Thank you for reviewing and favorating this story. Sorry for delay in updating. I will try not to take so long for next chapter. Please read and don't forget to review.

August 2007

Addison paid the cab driver, took a deep breath, pulled on her Satan exterior and took a step towards SGH entrance with confidence. She thought she had left this place for good but now three months later she was back in the rainy city for a special consult. So much had changed in last three months. But she didn't get much time to linger on that thought. Miranda Baily approached her with a consultant's badge and other required authorizations.

"Welcome back." Dr. Baily showed her rare smile.

"I am not back back, I am here just for a day." Addison clarified quickly.

"I believe you." Dr. Baily commented sarcastically. "Do you want me to offer you that tasteless coffee first or shall we directly get down to business?"

"I had enough caffeine in the flight, airport and cab. I would like to meet my patient first." That was half true. Though she had too much coffee since morning, she could have used another cup but she didn't want to run into any unwanted people in the cafeteria so she directly headed for her patient's room.

"Chief wanted to welcome you personally but got caught up in errands so he sent me to receive you. But he is waiting for you on the surgical floor." Miranda informed her.

"No issues. I just need someone to escort me to my patient's room. I can manage everything from there." Addison shrugged. She was very well aware of people staring at her and whispering behind her back but she chose to ignore them as she always did when she worked here. In some weird way it was comforting to see that some things hadn't changed.

"Have you secured me the intern I had requested? I don't have patience to teach anyone new." Addison asked stepping into the elevator.

"He isn't an intern anymore but yes he will be on your service today." Dr. Baily assured her.

As the elevator doors opened, her eyes landed at the said cocky intern/first year resident. He acknowledged his former mentor with a curt nod. She gave him a small smile and followed Miranda towards the private patients' rooms. As they turned a corner, she saw the new chief of SGH standing in front of surgery board. She took a moment to study him. He still looked the same. The sight in front of her was very familiar the only difference was he wasn't wearing scrubs but a light blue button down shirt and dark blue jeans.

"Chief your surgeon is here." Dr. Baily announced. Derek turned immediately and smiled.

"Welcome back." Derek extended his hand for a handshake which Addison accepted awkwardly.

"I am not back back" Addison started but Miranda completed her sentence. "She is here just for a day."

"So how are you? How is LA?" Derek asked trying to sound enthusiastically.

"Everything is great." Addison answered smiling as brightly as possible. "I have read Mrs. Jones files. Dr. Baily has been administrating the steroids prescribed by me since last night. I would first like to do an ultrasound before taking the final call but as per my calculations I think I can operate on her in the afternoon." Addison said going into doctor mode.

"That is good. You have Baily and Karev to assist you. I have already reserved an afternoon slot of OR 2 for you. Let me know if you need anything else. If you are ready let's go and meet the Jones." Derek said leading the way. Karev who was standing not far behind them quickly joined the team.

Derek knocked on the door and entered Mrs. Jones room. "Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Jones."

Mr. Jones stood up seeing so many doctors entering the room. "Good morning doctors."

"Mr. and Mrs. Jones let me introduce you to our start surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery. She is a double board certified OB/GYN and an expert in genetics. So far she has performed 114 surgeries of this kind and has the highest success rate of 86%. She has specially come from Los Angelis for your surgery. Mr. Jones your wife and babies are in safe hands." Derek proudly introduced Addison to the Jones.

Addison was surprised by Derek's words. She couldn't remember the last time Derek had looked at her with so much pride. But he wasn't Derek he was the Chief of Seattle Grace Hospital now. He was just trying to make the hospital look good by making her look good.

After introducing Addison Derek excused himself from the room to get back to his work. He wanted to have lunch with Addison but he was caught up in meetings the whole day. He didn't even get time to step out of his office. Thanks to his secretary Patricia he had a sandwich in his office in between two meetings.

"Knock knock" Derek looked up from his files when he heard clicking of heels followed by a familiar voice. "Come in Addison." He called from his desk.

Addison walked in smiling and sat down in one of the chair in front of Derek's desk.

"As expected my surgery was successful. Mother and babies all are fine. The babies will have to stay in NICU for a week but you can discharge Mrs. Jones in two days. I have given all the necessary instructions to Miranda and Karev. They can call me anytime if they need." Addison reported.

"I have one more request. Since you are here can you please.."

"I have already checked all the babies in NICU and all the pregnant mothers in the department. All are stable. There are no critical cases which would require my special care. So I am good to go." Addison answered even before Derek could state his request.

Derek smiled appreciating her proactive behavior. Addison smiled back relaxing a bit in the chair. She slightly swirled around taking in her surroundings. The office looked just the same except Richard's certificates and photos were replaced by Derek's certificates. There were no personal photos. Her eyes landed back at the man in front of her.

"You look good in this chair." Addison complimented him with admiring eyes. Derek just smiled modestly.

"So what's new in Seattle Grace? It looks like a lot has changed since I left." Addison tried to start a small talk. She thought it would be easier to talk about neutral hospital topics than their personal lives. Callie had already filled her in about most of the important events of last three months including her ex-husband's breakup.

"Yeah. A lot has happened in last few months, your departure was the most significant of all. Addison, tell me what do I have to do to get you back. I want you back." Derek demanded staring deep into her eyes. Addison was taken aback by his words.

"I have already drawn a new contract for you. It is a very generous offer. You can't resist it." Derek continued, placing a contract in front of her.

'So he just needs me professionally. The chief of Seattle Grace Hospital wants Dr. Addison Montgomery back. Derek has no interest at all in Addison.' She thought.

"Thanks for the offer chief but I am not interested." Addison returned the contract without even glancing at it. "Just give me my check and relieving letter and I will be out of your office."

"No you can't go. Just read the contract. I am offering you 25% raise from your last contract. You are also entitled to a research grant up to $ 2 million. You will have full autonomy and you can make whatever changes you want in your department." Derek pushed the contract back towards her.

Addison was not interested in coming back to Seattle but she started reading the contract out of curiosity. While she was reading the terms Mark abruptly entered Derek's office without bothering to knock.

"Hasn't anyone taught you to knock before entering a room?" Derek asked with annoyance.

"No." Mark replied plainly and turned towards Addison. "So the rumors are true. You are in this hospital since morning and you didn't even bother to come and meet your best friend!" Mark exclaimed sitting in the chair beside her.

"I was about to come and find you after leaving Derek's office. I looked for you in the afternoon but you were in surgery. Then I went into surgery and blah blah blah." Addison explained.

"Why didn't you tell me that she was coming?" Mark asked Derek.

"Her visit wasn't pre-planned. The patient came in ER last night. Simpson couldn't operate on her so I called Addie and here she is. If you will excuse us, we have a contract to negotiate." Derek explained and turned his focus back to Addison.

"Wow. You are coming back. That is great." Mark loved the idea of having Addie back in Seattle.

"No I am not. I am leaving SGH in few minutes and I am leaving Seattle tomorrow morning." Addison clarified again and returned the contract to Derek with determination.

"You just came here. You can't go. Cancel your ticket." Mark recommended.

"I can't. I need to be back in LA tomorrow morning."

"Then let's go out for dinner tonight." Mark suggested looking at Addison and then Derek for their approval.

"Sorry I can't. I have already made plans with Callie. I am going to Joe's with her for drinks." Addison said apologetically.

"No you are not. Derek put Callie on call for tonight. And you already had lunch with Callie. You have to have dinner with us." Mark demanded.

"You mean three of us together? I don't think that is a very good idea." Addison shook her head picturing three of them passing snide remarks throughout the dinner.

"Why not? There is a very nice steakhouse in downtown. Their food is incredible. You will love it. Let's go there tonight." Derek suggested.

"What? You want to go to dinner with me and Mark?" Addison asked with widened eyes.

"I can still feel the taste of their steak on my lips. Their liquor collection is also amazing. When I and Derek went their last time, we ate for almost two hours. You have to try this place." Mark insisted. Derek also nodded supporting Mark.

Addison looked between Mark and Derek with astonishment. "You both went there? You mean you and Derek went there together with each other?"

"Yes we did. Why are you so shocked? Didn't anyone tell you that we are friends again?" Mark shrugged.

"You guys are friends? How did that happen?" Addison was still under shock.

"Well thirty five years ago, mine and Derek's parents enrolled us in the same kinder garden. Some guys were bullying him, I went there and rescued him and thus began the greatest friendship of the century." Mark replied smugly knowing very well that she wasn't asking for thirty five year old story. But how could he miss a chance to piss off both Addison and Derek in one go?

"That is so not true. He had picked up a fight with some bigger kids for no reason. I intervened and apologized on his behalf to save him from getting beaten up." Derek opposed Mark's story as he always did.

"I have heard both the versions of this story for thousand times and honestly I am not even interested in knowing which the true one is. What I meant to ask was how did you become friends again? If my memory serves me right, last time i was here Derek couldn't even stand you."

"I still can't stand him most of the times. He is Mark. But with Burke and Richard gone, I don't have any other option. Plus he can play tennis. So we are friends." Derek smirked. Addison looked at Mark for confirmation.

"Yeah we are friends. He was lonely and everyone at the hospital was kind of bullying him so I rescued him again." Mark said smugly.

Derek rolled his eyes but preferred to ignore Mark's statement. "So dinner at 8 at El Gaucho what do you say?"

Addison was still unsure about this idea of having dinner with two of her exes.

"Come on its Derek's treat. The dude has become chief we must celebrate." Mark insisted.

"Okay. I will first have a drink with Callie and then we can go for dinner." Addison agreed hesitantly.

"Good. So I will pick you up at 7.30 from Joe's." Mark told Addison and then turned to Derek to ask his plan. "What about you?"

"I will meet you there at 8 then." Derek didn't like the idea of Mark picking up Addison, he was thinking to pick her up but Mark assumed the responsibility before he could ask her.

xxxxx

"Oh my god!" Addison gasped in between her hysteric laughing. "Mark actually sang Miley Cyrus' Can't be Tamed in front of people?" She continued laughing looking at Mark's flushed face.

"Yes he did in completely offbeat and terrible style. The bartender had to switch off the karaoke in an attempt to stop him but he kept singing even without music. Half of the patrons ran off because of him. It was so hilarious. I even have a video of his stunt." Derek was telling Addison about one of his and Mark's recent adventurous hangouts.

"He talked me into it. He got me drunk and took advantage of me." Mark complained trying to explain his side.

"You are a grown man. You should know when to stop drinking." Derek said laughing out loud. Addison and Derek tried to subdue their laughing noticing other patrons' weird looks.

"So you guys are really friends again." Addison said softly smiling at the two men, finally believing that they were friends again. Both of them nodded smiling back at her.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you both like this. It's like a huge burden has shifted from my shoulders. Now I have one thing less to blame me." Addison confessed.

"Hey don't try to steal all the credit Red. We all worked equally hard to mess our lives." Mark protested trying to comfort her in his own manner.

"Yeah it wasn't just your fault." Derek agreed with Mark.

"I know but still I have to acknowledge my share in it. Anyway you guys are back to being Derek and Mark and that is more important." Addison said flashing her trademark charismatic smile.

"We are not completely there yet but we are working on it. May be we will seek a couples therapy." Mark joked which made them all laugh again.

"Yeah you should. I am sure it will help you. After all Derek loves you more than he loved me. You guys are sole mates." Addison said sarcastically referring to their fights in initial years when Mark used to claim that Derek loved him more. Derek never intervened in their fights before and he opted to do the same now.

"I finally got my best friend back after sixteen years." Mark claimed victoriously.

"You know because of your annoyingly close relationship I had considered a possibility of walking on you guys someday. But…" Addison sportingly confessed her secret fear but stopped talking when she realized what was coming next. But surprisingly both men laughed showing equal sporting attitude.

"Was it your plan all along Mark? To break me and Derek up so that you could have him all for yourself?"

"You are a smart woman Montgomery. You caught me." Mark said winking at her.

Derek silently sat there smiling at Mark and Addison. He observed Addison's every small move. The way she flipped her hair, the way she smiled at them, the way she tilted her head, the way she raised her perfect eyebrow, the way her eyes shines and the way she laughed. He couldn't remember when was the last time he had heard her laugh so carefree. She looked much better than she had in last couple of years.

"So tell me what's new in your lives. Do you still live in Archfield?" Addison asked before taking a bite of her steak.

"No I moved to an apartment near the hospital. Archfiels isn't so much fun without you." Mark told her.

"And what about you? Are you still the wood chopping fisherman living in the trailer?" Addison asked turning to Derek.

"I still own the trailer but I hardly live there. Half of the times I stay at the hospital and for other half I crash at Mark's apartment. So where do you live in LA?"

"I have bought an amazing beach house. It's 5,000 square feet, two storied house with 3 bedrooms, large walk in closets, mahogany furniture, huge patio facing the beach, French window…" Addison was lost in describing her new house when Mark cut her.

"Okay we understood. You have the amazing house."

"Yeah. The point is I have an amazing house. I would have shown you some pictures but your attitude tells me that you aren't interested. By the way have I told you that all my best friends have seen by boobs now?" Addison asked nonchalantly. Her declaration made Derek choke his food in his throat. Mark just looked at her questioningly.

"On my first day in my new house, after taking a shower I was dancing around in a towel. I got carried away and threw away my towel not realizing that I was standing in front of a window which happened to be exactly opposite my neighbor Sam's window. So that is how Sam who was the only one remaining saw my boobs." Addison narrated the story which gave Mark and Derek fits of laughter.

"Oh my god! I am sure Sam was more embarrassed than you." Derek said imagining's Sam's probable reaction.

"Yeah he was. Well I have an amazing body. I have nothing to be embarrassed about." Addison said nonchalantly. Both men nodded checking her out without realizing it.

Rest of the dinner passed like that catching up with each other's lives. For some reason Addison didn't share much about her new life in LA but she keenly listened to everything Mark and Derek told her about Seattle. While they were waiting for the desert, Derek broached the subject of Addison's return again.

"Addie, you tell me your terms and I will incorporate them all in the contract. I can give you 30% raise."

"I am not interested Derek." Addison brushed him off.

"Fine, 50% raise." Derek offered again.

"Money can't buy me Shepherd. Edward offered me 100% raise to join back. You should know I don't work for money."

"Then tell me what do you want. Addie you have built a fantastic state of art neonatal unit here but there aren't any patients. Since you have left all critical cases are going to Mercy west. Hospital's revenue has dropped. The board is questioning me. I can't run a hospital without competent surgeons. I need you to come back Addie." Derek almost pleaded.

"Everyone wants me to work for them unfortunately I can't satisfy them all. I get a new offer almost every week." Addison shrugged.

"Addison, please. Don't say no directly. Take your time and at least consider my offer." Derek requested.

"I don't like giving false hopes. So my first and final answer is no." Addison reinstated.

"But why are you so against my offer?" Derek was frustrated.

"Because I just moved my life to the other state few months back. I have freshly started over. I am not leaving my new job. I like working with my best friend." Addison told him.

"There was a time when you thought of me as your best friend." Derek reminded Addison.

"There was a time when I thought of you as the love of my life. Things changed." Addison retorted not appreciating Derek's resort of emotional blackmailing.

"What do you want me to do Addie? Do you want me to get down on one knee and beg?" Derek asked vulnerably.

"I would like that, though it won't change my answer." Addison chuckled.

"You are enjoying this aren't you?" Mark asked catching the spark in her eyes.

"Absolutely! It's not every day you get to see the Derek Shepherd begging." Addison smirked.

"Wow! You have changed. What happened to the woman who uprooted her entire life and moved into a tiny trailer on her husband's demand? This is a massive change from the woman who advocated Derek in front of his mistress and took all the blame on herself." Mark was astonished by change in Addison's attitude. She looked stronger and more in control, confidence radiating from her every move.

Addison laughed before answering. "I will take this as a compliment. Thank you. I went to LA because I needed a change so I left that gloomy Addison behind and moved on. Luckily I also found my spine back in LA. The clear light of sun made me realize that Derek isn't god. He is a self-centered cheater. So I stopped putting him on pedestal." Addison admitted nonchalantly.

Addison noticed Derek's dejected look. "Don't take it personally. I am not judging you. I am not a saint either. We all made mistakes. I still like you. It's just that I no more think that you are any better than me or Mark." She assured him brushing a thumb over his hand. Derek gave her a small smile in return.

"By the way I want to see mark's karaoke video." Addison said changing the subject.

"Derek you promised you won't show it to anyone." Mark warned him. Derek had blackmailed him into doing lots of things in exchange of keeping that video secret.

"I promised you I won't show it to anyone at work. Technically Addie doesn't work with us so I can show her the video." Derek said giving an evil smile. He took out his i-phone and started searching the video.

"Ha ha. I have already deleted the video from your phone." Mark grinned.

"Don't worry. I have a copy of it on my laptop. I will email it to you Addie." Derek said wickedly.

"You have done enough damage for the day. Let's leave." Mark said grumpily gesturing the waitress for check.

They lingered outside the restaurant for few more minutes before parting ways. Addison and Derek exchanged goodbyes with a warm hug. The hug was so much more comfortable than the awkward handshake they shared in the morning. Addison and Mark then started walking towards Mark's car. Derek stood there a moment longer watching Addison and Mark who were laughing stupidly about something trivial. Mark had lazily draped an arm around Addison's waist. She had leaned slightly on Mark's shoulder. Derek envied them. Even after everything that happened, they were still best friends as they were before. There was no sign of any discomfort like there was in his and Addison's relationship. He wondered whether someday he and Addison could also be real friends again like they once used to be.