Holiday in Handcuffs

Chapter 1

Snow flakes fell hastily from the sky creating a stark white blanket against the already frozen ground. The streets, having been plowed clean, causing the snow to be piled up three feet high on each side, were impossibly slick with ice and another thin layer of snow that was quickly growing thicker by the minute. Traveling was made nearly impossible, but that didn't stop Derek Shepherd from pushing his BMW to the limit through the ice and snow. He had left the city an hour ago, trying to make it to his mother's house in the country before dark, but every time he hit 40 MPH, his car would start sliding and he had to ease up on the accelorator to gain control. He supposed that since this was his first trip home in five years, arriving after dark wasn't such a big deal. But, he knew his mother would worry about him if he ran late, even if he was five years from forty and recently divorced from a woman who could easily be described as satan incarnate.

As he drove along one country road after another, he couldn't help but reminisce about the family Christmas' he used to share with his mother and sisters. Those years had been such happy times, filled with carols, hot chocolate, and stories about Santa Claus and Rudolph. Visions of his mother sitting beside the fire in her rocking chair with all the grandkids at her feet as she read to them from 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, their little faces shinning up at her, their eyes droopy with sleep as they listened to her soft voice, danced in his head. He could almost hear her voice in his mind as he drove as she described Santa's appearance as he entered the house from the chimney. Derek's heart warmed at the thought of it all.

Of course, that had been before he married the red-headed woman who he thought would be spending every Christmas with him at his mother's home. The woman who, in reality, guilted him into staying in the city every year and work a few extra hours just to be able to afford the items on her personal Christmas list.

Addison had always been very materialistic. Derek had known that from the very beginning. There are just some things that a person is willing to overlook when they fall in love. And Derek became a master at overlooking when it came to Addison. Like the way she always hounded him about picking up after himself. And the way she pouted when he didn't agree with her decisions to stay in the city year after year to spend Christmas alone in their apartment. And the way she argued with him about even suggesting that she pack her bags and go with him to his mother's house to spend Christmas with his sisters and their kids with their 'sticky little fingers and constant shouting'. Derek had tried to reason with her over and over again.

"But, it's Christmas, Addison. Kids get excited about Christmas. They eat lots of sugar and get gifts that they've been wanting all year. It's all part of it." He had told her. "And besides, what do you think it's going to be like when have kids of our own?"

Addison had just snorted. "Who says that's going to happen?" She had asked with a scowl before she stormed out of the room, leaving a very appalled Derek behind.

That statement had been the beginning of their downfall. Increasingly, they began to grow apart. And it was only a few months ago that he had come home to find the woman he had once loved in their marital bed, screaming his best friend's name at the top of her lungs as said best friend hovered above her, naked and sweaty. Derek had been more than disgusted to walk in on that. Who would't be? Never in his life had he felt so betrayed. So angry. So... heartbroken.

It didn't take long to finalize the divorce. They had pretty much agreed to divide everything in half and go their seperate ways. Only, to Derek, it didn't quite feel like they had split everything down the middle. Not only was Addison taking half of everything he owned, she managed to take his best friend with her. And now, they were currently somewhere in the Bahamas, getting ready for their wedding which was set for three days from now.... on Christmas Day.

Lost in his own mind with the memories of Addison flooding out the happy memories of Christmas' with his mother and family, Derek began to seethe. And as he grew angrier, his foot grew heavier. Before he realized it, he had sped up to 50 MPH. He let off of the accelorator immediately when he took notice of his speedometer. But, it was too late. His car had already started to spin.

He looked up just in time to see that his car had turned sideways and he was heading right towards the snowy embankment. Cursing out loud, he held up his hands to shield himself just as his car slid forward and crashed into the embankment with a very loud and solid THUD.