...

"It'll be fun." Mere had said about four shots ago. Joe's wasn't exactly decked out in Christmas decorations but a few lights hang over the bar, a few bits of tinsel are pinned up all over the place and the tip jar has been swapped with a Santa cookie jar that Cristina could have sworn is watching her.

Christmas music is playing quietly in the background, as it constantly is this close to Christmas, but luckily Cristina can barely make it out over the sounds of the bar. Behind her Alex is chatting up some chick and Cristina wonders whether this one will make him feel any better about the debacle that was Izzie.

Beside Mere, Lexie is talking excitedly about a new medical procedure she had read about a few days ago, her lips moving a mile a minute as she pauses not for breath but to slip another shot of tequila between her lips. Mere nods along, tapping the side of glass, hoping that Joe will refill it before Lexie's lips are moving again, Cristina doesn't even bother pretending to listen, how can she when she spots that surgeon across at a table near the door.

She doesn't even like him, not even as a person, how can she, he's from Mercy West, and he steals her surgeries, he's one of the parasites, she smiles at that, she certainly wouldn't mind if he suck- Shaking her head she takes the full shot glass from between Lexie's fingers and downs it herself.

"Hey get your own." Lexie slurs reaching out for her glass as she glares at Cristina.

Cristina doesn't even acknowledge Lexie's glare as her gaze is still stuck on Dr Avery, his fingers are curled around a bottle of beer and as his head tilts backwards and laugh erupts from him, Cristina finds herself turning towards Mere, to actively stop herself from looking at him.

Barely ten minutes later Derek is standing beside Mere, his hand resting on her shoulder before she gives him a slow lingering kiss that makes Cristina nod at Joe, asking for another shot. Pulling his lips for Mere's Derek asks, "You guys ready to go?"

Mere's eyes meet Cristina's and she answers, "We'll be home in a few hours."

"You should take Lex though." Cristina suggests, earning another glare from Lexie. The glare softens immediately however as Cristina musters up a small, soft smile and Lexie sighs before following Derek to the door. Cristina watches them go, her eyes straying from the door over to the Mercy Wester that she is totally not thinking inappropriate thoughts about right now, she looks over at Mere, catching in the corner of her eye, she sees his green eyes focus on the bar, before lingering on her for a moment before looking away. Perhaps the lingering is wishful thinking, Cristina thinks as she takes another sip of her beer.

She lasts almost a full half hour without looking over at him again, she gets her ass kicked in darts by Alex, lets him moan a little about Izzie, and then as she drops down on the opposite side of a booth to Mere, her eyes scan the bar before her gaze latches onto Jackson, who this time is looking back at her. He smiles before the red head taps his shoulder and he looks away.

"Would you stop making eyes at pretty boy?" Mere asks, a smile touching her lips as she pushes a glass of water towards Cristina and shoots Alex a glare as he sits down, splashing a little beer onto her arm as he leans back.

"God I'm trying, but…" Cristina answers with a wistful sigh before she turns from Jackson and looks over at Mere. Taking a sip of water she misses the way Jackson looks at her, but Alex doesn't and he smiles to himself as he thinks, at least Cristina will get lucky tonight.

Mere nods, trying to keep the smirk off her face as she asks, "It's been a long time?"

"Shut up."

"Go for it he's hot," Mere says, smiling at Cristina as she pauses and gives a short appreciative whistle before she continues, "If I wasn't mar-"

"God, I'm gonna get another drink." Cristina cuts Mere off and slides out of the booth. Mere isn't wrong, he is gorgeous and Cristina would like to do a great many of different things to him, but she's not drunk enough yet, perhaps after a few more she will ignore her better judgement and actually talk to him.

"Maybe he will too." Mere smiles and Cristina merely rolls her eyes.

"Go get some." Alex adds, grinning as she scowls at him. Taking another sip of his beer he ignores the questioning look that Mere sends him, it's too close to Christmas for him to get a date, he still can't imagine spending Christmas with anyone other than Izzie, so when the brunette asked if he wanted to head to her place, despite his reputation, Alex had shook his head, gave her a quick kiss goodnight and challenged Cristina to a game of darts.

Pushing past the mass of people that seem to be directly in her way Cristina heads towards the bar. She can hear the music and she tries her best not to glance over at Jackson, instead she simply decides whether she wants a beer or another round of shots for the table.

Just because she saw it when she came it, just because she saw it when she ordered at the bar the last twelve times, doesn't mean that she consciously stands underneath it. She doesn't even think, she just heads to the empty spot on the bar, her mind attempting to avoid the subject of the Mercy Wester as she leans against the bar, unaware of what she is standing under.

"Doctor Yang."

Cristina fights the urge to sigh at her misfortune, with this amount of alcohol already in her, this conversation is either going to end badly or really badly. Blocking out her thoughts, her eyes flick to his face and she answers easily, "Doctor Avery."

"Can I Cristina you?" Jackson asks with a smile, before he adds quickly, "Or are we not there yet?" He seems nervous and Cristina hesitates, unsure of what to say.

"Mistletoe."

Cristina turns towards the voice, and finds Mark leaning against the bar beside her, she raises her eyebrow and he points. Her brain finally processes where she is standing, right underneath the mistletoe that she had teased Alex about standing under just an hour and a half earlier, and yet here she is, her gaze following Mark's pointing finger and as she glances over to Jackson she can see his cheeks redden just a little. She doesn't need to look at Mark to know that he is smirking.

Taking a small step towards Jackson, Cristina gives him what she assumes is a smirk as she places her hands either side of Jackson's face and brings her mouth towards his. She hesitates, her lips a breath from Jackson's before his hands settle on her hips and brings her towards him, her eyes fluttering shut as their lips touch. Cristina reciprocates the kiss, her mouth warm against Jackson's and she tries not to kiss as desperately as she wants, but as the kiss deepens for a moment, she needs to pull back before she won't be able to stop.

"Jackson," Avery blurts out as their lips separate. Cristina blinks, her brain still catching up, and then she smiles at the extended hand that Jackson doesn't seem to realise is his own.

"Cristina." Cristina answers, her hand clasping his as she shakes it. Their hands linger for a few more seconds, Jackson's green eyes searching Cristina's browns before she pulls her hand away and turns to Joe.

"Same again?" Joe asks, and Cristina nods.

Jackson stands beside her, still for a moment, before Cristina turns back to him and a smile breaks out on his face as he hesitantly rests his hands on Cristina's hips, unsure whether she wants him to or not as he asks, "How many kisses is Mistletoe good for?"

"Why don't we find out." Cristina smirks, her fingers curling around a handful of Jackson's shirt as she pulls him a step closer, and she kisses him, already desperate for more.

...