What Ever Happened to Addison?

A/N: Okay so this is another filler chapter because while I'm assuming everyone's watched the show I could be wrong. So…yeah. Anyway. It's kinda fluffy and stuff so forgive me. I'm in a fluffy mood right now. This week. Whatever. The title is just because it made me smile when I thought of it. Though we do find out what happened to Addie in this chapter.

Lexie tentatively strode into the bar at her sister's shoulder and stayed as close as she could and Meredith pushed her way to the counter. She ordered a whiskey on the rocks and then turned around stared at all the people inhabiting the bar for a long moment before turning back to her sister and her resident. She'd begun to think this might have been a bad idea. Yang scared her and Meredith made her a little nervous. On the other hand she was determined to have some kind of relationship with her older sister. Meredith was her sister no matter what the older woman said or thought. And her mother had told her that Meredith was a good person. Molly had said she was intense but kind. So she wanted to know this woman that shared half of her DNA. It was like a compulsion that she just couldn't resist.

"So why is the tiny Grey with us again, Mer?" Cristina drawled after she'd gulped down her first drink and had taken in the two woman with a long glare at her person. "She's an intern and we're not. And she's my intern." She gestured as she spoke, something that Lexie noticed she didn't do at work. Or not quite as much anyway.

"Because I said so," Meredith told her with a ring of finality to her voice. "And she's not an intern here. She's…whatever but not an intern. So be nice." She glared significantly at Cristina. "And you're not Dr. Yang here either."

"But Mer…" Cristina whined with an almost comically exaggerated expression of disappointment on her face. "She's the…she's…but…" She trailed off at Meredith's death glare and sighed heavily in acceptance.

"You didn't have any issues with Addie after that first night here," Meredith reminded her with a cutting sweetness. "We let her in and no one said anything about it." Her words said reasonable but her voice said to do what she wanted or there would be consequences. Painful consequences. Lexie hadn't been aware that her sister could be that scary.

"Well yeah," Cristina drawled completely unaffected by the tone. "But she's Addison Montgomery! She's the foremost neonatal surgeon in the country. She's…Addie." She finished inadequately.

Lexie wondered how much the other woman had had to drink already then her words sank in and she stared at them both goggle eyed. "You…you know Addison Forbes Montgomery?" She squeaked out. "She saved Laura and Molly." She stopped abruptly and nearly smacked herself in the forehead for her own stupidity. "Wait! I knew you know her. Wow! That's so cool! You know Addison Montgomery. Where is she? Is she still working here? When can I meet her?" She couldn't stop the eagerness from coming out in her voice. She wanted to be a neonatal surgeon and studying under Addison Forbes Montgomery would be the best.

Meredith shook her head with a frown, her eyes sad. "Addie moved to LA a couple weeks ago. She…needed a change." She seemed to hesitate over her words, as though there were more to the story and she wasn't comfortable sharing it.

"I miss her," Cristina said with an unexpectedly wistful note sighed. "She was fun to drink with." She slammed back the shot Joe had set in front of her. She grinned suddenly. "You remember?" She stood up and slapped a hand hard on the counter. "Derek Shepherd is an ass!" She said in a higher tone and set one hand on her hip in a move reminiscent of Addison. "He's the foremost brain surgeon in the country and he's got me living in a freaking trailer out in the middle of nowhere! With raccoons and snakes and poison oak! A trailer!" Her voice was a little shrill but still those that knew Addison turned to look at her with appreciative smiles.

Meredith giggled and put a hand on Lexie's arm to stop her questions before her mouth even opened. "Just wait," she advised quietly with her eyes fixed on Cristina. "This will be…fun."

"Tell me how is this fair," Cristina flipped her hair over her shoulder in another classic Addison move and smacked the bar again. A few chuckles from the surrounding patrons greeted the move. "Sleep with your husband's best friend once…okay so more than once. Still! He's punishing me by making me sleep in a freaking trailer. A tiny trailer. In the middle of nowhere. And I got poison oak! Because I was being nice. I was trying to let him sleep, for God's sake. And it's a freaking tiny ass trailer! And come on! It's Mark. Who wouldn't sleep with Mark if they got the chance…though he's with Mer now and he's the most faithful man I've ever met now…but…he's freaking Mark Sloan! And Derek's an ass." Cristina wound down and slumped onto the bar stool breathless with her imitation. She grinned at Meredith her brown eyes full of happy memories.

Joe set a shot glass of black and gold down in front of Cristina and then his eyes widened in humor. "Sorry Cris…thought you were Addie," he grinned at the Asian woman and then turned to Meredith. "How is she, by the way?" He knew if anyone in Seattle knew how the red head was doing it would be the new Dr. Sloan. "Congratulations on the nuptials by the way."

Meredith grinned at him and slammed down her own shot. "Thank you," she acknowledged the sincerity of his congratulations. "She's good. She bought a house on the beach. And she starts at the wellness center tomorrow. She says she's good." Her voice was unsure but she didn't have any proof that Addison wasn't doing well only her belief that the older woman was lonely.

Joe nodded equably and moved off down the bar to tend to some newly arrived customers. "Tell her I said hi," he called over his shoulder to the trio.

"That was funny," Lexie said slowly with a smile still twitching her lips. "But I'm a little confused," she confessed this with a grimace and leaned an elbow on the bar to better see Cristina.

Cristina sipped at Addison favorite drink with a grimace and leaned an elbow on the bar so that she could lean closer to Lexie. "You have a lot of catching up to do," she observed in a dry tone. "But you're Mer's…whatever so we'll tell you," she nodded to herself and took another sip of the drink. "How could she like this stuff?" She muttered with a scowl and then she focused on Lexie again. "But pay attention cuz it's a lot. And we're only going to do this once."

Lexie nodded and sipped at her drink while she considered her options. She could tell them she didn't need to know but then they'd shut her out and she'd miss vital parts of what had mande her sister the person she was. She could go along with it knowing that she was being given a chance that would be envied by the other interns. They would make her life Hell when they found out how close she was getting to the residents and through them the attendings. She'd never been a coward though and she didn't mind a bit of Hell. The relationship with her sister would make it all worth it. "Go," she announced and tossed back the shot before signaling for another.

Meredith smiled proudly and leaned a little closer to Lexie. "So…it all started…" Together they told Lexie all about the drama of the last year. Leaving out somethings but not much. Lexie was an appreciative audience, laughing or gasping in all the right places and genuinely enjoying their story telling.

Hours later Joe called the three hysterically laughing women a cab and then called Mark to let him know his wife was on the way with her two drinking buddies. After he hung up and helped the women out to the cab he watched them disappear in the darkness knowing that Mark would take care of his wife and her friends. Nothing bad would happen to the three women. He prayed quickly that this year would be easier than the last. It was evidently off to a good start though so he didn't think he had too much to worry about. He really hoped he didn't have too much to worry about.

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Her eyes blinked open slowly as the sun reflected off of the water, through the window and onto the bed. She couldn't remember how she'd made it home the night before but she wasn't too worried. She'd obviously made it safely and she was in her favorite place in the world. Her husband's arms banded tight about her chest and stomach.

She let her lips curve into a smile. That had been an interesting dream, she thought fuzzily. She snuggled back into the warmth of his body and let out a soft sigh. She should tell him. He would like that dream and the decision that came with it.

But not now. Soon but not now. Now he was warm and she was sleepy and she just wanted to bask in the knowledge that she had everything she'd never known she wanted. Now was for being content and sleepy. Now was not the time for revelations.

She let her eyes slowly drift closed again. She didn't have to get up. They had the day off…well, she did anyway. He needed to get up but not yet. She would tell him what she'd realized later. His steady breathing pulled her under even as she imagined his reaction.

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When she next woke she was alone in the bed. She could vaguely remember him kissing her good bye and tucking the covers around her securely. That soft smile curved her lips again and she sighed happily. She was really liking this being married thing even if nothing had really changed between them everything had and all for the better.

Through slitted, sleepy eyes she watched the bay outside and let herself drift along in a cloud of happy. She didn't get to do this very often. Normally when she was awake she was moving and busy and had a ton of things to do. Even when she had the chance she usually didn't take it. Mark was there and playing with him was always more attractive than watching the bay as the sun set it alight. But for now she just wanted to lie in their bed and be. It felt good to just…breathe.

She blinked herself away from her drifting with a frown when her phone vibrated on the nightstand. She wasn't sure who would be calling her. All of her friends were either asleep right now or working. Her hand shot out of the blankets and scooped it up on the third ring. "'Lo?" She answered it groggily.

"You…you answered," the female voice on the other end was young and sounded shocked. "You actually answered. Goodness, I thought you were avoiding me. I…I didn't actually expect you to answer. Even though I've left like a thousand messages and I kept hoping you'd call me back. But you answered."

"Hey Molly," Meredith finally said as the woman's identity clicked in sleep fuddled brain. She hadn't recognized the voice but she knew that rambling. Nobody could ramble like a Grey girl…even when they weren't Greys anymore. "I wasn't avoiding you. Okay I was but I was avoiding everyone not just you," she admitted with a touch of shame.

"Oh…um…that's okay. I would completely understand if you didn't ever want to hear from me again." Molly's voice was unsure and sad and so soft that Meredith had to press the phone hard against her ear in order to make out the words.

Meredith threw the blankets to the side and slid from the bed in an unconsciously graceful move that would have had Mark pulling her back to bed if he'd been there and damn the person on the phone. "It wasn't that," she rushed to assure the younger woman, the shame stinging more. "I really was avoiding everyone. I do mean everyone…well, except Mark." She pulled out one of Mark's t-shirts and glared at it for a moment. She needed to cover up with something but she'd have to set the phone down to manage it. "Hang on," she said quickly as she decided her course of action. "I have to pull on some clothes real quick." She set the phone down on the night stand and pulled on the shirt and a pair of panties from her own drawer. "Okay, I'm back," she said a little breathlessly as soon as she was decently covered. "You still there?" God, she hoped so. She didn't want to alienate the one part of her family she even slightly knew. Though she guessed she knew a bit more about Lexie now. That girl was an amusing drunk.

"Yes," Molly answered, her voice again so hesitant and uncertain that it made Meredith's heart clench. "Meredith…"

"No, stop," Meredith said firmly and wandered out of the bedroom and down the hall. She peeked into the bedrooms as she passed and noticed that Cris' room and one other were occupied. Had Mark put she and Cris and Lexie to bed last night? Lucky man. And lucky her for having such an awesome husband. "I really, really wasn't avoiding just you. The day after the…funeral and the test my best friend was supposed to get married but her fiancé practically left her at the altar and she…needed me." She ambled down the stairs and to the kitchen while she talked. Her hand stroking over the bannister with fondness. God she loved this loft. It was so perfect. "So I went to Hawaii with her. And then Mark and Alex showed up on the beach at dawn on our…fourth day there. With a judge. And Mark and I got married so I spent the rest of my vacation on my honeymoon. So…I was avoiding everyone." She hoped Molly would understand.

"You got married?" Molly squeaked out and promptly burst into tears. "That's so…Mom really liked Mark," she sobbed. "I'm so…happy for you." Meredith wondered if that was really true. In her experience tears meant sorrow but how was she to know.

Meredith poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down in the breakfast nook to watch the boats on the bay. "Thank you," she said softly, deciding to take the words at face value and hoping she wasn't mistaken. "Mark liked her too."

They were both silent for long seconds lost in memories of a woman whose heart was big enough to find room for her husband's abandoned daughter. "How's…have you seen Lexie yet?" Molly finally asked hesitantly in a voice heavy with those memories and the more recent ones that had shattered all illusions she'd had of her father.

Meredith swallowed her mouthful of coffee and nodded before she realized that Molly couldn't see her. "Yeah…actually I'm fairly sure she's upstairs in my guestroom sleeping at the moment. I'm not totally positive because we were all a bit drunk last night. Joe called us a cab and I remember Mark helping us into the loft but…I don't remember much after that. If she was as drunk as I was then Mark would have made her stay here." Her husband was awesome that way.

"You…you went out drinking with Lexie last night?" Molly asked in a shocked voice. "Lexie?" She reiterated as though she couldn't quite believe it.

"Well, yeah," Meredith answered slowly, unsure why Molly was so surprised. "Why?" Did Molly know something about Lexie that she didn't? Was Lexie planning on some kind of revenge for her mother's death or something?

"Just…Lexie?" Molly still had that disbelieving tone. "She's like the responsible one and stuff. She doesn't…well, I didn't think she would go out and get drunk. I mean I know she goes out and I know she drinks sometimes but never the drunken stuff. Wow." Molly's tone again carried awe and maybe a little bit of a feeling of being impressed. "Incredible. Well done."

"Really?" Meredith mused something like pride coloring her voice. "So I'm a bad influence?" The very thought amused her. She'd never been a bad influence before. She'd never been a good one either but there was something about corrupting her little sister that just hit her as something that was supposed to be. It was like fate or destiny.

Molly laughed lightly. "Sure," she agreed with a giggle. "But you're the oldest so it's your right or whatever." She paused for a moment as though considering something. "Come to San Francisco and be a bad influence on me please? I'd love a break from mommydom." While her voice was filled with mirth there was also a note of wistfulness to it and Meredith remembered how young Molly was and how alone she must feel away from her family and with her husband overseas fighting in a war.

"How is Laura?" Meredith asked, knowing that if anything could cheer Molly up it would be talking about her daughter.

Sure enough Molly was off like a shot. She loved talking about her daughter and Meredith was a willing audience. She wished she'd been closer to Molly when she hadn't lived so far away. She wished she'd had more time to form a bond with her only niece and her baby sister. Still, better late than never.

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The light in the foyer was on when he opened the door and it made him smile. His wife, God that still hadn't gotten old and he hoped it never did; his wife was home and had left a light on for him. That just made him all sorts of warm on the inside. He shook the rain from his hair and hung his jacket on the stand by the door, placing his umbrella in the stand they'd found in an antique shop around the corner. "Angel?" He called into the empty entrance way.

Her head appeared at the kitchen door off to the side and she grinned at him. "Hey," she greeted him happily. "You're home." She stepped into the foyer, quickly strode over to him and leaned on his chest to kiss him. "Dinner's ready," she murmured against his mouth.

He immediately winced dramatically and eyed her with fake trepidation. "You cooked?" He knew his voice sounded wary but he couldn't help it. Meredith and cooking just didn't mix well. Ever.

She slapped his chest in playful anger and stepped back into the kitchen with a mock scowl. "No. I went to that Italian restaurant you like and got spaghetti carbonara and salad and cheesy breadsticks. And wine." She listed off and shot him a triumphant look.

Mark stopped abruptly on the threshold and stared at the candles and the plates and the food with something like wariness flitting across his expression. "What did you do?" He finally asked cautiously. He couldn't think of anything she'd done to need to apologize this elaborately for. Nor could he think of anything he'd done that was worthy of such a spread. "Whatever it was you know I'll forgive you. You didn't need to…do all this." He didn't want to irritate her if she wasn't apologizing but he really was stumped.

Meredith rolled her eyes at him amusement making her eyes more green than blue. "I didn't do anything," she protested, trying to hide her laugh. "Seriously. And I'm not getting weird. Promise. I just…wanted to spend tonight with just you. No other people at a restaurant. No interruptions from the delivery guy. Just you and me and good food." She shrugged not willing to spill her secret yet.

He eyed her warily for another long moment and then nodded his acceptance and sat down at the table across from her. He knew something was up but he couldn't decide what it was. And it worried him a little bit. As far as he knew there was no reason on Earth for Meredith to become a pod person. Unless Cristina had said something last night that had hit on Meredith's dark and twisties. Though he rather doubted that. Cristina, while blunt, knew most of Meredith's hot buttons and wouldn't purposely hit them.

"I talked to Molly today," she said after they'd served themselves from the containers on the table. She glanced at him covertly and felt a tingling of mirth skitter over her nerves at his expression before he hid it. He thought he knew why she was being so abnormal and it amused her how very far off he was.

He made an inquiring sound and gave her an interested look. Maybe Molly had unknowingly hit one of Meredith's buttons. Or maybe speaking to a happily married house wife had put his Angel into some kind of tailspin where she thought he wanted her to cook and clean and be…well, not her. "You mean you finally stopped ignoring her calls," he teased, hiding his anxiety.

"Whatever," she waved a hand like she was clearing the comment from the air, completely ignoring the fact that she'd felt even the least bit ashamed for ignoring her sister. She grinned at him and lifted a forkful of pasta to her mouth. "She talked my ear off for forty-five minutes about Laura." She paused and cocked her head to the side while chewing the bite. "Well, mine for about twenty minutes and then Cris and Lexie stumbled in and we got another twenty-five." She shook her head at the weirdness of that experience. It had been completely surreal.

Mark chuckled as he imagined the scene. "Bet Cris loved that," he commented the amusement still heavy in his voice. "What else did you do on your day off?"

Meredith shrugged complacently. "Laundry. Dusting. E-mailed the wedding pictures to everyone that's been asking. So…nothing much. You?" Truly she'd done a whole lot of nothing and loved every moment of it.

"Reattached a toe, did the second skin graft on the fire fighter, and consulted on a cleft palate and lip," he said easily. It had been an interesting day even if a bit routine and he'd missed having her at the hospital with him.

Meredith hummed and nodded though he thought she suddenly seemed a bit distracted. "Mark?" She asked moments later finally gathering up her courage. "Do you remember the first day Bailey came back after Tuck was born?" She wasn't altogether sure this was the way to broach the subject but she couldn't think of another one.

Mark forked up the last of his spaghetti and nodded. He remembered that conversation well and braced himself for the disappointment he was sure was coming. "Yeah, that was fun. Tuck's cool." He didn't want to hear her tell him she'd changed her mind so he hoped to get her talking about Tuck instead.

Meredith twirled her fork around on her plate and stared at her wine glass with unseeing eyes. "He is," she agreed with that air of distraction. "Do you remember that we said we'd have a conversation when I was finished with my internship?" She hoped he remembered. She really hoped he still agreed.

Mark swallowed, hard, leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine. "I remember," he said quietly. "Are we having that conversation now?" She was all he needed in his life, he tried to tell himself. Children would have been nice but they weren't necessary.

Meredith put her fork down, took a gulp of her wine and nodded a bit jerkily. "Yes?" She said uncertainly. She couldn't look him in the eye. She didn't want to know that he'd changed his mind.

"Okay," Mark drew in a deep breath and let it out. He could do this. He could be happy with just the two of them. "You know I want kids with you," he started and then shook his head. He hadn't meant to say that. "And I know you wanted them too. But if—"

"I do want to have your children," Meredith admitted hurriedly. "I really do, Mark." She paused and tried to pull her thoughts together. "Molly was just…so excited about every little thing and I…I want to have your kids. I want to feel that excitement and I want you to be there and feeling it with me."

"Okay," Mark said again careful to keep the utter relief from becoming evident in his voice. "Okay."

Meredith beamed at him and set her fork down on her plate. "I have an appointment in two weeks to get my next shot and…I'm thinking I should skip it," she told him carefully. "And we'll…just let nature take its own course." She hoped he understood her desire to try but not pressure herself or him.

Mark closed his eyes for a long moment and let the hope fill him up. She hadn't changed her mind. "Okay." He opened his eyes and the flames of the candles were blurred with tears of joy that he hadn't even known were gathering. "I…thank you." He couldn't be so far from her. Even just across the table was too much space. He stood from his chair and went to her. "Just…" he pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. She was giving him everything. Just like she always had. "Thank you, Angel," he whispered.

Meredith released a shaky breath and burrowed into further his chest. "Yeah," she whispered overwhelmed at the feeling of rightness, of being complete. "And…thank you. I couldn't even…contemplate this without you. You…you're my everything." She tried to tell him everything that she was feeling but there weren't the words for it.

"A lifetime of tomorrows," he vowed in a low voice.

And he gave her the words she'd been unable to find. "A lifetime of tomorrows," she returned in the same tone.