Hey guys! It's been a while, but I wrote this at 1 in the morning...I hope you like it!!! Oh, and give Lucky Bear a little extra love today...you might help me. I've got a swim meet AND two quizzes tomorrow, not to mention that I'm probably going to miss Grey's and will have to watch it the NEXT DAY!!!
Oh, and this is dedicated to Krystal and Lauren. :D
Disclaimer: Still don't own them, but I'm not complaining. :D
The Story of the Dove
"So…what's up, George?" asked Callie, taking a long drink.
"I'm on a case with a pessimistic religious guy," said George. "What about you?" Their voices were tired and not inquisitive at all.
"I'm…on the case with his brother," said Callie. "He's going to need surgery soon. I think yours has more priority though. How are Izzie and Meredith?"
"They're…good," said George. "Brianna's staying over tonight."
"What's up with Addison's niece?"
"Well, it's a long story…"
"George? I've had a long day and I'm not going anywhere."
"Okay, so I guess it started before you worked at Seattle Grace…in the summer…"
Addison drove back to the hotel, wondering just what explanation Brianna was going to give Derek for her staying with him, at his girlfriend's house of all places.
After she had parked and rode the elevator, she went to her door and almost stuck the card in before pausing and putting the card in her pocket. Instead she headed to Mark's door and knocked.
He opened the door. "Addison?" he asked, confused.
"Come here," she said. "I want to show you something."
She knew that he knew what was going on because he didn't ask her why, though he feigned the confusion look well. He turned, grabbed his key and followed her, closing the door behind him.
Addison opened the door to her room and set down her bag as he followed her wordlessly. She went to the Christmas tree and took the dove before turning around.
"I take it you weren't going for the random act of kindness award," she said, holding it out.
"You know me," said Mark, "I just can't think of anyone but myself."
"You set this up."
"Yes."
"And you…you kept the dove?"
"All these years," Mark nodded.
"Why?" she whispered, rolling the dove around in her fingers. It was a tiny miniature of a dove, snow white with tiny blue glittery eyes.
"Are you honestly asking me that question?"
For a minute, they both looked at the tree and all the decorations.
"Alright, Addison," said Mark, looking in the store window. "I have to admit that I'm really only hanging out with you this afternoon because Derek's out buying your Christmas present."
"Any chance that you'll tell me what it is?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
"Fine," said Addison. "I'll just pretend that I didn't know what was going on."
"What do you want for Christmas anyway?"
"I don't know."
"Everyone says that. Come on, I have to get you something."
"Okay," she said, still walking. She stopped when they were about five stores down. "Look at that." She pointed to a dove in the window.
"You can't be serious." They happened to be in front of a store selling Christmas figurines.
"It's symbolic," she argued.
"Fine," he said, walking into the store.
"You're not supposed to get it now!" she argued.
"Why not?"
"I'm standing right here."
"Fine," said Mark. He walked over and pushed her onto a bench. "Now you're not standing. You're sitting. And when I come out, you're going to pretend that you don't know what's going on."
Two days before Christmas, he gave her a wrapped box and grinned. "It's symbolic," he said.
She opened it to find a dove, already in flight.
"What's the symbol?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. Ask me in a few years."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"What's the symbol?" She turned around to face him.
"I picked the dove because it was flying free." He pushed her hair out of her face.
She leaned forward and kissed him. It was friendly, on the cheek. "Thank you. Really."
"You're welcome."
"Thanks for letting me stay with you, Derek," said Brianna.
"Well, I don't really know you that well, so it's fine," said Derek. "Are you sure you don't want me to go in with you?"
"I'll be fine. She's probably sleeping, but I'll let myself in. You had better tell them to bring those cookies to work. And the cakes, brownies, fudge, and banana bread."
"Will do," grinned Derek. "Since when do I turn down a cavity like that?"
"Health nut."
"Baking freak. You know, I'm scared. You and Izzie in the kitchen together? That's way too much."
"You're just jealous because I got to lick the spoon."
"Oh, but I got frosting anyway."
"Derek, throwing a cupcake at Meredith so you could lick the frosting off her mouth was something I hope I never see again."
Derek just laughed before calming down. "Alright. Let me make it up to you."
"You're going to let me watch your surgeries?"
"I'll even let you help out the patients and their kids. So you're not bored all day. Do you have work to do?"
"I have exams in a week…I'll study later. Besides, it's on the job training."
"Alright, just for today."
Brianna sprang toward him and hugged him. "Thanks!" Then she hopped out of the car. "Got to go, but thanks!"
Brianna didn't want to wake Addison, so she slipped into the room silently with the key card. Not quickly enough.
"Brianna? Is that you?" asked Callie, coming out in a shirt and a pair of pajama pants. "Were you out late? I was just going to get some breakfast."
"I was out all night at Meredith's," she offered as an explanation.
Callie got a little smirk on her face. "Well, that explains it," she said.
"Callie!" came a voice from within. "Close the door! I couldn't sleep all night! It's as bad as Meredith's!"
Brianna raised an eyebrow.
"You teenagers these days," she laughed. "No, we didn't do that. We watched cartoons all night."
Brianna nodded with a you-are-so-lying smile and went into the room, closing the door behind her.
George came up behind Callie wearing his jeans and a shirt. "You didn't tell her that Addison has a man in there?"
Callie smiled. "No."
"That's evil."
"No, the man is evil. Besides, Brianna's a smart girl. I don't think it'll be too bad."
George looked at Callie with a mischievous look.
"Good idea," said Callie, and she stuck a trash can in the door before going across the hall to listen to what was going to happen.
Brianna waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkened room. A few rays of light came through the window. What she saw made her freak out.
She was looking at Addison's bed, in which an extremely bare-shouldered Addison was sleeping next to an unidentifiable lump.
Here's the million dollar question: who's the lump?
Before she could figure out what to do, a sudden chirp almost made her scream. The lump moved. Wishing that she was anywhere but here, Brianna dropped to the floor – her first instinct, and rolled under the bed. She could see the couch from where she was…that would have been a better place to hide. Oh, well. Too late.
"What is that?" groaned Mark.
So it was him. This was going down as one of Brianna's most awkward moments. Straight to the top.
"Mmm..alarm…" murmured Addison, reaching over to turn it off. She turned over to Mark. "Good morning."
"Good morning," he answered, and Brianna could just imagine the smirk he must have on his face. She watched as Addison leaned over to kiss him.
"You taste good," he said sleepily, scooting closer to her.
Someone help me, thought Brianna. That is so gross.
"Likewise," she replied. "You really are a piece of man-candy."
"And you really are Satan," he said, kissing her again. "Or at least you were last night." Brianna didn't hear anything for a while. She was wondering if she would (God forbid) have to watch them do it yet AGAIN, when she was saved. By Addison.
There was a sudden rustle of blankets. "Brianna, Mark!"
Brianna shrank down. She couldn't have spotted her. Not from over here.
"What about her?" he asked, placing kisses down her neck.
"She's going to walk in at ANY SECOND," Addison said. "Get up!"
"Why?" whined Mark. "It doesn't matter. She's fourteen. She's not stupid."
"I'm fifteen," whispered Brianna from under the bed.
"She's fifteen," said Addison. "Stop doing that!"
Brianna winced. Ew.
There was a sudden thump next to her on the floor. Frightened, Brianna shimmied to the other side of the bed.
"Get out of bed, Mark! Get dressed! You need to be out of here before she comes!"
"Fine," he groaned, reaching under the bed Brianna was hiding under. "I think my pants are over here."
Brianna handed them to him.
"Thank you," he said, before doing a double take. Brianna waved at him.
"Who are you talking to?" asked Addison sleepily.
"AHHHHH!!!"
"WHAT?" exclaimed Addison, hopping out of bed and pulling the sheet around her. (Thank God, thought Brianna).
"There was this huge tarantula thing on my clothes!"
"Where?" asked Addison.
Brianna was silently mouthing "no" to Mark.
"Um, he went this way," he said, pointing away from the bed. Brianna mouthed "thank you" while Mark led Addison to the other side of the room. Slowly, she slid out from under the bed, with intentions of getting the heck out of the room. She crept army-style along the edge of the bed. Mark was looking over his shoulder at her. He nodded (wow he looked great without a shirt on) and pulled Addison in for a kiss.
Brianna sprinted to the door and let herself out. What she didn't know was that Callie and George's faces were pressed up against the sides.
"Ow!"
"Were you listening?" shrieked Brianna.
"Shut up, they'll hear you!" scolded George, getting up and rubbing his head. "Come on, let's go," he said to Callie.
"Let's bet on how long that takes to get around the hospital."
"I'm not telling," said George.
"I'm so not telling," said Callie.
"You want to give it 12 hours?"
"Eleven."
"Deal."
As they hurried away, Brianna knocked on the door.
Inside…
"You are something else," Addison said, pulling away. "Get dressed."
"You're so sexy when you're angry."
"I'm sexy all the time," said Addison, smiling at him briefly before throwing his shirt at him. "Go!"
There was a knock at the door.
"Great," said Addison. "Hide under the bed."
"Say what?"
"Go!" she said, shoving him underneath. She let go of the sheet (gaining a hoot from Mark...she kicked him) so she could grab a robe and put it on.
"Hey Addison!" said Brianna. "How'd it go?"
Addison thought for a minute. "Better than I thought."
"Good!" said Brianna, trying to stop her heart from beating so fast. This was so not a good situation.
"How was Meredith's?"
"Good!" said Brianna. "We baked and went all out."
"Well, I was going to get dressed, and then we can go," said Addison.
"I'll go down and get something to eat," said Brianna, hoping to get out as soon as possible.
"I'll meet you," said Addison. Brianna let herself out. Mark got out from under the bed.
"You are so complicated."
"Get out of my room," laughed Addison. "I'll see you at work."
"Alright," said Mark grudgingly, before kissing Addison.
"I hate you right now," she said, eyes narrowed.
"I can take it," he smiled, before leaving the room. But the problems weren't over.
"Hey, McSteamy!" hollered Callie, sitting on the other side of the hall with George. They were lying in siege, muffins in their mouths.
"Isn't your room that way?" asked George, pointing.
"Shut up," said Mark.
"Ah, the walk of shame!" hollered Callie behind him.
"That's it, keep walking!" yelled George.
Mark wondered. If Callie, George, and Brianna knew, who knew what else could happen today?
Questions? Comments? Assurance that I'm not insane? I'll take anything...Lucky Bear's in the corner!!! ;)
