Title: Just Friends
Author: Half-Human
Summary: Post Six Days, Derek needs sleep, Addison needs escape. Addek
Disclaimer: I own nothing, just the plot. Characters aren't mine, unfortunately.
Author's Note: I promise promise to update my other fics, I just wanted to post this before the next epi ;p. Please R/R: D Wrote this because I really wanted Addek scenes in Six Days. ;p
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"How's everything going?" Derek asked as he examined Preston's charts and recorded some observations.
"Good. When will I be out of here? It's depressing."
"Well, your making good progress, I'd say whenever you're up for it. You've healed well."
"Good," Preston said, gazing out of his window. The day was, once again, dark and wet.
"This city…if only it'd get more sunshine."
"Yeah well the dreariness of it all usually helps with sleep," Derek sighed, placing his pen in his coat pocket.
"Whatever, I prefer sunshine over clouds any day." Preston returned his gaze to his window and shook his head. Derek headed for the door, and then stopped. He turned to Preston. "Yes?" Burke asked noticing the doctor just staring at him.
"I know we aren't close in anyway but I need to talk to someone. A man, I need to talk to a man." Preston looked at Derek.
"What is it? Warning, if it has anything to do with…" Preston stared down Shepherd, "I'm not your man."
"No! No, of course not, but it does have to do with my relationship with Meredith." Derek walked over to Preston's bedside.
"What is it?"
"Ok, so it's raining…the weather is perfect for sleeping."
"Ok."
"I can't sleep! Preston, I haven't slept soundly in days, and when I do, I feel guilty." Preston frowned.
"Maybe you should talk with your doctor about that. I think--"
"No, no. Its Meredith." Derek began to pace the room. He suddenly stopped and leaned in closer to Preston. "She snores!" he whispered. Derek stepped back and studied his latest patient's face. Preston pursed his lips, remained still, and then busted out laughing.
"Its not funny," Derek said.
"Derek…yes, it is. This is ridiculous," he said laughing at the neurosurgeon.
"Look, I...I can't believe its bothering me either, but I NEED sleep. I'm a surgeon, I need my rest and--God, she snores like a man!"
"Why don't you just talk to her?"
"I have, she said she wants me with her. She has 'abandonment issues.'" Derek sighed.
"It seems like all the women around you have those." Derek crossed his arms. "Sorry...
Look, I don't know what to tell you. I haven't had that kind of problem so far. I guess you'll just have to get used to it, I mean, you're not going to let a little bit of snoring get in--"
"A lot of snoring!" Derek interrupted, then started laughing. "Ok, your right, this is ridiculous."
"Just get some rest in an on call room for now. You'll get used to it."
"I hope. Meredith did give me earplugs, but I still hear her!" Derek walked to the door and turned once again to Preston. "Ok, sorry for the bother, thanks for the talk."
"No problem, it was all quite amusing actually." Preston grinned.
"Yeah, but you better not share this with anyone that, you know, she snores. I was only here to check on a patient."
"Of course."
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Derek headed toward the last on call room he could find. The others were full or locked. He needed rest. Meredith had given him earplugs, but goodness, that woman could snore; earplugs could only do so much. Rubbing his eyes and checking the time, he opened the door to the small room. There were four bunks.
'Damn,' he thought as he looked ahead and he saw the two bunks occupied. There was a nurse on top and a young resident on the bottom. Derek looked to his right. The top was taken and the bottom too.
"Addison?" Derek asked as he recognized the mound of red hair on the bottom bed. He stepped closer to the bunk and confirmed it was her. She was sleeping soundly and all he heard were her steady breathing. She was facing the wall, turned away from him and he pushed the hair away from her face. He remained staring at her, finding himself drifting off to a distant time when he slept soundly with her by his side. "Addison," he repeated, hating to wake her. He had no choice; fatigue was really getting to him. She stirred a little and then opened her eyes. Derek was a couple of inches away from her face and when she saw him so close she flinched and gasped.
"Oh my--Jesus Derek!"
"Shh! Shh! Sorry, sorry. Look...I need to sleep."
"Then do so," she said, still rattled and annoyed that he disturbed her. "Derek...I know we are trying to be civilized, I know and I am...glad, but today...today is not the day. I am tired, so lets talk later." She curled up, bringing her knees closer to her chest.
"I'm tired too, but look Addie, there are no beds!" Addie closed her eyes, beginning to drift off again. "Addison!" Her eyes shot opened.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Scoot over won't yah?" Addie suddenly felt wide-awake.
"You're joking right?" Usually under any other circumstance, Addie would jump at the opportunity to lie beside Derek but they were divorced and he had clearly expressed that he wanted nothing with her but a 'civil' relationship. She hadn't moved on completely. Derek was still the one she was felt right for her, but she didn't want any more problems. She didn't want a man that didn't want her, and today was not her day. What was Derek thinking?
"No, I'm not joking and it's not like we're going to do anything. We are going to sleep. We are friends."
"Derek..."
"I really need to sleep Addison, seriously. I have a surgery in two hours, I can't afford to screw up."
"Derek, why don't you bunk with whoever's up there?" she asked, shaking her head and finding it hard to keep her eyes open. She felt unsettled by his close proximity but she too was very tired. She had gone out drinking last night and had another moment with Alex. She didn't know exactly why she kissed the intern, but he wasn't her only worry. Her situation with Mark and the certain anniversary of the week was also haunting her. She had little sleep last night and she finally found a place and time to rest. Derek shook his head fiercely pointing above him.
"No no! That's Doctor Victor up there, you want me to sleep with Limp Harry?" Derek hissed. Addison smiled wanly with her eyes closed and nodded.
"Yup," she answered. Derek sighed but smiled.
"Well too bad." Derek gently climbed over Addison and settled himself on the other side of the bed, the side against the wall.
"Derek..." Addie protested softly. Derek just shook his head. He was tired, she was tired, they weren't going to do anything inappropriate, and he sure as hell wasn't sleeping with Limp Harry.
"Just relax," Derek said as he tried to settle himself on the bed. He could smell Addie's perfume and could sense her warmth. He hated to admit it, but he missed it, he missed her.
Addie frowned. Derek was lying right in front of her, facing her. She didn't want him there. He was too close and she was still hurting. Mark was no doubt still angry with her, she had once again fallen into temptation and kissed an intern, and she had the one man she wanted but couldn't have right beside her. He was close but still far from grasp. It was moments like these that she was reminded of how men had such power over her. She turned face-up and took a deep breath.
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Silence, Derek noted the beautiful silence, silence breached only by soft wisps of soothing periodic breathing--it was amazing. Derek just lay there, relishing Addison's sweet scent and embracing the silence.
He gave a sigh of content but then he noticed that his beloved silence was disturbed. He ignored the strange sniffle sound but when it happened again he opened his eyes slowly and saw Addison staring up at the bunk above them. She was crying. Her face was red from her efforts of suppressing sobs and her cheeks were damp.
"Addie?" he asked, concerned about his companion. She quickly wiped her eyes, took a deep breath and turned away from him.
"Sorry to wake you," she said, trying to muster as much strength in her voice as possible. Derek plopped back on the bed and sighed.
"Look," he began, propping himself up an elbow. "If you want me to go, I'll go. I just didn't think it would...I didn't realize...I'll just-"
"Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. You know… I could use a walk anyway." She began to get up but Derek grabbed her hand, forcing her to sit back on the bed.
"No, don't go because of me." Addison rolled her eyes.
"Derek...really, its not always about you," she said, realizing that he did sense that she missed him.
"Sorry, but don't go. Really Addison. I...want to be your friend." Addison hung her head.
"Why does this happen to me?" she whispered feeling as if she were being tortured. "Friends Derek? Seriously?"
"Well yeah, its the least I can offer considering that we're sharing a bed." Addison turned around and looked at him sternly. He smiled at her, gave her his classic smile, the one she hadn't seen in a while. He was still holding her hand and he tightened his grip.
She lay back down, not really because he had urged her to do so, but because she needed to think.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
"What?"
"This!" she said, lifting her hand with his. "This screams scandal and trust me Derek...I have too much of that to deal with already." She let Derek's hand drop back to the bed and continued to stare at the top bunk. Derek edged closer to her.
"Addison, I mean it. I want us to be friends. I'm worried about you. You don't seem...like your usual self." Addison looked up at Derek, who had once again lifted himself to talk to her.
"Its hard," she whispered, not knowing what to say.
"I know this is weird, and I'm not trying to fool you, I just need a friend and I really need sleep."
"You need a friend?" she asked, thinking Derek was full of it.
"I know, strange person to choose. I even spoke with Preston. Addie, I know he's friends with you. You seemed to have reeled in everyone."
"Except the interns."
"Well, they're interns, who cares?" Addie looked at him and smiled. She turned away from him and instinctively pulled his hand along with her.
"I'll stay for a while," she whispered, yawning. Derek didn't know how to react to her actions, but he felt a natural pull and snuggled closer behind her.
"Just friends," he whispered behind her, trying to calm her but more so to try to keep himself from thinking otherwise.
It was a strange. Both had what they wanted, although they knew it was temporary. She had the man she loved right beside her and Derek had the woman he cared deeply for in his embrace. She was escaping the awful events of the week, and he was escaping his girlfriend's wretched snoring. Addison and Derek did grow apart in the public eye, but there was something that always brought them together, an inert pull that they could not properly identify but knew existed.
It was that pull that frightened Derek and often unsettled Addison because it made them ponder over their failed marriage and it made them wonder if things could have worked out differently. Both knew that they would always have a mercurial relationship but that fact always excited them and strengthened their bond. Lying in each other's arms, each knew the other was keeping secrets, but at the moment, it didn't matter. It didn't matter because they had reached mutual grounds and just wanted peaceful rest. As they lay together their attraction to each other was undeniable, but those feelings would have to be masked by 'friendship,' because that was what they were comfortable labeling it.
"Just friends," Derek repeated softly, tightening his grip on Addison. He lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. He pressed his face against neck and noticed her shiver slightly. He kissed her once more on her neck before lowering himself on the bed. Derek felt her grab his hand, the one that lay protectively over her belly. She entwined her fingers with his and pushed further back against him.
"Just friends," she whispered before drifting off into much needed sleep…
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A/N: ok, I was thinking about Six Days and how there were no Addek scenes and how Addie had a ton of Alex and Mark drama, so, I decided to write this. I want Addek back. I know a romantic relationship is a lot to ask for, but a "friendship" would be a real good place to start. ; p, well a really sketchy touchy frienship, lol ;p Anyways, please R/R!!!
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Shonda, give us Addek back! ….please : (
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