-1Prologue: That Ring-Ring

My first stab at Addex! Hope you enjoy, open to comments and suggestions so feel free to review and tell me what you think!

TG916

Alex flexed his arms as he held up Mrs. Kellerman's arm.

"Perfect Dr. Karev. I just need to get the vein from the arm and we should be done here," said Dr. Johnston as he opened the arm and began fishing for the vein."Of course, Dr. Johnston."

Alex was impatient. The new head of neo-natal was coming in today and Alex had to be the first to meet him. Or her. It's what Addison would have wanted. Alex had made himself in the beginning of the week to not think of Addison once while in the hospital. So far, he was losing a lot of money to himself. He couldn't think of Addison as happy in the Happy Group, or whatever it was called. Her place was here, in Seattle, with him. He turned his attentions back to the slipping arm and the sharp call of Dr. Johnston.

As he scrubbed out, a nurse leaned in the doorway.

"Dr. Karev, the new head of neo-natal is here."

Alex nodded to the nurse and she walked back out. This was it the moment of truth. Alex shook his hands dry and shoved his scrubs cap in his pocket. He walked of the room and turned to the and walked to the reception area where he could make out Dr. Webber shaking someone's hand.

"And you've gotten everything sorted with HR?", he heard the Chief asking the figure, hidden conveniently behind a large potted plant. Alex got close enough and saw the new doctor.

He stood about 6'2 and was extremely slender. He was tan, just come back from Aruba tan, and he was wearing charcoal grey trousers and a light blue shirt underneath his white coat. His hair was salt and pepper, but he seemed to be one of those men who could pull it off. Alex rolled his eyes,

"Another freaking Adonis," he muttered to himself. He thought of his fellow interns plotting the next Mc-name.

The Chief could sense Alex's hovering presence behind him and turned and gave Alex, a not to convincing smile.

"Ah, yes Dr. Fisher this is Dr. Alex Karev he was on Dr. Montgomery's service. He is proving to be quite the talent in your specialty."

Alex could see Dr. Fisher sizing him up. He stuck out his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Dr. Karev. Your on my service, right? We'll be getting to know each other a lot better in the near future."

Although said with a smile the man's words sounded like more of a threat than a friendly greeting.

"I hope so," Alex forced himself to say, "if you'll excuse me I must be getting back to my patients."

"Yes, Dr. Karev, to your patients then," urged Richard eager to show Dr. Fisher around Seattle Grace himself.

Alex walked off in the opposite direction a bitter taste in his mouth. This wasn't fair. He wasn't supposed to be on this Fisher guys service, he was meant to be on Addison's. His longing for her grew and hurt him even more than it had when she had kissed him goodbye six weeks ago. As he paced down the hallway, an idea popped into his head. He walked into Quiet Old Guy's room and sat down on the available seat. Meredith and Izzie were sitting on the air conditioner on the other side of the room pouring over a medical text both eating quietly at their lunches.

"Would Bailey let me take the week off?"

Meredith looked up from her reading of infections affecting the knees and legs and laughed at Alex's questions.

"Sure, she would. And I was thinking of asking her to get my dry cleaning for me later today. Do you think she would?"

Trying to hide her smirk, Izzie pulled the text up closer to her face.

Alex shot her a dirty look and took an apple off of her tray.

"No seriously though. If I said it was for personal reasons."

Meredith got a funny look on her face. Then Alex realized it was her nosy look.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Meredith wagged her finger at the guilty looking doctor.

"Something's wrong."

She turned to Izzie.

"Something's wrong."

Izzie looked up from the book and stared Alex straight in the eye.

"He wants to go and see Addison. He misses her."

Alex threw his hands up and got up from his seat.

"I knew asking you guys would be a bad idea. Goodbye. Goodbye, Old Guy."

He walked out of the room and behind him he could hear giggles. He to the nearest Nurse Station and began flicking through some of his charts. He saw Dr. Bailey walking up the corridor and he dropped the chart with a clang and followed after her.

"Dr. Bailey! Dr. Bailey!" he called out after her. She turned on her heel and looked up at Alex, who was jogging towards her.

"Who's dying, Dr. Karev?"

Alex gave her a confused looked and said,

"No one, Dr. Bailey. I just needed to ask you if I coul-"

Dr. Bailey had turned away once again and was walking down the hall. He ran after her and got in front of her small body.

"Dr. Bailey, please. I need to ask you something."

Dr. Bailey raised her eyebrows.

"Quickly."

"Thank you. I wanted to ask you Dr. Bailey, if it would be alright to take a little time off. For a week all I need is a week."

Dr. Bailey sighed and put her hand on her hip.

"A week?"

"A week."

"Fine."

Alex looked stunned. That was it? The Nazi just said yes, to a vacation.

"Are you sure that's okay, Dr. Bailey."

Bailey shook her head.

"Boy, everyone knows how much you've been missing Addison. You can't wipe that permanent mundane glare from your face for the last month and a half. Go and kiss and make nice before we all puke."

Equally stunned by her explanation he stammered a quick thank you before he walked off to the locker room. He had to pack.