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CHAPTER 8

"Karev."

Alex turns when he hears Derek's voice behind him, a hint of lazy confidence hidden in the fake sympathy. He storms forward angrily, grabbing the fronts of Derek's labcoat.

"You stay away from her, you hear me?"
Derek laughs arrogantly, not the least bothered by the threatening look on Alex's face.

"You really think you have the right to tell me to stay away from my wife, Karev?"

"Like she's going to be your wife for long. I'm warning you. Butt out of our life."
"Your life?"

"Addison and I are together. We don't need you messing with our relationship."

Derek laughs, pushing Alex away from him roughly.

"It didn't bother her last night, Karev. Not when we were at dinner with the Webbers. Not when we were in the trailer and she was lying in my arms and…"

Before Derek can finish his sentence, Alex rushes forward, grabbing his lab coat and pushing him up against the wall.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"
"Why, am I upsetting the little intern?"

"Shut up!"
"Go to the pit, Karev."

"Make me."

"Go. To. The. Pit. Now."

"Stay away from Addison."

"She's my wife."

"She's my girlfriend."

"Wife trumps girlfriend."

"Intern trumps asshat."

"Karev, go the pit."
"I won't."

"She'll pick me, you know. In the end, we always get back together. You're not good enough for her."

Derek feels his head hitting the wall as Alex punches him. Again and again and again and then he is punching back and their rolling on the floor, punching and kicking and…

"Stop it, both of you! Derek! Alex!"

They yank away from each other, staring at Addison guiltily. Derek gets up first, approaching her quickly.

"Addie…"
Alex is right behind him, looking at her sorrowfully.

"Addison…"
"No. Get away from me. Both of you. I'm done. I'm done with both of you. You act like I'm some prize, something you can fight over and the winner gets it. Just… leave me alone."

She rushes off and Derek and Alex stare at her disappearing figure sadly. They jump when Bailey speaks behind them, her voice angrier than he had ever heard it.

"Now, would you mind telling me what the hell you two fools were thinking?"

"I can not have two members of my staff fighting in the hallway, rolling around on the ground in full view of anyone passing by! Do you have any idea what it does to the image of this hospital? Can you tell me what you were thinking? Karev? You realise you're risking suspension from the program?"

Alex looks at Richard confidently, his chin lifted.

"With all due respect, sir. She's worth it."

Derek nods quickly.

"He's right, Richard. I'd do it all over again and not change a single punch. Unless this had driven Addie away from me, I don't care about any of the other consequences."

Richard stands up, glaring at the two doctors angrily.

"Well, whether you care or not. Here is the next consequence. Karev, you will be Shepherd's intern for the next month and I mean it, month. Neither of you are allowed to work with any other doctor. You will act like conjoined twins and not leave each other's side. Is that clear?"

"But I…"

"Dr Webber…"

"I SAID IS THAT CLEAR?"

"Yes, dr Webber."

Derek lifts his hand like a nervous school boy, staring at his mentor uncertainly.

"What is it, Shepherd?"

"It's just… I'm working on a serious case with Ad… Dr Montgomery and… when you say no other doctors…"

Richard rolls his eyes, sighing.

"Shep, you're a neurosurgeon. Use the brains you have. You don't get to pick another intern and Karev doesn't get to work with any other attending unless you're present."

"I see… then… if that's all…"

"Yes. It is. Now get out of my office."

"Addie, you're going to have to get out of there sooner or later."
"I refuse."

"Addison!"

Miranda Bailey sighs, staring at the closed door.

"Look, just ignore the McIdiots and face the world. This isn't you, hiding like this."

"I'm not hiding."
"Oh, you're hiding. Come on, get out here."

Addison finally opens the door, facing Bailey grumpily.

"Happy?"

"Ecstatic. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Stop lying."

"Okay, Miranda. I am not fine. I'm not fine at all. I'm a mess because there are two men out there who are making complete fools of themselves and whenever I'm with one of them, I'm sure I love him until I'm with the other one and right now, I just hate both of them and nothing would make me happier than them either disappearing or falling for each other and leaving me alone."

Bailey lifts a brow, looking at the redhead with a glint in her eyes.

"Now somehow I don't see that happening soon."

Addison laughs despite herself and Bailey looks at her friend comfortingly.

"Let's go. It's time for lunch."

"Miranda, I can not go out there. I can not go to the cafeteria, not when I know everyone's going to be staring at me and…"
"Now is this the Addison Montgomery everyone told me about? The ruler of all that is evil, Satan? Because this doesn't seem like her."

Addison sighs, lifting her chin slightly.

"You know what… You're right. Screw them. All of them. I don't need them. I don't need the gossipy interns and I certainly do not need Derek Shepherd or Alex Karev. Screw them!"

"Now that's the Addison I was talking about! Come on. Show them that you're fine without them and you don't need those fools to make asses of themselves!"

"You're right. I am not going to allow either of them to piss on my parade. Not anymore."

"I don't want to work with you, you know."

Derek looks at Alex antagonistically and Alex returns the stare.

"I'm not exactly thrilled to be working with you either, Shepherd."
"Good. As long as we understand each other."

Derek smirks, lifting a brow.

"Oh and Karev… you should warn your girlfriend that you are going to be very busy for the next month. You probably won't have time for dating… like she'll want to go on a date with you after today."

He laughs maliciously, heading out to the cafeteria and leaving a seething Alex behind.