Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Thanks for the reviews! Once again sorry for the huge delay in posting. I hope you enjoy. There are at least 5 chapters that will be posted in the next two weeks, now that my computer is back and function
Addison scooped the pancakes out of the frying pan and put them on plates.
"We're hungry," Lily whined from the table.
"I know sweetheart. I'm going as fast as I can," Addison attempted to stop the whining. Kaitlyn walked into the kitchen.
"Can we please go shopping today?" Kaitlyn asked Addison.
"I can't. I'm sorry. I'm working today." Addison told her.
"I'm moving to school in a week." Kaitlyn complained. "I need stuff."
"I know." Addison said placing plates of pancakes on the table. "I have a big surgery scheduled today. I'm probably going to be at work at least until 7."
"Seven?" Lily whined.
"Daddy or Izzie is going to get you this afternoon." Addison said.
"When can we go?" Kaitlyn asked.
"I don't know yet." Addison said.
"Maybe my dad can take me. But we know that won't go well." Kaitlyn said annoyed.
"I'll take you," Addison said firmly. "I'm really busy this week."
"You're always busy. Derek's never here," Kaitlyn stated.
"I'll tell you what. If you help me out with the kids for the next three days, I can get all of my work done. I'll take a few days off. We'll go to New York early. Just you and me if you want. We get everything you need there and then we won't have to take it on the plane." Addison tried to reason with her.
"That sounds like a good plan to me," Kaitlyn said.
"Okay. Here's the deal. Today the babysitter leaves at 4:30. I need you to watch Grace and maybe Lily until 7 at the latest. Derek or I will be home by 7," Addison promised her.
Addison saw Derek walking down the hallway in front of her.
"Derek." She called trying to get his attention. "Derek!" He didn't turn around. "Shepherd." He turned and went into an on call room. Addison walked in after him. "Did you not hear me calling your name?" Addison said angrily. He turned around.
"What?" Derek asked obliviously.
"Whatever." Addison said rolling her eyes. "If I run into any complications in my surgery, you have to be home by seven."
"I don't know if I can do that," Derek said.
"You've been here since yesterday morning. You can be home by 7. For your children, not for me," Addison yelled at him and then walked out the door.
Addison walked out of the OR. She pulled off her scrub cap and looked at the clock. Her cell phone rang.
"Addison Shepherd," she answered.
"Hi," Kaitlyn said.
"Hi sweetheart," Addison said, "I'll be home in a little bit. Are you calling to say goodnight?"
"I'm scared to sleep here alone," Kaitlyn told her.
"Derek didn't come home?" Addison asked.
"No. You promised you would be home by 7." Kaitlyn said.
"No, I promised someone would be home by 7 and I told Derek that he had to be if I wasn't out of surgery," Addison said really annoyed. "Is Grace asleep?"
"Yeah, she went to bed at 7:30," Kaitlyn informed her.
"Alright. I'll be home in half an hour. Lock all of the doors and get into my bed and put a movie on." Addison said.
"Okay," Kaitlyn responded.
"Will you be okay for half an hour?" Addison asked.
"I think so." Kaitlyn said.
Addison walked through the front door. She smiled when she saw all of the lights in the house on. She put down her keys and bag. She grabbed a glass of water and a snack from the kitchen and turned off the lights as she headed upstairs. She looked in on Grace, who was sound asleep in her crib. The bright light was on her room and she could hear the tv from the hallway.
"It's me," Addison announced herself as she entered the room so she didn't scare Kaitlyn. She looked at the bed and saw Kaitlyn sound asleep. She smiled and turned off the tv. She went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. Kaitlyn stirred as Addison sat down on the bed. Addison rubbed her head. "I'm home. Go back to sleep." Addison reached over and turned off the light before laying down. "Goodnight sweetheart."
Addison sat up when she heard someone moving around in the room.
"It's just me," Derek said.
"Where have you been?" Addison asked.
"At the hospital," Derek told her. Addison looked over at the clock.
"It's four am. You were supposed to be home at 7." Addison lectured.
"I had patients," Derek said walking over to his side of the bed and saw Kaitlyn. "You let her sleep here?"
"She called me at 10 and said she was too scared to sleep in the house alone. I told her to watch a movie in here until I got home and when I got home she was asleep so I left her." Addison argued. Kaitlyn started moving. "I'm not doing this at 4 am. Go sleep somewhere else."
Addison was making breakfast for Grace. She was dressed but her hair was still wet and she needed to put on make-up. Derek came in the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee in a travel mug.
"See you at work," he said kissing Addison on the cheek.
"Wait. You came home at 4 am after being gone for almost two days and you have to be at work already?" Addison yelled at him extremely annoyed. "You can't stay home for an extra hour and help with our child just one time this week?"
"I really have to go," Derek said.
"You really need to start thinking about what your priorities are." Addison said. Derek walked away.
Addison watched the fetal monitor as Derek operated on their patient's brain. Things had been touch and go.
"The baby's having decels." Addison said.
"I'm almost done," Derek announced.
"The baby can't handle any more surgery," Addison argued.
"Just give me a few more minutes," Derek said. Monitors started beeping.
"The brain is swelling. I can't control the bleeding. I'm going to have to remove this section." Derek announced.
"I'm taking the baby out," Addison said picking up a scalpel.
"Addison. Don't come near my patient with that scalpel." Derek yelled.
"That baby needs to come out and you know it," Addison said.
"The family wants the baby to stay in as long as possible," Derek agrued.
"The family wants the baby to live," Addison fought back.
"My patient wants to live," Derek said. "I need to take out more."
"Derek, stop." Addison begged. "She can't live like that."
"She can." Derek said.
"No Derek she can't." Addison tried to reason with him.
"Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd, the baby's heart rate is below 100." An intern announced.
"That's it. I'm taking the baby out," Addison announced and began a c-section.
Afterwards Addison and Derek were scrubbing their hands next to each other.
"What has gotten into you?" Addison asked. "We're partners Derek. We're partners at home and at work."
"I was trying to save my patient." Derek said.
"You're not acting like yourself. You knew she wasn't going to survive and that baby has a chance." Addison debated with him. "Think about if you still want to be partners." She dried her hands and walked away.
Later that evening, Addison was changing when Derek came in their room.
"You're home," Addison said surprised.
"Just for a few hours," Derek said.
"Do you want to be part of this family?" Addison yelled. "You can't help with the kids. They need you. I need you. You're my husband. I need to be able to spend time with you. I'm supposed to be able to talk to you. I'm supposed to see you other than just in the OR."
"I'm here right now. I came home to see the children. It's not my fault I've been busy." Derek argued.
"It is your fault. You're not the only neurosurgeon in the hospital. There are other people who can take some of the patients. You're not God, Derek." Addison yelled at him. "Are you having an affair?" She asked calmer.
"No, I'm not having an affair." Derek yelled. "I thought we trusted each other. I thought we were over all of that. I thought we were happy."
"We were happy. And then you check out. Weeks ago. You've been absent, physically and emotionally. You haven't been involved in the family in weeks. It takes two people to have a marriage. Two people. Maybe it's not meant to be." Addison said yelling at first and then softly at the end. They heard a noise from the hallway and both looked over to see Kaitlyn standing there holding Grace and Lily with her arm wrapped around Kaitlyn. All three of them were crying. Kaitlyn ran downstairs taking the little girls with her. Derek and Addison were silent.
"What did we do?" Addison asked upset. "Now do you get it? This. Whatever's going on is affecting our family, not just me." They looked at each other, both looking hurt. "I'm taking Kaitlyn to New York tomorrow to get ready for school. You need to be here for Grace. Right now, we need to pull it together, act like we like each other, and spend some time as a family for Kaitlyn."
Derek sat on the bed talking to Addison while she packed for New York.
"You promised me we weren't getting re-married just because we had a baby," Addison said.
"We didn't get re-married because of Grace. I wanted to married you because I love you more than anything else in the world. You're my best friend, my soul mate, the only person I want to spend my life with. The worst decision I ever made was letting you go the first time," Derek responded.
"So this is how you treat your best friend and soul mate?" Addison retorted.
"You haven't been much better," Derek snapped.
"I'm fighting for us," Addison argued. "You're acting absent."
"I'm working, Addison," Derek retorted.
"I'm working too and yet I manage to be home for our family," Addison argued.
"You aren't heading a department, doing several surgeries a day, and conducting a clinical trial. It's demanding," Derek countered.
"Maybe you shouldn't be doing a clinical trial if you can't balance work and home," Addison suggested.
"I want to do the clinical trial," Derek stated. Addison zipped her suitcase.
"You need to think about your priorities. Work or us," Addison said. "I'll be back on Saturday, you can let me know what you decide. I trust you are going to be home for Grace a little more while I'm gone?"
"Don't worry. I have two days off while you're away," Derek said.
"I love you," Addison said as she kissed him and left.