Sorry it took me so long to update. The pre-med major is keeping me busy.

"It's an arteriovenous malformation on her occipital lobe," I told the chief as I looked at his wife's CT scan. "It's been there ever since she was born."

"Fix it, damn it."

"I'm going to, sir," turning to a nurse, "Prep Mrs. Webber for surgery immediately."

"Shepherd? Is my wife going to be alright?"

"If there are no complications from the surgery, she should make a full recovery. I'll take good care of her."

As I stood in front of a sink, scrubbing in for Adele's surgery, I began to feel slightly apprehensive. My first surgery in Seattle was going to be on the Chief of Surgery's wife! I couldn't believe it. I scrubbed my skin so hard, I almost made myself bleed. Just as I began to finish up, I noticed a lot of commotion inside the OR in front of me.

"Dr. Shepherd! She's coding!"

I rushed into the OR to find the anesthesiologist putting paddles to Adele's chest.

"What the hell happened?"

"I just put her under. I don't know."

"She's bleeding out. We're going to have to work fast. And close the galley and the curtains. I don't want the chief trying to watch this."

"Sure thing, Dr. Shepherd."

"It's a beautiful day to save lives. Let's have some fun," I said my customary saying for beginning any surgery as I stretched my neck and hands. "Ten blade."

I began the work to save the chief's wife, a process that normally takes several hours. As I worked, I thought about Addison. I couldn't help but wonder if she was saving someone's life at the same time, and I remembered a joke we used to have about doing an emergency surgery at the same time.

"I saved a life today," she would begin when we finally got a moment alone, usually a midnight dinner.

"Me, too. Emergency craniotomy."

"Emergency hysterectomy. Just as I was about leave for the day."

"Me, too."

Often we would say the time our surgeries took place, and laugh when it happened at the same time. Then Addie would smile over the dinner table, and we would clink our glasses.

"Here's to saving a life," I'd say.

"Maybe we should clink scalpels instead," was the reply.

I turned to the resident that had been assigned to Adele's case, a small woman nicknamed "The Nazi". I asked her to finish closing up, and I left the OR to find the chief.

"She's doing well, Chief."

"Everything went okay? Why'd you close off the galley?"

"Because I knew you would stand up there and watch. It's not good for you to watch your wife's surgery."

"Were there any complications?"

"Damn it," I thought, "Why did he have to ask that?"

"Well, the surgery was successful. Barring any post-op complications or infections, she will make a full recovery."

"I see a big but in that statement. Be honest with me, Shepherd."

"She coded on the table just before we began. The mass of conjoined blood vessels that had been slowly bleeding out caused a significant blood loss, but we replaced the lost blood. She'll be fine. You'll be able to see her in a little while."

"Thank-you, Derek."

"Not a problem, Chief."

"At least I know I can feel comfortable leaving the hospital in your hands."

"You, what?"

"When I retire, I'll feel at ease knowing you're in the hospital."

"What exactly are you saying, sir?"

"Derek, I'm not a young man anymore. I'm tired. My wife is tired of me living in this hospital. We want to book a vacation for two people. Someday soon, I hope you'll consider becoming Chief of Surgery."

"Thank-you, Sir. I would be honored."

"I'll be watching you closely, Derek. You have some hot competition in this hospital."