spikeysgrl18 | Fic: For Reasons Unknown (GA)

Title: For Reasons Unknown

Author: Jami spikeysgrl18
Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Characters: Addison/Alex
Rating: 18
Summary: A series of ficlets. Every other attending seemed to have an intern of their own, why shouldn’t she?
Spoilers: set anytime after From a Whisper to a Scream.
Disclaimer: All characters, etc. are the property of Shonda Rhimes, ABC, and the respective producers. I own nothing and no one.

1: Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over

There are days when you wake up and know it is just going to be a good day. The sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky. You manage to get out of the house without dealing with a crying child or a husband who is running late for work.

Today was not one of those days.

Miranda Bailey knew the second she woke and saw the ever present gray clouds looming outside her bedroom window that she was in for another grueling day. She made it out the door five minutes late with a stain on her shirt, thanks to the pureed bananas that her son had decided were better suited for her clothes than the bowl. The car made a funny clanking noise when she started it, but apparently the Lord was merciful and she made it to Seattle Grace on time and fully intact.

The early morning always went by quickly. Assigning her interns to various attendings and residents, checking her schedule to see how packed her day would be, and checking in with her patients.

That is why the sight of an obviously distracted and anxious Addison Montgomery heading straight for her made her close her eyes and send a silent prayer to whoever would listen that this wouldn’t be bad news.

Addison’s stride slowed as she neared Bailey, who looked up from the chart in her hands fleetingly before she returned to her work.

She hovered momentarily in front of Bailey, hip cocked to one side and fingers twitchy. Apparently deciding that pose wasn’t casual enough, Addison sidled up to the wall on their right, leaning against it and fidgeting a bit until deciding to cross her arms over her chest. Uncomfortable in her current position, she twisted so she was resting her weight on her shoulder and side, dropping her arms to her side and surreptitiously stuck her hands in her coat pockets.

“Alright!” Bailey surrendered, throwing her arms up in the air before turning to face Addison, glaring at her in utter annoyance. “I give up. I can’t take your squirming anymore. What’s the matter with you?” she grumbled, quieting her angry voice when Addison looked around in mild panic.

“I did something stupid,” she murmured, glancing about to make sure no one was watching.

Looking heavenward as if to ask “Why me?” Bailey took a deep, slow breath and turned her full attention back to the restless redhead looking down on her. “What?” she asked warily, her tone of voice making it obvious that she had no desire to get involved in whatever mess Addison had gotten herself into this time.

“Okay—hypothetically speaking,” Addison began, voice slightly high pitched as she danced around the subject, “if, let’s say, a doctor—an attending were to…get involved…with an intern, it wouldn’t be a bad thing necessarily, would it? I mean, it’s not like it’s anything new here. There’s Christina and Burke, they were practically attached at the hip. And of course we can’t forget Derek and Meredith,” she reminded her with a touch of bitterness in her voice.

“I really don’t want to hear this,” Bailey mumbled, running a tired hand over her face. “Who is it?”

“This is all hypothetical,” she repeated fervently, but Miranda’s baleful glare stopped her short. “Alex. Karev. Alex…and me,” she finished lamely, mouth fixed firmly into a pout.

“This is a hospital, not a brothel!” she hissed, stepping closer to Addison in the vain hope of keeping this just between them. “What is it with you people? Shepherd and Burke have their interns, now you have to have one too? What’s next? Sloan?”

“Well, Mark’s already had a resident,” Addison admitted dryly, “and probably a couple of nurses. I think it’s probably an eventuality.”

“This is not the time for sarcasm,” Miranda snapped and Addison fell quiet, properly chastised. “And Karev? How the hell did that happen?”

“I don’t know!” Addison huffed, “It just did…or will. I don’t know. We haven’t…I mean, we kissed. Once. And it was good,” she sighed in remembrance, coughing awkwardly when Bailey appeared nearly murderous. “Right. Anyway, he isn’t working for me anymore. So there’s no conflict of interest. That implies we have some sort of relationship though and really, it was only one kiss. Maybe it won’t happen again.

“You know what?” Addison declared resolutely, “It won’t happen again. Definitely. I won’t let it. I am putting my foot down. There will be no more kissing, or anything else, with Alex Karev.”

Bailey remained wordless, crossing her arms over her chest and staring up incredulously.

“Ugh, you’re right,” she admitted with a pitiful groan. “I’m weak. And he’s man candy. This is bad.”

“What were you thinking?” Bailey said with a shake of her head.

“I wasn’t!” Addison snapped, taking a deep breath in hopes of calming her frantic nerves. “It was late and there were copious amounts of alcohol. I wasn’t in my right mind. I plead temporary insanity.”

“My advice,” Bailey muttered, “is to stay away from the boy. You don’t need another complication in your life right now, especially not one who strikes a frightening similarity to Mark Sloan. Stay away from plastics, stay away from Alex Karev, and for God’s sake stay away from the booze. Got it?”

“Got it,” she nodded, pushing herself away from the wall and standing up straight. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her glasses and slid them on, smiling confidently. “I’m a professional. I can do this. No Alex Karev, definitely no drinking—”

“And keep your knees closed,” Miranda advised dryly, earning her a harsh glare from Addison.

“Of course,” she drawled with narrowed eyes. “This will be easy,” she declared with what was most certainly feigned confidence. “He works in plastics, I’m in obstetrics. Our paths hardly cross anyway, right? Easy as pie.”

“Good for you,” Miranda mumbled, patting her mockingly on the shoulder. “Now go enjoy your Karev-free life,” she shooed her away impatiently.

Addison smiled, a little too widely, but was taken by surprise when her pager went off. Bailey turned back to the chart she was studying, only looking up when a mournful whimper escaped her lingering companion.

“What’s the matter now?” she sighed, cocking her head to the side impatiently.

Addison looked up, a deep frown on her face as she held up the offending device. “It’s Mark.”

Bailey stifled the urge to scream.

She knew she should have just stayed in bed today.