Disclaimer – Not mine. Tear.
Author's Note – This story was STUCK in my head last night when I was trying to go to bed. I have a 7:30 AM exam this morning that I should be reviewing for, but I wanna get this out. Took a few liberties, but nothing major. Enjoy!
Alex walks into Joe's Bar, thankful for once at how empty the place is. The hospital rumor mill was working overtime right now, and he was one of its unfortunate victims.
The only other person even in Alex's near vicinity when he sits down is a tell redhead – Addison Shepherd. Of course, according to the rumor mill, he knows she wasn't technically going to be Shepherd for much longer. Everyone was talking about how Meredith & Derek were seen around the hospital, giggling and talking. There was even a rumor that Derek had served her divorce papers in front of everyone else. Alex didn't know how much stock to put in that last rumor, but he figured the basics were probably true. Addison and Derek were finished, and Derek was now back with Meredith.
"Sucks to be her more than me right now, I guess," Alex muses in his head before sitting down.
Joe comes over with Alex's usual beer which Alex nurses for a while before talking. He wasn't necessarily talking to anyone, but he addressed his comments to Joe. "Joe, I hate that place. Which I guess is all fine and dandy because everyone there hates me. Or at least they used to. Now, instead of glares and daggers, I'm getting looks of pity. I can't decide which is worse – the loathing or the pity."
Joe shakes his head with a sad look on his face, unable to answer Alex. He doesn't quite get why everyone dislikes Alex so immensely because, to him, Alex is a good kid – just a little cocky and arrogant. Okay, maybe he's kind of a jerk, but deep down he's a good guy.
"Try pity when you know everyone hates you deep inside," Addison pipes up five minutes after Alex poses his question, unable to keep quiet any longer. She was Addison Montgomery-Shepherd, woman of steel, and she didn't need to talk with anyone about her problems. Or did she?
"Satan, is it?" Alex asks, with a smirk. "Care commiserate with me over the place?"
Addison laughs - a dry, hollow sound. "Please…Evil Spawn. I believe that's how I've heard Dr. Yang address you on one or maybe fifteen occasions. I'm evil and loathsome; I don't need anyone to talk to. But what's got you at the receiving end of everyone's pity? I thought you were even more detested after the incident with the nurse."
"Ah…I see the rumor mill hasn't quite reached you. Well, it appears the Evil Spawn failed one section of his boards. So the interns spent Christmas Day helping me and telling the whole hospital in the process. I retook the test yesterday, and I find out tomorrow. I don't come back to work until I hear for sure."
"Sucks." Addison and Alex sit there in silence before Addison speaks again, "Ever feel like your back in high school?"
"All the time. It's like hell."
"If it were hell, at least we'd be in charge." Both laugh at this statement.
"You know, it's the pity I can't stand," Alex says, looking down into his drink. "I can take everyone hating me; that's fine. But everyone feeling sorry for me…I just can't handle that."
"Of course not. You're self-sufficient, strong, and don't take anyone's crap," Addison answers, talking more about herself. Of course, it can be applied to Alex also. "Pitying someone is the same as babying someone. And you know that it's not out of care and concern because everyone hates you. They really do just feel sorry for poor you."
With that, Addison stands up and leaves money on the bar for her drink.
"No matter what anyone says, you're better off without him. Satan or not," Alex says quietly.
"You passed your boards, Dr. Karev. You've become a better doctor right before my eyes. Evil Spawn or not," Addison says with a smile before walking out the door.
Both know that they might never talk like this again, but it didn't matter. They don't need friends. All they needed this time was someone that understood what it is like to be them.
I actually have to leave now to take my last final as an undergrad at Texas Tech! Yay! This is unproofed, but I might update/correct it once I get home. Anyway, I wanted to thank all my anonymous reviewers. Leave your email next time, and I will email you back. I just don't have time right now to get to you all one by one.
Read and Review please.