|
Because after reading a Burke/Addison drabble, I can't stop thinking about them as friends... so here's a little ficlet that
wasn't going to let me go to sleep without writing it.
Oh, and I still don't own them -- though I wish I did, especially Burke, who would spend his life without a shirt on.
He knew that people thought he felt threatened by Derek Shepherd or that they suspected he was jealous of the neurosurgeon
for some reason. That explained the thinly veiled contempt, the "Dr. Shepherd/Dr. Burke" exchanges--a fear of being
usurped as Richard Webber's heir apparent, an underlying envy of one of "those" surgeons--the cocky, naturally gifted
bastards who Preston had hated in medical school.
It wasn't that there was no truth in either suspicion. He'd been flat out pissed off when he realized that the chief
had brought in an old protégé to compete for the position of top dog in the surgical unit. And Derek's arrogance and sense
of entitlement had rubbed Burke wrong from first contact.
But the real root of his continued dislike for Shepherd could be found in the woman who shared the neurosurgeon's name.
Addison Montgomery-Shepherd had been a mystery to him when she arrived. He had, of course, heard the rumors and whispers,
but since he didn't like Derek, the facts of their separation hadn't made him feel anything hateful toward the redhead. His
views on someone's personal life rarely affected his judgment at work. He let his feelings come out of day-to-day contact
in the hallways and O.R.s, in the way he saw his fellow surgeons interact with their patients, the interns, other doctors.
And while he had always found the male Shepherd lacking in those areas--surgical talent notwithstanding--Preston saw much
to admire in his female counterpart.
If Preston had been the struggling, determined student who had to make it through medical school on discipline and Derek
was the pompous, naturally talented jerk, Addison was that rare creature who had been a balance of them both. She was brilliant,
she was gifted, but she believed she had to work to maintain those aspects of herself. Addison would have been the student
who copied her notes for Preston without being asked because she'd realized he had missed half their lecture while off studying
or practicing for some other exam or practicum. She was the girl who would have dragged him out to dinner before his head
exploded from one day too many of pharmacology. She would have befriended worried, studious, anxious Preston Burke when he
had been a shadow of the amazing surgeon he was today.
Derek Shepherd would have never even known his name. He'd have been too wrapped up in what girl he could get to go out
with him Saturday night to notice anyone who didn't fall down and worship him on first sight.
Now that Addison had become a permanent addition to Seattle Grace and Preston had gotten to know her better, he was sure
his initial impressions had been dead on. She was just a quality person. Yes, she'd made mistakes, but who hadn't? He had,
beyond all reason, started an affair with an intern despite his reputation as a stickler for the rules. So Preston knew from
doing things you shouldn't. And she owned her mistakes. She had apologized. She continued to endure barb after barb as they
were tossed by her husband and never threw Derek's own subsequent infidelity in his face.
A quality woman--that's what his mother would call her, and she'd be right.
Burke saw her in the lobby looking around, no doubt searching for Derek. He didn't want to tell her he'd just seen her
husband locked in conversation with Meredith Grey near the surgical board. The scene had made him angry. No longer, at least
where the Shepherds were concerned, could Preston claim to have no personal judgments, and he knew absolutely what side he
came down on. Seeing Addison now, he was worried she might ask him if he'd seen Derek. He wouldn't lie to her, but he also
didn't want to add to the burden he knew she already carried every day. He was tempted to avoid her. But then Preston changed
course and moved toward her.
She was his friend, after all. And if he couldn't spare her the pain of watching her marriage hanging in limbo, he could
at least stand beside her while she lived it.
"Addison."
"Preston, hey. How was your day?"
"A little... long. I am in the market for a good dinner and some conversation with someone who can appreciate life
outside this hospital. You wouldn't happen to be free, would you?"
Her eyes scanned the room looking for some sign that she'd be otherwise engaged, but Preston saw the exact moment she
resigned herself to the fact that Derek was in no hurry to come looking for her.
"No plans with Yang?" she asked.
"Cristina is on call, and no doubt hawking the O.R.s for the next good case. So what do you say? I'll introduce
you to the only good soul food restaurant in Seattle."
She smiled, and Preston couldn't help but wonder how much longer it would be before Addison got tired of waiting for Derek
altogether and just walked away. He knew Shepherd didn't realize it, but it was going to cost him when that happened.
"Do they have good collard greens?"
Her question made him laugh, and Burke offered her his arm. She laced hers through it and they walked together toward
the door.
"They have fantastic collard greens. Not as good as my mother's, but then again, what is?"
He escorted his friend to the car and opened the door for her, and after placing his briefcase in the trunk, Preston moved
to climb into the driver's seat. He knew there was little else he could do for Addison but provide friendship, a distraction
from the heartbreak he knew she was feeling, but he was intent upon doing just that.
And someday, when and if Shepherd ever got up the nerve to ask, Preston knew he would describe the lonely look he'd seen
in Addison's eyes in that lobby tonight--or in similar settings countless other times--and he would tell Derek that it was
for that reason and that reason alone that he'd finally decided he just couldn't stand him.
|
