Chapter 19: Wow
The redhead was taken aback by the amazingly delicious cooking. She told the intern over and over how good everything was. After the amazing dinner and some light conversation both women got ready for bed. This time Addison did tuck Aelwyne in and settled in the guest room, leaving both doors open in case she needed something.
Addison flopped herself on the bed with a full belly and a wide grin. She recalled the look on Aelwyne's face when she gave her the bracelet. Had she not been so cowardly she would have explained why a feather. A feather because with her she felt like she was floating. She could be carried by the brunette's winds wherever and she would be happy. Aelwyne carried her like a feather and wherever she landed was where she needed to be.
Tendrils of moonlight entered the room through the small gaps between the blinds. A clear night in Seattle, who would have thought? She was happy being here, she only wished she had the warmth of the intern next to her. She closed her eyes to try and sleep however in the stillness she heard the pacing. Even though the steps were light she could hear them causing her to chuckle. Quietly she got up and made her way to the intern's room.
Aelwyne was too busy pacing to notice her so after a while she cleared her throat causing the brunette to jump.
"Something on your mind?" Addison said from the door. "And try not to mumble." She added with a chuckle.
"I… you… I can't sleep." Aelwyne confessed.
"Why? Are you not feeling well? Too much in your mind? You want to talk?" Addison tried hoping it was the same thing she wanted.
"Why is it hard saying no to me?" Aelwyne asked, completely taking Addison by surprise.
"I'm sorry?" Addison replied confused.
"You said once it was hard saying no to me." Aelwyne continued sitting on the bed. She was fidgeting with the feather charm.
"I… ummm… well honestly I don't know. Is that really why you can't sleep?" Addison asked, still somewhat confused.
"No. I just can't sleep." Aelwyne said softly.
"Do you want some company?" Addison asked carefully.
"Yes." Aelwyne said quickly almost too quickly.
"Ok but promise me you'll try to sleep. We have work in the morning." Addison said, finally stepping inside the room and shutting the door.
Addison made her way to the bed and laid down inching closer to the intern. This time there was no hesitation from her. Aelwyne shuffled closer until she was within Addison's arms and sank contently on her side. It did not take too long before they were both asleep. Both content with each other's warmth.
Meredith and Cristina sat huddled together on the discarded hospital beds in the tunnels. They both were on call and the on call rooms were taken so as always wherever you found a bed that's where you slept. Meredith was quiet for a while, still not asleep and her person noticed.
"I can't sleep with all that buzzing." Cristina protested.
"What buzzing?" Meredith looked at her with a confused frown.
"Your buzzing. What's eating at you?" Cristina said with a tired tone.
"I was just thinking about Aelwyne and Addison." Meredith said after a while.
"What about them?" Cristina asked.
"Cristina, she calmed her down. The fact that Addison did and how she did it. Then you got that message that Aelwyne said yes to the dinner. I feel like Addison gets her in a way we don't." Meredith said.
"Well of course she does genius. They are attracted… no more than that. They are in love with each other and don't acknowledge it. I don't know who between the two is more of a coward." Cristina said, shaking her head with a smile.
"What do we do?" Meredith said.
"How about this?" Derek interrupted them making them both jump at his sudden appearance. "You tell your idiot to stop being such a baby and I'll talk to my idiot and tell her to talk to Aelwyne." He said with his McDreamy smile.
"Wait you know?" Cristina asked after the original shock wore off.
"Of course I know. At least from Addison's side. Now you two confirmed Aelwyne's side." He said triumph shining in his eyes.
"Whatever, I was the first to figure it out." Cristina said smugly, Derek raising his hands in defeat.
"They both work tomorrow." Meredith said with a mischievous smile. "You talk to your idiot and we talk to ours."
"Sounds like a plan." Derek said sweetly. Then their pagers went off.
"We could've slept." Cristina groaned.
"It's your own fault… listening to the buzzing." Meredith shot back and then they were both off.
Addison and Aelwyne woke to the beeping of the alarm in a tangle of limbs both groaning. Addison made to get up but Aelwyne tightened her grasp on her.
"Ael we need to get up." Addison chuckled lightly her voice deep with sleep.
"Hmmph." Was all the response she got.
"Ok one more minute. And the-" Addison began and then she heard the pagers going off.
-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-
Aelwyne shot up at the sound fumbling for her pager and Addison's. The brunette passed her the pager sleep still written all over her face.
"We really need to go now 911 all hands on deck. Even me." Addison said finally getting up from the bed and making her way to the guest room where her clothes were.
"I have some granola bars. Should help us get some energy." Aelwyne called with a yawn.
Within ten minutes they were out of the loft and on their way to the hospital. Ambulance after ambulance passed them by and they both grew anxious. Once they arrived at the hospital they parted ways. Addison to her office for scrubs and Aelwyne to the locker room for her own.
"What the hell happened?" Aelwyne asked her friends as she made her way next to them in the ambulance bay.
"Tractor trailer vs tourist bus." George said.
"They say most people are dead." Izzie added with a pale face.
"They'll probably bring them here for us to call it." Alex continued.
"We may get some live ones to fix though so stay alert." Meredith said.
"Well said Grey." Bailey said from behind them as four ambulances were pulling in.
"O'Malley with Stevens, ambulance 1. Yang with Karev, ambulance 2. Grey with Neirhem, ambulance 3. Be quick you six. Assess them and patch them. If unpatchable move on to the next one. We don't have time to doodle." Bailey directed.
The amount of dead patients was pretty big out of the 40 people traveling in the bus only 5 had arrived alive to the hospital. Everyone worked diligently to get them to stabilize. Meredith's and Aelwyne's patient was the worst. She had needed brain surgery, open heart surgery, and bowel resection. All surgeons worked on her for hours and after maneuvering through all complications they managed to stabilize her. The damage had been extensive however so they would have to wait for her to wake in order to give a better prognosis.
It was 6:30 pm by the time they all got to go for a break. As many times before they met at the beds in the tunnels. Meredith, Cristina and Aelwyne made it there first.
"Woah. How did we even do that?" Meredith said, her voice sounding tired.
"I don't think I've ever pronounced so many people in one day." Aelwyne added with a heavy sigh.
"What she said. And you also had that mega surgery. How's the patient?" Cristina asked.
"Stable but we don't know just how functional she is." Meredith responded sadly.
"Her brain was without oxygen for a while. Preliminary exams found some brain activity but not much. We have to wait for her to wake up. But we induced a coma, she needs to heal." Aelwyne added.
They began to eat quietly, all of them with a tray of fries, some ketchup, and a soda. Meredith and Cristina began to fidget with their food making Aelwyne grow suspicious.
"Out with it." Aelwyne said with a sigh.
"Huh?" Meredith replied.
"There's something you want to say or ask so do it." Aelwyne responded knowingly.
"We need to talk business Ael." Cristina said, clearing her throat.
"Ok. What?" Aelwyne asked confused.
"You and Addison." Meredith simply said.
"That's business?" Aelwyne asked, raising a brow.
"Let's just get to the point. You like Addison." Cristina said.
"Again with this." Aelwyne said, rolling her eyes.
"Yes again. You like her. And you know what? She likes you too." Meredith said returning to her fries right as Aelwyne's head snapped to face her.
'She likes me too? For real? Addison sees me like that? Not like some wounded puppy? Oh my god. I mean she's been with me through all of this. She's been there. She's slept with me. Is it really because she likes me like that. Maybe Meredith is wrong or maybe she's right.' A swirl of thoughts flooded her brain. As she tried to fumble for a coherent sentence.
"What did you… she does? H-How do you know? Stop pl-playing games." Aelwyne stammered.
"Proof that you like her right there. Look at that blush and you're mumbling and stuttering. You are both idiotic cowards." Cristina responded.
"Say Ael. Who gave you that?" Meredith said with a smirk pointing at the feather charm bracelet.
"I… ummm it was… gift… Addison." Aelwyne mumbled.
"She got you a present? Now that's sweet." Cristina said fluttering her eyes mockingly.
"Stop." Aelwyne protested.
"No you stop. Stop being a coward. Just talk to her. See what happens." Cristina answered.
"But if you're wrong and I lose her. I rather stay close than be pushed away." Aelwyne said softly.
"I know I'm not wrong. Just observe her. You'll notice. You cannot stay stuck. You deserve to have her just like she deserves to have you." Meredith encouraged.
"I don't know." Aelwyne mumbled.
"Just try. And stop with all this weird weakly self. I don't like it. You are Aelwyne Neirhem Ashenryver. You are confident and sure and smart and beautiful with angel eyes." Cristina said firmly.
"What she said." Meredith said.
"What'd she say?" Alex asked as he arrived with George and Izzie.
"Nothing." Meredith replied quickly.
"Sweetness, how was coming back to a mess?" Alex asked, plopping himself next to Cristina.
"Like a breath of fresh air." Aelwyne joked and everyone started laughing at the irony if it.
"Addie!" Derek called for her as she made her way to the lounge.
"I just wanna sit down Derek." Addison whined and kept walking without turning to him.
"Fine but hold on. Why are you going so fast? Geez Addie." Derek whined as well, finally catching up to her in the lounge.
Addison threw herself on the couch and Derek followed suit.
"Three C-sections with complications. Five deliveries with two sets of twins. That was after pronouncing 2 children and 3 adults from the accident. I am physically and mentally exhausted." Addison said as her eyes stung remembering the sightless eyes of the two girls she'd had to call time of death for.
"I'm sorry Addie." Derek said equally exhausted and sad. He had managed to get his live patients stable but still he was not sure if they would wake.
"Great day to be a doctor." Addison said with a half smile.
"Great day." Derek said with a sigh. The door opened and Callie sauntered in.
"Hey guys." Her voice dripping with exhaustion. Both Addison and Derek murmured their 'heys'.
"Those interns are something, aren't they?" Callie said after a while.
"They definitely are." Addison agreed.
"They were all on top of their game. Especially Yang, Grey, and Neirhem. I didn't know." Callie said in awe.
"Know what?" Derek asked.
"How much of a monster that girl is. I met her when she got attacked so I never really worked with her until today. She's amazing." Callie said with a big smile.
"She is amazing." Addison said a little more coldly than intended causing Callie's smile to fade.
"Oh sorry. I don't mean anything by it. She's all yours." Callie added quickly.
"Excuse me?" Addison said shocked. Derek was chuckling softly next to her.
"Oh I'm just saying since you two are a thing. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to take her out or something. I was just admiring. You're very lucky." Callie explained with a small smile.
"W-wh-what are y-you…" Addison attempted to reply. Derek was full on laughing now and she slapped him in the arm.
"Ouch. I didn't say anything. People can tell. Addie stop it." He kept on laughing and she kept on hitting him.
"Wait umm am I missing something?" Callie asked obliviously.
"Technically they are not a thing." Derek replied regaining his composure. "Cuz she's a coward… ouch!"
"Derek shut up!" Addison barked. Finally managing to regain control of her voice.
"Oh god Addison just talk to her. You two would make the cutest couple. Just talk to her." Callie said.
"I don't know what to even say." Addison said softly.
"Just tell her. Don't beat around the bush just tell her what you feel." Derek said.
"I'll most likely scare her off and I don't know if I'll be ok with that." Addison replied.
"So you'll just stay stuck? You are a double board certified world renowned surgeon. You don't stay stuck." Derek said confidently.
"I don't know." Addison replied letting her face fall onto her hands.
"I just met you but I didn't think you were this much of a coward. When you feel something like what you feel for Aelwyne you gotta act on it specially if you can see the same sparkle in her eyes that is in yours." Callie said getting up. "Just go and do it. Happiness waits for no one." And with that she was gone.
"Wow I don't think I needed to give you the pep talk at all. Callie has got it covered." Derek said with a chuckle. "You also probably scared her. Like geez Addie you almost killed her just now."
"Did not." Addison protested.
"Did too." Derek countered playfully.
"Shut up." Addison said with a heavy sigh.
"She thought we were together." Addison whispered after a while.
"You're the only denying there's something there. Well you and her. I think you are both afraid of the same thing." Derek replied sweetly.
"You really think so?" Addison's voice wavered.
"Oh Addie. I hear you and I don't recognize you. This is a big deal for you, isn't it?" Derek said squeezing her hand.
"I already told you. I don't want to lose her. It scares me. It scares me half to death. More than the realization that I liked a woman and that was scary." Addison said leaning onto his shoulder. "I thought living without you would be bad but living without her would be unbearable."
"You're living without her now. Stop second guessing and go live with her now." Derek encouraged her.
"Now?" Addison replied.
"Now." Derek said getting up and pulling her to her feet as well.
'Now. Go talk to her now. Be happy now. We already look like a couple. Maybe they are right. I mean she seems happier when I'm with her. She falls asleep instantly when I'm there. That glimmer in her eyes when she looks at me I don't see it with anyone else. Happiness waits for no one. If I keep waiting then I'll really lose her. Nothing is worse than losing an opportunity that could've changed your life. Oh god breathe Addison.' Addison's mind raced with each thought she grew more confident. She would talk to her today. Just needed an excuse.
Bailey walked into the lounge which presented an opportunity.
"Dr. Bailey could I take an intern to help me with some charting and post ops?" Addison thought it was light stuff so she may get Aelwyne.
"You can take whoever they're at the tunnels." Bailey replied looking in the fridge for her food.
"Now?" Derek whispered with a smile.
"Now." Addison whispered back. "Thank you." She said to Bailey and then was out the door.
George and Izzie's pagers had gone off leaving Meredith, Cristina, Alex, and Aelwyne sitting at the beds. They were done with their food and Alex was being a gentleman for once and taking their trash. Addison approached the group with a smile. The click of her heels drawing their attention.
"Hello doctors. I'm in need of an intern for the evening. Dr. Bailey said to ask who wants to come." Addison said sweetly, her eyes landing immediately on Aelwyne's.
"I have to cover some post ops." Cristina said quickly.
"Yeah me too." Meredith added quickly as well.
Alex took Aelwyne's tray with a smile. "Why don't you take it? Sweetness."
"Sweetness?" Addison wondered out loud. "Dr. Neirhem, let's go then. My office." She quickly added, clearing her throat her voice deep and cold. She turned quickly and began to walk away.
"Oh Ael. You're in so much trouble." Cristina said with a chuckle.
"What? Why?" Aelwyne asked, still confused with the change in demeanor Addison had suddenly shown.
"Maybe it was the 'sweetness', angel eyes." Cristina replied, earning a chuckle from Meredith.
"Dr. Neirhem! I don't have all day." Addison called harshly.
"Hmmm so much trouble." Cristina joked once more and Alex sat back down next to her oblivious to the situation.
Aelwyne left her friends and practically ran to Addison's side. The redhead looked beyond pissed. She had not seen her like that before. She thought about maybe saying something but every time she tried the words just would not come out so she resorted to fidgeting with her feather as they walked.
"You'll be doing my charts while I do some research and then my post ops." Addison's voice was firm and low.
"Not a problem Addison. I'll get everything done quickly." Aelwyne said with a tentative smile.
"Dr. Montgomery." Addison corrected. "Show some semblance of respect would you?"
"Oh I'm so very sorry Dr. Montgomery. It won't happen again." Aelwyne corrected herself quickly trying very hard to keep her voice even. She was sure the hurt shone in her eyes but she knew how to make the mask. One blink. Two blinks. Mask on.
They arrived at the office where Addison handed her a stack of charts and labs to get together. Quietly Aelwyne took everything to the nurses station and began working. After an hour and a half all charts were done.
"I finished charting Dr. Montgomery. I'll go do your post ops now. Is there anything specific you are looking for in any of them?" Aelwyne asked fidgeting with her charm.
"Do I have to spell everything out for you?" Addison bit back.
"I'll inform you if there is anything to worry about. Excuse me." Aelwyne replied coldly.
This place had made her soft. Maybe she had seen things wrong. She was still fidgeting with her feather when she left the office. She felt the sting in her eyes but she blinked it back. One deep breath and she was off to round.
Addison sat on her desk devastated. How had she been so blind? Aelwyne was with Alex. She was his 'sweetness'.
'What a stupid nickname.' Addison thought to herself. 'And what the hell was she fidgeting with? Just my luck. I fall for the girl that sees me like a big sister or something. How could I be so stupid? Opportunity… I can't believe I let that idiot talk me into this. Dammit it hurts.'
The beeping of her pager got her out of her head. It was a 911 to one of her patients.
"Shit!" Addison swore and left running down the hall.
"She's bleeding into her abdomen doctor. The O.R. is ready for us now. I'll begin transport." Aelwyne called as Addison arrived.
"Perfect. Let's move it people. Neirhem, come scrub in we need to work fast." Addison directed quickly forgetting she was upset and hurt. Right now they had a patient that needed help.
"How was that missed?" Addison questioned out loud when they were scrubbing out. They managed to control all the bleeding and fix everything back up. But the patient had had to have her volume replaced at least twice.
"When I spoke to her she said she didn't want to complain because she wanted to see her daughter." Aelwyne responded quietly next to her.
"She would have seen her either way." Addison said, shaking her head.
"Apparently someone got it into her head that unless she was fully recovered she wouldn't be allowed. I explained the baby was ok so we would have brought her. That's when everything went haywire." Aelwyne said, passing her a napkin.
"I see. Thank you." Addison said with a weak smile.
"Is everything ok, Addis- Dr. Montgomery?" Aelwyne corrected quickly.
"Fine." Addison simply said and began to walk out.
"So since we drove in together and you still have your clothes in my place, do you want to grab some take out? There's still some lasagna but I told Cristina and Meredith I'd bring them some." Aelwyne asked softly.
"Would you be ok taking a cab Dr. Neirhem? I can drop you off and send someone for my things later. I don't want to inconvenience you any longer. Just let me know if I need to drive you." Addison said quickly walking out of the scrub room, suddenly snapping back to the notion that Aelwyne was Karev's and not hers.
"Wait Dr. Montgomery… Addison please…" she heard the intern call but she kept going.
"Addison… please wait. Dammit why won't you stop… Addison… Addie!" Aelwyne shouted the last one a mix of anger and hurt in her voice made Addison stop and turn.
"I'm… I-I… I'm so sorry. I- I didn't I'm sorry. Why won't… what did I…" Aelwyne stammered her eyes growing glassy with unshed tears, she was fidgeting with something again.
Addison grabbed the intern's arm lightly and pulled her into the empty on call room of the floor. Once inside she ran her hands through her hair trying to calm down.
"Addie." Aelwyne's voice was soft, almost a whisper yet she could hear the pain.
"Don't call me that anymore. Please." Addison said sitting on the bed facing her.
"Did I do something wrong? I can fix it. Just tell me please and I'll fix it." Aelwyne pleaded, Addison could hear the metal of whatever she was fidgeting with.
"You did nothing wrong. I was just too stupid. I got carried away." Addison said with a pained smile.
"But you have been… you don't even look at me… I must've done something… now you don't even want to come home with me… maybe I'm too clingy now. You don't want to deal with clingy and broken. I get it. I'm sorry. If the problem is that I'll fix it. Just please don't treat me like a stranger." Aelwyne went on a rant. Suddenly dropping to her knees in front of Addison with a strangled cry. "I'm sorry. I promise I'll fix it, just please. I'm so sorry."
Addison was surprised and completely overwhelmed and all she could think of was of wrapping her arms around her so she did. She slid down to the ground and wrapped her arms around the intern who was currently attempting and failing to stifle the sobs.
"I'm sorry Ael. You did nothing wrong I swear. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you like this. I'm so sorry." Addison repeated over and over.
"I'm ok." Aelwyne said after a while of being in her arms.
"Ok." Addison said, pulling back. She saw the charm then. What Aelwyne had been fidgeting with was the charm of her bracelet.
"Want to sit on the bed?" Aelwyne asked shyly.
"Yeah." Addison said softly.
They sat next to each other for a while in silence. Until the silence was too unbearable for Addison.
"It looks good on you." She said suddenly.
"What does?" Aelwyne asked confused.
"The bracelet." Addison responded with a smile.
"Oh. Yeah thank you." Aelwyne said awkwardly.
They were quiet for another couple of minutes until the question burning in Addison got the better of her.
"So you and Karev… you make a cute couple I think. How long have you been together?" Addison asked as calmly as possible.
"Me and Alex? Together?" Aelwyne had shock written all over her face.
"Yeah, I mean was it a secret? If it was, tell him not to call you sweetness in public." The nickname left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Aelwyne exploded in laughter after that. She kept on laughing for a long while. Tears forming in her eyes.
"You- you think… you think me and Alex are together. Really?" Aelwyne managed to ask, still laughing.
"Well yeah. Why are you laughing? What's so funny?" Addison said bitterly.
"Addison, Alex is like the brother I never had. Just like Meredith and Cristina are like the sisters I never had. Then Bailey my mom and Richard my dad. Callie, my crazy aunt. Derek, Izzie, and George, my cousins. I mean we are together as a family." Aelwyne was still chuckling.
"Wait. You're not together? Thank god." Addison said relieved and then the guilt hit her like a train.
She had been awful to Aelwyne. She had made her cry. What the hell was wrong with her? She had to fix it. She had to tell her.
"Thank god huh?" Aelwyne said with a little smile. "Sorry for breaking down on you."
"I am so sorry for making your evening so miserable." Addison said sincerely shifting so that she was completely facing the brunette.
"Now I get what Cristina was talking about." Aelwyne said softly as if she had had some sort of epiphany.
"Talking about what?" Addison said, raising a brow questioningly.
"Oh nothing." Aelwyne said nervously grabbing onto her charm.
"I need to talk to you. About something important." Addison said, taking a breath.
"I'm all ears." Aelwyne shifted so she was also facing her.
Addison's throat went dry as Aelwyne's golden eyes bore into her. She had to tell her but she did not know how. Derek had said just say it. So maybe just say it and then that's it. The worst that could happen would be her saying no or her running out of here. She wished she had something to fidget with.
"Ok." She took a deep breath. "I'm just going to say it." Aelwyne nodded in response.
"I umm well it's like this I've never. You know, I've never felt… like I've never… umm why is this so hard?" Addison said exasperated. "Don't look at me."
"Oh ok." Aelwyne said fixing her gaze on her bracelet instead.
"Ok here it goes. I've never felt like ever like I never in a million years would have thought. I mean there have been celebrity crushes but that's normal. Not that this isn't, I don't want to offend. It's just…"
"I like you." Aelwyne said suddenly looking up at her once more.
Golden eyes meeting her green blue ones. There was that sparkle. The glimmer reserved only for her.
"You… you do?" Addison stammered feeling her eyes sting leaning closer.
"Do you?" Aelwyne asked, her voice timid and small shifting closer to her.
"Yes, I do. Of course I do." Addison said quicker than intended.
They were so close their breaths were now mingling together. Both hyper aware of each other's movements. Addison looked into Aelwyne's eyes and she could get lost in there forever. Then slowly her eyes made their way to the intern's lips. Then back to her eyes searching for a sign that it was ok for her to do what she had wanted to do for so long. The glint in her golden eyes shone brighter than before and it may have been a trick of the light but she did not care.
Addison closed the gap quickly, their lips centimeters away from each other. Aelwyne had used all of her self control already and now feeling Addison's warm breath on her face, her lips, there was nothing else to stop her as she dove in. Their lips met and it was soft and shy. Surprisingly they moved together in unison. Soft closed lip kisses. Electricity running through their lips as they gently pressed against each other. Then they sank completely leaving the shyness out and softly tasting each other.
Addison cupped her cheek with her soft hand the other around her waist while Aelwyne tangled her hands in her hair. The kisses deepened, Aelwyne smiled into her lips as she felt the feathery touches of Addison's tongue against her bottom lip. She parted her lips allowing Addison to explore her mouth with her tongue. They reluctantly parted for air once the oxygen had been used up.
"Wow." Aelwyne whispered with a smile.
"I know." Addison agreed with a chuckle.
"Can I do it again?" Aelwyne smirked.
"Most certainly." Addison responded with a grin and threw herself on top of the giggling intern.
Wow indeed. They had no idea how long they were there kissing but they did not care. They just cared about being together in that moment and prolonging that moment as much as they possibly could.
And then there were 19. I am so very sorry I have not updated in so long. I was very very sick and had surgery. Starting to feel better though. Anyway there's the first one! I don't know if you'll enjoy it. I hope you will. Not too too sure about the chapter. I know there were a lot of things happening at once. But hopefully it wasn't too crowded for y'all. Remember to leave comments and reviews. Just tell me what you think ok ;)
