Title: Spiral

Author: MissMouseMD

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Sorry again for the wait! I have so much work for school that I just couldn't find the time to update. Hope you guys like this chapter!

-

Wait

Derek

The silence in the room is overwhelming.

It's closing in on him, crushing him, until he can no longer breathe.

It's physically painful.

Until she breaks it.

"I'm sorry."

She looks so tiny, so broken, and he can't believe that he let himself hurt her.

"Don't be."

The vehemence in his voice surprises them both.

He continues, words coming faster and faster.

"It's my fault. I toyed with your affections, when you and I both knew it wasn't possible. I let myself believe that it was okay, that I didn't love you anymore. I made myself believe that I loved Addison. And I do love Addison. I do. But not the same way. And that night, you just looked so beautiful, and I couldn't help myself. It was the wrong thing to do, and I'm sorry."

Her eyes are wide, and she's staring as though she's never seen him before in her life, as though he's become a different person right before her eyes.

"Do you?"

Her voice is a breathy whisper.

He wrinkles his brow, confused.

"Do I what?"

"Still love me."

He pauses.

Meredith

She's fairly sure they've used up all of the oxygen in the room.

It's the only sensible explanation she can come up with for her sudden inability to breathe properly.

She bites her lip, watching as he struggles to form the words.

"I do."

She smiles softly.

Until he turns around and walks out of the room.

And then she can't breathe all over again.

Derek

Oh, God.

He shouldn't have said that.

He shouldn't have done that.

He is most definitely rotting in hell for this one.

He's married, for Christ's sake.

Married men aren't allowed to go around confessing their love for other women.

Especially when-damn it!- their wives are waiting just outside the door.

Addison is staring at him like he's some kind of monster.

He opens his mouth to try to say something, to apologize, to make excuses.

Her hand connects with his face so fast he doesn't even have time to duck.

The resounding smack! evidently makes her feel better, because a soft almost-smile graces her lips.

Addison.

She was his everything once.

She was beautiful and witty and talented and he loved her.

Until that day she didn't love him anymore.

Until that day when she loved his best friend.

She swore she didn't. She left him behind to come to Seattle. She pretended to forget all about him.

But he isn't stupid, and he saw the way she looked at Mark.

And he can't love her the same way ever since.

"I want a divorce."

He can't help but be a little relieved that she caved first.

That he wasn't the one to end the façade.

She stalks off, her high heels making a clicking noise against the cold, hard hospital floors.

He turns, and walks back into the hospital room.

She's asleep, head turned away from him.

He sighs, and sits down.

It might be awhile.

-

Review, please.