(no subject)
01 - No Obstacles, Only Challenges
02 - Girls Like Us
03 - Champagne Beat Boogie
04 - You're the Lucky Ones
05 - Duke's Up
06 - 20 Minutes of Disco Glory
07 - Perpetual
08 - Halcyon
Title: Groove ♠ Anomaly Calling Your Name [9/14]
Rating: R!
Pairing: Mark/Addison
Summary: Snow. Secrets. Sex. Pretty much in that order.
“You came all the way up here,” Addison winced as a perfectly-packed snowball exploded on the back of her neck to go directly down her jacket, “to offer to shovel my driveway?” She dusted off her neck as best she could and turned around with the intent to tell Juliet that aiming for the head was not okay but couldn’t bring herself to do it when she saw her daughter sitting down in a snowdrift, giggling.
“No. But I will if you want me to.”
“Mommy?” Juliet wandered over and curiously looked up at Mark. He looked familiar but she couldn’t place it.
“I should never have taught you how to make a snowball,” Addison grinned and kissed Juliet’s cold pink cheek. “Juliet, this is Mark. You met him a couple years ago.”
Mark crouched down so he was at eye level with the girl and wished that he hadn’t worn jeans: the bottoms had gotten wet and the fabric was quickly getting cold. He smiled. “Hi.”
Juliet grinned widely, deciding he could be a friend. “Hi!” She suddenly remembered him as the man who had tapped her nose in the hospital one day and made her smile.
Addison quietly watched the two stare at and study each other and smiled softly to herself. She wasn’t sure why she was so surprised to notice that Mark had matured and grown up. Maybe it was because he wasn’t around Derek or maybe he really had calmed down to the point where she would consider getting back together. Either way, she liked what she saw and - unlike with Derek - she had always been pretty good at reading Mark and something told her that he hadn’t driven at least four hours in an unrelenting snow storm to ask her a question she had made fairly clear she had no intention of answering.
“Since you offered,” she smirked, pulling her hat off her head and quickly smoothing out her hair to avoid any unwanted laughter, “a shoveled driveway would be great. Bright orange thing in the garage.”
“I know what a shovel looks like, Addison,” he smirked back but went to get it anyway.
Juliet started to get cold and made no secret of it, though she would be back outside at least once more before bedtime. Addison threw an apologetic look to Mark and told him she’d be back out after she de-snowsuited Juliet. She didn’t think it was very fair to leave him outside on his own when he had just shown up. Also, she had discovered that there were times when her neighborhood would give Wisteria Lane a run for its money, especially when it came to men appearing at the door of single mothers’ homes and spontaneously shoveling the driveway without company (well, she hadn’t had experience with the shoveling-turned-gossip part but she figured she was safe in assuming it was true) and had very little desire to concoct a story to stave off the bored housewives.
As Addison went inside to hang hats and mittens and snowpants over a vent in the laundry room and make Juliet some hot chocolate and peanut butter crackers, Mark picked up the shovel and shoveled a path down the center of the driveway to the street and then began methodically clearing one half and then the other in neat, straight lines. He got lost in the repetition and his thoughts drifted toward Addison and how remarkably relaxed she was compared to the last time he saw her. Tossing a shovelful of snow onto one of Addison’s earlier piles and taking great care to avoid covering any snow angels, he thought it might have something to do with Derek not being there. Not that her tension was Derek’s fault, but the two of them together seemed to have a bad effect on her. She was just...calm and Mark didn’t sense any apprehension.
“You didn’t have to do this, you know.” Addison hopped up on the trunk of her car in the garage. She had changed out of unbearably cold and wet clothing into jeans and a sweatshirt, a scarf around her neck and matching gloves keeping her neck and hands warm. Despite the snow, it wasn’t terribly cold and she knew she wouldn’t be outside all that long.
“I offered, you accepted.” He pushed a last scoop of snow off the driveway and started on the other side.
She thought about that and nodded. “Fair point.”
Mark shoveled in silence for a few minutes. He looked up and waved at Juliet watching from the family room window. She waved back and he laughed. “You have a really cute kid, Addie.” He looked over his shoulder at Addison and caught her smiling thoughtfully. He stopped and leaned on the shovel, turning to face her. “What?”
Addison crossed her ankles and, in a moment of inspired spontaneity, took a deep breath. “We have a really cute kid, Mark.”
Suddenly very glad he wasn’t doing anything, Mark blinked and processed. “She’s...she’s mine?”
“Yeah,” Addison nodded with a small grin, pleased to see happiness behind the shock in his face.
“That’s not why I came up here.” He tried to pinpoint the look on Addison’s face. Not that he wasn’t happy - quite the opposite - but he was confused as to her sudden flip on the subject. Ever since Juliet was born, Addison had been adamantly not telling anyone who Juliet’s father was and Mark couldn’t figure out why she let it out now without any warning or prompting.
She pushed herself off the car and walked out of the garage toward him. “That’s why I told you.” Addison spared a glance to the window to make sure Juliet had gone back to something else before stepping in close, but not too close. “You didn’t come here with the intent to find out. I don’t know why you’re here but...oh!” The beginnings of a classic ramble were cut short by Mark’s lips.
He dropped the shovel and kissed her softly, bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks. He kissed her just long enough so she could feel he meant it and then pulled back. “You, Addie. You’re why I’m here.”
“Okay,” she said somewhat breathless and with a very dazed and stupid smile.
--
Juliet and Mark took an instant liking to each other. Addison had never known Mark to be particularly fond of small children and Juliet incredibly shy with new people but as she watched them build a Barbie-sized Lego castle (which Addison found rather reminiscent of the scene in Alice in Wonderland where Alice, after responding eagerly to EAT ME grows far too large for the house and her arms and legs sprout out the windows, but she wasn’t about to mention that) she couldn’t help a soft smile from making a permanent home on her face. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something new about Mark that she had noticed from the moment he offered to shovel the driveway; she couldn’t put her finger on it but she liked it - a lot - and knew it would come to her eventually. Addison did know, however, and knew for certain, that Mark’s interaction with Juliet was real, not just for the sake of appearances because he knew he was her father. If she hadn’t told him, she was sure he’d be doing the exact same thing.
When Mark suggested putting a few Lego people outside the door as guards for a final touch, Juliet’s face immediately lit up and she nodded. The two turned proudly to Addison, big matching smiles on both their faces. Addison laughed and told them it was beautiful and stood up; bedtime for Juliet.
“But Mommy.”
Mark had to stifle a laugh with his hand. Juliet’s stubborn pout was pure Addison.
“It’s half an hour past bedtime. Tomorrow’s Saturday, you’ll have plenty of snow, Lego and Mark time.”
“Fine.” Juliet reluctantly followed Addison upstairs.
Mark tried his best not to laugh and held up his hands in apology when Addison turned to look over her shoulder and mouthed shut up! at him.
--
“She’s pure you, you know.” Mark accepted the beer Addison handed him with a smile of thanks and took a sip. He nodded in appreciation; Addison always did have good taste in beer.
Addison sat down in the chair across from his spot on the couch and shook her head. “She has her moments of you. The sad puppy dog eyed pout? That’s yours.”
“I do not have a sad puppy dog eyed pout.” Mark blinked at Addison’s raised eyebrow of defiance and smirked. “Does she always have to be right, too?” He ducked out of the way of a tossed pillow from a laughing Addison.
They made idle and comfortable small talk for a while and Addison got up to refill her glass of wine, Mark following her into the kitchen. Addison hopped up on the counter, embracing the hypocrisy in not letting Juliet do the same, and watched him dig out another beer.
“You said you were here for me,” she said quietly. “What does that mean?”
Mark stepped toward her and took her glass out of her hand, setting it next to her without breaking eye contact. Addison shivered as his fingers danced up her bare arms to push her hair out of her eyes and she couldn’t help but turn her cheek into his touch when he brushed his hand against her cheek. Sliding an arm around her lower back, Mark carefully tugged her toward him and leaned in closer as she dangled her legs off the counter on either side of his.
“Means I love you,” he breathed softly against her cheek before turning to capture her lips with his in a series of tiny kisses.
She kissed him back and melted into his touch, easily letting him part her lips and snaking her tongue out to meet his. She moaned quietly at the feel of his fingers teasing small circles on her thighs, even through her pants, and she pulled back with half-lidded eyes and deep breaths. Addison hadn’t felt that kind of intensity in years, certainly not since Juliet was born and definitely never from Mark.
“You’ve never kissed me like that before,” she whispered when she had caught her breath.
“You’ve never been single before.”
Addison laughed quietly and ducked her head.
He hooked a finger under her chin. “I’ve wanted to kiss you like that for almost five years.”
“What were you waiting for?”
“You to calm down. You were never going to even think about it until she was a little older and you were sure you were ready to have someone back in your life, father or not.”
Addison searched his eyes and smiled softly at his words; Mark really had grown up. And she realized why it hurt so much when she found out he was cheating on her: they were never a fling; they just had ten years of foreplay and a five year break. She curled her hand around his neck and gently brought him back for another kiss.
Mark teased his fingers under her shirt and lightly nibbled on her upper lip before sweeping his tongue into her mouth. Addison hooked her legs around his back and his fingers were tracing the bottom edge of her bra when she pulled back.
“So is that a yes?” He smirked, resting his forehead against hers. He slowly followed the edge of her bra up and over the swell of her breasts.
Addison nodded, breathless, and did her very best to keep from wiggling to encourage his hands or just taking her shirt and bra off himself. “We’ll talk about it in the, ah, morning.” She closed her eyes as Mark unhooked her bra underneath her shirt and pulled it as far down as possible. She found it hard to think with his fingers touching every inch of her breasts, gradually coming closer - but not touching - her nipples.
“But right now all you really want is hot sex?” Mark whispered slowly in her ear, following his words with a soft line of air and gently teasing her earlobe with his teeth.
She nodded again and found the strength to raise her head and look at him, her eyes clouded over. “Yeah.” The word was barely out of her mouth when Mark’s lips were on hers, swallowing a moan as he brushed his thumbs across her nipples and she felt a familiar rush of heat between her legs.
Mark pulled away slowly, teasingly. “You know where the bed is,” he whispered with a devious glint in his eye.
--
“I haven’t had sex like that in a long time.” Mark kissed Addison’s temple and pulled her to him after a few moments of silence once their breathing calmed.
She rolled her eyes up to look at him. “I haven’t had sex in a long time.”
He laughed quietly into her hair. “Well, it didn’t show.”
“It will tomorrow,” she grinned and rolled, letting him curl his body to spoon around her.
They cuddled in happy silence for a while, Addison enjoying the feel of Mark’s arms around her again (she didn’t know until that moment how much she wished the arms she had imagined around her for years had been his) and Mark enjoying the feel of Addison in his arms again. They needed a lot of work, but Mark decided to apologize for it all later and simply hold her close for the moment. He smoothed out her hair and kissed her cheek.
Addison sighed sleepily and turned to face him. “As much as I want to stay like this forever, you’re new and for some reason she wakes up at about seven on Saturdays and I don’t really think...”
“...that it would best for her to find us in bed together when she has no idea who I am?”
She nodded and scrunched her nose. “Yeah.”
After slight delay in getting Mark into the guest room that caused her to remember the squeaky coil in that bed, Addison rolled back into her own bed and stared up at the ceiling. In hindsight, she should have forced some boxers on him and let him stay. As tired as she was while he was with her, she was suddenly awake and unable to do anything except think about just what the hell it was that she was doing. Her body gave in, though her mind distinctly without answers, just before sunrise.
--
Mark woke up to the smell of bacon and someone gently tugging on his hand. He opened his eyes and blinked away the blurry post-sleep haze and focused on the face in front of him.
“Mommy says it’s time to get up.” Juliet grinned widely and turned to go back downstairs, her message delivered. She stopped at the door and looked back at Mark who hadn’t made any effort to move. “Chocolate chip pancakes!” She begged him out of bed with an urgent pout as if he’d be stuck with orange juice and lukewarm bacon for breakfast if he didn’t hurry up.
--
Note: Just because Daddy's been revealed doesn't mean the drama's over (yeah, about that: I tried to hold out, didn't work). Stay tuned even if that's all you wanted to know. ;)
♠ Heaven Scent
02 - Girls Like Us
03 - Champagne Beat Boogie
04 - You're the Lucky Ones
05 - Duke's Up
06 - 20 Minutes of Disco Glory
07 - Perpetual
08 - Halcyon
Title: Groove ♠ Anomaly Calling Your Name [9/14]
Rating: R!
Pairing: Mark/Addison
Summary: Snow. Secrets. Sex. Pretty much in that order.
“You came all the way up here,” Addison winced as a perfectly-packed snowball exploded on the back of her neck to go directly down her jacket, “to offer to shovel my driveway?” She dusted off her neck as best she could and turned around with the intent to tell Juliet that aiming for the head was not okay but couldn’t bring herself to do it when she saw her daughter sitting down in a snowdrift, giggling.
“No. But I will if you want me to.”
“Mommy?” Juliet wandered over and curiously looked up at Mark. He looked familiar but she couldn’t place it.
“I should never have taught you how to make a snowball,” Addison grinned and kissed Juliet’s cold pink cheek. “Juliet, this is Mark. You met him a couple years ago.”
Mark crouched down so he was at eye level with the girl and wished that he hadn’t worn jeans: the bottoms had gotten wet and the fabric was quickly getting cold. He smiled. “Hi.”
Juliet grinned widely, deciding he could be a friend. “Hi!” She suddenly remembered him as the man who had tapped her nose in the hospital one day and made her smile.
Addison quietly watched the two stare at and study each other and smiled softly to herself. She wasn’t sure why she was so surprised to notice that Mark had matured and grown up. Maybe it was because he wasn’t around Derek or maybe he really had calmed down to the point where she would consider getting back together. Either way, she liked what she saw and - unlike with Derek - she had always been pretty good at reading Mark and something told her that he hadn’t driven at least four hours in an unrelenting snow storm to ask her a question she had made fairly clear she had no intention of answering.
“Since you offered,” she smirked, pulling her hat off her head and quickly smoothing out her hair to avoid any unwanted laughter, “a shoveled driveway would be great. Bright orange thing in the garage.”
“I know what a shovel looks like, Addison,” he smirked back but went to get it anyway.
Juliet started to get cold and made no secret of it, though she would be back outside at least once more before bedtime. Addison threw an apologetic look to Mark and told him she’d be back out after she de-snowsuited Juliet. She didn’t think it was very fair to leave him outside on his own when he had just shown up. Also, she had discovered that there were times when her neighborhood would give Wisteria Lane a run for its money, especially when it came to men appearing at the door of single mothers’ homes and spontaneously shoveling the driveway without company (well, she hadn’t had experience with the shoveling-turned-gossip part but she figured she was safe in assuming it was true) and had very little desire to concoct a story to stave off the bored housewives.
As Addison went inside to hang hats and mittens and snowpants over a vent in the laundry room and make Juliet some hot chocolate and peanut butter crackers, Mark picked up the shovel and shoveled a path down the center of the driveway to the street and then began methodically clearing one half and then the other in neat, straight lines. He got lost in the repetition and his thoughts drifted toward Addison and how remarkably relaxed she was compared to the last time he saw her. Tossing a shovelful of snow onto one of Addison’s earlier piles and taking great care to avoid covering any snow angels, he thought it might have something to do with Derek not being there. Not that her tension was Derek’s fault, but the two of them together seemed to have a bad effect on her. She was just...calm and Mark didn’t sense any apprehension.
“You didn’t have to do this, you know.” Addison hopped up on the trunk of her car in the garage. She had changed out of unbearably cold and wet clothing into jeans and a sweatshirt, a scarf around her neck and matching gloves keeping her neck and hands warm. Despite the snow, it wasn’t terribly cold and she knew she wouldn’t be outside all that long.
“I offered, you accepted.” He pushed a last scoop of snow off the driveway and started on the other side.
She thought about that and nodded. “Fair point.”
Mark shoveled in silence for a few minutes. He looked up and waved at Juliet watching from the family room window. She waved back and he laughed. “You have a really cute kid, Addie.” He looked over his shoulder at Addison and caught her smiling thoughtfully. He stopped and leaned on the shovel, turning to face her. “What?”
Addison crossed her ankles and, in a moment of inspired spontaneity, took a deep breath. “We have a really cute kid, Mark.”
Suddenly very glad he wasn’t doing anything, Mark blinked and processed. “She’s...she’s mine?”
“Yeah,” Addison nodded with a small grin, pleased to see happiness behind the shock in his face.
“That’s not why I came up here.” He tried to pinpoint the look on Addison’s face. Not that he wasn’t happy - quite the opposite - but he was confused as to her sudden flip on the subject. Ever since Juliet was born, Addison had been adamantly not telling anyone who Juliet’s father was and Mark couldn’t figure out why she let it out now without any warning or prompting.
She pushed herself off the car and walked out of the garage toward him. “That’s why I told you.” Addison spared a glance to the window to make sure Juliet had gone back to something else before stepping in close, but not too close. “You didn’t come here with the intent to find out. I don’t know why you’re here but...oh!” The beginnings of a classic ramble were cut short by Mark’s lips.
He dropped the shovel and kissed her softly, bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks. He kissed her just long enough so she could feel he meant it and then pulled back. “You, Addie. You’re why I’m here.”
“Okay,” she said somewhat breathless and with a very dazed and stupid smile.
--
Juliet and Mark took an instant liking to each other. Addison had never known Mark to be particularly fond of small children and Juliet incredibly shy with new people but as she watched them build a Barbie-sized Lego castle (which Addison found rather reminiscent of the scene in Alice in Wonderland where Alice, after responding eagerly to EAT ME grows far too large for the house and her arms and legs sprout out the windows, but she wasn’t about to mention that) she couldn’t help a soft smile from making a permanent home on her face. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something new about Mark that she had noticed from the moment he offered to shovel the driveway; she couldn’t put her finger on it but she liked it - a lot - and knew it would come to her eventually. Addison did know, however, and knew for certain, that Mark’s interaction with Juliet was real, not just for the sake of appearances because he knew he was her father. If she hadn’t told him, she was sure he’d be doing the exact same thing.
When Mark suggested putting a few Lego people outside the door as guards for a final touch, Juliet’s face immediately lit up and she nodded. The two turned proudly to Addison, big matching smiles on both their faces. Addison laughed and told them it was beautiful and stood up; bedtime for Juliet.
“But Mommy.”
Mark had to stifle a laugh with his hand. Juliet’s stubborn pout was pure Addison.
“It’s half an hour past bedtime. Tomorrow’s Saturday, you’ll have plenty of snow, Lego and Mark time.”
“Fine.” Juliet reluctantly followed Addison upstairs.
Mark tried his best not to laugh and held up his hands in apology when Addison turned to look over her shoulder and mouthed shut up! at him.
--
“She’s pure you, you know.” Mark accepted the beer Addison handed him with a smile of thanks and took a sip. He nodded in appreciation; Addison always did have good taste in beer.
Addison sat down in the chair across from his spot on the couch and shook her head. “She has her moments of you. The sad puppy dog eyed pout? That’s yours.”
“I do not have a sad puppy dog eyed pout.” Mark blinked at Addison’s raised eyebrow of defiance and smirked. “Does she always have to be right, too?” He ducked out of the way of a tossed pillow from a laughing Addison.
They made idle and comfortable small talk for a while and Addison got up to refill her glass of wine, Mark following her into the kitchen. Addison hopped up on the counter, embracing the hypocrisy in not letting Juliet do the same, and watched him dig out another beer.
“You said you were here for me,” she said quietly. “What does that mean?”
Mark stepped toward her and took her glass out of her hand, setting it next to her without breaking eye contact. Addison shivered as his fingers danced up her bare arms to push her hair out of her eyes and she couldn’t help but turn her cheek into his touch when he brushed his hand against her cheek. Sliding an arm around her lower back, Mark carefully tugged her toward him and leaned in closer as she dangled her legs off the counter on either side of his.
“Means I love you,” he breathed softly against her cheek before turning to capture her lips with his in a series of tiny kisses.
She kissed him back and melted into his touch, easily letting him part her lips and snaking her tongue out to meet his. She moaned quietly at the feel of his fingers teasing small circles on her thighs, even through her pants, and she pulled back with half-lidded eyes and deep breaths. Addison hadn’t felt that kind of intensity in years, certainly not since Juliet was born and definitely never from Mark.
“You’ve never kissed me like that before,” she whispered when she had caught her breath.
“You’ve never been single before.”
Addison laughed quietly and ducked her head.
He hooked a finger under her chin. “I’ve wanted to kiss you like that for almost five years.”
“What were you waiting for?”
“You to calm down. You were never going to even think about it until she was a little older and you were sure you were ready to have someone back in your life, father or not.”
Addison searched his eyes and smiled softly at his words; Mark really had grown up. And she realized why it hurt so much when she found out he was cheating on her: they were never a fling; they just had ten years of foreplay and a five year break. She curled her hand around his neck and gently brought him back for another kiss.
Mark teased his fingers under her shirt and lightly nibbled on her upper lip before sweeping his tongue into her mouth. Addison hooked her legs around his back and his fingers were tracing the bottom edge of her bra when she pulled back.
“So is that a yes?” He smirked, resting his forehead against hers. He slowly followed the edge of her bra up and over the swell of her breasts.
Addison nodded, breathless, and did her very best to keep from wiggling to encourage his hands or just taking her shirt and bra off himself. “We’ll talk about it in the, ah, morning.” She closed her eyes as Mark unhooked her bra underneath her shirt and pulled it as far down as possible. She found it hard to think with his fingers touching every inch of her breasts, gradually coming closer - but not touching - her nipples.
“But right now all you really want is hot sex?” Mark whispered slowly in her ear, following his words with a soft line of air and gently teasing her earlobe with his teeth.
She nodded again and found the strength to raise her head and look at him, her eyes clouded over. “Yeah.” The word was barely out of her mouth when Mark’s lips were on hers, swallowing a moan as he brushed his thumbs across her nipples and she felt a familiar rush of heat between her legs.
Mark pulled away slowly, teasingly. “You know where the bed is,” he whispered with a devious glint in his eye.
--
“I haven’t had sex like that in a long time.” Mark kissed Addison’s temple and pulled her to him after a few moments of silence once their breathing calmed.
She rolled her eyes up to look at him. “I haven’t had sex in a long time.”
He laughed quietly into her hair. “Well, it didn’t show.”
“It will tomorrow,” she grinned and rolled, letting him curl his body to spoon around her.
They cuddled in happy silence for a while, Addison enjoying the feel of Mark’s arms around her again (she didn’t know until that moment how much she wished the arms she had imagined around her for years had been his) and Mark enjoying the feel of Addison in his arms again. They needed a lot of work, but Mark decided to apologize for it all later and simply hold her close for the moment. He smoothed out her hair and kissed her cheek.
Addison sighed sleepily and turned to face him. “As much as I want to stay like this forever, you’re new and for some reason she wakes up at about seven on Saturdays and I don’t really think...”
“...that it would best for her to find us in bed together when she has no idea who I am?”
She nodded and scrunched her nose. “Yeah.”
After slight delay in getting Mark into the guest room that caused her to remember the squeaky coil in that bed, Addison rolled back into her own bed and stared up at the ceiling. In hindsight, she should have forced some boxers on him and let him stay. As tired as she was while he was with her, she was suddenly awake and unable to do anything except think about just what the hell it was that she was doing. Her body gave in, though her mind distinctly without answers, just before sunrise.
--
Mark woke up to the smell of bacon and someone gently tugging on his hand. He opened his eyes and blinked away the blurry post-sleep haze and focused on the face in front of him.
“Mommy says it’s time to get up.” Juliet grinned widely and turned to go back downstairs, her message delivered. She stopped at the door and looked back at Mark who hadn’t made any effort to move. “Chocolate chip pancakes!” She begged him out of bed with an urgent pout as if he’d be stuck with orange juice and lukewarm bacon for breakfast if he didn’t hurry up.
--
Note: Just because Daddy's been revealed doesn't mean the drama's over (yeah, about that: I tried to hold out, didn't work). Stay tuned even if that's all you wanted to know. ;)
♠ Heaven Scent