Megan appeared at Owen's the next morning as they were all sitting down for breakfast.

"She brought Matt," Owen hissed, meeting Megan on the porch.

"I know," Megan said, "and it's her birthday."

"She's really anxious," Owen said, "I don't know if it's him. I've never seen her in a relationship like this."

"They're going to live together," Megan said, "and we're just meeting him. She hides things from us."

"She's scared," Owen said, "it's fear and PTSD. She was on the verge of a flair up this morning. Her birthday always causes one."

"What do I do," Megan asked.

"Teddy made French toast with Turkey bacon and Alyssa has Leo in her lap," Owen said, "she has her coffee in her favourite Ravenclaw mug. Come eat with us.

"Faroke and I have been watching Harry Potter you couldn't do Gryffindor," Megan asked.

"Alyssa is a ravenclaw you and I would be gryffindors," Owen said, "Alyssa said Henry was a Huffelpuff and she called Christina a Slytherin."

"Ouch," Megan laughed.

"She was obsessed," Owen said, "we had Harry Potter sheets for her bed. We went to midnight releases for books and movies and dressed up as Weasleys. We have the Harry Potter lego sets. One winter she built Hogwarts and Hogsmead. Her comfort movies are the Harry Potter series and she can quote them word for word."

"Her lego collection," Megan questioned, "you must have spent thousands."

"I did," Owen said, "the Hogwarts mega set I made her a deal on. She paid half from babysitting money and I paid half. But I would only do it if she got up without complaining everyday for 3 months. I got the habit I wanted and she got the lego she wanted. Lego was the currency to get her to do things and what I needed her to do. Faroke must have one."

"Technology time," Megan said, "his switch."

"We had lego and hands on things," Owen said, "her therapist cautioned me against too much screen time. She wanted to limit Alyssa's ability to research what could have happened to you. And Alyssa was researching and finding horrible things so she lost the privilege of unsupervised internet for almost a year. I did what I had to to get her healthy and to deal with her ptsd. She's triggered right now and Teddy and I can't figure out why."

"The boy," Megan asked, "if it's the first time she's brought someone home."

"Man and he seems nice and to care about her," Owen said, "but I don't know if it's an act I'm watching."

"Does he love her," Megan asked.

"I think so " Owen replied.

"Breakfast," Megan asked.

Owen led Megan inside.

"Happy birthday," Megan yelled.

"Mom," Alyssa jumped in her seat.

"Hi ladybug," Megan smiled.

"Mom this is my boyfriend Matt," Alyssa introduced, "Matt my mom Megan Hunt."

"It's good to meet you," Matt smiled shaking Megan's hand.

"So 25," Megan smiled hugging Alyssa.

"Uncle Owen gave me the letter last night," Alyssa said.

"I want to see it," Megan said, "what I wrote. You were 9 when I wrote it."

"Dear John letters," Alyssa said.

"Yes," Megan agreed.

"I still have two," Owen said.

"When it's time," Megan agreed, "I still want her to have them. And you have a tradition."

"We do," Alyssa said.

"What's the plan for the day," Teddy asked.

"Lyss wanted to go to an airplane museum," Matt said, "so we're going. Is anyone else coming?"

"I will," Megan said.

"We will but in one of our cars," Owen said, "that way if the kids need to come home we can."

They finished breakfast and split into separate cars to drive to the museum.

"I don't like him," Owen said, "he's going to hurt her."

"I know," Teddy agreed, "there's something off. He has no ambition, no drive. He'll hold her back and keep her down. Did you see how he took charge."

"But she's buying the house," Owen said.

"Talk to her make sure she knows the risks of buying and having him move in," Teddy replied, "my name isn't on this place."

"Never will be," Owen said, "if anything happens to me it goes to the three kids. Equal thirds."

"Owen," Teddy asked, "I have the money to buy in."

"No," Owen said, "I know you want to. It's not that I don't trust you and our family. I'm protecting myself and the kids. I had to pay Christina a fair bit of money even though her name wasn't on it because she gave me money towards the mortgage. I won't take it from you even if you offer Teddy so don't even try."

"Other bills we can share," Teddy replied, "gas, phone, electrical."

"We already split food," Owen said.

"I can't feel like I'm depending on you to support me," Teddy said, "Owen that's not me I need us to be a team."

"We can split house bills," Owen agreed, "but I am the only name on the mortgage. I need to change my will now that we have the kids social security numbers."

"What are you thinking," Teddy asked.

"If anything happens to me the kids are with you and you can live on the house the mortgage is set up so the mortgage is paid off by life insurance. If you chose to sell lyss gets her third. What I have in savings, retirement accounts and investments goes to the kids and you have power of attorney on Leo and Allison's shares. Should something happen to both of us I want to talk to Lyss about our kids," Owen said.

"Not Megan," Teddy asked.

"Lyss knows us better," Owen answered, "they know Alyssa better and see her more. She would come home for Leo and Allison."

"I thought Megan if something happens to both of us," Teddy said, "I thought maybe you two had an understanding that if anything happened you had the other's kids."

"I'm sure she would," Owen said, "but Lyss is Lyss."

"She's our oldest," Teddy said, "I still don't like her being that serious in a relationship. Something about him feels off."

"I see what you mean," Owen said, "I guess we always saw her with another college graduate."

"Not just that," Teddy replied, "his army comments got under my skin."

"I think he needs to learn," Owen said, "the military is viewed differently in Canada. It's smaller it's not as popular of a choice for people. I've talked to Derek's family about it when they had questions."

"He'll hurt her," Teddy said, "not now maybe not for six months but he's going to hurt her. He's not the forever she's thinking. He's not the right one."

"In one night Teddy," Owen asked.

"Her and I talk," Teddy said, "he's trying to make her small but she doesn't see it. I'm thankful Christina had the influence she did about Alyssa's voice and goals mattering."

"She still goes to you about boys," Owen asked.

"Men and yes," Teddy replied, "she's not there with Megan yet I don't know if they ever will be. She's still trying to connect the mommy she knew as a little kid who left when she was 9. She was in fourth grade when Megan left. And Lyss is nervous about the woman she's getting to know. Megan has changed Alyssa is unsure how to have a mom."

"Megan came," Owen smiled.

"She did," Teddy replied, "and just for Alyssa."

At the museum Megan listened as Alyssa explained the different planes and what made them all special and the techniques and engineering behind them.

"Why aren't you in aeronautics," Megan asked.

"You," Alyssa said, "I could never be a doctor. Blood and guts gross me out but I can make the tools. I've debated a switch to aeronautics but I did mechanical and materials not aeronautics. I guess I could but I'm in a comfortable situation right now. I'm making good money, my hours are pretty good I'm 8-5 every day and they give me flexibility to do my SAR stuff as long as I make up my work later. Its a for now. I may switch later, I work on a lot of really fine tools and tiny tolerances. I have to call Dr Pierce and grab coffee before we go home, she wants to collaborate on something. I love my collab work with people I know. Were weeks out from Amelia and I getting our patent through.

"Then what," Megan asked.

"We figure out getting it made," Alyssa said, "people will want it once we get it made she's talking to a couple surgical equipment makers."

"Your love of planes," Megan asked, "I don't get it. I hate flying and didn't fly unless I had to. Owen and Teddy aren't fans."

"Dad," Owen said, "dad was a pilot. Mom and Alyssa would go watch planes, she used the planes to distract from us going. Then Lyss got curious about how they worked and why they stayed up. I fed the curiosity."

"Uncle Dave rebuilds old broken planes in his shop," Alyssa said, "I sometimes tinker with him. He's a paediatrician who loves planes. I go work with him and play with the motors. I like engines."

"Then do it," Megan said.

"I'd love to get my private pilots licence," Alyssa said, "it's a bucket list item."

"Do it," Megan said.

"Why not Lyss," Teddy encouraged, "you love planes and flying and tinkering with them."

"I like little planes," Alyssa said, "small planes like Cessnas, Beavers and Otters are so much fun to be in. The Goose is my favourite but they don't have one here, it's a flying boat."

Megan smiled seeing how animated Alyssa became talking about the planes and sharing what she knew about it.

"When we come for Christmas you should bring Faroke," Megan said, "he likes vehicles."

"I can offer," Alyssa agreed.

That night they gathered at Evelyn's for Alyssa's birthday dinner.

"What do you think," Alyssa asked Megan and Teddy as they washed dishes.

"He's okay," Megan said, "he's been quiet."

"He has been today," Alyssa said, "I think he's a bit intimidated."

"You have to work on that," Teddy said, "Alyssa he shouldn't be intimidated by your intelligence and he should be supporting you using your mind."

"I know," Alyssa said, "are you using yours?"

"No and I'm going stir crazy," Teddy said, 'I am not a stay at home mom and it's only been a month."

"The first month was the hardest," Megan said, "she was constantly fussy and hungry."

"She's not super fussy," Teddy said, "but she doesn't sleep."

"Not sleeping or not sleeping when you want to," Megan asked.

"When I want to," Teddy replied, "she's still got day and night flipped around."

"You had her out today which should help," Megan said, "I used to take Alyssa to class as a baby and let her sit in the stroller beside me. She got it flipped around a couple times because lecture halls were dark and quiet so she would fall asleep and sometimes nap too long then wouldn't go to bed on time."

"You took her to class," Teddy asked.

"Until she was one," Megan said, "I couldn't always pay babysitters Owen did way more than he should have. She was born in May, I had summer classes from mid may to early August. I missed the first week of the classes then took my 2 week old to class with me. I made it work Teddy. One of my all time favourite professors was a mom as well, her little girl was a few months older than Lyss. I was trying to write the mid term in the class, Lyss was about 5 months and didn't want to stay in the stroller so she carried her through the entire exam. I only paid babysitters for labs that first year."

Alyssa put the last dish away and wandered into the living room to sit with Matt.

"Megan," Teddy said, "really?"

"I had to," Megan replied, "I made it work. Was it always best for Alyssa I don't know. She lived in a grown up world, she lived a college student life and schedule. But my friends knew her and liked her. People would hold her or walk her so I could get a couple problems done or eat."

"I'm trying to keep her awake a bit longer," Teddy smiled at Allison in the bouncer.

"When she's ready," Megan said, "Leo looks fascinated."

"Its the bright colours and that they're l playing with him," Teddy replied.

"She likes him," Megan said.

"One day," Teddy smiled, "she will. She's great with our kids."

"She is," Megan agreed.

"Matt," Teddy asked Megan, seeing the Alyssa and Matt were out of earshot.

"Not sure," Megan said, "I need more time to get to know him."

"I'm confused by him," Teddy replied.

"I know," Megan said, "I guess we watch and listen to her. I mean my mom and Owen tried to tell me Derek was no good for me but I thought I knew better I liked him and I trusted him."

"But," Teddy said.

"I would have my daughter," Megan finished, "I know that but I don't want her to make the same mistakes I did. Trusting a man with out fully knowing him. I think we tell her about our reservations."

"If she asks again," Teddy replied.