Sorry these updates are taking so long. My life is spinning wildly out of control. I originally planned on posting this like… Tuesday. But I wasn't happy with it, and then I was out of town and then I felt it necessary to freeze my ass off at a country concert with my psycho sister. And by Psycho I mean that she is the inspiration for Adrienne, keeping in mind that Adrienne is older and a mother and my sister is 23 and unemployed and therefore has nothing worth being responsible for.

My point is, I am going to try to start the next chapter right away, when normally I take a few days break. I'm going out of town again on Wednesday… and moving on Friday… so I am just saying right now that things could get dicey. But if you guys pour in tons upon tons of reviews, not only will I be encouraged and inspired, but also I'll have an idea about what should be going into this chapter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"2 million," Addison leaned her cheek against her sisters shoulder, "I can't go any higher."

"Awww," Adrienne teased, "That's like your whole shoe budget."

"Well I like you more."

Adrienne stuck out her lower lip, "I have to go home."

"I really don't think you do."

"My girls have been with their dads for almost a month. I miss them."

"Have them shipped over for a visit."

"I like when you refer to my kids as cargo," she curled up closer to her sister and pulled up the blankets more, "But since you moved out of New York they don't love you anymore."

"Yes they do," Addison pouted.

"They don't," Adrienne shook her head; "I can't even remember the last time they threatened to runaway and live with you."

"Meanie. Maybe I want you to leave."

"No you don't."

Addison sighed, "No. I don't."

There was a long pause Adrienne watching Addison tapping her foot under the blankets, "Florida could always use a kickass-baby-guru-goddess."

"Okay. First of all," Addison laughed, "I happen to like Seattle, and hate Florida. Two words. Sun. Burn. And secondly, you have no idea what I do, do you?"

"I know that every time I get pregnant you hound me for 8 months. And whenever I tell the OB's who my sister is their jaws drop and they stutter for 10 minutes. But other then that I have no sweet clue what you do with your day. Aside from chasing boys. And 'sunburn' is one word, idiot."

"I don't chase them. They chase me. It's very different."

"They chase you because you lead them on. Which means that you want them to chase you, which actually means you're chasing them."

"I'm in a very loving and committed relationship."

"This is true. You and Derek are very committed to making each other think you love other people."

"We do love other people," Addison insisted.

Adrienne chuckled and crawled out of bed, "Of course you do Addy-cakes. Of course you do."

XXXXX

"Hey Buddy," Mark grabbed the carton of milk and took a long drink before replacing it in the fridge.

Derek didn't reply.

"I let myself in," Mark said into the silence, "Callie showed me were the key is. Under the mat is real original too. Robbers never think to look there."

Derek didn't even seem to notice his presence.

"What am I doing here?" Mark asked himself, "Well. I have the day off and I was thinking of luring one of the beautiful women of the household into bed."

Silence.

"So…How's Meredith?"

"Huh?" Derek looked up, He stared at Mark for a long time before registering that Mark was standing in his kichen, drinking his milk straight from the carton and asking about his girlfriend, "Meredith? She's okay. She called a few nights ago."

Mark watched him, "Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going have to put you in a headlock?

"It's nothing."

Mark snapped his knuckles; "You know I have more upper body strength then your sisters right?"

"I almost dropped a scalpel yesterday," he blurted out, "I couldn't hold it."

"Okay," Mark sat down beside him. The dots slowly connected. "Shit. Any other symptoms?"

"Numb. And I tripped walking in the kitchen."

There was a long poignant silence "Probably stress," Mark declared.

"That's what Addison said."

"You told Addison?" Marked asked in surprise.

"I didn't have to. She just knew."

Mark smiled, "She's taking care of you? Running the tests?"

Derek nodded.

"She's always there isn't she? Whether you want her there or not."

XXXXX

"Can I ask you something?"

Izzie glanced up from her magazine. She thought she was the only person in the house, "When did you get here?"

"Few hours ago," Mark said easily, "I'm waiting for Callie and I like this place better then mine."

"Callie isn't off until 6. It's not even noon."

"Which is why I'm talking to you," Mark replied. "Can I ask you a question?"

Izzie rolled her eyes and gave him an exasperated yet amused look, "Sure."

"It's a two-parter." Mark crossed his arms seriously, "First of all, are you dating yet? And secondly, will your friendship with George and my friendship with Callie make things awkward for you when the afore mentioned dating occurs?"

Izzie went back to her magazine, "I'm not dating you."

"So you aren't dating yet?"

"I'm not dating you."

"Why not?"

"I would rather become a crazy cat lady."

"Hey, I like cats."

Izzie smiled in spite of herself, "You are only asking me out cause I'm a model."

"You model?" Mark asked genuinely surprised.

Izzie flipped to the back of her magazine and turned it around so he could see the layout.

Mark raised an eyebrow, "You're a lingerie model? And a surgeon?" he paused, "Will you marry me?"

XXXXX

Addison leaned forward in her chair and tilted her face to the side.

"What are you doing in here?"

She looked up, "Watching Derek's surgery."

Callie looked around the empty gallery, "Alone?"

"It's routine. I just needed something to do." Derek glanced up and met her eye. She smiled at him, and he went back to his surgery.

"Adrienne gone?"

"She left this morning."

"She's… interesting."

Addison smiled never taking her eyes off Derek, "Unconventional. But it seems to work. I can't even get an appointment with her."

"She was good for Meredith. She might turn out to be halfway human."

Derek looked back up at Addison. Addison stood and moved a little closer to the window.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," Addison turned to her and grinned, "I have some patients to check on, but do you want to meet for lunch in an hour?"

Callie nodded, "Perfect. I have to pick up some x-rays anyway."

"Great," Addison turned back to the window.

Callie turned at the door, looking back at her friend. Addison's fingertips were pressed lightly against the glass, and Derek was staring straight into her eyes, oblivious to their surroundings.

Callie hastily left the room. She felt as if she was intruding.

XXXXX

"Okay," Callie stormed into the house and stopped in front of Mark who was reclining on her couch, "I hope you're over Addison, because I am killing her."

"I hope you aren't moving," Mark didn't take his eyes from the TV, "I have finally found the perfect spot where there is no glare on the screen."

"I'm not moving. Except maybe to prison. For killing your ex-lover."

"Can I move in if you end up in the big house?"

"Sure," Callie sat down at the other end. "By the way, the former Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are having McEx-Sex."

"Since when?"

"I don't know. Since always probably."

"No, they're not."

"Well they are McSomething. They were doing some sort of optical mating dance during his surgery today."

"Addison's testing him for ALS," Mark said simply.

Callie was silent for a moment, "Okay, What?!?!"

"Derek's dad died of Lou Gehrigs when we were 9, he started getting sick when we started school. He was the same age as Derek is now. And Derek is presenting symptoms."

"Oh," Callie murmured, ashamed of herself.

"With everything going on with Meredith there is a good chance that it's just stress. Addison's probably doing her best to reassure him, but he's off his game. He needs someone right now and Meredith is off replacing pills with manicures."

"Sorry."

Mark smiled, "You didn't know. Any reasonable person would think they were sleeping together."

"No. I should have known she wouldn't try that again."

Mark turned to her a surprised smile on his face, "Again?"

Callie raised an eyebrow, "Why do you think that it took Derek so long to get to hospital the night of Meredith's accident?"

Mark chuckled, "What are we going to do with them?"

"Shock collars." Callie said seriously, "Cured my mothers poodle of humping the ficus."

XXXXX

"Hey guess what," Addison slipped into the living room and crawled onto the couch where Geoffrey was laying reading, "Daisy's asleep," she kissed his neck and settled her body on top of his, "And the house is empty."

He chuckled, "Did you have something in mind?"

"Mmm hmmm," she murmured, her lips moving over to his adams apple and her fingers tugging at the hem of his shirt.

"What about Ali?"

"What about her," Addison's mouth never left his skin and her nails dragged patterns on his stomach.

"I have to pick her up at the movies in 10 minutes."

Addison sat up abruptly, "Seriously?"

"Mmm hmmm," He pulled her back down and kissed her, rolling on his side he trapped her between the back of the couch and his chest.

"How do you feel about being a few minutes late?"

He kissed the tip of her nose, "It's getting dark out." he got up slowly, "I'll be back in half an hour."

"Okay," Addison stretched out on the couch and picked up the book that had fallen to the floor, "But I can't promise I'll still be awake."

"But I can promise I'll wake you back up."

It was less then twenty minutes later, Addison had just finished brushing her teeth, when she heard the front door open and slam, then open and slam again.

"ALLISON LOUISE VICE!"

"I hate you!"

"Allison!"

Addison stepped out into the hallway just as Ali stormed by, "What happened?"

"He ruined my life!" She yelled as she slammed her door shut.

"What happened?" she repeated, as Geoff appeared at the top of the stairs, a bit red in the face.

"She lied about the movie. She was with a boy."

"It was a group thing," Addison explained, "I saw them when I dropped her off."

"She was kissing a boy. An older boy."

Addison stared at him, "Please tell me that you didn't embarrass her in front of her boyfriend."

"She was KISSING him. A very ADULT kind of kissing."

"Geoff, she's a teenager. And Simon is a good kid..."

"Simon? You know his name?" Geoffrey grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Addison took a step back, but squared her shoulders. "I drove him home from the end of the year dance. He's a nice boy. Polite."

"He's polite!? He was manhandling my daughter."

"Like you didn't try the same thing when you were in high school."

Geoffrey stared at her, "High school?! He's in HIGH SCHOOL! My daughter was KISSING a high school boy and you knew and didn't tell me!"

"I just knew they liked each other. And if she wanted you to know she would have told you herself!"

"She shouldn't be dating at all and you are letting her run around with boys that can drive!"

"He can't drive," Addison rolled her eyes.

"She looks up to you Addison and you are turning her into…"

"Turning her into what?" Addison demanded, her hands on hips, "And be very careful about how you answer."

His jaw tensed, "She looks up to you. She needs a role model, and with her mother gone, that's you. Like it or not you are the mother-figure in these girls life and you can't just be their friend. You have to think about the consequences."

"I did not sign up to be a mother," Addison's eyes flashed. "I'm your girlfriend."

"And I am a father," he took a step closer to her, "And if you want to be a part of my life you need to accept the role that you are going to have in theirs."

Addison turned away from him and reached for the doorknob, "Well as her mother-figure, I'm going to try and fix what you, her FATHER, have done to her DATE. Because it seems that you as a FATHER have no idea what these things mean to a GIRL, because you are to WORRIED about things that you WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT IF YOU TRIED TALKING TO HER AS A FRIEND and not a CHILD"

"SHE IS A CHILD."

"No, she is a TEENAGER! She is GROWING UP. Kissing boys and NOT TELLING HER FATHER is a part of that."

"I'm DOING MY BEST ADDISON. BUT IT'S NOT HELPING IF YOU ARE ENCOURAGING MY DAUGHTER TO RUN AROUND WITH BOYS OLDER AND MORE EXPERIENCED THEN HER. I NEED YOU TO THINK…"

"I didn't encourage her to do anything. But if they like each other why shouldn't they go to the MOVIES."

"Of anyone, you should know how quickly things can escalate."

Addison closed her eyes. Hurt evident on her face.

"I didn't mean it like that."

Addison held up her hand and shook her head, "No. I think you did."

He took a step towards her, "No. I'm sorry. Addison, I really didn't…"

"I'm going to go talk to your daughter," she said softly, "And if you just ruined her first kiss, you DESERVE to have her hate you."

Addison left the room, shutting the door firmly behind her. Crossing the hall she knocked lightly, "Ali? Can I come in?" Not getting a response she pushed the door open.

Ali lay upside down on the bed. Her face buried in her pillow. "Go away."

Addison stepped back, "Okay."

"I'm I grounded?"

Addison sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Do I have to break up with him?"

"I don't' know. I hope not, " Addison replied, "But, I guess that is up to your dad."

"I hate him."

"That seems reasonable."

Ali choked out a laugh into her pillow and rolled over on to her back, her eyes were swollen and her face red and blotchy from crying "Did you have a boyfriend when you were 13?"

"No," Addison admitted, "I wasn't pretty and confident like you are."

Ali shrugged off the complement, "Simon is only 15 months older then me. Dad is like 8 years older then you."

Addison laughed, in truth she was 6 months older then Geoffrey "Well the rules change when you get old like us."

Ali rolled her eyes.

"Plus when you are old and decrepit like me, you can kiss as many boys as you want and your dad can't say a thing."

Ali sniffed, "I don't want to kiss other boys. I just want to kiss him"

Addison smiled, "Then you are very, very lucky."

XXXXX

"Montgomery."

"Addison?"

"Derek?" She rubbed her forehead. She had woken up with a splitting headache, made worse by the fact that Daisy was the only person in the house currently talking to everyone.

There was long silence on the other end of the phone.

"Can you…" Derek struggled with the words, "… meet me somewhere?"

"I put the test results in your locker…"

"Did you look at them?"

"No…"

"Please…"

"Derek it's early. I haven't even found the coffee yet."

"Please meet me," he asked again, desperation creeping into his voice, "I'm in the prep room on 3rd. The one with the broken light board. Please, Addison."

Addison hesitated, "Of course. I'll be right there." Moments later she slipped through the door to see Derek pacing at the other end of the room, "What's wrong?" she asked immediately.

He held out an envelope, "I can't do it."

She shook her head, "No. Derek. I'm not…"

"Please," he took her hand and forced the papers into it, "I need you to…"

"I shouldn't…" she protested.

He turned away from her, his hands pressed hard against his temples. It was too much. He couldn't take anymore of this. He didn't even feel like himself. It was as if all this was happening to someone else, and he had to live with the fallout. He felt lost, and confused, and …

"Derek," Addison said softly, after a lengthy silence. "You're fine."

He turned and saw her holding the test results.

"High blood pressure is your biggest problem," she smiled, and moved towards him, sliding the test results into his hands, "You're okay."

He nodded blankly, his eyes becoming wet and his chest constricting, "Thank you, Ad…" he said hoarsely, "…Addison…" he looked up and stared at her eyes, glassy and full of tears.

They stared at each other.

The kiss was soft and slow. Their lips barely brushed against each other. It wasn't until she inhaled sharply, drawing him in, that their lips met with any purpose.

"Shepherd."

Derek leaned away from Addison, but didn't step away, "Chief," he replied in a raspy voice, staring at Addison's chin as she turned her face away from him, her arms crossing tightly across her chest.

"I need to talk to you about a possible transfer."

"I'll be there in a minute."

Richard Webber stared at Derek over Addison's shoulder. Derek had yet to make eye contact with him and Addison hadn't even turned to face him. He took a step into the room, "Is everything alright?"

"We're fine," Derek said softly, "I'll be there in a minute.

The door shut gently leaving them alone in the silence.

"Addison…"

"Derek. Don't. Please…"

Her voice was full of emotion and she was staring at the ceiling desperately trying to keep her tears contained.

So he kissed her.

Again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

You know.

I really don't know where I am going with this.

Maybe Addison should just forget about Geoffrey and Derek and start sleeping with Alex again. They were reasonably happy together.

And I'm not sure what Mark is doing cause Callie is more or less single now and he is going after Izzie. And I'm not sure why, and I'm not sure why that even made it's way into this fic, maybe it will turn out to be important.

Or not.

And I'm really not sure why Addison and Derek are kissing. Other then they are screwed up in the head and make really bad decisions ALL THE TIME.

Maybe their mothers dropped them on their heads when they were babies.

Review and tell me your own theories.