Amongst the vending machines and year-old magazines in a place where we only say goodbye
It stung like a violent wind that our memories depend on a faulty camera in our minds
But I knew that you were a truth I would rather lose than to have never lain beside at all
And I looked around at all the eyes on the ground as the TV entertained itself
'Cause there's no comfort in the waiting room
Just nervous pacers bracing for bad news
And then the nurse comes round and everyone will lift their heads
But I'm thinking of what Sarah said that "Love is watching someone die"
-Deathcab for Cutie- “What Sarah Said”
~-~-~-~-~-~

Addison was lying on the comfortable couch in the uninhibited office. She refused to think. She refused to feel. She merely existed for the last half an hour. Breathing in and out slowly, her eyes glazed over staring up at the ceiling, and her aching body as limp as possible. She wasn’t in the mood to think. She was tired of analyzing the situation, she was tired of rationalizing, she was plain tired.

“How long has she been like that?” Dell asked peering over the counter and into the window with the rest of the group.

“About an hour.” Naomi retorted without removing her eyes.

“I need my office, I have patients…just put her in an exam room or in her own office!” Violet urged. She wasn’t new to this type of behavior but Addison had made it clear she didn’t want Violet’s help, so she was doing her no favors this last week.

“Someone has to get her out of there.” Sam says as he lightly nudges Naomi.

“What’s her deal? Is she crying or something?” Pete asks while joining the group.

“No. And why do I have to be the one to get her out? You her friend too Sam.”

“You’ve known her longer.” He responds quietly. “You get custody of her in the divorce.”

“She is an adult and that is ridiculous logic. I‘ve known about Maya longer do I get her?”

“She isn’t acting like an adult. Maybe we should send Cooper in there.” Violet shrugs as she picks up a new chart and busies herself with this afternoon’s schedule.

“I can go.” Pete offers heading for the door.

“No!” They all yell out in unison and he stops dead in his tracks.

Sam pushes Naomi forward and she reluctantly states, “I’ll go.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“I can’t believe that after all of this you are going to chase her again.” Derek mentions as he leans against the counter in his fashionable pose while the nurses swoon.

“I’m not chasing her. I’m going for a change of pace, of scenery. Besides it is L.A., Derek, I’m a plastic surgeon. A great one at that. I belong there. Seattle was a layover.” Mark states as he scribbles in his last chart of the day.

“I still hate you, you know that right?”

“Yes.”

“As long as we are clear.”

“Crystal.” Mark retorts as he slams the file down into its holder and a large grin forms across his face. He knows what Derek is doing, it’s fine. He’ll play along and wait for it.

“Just you know…” He shifts uncomfortably and drops his voice, “Just keep in touch…and if you hurt her Mark, I swear to god-”

“Relax, man. I’m not going for Addison. I told you that. I’m going to go.”

“Yeah she’s going to love that response.”

He smirks in affirmation. “I can’t believe that you finally care. It’s a late showing, but nice.”

“I always cared.”

“You had one hell of a way of showing it.”

Derek crosses his arms, immediately growing defensive over the remarks about his failed marriage and stems away the thoughts of his last night with Addison. “I loved her. I did. I know you know that so just get your ass to L.A. and make her happy already.”

“Not going for her.”

He smiles, “Keep telling yourself that.”

~-~-~-~-~-~

“You have to get up Addie; this is a childish way to deal with your problems.” Naomi crosses her legs as she takes a seat down by her feet.

“Leave.”

“No. Get up. This blank staring isn’t going to change the fact that you are carrying your ex-husband’s child.”

Addison visibly shudders at the thought and fixes her eyes back on the bumpy white ceiling above her red-rimmed eyes. Crying ended hours ago, so she is spent and hell bent on watching the grooves in the ceiling until her stomach settles itself. This child is going to be toture. Payback for everything, she has a feeling.

“Ok, what is it that you need? What do you want? I’ll get it. Crackers, ginger ale, cable TV in your office, a new car…come on help me out here.” She doesn’t want to get desperate but frankly her once strong friend is a little scary like this.

Addison throws the possibilities around in her mind before simply stating, “I need to cut.”

“What?” A Naomi reply as if that was the most ludicrous idea she had ever heard.

She keeps her eyes still and her voice steady before continuing, “I want to cut. I need to cut. I haven’t had a surgery in weeks! I need a scalpel in one hand and a screaming baby being pulled from a womb in the other. I need to save someone and I want to cut flesh…. I want to make incisions and bring babies into rooms with happy mothers and families…I want the adrenaline rush of having to think quickly on my feet to save one of them…or better yet both…I want to feel the agony of losing a patient on the table…I want to smell like surgery, like sterilization and gloves….I want to command an OR and glare at snotty little interns…I want scrub cap hair and I want my feet and back to ache because I have been in the same position for the last nine hours not because I am carrying the devil‘s baby…..I want to cut, damn it.” The pinnacle hadn’t gone quite as she planned, but it is all there. Plain and simple.

She forces it all out in a hurried manner and is forced to think of what a good escape her old job used to be. She misses being a real surgeon far more often than she would like to admit. At first, the possibility of slowing down and enjoying life seemed like an amazing prospect but now, now she wanted to cut. Something, anything. She’s settle for an appendectomy if she had to.

“You want to cut.” Naomi grimaces as she adjusts to the idea of having to deal with these random Addison outbursts more frequently in the coming months.

“Yes.” She states as she returns to eyeing the border where the wall meets the ceiling.

“I can’t do that Addie. This is a clinic. We do things differently here. You know that. If we get someone who needs a c-section today then it is all yours but other than that-”

“It’s the same old boring patients.” She scratches at her hair before running her once well-used fingers through it. “But I get it. I did this to myself. It’s wrong to hope someone has complications, isn’t it?”

“Probably.”

“I shouldn’t have taken this job. I should’ve known better. I should have faced my demons and stayed in Seattle where I didn’t necessarily belong but I fit a hell of a lot better and-”

“You fit here. You’ll get used to it. We are all about the-”

Addison cuts her off again because she is tired of the same ol’ song and dance. “-Patients….I know Nae, I could just really use a surgery every once in a while.”

“You could call Charlotte.” Naomi winces as she recites the wretched woman’s name.

“I’m sure she would just love that. Maybe I could talk to their Chief of Surgery instead.” Addison offers.

“You are going to go below her. Yeah that will work.”

“She is Chief of Staff, it’s different…never mind. It was-”

“You want to cut.” Naomi recites again shaking her head.

“I want to cut. I’m a bad employee.” Addison affirms shifting around to finally look at her friend.

“You are a surgeon. It’s imbedded, we can’t change that. You’ve been one for too damn long…So maybe we find you something to cut occasionally.”

“I’d like that.”

“Well your happiness is important down here. We need you.” She smiles and laughs outwardly while trying to help Addison up. “When you turn into a behemoth and you better because I did, Pete is the one who is going to have to do the lifting.”

“I can lift myself.”

“Not for much longer.” Naomi returns victoriously with hey prey as Violet ushers someone into her office and Addison turns back into herself grabbing a chart and grinning at Pete. Naomi can’t help but wonder what in the world her friend thinks she is doing trying to involve herself with that man, but lets it slide because today is already off to a bad start.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“It’s a control thing.” Violet says placing her coffee cup on the table in the middle of the break room.

“Maybe she just wants to cut.” Cooper adds as he busies himself with his cup.

“No, it is a control thing. It’s a god complex, surgeons like to save people.”

“All doctors have some sort of god complex.” Sam adds in his two cents when he walks in and takes a seat next to Violet.

“True.” Cooper affirms.

“What are we talking about?” Naomi asks as she strolls in glaring at Sam and reaches for a blue coffee cup from the cupboard.

“Addison’s control issues.” Violet says as she twirls her finger along the edge of her cup.

“Oh. Could we maybe just leave her alone for a while? Like give her a week or so. She is having a hard time.”

“Is she okay?”

Naomi switches her eyes back to focus on Sam, “Yeah Sam, she is going to be just fine.”

“Someone has a temper today. You can just answer the question; don’t get all defensive about Addison. I know she is your friend and all but you can’t-”

“La-la-la-la” Cooper recites as he uses his index fingers to block out the noise coming into his ears.

Naomi stops mid argument and turns her attention, “Cooper, what are you doing?”

“He hates it when mommy and daddy fight.” Violet plainly adds.

“Mommy and Daddy?” Naomi questions but receives no answer as everyone filters out of the uncomfortable situation in the break room.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Well I can’t say that I will miss all the drama that came storming in with your arrival, Dr. Sloan, but I can say that we will miss your services.” Richard says while extending his hand to the man in front of him.

Mark lets out a small chuckle before taking his hand and agreeing that if he ever has to come back to Seattle this will be the first place he stops for when looking for a new job. Their goodbye is simple and professional before Richard has the mind to add, “Don’t hurt her son; Addie is like family to Adele and I.”

“I know.”

“Good. I may be the Chief but I can still fly down there and kick you ass.”

“That won’t be necessary sir.”

“Better not be. You have been warned Sloan.”

“Thanks.” Mark spins and heads toward the elevator so as to catch the next possible cab to the airport. His head spins in full relief, the kind that comes with knowing, just knowing; you have made a good choice with your life. It was time for some change. Maybe Addison had something on it when she repeated it over and over.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Ok, so here’s the deal.” Naomi adds when walking briskly into Addison’s office to find her curled up into her chair reading an article.

She tips her glasses down her nose and peers up at her long time friend, “Yeah?”

“I got you in. I cashed in a favor with Dr. Sevelechek over at St. Ambrose. You have a C-section at 2pm. They’ll have the chart ready for you and you can meet the patient and everything.” She slumps down in the chair across from the redhead before adding, “You owe me for this, and for keeping your dirty dirty little secrets.”

“Thanks, Nae. I really appreciate it.”

“I know you do. Do you want to have dinner tonight? Sam has Maya and -”

“And you want to use my house to spy on them and make sure that he doesn’t do anything wrong. Gee, I feel so used.” She grins while setting down the journal in front of her and trying to focus her attention.

“No.”

“Oh, please. It’s fine. We can have dinner, inside. With the blinds drawn. That’s as good as it is getting.” She pauses momentarily before adding, “One more thing, I’m not cooking. I don’t want the smell of anything lingering in my house too long.”

Naomi throws around the idea for awhile before agreeing. “Is it a control thing?”

“What?”

“Surgery, is it a control thing? Violet says that you need to control something because your immediate world has changed so much that you need to have power over something familiar.”

“Violet says this, Violet says that. I don‘t come to work to be psychoanalyzed behind my back.” Realizing that may have been a little harsh she shrugs, “Yeah, it’s a control thing.”

“I love you Addie, you know that but the control thing has to be surrendered. I can’t just call in favors whenever you are having a rough day or week. This is your new life, take a look around. Adjust to it.” And with that Naomi rises and exit’s the room before her weepy looking friend can add in her two cents.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“What are you doing here!” Naomi screams and drags Mark off by his arm into a secluded conference room. She doesn’t bother flicking on the lights she merely draws the blinds.

“Nice to see you too, boss.” Mark retorts pulling out a chair.

“You aren’t supposed to be in town until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know. But I couldn’t wait. So what?”

“I haven’t told Addison yet is so what!” Naomi takes a seat in her own chair trying to keep her voice down.

“You weren’t supposed to tell her, it is called a surprise for a reason.” He shakes his head.

“I know that. But she isn’t having a very good week.” She chuckles inwardly thinking if only Mark knew what she knew, “at all. I need to tell her. She can’t take this.”

“She okay?” He tries to ask as nonchalantly as possible. He doesn’t want to let off the air of someone who is madly deeply in love with the one person who won’t give him the time of day, even if it is the inevitable truth.

“Not really. But she will be, just give her some time. Stay away from her until I can explain the situation.” Naomi immediately started to regret her offer to let Mark into the practice the day the blood work came back. She knows that the last thing Addison needs is this kind of stress, but Mark is one hell of a surgeon and the revenue he could bring in…well Naomi is a business person too.

“Ok.” He states cutting off her line of thought.

Standing instead she tells him to stay and she will show him around because Addison has already left for the hospital. This little choice will bring way too much drama and she can’t wait to see the look on Pete’s face when he sees Mark strolling the hallways. Pete is bad for Addison and so is Mark but Naomi figures that maybe they will tear each other apart and leave her the hell alone.

~-~-~-~-~-~

Addison’s afternoon really had not gone as she had planned. She hit traffic coming in and was late to greet her patient. A patient, who mind you, was not exactly thrilled about the switch from her normal doctor. Addison did her best to reaffirm and curb all of the woman’s questions and fears. She had almost forgotten how difficult and frustrating moms-to-be could act.

The first half of the procedure had been everything she had envisioned. She held the scalpel steady with her long fingers and got the baby out without many complications. He wasn’t breathing at first but that issue was soon resolved and then it happened. She watched the open body cavity in front of her disintegrate into a sea of red, red blood. She worked frivolously to find the bleeder as the woman’s vitals became less and less stable. She was put under quickly and no sooner than twenty seconds later the monitor went screeching signaling that the whole thing was a lost cause. Her quick hands and able mind were not enough to save the mother and although the baby was fine, she can’t help but remark on something she had encountered when working with Karev. What good is a baby without a mother to raise it?

As she scrubbed out, tearing at her useless skin with the soap, she couldn’t help but feel responsible. Not in the normal way that a surgeon takes responsibility but in the way that the nagging voice in her head told her that maybe she couldn’t do this anymore. Maybe she was too far out of practice and she should have never been here. She should, perhaps, reside herself to just being a clinic doctor because she obviously can’t hack it in this world anymore. She hates that annoying pain of guilt in her stomach says that maybe Naomi was right.

“Dr. Montgomery.” Charlotte King barks as she heads down the hallway toward the woman.

“Yes.” Addison stops her pace and stands towering over the shorter blonde woman.

“Killed a patient already on your first day actually working in the hospital? Nice work, glad we didn’t hire you.”

Pushing the unreasonable tears to the back of her eyes Addison retorts, “I did my best. There was nothing that could have saved her, if there was I would have done it.”

Charlotte pauses, softening for a moment before shoving a chart into her hands. “I know. Dr. Sevelechek wanted me to give this to you. We just found out, they didn’t feel the need to disclose her full medical history or we would’ve known.” She strolls off haughtily and leaves Addison with the file full of excuses.

It doesn’t matter if there was no logical way the woman could have survived. It doesn’t matter that no one else would have expected her to be alive after surgery except her husband. The only thing that matters is that she didn’t save her. She has spent so many years proving statistics and cynics wrong that she has a gut feeling that this woman, Lindsay, could have pulled through. Her job is to save people, to do the unspeakable and pull of miracles. So no matter what the chart says all she can feel is guilt for not doing a better job.

The tears come after she hides herself out in a supply closet pushing her back against the closed door. She sobs quietly for a few moments gasping in air before she decides that the pity party has to stop and gathers her rumpled self from the floor and heads out to face the family of the patient. This has always been her least favorite part. There will be yelling she is certain. Maybe some name throwing and hopefully no violence. People do weird things when they lose a loved one.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Mark.” Pete questions peering out the door of his office.

“Jack..wait Pete.” Mark smiles. He knows the mans name and he also knows how to screw with people. Santa Monica is going to be fun.

“Nice to see you again, you here for Addison?”

“No, Addie doesn’t know I’m here yet. I took up a job offer.” He winks at him and prides himself in using Addison’s nickname because he knows her on a level where that is acceptable and he wouldn’t be able to. As he watches Pete’s face sink he knows round one just went to the new kid.

“Mark.” Cooper says as he joins them all in the hall.

“Cooper, nice to see you again.” He offers his hand and makes certain to use the right name this time.

“What are you doing in town? Did Addison call?” He states when they finish their stern shake.

“No, I got a job.”

“Yeah, and I would like to finish showing him around before Addison gets back and flips her lid again today. So let’s move it.” Naomi says when she joins them.

“Again?” He questions as she shoos him down the hall.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“So here is exam room one and your office will be the third one on the left right down there. Mark, are you paying attention?”

“Yeah, got it. I use office three on the left.”

Naomi smiles as she watches him stare in at Addison’s empty office. “She should be back soon, you should go. Besides you need to go set up at the hospital too, don’t you?”

“Huh?”

“The hospital. You need to speak with them and get things straightened out.” She says in a melodic voice that suggests she is speaking to a three year old and not a grown man.

“Yeah I do.” He turns around suddenly and sends her stepping back a few feet. “How do I get there?”

Naomi catches Sam staring out of the corner of his eye and suggests, “I’ll take you there so you don’t get lost. Just let me grab my keys.”

“Ok.” He turns back around and stares at the wooden desk that has held the one thing he has wanted most for the last few months.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“What was she thinking!” Cooper screeches as Sam closes the conference room door after Naomi’s departure.

“I think the best thing is that we all stay calm.” Violet says while smiling. “It isn’t going to do us any good to get worked up over this. I am sure Naomi has a valid reason for bringing him in.”

“Yeah, called he is fun to look at.” Pete mocks from his chair.

“Maybe Addison wanted him here?” Cooper tries as he takes a spot next to Violet.

“No, I don’t think Addison would do that. No, I am sure she wouldn’t do that.” Sam says as he pushes his cup into the middle of the long table.

“So what do we do?” Violet asks.

Sam shrugs and sighs offering, “Wait it out.”

“Wait what out? This guy isn’t going anywhere.”

“Pete, you are clearly jealous and it is kind of unbecoming.” Violet says while she fiddles with her blue pen.

“Focus!” Cooper shouts at the group. They all snap to attention and continue discussing the ever pressing issue of their day, Mark Sloan in their office.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Mr. Evans, we did everything we could.” Addison states while managing to hold herself as upright as possible.

“Wait, you are saying….Are you saying. No! No, no. No! Where is she! I want to see her….this isn’t happening. It can’t be.” He says while crumpling down onto the wall.

“Your son is in the nursery when you are ready to see him and I again I am very sorry.”

Standing back up he echoes out from his constricted throat, “You did this! You! We never should have agreed to having you operate! We don’t even know you….” His voice breaks and the tears start in as Addison stands stricken. “We trusted you, I trusted you! You killed her…”

“Mr. Evans, I did not kill her. Lindsay had a pre-existing condition that wouldn’t have allowed her to-”

Effectively cutting her off he shouts, “Go away! Just get away from me. I hate you….I hate you.”

She takes a deep breath in and turns on her heels. It certainly wasn’t the worst one she has ever done, but it wasn’t the best either. Which isn’t to say that there can be a best when you are telling someone’s loved ones that said person is dead. Still she feels responsible and she can’t wait to finish making her notes in the chart so she can escape back to the clinic for the afternoon.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“Alright so here we are.” Naomi states as they step out of her car. “I think Sevelechek is on the fourth floor and try not to do anything that will piss off Dr. King. She is already a thorn in our sides and we don’t need anyone else pushing her.”

“Ok.” Mark says while attempting to catch up to Naomi’s quick strides.

They make their way through the doors, heaps of sick patients, anxious family members, and hard-working nurses, doctors, and surgeons. Mark smirks in the elevator that is full of tired faces and exhausted bodies and as the doors ding open he catches a glimpse of the red flamed hair that he has grown to fancy in a way that would never lead to him believing that he would think to use that word. “Uh…” He stutters as they step forward with the group.

“Stay here. I mean it.” Naomi warns him like he is a disobedient six year old who can’t be trusted alone.

Naomi rushes ahead to catch up with Addison who is making her way toward the nurses station. “Addie!”

Turning around at the sound of a familiar tone she sees Naomi. “Nae…what are you doing here? I can handle this on my own. I don’t need any back up.”

“I am…wait, what are you talking about?”

Realizing her friend has no idea what she is talking about she quickly changes the subject, “Oh nothing. I…so what are you doing here? I know my way back.” She jokes and manages a small chuckle.

“I know, I am showing a client around. So, when are you going back?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugs and looks down, “I need to change and finish up this chart, then find Sevelechek and I guess I’m gone after that.”

“Well, you shouldn’t bother with going back to the clinic because you don’t have anyone left and it’s been a hard week.” She pauses momentarily and places her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You should go home…and rest, we are going to have a late night.”

“Nae, I’m fine. I’m good even. I got to cut and I feel much better. Besides I have things to do and…” Her voice trails off as her eyes narrow to the male figure standing behind Naomi. “And…I- uh. I… don’t need to go…home.” She trips and stutters through the last part as her heart rate rises with every step he takes toward her.

“You sure? You…Addison?”

“Huh?” She says re-focusing her eyes.

“You aren’t listening again. God Addison! I can’t deal with you like this for the next eight months, pull it together.”

“Sure Nae, that sounds like a good plan.”

“It wasn’t a question that required any form of an answer.” She stops mid-sentence to turn around and follow Addison’s gaze. She spins around glares at Mark who has definitely left the designated area. “Damn it Mark. I told you to stay where you were.”

“I don’t listen to directions very well.” He remarks while quickening his steps.

“I can vouch for that. Mark what are you doing here again?” Her nerves rise sufficiently and she feels her stomach take the now familiar nose dive towards the ground. She swallows hard and forces the nausea away.

“I got a job.” He shrugs and he is beginning to grow rapidly annoyed with the question. He is starting to wish that his immediate presence would have been mentioned to someone.

“You got a job?” She echoes before stamping her tennis shoe into the ground and facing her friend, “You hired him!”

“Calm down.”

“You hired him! You brought him out here didn’t you?”

“Maybe.” Naomi manages to etch in the middle of the tirade.

“Maybe, what the hell kind of an answer is that Nae? Maybe he is out here to work for you? I knew you were into your business but this is an all time low.”

“I asked her to hire me.” Mark says as he watches her face grown red and her nostrils flare.

“What? Why would you do-” She pauses as she sees a recognizable man behind their growing group. She steps away from them and they watch as she nears the tall, well dressed man.

“Who’s that?” Mark asks.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”

“Pierce?” Addison asks as he nervously spins around.

“Oh god Addison, I am so happy you are here.” He throws himself into her arms before he can stop himself and then immediately pulls back and clears his throat. “Sorry, I just Reagan is in there and they made me leave. We have been trying to get a hold of you.”

She glances around and sees what she assumes can only be Elianna with her bright red curls hiding behind her father’s leg. “My cell was off, I was in surgery.” She feels the instantaneous surge of guilt take over and she her mind begins to race with what could have gone wrong. “What happened? Where is she?”

“We got into an accident trying to get here. She told me to drive slower, she said that I was going too fast and I ran a yellow light and then someone slammed into her side of the car. I don’t remember after that very well, there were sirens and now I can’t find her and no one will tell me anything other than that she is in surgery and they can’t give me update yet.” He rattles off completely frazzled and for the first time she notices his appearance and the existence of the sling across the right side of his shoulder and the bandage on his forehead. “Can you, I mean will you find out what is going on….I can’t breathe here, I have to know she is alright.”

“Yeah. I’ll go right now just sit down and take deep breaths. Okay.” And then she finds herself saying the one thing that you should never tell the people in the waiting room. “I promise she is okay, I will find her.” She isn’t sure that her sister is alright and under no circumstances should those words be uttered. But in her world her sister is okay, she has to be. She turns around and heads off to the OR.

“Addison, what was that? Who was that?” Naomi says as she starts to follow behind her.

“That’s Pierce, my brother in-law. Reagan is here, there was a car accident. I have to make sure she is okay. I have to make sure that the baby gets out alive.” She picks up her pace and rounds the corner and Naomi stops suddenly causing Mark to run into the back of her. “Watch it.”

“I think you liked it.” He smirks before stepping back and putting an acceptable amount of space between them.

“This is not the time for your stupid little remarks. I am going to go make sure Addison doesn’t do something stupid. Go wait with Pierce.”

“Who?”

“The man in the waiting room who looks like he just saw a ghost. Go sit with him because I think he needs it and since you work for us and his wife is one of our patients you can fill in. Be. Nice.”

“I’m always nice.” He smiles and he heads off for the man behind him who has sunk down into one of the green pew-like chairs.

~-~-~-~-~-~

“I have to go in there! I have to make sure that they are doing everything right.” Addison says while struggling against Naomi’s figure in front of the doorway.

“No. What you need to do is go re-assure and sit with her husband and your niece. There is nothing you can do in that room and if you go busting in there then we will all lose our privileges in this hospital. And that, I do not need.” She gives her a little push. “Go. I’ll stay and watch.”

“But you don’t even know what to look for! And you wouldn’t say anything-”

“No, I won’t and I don’t. I’m here to watch, for you, so you can go be where you need to be.”

“I need to be in there.”

“No. End of discussion.” Addison storms off without another word and Naomi resides herself to thinking she is actually going to have to watch the gross surgery happening with the rest of the awe struck interns in the gallery.

~-~-~-~-~-~

Pierce quickly hops to his feet when Addison reappears. She shakes her head and explains that no one will let her know anything either, but that Reagan is still alive. He takes his seat again pulling Elianna up onto his lap with his good arm and strokes her hair like his life depended on it.

“You want me to go check, I bet I can-” Mark offers.

“No.” She whispers as she quietly takes a seat next to him. She hasn’t had to be the person in the waiting room for quiet some time and the uneasy feeling takes a place in her chest as Mark grabs her hand.

He knows, just from the looks, and the demeanor of the people around him that the outcome in this will not be good. He clutches her hand and almost wishes that she was in the mind set to push him away. Instead she holds on just as tight and fixes her eyes to the window waiting out each gut wrenching second that ticks off on the clock in the corner.

Part 11: Hard to hold...cold to touch.