(no subject)
Title: Ready For A Fall (15/?)
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17 (strong sexual references, y'all)
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 is extra long simply because you guys are going to kill me where it ends. I love you all, though. Remember that. ;)
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
*~*~*~*~*~
And hey, what you got to hide? I get angry too
Well I'm alot like you.
When you're standing at the crossroads, don't know which path to choose,
Let me come along, cause even if your wrong
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, I won't let nobody hurt you,
I'll stand by you
- The Pretenders
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie awoke at nine the following morning feeling very uncomfortable. Her bladder was painfully reminding her that she had enjoyed two bottles of water at the hospital the night before and the wound on her arm was throbbing because she was lying on it. She wiggled a little and the arm around her waist tightened, while something very hard poked her in the backside. She was against a strong chest and her eyes widened as Alex pulled her closer still. "Good morning," she said, her voice strained.
"It’s too early to be good. Let’s be bad." Alex nipped her shoulder and pushed her hair away from her cheek, studying her profile. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep next to you when you’re naked? When I can feel every wonderful inch of you?"
She gasped and lifted the cover, then eased it back down over her chest. Something that looked very much like remorse flashed across her face, but when she felt his eyes on her, she hastily said, "Oh, wow. Did we, uhm, you know?"
It rankled him, her reaction. He felt the blood rush to his head and pulled his arm away. "No, we didn’t. If we had I’d like to think you would remember it."
She rolled over to face him as he slipped from the bed. "Alex, wait."
He paused outside the bathroom door. "What?"
"I want to, okay? It’s just - that shot at the hospital was strong. And that was *your* idea so don’t blame me."
"Just for future reference, I don’t take advantage of people who are drunk, high, or not thinking clearly. Which you are obviously incapable of doing. And for the record, *if* we have sex, I don’t want you to wake up the morning after and act like the thought of it is something you had to repress! Because that fucking sucks!" He slammed the door to the bathroom and gripped the edges of the sink. He thought she was over O’Malley, but the look on her face, the guilt that was evident when she lifted the cover, proved otherwise. It was infuriating to think that all the sweet words and tender moments had meant nothing to her. They had certainly meant something to him.
Turning, he pushed open the door of the shower, stripped off his boxers, and stepped inside, letting the cold water beat him on top of the head. His hard on had been raging when he fell asleep and was still alive and kicking when he awoke. It took fifteen minutes for him to regain control over his temper and his body and by then, he had washed twice and shampooed his hair with something that smelled like honey. He smiled a little, thinking of Callie’s story about Idgie and the honeycomb. He’d have to make a joke about it and see what she thought.
Thinking of Callie was enough to work the tension out of his body and when he finally shut off the water and emerged, he was in a much better mood. Intent on apologizing, he grabbed the robe that hung on the back of the door and walked back into the bedroom. Callie was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to him, wearing the same dress she had worn the night before. He sat down beside her and reached for her hand, but she stood. "Cal, come on. I’m not a morning person, okay?"
"We need to take our things to my house. I want to be at Disneyland before noon. The main lines won’t be as long by then, but we’ll still have until late tonight to see everything. Or, most of everything. You can’t do it in a day and that’s all we’ve got." She picked up the clothing she had laid on the foot of the bed. "You may want to wear shorts. Pants get uncomfortable after the water rides."
"Callie, I’m sorry. I just - I’m sorry."
She nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. He was tempted to knock, but heard the shower start and busied himself by digging through their clothing instead. He pulled out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and smiled. Callie had chosen the shirt. It had the skull and muskets from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ on it, but the skull was wearing mouse ears and he figured she had known all along that she would be taking him to Disneyland. He was excited. He had always wanted to go, but never had the chance.
He was fully clothed and had repacked everything neatly when she emerged thirty minutes later. She had pulled her hair into a long ponytail and was wearing black shorts and a red tank top with black roses and white skulls all over. Just enough of her belly showed to make his mouth dry. She looked amazing, young and vibrant, so he told her so.
Callie sat down on the bed and pulled on a pair of socks and her new black tennis shoes. "Thanks."
She had taken the bandage off her arm and he kneeled in front of her, examining it for himself. The stitches were nicely done, but her flesh was redder than he would have liked. "You weren’t supposed to get it wet yet."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN *IF* WE HAVE SEX!?"
The force of her outburst knocked him backwards onto his backside and she never even laid a hand on him. He stared up her, unblinking, and then started to laugh. It was a hearty, side splitting laugh, and he was relieved when she joined it. He got back to his knees and put his hands on her legs, still chuckling. "You wanna do it right now? Will that help?"
She narrowed her eyes, but still grinned. "No. I do not, Smarty Pants. And no, it will not help. I don’t like you right at the moment."
He stroked her very erect nipple and nodded. "Yeah, I can tell."
She slapped his hand away. "Stop that! I am mad at you. You said I can’t think clearly."
"Well, I am mad at you, too. Because you can’t." He moved upward and kissed her. "You smell good, though."
"You smell like honey. It causes lines of deliciousness. And I have to warn you that I’m a starving bear."
"I have no idea what that means, but I think I like it." He moved his hands a little higher on her thighs. "And I really like these shorts. They’re very tiny."
"You’re not helping us leave on time."
Alex gave her an exasperated look, then picked up the first aid kit that they had purchased at the pharmacy the night before. He rubbed antibiotic cream on her arm and placed a bandage on it, then pressed a kiss against the tape. "How far away is your house?"
She glanced out the sliding glass doors. "If you’re on the balcony you can see her."
He stood and walked out onto deck, scanning the horizon. "There’s nothing but water, Gothika. And boats."
Joining him, she put her head on his shoulder and pointed out at the row of yachts that were tied off on the dock. "She’s the one on the end. Fifty six feet of pure power with a perfect cherry finish on the inside. She’s got two full bedrooms, two full baths, and a gourmet kitchen that would make Rachel Ray piss her pants."
"Your house is a *boat*?"
"She’s a *yacht*, baby." She leaned against the railing. "Her name is Goon Docks. Taken from ‘The Goonies’, which you may recall is my favorite film. I had her built three years ago and never had the time to come and get her until now. The guys at the marina are great about keeping her exercised and well fed, though."
"You talk about it like it’s alive."
Callie smiled as she gazed down at her pride and joy. "She’s like the airplane, Alex. She gives me roots and wings and nothing makes her or *me* more alive than that."
"You said that you had never seen your house before."
"I don’t have to see her to know she’s exactly what I want. I designed her myself." Callie breathed in deep, enjoying the fresh ocean air. "We’re sailing her back to Seattle. I’m moving out of the hotel and into her."
"Do what?"
"We’re sailing her home."
"That could take days."
"That’s the whole point."
*~*~*~*~*~
George was sitting at the island, bleary eyed, when Cristina walked past him and opened the fridge. He watched her drink orange juice straight from the carton while she stood in front of the open door. After she finished off what remained of the juice, she reached for the milk and sucked it down as well. When she turned and finally looked at him, she belched. It was long and loud and obviously gratifying because she smiled and pounded her chest. "Breakfast of champions."
"You cannot tell Callie what you saw last night." George moved aside as she threw the milk container past his head and watched as it landed neatly in the trash. "It was a mistake. And an epiphany."
"Whatever, dude. You suck."
"Just promise me you won’t tell her."
"No." Cristina shook her head and her black curls danced around her face. "I’m not promising you jack shit. Because you suck. And because Callie gave me her flash cards."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I scored the highest marks on the exam."
"So?"
"So, Callie is the reason and she has a right to know that you’re a sucking, lying, and vow-breaking jackass who doesn’t learn from his mistakes."
"It was *nothing*."
"If it was nothing then why are you acting like Callie would think it’s *something*?"
George poured himself another cup of coffee as she walked past him out of the kitchen. He sat alone, lost in thought. He had never had his penis betray him by refusing to remain hard during sex. Izzie had been on top of him, he had been inside her, and when his brain cleared enough and he saw that her skin was alabaster and not warm cocoa, when he saw that her blond hair looked yellow against the moonlight instead of midnight black, when he realized that she wasn’t *Callie* ... he could not perform. Not that he had wanted to.
Izzie had been convenient ... simply there while he hurt.
And when he had reached up and grabbed her hips, or lack thereof, it had been to push her away from him instead of to pull her closer. Her breasts didn’t mesmerize him the way Callie’s did. Izzie’s nipples were peach colored and Callie’s looked, and tasted, like red wine. With Izzie, it felt like something dirty that would be posted to fetish site under the header ‘Younger Brother Bags His Hot Step-Sister’. With Callie ... with Callie it could never be posted because the beauty of it would make people cry.
George cried now.
Then he saw that there was an envelope on the counter with his name on it. Damn, he thought. He had forgotten to change his address to the Archfield. He ripped it open and gazed at his intern exam scores. He had passed, just barely, and in fifteen days he would become a Resident. There should have been elation, happiness, but there was nothing. He was hollow, incomplete. If Callie had been with him to read the results, she would have done that cute little dance thing despite the low number he had received. That was their thing, their special thing. They danced over the stupidest and the best moments in life.
He wondered if she had a special *thing* with Alex yet.
"Hey." Derek stumbled into the kitchen and fumbled around in the cabinet until he located a cup. It had Winnie the Pooh on it, but he was either too sleepy or too deprived of caffeine to care. He filled it to the brim with black coffee and sipped it, then looked at George. "What are you doing here so early?"
"Callie and I had a fight. She threw me out." George folded his results and put them back in the envelope, which he tucked into the pocket of his jeans.
"Must be something in the water. Meredith threw me out last night, too. I got as far as the couch." Derek added sugar to his coffee and sipped again, grimacing a little. "She can scream, get mad when she sees me, and push with both hands, but I’m not going. I am immune to her attempts at getting rid of me."
"I shouldn’t have gone, either. Every time we’ve ever fought ... I should have stayed. With Callie, I mean."
Derek rubbed his eyes and looked at George as if he were seeing him for the first time. "Are you crying? What -"
"She’s divorcing me."
Shepherd laughed. "Do you know how many times Addison threatened to divorce me just on our honeymoon alone? She’ll come around. It’s always weird when you first get married and start to see each other for who they are. When you live with someone you suddenly realize that they leave the cap off the toothpaste, or never close the dresser drawers so you hit your knee in the dark every night, or-"
"I slept with Izzie. And I sorta did it again last night."
"Oh, right. She’s divorcing you."
George sighed. "I was drunk the first time and last night - I think I had spontaneous erectile dysfunction."
"That’s too much information."
"I couldn’t do it. I didn’t even want to do it. She’s not Callie."
Derek scratched his head and leaned against the island. He was pretty sure that the younger man was begging for advice. "There are worse things than to realize that you actually do love and want your wife. One of those worse things is to sleep with someone else. Having had it done to me I can assure you that she’s not just going to be okay with it. Ever. She may forgive you, but she won’t forget it and when something that heavy is hanging over your relationship ... it can smother you."
"I was drunk when I cheated the first time. The second time was - just dumb."
"That’s what they all say." Derek conjured a memory that was better left forgotten. "The night that I found out about Addison and Mark ... I actually walked in on it and he ran out the door and she was stumbling around the room trying to find her panties. It was raining and I threw as many of her clothes as I could carry out into the storm. Then I threw her out in just a T-shirt. And so help me God, George, I listened to her cry and beg me and I opened that door and comforted her for a moment. It was just a second. I had to touch her, I had to make it better because she was hurt. I had to make it better because I felt like *I* had failed. That I wasn’t a good enough husband. I made it my fault. For a moment. And then I left."
George swallowed hard as his second epiphany of the morning hit him in the heart. "I made Callie feel like a failure, too. I made her lose weight by saying she was curvy. I made her feel second best because I wanted my friends more than her." He looked up at the other man. "When - when you got back together with Addison ... was it ... could you make love and-"
"Not really. I had met Meredith and she filled that void. When I reconciled with Addison ... I just went through the motions of sex. I knew that there was nothing left there."
"Why did you get back together with Addison if you wanted Meredith?"
"Obligation. I took vows. And Addison was convincing. She cried. She pleaded. And she also lied to me about how involved she was with Mark. I found out that she had lived with him while we were still married and that she had loved him. And it killed me all over again that she didn’t tell me about that before I took her back to begin with." Derek drank his coffee. "You can’t rebuild a relationship if the foundation is stacked on lies. Because they always come out, they always catch up, and the one who is lied to ... is usually under the building when it falls. Love is the most innocent murderer that ever walked the face of the earth."
Derek squeezed George’s shoulder and walked out of the kitchen. A moment later, Meredith shouted at him, but within seconds, she was laughing.
"What are you going to do?" Izzie asked, appearing next to George. She finished off his coffee and rubbed her eyes, yawning. "Because I meant what I said last night. I’m *so* over the whole bitter best friend thing. I’ll help you get her back. I’ll even like her because really ... she’s not *that* bad."
"No." George shook his head. "Alex could be her Meredith. You know, how Meredith is Derek’s, uh, Meredith. Addison cheated on him and he found love with Meredith. He’s okay now. Alex could be Callie’s Meredith."
"He’s *not*."
"I won’t hurt her anymore, Iz. Because I hurt her and it *kills* me." George stood up and his test results crackled in his back pocket. "I’m going to concentrate on being a doctor. I’m going to be in a relationship with my career. I’m going to fall in love with medicine and stay away from the opposite sex."
"I’m cooking French toast. Stay. Eat. And then we’ll go find your car."
George watched as she walked across the room and pulled the griddle from under the sink. "I didn’t mean to call you a life force sucking bitch yesterday."
"Well, it was true." She sprayed Pam on the smooth Teflon surface of the fryer. "I think I went crazy after Denny died. I was looking for purpose and you became my cause. I wanted to save you and the best way to do that was to hate Callie on principle because she took you away. I had empty nest syndrome."
"You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think that giving Hannah up for adoption gave you empty nest syndrome. Not me. And that’s why you’ve always mother henned me to death. You tell me to bury my poop, Iz." He grinned at her when she wrinkled her nose. "Just because you give up a kid it doesn’t mean that you stop being a mother. You love Christmas, you bake, you’re just as nosey as my mother, and -"
"And I have feelings for Alex."
George sat up a little straighter. He was shocked, but the small tiger that had been sleeping in his chest suddenly roared in triumph. "That’s great! That’s the answer! You get back with Alex and take him out of the picture and I’ll get Callie back."
Izzie dropped a piece of bread into the egg mixture. "George?"
"Yeah?"
"You sound awfully convinced that Alex would pick me over her." She looked up at him. "You didn’t."
George crossed his arms.
She had a point.
*~*~*~*~*~
Addison sat across from Cambyses, enjoying the stuffed crepe she had ordered for brunch. She had to grin when the man turned his plate counter clockwise so the meat was on top and then he pushed the food around so it wasn’t touching. "Your sister does that exact same thing."
"Who do you think taught me?" He sighed a little and moved his meal away, untouched. "Thanks for coming, by the way."
"Oh, thanks for the invite. I’ve been looking forward to this since Callie told me about you." She frowned, despite her cheerful words. "But you’re not eating. That’s obviously another thing you have in common with your sister."
Blake leaned toward her and said, "He’s worrying himself to death over this Alex guy. Do you know him?"
"I do." Addy nodded and put her fork down. "He’s one of her best friends and he’s actually the one who rushed her to the hospital after the alcohol thing. He stayed with her the entire time and I think he genuinely cares about her. I mean, he assured me that he did."
"Are they involved?"
Addison drank her water while she mulled her words. She was trying to be okay with her best friend leaving without a phone call, but it still hurt. Actually, it hurt more that Callie had left with Alex instead of her, but she was making peace with it. "They weren’t involved. I don’t know what they are right now. I know - I know he looks at her in a way that I’ve never seen him look at anyone and he makes her laugh and she never does that anymore."
Cam looked down at his hands, then back at Addison. "What can you tell me about George?"
"First year surgical intern, but he hasn’t chosen his specialty yet. He’s shorter than Callie by an inch or so, brownish curly hair, green eyes. He’s the quintessential math geek and sorta looks like it. He’s not chubby, but he’s not buff. He’s ... average. He’s currently living in his car and he -"
"Is he a bad boy? Not counting the fact that he can’t control his penis?" Cam asked.
"Well, no. He’s probably been in the Republican column since birth, but he loves Callie. I just don’t know if he’s ready for love. Not the kind that she deserves and offered him."
Cam looked thoughtful. "Maybe a few weeks in traction would get him ready."
"Possibly." She couldn’t help but smile. "But really, I don’t think that’s the answer. Some people just have to keep making bad decisions until the right one smacks them in the face."
"I could smack him in the face." Cam picked up his fork and dug into his meal. "And then tie an anchor to his feet and make him vanish."
Addison laughed out loud. "Callie said almost the same thing and then she added that she would jump in to save him and probably die trying. Her heart is just too big."
"That’s Callie," Blake chuckled along with her. "She’s a rescuer. She sees something that’s hurt or broken and she puts it back together."
Cam finally relaxed a little. "She told me that’s why she likes mending bones. She can see the problem, set it on the right path, and then just wait for time to do its job."
"I think that’s why she left with Alex." Addison reached across the table and put her hand on Cam’s. "She needs to be mended for a change. I think he does that for her and this is *her* time."
"What does he look like?" Blake asked. "Alex."
"He’s around six foot, brown eyes. He was a wrestler in college so he’s got the cut body. He’s also got the whole frat boy jock thing down to a science."
"They’re not involved," Blake decided. "She *hates* jocks."
"Does he have tattoos?" Cam asked.
"I don’t really know." Addison said. "Why?"
"She *does* like bad boys."
"Oh, he’s definitely that." Addy nodded.
"They’re involved." Cam took another bite of his food. "She’s a sucker for a bad boy. We both are."
Addison looked at Blake who was so much like George that it was alarming. He caught her looking and smiled at her. "What? I may look like a stock broker, but I’m wearing a leather thong."
They all laughed together for two more hours.
Addison had stopped worrying by the time they said goodbye.
*~*~*~*~*~
Goon Docks was even more impressive up close. Alex carried their clothing and watched as Callie climbed aboard. She moved with the authority of someone who had been on boats, no --- yachts --- their entire life. He followed behind her, stumbling a little over the rope that held the ship tethered to the dock. He quickly righted himself and followed her around to the cockpit. She sat down in the captain’s chair and leaned back, closing her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Feeling her."
He watched quietly and she finally nodded and stood. He said, "How does she feel?"
"Perfect. Let’s go below deck." She headed through a small door that was just behind the cockpit and descended the stairs ahead of him.
"Oh my god." He said when he reached the bottom and took his sunglasses off. "Callie -"
She was running her hand along the white leather sectional that was built into the wall on the left. There were black leather pillows on either end of the sofa and a black and white zebra print rug rested in the floor. Dark cherry cabinets were built in behind it and she opened one, smiling at the assortment of movies inside. Turning, she gazed at the plasma television, then checked to make sure her game consoles were in the trunk beneath it.
Satisfied, she turned around and walked into the galley, which had black and white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. She opened the microwave, then the oven, and nodded. Next, she pulled out the refrigerated drawers that were underneath the island. She had opted for the drawers and not a standing unit. Where the refrigerator would have gone stood a fully stocked wet bar with built in stools, solid white. It would be a perfect place for dinner. For two.
Beaming from ear to ear, she turned to Alex. "She’s pretty, huh?"
"She’s amazing."
"Wanna see the rest?"
"Lead the way."
She headed down a narrow hallway and pushed open the door to the guest bathroom. It was wallpapered with black and white stripes. The toilet, shower, and sink were all black, but the towels, curtains, and pictures on the wall were all red. A plush red throw rug covered the black and white tiles on the floor. "I love it," she told him. "I was worried that the red would be too much, but it works."
"It’s gorgeous." He opened the door that was opposite the bathroom and stepped into a bedroom that was bigger than his own at Meredith’s house. One entire wall was covered with cabinets and the queen sized bed, made up with a smoky grey satin comforter, was built into the center. Instead of a headboard, there was a mirror. His eyes widened at that and he glanced at the ceiling. There were mirrors there as well. "You are a freak. And a pervert."
"This is not *my* room." She pulled him toward the bow, the front most point of the hull. She opened a door that boasted a towering gargoyle on top of the frame, and pulled him inside. "This is *mine*."
It looked like something you would find in an old castle. Dracula’s castle to be more accurate. The four poster bed had black netting around the top and as he glanced up, he saw that there were mirrors, but also a plasma television that would making lying on your back in the bed a prime position to watch a movie. The thick comforter was black, but right in the middle was a huge red rose that was quilted more than the rest of the fabric so it stuck upward.
The carpet was black, the walls were blood red and the effect of it was overwhelming, but incredible. He walked further into the room, gazing up at the gothic looking chandelier and then at the massive gargoyle that lounged in the corner, his eyes seemingly tracking Alex’s every move. He turned when Callie opened another door and followed her into the master bathroom. Instead of a shower, it had the biggest claw foot tub Alex had ever seen. It was gold and he blinked a few times when he realized that the toilet and sink were gold as well. It could have been tacky ... but he knew that if he had been the one designing the boat ... *this* would have been his ideal dwelling for Callie. For *his* Elvira.
He put his arms around her waist and said, "It’s perfect."
"It is." She rested her hands on his arms. "I can’t wait to get her back to Seattle."
"We could leave now."
"Nope. Disneyland." She turned and stood on her toes to kiss him, then looked shocked. "I didn’t really realize you were taller than me."
"Not by much." He hugged her. "You still fit just fine."
"What?"
"Nothing." He kissed her cheek and added, "Did I see a hot tub on top of this thing?"
"You did. And there’s also a jet ski and a smaller motor boat that will keep us safe if we happen to sink it."
"Uh, do you sink a lot of yachts."
"Only one. But it doesn’t count."
He gazed after he when she walked out of the bathroom. "Uh, Cal?" he called. "You want to explain that?"
"No," she said. "It’ll just freak you out and really, who needs that?"
"Callie! Come back here!"
"I’m going to heat the hot tub so it’ll be ready when we get back."
The thought of it made him forget the sinking boat.
He’d remember it soon enough, though.
*~*~*~*~*~
Disneyland was everything he had hoped for and more. He bought her a talking ‘Captain Jack’ doll and she bought him a hat that she had monogrammed with his name. They had their photos taken several times and bought them all. Callie had a VIP pass that guaranteed front of the line service and they were even escorted in a golf cart for most of the day. They rode almost everything and the bigger rides more than once. She bought cotton candy as the sun went down and led him to Sleeping Beauty’s castle where they gazed up at the firework display with all the awe and wonder of two year olds seeing something perfect for the first time.
They had saved the water rides for last and by the time the park closed, they were soaking wet, cold, and so exhausted that they both dozed in the limo on the half hour ride back to Redondo Beach. The driver woke them by gently shaking Alex’s arm. He blinked and sat up. Callie had her head in his lap. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her and she stirred after a few seconds.
"Are we home?" she asked, stretching.
"We are." He stepped out first, gathered their souvenirs, and held out his hand. They walked to the marina with their fingers laced together and he paused before she could board the ship. "Hey, Cal?"
"Yeah?"
"You remember that story I told you about my mom? About how she got beat up on Christmas Eve so that she could get me a bike?"
She stepped a little closer to him, nodding. "Of course I do."
"I lied to you. I said that I never held out any hope for Santa, but I did. Every single year I stuck a letter in the mailbox asking for just one thing."
"Oh? What did you ask for?"
"Disneyland. Santa was a little late in delivering it, but it was better to wait." He leaned his forehead against hers. "I will never forget this day with you."
"Neither will I, Alex." Callie closed her eyes and smiled. For the first time in her life she was flying without the help of jet engines. It was better than flying a 747 because she didn’t have to be completely in control for once. If she fell ... he would catch her on the way down. Because he was Alex Karev and he had yet to let her hit the ground. Even at her worst, even at her lowest, he stopped her before she crashed and burned. "Hey, Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"Nothing matters when I’m with you. Nothing bothers me. Nothing hurts. I feel good about myself and I had forgotten what that was like. You make me remember why my heart beats and why I want it to."
Alex took a step back and cradled her face in his hands. He looked into her eyes and just as he had done the day before, he felt himself disappearing in their depths. For the longest time, he simply stared at her, then he finally said, "You want your heart to beat because someone’s finally hearing it and listening to what it has to say. I hear it, Elvira. Even from across the room ... I hear it."
"I want you to hear it. All the time. I’m rapidly finding out that I’m a novice at true happiness, but I’m sure that’s what this is and I don’t know what to do with myself or with you. I know what I want and I know what I need, but I’m - I’m scared." She blinked and looked away. "God. This wasn’t supposed to happen."
The guilt was written on her face again and he hated seeing it there, hated that even the smallest part of her could remember George O’Malley and feel the slightest bit of loyalty to him. It annoyed him. It grated on his nerves and he stepped back, forcing a smile on his face. He refused to have her scared of him or feeling pressured enough to give in. "I’m pretty tired. That second Tower of Terror ride took a lot out of me. It was almost like riding in your plane again. I, uh, I’m gonna take the bedroom with the gray and try to get some rest because something tells me I’ll need it with you driving this thing."
"But-"
"Come on." He held out his hand and helped her board Goon Docks. She looked like she wanted to speak to him, but he made a big show of yawning and stretching and she turned and unlocked the door.
Callie was stunned when he kissed her neck, whispered ‘goodnight’ and disappeared into the starboard bedroom. She sat on the sofa and crossed her arms. A moment later he walked across the hallway and went into the bathroom carrying his toothbrush and toothpaste. When he emerged, she had not moved a muscle and he winked at her and headed to bed.
‘You said too much too fast.’ The little voice had returned and she closed her eyes, listening to it. ‘He thinks that you’re getting too involved. He doesn’t want that. You’re still married and he’s not like Izzie Stevens. He said *if* you had sex, not when. He doesn’t want you. Jocks never want the goth chicks so just give it up.’
Cursing under her breath, she forgot her exhaustion and stalked down the hallway into her own room, where she changed into a black Dolce and Gabbana swimsuit that was more metal than fabric. She spread several maps out on the bed and kneeled down, tracing their course with her finger. She had planned to leave the following morning at daybreak, but considering the way that Alex had completely shut her down, she figured it would be better to hit the open seas as quickly as possible.
In Seattle, they could go their separate ways.
They would always have Disneyland.
She brushed away a tear that fell onto her cheek, rolled the map, picked up her CD case and carried both up onto the deck with her. It took almost an hour for her to program the coordinates into the GPS navigator. It was high tech and incredibly sensitive. When she finally finished, she started the engine, read the gauges, and was pleased to see that the tank was full and the pressure readings were perfect. Then she untied Goon Docks from the deck and patted her gently on the side. In the captain’s chair, she took a deep breath and said, "Okay, girl, bring me that horizon."
She idled out of the marina and once she hit open water, she increased the speed and opened the sunroof, enjoying the cool night air. It took twenty five minutes to arrive off the coast of Venice. Callie could hear music from a beach party and see the bonfire that was burning brightly in a large can even though they were pretty far out. She flipped through her CD case and slid Queen into the disc drive. The first strains of ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ began to play and she dropped the anchor and dove, head first into the cool, crisp water.
She was enjoying herself immensely when something suddenly closed around her waist and she opened her mouth under water to yell out.
Alex kicked them back to the surface and as soon as their heads broke free, he shouted, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Callie screamed, choking up the water she had swallowed.
"We’re getting back on the boat!" Alex reached for her arm, but she splashed water into his face and swam under again. "Callie!"
He caught up with her quickly and this time he was rougher with her. He pinned her arms to her sides and brought her back to the surface. "GET BACK ON THE BOAT!"
"IT’S A YACHT!" she cried. "AND YOU GET BACK ON IT!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? THERE COULD BE SHARKS! THERE COULD BE JELLYFISH! AND YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET YOUR ARM WET! SHARKS, CALLIE! THEY SMELL THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF BLOOD!"
"GO BACK TO BED! ALONE, ASS!"
He latched onto her and pulled her back to the ship, where he had lowered the ladder. "Get back on the *boat*."
"Alex!"
"NOW!"
Callie gripped the ladder and climbed up, stalking across the cool surface of the deck. She kept her back to him and gasped when he yanked her around to face him. "Alex, leave me alone!"
"What the hell is your problem?"
"You!"
"I haven’t done a damn thing to you!"
"I poured my heart out and you went to *bed*! I - If you don’t want this ... if you don’t want me then just tell me because I can’t keep-"
"I went to bed because you can’t make up your mind! You are *not* clear headed which is exactly what I told you this morning! I’m not touching you until you are! At the rate you’re going, with the guilt and the second guessing, that will be never!"
"I am not second guessing! I am not guilty!"
"You said this wasn’t supposed to happen!"
"It’s not! I shouldn’t be falling for you because it’s too fast! It’s too soon! But here I am! I’ve fallen and apparently I can’t get up!"
Alex kissed her. He pulled her against him and kissed her with everything that he had. His hands tangled into her long, wet hair and he held on. He tasted the saltwater on her lips and then her tongue found his and she tasted like the cotton candy they had shared under the fireworks. They broke apart when a cool breeze nearly froze the water that was clinging to their skin. He looked down at her and said, "Let’s go back inside."
"No."
"Callie-"
"Hot tub."
Alex watched as she walked to the cockpit and turned off all of the bigger lights. She left a few smaller ones on and he guessed it was to alert other vessels to their location. Her finally noticed her swimsuit, then. It was red, one piece, with large metal rings all over it. Those rings were hollow and he could see her tan flesh peeking out everywhere. He had thought that he could never see her look better than she had the previous night in the thong, but he was wrong. He swallowed when she bent over and pulled another CD out of her case and removed Queen. Her backside was enough to make him forget how cold he was.
Soft, romantic music began to play and she moved around the edge of the cockpit to the hot tub and he followed. The tub rested toward the nose of the ship and she leaned down, unfastening the latches that kept the lid in place. Alex helped her wrench it free and moaned a little when he saw that the water was bubbling and he could feel the warmth against his legs. Callie looked at him and smiled. "You want a drink?"
"I want you," he stated bluntly. "That’s enough for me."
It was darker at the front of the boat. The lights she had left on were near the water and she kept her eyes on him as she slowly peeled her wet swimsuit off, letting it pool at her feet. She knew that he could still see her, though, because the blue light from the jacuzzi made her see him. With a sly smile, she stepped down into the tub and sighed. "I’m the captain. I make the rules. Number one is no one bathes with their clothes on."
Even beneath the water, with the ripples distorting her body, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. "If I take my trunks off ... then we’re doing this, Callie. And there’s no looking back. We’re official."
"Is that what you want? Think about what you’re saying. I’ve got baggage that you don’t even know about and what you do know about it pretty damn rough. I have to get a divorce, I have to-"
"I don’t care about that. Any of it. I care about here and now. Whatever comes ... as long as we’re together it doesn’t matter. It's us against the world, Gothika. And I can't think of a better partner."
"Then let’s not look back. Let’s not think about tomorrow of next week or next month. Make it official, Alex, because you’re enough for me, too."
*~*~*~*~*~
Because I'm totally anal and I didn't do the damn yacht justice ... This is freakin' it. Only slightly upgraded.
So ... we're either having smut next chapter or not. I think I'll flip a coin. ;)
HUGS!
Author: Chelle Storey-Daniel
Rating: NC17 (strong sexual references, y'all)
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 is extra long simply because you guys are going to kill me where it ends. I love you all, though. Remember that. ;)
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
*~*~*~*~*~
And hey, what you got to hide? I get angry too
Well I'm alot like you.
When you're standing at the crossroads, don't know which path to choose,
Let me come along, cause even if your wrong
I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, I won't let nobody hurt you,
I'll stand by you
- The Pretenders
*~*~*~*~*~
Callie awoke at nine the following morning feeling very uncomfortable. Her bladder was painfully reminding her that she had enjoyed two bottles of water at the hospital the night before and the wound on her arm was throbbing because she was lying on it. She wiggled a little and the arm around her waist tightened, while something very hard poked her in the backside. She was against a strong chest and her eyes widened as Alex pulled her closer still. "Good morning," she said, her voice strained.
"It’s too early to be good. Let’s be bad." Alex nipped her shoulder and pushed her hair away from her cheek, studying her profile. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to sleep next to you when you’re naked? When I can feel every wonderful inch of you?"
She gasped and lifted the cover, then eased it back down over her chest. Something that looked very much like remorse flashed across her face, but when she felt his eyes on her, she hastily said, "Oh, wow. Did we, uhm, you know?"
It rankled him, her reaction. He felt the blood rush to his head and pulled his arm away. "No, we didn’t. If we had I’d like to think you would remember it."
She rolled over to face him as he slipped from the bed. "Alex, wait."
He paused outside the bathroom door. "What?"
"I want to, okay? It’s just - that shot at the hospital was strong. And that was *your* idea so don’t blame me."
"Just for future reference, I don’t take advantage of people who are drunk, high, or not thinking clearly. Which you are obviously incapable of doing. And for the record, *if* we have sex, I don’t want you to wake up the morning after and act like the thought of it is something you had to repress! Because that fucking sucks!" He slammed the door to the bathroom and gripped the edges of the sink. He thought she was over O’Malley, but the look on her face, the guilt that was evident when she lifted the cover, proved otherwise. It was infuriating to think that all the sweet words and tender moments had meant nothing to her. They had certainly meant something to him.
Turning, he pushed open the door of the shower, stripped off his boxers, and stepped inside, letting the cold water beat him on top of the head. His hard on had been raging when he fell asleep and was still alive and kicking when he awoke. It took fifteen minutes for him to regain control over his temper and his body and by then, he had washed twice and shampooed his hair with something that smelled like honey. He smiled a little, thinking of Callie’s story about Idgie and the honeycomb. He’d have to make a joke about it and see what she thought.
Thinking of Callie was enough to work the tension out of his body and when he finally shut off the water and emerged, he was in a much better mood. Intent on apologizing, he grabbed the robe that hung on the back of the door and walked back into the bedroom. Callie was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to him, wearing the same dress she had worn the night before. He sat down beside her and reached for her hand, but she stood. "Cal, come on. I’m not a morning person, okay?"
"We need to take our things to my house. I want to be at Disneyland before noon. The main lines won’t be as long by then, but we’ll still have until late tonight to see everything. Or, most of everything. You can’t do it in a day and that’s all we’ve got." She picked up the clothing she had laid on the foot of the bed. "You may want to wear shorts. Pants get uncomfortable after the water rides."
"Callie, I’m sorry. I just - I’m sorry."
She nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. He was tempted to knock, but heard the shower start and busied himself by digging through their clothing instead. He pulled out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and smiled. Callie had chosen the shirt. It had the skull and muskets from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ on it, but the skull was wearing mouse ears and he figured she had known all along that she would be taking him to Disneyland. He was excited. He had always wanted to go, but never had the chance.
He was fully clothed and had repacked everything neatly when she emerged thirty minutes later. She had pulled her hair into a long ponytail and was wearing black shorts and a red tank top with black roses and white skulls all over. Just enough of her belly showed to make his mouth dry. She looked amazing, young and vibrant, so he told her so.
Callie sat down on the bed and pulled on a pair of socks and her new black tennis shoes. "Thanks."
She had taken the bandage off her arm and he kneeled in front of her, examining it for himself. The stitches were nicely done, but her flesh was redder than he would have liked. "You weren’t supposed to get it wet yet."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN *IF* WE HAVE SEX!?"
The force of her outburst knocked him backwards onto his backside and she never even laid a hand on him. He stared up her, unblinking, and then started to laugh. It was a hearty, side splitting laugh, and he was relieved when she joined it. He got back to his knees and put his hands on her legs, still chuckling. "You wanna do it right now? Will that help?"
She narrowed her eyes, but still grinned. "No. I do not, Smarty Pants. And no, it will not help. I don’t like you right at the moment."
He stroked her very erect nipple and nodded. "Yeah, I can tell."
She slapped his hand away. "Stop that! I am mad at you. You said I can’t think clearly."
"Well, I am mad at you, too. Because you can’t." He moved upward and kissed her. "You smell good, though."
"You smell like honey. It causes lines of deliciousness. And I have to warn you that I’m a starving bear."
"I have no idea what that means, but I think I like it." He moved his hands a little higher on her thighs. "And I really like these shorts. They’re very tiny."
"You’re not helping us leave on time."
Alex gave her an exasperated look, then picked up the first aid kit that they had purchased at the pharmacy the night before. He rubbed antibiotic cream on her arm and placed a bandage on it, then pressed a kiss against the tape. "How far away is your house?"
She glanced out the sliding glass doors. "If you’re on the balcony you can see her."
He stood and walked out onto deck, scanning the horizon. "There’s nothing but water, Gothika. And boats."
Joining him, she put her head on his shoulder and pointed out at the row of yachts that were tied off on the dock. "She’s the one on the end. Fifty six feet of pure power with a perfect cherry finish on the inside. She’s got two full bedrooms, two full baths, and a gourmet kitchen that would make Rachel Ray piss her pants."
"Your house is a *boat*?"
"She’s a *yacht*, baby." She leaned against the railing. "Her name is Goon Docks. Taken from ‘The Goonies’, which you may recall is my favorite film. I had her built three years ago and never had the time to come and get her until now. The guys at the marina are great about keeping her exercised and well fed, though."
"You talk about it like it’s alive."
Callie smiled as she gazed down at her pride and joy. "She’s like the airplane, Alex. She gives me roots and wings and nothing makes her or *me* more alive than that."
"You said that you had never seen your house before."
"I don’t have to see her to know she’s exactly what I want. I designed her myself." Callie breathed in deep, enjoying the fresh ocean air. "We’re sailing her back to Seattle. I’m moving out of the hotel and into her."
"Do what?"
"We’re sailing her home."
"That could take days."
"That’s the whole point."
*~*~*~*~*~
George was sitting at the island, bleary eyed, when Cristina walked past him and opened the fridge. He watched her drink orange juice straight from the carton while she stood in front of the open door. After she finished off what remained of the juice, she reached for the milk and sucked it down as well. When she turned and finally looked at him, she belched. It was long and loud and obviously gratifying because she smiled and pounded her chest. "Breakfast of champions."
"You cannot tell Callie what you saw last night." George moved aside as she threw the milk container past his head and watched as it landed neatly in the trash. "It was a mistake. And an epiphany."
"Whatever, dude. You suck."
"Just promise me you won’t tell her."
"No." Cristina shook her head and her black curls danced around her face. "I’m not promising you jack shit. Because you suck. And because Callie gave me her flash cards."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"I scored the highest marks on the exam."
"So?"
"So, Callie is the reason and she has a right to know that you’re a sucking, lying, and vow-breaking jackass who doesn’t learn from his mistakes."
"It was *nothing*."
"If it was nothing then why are you acting like Callie would think it’s *something*?"
George poured himself another cup of coffee as she walked past him out of the kitchen. He sat alone, lost in thought. He had never had his penis betray him by refusing to remain hard during sex. Izzie had been on top of him, he had been inside her, and when his brain cleared enough and he saw that her skin was alabaster and not warm cocoa, when he saw that her blond hair looked yellow against the moonlight instead of midnight black, when he realized that she wasn’t *Callie* ... he could not perform. Not that he had wanted to.
Izzie had been convenient ... simply there while he hurt.
And when he had reached up and grabbed her hips, or lack thereof, it had been to push her away from him instead of to pull her closer. Her breasts didn’t mesmerize him the way Callie’s did. Izzie’s nipples were peach colored and Callie’s looked, and tasted, like red wine. With Izzie, it felt like something dirty that would be posted to fetish site under the header ‘Younger Brother Bags His Hot Step-Sister’. With Callie ... with Callie it could never be posted because the beauty of it would make people cry.
George cried now.
Then he saw that there was an envelope on the counter with his name on it. Damn, he thought. He had forgotten to change his address to the Archfield. He ripped it open and gazed at his intern exam scores. He had passed, just barely, and in fifteen days he would become a Resident. There should have been elation, happiness, but there was nothing. He was hollow, incomplete. If Callie had been with him to read the results, she would have done that cute little dance thing despite the low number he had received. That was their thing, their special thing. They danced over the stupidest and the best moments in life.
He wondered if she had a special *thing* with Alex yet.
"Hey." Derek stumbled into the kitchen and fumbled around in the cabinet until he located a cup. It had Winnie the Pooh on it, but he was either too sleepy or too deprived of caffeine to care. He filled it to the brim with black coffee and sipped it, then looked at George. "What are you doing here so early?"
"Callie and I had a fight. She threw me out." George folded his results and put them back in the envelope, which he tucked into the pocket of his jeans.
"Must be something in the water. Meredith threw me out last night, too. I got as far as the couch." Derek added sugar to his coffee and sipped again, grimacing a little. "She can scream, get mad when she sees me, and push with both hands, but I’m not going. I am immune to her attempts at getting rid of me."
"I shouldn’t have gone, either. Every time we’ve ever fought ... I should have stayed. With Callie, I mean."
Derek rubbed his eyes and looked at George as if he were seeing him for the first time. "Are you crying? What -"
"She’s divorcing me."
Shepherd laughed. "Do you know how many times Addison threatened to divorce me just on our honeymoon alone? She’ll come around. It’s always weird when you first get married and start to see each other for who they are. When you live with someone you suddenly realize that they leave the cap off the toothpaste, or never close the dresser drawers so you hit your knee in the dark every night, or-"
"I slept with Izzie. And I sorta did it again last night."
"Oh, right. She’s divorcing you."
George sighed. "I was drunk the first time and last night - I think I had spontaneous erectile dysfunction."
"That’s too much information."
"I couldn’t do it. I didn’t even want to do it. She’s not Callie."
Derek scratched his head and leaned against the island. He was pretty sure that the younger man was begging for advice. "There are worse things than to realize that you actually do love and want your wife. One of those worse things is to sleep with someone else. Having had it done to me I can assure you that she’s not just going to be okay with it. Ever. She may forgive you, but she won’t forget it and when something that heavy is hanging over your relationship ... it can smother you."
"I was drunk when I cheated the first time. The second time was - just dumb."
"That’s what they all say." Derek conjured a memory that was better left forgotten. "The night that I found out about Addison and Mark ... I actually walked in on it and he ran out the door and she was stumbling around the room trying to find her panties. It was raining and I threw as many of her clothes as I could carry out into the storm. Then I threw her out in just a T-shirt. And so help me God, George, I listened to her cry and beg me and I opened that door and comforted her for a moment. It was just a second. I had to touch her, I had to make it better because she was hurt. I had to make it better because I felt like *I* had failed. That I wasn’t a good enough husband. I made it my fault. For a moment. And then I left."
George swallowed hard as his second epiphany of the morning hit him in the heart. "I made Callie feel like a failure, too. I made her lose weight by saying she was curvy. I made her feel second best because I wanted my friends more than her." He looked up at the other man. "When - when you got back together with Addison ... was it ... could you make love and-"
"Not really. I had met Meredith and she filled that void. When I reconciled with Addison ... I just went through the motions of sex. I knew that there was nothing left there."
"Why did you get back together with Addison if you wanted Meredith?"
"Obligation. I took vows. And Addison was convincing. She cried. She pleaded. And she also lied to me about how involved she was with Mark. I found out that she had lived with him while we were still married and that she had loved him. And it killed me all over again that she didn’t tell me about that before I took her back to begin with." Derek drank his coffee. "You can’t rebuild a relationship if the foundation is stacked on lies. Because they always come out, they always catch up, and the one who is lied to ... is usually under the building when it falls. Love is the most innocent murderer that ever walked the face of the earth."
Derek squeezed George’s shoulder and walked out of the kitchen. A moment later, Meredith shouted at him, but within seconds, she was laughing.
"What are you going to do?" Izzie asked, appearing next to George. She finished off his coffee and rubbed her eyes, yawning. "Because I meant what I said last night. I’m *so* over the whole bitter best friend thing. I’ll help you get her back. I’ll even like her because really ... she’s not *that* bad."
"No." George shook his head. "Alex could be her Meredith. You know, how Meredith is Derek’s, uh, Meredith. Addison cheated on him and he found love with Meredith. He’s okay now. Alex could be Callie’s Meredith."
"He’s *not*."
"I won’t hurt her anymore, Iz. Because I hurt her and it *kills* me." George stood up and his test results crackled in his back pocket. "I’m going to concentrate on being a doctor. I’m going to be in a relationship with my career. I’m going to fall in love with medicine and stay away from the opposite sex."
"I’m cooking French toast. Stay. Eat. And then we’ll go find your car."
George watched as she walked across the room and pulled the griddle from under the sink. "I didn’t mean to call you a life force sucking bitch yesterday."
"Well, it was true." She sprayed Pam on the smooth Teflon surface of the fryer. "I think I went crazy after Denny died. I was looking for purpose and you became my cause. I wanted to save you and the best way to do that was to hate Callie on principle because she took you away. I had empty nest syndrome."
"You know what I think?"
"What?"
"I think that giving Hannah up for adoption gave you empty nest syndrome. Not me. And that’s why you’ve always mother henned me to death. You tell me to bury my poop, Iz." He grinned at her when she wrinkled her nose. "Just because you give up a kid it doesn’t mean that you stop being a mother. You love Christmas, you bake, you’re just as nosey as my mother, and -"
"And I have feelings for Alex."
George sat up a little straighter. He was shocked, but the small tiger that had been sleeping in his chest suddenly roared in triumph. "That’s great! That’s the answer! You get back with Alex and take him out of the picture and I’ll get Callie back."
Izzie dropped a piece of bread into the egg mixture. "George?"
"Yeah?"
"You sound awfully convinced that Alex would pick me over her." She looked up at him. "You didn’t."
George crossed his arms.
She had a point.
*~*~*~*~*~
Addison sat across from Cambyses, enjoying the stuffed crepe she had ordered for brunch. She had to grin when the man turned his plate counter clockwise so the meat was on top and then he pushed the food around so it wasn’t touching. "Your sister does that exact same thing."
"Who do you think taught me?" He sighed a little and moved his meal away, untouched. "Thanks for coming, by the way."
"Oh, thanks for the invite. I’ve been looking forward to this since Callie told me about you." She frowned, despite her cheerful words. "But you’re not eating. That’s obviously another thing you have in common with your sister."
Blake leaned toward her and said, "He’s worrying himself to death over this Alex guy. Do you know him?"
"I do." Addy nodded and put her fork down. "He’s one of her best friends and he’s actually the one who rushed her to the hospital after the alcohol thing. He stayed with her the entire time and I think he genuinely cares about her. I mean, he assured me that he did."
"Are they involved?"
Addison drank her water while she mulled her words. She was trying to be okay with her best friend leaving without a phone call, but it still hurt. Actually, it hurt more that Callie had left with Alex instead of her, but she was making peace with it. "They weren’t involved. I don’t know what they are right now. I know - I know he looks at her in a way that I’ve never seen him look at anyone and he makes her laugh and she never does that anymore."
Cam looked down at his hands, then back at Addison. "What can you tell me about George?"
"First year surgical intern, but he hasn’t chosen his specialty yet. He’s shorter than Callie by an inch or so, brownish curly hair, green eyes. He’s the quintessential math geek and sorta looks like it. He’s not chubby, but he’s not buff. He’s ... average. He’s currently living in his car and he -"
"Is he a bad boy? Not counting the fact that he can’t control his penis?" Cam asked.
"Well, no. He’s probably been in the Republican column since birth, but he loves Callie. I just don’t know if he’s ready for love. Not the kind that she deserves and offered him."
Cam looked thoughtful. "Maybe a few weeks in traction would get him ready."
"Possibly." She couldn’t help but smile. "But really, I don’t think that’s the answer. Some people just have to keep making bad decisions until the right one smacks them in the face."
"I could smack him in the face." Cam picked up his fork and dug into his meal. "And then tie an anchor to his feet and make him vanish."
Addison laughed out loud. "Callie said almost the same thing and then she added that she would jump in to save him and probably die trying. Her heart is just too big."
"That’s Callie," Blake chuckled along with her. "She’s a rescuer. She sees something that’s hurt or broken and she puts it back together."
Cam finally relaxed a little. "She told me that’s why she likes mending bones. She can see the problem, set it on the right path, and then just wait for time to do its job."
"I think that’s why she left with Alex." Addison reached across the table and put her hand on Cam’s. "She needs to be mended for a change. I think he does that for her and this is *her* time."
"What does he look like?" Blake asked. "Alex."
"He’s around six foot, brown eyes. He was a wrestler in college so he’s got the cut body. He’s also got the whole frat boy jock thing down to a science."
"They’re not involved," Blake decided. "She *hates* jocks."
"Does he have tattoos?" Cam asked.
"I don’t really know." Addison said. "Why?"
"She *does* like bad boys."
"Oh, he’s definitely that." Addy nodded.
"They’re involved." Cam took another bite of his food. "She’s a sucker for a bad boy. We both are."
Addison looked at Blake who was so much like George that it was alarming. He caught her looking and smiled at her. "What? I may look like a stock broker, but I’m wearing a leather thong."
They all laughed together for two more hours.
Addison had stopped worrying by the time they said goodbye.
*~*~*~*~*~
Goon Docks was even more impressive up close. Alex carried their clothing and watched as Callie climbed aboard. She moved with the authority of someone who had been on boats, no --- yachts --- their entire life. He followed behind her, stumbling a little over the rope that held the ship tethered to the dock. He quickly righted himself and followed her around to the cockpit. She sat down in the captain’s chair and leaned back, closing her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Feeling her."
He watched quietly and she finally nodded and stood. He said, "How does she feel?"
"Perfect. Let’s go below deck." She headed through a small door that was just behind the cockpit and descended the stairs ahead of him.
"Oh my god." He said when he reached the bottom and took his sunglasses off. "Callie -"
She was running her hand along the white leather sectional that was built into the wall on the left. There were black leather pillows on either end of the sofa and a black and white zebra print rug rested in the floor. Dark cherry cabinets were built in behind it and she opened one, smiling at the assortment of movies inside. Turning, she gazed at the plasma television, then checked to make sure her game consoles were in the trunk beneath it.
Satisfied, she turned around and walked into the galley, which had black and white marble countertops and stainless steel appliances. She opened the microwave, then the oven, and nodded. Next, she pulled out the refrigerated drawers that were underneath the island. She had opted for the drawers and not a standing unit. Where the refrigerator would have gone stood a fully stocked wet bar with built in stools, solid white. It would be a perfect place for dinner. For two.
Beaming from ear to ear, she turned to Alex. "She’s pretty, huh?"
"She’s amazing."
"Wanna see the rest?"
"Lead the way."
She headed down a narrow hallway and pushed open the door to the guest bathroom. It was wallpapered with black and white stripes. The toilet, shower, and sink were all black, but the towels, curtains, and pictures on the wall were all red. A plush red throw rug covered the black and white tiles on the floor. "I love it," she told him. "I was worried that the red would be too much, but it works."
"It’s gorgeous." He opened the door that was opposite the bathroom and stepped into a bedroom that was bigger than his own at Meredith’s house. One entire wall was covered with cabinets and the queen sized bed, made up with a smoky grey satin comforter, was built into the center. Instead of a headboard, there was a mirror. His eyes widened at that and he glanced at the ceiling. There were mirrors there as well. "You are a freak. And a pervert."
"This is not *my* room." She pulled him toward the bow, the front most point of the hull. She opened a door that boasted a towering gargoyle on top of the frame, and pulled him inside. "This is *mine*."
It looked like something you would find in an old castle. Dracula’s castle to be more accurate. The four poster bed had black netting around the top and as he glanced up, he saw that there were mirrors, but also a plasma television that would making lying on your back in the bed a prime position to watch a movie. The thick comforter was black, but right in the middle was a huge red rose that was quilted more than the rest of the fabric so it stuck upward.
The carpet was black, the walls were blood red and the effect of it was overwhelming, but incredible. He walked further into the room, gazing up at the gothic looking chandelier and then at the massive gargoyle that lounged in the corner, his eyes seemingly tracking Alex’s every move. He turned when Callie opened another door and followed her into the master bathroom. Instead of a shower, it had the biggest claw foot tub Alex had ever seen. It was gold and he blinked a few times when he realized that the toilet and sink were gold as well. It could have been tacky ... but he knew that if he had been the one designing the boat ... *this* would have been his ideal dwelling for Callie. For *his* Elvira.
He put his arms around her waist and said, "It’s perfect."
"It is." She rested her hands on his arms. "I can’t wait to get her back to Seattle."
"We could leave now."
"Nope. Disneyland." She turned and stood on her toes to kiss him, then looked shocked. "I didn’t really realize you were taller than me."
"Not by much." He hugged her. "You still fit just fine."
"What?"
"Nothing." He kissed her cheek and added, "Did I see a hot tub on top of this thing?"
"You did. And there’s also a jet ski and a smaller motor boat that will keep us safe if we happen to sink it."
"Uh, do you sink a lot of yachts."
"Only one. But it doesn’t count."
He gazed after he when she walked out of the bathroom. "Uh, Cal?" he called. "You want to explain that?"
"No," she said. "It’ll just freak you out and really, who needs that?"
"Callie! Come back here!"
"I’m going to heat the hot tub so it’ll be ready when we get back."
The thought of it made him forget the sinking boat.
He’d remember it soon enough, though.
*~*~*~*~*~
Disneyland was everything he had hoped for and more. He bought her a talking ‘Captain Jack’ doll and she bought him a hat that she had monogrammed with his name. They had their photos taken several times and bought them all. Callie had a VIP pass that guaranteed front of the line service and they were even escorted in a golf cart for most of the day. They rode almost everything and the bigger rides more than once. She bought cotton candy as the sun went down and led him to Sleeping Beauty’s castle where they gazed up at the firework display with all the awe and wonder of two year olds seeing something perfect for the first time.
They had saved the water rides for last and by the time the park closed, they were soaking wet, cold, and so exhausted that they both dozed in the limo on the half hour ride back to Redondo Beach. The driver woke them by gently shaking Alex’s arm. He blinked and sat up. Callie had her head in his lap. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her and she stirred after a few seconds.
"Are we home?" she asked, stretching.
"We are." He stepped out first, gathered their souvenirs, and held out his hand. They walked to the marina with their fingers laced together and he paused before she could board the ship. "Hey, Cal?"
"Yeah?"
"You remember that story I told you about my mom? About how she got beat up on Christmas Eve so that she could get me a bike?"
She stepped a little closer to him, nodding. "Of course I do."
"I lied to you. I said that I never held out any hope for Santa, but I did. Every single year I stuck a letter in the mailbox asking for just one thing."
"Oh? What did you ask for?"
"Disneyland. Santa was a little late in delivering it, but it was better to wait." He leaned his forehead against hers. "I will never forget this day with you."
"Neither will I, Alex." Callie closed her eyes and smiled. For the first time in her life she was flying without the help of jet engines. It was better than flying a 747 because she didn’t have to be completely in control for once. If she fell ... he would catch her on the way down. Because he was Alex Karev and he had yet to let her hit the ground. Even at her worst, even at her lowest, he stopped her before she crashed and burned. "Hey, Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"Nothing matters when I’m with you. Nothing bothers me. Nothing hurts. I feel good about myself and I had forgotten what that was like. You make me remember why my heart beats and why I want it to."
Alex took a step back and cradled her face in his hands. He looked into her eyes and just as he had done the day before, he felt himself disappearing in their depths. For the longest time, he simply stared at her, then he finally said, "You want your heart to beat because someone’s finally hearing it and listening to what it has to say. I hear it, Elvira. Even from across the room ... I hear it."
"I want you to hear it. All the time. I’m rapidly finding out that I’m a novice at true happiness, but I’m sure that’s what this is and I don’t know what to do with myself or with you. I know what I want and I know what I need, but I’m - I’m scared." She blinked and looked away. "God. This wasn’t supposed to happen."
The guilt was written on her face again and he hated seeing it there, hated that even the smallest part of her could remember George O’Malley and feel the slightest bit of loyalty to him. It annoyed him. It grated on his nerves and he stepped back, forcing a smile on his face. He refused to have her scared of him or feeling pressured enough to give in. "I’m pretty tired. That second Tower of Terror ride took a lot out of me. It was almost like riding in your plane again. I, uh, I’m gonna take the bedroom with the gray and try to get some rest because something tells me I’ll need it with you driving this thing."
"But-"
"Come on." He held out his hand and helped her board Goon Docks. She looked like she wanted to speak to him, but he made a big show of yawning and stretching and she turned and unlocked the door.
Callie was stunned when he kissed her neck, whispered ‘goodnight’ and disappeared into the starboard bedroom. She sat on the sofa and crossed her arms. A moment later he walked across the hallway and went into the bathroom carrying his toothbrush and toothpaste. When he emerged, she had not moved a muscle and he winked at her and headed to bed.
‘You said too much too fast.’ The little voice had returned and she closed her eyes, listening to it. ‘He thinks that you’re getting too involved. He doesn’t want that. You’re still married and he’s not like Izzie Stevens. He said *if* you had sex, not when. He doesn’t want you. Jocks never want the goth chicks so just give it up.’
Cursing under her breath, she forgot her exhaustion and stalked down the hallway into her own room, where she changed into a black Dolce and Gabbana swimsuit that was more metal than fabric. She spread several maps out on the bed and kneeled down, tracing their course with her finger. She had planned to leave the following morning at daybreak, but considering the way that Alex had completely shut her down, she figured it would be better to hit the open seas as quickly as possible.
In Seattle, they could go their separate ways.
They would always have Disneyland.
She brushed away a tear that fell onto her cheek, rolled the map, picked up her CD case and carried both up onto the deck with her. It took almost an hour for her to program the coordinates into the GPS navigator. It was high tech and incredibly sensitive. When she finally finished, she started the engine, read the gauges, and was pleased to see that the tank was full and the pressure readings were perfect. Then she untied Goon Docks from the deck and patted her gently on the side. In the captain’s chair, she took a deep breath and said, "Okay, girl, bring me that horizon."
She idled out of the marina and once she hit open water, she increased the speed and opened the sunroof, enjoying the cool night air. It took twenty five minutes to arrive off the coast of Venice. Callie could hear music from a beach party and see the bonfire that was burning brightly in a large can even though they were pretty far out. She flipped through her CD case and slid Queen into the disc drive. The first strains of ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ began to play and she dropped the anchor and dove, head first into the cool, crisp water.
She was enjoying herself immensely when something suddenly closed around her waist and she opened her mouth under water to yell out.
Alex kicked them back to the surface and as soon as their heads broke free, he shouted, "What the hell are you doing?!"
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Callie screamed, choking up the water she had swallowed.
"We’re getting back on the boat!" Alex reached for her arm, but she splashed water into his face and swam under again. "Callie!"
He caught up with her quickly and this time he was rougher with her. He pinned her arms to her sides and brought her back to the surface. "GET BACK ON THE BOAT!"
"IT’S A YACHT!" she cried. "AND YOU GET BACK ON IT!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? THERE COULD BE SHARKS! THERE COULD BE JELLYFISH! AND YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET YOUR ARM WET! SHARKS, CALLIE! THEY SMELL THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF BLOOD!"
"GO BACK TO BED! ALONE, ASS!"
He latched onto her and pulled her back to the ship, where he had lowered the ladder. "Get back on the *boat*."
"Alex!"
"NOW!"
Callie gripped the ladder and climbed up, stalking across the cool surface of the deck. She kept her back to him and gasped when he yanked her around to face him. "Alex, leave me alone!"
"What the hell is your problem?"
"You!"
"I haven’t done a damn thing to you!"
"I poured my heart out and you went to *bed*! I - If you don’t want this ... if you don’t want me then just tell me because I can’t keep-"
"I went to bed because you can’t make up your mind! You are *not* clear headed which is exactly what I told you this morning! I’m not touching you until you are! At the rate you’re going, with the guilt and the second guessing, that will be never!"
"I am not second guessing! I am not guilty!"
"You said this wasn’t supposed to happen!"
"It’s not! I shouldn’t be falling for you because it’s too fast! It’s too soon! But here I am! I’ve fallen and apparently I can’t get up!"
Alex kissed her. He pulled her against him and kissed her with everything that he had. His hands tangled into her long, wet hair and he held on. He tasted the saltwater on her lips and then her tongue found his and she tasted like the cotton candy they had shared under the fireworks. They broke apart when a cool breeze nearly froze the water that was clinging to their skin. He looked down at her and said, "Let’s go back inside."
"No."
"Callie-"
"Hot tub."
Alex watched as she walked to the cockpit and turned off all of the bigger lights. She left a few smaller ones on and he guessed it was to alert other vessels to their location. Her finally noticed her swimsuit, then. It was red, one piece, with large metal rings all over it. Those rings were hollow and he could see her tan flesh peeking out everywhere. He had thought that he could never see her look better than she had the previous night in the thong, but he was wrong. He swallowed when she bent over and pulled another CD out of her case and removed Queen. Her backside was enough to make him forget how cold he was.
Soft, romantic music began to play and she moved around the edge of the cockpit to the hot tub and he followed. The tub rested toward the nose of the ship and she leaned down, unfastening the latches that kept the lid in place. Alex helped her wrench it free and moaned a little when he saw that the water was bubbling and he could feel the warmth against his legs. Callie looked at him and smiled. "You want a drink?"
"I want you," he stated bluntly. "That’s enough for me."
It was darker at the front of the boat. The lights she had left on were near the water and she kept her eyes on him as she slowly peeled her wet swimsuit off, letting it pool at her feet. She knew that he could still see her, though, because the blue light from the jacuzzi made her see him. With a sly smile, she stepped down into the tub and sighed. "I’m the captain. I make the rules. Number one is no one bathes with their clothes on."
Even beneath the water, with the ripples distorting her body, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. "If I take my trunks off ... then we’re doing this, Callie. And there’s no looking back. We’re official."
"Is that what you want? Think about what you’re saying. I’ve got baggage that you don’t even know about and what you do know about it pretty damn rough. I have to get a divorce, I have to-"
"I don’t care about that. Any of it. I care about here and now. Whatever comes ... as long as we’re together it doesn’t matter. It's us against the world, Gothika. And I can't think of a better partner."
"Then let’s not look back. Let’s not think about tomorrow of next week or next month. Make it official, Alex, because you’re enough for me, too."
*~*~*~*~*~
Because I'm totally anal and I didn't do the damn yacht justice ... This is freakin' it. Only slightly upgraded.
So ... we're either having smut next chapter or not. I think I'll flip a coin. ;)
HUGS!