Runaway Love


"I'm just trying to find, find, find, sweet love of mine" - Runaway Love


"There's one thing on this list we could do today," Derek Shepherd points down to the list of requirements on the adoption list.

"Yeah," Meredith agrees, but as they drive off to City Hall, she starts getting cold feet.

"Y'know Derek, maybe we shouldn't today," Meredith says uneasily.

"What?" Derek asks her, surprised.

"It's just… It's Callie and Arizona's wedding, this should be their day, let's be there and make it special," says Meredith.

"You really don't want to miss their wedding?" Derek asks her.

"Do you?" Meredith asks him.

"Well, if we're going to get married…" Derek shrugs.

"Maybe some other time Derek, I just- let's get to their wedding today," Meredith says to him.

"Alright, you go then, I'll pick up the papers at City Hall so we can look over them," says Derek, and Meredith nods at him, and hops out of his car and into his own car, and rides off to the ceremony.


Meredith arrives just at the nick of time, with only one seat left for her right in the back. She's so flustered she doesn't see who she's sitting next to until the person greets her by name.

"Dr. Grey," none other than Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery greets her formally.

"Addison!?" Meredith squeaks, unprepared for her boyfriend's ex-wife's formidable presence at this very moment.

"Did you just come from surgery?" Addison asks her, understanding her potential reason for arriving nearly late to a wedding.

"Oh, no, I was on my way to City Hall, well, we were on our way to City Hall, and it just didn't feel right to miss out on their day y'know, so then I drove here, and-" Meredith stops herself from rambling when she stares into the bold green eyes of the red-headed doctor.

Years later, Meredith is still in awe of Addison, and she can't seem to shake it now that they're both sitting here so close to each other.

"You were on your way to City Hall?" Addison asks casually, but Meredith can see there's a bit of reservation in her tone.

"We were," says Meredith.

"And yet, you're here?" Addison asks her quizzically.

"Yeah," says Meredith. "Hey look, I think they're about to start-" Meredith says to take the heat off herself for the moment.

Addison raises her eyebrows initially, but then settles into watching Callie and Arizona get married with their beautiful white wedding, and Meredith hopes that she'll somehow drop the subject entirely.


"Meredith! Addison! You came, but where's Derek?" Arizona asks them, as they set up for the dinner.

"What, am I supposed to have some sort of ex-husband tracking device or?" Addison quips, and Meredith laughs at that loudly.

"Well, I was talking mostly to Meredith, but if you knew anyway-" Arizona concludes.

"Oh no, did he get locked up again for reckless driving?" Callie asks her, the connections suddenly forming.

"No- I mean, I don't think so," Meredith mentions, as she bites her lip at the real reason.

"Reckless driving?" Addison asks Meredith, wondering just what on earth Derek had been up to since she'd moved to L.A.

"Yeah, he'd been going a solid hundred miles per hour on the freeway after he'd gotten shot in the hospital shooting, you wouldn't believe the amount of times I've bailed him out of jail, hell, I think they know me by name at this point," Meredith sighs.

"Does that affect him as a physician?" Addison asks her.

"Well, no, because they always let him off with a warning," Meredith sighs.

"I see," says Addison.

Addison seems to consider for a moment, and then she comes up with an idea, "do you want me to slap him for you?" Addison offers.

"If you could slap some sense into him, that'd be a miracle," Meredith smiles at the sudden ex-wife, ex-mistress solidarity here.

"You got it."


When Derek does show up at the wedding reception, he's caught off-guard at the image of his current girlfriend dancing close with his ex-wife on the dance floor.

The pair of them are twirling and laughing, and holding each other close as if they had no care in the world.

"What did I miss!?" Derek asks abstractly to no one in particular, but Mark Sloan, his best friend seems to catch onto it.

"You weren't here dude," Mark says, and when Derek looks him in the eye he seems to be communicating some sort of deeper meaning here.

"What do you mean by that?" Derek asks him.

"You left Meredith alone to go to a wedding. How many times have you done that with Addison over the years?" Mark says softly.

"Not many," says Derek.

"Several," says Mark. "And I know, because I accompanied her," he offers.

"Oh," says Derek. "Wait, is that when you started fooling around with her?" Derek's face washes with realization.

"Well, no, but it might have been where some of the connection had started," Mark shrugs.

"Oh no," says Derek, as he watches Meredith lean her head onto Addison's shoulder as they keep dancing.

"Yeah, they're about ten minutes away from whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears, and having an affair together," Mark laughs, but Derek sees too much truth in it.

"Gotta go," Derek says abruptly as he goes to talk to Meredith Grey.

"Hey, have you seen Lexie?" Mark asks him, but by the time he gets the words out, Derek is already gone.


"Hey, have you seen Meredith?" Derek asks Cristina, because he figures that she would know.

"Oh, I think she was with your ex-wife by the drinks over there," Cristina smirks at him.

"Damnit!" Derek swears.

"Yeah, good luck with that McDreamy," Cristina laughs evilly as Derek runs to catch up with them.

"Oh, congratulations Arizona and Callie," he says as he runs past him.

"What's the rush?" Callie asks him.

"No idea," says Arizona.

The rest of the ceremony goes off without a hitch, with Arizona and Callie headed off to consummate their wedding, and all the guests hanging out into the later hours of their reception.

When Derek finally finds them, he watches them from a distance as his ex-wife hands his ex-mistress a drink. Both of them are leaning in, laughing, and he's struck by just how happy they seem to be at this moment.


"So you do drink more than tequila, hey?" Addison teases, as she hands Meredith a flask of champagne.

"Yes, branching out from the favorites," Meredith says, "and plus, I drink tequila to forget… And I don't need to forget this wedding… Or forget that I'm talking to you…" Meredith smiles, as Addison picks out a drink for herself.

"Oh how the tables have turned," Addison laughs, and Meredith laughs easily along with her.

"Your dress is gorgeous by the way," Meredith steps closer, as she runs the pads of her fingertips along Addison's shoulder.

"Thank you, Meredith," Addison's eyes sparkle as she receives the blonde's gentle touches. "You look stunning as well," she says, as she feels the blonde step even closer.

"You know, when I first met you, I hated you for how leggy you were," says Meredith, as she points to Addison's full height.

"And here I was despising you for how sweet and innocent you looked," Addison chuckles.

"Innocent?" Meredith asks, her brow-raising challengingly.

Addison gulps, and she doesn't answer that, as she feels the blonde's darkening eyes boring into her skull.

Meredith hears her though, minutes later, once Addison has already retreated back into her own space, as she mutters 'hardly,' under her breath, quiet enough that she doesn't expect anyone else to hear her.


"Addison…" Meredith flushes as she brushes Addison's arm.

Meredith's touches are becoming increasingly flirtatious and far less subtle as the night progresses on.

"Yes, Meredith," Addison smiles and politely takes Meredith's other hand off of her hip.

"Do you want to get out here… With me…" Meredith winks outrageously at Addison, and Addison hesitates for a moment at Meredith's smoldering expression, and her hand reaches back to her hip again.

"Meredith…" Addison says compassionately. "This isn't a good idea. Trust me," she says, as she offers the blonde a glass of water to sober her up again.

"But don't you want to have a little fun?" Meredith asks, as she runs her hands up and down Addison's back.

She's being a bit of a handsy drunk, and Addison recognizes this as she sits down next to her, but keeps her hands dutifully to herself.

"Fun is good Grey, but this would be crossing a serious line, and I want you to be making good decisions when you're thinking of crossing them," she says easily.

"Mm, buzzkill," Meredith whines as she tucks herself into Addison's arms, putting the glass down behind her.

"Hey, just making sure you're not making any mistakes that you can't take back in the morning," says Addison.

"I wouldn't," Meredith insists to her. "I could never regret you…"

"And this, I think is a good time to get you to bed," Addison smiles, as she helps Meredith find her coat and put it on her.


Meanwhile, Cristina watches as Addison helps Meredith put on her jacket, and pulls her lapels out well.

"Are you taking me home?" Meredith giggles.

"Well, I'm taking you somewhere to sleep it off," Addison offers.

"How are we getting there though? We've both been drinking," says Meredith.

"True," Addison sighs.

"Hey, I know," offers Cristina, as she steps into the conversation. "I could drive you back in the getaway car. I mean, Arizona and Callie don't need it anymore right?" Cristina offers.

"Yes! Cristina! My person! My savior! My twisted-sister! My-" Meredith rambles.

"Thanks, Dr. Yang," Addison says, relieved at this solution.

"Wait, why were you driving the getaway car?" Says Meredith.

"Hey, I am an amazing driver," says Cristina.

"It's a tradition, Grey," says Addison.

"Mkay," says Meredith. "I'm just happy to be getting away with you," Meredith says, and Cristina knows already that she's talking about Addison.


"Have you seen Meredith?" Derek asks everyone he can find at the party.

"Oh, I think she went off with Addison and Cristina. Something about Cristina driving the getaway car?" Teddy eventually supplies for him.

"What!?" Derek says frustratedly.

"Hey, I'm just the messenger," says Dr. Altman.

"Thanks, Teddy," says Derek.

"I've got to find them," Derek mutters to himself, as he realizes that he's also way too drunk to drive, so he might be a bit stuck for the evening.

"Hey, could you check on Cristina for me if you find her?" Teddy asks him.

"Sure," Derek says without a second thought as he runs off.

"Leaving so soon?" Derek bumps into Richard on his way out.

"Oh, yeah," says Derek. "Actually, I should ask you something," says Derek.

"Okay?" Richard asks him.

"Yeah, so I was about to marry Meredith today, but then we came here, and I guess I'm asking you this because you're sort of like her father figure. Well, not her father, because I know that she's- and that you- and anyway, but-" Derek rambles.

"You're not off to a fantastic start there Shep-" Richard teases.

"Look, I know you never approved of our relationship, but could I have Meredith's hand in marriage?" Derek starts and finally finishes.

"Umm, well you've had your ups and downs, but we're all grownups here now. And it wouldn't be right for me to have this much control over yours or her life," Richard shrugs.

"So, is that a yes?" Derek asks him.

"Well, it wasn't a no," Richard says. "Look, she's like my daughter so please treat her well alright?" Richard asks him.

"Well, she's not an intern anymore, if that helps," Derek shrugs.

"It helps a little bit."


"Alright, behave, Montgomery," Cristina says sternly as she drops them both off to Meredith's house.

"We'll be good," reassures Addison.

"You're the BEST," offers Meredith as she stumbles up to her driveway.

"Do you need a hand with that or-" Addison offers as she sees Meredith inserting her key backward.

"Damnit!" Meredith says frustratedly.

"Here," Addison takes it, and unlocks the door, as Meredith stumbles into it.

"Oops!" Meredith says as she takes a tumble onto the doormat.

"Watch out," Addison laughs, as she leans in to catch her, and Meredith just ends up taking them both down with her.

"Can we just sleep on the couch? I don't think I can make it to the bedroom," says Meredith.

"Alright, but we're keeping our clothes on," Addison chuckles, as she allows the blonde to tuck into her.

"Spoon me?" Meredith asks her.

"Alright Grey," Addison sighs, knowing that this is probably the only way she's going to get the blonde to settle down for the night.

"You're so comfy," Meredith tucks Addison's arm around her, and falls blissfully asleep after their long day.

Addison falls asleep eventually also, and they only wake up when the door opens up.


When the door opens, Addison braces herself for the worst, but she's happy that the intruder is not in fact Derek, but Teddy.

"Dr. Altman?" Addison squints to remember having remembered the cardio doctor the previous evening.

"Dr. Montgomery," Teddy says politely.

"What brings you here?" Addison asks her.

"Cristina asked me to check on you," Teddy shrugs. "I picked up a key in her mailbox because she was too tired," Teddy laughs.

"Hey Teddy," Meredith says as she wakes herself up, bearing no mind to yet another doctor having a key to her house at this point.

"Hello, Meredith?" Teddy asks her, suddenly confused when she hears two voices emerge from the couch.

"Hi," says Meredith. "Make yourself at home, everyone else has," Meredith laughs.

"So you got home safely last night then?" Teddy asks them.

"Yeah," says Meredith, clinging closer to Addison.

"Cristina drove us," Addison confirms what Teddy probably already knows.

"Well, alright then. I'll let Cristina know that neither of you got murdered in your sleep before morning," Teddy laughs as she does this.

"Thanks, Teddy," says Meredith.


"Can I ask you something?" Teddy asks nervously.

"Sure?" Addison squeaks.

"What's umm… What's going on between… You… Two…?" Teddy glances between them, then blushes.

"She rescued me at the wedding when Derek wanted to marry me," Meredith sighs.

"So you do remember all of that, huh, I was worried you'd have been too drunk," offers Addison.

"Have you met me?" Meredith laughs. "I was hardly tipsy," she adds.

"Oh," Addison laughs, as she remembers the blonde being rather all over her the previous night, and realizing just how much she meant it.

"And I don't regret a thing," Meredith smiles.

"Oh God," says Teddy.

"We didn't have sex," Addison clarifies.

"Yeah, she wouldn't even fondle me," Meredith laughs.

"Meredith!" Addison exclaims.

"What, just lightening the mood," Meredith sighs.

"Well, I'll take that as my cue to head off," Teddy laughs, as she locks the door for them on her way out.


"Uh-oh, ten missed calls from Derek. I better call him," Meredith sighs as she checks the call on her phone.

"You go do that," says Addison, as she rifles around the kitchen for coffee.

"Hey, I'm an avoider," Meredith laughs as she picks up the call.

"Meredith, where have you been!?" Derek exclaims at her.

"I'm at home," Meredith deadpans. "Where are you?" Meredith adds after that.

"I'm at the trailer," Derek offers.

"So, you're home," says Meredith.

"Pretty much," says Derek.

"Umm, I have to talk to you…" Meredith says nervously.

"Okay, I'll be over in ten, unless you want to come over!" Derek offers suggestively.

"No, that's okay, I'll ah-" Meredith looks around the room and panics slightly.

"I can come over, if that's easier," Derek says.

"Sure?" Meredith squeaks.

And then she just stands there anticipating him nervously.


"He's coming over," Meredith announces to Addison, not bothering to tell her who she's obviously talking about.

"So, I'm guessing that this is maybe a bad time for eternity-old threesome jokes?" Addison offers.

"Ha, ha," Meredith rolls her eyes. "And you'll be surprised to know that that's not even my thing anyway," offers Meredith.

"A little bit," Addison blurts out before she can contain herself.

"Hey, I'm not into everything," Meredith rolls her eyes exaggeratedly as Addison blushes.

"I don't mean to suggest-" Addison starts, and Meredith stalks over to tease her.

"Mm, are you sure about that?" Meredith runs her hand through Addison's hair.

"Meredith…" Addison takes Meredith's hand on her wrist. "We've got to talk seriously," Addison sighs.

"Okay," Meredith sits down.

"Okay," Addison smiles.


There's a knock on the door, and Addison goes over to get it before she remembers whose who's she's in.

"Addison," Derek says, half-surprised but half-not by her reaction.

"Hi Derek," says Addison. "Meredith is in the kitchen," Addison motions for him to come into the house that he already knows so well.

"Hi Derek," Meredith says a bit tensely as she offers him a cup of coffee for his troubles.

"Hello," Derek says, as he takes the cup of coffee in his hand. "So, I heard you left with Addison last night," Derek cuts right to the chase.

"Right, about that…" Meredith says nervously as they walk into the living room where the redhead is now sitting.

"We didn't cheat, if that's what you were about to ask," Addison offers.

"It wasn't, I was just going to check to see if she was okay but alright," says Derek.

"I don't think I can marry you though," offers Meredith.

"I also figured that part out," offers Derek.

"Are you heartbroken?" Asks Addison.

"A little bit, but I guess I could have seen it coming by the way she ran away when I mentioned it," Derek shrugs.

"We can still be friends," offers Meredith.

"We can be friends," Derek softens.

"Look at that, we're all friends again," Addison starts laughing, and then they're all laughing together.


Once things settle more with Arizona and Callie's wedding, they come into work the next morning sporting their new rings, and they don't mind the parallel gossip of the end of the Meredith-And-Derek era.

The biggest news of all though, is the news that Addison decides to stay for a little while longer.

"Do you need a place to crash while you're here?" Callie asks her.

"Callie, we're newlyweds, we can't have other people over all the time!" Arizona protests.

"I didn't mean with us necessarily," Callie clarifies.

"What space were you offering then?" Arizona asks her.

"It was more of a general question," says Callie.

"It's alright, I'm actually set," Addison smiles.

"Who with?" Arizona asks her.

"With-" Addison begins, but another blonde interrupts her.

"Juju?" Meredith offers, and hands Addison a hot chocolate.

"Please," says Addison, smiling as the doctor hands her the mug.

"Is this like a thing now?" Callie points between the two of them.

"I'm so happy that our wedding made the world even gayer!" Says Arizona.

"Hey, we're trying not to jinx it," says Addison.

"Yeah, we're taking it slow," says Meredith, as she still wraps her arms around Addison's waist.

"Good luck with that," Callie laughs, after knowing the two of them.

"Oops, gotta go," says Arizona as she gets a page.

"See you later, wife," says Callie, as Arizona heads off. "Tell me everything," Callie insists, and they do.


"Chief," Addison says as she scrubs into surgery.

"So, I heard you're staying in Seattle for a while longer. Any chance I could interest you in a position here?" Richard offers.

"Well, maybe," says Addison, as she smiles at him fondly.

"I always knew you'd find your way back here," Richard smiles.

"Well, I guess there's just something about it," says Addison.

"What about your practice in L.A?" Richard asks her.

"Well, I've found someone to replace me up there, and I own the house, and I'm keeping it as a vacation spot," offers Addison.

"And I heard that you have a new love interest?" Richard says to her.

"Well, yeah, about that…'' Addison shuffles nervously under Richard's gaze.

"Relax, Addie. You're a very accomplished woman, and I'm proud of you," Richard says to her.

"So, you're not mad?" Addison asks him.

"Don't make me mad later," says Richard.

"I'll do my best," Addison answers.


"So, is this the part where I get to ask you out on a date?" Meredith asks Addison once they've both finished their work for the day.

"I think that would be a classy thing to do," Addison smiles.

"Rather than feel you up at our friend's wedding before I dumped my boyfriend?" Meredith laughs.

"Yes," says Addison.

"Well okay then," says Meredith. "I'll pick you up at eight," Meredith says, and she squeezes Addison's hand before she heads off again.

"Alright then."

"And then I can start feeling you up?" Meredith teases.

"You're a terrible influence," Addison laughs.

"But you love it," says Meredith.

"Well, it's working out in my favor this time, now isn't it?" Addison smiles. "Here, want a hug?" Addison offers.

"Yeah," says Meredith, and they lean in together.


Their first date is spent just going for a drive to the edge of the city, where Meredith shows Addison some cool sights she hadn't gotten a chance to see the last time she'd been here.

They grab a bite to eat sometime after at a sandwich shop that Addison likes, and it all feels very sophisticated and domestic.

"So you had Derek, and now you want me?" Addison asks Meredith with tender eyes as she settles down for dinner.

"I couldn't forget about you," Meredith admits to her finally. "I'd just remember you, and I'd be with him… And I just didn't realize it until you came back," Meredith offers.

"I missed you too," says Addison as they spring for dessert.

"So are you staying here?" Meredith asks her.

"For a little while, no pressure," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith.

"Alright, just because I'm staying at your place, no funny business just quite yet," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith. "But a little flirting and kissing?" Meredith asks her.

"I'll allow a little bit," Addison smiles.

"Alright then, but I'll just leave you wanting more," Meredith promises, as she winks at her.

And true to her word, she definitely does.


They have their first kiss somewhere deep in the city overlooking everything, and it's just like that.

Plain and simple, like something out of a dream.

"You're something else to come back for, Grey," says Addison, as she leans into the blonde again.

"And I'm going to do my very best to seduce you into staying here," Meredith offers, as she holds onto Addison's shoulders.

It's quaint and sweet, as they enjoy each other for a while longer before getting home.

Addison has some of her things delivered that she needs right away, and they talk about taking a trip up to LA sometime to move back with the rest.

"So I was still thinking about adopting a child though," says Meredith quietly, once they're alone in the house.

"I've always wanted to be a mother," says Addison.

"Is it too soon though?" Meredith asks her.

"Maybe," says Addison. "But we could wait a few months and see where we land?" Addison offers.

"We can," says Meredith, as she tucks herself into the crook of Addison's neck to sleep, this time in her bed rather than on the couch.

And it was the beginning of a very fine romantic relationship, indeed.


***** FIN


Author's Note:

Thanks for reading, folks!

bobbiejelly