FIC: Love Wins Every Time 15/?
Hi everyone!
Thanks for sticking with me. I hope you are still enjoying the fic. Ilvoe getting feedback on it! It makes it so fun to write. I think you'll like this chapter because it's a little lighter than the last few parts. I realized I needed a bit more of that, and with Callie becoming a more major player in the story, I have some lovely opportunities :) There is still a ways to go with this fic, after all, he hasn't even admitted he's falling for her yet...
In this chapter: Couch Time, Mark 2. Burke gets a lesson in Girl Gossip, Addison shows some solidarity, and our trio of newly minted friends explore the revolutionary concept of "if you don't tell people things, they don't actually know about them."
Previous Parts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
And now, on with the story!
He finishes his surgery, and another, a bounce from the pit that keeps him occupied well into the dinner hour. He's coming out of the OR when Callie flits down from the gallery, bouncing on her toes.
"Hey, stud."
"Callie."
"You off now?"
"I have a few patients to check on."
"And then? You off?"
"Yeah, I'm off."
"Okay, so Couch Time? One hour?"
"Where's O'Malley?"
"Intern Exam. Study session with Meredith and…and Izzie…"
He notes the scorn in her voice at mention of the Stevens girl, and makes a mental note to ask her about it later. But she hasn't noticed his pause and is barreling on, telling him she's heard from Addison, that she persuaded her to get in another hour of sleep, and she'll join them for Couch Time, but later.
"So you'll have time to tell me about the smackdown before she gets there," Callie concludes.
He frowns. "The smackdown?"
"You? Shepherd? Come on, Preston, it's all over the hospital how you put him in his place and told him he was being an ass about things! I know what I heard, but you know how things get twisted around by the little grapevine of nursely gossip, and I want to hear the real version straight from the horse's mouth. What did you say to him?"
"Callie. Patients."
"Oh. Right. So, one hour? Couch Time?"
"One hour," he agrees. He is not sure he entirely cares to participate in a rehash of the day's events. But he has to admit, he is more curious than he ever thought he would be about just what Callie's issue with Stevens is.
--
He manages, in spite of his patient checks, to beat Callie back to the hotel by a good twenty minutes. He stashes his bag upstairs, changes his clothes and enters the bar with a little too much eagerness. He has not eaten since the ham and cheese he had with Addison, and he only got through half of even that before she stole it from him. She needed it more, and he was happy to give it to her. But now, hours later, he is feeling as she did then, like he could eat the Grand Canyon and still have room for more. On days like this, during his own internship, he would sustain himself with thoughts of weekend visits home, to the restaurant his parents once owned. His uncle ran it now, but his mother still took shifts in the kitchen during holiday times, and she could always be persuaded to take to the stove for her son. He suspects that Addison would adore her spaghetti and meatballs…
He orders his drink and an appetizer tray, then makes his way over to the couch just as Callie arrives.
"You made it!" she squeals.
"Was there any doubt I would?"
She shrugs. "I don't know. I get the feeling you're still getting used to this whole Gossip Girl routine."
It's true. In this respect, Addison and Callie are more 'girl' than Cristina was. But he is starting to realize that there can be catharsis in talking, sometimes. Certainly, Addison's approach---hold everything in until you panic and do something stupid---hasn't seemed to work for her all that well. And he has to admit, he found today a little fun. Quaint as though it might seem to go gallivanting about the hospital defending a woman's honour, it can't be denied that both of the men he confronted were sorely deserving of what he dished out. If there is anything more exhilarating then chivalry, lord knows it's justice…
"Oooooh! Fried stuff!" Callie claps her hands as the waiter approaches. "Are there any of those little breaded cheese ball thingies? I love those…"
The waiter smiles, sets down the tray, and leaves them.
"So?" Callie prods.
"So. You and Stevens."
"Yeah, whatever, she's a raging bitch with a jones for my man, what can you do? You and Shepherd, on the other hand…"
He dismisses her just as blithely. "He stepped out of line. I put him back on it. End of story."
"Seriously? Cause the nurses tell me…"
"Callie?"
"Hmmm?"
"You and Stevens. Seriously."
She launches into a full, throaty laugh. "Oh god, I've picked up their word. How annoying! Seriously!"
They are both laughing so hard that they don't even notice Addison has arrived until she starts stealing their food.
--
She's wearing the shimmery black again, those loose stretchy---yoga pants, if he's guessing correctly, but they look surprisingly formal on her. Her hair is damp and loose, and she looks scrubbed and refreshed.
"Addie," Callie greets. She's still trying to get back her composure.
"Please tell me this isn't some kind of secret affair I just walked in on. Cause if it is…"
Callie bursts into hysterics again, nearly falling over, she's laughing so hard. "God, no. I mean, not that he isn't…I mean, Preston, of course you're…"
She sits, and he notices her slightly queasy glance at the food.
"You want something else?" he asks her. "Cause we could…"
"Nah. Just…still getting my system back on track, I think. Three days of damage won't be undone by a nap and a cheesecake binge."
"Oooh, cheesecake," gushes Callie. "We should get some of that?"
Addison ignores her, and looks at him. "Do I even want to ask what her problem is?"
"Too many interns."
"Ah. Stevens, again?"
"He's there now," Callie says gloomily. "Studying."
Addison grins. "Is that what they call it these days?"
"Addison!"
"Sorry, sorry. This is serious, I know, this is your big serious drama thing…"
"Yeah," Callie sighs. "And you? You've had enough drama today, haven’t you?"
"No, this is your thing, and I'm here for you, Cal. Just…don't make me eat any fried things, okay? Cause I'll kind of puke on you."
"Ugh," Callie says. "You've had enough drama? I've had enough puking. It was my day to help Bailey in the clinic, and…"
"Say no more. So, Stevens. Me, here for you."
"Right. So, she's a bitch, you know?"
"Oh, of course. Totally."
"I caught George in a lie the other day…"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He said he spent the day in the clinic, when he probably spent it doing god knows what with Izzie Stevens. It’s…probably nothing, right?"
Addison sighs. "Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She sighs again, then shakes her head. "Look, Callie. Here's the thing. When you’re obsessing about something like that? There’s generally a reason."
"Ohhhh."
"Hey. Callie, hon, it's…"
"No, no, you're right. I should talk to him."
"Yeah."
"Brutal honesty. It's the only way. Right, Preston?"
He looks up from his snacks. "Hmmm?"
"Look, I know this is kind of a girl thing, and you've only been half listening to this entire conversation, but as far as relationships go…brutal honesty, right?"
"Oh. Well, I don't know if I would go that far…"
"But you did," she tells him. "You did go that far. You and Cristina…"
"That was honesty," he admits. "But it wasn't brutal. It was hard, but it wasn't brutal."
"No?"
"We communicated. _I_ communicated. And maybe it was brutal in that I should have done it sooner, but this is a lesson I had to learn the hard way so I'd learn how to do it. Cause here's the thing: if you don't tell people how you're feeling? They don't actually know it sometimes."
She turns that over in her head for a second. "Yeah. I guess they don't."
"And if he's not where you are now, you'd want to know that. But if he is on the same page…wouldn't you want to know that too?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess I would."
"It could be good news," Addison says.
"Yeah. It could be. Wow. I need to go. Need to think for awhile. You guys okay?"
"Yes, Mama Bear," Addison grins.
"Hey, don't tease me when I'm all depressed. I really am a bear right now."
"Hey, Cal? Call me, okay? If you need to…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're here for me."
--
Thanks for sticking with me. I hope you are still enjoying the fic. Ilvoe getting feedback on it! It makes it so fun to write. I think you'll like this chapter because it's a little lighter than the last few parts. I realized I needed a bit more of that, and with Callie becoming a more major player in the story, I have some lovely opportunities :) There is still a ways to go with this fic, after all, he hasn't even admitted he's falling for her yet...
In this chapter: Couch Time, Mark 2. Burke gets a lesson in Girl Gossip, Addison shows some solidarity, and our trio of newly minted friends explore the revolutionary concept of "if you don't tell people things, they don't actually know about them."
Previous Parts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
And now, on with the story!
He finishes his surgery, and another, a bounce from the pit that keeps him occupied well into the dinner hour. He's coming out of the OR when Callie flits down from the gallery, bouncing on her toes.
"Hey, stud."
"Callie."
"You off now?"
"I have a few patients to check on."
"And then? You off?"
"Yeah, I'm off."
"Okay, so Couch Time? One hour?"
"Where's O'Malley?"
"Intern Exam. Study session with Meredith and…and Izzie…"
He notes the scorn in her voice at mention of the Stevens girl, and makes a mental note to ask her about it later. But she hasn't noticed his pause and is barreling on, telling him she's heard from Addison, that she persuaded her to get in another hour of sleep, and she'll join them for Couch Time, but later.
"So you'll have time to tell me about the smackdown before she gets there," Callie concludes.
He frowns. "The smackdown?"
"You? Shepherd? Come on, Preston, it's all over the hospital how you put him in his place and told him he was being an ass about things! I know what I heard, but you know how things get twisted around by the little grapevine of nursely gossip, and I want to hear the real version straight from the horse's mouth. What did you say to him?"
"Callie. Patients."
"Oh. Right. So, one hour? Couch Time?"
"One hour," he agrees. He is not sure he entirely cares to participate in a rehash of the day's events. But he has to admit, he is more curious than he ever thought he would be about just what Callie's issue with Stevens is.
--
He manages, in spite of his patient checks, to beat Callie back to the hotel by a good twenty minutes. He stashes his bag upstairs, changes his clothes and enters the bar with a little too much eagerness. He has not eaten since the ham and cheese he had with Addison, and he only got through half of even that before she stole it from him. She needed it more, and he was happy to give it to her. But now, hours later, he is feeling as she did then, like he could eat the Grand Canyon and still have room for more. On days like this, during his own internship, he would sustain himself with thoughts of weekend visits home, to the restaurant his parents once owned. His uncle ran it now, but his mother still took shifts in the kitchen during holiday times, and she could always be persuaded to take to the stove for her son. He suspects that Addison would adore her spaghetti and meatballs…
He orders his drink and an appetizer tray, then makes his way over to the couch just as Callie arrives.
"You made it!" she squeals.
"Was there any doubt I would?"
She shrugs. "I don't know. I get the feeling you're still getting used to this whole Gossip Girl routine."
It's true. In this respect, Addison and Callie are more 'girl' than Cristina was. But he is starting to realize that there can be catharsis in talking, sometimes. Certainly, Addison's approach---hold everything in until you panic and do something stupid---hasn't seemed to work for her all that well. And he has to admit, he found today a little fun. Quaint as though it might seem to go gallivanting about the hospital defending a woman's honour, it can't be denied that both of the men he confronted were sorely deserving of what he dished out. If there is anything more exhilarating then chivalry, lord knows it's justice…
"Oooooh! Fried stuff!" Callie claps her hands as the waiter approaches. "Are there any of those little breaded cheese ball thingies? I love those…"
The waiter smiles, sets down the tray, and leaves them.
"So?" Callie prods.
"So. You and Stevens."
"Yeah, whatever, she's a raging bitch with a jones for my man, what can you do? You and Shepherd, on the other hand…"
He dismisses her just as blithely. "He stepped out of line. I put him back on it. End of story."
"Seriously? Cause the nurses tell me…"
"Callie?"
"Hmmm?"
"You and Stevens. Seriously."
She launches into a full, throaty laugh. "Oh god, I've picked up their word. How annoying! Seriously!"
They are both laughing so hard that they don't even notice Addison has arrived until she starts stealing their food.
--
She's wearing the shimmery black again, those loose stretchy---yoga pants, if he's guessing correctly, but they look surprisingly formal on her. Her hair is damp and loose, and she looks scrubbed and refreshed.
"Addie," Callie greets. She's still trying to get back her composure.
"Please tell me this isn't some kind of secret affair I just walked in on. Cause if it is…"
Callie bursts into hysterics again, nearly falling over, she's laughing so hard. "God, no. I mean, not that he isn't…I mean, Preston, of course you're…"
She sits, and he notices her slightly queasy glance at the food.
"You want something else?" he asks her. "Cause we could…"
"Nah. Just…still getting my system back on track, I think. Three days of damage won't be undone by a nap and a cheesecake binge."
"Oooh, cheesecake," gushes Callie. "We should get some of that?"
Addison ignores her, and looks at him. "Do I even want to ask what her problem is?"
"Too many interns."
"Ah. Stevens, again?"
"He's there now," Callie says gloomily. "Studying."
Addison grins. "Is that what they call it these days?"
"Addison!"
"Sorry, sorry. This is serious, I know, this is your big serious drama thing…"
"Yeah," Callie sighs. "And you? You've had enough drama today, haven’t you?"
"No, this is your thing, and I'm here for you, Cal. Just…don't make me eat any fried things, okay? Cause I'll kind of puke on you."
"Ugh," Callie says. "You've had enough drama? I've had enough puking. It was my day to help Bailey in the clinic, and…"
"Say no more. So, Stevens. Me, here for you."
"Right. So, she's a bitch, you know?"
"Oh, of course. Totally."
"I caught George in a lie the other day…"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He said he spent the day in the clinic, when he probably spent it doing god knows what with Izzie Stevens. It’s…probably nothing, right?"
Addison sighs. "Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She sighs again, then shakes her head. "Look, Callie. Here's the thing. When you’re obsessing about something like that? There’s generally a reason."
"Ohhhh."
"Hey. Callie, hon, it's…"
"No, no, you're right. I should talk to him."
"Yeah."
"Brutal honesty. It's the only way. Right, Preston?"
He looks up from his snacks. "Hmmm?"
"Look, I know this is kind of a girl thing, and you've only been half listening to this entire conversation, but as far as relationships go…brutal honesty, right?"
"Oh. Well, I don't know if I would go that far…"
"But you did," she tells him. "You did go that far. You and Cristina…"
"That was honesty," he admits. "But it wasn't brutal. It was hard, but it wasn't brutal."
"No?"
"We communicated. _I_ communicated. And maybe it was brutal in that I should have done it sooner, but this is a lesson I had to learn the hard way so I'd learn how to do it. Cause here's the thing: if you don't tell people how you're feeling? They don't actually know it sometimes."
She turns that over in her head for a second. "Yeah. I guess they don't."
"And if he's not where you are now, you'd want to know that. But if he is on the same page…wouldn't you want to know that too?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess I would."
"It could be good news," Addison says.
"Yeah. It could be. Wow. I need to go. Need to think for awhile. You guys okay?"
"Yes, Mama Bear," Addison grins.
"Hey, don't tease me when I'm all depressed. I really am a bear right now."
"Hey, Cal? Call me, okay? If you need to…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're here for me."
--