Pairing: None, Addison + Callie friendship

Prompt: Addison, Childhood pets

Rating: G

Author: Phelipa

Summary: Addison gets a new pet.

Howard

Addison sat at the lunch table, playing with her pasta salad. Callie came over and set her plate down before beginning to ramble on about some fight that she and George had had the previous night. Completely oblivious, when Callie asked her for her own opinion Addison was at a loss,

"Sorry, what?"

Callie glared at her before snapping, "Did you hear a word I just said?"

Addison gave a rueful look and said, "Not really."

Callie sat back in her chair, "You know, if we're going to do this…this whole friend, buddy buddy, share your life secrets, you're going to have to listen sometimes."

"I know."

Callie let out a sigh, "Fine…what's wrong. Clearly I'm not going to have your attention until you tell me."

Addison went back to toying with her salad and said, "I think I made a mistake."

"Oh unknowable universe!" Callie exclaimed.

Addison shot her a dirty look before continuing, "Yesterday I went out and I bought a piglet."

"What?" Callie asked.

"A little tiny baby pig…I bought one."

Callie just stared at her for a moment, "Why?! Addison…what the hell is the matter with you?"

"I don't know!" She huffed, "I lived on a farm when I was little, and the pigs were my favorite. They're cute. But now I have a baby pig…in the hotel."

"You know what? I cannot do this…when you said mistake I thought you meant sleeping with Mark, or Derek…or Alex! Not buying a pig!"

"Callie! Please…" Addison begged.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know but I can't get rid of him." She said quietly.

"You have to…it's a pig. In a five star hotel."

"But it already has a name, now I'm attached. I can't give him up."

"What's his name?" Callie asked wearily.

"Howard."

"Howard?!"

Addison simply nodded.

"Let me guess, you're old family pig was named Howard."

"No." Addison said, pouting slightly, "My dad wouldn't let me name the pigs. He said I'd get too attached."

"Well, obviously he had a point. Addison you have to take it back. Tomorrow, send it to a nice little pig farm where it can grow old and have more baby pigs."

"You're making fun of me." Addison said, squinting her eyes.

"Of course I am! You have a pet pig named Howard! Where do you even buy one of those? Ebay?"

"No." Addison scoffed, "A pig farm."

"Look, I'll come over tomorrow morning and we'll take him back."

"But he's so cute Callie, he's all pink and smooth and snorty."

"Snorty? Addison you're losing it. I'm coming over tonight and we'll take it back."

"You said the morning."

"Apparently we can't wait that long, by then you'll be knitting it tiny sweaters."

Callie looked over at Addison who seemed to find this a fantastic idea and said, "Look, I have to go. I have surgery in an hour, I'll be done by five then I'm coming over. I better not find any clothes on that pig when I get there."

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Callie knocked on the door and waited for Addison to open it. When she didn't come she knocked again. From inside she heard a muffled,

"Howard…no!"

She tried to handle and found it unlocked. Stepping in she saw Addison tugging on one of her blouses. The other side was firmly gripped between the teeth of "Howard".

The piglet finally released the clothing and Addison threw it on the bed, picking up the wriggling pink animal.

"Oh, hey Callie. Sorry we were having a bit of a crisis."

Callie raised an eyebrow and nodded.

Addison sunk down to the bed and sadly said, "Howard has to go. It's not fair for him to live here."

Callie sat down next to her and touched the little pink head, "You're making the right decision."

Looking behind her she saw a photo album on the bed, "What's that?"

Addison's cheeks grew a little pink as she said, "I was showing Howard pictures of my childhood pets."

Callie chuckled but picked up the book, sifting through the pictures. There were several pages devoted to one animal, a large furry black dog. In one picture a small redheaded child had her arms wrapped around the gentle dog's neck.

"Who's this??" She asked.

Addison looked over before saying, "Oh! That was Kenzie…or Kensington. He was a black retriever."

"He's cute."

Addison nodded, "He was my favorite."

Callie set the book down and looked at her watch, "We'd better go take him back."

Addison nodded sadly and stroked the silky pig body, "He was fun for the 24 hours I had him…"

Callie laughed and followed Addison as she exited her hotel room, "Why don't you get something else…like a cat, or a hamster?"

Addison seemed to think for a minute before she said, "Or…a hedgehog! I never had a hedgehog!"

Callie simply rolled her eyes as she followed her friend out to the car, "Sure, or a hedgehog."

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Fin