This Vicious Cycle Chapter 23
I promised an update so here it is. I might post another one by the end of the week depending on how much I write. We are nearing the home stretch folks and I'm seeing the end of the tunnel. So, make yourselves comfortable and enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: GA is still not mine and special thanks to Suz for the beta.
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CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
“Hi!” Derek said as he approached Addison and Nathan’s table. The laughter between the two old friends died slowly and they turned around to acknowledge Derek.
“I think we haven’t met” he continued, offering a hand to Nathan. “Derek Shepherd, Addison’s husband.”
Nathan took the other man’s hand for a firm shake. “Nathan Ross. I went to Harvard with Addison.”
‘Nathan Ross. Why does that name sound familiar?’ Derek thought.
“Oh. What brings you to Seattle Grace, Nathan? I hope it’s nothing serious.” Derek said. Addison just watched the two men’s conversation.
“I’m actually here because of my sister. She’s Addie’s patient.” Nathan answered, giving Addison a smile.
‘He’s calling her Addie? Who was this guy?’ The question flashed in Derek’s mind.
Addison joined the conversation to explain Sara’s condition. “Sara, Nathan’s sister, was transferred from Mercy West. She has placenta previa but we have stopped the bleeding for now. I hope it stays that way for at least another week so we can just schedule a C and not just go in earlier than I’d like.”
“I hope for the best for your sister, Nathan.” Derek said sincerely.
“Thanks” the other man said in appreciation. Then an awkward silence fell over the trio,
Finally, Nathan stood up and excused himself to return to his sister’s room. He shook Derek’s hand again and bid the Shepherds a good day.
“You looked like you were having fun earlier. I’m sorry I interrupted.” Derek began when he was left alone with Addison.
“Just catching up with an old college friend” Addison answered.
“That’s good. Listen, how about I bring dinner later? What are you in the mood for? Chinese? Mexican?”
Before Addison could make up her mind if she wanted to have dinner with her husband that night or not, her pager sounded off. She read the page and stood up.
“Addie?”
“Ah… I’ve got to take this. It’s the ER.”
“Addie…” Derek started, taking hold of her hand before she left. “Dinner?”
“Umm… okay. Ah… Chinese sounds good” she answered hurriedly and distractedly, then left for the ER.
Derek stayed where he was, happy that Addison had agreed to their dinner plans. But the feeling quickly disappeared when a thought entered his mind.
‘Who the hell was Nathan Ross and why does his name sound vaguely familiar?’
~ X ~ X ~ X ~
The mystery of who Nathan Ross was plagued Derek Shepherd through the rest of his day. It also didn’t help that everywhere he turned, news of ‘McGorgeous’ lurking on the maternity floor and the fact that this ‘McGorgeous’ was not an expectant father was on every female nurse and intern’s lips. Derek would have gladly listened to them if it meant he’d get more information about Nathan but it turned out that he knew one detail more than the hospital gossip mill. That Nathan was an old schoolmate of Addison’s. Other than that they all had the same information.
The answer to Derek’s question was just at the realm of his consciousness. He knew Addison had mentioned the guy years ago. Derek just couldn’t quite grasp the memory. But he knew Nathan was someone significant. If he wasn’t, Derek wouldn’t have thought about it even for a second more.
It was on the line to get their Chinese take out when it dawned to Derek who exactly Nathan Ross was in Addison’s life.
~ X ~ X ~ X ~
When Addison arrived at her apartment, she found her husband already inside setting up the table for dinner.
“Hey” Derek greeted when he saw her enter.
“Hey” she answered back, removing her coat and placing her stuff away.
“You’re just in time. You want some wine with dinner?”
“Sure” she replied and took her place at the table.
Derek poured wine for the both of them and settled himself in his chair.
“How was your day?” he asked as they started to eat.
“It was okay” she answered.
This was good. Light conversation. Addison had been civil to him after Derek confronted her in the supply closet. He was here at her apartment, having dinner with his wife. They were talking. This was progress.
“I checked the Wick Inn again and I think this Spring is the best time to go. We can go whale watching and do the hot springs.” Derek said, referring to their vacation plans.
Addison stopped mid chew momentarily.
Derek caught her reaction. “You… you still want to go, right, Addie?” he asked hesitantly, almost fearfully.
She swallowed her food and looked down her plate before answering. “Yes” she said softly with a small smile which she didn’t show Derek.
Relief washed over Derek. Her simple confirmation spoke volumes.
They resumed eating in silence until he broke it again.
“So…about your friend, Nathan Ross?”
“What about him” Addison asked.
“His name sounded familiar and I tried to remember who he was all afternoon.” He said, looking at Addison. She just looked back. “He’s an ex-boyfriend. You dated him in college.” There was something in his tone she couldn’t quite place.
‘Was that jealousy in his voice’ she wondered and a part of her wished it was. Addison shook off her musing, broke eye contact and replied. “Yes, we dated in college.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he accused.
Addison looked at him incredulously. “What? When? Earlier? How’d I get that in? ‘Oh by the way Derek, Nathan and I dated in college.’ That’s smooth. And besides, I told you about him years ago. It’s not my fault you didn’t remember right away.”
The quiet dinner between the Shepherds tensed a bit.
“And he’s here for his sister?”
“Yes. She was admitted after Mercy West referred her to Seattle Grace. He’s looking out for her.”
“And you haven’t seen him since…” he trailed off.
“Since college graduation. What are you getting at, Derek?” Addison asked, dropping her fork with a clang. She had lost her appetite.
“Nothing. I’m just… I’m just curious, that’s all.” Derek said, trying to cover up the hint of jealousy, fear and accusation in his voice.
“Nothing’s going on, Derek. We’re just friends. Just friends.” She said as she stood up and gathered her plate towards the sink.
‘Just friends’. Why did that phrase bring a sinking feeling for Derek?
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Disclaimer: GA is still not mine and special thanks to Suz for the beta.
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CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
“Hi!” Derek said as he approached Addison and Nathan’s table. The laughter between the two old friends died slowly and they turned around to acknowledge Derek.
“I think we haven’t met” he continued, offering a hand to Nathan. “Derek Shepherd, Addison’s husband.”
Nathan took the other man’s hand for a firm shake. “Nathan Ross. I went to Harvard with Addison.”
‘Nathan Ross. Why does that name sound familiar?’ Derek thought.
“Oh. What brings you to Seattle Grace, Nathan? I hope it’s nothing serious.” Derek said. Addison just watched the two men’s conversation.
“I’m actually here because of my sister. She’s Addie’s patient.” Nathan answered, giving Addison a smile.
‘He’s calling her Addie? Who was this guy?’ The question flashed in Derek’s mind.
Addison joined the conversation to explain Sara’s condition. “Sara, Nathan’s sister, was transferred from Mercy West. She has placenta previa but we have stopped the bleeding for now. I hope it stays that way for at least another week so we can just schedule a C and not just go in earlier than I’d like.”
“I hope for the best for your sister, Nathan.” Derek said sincerely.
“Thanks” the other man said in appreciation. Then an awkward silence fell over the trio,
Finally, Nathan stood up and excused himself to return to his sister’s room. He shook Derek’s hand again and bid the Shepherds a good day.
“You looked like you were having fun earlier. I’m sorry I interrupted.” Derek began when he was left alone with Addison.
“Just catching up with an old college friend” Addison answered.
“That’s good. Listen, how about I bring dinner later? What are you in the mood for? Chinese? Mexican?”
Before Addison could make up her mind if she wanted to have dinner with her husband that night or not, her pager sounded off. She read the page and stood up.
“Addie?”
“Ah… I’ve got to take this. It’s the ER.”
“Addie…” Derek started, taking hold of her hand before she left. “Dinner?”
“Umm… okay. Ah… Chinese sounds good” she answered hurriedly and distractedly, then left for the ER.
Derek stayed where he was, happy that Addison had agreed to their dinner plans. But the feeling quickly disappeared when a thought entered his mind.
‘Who the hell was Nathan Ross and why does his name sound vaguely familiar?’
~ X ~ X ~ X ~
The mystery of who Nathan Ross was plagued Derek Shepherd through the rest of his day. It also didn’t help that everywhere he turned, news of ‘McGorgeous’ lurking on the maternity floor and the fact that this ‘McGorgeous’ was not an expectant father was on every female nurse and intern’s lips. Derek would have gladly listened to them if it meant he’d get more information about Nathan but it turned out that he knew one detail more than the hospital gossip mill. That Nathan was an old schoolmate of Addison’s. Other than that they all had the same information.
The answer to Derek’s question was just at the realm of his consciousness. He knew Addison had mentioned the guy years ago. Derek just couldn’t quite grasp the memory. But he knew Nathan was someone significant. If he wasn’t, Derek wouldn’t have thought about it even for a second more.
It was on the line to get their Chinese take out when it dawned to Derek who exactly Nathan Ross was in Addison’s life.
~ X ~ X ~ X ~
When Addison arrived at her apartment, she found her husband already inside setting up the table for dinner.
“Hey” Derek greeted when he saw her enter.
“Hey” she answered back, removing her coat and placing her stuff away.
“You’re just in time. You want some wine with dinner?”
“Sure” she replied and took her place at the table.
Derek poured wine for the both of them and settled himself in his chair.
“How was your day?” he asked as they started to eat.
“It was okay” she answered.
This was good. Light conversation. Addison had been civil to him after Derek confronted her in the supply closet. He was here at her apartment, having dinner with his wife. They were talking. This was progress.
“I checked the Wick Inn again and I think this Spring is the best time to go. We can go whale watching and do the hot springs.” Derek said, referring to their vacation plans.
Addison stopped mid chew momentarily.
Derek caught her reaction. “You… you still want to go, right, Addie?” he asked hesitantly, almost fearfully.
She swallowed her food and looked down her plate before answering. “Yes” she said softly with a small smile which she didn’t show Derek.
Relief washed over Derek. Her simple confirmation spoke volumes.
They resumed eating in silence until he broke it again.
“So…about your friend, Nathan Ross?”
“What about him” Addison asked.
“His name sounded familiar and I tried to remember who he was all afternoon.” He said, looking at Addison. She just looked back. “He’s an ex-boyfriend. You dated him in college.” There was something in his tone she couldn’t quite place.
‘Was that jealousy in his voice’ she wondered and a part of her wished it was. Addison shook off her musing, broke eye contact and replied. “Yes, we dated in college.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he accused.
Addison looked at him incredulously. “What? When? Earlier? How’d I get that in? ‘Oh by the way Derek, Nathan and I dated in college.’ That’s smooth. And besides, I told you about him years ago. It’s not my fault you didn’t remember right away.”
The quiet dinner between the Shepherds tensed a bit.
“And he’s here for his sister?”
“Yes. She was admitted after Mercy West referred her to Seattle Grace. He’s looking out for her.”
“And you haven’t seen him since…” he trailed off.
“Since college graduation. What are you getting at, Derek?” Addison asked, dropping her fork with a clang. She had lost her appetite.
“Nothing. I’m just… I’m just curious, that’s all.” Derek said, trying to cover up the hint of jealousy, fear and accusation in his voice.
“Nothing’s going on, Derek. We’re just friends. Just friends.” She said as she stood up and gathered her plate towards the sink.
‘Just friends’. Why did that phrase bring a sinking feeling for Derek?
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