Title: Breathing Space

Author: Lyndz13

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but you are welcome to sue me for the little money indigo pays me.

Summary: A mistake could result in the end of Addison's career. Could it also mean the end of her marriage as well? Addions/Derek

Author Notes: Please give feedback. Tell me what you think, what you want to happen.

Addison woke to the birds chirping and the sunlight in her eyes, immediately she knew something was wrong. She quickly turned over and grabbed the alarm clock to see what time it was. It flashed 9am. She practically threw the clock in a rush to get out of bed. She was late for a very important surgery and she needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

While quickly finding something to wear she was thinking of all the ways she could hurt Derek for doing this to her. Before they went to bed last night Addison had told him 5 times not to forget to set the alarm after he left for work. She even wrote him a note, which she found on the floor while looking for her shoes. She grabbed all her stuff and flew out of the trailer like a bat out of hell, she had thrown her hair into a messy bun and had no make up on. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater that she had been wearing the night before. By the time she got to the ferry it was 9:30 and she was almost an hour late for work. She didn't bother getting out of her car for the trip across, instead she flipped down the visor and applied some make up and tried to do her hair. It took her another 15 minutes to get to the hospital in the rush hour traffic only to find that her patient was crashing. She did everything she could in the limited time she had but the woman and her child didn't make it. She was more angry than she had been in a long time, and there was only one person to blame and she was going to find him.

Derek was standing at the surgical floor nurses station with Bailey and her interns when he saw Addison walking towards him with a chilling look on her face.

"Hey Sweetie."

"Don't you hey sweetie me you stupid moron!" She had said it loud enough that everyone stopped what they were doing to turn and watch what was happening.

"Hey, there is no need..."

"Oh there is a need! Tell me, did you perhaps forget to do something for me this morning?"

"I don't think...Oh"

"Yeah Oh is right! Derek I missed my surgery!"

"Just schedule it another time. Its not that big a deal Addi." Addison practically strangled him right there.

"I can't reschedule Derek because SHE IS DEAD! I missed my surgery because you forgot to set the alarm again for me, after I reminded you 5 times and left you a fucking note!"

"Addison I'm sorry I wasn't thinking..."

"That's right you weren't thinking! In fact you never take the time to think about anything that has to do with me any more. Why did you even choose to stay with me if you aren't going to be with me! You can screw with my heart all you want but after that all I have is this job and you just successfully screwed that up for me too! I am probably going to get sued because of you."

Before Derek had a chance to respond the Chief walked up behind them.

"Addison, my office now!"

Addison gave Derek a hateful look and then turned on her heel and followed the Chief to his office. Everyone that had witnessed the argument couldn't believe that Derek had done that. They knew Addison was tough but the way she just dressed her own husband down was shocking.

Derek visibly shrunk down before he turned and kicked the garbage can beside him clear across the room and walked away.

An hour later the interns were standing around the nurses station once again when they saw Addison walking past dressed in clothes they never thought they would see her in. She was wearing jeans, flat boots and a sweater. Bailey walked up to her from the opposite direction.

"Where are you going?"

"I was suspended"

"What! For how long?"

"2 weeks right now but it could be longer depending on the action the family takes."

"He can't be serious. It wasn't your fault, you did tell him that right!"

"He's my husband, he may have ruined my career but I can't do the same to him."

"This is just...I don't even have the words. If you wont tell him I will. This hospital needs you!"

"Don't say a word Miranda please!"

Derek came down the hall towards them. People close by were pretending to do work, the relationship between the Shepherds was more gossip than the hospital could handle.

"Addison! What happened?"

"I was suspended Derek."

"What that's ridiculous! Why hasn't he called me into his office yet?"

"Because either way I missed my surgery. They died and there is nothing I can do about it. I don't see any point in taking you down with me, no matter how much I want to."

Derek looked down and shifted from foot to foot. Addison just shook her head at the whole situation.

"So where are you going?"

"To New York."

"What! Addison!"

"I'm going for 2 weeks. When I get back I am finding a new place to stay. Something with more than one plug for the entire unit. You can come with me or not right now I could care less."

Derek pulled Addison close to him. He placed his hand at the back of her neck pulling her closer and into his arms. She resisted at first but then succumb.

"Addi please know that I didn't purposefully do this to you. I know you reminded me but I never set out to hurt you I honestly forgot. Can you please stay with me? We can go house hunting tomorrow."

"I need some time Derek. I am just mad right now ok, I need some space...which is kind of funny because that the one thing you have given me lots of."

Derek just sighed knowing what she was saying was the truth.

"I am going to visit my family and some friends. I'll be at my parents house, I'll call you when I get there."

Addison pulled away to leave but Derek wouldn't let go.

"Derek..."

"Just...just know that I love you. I want you to come back home to me. I need you Addi, you are my soul mate, you are the love of my life. I love you." Derek pulled Addison close and gave her the most passionate kiss any of the onlookers had ever seen. Addison responded but pulled back before it got too heated. She kissed her fingers and then placed them on Derek's lips.

"I'll see you in two weeks"

With that she pushed her purse back onto her shoulder and headed out of the hospital without looking back.

Ok thats it for this chapter but please don't forget to give feedback. It may just make the next chapter happen sooner.