"Ella Sloan Montgomery!" Addison stands in the kitchen of her suburban Seattle house, frustrated that her almost 6 year old daughter is about to miss her school bus. Again. She is an anxious wreck this morning, desperate to return to Seattle Grace to check on the status of her friend, Callie Torres, and her unborn baby, Ella's half sister, who had been in a horrific car accident the morning before.
She quickly climbs up the stairs. "Ella, honey, what are you doing?" she pokes her head into her daughter's bedroom, and holds back as a smile.
"Is it time to go?" Ella looks up from her barbies.
Addison raises an eyebrow "Ella. I've been calling you to come downstairs for 10 minutes now, didn't you hear me?"
Ella shakes her head, "I don't even like school anyway. Barbies are more fun."
Addison sits on the edge of the bed. "Can't argue there but, it's time for school little lady. "Shoes please."
Addison finds her patience wearing thinner as Ella slowly works to put on her shoes, adjusting her socks, and repositioning the velcro strap on her mary janes so that they fit just. right.
"Okay mommy. Now I'm ready." Ella gets to her feet and reaches for Addison's hand.
No sooner has Addison kissed Ella goodbye on the playground, she can hear her phone ring from deep inside her purse. Nervously, she snatches it out of her bag as she makes her way back to her car.
"Addison?" Mark's voice is thick, and she can tell he hasn't slept a wink since the night before.
"Mark what's up, any changes?"
"No, I was just wondering what your ETA was."
"15 minutes." she promises.
She finally makes her way to the ICU at Seattle Grace Mercy West, and steels herself for what could be a very difficult day. Immediately, she runs into Mark, who is watching Arizona speak quietly to Callie while she holds her hand.
"You should go in there. Make peace. You both love Callie." She gently suggests. But Mark brushes off the suggestion.
"Got nothing left to say." he mutters.
Suddenly, an alarm sounds from Callie's room, and moments later, Addison realizes, This could be the moment where Ella's sister is born way too soon. She prays over and over that she is wrong.
"She's got a long, hard fight ahead of her." Addison says quietly, as Arizona and Mark peer into the incubator that night. The baby was 1 pound, 1 oz, born with no heartbeat to speak of. The fact that she had made it even an hour into her life was something of a miracle, in Addison's opinion.
"She's a 17 week preemie. The next few weeks... It'll be touch and go, but, I'll be here, every step of the way."
Arizona and Mark both quietly nod, well aware of the risks that accompany a micro preemie, and grateful that Addison would be there to watch out for their daughter.
"I'm going to go sit with Callie." Arizona murmurs. She is numb, and still reeling from the fact that she had just saved the life of their daughter that morning.
Mark swallows the lump in his throat as he turns to Addison.
"I need you to be straight with me Addison" He says quietly.
"I am, Mark. Your daughter is stable, but critical. Right now, it's the best we can hope for." She looks at the clock, and sighs deeply. "I need to get home. I promise you, I will be back here first thing tomorrow morning to check on her." Addison hugs him tightly. "Try and get some rest Mark. Your daughters need you." she gently reminds him.
"Tell Ella I love her." he whispers.
"I always do." she squeezes his hand tightly.
The exhaustion, both physical and emotional hit Addison like a wall as she quietly enters her house.
"Brooke?" She softly calls out for Ella's babysitter.
"Mommy?" Ella appears in the doorway of their living room clutching her stuffed monkey tightly.
"Ella sweetie, you're still awake? It's late, you should be asleep." Addison sets down her bag and kneels down to hug her little girl.
"I missed you mommy. You weren't here when I got home, and not at dinner. Mommy, where were you?"
Brooke appears behind Ella, "I'm sorry Addison, She was just a little nervous about where you were."
"It's okay Brooke. I'll put her to bed. We'll see you tomorrow"
Ella waves as Brooke kisses her forehead, "See you soon okay Bug?" She winks at Ella.
As Brooke quietly closes the front door behind her, Addison lifts her daughter into her arms, unsure if now would be the right time to tell her about her brand new sister. Things were so touch and go, the last thing she wanted was to break Ella's heart if anything should happen to the baby.
"I was actually with your daddy today." She decides.
Ella's face lights up. "Daddy?"
Addison nods and snuggles Ella on the couch. "He wanted to tell you he loves you very, very much Ella."
"Is he still picking me up after school tomorrow?"
Addison hesitates. "Oh, baby he won't be able to, not tomorrow. I'm so sorry"
Ella's face crumples. "But he promised!" She buries her head in Addison's shoulder.
"I know baby girl. I'm sorry. He just... He's super busy, but as soon as he can see you, Ella, I promise, He'll come. He will."
"Why can't he come tomorrow?" Ella sobs.
Addison strokes her hair. "He's... got to work sweetheart." She reasons that lying to her child to protect her was far better than telling her the truth, that he new sister was clinging to life in the NICU.
"I hate work." Ella pouts.
Addison nods. "Me too." and on a night like this, she means it.