AN: I actually have no idea who the pairing is. I know I originally said MerDer but, as usual with my stories, it started to veer off in a different direction then I originally thought. So I don't know who's going to end up with who. I'm really sorry for all those crossing their fingers for MerDer but there's still hope-I have a lot of chapters to write still. Enjoy!!

The hospital seemed oddly deserted when Addison entered the lobby in her pink silk pajamas with a sleepy nine-year old at her side- like people had decided to take a night off fatal injuries in honor of whatever mysterious accident had happened to Derek. One of the janitors was mopping up the floor that lead to the Psychiatric ward but apart from that there was no one in sight but a nurse in purplee- patterned scrubs hunched over papers at her desk in the lobby.

The lack of sick people was actually making the whole situation more nerve-wracking then it should have been, so nerve-wracking that Addison gripped Hannah's hand tighter to control a shiver of worry from cracking her poker face.

"Are you sure that Dad didn't say anything else?" her daughter asked for the third time, glancing up at the red head with uncharacteristically wide eyes.

"I'm sure," Addison said, smiling briefly to assure Hannah that everything was fine, "it's probably nothing."

They reached the nurse's station, and Addison rested her elbows on the desk as if this were any other day at the office.

"I'm looking for my husband."

The nurse didn't even look up from the patient's chart she was bent over, "Room 2213."

Addison frowned, but let out a small, "thank you," despite another pang of nervousness. They took the stairs even though Addison was wearing heels and Hannah was still wearing slippers- it seemed silly to take the elevator for one floor.

"Do you think Dad's hurt?" Hannah asked while they climbed.

"No, sweetie. He would have told us."

Even while the words were passing her lips Addison thought they sounded weak and flat, but Hannah nodded and pulled her coat closer, like she was desperate to believe anything that would push away the dark thoughts threatening to take over. They reached the second floor and Addison held open the door for her daughter.

Starting down the hallway, heels clicking cautiously on the tiled floor, the blonde girl's hand nudged its way into her mother's, and Addison had to fight to keep the tears back.

Just an hour ago, her daughter had reminded her that she wasn't a mother, and now they were holding hands.

The door was open when they reached it, although the scene didn't register all at once for Addie; it came in fragments.

First came the intern, crying on one side of a hospital bed. Then her husband, Derek, leaning against the far wall (she felt a stab of relief at seeing his curly hair resting on a row of cabinets instead of a hospital pillow), looking as if he was carrying the world on his shoulders. Then, lastly, the figure lying on the hospital bed.

He was barely recognizable, his handsome face covered with bruises and scars, but it took her less than a few seconds for it to sink in. Her mouth fell open, and she heard Hannah's cry of horror from behind her.

Derek and Meredith seemed to be having the same problem that she was- not entirely believing that this was really happening. Meredith didn't move from the chair by the bed and Derek just stood there with a dazed look on his face.

"Derek, what…" she began, but found the sting of tears coming hard and fast before she could finish. She took a step forward into the room, leaving Hannah to linger by herself at the doorway.

He stepped forward too, his face twisted with something close to regret.

"Addie-"

"You-you did this?" she choked out, understanding instantly. Her hand groped for something to hold her steady but came back with air.

"It was an accident," he mumbled, feeling the burn of Meredith's glare, "I didn't mean to-"

They all heard the steady beep from Mark's heart monitor while they each tried to fight for words. Hannah crept forward to stand across from Meredith by Mark's side, laying a comparatively small hand on his.

"Well aren't you the happy family," Addison muttered bitterly before turning to her husband, "is this why you pummeled him, Derek?"

"Addie, don't," Derek warned.

"We're not seeing each other," Meredith cut in defensively, "although frankly, I don't see why that would be a problem."

"Not a problem? Not a problem? Do you realize how twisted that would be?" Addison shrieked while Derek just looked nauseous.

"I've already slept with him."

"Yeah, nine years ago! But after everything that's happened-"

"Mark's in the hospital, can we focus on that?" Derek pleaded.

"Mark is in the hospital," Addison argued in a dangerously low voice, "because you put him here. Don't use him as an excuse to stop me from letting Meredith know how much of a slut she is!"

"Addison!"

"Excuse me? How am I a slut?"

"Are you really going to make me go through all the reasons?"

"How about we don't have this conversation in front of a nine year old, okay?" Derek said.

"I think this is a perfect conversation for a nine year old actually. Do you know what she said to me today?"

"No. And I don't really want to know right now, while Mark is in the hospital."

" Because you put him here."

"Does anyone else think we're talking in circles?" Meredith asked.

Silence fell again, until Hannah dragged a chair over from the corner of the room and the screech of metal on tile jolted the adults out of whatever trance they had been in.

"Hannah…"

The girl pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top of them.

"Can't you make him wake up?" she asked in a soft, small voice, and it was unclear exactly who she was talking to.

Derek looked away and Addison knelt down to look Hannah in the eye, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"We're doing everything we can, baby," she promised.

"Like yelling at dad and Meredith?"

Addison sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"I want him to wake up," Hannah murmured, side-stepping her mother's apology and shaking off her touch, "I didn't even know he was here-he didn't even come to see me…"

"I'm sure he wanted to-"Meredith started to say but was cut short by a particularly lethal glare from her boyfriend's wife, "never mind."

Inching closer to Mark, Hannah was beginning to look closer and closer to tears.

"Look, he's going to be okay," Derek said, desperate to stop his daughter's tears.

"How can you say that?" Addison argued.

"Because I'm a doctor, Addie, and you are too. You know the injuries are only superficial."

"Still….."

"Addison," he said, walking up to her and resting his hands on her shoulders to force her to look at him, "He's going to be okay."

Meredith, who had been watching them, dropped her gaze back down to the hospital blankets.

She felt like she was intruding on something personal, like she wasn't supposed to be here. These people had all spent the last nine years together and what had she been there for? The last three days? She didn't even know Mark anymore, and yet here she was next to him, waiting for him to wake up like she hadn't played a role in his being here. Backing away from the bed, she ignored Hannah's frown of confusion and bypassed the oblivious couple in the center of the room to disappear out the door.