'Incomplete'

Chapter 1

Addison takes a deep breath as she steps outside into the night air. She tells herself she is perfectly fine, everything is fine. Everything will be ok if she just takes a deep breath and pushes it all aside. Living in denial, that 's what she has committed to. She will be happy, strong, and in denial. It sounds great in theory. But it was proving to be easier said than done.

Addison knows she was cold with Namoi. The look on Naomi's face, shocked and wounded, had hurt. She knows Naomi is standing in that elevator, watching Addison walk away, and thinking to herself 'what - the - fuck?'

Addison knows that Naomi is probably still standing there, trying to make sense of it. Still standing there wondering what she did to make big bad Addison talk to her so coldly. Addison knows Naomi will stand there bewildered for a moment longer. And then she will get angry. And then she will want answers.

Addison knows she has to pick up her pace. To stop standing about on the sidewalk breathing and denying, she has to get the hell out of there. Addison is almost running to reach her car, because it's raining now, and because sure enough she hears the footsteps behind her, and her best friends familiar voice calling her name.

"Addison. Wait." Naomi calls to her forcefully.

It's almost enough to make Addison stop. Everything in her wants to stop and turn around. Because walking away from Naomi still feels so wrong. Because some part of her wants to turn around and face her. Wants to tell her every deep dark thing plaguing her mind. Wants Naomi to embrace her, as Naomi always does, and make every bad dark painful thing fade away.

Addison knows she could forgive Naomi. Forgive her for leaving the practice; forgive her for just not caring about anything that was happening in Addison's life. Forgive all of it if Naomi was sorry. But Addison isn't sure that Naomi is sorry, isn't sure that Naomi even realises what she's done. Addison isn't sure this time that Naomi would understand. And Naomi's condemnation would crush her. Completely. Addison knows thing have gone too far. That the rift in their friendship is too great. And looking into Naomi's eyes and seeing all that would simply hurt too much, so much more than walking away. So Addison keeps on walking.

"Addison!" Naomi calls louder, angrier. And it makes Addison feel better somehow. It makes Addison angry too. It makes it possible for her to keep her eyes facing forward, her legs moving. Telling herself her car is just a few steps away. She is almost free. Asking herself why in the hell should she turn around now anyway? Naomi walked away from her, Naomi shut her out completely, Naomi didn't even notice when Addison was all but drowning in despair. Addison owes Naomi nothing. So Addison tells herself. But she still feels guilty as she reaches her car. Her hands are still shaking as she pulls her keys from her pocket.

Naomi is running now, realising Addison isn't going to turn around. Addison isn't going to give her any answers. And she grabs hold of Addison, spinning her around so they are standing face to face.

Addison knows Naomi can see straight through her, that Naomi has always seen. That's part of what hurts the most. Naomi must have seen. Could she really have no idea that Addison's heart has been broken into tiny millions of pieces?

There was a time Addison had wanted Naomi to see, needed her to see. But Naomi just didn't care anymore, Naomi had walked away. It was just too damn late now for all of this. So Addison hardens her gaze, Pushes aside all her pain, rejection, disappointment so that Naomi can't touch it. And with every ounce of righteous anger she can manage, Addison stares Naomi down.

"Yes, Naomi?" Addison forces herself to speak.

The sheer blind rage in Addison's eyes, the chilling venom in her voice, causes Naomi's breath to catch in her throat. It's enough to stop Naomi from pleading 'Addison please talk to me.'

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Naomi wants to know. Her voice is shaking. She is trying to match Addison's cold tone, but she falls short. She is angry undoubtedly, at the way Addison is treating her. And she is confused. But there is underlying compassion in her words. It makes Addison feel sick. It makes Addison afraid. Afraid of what she isn't quite sure. Addison searches for words. There are none. She only forces herself to smile, to shake her head dismissively

"Well that isn't any of your concern anymore." She tells Naomi, who is still clinging to Addison's arm.

Naomi is standing speechless, and Addison knows Naomi is thinking 'Well fuck you then Addison.' Addison knows that she has finally done it. Finally pissed Naomi off enough to get her to drop it. To give up.

But then why is Naomi still standing there, in the rain, clinging to Addison's arm tightly with no intention of letting go? Looking at Addison, deep inside Addison, searching for any sign of the friend she once knew? Now it's Addison who is confused.

Addison knows this isn't gonna end any place good. Knows she has to get away. She is lost for words, and afraid she might cry if she tries to speak. So she pushes Naomi aside with all her strength. But it's still raining, the ground is slippery, and she pushes Naomi away with more force than she intended, catching Naomi once again off guard.

Addison doesn't see what happens next. Only hears the thud as Naomi's head collides with the light post. Hears the soft cry from Naomi's lips. She turns around slowly to see Naomi's blood covered hand as she pulls it away from the back of her head.

Addison hadn't mean to hurt Naomi, hadn't meant to push her so hard into that light post to draw blood. And she feels guilt weigh down on her heavily. Addison takes a step towards Naomi, and finally Naomi sees in her friends eyes a sign of something familiar. A sign of concern, of repentance. Relief floods Naomi's eyes, because she thinks she has finally reached her friend. And it was worth the small price of a gash on her head. Addison reaches her shaking hand forward towards Naomi.

Before Addison has the chance to tell Naomi she is sorry, sorry for pushing her, sorry for shutting her out, sorry for treating her so coldly, Sam comes around that corner. At the sight of him, Addison pulls her hand away from Naomi.

It takes Sam a minute to see that Naomi is hurt, because neither Naomi nor Addison say a word to him. "What happened?" He is asking as he reaches his ex wife. But before Addison can hear the answer, she has got into her car and started the engine.

Addison thinks to herself that Sam is there now. Sam will take care of Naomi. It would have been pretty hypocritical of Addison to stick around as if she cared when she was the one who pushed her so hard into that light post. Addison thinks that maybe it will teach Naomi a lesson, to give up. That the Addison she knew is long gone, their friendship is long gone. They have both changed so much and there isn't any way back now.

"Addison!?" She hears her name again as she pulls away hastily from the kerb. But this time it isn't Naomi, it's Sam. This time Naomi doesn't try to stop her from walking away. Because, at last, Naomi has given up. And even though it's what she wanted, the realisation fills Addison with dread. Because life without Naomi in it is unimaginable. And it hits Addison like a tonne of bricks to realise that she is finally and truly, alone.