Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, but I spend enough time thinking about it so maybe I should.

Okay. I don't know why I wrote this story. But I did. The whole situation with Doc and the Shepherds seemed strange. But I have watched it a few times now and the one thing that I notice every time is how happy Derek and Addison are. They are grinning like little kids when Doc arrives, especially Addison. And Derek seems happy that Addison is happy, which (as much as I love them together) is a bit out of character. Also Addison's comment about it being just a dog seemed strange 'cause she seemed to be saying it to Derek but didn't seem to mean it how Meredith took it. So I wrote this to appease my doubts.

I hope you like it.

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Addison stared out the window of the hospital. It was raining. Again. It was always raining in Seattle.

"What are you staring at?" Derek questioned as he walked by.

"Nothing," Addison sighed as she turned away from the window and walked with him, "I was just bored. I have nothing to do here, Derek."

Derek turned to face her, "Is there something I can do?"

Addison shook her head, "No. I'll figure something out."

Derek just nodded and continued down the hall.

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He wasn't looking for it. He just happened to see it. The phone number must have caught his eye. He had called it many times before.

Meredith's dog. She was giving it away. It was a cute dog. Scruffy.

Maybe he should get Addison a dog. They were out in the middle of nowhere and she hated it, but she stayed because he loved it. Maybe a dog would make it less lonely.

Maybe he would get Addison a dog. But not this dog. This was Meredith's dog.

Derek pulled the flier off the wall and put it in his pocket anyway.

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She wasn't looking for it. She just happened to see it. The name must have caught her eye. She had said it many times before.

Meredith's dog. She was giving it away. It was a cute dog. Scruffy.

Maybe she and Derek should get a dog. They were out in the middle of nowhere. A dog would love it. Maybe a dog would make it less lonely.

Maybe she and Derek should get a dog. But not this dog. This was Meredith's dog.

Addison pulled the flier off the wall and put it in her pocket anyway.

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Derek sat in cafeteria staring at the flier. It was a really cute dog. Addison would love him. But how could he even bring that up. He could not tell Addison that he wanted to adopt his ex-girlfriends dog and not have her think that it was all about Meredith. And it was about Meredith, he didn't want her to be sad. But it was about Addison too, he wanted her to be happy.

"Derek."

Derek looked up to see Addison walking briskly towards him. He quickly hid the flier.

"Derek," she repeated, "I want a dog. I want this dog," she emphasized sliding her copy of the flier across the table to him.

"This is Meredith's dog."

"I know. And if that is hard for you I understand. But Derek, I want the dog." Addison stared at him, her eyes pleading.

"The trailer is barely big enough for the two of us and you want to get a dog. Meredith's dog."

Addison was silent for a moment, "I left all my friends, my family, the city I grew up in, everything I know to come out here and be with you. I don't regret it, I would go anywhere with you. But that doesn't make it any less lonely. I want this Derek. Besides, it's just a dog."

Derek looked up at her. It wasn't just a dog to her. It was company. It was a friend when he couldn't be. He was sure that there was some sort of irony, his wife wanting his ex's "McDreamy" replacement, but he wasn't in the mood to figure it out.

"You want a dog? This dog?" It wasn't really a question, it was clarification.

"Derek, I want the dog."

Derek took a deep breath, "Then I'll get you the dog."

Addison lit up. Derek was sure that if there wasn't so many people around she would have squealed.

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"I want the dog."

"What?" Meredith was sure that she had heard him wrong.

"Your dog. Your looking for a new home for him right?" Derek spoke nervously, "I want him."

"But, Addison..."

"I talked to her, she is okay with it." Derek was fairly certain that he shouldn't mention the fact that Addison was so excited for the impending arrival of the dog that she had gone out to buy it presents.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Derek nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "He'll love it. Lots of room to run around. I'll take good care of him." he promised.

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Derek walked into the trailer later that night to see shopping bags everywhere and his wife standing in the middle of it holding a giant beige suede pillow.

"I knew when you said that you were buying stuff for the dog that you wouldn't be buying stuff just for the dog." he said closing the door behind him, "What is that?"

"A dog bed," she replied proudly, "See, it has his name on it," she revealed turning it around so that Derek could see the monograming. "And this stuff is all for the dog."

"You had his bed monogrammed?"

"Of course."

Derek smiled as he shook his head, "Your spoiling him before he even gets here."

Addison ignored him, "We are going to have to move more stuff outside," she stared at a random pile of their stuff, "Maybe we could get a shed."

"What?"

"A shed."

"I heard you."

"Well there is no place to put his bed."

"He's a dog."

"He still needs somewhere to sleep."

Derek was stunned, "I'll go get a shed this weekend."

"Okay," Addison nodded,

Derek watched in amazement as Addison moved around the trailer trying to find a place for all the dog's new things. "Your really excited aren't you."

"Yes," Addison replied sitting across from him at the table, "I am."

"It's just a dog Addison."

Addison shot him a look but didn't respond, "Do you think that he'll like me."

"Of course he will."

Addison looked unsure, "He is Meredith's dog."

"And you think that she may have brainwashed him against you?"

Addison shrugged.

"Meredith doesn't hate you enough to brainwash him. I'd be more worried about Steevens."

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Meredith had just left. Derek followed the sound of barking and laughter to the back of the trailer.

"Paw. Paw. Good Boy!" Addison exclaimed as Doc placed a paw in her out stretched hand. "You are so smart! Yes you are!" Addison kneeled in the middle of the bed and laughed as Doc tried to knock her over to get at the toy she held.

"So he likes you?"

Addison didn't reply, she just crawled to the edge of the bed and hugged Derek. "Thank you," she whispered.

Derek stiffened slightly as her arms went around his neck, but almost instantly he relaxed. "Your welcome," he whispered as he hugged her back.

They hadn't held each other like that in a long time.

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So do we like it? I am thinking of continuing it for a bit. Maybe their first night with Doc, or first day, or week. I dunno. But the idea of the Shepherds adjusting to a dog is hilarious.

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