The next afternoon Caitlyn appeared at the hospital and texted Alyssa.

"Catie," Alyssa greeted, meeting her cousin in the lobby.

"Lyss are you okay," Catie asked.

"I don't know," Alyssa said, "but it's my mom. They rushed the DNA test and she is."

"And," Catie asked.

"I'm confused," Alyssa said, "I had just really come to terms with her being gone."

"How is she," Catie asked.

"She's mom," Alyssa said, "she's funny and with it and I don't know. I guess I'm used to calling Grandma Auntie Teddy or Auntie Wendy when I need a mom."

"My mom is worried," Catie said.

"I talked to her today," Alyssa said, "I don't know what to think. I have a brother!"

"Wow," Catie said, "is there somewhere to grab coffee here?"

"The cart out front and a nice garden around the side," Alyssa said.

"How do you know," Catie asked.

"I waited for uncle Owen here a lot," Alyssa replied.

Alyssa grabbed coffee for herself and Catie and led the way to the garden.

"Do you want to see your mom," Catie asked.

"I don't know," Alyssa said, "we're not mother and daughter. When I was little I thought she ruled the world and mom knew everything. She was a student then a resident but she still made home made cookies for my lunch every week and my halloween costumes. When she finished medical school we went to disneyland. She must have saved for ages for us to go for three days. I got to pick one souvenir from the entire trip and I still have it."

"What," Catie asked.

"The stuffed Minnie Mouse on my bed," Alyssa said, "did you bring it?"

"I did," Catie said, "I didn't know that's why you held on to it."

"I remember every minute of that trip," Alyssa said, "I was scared of the big rides but she got me on it's a small world and I loved it. So she told me indiana jones was just like it's a small world. Then I was hooked. We must have done every ride 10 times that trip. Just her and I. I remember she was relaxed and fun. We went on rides and swam in the hotel pool and one night we had ice cream for dinner. I remember our last night we were on thunder mountain and as we came out of the tunnel the fireworks started."

"You never told me," Catie said.

"I've never told anyone except my therapist," Allysa admitted, "I always think about it when I miss her. I have a few of those really happy memories to think about when I miss her so badly it hurts."

"And," Catie said.

"It's weird," Alyssa said, "I've spent 12 years missing her. And now I don't know how to have a mom. I know how to miss my mom. I don't know how to have a mom. I told myself I don't need one."

"You talk to my mom sometimes," Catie said.

"But she's an aunt," Alyssa said, "I'm good at having Aunties."

"She's your mom," Catie said.

"But I don't know her," Alyssa said, "she left me. She left me for the army and people stole her. They stole my mom."

Alyssa began to cry, in 2 years of living together and 9 years of friendship Catie had never seen her cry.

Catie hugged Alyssa and held her, "what do you want to do?"

"I don't know," Alyssa sobbed, "I imagined this but in my imagination I was little. It was as if she had never gone, if she had never been captured. That she had come home when she had planned and me living with grandma was a weird intermission in my life."

"Just cry," Catie whispered, "Alyssa you can feel this. Let yourself feel."

"I can't feel this," Alyssa sobbed.

"You've hidden from this for years," Catie said, "let yourself feel."

"I don't know what I feel," Alyssa sobbed.

"Then let it all out," Catie said, "cry. Alyssa you're allowed to cry. Your mom was captured by insurgents and held for 12 years. You said she's severely injured and needs major surgery. You can be happy she's back, confused, hurt, scared, overwhelmed. And you've built your life in Vancouver you have your life that she's not part of. When you talk about going home for Christmas you go to your uncle."

"Uncle Owens is home," Alyssa said, "he raised me. Even as a child and a baby he was there. I remember him teaching me to ride my bike. He did all the Father's Day things at elementary school or Nathan did. It was uncle Owen that took me to get birthday and Christmas gifts for mom. A couple years ago he got in a yelling match with another trauma surgeon who didn't know about me, a new guy who was telling him uncle Owen he didn't know what it was like he didn't have kids. Uncle Owen roared that he had raised his niece that he was the only father I knew."

"Did he adopt you and that's why your hunt and not Jarrett," Catie asked.

"Legally I'm Jarrett Hunt but they messed up my birth certificate and forgot the hyphen so it looks like a second middle name ," Alyssa said, "that's only on my passport and government documents. Mom dropped the Jarrett for her ease with me and it stuck. "

"You do have it," Catie said.

"Yep and never use it," Alyssa said, "does your dad know why Derek didn't stick around? Why he never tried when my mom was captured? Why it took my uncles for him to tell nana? Why did they have to take mom? There were like 30 suregons why did they have to take the single mom? To leave me an orphan? I was orphaned at 12."

"You were," Catie said having never seen it that way before but Alyssa was right her mom was gone and her dad had left her years before.

Alyssa began to cry again.

"Let it out Lyss," Catie encouraged.

Teddy who had come outside to phone her boyfriend and update him on the situation and when she was coming home found them.

"Lyss," Teddy asked softly.

Catie shook her head as Alyssa continued to cry.

"Do you want to see her," Catie asked, "I can go with you. "

"I'm not ready," Alyssa said, "how can she leave me then expect me to be the same kid she left. "

"I don't know," Catie said, "did she have a choice?"

"I don't know," Alyssa said, "before she left she said she didn't and uncle Owen said they didn't have a choice."

"Why did she," Catie asked.

"She enlisted before I was born before she even was pregnant to pay for college and medical school," Alyssa explained, "then they owed the army time when they graduated. They got paid a little bit while in school and tuition was covered. Uncle Owen asked me to look into it before college. But I had a scholarship and he was thankfully able to help me with housing and food."

"And your dad does he know," Catie asked.

"Derek isn't my dad," Alyssa snapped, "he chose when he broke up with Megan. I was 18 months. They tried to make it work but he didn't tell Nana about me he was embarrassed by me and mom."

"I asked my dad," Catie said, "he knew Uncle Derek was living with his girlfriend and had heard you cry on the phone."

"He never paid her child support," Alyssa said, "Uncle Owen tried to go after him for it because I was entitled to it. But by that point uncle Owen was chief of trauma and didn't need the money."

"You guys never seemed poor," Catie agreed, "you always had nicer clothes than me."

"I shopped with Auntie Teddy or Grandma," Alyssa said.

"I don't know your auntie Teddy is she your mom's sister," Catie asked.

"Uncle Owen's best friend," Alyssa said, "they all met in the army. They've been friends forever. I met Auntie Teddy a few times before mom disappeared."

"You like her," Catie asked.

"She's auntie Teddy," Alyssa said, "I lived with her half the time in highschool she was the closest thing I had to a mom. I love my time with auntie Teddy. I don't see her enough."

"She tried to sit with us," Catie said.

"She would," Alyssa said, "I know she was going to try to talk to Jacob this afternoon."

"Who," Catie asked.

"Her boyfriend," Alyssa said, "I haven't met him."

"Why," Catie asked.

"They've only been together a couple months," Alyssa said, "they were usually pretty cautious about me meeting people they were dating. Mom was when I was little as well."

"Did your mom date," Catie asked.

"Yes," Alyssa said, "Nathan. He's here. They were talking about getting married. They met her first year of med school. He lived with us. I knew him well. He's always checked in and visited as much as Uncle Owen let him."

"When you were little, who did you live with," Catie asked for the first time ever, seeing that Alyssa might for the first time be ready to talk about it.

"Mom and Uncle Owen were always there,' Alyssa said, "then Nathan was around from the time I was about 3 and moved in when I was 5. Uncle Owen had Beth and she moved in when I was 2ish. There were 4 adults at one point. Beth was a teacher, she used to read with me and play card games. She had great story books. I was her test kid for new ones at work."

"Did you like her," Catie asked.

"I did," Alyssa remembered, "I wish I remembered my dad living with us."

"Uncle Derek," Caite said.

"I don't remember," Alyssa said, "grandma has photos. But I'm a baby in all of them. Mom and Derek have never told me why they broke up. Only that it was nothing to do with me."

Inside Owen sat on the foot of Megan's bed, "Teddy texted me. Catie came to see if Lyss is okay."

"What does Catie do," Megan asked trying to picture her daughter's life.

"She's a trauma nurse in a level 1 trauma centre," Owen said, "cool and collected under pressure but with an amazing sense of humour. Her and Lyss get really loud."

"Lyssa she hardly talks," Megan said.

"She does," Owen said, "she actually has a good sense of humor and laughs a lot. But with Catie it's music. I always know Lyss is home because her music is the first thing you notice coming into the house. She likes it loud and she dances around the house to it. Last night she beat me home and was dancing with the broom while sweeping around the cat box."

"I still can't believe you got her a cat," Megan said.

"Josie is 11 she's a nice old cat," Owen said, "it was her therapist's idea to get Lyss a pet. We didn't have enough time for a dog and I wasn't doing any sort of caged rodent. I wanted something she could interact with. It was Arizona that suggested a kitten. Then Lyss went off to college, and Josie stayed with me. Lyss did take a Guinea pig to college though."

"They let her," Megan asked.

"Her dorm allowed small caged pets," Owen said, "she took Hershey the guinea pig. She inherited it from Teddy after Henry passed and Teddy went back to the army. She still has Hershey. She likes her Guinea pig."

"Why did Teddy have one," Megan asked.

"Henry bought if for Teddy when he learned Teddy had always wanted one as a kid but had never been allowed to have one," Owen said, "so he surprised her with it. Then when he died and she went back to run Med Com she couldn't take it to Germany so she asked Lyss to take him. It was either Lyss or I."

"And this creature," Megan asked.

'Is about 7," Owen said, "it won't live much longer Lyss has moved it half way across a continent twice."

"It still feels weird to call her Lyss," Megan said, "I chose Alyssa."

"She prefers it," Owen said, "because mom and I always called her Lyss, Nathan used Lyssa or Squirt. It was always you that used Alyssa so she associated that with you. And she didn't like it because everytime she's called Alyssa and her full name is used it reminded her of you."

"So Lady bug was out then too," Megan guessed.

"Yes," Owen said.

"My letters," Megan asked.

"I still have her 25th, wedding and first baby tucked away," Owen said, "but she has all the others."

"And," Megan asked.

"We would read them together," Owen said, "with cocoa and cookies."

"You made cookies," Megan asked.

"No I don't bake," Owen said, "I buy them. Mom bakes and Teddy she got her homemade cookies."

"Beth," Megan asked, "thank god your not with her but her involvement with Alyssa?"

"Nothing once we broke up," Owen said, "she had babysat when mom needed her but Lyss was never attached to her. She never asked to see Beth or about Beth so we left it. She asked about Riggs."

"Riggs was ready to be her dad," Megan said.

Nathan joined them, "we have two now."

"We do," Megan said, "you haven't met Faroke."

"But I know Lyssa," Nathan said, "Megan she's good."

"I've heard," Megan said, "she still doesn't talk to me."

"Get to know her," Owen said, "treat her like a new friend. She's an adult."

Alyssa having calmed down a bit made her way up to Megan's room.

"Mom," Alyssa asked.

"Hi," Megan smiled, "come in."

"Mom this is my cousin Catie," Alyssa introduced, "Catie my mom Megan."

"It's nice to meet you," Catie said, "Lyss just told me a lot about you."

"Just now," Megan asked.

"I wasn't ready before," Alyssa said, "it hurt before."

"Having a good day lady bug," Megan asked.

"Ya," Alyssa replied, "I had to do some stuff for work this morning. CAD sucks on my laptop."

"CAD," Megan asked.

"Drafting software," Alyssa said, "drawing out parts."

"Busy day then," Megan asked.

"Just trying to stay some what on top of things," Alyssa said, "lots to do."

"Can Alyssa and I have the room," Megan asked, "Catie I know you came a long way but we'll get to know each other later."

Alyssa nodded in agreement.

When it was just her and her mom in the room Alyssa asked, "why didn't you try to come home?"

"I did," Megan said, "for 12 years I have. I have always been trying to come back to you ladybug."

"But," Alyssa said.

"No Alyssa Evelyn Hunt," Megan said, "there was never a day I didn't think of you and pray for you. I had to pray Owen was still alive and made it home to take care of you?"

"What would have happened if he hadn't," Alyssa gulped.

"Grandma," Megan said, "you would have been with her. And I had gotten close to Teddy and she promised she would always check in on you as well and be your friend if anything happened to me."

"She's my favourite aunt," Alyssa said.

"All those special things," Megan asked, "first date ever, prom?"

"Auntie Teddy," Alyssa said.

"I know you lived with her part time," Megan said, "why?"

"Uncle Owen was working and Christina and I never clicked," Alyssa said.

"Dr Grey wont say but who do you like better, Amelia or Christina," Megan asked.

"Amelia," Alyssa said, "she's kinder. But I also only see her when I want to. Christina was a resident. I was in high school and she didn't like kids in her home. So when uncle Owen was on call overnight I went to auntie Teddys."

"Whose idea was that," Megan asked.

"Hers," Alyssa said.

"When did you start calling her auntie Teddy," Megan asked.

"I don't remember," Alyssa said, "it was part of the adults need something before their name to show respect. I think it was Ms Teddy first and that felt like I was at school so I switched it to auntie like I had done with Beth and it worked, she likes it."

"Did you ever see her," Megan asked, "she babysat you a lot during my residency."

"I have her on facebook," Alyssa said, "but we don't talk. She likes my pictures or wishes me happy birthday."

"You keep fidgeting with something in your bag," Megan pointed out.

"Minnie," Alyssa whispered.

"From our trip," Megan asked.

"Yes," Alyssa blushed.

"You still have it," Megan asked.

Alyssa nodded and took it out of her bag.

"Alyssa are you afraid of me " Megan asked.

"I don't know what I feel," Alyssa admitted fidgeting with the old stuffed toy.

"It's a lot," Megan agreed, "please don't hide from me."

"They said you would never come home," Alyssa whispered, "this doesn't feel real."

"What we're you told," Megan asked.

"That you had been captured and they didn't know anything," Alyssa said, "then that you were dead. But I never got to say good bye."

"Because I am alive," Megan said.

"I missed you," Alyssa said, "I wanted you and you weren't there."

"I know," Megan said, "you had grandma and uncle Owen and Teddy."

"But they weren't you," Alyssa cried, "or all the other girls would have their moms on the sidelines and I had grandma or auntie Teddy. It wasn't fair."

"It wasn't," Megan agreed, "I'm sorry ladybug."

Alyssa sat on the couch crying. Megan looked at her daughter heart breaking. Slowly and with great effort she got out of bed.

"Mom," Alyssa asked.

"You're not ready to come to me so I'm coming to you," Megan said.

Megan took a seat beside Alyssa.

"Should you be out of bed," Alyssa asked.

"For a little bit," Megan said, "I still need to move around a bit. Alyssa can I give you a hug?"

Alyssa nodded.

"It's okay," Megan said as she hugged Alyssa, "I'm home."

Owen slipped back into the room hearing someone crying.

"Lyss," Owen said sitting on the arm of the couch, "it's okay kiddo. It's real you can trust this. Lyss what's the evidence?"

Alyssa looked at Owen.

"Evidence Alyssa," Owen said.

"I'm touching mom," Alyssa said, "it's her voice and her laugh. I've seen the tattoo. The DNA preliminary came back as her."

"So," Owen challenged.

"It's mom but it's not mommy," Alyssa said.

"I know we've all changed," Megan said, "the last time you lived with me full time you were 9. Alyssa can you let me get to know you again?"

"I'll try," Alyssa agreed, "I want to but I'm scared."

"So am I," Megan said, "I don't want to lose you again."

"I can't," Alyssa said, "I had just fully accepted that I lost you and Derek never wanted to be a parent. Mom why didn't he want me?"

"He didn't want me," Megan said, "he wanted a different life than I did and I wasn't going to compromise. I wanted more for you than he did. Alyssa I knew it would be a few hard years but I wanted you to have a stable loving family, people you could depend on. I didn't want you to struggle like I was. I wanted you to know you could pay your rent and eat."

"I can do that," Alyssa said, "I have savings. But the most consistent person in my life is Uncle Owen."

"I knew he would be there," Megan said.

"I was there when you were born kiddo," Owen said.

"You were," Alyssa asked, this was new information.

"We were all in the 2 bedroom in Boston," Megan said, "3 adults and a baby in a 2 bedroom apartment. But Derek was at work and we couldn't get a hold of him so Owen stayed with me."

"His cell phone," Alyssa asked.

"It was too expensive," Megan said, "I got one when you were born and it was pay as you go. He didn't have one. But Owen stayed with me and took me to the hospital."

"Grandma," Alyssa asked.

"You were two weeks early," Megan said, "she was coming out a week later to spend a month and get me through your first few days."

"Derek," Alyssa asked.

"Met us at the hospital about an hour before you were born," Megan said, "you were about 10 hours of labour. But even when he got there I needed Owen. My brother made me feel safe. He's always been calm in any situation."

"Uncle Owen is not always calm," Alyssa argued.

"Like when," Owen asked.

"The time my phone died and I was at Amanda's," Alyssa replied.

"I couldn't get a hold of you for 6 hours," Owen replied, "then you walked in like everything was fine."

"I told Christina where I was going," Alyssa argued.

"I was scared I lost you too," Owen said.

"Always calm in medical situations," Megan clarified.

"Okay," Alyssa agreed, "it helped when I had my appendix out."

"And when you were born," Megan said, "he helped a lot."

"Derek was useless and you needed help," Owen said, "I could do diapers and drive her around when she screamed all night and you were in tears."

"You made bottles," Megan remembered.

"When I finally convinced you that you needed to use at least some formula before it killed you," Owen said, "I was about to get mom to come out and convince you."

"Derek," Alyssa asked.

"You know what he's like," Owen said, "when I've seen him with you he hasn't changed."

"Hes partying in Fort McMurray," Alyssa shrugged, "mom how did you ever fall for that?"

"I was 18," Megan said, "it was a few dates. Alyssa your dad and I weren't living together when we found out. We were dating exclusively but that was it. He never told his parents he had a girlfriend let alone a daughter. Your first Christmas we went to Grandma's with out your dad."

"Derek is not my dad," Alyssa said, "I know how dads act and that's not it. I don't have a dad."

"Then what do you have," Megan pressed.

"A sperm donor and Uncle Owen," Alyssa replied, "I have Uncle Owen, I don't need a dad. Are you really staying? I can't do the mom's here then she's gone. I can't handle unknowns."

"I'm here until I'm well," Megan said, "then it will depend on what is happening with Faroke. I may have to go to him. If I have to go, we will be able to talk every day. I will come and see you as much as I can. The goal is to get Faroke here. I want to spend as much time with you as possible. Alyssa we will get to know eachother again."

"My life is in Vancouver now," Alyssa said.

"No Germany," Owen asked.

"I have to talk to auntie Teddy," Alyssa replied, "mountain side offered me a permanent staff engineering job and it pays better than auntie Teddy could offer, her and I had already negotiated, it was the same as I was making at Mountainside but Brad just offered me 15 grand more."

"Take that," Owen said, "have you talked to Teddy."

"We never signed anything," Alyssa said.

"Talk to her," Owen said, "she wanted you."

"It was a one year contract for a specific project," Alyssa said.

"And what your boss is offering," Megan asked.

"Peremnant," Alyssa said, "I want it. Stable. I've moved around enough in my life. I was going to Germany because I didn't have another offer. But I like Vancouver, I like my life there."

"It's only a couple hours away," Megan said, "we can visit a lot and we're in the same time zone."

"I'm going to stay in Vancouver," Alyssa declared, "I like my job, I have great friends, I live with my cousins. I like my life there, I've found people who like to do the same things I do."

"I'm not asking you to move," Megan assured, "I just want to get to know you."

"I want to," Alyssa agreed.

"I won't leave you again," Megan promised, "Alyssa I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted to miss you like that. To miss you so much it hurt to breathe. To feel like I was having a heart attack every year on your birthday."

"Disappearing day," Alyssa said, " January 29th 2005."

"I know," Megan said, "I have missed you every day since."

"I missed you too," Alyssa whispered.