"Addie?" The voice on her answering machine trembled, and Addison heard the sound of vomiting. "I fucked up."
Addison stepped out of the airport into the soft Seattle rain. She checked her phone again, as she had a dozen times since her plane landed. No messages. No missed calls. No word from Amelia. And she wasn't answering her phone.
It had been years since Addison visited Seattle. Usually Amelia came to visit her - they alternated paying for the plane tickets and it gave Amelia a chance to catch up with Charlotte and her other friends in LA. The long distance thing really wasn't as hard as many people made it out to be. Really they spent more time together than they would if they lived together. As surgeons their schedules were always variable and they both knew more than a few surgeon couples who worked alternating shifts for weeks on end, barely seeing each other other than in passing. At least with Amelia in Seattle and Addison in LA, they intentionally scheduled their days off to coincide so that they had at least 3-4 days together each month.
But no matter how long it had been, her hands on the wheel of the rental car remembered every turn. She pulled into the parking lot and stared up at the name hung in bold letters on the side of the building: Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
It hadn't been called that when last she visited, and the sight of Mark's name was jarring. Another reason she didn't come to Seattle.
Amelia wouldn't be at the hospital. Addison was fairly certain of that much, at least. At least she hoped so. She didn't want to think about Amelia picking up a scalpel drunk again. She started at Joe's bar.
Joe confirmed what Addison already knew - that Amelia had fallen off the wagon. Hard. On the plus side, he knew who had taken Amelia home.
Addison looked Callie's address up in her phone; she had sold the condo across from Mark's, but last year's Christmas card had prompted Addison to update her address book.
Callie opened the door in sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, with dark circles under her eyes. "Addison?"
"Amelia called." It was all the explanation she needed. Amelia called and Addison jumped on the first flight.
"Come on in." Callie stepped aside to let Addison through the doorway. "I'm glad you're here. Amelia didn't say anything about you coming."
"I doubt she remembered calling," Addison said. She shrugged off her coat and hung it in the hall closet. "She sounded pretty rough. Joe said you came to get her last night. Thank you." She looked around. "Is Sofia here?"
Callie shook her head. "Stayed with Arizona last night. I was up all night with Amelia and I didn't want her to see that."
Callie led her to the bathroom. Addison's heart clenched when she spotted Amelia, curled against the wall with her knees to her chest and her elbow braced on the toilet rim. She trembled, her eyes bloodshot and swollen.
"Addie." Amelia's voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
Addison ran to her and crouched by her side. "Oh, Amelia.." Amelia leaned into her arms and sobbed. Addison brushed her hand through her hair; it was tangled and smelled of vodka and vomit. "I'm here," she whispered. "You're going to get through this."
"How did I do this again?" Amelia choked on the words. "Stupid, I was so stupid."
"No, love," Addison said. "You made a mistake. It happens. You fell off the wagon and now we're going to pick you up and get you back on." She leaned back a little and tucked one hand under Amelia's chin, turning her face up to meet hers. "Did something happen?" she asked. "What set this off?"
Amelia shook her head. She couldn't meet Addison's eyes; her gaze hovered somewhere around Addison's lips instead. "I can't... not yet. I just..." She dropped her head onto Addison's shoulder. "I can't believe I did this again. Just like last time."
Addison kissed the top of her head. "This is nothing like last time, hon. You called me. I am so proud of you - so, so proud of you for that."