Chapter 24: Mending
"McSteamy." Cristina said under her breath as she stood next to Aelwyne, who had immediately shot up at the sight of him.
All three interns were completely shocked when the man appeared. He looked like a man on a mission, his eyes landing on Aelwyne's. Meredith noted the shift in Aelwyne's eyes and signaled to Cristina to make sure she held her back. They still had no idea what happened but now they could discern the handsome man had everything to do with it. If looks could kill the man would have already been buried.
"What do you want?" Aelwyne's voice came out eerily calm while anger swirled in her eyes.
"I'm here to talk to you about Addison." Mark said calmly unfazed by her demeanor.
"I don't want to talk to you about Addison or anything to do with her." Aelwyne replied, her eyes still full of anger and even hate.
"Yes you do." Mark countered.
"She said she doesn't want to, pretty boy. So you can see yourself out. Unless you need my help getting out." Cristina said, pushing her sleeves up.
"I suggest you leave. Cristina isn't the only one that could help you out." Meredith added as menacingly as someone of her stature could seem.
"I'm not leaving until you hear me out. You stubborn little kid." Mark replied again unfazed by the threats.
"I'm warning you, pretty boy." Cristina said, stepping towards him.
"You're making a mistake. You're hurting her more than anyone has ever hurt her." Mark simply said.
"I'm hurting her? I'm hurting her?!" Aelwyne bellowed. "Don't make me laugh. She's the one that hurt me. Now she has you. She doesn't need me. I was just some pastime. A placeholder for you." Aelwyne spat bitterly.
"God I wish that were true." Mark said and instead of his smug smile a bitter and sad one appeared on his face.
"I don't want to hear you. Just leave." Aelwyne said, dropping his gaze.
"Addison is amazing, isn't she?" He began dragging her attention back to him. "She's caring and sweet and loving and warm. When she's doing something she likes or when she's truly happy her eyes have this sparkle, I can't quite explain. It's like they glimmer without any light. You've seen it, haven't you? She's looked at you that way. She did it today. She looked at you as if you were the only person in her whole world. She's nice but she's not very trusting and yet she trusts you. She doesn't give herself to anyone and yet it looks like she gave herself to you." As Mark spoke a certain sadness bled into his tone. Meredith and Cristina noticed the hesitation on Aelwyne to have him leave so they let him continue.
"Sh-she… she kissed you." Aelwyne finally said, her voice soft.
"No she didn't. I kissed her. The kiss meant nothing to her. That hurt but what hurt more was the fear, guilt, and shame that crossed her eyes when you walked away." Mark explained his pained expression unchanged.
"You kissed Addison." Cristina stated more than questioned yet he replied once more.
"I kissed Addison." Mark began. "I hurt you and honestly I don't know you so I don't really care but then I also hurt her and that I care about. I have never seen her that way. Not even when Derek left her. She's breaking with every minute that goes by. Her pain is my fault. So I'm here to tell you to go to her. To beg you to take her pain away because, as it stands, only you can." Aelwyne could see the sincerity in his eyes. She could see the pain that admitting that caused because he did love Addison.
"I… she's… breaking…" Fresh tears appeared in her golden eyes. "Not just because of you… b-but because of m-me." She finished sitting down on the couch holding her face in her hands.
"Ael it's ok. Breathe it's fine." Meredith tried to soothe her as Cristina sat back next to her.
"It's not fine… it's not." Aelwyne whimpered. "I hurt her. I should've listened. I should've stayed. She begged me. She doesn't do that with anyone. I know she doesn't and yet I still left."
"But now you can go back to her." Cristina said as she placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Will she even want me?" Aelwyne said into her hands.
"Will she want you?" Mark waved his hands around frustratingly. "Will she want you?! My Red is in love with you Gold. Are you that much of an idiot."
"Yes she is. You have no idea." Cristina said with a soft chuckle.
"Cristina." Meredith called shaking her head. "But yeah it's true."
"What the hell are you waiting for?" Mark said exasperated. "Go fix her."
"Do you love her?" He continued as Aelwyne hesitated.
"Excuse me?" Aelwyne said.
"Do you love her? Because she does and I'll be damned if I came here to get you, all so that you can hurt her later." Mark said bitterly.
'She loves me? She loves… me. I… I love her. And I hurt her. Can I really fix it? Do I even try? Will she want me back after I walked away? But I love her. Shouldn't I least try? I have to try. I have to see her.' With new resolve and still in pajamas Aelwyne got up wiping her face and looked back at Mark.
"Take me to her." Aelwyne simply said.
"Answer the question then." He challenged.
"Yes! Yes I love her." Aelwyne replied.
"Good. At least it'll be worth it." Mark said, releasing a heavy sigh.
"What will?" Aelwyne asked, squinting her eyes a bit.
"The pain of letting her go." He said and turned around to walk out. Aelwyne stood and watched him go for a bit before he called behind him. "Are you coming or what?"
Callie and Derek still stood guard outside of Addison's door. She had stopped sobbing so now they did not know if she was asleep or just laying there. Derek had brought over some snacks to quell some of their hunger as well as Addison's. When Callie had attempted to go in Addison's broken voice had told her to leave her alone.
"Do you think it was a good idea?" Derek asked out of nowhere.
"Leaving her alone? Yes. She'll kill us if we go in there." Callie said, still watching through the window.
"No I meant giving Mark the address." He replied.
"Well, if anyone was going to convince her. It could only be him. Coming from either of us it wouldn't have done a thing." Callie said.
"I guess you're right. I just hope he can really convince her. Addison needs her." Derek said with a sad smile.
"It's a good thing I brought her then." Mark said, startling both of them.
"Aelwyne." Callie said with a smile as she noticed the younger woman walking behind him. "You look like crap."
"Thanks. Is she in there?" Aelwyne said softly.
It was clear to them she had been crying just as much as Addison. Her eyes were red, puffy, and glistening even when there were no tears. Callie motioned for her to come to the window. Aelwyne took a breath and walked over.
"It's a good thing you're here." Derek began. "Now please go in there." He said opening the door and practically shoving her inside shutting it right after.
"G-go away. Please." Addison said as Aelwyne walked in.
Aelwyne's breath hitched as she took in the position Addison was in. Still curled in a fetal position with her back to the door. Her voice hoarse from all the crying. Aelwyne's eyes filled with tears instantly.
"Oh, Addie." Aelwyne breathed out.
Addison snapped sitting up and looking at her when she heard the sound of her voice. She could see her swollen red eyes and tear stained face. It hurt so much that she had done that.
"A-Ael." Addison stammered out. "You… you're here."
"I'm so sorry." Aelwyne managed to get out rushing to her. She went to wrap her arms around her but stopped and just kneeled on the floor in front of the couch. "I hurt you. I'm so so sorry."
"You're here." Addison repeated as she cradled her face. Tentative touches as if she was trying to make sure the intern was really there and not just some figment of her imagination. "You're here." She breathed out and wrapped her arms around her sliding down to the floor with her.
"I think our job here is done." Derek said as he saw them.
"What job? I did all the work." Mark protested.
"It was your fault to begin with. You idiot sandwich." Callie said as she began shoving them away from the door.
They sat in each other's arms for what seemed like forever just enjoying each other's warmth. Addison snaked her hands through Aelwyne's hair and sighed contently when she felt the intern bury her head in the crook of her neck.
"Ael I promise. I didn't. He… but I… I promise…" Addison stammered out after a while pulling slightly apart to look at her.
"I know, Addie. I know." Aelwyne tightened her hold on the redhead as she spoke.
"Addie." Addison echoed softly with a gentle smile.
"Yes. Addie… my Addie." Aelwyne said her face growing red. "Only if you still want to. I hurt you. I-"
Whatever else Aelwyne was going to say was lost as Addison captured her lips with her own. It was a hungry kiss, in which they both tried to convey how much they meant to each other, how much they needed each other. Addison's hands roamed Aelwyne's back as Aelwyne's tangled in her red hair. They kissed and kissed until they ran out of oxygen and had to stop. Their foreheads pressed together as they panted with silly smiles on their faces.
"All I want to be is yours, Ael. Only yours. I… I…" Addison tried to say those three words but could not.
"I know… me too. And I'm scared too." Aelwyne whispered softly.
"Ael… what made you come back?" Addison said as she played with a lock of her brunette hair.
"More like who." Aelwyne replied looking towards the door where Mark had been.
"Who, then?" Addison asked, dragging her attention back to her.
"Mark." Aelwyne simply said.
"Mark?" Addison looked confused.
"Yes. He found me at Meredith's house because I couldn't go home without you." Aelwyne began and at that Addison smiled. "He told me what he did, the… kiss," She said in an annoyed tone. "and then called me a stubborn kid and an idiot." She pouted.
"Aww, want me to take that pout away?" Addison asked with a smile that Aelwyne returned. "Wow. Didn't even have to kiss it away."
"I'd like the kiss but just looking at you makes me feel better." Aelwyne said with her smile.
"Does it? When I saw you standing there I felt my breaking heart begin to mend." Addison said softly.
"I'm sorry." Aelwyne spoke softly, her eyes filling with tears. "I hurt you. I'm so sorry."
"Aelwyne no. Stop. I'm ok. Look…" Addison said, gently lifting up her chin. "I'm ok. I'm not hurting. See?"
"You were. Your eyes are red and still puffy." Aelwyne said sadly.
"So are yours." Addison countered.
"Yeah but you were curled into a ball." Aelwyne said.
"I was cold." Addison chuckled lightly.
"Addie." Aelwyne sighed.
"Ael." Addison smiled.
"I hurt you." Aelwyne said softly. "Please let me say I'm sorry."
"You already did." Addison said and began to count with her fingers. "Like five times already." She chuckled. "It doesn't matter now. Want to know why?"
"Hmm?" Aelwyne just looked at her.
"Because I have you here with me. I have you in my arms. So everything in the world is right and I'm ok." Addison said, kissing her cheek and earning a small smile.
"You're ok?" Aelwyne asked.
"I'm ok. I'm good. I'm great!" Addison said with a smile. "And now you're going to tell me why you are wearing pajamas in the hospital." She chuckled.
"There was something really important I had to do so I forgot I was wearing these." Aelwyne said looking down at herself.
"Important?" Addison asked leaning in and planting kisses on the intern's neck.
"Yep." Aelwyne giggled. "Addie." She whimpered as Addison nibbled gently along her pulse line.
"These aren't yours are they?" Addison backed away teasingly.
"Addison." Aelwyne sighed heavily and shook her head.
"What?" Addison asked innocently.
"Fine. Since I'm feeling guilty I'll let you do whatever you want." Aelwyne smiled.
"Whatever I want?" Addison's eyes narrowed.
"Yeah." Aelwyne said tentatively.
"Mmhmm. Well, how about…" Addison leaned into her.
Her warm breath on her skin, sending shivers throughout Aelwyne's body. The intern's body grew warm as she felt the redhead's body pressing against her. Her mouth going dry and she took uneven breaths. She shook in anticipation as Addison's lips lightly grazed her ear.
"How about…" Addison dropped her tone seductively, Aelwyne moaned softly. "We go eat something 'cause I'm hungry." And she pushed herself away standing up.
"What?" Aelwyne asked, bewildered and slightly annoyed.
"Let's go home?" Addison said, offering her hand.
"Did you just call my loft home? Ok, that makes up for everything." Aelwyne said, taking her hand and standing up.
"Maybe when we get home…" Addison winked.
"When we get home and eat… we're going to get in bed," Aelwyne narrowed her eyes looking at her lips. "And I'm going to cuddle with you and sleep." She chuckled bopping Addison's nose as she pouted. "Do you need me to kiss that away?"
Addison looked away and then back at her trying to keep said pout in place. Aelwyne kissed her gently and felt the pout fade into a smile.
"Ok. Ok let's go before our next shift starts." Addison said interlacing her fingers with a giggling Aelwyne and dragging her out the door.
"All's well that ends well. Don't you think Miranda?" Richard said as he spied the two women walking out hand in hand.
"These children are just headaches." Bailey replied as she too watched them leave.
"But you love them." Richard chuckled.
"I don't… shut up." Bailey said walking away hiding a small smile.
And then there were 24! So my brain was being annoying when I was writing this. Hopefully you guys like it. Also thanks to 'Gaygaygay' for that last review and a shout out for that Mark comment I found it hilarious and had to include it in the story. Anyway this was supposed to be up yesterday (Sunday) but again my brain. Remember to comment or review or like and let me know what you think k. ;)
