The Wedding: Chapter 2
Title: The Wedding
Rating: PG-13ish
Pairing: Addek, slight merder
I really appreciate the reviews I've received so far. Keep them coming! Anyhoo, here's the next chapter.
Once again, I own nothing. If I did it would be a very different show.
Chapter 1 can be found at http://community.livejournal.com/ga_fanfic/575409.html?#cutid1
Over the next few weeks, Addison tried to keep busy and think about anything besides the upcoming wedding. The problem was the more she tried to avoid that wedding the more she thought about her own. Feelings she thought she had finally burned and buried rose again like a phoenix from the ashes.
Oh, like a phoenix from the ashes?! Get a grip, Addie. With a sigh, she picked up her coffee cup and moved to look out her floor-to-ceiling windows at her magnificent view of the Pacific. Normally, she found the blue peaceful, today however it just made her think of a certain pair of mesmerizing eyes. Disgusted, she turned from the window and flopped down on her couch. This is pathetic; you’re acting like you just got divorced. It’s been two years, Addie. Shake it off, you’ve both moved on, so let it go.
And she had in fact moved on. She had a fabulous position at LA’s prestigious Methodist Hospital, with a top-rated nursing staff and interns and residents who did not look at her with hate/pity/disdain nor did they call her Satan behind her back. Her neo-natal unit was ranked number one in the country, and if the hospital gossip was to be believed she would be chief within a year.
Her personal life was back on track as well. She had a great group of caring supportive friends and was even dating again. It had taken a few tries (after all it had been nearly 15 years since she last really dated), but she was back in the relationship game. Let’s see there was Steve, the bartender; Smith, the model/actor; Eddie, the cop; Adam, the restaurateur; followed by the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker (who turned out to be gay). Then she met Jake.
Jake was the epitome of the phrase tall, dark, and handsome. He stood 6’4”, a well-toned and muscular 210 lbs, with dark curly hair and green eyes. He was a corporate lawyer at a prominent firm, with homes in LA, Manhattan, Chicago, and Dallas. They had been dating the last six months, and everything was perfect. He was attentive and generous to a fault; he even made her soup when she came down with the flu. He was the ideal boyfriend, and Addison couldn’t find a single flaw in the relationship. Well, actually there was one tiny problem:
She was bored out of her skull.
There was no spark, no fire, no za-za-zoo, no…..umph.
He was perfect on paper and treated her like a queen, but their relationship lacked the passion of her former liaisons. Even their fights were lackluster. God, I used to love fighting with Derek. Especially the making up afterwards. Addison pushed off the couch and walked over to her bookcase. She reached up and pulled down a rather large white binder, and returned to the couch. She ran her hands over the gold embossed lettering:
Derek and Addison
Forever and Always
July 18, 1994
Addison began flipping through the pages though she still remembered the day (and night, for that matter) in perfect detail. That had been the absolute happiest day of her life; she smiled so much her face went numb, but she couldn’t have cared less. She turned to a photo of the two of them kissing over their wedding cake. Addison easily recalled how his eyes had narrowed when she lightly sucked his finger as they fed each other the sweet dessert. Those baby blues had then widened considerably when she smashed her piece in his face. Her eyes began to burn as she continued to turn the pages, and the burn intensified when she stopped on a picture of Derek and Mark. Each had an arm around the other’s shoulders and the two were grinning into the camera for all they were worth. She quickly flipped the page only to pause at the next picture. This photo was similar to the last only this time Addison stood between the two handsome men. But it was the last picture that caused the dam to break. It depicted the two of them in their first dance as husband and wife; Derek’s hand on her back held her close to him and his love for her shone brightly in his eyes. Tracks of moisture made their way down her cheeks as she stroked the image. She nearly jumped a mile into the air when the ringing of the phone pierced the silence. She picked it up without bothering to check the id.
“Hello?”
“Addie, sweetie, how are you?”
“Hi, Mom. I’m fine.” Is it weird that I still talk with my mother-in-law? I mean, ex-mother-in-law? Probably. But I couldn’t have survived the past two years without her. “How are you?”
“You don’t sound fine, have you been crying?”
Dammit. “Um, no. Well, yes, I uh, I just finished watching Casablanca. You know how that film always gets me.” Oh yeah, Addie, real smooth.
“Addison.” How can she inflect so much emotion on one word? “It’s okay to feel sad. You two were married for nearly twelve years and together for even longer. Those feelings don’t just disappear…He told me that you weren’t coming.”
Addison sighed. “I just…I can’t.”
“I understand, sweetie, you do what you need to do to take care of yourself. We all just want you happy. Speaking of which, how’s that young man of yours? Jake, right?”
Addison laughed. “Jake is fine.”
“Well, I’m going to have to meet him soon. I need to see if he’s good enough for you. Maybe I’ll stop over in LA after the wedding.”
“I’d like that; it would be good to see you.”
The two women talked at little more and finalized their plans before saying goodbye and disconnecting. Addison sighed and leaned back on the couch. Her eyes drifted around the room before again landing on the wedding album. “No.” She got up and replaced the album on the bookshelf, then picked up the phone. “Hey, it’s me. Wanna go out to dinner?”
“So what’s with the impromptu dinner, which by the way you’re paying for?” Robin asked as they were seated at their favorite Chinese restaurant. Addison laughed, “Can’t a girl invite a friend out for dinner without getting the third degree?” “Not when she invites this friend.” was the reply. “Besides, you look like hell. What happened?” Addison averts her eyes, “Nothing.” “Addison, obviously, something’s wrong so what…Oh my God, you were looking at that damn album again weren’t you?” Addison, again not making eye contact, replied, “No.” “Oh, you are lying. I know you’re lying. You know how I know? ’Cause you’re a bad liar! I swear I’m gonna burn that book. Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” “I don’t know,” Addison sighed, “I just…” “You just like punishing yourself apparently. Addie, you made mistakes and so did he, but that’s in the past. You two were great together, but it’s over. That’s why I think you should go to the wedding. It won’t be real to you until you see it with your own eyes. I think that’s what you need to really let go.” “Well, it’s too late, now. I already RSVP’d no. “So? Go anyway.” “What? I can’t crash their wedding!” “Sure you can. And anyways you were invited, right? So technically you’re not crashing. And really it’s not like you’re sticking around for the reception or anything. You are just there to see the ceremony, and then leave.” “Maybe…but I don’t want to have deal with all those questions that will inevitably come with me showing up to Derek’s wedding.” “So, go in disguise.” Addison raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “What? I’m not telling you to go in a Halloween mask, just incognito.” “So what exactly do you suggest I wear?” “Leave it to me,” Robin said as the waiter arrived to take their order, “I’ll think of the perfect ensemble.”
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Addison finished adjusting her hat in the mirror. “Perfect,” she said to her reflection. Every single one of her red locks was hidden beneath the hat. With the addition of her oversized dark shades, she was absolutely beautiful…and unrecognizable. It may have been two years but she still remembered the infamous Seattle Grace gossip mill very well. She was just thankful that the wedding was taking place outside so it would not be necessary to remove her sunglasses. With one last look in the mirror she smiled, “Here goes.”
As Addison stepped out of her car, she smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from her form-fitting dark blue dress that flared at the waist and showed off her legs to perfection. As she glanced around she was glad to see that she was not the only one in a hat and sunglasses. “I can’t believe I’m crashing a wedding,” she murmured to herself as she followed the guests down to the lake. No, not crashing. You were invited, remember?
“Bride or groom, ma’am?” asked the handsome usher. “Umm, groom.” Addison stammered. “Of course, right this way.” The usher began to lead the way toward the front of the groom’s side where Addison spied Derek’s mother and sisters. “Um, actually I think that I would prefer a seat in the back. I wouldn’t want my hat to block anyone’s view of the ceremony.” “I don’t think anyone could look at you and not enjoy the view,” he said with a wink as he seated her. Addison blushed and thanked him, as he moved off to assist the next guest. Addison looked about her; she had gotten a seat on the end, so she could make a quick getaway if need be. Although given the fact that the area was quite open, she didn’t know how she could do so without seeming too obvious…
“And how do you know the groom?” Addison was startled out of her escape plans by the voice beside her. She turned toward the woman as she tried to figure out how to answer that loaded question. “Derek and I are old friends,” she replied. “And you?” she inquired politely. “Oh, I’m a nurse at the hospital. I took a sick day just to be here; I had to see McDreamy get married for myself.” Addison smiled and turned toward the aisle as she heard the beginning of the processional. As she caught her first glimpse of Derek in two years, she prayed her heart wouldn’t beat out of her chest. There were a few more silver flecks at his temples, but he was still just as…well, “dreamy” as ever. An involuntary sigh escaped her lips. “I know,” said the nurse, “I feel the same way.”
Alright Derek, nice big smile, this is a happy occasion. Derek walked smoothly up the aisle and took his place at the altar. Burke nodded at him as he took his place beside him. Next in line were the bridesmaids, Izzie, and the matron of honor, Cristina. Meredith had decided against having a flower girl. Addison had insisted that my nieces be a part of the wedding. Oh, pay attention; I think Burke just said something. “This is it, you ready?” Derek plastered his McDreamy smile in place. “Of course.”
As the first chords of the wedding march played, the congregation rose. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a woman in a blue dress, not a light blue, indigo; but before he could get a good look at her face (she was wearing sunglasses), Meredith appeared. Hmm, she looks…cute. She wore a simple off-white (because really who were they kidding) halter dress and carried a bouquet of daises. She wore her hair down with the ends lightly curled…or at least they were supposed to be, anyway. Her hair always looks kind of flat.
He smiled at her as he stepped down to receive her. They turned as one to listen to the priest as he invoked the usual introduction. It was then time for the vows; they had chosen to use the traditional text in lieu of writing their own.
“Repeat after me, “I, Derek…”
“I, Derek…”
“Take thee Meredith…”
“Take thee Addison…”
Oh, shit.