This is absolute fluff—seriously. :)
The story about how Addison and Derek met is inspired by Serendipity (one of my favourite romantic comedies).
Happy Holidays!
Felicity: A state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.
Lightly falling snow speckles the hair and coats of hurried pedestrians crossing buzzing streets and last minute shoppers scurrying in and out of crowded department stores.
Perhaps Addison and Derek would find the man and woman vying for the same box-pattern silk tie in Goodman's Men's Store amusing. Most likely, they would relate it to the first time they met: 20 years ago today.
Perhaps their children would be entranced by the pillowy tufts of snow on sidewalks and benches, or marvel at the snow-covered fire hydrant that looks like a red velvet cupcake frosted with buttercream.
But far away from the bustle of the city, within the townhouse in Gramercy Park, on East 19th Street, the affairs of the outside world are not the focus.
The Shepherds are all settled on the couch in their family room, warmed and illuminated by the lightly crackling fire in the cobblestone fireplace.
Sadie Alessandra Shepherd is snuggled securely between her parents holding "The Night Before Christmas", anxiously waiting for them to begin reading.
Daniel Christopher Shepherd, the eldest of the Shepherd children, has his head on his father's shoulder, peering into the open book.
And Annaleigh Maria Shepherd, Addison and Derek's youngest, is sitting in her mother's lap with her head resting comfortably on Addison's chest.
"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house," Addison begins.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
Sadie smiles angelically, captivated by the animated nature of her mother's voice.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
As is customary, Derek takes over where Addison leaves off:
"When out on the roof there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter," He says ardently, and Daniel laughs and sits a little straighter, knowing his favourite part is coming up soon.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
Annaleigh shifts in her mother's arms, and smiles lazily at the sound of her father's lively voice.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
Daniel looks at his dad with a huge grin on his face, and together they say:
Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
Addison and Derek continue taking turns reading to their children, gradually lowering their voices as the story progresses and Annaleigh's eyes struggle to remain open.
When Derek was a child, he and his siblings would all gather around their parents, and they would read "The Night Before Christmas" every night on Christmas Eve before they went to bed. When Daniel was born, Derek's father gave him a special collectors' edition of the book, which included a facsimile of the original hand written poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas, and whimsical 19th century illustrations. Needless to say, Derek and Addison are more than willing to carry on the tradition with their family.
When they are through with the story, Addison gingerly removes her body from the sofa as to avoid waking her sleeping baby.
Derek walks ahead of her with Sadie and Daniel in tow, and she ambles up the stairs to Annaleigh's room.
When she arrives, she gently lays the slumbering thirteen-month-old in her crib after placing a feather-light kiss on her forehead.
When she exits, she leaves the room door slightly open, then continues down the hall to Sadie's room where she meets Daniel leaning against Sadie's armoire, and Derek sitting on the edge of Sadie's bed, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose.
Derek stands so that Addison can take his place, and when she sits, Sadie whispers:
"Mommy…"
"Yeah, baby," Addison replies, lightly running her hand through her daughter's wavy, dark brown hair.
"I have something to tell you." Sadie responds.
"What is it?"
"You have to come closer, it's a secret."
Addison leans her head closer to Sadie, then tilts it to the side so that the little girl can whisper in her ear.
"I don't think I can go to sleep," Sadie whispers, "I'm too excited about tomorrow."
Addison chuckles and tries fruitlessly to contain the smile that spreads across her face at her daughter's version of a secret.
"I'm excited about tomorrow too, baby," She says, adjusting the blanket around Sadie's tiny frame, "But you have to go to sleep if you want Santa to come."
"I know." Sadie sighs.
Addison kisses her cheek before saying, "Goodnight, baby. I love you."
"Night mommy, I love you too. And I love you daddy, and you too Danny."
Derek kisses Sadie, once again, then returns her sentiment, and Danny does the same.
After they tuck Daniel in, Addison and Derek return downstairs.
Addison is standing behind the kitchen sink washing the children's sticky hot chocolate mugs from earlier that night, and Derek is in the living room trying to quietly open the bottom drawer of the cabinet against the wall while simultaneously keeping an eye out for his wife.
He slowly pulls out a medium-sized box neatly wrapped in iridescent gold paper and places it on the end table. That gift rotated around various areas of the Shepherd household for the past three months. Derek placed the order in September thinking having something custom made would take a considerable amount of time—it didn't. Therefore, he was left with the task of hiding it from his wife, opting for places that she did not frequent (which are few). With it being Christmas Eve, the day he had been impatiently waiting for, he is finally able to give it to her.
Derek saunters into the kitchen, walks up behind his wife, and wraps his arms around her waist. Addison ceases drying the counter-top and turns in his arms.
"I have something for you." He says softly.
She raises a brow inquiringly, and Derek pulls her closer to him and kisses her slowly.
"It's in the living room," He whispers against her lips. He takes her hand and escorts her there, and when she sits, he hands her the gift before taking his place beside her.
"Do you want me to open it now?" She asks, considering they don't normally open gifts on Christmas Eve.
Derek answers in the affirmative, and Addison begins to tear away the wrapping paper. When she's finished, she removes the lid from the white box and looks over at her husband with wide, sparkling eyes when she sees what's inside. She removes the snow globe from the box and runs her hand over the glass surface. An intricately detailed miniature version of Bergdorf Goodman is in the centre of the globe, and two figures in front of it—one, a redheaded female in a black coat with an emerald green dress beneath, and the other—a male dressed in a black button-down, holding a wine-coloured scarf in his left hand.
Addison's smile broadens as she gazes at the two figures that are no doubt illustrative of her and Derek, and the globe in its entirety—representative of the Christmas Eve she met her husband.
Lightly running her thumb across the inscription on the gold-plated bottom that reads, 24 Dec. 1995: The Beginning of Forever, Addison allows the memory of that day to wash over her…
Her eyes were cast upon the remnants of a once broad selection of silk scarves on the display table on the 5th floor of Bergdorf Goodman.
She reached out to grasp the most exquisite claret scarf that she had ever laid eyes on. As she extended her hand to pick it up, someone on the opposite side of the table seized it concurrently.
She looked up, still holding the scarf—the other end in the stranger's grasp—and found herself unable to look away from the man before her, momentarily entranced by his affable blue eyes.
"This is the last one like this." He said, looking at her, his gaze so intense she shifted self-consciously.
"I know." She said absolutely.
She claimed she saw it first, he insisted it was simultaneous. Whether he had been compelled by the way she smirked mischievously at him when she declared that the scarf was most definitely hers, or whether it had been his unassuming desire to be a gentleman, or the fact that he really didn't care about procuring it—in the end, he let her have it.
"Wait." She said as he began to retreat, not quite certain what had compelled her to stop him.
"Who was it for?" She asked.
"Honestly?" He said.
"Honestly."
"I don't know," He chuckled. "I have four sisters, and I haven't really had much time to do any Christmas shopping. I figured I'd come in here to see what I could find. When I picked up that scarf, I really didn't have any clue who it would be for."
She smiled, and held the scarf towards him, insisting that he take it, that way he'd have one less gift to find. He took it from her hand, and much to her surprise, draped it around her neck stating it was definitely made for her, considering the way it complimented her hair and brought out the colour of her eyes. Her attempt to restrain herself from blushing was futile, and when she joined the queue at the checkout counter, she found herself, once again, staring at the stranger as she watched him retreat.
A while later, Addison found herself on Bergdorf's 7th floor; looking at their selection of china and crystal. She gazed at the figurines, vases, and plates; Bizzy would certainly appreciate one of these, she thought.
When she turned to make her way to the opposite end of the room, she gracelessly collided with the person in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't…." Her apology fizzled on her lips the moment her eyes took in the person in front of her.
"Hey." He said, lips stretched into a radiant smile.
"Hey," She responded. "I see you've made progress."
"Three down, one to go." He stated, shimmying the bags in his hand.
She made her way to the shelves at the back of the room and tried to pretend she didn't notice him staring at her, or that he always seemed to be interested in an item on one of the shelves she surveyed, or that he happened to find something the instant she did, or that he checked-out the same time she did, or that he—most notably—entered the elevator with her, and exited the store as she did.
Addison stood in front of Bergdorf staring at the elaborately decorated display windows, her pursuer a mere few feet away.
He slipped his hands in his pants pockets, and walked closer to her, both of their eyes fixated on the storefront windows.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He said, taking in the window that depicted a frosty winter palace back lit with vibrant blues, reds, and oranges, and populated with mannequins dressed in elaborate white gowns adorned with pearls and Swarovski crystals.
"It is," She agreed, "They always have the best ones."
A heartbeat of silence followed before he turned to face her and timidly asked:
"Would you like to go for coffee with me? I know that it's Christmas Eve, but there's this place right across the street…"
"I don't even know your name." She said.
"My name is Derek, Derek Shepherd." He replied, and his words hung in the air as she continued looking at him.
She contemplated saying no. But considering that he was shifting so nervously in front of her, staring at her with such hopeful eyes, and the fact that she felt more than a physical attraction to him; she put him out of his misery:
"Okay."
"Okay?" He questioned, a smile tugging on his lips.
"Yeah," She confirmed, "And my name is Addison, Addison Montgomery."
Coffee was unexpectedly followed by persistent conversation as they looked at the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, a walk, and eventual ice-skating in Central Park. And as the night progressed and the hours flew by; neither of them had been able to deny the definite sparks between them.
"I love it," She says, answering her husband's silent question. She leans in and hugs him tightly, closing her eyes, and getting lost in his embrace. "Thank you." She adds, then slowly captures his lips with hers.
"Meeting you that day, spending the evening with you….that was one of the best nights of my life," Derek says softly, their faces so close his lips brush against hers as he speaks, "And every day I've spent with you since then has been even better. You've made me happier than I ever thought possible, and I can't imagine not having you in my life. I love you, Addison, more than I could ever tell you. Words alone will never be able to express the depth of my love for you."
"I love you too, Derek…so much…" She finishes in a whisper, blinking back the tears that are threatening to fall.
Derek tilts her head up and kisses her passionately, then wraps his arms securely around her slender frame. Addison tucks her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder and sighs, content with having the man whom she is completely in love with hold her close.
Intermittent gusts of wind send fallen snow that was previously gathered at the edge of the sidewalk flying onto the front porch of the Shepherd household. The city is now lightly humming with activity, and although Daniel Shepherd should be asleep, he is slowly padding down the hall, on his way to his sister's room.
He creeps through Sadie's open room door and advances towards her bed.
"Sadie," He whispers, lightly shaking her shoulder, "Sadie," He repeats when she begins to stir, "Sadie, wake up."
"Danny?" She inquires groggily, squinting her tired eyes.
"Yeah, it's me," He confirms, "I don't know what time it is, but I think it's Christmas. Let's go see if Santa came."
At seven, three years older than Sadie, Daniel has fully mastered the art of dragging his little sister along whenever he goes on a "mission".
"Okay." Sadie yawns, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with her hands.
Daniel takes Sadie's hand and leads her into the hall. Their pyjama-clad feet tiptoe down the stairs, and when they make it to the bottom, they follow the twinkling of the incandescent Christmas tree lights to the family room.
"See," Danny says excitedly, slightly above a whisper, "He was here already!" He points to the gifts wrapped in red, reindeer-printed paper, "Those weren't there earlier."
Unbeknownst to Sadie and Daniel, their parents placed those gifts under the tree—as they did every year—after they were certain the children were asleep.
"I know!" Sadie squeals, "Only those blue and green ones were there before we went to sleep."
Daniel sits under the tree and tucks his legs beneath him and Sadie joins him. He picks up a small rectangle-shaped present and shakes it lightly, trying to see if he can determine what's inside. Sadie mimics her brother's actions and begins to do the same.
"This has Annie's name on it." Daniel says, pointing to the large gift in the middle of the tree.
"What do you think it is?" Sadie asks.
Daniel shrugs before saying, "I don't know…It's so big, and Annie's so little."
Sadie giggles, "Maybe Santa got her a really big bear…Annie likes bears."
Daniel supposes that his sister may be right, stating that Annaleigh had been considerably more interested in the bears than all of the other animals the last time they went to the zoo.
The children continue their antics: ogling presents, fiddling with the ornaments on the tree, and questioning whether or not their parents would like the gifts they got them. Daniel bought his mom a necklace that he proudly paid for with money he saved up. (His dad paid the majority of the purchase price, but Daniel doesn't know that, as far as he's concerned, he had the exact amount required to purchase the necklace he chose). Sadie drew a picture intended for both of her parents that involved tons of glitter. Two weeks ago when her uncle Mark babysat, he helped her make and frame it. When Addison returned home that night and questioned why her baby girl had glitter in her hair, Mark and Sadie both refused to offer an explanation.
"Sadie," Daniel says, he and his sister are now lying on their backs, side-by-side, staring at the tree above them.
"Yeah?" Sadie yawns, the fact that it's late (or early)—depends on how you view 3 am—finally catching up with her.
"I made something for you." He states.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Daniel confirms, "It's in my room, I'll give it to you later."
"Okay." She murmurs.
She wakes up first. She almost always does. It's a minute after seven o'clock, and it's not particularly bright, with the sun hiding behind massive clouds, but it's Christmas.
"Derek," She says in a low voice, running her fingers through his messy hair.
Derek remains stationary, so she tries a different approach. She straddles his waist, and runs her hands slowly across his back before peppering kisses along the smooth expanse of his exposed skin.
"Derek," She repeats, her lips against the side of his face.
He utters something indistinctly and begins to shift; thus, Addison raises her body slightly so he can turn around.
"Morning," She says, looking into his half-open eyes, still straddling his waist, "It's Christmas." The luminous smile that follows her statement is enough to rouse him.
"And you're beautiful." He says, brushing his hand against the side of her face.
She pecks his lips before uttering, "Merry Christmas, honey."
He flips them over then kisses her fully, "Merry Christmas, Addie." He says, his face hovering above hers.
He kisses her again, she drapes a leg around his back, his hand slowly sidles up her barely-there pyjama top:
It's all very fluent…
xxxx
"Mama." Annaleigh says when she sees her mother advancing towards her crib.
"Hi baby," Addison coos, scooping her up into her arms, "Merry Christmas." She showers Annaleigh's cherubic face with kisses.
Addison and Derek head downstairs after he informs her that Sadie and Daniel are not in their rooms.
He finds them first, then immediately calls his wife so she can witness the scene. When Addison shows up, she takes in the sight of her sleeping children curled into each other under the tree. Addison hands Annaleigh to Derek before sitting beside Daniel. She runs her hand over his head of curly, red hair and says his name softly. She lightly pats his shoulder and Daniel begins to stir, turning to face his mother. Unlike his little sister, he's not a heavy sleeper.
"Merry Christmas, baby." she says.
Daniel returns her smile before sitting upright. She pulls him into her arms and runs her hand up and down his back.
"Merry Christmas, mommy." He returns, nuzzling his face into her neck. She kisses the side of his face repeatedly before releasing him so that he can greet his father.
Derek heads to the kitchen with Daniel and Annaleigh, leaving Addison with a still slumbering Sadie. He places an incessantly babbling Annie in her highchair, and Daniel opens the refrigerator and takes out eggs, butter, and milk so that his dad can make pancakes. Daniel loves helping his dad in the kitchen because unlike his mom and grandma Carolyn who insist that he remains as tidy as possible when he assists them, his dad doesn't mind if by the time they're finished; Daniel has flour or some other ingredient on his face, hair, or clothes, or if more ingredients end up on the floor than in a bowl.
Derek grabs the other ingredients from the cupboard and just as he begins putting them into a mixing bowl, Sadie bolts into the kitchen with far too much energy for someone who just woke up. When she reaches him behind the counter she wraps her arms around his legs and practically screams 'Merry Christmas'.
Derek laughs. "Merry Christmas, sweetie." He says.
xxxx
After breakfast, activities at the Shepherd household are as follows:
Addison, Derek, and their children gather around the Christmas tree. Sadie and Daniel are brimming with unobtainable excitement as they divide their gifts into three piles—mom and dad, grandparents/aunts/uncles, and Santa—before shredding the wrapping paper off them. Annaleigh is sitting in her father's lap, and he and Addison are helping her open her presents. Annie's gift from Santa? It's a shape sorter, not a bear as Sadie supposed.
Sadie and Daniel soon become surrounded by multicoloured mounds of wrapping paper. The dazzling smiles on their faces are incomparable, enveloping Addison and Derek in the sheer joy they emanate.
"Open it." Sadie says excitedly, handing her parents the gift she made them.
Addison accepts it and readily removes the wrapping paper. Both she and her husband's lips curve into a smile the moment they see what the picture depicts: In the middle of the picture, there are three little stick figures—two girls, one boy—of varying heights holding hands, on the left of the children stands a tall, male figure with a dark puff of hair atop his head and a cape covered with blue glitter fastened around his neck, and to the right of the children, there is a female whose hair falls more along the lines of maroon, and she has on a yellow dress with a cape covered in red glitter.
"Do you like it?" Sadie chirps, scooting across the floor and positioning herself in front of her father.
"We love it." Addison says.
"Especially the cape." Derek adds with a smile.
Sadie smiles toothily, "It's 'cause you guys help people all the time, so that makes you superheroes," She declares.
Addison and Derek both smile brightly at their daughter's words.
Derek leans forward and kisses her forehead, and Addison pulls her in for a hug, each expressing their gratitude as Sadie continues to smile proudly.
Daniel then hands his parents the gifts he got them and watches intently as they begin to open them. Addison practically melts when she removes the locket from the box and sees a picture of her family inside, and Derek can't stop staring at the drawing Daniel gave him which depicts him, his father, and Daniel on a boat with fishing poles in their hands.
"I hope everyone is happy today," Daniel says as he sits in the middle of his parents. "I'm so happy, and I just want everyone else to be happy too. I wish I could make everyone happy."
Addison meets her husband's eyes and they share a smile, both touched by the sincerity in their son's voice.
"Me too, buddy," Derek says, "Bringing joy to someone's life is one of the best things you could ever do. That's why it's important to be kind. Every act of kindness counts, no matter how small. Every time you do something kind for someone, it adds to their overall happiness."
Daniel looks up at his father and smiles, "And being kind also makes you feel good too," He declares.
Derek ruffles Daniel's hair and chuckles, "Yeah, it does."
Daniel then stands in sudden remembrance, and takes Sadie's hand, excitedly leading her upstairs to his room so he can give her the gift he made her. Addison inches closer to her husband and lays her head on his shoulder as they watch Annaleigh—who has long escaped her father's arms—play in the heap of rumpled paper in front of the tree.
The Shepherds simply continue enjoying their time in each other's presence.
Mark will be there soon, and later; they'll all head to Derek's parents' house to spend time with the rest of their family.