Country Kind of Love

A/N I am so sorry it has taken me five years to update this story! I've tried uploading like half an hour ago but that didn't work so well.

Anyway, I have absolutely no idea if there's still an Addek fanbase out there, but one can hope, right?

I've read your reviews and somehow you thought he would propose. I can give you this much of a spoiler: he won't propose. They haven't been dating for very long so they will not get married. But as he's said in the last chapter YET! So, hang in there!

Btw, this site hates me for not updating, I guess because this is my fourth try uploading this chapter...

Guest: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, I hope you're still reading.

LoveLastsForever: Here it is, sorry about the delay.

Lena-Prince08: There will be more family Christmas and definitely more Addek time.

Em: NO PROPOSAL! You and I don't get why people we know in real life get married so early, so don't make them get married that fast :D

Titania: No proposal :D Really, some more family time and cuteness coming in the next chapter.

Addison-fan: Thank you :) Somehow I don't see this story ending, I don't know why because I think I'm out of ideas but it would be sad to end it…

Lucie: I'm sorry it took so long! I hope you're still reading because somehow it's still fun to write this story.

Luvaddek: Not yet! You have to wait a bit longer for a proposal.

Chapter 18

Addison was nervous. More nervous than she cared to admit. For the past hour Derek had been telling her about all the things that his sisters would pick apart, that his mother was a republican didn't help either. So now there she was, on the way to hell, apparently.

"So tell me, Derek," she started and looked over at him, "are you trying to freak me out, or are they really that bad?" Normally she was good at meeting new people but normally she already didn't care as much if they'd like her or not.

"They're not. Don't worry about it. I promise they'll absolutely love you." Derek told her reassuringly and squeezed her hand. Even though he wasn't completely honest he just hoped they'd at least try to be nice and at least try. Because with his sisters his past experiences weren't that great. His mom, however, would love Addison. Simply because she would be happy that he'd met someone he cared for enough to bring her to a family Christmas.

"You're not being sincere." She sighed and leaned back in her seat. Initially Addison had been over the moon that her boyfriend had asked her to come to Christmas with his family. Over the moon that he wanted her to meet everyone. But by now she was consumed with self doubt. Would they like her? Was she dressed alright? Would she make a joke to offend a republican?

"As long as you don't tell them they probably have sheep to move, I think you'll be fine." He joked and she had to laugh, both thinking of their first encounter and how that hadn't gone all that well either.

xxx

"You look nervous." Preston stated the obvious when they had all gotten out of their cars at what apparently was Derek's childhood home.

"Gee, thanks, Preston." Addison sighed and tried to smooth down her hair for what seemed like the hundredth time. None of them had seen her quite this nervous before. At work she always seemed like she had it al figured out and absolutely nothing could shake her confidence. But this was far away from work and she could feel her confidence crumble even more when Mark rang the doorbell. It didn't even help when Derek wrapped an arm around her.

"You guys made it!" A rather tipsy blonde with a wine glass swinging in her hand beamed when she had opened the door.

"Who is it?" Another voice called from down the hall.

"The strippers I ordered for mom!" The blonde called back, causing Derek to groan.

"Oh, come on, don't joke about stuff like that!" The other woman, a tall brunette who looked a whole lot like Derek and was just as equally tipsy as the blonde, appeared at the door as well. "I'm really disappointed now. Mark, take off your shirt."

"Any time for you, Nancy." He chuckled and shook his head. "I see you've finished all the wine already."

Just as the blonde was about to retort her eyes landed on Addison and widened. "Derek," she feigned shock, "how come you've let us babble on without introducing your girlfriend!" Derek opened his mouth to say something like there had been absolutely no way he could've gotten a word in she continued, "I'm so sorry that our brother doesn't seem to have any manners! And I cannot believe you finally brought someone over for a holiday!"

"I cannot believe he finally has a girlfriend!" The brunette laughed and pulled Addison inside with them, the three men exchanging quick glances before following the women into the hallway.

"Nancy, Kate, seriously." Derek was annoyed.

"We were just getting to that." The blonde cut him off and turned towards Addison again, who really was at a loss of words and unsure if she should be laughing by now. She probably would be if this hadn't been happening to her. "I'm Kathleen and this is Nancy." She gave Addison a smile. "We're Derek's older sisters,"

She was interrupted by Mark's mumbled, "first time they've ever admitted to being older than anyone."

But she only threw him a look before going on, "anyway, we are really glad he's brought you here because we were starting to doubt that you exist."

"I'm Addison, it's nice to meet you." She finally got out and for the first time, she had a chance to actually look at Derek's sisters and had to notice that they didn't dress very differently than she normally did.

"You, my friend, need some wine," Nancy said as she and Kathleen guided Addison towards the kitchen, "and then tell us where you've gotten those shoes!"

"Okay, this is really not how I had expected this to go…" The three men frowned at each other and continued to the kitchen where Addison had already been handed a glass filled to the brim with red wine.

"Are those really last years color? Because I could have sworn that the blazing black looked just like that."

"These are midnight black, apparently they have a little shade of blue in them but I still don't see it." Addison shrugged her shoulders as they talked about her shoes, or so the men assumed.

"Of course you don't see it, they're black." Mark rolled his eyes, not yet used to not being paid a lot of attention.

"You know, maybe you should take off your shirt, it might make up for the stupid things you're saying." Nancy told him with a grin on her face.

"Oh, who's taking off their shirt? And did I really hear something about strippers?" Another brunette entered the kitchen, looking a little disappointed when she saw her brother and his friends. "I'm a little disappointed now…"

"Come on, is this really the welcome we get around here these days?!" Preston questioned but the brunette was already looking at Addison in a rather intrigued way.

And her sisters seemed to read her mind. "Mia, this is Addison, Derek's girlfriend, and yeah, we were just as shocked as you were!"

"True, somehow we kept thinking Mark and you would finally come out of the closet." Nancy stated drily, causing Addison to hide her laugh behind her wineglass.

"You both slept with Mark, so you'd know that's probably not true." The younger brunette said, unimpressed. "So, hi, Addison, I'm Amelia, Derek's youngest sister. I really hope these two haven't already done a lot of damage. But then again, you're dating Derek. And have met Mark."

"Okay, can I finally say something now?" Derek rolled his eyes because this was just like he'd grown up. Them always talking. "I'd like you to meet Addison, my girlfriend I've already told you about," he wasn't finished yet but cut off by Nancy, "oh come on, Derek, we already know that." And with that she turned to Addison again, completely ignoring her brother, "So tell me why on earth you've ever decided to move to Kansas, because we've spent most of our lives working towards getting far away from here."

"Where is everyone else?" Preston sighed because he knew there was absolutely no way those women would stop talking about shoes and clothes and the big cities on the coasts.

"Mom went to get something from the store for dinner, apparently we would not be able to find it because we are all not used to the wide selection the Oskaloosa Wal Mart holds," She rolled her eyes, looking just like her sisters in that moment, "and the guys are still working. Kids are also not here yet so this is the nice and quiet time we have with a lot of wine. And Sarah was lucky enough to be the only one who hadn't been drinking and therefore was able to accompany mom." All three sisters had to laugh at that and everyone turned when the backdoor opened and another brunette woman walked through, obviously annoyed.

"She wonders why we don't visit more often! And she wonders why you three were already smart enough to start drinking so early!" She pushed her long hair out of her face, still holding the door open, apparently waiting for her mother.

"This is Sarah." Kathleen laughed and refilled her wineglass because she knew how much fun their mother could be occasionally, especially if you were her daughter. "Sarah, this is Addison, Derek's girlfriend."

"Oh, the imaginary one?!" She feigned shock and let the door she had been holding open fall closed as she made her way over to Addison. "You're really out of his league, you know." She laughed but just as she was about to continue the door opened again.

"You know, Sarah, it would have been really nice if you could've held that door open for me instead of complaining the entire time." Addison assumed this had to be Derek's mother since she had only ever seen photos.

"I was holding the door open!" Sarah protested. "You just took ages to finally come in and I had to make sure Derek's girlfriend really wasn't imaginary!"

At that Derek's mother's head shot up and she smiled widely at her son and his two friends, her smile fading when her eyes landed on Addison. "Boys, it's wonderful to have you home!" She smiled and hugged all of them.

"Mom, I want you to meet Addison." Derek said, finally his sisters kept their mouths shut.

"Hello, Mrs. Shepherd." Addison said hesitantly because she could tell it hadn't gone unnoticed how coldly Derek's mother was mustering her.

"Hello. Derek has told me so much about you, it's nice you could make it." They shook hands for a moment. "But now you all need to get out of this kitchen so I can start dinner."

And with that they all left the kitchen, even Nancy and Kathleen apparently at a loss for words right now.

"So, why is she acting like this?" Mark had made is way over to Nancy, who was standing by the window.

"I have no idea. I really thought she would be absolutely thrilled with whoever he would bring and even more thrilled he brought someone like her… Pretty sure Der didn't expect this either because he's most likely warned her about his horrible sisters but kept raving about his mom."

"Kind of, yeah…"

"Okay, we should really lighten the mood then." Nancy decided and walked over towards where Derek, Addison, Preston and Kathleen were standing. "Have you seen any of Derek's high school photos yet?" She asked Addison even though she already knew the answer as she pulled her along towards the stairs, her sisters all following.

"They wouldn't really show her my high school photos, right?" Derek sighed. He knew they would.

"They will. You knew that when you brought her here though." Preston laughed as he and Mark headed towards the stairs, apparently not wanting to miss out on the fun, leaving Derek with intense dislike for his sisters.

xxx

"Hey mom…" Derek had not been sure what would be more uncomfortable - trying to stop his sisters from showing Addison his high school photos or talking to his mom about why she was behaving like this.

"Derek, I'm so happy that you're here." She smiled, exactly like she always did.

"So why exactly did you brush Addison off like that?" He hated talking about things like that but he couldn't just pretend like everything was great.

"I didn't, I just really had to start dinner.

"Mom, you know that's not true. When I asked her to come I warned her about the hyenas that are my sisters but somehow they like her and you don't…"

"I don't know her, Derek."

He signed, somehow this wasn't how he thought it would be going. "You know, I thought you'd be thrilled to meet the woman I'm absolutely crazy about. The woman who has agreed to come to Christmas with my family even after I had told her so many horrible things about my sisters."

"I am thrilled you brought her."

Now he knew why his sisters were as frustrating as they were. They got it from their mother. "Mom, come on."

"I've told you, I'm glad you're here and that you've brought her. What else do you want me to say?"

"Nothing." Apparently they'd just pretend that absolutely everything was fine.

xxx

"Aww, this is cute." Addison said, by now on her third glass of wine because one of Derek's sisters had brought an entire bottle with them upstairs. They had shown her Derek's high school photos and seemed a little disappointed with her reaction. "Oh, you should see my high school photos." She chuckled when she noticed the looks on their faces.

"Cute?!" Sarah snorted and laughed, "he's my older brother and even my friends thought he was a complete dork."

Hey, come on, that's no way to talk about my best friend." Mark tried but couldn't keep a straight face when Kathleen held up a photo of Derek with about the biggest afro Addison had ever seen.

"Okay, really," she tried hard not to laugh but couldn't, "how come he figured this look wasn't really working for him then?"

"In college I told him that there was no way he was ever going to get laid and, completely wasted, he agreed to let Kate cut his hair. And then this super hot cheerleader we met that night gave him a makeover."

"It was about time." Nancy nodded and laughed at the memory. "We almost had to hold him down in the chair when he realised his hair was coming off. And that cheerleader only came into the picture because Mark wanted to score."

"Nancy, how dare you." He pretended to be offended. "I'm not like that." At that Kathleen snorted and roller her eyes. "You of all people should know that." This earned him a glare from Kathleen and rather confused looks from everyone else.

"I don't know what you meant and I don't want to know either, so," with this she turned to Addison again, "have you already heard that you have to share a room with Kate and me till my husband gets here?"

"What?" Now Addison didn't know whether Nancy was joking or not and all the others were laughing.

"Oh, she's serious." Amelia laughed.

"Yeah, in high school we figured she'd let us sleep in the same room with a boyfriend once we were in college."

"And then later we thought by the time we had finished college."

"Or were living with someone."

"Or were engaged." Nancy and Kathleen took turns.

"But then we finally figured out," Kathleen finished, "only marriage enables you to share a room with a man you're not related to in this house."

"Officially, that is." Sarah laughed and finished off her wine glass. "Derek has told you mom is very conservative but I believe he's the only one who's never side stepped that rule or he was much smarted about it than we were."

"No, not so fast, maybe Derek is the only one who mom's conservative talks about what's right and wrong worked on." Nancy interrupted.

"Yeah, are you guys waiting to have sex until you're married?" Kathleen asked, completely serious but with a grin on her face when she saw the mortified blush that had crept across Addison's cheeks.

"No, they're not." Mark said nonchalantly but then noticed the looks on everyones face. "Yeah, men talk too."

xxx

"Hey." Derek smiled when, after dinner, Addison was finally not surrounded by his sisters anymore. "You still like me after seeing those photos, right?"

She had to laugh at that and nodded as they walked out of the living room and towards a winter garden. "I still love you after seeing those photos. And I'm still a little disappointed I apparently don't get to sleep in the same as you."

"Right… I honestly thought that rule wouldn't apply to me because I was always the good kid who followed the rules. But it looks like that didn't pay off…"

"Yeah, they already asked if we were waiting to have sex until we're married." She saw the slight shock on his face, pretty close to how she had looked a few hours earlier. "Don't worry, Mark decided to answer that question for me. He said men talk too. So is there something you want to tell me?" Addison still looked rather amused.

"No details, I promise."

"Oh you better not share any details."

"I promise, Addie." Derek chuckled and kissed her. "Mark shares enough details for all of us."

"That I can imagine…" She said and leaned against him, glad to finally have some quiet and alone time. "So tell me, what's going on between Mark and Kathleen?"

Alright, there you go. An update after ages and Christmas with the family in the middle of a crazy heat wave.

As I've said before, reviews are love. And we really could use a little more love in this world!

P.S. I'm sorry to have disappointed you with the missing proposal! And I will get to why Mrs. Shepherd isn't thrilled!