Thanks for all the reviews it's really appreciated. I know it's been a while since I updated sincethis since I have been preoccupied with III,so here's a short update.

Recovery

Part XX

The group of women gathered around the table, they were situated by a large window with a magnificent view of the Rocky Mountains. There was no denying these women were sisters, they shared similar features. They all had the same dark curly hair, though most if press would have to admit they artificially maintained the color of their youth and piercing blue eyes. All the women were of average height and maintained their fit look by taking care of themselves with healthy eating and exercise. They were all New Yorkers through and through and never understood their brother abandoning the lifestyle they had all grown up with. They were from a prominent New York family. Their father, who was retired, had been a well respected judge. The sisters had all followed in their father's footsteps and become attorneys and they had all married attorneys. Being a lawyer seemed to be a family birthright for generations, but once again their brother had chosen a different path and became a surgeon.

None had anticipated spending their New Year holiday in Denver, but here they were. Their baby brother, who was always full of surprises, had given them one of his biggest to date. Needless to say it came as quite a shock to them that their brother's ex-wife was expecting his child. Even more shocking was that fact that she was due any day now and they had just found out about it over Christmas breakfast.

There were five Shepherd children two years apart as you went down the line, four girls and one boy. The sisters in order were Maureen, who the oldest at forty-eight, she had been married for almost thirty years and had four children, three daughters and one son. She could never understand how her brother and his wife couldn't manage to fit a career and family into their lives. Next in line was Caitlin her husband was a congressman and she had given up her practice to support his political career. They had two sons and one daughter. Siobhan who had just been appointed a judgeship and her husband, who was currently running their law firm, had three children two girls and one boy. Finally Ryanne, who was the youngest of the girls, she and her husband had a very high profile law firm that specialized in criminal law. They were constantly in the news with one case or another, and they had two daughters. Ryanne's youngest daughter was fourteen and she was also the youngest of the grandchildren to date, but it seemed that was going to change very soon.

Maureen wasn't the only sister who had thought the biggest problem in Derek and Addison's marriage was the fact that they had always put off having children. They knew Derek and Addie had always wanted children, but for some reason it was always put on hold. They were always saying it isn't the right time. The sisters at one point had told Addie to just go ahead and do it. They knew he would be thrilled in the end, but she refused saying it wouldn't be fair having a child had to be something they were both ready for, they both needed to be committed to the idea of being a parent.

"So Derek says they will get married after the baby is born," Maureen said with a little suspicion. "If this is true, then why is she in Denver and not in Seattle?"

"That's a good question," Siobhan said. "I'd don't buy Addie won't get married because she wants to fit in some dress either."

"I think she's still pissed off at him," Ryanne added.

"What I don't get is why she didn't tell us she was pregnant?" Caitlin said.

"You're kidding right?" Maureen said with raised brows.

Caitlin shook her head and said, "Yeah right stupid question."

The sisters laughed and nodded. They all knew why she didn't say anything, besides the simple fact they were Derek's family and it should be up to him to tell them. Addie knew Derek's sisters well enough; they would have all been on the first plane to Seattle and harassed them until they got back together. Addie obviously needed to work out her feelings herself and not have them pressuring her to do what they wanted.

"So we know Addie divorced Derek because he couldn't get over that intern," Siobhan said. "Do you think they are still involved?"

"I think the intern dumped him when Addie dumped him," Ryanne said.

Maureen narrowed her eyes, "Damn I don't like the sound of that."

"Did you know that Mark moved to Seattle?" Caitlin added.

The sisters all nodded again. They had all kept in close contact with Addie and she seemed to have told them almost all that was going on in her life, except for the fact that she was pregnant and they were going to be an aunt.

"But they are just friends," Caitlin added.

"Not that she didn't try to make it more," Ryanne said then added with a grin, "That bastard, when did he get so smart?"

"Yeah that had to kill him to turn her down," laughed Siobhan.

All the sisters knew that Mark Sloan had been in love with their sister-in-law for as long as they could remember, but Addie had been oblivious to that fact. The fact that Addie turned to him when her marriage was at an all time low didn't surprise them either. They had all tried to warn their brother that his marriage was in trouble, but he just didn't hear what they were saying. They all tried to help Addie get over the rough patch, but Derek's indifference and absence was just too much for her to handle. Of course they were all pissed off about the affair. They all told her exactly what they thought about it. But in the end they figured eventually Derek and Addie would work things out. They knew Addie wasn't in love with Mark; she was in love with Derek.

Since they moved across country to try to work on their marriage, the sisters had only heard from Derek and Addie what their reconciliation was like, their versions were quite different. Derek would keep telling them they were working hard on getting back what they had. But Addie would tell them his heart wasn't in it that he was there because she was an obligation to him and he never forgave her. They all received a phone call from her after the divorce. She had been devastated by the end of her marriage, but she just couldn't continue trying when his heart so obviously belonged to someone else. She told them all she was going to try as hard as she could to stop loving their brother, because it was the only way she could survive. They had all waited for their brother to call with his version of the divorce, but that call never came.

"Do you think she really did learn to stop loving him?" Siobhan asked with concern. That would certainly explain why she wasn't jumping at the chance to remarry their brother.

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Addie couldn't believe how fast the month had flown. This time of year was always filled with so much shopping and seasonal cheer, and there simply wasn't enough time in a day to get everything done. Considering New Year's Eve was going to be her parent's forty-fifth wedding anniversary Derek had opted to come for that weekend instead of Christmas. He had spent the Christmas Holiday with his parents and sisters' families instead.

Addison sat in the sunroom feeling like a beached whale now that she was coming to the end of her pregnancy; she only wished to finally get it over with. She was tired, crabby and to top it off her parents were going to have a house full of guests tonight including her ex-husband and his five sisters. Derek had only told his family about the baby over Christmas. She shook her head as she thought about this. She really thought he would have told them long before, but in some ways she was grateful he waited. That meant more time before his sisters converged on her. They will probably be pissed off at her for not telling them; after all she talked to them all quite frequently. They had all arrived in Denver late last night and were due over any minute.

She was bracing herself, because they were more then likely going to push for her to marry Derek again. They all believed that even after the divorce that one day Derek would come to his senses and try to win her back.

Addie could hear the voices from down the hall; she took a deep breath and blew it out very slowly. She sat up straight and put a smile on her face. Whether she wanted to or not it was time to deal with her ex-sister-in-laws.

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I hope you enjoyed the update, please review and let me know what you think and I'll be sure to update soon.