(no subject)
Title: Ready For A Fall (14/?)
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Addison/Mark, Callie/George, Callie/Alex, George/Izzie
Summary: Sometimes it hurts to fall, but if you're lucky someone may catch you. And they may be falling, too.
A/N: Make the lambs stop screaming. ;)
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Nine
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Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
*~*~*~*~*~
Yesterday was a million years ago
In all my past lives I played an asshole
Now I found you, it's almost too late
And this earth seems obliviating
We are trembling in our crutches
High and dead our skin is glass
I'm so empty here without you
I crack my xerox hands - Marilyn Manson
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie felt like she had been holding her breath for hours. The storm was horrible. It turned the radio to static, made the many gauges on the plane go berserk at random times, and the yoke in her hands jerked violently. Her fingers actually ached from the white knuckled death grip she had on the instrument and her shoulders throbbed from the tension. Her eyes darted back and forth between the fuel reading and the lightning strikes. She radioed the tower for an update and was given the cloud range.
Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.
They would need to climb to forty one thousand feet to rise above the wall.
Fuel would be an issue.
Her decision was made. They would have to fly into the storm and hope for the best. She reached out, running her hand along the contour of the control panel. "Okay, Lady. This isn’t any worse than last year."
Alex watched quietly and finally asked, "What are we doing?"
"We have enough fuel to get to Los Angeles, but if I take her up over the storm then she’s going to burn more and that’s going to be a problem. If I detract from the flight plan and have to land somewhere else for fuel then the fake plan that Miguel made for us will be obliterated."
"So, we’re going through it? We’re going through the monster just to keep your dad off our asses?"
He sounded mad and she looked at him with concern. "I’d rather keep my dad off my ass for as long as possible. Believe me, this storm is the lesser of the evils right now. I saw the way he treated my brothers when *they* rebelled which is why I never did it."
"Callie, look outside! This isn’t - we can turn around. We can drive somewhere. We can hole up in a tent in the middle of nowhere and I promise we’ll be happy."
"It’ll be okay. I do this all the time, Alex, I get off on this stuff."
"Then why are you shaking?"
"Because I’m usually alone when I get off on it. Now I have precious cargo so I’m not just thinking about me." Callie took a deep breath and pressed another button. "I have to have music. Loud, loud music. It relaxes me. You’ll probably hate it, but I really need you not to talk and not to move too much because I have to get in the zone. Okay?"
"Okay."
The opening strings of ACDC’s ‘Highway To Hell’ began to play. Alex couldn’t think of a less relaxing song to be playing when they were literally going headlong into hell, but he kept his mouth shut and held on for the ride. The music was loud enough to make his ears ring, but when he looked back at Callie, her grip on the yoke was lighter and she had a peaceful and content look on her face that was mesmerizing enough to make him forget the storm.
Thunder boomed and a tailwind caught the little plane, dropping it three thousand feet in the blink of an eye. Callie reacted quickly and began to climb again. Ten minutes later ... they punched the core of the storm and the little Cessna shuddered, rattled, and pushed onward like she had been made for the rough and tumble lifestyle. Every time the wind tipped her wings, the aircraft responded to Callie’s touch and pulled herself back in line again. The plane groaned in protest a couple of times, but she obeyed the slightest command.
The CD that Callie played was mostly ACDC and she calmly sang her way through ‘Hell’s Bells’ and ‘Shook Me All Night Long’. Marilyn Manson’s version of ‘Sweet Dreams’ radiated through the plane a moment later and Callie smiled, singing along brazenly and boldly as the storm reached a fevered pitch and she tilted the wings a little so she could see down into the thunderheads. She returned the favor for Alex, tilting to his side and pointing out the window. She saw that he was as amazed at mother nature’s fury as she was, but he was also green around the gills and she leveled the plane before he could barf.
Thirty minutes later, they burst out of the darkness and into a sunset that was bright enough to cause both their eyes to water. Callie was singing along to ‘Renegade’ by Styx at that point and she let the song finish before she turned the music down. She reached over and touched Alex’s arm. "Are you okay?"
He stared over at her, wide eyed and pale. "You are undoubtedly the craziest woman I have ever known in my life. You played devil music for the soundtrack of our demise!"
"Devil music? Would you prefer Abba?"
"Do you - when I said that you were an adrenaline junkie I really was kidding, but now I see that you are." He swallowed back the bile that had been rising in his throat. "You don’t have a fear gene in your body at all, do you?"
"What should I fear?"
"Uh, death? Death comes to mind."
"Alex, death is a date on a tombstone. If you live your life fearing death then you don’t really live at all. We’re doctors. We see it. We touch it. We sometimes even cause it by mistake. And none of us get out of this thing alive." She gazed at his face as ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ began to play. "I’d never do anything that would put you in danger."
"What about yourself?"
"I eat danger for breakfast." She touched his cheek. "And digest it very well."
It was her touch or maybe the worry in her eyes that forced him to smile. His anger, if it could really be called that at all, evaporated as quickly as the storm had arrived. "I have to warn you, I've heard relationships based on intense experiences never work."
Callie smirked a little. "Okay. We’ll just have to base it on sex then."
"Whatever you say, ma’am."
She took his hand. "That was ‘Speed’. Try to stump me with another one, Mr. Movie Bank."
"I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it." He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Which is actually pretty true now that I think about it."
"‘City of Angels’," she replied. "And awww, by the way. My turn. You can be my wingman anytime. Which is also pretty true."
"’Top Gun’. Okay, I’m stumping you this time." He took a deep breath and blurted, "Supersonic, idiotic, disconnected, not respected, who would ever really want to go and top that!?"
"You have got to be kidding me. ‘Teen Witch’, which I have seen enough to memorize. Okay, here’s another one, I don’t remember ever being this awake."
"‘Thelma and Louise.’" He relaxed against the leather seat and stretched his legs out a little. "Fair is Fair! We didn't start this! We didn't mean for this to happen!"
"Oh my god. ‘The Legend of Billie Jean’. I love that movie." She laughed. "It doesn't matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other."
"‘Good Will Hunting’. Every step I took since the moment I could walk was a step toward finding you. That’s from ‘Message in a Bottle’. Also pretty true." He squeezed her hand. "I like that you’re fearless, Callie. It annoys the hell out of me, but I like it."
"Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you." Callie quoted ‘Dirty Dancing’, but the look she gave him conveyed that it wasn’t just a quote at all. It said everything she needed to say to him and when he tilted his head and gazed at her, she knew that he got it. He understood.
The rest of the flight was comfortable. They joked more about movies and decided to call a draw when neither could outdo the other. The landing was another story, however. For most of his life, Alex had avoided planes and gone by car or bus to his destination. He hated the feel of losing altitude, hated the lurch in his stomach when the plane finally made contact with the runway and the inevitable bounce that came with it. So, when Callie announced that they had arrived, Alex kept his eyes on her instead of the approaching ground, his heart slamming against his chest.
But he didn’t even flinch when they touched down.
He did flinch two hours later when she put her hand on her hip and glared at him. A pile of clothing hid the cashier behind the counter and he was glad that she couldn’t see his face. He caved instantly and put his credit card away, making a decision that he would avoid getting that particular look from Callie again. As much as he hated that she was paying for things, she *had* made it very clear that he was her guest and as such ... he was to keep his money to himself. He shook his head when the short, blond clerk announced a subtotal that would have been a nice down payment on a brand new car and accepted the bags that another girl held out to him.
They put their purchases in the trunk of the limousine that had been waiting at the airstrip and crawled back into the car. Alex stretched his legs out and crossed his arms. He was exhausted and his limbs were still tingling from the events of the day. Growing up the way he did had prevented him from being a dreamer. He was a realist and never, in a million years, did he think he’d ever be where he currently was. Callie was amazing. And generous. And he was rapidly forgetting every woman he had ever known before her, just the way he had predicted he would when he threatened George.
Lost in thought, he was unaware that Callie was watching him or that her dark eyes were troubled.
The limo had gone two blocks when she spoke. "Alex?"
"Hmm?"
"You can buy dinner. If you want."
He looked over at her. "Okay."
"I - you’re upset about the clothes and I can tell that you’re mad, but I wouldn’t let you go pack anything so -"
"I’m upset that you would pay two hundred dollars for one pair of jeans because that’s not practical, but I’m not mad. We both know that I’m an intern. It’s not going to make me bury my head in the sand. You got money and I don’t. I don’t care."
"Are you sure?"
"Am I here? And by the way, are we going to your house now?"
"We’ll go there tomorrow. I have to buy things for it before we do. Like sheets and food."
"Nice mental image. Sheets, food, you. You on the sheets and the food on you maybe?"
"What kinda food?"
"Something sticky. Hard to lick off. It would take me longer so I could really enjoy it." He smirked when her face flooded with color and noticed that she was shifting in her seat far more than she had been. "Nervous twitch, Cal?"
"Bite me."
They arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach thirty minutes later. Callie paid cash for the room and used a fake name. The staff, who was accustomed to requests of anonymity, never blinked an eye and addressed her as ‘Ms. Towanda Threadgoode.’ Alex decided to call her ‘Idgie’ and then blanched when she told him that in the book version of ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’, Idgie was very much a lesbian and had a long term lesbian affair with Ruth.
"They were not!"
Callie nodded as they waited for the bellboy to lead them to their suite for the night. "There’s one scene where Sipsey looks out at Idgie and Ruth and says ‘that ol' love bug done hit Idgie’. It was pretty blatant. Fannie Flagg wrote that Idgie was *in* love and so was Ruth."
"God. Now I’ll be watching that movie and envisioning dirty, lustful things. You’ve turned my happy place into an lusty empire of lesbians and porn."
"It was pretty obvious in the movie, you know? Mary Stuart Masterson played Idgie very ‘butch’. And when Ruth tasted the honey from the comb that Idgie had gotten for her? Helllooo?"
"Why didn’t they make it clearer in the movie?"
"Because Hollywood is like Washington D.C. and they won’t push the envelope far enough to help change the discrimination by painting homosexuals in a positive light. The movie would have bombed at the box office anyway because the masses are also asses."
"You’re thinking about your brother, right?"
"He’s been with Blake for ten years. They should be allowed to get married." Callie made a face then. "Not that I would wish marriage on anyone. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It makes a person miserable."
Alex had no response. He took her hand as they followed their things into the elevator. Their room was breathtaking and the windows afforded a prime view of the marina. The coloring was masculine, with browns and tans and a fur blanket was thrown over the foot of the queen sized bed. One brick wall was a deep chocolate and he watched as Callie took off her heels and leaned against it, staring out the sliding glass doors. Her brown dress was a few shades lighter, but the colors blended together to make her hair seem blacker, richer, and her skin looked bronzed to perfection.
He crossed the room and hugged her. It was impulsive and sweet and she was grinning when they broke apart. "What was that for?"
"For not killing us. For getting out of a relationship that made you crazy. For inviting me along for the ride." He kissed her forehead. "You really are the best friend I’ve ever had. And I didn’t expect this to happen, but I’m glad it did."
"So am I."
"You look tired, Cal."
She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and glanced down at her watch. "It’s not even that late and I feel like I could sleep for days."
"Dinner first?"
"You want to go out or eat here?"
"You’re exhausted. We could order a pizza if you want."
"Have you ever been to California?
"No."
Callie stretched until her back popped and then she nodded. "Let’s go to Ocean’s Floor. And then when we’re finished you will experience why the sand in California feels better between your toes than any other sand in the world."
"Are you sure?"
He looked like a kid in a candy store and Callie forgot about her exhaustion. "I’m positive. Why don’t you change out of your scrubs and we’ll hit the road."
Alex picked up the bag containing his new clothing and retreated into the bathroom. Callie dug through a couple of the remaining bags until she found the turquoise sun dress that she had been unable to refuse. It had spaghetti straps and a low, rounded neckline. There was a peephole that would show off her cleavage without looking sleazy. She quickly slipped it on, then slid her feet into the matching sandals she had grabbed while Alex was searching for swimming trunks. Glancing in the mirror, she saw that her hair was still in place, but she glided fresh gloss over her lips and freshened up her blush.
When Alex emerged a few minutes later, wearing a pair of khaki pants and a button down shirt, he gasped. "Wow. I - I never really appreciated that color until right now."
Callie grinned at him. "I’ve never seen you with your shirt tucked in."
"Well, I’m trying to-" He trailed off when she pulled the shirt from his pants. "Uh, oookay."
"Now you’re Alex." She pressed a kiss against his mouth. "Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Take it from me ... it can kill you."
Hand in hand, they strode out of the hotel and into the night, which was alive and bustling with the energy and promise of great things to come.
*~*~*~*~*~
In the end ... it was lobster that did them in.
Callie ordered the large, whole lobster after Alex nixed her attempts at a salad or a half sandwich. He had chosen crab legs and was hell bent that she would have something just as grand. She finally relented, but she refused the wine menu and stuck with water. They got lost in a conversation about the crab fishing business again and when the food arrived, Callie dug into her rice first, savoring the medley of flavors.
Then the lobster on her plate moved and she dropped her fork.
It moved again and scuttled far enough to fall onto the table.
"What the hell?" Alex leaned forward, staring at it. "I’ll get the waiter."
"Don’t you dare! They’ll just boil it again." She gently picked up the crustacean, wrapped it in her cloth napkin, and lowered it into the leather bag that she had paid dearly for that morning. She brushed her hands off and glanced back at Alex, who was looking at her like she had grown four heads. "What? The thing clearly wants to live."
"So you take it home as a pet?"
"No! We’re going to put it back in the ocean." Callie returned to her rice and took another bite. "Besides, I’m paying it forward."
"Paying what forward?"
"You saved my life so I’m saving his."
Alex scooped meat from his own plate and put it on hers. "I think your life is a little more valuable than the lobster’s life."
"I didn’t really realize that until today. With you." Callie took a bite of the crab and moaned a little as it melted in her mouth. "You really have a way of waking people up."
"It’s one of the many services that I offer." He brushed a little butter off the corner of her mouth with his own napkin. "You know what’s funny?"
"What?"
"I almost asked you out when I first came to Seattle. You were working on a car crash victim and it was my third week as an intern. I was taking someone’s blood and saw you looking at X-rays. You were chewing on your thumbnail and I watched you for a minute and then I had to finish up and when I looked again ... you were gone. I saw you that same night at Joe’s. I bought you a drink and you sent it back to me with a ‘fuck you very much’."
She had lifted her fork, but laid it back down in shock. "You were the Sex on the Beach guy?"
"How was I supposed to know that you hated fruity drinks?"
"Do I look like I drink fruity drinks?"
"Well, I learned the hard way. I get it now. The fact that I had to drink what I bought for you made it loud and clear." He glanced at her glass of water. "You didn’t want any wine tonight?"
"I really don’t. I’ve decided that I don’t drink anymore and it’s much easier than I thought it would be." She ate another bite of the crab before she leaned back in the chair. "I’m stuffed."
Alex glanced down at her plate. She had taken less than ten bites, not that he was counting. Only he was. And it worried and exasperated him, but he chose his words wisely. "You don’t eat enough to keep a bird alive."
"You know, I could probably count the times that I’ve actually eaten since I got married on one hand. I mean, I’d grab a candy bar for the day, but I didn’t really eat a meal. So, now I just don’t get hungry anymore."
"You’ve lost a lot of weight."
She nodded. "And about five sizes, but I’m fine with that. I feel better. I look better and-"
"You looked just fine before. Hence me buying you a drink."
Callie took a few sips of her water and sat the glass back down. "You never approached me, though."
"Weren’t you seeing that blond doctor for a while? Savoy? The one who harassed Bailey at the M&M?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, there was that. I think I had a concussion that entire time."
He chuckled. "And then you started in with O’Malley. I told him that you were way too hot for him, but he didn’t listen."
"Guys like George are better off with women who drink fruity drinks. That way he can share with them," Callie replied. "You told him I was hot?"
"Yeah. A few times." Alex reached across the table and took her hand. The topic of George always brought about a change in her demeanor and he hated it. "I also told him that I was interested in you and that he better toe the line because I was ready to step in. He didn’t and I did."
Her eyes widened. "No shit?"
"None."
The waiter arrived and asked if the wanted the dessert menu. Callie declined, but Alex ordered something chocolate and when it arrived his eyes widened at the size of it. "Good god. Help me out, Cal."
She let him give her a bite of the cake and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Why it’s positively sinful."
"Are you quoting ‘Ever After’?"
"I am." Callie accepted another bite and enjoyed it far too much. "It is not fair, your highness. You have discovered my weakness and I have yet to learn yours."
Alex slipped into the seat beside hers and kissed her. "I should think it was quite obvious."
They forgot about the cake for a while.
Until the lobster in Callie’s purse rustled and caused her to jump. She pulled away from Alex and said, "Finish your dessert. We have to go."
Alex took a few more bites, forcing her to match every one and then he dug into his wallet and pulled out some cash. He saw that she had done the same and shook his head. "You said I could buy dinner."
"I didn’t really mean it."
"Too bad." Alex left enough money in the leather pouch for their food and a generous tip, then helped her to her feet. "Let’s go see the ocean."
Callie stared down at the money. "You’re a great tipper. That is so rare."
He shrugged. "My mother was a waitress. She had heel spurs and shin splints and-"
She kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. At dinner with her parents ... she had told her father the exact same thing. Hearing it come from Alex’s mouth, seeing that he had left over thirty percent on the table and knowing that he didn’t really have it to throw away, did crazy things to her libido. When they finally pulled apart, someone whistled and Callie blushed. "Let’s go."
They walked the four blocks to the beach. Callie kicked off her shoes and carried them as they stepped into the sand. Alex did the same, stuffing his socks into his sneakers and pausing to roll up his pants legs. He smiled when he dug his toes into the sand and said, "You’re right. It feels different."
She practically skipped to the ocean’s edge. She laid her sandals on the beach and put her purse on top of it, then she walked into the cool waves and sighed. "Oh my god. I didn’t realize how bad my feet hurt until right now."
"Want a massage?"
"I’d fall asleep."
Alex followed her into the water and pulled her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pointed out at the moon, which was hanging low on the horizon. "You can see the old man up there tonight, Cal. That means he’s listening so make a wish."
She leaned her head back against him and said, "I wish this night would never end."
"I don’t think you were supposed to say it out loud." He nuzzled her ear. "But since I’m wishing the same thing then maybe he’ll hear us anyway."
"You’ve got layers, Alex."
"Look who’s talking. You’re like an onion."
"Not the greatest complement."
"I happen to like onions."
They stood in the water for a while and then Callie headed back to the beach and retrieved the lobster. It was clearly still alive and she started to put it in the surf, but Alex stopped her. "It still has the bands on its claws. It can’t catch food."
Callie gazed down at it. "You know, I don’t think they boiled it all. They usually take those off when they serve it." She held the animal out to Alex and added, "Hold it. I think I have clippers."
She dug through her bag and after five minutes, she shouted, "Aha! Hey, you don’t think it’s bad to put a Maine lobster in the pacific ocean, do you?"
"It’s either this or the boiler."
With Alex holding the animal, she clipped the bands and took it from him again. She smiled up at him and that’s when the lobster seized the opportunity for revenge and pinched her arm. "Ahh!" she yelped, letting it go. It was not the smartest thing she had ever done. Having it dangle, unsupported, was quite painful.
Alex grabbed it, gently working its claspers open and when he finally succeeded, he tossed it and turned back to Callie. "Grateful little fucker, huh?"
"I cannot believe that just happened." She had her hand on her arm and when Alex moved it away, she gasped. She was actually bleeding. The serrated edges of the lobster’s claw had torn into her soft flesh, pulling out a plug that was dangling by a thin piece of skin. It wasn’t deep by any means, but it wasn’t a scratch either.
"You’re going to need stitches. And antibiotics." Alex pulled off his top shirt, leaving him in a white wife beater. He secured it around her arm and picked up his shoes. "Where’s the hospital?"
"I can’t go to the hospital. My dad-"
"Okay, you know what? This cat and mouse game with your dad is interesting, but I’m not letting you get sick on my watch. If your dad can find you in a hole in the wall hospital emergency room then he deserves to catch for his trouble." He grabbed her shoes and purse and held out his hand. "Let’s go."
She got eleven stitches, antibiotics, and a shot for the pain.
When they finally made it back to the hotel room, she was half asleep and it was almost four in the morning. He took her shoes off, frowned when he saw the marks that her heels had caused earlier in the day, and rubbed each of her feet for a moment. "I thought you were joking about this."
"No. Not so much." She yawned and got to her feet, staggering a little.
He watched, wide eyed, as she pulled the dress over her head. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth as she exposed a brown velvet thong that had small pink bows on each hips. He almost swallowed his tongue completely when his gaze moved higher, resting on the matching strapless bra which she quickly removed and tossed into the corner. Her nipples were dark, small. His tongue ran over his teeth and darted out to lick his lips as he imagined what it would be like to nip one, then the other.
She was comfortable in her skin and he could see why. Every inch of her was cinnamon, tanned and sweet. He ached to mold his palm against the smooth flare of her hips, to cup one of her pert, but generous breasts. She turned away from him to turn down the bed and he moaned a little. The rounded globes of her ass caused him to grip his own thighs and when he saw the tattoo on her lower back, he wanted to taste her. He wanted to taste every inch of her because if she tasted as good as she looked ... it would truly be an addiction he would never beat.
He felt physical pain when she slipped beneath the cover and pulled it up to her chin. "Are you coming?" she asked sleepily.
When he crawled in beside her, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts, she rolled against him and said, "Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"This isn’t really what I was wishing for when I said I wanted tonight to never end. What the fuck, dude?"
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Well, it’s a new day already so we can start over."
"We’re going to Disneyland today." She yawned and moved closer still. "You want to?"
"I’ve never been. I can’t imagine anyone better to see it with."
"I want to show you the world the way you showed it to me, Alex."
"You already have." He gave into temptation and put his hand on her hip. He would never be able to sleep with her so close.
"Do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"Don’t let me go."
"I’ve got you." He tightened his grip. "And I won’t."
She fell asleep first.
Alex smiled when she threw a leg over his.
It felt right.
And since not much in Alex Karev’s life ever felt right ... he decided to hold on with both hands.
*~*~*~*~*~
George hitchhiked to Meredith’s house at four a.m., after walking in the rain for hours. He sat in the passenger seat of a car that smelled like mothballs and listened to the old woman who was driving describe her irritable bowel symptoms. It was his fault for telling her that he was a doctor. He knew it. So much of what was wrong with his life was his own fault and he had no one to blame but himself. He gave her advice, thanked her for the ride when they arrived at Meredith’s, and then tossed a couple of small rocks at Izzie’s window. He was shivering from the cold, wet and tired, when Izzie eventually opened the front door and let him in.
She was bleary eyed, her hair was a mess, and she had clearly been asleep. Wordlessly, she grabbed a blanket from the hall closet and followed him to the kitchen, where he sat down at the island. Wrapping him in the blanket, she started a fresh pot of coffee and watched him closely. She was stung from their blowup at work, hurt more than she had thought possible at the names he had called her, but seeing him in the shape he was in mellowed the anger that had been her sleeping partner. "You want to tell me what happened?"
"Callie left town with Alex."
Izzie’s anger returned. This time it was for George and not because of George, which was an arresting new development in their relationship. It was also for Alex, who had pretty much declared his love for her during their heart to heart about Denny. She had been considering a reconciliation with him. After all, he had kissed her in the stairwell and again when he found Callie’s DNR paperwork.
George looked up at her. "You think they’re together?"
She shrugged. "I think that Alex only knows how to do one thing when there is a vagina involved."
He laid his head on the island. "You’re not helping."
Izzie leaned on her elbows, watching him. "You really need to get some sleep. And you need to change clothes. You’re going to get catch a cold or something."
He didn’t lift his head. "I don’t have anything. And my mother has kicked me out of the house. Callie’s kicked me out of the hotel and I can’t remember where I parked my car."
"You left your old robe here. The black one. I’ll go get it and you put your clothes in the washer, okay?"
When he nodded, she hurried up the stairs and retrieved his robe from her bedroom. She lifted it to her nose, inhaling his scent as she did every night, and then returned to the kitchen. She found him in the laundry room, a towel around his waist, and held out the robe. Biting her bottom lip, she gazed at his bare chest. It wasn’t quite as impressive as she had recalled. Neither were his legs.
"Cristina is in Alex’s bed and Derek and Meredith had a fight so he’s on the sofa. Looks like you’re camping in my room. You want the sleeping bag or the bed?"
"I’ll take the sleeping bag." He slipped the robe on and followed behind her, his mind conjuring up images of Callie in her brown dress, in Alex’s arms. It twisted his heart, ate away at his pride. It hurt. Gut deep.
Ten minutes later, he rolled onto his stomach and sighed as tears blinded him again. He thought he had cried enough, but he was wrong so he gave in. The floor creaked and then Izzie’s hand was on his back and she was whispering that it was okay, that Callie would come home, that he could would see her soon. She promised to be nice to his wife, to really try to be her friend, to help George win her back.
And then they were kissing and she was naked and George was inside her. And then she realized that he had softened a moment later and he pulled out and away before he got off.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
He did the same.
Izzie lay next to him on the floor and despite the fact that she had not enjoyed an orgasm, her body was not left wanting. It was silent, seemingly protesting such an odd invasion. She was disgusted. She finally sat up and still naked, gazed at him. "George-"
"Jesus Christ, Izzie. What the hell was that?"
"Horrible, gross, and wrong?"
They looked at each other and burst into laughter. They laughed long and hard. They laughed the way they used to before they had complicated their friendship with sex.
"It was different when we were drunk," George said, still chuckling.
"Everything is," she replied, biting her bottom lip as her smile faded. "I - I think maybe we were completely wrong about each other. I just - I don’t see you that way, George. Or feel it."
"We never did. It was the alcohol." George put his hand over his eyes. "I always knew we were wrong together. When I kissed you in the elevator I felt it. It was like - you’re my best friend, Izzie, and that’s all it is. You’re *family*."
"You’re right." She touched his arm and he sat up, looking at her. "We’ll never talk about this. No one has to know."
"Someone already does." Cristina stood in the partially opened doorway, gazing at them in shock and disbelief. "You two deserve each other. McBastard and McBitch."
*~*~*~*~*~
Dun dun dun ...
I was going to write full out Gizzard smut, but I vomited every time I tried. So, that's what you got. :)
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Addison/Mark, Callie/George, Callie/Alex, George/Izzie
Summary: Sometimes it hurts to fall, but if you're lucky someone may catch you. And they may be falling, too.
A/N: Make the lambs stop screaming. ;)
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
*~*~*~*~*~
Yesterday was a million years ago
In all my past lives I played an asshole
Now I found you, it's almost too late
And this earth seems obliviating
We are trembling in our crutches
High and dead our skin is glass
I'm so empty here without you
I crack my xerox hands - Marilyn Manson
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie felt like she had been holding her breath for hours. The storm was horrible. It turned the radio to static, made the many gauges on the plane go berserk at random times, and the yoke in her hands jerked violently. Her fingers actually ached from the white knuckled death grip she had on the instrument and her shoulders throbbed from the tension. Her eyes darted back and forth between the fuel reading and the lightning strikes. She radioed the tower for an update and was given the cloud range.
Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach.
They would need to climb to forty one thousand feet to rise above the wall.
Fuel would be an issue.
Her decision was made. They would have to fly into the storm and hope for the best. She reached out, running her hand along the contour of the control panel. "Okay, Lady. This isn’t any worse than last year."
Alex watched quietly and finally asked, "What are we doing?"
"We have enough fuel to get to Los Angeles, but if I take her up over the storm then she’s going to burn more and that’s going to be a problem. If I detract from the flight plan and have to land somewhere else for fuel then the fake plan that Miguel made for us will be obliterated."
"So, we’re going through it? We’re going through the monster just to keep your dad off our asses?"
He sounded mad and she looked at him with concern. "I’d rather keep my dad off my ass for as long as possible. Believe me, this storm is the lesser of the evils right now. I saw the way he treated my brothers when *they* rebelled which is why I never did it."
"Callie, look outside! This isn’t - we can turn around. We can drive somewhere. We can hole up in a tent in the middle of nowhere and I promise we’ll be happy."
"It’ll be okay. I do this all the time, Alex, I get off on this stuff."
"Then why are you shaking?"
"Because I’m usually alone when I get off on it. Now I have precious cargo so I’m not just thinking about me." Callie took a deep breath and pressed another button. "I have to have music. Loud, loud music. It relaxes me. You’ll probably hate it, but I really need you not to talk and not to move too much because I have to get in the zone. Okay?"
"Okay."
The opening strings of ACDC’s ‘Highway To Hell’ began to play. Alex couldn’t think of a less relaxing song to be playing when they were literally going headlong into hell, but he kept his mouth shut and held on for the ride. The music was loud enough to make his ears ring, but when he looked back at Callie, her grip on the yoke was lighter and she had a peaceful and content look on her face that was mesmerizing enough to make him forget the storm.
Thunder boomed and a tailwind caught the little plane, dropping it three thousand feet in the blink of an eye. Callie reacted quickly and began to climb again. Ten minutes later ... they punched the core of the storm and the little Cessna shuddered, rattled, and pushed onward like she had been made for the rough and tumble lifestyle. Every time the wind tipped her wings, the aircraft responded to Callie’s touch and pulled herself back in line again. The plane groaned in protest a couple of times, but she obeyed the slightest command.
The CD that Callie played was mostly ACDC and she calmly sang her way through ‘Hell’s Bells’ and ‘Shook Me All Night Long’. Marilyn Manson’s version of ‘Sweet Dreams’ radiated through the plane a moment later and Callie smiled, singing along brazenly and boldly as the storm reached a fevered pitch and she tilted the wings a little so she could see down into the thunderheads. She returned the favor for Alex, tilting to his side and pointing out the window. She saw that he was as amazed at mother nature’s fury as she was, but he was also green around the gills and she leveled the plane before he could barf.
Thirty minutes later, they burst out of the darkness and into a sunset that was bright enough to cause both their eyes to water. Callie was singing along to ‘Renegade’ by Styx at that point and she let the song finish before she turned the music down. She reached over and touched Alex’s arm. "Are you okay?"
He stared over at her, wide eyed and pale. "You are undoubtedly the craziest woman I have ever known in my life. You played devil music for the soundtrack of our demise!"
"Devil music? Would you prefer Abba?"
"Do you - when I said that you were an adrenaline junkie I really was kidding, but now I see that you are." He swallowed back the bile that had been rising in his throat. "You don’t have a fear gene in your body at all, do you?"
"What should I fear?"
"Uh, death? Death comes to mind."
"Alex, death is a date on a tombstone. If you live your life fearing death then you don’t really live at all. We’re doctors. We see it. We touch it. We sometimes even cause it by mistake. And none of us get out of this thing alive." She gazed at his face as ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ began to play. "I’d never do anything that would put you in danger."
"What about yourself?"
"I eat danger for breakfast." She touched his cheek. "And digest it very well."
It was her touch or maybe the worry in her eyes that forced him to smile. His anger, if it could really be called that at all, evaporated as quickly as the storm had arrived. "I have to warn you, I've heard relationships based on intense experiences never work."
Callie smirked a little. "Okay. We’ll just have to base it on sex then."
"Whatever you say, ma’am."
She took his hand. "That was ‘Speed’. Try to stump me with another one, Mr. Movie Bank."
"I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it." He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. "Which is actually pretty true now that I think about it."
"‘City of Angels’," she replied. "And awww, by the way. My turn. You can be my wingman anytime. Which is also pretty true."
"’Top Gun’. Okay, I’m stumping you this time." He took a deep breath and blurted, "Supersonic, idiotic, disconnected, not respected, who would ever really want to go and top that!?"
"You have got to be kidding me. ‘Teen Witch’, which I have seen enough to memorize. Okay, here’s another one, I don’t remember ever being this awake."
"‘Thelma and Louise.’" He relaxed against the leather seat and stretched his legs out a little. "Fair is Fair! We didn't start this! We didn't mean for this to happen!"
"Oh my god. ‘The Legend of Billie Jean’. I love that movie." She laughed. "It doesn't matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other."
"‘Good Will Hunting’. Every step I took since the moment I could walk was a step toward finding you. That’s from ‘Message in a Bottle’. Also pretty true." He squeezed her hand. "I like that you’re fearless, Callie. It annoys the hell out of me, but I like it."
"Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you." Callie quoted ‘Dirty Dancing’, but the look she gave him conveyed that it wasn’t just a quote at all. It said everything she needed to say to him and when he tilted his head and gazed at her, she knew that he got it. He understood.
The rest of the flight was comfortable. They joked more about movies and decided to call a draw when neither could outdo the other. The landing was another story, however. For most of his life, Alex had avoided planes and gone by car or bus to his destination. He hated the feel of losing altitude, hated the lurch in his stomach when the plane finally made contact with the runway and the inevitable bounce that came with it. So, when Callie announced that they had arrived, Alex kept his eyes on her instead of the approaching ground, his heart slamming against his chest.
But he didn’t even flinch when they touched down.
He did flinch two hours later when she put her hand on her hip and glared at him. A pile of clothing hid the cashier behind the counter and he was glad that she couldn’t see his face. He caved instantly and put his credit card away, making a decision that he would avoid getting that particular look from Callie again. As much as he hated that she was paying for things, she *had* made it very clear that he was her guest and as such ... he was to keep his money to himself. He shook his head when the short, blond clerk announced a subtotal that would have been a nice down payment on a brand new car and accepted the bags that another girl held out to him.
They put their purchases in the trunk of the limousine that had been waiting at the airstrip and crawled back into the car. Alex stretched his legs out and crossed his arms. He was exhausted and his limbs were still tingling from the events of the day. Growing up the way he did had prevented him from being a dreamer. He was a realist and never, in a million years, did he think he’d ever be where he currently was. Callie was amazing. And generous. And he was rapidly forgetting every woman he had ever known before her, just the way he had predicted he would when he threatened George.
Lost in thought, he was unaware that Callie was watching him or that her dark eyes were troubled.
The limo had gone two blocks when she spoke. "Alex?"
"Hmm?"
"You can buy dinner. If you want."
He looked over at her. "Okay."
"I - you’re upset about the clothes and I can tell that you’re mad, but I wouldn’t let you go pack anything so -"
"I’m upset that you would pay two hundred dollars for one pair of jeans because that’s not practical, but I’m not mad. We both know that I’m an intern. It’s not going to make me bury my head in the sand. You got money and I don’t. I don’t care."
"Are you sure?"
"Am I here? And by the way, are we going to your house now?"
"We’ll go there tomorrow. I have to buy things for it before we do. Like sheets and food."
"Nice mental image. Sheets, food, you. You on the sheets and the food on you maybe?"
"What kinda food?"
"Something sticky. Hard to lick off. It would take me longer so I could really enjoy it." He smirked when her face flooded with color and noticed that she was shifting in her seat far more than she had been. "Nervous twitch, Cal?"
"Bite me."
They arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Redondo Beach thirty minutes later. Callie paid cash for the room and used a fake name. The staff, who was accustomed to requests of anonymity, never blinked an eye and addressed her as ‘Ms. Towanda Threadgoode.’ Alex decided to call her ‘Idgie’ and then blanched when she told him that in the book version of ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’, Idgie was very much a lesbian and had a long term lesbian affair with Ruth.
"They were not!"
Callie nodded as they waited for the bellboy to lead them to their suite for the night. "There’s one scene where Sipsey looks out at Idgie and Ruth and says ‘that ol' love bug done hit Idgie’. It was pretty blatant. Fannie Flagg wrote that Idgie was *in* love and so was Ruth."
"God. Now I’ll be watching that movie and envisioning dirty, lustful things. You’ve turned my happy place into an lusty empire of lesbians and porn."
"It was pretty obvious in the movie, you know? Mary Stuart Masterson played Idgie very ‘butch’. And when Ruth tasted the honey from the comb that Idgie had gotten for her? Helllooo?"
"Why didn’t they make it clearer in the movie?"
"Because Hollywood is like Washington D.C. and they won’t push the envelope far enough to help change the discrimination by painting homosexuals in a positive light. The movie would have bombed at the box office anyway because the masses are also asses."
"You’re thinking about your brother, right?"
"He’s been with Blake for ten years. They should be allowed to get married." Callie made a face then. "Not that I would wish marriage on anyone. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It makes a person miserable."
Alex had no response. He took her hand as they followed their things into the elevator. Their room was breathtaking and the windows afforded a prime view of the marina. The coloring was masculine, with browns and tans and a fur blanket was thrown over the foot of the queen sized bed. One brick wall was a deep chocolate and he watched as Callie took off her heels and leaned against it, staring out the sliding glass doors. Her brown dress was a few shades lighter, but the colors blended together to make her hair seem blacker, richer, and her skin looked bronzed to perfection.
He crossed the room and hugged her. It was impulsive and sweet and she was grinning when they broke apart. "What was that for?"
"For not killing us. For getting out of a relationship that made you crazy. For inviting me along for the ride." He kissed her forehead. "You really are the best friend I’ve ever had. And I didn’t expect this to happen, but I’m glad it did."
"So am I."
"You look tired, Cal."
She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand and glanced down at her watch. "It’s not even that late and I feel like I could sleep for days."
"Dinner first?"
"You want to go out or eat here?"
"You’re exhausted. We could order a pizza if you want."
"Have you ever been to California?
"No."
Callie stretched until her back popped and then she nodded. "Let’s go to Ocean’s Floor. And then when we’re finished you will experience why the sand in California feels better between your toes than any other sand in the world."
"Are you sure?"
He looked like a kid in a candy store and Callie forgot about her exhaustion. "I’m positive. Why don’t you change out of your scrubs and we’ll hit the road."
Alex picked up the bag containing his new clothing and retreated into the bathroom. Callie dug through a couple of the remaining bags until she found the turquoise sun dress that she had been unable to refuse. It had spaghetti straps and a low, rounded neckline. There was a peephole that would show off her cleavage without looking sleazy. She quickly slipped it on, then slid her feet into the matching sandals she had grabbed while Alex was searching for swimming trunks. Glancing in the mirror, she saw that her hair was still in place, but she glided fresh gloss over her lips and freshened up her blush.
When Alex emerged a few minutes later, wearing a pair of khaki pants and a button down shirt, he gasped. "Wow. I - I never really appreciated that color until right now."
Callie grinned at him. "I’ve never seen you with your shirt tucked in."
"Well, I’m trying to-" He trailed off when she pulled the shirt from his pants. "Uh, oookay."
"Now you’re Alex." She pressed a kiss against his mouth. "Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Take it from me ... it can kill you."
Hand in hand, they strode out of the hotel and into the night, which was alive and bustling with the energy and promise of great things to come.
*~*~*~*~*~
In the end ... it was lobster that did them in.
Callie ordered the large, whole lobster after Alex nixed her attempts at a salad or a half sandwich. He had chosen crab legs and was hell bent that she would have something just as grand. She finally relented, but she refused the wine menu and stuck with water. They got lost in a conversation about the crab fishing business again and when the food arrived, Callie dug into her rice first, savoring the medley of flavors.
Then the lobster on her plate moved and she dropped her fork.
It moved again and scuttled far enough to fall onto the table.
"What the hell?" Alex leaned forward, staring at it. "I’ll get the waiter."
"Don’t you dare! They’ll just boil it again." She gently picked up the crustacean, wrapped it in her cloth napkin, and lowered it into the leather bag that she had paid dearly for that morning. She brushed her hands off and glanced back at Alex, who was looking at her like she had grown four heads. "What? The thing clearly wants to live."
"So you take it home as a pet?"
"No! We’re going to put it back in the ocean." Callie returned to her rice and took another bite. "Besides, I’m paying it forward."
"Paying what forward?"
"You saved my life so I’m saving his."
Alex scooped meat from his own plate and put it on hers. "I think your life is a little more valuable than the lobster’s life."
"I didn’t really realize that until today. With you." Callie took a bite of the crab and moaned a little as it melted in her mouth. "You really have a way of waking people up."
"It’s one of the many services that I offer." He brushed a little butter off the corner of her mouth with his own napkin. "You know what’s funny?"
"What?"
"I almost asked you out when I first came to Seattle. You were working on a car crash victim and it was my third week as an intern. I was taking someone’s blood and saw you looking at X-rays. You were chewing on your thumbnail and I watched you for a minute and then I had to finish up and when I looked again ... you were gone. I saw you that same night at Joe’s. I bought you a drink and you sent it back to me with a ‘fuck you very much’."
She had lifted her fork, but laid it back down in shock. "You were the Sex on the Beach guy?"
"How was I supposed to know that you hated fruity drinks?"
"Do I look like I drink fruity drinks?"
"Well, I learned the hard way. I get it now. The fact that I had to drink what I bought for you made it loud and clear." He glanced at her glass of water. "You didn’t want any wine tonight?"
"I really don’t. I’ve decided that I don’t drink anymore and it’s much easier than I thought it would be." She ate another bite of the crab before she leaned back in the chair. "I’m stuffed."
Alex glanced down at her plate. She had taken less than ten bites, not that he was counting. Only he was. And it worried and exasperated him, but he chose his words wisely. "You don’t eat enough to keep a bird alive."
"You know, I could probably count the times that I’ve actually eaten since I got married on one hand. I mean, I’d grab a candy bar for the day, but I didn’t really eat a meal. So, now I just don’t get hungry anymore."
"You’ve lost a lot of weight."
She nodded. "And about five sizes, but I’m fine with that. I feel better. I look better and-"
"You looked just fine before. Hence me buying you a drink."
Callie took a few sips of her water and sat the glass back down. "You never approached me, though."
"Weren’t you seeing that blond doctor for a while? Savoy? The one who harassed Bailey at the M&M?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, there was that. I think I had a concussion that entire time."
He chuckled. "And then you started in with O’Malley. I told him that you were way too hot for him, but he didn’t listen."
"Guys like George are better off with women who drink fruity drinks. That way he can share with them," Callie replied. "You told him I was hot?"
"Yeah. A few times." Alex reached across the table and took her hand. The topic of George always brought about a change in her demeanor and he hated it. "I also told him that I was interested in you and that he better toe the line because I was ready to step in. He didn’t and I did."
Her eyes widened. "No shit?"
"None."
The waiter arrived and asked if the wanted the dessert menu. Callie declined, but Alex ordered something chocolate and when it arrived his eyes widened at the size of it. "Good god. Help me out, Cal."
She let him give her a bite of the cake and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Why it’s positively sinful."
"Are you quoting ‘Ever After’?"
"I am." Callie accepted another bite and enjoyed it far too much. "It is not fair, your highness. You have discovered my weakness and I have yet to learn yours."
Alex slipped into the seat beside hers and kissed her. "I should think it was quite obvious."
They forgot about the cake for a while.
Until the lobster in Callie’s purse rustled and caused her to jump. She pulled away from Alex and said, "Finish your dessert. We have to go."
Alex took a few more bites, forcing her to match every one and then he dug into his wallet and pulled out some cash. He saw that she had done the same and shook his head. "You said I could buy dinner."
"I didn’t really mean it."
"Too bad." Alex left enough money in the leather pouch for their food and a generous tip, then helped her to her feet. "Let’s go see the ocean."
Callie stared down at the money. "You’re a great tipper. That is so rare."
He shrugged. "My mother was a waitress. She had heel spurs and shin splints and-"
She kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight. At dinner with her parents ... she had told her father the exact same thing. Hearing it come from Alex’s mouth, seeing that he had left over thirty percent on the table and knowing that he didn’t really have it to throw away, did crazy things to her libido. When they finally pulled apart, someone whistled and Callie blushed. "Let’s go."
They walked the four blocks to the beach. Callie kicked off her shoes and carried them as they stepped into the sand. Alex did the same, stuffing his socks into his sneakers and pausing to roll up his pants legs. He smiled when he dug his toes into the sand and said, "You’re right. It feels different."
She practically skipped to the ocean’s edge. She laid her sandals on the beach and put her purse on top of it, then she walked into the cool waves and sighed. "Oh my god. I didn’t realize how bad my feet hurt until right now."
"Want a massage?"
"I’d fall asleep."
Alex followed her into the water and pulled her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pointed out at the moon, which was hanging low on the horizon. "You can see the old man up there tonight, Cal. That means he’s listening so make a wish."
She leaned her head back against him and said, "I wish this night would never end."
"I don’t think you were supposed to say it out loud." He nuzzled her ear. "But since I’m wishing the same thing then maybe he’ll hear us anyway."
"You’ve got layers, Alex."
"Look who’s talking. You’re like an onion."
"Not the greatest complement."
"I happen to like onions."
They stood in the water for a while and then Callie headed back to the beach and retrieved the lobster. It was clearly still alive and she started to put it in the surf, but Alex stopped her. "It still has the bands on its claws. It can’t catch food."
Callie gazed down at it. "You know, I don’t think they boiled it all. They usually take those off when they serve it." She held the animal out to Alex and added, "Hold it. I think I have clippers."
She dug through her bag and after five minutes, she shouted, "Aha! Hey, you don’t think it’s bad to put a Maine lobster in the pacific ocean, do you?"
"It’s either this or the boiler."
With Alex holding the animal, she clipped the bands and took it from him again. She smiled up at him and that’s when the lobster seized the opportunity for revenge and pinched her arm. "Ahh!" she yelped, letting it go. It was not the smartest thing she had ever done. Having it dangle, unsupported, was quite painful.
Alex grabbed it, gently working its claspers open and when he finally succeeded, he tossed it and turned back to Callie. "Grateful little fucker, huh?"
"I cannot believe that just happened." She had her hand on her arm and when Alex moved it away, she gasped. She was actually bleeding. The serrated edges of the lobster’s claw had torn into her soft flesh, pulling out a plug that was dangling by a thin piece of skin. It wasn’t deep by any means, but it wasn’t a scratch either.
"You’re going to need stitches. And antibiotics." Alex pulled off his top shirt, leaving him in a white wife beater. He secured it around her arm and picked up his shoes. "Where’s the hospital?"
"I can’t go to the hospital. My dad-"
"Okay, you know what? This cat and mouse game with your dad is interesting, but I’m not letting you get sick on my watch. If your dad can find you in a hole in the wall hospital emergency room then he deserves to catch for his trouble." He grabbed her shoes and purse and held out his hand. "Let’s go."
She got eleven stitches, antibiotics, and a shot for the pain.
When they finally made it back to the hotel room, she was half asleep and it was almost four in the morning. He took her shoes off, frowned when he saw the marks that her heels had caused earlier in the day, and rubbed each of her feet for a moment. "I thought you were joking about this."
"No. Not so much." She yawned and got to her feet, staggering a little.
He watched, wide eyed, as she pulled the dress over her head. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth as she exposed a brown velvet thong that had small pink bows on each hips. He almost swallowed his tongue completely when his gaze moved higher, resting on the matching strapless bra which she quickly removed and tossed into the corner. Her nipples were dark, small. His tongue ran over his teeth and darted out to lick his lips as he imagined what it would be like to nip one, then the other.
She was comfortable in her skin and he could see why. Every inch of her was cinnamon, tanned and sweet. He ached to mold his palm against the smooth flare of her hips, to cup one of her pert, but generous breasts. She turned away from him to turn down the bed and he moaned a little. The rounded globes of her ass caused him to grip his own thighs and when he saw the tattoo on her lower back, he wanted to taste her. He wanted to taste every inch of her because if she tasted as good as she looked ... it would truly be an addiction he would never beat.
He felt physical pain when she slipped beneath the cover and pulled it up to her chin. "Are you coming?" she asked sleepily.
When he crawled in beside her, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts, she rolled against him and said, "Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"This isn’t really what I was wishing for when I said I wanted tonight to never end. What the fuck, dude?"
He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Well, it’s a new day already so we can start over."
"We’re going to Disneyland today." She yawned and moved closer still. "You want to?"
"I’ve never been. I can’t imagine anyone better to see it with."
"I want to show you the world the way you showed it to me, Alex."
"You already have." He gave into temptation and put his hand on her hip. He would never be able to sleep with her so close.
"Do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"Don’t let me go."
"I’ve got you." He tightened his grip. "And I won’t."
She fell asleep first.
Alex smiled when she threw a leg over his.
It felt right.
And since not much in Alex Karev’s life ever felt right ... he decided to hold on with both hands.
*~*~*~*~*~
George hitchhiked to Meredith’s house at four a.m., after walking in the rain for hours. He sat in the passenger seat of a car that smelled like mothballs and listened to the old woman who was driving describe her irritable bowel symptoms. It was his fault for telling her that he was a doctor. He knew it. So much of what was wrong with his life was his own fault and he had no one to blame but himself. He gave her advice, thanked her for the ride when they arrived at Meredith’s, and then tossed a couple of small rocks at Izzie’s window. He was shivering from the cold, wet and tired, when Izzie eventually opened the front door and let him in.
She was bleary eyed, her hair was a mess, and she had clearly been asleep. Wordlessly, she grabbed a blanket from the hall closet and followed him to the kitchen, where he sat down at the island. Wrapping him in the blanket, she started a fresh pot of coffee and watched him closely. She was stung from their blowup at work, hurt more than she had thought possible at the names he had called her, but seeing him in the shape he was in mellowed the anger that had been her sleeping partner. "You want to tell me what happened?"
"Callie left town with Alex."
Izzie’s anger returned. This time it was for George and not because of George, which was an arresting new development in their relationship. It was also for Alex, who had pretty much declared his love for her during their heart to heart about Denny. She had been considering a reconciliation with him. After all, he had kissed her in the stairwell and again when he found Callie’s DNR paperwork.
George looked up at her. "You think they’re together?"
She shrugged. "I think that Alex only knows how to do one thing when there is a vagina involved."
He laid his head on the island. "You’re not helping."
Izzie leaned on her elbows, watching him. "You really need to get some sleep. And you need to change clothes. You’re going to get catch a cold or something."
He didn’t lift his head. "I don’t have anything. And my mother has kicked me out of the house. Callie’s kicked me out of the hotel and I can’t remember where I parked my car."
"You left your old robe here. The black one. I’ll go get it and you put your clothes in the washer, okay?"
When he nodded, she hurried up the stairs and retrieved his robe from her bedroom. She lifted it to her nose, inhaling his scent as she did every night, and then returned to the kitchen. She found him in the laundry room, a towel around his waist, and held out the robe. Biting her bottom lip, she gazed at his bare chest. It wasn’t quite as impressive as she had recalled. Neither were his legs.
"Cristina is in Alex’s bed and Derek and Meredith had a fight so he’s on the sofa. Looks like you’re camping in my room. You want the sleeping bag or the bed?"
"I’ll take the sleeping bag." He slipped the robe on and followed behind her, his mind conjuring up images of Callie in her brown dress, in Alex’s arms. It twisted his heart, ate away at his pride. It hurt. Gut deep.
Ten minutes later, he rolled onto his stomach and sighed as tears blinded him again. He thought he had cried enough, but he was wrong so he gave in. The floor creaked and then Izzie’s hand was on his back and she was whispering that it was okay, that Callie would come home, that he could would see her soon. She promised to be nice to his wife, to really try to be her friend, to help George win her back.
And then they were kissing and she was naked and George was inside her. And then she realized that he had softened a moment later and he pulled out and away before he got off.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
He did the same.
Izzie lay next to him on the floor and despite the fact that she had not enjoyed an orgasm, her body was not left wanting. It was silent, seemingly protesting such an odd invasion. She was disgusted. She finally sat up and still naked, gazed at him. "George-"
"Jesus Christ, Izzie. What the hell was that?"
"Horrible, gross, and wrong?"
They looked at each other and burst into laughter. They laughed long and hard. They laughed the way they used to before they had complicated their friendship with sex.
"It was different when we were drunk," George said, still chuckling.
"Everything is," she replied, biting her bottom lip as her smile faded. "I - I think maybe we were completely wrong about each other. I just - I don’t see you that way, George. Or feel it."
"We never did. It was the alcohol." George put his hand over his eyes. "I always knew we were wrong together. When I kissed you in the elevator I felt it. It was like - you’re my best friend, Izzie, and that’s all it is. You’re *family*."
"You’re right." She touched his arm and he sat up, looking at her. "We’ll never talk about this. No one has to know."
"Someone already does." Cristina stood in the partially opened doorway, gazing at them in shock and disbelief. "You two deserve each other. McBastard and McBitch."
*~*~*~*~*~
Dun dun dun ...
I was going to write full out Gizzard smut, but I vomited every time I tried. So, that's what you got. :)