He hates her.
He hates that she cheated and that she stayed in Seattle despite his obvious disagreement. He hates that the few sensible people in the hospital are on her side. He hates that she walks out and about like she owns the whole state, even when he was the first one between the two of them who moved to Seattle.
He hates himself because he still cares for her.
He rushed to the ER, eyes fleeting around the room to find her bright hair.
Derek spotted Bailey moving the curtains to cover a gurney with a patient most likely.
When their eyes connected, he immediately knew it was Addison inside.
They met halfway—him in a rush to reach Addison immediately and her, in a rush to probably stop him.
"Okay, calm down, Shepherd," Bailey said, holding up a hand and blocking his attempts to sidestep her.
For someone so small...
"How's she—what happened? Bailey?"
"It was a minor accident. She's fine. A few sprains and bruises, and Dr. Torres is there attending to her injuries. She's… well, she's a little out of it due to shock and the painkillers… so just be gentle, alright?"
Her accusing eyes told him everything he needed to know—his wife had shared with Bailey a bit of their problems.
But that's not important right now.
"What happened?" He asked again, though he knows he would be asking Addison this one more time.
"EMTs said a minor collision on the highway. Addison got the worst injuries, but still not grave enough for an overnight stay. You know what? Just go there already. See for yourself."
Derek swept the curtains, and the scene that welcomed him wasn't really what he was expecting.
Addison was giggling as Torres wrapped her right elbow with bandage. The orthopedic surgeon looked slightly uncomfortable, a forced smile permanently on her face.
Addison's left ankle was wrapped in bandage too, and her arms and forehead had developing bruises.
Yet she looked perfectly fine, smiling. Her eyes were half closed and if his weren't tricking him, his wife was certainly flirting with Dr. Torres.
That's what Addison becomes when she's loopy with painkillers.
A flirt.
When he met Torres's gaze, he knew he was right.
"She called Bailey a firecracker." It took all of him not to burst out laughing.
Loopy Addison had the potential to be a professional comedian.
"Damn right, a firecracker… I think my ribs hurt too, Dr. Callie-ente… maybe you should take a look?" Her words were a little slurred. Derek closed the curtains immediately and sent an apologetic smile to Torres.
"Uh." Torres let out an awkward laugh. "No, I—uh, Addison, I checked already, remember? They're perfectly fine." She continued to wrap the bandage, hands briefly stopping Addison from lifting her shirt.
"But… I wanna you see." The redhead pouted and heavily sighed, eyes fixated at what Torres was working at.
He had never seen Addison this banged up before, and despite her being generally okay, he can't help the fear still lingering in his bones.
"Addison," Derek said, half soft and half stern. She immediately looked at him and his heart clenched when he saw how her eyes visibly lightened up.
"My husband! 's here, aw." He saw how much love and adoration was in her eyes, and how she's looking at him as if he hung the moon and stars.
Guilt overwhelmed him as his walks with Meredith flashed through his mind.
Never again…
"All done! I'll... give you two some space." Torres went to clean up a bit, obviously in a hurry to avoid more of Addison's… tricks.
They both watched Torres stumble over a few metals, obviously flushing when Addison offhandedly said, "careful, babe."
"Callie! Isn't my husband so dreamy? Ugh," Addison said before Dr. Torres could fully rush out of their sight.
The doctor in question stopped for a moment. The black-haired doctor looked at him, disbelief in her eyes, before she turned to the redhead.
"Sure." The surroundings freezed for a moment when she said that. Torres finally walked out successfully, leaving him and Addison alone.
"So dreamy. McDreamy," Addison muttered, examining the bandages on her body. That, or she just can't lift her head's weight anymore.
"What did you say to Torres when I wasn't here, huh?" He asked teasingly, as he walked closer to her.
She gave him an adorable grin, and the bruises in her face made him uncomfortable, and they made him forget his hatred towards her.
"She's hot—Callie-ente." He raised an eyebrow at his wife, removing a few stray hairs away from her face.
"You said that?" He asked lightheartedly, earning him an uncontrolled nod.
They were silent for a while, him basking in her generally fine state. And her, probably riding along with drugs making her incoherent.
"I'm sorry, Derek." She sighed, resting her head on his nearest arm.
"What?"
"I'm sorry I cheated." Her tone was childish, as if she was just apologizing for something as simple as spilling water on the dinner table. He unintentionally gripped her tighter, caught off-guard with the sudden pain that pierced through his heart.
Betrayal… something seemingly so impossible to forget.
"Addison…"
"Nooooooo. You're not forgiving me!" She whined. All he could do was sigh, caressing her arms. Despite his anger, he could not let go.
Not when he thought the whole ride to the hospital, he wouldn't be able to hold her anymore.
"You know it's not that simple," He said softly, not wanting to pick a fight, yet desperate to stand his ground even in the worst of times.
"I know." She sniffed so he pulled back to check if she was really crying. A few tears escaped her eyes so he wiped them.
The fear of not seeing her again after Richard called about the accident, woke him up.
He will sincerely try this time.
"I'm really, really, really, really sorry, Derek. You have to know that." She looked at him earnestly, her ever-changing eye color now slowly becoming as vibrant again to him as before, like when his feelings for her were so strong that he did not have a clue what to do with himself.
How could he forget these beautiful eyes?
"I do know that, honey," He said softly, smiling at her.
"Alright. So you forgive me now? 'Cause my chest always hurts… every single day, Derek." Her words were simple, yet her eyes translated the authenticity of her pain, he could barely breathe with how her hurt killed him too.
"How about… how about I promise to really try this time? No hold backs." He once again wiped the few tears that kept rolling down her cheeks.
She nodded. He leaned closer to kiss her on the lips, the most effective way to comfort her.
"I love you, Addison. So much. But forgiving, it will take some time. Is that alright with you? Can you handle that?" She nodded so fast, a soft smile painted on her lips.
"I love you too, McDreamy. So much… too." Her eyes were half closed.
"I thought you hated that name?" He chuckled, helping her get comfortable.
This was something he never thought he missed—Addison needing him, and him being there for her.
And it was definitely his fault.
"You're dreamy… but I don't want your head to go big," She mumbled, eyes finally closed.
"I wanna go home."
"We will. Soon."