Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by ShondaLand Productions, Touchstone Television, The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. I am just borrowing them for these stories.

Author's Note: I know what you're thinking. What's up with the title of this chapter? Well, Voodoo Chile as you may or may not know, is a song by Jimi Hendrix. The meaning of the chapter title will become clear as you read the chapter.


Breathe In, Breathe Out

Chapter 3

Voodoo Chile

Friday, May 2, 2008 – 11 am – Interstate Bridge, between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington

(Addison's POV)

I'll be back home in two and a half hours. A few years ago I would have never considered Seattle to be my home but that is exactly what it is to me now. Home is where my heart is. My heart never really left. As maddening as the whole Derek-Meredith fiasco was, I have made peace with it. I have actually grown up to the point where Derek Christopher Shepherd is actually my friend. I have actually grown up to where I consider Meredith Grey to be someone that I don't want to strangle every time I see her. In that sense, I have changed, changed my outlook on life, on friendships, on people in general. But, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Here I am headed back to Seattle, chasing after another love that got away. Only this time I didn't drive my love away. I left willingly. I left Seattle in search of a professional challenge. I felt like I was growing stale. Surgery after surgery, chart after chart, and the mundane sameness of each day at Seattle Grace was starting to wear on me. Not to mention that every time I turned around, reminders of my past failures surrounded me – Derek and Meredith, Mark, Karev.

I asked her to come with me. I begged her to come with me. Naomi had created a spot for an orthopedic specialist. But she said no. She was sweet about turning me down but she felt like her future was at Seattle Grace. She said that she knew that "Head of Orthopedics" was a stones throw or two away for her and I respected her for that feeling. Yeah, I respected her feeling after I started a big fight about it, and accusing her of not being committed to us. I was tired, frustrated and just plain wrong. She had every right to want to stay. Being Head of Orthopedics at Seattle Grace would mean everything to her career. She could practically name her next stop – UCLA, Cedars Sinai, Johns Hopkins… anywhere. Damn her. Damn her for wanting to get to where I already am. I say that jokingly of course. I am proud of her. We made up before I left and to this day we are still good friends who talk on the telephone a once or twice a month. And every time I talk to her, I realize how much I miss her and love her and want to be with her again.

Yes, I know about Erica. I would have been lying to myself if I thought that she would just crawl into a hole and stop dating after I left. She doesn't mention Erica to me that often so that tells me how happy she is. She knows I'm not seeing anyone and doesn't want to throw her happiness up in my face. That's one of the reasons I love her so much. I know that I probably can't get her back and that I am setting myself up for more heartache, but I have to try. I have to go back. I have to be near her even if it is just as a friend. But I am holding out hope that by divine providence that it turns out to be much more.

FLASHBACK – (Tuesday, April 1, 2008 – Office of Naomi Bennett - Oceanside Wellness Centre – Los Angeles, California)

Naomi was sitting at her desk going over patients' charts when a knock on the frame of her open office door caused her to look up.

"Hey you." Naomi said to Addison who flashed her a small smile. "How was the mini-vacation?"

"Too much mini, not enough vacation." Addison quipped as she stepped inside and sat down. "But I'd rather have a little bit of San Diego than none at all."

"Amen to that." Naomi said. "So what's on your mind? You have that serious Addison face working this morning. Still thinking about that case Cooper gave you?" She asked referring to the resident pediatrician at the clinic, Dr. Cooper Freedman.

"Furthest thing from my mind." Addison said. "Actually, I was still trying to figure out a way to give you this." Addison handed Naomi a sheet of paper she pulled out of her leather portfolio. Naomi studied the piece of paper for a moment. She then appeared to re-read it before placing it on the desk in front of her.

"This is a resignation letter." Naomi said.

"Yes it is." Addison said.

"This is YOUR resignation letter." Naomi said.

"That it is." Addison said.

"Addy, I enjoy a good April Fool's joke just as well as the next girl but isn't this going a little too far?" Naomi asked.

"It would be going too far if it was a joke but it's not a joke. I'm giving you 30 days notice." Addison announced.

Naomi paused for a moment. "You told me that the only reason that you would leave was if…"

"I'm going back." Addison answered.

"She's with somebody else now." Naomi said.

"I know. But…"

"You ran after Derek when he left you, now you're running back to Callie after you left her. Oh did I mention that both of them moved on after you? Why is this time different? And don't give me some crap about you being different." Naomi said.

"Something is waiting for me in Seattle. I got the same feeling when I left New York and I got the same feeling when I left Seattle the first time about L.A." Addison said.

"A rolling stone gathers no moss." Naomi said.

"Are you kidding me? I have moss oozing from my armpits!" Addison said.

Naomi looked at the determined look of her longtime friend. "You're leaving me again." She said.

"I know." Addison said softly.

"I'm not holding your job for you like they did in Seattle." Naomi said of Addison's trip back for a special case a year earlier.

"I don't expect you to." Addison replied.

"I'm not coming to visit you." Naomi joked defiantly.

"I'll visit you and I'll bring back some authentic Starbucks coffee with me." Addison teased.

"I hate you." Naomi teased with a tear in her eye.

Addison stood up and walked around the edge of the desk to embrace Naomi. "I love you too." She said with a toothless smile as her eyes welled up with tears.

END OF FLASHBACK

"All right." Addison said out loud to herself as the sun came out from behind to clouds. She pushed the button to open the top on her convertible. She then hit the button on her radio for the mix CD that Dell, Oceanside's receptionist, made for her as a going away gift. "Emerald City, here I come." The speakers inside her car came to life with the sounds of one of the songs from the soundtrack of the movie, Superbad, called "Here I Come", by The Roots.

He said yeah
You better come out with

your hands up
We got you surrounded
I'm in the back
Changin my outfit
He said blink
We gonna send the hounds in
I said wait
Cause here I come
Here I come
Here I come
You boys get ready
Cause here I come
Here I come
Here I come

Monday, May 5, 2008 – 10 am – Second floor - Seattle Grace Hospital

"Where did all the attendings disappear to?" Callie asked of Dr. Bailey as they walked toward the stairs leading down to the first floor nurses station.

"The Chief called an all-hands meeting for all the attendings in the hospital. That means he hired a new head of Neo-natal." Bailey said.

"Who do you think it is?" Callie asked.

"Do I look like Carnac the Magnificent?" Bailey said of Johnny Carson's legendary psychic character on The Tonight Show.

"Who's Carnac?" Callie asked.

Bailey looked at her with a puzzled look on her face. "Carnac. The psychic. Johnny Carson? The Tonight Show? Never mind. Look if I had to bet, I'd put my money on Sam Gregory from Johns Hopkins." Bailey said as they neared the stairs. With Callie looking at her, Bailey continued her explanation. "She's the number two ranked OB/GYN in the country and The Chief has had a professional hard-on for her ever since Addison left."

Callie chuckled. "Wouldn't it be something if The Chief talked Addison into coming back?" She joked.

Bailey reached the stairs. As she looked out at the entrance to the hospital, she stopped dead in her tracks. "Well I'll be damned." She said in astonishment. "You sure you don't know who Carnac is? Cause you just did one hell of an impersonation."

Callie turned her head to look in the same direction that Bailey was looking. When her eyes fell upon the main entrance, the world around her slowed to a crawl. It was her. Walking through the doors of Seattle Grace with her work bag in hand and lab coat draped over her arm was her best friend, her ex-lover and by all visual accounts, the new head of Neo-Natal Surgery, former Neo-Natal head Addison Forbes Montgomery. It was then that she heard it in her head. That song. The best sex they had in their year-long relationship was set to the song that was playing in her head, Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile (Slight Return).

Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I stand up next to a mountain,
Chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island,
Might even raise just a little sand.
cause I'm a voodoo chile,
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, baby.

"Callie." Bailey said. She got no response. "Callie." Still no response. "DOCTOR TORRES!"

"Huh?" Callie snapped out of her trance.

"Are you all right?" Bailey said. "You zoned out like you're on crack or something."

"I'm fine. I just thought about something." Just then Callie's pager went off. "Gotta case. I'll see you later."

"Mmm hmm." Bailey said as she watched Callie walk away.

Moments earlier in the conference room, speculation was running rampant as to the identity of the new Neo-natal boss.

"So who do you think it is?" Derek asked Mark.

"I don't know and I don't care." Mark huffed. "Just post the damn name on the board and let us get back to work. These staff meetings are a monumental waste of time."

"You weren't saying that when you were the star of one of these meet-and-greets." Derek said. "Just face it. You're not the center of attention and it bugs the hell out of you."

"While I would admit that it is nice to have people fawn over me, my ego is not that massive that I have to be the center of attention 24-7." Mark said. "Eighteen hours is sufficient for one day." He said with a smirk causing Derek to flash his trademark "you're a smart ass" smile.

"Well, gentlemen, place your bets." Erica said as she walked up to Derek and Mark.

"You're putting action on who the new Neo-natal chief is?" Derek asked.

"Why not. A little friendly wagering never killed anyone." Erica said. "Whomever you two geniuses take, I'm betting against you and taking the field."

Mark looked at Derek and then at Erica before reaching in his pocket. "Why not. It'll keep me from falling asleep. Here's twenty on the hot chick from Hopkins."

"By 'the hot chick from Hopkins', are you referring to Samantha Gregory?" Erica inquired.

"That's what I said. The hot chick from Hopkins." Mark said.

"Does it even matter to you that she is one of the leading OB/GYN surgeons in the country? Harper Avery semifinalist last year and a Harvard fellow two years before that?" Erica countered.

"Of course it matters. The more prestigious her credentials are, the more satisfying it will be when I sleep with her." Mark said, causing Derek to drop and shake his head before he reached in his pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill.

"I'm putting my money on Elizabeth Standiford from Northwestern. I have a friend there that said she was looking for a new place to hang her hat. This is as good a place as any." Derek said.

Erica took the twenty from Derek before looking at Mark disdainfully. "Neanderthal." She spat before turning to take a seat at the table.

"It's McNeanderthal to you!" Derek shot back. "Since everybody around here is named McSomething or other, the least you can do is be consistent."

Erica flopped down into the chair and swiveled around to face Mark just long enough to mutter, "Jackass." She then swiveled back around just as The Chief walked into the room.

"All right people. Settle down. Everybody take your seats." Dr. Richard Webber, Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace, said. "As long as you let me say what I have to say, this won't take too long." Everyone took their seats and turned their full attention to him. "As you all know, one of our specialties has been without a head surgeon since Dr. Eggers left for Mercy West. I still don't know why she did that. It's like going from a major league ball club down to the minor leagues." Everyone chuckled. "But I digress. It has been my goal as chief to make Seattle Grace stand out as THE best teaching hospital not just in the Northwest or the West Coast but the entire country, and to do that, we need to have the best surgeons, the best teachers here to do just that – to perform surgery and teach our residents and interns the best way to do it. With that in mind, I brought in one of the best surgeons in her field to help us stay great."

"It's the hottie from Hopkins. The money is mine." Mark whispered to Derek over his shoulder.

"Not a chance. Standiford's the woman. And I'm buying a huge steak with my winnings." Derek whispered back.

"Well it's very ironic that you two would be talking during this introduction since you two know this doctor better than everyone else in here." Dr. Webber said to Mark and Derek. "Ladies and gentlemen, our new head of Neo-natal Surgery, our old friend, Doctor Addison Forbes Montgomery."

Three doctors inside the conference room had the exact same thought inside their heads.

Derek: "Son…"

Mark: "… of a…"

Erica: "… bitch."

Derek and Mark looked at each other with shell-shocked looks on their faces as the door to the conference room opened. Their heads immediately turned toward the open door as Addison confidently strode into the conference room, discounting their initial thought that the announcement was some ridiculous joke. Then both men shot a quick glance over toward Erica, with both of them realizing that Addison's permanent presence would impact her in a personal way. Erica remained stone-faced but her eyes never left Addison as she walked in the door and embraced Dr. Webber. About a million different questions ran through Erica's head at that moment, first and foremost was whether or not Callie had yet seen her ex.

"Thank you, Chief." Addison started. She then sighed. "I only see a few people in here that I don't know so to all of you, hi! And to the rest of you, I'm baaaack!" Addison chuckled. "I look forward to working with all of you… again. This is really the best surgical staff I have ever worked with. I've had a few spirited disagreements with most of you…" She then looked at Mark and Derek. "… some of you more than others…" Derek again flashed his trademark smile while Mark smirked. "…but all in all, I enjoyed my first stint here and I know that this one will be just as rewarding." Erica's facial expression never changed, showing no emotion whatsoever. "Thank you and I guess I'll see you all out there!" Addison's comments were met with polite applause.

"See, I told y'all this wouldn't take too long. Back to work everybody." Dr. Webber said, adjourning the meeting. "Welcome back Addison." Dr. Webber said as he embraced her again.

"Thank you Richard." Addison said with a smile. Derek and Mark stepped forward. Erica stood up and walked around to the other side of the table about five steps behind Derek and Mark.

"Normally when hurricanes come ashore, you get some kind of warning." Derek said jokingly.

"It's good to see you too." Addison said with a smirk as she embraced Derek. "How's Meredith doing?"

"Like you care." Derek said as he broke the embrace.

"I do care. I have turned over a new leaf." Addison said. "Meredith Grey is no longer an enemy to me. She is another person, a doctor, that has something in common with me."

"Yeah, you've both rolled around in the sack with McDreamy here." Mark said.

"Sometimes, I wonder why I still talk to you." Addison said with exasperation as she threw her arms open to embrace Mark.

"You've always had a soft spot for dogs." Derek joked causing Addison to laugh as she pulled away from Mark.

"Payback's a bitch, Shepherd." Mark said to his best friend.

"It certainly is Doctor Sloan." Erica said as she stepped forward with the two twenties in her hand. "And since you lost the bet, the bitch in this case cost twenty dollars." Erica did not dislike Addison at all, but her presence definitely made her a little uneasy given the open ended way Addison and Callie parted ways. Despite that niggling fact in the back of her mind, Erica was on her best behavior as she greeted Addison. "Doctor Montgomery, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"The hell it is." Mark said under his breath just loud enough for Erica to hear just before she stepped forward to shake Addison's hand.

Erica stuck her hand out to shake which Addison clasped warmly. "Good to see you too. I can't wait to get back into the OR with you." Addison said.

"I'm looking forward to it." Erica said. She then decided to step up and put any potential jealousy inside her aside. "Have you seen Callie yet?"

"Not yet." Addison said. "I walked straight in and to the conference room."

"I know she'll flip out when she sees you." Erica said with a smile.

"I bet." Addison replied with a slightly nervous chuckle.

"Wanna put some money on that one?" Mark said sarcastically. Erica shot a dirty look his way.

"What's with the betting today?" Addison asked.

"These two numbnuts and myself put a friendly wager on who the new Baby Chief was gonna be." Erica said. "Doctor Shepherd here picked Liz Standiford from Northwestern and Doctor Cro-Magnon here picked 'the hot chick from Johns Hopkins'." Erica spat the last quote out like it was laced with castor oil.

"Well, while Sam Gregory is indeed a hot chick, you got the hot chick from Oceanside Wellness instead." Addison said. "Although referring to competent surgeons as hot chicks might not be the most politically correct thing to do." Addison paused for a second. "Oh, who am I kidding. Look who I'm talking about. I'm sure he has the whole Girls Gone Wild series on DVD."

"I get 'em from Netflix. It's cheaper." Mark shot back.

"Okay! I'm gonna go now, get set up in my office." Addison said. "See you guys in the trenches." She said before flashing a smile and walking away from the group.

Without warning, Erica walked up to Mark and punched him in the arm.

"OWWW!" Mark exclaimed with an amused chuckle as he held his upper left arm. "What was that for?"

"Thinking what I know you were thinking about Girls Gone Wild: Seattle Grace edition." Erica spat. "And being an asshole." She added before turning to walk away.

"But I'm so good at it!" Mark called out to her. Without turning to look at him, Erica lifted her right arm and extended her middle finger as she walked out of the conference room.

"You're not gonna be happy until everything in this hospital with a vagina hates your guts." Derek chided. "What are you gonna do for kicks then?"

"Transfer to Mercy West. What else?" Mark said.

Derek looked at Mark for a moment before he delivered his parting shot. "Erica's right. You are an asshole." Derek said and then smirked as he walked away.

"But I'm still your best friend!" Mark called out to Derek as he left the conference room.

Monday, May 5, 2008 – 1 pm – Addison's office - Seattle Grace Hospital

Addison had spent a portion of the morning setting up her office, putting awards and pictures on the walls, her desk and her credenza. She then settled down to go over charts of the patients that were now under her charge. The Chief had recently issued an edict that residents could not zero in on a particular specialty. They were now on a rotation and Addison had yet to see the rotation chart, therefore she was having a tough time matching up in her mind residents to the patients' profiles.

Stepping off the elevator on Addison's floor, Callie paused as the elevator doors closed behind her. Callie hadn't laid eyes on Addison since before she had started dating Erica. When Addison came back to the hospital over a year earlier to work on a difficult Neo-Natal case, Callie had contemplated trying a long distance relationship with her but determined in her mind that things would be too complicated so she scrapped the idea before offering the option to Addison.

Callie and Addison had settled into the role of exes that were good friends who called each other once a month and emailed occasionally. But in Callie's mind, the break wasn't as clean as it could have and perhaps should have been. Her visceral reaction to seeing Addison when she walked into the hospital that morning confirmed in her mind that she had to nip this nagging, lingering feeling inside her in the bud before it got out of control. At this point she didn't know whether it was love, lust or infatuation but whatever it was, there was no room for it and the love that she knew she had for Erica. She decided that the best way for her to deal with it was to confront the problem head on – look Addison in the face, say hello, tell Addison that she's in love and everything with Erica is roses and that life is good.

Callie took a deep breath to steel herself and began walking down the hallway. She reached Addison's door and lightly knocked. "COME IN!" Addison called out from the other side of the door. Callie eased the door open. Addison was sitting behind her desk with her head down, looking at a file. When she heard the door open, she took her reading glasses off and looked up. It was then that Callie heard that damned song in her head again.

Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I stand up next to a mountain,
Chop it down with the edge of my hand.
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island,
Might even raise just a little sand.
cause I'm a voodoo chile,
Lord knows I'm a voodoo chile, baby.

Meanwhile, Addison felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Callie. The woman looked even better than she remembered. And it was at that moment that her brain pulled every naked moment the two of them shared from the recesses of Addison's memory as she looked the voluptuous Latina in the eye. Fortunately for her, Callie appeared to be even more zoned out than she was. Addison was the first one to blink.

"Cal?" Addison said. "Are you just gonna stand there like a statue or are you gonna come give me a hug?"

Callie came back to herself in time to snap off a quick-witted retort. "I was just… taking in all of your glorious beauty."

"You are so full of crap." Addison teased. "Come here." Addison stepped from behind her desk and Callie spine stiffened. The fiery red hair, the lean curvy silhouette, the killer legs, the stiletto heels… it was going to be tougher than Callie thought. Addison embraced Callie. It was going to be a lot tougher than Callie thought.


I was gonna keep going but this looked like a good place to stop. We'll see the rest of Callie's visit to Addison's office along with other stuff in chapter five. And just to warn those of you who don't know me, I always have a surprise or two up my sleeve in my stories and you never know who might pop up at any given moment, even if they are from another TV program. I'll give you a hint. Always look at my disclaimers at the top of the chapter page. If I add characters from another show in that chapter, I always credit the production company. So right now it's ShondaLand Productions, Touchstone Television, The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. I guarantee this list will grow before this story is over. See you in chapter four!

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