June came quickly after a busy year of getting back to some semblance of normals.
"Mommy will all our stuff go to Seattle," Allison asked.
"Most of it baby girl," Teddy smiled, "we're going to give away some of the toys and clothes we don't use anymore."
"Will my bed go," Leo asked.
"No we'll buy new ones in Seattle," Teddy said, "and most of our furniture. Just the story chair will come."
"We have room to bring more," Owen said, "the army is paying if we need another bin we need another bin."
"I'd love to bring our bed, the couch and dining table but you have those things." Teddy said.
"We'll do it," Owen said, "I'm attached to that bed. We made two of our kids there."
"Not in front of the kids," Teddy scolded laughing.
"When we get to Seattle can we get a puppy," Leo asked.
"We can," Owen said, "I think mom wants one as much as you do."
"A real dog like a lab or retriever," Teddy said.
Owen smiled, he had already been in contact with a breeder in Seattle for a golden retriever Teddy had talked about wanting one the entire time he had known her. He had even put a deposit on the yet to be born puppy.
"Can I walk it," Leo asked.
"You can," Teddy promised.
"Will we still see max," Allison asked.
"Not like we do now," Owen said, "Max is going to Portland for college. We found a way for him to be in the army and go to school. We will visit though."
"What about auntie Megan," Leo asked.
"Megan, Nathan, Faroke and Cassie will move back to LA," Teddy said, "we're going to go visit over thanksgiving and they'll come see us for mommy and daddy's wedding then at Christmas. We'll see grandma all the time now."
"Our house is only 10 minutes from grandmas," Owen said.
"Have we been there before," Allison asked.
"You haven't pumpkin," Owen said, "Leo has. Leo and I lived there until he was 2 and we moved here."
"I don't remember," Leo said.
"You were pretty little," Teddy said.
"Where was mommy and Allison," Leo asked.
"We were here," Teddy said.
"Mommy and I weren't together when you and Allison were babies," Owen said.
"Why not," Leo asked.
"We were really good friends," Teddy said, "but daddy had come to visit me and we had a fight. We both said some things that were true but hurt each others feelings. So daddy went back to Seattle and I was really mad at him, I've never been so mad at another person."
"When I left mommy's I flew home and drove to something called social services where I told the lady I wanted to help boys and girls who needed a parent to look after them. I told the woman I would take any one from a baby to a teenager," Owen said, "a few weeks later she phone me and said she had a baby boy who needed a parent. I panicked and called dr Amelia who came and helped me borrow all sorts of baby things from dr meirideth. That baby was Leo."
"I didn't grow in mommy's tummy like Daniel," Leo said.
"No," Owen said, "I adopted you about a year before we moved here."
"Where was I," Allison asked.
"You were here with me," Teddy said, "for a while it was daddy and Leo and you and I."
"Where was Danny," Allison asked.
"He didn't exist yet," Teddy said.
"What's adopted," Leo asked.
Owen sat on the couch and pulled his oldest son into his lap, "it means that I chose you. I chose you to be my son when you were a baby. I wanted you to be my family."
Teddy took the little boy's hand, "daddy and I both chose you. We made a choice that we love you. You are our son because we love you."
"But I didn't grow in your tummy like Danny," Leo said.
"No you didn't," Teddy said, "that doesn't make me any less your mom. You are my son because you grew in my heart. All three of you did."
"So your not really my mom and dad," Leo asked.
"We are," Owen said.
"There are many ways for families to be families," Teddy said, "you grew in another woman's tummy."
"Her name was Britney and she was really young," Owen explained, "she liked to play soccer and listen to music. She was only 15. She was too young to be a mom."
"So she gave me to you " Leo asked.
"Her and I with her mom and dad and another woman decided that you would be best with me," Owen said.
"What about mommy," Leo asked.
"We weren't together yet," Owen said.
"Are you my dad but mom's not my mom," Leo asked.
"We are your mom and dad," Teddy said, "I know this is confusing for you isn't it."
"What about Allison is she adopted two," Leo asked.
"No that something special just for you," Owen said, "you are our son Leo."
"Can I meet my other mom," Leo asked.
"No buddy I'm sorry," Owen said.
"Where is she," Leo asked.
"Britney died about six months after you came to live with me, you were about one," Owen said.
"What about me," Allison asked.
"Leo and I moved here when he was almost two," Owen said, "you were already here with mom."
"Are you my daddy," Allison asked.
"I am all three of your dad," Owen said, "you grew in moms tummy like Daniel."
"But you werent here," Allison said.
"No mom was needed here and I was needed in Seattle," Owen said.
"Will mom stay here," Leo panicked.
"No," Teddy assured, "we all go together."
"Leo we're going back to our old house," Owen said, "and back to Grey Sloan. The hospital I worked at before we lived here."
"Mommy," Leo asked.
"I'm going to Grey Sloan," Teddy said.
"To be the boss," Allison asked.
"No to fix hearts," Teddy said, "there is a boss position but not for a while and I want to spend time with you guys, marry dad and get us settled in Seattle. I've been the boss for so long I don't know if I want to be right now."
"Mommy is always the boss," Allison said.
"I have been for 10 years," Teddy said, "now I want to be with my babies and fix hearts. Just hearts back to what I really love."
"But mom has a C and dad has an M," Leo said.
"Where we're going we're not soldiers anymore," Owen said, "it going to be hard for mom."
"I've been one a long time," Teddy agreed, "it's time. Go be doctor Altman with my family."
"Do you want to go," Owen asked.
"I do," Teddy smiled.
"When we go to Seattle do I go back to my other mom," Leo asked.
"No," Teddy said, "you stay with us."
"Always," Leo asked.
"Always," Teddy promised.
"You are always going to be ours," Owen said.
"We love you to much to ever ever let you go," Teddy said.
"Allison and Daniel," Leo asked.
"You are always ours," Owen said, "all three of you."
"I'm hungry," Leo said.
"Carrots and cucumber or an apple," Owen offered.
"Cucumber and celery," Leo asked.
"I can do that," Teddy said, "still my veggie monster."
Leo followed Teddy to the kitchen, "mom do you love me as much as Allison and Daniel?"
Teddy picked him up holding the little boy tight, "look at me Leo. I love every inch of you inside and out. I love you so much and I will always love you."
"I love you mommy," Leo said putting his head on Teddy's shoulder. He hadn't snuggled like that in months. Not since he had bronchitis that winter.
Teddy held him close, rubbing his back.
"Daddy do you have a favorite," Allison asked.
"A favorite what," Owen asked.
"Kid," Allison said, she was 4 and way too smart for her age.
"No," Owen said, "but I have a favorite grown up."
"Who," Allison asked.
"You can't tell anyone," Owen whispered, "promise?"
Allison held out her pinkie, "pinkie promise."
Owen whispered in Allison's ear, "mommy is my favorite grown up."
"Are you and mommy married," Allison asked.
"Not yet," Owen said.
"But mommies and daddies are supposed to be married," Allison argued.
"I asked mommy to marry him about three years ago and she's been my best friend for 20 years," Owen said, "we want to get married but we had importing people called Allison, Leo and Daniel to look after it wasn't as important. Do you want mom and I to get married?"
"Will it be like in a movie," Allison asked, "is mommy a princess?"
"I think she's a queen," Owen said, "we will have a wedding and mom will wear a white dress. You and your siblings get to be part of it."
"Can I be a princess," Allison asked.
"We will get you a pretty dress to be our flower girl," Owen said, "you're my princess."
"Mom," Leo asked, "do I have to go to Seattle."
"We're all going together," Teddy said.
"I don't want to move, I don't know anyone," Leo said.
"Grandma is there," Teddy said, "you used to play with Harriet, Scout and Ellis. You go to school and will make friends there."
"Come help me pick the toys to take on the plane so we can pack the rest," Owen said.
"I dont want to go," Allison said.
"It's an exciting adventure baby," Teddy tried, "we're going to go and be brave."
"Do I go to school," Allison asked.
"You'll go to preschool and Daniel will go to day care," Teddy said, "it'll be just like here. Dad and I will go to work, Leo and you will go to school and Daniel goes to day care."
"Do we go to the same school," Allison asked.
"No," Teddy said, "Leo will go to kindergarten at the school buy our house and you'll go to preschool across the street from our hospital."
"Is the new hospital big," Allison asked.
"It's big," Owen said, "but mom and I have both worked there before. I spent a long time there. I was there for 12 years."
"Mommy two," Leo asked.
"I was there two and a half or three," Teddy said, "we have friends there."
"Uncle Jordan and Auntie Faith," Leo asked.
"We still have to fly to see them," Owen said, "they live far away from Seattle."
After they put the kids to bed tonight Owen asked.
"Are you sure you want to go to Seattle," Owen asked.
"I do," Teddy said.
"The house we'll need to do some work," Owen said.
"Painting for sure," Teddy said.
"I wanted to do the floors before I left three and a half years ago," Owen said.
"Can we do it and live there," Teddy asked.
"Do it and live with my mom," he suggested.
"What type of flooring," Teddy asked.
"I like hardwood like we have," Owen said.
"Theres a new vinyl floor I saw on pinterest," Teddy said.
"I want to put a swing set in," Owen said.
"Yes," she smiled.
"The furniture do you really want to ship it," she asked, "I'm only really attached to the big chair."
"The chair," Owen asked.
"Its where I've snuggled, read to, rocked and fed all three," Teddy said, "I was not expecting Leo's questions. I thought we had a few years yet."
"So did I," Owen agreed, "did we do that okay?"
"I hope so," she replied, "we just have to be honest with him. Make sure he knows he's loved."
"Could Meg help us," he asked.
"We could but Leo was adopted as a baby," Teddy said, "does he remember life without me? He didn't remember seattle."
"I think he will when we get in the house," Owen said, "I want to put Leo in the same room he had."
"How far from the master," Teddy asked.
"It's close, I think it's more familiar for him, " Owen said, "he's anxious about it."
"Theres our room and a small bedroom on one side of the hall then two on the other end right," Teddy asked.
"Yes," Owen said, "and room in the basement for a playroom."
"I want Daniel closest to us," Teddy said, "I still haven't weaned him. I can't force it."
"He's almost two," Owen said.
"WHO says 2 years is optimal," Teddy answered, "I did with Allison until I found out about him."
"It's a lot on you," Owen said.
"I'm done," Teddy said, "I'm trying but he fights it so much."
"Toilet train or that," Owen said.
"Both," Teddy replied, "no more diapers and no more having kids attached to me to feed them. I want my boobs back."
"You'll still share with me," Owen asked.
"Just you," Teddy agreed, "you realise we'll have all three in our bed for like the first week that were in Seattle. They did it in Alabama, at your moms, when we went to Klasuman."
"Our honeymoon," Owen asked, "Mom said she would take them for a week."
"Save it for the winter," Teddy said, "then I've always wanted to go to Hawaii."
"Does this involve a bikini," he asked.
"You're impossible," she laughed.
"Yes or no Teddy," he asked.
"I'd have to buy one," she said, "three kids, I've had two babies Owen. I'm almost 50. I have one pieces and tank suits that work for swimming as our family."
"Still sexy," Owen said, "I'm only a couple years younger."
He pulled her into his lap and slid his hands under her shirt.
"Two," she said, "not now Owen."
"The kids are asleep," he said.
"It's hard to leave," she said, "I know it's what I want and what's right for our family but leaving Germany."
"It's been your home for a long time," Owen said.
"Ten years," she said, "longest I've lived anywhere since I finished highschool."
"What would help you feel more at home in Seattle," Owen asked.
"Our stuff," Teddy admitted, "the chair I bought weeks before I had Allison with snuggling her in mind. But it's where I cuddle kids and fix boo boos and hurt feelings. Where I read to them before bed and they tell me about their day. I want our bed. It's where we made Allison and Daniel."
"The mattress is heavy and expensive to ship," Owen said, "compromise and bring the bedding?"
"I want all of it," she said.
"Teddy it's heavy," he argued.
"And the army is shipping all our stuff for us," she said, "they won't argue with me. I'm purging clothes the kids have outgrown and toys they don't use. Just keeping the sentimental baby stuff."
"Did you keep the wooden blocks," Owen asked.
"Packed to go," Teddy said, "the wooden toys are all going. The cars, dolls, kitchen stuff, animals. I've only got rid of the plastic new born and baby stuff we wont use again."
"Theres some of them that both Allison and Daniel played with," Owen said.
"We have far too many pictures and I kept the really special clothes and toys," Teddy said.
"You have those bins," Owen said.
"I have their bins of special things," Teddy said, "their first onesies, favourite baby toys. I have the special things."
"Are you sure this is okay," Owen asked, "leaving the army."
"It is," she said.
"Teddy," he asked.
"I'm sure," she said, "it's time. 20 years it's time."
"It is," he agreed, "time to be home."
"To be our family," she said, "I want to go to Seattle. I just want to operate."
"You," Owen said.
"I never had my heart set on leadership," Teddy said, "I don't want to for a while."
"You're an amazing leader," Owen said.
"I'd rather be a mom, wife and a surgeon," Teddy said.
"Mom then wife," Owen asked.
"Tied," she said, "I just had to say one first."
"Family first," Owen said.
"Family first," she agreed.
"You're sure your okay to leave," Owen asked.
"I'm excited for what's coming but saying goodbye to everything here is hard," Teddy said, "this is where we had our family, I have good friends here."
"Our family will stay with us," Owen promised.
"I know it's just where you told me you love me for the first time and the first time we," Teddy smiled.
"We can say goodbye to this place that way," he said.
"We can," she agreed, "I should get ready for bed."
"I'll see you there," Owen said.