Chapter 9
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN1: Thank you so much for the support. I do have a long-term plan for this story, even though it may not seem like it sometimes. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LEAVE A REVIEW.
Twelve days have passed since Addison and Derek had what can only be described as 'a moment', in Addison and Amelia's living room and ever since then neither of them, nor Amelia have mentioned it, but they also haven't let it affect their working relationship, in fact the two of them have gone back to working together the way they were before Sam came to Seattle.
It's Monday morning and Addison, and Amelia, are sitting in in the office of Addison's fertility doctor who walks in and sits down across form them,
"Addison." The Doctor greats as he sits down across from her.
"Doctor Hugh, this is my sister Amelia." Addison introduces.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Doctor Hugh says, to Amelia.
"You too." Amelia responds.
"Amelia's here for moral support, so she can hear, and be told, anything that needs to be said." Addison reveals.
"Of course." Doctor Hugh says, "Now, Addison as we discussed in our last meeting your test results indicate that….."
"The chance of fertility treatments being successful are low, but not impossible." Addison finishes.
"Exactly." Doctor Hugh confirms, "Now, because of that I have decided on a strict protocol to maximum the chance of success. It will take a toll on your body, and I'll like to discuss it with you now." Doctor Hugh explains.
"Of course." Addison says, and she, Amelia, and Doctor Hugh all start to discuss what will happen over the next fourteen days.
While Addison and Amelia are at Addison's fertility doctor Mark, Derek, Richard, and Callie are all at the hospital looking at the surgical board when Teddy walks up to them.
"Has anyone seen Addison?" Teddy asks curious, "I need a consult." She reveals.
"Addison and Amelia asked for the morning off." Richard reveals.
"What?" Callie says.
"Why?" Derek asks curious.
"No idea, they asked for it weeks ago, said it was personal." Richard explains, "They'll should be here in about an hour." He says, before walking away.
"I guess I'll find Addison later then." Teddy says, before walking away.
"Apart from when she went to LA for that visit before she moved has Addison ever taken time off?" Callie asks, looking between Derek and Mark, figuring that one of them will know.
"Just when she found Meredith's panties in Derek's tux." Mark answers.
"Thank for that reminder." Derek says, looking at Mark, being able to tell now that that was a pretty horrible thig for him to do.
"What, I'm just saying, it's not like Addie to take time off." Mark tells him.
"Which is exactly my point." Callie confirms, "Do you think this could have something to do with what you overheard? Why they were talking about Doctors for Addison?" she asks, looking at Derek.
"I don't know." Derek admits, "I straight out asked Addie if she was sick and she said no." he reveals.
"That doesn't necessarily mean anything." Mark says, "Or maybe we're getting worried over nothing." He says, and as he does Callie and Derek give him a look, "Yeah, okay, the signs do seem to be pointing to something going on with Addie." He admits.
"That's exactly my point, I just wish I knew what." Derek says, before walking away from Mark and Callie, all three of them wondering what is going on with Addison.
A little while later Addison and Amelia are in a car together as Amelia drives them back to the hospital,
"So, you know once I start to give you the injections form tomorrow chances you are going to start to experience side effects." Amelia comments.
"I know, this is my speciality Amelia." Addison points out.
"I'm just saying, Derek, and Callie, not the mention the others are going to realise something is going on." Amelia points out.
"And you think I should tell them before they start to ask questions." Addison realises.
"I think you should prepare yourself for a lot of questions if you don't." Amelia corrects.
"I don't want anyone else to know before it's certain." Addison explains, as she knows how people will react if it doesn't happen, and she doesn't want to deal with that.
"Okay, then I'll run interference." Amelia reveals, being pretty sure she can guess Addison's reasons for not telling anyone.
"What?" Addison asks, looking at her.
"If you start to experience symptoms in front of anyone I'll run interference, distract them so they don't think to ask questions." Amelia explains, being pretty sure that it is going to be a hard job but she is up for it.
"Thanks Amelia." Addison tells her, completely meaning that.
"No problem." Amelia responds, telling the truth, "Do you also want my help going through the files of sperm donors?"
"Of course." Addison informs her, "I'm going to need your advice." Addison tells her.
"Well you've got it." Amelia assures her, and the two of them drift into silence, as they continue to drive back to work.
A few hours have passed since Richard informed Derek, Mark, Callie, and Teddy that Addison and Amelia were taking the morning off, and Derek is sitting in one of the conference room tables, even though he should be doing work he is thinking about Addison.
"You okay?" Mark asks, walking into the room.
"Addison and I had a moment." Derek reveals, feeling the desire to tell Mark, even though he's been keeping that to himself for almost two weeks.
"What?" Mark asks, as he sits down next to Derek.
"A couple of days after Sam came town, when we performed that surgery together, I went over to her house to apologise for what I said, the way I acted." Derek explains.
"Good, she deserved an apology for that." Mark reveals, as he assumed that Derek apologised, but he is glad that it has been confirmed.
"I know." Derek responds, "Addie said I could stay for dinner, and it was great, we talked laugh, it was like how things used to be." Derek explains.
"What happened?" Mark asks curious.
"I read a fortune cookie, and then I tried to keep it out of her reach, and she tried to grab it, and we almost kissed." Derek explains.
"Why didn't you?" Mark asks curious.
"Amy arrived home." Derek reveals, causing Mark to laugh.
"Of course, she did." Mark says, looking a little amused, "Do you think you would have kissed, if Amelia didn't interrupt?"
"Yeah, I think we would have." Derek reveals, as he was about to lean forward when Amelia walked in.
"But?" Mark asks, being able to tell that there is something Derek is trying to avoid saying.
"But it was probably better that we didn't, not because I didn't want to, because in that moment I did, but because I haven't decided what I'm going to do with Meredith, and until I do it wouldn't be fair to either of them." Derek says, and as he does Mark just gives him a look, "What?"
"I think you've already made your decision about Meredith. You just don't want to admit it." Mark says, giving his friend a look before leaving, giving Derek a lot to think about.
A little while later Addison, who has arrived at the hospital, is walking into the viewing room where Teddy is,
"You need a consult?" Addison asks, as she walks into the room.
"Yes, one of my patients is pregnant, and I need advice on both hers and the foetus chances of survival if she choose to go through with the pregnancy." Teddy explains, "Bad morning?" she asks curious.
"Interesting morning." Addison corrects, "What exactly is her condition? That will effect the advice." Addison says, and once she does Teddy starts to explain the case, and even with everything going on with her Addison finds herself being able to completely focus on work.
It has been four days since Addison and Amelia went to their meeting with Addison's fertility doctor, and for the last three mornings Addison has started her day by getting several injections delivered by Amelia.
It is lunch time and Addison, with her lunch tray is walking towards the table, or technically two tables which have been pushed together, where Callie, Arizona, Teddy, Mark, Owen, and Derek are waiting, as Addison walks Amelia walks up to her.
"You look crap." Amelia informs her.
"Thanks Amelia, really." Addison tells her clearly sarcastic.
"You okay?" Amelia asks concerned.
"Side effects have started." Amelia explains.
"Oh, how bad?" Amelia asks, giving Addison a worried look.
"Some nausea." Addison answers, "And a headache."
"Which you can't take anything for." Amelia says, and Addison just gives her a look as the arrive at the table, and the second they do Amelia knows they're done talking about what is going on with Addison.
As they get to the table Addison sits down between Teddy and Callie, while Amelia sits down on Callie's other side.
"Are you okay, Addison? You look a little pale." Owen says, as while he doesn't know what Derek, Mark, and Callie are worrying about he can tell that something is going on with Addison.
"I'm fine, Owen I just skipped breakfast." Addison says, and at that Derek and Callie exchange looks as the two of them, and Mark, are both pretty sure that she is lying.
"So, anyone have any cool surgeries?" Amelia asks curious, doing so as she promised to run interference for Addison so that is exactly what she is going to do.
"What exactly fits within your definition of cool?" Arizona asks curious.
"Not a normal persons." Derek says,
"Nice Derek, really." Amelia tells her brother, "You're being an ass again." She informs him.
"Amelia." Addison says, in a warning tone of voice.
"What?" Amelia snaps, looking at Addison.
"Why are you yelling at me?" Addison asks her sister, almost crying because of the effect of all the hormones that she has running though her body right now.
"I wasn't, Addie." Amelia says, in a calm voice, and as she does she realises that the others are probably seconds away from having hundreds of questions, "But that reminds me, there is something I wanted to show you, you interested?" Amelia asks, giving her a look.
"Yeah, I am." Addison says, sniffling slightly, as she realises exactly what Amelia is doing.
"Cool, let's go." Amelia says, and they both get up, picking up their food they can carry without a tray, and walk away from the others, Addison fighting back tears as they go.
Once they are out of sight of the others, Amelia pulls Addison into a storage room,
"I've got you, Addie. It's okay." Amelia says, as she hugs her sister, "It's just surge of hormones, you're okay." Amelia says, as she holds her tightly.
"I know." Addison says, as tears continue to roll down her face, feeling completely overwhelmed by what she is feeling.
After Addison and Amelia walk away from them Derek, Callie, Mark, Owen, Arizona, and Teddy just sit in shocked silence.
"What the hell was that?" Callie asks, looking shocked, breaking the silence.
"I have no idea." Derek admits, feeling his concern grow.
"Anyone else have any?" Owen asks curious, figuring that they are a group of attendings so one of them should have an idea.
"Guys, what if she's pregnant?" Arizona asks, as the symptoms would make sense.
"Addison can't get pregnant, not anymore." Callie reveals, causing everyone to look at her.
"How do you know that?" Derek asks, looking at Callie as he didn't know that, and he knows how desperately Addison wanted kids.
"I just do." Callie says, realising that she has already said too much, "I've got a patient to go check on." She says, before getting up and leaving, and as she leaves Bailey sits down.
"What? What's going on?" Bailey asks, as she notices the looks on the others faces.
"Addison just started to cry because Amelia raised her voice at her, we're trying to figure out what is going on." Mark explains, "Callie's ruled out pregnancy, but won't explain why she knows that can be ruled out." He explains,
"None of that makes any sense." Bailey notes, as the crying thing really doesn't seem like Addison.
"That's exactly what we're saying." Mark reveals, and the table just drift into silence, all wondering what is going on.
A little while later Addison has stopped crying, but she still doesn't feel too great, but unfortunately, she has a surgery that she cannot postpone, but she does have an idea about how to get through to it and, so she heads to paediatrics, to find Alex as if she is going to get through the surgery then she needs the one resident she trusts and that's Alex.
"Arizona." Addison says, walking over to, "Can I have Alex for an hour?" Addison asks curious, "I could use his help for a surgery." Addison explains.
"Sure." Arizona answers, knowing it is a big deal for Addison to admit that she needs anyone, "Karev." She calls.
"Yeah?" Alex asks, walking over.
"You're with me for the next hour." Addison explains.
"Okay." Alex says, feeling confused.
"Good, let's go." Addison says, and the two of them walk away from Arizona, and between that and what happened with Lunch Arizona feels her concern for Addison grow.
A little while later Addison and Alex are in the OR, and as she walks up to the table not only does Addison feel sick, but she feels a hot flash starting, and she takes a step back.
"Doctor Montgomery?" Alex asks, looking at her in concern.
"Doctor Karev, you're going to be performing this C-section." Addison reveals.
"Really?" Alex asks, looking at Addison in surprise.
"Really." Addison tells him, "I'll be right here, and you've done it before." Addison informs him, knowing that, and the fact that it's a simple surgery, "You've got this." She says, and as she does Alex nods.
"Ten blade." Alex requests, and once he has the scalpel Alex starts to perform the surgery and as he does Addison closes her eyes and tries to push down what she is feeling, something which isn't as easy as she was hoping.
A little while later the C-section has been performed, entirely by Alex, and both mother and child are doing perfectly fine, even more surprising for Addison is that she managed to get through the surgery without collapsing, being sick, or overheating.
Having just finished checking on the mother and child Alex has returned to peds, to Arizona,
"Finish with Addison?" Arizona asks curious, when she sees him.
"Yeah." Alex confirms.
"What did she need anyway?" Arizona asks curious.
"She had me perform a C-section, from start to finish, on my own." Alex explains, before walking away to check on his patients, and as he does Arizona frowns, adding another thing to the list of reasons why she is concerned about Addison.
In the attendings lounge Addison, the person everyone is so concerned about, is sitting in on one of the couches, taking several deep breaths.
"Addie? You okay?" Amelia asks, walking towards her.
"I just had Alex Karev perform a C-section for me because I didn't think I could." Addison reveals.
"Seriously?" Amelia asks, looking shocked, as she sits down next to Addison.
"Seriously." Addison confirms, "These hormones, they're….."
"Driving you crazy." Amelia finishes.
"Yeah." Addison says, "There are only two things getting me through right now, the fact that I want a child more than anything…."
"And?" Amelia asks curious.
"Your support." Addison reveals.
"I'm your sister, it's my job." Amelia says, giving Addison a comforting smile, "You got another surgery today?"
"No, I was meant to perform a hysterectomy, but it was pushed because of a cardio emergency." Addison explains.
"That's probably a good thing." Amelia admits.
"Yeah." Addison confirms.
"You know, if the side effects get too bad you're gonna have to tell the Chief." Amelia points out.
"Yeah, I know." Addison says, and the two of them drift into silence as they sit side by side.
Hours later, Arizona is leaving the hospital with Callie, Sofia, and Mark, and as they are leaving Arizona sees Derek leaving too,
"I'll be right back." Arizona says, before walking away from them, "Derek." Arizona calls, as she walks over to him.
"Arizona?" Derek asks, confused.
"Today Addison came and got Karev from peds, saying she needed him, and had him perform a C-section from start to finish, alone." Arizona explains, "I know Addison values teaching but that…."
"Is something different all together." Derek realises.
"Yes, I thought you would want to know." Arizona explains.
"I do, thank you."
"Not a problem." Arizona says, with a smile, before walking back over to Callie, Mark, and Sofia, and as she walks away Derek can't help but from, as his worry for Addison increases.
Ever since his conversation with Arizona the night before Derek has been worrying about Addison even more, in fact he has gotten very little sleep.
It's a Friday morning and because he knows she's not in surgery Derek is searching the hospital for Addison, and after a bit of searching he manages to find Addison in a conference room, unknown to him she is working on her surgery schedule for the next ten days so that it's not lighter, but rather so that she has more shorter breaks between each of her surgeries.
"Addison?" Derek asks, walking in.
"Yeah, Derek?" Addison asks curious, looking up from what she is doing.
"Are you okay? The last few days you've seemed…. Not okay." Derek comments, as he sits down near Addison.
"I'm fine, Derek." Addison assures him.
"Addie come on, I know you, there is something you're not saying." Derek says, knowing that for sure, "Please, talk to me." He requests, there being an undertone of begging to his voice, which Addison knows there never is.
"I appreciate you being concerned about me, Derek, I really do, but I'm fine." Addison assures him, reaching out and gently squeezing his hand, giving him a supportive smile, before letting go.
"Addie…." Derek starts to say but before he can say anything he is cut off by the door opening and Amelia walking in, saying,
"So I went through all the options, and I think you should go with….." Amelia starts to say.
"Amelia." Addison says, before she can finish, even though she knows it will make Derek even more suspicious.
"Oh, hey Derek." Amelia quickly says, realising who is in the room.
"Still want to say there is nothing going on?" Derek asks, looking at Addison.
"Amelia's helping me choose a present for friends of ours in LA." Addison explains.
"You love shopping, you never need help." Derek comments, feeling his suspicion rise.
"Yes, that is true, but the friends of ours are a couple, and I know Cooper pretty well, but Amelia knows Charlotte, so I wanted her opinion." Addison explains, honestly surprising herself with how quickly she came up with the lie, though she can't help but feel bad about lying to Derek.
"I've got to go check on a patient, but I would love to talk ideas with you as I head there." Amelia tells Addison, giving her a chance to get away from Derek.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Addison says, picking up her files, "I'll see you later, Derek." Addison says, standing up and leaving.
After Addison and Amelia leave Derek frowns, and becomes even more certain that there is something that Addison isn't saying as despite her words he has spent enough of his life with her to know when she is lying about something.
After Addison and Amelia leave Derek the two of them walk in silence until the are far away from the room where they left Derek.
"Oh god, that was bad." Amelia comments, looking mortified.
"Yes, it was." Addison confirms, "I think he's going to become even more suspicious."
"Probably." Amelia confirms, "What are you going to do?" she asks curious
"The egg retrieval is scheduled for ten days, that's if there are any eggs to retrieve that is." Addison says, having lowered her voice, "After that I'll know if becoming a mother this way is even an option for me, and once that is done I'll figure out how to tell him, until then I'm not even going to think about it." Addison admits, as that is what she needs right now, it's what's best for her.
"Okay." Amelia tells her, with a nod, "So, can I tell you what I think now?"
"Sure." Addison responds.
"Go with the musician, I'd say he's the best choice." Amelia informs her sister.
"He was on my short list." Addison admits, "Thanks Amelia." Addison tells her,
"No problem." Amelia responds, and once she does the two of them go in separate directions.
As she walks away from Amelia Addison knows that she has to figure out a way to handle things over the next ten days, as she really doesn't want to lie to Derek again, but at the same time she wants to stick to her not telling anyone other than Amelia until there is something certain to tell, and so, even though it's not the healthiest option Addison is pretty sure that avoidance is the best strategy she has, at least for the moment.
A week has past since Addison started to avoid Derek so that she wouldn't have to lie to him again, and so far she has managed to achieve that, though she is pretty sure that her actions have just made Derek even more suspicious.
Along with it being a week since Addison started avoiding Derek it has also been six weeks since Meredith messed with Derek's Alzheimer's trial, and is the new inters first day at the hospital.
It's a Friday morning and as she has just been paged Meredith is knocking on the door to the chief's office.
"You wanted to see me, Chief?" Meredith asks.
"Yes Meredith, come in, close the door." The chief says, and Meredith walks in, having closed the door behind her.
"What's going on?" Meredith asks curious.
"You might want to sit down." Richard informs Meredith.
"No, I don't want to sit down, just tell me, whatever it is." Meredith requests.
"The board met this morning and made a decision about your punishment." Richard reveals, and as he does Meredith feels herself tense as she knows that not only will the board's decision affect her future, but she is also pretty sure it will also decide the future of hers and Derek's relationship.
