ok, so i have a feeling that you're going to love this chapter... i do.

even though it is my goal in life, i have not yet achieved ownership of grey's anatomy.


Addison would have been happier and enjoying herself if Alex hadn't seemed intent on something over her shoulder. "What's so interesting behind me?" she asked sarcastically, going to turn around.

"Nothing!" he said two seconds too soon. She looked at him with one raised eyebrow and turned around anyway. Her eyes scanned the bar and she made a strangled noise that only Alex could hear as she spotted the thing he had worked so hard to keep her from spotting. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously.

She swallowed and took a deep breath, then plastered a fake smile on her face, quite reminiscent of the one she had worn years ago when she had first come to Seattle. "I will be in a moment. Excuse me."

She strode over to Mark purposefully. He had his back to her, so he didn't see her coming. She smiled her fake smile at the blond, "Hi, I'm Addison," she said, sticking out her hand. Mark visibly paled.

"Michaela," the girl replied, looking very confused.

"Can I borrow my boyfriend for a second? It'll only take a moment. I don't have much to say to him. I'll bring him right back, I swear, and then you can go have your fun," Addison asked politely, the same grin on her face.

The poor girl looked scared out of her mind. "Uh… sure. Bye!" she said and ran away as fast as her Coach knockoff shoes would carry her.

"She seems nice," Addison commented mildly.

"I, uh, I…"

"Mark, don't even try," Addison advised him. "Oh well, at least I learned something." He looked at her inquiringly. "Once a manwhore, always a manwhore," she enlightened him.

"Addison, it's not-"

"What it looks like?" Addison finished. "See, I think it is. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember saying that if I so much as caught you flirting, that I had the right to break up with you then and there. Well, I'm exercising that right. Don't worry, I won't try to stop you from seeing Aiden, but it's her call and I kind of doubt that she's going to want to see you if she doesn't have to. No offense, but she doesn't like you all that much. Bye Mark."

For the first time in years, she felt completely sure of what she was doing as she walked away from Mark and towards Alex. "Do you want to go home?" he asked as she walked up.

"No, I'm okay," Addison said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," Addison insisted stubbornly.

They sat in silence and Alex wasn't sure how to break it. Addison sat facing straight forward, blinking twice as much as normal. "Addison-" Alex started.

"Look, could you just not say I told you so? I know I set myself up for this."

"I wasn't going to."

"Guys are stupid," Addison pouted. "All they do is hurt me."

"I wouldn't hurt you," Alex said sincerely.

Addison smiled sadly. "I know you wouldn't. You're great. God," she sighed in frustration, "Why couldn't you have been Aiden's dad?"

Alex didn't know what to say to that. "Uh-"

"I should forgive him," Addison said.

"No! No, you shouldn't!" Alex contradicted her immediately.

"Aiden needs a dad," Addison replied.

Alex didn't get why she was so hung up on the dad thing. "No one said that her dad has to be her biological one," he pointed out.

Addison looked over at him sharply. Her eyes searched his face, looking for the meaning behind his statement. "What?"

"No one said her dad had to be her biological one," he repeated. "You know I'm a better dad than Sloan."

"What?" Addison was so confused and elated.

"Just let me buy you dinner or something."

"What?" It seemed that was the only word that she could say.

"Look, I love Aiden, she's an awesome kid. And here's the thing, I have a Thing for her mom. Always have."

Addison looked even more shocked, if that were possible. "But… the supply closet…" she protested weakly, referring to his last words to her before she left Seattle.

"I lied," he shrugged. "I was an ass."

"I…"

"Look, I know that I've sent so many mixed signals to you and I know that I've hurt you. But just believe me when I say that I'm interested in you and that I never want to hurt you again."

"Alex-"

"Addison," he interrupted. "Please."

A half an hour ago she probably would have refused him, too afraid of everything, of what might happen, to do what she wanted. She would have let him down gently and forgiven Mark, all because of her preconceived notion that Aiden needed her biological father. But it wasn't half an hour ago. It was now and now she realized that a father wasn't necessarily always a dad. Now she realized that even though Aiden was still her top priority, her own happiness should come soon after. And that's why when she saw that he was leaning in slightly; she closed the gap between their lips.

"I'm going to take that as a yes," Alex said happily. Addison nodded. Then her face looked a little stricken.

"What are we going to tell Aiden?" she asked anxiously.

"The truth," Alex replied easily.

"And what's that?" Addison inquired.

"That Mark's an asshole, but we won't use that exact phrase, and that I love you and I'm not going anywhere."

"You- you love me?"

"It hasn't been totally obvious? I've loved you since about a week after I met you."

"What about that first week?"

"I wanted to kill you," Alex stated frankly.

"Oh. I don't… I don't know what to say," she admitted.

"Don't say anything. I don't want you to say anything until you absolutely mean it."

Right at that moment, she probably could have said it back and meant it, but she didn't, in case he thought she was being pressured into it. "Thank- thank you."

"No problem. Do you want a ride home?" he asked.

"I'd love one."

That was how they ended up stumbling into her bedroom, tugging at each other's clothes, thankful that Aiden wasn't home.


this is either the second or third to last chapter, probably the third to last. just a warning.

reviews?

-Lauren