After a week away Teddy's plane finally touched down. She couldn't wait to be home with her family. All week the only thing she could think of was getting back to Owen and her kids. She just wanted to be home with them. Before the kids she would have enjoyed being in the hotel and room service but now all she wanted was sticky jam covered little smiles and mac and cheese in dinosaur mugs.
Teddy came into the arrivals area pulling her suitcase Owen saw her and started waving to ,make sure she saw them, but she had seen them before he saw her.
"Mommy," Leo yelled.
Teddy ran towards her family.
"Hi buddy," Teddy said, catching the little boy as he jumped on her, "I missed my Leo Monster."
"I love you," Leo said.
"I love you two Leo," Teddy said, squeezing her son tighter. It was the first time Leo had said he loved Teddy.
"How was your trip," Owen asked.
"I miss you," Teddy said.
"We missed you," Owen said.
Teddy put Leo down and hugged Owen, "I really really missed you."
"I missed you more," Owen said, kissing her passionately.
"Mommy," Allison said.
"I didn't forget about you baby girl," Teddy beamed, taking Allison out of the stroller.
"Mommy," Allison said again.
"Yes baby," Teddy beamed, kissing the little girl's cheeks.
"Should we take mommy home," Owen asked.
"Yes," Leo cheered.
Teddy took the stroller while Owen grabbed her bag. He drove them home as they caught up on the week.
Walking into the house Teddy beamed seeing the banner that read welcome home mommy hanging above the fireplace.
"Owen," Teddy sighed.
"And roast chicken," Owen said, "with mashed potatoes."
"My favourite," Teddy grinned.
"We missed you," Owen said.
"I missed you two," Teddy said, "our family. People were getting sick of hearing about my kids."
"Our kids are great," Owen said.
"I saw Jones remember him," Teddy asked.
"He saw the picture of the four of us as my computer background and wanted to know when we got together," Teddy said.
"What did you say," Owen asked.
"A while," Teddy replied, "then he assumed longer because he thought Leo was mine. He does look like us."
"He does," Owen smiled, "but we'll tell him."
"We have to," Teddy said, "it wouldn't be right to hide it. Technically I'm not connected to him at all other than dating you. He calls me mommy and I say he's my son but legally."
"I know," Owen said.
"I want to adopt him," Teddy said, "I don't know if we can or how but I want to adopt him. Allison and Leo are siblings."
"They are," Owen said.
"What are we," Teddy asked.
"Best friends who are dating and have two kids," Owen said, "Teddy I want more. I want to finally marry my best friend."
"Too soon Owen," Teddy said, "this is your pattern. You date someone, propose and then marry quickly. I've seen you do it twice and get engaged then discover it wasn't right. "
"Because they weren't you," Owen said, "thats what was missing no one was you."
"Our kids," Teddy said, 'if you decide you're not happy if I'm not the one you want, what happens to the kids?"
"It won't," Owen assured, "we will be the four of us. Trust me. I'm choosing a new pattern, being happy, being with you, being with our family"
"I'm trying to," Teddy said, "it's too simple, too easy."
"Because it's right," Owen said, "us and the kids there's nothing standing in our way. I spent the whole week counting down to picking you up. I couldn't sleep and it wasn't the kids. You weren't there."
"I counted down to coming home too," Teddy said.
Owen pulled her into another hug not wanting to let her go. Teddy let herself relax against him.
"Dinner, put these two to bed then we can have some wine," Owen suggested.
"Wine with dinner," Teddy proposed, "kids down and a bath."
"Wine and a bath," Owen pressed.
"That would be perfect," Teddy smiled.
While Owen finished dinner Teddy sat on the living room floor and played with her kids. She had missed this stacking and knocking down blocks, playing games with them Leo playing dress up in their clothes. They moved in a few days luckily it was in the same building and only up two floors but the new apartment was gorgeous with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a larger living room that would have more space for the kids to play. Teddy would miss this place she had been here since she got to Germany sure she had chosen it online at first because it was close to work but the huge bay windows let in natural light and the window seat was the perfect place to read or cuddle. This had been where she had come to heal after losing Henry and their baby 18 weeks into her pregnancy, only Owen knew about that he was the only person she had ever told when she called him crying to say she had lost her baby. He had been the only person who knew about that baby, he had taken her to the closest ER when it had happened and had held her though the whole procedure while she sobbed for what should have been.
"Dinner," Owen said.
Teddy led the kids to wash up and put Allison in her high chair while Leo climbed into his booster seat. They ate dinner and Owen cleaned the kitchen while Teddy tucked the kids in.
They curled up on the window seat with a glass of wine, "I'm going to miss this place."
"I know you are," Owen said.
"It's the longest I've ever lived somewhere," Teddy said.
"At least with the german way of doing things everything but the bath tub and toilet come with us," Owen said.
"It's where I came when you fired me after everything that happened with Henry and Joshua," Teddy said.
"You never told me you named him," Owen said.
"I did for myself," Teddy said, "he needed a name. He deserved a name."
"He did," Owen agreed.
"He would be 8," Teddy said, "Henry never knew. I had just found out and was going home to tell him that night."
"I'm sorry Teddy," Owen said, "I wish I could have done more."
"You were there," Teddy said, "you were there and you stayed. You took me home and made me eat, you carried me. No one could have saved Joshua, he had VHL. There were already tumors in his heart and brain. As much as it killed me, destroyed me he would never have survived. He's with his dad and they're happy together. I understand now why you fired me."
"You were lost and stuck," Owen said, "tying yourself to something that was hurting you. I wanted to set you free. You wouldn't have left other wise you would have stayed and refused to leave me if I hadn't."
"I know it was an act of love," Teddy said, "tough love, but you did it because you love me."
"I've always loved you," Owen said, "I always will. I think thats why nothing has worked before now. It's never felt right. Teddy this, our home, our kids feels right. For the first time in my life I'm with the woman I love."
"I love our life and our family," Teddy said, "while I was in DC I looked into adopting Leo. It's complicated because we're living here."
"What else," Owen asked.
"We're not married," Teddy said, "and I'm not rushing that."
"They say to marry your best friend," Owen said, "we just got a place together, we have two kids. Teddy what's stopping us?"
"It's too soon," Teddy said, "way too soon. We haven't been a couple a year yet."
"Who knows you better than I do," Owen asked, "we've known eachother 20 years."
"I know Owen," Teddy sighed, "it scares me. It's too easy, it's too happy. This never works for me."
"Trust me," Owen assured, "I'm not going anywhere."
"Every time I get happy something comes a long to blow it up," Teddy said.
"You can trust being happy," Owen said, "having what you want. I know I've had to practice it. I went to some weird hippy therapist Megan sent me to and it helped. Me and the kids, Teddy we're not going anywhere. We're all going to be together, to be happy. We'll watch them grow up and grow old together, play with grandkids. Teddy we can have it all. Us and our kids."
"Owen are you happy," Teddy asked.
"The happiest I've ever been," Owen assured.
"Us and our kids just the two," Teddy asked.
"I've always pictured three," Owen said, "but."
"Let's see what happens," Teddy said, "we're in our 40s. I don't know if it's possible but we could try."
"We made Allison in 24 hours," Owen said.
"Almost two years ago," Teddy replied, "let ourselves settle in the new place and see where it goes."
"Is that fast Teddy," he asked.
"You pointed out we're best friends and we've known and loved each other for 20 years," she replied.
"So you'll have another baby but won't marry me," he asked.
"I want to marry you," she said, "I love you. I will always love you. I used to dream of marrying you years ago when we first met and I've thought about it a lot since you moved it. It's your pattern you date then marry quickly. I don't want you to rush things because you think it's right or what I want. It has to be for the right reasons.
"And I want to start a new pattern," he replied, "loving you and our kids. I love you and have since I met you."
"I've loved you that long two," Teddy sighed and cuddled closer to him.
They snuggled for a while before Owen suddenly got up and knelt beside the window seat.
"Owen what are you doing," Teddy asked wide eyed.
"Theodora Grace Altman," Owen began, "you have made me the happiest I have ever been. I love our life together. I love waking up and falling asleep with you curling up in the window seat at the end of the day. I love our hikes and wandering the farmers market with the kids. Teddy I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know this is what I want because this is the first time I've ever felt at home. My home is with you. I love you. Will you marry me?"
"Yes," Teddy shouted, "Owen I will marry you. I love you."
Owen slipped the ring on her finger.
"Owen it's stunning," Teddy gasped.
"There's a story," Owen said, "this was my mom's ring. It's the one my dad gave her and my grandpa gave to my grandma."
"Your moms ring," Teddy asked, shocked.
"I didn't even know it was a thing," Owen said.
"Why now," Teddy asked, "why me?"
"Mom said once she met you and saw us together she knew it would be your ring," Owen explained, "she was waiting for you and I."
"But we were never together before," Teddy said.
"Mom knew we would be. She thought we would when you were in Seattle," Owen said.
"I love it," Teddy said, "we're engaged!"
"We are," Owen said.
"Who do we tell first," Teddy asked.
"We call tomorrow," Owen said, "tonight we celebrate."
"Wine in the tub," Teddy suggested.
"You do the tub, I have champagne," Owen said.
Teddy walked to the bedroom first and grabbed her sexiest nightie and a pair of Owens boxers. She paused putting her left hand down on the dresser and snapped a picture. She sent the image to Megan and Arizona with the caption "I said yes!"
At the same time Owen texted Megan and his mom, "she said yes we'll call tomorrow."
"I'm happy for you Eeyore," Megan texted back.
Megan texted Teddy, "finally. I'm happy for you and Owen. When's the wedding?"
"I just got home from DC today and he asked 20 minutes ago," Teddy said, "we want to talk to you and your mom first."
"Talk to you tomorrow," Megan texted back, "congratulations."
Teddy brought what they needed into the bathroom and checked the tub for rubber duckies and boats which were a constant hazard in their bathtub before filling it with hot water and bubbles.
Owen stepped into the bathroom with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
"I texted mom and Meg," Owen said, "they're happy."
"I texted Meg and Ariziona," Teddy said, "they're happy."
"It's our time Teddy," Owen beamed.
"Our time," Teddy said, "I like that."
"I like this two," Owen said, pulling her into his arms and kissing her.
They helped each other out of their clothes and got into the tub.