A/N It's a bit of a fluff chapter, but I just had to add Addison in there somewhere. She's my fav. =]
Don't you know I've tried and I've tried to get you out my mind but it don't get no better as each day goes by and I'm lost and confused. I've got nothin' to lose. Hope to hear from you soon. P.S. I'm still not over you.
C H A P T E R S I X
"So, let me get this straight," Addison said to Meredith, her hands on her hips and her eyebrows cocked. "You and Derek broke up. He's dating some nurse. You want him back. And you flew all the way down here to ask my advice? What's wrong with this picture here?"
Meredith normally would have laughed at Addison's joking tone, but she was worn out after her flight and in no mood to be laughed at. "Look," Meredith said honestly. "I know I'm not your favorite person. I'm probably one of your least favorite, actually."
"Meredith," Addison said in the same honest manner and the two sat down in the lobby of the Oceanside Wellness Group. "I don't have a problem with you. I had a problem with you a year and a half ago when you slept with my husband all the while knowing we were married. But that only proves how much you guys are meant to be together."
It was Meredith's turn to raise her eyebrows. "So, you think we belong together?"
Addison laughed. "Well, doesn't everyone? You're Meredith and Derek."
Meredith tried hard not to gloat at the sound of those names together, and the fact that Derek's ex-wife thought they were meant to be. It was a sign, right? "So, what do I do?"
"Have you tried just telling him?" Addison asked.
"I told him I was over him," Meredith admitted sheepishly and the two women laughed. "I was tired of fighting the feeling I got every time I saw him with his new…whatever she is."
"I know the feeling," Addison mumbled but smiled after she said it to let Meredith know there were no longer any hard feelings between the two. "Listen, Derek is the kind of guy who doesn't like to play games. He's honest and he appreciates honesty. Don't tell him you're over him if you're not. That's a game."
"So you don't think this nurse is a game?"
"Oh, I don't know," Addison said honestly. "It could just be a rebound thing. Didn't you say you broke up with him?"
Meredith groaned. "Yeah," she said. "But I don't think that's it. I think it's more than that. Wouldn't he have broken up with her by now?"
"Would he?"
"He kissed me."
Addison's eyes widened and she leaned closer to Meredith. "No kidding?"
"And he's still with her," Meredith sighed dramatically.
"Just talk to him," Addison suggested. "And be honest. No games."
Meredith stood up. "Well, thanks for everything. Especially…you know…considering the circumstances and everything."
"No problem," Addison said with a laugh and stood up, too. "So, you flew all the way down here for a ten minute conversation and you're leaving?"
"It wasn't just the conversation," Meredith told Addison. "I just needed the escape."
"Well, good luck," Addison said sincerely and shook Meredith's hand awkwardly.
"Thanks," Meredith said with a small laugh. "For everything."
And with that, Addison watched the woman that used to be the hatred in her life, but now she was just there. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Dr. Naomi Bennett standing behind her.
"Wasn't that…" Naomi asked curiously.
"Yup."
"And she came here to talk to you about…"
"Yup."
"Hm. How 'bout that. Things sure have changed"
Back in Seattle, Meredith walked into Seattle Grace determined to tell Derek Shepherd exactly how she felt, just like his ex-wife told him to do. It sounded weird, maybe, but it made sense so Meredith decided to give it a go. After all, how much worse could it get? Derek was already with somebody else and barely speaking to Meredith as it was.
"I thought you would have called after you left the bar."
Meredith heard a voice behind her and whirled around to find Mark standing before her. "Oh, it's you."
"Of course. Who did you expect it to be?" Mark asked slyly and grinned his famous Mark Sloan grin. "You left the bar in such a hurry. I was kind of bummed I never heard from you."
So, Meredith hadn't gone home with Mark. That was good news to her.
"I had some things to figure out," Meredith told Mark. "I went to California today, actually. I saw Addison."
Mark's face was expressionless and Meredith couldn't read it. She was surprised Mark hadn't made some 'ex-girlfriend visiting the ex-wife' joke. "Addison," Mark said, his tone changing. "How's the red head?"
"She's fine."
"Still beautiful?"
A clever grin appeared on Meredith's face as she took a step towards Mark. "You're still in love with her, aren't you?"
Mark sighed. "She's the Derek to my Meredith."
Meredith giggled at the thought. "Speaking of, do you know where Derek is?"
"Not here, I know that much," Mark told her and Meredith frowned. "He called about an hour ago, asking if I wanted to go to Joe's. But I'm stuck here working."
"You think he's at Joe's with Rose?"
"Probably not, if he called to see if I wanted to meet him there," Mark deducted.
"Damn."
Mark's pager began beeping and he grabbed it to take a look. "Sorry, I gotta take this. Good luck with Shepherd."
"Good luck with Addison," Meredith teased and Mark scowled at her as he ran the opposite direction.
Derek wasn't at the hospital. He wasn't at the bar, either. The only other place Meredith could think him to be was at his trailer in the woods. And Meredith decided that that was exactly where she was headed.
