Author's Note: Thank you, as always, for the reviews on the last chapter. This one has taken me a little while to think up, as I couldn't think up a way to move the story forward, but I'm there now, so I hope you like this. And don't worry, this story will not be cut short in favour of the next one, but it is coming to an end sometime in the near future (precisely how near will depend on how often I update) and I have the next one all planned as I wouldn't want to leave you without anything to read now, would I? This is just a short little chapter, but I already have the next one thought out, so I promise you won't have to wait long for it.

By the way, Marks and Spencer's is a high end supermarket (I feel a little derogatory calling them a supermarket to be honest!) in the UK who happen to have a very delicious range of convenience foods. Addison would definitely do her grocery shopping there.

Disclaimer: As before. And probably something along the lines of in addition to not owning Grey's Anatomy, funnily enough, I don't own Marks and Spencer's either. Only a very nice jumper I bought from there last week.

Addison stretched out on her mocha suede couch (could you actually be in love with a couch?) and revelled in its comfort. Alex had been stuck in surgery so she said she would go back to the flat and cook them some dinner, but she was hardly the domesticated kind and even though she had recently expanded her culinary skills to incorporate pretty much anything you could buy from Marks and Spencer's, it was still an effort to produce anything more nutritious than a glass of Merlot after a twelve hour shift. On reflection, they probably should have gone back to the hotel.

It had been a fortnight, and four dates – they'd been too tired from work for more than that – since the night of their candlelit meal, and it had left her feeling… invigorated. She had genuinely forgotten how it felt to be her old self again, and she loved it. In fact, when she really thought about it, she thought she might just be a better person than before. She was certainly stronger, wiser, braver; it was a cliché, but what didn't kill you honestly did make you stronger, or that was how it had worked for her anyway.

And now, finally, she was getting her reward.

Suddenly, the shrill ring of the telephone cut across her thoughts, and she reluctantly rose up to answer it, assuming it was Alex, to tell her he was on his way back.

'Hey,' she said with a warm intimacy, taking a sip of her glass of wine.

'Hey yourself Addison,' replied a voice that wasn't Alex's.

Shit. 'Callie. Hi,' she tried, a little too brightly. She was bound to be caught out. Callie was ridiculously observant, and she wasn't an easy person to fool.

'You were expecting a call.' Statement, not question.

'Not really, but I'm glad I've got one.' Lying and crawling; because she's not going to spot that, at all. Good move Addison.

'You're lying,' Callie responded instantly, 'but anyway. How are you? How's London? Tell me all about it, how are you settling in?'

The guilt of disappearing off the radar had eventually caught up with her, and a few days ago, she'd called Callie to tell her of the move, but she'd already heard thanks to the Seattle Grace grapevine (or more specifically, Derek, who had heard from Sam). Luckily, no-one seemed to have cottoned onto the fact that she and Alex were at the same hospital though.

'London's amazing,' she sighed happily. 'I just love it here Callie. I… It's not really something I can put my finger on, but it's fantastic. There are so many beautiful buildings, and everything has this fascinating history to it. And they actually do have red buses, and black cabs, but they don't talk anything like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.' Callie laughed as Addison enthused about her new home.

'Not that I've had the time to explore any of it,' she continued. 'Well, except Harrods, obviously.'

'Obviously,' Callie agreed.

'But anyway, enough about me. What about you? What's your news?'

'Not enough about you, Addison Montgomery, not enough at all, and don't think for a second I'm going to let you get away with it. But I am very well, thank you for asking.'

'How's everything in Seattle?'

'Hectic, as usual. You know Meredith's pregnant of course. Nearly seven months now.'

She did. Alex had told her, quietly, gently, a week ago. They had managed to co-ordinate their lunches and took the bus to the park, walking hand in hand in the thin winter sunlight. He'd said it as if he wasn't sure if the news had the power to hurt her or not, and they'd both been pleased when they found it didn't.

'I do. But I wasn't really asking about anyone else. How are things with you?'

'Same old, same old. You know how it is.'

'So you and Mark are still…?'

'You had to ask, didn't you?'

'I'm merely implying that you are both adults, even though with Mark it's sometimes hard to tell, and that perhaps, after eight years of casual sex, it might be time to admit to each other that there may be more to it than a quick jump in a supply cupboard.'

'Fine one you are to talk,' Callie retorted. 'You do know that Alex is in London, don't you?'

Addison burned to tell her friend the news of her and Alex's relationship. Most people at work now knew, and they'd had a great evening out with Steve and Tina – Alex was right, she and Tina had hit it off instantly – and another with Michael, but she wanted to tell someone who understood.

It was working its way to the tip of her tongue, but she stopped it firmly before it got there. Her loyalty to Alex was far too great to tell anyone if he didn't want her to.

Instead, she answered Callie's question with what she hoped was a genuinely casual, slightly sarcastic air. 'I believe you may have mentioned it before.'

'So, have you called him? Apparently he's at Great Ormond Street. Remember those lines of deliciousness.'

'I haven't called him Callie. Remember the humiliation and rejection. I didn't come to London because of Alex Karev; I needed a fresh start.'

There was a long, transatlantic silence, and Addison could almost hear the cogs in Callie's mind working their way closer to the truth.

'Fresh start, eh?'

'Yes,' Addison said slowly, as if she was explaining something to a five year old.

'Not a fresh start with anyone in particular?'

'We've been through this.'

'…Because you were definitely waiting for a phone call. A phone call from someone who you knew really well, someone who you were happy to hear from. Now, you look me in the eye Addison Montgomery, and tell me you haven't heard from Alex.'

'Callie, you're being ridiculous, how on earth can I look you in the eye? We're on the phone.'

'Are you avoiding my question?'

'It wasn't so much a question as an order.'

'So?'

She took a deep breath, and consoled herself with the fact that Callie would be the very first person she told, then the lie came out. 'So nothing Callie. There's nothing to tell. I haven't called Alex, and he hasn't called me.' Well, not in a couple of hours, anyway.

'So, who was the phone call you were expecting if it wasn't Karev?'

'I'm not prepared to divulge that information at this stage, but I promise you'll be the first to know, okay?'

'Is that the best you're going to do?'

'Yep.'

'Well, I'll have to be happy with that then.'

'You will, for now anyway. Now, let me tell you all about my apartment. I have got the most beautiful couch you have ever seen…'

Hmm, what spoiler shall I release next? I could tell you that it's going to be an Addex story, but as far as I'm concerned, that goes without saying, so I feel like I should give you something else. However, I've still got another few chapters of this story to go and if I tell you something every time, there'll be no surprises left. If you ask questions though, I may be tempted to give answers.