Thanks for the reviews. Sorry it's taken me a while to update, but my muse was hit by a bus. I know this doesn't make up for the lack of a new episode, yet again (hahaha), but I hope it eases the pain somewhat. :) Special thanks to Mere cause she's my GA soundboard.

AN: Oh, and I'm changing Layla's residency status from a first year to a second year.

Richard calls a staff meeting for Wednesday afternoon, figuring it would be best to just get it over with then. He wanted to get a time when everyone who had been involved with Addison, like the interns, Derek, Preston, and Bailey, were on call, so he'd only have to go through this once. The gossip would spread like wildfire, and the rest of the surgical ward would know 30 minutes after he dismissed everyone.

"Alright," he says, calling the meeting to order. "Normally I wouldn't call a staff meeting for to inform you of a consultation, but considering the history I figured it would be the wisest course of action. As of tomorrow, Addison Montgomery and an assistant will be on staff." He pauses there to gauge reactions which range from happy, to confused, to nonplussed. "We have a high risk mother with twins, both of whom have spina bifida. I want everyone to behave like professionals. No whispering behind backs, and no rude comments. That's it. You're all free to go," he finishes looking directly at Derek. No need to repeat the Satan terminology again. It took the staff months to break that habit.

The staff exits the room, and immediately the gossip begins.

"She's back? I can't believe she's coming back!" George whispers to Cristina.

Christina turns her patented glare on him. "She's not a wuss like you, George. Plus twins with spina bifida is like the most amazing case! I would kill to assist on that."

"I wonder who this assistant is," Alex says to Izzie. They're actually on speaking terms at the moment.

"It's Layla Shepard," Izzie says, quietly. "She's Derek's niece. Addison called me last night to let me know I was the only intern she'd want as part of the team."

"Damn lucky blow," he responds with a smirk. "You're a smart girl for stay friends with the hott ex-Dr. Shepard."

"Keep talkin' that way, Karev, and see if I ask her to let you in," Izzie whispers to him before sauntering off to where Christina and George are standing. "What are you two doing?"

"Betting on what McDreamy and Mere are discussing. Well, actually what specifically they're saying," Christina says, as Alex catches up. The four of them are now looking over the railing into the foyer where Derek and Meredith are talking.

"So, Addison's coming back. That's a little weird," Meredith says, as they leave the office.

"No, it's not. We were together before she left," Derek says, pushing the down button on the elevator.

"Yeah, but she's been gone. You have to admit that it's going to be a little weird."

They get into the elevator, and Derek pushes the button for the first floor. "Okay, yeah, it might be a little weird."

Their conversation falls into companionable silence as they muse what Addison's return will bring. They're walking through the foyer when Meredith suddenly stops, "Do you think you know her assistant?"

"I forgot about that," Derek says, stopping also. He had pretty much tuned out as soon as Richard mentioned Addison was returning. "I would guess so."

"Any idea who it is?"

"I'm trying to think of a surgeon she did spina bifida fetal surgery with, but I'm drawing a blank. Wait, it might be this guy named Davidson. I think he assisted her on the only other case she did."

Meredith looks at him incredulously. "That's a rare case of surgery. And you can't remember who assisted your own wife?"

"Ex-wife, and I'm pretty sure it was Davidson. We only talked about the case a little bit. We weren't exactly communicating at that time!" Derek says, sighing.

Meredith looks at him and realizes just how tired he is. "Look, I'm sorry. The idea of Addison coming back freaks me out a little bit. I don't need to jump down your throat. I can tell you're tired. Ready to head home?"

"Yeah, I am," he answers with a smile. "Thank you. Addison coming back to Seattle weirds me out, too, but at least we won't be here tomorrow or Friday."

"Oh yeah," Meredith says, smiling. "We have them off. Thank God. What should we do?"

Derek moves closer and wraps his arms around her waist. "I vote for staying in bed all day." He kisses her on the forehead.

"Good idea. Let's get started on our mini vacation." She takes his hand, and they walk out of the hospital that way.

"Well, she took it better than I thought she would," Izzie says after the pair leaves.

"I think they're both in shock. Wait til they come back Saturday and see Addison and her assistant actually in the hospital," Christina says with a smile. "Then comes the bloodbath." She starts to walk back to work.

"You're deranged. You know that right?" Izzie says, following behind her.

"You gotta be a little deranged to be a surgeon," Christina replies over her shoulder.

George and Alex are watching the girls exchange with interest until a voice behind them says, "What are you doing still standing here? We got patients to see. You do actually work in this hospital, right."

They both turn quickly and see Dr. Bailey standing there with her hands on her hips. "Sorry, Dr. Bailey," George says, running off towards the girls with Alex close behind him.

She laughs quietly to herself as the Chief and Preston come up. "You lit a fire under those boys," Preston says, laughing.

"Nice to see I still command some respect," Bailey says, also laughing.

"Miranda, when Addison's here, Dr. Stevens will be working one on one with her and her assistant," Richard says as the trio begins walking to the nurses' station.

"Done. Do we know this assistant?"

Richard closes his eyes for a second, debating whether or not to tell the others who is coming along. He decides it's better for them to know in order to be prepared for the drama that will inevitably follow. "It's Layla Shepard. She's a second year resident, and she's done the surgery with Addison before. She's a premiere surgeon."

"Shepard?" Preston asks, hoping what he's thinking is not true.

"Any relation to Derek Shepard?" Bailey also asks.

"She's Derek's niece, and from the way Addison was talking, I don't think Layla and Derek are on the best of terms. They were close when Layla was younger; in fact, Addison and Derek took care of her after her father died. And how much do you know of Addison and Derek's back story?"

Both Preston and Bailey know practically everything, but neither wants to fess up to listening to the gossip in the halls. Richard can see this, so he says, "I don't care where you heard it from. Do you at least know why?"

"She cheated on him," Bailey says, comfortable revealing that because Derek had told everyone as much.

Richard sighs, figuring it's better to just let everything out in the open. "Yes. Well, to make a long story short. Mark, the man Addison cheated with, is also coming to Seattle. Apparently sometime after Addison and Derek left town, Mark and Layla started dating."

"Seriously. There is more drama in this place than anywhere else in the world! Does everyone feel the need to act out their lives as if we're on a damn soap opera?" Bailey says, also sighing.

"Amen," Preston says, looking at his watch. "I need to scrub in. I'll see you both later."

"Don't tell Yang," Richard warns. "I don't need this rumor spreading around before Addison and her assistant even get here."

Preston nods before heading off towards OR 1. "This is gonna be a long couple of weeks, isn't it?" Bailey asks as they reach the nurses desk.

Richard nods in assent. "Just thank God Meredith and Derek are off until Saturday. We can have a little peace and quiet til then."

"Thank God for small favors. I need to get to work. Good luck with all this, Chief," Bailey says with a sardonic smile.

"I would ban Addison from this hospital if she wasn't so damn gifted," Richard mutters heading back to his own office.

Okay. I'm not sure how happy I am with this part, but I at least wanted to get it out there. It's a little shorter than I like, but you can just consider it filler til the fun begins. Next time we have Layla and Addison meeting most of Seattle Grace. After that will definitely be the Mark confrontation. And it will probably go just as "well" as it did on the show. :)

Well, everyone take the time to READ and REVIEW please! The reviews are totally what keeps me going!