Chance Encountered

Chapter 20

Addison took another big bite of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubbywhile she watched some sappy love story on television. She sat on her bed with the covers all rumpled up around her, wearing Derek's shirt. The one she had never returned after borrowing it.

It was a black t-shirt that was from some charity walk-a-thon for cancer he must have participated in. It was so comfortable and it smelled just like him, a mix of musk and aftershave. Addison had worn it to bed every night since she had gone to his house.

And like any other night since she got to town, her sole focus was a sexy neurosurgeon.

She had known that he had feelings for her yet had been surprised at his outburst.

His eyes had held so many different, conflicting emotions. He looked so hurt and confused and sad. Addison felt so guilty. She had never wanted to hurt him. Addison had just wanted to take things slow. She had wanted to keep her life simple. The last thing she expected was to have feelings for the first guy she met since that night when she caught her husband and close friend in bed together.

That was another thing that had been holding her back from Derek.

All sorts of questions would float through her mind. What if she had taken Richard's offer before Mark had cheated on her? What if she had been able to convince Mark to move with her to Seattle and she met Derek?

Would she have had feelings for Derek? Would her heart still pound in her chest at his smile? Would she linger in a room to see if she could spend extra time with him? And would she still like to be as close as possible when talking to him about even the most mundane things?

The scary part was she knew the answer to those questions was yes. So what did that mean? Did that mean she did not love Mark?

Addison had been so sure that Mark was the one. That they would spend the rest of their lives together in wedded bliss. Live happily ever after but that was not the case.

Now she was currently lusting after another man. Thinking about him in ways she had never thought about anyone. She was currently contemplating trusting another man with her heart.

Could she do that? Could she trust Derek?

The next morning, Addison sat in the cafeteria. She was reading a magazine and drinking her coffee that was not helping her wake up.

She had made up her mind about Derek but that did not mean she had a good nights' sleep. Addison still had so many un-answered questions that were going around and around in her mind.

"Hey."

Addison looked up in time to see the very man her thoughts were about, sit down next to her.

"I have been looking all over for you." Derek said and her heart started to race a little at the thought that he had sought her out.

"You have?" She asked and the hopeful squeakiness in her voice betrayed how wonderful it was to hear him say that.

"Yeah, I looked at those scans on Rebecca Sullivan and you're right, she has a brain tumor."

Addison switched right into professional mode and sat up.

"What kind?"

"Well, it looks like a benign ganglioneuroma but I want to run some more tests." Derek said, "I already have O'Malley running the blood work and then I want to do a biopsy."

"Okay, page me after you get those results." She told him with a smile.

"That sounds good." He said and got up from the table and walked away.

Later that afternoon, Addison met Derek and O'Malley at the nurses' station.

"What have we got?" She asked.

"The blood work came back. Rebecca has a neuroblastoma." Derek said to her over his shoulder.

"Really?" Addison asked as she looked at the chart herself.

"But I thought you said she had a benign ganglioneuroma?" George asked.

"It looked like it but neuroblastoma often looks like other diseases. And unless you have seen it before you really wouldn't know how to identify it." Derek informed him.

"So now I think that we should meet with the Sullivans." Derek said.

"Ok." Addison agreed and gave the chart back to Derek before she went to talk to the patients' parents about a sit down.

"She has a brain tumor?" Margaret said in disbelief with Tom next to her holding her hand. Both had shocked almost indifferent expressions on their faces which quickly turned to so many other emotions as the words set in.

Addison sat next to Derek and George O'Malley in a conference room across from the Sullivans.

"How bad is it?" Tom asked.

Derek cleared his throat before he spoke, "It is a neuroblastoma. it is malignant and usually affects children under two years old."

He began to explain the symptoms and different types of treatment.

Addison watched him. She was amazed by the compassionate, calm tone of voice he used.

He eased the Sullivans' nerves with his patience and understanding. And she recalled when he examined baby Rebecca. He had been so sweet and caring. He spoke to her with the same soft tone of voice and she had seen the baby smile and giggle at him. And he was not one of those people that talked baby talk.

His tone had been soft and gentle. But he spoke as if Rebecca understood every word and he was sharing a deep, dark secret. Addison knew that Derek would be a great father someday and the thought of him with a little dark haired boy or girl warmed her heart.

"Dr. Montgomery?"

"Yes?" Addison replied and noticed that the Sullivans were now focused on her.

"What course of action do you think is best?" Margaret asked.

"Well, Dr. Shepherd will be taking over her case and whatever he decides is best." Addison said. He turned his head and she met his gaze, "I trust him."

Derek smiled at her a little before turning back to the patients. Addison smiled to herself at what she had really been telling him in that one moment.

"So, what do we do now?" Tom asked.

"The best option for Becca is to operate. I should be able to remove most of the tumor." Derek said.

"And if you can't."

"Then we move onto other treatments, chemotherapy and radiation." He informed them, "But let's see what the surgery will do. We will operate as soon as possible."

Addison had assisted in the surgery at the insistence of the Sullivans. It had been long and really tiring but Derek had successfully removed the entire tumor. So barring any further complications, Rebecca would do just fine. After sharing the good news with the Sullivans, she and Derek had answered all of their questions.

And now she was drained.

All Addison wanted to do was go home and rest. Sleep for a really long time but when she walked through the door of the locker room, she saw that Derek was already there.

He stood there, half-naked. She could see the well-defined muscles of his arms, his smooth, lean stomach but then he finished putting on his shirt obstructing her view.

Addison gathered her courage.

She took a few steps into the room and came to a stop a few feet from him. Derek looked over at her briefly before closing his locker.

"Hey." She said quietly as a nervous jitter ran through her body. She had so much to say with no clue where to start.

"Hey." He replied.

"You did an amazing job today." Addison said and stepped closer to him.

"Thanks."

"Derek." She said softly and he looked at her with curiosity in his gaze.

"Yeah," He asked.

Addison looked around the room nervously before she looked up into his warm, smile.

"Addison, what is it?" He asked with concern.

"I like you too." She said and looked around again.

"That's great." Derek said.

Addison brought her eyes to his face. His handsome face was contorted with confusion and she knew he did not understand what she was trying to tell him. And she was so nervous, why did he make her so nervous?

Derek moved to step around her but Addison pressed a hand firmly on his chest. Addison put her other hand under his chin and looked him in the eye then brushed her lips over his.

"No, you don't understand," She whispered, "I have feelings for you."

She heard a thud as his briefcase hit the floor. Derek pressed his lips against hers and began to kiss her furiously. He grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled her in closer.

She wrapped her arms around him and grabbed a hand full of his shirt.

The kiss was hungry, hard, and full of passion. Derek pushed his tongue inside of her mouth and Addison massaged it with her own. All of the lust and tension that had been building over the past few weeks spilled over. She felt like he was invading her, leaving nothing between them. No hesitation, no walls, no defenses. And he felt so good.

His hot tongue on hers made her shudder with want and longing.

It had been too long since she had felt him like this. She wanted so much more.

Addison broke the kiss temporarily and rid Derek of his jacket. Addison jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist and one of Derek's hands came to rest under her butt to hold her.

Addison reattached her lips to his and the intensity grew. Derek pushed her up against the row of lockers. And then he moved his attention from her mouth to her jaw line and then her neck. Addison arched her neck to give him better access. She felt his tongue suck at the soft skin. His breath was so warm, his tongue felt so good.

Addison pushed her fingers roughly through his soft deep brown hair holding his head in place as she let out a soft, long moan of pleasure as he worked his way further down toward her collarbone.

She let out a gasp as Derek lightly bit down then continued sucking gently. Addison felt herself tremble again as Derek's tongue began to lick a path toward her breasts and at the same time she felt his hand tug on the end of her top.

"Off." Derek commanded, pulling back a little and Addison was happy to oblige. She lifted her hands above her head and she quickly rid the shirt.

Derek's mouth began to suck on the skin of her chest and then slowly made its way over to her breast. His tongue was so hot and she wanted him so bad. Addison started to grind her hips against his. She could feel his want for her as well and she smiled. She started to grind her hips a little harder and Derek let out a groan as he started to suck on her breast.

Addison tugged roughly on his hair and brought his lips back to hers. He mouth was so hot and so wet...and god it felt so good. His tongue felt so good. Addison ripped her mouth from his and looked at him. His hair was a mess...his eyes were clouded over with want and longing for her.

She did that to him.

Addison smiled sweetly down at Derek who was panting heavily.

"I want you but not here. Not like this." Addison said breathlessly and Derek nodded, "We need to take it slow. I did not come in here to sleep with you and I do not want our first time to be up against a row of lockers when anyone could walk in here."

"Yeah, you're right" Derek said," The last thing we want is for Burke to walk in or worse, the Chief or worse than that Bailey."

Addison laughed and she started to play with his hair, "That would be horrible. Can you imagine the lecture we would get from her?"

"Yeah," Derek said and then he got a cocky grin on his face, "So you like me huh?"

Addison laughed and kissed him sweetly on the lips, "Yeah, I kind of do."

End of Chapter 20

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