AN: Just a random idea that came to me. I thought it'd be interesting to see something from Derek's perspective of a life Addison and Mark lead if neither had gone to Seattle and her pregnancy hadn't been terminated. I hope you enjoy. Please review. :) LT.
Snapshot of Another Life
Derek isn't sure what he's expecting when he knocks on the door of the brownstone. It's been five years since he's been in New York; the last brownstone door he'd been in front of had been the one he shared with Addison. This door though is to a different home, albeit one that Addison apparently now resides in.
He's nervous and it's been five years. They're divorced now but he hasn't seen her since the night he'd left. It's unfortunate how vivid the memory of her in nothing but his t-shirt sobbing, is in his mind. But he's moved on and as the door is pulled open, he realises she has too.
There's a baby on her hip. Well, not exactly a baby - the child looks like a toddler and couldn't be more than two, he deduces. The thought of her having a child startles him somewhat. They haven't been together for five years but the thought that she's had another man's child unsettles him.
"Derek?" Addison questions, absolutely stunned at the presence of her ex-husband on her doorstep. "What?...What are you doing here?" She asks, brows furrowed as the toddler on her hip peers at him curiously.
He's about to answer but is cut off by another voice coming through the house.
"Is that Daddy?!" A tiny voice exclaims full of excitement and Derek is surprised to see another small child barrelling into Addison's legs. The little girl has chestnut hair and big round blue eyes and a face he'd recognise anywhere; even if it's not on his former best friend. "Oh!" The girl pouts, frowning up at him. "Who you?"
Derek is dumbfounded. He doesn't know what to say. If he didn't know better he'd think this child is Mark's. But it can't be, surely. Addison wouldn't have had his best friend's child. She couldn't have.
"Adelaide! Don't be rude," Addison admonishes and the pout on the little girls face is all Addison. The redhead looks between her ex-husband and her daughter. "This is Derek. An old friend of Mommy's. Why don't you go finish watching your cartoons before dinner," Addison suggests.
Derek watches with vague amusement as the child does just that. He watches Addison again as she shifts the sleepy looking toddler on her hip, the child resting their head on her shoulder. He was here for a reason and he tries to remember it.
"I know this is out of the blue. Me showing up like this. But...I need to talk to you," Derek insisted.
Addison frowns but nods, rubbing soothing circles over her child's back. "Come in," she says wearily. "I've got to give this one her medicine," Addison informs him in a light whisper.
She's already disappeared down the hallway and Derek follows her somewhat hesitantly. This was not at all what he was expecting when he came to talk about Amelia. He tries his hardest not to look around the home but frankly, he's intrigued. A part of him still isn't comprehending that she has a child that looks like a mini Mark Sloan. He can't bring himself to face the truth of that even though it's been five years.
He stepped into the kitchen cautiously just in time to see her deposit the toddler into a high chair. The child fusses a little, looking absolutely undone at not being in her mother's arms. This child at least looks more like Addison than the talking one. Her hair is a little more auburn-y red and her features a little more like Addison's. Her eyes are the same as his though and Derek tries not to frown.
Derek had thought walking in on his wife and his best friend having sex was painful. Finding out they share children has sent a weird hurt through him though. He can't explain it.
"Not to be rude Derek. But why are you here?" Addison asks as she moves around the kitchen deftly. The plunger syringe, common for children, is in her hand and though the toddler frowns and tries to turn away, Derek watches her administer the medicine with ease. He wonders how often she's had to do that and at the way she has to multitask; he and Meredith don't have any children yet.
"Derek?" Her voice is sharp and she's looking up at you expectantly now.
"Right. I came to talk to you about Amy," Derek says after another quick moment, voice grim. He volunteered for this because he knew how close Addison and Amy were. Suddenly he's regretting that he did.
"What happened? Is she okay?" Addison questions, frowning as she looks at him with worried eyes.
Derek shakes his head. "We're...not sure. She disappeared. That's why I'm here. I was hoping you'd heard from her? We think she's using again and...and she's pregnant. You were a logical person to check with."
"Oh," Addison breathes, clearly alarmed by the news. She shakes her head, grimacing. "No I haven't heard from her. We're...not exactly close anymore. The last I saw her though it seemed like she was doing good. I hope you find and she's okay. And if I see or hear from her, I'll let you know," Addison says clearly upset by the news. She has always viewed Amelia as a little sister.
"Thank you," Derek replies sincerely. He turns to leave then, because this whole visit has felt like a shock to his system he absolutely didn't ask for. As he turns he can't help spying the photos and pictures on the fridge. They're mostly of the two kids but there's one photograph that catches his eye. It's a family shot, Mark and the little girl crowded onto a hospital bed, Addison had a newborn in her arms. Mark and Addison are simply looking at each other, the love radiating from them so obvious, Derek wonders if it had always been that way. Had he just missed it?
He doesn't think he'd have missed his wife and best friend falling in love. Could he?
He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. He doesn't want to think about this now. Not when so many years have passed. "I'll just...see myself out. Thanks Addison," Derek tells her, turning to head out of the kitchen.
"Of course. Please, let me know when you find her," Addison calls after him.
Derek's about to reply when he's cut off by an excited shout.
"Daddy! Daddy! Did you bring pizza?" A little voice exclaims. He turns, just in time to see his ex-best friend with a pizza box in hand and reaching down to pick up the little chestnut haired girl. This was not how he'd expected to see Mark Sloan again.
"I sure did, pumpkin. Pepperoni with pineapple. Your favorite," he hears Mark say. The other man had yet to notice him and Derek wasn't quite sure what to do. He was stuck. "Where's your momma and Aspen?" Mark asks in a tone Derek is sure he's never heard before.
"Kitchen! With mommy's friend!" Adelaide tells her father and Derek can't help but be curious about her wondrous tone.
"Friend?" Mark questions and then he turns and his eyes widen as he sees Derek standing there awkwardly in the hall. "Derek?"
Derek doesn't know what to do for a moment but eventually gives him a curt nod. "Mark," he says because despite everything, he thinks it'd be rude to not even address the man in his own home. The fact that Mark's home is apparently one he shares with Addison, his ex-wife, is still not something he's quite wrapped his head around.
"What are you doing here?" Mark asks and it's honestly a fair question. The last time they'd seen each other had not been a good time. But Derek is unsure what to say and he's frozen in his spot and he can hear Addison in the kitchen.
"Ohhh. I think Daddy's home Aspen! Let's go see!" He hears his ex-wife coo to her toddler and he can't help but wince.
Then Addison is appearing in the doorway with her baby on her hip no doubt. It is such a surreal experience and suddenly Derek needs to be anywhere but there. He can't see the two people that hurt him most being so domestic together. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought the scene he walked in on five years ago, would lead to this. Two children and a house and a whole goddamn life together.
"I came about Amy. I'm … going now," Derek stammered, averting his gaze from the curious little girl and his befuddled ex-best friend. He strides past them carefully, towards the front door.
And he's out of the house as quickly as he was pulled in and he feels like he can breathe again. He lingers for a moment, the door not fully closed because he wants to eavesdrop. Just for a moment.
"Uh, Red. When did Derek come back?"
"I don't know. But he uh, he came over because Amy is missing. I guess...he thought I might've heard from her?"
"Have you?" A pause then and he can hear some shuffling. Maybe putting down their kids? "Did you talk about…?"
"No. Just Amy. I mean...he just showed up out of the blue."
"I wish-" but he doesn't quite hear the end of the sentence.
"I know." Another beat. "Come on, we better feed these munchkins. We'll talk more later."
And that was all Derek heard, their voices becoming a murmur as they headed further into their home. He pulled the door closed securely before he decided to leave. He never meant to intrude on their life, one that is so very different to what he'd expected.