Author's Note: In reality I guess this works more like a prologue than a first chapter, but that's okay, right? The majority of this story is based in Los Angeles and PrP, but there will on occasion be a few scenes from Seattle and the Grey's crew thrown in. There aren't any real spoilers involved as I'm taking this a bit AU from the storyline that we were given this season. That should be pretty obvious given the fact this is intended to be a crossover of sorts.

To Cara, my JaterPaddisonLL BFF, and also to the fellow Addisonites out there. Oh and also to Tim Daly who openly admitted on Twitter the other day that he felt Pete and Addison should and will be together. Needless to say, I pretty much love him.

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Grey's or Private Practice. All characters included are property of ABC, Shonda Rhimes, et al. I just can't catch a break.

Music pulsed, people easily flowing in and out of the room, and as Addison gazed at Naomi sitting comfortably at the bar next to her she thought it was going to be a great night. "I'm glad you decided to come tonight, Nae." She smiled before taking a sip from her drink.

Naomi nodded in understanding before doing the same. She set her drink down and drew a deep breath. "Between Sam, and the daughter that just refuses to listen, not to mention work-"

Addison held up a hand. "Nope. No, tonight is not about our job, our significant others or lack thereof." Light reflected off the bare skin of her shoulders as she shrugged. "Tonight is just about us. We're going to celebrate."

Frowning, Naomi stared at her quizzically. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's with the happy attitude? What are we celebrating exactly?"

"Being single, being free, being-" Addison paused as she thought she caught the sight of someone familiar alone at a table nearby. Of course it couldn't be, except she was almost certain it was.

"Addy?" Naomi asked, noticing when her friend stopping speaking.

"That's-" Addison gestured to the woman at a table near the wall.

Naomi moved on her stool to get a better view, and she spotted the blond sitting by herself. "Izzie Stevens, right?"

"I don't understand what she's doing here." Addison provided as an answer. "She should be in Seattle."

Naomi turned back around on her stool and cast a knowing look Addison's way. "You're going to go over there, aren't you?"

Addison bit back a sarcastic reply, because of course Naomi knew her well enough to realize when something was about to happen. "I know I said this night was all about us celebrating, but I probably should."

Across the room, Izzie sat mindlessly drawing her straw back and forth through her glass. She watched as fat drops of condensation collided with each other on the cool surface until their weight was so heavy they fell to the table, causing a puddle at the bottom. A shadow appeared at her table and she looked up. "I already told you I didn't-" Izzie's mouth hung open. "Hi."

"Izzie," Addison began slowly. There really was no right way to phrase it, because aside from the obvious, there was always the fear of offending her. "I'm sorry, but what are you doing here?"

Izzie sighed and returned her attention back to the drink in front of her. She wasn't surprised when she saw Addison sit at the table across from her. "I'm fine."

"That's not what I asked." Addison replied, casting an apologetic glance in Naomi's direction. Whatever the situation was, it would clearly take a while. "Where's Alex?"

"Seattle. He's probably at the hospital right now, working." Izzie shrugged it off like it meant nothing. Her fingers reached out and picked up the straw paper and she started folding it into a tight piece, her eyes still refusing to look up and meet Addison's. She was afraid that if she looked at her that it might all change, or that she'd be forced to let everything out. "I...left."

Addison hoped the gasp that left her mouth wasn't too obvious. "Okay..."

Izzie laughed, the corners of her lips turning up into a grin. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she kept them at bay. "I went to see my mother for a while. I couldn't stay there though, I just couldn't. Seattle isn't for me anymore though, so I jumped onto a bus and that's how I got here."

The image of Izzie sitting by herself on a bus shuffling from state to state flitted through her mind. "Does anyone know where you are or that you're okay?"

"Like they'll care. They're probably forming an "I hate Izzie" club right now." Izzie cleared her throat before lifting her glass and gulping the rest of her drink. The concerned expression on Addison's face as she managed to finally look at her didn't come as a shock. "It's not alcoholic or anything. Don't worry, I know my limits."

A thousand questions swarmed in her head, but Addison couldn't seem to find the right one to ask that would get her to open up. While working at Seattle Grace she and Izzie hadn't really been close, but of all the interns Addison remembered she was one who showed great promise. "Shouldn't you be working? What happened?"

Izzie shrugged, releasing her glass slowly and refocusing her attention on the straw wrapper. She carefully unfolded it, thinking of how before she creased it everything was neat and smooth but then afterward it was wrinkled and...different.

Addison sighed and placed a hand on top of hers in hopes of stilling her action. "Izzie," She cried a little bit louder. "What are you doing here?"

The fact that Addison had recently painted her nails came to mind as Izzie stared blankly at her hand, and even if it was just a clear top coat it still managed to look nice. Her own were pale and brittle in comparison. The question echoed in her mind, rattling around as she contemplated the real answer. "Seattle Grace and Mercy West merged, did you know that? They merged, and so Chief had to start making cuts to accommodate the extra staff. Both hospitals lost people, but we were told to watch our backs. He wanted to keep as much of us as possible. I just wasn't lucky."

"Webber fired you?" Addison asked in surprise. "After everything you've been through...after everything you've survived-"

"I made a mistake." Izzie admitted tearfully. "I made a stupid mistake that I'll probably never get the chance to make up. Alex, he could have helped me if he wanted. He could have fought for me as my husband, but he didn't."

Addison noted the lack of any kind of ring on Izzie's hand. "You can't just give up on him."

"I'm not the one that gave up, Addison." Izzie replied coldly, offended that it could ever be a possibility. "I could go back. I could try and fix the things that are broken, but I don't know if that would change anything."

While she wanted to ask why it also occurred to her that they'd been sitting there for a little while and that Naomi was still sitting at the bar. She looked over apologetically, to which she saw her simply nod in understanding before standing and preparing to leave. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"I got a rental car when I left the bus station. My bags are sitting in the back seat, but other than that I-" Izzie looked up in realization. Panic flooded her features. "I don't."

There was more to the story. Whether it was her business or not the least she could do was offer her a place to stay for the night, because the last thing she wanted was an emotionally distraught Izzie Stevens driving around lost through the streets of Los Angeles. "Why don't you follow me home? I've got a comfortable guest room."

"Thank you." Izzie said as Addison handed her a cup of Chai tea. She took a tentative sip. "I never took you for a tea drinker."

Addison laughed and turned in her chair to stare out at the waves. "It's a recently acquired taste."

Izzie nodded, grateful for the comfortable silence that seemed to settle between them. The waves beating against the shore created a soothing rhythm that nearly lulled her to sleep until she heard Addison speaking to her.

"Did you find everything in the room okay?"

She reached her hand up to move a strand-an almost unbelievably short strand-of hair from her face. "Yeah, it's fine. Thank you for this, all of it, Addison. I didn't think ahead, and I just went. I know that's incredibly stupid, but I just needed to leave."

Addison sighed and balanced the mug of tea against her thigh. "You do realize part of the deal in my letting you stay hear means you owe me an explanation, right?

Izzie looked up in surprise. After showing her to the guest room before letting them both out onto the back porch with an ocean view she probably should have seen it coming, but that didn't make her feel any more prepared. "Yeah," She replied slowly. "I guess I do."