So here it is. The end. I'm really going to miss writing this story, but it really was time for something new, and I've got a new one I'm pretty excited about that I'll be posting so I hope everyone will enjoy that one too. Plus, it's only about a month until we get new PrP and really, there isn't any better news than that. So thanks again to everyone who read and who hopefully hung in there long enough for me to finally get this posted. Summer kind of got in my way, so blame it, not me. :)

This was unthinkable. Impossible. This was not happening. Addison was the love of his life. God—had he even told her that? Suddenly he couldn't remember the last time he'd said I love you, the last time they'd kissed, or laughed, or touched. Even if he could, he was sure that none of them had ever meant enough. If he had told her every hour of every day he would still feel like it would never have been enough. She had become his reason for living. When she smiled, or laughed, even yelled at him, he was only filled with more love for her. Addison made him feel that every bad relationship, heartbreak, and lonely moment of his life before her was a distant memory. He couldn't lose his wife—again, couldn't lose Addison. He couldn't be that guy again. He couldn't handle fake sympathy and "I'm sorry for you loss" from every one he knew. This time it would be different, too, because he was absolutely in love with Addison. They had worked so hard for the relationship they'd made, they had a life together, and a child. Their daughter.

It took a moment for the thought to register in his mind again. Their daughter. She had been taken to get a bath and changed. The nurse had told Violet that she and Pete could make their way to the nursery whenever they wanted, but Pete couldn't. He couldn't move. He sat in the waiting room surrounded by Sam, Naomi, Cooper, Dell, and Violet and all he could do was stare. Stare with empty eyes down the hall they'd taken Addison. He should be with her, helping, anything, not out here, not this far away where he knew nothing, could see nothing, say nothing. He was going to go crazy if he didn't find out something soon.

Minutes felt like hours as the time crawled by. Each member of the practice took turns sitting next to Pete offering what little comfort they could, but it was difficult. Addison meant something to them, too. They were one huge family and though no one was willing to admit it out loud, there was no way any of them would get over losing Addison.

It was almost forty-five minutes later when the doctor appeared before them in the waiting room. All remaining color drained from Pete's face as he looked up to meet the doctor's eyes.

"She's been sent to surgery," he started, "We worked to get her heart started again and to stop her bleeding but they needed to open her up to get a better look at the damage we're dealing with. It will be a few hours in surgery before we know or can confirm anything for sure. But she was stable when they put her under, so that is something in our favor. Hopefully her heart can withstand the demands of the surgery. I'll make sure you're informed with any news on her condition in the following hours. In the meantime, Stella," he said motioning to the nurse behind him, "would be happy to take you to see your daughter, Dr. Wilder."

"No, thank you," was all Pete could manage, "Not without Addison, I can't."

They all took their turns to protest but stopped in fear of overstepping, but not Violet.

"Pete, you have to see her. You know Addison wouldn't want the baby to be up there alone. You and I both know she'd kick your ass right now for not wanting to see your baby."

She was right and Pete knew it. But he wasn't sure if he could do it. He should want to hold and protect his child. Find comfort in the little life that he and Addison had created. But that was the problem, he and Addison. He wasn't sure he could see her knowing this baby's life may have taken his wife's away from him. He felt awful even thinking this. He'd delivered enough babys in his career to know that there was always a chance of complications and that it was completely ridiculous to hold the helpless, innocent infant accountable, but he couldn't help but feel like he were beginning to resent the baby anyway. How could he ever love this baby if he had to live with the fact that—willing or not—she'd taken his wife from him? It was childish and selfish and he hated himself more by the minute for continuing to think that way, but it wasn't stopping the burning sensation in his chest. He almost couldn't breathe. But his thoughts were interrupted.

"Let's go Pete, now," Violet demanded, but with only love and concern in her voice.

"Violet, I can't."

"You have to Pete, for Addison… and for you and the baby. You need this. Lets go."

Reluctantly and unexpectedly he found himself following Violet silently from the waiting room to the elevators and then through the doors leading to the nursery.

"What if something happens while we're gone?" Pete questioned, his voice so quiet Violet barely caught what he'd asked her.

"I'll go back and wait downstairs and I'll come for you if there's any news, okay?"

Pete nodded and then her words seemed to register more clearly to him. "You're not going in with me?"

"You need to do this yourself. Don't be afraid, you'll love her. It will be easy," Violet encouraged. Pete gazed at Violet in wonder for a moment, unsure at how she could possibly know what he was feeling, but then he'd realized he hadn't bothered to hide any emotion in the last few hours. It was probably written all over his face.

As they reached the door Violet slowly wrapped her arms around Pete's middle and held him tightly for a moment, "Say hi to your daughter for me," she whispered.

He nodded quietly and pushed through the door slowly, afraid that if he went too fast he might change his mind and follow after Violet in the opposite direction. And for a fraction of a second he could have, changed his mind, that is, until he saw her.

He didn't need a nurse to show him to his daughters side. He'd known which baby was his the moment his eyes found hers. She was beautiful, amazing. He felt nothing—fear, anger, resentment—it was all gone in the moment she was finally in his life. He made his way quickly across the room to her and she was staring up at him when he was finally at her side. She had all of his features. Softer and more delicate, of course, but certainly his. The same dark, beautiful eyes, prominent cheek bones, full lips, and the exact same nose. He couldn't help himself then, looking at what he was sure was the greatest thing he'd ever done in his life, his heart physically hurt from so much love, and his eyes began to fill with tears.

He hadn't cried all day, not for himself, not for Addison, but in this moment he was positive that he was crying because he felt complete. Like his life now made perfect sense with his little girl in it. He scooped her up and held her close.

"She looks just like you," the nurse commented from somewhere behind him.

"Her mother is going to be so mad," he teased, stroking his finger across her cheek.

"You can sit here with her if you'd like," she said motioning to a rocking chair in the corner of the room, "If she starts getting fussy I'll make her a bottle and you can feed her."

"Thank you," he said quietly, sitting down. He was suddenly thinking about Addison again. They just had to share this. This happiness and joy was almost too much for just one person to hold on to. He needed her, needed to tell her that the greatest thing they'd ever done together was perfect, beautiful, from her gorgeous face to her perfect little feet, and they'd done that. Pete and Addison.

"I'm so sorry bother you," the nurse said quietly, "But there is a friend of yours… Naomi, I think, outside. She said no word on your wife yet, but that she'd come and sit with you if you'd like."

"Thank you, but could you tell her that I'd like a little more time alone with my daughter, please?"

"Of course," she replied sweetly.

He sat quietly for the longest time just holding the baby, watching her, and she watched him too. After a while he expected her to drift off to sleep, but she held his eyes, like she was waiting for something, he thought. So he decided to talk. He was quiet, his voice small, but loving and tender.

"You are the most beautiful girl in this room, do you realize that? I'd hate to start making you so vain at such a young age and I'm sure most of the fathers around here are telling their daughters the same thing, but honey, you win by a landslide. I am the luckiest dad in the whole world. Dad—do you have any idea how long I've been waiting to hear that? It sounds so nice. I can't wait until I get you hear you call me daddy. That had better be your first word, alright? And it would really piss of your mother if it were. Your mother. She… she is going to fall so madly in love with you, kid, and you'll love her, too. She's pretty damn amazing. She's unbelievably beautiful, stunning. Tied with you for prettiest girl in the world. She's caring and funny, sometimes a little loud and over emotional, but perfect. I hope you take after her. And since you look so much like me there is no doubt she'll insist you inherit her fashion sense. Which means I'll end up with two women in my life who always have to get their way, but if it will make you smile, honey, I'd do anything for you."

When he'd finished, he realized that she'd finally fallen asleep. She was almost more beautiful when she was asleep, if that were possible. He had slowly begun to feel the tole the day had taken on him as well. He was drifting pretty close to sleep himself when the nurse came around the corner again.

"Sorry, Dr. Wilder, but another woman, Violet, is outside. She said that she would come in and sit with the baby if you'd like to go back downstairs to wait on word about your wife."

"Tell her thank you, but I'm fine here, and um, sorry what was your name?" Pete questioned.

"Emily."

"Emily. Thank you for everything, really, you've been very nice but, if anyone else comes asking for me, please just tell them that I'd like to be alone. Okay?"

"Of course, Dr. Wilder. Is there anything I can get you?"

"I've got all I need, thank you," he lied. As much as he wanted the words to be true they just weren't. He had his amazing daughter, yes, but he needed Addison. His heart was breaking, yet so full of love, he couldn't think straight. It was being pulled in every direction and he was sure it would burst at any moment if it didn't return to normal soon. And then he didn't know what to do. The silence ate at him and his mind raced with possibilities and worries. He needed to focus on something else. So he started talking to her again.

"The day I met your mom, I thought she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. And believe me, I'd seen plenty of girls… but there was just something about her. Even now, I'm still not sure what it is exactly, it's just, Addison, she's one of a kind. She was wearing a black dress and she was trying, unsuccessfully, to hit on me. She said a few dirty things that I'll wait to tell you until you're mostly grown up, but it had something to do with elevators where she used to come from… anyway, suddenly she was laughing, and she was just so beautiful, and absolutely insane of course, but beautiful.

It took a while for us to get it together, but when we finally did, I knew she was the best thing that had ever happened to my life, until you that is. I wish you could have been there, to see your mother when she was happy. We got married on the beach, she looked stunning and I'd never felt so sure about the rest of my life until that moment. All of your Aunts and Uncles were there. You'll get to meet them soon, too. You've got no idea how many people you're going to have in your life who are going to love you. You'll be spoiled rotten, but I don't think you'll mind.

I thought I'd never experience falling in love again like I had with your mother, but it's happening again with you, kid. I love you more than you'll ever know."

He kissed her forehead, cheeks, and hands and held her as close as he could. She was still sleeping, but he'd pretend that she'd heard every word he had said. His exhaustion had caught up with him as well, and he finally drifted off to sleep.

It was sometime later that he was startled by the nurse placing a hand gently on his shoulder. She'd only ever bothered him when there was someone asking for him, and he wondered who it could be this time? One of the guys? Sam, Cooper?

"I'm so sorry to wake you, Dr. Wilder," Emily stated.

"That's okay. Is there something that you needed?"

"Yes, Dr. Wilder, I came to tell you…" she hesitated. She probably felt weird approaching him after he'd asked to be alone, Pete thought. She continued slowly," I came to tell you that, well, she's asking for you."

"Who, Naomi or Violet? You know what, it's about time they met their neice anyhow, you can send them in."

"No, it's not your friends, Dr. Wilder," she explained, "It's your wife."

- -

- -

- -

He can't ever really explain the feelings, emotions, love that he experienced in the following hours. Even now, years later, all he knew was that he could never have possibly been blessed with a better life than the one he was living.

That day at the hospital when he finally got to see Addison again was like seeing her again for the first time. He couldn't even put into words the emotion that he felt, but he ran to her side, and silently made a pact to never have to be away from her for that long again ever. If he'd learned anything in the past hours, it was that being without Addison caused him physical pain.

She cried when she first saw Pete. She repeated over and over again that she was so scared that she was going to lose him. He held his arms wrapped tightly around her and assured her that everything was okay now, even though he, as well, had been scared as hell that he was going to lose her, too.

The nurse had brought the baby to her room sometime later and the tears began again from both Pete and Addison. It had felt exactly the way he'd imagined it would. To share that moment, that love, their daughters life together, finally, was more incredible than anything he'd experienced himself that day.

Addison was so grateful, saying that she was glad Pete had been there with the baby when she wasn't. She understood that it must have been hard for him, but she couldn't express how much it meant to her to know that they were together, even without her. She told him she had no worries or insecurities anymore about being parents. She could tell, without a doubt, that fatherhood came natural to him and she was overwhelmed with thought and possibilities for their future.

She was also very happy about the fact that their daughter looked so much like him. "You are a very attractive man, husband of mine, and now I have two incredibly good looking loves of my life."

They stayed that way, just the tree of them and enjoyed everything they could about the fact that they were all together. It was only sometime later, after they baby had been taken back to the nursery to sleep and Pete and Addison were left alone with the doctor, that a new kind of tears began.

Complications with the surgery. She could have no more children. To this day, those were the only words he could remember hearing and the rest of it wasn't important, those were the only ones that mattered.

Addison cried for a long time and Pete held her for as long as she did. They talked, though, and by early in the morning they'd decided that this baby was their miracle and that they would only remember that. They would remember that they were all together, still, and that they would have the rest of their lives to be a family.

Life after the hospital was different for a while, not that they thought it wouldn't be. It took Addison a while to heal after the surgery and that left Pete on baby duty more often than not, but he didn't mind, not at all. She was daddy's little girl. Eventually, though, in time Addison's body healed as well as her spirit, though she tried her hardest to hide any pain she'd felt afterwards at all. Everything felt right when they were all together.

Even tonight, five years later as Pete watched from the deck as Addison chased their little girl through the sand, he couldn't imagine living any other life that the one he was now, with his girls.

"Daddy!" Emily called from the sand, "Are you coming?"

Pete's breath caught in his throat for a second, much like it always did when she called his name and then he replied, "I'm coming. Just getting a jacket for your mother."

"Pete." Addison started, "I'm not cold," she lied as he approached them.

"Yes, but you will be. We'll get halfway down the beach and you'll start batting your beautiful lashes at me, tell me that you're cold, and guilt me into going back for it, so I'm saving myself a trip," he explained, helping her arm by arm into the jacket.

"How well you think you know me," Addison teased, reaching up and kissing him full on the mouth.

"Ewww, mommy that's gross," Emily managed to say through a fit of giggles.

"Oh yeah? I'll show you gross kiddo," Addison playfully threatened as she grabbed her daughter and pulled her into her arms and showered her face with kisses all over.

"Now daddy," she demanded, almost jumping from Addison's arms into Pete's.

He did the same and Emily was in a fit of laughter again.

They began walking down the beach then, watching the sunset, he and Addison hand in hand, Emily running in front of them, splashing in the waves that met her feet. It was amazing really, how much life surprises you. There was a time in his life where he'd told himself this kind of life weren't possible, that the road he was on would eventually end and he would be alone. Somewhere, though, he had to have done something right, something to deserve all of this. He wasn't sure who to thank, really, but he'd never go back, never change anything. This was exactly what he was looking for. And as he looked into his wife's eyes, he could tell she was thinking the same thing, too.

"This is pretty perfect," Addison commented, wrapping an arm around his middle so that she could fit her head against his shoulder.

"Perfect," Pete agreed.