A/N: So last chapter, let me know your thoughts, I'm still tinking with the next chapter. Epilogue coming soon!

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Addison was in pain but even as she was being elevated she knew that she had never felt happier or more complete. She was a mother, to two beautiful children and she was with the man that she loved more than her own life. Life couldn't get any better.

She sighed in happiness as the door to her hospital room opened and her two best friends entered the room. She flinched as the door slammed shut behind them and both started in on her.

Miranda took her turn first, "What the hell do you think you're doing? Do you know that I haven't been able to sleep for the last couple of days worrying about you? That's not to mention my poor husband who hasn't gotten any sleep either since I was pacing at all hours of the night waiting for word on your condition. And your nephew, let's not got there he's acting like he doesn't know how to sleep through the night anymore."

Miranda paused and then turned to Callie and said, "Your turn."

Callie scowled and started, "Let's juts discuss the fact that for the last two days I've had Mark Sloan constantly on my tail because all of a sudden he's in love with me but I couldn't even enjoy the news with my best friends because one of my best friends was on the verge of death. Then I'm forced by Richard to find away to make you want to live and Miranda and I were walking around this hallway trying to think of away for you to come to your senses and what do we get? We come up with the idea of bringing Dr. Glover here and I stayed up during all hours of the night getting this woman on a plane and here and for what? For you to crash on the table 3 times, 3 times Addison. I had to break up Mark and Derek from fighting; speaking of your husband is really an ass when you're not around to keep him in line."

Callie exhaled as Addison felt the tears of joy and laughter start to stream down her cheeks as she listened to her friends' impassioned pleas for retribution for her actions as of late. "I'm sorry. I know that seems inadequate for all the pain and worry I must've caused you but I'm sorry. I've had friends before but not real sisters like you two. Thank you for being by my side."

Miranda shook her head as she leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek and said, "Don't you ever do that to us again. We aren't as young as we used to be and we can't take too much more drama."

Callie smiled and Addison giggled softly, "So you and Mark huh?"

Miranda pulled up a chair and said, "We have so much to catch you up on."

Addison leaned back against her pillows and said, "Well ladies, I'm all ears, fill me in." Callie and Miranda sat down as they fell into a companionable silence, allowing the stress of the last couple of days fall away as they fell into their routine of friendship and sisterly affection.

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Derek walked by the incubators in shock as he looked upon his children for the first time. They were breathtaking. His daughter was small but her auburn hair and creamy ivory skin made her absolutely gorgeous not to mention when she opened her eyes she met yours with clear, hazel eyes that would certainly get her trouble for years to come. His son was his exact replica, with dark brown hair and ivory skin it was like looking at one of his old baby pictures. After he sat with them for almost an hour and talked to them and apologized like he had been instructed he felt the weight of the world leave his shoulders. His family was alright.

He walked out of the nursery and saw Mark standing at the window and said, "So how are they?"

Derek turned to the man who had been by his side during the whole saga of worrying about Addison and the children and pulled him into his arms. "Thanks Mark. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being my friend even when I was being a jerk to you. I know that what happened between you and Addison wasn't planned and I almost lost her and you were by my side. You were my side even when I was trying to push you away, Mark I want to get back to that place when we were more than friends, when we were brothers."

Mark pulled back and said, "Derek, are you sure man? Because, I need a friend and I need the friend that I once had so if you aren't sure about this don't tell me this. I need you in my life, you have a place, and you're my brother."

Derek smiled and sighed, "And you are mine. Do you want to meet your niece and nephew?"

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Richard walked into Addison's room with balloons, flowers and a huge baby bottle in pink and blue. Addison felt the tears start rolling down her cheeks as she met the eyes of the man that was like a father to her and said, "So Grandpa, I see you are already going overboard with spoiling your grandkids."

Richard sighed as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the temple, " Addison, you literally took ten years off of my life. The next time you decide to get in a life or death situation make sure I'm out of the country and when I get back everything's fine. I thought I was going to have a heart attack worrying about you and that's not to mention your husband. Derek has to be one of the most gifted surgeons and terrified husbands I've ever seen. It's for real this time Addison, he loves you. He's devoted to you and the children so be happy, you deserve after all you two fought for to be together."

Addison smiled as she held out her hand for Richard to hold and said, "Thank you for helping to keep him together, I'm sure that he couldn't have done it without you."

Richard kissed her knuckles and said, "He had everyone worried about him. Mark, Callie, Miranda and I all teamed up to make sure he took care of himself. It wasn't an easy task, I'll tell you though he was stubborn. He didn't want to listen to reason. He didn't want to leave your side."

Addison smiled as she felt the tears start anew and she said, "Do you think it will be okay? Will everything finally be okay between us Richard?"

Richard nodded as he still saw the fear in this beautiful woman even though he knew that she didn't have any reason to worry she was concerned about her family. "I think everything is going to be just fine."

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"Thank god you daughter looks like Addison. If a girl was stuck with your looks, I would just pity her."

Derek playfully swiped at his friend and said, "Well my son looks exactly like me and that is going to be good when he tries to get a date. He can flash them the Shepherd smile and women will fall into his arms."

Mark rolled his eyes and said, "As long as he has his Uncle Mark around to tell him about how to talk to a lady because you just barely got Addison as your wife. I thought I was going to have to propose because you were too choked up to say anything."

Derek grinned and said, "She's my wife and we are going on 12 years strong and I couldn't be happier."

Mark sighed as they walked out of the nursery; he stopped at the window as he stared at the twins and cleared his throat, "I'm in love with Callie. She's in love with me."

Derek stopped staring at his children to turn to his friend and smiled, "Congratulations are in order I take it."

Mark nodded and said, "I want it all with her Derek. I want the kids with her smile and her shining eyes, I want to wake up every morning with her cradled in my arms but I'm scared. I don't do vulnerable well Derek and every time I'm with her, she sees behind the face I put onto the world and she's able to read me the riot act when I deserve it. What does it feel like to have another woman know you're every thought, your every action before you even speak? She knows when I'm trying to bluff someone and put on the jackass mode; she knows everything about me and it scares and thrills me at the same time."

Derek shook his head as he listened to his friend express his feelings and said, "You're in love Mark for the first time in your life. You need to enjoy it, cherish it and don't ever let it go. This is the stuff the movies are made of. Make her happy, make her your everything, and don't ever forget that she holds your heart in her hands and vice versa. I got away from that for a moment and almost lost it all but I was able to pull it back in the nick of time. Don't ever get as lazy as I did, as complacent, there's no excuse not when you have a woman like Callie or Addison by your side. They deserve so much more than us but for some ungodly reason they chose us and we need to live up to them, not the other way around. We were fortunate enough they let us in and we need to be grateful for that fact."

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Three Days Later

"So Dr. Montgomery-Shepherd would you like to visit with your children?" Addison gasped as the door opened and Derek pushed in two carriers that held their children. Addison felt the tears rise in her eyes as she tried to get out of the bed and Derek shook his head and paused at the door, "Get back in bed or me and my children are going back to the nursery."

Addison felt the tears start to spurt from her eyes as she lay back in bed ignoring the shooting pain that was resident in her stomach from the caesarean as Derek smiled as he looked at her, "That's my obedient wife. Come on, we have to name these two children."

Addison swiped at the tears falling from her eyes as they were pushed into her view. She gasped in adoration and spoke softly, almost reverently, "They are beautiful Derek. Look at them."

Derek smiled as he leaned in and kissed her on the lips softly, "They are beautiful and you are beautiful. Have I told you lately how much I love you? Because I do love you that is, this was one of the hardest times in my life when I thought I was going to lose you and gain two children, I don't ever want to feel that fear again so I must warn you that they may be only children."

Addison kissed Derek back as she reached out longingly for her children, Derek reached in and picked up his son and handed him to Addison while he cradled his daughter in his arms as the Shepherd family was finally together for the first time since the ordeal began.

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"Derek and I are friends again. I didn't tell you before because I wasn't sure if it would last but he has been determined to be friends with me again." Callie looked up but didn't speak as she nodded while lying against his chest. They had called it an early night and were currently lounging in her bedroom and said, "I know that you missed his friendship. Hopefully, he can live up to your expectations."

Mark looked down at her and said, "My expectations?"

Callie nodded as she held his hand in hers and said, "You've been shouldering a lot of the blame for what happened in the friendship when Derek didn't admit that he had some blame as well. He needs to understand, that what happened is in the past and if he's able to move past it with Addison, you should be next in line. He's not exactly innocent in this whole thing anyway."

Mark squeezed her to him as he kissed the top of her head and said, "God I love you."

Callie smiled as she curled up against his chest and said, "So, how do you like this apartment?"

Mark shrugged, "I haven't really paid any attention to any other room other than the bedroom, but it has a lot of space. Addison knew what she's doing."

Callie nodded as she started to stroke the hair on his chest and said, "There's plenty of room for a roommate. So what do you say? Do you want to live with me?"

Mark grinned as he met her lips with his mouth and said, "I already cancelled my reservation at the hotel."

Callie rolled her eyes as Mark rolled her over to her back and she leaned up to meet their lips and whispered, "Cocky aren't we?"

Mark groaned as she moved under him and he said, "God, you don't know what that words means." He latched onto her lips as he felt himself losing grip on his resolve to prolong their lovemaking as he made love to her intensely for all the months that had spent apart.

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Derek and Addison had taken turns switching off the babies as they both oohed and aahed over the latest addition to the Shepherd clan. Derek looked up as he swore under his breath and said, "Nancy, we forgot to call Nancy and Mom. Addison! They are going to kill us."

Addison sighed as she watched her daughter take a long, yawn before she fell asleep in her arms as she looked up and said, "I called them this morning."

Derek stopped and said, "How do you do that? You are my perfect compliment and I don't know how I ever thought anyone could ever take your place or I could live without you by my side. You just are my counterpart in every sense of the word."

Addison smiled at him and said, "And you are mine. Although, I was starting to worry that we wouldn't make it for a moment. I love you Derek, don't ever doubt that and even though it seems like I didn't believe in our love or trust you when I said that I wanted to give you children, I meant it. This is the greatest gift that I could ever give you and the only one that I want us to be happy about always. We have two beautiful children."

Derek nodded as he leaned in and stroked her face before planting a kiss on her lips and said, "I love you Addison. So what are we going to name our new additions?"

Addison looked at her daughter and then her son and said, "I have an idea Shepherd. You take one, I'll take one."

Derek sighed and said, "I don't know, what if we don't agree on the names that we pick? Are we going to be stuck if you name our daughter Gladiola something or other?"

Addison laughed and then winced and said, "Don't make me laugh, it still hurts. I can promise you that I won't name our daughter Gladiola and just to ensure that I can name our son."

Derek shook his head as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips, "I don't want a Derek jr. so I'll name our son with the stipulation that my daughter will not be named Gladiola."

Addison rolled her eyes as she said, "Deal but I get to veto the name if you come up with something like Oliver."

Derek feigned shock and said, "Now Oliver is a very nice name it means….."

Addison shook her head, "I don't care what it means you will not name my son Oliver. So we are decided that we each get a veto each or at least a chance to offer a better solution."

Derek nodded and said, "Deal." He picked up his son and said, "So what am I going to call you? Oliver, Rodney, Machiavelli, Rayburn?"

Addison started to laugh as she tried to keep the laughter down as the stitches still pulled and she rolled her eyes and looked down towards her daughter, "Francine, Geraldine, Bernice."

Derek gasped and said, "Give me my daughter; you will have her in therapy by the time she's four."

Addison shook her head in mirth and said, "If I give you my daughter, you have to give me my son."

Derek stared at her and said, "I don't know if I should trust you or not….Well, I guess I don't have another choice. Give me my daughter."

Derek held out his arms and Addison shook her head, "I believe the stipulations of our agreement set forth that we would exchange children and then proceed to naming."

Derek rolled his eyes, "What are you studying to be a lawyer on this side?" He handed his son over to Addison as she released her hold on the daughter simultaneously causing another bout of laughter to escape from their lips as they laughed at their own silliness.

Derek looked at his son and said, "Daughter, you don't know what I just protected you from. Years from this we will look upon this as nothing more than a memory but you could've been called Geraldine." He shuddered for emphasis causing another spurt of laughter to bubble out of Addison's throat.

Addison looked at her son and said, "You don't know how lucky you are my son. You dad actually thought it would be cute to call you Oliver, I know I'm cringing just as you but don't worry I have your best considerations at heart and I promise you won't ever be stuck with that name."

Derek locked eyes with Addison as the love poured out of his eyes and he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her urgently as her mouth opened up under his with a smile. He placed his hand on the back of her bed as he steadied himself trying to kiss his wife into the next century while keeping a grip on his daughter who was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He sighed as he pulled away breathing heavily and rested his head against her forehead, "We did it Addison. We beat the odds and we did it. We are Derek and Addison again."

Addison looked up at him with tears rolling down from her eyes as she nodded, "We are Derek and Addison again, not to mention Oliver and Geraldine."

Derek laughed as he pulled back and shook his head and said, "Okay, let's name these two."

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"They made it." Miranda nodded as she pulled away from the door where she had been privy to the loveplay that existed between her two friends and she nodded at the chief, "I think they are going to be okay chief."

Richard smiled as he placed an arm on her shoulder, "You helped to get them there, you should be proud of yourself."

Miranda shrugged off his approval and said, "It was them, they were always working together to a goal of being where they were before Seattle. That Derek and Addison, the idea in her mind that she never let go of but Derek tried to forget. They were a work in progress and I think now, they are as close to a finished product as I've ever seen."

Richard smiled and said, "They are a finished product and I couldn't be happier. I'll treat you to coffee and then you can explain to me why my previously zero credit card balance has now jumped to $5,000.00."

Miranda laughed and said, "Of course I can explain them, just as soon as you recall that you asked Callie and I to ensure that we did whatever was in our power to make sure Addison pulled through. I think you can see that we were successful with our end of the bargain, now if you have a problem in meeting the terms…."

Richard laughed as they walked away leaving the Shepherd's to their new family and their life together.

End

Hmmm, I thought ending on Miranda and Richard was a nice touch, there's something about the dynamic between these two that I really believed made Grey's work (when I watched that is), they have an almost parental relationship over everyone in the hospital and I truly believe that both Miranda and Richard were pulling for Addison and Derek so I wanted them to acknowledge that two of their 'children' had grown up and were together. Ummm, epilogue coming soon so be on the lookout. I don't know how to end a story without an epilogue; so I guess one day I'll have to try.

P.S., I hope no one was offended by the names that Derek and Addison were making fun of, they just came off the top of my head. So if there is anyone out there with the names of Gladiola, Rodney, Rayburn, Oliver, Geraldine, Francine, Bernice or my PF(personal fav) of Machievelli, feel free to send me a scathing email for having a little jest at your expense. :)