Derek was standing at the nurse's station looking over a patients chart when Meredith came up next to him sipping a cup of coffee.
"Derek, tonight I'm taking Laura to go get a gift for Morgan. That means you and Jake for a while. You'll need to cook something healthy no pizza tonight," Meredith said.
Addison watched the married couple interact knowing that what they were discussing was not related for work. Addison did not want to interrupt but she needed a nuro consult and soon.
"Okay Meredith, we'll have healthy food. We might even rent a…" Derek was interrupted when he looked up to find his x-wife standing behind Meredith holding a chart.
"Addison, what are you doing here?" Derek asked. Meredith turned around and faced the woman that her husband had been married to a long time ago.
"Working. I'm sorry to interrupt but I need a nuro consult. I have a patient who is going to deliver multiple babies. One of the babies has a neurological problem. I need you to talk to the mother." Addison said confidently. She worked hard to act like she normally would when talking to any other colleague.
"Okay, is that the chart?" Derek asked pointing to the chart in her hand.
"Yes," Addison answered as she handed over the clipboard.
Derek turned to Meredith; "I'll see you later. Duty calls," he smiled to her. He and Addison made their way to the patient's room.
After talking with the patient, Addison and Derek stepped outside. Derek started to head away from the room when Addison said his name.
"Derek,"
"Yes Dr. Montgomery?" Derek asked trying to keep the conversation professional. He may not be in love with the woman, but a person cannot spend eleven years with a person and not have any feelings for them.
"Derek, we need to talk." Addison told him.
"Addi, what is there to talk about other than work?" Derek asked.
"Derek this is important. Can we have lunch, this afternoon?" Addison asked.
Derek looked into Addison's pleading eyes knowing that what she had to say, probably really was important. "Okay, we can have lunch."
"Thank you Derek," Addison said walking away.
What did I just get myself into? Derek asked himself. Isn't having lunch with my x-wife against some rule? Derek continued on the same train of thought until the lunch meeting between him and Addison.
Morgan and Will stood in the airport at the baggage claim waiting for Hailey.
"Tell me again Morgan, Why am I here?" Will asked.
"Because I asked you to be here and you love me." Morgan said as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss her boyfriend.
"Oh, my gosh you two need to get a room," Hailey said walking up behind her friend.
Morgan pulled away from Will and turned around to find she was looking into the blue eyes of her best friend.
"Hailey!" Morgan screamed as she wrapped her arms around the red head standing in front of her.
"It's so good to see you again. I can't believe I am finally here." Hailey said.
"I know. I'm so glad you're here. We need to get your bags." Morgan said grabbing Hailey's arm and pulling her toward the baggage claim conveyor belt.
Will stood behind and watched the two old friends talk.
"So Morgan that is Will. He does look good." Hailey teased.
"I've told you what he looks like, and I've sent you pictures of him and me together." Morgan said.
"I know, but I like to tease you." Hailey said.
"Which one is your bag?" Morgan said as she watched the different suitcases pass by.
"The green one." Hailey said. Both girls reached out to get the bag but neither of them got it. A hand reached between them and pulled the green bag off of the belt.
"Are you two ready to go?" Will asked as he put the bag on the floor next to his foot.
"Yeah, let's go." Morgan said.
The three of them walked out of the airport and to Will's car. As Will put the bag in the trunk Hailey and Morgan slid into the backseat.
"So what, am I a chauffer now?" Will asked getting into the driver's seat.
"No, Will." Morgan said.
"Hey can we stop by the hospital, I want to see my mom?"
"I've got to go to work so I'll drop you two off at Morgan's house and Morgan can take you from there. That way you can put your things down." Will said as he pulled into the Yang-Burke driveway.
Morgan took Hailey inside to put her bags up. She looked around her best friend's room while she was in the bathroom. Everything looked perfect to her. To Hailey, Morgan had everything most of all she had her dad. It's now or never. Hailey thought to herself as Morgan came out of the bathroom.
"You ready?" Morgan asked.
"My mom told me who my father is," Hailey said as she sat on her friend's bed eyes downcast playing with her fingers.
"Oh,"
"She used to work here for a little while at least. She had cheated on her husband, my dad, and came out here to win him back. She said he chose her over his current wife. They stayed together for a little while, long enough for her to get pregnant. Before she found out she was pregnant she left him. She didn't want to be in a relationship with someone who was in love with another woman." Hailey said looking up at her friend.
"So, your dad lives here?" Morgan asked.
"Yeah,"
"Do you know where he lives?" Morgan asked hoping that Hailey would be able to confront the father she never knew.
"No but you do," Hailey said. Morgan looked up at her best friend confused. "Your godmother Meredith is my step-mother. Derek Shepard is my father." Morgan was stunned into silence.
"Do you still want to go to the hospital?" Morgan asked when she got her thoughts together.
"Yeah, I do." Hailey said.
Morgan picked up her keys on the way out of the door. The two girls got into the car and drove to Seattle Grace.
Addison sat at one of the outside tables waiting for Derek. She picked at her salad with her fork trying to calm her nerves.
"Addison," Derek said sitting down across from the red headed woman.
Addison looked up and followed Derek to the seat with her eyes. "Thank you for agreeing to have lunch with me Derek. I know this must be as awkward for you as it is for me." Addison said once he had sat down.
"Awkward is not a strong enough word to describe this situation Addison."
"I guess not. So how have you been?" Addison asked.
"I've been fine,"
"Derek, are you happy?" Addison asked wanting to ensure that she had made the right decision all those years ago.
"Yes Addi, I am very happy. I never got a chance to tell you thank you." Derek said truly grateful to the woman who set before him.
"Good. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. I'm glad Meredith makes you happy. You deserve it." Addison said looking into her hands.
"Addi, I know this is not why you asked me to eat lunch with you. What's going on?" Derek asked concerned.
"Derek there is something I need to tell you,"
"Well, Addi what is it?" Derek asked somewhat annoyed that Addison was delaying in sharing the "important" information.
Hailey and Christina were walking the surgical floor up and down looking for one of their parental figures.
"Where are they? They can't all be hiding." Hailey said as the passed the nurses' station for the fifth time. One of the nurses began to look at the two young women funny.
"I don't know, wait there is my mom." Morgan said as she walked toward the slender Asian woman.
"Hi mom," Morgan said.
"Morgan, Hailey what are you two doing here at the hospital?" Cristina asked, surprised to see her daughter and her daughter's best friend standing in front of her.
"Hi Aunt Meredith," Morgan said to the woman standing next to her mother before answering Cristina's question. "We are looking for Hailey's mom. Have you seen her?"
"Yes she's having lunch, and hello Hailey."
"Hi Dr. Yang." Hailey said and smiled at the other unfamiliar woman.
"Thanks mom," Morgan said as she pulled Hailey toward the cafeteria.
Addison began to answer Derek's question, "Derek I, we ha…" when she was interrupted by the sound of her name coming from her daughter.
"Mom!" Hailey said hugging her mother, "Morgan and I stopped by to let you know that, I made it in one piece."
"That's great, hi Morgan, but I was in the middle of something." Addison said as she looked over to Derek who was still sitting down.
The wheels in Derek's head began to turn. If it was the same Hailey that Morgan was always talking about, then Addison's daughter was eighteen. He began to do the math. Addison watched as everything came together in Derek's head at the same time Hailey's head was working out who her mother had been talking to.
Deciding that it was better to introduce the father and daughter sooner rather than later, Addison began to speak. "Derek this is Hailey my daughter, Hailey this is Derek your father."