Teddy was thankful Danika had been invited to sleep over at a school friends and didn't need to be picked up until noon the next day. Jillian had been spending a lot of time at their house and Danika often hung out with her after school. Teddy was getting to know them mom who was a few years older than Teddy and on her own as well. She used her key to let herself into Owen's house.
"Owen," Teddy called walking up the stairs.
"Hi," Owen said meeting her at the top of the stairs and pulling her in for a kiss.
"No teenager," Teddy whispered, "until noon."
"Eighteen hours just us," Owen whispered in her ear before kissing her neck.
"Owen," Teddy moaned, "I just got here."
"So," Owen smirked, capturing her lips again.
"You are impossible," Teddy laughed.
"Are you staying," Owen asked.
"Do you want me to," Teddy asked in return.
"I always want you to," Owen said.
"I have my bag in the car," Teddy said, "I want to stay. A night to just be us."
"Stay," Owen said, "we'll have dinner and I'll make you breakfast."
"I wish we could do this everyday," Teddy sighed.
"I know," Owen said, "it's getting better."
"Slowly," Teddy sighed "I'm sorry she's not more accepting."
"Camping next weekend," Owen asked.
"Yes," Teddy smiled.
"Two tents," Owen said.
"Girls tent and boys tent," Teddy laughed, "she's never been camping. And summer camp and Iraq are the closest I've got."
"I was a Boy Scout. I've got this covered," Owen smiled.
"I'm glad you do," Teddy said, "you need to come shopping with me or give me a list."
"We could go tomorrow," Owen said.
"That's not fun just us though," Teddy whined.
"They'll be plenty of that as well," Owen said.
"I was planning on it," Teddy said.
At the hospital Derek and Mark were chatting.
"What do you know about Altman," Mark asked.
"Other than her resume," Derek asked, "she's raising her sister."
"Sister," Mark wondered.
"She says sister," Derek replied.
"Check the files," Mark said, "your chief."
"Is this because you want to date her," Derek asked.
"She's gorgeous," Mark agreed.
"I think she's dating Hunt," Derek said, "I know they're close and he helped her out the day you operated on the sister. They both took next weekend off."
"Any idea why," Mark asked.
"She's taking the sister camping before school starts and Hunt didn't say," Derek answered
"I should ask her for a drink," Mark said.
"Try," Derek replied, "but Altman and Hunt don't look like just friends."
At the sleep over Danika's friends were asking uncomfortable questions.
"Are you sure Teddy is your sister," Emilia asked.
"She is," Danika replied.
"How old is she," Jillian asked.
"37 or 38 I think," Danika replied.
"Are you sure she's not really your mom," Emila asked.
"She's my sister," Danika replied, "we have the same dad."
"Are you sure you're not her kid and your parents lied to you," Emilia asked.
"My mom didn't want me so why would they have adopted me," Danika said, "why do you think I was boarding from the time I was 9 until Teddy moved to Seattle?"
"You were boarding at nine," Emila asked.
"I was," Danika replied, "Teddy wasn't thrilled about it but my mom made the decisions."
"If Teddy didn't like it where was she," Jillian asked.
"The middle east with the army as a cardio and trauma surgeon," Danika replied.
"Wait, your sister is a surgeon," Emilia said, "are you sure she didn't give you up to be a doctor?"
"She's a heart surgeon," Danika replied, "I'm sure she's not my mom. We have the same dad, she's my half sister. My mom was only a couple years older than Teddy."
"How do you know," Emilia said, "it happened in that movie we watched at the lock in with the summer students."
"That only happens in movies," Danika said, "my mom may have lied to me a lot but Teddy promised she never would."
"I would ask," Emilia said.
"Why," Danika questioned, "she's still in charge."
"She can be bossy," Jillian observed.
"Too much time as an army officer," Danika replied, "she doesn't know when to turn it off. Her boyfriend is even worse."
"She has a boyfriend," Emilia said.
"Owen," Danika replied, "he's nice enough. They work together, have for 5 or 6 years now."
"Is it like my mom and her boyfriends," Jillian asked, "he's around constantly for a while then disappears."
"I see Owen about once a week," Danika replied, "she wants me to get to know him slowly. But he's camping with us next weekend."
"Camping," Emilia said, "like tents and bugs and dirt?"
"Yes," Danika replied, "it's not my idea but it could be fun. Just down to the Oregon border to play on the beach. Teddy likes sand."
"Sand," Jillian asked.
"She lived in a desert for a while," Danika commented.
"Why have you been getting rides to class with Patrick," Emilia asked.
"Teddy and his uncle work together," Danika replied, "his aunt drives me if Teddy is working. Mrs. Webber is nice."
"That doesn't sound like sleeping," Jillian's mom called down the stairs.
The girls turned the lights out and went to sleep.
Danika grabbed her phone and texted Teddy.
Danika, "my friends want to know if you're really my mom. Then dad and my mom adopted me and hid it from me."
Teddy heard her phone and rolled over untangling herself from Owen. Who would text her at 2 in the morning. She grabbed her phone and saw Danika's name.
"Work," Owen asked.
"Dani," Teddy replied, "go back to sleep."
"She's okay," Owen asked.
"I don't know," Teddy said rereading the text.
"What is it," Owen asked.
"She asked if I'm really her mom," Teddy said, "I'm going to remind her I was in Texas when she was born and she was born in Washington. She is not my daughter."
"I wouldn't care if she was," Owen said.
"Owen she is 1000% my sister," Teddy declared, "I don't know why she would question it now."
"A friend must have given her the idea," Owen said.
"It's not like her to come up with it," Teddy said, "there has to be some photo evidence somewhere in the bins in the garage."
"It's two in the morning," Owen said, "come back to bed."
"I'm worried about her," Teddy said.
"Text back and assure her she's your sister then try to sleep," Owen said.
Teddy typed, "Dani I promise you are my sister. Remember I was in Texas at Medical school when you were born. You were born in Washington. I have photos somewhere of myself about two weeks before you were born. Where did this come from?"
Danika, "Emilia asked."
Teddy, "ignore her she's trying to cause problems. Stay out of girl drama."
Danika, "are you sure?"
Teddy, "I'm 1000% sure we are sisters. We'll look at your birth certificate and mine at home tomorrow. Dad and June are 100% your parents."
Danika, "promise?"
Teddy, "I promise. We'll talk when I pick you up. Go to sleep. Good night."
Danika, "night."
"Come back," Owen said.
"Now I'm worried about her," Teddy said, "she's never asked about that before."
"Teddy just breathe ," Owen said, "you can't do anything now."
"I know," Teddy said, laying back down.
Owen pulled her back against his side, kissing her head, before whispering, "close your eyes. You're safe I'm here."
"This is so much harder than I thought it would be," Teddy mumbelled into his chest.
"I know," Owen said, "you got thrown a teenager and told to figure it out."
"Alone," Teddy said.
"I will help however you need me to," Owen promised.
"It's all just so complicated," Teddy said.
"Look at me," Owen said, lifting her chin with his finger so he could see her eyes, " I love you. I want to be with you however that looks. Teddy I want to be there for all of this."
"I want you to be," Teddy said, "but I'm scared Owen."
"We'll figure it out together," Owen promised, "a year ago would you have thought we would be here?"
"Which part," Teddy asked, "together, working at the same hospital, in your house."
"All of it," Owen said, "I wanted to be with you from the moment we met."
"You were engaged," Teddy replied.
"But I didn't love her," Owen said, "I was scared. I loved you, love you."
"I love you too," Teddy whispered, "do you know how many nights I laid there staring at the roof of the tent imagining this. You and I."
"As many as I did," Owen replied, "we will figure us out."
"I know you wanted me to apply to be with you," Teddy said, propping herself up on her elbow, "and I complicated things."
"I know you," Owen said, "you and your guilt. Teddy it's okay. We're together and taking it slow, I know that."
"Some days I don't want to be slow but I know we have to," Teddy said, "I have a kid and a cat."
"Still can't believe you didn't go for a puppy," Owen said.
"You have to be home for a puppy," Teddy countered, "the cat can be left for 24 hours. We're hardly home. And school starts on Tuesday."
"You still have 10 days before school starts," Owen said, "then routines."
"Routines will be good," Teddy sighed, "she's at school until 9:30 on Tuesday and I know you usually have Tuesday and Wednesday off."
"So Tuesday nights date night," Owen said.
"Sounds good," Teddy yawned.
"Should we sleep," Owen asked.
Teddy nodded as Owen turned her in his arms so he was spooning her. He felt her body slowly relax in his arms. He kissed her hair whispering, "I love you so much."
"I love you more," Teddy mumbled nearly asleep.
In the morning Teddy stretched out in Owen's bed feeling that his side was empty. She slowly opened her eyes. Hearing the shower she got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom, deciding on the spot to join him in the shower.
"You're up early," Owen commented.
"You got out of bed," Teddy replied, "so I'm going to join you here."
At noon Teddy picked Danika up.
"How was your night," Danika asked as she got into the car.
"I was at Owen's," Teddy said.
"All night," Danika asked.
"Yes," Teddy said, "I went straight there after I dropped you off and just left to come get you."
"Did I wake him up with my text," Danika asked.
"Both of us," Teddy confirmed, "neither of us are deep sleepers. We've both learned to wake up the moment we hear the phone or pager it's part of our job."
"Can we talk about it," Danika asked.
"I think we should," Teddy agreed.
"Are you really my birth mom," Danika asked.
"Absolutely not," Teddy said, "I've never had a baby. And now I'm getting too old to."
"Why would people think that you're my mom," Danika asked.
"Because of the age gap between us. 23 years is a huge gap," Teddy explained, "biologically it would be possible for me to be your mom. When we get home there's some photos in the basement from the months before you were born. Me and some friends at medical school as well as the photos from your apartment with your mom. There's a photo there of me and your mom with dad about three weeks before you were born."
"I want to believe you but my Emilia sounded so sure," Danika said.
"That sort of thing happens in books and movies," Teddy said, "and maybe it happened 50 years ago but that's not what happened. There is a DNA test we can do if you want the reassurance. It would just be a quick cheek swab and we send it off. I've heard of it being done and can look into it if you need proof."
"I really want to believe you but if you weren't my mom why would you come," Danika said.
"Because I'm your sister," Teddy said, "and sister stick together."
"Then why do you act more like a mom then my mom did," Danika asked.
"Because I love you and want what's best for you," Teddy replied.
"I did not agree to braces," Danika snapped, "my mom wouldn't have made me."
"And that was neglect," Teddy replied, "your ears and the fillings that was neglect and should have been cared for before now. I'm not negotiating it with you. I will act like the parent and be the adult when I need to be. I can't always be your cool big sister as much as I want to and would rather just be cool."
"Can we negotiate the braces," Danika asked.
"No," Teddy declared, "that's happening, it's for your well being. I don't negotiate that. Bedtime, curfew, going out with friends I will negotiate your health right now I have the final say. I will teach you and help you learn but for now I need to be the adult. It's not easy for me either."
"Were you and Owen mad last night," Danika asked.
"Worried," Teddy replied, "I wasn't sure if you were okay. You know you can always ask me to come get you if you're not okay any time. We can make something up like you're not feeling well and you can come home. I will come."
"I was surprised my friends would think like that," Danika said, "I always accepted it but then they made me question."
"What do you know," Teddy said.
"That you always come and we have the same dad," Danika replied.
"That's all that matters," Teddy replied as she pulled into the driveway, "now go inside feed your cat and shower. We have to go get camping gear Owen gave me a list."
"He has his own tent right," Danika asked.
"Yes," Teddy promised, "we talked about that."
