She spent the summer moving into her new house and he spent it working his ass off. Although they thought about each other neither tried to get in touch with the other one. Both had justified their actions and had decided to just pretend that nothing had happened. Lexie couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach as she walked back into the ER. Everything looked the same but she was a different person than she had been when she had first walked in here. She smiled and walked into the lounge and saw her locker waiting for her. 'Dr. Carter' it said and she ran her fingers over the letters and smiled.

"It is a locker Lexie, not the Hope diamond." She grinned to herself and turned around. She cocked her head to one side and looked at him.

"What?" He asked as she smiled.

"I get to call you Robert now don't I?" He rolled his eyes and laughed.

"If that is what gets you off be my guest." She grinned at him triumphantly.

"Thank you Robert." She said and laughed. He shook his head.

"Ok, Dr. Carter, I am going to cry if we don't dispense with the pleasantries. So can we please get to work now?" He said started to walk out the door as she opened her locker and saw her lab coat. She took it off the hanger and put it on. "It looks good on you." He said and walked out the door.

It didn't take her long to get into the swing of things. She and Robert worked well together and so he would call her in frequently to assist on a trauma, which only added fuel to the rumors. She was enjoying her work and her superiors noticed and complimented her on it. Both she and Robert had finally gotten their feeling under control and it made things so much easier. Before she knew it Christmas was approaching and she got her invitation to the annual Christmas ball that the department held each year. She had no intentions of going and let it slip out of her mind. A few days before the party Lexie was reviewing some charts in the lounge when Dr. Chapman walked in.

"Lexie, you have a minute?" She nodded and he sat down. "I noticed that you hadn't sent in your RSVP for the party." She smiled.

"Yeah, I am not going to be able to make it." He shook his head.

"Bad idea. I have always found it best for an up and coming superstar doctor to attend these functions. There are people that will be there that you wouldn't usually get the chance to meet. Take my advice, make the time." He winked and got up and left.

She rolled her eyes. "Great." She said as Robert walked in the room.

"I always thought it would be nice to have people yell out kind words as I entered a room." He said and grabbed a cup and poured coffee into it. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What bug flew up your ass?" He asked and sat down.

"This stupid Christmas party. Chapman just came in and basically told me to go to the party." Robert nodded.

"Yep, the one night a year I dread." She raised her eyebrows.

"You are going?" He nodded. "Are you taking anyone?" She asked and he smirked at her.

"No, I plan on keeping my options open." She rolled her eyes again. She sat back and thought about it. If she went with him than she could use his nasty attitude as an excuse to leave early.

"Yeah Lexie, keep telling yourself that is why you want to go with him." She thought to herself. "Hey Robert." He looked up from the newspaper in front of him. "You want to go with me to the party?" He creased his brow and looked at her. The idea was dangerous. He had finally gotten everything under control and this could take him back to square one.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. I am still your supervisor and it would just end up being a pain in the ass to deal with later." Her mouth shot open.

"Well how do you really feel about it?" She got up and glared at him. "Never mind." She said and walked out of the lounge. She ended up calling an old friend that she hadn't talked to in a few years but she remembered he was very good looking and that would work out well for her plan. She searched every boutique in Manhattan and found the perfect dress.

She felt herself becoming nervous as Colin took her arm and led her into the ballroom. They stopped at the top of the stairs and looked out at the ballroom below. She told herself that she was just taking in the whole scene but she knew better. She was looking for him. Her eyes locked with his and she smiled a faint grin to herself. She watched his face as she took Colin's arm again and let him lead her down the staircase.

Robert stood at the bar and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her long curls that were usually held up by a clip or a rubber band were softly cascading down her back. He couldn't remember ever seeing her wearing makeup and it brought out the green in her eyes and the pout in her lips. He felt his heart rate speeding up and then as she descended the staircase he saw the dress. The black silk hugged her body perfectly and he let his eyes wonder from the open toed high heals up the slit in the side of the dress that ran all the way up her leg to her lower thigh. The material hugged every curve of her small waist and the v-neck dipped slightly into her ample cleavage. The small straps that held the dress up only added to the creaminess of her skin and he had to remind himself to breath. He had always known she was beautiful but tonight she was breathtaking and he found his resolve disappearing. He met them as they stepped off of the last step.

"Dr. Carter." He said and she turned to face him.

"Dr. Romano." Colin nudged her. "Oh sorry, Colin Elliott, this is Robert Romano." And that was all she said as the men shook hands. She hoped she was coming off as unaffected by him but she had never seen him look more handsome. His tux had to have been custom made and everything about him looked perfect. She looked at Robert and he smiled at her. "Well if you will excuse us." She said and led Colin away. She felt like such a child. She had spent so much time making herself look perfect just so she could have had that moment. She felt bad for Colin because she spent most of the night wondering what Robert was doing. She had no idea that he was at the bar getting drunk. He knew it was a bad idea. He was risking making a fool out of himself in front of his superiors but he needed something to help take the nagging away from him. He stole a glance in her direction and saw her laughing at something Colin had said and he clutched the glass tighter. He was having an internal debate. Part of him wanted nothing more than to walk over and ask her to dance. To feel how her body felt pressed up against him, to be enveloped by the smell of her perfume, to look into her eyes and feel the feelings that she always brought out in him. But he knew that it wouldn't be that easy. Everyone would be watching their every move and come Monday morning the rumors would be running wild again.

"Fuck it." He said out loud and set his glass down walking over to where she had just stood up. "Dr. Carter, I was wondering if you would give me the honor of a dance." He said and held out his hand. Her knees went weak and her heart sped up. Oh how badly she wanted to say yes. To feel his arms wrapped around her body, to feel the way her adrenaline always kicked in when he touched her, to feel his breath on her skin as their bodies moved together to the music. But she couldn't. Her pride wouldn't let it happen so she glared at him and took Colin's hand and led him to the dance floor. She closed her eyes as Colin wrapped his arms around her but it didn't feel right. It was the wrong person holding her and she dared glance his way as he watched them on the dance floor and then turned and walked up the stairs and left.

He found himself at a bar down the street. He sat quietly brooding as he ordered another drink.

"Hello there." A voice said and he looked at the woman who had sat down next to him. He wasn't in the mood to talk. "You look like you have had a bad night." She said and he nodded. "My name is Donna." She said and held out her hand. He turned to her and shook her hand.

"Robert." He said and looked at her. She was looking at him like she wanted nothing more than to get down on her knees and blow him right there in the bar. He sat and thought about it again. Why shouldn't he take her home? Lexie wasn't the only one that could enjoy herself. He looked back at the blonde sitting next to him. He knew that he would end up taking her home with him and he also knew that she wasn't who he would be thinking of when they had sex.