Chapter 2: Thanks for the Memories
Over the years Addison and Derek had become quite good friends. Initially it had taken a lot of efforts for the both to maintain a cordial relationship, but as the years went by it had been easier for both. And when Derek had saved Archer and Addison had started working with Amelia and had seen her through her recovery from the drug relapse, the friendship had really strengthened. Derek had always been happy with Meredith, his perfect 12 year old and Addison had, after a lot of struggle found the perfect husband in Jake. And she couldn't be any happier with her life right now, but as she opened that box, she couldn't help wonder about the life that could have been if she had not cheated on Derek with Mark.
The first thing that Addison found was the picture that she had in her office in New York. It was a picture of them is some park laughing happily. She smiled at the picture and laughed at how happy they were then.
Addison was by nature a very organised person. So she didn't keep things that had lost its value. But somehow she had preserved quite a lot of her life with Derek. The box before her was evidence of that.
The top was filled with the most recent additions to the box. The pictures that had been on the mantle and the walls in their New York home. A wedding photo, showing their first kiss as a married couple. Then another where Derek and Addison were laughing , clicked at Central Park. Another was their graduation day picture. And the list went on and on! All pictures were carefully put in albums by Addison, except the ones that had been on display. After the divorce Derek had wanted nothing to do with this and so Addison had to take care of all their possessions at both their properties. Addison silently browsed through the photos. Remembering what had been, and occasionally tearing up when she remembered a particularly nice memory.
She heard footsteps as Jake walked in with Henry in his arms. She smiled at him through her tears as he walked over and kissed her softly on the lips.
"Are you ok?" he asked, concerned for his wife. He knew that she was sad. He had seen her break down when Mark had died. And this was Derek!
"I am!", Addison mumbled as she continued to go through the contents of the box.
Jake sat down besides her and looked at the things lying around her.
"I didn't know you had kept all this stuff", Jake exclaimed, a bit surprised.
"I cleaned the brownstone and the Hamptons house. And Derek didn't want anything to do with either. I mostly sent all his things to Seattle or to his mother but I kept a few of our things! I had almost forgotten that I had all of this until yesterday! ", she said with a sour look on her face. That had clearly been a very tough time.
Henry now fully awake crawled into his mother's arms and tried to wipe away her tears!
"Mommy is sad?! Mommy got a boo-boo?" he asked innocently, lisping slightly, unable to understand why his mom was crying!
Addison looked at her son, and hugged him tightly whispering in his ears, "No sweety, I am ok!"
How could she possibly explain to this sweet innocent child why she was sad! Death and pain were still unknown to him and he had barely known Derek. The only time that Derek had seen Henry was when she had Skyped him for help on a case and Addison had shown Derek her son, who was too young at the time to talk...
"Is that your wedding tape?! Jake asked as he picked up a black tape with a bright purple cover sleeve.
"Yes!", Addison said as she opened the cover and a folded piece of paper fell out!
Jake picked up the paper and unfolded it and Addison couldn't believe her eyes! It was the paper on which Derek had written their song! Jake laughed as he read the lyrics. "Did Derek write this for you?!", he asked in between laughs. "Yes! And he also played it with a guitar for me at the wedding! ", Addison smiled as she remembered Derek who had been slightly embarrassed and slightly nervous singing that song!
Jake picked up the wedding tape and put it in the player. Both of them settled on the sofa in each other's arms as the tape started playing. Henry had already lost interest in the whole thing when he had seen his mother smile and had gone to his room to play with his favourite toys.
The video started with Addie in the dressing room getting ready as Bizzy and Mrs. Shepherd went over every small detail of how she looked. Addison looked visibly annoyed and her only solace was Amelia, then in her teens, sitting across her and making funny faces at the older ladies when they were too absorbed in their important work to notice her. Naomi and Derek's other sisters walked in and out of the room, giving a blow by blow of the outside events to Addison and occasionally providing food to the bride! Addison herself looked pretty in her white dress which did great justice to her slender figure. Her red haired was curled and tied in a loose bun. Her blue green eyes shone with excitement and anticipation of getting married to the man she loved! Other women in the room looked equally pretty and happy for her as she got ready for her happy day!
The screen blacked out for a bit as the grooms and his best man came into the frame! Derek looked a bit nervous as he was reading the vows of a piece of paper. Mark was smiling mischievously as he assured Derek that Addison wouldn't leave him at the altar even if he screwed up his vows!
The scene shifted to the actual wedding, as Addison was walked down the aisle by the Captain towards Derek. All the guests looked at the bride and how pretty she looked but the bride herself had eyes for no one else but the man standing at the end of the aisle.
Derek looked particularly dapper in his suit as he looked at his soon to be wife walking towards him, his mouth slightly hanging open! Mark nudges him playfully indicating that he should shut his mouth and smile instead! Derek obliges buts continues staring at his bride as she comes to stand in front of him.
Addison is all smiles as the minister starts the ceremony and asks them to say their vows! Both Derek and Addison promise each other that they will take care of each other in sickness and in health, in good surgeries and bad ones, till death do them part! They exchange the rings and kiss as the crowd claps and Mark and Amelia hoot! A kiss that marks the beginning of years to come!
As the crowd settles in, after all the dancing and fanfare of over, Mark gets up to propose a toast,
"To Derek, my closest friend and brother and Addison, the most beautiful woman that Derek could have landed! May you have many many wonderful surgeries together and also, a very happy married life. And now Derek, my best friend will sing a song of his own writing for his beautiful wife." He winks at the couple at the last line as all the guests and Addison gasp in surprise and then clap in encouragement as Mark practically shoved the mike in Derek's hand!
Derek gets up and looks at Addison, as he says, "This is the story of how I met my beautiful wife for the first time. I love you Addie and will always continue to love you. This songs is for you!"
Our eyes met over the cadaver,
And I knew I had to have her,
Had his mitral valve grown too thick?
Is that what made out cadaver so sick?
Addison Montgomery!
I met her in the summer,
She was cutting up a very dead body.
In her eyes I saw my life,
And I knew she would be my wife,
And she would breath the life back into me.
For every day until eternity,
Or until I'll be as dead as that body!
Addison shrunk in the chair besides Derek and the song came to an end, her cheeks red from the slightly embarrassing but beautiful song that Derek had written for her. Most of the people clapped with the exception of Amelia, Naomi, Sam, Mark and Archer all of whom were now breathless with laughter and almost falling off of their chairs! Derek sat down, now with a very red face and put his arm around Addison and kissed her softly trying to hide his face in her hair.
Jake couldn't help but laugh at the song that was written for his wife by the ex-husband but he quickly quieted down as he saw his wife crying again!
"Shhhh!", he whispered as he continued to stroke and hair.
"Derek is dead! He just died! Just like that!", Addison cried, as she moved her fingers along the words on paper on which Derek had written the song.
Jake continued to comfort her by just holding her close, unable to find words to say to her! Their reverie was broken when Henry ran in the room carrying Addison's phone which was vibrating loudly. It was from St. Ambrose.
Jake picked up the phone and immediately Charlotte spoke on the other side,
"Addison are you all right?! I heard! How horrible! He was such a talented person..."
"Charlotte! It's me Jake! Addison is fine! Though she won't be able to come to work today! Can you page the resident ob-gyn at St. Ambrose for the delivery?!", Jake said! Assuming it was one of Addison's patients who had gone into labor!
"Ok!", Charlotte said, as she hung up not knowing what more to say but still wanting to help her friend in any way that she could.
"Thanks for doing that Jake! I wanted to take the day off anyways!", Addison breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'll also make sure that no one at the practice calls you! And I'll drop Henry at the school and pick him up. And tell me the date and time of the service. I'll book tickets for the both of us and Henry to fly to Seattle asap!", Jake said trying his best to make Addison happy.
"Oh! That won't be necessary! I don't think I'll be attending the funeral! I don't think I have the strength to! I don't think I can! Plus me and Meredith never really bonded obviously! So I don't think she'll want me there! Besides if you are concerned about Amy, she has her mother and sisters and every one at Grey Sloan with her! She'll be all right! I'll also call Callie or Richard to tell them that I can't make it to the funeral and tell them to convey my condolences to Meredith and the kids. And Jake thanks for understanding and being so kind and helpful. I cannot imagine my life without you! ", sighed Addison.
"Always!", Jake said pecking her cheek and then walking towards Henry's room to get him ready for school. Inwardly however, he heaved a sigh of relief! Addison had loved Derek ardently at some point of time, but all that was left now were the bitter sweet memories, just like him and Lily!
Addison's eyes followed her husband go up the stairs and then she turned towards the TV to continue watching the remainder of the wedding, which was not almost at its end now. She picked up her phone and left Richard Webber a voice mail to explain that she won't be attending the funeral.
Maybe they would have had a different life or maybe they would have gotten divorced sometime later or maybe a kid would have completely changed them! But those were a lot of maybes. All she could do now was remember a man who had helped her become who she was, both as a person and a surgeon. Because that man was gone forever! And she was here still in a different but happy life, which she couldn't have possibly imagined at the time of that previous wedding!
A/N Thanks for reading. :)