Meant to be.

The start of something new

⚠️TW -SI, SH, Mentions of past abuse

Addison's POV

I turn my head back to see Meredith and she looks slightly confused.
"Do you know what that Tattoo means?" Arizona asks, Meredith just shakes her head looking between us with big doe eyes. I look at Arizona before answering.
"It's a symbol of hope, it refers to making the decision to continue the story instead of ending it." I explain, Meredith just looks at me.
"What story?" She asks,
"The story of our lives," Ari answered before I could. Meredith went silent for a moment, and I just looked at Arizona waiting for Meredith to either understand or ask more questions.
"So you both?" Meredith finally asked,
"Yes both Arizona and I both struggled similar to you, at one point in our lives for different reasons we both didn't want to continue living but we found support and love and got past it." I answer honestly.
"You did?" Meredith asks and I can hear genuine curiosity in her voice, it's sweet.
"We did." Arizona answers.
"Why?" Meredith asked yawning,
I looked at Arizona before looking back to Meredith,
"Honey, I promise we will tell you ok, but not right now, right now I think you should get some rest it's been a huge day, and you must be exhausted." I explain, Meredith looks at me for a moment and I can see her fighting her thoughts, one part of her wants to know wants to stand her ground but the other is exhausted and wants to rest.
"Come here," Arizona says, gently shifting Meredith so she was holding in her weight, before standing up Meredith in her arms. At first Meredith tried to fight being carried, "it's ok my love, your safe, I've got you" Arizona cooed, and with those words I watched Meredith soften into Arizona arms resting her head on Arizona's shoulder, and closing her eyes. Arizona started to make her way towards the lounge, before placing an already sleeping Meredith down, and sitting beside her. Meredith whimpered slightly at the lost of contact when she was put down but I quickly moved her head so it was resting on my lap as I sat down next to Arizona who had moved Meredith's leg so she was comfortable laying over the top of both of us. As she lays on us I'm concerned about her weight, it's similar to that of a child's definitely not what it should be. As I look down at her I realise she's started sucking her thumb, it seems to be soothing her so I'm not going to stop her but it does strike me as a little odd.
"Poor girl," Arizona sighs, looking at me.
"Ok please tell me what happened today, I know you wanted to wait for Meredith but she'd not in any state and I want to be able to help." I ask,

Arizona's POV

Addies right I wanted to tell her what happened with Meredith because it's not my story to tell but I don't want Meredith to have to relive that if she doesn't have to.
"Well when we got there the nurse warned us she was having a bad morning which was the first sign that something wasn't right, then as we walked down the half we could here yelling, it was coming from Ellis's room except she wasn't yelling at anyone she was just yelling into the air. When Meredith entered Ellis immediately started yelling her her, at first I was a bit confused, so tried to say something but Meredith gave me a look telling me not to so images I sat there and just watched. Ellis didn't even notice I was there." I started explaining, as I did Addie kept looking between me and Meredith, I could see how much it was hurting her to hear it and I hadn't even reached the worst parts yet.
"She continued yelling at Meredith but I was slightly confused because it wasn't as if she was yelling at an adult Meredith but instead a young one. The things she was yelling were absolutely hideous, she was telling Meredith not to come closer or that she would 'kill her too.' and that Meredith better not call the ambulance, or that having Meredith ruined her life. I think Ellis was recalling a time from when Meredith was three cause when she was yelling she said something about thatcher ruining her life three years ago. It was so hard to hear, I nearly stepped in because Meredith broke down in tear crying, as Meredith grabbed Ellis's hand Ellis's demeanour changed as if someone had flipped a switch. She then started yelling at Meredith to stop crying, and that she was useless, but the most concerning part was that she yelled at Meredith telling her that she was 18months old so she should know better than that, 18months Addie she thought she was talking to her 18months of daughter and she was screaming at her to stop crying what kind of a monster does that?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears for Meredith. "That's when I stepped in, Ellis seemed to think I was a nanny of some kind because she just told me to take Meredith and that I was useless for not taking her sooner." I finished explaining before looking at Addie who had just sat there silently taking in what I had said.

Addison's POV
As Ari told me about what had happened when they went to see Ellis my heart broke the poor girl, she didn't deserve that, some small part of me was grateful that Ari went in there because I wouldn't have been able to handle it. Arizona knew what my relationship with 'Bizzy' (my mother who we where never allowed to call mum) was like and it hadn't been great, I get the feeling it was similar to Meredith relationship was Ellis except Bizzy just didn't come near us she didn't scream at us and tell us she regretted having us, I always knew deep down Bizzy loved me and Archer but I don't think you could say the same for Ellis and Meredith . It makes sense now some of the way Meredith reacts to things, her fear of upsetting people and the way she reacts to love and affection, she never got it as a child.

Arizona's POV
I can see Addie thinking, I'm not saying anything I know she needs to process what I told her, she needs to figure out how to deal with her own trauma and how she can use that to help Meredith. After a few moments of silence Addison finally speak again.
"Ellis is an evil woman,"she says and I can't help but smile. "Thank you for going in with her," Addie says taking my hand in hers.
"You don't need to thank me Addie that's what you do for the people you care about." I say gently squeezing her hand.
"I'm going to call the hospital and book a therapy appointment for Meredith as soon as possible, and I'll tell Richard we all need at least another day off." Addison explains and I nod. I already know Meredith is going to fight the appointment but it's the next step.
"I'm also worried about Meredith's weight," she says gently running her free hand through Meredith's hair, Meredith looks so peaceful while she's sleeping, I hadn't noticed she was duck in on her thumb. She looks like a baby when she sleeps so free of stress and worry and all the burdens the world has put on her,
"I agree she was way too light when I carried her over here." I explain, looking down at her, she is tiny. "Maybe we should try to mention it when she wakes up." I suggest. I don't want to push her but it will get brought up if she goes to therapy tomorrow. It obvious she's too skinny like not the kind you can really hide I don't know how we didn't notice it before.
"Yeah good idea, I also had an idea," Addison said sounding a bit apprehensive,
"Yes?" I asked not sure where she was going,
"Well you how I was actually doing a psychiatric residency when...you know" she continues and I nod,
"Well I remember a type of therapy/coping system that might help Meredith. It was called age regression," she says and I can feel a lump immediately form in my throat but I immediately push it away,
"Yeah I've heard of that, when a person regresses to help heal trauma." I say,
"Yeah exactly, well I'd say Meredith's whole childhood was probably pretty traumatic so it might help her to get to actually be loved and cared for as a child." Addison explains and she's got a point,
"Yeah actually I think that would work but how would it work who would look after her?" I ask half already knowing the answer but wanting to check me and Addie were on the same page.
"Well remember the conversation we had at dinner two night ago?" Addison asked and at first I was a little confused what did that have to do with, wait two night ago that's when we discussed our relationship or the start of a potential relationship.
"So you mean we would be together and help Meredith?" I ask confirming that's what she meant.
"If you're ok with that?" Addie says smiling
"I'm definitely ok with that." I say, moving my free hand to Addisons cheek, looking at her lips.
"May I kiss you?" Addie asks as her lips are about to touch mine,
"Please." I reply meeting her lips.

Authors Note
I'm back. I'm so sorry about the long delay, it was the end of term at work and it was hectic as well as making the decision to stay in the uk for another year had meant several hours of sorting things out. But I should be back to uploading regularly now. Obviously Christmas is just around the corner so the next few days might not be super regular but I'll try. Thank you to anyone who's stuck around over my gap.

Please leave comments and idea,
I love hearing from you guys. I read every comment and love to hear what you think.