Snippets || EN ||

IV

CW: drowning, implied/referenced suicide, depression, implied/referenced eating disorder, starving

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Addison is almost finished with her chicken soup when Callie invites herself into the house. She offers to help, but Addison refuses. She has a specific routine when making soup, which Callie would only disturb.

Callie sits at the kitchen table, watching Addison cook while telling her about her surgeries and what's new in the hospital. Addison is happy to listen, the mindless rambling distracting her brain in all the right ways.

There's an awkward silence after Callie tells her how Arizona saved a little girl from a life without a leg last week. Addison realizes she zoned out and quickly coughs to hide it before making vague sounds of interest.

Callie frowns, but then she sniffs the air, suddenly smiling. "Oh, it smells delicious."

Addison stirs the soup with a spatula, hoping Callie won't return her attention to her small mistake. I need some sleep. "Thanks."

"I can't wait to eat some!"

"It's for Meredith," Addison reminds her, adding a bit of pepper.

"And?"

"It's for Meredith," Addison repeats slowly, trying to get the point across.

She hears Callie snicker. "So, I can't eat it? Does she have the appetite of a starving person now?"

Addison freezes, not saying anything. Does Callie think anything about this situation is funny?

She must have been silent for a while because Callie is suddenly beside her, gently touching Addison's shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Addison shrugs her hand off. "I'm fine," she says, mustering the strength to twist her lips into a small smile.

"Just that George told me you are doing all of this on your own," Callie starts slowly as if she's not sure she wants to continue. "You don't let anyone help you. You don't even let them see her."

Addison's grip on the spatula tightens. "Seeing her like this would only make them feel worse. You should've seen Cristina-"

"I thought you wanted to help her get better."

"I do."

"Then why keep her family from her?"

Callie continues, already sounding surer of herself. "And why are you keeping her in that room? She should be outside in the sun or something. I know you're scared she'll try something again, but living in a bedroom without her friends isn't life."

Does she think this is easy?

Addison lets go of the spatula and whirls around. "I'm doing everything I can to take care of her," she says through gritted teeth.

Callie makes a couple of steps back, but her expression doesn't change - she's frowning, the corners of her lips down, her eyes full of fire. "You shouldn't have to. She's an adult."

"I can't even get her to eat. How do you think I'm supposed to get her to do anything?!" As soon as the last word leaves Addison's mouth, she wants to bury herself in the ground. How could she let that slip? Now everyone will know how much of a disappointment she is.

Callie eyes widen, and her eyebrows raise almost to her hair.

Addison quickly continues, not wanting to give her much time to think about what she just said. "Tell me how to make her talk if you're so clever, Callie! I'm all ears!"