"Almost There, Going Nowhere"
Part: 9/?
Pairing: Mark/Addison
Description: Post Season 3. Addison leaves for L.A. hoping that no one will get in her way of finding a new life.
Rating: R for language.
Disclaimer: I clearly don't own them, this storyline would never happen.
Summary: Date night and Addison gets some earth shattering news.
Hey, if you are bored and need something to read...give this a shot. Previous chapters can be found inside. Enjoy!
Part 1: There's been too many days of trying.
Part 2: Dancing in circles, making me sick.
Part 3: Too late to learn from experience.
Part 4: From a heart that has suffered...from a mind that is strangled.
Part 5: Just one more plane ride and it's done.
Part 6: I'll get as far as I can go.
Part 7: The wrong turns you took years ago...that leaving solves everything.
Part 8: I wonder if you should stay.
A/N: Hello all! Thanks, first of all, for hanging in there with this story. I know it has been a little slow but we are finally getting to the interesting stuff I had planned. Secondly, thanks to everyone who has commented. I really appreciate it. Lastly, thanks to my speed reading beta! Apologies for the slow turn around, I blame college. Expect some angst for a little while and enjoy....
~-~-~-~-~-~
Go put on your best tonight
It’s you and me and not much time
So watch the world burning bright
-Yellowcard- “You and Me and One Spotlight”
~-~-~-~-~-~
“Addie, where is you hairdryer?” Naomi yells over the shower as she reaches into the bathroom cabinet.
Peeking out from behind the shower curtain Addison lets her heart rate drop again after seeing that, in fact, the only person who broke into her house was Naomi. “Geesh Nae, give me a heart attack why don’t you?”
“Sorry. Hairdryer?”
“Other side. What are you doing here? And why in the world do you need a hairdryer?”
“I’m here to help you get ready for the big date.”
“I’m not sixteen, I don’t need moral support.” She offers as she begins to lather the lightly scented shampoo onto her red tresses.
“You sure about that? I’ve seen some odd things in my day but going out on a date with a guy in order to be on a date with another guy? It’s weird. Besides you don’t look so good.”
“I look fine, I will look great shortly.” She begins the rinsing process and as the hot water cascades down her back she offers the tiniest bit of truth. “Nae?”
“Yeah?” She answers as she begins to open the door to exit the steam filled room.
“Do I really look bad?”
“Pale lately but no. You are Addison. You could go out in sweats and cowboy boats and men would still swoon. Why?”
“I think I am a little nervous.”
“Nervous to go out on a date with the guy that you chose to break up your marriage with? Nervous to go out on a date with that same guy who you lived with for two months?” Naomi settles herself against the door jam waiting for a reply.
As Addison reaches for the conditioner she knows that she shouldn’t feel like vomiting until her nerves settle but she can’t help but feel a little anxious over this meeting. “I feel sick.”
“Like what kind? Help me out here. I’m a doctor not a mind reader Addison.”
“I don’t know. Like all nauseas and stuff. I think it is nerves.” It feels even more ridiculous now that she has admitted it aloud and she slowly begins to feel her stomach clench as she slides her back against the tile hoping to stem the feeling.
“You are such a freak. It is Mark. Mark, Addison. Now I have to go fix Violet’s hair. Since this is a fake date she didn’t feel the need to do well anything…we have a lot of work to do so hurry up and get out of there. I need all the help I can get.” With that she shuts the door and heads off down the hallway to find the perturbed woman who has to pose as Mark’s date most unwillingly.
Addison slides a little further down along the tile as she clutches at her knees and the steaming water sprays down at all angles. She breathes deeply, trying to ease herself into a better thought pattern and after a few moments she has managed to pull herself together enough to emerge from the shower as flawless as if nothing ever happened at all. She wraps a towel around herself and heads out to find Naomi and Violet.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“Nice towel, very classy.” Pete stabs as she attempts to join her friends in the living room.
“Pete, Cooper! What in the….Naomi!” She storms off in the general direction of her room hoping to find some answers. She finds them sorting through her closet. “What the hell Naomi! Why are they all here? I walked out in my towel.” She motions to herself.
“I bet they loved that.” Naomi flings a few more clothing options down on the bed and then turns back to the closet.
“You look perfect even after a shower. I hate you.” Violet takes the opportunity to add before throwing herself on the bed. “This is ridiculous. I mean first of all I can’t believe I agreed to do this and secondly-”
“You needed to get out. To date. Violet you can’t stay hung up on-”
“I’m not.” She receives incredulous looks from both sides of the room as she continues, “I’m not hung up on Alan…and besides this isn’t even a real date. I mean he is leaving with you, coming for you, coming in you-”
“Violet!”
“What, I am merely stating the facts as they have been presented to me in this case. This can not be good for one’s self esteem. Why can’t I just wear this anyway?” She motions to her current ensemble which consists of a frumpy old college sweatshirt, a baseball cap, running shorts, and sandals.
“Because that is hideous. I can’t believe you left the house in that.” Naomi gives up on the clothes and heads off in search of shoes.
“Why should I get dressed up? Pointless.”
“Why did you agree to go?” Addison ventures as she takes over Naomi’s spot in the massive walk-in closet.
“Why did I agree, why did I agree? Let’s see here. He looked absolutely pathetic and hopeless plus I work with you so-”
“I’ve seen that face but you could have said no.”
Checking to make sure Naomi is out of view, Violet finally relents. “Fine, I need to get out.”
“Ok then. You can at least look nice.”
“Besides Naomi is taking one of Pete’s friends as a date because she heard that Sam has reservations at the same time as you with some woman from-”
“Hold on just a second. That got way too third period French for me. Naomi is coming on this date with one of Pete’s friends?” Addison echoes from her closet.
“Yes, and then Cooper is going as my back up when you and Mark bail. Pete has the flavor of the week because he needs to be there for his friend and-”
“You all are coming on my simple double date?”
“This is what I have been told.” Violet sits up and begins digging through the piles of clothes. “You are like ten feet taller than me; none of this is going to work.”
“I am not. Pete plus one, Naomi plus one, Cooper, then Sam plus one because I know how you all work, you and Mark, and then Jake-Jack and I.” She quickly does the math in her head as she walks out in a little black dress. “11 people!”
Taking in her appearance, Violet shrugs and flops back down on the bed. “I hate today.”
“I’m going to be sick.” Addison rushes for the safety of the bathroom as Naomi emerges with a pair of black pumps and shoves them at Violet.
“Here these go with this.” She reaches into the pile and pulls out her selection. “Go change, we don’t have all day.”
“Addison may need you. I told her the plans and she, well she freaked out. I don‘t do vomit so it is all you.”
“You weren’t supposed to say anything.”
“I have an adversity to lying.”
~-~-~-~-~-~
A short time later after Naomi had convinced Addison that this date was not going to be as awful as they had made it out to be they emerge from the bathroom. In her truest fashion Addison has pulled it all together and is working on slipping on her heels when Pete joins her in the living room alone.
“So you always dress up like this for a blind date?” He takes the other side of the couch and spends some time taking in her long legs and flowing hair.
“It isn’t a blind date. We’ve met before.”
“So I heard. Mark, right?”
“I was talking about Jack but yes Mark and I are familiar too.” She slips on the left shoe and then carefully pulls her head back up and crosses her legs waiting for Pete to continue on.
“I don’t like him.”
“Let me guess, you get some sort of weird voodoo vibe from the herbs when he is-”
“You really like to take pot shots at my profession, don’t you?” He moves a little closer careful not to alarm her with his movements.
She cocks her head to side and lets out a small grin, “I’m sorry did you say profession?”
“Women.” He shakes his head. “I’m just saying I don’t like him. I think that he is bad for you.”
“She points in the air in his general direction and taps lightly, “Ah, but you don’t know me, so see where that could cause a problem?”
“No, I don’t. I could know you though.” He grins wide as Violet, Naomi, and Cooper join them in the waiting game.
“When is your friend supposed to be here?” Naomi asks as she takes a seat in the chair across from Addison. “Hello, earth to Pete.”
“What? Oh yeah…my friend. 7:45 I think…” His voice trails off as his eyes stay locked with Addison’s.
“You two need to knock it off. She may be going on two dates, but neither one of them is with you Pete. Focus.” Violet offers as she struggles to get another shoe on. “”Have I mentioned that I hate today?”
“Yes!” They all scream back at her. Cooper ventures over to Addison’s window and watches as Sam talks to his date before grabbing his coat and heading towards his door.
“S-1 is on the move.”
“What, already!” Naomi squeals as she ducks into the chair.
“Wait, we have code names for the night too?” Addison asks confused as she re-crosses her legs in the other direction and pulls at the hem of her dress down to cover her knees.
“We have code names.” Cooper affirms strolling back into living room.
“S-1 is Sam, Vi is Violet, Coop is Cooper, Nae is Naomi, you are Red, and you can call me sugarplum.” Pete laughs as he finishes off the sentence.
“Those are horrible code names.”
“Addison, we don’t have code names. You need to wake up. They are going to be here soon, what is your deal?” Naomi urges as she peeks out the window.
“Nothing. I’m good. I look good right?” She glances down self-consciously and tries to straighten her posture even more.
“You look good.” The boys acknowledge as they both turn their attention back to her.
“I hate today.” Violet echoes as she slumps down into the chair further.
“We know.” They all respond as the shift and bust themselves with waiting until their night can continue.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Jack is quick to offer his hand to help Addison out of his car and even quicker to loop his arm around her and place his hand on the small of her back. Mark is clearly agitated by the time the large group reaches their table and takes their respective seats. He slumps in his seat and uses the menu to block his view of the annoying dark haired man as he rambles on about the entrée. The large rounded table is strategically located just out of sight of Sam and his date and Naomi is wiggling around in her seat to get a better view. Her date, Frederick, has no idea that he is just a victim of a much larger plan. He attempts conversation with her and she continuously rebuffs leaving him talking to Pete, who happened to grab some woman off the street named Alexis, and to Cooper who has spent the whole night watching Violet.
“So I said to him…not my job, not my problem.” Jack laughs as he finishes off his dinner and take a look around. The fact that this many people were coming along was not something that he had bargained on and he has had to fight the entire night away to keep Addison’s attention. “Addison?”
“Yes?” She tears her eyes off what Mark is doing with Violet’s hand trying not to feel jealous.
“Are you, do you feel okay? You haven’t been paying any atten-”
“I’m good.” She turns her head resting it on her hand and devotes all of her attention to him for a moment. She hates men like this, the ones that constantly need their ego fed. She has had enough of needy men in her life and she knows that this date with Jack, even if Mark wasn’t there, would never have resulted in anything more.
They continue on through dinner with the now familiar routine of boring stories and Mark rubbing Addison’s calf “accidentally” with his foot. He maintains concentration on playing up the fact that Violet is his real date and finds that he actually isn’t having as bad of a time as one would have assumed. Shortly after the main course Sam and his poor date joined the group at the behest of Naomi who mistakenly headed toward their table instead of the bathroom. As more people filled the table, their banter grew exponentially boisterous and soon most of their conversation, aided by the help of much alcohol, could be heard across the restaurant.
“So Alexis what is it that you do?” Addison manages from across the table while finishing off a glass of red wine.
“I’m a massage therapist.” She answers earnestly as a wide smile play across Addison’s face. It is met with a stern glance from Pete who has just started listening in on the conversation.
“What exactly does that entail?” Addison states as she pushes a little harder. Alexis begins an over simplified explanation of her daily routine which brings out more smirking and glaring as the invisible daggers fly across the table. “Sounds interesting.” She manages while trying not to laugh.
“Maybe you can demonstrate on me later.” Pete suggests earning a series of giggles out of Alexis and some serous eyebrow raising from Addison.
“So how do you all know each other?” Jack asks, more so suggesting Mark than any of the others around the table.
“Naomi, Sam and I went to med. school together and well Mark too I suppose, even though he was rarely in class. Then I met Violet, Cooper, and Pete when I joined the practice about a month ago.” She finishes leaving a whole lot to his imagination. She stands instead trying to get away from the conversation and excuses herself heading towards the bathroom. 15 minutes later she still hadn’t returned.
“You think she is okay?” Jacks asks honestly. He is a little afraid she has had too much to drink or perhaps grapples with an eating disorder of some kind.
“She was sick earlier but she said she was feeling better. Maybe I should go check on her.” Naomi pipes in before striding from her chair almost hitting Sam on her way out.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“That was rather brilliant you know.” He points out as he helps her up onto the curb.
“What?”
“Faking sick. Nice job. I realized after dinner we hadn’t really discussed a get away plan so I am impressed with your ability.”
“Oh, thanks.” She isn’t so sure as they pace in time on the sidewalk together if she really is nervous or if she is actually sick now. She feels exhausted and after heaving all of her dinner back up there is nothing more that she wants to do than to go home and snuggle into her bed and forget the whole thing ever existed.
“Hey look at me.” He stops in front of her to block her path and tips her chin up with his finger. “You don’t look well, are you really sick?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs and begins walking again.
“Addison.” He reaches out for her hand and as they brush fingertips he feels a jolt of electricity course through him. It is a familiar feeling. One that he always gets when she is around and there have been times, like her entire marriage to Derek, that he wishes that she didn’t have this physical effect over him.
“Yeah?” She echoes out distantly fixing her eyes on her shoes. He reaches up and touches her forehead and she immediately flinches and pulls back.
“Hey, whoa. I was just going to check your temperature.”
“I don’t have a fever. I think it is some silly bug. It will pass.” She fakes a smile and starts walking again.
“You are lying to me.”
Spinning around to quickly she feels her stomach tighten and she visibly grimaces before adding, “What?”
He strides to catch up with her before grabbing her hand again and setting their pace. “You are lying. I can tell and shut up; I know it isn’t very becoming of me.” She grins as he explains the reasons why he can always know that she is lying and she suddenly realizes that he knows more about her than he does himself. Breaking in her thought train the words, “Do you want to go home?” come blaring through and before she can think she nods.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Addison has always hated being sick. Hate, hated. She hates the stuffy, runny, disgusting noses, the itchy eyes that come with seasonal allergies, the blasting headaches, body chills, and the unrelenting nausea. When she was younger Reagan always used to snuggle up with her, because heaven knew her parents couldn’t care less, and rub her back until she fell asleep. As she climbs into her bed she feels the familiar tears set into the corner of her eyes and for a moment she feels like a four year old for wanting her sister to come take care of her.
Mark knows how much Addison hates being sick. Being ill compromises the persona of someone who has no visible faults or weaknesses. He has the unfortunate timing of catching her during flu season one especially bad year and ended up staying with her through the weekend while Derek played at the hospital. He reaches into her medicine cabinet hoping to find something useful and comes back out with a thermometer and some aspirin. She has situated herself slumping against the headboard and she looks like she is on the verge of tears. He quickly comes around her side setting a glass of water next to her on the nightstand and hands her the aspirin that she promptly refuses.
“Take them, please.” He shoves them back in her hand.
“No, I’m not sick. I refuse. I voted.”
She looks pitiful and has grown greener by the moment so Mark can’t help but smirk so he settles himself next to her after taking his shoes off and dropping them onto the floor. He moves up next to her and tries to asses the situation at hand. With Addison, there are two levels and god forbid you pick wrong. On one hand she could want to be comforted and held being told and assured that everyone gets sick and it is ok. On the other hand she could be so sick that touching her could make the whole situation worse so he pauses for a moment before deciding that it is definitely the first one. He lightly tugs on her arm until she relents and lays her head upon his chest as the slip down deeper into the comforter.
“I hate being sick.” She sniffles.
“I know.” He settles for stroking her hair and being quiet unless she has something to say.
“I ruined everything.”
“You did not. Everyone gets sick Addie, it’s not like you picked this.”
“I know.” She aches before closing her eyes. “You said we should talk and now we are here in my room and we should be out-”
“Enough. You are sick, sleep.” Because honestly looking at her, although always pleasing, was a little disturbing and she looks like she hasn’t slept since she moved down here.
“You leave tomorrow.”
“I leave tomorrow.” He repeats.
Before she can control herself the tears are flowing freely and the sobs are radiating from her chest. He methodically rubs slow circles along her spine until she settles herself enough to clarify. “I don’t want you to leave me.” It’s heartbreaking to hear and something she should have been saying since the beginning but he’ll take it because she is rarely this venerable and weak so he knows that it rally is heartfelt.
“I don’t really want to go.”
“You have to go.”
He isn’t really sure if it is a question or a statement but he answers anyway. “Yeah.”
They spend the rest of the night in the same position. She finally falls asleep encased in his arms and he nods off but wakes up thinking he is in a dream with her. His eyes adjust to her hair and the touch of her skin against his. This is the moment he was craving in Seattle the last month. He tried to walk away. He did his best to cut his losses and move on with life but he couldn’t help the miserable attitude that came with “healing”. He decides as the clock read 4:57 am that he doesn’t want to heal anymore. If he has any chance of still getting her he would rather be a walking open incision riddled with infections than be stuck in the healing process. His mind was made up the moment he saw her but this night where she allowed him in, if only for a few hours was enough to solidify his selection. He has a meeting with Naomi at 7 before his flight leaves.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Addison wakes up alone hung over in all sorts of manners. She is physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and if she hadn’t thrown up everything in the last 24 hours she swears that she would be a little hung over from the wine as well. She stumbles out of bed tangled in her sweats and winces as she sees the alarm clock blink back the number 10:38 am. She reaches for her cell phone to call Naomi and apologize for being so late but she finds a note instead.
Add-
I called in sick for you. Hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll call as soon as I land. Feel better.
-Mark
After all the nights in New York of waking up alone. After all of the indiscretions and empty beds she has woken up to this is a nice change. This could possibly be the sweetest thing he has ever done for her and before she can remark on how much he has changed she has to head for the services of the bathroom once again.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“You are wrong.” Addison states in a very matter of fact tone back at Naomi a short week later.
“I’m not wrong. Here look.” She shoves the lab work back into her hands.
“This can’t be right. You said!” Her voice grows in intensity.
“I know what I said but sometimes the body-”
“Don’t finish that sentence with bullshit like that. You said Naomi. I trusted you. You said no fertility potential! None! Addison you are never going to have a child is what that lab work said, and now….now this! Run it again.” She lies back down on the exam table when she finishes screaming.
“I’ve ran it four times Addison. I’m not doing it again and we aren’t having this conversation. You should be happy. You came to me months ago and said I want to have a baby. I’m ready. So why the hell aren’t you happy? You’re pregnant! Your dream-”
“No, no, no. Shit, shit, shit.”
“Addison.” Naomi manages as she tries to stop the freak out before it happens. “So what if it is Mark’s. He, well he is Mark, but he is good looking, intelligent although we think differently a lot, and he will want this baby even if you don’t want him. So stop the freak out and breathe for a quick moment so you can be happy.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck! I always screw everything up.” She buries her head in her hands as the tears begin to fall.
“Yeah you should get used to the crying thing it happens a lot. Trust me.” She doesn’t stop so Naomi tries a different tactic and approaches her friend giving her a light hug. “This will be okay Addison, great even. You will be an amazing mom and the rest you don’t need to worry about yet. Just grow my goddaughter or godson. Alright?”
Nodding even though she thinks she can’t feel hear own head anymore Addison manages, “Yeah.”
“You done freaking out?” Naomi states as she takes a step back.
“No.”
“Why? Addison this is nothing to get worked up over. You finally get your baby, your dream. We will all be here for you-”
“It’s Derek’s.” She feels her stomach twist as she says his name and mentally damns herself for ever thinking goodbye sex was a good solution.
Part 10: No comfort in the waiting room.
Pairing: Mark/Addison
Description: Post Season 3. Addison leaves for L.A. hoping that no one will get in her way of finding a new life.
Rating: R for language.
Disclaimer: I clearly don't own them, this storyline would never happen.
Summary: Date night and Addison gets some earth shattering news.
Hey, if you are bored and need something to read...give this a shot. Previous chapters can be found inside. Enjoy!
Part 1: There's been too many days of trying.
Part 2: Dancing in circles, making me sick.
Part 3: Too late to learn from experience.
Part 4: From a heart that has suffered...from a mind that is strangled.
Part 5: Just one more plane ride and it's done.
Part 6: I'll get as far as I can go.
Part 7: The wrong turns you took years ago...that leaving solves everything.
Part 8: I wonder if you should stay.
A/N: Hello all! Thanks, first of all, for hanging in there with this story. I know it has been a little slow but we are finally getting to the interesting stuff I had planned. Secondly, thanks to everyone who has commented. I really appreciate it. Lastly, thanks to my speed reading beta! Apologies for the slow turn around, I blame college. Expect some angst for a little while and enjoy....
~-~-~-~-~-~
Go put on your best tonight
It’s you and me and not much time
So watch the world burning bright
-Yellowcard- “You and Me and One Spotlight”
~-~-~-~-~-~
“Addie, where is you hairdryer?” Naomi yells over the shower as she reaches into the bathroom cabinet.
Peeking out from behind the shower curtain Addison lets her heart rate drop again after seeing that, in fact, the only person who broke into her house was Naomi. “Geesh Nae, give me a heart attack why don’t you?”
“Sorry. Hairdryer?”
“Other side. What are you doing here? And why in the world do you need a hairdryer?”
“I’m here to help you get ready for the big date.”
“I’m not sixteen, I don’t need moral support.” She offers as she begins to lather the lightly scented shampoo onto her red tresses.
“You sure about that? I’ve seen some odd things in my day but going out on a date with a guy in order to be on a date with another guy? It’s weird. Besides you don’t look so good.”
“I look fine, I will look great shortly.” She begins the rinsing process and as the hot water cascades down her back she offers the tiniest bit of truth. “Nae?”
“Yeah?” She answers as she begins to open the door to exit the steam filled room.
“Do I really look bad?”
“Pale lately but no. You are Addison. You could go out in sweats and cowboy boats and men would still swoon. Why?”
“I think I am a little nervous.”
“Nervous to go out on a date with the guy that you chose to break up your marriage with? Nervous to go out on a date with that same guy who you lived with for two months?” Naomi settles herself against the door jam waiting for a reply.
As Addison reaches for the conditioner she knows that she shouldn’t feel like vomiting until her nerves settle but she can’t help but feel a little anxious over this meeting. “I feel sick.”
“Like what kind? Help me out here. I’m a doctor not a mind reader Addison.”
“I don’t know. Like all nauseas and stuff. I think it is nerves.” It feels even more ridiculous now that she has admitted it aloud and she slowly begins to feel her stomach clench as she slides her back against the tile hoping to stem the feeling.
“You are such a freak. It is Mark. Mark, Addison. Now I have to go fix Violet’s hair. Since this is a fake date she didn’t feel the need to do well anything…we have a lot of work to do so hurry up and get out of there. I need all the help I can get.” With that she shuts the door and heads off down the hallway to find the perturbed woman who has to pose as Mark’s date most unwillingly.
Addison slides a little further down along the tile as she clutches at her knees and the steaming water sprays down at all angles. She breathes deeply, trying to ease herself into a better thought pattern and after a few moments she has managed to pull herself together enough to emerge from the shower as flawless as if nothing ever happened at all. She wraps a towel around herself and heads out to find Naomi and Violet.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“Nice towel, very classy.” Pete stabs as she attempts to join her friends in the living room.
“Pete, Cooper! What in the….Naomi!” She storms off in the general direction of her room hoping to find some answers. She finds them sorting through her closet. “What the hell Naomi! Why are they all here? I walked out in my towel.” She motions to herself.
“I bet they loved that.” Naomi flings a few more clothing options down on the bed and then turns back to the closet.
“You look perfect even after a shower. I hate you.” Violet takes the opportunity to add before throwing herself on the bed. “This is ridiculous. I mean first of all I can’t believe I agreed to do this and secondly-”
“You needed to get out. To date. Violet you can’t stay hung up on-”
“I’m not.” She receives incredulous looks from both sides of the room as she continues, “I’m not hung up on Alan…and besides this isn’t even a real date. I mean he is leaving with you, coming for you, coming in you-”
“Violet!”
“What, I am merely stating the facts as they have been presented to me in this case. This can not be good for one’s self esteem. Why can’t I just wear this anyway?” She motions to her current ensemble which consists of a frumpy old college sweatshirt, a baseball cap, running shorts, and sandals.
“Because that is hideous. I can’t believe you left the house in that.” Naomi gives up on the clothes and heads off in search of shoes.
“Why should I get dressed up? Pointless.”
“Why did you agree to go?” Addison ventures as she takes over Naomi’s spot in the massive walk-in closet.
“Why did I agree, why did I agree? Let’s see here. He looked absolutely pathetic and hopeless plus I work with you so-”
“I’ve seen that face but you could have said no.”
Checking to make sure Naomi is out of view, Violet finally relents. “Fine, I need to get out.”
“Ok then. You can at least look nice.”
“Besides Naomi is taking one of Pete’s friends as a date because she heard that Sam has reservations at the same time as you with some woman from-”
“Hold on just a second. That got way too third period French for me. Naomi is coming on this date with one of Pete’s friends?” Addison echoes from her closet.
“Yes, and then Cooper is going as my back up when you and Mark bail. Pete has the flavor of the week because he needs to be there for his friend and-”
“You all are coming on my simple double date?”
“This is what I have been told.” Violet sits up and begins digging through the piles of clothes. “You are like ten feet taller than me; none of this is going to work.”
“I am not. Pete plus one, Naomi plus one, Cooper, then Sam plus one because I know how you all work, you and Mark, and then Jake-Jack and I.” She quickly does the math in her head as she walks out in a little black dress. “11 people!”
Taking in her appearance, Violet shrugs and flops back down on the bed. “I hate today.”
“I’m going to be sick.” Addison rushes for the safety of the bathroom as Naomi emerges with a pair of black pumps and shoves them at Violet.
“Here these go with this.” She reaches into the pile and pulls out her selection. “Go change, we don’t have all day.”
“Addison may need you. I told her the plans and she, well she freaked out. I don‘t do vomit so it is all you.”
“You weren’t supposed to say anything.”
“I have an adversity to lying.”
~-~-~-~-~-~
A short time later after Naomi had convinced Addison that this date was not going to be as awful as they had made it out to be they emerge from the bathroom. In her truest fashion Addison has pulled it all together and is working on slipping on her heels when Pete joins her in the living room alone.
“So you always dress up like this for a blind date?” He takes the other side of the couch and spends some time taking in her long legs and flowing hair.
“It isn’t a blind date. We’ve met before.”
“So I heard. Mark, right?”
“I was talking about Jack but yes Mark and I are familiar too.” She slips on the left shoe and then carefully pulls her head back up and crosses her legs waiting for Pete to continue on.
“I don’t like him.”
“Let me guess, you get some sort of weird voodoo vibe from the herbs when he is-”
“You really like to take pot shots at my profession, don’t you?” He moves a little closer careful not to alarm her with his movements.
She cocks her head to side and lets out a small grin, “I’m sorry did you say profession?”
“Women.” He shakes his head. “I’m just saying I don’t like him. I think that he is bad for you.”
“She points in the air in his general direction and taps lightly, “Ah, but you don’t know me, so see where that could cause a problem?”
“No, I don’t. I could know you though.” He grins wide as Violet, Naomi, and Cooper join them in the waiting game.
“When is your friend supposed to be here?” Naomi asks as she takes a seat in the chair across from Addison. “Hello, earth to Pete.”
“What? Oh yeah…my friend. 7:45 I think…” His voice trails off as his eyes stay locked with Addison’s.
“You two need to knock it off. She may be going on two dates, but neither one of them is with you Pete. Focus.” Violet offers as she struggles to get another shoe on. “”Have I mentioned that I hate today?”
“Yes!” They all scream back at her. Cooper ventures over to Addison’s window and watches as Sam talks to his date before grabbing his coat and heading towards his door.
“S-1 is on the move.”
“What, already!” Naomi squeals as she ducks into the chair.
“Wait, we have code names for the night too?” Addison asks confused as she re-crosses her legs in the other direction and pulls at the hem of her dress down to cover her knees.
“We have code names.” Cooper affirms strolling back into living room.
“S-1 is Sam, Vi is Violet, Coop is Cooper, Nae is Naomi, you are Red, and you can call me sugarplum.” Pete laughs as he finishes off the sentence.
“Those are horrible code names.”
“Addison, we don’t have code names. You need to wake up. They are going to be here soon, what is your deal?” Naomi urges as she peeks out the window.
“Nothing. I’m good. I look good right?” She glances down self-consciously and tries to straighten her posture even more.
“You look good.” The boys acknowledge as they both turn their attention back to her.
“I hate today.” Violet echoes as she slumps down into the chair further.
“We know.” They all respond as the shift and bust themselves with waiting until their night can continue.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Jack is quick to offer his hand to help Addison out of his car and even quicker to loop his arm around her and place his hand on the small of her back. Mark is clearly agitated by the time the large group reaches their table and takes their respective seats. He slumps in his seat and uses the menu to block his view of the annoying dark haired man as he rambles on about the entrée. The large rounded table is strategically located just out of sight of Sam and his date and Naomi is wiggling around in her seat to get a better view. Her date, Frederick, has no idea that he is just a victim of a much larger plan. He attempts conversation with her and she continuously rebuffs leaving him talking to Pete, who happened to grab some woman off the street named Alexis, and to Cooper who has spent the whole night watching Violet.
“So I said to him…not my job, not my problem.” Jack laughs as he finishes off his dinner and take a look around. The fact that this many people were coming along was not something that he had bargained on and he has had to fight the entire night away to keep Addison’s attention. “Addison?”
“Yes?” She tears her eyes off what Mark is doing with Violet’s hand trying not to feel jealous.
“Are you, do you feel okay? You haven’t been paying any atten-”
“I’m good.” She turns her head resting it on her hand and devotes all of her attention to him for a moment. She hates men like this, the ones that constantly need their ego fed. She has had enough of needy men in her life and she knows that this date with Jack, even if Mark wasn’t there, would never have resulted in anything more.
They continue on through dinner with the now familiar routine of boring stories and Mark rubbing Addison’s calf “accidentally” with his foot. He maintains concentration on playing up the fact that Violet is his real date and finds that he actually isn’t having as bad of a time as one would have assumed. Shortly after the main course Sam and his poor date joined the group at the behest of Naomi who mistakenly headed toward their table instead of the bathroom. As more people filled the table, their banter grew exponentially boisterous and soon most of their conversation, aided by the help of much alcohol, could be heard across the restaurant.
“So Alexis what is it that you do?” Addison manages from across the table while finishing off a glass of red wine.
“I’m a massage therapist.” She answers earnestly as a wide smile play across Addison’s face. It is met with a stern glance from Pete who has just started listening in on the conversation.
“What exactly does that entail?” Addison states as she pushes a little harder. Alexis begins an over simplified explanation of her daily routine which brings out more smirking and glaring as the invisible daggers fly across the table. “Sounds interesting.” She manages while trying not to laugh.
“Maybe you can demonstrate on me later.” Pete suggests earning a series of giggles out of Alexis and some serous eyebrow raising from Addison.
“So how do you all know each other?” Jack asks, more so suggesting Mark than any of the others around the table.
“Naomi, Sam and I went to med. school together and well Mark too I suppose, even though he was rarely in class. Then I met Violet, Cooper, and Pete when I joined the practice about a month ago.” She finishes leaving a whole lot to his imagination. She stands instead trying to get away from the conversation and excuses herself heading towards the bathroom. 15 minutes later she still hadn’t returned.
“You think she is okay?” Jacks asks honestly. He is a little afraid she has had too much to drink or perhaps grapples with an eating disorder of some kind.
“She was sick earlier but she said she was feeling better. Maybe I should go check on her.” Naomi pipes in before striding from her chair almost hitting Sam on her way out.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“That was rather brilliant you know.” He points out as he helps her up onto the curb.
“What?”
“Faking sick. Nice job. I realized after dinner we hadn’t really discussed a get away plan so I am impressed with your ability.”
“Oh, thanks.” She isn’t so sure as they pace in time on the sidewalk together if she really is nervous or if she is actually sick now. She feels exhausted and after heaving all of her dinner back up there is nothing more that she wants to do than to go home and snuggle into her bed and forget the whole thing ever existed.
“Hey look at me.” He stops in front of her to block her path and tips her chin up with his finger. “You don’t look well, are you really sick?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs and begins walking again.
“Addison.” He reaches out for her hand and as they brush fingertips he feels a jolt of electricity course through him. It is a familiar feeling. One that he always gets when she is around and there have been times, like her entire marriage to Derek, that he wishes that she didn’t have this physical effect over him.
“Yeah?” She echoes out distantly fixing her eyes on her shoes. He reaches up and touches her forehead and she immediately flinches and pulls back.
“Hey, whoa. I was just going to check your temperature.”
“I don’t have a fever. I think it is some silly bug. It will pass.” She fakes a smile and starts walking again.
“You are lying to me.”
Spinning around to quickly she feels her stomach tighten and she visibly grimaces before adding, “What?”
He strides to catch up with her before grabbing her hand again and setting their pace. “You are lying. I can tell and shut up; I know it isn’t very becoming of me.” She grins as he explains the reasons why he can always know that she is lying and she suddenly realizes that he knows more about her than he does himself. Breaking in her thought train the words, “Do you want to go home?” come blaring through and before she can think she nods.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Addison has always hated being sick. Hate, hated. She hates the stuffy, runny, disgusting noses, the itchy eyes that come with seasonal allergies, the blasting headaches, body chills, and the unrelenting nausea. When she was younger Reagan always used to snuggle up with her, because heaven knew her parents couldn’t care less, and rub her back until she fell asleep. As she climbs into her bed she feels the familiar tears set into the corner of her eyes and for a moment she feels like a four year old for wanting her sister to come take care of her.
Mark knows how much Addison hates being sick. Being ill compromises the persona of someone who has no visible faults or weaknesses. He has the unfortunate timing of catching her during flu season one especially bad year and ended up staying with her through the weekend while Derek played at the hospital. He reaches into her medicine cabinet hoping to find something useful and comes back out with a thermometer and some aspirin. She has situated herself slumping against the headboard and she looks like she is on the verge of tears. He quickly comes around her side setting a glass of water next to her on the nightstand and hands her the aspirin that she promptly refuses.
“Take them, please.” He shoves them back in her hand.
“No, I’m not sick. I refuse. I voted.”
She looks pitiful and has grown greener by the moment so Mark can’t help but smirk so he settles himself next to her after taking his shoes off and dropping them onto the floor. He moves up next to her and tries to asses the situation at hand. With Addison, there are two levels and god forbid you pick wrong. On one hand she could want to be comforted and held being told and assured that everyone gets sick and it is ok. On the other hand she could be so sick that touching her could make the whole situation worse so he pauses for a moment before deciding that it is definitely the first one. He lightly tugs on her arm until she relents and lays her head upon his chest as the slip down deeper into the comforter.
“I hate being sick.” She sniffles.
“I know.” He settles for stroking her hair and being quiet unless she has something to say.
“I ruined everything.”
“You did not. Everyone gets sick Addie, it’s not like you picked this.”
“I know.” She aches before closing her eyes. “You said we should talk and now we are here in my room and we should be out-”
“Enough. You are sick, sleep.” Because honestly looking at her, although always pleasing, was a little disturbing and she looks like she hasn’t slept since she moved down here.
“You leave tomorrow.”
“I leave tomorrow.” He repeats.
Before she can control herself the tears are flowing freely and the sobs are radiating from her chest. He methodically rubs slow circles along her spine until she settles herself enough to clarify. “I don’t want you to leave me.” It’s heartbreaking to hear and something she should have been saying since the beginning but he’ll take it because she is rarely this venerable and weak so he knows that it rally is heartfelt.
“I don’t really want to go.”
“You have to go.”
He isn’t really sure if it is a question or a statement but he answers anyway. “Yeah.”
They spend the rest of the night in the same position. She finally falls asleep encased in his arms and he nods off but wakes up thinking he is in a dream with her. His eyes adjust to her hair and the touch of her skin against his. This is the moment he was craving in Seattle the last month. He tried to walk away. He did his best to cut his losses and move on with life but he couldn’t help the miserable attitude that came with “healing”. He decides as the clock read 4:57 am that he doesn’t want to heal anymore. If he has any chance of still getting her he would rather be a walking open incision riddled with infections than be stuck in the healing process. His mind was made up the moment he saw her but this night where she allowed him in, if only for a few hours was enough to solidify his selection. He has a meeting with Naomi at 7 before his flight leaves.
~-~-~-~-~-~
Addison wakes up alone hung over in all sorts of manners. She is physically exhausted, emotionally drained, and if she hadn’t thrown up everything in the last 24 hours she swears that she would be a little hung over from the wine as well. She stumbles out of bed tangled in her sweats and winces as she sees the alarm clock blink back the number 10:38 am. She reaches for her cell phone to call Naomi and apologize for being so late but she finds a note instead.
Add-
I called in sick for you. Hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll call as soon as I land. Feel better.
-Mark
After all the nights in New York of waking up alone. After all of the indiscretions and empty beds she has woken up to this is a nice change. This could possibly be the sweetest thing he has ever done for her and before she can remark on how much he has changed she has to head for the services of the bathroom once again.
~-~-~-~-~-~
“You are wrong.” Addison states in a very matter of fact tone back at Naomi a short week later.
“I’m not wrong. Here look.” She shoves the lab work back into her hands.
“This can’t be right. You said!” Her voice grows in intensity.
“I know what I said but sometimes the body-”
“Don’t finish that sentence with bullshit like that. You said Naomi. I trusted you. You said no fertility potential! None! Addison you are never going to have a child is what that lab work said, and now….now this! Run it again.” She lies back down on the exam table when she finishes screaming.
“I’ve ran it four times Addison. I’m not doing it again and we aren’t having this conversation. You should be happy. You came to me months ago and said I want to have a baby. I’m ready. So why the hell aren’t you happy? You’re pregnant! Your dream-”
“No, no, no. Shit, shit, shit.”
“Addison.” Naomi manages as she tries to stop the freak out before it happens. “So what if it is Mark’s. He, well he is Mark, but he is good looking, intelligent although we think differently a lot, and he will want this baby even if you don’t want him. So stop the freak out and breathe for a quick moment so you can be happy.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck! I always screw everything up.” She buries her head in her hands as the tears begin to fall.
“Yeah you should get used to the crying thing it happens a lot. Trust me.” She doesn’t stop so Naomi tries a different tactic and approaches her friend giving her a light hug. “This will be okay Addison, great even. You will be an amazing mom and the rest you don’t need to worry about yet. Just grow my goddaughter or godson. Alright?”
Nodding even though she thinks she can’t feel hear own head anymore Addison manages, “Yeah.”
“You done freaking out?” Naomi states as she takes a step back.
“No.”
“Why? Addison this is nothing to get worked up over. You finally get your baby, your dream. We will all be here for you-”
“It’s Derek’s.” She feels her stomach twist as she says his name and mentally damns herself for ever thinking goodbye sex was a good solution.
Part 10: No comfort in the waiting room.