Half Love

"That Thing You Do"

You,
Doin' that thing you do,
Breaking my heart into a million pieces,
Like you always do
And you,
Don't mean to be cruel,
You never even knew about the heartache,
I've been going through
Well I try and try to forget you girl,
But it's just so hard to do,
Every time you do that thing you do –
"That Thing You Do"
By The Wonders

July 20th, 2006

9:00 A.M.

"You're sure about this?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes."

Richard sighed. "We really could have used you here."

Ellie smiled. "I know. And I like it here, but New York feels more like home." Richard raised his eyebrows. "Okay, yes, I grew up here, but…"

"I was thinking more along the lines of Addison is here in Seattle." Ellie grimaced. "She seems to be taking this quite well."

Mark scoffed. "That's because Ellie hasn't told her."

Ellie glared. "Gee, thanks."

"You haven't told her?" Richard asked.

"No."

"Eliot…"

"I know! But she's going to freak out."

"Rightfully so." Richard said, sighing. "You should tell her soon."

"I know." Ellie said, cringing. "Are we finished?"

Richard nodded and laughed. "Yes." Ellie stood and she and Mark left. Ellie smacked him on the arm as soon as they were out of Richard's office.

"Ow." He snapped, rubbing his arm. "What?"

"You are such a tattle-tale." She snapped. "I can't believe you!"

"Well, you haven't told her. And you need to."

"I know." Ellie sighed. "It's just…"

"It's hard, baby, I know." Mark said, sighing. "She's your best friend, but it's also because she's your best friend that this really isn't going to be as hard as you think it's going to be."
Ellie nodded. "No, I know that." Ellie sighed. "Would you be okay with dinner tonight? The four of us?"

Mark nodded. "Absolutely. I'll talk to Derek." Ellie smiled. "It's going to be fine. She wants you to be happy, you know."

Ellie nodded. "Yes, oh wise one, I know." Mark made a face and kissed her on the forehead. "Call me later?"

"Of course." Mark headed down the hall, and just as he rounded the corner, Addison came up behind Ellie.

"How's it going?" She asked. Ellie jumped. "Whoops. Sorry."

"It's fine." Ellie turned around and gasped. "Where did you get those?"

Addison grinned and looked down at her feet. "Savvy sent them."

Ellie huffed a sigh. "Those are the newest Jimmy Choo's. Those are the suede and metallic leather…" Ellie crossed her arms over her chest. "They would go perfectly with my Dolce & Gabbana black eyelet skirt…"

"I know." Addison said, smiling. "Which is why…" Addison revealed an identical pair of shoes from behind her back. "Savvy also sent them in your size."

Ellie shrieked. "Oh my God!" Ellie took the shoes from Addison's hands with a grin on her face. "These are amazing." Addison nodded. "Thanks Addie. How much…?"

Addison shook her head. "They're on me."

"No." Ellie's stomach dropped. "No, Addie."

"Ellie let me buy you shoes. They're not that expensive…"

Ellie shook her head. "Absolutely not." Addison sighed. "No way."

"Fine. I'll find out how much they cost."

Ellie sighed. "Thank you." Ellie hung the shoes from her pointer and fore finger and smiled. "So. I was thinking that the four of us should do dinner tonight. You up to it?"

Addison shrugged. "Sure."

"Addie…" Ellie sighed. "Please don't be upset about the shoe thing. It's not…"

"It's okay." Addison said. "Dinner sounds good. Where at?"

Ellie laughed. "Uh…Mark and I didn't get that far."

Addison laughed. "Okay. Why don't the four of us just meet at our house at…eight?"

Ellie nodded. "Eight works."

Addison smiled. "Okay. We'll see you at eight." Addison headed down the hall, her heels clicking on the floor. Ellie felt horrible. Without Addison knowing about the move to New York, Ellie couldn't take anything from her. It didn't seem fair, or right. Ellie headed down the hall, wanting to slip the shoes on, but she decided to save them for that evening. After all, she might have to give them back.


11:00 A.M.

Ellie paced the on-call room, taking deep slow breaths. Now that she knew she was going to tell Addison, it was getting harder and harder to hide it.

"Dr. Grey?" George knocked on the on-call room and stuck his head inside. "Your surgery has been scheduled for 1:00."

Ellie nodded. "You don't have to call me Dr. Grey, George. I'm still Ellie."

George stepped in to the room and shut the door. "What's wrong?"

Ellie shrugged. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. You're hiding out." Ellie grimaced. "What is it?"

Ellie sighed. "I didn't sign the contract to be Seattle Grace's new Head of Neurosurgery."

"You didn't?"

Ellie shook her head. "No. I signed one that makes me Bellevue's new Co-Head of Neurosurgery."

George froze. "Wait, so…"

"So I'm moving to New York. Well, Mark and I are moving back." George nodded. "And Addison doesn't know yet."

"Oh." George sighed. "Ellie…"

"I know. I have to tell her. I get that. And we're going to dinner tonight, it's just…" Ellie sighed. "It's so hard to tell someone something that you know they won't want to hear."

George nodded. "I know."

Ellie looked at him. "Look, George, I'm really sorry for the way I treated you. I shouldn't have…"

"Ellie. You didn't treat me in a bad way. I fell for you, and that's all. And I thought you fell for me, but sometimes what is in one's head, and what is in one's heart are completely different things. I get that." George took a deep breath. "I want you to be happy, Ellie."

Ellie smiled. "I want you to be happy too, George."

George sat down on the bed. "How's AA going?"

Ellie took a deep breath. "Fine. Richard has stopped going with me. Now Mark's going."

George raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah. But I told him that I need to start going by myself." George nodded. "Especially once we get back to New York."

"Which is when?" George wrinkled his nose. "And why especially once we get to New York?"

Ellie shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like New York is us really starting over again, so I should probably go back to AA meetings alone." Ellie took a deep breath. "We're going to leave between Christmas and New Years. My contract starts the first of the year, so…"

George nodded. "So you'll be here for the baby."

Ellie wanted to correct him, but instead just nodded. "Yeah."

"Well that's good. She'll want you here for that."

Ellie scoffed. "I certainly hope so."

"You're her best friend. She's going to want you there."

Ellie sighed. "You're right." Ellie took a deep breath. "I should go. Thanks for…"

George nodded. "Anytime. I'm still your friend." Ellie smiled and left the on-call room, running directly in to Addison.

"Hey." Addison smiled. "Everything okay?"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah. I was just talking to George." George came out of the room and headed down the hall in the opposite direction.

"But everything's okay?"

Ellie smiled. "Uh-huh."

Addison nodded. "Okay. We're still on for tonight?"

"Yeah." Ellie grinned. "Absolutely."

"Great. I'll see you later." Addison walked away and rounded the corner, finding Derek standing at the counter. "Hey."

Derek smiled. "Well, hello." He kissed her softly, pulling her in to a hug. "How are you?"

"Good." Addison said, smiling.

"And the kids?"

Addison laughed. "They're fine. What time do you get off tonight?"

Derek looked up, as if searching for the answer. "Uh…seven, I think."

"You think?" Addison asked, running her fingers over his chest.

"No. I know." He said, smiling. "Why?"

"We're having dinner with Ellie and Mark. They're coming over at eight."

"I have to cook?" Derek asked, wrinkling his nose.

Addison laughed. "No. They're just meeting us at our place. Because they didn't know where they wanted to go."

Derek nodded. "Oh. Okay."

"I…" Addison looked down. "I think something is going on with Ellie."

"What are you talking about?"

Addison shrugged. "I don't know. I just think that something weird is going on."

"Did she say something, or…?"

Addison shook her head. "No. I just have this feeling…"

"Addie, don't worry." Derek smiled. "It's just dinner. There's more than likely nothing to worry about. Just focus on something else."

Addison frowned. "Like what?"

"Like growing those children of mine." Addison smiled and Derek placed a kiss on her forehead before heading down the hall to a patient. Addison couldn't help but wonder if there was something Ellie was hiding.


8:00 P.M.

"I'm going to throw up."

"You're not going to throw up." Mark said, gripping her hand. "You'll be fine."

"She's going to kill me. She's going to hate me."

"She's not…" Mark gripped Ellie by the shoulders. "She's your best friend. She loves you. She wants you to be happy."

"She wants me to be happy here, in Seattle." Ellie sighed. "I can't do this…"

"Yes, you can." Mark said, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. "Now come on." Mark threaded their fingers together and led her up the steps to Addison and Derek's front door. Mark knocked, squeezing Ellie's hand, and smiled when Derek came to the door.

"Hello." Derek said, pulling the door open. "How's it going?"

"Good." Mark said. He nudged Ellie and she squeaked.

"Fine." She managed, her voice cracking.

"Uh. Okay. We were thinking The Melting Pot. Does that sound okay?" Ellie and Mark both nodded and Derek grinned. "Great. Make yourselves at home. I'll get Addison." Derek headed up the stairs and Mark dropped Ellie's hand.

"They're going to know something is wrong if you don't cut it out."

"I'm sorry." She snapped. "I just…" Mark cut her off by connecting their lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and parted her lips with his tongue. "Wh…what…?" Ellie breathed once he finally pulled back.

"Think about that. It'll keep your mind off other things."

Ellie sighed. "Uh. Yeah it will." Ellie stood close to him, sliding one hand in his back pocket. "You've just ruined my concentration for all of dinner."

Mark grinned slyly. "Well, I do what I can." Derek and Addison came down the steps together, and Ellie smiled.

"Hey Add."

"Hi." Addison smiled. "You ready?" Ellie and Mark nodded and the foursome left. Marks tactic had worked temporarily, but it wasn't going to last long.


9:00 P.M.

Ellie's feet were tapping under the table. She had to tell them. She had to. She didn't want to, but she had to.

"I need to tell you guys something." Ellie said, breaking the silence at the table. "I…" Mark squeezed her hand.

"What is it, El?" Addison asked.

Ellie took a deep breath. "I had a meeting with Richard this morning. We were discussing my Head of Neurosurgery contract." Addison nodded and Ellie took a deep breath. "I didn't sign it."

Addison looked shocked. "What? Why not?"

"I thought you wanted to be Head of Neurosurgery." Derek said, confused.

"I do." Ellie sighed. "Just not in Seattle." Ellie took another deep breath, unable to make eye contact with Addison. "Jim Mitchell offered me more money for a Co-Head position, which means less work. Plus Mark wont have to restart his practice, which he says he doesn't care about, but I care about." Ellie sighed. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"So you lied to me." Ellie looked up at Addison, her eyes wide. "On the fourth, you told me that you'd told him no. You didn't."

Ellie shook her head. "No, I didn't. I told him maybe." Ellie sighed. "Addie I'm sorry."

Addison shook her head. "No you're not. You've been trying to get back to New York since you got here."

"I have not. I've told Jim no a dozen times. But I decided that New York would be better for me. With the exception of the two of you not being there, it feels like home." Addison stared. "Addie…"

"How could you?" Addison whispered.

"Add…"

"You could have at least warned me before you signed the contract."

Ellie sighed and shook her head. "Addison…"

"No. You know what? Enjoy New York." Addison stood. "It's a great city." Addison left and Derek waited until she was out of earshot.

"She's upset, but she'll be okay. Congratulations." Derek smiled and then left as well, dropping cash on the table.

"So…" Mark wasn't sure what to say, but when Ellie turned to him, tears in her eyes, he knew that staying at the restaurant wasn't an option. He paid the rest of the bill and they left, making it out front just as Addison and Derek drove away.

"I told you she would hate me." Ellie whispered, tears streaming down her face. "She's never going to talk to me…"

"Ellie, you're overreacting. She's upset. She'll get over it." Ellie shook her head and Mark helped her in to the car. When he got around to the other side, she was on the phone, tears still streaming down her face. "Ellie, who are you calling?"

Ellie shook her head. "I'm not calling anyone. I had a voicemail."

Mark nodded. "Okay."

Ellie leaned against the seat as they drove away from the restaurant.

"Hi, Eliot, it's Jim Mitchell. I just talked to Richard, and I need you out here for a week or so. We'll have you sign the contract, and then there are two surgeries scheduled that we're going to need your hands for. Richard said it was fine, so give me a call back, will you? Thanks."

Ellie sighed. "Jim wants me out in New York for a week."

Mark nodded. "Okay. Do you want me to come with you?"

Ellie shook her head. "You have that surgery scheduled next week."

Mark nodded. "Okay. When are you flying out?"

Ellie shrugged. "I don't know." Ellie dialed Jim's office number, hoping she wouldn't have to leave a message.

"Hello?"

"Jim, it's Eliot."

"Hi. Can you fly out tonight?"

Ellie sighed. "Yeah. That's fine."

"There's an eleven o'clock flight from SeaTac. Jason will pick you up from LaGuardia tomorrow."

"Okay. See you then." Ellie hung up the phone and sighed. "Eleven o'clock flight from SeaTac."

Mark nodded. "Okay. We'll get your stuff from the trailer and then I'll take you." Ellie nodded and leaned her head back, and they rode the rest of the way to the trailer in silence.


Addison stormed in to the house, a grim look on her face.

"Addie…" Derek followed closely, hoping to calm her down. "Honey…"

"How could she?" Addison asked, whipping around. "I can't believe she…"

"Addison, this is a great opportunity for her. And you heard her, New York is home with the exception of us being here in Seattle. She doesn't want to bail on us, but…"

"Then why is she?" Addison demanded, tears in her eyes.

"Addie, she's not bailing…"

"Yes she is." Addison said softly, the tears falling.

"Is that what you think?" Addison nodded. "Oh Addie…"

"I don't want to lose her, Derek. She's my best friend."

"I know, baby." Derek pulled Addison in to a hug and they sat down on the couch. "I know."


10:00 P.M.

Mark hugged Ellie and kissed the top of her forehead. "I wish I could come with you."

Ellie smiled. "Me too. But I'll be fine." She took a deep breath. "Will you…will you let me know how Addison is?"

Mark nodded. "Of course I will." Ellie wrapped her arms around Marks waist and then headed for security. "Ellie…" She turned around and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled and headed through the security check. Just as she made it through, her cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

Ellie smiled. "Derek, hi."

"Hey. Look, I wanted to really congratulate you. Being Head of Neuro…"

"Co-Head. Jason and I are sharing the position."

"Really?"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah. He thinks it would be easier for Jason and I because we're still technically residents."

"Oh. Well that's good. It's less work, but it'll still be a great job."

Ellie sighed. "Yeah."

"She's not mad."

"Is she okay?" Ellie asked, sitting down in her terminal.

"She's going to miss you, Eliot."

"I know. I'm going to miss her too." Ellie sighed. "I don't start until the first. Like, Mark and I are aren't moving to New York until the end of December. We'll be here for the twins, and for Christmas." Ellie sighed. "I just…I need her to understand. Moving to New York isn't about leaving her behind. I don't think she gets that."

"Give her some time. It's a little surprising."

"I know."

"Where are you?"

Ellie sighed. "SeaTac. I have to fly to New York for the week, to sign my contract with them, and there are a couple of surgeries they need me to assist on."

"Oh." Derek sighed. "Okay. Well…I'll have her give you a call, okay?"

"Thanks Derek."

"Yeah. Hey El…?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, kid. You know that, right?"

Ellie laughed. "Yeah, Derek. I love you too." Ellie hung up the phone and sighed. She certainly was going to miss them.


As Mark pulled out of the airport parking lot, he couldn't help but feel like Ellie was doing it again. She was regretting her decision because Addison didn't like it, and he didn't want her to do that. He wanted Ellie to want to be in New York, to want to be with him. And he was going to make sure that she wanted it.


Okay. Again, I know it ended a little weird again, but that's all I've got for right now. Review please! – Mel.