Falling Apart, Barely Breathing

Chapter 56: Empire State of Mind

Falling Apart, Barely Breathing

In Which Addison meets Meredith in a bar. Things spiral from there.

Chapter 56: Empire State of Mind

A week later, Meredith and Addison, plus Derek and Mark, are all on a plane to New York together.

"I'm nervous," says Meredith.

"It'll be great," says Addison.

"No, planes make me nervous. I can't put my finger on it but there's something about them that freak me out..." Meredith says.

"C'mere," says Addison, as she tucks Meredith into her shoulder. "Go to sleep, I'll wake you when we're there, Sugar," says Addison.

"Ok Spice," says Meredith, as she sighs, and tries to get some rest.

Meanwhile, Derek and Mark are holding hands, and watching an outrageously cheesy alien documentary together on Derek's screen.

Derek is leaning on Mark's shoulder, and Mark is grinning at him, while Derek rattles on about his alien conspiracy theories.

Even if Mark is holding his hand, Derek is still conflicted about confessing his feelings to Mark. When they had been camping, Mark had said that he might want to date Callie, and Derek is still very afraid of rejection from his best friend.

"We will be landing in twenty minutes," says the announcement on the intercom.

Addison keeps patting Meredith's hair, and she decides not to wake her girlfriend until they are on the ground, in case she gets anxious again.

Mark and Derek start clapping at the touchdown, and this wakes Meredith up, who grumbles into Addison's shoulder a little, as Addison keeps playing with her hair.

"We're here, we're here," Addison comforts her.

"Oh thank goodness," says Meredith.

They pick up their bags, and head out of the airport. And then Addison and Derek discuss who will stay in each of the properties for the weekend.

"So... Hamptons or Brownstone?" Derek asks Addison.

"Ha- if only we'd been this casual about the divorce," Addison laughs.

"Well, I offered you both at the time," Derek laughs.

"Could we take the Brownstone overlooking Central Park? Meredith's never been to New York, so it might be cool to stay closer to Manhatten," says Addison.

"Sure," says Derek. "Mark and I will hang out around the Hamptons," says Derek.

With that settled, Addison hands Derek her set of keys to the Hamptons, and she and Meredith work on getting a cab to Central Park.

"Would you like to meet up for dinner one of these nights?" Mark suggests.

"Yeah," says Meredith. "That'll be nice."

"Alright, we'll text you or something," says Mark.

"Sure thing," says Addison.

Unlike on the plane, Meredith gazes out the window all the way from the airport to Central Park.

"Wow, all the buildings are so tall," she exclaims.

"Yup," says Addison.

"And it's so big, and busy. Hey look, New York hotdog stands, I've heard about those," says Meredith.

"Classic," says Addison.

"So, is there anything you want to see here in particular?" Addison asks her.