This is my first one-shot I wrote it for Ilaria as a birthday present :) I really hope you enjoy it
The tittle is from Cyndi Lauper song, Time After Time
Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice, If I would you would be watching this on your tv
It has been a beautiful sunny day in Los Angeles, a very usual day just like the others. Inside of the Oceanside Wellness it wasn't quite of different, patients waking in and out to see the greatest and best looking doctors in LA, the doctor walking down the entire practice, the kitchen and their offices. Inside of every office the doctors were talking and checking their patients and dealing with their diseases.
But inside of Addison's office, no one was talking about medicine or something similar, which was the last thing on their mind at the moment. Addison and Sam were there having a serious talk, practically arguing.
Addison has been distant and indifferent the whole day, sometimes she might act really sceptic but today it seemed like there was actually something bothering her thoughts.
"Addison, you're not being yourself today and I can't help you if you don't share" Sam asked, starting to worry about her, for him be with Addison was a challenge but for Addison be with him it was still one of her ways to try to find the perfect relationship she always dreamed.
"For the thousand time this day, there is nothing wrong! You can't just be the perfect guy everyday, there are some things I just have to keep inside me and you don't need to know whatever is on my mind! So, forget it and get over it!" She contested furious, Sam has been asking her the same question since the morning and she was getting tired of the same old song every single minute of the day.
"You want me to get over it? Get over you? Us? That's your thing; you can't be in a good, a perfect relationship with a great man as I am because you always have to find a way to get rid of it, you're afraid to find your happiness Addison. It's time for you to decide what matters to you" He tried not to raise his voice to not make everyone to notice they were fighting
"You know what? I risked a lot to be with you! I almost loose my best friend for you and you still think that I don't mind? And if you do you're certainly not the kind of person I thought. And what's on my mind is nothing, just don't make a big deal about it"
"So, if it's nothing why can't you tell me?" He curiously asked holding her hand
"Okay, I'll tell you but you won't like it… Today was the 16 years anniversary of mine and Derek's wedding, that's all" She confessed knowing he would get mad and she was right, at the moment he heard those words he took his hand back.
"Are you serious? That's all? You have spent the day thinking about your ex-husband and all you can say is That's all? What if I tell you that I've been thinking about Naomi the entire day? Would you like that?" He furiously asked, he could not believe Addison just admitted she's been thinking about Derek
"No, I wouldn't because that would be weird because she is my best friend"
"So, It's okay for you to think about Derek the whole day but if I mention Naomi it is weird?"
"Exactly" She was getting mad, at first she wasn't thinking about Derek himself, she was just thinking about the wedding day itself.
"I can't talk to you if you're keeping that behaviour, I'm out of here, I'll see you later" He left the office, Addison just sat down behind her desk, took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down, she knew she didn't have to tell Sam.
In that exact same moment, Amelia walked into the office and immediately saw Addison's sad face
"Let me guess, problems in the paradise? Addie if I were sleeping with a guy like him I swear I would singing of joy like every second of the day"
"Amelia, please shut up! Do you know what day is today right?" She asked trying to make her remember about the wedding. Amelia checked her blackberry to be sure of the day.
"Is October 26th" She normally responded
"And you don't remember anything about this day?" She asked again
"Of course I do, October 26th of 1994, Sixteen years ago Derek married you, I would never forget about that day, it was really beautiful, I was like what? 12? But I still remember that day… Why are you asking anyway?"
"Nothing is just, I've been thinking about it all day, usually days like this I just get drunk, but now I'm with Sam and he got mad because of it"
"You get drunk to remember your marriage? Gee you two are divorce and still do the same thing, it's like you're meant for each other" Amelia realized she has spoken too much, Addison in the other hand smiled when she heard what Amelia said, Is Derek still grieving their failed marriage?
"Did you talk to him? He hates you, why'd he tell you that?" She asked trying not to ask if that was true, because if it does it'd make her really happy
"Okay, I'm sorry for have a good relationship with my brother, but don't worry, I'm sure he'd hate me again, eventually"
"Amelia!"
"Okay, he called me earlier and he might have mentioned the wedding thing one or twice" Addison immediately smiled
"What did he say?"
"He was just remembering stuff about that day and… Oh my God, I gotta go; I forgot I have something to do…" She stood up and went to the door "You should talk to him, I know he wouldn't mind"
I can't call him, he's with Meredith, they have what we once had, they're building the dreams we once dreamed, I prefer to keep him inside of the tiny box, it's just days like this make it really hard, she thought.
Dealing with her messy thoughts she decided to go home, one place when she though she wouldn't think about Derek, but she was wrong again she was having the most beautiful memory on her mind, her wedding day, she remembered how nervous she was, how Derek started to freak out because she was 5 minutes late, every second of that day was really beautiful and the happiest day of her life.
Flashback, 16 years ago. October 26th of 1994
At the moment she walked into the altar next to the Captain Montgomery she could admire how beautiful was the church, the decoration, the people whispering how beautiful she was, but she wasn't exactly paying attention to those details, the first and only person she saw was Derek, he looked incredibly handsome with his tux, his hair was better than ever, in his ayes she could see how happy he was, he was nervous so did she, but he looked really cute, even if he was shaking at the moment he saw her.
When The Captain finally gave her away to him, she could barely see their parents crying of happiness, all of Derek's sisters smiling and whispering that hey were the greatest couple ever and Addison's maid of honor, Naomi happily smiling for both of her friends; just like Derek's best men, Mark.
During the whole ceremony, she could barely hear the minister talking, she was too busy looking at Derek and how in just few minutes they would be husband and wife.
Her favourite part of the ceremony was starting, the vows, she couldn't wait to hear Derek's vows, she knew he probably had a hard time writing it but she knew every word he would say was gonna be real, and he started saying:
"I, Derek, take you Addison, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children and my wife. I will be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you for everyday until eternity"
Addison was trying to hold her tears, she couldn't believe how lucky she was for marry that guy, but now was her turn to say her vows.
"I, Addison, take you Derek, to be my lawfully husband, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and our friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in good times and in bad times, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you, cry with you, and cherish you as long as we both shall live"
The look on Derek face was priceless, she could swear he was crying after hear her vows and probably he was, but he would never admit it.
After the minister said "Now I pronounce you husband and wife" He kissed her, it was the best kiss ever for both, they were now officially married and the wanted to show everyone there how happy they were in that moment.
After the ceremony, they went to the reception to keep celebrating their union, all of their friends were starting to get drunk just like their families, both Addison and Derek were sitting next to each other in a big table
"Honey, I got a present for you" He whispered to her ear, she was curious, what present can be better than being just married. She saw how Mark, Sam and Archer followed by Derek with his guitar went to the stage and took.
"Ladies and Gentleman, first I wanna thank you for being here tonight, my wife and I are really graceful for all of you being here celebrating our love, second, How lucky I am for being the husband of Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery-Shepherd, she's the most beautiful woman alive, and I'm sorry ladies but she is, but anyway, we all know that, I'm right here with my friends because they helped me to write a song for here and we're gonna sing it now, I hope you like it babe!" Addison was too excited so was everyone else
Addison Montgomery, I met her in the summer she, was cutting up a very dead body, but in her eyes I saw my life I knew that she would be my wife, and she would bring the life back into me, for everyday until eternity or until I'll be as dead as that body
In that moment everyone, even their parent could swear that they were gonna last forever, they were young and in love and had a future together, it was everybody's dream.
End of the flashback
"Am I interrupting?" Amelia asked, seeing Addison outside her house with a big glass of red wine
"No, it's okay, I was just thinking, Are you going out?" Addie asked
"Yes, but I have someone on the phone who really wants to talk to you" Amelia gave her the phone and left, the first thing Addison saw the number on the screen, a very familiar one, Derek's, she really wanted to talk to him.
"Hey Derek" She said closing her eyes
"Addie, how are you? Amy called me and told me you wanted to talk to me" Addison thought about killing Amelia for a second
"She did that? No, no I don't, It's nothing…" There was an awkward silence
"Addie, I don't know how to ask you this, but I'm just gonna say it, I've been thinking about it the whole day, do you still remember that day right?" He asked expecting to get the answer he wanted to hear
"I've been thinking about it the whole day too, I would never forget that day Derek, even if we have 50 years of getting divorce, I wouldn't forget it" He smiled even though she couldn't see him
"Me neither, I'm glad you remember… We were really happy didn't we?"
"Yes, we were" Addie simply said "And young, stupid and in love" she added
"Yeah, sometimes I wish we would have stay like that forever" Derek said and there was another long silence
"Do you ever think how we would be right now if we weren't divorced?" Derek asked, probably being out of line but there was a melancholic day for both of them
"Sometimes, I think we were fighting right now because one of us would have an emergency surgery and we'd miss our reservations" Both laughed "What about you?" She asked
"Sometimes, I think by this time we would have our own kids and they would've been beautiful, with my hair and your eyes, the perfect match of us, we would have our own little family and a big house, fighting for every stupid thing on our way, but still insanely happy" Derek confessed with his voice starting to break, Addison couldn't help but cry, she always had that image on her mind too.
"I guess we'll never know that" She said, trying to hide the fact she was crying
"No, we won't" Derek said "But Addie, even though we're divorced and we have both moved on with our lives I want you to know I'll always love you, and you'll always be my Addie even if our time together is over"
"Sixteen years ago we didn't even know about the word divorce, and just for you know, I'll will always love you too Derek, even though we won't be together anymore"
"It really means a lot to me hear that from you, now I have to go, it was really nice to talk to you, especially a day like this, take care ok?"
"I will, It was really nice to talk to you, I gotta go too, take care"
Amelia was behind Addison, she couldn't notice she was there, she listened Addison talking and she knew she needed to talk to him to get over this day "They're so meant to be" Amelia said to herself
Both Addison and Derek hung up the phone and even though they were miles away they were feeling the same way, and they were happy for that, if they were still together probably now they would be a great happy couple or probably they would be one of those couple who are always fighting and trying to kill each other but sadly they'd never know.
So, what do you think? ILARIA HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I really hope you like this! I must be studying for Roman Law but I decided to write this instead.. Please review :)