Author's Note: I don't really have anything important to add this time but basically if Addison seems a little OOC here it's only because that's how I picture her at this stage in a relationship. Seeing as Shonda & Co. seem bent on screwing up one of the better relationships PrP has had they'll just have to live in fanficdom for now.

I should also tell you this one's a little light on the Azzie but that they'll be back in action in the next update. Thanks for reading and please, if you're reading this then leave a review. Curious to know what you think. :)

Two days passed with little to no dramatic events. Addison had taken it upon herself to go back to work like nothing had happened or changed despite the fact she felt the growing sense it had. Alex had stopped by a couple of times but each time Izzie had forced her to give him some kind of excuse. Once she was taking a shower and another she was sleeping. Each time he'd offer to wait for her and she was forced to tell him that Izzie wouldn't be coming downstairs anytime soon. As far as Pete went they'd seen each other a few times. They'd even discussed going out sometime soon although details hadn't exactly been pinned down. There had even been a kiss both wouldn't forget anytime soon in the elevator, which had only been stopped because the door opened.

Naomi was the one who suggested a quick run in the park before work and upon hearing it Addison couldn't help but feel compelled to go. With the sun just starting to rise the day was already growing warm but it wasn't bad enough to make her feel miserable as she jogged along the sidewalk. She'd look over every few seconds at Naomi who was telling some story of Maya and whatever guy she was seeing. Both she and Sam were concerned but it didn't seem like that big of a deal yet, at least in her opinion. "Just give it time, Nae. If Maya knows that you trust her then she'll feel comfortable to come and talk to you whenever she needs to figure anything out."

"That's just it, Addison. I don't want her figuring anything out. She's too young to even think about figuring "things" out." Naomi sighed and slowed down her pace. "Maybe having this type of conversation while exercising wasn't the greatest idea."

Addison opened her water bottle and took a large gulp, feeling the cold liquid as it slid down her throat and a few droplets trickled down her chin. "Your daughter's growing up, whether you'd like to admit it or not."

"Well, yeah, but-" Naomi paused just as they were rounding a corner. "Pete!"

"Pete?" Addison asked, somewhat alarmed. They were having a nice, relatively drama free morning and the last thing she was prepared for was feeling...well, prepared. Poised, or whatever the word she was thinking of but couldn't quite capture in her mind. Her eyes roamed the area until she spotting him pushing Lucas' stroller along the opposite side of the walkway. Before she could come up with an excuse Naomi was quickly striding in his direction.

"Hey, guys. Taking your little man out on a stroll?" Naomi asked, bending down to peer in on Lucas as he sat up, gums chewing on ring toy Pete had given him. "I swear he gets bigger everytime I see you guys."

"He sure does." Pete remarked. He'd slowed his pace when he saw them and now they were at a complete stop, situated calmly under the shade of one of the trees. His gaze shifted from Naomi to Addison, who'd apparently also taken an interest in Lucas as well. She was handing him the toy as it had fallen into his lap, though whether she was interested in the task or was simply busying herself he couldn't be sure. "So, um-" he coughed in an attempt to catch their attention. "you guys are headed in soon, huh? I don't have an appointment scheduled until mid-morning. Figured I'd take some of that time to get out. You know, bond or...something."

It was evident that the words he spoke didn't come out the way he intended and by the way he was looking at Addison made Naomi think there was something more going on but she wasn't going to ask. She nudged him in the arm and smiled. "Good for you. I'm sure he's having fun. Aren't you, Lucas?"

Addison fumbled with the cap on her bottle, twisting it one way or another, smiling happily as Lucas locked his eyes with hers. He gurgled something that wasn't quite a word and her smile grew even bigger.

"What about you?" Pete asked. He watched as the wind picked up a few strands of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail but hadn't grown damp enough to cling to her skin like some of the others. "Addison?"

"Hmm?" Addison remarked, blinking as she looked back at him. "Oh, yeah. I guess I'll see you whenever you get in later then?"

While it wasn't quite the reception he'd expected she wasn't dismissing him really either. Truthfully, he wasn't sure where they stood anymore. As she turned her face he noticed an eyelash that had fallen and was resting on her cheek. Without thinking he reached out and started brushing it away with his thumb. "Make a wish?"

Addison unwillingly closed her eyes as she felt the calloused skin on his thumb stroking across her cheek. Ridiculous, she thought, because it wasn't as if she could actually stop feeling everything but that for just a moment. Except as she watched his lips move she realized he'd been asked her a question. "What?"

Her mouth hung open, lips barely parted, and he laughed. "I dunno, some people believe if you blow on one it's supposed to be lucky. Weird, I know."

"No, I don't think so. Not wierd." Addison replied, cheeks blushing the slightest hint of pink as she shook her head.

"Okay, do you want to explain what just happened?" Naomi asked after they walked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Addison countered, hoping her denial didn't seem too adamant. "Everything's fine."

"Oh, see, now I know there's something. I didn't ask you if anything was fine." Naomi said. "You and Pete-" she gasped, halting their progress on the sidewalk once again as a few annoyed people shot them glances before walking around them. "No. Addison, really? You and-"

"I just would like to point out the fact that I'm not the one making that assumption, okay?" Addison laughed nervously before glancing away. "Would it really be such a bad thing?"

There was a hint of fear in her voice that anyone else might have missed but she'd picked up on it and knew there was a reason. "I don't think so. It's just surprising is all. So, really, are you gonna tell me what happened or are we gonna stand here blocking the way all day?"

Addison shrugged her shoulders as she watched Naomi's foot impatiently tapping up and down, and she wondered whatever she did to deserve such a friend. "We might have had dinner a few nights ago. We talked, but that's all. Listen, it's too early to know if it means anything, alright? There's no need to make big deal about it."

"Okay, okay, that I can understand. But you know I get to say I told you so now, right?" Naomi grinned as they started their walk back. "So, you and Pete, huh?"

It sounded a little different; the inflection upon their names she had used, almost as if it was already supposed to be one word rather than three. "Yeah. Me and Pete."

Izzie was sitting on the couch later that night flipping through a magazine content in spending her evening in the quiet when she looked up to find Addison standing in the entrance of the room. "What?"

Addison adjusted the basket of newly washed and dried clothes on her hip. She'd been focused on the task of going upstairs to fold and put away her clothes but there was something that had been bugging her and she needed to say it. "You do realize Alex is still in town, right?"

"Addison-" Izzie sighed and tossed the magazine onto the coffee table. "I know that. I just don't want to see him right now."

Frustrated, she moved further into the living room and set the basket on the floor. "Right now as in tonight or right now as in anytime soon? You need to make the distinction clear to him or he'll keep coming."

Izzie sat up straight, the expression on her face changing at the mention of his presence. "He's here? Addison, I told you-"

"No, he's not here." Addison replied before taking a seat on the couch next to her. The whole situation reminded her how she'd vowed to never again interfere in the private lives of her coworkers and friends. Clearly, she thought, something had happened along the way that made her change her mind. "I can't keep playing referee for you. If he comes again, you're going to be the one to answer. Even if it's to tell him you want him to go back to Seattle, you need to talk to Alex."

Izzie stubbornly shook her head. While she knew it was true and that she'd have to face him eventually, a part of her wished it wasn't true. Admittedly, a part of her still loved him and wanted to repair whatever it was they had but she felt that the more she waited then the more prepared she would be, although she hadn't counted on Alex actually sticking to his word. "What if I screw this up? What if I say the wrong thing? He can't come here and expect me to just fall back into the pattern again."

"How can you know what he expects at all if you don't talk to him?" Addison cried out in frustration. "Look, this is your relationship and not mine, and I get that. I do. But I don't see what you can gain by avoiding him."

Izzie crossed her arms and sat back on the couch in defiance. "He'll go back to Seattle eventually. Derek's chief now and so he's bound to call Alex at some point. When I'm ready, I'll go back."

"You will?" Addison asked, letting the question settle between them. She raised an eyebrow at the other woman, knowing full well she'd struck a chord. Izzie had been staying with her for some time and she was grateful for the friendship and whatever else came with, and even though she'd done her best to avoid confrontation it was clear she'd have to do something if she really wanted to help her. "All you have to do is try, Iz. Sitting here and pretending Alex isn't trying to get through to you won't help anything at all. If you really plan to go back home then you're going to have to give him some kind of hope."

A breath caught in Izzie's chest as she leaned forward, hands resting on her knees. "It's not like I don't want to. I just don't know how."

"You think anyone does?" Addison cried. She stood up and moved back to where the basket of clothes was resting. Her eyes rested on Izzie as she sat on the couch, somehow managing to look both disheveled and put together at the same time. While her hair and clothes were neat like always everything about the way she moved spoke of the fact that there was something wrong. Cancer had done its cruel tricks but it was something more than that. "Relationships aren't easy. There has to be a balance somewhere. Right now your scales are tipped against you...or at least you feel they are, but-"

"Are you trying to turn this into some kind of psychology lesson? I had a meeting with Violet the other day, remember? It's not like you're the best to be giving me relationship advice anyway Addison, considering the fact you-" Izzie snapped, pausing only upon seeing the look of alarm on her face. "I didn't...that's not what I meant. I just-"

"I know what you meant." Addison nodded in acceptance before picking up the basket. With a puff of air to move the hair from her face, she started for the stairs, stopping at the first one to turn and finish the conversation that stopped her in the first place. "My point was that you don't have to know what to say. Sometimes you just have to be in the situation, see where it takes you."

Izzie nodded in understanding. "Do you ever stop to think maybe you should follow your own advice?" she asked. At the puzzled look on Addison's face she stood and picked up a blanket that had been resting on the arm of the couch. It wasn't that big or detailed; the whole thing was a light blue with green ribbon that trimmed the edges and a duck was sewn onto one of the bottom corners. "This is Lucas', right? I found it near the stairs early yesterday. Figured maybe it had dropped from his bag when he and Pete were here. I also figured you would have gone to give it back by now."

Izzie's accusing look was enough for her to sigh and stalk back across the room. While she'd seen Pete a time or two since they'd had their dinner Addison was aware of the fact she'd pointedly avoided any circumstances (aside from the kiss in the elevator of course), in which they could talk about what was happening in their relationship. She took the blanket from her and set it on top of the other clothes. "I will."

"You will?" Izzie asked, echoing the words Addison had spoken to her just a few minutes before. "This isn't me bargaining here. I just know things."

"Things?" Addison frowned in confusion. "What things?"

"The fact you've avoided him. Pete, I mean. You're worried that you don't know what it means and so you haven't gone to him and given back the blanket." Izzie reached over and ran her fingers across the soft fabric. "Am I at least a little right?"

Addison wanted to argue and tell her that she was wrong or at the least that she was trying desperately to change the subject but she also knew pushing Izzie clearly wasn't getting anywhere. "Fine."

"Fine?" Izzie asked, suddenly confused when Addison turned and once again headed for the stairs.

The knock at the door came unexpectedly but when he opened the door to see who it was a part of him didn't feel that surprised. "Addison."

Addison shifted her feet and pulled the blanket into view. "Izzie found this the other day. I figured Lucas was missing it so I wanted to bring it back to him."

Pete smiled with a nod before crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame. "You wanted to bring that back to Lucas at almost ten at night? You didn't think that he'd be asleep already?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess I should have thought about that." Addison laughed a little as she felt her cheeks turn warm. "Well, here."

Pete grabbed the blanket, grasping her hand in the process. "He's actually been up and down for the last hour or so. I think he might be coming down with something. He'll be glad to have it back."

"Good," Addison nodded as she spoke. "That's...good."

"Do you want to come in?" Pete asked, his fingers still locked with hers through the blanket. "I'll be up for a while. Could use the company."

Addison thought about the conversation she'd had with Izzie; the one that propelled her upstairs to grab her purse and keys and head for the door. Even if she didn't know what was happening or where they were headed, she wanted to find out. "Sure."

Pete led her through the house and into the kitchen where he poured them both glasses of wine. He told her a story of a difficult patient he'd had that day and of how much he'd worked to make him happy but nothing he tried could help. He listened intently with one foot propped up onto a stool at the kitchen island and his chin resting on his open palm as she told him the story of a set of twins she'd delivered. "You're a hero."

"It was right after Nae and I headed back from the park actually." Addison replied before taking a sip from her glass. "But I'm not a hero. I'm just doing my job."

"From the sounds of things you are. At least somebody had success today." Pete laughed it off but she could tell he was annoyed with his own progress. He traced a finger around the rim of his wine glass, eyes staring down into his own reflection. Something needed to be said and he needed to voice his thoughts but there never seemed to be a perfect time. "About that, this morning I mean." Pete cleared his throat before bringing the glass to his lips, eyes locking with hers.

The way he said it seemed complete and yet unfinished at the same time. She was curious. "What do you mean?"

"It was nice, seeing you outside the practice." Pete replied simply, as if saying that explained everything. "Seems like this week has been pretty busy for you."

If she hadn't been blushing before she certainly was now, and she wished there was a way to disappear. Could what Izzie said actually be true? "I haven't-" Addison paused and thought over her words carefully. He wasn't accusing her of anything-was merely stating a fact, she thought-and yet she still felt the need to clarify her intentions. "Work. It's been busy. I wish it wasn't that way."

Pete nodded, noticing already by the way she figdeted that there was more she intended to say, and he wasn't going to stop her.

"I'm not saying I don't enjoy what I do. I do find it a very rewarding career but I just-" Addison closed her eyes and shook her head. Awkward wasn't what she expected or wanted and yet she found herself stumbling over words that should have been much easier to say. She wondered why it was easier to give someone else advice but when it came to herself she could be left clueless.

When she didn't speak for a few minutes he started to feel worried. "Is everything okay?"

"What?" Addison asked, realizing just a second later he what he was asking her. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine." she nodded her head in hopes that doing so would actually make her think it. "Actually, I'm not sure. I have to be honest."

Pete gulped, quickly swallowing the sip he just took from his drink. Conversations that started with something like that usually didn't end good. "About what?"

"It's just that...well, we've known each other for a while, right?" Addison's fingers wrapped around the stem of her glass while she waited for a nod. "Yeah, we have. So you've seen things. I know for a fact that you've heard things. Things that might sound good or bad depending on who you've heard them from but look...the truth? The truth is that I'm a mess sometimes. Even if I don't want to be, because who would try to be one, right?" she laughed nervously but plunged forward anyway. She knew that if they were going to get anywhere she'd have to clear her head first, knowing it was at least what she needed, and if he happened to be the one to hear it that was even better. "The truth is that I'm a little nervous. About this."

Pete held his breath and waited to see if she'd say anything else. The kitchen island separated them and he watched as her fingertips tapped lightly against the edge. "By 'this' you mean you and me?"

Addison nodded reluctantly. "I guess you could say that."

"Isn't that perfectly normal?" Pete asked. "It lets you know that you're doing something right. That you're living."

"You're right." Addison replied. He was, she had to admit. Even if she wasn't quite sure what to expect or look forward to she knew that there was a certain sense of normalcy in what she was going through. She heard him laughing and looked up in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing," Pete swore as he shook his head. "I was just thinking that I've never seen you so flustered. You're usually sure of yourself. It's not an insult though, it's a compliment. It makes you more human."

She was about to open her mouth to say something else when she saw him set his wine down and walk around the counter, not stopping until they were a few inches apart. "What are you-"

Pete reached for her hand, pulling it tight in his. "I don't know what I'm doing here either. But looking at you, right now? I know that I want to."

Addison nodded slowly as she processed what he was telling her. "Good."

He watched as her hand let go of the glass before settling against his chest. "Definitely...good." he muttered before moving in closer to kiss her. Softly at first, letting go of her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. He rested it the other against her cheek, running a thumb over her skin slowly, relishing in the way she responded. He darted his tongue out, testing boundaries until he felt her mouth open to him.

Addison clutched the fabric of his shirt, nails scratching harder than they probably should have. She moaned quietly and everything about the moment was right and perfect in a way she couldn't completely comprehend. Until the distant sound of something-someone, she realized-crying reached her ears. Pulling back reluctantly, she planted another kiss on his lips before taking a step back. "The baby monitor."

"Lucas." Pete nodded. His hand still rested against her cheek and he slowly traced her freshly kiss-swollen bottom lip, a smile showing faintly as he sighed. "I should probably get that."

"I should probably go." Addison said in response. Her skin felt cooler the second they let go.

"I'd ask you to stay but if whatever he has is contagious I don't want you catching it too. I'll see you tomorrow?" Pete asked, leaning in for one last kiss before Addison had to go.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Addison smiled before picking up her purse and heading for the door, feeling content in knowing that while neither of them knew exactly where they were headed they were bound to find out soon.