Coming Home
Part 2 of 2
~x~
2 months later.
"I've decided what I want to call you" Sammy said as she sat on the kitchen counter of Alex's apartment eating her lunch, Addison was leaning up against the island, Alex was making Addison her sandwich.
"What d'you mean?" Addison frowned.
"Well, I just, I don't feel comfortable calling you Addison and Alex, because, you're not Addison and Alex, you're my parents, and I can't call you Mom and Dad because, I have a Mom and Dad, and I love them, but I love you guys too, and calling you Addison and Alex just, doesn't feel right"
"Okay" Alex said slowly "Well, what do you want to call us?"
"I was thinking, Ma and Pa, simple, straight to the point" she said simply.
"I'm ok with that" Addison said quietly.
"Me too" Alex said with a small smile "Whatever you feel comfortable with"
"Ok" Sammy smiled.
"Have you spoken to your parents lately?" Addison asked as she accepted her sandwich from Alex.
"Yeah, yesterday" Sammy smiled "They're ok with all this y'know, they want me to know you, and these past 2 months have been, amazing, getting to know you and, meeting your friends, it's been, everything I wanted"
"Me too" Addison said softly "Oh, I found something you might want to see" Addison said reaching for her purse "When I went back to New York to pack up I looked through some of the boxes from the attic, and I found this" she said pulling out a small white hat with a pink butterfly stitched onto it "When we decided on adoption I told myself not to buy anything for you, but I saw this and, I had to get it, I needed to feel like I was your Mom for a little while, your wearing this in the picture you have, you wore it for that hour we had you, I couldn't let go of it" she said handing it to her "And, I have this" she said handing her an ultrasound picture "That's from the 12th week, any ultrasounds I had done after that we gave to your parents"
"You kept these all this time?" Sammy asked with a slight whisper.
"Of course I did" Addison said quietly "Sammy I, I've never really let you go, I can't let you go, you're my daughter, I might not have raised you but, you're my daughter, and I really hate myself for not being there for you" she whispered tearfully.
"Hey, it's ok" Sammy said hugging her "I understand Ma, I really do, please don't hate yourself, I know you've missed out on a lot but, there's so much more to come, I'll graduate and, get married and have kids and, I want you there for all of that, all of it, I have two sets of parents ok? I have you and Pa, the parents who created me, the parents who gave me this hair and these eyes and, some of my habits and traits, that's all you. And I have the parents who raised me, who taught me right from wrong. But that doesn't mean you can't do that too, because I'm 18 years old and I'm supposed to act like an adult and I have no idea what I'm doing half the time and, it's all very well calling my Mom and Dad but, sometimes I need someone there to tell me I'll be ok and give me a hug, and that's you guys, and right now I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because I know I'll always have you in my life, I love you Ma"
"I love you too" Addison said kissing her forehead softly "So much" she whispered.
"Come here" Alex said moving to stand next to them, wrapping his arms around both of them "None of this" he said wiping their tears away "Only happy stuff now ok? The past is the past"
"I agree" Sammy smiled.
"Me too" said Addison "No more tears"
"No more tears" Sammy agreed.
~x~
1 year later.
"Alex?" Addison said shakily as she walked out of the bathroom.
"Yeah babe?" he said looking up to her.
"I, I uh, I'm, I" she stuttered.
"Addie?" Alex said walking over to her and stroking her cheek "What's wrong?"
"I'm pregnant" Addison said with a disbelieving whisper.
"Wha…what?" Alex stuttered "But, but how I mean, we, we used…."
"Alex, we used condoms when we were 17 and look where that got us" she said swatting him on the chest "Oh my god, I'm pregnant, what do we do? What do we, oh my god"
"Well, well do you, want?" Alex asked quietly "Do you want to, do this?"
"Well what do you want?" Addison asked.
"I want what you want" Alex said softly "If you want to do this then, we'll do this, we'll have a baby, and if you don't then well, Addie I, I don't even want to think about another option"
"Me either" Addison said with a small smile.
"I had a feeling" Alex smirked "So we're doing this, we're really doing this"
"Yeah, I guess we are" Addison said tearfully.
"Hey" Alex whispered holding her face "Don't cry Adds"
"I just, I really, we're, we're going to be able to, do it all, and it's not that I don't love Sammy because I do it's just, we didn't get to keep her and, we're going to do it all, and I can't wait" she whispered.
"Me either" Alex said softly "I love you Addison" he whispered, brushing their lips together.
"I love you too" Addison smiled.
~x~
5 weeks later.
"Hey" Sammy smiled as she let herself into Addison and Alex's apartment.
"Hey sweetie" Addison smiled "How was class?"
"Great" Sammy smiled, walking over to the refrigerator and pulling out a bottle of water "It's so nice not to be a freshman, I feel like I'm being taking a little more seriously than last year, where's Pa?"
"He got caught up at the hospital" Addison sighed "He really wanted to be here"
"It's ok, I'll see him another time" Sammy shrugged "It's just dinner right? Ma?"
"We should sit" Addison said gesturing to the sofa.
"Okay" Sammy said slowly, they moved over to the sofa and sat down "Ma, what's wrong?"
"You know me and your Pa love you right? Always have, always will, you know that?"
"Of course" Sammy said squeezing her hand a little "I know Ma, I love you too, what's wrong? Are you sick? Is Pa sick?"
"No no sweetie it's nothing like that" Addison said quickly "It's just, the thing is, I'm pregnant" she said quietly.
"Wha…what?" Sammy said with a slight laugh "Really? Well not really but, I mean, how long have you known and, how far along are you?"
"We've known for about 5 weeks" Addison said quietly "And I'm 12 weeks pregnant, we just wanted to get to this point before telling anyone, I have a scan if you want to see it?"
"Of course I do" Sammy smiled, Addison stood up and moved back to the kitchen and took the scan photo from one of the drawers, she sat back down next to Sammy and handed her the picture.
"Ma this is amazing, that's, that's my brother or sister" she smiled "I'm so happy for you" she said hugging her tightly.
"You, you are?" Addison stuttered.
"Of course I am" Sammy said softly "Did you think I was going to be mad or something?" she said with a slight laugh "Ma, you get to do all the things you never did with me, and I know how much it kills you that you didn't get to see me take my first steps or say my first word but, you get to do that now, and I can't wait for that to happen for you, you know I understand why you gave me up, we promised we'd moved on from that"
"No, no I know" Addison sniffled "Sorry it's just, my hormones are being pretty crazy, I yelled at Alex for buying the wrong soda last week and then burst into tears"
"Poor Pa" Sammy laughed "I can't wait" she beamed.
"Me either" Addison smiled "We're telling everyone else tomorrow, I'm due around the time of your last week at college, I know you usually go home but, maybe you could stick around, just until I give birth, I want you there, if you want to be"
"Of course I want to be" Sammy smiled "I'll call my Mom and Dad, they'll be fine with it, they'll be happy for you, everyone will be"
"I hope so" Addison said softly.
"They will be" Sammy beamed "I guess we need a new family photo" she said nodding to the double frame on the fireplace, 1 side had the picture of Addison and Alex with a newborn Sammy, the other side had a picture that was taken a few weeks after Sammy arrived in Seattle.
"I guess we do" Addison smiled.
~x~
6 months later.
"D'you think she's ok?" Sammy asked nervously as she paced the waiting room, Izzie, Cristina, George, Derek, Meredith and Callie were all sat around the room.
"She'll be fine Sammy" Izzie said softly.
"They both will" Callie smiled.
"These things just, take time" said George.
"She looked scared, when I was in there before, she looked scared" Sammy said shakily "I've never seen her look scared before"
"She's about to push a baby out of a very small hole, I'd be scared too" Cristina said with a dry laugh.
"Sammy, look at me" Derek said standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders "I've known Addie for a very long time, and I know she can do this, you just wait, any second now Alex is going to walk down that hallway with your baby sister and everything will be perfect, take a breath"
"I'm fine" Sammy breathed "I'm good, I'm fine"
"Good" Derek smiled pulling her into a hug.
"Guys, look" Meredith said nodding down the hallway, everyone stood up as Alex walked towards them with a bundle in his arms.
"Hi" he smiled "You didn't all have to wait y'know"
"Of course we did" Callie said with a slight laugh "That's my godchild your holding"
"Pa she's, she's beautiful" Sammy said moving closer to him "Have you named her yet?"
"Charlotte Samantha Karev" Alex said softly.
"Really?" Sammy smiled.
"Yeah" Alex said kissing her temple "So, you wanna hold her?"
"Yes" Sammy grinned, she slowly accepted Charlotte into her arms "Hey" she whispered "I'm your big sister sweetie, and I promise you, you have the best parents in the world, and you are going to be the best dressed baby in Seattle" she laughed.
"She really is beautiful Alex" Izzie smiled "How much does she weigh?"
"7 pounds 3 ounces" Alex smiled proudly "She's got a good set of lungs on her too, screamed the place down until they gave her to Addie, they're just cleaning her up and getting her comfortable, she wanted me to bring her down to meet you"
"Can I go and see her?" Sammy asked.
"Why don't you take Charlotte down there, have some girl time" Alex smiled.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure, go" Alex said kissing her temple "I'll be right there"
"Ok" Sammy said with a slight whisper, she let Alex kiss Charlottes forehead before walking towards Addison's room "Hey" she smiled as she stepped into the room "Ma she's beautiful"
"She looks just like you" Addison said softly.
"Did it hurt?" Sammy asked tentatively.
"Yeah" Addison said with a slight laugh "A lot, and I think I almost broke Alex's hand, where is he?"
"Talking to everyone, he said we should have some girl time"
"Ok" Addison said with a small smile.
Sammy moved to the bed and perched on the edge, slowly putting Charlotte in Addison's arms.
"Hi sweetie" Addison said with a slight whisper.
"I have something for her" Sammy said quietly "Well, I have a few things"
"You gave us presents at the baby shower, and that was too much" Addison said with a small smile "You didn't have to get us anything else"
"You're my Mom, and she's my baby sister, I get to spoil you" Sammy defended, she stood up and rested her bag on one of the chairs, she took out a scrapbook and showed it to Addison "I figured since you have one for me, Charlotte should have one too, it matches the photo frame I gave you for the family photo"
"It's perfect Sammy, thank you" Addison said softly.
"And I have this, for Charlotte, I know you gave this to me to keep but, I think she should have it" she put and scrapbook on the chair and pulled out the little white hat with the pink butterfly from her bag and moved to Addison, she carefully slipped it onto Charlottes head.
"Sammy" Addison whispered tearfully "This is yours"
"It's hers now" Sammy said with a small smile "Don't cry Ma" she said wiping a tear from her cheek.
"Hormones" Addison sniffled.
"Will it make you cry more if I tell you I'm proud of you?" Sammy asked with a small smile.
"Yes" Addison whimpered.
"Oh Ma come here" Sammy laughed sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapping her arm around Addison "What are we going to do with her hey Char?" she smiled down to the baby.
"I'm fine" Addison said wiping her tears again "I'm fine, I'm good"
"Good" Sammy said softly "Now, I'm sticking around for the rest of the summer, I'll go back to Cali for the last 2 weeks"
"No" Addison said firmly "You need to spend some more time with your family, you see us all the time, go home"
"I am home" Sammy said quietly "Ma I, it's not that I don't love the family I have in Cali but, this is where I need to be, here with you and Pa and Charlotte, you're my family, I've already spoken to everyone out there, they understand, Ma it's ok"
"I just don't want them to think we're, taking you back from them, you're their daughter honey, you're mine by blood but, they're the people who raised you, they're the people we chose to raise you, and they did an amazing job, and I will always be thankful for that, and you should be too, you can't choose us over them, it's not fair"
"Ma, if this were any other summer then I'd be back in Cali, but it's not, this is the summer where you, my birth Mom, gave me a beautiful baby sister, and I'm not missing out on that because you're feeling hormonal and guilty, get a grip"
"Did you just tell me to get a grip?" Addison said with a shocked laugh.
"Yeah, I did" Sammy smirked "Deal with it"
"Ok" Addison laughed.
"That's a sound I like to hear" Alex said walking into the room "And how are my girls?"
"We're great" Sammy smiled.
"Good" he smiled "Let me get a picture" he said taking out his camera, Sammy moved so she could wrap her arm around Addison's shoulders and they both smiled as he took a picture "Perfect" Alex smiled.
"I'm so happy you're here" Addison said quietly "All of you" she smiled.
"We're all happy we're here too Ma" Sammy smiled.
~x~
5 years later.
"But why do you have 2 Mommy's and 2 Daddy's?" Charlotte sighed with frustration as she lay with Sammy on her bed.
"I told you sweetie, because our Mommy and Daddy didn't look after me when I was your age" Sammy said softly.
"But why?" Charlotte asked.
"Because, when I was born they were very young, too young to look after a baby, so they gave me to a family who could look after me like they look after you, and when I was old enough, I searched for them, and found them, and they've been there for me ever since" Sammy smiled "I know it's confusing Char but you'll understand better one day"
"Will they give me to another family?" Charlotte asked innocently.
"Oh no honey, of course they won't" Sammy said softly "You are their little princess and they love you so so much, they would never give you away"
"Will they ever give you away again?"
"No Char, they won't" Sammy chuckled lightly "You're stuck with me"
"Good" Charlotte beamed "I love you Sammy"
"I love you too Char" Sammy said kissing her forehead "Now you get some sleep, and when you wake up you're gonna be 5! Goodnight little sis"
"Goodnight" Charlotte smiled, Sammy slipped off the bed and tucked Charlotte in, she kissed her forehead again before leaving the room, leaving the door open slightly so the light of the hallway could filter through.
"Hey" Addison smiled as Sammy reached the bottom of the stairs "She ok?"
"Asked me why I have 2 Mommy's and 2 Daddy's" Sammy said with a slight laugh, sitting down on the sofa and accepting a glass of wine from Addison "It was, an interesting conversation"
"It's only natural for her to get confused" Addison sighed.
"Ma, don't worry, she's fine, and this is what Charlotte does, she asks questions" Sammy laughed "When she came over to my place last week she asked me what clouds feel like"
"I worry about her sometimes" Addison laughed "Some of the things she comes out with…."
"She's one of a kind Ma" Sammy smiled "I can't believe she's 5 already"
"I know" Addison sighed "It feels like yesterday, well it feels like yesterday that I met you again" she said squeezing her hand.
"It does" Sammy said softly "I wouldn't change a thing y'know, I love that I have two crazy families"
"Good" Addison laughed "Because you're stuck with us"
"Oh, I know" Sammy replied, the trademark Karev smirk spread across her face.
The End.