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10 - Epilogue
It's funny how drastically things can change in short periods of time.
Pete sits at the kitchen table of the home he shares with Addison, waiting for the bagels to be done, and can't help but think about all the changes that happened over the past two years. He knows some of those changes started earlier and others later, but he always thinks of Addison's arrival as the starting point for all of them. As she said herself, "Welcome to the new Oceanside Wellness Group." And she was right. It's been a new Oceanside ever since the moment she first set foot in it, two years ago.
Two years ago, Sam and Naomi were divorced and struggling to work together. Dell had a crush on Naomi, and she wanted Sam back. But he wasn't ready. And now... well, now Sam and Naomi are The Bennetts again, living at their old home with Maya and being happier than ever. Dell's been going out with one of St. Ambrose's nurses for a while now, and they seem to be doing great.
If Addison hadn't moved – if Naomi hadn't had her to talk to – none of that would have happened.
Two years ago, before Addison moved, Violet was trying to get over Alan while Cooper tried to gather the courage to tell her how he felt. Right now, they are living together, and last thing Pete heard, Cooper's going to propose soon. Violet tries to make everyone believe she isn't interested in marriage, but Pete knows – because Addison told him – that she's actually impatient for him to pop the question.
If Addison hadn't moved – if Cooper hadn't had the new, post-Addison Pete to talk to – none of that would have happened.
"Hey!" Addison's voice stops his train of thought, and Pete smiles at her when she walks towards him. "Morning, Mrs. Wilder." She lets out a small chuckle and kisses him softly, letting him pull her onto his lap. "Morning, Mr. Wilder. How did you sleep?" He smirks when she takes a sip of his coffee. "Well, my wife didn't really let me sleep that much. Did you know I got married?" Addison shoots him a playful look. "Really? I bet she's perfect. And smart, and gorgeous, and sexy."
He chuckles and gently pushes her off him so he can stand up. "Well... she's all right, I guess." His words earn him a smack on his arm, and he laughs as he walks towards the toaster. "Keep that up and I won't feed you anymore." She shrugs and grabs a cup of coffee, watching him while he spreads cream cheese on her bagels. "My husband's taught me how to cook. I can feed myself."
She keeps watching him as he finishes making breakfast, and she thinks back on their wedding, just two days ago. Everything's changed in the last two years.
Two years ago, Mark and Callie barely knew each other. She was trying to get over O'Malley, and Mark was trying to get over Addison and flirting with Erica Hahn. And now, they are living – with little Lily Addison Torres-Sloan – on the house next door, raising their daughter and proving Addison right when she said Mark just needed to find the right woman to bring out the real Mark Sloan.
When she said she needed a new life, she didn't know she was going to get it in the most literal sense.
Pete walks back to the table and sets her plate in front of her, smirking when he sees her smile at the selection of her favorite breakfast foods. She doesn't say a word as she eats her bagel, and he lets out a chuckle when she starts with the waffles. "Wow, someone's hungry today." She shrugs slightly and tries not to smile as she replies. "What can I say? I am eating for two, after all."
"What? You're..." She smiles at him, finishing the last few bites of her waffles. "Pregnant. Yeah. I'm pregnant." His face's unreadable as he looks at her, speechless, and she shifts uncomfortably as she waits for him to say something. "Pete?" He still doesn't say anything, but a small smile appears on his face, and she smirks as she gets up. "You munch on it for a bite while I go take a shower, ok?" He kisses the top of his head and goes to the bathroom, leaving him a few minutes to process the news.
It takes him a while to regain control of her brain. Things really have changed a lot. It's not that he doesn't like changes – changes are what keep life interesting, after all – but this is going a bit too fast for him.
Two years ago, he was a serial monogamist who was never going to find the love of his life. And now, here he is. Sitting at the kitchen table of the house he shares with Addison. With his wife. A house they bought because it reminded him of the one he grew up in, and she thought the backyard would be perfect to teach their kids how to play catch. Hypothetical kids, of course. They were going to start trying after the wedding.
And now, two days after she became his wife, she tells him she's pregnant. And he doesn't know how to react. A baby. He's always wanted kids, but he doesn't really know if he's ready yet. But, then again, he also didn't think he was ready to get married, and she proved him wrong. She had a gift for doing that, actually.
He walks into the bathroom a few minutes later, and opens the shower curtain to let her know he's there. "We're not naming our baby Carson. Or Batgirl." She chuckles and looks at him as he takes off his clothes. "Ok. No Carson or Batgirl."
And, as he joins his wife in the shower, he knows all the changes have been for the best.
The End
A/N: This is it! I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed, you guys kept me going :)