her.

When Lexie brings in a blood-coughing Thatcher Grey, she learns that his liver has been damaged by his alcoholism and he needs a transplant. Since Thatcher used to be an alcoholic and hasn't been sober that long, he can't be put on the transplant list yet, so Lexie gets herself tested. This upsets Mark because she didn't discuss this with him. Lexie is not a match, but discovers Meredith is, and begs her to do the transplant. Meredith gives in, but makes it clear to Thatcher she's doing this for her sister Lexie, not for him. Mark makes up with Lexie after a patient reminds him that 'you always have to be there for the people you love, even if they do things that don't make sense.' Thatcher and Meredith both make it through the surgery.

In the tenth episode of the season, "Holidaze", Mark and Lexie cope with the sudden arrival of Sloan Riley, who says she is Mark's daughter. A paternity test confirms her statement. Mark announces that Sloan is going to move in with him and Lexie. Sloan, at 18, is shown to have the typical teen personality, with a big mouth and a self-obsessed attitude. When Lexie gives her 50 dollars to spend for a Christmas gift for Mark, she buys him only a Seattle snow globe. Lexie, fed up with Sloan's behavior, wants Mark to ask Sloan how long she is going to stay and threatens him with no more sex. Sloan reveals that she is pregnant, was kicked out by her mom, and has nowhere else to go. Mark is supportive and offers to help out. When something is wrong with the baby, Mark decides that he and Sloane should go to Los Angeles to see Addison. He also and tells Sloan she can move in after the baby is born and that he and Lexie will help her. Later, Lexie and Mark fight over what Mark said and how he did not discuss things with Lexie first. Mark asks Lexie not to make him choose between her and Sloane, because he will choose his daughter. Lexie then breaks up with him.

After Lexie moves back in with Meredith and Derek, Alex moves in too after growing sick and tired of living in a trailer now that Izzie is gone. The two end up having sex together. When Mark returns, it is clear Lexie regrets her somewhat drunken actions, and debates whether to confess. Mark, as it turns out, had a one-night stand with Addison, and he confesses to Lexie at the end of the episode. Lexie is relieved, and thinking they are even, reveals she also had rebound sex. Mark is devastated because this ruins his idealized image of Lexie and he walks away. Days later, Mark refuses to talk to Lexie to a point where he ignores her presence. Callie berates him for his treatment of Lexie because she's not the only one who slept with someone else.

Even though, Izzie comes back to Seattle for Alex, he rejects her and asks her to go away after admitting to having slept with someone else. Alex and Lexie then continue their sex-driven relationship, both of them stating that it means nothing.

Lexie then gets annoyed with Mark because he continues to treat Alex badly for having slept with Lexie; however, when she hears that Mark is moving on and has gotten involved with Teddy, she breaks down, clearly showing that she still has feelings for Mark. Nonetheless, she begins to invest more emotionally in her fling with Alex, which looks like it's on its way to becoming a full-blown relationship, particularly after Alex signs the divorce papers Izzie sent him. As an item, Alex and Lexie start looking pretty solid, or at least Lexie thinks so, since when she pressures Alex to tell her where they stand, he replies, "Yes, we're a thing." Hours later, however, Alex confesses to Meredith that he's "walking like a duck": pretending to be fully committed to Lexie in the hope of developing the feelings he's pretending to have. Mark, meanwhile, has just cheated on Teddy with surgical resident Reed. After Callie calls him on his behavior, he confesses to Lexie that he's still in love with her. Confused, Lexie tells him that she has a boyfriend (referring to Alex), and he replies: "I know. I'm saying you could have a husband." She leaves with an affectionate Alex, but it's clear that she is shaken by Mark's confession.

During the season six finale, when a shooter (Gary Clark) goes on a rampage in Seattle Grace, the hospital is locked down. Mark tries to take Lexie to safety when shots are fired near them, but they discover Alex unconscious in an elevator from a gunshot wound and perform crude surgery on him in a conference room. During a confrontation with Gary Clark, Lexie is revealed to be one of his main targets in the shooting rampage (along with Derek and Richard) to avenge the death of his wife. Later, as they wait to be rescued, Alex, in a delusional state, mistakes Lexie for Izzie and tells her he is sorry and glad she came back to him. Lexie tells Alex she loves him as Mark looks on, but it is unclear if she really loves him or if she says it to try to keep him holding on as they wait for help.

Season Seven

The season premiere showcases Lexie as visibly the most affected. A flashback reveals that she suffered a nervous breakdown while on duty at the clinic. Mark had to forcefully commit Lexie into psych to get her checked. Her nervous breakdown was caused by her insomnia (her inability to sleep after the shooting) so she was sedated - and slept for 50 hours straight. A week later, she was cleared for surgery.

After her breakdown, it is subtly stated that Alex and Lexie are no longer dating, and Lexie seems angry with him for his ungratefulness for her saving his life, stating, "You think you're so badass because you lived. Well, I'm the reason that you lived, and while you were dying, you were crying out for the wife that left you. Which is the opposite of badass, for whatever it's worth." Mark ridicules Alex for leaving Lexie, as well as being subtly critiqued by his own psychologist.

Mark and Lexie's relationship is even more strained when Lexie goes to make up with Mark and sees him making out with Derek's sister Amelia. Later on, Jackson Avery takes an interest in her. Lexie later on has a rivalry with a nurse named Eli, and asks Mark to talk to him about it. Mark offers his assistance, in exchange for a date at Joe's. Lexie says fine, and tells Jackson to come in during the date telling her he needs her for something as an excuse to leave the date. Lexie arrives at Joe's later, tells him that it isn't fair for either of them since Mark is at a different point in her life than Lexie. Mark responds by simply kissing her, she kisses him back. Jackson arrives to pull her out of her date, and Lexie tells him to go, and she continues to kiss Mark.

What Lexie doesn't know, is that Mark had a one night stand with Callie during their breakup, and Callie is now pregnant with his child. When Mark tells Lexie, she looks at him with disbelief, yelling "I cannot believe you got me in this position, TWICE!, and then storms out of his apartment. Mark wants to make things right, but Lexie won't talk to him, so he arranges for Jackson to find out what's bothering Lexie, in exchange for scrubbing in on his surgery. Lexie, with tears in her eyes, spills the beans to Jackson about how Mark has left her behind once again and does not care about how she feels. Jackson decides not to tell Mark cause he feels like Lexie told him this in good faith. In the end, Lexie accepts an informal date from Jackson.

Jackson and Lexie continue their casual flirting with each other. When a patient of theirs must break up with his girlfriend because if not, she'll infect with him with a disease that will kill him in weeks, Jackson and Lexie disagree on what the patient should do. Lexie feels the couple should be given a chance, because being in love is rare, while Jackson feels like there is more than one soulmate out there for everyone. In the end, Lexie realises that not only is this true for their patient, it also applies to herself and Jackson. The two discuss having multiple soulmates, and Jackson tells her men would be lining up to date her. Lexie asks if he would be in that line, to which he responds positive. At home, they're revealed to shower together (i.e. they slept together), with Lexie giving a relationship with Jackson a try. Lexie tells Mark that she is seeing someone else when they're at Callie's baby shower. He asks if he knows him but Lexie walks away. When Mark sees Jackson walk out with Lexie he figures it out. At the end of that episode, Lexie and Jackson are seen making out on the sofa when April comes in depressed about Stark. During Callie's surgery after her accident, Lexie is sent to watch over Mark. Jackson tells her he's leaving, as she still has feelings for Mark, but Lexie decides to go home with Jackson. In the end of the season Lexie tells Mark that she loves him but she can't be with him because he doesn't make her happy.

References

1. ^ Episode 16 of Season 4: Freedom
2. ^ "Character Bios". ABC.com. http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy/bios. Retrieved 2009. 
3. ^ Breaking Grey's/Private Practice Casting News! - Ausiello Report | TVGuide.com

External links

• Grey's Anatomy at ABC.com