Okay, so it's been a little bit since I updated this. What can I say, life got in the way. No, I'm not about to start waxing poetic, just thought it was time to finish this. So, I thought I'd get my feet wet with this quick chapter.

Derek sat in his desk chair staring out his windows lost in thought. LA was an absolute disaster. In hindsight, he really didn't know what he expected to happen. He knew what he wanted to happen, which involved seeing what her bedroom looked like, or her couch, dining room table, living room floor…he really wasn't picky. He just wanted her. But really, he should have known that it wouldn't be that easy. They had both moved on with their lives, hell he was married to his dirty mistress and while Addison may be a cheater, he knew that she wasn't just going to fall into bed with him. Seriously, what did he even have to offer her? He shows up, tells her he misses her and….what? What was she supposed to do with that information? Jump for joy?

And what about Meredith? The girl he's loved forever. The one he gave up everything for. The sweet girl who according to his mother was perfect for him and a much better match. The one who just walked through his office door.

"Hey."

"Hey," he looked up to see her dressed in her street clothes, with jacket and bag thrown over her shoulder. "Are you on your way out?"

"Yea," she shifted in the doorway, "Aren't you coming?"

He sighed, "No, I still have a lot to get through before I can go."

"Can't you finish it at home?"

"There're too many distractions there. Plus, it's more trouble than it's worth to drag all this home, accomplish nothing, and bring it back tomorrow. It's easier just to stay here."

She sighed, "Alright. I'll see you at home later?"

He looked up and smiled, "Yeah, this shouldn't take me too much longer."

"Okay," she hesitated slightly, and then turned to leave.

"Hey," he called out, before she cleared the door. She turned back to him and he gave her his McDreamy grin, "I love you."

The tension immediately eased from her face and she smiled, "I love you, too."

"I just don't know if love is enough", he whispered to the closed door. He sighed as he turned back to the paperwork in front of him, when he dreamed of being chief of surgery when he was younger, it certainly didn't involve so much time spent behind a desk. Of course he imagined a lot of things turning out differently than what reality provided. He was granted a brief reprieve in the form of his cell phone. "Derek Shepherd."

"Hey, Uncle Derek! It's me!"

"Oh, hey…" he trailed off awkwardly as he racked his brain to figure out which one of his nine nieces was calling him.

After a short pause the caller sighed, "It's Emily."

"Oh, hey, Emily, what's up?" He shifted the phone to his shoulder as he reached for another file.

"I was calling to see if you were coming to the graduation."

"Oh, sure. Who's graduating?"

"Me. I sent you the invitation like three weeks ago and you never responded."

"Oh, I'm sorry, you know things have just been crazy around here."

"Yeah, I know." She sighed, "Things are always crazy with you," she added under her breath.

Derek pretended not to hear her. "So, when's the big day?"

"Next Friday. The ceremony is in the morning so everyone is planning on getting here by Thursday."

"Alright, Em. I'm putting it on my schedule now. We'll be there."

"We?"

"Yea, me and Meredith."

"Oh, yea, right. Well, I'll see you guys next week."

"See you then." He hung up the phone, then immediately picked it back up to dial home.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hey. Are you on your way home?"

"No, I still have a lot to get through here."

"So, let me guess, you're spending the night at the hospital again."

"I didn't say that."

"Well, then why are you calling?"

He leaned back in his chair, "A husband can't call to check on his wife?"

"No, he can." He could hear the smile creep into her voice. "It's just, well, you haven't done it in a while."

"Well, maybe that's something that should change."

"Yea?"

"Yea. What are you up to?"

"Not much. Everyone is out right now, so I'm actually feeling a little lonely."

"Really?"

"Yes, so maybe you should hurry home, so that we can take advantage of this unique situation."

The invitation was blatant and yet… "Actually, I really need to finish up here, but I have a proposal for you."

"I'm listening."

"What do you think about us going away next weekend?"

"Just us?"

"Just us."

"Where are we going?"

He could practically feel her grin through the phone. "Connecticut."

"Co-Connecticut? I was actually thinking of some place a little warmer. Cancun, maybe?"

"Well, I have another reason for wanting to go to Connecticut. My niece is graduating next week and I promised that we'd be there."

"Oh." Her enthusiasm level was rapidly dropping.

"But, the graduation is on Friday. We would have the rest of the weekend to ourselves."

"Well, that could be fun. Hey, I just heard about this little bed-and-breakfast out there. The beds are amazing and the room service is great. Apparently once you enter the room you don't want to leave. They say…"

Meredith kept talking, but Derek had stopped listening the second she mentioned the bed-and-breakfast. He was lost in memories of to-die-for stuffed French toast with fresh maple syrup, a bed that felt like a cloud, thousand count sheets that were the only thing on his skin for days, and most importantly a luscious redhead who giggled as he fed her strawberries. And how those giggles turned to moans when he let his hands slide between her-

"DEREK!"

He jerked back up right in his chair, eyes wide gripping the phone tightly as though she could sense what he was thinking. "What? I didn't do anything."

"Didn't do…Were you even listening to me?"

"Of course I was, you want to stay at a bed-and-breakfast, but you now I'm not really a B-and-B kind of guy."

"But-"

"And actually I should really get back to work, because this stack on my desk is threatening to topple over."

"Derek-"

"I wouldn't expect me home anytime soon."

"Right, well, you enjoy your work."

"Wait, Meredith," he started.

"No, it's fine. I'm going to bed; I'll see you in the morning." With that the line went dead.

Derek stared at the phone for a moment before hanging it up. "Well, that went well."

A thousand miles and a couple of states south, a red-head was just making her way home after a long day at the hospital. She sighed as she dropped her bag down by the door and slipped out of her Jimmy Choos. "This was a bad day to break in new shoes," she lamented as she massaged her aching feet. As soon as she sank back into the cushions on her couch the house phone rang. Too tired to move from her position, she let it go to answerphone. A smooth masculine voice soon filled her ears.

"Addison? Addison, if you're there, pick up."

Addison groaned, but couldn't bring herself to move from her current position.

"Okay, guess you haven't made it home yet. Look, I got pulled to cover a surveillance shift, so I won't make it home tonight. Sorry. I'll make it up to you. Love you, bye.

Addison sighed and propped her feet up on the coffee table. "Oh, well," she shrugged as Milo hopped into her lap, "Looks like it's just you and me tonight." As soon as she found a comfortable position, her cell phone went off. Thinking it was probably Kevin again, she pulled herself up and padded back over to the door to grab her phone from her purse. Without looking at the caller id, she clicked the answer button and greeted him with a, "Hey, babe."

"Hey, Aunt Addie!"

Addison's brow furrowed, "Emily?"

"Yea! At least you still recognize my voice."

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

"Uncle Derek didn't."

"Honey, your Uncle Derek is a brilliant surgeon, but he'd forget his head if it weren't attached."

Emily giggled, "So, have you reconsidered?"

"Oh, sweetie, I don't know. This could get very awkward."

"I don't care, it wouldn't be right without you. After all you are the one who helped me with my entrance essay.

"Em-"

"Please Aunt Addie? You won't have to get me a gift if you come."

"Nice try, but we both know that you'd get a gift either way."

"Pwease, Auntie Addie," Emily pleaded in her best little girl voice. "Do you really want to miss the graduation of your little 'chickpea'?

Addison sighed, "Wow, really pulling out all the stops here. Okay, I'll be there."

"Thank you," came the excited reply. "Everyone is getting here Thursday, I can't wait to see you."

"Likewise, sweetie. See you soon." Addison placed her phone on the table and rose to enter her kitchen, heading straight for the liquor cabinet. As she settled back onto the couch with her full glass of merlot, she turned on the TV for a little white noise as her mind drifted.

This was a bad idea.

Okay, so a quickie chapter. If anyone is still following this story, I'd appreciate a shout out. Even if it is to yell.