Recovery

Part XIV

"Addison," she stopped and turned as she heard Derek calling her name. Okay what does he want now she thought to herself; she still couldn't quite get use to the change in his attitude toward her. Derek walked up to her side and smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Hey, I've hardly seen you all week," this reintroduction of intimacy between them still confused her. She wished he would ease up and let her get a handle on her emotions.

"I told you I was taking off while Aubrey was here. I only stop by in the mornings to check on my patients." She stood with her arms crossed upon her chest, slightly impatient. Her red hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she had on her lab coat, but was dressed casually in a turquoise tank top and khaki pants with sandals. Derek smiled as he looked her up and down and could now notice the slight swell of her stomach.

"I know I hope you two are having fun." Derek looked around, "Where is Aubrey?"

"Stevens took her to the cafeteria while I check on my patients," she began to tap her foot impatiently. "So did you need to consult on a patient or something?"

"No, no I just was wondering if you and Aubrey wanted to come over to the trailer for dinner tomorrow night?" he grinned.

"Well, I'm sure that would be lots of fun, but tomorrow night we are going to the theater," she gave him a little shrug.

Derek smiled remembering going to the theater was part of Addie and Aubrey's summer ritual, he was glad Seattle was able to accommodate that tradition. Addie always made it a big deal for Aubrey, it was a girl's only night out and they spent the day at the spa getting their nails and hair done. They would get dressed up and go to a four star restaurant. "Okay tomorrow night is out of the question, then how about you come over on Sunday?" He could tell she wasn't convinced, "Please?"

"Fine," she looked down closed her eyes and gave her head a slight shake. Okay he's trying she should at least meet him halfway way, right? She looked up and smiled back at him and nodded, "What time do you want us to come over?"

"How about noon, we will make a whole day of it. I'll even teach Aubrey how to fish," his smile grew.

"I'm sure she would love that," she said smirked. "Okay Sunday at noon. Now I have to finish my rounds," she reached out and touched his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

"Okay I'll let you finish up so you can get out of here," he leaned over and gave her another kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you Sunday then."

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George and Meredith stood a short distance from the table where Izzie and a redheaded teenage girl sat. They were in deep conversation both laughing and talking enthusiastically. Meredith studied the teenage girl, red hair pulled back in a high ponytail, she could see her braces as she laughed, she was dressed in a turquoise tank top and khaki shorts; typical teen fair for this time of year. She was curious why Izzie was having a break with the girl, maybe she was one of her patient's children. Izzie it seemed still had a problem getting too attached, Meredith shook her head. George and Meredith approached the table, but the two sitting there were so intent in their conversation they hadn't noticed George and Meredith take a seat at their table. George cleared his throat and asked, "Who's your friend?"

They both looked up in surprise, a smile grew on Izzie's face as she said, "This is Aubrey, Dr. Montgomery's niece." She looked over at Aubrey and said, "Aubrey I'd like to introduce you to my roommates George O'Malley and Meredith Grey." Aubrey cocked an eyebrow at the mention of Meredith's name; she knew exactly who she was. She reached out her hand to shake hands with both George and Meredith.

Cristina and Alex plopped down at the table a minute later, "I can't believe this; Sloan is letting you assist on the Peterson surgery?"

"Damn straight he just gave me the go ahead," she grinned at him.

"This is unfreaking believable I've been working my ass off on this case," he complained.

"Hey I worked my ass off too! Damn I spent all day running around doing the labs on that case," she smirked. "Seriously!"

"Hey I was on the case since they brought the kid in," Alex shot back. "Really this is unfreaking believable," he scowled.

Aubrey sat back in her chair and looked on with interest as the two argued back and forth on who more deserve to be in on the operation. Izzie interrupted the arguing, "Hey guys have you met Dr. Montgomery's niece?"

Both halted their bickering and stared at the girl sitting at their table. Aubrey reached out her hand grinning and holding back a laugh. "Aubrey Montgomery," she shook both their hands.

"Cristina Yang," she introduced herself as she shook her hand.

"Alex Karev," he introduced himself as he shook her hand.

Aubrey gave them both a deliberate smile and said, "Yeah I've heard my aunt and uncle both talk about all of you interns."

"They have?" Cristina said eagerly hoping to find out their opinion. "Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Shepherd have talked about us?"

Aubrey made a face at the mention of Derek. "No Aunt Addie and Uncle Mark, I have no clue what Derek thinks of most of the interns." She turned to Meredith and locked eyes with her and narrowed them. Meredith flushed.

"So, Dr. Sloan is Uncle Mark and Dr. Shepherd is Derek?" Alex asked amused by the Mini-Montgomery obvious dislike for Dr. Shepherd.

Aubrey shrugged, "I've known Dr. Sloan my entire life, he's always been Uncle Mark to me." She frowned at Meredith, "As for Derek? I've barely seen him in the last three years and I think he's an ass." A look of guilt crossed her face; she bit her lower lip and looked over to Izzie, "Don't tell my aunt I swore."

The interns all laughed, expect for Meredith. Aubrey looked up and saw Derek approaching their table. She grimaced as he zeroed in on her. "Good morning Aubrey," he said with a smile.

"Hey Derek," she said unenthusiastically.

"What not Uncle Derek?" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah whatever," she said under her breath.

Derek looked around the table uncomfortably. "So," he went on, "You and your aunt are going to come to my trailer for a barbeque on Sunday," he said with a smile.

She responded by saying, "Oh great," with a forced smile, but was thinking ewww. Then an evil glint came into her eye. "Oh did you invite Uncle Mark too?" she noticed Derek flinch and she smirked.

"No it's just you and your aunt," he said evenly, he choose to ignore her obvious taunt. "I figured we could go fishing," he smiled again.

"Fishing oh fun," she tried not to roll her eyes, she wasn't too sure if she had managed not to though. "So yeah, I guess I'll see you Sunday." She kept giving pleading looks at the interns trying to get them to rescue her. She blew out a sigh of relief when his pager went off and he excused himself. "Bleh, what was Aunt Addie thinking," she complained after he was gone. She slouched in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest, scowling as she blew a stray hair out of her eyes.

"I like this kid," grinned Alex. "She's not taken in by the McDreamy charm," that brought a grin to her face again, both laughed and bumped fists.

Aubrey's mood changed the instant she looked up and saw Mark enter the cafeteria; she shot up from her seat and ran across the room to meet him. "Uncle Mark you have got to help me!" she pleaded.

"Help you?" he asked with concern, "what do you need?"

"I need rescuing," she pouted. The interns watched the exchange from across the room, they couldn't hear what they were talking about, but Aubrey's animated behavior was pretty amusing to them.

"Okay squirt what do you need rescuing from?" he raised an eyebrow and looked over to the table of interns where she had just come from. "Are the interns bugging you because I can . . .?"

She interrupted him, "NO it's not them it's Derek!" She threw her arms in the air waving them frantically as she continued, "He is making me go to his trailer on Sunday for a barbeque and he wants me to fish!" she started to pout again.

Mark stifled a chuckle then tried to look serious, "Well I'm sure you will have a great time, I hear it's pretty nice out there."

"Are you serious? You are going to just let Aunt Addie make me go there?" she furrowed her brow and put her hands on her hips.

"Yep you are gonna have to suck it up and deal with Derek," he smiled down at the furious girl and gave her shoulder a little nudge which made her crack a smile. "Come on squirt." He took a more serious tone with her, "We all have to do things we don't want to and you are just going to have to accept that Derek is still a part of your aunt's life."

"Fine," she said exasperated. "I'll go to Derek's dumb trailer for his dumb barbeque and go stupid fishing," she shook her head, she couldn't believe that Uncle Mark wasn't going to get her out of this.

"Hey it's only one day right?" he smiled at her; she smiled back and gave him a brief nod. "I was talking to Addie and we were thinking maybe we would take you to a movie Wednesday night, how does that sound?"

"Okay that sounds like fun," she said cautiously. "Just as long as it's something scary," she grinned back. "I guess I can deal with going to Derek's on Sunday, you are right one day isn't going to kill me."

Mark put his arm around her shoulder and started guiding her back to the table of interns, she changed the subject. "I have a question for you," she waited for him to nod before going on, "So Yang and Karev were talking about your next operation, are you gonna let Karev assist too?" she looked up at him curiously.

"Do you think I should?" she grinned and nodded.

Mark chuckled at her, "He made a good impression on you huh?" she grinned back and nodded again.

When they reached the table Mark looked over at the cocky young intern, "Karev I hear you want in on the Peterson surgery."

His eyes lit up, "Yes I do."

"Okay we scrub in at eight a.m. sharp, don't be late," he saw Yang getting ready to protest. "Don't worry Yang you are still in," a look of relief crossed her face. He turned to Aubrey and said, "Okay squirt I have to get back to work." He winked at her, "Figure out what movie you want to see," she smiled and nodded.

The group watched Mark leaving but he stopped short of exiting when Addison entered. He stopped to chat with her, they couldn't hear what he was telling her but whatever it was it have made her laugh. The interns were studying the difference in the attending, they had never seen her looking so relaxed or casual before, nor had they seen her looking so cheerful before. It was a nice change, seeing her so full of life and obviously happy.

She was smiling as she approached their table. "Hey guys," her smile lit up her entire face and even reached her eyes. "Thanks for hanging out with my niece, I hope she behaved herself," she grinned at her niece.

"Of course I behaved myself," Aubrey acted insulted, and then grinned. "Everyone knows I'm a pleasure to have around." The interns all agreed that they had fun hanging out with Aubrey and hoped to see her again before she went home. Aubrey stood and Addie wrapped her arm around her shoulder. "Thanks for the muffin Izzie and it was really nice meeting you all," she smiled at the interns.

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I hope you enjoyed this installment, please let me know what you think.