Sorry about the delay, my muse seems to be a little flighty lately. And unfortunately this will probably be my last update until the week after next, unless my muse works overtime. Family vacation without a computer. It's a problem.

Oh, and you might want to note the new pen name. It's my favorite song, in case you were wondering. Which you probably weren't, but that's okay. Now you know a useless piece of information.

I'm simply borrowing these people for my own amusement, unfortunately they are in no way mine.

"Addison," Callie yells through the closed bathroom door. "You have to come out at some point."

The only response is some muffled sniffing.

"Seriously, do not make me pick the lock in my own house. I will, but I won't be happy about it."

Slowly, the door opens. Callie is shocked into silence when she sees Addison. Her clothes are wrinkled and her eyes are red and puffy from crying. "Jeez," Callie finally breathes. For some reason that sets off another round of sobs. Callie pulls her into a hug.

Addison finally speaks when she calms down. She straightens up and wipes viciously at her face. "I knew this would happen. I knew it would happen and I thought I was ready for it. But, obviously, I'm not."

Callie has not heard the story yet. Addison managed to make it through the work day acting at least semi-normal. Normal enough to trick Alex into thinking that she was okay-ish and that he didn't need to follow her home. But the second she had come home, she ran to the bathroom and hadn't come out since. "What? What happened?" Callie asks, guiding Addison into the guest room and sitting her down.

Addison stares at the wall behind Callie. "Mark's here. In Seattle. Here. He tracked me down." A solitary tear rolls down Addison face. Callie stays quiet. "I knew he would. I knew that he would the second I took the job, but I thought I could handle it. But I can't. I can't do it. I can't look at him, and when he's here I can't even look at Alex."

"What?" Callie asks. "You're not making sense."

Addison's bottom lip trembles. "I slept with him, Cal."

"Alex? Yeah, I kind of figured."

Addison shakes her head. "No. Well, yes, but no."

"Yes, but no? I lied before, now you're not making any sense."

"Yes, I did sleep with Alex, but no, that's not what I was talking about," Addison explains.

"But… you slept with Mark? Of course you did, I mean you've been doing so for the past seven years."

"Seven? I've only been married five," Addison points out.

"I know."

Addison scrunches up her face. "Hadn't remembered that. Didn't need to either. But still not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I mean I slept with Mark in New York. After the accident."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. I don't know what to do!"

"You haven't told Alex?" Callie guesses.

Addison nods. "And knowing Mark, he'll totally use that to his advantage."

"So take the chance away," Callie shrugs.

"W-what?" Addison stutters.

"Come on, Addie, you're smart. You know if you tell Alex then Mark can't use it against you."

"But… I…"

"For God's sake, you're married. You're allowed to sleep with your freaking husband. It's how the whole marriage thing works. Besides, wasn't Alex the one who said to try to make the marriage work?"

"I don't think that was particularly what he had in mind," Addison pouts.

Callie rolls her eyes. "Look, Addie, I'm going to say something, and you're going to listen, even though you won't like it that much. But I get to say it because I'm your best friend. You've got this great guy, and I know that you don't want to lose him because your husband's an asshole. So tell him. He can't say anything; he's the one who told you to go back to Mark anyways. Tell him, and if he's stupid about it, I will personally kick his ass."

Addison chuckles at that. Then she becomes quiet. "You don't think he'll be mad?"

"I think that you could tell him that you're having Mark's baby and he would still be totally in love with you."

A look of panic crosses Addison's face. "Oh God, please, no," she mumbles, looking towards heaven. Then Callie's words register. "You… you think he's in love with me?" she asks nervously.

Callie laughs. "I think the only people who don't know it are you and him. Except now you know. So just him."

"Oh," Addison says quietly. She bows her head in a lame attempt to try the smile that's beginning to take over her face.

Callie smiles when she sees it. "Feeling better?" she asks. Addison nods. "Then I suggest you call Alex and make him come over. The sooner you tell him, the better."

Addison looks heavenwards again and takes a deep breath. "Okay."

0ooo0

It only takes Alex a half an hour to show up at Callie's house, but that's quite long enough in Addison's book. The second he rings the doorbell, she flings the door open and hugs him. He's a little taken aback, but before he can make some smartass remark, she says, "We need to talk." He's a little wary as he agrees. She leads him into the living room and motions for him to sit on the couch. She doesn't sit down, choosing, instead, to pace back and forth in front of him. "Okay, look, I just… don't hate me until I'm done, okay?" She doesn't wait for an answer before she plows on. "I slept with Mark. In New York. After I went back. After I met you. I just… I was missing you and… Mark was being so sweet… and I hadn't remembered anything… and… and… I don't know, I don't know, I don't know! I just… it was stupid, but… he'll use that. I just… I thought you should know from me, and not from Mark. I just… I'm sorry." She looks him in the eyes for the first time since he walked in the door as she says the last two words. He stays silent, and his eyes aren't talking either. "Are you… Aren't you going to say something?" she finally asks.

Now he doesn't meet her eyes. "I don't know, Addie," he says. The nickname's a good sign, right? "Half of me knows that he's your husband and that I told you to try and make your marriage work, but half of me wants to tear the guy limb from limb for ever touching you. And I don't know which side's stronger."

Addison sits down next to him. "I don't… I don't have an excuse for it," she says. "If I could go back in time and change the fact, I would. But I can't. If it's any consolation, I feel so guilty, I feel sick when I think about it." He can't come up with anything to say, so he draws her into a hug. Eventually, she mumbles into his shoulder, "So you don't hate me?"

"I don't," he replies to her hair.

"Oh, thank God," she breathes. She raises her head to look at him. "I was so nervous, you have no idea."

"What? You actually think that I'm going to let a stupid thing like you sleeping with your husband ruin this thing, whatever it is?" he asks, a smile playing at his lips.

"I did. Now, I know better. But I really wish you'd stop calling him my husband. Not exactly something I want to remember."

"Gladly," he laughs.

0ooo0

The next couple of days seem to be Addison's own personal circle of hell. Mark won't leave her alone, and she can tell that Alex is starting to get pissed off. Callie's annoyed at how many times Mark calls the house and no matter what Addison does, she can't get him to stop.

Callie finds her sitting in the guest room, cradling her head in her hands. "You okay?" Callie asks.

Addison looks up. "I think I have to break up with Alex."

"What?! Why?"

"Not for good. I just- I think that me being with Alex is just making Mark worse. Maybe if we're not together, Mark will lay off a little."

Callie blinks a couple of times before answering. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Ever."

"Fine, you come up with something. The only other thing I could think of was to run again and just totally start over."

"You're just surpassing yourself on the stupidity scale today, aren't you?"

"Stop being sarcastic and help me!"

"Running or breaking up with Alex's not going to help anything. Look, you've got this amazing guy who didn't even get mad at you for sleeping with another guy. You need to stop running away and man up if you want a happily ever after with him. And believe me, no one deserves it more than you two. But if you're going to do that, you need to deal with Mark. And I don't just mean that you need to talk to him. You need to convince him that a divorce is the best thing for both of you."

Addison sighs. "Okay. You're right."

Callie smiles. "Of course I am. Now, I'm going to shower because I feel disgusting."

Addison returns the smile. "Okay." As Callie walks out the door, Addison calls. "Hey Cal?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

Callie's head pops back in the door. "No problem."

A few minutes after Addison hears the water turn on, the doorbell rings. She walks to the door and opens it, revealing a gorgeous brunette with sparkling green eyes and a mop of curls.

Addison struggles to keep her mouth from dropping to the floor. Finally, she says, "Sophia."

I know, not exactly a nice place to leave it, especially with that whole vacation thing, but I hope you liked the chapter enough to make up for it. You can tell me in a review...