Help is Around the Corner

Help is Around the Corner 33

"Mm, you know, I was actually getting kind of sleepy," says Addison.

"Me too!" says Meredith.

"Why are you always excited when you say you're sleepy?" says Callie.

"I like umm... Sleep, that's exciting," says Meredith.

"She just wants to go to bed with Addison!" Cristina teases.

"Hey!" says Meredith.

"What, you don't?" Addison pouts.

"No, of course, I do," says Meredith, as she resists the temptation to kiss the adorable pout off of Addison's lips.

"Okay, well if you two are making faces like that at each other, why don't you get a room," says Mark.

"We weren't-" Addison protests while Mark keeps smirking at her.

"Do you need anything?" says Meredith before they head upstairs.

"No, we're good," says Burke, who is going to stay in the attic with Cristina this evening, while Alex stays in his room with Izzie, and George stays in his room with Callie, and Mark sleeps on the couch while Derek sleeps outside in the hammock.

"Okay, goodnight," says Addison.

"Night!" says everyone.

Meredith and Addison head upstairs to see how Doc's doing before they go to bed.

"Doc!" says Addison.

"..." says Doc.

"We know you're awake," says Meredith. "You're faking it!"

"..." says Doc.

"You can't pull that on me, I can see your tail wagging," says Addison.

Doc stops moving his tail, but it's too late, Meredith and Addison are already onto him.

"Come on, evening walk and then bed," says Meredith.

"Rr..." says Doc.

"Sleepy!? You've been napping this whole time," says Addison.

"Rr..." says Doc.

"It's late, so fine, we'll carry you," says Meredith.

"Rr," says Doc.

"You're so spoiled, you know that?" says Addison.

"Rr," says Doc.

"That's not a good thing Doc, everyone just loves you to pieces," says Addison.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Yes we know you think you deserve it Doc," says Meredith.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Yes, you sleep and eat and sit all day, you totally deserve it," says Addison.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Yeah, you're a good dog, aren't you Doc?" says Meredith.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"The best dog," Addison pets him.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Yes, yes Doc," says Meredith. "As we said, we love you very much."

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Yes, we love you," says Addison.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Alright, let's get him outside for a while," says Meredith, as she picks him up.

Addison gets his leash as they head out for a walk, closing the door behind them.

"So did you enjoy the game?" says Meredith.

"Yeah-" says Addison.

"It was exciting," says Meredith.

"Yeah-" says Addison.

"You're a nerd," says Meredith.

"I am," says Addison. "And you have a very large um... Collection..." says Addison.

"I do," Meredith giggles.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Sorry Doc," says Meredith.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"We won't talk about... That... In front of you," says Addison.

'Rr!" says Doc.

"You're right, it's private," says Meredith.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"He's right, we're still talking," says Addison.

"Rr!" says Doc.

"Alright, it's getting late, let's get you inside," says Meredith.

"Rr," says Doc.

"Yes, it's bedtime," says Addison.

"Rr..." says Doc.

"Yes, you're tired, come on," says Meredith.

This time Addison picks him up, and carries him up the stairs.

"Rr..." says Doc, yawning.

"Yes, we're tired too," says Addison.

She deposits him onto the bed, where Doc curls himself into the middle, and they get ready for bed, and lie down next to each other, and next to Doc.

They both pet Doc, which means their hands keep brushing each other until they're holding hands, and they stay like that until Doc falls asleep and starts snoring.

"Meredith-" says Addison, as she turns on her side, and peers into Meredith's eyes.

"Yes Addison," says Meredith.

"Were you really going to kiss me? When we were in the closet, were you going to kiss me?" says Addison softly.

"I was," says Meredith. "Were you going to kiss me back?" says Meredith.

"I was," Addison giggles.

"I really like you," says Meredith.

"Yeah?" says Addison.

"Yeah," says Meredith.

"Me too," says Addison. "I really like you too."

"Can we kiss now?" says Meredith pleadingly.

"Meredith..." says Addison. "I'm still married, I'm so sorry..." says Addison.

"But you were going to earlier-" says Meredith.

"Yeah but I was drunk and not thinking, and now I'm sobered up and my thoughts are racing and I think it's better if we wait, and we do this right," says Addison.

"Okay..." says Meredith.

"Okay," says Addison.

"You're waiting because you still like me though right?" says Meredith.

"Of course I do," says Addison. "I do want to kiss you now, I really do. We just have to wait a little bit longer," says Addison.

"Okay," says Meredith. "Goodnight, Addie," says Meredith, unable to resist calling Addison by a nickname.

"Night Mer," says Addison, smiling at Meredith's nickname for her.

Meredith curls up into Addison's chest as she always does, and Addison pulls her close while Doc is still squished in the middle of them.

And they fall asleep with the happy feeling that the person they really really like, likes them back.

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***** END OF CHAPTER 33