I apologize to anyone who is reading both Home Again and the Fighting Our Way series. I never meant to have Addison heartbroken in two stories at once. It just happened; I apologize if updates get slow. I'm back in school and I've got some personal projects I'm working on that you guys should be on the lookout for. This is gonna be a slow burn for various reasons. The overall plot is heavy due to how I plan on dissecting the subject matter. Please keep in mind that the story is set in April of this year and will eventually move forward. Also keep in mind that we will be navigating through multiple POVs.

Xx


April 2016

The world is spinning; how could something like this happen? Sam sighs heavily as he leans against a tree; he's still holding Addison's phone. He shakes his head as his other colleagues begin hitting him with questions about what happened.

"Everybody calm down! I don't know what happened; all I know is that Addison is our boss and our friend. She's gonna needs us; she and Henry are the most important thing right now," He says to everyone as he looks at all of them; this shouldn't be happening again.

His eyes glance over to the tent when he hears Addison's sobs. His eyes meet Naomi's as she comforts Addison. They both silently communicate how bad this is going to be for her and how much she'll need them. He wants to comfort Addison, but he's hesitant to because of their long and complicated history. He's also thinking of Jake; Sam shakes his head. He thinks of Henry and how he's going to need a father. He knows what it's like to grow up without one, his own paternal circumstances notwithstanding. Henry's going to have lots of questions. He's seen, from a distance, of course, all of the little things Jake was starting to teach him in terms of what it means to be a man. The kid's only 4 and a half and he's already more of a gentleman than most men Sam knows. He sighs heavily once more; damn, this is so fucked up on so many levels.

"You okay man?" Cooper pats him on the shoulder, causing him to look up.

"Yeah, I just…I hate this man; I mean, this keeps happening to us. First, it was Dell and then Charlotte and then Pete, Amelia, and Colin, Sheldon, Georgia, now Jake," Sam runs a hand over his head, letting out a slow breath.

"I hate that Addison is going through this; I don't know what I would've done if I lost Charlotte. And poor Henry! He's only 4; he practically worships the ground Jake walks on. I mean, I know how hard it was for us with Mason, but I can't imagine how Addison's going to deal with this," Cooper glances over at the tent; Charlotte has carefully made her way into the tent.

"It's not just Henry who lost a parent; Raphael and Isabella lost their mom too. They're both orphans now,"

"What about their father? Wasn't he-"

"Angela's professor? He doesn't want anything to do with them from what Jake and Addie said," Cooper sighs again, shaking his head at the situation.

"So basically Addison-"

"Lost a husband and a daughter but gained two more kids. She's a widow raising 3 kids under the age of five," Sam says.

2013

"Hey, having a good time?" Addison looks absolutely gorgeous in her wedding gown as she makes her way towards Sam.

"Yeah, listen, Addie-"

"It's okay Sam, really; I mean, we had what we had and it didn't work out," Addison says with a shrug.

"No, it's not that it's just that I-"

"You're still in love with Nae, I get it Sam. You two still love each other, even if you're both too blind to see it," Addison laughs as Sam shakes his head.

"I don't-"

"Yes you are Sam, it's why none of your relationships have worked out," Addison leans against one of the nearby tables and gives Sam an easy smile.

"Wow, you really have grown," Sam laughs as Addison joins in with him.

"Motherhood changed me; as much as I loved you, I had to put Henry first. I didn't want to be like my parents, with someone even though I know they don't really love me," Sam sighs and reaches for Addison's hand.

"I did love you Addie I just-"

"Loved Naomi more?" Addison raises an eyebrow at him.

"We were in two different places at the time, everything you wanted-"

"You'd already had that with Naomi," Sam blushes as he reluctantly admits that she's right, what she wanted, a family, children, he'd already had that with Naomi.

"It's okay Sam, really; besides, my wedding wouldn't have been as complete if Naomi wasn't here," they both pause and watch as Naomi laughs at something funny Charlotte and Violet are saying.

"I'm sorry, Addison, I really am," Addison again shakes her head slowly before turning to face him.

"Sam, you can either go after Naomi or you can sit here and be miserable, talking about what you should've, could've, and would've done in past relationships that didn't make you happy," Sam looks at Addison and shakes his head.

"Is that what you did?" Addison leans forward and presses a kiss to his cheek; it's friendly but filled with romantic nostalgia. It's the same way she kisses Derek when she visits Seattle.

"You deserve to be happy Sam," she tells him.

"Yeah, so do you, and I'm glad Jake's the one that makes you happy," Addison beams with pride as she watches her husband dance with both of their children.

Los Angeles

When Sam makes his way into the tent, all three women, Addison, Naomi, and, Amelia look up at him. All three of them are sporting wet cheeks and red-rimmed eyes full of sadness and sorrow.

"Addison I am so sorry," he lets out a deep breath as Addison watches him for a few moments before nodding.

She doesn't say much, which is a bit alarming for Sam and Naomi. A silent Addison in times of crisis is never, ever a good thing.

"Addie, do you need-"

"Where's Henry?" She sits up, immediately glancing around for her son.

"He's with James; he volunteered to keep all of the kids occupied while you-"

"What, dealt with the fact that my husband's dead?" there's a bitterness to her voice as she stands up, straightening the White pencil skirt she's wearing.

"Addison-" Amelia tries, though she pulls away as though she's been burned.

"I need to find Henry, I have to tell him that Jake…that his father died," She says nothing else, simply walks past them in search of her son.

"Anyone wanna bet that this whole thing ends badly?" Amelia tries for light humor though Sam and Naomi share a look.

"This is bad Sam, I mean, she's been thorough a lot; Bizzy dying, Archer having worms in his brain, Derek getting shot, then almost dying in a plane crash along with Mark but this-" Naomi shakes her head slowly as she watches her friend diplomatically receive condolences from their colleagues.

"This is different; she's never had a husband die before," Sam sighs as Amelia moves to stand next to him, resting her head on his shoulder as he looks down at her.

"Hey, how you holding up? I know how important Jake was to you," Sam says, wrapping an arm around her.

"It's not important; Addie and Henry are what's important," Amelia says quietly as Naomi makes a move to stand next to her as well.

"Addie and Henry are important, but it doesn't change who Jake was to you. He was your son's godfather Amelia and like a brother to you. He was there for you when you were pregnant with Colin. Your grief matters too, so if you need me or Sam, we're here as well," Amelia looks up at Naomi with grateful eyes and sighs.

"She is not doing well, and I'm scared that when she breaks-"

"She's gonna crumble? Yeah, me too," Naomi watches as Addison gently kneels in front of Henry. She speaks for a few moments before Henry is yelling at her and then hugging her tightly.

"I just hope that she doesn't shut down; she can't afford to, not with Henry and Raphael, and Isabella to look after," Sam says as Amelia and Naomi sigh.

"I keep forgetting that Angela died too," Naomi says.

"Does that make us bad people, that we're forgetting Angela's kids?" Amelia asks as they all continue to watch Addison, who's now carrying Henry.

"No; we've known Jake longer and we've watched Henry grow up. We know Angela because she's Jake's daughter and we're saddened by her loss, but Jake's loss cuts deeper for us because we saw him every day and he all saw how much he meant to Addison and Henry. That's like when Mason lost his mom; we all knew Erica and we were sad, but our pain was more for Coop, Charlotte and Mason," Sam explains as Addison moves back into the tent.

"I'm taking Henry and I'm going home; I need to make arrangements to fly out there or have their bodies…or have them flown here. I have to call Jake's sisters and Archer and find a priest because Jake was so much more religious than me. Can you believe he made me have Henry baptized?" Addison's nervous talking and Naomi can see right through it.

"Why don't Amelia, Charlotte and I come with you?" Naomi offers as Addison shakes her head.

"I'm fine," her response is cold and quick as Amelia sighs.

"You're not fine Addie, your husband just-"

"Don't Amelia! Do not say it!" Addison raises her voice, making Henry jump slightly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," she murmurs before pressing a kiss into his curls.

"Addie, you and Henry shouldn't be alone right now; please, let us be there. We don't have to do anything, just let us be your friends and support you," It takes a few minutes but Addison concedes.

"Under one condition; if Violet comes she is not allowed to talk shrink talk. She can't look at me with pity or sympathy. None of you can, because the minute you do, you get out. You come, you drink wine and you let me cry on your shoulders and get ridiculously drunk, deal?" Naomi and Amelia give her a smile before agreeing.

"Cooper, Pete and I will handle things here; we're here for you if you need us, Addie," Sam reaches out and gently pecks her cheek, watching as tears well up in her eyes.

"Thank you," she manages to choke out before Naomi and Amelia usher she and Henry away.

Chapter 9 to follow…


I'm sorry the update took so long. I'm a full-time college senior, I'm working as a partial live-in-nanny, I'm interning, I'm the editor-in-chief for an online national news community, and I'm working on a super secret project that I want to tell you all about but I can't right now.

Life is crazy right now, but I promise to update when I can. Chapter 9 will delve a little into Henry's POV with more of Addison's grief. We probably won't see what's going on with the Seattle gang for a couple more chapters. I ask that you all be patient with me in terms of updates. It's a slow, angsty burn but it's a beautiful story, I promise!

Take Care everyone,

Xx