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: The Beatles - Here Come The Sun
Chapter Six
A Family Night
Addison held onto Ella's hand tightly as they made their to Kerry Park to meet Meredith and Ally on one of Seattle's beautiful days. Beside her Ella was bouncing and singing some kiddie-pop song most likely from Justin Bieber or Hanna Montana. She can never keep track who's who or what's popular in the teenybopper's world of music.
Addison mind went back to the night she had spoke to Meredith. She had the most restful night of sleep in the last five years. Hell the last ten years. Her talk with Meredith and their slow burning friendship was completely making her heart soar. She had never felt such a connection with another friend before. Oh Naomi was still her best friend but she couldn't talk to Naomi about the hardships of being a single mom. Meredith understood how hard it was to be a single mom and doing it by yourself. As a single mom, you quickly learn that though you may have help from your friends and family, they can not be dependable. They have their family to worry about. And ever since then Meredith and Addison made it their ritual to call each other each night before bed; unless they were on-call.
Addison chuckled when her daughter let out a loud squeal when Meredith and Ally came into view. Addison let go of Ella's hand, watching amusingly as Ella ran as fast as her little legs can carry her until she fell into Ally's arms. Both girls starting jumping around in circles, giggling madly. Ah, to be young and innocent, Addison thought.
Addison smiled when she finally joined the trio of girls. Ally was Meredith's twin, Addison quickly found out. They looked alike in facial structure except for the eyes and nose, and they were practically twins in their attire. Both Meredith and Ally were wearing destroyed jeans with black Chucks and vintage Batman logo shirts. Meredith had her hair up in a pony-tail while Ally had hers down with a matching Batman beanie that was the shape of Batman's mask. She would have to ask Meredith about Ally's obsession with Batman. She had never known another kid that loved Batman as clearly as Ally does. Not even Cooper.
"Hey," Addison greeted shyly.
"Hi," Meredith smiled. "How are you?" Meredith questioned, remembering that night when
Addison called her crying.
"Better. So much better," Addison said. "They're excited," Addison commented at the chattering and laughing girls.
"Yeah," Meredith chuckled. "Wanna find a seat and leave them to their own devices. Ally brought a bag of toys for them to play with. Plus they have the playground. I figured we could spend a couple of hours here, head over to Dick's Drive-In for a little grub. Okay with you?"
"It's sounds perfect." And it did sound perfect to Addison.
Addison and Meredith found an free bench that was in clear view of their girls and sat down.
Addison looked down at her hand, twiddling her thumbs nervously.
"Thank you, for that night," Addison murmured.
Meredith clasped Addison's hand in hers. "It was no problem, Addie." Addison smiled at the nickname. "I told you on the phone, I wanted to see you at the hospital but I literally had a pep talk with myself in order to talk me out of it." Meredith shook her head at the whole craziness of it all. "I just thought it was too soon in our friendship." Meredith let go of Addison's hands. If Meredith held Addison's hand in hers a little too long, neither said anything.
"How was your morning?" Meredith asked, smiling when she saw her daughter push Ella on the swing.
"Good. I woke up to Ella bouncing on my bed, we made breakfast of French toast together and then watched a little cartoons before she decided to ready."
"Mine was similar. Although, Ally and I had frozen waffles," Addison chuckled along with Meredith. "Addison, may I ask you something? It's been weighing on my mind since we met."
Addison cleared her throat nervously. "Sure. What's up?"
"You never mention Ella's dad," was all Meredith said. It was up to Addison now if she wanted to answer or not.
"He's not in her life," Addison grimaced at the thought of Ella's dad. That bastard, she thought grimly. "He's name is Mark Sloan, and we were together for fourteen years. ten of those years we were married. I found out I was pregnant with Ella when I was thirty-five. I'm not going to lie she was a big surprise welcomed but nonetheless a surprise. We weren't even trying. And to be honest I wasn't sure I want to have a child with Mark or a child period. My work took up too much of my time. I would be unfair to bring a child into that kind of situation."
Addison took a deep breath before she continued, "Mark is a womanizer. He will always be a womanizer. I was stupid enough to fall into his charming little trap at the age of twenty-two. I knew he was cheating on me throughout our marriage and I think once when we were dating with my dorm mate. I just didn't care because I had my dream job and friends that I loved and loved me back. The night Ella was conceived was from a drunken mess. I was drunk, Mark was drunk, and two months later I found out I was pregnant. When Ella was about one, I caught Mark in bed with one of the nurses from Boston General. That's where I worked before I moved to Seattle and ultimately joined the staff of Seattle Grace," Addison added. "When Ella was four we moved to Seattle, and the rest as they say is history."
Meredith bit her lip in contemplation. "I know that name from somewhere. I just can't remember for where. Oh well," Meredith shrugged. If she couldn't remember this Mark Sloan's name, he couldn't have been that important to her.
"You probably know him because he's a world renowned otolaryngologist and is very specialized in Plastics. One of the best in his field."
"Yeah, maybe that's where I heard his name from," Meredith said a little doubtful. Meredith checked on Ally and Ella. She found them playing with Ally's soccer ball. "Next week, Ally and I are moving into my birth Mother's old house, I was wondering if you could help us?"
"Really? Yeah! We would love, too."
Meredith shook her head at Addison's excitement.
"Hey, guys," Meredith addressed the two little girls that were happy munching on their fries at Dick's Drive-In. "Addison and I were talking, how would you guys feel about going to Menchie's for some frozen yogurt?" Meredith inquired the six year olds. "Of course if you don't want to go, it's okay with us. Right, Addie?" Meredith's eyes twinkled with mirth.
Before Addison could open her mouth to jokingly agree with Meredith, two desperate little voices interrupted her. "No!" Ally shouted. She looked at Ella. "We would love frozen yogurt. Right, El?"
"Yeah." Ella looked pleadingly at her mom. Giving Addison her saddest puppy look. "Please, mommy. Please, can we go?" Ella pouted.
Addison laughed. "Gosh…it would be like kicking a puppy if I said no to your face. We can go, Ella Rose."
Ally and Ella high-fived each other then went back to eating. Meredith gave Addison a smile turning back to her own food.
"Hey, Addison, can I ask you a question?" Ally asked her friend's mom.
Addison reached over and wiped the smear of ketchup off of Ally's cheek. Meredith looked on with a warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach at Addison's actions.
"Sure, baby?"
Ally shot a look at her mom, remembering how she woke up to the smell of burnt waffles. Burnt frozen waffles which was so much worse. "Do you know how to make pancakes?"
Meredith groaned. "You're still on that. Come on! Get over it!"
"What?" Ally looked a picture of innocence. "I'm just asking."
Addison laughed at their antics. "Yes, I do. Amongst other breakfast items."
"From scratch?" Ally peered intensely at Addison.
"Yes," Addison enunciate slowly.
"My mommy can't," Ally smirked. "Today she made me frozen waffles. She burnt them in the toaster."
"In my defense, I didn't see how high the toaster level was on. Completely wasn't my fault."
Addison laughed. "Oh poor, Meredith. You need help, Honey," Addison crooned." Meredith's stomach flip-flop at the uttered endearment. "How can anyone burn frozen waffles. That's equivalent to burning water. It just doesn't happen. It's impossible."
"Apparently it is," Meredith said dryly.
Meredith's eyes met Addison's from across the table, and soon found themselves laughing heartily. It wasn't long before Ally and Ella joined their mommies.
Thirty minutes later The Grey's and Montgomery's were sitting at Menchie's in the Queen Anne district eating their frozen yogurt, thoroughly enjoying the sweet, creamy, dairy treat.
Ally got what she likes to call the Peanut Butter Chocolate-nator. Her flavor was peanut butter, peanut butter gold and reese's peanut butter cup, and her topping was mini peanut butter cups, peanut butter chips and reese's peanut butter cups. The whole sweet treat was gooey, messy, sinful and yummy. Ella got herself strawberry shortcake, strawberry tart and strawberry for her yogurt and as her toppings were jelly bellies and gummi bears with fresh strawberries. Meredith and Addison surprising got the same treat. They had Irish Mint for their yogurt and thin mints cookies for their toppings.
For the next hour the group of girls talked, giggled and goofed around. To any bystander, it looked liked a family having fun and enjoying themselves.
"Can we have a movie night, mommy?" Ally asked, batting her eyelashes at her mommy and giving her the puppy look.
"Yeah, please," Ella whined.
Ally and Ella began to make little puppy whining noises and peppered their mommy's arms with little kisses. Addison and Meredith laughed at their behavior.
Meredith looked at Addison, silently communicating. Addison nodded, turning back towards their begging daughters. "Yes, my little pups," Addison said on a laugh. "Shall we stop at the store for some treats." Addison frowned. "Do we need snacks? I mean…we just stuffed our faces with burgers, fries and a carbon dioxide, high fructose, sugar and caffeinate beverages. Then, we decided to have some yogurt. And what Ally picked should be against the law."
"You could have just said soda, Addison," Meredith said.
"But Addison, it was so good," Ally smiled; Addison felt her heart swoon at the sweet smile.
"Fine!" Addison threw her hands up in surrender. "You guys win, however, I'm picking the first movie. It's going to be in black and white, foreign and six hours long." She was met with three groans. Addison chuckled evilly as she made her way to her parked car.
Ally poked Ella on the shoulder, getting her best friends attention. "Looks like you're spending the night," Ella said with a ear to ear smile as she looked at her mommy and Addison snuggled up on the couch. Her mommy was sitting up, her head slumped to the side, Addison had her head resting on her mommy's shoulder with her mommy's hand wrapped tightly around Addison, holding her. Ally smiled when she noticed that Addison was also holding her mommy from across the stomach.
"I can finally show you my Batman sheets that my Auntie Christina bought me."
"Is-is this like a sleepover or a slumber party?" Ella asked shyly with hopeful eyes.
"Duh!" Ally laughed. "You only have slumber parties with your best friends. You're my best friend, Ella."
"I've never been to a slumber party before," Ella commented, sadly.
"Well, for now on, whenever I get invited to one or have one with my aunties, you're coming with me. You're my Robin, you're suppose to be by my side."
"You're my Batman," Ella confirmed. "What should we do with our mommies?" Ella peered at her mommy. "Mommy never falls asleep with a smile. She's smiling right now."
"My mommy, too. My mommy cries at night because my daddy died and she misses him. I'm not worried, though. On my birthday last year, I wished that mommy would find someone to make her happy again. Like her true love. My Auntie Izzy said her true love was this guy named Denny but he past away. Now she thinks she found her true love again in this guy named Dell."
"Like Superman and Lois Lane," Ella said excitedly at the prospect of true love. "Or Batman and Catwoman."
"Yeah, like that," Ally agreed. "My wish hasn't come true yet," Ally sighed sadly. "Mommy is still sad."
"Patience is a virtue," Ella reassured Ally. She didn't know what it meant. All she knew was that whenever she got tired of waiting for something, her mommy will always tell her that. "On my birthday, I'm gonna wish the same thing. I never had a daddy before, I think I would like one."
"You would like having a daddy. We should get to bed. Hey, do you think your mommy will make pancakes in the morning?" Ally and Ella made their way upstairs to Ally's room.
"Yup!" Ella nodded. She smiled when Ally handed her some pajamas. They had Robin all over them.
"The bathroom is across from my room. Next to my Batman toothbrush there's a Superman toothbrush. No one ever used it. It could be yours."
Ally and Ella took their turns in the bathroom. As Ella was getting dress Ally went downstairs and found her mommy and Addison had moved to where they now lay side by side with her mommy arms wrapped around Addison. Ally grabbed the blanket that was behind the couch and put it over the pair.
She kissed her mommy. "I love you, mommy," Ally murmured.
Ally moved over, kissing Addison on her cheek too. "I love you, Addison. Thank you for making my mommy smile."
Addison murmured something incoherently, snuggling herself more into Meredith.
Ally wrapped her blanket more tightly around her. "Do you know what will be really, really cool?"
"What?" Ella whispered.
"If my mommy and your mommy fell in love. That would make us sisters and best friends."
"That would be so, so cool!" Ella exclaimed. "Then we'll be able to do everything like a family. Like today." Ella thought for a moment before asking, Can I tell you a secret, Al?"
Ally turned around and hugged her best friend. "You can tell me anything, El."
"Today I pretended that we were a family. That Meredith was my mommy, too and my mommy was yours and we were best sisters. I never really had a family before. I have a grandma and grandpa, but mommy doesn't really like them. I want a family."
Ally wiped away Ella's tears. She kissed Ella on the cheek. "It's okay. I'll share my grandma and grandpa with you. They love kids. I love you, El, and I'll always protect you. I promise you I will find the best family for you."
"I love you, Al. I promise to help you find your mommy's true love."
And that was how Meredith and Addison found them the next morning. Both girls were wrapped tightly around each other and snoring lightly.