A/N: Grey's Anatomy makes me angry. Sorry about the wait, I had a lot to do but now it's almost summer, so I'll have more time. Maybe.

Also, I LOVED the critical feedback I got about Addison's mother. I love when people don't agree with my writing, because…I don't know, it leaves room for improvement? But you might like her later in this story, we'll see.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The chapter title is from the song Across the Universe by Fiona Apple. (Which is originally by The Beatles. But I listened to the version by her.)

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Leslie Montgomery paced around the living room. "She had an affair?"

Her husband nodded. "She said she had an affair with Mark."

"My God, what an idiot. Just when Derek finally starts becoming well-off and well-known, she decides to sleep with another man. And then he, the even worse idiot, lets my daughter go. He just let her slip through her fingers. She's the damn best thing he'll ever have."

"Leslie..."

"It's true. She is. She's gorgeous and smart. Derek was finally starting to appear a good enough man for Addison: talented, rich, and good-looking. And now, what do we get? An affair. On two ends."

"She was having a rough time. She still is."

"God, I just can't believe this. After 12 years, she just gets divorced? Ridiculous."

"Leslie."

"I mean, why?"

"He cheated on her."

"So?"

"Some people value fidelity in marriages."

Leslie turned to stare at her husband. "And I don't?"

"I never said that."

"You implied it."

"I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just saying, Derek meant a lot to her."

"But you can work through affairs. Look at my parents. My mother had another man's child, my little sister, and somehow my mother and father stayed married until death. My dad worked through it."

"You think Addison and Derek should've worked through the affair? Leslie, they tried. She moved from New York City to Seattle. She tried. He didn't."

"He should've. She should've tried harder."

"He didn't."

Leslie walked around for five more minutes before sinking onto the couch next to William.

"I have to go talk to her. This isn't right. They were so…so good. They worked."

William was surprised.

"I mean, I know I never said it and made them think otherwise, but they really did work together. He didn't try and make her conform; he let her be what she wanted to be. Just like you. He let her be her own person; he was a partner, not a ruler."

William peered down into his wife's face and saw her red eyes. "Leslie, you're not crying, are you?"

She wiped her eyes. "Of course I'm crying. My daughter, my only daughter, just got divorced."

He wasn't quite sure what to do. His wife, much like his daughter, rarely showed emotion. When she did, it only became a mess. And she had never seemed pleased about Addison's marriage. Satisfied, but not pleased. "Leslie, it's okay."
She shook her head. "It's not. I have to talk to her."

"She asked me to not let you call her."

"I'm not going to call her. I'm going to visit her. Next week."

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George looked over the charts of the newly admitted patient. He had inhaled a bit too much of the fumes from his lab and had briefly passed out, however he was now awake and seemingly okay.

"Dr. O'Malley."

"Yes, is something wrong?"

The man shook his head. "I was just wondering…do you know if a Dr. Montgomery works here?"

George looked puzzled at the man. "Well, yes. Dr. Addison Montgomery, she's head of neonatal and the OB/GYN."

The man nodded. "I was just wondering."

"Any reason?"

"We just met a couple weeks ago, and she said she was a doctor."

"Oh, okay." George looked over the man once more. He looked nice enough and seemed smart. George wondered how exactly he had met Addison, but that wasn't his business. "Mr. Dawson, we're just going to keep you here for a few more hours to make sure there are no long-term effects."

"Okay."

George didn't know quite how to handle this situation. On one hand, he could tell Addison straight out that someone knew her, but George had no concept of the story behind this situation. It might not help anything. He could leave it alone, but that didn't seem to work either. Because what if Addison would be happy to see him? What if he was a friend or something?

He had Mr. Dawson wheeled into a room and then George turned down to the vending machines to find something to eat quickly.

"George." Callie was at the end of the hallway, pushing coins into the coffee machine. "How are you doing?"

"Well, I have a patient who knows Dr. Montgomery."

"Addison? How?"

"He didn't say. He just said he knew her. That they met a few weeks ago."

"What's his name?"

"Parker Dawson."

Callie shrugged. "Well, she's never mentioned him to me."

"Should I tell her?"

"Did he say he wanted to see her?"

"No, he just asked if she worked here, said he was just wondering."

"I'll handle it."

George nodded. "That'll be good. Better than me."

"Parker Dawson, you say?"

"Yeah. He's in room 3375."

"Thanks." Callie kissed George lightly and took off in the other direction, towards the infant ward. She found Addison peering at a baby in an incubator, and tapped Addison lightly on the shoulder.

"Callie. What brings you over here?"

"A man."

Addison laughed and peered at Callie. "What?"

"Does the name Parker Dawson mean anything to you?"

Addison gasped. "How did you hear about that?"

"Hear about what?"

"That I know him."

"He's here."

Addison looked up slowly. "Why?"

"I don't know, but he's George's patient. He asked about you."

"Oh, really?" Addison tried to keep her voice nonchalant.

"Yes. So who is he?"

"I met him at a bar." Seeing Callie's look, Addison quickly shook her head. "Nothing happened. Nothing at all. He was just…nice. And smart."

"His room is 3375."

"Okay…"

"Oh, please. You know you're going to 'just happen to walk by' and 'happen to see him'. Don't play dumb." Callie smiled and stepped out of the room. "You don't have to date him, Addison. Just say 'hi'."

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Addison couldn't remember the last time she had been this nervous. It might have been her wedding day, or maybe her first major surgery. She stood around the corner and stared down the hallway. The door to his room was open. Just open. She stood up straight and took a deep breath. She could just say 'hi'. Just step in, just walk by. It wasn't that she liked him, because that was way too much to think about. It was just…another man. Another man who had asked about her.

Addison thought she played the entire thing off perfectly. The looking up from her charts right as she passed by. The glance to her left and seeing Parker. The 'Oh my God, what are you doing here?' and double-take. She stepped into his room. He was laughing, the corners of his eyes crinkling ever so slightly.

"You knew I was here."

Addison stopped. "I didn't."

Parker smiled. "I'm happy you came to see me, really. But you knew I was here. You faked it so well. But you knew."

Addison realized it was futile to pretend she hadn't known. "And you knew I knew you were here."

"Well, I just have an uncanny knack for discovering lies."

"So why are you here?"

"Polymer fumes. I inhaled a bit too much and passed out. It's happened before, once or twice, but I have a new assistant this week who was overly-concerned I'd die and called 911. With my last assistant, I was more concerned he'd die."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Absolutely sure."

"Good."

Neither said anything for a few moments. Parker was studying Addison. Addison was just trying to figure out a way to not let the conversation die pathetically.

"You look…better. I don't want to say great, because you're obviously not great, but you look better than that night I met you at the bar." As Parker said it, he realized how utterly stupid he sounded.

"You look good, for someone who just passed out on polymer fumes."

"Thanks."

"So how have you been?"

"Good. Like I said, I got a new assistant, right out of college, he's a nervous wreck. But he's skilled, so we'll see if the nervousness leaves. And you?"

"I'm better. Working past the divorce, slowly."

"Hey, any progress is progress."

"I guess. It's already been three weeks. I've been single for three weeks and I haven't done anything crazy."

"Like gone skydiving? Parachuting?"
Addison laughed. "Well no, I just mean, I've been living my life the same way. Basically."

"And that doesn't comfort you?"

"A little."

"Addison, how objected would you be to going out to dinner with me?"

Addison stopped. "You mean like a date?"

Parker shook his head. "Nope. Just as friends. Or whatever you'd call us. 'People-who-met-in-a-bar?' You can even invite one of your friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah. You know, we go out to dinner, you pay for yourself, we talk, but we're just friends. Nothing else."

"O-okay."

Parker smiled. "Bring one of your friends. How's Friday night sound?"

"Good, I suppose."

"Do you care where we go? Because I know this restaurant that's got really good food, regardless of what kind of food you like."

"No, that's good."

"Then I'll swing over here Friday night at about six. We can pick up whomever you're bringing if need be, and go. Just get you out of the dreaded hospital. You seem to live here."

"So do many doctors."

"Yeah, well, we're getting you out."

"Okay."

Parker grinned. "Can you at least look a little excited? Happy? I mean, if you don't want to go, you should've said 'no.'"

Addison smiled. "Sorry. I just…this is a lot to take in right now."

"Addison, look at me." When Addison did, he focused his eyes on hers. "This is not a date. I don't want to date you. I just want to be your friend. I promise. I will never try to date you. You're beautiful and smart and one day you will find someone to date, but it will not be me. Believe me, please."

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

"You don't believe me yet. You will."

Addison straightened up and walked out. Parker looked after her. "Six o'clock, Addison, don't forget."

Addison wouldn't.

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"Callie, just, he said it wasn't a date, but then why the hell am I so nervous about this?" Addison tinted her face with blush in the mirror of the residents' locker rooms.

"Because you're going out to dinner with a man. Even if he is just a friend, it's not Derek. Who was the last guy you went out to dinner with without Derek, even in a group?"

"Mark. And look how well that ended up turning out. I mean, it was the dinners I had with him instead of Derek that caused me to sleep with him that caused the demise of my marriage with Derek."

"Hey." Callie turned to face Addison. "I am sick of you blaming yourself for this. It's not all your fault, Addison. I know Derek's trying to pretend it is, but I swear to God it's not and if you take all of the blame again I'm going to have to slap you."

Addison smiled. "Okay. And thanks for coming."

"Please, like I would miss it. I need to meet him. And, it gives George a chance to feel utterly uncomfortable."

"You didn't have to bring him."

Callie raised an eyebrow. "A guy with two girls at a restaurant wouldn't have looked a little odd?"

"Fine, fine."

Callie streaked a final line of mascara on her eyelashes. "It's six-ten. We'd better go."

Addison clasped her bag shut. "Okay, let's go."

They took off down the hallway and found Parker and George sitting in a waiting area off the pediatric wing. George was keeping his face cast downward and Parker smiling to himself.

"I see you two found each other?"

Parker nodded. "George and I have been waiting for you both for a while. We don't really know what to say to each other. I'm sorry I'm not more interesting."

George looked up. "It's not your fault. I don't have anything to say either."

"True."

"Well," Addison couldn't help but notice how nice Parker looked. God, no, she had to stop. She was not dating him. He was not dating her. She had just gotten divorced. He was a friend. A nice-looking friend. "Callie, this is my friend Parker Dawson. He's a chemist." Parker stood up and shook Callie's hand. "And Parker, this is Callie Torres, an orthopedic resident here. And you've met George O'Malley, a surgical intern. George, this is Parker."

They both nodded at another and stood for a few more moments. Parker cleared his throat and Callie nudged Addison in the back more than once.

"Who the hell are you?"

Parker turned around to face the dark-haired man. "I feel like I should ask you that question."

"I'm Derek Shepherd. I'm a neurosurgeon."

"Ah." Parker smiled maliciously in Derek's direction. "I'm Parker Dawson."

"Who?"

"Parker. Dawson. Do you need me to spell it out for you?"

"What the hell are you doing with my wife?"

"Your wife? Addison? Correct me if I'm wrong, but you…cheated on her, yes? And then divorced her on her anniversary?"

"I-I."

"Exactly what I thought. What am I doing with her? We're friends. She and I are going out to dinner with Dr. Torres and Dr. O'Malley. I would invite you, but I don't like dining with people I dislike. Makes for bad conversation, you know?"
Derek took a deep breath and faced Addison. "Is this your little one-night stand turned boyfriend? Sounds similar to me and Meredith, does it not?"

"We're not dating. We did not have a one-night stand. We're just friends."

"Just friends. Just like Meredith and me."

"Except I'm not still married to you and pretending to love you while making eyes at him and smelling his hair in god-dammed-elevators. I'm not pretending to ask you to prom and then running off to sleep with him. So it's not the same thing at all. Not at all." Addison felt tears brimming around her eyes and quickly turned away.

"Dr. Shepherd, why don't you just go? "You didn't have any business here but you made some. Just go find that girlfriend of yours."

Derek cast a final cold stare at Parker and turned off down the hallway. Addison and Callie were sitting back down, George off getting her coffee.

"Addison, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for him to attack you like that. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Parker, it's not your fault. He would've done it anyway."

"I feel horrible."

Addison put a hand on his arm. "God, please, don't. You matched him word-for-word and beyond. He was speechless."

"But I shouldn't have retaliated. I shouldn't have let him bother me…I mean, I've never even met this guy and I'm offended by him? No, that's not right."

George came with the coffee and Addison drank it quickly. She stood up, wiping her eyes carefully. "Okay, let's go."

Callie looked at Addison. "You still want to go?"

Addison nodded. "I need to get away from this hospital."

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Parker walked her back up to her hotel room and Addison stood talking to him for a few moments.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Addison, even with the whole disturbance at the beginning. Callie and George are something else."

Addison nodded. "Yeah, they're unique to each other."

"Thanks so much for agreeing to come. Are we going to be able to do this again, or will it be too weird? Was it too weird?"

"No, it wasn't weird at all. And yeah, that'd be good. It's nice to have a friend not affiliated in any way with the hospital."

"Not true, I am. They have my records."

Addison smiled. "You knew what I meant."

"Or did I?"

"I'm leaving in 2 and a half weeks, do you know that?"

Parker nodded. "It was brushed upon tonight by Callie."

"And you're still going to try and foster this friendship?"

"Addison, at this day and age I can email you from time to time, call you every once in a while to check up on you…we're not in the letter-writing days anymore."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Yeah. I mean, you still talk to your New York friends, I presume?"

"Well, yeah."

"See."

Parker leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Addison didn't feel anything. No zing. Nothing like when Derek kissed her on the cheek. It was just a kiss on the cheek. Just a friendly kiss on the cheek. It comforted Addison more than she would've imagined.

"Goodnight, Addison."

"Goodnight, Parker. I'll talk to you later."

Parker strolled off down the hallway and stepped into the elevator. As the doors opened, Addison saw the familiar brown-grey hair inside it. The black pants and emerald green top. The face that was constantly without makeup. And the high heels. The high heels had to be genetic.

"Why, Addison. How charming to see you. Come over here and help your mother with her bags."
Parker stood in the elevator as the doors shut, trying not to laugh at the look of pure horror on Addison's face.

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A/N: Okay, so seriously, right now? How in God's name am I going to have Derek even begin to redeem himself? How?

I'm sorry if this chapter is not absolutely perfect, I'm trying to get something up before exams.