Chapter Four-

The Emerald City Bar was particularly busy this evening but then again Friday's were usually very eventful. This Friday, however, Joe hadn't seen a glimpse of any of his favorite doctors and nurses. His bar was filled with drunks, most of whom had been there since six P.M., and new faces that he was sure he'd see again.

Despite all the people, the absence of Seattle Grace's finest made for a pretty boring night. Joe had spent the last few days eagerly anticipating the juicy gossip and excitement that the doctors always generated, but instead he was stuck with the much less welcome excitement of bar fights. He had already broken up two in the past few hours. Looking around at the full, but relatively peaceful bar, Joe decided that he really wanted the dirt on what was going on in Seattle Grace. The last thing he heard was that there had been a fight between Derek and Alex. Debbie hadn't updated her blog since then.

Some kind of great deity must have heard what he was thinking because no sooner had he finished the thought than an intern walked into the bar, and one of his favorites too. It was Alex. He looked around for a table but they were all taken so he took a seat at the counter. "Hey Joe. Can I get a beer?"

Joe handed him a mug of beer, "I haven't seen you around lately."

"Yeah, I haven't had a lot of free time." Alex replied automatically while glancing at the door.

"Got a date tonight?"

"Yes. I mean no. It's just two friends hanging out. How did you know?" Alex jumbled.

Joe laughed, "You must really have a thing for this girl."

"No. We're just friends, no not even friends, co-workers to be exact." Alex interjected defensively.

"Uh-huh. So you and this mystery woman, who hasn't shown up yet, are not friends but are hanging out. It makes perfect sense."

"She'll come." Alex said with great confidence. As if right on cue Addison entered the bar. Joe looked at Addison then back at Alex. He saw the smile that spread across Alex's lips.

"Addison? Seriously? I thought you hated that woman." Joe whispered somewhat loudly.

Alex shot Joe a deadly glare. Joe's mouth immediately clamped shut. Alex greeted a slightly distracted Addison, "Hey."

"Hey." She sat down next to Alex. "A martini please, Joe."

"How was your day?" Alex asked sensing something was bothering her.

Addison bit her lip. She desperately wanted to say, "It was terrible!" but airing her dirty laundry to an intern in a crowded bar was something that Addison Forbes Montgomery simply wasn't prepared to do, no matter how much she wished she could. Plastering a fake smile on her face, Addison said, "It was like any normal day."

She was lying through her teeth and he knew it. She seemed like she wanted to tell him but instead she shut him out. He wanted to go into it further but decided otherwise. He knew that in time she would open up to him.

Sitting at the open counter where everyone could see them, Addison felt somewhat uncomfortable. Letting her eyes roam the bar, she spotted a pool table. "You want to play some pool?" she asked Alex.

"You play pool?"

"Sometimes. Not scared are you?"

Alex snorted, "Yeah. I'm shaking." They headed to the pool table.

- - -

Joe watched the two doctors interact from his spot behind the counter. They seemed to be having a good time. He could see Addison laughing and Alex looking at the pool table obviously stumped. He approached the cue ball at multiple angles but he had no way of sinking any of the solid balls. He ended up just hitting the ball aimlessly, letting it sail across the table to land in a random spot.

Sometime during their game Addison had switched from dry martinis to shots and seeing that she was out, Alex went to get another round of drinks.

"She's kicking your ass." Joe commented.

"I know it but I can't believe it. Who'd have guessed?" There was no chance of Alex winning their game. She only had to sink the eight ball while he had two more left.

As Alex was getting the drinks, two drunks, both really young, accosted Addison. "Heyyy baby. Why don't you come sit with us?" Their eyes roamed sleazily over Addison's body. "Ditch that loser."

Addison sighed. She was wearing four inch stilettos and she really didn't want to use them but by the looks of things she was going to have to. Alex took notice of the scene immediately, however, and hurried over to Addison's side wrapping his arm protectively around her waist. "Back off." He growled at the two other men.

"Hhhey. We're all friends hereee," one of the men slurred.

"Yeah. We just want to have some fun."

"Leave us alone." Alex had his other fist clenched to the point where his knuckles were white.

"What are you going to do about it tough guy?"

Alex let go of Addison. She knew what was coming next so she quickly got a hold of Alex's arm, "Walk away." She whispered. Alex just looked at her; she knew this wasn't an easy thing for him to do. "Please. It would ruin this night." He relaxed his muscles and took a deep breath and released, letting his anger out. Then they turned around and walked to the counter, hand in hand, ignoring the taunts from the two guys.

Joe was relieved to see Alex walk away from that potential disaster, "I thought I was going to have to break up another fight. It would have been my third one tonight. Thank Addison. I owe you."

"No problem, just trying to keep Karev from getting into another fight," Addison teased. "Would have been his second one this week." Suddenly, Addison realized that she was still holding Alex's hand. She let go and nervously cleared her throat.

- - -

As the night went on Addison got more and more distant. Her mind kept wandering back to the events leading up to her date or whatever this was with Alex. Toward the end of the evening, Alex felt like he was talking to an empty shell.

"Addison." Alex spoke softly, wondering if she was paying any attention to him.

"Hmm?" she replied absentmindedly.

"Tell me what's wrong," Alex asked with genuine concern.

"Nothing. I'm having a good time."

"When you first got here and I asked you about your day you lied. Something's bothering you." He said gently.

Alex's comment threw her off. Am I that transparent? Addison usually hated confiding in people but looking into Alex's eyes it was hard not to. He was waiting for an answer. Addison sighed, "I don't even know where to begin."

"At the beginning."

Addison thought for a moment, searching for the right words, "The beginning: my marriage. We were happy. I know it's hard to imagine but we were. Years went by and he hardly acknowledged me anymore, like I didn't even exist. Then Mark, he was there when Derek wasn't." she paused silently debating whether she should be telling this story. After all he's probably heard it already, but she continued anyway. "And then prom and the divorce and I just never expected to end up alone. Then today, Derek h-he" Her voice cracked.

Alex saw the tears that were threatening to pour out of her eyes. He felt the need to hold her, to protect her and make sure nobody would hurt her like Derek had. Without thinking he reached over and placed his lips over hers.

At first she froze but then almost as quickly she gave in, melting under his touch. The kiss deepened and she started to kiss back. Alex could taste the tears that were now flowing freely. She broke away abruptly.

"I'm sorry. I… I can't," Addison wiped her tears away furiously. "I gotta go," She got up from her stool suddenly feeling the affects of the large amount of alcohol she'd consumed. She started to lose her balance but Alex caught her. Taking a moment to steady herself against the counter, Addison turned and quickly walked out the door, leaving a stunned Alex staring after her.

- - -

Alex ran out after Addison, "Hey wait."

Addison sighed. She had really hoped he wouldn't come after her, "What?"

"Are you driving?"

"My hotel isn't that far away."

"You'll get hurt. I'll drive you."

"You've had a few drinks too." She argued.

"One beer. If you don't trust me I'll get you a cab." Addison shook her head. "Let me just take you home."

"I don't have a home," She retorted bitterly. "I have an empty hotel room, and suddenly I really don't want to go back to it right now." She started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Alex asked not giving up.

"To the hospital, I just want to get some sleep. You should go home. At least you have one."

He let her go, watching her cross the empty street and proceed down the empty street until she finally moved out of sight.

- - -