Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
After Meredith's very impressive show and tell, the game goes pretty quickly.
Addison confesses to having seen absolutely every Star Wars movie ever made, claiming that it was because of her high school prom date, which George keenly pointed out didn't make sense because some of those movies came out long after Addison had finished high school.
"So I'm a nerd, get over it-" Addison says exasperatedly.
"I think it's sweet," Meredith giggles.
Derek sighs loudly, and Addison teases him because he also likes Star Wars, and refuses to ever admit it.
"Addison can quote the fourth movie!" says Derek.
"It's the first movie," says Addison.
"Whatever, she practically knows it by heart," says Derek.
"I'm proud of that-" says Addison, with a hair flick.
Meredith just thinks it's adorable.
The next time the turns come around to her, Meredith picks truth, and Derek asks her pointedly if she's ever dated a woman before.
Addison simply looks intrigued, and Meredith shrugs as she answers.
"Mostly," says Meredith. "Or, I thought I was, but she didn't think we were exclusive, so we had this very sad breakup in Amsterdam after backpacking for months together, and I was so upset about it, and…" Meredith rambles, and Addison pats her back supportively.
"So you've been with a woman before!?" says Derek.
"Yes," says Meredith.
"And you never told me!?" says Derek.
"I didn't ask you every person you've been with before, Derek," says Meredith.
"Was it good?" says Callie shyly.
"It was very good," Meredith giggles. "She was blonde, and wild, and totally reckless, but it was very fun at the time," says Meredith.
"Are you… Over her…?" Addison asks a bit tensely.
"I am," says Meredith, looking right into Addison's eyes as she says this. "I am."
"Well alrighty," says Mark. "Nice!"
"I totally saw this coming," says Alex.
"Hey, I came up with 'lesbians,' not you," says Cristina.
"Wait, did you ever have a thing for me? If you like blondes?" says Izzie.
"No, sorry," Meredith giggles. "Not that you're not hot and all, it just didn't happen," says Meredith.
"And she doesn't only like blondes," says Cristina with a big smile on her face.
"True," says Meredith, giggling again.
"What's your type?" says Burke, curiously.
"Hey, you don't get two questions," says Meredith, avoiding answering that.
"It was a follow-up," says George.
"It's two questions, and I already answered mine," says Meredith.
"Leave her alone," says Callie. "She did already answer."
"Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOO doctors, who's next!" says Cristina.
"Mm, you know, I was actually getting kind of sleepy," says Addison.
"Me too!" says Meredith.
"Why are you always excited when you say you're sleepy?" says Callie.
"I like umm… Sleep, that's exciting," says Meredith.
"She just wants to go to bed with Addison!" Cristina teases.
"Hey!" says Meredith.
"What, you don't?" Addison pouts.
"No, of course, I do," says Meredith, as she resists the temptation to kiss the adorable pout off of Addison's lips.
"Okay, well if you two are making faces like that at each other, why don't you get a room," says Mark.
"We weren't-" Addison protests while Mark keeps smirking at her.
"Do you need anything?" says Meredith before they head upstairs.
"No, we're good," says Burke, who is going to stay in the attic with Cristina this evening, while Alex stays in his room with Izzie, and George stays in his room with Callie, and Mark sleeps on the couch while Derek sleeps outside in the hammock.
"Okay, goodnight," says Addison.
"Night!" says everyone.
Meredith and Addison head upstairs to see how Doc's doing before they go to bed.
"Doc!" says Addison.
"..." says Doc.
"We know you're awake," says Meredith. "You're faking it!"
"..." says Doc.
"You can't pull that on me, I can see your tail wagging," says Addison.
Doc stops moving his tail, but it's too late, Meredith and Addison are already onto him.
"Come on, evening walk and then bed," says Meredith.
"Rr…" says Doc.
"Sleepy!? You've been napping this whole time," says Addison.
"Rr…" says Doc.
"It's late, so fine, we'll carry you," says Meredith.
"Rr," says Doc.
"You're so spoiled, you know that?" says Addison.
"Rr," says Doc.
"That's not a good thing Doc, everyone just loves you to pieces," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes we know you think you deserve it Doc," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, you sleep and eat and sit all day, you totally deserve it," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yeah, you're a good dog, aren't you Doc?" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"The best dog," Addison pets him.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, yes Doc," says Meredith. "As we said, we love you very much."
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, we love you," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Alright, let's get him outside for a while," says Meredith, as she picks him up.
Addison gets his leash as they head out for a walk, closing the door behind them.
"So did you enjoy the game?" says Meredith.
"Yeah-" says Addison.
"It was exciting," says Meredith.
"Yeah-" says Addison.
"You're a nerd," says Meredith.
"I am," says Addison. "And you have a very large um… Collection…" says Addison.
"I do," Meredith giggles.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Sorry Doc," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"We won't talk about… That… In front of you," says Addison.
'Rr!" says Doc.
"You're right, it's private," says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"He's right, we're still talking," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Alright, it's getting late, let's get you inside," says Meredith.
"Rr," says Doc.
"Yes, it's bedtime," says Addison.
"Rr…" says Doc.
"Yes, you're tired, come on," says Meredith.
This time Addison picks him up, and carries him up the stairs.
"Rr…" says Doc, yawning.
"Yes, we're tired too," says Addison.
She deposits him onto the bed, where Doc curls himself into the middle, and they get ready for bed, and lie down next to each other, and next to Doc.
They both pet Doc, which means their hands keep brushing each other until they're holding hands, and they stay like that until Doc falls asleep and starts snoring.
"Meredith-" says Addison, as she turns on her side, and peers into Meredith's eyes.
"Yes Addison," says Meredith.
"Were you really going to kiss me? When we were in the closet, were you going to kiss me?" says Addison softly.
"I was," says Meredith. "Were you going to kiss me back?" says Meredith.
"I was," Addison giggles.
"I really like you," says Meredith.
"Yeah?" says Addison.
"Yeah," says Meredith.
"Me too," says Addison. "I really like you too."
"Can we kiss now?" says Meredith pleadingly.
"Meredith…" says Addison. "I'm still married, I'm so sorry…" says Addison.
"But you were going to earlier-" says Meredith.
"Yeah but I was drunk and not thinking, and now I'm sobered up and my thoughts are racing and I think it's better if we wait, and we do this right," says Addison.
"Okay…" says Meredith.
"Okay," says Addison.
"You're waiting because you still like me though right?" says Meredith.
"Of course I do," says Addison. "I do want to kiss you now, I really do. We just have to wait a little bit longer," says Addison.
"Okay," says Meredith. "Goodnight, Addie," says Meredith, unable to resist calling Addison by a nickname.
"Night Mer," says Addison, smiling at Meredith's nickname for her.
Meredith curls up into Addison's chest as she always does, and Addison pulls her close while Doc is still squished in the middle of them.
And they fall asleep with the happy feeling that the person they really really like, likes them back.
***** END OF CHAPTER 33