"Joe!" Lauren laughed loudly as she walked into Joe's bar and straight up to the bar. Looking around, she noticed that the bar was full of Seattle Grace doctors and nurses. No doubt they all needed a drink after such a challenging day. "Joe my good man, every Seattle Grace doctor and nurse in the bar right now deserves a drink so consider the next round on me"

The whole bar cheered and raised their glasses as Lauren set down a couple hundred dollars on the bar and pushed it toward Joe. After the amazing work those doctors and nurses did today, they deserved it.

"And what is it I can get you Dr Shepherd? I saw the news and the elementary school disaster. Looks like you could use something strong" Joe chuckled as Lauren sat down between Alex and Jackson.

"Just water for me actually, I have to get back to the hospital soon"

"You're going back? You should go home to bed" Avery laughed and took a sip of his drink.

"I should go home and take a nice long bath but someone has to monitor the thirty eight kids and ten teachers that are still admitted from today. My day is far from over" she chuckled and nodded to Joe as he handed her a glass of water. "I live for major traumas and forty eight hour shifts"

"Are you sure you don't want a drink?"

"Want some company?" Alex asked with a shrug. Going back to the hospital and working with Lauren definitely beat the frat house he called home. The walls were thin and Derek and Meredith were trying for a baby.

"I'll come back too if you'd like some extra help" Avery offered only because Alex did. He would much rather go home and sleep but Lauren was the only Attending that was ready to teach him anything so the more time he spent with her the better. It didn't help that Avery had a bit of a thing for Lauren because of the chance she gave him today.

"No you guys stay, enjoy your night with a cute little nurse or someone" she chuckled and took one last sip of her drink before handing Joe another hundred dollar note "I should get back. Joe, please consider every drink Karev and Avery drink tonight to be on me"

"Will do" he smiled and happily took the money.

Lauren stood up off the bar stool and clasped both Alex and Avery on the shoulders with a smile "You two did well today. You'll both make amazing surgeons"

"Thanks Dr Shepherd"

"When I'm out of those god forsaken navy scrubs I'm just Lauren"

Lauren pulled her coat tight around her body as she walked through the crisp night air to get back to the hospital. She needed the cold to wake her up for a long night ahead of her. A very big cup of coffee might help a little too. Changing back into her scrubs, Lauren rounded on all the elementary school patients ward by ward til she got up to the Paediatric oncology ward. She wasn't about to forget about her usual patients just because of this trauma. Watching her kids from the door, she subconsciously assessed all of their vital signs without having their charts to record any changes. She just wanted to see they were all ok.

"These aren't patients from this morning" Alex chuckled as he stood beside Lauren. He had excused himself from the bar early and made his way back to the hospital. After watching Derek and Meredith leave together, he wasn't all that excited to go home.

"No but they're just as important" she chuckled and looked up at him with a smile "I trusted interns with these guys today"

"And everyone is ok?"

"Looks that way, I shouldn't worry about these kids so much. They're pretty tough"

"You're allowed to worry" he smiled nudging her gently "All you Paeds surgeons ever do is worry about these kids"

"Hey, don't say anything bad about Robbins. I know the girl wears roller skates but that's no reason to be mean" Lauren joked

"You don't wear those sneakers with the skates?"

"No way! They're totally lame. Mine light up" she giggled and stamped her foot lightly to activate the lights on her sneakers. Alex laughed loudly causing Lauren to put her hand over his mouth quickly to shut him up. Seeing a few of her kids stir, she really didn't want them to wake up. Her kids were the hardest to calm down at night especially if their parents had gone home for a rest. Hospital was a scary place for kids even if they were used to spending months at a time in an oncology ward.

"Do you want to be the one to rock them back to sleep?" Lauren laughed as she slowly took her hand away from his mouth "Rule number one especially on this ward, let the kids sleep and you'll have a peaceful night"

"Did Ghandi teach you that one?" Alex laughed softly "Or Yoda?"

"Shutup"

Lauren laughed softly and turned back to look at her patients leaning into Alex gently. She was doing her best to stay standing considering how exhausted she was. Alex rested his hands on her shoulders and massaged them gently. He couldn't imagine how tired she was after the day she had. He had a busy day but that was nothing compared to hers. Groaning softly, Lauren looked up at Alex with a smile as his hands moved to her lower back. Alex leant forward and kissed her neck softly and moved his hands to Lauren's hips gently. Allowing him to keep kissing her neck, Lauren only pulled away when Alex's hands progressed to just under her scrub top. She stepped away and made an effort of pulling her top down.

"I like you and I like the way you were kissing me but your hands stay away from under my clothes for a little while. I've jumped into relationships way too fast before. I've jumped into bed way too fast before"

Alex held his hands up as if he was surrendering "I get that and I respect that" he chuckled and rested his hands back on her hips "I tend to do that too. Screw first, think later"

"Did I mention that I like you?" Lauren smiled and stepped back toward him and kissed him softly

XXXXX

"Why are you sitting alone tonight Jackson?" Lexie asked as she sat down next to Avery and asked Joe for a refill. "Aren't you meant to be celebrating after your amazing surgery?"

"Oh I am celebrating, I just have a lot on my mind" he sighed softly and finished off his drink in one gulp.

"Would that by any chance be Lauren Shepherd?"

"Huh? What? No..."

"Take it from someone who has been with an Attending, be careful"

"Be careful? There's nothing to be careful about" Avery lied. He couldn't stop thinking about his Attending no matter how hard he tried not to. It was against the rules and he would never have a chance with an Attending like Lauren. "It's different when the Attending is a woman"

"How?"

"It just is... I like her but that's as far as it goes"

"Y'know if she likes you too, you should go for it but like I said, be careful"

"And if she doesn't...?"

"Drink some more scotch" Lexie chuckled

Thoughts?

Uh-oh love triangle.