Derek wrapped his arms around his girlfriends shoulder; he smelt her hair and smiled. She was beautiful, even if she didn't think so at this time of morning. Looking at her from the reflection in the mirror he kissed her bare skin softly, she giggled softly and put down her toothbrush momentarily. Pulling his head away from her shoulder she went in for a kiss then pulled back, taking her toothbrush from the counter top and continued to brush her teeth. Derek pouted and turned her around. It was just like her to refuse his attempts and turn back around, this time to rinse her mouth of the minty substance. He wasted no time and pulled her back into his arms, this time kissing her.

She of course kissed back, but stopped, she took her lips away from his and rolled her eyes. "Derek not now, I have to get ready for work"

"Please Addie, come back to bed, I'll talk to Richard and you can have the day off with me" He was still pouting now, he went for another kiss but she playfully pushed his head away with the palm of her hand.

"He won't let me have the day off, I just had three weeks off" She bent over the bathroom basin and began to rinse out her mouth. When she finished she felt her boyfriend snake his arm around her waste once more.

"One more day won't hurt, please Addie, I love you now come back to bed" He started dragging her back towards the large king size bed in the presidential suite they were currently residing in. Addison couldn't compete with his strength and eventually was thrown onto the bed, where he proceeded to climb on top of her. She tried to resist his kisses for as long as possible but he ended up overpowering her.

"Derek please, I need to get ready, and you unzipping my skirt isn't help-" Derek quickly silenced his girlfriend and continued what he was doing, slowly unzipping her skirt, she was luck though because the phone started ringing and she was saved by the ring tone so to speak. Quickly she pulled herself away from her unamused boyfriend and grabbed her cell phone.

"Richard? Yeah I'm on my way to work; I know I know I'm late, blame Derek. Yeah he's here too, oh you want to speak to him" Looking over at Derek with a grin and a raised eyebrow he silently pleaded with her to not hand him the phone but she did, and he sighed.

"No Richard I'm not breaking her heart again, no I promise, I'm not leaving her this time, I am aware you consider her your daughter, and I'm also aware her mother just passed away, yes Richard I will take care of her, goodbye" Handing the phone back to Addison he could see her solemn expression, it was too soon to even mention her mother.

"I'm so sorry Addie, let me make it up to you" He cupped her face and kissed her softly; she took a deep breath and pulled away.

"I'm fine Derek, really I am, I'm just going to go and finish getting ready" She left the bedroom, Derek threw himself back against the bed, looking up at the ceiling waiting for Addison could return so he could have some more fun ripping her clothes off. When she didn't return for a while Derek became concerned, sliding off the bed he walked into the living area of their hotel room, Addison was crumpled against the couch sobbing.

He needed no prompting and immediately rushed to her side, pulling her against his chest; he rubbed the back of her head slowly as she continued to cry while clinging to Derek. "Addie maybe you shouldn't go to work today" He said quietly still rubbing the back of her head. He felt her begin to protest, her head shaking and she looked up into his blue eyes.

"I have to Derek, Richard needs me there, and I've had enough" The tears still threatened to fall and she was trying to be defiant but he knew she could let down her defences to him, they had argued many a time about this.

"Enough of what Addie?" Derek said trying to pull her back in, it frustrated him when she started pushing rather than pulling, he understood how she was feeling, he lost his dad and he knew she didn't have to do it alone, he was there for her.

"Enough of being sad Derek, I just want it to stop hurting, that stupid conference, stupid stupid stupid!"

She just wanted to escape it all, get away, go back to the time before she went to Michigan, there was an OB conference and she was giving numerous lectures, she didn't want to go, Derek didn't want her to go but she had to. Upon her arrival her younger sister McKenna contacted her, telling her that their mother wasn't going to pull through her relapse of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, the doctors had said it was a miracle she had pulled through the first time but this time it was too advanced for them to stop. She loved her mother very much, and while they had their issues she still loved her and did not want her to die.

Addison visited her on her death bed, she could see the shell of her mother laying in a medically induced coma, according to her numerous physicians she was in too much pain and it would be cruel to let her feel it. She was grateful, but it still hurt a tremendous deal to see her mother like that. She visited her mother every night after she was done at the conference up until she died. After her passing it was Addison's duty to organise and arrange the funeral, being the oldest daughter it was her job. Her father was distraught and couldn't do anything; he barely had the strength to get dressed the morning of the funeral. Addie was being strong, and she completely fell apart when Derek flew in. He had only been able to get three days off, and Addison, she just needed him.

She stayed a week longer than she needed to, she had originally intended on going back with Derek but she didn't, instead she stayed behind in order to pick up the pieces of what remained of her father. Victor Montgomery was a prideful man but he was nothing without his wife Elinor, despite what Addison constantly told him. After a week spent in the original Montgomery household with her father and younger sister McKenna they both insisted she returned to Seattle, to Derek, to her life. She was reluctant to leave but after much persuading she did return, to find Derek had moved out of the trailer and booked them a larger suite, he really was making an effort this time around, that much was clear.

"Addie it will stop hurting soon, but you're in a good place now, you're with me and I can numb the pain" The small smile on his face made Addison smile and he placed a small kiss on top of her head, now clinging to her tightly, her head resting against his chest.

"How can you be so sure Derek, you're just so sure of everything, ugh I hate it" Addison got up from her resting place, frustrated with everything. She didn't want to be starting a fight with Derek, but some part did, she hated how he was confident he could make it better but what if he couldn't? She was asking herself that very question now and didn't have the answer and it annoyed her. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd always had the answers, and if she didn't she would get them, but not now, she had no idea of where to get the answers this time and Derek seemed so sure he had the answers and it was irritating her.

"Addie I don't want to fight, we're in a good place, we worked everything out and we're back in our good place, after everything that happened we're happy and I don't want to fight" Derek confessed adamantly as he rose from his sitting position, hands resting on Addison's shoulders as he looked into her eyes. She was hurting, and he could see that but she had also put her renowned defences, he was aware it wasn't because of trust issues in their relationship. It was because that was her coping mechanism, it always seemed easier for Addison to deal with pain if she pushed those she loved away rather than letting them in to help.

"Derek maybe I want to fight!" She snapped, but she didn't have the strength to pull away from the man she loved, the man she had tried to get away from but found that they belonged together.

The divorce had been final for almost a year now, and almost a year after they were back together. It had taken him three months of being not married to Addison Montgomery-Shepherd to realise that she was after all the one he needed, the one he loved. Meredith didn't understand but he never expected to. They remained amicable colleagues while he and Addison pursued each other. Addison hadn't willingly let him back in, but she realised that he was genuine this time. Miranda called her stupid but she couldn't explain how she knew, it wasn't like a gut feeling it was something bigger but she just knew. They had diligently worked through their issues, knowing it was easier to move forward if they had been confronted ad discussed.

And now as Addison stared into Derek's eyes she knew she didn't really want to fight with him, she wanted to fight with the world, because they had taken their mother away. Derek wasn't the world, but he was her everything, he envied his ability to put up with her defences and even if she asked how he did she already knew the answer. The answer was always the same in these kinds of situations, love was the answer, he was able to do it because he loved her. He wouldn't back away from her, and he may get frustrated but he definitely would not run, not anymore.

"Addie I know you don't want to fight, you've got that guard of yours up, and you don't want to fight. You think it will make everything easier but Addie you got me, you have the Shepherd clan, you have McKenna and your dad, and they'll all help if you need it. You've spent all this time taking care of everyone else but you. You need to grieve, you need to cry, you need to start letting people look after you" He once again claimed his lover in his arms, as he shattered her defensive wall, the tears cascaded down her cheeks and she sobbed.

"I miss her so much Derek, I-I-I ju-"

"Shhh. I know you miss her, just keep crying Addie, it will be alright" He brought a finger to her lips. He held her while she cried, she cried for a while. She was already late for work but Richard would just have to understand.

Her crying stopped but she was still breathing shallow breaths, she and Derek had huddled together on the couch, it hurt him to see her like this but she was getting there. It was the first time she had really grieved, she cried at the funeral when he was there, and she only seemed to let her guard down around him, which he didn't mind so much. Derek Shepherd loved to protect Addison; he was her knight in shining armour, even if she wouldn't call him that.

"Derek, I don't think I'm going in to work today" Her glass coated eyes looked into Derek's, her eyes were puffy and her cheeks tear stained. He brushed away the remaining tears and kissed her before pulling her closer to him.

"I know, but you know what?" Derek said lifting her chin up, kissing her gently on the lips.

"What?" Addison said, reaching for another kiss.

"Everything's going to be okay. You know why?" He kissed her yet again.

"Why?" Again she reached for another kiss.

"Because I'm here" He kissed her again, a little more passionately, she kissed back, her fingers running through his wavy hair whilst he continued to kiss her.

"Come on Addie, come back to bed" He stood up from the couch and held out his hand to her. She slowly but surely reached for it and interlaced her fingers with his, leading her back into the bedroom he kissed her once more before laying her down on the bed. Derek lay besides her, her body against his, her head rested against his chest and he held his arms around her.

"Think Richard will let me have tomorrow off?" Addison said quietly, almost inaudibly.

"I think so" They were his final words before he kissed the love of his life and told her to just go back to sleep.