Disclaimer: If I owned them… wink wink… but I don't.
Addison leaned against the counter that held the coffee maker and sipped from her cup that had been poured moments before. She was absorbed in the file on a new patient only three months along who was complaining of severe pains and did not notice when Pete entered the small room. Well, until his face was little more than a foot away from her own.
"Good morning." He spoke quietly, his breath brushing her face, and she could tell he had already had a cup of the brew.
"Good morning to you, too." Addison was amused by his ways and obvious displays of flirting. She closed the file and quirked an eyebrow. "Is there something I can do for you? Are you pregnant?"
Pete smiled but took a step back at the same time. It is possible he realized that being so close was driving her crazy or maybe he was the one driven wild. Either way, Pete backed away a bit and shook his head. "Is it wrong to have an interest in the life and wellbeing of a co-worker?"
"Yes." She said with a smirk. "It's dangerous." At that, she pushed off of the counter and brushed past him. "Trust me." Those were her parting words as she left the room, turning back to give him a smile to let him know she had meant part of that playfully.
Pete could not help but check out her form as she walked towards her office door. Since she had joined their little team a week ago, he found himself watching her every now and then. Okay, if he was honest with himself, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He knew what she said was true—it's dangerous to care about someone you work with. It was dangerous to care about anyone for him. Sometime in the following days after he admitted the feeling to himself, he managed to ruin any semblance of what he and the woman had. It was what a psychiatrist calls self-destructive behavior and he couldn't stop himself. Everything seemed different with Addison near him though. He wanted to hear all her thoughts, touch her at any chance he had, and dreamed of lying awake at night to hear her breathing. These feelings were not new to him; they were similar to how he felt about his late wife, and for the first time in a long time made him feel lighter.
However, something happened that changed the course of action Pete had developed in his mind. He had planned to take Addison out for dinner one night and begin truly wooing her, let her know that he was interested and see how she reacted to it. Fate had other plans though and it was decided Pete may not be the best man for this bombshell doctor.
The doors to the practice opened and a younger man walked through and approached the reception desk. Pete observed him curiously from the doorway of the break-room.
"Is Dr. Montgomery in?" The question surely peaked Pete's curiosity but this was but the tip of the iceberg for him.
"Yeah. Hold on a minute and I will let her know you're here." Before Dell could ask the man to state his name, Addison had changed route. She was still reading and was going to have Dell get the patient on the phone to talk options. Addison looked up and the click of her heels caused the man to turn from recognition.
"Karev?" The surprise on Addison's face was like a huge billboard letting the world know. Alex didn't say anything, he just gaped at her. "Alex?"
Alex took a few cautious steps and then a few more confident ones. He kept a bit of distance though for fear of her reaction. "I'm in love with you." It slipped from his mouth and shocked the hell out of them both, as well as Pete, Naomi and their gathered friends. He had come to beg her to come back and let her know that he was a dumbshit and cared very much about her. The few seconds of time and feet of space seemed to stretch on for an eternity to Alex. It was too much. "Please… say something."
Addison dropped her gaze to the floor and then brought her eyes back up to stare into his. Thinking carefully, she placed the manila folder on a table next to her and tucked her hair behind her ears. Alex was extremely worried at this point; he couldn't just walk away, he had to hear what she was going to say. Suddenly, everything changed and Addison went on impulse and want. She closed the gap between them and crashed her lips onto his. Alex's arms encircled her and held tight as she grasped his shirt and pressed herself as close to him as humanly possible. Quickly though, Addison realized where they were and pulled her mouth away. Alex opened his eyes that seemed to still plead with her to reciprocate his feelings. She let go of his shirt, pressed out the crease, and told him to come with her to her office. Hoping for the best, he dropped his arms and followed. His hopes and heart soared when she reached for his hand and entwined their fingers.
Pete knew he could not hide disappointment well so he headed for his office too. Naomi wanted to check on him but knew that he needed a little time. One would have to be blind or a man to not have noticed the spark Pete had been sending out; he had been hot for Addison. She looked back at Addison's door and the newly shut blinds with a sense of confusion. Had this man not been the final straw that caused Addison to leave Seattle? She hoped Addison knew what she was doing.
Violet stood next to her. "Damn, he was hot." They both laughed.
A/N: I don't really know how I feel about this one. Please let me know what you think. I will hopefully post a new chapter on "Clavicle" next week when I return home.