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Author's Note: I apologize for the long delay between chapters! I hadn't anticipated in it taking so long to write, but I've had a lot going on and have had difficulty finding the time to properly spend on writing this one. Sorry! But now this is (finally) written and I can take the time to catch up on my reading/responding of other fics. Thank you for your continued support of this story, I am so glad you are enjoying it! In this chapter, there is no (direct) Addek interaction, but a few other characters are brought out to play. I hope I did them justice, let me know! This chapter is dedicated to my friend Christa. P.S. Wasn't it nice having some Addeky moments during the last show?
Title: Wise Up ch. 4
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 infrigement intended. ABC, Touchstone Television, Shonda and Co. own Grey's Anatomy.
Previous Chapters:
http://community.livejournal.com/doctorsmcdreamy/77748.html
http://community.livejournal.com/doctorsmcdreamy/81460.html
http://community.livejournal.com/doctorsmcdreamy/83738.html
A few nights earlier, Addison had felt her hope for her relationship with her husband, renewed. He reached out to her. He offered her comfort. He held her. For the first time in a long time, Derek took some initiative where Addison was concerned. It felt wonderful. She couldn't believe that he'd brought up Allison and their past. It was something that hadn't been spoken of in a decade and a half. She felt that she and her husband connected on a level they hadn't in a long time. That night, for the first time since she came to Seattle, Addison slept peacefully curled up against Derek.
This wonderful feeling, however, did not last. Instead, the next day Derek once again grew distant, talking to her about nothing more than pleasantries, kissing her on the cheek or forehead-never a real kiss-and while that was better than silence, it wasn't much better.
When it came to her health though, Derek finally took an interest. Addison still wasn't feeling well and Derek actually seemed concerned for his wife for a moment or two and advised her to get a check-up. But Addison's PCP (primary care physician) was in New York and she didn't really know the local internists-other than those at the hospital-so she shrugged it off and worked through it.
For the most part, Karev was under her watch at work. Addison had meant it when she had informed him that "your ass is mine," and after explaining the situation to Bailey, Bailey told her that Karev was all hers, though he did have to continue to go on his rounds and on occasion would need to observe other surgeons to fulfill the obligations of his internship. Miranda was on Addison's side and had told her friend to treat Karev the way a good Nazi (in the Miranda Bailey sense of the term) would. That comment brought a genuine laugh from the redhead, and for that, Addison was grateful.
Karev seemed to be a competent doctor, but his bedside manner was severely lacking. Not to mention that he was an arrogant smart-ass, who, in many ways, reminded Addison of a younger Mark Sloan. Mark was always a cocky bastard, but deep down, Addison knew it was a front. Mark could be soft and sweet if he chose to be (and not just in bed). He'd been a good friend to Derek and to her-except for the whole sleeping with his best friend's wife but then again, she'd participated (willingly). While his arrogance could often be annoying, Mark did have reason to be confident-his skills as a plastic surgeon were unparalleled (at least on the east coast), and his skills as a lover…well let's just say during their two-month "relationship," Addison had no complaints in the bedroom. Addison didn't know if Karev had it in him to be another Mark Sloan. Be the best in his field with a great bedside manner. Karev was young; he had a lot to learn.
Truthfully, Addison hoped that Karev would do what Izzie Stevens hadn't been able to when she was under her tutelage-stick around and suck it up. So much potential wasted…
At the moment, O'Malley was once again in her service. She liked the guy, for the most part. Sure, he was known to stutter and he lacked the confidence that Karev had, but he was a sweet man who happened to be a very capable doctor. His smarts and his kind nature would get him far. As for confidence, he would gain it in due time. She had been surprised (pleasantly) when he stepped up to the plate in the elevator and removed a bullet from a patient's chest. One thing that had annoyed her about O'Malley was his puppy-dog worship/following of Meredith Grey, but he seemed to be somewhat over it, after the disastrous sex (and who *hadn't* heard about that in that hospital?) and after he began seeing ortho Callie Torres. She didn't personally know Torres, but what she'd seen of her and heard, she was, as an old friend of hers would say "good people." If O'Malley stuck around her and his friend Preston Burke, there was hope for him.
Standing across from a patient, Addison looked at O'Malley to giver her stats.
"Brenda Dickens. Twenty-six years old. She's in her twenty-eighth week of pregnancy. Showing signs of preeclampsia," he said.
"And what is preeclampsia"? His attending wondered.
"A condition also known as toxemia marked by water retention, hypertension, and protein in the urine.
Nodding, she pushed back her glasses as she looked over the charts. "Very good, O'Malley. Okay, Brenda, how are you feeling?"
Brenda shrugged. "Okay, right now. Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?" she asked nervously.
"Yes, Brenda?"
"Is my, is my baby going to make it?"
"That's what we're aiming for."
After talking with the patient for a little while, George and Addison left to check on another patient. As she started to walk down the hall, Addison was suddenly hit with a sharp pain in her left side. "Ow," she muttered softly, holding her side.
"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd?" George asked in concern. He moved next to her and asked her if she was all right.
"I'm fine," she insisted. "It's just a hunger pain, I haven't eaten…"
"Are you sure?" George was disbelieving, he'd seen her look ill for some time now and now she had a pain and looked really pale. He was really concerned for her.
Biting on the inside of her lower lip, Addison nodded. "Yeah, I just need something to eat," she said, putting her hand on the wall for support.
"Why don't you go to your office and sit down for a bit? I'll get you something to eat."
"You don't have to do that, O'Malley."
"I want to."
"But the patients…"
George hesitated. He didn't want to tell Addison what to do, but he was worried she might pass out or something and that wouldn't be good for her patients. "Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, we can continue rounds after you eat a bit and have something to drink," he told her reasonably.
Addison gave him a small smile. "Thank you O'-George. Thank you." She walked to her office, closed the door behind her, and sat at her desk. The pain hit her again and Addison gasped at the intensity. Suddenly getting scared, she let out a small sob, saying "What is wrong with me?"
By the time O'Malley returned with some food and something to drink, Addison had composed herself. The pain had subsided, much to her relief, and after eating, she began to think it really was hunger-related. O'Malley had hovered over her, which on the one hand was really making her feel unnerved and self-conscious, but on the other she was touched that he was worried about her. Hell, that intern showed her more concern than her husband of nearly 12 years had. Once he'd watched that she had eaten the food he brought and had something to drink, George felt better and they continued their rounds. A few hours later, he joined his girlfriend (and wow, how awesome was it to say the word girlfriend again-after and the whole Olivia/ Syph Boy thing, not to mention the Meredith fiasco, George had resigned himself to being single for some time) for lunch and a shortly after they sat down to their meals, Preston Burke joined them.
Cristina Yang rolled her eyes when she heard Burke and George laughing at something Torres said. Cristina didn't care one way or another for Callie, but she was annoyed at the fact that Burke seemed to really get along with her, and further annoyed that he was often inviting George and Callie over to their place to eat and play charades or some other game. Cristina had finally gotten Bambi out of there and now he was over nearly as often as he was when he was living on the couch! She was going to spend some time with him during lunch today but of course Bambi and Torres were there! In protest, Cristina decided to have lunch with her fellow interns, even though it meant having to be in the presence of Evil Spawn, and listening to Izzie prattling on about that patient, Denny Duquette. At least Mere seemed fairly angst-free, which was something new for her best friend. Maybe McVet was the right thing for her.
While biting her chicken sandwich, Cristina looked back at the table and wondered what Bambi was talking about that had Burke glued.
"Something's wrong with Addison?" Burke asked George.
George nodded, looking at his friend. "Yes, she says there isn't anything, but I know, I mean, I suspect, I mean…"
Callie shook her head. "George, it's okay. Is there anything you want us to do?"
George sighed. "I don't know. I mean, she doesn't really know you, Callie, though I'm sure she'd like you because you're likable," he started (to which Callie gave a grin), "but I don't want to overstep my bounds as her intern. She's an attending."
"Well, I'm an attending, and I consider Addison a friend. So I can talk to her," offered Burke.
"Really, you'd do that?"
Nodding, he said, "Of course."
"I hope she's okay," Callie said.
"Me too."
"You know," began Callie, "you'd think that her being a renowned doctor and her husband a neurosurgeon she wouldn't take her health lightly, but sometimes doctors make the worst patients."
Burke agreed with her.
"Besides, McDreamy or whatever your little friends like to call him, doesn't seem the attentive type when it comes to his wife. That has to suck," mused Callie.
"Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, I don't know anything about their marriage, beyond the gossip. But no matter what, her health should not be neglected."
With that, Burke stood up and Callie was on his heels. He gave her a surprised look and she said that maybe Addison would feel better with a female. Burke shrugged and they walked away, much to the chagrin of Cristina.
"What's that about?" wondered Izzie.
"Hey O'Malley. Syph Boy!" Alex called out as George walked over to them.
"What?" George asked, glaring.
"Where are Burke and Torres going? They're not having a little fling, are they?"
Cristina glared at Alex too. "Shut up, Evil Spawn."
George didn't say anything and Izzie and Meredith had puzzled looks on their faces. "Bambi?"
Sighing, George said "They're going to talk to Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd."
"Addison?" squeaked Meredith.
"Why is Burke going to talk to Satan? Shouldn't Evil Spawn?"
George rolled his eyes. Sometimes his friends were so dramatic. "Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd…Burke considers her a friend, Cristina. I know you don't like her because of Meredith, but he does."
Cristina was about to retort when Meredith sighed and said, "Can we go one meal without discussing either Dr. Shepherd? I mean, seriously."
Callie decided to wait outside of Addison's office. If Burke couldn't get through with her, she would step in, but she didn't want to make the redhead uncomfortable, especially with a stranger hovering over her.
"Knock-knock," called out Burke.
"Preston?" Addison asked, looking up from her newspaper. "Come in," she told him.
"Addison, it's good to see you." He flashed his perfectly white smile.
"You too, Preston," she said with a puzzled look on her face. "Is there something wrong?"
He shrugged. "You tell me. George told me that you've been ill a lot recently and that today you almost keeled over. What's wrong with you?"
Addison looked up at the ceiling in her spacious office. "Nothing. I'm fine. It was just a hunger pain, Preston. Nothing to worry about."
"Addison," warned her friend. "This is me. Something is wrong with you; now why don't you get yourself checked out?"
"Because, because it's nothing. I'm fine. You know, I'm a doctor too," she reminded him. "I have the badge and everything."
"Don't you trust me?"
She looked at him in the eyes. "Of course I do."
"Well I know Shepherd's not taking care of you, so somebody needs to-"
Cutting him off, Addison supplied, "So you decided to step in?"
"Yes" was his answer.
"I appreciate your concern, really I do, but I promise I'll be f-" and then at that moment, Addison suddenly felt bile threaten to come up in her throat and her eyes grew wide.
"Excuse me," she hastily told her friend and ran out of the room.
"Addison!" Preston called out as she ran into the ladies' room. He looked helplessly at Callie who decided to follow Addison and see if she could help.
I'm going to help her even if she refuses, Callie muttered to herself as she stood outside of the stall Addison holed herself in, listening to her vomiting.
"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd? Are you okay?"
"Oh God," moaned Addison, which raised Callie's concern.
"Dr. Shepherd, Addison…"
"Who are you?"
"Callie. Dr. Callie Torres."
"What are you doing in here, Dr. Torres?" Addison asked as she flushed the toilet.
"I'm checking to see if you're all right, but obviously you're not."
"What do you mean?" Addison came out of the stall and washed her hands and her face.
"You're sick. George told us."
"That's what Preston said, except that I didn't know he told you."
"I'm his girlfriend" was all Callie offered. She handed Addison a paper towel to dry off, to which Addison thanked her.
"Seriously, you need to see a doctor."
Addison shook her head. "I am a doctor." She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed before straightening her skirt.
Callie stared at her. "Yes you are and so am I and that means nothing. Unless you've self-diagnosed but hunger pains is not going to explain you throwing up or being pale or getting sharp pains or nearly keeling over-" she rattled.
"No," Addison said quietly. "But being pregnant would."