...7...
"What are you doing up?" Derek asked, upon finding Addison sitting Indian style in the empty spare room of their four bedroom home.
Addison looked down at her watch. It was half past midnight. Derek walked into the room and sat behind Addison. She was surprised by the sudden act of affection.
"I met with Amanda and the adoption agency today."
"I met with the baby today."
Addison smiled. "His name is Aidan, Aidan Montgomery Shepherd."
"It's really happening. We are adopting a baby," Derek commented.
Addison turned around and wrapped her arms around Derek's neck.
"I need to know that you are in on this with me. With me, Derek, Me, Addison. I need to know that you are committed to adopting this baby to form a family. A family that we have always dreamt of," Addison declared passionately.
Derek pushed back a strand of hair from her face. In Derek's eyes, Addison was prettiest in the moon light. She was a beautiful woman in any light, but there was something about the moon light. He had fallen completely in love with her while standing in the moonlight.
Now, sitting in the middle of an empty bedroom, he was looking into the eyes of the Addison Shepherd he had fallen in love with. Derek kissed his wife.
Addison held still against his lips. She had waited so long for her husband to make a move. Closing her eyes, she gave in to the kiss.
Meredith tip-toed around Burke's kitchen in search of some tea. She was quite impressed with the amount of food his cupboards held. Which reminded her, she and George needed to go grocery shopping.
She grimaced at the thought of George. She adored him, but Alex was right. She needed a man more than George.
"Ouch!" she hissed in surprise as a box fell from a shelf and landed on her head.
"Meredith, what are you doing?" Preston Burke asked from his hallway. Meredith was startled to see a pajama clad Burke at 3am, then again. It was his house.
"I'm so sorry. I was looking for tea. You know what, I think I'll just go home," she rambled.
Preston smiled softly at his girlfriend's best friend.
" Tea is in the cabinet above the coffee pot. How about I make you some?" he offered.
"I don't want to be-"
"Its no trouble at all. I usually have a cup about this time my self."
"Okay," Meredith replied and walked around the kitchen counter to a bar stool.
Preston nodded and quickly prepared two cups of lavender tea.
"Thank you," Meredith whispered moments later. Burke nodded his head and leaned against the sink.
"Thinking?"
Meredith looked at him oddly. She never would have imagined herself having a conversation with Burke in the middle of the night.
"Its nothing. I am just having a really bad year."
"Can't be all that bad."
Meredith narrowed her eyes at the know it all surgeon.
"Not. Its just that-. I'm just--. I don't even know. Whenever I think I have it right, I don't. I wish my brain would work for once. I have a great guy at home, yet I can't stop thinking of another man. I wish for once that life made sense but it never does."
"I see. Well, life isn't as clear as we would like it. Answers aren't the ones we may like them to be," Burke commented. "Sometimes, the truths were know aren't the easiest to swallow, but it is the truth."
Meredith wasn't sure what Preston was saying.
"I'm not sure how to take that."
"The most important thing in a relationship and in life, is trust and honesty. If neither is there, there is no relationship."
Meredith bit her tongue. She had an idea what he was getting at, but she knew Burke would not be as forth coming as she would like.
"I know, I cannot say much on the subject.But in my 34 years, I've learned that much."
Meredith was quiet with her thoughts.
"She's absolutely terrified to meet your mother," Meredith said, finally.
"I know. I'm terrified for her to meet my mother. I've met my mother."
Meredith smiled at the tone of Burke's statement.
"That bad?"
"Cristina can handle her. My mother is very similar to the Chief's wife."
"Adele has never liked me."
"Adele is rather-- Adele is Adele."
Meredith took a sip of her tea and enjoyed the brief silence.
"Cristina is really lucky to have you," Meredith commented.
"Thank you. I am very lucky to have her," Preston replied.
"Oh God, you two are bonding at 3am!" Cristina exclaimed. Meredith and Burke stifled laughter as the bed- headed Cristina walked out to the living room, then back into the bedroom.
Hours later, Izzie walked into the room of Samantha Moncrief. Sam was sitting up in bed with a book in hand.
"So, I hear Gavin asked you out."
Izzie rolled her eyes at the gossipy patient. "Yes."
"He's been dying to ask you out for 2 weeks. Its all I've heard about," Samantha continued in a sing song voice.
"You're wearing your engagement ring," Izzie said, out of the blue.
Samantha paused and looked down at the gorgeous princess cut diamond ring on her left hand.
"Well, I am engaged," Samantha responded matter of factly.
"You are taking him back after everything?"
The scorned woman in Izzie could not quite comprehend on how such a smart girl could take back such a sleazy, cheating boyfriend. Izzie had barely spoken to Alex since finding him with Olivia. She did not want to admit that she missed the idiot.
"Izzie, I've been with Mitch for 2 years. We've known each other for five years . I love him. Sure, I plan on making his life hell till we say our I dos, but I love him. And yeah, I am pissed. I would be a lot more understanding if he cheated while I wasn't on the tour, but when you love someone--. I'm an idiot. The end."
"I couldn't do it. I don't think I could take someone back after cheating. It hurts too much," Izzie admitted.
"What happened?"
" He wasn't even my boyfriend. I walked in on the guy I was dating having sex with a nurse in the on call room. He wouldn't sleep with me, but he would sleep with his ex- girlfriend."
" He's an idiot."
"I guess it's different when there is history behind the relationship."
"I guess," Samantha added, but something in her voice stuck in Izzie's head.
Derek crept into the on call room to talk to Addison. Besides Addison in the moonlight, a sleeping Addison was also a favorite. He moved Addison's lab coat off the bed and sat down.
"Why are you watching me sleep?" Addison asked after a few minutes of silence.
"I got an email from my sister. Did you know that Christmas is in 2 weeks?"
"Yes. Mother has invited Auntie Kane to join us."
"Your Aunt Kane? Mona invited Aunt Kane? Are you telling me that your parents, my parents, sisters, and your brothers, plus 14 children will be coming for Christmas?" Derek leaned back against the wall in disbelief.
"Kendel, Bronte, and Ewan will also be joining us. Hey! I need reinforcements. Monica and Tricia are out for blood," Addison added.
Derek looked from his wife to the wall. "Where are we going to put everybody?"
Addison shrugged. "We still have the trailer."
"I wonder if Joe delivers."
Addison looked at Derek confused.
" Your mother, aunt, and my sisters all in the same house. I'll need my double scotches on the hour," Derek replied rising to his feet.
"Find out about his buttered rum recipe!" Addison called out as Derek walked out the door.
"What were you and Burke talking about this morning?" Cristina asked, joining Meredith on rounds.
"Nothing really. You're really lucky you know that, right?" Meredith answered.
"Burke isn't the new Mc Dreamy is he?" Cristina asked, horrified at the idea.
Meredith shook her head. "No. Derek is still Mc Dreamy."
"Even if he is slipping out of the on call room with his wife?"
Cristina and Meredith stopped to watch the Shepherds walk out of the on call room in conversation. The husband and wife were smiling at one another. Meredith felt her need for tequila hit again.
"I hate you."
Izzie couldn't get her discussion with Samantha out of her head. How can you take someone that hurt you back? As Izzie slammed her locker shut a pile of pictures fell to the floor. The faces of herself and Alex kissing and smiling glared back at her. She kneeled down and picked up the pictures. She stared hard at them. Izzie finally exhaled a breath she had been holding since the photos fell.
Was it time for her to forgive Alex and move on?
So, those are chapters 5,6, and 7. Chapter 8 and 9 are on their way. I just cannot remember if they passed KR inspection. K! R! did they pass? were they readable?
Thanks again for reading. Please review! We are only 2 chapters away from a very exciting christmas and a rather explosive new years. I have a lot in store! Till then!