Well I hope this chapter lives up to everyones' expectations. I don't really know if I like it or not so reviews would be helpful.
Chapter Five: Dude- A Term of Endearment?
Focus. Focus. Addison willed herself to concentrate. She could not afford to give her attention to anything other than the tiny baby on the operating table in front of her. The surgery had dragged on for hours and her thoughts were starting to wander. Worse still a dull, pounding headache throbbed within her skull and her whole body ached with fatigue. The effects of another sleepless night were taking a heavy toll on her.
Why does it matter? He's not even your type. You're letting a lousy, stuck up intern keep you awake at night. Addison flinched internally. She could not be thinking about Alex. She fixed her eyes on the small body she was operating on and tried not to feel him watching her. The baby was in bad shape. Addison hoped it would make it through. She took several deep breaths, collected herself and began to finish off the delicate procedure.
Suddenly alarms sounded on several of the monitors attached to the baby. Without warning the body cavity began to fill with blood. Addison struggled to identify the source of the bleeding but instinctually knew it was hopeless. The baby was bleeding out. Within seconds it was dead. Shattered, Addison dropped her surgical implements onto a nearby tray and began to peel off her reddened gloves. She heard Karev call the time of death from behind her as she wearily exited the O.R.
The tears Addison was too tired to hold in poured down her face in sobs, relentlessly shaking her shoulders. It was too much. The death of the baby, the parents' grief, everything that had happened with Alex, it was just too much to handle. Realizing she was about to breakdown in front of coworkers, Addison had found an empty examination room, closed the door, cut the lights and dissolved into tears. Curled tightly on an uncomfortable chair she hugged her legs to her chest, pressed her forehead against her knees and attempted to at least cry quietly. She didn't cry quite quietly enough. A beam of light slid across the room as the door slowly cracked open and a soft voice whispered,
"Addison? Are you o.k?" Addison lifted her head and shot the intruder a venomous glare. It was Alex Karev.
"Yes. I'm fine," she retorted. "Just leave me alone Karev."
"Dude, you're not fine," Alex scoffed. He stepped inside the exam room and closed the door, making sure it locked behind him. Addison certainly didn't need anyone else coming in and finding her like this. Her hair was a mess, clinging to the sides of her tearstained face and her eyes were dark and puffy from crying. She was deathly pale and her mascara was smudged but somehow she still looked beautiful... and angry.
"What do you want Karev? I asked you to leave me alone."
"I just want to know what's wrong." Alex chose his words carefully. "Is it the baby? Because that was not your fault. You did everything right. It just happened." Addison shook her head.
"No. It's not the baby. I've been doing this job a long time. I can't afford to get upset about dead babies," she said bitterly.
Alex was startled by her choice of words. "Then what's the problem?" he muttered. He was completely unprepared for her reply.
"You! You're my problem!" Addison spat. She could tell she was about to say something stupid, could feel her emotions rising above her composure. "I mean what is wrong with you? One minute you're this wonderful, sweet, coffee sabotaging person and the next minute you're insulting me in a supply closet. You drive me crazy. I just want to stop thinking about you but..." Addison gulped, realizing she had said too much.
"Go. Just go," she sighed wearily. Alex didn't move.
"I said get out," she pleaded but Alex was already moving towards her. Her legs trembled weakly as he closed the gap between them and she collapsed into a chair, hands draped limply on her knees. Alex was suddenly leaning over her, his arms planted on either side of her, resting on the arms of the chair. He brought his face to within an inch of hers and when she voiced no protest leaned forward and softly kissed her lips. He didn't stop there.