A/N: Seems like I've got a „run" at the moment and I am happy that I find the time to update more regularly… and I'm also glad that there are still people reading this story. Our story… of me and my partner… we've been writing this whole story for a year and a month now (we're a bit ahead of course) and we still have SO many ideas, so we're glad you like them! :-)

By the way: aside from Jackson being back (kind of) this chapter will introduce a new character – hope, you'll like him… and we also hope, you'll at least be open to him. He has done nothing wrong! YET! :P

Enjoy Chapter 59!

Thanks for the reviews!

Mark Sloan POV:

Mark was more than happy that he had pulled off the surgery. That he had really managed to do his job, even though it had needed nurse Sasha to remind him what his job was. For a moment there he had really lost his temper, had forgotten to focus on his patient and the patient had crashed. And it had been his fault.

He knew he shouldn't have gotten so distracted by Alex and Eli, but he had been so mad in this moment, that he hadn't even realized that he was operating, had been so lost in his anger.

Fortunately, Sasha had been there with him to bring him back to reality, and once more he was glad that he requested her to be with him in the OR. She probably was the only one - or rather the only nurse - he would still listen to.

There had been a time where he listened to Eli. Where he took advice from him and was thankful for everything Eli told him, but that was long over. He was done with the guy, and if he didn't know before, he definitely knew now. Their "meeting" when they were scrubbing out of the surgery had made that more than clear.

Having to tell Eli was he was going through, though, had made everything just that much more real. And it had made Mark understand even better what he had put Alex through. It was horrible. He was horrible.

Re-living something like that over and over again was like losing a part of yourself over and over again and Mark understood that now, even though it most likely was too late.

A look at his watch showed Mark, that he still had a couple of minutes left, which he used to see Owen Hunt to tell him that he wanted Karev off his service.

He had to do that. For Alex but mostly for himself, because he just didn't want to put Alex through that again. He didn't want to be that person, and he didn't want to destroy him like that. It wasn't fair and he knew it.

Yes, he was still mad about everything that had happened. About the fact that they all kept this a secret from him, but he had played a part in it, too. If he had just paid closer attention, he might have noticed it himself. He just hoped he would see Jackson again some day to tell him that he was sorry. That he was sorry that he had let him down. Like he had always let down the people he loved and that loved him. The people that trusted him.

Mark couldn't help but think about Derek. The guy had been nothing but good to him ever since they were little kids. Derek hat given him the family he never had himself, by inviting him into his own family, and he had thanked him by sleeping with his wife.

He knew Derek had long forgiven him for that, but it was something that was still inside of Mark, and sometimes he still didn't understand how Derek could have ever let go of it. How he could not hate him forever for what he had done.

Shaking away his thoughts, Mark made his way to his car and then he got in and drove home, where he hopped into the shower immediately. Derek and Addison would be here soon, and he needed to be ready for that, even though he still wasn't very looking forward to spending an evening with them.

Or rather, an evening in a bar with them.

If it would have been just them, drinking beer and eating pizza at Mark's apartment, it would have been way better, but no, Addison had decided that Mark needed to go out, to see people - as she had pronounced it - and she had even gotten Derek to agree with her on that. But it was just one evening and when they saw how useless it was to try to cheer Mark up they would probably give up on their task by themselves. At least, Mark hoped so.

He spent a fair amount of time in his bathroom, until he moved towards his bedroom and stood in front of his cupboard for a while, thinking about what he should wear. Even though he didn't plan on doing anything, he wanted to at least look good by not doing anything.

After a while he decided for tight black jeans and a dark shirt, watching himself in the mirror and putting a smile on his face. He didn't look all too bad. Yes, Addison and Derek wouldn't have to feel ashamed for taking him with them.

Just when Mark was entering his living room he heard a knock at the door and grabbed his black leather jacket and his keys. He opened the door and found - as expected - Derek and Addison standing in front of it.

"Someone's ready to go," Addison chirped cheerfully, hugging Mark tightly.

"You're so gonna regret that. I'm gonna destroy your evening and then you will wish you never invited me in the first place," Mark warned.

Derek patted his shoulder. "Oh Come on, it won't be that bad... just try to enjoy spending time with two of your oldest friends."

"Does that make me old, too?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow, before all three of them started laughing almost the same second.

"Come on, let's go!" Addison said and guided the two guys out of the apartment building.

For a moment there Mark felt like someone was watching him. It was strange, and he turned around, but he couldn't make out anyone in the darkness.

"You alright?" Derek asked, moving back to him and looking around himself.

"Yeah... I just thought I saw someone..." Mark replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He knew this was maybe completely idiotic, but there just was something, Mark knew it, but he couldn't point his finger on it, so he just shook it off and made his way towards Derek's car who had decided to drive for the night. To give Mark the opportunity to drink something - as he had said, even though Mark didn't plan on getting really drunk.

They made their way to a bar Mark had never been in before and an hour later Mark was on his second beer, still not really in the mood for doing more than just sitting there and enjoying spending time with his friends and talking to Addison and Derek, until Addison said something that caused Mark to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.

"That guy over there... the blond one... he's staring in our direction ever since we entered the bar... I think he thinks you're hot..."

"Yeah, right!" Mark gave back, but couldn't help being curious. So he turned around for a moment, seeing the really attractive young guy sitting at the bar, but when their eyes met, he turned around quickly.

"See?" Addison grinned at him. "I bet he'd love to come over and have a drink with you. Or why don't you go over and have a drink with him?"

"Oh come on!" Mark waved dismissively. "How old are we again? This is so not what I'm going to do... I'm too old for this."

"What?" Derek chuckled. "Too old for having fun?"

"Ah, so you're on her side now?" Mark asked, tilting his head.

"I'm on nobody's side." Derek defended himself. "But I don't think you should pass an opportunity like that... No one says you have to drag him out of here and fuck him in a dark alley, but there's nothing to say against having a nice chat with someone who's obviously interested in you..."

"DEREK!" Addison blurted out, obviously surprised by his clear words, which caused Mark to chuckle.

"Seems like I'm rubbing off on you, buddy..." He grinned, emptying his beer-bottle and getting up. "But if you stop annoying me, I'll go over and talk to him. But I bet he's only looking at us because he's interested in you, Addi... or maybe even in Derek."

"We'll see about that," Addison smiled and with one last sigh, Mark gave in. Because Derek was right after all. He was not going to have sex tonight, but meeting new people wasn't something he was totally opposed to. And if he made a fool out of himself, because the guy wasn't interested in him after all, so what? He had nothing to lose.

Making his way towards the bar he tipped the man on the shoulder, smiling at him once he turned around.

"Yes?"

Mark smiled back at him. "Hey... This is normally nothing I do just like that, but... I couldn't help noticing you watching us... me and my friends... so if you wanna meet one of them, you better tell me right now, before I embarrass myself any further."

"Actually..." the guy started saying. "Actually it was you I couldn't keep my eyes off. I was just asking myself why someone like you is alone on an evening like that."

"What makes you think I'm alone?" Mark asked back, already enjoying the company of whoever the guy was. Maybe coming here wasn't a total bad idea after all.

"Oh, I'm... I assumed your friends are a couple and you... just... came along with them, but... maybe now it's me who's making a fool of himself... she's not your girlfriend, isn't she?" The man said, his pale cheeks turning into a slight red.

"No!" Mark chuckled. "Calm down... Derek and Addison are just friends... actually, the three of us are just friends... Derek is married and Addison is single... so if you're interested in her, I can arrange something."

"No" the other guy immediately said. "I rather want to get to know you..."

"Good answer..." Mark smiled. "My name is Mark... Mark Sloan..." he introduced himself.

"Victor... Victor Whale..." Victor introduced himself, taking Mark's offered hand and shaking it and Mark couldn't help noticing the beautiful blue eyes of his that had this appealing spark within them.

It was hard to believe that a guy like that would be interested in someone like Mark, because as far as Mark could say, he was at least ten years younger than him, and definitely more than attractive.

"How comes a guy like you is alone here on a night like this?" Mark asked without hesitation, looking directly into his eyes.

"I think it's my job," Victor replied. "Being a doctor and having a very irregular work schedule doesn't make it easy to meet someone," he explained.

Surprised, Mark looked at him. "You're a doctor?"

"Yeah!" Victor smiled. "A big turn-off, huh? I bet you're already thinking about an excuse to get rid of me again."

"No!" Mark gave back immediately. "I was just surprised... because I'm a doctor too..." He winked towards the bar tender, looking back at Victor. "What drink can I invite you to?"

"A beer would be fine..." Victor said.

"Two beers then," Mark ordered, taking a seat next to him and smiling. Somehow, this evening already turned out better than he ever expected, and he enjoyed talking to Victor. More than he probably should, but he decided that, whatever, he was single, so he was free to do whatever he wanted. He would enjoy this evening and who knew where it would take him.

Alex Karev POV:

Alex thought he was delirious at first. That, or going completely crazy because of the day from hell. Every bit of horrendous disappointment and sadness that had made up his life had culminated in the man's mind finally snapping and now he was seeing people that clearly weren't there.

Although Jackson was standing on the staircase looking at Alex as if he had just been caught cheating on a test.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" Alex asked in wonder.

"I didn't think you would be here" Jackson spoke in a small voice. He really hadn't expected Alex and now that the two were standing in front of one another Alex could tell the man had no idea what to do.

"Is that all you have to say?" Alex asked "you've vanished into the fucking night and after a week you pop back up and the only thing you can say is you didn't expect to see me here?"

Alex could feel the first stirring of anger in his stomach. It felt like a hard knot that weighed him down and all he wanted was to get rid of it. Expel it from his body and towards something or someone he could make feel just as bad as he did.

Now Jackson was standing in front of him and Alex's day had been one of the worst in such a long time.

Taking a deep breath Jackson made his way over to the door "Look, I'll come back later. I didn't mean to interrupt your night"

Alex stood astounded as Jackson spoke calmly and not like he had sent every person who cared about him off a damn emotional cliff.

"You have any idea what you've done?" Alex asked and turning around Jackson stuffed his hands into his dark blue hoodie "you have any idea what you put us through?"

Jackson smiled bitterly "Of course I do" he told Alex "you all have left enough messages on my phone that it would take a lifetime to play them all"

"Did you even bother to listen to any of them?"

"Of course I did" Jackson told him "Let's see, Tyler called me selfish then threatened to drag me back here and you blamed me for April having complications with her pregnancy. I mean those are only the highlights, but feel free to fill me in on anything else I may have missed that was my fault"

"I wasn't blaming you for April" Alex said offended "I just wanted you to know that things were bad here"

"Right" Jackson responded clearly unconvinced "I'm heading out" and turning back towards the door he was about to reach for the doorknob before Alex ran over and stood in front of him causing Jackson to jump back.

"No" Alex said "you're going to listen to me"

"I'm not arguing with you, Alex" Jackson told him "and you're obviously too angry to have a rational discussion"

Jackson was so patronizing and the way he talked down to Alex did nothing to slow down his rage "Where were you?"

"'Seeing as how I found myself with a permanent vacation I thought I would see the world. Get some culture"

It was like he didn't care. Like everything that they had to go through with his disappearance was nothing but an annoying footnote in Jackson's life.

"I thought you could've been dead" Alex said and fuck if he couldn't feel tears spring to his eyes "Mark was..."

That had seemed to get a genuine reaction from Jackson "I'm sorry, Alex" he said "I just needed to get some space and get my head straight"

"It's good for you" Alex responded "it's good that you got to get a nice breather. Do you know what I've been doing this past week?"

"Alex-"

"Since Mark knew the truth he needed to know every detail" Alex said "and since he pretty much hates everyone that was in on your problem I got to be the one to fill him in. I was put on his service and all week I've had to go over every conversation we've had, every moment that led to you leaving. Every morning, every afternoon, and every surgery. It was non-stop"

"I didn't mean for-" Jackson tried to say.

"I could give a fuck about what you meant, Avery" Alex practically yelled in his face "you were off with Gary living it up and meanwhile I'm here with nobody"

Walking past Jackson he went and grabbed another beer.

"Nobody?" Jackson repeated astonished "I'm sorry, aren't you the one with the boyfriend and kid on the way. The guy with the great job and even better apartment? That is you right?"

Alex narrowed his eyes at Jackson.

"You've been gone for awhile so why don't I catch you up" Alex said "April said that she wants me to have nothing to do with her or the baby. Seems me keeping your secret really didn't go over well with her. Dylan Forrester died this afternoon because I fucked up in some monumental way that I can't figure out and then to put the fucking cherry on this perfect day I go home to find Lewis banging Tyler's brains out"

The look of surprise was back on Jackson's face "I'm sorry, Alex I...I didn't know"

"How could you?" Alex spat "you were away clearing your head"

"I told you getting involved with Lewis was a mistake"

Alex's eyes went wide "Are you fucking serious right now?" Alex yelled "I just told you my life is in shambles and you come at me with an I told you so"

"No, I didn't say.. I didn't mean it that way" Jackson was stumbling over his words "I'm just saying that you could do better than him"

"Really?" Alex queried "because if you haven't noticed, Jackson, I'm not exactly a top prize" he took another swig of his beer. "I certainly don't look like you and I'm not all sunshine and happiness like April, but I guess I did do a good job of wiping that out of her, didn't I?" and collapsing onto the couch he leaned forward "no wonder Lewis went back to Tyler so quickly. What else do I have to offer besides my ability to completely ruin any and everything good"

Jackson was stuck between wanting to rush out the door and going over to Alex. In the end Jackson was never the kind of person that could leave Alex in this kind of state.

Walking over Jackson took a seat beside Alex.

"You do have good things to offer, Alex" Jackson said "but those good things shouldn't be wasted on a man who only got with you because you were part of an agenda"

Alex looked over at him "Why wasn't I enough for him?"

"Lewis and Tyler are... magnets" Jackson said "they will always be drawn to one another and I've been in the middle and I know how awful it can be"

Alex stared at him for a long moment "Did you know?"

The look in Jackson's yes told Alex his answer and getting up he stormed over to the bar counter "Of course you did"

"I'm sorry, Alex" Jackson said again "I know we've had our differences, but I never wanted you to hurt like this"

"I find that hard to believe" Alex responded "it's some payback after all these months"

This time it was Jackson who stood up angrily "Do you seriously think I would want you to hurt like this?" he asked "I cared about Dylan too"

"Why weren't you here?" Alex said and his voice cracked as his emotions started to overtake him "why didn't you stay?"

"I couldn't" Jackson told him "it was too hard and if you want to call me weak then fine, but I couldn't take another fight or another morning of waking up in a cold sweat waiting for my world to come to an end"

"You could've talked to me" Alex said.

"We haven't talked in months, Karev" Jackson said "it's been one argument after another and I don't blame you for that. I know that I've made things...difficult"

"Are you going to stay?" Alex asked and he couldn't keep the hopeful expression out of his voice. The hope died as soon as Jackson averted his eyes.

"You are going to stay, aren't you?"

"My life isn't here anymore, Alex" Jackson told him "I need to find a new place to start fresh"

"What about Mark?" Alex asked "he's going to need you"

"Mark is going to be okay" Jackson assured him as he walked over to Alex "it's going to hurt for a while, but he will find somebody who deserves all the love he has and will know how to love him the right way"

Jackson sounded so final. This was a decision he had long come to.

"What about me?" Alex asked "I don't have anyone else"

"Alex" Jackson said sympathetically "April is-"

"April is gone, Jackson" Alex said "this wasn't some momentary burst of anger. She put up with Lewis, she put up with my horrible treatment, and now she's done. Besides, she has always deserved someone so much better than me. She was always going to leave eventually. They all do"

Another moment of terrible silence.

"My flight isn't until tomorrow night" Jackson said "I have to talk with Hunt about filling out some exit papers, but I'm not doing anything tonight. Why don't we go out for a proper drink?"

"I don't want a drink" Alex muttered.

"Then what, Alex?" Jackson asked "Our last night together is completely up to you"

Alex raised his head and looked at Jackson. He was so lonely and so broken and he just wanted to feel...something.

Leaning forward Alex kissed Jackson. Placed his hand around the back of the man's head and pulled him for a brutal crushing of lips.

It lasted only a second or two before Jackson pulled his head away "Alex, no"

"Please, Jackson" Alex begged as he put both arms around the man's waist and pulled him close "Our last night and I won't ask you for anything more". He was crying full on now. The tears just wouldn't seem to stop "everything hurts so much and I don't how to stop it. Please Jackson"

He placed his forehead against Jackson's "Please"

"You're not thinking clearly" Jackson said as he stepped away "You think this seems like a good idea now, but come morning you would know this was a mistake. I'm not going to be another person's mistake"

Alex cocked his head to the side "That kiss was the first good thing I've felt all night" Alex told him "you're not some guy on the street that I picked up, Jackson. I love you and I could never consider this a mistake. Not when it's the only thought that's helping me survive one second to the next"

"Alex I-"

"I get it" Alex said as he turned around "I get I'm not the who you really want and I think I should go before I embarrass myself any further"

Walking past Jackson he felt the man grab his arm "Alex"

Looking at Jackson Alex could feel his heart race. Leaning forward Jackson gave him a soft kiss "If we do this it's just for us" Jackson told him "I want to show you how much I really do love you, but it's only for us"

"Only for us" Alex whispered as he wiped a tear away "I promise"

Mark Sloan POV:

"What kind of doctor are you?" Victor asked, once Mark and he got their beers. He looked at him interested and Mark couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips.

"Plastics... I'm actually the head of the Plastics Department in Seattle Grace Mercy West. Not that I want to brag or anything like that," Mark replied.

"No, of course not!" Victor said with a teasing tone in his voice, causing Mark to raise an eyebrow.

"Are you mocking me right now?"

"Maybe." Victor grinned. "A little."

"This is not nice considering the fact that you just met me," Mark complained, but he definitely wasn't really serious and he could tell by the look in Victor's eyes that he knew.

"Oh, I think a man like you can take a little mocking." Victor leaned forward, looking deep into his eyes. "Am I right?"

Mark felt a heat rise within him, because of the close proximity, shying away and taking a sip of his drink. He definitely didn't want to give Victor the wrong impression, since he really seemed to be a nice guy and Mark definitely wasn't looking for quick sex or something like that. And he also didn't think picking up some stranger was what Derek and Addison intended for him to do when they brought him here.

"Yes... I think you're right," Mark gave back after a couple of seconds, not looking at Victor, but instead staring at his beer bottle.

"Everything alright?" Victor asked immediately and Mark could feel his eyes darting upon him.

"Sure... yes..."

He turned back to Victor, forcing himself to smile. He didn't want to think about Jackson this evening, but when the thought about meaningless sex crossed his mind, it had been combined with the thought of Jackson. Of course. Because Jackson couldn't leave him alone for even a single evening. He was always there like a dark cloud above his head.

"You look pretty tense suddenly, and I don't know why. It's obviously something I said, and whatever it was, I'm sorry..." Victor replied with a sincerity in his eyes that made Mark feel bad immediately.

"No... no you didn't," Mark shook his head. "I just... had a very exhausting day and there are some things I can't shake off that easy."

"I understand." Victor gave back, taking a sip of his beer. "Wanna know what I do to get rid of the annoying baggage of the day?"

Interested and curious, Mark looked at him. "Sure."

"I dance it off. We're in a dance bar here after all." He slid off his bar stool, and grabbed Mark's arm. "Come on."

Immediately, Mark shook his head, resisting very hard.

"No. Definitely not."

"Why not?" Victor asked, and the lightness in his voice was something so much more attractive than Mark was aware of. It was kind of inviting, appealing even and he wanted nothing more than to just follow him to the dance floor, even though he hadn't danced in forever. Not really.

He had danced at Callie's wedding. With Callie, but that had been something completely different. Here, they were in a dance bar and he wouldn't be able to slowly dance and coordinate his legs the way he should.

"I think you're gonna need your feet tomorrow and if you dance with me, I swear you're gonna regret it. I'm not a good dancer." Mark replied, causing Victor to chuckle.

"But I'm a good teacher, come on..."

Something about his voice, the tone of his voice, did something to Mark. Something he couldn't even name. So he let Victor pull him off his stool and towards the dance floor.

"You're so gonna regret this," Mark joked, smiling at him, and this time it was a real smile. A genuine one.

"Well... I'm a big boy. I will deal with the consequences afterwards." Victor replied, and only a few seconds later Mark found himself in the middle of the dance floor with him.

There were other couples dancing, mostly guys dancing with women and a few women dancing with women. They were the only two men, and it was actually the first time Mark did something like that with another guy.

For a moment there he started feeling really uncomfortable, about to turn around and leave as quickly as he came, but once he felt Victor pulling his hands around his chest, there was something else within him. Victor's smile let him forget everything else and he felt like they were the only two people in the room.

"Trust me!" Victor whispered, wrapping his own arms around Mark's neck.

"Just let me lead you... close your eyes and follow my movements."

And Mark did.

He closed his eyes, feeling Victor's body against his own and then he started mimicking Victor's movements, and surprisingly, it worked at lot better than he thought it would. Probably because Victor really seemed to be a good dancer.

He found himself enjoying this way more than he maybe should, feeling his hands sliding up and down Victor's back and inhaling his scent.

Victor smelled somehow like a mix of ocean and cardamom, it smelled musky and almost intoxicating and Mark felt himself letting go more and more with each second.

He could have gone on forever and ever, being here with Victor, forgetting the world around, if it wasn't for the DJ that decided to exchange the soft sounds of the songs into something a lot quicker more dancy. Something definitely not qualified for a dance like this.

So he let go enough of Victor to look into his eyes.

"We should probably go back to our seats, huh?"

"Why?" Victor tilted his head. "Are you afraid you can't keep up with me?"

And there it was again. The teasing in his voice, that made the guy that much more interesting for Mark and somehow it awakened the fighting spirit in Mark. He wanted to proof him wrong.

"I just didn't want you to embarrass yourself because you can't keep up with a man that much older and more experienced than you," he gave back, grabbing Victor's hands.

"We'll see about that," Victor laughed, and it was a beautiful laugh, one that made Mark feel like he was the most important person in the room. Because it was directed towards him.

Within seconds the two of them were moving around on the dance floor like pros and Mark was swirling around Victor as if he had never done something else. It was so easy with Victor leading him, he just had to mimic his movements and Mark couldn't help but enjoy it.

When the song came to and end, Mark bent Victor down and leaned over him and they stared at each other for a couple of seconds, Mark feeling himself getting lost in his blue eyes. Their faces moved towards each other and there was such a strong attraction that it was hard not to act on it.

Mark was just about to kiss him, when there were clapping sounds all around them and only then did Mark notice that almost everyone in the bar was watching them. They had obviously watched them dance, and now they were cheering for them.

Embarrassed, Mark got up again, pulling Victor with him.

He felt his cheeks burning, looking at Victor.

"I think I need a drink now."

"Me too!" Victor agreed, looking almost as embarrassed himself, and Mark definitely couldn't blame him.

Dancing with him was one thing, but being watched by dozens of people was another. It was something Mark wasn't prepared for, and if it weren't for those people, he would have kissed Victor. Probably. Most likely.

He sat down on his bar stool next to Victor, looking around and only then noticing that something was missing. Someone was missing.

"Shit!"

The table Derek, Addison and he were sitting at before was crowded with other people now and the two of them were nowhere to be seen.

"What's wrong?" Victor pulled him out of his thoughts and Mark turned around to look at him.

"Addison... Addison and Derek are gone... Looks like they dumped me."

"Oh!" Victor blurted out, letting a much quieter "I'm sorry" follow.

"No, it's not your fault," Mark hurriedly said. "But I'm gonna kill them for it tomorrow."

"Well... maybe they thought you didn't need them anymore. Because you're enjoying yourself." Victor suggested, placing a hand on Mark's arm.

Mark looked at it for a second or two, feeling the warmth radiating from Victor's body, before he looked back into his eyes.

"Yeah... maybe..." he replied, swallowing hard.

"You do enjoy yourself, right?" There was insecurity in Victor's voice all of a sudden.

Mark didn't want him to feel bad, and so he smiled at him, gently stroking the back of Victor's hand with his fingers.

"I'm enjoying myself very much, thanks to you." he admitted. "Maybe more than I should."

And there he was again. Jackson. Everywhere in his mind. Everywhere he shouldn't be right now.

Shaking his thoughts away as good as possible, he looked deep into Victor's eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, sure!" Victor smiled this genuine smile again.

"Why me?" Mark wanted to know. "I mean... look around, there are so many nice guys here. Even some more your age and such. And definitely prettier ones than me."

"What?" Victor tilted his head. "Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror? You're gorgeous and I would have been crazy not to check you out."

"Really?" Mark's heart started beating faster and he bit his lower lip. "You mean it, don't you?"

"Yes. Yes, of course I mean it," Victor reassured him. "When you came through that door it literally blew me away," he admitted.

"I saw you and I thought 'my god, that guy is gorgeous', and then I saw the woman behind you and thought '...and taken and straight' and then I saw the other guy and I thought '…or maybe gay, but still taken', until I watched the three of you and thought that maybe you were just dragged along because by then I was sure your two friends were a couple."

A small grin appeared on Mark's lips.

"Wow... you have really watched us closely."

"Does that creep you out?" Victor asked, and there it was again. The insecurity.

"No!" Mark quickly replied. "It's actually pretty... flattering that a young, sexy guy like you would be interested in me."

"You think I'm sexy?" Victor winked at him. "Well... that makes two of us."

"You think you're sexy, too?" Mark joked, causing Victor to let out a laugh.

"No, smartass. I think you are sexy. Very, very sexy."

Again, Mark's heart beat faster. The tone in Victor's voice was so seducing and he had to fight back the urge to pull him into his arms and kiss the sense out of him.

"Since your friends obviously ditched you... what do you say I drive you home? My car is parked right outside," Victor proposed and Mark felt himself nodding, hypnotized by the look in his eyes.

He didn't resist for a second when Victor grabbed his hand, placed a few bills on the counter and dragged him out, wrapping his fingers around Victor's.

There was a little voice inside of him, telling him that this was so not a good idea. That he shouldn't let some complete stranger drive him home, but he just told that voice to shut the fuck up. He had been depressed and sad long enough and Victor somehow pulled him out of this phase by just being himself.

It felt good to start living again and so he didn't resist for a second when Victor – once they were out of the bar – pressed him against the next wall and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around the small of his back and responded to the kiss hungrily, enjoying every single second of it, until Victor backed away, looking up at him.

"We should get going."

"Yeah... we should..." He closed his eyes for a second or two, taking a few deep breathes, before he followed Victor to his car.

This was so wrong, but Mark was sick of doing the right thing. He had a right to be happy for a night, after all he had been through, and no one had the right to deny him that, not even the small voice in his head.