Hello guys!

First of all, sorry for my delay, as always... Real life makes me too busy to write. Anyway, we are now in a crucial point for the story, so I'll try to update as soon as possible.

Maybe Lexie and Mark could appear a little OOC, but it was necessary for the purposes of this story.

As always, please forgive me for any errors; as you know I am not native English.

Enjoy this chapter and if you read please leave a review, too. I spend a lot of time writing, since I have to translate my ideas too.

This chapter will be slightly M.


Temptation


"Love is a banquet on which we feed

Because the night belongs to lovers

Because the night belongs to lust

Because the night belongs to lovers

Beacuse the night belongs to us"

Because the Night – Patti Smith


Lexie stepped inside the house, smiling. She had always loved all holidays and Halloween was no exception.

She had personally decorated the house with fake cobwebs and spiders, had meticulously carved the pumpkin, which now was next to the door in the front porch, and had bought a lot of candies for the children.

Since Meredith and Derek didn't have any neighbors, they used to trick-or-treat from Alex's house after the Halloween party with families from the daycare. Lexie had been eager to help in the organization and she wouldn't have missed Bailey's first Halloween for any reasons.

Anyway, the reaction on her face as she stepped over the threshold was priceless: she froze, her muscles tensed and her face whitened. In the middle of the living room there was Julia, holding Sofia dressed up as a space princess and talking with Callie and Arizona. Lexie swore her breathing hitched as she stared at the three women in front of her.

She naively hadn't expected her to be there, though it was a very stupid thought, since Sofia was one of Zola's closest friends.

Since their meeting at her dad's house, Lexie and Mark hadn't had the chance to talk properly and the things between them were still messed up. Lexie believed she wasn't strong enough to face his happy family without breaking down.

She was actually living her worst nightmare and it was a bitter surprise, or an odd Halloween treat.

Lexie almost started laughing hysterically, when Jackson approached her.

"Lexie" he whispered playfully."Are you planning on standing here all night? At least, take off your coat."

Lexie snapped out of her trance and shook her head: "I just..." she blubbered, taking an involuntary step into the room.

"Lexie!" Meredith exclaimed, spotting her and several heads turned toward her. She sighed as Callie glanced at her. Lexie was pretty sure Callie disliked her, since she broken up with Mark because of Sofia.

Though the embarrassment, Lexie couldn't help but smile at the sight of her little nephew. Bailey wore a pumpkin outfit. "Oh my goodness! He is so adorable, Meredith."

Bailey grinned at her aunt, holding out his chubby hands, silently asking to be held.

"It seems this little guy is totally in love with his auntie. I may be jealous." Meredith joked.

Lexie took off her coat, hanging it behind a chair, and picked him into her arms.

Bailey rested his head on her shoulder and she nuzzled his plump cheek.

"Come on, little boy. You'll never leave me tonight, won't you?" she murmured quietly into his hair, as she walked inside the room, followed by Meredith and Jackson.

There were a lot of cheerful and screaming children, probably hopped up with sugar.

"Auntie Lexie!" Zola cried out, as she run toward her with Sofia.

"You are very pretty, Miss Zola." Lexie told Zola and the toddler gave her a toothy grin.

Seeing Sofia was staring at her, smiling shyly, Lexie added: "And you are very pretty too, Sofia. You both are so beautiful!"

They started giggling and Lexie smiled too. She looked away from the little girls and met Callie's gaze. Arizona and Julia were talking with Meredith and other moms from the daycare, while Jackson had gone to the kitchen to take some drinks.

She approached her and said softly: "Hi."

"Hi, Callie. Happy Halloween." Lexie replied.

"So, how are you doing? Is it good, being back in Seattle?" Callie asked and Lexie couldn't help but consider her question tricky and dangerous. As if she knew about Mark and her, though it was not possible.

"Fine." she answered, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear with her free hand. "At the beginning I was worried, I cannot deny it. But now I feel good, the hospital is one of the best in the country and I've had the chance to work on many interesting cases. Not to mention I really hit it off with Jackson and Mark."

Oh Crap! Lexie thought. Maybe, mentioning her perfect harmony with Mark hadn't been the wisest decision.

Callie hummed, taking a quick look at Sofia, who was playing Ring a Ring o' Roses with the other children.

"I am happy for you. We should have the chance to work together, sometimes." Callie said and Lexie nodded as she adjusted Bailey in her arms. The baby exhaled a little puff of air, he was falling asleep.

They remained in silence until Lexie suddenly spoke: "Sofia is adorable. She looks just like you. Though she has Mark's smirk, indeed."

Callie's expression softened and she grinned as always when her daughter was involved. "I know. She is stubborn and proud like him too. She'll be a true troublemaker when she grows up." she chuckled and Lexie smiled too. "I am so glad for being here now. I couldn't miss this Halloween. I mean, I have only ten Halloween with Sofia, before she'll run off with her friends, leaving me alone. I am very sorry for Mark, he didn't make it, because of a late surgery."

"I think it's almost time to trick-or-treat!" Julia suddenly said, appearing beside Callie.

"Happy Halloween, Dr. Canner." Lexie greeted her.

"Thank you, to you too!" Julia twittered, noticing her, and then added chuckling: "But please, call me Julia. Being formal isn't necessary, it seems we are all a big family, after all!"

Lexie disguised a snort behind a cough and nodded forcefully: "Definitely! And you have to call me Lexie, of course!"

She almost chocked, inhaling a gulp of air which was too big. Great. Julia would surely change her mind if only she knew how Lexie had spread her legs for Mark, just some weeks earlier. She was a slut and a hypocrite.

Callie observed the interaction between the other two doctors, finding it quite interesting. Maybe she was worried for nothing, maybe Lexie Grey wasn't a threat at all.

"Meredith told me you put on all the decorations, they are awesome! I am hopeless at decorating." Julia stated.

And Lexie muttered a kind thank you, feeling even worse. Why Julia was so kind and gentle?

"Okay folks!" Meredith exclaimed. "It's time for trick-or-treating, are you ready?"

All children started laughing and yelling and Callie and Julia made their farewell and left with a jumping and excited Sofia.

Derek approached Lexie, while Meredith was helping Zola to wear her fairy wings over her winter coat: "Are you going to stay at home to hand out candies?"

Lexie nodded and passed him Bailey, who was now wide awake. "Yes, I am."

"Are you sure? There will be a party at Joe's and if you want to go." Derek asked her again.

Lexie giggled, shaking her head, as if Derek's proposal was ridiculous: "Are you kidding me? I'd rather prefer staying here, than going to a party full of drunken and aroused tiny interns. I am too old for that, now."

"So, after the trick-or-treaters leave, what are your plans for the evening?" Derek was definitely amused by her answer.

"Well, I guess I'm going to be here, drowning my solitude in the leftovers of the party and in some strong drinks." Lexie replied, closing her eyes and lifting her hand to emphasize her statement.

"Now, go and enjoy your trick-or-treating. Meredith is taking it very seriously, so if I were you, I wouldn't disappoint her." Derek chuckled and left, bouncing Bailey in his arms and joining Meredith and Zola who were waiting on the front porch.


By nine p.m. Lexie had accomplished her goal of stuffing herself with booze and candies.

After changing into her pajamas, which consisted of a pair of boy shorts and an oversized Red Sox t-shirt, she was watching an old and crappy Halloween movie, eating Reese's peanut butter cups and drinking white wine. She thought it was classier than getting drunk with beer, after all.

Alex and Jackson were both on call at the hospital, so she was alone in the house when the doorbell rang.

She snorted, lifting from the coach and going to open the door.

"I am sorry but I think you are too late, all candies are-" she stopped abruptly, seeing that it wasn't a late trick-or-treater who had knocked at the door.

Mark was standing in front of her, rubbing his ear and giving her a tentative smile. "Hi."

Lexie widened her eyes and stuttered: "H-hi. What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" he asked and Lexie moved aside to make him room. She closed the door and they stood one in front each other in the middle of the lobby. She was kind of in trance, as she moved.

"Callie had texted me that Sofia had forgotten her stuffed monkey here. And God forbid that she'll wake up tomorrow without it. I was heading home from hospital and I just dropped in to take it. I hope I am not bothering you." Mark explained, looking straight into her face.

"Oh no, you're not!" Lexie replied, maybe too quickly. "You are not disturbing, I was just watching a movie. Come on, I'll help you looking for Sofia's toy."

She entered into the living room and Mark followed her.

They moved around the room in silence, the tension in the air thick enough to cut through it.

After a while, Lexie, knelt next to the coffee table and looking between the couch cushions, touched something soft.

"I got it!" she exclaimed, standing up and holding a soft stuffed monkey in her hands.

Mark turned and grinned, approaching her.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, too. "Thank you, Lex, I was lost without you. That munchkin has me wrapped around her little finger, indeed!"

He laughed and Lexie couldn't help but join him, laughing as well.

She handed him the stuffed animal, passing her fingers through her hair.

"So, I think I have to leave, now. I pestered you enough." he said and Lexie bent her head to one side and whispered: "You can stay a little longer. If you want to."

Mark was bewildered by her proposal and gave her a quizzical look.

Lexie promptly added: "I mean, it seemed I forgot all my manners, earlier. I didn't ask you if you wanted something to drink!"

She pointed at the coffee table with her chin and Mark noticed the glass and several crushed wrappers of candies.

"You can share a glass of wine with me." Lexie went near him. "And we can talk about some... stuff, too. Yeah, I guess we have a lot of stuff to talk about, indeed."

Mark stroked his chin, as if he was evaluating her offer: "Yeah, I can linger her for a few minutes."


A few minutes became one hour and, after almost two bottles of wine, Mark was appreciatively laughing at something Lexie had just said.

He sat on the couch, while Lexie was crouched on the carpet, her arm bended on the couch cushion, and she was giggling too. They were definitely slightly drunk.

As their chuckles faded, Lexie finished in one gulp the contents of her glass and then left it on the coffee table in front of her.

She turned toward Mark and started moving boldly her finger on his knee in little circles.

Mark was hypnotized by her and didn't dare to move. Lexie stood up slowly, trying not to stumble, and then sat down onto his lap and brushed his cheek.

Her eyes twinkled and she shoot him a mischievous look, taking the glass from his hand and putting it down next to hers, on the coffee table.

"I have been thinking about something for a while, you know?" she asked in a throaty voice and Mark almost clenched his eyes shut, before groaning: "Yeah? And what's it?"

Lexie traced his face with her fingertips and murmured: "I was thinking about our first, and only, Halloween together. Do you remember it?" she asked and her hand kept running all over his face.

Mark audibly gulped at the memory. He remembered that night even too well. Lexie had surprised him dressed up in the tiniest and naughtiest cheerleader costume, she had performed for him and had actually done a split in the end, too. The sex that had followed her performance had been one of the most intense and animalistic of their lives.

"Of course I remember it, Lex." he replied in a husky voice. "As if I can forget anything which involves you."

Lexie actually beamed and ran her index from down the ridge of his nose, letting it drift down to his mouth.

They were not thinking in a rational manner, their minds fogged by desire and alcohol.

Mark kissed and sucked slightly her fingertip, while Lexie turned in order to face him.

She straddled his waist and moaned softly, neither one of them wanting to blink or dare to be the one to look away first.

"Maybe I should go." he suddenly said, his lips brushing against her finger as he spoke.

Lexie looked downward and whispered bitterly: "Maybe you should."

But she remained on his lap and Mark didn't urge her to move. Something clicked in the air and they crashed together, kissed and groped and squeezed at one another like some kind of fight.

His arms circled her waist like steel bands and she wrapped her hands around his neck, gripping his hair and pressing herself against him, feeling his growing arousal.

Mark was kissing and licking and biting, their tongues fighting in their mouths.

Lexie broke the kiss to breathe and looked into his eyes, as their noses were touching.

"I am committed to someone else." Mark stated and she felt suddenly very sober.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes and murmured:"Yeah, well... Julia isn't here now, is she?"

Mark cleared his throat, feeling the regrets all over him. Regrets could actually devour you.

Lexie pressed herself against him, somehow even more, her hands trailing up his chest, her fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt and one slipped in, feeling the warmth of his body.

"Lexie, you are drunk. We can't." he said, his voice was hoarse.

She laughed, bending forward and nibbling his jaw, while her hands kept exploring his naked chest: "Mark don't fool me. I am not drunk and we both know we'd have ended up doing this even if we had been completely sober."

"I am never completely sober when I am with you." he simply stated, throwing out the window all his resolutions.

They were acting on pure instinct, as if they were in a bubble, far from the reality of their daily lives.

They forgot their responsibilities and duties, in order to satisfy their primal needs.

"So" Lexie purred, crossing her arm and grabbing the bottom of her t-shirt in both hands. "May I help you to relive the memory of that night?"

She raised and uncrossed her hands, removing her t-shirt.

Mark moistened his lips, his eyes darkened with lust, as she was half-naked, grinding herself against him.

He was only a man and he loved her. He couldn't resist further. And he didn't.