"Good morning. How is my lovely family?" Addison smiled as she swept into the kitchen, startling her husband and child. A surprisingly bright Seattle morning peered at her from the windows, coinciding with her bright mood. Derek automatically smiled back at her, but Tessa just eyed her warily before turning back to her book propped up on the counter. Addison gave her daughter a bigger smile and ran her hand down her daughter's hair.
"You look better this morning, sweetheart. You must have gotten a good night sleep."
Tessa flashed a quick smile at her. The air was still tense between them, but not because Tessa still held a grudge against her parents; that wasn't much of an issue anymore. The teenager seemed more ashamed of her previous behavior and wasn't really sure if she was forgiven. Addison had been treating her like normal, showering her with affection and love like always. Tessa gave it back shyly, as if it was all new to her. A month had passed since Tessa had moved back in with her parents. It was insanely awkward at first as they tested each other's boundaries and apologized for pushing too far. For the first few days, Tessa had holed up in her room, only coming down for food and to leave for school. She warmed up to her mother quicker than she had with her father, the need of her maternal touch stronger than her desire to be emotionless. Derek's dagger sharp words still dug under her skin and he had yet to apologize. She became stonily silent when he entered a room and only gave mono-syllable answers when there was no other option.
Addison ran her hand over her newly developed belly bump nervously. It was strange to see it when she looked in the mirror in the morning, but she loved it already. It made her miss Tessa being small and when her hurts where small enough to be kissed better. Now, her little girl was too grown up. She sat across from her as the mature teen read her driver's Ed manual. Tessa's green eyes flicked up to her mother curiously.
"Mom? Everything okay?"
With a sharp nod, Addison hurried to reassure her daughter. "Yes. Sorry, I was thinking," her gaze shifted to her still silent husband. "Tessa, today we have my 16 –week ultra sound today. I was wondering if you'd like to go."
The girl stiffened, but her eyes flew to her mother's hands cupping her belly. "Oh. I don't know. Is it- do you want me to go?"
The red head nodded eagerly. "I would love it if you came. You haven't made it to the other appointments, and it would really mean a lot to have you there. It would make me really happy, but if it makes you uncomfortable…" She drifted off, hoping her daughter would answer positively.
Tessa glanced back at her book before nodding slowly. "Okay. I'll go. Just give me a minute to get dressed." She wore sweats and an oversized tee shirt.
Addison smiled as her daughter walked out of the room. She turned around to Derek excitedly. "Isn't this great?"
Derek nodded stiffly. "If she actually gets in the car."
His wife rolled her eyes. "Derek, what is the matter?"
The neurosurgeon got up from his seat at the table to put his coffee cup in the sink and considered his answer carefully before delivering it to his hormonal wife.
"I don't trust her yet, Addison. I want to, believe me. I want my girl back. She hurt us badly with her behavior and she needs to gain our trust back slowly, especially with a new baby in the house. Her going to this appointment with us is a good sign, but you practically forced her into the decision. You said it would make you so happy if she were to go and there's no way she can say no to that."
Addison crossed her arms over her chest and stared her husband down. "Tessa already has my trust back. Derek, she was hurt. She made a few bad calls but she apologized profusely and came home. Tessa is also a teenage girl who's already going through a mess of feelings. She warmed back up to me and is almost back to normal, but that's because I welcomed her home with open arms, not open hostility."
Derek opened his mouth to argue back, but Tessa arrived at the kitchen doorway, looking nervous. She'd obviously heard them.
"Is everything okay?"
The smile she received from her mother did little to ease her nerves, but she pretended it did its job anyway. Addison grabbed a stack of papers from the counter and began to walk to their entry way. Tessa stopped her as she reached to open the door.
"Mom, put a coat on. You already get cold easily and it's chilly out there. I'll grab it for you."
Before her mother could say a word, the teen dashed back up the stairs and towards the master bedroom. Derek emerged from the kitchen just in time to see her land on the top step. He turned to his wife with a frown, assuming the worst.
"She's not going is she?"
Addison smiled smugly at him. "Of course she is. She ran up to get me a coat."
Tessa bounded back down the stairs, a jacket in her hands. She helped slip it over her mother's shoulders and quickly pulled on her own fleece zip-up. "Okay, I'm ready."
The growing family made their way towards the hospital, Tessa fiddled with the braid she'd twisted her hair into. Her fingers always had to be playing with something; a nervous habit she'd picked up and was in no hurry to get rid of. A question burned in her mind, but her tongue didn't seem to think it was a good idea to ask. Before she lost her nerve, the words flew out.
"So mom, will you be able to tell if it's a boy or girl today? Or is it way too early?"
Caught off guard by the question, Addison hesitated. She turned around as best she could in her seat to face her daughter.
"Well, technically we could find out, if the baby is in the right position. I mean, I'm pretty sure I could at least tell. But, your dad and I didn't really discuss if we even want to know yet. We may want it to be a surprise."
Her daughter raised her eyebrows at the response. "Finding out you were pregnant wasn't surprise enough?"
The red head frowned at the comment and Tessa held up her hands innocently. "Sorry, sorry. Too far. But, really, you don't want to know?"
Her mother turned back to look at Derek, signaling that the question was his to answer as well. "I don't know. Honestly, I'm surprised we didn't discuss this sooner. It is kind of important." Derek glanced at her and shrugged.
"I want to know, but it's up to you."
Addison sighed at his answer. "Thanks for helping."
Tessa leaned forward excitedly. "I've got an idea. Okay, first of all, did you find out what I was going to be?"
Addison thought back over sixteen years ago to her first pregnancy. It hadn't been fun. Right from the get go, she's spent the first trimester visiting the toilet much more than she'd ever done in her life. Morning sickness was an understatement. It was so bad she couldn't attend work, which made her crazy. But after the vomiting passed, it was textbook. She vaguely remembered the technician asking if they wanted to know the sex and how happy she was to hear it was a girl.
"Yes, we did find out. I remember because my mother said it would be irresponsible as a mother to not find out so your nursery could be decorated accordingly."
Tessa rolled her eyes at her maternal grandmother's ridiculous demands of her mother. "Okay, so you found out with me. To keep it even, you shouldn't find out with this baby."
Addison considered her daughter's suggestion carefully. "I guess we can do that," As a thought struck her, she twisted in her seat as best she could to look her daughter in the eye. "Do you want to know, sweetheart?"
Her daughter looked surprised that Addison would even ask her the question. "Me?"
"Yeah, you. Do you want to know if you're having a baby brother or sister? This baby isn't just mine and your dad's; it's yours too. Your opinion is just as important."
The teen rubbed the palm of her hand across her denim covered thigh. "Well… I want to know. If that's okay."
Vaguely, the red head noticed that they had arrived at the hospital, but she couldn't take her eyes off her daughter, who looked so unsure. Derek parked the car, but made no move to get out, obviously waiting on his family. Undoing her seat belt, Addison opened the door and carefully climbed out of the car only to attempt open Tessa's door. Her daughter had already begun to climb out herself and had her legs poised to land on the concrete before her mother stepped in front of her.
"Then we'll find out. Tessa, I can't stress to you enough how much I want you involved with this. I know how you feel and I want to ease all of those worries and fears as quick as I can. I know you probably don't really want to be at this appointment, but I am so happy you came-"
Knowing that her mother would continue to ramble, Tessa held up her hand. "Mom, I came today because you needed me and wanted me too. Plus I want to know that everything is going okay health wise, and I know you wouldn't dare tell me if it wasn't. I am warming up to the idea of a baby, thanks to you. Your excitement is contagious."
Addison smiled at her and began to pull her happily towards the doors, her smirking husband following. The family made their way into the hospital, the two surgeons finding it odd to enter as patients instead of doctors. Tessa trailed behind them, her eyes searching for a familiar face as they waited for an elevator. From behind, Tessa felt someone grab her shoulders and she flashed around, ready to strike. She frowned when she saw Alex holding up his hands innocently.
"Damn it Alex! Don't do that!"
Addison and Derek frowned from behind her, staring at the younger man. "What the hell did you do that for? You couldn't have possibly thought it was a good idea."
Alex shrugged. "It wasn't, but it felt right. Besides, you're smiling now. It worked."
"I'm only smiling because I'm amazed such an idiot managed to become a doctor."
Tessa slapped at his shoulder when he made a face at her. "Thanks for giving me a heart attack, though, really. It was just what I needed."
"No problem. Now, I have to go save the lives of little children before your mom yells at me for goofing off down here with you."
The teenager gave him a pointed look. "You're not an intern anymore and she can't yell at you."
Alex shook his head in disagreement. "No, she can still yell; it's just that now I can yell back."
"Tessa."
Derek said her name patiently from the elevator, where he stood holding the door open. She quickly bid her friend goodbye and followed her parents. As she came to stand by Addison, she could feel the woman smirking at her. Tessa gave her a glance out of the corner of her eye.
"What?"
Addison shook her head, still smirking. "Nothing. I just find it funny that the two of you get along so well. It's kinda cute."
Her daughter nodded. "He's like the big brother I never wanted." Her comment, intended to be an innocent joke, made her mother pull back and look at her with sad eyes. Immediately realizing what she said, Tessa hurried to amend herself.
"No, that's not what I meant. Really. I just meant that we get along like siblings. I really don't want Karev as a brother." She smiled slightly, hoping her flippant comment was forgiven. Her mother nodded, though she didn't look entirely sure that Tessa was being honest. As the doors opened for the OB's floor, the expectant mother split apart from her family, quickly explaining she needed the restroom before her appointment. Father and daughter walked in together silently into the waiting room, already filled with other women at varying degrees of pregnancy. Tessa found three empty chairs fairly close together next to a woman with her hand resting on a bulging belly. She glanced up quickly as Tessa settled next to her, before returning to her gossip magazine and then looking at Tessa again, this time in disbelief. Feeling her eyes on her, Tessa turned her head towards her and smiled awkwardly. The woman clicked her tongue and placed her manicured hand on the teen's forearm.
"Oh, honey. Are you here all alone?"
Tessa raised her eyebrows at the unexpected contact, but shook her head. "Uh, no. my mom and dad are here."
The woman nodded as if the information relieved her. "That's good, you need support. Are you scared?"
The young girl's already raised brows furrowed in confusion and her eyes darted across the room to see her dad still checking her mother in for her appointment. "No, not really."
The woman, who had yet to introduce herself but seemed to have no trouble invading Tessa's life, look surprised. "Well, this is my third, and I'm still terrified. Every baby is different and has different effects on the body. I'm 36 weeks, so there's not much more to go. How far along are you? You can't be much with how tiny you are."
Tessa's eyes widened as realized the woman thought she was pregnant. Her face reddened as she tried to correct her thinking. She opened her mouth to speak but a rough, shocked voice spoke instead.
"My daughter is not pregnant."
Tessa turned in her seat to see her father standing behind her, looking slightly pale. The woman who had been talking to Tessa retracted her consoling hand and bit her lip, looking embarrassed.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry. I just assumed- I thought she came in alone-"
Tessa cut her off with a wave of her hand. "It's okay. I probably would have thought the same thing too if I were you."
A nurse opened the door and called out, "Macee Stevens!"
Tessa's attempted comforter got up with an apologetic smile and a struggle. She said sorry one more time before waddling through the doorway.
Tessa sat back in her seat with an embarrassed chuckled and looked at her father, whose complexion had not changed.
"Dad?"
Derek looked at her with wide eyes. "Sorry, that just caught me off guard. I just thought-after what happened to you-we could have easily been here for you, and that terrifies me."
Tessa understood what he meant. It was some sort of miracle that she didn't get pregnant after four months of unprotected rape. It was one of her first thoughts when she woke up in the hospital. Apparently God was looking out for her slightly in that sense. In a move that surprised even her, Tessa grabbed her father's hand and gave it a squeeze.
"I'm sorry."
Her father looked at her, surprise making his blue eyes wide. "What for, Tess?"
She sighed. "For putting you guys through everything that I have, especially the past couple of months. I should have been more understanding and better behaved through it all. I should've been thinking about mom more, too. I should've have seen how hard it was going to be for her, mentally and physically," She glanced around the room, making sure her mother hadn't come in yet, before leaning in to her father.
"I'm really worried about her. I've been looking up the risks of women having children when they're older. Not that mom's old by any means, but…"
Derek nodded as she trailed off, understanding what she meant exactly. "I've noticed how more protective you are of her. Making sure she's eaten, had plenty of water, and getting enough sleep; even that thing with her jacket this morning."
Tessa looked down at their joined hands. "Was I being that obvious?"
"No, not really. I don't think she's noticed at least. You're just doing all of the things I normally do."
The teen began to gently rub her thumb over the top of her dad's hand absentmindedly. "Are we good, dad? I don't like how things between us have been lately."
Derek smiled and moved his arm that Tessa held to wrap it around her shoulders. "We're good, sweetheart. I promise. We should have been good a long time ago."
The door to the office opened and her mother stepped through, looking relieved at the sight of both of them smiling. She took the seat next to her husband and grabbed his free hand.
"What's everyone so happy about?"
Tessa shook her head and was about to answer when the door opened and a nurse stuck her head out. "Addison Shepherd!"
The red head jumped up from her seat and her slim hands came up to cup around her abdomen. She took a few steps before looking back and making sure her family was following. The chatty nurse took Addison's weight and measured her baby bump as she gushed about all the wonderful things she'd heard about the famous Dr. Montgomery Shepherd. She left the Shepherds alone in an exam room with the promise that the doctor would be in soon. Tessa sat on a chair in the corner of the room as Derek stood next to his wife as she leaned back on the table. Her green eyes flickered around the room at the different posters demonstrating how a baby developed. Across from her was a cork board with its surface littered with photos of babies at different ages. All happy endings. Her feet carried her over to the pictures and she tried to pick out the cutest one. She smiled and ran her finger over a glossy shot of triplet newborns being seen for the first time by their older sister, who couldn't have been more than three. Her little hands were pressed against her cheeks in surprise and the smile on her face said that it was a good one. Tessa flashed around at the three quick knocks on the door before the doctor came in,a petite blonde woman came in with a clipboard and smile.
"Hello, Doctors. It's nice to see you. Oh my, is this the lucky big sister I've heard so much about?"
Her sharp blue eyes focused on Tessa from across the room and she moved quickly to shake her hand.
"Yes, I'm Tessa. It's nice to meet you Doctor..?"
"Dr. Anderson." The woman supplied before turning back to her patient.
"So Addison, how have you been feeling?"
Addison adjusted herself on the table and pulled her shirt up slightly to expose her rounded belly while Dr. Anderson began to start the ultra sound machine. "Better. The morning sickness is almost gone, but I've definitely been struggling to sleep a bit more."
The doctor nodded sympathetically. "I'm afraid that's just part of the miracle. Though, I'm sure you are more than perfectly aware of the side effects of pregnancy, not only with your job, but with firsthand experience." She nodded towards Tessa, who had come forward to stand next to her father.
Addison shook head with an embarrassed smile. "To be honest, I don't remember much from being pregnant with Tessa. I remember the awful morning sickness and I remember feeling her move for the first time, but not all the little things in between then and her birth. I'm kinda experiencing them for the first time all over again."
"To be fair, it was over sixteen years ago." Derek added quickly.
"Well of course-"The good doctor was interrupted by the quick, rushing beats of the unborn baby's heart. Addison and Derek's eyes immediately welled up with tears at the grainy picture of their second child. Tessa found herself being memorized too. She stepped closer and peered through narrowed eyes to distinguish the baby's arms, legs, and head. Even with no medical training, she could make it out. Addison took her hand and pulled her out of her reverie. The teen smiled at the happy tears that shone in her mother's eye.
"Tessa, you just met your baby sister."
"Mommy!" The wailing from her five year old sent Addison sprinting from her bedroom and towards her daughter's. Her heart beat erratically in her chest as she skidded to a stop outside her little girl's door. Tessa was curled up in her bed, arms wrapped around her stomach and her little face scrunched up in pain.
"What's the matter, baby? Do you feel bad?" She moved closer in concern and swept her daughter's hair off her forehead only to pull back with a sharp intake of breath. She was burning up.
"My tummy hurts so bad, mommy. Make it stop!" Tessa moaned as she curled up in a smaller ball. Addison sat down next to her and continued to stroke her hair. The little girl had been complaining about an upset stomach all day and some after school yesterday afternoon, but Addison had been warned that she'd traded lunches with a friend. She'd questioned her daughter about what she'd eaten, but was satisfied that nothing would put her in danger. Until now. The young mother had sent her daughter upstairs to take a nap and relax, but not 30 minutes in, Tessa was obviously in tremendous pain.
"Baby, let me see your tummy." Tessa complied reluctantly. She unlocked her arms from around her middle and laid flat on her back, waiting for her mother. Gently, Addison pressed along her daughter's abdomen, applying pressure at different spots. As she moved just right of her belly button, Addison pressed a bit harder and Tessa let out a cry.
"Mommy, no! That really hurt."Tessa curled back up into a protective ball. Addison frowned in concern. It seemed like her baby girl was suffering from appendicitis. And Derek was at the hospital.
"I know, baby. It seems like you need to go to the hospital." That made Tessa's watery eyes go wide with fear. With both of her parents working as residents, Tessa knew that you only went to the hospital when you were very sick.
"I don't wanna!"
Addison grabbed her daughter's small suitcase and began to pack it with a few stuffed animals and a couple changes of clothes. "Do you want to feel better?"
"…Yes."
"Okay then. The doctors will make you feel all better," Addison promised as she picked Tessa up and wrapped her blankie around her shoulders. Tessa immediately buried her head in her mother's hair and wrapped her little arms around her neck securely. "Can Heddie come?"
Turning back around to her little girl's bed, Addison reached out and grabbed her daughter's furry best friend. "Of course Heddie can come. She would want to be with you."
Hurrying down the stairs with her sick five year old in her arms, Addison yanked her bag over her shoulder and made sure to lock the door as they left.
"Will Daddy be there?"
The red head resident buckled Tessa in safely with her blankie and Heddie tucked around her."As soon as I call him he will be."
It was four o'clock and if she hurried, they would just escape traffic. Putting the pedal to the medal, Addison pulled the car into the street towards her workplace. From behind her, she could the moans of her baby as she wiggled uncomfortably in her car seat.
"Mommy, I think I'm gonna-"Tessa's weak words were cut off as vomit erupted from her mouth, coating the seat in front of her. Cursing, Addison pulled over and ripped off her seatbelt. Traveling with a young child had taught her to keep a bunch of ragged towels in the car and she used one to quickly wipe her daughter's red face and mop up what she could on the back of the car seat. Derek would have to take it to be cleaned-and soon. Tessa was crying again, this time shamefully.
"I-I'm so-sorry mommy. I didn't mean to." Tessa had miraculously missed her blanket and toy, leaving them only wet from her many tears.
"Shh, sweetheart. It's okay, it's okay. You're sick. You can't help it. I promise you'll feel better soon."
Tessa nodded miserably and rested her head against the car seat. She kept her eyes closed tightly for the rest of the ride, which fortunately short. It wasn't long before Addison was scooping her little girl into her arms and carrying her into the emergency room. Luckily, her eyes landed on one of her interns.
"Robinson! I need a bed and page PEDS."
The young man nodded and quickly escorted his boss and her child to a vacant bed.
"What's wrong, Dr. Shepherd?"
Addison rolled her eyes. "Well, that's your job to tell me, but to save time, my daughter has appendicitis. Hook her up with IV fluids and antibiotics. She's terrified of needles, so you'll need a couple of nurses. Go!"
Her intern took off, and she hoped he would remember all of that. She turned back towards Tessa and felt her heart break at the pain on her sweet little face. She sat down on the edge of the bed and gently tucked a strand of sweaty hair behind her ear.
"Oh baby, I'm so sorry you feel bad. I have the best doctors ready to take care of you. I won't leave you, okay?"
Tessa nodded and looked up with her big eyes. "Can you call Daddy? I want him too."
Smiling softly, Addison pulled her phone out of her bag and dialed Derek's number, hoping he would answer.
"Shepherd." Her husband's "doctor voice" in her ear made her smile in relief.
"Derek."
"Addie? Is everything okay?"
The young woman looked back down at her little girl worriedly. "No, not exactly. We're in the ER."
"What?! What happened?" In the back ground, she could hear him frantically running through hallways and yanking open doors.
"Tessa has appendicitis. She's running a fever coupled with nausea and abdominal pain."
Derek sighed on his end. "Is she in a lot of pain?"
Even though he couldn't see, she nodded and ran her fingers through Tessa's hair. "I'm afraid our baby girl is fairly miserable. She's been asking for her daddy."
"I'm almost there. I'll see you in just sec. Bye."
Addison smiled as she spotted her husband burst through the ER door, looking around the chaotic room frantically. She raised her hand waved it vigorously to make sure he saw her. His blue eyes locked onto hers and he quickly dashed over. Tessa smiled weakly when saw her father skid to a stop at the end of her bed.
"Daddy. You made it."
Derek smiled down at her and moved to press a kiss to her forehead. "Of course I did, sweetheart. I couldn't leave my best girl hanging."
Tessa opened her mouth to say something, but a painful moan came out instead. Her parents both leaned forward, eager to lessen her pain even slightly.
"Can we get some children's painkillers over here!?" Derek's shout sent interns sprinting and finally one returned, Robinson on his heels. The eager doctor began to hang bags of fluid above Tessa's head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves and grabbed a syringe from his other pocket. Tessa's eyes widened at the sight of it.
"No, Mommy no! Don't let them stick me!" The little girl's hand reached desperately for her mother and Addison climbed into the bed with her, only to hold her arm still.
"Tessa, baby, you have to calm down. I promise it won't even hurt that much and as soon as it's over, you'll feel so much better. Please just relax, baby girl."
Her daughter buried her face into her chest, her warm tears soaking through her shirt. "Okay, Mommy. I'll be good."
Derek nodded for Robinson to continue and the intern rubbed an alcohol swipe over Tessa's upper arm, making her shiver. He poised the needle to slip under her skin when a booming voice startled him.
"Addison, Derek, I've already got an OR ready for your little girl and Parks is performing the procedure."
Derek looked up to see his mentor, Richard Webber, standing behind him with sympathetic eyes. Addison sighed in relief and pressed a kiss to Tessa's forehead. As a medical professional, she knew her daughter would need surgery, but to have it confirmed and be so close made her heart skip a few beats. She held Tessa closer instinctively and the little girl looked up, obviously confused.
"Mommy?"
The red head swallowed thickly and looked down at her daughter. "Tess, Uncle Richard says you need to have surgery to feel better. I know that sounds scary, but they'll give you some medicine so you won't feel a thing."
Tessa looked up between her parents, her face showing her fear. "Will you and Daddy be there?"
Derek and Addison shared pained looks, and then turned back to Tessa. "No, baby. We'll be waiting for you in another room. But, Uncle Richard will be there and then after you wake up we'll be there too. We won't leave you ever."
That seemed to placate the little girl and she nodded. Two nurses came forward and pulled the bars of her bed up. Her parents bent down and pressed kisses to the little girl's cheeks and temples and waited for her to kiss them back.
"We love you so much, Tessa. We'll see so soon and you'll feel so much better." The nurses began to wheel her away and Derek grabbed Richard's arm before he followed.
"Don't let anything happen to my daughter, Richard."
The older man nodded solemnly and hurried to follow the closest thing to a granddaughter he had. Addison collapsed into Derek's arms, finally letting all of her worry flow.
"She's been complaining all day that her tummy hurt. I should've listened; god, she's in so much pain-"
Derek gently shushed her and held her tighter."It's okay. Tessa does exaggerate sometimes. How could you have known?"
She shook her head sadly. "I'm her mother, I should've known."
The two worried parents spent the next hour and a half waiting impatiently for any news of their precious baby girl. Finally, Dr. Amy Parks, PEDS attending, emerged from the double doors, smiling from underneath her scrub cap. Addison dashed up to her, questions flying from her mouth.
"How is she? Did the procedure go smoothly? Can we see her?"
The attending held up a hand, halting her questions. "Tessa did wonderfully and the procedure was text book. They just took her up to recovery. I'll take you back there."
They followed eagerly and as soon as Addison caught a glimpse of her daughter, she loosened a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. In a trance, she walked over to her daughter's bedside and grabbed her little hand. Tessa was still under, her face peaceful and free of pain.
"Hey baby girl. Mommy and Daddy are right here waiting for you to wake up. We love you so much and I can't wait to see your beautiful little eyes, so open them soon."
Derek moved to her other side and stroked her soft hair. "How much stuff will she be able to sucker out of us after all this?"
Addison smirked up at her husband. "Anything and everything, and rightfully so."
So, It's a girl! I couldn't quite figure out how to break the news so this chapter went through a few drafts. i hope the little flashback at the end was as cute as i planned it to be!