We Danced
Title: We Danced
Author: picric_drea
Pairing: Derek/Addison
Rating: PG-13
Summary: One shot based on the Brad Paisley song of the same name.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
So for some reason, I’ve become obsessed with the idea of Derek working as a bartender. Dunno why, but I got another story out of it, so what the hell. This is based on “We Danced” by Brad Paisley and if you can listen to it while reading I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The bar was empty
I was sweeping up the floor
That's when she walked in
I said, "I'm sorry but we're closed"
And she said "I know,
But I'm afraid I left my purse"
I said, "I put one back behind the bar
I bet it's probably yours"
Derek sighed as he turned off the bar’s neon lighting. “What a day.” He stretched and went to the back to grab the broom. “The quicker I finish, the faster I get home.” This night had been more chaotic than most, which was understandable given it was a Friday, but with two bachelor parties and a group of sorority chicks he was nearly ready to tear out his hair. He was bending down with the dust pan when he heard the familiar jingle of the bell above the door. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed,” he stated without looking up.
“I know, but I’m afraid I left my purse,” replied a rich, melodic alto.
Derek glanced up to see black three inch stilettos, topped by long well-toned legs which disappeared under a short black skirt that gave way to an emerald green blouse that dipped enough to give the barest hint of cleavage, which was brushed by the most radiant red mane he had ever seen and finally landed on blue eyes which were regarding him questioningly with a hint of amusement. “Wow,” he breathed.
“Excuse me?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I, uh,” he stood and brushed off his pants, trying his hardest not to blush. “I put one back behind the bar. I bet it’s probably yours.”
“I certainly hope so; my life is in that thing.”
“Well, could you describe it to me? I’d certainly hate to hand over someone else’s life to you,” he smirked.
“Sure,” she leaned on the counter and Derek had to fight his baser urges that were telling him to glance at her chest. “It’s a black crocodile clutch with leather lining and a flap closure with a double G symbol in light gold.”
“Exact match,” he smiled. “Double G symbol, that’s Gucci right?”
“Why, yes it is,” she gave him another appraising stare, while straightening to stand up right. “Do you, um, study fashion?”
“No,” he replied wonderingly and then repeated it more emphatically as he realized the hidden meaning behind the question. “I-I have a lot of sisters. Four in fact. I suppose with so many Vogues and Cosmos around the house some of it diffused into my brain.”
She chuckled softly and he decided that he’d never heard a more beautiful sound. “That’s a lot of sisters. Any brothers to balance that out?”
“Nope just me. How about you?”
“I only have one brother; he was my protector growing up.”
“That’s much better than me; my sister’s just used me for target practice,” he said with a grin. She laughed out right at that, and his grin grew wider. “I’m Derek, by the way,” he extended his hand, which enveloped her much smaller one.
“Addison.”
And the next thing that I knew
There we were, lost in conversation
And before I handed her her purse
I said, "You'll only get this back on one condition"
It seemed like only minutes, but when Derek next glanced at the clock he noted that they had been talking for over two hours. He had never felt so drawn to a woman before; he knew he had to see her again, so he drew up his courage and took a deep breath.
“Are you, um, are you doing anything next weekend?” he asked with his heart in his throat.
“No, just studying probably. Why?”
“I was wondering if you would like to go out with me?”
“Oh, you mean like, on a date?”
“Maybe,” he smirked.
“Oh.”
“So, what do you say?”
“To what?”
“Will you go out with me next week?”
“Oh, maybe,” she smirked back.
“Maybe?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes, maybe. I’ll let you know when you decide whether or not you’re asking me out on a date.”
He chuckled, “Addison, will you go out on a date with me next Saturday?”
“Yes, Derek I will,” she replied with a bright smile. Her eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of the clock. “I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. I should really get going.”
“Okay, let me get your purse and I’ll walk you out.” As he started around the bar, he heard the first chords of a very familiar song.
“Oh, I love this song,” she murmured.
Derek smiled as he turned back to her, "You'll only get this back on one condition."
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
And from that moment
There was never any doubt
I had found the one
That I had always dreamed about
One date turned into two, two into four, four into eight, and from then on Derek and Addison were inseparable. It was a rare occurrence to find one without the other nearby. They were as close as any couple could be, often finishing each other’s sentences and seeming to have complete conversations using their eyes alone. They finished their undergraduate work at Columbia and were thrilled to find out that they had both been accepted to the university’s medical school. It was around that time that they moved in together for as Mark pointed out, they were practically doing it anyway so they might as well make it official. Naomi and Sam were the ones who were engaged, but Addison and Derek were considered the old married couple of the group. Derek had long since stopped working at the bar, but the group still stopped by every couple of weeks to get a drink, mostly because they could usually get a round or two on the house.
It was after one such night that the two were lying in bed; legs tangled beneath the comforter the afterglow of their last round of lovemaking still very present, when Derek turned on his side and propped his head up on his elbow.
“What?” she asked after he had been staring for a few moments.
“I have a question to ask you.”
“Okay,” she sat up a little and mirrored his position, pulling the sheet up a bit to cover her bare chest, “Shoot.”
He took a deep breath, “Okay. Will-,” he stopped, “You’re beautiful.”
She smirked, “Thank you, but that’s not a question.”
“No, it’s not.” He paused, “How do you feel about kids?”
“I love kids, I want to dedicate my life to saving them and their mothers; you know that,” she said with a furrowed brow.
“No, I mean, how do you feel about having kids?”
“Oh, well.” She shifted to get a bit more comfortable. “I want kids. As long as it’s under the right circumstances.”
“Circumstances?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yea, ya know, with the right guy,” she reached out to grab his hand, “and at the right time, when both of us would have the time to devote to our children. I wouldn’t want to raise a child the way I was.”
“You mean in a mansion with maids and butlers?”
“No, I don’t want my children to be raised by nannies. I don’t want my children to call any other woman ‘Mama’ and they certainly won’t call me Addie.” She sighed and he pulled her to lie on his chest and began to stroke her hair. “What about you? How many kids do you want?”
He smirked, “As many as you’ll give me,” and laughed out when she poked him in his side. “I dunno, I think five was a lot, but four seems doable.”
She propped herself up on his chest, “You expect me to pop out four kids? You better think again, Shepherd.”
“Well, how many were you thinking?”
“I think it was good with just me and Archie.”
“I don’t know how you could consider anything with Archer ‘good’.” He grunted as she smacked him, “but, perhaps we can make a compromise. How about three?”
“Hmm, three sounds good. What do you say we get in some more practice?” she asked with a devilish grin.
“I love the way you think.”
And then one evenin'
When she stopped by after work
I pulled a diamond ring out of the pocket of my shirt
And as her eyes filled up with tears
She said, "This is the last thing I expected"
And then she took me by the hand
And said, "I'll only marry you on one condition"
Derek sat at a table in the empty bar, his leg jingling a mile a minute. She was late. Well, it was late, 1:30 on a Monday night, well Tuesday morning really, but the date was perfect. Everything was right, or would be when she arrived. He checked his watch again; it was thirty seconds later than the last time he checked. He sighed and stretched before getting up to pace the room. Derek patted his pocket to assure himself that it was still there, and then his attention was caught by headlights. He smiled and felt his heart rate triple. “Here we go.” He held the door for her as she approached. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“If I had any sense, I wouldn’t have,” she snapped, “but I’m pretty sure I lost it in the eleven hour debulking surgery that I just scrubbed out of.” She cracked her neck, “Why are we here anyway?”
“I thought you might want a drink after such a long day.”
“I don’t want a drink, I want my bed,” she replied crankily. Then, she looked around, “wait isn’t this place closed now?”
“Don’t worry about it. You sure you don’t want a drink?” he asked with a smile.
“I really just want to go home and sleep away our day off tomorrow. Or today. Whatever. Let’s go.”
He moved closer to her and took her hands in his. “Well, we won’t be sleeping tomorrow, we’ll be celebrating.”
“Celebrating?” she asked with a furrowed brow, “celebrating what?”
He smiled softly, “Do you know what today is?”
“Monday? No, wait, Tuesday.”
“Do you remember what happened four years ago today?”
She sighed and shook her head, “Derek, I’m really too tired for guessing games.”
He stepped away to walk behind the bar. He turned on the stereo system and picked up two glasses of champagne. “Well, it just so happens that four years ago today, a stunning, but apparently very absent-minded red head walked into my bar looking for her purse.”
She grinned, but raised her eyebrow, “Oh, so this is your bar now?”
“Shut up and let me speak, woman,” he smirked. “As I was saying, this absent-minded red head walked into my bar and stole my heart. And I hope to never get it back.” Derek bent down on one knee and produced a small box from his pocket. “Addison Adrienne Forbes Montgomery, I love you with all my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I want my children to be yours and wake up every morning to your beautiful face.” He paused to take a deep breath, “Addison, will you marry me?”
Addison’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Derek, this-this is the last thing I expected. I-” she paused and smiled as she heard the chords of the first song they danced to. She reached for his hand and said, “I’ll only marry you on one condition.”
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
Derek loosened his tie as he maneuvered his rented vehicle through the busy Manhattan streets. He sometimes forgot how stressful family gatherings could be and was very happy that he had stuck to his guns and insisted on getting a hotel room rather than staying with his mother. He loved her dearly, but had learned small doses were enough. Particularly when she started going on about the lovely girls in the parish that would be right for him or asking if he was sure that he and Meredith wouldn’t work out, after all there was the baby to consider. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair; he could really use a drink. Then like an answer to his prayer he saw the familiar sign of his old haunt. With a smile on his lips, he pulled over.
As he walked in he noted that not much had changed. There was still the same old juke box in the corner that probably hadn’t been updated in the last decade, the typical couple hugged up in the corner, and the marble of the bar gleaming brightly. Derek remembered spending many a night polishing that bar until it shone. With a grin, he sat down on a stool.
“Derek!” exclaimed the old barkeep, wiping out a glass. “Long time, no see my friend. You in town for the holidays?”
“Yep, just doing my filial duty,” he replied with a grin.
“You always were the good son,” his former boss replied with a good-natured wink. “The usual I presume?”
“You know it,” Derek said with a grin as he turned to admire the rest of the bar. The couple in the corner caught his eyes again and he remembered when he was in love like that. He sighed, that was a long time ago.
He straightened in his seat when his drink was placed in front of him and knocked a purse off the chair beside him. Derek bent to pick up the golden bag and immediately recognized it as Chanel; it was the same type of bag he used to constantly tease his ex-wife about as you couldn’t possible fit anything into it besides a Tic Tac. As he set it back in the chair, he asked, “Is someone sitting here?”
“Not that I know of, but I just came off break.” He noted a group walk up to the bar, “Let me help them a minute, and I’ll be right back.”
Derek sat there and nursed his scotch trying to relax. It was Christmas, his favorite time of the year, yet he just couldn’t find the spirit. He was lonely and while he knew Meredith would be happy to fill the void, she simply couldn’t. She didn’t fit. When they would meet while exchanging custody of their daughter, she would always make the invitation more than clear but he never took her up on it. He was done with twelve year olds.
“Would you like a refill?” asked a sultry voice.
Derek looked up to see an attractive bartender standing with a bottle of scotch and a flirtatious smile. “Yea, thanks,” he nodded.
As she filled his glass, she gave him a very obvious once-over and licked her lips. Too much, thought Derek.
“Anything else I can get for you?” she leaned over to make sure he got an eyeful of her cleavage in a much too small top.
“No, I’m good for now, thanks,” he replied with a polite smile.
“Well, just let me know,” she gave a wink as she turned to help another patron. “What’ll you have,” she asked.
“Nothing, thank you,” replied a rich melodic voice that caused his heart rate to increase, “but I’m afraid I’ve left my purse.”
“That seems to be a rather careless mistake,” he interjected with a smirk, which broadened considerably when her radiant blue eyes that flashed to him in irritation widened immediately in shock. “You never know who could pick it up,” he continued.
“Derek,” she breathed.
“Hello, Addie,” he replied with a grin. “I believe this is what you’re looking for,” he held up her purse.
“What on earth are you doing here?”
“Drinking. You?”
“Recovering from a horrible blind date,” she said with a sigh, sitting in the chair next to him. “I was bullied into it by Savvy and Weiss, he’s apparently a partner at Savvy’s firm, who has no conversational skills outside of the law, stamps, and Star Wars.”
“Star Wars, huh? Shouldn’t that be right up your alley?”
“Oh, shut up,” she replied with a punch to his arm. “Anyway, it wrapped up pretty fast once I mentioned Henry. I think I may lead with him next time,” she mused.
“Good idea,” he paused, “Who’s Henry?”
“Oh, my son,” she replied with a sparkle in her eye. “This is him,” she showed him the home screen on her phone.
“He’s very handsome, Addie. Hey, but why the fix up? I thought you were happy with,” he took a sip of his drink, “Sam.”
“Yeah,” she glanced down at the picture of Henry, “that just didn’t work out.”
“Good.”
“Derek!” she replied indignant.
“Oh, come on, Addie that was just weird. Your best friend’s ex-husband? Besides, I just couldn’t picture the two of you lasting. Just thinking of you together was,” he shuddered, “wrong.”
“Well, you can understand now how I feel about you and Meredith.”
“Hey! That was completely different.”
Addison laughed, “If you say so. Well, anyway if the rumor mill is correct, neither of us has to worry about that anymore,” she raised an eyebrow.
Derek sighed, “That would be correct. The custody papers were signed two weeks ago, so we are officially divorced.”
“I’m sorry, Derek.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time coming; I wanted to make her into something she wasn’t and that wasn’t fair to either of us and especially not to Zola.”
Addison smiled, “How is Zola? Is she handling it ok?”
“I don’t know how much she really gets since she’s still so young. We’re seeing a few more temper tantrums, but for the most part she’s doing well.” He took another sip of his drink, “It’s better for her this way, though really. I wasn’t in love with Meredith anymore, and I think she could sense the strain.”
“What happened?”
“I-I was looking for something that I had lost. And the constant petty spats started to gnaw on me. I mean, it wasn’t bickering like we used to do, but it was vengeful. I was lured in by the ease, but once it came time to work I discovered there was nothing to work for. It wasn’t what I wanted.” He looked into her eyes, “What I wanted, I had driven away.”
She sighed and shook her head, “Derek,” she began.
“No, wait, let me just get this out.” He took a deep breath, “I miss you, Addie. I miss you so much. I’ve finally figured out what I wanted all this time was right in front of me. I let my career blind me to our relationship and then I let my desire for revenge and punishment put the final nail in the coffin of our marriage.” He took her hand in his, “I am so sorry for that. In all the times you apologized, I never told you that, but I am.”
She pulled her hand away from his, “Derek this is ridiculous.”
“No, it’s not. You have no idea how many times I’ve picked up the phone to call you or book a flight to LA, but I didn’t want to impose on your happiness.”
“Derek, please-”
“But now I know,” he continued, “that this was meant to be. The fact that we are both here in New York is fate.”
“Or maybe it’s just coincidence, considering it’s the holidays, both of our families are here, and we spent over a decade of our lives here.”
“Correction: My family is here. Yours is in Connecticut.”
“Whatever, close enough.”
“Okay, but then how do you explain the fact that we’re both here in a bar neither of us has been to for years? The bar where we first met and fell in love?” She bit her lip as she stared into his eyes, “The bar where I’m finally able to admit that I’m still in love with you?” He watched as her eyes filled with tears, “That’s too much to chalk up to just coincidence, Addie,” he said softly. Then he grinned, “Plus you’re the most anal-retentive person I know when it comes to your purses and shoes, so I think that given the fact that the only two times in your life that you’ve forgotten your purse have been related to me is more than mere chance, Addie.” He reached up to wipe away the lone tear that was sliding down her face, “It’s fate.”
Addison laughed and shook her head, “This is crazy.”
His eyes held a mischievous glint as he held her purse in front of her eyes, “You’ll only get this back on one condition.”
And we danced
Like no one else had ever danced before
I can't explain what happened on that floor
But the music played
We held each other close
And we danced
Yeah, we danced
What do you think?
Author: picric_drea
Pairing: Derek/Addison
Rating: PG-13
Summary: One shot based on the Brad Paisley song of the same name.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
So for some reason, I’ve become obsessed with the idea of Derek working as a bartender. Dunno why, but I got another story out of it, so what the hell. This is based on “We Danced” by Brad Paisley and if you can listen to it while reading I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The bar was empty
I was sweeping up the floor
That's when she walked in
I said, "I'm sorry but we're closed"
And she said "I know,
But I'm afraid I left my purse"
I said, "I put one back behind the bar
I bet it's probably yours"
Derek sighed as he turned off the bar’s neon lighting. “What a day.” He stretched and went to the back to grab the broom. “The quicker I finish, the faster I get home.” This night had been more chaotic than most, which was understandable given it was a Friday, but with two bachelor parties and a group of sorority chicks he was nearly ready to tear out his hair. He was bending down with the dust pan when he heard the familiar jingle of the bell above the door. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed,” he stated without looking up.
“I know, but I’m afraid I left my purse,” replied a rich, melodic alto.
Derek glanced up to see black three inch stilettos, topped by long well-toned legs which disappeared under a short black skirt that gave way to an emerald green blouse that dipped enough to give the barest hint of cleavage, which was brushed by the most radiant red mane he had ever seen and finally landed on blue eyes which were regarding him questioningly with a hint of amusement. “Wow,” he breathed.
“Excuse me?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I, uh,” he stood and brushed off his pants, trying his hardest not to blush. “I put one back behind the bar. I bet it’s probably yours.”
“I certainly hope so; my life is in that thing.”
“Well, could you describe it to me? I’d certainly hate to hand over someone else’s life to you,” he smirked.
“Sure,” she leaned on the counter and Derek had to fight his baser urges that were telling him to glance at her chest. “It’s a black crocodile clutch with leather lining and a flap closure with a double G symbol in light gold.”
“Exact match,” he smiled. “Double G symbol, that’s Gucci right?”
“Why, yes it is,” she gave him another appraising stare, while straightening to stand up right. “Do you, um, study fashion?”
“No,” he replied wonderingly and then repeated it more emphatically as he realized the hidden meaning behind the question. “I-I have a lot of sisters. Four in fact. I suppose with so many Vogues and Cosmos around the house some of it diffused into my brain.”
She chuckled softly and he decided that he’d never heard a more beautiful sound. “That’s a lot of sisters. Any brothers to balance that out?”
“Nope just me. How about you?”
“I only have one brother; he was my protector growing up.”
“That’s much better than me; my sister’s just used me for target practice,” he said with a grin. She laughed out right at that, and his grin grew wider. “I’m Derek, by the way,” he extended his hand, which enveloped her much smaller one.
“Addison.”
And the next thing that I knew
There we were, lost in conversation
And before I handed her her purse
I said, "You'll only get this back on one condition"
It seemed like only minutes, but when Derek next glanced at the clock he noted that they had been talking for over two hours. He had never felt so drawn to a woman before; he knew he had to see her again, so he drew up his courage and took a deep breath.
“Are you, um, are you doing anything next weekend?” he asked with his heart in his throat.
“No, just studying probably. Why?”
“I was wondering if you would like to go out with me?”
“Oh, you mean like, on a date?”
“Maybe,” he smirked.
“Oh.”
“So, what do you say?”
“To what?”
“Will you go out with me next week?”
“Oh, maybe,” she smirked back.
“Maybe?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes, maybe. I’ll let you know when you decide whether or not you’re asking me out on a date.”
He chuckled, “Addison, will you go out on a date with me next Saturday?”
“Yes, Derek I will,” she replied with a bright smile. Her eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of the clock. “I didn’t realize how late it had gotten. I should really get going.”
“Okay, let me get your purse and I’ll walk you out.” As he started around the bar, he heard the first chords of a very familiar song.
“Oh, I love this song,” she murmured.
Derek smiled as he turned back to her, "You'll only get this back on one condition."
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
And from that moment
There was never any doubt
I had found the one
That I had always dreamed about
One date turned into two, two into four, four into eight, and from then on Derek and Addison were inseparable. It was a rare occurrence to find one without the other nearby. They were as close as any couple could be, often finishing each other’s sentences and seeming to have complete conversations using their eyes alone. They finished their undergraduate work at Columbia and were thrilled to find out that they had both been accepted to the university’s medical school. It was around that time that they moved in together for as Mark pointed out, they were practically doing it anyway so they might as well make it official. Naomi and Sam were the ones who were engaged, but Addison and Derek were considered the old married couple of the group. Derek had long since stopped working at the bar, but the group still stopped by every couple of weeks to get a drink, mostly because they could usually get a round or two on the house.
It was after one such night that the two were lying in bed; legs tangled beneath the comforter the afterglow of their last round of lovemaking still very present, when Derek turned on his side and propped his head up on his elbow.
“What?” she asked after he had been staring for a few moments.
“I have a question to ask you.”
“Okay,” she sat up a little and mirrored his position, pulling the sheet up a bit to cover her bare chest, “Shoot.”
He took a deep breath, “Okay. Will-,” he stopped, “You’re beautiful.”
She smirked, “Thank you, but that’s not a question.”
“No, it’s not.” He paused, “How do you feel about kids?”
“I love kids, I want to dedicate my life to saving them and their mothers; you know that,” she said with a furrowed brow.
“No, I mean, how do you feel about having kids?”
“Oh, well.” She shifted to get a bit more comfortable. “I want kids. As long as it’s under the right circumstances.”
“Circumstances?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yea, ya know, with the right guy,” she reached out to grab his hand, “and at the right time, when both of us would have the time to devote to our children. I wouldn’t want to raise a child the way I was.”
“You mean in a mansion with maids and butlers?”
“No, I don’t want my children to be raised by nannies. I don’t want my children to call any other woman ‘Mama’ and they certainly won’t call me Addie.” She sighed and he pulled her to lie on his chest and began to stroke her hair. “What about you? How many kids do you want?”
He smirked, “As many as you’ll give me,” and laughed out when she poked him in his side. “I dunno, I think five was a lot, but four seems doable.”
She propped herself up on his chest, “You expect me to pop out four kids? You better think again, Shepherd.”
“Well, how many were you thinking?”
“I think it was good with just me and Archie.”
“I don’t know how you could consider anything with Archer ‘good’.” He grunted as she smacked him, “but, perhaps we can make a compromise. How about three?”
“Hmm, three sounds good. What do you say we get in some more practice?” she asked with a devilish grin.
“I love the way you think.”
And then one evenin'
When she stopped by after work
I pulled a diamond ring out of the pocket of my shirt
And as her eyes filled up with tears
She said, "This is the last thing I expected"
And then she took me by the hand
And said, "I'll only marry you on one condition"
Derek sat at a table in the empty bar, his leg jingling a mile a minute. She was late. Well, it was late, 1:30 on a Monday night, well Tuesday morning really, but the date was perfect. Everything was right, or would be when she arrived. He checked his watch again; it was thirty seconds later than the last time he checked. He sighed and stretched before getting up to pace the room. Derek patted his pocket to assure himself that it was still there, and then his attention was caught by headlights. He smiled and felt his heart rate triple. “Here we go.” He held the door for her as she approached. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
“If I had any sense, I wouldn’t have,” she snapped, “but I’m pretty sure I lost it in the eleven hour debulking surgery that I just scrubbed out of.” She cracked her neck, “Why are we here anyway?”
“I thought you might want a drink after such a long day.”
“I don’t want a drink, I want my bed,” she replied crankily. Then, she looked around, “wait isn’t this place closed now?”
“Don’t worry about it. You sure you don’t want a drink?” he asked with a smile.
“I really just want to go home and sleep away our day off tomorrow. Or today. Whatever. Let’s go.”
He moved closer to her and took her hands in his. “Well, we won’t be sleeping tomorrow, we’ll be celebrating.”
“Celebrating?” she asked with a furrowed brow, “celebrating what?”
He smiled softly, “Do you know what today is?”
“Monday? No, wait, Tuesday.”
“Do you remember what happened four years ago today?”
She sighed and shook her head, “Derek, I’m really too tired for guessing games.”
He stepped away to walk behind the bar. He turned on the stereo system and picked up two glasses of champagne. “Well, it just so happens that four years ago today, a stunning, but apparently very absent-minded red head walked into my bar looking for her purse.”
She grinned, but raised her eyebrow, “Oh, so this is your bar now?”
“Shut up and let me speak, woman,” he smirked. “As I was saying, this absent-minded red head walked into my bar and stole my heart. And I hope to never get it back.” Derek bent down on one knee and produced a small box from his pocket. “Addison Adrienne Forbes Montgomery, I love you with all my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I want my children to be yours and wake up every morning to your beautiful face.” He paused to take a deep breath, “Addison, will you marry me?”
Addison’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Derek, this-this is the last thing I expected. I-” she paused and smiled as she heard the chords of the first song they danced to. She reached for his hand and said, “I’ll only marry you on one condition.”
And we danced
Out there on that empty hardwood floor
The chairs up and the lights turned way down low
The music played, we held each other close
And we danced
Derek loosened his tie as he maneuvered his rented vehicle through the busy Manhattan streets. He sometimes forgot how stressful family gatherings could be and was very happy that he had stuck to his guns and insisted on getting a hotel room rather than staying with his mother. He loved her dearly, but had learned small doses were enough. Particularly when she started going on about the lovely girls in the parish that would be right for him or asking if he was sure that he and Meredith wouldn’t work out, after all there was the baby to consider. He sighed and ran his hands through his hair; he could really use a drink. Then like an answer to his prayer he saw the familiar sign of his old haunt. With a smile on his lips, he pulled over.
As he walked in he noted that not much had changed. There was still the same old juke box in the corner that probably hadn’t been updated in the last decade, the typical couple hugged up in the corner, and the marble of the bar gleaming brightly. Derek remembered spending many a night polishing that bar until it shone. With a grin, he sat down on a stool.
“Derek!” exclaimed the old barkeep, wiping out a glass. “Long time, no see my friend. You in town for the holidays?”
“Yep, just doing my filial duty,” he replied with a grin.
“You always were the good son,” his former boss replied with a good-natured wink. “The usual I presume?”
“You know it,” Derek said with a grin as he turned to admire the rest of the bar. The couple in the corner caught his eyes again and he remembered when he was in love like that. He sighed, that was a long time ago.
He straightened in his seat when his drink was placed in front of him and knocked a purse off the chair beside him. Derek bent to pick up the golden bag and immediately recognized it as Chanel; it was the same type of bag he used to constantly tease his ex-wife about as you couldn’t possible fit anything into it besides a Tic Tac. As he set it back in the chair, he asked, “Is someone sitting here?”
“Not that I know of, but I just came off break.” He noted a group walk up to the bar, “Let me help them a minute, and I’ll be right back.”
Derek sat there and nursed his scotch trying to relax. It was Christmas, his favorite time of the year, yet he just couldn’t find the spirit. He was lonely and while he knew Meredith would be happy to fill the void, she simply couldn’t. She didn’t fit. When they would meet while exchanging custody of their daughter, she would always make the invitation more than clear but he never took her up on it. He was done with twelve year olds.
“Would you like a refill?” asked a sultry voice.
Derek looked up to see an attractive bartender standing with a bottle of scotch and a flirtatious smile. “Yea, thanks,” he nodded.
As she filled his glass, she gave him a very obvious once-over and licked her lips. Too much, thought Derek.
“Anything else I can get for you?” she leaned over to make sure he got an eyeful of her cleavage in a much too small top.
“No, I’m good for now, thanks,” he replied with a polite smile.
“Well, just let me know,” she gave a wink as she turned to help another patron. “What’ll you have,” she asked.
“Nothing, thank you,” replied a rich melodic voice that caused his heart rate to increase, “but I’m afraid I’ve left my purse.”
“That seems to be a rather careless mistake,” he interjected with a smirk, which broadened considerably when her radiant blue eyes that flashed to him in irritation widened immediately in shock. “You never know who could pick it up,” he continued.
“Derek,” she breathed.
“Hello, Addie,” he replied with a grin. “I believe this is what you’re looking for,” he held up her purse.
“What on earth are you doing here?”
“Drinking. You?”
“Recovering from a horrible blind date,” she said with a sigh, sitting in the chair next to him. “I was bullied into it by Savvy and Weiss, he’s apparently a partner at Savvy’s firm, who has no conversational skills outside of the law, stamps, and Star Wars.”
“Star Wars, huh? Shouldn’t that be right up your alley?”
“Oh, shut up,” she replied with a punch to his arm. “Anyway, it wrapped up pretty fast once I mentioned Henry. I think I may lead with him next time,” she mused.
“Good idea,” he paused, “Who’s Henry?”
“Oh, my son,” she replied with a sparkle in her eye. “This is him,” she showed him the home screen on her phone.
“He’s very handsome, Addie. Hey, but why the fix up? I thought you were happy with,” he took a sip of his drink, “Sam.”
“Yeah,” she glanced down at the picture of Henry, “that just didn’t work out.”
“Good.”
“Derek!” she replied indignant.
“Oh, come on, Addie that was just weird. Your best friend’s ex-husband? Besides, I just couldn’t picture the two of you lasting. Just thinking of you together was,” he shuddered, “wrong.”
“Well, you can understand now how I feel about you and Meredith.”
“Hey! That was completely different.”
Addison laughed, “If you say so. Well, anyway if the rumor mill is correct, neither of us has to worry about that anymore,” she raised an eyebrow.
Derek sighed, “That would be correct. The custody papers were signed two weeks ago, so we are officially divorced.”
“I’m sorry, Derek.”
“Don’t be. It was a long time coming; I wanted to make her into something she wasn’t and that wasn’t fair to either of us and especially not to Zola.”
Addison smiled, “How is Zola? Is she handling it ok?”
“I don’t know how much she really gets since she’s still so young. We’re seeing a few more temper tantrums, but for the most part she’s doing well.” He took another sip of his drink, “It’s better for her this way, though really. I wasn’t in love with Meredith anymore, and I think she could sense the strain.”
“What happened?”
“I-I was looking for something that I had lost. And the constant petty spats started to gnaw on me. I mean, it wasn’t bickering like we used to do, but it was vengeful. I was lured in by the ease, but once it came time to work I discovered there was nothing to work for. It wasn’t what I wanted.” He looked into her eyes, “What I wanted, I had driven away.”
She sighed and shook her head, “Derek,” she began.
“No, wait, let me just get this out.” He took a deep breath, “I miss you, Addie. I miss you so much. I’ve finally figured out what I wanted all this time was right in front of me. I let my career blind me to our relationship and then I let my desire for revenge and punishment put the final nail in the coffin of our marriage.” He took her hand in his, “I am so sorry for that. In all the times you apologized, I never told you that, but I am.”
She pulled her hand away from his, “Derek this is ridiculous.”
“No, it’s not. You have no idea how many times I’ve picked up the phone to call you or book a flight to LA, but I didn’t want to impose on your happiness.”
“Derek, please-”
“But now I know,” he continued, “that this was meant to be. The fact that we are both here in New York is fate.”
“Or maybe it’s just coincidence, considering it’s the holidays, both of our families are here, and we spent over a decade of our lives here.”
“Correction: My family is here. Yours is in Connecticut.”
“Whatever, close enough.”
“Okay, but then how do you explain the fact that we’re both here in a bar neither of us has been to for years? The bar where we first met and fell in love?” She bit her lip as she stared into his eyes, “The bar where I’m finally able to admit that I’m still in love with you?” He watched as her eyes filled with tears, “That’s too much to chalk up to just coincidence, Addie,” he said softly. Then he grinned, “Plus you’re the most anal-retentive person I know when it comes to your purses and shoes, so I think that given the fact that the only two times in your life that you’ve forgotten your purse have been related to me is more than mere chance, Addie.” He reached up to wipe away the lone tear that was sliding down her face, “It’s fate.”
Addison laughed and shook her head, “This is crazy.”
His eyes held a mischievous glint as he held her purse in front of her eyes, “You’ll only get this back on one condition.”
And we danced
Like no one else had ever danced before
I can't explain what happened on that floor
But the music played
We held each other close
And we danced
Yeah, we danced
What do you think?