"I was thinking I would keep waiting for life to get easier. You know, lower stakes, less risk, easier. And I was thinking, maybe it doesn't. The struggle, the climb, one obstacle after another, maybe that's just life."
Her job was the one constant thing in her life.
Not her family. God knows all they can do is drink to be able to tolerate each other.
Not her friends. Sure, Savvy and Weiss would drop anything for Addison, but she could never ask that from them. It would be too much.
And certainly, not her husband. Thus, the term, ex-husband.
He was attentive and loving once upon a time, but things change. The little quirks turn into arguments. The important dates are forgotten, and the details that you loved have faded. You grow apart. The person you once loved has become a completely different person.
Things change.
That's how life works.
So, she works. She distracts herself. Instead of sulking in the mess that is her life, she focuses on the tiny babies that need her. Subconsciously, the redhead places her delicate hand on her belly. Soon enough, there will be another life that would need her, and this time, she wouldn't have to hand the beautiful tiny being to its parents. This baby is hers. A small smile had formed on her lips. This is the job she was always meant to have.
Hi Baby. She thinks. Of course, she wouldn't say it out loud. People still don't know, and it's not like the baby can hear her. He, or she, is still in the early stages of development. But she can hope, can't she? She is responsible for this beautiful miracle growing inside her.
She can do whatever she wants.
No one can take this baby from her.
It had been weeks since Alex found out, and she still hasn't told Derek.
I haven't found the right time.
She would argue.
You're afraid.
Karev would counter.
Maybe she is. Maybe a part of her just wants to hold onto the small ounce of dignity she has left.
The moment Derek finds out, he will hate me. He, along with everyone else, would think that she intentionally got herself pregnant to keep her husband. The redhead was already preparing for the worst.
That's what she does.
She likes being prepared.
Addison hates surprises.
"Hey," Alex Karev crept up on her. "How long have you been here?" His expressive brown eyes watched her as she tucked her luscious red hair behind her ear. The attending shrugs.
I hope this baby looks like you. He ponders. Addison Montgomery was undeniably beautiful. He can stare at her all day.
You're afraid. He would say.
Her eyes are green, but they can look blue under certain lighting. It was easy to get lost in her eyes.
I'm afraid. He realizes.
Shepherd's an ass.
She offers him a smile as they start walking. "So, what do we have today?"
"I don't know yet. O'Malley has been paging you nonstop for the past 10 minutes." He replies.
"He has?" Addison checks her pager. "I was…"
"You don't have to worry. It's not an emergency." Karev reassures his boss.
"Thank you," she says, but not out loud.
The pair had made its way to the Emergency Room. The close distance they had shared at the NICU has now tripled. She walked in front of him as he trailed behind her.
"Wait here," she whispers. Despite not being good at doing what he's told, he stops. "What do we have here O' Malley?" Addison announced her presence. She walked closer to George. He handed her the chart.
"A transfer from Mercy West," he replied. "Noelle Labatt, 32 weeks along, pregnant with twins." He handed her the chart. "One appears to be developing more slowly than the other." She subtly nodded.
"Hi," a man greeted.
Dr. Montgomery flashed the patient and her husband a smile. "Hi there."
"Greg Stanton. This is my fiancée, the future Mrs. Stanton." The man proudly introduces them. "Uh, Noelle."
"Greg, I promise you. You're the only person who cares if we're married or not." Noelle nicely yet firmly reminds her fiancé.
Addison cringed at those words. Although, she knew she can do this alone. Just the thought that she was alone made her uncomfortable. She had always imagined that she'd do this with Derek. She had already planned how she wanted to tell him. She has had her fair share of pregnancy announcements, gender reveals, kids' birthday parties. Though none were ever hers.
The patient and her fiancé were talking to the intern as Addison continued reading the file. She wanted to be sure of the situation before performing any type of test. That's strange. Her file says she required immediate care. "I've got to say, at first glance, you don't seem emergent enough for Mercy to send you over here in an ambulance. You're not in labor. You're not bleeding. Your vitals are fine."
"They said I need a specialist because of my thing," Noelle explained.
"Your thing?" Addison asked.
"Two uteruses," George read over excitedly. Addison's jaw dropped. She, along with George, stopped in their tracks. Dr. Montgomery grabbed the file from O'Malley and skimmed through the file again. "Ms. Labatt, uh, Noelle," he corrected, "was born with two uteruses. Uteri?" He tried.
"Uteruses." Addison corrected.
"Uterus," the intern repeated. He went closer to his patient. "That's very rare," he whispered just before the patient was wheeled to the OB wing.
"George, can you please follow Noelle? I'd like you to keep an eye on her." Addison ordered. George was practically grinning like a cat. This was a great and very rare case. Of course, he wouldn't let this one go. Addison rolled her eyes and skimmed through the ER.
Where the hell is Karev?
"Karev, you free?" Mark asked the intern.
"Absolutely sir." The younger man replied.
"Great. Take this." Mark Sloan handed Karev his phone. "I'm on hold with the DMV. Some mix up about switching my license and registration to Seattle. Take care of that for me?"
Oh, what the fuck? Alex asked himself. "Thanks for thinking of me sir." He says sarcastically instead. Got to suck up to the boss.
If that wasn't worse enough, Bambi has witnessed the whole exchange with Dr. Sloan.
"O'Malley, how does it feel to be the new gynie grunt?" Alex pretends. A part of him still wishes Addison had kept him on her service. It would be easier to keep an eye on her if he was her intern.
People would start to talk.
She would argue.
Who cares what they think?
He'd reply.
She cares,
And frankly, so does he.
So, they stay away from one another.
"Oh, I got a patient who is born with and pregnant in two uteruses." George answers.
Karev was too busy listening to Sloan's phone that he almost didn't catch what O' Malley had said.
Almost.
"Jealous?" George asked.
Yes. "No. No. I'm busy," Alex insists. "I'm on hold." I'm doing this for Addie.
"Noelle Lambatt. Room 2314," Bambi whispers.
Addison's more important.
Right?
Alex had tried to distract himself by asking for a chart from the nurse's station. Might as well get some work done while he's waiting.
"Did I just hear him say two uteruses?" A tall slender woman asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Karev turned to look at her. "You must be?"
"Nancy-pants," Mark Sloan yells.
"Hey, Loser," she went up to hug the plastic surgeon.
"I wish Derek had told me you were coming to visit," Mark says. Alex knew this was his cue to leave. However, who would want to walk away from this?
"Oh, like he tells you anything these days," she replied.
"Yeah well, I'm working on that."
Addison had just come from across the hall. She had no intention to talk to Alex but couldn't help but glance at him. Neither of them smirked nor flinched. They both just took comfort in the small glance.
Suddenly, Addison had completely halted. She glanced back at Karev and motioned for him to follow her. Without hesitation, he went with it.
She had led him to a lesser populated hallway.
"What's wrong?" He said softly.
"That's Derek's sister," she explained. "Nancy."
Shit.
"Is that a bad thing?" Alex asked slowly.
"Yes. No. Maybe?" She took a deep breath. "I don't know." Now, she was fumbling with her lab coat. "Nancy is an OB," Addison added.
"Oh," Karev suddenly coming to the realization. "She'll notice." Addison nods. Her eyes suddenly filled with fear and worry. Alex looked around. When he saw that there was no one looking, he took her hand. "Calm down. It's not good for the baby." He said as softly as possible. "Just focus on your patient." He suggests. "I heard you got a great case today." They both chuckled.
"I need you."
Addison pled.
"I'll be here."
He couldn't say no.
Finally updated. Yaaay. I know that there's a ton of Addex in this chapter, but that doesn't mean that'll be end game.
Hope you liked it! I'd love to hear what you think of it so far.
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