I need you (a meradd story)

•6•

"touchy"
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Addison wakes with a slight startle, sweat dripping from her brow, her chest heaving in faint starlight.

panicked, she reaches for her, though when her hand comes into contact with nothing, Addison swears she feels her heart constrict. "Mer?"

Addison's mind starts racing; she's gone, she's left me. She says to herself, her breath quickening. Addison's eyes dart around the room, the clothes hanging from the door, the curtains all turning into him, his cold, dark gaze.

afraid, she reaches blindly across the bed, gasping her name, searching for her in the sheets, alas there's nothing aside from empty space.

she needs to find her, she needs her to hold her, to tell her she's safe. "mer?"she gasps, her hands trembling, her heart fluttering, each word more hysterical than the last.

Just when she thinks it might all be too much, all her senses are overwhelmed by her,her presence. the feeling of her arms around her, her hands rubbing her back, her calm voice murmuring sweet nothings in her ear.

"i'm here love, you're safe" Meredith whispered, the redhead's back now against her front.

"it- it was so real, and when i- i woke up, i thought you were gone" Addison let out, still trying to catch her breath.

"no baby, i was in the bathroom" Meredith chuckled, running her hand over Addison's arm.

"oh" Addison said, feeling guilty, she really thought Meredith had left her.

"i'm not going anywhere sweetheart, you're stuck with me" Meredith smiled, securing both arms around Addison's waist.

"we're stuck with each other" Addison sighed, relaxing into her touch.

"you ready to go back to sleep?" Meredith asked.

"yeah" Addison said, curling into Meredith.

"night Addie" The blonde breathed, closing her eyes.

Soon morning came, and the sun glistened through the partings in the shuttered blinds bringing Meredith out of her sleep.

Meredith turned to the clock, perched on the nightstand, 10:30, it read. She looked down at Addison, still sleeping peacefully on her chest, and played with her hair absentmindedly as she slept.

The redhead woke with a quiet groan, the medications affect long gone, the pain seeping back in slowly.

"morning baby" Meredith said softly.

"morning love" Addison said with a slight wince.

"i'll go get your meds Addie" Meredith said, and Addison gave a nod in return.

"i'll be back in a moment" She smiled, capturing Addison's lips in her own before getting up from the bed.

Meredith came back in a short while later, a small beaker of pills in hand a glass of water in the other.

"here you go my love" She spoke, handing Addison the beaker and glass.

"thank you Mer" Addison said, grateful, she emptied the beakers contents to the back of her throat and washed it down with a large sip of water.

"of course baby, how about we go downstairs with the duvet, cuddle up on the sofa and watch movies for the day, hm?" Meredith suggested, stroking Addison's cheek.

"i'd love that" Addison smiled, getting up from the bed.

"you bring the duvet down and i'll get the popcorn ready, okay?" Meredith said, bringing two robes from the door.
"red or purple?" Meredith asked, already knowing the answer.

"red" Addison beamed, Meredith tied her own before bringing Addison hers, pulling it around her.

"there you go sweetheart" Said Meredith before heading downstairs, with Addison and the duvet in tow.

"you go get comfy, i'll be through in a minute" Meredith said, Addison did as asked, laying down on the sofa with the duvet covering her.

The blonde put the popcorn in the microwave, and took a few drinks from the fridge whilst she waited.

the microwave sounded and Meredith took the bag out, pouring it into a bowl before heading through to the living room.

"do you wanna lie on me Addie?" Meredith asked and the redhead grinned. "sit up then" Meredith said with a chuckle and Addison sat up, allowing Mer to slide behind her.

The blonde made sure the duvet covered Addison fully as the living room was always cold in the morning.

"what should we watch babe?" Meredith asked, scrolling through the movie list with the remote.

"steel magnolias?" Addison suggested.

"Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts AND Sally Field all in one movie? fuck yes" Meredith smiled, opening the search bar. "three extremely hot women"

Addison glared at Meredith, she was jealous and Mer knew.

"someone's jealous" Meredith teased, tapping the redheads nose. "you're still hotter babe"

"thank you" Addison grinned, whilst Meredith pressed play.

Meredith played with Addison's hair with one hand, her free hand travelling to the bowl of popcorn every so often.

a little under two hours passed film came to an end, and Meredith had decided it was time to ask Addison about that statement.

"We need to talk love" Mer said softly, the hand playing with Addison's hair moving to hold her hand.

Addison's heart constricted once more, and she turned to face Meredith, tears welling in her eyes, her breath shallow.

"don't leave me- Meredith please, i'll be better i promise" The redhead choked, finding herself begging for Meredith the same way she had Derek.

"i'm not going anywhere Addie, i promise" Meredith smiled, she knows the redhead's fragile, she knew what she was getting into, and if Addison needs constant reassurance that Meredith won't leave her, then that's sure as hell what Meredith will give her.

"it's about what happened that night Addie" Meredith said, her voice careful as she held the redheads shaking frame.

Addison cleared her throat "what about it" she gulped, half expecting what was coming next.

"the police, they need a statement. they have Mark's, Lexie's, Amy's and the paramedics' the only ones missing are yours and Derek's" Meredith spoke softly.

Addison stayed silent, her mind racing, back to the hospital, back to the trailer, back to that night, back to him.

"i won't force you love, if you don't want to, you don't have to" Meredith added, running her thumb over Addison's cheek.

"i'll do it, if you're in the room" Addison exhaled, only feeling able if her strongest support was close by.

"of course i'll come in with you honey, just say when"

"now"