Thank you for continuing to read my fiction, and for the reviews that you have left. I will try and post the next chapter by next weekend, but then I am on holiday for a couple of weeks, escaping the British winter, and the laptop will not be going with me, so the chapter after next will not be posted until probably the 21st Feb. As usual, I would like to point out that I do not own any characters, etc etc.

All about us.

Cristina needed to find Owen, she felt slightly shaken following her altercation with Burke, although it had felt good to put him in his place. Burke no longer held any personal fascination for her, and she felt she had made that clear, but now she had told him about the baby, she wanted to make sure her friends heard the news from her. After what she had said to him, perhaps being intentionally cruel, she could not count on his discretion. She made her way towards the ER.

In the gallery, Teddy said to Owen "I thought the whole wedding thing was quite sudden, I didn't think that anyone rushed into marriage anymore because of an unplanned pregnancy, but you always were an old fashioned guy at heart." Owen could not believe what he was hearing. "I believed you when you told me that you could deal with this, and that you were happy for me, what makes you think that this is not exactly what I want, or that this pregnancy was unplanned?"

Teddy sighed, " I know you Owen, I know your values and morals, and I know that you would not be trying for a baby before you got married, or before you had your own home. Lets face it, you didn't officially live together until you got married did you." When Owen failed to respond, Teddy continued " I haven't known Cristina very long, but I have been meeting people like her for my whole life. She is smart, and talented, but she is also very ambitious, and frankly, I didn't even think that she would have any children, let alone before completing her fellowship. I know that Yang was not planning to have a baby any time soon, and if she did, it could have been for one reason only, to ensure your life was forever connected to hers."

"You don't know what you are talking about." Owen said forcefully. "I bought Cristina's engagement ring over a year ago, I have not rushed into anything, and as you quite rightly stated, in this day and age there is no need for anyone to go through with an unwanted pregnancy. Our baby is very much loved and wanted, and while my mother instilled strong moral values into me, and I wanted to be married to the mother of my children, if Cristina had not wanted that, I would have accepted any terms she wanted to dictate for our relationship, because she is more important to me than anything. I guess I am just really lucky that she wanted me to have the things that I want and that shows me that I am important to her too."

"I'm sorry Owen, I didn't mean to upset you, I guess I am just overprotective of you, I just thought that perhaps Cristina wanted to secure her place in your life because I am here." Teddy said.

" Teddy you were not a consideration for either of us. Cristina knows that you are not a threat to our relationship, because at new year, she told me that she didn't want me to be with her out of obligation. She knew that you and I had some sort of special bond, and she offered me an out if that was what I wanted." Teddy's mouth gaped open slightly on hearing this news, she snapped it shut again, without responding, not really knowing what to say. Owen continued. " I made it really clear to her, that it was her that I wanted, and frankly, even if Cristina had left me, now that I know what real love is, I would not settle for anything less, and what I once felt for you , I know is not, and never could be enough for me. I'm sorry I hurt you, it was not my intention, but you need to accept the situation. This is a great place to work, with great people, and that is all I promised you when I called you about this job."

Teddy's eyes had filled with tears, but she refused to cry in front of Owen, so she swallowed really hard, and said, " I understand perfectly Dr Hunt, and I think that it would be beneficial to both of us, if we kept things strictly professional from now on." with that comment, Teddy turned and walked out of the OR gallery.

Owen followed a little behind her, he didn't want things to be difficult between them. She had been his friend for many years, and he had brought her here, into his and Cristina's life, but he didn't want to continue this conversation now, he wanted to find his wife.

Cristina was in the pit talking to Lexie and Ryan when Owen came in. She gave him a smile, and said, "Hi, I've been looking for you . Have you got time for a quick chat in private? Have you had lunch?" Owen smiled back " No, I haven't eaten yet, I was waiting for you, lets go we can talk on the way."

They both said goodbye to Drs Grey and Spalding, and made their was to the place with the food. Owen was the first to speak. "I was waiting for you in the gallery, and heard your conversation with Dr Burke. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I just couldn't leave once I heard him talking to you. I'm sorry." Cristina stopped walking and turned towards Owen. "You don't have to be sorry, I don't think that I said anything to Burke, that you don't already know, but I hope that you are not angry, because I think that in a way I needed to tell him how I felt, and let him know, that I have moved on."

"I'm not angry" he replied, "just a bit confused, it was almost as if you were gloating, trying to make him jealous, and I don't understand why you would want to do that?" he questioned.

"I wasn't trying to gloat. I'm happy, and I don't think that there is anything wrong with telling him that." Owen smiled slightly, and said, I'm glad your happy Cris, I just hope that one day soon, you will have moved on so far, that what he does or thinks will be the last thing on your mind."

" Burke seemed to think that doing what he did was some sort of gift to me, because he is such a high and mighty person, and because he always knows what is best for others," she responded quietly," and maybe he was right, but I suppose I just wanted him to know that you don't always have to push so hard to get the best out of people." She reached out and stroked her husbands arm. "I promise you, that you have witnessed the last conversation that I will be having with Dr Burke, at least the last personal one." Cristina grabbed Owens hand and pulled him into a walk.

Cristina continued talking by saying " As it seems you are aware of part of what I wanted to talk to you, perhaps we can discuss the other thing?" "Ok" said Owen, "what else did you want to talk about." "Well," said Cristina, "I know it is a little bit early, but I thought that perhaps we should think about telling our friends about the baby. What do you think?"

"Cristina, I can't wait to start telling people, I'm excited, and as long as you are happy, then I am happy to take out an ad in the Seattle Times." He chuckled.

" I was thinking of something a little more low key, perhaps drinks at Joes, that way, we just tell everyone together." said Cristina . Owen pulled Cristina towards him, and kissed her on the forehead. "Perfect, now lets go and eat, I don't want my baby starving ." He smiled.

Owen and Cristina, invited all of the regulars to join them for drinks after shift, and most accepted. Derek and Meredith arrived first, followed shortly after by Callie, Arizona, and Lexie. Mark was still in surgery, and finally Teddy, Karev, and Avery, arrived about 20 minutes later. Owen was slightly surprised to see Teddy, following her request to keep it professional, he had not invited her, then realised shamefully that he had omitted telling Cristina about his conversation, with Teddy, and that he had not told her that Teddy was in the gallery with him, and was therefore already aware of her pregnancy. Cristina had invited Teddy, her mentor, and Alex, but had made it clear that Reed was not welcome, out of respect for Izzie. Meredith didn't like the way that Reed was pursuing Alex, despite the fact that she knew that he and Izzie were still married, and Cristina would not want anyone at her gathering who would annoy Mer. With retrospect she should have told Alex that Avery wasn't welcome either, as she did not want anyone at her gathering that would annoy her, and the way he looked at her annoyed her, and more importantly would annoy Owen if he picked up on Avery constantly giving his wife the once over.

When everyone had arrived, Owen has arranged for Joe to bring out champagne for everyone, except Cristina, who had her flute filled instead with tonic water, and stood up to make a toast. "As you all know, Cristina and I are celebrating being married for two weeks, and wanted, to share some news with you all. Both of our Mum's are busy arranging a party for us, and you will all be getting your invitations shortly, but we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all that my wife and I," Cristina rolled her eyes, and all her friends laughed, "would like to announce that we are expecting our first child." Meredith screamed, and immediately jumped up, Owen ignored her, and said, "so please can you all raise your glasses, in a toast to Cristina, who has made me happier than I deserve to be." everyone politely raised their glasses, apart from Meredith, who was trying to wedge herself in between Cristina and Owen. "Meredith, " said Cristina laughing" we don't hug, and just because I'm pregnant, don't think I am going to go soft. "

"I was not trying to hug you. What happened to my dark and twisty friend?" she said quietly. "I think we need to talk." "Later." responded Cristina, "People are trying to congratulate me." Cristina turned back towards Owen, and accepted congratulations from Callie and Lexie, both of whom seemed genuinely delighted for them both.

After the flurry of activity, Cristina and Owen started to mingle with the people they had invited. Derek was talking about how he wanted to have children, and that he could not wait to teach his kids to fish and swim, during his touching confession, Meredith remained silent, and rolled her eyes, while he continued to chat wistfully.

Teddy was at the bar getting more drinks when Owen and Cristina reached her table, so they sat and talked to Avery and Karev. "You are a very very lucky man Dr Hunt," said Jackson Avery, as despite admitting to himself that Cristina was seriously involved with Hunt, and that he would probably never get a chance with her, he always had a quiet fantasy, that things would get too complicated at work, and that too many disagreements at the hospital would spill over into home life, and ultimately force them apart. Of course, in this fantasy Cristina would realise that she had always had a thing for him. However! a wedding and baby announcement in the space of three weeks seemed pretty much a forever commitment, even in his mind, but despite his the warmth of his congratulations, Jackson Avery was gutted. He was not the only one. "Come on Karev," he said, trying to remove himself from the company of the object of his affection, and her husband, "lets have a game of darts," Alex nodded, and they both left the table.

The door opened, and Mark Sloan walked in, he was greeted by Owen, and together they walked over to Derek's table. Seeing Cristina without Owen for the first time, Meredith excused herself, and made her way over to the table.

"So" said Meredith.

"What?" Replied Cristina.

"Are you going to change specialties, you know with the baby and everything? I mean cardio is going to be pretty much impossible, at the same time as raising a baby." Meredith was rambling a little, but Cristina picked up that there had been no words of congratulations, no excitement, although those around them may have mistaken her scream at the announcement as excitement, Cristina knew better.

"Of course not. I know that it will be hard work but it is possible." Cristina replied. At this point, Teddy had returned, with a new pitcher of beer, and shots, obviously ready to party.

"Dr Altman," Started Meredith. " I was just saying to Cristina, that cardio is an incredibly demanding specialty, and I wondered if you think it is possible to complete such a specialty while raising a baby?"

" I think that," Teddy took a drink, as if planning her words carefully, "Cristina is the most talented, focussed and hardworking resident that I have met, but even with all that focus and talent, you will find it impossible. Something will have to give. You will either compromise your career and change to a softer specialty, or you will compromise your personal life, and end up in a pseudo successful marriage, with a man you resent, and a child you don't understand. You should of waited." she finished speaking, and drank two of the shots in front of her in rapid succession.

Cristina's eyes went back and forth between the two women. These women believed in her more than she believed in herself, and neither of them thought that she could do this. Meredith was nodding as if agreeing with everything that Teddy was saying, and Teddy was continuing to drink, as though they were about to stop serving alcohol forever. Dumfounded, all that she could say was "I will figure out something, I will make it work, I have to."

Suddenly the evening seemed flat, and Cristina desperately wanted to go home. She wanted to lie in her husbands arms while he reassured her that she was badass, that she could be a hardcore cardio goddess, and the best mum that she could be, ( her expectations of her parenting skills were not as high, as they were for her profession). Cristina sought out Owen, who was now playing darts with Sloan against Avery and Karev.

"Owen, I hate to break up the party, but I am exhausted, and really need to go home. Do you want to stay, and I will see you later?" Cristina knew that there was no way that he would leave her to go home alone, but she wanted to present him with the option. "Of course not." he replied. "I will go and get our coats and we will go." He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, and after about five minutes of goodbyes, made their way to the doors leading out of Joe's. Owen stepped ahead of Cristina, opening the door for her, and placing his hand on the small of her back as he followed her out of the door. Once outside, he curved his arm around her slender frame and pulled her under his arm. "You are not really tired are you?" he asked her. "No, just pissed." she replied biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Want to talk about it?" he added supportively, one of the greatest things about Owen, Cristina thought, was that he knew when to wait for her to talk, and when she needed a push, she smiled looking up at him, and said "yes, I do, that's why I wanted to leave Joe's, but do you mind if we wait until we get home? It is not something that I want to tell you about in the street."

Owen nodded his agreement, his mind was working overtime. If Meredith had upset her, he would be really angry, he was fed up with her constantly telling Cristina, that Owen was too damaged, could not be trusted, was too volatile, and that things between him and Cristina had moved too quickly. Too be fair some of what she said was true, he was damaged goods, and Cristina probably did deserve better, but he was prepared to do whatever it took to be that better man for her, and he knew in his heart that nobody could ever love Cristina Yang, no Cristina Hunt, he mentally corrected himself, as much or as well as he did.

The remainder of the walk from Joe's to their apartment was completed in a comfortable silence. Cristina rested her head on Owens shoulder, and had her arm around his waist, her hand in the rear pocket of his jeans, and Owen had her held against him, his arm around her shoulder, and holding her free hand, which she has raised to meet his. They were happy in their own little bubble, no influences from the outside world, no pressure from work, just two people, in love, wrapped around one another, both knowing that others would intrude their peace all too soon.

Owen let her into the apartment door, and helped her off with her coat. "Ok, out with it. Is it Meredith?" asked Owen, as he sat down, and pulled Cristina onto his lap. "No. Yes, well kind of," was her garbled reply. Owen smiled. Conversations between him and Cristina, regarding Meredith were never easy, and by the sounds of it ,this conversation was going to be like all of the others.

"What did she say sweetheart?" he coaxed gently.

"She said that cardio is too hard a specialty for me to successfully complete while raising a baby. She doesn't think that I can manage both." She paused waiting for his opinion.

"well," he started carefully, we knew that raising this child, along side the demands of our work, was not going to be easy, but I think that it is up to us to decide what we can and can't manage don't you?" he added

"What if I can't manage, what if she is right and I can't do it all. I've worked my whole life to become a cardio god, and I would hate to have to give up that dream, and I don't want to look back in 10 years, and regret the choices I made, I don't want to look back, and resent you and our child because I had to give up my dream." Cristina sighed, and leaned her head against Owens.

"Sweetheart, what are you trying to tell me, are you saying that you have changed our mind, that you don't want to keep the baby?" Owen held his breath, he knew that Cristina had more ambition than anyone he knew, and that a child now would certainly affect the way in which she could apply that ambition, but she was not usually one to change her mind, and he hoped to god she was not going to start now.

Cristina went stiff in his arms. "Why would you say that? Why would you suggest I would abort our baby? Has Teddy said something to you?" she finished accusingly.

"Teddy, what has Teddy got to do with this?" Owen asked in genuine confusion.

"Teddy told me that what I was trying to do was impossible, and that if I tried to do both, that I would fail either professionally or personally. Is that what she said to you too?" Cristina added.

Owen took a deep breath. "Cristina I should have told you earlier, but Teddy was in the gallery with me today. We both heard you talking to Burke, and she has known since then that you are pregnant. You should also know that she has told me that she is in love with me, and that she thought you only got pregnant at this time because it would keep me with you. I told her in no uncertain terms that we are both looking forward to being parents, and that my only interest in her was that of a friend and colleague. In the circumstances she does not feel we can be friends anymore, so I suspect she is making you have doubts, to hurt us, because I hurt her." said Owen softly. " I am so sorry." he finished.

"Wow" said Cristina, "My old mentor, ended up leaving me at the altar, my new love interest finds me a new mentor, that is in love with my love, and is now at war with him, and I am going to be a hormonal fat pregnant chick stuck in the middle of war between two of the most important people in my life. God its like something out of a soap opera." she finished with a slightly bemused look on her face.

Noting her more relaxed expression, Owen smiled and said, " So, when you were talking about not wanting to regret your choices what did you mean? what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe they are right, Meredith and Teddy, maybe I can't do it all. I probably can't do it all really well anyway, so maybe I should do some bits really well, and let someone else do the rest." She looked at the blank expression on his face, and smirked a little.

"Cristina, I am really not following. I get that you want to be a cardio god. No compromise, nothing less than 100% commitment right." Cristina nodded agreement at his statement. "Are you suggesting that I give up work and look after the baby?" Owen looked a little shocked, and although the thought had never crossed Cristina's mind, she thought that it was a good one.

"I think that that would be an excellent solution, because you are going to be the best dad in the world, but I am not sure that we could afford to lose your substantial head of trauma salary." Cristina laughed, and Owen sighed in relief.

"I always thought that Meredith would be there to support me, and I need her to be my person throughout this pregnancy, and after the baby is born when I'm freaking out because I don't know what I am doing , but after tonight, well I don't know if she will be. My person that is." Cristina paused, and then continued. "Then there is Teddy, the first person to really believe in me since Burke left, she lets me work on hearts, she has taught me, and she knew what I was capable of even when I didn't know I was capable of it, and she doesn't think that I can do this, neither of them think that I can do this, and I want to do this really really well, but the people who know me best don't think that I can, so I need to do something different, I need a solution, that does not involve either of us giving up our talent, or giving up this baby, and although my mother, and your mother, will be absolutely appalled, I think that we should consider a live in nanny, for when my maternity leave is finished."

It was quite a speech, and Owen listened carefully and silently, to ensure that he had not misunderstood. She was concerned that she could not handle a career and a baby, because Meredith, I freak out over everything, Grey, and Teddy, I have been in the army and never seen anyone juggle a career and parenthood at the same time, Altman, told her that she couldn't manage. Owen knew that many of her fears were unfounded, but knew he needed to handle her carefully.

"Cristina, in Iraq, the servicemen and women who had children, all had to leave them at home obviously, so Teddy has never known anyone who has looked after a child while completing her career goals, so the concept is alien to her. Bailey did it, Ellis Grey did it, and I don't think that they have half of the determination you have."

"Yes but Ellis screwed Meredith up totally with all her focus on work," Cristina interrupted.

" I know, but Ellis was a single parent trying to do it all, and granted she didn't do so well with the parenting bit, but you have me, and between us I know that we can be hands on parents and still achieve our career goals. I know you pretty well too, and I know that you do not fail at anything that you set your mind on achieving, and we are a team, together we can do anything that we want to. Remember Cristina, that they may not like that we are having a baby now, but we are, and we will find a solution to any problem that comes along, and if getting a nanny, live in or otherwise is the solution, then that is what we will do, but we will do it when we are ready, and when we know that that is the solution. This is not about Meredith, or Teddy, or our Mums for that matter, it is about our life together, and our choices for that life. This is about you, me and our child. Our family. The Hunts." Owen smiled, seeing that it had worked, that Cristina was calm.

Owen was always the voice of reason, he made her realise that there was no need for her to make any snap decisions. It would be a year before she needed any child care, if she took her full maternity leave, and she would know by then if she was struggling with parenthood, and needed some additional support, and that realisation made her feel better, he made her feel better, just like she knew he would when she had said that she wanted to leave Joe's.

"She will come round won't she," murmured Cristina, referring to her person.

"Of course she will, after all, what is one twisted sister without the other." Owen replied laughing.

Cristina leaned forward to tenderly kiss her husband "Thank you." she whispered against his mouth.

"What for?" he whispered back.

"For reminding me, that we are what matters, the people who live in this apartment," she smiled, and stood up pulling Owen with her towards the bedroom, whilst continuing her conversation. "Thank you for reminding me that others can only influence my decisions, our decisions, if we let them, and this is too important, this has nothing to do with any of our friends or family, it is all about us."