AN: no, you didn't know that Mark was the father. It was my subtle way of letting you know.
"So this is what you got out of our conversation last month?"
"I didn't want her to go by herself, Derek. She's just a girl and I didn't want to send her across the country without me."
"She's going to have to do it again…"
They were in the lobby of the hospital, him still in his scrubs while she was looking elegant, as always, in Armani. She breathed in shakily, sinking into one of the chairs and looking down somewhat guiltily at her knee-length skirt.
"Actually, Derek, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."
He groaned, bringing two fingers up to the bridge of his nose. He knew what was coming.
"You're staying."
She nodded, "I think its best. If we're going to work through this-"
"We're not working through this, Addison, its over," he growled.
"If we're going to work through this," she insisted, "then I should be here, with you."
"I don't think you fully understand the concept of 'separated'."
She reached up to rest a palm on his hip, tucking one of her long legs underneath the chair, her stiletto heel resting against the tile. He shrugged off her touch, stepping back.
"I understand," she purred, "I just don't see the point."
She reached up again, this time intertwining their hands, her wedding ring pressed against his little finger, cold and glinting. He stared at the ring and the hand, remembering how the image had always looked so natural; her hand with his. She was looking up at him with heartbreakingly hopeful eyes which was, unfortunately, when Meredith Grey finally decided to drag herself through the sliding glass doors, arm and arm with both Izzie and George. She didn't see the couple at first, her gaze sweeping over them disinterestedly as she contemplated exactly how she was supposed to get through the shift stretching infinitely in front of her, and Derek didn't see her either; later he would probably regret crouching in front of his wife and brushing back the red hair that had fallen out of Addison's perfect French twist.
"Addie, listen, things are complicated right now…I can't just jump back into my old life like nothing happened-"
"I realize that. And I understand, on some level. But we've been married for twelve years, Derek. Are you saying that you're ready to cut me out completely?"
He ran a hand through his hair, straightening up and listening to his knees crack. He glanced around, looking anywhere but Addison, and, unexpectedly, he found narrowed grey-green eyes staring back at him. He stumbled back; letting Addison's hand fall out of his while he fought for balance. By the time he was steady, she was gone, disappeared into the sea of lab coats and most likely wishing that he would go to hell.
--
"Damn Shepherd, getting back together with his damn wife in the middle of the damn hospital," George mumbled.
"Ass," Izzie agreed.
"We all knew they'd end up together. They have a kid for god's sakes," Alex called from a few lockers down.
"Not helping."
He held up his hands in mock surrender, "I'm just saying."
"Yeah, well maybe she doesn't need your opinion, Alex."
A locker slammed, and their eyes followed a slumped blonde as she stalked towards the door, clipping her pager to the waistband of her scrubs as she moved away from them and towards an entering Bailey.
"It looks like she doesn't want your opinion either, Izzie."
"Shut up."
He smirks, biting into the green apple held in his left hand and rocking back on his heels to lean against the row of lockers.
"Where the hell is Grey going?" Bailey asks to the crowd, craning her neck to glance at the sulking girl.
"She's feeling…sick…" George offered in a not-so-convincing way, "She just had to go the bathroom to…"
"O'Malley."
"Yeah?"
"Stop lying."
"Yes, M'am."
Silence.
"Well? Why is Grey cutting rounds?"
George backed away, giving Izzie a helpless look.
"Personal issues," Izzie cut in, ignoring Alex's eye roll, "I'll go get her."
She started to push past Alex and George, her left hand gripping the handle of her bubble gum pink thermos.
"Whoa," Bailey said, stopping her with a hand, "Did I say you could go? We've lost one intern, that's enough for one day. I'll handle it."
The hand came down and Izzie backed away obediently, head bowed.
"Good. Now…O'Malley's with Shepherd-"
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"No…"
"Have I ever made it seem like its okay to argue with me? Have I ever made you doubt your place in this hospital?"
"No…" George repeated softly, trailing off into what sounded like a question.
"Then you should know that orders are given from me to you. Not the other way around. We clear?"
"Crystal," he choked.
"Good. Now, O'Malley's with Shepherd, Karev's with Burke, and Steven's, you're in the pit."
They scattered (Izzie going somewhat reluctantly), leaving Bailey to her under-the-breath complaints about overly-confident suck ups.