Wow. I don't know if people are even still reading this, since it's officially been a year (and I feel really, really awful about that), but I hope people are. And if people are reading this, I hope they enjoy it!

I own Lauren. And Bex. Which is kind of cool, I think.

Addison is sitting in the living room, waiting for Lauren to get out of the shower. Lauren has promised to show her all the fun "this tiny town" can offer. Though the offer is genuine, Addison senses a bit of disdain. She can tell that Lauren really wants to travel. Anywhere. She has confided in Addison that she's never been out of the county, let alone the state. Lauren's fascinated by the fact that Addison once lived in New York. And not just New York, New York City.

Addison is pondering how to make her boyfriend's little sister's dream come true when the door swings open. "Knock, knock," a girl with green eyes and mousy brown hair announces as she peeks her head through the door. Addison can't get over the fact that people just leave their doors unlocked throughout the day. It's a concept that's completely foreign to her.

The girl stops when she sees the redhead. "Who are you?" she blurts out rudely before covering her mouth. Well, at least mystery girl she knows when she's being rude.

"I'm Addison," she replies, holding out her hand. "And you are?"

"Rebecca. Rebecca St. Clair. I'm a family friend. How do you know the Karevs? I know most of their friends. It's not like much changes around here."

"Bex!" Lauren squeals as she runs out of the bathroom. She's obviously just thrown on t-shirt and shorts to come greet this woman. She already has a growing wet spot on her back where her hair is dripping.

"Lauren! Hi!" Rebecca/Bex exclaims as she gathers the younger woman into her arms. "How are you?"

"I'm good, how are you? How's life? How's LA? How's everything?" Lauren rambles.

Rebecca laughs. "It's good. Really good. How's everything here?"

"Why are you here?" Lauren inquires. "You live in LA now!"

"What, you think I'd miss the Fourth of July because I'm too cheap to spring for airfare?" Rebecca jokes.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot that was next week!"

"This week, technically. It's on Saturday."

"Crap, you're right. Sorry, we've just been so caught up with Alex being home, we've completely lost track of time."

"Alex is home?" Rebecca exclaims. "Since when does he crawl out from under the rock that is Seattle?"

"Since he got a girlfriend," Lauren replies. "She's the one to thank." She gestures at Addison.

"Oh!" Rebecca exclaims. "Hi! Sorry! I didn't know you were… that is… Hi!"

"Hi," Addison replies.

Rebecca takes in the redhead's impeccable taste in clothing and flawless makeup. "He's never done better," she comments to Lauren. Addison blushes. What is it with the Karev family (and those closest to them) and saying just whatever comes into their heads?

"Are you kidding?" Lauren responds. "He can't do better!"

Addison clears her throat. The other two women look over at her and blush. "Sorry," Rebecca apologizes.

"We're all pretty interested in Alex's love life here," Lauren explains.

Addison raises an eyebrow. She's not really sure why that is. "Alex is kind of considered a catch around here," Rebecca explains. "He's smart and good looking. Everyone wanted him in high school. I'm not kidding you."

Addison starts laughing. Not because she doesn't think her boyfriend is a catch, because she's pretty sure she's found the most perfect person ever, but the idea of him in high school, the idea of him as anything but the man she knows now, is kind of hilarious.

"It's true," Lauren confirms. "I'm pretty sure there was once a girl who stood outside throwing pebbles at his window."

"What happened?" Addison giggles.

"Turned out it was me and my sister's window. Danielle leaned out the window and screamed at her to go away because she'd wake up our anaconda."

"What?"

"Yeah, it turned out Danny knew her from school and knew she was terrified of snakes. She never came around again. I don't know if that's because of the anaconda story or because she was so embarrassed."

Rebecca, Addison, and Lauren all laugh. "Actually," Lauren says. "I think that was Lynette Lawrence."

Rebecca and Lauren both crack up again. Addison stands awkwardly, since she can't really laugh at someone she doesn't know. Lauren notices and turns to her. "Lynette's now the mayor," she explains.

"Oh."

The air is still fraught with tension. "I was just going to show Addison the town," Lauren says. "You want to come?"

"Would you mind?" Rebecca asks. The question is directed at Addison and Addison really wishes it wasn't. Because now she can't say no. Not that she has anything against Rebecca, but… Okay, maybe she's a little jealous. She hasn't seen how Alex acts around this woman, but clearly she's loved by his family.

"Not at all," Addison smiles. Grimaces, really.

"Just let me go get changed," Lauren says and runs to her bedroom.

"So you're Alex's girlfriend," Rebecca states. Addison nods. Rebecca holds out her hand again. "You can call me Bex. Everybody here does."

"How do you… How do you know Alex?" Addison asks.

"He's my best friend," she answers. "He's never mentioned me?" She sounds a little hurt.

"We haven't been together very long," Addison replies. "I don't know very much about him yet."

Bex nods. "Right."

"Okay, shall we go?" Lauren says as she returns in a shirt that isn't drenched from her hair.

0ooo0

It doesn't take long for them to exhaust the shopping options in town. It actually takes them longer because they keep running into people who want to talk to Bex. In about an hour, Addison has learned that Bex is an actress, living in Los Angeles, who studied at the University of Iowa, a year above Alex.

They stop outside a bar. "Want to get a drink?" Bex suggests.

Addison looks at Lauren, who shrugs. "I've had a fake ID since I was seventeen," she admits. Then she turns to Bex. "I'm game."

Addison agrees. She's not going to say anything about underage drinking. She had a fake ID the moment she went to college, so it's not all that surprising to her.

The three women enter the bar and order their drinks. As Addison looks around, she lets loose a little giggle. "What?" Lauren asks.

"Sorry, it's just this place looks almost exactly like this bar in Seattle. It's right across from the hospital we used to work in."

"Oh, so you're a doctor too?" Bex asks.

"Yeah, they met at work," Lauren answers for her. "But you never told me; how did you guys get together?"

"You don't seriously want to hear that," Addison demurs.

"No, please, tell us!" Bex begs.

"Really?"

"Addison, stop stalling and just answer the question," Lauren orders.

"I don't know where to start," Addison confesses.

"How'd you guys meet?" Bex asks.

Addison purses her lips, trying to decide just how to say this. "I moved to Seattle about two years ago. He worked under me for awhile. We became friends, I guess."

"Why'd you move?" That's Lauren.

Addison bites her lip. "I cheated on my husband, he moved to Seattle, and I followed him."

"Are you still married?" The venom in Bex's voice is quite evident.

"No!" Addison exclaims. "I've been divorced for a year now."

"So he worked for you," Lauren interjects, trying to keep any little feuds to a minimum. Bex is like an older sister to all of the Karev siblings, and, as such, she's incredibly overprotective.

"Then what?" Bex asks.

Addison swallows. She doesn't exactly want to share all of this story, but it'll probably come out anyways. "I was dating this guy, and he cheated on me. So I decided to leave, and Alex found out. He wouldn't let me go without taking him. We were actually in LA for a week." Addison directs this last sentence towards Bex.

"And he didn't tell me?!" she screeches. "I am going to kill him."

"So were you dating the whole time?" Lauren inquires.

"No," Addison answers. She starts to smile as she thinks of their first night as a couple. "We got together on his birthday."

"Aww," both Lauren and Bex sigh.

"I can't believe Alex has a freaking girlfriend," Bex admits. "He's never had a girlfriend. Not a real girlfriend, anyways."

"I know, right?" Lauren says. "Isn't it weird?"

"I just can't figure out he managed to land her," Bex laughs. She turns to Addison. "You're gorgeous. You realize that, right? I mean when Charlie said Alex had managed to find a girl who would convince him to cheat on Lydia, I didn't take him seriously. But he wasn't lying!"

Addison blushes. "Don't worry," Lauren says, "That's just how Charlie talks. But the whole family is abuzz with how pretty you are."

Addison keeps blushing. Bex looks at her watch. "Oh, we should probably get home. Dinner's going to be on the table in like ten minutes."

"I'll go get the car," Lauren says and leaves.

Bex looks at her best friend's girlfriend. "I'm sorry if I seemed rude before," she says. "I'm just protective of Alex. He's my best friend. I don't want him to get hurt."

"I don't intend to," Addison replies, smiling softly as she thinks of his promise that he's not opposed to the idea of marriage. As she thinks of this and looks at his best friend, she realizes something. Something incredibly important.

She's in love with her boyfriend.

Not in the way she's loved all of her boyfriend. No, she loves him in the want to spend the rest of her life with him, walk down the aisle, and spend holidays with his family sort of way. And that scares the hell out of her.

I know that I really don't have any room to ask for reviews, since it's been a year, and then I didn't even bring Alex in, but I would love a review. Besides, if people aren't reading it, then I don't want to keep writing it. I know that sounds bitchy, but getting reviews lately has been like attempting to jump through a ring of fire on a flaming motorcycle off a ramp that is also on fire. Practically impossible.

-Juli-