Owen stood with Amelia on the tarmac waiting.
"She's not coming," Amelia said.
"No," Owen said, "she's at the house."
"If it was Derek I would want someone I trusted to check first," Amelia said, "I would get you and Richard to check first. See what his condition is get all the information."
"She's freaking out," Owen said, "I'll lose her."
"You raised your niece," Amelia said, "you will not loose Alyssa."
"I helped Megan with her from birth. There was only a year or two that Meg was still in school and I had started residency that Lyss didn't live with me. Ya we weren't home while we were deployed but she was always a thought. I thought about Alyssa more than I thought about Beth," Owen said, "I saw Lyss's first steps and didn't tell Meg so Megan would think she saw them. She used to toddle over to me as a baby to be picked up and wrap herself around my leg. I tucked her in and read her stories. Her and I went to Disneyland when she was 13 and she loved it. Lyss always hated thunderstorms. This one time she was about 7 we were residents and Meg was on call overnight and it was a bad one, Lyss crawled in bed with Beth and I. And I let her stay. Beth wanted to put her back in her own bed when she fell asleep but the storm went all night and she was too scared. The reason we have the pool is because I had it put in for Lyss. So she could hang out in the yard with her friends."
"You got her though middle school, highschool and college," Amelia said.
"She's doing well," Owen said, "but I had a hard time reading her expression when I face timed and told her."
"We've talked about her missing Megan and wanting to see her mom again," Amelia said, "I heard her talking to Riggs at our wedding."
"He was supposed to be her step dad," Owen said, "I didn't like or trust him for a long time but I never stopped him from seeing or talking to Lyss. He always cared about Alyssa. I wasn't going to stop people who loved her from seeing her. She needed that."
"Teddy is her mother figure though," Amelia said, "that was so clear at her college graduation."
"She looks so much like her mom at 24," Owen said, "I hope I did what Megan wanted."
"Its the same I do with Derek's kids," Amelia assured, "you give her all the love you can. Owen she knows you love her. And not because you text her every morning to say good morning and tell her. Who does she call when something isn't great or when she has great news. Who does she call first?"
"Me," Owen said.
"Where does she call home," Ameila asked.
"Our house," Owen agreed.
"You have her pictures up and on the fridge like a parent," Amelia said, "Owen Alyssa is good. You have parented her you still do. You made sure she was loved and grounded in the real world."
"She's my niece I know that but Lyss is more my daughter," Owen said, "I raised her. She's my daughter in every way that matters."
"I know," Amelia said, "my step daughter. It's better for me to just be her friend though."
"Megan was 31 when she was captured, Lyssa was 12," Owen said.
"She was 19," Amelia said, "and she still served."
"She never expected to have to go overseas," Owen said, "it paid for college and med school we both did it."
"Did Alyssa understand," Amelia asked.
"She knew and Megan tried, I tried so did mom," Owen said, "Teddy just offered Lyssa a great engineering position working with one of her R&D groups. Lyss is on the fence it's not Germany or being close to Teddy it's that she blames the army for her mom."
Owen heard the helicopter and tensed, this time he knew it was bringing Megan to him but he worried, had he failed? Did how he raised her only child failed to reach the dreams Megan had for the girl? He knew Alyssa had all the love he could give her. Christina had tried her best, which was all he could ask, she had helped with homework and taught Alyssa to use her voice and that a guy should like her for her mind. Christina had pushed Alyssa to follow her ambition and that her ambition was a good thing. Teddy loved the girl and had been the favourite Aunt and a mother figure. the conversations he didn't know how to have with Alyssa, Teddy had been able to, he knew that Auntie Teddy was still the favourite when it came to dating advice. Amelia had surprised him, befriending his niece, being open minded and accepting in a way that only Ameila was. Alyssa's friendship with Ameila was on Lyss's terms but was getting better.
Amelia put her hand on his back, "breathe it will be good. You did it right. Alyssa is successful. She's a college graduate and a great engineer. She was able to help me with my last project and make that tool. She had it in a couple days. Her mockup needed minimal improvement."
"She's a smart girl," Owen said, "but her fear."
"That's trauma," Amelia replied.
"She was doing so well," Owen said, "ya her and Jeff broke up a couple days ago but she was okay with it. It wasn't working for her."
"I didn't like him," Amelia said, "he was cold and distant."
"She said she's not going to date until she figures out her next contract," Owen said.
The helicopter touched down and Owen ran to meet Megan.
"Megan, Megan," Owen beamed down at his sister.
"Who are you," Megan asked tentatively.
Owen paused, glad for a moment they hadn't forced Alyssa to come today, honouring the girl's need for time to process.
"I'm Owen," he said, "your brother."
Megan began to laugh, "I'm sorry I had to."
Owen looked at her stunned.
"Can you unstrap me so I can hug your ridiculously pale body," Megan demanded.
Owen obeyed and half lifted her from the gurney in a bear hug.
Amelia approached cautiously.
"This is my wife Amelia," Owen introduced.
"It's great to finally meet you," Amelia smiled, "I've heard a lot from Owen and Alyssa."
"Is Alyssa," Megan started.
"She's driving down from Vancouver," Owen said, he was covering and knew she had only gotten home a few minutes before.
"Vancouver," Megan asked, "when did you tell her?"
"This morning," Owen said, "she lives and works in Vancouver BC now."
"What is she doing there," Megan asked.
"She's a medical engineer and designs surgical tools," Amelia said, "she's brilliant."
"She's coming," Owen said, "she's processing."
"Is she okay," Megan asked.
"She's great," Owen assured, "she's doing well. She looks like you at her age."
"Tell me," Megan demanded as her gurney was transferred to a waiting ambulance, "show me. Owen, I haven't seen her in 13 years. I have to see my daughter."
Owen took out his phone and showed Megan Alyssa's Instagram feed.
"She looks happy," Megan said as she scrolled.
"She's doing well," Owen agreed, "I'm proud of her."
"Do you and Amelia have kids," Megan asked.
"Lyss," Owen replied, "but Lyss is closer to Teddy Altman than Amelia."
"My Alyssa is close to Teddy Altman," Megan asked.
"She is," Owen said, "I would not have gotten her though high school without Teddy. Teddy was the second parent for three and a half years."
"So you and Teddy dated." Megan asked.
"No she's always been my best friend but she connected with Lyss," Owen replied, "and Lyss went to Teddy when she needed a mom. She still does."
"Why isn't she Alyssa," Megan asked, "I named her Alyssa."
"Lyss was always my nickname for her," Owen said, "and it stuck. Mom, Teddy, Riggs and I. Some of her friends."
"Sports," Megan asked.
"Volleyball," Owen said, "she played varsity volleyball all four years of college. She's good. You? What happened? They said you were in a hole."
"I was tossed there with my son," Megan said, "when the bombing started. To protect us. I have to tell Alyssa she has a little brother. Faroke knows about his big sister."
"Your son," Owen asked.
"I adopted him," Megan replied, "he's 10. His parents were Syrian fighters. I adopted him 7 years ago. I did why I prayed you had done."
"Megan I told you when Lyss was born I would always look out for her," Owen said, "she's my child. I raised her as my own."
"I knew you would," Megan said, "does she remember me?"
"She does," Owen said, "she talks about you less and less over the years. It's not that she hasn't missed you it's that the missing changed. Always on the anniversary of your capture she gets really upset. Her roommates are good though with it. Catie and Kristy understand. They're actually her cousins."
"She found Derek," Megan asked.
"He's not in her life but his brother's families have embraced her," Owen said, "she asked when she was 15 and we went looking. I met them first and they were shocked and surprised but the first time I drove her up to meet them they just loved her and hugged her."
"He had like 5 brothers," Megan remembered.
"Yes," Owen said, "and a sister. Their names all start with D. She sees them a lot and she's gotten close to Catie and Kristy. They're in a house Kristy's parents own and the three of them rent it. It's loud, they always have friends around. We've found out she's Métis on that side."
"What does that mean," Megan asked.
"She's done her dual citizenship and has a Canadian passport and her Métis status card. Métis is an indigenous group," Owen said.
"Indigenous," Megan asked.
"Like Indian but we don't call them that now," Owen said, "she's learning about it from her aunts. They took her hunting in the fall. She killed a moose."
"What did she do with a moose," Megan asked.
"They eat it," Owen said, "she fed me moose when they got home. She made moose roast with mashed potatoes and Yorkshire puddings."
"You are it," Megan asked.
"Because she made it but it was surprisingly good," Owen said, "they eat a lot of game and wild caught fish. Her cousins are really into it and she was hesitant at first but now she likes it."
Megan kept scrolling, "that's her moose?"
"It is," Owen agreed, "she was pretty proud of that. I encourage her to try it and see. She likes being outside like that. The blonde is Kristy and the brunette is Catie."
"There's a resemblance," Megan said, "the eyes."
"There is and they're all about the same height," Owen said, "they have fun. Lyss is quick to spot in the Jarrett photos. She's the only redhead."
"Her birthday next month," Megan said, "she'll be 24."
"I already got her present," Owen said, "I always do outdoor gear for her birthday. She loves it."
"Gifts." Megan asked.
"I never spoiled even when I was chief of surgery," he said, "she was in college then and I paid for housing and food. But her spending was up to her. She got her first job at 15 because she wanted more spending money then she had allowance. Teddy went clothes shopping with her in high school and I told her how much she could spend. Lyss had to learn. She's a great kid. You laid a good foundation, she's good. Faroke?"
"He's a good kid," Megan said, "smart, gentle, kind. He wants to meet his sister. But he's with US military in Baghdad. I haven't been able to formally adopt him so I can't bring him yet."
"We'll have to tell Lyss after she sees you," Owen said.
"Will she," Megan started.
"I think so," Owen said, "Megan she's a good person. She's a young woman."
"You," Megan asked.
"Amelia and I are okay," Owen said, "we've been married about a year. Your son? When? How?"
"He came into the camp they were keeping me in with his parents," Megan said, "Owen I was a prisoner and I wanted to get home to Alyssa and you and mom. But this little boy came in he was 2 and alone. There was no one to love him and I just held him and rocked him. I took him and and he became mine. He's a good kid."
"You weren't," Owen started.
"No," Megan said, "I've been beaten more times than I can count but never that way. We have to get Faroke here. I need to hold both of my kids."
"We'll make it work," Owen said.
"Owen if I don't make it through this promise me you will do whatever you have to to get Faroke," Megan begged.
"I will," Owen said, "I will. Megan, I have kept that promise once and I will keep it for the rest of my life."
