Notes: This is a fanfiction based on characters from the TV shows, Grey’s Anatomy, and Private Practice. This rewrites parts of episodes 18×03 and 18×04 of Grey’s Anatomy where Addison comes back to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to do the hospital’s first uterine transplant. In this version of events, Addison’s husband and son, Jake, and Henry, show up to visit. This story and chapter were originally posted on Archive of Our Own on December 21st, 2021. This is chapter six so it is necessary to read the fifth chapter before moving on. It’s also worth mentioning that this is also the last chapter. So if you’ve been keeping up with the entirety of this story, thank you. This story has been edited to include headings and images.
Happier: Chapter 6
By the time Addison and Amelia got to the hospital, the other doctors placed Tovah into a medically-induced coma.
“Please tell me you can help me fix this,” Addison pleaded to Amelia.
“I’ll have to run some tests but it’s gonna be okay,” Amelia said, noticing how freaked Addison was.
“I can’t let my patient die,” Addison said plainly.
“We’re gonna do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Amelia said, trying to comfort her. Addison lay her head low in defeat. She wasn’t trying to be difficult but she also knew Amelia was right. But this trial made her excited again. Made her live again. Not just survive. But live. Even if it was technically Jake’s idea first. But she can still remember the day she first asked Jake about it.
Addison Remembers Telling Jake
“Jake?” Addison poked her head out the back door. Jake was outside on the patio putting together yet another model train set. After the nth time Addison knocked into them, she couldn’t take it anymore. She loved Jake and how happy he was in quarantine. But she definitely wasn’t. And bumping into a train set every time she walked through their living room didn’t help.
“Hey sweetheart,” he said, looking up for a split second before turning his attention back to his train tracks.
“Can we talk?” Addison asked. From that, Jake could sense she was serious. But when he put his train tracks down, Addison glanced back into the house to keep an eye on Henry, who was busy playing some game on the TV.
“Everything okay?” Jake asked cautiously. They’d already talked about Addison’s excessive drinking and it’d been a good month since then. And the fact that the practice was starting to open back up definitely helped. That and the shifts Addison started taking at St. Ambrose on days when the practice was closed.
“Yes!” Addison saw the look on her husband’s face. Knew that he was concerned that something was wrong. And if it’d been a month ago, he’d be right to worry. But she finally felt like she was in a better place now.
“Sorry,” Addison added quickly. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I just…” When Jake looked back at her confused, she suddenly couldn’t meet his eyes.
Addison’s Research Proposal
“Are you sure everything’s okay?” Jake asked again, taking a few steps closer. Something was definitely up. He just wasn’t sure what just yet.
“Yes,” Addison said, much calmer and collected this time. “I’ve been doing some research lately,” she started.
“What kind of research?” By now, Jake wasn’t so far from her anymore and led her to sit.
“Uterine transplants,” Addison finally said. Jake was taken aback a bit but smiled back thinking back on how they’d tried one years ago. And how it was their first patient together after he joined the practice.
“What about uterine transplants?” he asked.
“Well, I know that we tried it before and it didn’t work but I was thinking, what if we tried transplanting a uterus from a deceased donor?” She asked.
“I’ve never thought of that before,” He said honestly. “But I guess it could make the whole procedure easier ‘cause we could use -”
“The larger vessels for anastomosis,” She interrupted finishing his sentence. When she met his eyes, she saw him smiling and couldn’t help smiling back at him. She blushed slightly and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Do you think it could work?” She asked after a beat.
“Yeah I think it could,” Jake said after really thinking about it. “But can I ask, why are you researching uterine transplants?”
The Clinical Trial
“I want to do a clinical trial,” Addison finally said. “I know it was your idea first and everything, but medicine’s gone a long way since we tried to do Nina’s transplant. And I think it could actually work,” She said almost defensively.
“You’re right, it could,” Jake said. “But why now?” There was a slight pause.
“I….need more,” Addison finally said. “I know things have gotten better but I need more. I need something to excite me again, and that’s always been surgery. Especially cutting-edge surgery. I love the practice and I love you and I love Henry and I love being a mom. But I…miss surgery. I miss…being a world-class surgeon,”
“You still are a world-class surgeon,” Jake said, taking his wife’s hands into his.
“Well it doesn’t feel like I am anymore,” Addison sighed. “And it hasn’t for a long time,” Addison admitted. Jake squeezed her hands slightly.
“When I moved out here from Seattle, it changed my life. For the better,” Addison added the last part to reassure him that she meant it.
“But I went from doing surgery after surgery to seeing patients in an office. And I only ever did surgery when I needed to. And I’m not saying I didn’t love that because I did. But it didn’t change the fact that the OR’s always been my happy place. And I…really want to get back to my happy place,” Addison took a deep breath. She felt like it was all spilling out of her. But in the best way. In an almost cathartic way.
Jake Tells Her to Go For It
“I think you should go for it,” Jake finally said after thinking about it for a minute.
“You do?”
“Yes,” Jake nodded his head and inched closer. He put a hand on her cheek and tilted her head with his other hand so her eyes would meet hers. When she did, she smiled and he leaned in so their foreheads and noses touched. Then, he leaned in for a kiss and Addison wrapped her arms around him and kissed back harder.
“I think this’ll be good for you,” he said when they pulled back. But he kept a hand on her cheek.
“And you can take all the credit if that’s what you’re worried about,” He joked. When she started laughing, he finally dropped his hand off her cheek.
“That’s not…” Addison said, still chuckling. “I have no problem sharing credit where credit’s due. I just didn’t want to do it without…” She struggled to find the words.
“My permission?” Jake joked.
“I don’t know!” Addison said, laughing. “It just felt a little sleazy to do this without at least letting you know,” She continued laughing slightly. “It was your idea first,”
“Yeah, it was,” Jake said, fondly remembering Nina’s case. It still stung a little when he thought back. He was disappointed it didn’t work and while he hated to admit it, he got a little too involved with his patients.
“But it’s yours now,” Jake finally said after a pause.
“You’re passing the torch over now?” Addison joked.
“Yes, I’m passing the proverbial torch to you, my wife, because I love you,” Jake moved to kiss her forehead. “And you need this,”
Addison’s Patient
After doing all the neural tests and having a heart-to-heart talk with Amelia, they discovered Tovah would be fine. It was still early in the process and while her body seized, she’d since woken up and things seemed to be okay. Now she just needed to stay that way.
After Addison and Amelia finished checking up on Tovah, they walked back to the nurse’s station together. When they got there, Addison wrote in some post-op notes and sighed as if she’d been holding her breath.
“Relax, she’s gonna be fine,” Amelia reassured her.
“I know,” Addison said, not so convincingly.
It was then when Meredith and Maggie came up talking about Winston’s transplant patient.
“I can’t believe I never realized that the eGFR system could be racist,” Maggie said.
“Yeah, me neither,” Meredith added. Then, they both reached the nurse’s station.
“Addison,” Meredith noticed the redhead standing there with Amelia. “I thought you left already,”
“Not yet,” Addison said. “My patient had a seizure so I had to stick around to make sure she’d make it,” She turned around to find Maggie, who she’d never met.
“Is she alright?” Meredith asked.
“She’ll be fine,” Amelia interjected, still trying to convince her that everything was going to turn out okay.
Addison Meets Maggie
“Hi,” Addison turned slightly towards Maggie. “I don’t believe we’ve met,”
“No, Maggie Pierce,” Maggie introduced herself.
“Addison Montgomery,”
“Wait, you’re Addison Montgomery?” It dawned on her that it was the Addison Montgomery, a world-renowned surgeon and one of the foremost neonatal surgeons in the country.
“Yes,” Addison was slightly taken aback by Maggie’s starstruck demeanor towards her.
“She’s also my sister,” Meredith added.
“Wait, sister?” Addison was confused.
“Half-sister, technically,” Amelia corrected. “She’s also Richard’s daughter,”
“Wait, Richard has a daughter? Since when?” Addison was shocked.
“Since he knocked my mother up,” Meredith said, nonchalantly. Addison was still in shock.
“I don’t even know what to say to that,” Addison said honestly, still shocked by the news.
“So what are you even doing at Grey Sloan?” She asked, excitedly changing the subject.
“A uterine transplant,” Addison answered.
“Really?” Maggie asked, impressed. She heard about the residents doing grand rounds with a groundbreaking surgery, but truth be told, she skimmed the email Richard sent out.
Jake and Henry Find Addison
“Yes,” Addison said back. Then, she spotted Jake and Henry, who were there to pick her up to go to the airport.
“But truth be told, it was my husband’s idea first,” Addison said once Jake and Henry got close enough to hear her.
“Well, it’s your clinical trial now,” Jake wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek as Henry walked up to her side.
“Dr. Reilly,” Meredith said. “It’s good to see you again. And you too, Henry,”
“It’s good to see you too, Dr. Grey,” Jake said as Henry gave her a polite smile back.
“Hi, Dr. Maggie Pierce,” Maggie introduced herself.
“Hi, Dr. Jake Reilly,” Jake said back.
“Are you a surgeon like your wife?” Maggie asked, curiously.
“Well, technically yes, but I’m nowhere near her level,” Jake looked over to his wife, who blushed slightly.
“You’re a surgeon too?” Meredith asked. But then again, she realized she shouldn’t be all that surprised.
“Yes I am,” Jake confirmed.
“What’s your specialty?” Maggie asked.
“General,” Jake answered. Meredith and Maggie were impressed. He didn’t seem like the general surgery type. Then again, they didn’t really know what his type would be.
“But I’m more of an extra set of hands whenever Addison will have me,” Jake added. “I’m actually more of a fertility specialist nowadays,”
“Fertility specialist,” Maggie echoed.
“Yup,” Amelia added. Then, a slightly awkward pause hung between them all.
Maggie and Meredith Say Goodbye
“Are we going home yet?” Henry finally asked.
“Yes,” Addison sighed. Grey Sloan really was a different hospital now. And she didn’t feel all that great leaving Tovah just yet. But she also knew that the doctors here would take great care of her and help her get through the rest of her trial. Everything else that needed to be done could happen back home.
“She’s gonna be fine,” Amelia sensed Addison’s worries about Tovah bubble back up.
“I know,” Addison replied. They both looked at each other longingly for a beat. They still kept in touch, but it wasn’t the same as living in the same city. Or in the same house. But they both knew that they were exactly where they needed to be.
“I’ll walk you guys to the elevator,” Amelia offered.
“It was nice meeting you!” Maggie added as Meredith gave her a look. I guess she wouldn’t really be family if she didn’t embarrass her at least every once in a while.
“What?” Maggie asked, honestly.
Jake and Henry Say Their Goodbyes
As Amelia walked Jake, Addison, and Henry to the elevators, the moment they’d been dreading finally came. It was time to say goodbye.
“Be good for you mom,” Amelia said to Henry.
“I will,” Henry smiled as Amelia brought him in for a hug. He’d grown up so much since the last time she saw him in person. She’d seen him grow up plenty through the occasional email and FaceTime calls with Addison. But seeing him in person was different.
“And you,” Amelia referred to Jake as she put her hands on his shoulders. Or more specifically, the lower part of his shoulder because he was almost a foot taller than her. “You take care of our girl,”
“I always do,” Jake said, glancing at his wife who looked like she was on the verge of crying. But they both knew if she did start crying, they’d be happy tears. He knew how much she missed having Amelia around, but he also knew how immensely proud of her she was.
“Hey, why don’t we take a bathroom break before we go? The bathrooms here are much nicer than the one at the airport,” Jake motioned to Henry, who nodded back in agreement. It was clear that Addison wanted a moment alone to talk to her sister.
Addison During the Pandemic
“You know, I almost left Jake in the first lockdown? In the thick of it about two months in. I wasn’t even drinking, I was stone-cold sober. I just…” Addison chuckled, looking back on the memory. It sounded crazy now but it’d been long enough now that she could find it a little funny. But Amelia looked back at her, confused. She never thought of Addison as someone who’d even consider leaving her husband.
“They were bickering about Game of Thrones and I just…got up off the couch, got in the car, and drove. Drove for about two hours before I stopped and even thought to ask myself what I was doing,” Addison admitted.
“Are you asking if I’m sure?” Amelia knew she was referring to her split with Link.
“I’m just saying that when one is in a slight mental health crisis, one might regret the decision she makes later,” Addison said.
Addison Says Goodbye
“I didn’t leave when I was thinking about doing drugs. And I didn’t leave when I was wondering if Link would ever really understand me. I stayed through all of that because I thought I must be crazy because who leaves a really good and decent guy? But I don’t feel crazy now. And I don’t want to get high, I just don’t want a ring. And I don’t want to have any more babies. I didn’t even leave him — he left me — but I hated the life that he loved. And so I think that the sanest and kindest thing I could possibly do is to let him go, no matter how much it sometimes aches,”
Then, Addison smiled back at her. She really had grown up. Then, she spotted Jake and Henry as they walked back toward her. Henry pushed the elevator button and gave Amelia one last goodbye hug. After that, Addison shot Amelia another smile.
“Look at you,” Addison said as the elevator dinged and the three of them stepped onto the elevator.
“Look at me, what?” Amelia asked, confused at what she meant.
“Look at you, Amelia Shepherd. All grown up,” Addison winked and Amelia smiled as the elevator doors closed.
Additional Notes
I know that on Grey’s Anatomy, Maggie wasn’t there until the most recent episodes (most likely because of the actress’s pregnancy) but I honestly just wanted to see them at least meet. And I always imagined that Maggie would be a little starstruck because of Addison’s reputation (which I did include in my Jaddison oneshot where Derek meets Jake and a baby Henry). And that last scene was basically taken straight from 18×04 but with Jake and Henry there too. There were things I liked and disliked about the episode overall but I do love that scene. Again, this is the last episode so thank you so much again for reading this story through to the end.