Ellen stood in Michael Kors, gowns being brought to her side by the racks, she could not concentrate. All she could think about was Patrick. How was he going to end it with Jill? What would he say? How was she going to react? That was a dumb question, Jill was going to flip out. That was no secret.
"I don't like that one," Ellen shooed away one of the workers. Another was brought up, "No," Ellen said with attitude. She cringed realizing that she was being a little bitchy. "I'm sorry... It's just this night is really important. I want to look perfect,"
"No, Miss Pompeo, you are fine. I understand completely,"
3 hours later Ellen had chosen a simple black dress. It had a thin belt around the waist with a tiny gold buckle. As she walked out she picked up her phone and dialed a missed call.
"Hi," she said, her voice filled with childish excitement.
"Hi," he returned in the same tone. It was Wednesday nearly a week had passed since there dinner date. In the past few days, it was becoming less and less unusual for them to spend their hours apart on the phone with each other.
"Guess what I just did," she said still excited.
"What?" he asked genuinely curious.
"Picked out my dress for the Emmy's," she practically jumped up and down. God why was she like this when she was around him. Such a child, she was so... so... Happy, finished the thought.
"What does it look like?" he asked
"I'm not telling you," she played
"Okay," he laughed. Suddenly Jill walked through the front door. "Okay Eric, I'll be there at 7, for drinks,"
"What...Ohh," she caught on."Your coming to my house?'' she asked still slightly confused.
"Yes," he said needing to get off the phone.
"Okay," she shrugged, even though he could not see her.
"Seven it is, see you later Eric," he said trying desperately to sound like it was the truth. He hung up.
"Eric?" Jill asked with a raise of her eye brow.
"Yah, We are going for drinks if that's okay with you?" he tried to make it should like a question but at the same time he made sure she knew he didnt need her approval
"Don't you have work tomorrow?" She said with attitude.
"Yah, but we were plan on crashing in the trailer, if that's okay. It's kind of a guys night thing," he said firmly. God he was getting good at lying. He took a deep breath and refused to let himself feel guilty.
"Oh Right, I suppose that's fine," she said as if she was his mother.
"I'm going to shower," he said, though she was no longer listening.
Ellen opened her front door, Patrick stood there and smiled. She shook her head at him.
"What?" he asked playfully.
"Nothing," she smiled letting him in.
"I really need alcohol," he said falling to the couch.
"What's wrong with you ?" she asked sitting next to him
"I just need a drink," Ellen walked into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of vodka. She set it on the table. She pulled a deck of cards from a drawer. They sat together, playing cards, and drinking and talking. It was the most relaxing time they both had in a while. Hours past and they hadn't moved from their original spots.
"Bingo," Ellen slurred. "Or... wait... What are we playing again?" she asked. Patrick laughed.
"You're drunk," he said his eye lids heavy.
"Am not," she pouted.
"Are too," he shook his head.
"Nu uh," she pouted again.
"Ya huh," he laughed.
"Shut up you are too," she said.
"No im perflectly fline... fine," he made a weird face. "Okay your right I am,"
"Told you... What are we going to play now," she asked.
He got a devilish look in his eye. "Poker," he laughed.
She laughed. "If ywu wanned me naked all you hava to do is ask," She slurred. He took a second to observe her tiny little body and then his eyes froze over her eyes. The desire seemed to draw them together, until their lips met passionately. She pulled him closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. It felt so good to touch him. She leaned back onto the bed, pulling him on top of her. She reached and lifted his shirt over his head. Her desire for him became stronger as she ran her hands down his chest and turned to kiss his neck.
He pulled her pants down her fragile legs. Lifting her shirt to kiss her stomach. He wanted to kiss every part of her. It didn't feel like the first time that they were doing this. If felt as if they had done it hundreds of times and like they would do it forever. He kissed up her stomach, inching the shirt up as he went. He made it to her chest and pulled it over her head. He pushed his hands underneath her and unhooked her bra, he brushed his hands across her shoulders and down her arms, catching the bra straps with his thumbs and pulling it off. He kissed down her neck and across her breasts. She tugged at the buckle of his pants. she undid it and unbuttoned his pants and slid her hands inside. She massaged him until she felt him get hard in her hands. He pushed her thong to the side and slowly started fingering her. She moaned softly. He pulled her thong off the rest of the way and ran his tongue down her stomach and then circled her clit a few times with his tongue. She moaned and pulled off his pants and pulled his hips closer to her. He knew she was ready and slowly guided himself inside. He thrust back and forth slowly and then faster, she moaned again. He pulled out once slowly and then pushed back in, deeper. He let out a moan and then collapsed next to her. She laid there for almost 20 minutes catching her breath. She turned to look at him, she was dazzled by his eyes. She smiled softly, he sighed and stroked her hair tenderly. Her eyes grew heavy and she soon fell asleep.
The morning light glittered innocently through the window, but sin filled the room. A warm hand brushed Ellen's naked stomach and she awoke. Her eyes blinked open a few times before she could see. She glanced to the side of the bed and shrieked "Oh my god,"
Patrick jumped as her shriek echoed in his ears. "We-," he couldn't bring himself to finish it.
"We had sex," she yelled frantically.
"Ellen," he tried to comfort her. She pulled away quickly as if it were a sin to be sitting there on the bed next to him. She wrapped herself in the sheets.
"No, stop it, we had sex," Her eyes started to tear up.
"It doesn't matter, its over. My marriage is over," He wasn't quite sure what else he could say.
"We were going to wait until... until Jesus i don't know. You are my co-star, we are having an affair... this is complicated. I didn't want things to be complicated,"
"Ellen, the timing is off, I understand that. But its going to be complicated no matter what. Whether we waited until after I was divorced or not. Everyone is going to know that we had feelings before,"
"We were drunk. And you... you," she started he cut her off.
"I what?" he asked getting a little defensive.
"Nothing," she said softly.
"So you are blaming this on me?" he asked angered.
"Patrick you came to my house at 9 o'clock at night and asked for a drink. You told your wife you were sleeping in your trailer. You saw this coming,"
"Jesus Ellen, Yeah... that was the plan. Go to Ellen's, get smashed and get in her pants. What are we like 16 years old? I didn't plan this anymore than you did. I just wanted to be near you," he sighed.
"I'm sorry," she smiled coming to sit on the bed again. "I just wanted this to be different," she plopped down next to him. "Everything we do is not supposed to happen, we have really , really bad timing and i just wanted this to be the right timing."
"And you know... maybe our timings not off. Maybe all of this was supposed to happen right now," he said sofly reaching his hand to her bare shoulder and pulling her into his arm. She rested her head softly on his shoulder.
"Everythingsgoing to be okay," she meant to state it, but it came out sounding more like a question.
"Everythings going to be okay," he repeated softly, as he kissed the top of her head.
Ellen was cheerier than usual on the morning of the Emmy's and only she and Patrick knew why. Today was the day. The day he would end things with Jill. They both knew that it probably wasn't a good idea to tell her before she had to go to the awards show but he was going to do it anyway. He had to. After what happened last weekend, he knew it would happen again if he didnt end things with Jill now. He didnt want to be a cheater. Chris walked into the living room and found Ellen completely dressed and ready to go. "You look good," was all he could manage to say. His eyes shifted to her hands. "Where's your ring?" he asked.
Damn he noticed, she thought. She struggeled to find something to say. "Oh it didn't match the jewelery soo..." she didnt finish.
"Right," he said half pissed off. She ingored it. She stared at him for a second, all dressed up but not even the least bit excited for her.
"Are we ready?" her voice lifted with childish excitement.
"Yah, I guess," he said without emotion.
Patrick walked into the room, where the make up artist was finishing Jill's make up.
"Jill, Can we talk for a second," his voice shaky.
"I'm a little busy," she said not looking away from the make up artist.
"It's kind of important," he admitted.
"Well it's gonna have to wait 10 minutes," she said coldly.
"Jesus, Jillian," he stormed out of the room.
He looked at his watch. He was already almost late. He would miss the interviews and pictures, he was sure he would probably get in trouble for that.
"This one over here sneak up on me looking fantastic," Ellen smiled at the interviewers compliment. "Who are you wearing?"
"Uh my boyfriend Michael Kors," she joked.
"Your boyfriend?" the interviewer laughed. "Last I checked you were engaged so?"
"Yah I have a fiance and a boyfriend," Ellen joked and then realized that she probably shouldnt have said that, because it was really quite true.
"You are a very smart girl," the interviewer said. "No who did your jewelery?"
"ah It's Fred Laytin," Ellen confirmed. She watched the interviewers eyes catch her ring-less finger. Shit
"Now I don't want to start rumors but there is no engagement ring and I know you are engaged,"
She started to struggle. "I know I am engaged but it didn't match my other jewelry so I took it off," her voice sounding pained by the question. Now she needed to go on and on about the wedding and how in love they were to counter act the trouble she had caused. She should have just worn the stupid ring.
Patrick tapped his foot as he waited for Jill in the kitchen. She walked down the stairs, he smiled. "You look beautiful," he kissed her cheek.
"Thanks," she smiled. "We should go," she looked to the clock.
"I guess, we are a little late already," he gave up the fact that he was going to tell her anything today.
"At least now I don't have to watch you take pictures, pressed against Ellen," she laughed devilishly.
"This is not the time Jill," he said opening the front door.
"Oh isn't it? I thought you had something important to talk to me about?" she said coldly and walked out the front door. He followed her.
"Yes, but it had nothing to do with Ellen," he got into the car. She followed.
"Or did it," Jill raised an eyebrow.
"You want to know what it was about?" he raised his voice.
"Oh please inform me," she said sarcastically.
"This right here," he pointed. "I'm sick of it,"
"I'm sick of it," she yelled. "I'm sick of having to be a bitch to get your attention! You work 16 hour days and when you don't you go out and party with your cast or do god knows what with Ellen Pompeo," she yelled. Usually her words were just annoying and reminded him of how much he wish he was doing god knows what with Ellen. But today her words held truth and the stung his ears.
"Whatever Jill, that's a great excuse," he shrugged moving away from her.
"We are here," the driver announced in the front. His assistant opened up his door and Jill got out. He put his sunglasses on.
"Now smile and act like nothing happened. Because that's what you do best," Jill faked a smile. He gave her a dirty look.
They walked the red carpet, Today the screams of the fans hurt his ears a little. He shouldn't be here. He should be yelling all the reasons why he wanted a divorce at Jill. He knew Ellen would be hurt when she found out he hadn't ended it. He walked into the theater. Someone escorted them to their seats. Ellen looked away from Sandra who she had been talking to. Her eyes met with Patrick's eyes, and then her eyes shifted to Jill. Her chest started to ache. It wasn't that she couldn't have him, it was that they had sex. They were having an affair, or they had an affair, she wasn't sure what it was. It would have been okay if he ended it now, but he hadn't and that made her the other women.
She watched Jill excuse herself to the bathroom, instantly she found Patrick at her side. He pulled her arm softly, "Can we talk," he asked.
She cleared her throat, "Let's not do this right now," she said softly. He walked out without her but he turned and smiled. She looked to Chris who was in a deep conversation with Eric. She followed Patrick out.
"I couldn't do it," he exhaled.
"Was it about the sex Patrick?" she asked flat out. "Now that we had sex you don't want me anymore,"
"No, Ellen and I can't believe youa are asking me that. You know me better than. It wasn't about the sex. I mean you are good, but not that good."
"This is a joke to you. Everything is a joke to you." she raised her voice a little.
"It's not a joke to me but I hate being mad at you. I dont want to be mad at you,"
"Well I'm mad at you!" she yelled.
"You should be," he sighed. "I should have done it. But I just couldn't," he exhaled.
"You're never going to be able to," her voice slightly angery but more emotional.
"No, I'm going to," he tried to convince her his voice sounding desperate.
"Please take your seats," Someone asked them. She gave him a look, a look of disappointment and desire and then she walked away.
The night had been long, she was hurt, even though she didn't want to admit it. Even though she should be the one feeling sorry for Jill. She was too busy hating her to feel sorry for her. After the Emmy's her and Chris had gone to the ET after party. She had hoped that they would run into Patrick and Jill, but they didn't instead she did an interview where she talked about her and Chris's sex life. It really killed two birds with one stone. It pissed Chris off and she knew that Patrick would tune in later and it would piss him off too.
She sat at a table in the corner of the crowded room as Chris socialized with all the people he normally did. She didn't feel like being social tonight. She felt like staring into her martini and counting all the ways she completely fucked up her life. A reminder of her biggest fuck up, vibrated on the table. Though she wasn't looking directly at it she could see "Paddy" on the caller id of her cell phone. She pushed it off the table, and it bounced onto the cushion of the chair next to her. It stopped vibrating, shit she had answered it. She picked it up, "Hello," she said slightly annoyed and slightly relieved.
"I want to see you," he slurred.
"You are drunk," she insisted, now fully annoyed. "Where is your wife,"
"In the mathroom. Bathroom. I mean Bathroom," he cleared his throat.
"How did you get this drunk and such a short amount of time?" she asked.
"I am skilled, Ms. Pompeo, I am skilled," he laughed.
"Where are you?" she asked curiously.
"Some Party," he responded. As he did, she watched a familiar looking women step out of the bathroom. She hadn't turned around but Ellen, was almost 100 percent positive that she knew who she was.
"What Party?" Ellen's voice got a little more intense.
"I don't know. EP," he laughed. "EP that's your initials. I meant ET," he clarified. "EP, can I call you EP from now on," She got a little confused.
"Patrick focus," she raised her voice a little. The women that she had been looking at turned around as she herself thought she heard a familiar name. She smiled fakely. "Ellen," she nodded. Patrick could hear Jill's voice. Ellen, didn't take the phone from her ear. "Jill," Ellen smiled nervously.
"Was that Jill?" he asked a little scared himself and then he lost himself again. "What is she doing at your party,"
"We are at the same party," she stated.
"You and Jill?"
"Me and you. You idiot," she was extremely annoyed.
"We are!" he sounded excited. "Where are you," he stood up. She didn't seem him stand up but she knew that he would.
"Sit down, and get off the phone," she started. "Your wife is going to..." she suddenly heard Jill's voice.
"Tell Ellen, that the reason she does not win any awards is because she can't act," Ellen swallowed hard as she heard Jill.
"I wasn't, it wasn't Ellen," Patrick slurred.
"And Neither can you," Jill shook her head. "I'm going home. Just go... fuck her," Jill picked up her clutch and the keys to the car and walked away.
Patrick came out of his drunken state for a moment. Ellen sat stunned on the other line. He didn't pick up the phone until he was absolutely sure Jill was gone.
"Did you hear all of that?" Patrick asked into the phone.
"She knows," Ellen stated plainly, with a hint of fear in her voice.
"No she doesn't know. She's always like that," Though it sounded as if he wasn't serious, Ellen knew that he was.
"I'm sorry, Patrick," she said softly.
"It's not your fault," he responded. He hesitated for a second, "Where are you," he asked her.
"In the other room," she answered him softly.
"Come, see me," he said innocently.
"I don't think it's a good idea," she sighed heavily, her eyes drifting to the ground.
"What does it matter?" he said bitterly. "Everyone is drunk, no one is going to remember any of this tomorrow anyway,"
"Well I'm not drunk," she laughed.
"Not yet," he specified. She laughed again. She suddenly got a tingle in her stomach, it sent chills down her back. She looked up.
"Maybe I'll just come to you," he smiled. She still had the phone in her hand. She hung it up.
"Do you ever listen?" she asked playfully.
"Not when the rules are worth breaking," he said smoothly.
"You sound like you have been rehearsing your lines too much," she laughed.
"Ouchh," he said faking that he was hurt.
"Oh be quiet," she swatted. He sat down across the table from her.
"Where's your fiance?" he asked looking around the room. She gave him a dirty look.
"Did you have to ruin the moment?" she commented rolling her eyes.
"I wasn't ruining the moment," he looked around the room quickly and grabbed Ellen's hand. Pulling her into the empty hallway.
"What, what are you doing?" she said confused.
"This," he kissed her lips softly. She pulled away, wanting desperately to be angry. She shook her head lightly and smiled.
"I hate you," she said softly and kissed him just long enough to leave him wanting more. It felt dangerous to kiss him there, where so many people could walk in at any second. She walked away.
"Goodnight, Patrick," she said teasingly without looking back.
"Yah ya Goodnight Ellen," his voice sounding cheerfully tortured. She turned the corner of the other room still enchanted by Patrick's presence, she ran directly into Chris.
"Oh," she was startled. "Chris,"
"Are you ready?" he asked impatiently.
"Yeah," she answered smoothly.
Just a few hours later, Ellen sat tapping her hand nervously against Patrick's couch. She had been anxious to get there this morning. It was an hour before her call time, Patrick wouldn't be here for a another 20 minutes. But She had something to say and she wanted to say it right. She didn't want to back down and not say what she was feeling. Ellen heard a voice from outside the trailer, Patrick's voice. He was early. "Thank god," she sighed to herself. Seconds later he walked through the door.
"Hi," he said happily but with a touch of a hang over in his eyes.
"Hi," she said seriously. "Can we talk for a second,"
"Yah," he said a little nervous. He barely sat when she began talking.
"Look, I have been being ridiculous. I don't know what has come over me. I just... we were nothing and then we were something and I don't want us to be nothing again Patrick," she sighed. "But this is complicated and I understand that. You are married. You have children, that's not something you can just walk away from. If you say that you will walk away eventually, I believe you. I probably shouldn't but I do," Patrick grabbed her hand, she pulled it away. "I'm not finished. What I'm saying is, I get that it may be a little bit, before you tell her you are leaving her. It has to be the right moment. The Emmy's were definitely not the right moment, we both knew that. But I want you to know when you find the right moment, when you leave her. I'll still be here," her voice getting lightly emotional. "I'll wait for you," she ended in a soft tender tone. "Okay, now I'm done," she smiled.
"Ellen," he said softly.
"Huh," her voice venerable.
"I love you," he said tenderly. She looked to his eyes, hypnotized by them, once again.
"I love you," she kissed him.
"And I want you to know, that its going to be over," he promised pulling her into his arms.
It wasn't long until filming once again consumed their life. Things between them were going well, very well. They had both agreed that they would not have sex again until after the splits, they still slept next to each other on the 'its too late to make the drive home' nights. They kissed softly and slowly whenever possible and they were both slowly stepping away from there home responsibilities. Patrick was still spending time with his kids, but was slowly trying to let his wife know that he was done. It was now mid October and whispers of the writers strike were around every corner. Thus forcing there already packed schedule into extra over drive. Patrick and Ellen had not been home for a week, and though they enjoyed their time together they both missed sleeping on a real bed. But filming until 1 and having a call time at 630 made driving the hour home quite impossible if they wanted any sleep at all. With Halloween just around the corner Patrick hoped that he would be home in time to spend it with the kids. Especially being that this was most likely their last Halloween together as a family.
After listening to Jillian bitch for an hour over the phone about his real commitments and how he cared more about his job than his kids, he whined a little to people magazine. Saying that there was so much commitment that came with the job. Then he got mocked for whining. But it was the truth, he hadn't been home in a week and a half, and when he was home he was always going to some engagement for the show. Yes Greys made him a millionaire, and brought him out of his huge acting slump and made him one of the most famous men in Hollywood, but he was also just a regular guy. Who wanted to be home with his kids for Halloween.
"Patrick, its Halloween, Go home," she insisted.
"El we still have a scene to film," he said annoyed.
"It's just you and me," she said. "We are the only two in the scene," she gave him a face. "Go home, I don't care if we get in trouble. You need to spend this day with your kids," she walked to the table and grabbed her purse and then his keys, "Here," she handed him his keys, "We are leaving,"
He smiled, and stood there watching Ellen, She was this independent women, who didn't give a shit about what anyone else thought. Who was standing there wanting him to be with his family instead of her. God it made him love her more. She noticed he wasn't moving and he was smiling at her. "What?" she asked. He walked up to her kissed her and walked out of the door.
"Thank you," he smiled.
An hour later he pulled into his drive way. "Wow, you actually showed up," Jill said filling a bowl with candy.
"Jill," he sighed. "Let's not fight today," he touched her arm. She looked into his eyes, her face softened. For the first time in a long time Jill looked like the women he married. Guilt filled his stomach, he broke eye contact. She found his eyes again,
"Listen," she exhaled, obviously struggling to say whatever she had to say. "I'm sorry, that I have been a bitch. I just... I guess I'm not over the whole London thing. But I am going to get over, because it wasn't a big deal and I believe whatever you say did and didn't happen. So to show you that I am going to be the bigger person, I invited a few of your cast members over for our Halloween party tonight," she finished with the most genuine smile she could find.
Patrick was stunned and extremely guilt ridden. "Who did you invite," he said almost defensively. He smiled realize his tone of voice was not appropriate.
"Justin and his wife and kids, Eric and Rebbecca and their kids, and Ellen and Chris," She smiled. Patrick was suddenly fearful.
"Oh when did you do that? None of them mentioned anything to me today," Patrick tried to sound normal.
"I just called, like an hour ago. I talked to Rebbecca, and Keisha and Chris. They all said they would probably come," She finished
"Oh," he tried to sound uneffected but failed miserably.
"Damn it, Patrick," Jill started to flip. "I'm trying!" she yelled. "I'm trying to be the bigger person, I'm trying to make you happy"
"Jill," he stopped her, "Thank you," he smiled. "I'm going to go shower for the party okay?"
"Okay," she shrugged.
"This is going to be fun," he said convincingly as he kissed her head on the way up the stairs. As he walked up he repeated it under his breath, this time dripping with sarcasm.
"We're what?" Ellen shrieked as she was trying to brush her teeth.
"I told Jill we would go," Chris explained.
"Since when do yohand Gill talk," she said her mouth full of toothpaste.
"She called today, why are you making such a big deal out of this babe?"
Babe, she mocked in her head in a hateful tone. "I'm not," she wiped her mouth. "I'm just curious, What did you guys talk about?"
"She said, She invited us to her Halloween Party," Chris gave Ellen a face.
"That was nice of her, but we don't really need to go," Ellen insisted.
"No we should go. It will be fun. We're going," he insisted.
Ellen stepped out of their Range Rover in jeans and a simple black shirt. She was extremely nervous but had a odd feeling, almost an adreniline rush. Ellen's hand reached for the key board, her first instinct was to enter the code. She didn't even remember why she knew the code, it wasn't like she had spent the night there before. God had she even ever been here before? The old house, yes but this house no. If this was her first time here, than why did everything seem so damn familiar? She reached for the call button, her hand trembled.
"Babe? You okay," he noticed her trembling hand.
"Fine," she steadied her hand and pushed the button.
"Security," a deep voice said on the other side.
"Ellen Pompeo," she said into the mic. Beezzed, the gate opened. They walked to the front door, she knocked lightly. She could see Patrick on the other side of the glass, their eyes met.
"Patrick, What are you looking at?" Jill asked walking over next to him, to follow his glance. He was too caught in Ellen's eyes to even hear Jill's voice.
"Well, are you gonna get the door?" She said with a bitter tone of voice.
He wasn't quite sure how to greet her appropriately anymore. He had always just greeted her without thinking, there had been no reason to think. She was his friend, he hugged her and treated her accordingly. But now, now was different. Now she was more than a friend. He answered the door, and first reached to Chris's hand, over thinking every step f the way. "Chris, Thanks for coming," Chris shook his hand.
"Thanks for inviting us," Chris responded. Patrick reached for Ellen, his hand rested on her elbow. He leaned to hug her but withdrew prematurely as Ellen hesitated. Ellen then leaned in to hug him but when he did not reciprocate she withdrew. She settled with a squeeze of Patrick's elbow. Any outsider to this struggle could see the speciousness of it. Unknowingly to her, Ellen made things more obvious, by nervously hugging Jill.
"Hi Jill. Happy Halloween," Ellen said nervously cheerful. Chris followed her and greeted Jill too. Ellen turned to find Patrick behind her, they were both out of the view of everyone else.
"Happy Halloween?" he mouth mocking her. She gave him a face and swatted his arm.
The kids had there own play room set up down stairs, along with two nanny's of the Dempsey family and one from the Dane's and one from the Chamber family. The Little kids ate candy and watch Halloween movies as the adults were upstairs having a party of their own. The room was not as tense as it was an hour and a half before when they had all just arrived. In fact it was becoming very relaxed. Ellen's sipped her drink, as she made conversation with Rebbecca, whom she was growing quite fond of. Jill talked with Keisha as she also sipped her drink and Justin and Chris talked in one corner as Eric and Patrick went to the kitchen to refill their drinks.
Patrick was acting very strange. He was not getting as relaxed as everyone else, perhaps because he was not drinking as much as everyone else. He wasn't sure what it was, but he could just feel this strange uneasiness weighing over him waiting to burst into disaster at any second. It wasn't unnoticed by Eric.
"Are you feeling okay," Eric asked calmly.
"Yah, Fine," Patrick answered.
"You're a terrible liar," Eric laughed squeezing his shoulder.
"I just wasn't ready for this party that's all," Patrick confessed, drinking his entire glass of scotch and then refilling it and drinking it all again. He refilled it and twirled it softly and walked out into the living room where everyone was. It was in that moment that Patrick decided to let his guard down, everything would be fine.
There was something Patrick had realized ever sense he was a child, and maybe it wasn't just him who realized it, maybe it was everyone. It was that when you least expect it, when you set your guard down and say "I don't care anymore" something always happens. Whether it is good or bad, something happens. And things indeed started to happen an two hours later.
It was now nearly midnight and the children had all fallen asleep on the couch and the adultswere all completely smashed. Which was probably why Jill had sent Ellen to help Patrick get the appetizers from the kitchen. A mistake she would never have made if she was sobber. There were three big trays, Ellen had one in her hand Patrick on in his. " I can just come back for that one," Ellen mumbled.
"No I think I can get it," Patrick reached across Ellen to get it and when he had it in his hand he pulled back slightly. He suddenly realized that his body was against hers, their mouths inches apart. She exhaled and swallowed hard. Their eyes were locked together, the rest of the room seemed to disappear ina haze.
Out of no where there were other voices, "You know maybe we can just eat them at the table in her-," Jill's voice stopped instantly. She dramatically dropped her glass to the floor, it shattered. That was when she lost it.
"You know I tried to be the bigger person her," she yelled. It was easy to tell that it was a drunken yell. "I invite you into my home to be nice. To make my husband see that I have forgiven himand I knew that when he kissed a slut like you it was a mistake," At this point Chris had made his way into the kitchen. Ellen's breathing shallowed, she could feel the aching in her throat. She was never the person that didn't stand up for herself even if she was wrong, but this time she kept quiet.
"So you kiss my husband in my hotel room. You kiss him in my kitchen, and hell my beds upstairs why don't you just skip the whole fore-playing in the kitchen thing and just fuck him in my bed," She got in her face. Patrick set the tray down.
"Jill," he tried to keep her back a little.
"Of course, Defend her. Your slut," she yelled. "Ohh he has some pretty hot cars in the garage if that's your style," she yelled.
"What the hell is going on?" Chris yelled, far beyond sober himself.
"Oh you didn't tell him?" Jill yelled giving Ellen a fake surprised look. "Well let me do the honors," Jill yelled again walking up to Chris, "When we were in London, I mistakenly let your whore of a fiance babysit,"
"Stop it Jill," Patrick yelled trying not to get emotional. Ellen swallowed hard and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"Fuck you," Jill slurred. "Any way so I come home and find her in my husbands shirt, But noo they didn't have sex, He just took off all her clothes and made out with her," Jill mocked.
Chris shot Ellen a look of disgust and turned to walk away, she followed him out but by the time she had got out of the gate he had already left.
"Get out of my Fucking house," Jill yelled.
"You are so Fucking Drunk," he yelled in her face, "That you have no idea what the fuck you are doing. So sober up and maybe I'll come home tomorrow, Happy Fucking Halloween," he slammed the door on the way out. He pulled out of his driveway quickly. Not realizing he nearly ran over Ellen, he stopped.
"El, get in the car," he said softly as he noticed she was crying. She did slowly and sat in the front seat. He pulled away from his house. "Where's Chris?"
"He left," Ellen said threw tears.
"Do you want me to take you home," Patrick asked touching her hand with one hand and driving with the other.
"No," she said sniffling. There was a moment of silence for a second.
"Well, we certainly got ourselves into a mess this time," he exhaled.
"Yes, we did," Ellen agreed bitterly.
He leaned in to kiss her, she looked the other way. Her eyes filling with tears, "Ellen," He said softly reaching to touch her knee.
"I don't know if I can do this anymore," the emotion building in her voice.
"Ellen," he said his voice shaky.
"No you don't understand. You go home tomorrow and your wife apologizes when she shouldn't because she's right about everything she says. But she apologizes because she's always a bitch and this time is just another time she let her anger get the best of her. But me, I have to go home and explain myself, and fix this by myself. And Jill is stuck with you. You are married but Chris and I aren't married. So tomorrow, I could go home to an empty house and be alone. And I'll just be the lonely actress who fell in love we her very married co-star. So don't 'Ellen' me when you don't know what the hell your talking about. Because with or without me you will be okay. So just don't,"
Patrick sat in silence for a moment, and gave her the distressed McDreamy look. It was one she was quite familiar with as she had seen it hundreds of times as Meredith Grey.
"Just drop me off at the end of the street," she shrugged and got out of the car without looking back.