A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to deal with this, so I wanted to take the time to make sure that it turned out how I wanted it to! I've already started on the next chapter, so there shouldn't be a huge gap in posting.

Thank you to everyone that has given me feedback! It makes me happy, and want to write even more! And for people that have asked, I picture a mix of people when I think of Max, but the best all around people I could come up with were Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham in Fringe, and Zoie Palmer as Lauren in Lost Girl.

Here is the best picture I could find of Anna, looking how I picture Max. :) But with Zoie's smile.

ineedafearlesslove dot tumblr dot com / post / 31743320064 / because-anna-torv (FF doesn't let me post links, so you just have to put it all back together to see it).

I hope that helps in people trying to picture Max!

As always, enjoy the chapter!

-Jordyn

Update: I realize I said Max is a brunette, so you know, use your imaginations when looking at Olivia. She's just the best whole person that I could come up with to give you a visual of how I see Max. :)

"You didn't tell her, did you?" Addie asked through the tears streaming down her face.

"What was I supposed to do, Addison? Tell her, 'oh by the way, Addison loves you, but she thinks you're better off without her so she's never gonna say it to your face?' She deserved better than that. So I let her think that you just left. Because you leaving because you didn't care would hurt less than you leaving because you loved her." Callie glared at her best friend, trying to figure out where Addison had gotten the idea that she would have willingly hurt Teddy like that; and now, after all this time, to be upset that she had moved on. Callie just couldn't wrap her mind around it.

"Callie... I never meant for any of this to happen. But seeing her with that woman. It shattered whatever illusion I had about not loving her. I always knew that she'd move on, but I always expected it to be with someone like Mark or Owen. Never in a million years would I have guessed that she'd move on with someone like that..." Addison broke down in tears, unable to form words to voice her thoughts.

"You always thought you'd be the only woman in her life?" Callie asked, coming to her rescue. Addison just nodded. "Well then let me tell you something. That woman you saw her with? Her name is Max, and she has been amazing for Teddy. I see her smile again, Addie. A real Teddy smile. She's happy, and I don't want to see that change. So if you even consider talking to her, you better know exactly what you're going to say, and be completely aware of the consequences of your actions." Callie was looking Addison straight in the eye as she spoke, and didn't hear her wife step into the on call room.

"If you even think about talking to her, you will have to deal with me," Arizona said, picking up where Callie had left off. "We have had to pick up the pieces of your mess once before and I will not do it again, because Teddy deserves better than that. She's happy with Max, but I can see in her eyes that she still loves you. But God only knows why. So let me make myself perfectly clear. If you go anywhere near her with anything but the purest intentions, because we all know that she would take you back, and that you'd just break her heart again, I will end you. Do you understand me? You might be my wife's best friend, but you're playing with my best friend's heart, and that takes highest priority. So you better seriously consider your actions before you do anything other than walking out of this hospital and never looking back." Addie just stared at Arizona, not believing her ears. She had never heard Arizona raise her voice to anyone, let alone threaten them; but, Addie assumed that was the result of hurting the people she loved.

"I'm sorry, Arizona." Addison added, not able to meet her eyes.

"It's not me that you should be apologizing to, and you know it." She waited for Addison to say something, but when it was obvious that she wasn't, Arizona was satisfied that she had done her job. She leaned in to give her wife a kiss, and disappeared out of the room as quickly as she appeared.

"Sofia is going to have her hands full with her," Addison said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the room.

"You have no idea." Callie said, trying to hide her pride over her wife standing up for who she loves. "Now imagine her talking to my father. She's not one to mess with." Addison just smiled at her, imagining Arizona taking on her father.

"Now that I'd pay to see," She teased.

X X X

A crowed had gathered in the gallery above Teddy's surgery. While on the outside she was the picture of calm and collected, on the inside, she was terrified. She had already gone through this once before, and she wasn't sure she could handle it again. One of the interns pointed at her, and she knew at that second that they weren't talking about the surgery.

"What are they talking about?" She asked to no one in particular, pointing toward the gallery.

"I don't know," Meredith said, lying through her teeth. She knew exactly why everyone was watching, but she didn't want to be the one to have to tell Teddy that Addison was back in Seattle and lurking around the hospital.

"Seriously?" Christina asked, knowing that Meredith was lying. Christina wasn't one for being subtle, and she respected Teddy too much to leave her in the dark, so she went on. "They're waiting for you to have a breakdown."

"Christina," Owen warned, not wanting Teddy to give everyone what they wanted.

"Why would I have a breakdown?" Teddy asked, not putting two and two together just yet.

"Because the She-Shepherd is here, and they're expecting a free show." Teddy froze mid cut. Why was Addison back in Seattle? A million thoughts raced through her head before she could grasp one to talk about.

"And no one thought that I deserved to know this?!" She snapped, dropping the scalpel that she was holding. She turned to the gallery to address everyone watching her. "Is your life really that sad, that you all have to wait to see if I run into Addison, and then watch me break down for entertainment? Well let me tell you something, it's not going to happen! So go back to your pathetic lives and leave me the hell alone!" She didn't wait for an answer before handing the scalpel to Christina and walking out of the OR. She couldn't be there, not when they were all waiting for her to do something, and not with people that she considered her friends that thought they knew what was best for her.

She snuck into an on call room and slid down the wall, dropping her head into her hands, trying to keep the tears at bay. Why did even the thought of being in the same hospital as Addie cause her to have a panic attack? She thought that she had gotten over the whole Addison issue months ago, but apparently she hadn't. She needed something to remind her what was real, and that she was happy. Instinctively, Teddy pulled her phone from her pocket, and hit the first speed dial. She counted the rings, praying that Max would pick up.

"Babe?" the worried voice came over the line, and Teddy instantly relaxed. "Is everything okay?" Teddy cursed herself for calling Max out of the blue. She knew that she was supposed to be in surgery. She didn't want to weigh her down with her problems, but she needed to talk to someone.

"It's fine. I just needed to talk to you, that's all. It's been a bad day, and I'm pretty sure it's just going to get worse." She said. It was partly the truth anyway. She wanted to tell Max everything, and wanted more than anything to be in Max's arms where she knew she was safe. But she still had a job to do, and she wasn't going to let Addison run her life anymore.

"What happened?" Max asked, her fear evident in her voice. Teddy paused before answering, trying to figure out the best way to word what she wanted to say. Max knew about Addie, but she hadn't given her all the juicy details, and she didn't intend to.

"Addison is back in Seattle..." She finally said. "And I don't know what to do."

"Do you want me to come kick her ass?" Max asked, only half joking. The fact that her mere presence in Seattle was sending Teddy over the edge instantly put her on Max's shit list.

"No..." Teddy said, unsure of herself. She didn't know what she wanted Max to do, but she knew that her being there was already making it better. She took a second, and then realized that she did know what she wanted Max to do. She just wanted to be loved, and to be appreciated.

"Well then what can I do?"

"You're already doing it," Teddy said, smiling despite everything. Max really was perfect, and Teddy didn't have to remind herself how lucky she was to have someone who cared about her so much.

"I'm glad I could help, even if I don't know exactly what I did." Teddy could hear her smile through the phone. "And how about I pick us up some chinese food and a bad 80s movie for after work? I know how much you love Flashdance, and it sounds like you're going to need a relaxing night." Teddy smiled even brighter, Max always knew the right thing to say.

"I think that sounds perfect," Teddy said, truly meaning it. A night in Max's arms was exactly what she needed.

"Good. I'll see you after work then, and let me know if you need anything before then, okay? I can be there in a heartbeat. Even if it's just for me to hold you." Teddy felt the tears welling in her eyes, this time for an entirely different reason.

"Thank you, Max. I mean it, than you for being you. I'll talk to you later." Teddy let a single tear slide down her cheek. She didn't deserve someone as good as Max, but she wasn't going to question the universe.

"Later, babe." And with a click the call ended, leaving Teddy more steady on her own two feet, and with the confidence to walk back through the hospital, even if it meant that she could possibly run into Addison. Teddy had Max now, and she was happy.

X X X

She could hear the woosh of Arizona's heely's on the tile floor before she could see her friend, and it brought a smile to her face. Arizona would always find a way to embrace her inner child, and Teddy envied that about her. When the blonde doctor appeared, Teddy just smiled more. In her hands were two cups, and she could tell by the label on them, that they were from their favorite coffee place down the street, and she was grateful for the action, even if she knew where it was coming from.

"For you," She said, handing Teddy the coffee in her left hand with a flourish.

"You are the best," she said, gratefully taking the coffee, and completely turning her attention to Arizona.

"So I've been told," She said, sticking her tongue out at Teddy, who tried, and failed to keep a straight face.

"Are we four?!" She teased, picking up her cup and starting down the hallway. Arizona followed suit, quickly falling in stride with her friend.

"Only when we need to be. Sometimes we just need to believe in miracles and fairy dust." Arizona paused, and Teddy could tell that she was choosing her words carefully. "Have you seen her yet?" She finally asked. She didn't need to ask to know exactly which her Arizona was talking about.

"No, thank god. I'm hoping to make it through the rest of the day without seeing her, but knowing my luck, she'll end up showing up right behind me." Teddy could see that she had lost Arizona's attention to something over her shoulder, and whatever it was had her jaw set in a hard line, and a glare that could cut you like a knife. She didn't have to turn around to have a pretty good idea who was on the receiving end if said glare. "Murphy's Law," she added with a bitter laugh before turning around to see Addison at the end of the hall. That seemed to snap Arizona back to the present.

"What?" She asked, never taking her eyes off Addison, but her attention refocused on Teddy.

"Murphy's law. Anything that can go wrong, will. It's the story of my life. I'm not sure what I did in a past life to deserve this, but whatever it is, it must have been terrible." Arizona finally looked at Teddy, her head tilted to one side.

"You don't deserve this," Arizona said, and then went on. "If she even thinks about coming over here she better be ready to deal with hurricane Arizona." she hissed under her breath, but not low enough to keep Teddy from hearing. She smiled at how protective her friend was being.

"Zo, it's okay." She said, putting a comforting hand on Arizona's arm. "I'm a big girl. Yeah it hurts, but I've moved on, and I have the scars to prove it. She needs closure, and I guess I'm willing to give it to her if it means I never have to see her again." Arizona just looked at her, trying to figure out where this sudden blast of kindness for Addison came from. Anticipating her next question, Teddy went on.

"I talked to Max, and I realized that I'm not going to let Addison hold the power over me anymore." Arizona pulled her into an unexpected hug, that she quickly returned. They were able to read each other better than anyone that Teddy had ever met, and she was more than thankful to have a friend like Arizona on her side.

"You go girl. Do you want me to come with you? I'll be your wing man?" She asked, taking care not to put too much space between them, giving off a protective air just to make sure Addison got the message about messing with her friend.

"As much as I'd love to say yes, this is something that I need to do on my own..." Arizona just nodded in understanding. Teddy needed this as much as Addison did, but for different reasons.

"I'll be here if you need me." And without another word, Teddy took off down the hallway toward Addison, and what she was sure would be the hardest conversation of her life.

She stopped a few feet in front of Addison, but didn't say anything. She wasn't going to be the one to start this conversation, and if it meant standing there, staring down the woman that had broken her heart, then that's what she was going to do. She wanted Addison to know that she didn't hold the power over her anymore.

"Can we talk?" Addison asked, her voice almost a whisper. Teddy had never seen her look so small and vulnerable. She cut her thoughts off there. If she let herself feel, and care she'd end up on the same slippery slope she had just escaped from. She just nodded, not trusting her voice, and not wanting to show any weakness. The less she said, the faster the whole thing could be over, and she could get back to being okay again. If she ever actually was okay, she found herself thinking. The proximity to Addison was already playing tricks on her mind, and she had to fight to keep her head above the water. She couldn't fall for Addison again.

Addison took off toward the nearest empty conference room, and Teddy fell in step just behind her. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she was happy, and that things were going to be okay. Maybe if she said it enough times, she'd actually start to believe it. Addison collapsed into one of the chairs, while Teddy closed the door behind them, and pulled the blinds closed. She didn't want anyone to get the free show that they had been expecting. Although she knew in her heart that nothing in this hospital stayed personal, she had to at least try.

"What do you want, Addison?" She asked, positioning herself behind one of the chairs, but not sitting. Everything about her body language was defensive, from the way that she stood with her arms crossed, to the way that she had placed a table and a chair between them. She needed to convey that she was more confident than she actually was. Because in reality, just being in the same room as Addison was becoming more than she could handle. She had never gotten over her feelings for the woman, not really. They had just been buried, deep beneath the rage and the hurt that she felt.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry..." She managed to say, suddenly finding her hands extremely interesting. Teddy snapped.

"You're sorry?Where the hell was this apology months ago when you kissed me, let me think that we could have something, and then disappeared without a trace? You were my best friend Addison, and yet you left your friends to pick up the pieces of what you broke. So, no, sorry doesn't even begin to cover it." Teddy fumed. She hadn't meant to reveal all that to her, but something inside of her snapped, and her hurt took over.

"Teddy, I..." She trailed off, unsure of how to put into words what she was feeling. She had expected Teddy to be upset with her, but she hadn't expected this level of anger. She didn't know how to respond.

"You what, Addison? You have an explanation for why I haven't heard from you in months? For why you disappeared that night, never to be seen again? Even a simple letter telling me that you didn't care about me the way I care about you would have been better than nothing, Addison." Teddy's voice broke at the last words, letting herself feel real hurt for the first time since the night Addison had left.

"But I tried!" She pleaded. "I tried so many times to write you a letter, to tell you that I love you, but you deserved better than anything that I could give to you! If I had stayed, I would have been poison to you, Teddy. You deserve better than that, and it looks like you found it..." Addison dropped her eyes again.

"Who are you to tell me what I deserve? How about what I want? How about how I feel? Did you think about any of that before you ran away? No, you didn't. So you're right," She snapped. "I do deserve better. I deserve someone who is going to consider how I feel before making a decision that affects both of us." Addison's resolve broke at her words. Teddy was right, she had only been thinking about herself, and now it was too late.

"I'm sorry..." She tried again, and when Teddy didn't cut her off she continued. "I was so scared. I had never felt so strongly for anyone before, and I didn't know what to do. So I did the only thing I could do... I ran. But I realized that I can't live without you Teddy. You've become a part of me, and the entire time that I spent in LA, you were all I thought about. I saw you in everything, and I realized that I couldn't fight it anymore. I love you, Teddy." She finished, and the tears were pouring from her eyes. Teddy wanted to wrap her up in her arms, and tell her that everything was going to be alright. But she knew in her heart that she couldn't. She had broken them beyond repair, and as much as she still loved Addison, she wasn't willing to let her shatter her heart again.

"I'm not going to tell you it's okay, because it's not. You didn't even think about how this was going to affect me when you did it. This wasn't just your decision. I loved you, Addison, and I'm always going to love you. But it's too late to fix it now. You broke us beyond repair, and there's no going back from that. The best that we can hope for is to move on, and let the past be the past. I'm happy now, with someone that loves me, and isn't afraid to be with me. She's not you, and she never will be you, but I care a lot about her, and I know that my heart is safe with her. I hope that one day you can move on from this, because I want you to be happy, too. I hope that you have a nice life, Addison." With that, Teddy turned and walked out of the conference room, trying to get away from Addison as fast as she possibly could. She knew that if she had stayed a minute longer, she would have fallen back into Addison's arms, and she couldn't let that happen. She needed Addison to believe that she was strong, and happy and that she had moved on, even if she hadn't.

Max was safe, and kind, and loving, but she would never be Addison. She knew in her heart that she shouldn't be using Max, but she also knew that she didn't have any other choice. She cared about Max, and maybe one day, she could grow to love her. But her greatest downfall was that she would never be Addison. Teddy couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was about Addison, but there was something. Something that drew them together, and told Teddy in her heart that they were meant to be together, even on the darkest of days. She shook the thought from her head. That didn't matter now. She had closed that door with Addison, and she was free to move on with her life. Even if she wasn't sure that she wanted to.