Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
As it turns out, the patient is pregnant, but she also hit her head, so she needs a neuro exam, which of course means paging Derek.
"I'll page him," says Addison somewhat reluctantly.
Derek materializes a few moments later, not looking super pleased to be stuck on a case with both of his exes, but what choice did he have?
"What have we got?" says Derek.
"29-year-old female, pregnant, she hit her head," says Addison.
"Okay, I'll check to see her responses," says Derek.
"What happened?" says the patient.
"You were in an accident, you fell, and we're checking on you," says Addison reassuringly.
"Oh, and the baby?" says the patient.
"We'll check on the baby next," says Addison.
"Okay," says the patient.
"So far it looks good, but I'll check again in an hour," says Derek.
"Sounds good," says Addison.
"We'll do an ultrasound now," says Meredith. "The gel might feel a bit cold."
"Okay," says the patient. "My name is Pallas Gravel," by the way. "You can call me Pallas."
"Alright Pallas, let's take a look," says Addison. "Yes, it appears your baby is doing great," says Addison. "Is there anyone we can call for you?"
"Yes, my cousin," says Pallas. "Here's her number."
Meredith goes to call Pallas' cousin, while Addison completes her checkup. Pallas' cousin says she's on the way, so Meredith and Addison resume treating her superficial wounds in the meantime.
"Okay, distract me," says Pallas. "Tell me something funny," she requests.
"Funny?" says Meredith.
"Ooh, I know, do you have any embarrassing sex stories? That's how I got this injury. My boyfriend and I were… Anyway, I tried to push him against the wall in a sexy way but I missed, and that's how I hit my head," says Pallas.
"I see-" says Addison. "Well, I mean, one time my h- I mean, ex- and I tried to do it on the stairs and we fell down them," says Addison, winking at Meredith to let her know she's talking about Derek.
"Goodness!" says the patient.
"Yeah," says Addison.
"Well, one time, my ex and I got our feet temporarily stuck somewhere under the seat of a car," says Meredith.
"Hmm?" says Addison, raising her eyebrows at her.
"And then Bailey caught us…" says Meredith, blushing over the memory.
"Bailey caught you!?" says Addison.
"Not one of our… Finest moments…" says Meredith.
Addison can tell by the situation it's Derek.
She clenches her firsts at the thought of Meredith with Derek, and not because she's upset that Meredith slept with her husband…
"Thanks, this totally makes me feel better," says the patient, as she lets Addison preform an exam on her.
"Glad we can help," says Addison, as she shows Pallas her baby.
"The baby is so beautiful," says Pallas.
"Yeah," says Meredith.
There's a knock at the door, and Derek comes in again.
"Hello, I uh- just have to check you out again," he gestures.
"Sure," says the patient. "Hey, have you ever had any funny sex injuries?" says Pallas.
"Why?" says Derek.
"It makes me feel better, that's all," says Pallas.
"Oh, well one time, I fell down the stairs trying to have sex," says Derek.
"Really?" says Pallas.
"Yes-" says Derek, as his eyes subconsciously flick to Addison and back.
"And one time," says Derek. "I got my feet stuck under the dashboard," he adds. And this time, he flicks his eyes up to Meredith and back again.
"Really?" says Pallas.
"Yes, really. It was a wild time," says Derek, before he takes out his penlight. "Alright, it looks good, you can proceed," Derek gestures to Meredith and Addison.
"Thank you, Dr. Shepherd," says Addison politely.
"Yes, thank you, Dr. Shepherd-" says Meredith.
"Yeah-" says Derek, nodding before he leaves the room.
"Is he mad at me?" says Pallas.
"No!" says Meredith.
"He's mad at… Us…" says Addison.
"Why?" says Pallas.
"Well, you know that stairs story?" says Addison.
"And the car story?" says Meredith.
"Yeah?" says Pallas.
"Well umm… That was… Us…" says Addison.
"Yeah…" says Meredith.
"Oh. Oh! I see. So you three were having sex, and he got injured, and now he's pissed at you!" says Pallas.
"What!? No!" says Meredith. "I mean umm. No, I mean, Addison and I- we weren't, we haven't, we didn't, Ummm-" she fumbles.
"Derek and I, we did it, and then later Derek and Meredith, they did it, but we didn't umm… Do it… Yeah-" says Addison.
"So then why is he mad at you?" says Pallas.
"I just broke up with him," says Addison.
"Because you want to sleep with each other?" says Pallas.
"What!?" says Meredith.
"Why would you say that!?" says Addison.
"Oh come on, it's written all over your faces," says Pallas. "You look at each other and there's chemistry. I'm surprised I haven't gotten a shock from like, static electricity or something like that already," Pallas chuckles.
"Oh-" says Addison, blushing.
"Huh-" says Meredith, also blushing.
"Oh come on, am I wrong?" says Pallas, looking between them.
Just as Meredith and Addison open their mouths to answer Pallas, Dr. Bailey bursts into the room with Pallas' scans.
"Looks like you're free to go if Dr. Montgomery says you are," says Dr. Bailey. "You'll have to take this medication for the next four weeks, and lots of rest, and we'll give you some prenatal vitamins," she adds.
"Thank you-" says Addison, relieved.
"Thank you-" says the patient, acecpting the package that Bailey hands her.
"Good luck!" Pallas winks at Addison and Meredith before she leaves.
"Thanks-" Meredith says, as Pallas leaves the exam room.
"I can't believe that just happened," says Addison.
"I KNOW," says Meredith.
Before they can discuss the patient's comments any further, they get another page, and they rush towards it.
The rest of the day is busy, so Addison and Meredith don't see each other, not even for lunch, so Meredith eats lunch from the lunch box that Addison packed her.
"Our patient thought that Addison and I wanted to have sex this morning," Meredith huffs, as she sits down in the cafeteria.
"So?" says Cristina, as she crunches a carrot.
"So, it was totally inappropriate!" says Meredith.
"But she's not wrong," says Alex.
"It's none of her business!" says Meredith
"Why are you mad about this, exactly?" says George.
"Because she brought up the idea of Addison and I sleeping together, in front of Addison and I!" says Meredith.
"And therefore?" says Izzie.
"And therefore it's awkward, because I can't look her in the eye anymore!" says Meredith.
"So don't, just do it with your eyes closed," says Alex.
"Alex!" says Meredith.
"What?" says Alex.
"Ugh!" says Meredith, as she stomps away with her lunch box.
"When do I get my money?" says Cristina. "I bet months ago that they'd be lesbians together."
"They're not technically together yet," says George.
"Just about-" says Alex.
"Well, in all fairness, it has to be official," says Izzie.
"Official my ass. Those two are so gay for each other they're drooling rainbows," says Cristina, as she starts to steal George's carrots.
And then they all get paged again, and they scramble off to answer them.
Meredith is disappointed it's not a page from Addison, but then again, at least this will help her concentrate.
All morning all she's been thinking about is her and Addison, and Addison's attachment thing, and how they can definitely do better than stairs, and especially better than cars, for location's sake.
***** END OF CHAPTER 27