Ping. Addison awoke with a start. And looked around. Her alarm didn't ping. Nothing in her house pinged. Not that she knew of, of course. She padded into her kitchen and found Alex in his boxers and a tee shirt, pouring coffee into a mug. Ahh, the pinging solved. With caffeine. Added bonus.
Wordlessly, Alex passed Addison a cup with daisys on it full of coffee. Vanilla coffee. Her favorite. Mmm...
"Good morning," he began, after a sip of sweet smelling juju goodness.
"Morning Karev," she inserted her usual dose of sarcasm, just to let him know she still despised him. At least a little.
Not likely.
Alex grinned behind his mug of coffee. Addison noticed and decided to leave him to be a retard on his own. "I'm going to get dressed."
Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head. Sometimes, a fiery redhead was not one to test early in the morning. However, on other occasions...Nah.
Addison returned to the kitchen half an hour later dressed impeccably and ready to go to work.
"Wanna go in seperate cars?" she called.
"What car?" Alex called back. "I have no car, I came soaking wet. Car is at Meredith's. But we can go if you want. I'm already dressed."
"That's only because you dont have any other clothes," Addison smirked at his scowl when he returned to her sights. Alex pursed his lips sternly
"No comments from the peanut gallery."
Addison stepped closer. "Excuse you, peanut boy," Alex grinned. "Do you want to walk to work?"
"I can call a cab."
"You dont have money." Addison turned and bolted from the room, and Alex followed. She made it to the elevator before him, but since they were only on the second floor, Alex jumped the stairs and met her when she left the elevator.
To say she was mildly surprised would be the biggest understatement of the year. Her eyes widened and she almost stumbled, and Alex held out his hand to catch her if need be. However, she righted herself gracefully and slapped his hand away.
"Seperate cars, then," she answered.
"Come on, Addison," Alex stepped in front of her and Addison was surprised by the common way her name flowed from his lips.
"Fine, I guess you can bask in my company," she said reluctantly. It was hard to say no to his pout. How childish, resorting to a pout. But it was such a cute pout. Addison slapped herself on the side of her head to shake the thoughts out. Considering she was a doctor, she should have known better.
"Why are you hitting yourself?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, you're just jealous cause you didn't think of it first," she retorted. Alex smiled, amused, and Addison continued. "Stop acting like you're all sane and perfect, Mr. Courage the Cowardly Dog."
Alex's smile faded. "That never leaves your apartment." But his smile quickly returned. "What about you, Miss Mix and Match Pjs?"
Addison's jaw dropped. "Don't you dare!"
Alex knew in his mind that he wouldn't dare jeapordize Addison's perfect dress reputation. Not that he would ever say that out loud.
Addison quickly changed the subject, sensing how awkward the silence was getting. "Are we keeping your living arrangements a secret?"
Alex nodded. "For now," then he grinned. "The rest of them would give me hell for staying with Satan. Besides, they would think we were sleeping together."
All of the color drained from Addison's face. "Do they know about --?"
Alex didn't even have to ask. "No."
They both slid into the car in slience. Addison cranked up the radio and the announcer blared. "Good morning, Seattle! It's bright and sunny on November 23. Have a wonderful day!"
Addison rolled her eyes up to the sky and sighed heavily. Alex looked over. She had tears in her eyes. But she wasn't about to cry in front of Alex. Ever.
"What's wrong?"
She shook her head and backed the car up. Eventually, a few tears slipped out from under her eyelids, but Alex pretended not to see them. Addison didn't need the cocky Alex. She needed someone to talk to. Before she met the rest of the Seattle staff. When they finally reached the parking lot, Alex grabbed her arm before she could dash out of the car.
"Addison, you need to tell me. You can't go in there like this," Alex passed her a tissue he had unearthed in the glove compartment. She wiped her eyes, but managed to keep all her makeup on. Alex marveled at the complexities of makeup before focusing on Addison's pained expression.
"This was supposed to be our 12th anneversary." Derek. Of course. If anyone ever made Addison cry the most, it was Derek. Alex hated that man from the beginning, but he had a feeling he would hate him even more after living with Addison.
Caring Alex punched Asshole Alex in the face and grabbed Addison's hand. She looked up, surprised, but didn't pull away. Alex smiled grimly at her watery eyed expression, but decided that she had never looked more beautiful in all the time he had ever known her. "He didn't deserve you. No one does. You're too amazing. But anyone would be lucky to have you. And if he couldn't see that, then he must be goddamn blind."
Addison laughed and sobbed at the same time and Alex pulled her to him. She settled comfortably into his chest and sniffled adorably. He knew he was going to regret this later, and they would probably avoid each other the next day, but he couldn't seem to think of the next day. All he could think of was how to make this woman happy. The one sniffling in his lap.
All he wanted to do was make her happy.
She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I have a surgery. You want in?" a shadow of the old Addison arrived, and the smirk had returned. He wanted to kiss her so badly.
"Actually, do you mind if I borrow your car? I have to get stuff from Meredith's house."
Addison tossed the keys to Alex. "Ok then. But if you wreck my car, you die."
Looking around at Addison's screaming metal death trap of a Porshe, Alex had to admit she had a point.
But he was going to make her happy.
Short chapter, but necessary. So be a dear and review!!!