Author's Note: First and foremost, I want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. I wasn't sure how y'all would react to the ending, but I got like twice the reviews that I normally do, which is awesome. I don't know if I'll get the same, or close to, but I like this chapter, too. And thanks to those who reviewed in Savvy and Weiss. I knew their names, I knew they were Add's friends, but I just-I dunno...they escaped me. Anyway, thanks so much...read and review, please!
Alex stared at Addison, the words slowly processing in his mind. "Are you sure?"
Addison stared at her peach-painted toes, sighing. "I haven't taken a test yet. I guess a part of me felt that you should know first."
"That's good. But Adds, I mean...you're scared that I'm gonna just leave you or something? That I would kick you out?"Alex asked.
"I don't know. I just don't know. I've-I mean, I know that there are risks, and there are precautions I have to take...saying that it does...that I am. But-"
"But?"Alex asked, staring at her. He saw the tears tracing her cheeks, and the way her hands were clenched. "Addison? Addison, look at me."
It was something in his voice that made Addison have the confidence to look him in the eye. "Yeah?"
"Whatever it is that happens here...if you are having a baby, which as you said is very likely-"Alex stopped, making sure she understood the point he wanted to get at. "We're gonna find a way."
Addison smiled sadly, pushing a tedril of hair behind her ear. "How?"
"How?"Alex asked, frowning. "Well, for one, we're gonna have to talk about this. Which...probably sounds kinda wierd comin' from me"
"No."Addison said, wiping at her tears. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Surprised, Alex let out a laugh. "Really?"
"Yeah. What happened today shouldn't have happened. But it did. And we can sit here and talk about what happened, or why Mr.Warden held us, but none of that matters now. We're both safe. I was scared in there,but...having you there, I don't know. It made me feel better."
Alex pulled her closer, kissing her. He rested his hand on her bare knee, feeling the coolness of her skin. His hand wound in her red hair, he sighed. "I don't know what I would do without you either."
Cracking a smile, Addison nodded. "Then maybe I can do this."
"We can do this."
She nodded, kissing him. It felt good-knowing someone was there for her. Pulling back, Addison smiled. "It's been a long day, Karev."Addison said, watching as Alex smiled."I'm, uh-I'm gonna get to bed."
Addison got up the next morning to see Alex nursing a cup of coffee. She was brushing her hair when she heard him.
"You're going in today?"He asked, curiousity laced through his voice.
"I have to. I have a scheduled surgery."She said, almost like he should have known.
"Well, I knew that. But that's not until this afternoon."
Addison turned towards Alex, putting a clip in her hair. "I can't sit. But really, you wanna know? I was gonna go down to the store, so I can at least get an idea as to how I should be scheduling the next few months."
Alex's eyes grew serious as he walked towards her. "You're gonna be okay."
She kissed him, smiling. "I hope so."
"You will be. Everything's gonna turn out the way it's supposed to."
Feeling his arms around her, Addison raised an eyebrow. "When did you become so reassuring?"
"I guess I always have been. But they say that sometimes people can bring out the best in each other."
"Mmm-"Addison replied, letting her lips linger on his. "I have to agree with that."
"Do you want me to go with you?"Alex asked, his eyes growing concerned. The thought that she could be carrying his child was weighing on his mind, and while he still wasn't sure how he felt about it, he knew that how he felt for Addison meant something and at that moment, Alex was sure that he couldn't let it go.
Addison shook her head, her arms linking around his neck. Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes. "No. I need to do this. But I'll be back. If you still-"
"Addison, I l-"Alex stopped, realizing what he was about to say. "I want you here. It's nice...not having to deal with room service every morning."He said, grinning.
Alex's almost announcement didn't escape her, but Addison nodded anyway. "It's pretty nice. I should get going. I'll be back."
Alex didn't like waiting. It was like watching a surgery from the gallery knowing that there was nothing else you could do. He sat on the couch, mindlessly flipping through a magazine. He knew Chief had said that he and Addison could have the day off to deal with things, but he'd planned on at least going to with her. It was stupid, taking a day off. He wasn't hurt.
Letting his mind wander, Alex thought of what he said to Addison. Until her, he didn't feel the need to reassure someone. Sure, if someone had made as big of a statement, or posed as big of a possibility as Addison had, Alex would have tried to help. Still, it was the look in Addison's eyes and, more importantly the way he had felt afterward. He knew entering the whole thing that it was more than just a crush. But the fact that he loved her-she'd been going through so much lately, he couldn't help but think of what telling her would do. He resolved to wait-it was the only thing Alex could think of to do.
Addison numbingly found her way down the aisles of the drugstore, trying to work up the courage to walk down to the one she needed. She was about to turn when she ran into someone, the sound of a stand falling greeting her. "I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was-"
"Addison."Meredith said, placing bags of candy back on the shelf. "It's...fine."
"Okay. Yeah, things have bee a little crazy lately. I guess I was just trying to-"
"Oh, no. It's fine. I wasn't really looking, either."Meredith replied, sensing Addison's nervousness. "How are you? I mean...after...you know what? I should go."
"Meredith."Addison said, stopping her. "It's okay. Thank You. For asking. I'm doing better."
Meredith smiled, waving. "I'll see you at the hospital, then."
Addison sighed, thankful that the awkward conversation was over. Walking down the back aisle, she realized that it wouldn't be as quiet or as quick as she had planned.
"Addison."Mark said, seemingly amused. "What is this-some sort of Seattle Grace party noone bothered to let me know about? I saw Grey just a minute ago, and now you? There something I don't know about?"
Annoyed, Addison shifted her eyes to the floor. "Mark...I've got to pick up a few things. Then I'll be headed...home. So, needless to say I don't have the time to stand here and talk about whether you have or haven't missed anything..."
"So you're not going in today? Not that that would be a problem, because after what you and your lackey went through yesterday, it's understandable."
"Alex isn't my lackey. Yes, he has been spending an incredible amount of time in my surgeries..or surgeries that I take part of. But he's interested in neonatal surgery...there's nothing wrong with that."Addison said, praying that there weren't any of the other hospital staff lurking around. "Can't I just say I will see you later and leave it at that?"
Mark smiled, suspicious. "Okay."He said, walking past. "Fine with me."
She nodded, exhaling.
"But-"He stopped, turning around. "If...something were going on. You needed someone to talk to...I'm always here."
"Yeah."She said, watching him walk away. "You are always here..."
Panic. It was definately something Addison was feeling. Running into Meredith, and then Mark. Returning to Alex's apartment seemed like the only thing that she had to look foward to. She'd been in the bathroom, waiting on the results, thinking to herself of how stupid the whole thing was. She was a neonatal surgeon. She worked at a hospital. She could have just as easily taken a test at the hospital. But she couldn't.
It was something about the whole deal. Because Addison knew how rumors and the hospital went together, especially after the hostage situation. Closing her eyes, Addison heard Alex knock on the door.
"Hey...you okay in there?"
"Yeah. Just a minute."
"Okay. Just-"Alex stopped, his hand resting on the door. "The hospital called. Turns out that scheduled surgery..just might be a little earlier than planned."
"What?"Addison asked, again staring at the time.
"They just thought you should know, being as you're the scheduled surgeon."Alex said. "She's at the hospital now."
Addison sighed, holding her head in her hands. "Okay." She sniffled, sighing. "The um, just open the door."
Alex opened the door, seeing Addison sitting on the side of the tub. "You okay?"
She shrugged, tears glistening. "Depends on your definition of okay."
"So..."Alex said, leaning against the doorway.
Addison nodded, sighing. "It's...positive. I'm pregnant."She said, not sure how she was supposed to react. "We should get to the hospital. Mrs.Golding needs surgery."
"Addison-"Alex said, standing in her way. "There was...I mean...I need to say something."
"We need to get to the hospital."
"There are other surgeons, Addison. I'm talking about this-you and me."He stopped, staring ather stomach. "And..this baby."
"Oh."
Alex nodded, moving her hair out of her face. "I should have said it before. I should have, and now you're probably gonna think I'm saying it 'cause of this thing but-"
"Alex?...Hospital...emergency..."
"I love you. Okay? It's crazy, it's emotional..and yeah, sometimes you drive me crazy and I can tell that you're just trying to shove yourself back into work without actually dealing with what happened yesterday..or what's about to happen. But I...I love you, and I'm not gonna...I can't let that happen."
Addison's mouth hung open, surprised at Alex's outburst. "I don't know what to say. Alex-"
"No. Just..."He replied, pulling her towards him. Alex wanted to show her-needed to show her that what they had...it wasn't just a relationship. It meant something to him. Pulling her back from him, Alex kissed her, trying to convince her. "Everything will work out."
Addison nodded, the emotion of the moment hitting her. "I have to go. To the hospital. But, uh...we can talk. Later?"
Alex nodded, watching her walk into the living room. "Later."