Author's note: I'm so happy you guys like this story! :D I was really insecure about this haha, thank you for the reviews! This chapter is basically Maddison, but don't worry if you ship Addek, more Addek chapters are on coming :)

To the person who asked me if this story is going to be Addek: Well, kind of? There's going to be a lot of Addek in the early years of their relationship, but I intend to follow canon, exactly how it happened on the show - unless I decide to make Maddison endgame because that's what I think should have happened on the show haha -, and explore their relationship in the process.

Anyway, hope you all like this chapter! :D

3

New York, 1988

She was looking for an embryology book at the library before her next class began, still tired from studying her brain out the night before and not getting enough sleep.

"Hey Princess".

She turns around and sees Mark. "You call me that again and I'll kick your ass."

He grins and then shrugs. "Fine, no 'princess'. I have to find another nickname for you then". He pauses, thinking for a few seconds. "How about 'Red'"?

"How about 'Addie', like everyone else?"

He grins again. "I'm not like everyone else".

She rolls her eyes. "I don't like you, you know? I just tolerate you 'cause your Derek's best friend". It isn't a hundred percent true. Even though he's smug and a manwhore, he can be funny sometimes, but she won't admit it.

"Nah, you like me. I'm an awesome friend".

"That's why you give people special nicknames?", she teases.

"That's why I give people special nicknames".

"Okay, since you're such a good friend, why don't you take that annoying grin out of your face and help me find the book I came here for?"

"Of course", he agrees, but the grin still there.

New York, 1992

He is a good friend. When they were kids and Derek told him he missed his dad sometimes, he tried to comfort him with words and then asked if he wanted to play football; he even let him win so he wouldn't feel so bad. When Amelia overdosed, he stayed with him at the hospital all night. But now watching Derek assist in an advanced procedure, Mark wishes he was the one in there. And envying your friends doesn't make you a good friend, right?

It's just Derek always seems to get everything. Warm family, hot girlfriend, good grades, assisting in advanced procedures during internship, basically everything that Mark doesn't have. Mark wishes he knew how to put the universe in his own favor like that.

New York, 2005

"How long are going to keep avoiding me?", he almost had to drag her into the on-call room, because she's been avoiding him for a week since that night. "We need to talk about what happened".

"I don't want to talk about it, Mark", Addison sighs. "We were drunk. We weren't thinking. It happened once and it's not happening ever again. So can we just pretend it never happened and forget this whole story?"

"I can't. I can't stop thinking about it. About you".

"Mark", she warns him with a reproving voice, "This is wrong. Even for you".

He knows she's right. He is flawed, but that is a whole new level of screwed up. Yet he can't get that night out of his head, and now he is sure he is a terrible friend. Sleeping with your best friend's wife definitely makes you a terrible friend. Even if you were drunk. Because, honestly, he's afraid he would have done the same if he wasn't drunk. He drove to her apartment anyway. When Derek asked him to tell her he was going to spend the night at the hospital, Mark could have just called her. But she had been so miserable those days that he thought he could make her some company if she wanted to. Or at least he convinced himself that was his only intention. She actually asked him first if he wanted to come in; she had just opened a bottle of wine. She didn't look surprised when he told her what Derek had asked him to; she just looked so sad and so tired of it that Mark wanted to punch Derek for having everything and then throwing it away.

"I can't just ignore what happened", he continues anyway.

"Yes, you can. Just forget it, okay?", she says decisively, leaving the room.

He's spending the night at the hospital again, but at least he bothers to call her this time. She's more tired than angry. Tired of seeking for his affection when she's clearly not going to get it, tired of trying to figure out what is she doing wrong in their marriage, tired of hoping he realizes what he is doing wrong. She's tired of trying. She's tired of caring.

She doesn't even know for sure how the hell did she end up at Mark's door, but there she is.

"Can I come in?", she asks.

"Sure", he lets her in. "Is there something wrong?"

"Just the usual crap".

He waits for her to say why she's there, but she doesn't say anything.

"Did you eat anything?", he asks, not sure what to do. "There's pizza on the fridge".

"Thanks, I'm not hungry".

They keep in awkward silence for a moment, until she can't hold it anymore and she kisses him.

He kisses back, and they're both unable to think for a few seconds, until she starts unbuttoning her shirt and Mark steps back, his hands on her shoulders. "Are you sure?", he asks.

"Yes", she leans closer to him, but he stops her.

"Wait, what changed your mind?"

"Mark", she begs, "I need sex. And my husband doesn't even care if I'm alive". She knows what she needs right now is so much more than just sex, and she's afraid she's going to start crying. "Please", her voice cracks; she can only imagine how pathetic she must look right now.

He answers by kissing her again and minutes later all their clothes are off and they are in his bed. While they're having sex, Addison realizes she doesn't feel so empty anymore – just like that other night with Mark. But when they're done the emptiness comes back, along with the guilt, and she turns around before he can see that she's actually crying right now. She grabs her clothes, still hiding her face. "I should go".

They lie in bed in the on call room, and she lets him see her cry this time. Not that he didn't noticed it the last time; but he knows she hates when people see her cry, so he pretended he didn't see it so he wouldn't make things worse for her.

"Sorry", she says.

"It's okay".

He wonders why she's crying. Because she expected more? Because she's guilty? Because she thinks she's a cheater now, like her father? Instead of asking her, he gently wipes away her tears, wishing so badly he knew what to do to see her happy again.