Chapter Text
1.
Addison stepped out of the cab in Seattle, the drizzle hitting her face in an almost soothing way. Her heels clicked lightly as she made her way towards the hospital entrance, her eyes falling on Derek and a blonde woman as soon as she entered. She took a breath, clinging to her composure desperately, willing herself to continue walking. She finally reached the couple, folding her jacket over one arm, “hi, I’m Addison Shepherd” she held out her hand to the blonde, “and you must be the woman who’s been screwing my husband” she did feel bad when the intern froze, shock crossing her face as she turned to Derek, clearly hoping he’d reassure her that it wasn’t true.
2.
Meredith curled against the supply room wall, pressing her face into her knees as if she could black out the world around her. She jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder, flinching back as her head shot up, her eyes meeting Addison’s. She relaxed slightly, her hands dropping from their position wrapped around herself.
“Who did this to you?” Addison’s voice was icier than Meredith had ever heard it, green eyes finding the bruise forming on her neck.
Meredith hesitated, trying to blink back the tears stinging her eyes, “Derek” she whispered the name so softly Addison would’ve missed it if she wasn’t only inches from the blonde. Her body tensed at the confession, some part of her eager for the fight she knew would follow her confronting her ex husband, heart pounding harder against her rib cage.
3.
Addison had all but sprinted down to the ER when she’d been paged, her heart thrashing against her rib cage as if it was trying to tear itself out. She almost slammed into the door trying to reach Meredith quicker, only just pulling it open without hitting it.
Meredith’s skin was tinted blue, her body wrapped in warming blankets as wires tethered her to the bed. She looked almost restful, if it weren’t for the beeping monitor above her head Addison wouldn’t be sure she was alive. IVs hung around her body, tubes and wires hanging in a way reminiscent of the strings of a marionette doll.
4.
Addison felt the tears burning in her eyes, leaving Meredith so soon after the drowning felt like ripping a piece of her heart out and grinding it into the pavement. Her arms wrapped around the younger woman, the idea of letting go too painful to fathom in that moment. Meredith’s grip around her was just as tight, nails digging into her side as warm breath brushed her neck. Eventually they were forced apart by the taxi driver snapping that he’d leave if they didn’t hurry up.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” Addison had asked at least a hundred times since Meredith had persuaded her to take the job.
The blonde nodded, releasing her grip around Addison’s waist, “go to LA, I’ll be fine Addie”
5.
The rain lashed down over Addison, reminding her of that first time she’d walked into Seattle Grace, the icy water more intense this time, tipping over the edge into storm territory. She made her way through the doors into the lobby, asking a nurse to page Meredith. She waited patiently for the blonde, memories flashed through her mind, of the nights they’d spent eating ice cream on the roof of the hospital, the days spent bumping into each other in the hall, the first night she’d pushed Meredith against the wall of an on-call room.
She abandoned her thoughts as soon as she heard the elevator doors open, eyes finding the familiar blonde. It took seconds for her to have the blonde wrapped in her arms, the pair clinging to each other.
Meredith tilted her head, pulling away enough to meet Addison’s green eyes. Their lips met in a kiss that felt as natural as breathing. Addison’s hand rested gently behind Meredith’s head as she clung to Meredith desperately.