Chapter 9 - Dear readers, we thank you for the good reviews you wrote us. We took in great consideration all your advices and comments. We really hope you all will like chapter 9. We advert you, a lot of things and changes will happen in this new chapter. Read and enjoy... and hopefully review it!

We see hundreds of people each and everyday, their faces instantly locked into our subconscious and stored in our memory. Sometimes we pass them again and we recognize them, sometimes we meet them and we get to know them and sometimes they become an important part of your life. It's then, when a person becomes intertwined with our life that we start to view them in a different light, that we begin to notice each little detail of them and their defining features that make them so unique. But overtime we begin to take these little things for granted, they become the norm and eventually we forget each intricate detail of their being. We find ourselves once again at the start and having to remember them and what makes them so extraordinary, it might be through the smallest acts, it might be through the simplest gestures but somehow in the end we realize that we wouldn't be who we are today without them.

It was past midnight when Jake had arrived back at the hotel suite. As he walked towards the bedroom, he was greeted by a sleeping Addison resting peacefully under the covers. The sight of her was sending his senses into over-drive as it has been so long since they had spent the night together. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, Jake found himself crawling under the covers and snuggling behind Addison's sleeping frame. His hands began to roam all around her body as if his gentle touch reminded her subconsciously that he was there. As he drew in closer to her body he inhaled her scent and placed a soft yet tender kiss on her cheek.

Jake then thought to himself as he stared at her, how lucky he was to have found someone so perfect even after everything that the two of them had been through. Los Angeles had done good things for them, heck it was where they first fell in love, but there was just something about Seattle that really felt like home, where a sense of community was and where he would give Addison the life that she so rightfully deserved. Convincing her was going to be the hardest part but Jake made it his mission to turn Seattle from a place of deep regret and sorrow into a place of joy and happiness.

Addison began to shift and stir a few moments later, her eyes began to flutter open. As she awoke she stared at the man before her.

"Hey, you're back. How was your surgery?" Addison said in a gentle sleepy voice.

"Sorry sweetheart. I hope I didn't wake you up. Everything went fine."

"No, I'm happy you woke me up. I missed you."

"I missed you too honey. How was dinner with Nancy?"

"I was good, we talked about old times and reminised. I never realized until tonight how much I really missed her."

"Yes, well I never really realized until tonight how much I missed you too." Jake said as he kissed her on the lips. "By the way Richard says that he wants to meet you in his office tomorrow at 10."

"It's about the job isn't it?"

"We don't need to talk about it tonight Addie, you're tired and you've had a big day. We'll discuss everything in the morning."

"Jake, this is a huge decision and the consequences of it will severely impact our future. I can't just make a snap judgement, I need time, there are just so many things to consider like the baby, what to do with the practice and having to work with people who know a little too much about my past."

"So, it's a NO then."

"I didn't say no, I just need a little more time. Honey, why do you want me to move to Seattle of all places so badly?"

Jake averted his gaze and tried to avoid the question, this made Addison angry.

"Jake!"

"... Addison, I've waited for a position like this my whole life. I once had a similar opportunity in Salt Lake City, but I just couldn't accept it because that's when my wife had just died and I needed to be with Angela. Addison, I know that this is a life changing decision but I want you to know that this is really important to me. Yes LA is home, it's where I've been for the past 10 years, my daughter's there, my friends are there, but if there's anything that I've learnt, especially from you, it's that you can't miss an opportunity that could change your life."

Jake was still asleep when Addison left their hotel suite to go to the hospital. She didn't want to wake him up. He was still tired for the long day and surgery he had performed the previous day. She wrote a note for him...

"I ordered a continental breakfast for you, room service should knock at the door at 9 am. See you at the hospital.

I love you, Addie".

Before leaving the room, Addison then placed a tender kiss on his lips.

Addison met Nancy in the foyer of SGH and the two of them continued into the hospital where they would then check on the Shepherd's baby in the NICU first.

The redhead doctor walked up to the nurses station and picked the baby's file, scanning through the charting.

"He doesn't look good" his aunt noticed as she started visiting him in the incubator

"He's still hypertonic and he had seizures all night and his last blood count showed an increase of his white cells… Nancy, do you know if Meredith had gestational diabetes? I checked in her pregnancy labs but I didn't find news about the pregnancy, just two ultrasounds, one during the first trimester and another one at 28 weeks, a couple of blood counts and TORCH IgG and IgM. It surprised me, especially, since I know how meticulous you are with your patients"

"I wasn't her obstetric care provider… Derek called me a week ago to deliver the baby, at first I wanted to say no to him, but my mother insisted…"

Addison was surprised, "So you don't know if Meredith had problems during the pregnancy?"

"Derek told me everything was unremarkable… I've never visited her before!"

"He's a big baby, not macrosomic, but still a big baby, and he is hypoglycemic, this is why I asked you about the diabetes…"

"When do you think to extubated him?"

Addison asculted the baby's chest again "I don't think anytime soon, Nancy, I'm sorry"

As the two doctors were talking Carolyn Shepherd entered in the NICU, she stared at the incubator looking at her grandson.

"It was supposed to be an happy moment for our family!" She said with a somber look on her face.

Nancy hugged her mother with her arm to comfort her. Addison looked at her former mother and sister in law with a sad gaze.

"How is he?" Carolyn asked.

"Mom, we are taking good care of him!" Nancy replied as she tried to console her distressed mother.

"I'm sure you're taking good care of him, Nancy, but what I'm asking are news about my grandson's health conditions?" Carolyn's tone had slightly risen as she was getting increasingly concerned.

Addison composed herself as she tried to address the concerned woman in a professional manner.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Shepherd, I really wanted to give you better news, but for the moment baby Shep is still under oxygen and antiepileptic drugs, we are giving him antibiotics and constantly monitoring him. As you know, it was a complicated delivery, the baby aspired meconium-laden amniotic fluid during the birth, this required at first bag- and-mask ventilation and then an endotracheal intubation…"

Carolyn interrupted Addison as all of the medical references were making her increasingly anxious.

"Do you know if there are signs of brain damage?" she asked concerned for her baby grandson.

"His Apgar score at birth was low and he had a profound metabolic acidemia, he has seizures all night and we still can't exclude any brain damages... I have recommended for today for him to have an EEG and an hemogasanalysis, and a brain ultrasound and MRI for tomorrow, since the paripartum conditions and the modality of delivery we can't exclude any hypoxic-ischemic brain injury"

"Does Derek know?" Carolyn said looking at Addison.

"I talked with him yesterday night, I'm waiting the new labs before giving him other news!"

"Can I stay with him?" Carolyn asked.

"Of course! He will be happy to have his Grandmother near him."

"Addison?"

"Yes, Mrs Shepherd?"

"Addison, I just wanted to say that I know we've had our differences in the past, but thank you for coming here and taking care of my grandchild's life. You're a talented surgeon and everyone in the family appreciates it."

Addison left the NICU, she was almost crying but she tried to not be overwhelmed by her own emotions, she put herself together and headed to the ob/gyn division.

In the corridor she met a familiar person.

"Oh, Addison, I was looking for you!" A masculine voice said from behind her.

"Richard!" she exclaimed.

"How are you?" her mentor asked.

"I'm fine, just a little concerned for Derek' and Meredith's baby…" she confessed.

"How are his conditions?" Richard replied as he tried to assess the situation.

"They are not improving, and I don't know how to tell Derek…"

"If you want we can talk to him together?"

"Thank you, Richard, I would really appreciate it."

"It should be awkward for you."

"It isn't easy at all" she admitted.

"Listen, Addison, I know this is not a good moment, but did you talk with Jake?"

"For our meeting today at 10 am? Yes, he told me…"

"Do you mind if we talk now, instead of waiting until 10 am?"

"Not at all, but maybe Jake wants to be present…"

"For the moment, I'm more interested in talking with you" and he invited the doctor to follow him in his office.

"Listen, Addison, I always thought you were the perfect doctor for the role of chief of the women's health department, but I was almost convinced that you weren't interested, and this is why I contacted Dr Reilly for the job… I couldn't even begin to imagine that you were married!"

"I thought the chief was Owen Hunt now?"

"No you are correct Owen Hunt is the current Chief of Surgery, I'm actually member of the board of the SGMH and Chief of the Staff!"

"Congratulations Richard! ...And…" she added "You don't have to excuse yourself because you didn't propose me the job"

"Thank you, Addison!"

"Jake is a devoted, extremely qualified surgeon, and I really think you chose the right person for the role!"

"Listen, Addison, I really don't want to create you any marriage problems! He told me he will not accept the job if you don't agree to move here in Seattle" he picked a couple of paper from his file cabinet "This is why I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse!"

"A job offer?"

"Yes, Addison you're…"

"Who? The Meryl Streep of the maternal-fetal medicine…"

"I wasn't going to use this expression but it sounds pretty good! Addison, what I'm proposing is to direct the division of perinatology and the NICU of Sloan-Grey Memorial Hospital… 1.5 million $ per years, plus bonus for all the surgeries you will perform…"

"Richard… I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes! ...With you and Jake here we will have one of the most important department of Women's health of the country… To not talk about the possibility to work with the other specialists!"

"Richard, you are proposing me a great opportunity and I really miss working in an hospital…"

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm pregnant, Richard!"

"We have a great day-care service and you can ask for flexible hours to spend day with the baby, you are not the first and the only pregnant woman who works here… Your husband works here too, you can easily change your schedules…"

"Ok, ok, my pregnancy is not a problem, but what about the department, when I left it was one of the best, now great part of the staff have left, there are just 3 attendings, residents refuse to work in the ob/Gyn field because they think it's too 'fluffy', gosh Richard, there isn't anymore a Gynecology oncology division… It's like SGH weren't interested at all in women's health!"

"Why do you think I'm asking you and Jake to work here?"

"We need at least another doctor in the staff!"

"Do you have any ideas?"

"I was thinking to hire Nancy Shepherd!"

"If you sign the paper, I promise you I'll hire Nancy!"

"I'll think about it!"

"Addison" he said before she left the room "…Congratulations, I've always knew that you wanted to be a mother, and you're going to be an excelling mother!"

"Thank you, Richard!"

Less than an hour later Jake arrived at the hospital. The first thing he did was to check on his patients, first Meredith Grey who was finally awake even if she was still in the intensive care unit.

"Dr. Grey, I'm happy to see you finally awake, I'm Dr. Jake Reilly" he presented himself. "I operated on you with Dr. Nancy Shepherd, as your husband has already told you earlier there were complications during the emergency Cesarean section Dr. Shepherd performed…"

"What about my baby?" she asked with a feeble voice.

"He is in the NICU, neonatologists are taking care of him! As you should know, Dr. Shepherd decided to perform an emergency Cesarean section because your baby was suffering a severe hypoxia… Unfortunately during the surgery there was a massive hemorrhage, we tried to control it, but due to the uterine hypotonia we were unable, so we had to perform a hysterectomy. Also, we transfused 2 units of blood, and we are considering the possibility to start another one in the next few hours. After the surgery you have been put in intensive care unit because of the hypovolemic shock and the risk of sepsis…"

"I want to see my baby now!" she replied without paying attention at Jake's words.

"Dr. Grey, I know you want to see your baby, but you haven't full recover yet, we can't risk to move you now that your conditions are improving…"

"Dr. Reilly is right, Meredith, you have to recover now and be stronger and safe to take care of your baby"

"Richard," Jake exclaimed "I didn't hear you coming, I was informing Dr. Grey about her condition."

"We were so lucky Jake was there in Seattle, he really is an amazing surgeon and, I hope very soon the new chief of Women's health!"

"I preferred meeting him under different circumstances."

"Me too, Dr. Grey!"

It had been a very long day at work for both Jake and Addison.

The couple met in the lobby of SGMH, Jake gently helped Addison with her coat, "How do you feel?" he asked.

"A little tired" she confessed, "I think I put a little too much stress on Chicco these last days."

"Did you have problems? Pain? bleeding? Do you feel him moving?" he asked frantically.

"Calm down, honey, Chicco and I are fine, I'm just a little tired" she smiled reassuring her husband.

"Oh, great… I hope the two of you are not too tired because hopefully we'll be eating there a lot!"

"I like it, where do you want to go?"

"This is a surprise, but first you have to cover your eyes with this."

"What are you planning, Dr. Reilly?"

"That is a surprise!"

Jake guided his blind-folded wife to the front steps of the house in Queen Anne and opened the door and ushered her in.

"I can't see, but for what my sense are feeling this does not sound like a restaurant!"

"You're right, honey, this is definitely not a restaurant! Addie, take off your blindfold" he whispered into her ear.

"Jake? What are we doing here at this empty house? I thought we were going to a restaurant." she said surprised.

"Just humor me, Addie, I want to show you something."

The foyer was a large open room with glass walls and doors that continued into the kitchen area with led into a serene and quaint outdoor area, fashioned with a majestic water feature that led into a tranquil pool area. The perfect transition from the outdoors to the indoors.

Addison eyes drifted to a small book on a stand in the center of the room and picked it up. It was a music book with all of the greatest piano compositions of Mozart and Bach. Addison had a puzzled look on her face as Jake stepped in front of the stand.

"I always imagined that this would be a music room with your piano in the center. It's where you would play and make sweet music that would flow through the house and soothe everyone. It's where you would teach the baby how to play when he got older and it's where he would practice and learn to be as talented as his mother."

Addison was shocked at Jake's sentiment and walked over to him as he gestured for her to follow him.

He took her hand and walked her to the staircase to the main floor, he invited her into master suite, "I have this image of us, cuddling in bed, warmed by the heat of the fireplace, and waking up admiring the beautiful view of Seattle from the windows… and look at this wardrobe, I can already imagine it overcrowds by your clothes and shoes…" he guided her in the room near the master suite, "…and here, the perfect nursery for our Chicco!" she smiled at her husband enthusiasm, "…and downstairs there's a guest suite with kitchen and bath that it's perfect to invite Amelia!"

Addison was shocked at Jake's sentiment and walked over to him as he gestured for her to follow him.

So many houses like this had always seemed empty, seemed cold but there was something different about this house. As it's various pathways entwined through the building, there was always a sense of togetherness as all of the rooms were built for open plan living. It's ambience and feel spread warmth through your being as the delicate lighting illuminated each journey from room to room. Addison had always wanted a big home, but she was always apprehensive because with a big home came an even bigger sense of isolation for those who had inhabited it and she was all too familiar with feeling abandoned in her own home.

The pastel white interior with hardwood floors added a sense of class and elegance to the sophisticated and architectually innovative design of the home and it begged for the presence of people to inhabit it. Addison already found herself envisioning photo frames on the walls with all of their future memories, drawings from Chicco, and the furniture that they would pick out together. It's as though this house was an open canvas for their new life, a drawing board for all of their ambitions and dreams, where finally a house would feel like a home

Jake finally walked her through the french doors from the kitchen and into the backyard where a trail of rose petals led them to a candle lit table for two. He then stood next to her as they faced the house once again and they both took it in. He looked at her and her delicate face.

"Addison Adrienne Forbes Montgomery Reilly, this house here is a getaway from it all, a place to raise Chicco, a place to make memories, a place to call home. Seattle hasn't treated you well in the past, nor do you have the best memories here but this home is something different. This home is a place where you can re-write those wrongs, where you can fall in love again, where you finally get the life that your so rightfully deserved. This is a home for you, for me, for us and everything that we are. It's a fresh start, a dramatic change and a chance to fall in love all over again. This house is our dream but most of all this house is our happy ending."

Addison didn't know how to react after Jake's speech, there were just so many emotions filling her mind as she thought about the life that this home would bring with it. Here Jake was pouring his heart out and confessing his deepest hopes and dreams, that were all invested in this place. After everything with Derek and selling the Brownstone, Addison didn't know how to feel about owning another home with someone. Los Angeles was different because her house was smaller and completely hers down to the smallest detail to protect herself from all of the bad memories of her past relationships. But this house was different, her once utter refusal to stay in Seattle was slowly wearing away with each moment in that house. All of the little gifts that Jake had placed in each room with his hopes for the future gave Addison a long awaited for sense of hope and belief that maybe good things could happen in Seattle, that she could be at peace with Seattle and that feeling enlightened Addison.

Jake looked at his wife again, searching her eyes for a hint of emotion as to how she felt about this house. He could almost read her like a book but her expression was so curious and so unidentifiable that Jake had no option but to wait until she verbalized how she felt. He was praying that she would see all of the potential that this house had and all of the good memories that would come with it. Jake prayed that this was the start of rebuilding their life together and giving them a chance at experiencing their second chance.

Addison looked one last gaze at the house and then turned to Jake, she stared into his deep brown eyes and a small smile graced her face.

Jake looked back at her and returned the gesture then he noticed a tear fall from her right eye.

"Addie, are you ok?"

"This is a place where I don't feel alone, this is a place where I feel at home."

So what does this mean Addie?"

"Yes, I'll move to Seattle. Jake Reilly you are the love of my life and I want to build this home with you."

A few weeks had passed and Jake and Addison had finally settled into Seattle. Both of their contracts had been drawn up and finalized, even if they still remained part of the staff of the LA practice, so that they could help their friends with medical cases. Their new house had been bought and all of their belongings had been moved from LA. Their home was slowly coming together as the two of them adding small personalized touches to the house to make it more familiar.

"I can't believe we moved here so fast, just a couple of weeks ago we were living our life in Los Angeles and now we are here in Seattle enjoying our first night in our house"

"Did this happen to fast?"

"Maybe… but I don't regret it, especially because of you!" she said placing a soft kiss on her husband lips, "Jake, this is our first home together, we should celebrate!" she exclaimed happily.

"I love when you are so passionate! Speaking of celebrate our new home, I was thinking to invite a couple of people one of these night, you know, Richard, Owen and his wife, Nancy, Miranda… I promise I'll think of everything, I don't want to put extra stress on you!"

She moved closer and whispered to him "I thought to celebrate in a more 'private' way, indeed…" and placed small kisses on his neck.

"Mrs. Reilly, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Why don't you follow me in our bedroom… I have a couple of ideas to celebrate our home…"

"This sounds better than a bottle of champagne!"

It was her first night on duty at SGMH, and even if she was feeling well, her pregnancy proceed without any complication, she couldn't deny her stress for the sudden and unexpected changes in her life, moreover hiding her almost six months belly to Derek was becoming everyday more difficult and she knew that the baggy scrubs and thick coats weren't going to hide her growing stomach. She didn't want Derek to find out now, not yet at least because she couldn't deal with telling about the baby when he already had a family that was slowly falling to pieces. Just a little while longer, she thought to herself.

"Night on call?" he asked as soon as he found her busy in the NICU.

"Yes, it is my first since I signed the contract" she answered while she was visiting a baby.

"Addison," Derek called out from behind the incubator. "You look different, you look better, practically glowing even."

Addison's heart sank with those comments, Derek had finally noticed something about her pregnancy but she wasn't sure if he completely knew.

"It's Los Angeles, it does good things to you." Addison replied as she smiled back at Derek through nervous eyes.

"I just wanted to say thank you Addie. Flying out here in the middle of the night after a brief phone call and helping my family, I'm just so grateful for everything."

Derek then flashed her his McDreamy smile and looked down at the sleeping infant. "Maybe we could grab a coffee and catch up?"

"Thank you Derek, not now, I have a lot of… patients to visit, and I really don't have time" That's all that Addison said before rushing out of the room.

Derek was left dumbfounded at the incubator as the red head fled from his presence. What had he done to upset her so much? After everything that they had been through why would she do that to him?

Addison hurriedly walked down the empty corridor with tears streaming down her face.

'Why did he have to say that. Why does he have to be all McDreamy now and notice me?' She said as she walked into the empty on call room, 'why can't he neglect me as he did for the last years of our marriage!'

She was exhausted from moving and consults as today had been one problem after another, but for Derek Shepherd to finally notice that something was going on with her sent Addison's stress levels into overdrive. Maybe sleep was the answer, just a few moments of shut eye would make her feel better. An escape from reality and into the real of sleep would put Addison's mind at easy even if it was only briefly.

A concerned Derek Shepherd walked out of the NICU and down the corridors in search of Addison. He had asked the nurses station if she had gone home but everyone confirmed that Dr. Montgomery-Reilly was in fact still on the premises. Derek tried her office, conference rooms and even the OR before he had given up. Maybe he was just tired from moving back and forth from Meredith and the baby, maybe Derek just needed to sleep. As he made his way back onto the neonatal ward he saw a seemingly empty on call room.

The dark room was a pleasant escape from the bustling hospital scene as Derek tried to surrender to the becoming calls of slumber. However, just as he was about to lye down he saw a slightly moving figure on the bed across from him. He slowly walked up to the mysterious figure and gazed at it until his eyes could focus to clearly see who it was.

When the blurred image came into focus, he realized that it was his ex-wife peacefully sleeping on the bed. He watched her chest rise and fall and the familiar sight strangely soothed him from the stress of his current situation. His eyes were locked on her porcelain skin as the small traces of moonlight peeked through the drawn curtain and illuminated all of the delicate features on her face. She truly was glowing as Derek took the sight of her in.

All of a sudden this overwhelming feeling of remorse overcame Derek as he thought about their past and all of the memories that he had with Addison. All of the images of her asleep waiting for him after a long day of work and all of the times that he had called to cancel their plans. It had never really hit Derek truly until that moment as to how much pain he had caused his ex-wife and how exhausted she was from trying to fight a losing battle. He wanted to wake her and apologize but she just looked so peaceful and calm and Derek didn't want to burden her yet again.

Derek was just about to walk back to the other side of the bed when he noticed that her scrub top had drifted up showing her stomach. It took Derek a second look to realize that there was a slight bump that was captured by the moonlight as it rose up and down. He quietly gasped when it hit him that Addison was pregnant.

All of this time he was so caught up in his own problems that he didn't even notice or take the time out to see that his ex-wife was pregnant and trying to save his son's life. It's true that Addison had seen her fair share of sick newborns but this must have hit close to home especially in her condition. Derek didn't know how to react and was in a state of shock when he then found himself reaching over and placing a hand on her bare stomach. Addison didn't even flinch or move in the slightest as his touch made contact with her growing stomach. He didn't know why he was touching her stomach nor what he would do if she woke up, but the feel of her skin under his hand sent shivers down his spine. This was a sign that she had finally moved on, that she had finally been given the life that she deserved.

It wasn't that Derek wanted her back or that she wanted him back but it meant that the profound connection that he and Addison had had for one another was on both parts mutally invested in someone else. Addison was finally happy and starting a family but it just happened to be with someone else.

She begins to shift and her eyes flutter open revealing the man standing over her.

"Derek?" she says in a sleepy and confused voice.

So Addison and Jake moved in Seattle and they bought a brand new home, Mcbaby is still in trouble but don't be afraid we aren't evil as Shonda, Derek finally found about Addison's pregnancy... and we hope to write a new chapter very soon!

...Is someone wondering about Addison and Jake new house?

it's indeed in Seattle queen anne, it's very modern and classy, unfortunately I can't paste the link...