My weekend present to all of you…a new chapter! Hope you continue to enjoy and thank you to all who review! You guys kick ass! And for all who care, the DVD set comes out September 12th according to the podcast, so whose hoping for those deleted scenes of "too much Addek chemistry"? I certainly am!
Seattle Grace
8:30 a.m.
Addison had a long night. Her mind was all over the place. After a nearly sleepless night, she had broken down her emotions into categories. On the one hand, she wanted to ravish Derek in the hallway and make up for all of their lost time on every surface of the hospital. Preventing her from that was an equally strong fear of falling into the same trap as last time. Yes he apologized, but that doesn't change the fact that he, in essence, got bored of her. He neglected her the first time around, and it nearly killed her. To allow herself to fall for him again would be a big risk. But he genuinely seemed different this time. He was still the Derek she fell in love with. This time, however, he was conscious of his error, and he didn't make the same mistake twice.
Rolling over for the last time, Addison reached across her night stand to shut off her alarm clock. Extending her arms across her whole bed, she realized how much she missed waking up next to him everyday. Even when he was asleep like a log, just knowing he was there made her feel better, safer. Knowing her, and him, so well, Addison got ready for the day with a game plan of her own. Derek was pursuing her all over again, just like when they were interns. He loved the chase, evident by his relationship with Meredith. But with her, it would be different. She knew his moves, his tricks for getting her, and she was going to counter them. She was going to make him work for her. Hell, she earned the right to see him make the effort. If he "survived", that would be all the proof she'd need.
Seattle Grace
10:30 a.m.
Addison started her day, ironically enough, with an early surgery. A woman collapsed at a local mall and needed an emergency c-section. Despite minor bumps in the road, baby and mother both came out well. Post-surgery, Addison headed to the cafeteria for coffee before her meeting. She was pleasantly surprised to find Dr. Bailey already online.
"Good morning, Miranda." Addison said, coming up behind Dr. Bailey to get coffee.
"Addison. You seem rather chipper this morning." Miranda replied, clearly surprised at Addison's general good mood so early in the morning.
"I am. Started off my day with a great surgery, mom and son are both doing well."
"Yeah, right. We all get this smiley over successful surgeries. Try again." Miranda replied, perceptive as always.
"Well, I had an amazing night with Derek last night. Now don't freak out, I know you don't like him as boyfriend material…"
"Damn straight I don't. Look Dr. Shepherd is a damn fine neurosurgeon, but his track record with women, specifically my women, is less than desirable."
"I know that. That is why I have a plan."
"A plan?"
"A plan. And it involves you, because I know he comes to you for advice. We all do."
"Yeah, well. Someone's got to hold it together. So what does this plan involve?"
"Well, things lately between us have been good. Like surprisingly well. It's eerily similar to fifteen years ago when we first fell in love. I know that history always repeats itself, but Derek's not like that. Last night, I could feel the connection. We almost kissed, and knowing him, he will try and seal the deal today, if you know what I mean."
"Far more than I ever wanted to, but go on." Miranda cringed at the image in her mind.
"Not like that. We have been apart for months now; he doesn't just get free entry. But he will try other things."
"Men."
"I know. But he's different about it. Subtle, seductive almost. It worked the first time around, but not this time. This time, he will be working for it."
"I feel like this is going to get ugly."
"Oh, it very well might. We both don't lose well."
Conference Room
11:00 a.m.
Addison and Bailey made their way down to the conference room together, Addison recapping her evening from start to finish. They grabbed adjacent seats and continued talking.
"He did all of that?"
"Shocking, huh?"
"I didn't know McDreamy could be an actual romantic. I figured all he had going for him was the eyes."
"His romantic side was one of the first things to go when we fell apart. When we were dating, he always kept me guessing with where we'd go. Even simple things like our path on a walk in the city after. Then, he just stopped." Addison looked at the ground, moving her hands up and down her cup.
"Addison, are you sure you're ready for this? I mean you spent six months trying to get him back, only to watch him fawn for another woman. Then you did what no one else could: you rebuilt yourself. Without him. You became the woman you had a reputation for being as a doctor. Strong, smart, self-confident, and tough. Can you risk that all again?" Addison looked up at Miranda. She was right on all counts. Leaning back in her chair, she caught a glimpse of Derek walking in the room. He scanned the room quickly, catching Preston's wave. Nodding, he moved towards him. Addison watched him go out of the corner of her eye. As he sat down, he scanned the room once more, pausing when his eyes met hers. He smiled, and she reciprocated.
"Yes, I can. And you want to know why?"
"Why?"
"You know that feeling you get when you look into someone's eyes and the whole world around you melts away and you feel totally secure and not self-conscious? As corny as it is, that's how I feel when I see Derek. I tried denying it, I did. I was scared. But when I'm with him, it just feels right. I've missed him more than I wanted to admit, and there are residual areas of tension. Like anything else, they will be worked out."
"God, you are in love. It's like high school all over again."
"Scary isn't it?"
"Very, especially from you."
"What? I can't be romantic?"
"I didn't say that. You just don't strike me as the type to be so love crazed like my horny interns."
"Only Derek does this to me. He has this control over me that I can't take away. I've tried."
The meeting began shortly after. All eyes were on Richard, but Addison caught the occasional glance Derek through in her direction. She could feel his eyes on her, but when she would look to meet his, he'd turn away slightly. She knew those eyes, though. Just the way her smile gave her away, his eyes did the same. And those eyes during that meeting were clearly full of lust.
Richard had barely finished talking before Derek was out of his chair. He made his way to where the two women were sitting, prepared to lay on the charm.
"Good morning ladies."
"Dr. Shepherd. In a hurry?" Miranda asked, fully knowing why he was over here.
"No, not at all. Just hoping to talk to Addison for a minute. Is that alright?" Derek asked. a slight tone of superiority in his voice.
"Of course. Don't let me get in the way. Addison I'll see you for lunch. Have a good day Dr. Shepherd." Miranda strolled to the door, throwing a look Addison's way before she full exited, expecting full details at lunch. He waited until the room cleared completely before turning his attention back to Addison.
"So, what's up?" Addison asked casually, not wanting to come across to anxious.
"Well…" Derek paused, to sit at the table's edge, arms folded across his chest. He had spent all meeting deciding on what to say. Unfortunately, every time she glanced his way he lost his thoughts to much dirtier things. "I wanted you to know how much Doc enjoyed seeing you."
"He did? How do you know?"
"He was much nicer to me this morning. When I asked him to get off of your side of the bed he obliged. I think he wants me to bring you back so he's sucking up."
"Is that so? Stay nice to me any maybe I'll return and make your life easy."
"Thanks. I'd appreciate it. They say a woman scorned is bad, try a dog." Addison laughed at his joke, and Derek saw his moment.
"He wasn't the only one who enjoyed seeing you, just for the record." Derek made eye contact and held it. He had missed being close with her so much it hurt, but he didn't want to push to hard to fast. He needed to gauge her responses. What he really needed was to throw her on the table and make out with her feverishly, but he chose to go with the former.
"Derek, last night was great. It was perfect. I don't remember you being such a romantic."
"Back then, I just didn't have to use it. I was charming enough without any extras."
"Oh yes, and plenty cocky to boot. Glad to see you haven't lost either quality." Addison moved towards him slightly
"Why thank you. Now, if I'm not mistaken, our perfect evening ended sort of abruptly, don't you think?" Derek asked, with clear ulterior motives in mind.
"I think the thunder knocking out all the power would count as abrupt."
"We could finish it tonight, say around seven?" Derek could smell Addison's perfume from his seat. It was his favorite one that she wore, and she knew it. He always complimented it whenever she wore it. And today, she wore it for a reason. Derek could see it in her body language. She was trying to get his attention, and it was working.
"Tonight, I can't. I'm having dinner with Adele."
"What are you doing now?" Derek's voice was not much above a whisper. His hands gripped tight around his elbows as he tried to keep them to himself. It was difficult, because Addison was moving closer and closer to him.
"I have to check on a patient. Newborn of about an hour."
"I'm sure it can wait a little bit. We could get coffee, go to the roof, and finish our "chat" from last night."
"Find me later and maybe we will." Addison rose from her chair and headed for the door. She could see the disappointment on Derek's face. The bait was there, and he caught it like a starving fish. She sent the signal out that she was ready too, but he was going to have to work for it. Derek was more than ready for the challenge. He knew her little act was choreographed. He would find her later, and he would finish that "chat".
Seattle Grace
2:30 p.m.
Addison hadn't seen much of Derek after their discussion in the conference room. In her mind, that meant only one thing: he had a plan too. He would never succumb to begging, or admit to needing her, so thus, he must have had a plan of his own to get her. Her thoughts were confirmed when she went to check on her c-section from earlier, and saw flowers waiting for her.
"Dr. Montgomery, some handsome doctor dropped these off for you."
"Really? What did he look like?"
"5'11", brown hair, similar to Russell Crowe, and these amazing blue eyes. Are you two involved?"
"You could say that. It's extremely complicated."
"Say no more."
"So how are you feeling? Any pain or nausea?"
"I'm fine. More importantly, what does the note say? I have been dying of curiosity since he dropped them off."
"Let's find out." Addison carefully pulled out the car from the bouquet of flowers and opened it. Inside, she found a short message in Derek's distinct, chicken scratch handwriting. All it said was "Remember the Fourth…Love D."Addison handed her patient the card, a huge smile plastered across her face.
"Is this code or something?"
"You could say that." Addison knew what the card meant. It was a hint to where she could find him when she was done with her patient. The memory was the part that was supposed to get her. And it did. "Do you need anything Mrs. Reynolds?"
"Nah, I'm fine. Go find him!" Addison nodded, and walked out, making a beeline for the elevators. Hitting the button several times, Addison waited for it to arrive. When it did, the doors opened on Derek, smiling, his weight on the back railing. He was clearly impressed with himself.
"You like the flowers?"
"Very much. My patient thought you were cute by the way."
"Did she? Interesting…" Derek said, reaching around Addison to the button that would close the elevator.
"She especially liked the card. Remember the fourth. It's clever."
"Don't tell me you forgot. I mean that was plenty memorable to me."
"Oh, no no no. How could I forget that? It was a beautiful Fourth of July in New York. We were both in our third years and had been together almost two years. We were on call, and there was a massive accident. Patients everywhere. One of those real adrenaline pumping days; never a second to breathe." Addison moved closer and closer with each sentence.
"After our last patients, we both ended up in the same elevator. I had been so mad at you that morning for something that I can't…."
"I didn't like your friend Tracy." Derek stated, clearly following each part of the story Addison told.
"That was it. She came to visit from California and you didn't get along with her and I was so frustrated with you for being insensitive."
"She was extremely…" Addison raised her finger to Derek's lips to stop him from talking. She had a story to tell and she was going to finish it.
"But when you stepped into that elevator with me, my body needed you like it needed air. I slammed the emergency button and practically threw you into the wall. We did it right there in the elevator." Addison had placed her arms on either side of Derek on the railing behind him. He listened intently to her soft voice retelling the story, as he relived it in his mind. It was a very big turn on, as it had been a decade before. She kept her body torturously close on purpose.
"That was a good memory to pick. Why that one?"
"It doesn't get much better than angry sex in an elevator."
"I see." Addison brought her mouth to the side of Derek's face. He could feel her breath on the side his cheek. She brought her lips as close as possible to his ear, and whispered "I'm glad it was so memorable." Addison went to back away from him and hit a floor button, but felt Derek's arm come up to stop her.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to work."
"Just like that?"
"Yeah. Why not? I think story time is over."
"Addie, come on now. Didn't that memory do anything for you in other ways?"
"Oh it did. What's your point?" With that, the doors opened, and Addison stepped out. Derek was still leaning in the same position he started in. She looked back and winked at him as the doors shut. She was proud of herself for holding out, but thinking back to that day made her want history to repeat itself right then and there. But, she knew it couldn't, not yet at least. Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she returned to work. Derek rode for a few more floors to calm himself, and brought his brain back to the drawing board for a new plan.
Seattle Grace
9:00 a.m.
Addison came to the hospital with renewed spirits the next morning. Her dinner with Adele had been extremely relaxing. She got in a nice long bubble bath afterwards, and went to bed feeling great. Plus, her day of torturing Derek had gone perfectly. He spent the rest of the day post-elevator looking like someone hit him in the stomach. It was a mix of frustration, both sexually and otherwise, due to her holding out. She knew in her heart it would be worth it, because she wanted him just as much. When the time was right, though, it would be perfection.
"Good morning, Debbie."
"Dr. Montgomery. You seem like you're in a good mood."
"I am."
"Well it's about to get better. Dr. Shepherd dropped this off for you earlier." Debbie reached out to hand Addison the card.
"He did?" Addison extended her hand to take it from her. "Did he say anything?"
"No, just to give it to you as soon as you came in." She chose to leave out the part about him begging her to page him as soon as she saw Addison walk in. Debbie herself wasn't a romantic, but Derek gave her the eyes, and she agreed to help him out.
"Thank you." Addison began to walk off, note in hand.
"Dr. Montgomery! He did say to open it here, before you go to your office. I'm not sure why?"
"Alright." Addison reset her bag down on the counter and carefully opened the card. Inside, a small picture of Addison and Derek was taped down. It was one of her favorites: they had gone to their house in the Hamptons with Sav and Weiss, and another couple who they were friends with for the weekend. Addison was lying in Derek's lap on their porch, her hands on his knees, his on her stomach. He was leaning down to kiss her on the cheek when Sav took the picture. Below the picture, Derek had written: It is pictures like these that remind me why I fell in love with you in the first place. Get ready for a new start, because today is going to be one of your most memorable ever. P.S. Look up.
Addison felt her eyes welling up with tears, and did as the note said to. Derek was their, leaning over the railing. He had a serious look on his face: he wanted her to know how much he meant what he wrote. When he saw her reaction, he knew she believed him. His beeper went off, and he pulled it from his waist. Recognizing it as an emergency, he pushed himself off the railing, smiled at Addison, and walked away. Addison watched him go. Looking back down at the note, she was overcome with joy, and very excited to find out what Derek had in mind for the most memorable day ever.
Seattle Grace
11:45 a.m.
Addison returned to her office for a conference call with New York. One of her former patients was back in the hospital and requested adamantly for her doctors to call Addison. Reaching her office, Addison picked up the case file faxed over from the hospital and began to skim it over. Only when she reached for a pen did Addie notice the newest gift. Sitting on the corner of her desk was a box, shallow but wide. Lying on top was her next note: You couldn't think they'd all be sappy and cliché did you? Addison laughed at the note, removing the box's top to find an assortment of candy inside. Skittles, M & M's, Raisinets, etc. At first, Addison was confused. But, as she rummaged through the box's contents, she found a movie stub taped to the bottom. It was to the first movie they ever saw together on a date.
"Dr. Montgomery? I have Beth Wharton's test results for you."
"Come in." Addison shouted, her focus still on the box.
"It doesn't look good. I think she may be toxemic."
"May I?"
"Of course." Izzie handed the file to Addison, glancing over to the box of candy sitting on her desk. "I agree with your assessment. Give me ten minutes to take a conference call from New York and then we can brief our patient?"
"Okay." Izzie headed for the door before curiosity got the best of her, and she turned around.
"Something else you need, Izzie?"
"I'm not one to pry Dr. Montgomery, but what's with all the candy?"
"It's from Derek. Come here." Addison motioned towards herself. "Have a seat. Check out the bottom."
"Sleepless in Seattle?"
"That was the movie we saw on our third date. I loved Meg Ryan and after lots of begging, he agreed to come with me. It was packed, so I got our seats and he got snacks. I was really bad at making decisions and couldn't decide on one thing to eat. I must have run through all their choices and eventually I just walked away and told him to pick. He came back in as the previews rolled with a huge box in front of him. He had bought everything I mentioned. All of the things are in that box."
"Wow! That is one of the most romantic things I have ever heard."
"I know. That's what I thought. When he handed it to me, I was shocked. At first I thought he was insane for wasting so much money."
"What did he say back?"
"If it makes you happy, then it's worth it."
"Seriously?" Izzie looked awed at Derek's romanticism.
"Seriously."
"Wow! No wonder you married him."
"I know." Addison said, a very girly smile plastered across her face.
"So why did he give you this today then?"
"Let's just say we are in a little competition at the moment." Before Addison could delve into more details her phone rang. "I need to take this. I'll meet you in Beth's room in ten?"
"Okay." Izzie stood up from her seat and headed for the door. As she closed it, Izzie watched Addison flip through the box, smiling with each different bag she looked at. It had been awhile since she'd seen her mentor look that happy.
Seattle Grace
6:00 p.m.
Addison's day had only gotten better with each passing hour. Derek had showered her with presents. In her locker she found balloons, like the ones he bought for her in central park one afternoon. At lunch, he had given Miranda a box of her favorite chocolates. Her afternoon surgical case had a little doctor teddy bear, identical to the one she had given him to adorn his first office as an attending. But, through all the chaos, she was yet to see Derek since this morning. She was dying to see him, to thank him for everything he did. It was days like these that she couldn't imagine not being with him.
"You're like a love sick school girl, you know that?"
"Miranda! You don't think it's a little romantic?"
"I do. But you've been walking around all day like the captain of the football team asked you to "study" with him. I don't like it."
"Why?"
"Because when girls look like you do today, they lose their rationality. Don't get me wrong: I'd just as quickly get swept off my feet as the next girl, and I don't mean to take you off the cloud nine your so clearly on, but every day can't be like this." As much as Addison wanted to ignore her friend and keep herself in the fairytale land Derek had given her, Miranda was right. Every day couldn't be like this. For so long, her life had felt like a fairytale. Derek was her prince charming, and after a while, that went away and they fell apart. What would be different this time?
"You're right. I know that. And, Miranda, I'm going to be honest: I can't go through this again. If we do get back together and I lose him again, I'm not going to survive. And I hate that feeling. I hate to think that someone has such control over me. But Derek does, always has, and always will. It's terrifying."
"I know. Not to be devil's advocate, but that's love. Love is giving yourself whole-heartedly to another and trusting them to protect you."
"Now who's the romantic? Tucker teach that to you?"
"Hey. I am a girl. I may be the Nazi, but I am a girl. Besides, it is true. You just need to decide if you can trust McDreamy not to break your heart again."
"You really know how to burst someone's happy bubble."
"It's a gift."
"Well, take it back. I want to go back to lovesick school girl. It was fun."
"Oh, you will. I'd check out your office if I were you."
"My office? Why?"
"This one you're seeing for yourself. Have a good night." A knowing look in her eye, Miranda left Addison outside her office door. Addison watched her go, thoroughly confused as to what Miranda knew that she didn't. Her answer was inside. Turning the knob, Addison walked in to find a beautiful cocktail dress draped over her desk. It instantly took her breath away. As she got closer, she could see a note lying on top, once again in Derek's penmanship. Be outside at 9, love D. Addison read the note twice, and quickly tossed it aside to marvel over her dress. It was stunning. She couldn't wait to try it on, and finally see Derek's end game. Whatever it was couldn't get better than the day she had already experienced. At least that's what she thought.
I thought it would be a good/mean place to end right before our favorite little couple reunites! It should be awesome. Reviews are nice, and I plan on writing more tonight so look for an update hopefully by tomorrow night.