Chapter 6: Wisdom?

Did she just say that? Did she actually call her McHot? Oh. My. God!

"You didn't just say that to her face. What is wrong with you Cristina?" Aelwyne blurted out as soon as Addison was gone.

"I think you have a fever." Cristina laughed.

"Shut up." She replied, her face going red.

"What?" Cristina whined. "Look at you. Even the top of your ears turned red. Bet you're starting to sweat now." She laughed.

"I'm gonna go get some lunch." Aelwyne replied turning around, which earned another whine.

"Do you want anything?" She said, shaking her head with a sigh.

"Chicken nuggets!!!" Cristina replied cheerfully.

"Chicken nuggets it is. You're something else, you know?" Aelwyne replied, gathering the charts and walking out.

"Oh ma'am do you want something to eat?" She asked Cristina's mom.

"No I'm ok I'll be going to eat and then I'll go to the hotel for a while." She responded, starting to collect her things.

"Sounds good then. See you later Mrs. Yang" and then Aelwyne was off after one more glare at Cristina,who still giggled on the bed.


By the time Aelwyne came back the room was full with her intern friends. Alex was eating a turkey sandwich or some resemblance of it. George sat with a bag of chips and a soda. Meredith ate fries with a bottle of Dr Pepper. Izzie had some fries as well and some kind of juice.

"I brought the nuggets Cristina!" Aelwyne called.

"Give me." Cristina reached for them.

They sat and ate chattering about anything and everything that was happening in the hospital. Alex complained about a patient while George defended him. The girls just laughed. Pretty soon lunch break was over. Everyone left but Aelwyne, Meredith, and of course Cristina.

"She gave him the papers. And I think I think maybe I have a chance. What do you guys think?" Meredith asked, tapping her thumbs together.

"Well, if you think you have a shot then why not take it?" Cristina said.

"Right? I know so I will talk to him. What do you think, Aelwyne?" She turned to her other friend.

"I don't know. Do you think he deserves to have you? To have you or her?" Aelwyne said honestly.

"Her? You mean, Addison, her?" Meredith asked.

"Yes. Addison." She confirmed. "After this last few weeks... I don't know I just don't think he deserves either of you."

"Go on." Meredith said.

"It's like on one side he keeps giving you all this false hope that he'll come back to you. But then if he really wanted to get a divorce then it wouldn't have been Addison giving him the papers it would've been the other way around." Aelwyne explained.

"I don't understand." Meredith said looking away.

"Mer, what she's saying is that he can't let go of either of you. And that's not how it works. It's like he's waiting to see who he keeps." Cristina clarified.

"But I'm in love with him." Meredith countered.

"But what if we are right and you end up being the second choice?" Cristina reasoned.

"I know you told Addison to fight. Are you trying to get me out of the game so she can keep him?" Meredith turned to Aelwyne, who looked at Cristina.

"You told her what you saw?" She asked quietly.

"We're all friends. So yeah she told me." Meredith replied.

"I hate that I did that. Did you see how much Addison has been hurt because of it? She said it wasn't my fault but I can't help but feel that it is!" Aelwyne let out.

"We are supposed to hate her." Meredith countered.

"I can't hate her. And don't look at me that way neither can either of you." She replied looking at them both.

"I know! Dammit!" Meredith swore. "Shit."

"What she said." Cristina followed shifting on the bed.

"You ladies, shouldn't be speaking like that." Addison said from the door.

All three looked at her nervously. They were unsure of what she had heard. They looked from Addison to each other.

"I didn't say you couldn't talk." Addison chuckled, raising her brow.

"Umm I'm supposed to go. I'm on Burke's service so I'll get in trouble if I stay." Meredith said quickly walking towards the door.

"Meredith." Addison blocked her way. "I think that I'd be his second choice. Not you. So go get him. The way he looks at you… he's never looked at me that way." She finished, dropping her arm to her side again.

"I'm so sorry." Meredith said softly.

Addison smiled through her teary eyes and nodded for her to go on. Cristina reached Aelwyne's back and pushed her forward. Aelwyne took a small step then Addison turned to look at them.

"Enjoy your lunch, Dr. Yang?" Addison attempted waving away the tears with her hand and smiling.

"Yep. It was great. Thanks." Cristina replied nervously.

"That's good. Now Dr. Neirhem, a word." And Addison was out the door.

"Breathe Ael." Cristina said to Aelwyne as she spun around to face her.

"She heard everything. What do I say?" She replied shakily.

"I don't know but you better go." Cristina urged.

Aelwyne took a deep breath and walked out towards Addison who waited at the nurses station.

"Doctor?" She said as she approached.

"We need to go over the charts once more. I'm not sure who the attending in charge will be. But I need to make sure everyone is all set." Addison said collecting the charts and pushing them towards Aelwyne on the counter.

Addison wasn't looking at her, she just kept grabbing charts and paperwork. Aelwyne silently collected them, her eyes cold devoid of emotion. She had shut herself down.

"Alright let's go to the conference room and go over these." Addison said finally. "Oh give me some of those. It'll be heavy."

Aelwyne didn't move, she just allowed Addison to take a few charts.


"Do you teach? In New York?" Aelwyne asked suddenly as they revised charts.

Addison was going over the newly admitted patient. Telling her which labs they would need to keep doing so that they could easily monitor the patient.

"I'm sorry?" Addison looked at Aelwyne.

"In New York, do you work in a teaching hospital? Do you teach over there?" She asked again.

"No, I don't teach. I give lectures here and there but I do not teach." Addison answered, turning her attention back to the chart.

"Won't you miss it? I feel like you have so much to share. So much you want to share." Aelwyne continued.

"I'll definitely miss it. That's for sure. I like watching younger doctors mature and I like teaching them." She replied.

"Will you…" Aelwyne began.

And she had promised she wouldn't but she couldn't stop. She didn't want her to leave. She'd never felt a pull like that. It was more than wanting to be her friend. Was it that she needed a mother? No. Not at all. She didn't see her as such. She didn't know why but she wanted her to stay.

"Are you asking me to stay?" She asked, lifting her gaze to meet Aelwyne's.

"I-" Aelwyne was cut off.

"I'm asking you to stay." Richard came in with Bailey.

"Addison my idiots like you as a teacher you know. All of them have had rotations with you. Even Grey says you're a good teacher. You can't leave. I'm not saying I give them what they want. But I do give them what they need. And you, you they need." Bailey said with a shrug.

"While I appreciate you saying that I-" She stopped as Bailey's hand shot up signaling for her to stop.

"Now listen here Addison I won't ever beg. I will not beg. I will threaten. So you're staying." Bailey said walking menacingly towards Addison.

"Miranda-" and then it was Richard who interrupted.

"Addie you have a gift. Much like Miranda does. Even when your teaching styles are much different." He said while raising his brow. "These interns have so much to gain from you being here. Now, I understand that this isn't easy. But I truly believe you would do so much good in here. If you'd allow it. You and Derek… sadly that's over but it doesn't mean you throw everything else and run. You are a Forbes Montgomery. People of your caliber do not back down from fights. You pull through. You are one of the top surgeons in the country and you have the capability to impart your knowledge to the younger generation of surgeons. Now I don't care what Derek thinks. You are an amazing woman who has made a few mistakes but they are just mistakes. I'm not going to lie, staying here will be difficult but you have much to gain. See teaching is not a one way street and medicine is always evolving. You have to remember that great things do not come from comfort zones. So stay. Please stay." He finished.

Addison sat quietly for a few minutes. She looked down at her hands then at them. Aelwyne shifted nervously in her chair, not saying a word. Specially after the glare Bailey had shot at her, the one like mother's shoot at kids that has them instantly quiet.

"You understand what you're asking of me, right?" Addison looked at Richard.

"Addie I know what you are capable of." He said sweetly.

"You get the position I'm in though. Right? I have been married to him for 11 years, Richard. I thought I'd die still married to him. Granted I cheated. I cheated with his best friend. You can say all you want. Make it sound inspiring. But it won't change the place I'm in. I could make excuses. I could say we both put our careers first and forgot that we were supposed to be married. That even when I tried to look for him he wasn't there. That it drove me to Mark. And it could be true. It is true. But it doesn't justify what I did. What I am. You make me sound amazing. And maybe I am a good teacher. But it doesn't change what I am. I'm still a monster. A whore. An adulterous bitch." After Addison's last few words Aelwyne stood.

"No!" She shouted. "You are not just that mistake. It's just one mistake. That shouldn't dictate your whole being. So stop. You are Addison Forbes Montgomery. You are a board certified neonatal and fetal surgeon. One of the top surgeons in the country. You are an amazing teacher. You are painfully kind and incredibly smart. What happened with your marriage has nothing to do with the person you are. You have to stop!" She finished and suddenly the realization of who she was speaking to dawn on her.

"I-I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have shouted. I apologize." She swallowed hard.

"I think my idiot intern is right." Bailey spoke first. "Even if it wasn't her place to shout to an attending." She continued throwing a look that said, you did good but do it again and you'll regret it.

"Addie… please. Consider her words. Consider my words. Don't make your decision now. Sleep on it. I'll also need a few days for a proper replacement." Richard added.

"I don't know." Addison replied simply.

"Doctor Montgomery? I'm sorry." Aelwyne spoke quietly. "I'll go check on the new patient and make sure everything is good. I'll page you in case anything changes." She got up to leave.

"Thank you." Addison said looking at her. Aelwyne just nodded and continued to walk out.


As she got out of the conference room she felt everyone's eyes on her. She could hear the whispers. She tried walking away as quickly as possible but ran into Derek.

"You alright?" He asked, sounding concerned.

"Fine." She replied bitterly.

"I'm sorry you are all trapped in this." He continued.

"It's as much your fault as it was hers." She told him and before he could answer she continued. "I get that it hurt you. But do you really think all of it isn't hurting her."

"How can you defend her?" He asked in disbelief.

"She was your best friend. You married her. So tell me how can't I?" She replied softly.

"You know she was able to tell you don't love her anymore, right? And it wasn't your insults that showed her. Bet you don't even know yourself." She began to walk away but stopped.

"I know it must've been painful. Betrayal always is. Didn't she ask for forgiveness enough. Hasn't she endured enough humiliation from you and from everyone else?" She started to walk away but Derek stopped her.

"You really believe any of this is enough?" His face showed anger but his eyes a tremendous sadness.

"Someone told me once that without forgiving we can't love." She said with a shrug.

"Did you forgive?" He asked.

"I have no one to love." Aelwyne smiled sadly. "But you do. You want Meredith to forgive you. You want her to love you but you won't be able to really love her with all that pent up anger."

Aelwyne looked at him for a while. She was about to walk away again when she turned again.

"I still hate your guts for what you did to her by the way." And with that she walked away.

And then there were 6.Hope you like. Keep up with comments or questions. I don't mind which just let me know you're still reading lol. ;)