a/n: So I've had this written for a couple of days, but I'm only just getting around to posting it. It's based on the song "When I Go" by Slow Club (yes, that would be the song from the Ritz cracker commercial, for those of you who have seen it).
Basic Information: Italics equal flashbacks.
Disclaimer: I'm sure all of us Addison/Alex fans would be much happier if I owned Grey's, but I don't. This makes me sad.
Twelve-year-old Addison Forbes Montgomery laughs as she feels her best friend's hands push her higher into the sky. She closes her eyes, enjoying the sensation of flying. Her legs pump, propelling her even higher. Then, at the pinnacle, she allows herself to let go of the chains. She opens her eyes in time to enjoy the rush of adrenaline that pumps through her veins when she lands safely on the ground.
"You have got to try that!" she exclaims. Alex shakes his head no. He doesn't like heights. She pouts. "Fine. But I get first pick of what we do when we go to my house."
Her mom picks them up soon after that. They go to her house and play Clue, since it's her choice. He's spending the night, so they never worry about running out of time.
When it starts to get dark, Alex says that he wants to go on the trampoline, which she quickly agrees to. They spend all of their energy jumping, and by the time the stars come out, they're lying side by side, looking up at the sky.
"What do you think being a grown up is gonna be like?" she asks him.
"I don't know," he answers. "You don't have to go to school anymore."
"Yeah, and you get to go to bed whenever you want."
"And you can eat whatever food you want, too," he adds.
Rather dreamily, Addison adds, "And you get to get married."
"I don't want to get married," Alex informs her.
"Why not?" she exclaims.
"Because, girls are stupid."
"Hey!"
"You don't count."
She pouts. "I'm a girl."
Alex turns his head to look at her. "You're the only girl I'd want to marry," he says honestly. "At least you're fun."
She looks at him. "I have an idea," she announces suddenly.
"What?" he asks.
"I want to get married, right?" she says.
"Right," he answers warily.
"And you'd only want to marry me, but only if you had to, right?"
"Right."
"If we get old, and we're not married, then we'll get married. It's perfect!"
"I don't know…"
"Oh, come on, Alex. You know that your family wants you to get married, and they're going to give you lots of trouble if you don't. And I don't want to not get married."
"But how old is old?"
"Umm… thirty," she says. "You're younger than me. On your thirtieth birthday, if we're not married, we'll get married."
He thinks about it for awhile. "Okay. It's a deal," he agrees.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
They shake on it.
Two months later, Addison's dad gets a job in New York, and her family moves away from their small town in Iowa. They don't see each other after that.
. . . . . . .
18 Years Later…
April 29th, Addison thinks. Just what exactly is so special about April 29th? Well, she's starting a new job in Seattle. But this particular April 29th is more than that. Oh well, she can't think of it. It must not be that important if she can't remember; she always remembers everything important.
She needs a coffee. On the way into work, she stops by one of the many Starbucks, the one closest to the hospital. On her way in, a man holds the door open for her. She smiles at him. He looks a little familiar, but she doesn't give it another thought. He gets in line behind her while she debates her coffee options. She could get a mocha, or a vanilla latte. Chocolate or vanilla. Tough choice. She mutters to herself.
"I'd go with the vanilla latte," Door Man interjects.
"Excuse me?" she asks.
"The vanilla latte," he repeats. "It's not as sweet, and it tastes better if you have to warm it up."
She smiles and they lock eyes. He really is quite good looking. "Thanks."
"No problem." They hold eye contact for a comfortably awkward second. It's been a while since she's experienced this kind of chemistry with someone.
She orders her coffee and continues on her way to work. She's there nice and early, so she doesn't have to worry about making a bad impression in that portion of the program. The Chief takes her on a quick tour of the hospital, then takes her to meet her peers in the locker room.
Standing in the locker room is Door Man-slash-Coffee Guy. Who, now that she really studies him, looks a lot like her childhood best friend.
Who, when the Chief introduces him, turns out to be her childhood best friend.
He looks just as stricken as she feels. "Addison Montgomery?" he asks. "From Iowa?"
That's when the significance of the date strikes her. She nods. "Yeah. Happy birthday, Alex."
0ooo0
She spends the rest of the day hiding from him. It's irrational, she knows, but a) she doesn't even know if he remembers their pact, and b) she's not even sure she wants him to. She's not married. He wasn't wearing a ring. But maybe he has a girlfriend. A very serious girlfriend. Or he's engaged. Or he's gay. Or he's just not interested.
Does any of it even matter?! It's a stupid pact they made practically twenty years ago. One she doesn't even know if he remembers. And it's not like she likes him or anything. So maybe he was her first crush, but she's thirty years old now, and there's no point in flipping out over an old crush.
She sits in the locker room, changing shoes and clothes. She has tennis shoes for the day, but she has a shoe fetish, and refuses to wear anything but heels out of the hospital. The room is deserted, thankfully. She just needs quiet right now.
Still, what are the odds? Running into him on his thirtieth birthday. The exact date they set for their pact. It's weird, and creepy, and more than a little coincidental. That has to mean something. But maybe it doesn't. In fact, it probably doesn't. And anyways-
The very subject of her thoughts opens the door, interrupting her thoughts. "Oh," he says. "Hey."
She smiles. "Hey." For the second time that day, they lock eyes. She stays frozen, that slightly nervous grin still on her face.
"Look, uh… Do you want to go get something to eat?" he asks, rather nervously, if you ask her.
"Oh, I, um… sure."
Why not? After all, what's the worst that could happen?
0ooo0
She doesn't wake up in her own bed. Uh oh. Not good. She looks over and sees Alex Karev. Her old best friend, now her latest one night stand. Oh dear. How did she let this happen?
. . . . . . .
He took her to a little out of the way café. It had been twenty years since they had seen each other. Catching each other up on the details took them nearly through to dessert. Neither of them was married. Neither had a significant other. Addison had almost gotten engaged to another med student, but that fell apart rather quickly when she found out about his other girlfriend. Alex hadn't let anyone near him. He didn't say that out loud, but Addison discovered that she could still figure out what he meant underneath his words.
It was after they had paid that he brought up the pact. "Do you remember that day on the trampoline?" he asks.
She looks down. "Yeah," she says. "That was not one of my finer moments."
He laughs. "Or mine."
"You realize that by our logic, we should be getting married sometime soon," Addison giggles. He laughs too.
They wander out onto the sidewalk. The café to call taxis for their patrons, so Alex and Addison utilize this service. They stand side by side, waiting for their taxi to arrive.
"I can't believe I was that desperate at twelve." She shakes her head.
"I don't think it was desperate," he tells her.
She gives him an "are-you-serious?" look. "I begged you to marry me," she points out. "I would label that as desperate."
He looks her in the eyes. "Hey, I agreed," he points out. And then his lips are on hers, and their taxi is arriving, and they climb in. In between kisses, they determine that it would be much easier for the driver if he only had to drop them off in one place. Also, it's a much preferable option, given the activities they have in mind.
. . . . . . .
And now she's here. In his apartment. Naked. Oh boy. Well, they got part of the marriage thing down yesterday. Just not the vows and official part. And now things are going to be all awkward between them, and they only just found each other again. Great.
He wakes up before she can sneak out, or even get out of the bed. "Hey," he says with a smile.
"Hi," she says nervously, trying to gauge his reaction.
He senses her nervousness. "Look, about last night," he starts.
"I know, it wasn't the smartest thing to do, and I know, we just found each other, and we probably shouldn't do it again, and-"
"Addison," he interrupts her.
"What?"
He kisses her. "I don't care that we just found each other. I like you. A lot. I have since we were twelve. I meant what I said on the trampoline."
"What, that you don't want to get married?"
"No, that you're the only girl I'd want to marry."
"I…" she stutters, and looks rather nervous.
He notices. "I'm not proposing to you," he informs her. "I don't want to get married now, or any time soon, or maybe at all. I just don't want to lose you again."
She's quiet for a moment. Then she kisses him. "You won't," she tells him.
At that moment, she realizes that she has just told an absolute truth.
Hopefully you liked it, because I liked writing it. Feel free to tell me your opinion, you know?
Oh, and for those of you waiting on that epilogue for Kids Say The Darndest Things, it's coming, I swear. I've been really busy this past week because I just got my lifeguarding certification and that took FOREVER, but it's coming along, I promise.
-Juli-