Interesting fact about this fic. My reviews go down, but the number of people that add it to their story alerts and favorites lists goes insane. Weird. And if you are a person that has an alert on this story, please send me a review, I have no idea who 75percest of you are, AND I WANT TO KNOW.
Oh and the flower thing. Derek gave Meredith daisies, which if you remember way back in your childhood days, you would pick the petals off and say "he loves me, he loves me not" (interesting...) but he got Addison an orchid (for no reason) and orchids are a symbol of sex and desire and of secret love. Now I didn't really think of that when I was writing it (well I kinda did about the Orchid, mostly I like Orchids), but thats cool right? RIGHT?
And this chapter like overlaps with the last one, so you jump right back in.
Read. Now.
OOOOOOOOOO
"You do not get to walk out on me." Addison grabbed his arm and pulled with all her strength. She felt his arm give, falling out of it's joint rather then him relenting to her.
She felt a searing pain flash across her cheek and stumbled back, hitting the wall with a thud and sliding to the floor.
The room was motionless.
"Are you okay?" His voice was hard, but tears streamed down his face.
Addison didn't look up, she knew that there was no point, his back was to her, he couldn't bare the sight of her. She kept her face buried in her hands, "No."
Both remained still, neither sure what was the emotional pain and what was the physical.
"I'm leaving," Derek said finally.
Addison refused to let herself cry, "Are you coming back?"
Derek was silent, "I can't be near you."
"I'm sorry," she whisper, "I lo-"
"No!" Derek exclaimed. Spinning around he pulled her roughly to feet and pushed her back against the wall, his hands tight on her arms, "You do not get to say you love me."
Addison nodded, her head bowed her hair hiding her face.
Derek let go of her arms and she slumped slightly.
"If I see that man again, I'll kill him," he promised, closing the door behind him.
XXXX
"Addison!" Derek burst through the front door of Addison's house, Meredith close on his heels, "Addison!"
Addison came around the corner, concern written all over her face.
"Addison," Derek stumbled towards her almost knocking both of them to the floor. It took almost all her strength to keep them upright, but after a moment her strength gave out, Derek fell to the floor and Addison sank ungracefully to the floor beside him.
"God Derek, how much did you drink?"
"I tried to take him home," Meredith explained, "But he kept saying that he had to talk to you. He tired to walk over. In the dark. Like this."
Addison rolled her eyes.
Mark and Izzie cautiously entered the room.
Derek's face instantly filled with rage, "Mark!" he attempted to scramble to his feet, intent on reaching Mark.
"Mark, get out!" Addison yelled attempting to hold Derek back.
"I never wanted to be dreamy!" Derek yelled after him, struggling against Addison and Meredith.
"He keeps saying that," Meredith murmured to Addison.
Derek suddenly stopped struggling and became very still. Addison and Meredith leaned away, wearily waiting for what he would do next. Izzie crept forward, ready to jump in if they needed help.
Derek stared at Meredith for a long time as if trying to comprehend who she was and why she was there.
Meredith and Addison exchanged looks.
"Derek," Addison said softly.
Derek's head jerked around to look at her, noticing for the first time that she was still there. "Addison," he slurred, "Addison. Addison. Addison. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." he buried his face in his hands, "I'm sorry. I hurt you. I hurt you and I just left..."
"Derek, it's ok," Addison replied glancing uncomfortably at Meredith.
"No. NO," Derek insisted, "It's not okay. I... I..." Derek stared at her, "Show me."
"No, Derek, don't do this," Addison pleaded, refusing to look him in the eye.
"Show me," he growled.
"Meredith," Izzie whispered, motioning for her to come with her.
"What is going on?" Meredith demanded once they had left the room.
"They just need a minute," Izzie told her, approaching Mark who was sitting at the kitchen table. head in his hands.
"What's happening?" Mark questioned.
Izzie shook her head, "Derek is beating himself up. He wants Addison to show him..." Izzie made a vague had movement over her face.
"What is going on?" Meredith demanded again.
Izzie and Mark exchanged looks.
"When Derek found Addison and I in bed together," Mark began, "She chased after him, and they got into a fight in the entry way of their house."
"He hit her," Izzie broke in.
"What?"
"Mark!"
All three turned at the sound of Addison's voice. They left the kitchen and reentered the foyer. Derek was slumped against Addison, unconscious.
"He passed out. I waited but I don't think he's coming too."
Mark nodded, "What do you want me to do with him?"
Addison stared down at Derek, "Get me a cold cloth and some water, I'm going to try to wake him up."
Mark nodded and left with Izzie.
"He hit you?"
Addison's head jerked up to meet Meredith's eye's, "Meredith, I deserved it. And I know that your thinking 'that's what they all say', but I did. Derek is not a violent man. I was the first one to draw blood, I was the first one to hit him, I was the one about to dislocate his shoulder. If anything it was self defense."
Meredith looked uncertain.
"Meredith," Addison said gently, "It didn't hurt, it didn't even bruise. His ring caught my cheekbone and it started to bleed. It was an accident."
Mark reentered the room.
"Your an ass."
"That's what they tell me," he shot back, handing her a cold cloth.
"Derek," Addison began running the cloth over his face, "Der, wake up. I know the foyer floor seems comfortable now, but..."
"Bed," Derek murmured, eyes still closed.
"Yes," Addison laughed, "You need to go to bed. Which means that you need to stand up."
Meredith and Addison helped Derek unsteadily to his feet,
"Now where?" Meredith asked once they were standing.
"Couch?" Mark suggested.
"Is really far from the bathroom," Izzie pointed out, "Guest room?"
"Is up the stairs," Mark replied.
"He can go in my room," Addison offered, ignoring Mark and Izzie's exchanged looks, "I'll sleep in the guest room."
They dragged Derek's dead weight into the bedroom and allowed him to collapse on the bed before forcing him on to his side.
"You know where to find us if you need us," Mark said quietly as he and Izzie left the room.
Addison and Meredith stood at the side of the bed staring at Derek. He stared remorsefully into space, lost in his own drunken haze.
"He's sobering up." Meredith observed.
Addison nodded, "There are t-shirts and stuff in the dresser if you want to crash..." Addison looked between the bed and the couch by the fireplace, "...where ever. I'll be upstairs. Second door..."
"I'm not staying," Meredith cut in, "I've kinda had enough of him for today."
Addison nodded as Meredith moved towards the door, "If he had actually hurt me Meredith, if I thought for even a second that he wanted to hurt me, I never would have come to Seattle.
Meredith paused for an instant, then walked out of the room.
"Meredith," Izzie jumped up from the couch, "We need to talk."
"I just want to go home Izzie."
"No. We need to have this talk. Derek..."
"Iz, he hit his wife. Let me process that before you give me the gory details."
"But, it's not..."
"I don't want to know."
"Meredith!"
"Izzie, I am going home and going to bed. Whatever it is, it can wait."
"UGH!" Izzie flopped back down on the couch.
"Troubles?" Mark asked, his face looming above hers.
"She doesn't want to know."
Mark shrugged, "Then I guess you don't tell her."
"I don't understand..."
"Denial," Mark nodded to himself and pulled Izzie off the couch, "It's a powerful deterrent."
OOOO
"Hey gorgeous," Mark grinned and bent to kiss Addison's cheek, "I made dinner. All your favorites."
Addison picked up the bottle of wine from the counter and filled a goblet, "Thanks, but I'm not really hungry."
"You sure? Say the word and it will be ready in 10 minutes."
"I'm really not hungry."
Mark let it drop and busied himself cleaning up the kitchen.
An hour later he entered the living room and sat across from Addison. He watched her intently as she stared unseeingly at the television screen.
Finally the scheduled programing ended and the news began.
Addison realized belatedly that it was the same news that was showing when she had first sat down. Slowly she raised the remote and turned off the TV.
Mark watched her apprehensively as she crossed the room and stood in front of him. They locked eyes and she moved towards him, maneuvering on to the chair so she closely straddled his waist. Tilting his face up to hers, she kissed him deeply. Mark moaned softly as her fingers slowly undid the buttons of his shirt and ran along the bare skin of his chest.
She pulled away when she reached his belt. "Tell me you love me," she whispered, slowly sliding the belt through it's loops.
"I love you."
"Prove it."
XXXX
"Stop!" Izzie covered her ears, "Do not tell me about sex with Addison."
Mark laughed, "I wasn't going to."
"Are you sure? Cause there was clothes coming off, and I am not secure enough as a human being to handle that."
"I wasn't going to," he insisted stretching out on the bed.
"Fine," Izzie finished with her moisturizer and crawled on the bed, "She was using you."
Mark nodded, "I know. I knew even, but at that point I would have done anything to keep her."
OOOO
"Maybe you should think about unpacking," Mark whispered, holding her close. He didn't want the moment to end, it was the first time that Addison had let him hold her.
Mark studied her face as she stared at the bags and boxes in the corner. She had bought all new clothes since she had been staying with him, living out of the bags.
"I could go over to the house if you want. I'll get whatever you want."
Addison was silent for along time, "I just need my sneakers."
The next evening Mark was pawing through Addison's closet. She had allot of shoes, but he didn't see any sneakers.
The phone rang. The noise seemed to cut though house.
"Addison?"
Mark straightened up at the sound of Derek's voice.
"I've been trying to get a hold of you all day, but... I didn't want to call your cell and... it didn't seem appropriate to call you at the hospital. If you're there pick up. Please Addy. I just need to talk to you for 5 minutes."
Mark took a step towards the phone. This could be the call he had been waiting for. Addison could be free to be with him.
"I took a job in Seattle. With Richard. I'm starting tomorrow. Head of Neurosurgry. Richard has turned the hospital into a remarkable facility, it's amazing what he has done."
Derek's voice faltered and Mark's heart leapt.
"And I bought some land. It's beautiful. It's not much now, but in a few years... it could be something. It's by this river, excellent fly fishing. I'm living in a trailer right now, but..."
Mark waited, this was it.
"Addison, I want you to come out here with me. Say the word and Richard will make it worth your while, you know your the only reason he hired me, we are a package deal Add. Not sold separately. And the land... if you don't like it I'll sell it, we can get some thing else or... or we can build whatever you want on it. We can start over here. You and me. Away from Mark and..."
"Derek," Mark said icily into the phone.
"Mark," Derek's voice was venomous, "Where is my wife?"
"She doesn't live here anymore, she's with me now," Mark paused and let his words sink in, "She's moved on. You should too."
XXXX
"You did not do that," Izzie exclaimed, "Mark!"
"I loved her. I didn't want her to go to Seattle."
"Well that worked out really well... 'cause she came anyway."
"Ya, I know."
OOOO
"Addison, Sweetheart? Where are you?" Mark walked through the apartment, concern evident on his face. He had gone to the hospital to pick her up for dinner and she hadn't been there. He'd immediately called his sister, but she had been vague on the details and didn't really tell him anything.
"Addison?" he called again. No answer. The apartment was empty.
He was calling his sister again. She was the only friend of Addison's that was still talking to him, and it was more from familial obligation then anything else.
"Savannah," Mark growled into the phone, "Where is she?"
"Mark, you'll have to talk to her. I'd only be guessing."
"She's gone."
Savi was silent for a beat.
"Savannah, please tell me where she is." Mark pleaded.
Savi sighed, "She's in Seattle."
Mark sat heavily on the bed.
"Richard Webber called and asked her to go to Seattle for a consult. She wasn't going to go. But..." She trailed off.
"What?"
"He called back and told her that Derek is seeing an intern. She caught the first flight out."
"I have to go after her."
"Don't bother," Savi cringed, "She's going to serve Derek with divorce papers while she is there."
Mark sighed with relief.
"Mark, you know I love you, but...you know she loves him."
"She did."
"She does."
"Things change Savannah."
"Not that."
OOOO
It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,
I don't want to feel like this, Yeah,
No it's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all,
I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault.
XXXX
Addison sighed. It was almost 4 am. Derek had been staring at her for 2 hours, staring at her but not seeing her. She stood up and walked over to the bed. "Derek?" she sat down on the bed beside him and waited for a response.
Nothing.
She sighed again and stood up. She pulled off his left shoe and then his right shoe. He wasn't going anywhere for awhile, so she might as well make him comfortable. She undid his belt and jeans and pulled hard against his dead weight to pull them over his hips. She smirked slightly to herself. Never before had undressing this man been less of a sexual experience.
And they had alot to talk about in the morning.
XXXXXXXXXX
They do have allot to talk about in the morning.
Like things that may or may not have been said in front of Meredith. And my personal favorite, why Derek was insisting that it's Mark's fault he's McDreamy.
My favorite parts of this chapter, like any of you care, Addison telling Mark to tell her he loves her. POOR MARK. I mean he loves her SO much. My other favorite part. Derek's msg on the answering machine, where he says they are a package deal, not sold seperately. And the pesants say awwww.
Oh and did anyone notice anything about the timeline. Like, when exactly Derek called Addison, and Mark told Derek to move on 'cause Addison was with him. Just you know... something to think about.
Review.