Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
"Hi," says Addison nervously, as she approaches Mark and Derek.
"Hi?" says Derek.
"Hey," says Mark.
"So… I was wondering… If you wanted to have um… Sex tonight?" says Addison awkwardly.
"Sure-" says Mark.
"I meant Derek," Addison deadpans.
"Oh-" says Derek. "I guess," he shrugs. "Where are we going to have sex?" says Derek.
"Meredith suggested the couch?" says Addison.
"This is… Meredith's idea?" says Mark, curiously.
"Yeah umm…" says Addison. "She said we have each other, and I said I missed sex, so she suggested it…" Addison shrugs.
"So now you want to do it. When we haven't done it in ages. On a couch…" says Derek.
"Sure…" says Addison.
"I'll leave you two to do that," says Mark, pointing to the house.
"Okay…" says Derek, as he walks into the house, and Addison joins him.
Derek sits on the couch, and Addison sits next to him, and Derek looks at her.
And Addison just looks at him, as if she's forgotten what to do in this situation.
And maybe she has, because she's staring at her husband, trying to make herself want him, even if it's just for Meredith who thought it would be a good idea, but she's staring at this man who has been a part of her life for ages, who she loved, and now she doesn't feel the spark anymore.
Derek moves to touch her, but Addison takes his hands into her own, and stops him.
"I-" Addison quivers. "I can't…" she says. And then she bursts into tears. "I want to, I want to do this, but I can't…" says Addison.
"It's okay, it's okay if you're nervous. It's been a while, we can take it slow…" says Derek, now quite getting it.
"No, I can't now… And I don't think I can anymore. I loved you once, and I still love you, Derek, I really do…" says Addison, tears welling up in her eyes. "But just as a friend. You're my best friend Derek, and Mark's one of my best friends too. And I do love you, but just as friends. And I can't do this anymore. We're married, but we don't act like it. We don't talk like we used to, we don't make time for each other like we used to. And it's not fair for me to hold onto the idea of being married to you when I'm not really in it anymore…" says Addison.
"What does this mean?" says Derek.
"It means…" says Addison. "It means I think we should take a break… Actually, scratch that, we were already on a break. I want to break up," says Addison. "Like really break up. I know divorce is scary, but I think it's the only way-" says Addison.
"You're breaking up with me?" says Derek.
"Yeah," says Addison. "I'm breaking up with you."
"Can I ask why?" Derek asks you.
"I just told you," says Addison.
"No, really, why? Is it me? Is it Mark? What's really going on with you, Addison?" says Derek.
"I don't know, I'm just so confused… But I know that I can't stay married to you. I'm so sorry," says Addison.
"It's okay…" says Derek. "I don't want someone who doesn't want me, Addison," says Derek with his McDreamy eyes. "Whatever makes you happy."
"Thank you, Derek," says Addison, sobbing.
"Is there anything I can do for you? You seem upset," says Derek.
"Could you just… Hold me, for a while?" says Addison.
"Sure…" says Derek, as he tries to wrap his arms around Addison.
"Mm, no, not like that," says Addison, shifting.
"Oh, okay…" says Derek.
"Here, you move here, and I move here, and now you put your hands…" Addison tries to rearrange them the way she snuggles with Meredith, but Derek is tall and inflexible, and he doesn't curl up so well.
"Mm, your knees are hitting my thighs," says Derek.
"Oh-" says Addison, trying to change that.
"Now your elbow is hitting my rib," says Derek.
"Oops!" says Addison.
"And now your thumb is in my forearm," says Derek.
"Oh, alright-" says Addison, trying to move again.
They end up wiggling and falling off the couch in a heap, and Mark comes in to check on them when he hears a big 'thud.'
"Taking it slow, I see. Nice, I like it…" says Mark with a grin.
"We're not-" Addison starts to protest.
"I'm going to see if Meredith is up for some 'naked twister,' if you know what I mean, while you two get busy," says Mark.
"Wait, Derek-" says Derek.
"Oh, are you two finally going to ask me to have that threesome with me? Because I got to say, it's been over a decade, but if the moment is here, then-" Mark continues.
"NO!" says Addison.
"Alright then, guess I'm off to check on Dr. Grey," says Mark, as he shuffles himself up the stairs before anyone can stop him.
"Knock knock," says Mark, as he reaches Meredith's door.
"What are you here for?" says Meredith.
"I'm here to check on you, and possibly keep you company," says Mark.
"Fine," says Meredith. "But only because Cristina's having sex with Burke, and I don't wanna bother her," says Meredith, sniffling.
"How charitable of you," says Mark, as he pushes the door open.
He finds Meredith lying on her back, with Doc on her stomach, and Meredith's eyes all red.
"Did you come here to get away from the McMarried sex?" says Mark.
"Last time I checked, it was more like McFallingOffTheCouch," Mark shrugs at her.
"That makes me feel a bit better," Meredith sniffles. "Maybe that's awful of me, but picturing Addison with anyone else… It just makes me upset," says Meredith.
"So why did you suggest it?" says Mark.
"I just want her to be happy, I can't keep feeling like I'm stealing all her time and her energy. If she wants sex, she should have sex," says Meredith.
"But you wish it was you, with her," says Mark.
"Shut up, so do you," says Meredith.
"Actually no, if you can believe it," says Mark.
"Okay, now I'm really lost," says Meredith.
"I lied, okay? I'm not here to get Addison back…" says Mark. "I'm here for Derek."
"Of course you're here for Derek. He's your best friend, you want his friendship, I get that," says Meredith.
"No not that, I want Derek like, you know…" Mark gestures in a crude way, and it makes Meredith giggle.
"So your plan then?" says Meredith.
"My plan was to make Derek jealous when I was hitting on you and Addison," says Mark with a grin.
"And how's that working out for you?" says Meredith. "Hopefully better than my plan, because that doesn't seem to be happening," says Meredith.
"Well, it's a long game, but we'll see," says Mark. "And your plan might not pan out so bad," says Mark.
"We're awful. Trying to break up a marriage!" says Meredith.
"Hey, we're the dirty mistresses. What have we got to lose?" says Mark.
"We have WAY too much in common," says Meredith.
"We do!" says Mark.
"You're kinda like the boy version of me," says Meredith.
"A little bit. But I have better hair," says Mark.
"Never!" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc, who has so far been quiet.
"You think I have better hair, don't you," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"See?" says Meredith.
"Awe, come on. Of course, she's going to pick you," says Mark.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Looks like he knows what he's talking about," says Meredith.
"Anyway, good luck, Meredith. With lesbianism and all," says Mark.
"Good luck to you with the… Gay-ism?" says Meredith.
"Thanks," says Mark.
"And you know, if you ever want to go all-in on a four-by-four-" says Mark, before Meredith slaps him playfully.
"Had to try, right?" says Mark.
"You wouldn't be McSteamy if you didn't," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"What Doc?" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Oh, the door. Come in!" says Mark.
Meredith shoots him a look as if to say 'I'm supposed to say that part,' before the words stop, and she stares at the figure in front of her.
"Addison…" says Meredith, seeing the redhead with an equally tear-stained face.
"C-Can I come in?" says Addison, her voice shaking.
"Of course," says Meredith, patting Addison's side of the bed next to her.
"I'll leave you two to it," says Mark, on cue, as he pats Addison on the back on his way out.
"Are you okay?" says Meredith.
"No-" says Addison. "Are you?" she asks the blonde.
"No-" says Meredith.
Addison collapses onto the bed, and Meredith wraps her arms around her, and Doc crawls on top of both of them.
"It's okay, you can talk to me. Whatever's going on, you can talk to me," says Meredith, as she strokes Addison's hair out of her face.
"Okay…" says Addison, as she sniffles again.
"Rr…" says Doc, as he tries to comfort both of them.
"It'll be okay Doc, we'll be okay," says Meredith.
"Rr-" says Doc, sighing, as he lies down and closes his eyes. "Rrr…."
***** END OF CHAPTER 23