Title: A Little Something About Forever

Author: Sara and Lizzie

Rating: T for language, and sex

Disclaimer: We don't own Grey's.

Summary: Three years ago, Derek moves to New York with Addison. He finally decides to leave her upon hearing that Meredith is getting married

Author's Note: We're slaves to your opinions, and we need reviews. Ok. It's been a while. But we were in Rome, then Cannes, then the hamptons, but now that we're vacation free, at least for a week or so, we'll be updating this, "Sound and Fury" and "The Best Laid Plans". We went in a different direction for Meredith's fiancée- Finn is wonderful, but that's a little tired by now. Anyway, REVIEW or we'll kill ourselves.

"Maybe.." Addison trailed off, and then shook her head. "No, that's stupid."

Mark raised his eyebrows.

"I think I need to fly out there." She whispered.

His eyes fell from her face to the top of the table. "Oh, Mark." She said, putting her hands on top of his. "It's not like that. Derek and I have been over for a long time. But I need to know that he's happy. And if Meredith Grey is the only one who can make him happy…."

He nodded, and they were both silent for a long time until Addison spoke again. "If I want to really commit myself to this," she said, gesturing between them, "I need to do this one last thing for Derek."

Mark nodded. "I'll go with you. Derek doesn't need to know I'm there. But I'll go with you."

Addison smiled. "Thank you."

"So it's that guy?" Mark asked, turning to look at Paul.

"That's the guy. Derek said he was flying to London."

"Addison, I know him from somewhere."

"So do I."

Mark laughed. "Addison, we've avoided each other since you moved back to the city. The only way we could both know him is if…" he trailed off, looking puzzled.

"The hospital." Addison finished. "It's the hospital."

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The walls were collapsing on Meredith. She was scared. She was terrified to leave Paul, and even more aghast at the thought of losing Derek again. She leaned against the wall of the elevator, alone in this safe steel box.

Until it stopped, the doors opened and he jumped in.

"So tell me about Paul."

"He's a banker. I met him here, of all places."

"So what's he like?"

She sighed and faced him. "I can't do this Derek. I won't stand here and shoot the breeze like you've been on vacation for three years."

His blue eyes locked into hers, and Meredith couldn't deny the fact that it still sent chills down her spine.

"I'm sorry I'm here."

"Don't make me the one who has to feel guilty Derek."

He shrugged and grinned his cocky, lopsided grin at her. "I told you Mere, I'm not going anywhere."

"Derek," she whispered, "I'm marrying Paul."

"You think you will." He said, his voice laced with a casual confidence that drove her crazy.

"I can't run away from him. I don't have the luxury that you did." She turned away.

Derek grabbed her arms and forced her to face him. "Do you love him?" Meredith felt like screaming. Instead, she wrenched herself out of his grip, and got off the elevator on the next floor, striding away, leaving a barely breathing Derek in her wake.

Meredith turned the corner away from the elevator and saw someone else striding towards her. She recognized something in that walk. It was a bouncy stride, and Meredith could see red hair.

"Meredith Grey." Addison said. "It sure has been awhile."

Meredith tilted her head skyward. "You hate me don't you? You hate me. I'm sorry God, but I'm just not sure what I've done, but if striking me down would end my misery, be my guest."

Addison laughed and looked at her watch. "Come on. I cleared it with Bailey. You can get out of here for awhile. I can't get you drunk, but I can buy you coffee."

Meredith was too shocked to do anything but follow.

They sat down at an outside table with two cups, watching the last rays of sun sink behind the Seattle skyline.

"So let me have it." Meredith said. She was anticipating what Addison would say to her in a masochistic sort of way. She was sure that Addison was one person who not encourage her to stay with Derek.

"I'm not going to let you have it Meredith. I don't know anything about the situation."

Meredith's eyes narrowed. "Addison, what are you doing here?"

Addison shrugged. "To do the right thing for Derek for once. For closure. To help out friends."

"I'm getting married." Meredith said slowly, as if speaking to a petulant child.

"But you love Derek."

"Addison, I made a commitment. If I can't honor that, what do I have?"

"If you can't be with the man you've loved for years, what do you have?"

Meredith opened her mouth then closed it. There was nothing she could say. The thought of marrying Paul when Derek was so close sickened her. But then she thought about telling Paul she couldn't marry him. Saying out loud that she was still in love with the man who killed her.

Addison didn't wait for her to respond. She checked her watch, and looked up at Meredith. "I've got to go, ok? But just, take this for what it's worth, Meredith. There's always one person you won't stop loving. It might change to platonic love, like Derek and I, or it can turn into something you can't live without. Don't deprive yourself of that love. And don't leave Paul wishing for it."

She watched, wondering if she was imagining the tears in Meredith's eyes, but just as soon as Addison thought she saw them, they were gone. "I'm going to be in town for a few days. I'll be in touch." She said, walking away. Meredith couldn't say a word.

Addison, Derek's soon to be ex wife had just something really profound, and it hit Meredith hard, because this woman, who should hate her, had just hit her where she couldn't reach herself. And she was right.

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Meredith's musings were interrupted by her pager, and she got up, quickly walking back into Seattle Grace, and running for trauma. She was met by Bailey, Christina, Burke and Izzie.

"What the hell?" Meredith asked, looking down at the gurney.

Bailey raised her eyebrows. "She was trying to curse her ex boyfriend."

"And ended up with charred skin?"

"Wiccan ritual gone wrong."

"She's so young." Meredith said.

"Thirteen." Supplied Izzie. "It would help to have someone who specializes in pediatrics, Doctor Bailey."

"I'm aware, Stevens, but I don't have many pediatric surgeons at my immediate disposal. Unless.." She looked at Meredith.

"Addison."

Heads snapped in Meredith's direction. "She's here. She's in town. We just had coffee. I can call her, I mean, if you want."

Burke looked at Bailey. "I'd be more comfortable with someone who has pediatric experience doing the surgery."

"Addison it is then."

Addison walked out of the OR a couple hours later, feeling satisfied. She had been doing more surgery in New York and felt like she proved herself in Seattle. She smiled at the sight of Derek, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

"Didn't take you long."

"I found you and a skin graft all in one day."

"What are you doing here, Addie?" he asked her.

"We need to sign the papers this time. And I want to help you. I saw Williams. In the St. Regis. We know this guy Derek, and we know him from the hospital."

He wanted to ask her about the 'we', but he chose instead to focus on something else. "The St. Regis? In New York? The son of a bitch said he was going to London."

"Derek," she said, laying a gentle hand on his arm, "I'm going to find out everything I can okay?"

He nodded, and smiled gratefully. "I talked to Meredith today. She's the one that called me for the surgery."

"Hmm." Derek mused. "Now that's ironic." He turned and started walking the other direction. "Hey, Addison?" he called before he hopped on the elevator, "Thank you. I'm glad you're here."

She smiled, content in the knowledge that she would always love Derek like this, and this worked for them. Maybe they were never supposed to work as lovers, but she saw they were perfect as friends.

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It was almost three in the morning when Meredith finished up switching the IV for a patient. She fled to the nearest on call room, and finding it mercifully empty, sat down inside. She laid her head in her hands and for the first time in a long time, cried.

She didn't even hear him come in, only felt it when he sat down next to her. "Meredith."

She snapped her head up and looked at him. He took a deep breath, and she felt like she might go crazy. She wanted to crawl out of her skin, or explode or anything. She didn't want to listen to him declare his undying love for her.

Without thinking, she leaned over and kissed him softly. Softly at first, then deepened it with a passion she couldn't understand or define. She laid back on the bed in the on call room, and he untied her scrubs slowly, with a deliberateness that scared her.

He stopped kissing her, and pulled back to look at her, his eyes questioning. She nodded, wishing she could stop herself, and for the first time in a long time, too long, she decided in a haze, he slid inside of her.

It was the sweetest, most earnest thing she had ever experienced, Meredith thought, sitting in the on call room after Derek left. It was a little marred by the fact that she was engaged, but sex with Derek was sex with Derek.

Meredith groaned as the door opened, and Addison and Christina trudged in.

"Whoa." Addison said.

Meredith held up her hand. "I still smell like charred skin, I'm a dirty mistress twice over, and I haven't slept in a day. Can this wait?"

Addison shrugged, but Christina rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like 'spineless'.

"Meredith." Christina said.

"Christina." She mocked. "Addison."

"I'm serious," Christina said. "Talk to us. We want to help you."

"By breaking off my engagement?"

"By preventing you from making the biggest mistake of your life."

"So because Derek decided to cruise back into town, all of a sudden Paul is the biggest mistake of my life?"

"You still love him." Addison said gently.

"I plead the fifth." Meredith quipped.

"Please don't be so cavalier." Christina threw out.

"What do you want me to be?" Meredith asked, sounding slightly hysterical. "I just cheated on my fiancé, and although I won't admit, I don't even know if I'm in love with him. I see that reality is screaming don't marry this guy, but I made a promise and I can't just-"

A look of recognition graced Addison's face. "You don't want to leave Paul like Derek left you."

"That's ridiculous," Meredith retorted quickly. "It's hardly the same thing."

Addison shook her head. "No, it's true, Mer. Derek left you just you thought things were finally okay. You had this big love, and you were making big plans, and then he left. And you know what it's like, and you won't do it to Paul."

Meredith tried to think of something to say that would prove her wrong, but it was impossible, because she knew Addison was right. "So what do I do?" she asked them meekly.

Christina shrugged. "Neither of us can tell you that. Give it a few days. You'll figure it out." Meredith nodded.

"I'll give it some time. But I'm marrying Paul. I want to. Get married. To him."

Christina looked at her for a long time, and in an un-Christina like way, reached out and squeezed Meredith's shoulder. "Who are you convincing Mer, me or you?" She smiled at her friend and got p to answer a page.

Addison sat there for awhile, then also rose. "Meredith?" she asked, before leaving. "I'm sorry."

Meredith smiled at her. "It's not your fault, Addison. And I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad you're here."