"Wise Up" 10/?
Author's Note: Well, just a little over a week this time. This chapter is…not my best, I must admit. It's a rather long chapter, most of it is filler/transition and there is no Derek/Addison interaction in it, but some of it is important. So I hope you enjoy and I appreciate all your feedback. Thanks! Happy Fourth of July to my American readers and Happy Wednesday to all. I have the day off work (hurrah) and now I really must go to bed as it' rather late so night/morning!
Title: Wise Up ch. 10
Rating: PG-13, I guess. Adult themes. Some swearing.
Summary: Derek and Addison are trying to come to terms with their feelings for each other and their behavior towards each other. Will they be able to face their demons and be stronger or will they give up? Circa end season 2, with my spin on things.
Disclaimer: Fanfiction, only. No infringement intended. ABC, Touchstone Television, Shonda and Co. own Grey's Anatomy.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
"So Bambi, what was up with the She-Shepherd the other day?"
"What do you mean, Cristina?"
"I know she's been sick. Everyone knows that."
"And?" George asked, not getting the point.
"Everyone but Shepherd that is," piped in Alex from the opposite end of the bench in the locker-room.
Meredith glared at Alex. "What?" he asked innocently. "She's his wife, so you'd think he'd care if she got sick."
"She's Satan," provided Cristina who then added, "And the nurses said that they saw you and Burke hovering over her a couple of days ago…"
"You're just jealous, Yang."
"Shut up, Evil Spawn," ordered Izzie as she got out of her tee-shirt and into her scrub top.
"Well it's true; she thinks that Burke and Montgomery-Shepherd are doing it."
"Alex," warned Meredith who was bent over, tying her sneakers.
"I get Burke's interest in her…"
"What do you mean, Evil One?"
"Well, Cristina, they are intelligent, refined, classy people."
"Classy people who cheat on their husbands with the best friend," muttered Izzie under her breath.
"Izzie!" chastised George.
"It's true, George."
"Whatever," said Alex as he tied the laces of his scrub bottom in a tight knot. "The point is, they have things in common. So his interest in her makes sense. But that doesn't explain Syph-Boy's," he said, giving George a pointed look.
"Alex!" Meredith warned again, giving an annoyed look.
"What? He does have a thing for women in love with Shepherd…you know that from experience, as unpleasant as it was."
"God you really are an asshole today, Alex," Izzie commented.
"Like you have room to talk, considering you're in love," he said, rolling his eyes, "With a friggin' heart patient."
Meredith was about to smack Alex when Izzie stepped in-between them, glaring at her former lover. "Shut up, Alex! Maybe you're the one who has a thing for Montgomery-Shepherd, considering how much you go on and on about her and the gynie squad."
"Yeah, right," he snorted.
"All that fluffy pink getting to you, Karev?" wondered Cristina.
"Not in this lifetime."
"Shut up, Alex. Just shut up." The four other interns turned in surprised to look at a very annoyed George.
"First of all? Burke isn't cheating on Cristina. They're friends, so you really shouldn't be jealous," he informed Cristina who merely scowled at him.
"Secondly, I am with Callie now," Izzie rolled her eyes at this as she was none-too fond of Dr. Torres.
George ignored her looks. "So you implying that I have a thing for Meredith or Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is disrespectful to Callie and our relationship and I am not okay with that."
Meredith's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Izzie turned to her with a smile.
"Our George is growing up," she said softly, to which Alex groaned.
"I know that you guys don't like her, for whatever reason, but Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is an excellent doctor," he told them.
"And she saved your life," he reminded Cristina.
"So she did," Cristina acknowledged, jumping up from the bench she was sitting on. "But Bambi, Meredith's my person."
"And that trumps life-saving?"
"George, you don't get it."
"She stole my McLife, George," sighed Meredith.
Highly annoyed with his friends, George shook his head at them. Was she ever going to get over that? Didn't seem likely. He was very grateful to have Callie.
"My McDog, My McBoyfriend, My McDreamy."
"Enough of the McNonsense!" ordered a highly irritated Miranda Bailey who had just entered the room.
"Dr. Bailey, I-" began Meredith, but Bailey put her hand up in protest.
"I am not going to repeat this, Dr. Grey, because I really don't want to waste time here gossiping about others."
Izzie looked guiltily at her boss.
"Dr. Shepherd lied to you and that was a really low, idiot thing to do, especially considering he's a neurosurgeon. He's not the first man to lie to a woman and won't be the last. Now Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is his wife, so as far as anyone's concerned she stole nothing from you that didn't belong to you in the first place. If you have issue with either one of them, I suggest you suck it up and take it up with them after work. Got that?"
Meredith merely nodded.
"Good. Now, are you all ready for today's assignments or do you want to stand here bitching some more?"
"We're ready, Dr. Bailey," they all chimed in.
"All right," she looked down at the clipboards in her hand. "Grey, you're in the pit today, Yang you're with Shepherd, O'Malley you're with Burke, Stevens you're with Chamberlain, and Karev you are with me," she instructed. "Now get to work people."
George wondered why no one was called into Addison's service.
"Who's Chamberlain?" whispered Izzie to Meredith who simply shrugged as the name was equally unfamiliar to her.
"Do you have a problem, Karev?" bailey asked, standing with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I thought I was still under Dr. Shepherd's-the other Dr. Shepherd's-supervision."
"You were. You're with me today, or is that a problem?"
"No M'am."
"Good. Now what are you people standing around for? I gave you your orders, now shoo."
Izzie stood uncomfortably next to her. "Dr. Bailey?"
"What is it, Stevens?"
"It's just…I don't know who Dr. Chamberlain is."
"He's in neo-natal."
All five interns gave each other a look. "But Dr. Shepherd?"
"There are other doctors in this hospital, Stevens. Capable ones at that."
That's true, but Montgomery-Shepherd was the best, even Izzie knew that.
She could feel five pairs of eyes boring into her, which she ignored and told them to get back to work.
Dr. Shepherd was in one bad mood that day, which made things awkward with Yang. He was relieved that Meredith wasn't his intern today or George. Meredith for obvious reasons and George because he surprisingly seemed to be on Addison's side, how that happened he didn't know.
Yang let him do his job for the most part. Any question he asked of her, she was quick to respond with the correct answer. Derek was angry and confused and he knew that he was walking a fine line before he lashed out on someone in a most inappropriate way, so he made very little talk with his intern or even his patients.
Cristina wasn't surprised that he was in a bad mood, she was certain it had to do with the She-Shepherd and their marital problems. Whatever, it didn't really affect her, well not until Meredith was at the bar, drowning her sorrows in tequila and finding some random guy to bed.
"I asked for the labs ten minutes ago, where are they?!" He questioned angrily.
"The lab tech is working on them. I just went to ask," she reminded him.
Derek rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath about the incompetence of people.
The lab tech knocked on the door five minutes later and produced the lab results to which Derek snatched them away without so much as a "thank you." And people thought Cristina was cold!
Skimming over the results, he swore under his breath when he came to one line.
"So can we schedule the surgery?" asked Cristina.
He looked at the results again. "Damn it!" He yelled. "Why didn't anyone tell me she was pregnant?"
"Pregnant?" Cristina questioned in surprise.
"It wasn't in her other records, why didn't she say anything? Six weeks along."
Cristina knew their options were limited in terms of surgery, if they wanted to have a viable fetus.
"I'll call Chamberlain."
"Who?" Derek asked, looking up from the report.
"I don't know him but Izzie is working with him for the day. Bailey said he's in neonatology."
"Huh." Derek didn't know that. He tried to think of the surgeons he'd worked with before Addison came to Seattle but he couldn't remember any of them.
The other doctor was called in and Izzie came along. The news was grim and after speaking with the patient, even more so. The patient refused the surgery.
"Damn it, we need Addison," Derek said aloud to which Cristina stared at him.
"Why don't you uh, call her?" she suggested.
"I can't," he said simply.
"O…kay. But she'll be back tomorrow, right? She's out sick or something?"
Derek shook his head. "She's not out sick, she…I don't know. I don't know where she is or when she's coming back."
Cristina stored that piece of information in her head to impart to Meredith later. Very interesting, she thought to herself!
"Here, drink some of this," Savvy told her best friend, handing her a mug of cocoa.
"Juju?"
Savvy nodded. "I figured you could use some."
Sipping slowly, Addison agreed. "To say the least."
Savvy stared at her with sympathy, which Addison appreciated. Fingering the rim of the mug, Addison said, "Thank you, sweets. For letting me stay here with you and Weiss on such short-make that no-notice."
"Oh goodness, don't think anything of it, Addison."
Addison shook her head at her best friend. "No, really. Thank you. I didn't know where else to go. Not that it's not obvious or anything, coming here…"
"Who cares if it's obvious?"
She had a point. "It's just that, I'm sure he'll call…"
"And if he does, Weiss and I aren't going to say anything."
"I don't want you two to have to lie for me," Addison sighed.
"Hey." Savvy put her hand on top of Addison's. "You're my best friend. And Weiss adores you to pieces. You'd do the same for either one of us."
That was true. "Besides, you saved my life a few months ago…"
"Sav…"
"It's true. You're the only one I'd trust to perform those surgeries on me…"
"You feeling okay?"
Savvy shrugged. "As best as can be expected, I mean I have some side effects but, that's natural…natural," she laughed and stared down at her chest.
"These puppies aren't!"
"Savvannah!" admonished Addison as she looked at her friend who had laughter in her eyes.
"Well, it's true. Saline. Implants. Who'd ever think that I'd need implants?"
"Oh Sav…"
"Don't, I'm fine, Addison. It was my choice, and I don't regret it. Besides, these look damn good, don't you agree?" She asked, thrusting her chest out.
Laughing, Addison agreed. "He does good work," she mused softly.
"Mr. Man-whore? Yeah, he's the best at his job."
Mark certainly was.
"So…" Addison began, not knowing what to say.
Looking over her friend carefully, Savvy asked, "Have you talked to him?"
Taken aback, she said, "No. Not since…"
"Not since his unsuccessful attempt to lure you back home?" she guessed accurately.
"Yeah," Addison said taking another sip.
"Do you regret it?"
"Not coming home?"
"Well, look, you still call New York home."
"New York will always be home, Sav."
"True, you can take a girl out of the city…"
"With Mark, it was…complicated."
Savvy laughed. "And with Derek it's sunshine and roses?"
"Shut up. You know it's equally complicated with him, more so because of the Grey factor."
"Ahh yes, the 12-year-old intern."
"Did I tell you that Derek punched Mark?"
"Really? Good for him."
Shaking her head, Addison picked at the food on her plate. "He only did that after he saw Mark talking to Meredith."
Groaning, Savvy said, "Bastard."
"I love you, Savv."
"Same here, sis." The two had been friends for a long time and were just as close as sisters, which neither had. Addison had Derek's sisters whom she loved but Savvy was different, she was special. They would call each other "Sis" and Addison's pet name for her was "Sweet Savvannah" which was often shortened to "Sweet Savvy" or "Sweets."
"Can you drop me by Mt. Sinai sometime today?" Addison asked, while standing up to put her cup in the sink.
"Sure, but why are you going there?"
"Well," she said sheepishly. "A former patient of mine gave birth yesterday. She had a lot of complications in her pregnancy and her husband called me to share the good news of the birth, and since I was here, I thought I'd check on them."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Her friend was the best.
"Besides, when I'm there, I can catch up with some of my old colleagues…."
"And scope out any available positions?"
Addison shook her head at her friend. "I said nothing of the sort. It's just a visit."
"Mmmm hmm," Savvannah sounded disbelieving.
"Plus I should see Dr. Edelstein."
"That's your GYN, right?"
"Yeah. I need to uh, find out some things…like how far along I am, etc."
Savvannah nodded in understanding. "You don't know yet?"
"No. I mean, I have an idea but not certain dates or anything. Besides, I trust her."
"And you don't trust anyone in Seattle?"
Shrugging, Addison said she didn't even have a PCP, let alone a gynecologist to which her friend sighed. "Addie, you need to have a doctor."
"I guess getting one means that that's it…I'm really living in Seattle."
Turning towards her friend, Savvy wrapped her arms around Addison's shoulders and squeezed them. "It'll be okay, Addieface," she said, using her pet name.
Addison put a hand on top of Savvy's and squeezed it. "Maybe."
"No Saddieface today, okay?"
"Okay."
"Well, I have a few phone calls to make and then we can go in an hour, is that okay?"
"That's great. I'll just go in the room and call Richard."
Savvy gave her a surprised look. "He is my boss…and beyond that, my friend. I left him in the lurch. I need to check on a few patients, give some information to the backup."
"Okay. Well, one hour babe."
Nodding, Addison sat down on the plush couch and took her cell phone out of her purse. She stared at it for a few minutes, debating whether or not to make the call.
After knocking on the Chief's door, Derek entered without being called in. The door wasn't shut though, and that was a sign that visitors were welcome. Still, he could have been polite and waited, but Derek wasn't in the mood for politeness.
"Derek," Richard said, nodding at his friend who took an empty chair.
"Where's my wife?"
"Derek.."
"Come on, Richard. You must know. Where is my wife?"
"Derek, did it ever occur to you that if she wanted you to contact her, she would have told you where she was going?"
Derek didn't answer that, he just stared at the picture of Adele and Richard on the desk. "Derek?"
"I need to talk to her, Richard."
"You need to be patient, Derek."
He received a snort for that remark.
"You must know where she is, she would have told you."
"Why do you assume that?" his mentor wondered.
"Because, you're close. Besides that, you're her boss."
"Derek, Addie needs some time to herself, can't you understand that?"
"Did she tell you why?"
"No, and I didn't ask." Leaning back in the chair, he stared at the picture Derek was staring at. With a smile he said, "That was taken three years ago at the hospital Christmas party. She looked so beautiful, don't you think?"
"Yeah."
"Of course that was before everything went south."
"Before the truth came out?" Derek wondered, referring to the chief's affair with Meredith's mother.
"No, she knew about that all along. But after a while, she had enough. There's only so much a person can take, Derek." The implications were pointed.
"I need to talk to my wife."
Sighing, Richard said, "She'll come back."
"How do you know?"
"Because it's Addie. And you. Because you're Derek and Addison."
"Not anymore," he said quietly, folding one hand over the other.
"You still are. You think an affair is going to change that? I know you have feelings for Meredith…"
"I lov…I…yeah," Derek admitted, not quite knowing how he felt about Meredith at the moment.
"I know what it's like to have an affair with a Grey."
"But my affair started *after* she had an affair with my best friend."
"Look, what she did with Mark was wrong, there's no question of that. But did you ever ask her why?"
Derek furiously shook his head. "Why should I? I don't want to be crass, Richard, but my wife and my best friend in my house."
Closing his eyes, he took a breath and then looked back up at Derek. "I understand that and I understand the impulse to leave and find someone else-someone new, different, someone who's the anti-Addie. But Derek, that's a temporary solution to a more complicated problem. It's just a Band Aid. It has to be ripped off sometime…"
Looking at the tiled floor, Derek softly said, "No anesthesia?"
"No anesthesia."
He was reminded of a time when he and Addison decided to rip the band-aid off. The first time they had sex after their affairs.
Putting his head in his hands, Derek admitted, 'I don't know what to do, Richard. About Meredith. Addison. The b---" he stopped himself before revealing too much and the Chief quirked a brow at him.
"Derek, I think you should really…" Richard began but was cut off by the ringing of the phone. "Excuse me," he told him, taking the call.
"Richard Webber."
"Addison Shepherd."
Richard looked at Derek and then back at the phone. "Hello," he said, without giving her name.
"Hi, I just wanted to talk to you about some of my patients to pass along to my colleagues."
"That was very considerate of you, thank you."
"Yeah, well, I owe you that. I hope it wasn't too much trouble to take the time off."
"Nonsense, you deserved it."
Addison gave a small smile at her end.
Turning to Derek, Richard held his hand over the phone and said, "Dr. Shepherd? I'll get back to you at a later date."
"Dr. Shepherd?" Addison asked in surprise.
"Okay, Richard. Thanks."
"Good-bye."
"That was Derek, wasn't it?" Addison asked, cradling the phone in her neck.
"Yes."
"Did you tell him?"
"Of course not. You asked me not to so I didn't. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all."
"I'm not your patient, Richard."
"Doctor-friend confidentiality, then."
Smiling, Addison said, "That works."
Addison gave Richard status updates for her backups and then said she had to go.
"You're coming back, right Addie?"
"I don't…"
"He really wants to talk to you."
"I know. Did he tell you why?"
Richard shook his head. "No. And I didn't press. You two need to work it out."
"We'll see," was all she said before saying good-bye.
Half an hour later, Savvy was done with her phone calls and the two best friends headed to Addison's former place of employment.
"You sure you don't want me to come with?"
"Thanks, Savv, but I can do this on my own. Really."
"If you're sure," her friend hesitated.
Nodding, Addison thanked her friend and told her to go on her way and that she'd take a cab back to their place when she was done.
Straightening herself up, Addison released a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto and then walked into Mt. Sinai Hospital with her usual air of confidence.
"Dr. Shepherd!"
"Hello Emily," Addison pleasantly greeted a familiar nurse.
"Are you back on staff? I didn't know that!" the nurse said happily.
"No, I'm just here for a visit."
"Oh. That's too bad. I thought. Well, what about Dr. Shepherd? Is your handsome husband with you?"
Addison shook her head. "He's in Seattle."
"Oh. I thought you two were back together, I thought…" she rambled on, making things very awkward.
"Emily, do you know which room Mrs. Johnson is in?"
The bubbly nurse nodded. "Yes, actually I was on my way there. Did you hear that she had the baby? He's beautiful."
"I'll follow you then."
Derek's mood hadn't improved since he spoke to Richard. In fact, he was gloomier than ever as he entered an elevator. Standing with his back against his wall, he was distracted by thoughts of his wife when Meredith Grey walked onto the elevator.
"Dr. Shepherd," she acknowledged with a nod.
"Dr. Grey," he acknowledged, while inwardly cringing. Great, just what I need.
"Emily was right, you are beautiful," Addison whispered to the newborn that she cradled in her arms as she rocked back and forth on the rocking chair.
"You're so lucky, Benjamin. Not a care in the world, huh?" she asked in a soft voice.
"I wish I could say it stays like that…"
She gave a tender kiss to his forehead and continued rocking him.
"So the rumors are true…you really are back."
Turning around at the sound of that voice, Addison's eyes widened at the man who spoke.
"Mark."
Title: Wise Up ch. 10
Rating: PG-13, I guess. Adult themes. Some swearing.
Summary: Derek and Addison are trying to come to terms with their feelings for each other and their behavior towards each other. Will they be able to face their demons and be stronger or will they give up? Circa end season 2, with my spin on things.
Disclaimer: Fanfiction, only. No infringement intended. ABC, Touchstone Television, Shonda and Co. own Grey's Anatomy.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
"So Bambi, what was up with the She-Shepherd the other day?"
"What do you mean, Cristina?"
"I know she's been sick. Everyone knows that."
"And?" George asked, not getting the point.
"Everyone but Shepherd that is," piped in Alex from the opposite end of the bench in the locker-room.
Meredith glared at Alex. "What?" he asked innocently. "She's his wife, so you'd think he'd care if she got sick."
"She's Satan," provided Cristina who then added, "And the nurses said that they saw you and Burke hovering over her a couple of days ago…"
"You're just jealous, Yang."
"Shut up, Evil Spawn," ordered Izzie as she got out of her tee-shirt and into her scrub top.
"Well it's true; she thinks that Burke and Montgomery-Shepherd are doing it."
"Alex," warned Meredith who was bent over, tying her sneakers.
"I get Burke's interest in her…"
"What do you mean, Evil One?"
"Well, Cristina, they are intelligent, refined, classy people."
"Classy people who cheat on their husbands with the best friend," muttered Izzie under her breath.
"Izzie!" chastised George.
"It's true, George."
"Whatever," said Alex as he tied the laces of his scrub bottom in a tight knot. "The point is, they have things in common. So his interest in her makes sense. But that doesn't explain Syph-Boy's," he said, giving George a pointed look.
"Alex!" Meredith warned again, giving an annoyed look.
"What? He does have a thing for women in love with Shepherd…you know that from experience, as unpleasant as it was."
"God you really are an asshole today, Alex," Izzie commented.
"Like you have room to talk, considering you're in love," he said, rolling his eyes, "With a friggin' heart patient."
Meredith was about to smack Alex when Izzie stepped in-between them, glaring at her former lover. "Shut up, Alex! Maybe you're the one who has a thing for Montgomery-Shepherd, considering how much you go on and on about her and the gynie squad."
"Yeah, right," he snorted.
"All that fluffy pink getting to you, Karev?" wondered Cristina.
"Not in this lifetime."
"Shut up, Alex. Just shut up." The four other interns turned in surprised to look at a very annoyed George.
"First of all? Burke isn't cheating on Cristina. They're friends, so you really shouldn't be jealous," he informed Cristina who merely scowled at him.
"Secondly, I am with Callie now," Izzie rolled her eyes at this as she was none-too fond of Dr. Torres.
George ignored her looks. "So you implying that I have a thing for Meredith or Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is disrespectful to Callie and our relationship and I am not okay with that."
Meredith's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Izzie turned to her with a smile.
"Our George is growing up," she said softly, to which Alex groaned.
"I know that you guys don't like her, for whatever reason, but Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is an excellent doctor," he told them.
"And she saved your life," he reminded Cristina.
"So she did," Cristina acknowledged, jumping up from the bench she was sitting on. "But Bambi, Meredith's my person."
"And that trumps life-saving?"
"George, you don't get it."
"She stole my McLife, George," sighed Meredith.
Highly annoyed with his friends, George shook his head at them. Was she ever going to get over that? Didn't seem likely. He was very grateful to have Callie.
"My McDog, My McBoyfriend, My McDreamy."
"Enough of the McNonsense!" ordered a highly irritated Miranda Bailey who had just entered the room.
"Dr. Bailey, I-" began Meredith, but Bailey put her hand up in protest.
"I am not going to repeat this, Dr. Grey, because I really don't want to waste time here gossiping about others."
Izzie looked guiltily at her boss.
"Dr. Shepherd lied to you and that was a really low, idiot thing to do, especially considering he's a neurosurgeon. He's not the first man to lie to a woman and won't be the last. Now Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd is his wife, so as far as anyone's concerned she stole nothing from you that didn't belong to you in the first place. If you have issue with either one of them, I suggest you suck it up and take it up with them after work. Got that?"
Meredith merely nodded.
"Good. Now, are you all ready for today's assignments or do you want to stand here bitching some more?"
"We're ready, Dr. Bailey," they all chimed in.
"All right," she looked down at the clipboards in her hand. "Grey, you're in the pit today, Yang you're with Shepherd, O'Malley you're with Burke, Stevens you're with Chamberlain, and Karev you are with me," she instructed. "Now get to work people."
George wondered why no one was called into Addison's service.
"Who's Chamberlain?" whispered Izzie to Meredith who simply shrugged as the name was equally unfamiliar to her.
"Do you have a problem, Karev?" bailey asked, standing with her arms crossed over her chest.
"I thought I was still under Dr. Shepherd's-the other Dr. Shepherd's-supervision."
"You were. You're with me today, or is that a problem?"
"No M'am."
"Good. Now what are you people standing around for? I gave you your orders, now shoo."
Izzie stood uncomfortably next to her. "Dr. Bailey?"
"What is it, Stevens?"
"It's just…I don't know who Dr. Chamberlain is."
"He's in neo-natal."
All five interns gave each other a look. "But Dr. Shepherd?"
"There are other doctors in this hospital, Stevens. Capable ones at that."
That's true, but Montgomery-Shepherd was the best, even Izzie knew that.
She could feel five pairs of eyes boring into her, which she ignored and told them to get back to work.
Dr. Shepherd was in one bad mood that day, which made things awkward with Yang. He was relieved that Meredith wasn't his intern today or George. Meredith for obvious reasons and George because he surprisingly seemed to be on Addison's side, how that happened he didn't know.
Yang let him do his job for the most part. Any question he asked of her, she was quick to respond with the correct answer. Derek was angry and confused and he knew that he was walking a fine line before he lashed out on someone in a most inappropriate way, so he made very little talk with his intern or even his patients.
Cristina wasn't surprised that he was in a bad mood, she was certain it had to do with the She-Shepherd and their marital problems. Whatever, it didn't really affect her, well not until Meredith was at the bar, drowning her sorrows in tequila and finding some random guy to bed.
"I asked for the labs ten minutes ago, where are they?!" He questioned angrily.
"The lab tech is working on them. I just went to ask," she reminded him.
Derek rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath about the incompetence of people.
The lab tech knocked on the door five minutes later and produced the lab results to which Derek snatched them away without so much as a "thank you." And people thought Cristina was cold!
Skimming over the results, he swore under his breath when he came to one line.
"So can we schedule the surgery?" asked Cristina.
He looked at the results again. "Damn it!" He yelled. "Why didn't anyone tell me she was pregnant?"
"Pregnant?" Cristina questioned in surprise.
"It wasn't in her other records, why didn't she say anything? Six weeks along."
Cristina knew their options were limited in terms of surgery, if they wanted to have a viable fetus.
"I'll call Chamberlain."
"Who?" Derek asked, looking up from the report.
"I don't know him but Izzie is working with him for the day. Bailey said he's in neonatology."
"Huh." Derek didn't know that. He tried to think of the surgeons he'd worked with before Addison came to Seattle but he couldn't remember any of them.
The other doctor was called in and Izzie came along. The news was grim and after speaking with the patient, even more so. The patient refused the surgery.
"Damn it, we need Addison," Derek said aloud to which Cristina stared at him.
"Why don't you uh, call her?" she suggested.
"I can't," he said simply.
"O…kay. But she'll be back tomorrow, right? She's out sick or something?"
Derek shook his head. "She's not out sick, she…I don't know. I don't know where she is or when she's coming back."
Cristina stored that piece of information in her head to impart to Meredith later. Very interesting, she thought to herself!
"Here, drink some of this," Savvy told her best friend, handing her a mug of cocoa.
"Juju?"
Savvy nodded. "I figured you could use some."
Sipping slowly, Addison agreed. "To say the least."
Savvy stared at her with sympathy, which Addison appreciated. Fingering the rim of the mug, Addison said, "Thank you, sweets. For letting me stay here with you and Weiss on such short-make that no-notice."
"Oh goodness, don't think anything of it, Addison."
Addison shook her head at her best friend. "No, really. Thank you. I didn't know where else to go. Not that it's not obvious or anything, coming here…"
"Who cares if it's obvious?"
She had a point. "It's just that, I'm sure he'll call…"
"And if he does, Weiss and I aren't going to say anything."
"I don't want you two to have to lie for me," Addison sighed.
"Hey." Savvy put her hand on top of Addison's. "You're my best friend. And Weiss adores you to pieces. You'd do the same for either one of us."
That was true. "Besides, you saved my life a few months ago…"
"Sav…"
"It's true. You're the only one I'd trust to perform those surgeries on me…"
"You feeling okay?"
Savvy shrugged. "As best as can be expected, I mean I have some side effects but, that's natural…natural," she laughed and stared down at her chest.
"These puppies aren't!"
"Savvannah!" admonished Addison as she looked at her friend who had laughter in her eyes.
"Well, it's true. Saline. Implants. Who'd ever think that I'd need implants?"
"Oh Sav…"
"Don't, I'm fine, Addison. It was my choice, and I don't regret it. Besides, these look damn good, don't you agree?" She asked, thrusting her chest out.
Laughing, Addison agreed. "He does good work," she mused softly.
"Mr. Man-whore? Yeah, he's the best at his job."
Mark certainly was.
"So…" Addison began, not knowing what to say.
Looking over her friend carefully, Savvy asked, "Have you talked to him?"
Taken aback, she said, "No. Not since…"
"Not since his unsuccessful attempt to lure you back home?" she guessed accurately.
"Yeah," Addison said taking another sip.
"Do you regret it?"
"Not coming home?"
"Well, look, you still call New York home."
"New York will always be home, Sav."
"True, you can take a girl out of the city…"
"With Mark, it was…complicated."
Savvy laughed. "And with Derek it's sunshine and roses?"
"Shut up. You know it's equally complicated with him, more so because of the Grey factor."
"Ahh yes, the 12-year-old intern."
"Did I tell you that Derek punched Mark?"
"Really? Good for him."
Shaking her head, Addison picked at the food on her plate. "He only did that after he saw Mark talking to Meredith."
Groaning, Savvy said, "Bastard."
"I love you, Savv."
"Same here, sis." The two had been friends for a long time and were just as close as sisters, which neither had. Addison had Derek's sisters whom she loved but Savvy was different, she was special. They would call each other "Sis" and Addison's pet name for her was "Sweet Savvannah" which was often shortened to "Sweet Savvy" or "Sweets."
"Can you drop me by Mt. Sinai sometime today?" Addison asked, while standing up to put her cup in the sink.
"Sure, but why are you going there?"
"Well," she said sheepishly. "A former patient of mine gave birth yesterday. She had a lot of complications in her pregnancy and her husband called me to share the good news of the birth, and since I was here, I thought I'd check on them."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Her friend was the best.
"Besides, when I'm there, I can catch up with some of my old colleagues…."
"And scope out any available positions?"
Addison shook her head at her friend. "I said nothing of the sort. It's just a visit."
"Mmmm hmm," Savvannah sounded disbelieving.
"Plus I should see Dr. Edelstein."
"That's your GYN, right?"
"Yeah. I need to uh, find out some things…like how far along I am, etc."
Savvannah nodded in understanding. "You don't know yet?"
"No. I mean, I have an idea but not certain dates or anything. Besides, I trust her."
"And you don't trust anyone in Seattle?"
Shrugging, Addison said she didn't even have a PCP, let alone a gynecologist to which her friend sighed. "Addie, you need to have a doctor."
"I guess getting one means that that's it…I'm really living in Seattle."
Turning towards her friend, Savvy wrapped her arms around Addison's shoulders and squeezed them. "It'll be okay, Addieface," she said, using her pet name.
Addison put a hand on top of Savvy's and squeezed it. "Maybe."
"No Saddieface today, okay?"
"Okay."
"Well, I have a few phone calls to make and then we can go in an hour, is that okay?"
"That's great. I'll just go in the room and call Richard."
Savvy gave her a surprised look. "He is my boss…and beyond that, my friend. I left him in the lurch. I need to check on a few patients, give some information to the backup."
"Okay. Well, one hour babe."
Nodding, Addison sat down on the plush couch and took her cell phone out of her purse. She stared at it for a few minutes, debating whether or not to make the call.
After knocking on the Chief's door, Derek entered without being called in. The door wasn't shut though, and that was a sign that visitors were welcome. Still, he could have been polite and waited, but Derek wasn't in the mood for politeness.
"Derek," Richard said, nodding at his friend who took an empty chair.
"Where's my wife?"
"Derek.."
"Come on, Richard. You must know. Where is my wife?"
"Derek, did it ever occur to you that if she wanted you to contact her, she would have told you where she was going?"
Derek didn't answer that, he just stared at the picture of Adele and Richard on the desk. "Derek?"
"I need to talk to her, Richard."
"You need to be patient, Derek."
He received a snort for that remark.
"You must know where she is, she would have told you."
"Why do you assume that?" his mentor wondered.
"Because, you're close. Besides that, you're her boss."
"Derek, Addie needs some time to herself, can't you understand that?"
"Did she tell you why?"
"No, and I didn't ask." Leaning back in the chair, he stared at the picture Derek was staring at. With a smile he said, "That was taken three years ago at the hospital Christmas party. She looked so beautiful, don't you think?"
"Yeah."
"Of course that was before everything went south."
"Before the truth came out?" Derek wondered, referring to the chief's affair with Meredith's mother.
"No, she knew about that all along. But after a while, she had enough. There's only so much a person can take, Derek." The implications were pointed.
"I need to talk to my wife."
Sighing, Richard said, "She'll come back."
"How do you know?"
"Because it's Addie. And you. Because you're Derek and Addison."
"Not anymore," he said quietly, folding one hand over the other.
"You still are. You think an affair is going to change that? I know you have feelings for Meredith…"
"I lov…I…yeah," Derek admitted, not quite knowing how he felt about Meredith at the moment.
"I know what it's like to have an affair with a Grey."
"But my affair started *after* she had an affair with my best friend."
"Look, what she did with Mark was wrong, there's no question of that. But did you ever ask her why?"
Derek furiously shook his head. "Why should I? I don't want to be crass, Richard, but my wife and my best friend in my house."
Closing his eyes, he took a breath and then looked back up at Derek. "I understand that and I understand the impulse to leave and find someone else-someone new, different, someone who's the anti-Addie. But Derek, that's a temporary solution to a more complicated problem. It's just a Band Aid. It has to be ripped off sometime…"
Looking at the tiled floor, Derek softly said, "No anesthesia?"
"No anesthesia."
He was reminded of a time when he and Addison decided to rip the band-aid off. The first time they had sex after their affairs.
Putting his head in his hands, Derek admitted, 'I don't know what to do, Richard. About Meredith. Addison. The b---" he stopped himself before revealing too much and the Chief quirked a brow at him.
"Derek, I think you should really…" Richard began but was cut off by the ringing of the phone. "Excuse me," he told him, taking the call.
"Richard Webber."
"Addison Shepherd."
Richard looked at Derek and then back at the phone. "Hello," he said, without giving her name.
"Hi, I just wanted to talk to you about some of my patients to pass along to my colleagues."
"That was very considerate of you, thank you."
"Yeah, well, I owe you that. I hope it wasn't too much trouble to take the time off."
"Nonsense, you deserved it."
Addison gave a small smile at her end.
Turning to Derek, Richard held his hand over the phone and said, "Dr. Shepherd? I'll get back to you at a later date."
"Dr. Shepherd?" Addison asked in surprise.
"Okay, Richard. Thanks."
"Good-bye."
"That was Derek, wasn't it?" Addison asked, cradling the phone in her neck.
"Yes."
"Did you tell him?"
"Of course not. You asked me not to so I didn't. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all."
"I'm not your patient, Richard."
"Doctor-friend confidentiality, then."
Smiling, Addison said, "That works."
Addison gave Richard status updates for her backups and then said she had to go.
"You're coming back, right Addie?"
"I don't…"
"He really wants to talk to you."
"I know. Did he tell you why?"
Richard shook his head. "No. And I didn't press. You two need to work it out."
"We'll see," was all she said before saying good-bye.
Half an hour later, Savvy was done with her phone calls and the two best friends headed to Addison's former place of employment.
"You sure you don't want me to come with?"
"Thanks, Savv, but I can do this on my own. Really."
"If you're sure," her friend hesitated.
Nodding, Addison thanked her friend and told her to go on her way and that she'd take a cab back to their place when she was done.
Straightening herself up, Addison released a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding onto and then walked into Mt. Sinai Hospital with her usual air of confidence.
"Dr. Shepherd!"
"Hello Emily," Addison pleasantly greeted a familiar nurse.
"Are you back on staff? I didn't know that!" the nurse said happily.
"No, I'm just here for a visit."
"Oh. That's too bad. I thought. Well, what about Dr. Shepherd? Is your handsome husband with you?"
Addison shook her head. "He's in Seattle."
"Oh. I thought you two were back together, I thought…" she rambled on, making things very awkward.
"Emily, do you know which room Mrs. Johnson is in?"
The bubbly nurse nodded. "Yes, actually I was on my way there. Did you hear that she had the baby? He's beautiful."
"I'll follow you then."
Derek's mood hadn't improved since he spoke to Richard. In fact, he was gloomier than ever as he entered an elevator. Standing with his back against his wall, he was distracted by thoughts of his wife when Meredith Grey walked onto the elevator.
"Dr. Shepherd," she acknowledged with a nod.
"Dr. Grey," he acknowledged, while inwardly cringing. Great, just what I need.
"Emily was right, you are beautiful," Addison whispered to the newborn that she cradled in her arms as she rocked back and forth on the rocking chair.
"You're so lucky, Benjamin. Not a care in the world, huh?" she asked in a soft voice.
"I wish I could say it stays like that…"
She gave a tender kiss to his forehead and continued rocking him.
"So the rumors are true…you really are back."
Turning around at the sound of that voice, Addison's eyes widened at the man who spoke.
"Mark."