Risking It All
A/N: A quick fix-it fic based on 18x01. I would like to preface this by saying I like Towen, but Yangman holds my heart. Meddison/Yangman
Meredith wasn't sure what to make of the Grey Research Lab. Dr. Hamilton was nice and all, and the offer was generous, and really the man had Parkinson's. But could she really uproot her entire life, her children's lives, to work in Minnesota? There were far too many thoughts in her head, each frantically trying to gain dominance in her brain, and she found herself bouncing back and forth throughout the day. Still, Dr. Hamilton was trying to woo her, so she graciously accepted his offer for dinner.
And it went well. It wasn't a business dinner; they spent most of the night reminiscing about her mother. He had some great stories. But it was near the end of the dinner that she caught a glimpse of someone she thought she'd never see again.
She'd know that beautiful red hair anywhere, and as her eyes widened in surprise, those hauntingly emerald eyes caught them. For the first time in a decade, she was staring into Addison Montgomery's face, lost in her eyes. And she wasn't sure what to do.
But the decision was taken from her, as Addison followed the man she'd been dining with towards the exit.
"Meredith?"
She blinked and turned back to Dr. Hamilton, "I'm sorry, what was the question?"
He smiled patiently, and really, he reminded her of Richard, "I was asking if you were done, but I can see that you are. Come by the hospital tomorrow, yeah? Think some more about it."
And despite her pull towards Grey-Sloan, towards Seattle, she agreed without another thought.
A waiter caught her in the hotel lobby, saying someone was requesting her in the bar, and she felt her heart hammer in her chest. He escorted her with a smile and pointed out the figure sitting a little ways from the other patrons. She thanked him and approached, her head held high, back straight, as if her nerves weren't set on fire.
Addison glanced up at her as she stood in front of her, "I thought that was you, Meredith."
Words failed her, and she sucked in a low breath, "It is you."
"It is," Addison replied with a soft grin tugging at her lips.
"Why are you in Minnesota, Addison?"
"Same as you, I assume."
"Your mother got a research library named after her, and you came down for it, only to find out that there was a research lab named after you, and the hospital is trying to poach you from your home?" She said it all in one rushed out breath, and then regretted it immediately. She wasn't some intern anymore.
Addison smirked, nodded towards her with her wine glass, "I was going to say work, but…"
"Oh, shut up," She replied, though there was no malice in her words, her lips turned upward with a soft smile.
Cristina battled the raging emotions going through her. She wasn't sure what to make of it, really. When Owen had invited her to their wedding - his and Teddy's - she had called to tell him that she wasn't going to make it. And she made up some excuse about research, but really, Ross could have covered it. But how was she going to tell him that she refused to go because she'd been in love with Teddy for years, over a decade now? No, she couldn't. So, she was doing the next best thing and not going at all.
It was what Teddy wanted. What she deserved. A loving husband, 2 kids, amazing job. Leo and Allison couldn't have a better mom than Teddy. And she didn't want kids. She was married to her career. She couldn't give Teddy what Owen could.
Still, Cristina couldn't let her go without a fight. And less than a minute after hanging up the phone with Owen, she was booking a flight to Seattle.
It felt like fate that the first wedding got ruined by the cyclists. And it was horrible that their priest died, it was. But it gave her the chance to make things right. She burst through the door of Joe's bar as Teddy was giving her vows to Owen, and God, she hated herself for what she was going to do.
"-my soccer partner, my confidante, and you literally have even been my cover in military ops. And now you are the father of our children, and my soon to be husband." She hated herself, hated herself, hated herself. "And I never…I never want to…" Teddy stopped suddenly, and she froze in place as Teddy's eyes met hers. "Cristina." The quiet tone of Teddy's voice nearly broke her, the shell-shocked tone. She wished she'd never come here. Owen had loved Teddy longer. But she was here, and she was fighting.
She doesn't even hear herself start to speak, or anyone else's words, if there even were any. She kept her eyes on Teddy as she spoke, "I'm a workaholic. I think I spent more time at the research facility over the last week than I slept. And I love surgery more than anything else in the world. But," She took a breath, to calm herself. To get her big secret out in the open, "But, I took a 14 hour flight to tell you that you are the only person that I'm in love with. I love you, Teddy. I'm in love with you. And I think - I think maybe you love me too."
Cristina's speech reminded her of the long-winded spiel from ages ago now. No one has ever believed in me like this. You believe in me more than I do. And I need that. I-I'm gonna die here without that.
And it didn't matter that Joe's was backed with all of her friends. Their friends. What mattered - the only thing, really - was that she took a step towards Cristina. She glanced back at Owen, who looked heartbroken, his eyes brimming with tears, "I'm sorry, Owen. So sorry. But she's right." She turned to Cristina, reached out and cupped her face, "I'm in love with you too."
Addison was being the perfect gentlewoman, insisting on walking Meredith back to her hotel room. They'd got caught up on a lot, and it felt nice. Really nice. She was only in Minnesota for a few more days, but it seemed that so was Meredith. She'd caught up with what all had gone at Seattle Grace - now Grey-Sloan - after she'd left nearly a decade ago. She got to tell Meredith that Callie and Arizona had gotten remarried in New York, that she herself had gotten divorced. She got to show Meredith pictures of Henry, who was going on 9 this year, and in return, Meredith had shown her photos of Zola and Bailey and Ellis. She teased Meredith about the nickname the interns had for her. ("Medusa, really?" "Better than Satan." "Ruler of all that is Evil.")
"This is me," Meredith smiled at her as she stopped in front of one of the white doors, "I do appreciate you walking me up. You didn't have to."
"It was no trouble at all," She replied with a smile of her own. The desire to step forward and kiss her pulled at her, but she held herself back. "Are you going to take the job?"
"What made you decide to leave the first time?" Meredith countered.
"Some pesky little intern stole my heart, and then fell in love with my ex-husband," The words were out of her mouth before she had thought to filter it. Her eyes widened at her own confession, and Meredith's mouth dropped open in shock. "You...you ignore that I said that."
"What?"
"Good night, Meredith," She turned to run, preferably back to LA if she could, when Meredith grabbed her wrist, pulling her gently back to face her.
"You left because of me?" Meredith asked quietly. The blonde looked down as she spoke, not meeting her eyes.
"I…" She took a breath. This was one thing she never wanted Meredith to know. It was easier than being rejected, "I was changing my life. Starting fresh." It's a pathetic excuse, not what she really wanted to say, "Meredith, I was falling in love with you, and you were in love with him. And he..."
"Stop talking," She sucked in a breath as Meredith finally met her eyes, tears forming in bluish-grey. But when the blonde next spoke, there was a watery smile on her lips, "You're telling me that I settled for no good reason?"
She felt the air leave her in one fell swoop, "W-What?"
"He was there, and he loved me, and he was easy. And everyone thought that we were this great love story, but Addison, it's you. It's always been you. I'm in love with you. And I've been in love with you for such a long time."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"When I got back from Cristina's honeymoon with her, you were gone. I thought that meant," Meredith shrugged, "I figured you didn't feel the same."
She couldn't stop the laugh of disbelief from slipping out of her mouth, one hand coming up to cover her mouth while she reached the other out to wipe away the tear stains on her cheeks. After the initial laughter fell away, she brought her other hand up to hold the woman's face in her hands.
"We're idiots," She said softly.
"We don't have to be anymore. If you wanted to come in, we could talk some more. There's probably more wine."
"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow.
"I'm not going to sleep with you, you know," Meredith replied, and she smirked.
"No?"
"Not tonight anyway."
"Tomorrow?" She stepped closer, her breath ghosting over supple pink lips.
Meredith trembled under her fingers, and she counted that as a win, "Maybe."
The door clicked open, and then shut with a resounding thunk.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Let me know what you thought.