Author's Note: So I'm back from hiatus. I'm working on a multi-chapter Gilmore Girls fic, and the GA plot bunnies took over once I finished the next GG chapter.
This is set 6 months after the previous chapter. Anything past the Christmas episode didn't happen.
It's amazing how much can change in 6 months. No longer was the weather cold and snowy and everyone, well almost everyone, happy. Now it was hot and humid, and because of that, tempers were flaring at Seattle Grace.
Addison Montgomery was far away from that now. She had returned to New York less than two months after her breakup with Derek, after Valentine's Day when he had showered Meredith with gifts and chocolate at the hospital. No one, not Richard, Bailey, or even the interns, questioned her leaving. They knew it would be best for her to get away from that. They were all in shock of the total disregard Derek had showed for Addison's feelings.
One month after Addison left she got a call from Izzie Stevens. Izzie was still working in neonatology, and she had a patient question. It was something any other doctor could have answered, but Izzie missed the woman that had become her mentor. From that time on, Izzie and Addison developed a close friendship no one in Seattle new about.
Contrary to what Derek thought, Addison had not gone back to Mark. Mark had actually moved on, dating another woman at the hospital. A first year resident named Layla, who also happened to be Derek's niece. Of course, Derek hadn't bothered to talk to his niece since he left, so Layla was perfectly happy with him not knowing the details of her life. Addison and Layla were close before the divorce, but after both Layla and Mark became Addison's rocks. Addison and Mark reestablished their friendship; this time without the sex. All in all, Addison's life in New York was working out quite well for her.
In Seattle, things were not too much a different story. The world had not stopped when Addison had left, and it had taken everyone a little while to get used to Meredith and Derek as a couple again. Valentine's Day was a great holiday for the couple. She bought him a first edition copy of "Moby Dick," his favorite book, and he had showered her with gifts and chocolate throughout the day. There were still together and still relatively happy. Meredith had practically moved into the trailer, leaving her roommates free reign over the house.
Alex and Izzie were in off in their on-again/off-again relationship, but by lunch they could be on-again having sex in the on call room. George had finally moved on from Meredith and was dating Callie Torres, an orthopedic surgeon working at the hospital. Those were a match made in heaven. Burke and Christina were living together and still going strong, aside from the occasional fight because of Christina's reluctance to give up some of her independence. Bailey had her baby, a boy, and she had called Addison to fill her in. So much like New York, everyone was happy with the way things were going. Until, that is, Richard Webber made the one call he was absolutely regretting.
Addison was getting ready for her shift at the hospital when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Addi. It's Richard."
"Hey Richard. How are things in Seattle?"
"Good, good. How is New York?"
"Life's good here. Listen I don't mean to rush you, but I'm running late for my shift. Can I help you with something?"
"How do you know I called to ask a question?"
Addison laughs. "Richard, you never call me just to talk. That's Adele's doing."
"Your right," he replies also laughing. "We have a patient here whose twins both have spina bifida, and we need your expertise. The woman has had a high risk pregnancy already, and there's chance she might go into pre-term labor. I know you don't want to come back, but honestly we need your help. You're one of the few surgeons that can do this."
Addison takes a deep breath before answering. "Let me think about it today, Richard, and talk with my bosses. If I agree, there will be at least two conditions. One, I want Layla Shepard with me. She's a first year resident here and she's the only person I've performed this surgery with. We work well together. And, two, the only intern I will work with is Dr. Stevens."
"I can promise you both of those if you and Layla come, Addi. You know I wouldn't ask if it weren't important."
"I know, Richard. Anyway I need to go. I call you tonight with my answer."
"Thank you, Addi," Richard says, letting out the breath he had been holding.
"Bye," Addison says, hanging up the phone.
She locks up her apartment and gets in a cab for the hospital. On the way there she decides to call up Layla and fill her in.
"Hello," a male voice answers.
"Mark, hey. It's Addison. Can I speak to Layla?"
Mark can hear the distress in Addison's voice. "Addi, what's wrong?"
"I'll tell both of you later. Are you both on today?"
"Yeah, we're both on in an hour."
"Find me when you get a break, and I'll fill you in."
"Sounds serious, Add. You know we're here for you, right?"
"Of course, Mark," Addison says with a smile. "I'm gonna need your help with this decision."
"Okay, I'll tell Layla and we'll see you in about an hour," Mark says, hanging up the phone.
Addison gets to work and immediately throws herself in head first, not wanting to think about the conversation she's going to have with Mark and Layla. Next thing she knows it's eight PM and Mark and Layla are making there way to her.
"Alright, Addison Forbes Montgomery. You've been working yourself to the bone these past 6 hours. It's time for a dinner break, and you are going to fill me and Mark in on what has you acting so crazy," Layla says, taking one of Addison's arms. Mark takes the other, and they practically drag her to the elevator. They go to a small café across the street from the hospital and order their food before Addison explains.
"Basically Richard wants me to go back to Seattle," Addison says, stirring her ice tea.
The both look at her in shock. "Huh?" Mark asks.
"Yeah, that's basically what I said," Addison says, laughing, "There's a high risk mother pregnant with twins and both have spina bifida, and they want me to do the surgery. I told Richard I'd call him tonight and let him know."
"Well what are you considering?" Mark asks.
"I told him I'd do it on two conditions. The only intern I'd work with is Izzie Stevens, and I'd only go if you would do the surgery with me, Layla. I already talked to the Chief and he okay-ed it."
"Of course I will, sweetie!" Layla says, getting up to hug Addison. "Honestly, it's a complex surgery and I wouldn't trust you to do it with anyone else."
"So do you think I should go?" Addison asks both of them.
"I think it might be good for you. It will probably hurt like hell to see Derek with Meredith, but you've moved on, too. You're not dating anyone, but you're happier than I've seen you in years," Mark says. "Plus, Layla would be there for you. And you still talk to Izzie. I can even come if you want me, too. I'm scheduled to take a vacation next week."
"I know you're dying to see Bailey's baby, also," Layla says. "I agree with Mark, as much as you know I don't like it."
"Hey!" Mark interjects causing both women to laugh. "I hate how you both gang up on me."
"Shut up, sweetie," Layla says, placing a kiss on his lips before continuing, "And I would also like to see my dear uncle. He hasn't bothered to even write me since he left, and I think he needs a little wakeup call. I mean you both took care of me for years when dad was sick and after he died, and then Derek just left without a word. And don't even say it's your fault, Addi, or yours, Mark. He hasn't contacted me, and I did nothing to warrant that. So yes, Seattle would be a good idea. And Mark, you should definitely come. This would be a good experience for all three of us."
"Plus, Layla and I can finally meet the people you have talked about," Mark adds with a smile. "Some of these people seem too bizarre to be true."
"Trust me, they're real," Addison says, laughing. "You might actually get along well with Izzie's boyfriend, Alex Karev. She told me he's interested in plastics. Maybe you could talk to him."
"Sure," Mark says. "But now we've got to head back to the hospital."
Mark throws away the garbage from the table, and the trio heads back to the hospital. When Addison goes home that night, around midnight, she calls Richard to let him know her answer.
"Hello?"
"Richard, its Addison. Layla and I are in. Mark's coming with us as well. You know he's dating Layla now," Addison says.
"This is going to be an interesting turn of events while you're here," Richard says with a sigh. Addison told Adele the whole back story about herself, Mark, and Derek, and Adele filled Richard in. "But we need the best, and that's you. When can you be here?"
"It's Tuesday, so Layla and I will be there Thursday. Mark's only going for moral support during his vacation time, so he will meet us on Saturday."
"Alright, come to the hospital immediately after your hotel, and I'll have Stevens brief both you. It will be nice to see you again, Addison."
"It'll be nice to see you and Adele again, too," Addison says, smiling. "Are you going to tell anyone?"
"Probably should. Get the shock out of the way before you arrive, but I'm only telling everyone about you. There's no reason to drag Layla in to this." Richard sighs. "Sometimes I feel like I am the principal of the high school not Chief Surgical Resident." Both laugh at the truth behind that statement.
"I better go to bed. I'll see you in a few days, Richard."
"See you soon, Addison."
They both hang up the phone thinking, what have I gotten myself in to?
Author's Note 2: Spina bifida is not a life threatening disease, but it is a real disease infecting 1 out of every 1000 US births. I don't know if it would even be attempted in a case like the one I described, but I needed some form of fetal surgery to bring Addison in. Only a few hundred attempts at fetal spina bifida surgery have been performed worldwide, and I imagine Addison as a premiere fetal and neonatal surgeon would be one of those who has performed it
There you have it, a new chapter! This is only the first part of the next story, though. Next chapter will see Seattle Grace's staff's reaction to the news of Addison's return as well as Addison and Layla's arrival in Seattle. If you're lucky (and it's not already too long), you might even see the meeting or re-meeting the staff of Seattle Grace. Should be some fireworks.
Please READ AND REVIEW!
