It was two weeks since Addison had told Derek about the tumour and she was getting out of hospital. Derek knew better than anybody that she only had weeks to live. Izzie and Meredith had been setting up the spare bedroom for Addison, borrowing a PCP pump from the hospital so she wasn't in pain towards the end and didn't need to go back into hospital. Derek had spent most of his free time with Addison. Meredith liked to watch as the sat and talked, laughing about the memories that they had together.
'Hey, you ready to go home?' Addison swung her legs round to the side of the bed.
'Yeah and Meredith?'
'Yeah,'
'Thank you, for everything,'
'Addison, I'm sure you wouldn't of left me on my own. You mean a lot to Derek, and me, I wouldn't have it any other way,' Addison climbed into the wheelchair as Meredith sneaked her out the hospital. Addison didn't want anybody to see her in her fragile state. The usually perfect looking woman was now a shadow of her former self. Her hair was scraped back, her body thin, white faced and gaunt looking. Her usual style of black high hells and skirts was gone and tracksuits and trainers now dominated her look. She appreciated what everyone was doing and knew what was happening to her. Meredith helped Addison into the car.
'I'll go put this in the boot,' Meredith folded the wheelchair up and placed it in the back of the car. Pulling out of the hospital she turned to face Addison.
'You need anything?'
'No, thanks,' Meredith drove slowly, knowing Addison was taking everything in. Getting out the car and up the stairs was like a marathon to Addison. Slowly sitting on the couch she let out a sigh.
'You ok?'
'I feel like I've just climbed Mount Everest.' Addison started laughing but it turned into a coughing fit.
'Lets get you up into bed,' Meredith remembered about the stairs.
'Give me a few minutes,' Meredith lifted the phone and phoned Derek.
'Dr Shepherds phone,'
'Is Dr Shepherd there?'
'He's in surgery, is it urgent?' Meredith could here Derek talking in the background.
'Meredith, what's wrong?' Derek sounded stressed on the phone.
'There's nothing wrong, I'll phone Alex. I just needed somebody to get Addison up the stairs,'
'I won't be finished for another thirty minutes or so,'
'It's ok, she's fine, I'll give Alex a phone, I know he's not working, love you'
'You too mere,' the phone line went dead and Meredith phoned Alex.
'Alex, you busy?'
'Nope, I'm at the store. What's up?'
'Can you come over? I need to get Addison up the stairs but I can't get her up them on my own,'
'Give ten minutes and I'll be there,'
'Thanks Alex,' Meredith put the phone down and went into the living room. Addison was fast asleep on the couch. Meredith lifted a blanket over her and left her to go and make coffee. Standing in the kitchen she began to think over how this was going to work. When Addison was up the stairs with Meredith on her own, there was no way for her to get down. She couldn't keep phoning Alex or Derek to come and help. Meredith contemplated it when the door went. Creeping past the living room door she spotted Alex's car outside.
'Hey, she's sleeping in the living room. I wouldn't have called but Derek was in surgery,'
'Hey, it's ok, I'm happy to help. If you need anything else in the future, give me a call. I want to help,' Meredith took Alex's jacket off him and took him into the kitchen.
'You want some coffee?'
'Yeah thanks. How's she been?'
'I got her up the stairs to the living room but she was so out of breath. It's taking hold of her already,'
'She going to be ok, she's got you and Derek, and all of us,' Meredith was surprised at what Alex had said. Since everything with Addison kicked off he had been great, keeping and eye out for mark, checking to see if she needed anything, sitting with her, generally being really nice. Alex put his coffee mug down and rolled up his sleeves.
'Let's get her to bed,' Alex walked over and lifted Addison up the stairs. She stirred at first but simply moved her head. As she lay down on the bed, she curled up into a ball. Meredith slipped her trainers off and took her zippy off. She wasn't risking waking her to get her into her pyjamas. Meredith closed the door slowly and let a breath she had been holding out. Scraping her hair back she went down the stairs to see Alex lifting Addison's bags out the car. Meredith shook her head and lifted the bag Addison had been in hospital with. Separating the lights from the darks, Meredith put her first washing on, knowing that there was more to come. Meredith started scrubbing the kitchen when the phone went.
'Meredith Grey?'
'Where is Addison?'
'Who is this?' Meredith recognised the voice but wanted to make sure.
'Never mind, where is she?'
'No, you tell me who you are and I'll tell you where Addison is,'
'It's Mark, where is she?'
'She went back to New York. She got a new job. She was discharged a week ago and we haven't seen her since. Please, leave her and us alone,' Meredith put the phone down. She had said what she had been told to. Alex came in the door and looked at Meredith.
'Who was that?'
'Mark, he was asking where she was,'
'What did you say?'
'That she was in New York,'
'Good, I'll stay until Derek gets back, just in case,'
'I'm going to phone Derek, he should be out of surgery,'
'Derek shepherd'
'Derek, Mark called,'
'What did he say?'
'He wanted to know where she was. I told him she was in New York and we hadn't seen her since last week,'
'Are you on your own with her?'
'No, Alex says he'll stay till you get home,'
'Ok, I'll be fifteen minutes, don't worry, everything will be fine,' Meredith wanted to believe him. Would everything be fine? Mark was after Addison but he didn't know she was dieing. What if he came looking for her? Meredith was beginning to let fear of Mark consume her where she remembered Alex was here, and that he wouldn't let anything happen.
