Addison Forbes Montgomery Sheppard slowly dragged herself up the steps of the New York City brownstone she shared with her husband, renowned neurosurgeon Derek Sheppard. It was late, so late even that some people would have classified it as early. As a renowned pediatric and neonatal surgeon herself, she; and her husband were used to coming home at odd hours of the night. After all babies, and brain aneurisms don't tend to wait until its convenient for the surgeon in question. She secretly hoped that Derek had waited up for her, though she knew, practically, that he probably hadn't. He was coming off a 14 hour shift, and had, in all likelihood fallen asleep hours previously. She sighed as she slipped the key into the door. She had desperately wanted to spend a little time with her husband; it had been days since they had shared more than 5 minutes of conversation and a chaste kiss on the cheek. Intellectually, she understood the demands on world class surgeons. They were busy. But the hopeless romantic in her had wanted nothing more than to fall asleep on her husband's chest tonight.
Inside the beautifully decorated entryway, Addison slipped off her Jimmy Choo heels, and her Yves St. Laurent coat. If there was one thing that Addison liked about being a famous and highly sought after surgeon was the ability to purchase designer clothing and shoes. Of course, as a trust fund baby, the daughter of prominent New York socialites, she had always been able to. But to be able to do it with her own money pleased Addison to no end. As she nudged her shoes into the corner, she noticed a pair that didn't belong either to her, or her husband, and smiled to herself. The shoes belonged to her husband's best friend, plastic surgeon Mark Sloane. Seeing his shoes at this late hour meant that Derek and Mark had spent the evening sharing a bottle of Johnny Walker Gold, playing cards and trying to one up each other with surgery stories. She also knew that as a neurosurgeon, Derek had probably won that little battle. Something about bleeding aneurisms and tumors always topped breast augmentation and face lifts. But that little fact never stopped them from playing. She climbed up the stairs, and stopped to peak into the guest room, expecting to see a familiar site, Mark passed out on the bed, too drunk from his antics with Derek to make it from the Upper East Side to downtown, where he lived. Only he wasn't there. Addison frowned. Maybe he hadn't even been able to make it upstairs, and had passed out on the couch, she reasoned. Before she went back downstairs to test her theory, she started towards her own bedroom, eager to see her husband, even if it was just his sleeping form. There was something about his face, his body, his hair that always comforted her. She stepped closer to the door, and quietly pushed it open. And that, was when the world as she knew it crumbled beneath her.
"Dr. Montgomery? Dr. Montgomery? DR. MONTGOMERY!"
Addison Forbes Montgomery looked up, startled. Yes, she had been lost, reliving, rehashing that painful moment. But she also wasn't used to not being Dr. Sheppard. Or, the She- Shepp as her and Derek's colleagues at NYU medical had lovingly dubbed her. Even though she and Derek weren't yet divorced, she just couldn't stand to use his name anymore.
Dr. Preston Burke stood in front of her, looking at her quizzically.
"Sorry Preston. Zoned out for a moment." Addison explained, as she snapped a chart closed and stood up. "Did you need something" She asked him.
"No," he replied slowly, but the Chief would like to see you, when you get a chance."
"Thanks, Preston, on my way now." She replied, and headed down the hall towards Dr. Richard Webber's office. Richard was an old friend; he had been her mentor, Derek's mentor, and Mark's mentor when they had all started their medical careers at Mt. Sinai in New York City years ago. He had kept up with all of their careers, and at various points had extended job offers to each of them. After that happened in New York, she had called him. He had wooed her, offering to fully fund her neo natal unit, making it one of the best in the country. But in all honesty, it wouldn't have taken that to get her to come. She just wanted out of New York, she wanted somewhere safe. Richard and Adele were safe. Seattle was safe. And so she had come, barely saying goodbye to her friends and family. No, after that happened, she jus wanted to be gone.
"Hey Patricia" Addison greeted Richard's secretary affably, but with more than a hint of exhaustion in her voice. "Dr. Webber is expecting me?"
"He is. Go right in, Dr. Montgomery."
"Addie! How you doing?" Asked Dr. Webber, staring at her face intently, trying to read what was going on with her. He had been trying for two months to figure out what was going on with his former protégée. He could see the pain and confusion etched on her face on a daily basis, but knew nothing. She had told him only that her marriage was over, and that she needed a move.
"I'm doing well, Richard. Everything is going well in neo natal; I've finally got my staff about fleshed out." She always did this. Whenever Richard, or Burke, or anyone really, asked her how she was, she answered by describing her job, her expanding department. Never with details of her personal life. In fact, Richard was the only one who knew that Addison was married. She had made him promise to keep that secret.
Dr Webber frowned, obviously displeased with her answer, but knowing full well that she would tell him nothing more. "Well alright then. I need to tell you something, Addie. I don't know what happened between you and Derek back in New York. I know you two are on bad terms. But I thought you should know that I asked him out here. I need a consult on a difficult case, and well, he's the best there is."
Addison paled noticeably. Her husband, her adulterous, hopefully soon to be ex husband, the man who drove her from her family, friends and the city she loved, was coming to Seattle. "Oh my god." She thought to herself. "This cant be happening. I tried so hard to get away from him."
She looked up at Richard, trying to keep the anger from her eyes "you do what's best for the hospital, for your patient. But forgive me if I don't join you, Adele and him for dinner. She said coolly, standing up. "Thank-you for the warning. Now, if you'll excuse me I have patients to attend to.