Title: What Makes A Family

Rating: K for Kiddie safe. Rating will change in later chapters.

Fandom: Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice

Pairings/Characters: Addison/Meredith

Genre: Romance, Family

Summary: A/U; Single moms Addison Montgomery and Meredith Grey start a friendship through their young daughters, which develops into more. This is pretty much a fluffy, romantic, family centric story with slight angst and drama.

Disclaimer: The characters of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice are proudly owned by Shonda Rhimes, production company ShondaLand, and broadcast station ABC. No copyright infringement is intended. Alyssa Harper Grey and Ella Rose Forbes Montgomery are my own.

Authors Note: If the idea of two women or men loving each other and are in a romantic relationship are against your views, please look elsewhere. All mistakes are my own.

Playlist: Cry - James Blunt.

Chapter Five

A Start Of A Beautiful Friendship

Addison unlocked her front door, shutting it quietly behind her and locking it. She hung her coat in the coat closet, placed her soaked umbrella in the umbrella stand, and threw her car keys on the cabinet by the door. All her steps were methodically slow and tiring. It had been a long, exhausting, heartbreaking day for her. Her day had started out on a fantastic, a happiness that lasted her until she had to deliver a stillborn from a mother who didn't even know she was pregnant to begin with. It really hit Addison even harder when she found out the woman had been trying to conceive with her husband for the last year. The baby would have been the couple's first child.

For some reason as she drove home, crying all her hearts content, she had the urge to call Meredith. As soon as the thought entered her mind, it quickly left, or more like, she forced it out.

Addison trudged up the stairs with lead-weight legs, droopy eyes and made her way to the pink and purple butterfly room, the room of her Princess. Addison quietly walked into her daughter's bedroom, stopping when she heard the slow, even breathing of her daughter. Ella was sprawled out on the bed, arms and legs askew, red hair fanned out on her Disney Princess pillow. Snuggled closely to Ella's chest, Addison noticed, was a Robin (The Superhero not the bird) plush toy, and not her regular stuffed duck that her Auntie Violet had given her when she was a baby. Although, Addison couldn't see, she suspected that right now Ally was snuggled up with a Batman plush toy herself.

Addison smiled softly at her daughter as she gently brushed away a strand of hair from her daughter's face. Addison bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you, Ella Rose," she whispered. Addison tucked the covers around her daughter then made her way out the door. Next she made her way to the room across from her daughter's. She smiled when she saw Naomi snoring and tangled in the covers.

"Nay," Addison shook her friend. "Nay…wake up. I'm home."

"Addison?" Naomi's voice was hoarse and thick with sleep. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"I know that," Naomi huffed. "I meant, what are you doing here, now? I thought you would be at the hospital all night," Naomi explained. She sat up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Addison sighed and took a spot next to her friend on the bed. "I couldn't stay there any longer. Having to tell that woman-" Addison swallowed, thickly. "I can't do this anymore. It's too hard." Addison looked at Naomi. "So, if you haven't found-"

"Yes," Naomi cut in, knowing what Addison was heading. "Yes, we, Sam and I, would love it if you became a partner with us."

"Thank you," Addison breathed. "I'm sure, I'll have to head back to Seattle Grace for some cases but I'll be mostly working at Bayside. I'll talk to the Chief tomorrow. How was Ellie tonight?" Addison inquired, wanting to get onto a better subject. And the subject of her daughter always brightened up her day.

"Ella…Ella was great." Naomi laughed, "She kept going on and on about her new friend, Ally. All day it was Ally this or Ally that or Ally and I. Whoever this Ally girl is, she sure makes our Ella happy."

Addison smiled thinking about Ally. She couldn't wait to meet the little girl officially on Saturday. Thinking about Ally made Addison think about Meredith, and their wonderful morning, talks and laughs. She didn't know what was happening to her, and frankly she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

Naomi slapped her hands on her thighs, standing. "I better head out. Sam and Maya are probably waiting up for me."

"Thank you, Nay, for watching Ella," Addison said as she walked Naomi to the front door.

"It's really no problem, Addison. I love watching my god-daughter. It's a win-win situation. You get a babysitter and I get to spend time with one awesome little girl."

Addison thanked her friend one last, gave her a hug goodbye and watched her friend drive out the driveway before she made her way back upstairs, into her bedroom. Addison sat heavily on her bed, too tired to do anything else. She maneuvered herself to where she was able to pull out her phone and without conscious thought, Addison dialed.

Meredith flopped tiredly on her couch. Frowning, at how hard her cushions were. She had just finished cleaning Ally's and hers dinner mess. They had decided to make their own pizza for dinner tonight - the only thing Meredith really knew how to make. Ally had her regular of cheese, pepperoni, olives and green peppers with a tomato base sauce. Meredith always marveled at how her daughter would eat anything. Ally didn't care if it had eyeballs moving and the smell of decay flesh. If it tasted good, she was going to eat it. It was another thing Ally had inherited, or learned from Derek. Meredith remembered how Derek would persuade Ally to eat her vegetable by saying Batman ate it. As for Meredith she had a artichoke, feta cheese, green olives, fresh tomato and spinach pizza with a creamy garlic base sauce. Dinner was a messy but fun affair. After eating the small homemade pizza, they watched the Dark Knight until Ally fell asleep.

After the movie, Meredith set Ally up to her room and started to cleaned up their mess. Now she was taking a moment to herself, watching the local news.

Meredith was just reaching for the remote when her cell began to ring. She smiled when the name Addison was appeared on the front screen of her iPhone. Meredith accepted the call and made herself comfortable on the couch.

"Hello," Meredith answered.

"Hi," Addison breathed on the other line. She closed her eyes when she felt the glorious feeling of her body relaxing and surrendering to exhaustion. "I-I don't know why I call. I just, all day long I've had the undeniable urge to call you. Does that make sense?"

Meredith too closed her eyes, letting Addison's voice sooth her. "Yeah, it does," Meredith's voice was soft as she spoke. "I've had the same urge." Meredith chuckled. "I wanted so badly to go down to the neonatal ward and see you."

"I would have liked that," Addison whispered. "I would have really liked that," Addison said, her voice chocking at the end.

"Addison?" Meredith's concerned voice filtered through the ear piece, Addison felt her tears fall faster. She buried her face into her pillow, muffling out the sounds of her sobs. "Addie, talk to me," Meredith nearly begged.

Addison took a shuddering breath. "A patient came in complaining of pains in her stomach. I did an ultrasound of her abdominal area and found out she was pregnant and carrying her stillborn. She was at thirty-six weeks, and didn't know she was pregnant. The fetus got wrapped around the umbilical cord. The fetus," Addison said deliberately because she can't say baby. Calling it a baby would make it personal. "The fetus died from fetal anoxia," Addison finished off in a whisperer. "I should be use to this, right?" Addison cried.

Meredith's heart nearly ached as the pain in Addison's voice. "If you're use to it, you don't have a heart. Telling parents that kind of news is never easy. It's even harder because you're a mom yourself. I know if there was a chance - even a small one - you would do whatever it takes to save that baby. Because, Addison, you are a good doctor, a good mom and a good person. And I'm lucky to have met you," Meredith told Addison, her voice softening with each word she spoke.

"I'm lucky to have found you, too." Addison sniffled. "Can we talk about something less depressing? Tell me what you did with Ally today."

"Let's see," Meredith turned off the TV. She didn't want anything to disturb Addison's angelic voice. "Oh, I know. I picked up Ally from school today, said hi to Ella." Addison smiled at that. "Then, just as I was about to leave, Mrs. Webber - did you know Mrs. Webber is married to the Chief? I didn't know that." Addison closed her eyes, soaking in Meredith's soft voice and melodically laughter. "Anyways, she called me in to tell me that Ally didn't do her homework, correctly. I asked her to explain because I checked Ally's folder, and I didn't see no homework papers. She then proceed to tell me that the class had to draw some of their favorite things."

Addison smiled in recognition. Ella had drew flowers and butterflies for her homework project.

"Do you know what my daughter drew, or didn't draw? My little monster drew the Invisible man, Invisible Batman - knowing that's not batman's power or specialty or whatever, Invisible Robin, Invisible Catwoman, Invisible Superman and Spiderman. My daughter's page was blank! Barring her name and room number. I was completely horrified. And Ally was just standing there like she did nothing wrong."

By the time Meredith was done speaking Addison was gasping for breathing as her body shook with laughter. It was the kind of laughter where your stomach would cramp up, eyes water and jaw would start hurting, and made you feel like you were floating from happiness.

"It's not funny!" Meredith tried to sound serious but she too found herself laughing harder than she had since the death of Derek. She would have felt guilty if it didn't feel so good to finally let go.

"Oh God, Mer," Addison gasped through her laughter. "You're going to have your hands full with that one. God help you."

"Yeah. Thanks," Meredith said, sarcastically with a grin. "Hopefully Ella could tame my monster. I was thinking about what to do on Saturday. What do you think about going to Kerry Park and then Dick's Drive-In for some burgers and fries and a shake."

Addison smiled. "That sounds wonderful. I love Kerry Park. The view is spectacular for such a small park but I love it."

Meredith stood from the couch and made her way upstairs, into her own bedroom. She didn't bother turning on the lights as she made her way to the bathroom. She placed her phone on mute, listening to Addison's gentle breathing while she used the restroom, washed her hands and brushed her teeth.

"How's Ella?" Meredith asked as she snuggled underneath her covers, sighing. "I didn't see you pick her up. Some woman did."

"Yeah, that was my friend Naomi. Remember I told you about her."

"Oh. Right. Her and her husband run a practice. Bayside Wellness Center, right?"

"Yes. I decided to do it. Take up their offer at becoming partners. The hospital life is taking a toll on me, and I'm a little tired of it. At Bayside I'll be able to do what I like but a little tamer."

"Oh. I was really looking forward to, you know, having lunch and stuff together. Now…we won't be able to do that."

Addison could hear the disappointment in Meredith voice. "We can still do that, Mer. Bayside Wellness is only two blocks away, a ten minute walk," Addison said on a yawn.

"I should let you go. It's getting late."

"No!" Addison sharply said. "Please, don't go. I like talking to you. Stay with me for a little bit longer. Please?"

"Okay, I'll stay with you," Meredith murmured.

"Tell me more about yourself," Addison requested tenderly.

Meredith looked at her photo of Derek and Ally. "I'm a thirty-six year old widow," Meredith swallowed, Addison stayed quite digesting Meredith's confession. "My husband, Derek, died in a car accident two years ago. That's why I moved to Seattle because New York reminded me too much of Derek. People probably are thinking that's a good think, it's really not. The memories of us, of our life together, was holding me back. I was in this funk for two years. I was like at that phase between unconsciousness and wakefulness. You're aware of everything and everyone around you. You'll hear maybe the bird's chirping, your daughter's laughter, or your alarm clock but it's not really all clicking in your head because of the haze fog blocking your way. And you know if you just sat up, moved around a bit, you'll wake up. It was like that for me for almost two years. Until one day, I got up, opened my eyes a bit and the haze lifted away and I realized it's okay, life can moved on. I needed to move on, and staying there wasn't going to let me do that." Meredith wiped away her tears.

"I'm sorry, Meredith," Addison whispered.

"It's okay. I'm fine now. At least sometimes I am. My family helps me out a lot, and Ally, Ally helps me not miss Derek as much."

"Does Ally remember him?"

"Some. I feel so bad because I know the memories she has now of him are going to fade away as she grows older. It's how our mind works. She already struggles remembering Derek. She'll come to me wanting me to confirm a memory, most of the time it's correct but I know one day she's going to come to me, and I'll have to tell her that, that memory never happened. She's going to be so heartbroken."

"She'll get through it, if you're there to help her."

"I know," Meredith sighed. "I just dread the day when it happens. No mother likes to see their child in pain." Meredith looked at the neon light on her alarm clock. "We should hang up. It's almost one."

"Yeah, you're right," Addison agreed. "Sweet dreams, Meredith."

"Sweet dreams, Addison," Meredith repeated back before she hung up.

That night Meredith didn't cry herself to sleep, and she dreamt about blue eyes, and red and black hair as they confused themselves.

And as always: More will becoming soon.

Thank you for that reviewed. I'm happy to see that people enjoy this little A/U fiction.