Chapter 3
Empty bed, again. How many times did Addison wake up in an empty bed? Countless. She took a deep breath uttering. " It was always just a dream." In that very beautiful morning, it wasn't just a dream. Derek, her dearest Derek opened her bedroom door with a tray of waffles, strawberries and their favourite coffee mix. "Rise and shine honey." Derek's face was brighter than the LA sun and Addison was just admiring the view, and cherishing the time she's gonna spend with him. "You were sleeping so peacefully when I woke up and I don't wanna wake you up so I decided to make you breakfast instead."
The ocean was peaceful that day, the tide was low and the waves were just tiny flows. It's gonna be a great day. Addison told herself as she scooted over so Derek can have space as he put the tray of breakfast on the bed. "Good morning Derek. And thank you. But you don't have to do this tho."
"As long as you're letting me live in your house, I'm gonna serve you, and love you." Addison blushed and of course, Derek noticed it. He noticed every simple thing Addison does, it's one of the perks of being married with that woman for 11 years— and Derek missed it. He missed the feeling of being married, waking up next to the love of his life, do household chores together, planning their future together. "You really glow in the morning, Addison." Derek captured Addison's chin with his fingers, then leaned down to kiss her forehead. He didn't kiss her on the lips, not yet. Because he knew that Addison wasn't ready for it. They're both taking it slow. "No work today. Do you wanna go somewhere?" The redhead asked, biting the strawberry Derek offered her. "Where'd you get that? It's so sweet."
"From your fridge. You have a lot, and I happen to know that you eat less. So while I'm here, I wanna make sure that you eat right. You became thinner than the last time I saw you." Derek offered a waffle… "Open your mouth Addie." Addison just giggled, obeying him. "You know I'm not a baby." Derek just shrugged his shoulders, taking a bite on his waffle too. "Say less my love, you're not a baby but you are my baby and you deserve to be spoiled."
Addison was just enjoying the treatment she missed when Derek was still her boyfriend. He really made sure that she's eating right, that she's healthy from the sleepless nights from all the stressful things from med school. She missed being Derek's baby. "You forgot something, Derek." Addison cocked her eyebrows, sipping on her coffee. Derek looked confused, checking the thing he forgot to bring. "Ah! Whipped cream. I'd go get it." He jumped off the bed and rushed to get the whipped cream. Memories. A minute later, Derek came back panting. Addison was just laughing at the red face Derek. "You should see your face in the mirror."
"I'd rather see myself in your eyes, Addie." He put whipped cream on top of the waffles and strawberries. "Now breakfast is served my queen."
"Do not spray the whipped—" Addison warned, but it's too late. Derek was already spraying whipped cream right in his mouth. "Oops, too late my dear." Derek mumbled causing to have smudge all over his face. " Babe, you're making a mess." Addison wiped off the whipped cream from Derek's face with her fingers then sucked it off. To make less mess, Derek put the tray on the bedside table then started tickling Addison. Applying some cream on her face too. She couldn't help but laugh so hard, pulling the covers so Derek won't put more. "I'm not gonna come out until I'm sure that you won't put some cream on my face anymore."
"I'm clean Addison. Come on." So Addison peeped her eyes out to check if Derek was telling the truth. But the moment he saw her eyes, Derek pulled the covers off Addison's face then hovered her. "You want more?" He teased, his face was so close to Addison's. They were breathing the same air and at that moment, the both knew what's gonna happen. "No please." The redhead begged but still laughing. "Okay then. No more." Derek agreed, but he just stayed there, looking straight at Addison's face, full of whipped cream. "You have something here…" he leaned down, sucking off the cream from Addison's forehead. Then he moved down to her cheeks, and lastly… "And here…" he captured her lips with his, kissing her softly and lightly like a feather. He felt Addison's hand wrapped around his neck, and she started to deepen the kiss. But she backed off when she realised what they were doing. "We should uhm clean." Before it went to something they both would regret.
"Yeah right. Let's." Derek immediately got off her, to bring the tray back to kitchen. He might have taken Addison aback from that kiss. But she kissed me back. "You can get ready now while I wash the dishes. You cooked, I'll clean." Addison tapped his back. Derek just looked at her with blank expression. "Look, Derek I'm sorry about the kiss. I—we just have to take it slow. Shall we?"
"Of course. I just wanna make sure if we're still okay?"
"We are. Don't worry about it. I just don't wanna do something I would regret." She forced a smile, reassuring that they're okay. "Alright, kiss is good but no sex." She proposed, then finally Derek's face lit up again. "I could work with that." Kiss and no sex. That's fine. "All righty. Can I ask you a favour? Can you change the bedsheets? We don't want ants crawling around, do we?"
"Yeah, we're sweet enough." Derek smirked stealing a quick kiss from Addison before dashing upstairs to do what he's been told. Addison shook her head, couldn't contain the smile on her face. " I'm genuinely happy, again."
~
The sun was kind of high, but Addison didn't mind as she and Derek were standing on the Sta. Monica Pier boardwalk, fishing. Well, she was just there, watching Derek peacefully. "Addie, come on. I'll teach you." Addison resisted but Derek handed her the rod. "It's fun. Try it even just once." Derek was aware that Addison never went fishing after her childhood incident with The Captain and her brother Archer. She fell off the yacht when she was pulling up the fish she caught, but 'twas too heavy that she was pulled down the water. Addison looked at Derek with her are you sure look. "I'll be right behind you. I'm not gonna let you fall off the water. Just tell me when it gets heavy then we will pull the fish up together." Finally, Addison agreed, because she wanted to try it once again. And they were not on the yacht, she's safe with Derek.
Moments later, Addison felt something bit the bait. So she called "Derek. Come quick." She was pulling the rod up, and Derek assisted her. "Derek!" She squealed excitedly. She caught a fish! "Hold it right there. 1…2…3…pull!" They both pulled the fish right up and it was big. Addison shrieked and clung to Derek when the fish jumped near her. The man was just laughing at her, arms around her waist so she won't go anywhere. "Alright. Let's get this one and the rest home for lunch. We can invite the Bennetts."
"Okay." Addison looked at the fish in the bucket once again, before jumping right back up as the fish moved aggressively again. "I'm proud of you Addie." Derek ruffled Addison's hair, like he used to. "Treat me ice cream then please." Addison smiled widely as she's pulling up her puppy eyes to Derek. "As a reward? Why not? Let me just put the fishes in the jeep. Wait for me here."
"Addison. Hi." Someone called her name. Addison looked around and found Jake walking towards her. "Jake." She smiled. "What are you doing here? I never thought you have a thing for fishing." She never thought about it too. But after doing it with Derek, she'd probably do it again and again. "Well, it's fun."
"Wanna grab some lunch?" Jake proposed but— "We already have a plan. Thanks." Derek answered him for Addison. Jake looked at Addison and then at Derek with who is this? Look. "Oh yeah uhm, Jake this is Derek. Derek, this is Jake." Derek knew. He remembered his face when he saw him walking into Addison's room that night. He remembered Addison telling his name to the Bennetts. So he snaked his arm around Addison's waist, pulling her close to him. Possessive as usual. "The hus—." He stopped himself. " Boyfriend." And said that instead of saying husband. "Nice meeting you Derek." The two shook hands and eventually, Jake found his way to escape from the awkward situation. "I smell jealousy." Addison teased. "You still want that ice cream or not?"
"Chill baby." She cupped his face and wiggled her nose against his. " I'm yours Derek."
"You are?" Derek pulled her closer to his body. "I am. Now let's go get some ice cream before I change my mind." She intertwined their fingers together as they walked down to the ice cream stall. "One strawberry and one chocolate please." And they got what they ordered. The two walked back to their jeep and decided to just finish the ice cream there, as Addison was sitting on the hood. "Derek. Can I taste yours?" Derek saw that Addison was almost done with hers, and he knew she just wanted to take his, so he eventually gave it to her. "No. I'm full, I just want a taste." She stuck her tongue out and then licked the ice cream slowly. Derek felt chills up and down his spine whilst watching Addison lick his ice cream slowly. "Here you go. Thanks." Derek recollected himself and he finished his ice cream before they went home.
Sam and Derek were grilling the fishes while Naomi and Addison set the table. "So, how's it going here in the Shepherds' house?"
"Nae, I am still a Montgomery. And we're taking it slow. We don't wanna rush anything because if so, it'll end badly." Addison answered, still looking at her man. "Okay Ms. I couldn't get my eyes off my man." Naomi threw an olive to wake Addison up from her trance. "Hey stop it." She couldn't deny herself. The view she was seeing was absolutely heaven. Addison's phone suddenly rang so she excused herself to answer it.
"Richard?"
"Addison. I know you are busy with your own life there in LA. But I need your help. It's Camille." She remembered her. She's Richard's niece. "What happened Richard?"
"I'll explain to you everything when you get here. Can you come here ASAP?" Addison knew it's so urgent and important. So she booked the earliest flight to Seattle today.
"Derek can we talk?"
"Sure. What's going on?"
"That was Richard. He's asking me to fly to Seattle. It's an emergency so I booked a flight this afternoon." Derek put his hands on Addison's shoulders. "I'm coming with you." Derek suggested but Addison shook her head no. "You can stay here, jam with Sam or someone you know here. I'll be back before you know it."
"I'll drive you to the airport."
~
She's back. Addison's back. She took a deep breath before entering the hospital that had been part of her ups and downs. The atmosphere was quiet. It felt heavier and the pressure around the hospital was wrapping her head. "Welcome back Addison." Miranda sadly smiled at her. It wasn't the welcome she was looking forward, but she was expecting to. "Thanks Dr. Bailey. Where's Richard?" Miranda lead Addison to Richard's office. He looked so sad. "Addie…"
"Camille. You're the only one I trust to remove her ovaries. The cancer is spreading and I don't want my niece to die so young." Addison heard the sadness on Richard's tone.
"I'll do my best." And on that note, they prep the OR and Addison fulfilled her promise. The surgery went well and she somewhat prevented the spreading of cancer cells all over Camille's body. She just came out from scrubbing out when her phone chimed, receiving a text from Derek.
I missed you already. I hope you're well Addie. I love you.*
Addison couldn't help but smile reading Derek's message. Then Miranda nudged her. "How's Derek?"
"Oh yeah. He's uhm…he's good. Enjoying his vacation by being the caretaker of my house."
"So are you back together then?" Addison saw Meredith walking towards them, holding a chart. "Well Derek is back in my life. But we're taking it slow Miranda. We're enjoying what we have at the moment." She knew Meredith heard it for she looked— glared at her. She also knew that Meredith and Derek era was so done. Well that's according to Derek at least. "Don't miss him so much. He only has 5 days left before he gets back here. And I'll be gone before you guys know it."
"And that's up to me. Addison, a new case dropped off to my table. And you're the best surgeon I know who can perform this surgery." Richard tapped Addison's shoulder. "So you better call Derek to get back in here because I know that man, he couldn't live long enough without you by his side."
Meredith heard all of those and it broke her heart. She's still in love with Derek no matter how hard she tried to deny it. Her heart still aches for him. And hearing the conversation from the chief and Derek's ex-wife and soon to be wife again…shattered her more.
"Richard, I have a practice in LA. I cannot just drop it off."
"One case Addison, and you're free." But if she's done here in Seattle, she has to go back to LA and Derek will stay in Seattle. There's no way Richard could let go someone like Derek.
How are they gonna work their relationship out if they're going to separate ways…again?