Author's note:
Well, part 1 was a one-shot but I couldn't resist extending this holiday universe. Enjoy!
bobbiejelly
I Saw Mommy Kissing Satan 2
Underneath the mistletoe last night...
Addison and Meredith make out for approximately ten minutes before they hear footsteps running down the stairs towards them.
"To be continued, Satan," Meredith whispers as she hops off the countertop, past Addison, to put the cookies back into the cupboard.
"Mommy!" Ellis bursts into the room with comically-good timing.
"Yes, Ellie!" says Meredith with mirrored enthusiasm.
"When do we go to bed? Because then we get to wake up and it'll be Christmas!" says Ellis.
"Soon, Ellie, but it's got to be dark out otherwise Santa won't be on his way anyway," says Meredith.
"But I want it to be Christmas NOOOOOOOOW," Ellis pouts.
"I know," says Meredith, reaching to pick Ellis up, which she's learned usually helps when Ellis has a tantrum.
"No! I'm mad at you, mommy!" Ellis stomps, and so Addison, instead, runs after her.
"Never did I ever think I'd hear the day when my kid begs me to go to bed early," Meredith laughs to herself as she finishes cleaning up the kitchen.
"Hey," says Addison to Ellis. "What's up, is there something else going on?" Addison asks the youngest child wisely.
"NO!" Ellis says first, then she realizes that Addison could be a good ally to confide in.
"Yes…" Ellis finally concedes.
"What is it?" Addison asks her, kneeling in front of her so she can match Ellis' height.
"I'm angry because I seen you kissing mommy, and Zola seems to be bothered by that, but I told her you're not a bad guy, and now she's crying, and Henry won't let me bring her a stuffed animal, and Bailey won't play with me," says Ellis all in one breath.
"Oh, that's a lot. I hear that that can be really tough, huh," says Addison, offering her hand if Ellis wants to squeeze it.
Ellis latches onto it with two tiny hands, and then she extends her arms and says "up," signaling that she wants Addison to carry her for a little while.
"Here," says Addison, picking up Meredith's youngest child and bringing her over to the couch to rock her.
"Zola says she likes you but that you're not dad, and she misses dad, and I feel left out because I never met dad," says Ellis.
"Your dad was a wonderful man," says Addison, not going into any more details as to how she knew Meredith's children's father, and luckily for Addison, Ellis is far too distraught to pic up on that.
"Yeah?" says Ellis.
"Yeah," says Addison. "Would you like me to tell you a story about your dad, so you can feel like you know him too?" Addison offers.
"Yes please," says Ellis sweetly, nuzzling into Addison's shoulder.
"Okay, well… A long long time ago, when your dad was in medical school learning to become a doctor…" says Addison, sharing about how Derek had his first brain surgery, and how he knew right away that he wanted to study neuro.
"Whoa, that's cool. I bet that's why Zola wants to become a brain surgeon like daddy," says Ellis.
"Mm," says Addison. "If she works hard she can be whomever she wants to be," offers Addison.
"I might not want to be a doctor. I might want to be an artist. Or maybe a teacher," says Ellis.
"Those are great areas too," says Addison.
"Did you always want to be a doctor?" Ellis asks Addison, slowly growing sleepy as she rocks in Addison's lap.
"Mostly?" Reflects Addison. "You know, sometimes it's hard to remember," Addison muses.
"Yeah," says Ellis. "Sometimes I don't remember things too," says Ellis. "I remember when mommy told us you were coming over with Henry she said you knew daddy," Ellis offers.
"Yeah," says Ellis. "She said you were friends with him," Ellis continues.
"We were, he was… He was my best friend for a while," says Addison.
"Yeah?" says Ellis. "You know who my best friends are?" offers Ellis.
"Who?" Addison asks curiously.
"Zola and Bailey and Henry," says Ellis easily, and Addison beams at this.
"That's sweet," says Addison.
"Is my mom your best friend?" Ellis asks Addison.
"Yeah, she's one of my best friends," Addison chuckles.
"That's cool," says Ellis.
"I'm glad you think so," says Addison.
"Of course," says Ellis. "Ooh, and I bet my new best friend is gonna be Santa!" says Ellis excitedly.
"I bet," says Addison cheerfully. "Are you ready to go back and play with your best friends?" says Addison.
"Yeah…" says Ellis, offering Addison one last squeeze before she runs back upstairs.
Addison sits for a moment reflectively on the couch before she gets up, and as she has her eyes closed, Meredith comes to join her.
"You know, I never knew that story before, either," says Meredith quietly as she joins Addison on the couch.
"Oh-" says Addison, realizing that Meredith had been listening.
"I- I didn't mean to pry, I just came by to see if Ellis was doing okay," offers Meredith.
"Thanks," says Addison genuinely, holding out her hand for Meredith.
Meredith accepts Addison's hand, and leans down on the taller woman's shoulder.
"I feel like we should have better prepared for the kids learning about our relationship," says Addison. "I feel like I took something away from them, and I hate that," says Addison tensely. "I should have gotten to know them better, said more things about how I wasn't trying to replace their father. I should have… A lot of things…" Addison sighs.
"Me too… A lot of things…" Meredith sighs, and keeps leaning back with her.
"Do you think they'll all ever accept me?" Addison wonders aloud.
"I think so," says Meredith. "Zola just might need a little more time," she offers. "I think she might be a bit thrown off that she wasn't the first one to find out, because she's used to knowing things first," says Meredith.
"Right," says Addison, recognizing Zola's role as the older sibling.
"Henry seems to be taking it well though," Meredith remarks. "He's so great with all of them," she adds appreciatively.
"Henry's an easygoing kid," says Addison. "I'm proud of him. He likes feeling like he has other kids around him, he was always so young compared to Naomi's kids in L.A," Addison offers.
"Yeah, he's a great playmate for Bailey too," says Meredith. "It's nice for him to have an older guy in his life, I was always a little bit lost about that… After Derek died…" Meredith says softly.
"Yeah, you know, it was rough on everyone for a while, but I really think Henry has picked up some of the great parts of Jake," offers Addison, about Henry.
"Do you still see him?" Meredith asks her.
"Yeah, of course. We split custody, and we still have picnics with all three of us from time to time," offers Addison.
"Does he ever wish you were back together?" asks Meredith.
"He doesn't seem to. Henry just seems content that we're getting along better now that we're living apart. Plus he can't wait to have two of every possible holiday," Addison laughs.
"Well it works out for me, because now I have you," says Meredith sweetly, leaning up to kiss Addison's jaw.
"Yeah, you're pretty cute too, Honey Bee," offers Addison, leaning down to kiss Meredith on the forehead.
"MOM!" MOM" All the kids cry out at once, and Meredith and Addison come running up the stairs.
"Are you alright!?" Meredith and Addison say after their mad dash.
"Yeah!" says Bailey, as he points to their creation that they want to show off.
"It's a pillow fort!" says Ellis excitedly, clearly having been accepted back into the group of kids.
"Cool!" says Meredith. "Nice!" offers Addison.
"We made space for you, too!" says Zola, smiling again, though Meredith can still see the tears on her shirt, and makes a mental note for her to check in with her oldest daughter later.
"Come on!" says Henry, as he shows them their 'palace,' and how they like to play board games inside of it.
Bailey gets out the charades box, and gives out the cards.
"Why don't we have my mom go with you three, and your mom and I will try to beat you?" Offers Henry as a chance for their families to get to know each other more.
"You're so on!" says Zola competitively as she gathers her three siblings to make up a plan.
"Alright, go!" says Henry, as they take turns making the most ridiculous gestures.
Zola acts out a camel, and Addison is stumped until Ellis recognizes the two lumps on her back.
"Now you!" she gives the cards to her mother, who quickly deduces that Henry is acting out a giraffe.
Ellis impersonates an elephant, and Addison takes a minute to let her play before guessing.
"Mommy, that's silly!" Bailey squeals as Meredith acts out a cow for Henry.
"You'll be silly too!" says Meredith, laughing as her son jumps around like a kangaroo.
All of it ends in a fitful of giggles, and Bailey and Ellis tackling Addison so they can tickle her just as Addison tickles them.
"Whaaa-" says Addison as they tickle her under the ribs.
"Are you gonna get in there?" Meredith asks Zola.
"I think they got it covered," says Zola.
"Hey, are you okay, do you want to talk?" Meredith offers, finding this a quiet moment for her to have a heart to heart.
"Yeah, can we?" says Zola, soothed that her mother is taking some extra time for her.
"Yeah, do you want a hot chocolate?" she says, motioning for Zola to join her in the kitchen.
Addison nods at Meredith as she sees her go to chat with Zola, and Henry keeps Bailey and Ellis from jumping on his mother too hard.
"Hey, so what's up?" Meredith asks Zola, allowing her to make her own hot chocolate just like she likes it.
"Look, don't get me wrong mom, I love having Addison around… It's just strange to see you kissing someone else…" says Zola.
"Yeah?" says Meredith. "I'm sorry Zo, I wish we had warned you," she offers her daughter.
"It's okay mom," says Zola. "I like having Henry around though, he's fun to play hand out with Ellis and Bailey with me," offers Zola.
"Yeah, you are doing such a great job helping around the house," says Meredith. "Are you feeling a little strange though?" she figures, noticing that Zola still looks a little upset.
"Yeah," says Zola. "We used to spend a lot of time together, and now that there's so many of us in the house and you have Addison, I guess I feel like I'm babysitting," says Zola.
"Oh, I'm sorry," says Meredith. "I can understand that. I guess it's not fair for me just to leave Bailey and Ellis with you all that time is it," says Meredith, and Zola shakes her head quietly.
"Well, we can go out for some hot chocolate sometime soon, just the two of us, okay?" promises Meredith.
"Thank you," says Zola. "And by the way, I do think Addison makes you happy," says Zola.
"Are you freaked out that I'm moving on after your dad?" says Meredith.
"I mean, you were probably gonna, right?" says Zola.
"Probably," admits Meredith.
"See, the only thing I can't figure out is, how did you meet exactly? I mean you talk like you've known each other for years, but you've never gotten together until now," offers Zola.
"Mm, right, well," Meredith blushes as she remembers their history.
"Well, Addison and I never really got along… At first…" Meredith squirms awkwardly.
"Oh no, did you cheat on dad with her!?" says Zola.
"Not exactly," says Meredith.
"Oh no, was she secretly married!?" says Zola.
"Well-" says Meredith, trying to figure out how to put this.
"Oh no, did you cheat with her while she was with Jake's dad!?" says Zola.
"Also not exactly…" says Meredith, really needing Addison to help her with this.
And just her luck, Addison comes walking into the room, out of breath from all the tickling.
"They won," Addison says simply, as she moves to sit down at the kitchen table.
"Zola is asking me how we know each other," says Meredith, moving to get Addison a cup of hot chocolate also.
"Ooh, juju. Thank you very much," says Addison.
"Your favorite," Meredith smiles, and Zola tuts a little at how sickly sweet they are for each other.
"Well, your mother and I met because we both knew your father," says Addison.
"Define 'knew,' says Zola, smirking looking between them.
"Umm-" says Addison. "Well, I was married to him years ago, and then we met Meredith, and then Derek and I got a divorce, and then your mother married him, and then I guess we connected a while back," Addison paraphrases, without sugarcoating too much of it.
"You know, that's such a dark and twisty love story," says Zola.
"Yeah, try living it," Meredith laughs self-deprecatingly.
"In between, I both married and divorced Jake, and we adopted Henry together," adds Addison.
"And he knows about you and Meredith?" Zola asks her.
"Yeah," says Addison. "It was a bit awkward at first, but we knew we were going to move on," says Addison. "We tried and it never worked, and that's okay," offers Addison.
"Why did you wait so long to tell us?" Zola asks them.
"Well, it's sort of strange and we were still figuring it out ourselves," says Meredith.
"Yeah, I mean, she still calls me 'Satan,' Addison laughs.
"Okay, I do not need to know about that part," says Zola, sighing deliberately.
"I call her my 'Honey Bee,' offers Meredith, and Zola admits that that's pretty cute.
"Would you like to go for a coffee with me sometime?" says Addison. "Then we could get to know each other better," she offers.
"Sure!" Zola exclaims excitedly. "Mom never lets me drink coffee," Zola giggles.
"Alright, you can have coffee with Addison," says Meredith, glad that she and Zola have something to bond over.
"You gotta tell me all the embarrassing stories about my mother!" says Zola.
"Hey!" says Meredith.
"I won't be very mean," says Addison, smiling.
"Yo! Are you done with your hot chocolate! We need four people for Cranium!" says Henry.
"Gotta go," says Zola, as she runs off to join them.
"Well, that was easy," Meredith sighs, snuggling into Addison and wrapping her arms around her.
"Can I tell Zola the story about you saving baby Charlotte, the quintuplets," asks Addison?
"Sure," says Meredith. "Can I tell the story of you saving Jane Doe from the bay to Henry?" asks Meredith.
"Sure," says Addison. "Come here, Honey Bee, I could use a nap," says Addison, holding out her hand to join her.
"Alright, but we gotta spend some time sleeping too, because they're gonna be up all night and wake us up in the morning," says Meredith, already leaning over to plant kisses behind Addison's ear.
"Ha- I'm not the one who never gets tired," says Addison teasingly, as they both run up to sneak off to the bedroom and lock the door for a little while.
"Addison?" says Meredith, as she dances around the room with the redhead.
"Yes, Honey Bee?" says Addison as she leans in to kiss her.
"I love you," says Meredith, as she leans in to kiss Addison.
"I love you, too."
***** FIN
Author's Note:
Okay, so this has become a kidfic Christmas fluff-fest saga expose piece or something.
Hope you enjoyed, comments are always appreciated :D.
bobbiejelly