Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
Meredith and Addison giggle and eat lunch together until Addison gets a page from Derek.
"Must be the lawyers," says Addison.
"Yeah-" says Meredith. "Good luck."
"You too," says Addison, as she nods at both Meredith and the patient.
"So, we've reached the end of our divorce negotiations. Dr. Shepherd has chosen to purchase Dr. Montgomery's half of the Hampton's residence, Dr. Montgomery will be taking the New York Brownstone overlooking Central Park, Dr. Shepherd will be keeping his land in Seattle, and the rest of your shared assets, the stocks, bonds, etc. will be split down the middle. Now, are there any further questions before I give you the paperwork?" says the lawyer.
"No, I think that covers it," says Addison.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" says Derek.
"I'm sure, Derek," says Addison.
"Well alright then," says Derek.
The lawyer hands Derek and Addison each a copy of the divorce paperwork, and they sign them and switch, and within ten minutes, it's already over.
"Alright, congratulations, you are no longer married," says the lawyer before he takes his copy of the paperwork.
"We're divorced," says Derek.
"We are," says Addison.
"Our marriage is over," says Derek.
"It is," says Addison.
"It's a bit sad…" says Derek.
"I'm sorry Derek, I really am," says Addison.
"I know you are," says Derek.
"I didn't mean for it to end this way, but…" says Addison, sighing.
"Look I get it, you explained. I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want me, Addison," says Derek.
"Derek, I need to ask you something," says Addison.
"I thought not being married to me meant you didn't need to run things by me," Derek chuckles.
"It's about Meredith…" says Addison.
"And?" says Derek.
"It's about me and Meredith… I'd like to date her. And I don't want you to think it's because I'm throwing things in your face, or I'm being insensitive. I just really like her, and we've waited a while, and I still want us to be friends, and I just don't want to lose you completely," says Addison.
"You're a free woman, Addison. You can see whomever you like," says Derek.
"Are we still friends?" says Addison.
"We can be friends. It might take a while to get back to being best friends, but we can be friends," says Derek.
"Are you going to be okay?" says Addison. "For today I mean, are you going to be okay?" says Addison.
"I'll be okay," says Derek. "And I have Mark."
"You do have Mark, I'll get him for you," says Addison.
Derek nods, and Addison tries to find him.
"Derek's waiting for you," says Addison.
"Thanks, Red," says Mark.
"He kept your futon couch for you," says Addison.
"Thanks," says Mark. "Hey, do you know who has my bike?"
"I do, you can get it back sometime," says Addison, smiling.
"So, how long until you and Grey-" Mark makes a lewd gesture, and Addison play-slaps him.
"Come on, I'm single and horny, can you blame me?" says Mark.
"You've got to get yourself an outlet for that that does not include fantasizing about me and Meredith-" says Addison.
"You put it in my head, and now I can't get it out again-" says Mark.
"You were thinking about it before I said that," says Addison.
"So were you," says Mark.
"Yeah, but it's weird when you do it," says Addison.
"So, are you going to ask Grey out then, so that you and her can do the horizontal salsa?" says Mark.
"I think it's the horizontal mambo," says Addison.
"Doesn't change my question," says Mark.
"Go on now, Derek's waiting for you," says Addison, as she shoos him away so she can actually go check on Meredith.
"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd-" says Meredith, beaming as Addison appears at the door of the patient room where she is working.
"Actually it's just Montgomery now," Addison winks at her.
"You're divorced-" says Meredith, gasping.
"I'm divorced," Addison smiles.
"I know I shouldn't be so happy, but I'm happy-" says Meredith.
"I am too," Addison smiles.
"Come on! Are you gonna kiss her or what!?" says the patient.
Addison blushes, and Meredith blushes, and then she rolls her eyes gently, and whispers for the patient to stop rushing her.
"Come on, I might be dying! Can't you two kiss so I can die in peace!?" says the patient.
"You're having a routine chole," says Meredith.
"Still…" says the patient.
"I gotta go, I still have work, I'll see you later," says Addison, as she looks longingly at Meredith before walking away.
Meredith puts her hand to her chest and swoons before she resumes talking to the patient again.
"Come on, are you secretly planning a grand gesture or something?" says the patient.
"Oh no! I haven't even thought about a grand gesture!" says Meredith.
"Okay, so I have an idea…" says the patient.
Meanwhile,
The next person to run into Addison Montgomery (no longer Shepherd) is Callie.
"Guess who's no longer Addison Shepherd!" says Addison.
"Guess who might someday be Callie O'Malley!" says Callie.
"Oh wow, okay you go first-" says Addison.
"I think George is planning to propose. I saw a ring fall out of his backpack because I was looking for his lost pair of scrubs, and anyway, I'm terrified," says Callie.
"You could always say 'no,' you don't have to say yes if you're not ready," says Addison.
"Okay-" says Callie. "Now you go-"
"I got divorced," says Addison.
"Congratulations?" says Callie.
"That sounds about right," says Addison.
"So are you and Grey going to-" Callie wiggles her eyebrows at Addison.
"We're not just going to jump into bed together! You're just like Mark!" says Addison.
"Jeez, I was going to ask if you were going to go somewhere romantic but-" Callie shrugs.
"Oh-" says Addison. "I hadn't thought that far ahead," says Addison.
"Grey probably likes romance. You've got to plan for the romance," says Callie.
"Okay…?" says Addison.
"Okay, I have a plan…" says Callie.
Three hours later.
"Doc! Come here!" says Meredith, as she fumbles in the kitchen.
"Damnit, I don't know how to cook, I have no idea why I thought this would be a good idea-" says Meredith, as she tries to flip a quesadilla, and burns it.
"Rr…" says Doc.
"Do you want some?" says Meredith.
"Rrrrrrrrrr-" says Doc, as he runs away.
"Guess you're not hungry…" says Meredith, as she tries to put on another one.
Meanwhile,
"Here is your order, we take all major credit cards," says the person at the takeout counter.
Addison passes over her credit card, and comes home with chinese food.
"Rr…" says Doc.
"Shh- it's a surprise, don't tell Meredith-" says Addison.
"Rrrrrrrrrr-" says Doc, as he runs away.
Finally,
Meredith and Addison bump into each other as they're both sneaking around the house trying to plan something special for each other.
"I cooked for you-" says Meredith.
"I brought takeout for you-" says Addison.
"It's quesadillas," says Meredith.
"Meredith… I thought you didn't cook?" says Addison gently. "And I brought Chinese food…"
"I don't really cook, but I tried for you…" says Meredith. "And I umm- I kinda hate Chinese food…" says Meredith gently.
"Wow-" says Addison.
"This isn't working out, is it-" says Meredith.
"Divorced only a few hours, and I can't plan something you'll be amazed by," Addison sighs.
"Hey you're talking, you should see the state of the quesadillas," says Meredith.
"It was Callie's idea," says Addison. "I guess she doesn't know you don't like Chinese food."
"This was the patient's idea. I guess I downplayed the fact that I really can't cook," says Meredith.
"What a pair we are-" says Addison, laughing.
"We sure are-" says Meredith, joining her.
"Rrr!" says Doc.
"Hey!" says Addison.
"Doc!?" says Meredith.
"Rrr!" says Doc.
"Why don't we clean up the kitchen together, and we can leave the Chinese food for your roommates, and then go get something to eat?" suggests Addison.
"Addison Montgomery, are you asking me out on a date?" Meredith giggles.
"May I?" says Addison.
"Yes!" says Meredith, leaping into Addison's arms, and hugging her.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Oh come on, we're having a moment," says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, we'll clean up the kitchen, Addison just said that!" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, you can be happy for us. We're finally going out on a date!" says Meredith.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Do you want to come?" says Addison.
"I don't know if we can take him into a restaurant-" says Meredith.
"We could get takeout and bring him-" says Addison.
"We could-" says Meredith.
"Rr-" says Doc, as he leaps into Addison's lap, and then Meredith's lap, and then he scurries off again.
"I think he's congratulating us-" says Meredith.
"I think he doesn't want to come with us-" says Addison.
"Guess it's just us, huh," Meredith smiles.
"Yeah, how about that?" Addison smiles.
Addison helps Meredith clean up the kitchen and put away the rest of the quesadilla ingredients.
Meredith helps Addison put away the Chinese takeout with a note on it for her roommates to eat if they wanted dinner.
Then they pile into Meredith's car, and go for a drive.
Addison just drives around aimlessly for a while until Meredith decides that she could go for a burger, so they get burgers, and eat them on the grass, and Meredith decides that it's the best thing she's ever tasted.
"You haven't tried mine yet-" says Addison.
"It's the same thing-" says Meredith.
"Nope, I got mine with cheese-" says Addison.
"Fine, give me a bite then-" says Meredith, as she takes Addison's burger and takes a bit out of it. "Whoa, that is good-" says Meredith.
It's simple, and easy, and hardly anything's changed at all.
Except everything's changed, because now they're going on a date.
And they finally get to be together, exactly as they are.
"Take me home, Addison-" says Meredith, as she's lying on top of Addison's shoulder.
"Let's get you home-" says Addison, as she picks Meredith up, and carries her to the car.
Meredith giggles the entire time, and squeals and she throws out the burger wrapper when they get close to the trash can.
Addison deposits Meredith on the driver's seat, and she gets in the passenger seat, and they drive on back to the house again.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Yes, we're back," says Meredith.
"We went on a date!" says Addison.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Do you need to go for a walk before bed?" says Meredith.
"We already took her for a walk," says Derek, motioning to Mark.
"Thanks," says Addison.
"Hey, I know you got a divorce and all, but you and Mark can stay here as long as you want, I have no problem with it-" says Meredith.
"I've got no problem with it either," says Addison.
"Thanks," says Derek.
"Thanks," says Mark.
"Rr!" says Doc.
"Thanks for the Chinese food!" says Izzie, as Meredith and Addison come into the kitchen again.
"Yeah, thanks," says George, and Cristina, and Callie, and Alex, and Burke all agree.
"No problem," says Addison.
"Hey, no one thanked me for my quesadillas!?" says Meredith.
Addison pats her on the back sympathetically.
"Those were food?" says Cristina.
"Never mind," Meredith laughs. "Have a good night!"
"You have a good night," Cristina smirks at them.
"Thanks-" says Addison, too oblivious to react otherwise.
Meredith takes her by the hand, and leads Addison upstairs.
Doc follows them, wagging his tail as he begrudgingly climbs the stairs by himself this time.
"Alright, pay up!" says Cristina. "They're officially lesbians now."
"Come on, that was an eternity ago-" says Alex.
"No backing out now! I was so right!" says Cristina.
"Fine-" says George, and Izzie.
"I am so rich!" says Cristina.
"You're buying drinks next time-" says Burke, and they all laugh.
Meredith and Addison arrive at their bedroom, and they sit on the bed, and then everything's awkward again.
"I'm nervous-" says Meredith.
"Me too-" says Addison.
"I want to kiss you right now, can I kiss you?" says Meredith.
"Yes, you can kiss me-" says Addison. "I want to kiss you!"
"Okay," says Meredith.
"Okay," says Addison.
"Rrrrrrrrrrr!" says Doc, as he hops off the bed, and runs downstairs again.
"Oops! Bye Doc!" says Meredith.
"We'll catch you later!" says Addison.
Meredith leans in close, and wraps her arms around Addison, and Addison leans in close, and holds onto Meredith's waist.
They press their foreheads together, and tilt their heads, and look into each other's eyes one last time before pressing their lips together.
The kiss is soft, and sweet, and quick, and absolutely everything they'd been hoping it would be, and then some.
And then their second kiss happens, and their third kiss, and they just keep getting better and better.
"Okay, this is amazing, but if we keep making out like this, then I'm going to rip all your clothes off, and you're too classy for that-" says Meredith.
"Okay-" Addison pouts, and kisses Meredith one last time. "Guess it's time to get ready for bed then, huh?" says Addison.
"Yeah," says Meredith.
They get their pajamas on, and go to check on Doc, who they find is rocking by himself in Derek's hammock.
"Where's Derek?" says Addison.
"Rr-" says Doc.
They find Derek wrapped in Mark's arms on the couch, and they look so happy that they don't wake them.
"Come on Doc, we've got a big day tomorrow," says Meredith, as she lifts him up like she always does in the evenings, and tucks him in before she crawls into bed next to Addison.
"Goodnight, date," says Meredith.
"Goodnight, date," says Addison.
"Rrrrrrrrr!" says Doc, as he crawls in beside them, and Meredith and Addison laugh, and decide that they're finally happy with things exactly the way they ended up turning out.
***** END OF CHAPTER 36