Author: PeppermintPatty09
Title: What Makes a Family
Rating: T
Fandom: Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice
Pairings/Characters: Addison/Meredith, Violet/Charlotte, Arizona/Callie, Naomi/Sam, Izzy/Dell, Alex/Lexie and George/April. Past mentions of: Meredith/Derek and Addison/Mark
Genre: Romance and 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 is against your views, please look elsewhere. All mistakes are my own.
Chapter Ten
What Really Matters
Two days later - Wednesday
"She has a date!" Addison said frustration, heartbreak and anger in her tone as she stormed into the break room at Bayside. "A date! Can you believe it?" Addison angrily threw open a cabinet, grabbing a coffee cup and then slammed it shut. Everyone in the room winced at the feisty red-head.
Addison then stomped her way over to the coffee pot, sloppily pouring herself a cup full, not caring if the scolding liquid splattered everywhere.
Violet, the only one really knowing what's going on, decided to step up to the plate and calm Addison. "Addison, do you mind telling us what's wrong? Who has a date?" Violet questioned.
And it was then that Addison realized she wasn't alone. Before she had been talking to herself, trying, willing herself not to breakdown and understand what had transpired the night before.
She had been shocked when Meredith nervously asked her to watch Ally in two weeks, Saturday - the day after Ella's dance recital. When she asked why, thinking Meredith had a conference or an out of town case that needed her consultation. It had never crossed her mind that Meredith's mother had set up a date for her widow daughter and Meredith was asking her to watch Ally for the night. Apparently Susan Grey was a woman you couldn't say no to.
Of course, being a good friend, she had stuttered out a yes and then made some pathetic excuse about needing to be home early. She had quickly bundled Ella up and drove off with tears brimming her eyes and her heart breaking.
Surprisingly, she wasn't mad at Meredith, or even this Finn guy. No, she was mad at herself. She had spent too much time contemplating her feelings for the neurologist, that she had missed her chance to confessed to Meredith her feelings.
Turning back to the real world, leaving her memories and thoughts from the night before in the back of her head, Addison looked at the shocked, confused and sympathetic faces of her friends. She knew Violet knew what might be wrong and that would mean Charlotte maybe had an idea.
Biting her lip nervously, Addison calmly set her coffee cup on the island countertop, ready to address the room. She wasn't ashamed of her feelings for Meredith. She had always supported gay marriage and gay rights, she even had some gay friends, but that didn't stop her from worrying about her friends, her family reactions. And it was because of that, she held onto her feelings for Meredith. She knew Violet and Charlotte would be okay with it, Cooper and Pete, too. Dell and Sheldon, maybe. It was Sam and Naomi she worried about, mainly. They were she closes friends and really the only family she had. They were also Catholic.
Addison wasn't really a religious person. She knew her family was Baptist and that they went to church every Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. That was all the religious upbringing she had. Though she didn't practice the Catholic faith, she knew being gay was a big no-no. Or at least acting on those feelings. And boy did she want to act on those feelings with Meredith. Many, many times. Realizing she was drifting off, Addison shook her head from the thoughts of very naked Meredith, spread out before her and went back to the matter on hand. Naomi and Sam.
She remembered all the debates she and Naomi had when a young teen came in for an abortion. Naomi would always try to talk the scared teen out of it. There were times when Naomi was successful and it had angered Addison. To Addison that baby was a fetus until it was viable at twenty-seven weeks. To Naomi and Sam once conception occurs it's a baby - a human life. A life God created. She only hoped Naomi wouldn't shunned her. It's not like she chose to have feelings for Meredith. They slowly and steady happened over time and after time it was getting harder and harder to deny them.
"Meredith. Meredith has a date," Addison swallowed against the bile and nervousness in her throat.
"Okay," Naomi drawled out clearly confused about Addison's anger. "I think it's good she's moving on. Everyone deserves a little happiness in their life. It's been what three, four years since her husband died?"
"Close to four," Addison mumbled on whispered.
"See…what's the problem? Shouldn't you be happy for Meredith and Ally."
She should, shouldn't she. Any good friend would want that for their friends. The problem was she wasn't, and that made her feel guilty. Meredith and Ally deserved all the happiness in the world. Problem was she wanted the happiness to come from her. She wanted to make them happy not some guy.
"The problem, Naomi, is that two seconds before Meredith asked me to watch Ally for her impromptu date, I planned on revealing my feels towards her," Addison snapped, glaring at her friend.
Naomi furrowed her brow in confusion. "Feelings. As in…"
"Yes, as in, I, Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery, has feelings - romantic feelings - for Meredith Grey."
"Oh." realization and shocked evident in Naomi's expression.
"Yes…oh." Addison lifted her ceramic teal coffee cup, taking a large gulp, relishing in the slight burn as it tickled down her throat.
"Well, you still have time, Addison," Naomi said in gently tone. "It's a date not a marriage. You went on dates before, right and nothing came from it. There are no guarantees on dates. She might not even like the guy."
"Naomi's right, Addison," Violet inputted. "Don't worry about it until after the date. If she likes the guy, you still owe it upon yourself to confess your feelings. Don't let one single date ruin everything for you. Did she say she was looking forward to the date?"
"No," Addison shook her head, feeling hopeful and better. Hopeful because she may still have a chance with Meredith and better because it look and sounded like Naomi doesn't have a problem with her feelings for Meredith. "She said she only agreed to appease her mom. Her mom's been pressuring her. Meredith basically agreed to get her mom off her back." Addison smiled thinking about the angry rant Meredith spoke to her last night.
"There. You see, she's not happy. Don't worry about something when there's nothing to worry about," Naomi said, picking up her empty coffee cup. "I need to get going. I have a couple coming in at nine." Naomi deposited her empty cup into the sink.
"Nay," Addison called out. Naomi turned around, surprised at the vulnerability Addison was showing. "Are you really okay…with my feelings for Meredith?"
Naomi smiled. "Yes, Addison, I am. I just want you to be happy. I may not understand all of it but what I do understand and know…is that I have never saw you or Ella happier than you are with Meredith and Ally. You practically glow when you say Meredith's name and Ella thinks Meredith hung the moon and holds the sun in her hands. And that's all I want for you guys. You've been alone for so long. It's time you find someone, someone to make you happy. And Meredith is just the person. I know it."
Addison nodded, unable to speak, overwhelmed with gratitude and love for her friend. Naomi, seeing her friend upset, walked over and hugged Addison. Addison, in returned, hugged her friend tightly, shedding a few tears.
TBC
A/N: I know a lot of you are missing our little rugrats but I promise they'll be in the next chapter with some surprises. I just wanted to get Addison feelings a little down and it's basically a filler chapter. Next chapter with be Ally and Ella and dinner with the Grey's.