Title: Family Life
Summary: Just a fluffy snapshot of life in the Sloane and Shepard families a few years down the line.
Pairings: Maddison, Mer/Der, maybe others
"Addison Forbes Montgomery Sloane, what on earth do you think you're doing?"
At the sound of her name, Addison's eyes lifted from the screen of her computer to the man standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She slid her reading glasses down the bridge of her nose and arched a neatly plucked eyebrow.
"I'm checking my email," she answered hoarsely. "And what are you, Derek Michael Shepherd, doing in my kitchen?"
Derek flashed her his best charming smile as he sat on a stool opposite her. Addison closed her laptop and rested her elbows on either side of it, supporting her chin in her hands. She glared at him across the island.
"Don't look at me like that," Derek said, amused. "I'm only doing as I'm told. You should be in bed."
Addison opened her mouth to reply, but all that came out was a hacking cough, which turned into a coughing fit that she couldn't seem to stop. Derek smiled sympathetically and rose, crossing to the sleek silver refrigerator. He grabbed a bottle of water, opened it, and handed it to her.
"Mark's stuck in surgery," he explained while her breathing was stabilizing. "He asked me to come check on you."
Addison rolled her eyes. "I'm not a child, you know."
"Mommy! Mommy Mommy Mommy!"
Derek looked at the baby monitor sitting next to him on the island and smiled. "Speaking of children."
She was not amused as she stood up, using the countertop for leverage. Derek reached out and put a hand on her wrist.
"I'll go. You sit."
Addison sighed and sat back down on her stool as Derek jogged up the steps after her daughter. He found her standing up in her crib, still calling for her mother.
"Hey pumpkin," Derek said, lifting the redheaded two year old into his arms.
"Unca Derek!"
Derek grinned as he set her on his hip and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Did you have a nice nap?"
"Mmhmm. Where Mommy?"
"Mommy's downstairs, Em. Shall we go see her?" Emma smiled her adorable toddler smile and nodded vigorously, her beautiful curls bouncing up and down. "Did anybody ever tell you that you are the prettiest two year old girl in the whole world?"
"Daddy does!"
Derek laughed as he carried his niece down the stairs. "Well Daddy's right," he told her. "You're lucky you got your Mama's looks instead of your Daddy's," he added as they entered the kitchen.
Addison smiled, "Her Daddy tells her that too," she said, holding her arms out for her daughter. Derek deposited Emma in her lap.
"Hi Mommy!" Emma cried happily, wrapping her little arms around her mother.
"Hi baby. You are such a good girl. You took a nice long nap for Mommy, didn't you?"
"Mmhmm," Emma said, playing with Addison's hair. "I go play with Susie?"
"Of course." Addison set the little girl down on the ground and she toddled off to the playroom to find her favorite toy.
"Susie?" Derek questioned.
"It's her new obsession," Addison explained, stifling a cough. "It's an anteater."
"An anteater? Seriously?"
"Yep. Mark bought her a stuffed one when he went to Texas for that conference and it's been her favorite toy ever since."
"And she named it Susie?"
"She's two years old, Derek."
Derek laughed. "At least it's not a snake." His son was strangely fascinated by snakes, much to his mother's horror. Derek sighed as his pager went off. He looked down at it and frowned. "I've got to go, my craniotomy's awake. Are you going to be okay?"
"I'm fine, Derek. But thank you for checking on me."
He smiled and stood, dropping a platonic kiss on her forehead. He frowned. "You still have a fever, you know."
"I know. I am a doctor."
"Just take it easy, okay?" Derek said, taking in the dark circles under Addison's eyes and her pale face. "Mer gets off at three if you need anything."
Addison smiled. "You can inform my husband that I'm still breathing."
"I will," Derek called, pulling the front door shut behind him.
- -
"Hey," Derek said, sitting down across from Mark at a cafeteria table. They were both eating a late lunch that day, as it was nearly two o'clock.
"Hey. How is she?"
Derek smiled at the genuine concern etched on Mark's face. He only saw this side of Mark on the rare occasion when Addison got sick. "Cranky, as you predicted. But fine. I mean, as fine as she could be with the way she's feeling."
"Emma was behaving?"
"Yep. Playing with Susie. I can't believe you bought that kid an anteater," Derek chuckled.
Mark grinned. "She loves that thing. She's a strange kid."
"Well, how could she not be?" Derek teased.
"Thanks man thanks a lot," Mark said sarcastically. "But, in all seriousness, thank you. For checking on them. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome."
A/N: Well, there's your first chapter folks. I have at least one more ready to go, and I'm not opposed to writing more if people will read it. Let me know what you think...