Author's Note:

Thanks for the sweet feedback on this short work :).

The beginning of this is the transcript from GA-S3-E4, feel free to scroll past the italics if you've already memorized this scene by heart.

Cheers!

bobbiejelly


From the Window To The Wall 3


"Addison! Doctor Montgomery-Shepherd!" Meredith called out from her hospital bed.

Addison closed her eyes and took a deep breath before entering the room.

"You bellowed Doctor Grey.." she said in an annoyed tone.

"Hi," Meredith said

"You certainly are, aren't you.." Addison responded, gesturing to the nurse for Meredith's chart; she flipped through the pages.

"But you're not pregnant," she concluded

"No." she paused before asking Addison what she really called her in the room for. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." she paused a beat "How are you?"

"I'm trying to choose between two men." Meredith started before Addison cut her off.

"Well, okay, good luck with that." she huffed out as she walked towards the door.

Meredith's voice stopped her as she reached the door jam.

"How did you know Derek was the one?"

Addison spun back around on her high heels.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you hate me and all, and you don't owe me anything… nothing.. no thing.. what was I saying?"

Addison rolled her eyes.

"Derek."

"Oh right," Meredith said, pausing. "I would know if he was the one right? I mean you knew, right?"

"I didn't know.." Addison fumbled for her words "Derek's the kind of guy.. I just knew he wouldn't hurt me. Not on purpose anyway. Not the way I hurt him."

"He hurt me, you know when he chose you."

Meredith looked down at her hands until Addison started speaking.

"I should have let him go, I should have stepped aside, been a better person… I should have done a lot of things."

"Me too." Meredith agrees "A lot of things."

"I don't hate you."

"How come we've never talked like this before?" Meredith asked.

"The only reason we're talking like this now is because I know you won't remember any of it when the drugs wear off."


"They're pretty good drugs, gotta say," Meredith smiles at the redhead in front of her.

"I bet," Addison laughs, grinning at her endearingly.

"You know, you look super hot right now," Meredith says to her, uninhibited.

"Good to know you're having a good 'trip,' on morphine," Addison giggles.

"No, it's not only that. You're smokin' all of the time, but the morphine just makes it impossible to ignore," Meredith explains to her.

"Meredith-" Addison sighs, as she shakes her head, trying to dissuade the blonde from saying something she might deeply regret once she's sober.

"And you operate on two people at once. That's like, rockstar quality. Plus your tits are nice," Meredith rambles.

"My- never mind, maybe we might want to revisit this conversation later," Addison says awkwardly.

"Seriously. You gotta credit McDreamy and McSteamy here. They know how to pick 'em," Meredith grins.

"Still into those nicknames huh," Addison says lightly changing the subject.

"Yeah. Y'wanna know yours?" Meredith says to her.

"No. Yes? No. Okay, now I'm curious. No wait, don't tell me-" Addison fumbles.

"You're McHot. I think it was Alex. He said it. George agreed. I agreed also. But not out loud. Until now. But actually yeah because I think I was talking about that to McSteamy while he was being all trying to McSteaming into my life but all I wanted to talk about was you and your Ms. McDreamy hair," Meredith continues.

"Oh- wow. Okay, well um, thanks, Grey," Addison says as she moves to head out of the room.

"Wait no, don't go. I didn't mean to objectify you like that too much. I don't like you for only your body y'know. You have very nice brains also," Meredith smiles.

"It's okay, Grey. I understand," Addison pats her head as if to say 'there there,' to her.

"Wanna come sit? There's a lot of space here," Meredith offers.

"Ah, I don't know, Meredith. That might not be such a great idea," Addison hesitates.

"Come on, please? I'm having an appendectomy and George is gonna be there and I might die today," Meredith says all dramatically.

"I'm sure Dr. Bailey will see to it that you survive," Addison smiles at Meredith, and pats down her hair again.

"Alright, but I'm in pain even with all these drugs. C'mon, you know you want to," Meredith shifts so Addison can join her.

"Alright, but just for a little while," says Addison as she sits on the edge of the bed.

"Closer," Meredith whines adorably.

"Meredith-"

"Come on, I'm not gonna bite you. Unless you want me to, right?" Meredith bursts out laughing.

"No!" Addison jerks away too quickly, blushing at the thought of Meredith biting her, and trying to hide it.

"Hey, I said I wouldn't," Meredith tugs on the end of the sleeve of Addison's white coat until Addison gives in to her, and takes off her high heels and puts her feet up.

"How do you walk in those things anyway?" Meredith asks her, pointing to her tall shoes.

"Well, first of all, I'm not high," Addison laughs.

"Right-" Meredith smiles.

"And some things get easier with practice," Addison smiles again.

"That makes sense," Meredith nods, as she pulls Addison closer.

"Are you going to fall asleep on me?" Addison asks Meredith as she pats her hair again. She can't help it, she just loves caressing Meredith's hair.

"Yeah, if you keep doing that. Feels nice," Meredith sighs contentedly.

"Alright, sorry if my pager wakes you up," Addison says as she relaxes and sits and tucks her head in next to her.

A few hours later, Addison does get a page, and she closes the door behind her as she lets herself out.

"Hey, were you talking to Meredith?" Derek asks her.

"Yeah," Addison says, shaking her head a little at the absurdity of it.

"Okay," Derek just says, nodding at her.

"Derek-" Addison catches him before he heads off again. "Just… Don't hurt her… Again…" Addison says weakly before she heads off again.

"I won't…" Derek promises, but he catches Addison before she walks away. "Addison… Don't hurt her either?" he says to her, his voice just a little bit hollow.

"I wouldn't," Addison promises.

"I know," Derek says to her, sighing as he reaches out to hold her hand, perhaps by habit, perhaps unconsciously out of sheer emotion before he stops himself.

"Why are you saying this to me, all of a sudden?" Addison inquires gently.

"I was a coward with you. I didn't decide soon enough. And I'm sorry. And I want you to have the space to grow from my mistakes," Derek offers.

"We both made mistakes. I should have stepped aside earlier," Addison offers back.

"I'll step aside for you. If you want Meredith. It's the least I could do for you at this point," Derek smiles.

"That is… Unbelievably sweet," Addison says to him, appalled at his perceptiveness.

"Finn though, you might have to fight him off with all his animal-saving power," Derek smiles.

"Yeah, how could I possibly beat that?" Addison chuckles.

"You'll find a way. You're Addison," Dereks smiles. "You're easy to love. Trust me, I would know," Derek smiles.

"Thanks, Derek," Addison says. "And… Thanks," Addison says to him again.

"I gotta go, Mark needs me for surgery. But give her my best, will you?" Derek asks her.

"I will," Addison promises, and she really, truly means it.


***** FIN


Author's Note:

Transcript excerpt from "I'll Feel Better When The Headaches Go Away" By StephyInsanity on Ao3.

Thank you!