Title: Afternoon Outing

Author: Half-Human

Summary: An afternoon outing: a park and men in trees, ;p Addex fluff.

Disclaimer: I don't own GA. I just like to toy with its many characters ;p

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY INKIE WINKIE!!! This is for the awesomely kick-ass Madam Inkie! -this is pure FLUFF ;p This is my first attempt at another pairing, I'm Addek all the way, but recently Addex is looking pretty hot…so, here's for Inkie:

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"Higher! Push harder!" She cried, smiling, feeling the wind hit her face and her hair whip wildly in the air. Addison felt like she was flying as she swung up and down on the old swing. She felt as if she needed one more push and she could go, escape, fly away, touch the sun and not get burned. She was feeling so free, so lively, and so strong, that she didn't notice her momentum slow down, her swing rise less, and the one that was bringing her such happiness abandon his position behind her.

"Hey! Where did you go?" She asked, waiting for the swing to slow to a stop. She got up and looked around. The day was beautiful. It was unusually warm for late autumn and the trees had all changed. Their leaves were mixes of yellows and reds and the ground was speckled with their vibrant hues, giving the park a welcoming warm feel. "Hello?" Addie asked, stepping away from the swing and looking around. He had brought her to a place he found, a place where he liked to 'think.' The small swing was located well into the park they had driven to. They had walked for at least forty-five minutes before finding his beloved spot. At first Addie was skeptical, unsure of what to expect from a walk in a park, but she loved it and she loved that he had shared his place with her. "Alright, come out already," Addie said, putting her hands on her hips. Nothing. She looked around. Leaves fell from the trees around her. "Come on," she said again, looking to her left and right. She walked to a tree, and quickly jumped to the side facing away from her.

"Boo!" She yelled, but was met by empty space. "OK, fine, you want to play..." she mumbled to herself running to the other trees around the small swing and trying to find out where he was hiding. After what seemed like forever, Addison began to worry. 'He couldn't have left,' she thought horrified. 'No, he couldn't have, I would've seen him.' Pushing her hair out of her face, Addison grabbed her purse that lay on the ground and searched for her cell phone. Relieved that she still had service she began to search her phone numbers.

"Leaving already?" Addie jumped at hearing those words. She heard him laugh out loud and followed the sound of his laughter until she found him, up above her, in a tree, sitting on a thick branch and leaning against its trunk. She looked up at him, her anger and worries quickly dissipating, and gazed into his eyes. He must've been 4 feet above her, but they both held the gaze. It was amazing how they both were drawn to each other. She never believed she would be able to heal after her divorce, and she certainly never thought that she would fall for her pain-in-the-ass intern: Alex Karev. She smiled at him weakly from her place down below him.

"I thought you left me," she said, sounding hurt. Alex pushed himself forward and rested himself on the thick branch; his legs dangled freely off the side of it.

"You know I'll never leave you Addison," he gave her a warm smile, assuring her he told no lies. Addison returned the smile, but arched an eyebrow and placed her hands defiantly on her hips.

"And yet you let me look for you for...a long time, and you just watched? That was...horrible."

"You amuse me, and I love how you look when you're worried. Its hot," he said. She pouted her lips.

"That's no excuse," she said trying to keep up her angry-act; she always found it hard to stay mad at him when he said such ridiculous, yet adorable things. "You had me--"

"You seemed so in-touch with the sky, I thought the first thing you'd do was look up," he said looking down at the redhead.

"Well when I worry, I sometimes..."

"Stray from who you are?" Alex offered noting her slight discomfort.

"Yeah," she answered softly, lowering her head, and realizing how she had truly abandoned her self in the last six months.

"Sorry," Alex said from his place above her.

"No, its fine." She lifted her head and stared at her new lover. Well, he was much more than a lover, and it amazed her at how observant he was. It scared her how well he knew her in such little time, but she knew he was frightened as well. There relationship had sprung shortly after they shared a "moment" while treating the patient they had with a punctured heart. They both found each other in very vulnerable places in life and had somehow started to help one another. She would find excuses to pull him away from Sloan and he would make time to have lunch with her everyday. Soon, she started requesting him for surgeries and he started walking her home. She found herself cooking for him, showing him old photographs, and he found himself holding her, and eventually getting past her bedroom door. They had fallen for each other, fallen real hard. The rumors at Seattle Grace were soaring all over, but Alex didn't care what people thought of their relationship, and Addie found that comforting. Their relationship was just about him and her—no worries about anyone else.

"Come up," Alex said, pulling Addie from her thoughts.

"Up there?"

"Yeah, come on."

"Are you nuts? I can't get up there," Addie laughed.

"Come on, I'll help you. It's great up here-- high enough to feel on edge, but low enough to still feel...on top of the world." Addie stepped closer to the tree and looked up.

"No way!" She said, noting the trees' height.

"Come on, I'll help you get up." Alex sat up again and started to stand. Grabbing branches and placing his feet in specific nooks of the tree he lowered himself to about two feet off the ground and extended an arm to Addison. "Come on." Addison looked at his outstretched hand then up at the trees over arching branches. "I won't let you fall Addison."

Analyzing the old trees' network of branches, she wondered what kinds of injuries she could acquire if she fell off of one. "Addison. Trust me," Alex pleaded, as Addison returned her gaze to his eyes. Trust. It was the one word she found their relationship thrived on. Initially, when they started dating, both were wary about the other's intentions. She thought he might cheat on her, and he thought she'd weaken and return to Mark. After enduring weeks of criticism and blatant ridicule by friends and certain exes, Addison and Alex were still a solid couple. They discovered that they truly wanted to be together, despite all the odds against them. It was after several failed attempts by Mark to woo Addie (and even one by Derek) that Alex knew he could trust Addie. Addie knew Alex was true when she noticed he no longer flirted with the nurses on call. He always complained and disproved at Mark's womanizing ways, and those opinions assured Addison that she could trust him. "Trust me Addison," Alex repeated, looking into the mix of greens and blues of Addie's eyes.

Addison smiled and took his hand. He helped her up and both eventually found a branch that seemed strong enough for the both of them. Addison carefully lowered herself on the on it and pushed her self forward, making room for Alex so sit down behind her.

"This better hold us," Addison warned, leaning back against Alex as both sat on the thick branch and let their legs dangle off the side. Alex wrapped an arm around Addison's waist as she leaned her head back over his shoulder and kissed him on his neck. "I like this," she whispered.

"I like you," Alex responded.

"Just 'like?'"

"I don't know," Alex said, shrugging his shoulders. She gave him a light jab. "Ouch! Ok, maybe more than 'like.'" Addison laughed.

"I thought so," she said, finding his hand on her waist and entwining her fingers with his. She stretched her other arm back, reached for his head and raked her fingers through his hair. She knew their relationship had surpassed the first stage of just physical attraction. She knew their relationship was much more, but both had not whipped out the magic L word yet, although the word lingered in their thoughts and beckoned to be spoken. He gave her a peck on the cheek and felt her relax in his embrace. They remained silent as they gazed at the scene before them. A flurry of red and yellow leaves danced in the air and the wind sung softly as it meandered its way through the intricate system of branches and leaves. It was almost winter and it still hadn't snowed. It seemed as if the seasons were really off, but Addie and Alex paid no mind to the odd weather, they simply admired how beautiful the day was and cherished the moment for what it was: time alone with each other. "I still can't believe you made me come up here," Addie said, breaking the silence.

"I still can't believe I'm holding the hottest woman in Seattle." Addie smiled and squeezed his hand. He placed another kiss on her cheek. Addison snuggled closer to him and found herself contemplating, once again, something that she realized almost two weeks before.

"Alex," she started, deciding to finally voice the insuppressible thoughts in her head, "we have not been dating for a long time…but I feel as if I know you and you understand me."

"I know what you mean," he said softly, tightening his hold on her.

"I know this may be frightening, but I think…I think I--"

"I love you Addison," he interrupted. Addison pushed herself back further and almost strained her neck to see his face. His grip on her waste tightened and she looked into his eyes. "I love you," he repeated. She remained silent as she let herself get lost in his eyes and let her mind delve into the many hopes and dreams she had been nurturing whenever she thought of him and her together. She smiled. She felt so overwhelmed and felt a sense of relief wash over her.

"I love you too," she finally said, feeling her face redden and her eyes water slightly. "Thank you for bringing me here." She didn't expect to get so emotional but when she first started dating Alex, she didn't expect to fall in love with him, let alone in such little time. She had actually fallen for him faster than she had fallen for Derek, and after sleepless nights, she had come to realize that it wasn't because she was recently divorce. Alex wasn't her rebound guy, he was more.

"So I guess we should celebrate. Having the hottest woman in Seattle love me calls for a night on the town." Addison laughed at Alex's comments. "So, what do you say? Let's get off this old thing and start back to the car." Alex was about to move his hand but Addie held it still.

"No. Let's not leave just yet," she said, pushing her self against him. "I want to stay longer, the sun is almost setting." Alex was slightly worried, he didn't like the thought of traveling through the park after sunset. He knew the wind would pick up soon, but he nodded. He may end up walking through the dark park for hours, but was going to be with her.

"Fine, lets watch the sunset," he whispered against her ear. Both remained silent as they gazed out, past the trees, and saw the sun slowly dip behind the distant hills.

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A/N:

Hope you liked it INKIE! it was so hard NOT to write Addek ;p I wanted more of a plot, but writer's block really got to me.

Please R/R , I'd really appreciate it. Oh, and I won't ever abandon Addek : ) it's just that I need happy Addie and so Addex works for me ;p

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