DISCLAIMER: Grey's Anatomy and its characters are the property of Shonda Rhimes and ABC. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
A Chance Encounter
By Ann
Addison sits in the far corner booth drinking her beer as she watches the other patrons come and go. She's not really sure how she ended up in Joe's bar, but she's not sure she wants to leave either. After a few more sips, she pinpoints her reason for being here. It can be expressed very simply. Loneliness brought her here, sheer loneliness.
An unusual colored scrub catches Addison's eye, and she turns to get a better view of the owner. The killer body and highlighted hair can only belong to one person, Dr. Izzie Stevens. Addison shifts further into the booth so that she can observe Izzie without being seen. This attraction she has toward the intern has to stop, but for now, Addison selfishly chooses to watch the beautiful, young woman.
Izzie sits on a barstool and talks with Joe for awhile before turning and looking directly at the corner booth. Addison reflexively slides against the wall as far as possible to try and avoid the penetrating dark eyes, but her attempt to hide fails when Izzie begins to walk toward her booth, beer in hand.
Stopping near the table, Izzie says, "Doctor Shepherd, I thought you were going home."
Addison looks up into concerned eyes and decides to reply with an honest answer. Returning her focus to her beer, she responds, "Well, I was, but then I remembered Derek was at the trailer, and I didn't want to go back to my hotel room alone."
Izzie slides into the booth across from Addision and says, "I would think you would welcome the opportunity to spend some time with your husband. I know if I had one, I wouldn't waste a single second of any possible time we could share. Of course, I've sworn off men so I'm probably not the ideal person to listen to."
Addison's head snaps up at Izzie's last statement, but she chalks it up to an obvious exaggeration. Nervously peeling off her beer label, she replies, "Yeah, well Derek and I don't see eye to eye these days. In fact, we're not the same people now as when we were married. Our goals and outlook on life have changed."
The two women sit in uncomfortable silence neither knowing what to say. Izzie because she has never had a personal conversation with Addison before, and Addison because she can't believe the things she has already confessed to.
Finally, Addison asks, "So, where in the world did you get those orange colored scrubs?"
Izzie looks down at her clothing and laughingly replies, "George accidentally put a red shirt in with our blue scrubs, and this is the resulting color. Meredith's are more of a deep red, and George's turned out pink. Serves him right too. I told him everyone was going to think he was gay for sure now."
Smiling, she adds, "And for your information, Joe complimented me on my salmon scrubs, so they're not orange, they're salmon. Joe should know."
Taking advantage of the underlying topic of their conversation, Addison says, "Not all gay men have good color sense you know. Some are even color blind."
The two women look at each other and burst out in laughter. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Addison asks, "So what's this about you swearing off men?"
Izzie frowns and replies, "I may as well. Every time I find one that I'm interested in, he either isn't interested in me or he cheats on me with a nurse. It doesn't matter though. I don't have time for sex anyway. Even if I was . . . well, you know . . . I don't think there's a man on this earth I'd consider sleeping with. Maybe in a couple of years, I'll get over being pissed off at the male population."
Lifting the beer to her lips, Addison quietly mutters, "How about the female population?"
Izzie leans forward and asks, "You think I should have sex with a woman?"
Surprised, Addison chokes on her beer as she didn't realize her comment could be heard. If she could crawl under the booth, she would, but right now, breathing becomes her top priority.
Izzie quickly moves next to a coughing Addison and gently rubs her back. "Relax, Doctor Shepherd. It's going to be fine. Just relax."
Addison closes her eyes and leans into Izzie's touch wishing the two of them were in her hotel room instead of a booth in Joe's bar. It's been so long since someone has touched her physically or emotionally.
Several minutes later, Addison is breathing normally, but Izzie continues to softly stroke her back. Addison opens her eyes and says, "You know, when we're not in the hospital you can call me Addison."
Izzie smiles and replies, "I'd like that, Addison. In fact, why don't you let me see you to your hotel room to make sure you're okay? You can explain to me about the female population, and if you're a good patient, I'll even let you have my salmon scrubs."
Addison returns the smile and places a twenty on the table. Grabbing her coat, she says, "I think I'll take you up on your offer, Izzie. Who knows? I may have another coughing fit, and I believe you are the perfect person to attend to me. Come on, let's go discuss women."
Joe grins widely as he watches the two doctors leave the bar together. 'About damn time. It must have been the salmon scrubs.'
The End