Author's Note: So here we are...chapter sixteen. I'm not quite sure what I should say about this chapter, because it pretty much speaks for itself. However, I do have to say that the title-walking on eggshells-Well, it has a bit of a double meaning. But you won't get the other one in this chapter. ;)...Bt trust me..it'll be okay. And just because I haven't done one of these in a while...

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy. If I did, I would be rich. If I did, Addison would NOT be leaving. If I did...well, I don't..so let's not dwell on that too long now, shall we?

Meredith's hand shook as she held her cell phone to her ear. Closing her eyes, a nervous breath left her feeling even more helpless than before. She felt she should be doing something, but Derek knew her. Derek would know if something was wrong with her, wouldn't he? She waited again as the phone rang a fourth time, sensing Jason's gaze on her the entire time.

"He isn't answering?"Jason asked.

Frowning, Meredith shook her head. "No."

"Leave a message."

"But-"

"Leave...a message."Jason said, this time coming out as more demanding.

Startled, Meredith nearly dropped the phone. "What do I say?...What am I supposed to say?"

Jason laughed, shaking his head. "You're a surgeon. You tell patients families how their loved ones are all the time...candy coating things a little. I'm sure making a story for yourself shouldn't be any different."

Standing in the kitchen of Meredith's house, Alex found himself a little out of place. There were pictures of her, Izzie and George magneted up of the fridge. There was one of Callie looking particularly unhappy, and one of Meredith, Derek, Cristina and Burke-Burke and Derek both looking like Cristina and Meredith had lost their minds. Still, as he searched the pictures, he only saw one of himself-and even then he was in the background. It was true...that he missed his friends. But as he shook the thoughts from his mind, he made a mental not to himself to make sure and keep in touch with everyone-after Addison was found safely, and only if she could be included.

"She's not at the park, she's not at the trailer...I don't know-"

"Addison wasn't at the apartment, or the hotel..or-"Alex stopped, watching the concerned look on Derek's face. "Something wrong?"He asked.

"I don't know..."Derek said, pulling his phone out of his coat pocket. Suddenly his mood appeared to change. "It's Meredith."

Alex stood for second as a ring sounded again. "Dude...you gonna answer?"

"Meredith...where are you?"

"Derek...hi. Is everything...okay?"Meredith asked, trying her best to remain calm.

Addison watched the younger woman, noting how she may have been trying her best to hold up, but her eyes told an entirely different tale.

"You tell me, Mer. I've been trying to get a hold of you for almost two hours now. Where did you go?"Derek asked, worried.

"I'm-"Meredith said, tears filtering into her eyes as she plastered on a fake smile, hoping that her voice would sound sound happy enough through it. "Everything is...it's fine, Derek. It's okay."

Jason shook his head, laughing quietly. "Your friend over there...is she a good liar?"

Addison shrugged, sighing. "I don't know. We'll have to see."

"Where are you, Mer? I'm-"Derek paused, emotion welling up in his voice. "The guy...the guy that held Alex and Addison...hostage at Seattle Grace? He escaped this afternoon, and well-"Derek paused, finding even breathing to be difficult. "Noone knows where he is."

Meredith stared wide eyed at the foot of the bed, right where Jason and Addison were currently sitting. "How could he-"

"I don't know, Mer. That's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about the fact that right now, both you and Addison are unaccounted for."

Jason twitched, feeling that he was losing the battle. "Why doesn't she sound happy? This Derek guy won't believe her if-"

"Jason, please."Addison said, wanting to give Meredith the time to finish the phone call accurately. "She's doing what you told her to. Give her the chance."

He smiled, eyes gleaming. "Always full of the best ideas, aren't you?...Too bad some of them come too late."

"How many times do I have to apoligize?...I mean, I know, okay? But not everything has a happy ending."

"Yeah, well..this time, it will."

Meredith struggled, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Oh. Um...has Alex-"

"He's been everywhere. I have been everywhere. So if everything is okay, can't you just tell me?"Derek asked, feeling desperate.

Gritting her teeth, Meredith nodded. "Yeah. Everything is okay."

Derek hesitated, debating with wether or not he believed her. "Who is there with you?"

"Derek-"

"Meredith, you aren't okay. Okay? I can tell. Because Izzie and George-they are both at Joe's. And Cristina is with Burke. Alex is-he's here with me."

Addison felt the baby move, almost smiling as she did. At least something was going right in the whole situation. She frowned though, seeing the look on Jason's face. "What?"

"She's losing it. He doesn't believe her."He said, standing up.

"Jason, please-Just...sit down. Think things through, if you pull the phone away, Derek will know."Addison pleaded, feeling a pain shoot through her.

Jason looked at her, puzzled as she clutched his arm. "You're...okay?"

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm...fine."Addison said, standing. She slowly breathed in from her nose, praying to God that stress wouldn't become even more of a factor.

"Derek, everything is okay. I'm..I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. I'm sorry that I had to cancel our plans. I didn't cancel them, really."Meredith said, silently digging her nails into her palm. "...Addison and me...well, she's going through a lot what with the Alex thing, and the-"She froze, realizing perhaps too late that Jason-as far as she knew-didn't know about the baby. "Work, you know? And the case that we had. She just-we both needed time, you know? To talk about things."

Derek frowned, still sensing that something was up. "So you expect me to believe that suddenly you and Addison are friends? Friends enough to go out and have dinner, and talk about things that don't concern a medical case?"He asked, looking over at Alex, who hadn't moved from his position in front of the fridge. "If everything is okay...say...well, say yes. But if-"He stopped, a hitch in his breath. "If something is wrong...if he had you, say-"

"Time is up..."Jason said, taking large steps across the room. "He knows you and Addy over there are chatting away at some restaraunt, that's all he needs to know, correct?"

"Meredith?"Derek said, frowning. "Who..who is that?"

Meredith blinked, not answering.

"Is it him?"

Addison walked towards him, thinking that if Meredith were given an extra minute, even a tiny one, they would know. "Jason..."

"No, Addison-"

"If it is-"Derek said, thinking of something for her to say.

"It's our waiter. And don't worry, there will be no tequila..."Meredith said, finding Jason's face lit up by the moonlight coming in from the crack in the blinds to be a little haunting. "Everything is fine."

Jason waved his hand towards her, a signal to wrap it up. "Come on, we don't have all night."

"-Tell me what you're having for dinner...if everything is okay. If not, just...say you haven't ordered yet."Derek felt desperate, and judging by the look on Alex's face, he did, too.

"I said-"Jason reiterated, ripping the phone from Meredith's hand. He looked down at it, hearing Derek's voice coming out. He covered it with his hand. "We do not have all night. Now-"He said, holding it just out of Meredith's grasp. "Say goodnight. Say you have to go."

Mereith pulled, tugging at his arm. She wasn't done. "Derek, Derek we haven't-"She struggled, watching as Jason grinned. "The order, Derek. That's why I have to go. We haven't ordered. I'll...I'll talk to you later." Though she still struggled, she watched as Jason slowly lowered the phone, seemingly thrilled that Meredith had accepted defeat.

"Good."Jason said, shutting her phone, carefully handing it back to her. "That is so much better. Now, Addison and I have some talking to do. So um...be a good little intern and just sit back over there. And do not...try anything. I'll be ordering our food in a minute."

Addison shook her head, tired of laying low. "You said something earlier. That this would have a happy ending. I honestly don't see how unless you just let us go. Noone knows that we're here. Derek thinks that..."She said, looking at Meredith for approval of her next phrase. "We went out for dinner. See, Jason...you can let us go, and noone would ever know."

"Oh, they will know either way, Addison. But I like it better this way. The way that I get to be happy. See, despite the fact that you...you ruined my marriage. Despite the fact that right now I should be at home feeding my baby..."He stopped, his hand reaching out to brush her face. "I don't hate you. I-I can't hate you."Jason laughed, smiling. "In fact...you can say that it's a...it's a bit of an addiction. Once you're around someone, you just can't get enough. Enough of their smile...or their smell...sometimes, sometimes it's the way they look. Like your hair. That's not naturally red, by the way."

Addison swallowed, afraid to move. "I know."

Jason nodded his head, slowly breathing in and out. "Alex...that boyfriend of yours...how serious are you two?"

Biting back the 'serious enough to be having a baby', and instead replaced it with a firm look in her eye. "How is that any of your business?"

"Well you know...inquiring minds wanna know, I guess. It's a good thing to know about someone you'll be spending a great deal of time with."

A chill shot through her as he spoke. "Why would I want to spend any more time with you."

Jason grinned, almost as if he were taking the entire thing on thrill. "Maybe you don't now...but you will in time."

Addison felt his hands against her face, and suddenly felt her skin begin to crawl. "Please...just stop...stop touching me."

"But Addison..."

"I said, get your hands off of me!"She exclaimed, struggling to push him away from her. As she did, Jason pushed back doubly hard, knocking her against the wall behind them.

Alex sat at the table, hand holding firm on the neck of his beer. Frowning, her eyed Derek suspiciously as he sat down. "Unless you have good news, I don't wanna hear it."

"You've been sitting there with that beer for almost ten minutes."Derek said. "And you haven't drunk a single sip."

"Maybe because times like this don't require drinks."Alex said, scoffing at himself. He pushed the brown glassed bottle away from him, staring down at his hands. "They have to be okay. They will be, right?"

Derek nodded, taking a deeo breath. "I spoke with Officer Jurgens. Told him about the phone call. Just..Meredith...she was trying her best to act so...so composed. So..."He shook his head. "So believeable. But nothing is fine about this. This has to end...the sooner the better."

"The baby, Derek."Alex spat out of fear. "I know you don't like me, and the reality of being stuck in this situation is irritating you but...a baby. Does Jason...I mean, they wouldn't say anything, right?"

Fighting back a smile, Derek shook his head.

"How the hell can you smile at a time like this?"Alex asked.

"It's just...Addison and Meredith...they're, um..they're tough. Seperately. But together? Well-"Derek shrugged his shoulders. "They're gonna get through this."

"Just back up from her..."Meredith said, rushing over. "How can you push her? She...Addison, are you-"

"I'm fine."Addison replied, a silent tear sliding its way down her cheek. She felt tired, weak, and vulnerable. Any minute now, she felt that her fragile body was going to break. As her head throbbed violently, she felt her hand grace her stomach. "I don't know about my-"

Jason looked back and forth between Addison and Meredith, watching as their gazes locked. "What?"He asked after Addison cut off her sentence. "Your what, Addison?"

Meredith shook her head, her hope that they would make it out in time slowly beginning to decrease.

Addison winced, struggling to find the strength to stand.

"Oh..."Jason said, shaking his head as he grinned. Taking a look at Meredith, then at Addison, he laughed lightly. Studying Addison-the look in her eyes, the expression on her face. Everything from the way her shoulders fell to the way she was sitting on the floor-including the way that her right arm was laying relaxed, yet somehow all too firm over her body, made it become all too real in his mind. "Well-"He said, thrilled. "This just makes it even better."