(no subject)
Title: Ready For A Fall (20/?)
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17 (but only vaguely)
Pairing: Addison/Mark, Callie/George, Callie/Alex, George/Izzie, Meredith/Derek
Summary: Sometimes it hurts to fall, but if you're lucky someone may catch you. And they may be falling, too.
A/N: This chapter has made me laugh my ass off. It was time to bring in the fun and oh, I so brought it. It has been broughten. ;-)
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Nine
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Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
*~*~*~*~*~
To laugh often and love much... to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others ... this is to have succeeded.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
*~*~*~*~*~
Addison could not concentrate on the movie. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and put a handful of popcorn in her mouth. Mark smelled like heaven and he looked even better in his black, button down shirt that was exposing enough of his chest to make her imagine running her fingers - no, she couldn’t go there. They were only thirty minutes into the three hour war epic and she needed to concentrate.
Biting her bottom lip, she watched as the muscle bound gladiator on the screen began to fight with an equally impressive male specimen. Mark had dressed similarly for Halloween once. She had been married to Derek at the time, but she still enjoyed the view of his thighs and the -
Oh god, she was never going to make it.
She reached into the popcorn bag again and her hand brushed his. He may as well have brushed against her inner thigh because she shuddered as if he had. Biting her lip, she looked at him. He appeared to be engrossed in the film, but there was a twinkle in his eye that had not been put there by all the blood and gore. As she watched, he lifted his hand to his mouth and slowly licked the butter off his digits. She held her breath until he was finished.
He glanced at her then and pointed at the screen.
Addison crossed her arms over her chest and blew the errant strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead out of the way. She was just beginning to pay attention to the subtitles when he set the bag aside and casually rested his hand on her leg. Shifting a little, she looked at the couple who sat six seats away from them, then put her hand on top of his and pulled it a little higher, under the edge of her skirt.
The stoic look on his face remained firmly in place when he felt the top of her thigh highs and she didn’t mind much. She reacted enough for the both of them when he slid his pinky under the tight lace at the top and rubbed her skin. She sucked in her breath and promptly loosened a popcorn kernel that she had not realized was stuck in her teeth. Choking, she drank several mouthfuls of her Coke and narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to laugh at her.
Thoroughly embarrassed by the glances that people shot her way, she sank a little lower in the seat and crossed her legs to quell the ever present throbbing. Addison was built for sex. Her body required it like oxygen and she was suffocating. She sighed and glanced at Mark again, who was laughing at something on the screen. She braced her elbow on the armrest and her cheek in her palm and read the subtitles again. Who the fuck really cared if something was under siege? She was under siege! Her hormones had planned a strategic attack and Mark was their captain.
When he lifted his own armrest and moved a little closer, she jumped. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him, running his fingers through her hair. She slipped of her heel and let her foot glide over his calf as she leaned into him, kissing his jaw, then his throat. He moved his hand to the back of her head and trailed his fingers along the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck. Chills ran up and down her spine and her breath caught. "Mark, let’s just go."
He shook his head, but continued the assault on her flesh. She crossed her legs the other way and shifted her weight in the seat to no avail. The pulsating desire that pushed all the blood to her center soon became a dull ache and when Mark kissed her ear, it was full blown pain. She hissed and clutched at her lower belly, frowning. When she opened her legs a little to try to get comfortable, she felt a sticky wetness that had nothing at all to do with passion.
"Fuck!" she exclaimed. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
"Shhhhh!" A man two rows ahead of them had turned and put his finger over his lips.
Addison stood, grabbed her purse, and made sure to step on Mark’s foot as she stalked out of the theater. In the bathroom, her worst fears were confirmed. Her period had arrived with a vengeance and she wasn’t wearing panties. Luckily, her skirt was black and the bathroom was empty so she was able to wet enough napkins to clean up. She did not, however, have a tampon handy so she inserted three quarters into the feminine napkin machine and turned the dial.
The tampon didn’t drop all the way. "I hate my life," she growled. "Hating the fucking life."
Leaning down, she peered up into the slot and saw the tiny box containing the tampon was wedged, having fallen incorrectly. Putting her purse on the floor at her feet, she gently inserted her right hand and attempted to dislodge it. Her fingertips brushed the box, but didn’t move it. Pushing harder, she was able to wrap her index and middle finger around the edges and pulled. The box dropped.
Her hand did *not*.
Ten minutes later, a steady line of women began to trickle into the bathroom. Apparently a movie had just let out and Addison tried to appear innocuous as the crowd swarmed around her. She whistled, she leaned against the machine as if her hand wasn’t lodged inside it, and she didn’t make eye contact with anyone. She glanced out of the corner of her eye when she noticed that two women had paused a few feet from her. When they moved closer, she made a face.
"Ma’am?"
"Yes?" Addison asked innocently.
"You’re bleeding."
One of the women pointed at the floor and Addison glanced down. A few drops of blood had fallen between her shoes and she quickly closed her legs. "I’m very sorry to ask this, but could one of you get the manager?"
The manager turned out to be an eighteen year old, pimple faced boy who looked at her and the blood on the floor as if she were a hairball that had been coughed up by a horny gorilla. He didn’t have the key to open the machine, but he did have a walkie-talkie, which he used to broadcast that some chick had gotten her hand stuck in the tampon machine. Someone in the concession stand had the bright idea of spraying butter onto her hand and after another fifteen minutes of failure, they decided to call the paramedics.
The fire department arrived first and Addison’s face was as red as the hair on her head and the many droplets of blood that had accumulated on the floor and run down her legs. A kind woman handed her a stack of napkins, but Addison couldn’t bend down far enough to clean herself very well. She used them as a stress reliever which she continually squeezed as the firemen unscrewed the machine from the wall and led her out into the atrium, where the stretcher awaited.
And there, in front of everyone, including Mark who was watching with wide eyed horror, they freed her hand. A very polite young EMT handed her a tampon and gave her a small smile. She snatched it and rushed back into the bathroom where she cleaned up once again. Thankfully, the room was empty when she went to wash her hands. She splashed her face to relieve some of the heat that was still in it and then, squaring her shoulders, she stalked back into the lobby.
Mark was leaning against the wall and when he saw her, he pointed at her and laughed so loud that it fairly boomed in the large, open space. She calmly walked to where he stood and swung her purse, hitting him in the gut. He put an arm around her and, choking on his laughter, led her into the parking lot. The medics were still loading their gear back into the ambulance and Mark thanked them, his arm tight around her shoulders.
He opened the passenger door of his BMW and helped her inside before he kneeled down beside her. "Addison, you are the best date I have *ever* had."
"Shut up."
"You’re funnier than any movie."
"Stop talking."
"You’re more entertaining than a football game."
"Don’t say another word."
"And I laugh more with you than I have ever laughed in my life."
"I will slit your throat."
"Just - how the hell did this happen?"
"I didn’t go to jail for assault." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So, God is assaulting me. And dooming me to three to five more days of sexual frustration."
Mark leaned into the car and kissed her. "What’s three to five more days, Addison? We’ve waited this long."
"I could strangle you."
"Not with your bare hands though, right? No telling where they’ve been."
When they arrived at the Archfield, Addison took a shower and accepted the warm, fuzzy pajamas that Mark held out to her. She held her stomach, grumbling about the pain and took two Midol. He pulled the cover back, helped her into the bed, and then kicked off his shoes and climbed in beside her. He massaged her stomach until she fell asleep and then he kissed her, whispered he loved her, and went to his own room.
He dreamed of her that night.
Just as he had done every night since she had left him in New York City.
*~*~*~*~*~
Two full days after leaving San Francisco, Callie and Alex arrived in Seattle. It was raining and cold and Callie had trouble navigating the choppy waters as she tried to find the spot she had rented for Goon Docks. The place she had chosen was in the middle of nowhere and insanely overpriced, but she had taken the one and only spot in a small cove that was both private and easily accessible on foot after a short hike through the woods from the parking lot. There was nothing around for miles, apart from the occasional boat that sailed past, but there were signs up that indicated that the cove was a residence. And the small inlet’s opening was just big enough for Goon Docks to get through, so she was shielded from onlookers when she was nestled behind the branches in the rounded cul-de-sac of the bay.
After scraping Goon Docks on several low hanging branches and rubbing her bottom against a few rocks, Callie finally found her new property and asked Alex to tie them off to the intricately designed deck that boasted a huge hot tub and a patio set for eight. She dropped the anchor and secured another rope to the dock, this one attached to the back of the yacht which still swayed in the rough waters even after it was secured. Then she leaned over the steering wheel, exhausted, and devastated that their joy ride had come to an end.
Alex joined her after three attempts at making the kind of knot she had taught him. He sat down in the chair next to hers and said, "It’s beautiful here. Secluded."
"Yeah."
"How far is this from the hospital?"
"About twenty minutes." She still had her head down. "Can we just leave again? We can sail to Alaska and live in the wilderness. We could be Amish. Or maybe Gypsies."
"You promised me that you were not going to worry."
She sighed. "We don’t have to be doctors. We could become pirates and just travel for the rest of our lives. I mean, we’ve practiced medicine. Been there, done that. *So* over it."
"I’m not," Alex told her. "Unless I failed the intern exam. If that’s the case then call me Captain Alex and give me dread locks and gold teeth. We can steal Gucci and sail the high seas."
She turned her head and smiled at him. "How do you think you did on the exam?"
"Are you hoping I failed?"
"You’d be cute with dread locks."
He stood up and stretched, then pulled her to her feet. "Let’s get out of the rain. Why don’t we get dressed, take a cab to the airstrip, pick up my jeep and then go to Joe’s."
She shook her head. "I’m not making any public appearances until the night of the party and only then because I have to. That’s two days away."
"You’d rather postpone the inevitable? You’d really rather see your parents and deal with everything during the party?"
"Yes. My parents will not kill me in front of our extended family. It wouldn’t look right and they’re all about appearances."
"Callie, let’s just get this over with. Come on."
She walked past him and down the stairs into the galley, where she opened a bottle of water and sipped it. "I’m really tired. That storm in Oregon took a lot out of me."
"You smiled the entire time, Cal. You enjoy that kinda thing." He took the bottle from her and set it on the counter. "We’re not hiding. It’s not wrong that we’re happy. Besides, I want to stop by the hospital and see Ava and I’m dying for you to meet her. You’ll love her."
"Why don’t we go see her the day of the party so that we’re all dressed up?"
"She’s not going to care what we’re wearing."
"I don’t want to go, Alex. I’m not ready."
"Then get ready. You look great, but if you want to change and -"
"I mean I’m not ready to face the world. I have forty-eight hours before I *have* to do it and I am not stepping off this yacht until I absolutely have no other choice." She looked up at him. "But if you want to go and see her and ... whatever ... then you should."
"You are an infuriating procrastinator, Gothika."
"And your sense of urgency is annoying as hell, Jock Strap." Callie grinned when thunder clapped and lightning was visible through the small salon window. "That’s a sign. A good Skipper knows how to read the signs. I can’t go because I may be struck by a lightning bolt."
"Lightning wouldn’t strike you, Callie. It would be afraid to." He grinned and stepped forward, kissing her. "We’re going to meet halfway because we’re good at that. We have forty-eight hours. The first twenty four of those will be spent hiding out. The next twenty four will be spent on the very firm, but probably soggy grounds of Seattle and we’re going to do it together."
"We’re not really gonna be hiding out. I’m inviting Cam over."
"Oh yeah?"
"His bark is worse than his bite. He’ll probably give you a hard time."
"In case you failed to notice the obvious, I like hard times."
"Ewww, scary mental place. You and my *brother*. With hard *anything*."
Alex pinned her back against the sink, laughing. "You are *not* funny."
Callie leaned forward and kissed him. "You know what else I’m not?"
"What?"
"Wearing panties. Wanna see?"
*~*~*~*~*~
Cambyses sighed when Blake told him, for the second time that day, that Melana had incredible taste in clothing. He listened to his boyfriend gush for ten more minutes before he laid his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. "Blake, are we ever going to talk about *anything* else?"
Blake flopped down beside him. "Yes. As soon as you agree to wear the assless pants to the party I will stop talking about your mother."
Cam lifted his head and glared. "You expect me to be around my grandparents who, by the way, all have heart conditions with assless pants on?"
"You knew your grandparents were coming when you made the bet with me. I *told* you that I would win your mother over if I got her alone for ten minutes and I did."
"I never dreamed that my mother would develop a split personality while we were here, Blake!"
"Well, she did and I win. So, pay up."
"I will wear them after the party. With you."
"That’s not the same." Blake leaned a little closer and pushed the other man’s hair back. "Nobody likes a man who goes back on his word."
"I will be a man who can never give you his word again if I do something this horrible. My mother will sharpen her nails on my still beating heart." Cam smiled. "But I will happily go commando under my leather, fully assed, pants. Just for you."
Blake looked thoughtful. "Rock, paper, scissors? If you win the first round you don’t have to wear the pants."
Cam held up his fists and played the game. He chose scissors, Blake chose paper. "I win!"
"Fine!" Blake crossed his arms. "At least one of us can keep their word in this relationship."
Kissing him on the neck, Cam said, "Always keep your words soft and sweet, Sugar Lips, in case you have to eat them later on."
Cam’s cell phone rang and he leaned forward, picking it up. "Breezy’s Mortuary. You kill ‘em, we fill ‘em."
"You’re such a moron," Callie replied, laughing. "We’re ba-ack. Want to come out and see my house? I am cooking lasagna and you can bring dessert. Blake, however, does not count as dessert so your ass better find something chocolate and rich."
"I am the king of chocolate and rich. Hang on." Cam leaned back and said, "Callie’s in town. You want to go see her?"
"DUH!" Blake popped his boyfriend on the back of the head and jumped up to grab his shoes.
"We’ll be there soon," Cam said, hanging up the phone. Two seconds later he called her back. "Uh, where is there?"
Callie laughed. "1900 Whisper Cove. It’s just off Oasis and Elliott. It’s a dirt road and I’m at the end. I’ll make sure the lights are on."
"Gotcha. See you in a few."
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie put the lasagna in the oven and glanced at Alex, who appeared to be engrossed in a baseball game. He looked handsome in his jeans and red shirt. She watched him lean forward as the crowd cheered at something and she wondered if he knew that he was stroking the watch she had given him. She noticed that he did it a lot. He took it off every night before bed, but reached for it first thing the following morning. It made her feel good, like he felt her a little when he touched it.
He caught her looking at him and smiled. "What?"
"Are you nervous?"
"No. Are you?"
She shook her head. "No, I’m really not."
They had set up the dining room table that bolted into the salon floor and pulled one side of the leather sectional away from the wall, putting bench seats on either side. It was not cramped, but it was definitely cozy. It would be amusing to watch Cam try to fit comfortably into the close quarters. Callie wasn’t concerned though. Cam could usually roll with the flow. Usually. She wanted him to like Alex. She needed him to like Alex.
What if he didn’t? What if he told her in front of Alex that they were being compulsive and moving too quickly?
Her brow furrowed and she pulled off the apron that covered her black pants and red velvet tank top. "Shit. It’s pitch black outside. I have to go turn on the lights. I’ll be right back."
Picking up a flashlight, she pulled on her Alcatraz jacket and darted up the stairs. Her cell phone was in her pocket and as she hopped off Goon Docks and searched around for the light switch, she called Cam. He didn’t answer and she swore and stuck the phone back in her pocket. Surely her brother would not be rude to Alex. Surely he would be polite and decent and -
Her phone rang and she groaned, digging it back out of her tight pants. "What?!"
"Don’t ‘what’ me! You called me!" Cam told her. "And what the hell, Callie? We’re at the end of the damn dirt road which screams ‘Deliverance’ and it’s freaking me out. If I hear banjo music I will cover my ass with both hands and run."
"You sure do got a purty mouth." She laughed when he called her a very dirty name. "I can’t find the lights so I’ll come and get you."
"For every minute that we stand here there is a greater chance of being raped and plundered by ... oh my god, Blake, what was that?"
Callie heard Blake announce that he was getting back in the car and shook her head. "The two of you are such *girls*."
"Are there poisonous snakes around here?"
"I’m on my way, but if you start screaming like a woman then I’m just going to piss my pants laughing and leave you hanging." Callie began to climb the steep wooden stairway that led to the trail. "Good lord, what was I thinking? This is harder than rock climbing. Start down the trail, okay? It’s pretty open and there are solar powered lights."
"Solar powered by what? This is a place that even sun fears to tread. Come on, Blake! Get out of the damn car!"
Callie made it to the mouth of the trail and said, "I can hear you guys walking. Can you see my flashlight yet?"
"No. Wait, yes."
"Go into the light. Allll are welcome. Allll are welcome," Callie replied.
"Ahh!" Cam screeched into the phone. "Blake! That was not funny!"
"What did he do?" Callie asked, winded now.
"You do not pinch the ass of a man who thinks he just saw an El Chupacabra out of the corner of his eye."
Callie had to stop walking because she was laughing so hard. "You’re the biggest chicken shit that God ever put a soul in. It’s a good thing that I have absolutely zero fear of anything. I cannot be scared."
Alex grabbed her at that moment and she screamed so loud that several birds responded and a few took flight. She tossed her phone and then the flashlight. She attempted to run, but fell face first into the smelliest, muddiest puddle of stagnant water that had ever accumulated in the world. When she finally pushed herself up onto her knees she could hear laughter. Blake and Cam had apparently crashed through the trail when they heard her and Blake was crossing his legs like his bladder was about to pop. Cam had actually fallen to his knees and was practically hysterical.
Narrowing her eyes, Callie glanced to her left. Alex had picked up her flashlight and it was shaking so hard in his grip that even though she couldn’t see his face, she knew he was dying with laughter as well. "Alex?" she said softly.
"Huh?"
"Come here."
"No. The smell is really, really bad."
Cam laughed harder still, slapping his leg. Callie shook her hands off and then rubbed some of the water off her face. "Alex?"
"Yes, dear?"
"I’m going to give you a three second head start because I’m feeling generous, but when I catch you ... I’m drowning you."
"Awww, Gothika," he replied sweetly. "I wish that scared me, but ... I’ve been hanging out with you so I have zero fear of anything. I cannot be scared. Just like you."
Cam lost it entirely. He howled at Alex’s comment and cried, "I am going to ... piss ... my ... pants. She - she screamed like a big titted blond being stalked by a ... a ..."
"El Chupacabra!" Blake wheezed, slapping his knee while he fought to balance the chocolate cake they had picked up. "Look at her. She even did the run and tumble! Bwahahahahaha."
Callie pushed herself to her feet. "I hate all of you and if you *ever* tell *anyone* about this then I will break-"
"Every bone in our bodies. Blah blah blah." Alex chuckled, trying to get a handle on himself. He shined the light up and down his soggy girlfriend and put a hand over his nose to stifle the snort that erupted. "You look like ‘Carrie’."
"If I had telekinesis this is where I’d impale you with a big log!" She spun to face him. "One. Two. Three."
Alex dropped the flashlight when she lunged. He sprinted back down the trail and leaped down the worst of the stairs, landing on the dock. He was about to put on a burst of speed when he saw her launch herself at him. He turned to catch her and they both went off the side of the dock and into the frigid water of the bay. It felt like twenty trillion pin pricks and it caused every inch of him to protest. They both came up screaming from the shock and climbed back up the ladder faster than they had gone over.
Trembling, Callie raced for the yacht. "Make yourselves at home," she cried over her shoulder.
Cam watched Alex chase after her and said, "I like him. I really, really like him."
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie and Alex showered together, but refrained from doing anything more than fight over the hot water. He was struggling hard not to laugh at her, but he did tell her that she smelled like ass and insisted that he wash her hard to reach areas. Callie realized, as he stepped from the shower and handed her a towel, that he was too damn cute for his own good. She grabbed his arm and kissed him, saying, "I’m kicking your ass when they leave."
"Oh, no. How will I ever digest with such a gruesome threat hanging over my head?"
"Go entertain my brother and his man while I repair the damage that you caused."
Alex put on fresh clothing and walked down the hallway. Blake was checking the lasagna and had put the garlic bread in the oven. Alex introduced himself to Blake, then Cam, clasping their hands. "Sorry about before," he added. "She had it coming."
"She did. And you are one brave man to actually go there," Cam replied, openly appraising the new guy. "So, did you have a good time?"
"It was amazing," Alex replied, pulling the salad that he had prepped from the fridge. "Did she - uh - tell you about the shark?"
"I will be killing her for that just as soon as I can stand her smell."
That caused all three guys to dissolve into laughter again. They finished up the dinner and Alex was putting the last plate on the table when Callie emerged. She had changed into a pair of tight Yoga pants that flared at the bottom and a powder blue halter top that almost forced him to swallow his tongue. It laced down the front, leaving nothing to the imagination, and she was clearly braless. He looked her up and down, from her bare feet to her curly hair, which she had piled on top of her head. She had on no makeup, no bells and whistles, and she had never looked prettier.
"Good God," Blake said, also appraising her. "You’re ... you look ... wow."
"Okay, Nicole Richie," Cam told her, stalking across the room. He lifted her easily, his hands under her arms, and brought her to eye level. "Anorexia kills."
"Shut up." Callie hugged him tight. "I missed you."
Cam returned the hug, not letting her feet touch the ground. "I missed you more."
"I missed you most."
He finally set her on her feet and held up his fist. Callie did the same and they cracked their knuckles together. "Wonder Twin powers, activate!"
Alex smiled and glanced at Blake, who was watching their exchange with the same amused expression he was. "Are they always like this?"
"You do know that they have the monkey and everything, right?"
"Gucci isn’t as cool as Gleek," Cam said, putting his arm around Callie. "So, let’s see the ink."
Callie turned and lifted her shirt. "I’m officially addicted. I’m getting another one as soon as I can."
Cam leaned down, looking at it. "I like it. Let me guess ... the bird reminds you that you can still fly."
Callie nodded. "Pretty much. And fly is exactly what I did."
"Through the storm of the century," Alex added. "Your sister? Might be a little insane."
"We all go a little crazy sometimes." Callie moved around her brother and hugged Blake. "Like you. What are you doing falling under our mother’s spell?"
"She has the *best* taste in clothes."
Callie pretended to heave and looked back at her brother. "I can give her a big ol’ shot to keep her in bed for the party."
"Don’t you dare! She has been teaching me the cumbia and promises to dance with me." Blake tugged a lock of Callie’s hair that had fallen. "You know your brother only headbangs."
Callie looked sympathetic. "It’s the only part of him that has any rhythm."
Cam swatted her with the dishtowel and she yelped. "*You* stole all the rhythm in the womb, you succubus."
"I stole the good looks, too." Callie stuck her tongue out at him. "Let’s eat. I’ll give you the grand tour afterwards."
They all took their seats and Callie held the bread basket out to Cam, who grabbed her wrist and looked at the bracelet Alex had given her. "That’s gorgeous," he told her. "Are those real opals?"
"They are," Alex replied, taking a slice of bread for himself. "I knew it was for her when I saw it."
"Sharks are your thing," Blake said. "Every couple has a special thing and sharks are yours."
"It *was* a shark that made her see reason," Alex replied. "For once."
"Oh, I was seeing reason," Callie said. "But I was too pissed at you to be *reasonable*, Mr. Oscar Worthy Exit."
"I think I made up for that by almost dying for you."
"I think I’ll decide when you’ve made up enough. And I’m pretty sure it will involve massage oil and deep tissue."
"If you really want to give me a massage then that’s fine. I’ll let you." Alex handed her the salad dressing. "But if you massage like you sail then -"
Her mouth dropped open. "I happen to be a nautical genius."
"Riiiiiight," Cam interrupted. "She sank our Uncle’s yacht. Alex, you deserve a purple star for sailing with her anywhere."
"I did not!" Callie kicked her brother under the table. "You sank that yacht."
"I was *driving*. How could *I* sink it?"
"By driving it? Am I the only one who remembers that we were mostly airborne? And I am officially changing the subject." Callie said. "Have you met Addison yet?"
"Looooooove Adddddddison!" Blake and Cam answered in the same rapturous tone.
"She’s great," Cambyses added. "And she seems to like you for some reason, Callie."
"There’s a lot of that going around." Alex put his hand on her leg under the table.
Callie leaned against him and smiled when he kissed her. Alex had absolutely no problem with public displays of affection and that suited her just fine. She glanced back at Cam and said, "Are a lot of people already here for this gathering of insanity?"
"The Archfield is at capacity. No vacancies."
"Ugh." Callie put a hand on her forehead. "If I try really hard I could probably make myself sick."
"How hard were you trying when you almost died?" Cam asked softly. He waited patiently for Callie to meet his eyes. "If you had said something, anything, to me on the phone I would have dropped everything and been on a plane. And you should have said something because what you did -"
"She knows, dude," Alex replied, putting an arm around her. "She knows. You can’t say anything to her that I haven’t covered and because I’ve covered it really well I think we should talk about something else."
"Good idea," Blake interjected, picking up on the tension in Callie’s body. "Let’s talk about the fact that Callie no longer has a car."
"What?" She looked up, eyes wide. "Did you freaks wreck my car?"
"Dad gave your mealy mouthed ex twenty five grand, your ugly little car, and everything else you guys bought together to make him sign the divorce papers."
"He signed it?"
"He did." Cambyses studied her closely, watching her reaction. "He was too scared to deliver the papers himself, though. He had some red haired girl, homely looking, drop them off at the front desk of the hotel. I followed her back out and started to kick his ass for the hell of it, but he locked his door and they sped off."
"So, it’s over." Callie’s smile was slow to build, but when it finally came it was breathtaking. "I’m free."
"Well, *you* still have to sign them, but since it’s uncontested and ready to roll then it should be over before you know it." Blake put another helping of lasagna on his plate. "This is good."
"Everything’s good. Every single aspect of my life is good." She turned to Alex. "And some things are perfect."
Alex kissed her again, he couldn’t help himself. When he pulled away, he pointed at her barely touched food. "If you don’t eat, I’m putting you back in the mud hole and you can eat it there."
She picked up her fork and took several bites and Cam nodded his approval at Alex, who winked at him. Blake said, "What are you wearing to the party?"
"Red," Callie replied, nodding. "It’s strappy, backless, and flowy. I also taught my date here how to dance at Johnny Salsa’s and we will make an impressive duo."
"Uh, Cal, that reminds me." Cam swallowed hard. "Mario and Anita called Mom and told her that they had met your husband. Alexander *George*."
"So?"
"So, she had the phone on speaker and all of our aunts and uncles were within earshot."
Callie’s jaw dropped. "Soooo?"
"So, Mom has decided that your punishment for running off is that she’s not telling our relatives about your divorce." Cam pointed at Alex. "She’s gonna let him keep pretending to be your ... husband."
Her jaw dropped even further and her fork clanked onto her plate. "I’m leaving for Alaska as soon as we’re done here. I think I could live with bears. I understand lines of deliciousness and -"
"You would be eaten in less than an hour." Alex turned in his seat, picked up her fork, handed it to her, and said, "I can do this. Mr. Oscar Worthy, remember? Besides, I have seen ‘The Wedding Date’ and ‘A Walk in the Clouds’ plenty of times."
"Alex, this will not be a romantic movie, okay? This will be ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ or ‘Amityville Horror’."
"Nah," Cam said, shaking his head. "With our family it will be ‘Mommy Dearest’ meets ‘The Fockers’."
"There will be carnage. Blood and gore." Callie shook her head. "She will go ‘Braveheart’ on me and ‘Psycho’ on Alex."
"She won’t," Blake assured her. "She can’t wait to see you two together. She told me so. And anyone can see that you’re happy, Cal."
"It will be fine," Alex promised. "Completely fine."
"Famous last words of a fool?" Callie asked Cam, nodding her head at Alex. "Or out of the mouth of babes?"
"Famous last words from a babe?" Blake suggested.
Cam popped him on the arm.
The light mood returned as quickly as it had faded and after dinner and a tour of Goon Docks, Cam drove them all to the airstrip where Alex and Callie retrieved his jeep. They said goodnight and headed back toward the yacht. When they passed Seattle Grace, Alex looked longingly at the structure and said, "I wonder how Ava’s doing?"
"We can stop now if you want."
"It’s late." He looked at the time on the radio. "And I’ve been dealing with not having you to myself for long enough."
Callie smiled at him. "We spent *three* hours with my family."
"That’s three hours that you were not naked, baby. But just naked enough to get to me."
"You know, I think I like it when you call me baby better than Gothika. Or Elvira."
"Awww, does Morticia have a soft spot?"
"You know I do. And you know exactly how to touch it."
He swallowed hard. "Wanna do it in the car?"
"Pull over."
They had the windows steamed in less than five minutes and when they finally broke apart thirty minutes after that, Alex let his head fall back against the seat. "Jesus Christ. You know, I said you were acrobatic, but I didn’t really realize that it was true until right now."
"I could sing ‘I Tumble For You’ by Boy George if you want."
"Baby, you could sing the phone book and make it good."
Callie smiled as she righted her shirt, still straddling him. "So, you’re gonna keep calling me that?"
"I am."
"We’ll never make it back to the yacht if you keep doing it."
"Oh, baby, baby, how was I supposed to know," Alex nasally warbled the opening bars of the Britney Spears’ tune.
Callie threw her head back and howled with laughter. "Never do that again if you want to see me naked."
He was kissing the hollow of her throat when someone knocked on the window. Callie wiped the fog from the glass and peered out. Addison stood outside the jeep, her arms crossed over her chest. Callie, naked below the waist, rolled the window down four inches. "Hey, Addison. Miss me?"
"Are you having sex?"
"Yep," Callie replied seriously.
"In the parking lot of a supermarket?!" Addison growled.
"It’s closed," Alex told her, grinning as he lowered the window two more inches. "What are you doing?"
"*Not* having sex!" Addison crossed her arms. "Because my period came two days ago, I got stuck in the tampon machine, and Mark Sloan is loving every minute of the frustrated, orgasm-free life that *I* got us into in the first place. 'Sixty days', I said. 'Sixty days!" Because I'm an idiot. And to add insult to injury, I recognized your jeep and saw it rocking."
"So, you came knocking?" Callie asked. "You obviously don’t know the rules."
"Get your ass out here, Torres."
Callie sighed and rolled up the window. She climbed over the console, back into her seat and fished her pants from the floorboard. She wiggled into them, stuffed her feet back into her flip flops, and bounded out the car. Addison met her halfway, hugging her.
They embraced, rocking slightly and Addison finally said, "Yeah, I missed you, tramp. I missed the hell out of you. If you don’t invite me next time I’ll kick your ass."
"You’re feisty as hell lately. Have you beat up anyone other than Snow Wart and the Lusty Dwarf?"
"I had PMS at the time, okay? It would probably hold up in court. And when did you get so skinny?"
"You can see a rocking jeep from the red light, but you just now notice that I’m wasting away?"
"It’s too much sex. You burn like, twelve calories per thrust. Apparently you are a thrusting lust puppy." Addison tugged at her shoulder. "Turn around. Let me see if you still have junk in the trunk."
Callie turned. "Do not touch my J-Lo ass. It's sacred."
"You dirty whore! You got a tattoo!" Addison lifted her shirt. "It practically screams ‘I’m easy’!"
"No, it screams ‘I’m a sure thing’. Why do you think we were having sex at a supermarket?"
Alex had climbed out of the jeep was watching their reunion with amusement. He leaned back against his car, crossed his legs and listened to their *girl* talk. It was animated, funny, and punctuated with the weirdest things he had ever heard two adult women say to one another and he loved every second of it. For the first time in his life he had a *girlfriend*. An actual *girlfriend* who made him happy, shared her life, shared her secrets, and accepted him. Just like he was.
Mark Sloan pulled up a moment later, but went unnoticed by either woman. He stood beside Alex, listening to bits and pieces of their conversation. "She looks happy," he finally told Alex. "Callie. She looks better."
"Yeah, she does. She is."
"They’re really close. Best friends."
"They are."
"Are we supposed to be close?" Mark asked, glancing at Alex. "Because I’m going to marry Addison one day and if you plan on hanging around Torres then we should probably be close."
Alex raised his brow. "Do you like baseball?"
"Love it. Do you like football?"
"NFL or college?"
"Both."
"Yes."
"Okay, we’re buds." Mark shrugged. "Want to go get a beer sometime?"
"Sure. Wanna get your girl away from mine so I can take her home?"
Mark smiled at him. "That’s what friends are for."
*~*~*~*~*~
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17 (but only vaguely)
Pairing: Addison/Mark, Callie/George, Callie/Alex, George/Izzie, Meredith/Derek
Summary: Sometimes it hurts to fall, but if you're lucky someone may catch you. And they may be falling, too.
A/N: This chapter has made me laugh my ass off. It was time to bring in the fun and oh, I so brought it. It has been broughten. ;-)
One
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Five
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Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
*~*~*~*~*~
To laugh often and love much... to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others ... this is to have succeeded.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
*~*~*~*~*~
Addison could not concentrate on the movie. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and put a handful of popcorn in her mouth. Mark smelled like heaven and he looked even better in his black, button down shirt that was exposing enough of his chest to make her imagine running her fingers - no, she couldn’t go there. They were only thirty minutes into the three hour war epic and she needed to concentrate.
Biting her bottom lip, she watched as the muscle bound gladiator on the screen began to fight with an equally impressive male specimen. Mark had dressed similarly for Halloween once. She had been married to Derek at the time, but she still enjoyed the view of his thighs and the -
Oh god, she was never going to make it.
She reached into the popcorn bag again and her hand brushed his. He may as well have brushed against her inner thigh because she shuddered as if he had. Biting her lip, she looked at him. He appeared to be engrossed in the film, but there was a twinkle in his eye that had not been put there by all the blood and gore. As she watched, he lifted his hand to his mouth and slowly licked the butter off his digits. She held her breath until he was finished.
He glanced at her then and pointed at the screen.
Addison crossed her arms over her chest and blew the errant strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead out of the way. She was just beginning to pay attention to the subtitles when he set the bag aside and casually rested his hand on her leg. Shifting a little, she looked at the couple who sat six seats away from them, then put her hand on top of his and pulled it a little higher, under the edge of her skirt.
The stoic look on his face remained firmly in place when he felt the top of her thigh highs and she didn’t mind much. She reacted enough for the both of them when he slid his pinky under the tight lace at the top and rubbed her skin. She sucked in her breath and promptly loosened a popcorn kernel that she had not realized was stuck in her teeth. Choking, she drank several mouthfuls of her Coke and narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to laugh at her.
Thoroughly embarrassed by the glances that people shot her way, she sank a little lower in the seat and crossed her legs to quell the ever present throbbing. Addison was built for sex. Her body required it like oxygen and she was suffocating. She sighed and glanced at Mark again, who was laughing at something on the screen. She braced her elbow on the armrest and her cheek in her palm and read the subtitles again. Who the fuck really cared if something was under siege? She was under siege! Her hormones had planned a strategic attack and Mark was their captain.
When he lifted his own armrest and moved a little closer, she jumped. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him, running his fingers through her hair. She slipped of her heel and let her foot glide over his calf as she leaned into him, kissing his jaw, then his throat. He moved his hand to the back of her head and trailed his fingers along the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck. Chills ran up and down her spine and her breath caught. "Mark, let’s just go."
He shook his head, but continued the assault on her flesh. She crossed her legs the other way and shifted her weight in the seat to no avail. The pulsating desire that pushed all the blood to her center soon became a dull ache and when Mark kissed her ear, it was full blown pain. She hissed and clutched at her lower belly, frowning. When she opened her legs a little to try to get comfortable, she felt a sticky wetness that had nothing at all to do with passion.
"Fuck!" she exclaimed. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck."
"Shhhhh!" A man two rows ahead of them had turned and put his finger over his lips.
Addison stood, grabbed her purse, and made sure to step on Mark’s foot as she stalked out of the theater. In the bathroom, her worst fears were confirmed. Her period had arrived with a vengeance and she wasn’t wearing panties. Luckily, her skirt was black and the bathroom was empty so she was able to wet enough napkins to clean up. She did not, however, have a tampon handy so she inserted three quarters into the feminine napkin machine and turned the dial.
The tampon didn’t drop all the way. "I hate my life," she growled. "Hating the fucking life."
Leaning down, she peered up into the slot and saw the tiny box containing the tampon was wedged, having fallen incorrectly. Putting her purse on the floor at her feet, she gently inserted her right hand and attempted to dislodge it. Her fingertips brushed the box, but didn’t move it. Pushing harder, she was able to wrap her index and middle finger around the edges and pulled. The box dropped.
Her hand did *not*.
Ten minutes later, a steady line of women began to trickle into the bathroom. Apparently a movie had just let out and Addison tried to appear innocuous as the crowd swarmed around her. She whistled, she leaned against the machine as if her hand wasn’t lodged inside it, and she didn’t make eye contact with anyone. She glanced out of the corner of her eye when she noticed that two women had paused a few feet from her. When they moved closer, she made a face.
"Ma’am?"
"Yes?" Addison asked innocently.
"You’re bleeding."
One of the women pointed at the floor and Addison glanced down. A few drops of blood had fallen between her shoes and she quickly closed her legs. "I’m very sorry to ask this, but could one of you get the manager?"
The manager turned out to be an eighteen year old, pimple faced boy who looked at her and the blood on the floor as if she were a hairball that had been coughed up by a horny gorilla. He didn’t have the key to open the machine, but he did have a walkie-talkie, which he used to broadcast that some chick had gotten her hand stuck in the tampon machine. Someone in the concession stand had the bright idea of spraying butter onto her hand and after another fifteen minutes of failure, they decided to call the paramedics.
The fire department arrived first and Addison’s face was as red as the hair on her head and the many droplets of blood that had accumulated on the floor and run down her legs. A kind woman handed her a stack of napkins, but Addison couldn’t bend down far enough to clean herself very well. She used them as a stress reliever which she continually squeezed as the firemen unscrewed the machine from the wall and led her out into the atrium, where the stretcher awaited.
And there, in front of everyone, including Mark who was watching with wide eyed horror, they freed her hand. A very polite young EMT handed her a tampon and gave her a small smile. She snatched it and rushed back into the bathroom where she cleaned up once again. Thankfully, the room was empty when she went to wash her hands. She splashed her face to relieve some of the heat that was still in it and then, squaring her shoulders, she stalked back into the lobby.
Mark was leaning against the wall and when he saw her, he pointed at her and laughed so loud that it fairly boomed in the large, open space. She calmly walked to where he stood and swung her purse, hitting him in the gut. He put an arm around her and, choking on his laughter, led her into the parking lot. The medics were still loading their gear back into the ambulance and Mark thanked them, his arm tight around her shoulders.
He opened the passenger door of his BMW and helped her inside before he kneeled down beside her. "Addison, you are the best date I have *ever* had."
"Shut up."
"You’re funnier than any movie."
"Stop talking."
"You’re more entertaining than a football game."
"Don’t say another word."
"And I laugh more with you than I have ever laughed in my life."
"I will slit your throat."
"Just - how the hell did this happen?"
"I didn’t go to jail for assault." She crossed her arms over her chest. "So, God is assaulting me. And dooming me to three to five more days of sexual frustration."
Mark leaned into the car and kissed her. "What’s three to five more days, Addison? We’ve waited this long."
"I could strangle you."
"Not with your bare hands though, right? No telling where they’ve been."
When they arrived at the Archfield, Addison took a shower and accepted the warm, fuzzy pajamas that Mark held out to her. She held her stomach, grumbling about the pain and took two Midol. He pulled the cover back, helped her into the bed, and then kicked off his shoes and climbed in beside her. He massaged her stomach until she fell asleep and then he kissed her, whispered he loved her, and went to his own room.
He dreamed of her that night.
Just as he had done every night since she had left him in New York City.
*~*~*~*~*~
Two full days after leaving San Francisco, Callie and Alex arrived in Seattle. It was raining and cold and Callie had trouble navigating the choppy waters as she tried to find the spot she had rented for Goon Docks. The place she had chosen was in the middle of nowhere and insanely overpriced, but she had taken the one and only spot in a small cove that was both private and easily accessible on foot after a short hike through the woods from the parking lot. There was nothing around for miles, apart from the occasional boat that sailed past, but there were signs up that indicated that the cove was a residence. And the small inlet’s opening was just big enough for Goon Docks to get through, so she was shielded from onlookers when she was nestled behind the branches in the rounded cul-de-sac of the bay.
After scraping Goon Docks on several low hanging branches and rubbing her bottom against a few rocks, Callie finally found her new property and asked Alex to tie them off to the intricately designed deck that boasted a huge hot tub and a patio set for eight. She dropped the anchor and secured another rope to the dock, this one attached to the back of the yacht which still swayed in the rough waters even after it was secured. Then she leaned over the steering wheel, exhausted, and devastated that their joy ride had come to an end.
Alex joined her after three attempts at making the kind of knot she had taught him. He sat down in the chair next to hers and said, "It’s beautiful here. Secluded."
"Yeah."
"How far is this from the hospital?"
"About twenty minutes." She still had her head down. "Can we just leave again? We can sail to Alaska and live in the wilderness. We could be Amish. Or maybe Gypsies."
"You promised me that you were not going to worry."
She sighed. "We don’t have to be doctors. We could become pirates and just travel for the rest of our lives. I mean, we’ve practiced medicine. Been there, done that. *So* over it."
"I’m not," Alex told her. "Unless I failed the intern exam. If that’s the case then call me Captain Alex and give me dread locks and gold teeth. We can steal Gucci and sail the high seas."
She turned her head and smiled at him. "How do you think you did on the exam?"
"Are you hoping I failed?"
"You’d be cute with dread locks."
He stood up and stretched, then pulled her to her feet. "Let’s get out of the rain. Why don’t we get dressed, take a cab to the airstrip, pick up my jeep and then go to Joe’s."
She shook her head. "I’m not making any public appearances until the night of the party and only then because I have to. That’s two days away."
"You’d rather postpone the inevitable? You’d really rather see your parents and deal with everything during the party?"
"Yes. My parents will not kill me in front of our extended family. It wouldn’t look right and they’re all about appearances."
"Callie, let’s just get this over with. Come on."
She walked past him and down the stairs into the galley, where she opened a bottle of water and sipped it. "I’m really tired. That storm in Oregon took a lot out of me."
"You smiled the entire time, Cal. You enjoy that kinda thing." He took the bottle from her and set it on the counter. "We’re not hiding. It’s not wrong that we’re happy. Besides, I want to stop by the hospital and see Ava and I’m dying for you to meet her. You’ll love her."
"Why don’t we go see her the day of the party so that we’re all dressed up?"
"She’s not going to care what we’re wearing."
"I don’t want to go, Alex. I’m not ready."
"Then get ready. You look great, but if you want to change and -"
"I mean I’m not ready to face the world. I have forty-eight hours before I *have* to do it and I am not stepping off this yacht until I absolutely have no other choice." She looked up at him. "But if you want to go and see her and ... whatever ... then you should."
"You are an infuriating procrastinator, Gothika."
"And your sense of urgency is annoying as hell, Jock Strap." Callie grinned when thunder clapped and lightning was visible through the small salon window. "That’s a sign. A good Skipper knows how to read the signs. I can’t go because I may be struck by a lightning bolt."
"Lightning wouldn’t strike you, Callie. It would be afraid to." He grinned and stepped forward, kissing her. "We’re going to meet halfway because we’re good at that. We have forty-eight hours. The first twenty four of those will be spent hiding out. The next twenty four will be spent on the very firm, but probably soggy grounds of Seattle and we’re going to do it together."
"We’re not really gonna be hiding out. I’m inviting Cam over."
"Oh yeah?"
"His bark is worse than his bite. He’ll probably give you a hard time."
"In case you failed to notice the obvious, I like hard times."
"Ewww, scary mental place. You and my *brother*. With hard *anything*."
Alex pinned her back against the sink, laughing. "You are *not* funny."
Callie leaned forward and kissed him. "You know what else I’m not?"
"What?"
"Wearing panties. Wanna see?"
*~*~*~*~*~
Cambyses sighed when Blake told him, for the second time that day, that Melana had incredible taste in clothing. He listened to his boyfriend gush for ten more minutes before he laid his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. "Blake, are we ever going to talk about *anything* else?"
Blake flopped down beside him. "Yes. As soon as you agree to wear the assless pants to the party I will stop talking about your mother."
Cam lifted his head and glared. "You expect me to be around my grandparents who, by the way, all have heart conditions with assless pants on?"
"You knew your grandparents were coming when you made the bet with me. I *told* you that I would win your mother over if I got her alone for ten minutes and I did."
"I never dreamed that my mother would develop a split personality while we were here, Blake!"
"Well, she did and I win. So, pay up."
"I will wear them after the party. With you."
"That’s not the same." Blake leaned a little closer and pushed the other man’s hair back. "Nobody likes a man who goes back on his word."
"I will be a man who can never give you his word again if I do something this horrible. My mother will sharpen her nails on my still beating heart." Cam smiled. "But I will happily go commando under my leather, fully assed, pants. Just for you."
Blake looked thoughtful. "Rock, paper, scissors? If you win the first round you don’t have to wear the pants."
Cam held up his fists and played the game. He chose scissors, Blake chose paper. "I win!"
"Fine!" Blake crossed his arms. "At least one of us can keep their word in this relationship."
Kissing him on the neck, Cam said, "Always keep your words soft and sweet, Sugar Lips, in case you have to eat them later on."
Cam’s cell phone rang and he leaned forward, picking it up. "Breezy’s Mortuary. You kill ‘em, we fill ‘em."
"You’re such a moron," Callie replied, laughing. "We’re ba-ack. Want to come out and see my house? I am cooking lasagna and you can bring dessert. Blake, however, does not count as dessert so your ass better find something chocolate and rich."
"I am the king of chocolate and rich. Hang on." Cam leaned back and said, "Callie’s in town. You want to go see her?"
"DUH!" Blake popped his boyfriend on the back of the head and jumped up to grab his shoes.
"We’ll be there soon," Cam said, hanging up the phone. Two seconds later he called her back. "Uh, where is there?"
Callie laughed. "1900 Whisper Cove. It’s just off Oasis and Elliott. It’s a dirt road and I’m at the end. I’ll make sure the lights are on."
"Gotcha. See you in a few."
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie put the lasagna in the oven and glanced at Alex, who appeared to be engrossed in a baseball game. He looked handsome in his jeans and red shirt. She watched him lean forward as the crowd cheered at something and she wondered if he knew that he was stroking the watch she had given him. She noticed that he did it a lot. He took it off every night before bed, but reached for it first thing the following morning. It made her feel good, like he felt her a little when he touched it.
He caught her looking at him and smiled. "What?"
"Are you nervous?"
"No. Are you?"
She shook her head. "No, I’m really not."
They had set up the dining room table that bolted into the salon floor and pulled one side of the leather sectional away from the wall, putting bench seats on either side. It was not cramped, but it was definitely cozy. It would be amusing to watch Cam try to fit comfortably into the close quarters. Callie wasn’t concerned though. Cam could usually roll with the flow. Usually. She wanted him to like Alex. She needed him to like Alex.
What if he didn’t? What if he told her in front of Alex that they were being compulsive and moving too quickly?
Her brow furrowed and she pulled off the apron that covered her black pants and red velvet tank top. "Shit. It’s pitch black outside. I have to go turn on the lights. I’ll be right back."
Picking up a flashlight, she pulled on her Alcatraz jacket and darted up the stairs. Her cell phone was in her pocket and as she hopped off Goon Docks and searched around for the light switch, she called Cam. He didn’t answer and she swore and stuck the phone back in her pocket. Surely her brother would not be rude to Alex. Surely he would be polite and decent and -
Her phone rang and she groaned, digging it back out of her tight pants. "What?!"
"Don’t ‘what’ me! You called me!" Cam told her. "And what the hell, Callie? We’re at the end of the damn dirt road which screams ‘Deliverance’ and it’s freaking me out. If I hear banjo music I will cover my ass with both hands and run."
"You sure do got a purty mouth." She laughed when he called her a very dirty name. "I can’t find the lights so I’ll come and get you."
"For every minute that we stand here there is a greater chance of being raped and plundered by ... oh my god, Blake, what was that?"
Callie heard Blake announce that he was getting back in the car and shook her head. "The two of you are such *girls*."
"Are there poisonous snakes around here?"
"I’m on my way, but if you start screaming like a woman then I’m just going to piss my pants laughing and leave you hanging." Callie began to climb the steep wooden stairway that led to the trail. "Good lord, what was I thinking? This is harder than rock climbing. Start down the trail, okay? It’s pretty open and there are solar powered lights."
"Solar powered by what? This is a place that even sun fears to tread. Come on, Blake! Get out of the damn car!"
Callie made it to the mouth of the trail and said, "I can hear you guys walking. Can you see my flashlight yet?"
"No. Wait, yes."
"Go into the light. Allll are welcome. Allll are welcome," Callie replied.
"Ahh!" Cam screeched into the phone. "Blake! That was not funny!"
"What did he do?" Callie asked, winded now.
"You do not pinch the ass of a man who thinks he just saw an El Chupacabra out of the corner of his eye."
Callie had to stop walking because she was laughing so hard. "You’re the biggest chicken shit that God ever put a soul in. It’s a good thing that I have absolutely zero fear of anything. I cannot be scared."
Alex grabbed her at that moment and she screamed so loud that several birds responded and a few took flight. She tossed her phone and then the flashlight. She attempted to run, but fell face first into the smelliest, muddiest puddle of stagnant water that had ever accumulated in the world. When she finally pushed herself up onto her knees she could hear laughter. Blake and Cam had apparently crashed through the trail when they heard her and Blake was crossing his legs like his bladder was about to pop. Cam had actually fallen to his knees and was practically hysterical.
Narrowing her eyes, Callie glanced to her left. Alex had picked up her flashlight and it was shaking so hard in his grip that even though she couldn’t see his face, she knew he was dying with laughter as well. "Alex?" she said softly.
"Huh?"
"Come here."
"No. The smell is really, really bad."
Cam laughed harder still, slapping his leg. Callie shook her hands off and then rubbed some of the water off her face. "Alex?"
"Yes, dear?"
"I’m going to give you a three second head start because I’m feeling generous, but when I catch you ... I’m drowning you."
"Awww, Gothika," he replied sweetly. "I wish that scared me, but ... I’ve been hanging out with you so I have zero fear of anything. I cannot be scared. Just like you."
Cam lost it entirely. He howled at Alex’s comment and cried, "I am going to ... piss ... my ... pants. She - she screamed like a big titted blond being stalked by a ... a ..."
"El Chupacabra!" Blake wheezed, slapping his knee while he fought to balance the chocolate cake they had picked up. "Look at her. She even did the run and tumble! Bwahahahahaha."
Callie pushed herself to her feet. "I hate all of you and if you *ever* tell *anyone* about this then I will break-"
"Every bone in our bodies. Blah blah blah." Alex chuckled, trying to get a handle on himself. He shined the light up and down his soggy girlfriend and put a hand over his nose to stifle the snort that erupted. "You look like ‘Carrie’."
"If I had telekinesis this is where I’d impale you with a big log!" She spun to face him. "One. Two. Three."
Alex dropped the flashlight when she lunged. He sprinted back down the trail and leaped down the worst of the stairs, landing on the dock. He was about to put on a burst of speed when he saw her launch herself at him. He turned to catch her and they both went off the side of the dock and into the frigid water of the bay. It felt like twenty trillion pin pricks and it caused every inch of him to protest. They both came up screaming from the shock and climbed back up the ladder faster than they had gone over.
Trembling, Callie raced for the yacht. "Make yourselves at home," she cried over her shoulder.
Cam watched Alex chase after her and said, "I like him. I really, really like him."
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie and Alex showered together, but refrained from doing anything more than fight over the hot water. He was struggling hard not to laugh at her, but he did tell her that she smelled like ass and insisted that he wash her hard to reach areas. Callie realized, as he stepped from the shower and handed her a towel, that he was too damn cute for his own good. She grabbed his arm and kissed him, saying, "I’m kicking your ass when they leave."
"Oh, no. How will I ever digest with such a gruesome threat hanging over my head?"
"Go entertain my brother and his man while I repair the damage that you caused."
Alex put on fresh clothing and walked down the hallway. Blake was checking the lasagna and had put the garlic bread in the oven. Alex introduced himself to Blake, then Cam, clasping their hands. "Sorry about before," he added. "She had it coming."
"She did. And you are one brave man to actually go there," Cam replied, openly appraising the new guy. "So, did you have a good time?"
"It was amazing," Alex replied, pulling the salad that he had prepped from the fridge. "Did she - uh - tell you about the shark?"
"I will be killing her for that just as soon as I can stand her smell."
That caused all three guys to dissolve into laughter again. They finished up the dinner and Alex was putting the last plate on the table when Callie emerged. She had changed into a pair of tight Yoga pants that flared at the bottom and a powder blue halter top that almost forced him to swallow his tongue. It laced down the front, leaving nothing to the imagination, and she was clearly braless. He looked her up and down, from her bare feet to her curly hair, which she had piled on top of her head. She had on no makeup, no bells and whistles, and she had never looked prettier.
"Good God," Blake said, also appraising her. "You’re ... you look ... wow."
"Okay, Nicole Richie," Cam told her, stalking across the room. He lifted her easily, his hands under her arms, and brought her to eye level. "Anorexia kills."
"Shut up." Callie hugged him tight. "I missed you."
Cam returned the hug, not letting her feet touch the ground. "I missed you more."
"I missed you most."
He finally set her on her feet and held up his fist. Callie did the same and they cracked their knuckles together. "Wonder Twin powers, activate!"
Alex smiled and glanced at Blake, who was watching their exchange with the same amused expression he was. "Are they always like this?"
"You do know that they have the monkey and everything, right?"
"Gucci isn’t as cool as Gleek," Cam said, putting his arm around Callie. "So, let’s see the ink."
Callie turned and lifted her shirt. "I’m officially addicted. I’m getting another one as soon as I can."
Cam leaned down, looking at it. "I like it. Let me guess ... the bird reminds you that you can still fly."
Callie nodded. "Pretty much. And fly is exactly what I did."
"Through the storm of the century," Alex added. "Your sister? Might be a little insane."
"We all go a little crazy sometimes." Callie moved around her brother and hugged Blake. "Like you. What are you doing falling under our mother’s spell?"
"She has the *best* taste in clothes."
Callie pretended to heave and looked back at her brother. "I can give her a big ol’ shot to keep her in bed for the party."
"Don’t you dare! She has been teaching me the cumbia and promises to dance with me." Blake tugged a lock of Callie’s hair that had fallen. "You know your brother only headbangs."
Callie looked sympathetic. "It’s the only part of him that has any rhythm."
Cam swatted her with the dishtowel and she yelped. "*You* stole all the rhythm in the womb, you succubus."
"I stole the good looks, too." Callie stuck her tongue out at him. "Let’s eat. I’ll give you the grand tour afterwards."
They all took their seats and Callie held the bread basket out to Cam, who grabbed her wrist and looked at the bracelet Alex had given her. "That’s gorgeous," he told her. "Are those real opals?"
"They are," Alex replied, taking a slice of bread for himself. "I knew it was for her when I saw it."
"Sharks are your thing," Blake said. "Every couple has a special thing and sharks are yours."
"It *was* a shark that made her see reason," Alex replied. "For once."
"Oh, I was seeing reason," Callie said. "But I was too pissed at you to be *reasonable*, Mr. Oscar Worthy Exit."
"I think I made up for that by almost dying for you."
"I think I’ll decide when you’ve made up enough. And I’m pretty sure it will involve massage oil and deep tissue."
"If you really want to give me a massage then that’s fine. I’ll let you." Alex handed her the salad dressing. "But if you massage like you sail then -"
Her mouth dropped open. "I happen to be a nautical genius."
"Riiiiiight," Cam interrupted. "She sank our Uncle’s yacht. Alex, you deserve a purple star for sailing with her anywhere."
"I did not!" Callie kicked her brother under the table. "You sank that yacht."
"I was *driving*. How could *I* sink it?"
"By driving it? Am I the only one who remembers that we were mostly airborne? And I am officially changing the subject." Callie said. "Have you met Addison yet?"
"Looooooove Adddddddison!" Blake and Cam answered in the same rapturous tone.
"She’s great," Cambyses added. "And she seems to like you for some reason, Callie."
"There’s a lot of that going around." Alex put his hand on her leg under the table.
Callie leaned against him and smiled when he kissed her. Alex had absolutely no problem with public displays of affection and that suited her just fine. She glanced back at Cam and said, "Are a lot of people already here for this gathering of insanity?"
"The Archfield is at capacity. No vacancies."
"Ugh." Callie put a hand on her forehead. "If I try really hard I could probably make myself sick."
"How hard were you trying when you almost died?" Cam asked softly. He waited patiently for Callie to meet his eyes. "If you had said something, anything, to me on the phone I would have dropped everything and been on a plane. And you should have said something because what you did -"
"She knows, dude," Alex replied, putting an arm around her. "She knows. You can’t say anything to her that I haven’t covered and because I’ve covered it really well I think we should talk about something else."
"Good idea," Blake interjected, picking up on the tension in Callie’s body. "Let’s talk about the fact that Callie no longer has a car."
"What?" She looked up, eyes wide. "Did you freaks wreck my car?"
"Dad gave your mealy mouthed ex twenty five grand, your ugly little car, and everything else you guys bought together to make him sign the divorce papers."
"He signed it?"
"He did." Cambyses studied her closely, watching her reaction. "He was too scared to deliver the papers himself, though. He had some red haired girl, homely looking, drop them off at the front desk of the hotel. I followed her back out and started to kick his ass for the hell of it, but he locked his door and they sped off."
"So, it’s over." Callie’s smile was slow to build, but when it finally came it was breathtaking. "I’m free."
"Well, *you* still have to sign them, but since it’s uncontested and ready to roll then it should be over before you know it." Blake put another helping of lasagna on his plate. "This is good."
"Everything’s good. Every single aspect of my life is good." She turned to Alex. "And some things are perfect."
Alex kissed her again, he couldn’t help himself. When he pulled away, he pointed at her barely touched food. "If you don’t eat, I’m putting you back in the mud hole and you can eat it there."
She picked up her fork and took several bites and Cam nodded his approval at Alex, who winked at him. Blake said, "What are you wearing to the party?"
"Red," Callie replied, nodding. "It’s strappy, backless, and flowy. I also taught my date here how to dance at Johnny Salsa’s and we will make an impressive duo."
"Uh, Cal, that reminds me." Cam swallowed hard. "Mario and Anita called Mom and told her that they had met your husband. Alexander *George*."
"So?"
"So, she had the phone on speaker and all of our aunts and uncles were within earshot."
Callie’s jaw dropped. "Soooo?"
"So, Mom has decided that your punishment for running off is that she’s not telling our relatives about your divorce." Cam pointed at Alex. "She’s gonna let him keep pretending to be your ... husband."
Her jaw dropped even further and her fork clanked onto her plate. "I’m leaving for Alaska as soon as we’re done here. I think I could live with bears. I understand lines of deliciousness and -"
"You would be eaten in less than an hour." Alex turned in his seat, picked up her fork, handed it to her, and said, "I can do this. Mr. Oscar Worthy, remember? Besides, I have seen ‘The Wedding Date’ and ‘A Walk in the Clouds’ plenty of times."
"Alex, this will not be a romantic movie, okay? This will be ‘Freddy vs. Jason’ or ‘Amityville Horror’."
"Nah," Cam said, shaking his head. "With our family it will be ‘Mommy Dearest’ meets ‘The Fockers’."
"There will be carnage. Blood and gore." Callie shook her head. "She will go ‘Braveheart’ on me and ‘Psycho’ on Alex."
"She won’t," Blake assured her. "She can’t wait to see you two together. She told me so. And anyone can see that you’re happy, Cal."
"It will be fine," Alex promised. "Completely fine."
"Famous last words of a fool?" Callie asked Cam, nodding her head at Alex. "Or out of the mouth of babes?"
"Famous last words from a babe?" Blake suggested.
Cam popped him on the arm.
The light mood returned as quickly as it had faded and after dinner and a tour of Goon Docks, Cam drove them all to the airstrip where Alex and Callie retrieved his jeep. They said goodnight and headed back toward the yacht. When they passed Seattle Grace, Alex looked longingly at the structure and said, "I wonder how Ava’s doing?"
"We can stop now if you want."
"It’s late." He looked at the time on the radio. "And I’ve been dealing with not having you to myself for long enough."
Callie smiled at him. "We spent *three* hours with my family."
"That’s three hours that you were not naked, baby. But just naked enough to get to me."
"You know, I think I like it when you call me baby better than Gothika. Or Elvira."
"Awww, does Morticia have a soft spot?"
"You know I do. And you know exactly how to touch it."
He swallowed hard. "Wanna do it in the car?"
"Pull over."
They had the windows steamed in less than five minutes and when they finally broke apart thirty minutes after that, Alex let his head fall back against the seat. "Jesus Christ. You know, I said you were acrobatic, but I didn’t really realize that it was true until right now."
"I could sing ‘I Tumble For You’ by Boy George if you want."
"Baby, you could sing the phone book and make it good."
Callie smiled as she righted her shirt, still straddling him. "So, you’re gonna keep calling me that?"
"I am."
"We’ll never make it back to the yacht if you keep doing it."
"Oh, baby, baby, how was I supposed to know," Alex nasally warbled the opening bars of the Britney Spears’ tune.
Callie threw her head back and howled with laughter. "Never do that again if you want to see me naked."
He was kissing the hollow of her throat when someone knocked on the window. Callie wiped the fog from the glass and peered out. Addison stood outside the jeep, her arms crossed over her chest. Callie, naked below the waist, rolled the window down four inches. "Hey, Addison. Miss me?"
"Are you having sex?"
"Yep," Callie replied seriously.
"In the parking lot of a supermarket?!" Addison growled.
"It’s closed," Alex told her, grinning as he lowered the window two more inches. "What are you doing?"
"*Not* having sex!" Addison crossed her arms. "Because my period came two days ago, I got stuck in the tampon machine, and Mark Sloan is loving every minute of the frustrated, orgasm-free life that *I* got us into in the first place. 'Sixty days', I said. 'Sixty days!" Because I'm an idiot. And to add insult to injury, I recognized your jeep and saw it rocking."
"So, you came knocking?" Callie asked. "You obviously don’t know the rules."
"Get your ass out here, Torres."
Callie sighed and rolled up the window. She climbed over the console, back into her seat and fished her pants from the floorboard. She wiggled into them, stuffed her feet back into her flip flops, and bounded out the car. Addison met her halfway, hugging her.
They embraced, rocking slightly and Addison finally said, "Yeah, I missed you, tramp. I missed the hell out of you. If you don’t invite me next time I’ll kick your ass."
"You’re feisty as hell lately. Have you beat up anyone other than Snow Wart and the Lusty Dwarf?"
"I had PMS at the time, okay? It would probably hold up in court. And when did you get so skinny?"
"You can see a rocking jeep from the red light, but you just now notice that I’m wasting away?"
"It’s too much sex. You burn like, twelve calories per thrust. Apparently you are a thrusting lust puppy." Addison tugged at her shoulder. "Turn around. Let me see if you still have junk in the trunk."
Callie turned. "Do not touch my J-Lo ass. It's sacred."
"You dirty whore! You got a tattoo!" Addison lifted her shirt. "It practically screams ‘I’m easy’!"
"No, it screams ‘I’m a sure thing’. Why do you think we were having sex at a supermarket?"
Alex had climbed out of the jeep was watching their reunion with amusement. He leaned back against his car, crossed his legs and listened to their *girl* talk. It was animated, funny, and punctuated with the weirdest things he had ever heard two adult women say to one another and he loved every second of it. For the first time in his life he had a *girlfriend*. An actual *girlfriend* who made him happy, shared her life, shared her secrets, and accepted him. Just like he was.
Mark Sloan pulled up a moment later, but went unnoticed by either woman. He stood beside Alex, listening to bits and pieces of their conversation. "She looks happy," he finally told Alex. "Callie. She looks better."
"Yeah, she does. She is."
"They’re really close. Best friends."
"They are."
"Are we supposed to be close?" Mark asked, glancing at Alex. "Because I’m going to marry Addison one day and if you plan on hanging around Torres then we should probably be close."
Alex raised his brow. "Do you like baseball?"
"Love it. Do you like football?"
"NFL or college?"
"Both."
"Yes."
"Okay, we’re buds." Mark shrugged. "Want to go get a beer sometime?"
"Sure. Wanna get your girl away from mine so I can take her home?"
Mark smiled at him. "That’s what friends are for."
*~*~*~*~*~