Help is Around the Corner
Addison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
Izzie's plan comes into action right after work.
She starts it on the drive home.
"Hey, Dr. Montgomery- Addison," says Izzie. "I was thinking of cooking something fancy tonight. Homemade pastries to go with chicken in cream sauce, and you've been such a great help these past days..." Izzie bats her eyelashes on purpose. "I was hoping... That you could help me?" Izzie says sweetly.
"Sure," says Addison, smiling.
"I can help too!" Meredith pipes in immediately.
"Huh, but Mer, you don't cook?" says Cristina, feigning ignorance.
Alex gives her a look, and George bites his lip not to snicker.
"I never learned to cook, because my father abandoned me, and my mother was always at work, and it's a good life skill to learn, so I'll learn. I'll help, I can be helpful," says Meredith.
"Sure," says Addison, smiling at Meredith now, and it makes Meredith go googly-eyed all over again.
"Great," says Izzie, as she looks at Cristina with a panicked expression.
Cristina raises her eyebrows at her to signal her to escalate her efforts.
"So, Addison. When did you learn to cook?" Izzie asks her.
"A bit here and there. I cooked when I was a teenager, because my brother didn't, and my father drank a lot, and my mother drank a lot," says Addison.
"Oh-" Meredith sighs, and leans her head on Addison's shoulder at a red light.
Addison curls into her subconsciously, and Meredith hums at the contact.
"Oh, that's really great," says Izzie. "Do you have any favorite recipes?" Izzie persists.
"Yeah, I do. Callie taught me how to make chicken piccata actually. It's a great recipe," says Addison.
"Cool!" says Izzie.
"Alright, well, page us when dinner's ready," says Alex.
"We're in the house, they can just call up to us," says George.
"Meh, what are pagers for," says Alex, as he heads upstairs.
"Alright, Meredith, would you like to peel the onions, and then chop them?" says Addison.
"Okay," says Meredith, as she starts washing them vigorously, and peeling them with a steak knife.
Addison watches for a while, and then she steps in.
"Oh okay, alright umm, here. So you peel back the layers with your hands. And then you cut it in half, and make slices, and see now you cut them into small pieces, even sizes. Yep," says Addison patiently as she watches Meredith slice onions for what seems to be the very first time.
"Do you need some help with that?" Izzie offers.
"No, I'm good. I can do it!" Meredith insists.
"Izzie, here you can help me with the pastries," says Addison, as she helps Izzie set them up.
Meredith looks over, and she stops chopping onions.
"Can I help with that too?" says Meredith.
"Umm, we umm. We need you chopping onions," says Addison politely.
"Time to start pastries?" says Izzie excitedly.
"Yes," says Addison, as they get ready.
"Here, you shape, and I'll cut," says Izzie.
"Great," says Addison, as she forms the pastries.
They make a bunch together as Meredith looks on, and starts pouting. And then she starts chopping louder and louder until she's pounding on the onions.
And Addison and Izzie keep making the pastries until Meredith's thumps are so loud that Addison has to go over and stop her.
"Okay, okay. They're probably chopped enough now," Addison says gently.
"Sorry," Meredith says bitterly.
"Umm, erm, do you want to cut some umm... Ooh, garlic. Yes, here-" says Addison, as she fishes around for something for Meredith to chop.
"Sure," Meredith says with a scowl, as she starts to chop it, but Addison stops her again because she hasn't peeled it first.
"Here, you peel off the peel like the onions, and slice it first, but it doesn't have slices inside so you slice one way then the next," says Addison. "Try a paring knife."
"Thanks," Meredith smiles, relaxing when Addison is close to her.
"Do you want to help me with the chicken?" says Izzie, with impeccable timing.
"Sure," says Addison, as she begins to fetch it from the fridge.
"Do you want my help, or..." says Meredith.
"Garlic, Meredith. We need garlic," Izzie points to it.
"Yes, thanks to Meredith," says Addison.
"Fine," says Meredith, as she resumes chopping the garlic into very very tiny pieces.
"Alright, so for the herbs, I was thinking..." Izzie says in an excited tone as Addison looks on with the cookbooks.
Meredith watches as she keeps chopping until Addison starts leaning over Izzie's shoulder to read the book, and their cheeks are practically touching.
"Okay, I'm done chopping," Meredith grunts, as she puts the knife down, and heads into the living room.
Meredith stops up to her room, and slams the door, and Addison looks up with a bewildered expression while Cristina gives Izzie a thumbs-up sign under the table.
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***** END OF CHAPTER 4
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Help is Around the Corner
FanfictionAddison and Derek's trailer catches fire, and Meredith offers them a place to stay for a while.
