A/N: Thanks so much for your very kind feedback on the last chapter! I always love hearing what you think. Here's the next chapter; I hope you like it. And as always, thank you for reading and reviewing. Hope you're staying safe and well!

For the first time this weekend, they're the first ones up. They're sitting out back—him on an Adirondack chair, her, clad in his sweatshirt, on his lap—sipping coffee.

He can't even count the number of lazy Sunday mornings he and Addison have spent together over the years, drinking coffee. He took them for granted, he realizes.

Now, there's nothing he wouldn't give for more Sunday mornings like this one.

But Addison made herself clear. While this weekend has been fun, she needs to get back to LA and he needs to get back to Seattle.

If you ask him, neither of those things sound very appealing. But she's not asking him.

"Do you remember the woman we helped save on the beach?" Addison asks, ripping him from his thoughts.

"The pregnant woman who was having the seizure?" Derek asks in surprise. "The one whose husband thought my last name was Montgomery?"

"That's the one," Addison nods, before resting her head against his chest. She looks up at him and smiles. "Her surgery went well."

"What?" He looks down at her in confusion. "How do you know that?"

"Because I called the hospital and asked."

"You called and asked?" he smirks, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're such a workaholic."

"Takes one to know one," she chuckles, jabbing him in the ribs. "And it was just a phone call," she defends. "It's not like I went into work."

A wide smile forms on his face. "I like that you called," he admits. "It's what makes you a good doctor."

"It's what makes me an overly-invested doctor who sometimes gets too attached."

"Sometimes," he chuckles.

"You weren't supposed to agree with me," she smirks, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow again.

"Ow," he yelps, rubbing his ribs, but he quickly grows serious. "You know I think you're an amazing doctor, Addison. You know that, right?"

She nods mutely.

"Too good for some private practice in LA."

"Derek."

"Sorry," he mutters.

Except he's not.

She deserves to be somewhere that lets her do her job to her full potential. She deserves to be somewhere where she's truly happy.

LA is not that place.

She's settling in LA—both professionally and personally. He knows it, she knows it. And even if she's willing to acknowledge it, there's this unwritten rule that, as her ex-husband, he's not.

"When do you leave for Seattle?" she asks cutting into his thoughts.

And he can't help noticing that she says Seattle and not home.

"This evening. But I need to get to the airport and return my rental car," he continues, smiling at the thought of what took place in said rental car yesterday. "So, I should—"

"Probably leave this afternoon," Addison fills in, completing his sentence.

(Like an old married couple.)

(Like the old married couple that they could have been had they not screwed things up so badly)

"Yeah," Derek nods, swallowing thickly. "I should probably leave around two o'clock."

"Right."

For a moment, she just sits there quietly, staring into her coffee mug.

"Derek?" she turns to him hopefully. "You'll give my best to Richard, won't you?"

"I will," Derek nods. "Although I know for a fact that he'd prefer it if you came to Seattle and told him yourself."

"You know I can't."

He's not sure he agrees. But he understands why she feels like she can't go back to Seattle.

"I think Richard's secretly hoping you'll come back," Derek admits, his voice low. "He's dragging his feet on filling your position."

"He needs to fill my position, Derek."

"Maybe," Derek shrugs. "He doesn't want to, though."

"Just him?" Addison quirks an eyebrow.

He blinks in surprise. If it were anyone else, the question would be innocent. Maybe flirtatious. But he knows Addison, and he can tell by the way she's asking the question that she knows something.

"How much do you know, Addison?"

"What?"

"Did Richard tell you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, don't play dumb. I know you know. Who told you?"

"What do you mean who—"

"Addison, just tell me."

. . .

"I think we should keep looking."

"Derek," Richard sighs, "this is the fifth job candidate you've said that about. I agreed with you on the first one, but the last four people we met were very qualified."

"Not very qualified," Derek disagrees.

"They were qualified enough, Derek. Everyone thinks so."

"Not everyone," Derek says quietly.

"I did. Sloan did. Every other member of the hiring board did."

"Yeah, but—"

"Look, Derek, if you're trying to find someone of Addison's caliber, you're not going to. But I'm currently running a hospital with no head of neonatology. I'll settle for qualified enough."

"I'm sorry, Richard, but I don't think we should be settling for less."

. . .

"Richard told you, didn't he?"

"Richard didn't tell me," Addison shakes her head.

"Then who ...?"

"Mark."

"Mark told you?" Derek asks in disbelief, his eyes widening.

"Yes."

Derek swears he can feel the blood draining from his face. Why couldn't it have been Richard? Compared to Mark, Richard would have been a dream. But Mark ...

. . .

"Now you're concerned about settling for less than your ex-wife?" Mark raises an eyebrow, unimpressed. "I'm guessing that only applies in a professional sense, not a personal one, huh?"

"Say one more word about my marriage to Addison and I swear I'll kill you."

"You won't kill me," Mark insists nonchalantly. "I'm just saying, it would have been nice to see this from you back when she still worked here."

"Mark, I said drop it."

And he almost does. Except he's Mark, so he can't help himself.

"It is interesting," Mark muses, taping his finger to his chin in a way that makes Derek want to strangle him. "When Addison was here, no one wanted her gone more than you did. And now that she's actually gone, no one seems to want her back more than you do." He gives his friend a smug smile. "Why is that, Derek?"

. . .

"What did he tell you?"

"Not much," Addison shrugs. "Just that Richard isn't only reason it's taking a while to fill my position."

Derek nods mutely. He plans to have a long talk with Mark about this when he gets back to Seattle. What was he thinking telling Addison things like that?

But as frustrated as he is with Mark for sharing something like that with Addison, he knows that none of this is Addison's fault. And he's leaving in a few hours. And he's not going to take his frustration with his former best friend out on her.

"So, you talk to Mark?" he asks her curiously.

She nods. "We're friends."

"Right," he says quietly as he lets it all sink in.

Addison talks to Mark. Addison and Mark are friends. Friends talk. That's all simple enough.

"Um, Addison, " he begins, his voice surprisingly hesitant. "I was wondering ... when you go back to LA and I go back to Seattle, do you think that maybe we can talk?"

She looks at him in surprise, and for a moment they just stare at each other. "No," she says quietly after a moment. She shakes her head sadly. "I don't think so."

"But ... why not?" he sputters. "Aren't we friends?"

"I can't be friends with you, Derek."

"But you can be friends with Mark?" he asks defensively.

"Derek, that's not it."

"Then explain it to me," he persists through clenched teeth. "Because I don't get it, Addison. You can go back to being friends with Mark. But you can't go back to being friends with me?"

"Derek ..." she pleads, her voice catching. "It's not the same. I can't just be friends with you. I don't know how to just be friends with you. And I don't want to just be friends with you. So, no, it's not a good idea for us to talk when you go back to Seattle and I go back to LA."

He wants to argue with her and tell her she's making no sense. He wants to yell at her and tell her to stop being so stubborn. He wants to crash his lips against hers and make her realize that he doesn't want to be just friends either.

But he doesn't do any of these things. He can't.

Nancy is walking toward them, coffee in hand, a big smile on her face.

"We were all wondering where you two got off to this morning."

"You found us," Derek mutters sarcastically. "Impeccable timing, as always."

"Anyway," Nancy continues, shaking her head at her brother disapprovingly, "Savvy won't let us go home today without feeding us a massive breakfast ... even though we've literally been eating all weekend long."

"Is she getting things ready inside?" Addison asks.

"She is."

"Okay," Addison nods. "We'll be right there to help her set everything up. We just need a few more minutes out here. Will you tell Savvy that?"

"Of course," Nancy agrees amicably. She moves to go back inside the house, but not before turning and giving her brother and former sister-in-law a smug smile. "Take all the time you need."

xxxxx

Addison watches Nancy walk back into the house. She does her best to not think too much about the knowing look that her former sister-in-law gave her and Derek, or the fact that she was mumbling to herself as she walked back inside, "I've never heard a couple that's no longer married refer to themselves as 'we' as much as I have this weekend."

Right now, she can't think about any of this. Her time with Derek is running out.

"Look, Derek," she begins, turning in his lap so she can see him better. "Once we go back inside, things are going to get crazy."

"Crazy?" Derek raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone's going to be scrambling to pack and saying their goodbyes. And ..." She places her mug of coffee down on a nearby end table before taking the mug from Derek's hand and placing it down next to hers.

He looks at her in confusion, and she gives him a small smile before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. He responds immediately, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply.

When they pull back his eyes are soft, and she knows her own eyes are shining with unshed tears. She swallows roughly and reminds herself to breathe.

She's going to commit this moment to memory. The way he looks, the way he's looking at her ... the way they are.

Because after today, it'll be the way they were.

"Addison."

His voice is soft ... pleading.

"I just wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye to you," she chokes out. "You know, before things get crazy."

"Addison," he whispers again, drawing her back in and molding his lips against hers. This time, she kisses him back, reveling in the closeness—both physical and emotional.

This time when they break apart, they're both breathing heavily.

"I wanted to make sure I was able to say goodbye to you too," Derek whispers huskily. "It's only fair."

And ironic, Addison can't help thinking. She left Seattle without saying goodbye to Derek. And when he left New York ... well, that night hardly counted as a goodbye. Not that she deserved one.

But now, things are different. Maybe these are the goodbyes they should have said to each other, but didn't. Maybe this is them righting a wrong.

"Addison?" Derek says, looking at her curiously.

She swallows thickly. "You're right; it's only fair that you also had a chance to say goodbye," she says, giving him a sad smile. "We're nothing if not equals in every way."

"Always have been," Derek nods.

Always will be, Addison thinks, but doesn't dare say.

Instead, she looks as her ex-husband and sighs. "It's getting late. I should probably go in there and help Savvy finish setting things up for breakfast."

She moves to get up from the Adirondack chair, but Derek wraps his arms around her tighter, preventing her from standing.

"Two more minutes," he bargains.

She nods in concession.

Two more minutes. They can do two more minutes. Though it won't be enough. How can it possibly be enough when they were supposed to have every day until eternity?

xxxxx

He's sure breakfast is very nice. Savvy sets a beautiful table. He's heard Addison say that a number of times over the years. And he's sure today is no different.

He's sure the food is delicious. Weiss appreciates a good meal—especially a good breakfast. Derek knows this, and he's sure today is no different.

It's just, he's having a hard time concentrating ... on anything.

His final hours in the Hamptons are reminding him of the way he used to feel on the last day of a vacation. It was always hard for him to fully enjoy that last day because he wasn't ready to leave whatever amazing vacation spot he and Addison were at and go back to reality.

This feels the same way. He's not ready to leave the Hamptons. He's not ready to go back to reality.

"Addie, I wish I would you have known you were having lunch with Lizzie tomorrow," Nancy says, cutting into Derek 's thoughts. "I would have taken the day and joined you. We could have had a little Shepherd family reunion."

"I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier," Addison says, shaking her head regretfully. "Next time."

"Next time," Nancy agrees with a smile.

Derek's tempted to ask whether he'll receive an invite next time. But he restrains himself. That won't end well for him. And he knows better than to point out that if they're looking to have a Shepherd family reunion, technically, he's the only one who still has that last name. That won't end well for him either.

So, he keeps quiet. And with all this talk of a mini-Shepherd family reunion, he finds himself thinking back to that patient's husband who thought his last name was Montgomery.

What he wouldn't give to go back to that night. If he could go back to that night, he'd have more time in the Hamptons. He'd have more time to figure things out with Addison. Maybe he'd able to set things right with her. And then he wouldn't be leaving in a couple hours ... without her.

Breakfast goes by quickly, just like Addison said it would. And the hours leading up to his departure go by even more quickly.

Addison was right.

And before he knows it, he's saying goodbye. First to Nancy and John. Then to Savvy and Weiss. And lastly to Addison.

He was hoping he'd have another moment alone with his ex-wife to say goodbye—just the two of them. But apparently his friends never got the memo, and saying goodbye is going to be a group activity.

"Have a safe trip," Addison tells him, leaning in to give him a hug. He can hear the quiver in her voice, feel the quiver in her body, pressed up against his.

"Addison," he whispers, pulling her back in when she tries to pull away. "Don't do this."

"I had a really great time this weekend," she continues, clearly ignoring him. "And it was really nice seeing you, Derek."

"Addison," he whispers again. "Addison," he says more forcefully when she doesn't respond.

"What?"

"Truth or dare?" he whispers, leaning in again so only she can hear him.

"Derek."

"Truth or dare, Addie?"

"You're going to miss your flight."

"I'm not leaving until you answer. Truth or dare?"

"Fine," she sighs. "Truth."

"Truth," he smiles, leaning in closer. "Tell the truth, are you going to miss me?"

"Derek."

"You have to answer, Addison."

This time, she's the one who leans in closer. "You know I will."

"Good," he whispers, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply.

It's far too intimate a kiss for a divorced couple. And it's a more intimate kiss than he'd typically give her in front of their friends and family (when they're sober, at least). But he doesn't care.

Because this weekend, they've been the farthest thing from a divorced couple. And their friends and family know this.

"I'll miss you too," he whispers when they break apart.

And then he's leaving ... reluctantly putting one foot in front of the other and making his way out the door and toward his rental car.

He doesn't want to leave. But Addison has made it clear—a number of times—that he has to. That this weekend can't extend beyond this weekend.

And as much as he hates it, he's trying to respect her wishes. He's trying to—

"Derek! Derek, wait!"

Derek whirls around at the unmistakable female voice and see her running toward him.

"Derek!"

He sees her running toward him and frowns. Because it's just not the her he wanted.

"Derek!"

"Savvy?" Derek asks in surprise, stopping to let his friend catch up to him. "Is everything okay?"

Savvy folds her arms across her chest disapprovingly. "You're leaving."

"You know this," Derek reminds his friend smugly. "You said goodbye to me."

"What I meant," Savvy clarifies, rolling her eyes, "is that you're leaving without Addison."

"Yeah ..." Derek casts his eyes downward.

"Derek, what are you doing?"

"I'm respecting Addison's wishes. I'm—"

"You can drop the bullshit, Derek."

Derek's eyes widen in surprise at that. He'd expect something like that from Weiss (in a heartbeat); but not from Savvy.

"Look, Derek," Savvy continues more calmly, "when Weiss and I came to Seattle, and Weiss stormed out of the bar that night, before my surgery ... you went after him. You talked some sense into him. And Weiss was there for me the next day."

"Weiss was there for you because he's a good husband, Savvy. He's a good guy. It had nothing to do with me."

"You told Weiss to fight for us," Savvy insists. "And now I'm telling you to do the same thing with Addison."

"It's not the same, Savvy."

"I wouldn't expect it to be the same," Savvy shrugs. "No two marriages are the same. Still ..." she sighs, running a hand through her blonde hair, "it's not that different."

Derek shakes his head sadly. "Divorce makes things different, Savvy."

"So, that's it? You're just going to leave?" Savvy asks in disbelief. "What was this weekend, then?"

"This weekend was amazing," Derek admits, a small smile spreading across this week. "Honestly, I wish this weekend didn't have to end."

"Then don't let it, Derek. Push your flight back. Come back inside. Go back to the way things were. It's that simple."

"It's not that simple," Derek disagrees. "We can't go back to the way things were. Not today, at least."

Savvy shakes her head sadly. And Derek gets it. He's sad too. The whole thing is sad.

"Then I ... I won't keep you," Savvy chokes out, her eyes brimming with tears. "I just want you to be happy," she whispers, hugging him tightly. "Take care of yourself, Derek."

"You too," he whispers back.

And then he's walking away, and she's walking away. And he can hear her choking back tears as she tries to pull herself together. And it's only then that he notices his own cheeks are damp. And—

"Hey, Derek?"

He turns again and Savvy is looking at him expectantly.

"Yeah?"

"You said not today."

"What?"

"You said that you and Addison can't go back to the way things were ... not today, at least."

"Yeah ... what's your point?"

"You didn't say not ever. You just said not today."

"Yeah, so?"

"So, just think about it, Derek. That's all I'm saying."

And with that, she turns around and starts walking back to the house; and all he can do is stand there, frozen in place, watching her.

He should run after her. Every fiber of his being is itching to run after her.

Except he knows he can't.

His whole exchange with Savvy has left him more confused than ever. He needs some time, and some space.

So, he does the only thing left for him to do—he hops in his jeep and starts to drive.