Le Sigh.

I've missed this account.

In case you missed the meme, newletter and skywriter… I've been using a different screen name for my new stories. I decided that I wanted a challenge and I wasn't going to write just Addek. It really only works about 15 of the time. Turns out Addek loves each other and can't hide it.

I don't mind.

Anyway, this one-shot… so me and end-of-the-rainbow we have this thing… it's hard to explain so I'll do a dramatic re-inactment.

Her: Wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite

Me: Ugh. I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiting. You wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite.

Her: Nooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Me: Sigh.

Me: Blarg.

Me: Wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite

Her: Wriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite!!!!!!!!!!

Her: Please?

Me: Ugh. Blarg. Fine. What do you want me to write?

Sometimes it's the other way around. Anyway, then one of us will suggest a scene or an activity or something, and the other will write it. It's effective. You should try messaging her with suggestions and see if she'll write them… or she might kill me… ooo…don't message her (but seriously, message her).

So for this I think she asked for… content Addek. (I asked for reading Addek… we are SO exciting… we could be asking for like jungle safari Addek or Passionately in LOVE Addek but no, we're like 'reasonably happy and literate'.)

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It was disconcerting.

Rationally she realized that he was in town on business and it had nothing to do with her. Rationally she understood that Sam was his friend and this was Sam's house and Sam's party and Sam's part of the beach. Rationally she recognized that Sam could invite anyone he wanted.

But no matter how rational she tried to be she could not comprehend what had possessed Sam to invite her ex-husband to Pete's birthday party.

And now he was standing there. Watching her. Not talking to anyone. Not mingling. Not even drinking. He was standing there, watching her like she was an exhibit at the zoo. His arms were crossed over his chest, his head tilted slightly to the side and the expression on his face… she wasn't sure if he was fascinated or mocking her.

What ever it was she was find it very distracting and he was making it very hard to be the unabashed flirt, which was her chosen persona for the evening.

She shot him a look. An annoyed look. A look that could only be interpreted as 'I know what you are doing. Stop it'.

He smirked. And chuckled. Rolling onto the balls of his feet and back, clearly enjoying this.

She wanted to scream. If he hadn't been standing not 10 feet away she might have. She was prone to sudden and unexplainable outbursts. She knew that. He knew that. Everyone at the party knew that. But for no reason that she could fathom, she didn't want him knowing that everyone at the party knew she was prone to sudden and unexplainable outbursts. She wanted him to think that she had changed, that she was calm, that she kept her wits about her, that she no longer gave into the impulses that normally lead her to rant, loudly, for no reason… about nothing.

Luckily when your date is the birthday boy, the attention is not usually on you.

Addison slipped away from Pete's side and moved towards the food table. Standing next to Derek but facing away, she considered for a moment all the things that she wanted to say to him. "Get out of my life," she said quietly, picking up a frosted cupcake, glancing at him with a raised eyebrow and walking away.

She felt good about that. She meant it. She had built a new life for herself. New friends, new job, new boyfriend/lover-type-thing, new everything. A new life, tailor made not to include him, because if there was even the tiniest gap, loophole, niche, anything where she thought he would fit… well, she was afraid that she'd want him in it.

She wanted him out of this life.

She sat down bye the bonfire, picking at her cupcake. They had been her contribution. They were homemade. Kinda. She made them at home. From a box. If possible they were too sweet, they made her stomach churn.

She threw the cupcake into the sand at the same moment that a heavy leather jacket dropped around her shoulders. She didn't look up, but pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders. Not because she appreciated the gesture but because she was kinda cold.

"I though L.A. was suppose to be warm."

She didn't reply, just looked at him expectantly as he sat down beside her.

He grinned, "Don't worry. I'm going back tomorrow."

"Good," she stared at the flames. She tried not to think about how close he was sitting; how this is the closest they have been to each other in about a year. It's the closest they had let each other get.

"I was going to look you up," he sighed, "But I thought that might be weird. Your boyfriends birthday party seemed a lot less awkward."

She laughed.

"Although I'm tempted to follow you home just to see what kind of home Hollywood Addison buys for herself," he shrugged, "And to make sure you go home alone."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Old habits."

"Uhuh," she turned a bit on the log she was seated on, "I live next door," she pointed.

Derek followed her gaze and stared at her house for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

They lapsed into silence for what seemed like eternity, but a comfortable eternity that seemed to move at just the right pace.

"Are you happy?" he asked suddenly.

She smiled softly, "In general or right this minute?"

"In general."

"I'm very happy."

He nodded, "Right this minute."

She thought a moment and her smile grew, "I'm content. Very very content."

He nodded, "Me too. Content."

They continued to sit in silence, comfortable silence, a content silence.

"Do you want to come over for coffee or something?" Addison asked finally.

A smile tugged at his lips, "It's almost midnight. You'll be up all night."

Addison's cheeks redden slightly, "Well, I wasn't really asking you over for coffee."

"You're asking me over for something?" he teased.

"For something," She affirmed, standing she wrapping her self tighter in his jacket in a way that told him he had to go, it was the only way he was getting his jacket back.

"I like the sounds of 'something'," he said softly, taking her hand and letting her lead him towards her house.

She smiled. Maybe there was a place for Derek in her new life after all.

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And that's all there is to it.

I bet you guys remember this part. It's when I BEG FOR REVIEWS!!!!

So the best review gets… (omg, sad news… my Beta, Addy, died … it's okay if you don't understand that… ) … I have nothing worth giving away… in one of my chapters of my "new" fic I gave away Poppy Cunningham action figures… I might have a few of them still kicking around!!

Semi-Shameless Plug: Read my new "series": Be Be Your Love. It's a good time.