She sat beside the bed in the peds ward watching the monitor and her son. Farokes breathing was slow and even echoed by the steady graphs on the monitor. She sighed leaning back in her chair still holding her son's hand. It was the two of them all alone. She had sent Owen and Teddy home to their own kids. She had a lot to figure out right now.
"I brought coffee," a soft voice with an Irish accent said coming into the room.
"Hayes," Megan replied.
"My friends call me Cormac," Cormac Hayes smiled, "how's he doing?"
"Monitors look good," Megan said, "but with his history, who knows?"
"He'll be good," Cormac assured, "where are Hunt and Altman?"
"I sent them home to their kids," Megan said, "I have some thinking to do."
"I heard Bailey offered you a job," Cormac said.
"General and Trauma," Megan replied, "I'm considering it. Is it fair to my son?"
"I moved my lads here," Cormac said, "we knew no one."
"My moms getting older, Owen and Teddy are here with their kids," Megan said, "I could actually buy a place here."
"Do you need to talk to anyone about it," Cormac asked.
"I should inform Nathan but no," Megan said, " I'm single."
Cormac paused, she was single, educated, attractive, kind and funny.
"Don't think about it Hayes I know that look," Megan said, "I haven't decided if I'm moving here. Seattle is home. I grew up here."
"But," Cormac asked.
"Faroke has friends in LA," Megan replied, "he's been through so much that I don't want him to lose that. He needs kids to kick a soccer ball with and hang out. He's going into 9th."
"My Austin is the same age," Cormac said.
"How's he doing," Megan asked.
"Still getting panic attacks," Cormac admitted, "he didn't have time to make many friends before the pandemic and he's an introvert."
"So is Faroke," Megan replied.
"When he's up to it," Cormac started.
"If we move," Megan said, "I still have to finish packing the house in LA and ship our stuff."
"Where would you go," Cormac asked.
"Owen said we could stay with them while I looked," Megan said, "or my moms."
"Not a hotel," Cormac asked.
"It's fine when we're here for a few weeks but not long term," Megan said.
"Faroke's father," Cormac questioned.
"My ex was great with him and they like eachother but no Faroke is my son," Megan said, "I guess you could call Nathan his step father. But we were never married."
Megan's phone went off.
"I'll let you take that," Cormac said before stepping out.
"Riggs," Megan answered, "why are you calling now?"
"I saw Faroke's email saying he needs surgery," Nathan said.
"Soon, they're deciding what to do, Teddy will probably do it," Megan said.
"How is he," Nathan asked.
"Resting," Megan replied, "stats are good. He's here a few days before and after surgery then we'll recover at my moms."
"So," Nathan said.
"I'm going home," Megan said, "I have two offers that look good. Trauma at Grey Sloan with Owen and Teddy or the PRT surgeon with the Seattle fire department and Grey Sloan."
"Seattle," Nathan said, "you're moving."
"I am," Megan replied, knowing she had made a split second decision.
"The house," Nathan asked.
"Your boxes are there," Megan said, "you'll have to figure it out. I'm going to ship our stuff up but the furniture we bought together or came from your place in Seattle."
"Keep my stuff there and I'll just rent the place myself, what we bought together and Faroke's stuff you should ship," Nathan said.
"I have a couple favourites and Faroke will want his things but I want a fresh start," Megan said.
"Why were you in Seattle anyway," Nathan asked.
"Owen's wedding then I was going to spend a couple weeks with mom then Faroke started getting winded for no reason and I had Hayes check him out and now he needs surgery," Megan said.
"Can I talk to him," Nathan asked.
"He's sleeping," Megan replied.
"Megan I want to know how he's doing," Nathan said, "I care about both of you."
"We won't work," Megan said, "we agreed on that we spent a good 6 months fighting to make it work trapped in the same house with nothing else to do. You and I are done. I don't want to hurt and confuse him anymore."
"I know you want to protect him but he emailed me," Nathan said, "he opened the conversation and I will reply. I see him as my son. I want to know how you're both doing. I want to try to be your friend."
"I'm not there yet," Megan said, "I won't stop you from emailing with Faroke and if you want to see him let me know. He loves you. I mean he's a teenager but he does."
"He's a good kid," Nathan said, "can you tell him I called."
"I will," Megan said, "and thanks for checking on him."
Megan hung up and sat back in her chair, she took the elastic off her wrist and pulled her hair back into a messy ponytail. She was exhausted and alone. Nathan's call had made it worse. She was getting over him, then he called and was nice. She didn't question that he cared about Faroke or even that part of him cared about her in some way, she would always care about him, he was her first real love. But they couldn't be a couple and she wasn't ready to be friends.
Seeing her leaning back in the chair looking defeated, Owen walked in.
"Hey," Owen said, pulling up a chair.
"I thought you went home to your wife and kids," Megan said.
"Kids are asleep and Teddy knows I'm here. I can't leave you," Owen said, "I've done that before and it didn't end well."
"You're not leaving me in a war zone," Megan said, "just a hospital."
"And you've had a rough few months," Owen said.
"I'm fine Owen," Megan argued.
"Teddy and I want to help," Owen said.
"He's my son," Megan said, "he has to be okay. I couldn't handle him not being okay."
"He will be," Owen said, "who were you walking to?"
"Riggs called," Megan said, "Faroke emailed him."
"That's his step dad," Owen tried.
"I guess," Megan said, "I was doing okay and holding it together then Riggs called and I'm not."
"Do you want to stay with Teddy and I," Owen asked, "I still think you're being stubborn about not staying with us."
"We're going to mom's once he's discharged," Megan said, "you and Teddy don't need us in your space, your newlyweds."
"We're family," Owen said.
"They're your family," Megan said, "Teddy and two kids. It's what you always wanted. Even if I had to marry you."
"It kinda fits," Owen said.
"Only you two idiots," Megan replied.
"So Riggs," Owen asked, "What happened?"
"We fought," Megan said, "even when we were younger we fought. We both have tempers and are hard headed. Some days were great and we were the best of friends then things would get rough and we would fight. The pandemic brought out the worst in us and our relationship didn't survive it. It wasn't an easy decision or something we took lightly. We decided together that it wasn't healthy anymore. So we decided to split after a couple long hard conversations that left me in tears. I even took off once and just ran. I didn't know where I was going, I was just running."
"Why didn't you call," Owen asked.
"Hmm it was right in the heart of the pandemic," Megan said, "Teddy and you had fought and you thought it was over. You were hardly talking, I heard from both of you but I never found out why. Then she had a mental breakdown, you have two very small kids."
"You still should have called," Owen said.
"Like you called when you got Teddy pregnant," Megan snapped.
"That's not fair," Owen argued.
"It is," Megan replied, "you knocked up Teddy and didn't tell me."
"She didn't tell me until 18 weeks," Owen said, "I was processing."
"That's bull and you know it Owen," Megan replied.
"She didn't want to be with me," Owen said.
"She did but you," Megan started.
"Started a family in record time," Owen replied, "but we figured it out."
"You did," Megan agreed.
"So you were friendly with Hayes earlier," Owen said.
"He's helpful and taking care of my son," Megan said, "his boys are about the same age."
"So you know he worked for Christina," Owen said.
"Your ex," Megan said.
"Yes," Owen said, "he's been here a while now."
"Why do I have a feeling Christina and I would not have gotten along," Megan said.
"I don't think you would have," Owen agreed, "you're too alike actually. Brilliant but stubborn and hard headed, always having to be the very best, always striving for more."
"Mom told me," Megan said, "she did things I would never consider to what get ahead?"
"What did mom tell you," Owen asked.
"She didn't have your baby," Megan said.
"She never wanted kids," Owen said, "that kid would have been miserable. Chrsitina likes other people's kids for a short period of time she never wanted her own."
"And you always wanted to be a dad," Megan said.
"I have," Owen said, "we have two. We'd like one more."
"Can you," Megan asked.
"We'll see," Owen replied.
"Planning one," Megan teased.
"Teddy wants to," Owen said, "but we're good with the two we have. We're in our 40s. What about you?"
"I'll never have my own, my age and my injuries plus my meds," Megan said, "prepandemic Nathan and I tried. I think it was part of why we didn't work."
"I'm sorry," Owen said.
"I have Faroke he's my son," Megan said, "it was more Nathan than me. I'm going to take the job here so I can see yours all the time. They can come hang out with us and let you and Teddy have time. Give mom a break from being your babysitter."
"Faroke can hang out with us so you can get to know Hayes," Owen said.
"I'm not dating," Megan replied, "he's a nice guy but I'm not dating now."
"Why not," Owen said, "you got burned. You broke up. I've done it 3 times now. This is my third marriage and it finally feels right."
"Because it's Teddy," Megan said, "Ameila was totally absent. I know she had a brain tumor but come on you werent there for eachother. Beth was totally wrong for you."
"Could have told me that then," Owen said.
"I did," Megan replied, "your a dumb dumb."
"Mom," Faroke whispered.
"Hey buddy," Megan said, "I'm here."
"Shh," Faroke hushed.
"I'll go," Owen said, "sleep tight bud."
"Thanks for coming," Megan sighed, "go home to your wife and kids."
"Call if you need anything," Owen said.
"I will," Megan assured.
"Good night," Owen said, hugging his sister.
"Good night," Megan echoed.