Title: Cold Sands 2/2
Rating: PG
Summary: Private Practice/ Greys Anatomy crossover: Addison receives bad news and turns to the men in her life for comfort. Character death.
Pairing: Addison/Derek, Addison/Sam
Disclaimer: Not mine, Shonda's.
Reviews are love and much appreciated.

You dream that night of Archer. You're seven years old, on a beach in the middle of a family holiday. Your parents have gone off somewhere separately and instructed Archer to look after you. He's teaching you how to fish for crabs in the small rock pools and you're listening intently, staring at him quizzically as he tells you about nets and lines and you dig your toes into the warm sand as far as they can go. The sun bounces off your pink sun hat and illuminates your freckles as Archer successfully catches his first crab. He gleefully shows it to you, then proceeds to chase you around the beach with it as you scream in mock terror. Its then that you wake up and scream in real terror as you realise that he's gone. Sam comes running in, and straight away sinks down on the bed next to you and you allow yourself to be wrapped up in his arms.

"I had a dream" you manage to say through the tears that have started to make hot tracks down your face. "It was so real...his face..." you trail off as the grief overwhelms you. You haven't been able to look at a picture of Archer yet, and now you can see him straight in your minds eye. You feel Sam nod, as if he understands everything without you having to explain further.

The tears subside as you desperately try to switch your focus onto something else.

"What are you still doing here?" you ask through sniffles.

"I didn't want you to be here on your own so I went to sleep on the couch after you had fallen asleep"

You manage a weak smile, even though you know he can't see it as your head is buried in his arms.

"Thank you" you say, grateful for him staying. He releases you and studies you intently.

"I meant what I said yesterday Addison, I'm here for you"

You manage to smile properly at his kind words and reach for a tissue to dry your tears.

"Your mother called earlier, to check you got home okay, and Derek called"

"What did Derek say?"

"He said he'll be here later this afternoon, to check on you. He's taking the first flight out here"

You remember the conversation you had with him yesterday.

"I didn't think he meant this soon" you say, reaching over him and getting out of bed.

"He knows how much Archer meant to you" he says simply.

You head downstairs, hearing his footsteps follow you.

"I can make you some breakfast, if you want"

"It's okay" you say, reaching for the only thing you want. Coffee.

"I need to pop into the practice, but I won't be long"

You nod at him, giving him the green light.

"I'll be fine"

When he's gone you take your coffee outside, feeling the warm morning sun on your skin and you dig your toes into the cool sand, just as you did in the dream, only this time there's no Archer beside you. As you stare out into the distance, watching the tide your mind wanders to Derek. You'd never admit it, but you're nervous about seeing him. Its been over three months since you travelled to Seattle for Archer's surgery. You used to see him nearly everyday, and now the time you spend away from him is measured in months, not days You know he's happy with Meredith and you're happy for him, but that doesn't mean that you don't miss him. The phone rings, interrupting your reverie and you hope it's not your mother, you can't deal with talking to her at the moment. You tear your gaze away from the tide and pad into the house to answer it.

Thankfully it's Naomi.

"I've covered your patients for the next few days, so you don't have to come in"

"Thank you"

"I have to stay here for the day but I can come straight round after"

You're touched by your friend's gesture but you explain to her that Derek's due to see you today. She understands and tells you she'll come over tomorrow. Hanging up the phone you head to go back outside but a knock at the door stops you. You glance through the window and as soon as you see who it is the butterflies that you had previously dissipate and fly away.

It's Derek, and as soon as you open the door he envelopes you in his arms.

"Addie, I'm so sorry about Archer"

You feel numb at the mention of his name and murmur "Thanks for coming" into the nook of his arms.

"Any time Addie"

He removes you from his grip and holds you at arms length, studying you for clues that reflect your state of mind. He finds none as you push your emotions to the back of your mind.

"I didn't expect you so soon" you say, moving aside and letting him in.

"I caught the red eye" he says and your eyes wander to the small suitcase that he wheels in behind him.

"How long are you planning to stay"

"A few days, or as long as you need me to"

You pour him a coffee, as his eyes roam over your living room, taking in every inch of your new life.

"I brought you something" he says, opening his suitcase. Your eyes flicker over to where he's standing and you register that it's a photo album.

"I found it at the trailer" he explains "the photos are from our first holiday at the Hamptons, Archer's in them so I thought you might like to see them"

Your head fills with emotion at the thought of seeing Archer again, and he sees.

"When you're ready"

It's a lovely thought and you tell him so, but you tell him that you don't feel ready yet. You lead him outside and you sink down into the sand. It feels surreal, having Derek beside you, in your new life which was so previously untouched by him.

"How are you feeling" he asks. It's a loaded question and you're unsure how to answer.

"I feel...lost" The tears threaten to fall then, and in the blink of an eye they begin.

"I'm really going to miss him" He sees the tears and pulls you towards him. You rest your head on his chest and he absent-mindedly begins to stroke your hair.

You sit there for hours talking, with him never leaving your side.

Later, Sam returns and after wine you feel ready to look at the photo album. You sit down with both Derek and Sam and start. You have to smile at the first photos, at how young you all look. When you get to the one's with Archer in you feel the familiar tug on your heart.

"Do you remember, he met that girl, slept with her, and then proceeded to sleep with every single one of her friends?" Sam says, laughing at the memory.

"He was always such a charmer" Derek adds. "and I had the added trouble of keeping him away from my sisters"

"I think he slept with nearly every woman at the Hampton's that year" you say, laughing at the memory of Archer's womanising ways.

One photo in particular catches your eye, and you peer in for a closer look. Its of you and Archer, taken without either of you knowing and you're laughing as if you're sharing a delicious secret.

"Are you okay?" Sam asks.

"Yes, it's just...strange, seeing him again"

"It's going to take time Addie" Derek says gently, taking your hand.

"We don't have to look at these if you don't want to"

"No...I want to"

After you've finished looking at the photo's Sam leaves, and after you set Derek up in the spare room you go back to the photo album and turn it to the picture that caught your eye earlier. You slide it out of the album, into a spare frame and display it proudly in the centre of one of your shelves.

"Goodnight Archer" you say quietly.

That night you dream of Archer again, but this time you don't wake up screaming.