Author's Note: So, I have this little obsession. It's called Addex. A few states between them can't even break it, and for now, they live on in fanfic and mvids. It's something, right?
Anyway, a year ago today, I ended The Safest Place. I realize how long ago that was, and I know how much has changed since then. BUT--I did promise a sequel. A had an insane semester, and family and computer problems. The truth is, some of it has been written. I KNOW for a fact there are still Addex fans out there. So, with any luck (and if anyone is still interested)...I'll post that sometime within the next week.
This however, is a 'deleted scene' from Piece Of My Heart. I know she gave that awesome speech to Meredith, but Alex and Addy really needed a moment, IMO. So here you go...and reviews? Of course they're welcomed. Loved, in fact.
Disclaimer: I make no money by posting this. Trust me. I do however, garner the enjoyment of taking two of the most awesome characters to come out of the mind that is Shonda Rhimes, and let them play for a little while. This one is dedicated to Team Addex, guys. Because we're the most stubborn, awesomely in-denial people I know.
The Seattle night air felt cool as Addison made her way back to the car. Her last night at Joe's hadn't gone exactly as planned, but after the conversation with Meredith on her way out, she was beginning to think that maybe the trip hadn't exactly been a bad one.
"Addison."
Hearing her name caused Addison to stop walking, though she wasn't sure she wanted to turn in the direction of the voice. Wasn't it enough that she'd been as civil to him as possible while she was at the hospital? "Alex, hey."
Sensing that she was annoyed, Alex ducked his head before heading slowly in her direction. "So I guess it's back to L.A. now, huh?"
Offering a smile, Addison decided that talking to him wouldn't be as horrible as she'd thought. "Yeah, I'm leaving. It's not so bad, though. L.A. isn't too far away, and I'll try and keep in contact with the friends I have here."
Alex winced, getting the feeling that he wasn't one of them. "Listen, Addison-"
"Oh, I wanted to tell you earlier." Addison interrupted, not in the mood to hear whatever it was he had to say. He took a serious tone, and it was enough to scare her. They'd managed to not talk about what happened before she left all day, and Addison was hoping that she could leave without it being mentioned. "I think it's really good. That you decided to stay in the field. You've got a lot of talent, and I'm glad to see that it isn't going to waste."
Alex nodded, a little taken back by her statement. "Yeah," he replied slowly. "It's just...I learned from the best."
At his comment, Addison lowered her gaze to the gravel below their feet. She knew he was only trying to be civil, but it didn't stop butterflies from fluttering as she heard Alex speaking. While she wasn't sure what it was, he'd done something to her, and even all the fantasizing about Pete hadn't been able to shake it.
"You don't have to be modest, you know." Alex said, realizing how nervous she was. He couldn't but think that despite everything that happened, that maybe they could still find a way to be friends at least. As soon as the idea hit him though, Alex wanted to deny it. She couldn't have that much of a hold on him. No one did. But as he saw Addison anxiously tapping her toes against the pebbles that lay scattered across the parking lot, he knew that there was something different about her. "I was an idiot."
"What?" Addison asked, clearly alarmed by such an admission.
Alex nodded, shrugged for extra effect. "What I said to you, it was stupid and it was selfish. I should have-" Alex paused, kicking a few shards of broken glass in the other direction. "I don't know what I should have done, but I should have done it differently. I screwed things up."
Addison was quiet for a moment, slowly processing what he was telling her. She nodded slowly before adjusting the purse strap that lay against her shoulder. "You didn't have to say that."
"Yeah, I did." Alex countered. He sighed, and stuffing his hands in his pockets, gave her a pointed look. "You deserve honesty at least, and...what I said-" Alex sighed again, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I'm not saying I wanna take it back, or just kiss and make-up or whatever. Okay, bad choice of words. Just-"
"Alex?" Addison interrupted, feeling like she needed to say her piece. She waited until he looked at her before speaking. "Nothing you say now can erase what you said then. But that doesn't mean that there has to be some sort of cryptic hatred or whatever thing you've come up with. I don't hate you for it. Trust me on that, okay? What happened between us is in the past, and while I wonder sometimes if something could have gone differently, I know that it just wasn't the right time."
The right time.Somehow hearing her say that caused something to stir, and Alex cleared his throat in an attempt to ignore the feeling. Still, he knew he wasn't rid of it. He knew that he'd be looking for the familair flash of red hair to come around the corner the next day, or expecting the whiff of her perfume as he walked into the on-call room. He still couldn't walk into one without getting the image of the two of them pressed against the wall, her hands hungrily pulling at him, playing like a movie in his head.
Knowing that there wasn't much else that could be said, Addison offered him a smile, hoping that it would suffice. "You're a good guy, Alex."
"I was a jerk to you." Alex said, nearly laughing as he said it. The idea was ridiculous. She was smart, amazing, and beautiful (not to mention talented), and he'd gone and messed the whole thing up.
"Was. Past tense." Addison replied, hope fluttering somewhere below the surface. It would return again, she was sure. She was hoping it could wait until she was able to put a few miles between them, so she'd give him the space she thought he needed.
Alex frowned, not following her train of thought, and felt the need to ask her the question that her statement begged. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Addison took a deep breath, and hoped that he'd take her last statement as a good thing. "I have to get going," she said. "But if you're ever in L.A., just look me up."