A loud crash wakes Addison up instantly. She sits upright, reaching for her phone. It’s three in the morning.
She instantly dials 911, but then she hears Derek calling out, his voice full of pain.
“Addison! Help me!”
Addison jumps up from the bed, tragic scenarios racing through her mind one by one. Did something happen? Why isn’t he in the hospital?
She runs to the front door and sees Derek sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall. He grins when he sees her and tries reaching his feet without moving his back.
“I can’t get out of my shoes.”
Addison sighs, calming down. “Seriously?”
Derek’s hair falls onto his face as he looks up at her, his expression pleading.
Addison wants to scream. Why does the only time in the last few months Derek is actually talking to her, looking at her, have to be when he’s drunk out of his mind?
For a few moments, she considers going back to bed. At least, they would have had something to talk about tomorrow morning – if he’ll remember anything. Derek doesn’t drink often, and Addison doesn’t remember him drinking this much since the party Mark threw them after they passed their intern exams.
“Addie,” Derek whispers.
Addison hates how she melts when he says her name in that tone.
Their eyes lock, and Derek smiles.
“Fine,” she says through gritted teeth.
She walks over to Derek and grabs his arms, propping him up while he uses the wall for support. With her arms around his shoulders, they slowly move to the bedroom. Derek stumbles every few steps, and his breath makes Addison want to vomit. He keeps thanking her the whole time and even tries to kiss her cheek but misses it, so he kisses her ear instead.
They get to the bedroom, and Derek falls face-first onto the mattress as soon as Addison lets go of him.
“No, no, you have to get out of those clothes,” Addison says, leaving no room for argument. She changed the bedsheets two days ago, and she doesn’t want the stench of alcohol on them. She’d be glad if Derek went to take a shower, but she knows it isn’t possible in his state.
Derek ignores her and reaches for his pillow.
Sighing, Addison starts undressing him, starting with his shoes.
“Finally, they are gone!” Derek yells as soon as she’s done with them.
Addison rolls her eyes and puts the shoes next to his side of the bed for now.
She continues, occasionally poking Derek in the ribs to keep him awake. When she gets to his sweater, she sighs.
“Get up,” she says, tapping his shoulder.
Derek groans and buries his head deeper into the pillow. „No.“
“Get up, Derek,” Addison says firmly. She grabs his hand and, using all her strength and practice from the hospital, makes him sit up.
He frowns at her but, fortunately, doesn’t lay back down.
“Arms up,” she orders.
Derek rolls his eyes but raises his arms over his head, and Addison can get him out of his sweater. Addison notices a red stain on the collar. Sighing, she throws the sweater through the door. It lands in the hall, a few steps from the bathroom.
