Set after the Grey's Anatomy musical episode. I can't remember if Addison and Sam were together or broken up at this point but, for the purposes of this story, they are not together.

Here's chapter 1 of what will probably be a three part story. I hope you enjoy, and please review!

Ever the Same

Chapter 1: Just let me hold you while you're falling apart

"Dr. Shepherd, can I come in?" Alex asked, knocking on Derek's office door.

"Sure, Karev. What can I do for you?" Derek asked.

"Um, actually, it's about Addison."

"Addison, as in my ex-wife Addison?"

"Do we know another Addison?"

"Right. Uh, so what about her?"

"I don't know, it's just she seemed a little, a little off today, don't you think?"

"Karev, Callie and her daughter nearly died today. I think we're all a little off. Besides, Addison helped save them; she couldn't have been that off."

"No, your right, I mean, she kicked ass in surgery, today." She always does, Alex amended silently. "It's just, well, she seemed especially short tempered today – even for her."

"I don't know, Karev."

"I mean, she practically bit Lucy's head off this afternoon, and she had every right to be angry, but I don't know, it's just, she just didn't seem like herself."

"Karev, if this is about you defending your girlfriend's honor, I'm sure Addison didn't mean anything by it. You don't have to go through-"

"Shepherd, this has nothing to do with Lucy," Alex interrupted. "I just think that Dr. Montgomery seems a bit off."

Yes, I'm getting that. So, this involves me how?"

"Well, uh, I was kind of wondering if you'd talk to her," Alex squirmed.

"Karev, you realize I'm a busy person. What would I say anyway?"

"Dude, do you really need me to give you tips on how to strike up a conversation with your ex-wife?"

"Of course not. I mean, I'd probably start with something like, 'Hey, how are you? Is everything okay?"

"That sounds good," Alex complimented dryly. "It's really not brain surgery."

"Well, why don't you do it then?" Derek asked with obvious annoyance in his voice.

"I would, but I have a date."

"Well, I have a wife."

"Who just so happens to be on-call tonight," Alex smirked. "Besides, Dr. Montgomery's your ex-wife so, like it or not, you'll always care about her in some way or another."

"Yeah, I get that," Derek admitted. "What I don't get is why this is so important to you, Karev?"

Alex cringed, "It's not."

"Really?" Derek chuckled. "You're just putting me in this position for the fun of it?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Karev, why is this so important to you?"

"It's really not."

"Well, I won't even consider talking to Addison for you unless you give me something to work with."

"Okay," Alex conceded. Sighing, he began, "This is gonna sound weird, but I told Add, I mean, I told Dr. Montgomery once that if she went missing, I'd notice, so I'm, uh, just upholding my end of the bargain."

"But she's not missing. She's right here in Seattle. Right now. She's-"

"You struggled with English Lit in high school didn't you?" Alex smirked. "Come on, Shepherd, I'll cover Meredith's next night shift if you do me this favor."

"Fine," Derek sighed. "This isn't going to work, you know that, right?"

xxxxx

"Oh my goodness, Alex, that was amazing."

"Yeah, that really was incredible," Alex panted.

"I mean, that was definitely the best sex we've ever had."

"Definitely," Alex agreed. "Addison, you're amazing."

"It's Lucy."

"What?"

"My name is Lucy."

"Oh crap. Uh-"

"Did you seriously just call me another woman's name?" Lucky shrieked. "And the name of a woman who was a complete bitch to me this afternoon?"

"Oh, um, I, I'm sorry, I, uh," Alex stammered, unsure of how to fix the mess he had just gotten himself into.

"You know what, Alex, save it," Lucy shot back, as she rushed to put her clothes on. "I mean, I'm only your girlfriend. It shouldn't be too hard to remember my name."

"Addison, wait," Alex pleaded.

"It's Lucy!" Lucy screamed, as she stormed towards the door and slammed it hard behind her.

xxxxx

"You said he was a good guy!" Lucy accused as she stomped into Seattle Grace.

"Lucy, what are you talking about?" Meredith asked in confusion.

"You said, 'go ahead, date Alex Karev. He's a nice guy.'"

"He is," Meredith defended.

"Do nice guys call their girlfriends the wrong name in bed?" Lucy asked angrily.

"Oh my goodness," Meredith breathed, "Alex did that?"

"Yes!" Lucy exploded.

"Look, Lucy," Meredith tried reasoning, "Alex has been through a lot. And today was a rough day for all of us. Callie almost dying probably brought back memories of Izzie. I'm sure it had nothing to do with-"

"He didn't call me Izzie," Lucy interrupted.

"Oh, um, okay. Well, I really don't think he's seeing anyone else on the side. Are you sure you didn't just mishear him?"

"Yes, that must be it," Lucy shot back sarcastically, "because Lucy and Addison sound so similar."

"He called you Addison?" Meredith asked in shock.

"Yes," Lucy snapped.

"Why?"

"Because he's an ass," Lucy answered simply. "Do you think he has feelings for her?"

"For Addison?"

"Can we not say her name?"

"Right. Um, I don't know. I mean, I don't think so. I mean, she was great in surgery today," Meredith stammered.

"Thanks," Lucy said dryly.

"I wasn't criticizing you," Meredith assured her. "I'm just saying that maybe Alex was a little turned on by how good Addison was in surgery."

"Yeah, because that happens," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "Are you listening to yourself? You really think that good surgical skills are a turn on?"

"Definitely," answered Cristina, as she joined the conversation. "I get turned on by good surgical skills all the time. Colin Marlow, Preston Burke, you name it. Speaking of which, Dr. Montgomery today…wow!"

"Well, I hope that Owen fares better than I did," Lucy muttered dryly.

"Excuse me?" Cristina asked in confusion.

"Never mind." Then turning to Meredith, Lucy warned harshly, "This conversation between us, it never happened, okay?"

"Okay," Meredith said quickly. "Come on Cristina, let's go check on Callie."

xxxxx

"Is this seat taken?" Derek asked as he approached the bar.

Addison smiled weakly at him, "Depends on who's asking."

"Double scotch single malt, Joe," Derek ordered, as he sat down. Then, turning towards Addison, he asked, "Can I get you something?"

Addison stared down at the full martini glass in front of her. "No, I'm good."

Derek smiled his thanks at Joe and took a sip of his scotch. "So," he began, "how are you, Addison?"

"A little overwhelmed by what happened to Callie today, but I think she'll be okay. They'll both be okay. They're fighters."

"Well, thank you for the update on Callie, Dr. Montgomery," Derek mocked, "but I didn't ask about her. I asked how you were doing."

"Oh, I'm fine," Addison answered quickly – too quickly.

Derek raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"I mean, work's good, and Amelia's doing well, and you can't beat L.A. weather."

Derek chuckled, "Addison, we were married for eleven years. And even if we weren't, that would still be the most unconvincing lie I ever heard."

"Well, the weather is nice," Addison defended.

"Addison," Derek scolded. Then more gently, he continued, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Derek, there's nothing to discuss."

"Right," Derek said, rolling his eyes. "Hmm…I guess Karev was right. You are kind of off or you went missing or whatever simile or metaphor he used."

Addison felt her throat go dry as Alex's words from years earlier echoed in her head – "If you went missing, I'd notice." Did he still notice her after all this time?

"You okay, Addie?" Derek asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Uh, yeah," Addison responded quickly. "You and Al, I mean, you and Karev were talking about me?"

Derek sighed, "Karev said that you seemed a little off today, so he asked me to make sure everything was okay. I didn't believe him at first. I figured you were just stressed about Callie and everything, but he's right. Something's wrong with you."

Addison rolled her eyes, "He's wrong. And if he was so concerned, why didn't he ask me himself?"

"He has a date, and you're changing the subject. Come on, Addie, it's me."

"Fine, Derek, what do you want to know?" Addison asked, frustration creeping into her voice. "I mean, you heard about Bizzy, right?"

"Yeah, and I'm so sorry," Derek said gently. "I should have been at the funeral."

"Did you hear that she killed herself?" Addison asked, raising her voice a little.

"I didn't," Derek admitted.

"And how I had to keep it a secret? Oh, and did you hear about how I dated Sam?"

"As in Sam Bennett?" Derek asked in surprise.

"Go ahead, Derek," Addison began angrily, "give me a condescending look or a self-righteous speech, because lord knows Naomi hasn't given me enough of them."

"So I take it that things between you and Naomi aren't the best," Derek asked cautiously.

Addison sighed, "That's a bit of an understatement. I lost my best friend, Derek…for a relationship that didn't even stick."

"Addison, Naomi will get over it," Derek assured her.

"Really, Derek, did you ever fully get over what Mark and I did to you?" Addison shot back. "You know, for once, I could have actually taken a page out of Bizzy's book?"

"What?"

"Chicks before dicks," Addison supplied. "Did I mention that Bizzy was a lesbian?"

"Uh, no, you didn't," Derek stammered.

"Yeah, well. She was. Remember Susan?"

"Bizzy's PA?"

"AKA her lover."

"Huh, well, good for them."

"Yeah, I guess," Addison smiled.

"Hey, am I interrupting?" Alex asked as he made his way to the bar.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date?" Addison asked as Alex sat down next to her.

"I'm pretty sure that things are over between Lucy and me," Alex admitted.

"Really?" Derek asked. "I thought things were going well with you two. At least that's what Meredith told me."

"Yeah, well, I don't think women like it when you call them the wrong name in bed," Alex chuckled.

"What?" Derek and Addison exclaimed together. "What'd you call her?" Derek asked.

"Hey, Shepherd, remember all those times we discussed our sex lives with each other in the past?"

"No," Derek answered innocently.

"That's because we don't do that, and we're not starting anytime soon," Alex shot back.

"Fair enough."

"So how's your evening going?" Alex asked.

"Uh, good. And you were right," Derek said.

Addison rolled her eyes, "I'm fine, really."

"You know what I think?" Derek asked.

"Do I really want to know?" Addison retorted.

"I think you need a vacation."

"I live on the beach."

"You need a break from LA," Derek explained. "When are you supposed to head back?"

"Uh, tomorrow."

"Change of plans. You're staying here for the week," Derek smiled.

"Why would I do that?"

"You could spend time with your friends and make sure Callie's okay," Alex supplied.

"And you need to get away from L.A. for a while," Derek added.

"Come on, Dr. Montgomery," Alex pleaded.

"You guys aren't going to back down, are you?"

"No," Alex and Derek answered together.

"Well, I guess it's settled then. I'll stay for the week."

"Good," Derek smiled. "Now, if you two don't mind, I should head home."

After saying goodbye to Derek, Alex and Addison sat in awkward silence, each waiting to see who would make the first move. Finally, Alex did.

"So, you wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really," Addison said wearily. "I mean, I just explained everything to Derek. I'd rather not do it again."

"Makes sense."

"But, thanks," Addison said softly, "for noticing."

"I told you I would, didn't I?" Alex smiled.

Addison allowed herself to meet Alex's eyes and was instantly lost in them. There was something about their warmth and intensity that made her weak at the knees. Still, Alex Karev confused her. She had meant what she said when she told him that he was a decent guy – but sometimes he could be a real ass. When she worked with him, in Seattle, he sent her mixed signals like crazy and, even tonight, he noticed her but called his girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend, the wrong name in bed. Of course, she couldn't judge him too harshly there because, as much as she hated to admit it, she too had been guilty of thinking about him when she was in bed with other guys. But at least she had the good sense to get the names right.

"Uh, you're being kind of quiet and you're never quiet," Alex smirked. "What are you thinking about?"

"You really want to know?" Addison teased with just the slightest hint of flirtation in her voice.

Alex nodded.

"I was just wondering how Alex Karev, a Mark Sloan protégé managed to call his girlfriend the wrong name. I mean, I tried not to pay too much attention to the Seattle Grace rumor mill, but aren't women supposed to be your thing?"

"First of all," Alex chuckled, "I thought that we already established that I am not a Mark Sloan protégé and, secondly, women are my thing."

"Which is why you are sitting here with me instead of having sex with your girlfriend," Addison shot back with a smile.

"Ex-girlfriend," Alex corrected, "and, if you ask me, I'm doing pretty well for myself tonight."

"Please," Addison scoffed, "you called your girlfriend the wrong name in bed. That's straight out of a bad movie."

"Yeah, but every guy in this bar is wishing he were me right now," Alex smiled triumphantly. "You wouldn't believe how many dirty looks I've gotten tonight."

Addison tried to keep the smile that was forming on her face in check.

"Hey, wanna help me make the guys in this bar even more jealous?" Alex asked as he leaned in close to her.

"How would I do that?"

"Leave with me," he whispered in her ear.

"I'm not going to sleep with you," she warned. "You already had sex with someone else tonight. I'd like to preserve whatever morsel of self-respect I have left."

"Hey, I never asked you to," Alex defended. "You're the one who seems so intent on getting me into bed." Then with a wink, he added, "But if you asked me to, I don't think I'd have been able to say no."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not asking then," Addison retorted.

"How about I take you back to your hotel then?" Alex asked, as he paid for their drinks. "It's the perfect compromise. Everyone here will think I'm going home with the hottest woman in the bar and you can preserve your precious self-respect."

Actually, the perfect compromise would be if you hadn't already had sex tonight that way we could go back to my hotel and actually have sex, Addison thought to herself. But, instead, she replied, "Yeah, I guess that works."

"Good," Alex smiled, placing his hand on the small of her back and leading her out the door.

"Well, this is me," Addison said as she and Alex walked into the lobby of the Archfield Hotel.

"Well, uh, good night," Alex smiled. "I guess I'll see you-"

"Wait," Addison interrupted.

"Did you change your mind?" Alex asked with a mischievous grin. "Am I coming up to your room after all?"

"No," Addison replied. "Just wait there," she told him as she walked to the front desk.

She returned a few minutes later with a keycard in her hand. "Here," she said, handing it to him.

"What's this for?" Alex asked with feigned innocence.

Addison gave him a suggestive look before responding flirtatiously, "You might not be getting sex from me tonight, Karev, but I like your odds for the rest of the week."

Alex swallowed hard, "Seriously?"

"Hey, I'm on vacation," Addison said breezily. "I think I deserve a little hot vacation sex."

"Or a lot of hot vacation sex," Alex offered.

"That works too. I just have one rule."

"Name it."

"You absolutely cannot under any circumstance call me the wrong name in bed."

Alex smiled, "I can assure you that that will not be a problem."