Sorry for the long wait. I started a new job and got REALLY sick at the same time. Like… I have never called in sick to a job before, but in my first week I had to take 2 days off. It was bad. I came close to medicating myself into a coma.
But I bought a new dress today and I look ridiculously hot right now.
Ridiculously.
And there is something about this chapter that I love more then life itself. If you can guess what it is I'll… give you something!
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"Did you get it?" Geoffrey asked as Addison slipped in the front door.
Addison nodded silently.
"Can I see it?"
She nodded towards the bedroom; he followed her and raised his eyebrow when she closed the door behind them.
"I may have gone a bit overboard," she admitted, dropping all her bags on the bed.
"Is this all for her?"
Addison gave him a guilty look, "I bought myself a latte," she admitted, "But look at this dress," she unzipped a garment bag to reveal a simple black dress detailed with pale green stitching on the prominent seams, "I saw her looking at it in the window when we got our nails done a few weeks ago," she lifted the hem to reveal the flounces under the skirt, pale green, black and white plaid, "The salesgirl said that most girls get pink, but I didn't think Ali would want what everyone else was getting. Plus with her eyes…"
Geoffrey smiled.
"And then," Addison continued, "When I was at the cash, I saw these," she pulled out a pair of green shoes, "Jelly shoes. Do you remember jelly shoes? And they were the same colour green, so I had to buy them," she rationalized, "And the sales girl said they just got them in, so Ali will probably be the only one with them."
"I'm sure she'll love them," Geoffrey assured her.
"I hope so," Addison sat down on the edge of the bed, "And then I realized that she was going to need accessories and make up and," she gestured to her other bags, "that happened."
Geoffrey laughed, "Women."
Addison narrowed her eyes, but smiled, "School formals are very important to girls. Even rebellious 13 year olds."
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Addison glanced at her pager. Her face fell, "I have to go in. My triplets just went into preterm labour," she looked longingly at the dress, "Tell Ali to have fun. And take a picture," she instructed.
He nodded and kissed her on the forehead trying to ease her disappointment, "I think by the time you get home tonight you will have officially won her over."
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Meredith slammed the door to her locker shut with a bang.
"Is your back still sore?" Izzie demanded, "I thought it was getting better."
"It was until I knocked the rest of the pills that Callie gave me into the sink."
Izzie grimaced and opened her locker again, "Here. Take the rest of mine. I think I only took like 5."
"You sure?" Meredith asked, reaching out to take them.
"Ya," Izzie nodded, "They make me all loopy and hyper."
Meredith smiled wanly as she swallowed 2 pills dry, "I like feeling loopy."
Izzie laughed, "Better watch out, you'll become Callie's best client."
Meredith laughed, "But then where would the poor kids in the playground go to for quality black-market narcotics?"
"Their parents medicine cabinets like the rest of the kiddy-addicts."
Meredith shook her head, "I need to go. I can already see Derek sitting in the car flashing the lights telling me to hurry up."
"McDreamy is a bit McAnxious."
Meredith smiled, "If he doesn't stop flashing those lights he's going to be McSingle."
"Bye Meredith," Izzie laughed.
"Bye," Meredith crossed the parking lot and climbed in the car. She barely said hello before Derek was pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road home.
Meredith shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Closing her eyes she leaned against the cool glass of the car window.
"Sore?" Derek questioned, taking his eyes momentarily from the road.
Meredith nodded.
"Did you take anything for it?"
She shook her head, "Ran out."
"Didn't Callie prescribe more?"
"Gone."
Derek nodded, "Is there a prescription pad in my bag? There is a pharmacy about a block away."
Meredith nodded and reached into the backseat, she knew the pad was in there. She checked before he left the hospital.
"Write what you need." Derek told her, "I'll sign it and run it in to be filled."
Meredith smiled gratefully and uncapped her pen, "Thanks Derek."
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Addison scanned the crowd anxiously. It had been a long night and she wanted to get home to bed; however, she had jumped at the chance to pick up Ali from her dance just so she could see the dress.
The crowed was starting to thin and Addison still hadn't spotted her. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and glanced at her watch. The dance had ended fifteen minutes ago.
Then she saw her; standing in the corner by the gym, holding hands with a boy. Addison smiled and got comfortable to wait.
5 minutes later Ali opened the passenger side door, "Can we drive a friend home? It's on the way."
Addison smiled and raised an eyebrow, "Sure."
She watched Ali and a tall boy dressed all in black with leather bracelets climbed into the back seat. Neither said a word.
"Hi," Addison said finally, "I'm Addison."
"Simon," the boy said politely.
The car became silently again.
"It's this house on the right," Simon said finally. He glanced at Ali as he opened his door, "See ya, Scarlet."
"Bye."
"Scarlet?" Addison asked as they pulled away.
Ali didn't reply, "Don't tell Dad."
Addison glanced in her rearview mirror.
"He's in grade 9. He goes to the high school."
Addison pursed her lips together.
Silence over came the car until they pulled into the driveway.
"Dad said I should say thank you for the dress," Ali paused, "The shoes pinch."
Addison chuckled to herself as she got out of the car, "The good ones always do."
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Meredith locked the door to the bathroom and crossed to the medicine cabinet.
She opened her make up bag and sighed. She had 11 more of the pills that George had gotten when he dislocated his shoulder. There were 4 more from the batch she got from Callie last week. She had 26 in her purse that she got from Izzie. 7 from the prescription Cristina wrote her, 12 from Bailey. In her bedroom she had the 50 that Derek had just given her.
She swallowed 2 of the codeine tablets she got from Cristina.
Maybe that would help her get to sleep.
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Addison pressed her hands together and slipped then between her cheek and her pillow. She had woken up 30 minutes ago and hadn't been able to get back to sleep.
It had been close to a year since she had lain awake at night and watched someone sleep. Derek always seemed to be thinking; even in sleep he rarely lost the slight crease in his forehead. Mark was even cocky in his sleep. Addison attributed this to his overly chiseled features and to-perfectly trimmed facial hair.
But Geoffrey. Geoffrey looked completely at ease. And strong. Not physically, although he was closer in physique to Mark then Derek, but he had this strength that she wasn't sure the other men in her life had possessed. She smiled. Selflessness. He was a father; he put people before himself, other people's happiness.
Derek was a very selfish man.
Addison reached out her hand and gently ran her fingers over his cheek and jaw line, eventually moving over his lips as she sought more territory.
Slowly he stirred, his hand covered hers and he kissed her palm sleepily, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she whispered, "I'm just lucky to have you."
He moaned lightly, still trying to wake up; turning on his side and forcing his eyes open he examined her features, "You're sure you're okay?"
Addison nodded, her fingers still running along his jaw. He did the same, his thumb tracing the groove under her lower lip.
She smiled as he leaned in and slowly kissed her. Her hand slipped down to his neck, her palm scratching across his beard. Their lips parted simultaneously as he eased her onto her back and pushed her gently into the mattress. She adjusted her hips, letting her nightgown ride up of it's own accord, her fingers continuing to linger on his face.
"I love you," Geoffrey murmured against her open mouth before kissing her again, his hand still pressed possessively against her face.
Addison groaned lowly as they both fumbled, adjusting their legs, the early morning hour making foreplay an unaffordable luxury and clumsiness unavoidable. Finally their hips aligned and he pushed inside of her, her lung filling suddenly with air.
"I love you too," she half gasped half whispered. She wasn't even sure she said it until he leaned away to look in her eyes, "I do," she said softly as he kissed her gently on the forehead then her cheek, "I love you."
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Callie stood silently at the nurse station, tapping her pen on the counter and thinking. "Addison?" she said finally.
"Yeah?" Addison replied from a few feet away, clearly surprised that Callie was talking to her.
"I want to make an appointment for Meredith to see Geoff about her back. She's going through painkillers like they come in Pez dispensers."
"Okay," Addison said slowly.
"I'm just letting you know."
Addison nodded, "Thank you."
They both resumed their own tasks, slipping back into silence.
"Things are going okay?" Callie asked cautiously.
"Ya. Everything is fine." She looked down at her chart and smiled, "He told me he loves me," she said quietly.
Callie's features were unreadable "Really?"
"Yeah," Addison grinned.
Callie moved closer, "When?"
"A few weeks ago."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing," Addison's grin grew, "Until last night."
"You said it back?"
Addison nodded.
Callie gnawed on her lip for a moment, "Did you mean it?" she demanded, a hint of treat in her voice.
"Of course," Addison exclaimed, slightly miffed that Callie would suggested that she didn't.
Callie collapsed in a nearby chair, "Despite my obvious annoyance towards you and your lax standards of fidelity, I feel all warm and fuzzy and girly."
Addison laughed, "I know, me too."
"If I was they type of person that skipped, I'd feel like skipping," Callie said, standing up with a smile, "I'm going to go call your boyfriend and try not to swoon."
Addison laughed, smiling to herself as Callie walked away.
"Addison?"
Addison looked up to see Meredith standing a few feet away. Her smile instantly faded, "Meredith."
"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."
Addison looked at her curiously.
"Since the accident I've been kinda sore," Meredith confided, "I don't want to talk to any of my friends about it 'cause they will worry, and, well, you know Derek. You are the only one that I can talk to without it getting back to people."
Addison was stunned. She couldn't believe this was happening, "Have you seen someone about it?"
Meredith shook her head, "It's nothing. Just a little sore. You're the only one I've even mentioned it too."
"Oh," Addison didn't know how to address the fact that Meredith was clearly lying to her face.
"I was just wondering if you could…"
"Oh. Umm…" Addison cringed, "Ok. Hold on," mentally kicking herself she reached for her prescription pad and wrote out a prescription for 10 Tylenol #2 "That should take the edge off. You should see someone about that."
Meredith smiled weakly as she glanced at what Addison had written, "Thanks."
Addison smiled and turned to walk around a corner, "Good going Add," she murmured to herself, "Seriously."
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Addison stood at the door tapping her foot, a large bag clutched in her hand.
Suddenly the door flew open, "You're not pizza."
Addison stared at the ceiling for a moment, "I forgot that you lived here now."
Addison and Cristina stared awkwardly at each other.
"Can I come in?" Addison asked finally.
"Umm," Cristina hesitated for a moment, "Sure."
"Is Alex here?"
"He doesn't really go far these days."
Addison nodded, "I'll just…" she nodded towards his closed door, "He's alone right?"
Cristina smirked, "Yeah."
"Okay," she paused, "Is that Mark's shirt?"
"Oh…umm," Cristina glanced towards the kitchen as Mark slunk around the corner.
Addison shook her head, "Eventually you will get tired of being a Manwhore."
Mark smiled at her, "And what are you doing visiting the young Karev?"
"Nothing that would interest you," she assured him as she disappeared into Alex's room.
Alex looked up in surprise and pulled off his headphones, "Hi."
"Hi," Addison stood awkwardly at the door, "How are you?"
Alex shrugged and nodded to his knee, still in a brace and elevated on a pillow, "Been better."
Addison nodded, "I bought you a Wii," she said putting the gaming system on the foot of his bed.
"Why?"
Addison sighed, "I need a favour. A big one."
"From me?" Alex's forehead creased, "Sit down."
Addison sat on the edge of the bed, "Meredith has a problem. With drugs."
"Okay," Alex said slowly.
"She asked me to write her a prescription today, for painkillers. She asked me. She said she didn't want to worry her friends."
"Maybe she doesn't want them to worry."
"Alex," Addison sighed, "It's… Callie told me this morning that she just gave her more."
"So what did you do?"
"I wrote her a prescription. I didn't what else to do."
Alex sat silently for a moment, thinking it over.
Addison curled her feet underneath her and moved further on to the bed.
"You're the only one I trust that I thought might understand," Addison said quietly.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Find someone to help her."
"Why can't you do it?"
"I can't."
"Because it's Meredith?"
Addison was silent.
"I'm surprised you gave her anything at all."
"It's my fault Alex," she said quietly.
"No it's …"
"Alex," she sighed, "I was with Derek that night. We snuck into one of the rooms backstage and had sex," she said bluntly, "And now Meredith is taking painkillers. And she needs help. And there are about a million reasons why I can't be the one to do it."
"You and Shepherd?"
"I know it was stupid. I need you help me."
Alex nodded and gave her a smile, "Only 'cause it's you."
Addison smiled and squeezed his hand, "So, how long has Cristina been sleeping with Mark?"
"Cristina's…"
"Oops,' Addison grinned, "Surprise."
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So what do we think about that little plot development?
Seriously. I want lots of reviews on this one cause you kinda sucked at leaving them on the last one, so I was sick and lonely.
Oh, and there is a new character in the next chapter. It's not Kimber, but it's almost as good.
REVIEW!
