"Mom, you realise that dad has everything." Ella said with a little bit of boredom. Addison sighed to her daughter.
"I know that of course but still we need a gift for him." She continued to walk just looking at the stores. Then she turned to her daughter again. "Do you know what your mama or your papa got him?"
"Uh-oh no, I'm not answering that. You guys are terrible at this. Every fucking gift-needing-thing and all of you ask the same question. And no I'm not telling. And no, you don't get to ask your other children. They are young and they wanna tell you.`` Maybe her 17 year old was right about this. She knew that she was not the only one who was asking about her other parents.
"What now, we are swearing to each other?"
"Okay sorry about that but we have been here for hours ma and you can't find anything for dad. And probably you won't because deep down you know that he hates an ordinary gift and you hate ordinary gifts. You guys are always giving each other something thoughtful. I know that he would be happy with whatever gift you buy but you won't be satisfied. And for God's sake this is not new, you have been together since Jesus. You probably bought every possible thoughtful gift for him."
"First of all, we are not that old. Second of all, this is not helping." But Addison knew Ella was right. Mark and Addison were together for a very long time. 18 years of relationship and much more years of friendship. She loved him deeply. She also knew him deeply. Her thoughts were cut by Ella's phone.
"Hey mama… No, she is driving herself crazy… Don't worry we'll be there… Do you want anything?... Okay, I let her know… Yeah, We love you too." Ella hung up her phone. "Mama says, don't be late."
"Okay maybe we can just go home and help your mama. I don't want her to do all of the things and your siblings are with her; I'm pretty sure she needs our help." They made their way out of the mall.
"I've never seen you accept a loss. What happened, Satan?" Addison rolled her eyes to her nickname.
"How do you know I accept a loss? Your mother is not a quitter. Montgomeries don't quit."
"Even though you don't have their last name; you are a Grey, a Shepherd and legally a Sloan too. So, you have an out."
"Okay let's just go." Addison said with frustration.
—-
When they were finally home, she went straight to the kitchen to find her wife. She went and kissed the blonde woman. Meredith smiled at her.
"Hey, I've missed you." Meredith said and leaned for another kiss.
"Okay, lesbians stop. You have a 17 year old daughter who doesn't wanna see how their parents make out." Ella said while looking at the fridge. Women laughed at the comment.
"You know we could be arguing too. You are lucky that you have parents who love each other."
"Oh mom, I didn't say I'm not lucky. I actually know that I'm lucky and happy that I have not only 2 but 4 parents who love each other." She was actually sincere. They were always worried that their relationship status could hurt their kid. But Ella was almost an adult now. They knew she didn't have a problem. "But still, I don't want to see you guys kiss everytime. You realize you are ruining sex for me." Addison was shocked at this information. Meredith however was calm. She put her hand to her wife's back to calm her down.
"Are you having sex?" Addison asked even though she knew her daughter was 17. She was sure about this information but she wanted to think she was her innocent baby. She was her baby. They were the 2 against the whole world. She was all alone when she had Ella. She only had Ella. But now they have a big family which she loves every member.
"Do you want to ask us anything?" Meredith said. Ella shook her head. She became uncomfortable.
"Can I just go to my room for now and please don't look at me like I'm changed?" They nodded in usion.
After Ella went to her room, Addison let go off her breath. Meredith put her hands on her shoulders.
"Okay listen to me; You don't get to look at her differently, or say anything to Ella. Sex is a normal thing for her age and we had the talk. So you need to breathe and be there for her when she needs it. She knows what she is doing, she is a good kid Addison." Meredith assured her.
"How are you this calm?"
"I don't know. I think I always knew. I'm sad that she is growing up. She is going to be an adult in a few months. She is gonna go to college and then in a blink of an eye, we are grandparents." She put her head on Addison's shoulder. They weren't ready for being a grandma for sure. They stand there for God knows how long.
They didn't even realise Derek came home.
"What are you thinking?" He asked.
"Being a grandma." They said together.
"Where did that come from?"
"Oh, nothing. Just, Ella is so big now. We were thinking." Meredith said while she went to kiss her husband.
Derek came up to Addison and with his touch she shook from her thoughts.
"Hey, are you okay darling?"
"Yeah, I'm just … I don't know I don't want them to be grown ups. I don't want them to be heartbroken like us. I don't want any pain in their life. I want them like this. I want cartoons, I want fairy tales, I want the cries when they want more chocolates. I want them to be happy." She sounded like almost crying. Addison Montgomery was not vulnerable but this was her safe space. She was with her husband and her wife. She could be open about her feelings.
"We all want them to be happy. But they have to grow up and they have to see the world in true colours. And if they get hurt on the way, we will always be here to heal them." Meredith said while hugging her wife.
Addison wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She looked at the backyard and all of her children were there playing. She smiled. She felt safe.
—-
Everything was ready for the man of the day. The children were impatiently waiting for their dad. When Mark Sloan came from the door, everyone screamed "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!". His children -except Ella- ran to their dad. Laughing, hugging, kissing and then again hugging.
"Where is my princess?" she went to his oldest. Ella came to him.
"Happy birthday daddy, I love you." They hugged tightly for a while. She meant everything to him. He loved all of his kids but Ella was his oldest. She was the reason he was still here. She was the reason he grew up. She was the reason the love of his life was with him. She was the reason Derek accepted who he truly was. She was the reason Meredith was there. And he knew she saved Addison too.
Mark was at home, trying to reach Addison. He didn't know where she went. It has been 3 months. He wondered if her daughter was born. He looked at the white crib and the pink mobile and yankees onesie he bought when he learnt about his child. Now, they are gone. Every dream of him is gone. He actually believed he could be a father but Addison didn't. So she took his life and went. He was all alone now. Maybe that's what he deserved.
Then he heard a knock and he went back to reality. He went to get to the door.
And there she was, with her gorgeous hair, standing in front of him, holding their daughter. He would be mad, he should be mad. But he couldn't be. He was too happy to see them. He wanted to kiss the new mother. So he did it. Addison opened her mouth to say something but he just shushed them with a kiss. Addison was shocked but she went with the kiss quickly. When they parted, they smiled at each other.
"Come" and Addison went to the living room, sat down.
"This is Ella." She said while looking at their daughter, smiling. Mark looked at them.
"May I hold her?" He asked.
"Yes, she is your daughter." Addison carefully put Ella to her father's strong arms. She smiled at the picture.
"Hi Ella, I'm your father Mark. And I promise you I will protect you and love you until my days end." Addison took their photo. They knew they needed to talk but this was the first time he was seeing her daughter. He didn't care about anyone or anything but her daughter right at that moment.
His daughter fell asleep in his arms and his love on his couch. He put Ella to her crib and took the baby monitor. He went to the living room. He nudged Addison.
"I can sleep here." she murmured.
"No, you'll have a sore neck in the morning." She didn't care about Mark's words and made herself comfortable but Mark had other ideas.
He put Addison in his arms and carried her to the room, their room. He put her to bed and made himself into the living room. Addison catched his wrist.
"Don't go." she said. He nodded. He laid next to her. She turned to him and hugged him. "Don't you ever let go of us." she said.
"I promise."
Derek and Meredith hugged him together. He kissed each of them but his eyes were only for her. He looked at Addison deeply. His heart beat for Addison. He loved everyone in their polycule but Addison was someone else, Addison was his, his person. They smiled at each other and slowly walked to each other. Mark kissed her passionately. They were panting when Henry broke their kiss.
"Can we have the cake mom?" He asked sheepishly. He had Mark's smile but Derek's eyes even though he was adopted. He actually became theirs.
"We can in a minute." Meredith answered. She went to the kitchen.
"Happy birthday." Addison said. "You still look like the 25 year old playboy in a med school."
"But I am your 54 year old man." he smirked and lifted Addison to his arms.
"Mark, stop! Don't!" Addison was slapping his arms, just to put her to the floor. He kissed her again.
Meredith came back with the cake. She put the cake on the table. Kids beat their dad to it. and with a lot of laughter they blew out the candles. Mark was happy to be around his kids. He was happy that now he had a family, a very big one actually.
Sometimes he found it weird. He was alone most of the time when he was growing up. He had Derek and his family but never considered them as his family, only Derek. He never thought they would end up here, as boyfriends, as lovers, as partners. But he loved the life they managed to have.
Then they met Addison and then Meredith came along and they had 6 kids. Now, he has a big family he can count on.
Their birthdays became a pretty regular thing. They eat the cake, they laugh, they dance. For the dancing part now, he was with their youngest Ellis. Derek was dancing with Ella. Meredith with Henry, Addison with Bailey and Zola and Sofia were together. This must be what happiness looks like. He loved his family with his whole heart. They didn't think about anyone's opinion about them. They loved each other, they cared about each other; that was the important thing.
For changing partners, Meredith went to Mark which he was glad. Meredith kissed her husband and put her head in his chest. Mark tightened the hug.
"What are you thinking?" Mark asked.
"Us."
"What about us?" she looked at him.
"When we started this I didn't think I would ever come to terms with loving you. I loved Addison the first time I saw her. But you came along with her and my heart was broken to pieces. I don't know, I just remember our first years and think about them and how we came along to this."
"I know we were hard on each other but we didnt know each other. I was only for Addison and you were so young. You know she told you 'perfect 12 year old' one time." They laughed at the comment.
"Yeah actually Derek told me about that and in a month she was the one who was sleeping with 'perfect 12 year old'" They looked at Addison with the memory. "I'm glad you are here and glad to call you husband."
"Same with you. It wouldn't be without you." They hugged each other and swayed with the song.
—-
"Everyone under 12, pyjamas, teeth and sleep!" Meredith announced. All the children ran to their rooms. Meredith, Addison and Derek made their way with them.
"Happy birthday dad." She gave him a gift.
"What is it?"
"Well you need to open it." They chuckled. Mark undo the bow and carefully opened the package he was holding. There was a frame and in the frame there was a picture of them. He smiled, looked at her. "I'm glad you like it. I always like this photo of us."
"Do you know the story behind it?" She shook her head. "It started like a normal day. We had a picnic planned out in Central Park because you've just started walking and we wanted you to have fun and relax. So it was a good plan right? But you know us, plans never work for us. It was actually going great then it started raining. We were soaking wet when we got home. But your mom made us her juju and then we just curled up in the bed the whole day." She smiled. He teared up a bit.
"We had so many days like that, we still have days like that. Why are you smiling like this is a different story?"
"Because that was the day I knew I wanted to spend all of my days with your mother."
"And you asked her?"
"Well I told her and then asked her to marry me."
"But this wasn't the proposed story you've told me."
"I know. We always tell the 'Malibu beach story' although we propose to each other so many times. We have many proposed stories no one knows." He chuckled at the memories and hugged his daughter.
"You never thought you'd be here with her." Ella said after a moment.
"No." Mark shook his head. "I never thought I would end up like this: in a family with so much love. I'm glad you have that."
"I'm glad that too. I love you daddy."
"I love you too Ella." They hugged.
Addison, Meredith and Derek had their hearts melted. They smiled at them when they broke their hug.
"Okay, I'm gonna go to my room. I need some homework to do. Happy birthday dad. Have a good night and please be quiet." She winked at them and left the room. They awkwardly stood in silence for a time.
"Okay, that was weird." Derek said finally.
"We all know who is the loud one." Meredith said, looking at her wife. All eyes were on Addison.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
"You are LOUD." Mark said. "We love that you are loud but I don't think our children like it." Mark said. Addison blushed.
"And all of you are so quiet, I'm the only one who is to blame." She pouted and sat on the couch, next Mark.
"Okay, maybe we all should be careful." Meredith said. She sat on her wife's lap and kissed her. Addison smiled. "I don't like your pout."
Derek joined them on the couch and sat next to Mark and started kissing him.
"Mmm.. Where were you all day?" Derek said while kissing him.
"Surgery…" Addison and Meredith started tidying up the room. Mark and Derek continued kissing. "But I will quit tomorrow." Mark said breathlessly.
"54 years means 54 kisses, let's start quick then we can have our women join." Derek said while standing up. He took his hand and ran to their bedroom. Mark gladly joined him.
Derek kissed him on the mouth.
"1 for our first time, in the summer camp we were 15." They laughed. He always started with the first.
"2 for when we graduated from high school." He kissed his jaw this time.
It was his pulse point on his neck. "33 for our wedding."
"54 for loving me." Derek kissed him until they were breathless. "Happy birthday and I love you Mark Sloan, my husband." Mark smiled.
"I love you too."
—-
"Should we go?" Meredith asked.
"No. They need their time. They weren't together for a time." Addison said, smiling to her wife.
"Because of the stupid chief race." Meredith shook her head. "They both lost and they are behaving like nothing happened."
"Men are stupid." Addison laughed. Meredith put her hand on Addison's hand.
"Yeah, men are stupid." She looked at her wife with the biggest grin. "So Chief, do you need me for anything?" Meredith kissed her wife.
"I might think of something." She smiled and kissed Meredith. And ran upstairs to Addison's room.
—-
When they were done, they joined their men who were hugging and sleeping on their king sized bed.
Meredith hugged Derek who turned to her and Addison hugged Mark.
"I love you." Mark murmured.
"Mmm… me too." Addison said.
"Me too." Derek said.
"Definitely me too." Meredith said.
—-
"Mommy I'm scared." A very crying Ellis woke all of them up.
"Oh, what is it honey?" Addison embraced their daughter immediately. "Did you have a bad dream?" Ellis nodded. She put her head on Addison's chest. She was still sobbing. Her other mom and her dads hugged her too.
"It's just a dream, sweety." Meredith reassured their daughter. She caressed her hair.
"Do you want to sleep here?" Ellis nodded and Derek got him on his lap and stroked her.
Zola and Sofia appeared at the door. They immediately hugged Meredith.
"We heard Ellis crying." Zola said.
"She had-" until Meredith can answer that the boys were in the room too.
"Why is everyone here?" Henry said while jumping to Addison's lap with Bailey.
"Yeah, what are we doing here?" Bailey said, grinning to his mother.
"You should all be sleeping in YOUR BEDS." Addison said firmly.
"Papa said I can sleep here." Ellis clearly wasn't crying anymore but still holding Derek's arms strongly.
"Mama said we can too." Sofia and Zola said in usion.
"Can we pleaseee tooo?" Henry and Bailey gave their best puppy eyed dogs to Addison which she could never say 'no' too. She nodded and hugged them.
Ella was at the door at this point. She smiled at the picture in front of her. They were giggling. She remembered her childhood. She was the only one at this bed with her parents. It was full of love and laughter. Then she remembered the joining of her siblings. She smiled at her memories. She had grown up but still she was their child. These were the special moments she wanted to hold. These were the moments she was still a child herself.
"Do you have room for one more person?" She smiled.
"YESSS!" They all screamed in usion and laughed.
She made her way to her dad's empty arms and hugged him tightly.
"I will always be your girl." They smiled at each other.
Everyone made themselves comfortable. Meredith was at the far left, she was hugging Zola and Sofia, they were between Derek, Ellis was lying on his chest. The boys were in the middle of their dads. Ella was between Mark and Addison who was holding her tightly. Addison kissed her daughter's temple.
"Thank you." She smiled looking at all of them. She closed her eyes.
There was laughter, giggling and hugging.
There was love, so much love that the world cannot handle.