a/n: this is short and my last update for at least a week. i'm going on vacation, which is gonna be totally fun, but i have no internet access, so therefore no updates. so i'm sorry that this is so short, but i wanted to put something on before i left.
-general disclaimer-
For a week Addison successfully managed to avoid Alex. She began spending more time with Izzie, arranging play dates for Amaryl and Aiden, who had immediately hit it off, and gossiping.
One day Izzie and Addison were dropping off Amaryl and Aiden at the hospital's daycare center, something that Izzie and Bailey had worked together to get started once Izzie had found out she was pregnant. Amaryl and Aiden immediately ran off to their "clubhouse" which was really the playhouse that they had claimed as their own. "They're so cute," Addison commented as they watched their little girls run off.
"Amaryl really likes Aiden. She's nearly all we hear about at home. 'Aiden and I did this, Aiden and I did that'," Izzie said, mimicking her daughter's voice.
"Aiden does the same thing. Um, Aiden's birthday's coming up and I'm throwing her a party and it looks like we'll be here. So, um, I was wondering, do you and Denny want to bring Amaryl and maybe stick around?"
"We'd love to," Izzie replied, but she seemed to be looking at something over Addison's shoulder. "And can I just say that I'm sorry?"
"Huh?"
"I'm a distraction."
"What? What are you distracting me from?"
"Me," Alex said from behind her. "I figured the only way you'd talk to me was if there was no escape. Which there's not. We need to talk."
"Alex, not now, I have to-"
"You have to what? You don't have any surgeries until later, I checked the board. You have some time. Come on. We'll go get coffee or something. It's either now or in the O.R. and I don't think you'd want that."
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"Maybe. If that's what it takes."
Addison sighed. "Fine, Karev, we can talk."
"I'm just going to go… somewhere that's not here," Izzie muttered and walked away quickly.
"What?" Addison asked when they were alone.
"Look, we kissed. So what? It's not a big deal, it only means something if we make it mean something."
"I have to… I have to check on a patient," Addison lied, backing away slowly.
Alex gently grabbed her wrist. "No you don't. That kiss doesn't have to mean anything. We can just forget it and go back to being friends. We are friends, right?" Addison nodded. "Then can we just forget it?" Addison nodded again. "Good."
"Good," Addison repeated. And then she realized that Alex was still holding her wrist. "Um, can I have that back?" she asked, glancing down at her wrist.
"Right, sorry. Here," he said, releasing her. The skin where he had touched her tingled, but she told herself that it was the release of pressure that made it do that.
"Thanks. Well, um, I have to go. Paperwork. Hate it. Um, yeah. So, um, bye."
GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA
Slowly, days turned into weeks, and suddenly it was Aiden's birthday and Addison still didn't have anything planned. So she invited Alex, Izzie, Denny, and Amaryl out to dinner as a substitute.
Izzie and Addison stood in front of the hospital, watching their girls run around, laughing hysterically, and waiting for Alex and Denny to show up. Denny arrived first. "Hey, Iz," he said, giving her a kiss. "Dr. Montgomery."
"Addison, it's Addison."
"Daddy!" Amaryl called as she ran over to her dad. He bent down and picked her up.
"Hey, Am, who's your friend?"
"Daddy, this is my bestest friend Aiden."
"I'm going to take a wild stab, and guess that she's yours?" Denny asked Addison, who nodded. "She looks exactly like you. Where's the dad?"
"Denny! Don't you pay any attention at all? Remember, I told you not to bring that up!" Izzie exclaimed.
"No. I really don't. Sorry, Iz. I'll pay attention next time," he apologized, sending her an over-exaggerated pleading look.
Izzie laughed. "No you won't. I suppose I should be used to this by now."
"You'd think after six years of marriage, yeah, you would," Denny replied.
The hostess appeared, interrupting their conversation. "Addison, party of six?" she said.
"That's us," Addison told the girl.
They were seated and their waiter promptly appeared to take their drink orders. There was no sign of Alex, but when Aiden worried, Addison and Izzie quickly laid her fears to rest, knowing that a surgeon's life was hectic. They ordered appetizers and still no sign of Alex. Addison started to feel just a twinge of worry, but ignored it. The waiter came back with their appetizers and asked if they were ready to order. They decided to wait a little longer. Eventually they had to order.
"This isn't like Alex," Izzie said, "He usually calls or pages or something."
"Should we be worried?" Addison asked.
"I don't know. It's weird. He's really good about being where he said he'd be. I'm thinking that we might be okay if we start worrying."
Those were not helpful words to Addison, who had already been worrying and whose internal state now reached panic. She managed to sit still and not do anything stupid but there was only one thought running through her head and that was "Where the hell is Alex?"
i would love to come back and have my inbox flooded with reviews. pretty please?
-Lauren
