A/N: Clearly I need to be starting more things, right? But look! An outline. Magic. We'll be seeing Mark in the next part but I wanted to give a taste of Kevin/Addison land in this section. My thanks to Hannah for reading through and helping me out. All titles will belong to The Six Parts Seven. Enjoy-

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Simplicity is Almost Enough
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Addison watches the morning light break through the wooden slats of her bedroom blinds. The sun carves its way into the sky, taking with it the reminders of another uneventful night wasted. On her left is a man she loves, a man who loves her. Down the hall is a daughter. Further down the hall is a relatively new son. The dawn awakens them all the same. Soon it will be frenzied voices and flailing arms calling, reaching out for homemade lunches and bidding farewells of good luck on your spelling test and honey, call me on your lunch if you get a chance.

She brushes the thoughts aside, pulling herself from bed a whole twelve minutes earlier than normal, twelve minutes that she desperately feels she'll need today in order to regroup and find the happy place. Most of the time her Tuesdays don't begin this way but more often than not these last few weeks it seems that the ten or so minutes she can scrape out of her sleeping routine is absolutely necessary to life.

Toothbrush, green. Toothpaste, full of tiny granules and mint. Towel for shower, brown and posed ready for action. The hot water hits her skin causing angry red patches but she absorbs it like a sponge and takes the tingling in stride.

Then she counts it down. She has time to shampoo, condition and begin working up a good lather on her warm flesh before Kevin will join her. They enjoy their morning showers. It allows time to reconnect and just simply be. She smirks when he steps into the cascading water at the precise time she predicted. He grabs the soap and sleepily helps her with the never ending task of coming clean because for some reason her children are the messiest in the world. He massages gently, taking time to enjoy her every body part, before kissing her neck in that one spot for a few seconds.

Then he moves down. Then up to her ear. The perfect dance that never ceases to leave her hot and bothered. When it's time she'll give a little pout and whine and try and wrap a leg around his waist but he'll insist on letting her have another type of pleasure first.

"Kevin-" he hums lightly against her center in response and for a brief moment she forgets entirely what she was doing, "I want - you."

"Already?" He asks teasingly. She nods and he lets out a small laugh and remarks about how impatient she is this morning; a morning seemingly just like all the others.

He'll oblige and she'll pretend that sliding up against the cool tile is what she wanted. She'll make believe that she is a good wife, a good mother, and then she'll explode, he'll follow suit shortly after and then they will get on with the regularly scheduled program.

Every second exactly as it was the second before, exactly as it is supposed to be.

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"Think it's postpartum?" Addison asks very seriously flipping through the cupboards in the practice's kitchen, trying to find the last of the peanut butter.

"Addison, Kale is two years old."

"Late onset?" Addison finally finds the well used jar, stuffed back behind the bread and reaches around to find a spoon. "Mid life crisis?"

"What's wrong?" Violet grumbles and falls into a chair with a pointed look.

"Nothing," She smiles and shovels the goop into her mouth, "Nothing, everything is great."

"Then what's the big deal?"

"I don't know." Addison shakes her head. Sometimes she feels absolutely insane.

She's happy. She's got the man, the family, the career, the house. It's all there. Most of the time she chalks it up to having nothing to reach for, no firm goals in place for just herself to go after.

"It's okay to question it all sometimes." Violet says softly, recognizing the freaked out look on her face too well.

Addison finds her own seat and sighs loading the spoon with more magic, "It's just...sometimes it's all too perfect." Violet raises her brow in silent disagreement, "We fight from time to time but it's not anything that's going to wreck us and Kevin always apologizes, even when he didn't do anything and I'm being crazy. And the kids fight. And sometimes we forget who is supposed to pick up who and I yell when Kevin wants to try for another because we already have a freakin' zoo and I don't know if I have it in me to go through all of that a third time but...it's perfect in the oddest way."

"That's a good thing." Violet reminds her suddenly, wishing she had that same story to tell about her own life. Instead, she needs to attend Charlotte and Cooper's baby shower at the end of the week and pretend she hasn't been in love with her best friend for the last seven years.

"Yeah." Addison grins, "It really is."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think you might be just a touch self-destructive." Addison grimaces, "It's not something you can't live with just," Violet shrugs trying to think of a better term and then gives up, "don't be an idiot."

"That's your professional opinion?" Addison scowls. She really didn't think she was that obvious.

"Yes." She squeezes the redhead's shoulder as she stands, "The world doesn't need more idiots and you're above it. You have a wonderful life Addison, live it and stop letting the annoying idea that it is going to fall apart at any second drive you batty."

"Thanks Violet." She needed that. Beyond needed that. Reassurance is good every once in a while.

"No problem. See you at Coop's thing?"

"Yeah, we'll be there, kids and all."

"Yippee."

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"Will you think about it at least?" Kevin grumbles later that week, climbing into bed and pushing his toes out until the corners of his side untuck. Eventually through out the night he'll undo all of Addison's hard morning work and she'll be forced to curl up around him to keep her normally cold feet warm.

"I have thought about it, a lot." Addison replies and fumbles around in her bedside drawer to find her reading glasses.

"I like making babies with you." He grins and rolls over, his bare chest skimming her forearm as she settles in with another article she should have caught up on last week. Unfortunately, play dates and late dinners aligned with difficult bath times and a flu virus that spread through her house like the plague, all of it making work too much of a difficulty to care about.

"Technically, Naomi does most of that work."

"You know what I meant."

Addison sighs when his fingers begin to dance over her purple clad stomach, "It's a big thing."

"I know that. We have two already, it's not like we don't know what we're getting into."

"And what if I can't?" She asks, though the conversation has been had more than once already in their past, it seems to be something he brings up with more frequency the last several months. "There's a very real possibility that I'm done and-"

"And I will love you no matter what." Kevin kisses her temple to ward off any feelings of guilt or responsibility because surprisingly, even to himself, he seems to understand when things get too real or uncomfortable and he's proud that he can settle her neurotic mannerisms. "Wouldn't you like another?"

"Yeah." Addison lets herself dream for just a second, a split moment of a large family and a dog and hamster running loose over the floor, "But maybe only one more."

"I'm good with what we have Addie."

"Then-"

"Because it feels right. I can't explain it. I just know that I want another screaming, puking mess that turns you into an emotional wreck and makes sure that I don't get enough sleep to be one hundred percent at my job everyday."

"Oh, well when you put it like that." She bites her lip as he begins to tease under her rips, daring the laughter to emerge.

"I think," he pauses next to her ear and drops his voice, "we should probably start trying right now."

"Really?" Addison eggs.

"Nine out of ten doctors would probably agree."

She chuckles a little, never ceasing to be amazed by the little things he can say to flip the conversation on its ear and turn her attitude around. When she pushes against his chest and straddles his hips she's reminded of all the fascinating things that still happen day in and day out.

Maybe it's not all schedules and routines. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe Violet had a point.

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"You think it's a bad idea, you think it's too soon?" Addison asks anxiously having caught Naomi alone for just a brief second in the empty doorway of Cooper's new house. "I'm too old. I'm all-"

"Hold on." Naomi shakes her head, "Give me time to process before you freak out."

"Kale is only two. It's too soon." She nods to her son, currently amused by the large pile of wrapping paper Kevin has set him in.

"Bryher was only two when you got pregnant again. It's not too soon. Do you want this Addison?"

She pauses. Not enough for anyone to notice, "I do," she nods, "I just don't want to get my hopes up, I don't want my husband to get his hopes up. I need to make sure this is still an option."

"Then we'll do it on Monday after hours, okay?"

"Yeah." Addison mentally throws a note out to herself to make sure that Dell can stay late and watch her kids for a few minutes.

"Hug?" Naomi asks, already aware of the answer.

"Please."

She wraps her arms tightly around her friend and inhales the scent of support and love. It probably shouldn't be this terrifying.

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Addison looks down at Kevin, tangled in the soft blue blanket that usually lives on the end of the couch, body protecting both their son and daughter from carelessly falling onto the ground.

"Mama. Sit." Kale demands, patting the cushion harshly, liking the control he has. He started the "no" phase at sixteen months and it is not showing any signs of disappearing. Kevin blames Addison for his bossy side. Secretly she finds it adorable.

She slips onto the end of the sofa and pulls the redheaded boy into her lap, nuzzling his sweet smelling head under her chin. "What are we watching buddy?"

"We're watching Daddy's work." Bryher peeps up and then turns back to the screen.

"Kev-"

"I promised her Add. Just five minutes and then we'll go back to whatever mind numbing educational cartoon we were watching." And he is just as wrapped around his daughter's finger as he is around Addison's. But he likes it all just the same.

"Okay." Addison relents and toys with her son's striped shirt. She tugs it down over his smooth stomach when it gets bunched up and lets her eyes well with the tears that will never be cried. She doesn't care about watching Cops, especially if it will get Bryher off her back about why she never gets to go to Daddy's work after school and why she is consistently stuck at the practice with Uncle Dell and Aunt Nae. It's only kindergarten and she's already proven to be a difficult charge to find daycare for.

When they hit five minutes Addison plucks both children off the couch telling the eldest she has an hour before bedtime to go play and informing the youngest that he should go see his firetruck across the room for a few minutes. "I got the tests back today..." She says softly, instantly grabbing his attention, something she has never had to fight to attract or hold on to.

"Ok." He smiles hopefully.

"Naomi- we don't think that it..."

"Honey-"

"I can't." Addison sputters, unable to finish off the sentence.

"That's okay," he pulls her into his lap, stroking her flame colored locks and turning her head away from Kale just in case she wants to cry a little, "Now we know."

"I'm sorry."

"It was never your fault. We're lucky to have what we have. This is not...a bad thing, okay?" He tilts her head upward and presses his lips to the bridge of her nose. "I love you."

"I-"

"Barren and all." He fills in quickly, sensing the impending tidal wave.

"Love you too." She murmurs through sniffles and calmed tears so as not to alarm the toddler ten feet away.

Love never had a thing to do with any of it. When he tightens his hold the suffocation begins all over again. She slams her eyes closed, repeating over and over how wonderful it is, given everything she's been through, that there is a man who willingly stepped up and stood by her side. Through the good and bad, thick and thin, sickness and in health.

She can't breathe.

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The days, weeks, and solid month following the discovery were strained and Addison did nothing to ease the discomfort. She simply picked up an extra shift on Saturdays claiming something about saving money for Christmas, though they both knew it was completely unnecessary as she works for fun more than anything else, and he nodded and rearranged his shifts so that he worked a twenty-four hour shift on Thursday and could have Saturday off to be with he kids until she got home.

On the fourth Saturday Kevin gave up. He gave in a little to the nagging feeling in the back of his mind and decided to ask what was wrong. Of course the answer was nothing and he had to press harder. The temper flared, a shoe was very nearly thrown and both children, a room away, started crying in fear when they raised their voices.

He was left to deal with the damage explaining that it happens sometimes and that everything would be fine, even if he didn't quite believe it himself.

Twenty minutes later, after cleaning up the dinner hardly touched by anyone and making sure that television remote was up high enough for neither one of his children to see, he hiked up the stairs, set the baby gate so Kale wouldn't travel out of the safe zone, and walked into their bathroom without having the courtesy to knock.

"What is your problem?"

She glares in response and refuses to lift her eyes from the bubbles in the bathtub. She strips away her robe and touches a toe to the water, experimenting to make sure she can handle the level of scalding water.

She feels hands on her hips, she notes the cool counter pressing against the back of her legs. "Don't."

"Tell me what's wrong." Kevin urges, loosing his edge and releasing her skin, still unable to get completely over the idea of taking her right here, right now in the bathroom while both of the kids are still awake.

"Move." She orders, finding it impossible to get around him. She steps to the left, he steps to the right and vice versa. There will be no getting out of this. "There's nothing wrong."

"Something is wrong." He corrects and shuffles to the side when she tries to escape again. "If you tell me-"

"It is nothing." She says painfully slow.

"Did I do something that I am unaware of? Did Kale get his hands on your favorite Manolos again?" He questions after learning the importance of shoes very early on in their relationship and the last time his son destroyed something it was because he wasn't watching him closely enough. And he has vowed to never let that happen again.

"No, you're fine, he's fine. It's all great Kevin."

"You don't want to talk fine. I'm done trying to be your husband right now." He storms out leaving her under the warm bathroom lights and hoping that her bathwater is still as inviting as it was five minutes ago.

~-~-~-~-~-~

"I'm sorry." She volunteers later that week, as he slips into bed at four in the morning.

"You're awake." He mumbles, already exhausted by his long shift.

"And sorry." She adds. He rolls over and snuggles up to her, her hair getting trapped beneath both of them.

"It's fine. Sleep."

"No, it's not fine."

"It's fine for now Addie. It's four in the morning and my eyes are not going to stay away for much longer. Just sleep. Sleep with me." He jokes.

She twists around, trying to make out his features in the dark, light creeping in under the door from the hallway. "Sometimes I just...get that way."

"I know." He says softly.

"Ok, I am sorry though."

"Me t-"

"No, just me this time." Addison tells him, silencing his attempt. Ten minutes later, coming down off her three glasses of wine and overtired state of being she announces, "I get scared."

"Of?" He murmurs half awake.

"Us. This. I wonder when it's all going to fall down."

"It's not." He counters, sensing no sleep on the horizon and a truckload of insecurity about to bubble over.

"Don't you ever get scared?"

"No." He says quickly.

"Oh." She scoots farther under the blankets, tangling their legs together, smooth skin on comforting hair.

"We're fine Addison and we're going to be fine for the rest of our lives."

She's never sure how he can be so certain about so many things but it is helpful nonetheless, "I know," and deep down she does. They could be together till they die and still be happy. "It feels too...perfect."

He laughs a little, remembering all their spats, "We are not perfect."

"No, yeah...not like that...just it's all too good to be true."

He smiles against her cheek and curses all the people that have screwed up this wonderful woman, "It does seem that way sometimes," he admits.

"For you too?" Addison says anxiously. Maybe she isn't going out of her mind for nothing.

"Sure. There's a lot of bad in the world and then, what we've got seems so...but I'm never going to let that go away. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Stop worrying and sleep." Kevin tells her, nudging her a little closer and holding her a little tighter than he would've in the weeks before. It's a bit illogical and woman-like but he gets it and they talked about it so he can rest easy now.

"Thank you."

When the light peeks in through the blinds the next morning, telling her it's time for their shower, she merely turns over and reaches for him. Every second their bodies pushed together exactly how she wants it to be because it's right. Because this is what right is supposed to feel like when you have gotten everything you ever wanted out of life.

The only problem is she still can't quite breathe without feeling like her airway is compromised, like somewhere along the way she forgot all the things she really wanted and compromised.

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