Not ending this chapter on this note, there's a Part 2 for this New Year's Eve thing and I'm still writing it so watch out for that! Comments and feedbacks are greatly appreciated so please leave more x

P.S. Sorry if this is a bit rushed!

—

Lexie lays spent on the bed, her clothes discarded on the floor and her chest heaving with exhaustion. She can't feel her limbs anymore; she's completely tangled up in him.

Everything happened so fast. One minute, they were just kissing and then the next, she's moaning his name and begging for him to take her to her release. It was mindblowing. Everything was so intense that their eyes have been the only form of communication, except when her judgment was so clouded and she would beg, of course. He never took his eyes off her. When he finds his release, Lexie's heart swells as he whispers her name and his eyes squeeze shut and she knows it's her own doing.

Mark inches closer and kisses her neck. "Want to go again?" He whispers and she laughs. She pulls him to her and she kisses him. He tastes just like how she remembered. The warmth of his mouth on hers sets her body on fire again.

"We have a dinner party right outside waiting for us." She says as he bites on her lower lip. Lexie pushes him away gently as she gets up and starts dressing.

He groans at the loss of contact. The guest room has been their little bubble for the past hour and he knows when they step out they'll have to pretend this never happened. "Please stay."

She rolls her eyes and laughs at his insistence. She sits on the bed, her back facing him, as she gestures for him to help with the zipper of her dress. "Mark, we have—"

"In Seattle. Stay in Seattle."

Her body tenses at his words. "What?" She laughs nervously. Her palms start to sweat, and she wipes them on the skirt of her dress.

He drops a kiss on the exposed skin on her back before completely zipping her up. "Stay in Seattle. We'll figure things out. We'll be fine. You can finish your—"

"Mark." She sighs. When he turns to look at her, she's already at the door. "I have to... M-Meredith, she-I'm... gonna go help out."

And just like that, she leaves.

—

Everyone is gathered around the living room after the dinner, drowning in separate chitchats. Mark, however, has been drinking his beer in silence. He glances at Lexie from across the room who is engrossed in her conversation with Arizona.

His phone beeps.

Hey u done there yet? Sex and champagne waiting.

"Ooooooh. Is that Nadine?" Callie says, leaning towards Mark to read the message. "Nice."

Mark laughs, and puts his phone back in his pocket. "She's just a friend."

"Uh-huh." Her tone was unconvinced. Mark gives her a look and Callie just laughs. "Come on. You've been sleeping together for months now. Plus, Arizona and I like her. Give it a try."

He rolls his eyes at his best friend and just walks towards the fridge to get another beer. He couldn't tell her about what just happened with him and Lexie. Callie has been strongly against that relationship for a while now, and he understands where she's coming from. He just wishes she'd shut up sometimes and let him figure things out on his own.

Lexie watches Mark from the corner of her eye. He's smiling as he's typing on his phone. She excuses herself from Arizona and walks to his side. "Hi."

"Ready to talk?" He looks up at her from his phone. Her eyes aren't focused on him, but instead they're narrowed on his phone.

She scoffs as she grabs his beer from his hand and takes a sip. "Is that your intern girlfriend?"

"Are you jealous?" Mark says, amused. He puts his phone back in his pocket as she shakes her head in disbelief.

Lexie locks her eyes with his, her voice like a whisper. "Why would you sleep with me if you have a girlfriend?"

"Why would you sleep with me if you have a boyfriend?" He fires back, smirking.

She rolls her eyes at him and couldn't help but laugh. "Good one."

Lexie surveys her surroundings before grabbing hold of Mark's shirt and pulling him to the bathroom. He kisses her once they were alone, their hands lost in exploring each other's bodies. He was intoxicating. Ever since she gave herself up to him earlier, she couldn't get hold of any good judgment anymore. And she doesn't want to. It feels good, being around him. So good, that she opts to push the thought of Liam to the very back of her mind.

She pulls away once Liam popped into her head and holds Mark at an arms-length. She needed to say what she's about to say next and she catches her breath before opening her mouth.

"I... I can't move to Seattle. My boards are four months away. I don't wanna do anything drastic before then. As much as I want to." She sighs and picks at the collar of Mark's shirt. "So my plans are, that I finish the four months left of my residency there, take my boards then pack up and do my fellowship."

He looks at her the entire time she spoke, even when her eyes were looking anywhere but at him. "Do your fellowship here. Under Derek. Please, Lex. For my sanity."

"Liam wants me to do it in New York. Under him. Mount Sinai has great facilities, and—"

He frowns. "Are you seriously considering this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asks, confused. In the past, he was nothing but supportive of her career decisions. Now, he was different. It was like somebody suddenly flipped a switch on his mood.

Mark backs away from her, and runs his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "God, so we really are back to this."

"Back to what?" She reaches out to him, trying to reel him back in before he completely pulls away.

"New York! Your boyfriend! Back to being nothing! What is it about him? Why can't you just let him go and give me a decent chance?" He was starting to raise his voice now, and Lexie flinches.

She tries to keep her voice in a normal volume, hoping it'll calm him down, although the bitterness in her tone is not lost. "I gave you so many chances, Mark. You can't just get mad at me for making decisions about my career or my relationships. Liam is a good guy, okay? I like him. He's alot, but I like him."

"Then why are you here with me if you like him so much? Why are you here with me, Lexie, if you don't want me?"

Her heart constricts at his words, at the truth slapped across her face. Pain was written all over Mark's face, and a single teardrop falls when he blinks. She didn't know what to say.

"Mark. Please. I'm leaving tomorrow, can we just—" She reaches for his hand, but he pulls away at her touch.

"I'm done with you."

Mark turns his back on her and leaves: the house, his worried, questioning friends, and Lexie. The night started differently, they were happy and he thought he was finally getting into her. That he's finally making her see that she can't just throw away what they have. Turns out, she is more confused than ever, and she still wants her boyfriend.

It wasn't even her career decision he was mad about. It was what lay underneath it. What it meant for him. And as far as he's concerned, she just chose Liam.