Characters;
Addison/Derek
Date; 3/7/06
Chapter; 1
A/N;
I don't own any of the characters, because Shonda stole them from me.
):
"Please, Addi—"
"Don't walk out that
door—"
"If I don't, someone may die—"
"If you
walk out that door, our marriage will die." The loving
couple, other wise known as the Shepherds, rallied with each other,
like so many times in the past. However, there was something unusual
about this particular argument—perhaps it was that newfound level
of bitterness that was suddenly jolted into the game.
Their eyes
locked, Addison sending an unbelievable amount of power through hers,
Derek attempting to do the same. It was a strange moment, as the
couple let their eyes battle, Derek finally giving in.
"Don't
do this to me, not right now, Addison. I'm not having this
conversation with you right now." Derek said firmly, his eyes
finally diverting toward the door in weariness, where his hand was
still placed.
"So when are we going to have this conversation!
I mean, you're always either, too busy, too tired, or you just
plain, don't want to talk!" Addison spat, her voice implying
incredulity. Her eye, once striking a powerful gleam, was now
glittering with tears and a resounding melancholy. Apparently, the
gloomy in her eyes attracted his sympathy, as his hand left the door
and his eyes fell back to Addison. He was weary of the yelling and
fighting, yet there seemed to be no way to stop it.
"Fine,"
he let out a sigh, "tonight, when I get back from work, then."
Derek finished, and while his eyes seemed to hold truth, Addison
still sensed fallacy. Why was it, that she was the only one who
wanted to try? She let a brief passing of silence, before she looked
away, signaling defeat. Her eyes looked to the door, Derek being the
last thing she wanted to see.
"Addison…" She let her feet
carry her to the door, flinching when Derek extended a hand of
comfort.
"Don't." Her hands rose for defense, and as he
retreated, she swept by and was out on her way.
-----
"What kind of person am I? It's not even that I cheated on him. It's that I pretended to love him. What kind of person does that? Letting someone they care about live under a complete lie?"
Addison listened to the old woman in the bed, who was slowly slipping away at a game called life. Crystal tears rolled down her leathery cheek, letting her words linger in the air, unsettling for Addison. With another breath, the woman had fallen to death's hand, oblivious to the effect her last words had on Addison.
"..."
An old man who was beginning to bald tucked his face under his hand,
trying not to cry. If Addison hadn't been walking down the hall, she
would never had caught that dying woman, and she wouldn't have had to
relay such a depressing message.
"She loved my
brother," the man said suddenly, "after 30 years, she tells
me this. I'm not mad at my brother, no. I'm mad at her for lying to
me. Do you have any idea what it is like to live under a lie? No...of
course you wouldn't." He walked away, hands fumbling with
tissues, mumbling under his breath with eyes wide with shock and
pain.
------
"What kind of person does
that?"
I don't know.
Addison sat in the corner of the dark room, pondering on that thought, a cup of idle tea sitting in front of her. She was distracted--by those two bands that symbolized a promise Derek had made to her, and one that she herself, had given. People say that, when you find yourself colliding with the floor, there'll be that person that'll help you up. Had she really messed up that there was no one that cared anymore?
-----
Long day, Derek mused, taking slow steps back to his closet of an office. What time was it now? 9? 10? His mind traveled over to the thought of Addison, his lips turning to a slight frown. This afternoon wasn't so swell, and the thought of having to "talk" dampered his already sloth-like mood. Derek knew she had gotten out about an hour ago, and was probably up waiting at home, also probably brooding over it, too.
Quickly, Derek rid his thoughts of Addison, only wanting the comfort of his bed right now. He was too tired, and if he ignored her, she'd probably go away. Worked all the time. With little strength, Derek popped open the door, to see Addison sitting idly in one of his chairs. Surprised as he was, he only glanced at her, trying to hide his insides cringing at the thought of having to talk to her. Put on a smile.
He walked behind his small desk, organizing an already neat stack of papers. Addison was distressed, although she had hidden most of it from her husband--not that he had given her more than a second of recognition.
"More
of your stuff came in?" He asked casually, gesturing to the bags
next to her. To her amazement, Derek had noticed. And to think that
he hadn't noticed at all.
"Actually, they want me back in
New York, to work on a case." She responded standing up from her
chair, receiving another half-second of acknowledgment from her
husband.
"Oh? When are you going to be back?" Papers
ruffled around, as he packed them into his briefcase in a non-chalant
manner. Same as it always was. He didn't even need to think about
asking her--it was a reflex, really. After so many years of being
married, things like these just seemed to catch on.
She knew it was coming, and so she took a deep breath before responding, "...I'm not," and continued to hold her breath. Derek's head sprang from the table to look at her with surprise and perplexity, finally granting Addison the full attention she had been thriving for.
"What?" It really was a reflex. Unblinking, he stared, completely paralyzed in shock.
