Disclaimer: Nothing has changed since my last update. I still don't own Grey's Anatomy.

A/N: I have rewritten this chapter, so you may or may not want to read it again. I just didn't think it worked, it was confusing and flowed funny. That will teach me to post while hungover.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIMES THE STORY JUMPS AROUND!

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October

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Derek

6:52pm

"And are you happy with the progress that you have made?" The therapist asked as he concluded his one-on-one appointment with Derek.

"Yes," that's a lie. "No." Derek sighed, conflicted, "Sometimes things seem to be getting better. We go to dinner and talk. Or we meet on the ferry coming to work and get coffee and it's like it was before. But when ever we try to talk about us we fight. We fight all the time, and sometimes I look at her and I feel so angry. I just can't control it. I don't want to look at her. I can't be in the same room as her. Sometimes I don't even want to be in the same city as her. "

"Why?"

You tell me, your the professional. "She cheated on me. I can't just accept that and move on. I can't forget that."

The therapist nodded thoughtfully, "We have touched on this subject before. You and Addison both agree that her infidelity was not the only problem you were having. Why is that the only part that you are fixated on?"

I don't know. Because she CHEATED! "Addison was my life. I thought that we shared everything. But she couldn't even tell me that she wasn't happy. Instead she went behind my back and slept with my best friend."

"Have you ever talked about why?"

"Why she cheated?" Derek stared at the doctor. "She's not ready to tell me, and I'm not ready to know."

7:07pm

"Are you busy?" Derek said into his phone as he sat in his car.

"No," Addison said hesitantly.

"I just left Dr. Khols. Can we meet somewhere? I just want to talk." And not fight.

"Of course." Addison paused, "Derek are you all right?"

"I don't know anymore Addy."

10:16pm

Derek had arrived at the bar he and Addison had decided on early. He needed to think. He swirled his bourbon around in his glass and gulped it down.

Instinctively he looked up.

Standing at the door was Addison. She hadn't seen him so he took the opportunity to watch her.

She looks different. He had never seen anyone who could change her appearance like she could. At the hospital doing paperwork or rounds she looked all business; pantsuits, a-line skirts and her hair perfectly done. In the operating room her scrubs were perfectly wrinkled, lived in, but not slept in like his always looked. And her hair. She never put too much effort into it when they had been together. She was a 'shower the night before person' and would touch up her hair in the morning, at least that was the plan. It never work out. That was mostly his fault though, his morning showers usually used most of the hot water, and when she put curlers in the night before they would be ripped out by morning. What was it about those damn curlers. He forced those memories from his mind, but it gave him a certain amount of satisfaction that since she arrived in Seattle her hair had been flawless.

He watched her shrug out of her black faux fur coat, I bought her that, 2 Christmas's ago, she was always saying how cold it was, she is always freezing, revealing a simple black wide neck black shirt and dark jeans. With her hair pulled back into a ponytail and still wet from the shower, she seem to have lost 10 years since she had left the hospital that morning. That's when he noticed it. She looks like Meredith. Not really, but the ponytail and the clothes clothes. She looks like she did 15 years ago when we first began dating. There's a resemblance.

Derek suddenly realized that she was standing at the bar watching him back. She looks like she is about to face a firing squad. She is just as scared of being hurt as I am.

He gave her a barely perceptible nod and she crossed the room to sit across from him.

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Meredith

8:34pm

Thank God this shift is over. It's been 2 weeks! You would think that people would have something better to talk about now. Meredith thought as she looked around her.

It's all their fault. It wouldn't be so bad if they would stop dragging me into this. Meredith groaned as she remember the not so subtle argument that she and at least 5 nurses had overheard in the elevator. Apparently the Shepherds therapy session the night before had centered on her. Meredith was conflicted over this, was she angry or elated.

I have to get out. Feel overwhelmed she slamming her locker shut and ran out the door.

8:40pm

She didn't make it far. In fact she had barely made it to the isolated bench outside the hospital.

I am going to scream. Don't scream Meredith, play it cool. Oh screw it. Gripping the edge of the bench and stamping her feet she let out a shrill scream.

"Hey! You found my screaming bench," a friendly voice greeted her.

"Your stalking me," she told the tall lanky nurse as he sat down beside her.

"Hey," he teased, "You ran to my bench."

Go away. Go away. Go away. "You don't own this bench."

"Don't I?"

"I don't see your name on it anywhere."

"Your not looking hard enough," he grinned tapping the seat beside him.

TYLER

"Fine," Meredith relented, "But that still doesn't mean you own it."

Tyler laughed.

"What are you doing here?" Meredith asked, Stop making small talk Meredith, just get up and leave. No tell him to leave, you were here first.

"I come out here to pick up girls."

"Be serious." Meredith laughed. I think I have forgotten how to laugh, that's actually really pathetic.

"I am." He grinned, "Naw. I just come out here at the end of the day sometimes, to think. It's a rough job ya know. You take care of these people the best you can but when we wheel them into that operating room and you guys take over, you don't know who is gonna make the cut, pardon the pun."

"Ya." That was deep, and I really can't handle deep right now. He's a nice guy though. And cute. Kinda like George.

"Yup."

Meredith and Tyler sat in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"I should get home," Meredith said finally. Home. To my tequila.

Tyler nodded, continuing to sit and reflect.

"Thanks." Meredith said turning around before leaving the secluded bench.

"For what?" Tyler asked.

For not trying to get more gossip out of me. "I'm not sure," Meredith replied laughing a bit.

"Then it was my pleasure." Tyler paused, "You know what you need?"

Derek. "Tequila?"

"Exactly. We are going out," Tyler grinned and got up to follow her, "I told you this was a good bench for picking up girls."

10:17pm

"You would think that by driving across town we could have avoided this." Tyler sighed as he and Meredith sat in a booth watching Derek walk in the door.

At least he is alone.

This is awkward..."So, I'm not usually the type of girl that spies on ex's but..."

"Don't worry about it, I have 5 sisters."

5? That explains a lot, actually. I was beginning to think that he might be gay.

"Then you understand."

"Yeah I understand," Tyler leaned back and got comfortable, "I understand that you are going to ignore me and watch him all night and that at least twice tonight I am going to have to stop you from going over there and making a fool of yourself.

Meredith chuckled. Suddenly something caught her eye.

Damnit. Addison. Meredith took took a gulp of her tequila. Why is she still over there. She must see him. Oh, she does see him. What, are they having a staring contest or something.

"Meredith? Earth the Meredith" Tyler vainly tried to get Meredith's attention, "And it begins," he muttered to himself.

11:20pm

"What did she just give him?" Meredith asked, straining her neck to see the box that was now sitting on the table between Derek and Addison.

"I can't tell."

"Well go find out," Meredith ordered pushing him out of the booth.

"Your lucky I am very svelte."

Svelte? Meredith rolled her eyes, who does he think he is? James Bond.

"So?" Meredith asked as Tyler rejoined her back in the booth.

"Disney cufflinks."

"What?"

"You heard me. Cufflinks. In the shape of that dog, from that movie, with the spaghetti."

"Lady and the Tramp?" Meredith asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah," he passed her a piece of paper. "I swiped the card. Well, I picked it up when it fell on the ground."

Meredith opened it and read, a sick feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

To 39 more years

of Bella Notte's Together!

Happy 39th Birthday.

I Love You

Lady

"That bastard!" she fumed.

"Hey, I'll admit that it seems that the Shepherd's have an unhealthy attachment to Disney movies but..."

"No. It's just this one. I cannot believe this." Meredith slammed her hand down on the table then threw back the rest of her drink. She thought back to the night when she had found the box of stuff, I can't believe this. That stupid box of crap. All that stuff. Pens, hats, ties, a lunch box, dozens of those stupid figurines, his watch, his ringtone. And his pillowcase, he thought that i didn't notice that his pillow had that second pillowcase on it, but I did. And those weren't toys for his nieces. It's all stuff that she gave him. He was looking at it before I came over. "Bastard." As the angry and irrational voices continued to run through her head, she grabbed the rest of Tyler's and finished it.

"Lady and the Tramp?" Tyler repeated, "That's... weird."

"I need to leave," Meredith suddenly declared. "They look happy, and I feel kinda nauseous."

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Addison

9:36pm

Addison was conflicted.

This is either a good idea or a really, really bad one. Addison stared at the small gift wrapped box sitting on the top of her hotel dresser. If he is upset then this just might make it worse. But if he is upset it might make him feel better.

Acting on instinct alone Addison bit her lip, grabbed the box and quickly left the room.

12:08am

The bar around them got louder and louder, but Addison and Derek stayed silent. They had run out of topics of conversation that they felt were safe and neither one of them wanted to fight tonight.

Do it now Addison. It will cheer him up. Everyone likes presents. "I brought this," Addison began, setting a box on the table in front of her, "I've been carrying it around for months. You don't have to take it. I just thought..."

"What is it?"

"Your birthday present." Addison replied as she moved her water glass and pushed to box towards him.

They fell back into silence, the box unopened between them. This was a bad idea.

Derek finally reached for the box. He read the card, his expression unchanging. Oh my God, the card. Addison you are an idiot you should have changed the card. He slowly opened the box.

His face broke out into a large grin and he started to laugh. He's smiling.

"Where did you find these?" Derek laughed as he examined the cufflinks shaped like Tramp from Lady and the Tramp.

Addison shrugged her grin matching his, "I know someone, who knows someone, who knows a guy. Do you like them?"

Derek considered the question. "I do like them. Thank you." Derek reached over and squeezed her fingers lightly before bringing his hand back to examine his gift again. "Do you ever think that we have taken this to far?"

"The movie thing?" Addison tilted her head to the side and considered the question. "Yes," she laughed,"Every time one of us has a birthday."

"Or Christmas," Derek laughed.

"And most Valentines Day."

"Anniversaries."

Anniversaries. Anniversaries. Oh God. What have I done? "I don't know how to fix this Derek." Addison whispered.

"Me neither."

They sat in silence as the bar began to empty around them.

"We'll get there, Addy."

"Really?"

"Really. I don't think that I can handle loosing you again Lady."

He called me Lady.

Addison smiled, "Happy Belated Birthday Derek," she whispered as she leaned across the small table to kiss him lightly on lips, "I love you."

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Well there is the re-written chapter.

How awesome was last nights episode. I LOVE LOVE LOVED the end.

Reviews inspire me to write faster.