I had asked Phoenix if we could stay in Seattle. For a day, he didn't seem to like the idea of leaving California. St. Ambrose hospital was where he had his internship, his residency. Transferring was going to be a pain the ass, and he wasn't impressed with the question. That was, until he saw the way Willow interacted with Amelia. It made his heart swell. He saw the way Amelia loved me, and her niece and nephew, and if that isn't enough to say 'Okay' I don't know what is. We moved to Seattle that year. Addison visited frequently, and we were only just down the street from Amelia and Owen. Willow, now, is eleven, and Link is eight. Both are in school, and very happy children. Phoenix was an attending at Grey-Sloan, and I was still a stay at home mom, with another best seller on the market. I loved my life, and every day I cherished it. But that doesn't mean some days weren't difficult.

Willow, being almost twelve, was trying to be a cool rebellious tween, and no one was too happy about it. She was a sweet angel one moment, and the next she was picking a fight, and it was almost unbearable. For awhile Amelia was able to put her back in her place, because Amelia was the cool aunt, and I was just the mean mom, and Phoenix was just the know-it-all dad. That was until recently, though, when I caught her coming home with a pound of makeup on her face.

"Willow Amelia Shepherd-Maxwell, what the hell is on your face." My fists connected with my hips, and I tapped my bare foot against the beige carpet beneath it.

"Makeup?" She scoffed, crossing her arms.

"And what are you wearing?" I said, clearly distressed. "Who taught you that you could walk outside looking like a stripper!?"

"All the girls at school do it." She rolled her eyes.

"Do not roll your eyes at me, Willow. I really would not advise keeping this attitude for much longer." I said, anger building in my chest.

"What are you gonna do about it? Put me in time out?"

That was it. "Get to your room. Right now. Change out of that skanky outfit, get that make up off your face, and come back down when you're not being so vile. I am your mother, and you're going to respect me. Do you understand that?"

"Whatever." She grumbled, stomping up the stairs.

I was angry, and I could get angry, but nothing like Phoenix. I wanted to call him but at the same time I needed to deal with this myself, because he'd implode on impact and regardless of this attitude she has up that she doesn't care, she'd cry herself to sleep knowing that Phoenix had just screamed at her. So I called my two second bests. Amelia and Addison.

It took them literally minutes to arrive at my front door. Amelia was hosting Addison at her house. It was her turn anyways, but it was also her day off and I kind of felt guilty for pulling them away to deal with my daughter but I couldn't do it alone. "Help."

"Where's the kid?" Amelia stepped inside, throwing her shoes off at the front door like I always asked. Addison did the same.

"Her room, removing her alter." I shook my head in disbelief. "My baby. My eleven year old baby, is dressed in booty shorts, and a top short enough to be considered a bra. She doesn't even wear bras. Oh Jesus...and her makeup. I've never seen so much makeup on a person before."

"I remember when she was so small." Addison reminisced. "She could crawl into our laps, and we'd read her bed time stories. The only time that girl wore makeup is when she got into yours."

"I know." I muttered. "It's horrible, Addie. She looked like...like..."

"A slut?"

All three of our heads whipped towards the staircase. Her beautiful face no longer adorned in the horrendous amounts of makeup, and she was wearing leggings and a t-shirt. Normal kid clothes, for a normal kid. "You think I looked like a slut."

"Yes." Amelia nodded her head. "What gives you the right to completely disobey your mother?"

"At least I'm not taking drugs, unlike you." She cocked her head to the side.

I saw Amelia's face drain blood and she balled her hands into fists.

"That is enough!" I yelled loudly, making everyone jump. I never yelled. I was always good cop, always trying to smooth things over, but no one and I mean no one gets to talk about my sister that way. Not even my daughter. "You don't speak to adults that way, Willow. I've taught you better, I raised you better. Your father would be so disappointed, and you want to know something? I tried this same exact stunt when I was your age, and you wanna know what happened to me?"

"What?" She raised her eyebrows, giving me attitude.

"I got beat." I said calmly. "Beat until I was black and blue."

Suddenly the entire room went silent, jaws dropped although I was unsure whose they belonged to. "I did absolutely anything to get my mothers attention. Anything, to make her love me, and that was one of the things I did and you know what it gave me? Two black eyes and a broken nose and bruises everywhere."

My daughters face softened as I recounted my tail. "You are so incredibly lucky you didn't have to grow up the way I did. Begging for attention because I wanted love. You have, so much love, Willow. I love you, Amelia loves you, Addison loves you, and your dad adores you. And Link? Link looks up to you, so much. What kind of example are you setting? Not to respect his body? Make himself look provocative for attention? Come on, Willow. Really?"

"Royal." Addison muttered softly.

"No." I jabbed my finger towards her. "No, you don't tell me to stop. She knows my childhood, Addie. She knows the shit I went through, so this is real time, Low. Me and you. Real time. We all grew up in shit, doing the same exact things you're doing and we all got very different reactions, but you, you out of all of us have the absolute best. Because we're doing this from love, not anger, and hatred."

"You sound mad." Willow mumbled, rocking on her feet.

"She is." Amelia crossed her arms tightly, still angry about the little comment she made about the whole drugs thing. "She's more pissed than ever at you, Willow."

"You heard her." I cocked my head.

"Am I in trouble?" She looked down, hiding her face with her brown waves that looked identical to Amelia's.

"A lot of it." Addison responded.

"Okay." She sighed. "I deserve it."

"Hell yes you do." I said. "Now get all the way down here, and you apologize to your aunt, right now. That little comment you made about drugs was disgusting, and uncalled for. She's been nothing but good to you your whole life, so don't you dare turn around and act as though she's scum at the bottom of your shoe."

She walked down the stairs, pursing her lips. "I'm sorry, Amy."

Amelia looked at her with a stony face and gathered her in her arms. "I accept your apology, Willow."

"Thank you." She muttered into her chest.

"Now apologize to your mother." Addison said firmly. "If you've hurt anyone the most it's her."

She left Amelia and walked over to me, bringing me in her arms and wrapping her arms tightly around my torso. I hugged her back. "I'm sorry, mommy."

I caressed her waves, kissing her head. "I also accept your apology, Low. But that doesn't mean you're grounded."

"I know." She sighed shakily. "My phone?"

"Your phone, your computer, and no TV for a week." I said, and she pulled away.

"Okay. I'll go get them." She mumbled, walking up the stairs glumly.

"Good job, El." Amelia smiled, bringing me in her arms.

I hugged her tightly. "Thanks. I am so sorry for what she said."

"You did it too." She reminded. "Just retaliation. She didn't mean it."

I cringed, thinking I'd said the words that crossed my daughters lips. They were so nasty, and mean, it hurt to think anyone could say that to a human as amazing as Amelia. "Yeah. Sorry about that too."

Next thing I know I'm in Addisons arms as well and I sighed. "My baby is all grown up. She isn't four anymore, guys."

"She's growing up to be a beautiful woman. She's not a kid anymore. Have you had the talk with her yet?" Amelia asked.

I shivered just thinking about it. "Not yet. I don't think I'm ready for that."

"She's almost twelve. She needs to be talked to, and soon." Addison said.

"I know but. She just. She's my baby." I groaned. "My baby."

"She'll always be your baby, El." Amelia tucked hair behind my ear. "Like you're always my baby. But I gave you the talk, and I don't tell you not to have sex."

"Ew. Okay. Great, thanks, Amelia." I rolled my eyes.

The two women laughed and I crossed my arms.

"Here." Willow returned. "My phone and my computer."

"Thank you." I said, grabbing them from her and sticking them in the kitchen cabinet. "You'll get them back next Tuesday."

"Okay." She nodded.

"Now that Amelia and Addie are here, we're not gonna just kick them out." I smiled at them. "Let's do something fun."

"You have twister, sis?" Amelia raised a brow.

"Who doesn't?" I scoffed, going into the living room to search through the board games. "Ah, here we go."

Amelia cracked her knuckles and neck. "This is my game."

"I'm gonna beat you." I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Such children." Addison rested her hands on Willow's shoulders. "But I think I'm going to win."

Willow giggled. "We'll see about that."

I smiled, we were a family. A big dysfunctional family, but I loved it.

I'll be posting a few more chapters of Royal's life as the kids age, and as time progresses, but The Shepherd Theory is coming to an end. But as of now, I'm writing a new fanfic, Heroin and The Heroine. So watch out for those new chapters! Thanks for all the support on this fic, it means a lot. :)

-Sam