happy veterans day! call this my present to... everyone, even though the day's really for soldiers. but that doesn't mean all us civilians can't profit. not that i do in any way, except you can review and then i do profit... so, win-win for everybody!

Addison's heart and head continue to wage war for another hour. Her brain flashes pictures from Seattle in front of her eyes. Alex's face in the supply closet, that night in the hospital lobby. Her heart, however, contradicts every image, screaming that he was confused, that he obviously knows what he wants now. She thinks on Lila's words, wondering if her heart is right in this case. Damn it, where is Violet when you need her?

She closes her eyes and that's when she thinks about it logically. If she gives him a chance, there's a ninety-six percent chance that she'll get her heart broken. If she doesn't, there's a hundred percent chance. Well, when you put it so logically… her brain consents. She opens her eyes and smiles. She knows what she wants to do.

She doesn't go looking for Alex immediately. She goes looking for Naomi and Violet, who she finds in the small kitchen. "Alex kissed me," she announces. Their chatter stops instantly and they stare at her. "And, for the record, he kissed me. Not the other way around." She turns to Violet, "And before you say that I'm not doing myself a favor or whatever you say when you do your shrink thing, I know that I'm probably going to get hurt. But the thing is, it hurts more without him. And I'm sick of hurting. So before you say anything and judge me and tell me I'm being stupid, just know that I like this guy. In a way that I don't think I've liked anyone before. Not even Derek. It's different than with Derek and Mark and Pete. I don't know how to explain it. It's just like I want to know everything about him and I want him to know everything about me and… and… I'm done now." Violet and Naomi are silent. "No! You know what, you don't get to judge me and tell me I'm being stupid, because I've thought about this and this is the un-stupid choice. So you don't get to tell me that I'm being an idiot by giving the guy a chance, because I'd be even more of an idiot if I let him go. Now I'm done."

"Congratulations?" Violet says tentatively, as if she was afraid she might set Addison off on another rant.

"Yeah, Addie, Alex is a pretty great guy," Naomi continues.

"How do you know that? Last I heard, you hated him!" Addison is oh so confused.

"He talked to us. This morning. Explained why he did what he did. He's very good at analyzing himself," Violet explains. "If he didn't like scalpels so much, I'd say he has a future as a psychiatrist."

Addison's mouth hangs open. "He… he talked to you?"

"Yeah," Naomi shrugs.

"What'd he say?"

"You should talk to him," Violet advises.

"Talk to who?" Cooper asks as he walks into the room.

"Alex," Violet answers.

"'Bout what?"

"He kissed her."

"He what?"

"Kissed her."

"Is nothing sacred?!" Addison asks the air, a little annoyed.

"Oh, chill, Addison," Naomi says. "It would have come out tomorrow anyways, when you came in with that 'I just got some' grin."

"I do not have an 'I just got some' grin."

"Addison, just admit it, you have a sex face," Cooper orders her.

"You're one to talk, Mr. The-Only-Sex-I-Get-Is-With-Chicks-I-Meet-On-The-Internet."

"Okay, that's too long to be a name, you'll have to do better than that, Ms. Sex-Face."

"I do not have a sex face!"

"Good for you," Pete says as he walks to the refrigerator and pulls out his lunch. "Why are we talking about Addison's sex face?"

"Because she's about to get some," Naomi replies.

For a second, Pete scowls and Addison looks down guiltily. Then Pete sticks his regular smile on his face and excuses himself. "Pete," Addison sighs and rubs her temples. "Crap."

"Don't worry about him," Naomi comforts her. "He'll be okay."

"Hey, Addison, why are you still standing here?" Cooper asks. "Should you go find what's his face?"

"Alex. His name is Alex."

"Go!" Violet urges. Naomi pushes her out of the kitchen.

"Why are you guys so pushy?" Addison complains. They don't answer, but glare at her. "Fine, fine, I'm going."

She rushes home to get the name of his hotel from Lila. "You're home early," Lila comments.

"Do you know where your brother is staying?" she asks.

"The Hyatt I think…" Lila answers. Addison's out the door before she can ask why.

"Excuse me?" Addison asks the woman at the front desk. "What room is Alex Karev in?"

"Um, hold on a minute," she replies, typing something into her computer. "Are you a friend?" she asks to make conversation.

"No… not exactly… I'm kind of… I'm his girlfriend."

"Room 356."

"Thank you," Addison says quickly before running for the elevator. She bounces on the balls of her feet as she waits for the elevator. The elevator doesn't move quickly enough once she's on it. Even if she teleported, she doesn't think she'd be going fast enough. She finds his room and knocks on the door, tapping her foot anxiously. He opens the door, and opens his mouth to say something, presumably hi, but she presses her lips to his and shuts him up. "That's my decision," she tells him when she pulls away. "Your move." He doesn't say anything, just kisses her again, greedily, and pulls her into his hotel room with him, closing the door behind them.

reviews are... uh... -thinks of metaphor- nourishment! food! food is good! food is lovely. and i love chocolate. which is food in a way. and i love reviews almost as much as i love chocolate... so, want to make me happy? because reviews and chocolate make me happy, but since you don't know where i live (and i intend to keep it that way) you can send me chocolate, so therefore if you want to make me happy, you'll have to review! i'm rambling aren't i? i do that when i'm bored. i'm bored now, so i'm probably rambling. but the point is i've told my story, and now whatever reviews i get is in the hands of you guys.

-Juli