The Late Nights With Her

Chapter Nine: Morning Hearts

Meredith woke up at the tender hour of 8am in Addison's arms. Addison was still asleep while Meredith tried to slip out of her arms, to no avail. Every time Meredith moved, Addison would groan in her sleep. Meredith felt guilty and didn't want to wake Addison, so she just laid there and listened to her heartbeat.

"I love you, as more than a friend I think" Meredith began to whisper to Addison. "I want to properly tell you this but I'm just so confused, so for now I'm only saying this because you're asleep" She continued, sighing to herself. "I thought I loved Derek but I think I was wrong; he's just so aggressive sometimes, and manipulative"

"But you're so different than him, even though we're just friends right now, you make me feel way different. Like, you make me feel safe and protected and I get butterflies in my whole body whenever I'm near you" Meredith explained, closing her eyes and focusing solely on Addison's heartbeat and how she felt. "It's just so sudden, I used to hate you but now I just feel like I misunderstood you."

"The way you handle your emotions, the way no matter what you're elegant, it's all I aspire to be and more" Meredith smiled, grabbing Addison's hand and stroking it gently. "I'm going to do this, and hope you don't get mad" Meredith said softly, lifting Addison's hand and kissing it gently, not wanting to go any further whilst she was asleep.

The second she kissed Addison she felt the woman gasp lightly and quickly pulled away. "Shit!" Meredith mumbled. Her face turned bright red and she let go of Addison's hand, quickly laying back down onto Addison's shoulder to pretend to be asleep once again. She hoped that Addison didn't wake up, and if she did wake up she hoped that she didn't hear the whole thing. If she did, it would've been even more embarrassing.

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Addison was asleep throughout Meredith's monologue, but began to wake up when Meredith grabbed her hand. She kept her eyes closed and groggily wondered what Meredith was doing. "I'm going to do this, and I hope you don't get mad" She heard Meredith say. This sentence spiked Addison's curiosity but she stayed silent and still, wondering what it was Everything was silent for a moment before she felt Meredith's lips upon her hand, pulling her into a state of hyperawareness. She gasped in shock and Meredith quickly pulled away and mumbled, "Shit!".

Addison opened her eyes and watched as Meredith pulled her hand away and laid back onto Addison's shoulder, pretending to sleep again. Addison chuckled softly, making Meredith jump up again and stare at Addison. "When did you wake up?" She asked, beginning to shake in nervousness. Addison began to feel guilty, she didn't want to upset the girl.

"When you grabbed my hand" Addison didn't want to lie but still felt bad being honest. Meredith began to hyperventilate, "No, no, no, no, no!" She repeated, shaking even more. Addison sighed, "Meredith, calm down. Listen to me, Meredith. Meredith, listen" Addison tried to get Meredith out of her anxious gaze but nothing was working.

"Meredith!" Addison snapped her fingers but Meredith kept shaking. She grabbed Meredith and held her cheek, kissing her on the lips. "Meredith, have you been trying to tell me something this whole time?" Addison asked, staring Meredith in the eyes. Meredith nodded, cuddling up to Addison's chest.

"So, what is it?" Addison asked, taking the girl off of her chest and moving her so they were both sitting in front of each other. Meredith couldn't help but feel that what Addison was doing was cruel; acting nonchalant and pressuring her into expressing her feeling, but she complied nonetheless. "A-Addie.." Meredith began, suddenly feeling nervous once again. "I think I like you as more than a friend, but it's confusing... I want you to hold me and keep me safe and every time I see you it's like fireworks, eliciting throughout my whole body" Meredith sighed, falling forward into Addison's soft arms once she was done speaking.

Addison remained speechless for a moment before finally speaking up, "Me too" She said quietly, trying to maintain her composure. "Really?" Meredith asked, looking up at Addison in shock. "Yes really" She smiled, stroking Meredith's hair.

"What does this mean?" Meredith asked and Addison shrugged, "I'm not sure. Maybe we should take it slow, before we start something?" Addison suggested, "I don't know much about you, but I'd like to learn more. How about we go for lunch today? You're going to be discharged at 10 so there's plenty of time."

"That sounds lovely" Meredith smiled and Addison smiled back, they both hugged each other. "I'm going to go check on my patient and go home to get ready, I'll see you at your house at 1?" Addison asked and Meredith nodded, "I'll see you" She said happily as Addison unlocked the door and left, heading to the post-op floor.