Meghan lay in the hospital bed starting at the ceiling trying to wrap her head around what had happened in the years she was away. Owen and Nikki were friends now they got along great and had inside jokes. Honestly after watching them for the last week she felt a little left out. Life had gone on without her there were nieces and nephews who didn't know her. Owen had married Teddy and Nathan had been seeing her surgeon. The hardest for her was that the baby sister who had once idolized her and told her everything was almost afraid of her. Now she was on the outside of her siblings who for six years had lived in the same house.

"What's wrong sweetheart," Evelyn asked sitting on the side of the bed.

"Just thinking," Meghan said.

"About what," Evelyn questioned, "I know that look sweetheart you're not okay."

"I miss my son," Meghan said.

"Tell me about him," Evelyn said, "I haven't met him yet."

"They sent me a picture," Meghan said, reaching towards the phone on the nightstand.

"Do you want your phone," Evelyn asked.

"I do," Meghan said.

Evelyn passed her the phone and Meghan unlocked it.

"Here he is," Meghan smiled looking at her son.

"He's handsome," Evelyn praised, "he has your dads eyes."

"He does," Meghan agreed, "I miss him."

"I know," Evelyn said, "we miss our kids when we are separated."

"I just want to get well and get back to him," Meghan said, "I have to get to Faroke."

"Meghan we're trying everything in our power to get him here," Evelyn said.

"I have to get to Faroke," Meghan sobbed, "I need my son. He's the only reason I survived as long as I did."

"Everyone is doing everything they can," Evelyn said.

"I need my son," Meghan bawled.

"As soon as your well," Evelyn promised, "one more surgery and the recovery."

"These spacers hurt," Meghan admitted, "and I don't want more drugs."

"What would help," Evelyn said.

"My son," Meghan said, "and to figure out what is going on with my siblings."

"They're good," Evelyn said, "new babies are a lot of work."

"When did they become friends," Meghan asked.

"Nikki was 17," Evelyn said.

"She's shutting me out," Meghan snapped.

"She is an introvert and doesn't trust easily," Evelyn said.

"She always trusted me more than him," Meghan said.

"Right now Nikki is only communicating with me, Owen and Teddy," Evelyn said, "she's even shutting out Nathan. She won't see her friends. In the last month she comes to see you and goes grocery shopping. Don't take it personally."

"But Owen," Meghan asked, "how? When?"

"Baby steps over the course of almost a year," Evelyn said, "Teddy was really helpful. She understood Nikki's ballet world and built a bridge for Owen and Nikki. She would spend time with them both then slowly backed away as they were ready. Teddy understood it better than I did both of them were confiding in her. It really changed when Nikki's senior year of highschool her history teacher made some off handed remarks about current conflicts and soldiers families having it easier with email and Nikki got so upset she ran out of class. I got a call from Owen saying she had called him and he was taking her to the crowsnest to talk about it. Then the school called to confirm that he could sign her out. It was late when he finally brought her home but she was smiling, it was a real smile. The first real smile I had seen from her in over two years. They worked it out."

"Without me," Meghan said.

"They had to learn to be siblings," Evelyn said, "he is her biggest cheerleader now. He's actually obnoxious at graduations. He tells me he has to be loud enough for the two of you."

"He understood that good," Meghan smiled, "I knew he would go home marry someone thank god it's not Beth."

"We had some issues with Beth after you disappeared," Evelyn said, "she taught Nikki in ninth, tenth and eleventh grade english. She would do things like make the kids write to soldiers then not let Nikki write to Owen."

"She wrote to Owen anyway I hope," Meghan said.

"Teddy," Evelyn replied, "she would address her envelop properly to Teddy. But it would be the form letter from class because Beth marked them all. Then she would email what she actually wanted to say."

"Did they forget about me," Meghan asked.

"No sweetheart," Evelyn, "Nikki was more vocal about it but it was always there with Owen."

"Really," Meghan asked.

"There's been lots of tears in the last year about you not being here," Evelyn said, "they never stopped missing you. Nikki was still emailing you until they got the call you were found."

"She was emailing me," Meghan asked, "why?"

"It gave her comfort," Evelyn replied, "I know you have all the ultrasounds and newborn pictures."

"I need to figure out that password," Meghan said.

"You will," Evelyn said, "tell me more about Faroke."

"He's 8 and he's mine," Meghan said, "he looks more like his father though. He's my reason to live. He's smart, kind, he loves math. He speaks and reads English and Arabic. He likes to play soccer."

"You've been on your own with him for 8 years," Evelyn said.

"Some friends," Meghan said, "I just needed you mom. I wanted you there to be the first person to hold him. To hold my hands and tell me it would be okay."

"I'm sure he's beautiful," Evelyn said, "I can't wait to meet him."

"I have to get back to him," Meghan said, "I have to go get him and I don't know how we're going to do immigration. I don't have any sort of birth certificate or passport."

"We will help you figure it all out," Evelyn assured.

"What you always wanted both daughters single moms," Meghan commented.

"Jeff cheated on Nikki," Evelyn said, "he hasn't met Tyler yet."

"He cheated on her," Meghan asked.

"Yes," Evelyn said, "Farokes father?"

"Dead," Meghan said, "on my table three weeks after Faroke was born."

"I'm sorry," Evelyn said, giving Meghan a hug.

"It's better for me and my son," Meghan said, "after Abdul died I did surgery, spent time with the other women and raised my son."

"What does he know," Evelyn asked.

"He knows about grandma, uncle Owen and auntie Nikki," Meghan said, "but you're a fairy tale to him. His bedtime stories were about Seattle and my family. He's never had a Christmas or seen a snowflake."

"I'm sure the first snow he will be out there with his aunts, uncle and cousins," Evelyn promised.

"Owen does it with his kids," Meghan asked.

"Him and Nikki take them," Evelyn replied.

"I'm on the outside with them," Meghan groaned.

"You've all felt left out by the other two at some point," Evelyn said.

"Owen," Meghan asked.

"He would come home and Nikki would hide from him until you coaxed her out," Evelyn said, "he felt on the outside of the two girls. Nikki always felt left out because she was so much younger. Most people don't realize she's as much younger than Owen as she is."

"She looks it," Meghan said.

"Looks but doesn't act," Evelyn said, "her accident was a huge jump in maturity. Almost dying, having your best friend die in the seat in front of you and watching another friend become a paraplegic will do that. Then her semester teaching in Kenya was huge. She did that with Nathan and they came back the best of friends. They have a cool friendship. He's Tyler's godfather, Nikki didn't tell anyone she was think it until she talked to Nathan."

"The accident who was she with," Meghan asked.

"Corinna passed and Sydney is a paraplegic," Evelyn said, "Nikki was going to see Sydney today."

"She's friends with Nathan," Meghan asked.

"Kenya. He stopped seeing her as just your baby sister and she stopped seeing him as your Nathan," Evelyn said, "they celebrated her birthday over there seeing giraffes, elephants and zebras. He took her to some village to help with vaccines. He taught her to give vaccinations."

"I wish I could have seen that," Meghan said.

"There's a video," Evelyn said.

"Why won't she talk to me or look me in the eye," Meghan asked.

"She feels inferior," Evelyn said, "plain and simple. Your sister has a huge inferiority complex. It causes fights with Owen and Teddy."

"Why," Meghan asked.

"I don't think even your sister knows that," Evelyn said, "she was seeing a counselor over the winter."

"Her dad," Meghan asked.

"Still hasn't met," Evelyn said, "there was a chance a few years ago but she decided not to."

"Why not," Meghan asked.

"She wasn't ready," Evelyn said.

"What about seeing me," Meghan asked.

"When she's ready," Evelyn said, "think of it like the stairs."

"Are you coaxing her down," Meghan asked.

"Actually the best person would be Owen," Evelyn said.

"Mom, Meghan," Nikki whispered from the door.

"I thought you were going to Sydney's today," Evelyn said.

"We did," Nikki said, "I picked up brunch from that place Syd and I like. We had brunch."

"What are you doing here," Evelyn asked.

"Tyler has a checkup with Dr. Karev," Nikki said, "Owen just stole him for a cuddle."

"You weren't going to bring him to see me," Meghan asked.

"After the check up when we had more time," Nikki said.

"Do you want me to come up darling," Evelyn asked.

"It's just a check up we can do this," Nikki said, "stay with Meghan."

"If you need mom I'm fine," Meghan said.

"I have to learn to do these things by myself," Nikki said, "getting my son back from Owen and going upstairs."

Owen met them with Tyler in his arms.

"He's looking for his mom," Owen said.

"It's time to go see Dr. Karev," Nikki said, "and Owl I don't need you to come we're good."

"Okay," Owen said, "call if you need me."

"I will but it's a routine baby check up," Nikki said, "you hand picked every doctor we see I'm fine. Were going to be late so we will see you later."

Nikki grabbed the stroller from Owen and went up to peds.

"Okay or putting on a brave face," Owen asked Evelyn.

"Both," Evelyn said, "let her do it. It's just a well baby visit."

"She looks good," Meghan commented.

"She's been walking a lot," Evelyn said.

"She's not in leggings and a hoodie," Meghan said.

"She likes that dress," Evelyn said, "she wore it a lot in the fall."

"Normal clothes," Meghan asked.

'She got it in October and wore it up until Christmas break when she really started to show," Evelyn said.

"It's a cute dress," Meghan said.

"She likes dresses," Evelyn said, "she's still my girly one."

"I miss dresses and pretty clothes," Meghan said, "when I get out of here I need to go shopping."

"We will go shopping," Evelyn agreed.

"Short sleeves, dresses that actually fit and aren't sacks," Meghan said, "not covering my hair outside."

"We will do all of those things," Evelyn agreed.

"A haircut," Meghan added to the list.

"All of that," Evelyn promised.

"Tell me about Nathan," Meghan said, "who has he dated? How long?"

"A flirtation with Nikki's faculty advisor on her teaching program," Owen said.

"Just meredith," Evelyn said, "that was the first time I met anyone. It was about six months?"

"Longer," Owen said, "but he kept telling me it didn't feel right. It wasn't you Meghan."

"I'm going to go to the washroom," Evelyn said standing up.

"Mom do not go find Nikki," Owen said, "remember she wants her independence."

"I know," Evelyn said.

With their mom out of the room Meghan asked, "how do I get our sister back?"

"She's not in a good place," Owen said, "we're having a hard time reaching her."

"What can we try," Meghan asked.

"I'd like to get her playing her music," Owen said, "start there."

"She still plays her violin," Meghan asked.

"She's good," Owen said, "I might ask her to play with me tonight."

"Is she okay," Meghan asked.

"She's scared of you," Owen said, "it's not easy to get her to trust and she's really vulnerable right now. Jeff was mentally abusive to her and controlling. She's got a lot to work though. She wants to trust you and be friends again but she's worried she let you down."

"How could she have let me down," Meghan asked.

"She thinks she has," Owen said, "you have to show her."

"I will," Meghan said, "I'll get her trust back."

"Don't rush," Owen said, "she lets you hold Tyler that's a good sign."

"So Teddy," Meghan said, "how did that happen?"

"She came here to take a job because I asked her two," Owen said, "then we were hanging out and one night she was at my place we had a few many and we ended up in bed. But instead of being awkward and wrong it felt right. It was like she was supposed to be there in my arms. For the first time ever things felt right."

"How long did it take you to figure that out," Meghan asked.

"Well we knew she was pregnant it the end June and we had been together four months when we found out," Owen said, " so we got together in February."

"When did you get home," Meghan asked.

"July of the year before but I didn't see mom or Nikki until early January," Owen admitted, "I was a mess I didn't want them to see me. What happened was my fault. I couldn't face them. I was almost ready when Nikki appeared in my ER."

"They didn't know,' Meghan asked.

"No," Owen said, "then Nikki saw me across the ER and screamed my name before completely rejecting me then rejecting four residents including Grey. then Teddy came a day early and had just finished a trauma and she had to treat Nikki. Nikki only wanted you, it took some coaxing for her to let Teddy help."

"You and Teddy were only dating when she got pregnant," Meghan said.

"Yes," Owen said, "mom was shocked. Both Nikki and I have unplanned kids."

"Faroke is unplanned," Meghan said, "we all do."

"Make sure she learns that," Owen said, "she's anxious you'll judge her for not planning Tyler."

"We can't talk," Meghan quipped.

"We can't," Owen agreed.

"Your happy with Teddy," Meghan asked.

"I am," Owen said, "Teddy and I that's right."

"Told you so eeyore," Meghan said.

"I know you were right," Owen said.

"Again," Meghan teased.

"You were right," Owen said, "happy?"

"I am," Meghan said.

They chatted a bit with Meghan asking about people they had served with and Owen filling her in on what he knew.

Nikki reappeared at the door.

"How was it squirt," Owen asked.

"He's gained two and a half pounds," Nikki smiled.

"So what does he weigh now," Meghan asked.

"Ten pounds," Nikki replied, "I guess his constant eating is working."

"Constant," Meghan asked.

"Every two and a half hours ish," Nikki said, "he's a hungry boy. Eat, change, snuggle , sleep on repeat."

"It's how they grow," Owen said.

"He's getting more alert now," Nikki said smiling at the little boy in the stroller.

"They do," Meghan said, "can I say hi?"

"Hes awake right now," Nikki said.

"I haven't seen his eyes open yet," Meghan said, "bring him here squirt."

Nikki parked the stroller and sat with Tyler beside Owen.

"I can't reach," Meghan said.

"Here he is," Nikki said leaning across Owen to put Tyler in Meghan's lap.

only a few more pre written chapters