A/N: Whoa there, I actually like one of my own stories, this doesn't happen often! Please please review and let me know if you like it too! Love Kelly :)
Chapter 2 - Swings & Daisy Chains
~x~
"Hey" Addison smiled as she met Derek and Katie in the car park outside of the fast food restaurant where they had eaten "Oh my god Katie did you actually get Derek to eat fast food?"
"Yeah I've changed in the past 3 months Addie, but not that much" Derek said with a laugh "So, how'd it go?"
"I have to give him a chance Derek, it's not his fault I didn't, y'know"
"Yeah" Derek said quietly "Right Katie" he said crouching down to her level "I'm gonna call you soon ok? I want you to tell me all about what you do this summer, and 1st grade, I wanna know all about 1st grade"
"Actually" Addison started "We're staying, for 6 weeks, until school starts"
"We are?" Katie said excitably.
"We are" Addison smiled "Uncle Richard needs Mommy to do some more work at the hospital, so we're staying for a little longer, now give Derek a big hug and get in the car for me sweetie"
"Ok" Katie smiled, she hugged Derek tightly and kissed his cheek "I love you Derek"
"I love you too sweetie, I'll see you soon ok?"
"Ok" Katie smiled, she gave him one last hug before letting herself into Addison's rental car.
"So, you're staying?"
"For 6 weeks, I'm going to tell her about Alex tonight, and we're spending the day with him tomorrow, I wasn't going to stay but, I have to give him a chance, and in 6 weeks time, I don't know what's going to happen, but, he deserves a chance"
"Yeah, he does" Derek said softly "I'm sorry Addison, for the way things turned out, I've, I've been thinking about what you said and, I wasn't a good husband, the past year I've been…."
"We've all made mistakes Derek, I just hope, we can be friends, for Katie's sake at least"
"For Katie's sake" Derek said softly, he kissed Addison's cheek softly before heading to his car.
~x~
"Katie sweetie, Mommy needs to talk to you about something" Addison said as she tucked Katie into bed that night.
"Ok" Katie smiled "What's up Mommy? We're, we're still staying a little longer right?"
"We are" Addison smiled "I wanted to talk to you about, your Daddy"
"My, my Daddy? Like, my real Daddy? Not my Derek Daddy"
"Your real Daddy" Addison said softly "You see the thing is Katie, your real Daddy, he lives in Seattle too"
"He does?"
"He does" Addison smiled "His name is Alex Karev, he works at the hospital, he's the man Mommy was talking to today, before Derek took you for dinner, that was him, that was your Daddy"
"Does he, know about me, I mean, because, if he knows then, why haven't I met him before? Did he, not want to meet me?"
"He didn't know until today" Addison sighed "That's my fault, and Mommy will explain when you're a lot older, but your Daddy, he really wants to meet you so tomorrow, he's going to meet us downstairs, and we're going to spend the day together, how does that sound?"
"Is he nice? As nice as Derek?"
"He is" Addison smiled "You look a lot like him y'know, your eyes, they're a lot like his eyes"
"I'm, I'm really nervous Mommy" Katie said shakily "What, what if he doesn't like me?"
"Oh honey he'll love you, he already does love you, you're his daughter, and he'll be just as nervous as you sweetie, close your eyes Katie, get some rest, I love you baby girl" she smiled kissing her forehead softly.
"I love you too Mommy" Katie yawned.
~x~
"Hey" Addison said quietly as she approached Alex in the lobby at The Archfield, Katie holding her hand tightly.
"Hi" he said with a nervous smile.
"So uh, Katie, this is Alex, your, your Daddy, Alex, this is Katie, Katherine Alexandra Forbes Montgomery" Addison said with a small smile.
"Hi" Katie said quietly.
"Hi Katie" Alex smiled "I was thinking, maybe we could go to the park, would you like that?"
"Ye...yes" Katie smiled.
"Ok" Alex smiled back "It's just 10 minutes down the street" he said looking to Addison.
"Let's get going then" Addison smiled, they made their way out of the building, when they reached the park Alex hung back a little and watched as Addison pushed Katie on the swings, he felt out of place, like he didn't deserve to be there, he didn't even know what to say to her, his daughter, or Addison, he hadn't got a clue what to say or do, so he just watched.
"Alex" Addison called out to him, waving him over, he walked closer to them, his hands in the pockets of his jacket, Addison stepped away from Katie, letting her swing a little "I was thinking, we passed a sandwich place on the way up here, how about I go and get us some lunch, and you stay here with Katie"
"I uh, are, are you sure?" he stuttered.
"I'm throwing you in at the deep end Karev" Addison smirked "She's harmless, and just as nervous as you"
"She's nervous?" Alex asked.
"She thinks you won't like her" Addison said quietly "I told her otherwise of course, I've ruined her Alex, I've kept her away from you and I can't even tell her why, she asks all the time but, she'll never understand, sometimes I don't even understand"
"I know" Alex said quietly "Go, we'll be fine"
"Ok" Addison said with a small smile "Katie"
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to go and get us some food, you stay here with your Dad ok?"
"Um, ok" Katie nodded.
"I'll be back soon sweetie" Addison said kissing her cheek "You'll be fine" she whispered to Alex as she kissed his cheek, she squeezed his hand a little before leaving.
"Da….Daddy" Katie stuttered "Can you push me?"
"Sure" Alex smiled, his heart doing a little flip as she called him Daddy.
~x~
Half an hour after Addison had left she walked back over towards the playground, she smiled softly as she spotted Alex and Katie sitting on the grass cross-legged and facing each other, she let out a slight laugh as she spotted daisy chains around Alex's neck, she stepped closer towards them, stopping when she heard their voices, hiding a little by a tree.
"Daddy" Katie started "I, I asked Mommy why I haven't met you before and she said, she said she'll explain when I'm older but, she says that every year and every year I get older and I still don't know and, most kids know their Dads forever and, I only met you, today, and, and why? Why didn't I meet you til today?"
"Before you were born, before Mommy even knew about you, me and your Mommy, we loved each other very much…."
"Like Mommy and Derek used to? Were, were you married to my Mommy? Cuz most Mommy's and Daddy's are married"
"No, we weren't married, but we loved each other like Mommy and Derek used to, I loved your Mommy a lot Katie, but, I did something to upset your Mommy, I really made her sad, I didn't mean too but, I made a mistake, so when your Mommy found out about you, she didn't want to speak to me, because I'd made her so sad, and she is sorry for not telling me about you, she's really sorry, just like I'm sorry for making her sad, but now, now we all know the truth, so we can start again, I really want to be your Daddy Katie, because I love you, you're my little girl and I love you, and I really hope you'll love me too" Katie moved over to Alex and sat down in the middle of his lap, her small arms coming around his body, Alex kissed the top of her head softly, he looked up and spotted Addison watching them.
"Thank you" she mouthed, Alex merely nodded and smiled.
~x~
"Thank you for today" Addison said quietly as she stepped into the elevator at The Archfield with Alex who held a sleeping Katie against him.
"Thank you for today" Alex said softly "She's a great kid Addie, she's just, so amazing, she's funny and smart and beautiful and just, amazing"
"Yeah" Addison smiled "She really is, I guess I didn't screw her up that much huh?"
"I guess not" Alex said with a slight laugh as they stepped out of the elevator and towards Addison's room, she opened the door and led them through the large living area, gesturing to the bedroom, Alex walked in and pulled back the bed covers and lay Katie down, he slipped off her shoes and pulled the covers over her, he sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his thumb against her cheek, he leaned in and kissed her forehead softly, he stood up and walked over to where Addison stood at the door, she smiled softly at him and closed the bedroom door, they walked over and sat down on the sofa.
"So" Addison breathed "How are you?"
"I'm, really good" Alex smiled "She's so great Addison, I didn't know if, we'd get along or, I know this sounds stupid but, I didn't know if I could love her like she was my daughter, I just, I was scared but, the minute I saw her this morning Addie I just, it was like this overwhelming, insane feeling of love, and I, I hate that I didn't know about her, that I've missed the first 6 years of her life, that some other guy saw everything I should've seen, but I, I know there's so much more to come, I get to see so much more and I just, can't wait" he finished with a breath.
"I'm so sorry" Addison whispered tearfully "I'm so so sorry" she said wrapping her arms around him "I'm so sorry" she sobbed.
"It's ok" Alex whispered into her hair, his arms holding her close to him "It's ok Addie, you were just, you were trying to protect her, you were doing what any other Mom would do, you protected your child, I'm sorry, for hurting you, god Addison, I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am"
"I shouldn't have, thrown you out like that, you hurt me but, you were all I had, you and Amber, and Aaron, you were my family, and I just cut you out, I cut them out, you did hurt me, you broke my heart, and I couldn't stay with you but, I shouldn't have cut them out, and I shouldn't have, stopped you from seeing Katie, I'm sorry" she sniffled "Are they, how have they been? Really Alex, honestly, how have they been?"
"Amber didn't speak to me for 2 months, I had my 10 year old sister ignoring me" he said with a slight laugh "Aaron wasn't too happy with me either, he said, how can you let the best thing that's ever happened to us go over some slutty one night stand" he said quietly "They went into foster care a couple more times, I tried to stop it but, because I couldn't afford to take them on, we had no choice, but I made sure they stayed together. My Mom, she's still a mess, I send them money every month, I call them once a week, Amber emails me pretty much every day, she's so grown up Addie, she's 16, and doing great in high school, so much better than I did, she could be anything she wants to be, they want to come out and see me, Aaron said he'd get some time off work and drive them out but, I put them off because work is just so, I'm there all the time, I hardly ever get time off, I said I'd go out there after the intern year's done, I have 2 weeks so…."
"Is it too late to get them out here?" Addison asked.
"Well no, I guess not, it's summer vacation for Amber too so, I guess not"
"They've missed out on time with Katie too" Addison said guiltily "Get them out here"
"Ok, I'll call them in the morning" Alex said with a small smile "Well, I should go, I have pre-rounds in the morning, hey, d'you think we should, tell the Chief?"
"I'll tell the Chief" Addison said with a laugh "He was my resident, but he was more like my father y'know?"
"Wow" Alex laughed "What about, about your real Dad, and your Mom and brother, did, did you ever talk to them again?"
"They know about Katie, my Mom and Dad have met her once, when she was 2, they gave me my trust fund back, as you can see" she said gesturing to the hotel room "They call sometimes, usually it's more about my work, me and Archer are, ok, he calls every once in a while, sends her birthday and christmas presents, her birthday's in November, did I tell you that?"
"No, I should have, asked" Alex stuttered.
"You've had a lot to take in Alex" Addison smiled "It's the 16th of November"
"Right" Alex smiled "I'll remember that" he said standing up, they walked over to the door of the hotel room, Addison opened it slowly, Alex stood outside and leaned a little against the doorframe.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then" Alex smiled.
"See you tomorrow" Addison smiled back "Fresh start?"
"Fresh start" Alex nodded "Make sure she knows I love her ok?"
"You can tell her yourself tomorrow" Addison said softly "Bye Alex" she said kissing his cheek tenderly.
"Bye Addie" he whispered.
Chapter 3 – 'And So It Begins' to follow….
