Time jump: we're going to do a pandemic related time jump so the family can be together again soon. In a couple chapters we'll see the TOWEN wedding and everything that happened with Faroke in season 18.

Summer 2022

Alyssa pulled her phone out of her pocket as she walked into the house from a medical appointment. She wished the border was open and she could easily go down and tell her uncle face to face what was going on. She wanted to go home and sit in the familiar living room and celebrate her good news with her aunt and uncle. She was afraid to tell Megan what was going on. She wasn't sure how her mom would react to being a grandma at 46. She knew she was 27 and 8 years older than her mom had been but Megan had made comments a few months before when Alyssa mentioned she wanted kids that she didn't want to be a grandma before she turned 50, she thought Megan had been joking but with her mom it was sometimes hard to tell.

Alyssa taped on Owens name to start a facetime call. She wanted to see his face when she told him.

"Hi Lyss," Owen smiled as he picked up the facetime call.

"Uncle Owen." Alyssa smiled, "I have really good news!"

"Do you," Owen asked.

"I do," Alyssa smiled.

"What is it you look happy," Owen said.

"I'm 8 weeks pregnant," Alyssa said.

"Wow Alyssa," Owen smiled, "you want this?"

"I do," Alyssa said, "I'm ready uncle Owen. I'm 27."

"I know you are," Owen smiled, "congratulations kiddo."

"Thanks," Alyssa smiled, "we'll have to figure out the border so you can meet my babies. "

"Babies," Owen asked, "as in plural? More than one."

"I'm having twins," Alyssa said, "we just had the first ultrasound."

"Alyssa," Owen beamed, "I'm surprised but this is exciting."

"It is," Alyssa said, "you'll meet my babies."

"We will," Owen assured.

"I want you and auntie Teddy to meet my babies," Alyssa said.

"Who knows," Owen asked.

"Matt and I and I told Auntie Teddy I'm pregnant for a couple weeks, she doesn't know it's twins," Alyssa said, "mom doesn't know yet. I want to tell mom when I'm ready."

"May I talk to Teddy about it," Owen asked.

"You can, she's known for about 10 days," Alyssa said, "she's my sounding board and reassuring me. I need Auntie Teddy."

"You do," Owen agreed, "are you feeling okay?"

"No," Alyssa admitted, "glad I still work from home."

"What's wrong," Owen asked.

"The term morning sickness is a lie, let's call it 24/7 vomit fest," Alyssa replied.

"Have you told your doctor," Owen asked.

"I'm seeing a nurse midwife," Alyssa said, "you know seeing doctors and hospitals as the patient is stressful and a ptsd trigger for me."

"A midwife," Owen asked, "I know nothing about it."

"She's a nurse practitioner who specialises as a midwife," Alyssa explained, "I will deliver in the hospital with her. I was low risk. She's now saying it's higher risk and will be monitored more closely but I can still work with her. . Then I'll have Kelsey when I deliver. She can come here and do early labour at home with us then transfer to the hospital when it's time to go. She's good. She went to nursing school with Catie. Catie said Kelsey was the best in their class. I will see an OB at 12 weeks and 20 then at 30, 36 and 38 to make sure everything is on track. If something changes I will switch to an OB."

"Do you feel good about it," Owen asked, "do you feel safe?"

"I do," Alyssa said, "I've seen her twice for almost 2 hours each time. She knows my medical history and that I have ptsd. She's the one that mentioned her doing early labour at home with us. She mentioned being at home for the whole thing but I don't like that idea. I think I'd like to leave it as late as possible then transfer to the hospital."

"You have months to decide," Owen assured, "you can ask to tour the ward and see a room. You can put supports in place."

"Can you and auntie Teddy come," Alyssa asked.

"We will do our best," Owen said, "we'll have to wait and see with the border and COVID."

"I need you and auntie Teddy," Alyssa said, "and we have to find grandparent names for you two and mom. You and auntie Teddy need special names."

"We will find something," Owen assured, "kiddo I'm happy for you. You're a mom."

"I'm a mom," Alyssa agreed, "but I have to go. I have a teams meeting."

"I love you kiddo," Owen smiled, "congratulations."

"Thanks. I love you too," Alyssa smiled before ending the call.

"Teddy," Owen called as Teddy walked into the attendings lounge, "I have good news."

"What," Teddy asked.

"I just talked to Lyss," Owen said.

"What did she say," Teddy asked.

"She's pregnant," Owen smiled, "8 weeks with twins. "

"I know," Teddy said, "I've known for about 10 days that she's pregnant. They had their first ultrasound today. How's she doing today?"

"She said she's not feeling great," Owen said, "Meg doesn't know yet."

"She'll tell Megan when she's ready," Teddy replied, "you know their relationship is rocky."

"I don't get it," Owen said.

"We don't get involved," Teddy shrugged, "it's up to them. Alyssa and Megan have a lot of trauma they need to work through. I don't think not being able to see each other is helping."

"They should soon," Owen said, "if Alyssa is pregnant with twins Megan should know. I remember how much Megan wanted mom. Lyss needs her moms."

"She wanted me," Teddy replied.

"She asked us to pick special names," Owen said, "like grandparents."

"As much as that's my grandchild I can't be grandma," Teddy said, "I wish I could but that's Megan's. I've been thinking because she told me the same thing."

" Grandchildren Teddy," Owen said, "she's having twins. There's two of them."

"Twins." Teddy gasped. "Twins?"

"Twins," Owen said.

"Would explain how sick she is." Teddy replied.

"She'll be okay," Owen asked.

"She'll need a lot of support," Teddy replied, "she's mentioned us having grandparent names. And I have a couple ideas."

"What are you thinking," Owen asked.

"I called my dad's mom Oma," Teddy said, "it's the German word for grandma. I'm thinking that maybe Alyssa's kids could call me Oma. Matt's sister has kids and his parents are nana and gramps."

"I like grandpa but is there one to match yours," Owen asked.

"Opa," Teddy replied, "we can be Oma and Opa to Alyssa's babies. Ours then will use it in 30 years but."

"I like it," Owen said, "our kids are 3,4 and 27."

"And we're going to be grandparents," Teddy smiled.

Meredith came in having heard the last sentence, "how?"

"Total secret, Megan doesn't know yet," Teddy said.

"Alyssa," Meredith guessed, "she's 30 now?"

"27," Teddy replied, "we haven't seen her in 2 years. I miss her."

"Any idea when the border will open," Meredith asked.

"No," Owen said.

"We need it open before Valentines," Teddy said, "she's due the 15th."

"So she's only just," Meredith said.

"I've known about ten days she always comes to me first," Teddy said.

"I'll keep it to myself," Meredith smiled, "congratulations you guys. Tell Alyssa congratulations for me. Is she feeling okay?"

"No," Teddy answered, "she's pretty sick. Excited but sick. She works from home so she's coping. I want to go see her and hug her and rub her bump."

"She's 8 weeks," Owen said.

"I know but I'm excited," Teddy replied.

Once Leo and Allison were in bed that night Teddy turned to Owen, "do you feel really old all of a sudden?"

"Yes," Owen said, "all day. I was the first person other than Megan to see and hold Lyss. I held Lyss before Derek did. But someone has to tell Megan."

"We can't," Teddy replied.

"I know," Owen replied, "the border should open soon."

"I hope so," Teddy replied, "I never thought it would be closed this long."

"Neither did I," Owen said.

"We've been talking about a third baby," Teddy said, "if we're grandparents?"

"I want to if you to," Owen relied.

"We need to go see Carina," Teddy replied, "we've been trying for a while and I'm older."

"Teddy do you want to go through the medical process," Owen asked, "if that is what you want to do I will support you but it's not our only choice."

"I think we go for the exam and see where things are at," Teddy replied, "get the information. I want to know if it's even possible. It might not be or it could be really hard or really expensive. If our chances are minimal I want to consider other options."

"What if we foster to adopt or adopt again," Owen suggested.

"I would do that again," Teddy replied, "2 and under though?"

"Under 5," Owen said, " but close in age to Leo and Allison."

"Yes," Teddy agreed, "I don't want an Alyssa and Faroke thing where they don't know each other."

"They'll all be in the same house," Owen said, "had Megan been here and had Faroke when Alyssa was 14 they would know each other better."

"Maybe," Teddy agreed, "I want ours close in age."

"That we can do," Owen said, "you hated being pregnant though."

"I love our kids," Teddy said, "I want the four we always dreamed of."

"We will look at all our options," Owen agreed, "you're still okay with Lyss?"

"I am," Teddy assured, "she's ours. She's family."

"She is," Owen replied, "and you've always stepped up with her. You're doing it again."

"She's scared," Teddy replied, "I talked to her after you and I talked it's a lot and she's really sick. She needs us."

"She does," Owen agreed, "so four kids?"

"Four kids," Teddy smiled.

"What about the Wedding Teddy," Owen asked.

"Not until the border opens," Teddy replied.

"We keep putting it off," Owen said.

"I know," Teddy replied, "but we agreed that Lyss has to be there. She would kill us if she wasn't there and now she'll probably have her kids at our wedding."

"We'll wait for her," Owen agreed, "but do you want to start looking Teddy?"

"Not if we're trying to get pregnant," Teddy replied, "I don't want to be a pregnant bride. I know our kids are preschoolers but I don't want that. My last wedding wasn't really a wedding, I do want something."

"We will have a wedding," Owen promised, "with our family."

"I want the family here," Teddy replied.

"We can wait for the border," Owen agreed.

"She wants to come home," Teddy said, "she was crying on the phone to me about it yesterday. She wants to come home and be with us. She's scared to talk to her aunts on Derek's side she wants to come home."

"She can," Owen replied, "she can if she wants they can't stop her but going back she'll have to isolate for two weeks."

"We need to get her home," Teddy said, "or I'm going."

"We're going," Owen replied, "it's just the isolation before and after."

"Theres no more before just after," Teddy replied.

"Maybe we go," Owen said, "go straight to her house and see her."

"Or she can come down," Teddy said, "I worry with Matt. I'm not sure how supportive he's being and Lyss and Megan are so rocky."

"Did you expect it," Owen asked.

"I knew they were talking about it," Teddy replied, "I didn't know they were going to try but I knew it was on their radar. She felt ready."

"Do you feel ready," Owen asked.

"For ours yea," Teddy smiled, "one more. We dreamed of three or four and I want to go for four."

"Well do it," Owen agreed, "is you're sure."

"I'm sure," Teddy agreed, "Owen I know this as much as I know I want to marry you and that I've loved you as long as I've known you."

"Teddy," Owen asked.

"I love you and I love our family," Teddy said, "this is our forever."

"It is," Owen smiled pulling her closer.

"Owen," Teddy giggled, "the kids."

"Are in bed," Owen said.

"They are," Teddy smiled.

"So," he asked.

"Tonight we have time together," she smiled.

"What does that entail," he asked.

"A movie we're not going to watch," she giggled, "a bubble bath?"

"I like the bath idea," he smiled, "I love you, you know that?"

"I do," she smiled, "I love you too."