Country Kind of Love

Okay, so I wrote this story and it's totally pointless, just completely AU and Addek (which makes it a loss less pointless, if you ask me)...

I spent a year in the mid west, so I really like it there, but we'll see if it grows on Addison… And Derek, well, I've always thought he would be from the country!

Chapter One

Addison Montgomery slowly took off her sunglasses and took in her surroundings and she did not like what she saw. When she had called up her old mentor, Richard Webber, and had asked him for a job because she really needed some change in her life after her and her fiancé had split up she hadn't imagined anything quite like this. Kansas. She had seen it on a map, she knew where it was and of course, she had seen the Wizard of Ozz but why Dorothy would click her heels to come back to this was beyond her! She sighed and pushed her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose after having put them back on as she slowly walked towards baggage claim. Yep, she could have come to California, Seattle, London, Rome, or Vienna but she had instead come to some third world country, or so it seemed.

When Addison walked towards the entrance of the miniature airport of Kansas City she had gotten a few very odd looks because in a tight black dress and perfectly done hair and nails she didn't look a lot like her fellow passengers on the plane. The Luis Vuitton luggage and the Chanel sunglasses didn't help either.

"Addison! How are you!" Richard greeted her enthusiastically and her face fell when she looked her former mentor up and down. In New York he had always been dressed impeccably but now he was actually wearing jeans and some blue t-shirt with a bird on it. Lovely, she thought to herself.

"Richard, you forgot to mention that Kansas looked like… This…" She forced a smile and hugged him. After he had moved they had kept in touch and he had always mentioned how much he loved living in Kansas and how relaxing it was compared to the hectic life as chief of surgery in New York.

"It's great! You just have to get used to it, come on, Addie, you're adaptable." He knew that he was pushing it because looking at her now he could see how she would have trouble adapting to life in Kansas but knowing Addison she would see this as a challenge.

"It's safe to say that we definitely aren't in New York anymore…" She sighed again as they walked towards Richard's car.

"But, if I remember correctly, that's exactly what you wanted." Richard remembered how he had always tried to get his best surgeon out to Kansas but she had always laughed it off.

"It is." She gave him a smile because she was glad that he had immediately offered her the position he had been offering to her. The payment was very good, especially considering what Kansas actually looked like. When Richard had told her that he really needed to change his life after he had had a heart attack she had thought to herself that he would never be able to leave the city and his job but he had gone through with it. He now was the COS at the University of Kansas Hospital and prided himself with the fact that it was one of the best hospitals in the United States.

"So, Kansas City is pretty big but we live just a little outside of the city, which is a lot nicer, but you've already seen photos of the house, so I don't need to explain. The staff is amazing and you'll love them and I'm sure you'll love teaching!" Richard beamed after he had put all her bags in the trunk and on the back seat. Her boxes would be delivered as soon as she had found an apartment but he was sure she could live with all that stuff she had already brought with her.

"I really hope you're right." She chuckled and looked out of the window and had the suspicion that Richard might not be right about this place… With all her credentials and his very enthusiastic portrayal of her and her word it had been very easy to get hired for Addison, especially since Richard was her old mentor.

"Come on, Addie, change is good for you!"

"Not if change looks like this…" All she could see were fields outside of the city and that was exactly where they were headed now – to the middle of nowhere. But Kansas probably already was in the middle of nowhere, so it really didn't make much of a difference, did it?

"Addie! You're finally here!" Adele had been waiting on the porch and had immediately pulled Addison into a hug. "But you do need a different wardrobe here." She chuckled.

"Oh, no, I like my clothes."

"Honey, for work, sure, but those heels aren't really Kansas. It's much nicer here, more quiet and not like you're always on a runway."

"Adele, you just described the things I love about New York so much…" Okay, she was screwed and she knew it too. This was not going to be good.

"You'll be fine. But you'll need a car. Now, I don't need mine tomorrow so you can have that because Richard just leaves far too early anyway." Adele was now leading Addison into the house and it really was nice. She had never really understood why Richard had left New York and how he had been able to do it but he had told her all those wonderful things about this flat piece of nowhere.

xxx

The next morning Addison had already had enough. She hadn't been able to get any sleep because of all those stupid crickets! And now she was already late, on her very first day, because the GPS on her phone apparently was just as unable to adapt as she was. As if all of that wasn't just bad enough there now was someone blocking the way towards the parking spots at the hospital and Addison had already honked but whoever that stupid idiot in the pick up truck in front of her was, he didn't really care that she had to work. When he finally moved his car and parked it next to where she had just parked hers she was more than just mad.

"This is the country, you need to relax just a little." The man in flannel had told her and given her a charming smile she would have loved to wipe off his face.

"You know, that's very nice but some of us have lives to save and I'm guessing you have some sheep to move." And she had given him her most degrading look because who the hell was he to tell her to relax?!

xxx

"Gee, Addison, what did you do, drive to New York and back here again?" Richard joked but then saw the look on her face and figured that jokes probably weren't the way to go right now. "Anyway," he said quickly, "I'll introduce you to some of your colleagues and then I'll give you the grand tour, how does that sound?"

"Just great." She sighed and ran her fingers through her long hair. Addison was now used to people giving her strange looks like she was an intruder to this little flannel bubble of country music and cowboy boots but she just didn't get this place. At all.

"Great, you're all here!" Richard was much friendlier than he had ever been in New York when they walked towards a group of men, one of them was still turned towards the OR plan but the others all turned towards Addison.

"Addison, this is Preston Burke, our head of cardio." Richard motioned to one of the doctors who gave her a friendly smile and shook her head. "And this is Mark Sloan, head of plastics." He introduced the next man who just looked her up and down and gave her one of those smirks she had already hated in college. "And last but not least, the man who is so lost in his work, our head of neurology." And then the man with the dark and wavy hair turned around, immediately grinning when he recognized her.

"Derek Shepherd, it's very nice to meet you." He extended his hand to her but she looked completely mortified. Had she just really snapped at her colleague and told him that he probably had some sheep to move?

"Addison Montgomery." She gave him a very uneasy smile and shook his hand.

"Addison will be our new head of neo natal and OB/GYN, so it would be really nice if one of you could show her around the hospital."

"Oh, I'll do that." Mark Sloan immediately jumped in, increasing the annoyance in Addison's gaze.

"Nice try, Sloan, you have a surgery scheduled." Richard Webber pointed to the OR plan.

"I can show you the hospital. You know, after moving all those sheep you mentioned earlier." Derek looked at her and left the others around them confused. "Shall we, Dr. Montgomery?" He had turned around and was looking at her over his shoulder.

"Uhm, yes, it was very nice to meet you." She quickly smiled at Dr. Burke and Dr. Sloan before hurrying after Derek Shepherd, who hadn't waited for her. Of course he hadn't…

"It would be nice if you would at least wait for me!" Derek looked rather amused when she had reached him and watched her tuck some hair behind her ear.

"Well, Dr. Montgomery, I thought you were in a hurry today?" He raised his eyebrows at her and she knew that he was trying to push her buttons.

"Your car was blocking the entire way!"

"It's a truck and I think you survived, didn't you?" When he saw that she closed her mouth again before even saying something he had to smirk because he knew that she had probably been telling herself to calm down all along. "So, I'm guessing you're not from around here?" He was now walking a little slower and looked at her as she walked next to him.

"Wow, the standards of your med schools around here must be really high…" She mumbled. Addison knew that she was just in a bad mood and that it really wasn't his fault but those smirks made her just a little mad.

"So you think that because you're from… New York, I'm guessing, and probably went to what? Harvard? That you're better than anyone else here?" He still looked a little amused and not upset that she had basically insulted him.

"Yale and no, I didn't say that."

"But it's what you meant. And let me assure you, just because some of us went to medical school in the mid west and live here we aren't less capable. Now, I promised you a tour, come on." Derek didn't even give her chance to answer before he started walking again.

xxx

After a long day Addison now sat on a bench outside of the hospital and took a deep breath. She had wanted to go home but home was Richard and Adele's house so maybe just a little peace and quiet wouldn't hurt.

"So, tell me," A familiar voice came up from behind her and she turned her head slightly to see Derek Shepherd sitting down next to her before continuing, "how do you like it here so far?" He looked about as tired as she felt but was still smiling at her and even though she had found him very irritating earlier she hadn't failed to notice how handsome he was. Maybe that's the upside to this place, she had thought to herself.

"I think I would have preferred Doctors Without Borders." She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a grin so he knew she really wasn't serious.

"Do you really think that you would have survived Doctors Without Borders?" He laughed softly and she nudged him. "I mean, I don't really know you, but you don't seem like the type who would survive in a place like the Kongo."

"Zimbabwe, and I did survive and you're right, you don't know me." Addison was still smiling when she watched the look on his face. Apparently he hadn't expected that.

"Aren't you just full of surprises… I'm impressed."

"Thank you." She leaned back and looked up at the sky. "Now you can't tell anyone this but I actually like that I can see all those stars here."

"I won't tell anyone." He chuckled. "But really, this is a great place. I, personally, find the city too big but the parts outside of the city are great."

"So you grew up here?" Addison turned to look over at him and had to admit that he was pretty good company. Even though she had been awful to him earlier he still remained completely friendly and very charming.

"Yep, moved back here after university. I mean, there's no place like home, right?" His elbow was resting on the backrest of the bench, just next to her shoulder and his upper body was turned towards hers completely.

"So where did you go to university?" She raised her eyebrows and looked into his dark blue eyes. His eyes seemed to have this boyish glint to them but also seemed endless like the sea and she could already feel herself getting lost in them.

"Where would the fun be if I told you that right away?" Derek grinned and got up. "Good night, Dr. Montgomery."

"Come on! That's not fair. And call me Addison." She protested and then he turned around and looked at her again.

"Harvard." He simply answered.

"Well, now I'm impressed…"

Derek grinned at her again. "Good night, Addison."

"Goodnight, Derek." She had to smile at the fact that she hated Kansas just a little less because of him.

Did ANYONE like this? Should I continue it? Is anyone curios? Please PLEASE let me know! Thank you :) Review. Please. (Just thought I'd mention it again…)