Notes: Hey guys, sorry for how long I took again and sorry that this chapter is a bit shorter, I hope you enjoy it regardless, thanks for the reviews they make my day!
That night after dinner, Owen carried his and Cristina's bags up to their room. Cristina followed behind him, she yawned loudly and Owen turned around and laughed at her. She was pretty exhausted from the travel not to mention the effort of trying to make a good first impression with Owen's siblings.
She figured she'd done a pretty good job, they all seemed nice enough and so far none showed any sign of hating her. She smiled as they entered their room and she saw the inviting king sized bed dressed in flannel sheets with a fur blanket on top. She couldn't wait to climb in and pass out.
After a quick argument about Owen's sleeping arrangements, Cristina desperately wanting him to sleep in bed with her and Owen adamant about sleeping on the sofa in the living room, they had come to the agreement that he would sleep on the floor in their room.
Owen plopped down beside her on the bed after brushing his teeth.
"You know they all really like you" he said whilst tucking a stray curl behind her ear.
Cristina rolled over on her side to face him, "Really?" she asked.
Owen smiled, "Yeah, in fact while you were in the kitchen with mum they wouldn't shut up about how much better you are than Beth"
That made Cristina smile, "I am better than Beth" she whispered.
Owen laughed and leaned in to steal a quick kiss.
"I like them too you know" Cristina said after they parted.
"Especially Charlie"
"I knew you two would get along" Owen replied, he couldn't help but smile, this was the first time Charlie had ever liked anyone he had dated. Of course she would like Cristina, how could you not, he thought to himself.
"She told me about your dad" Cristina said warily, she was afraid this subject would erase his beautiful smile, but felt like it was a good time to bring it up.
As she feared, his smile vanished as he was taken off guard by her statement, but it was quickly replaced by a half smile.
"Oh yeah" he said.
Cristina decided to dig a little further, "You never really talk about him" she said.
Owen paused and she wondered if he was ever going to respond, "He was my best friend…..he was one of those dads you see in the movies… the ones who spend every free moment playing with their kids." His voice grew louder as he found confidence to continue, "He taught me everything, sports, manners, work ethic, how to ride a bike. He was just the best, and I think…. he would have really liked you…I think about that a lot." He admitted.
Cristina sat up as he finished talking, "I wish I could've met him" she replied.
Owen placed a hand on her growing bump, "He would've made an awesome grandpa." He said sadly with a smile whilst stroking her bump with his thumb.
Cristina smiled back at him and leaned forward to give him a kiss on his forehead.
The next morning Cristina was awoken by whispering coming off the floor beside her, she was still half asleep and so didn't think anything of it.
Until she heard her husband shout, "Attack" and a bouncing toddler climbed on to her bed, she looked at him sleepily and in her hazy state figured he must be the nephew she was yet to meet. But, before she could say anything, he pounced on her. He was quickly joined by her husband, they were either side of her so she couldn't escape and before she could fully grasp what was happening, they both began frantically tickling her.
Cristina began to squirm and shriek,
"Stop it" she hissed but to no avail.
Soon she was laughing hysterically which made little Toby giggle too. Cristina saw this as her escape and took the opportunity to grab the miniature red head and show him a taste of his own medicine.
His adorable laughter filled the room and Owen took a minute to appreciate the scene in front of him as his wife tickled the life out of his nephew. He couldn't wait to experience this same scene with his own daughter.
When the giggles died down Owen climbed onto the bed with them and grabbed Toby away from Cristina and sat him on his knee.
"Morning Auntie Tina" Toby said with an adorable lisp which Cristina couldn't help but smile at.
"Good Morning Toby" she replied
"Guess who's coming tonight?!" he said excitedly.
"Who?" Owen replied playing dumb.
Toby stood up and started jumping on the bed, "SANTA!"
He ran over and placed both his little hands either side of Cristina's face, "Santa's coming TONIGHT!" he screamed as if she hadn't got the message.
She mirrored his actions with her hands on his cheeks, "Yay" she said smiling.
"A-and he's gonna bring me a remote control car!" he said this time running over to tell Owen.
Owen smiled at him, he really was adorable, "Only if you've been a good boy" he said ruffling his nephew's hair.
"TOBY BREAKFAST IS READY" his mum called from downstairs.
Toby quickly scrambled off the bed and out the door muttering something about chocolate chip pancakes.
Owen laughed at his prompt exit and looked over to see Cristina doing the same.
"He's quite something" she said.
"Yeah Toby's a little fire rocket"
"Just think, this time next year we'll have our own little girl crawling on our bed." He said grinning.
Cristina's face showed a mixture of fear and excitement, "Yeah" she replied.
Owen moved positions so he was now sitting beside his wife and rested his head on her shoulder.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked.
"Oh you mean before the attack?" she quipped back.
"Yes" Owen laughed.
"I slept fine, would've slept better if you weren't on the damn floor" she muttered.
Owen ignored her remark, "You ready for your first Christmas Eve?" he asked with a smile.
"Ready as I'll ever be" she replied.
Owen and Cristina were called down for breakfast soon later, as they sat down at the table, Cristina noticed a red and white Santa hat laid at each place setting.
Owen's mum had prepared a gourmet breakfast, it really was like something out of the movies. "Good morning sweetheart" Evelyn said to Cristina from across the table.
"Dig in"
"This looks amazing" Cristina replied, as she scanned the table to decide what to start with.
She nudged Owen and pointed for him to pass her the pancakes, and she helped herself to a stack and drizzled them with maple syrup.
The hum of merry conversation was interrupted by the clinking of a fork on a glass.
Everyone turned to see Evelyn smiling and ready to speak, "Merry Christmas everyone, I just want to say how special it is to be spending Christmas with all of you under one roof. I'm one very thankful old lady" she finished with a grin and resumed her seat.
An echo of "Love you mum" was heard around the room before everyone continued tucking into their breakfast feast.
"Let the Christmas Eve traditions commence" Dylan shouted.
Cristina turned to Owen, "Traditions?" she whispered to him.
Owen was about to explain when he was interrupted by Toby, "Aunty Tina put your hat on right now!" he ordered placing his little hands on his hips as he waited.
The whole table laughed at his bossy behaviour and Cristina looked up to see that everyone else had already placed their santa hats on their heads, so she reluctantly did the same.
Owen laughed at the sight before him, Cristina Yang in a Santa hat was a sight he never thought he would see.
She noticed him laughing at her and kicked him under the table.
"What? You look adorable" he replied still laughing.
Once everyone's plates were empty and stomachs were full, an eager Toby turned to his mum with a bright smile on his face.
"Is it zoom zoom time?" he asked bouncing up and down.
His mum nodded, "We're gonna go real soon okay" she replied.
Cristina turned to Owen questioningly again.
"That's tradition number one" he said with a smile, "Zoom zoom is what he calls snow tubing" he explained.
Toby jumped off his chair and ran over to Owen's seat, "Uncle Owen, you're my partner again last time we go super fast" he rambled excitedly.
Owen reached out to ruffle Toby's hair, "I'm sorry little man, I can't go this year I'm gonna stay with Aunty Cristina."
The smile on Toby's face instantly dropped and it pulled on the heart strings of everyone at the table.
"Aunty Tina come too" Toby replied pulling on Cristina's sleeve.
Owen gave the kid a sad smile, "Aunty Tina can't come because of the baby." He explained.
Toby frowned again "Oh okay" he mumbled sadly before sulking off to the other room.
Cristina turned to Owen, "Owen go with him, I'll be fine here" she said.
Owen shook his head, "No I'm not gonna leave you by yourself" he replied.
"Owen I'll be fine, but that was the saddest thing I've ever seen and if you don't go with I can't promise that these stupid hormones won't make me cry and I'm not about to cry in front of your whole family, so go with him or I will"
Owen laughed at her reply, "Ok fine"
Owen left to go find Toby and a few minutes later excitable shrieking could be heard coming from the next room.
She smiled to herself, she was becoming pretty fond of her little ginger nephew.
Cristina watched as everyone got bundled up in their snow gear and made their way out the door, to her surprise even Evelyn enjoyed this tradition.
Owen was last to leave, he stood by her side, "Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes at how over protective he was, "I'll be fine Owen, go" she said pushing him out the door.
"Have fun"
"okay" he replied reluctantly.
He leaned in to steal a quick kiss before she closed the door on him.
It wasn't until she was watching them drive away that she felt it.
No it couldn't be, she thought to herself.
But there it was again this time twice as strong.
"Awch" she cried clutching her bump…
Notes: Thanks for reading, let me know what you thought!