At The End Of The Tunnel

Author's note:

Set during GA-S2-E18, "As We Know It".

bobbiejelly

At The End Of The Tunnel

"He's here, look at your son," Addison offers the baby to Bailey.

"He's beautiful," George offers. "Really beautiful," he adds for good measure.

"He is," says Bailey, smiling at her baby boy for the first time.

"You did good," says George.

"Phenomenal," says Addison, breathing a sigh of relief that Bailey and Bailey's baby are both going to be okay.

"How is everyone else?" Bailey asks, and of course, she does, because she's Bailey.

"Well, Meredith has her hand on a bomb in a body cavity so..." George can't help but blurt out.

"O'Malley!" Addison says in a warning tone. "George..." she says softly, almost breaking down.

"Grey..." Bailey whimpers.

"Yeah," says George. "Meredith has her hand on a bomb, and I'm really glad you're baby is born now, and I am so sorry about your husband, and I hope that he's okay as well," George says all at once.

"George?" Says Bailey.

"Yeah?" He asks her.

"Why don't you go check up on my husband, go get me an update, now will you?" Bailey offers.

"Oh, yes, ah-, of course," George says as he scurries off.

"He's a good kid," Bailey says.

"He is," Addison agrees with a smile.

"He's so hopelessly in love with her, too," Bailey sighs. "Lord help us all," Bailey smiles. "Just don't tell anyone I told you that, Addison," Bailey laughs.

"Of course not," says Addison. "Not like any of the interns talk with me anyway," she adds.

"You're in love with her also, aren't you?" Bailey asks Addison out of the blue.

"What!?" Addison freezes as Bailey asks her this.

"Come on now, just because I just had a baby don't mean I'm not Dr. Bailey, and I know everyone and everything that goes on around here. Now trust me, I ain't gonna go tell your husband on your or nothin', but I don't think I'm wrong about this one, now aren't I?" Bailey insists to Addison.

"How- how did you?!" Addison sighs at Bailey for reading into thoughts she hadn't even quite processed to herself yet.

"Because I see the way you look at her, Addison. I see the way you treat her, even if you have every reason not to. You still teach her anyway, and I could hear every word of you yelling at O'Malley there when you found out where Grey is, now tell me, you didn't freak out like that when you heard about Derek, now did you Addie?" Bailey lays this all out for her.

"No, I guess not," Addison sighs as she walks over to sit next to her friend. "But what the hell am I going to do?" Addison asks her insistently.

"Well, I can't make that decision for you, Addison, but if you're asking me for my professional opinion, then I'll say I don't usually encourage Attendings, or frankly anyone at all for that matter, to date my interns, but you're a good person Addie, and you treat her like a person for god's sakes, and her friends too. So for all that it's worth, I s'pose I'm telling you to tell her sooner rather than later if you don't want your husband to scoop her right off of her feet again," Bailey smiles.

"Bailey, how is it possible that I just delivered your baby, and already you're handing me relationship advice?" Addison asks her nearly rhetorically.

"C'mon now. You just said that yourself. I am Dr. Bailey... And YOU are Dr. Montgomery, and you don't need nobody to tell you what to do here. Just do the right thing, Addison... That girl nearly died today, she's nearly dyin' right now. What I'm saying' is once we get out of here today, you be the person she starts to care about living for," Bailey offers.

"Do you really think I could be someone that special to her?" Asks Addison apprehensively.

"Do you?" Bailey asks Addison back.

"I have no idea," Addison says nervously.

"Do you want to be?" Bailey asks her.

"I- I think I do..." Addison finally admits this.

"Then you'll get there," Bailey smiles softly.

"You think so?" Addison asks insecurely.

"Yes, I think so," says Bailey.

"Thanks, Bailey," says Addison.

"Thanks for delivering my baby, Addison," Bailey offers. "Now you, go on now, and leave me to rest with my child. And go get that Grey girl. Lord knows she could need a friendly face after all of this explosion today," Bailey directs.

"I'm glad you're back," Addison nods as she packs her stuff and heads out the door.

"It's good to be back," says Bailey.

"Your baby's name is lovely, by the way," Addison says just as she's leaving through the door.

"Thanks, Addison," says Bailey, tacking on her last sentence only after Addison had walked away too far for her to hear her.

"Now I bet your's and Meredith's children will be lovely as well if you choose to have them together..."

(Years later, while she's holding her god-children in her hands for the first time, Bailey will tell Addison and Meredith just that).

***** FIN

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading, folks!

bobbiejelly