Addison sat at GH and waited for her mom to come back from her conversation with her doctor. That appointment had been strange. Dr. Stevens had asked her all sorts of questions about school and home and how she felt. Then, usually when they ask her mom to come back in, it's no big deal. But this time they wanted to talk to her alone and they'd been in there for what seemed like ages.

"Addison? What are you doing at GH?" Elizabeth asked as she approached the sofas outside the nurses station and saw her son's friend sitting there alone.

"Just waiting for my mom. I had a check-up and the doctor wanted to talk to her." Addison said, putting down her phone.

"Oh. Well I just want to thank you for helping Cam with his English homework. He's lucky to have you as a friend."

"I'm the lucky one. Cam's pretty much my best friend. I don't think I'd be getting through this year without him."

"I'm sure he's grateful for you, too." Liz said, picking up on the genuine connection that Addison seemed to have with her son.

"There's my mom," Addison stood as Alexis walked towards them.

"Hi Elizabeth." Alexis said as she approached.

"Hi, Alexis. I was just thanking Addison for all the help she's given Cam with school."

"I think they've helped each other." Alexis said, knowing how much time Addison has spent there, running her hand through her daughter's hair.

"We have." Addison confirmed.

"I need to get back to work. Addie, I'm sure I'll see you soon."

"Tomorrow actually." Liz smiled at Addison's enthusiasm, there was clearly more going on between her son and his friend.

"Alexis, it was good to see you."

"You too, Elizabeth." Alexis said as Liz walked back to the nurses station. "Let's get you back to school." She said to Addison as they walked to the elevators.

"Do I have to, really? By the time I get there it will be last block and it's just Music today…"

"Addie…" She didn't want her daughter to avoid anything, but she also had a point. There would only be about an hour left in the day.

"Mom, please? Can we maybe just go eat lunch and go home? Unless you have to be in court…"

"I don't." She confirmed.

"It's been a really long time since we've done anything, just us." Addison tried to persuade.

Spending quality time with her daughter was hard to resist, and she knew how to get to her heart, "You've gotten very good at emotional manipulation, peanut. There's definitely some of your dad in you."

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, let's go. Kelly's?"

"You're the best."

They spent the rest of the afternoon together. At Kelley's Addison told her mom about school and the latest book they were reading in English. She finally told her mom how things with Sophie had shifted since she started at Madison. That they were friends, but it wasn't the same. They seemed to be drifting apart. Alexis listened, interested, and grateful to hear more about her daughter's life. Then, Addison took a risk, she talked about her friendship with Cam and how he's been there for her. She didn't tell her that she thought maybe, just maybe she might like him, like him. She didn't want that out there. She didn't want to jeopardize her relationship with her closest friend.

That evening Ned and Alexis were getting ready for bed when Ned brought up Addison's visit to GH. They had both agreed to wait until later, so nothing was overheard or misconstrued. Alexis knew they needed to get on the same page and decide what to tell her.

"So, what did Dr. Stevens say?" Ned asked as he walked up behind his wife who was looking out the window.

She turned to face him. "She talked to Addison, and she had Addie complete a self-report screener with her. There's enough there to warrant following-up. She referred us to Dr. Winters and gave us some rating scales to do and return."

"So we were right to follow up." Maybe now they'd have some answers for their daughter. That things would make sense for her and she'd have some tools, so that she wouldn't feel so overwhelmed again.

She nodded. "Maybe I was too defensive when the school tried to talk to us earlier this year."

"No, you were advocating for her. There's a difference," he said as he took both her hands. He wouldn't let Alexis blame herself for putting it off. He agreed then that they should.

Alexis squeezed his hand and stepped away from him and walked towards their bed. He followed. She pulled back the covers and climbed in.

"Did you tell Addison what's going on? She's a smart kid. Perceptive. I'm sure she suspects something is up." He said as he climbed into bed as well.

She looked at her husband, "Not yet. We spent the afternoon together and it was really nice to just listen to her talk about her life. No expectations or explanations required. We had a genuine conversation and she's just growing up so fast." He agreed as she continued, "She definitely has a crush on Cam. I don't think she realizes it yet. But if you say anything to her about it…"

"My lips are sealed. You really think she does?" He knew they'd been friends for years. Ever since the summer they met at camp.

"I do and by the sound of it I think he might like her, too. He's such a good kid, Ned, and he's kind to our daughter."

"I'm not ready for this." He wasn't ready to think his little girl was growing up. Was ready to possibly date.

"I know. She's our baby. All of her firsts are our lasts."

"I'm happy you got that time with her today. She seems lighter, happier. You do, too."

"We made three wonderful children, Ned. Despite everything happening between you and me right now, they truly are the best of the two of us. Today just reminded me of that and how much I cherish the life we built together away from our families.

"I cherish it, too." He agreed as he wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against him. "We're going to figure it out. Right?" He asked, kissing the top of her head. They hadn't spoken about the fight they had or her comment to separate.

"Right," she said, trying to convince them both, but in truth she wasn't so sure. They were avoiding things that were said the other night and it was just floating out there, waiting to come back at them. But for now they united for their daughter.

Addison walked into the kitchen the next morning, saw her parents sitting at the table with coffee and then eyed the french toast on the table. "What's going on? Is everything ok?"

"We just need to talk with you. You aren't in any trouble, and everything is fine." Alexis said to her daughter and then turned to her husband, "I told you not to make the french toast. It's a red flag at this point, honey. Delicious, but a red flag nonetheless."

Addison was skeptical everything was fine and asked, "where's Owen?," as she sat at the table. Saturday mornings were usually laid back and low key and he was nowhere in sight.

"He had SAT prep this morning. He'll be home later." Alexis informed her as Addison put a slice of french toast on a plate and reached for the syrup.

"Sooo, what's up?"

"You know the panic attack you had when Daddy and I were fighting?"

"Yeah. You aren't actually separating are you? Because Owen should be here if that's what this is." She wasn't going to let her brother continue to feel excluded. If they were talking about the fight, he should be there.

"No, no. This is about you." Ned said, surprised she jumped to that conclusion. Surprised she'd think they'd talk about that without her brother.

"You're freaking me out. Is this about all those questions Dr. Stevens asked me yesterday. Because that was odd, but I was honest." It was the next logical conclusion.

"We're glad you were honest and yes, it's about your appointment yesterday."

"Ok.." She tried to read her parents' expression. She couldn't figure out what was happening.

"While I was talking with her, she thought it might be helpful for you to see Dr. Winters to talk about some of the things you've been feeling. She wants your father and I to meet with her as well."

"I thought you said you didn't think there was anything wrong with me. Why would you lie about that?" She asked her Dad.

"There is nothing wrong with you, sweetheart. Your mom and I, and your doctor just think maybe Dr. Winters can help you learn more about yourself, so that you don't feel so overwhelmed with worry you can't think clearly."

"This Dr. Winters is a shrink isn't she?"

"She's a therapist, yes." Ned confirmed. This wasn't going the way he had hoped, but maybe he should have expected it. At her core, she was more like Alexis than either of them cared to admit. She didn't accept help easily. Wanted to figure things out on her own.

"Only the crazy kids go to therapy. I'm not crazy. I'm not." Why would they do this to her, Addison thought as she listened to her father explain..

"No one thinks you're crazy. But we do think it could help." Ned stated as Alexis reached to touch his arm and jumped in, knowing what her daughter needed to hear.

"Addie, I've done it. I've gone to therapy. Sometimes it helps to have someone to listen to you, who doesn't love you and can be objective."

"Really?" She had a hard time believing her mom went to therapy.

"Really, baby. Where do you think I learned how to manage a panic attack?"

"In therapy? Mom, there's no way." She said doubtful.

"I've done it twice. And I didn't love it and I didn't want to, but it helped and people in my life showed me that sometimes you just have to do what you need to do, even if you don't think you need it at the time."

She looked at Ned and he took her hand, squeezing it slightly as he remembered, both times he had to convince her she needed to talk to someone. Once after Owen's birth and staged death and again when she was so panic stricken something would happen to Addison after the warehouse explosion and needed the emergency c-section, that saved both their lives; but, resulted in Addison's preterm arrival. Their baby girl was small, but had thankfully been healthy at 38 weeks; and Alexis wouldn't leave her side. She struggled to cope with the trauma of what had happened and the fear that something would happen to her new baby girl. She wouldn't let him help. She barely let him near her. It impacted their day to day. It impacted Kristen and Owen and he had to beg her to go back to therapy where, ultimately, she had been diagnosed with postpartum anxiety.

"When?" Addison asked, wanting to know more about her mother's experience.

"When doesn't matter. So will you do this for us? For yourself?" Alexis asked, sensing her daughter was coming around.

"I guess I can try it. You're sure it helped you?"

"I'm positive." She confirmed and then looked at Ned who nodded in agreement.