Hi
I am trying to find how this is done for my project
using a 555 timer make an led (bright White)
blink blink fade to full brightness on button press (latched )
and then on releasing the latched button fade to off.
the power will be 2 x 3v coin cell batteries (6v)
here a video of what I mean.

 

You cant do that with a 555 at least not 1 ( I would love to be corrected I that is wrong because it would be well out of the box )

The fade will be PWM which means turning them on and off fast enough to not see the pulses which start short and get longer whilst he frequency stays the same. You may be able to do something like that if you noble the timing circuit so the gate hysteresis is ramped by charging or discharging a capacitor.
That not a plan by the way just a thought...

The chip that looks like an 8 pin 555 is probably a pic or picx

there are some interesting effects using a 555 here
http://www.homemade-circuits.com/2011/12/make-interesting-flasher-and-fader-led.html
but nothing as well defined as you are talking about.

A litle uP board with a simple programming interface would be easiest have a look at PicBasic, arduino .... many others.
I have never used one but this might be a good fit...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nano-8-Mi...070850?hash=item33a3100f82:g:jtAAAOSwBahVXfKH

If not it will give you ideas.