"Derek" she whispers it uncertainly.

"Why are you crying?" he can't help the sharpness

"I'm okay," hastily because she fears annoyance and judgment, maybe even resentment is embedded in that tone

"No, Addie, you're not," and just like that he knows her again

"I miss you," quiet, shameful and so very real.

"Yeah," he doesn't reciprocate, but she doesn't know if she wants that

"I want to stop missing you, how long?" Addison isn't someone who is usually this dramatic.

"How long?" He's confused.

"How long will it be you that is always there, I can't even move on with someone who adores me," she is annoyed about this and it's very clear.

Derek can either ask about the guy or focus on her and he manages to be the grown up, "I know it is hard Addie, but you and I have been finished for a while."
Addison fights back a sob, "I know," and she does.

"Are you going to be okay?" He's still worried.
"I'm going to go sleep," she throws back the rest of her wine wishing in her heart that it was something stronger.

"Easy on the wine" and she almost drops her glass.

"What, what did you say," she hates how she stammers

"Go easy on that bottle of wine," he repeats himself and she finds that she can't speak

"Good night Addie," he finally says breaking the stunned silence
"Good night," and she closes her phone allowing her tears to flow.

"Derek?" Meredith's smiling face appears in his doorway and he wipes his face clean as he meets her smile with his own.

Meredith often wonders, and this is one of those times, how she found him. He is tall, handsome and perfectly toned, not to mention very talented. Lately it feels as though she's losing him and she doesn't want that. She's unclear about what the future holds, but one without him no longer seems plausible.

"Are you okay?" She focuses on his face which is now marred by concern.

"Dinner is going to be simple, stir fry" she says finally.

"Sure, I'll be right in to cook it up," and he means it. At his attentive response, she turns to go, but hesitates before leaving, "how's Addison?"

"She's fine, just overtired and stressed from settling in there," he lies so easily that she finds herself believing it. Maybe it's just because she wants to.

He turns off the desk light and follows her to the kitchen.

Addison puts the glass and bottle by the sink and makes her way up the steps. She may have thrown her rings in the Sound, but that doesn't mean all the memories have been drowned. The wedding pictures are still packed, in her closet under many boxes, but suddenly she needs to see one particular framed set, and so she frantically starts rooting through box after box. She starts crying again when she finds the elegant double picture frame. Staring at their faces, she has no idea how she could have been that happy. Derek is beaming and suddenly its ten years ago.

Flashback

"You looked stunning walking towards me," he is being so tender with her. They are both ambitious people and therefore although they are in love, they are also equals and they work like an efficient team. This means that sometimes, even in daily life, there's an edge and a rushed feeling to their lives. Addison knows this and sometimes despises it, but this is their day and it shows in his eyes and mannerisms that he feels the same way.

"You look very handsome yourself," she plants a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Get a room," Mark Sloan appears looking grossed out.

"Oh please," Derek grins at his best friend.

"You make a very striking couple," Mark speaks what they both are sometimes painfully aware of. At the hospital they sometimes turn the heads of patients as they walk step by step through the hallways. Their colleagues are jealous, jealous of Derek and Addison.

"Go away," Addison tells Mark jokingly and he actually concedes heading towards one of her bridesmaids. Addison groans and turns her eyes back to Derek.

"It's time for pictures" they are pulled out of their affectionate exchange by the photographer. They pose with so many people that Addison starts to feel overwhelmed and Derek calmly signals they have had enough.

"Just a few of you two," and the clicking continues. Addison feels her smile broaden as she daydreams about the life before her and that helps.

"Okay we're done," and thankfully Addison hands her flowers to her maid of honor and takes Derek's arm heading for the reception room for some food.

Part way through the meal, the chimes of glasses signal for a display of affection and she grins as her lips meet Derek's, she feels shamelessly eager.

"Well," Derek's eyes are laughing at her and she does blush a little bit. "I just can't get enough of you," it's true and he gently pushes a strand of her red hair back from her face.

"Same here" he leans in again and Mark lets out a loud groan.

"It's time for the first dance," the announcement startles her and Derek stands holding out his hand. She takes it rising to join her new husband. As he leads them towards the dance floor, he turns his head around to look backwards at her and his smile makes her whole body feel warm, she's amazed that her body hasn't started to glow a special heavenly light and she can't wait to be swept up in his arms.

End flashback

Addison stares at the two pictures, the first is the formal one where she is getting tired, but the second one, taken with a simple disposable camera on their table, somehow captured that three second glance and shows both their faces as they walked to the floor. The intense emotions of joy and love that dominate her memory when she thinks of that day are captured on film forever. She slowly puts the frame on her nightstand and goes to open another bottle of wine. It's perhaps a bit ironic that the picture was taken by Mark Sloan and that the frame containing the two pictures was his gift to them for their 10th wedding anniversary.

Flashback

"Sorry I'm late," he looks annoyed and hassled. Addison bites her tongue managing to stop the short retort.

"I'm glad you're here," and she is.

"Mark gave this to us as a gift," he puts it on the table and she wonders if he'll kiss her hello.

He glances at the menu, "do you know what you want," and her heart begins to break.

"Derek," her voice causes him to look up, "it's our night."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I'm late," he misses her point and she feels silly that she is still looking for him to acknowledge her. She can't explain out loud.

Dinner is a tense affair, not like she'd hoped, but he is here.

"This is for you," her heart leaps and he presents her with a slender box. The card is simple, "to my wife, love always Derek." The necklace is beautiful and she is grateful he didn't completely forget.

"Let's open Mark's," she is eager to see what the womanizer came up with.

He opens the card first.

"Derek and Addison, may each moment reflect what one lens captured so clearly. I'm not a professional, but with two, it clearly didn't matter. Best wishes Mark"

Derek raised his eyebrows, "right then."

He lets her open it sipping on his wine as he watches. When she sees the pictures she can't speak, they're stunning. She hands it to Derek feeling her stomach churn.

He stares as well, "wow," the pictures remind them simultaneously of a time exactly ten years ago as they walked to the dance floor.

Derek drains the rest of his wine and gently sets down his glass.

"Addie," she meets his eyes and sees for the first time emotion there that has been absent so long.

"Dance with me," and he stands holding out his hand. She takes it and they walk again to the floor.

End flashback

She remembers all the other gifts, but none of them were like Mark's. His pictures reminded them for a moment of their bond. That night was the last time she ever felt it. Time ran out shortly after that and her heart finished breaking.