After being out of touch with everyone for nearly a week Nathan appeared at Meghan's door.

"Meg," Nathan called softly, seeing her asleep with her siblings on either side of her bed, he noticed the sleeping baby in the carseat on the floor. Nikki didn't go anywhere without her son.

"Nate," Meghan said, opening her eyes.

"Meghan," Meredith said, "I don't want you to make any sudden moves or get out of bed. Stay where you are."

"What's going on," Meghan asked.

"I brought you something," Nathan beamed, "or some one."

Nathan stepped aside.

"Hi mama," Faroke yelled.

"Oh my god," Meghan said, "are you here, are you real?"

"I'm real," Faroke said.

Nikki jumped up allowing Meghan to hug her son.

"My boy," Meghan cried into his hair, hugging her son tight and kissing him.

"Who are they," Faroke asked.

"This is your Uncle Owen and your Auntie Nikki," Meghan said.

"Uncle Owen and Auntie Nikki," Faroke said eyes wide, "like in your stories mama?"

"Like in my stories," Meghan promised.

Owen hugged the little boy, "hi buddy. I'm happy to meet you."

The little boy walked to the car seat, "why is the baby in a box mama?"

Nikki crouched beside Faroke, "I'm Auntie Nikki and this is your cousin Tyler he's my little boy."

"Can I see him," Faroke asked.

"He likes helping with babies," Meghan said.

"Sit up with your mom and Uncle Owen and I'll bring Ty over," Nikki suggested.

Owen lifted Faroke onto the bed beside Meghan.

Nikki sat on the other side of the bed with Tyler in her arms.

"Do you want to say hi," Nikki asked.

"Yes please," Faroke said.

"Careful with his head," Nikki warned.

"Yes," Faroke replied.

Nikki put the baby in his arms.

"Is he my only cousin," Faroke asked.

"No," Owen said, "my wife, your Auntie Teddy and I have three kids. Two girls Allison who is about your age, Amber is 3 and Daniel is a few weeks older than Tyler."

"Mama there's kids," Faroke said.

"I know," Meghan said.

"We should go home before snack time," Nikki said.

"See you tomorrow," Meghan said.

"We will," Nikki replied, "it was good to meet you Faroke."

Nikki took her baby back.

"Bye auntie Nikki, bye Tyler," Faroke said.

Nikki quickly hugged her nephew and sister with one arm.

"I'm going to go," Owen said, "let you two have some time."

"Bye Eeyore," Meghan said.

"How did you get here," Meghan asked Faroke when it was just the two of them.

"Dr. Nathan came and said he was going to bring me to you," Faroke said.

"How did you know it was safe," Meghan said.

"He had pictures of you here," Faroke said, "the soldiers knew him."

"How was the trip," Meghan asked.

"We went on two helicopters, two planes, a train and a car," Faroke said, "he has a car mama."

"Most people here have cars," Meghan said, "are you tired? Hungry?"

"Tired," Faroke yawned.

"Come here and close your eyes," Meghan said opening her arms.

Faroke cuddled up with his mom, his head on her shoulder. Meghan ran one hand up and down his back in the same soothing rhythm she had used since he was a newborn.

An hour later Teddy appeared at the door.

"Meghan who is this," Teddy asked coming in.

"This is Faroke," Meghan smiled.

"Mama," Faroke yawned

"Yes baby," Meghan replied.

"Who is that," Faroke said.

"This is auntie Teddy," Meghan said, "you know her name. It's Teddy from my stories."

"She's my auntie," Faroke said, "Auntie Nikki and Auntie Teddy."

"Yes," Teddy said standing by the bed, "it's nice to meet you Faroke."

"Hi auntie Teddy," Faroke said shyly.

"I'm so happy your here," Teddy said hugging him.

"Lots of hugs," Faroke said.

"Uncle Owen and Auntie Teddy," Meghan said, "Auntie Nikki."

"Baby Tyler," Faroke added.

"Did Nikki let you hold Tyler," Teddy asked.

"She did," Meghan said, "with my help."

"She hasn't let Allison," Teddy said, "adults only. Is she here?"

"She took Tyler home," Meghan said, "I think she had had enough."

"I could hear him screaming last night," Teddy said, "he's really fussy. I think he might be a bit colicy. We went through it with Allison. It was hard with two of us."

"I can go help," Nathan offered.

"Talk to her," Teddy said, "we're going to try or ask Evelyn to come. It's Nikki, she won't admit when she's overwhelmed and has had enough."

"I know," Nathan said, "you didn't see the day she got completely overwhelmed and shut down in Kenya."

"What happened," Teddy asked.

"I took her for a walk and we walked until she could pick one feeling and one thought and then we went through the Nikki web," Nathan said.

"Nikki web," Meghan asked.

"When her brain goes on warp speed and she has about 20 tangled thoughts," Teddy replied, "when it gets bad and this last year has been bad it can take a while to help her untangle it."

"What happened in Kenya," Meghan asked.

"We were about six weeks in," Nathan said, "she was homesick, her team wasn't working well, the local teachers didn't like their methods, the four girls in her tent had some sort of fight. She came and found me in tears just overwhelmed. And she suspected Jeff was cheating because his texts were weird and vague, he didn't answer her calls."

"He did cheat on her," Teddy said, "she found out after he left her. He asked to bring that girl to meet Tyler."

"So not only did he leave her," Meghan said, "he cheated."

"He did," Nathan said, "and she's black and white with stuff like that."

"Dr Nathan," Faroke said, "where am I going to live?"

"Your mom should be out of the hospital in another week," Nathan said, "you have two choices. I can take you to your auntie Nikki's and you can stay with her. Or you can come stay with me."

"You can come stay with us two," Teddy said, "Uncle Owen, Allison, Amber, Daniel and I live upstairs, Auntie Nikki and Tyler live downstairs."

"Is there an uncle with Auntie Nikki," Faroke asked.

"There's not," Meghan said, "it's just her and Tyler like it was just you and I."

"Did Tyler's dad die two," Faroke asked.

"No," Teddy said, "he's just not around."

"How about I take you to the house and you can pick where you want to sleep later," Nathan suggested.

"Do you live there," Faroke asked.

"No I have an apartment a few minutes away," Nathan replied.

"How about this," Teddy said, "Faroke you come with me. We'll get you cleaned up, you can play with your cousins, have dinner and we'll come back to say good night to your mom. Then we can decide where you want to sleep."

"Teddy," Nathan said, "can I crash on your couch tonight? Help where I'm needed with any of the 5 kids."

"Owen is on call tonight," Teddy said, "I'd really appreciate it. Thanks Nate."

"So thats settled," Nathan said, "were all going to the house. Faroke can go with Teddy now. I need a few minutes with Meg then to pick up a few things."

"Evelyn is picking the girls up from day camp," Teddy said, "Faroke and I have to stop at target."

"Teddy," Meghan said.

"I need diapers," Teddy replied, "Nathan you'll bring his bag?"

"He has what he has on and one change of clothes in my bag," Nathan said.

"Okay I'll grab a few things," Teddy replied.

"Teddy don't," Meghan said.

"Essentials Meghan. You would do it if it was our kids coming to you," Teddy replied, "we're family. Don't fight me on this please."

"Thank you," Meghan smiled.

Teddy said goodbye and lead Faroke out of the room.

"You went all the way to Baghdad to get my son," Meghan asked.

"I had to," Nathan said, "he had to come home."

"Thank you," Meghan said, throwing her arms around him, "thank you for bringing my son home."

"You raised a great kid," Nathan said, "he was great to travel with."

"This, what are we," Meghan asked.

"A family of three," Nathan said, "we just need you to get well."

"Where will we live," Meghan asked.

"We will work that out when you're out of here," Nathan said, "I'm in a one bedroom because it's all I needed. I'll put my place on the market and we'll find a house. Close to Owen and Teddy."

"Close to Owen and Teddy," Meghan agreed, "I love you."

"I love you two," Nathan said shifting her in his arms to kiss her.

"And we're never telling Nikki about what happened the day I was captured," Meghan said.

"No," Nathan agreed, "there was more than the cheating though."

"More," Meghan asked.

"More that came out in Kenya," Nathan said, "I promised I wouldn't tell."

"Did he hurt her," Meghan asked.

"Not physically," Nathan said, "but he was mentally abusive, manipulative and controlling. I'm still sorry I cheated."

"I am two," Meghan said, "I wish I never had."

"Every time I tried to date after I felt like I was cheating," Nathan said, "I couldn't commit."

"Did you try," Meghan asked, "you all thought I was gone I understand."

"Twice," Nathan said, "Nikki's faculty advisor and you knew about Meredith."

"Nikkis faculty advisor," Meghan said.

"Teachers in training are assigned to a master teacher for the year," Nathan said, "again I met her on the Kenya trip. It's like Nikki's attending. Kristen was an amazing teacher and a good mentor to the wolf pack."

"Wolf pack," Meghan asked.

"Each cohort of teacher candidates has an animal name," Nathan explained, "Nikki's was the wolves so she called them the wolf pack. They howled and everything. I spent four months with them. They had cheers, songs, howls, games."

"Are you okay with having Faroke," Meghan said, "he is my world."

"I love him already," Nathan said, "he could be our son?"

"Our son," Meghan smiled, "I like that. Are you okay staying in Seattle?"

"It's home," Nathan said, "our family is here. Your mom and siblings. Our nieces and nephews."

"It's home," Meghan agreed.

"We'll find our own place and settle down with our son," Nathan said.

"I like that. The three of us close to my family," Meghan said.

"Our family," Nathan said, "I kind of took over as a second big brother for Nikki."

"You and squirt are close," Meghan said.

"She needs people in her corner. She's struggling but won't let you see," Nathan said, "Ma's worried about her. Nikki wants to trust you but it'll take time. She's pretty open with me. The circle of who she trusts is very small. She's only open with Ma, Owen, Teddy and I. I'll help with all five kids tonight. It'll take three of us to get five to bed on time."

"What is bed time," Meghan asked.

"7:30 for the girls so I assume Faroke is the same the babies go down a bit later," Nathan replied, "Nikki stays downstairs after Tyler goes to bed. I think she reads or journals. Bedtime is a production. Baths, snack, stories, brush teeth, tuck in, night lights, doors open and then sleep. Does Faroke have a routine?"

"Snack, brush teeth and wash face, cuddle and story, sleep," Meghan said, "I tell him stories about my childhood and my family."

"Teddy reads to them," Nathan said, "or what ever adult is free. I think they're just starting a new book. It's always a novel. I had to read the girls the last chapter of charlotte's web when the spider dies."

"Thank you," Meghan said, "for bringing Faroke to me."

"Your welcome," Nathan said giving Meghan a soft kiss.

"I love you," Meghan whispered.

"I love you too," Nathan echoed.

Thoughts?