This Vicious Cycle Chapter 24
Meant to update earlier but I had a life the past few days so... yeah.
I think I'm ready to end this story. My mind's been thinking about other plot bunnies. BUT for some reason I still can't write the last chapters. Argh!
Anyway, enjoy TVC while you can! Hahaha.
As usual GA is not mine and thanks to Suz for her patience in beta-reading the whole thing. :)
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
“So, that was your husband.” Nathan stated the next day when he found Addison sitting alone at a table working on her laptop. “He’s also a doctor and works here?”
Addison finally looked up from her work and acknowledged Nathan. “Yes” she replied, not really knowing where he was taking the conversation.
“How long have you guys been married?” he asked.
“11 years.”
“And things are complicated?” he inquired, looking pointedly at her ringless finger.
“Complicated is one way to put it.” Addison answered, feeling a bit uncomfortable discussing her marriage.
Sensing Addison’s change in demeanor, Nathan ceased his inquisition. “Okay, you don’t want to talk about it. But, you know I’m here if you want to talk… about anything. We used to talk about almost everything. I’m a good listener, remember?” He offered with a charming smile.
Addison smiled back but didn’t say a word.
“So, have you been back to Boston lately?” Nathan asked, changing the subject.
“No, I haven’t. But we did go to Cape Cod five years ago” she answered.
“Ah…the Cape” Nathan said, shaking his head as memories came flooding through his head. “Remember the summer before senior year? You chose to stay in Massachusetts and slave the summer away just like the rest of us. Daddy’s girl waiting tables for the tourists.”
“It was a humbling experience.” She said of the memory.
“Savvy almost had a heart attack when she saw you mopping the floor” Nathan remarked and chuckled as he remembered the moment.
“Sav was just too snotty for her own good back then.”
“And when we came home, my mom would fuss over you, scolding me for letting you work. Did I tell you, Mom cried when she found the envelope you left?” He paused, thinking about his late mother and how she loved Addison dearly. “That was truly selfless, Addie. Giving my family every penny you earned for the summer. It really helped, especially with Mom’s medical bills.”
Both went silent as they remembered Mrs. Ross who passed away during the winter of their senior year, leaving Nathan responsible for his five siblings. His mom held a special place in Addison’s heart as she had lost hers at a young age and had welcomed Mrs. Ross’s mothering with open arms.
Addison reached over and squeezed Nathan’s arm for comfort. He turned towards her to acknowledge the gesture then shook the memory away. Nathan then went on to reminisce on another of their college adventures, eager to reconnect with Addison.
~ x ~ x ~ x ~
Nathan spent the following days reminiscing and reconnecting with Addison whenever she had a free moment. There were the lunches and coffee breaks but never outside the hospital. McGorgeous was spending too much time with the She-Shepherd and was being too casual and fresh about it. Everyone had noticed and as standard procedure in Seattle Grace, people started to gossip.
To quell the talk surrounding her friend, Bailey started to intervene by turning Nathan’s party of two into three. And when Callie figured out Bailey’s plan and her reason for doing it, she joined the action, especially when the gossip turned nasty and a pool had sprung on when Addison would turn adulterous again.
Of course, Derek heard about the gossip but chose to ignore it. He trusted Addison and believed that nothing was going on between her and Nathan. They were just two old friends catching up with one another. Derek ignored the hint of fear and jealousy when his brain reminded him that Addison and Nathan were no ordinary ‘college friends’.
As far as he could see though, the two were really just catching up with one another. Derek had even joined them at times, composing himself as the confident and trusting husband before he sat down beside Addison. He noticed that whenever he did just that, his wife would get this look on her face as if Addison was expecting Derek to do something. He interpreted it as Addison getting worried that he would accuse her of something so he would just smile at her and get the conversation going.
Derek would fail to notice Addison looking defeated and disappointed when he left the table.
~ x ~ x ~ x ~
“What have you got, Stevens?” Addison said as she arrived running towards Sara’s room. Izzie had paged her.
“Vaginal bleeding. Still waiting for the machine’s read out.” Izzie answered as she held on to the papers printing out.
Addison went to check on Sara, saw the blood and tried to hide the look of concern on her face.
“What’s happening, Addie?” said Nathan from Sara’s bedside where he was comforting his pained sister.
Addison approached Sara and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “We need to take the baby out now Sara.”
“But…but you said, we should wait another week. I’m not ready….my baby’s not ready.”
“We cannot wait any longer, Sara. You’re starting to bleed heavily. Don’t worry, you and the baby will be alright.” Addison said, comforting her distraught patient.
“Dr. Shepherd” Izzie interrupted quietly, trying to lower he voice as not to alert the patient. “We’ve got fetal distress.”
“Okay” she said, nodding at the intern. “Dr. Stevens, please alert the OR for an emergency C. You’re scrubbing in.” Addison ordered in urgency then further instructed the nurses who were prepping Sara and left to scrub in after assuring the Ross siblings.
Addison emerged from the OR two hours later and saw Nathan at the waiting lounge with his head bent and worry emanating throughout his body. She approached him carefully and gently touched his shoulder.
“Nathan” she called out softly.
He looked up and immediately stood when he recognized her. “How are they?”
Nathan asked hurriedly.
“They’re both okay. Sara had lost a lot of blood but she’ll make a full recovery in no time. Baby Girl Ross looks strong and healthy. We just had to place her in NICU for at least a day and then go from there. Congratulations, Uncle Nate!”
Nathan let out the breath he was holding and sighed in relief. He then picked up Addison and swung her around in elation. They both laughed out aloud and that caused people to look at them. Nathan put her down and then engulfed her in a warm embrace before planting a big kiss on her cheek.
Everyone gaped at the display of affection and one person decided he had seen enough.
~ x ~ x ~ x ~
Richard Webber was looking for his head of neurology and found him reviewing charts at the doctors’ lounge.
“What do you think you’re doing, Shep?” Richard asked in a loud voice.
“Um… doing charts?” Derek answered back confused.
“No! I mean…. I thought you are doing everything to get your marriage back?”
“I am doing everything.”
“Really? You’re doing everything? Then why do I keep seeing this guy hovering over your wife?”
“You’re talking about Nathan Ross? He and Addison are old friends. They’re just catching up.”
“Old friends? I don’t look or smile at my ‘friends’ like that and I surely don’t act touchy feely over them either.”
Derek for a moment didn’t know what to say but then recovered. “Nothing’s going on between them. I trust Addison. They’re just friends.”
“Just friends, huh? Like you and Meredith were ‘just friends’?” Richard sneered. He couldn’t resist taking a jab at Derek. The other man looked down in shame, his stomach bottoming out.
The older man sighed. “Listen, Derek… didn’t it occur to you that maybe Addison wants to see you fight for her?”
“I am fighting! I’m fighting to save my marriage” Derek argued.
“No, Derek, you’re not fighting. You’re just waiting. Waiting for Addison to tell you when it’s okay… you’re like walking on egg shells when it comes to her. You’ve lost your balls.” Richard said bluntly. “Show her, Derek. Show her that while it is okay for her to reconnect with ‘old friends’, you still get jealous. Let her know how you feel. Women love that.”
Derek remained silent, digesting everything the Chief was saying.
“The way I see it, Derek, this is your second chance. This is New York the second time around. You were absent back then when another guy was sniffling around but now, you’re here. This is your chance.”
“But I promised Addison, I’d wait” Derek said softly and in resignation as the truth in Richard’s words sunk in.
“Stop waiting. It’s time to fight. Lay out everything for her.” Richard advised then left Derek alone to make a decision.