As I said on the post for my other story, thank you soooooo much to anyone who is still reading this story. XOXO

"Jake, how am I supposed to get any work done if you keep distracting me" Naomi whined, as she looked up from her paperwork and into his beautiful eyes.

"I'm not doing anything. I'm just looking at you" Jake said mischievously, scooting closer to Naomi. They were cuddled up together on her couch in her office at the practice.

"Yeah, and it's driving me crazy" she confessed.

"Why is that" Jake asked, with a seductive smile.

"You know why. You're staring at me like you want to rip my clothes off".

Jake squeezed Naomi's thigh. "I can't help it; I do want to rip your clothes off". Naomi just had no idea. It was early November and they had yet to attempt having sex again. She still wasn't ready. Jake continued to respect Naomi's wishes, but sometimes he felt physical pain from wanting her so badly.

Naomi bit her lip as a small moan escaped. It was at moments like this she wondered why she hadn't slept with Jake. She could almost imagine what it would feel like to have him inside her. However, at her very core, Naomi still felt a sense of hesitancy holding her back. But damnit if she wasn't tempted... really, really tempted. "How do you explain your hand moving further and further up my thigh" she asked huskily.

Jake lowered his mouth and whispered in Naomi's ear. "Would you like me to put my hand somewhere else" he offered, as his hand drifted even higher up her thigh and under her dress.

Naomi's breath caught as her body melted against him. She turned her face toward him. Jake's stare was so penetrating; Naomi began to blush inside out. She leaned in and kissed him, her eyes closing as she sighed in pleasure when their lips met. Her paperwork tumbled to the floor as Jake grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer. Naomi's hand automatically went around his neck as she allowed his tongue to slip into her mouth. "Mmm" she purred. It was a deep guttural sound that came from the back of her throat.

Suddenly, Jake pulled away. "We have to stop".

"Wha…what" Naomi said, in a confused daze. She tried to find his lips again but he stopped her. "What's wrong"?

"Nothing is wrong" Jake said, breathing hard. "No, I take that back. Everything is wrong. I can't continue to kiss you like this and maintain my self-control. You're just so damn tempting". Jake looked over Naomi's head at the group of nurses who were trying to pretend they hadn't been watching. "Besides, I think we were putting on too much of a show".

Naomi looked over her shoulder and blushed again. But when she looked back at Jake, all she felt was raw guilt. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I'm sorry Jake. You must think I'm the biggest tease, but I swear I'm not trying to play with your emotions. I want to be with you just as badly. It's just that…"

"You're not ready" Jake finished for her. 'And you're not over Sam' Jake added silently in his head. He was trying his best to overlook that small dilemma, give Naomi the time and space to get over him, but Jake found it really frustrating. They had been dating for over three months now. What was it going to take for Naomi to finally be free of Sam?

"I'm not ready" Naomi repeated softly. She sighed and sat back on the couch, feeling comforted as Jake wrapped an arm around her. She was the one causing problems, yet Jake was comforting her. Naomi couldn't help but feel even guiltier. "Are you sure you still want to open a practice with me"?

Jake threaded his free hand through hers. "I'm sure. I can't wait to work with you. Besides, I've told you before, I refuse to let our personal relationship affect our professional one. Lovers or not, friends or not, we're going to make this practice work. I have a special feeling about it that I can't shake".

Naomi smiled, feeling relieved. She looked up at him. "I do too. Now if we could only find the perfect office space. It's already November and we planned to be up and running by the first of the year. We're running out of time".

Jake kissed Naomi gingerly on the lips. "I know, but we'll figure it out. Whatever is meant to happen will happen".

Letting the kiss linger, their faces stayed connected. "You always know just the right thing to say" Naomi mumbled against Jake's lips.

A knock on the door disturbed their private moment. "Come in" Naomi shouted, not bothering to see who it was. Ever since the big blowout that had occurred last month, Naomi had hardened her resolve and stopped caring about a lot of things. She didn't care what her soon-to-be former colleagues thought or said about her; nor did she care how they treated her anymore. And Naomi certainly didn't care who saw her in a compromising position with Jake. However, she was still caught off guard when not one but all of the doctors entered her office. Keeping her surprise at bay, she lifted her chin defiantly. "What do you want" she asked, scooting closer to Jake and resting her head on his shoulder, as if to prove her lack of caring.

"We want to talk to you" Charlotte spoke up, taking the lead. It was clear Naomi was pissed off at the world. Along with her deepest darkest secret being revealed, the emotional floodgates had been opened. The anger and resentment she had been repressing was now on full display. Naomi's anger was so overwhelming; it had even affected her newfound friendship with Charlotte. But Charlotte refused to let the fallout and Naomi's pain push her away.

Naomi didn't attempt to hide her displeasure. "About what"?

"About you leaving the practice" Pete answered. He was the only person other than Charlotte who wasn't feeling guilty or intimidated by Naomi's' new persona.

"There's nothing to talk about. At the end of the year, I'm gone. There's no room for negotiations, it's settled".

"Actually, there's plenty left to talk about" Pete argued, not backing down. "We don't want you to leave".

Naomi paused; she took a moment to look at every single person standing in her office. None of them disputed Pete's words but she still found his proclamation hard to believe. They had made her life a virtual living hell for months. Why would they want her to stick around? They should've been happy she was on her way out the door. "You do realize this isn't April fool's day, right? And even if it was, I'm not a fool". Naomi looked at Sam through her peripheral vision. "At least, not anymore".

"We're not trying to play you for a fool Naomi" Violet said quietly. "I realize... we all realize you have no reason to trust a word we're saying but it's the truth. We all talked about it this morning and came to a unanimous conclusion; we refuse to let you leave. Whatever it takes, you have to stay" Violet pleaded, barely keeping it together. Naomi had rejected her apologies and had refused to speak to her, but Violet was still holding onto the desperate hope they would be friends again.

Naomi's eyes turned dark and stormy. "I don't have to anything Violet". She glanced around the office again, still skeptical. "What is the catch guys? Just a few weeks ago, you couldn't be bothered to even acknowledge my existence. Now you're acting like this practice won't survive without me".

Addison stepped forward. "It won't" she confessed.

Naomi turned her intimidating look on Addison. "You can't be serious. If anything..." she started, about to go into full rant mode. But Jake squeezed her hand and immediately calmed her. She turned her attention towards him.

"Maybe you should hear what they have to say" Jake said quietly.

"Why" Naomi pouted in a whisper.

Jake dropped his voice so that only Naomi could hear him. "Because it's clear you still care about them. If you didn't, you wouldn't get so upset every time you saw them. And judging by the crestfallen looks on their faces, they care just as much and want to make amends with you. Give them a chance; hear them out for your sake. You'll never heal if you walk away angry and with no closure".

Naomi sighed. She knew Jake was right but she stubbornly wanted to hold onto her anger. She'd endured their torture for months; yet she was supposed to get over the pain inflicted on her in just a few weeks? Naomi didn't see any fairness in the situation. But if she was serious about moving on, Naomi knew she had to take Jake's advice. She looked back at her colleagues, people she used to call friends; not just friends, but family. "I'm listening".

As hard as what Addison was about to say was, it was only right. And it had to come from her. In many ways, she'd been the unofficial ringleader of the lynch mob that had terrorized Naomi. Addison took a deep shaky breath. "With the exception of Pete and Charlotte, you have every right to hate us. Some of us have treated you horribly while others inadvertently neglected you by choosing indifference. I can't speak for everyone, but for the part I played - and I know it was the biggest one - I am truly sorry Naomi. I can't even begin to tell you how much I regret my actions. When I look back on how I basically sacrificed our friendship for my own personal gain, it makes me sick to my stomach. If I could go back in time, I would've made better decisions. But I can't change the past. I can only live in the present and try to be a better person for the future". Addison paused and gestured to the other doctors. "We all want to do better, be better for not only ourselves but for the sake of the practice. And frankly, the practice will not be complete; it will fail to continue to thrive without you Naomi. You've always been the glue that held this place together. We need you, this practice needs you. We're begging you, please stay. Stay for the practice; give us a chance to make things right with you".

Naomi's eyes had dropped to the floor halfway through Addison's speech. She grasped Jake's hands tighter for moral support. Again, she had the stubborn desire to hold onto her anger; especially where Addison was concerned. But her stupid heart was betraying her. Naomi had never been one to hold grudges and the genuine look of remorse on her former best friend's face was making it hard to hold one now. However, her soft heart still didn't erase the years of pain or magically rebuild the friendship and trust that had been shattered; nor did Naomi feel in a particularly forgiving mood. She just knew that no matter what they'd been through, she would never be able to hate Addison; or any of the other doctors. Regardless of what happened, the love would always be there. But just because she loved them and they appeared to be sorry, it didn't mean Naomi was prepared to stay at Oceanside. Naomi slowly looked up at Addison. "The practice will be fine; it survived while I was in New York, it will continue to function when I'm gone" she said, not acknowledging Addison's heartfelt apology. Naomi wasn't trying to be cruel, but she didn't know how to respond to it. Even if she was willing to accept it, it wouldn't automatically fix their relationship. There were too many scars that ran way too deep.

Addison noticed the slight but kept going. "If you mean we still had patients coming in, you're right. But that's not what makes a practice special. It's the little things. Whether it's making schedules for the exam rooms, building a rapport with suppliers, or taking personal interest in every single patient, your presence makes a difference. We all care about our patients but the way you talk to them, it brightens their day" Addison passionately argued. "You wouldn't believe how many people asked about you on a daily basis when you were gone. The intangibles you have can't be taught. We need that in this office, we need you. We might get by, but this place won't be the same without you".

Jake wrapped his arm tighter around Naomi and whispered in her ear. "That's exactly why I wanted to start a practice with you. Everything she's saying about you is true".

Naomi sighed. They, Jake included, could praise her all they wanted; it still didn't change the simple fact that she had been hurt beyond belief. For a moment, Naomi let down her guard; she temporarily let go of her defensive rage and spoke from the heart. When the tears started to fall, Naomi didn't even try to wipe them away. "Look, I just can't; I can't stay here. There's been too much damage done, on both sides. This place used to feel like home; now it feels like a prison cell on death row. You guys used to feel like family; now I feel like I don't even know you". Naomi shook her head in grief. "I need a fresh start. I'm leaving".

"What if I leave" Amelia stated, speaking up for the first time. She couldn't stand to see Naomi cry anymore; it only served to feed her guilty conscience.

"What" Naomi asked, confused.

"What if I leave" Amelia repeated. "I know I'm not the only one who treated you horribly, but I was the nastiest. Everyone in this office knows how much I love Addison; I still consider her my big sister even though she and my brother are divorced. And instead of looking at the bigger picture, I automatically picked a side and contributed in making things worse. So, maybe if I just leave and take my petty drama with me, things will get better. Besides, let's face it; I don't belong here. I was Derek Shepherd's little lost sister roaming the country looking for a place to stick, and you guys just so happened to take me in". Amelia tried to appear nonchalant, like it was no big deal, but it was obvious leaving would be a huge sacrifice for her. Oceanside and California had become her home; she finally had roots. But she was willing to leave to prove just how deeply sorry she was.

Naomi shook her head. "No Amelia. You might as well stay. Because either way, I'm leaving; there's nothing any of you can say to change my mind".

Sam stepped forward, a quiet fury simmering underneath his skin. Naomi wasn't the only one who was angry. Sam was angry that Addison wouldn't take him back; he was angry that his ex-wife was so stubborn; mostly, he was angry because of all the pain he had unknowingly inflicted on Naomi. If only she had told him how she felt; if only he would have told her how he felt. However, the way Naomi was acting right now just made Sam angry at her. She wasn't the only one suffering. "Since kissing your ass and praising how important you are isn't working, why don't you tell us what it would take to keep you here" Sam ranted, his anger getting the better of him.

Naomi stood up so fast; a spell of dizziness almost forced her to sit back down. She stared at Sam with pure loathing in her eyes. The air instantly became electric as mounting tension charged the atmosphere. "I didn't ask anyone to kiss my ass Samuel. I just want to leave in peace".

"Well that's not going to happen. You might not know it, but you're staying here one way or another" Sam informed Naomi. As angry as he was, he was in agreement with the other doctors. He was willing to put their personal issues on the backburner and deal with them later because of one simple fact. They couldn't allow Naomi to leave; she was too valuable to the practice. "So you need to start thinking real hard about what you need to be content here because you're staying".

"How dare you" Naomi yelled as she lunged for her bastard of an ex-husband.

Jake's reflexes were quick enough to grab Naomi before she could attack. Standing up, he pulled her further back and tightened his grip. "Don't" he warned. Looking at Sam, he said "Her decision to stay or go is not yours to make. She's a grown woman who can make her own life choices" Jake said sternly.

"Stay out of this Jake. This is between Naomi and me" Sam said, his eye involuntarily twitching as he glanced at Jake's hand comfortably sitting on Naomi's waist.

"There is nothing between you and me" Naomi growled. "Not anymore, not ever again" she hissed.

The room froze for a second as Naomi's words sunk in. Everyone knew that her statement was about more than just the practice. It was about her relationship with her ex-husband. Sam felt like a knife had been plunged into his heart but he pushed through the sensation and delivered a shot of his own. "What about Isaiah…and Maya…and Olivia. Do they count for nothing"?

Guilt flooded Naomi's heart and broke through her anger. "That was a low blow. You know what I meant" she weakly defended herself.

"I used to but I don't know if I do anymore Naomi. You're becoming a mystery to me" Sam admitted solemnly. The palpable resentment between them resonated throughout the air as Sam and Naomi stared at each other with tortured expressions on their faces.

"Okay, this conversation has gotten way off track" Sheldon said, breaking the silence and tension. "Naomi, in his own misguided way, Sam was just reiterating what Addison and Violet were saying. You're too valuable and you're too loved. And the practice as a whole is too stubborn to let you go, at least not without a fight".

"Well unless you can guarantee Jake and me our own office space for our own practice, you're shit out of luck" Naomi said defiantly.

"Actually…" Cooper started, a light bulb going off in his head. "Maybe we can do just that".

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Yeah right".

Jake's ears perked up. "What do you mean"?

"I'm talking about the whole back of the practice that we've been using as storage space. That whole hallway is unused. If we cleared everything away, there would be plenty of space".

"You're right" Pete said, warming to the idea. "And since that space was built with expanding the practice in mind, it's practically finished. There has to be almost a dozen rooms back there that would need very little work to be converted into offices and exams rooms. There's even an unused lab already back there. It would be perfect".

Jake looked at Naomi. "Is that true"?

Stunned, Naomi nodded. "I'd forgotten" she whispered. The space had been storage for so long, its original purpose had been lost…until now. They didn't even bother to turn on the lights down that corridor.

"What do you think" Charlotte asked hopefully. "You and Jake could open up and operate your own practice without ever leaving Oceanside. We could operate as two joint practices or separate businesses side by side. Our patients would still get to see you. And your established patients that you would be taking with you would still be familiar with their surroundings. Building your practice back there would suit everyone's needs".

'No, it wouldn't' Naomi thought. What about her needs? What about her fresh start, her clean break? She could see it slowly fading away. Without speaking, she collapsed back on the couch. Her head was spinning.

"And it would still give us a chance to mend our broken friendships" Violet added quietly.

'NO' Naomi shouted in her head. She didn't want to mend anything. She wanted to move on.

"What are you thinking" Jake asked, staring down at Naomi. His question was met with no response. He turned back to the other doctors. "Do you mind giving us some privacy? I know how much you love and care about Naomi, but regarding our practice, this is something we both need to discuss and agree on".

"Sure. Take your time" Addison said quietly, seeing a glimmer of hope that wasn't there before they had entered the office. Slowly, she left the office, the other doctors trailing behind her until only Sam and Pete were left.

Sam hadn't taken his eyes off Naomi once since their exchange of words. Pete grabbed Sam's shoulder. "Come on Sam, let's go."

Sam didn't budge. He was waiting; waiting for Naomi to look at him again. He didn't know why he felt the compulsion, but his feet remained glued to the ground until she granted him his silent request. As Jake sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her, she finally glanced up and looked directly at him. A silent exchange passed between them that even they didn't understand.

"Sam" Pete repeated.

Taking a deep breath, Sam sighed as he finally broke eye contact with his ex-wife. "I'm right behind you" he said, letting Pete take the lead as they left the office.

Naomi couldn't help but stare after them. "Are you okay" Jake asked, watching her closely.

Her lips slightly quivered, but Naomi nodded. "I think so, that was a lot to take in. Thank you for having my back Jake".

"Of course; we're business partners, but most importantly we're friends. I care about you".

Kissing him lightly on the cheek, Naomi smiled. "I care about you too Jake".

"So…Jake hedged. "What do you think about their proposal"?

Surprised, Naomi studied Jake more closely. "Don't tell me you're seriously considering taking them up on their offer".

Jake could see why Naomi would think it was crazy. Hell, he thought it was crazy. How was Naomi ever supposed to get over Sam if she still had to see him every day? Even if they ran separate practices instead of merging, they'd have to walk through Oceanside just to get their practice and she would most likely see him. But this situation was bigger than his personal feelings. Naomi was raw with hurt and pain; those wounds would never scab over and heal unless she stayed and dealt with her issues. She needed curing more than she knew. Besides, there were some positive aspects to staying. They would be right by the water, Naomi would be able to keep most of her clientele, and the space seemed like it needed very little work to be ready by the first of the year. "Well…it's a prime location and we haven't had much luck finding other places; at least one that don't need major renovation" Jake started, taking a soft approach.

"Jake! You can't be serious" Naomi exclaimed, looking at him like she didn't recognize him. "After all your sermons to me about walking away and getting a fresh start, you suddenly want me to stay in the lion's den"?!

"Oh come on" Jake smiled wryly. "Don't pretend I had any influence over your decision to leave. You make up your own mind and only do what you want to do Naomi. I refuse to be your scapegoat. Furthermore, as you so cleverly pointed out, I suggested you walk away, not run".

"I'm not running away. I'm choosing to leave an unhealthy situation, a point you also harped on" Naomi defended, not backing down.

"But is this situation still unhealthy" Jake asked. "Yes, I did suggest you walk away when they were treating you harshly or ignoring you all together. But Naomi, they've turned over a new leaf and they're trying to make things right. And the fact that you don't want to meet them halfway makes me think your walking away has turned into running away".

"They haven't turned over anything" Naomi said bitterly. "They just feel sorry for me; see me as some pathetic jilted ex-wife. Most of them have known me for over a decade but waited until I was forced to bare my soul before they believed I wasn't some heartless backstabbing conniving bitch. Where was their compassion before? I'm not about to stick around and be pitied; that's worse than being ignored".

"They don't feel sorry for you Naomi; they love you" Jake said softly. "If anything, they feel sorry for themselves; sorry that they compromised their friendship with you; sorry that they didn't recognize how truly special you really are". Jake reached up to gently stroked Naomi's face. "You love them too. That's why their betrayal hurts so much. But you'll never feel better; never get any resolution if you run away".

Naomi looked down and shook her head. "Why do you care so much Jake" she whispered. "Why do you want me to stay so badly"?

"I don't want you to stay" Jake confessed, shocking Naomi enough for her to glance back up at him. "Your ex-husband is right down the hall. I know you both say it's over but I'm not always so convinced. It makes me paranoid about what type of future we'll have. So, opening a practice here is not in my best interest, personally speaking, but it's in yours. That's why I care, because it's what's best for you".

"Jake…" Naomi started.

"Plus, like I said before, it's a prime location" Jake continued, before he lost his nerve and told her to forget the whole thing; before he told her they should keep looking so he could have her all to himself. "We're right by the water and by being right next to another practice, it will increase our referrals. We'd actually be stupid to not open up a practice here from a professional standpoint".

"Jake" Naomi said again. What was she going to have to do to prove Sam was not a threat? She honestly didn't know. But the fact that Jake perceived her ex-husband as a threat and was still willing to stay out of her best interest, spoke volumes to her. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was reverting back to her old habit of running away instead of working through her pain. Jake was definitely right about staying being a good business decision. Naomi just felt so lost; the swirl emotions surrounding her made everything so hard, so difficult. There felt like no easy answers. The only thing she was sure about was that no matter what, Jake had her back; that he would never steer her in the wrong direction. Naomi still wasn't ready to say yes to staying at Oceanside, but she was willing to make one concession for the time being. Grabbing Jake's chin, she brought his mouth to hers and kissed him slowly and deeply, hoping it conveyed how much she cared about him. When the kiss ended, she looked into his eyes. "Well, I guess there's no harm in at least checking out the storage space".

Jake smiled, though inwardly he felt torn. He was happy if this meant she could heal but Sam's presence was still lurking in the back of his head. He pecked Naomi on the lips lightly. "Let's go".