Teddy and Henry invited the McKellars to join them for American thanksgiving because Annie had 10 days off for the holiday and Teddy had booked a ticket for Annie to fly home for the break. For the first time Teddy was hosting, and the Hunts would be joining them. Teddy was hoping that Annie would relax being home. She had just sorted out the mess of her roommate copying part of her genetics paper. Annie had worked with the professor to come up with an extra credit assignment, she researched inheritance patterns in mental illness. She was still anxious about being on probation, but was also learning who she could and could not trust. She had also seen that doing the right thing and honesty didn't always get her what she wanted. But the professor had recognized her efforts and had offered the extra credit assignment to the whole class which allowed Annie to make up at least some of the points Amy's dishonesty had cost her.

Teddy got pulled into an emergency surgery right as she needed to leave to go to the airport to get Annie. She quickly texted Henry to go get her and let Annie know about the change of plans.

Annie walked into the arrivals area and looked around for Henry.

"Over here Kiddo," Henry called, he spotted his step daughter who was an absolute miniature of his wife.

"Henry," Annie called, "mama got called into a surgery."

"She did," Henry replied, "we're going to head home, order something for dinner then she'll meet us when she's done."

"Okay," Annie said, "how are you?"

"I'm good," Henry said," happy your home."

"I'm glad to be home," Annie replied.

"How's Kevin is he joining us," Henry asked, "Teddy didn't say."

"We broke up," Annie replied, "the distance was too much."

"You okay with that," Henry asked.

"It wasn't working for me," Annie said, "he kept asking when I would come home and if I could transfer back to UBC. I don't need a stage 10 clinger right now."

"Stage 10 clinger," Henry asked.

"Constant calls and texts. Jealous if I went out with friends or studied with Josh," Annie explained.

Henry looked at her, "Josh?"

"Just a friend," Annie said, "his uncle is an old army friend of mama's. I met Josh at orientation. He's nice. We study together and go hiking or cycling. He's looking at cardio surgery as well"

"Could this be something," Henry asked.

"I don't want to date right now," Annie said, "Josh is a good friend but he wouldn't be interested romantically in a girl like me."

"Why not kiddo," Henry asked.

"Josh is a typical tall jock," Annie said, "he has the slightest new zealand accent it's worse when he's drunk."

"Teddy and I met his uncle in Boston," Henry said, "Nathan seemed nice enough but there was some history there with Owen and Meghan."

"I know," Annie replied, "mama told me. But Josh is just a friend and study buddy. I'm too much of a dork for a guy like that. But he gets the challenge with my parents and sister, his parents aren't really there for him. He has his uncle Nathan like I have you and Teddy."

"How are your hospital visits going," Henry asked.

"Awesome," Annie replied, "I've been with Dr. Avery Jackson's mom twice now, she likes my starfish cap. Do you know where that came from?"

"Mama," Henry said, "I think it's cool that Teddy is working with Jackson and Catherine Avery is working with you. They've been talking."

"About me and Jackson," Annie asked.

"Yes," Henry said, "and being a surgeon and watching your child go through medical school. It's hard for them to see you struggle and find your way when they know what you need to do."

"This is way harder than anything I did at UBC," Annie admitted.

"But do you like it," asked Henry, "hard is okay."

"I love it, I really do," Annie replied.

They reached the car and headed home, chatting about Henry's new job and Annie's classes.

"Hello," Teddy called as she came through the front door.

"Mama," Annie shouted running to the door."

"Hi sweetheart," Teddy greeted, "good flight?"

"Easy," Annie replied.

"I've heard good things about you from Catherine Avery," Teddy said, "she says you're doing well on your surgical experiences."

"I'm enjoying working with her," Annie said, "she has a sense of humor."

"Do you talk and have personality when you go," Teddy asked.

"I do," Annie replied, "she likes my starfish cap. Jackson emailed me and told me how to impress her and get a good reference from her. I really need that reference to get off probation because of Amy."

"You handed in your extra credit paper," Teddy asked.

"I put it in his hands myself," Annie replied, "printed it, straight to my backpack and directly to the prof."

"Good," Teddy said, "I liked him when we were in Germany."

"He was as fair as he could be with me I guess," Annie replied, "he had to follow policy, Amy wouldn't come clean so we both took the consequence because my proof wasn't significant enough."

"It sucks for you," Teddy said, "but I would have done the same. You made the best of it and will grow from it."

"Don't give me the 'what did you learn' talk," Annie said, "I learned I don't trust Amy and that I need to have a password on my computer."

"I wasn't going to," Teddy said.

"When do mom and dad get here," Annie asked.

"Tomorrow," Teddy replied, "we have tonight at home."

"Where are they staying," Annie asked.

"They got a hotel," Teddy said, "it's better with your sister that you both have your own space."

"I don't have to share my room with Jessie," Annie clarified.

"That is your space," Teddy promised.

"Are Owen and Chrsitina coming," Annie asked.

"Owen and Evelyn," Teddy said, "Christina is working, Calli and Arizona are coming with Sophia as well."

"Baby Sophia is coming," Annie asked, "can she crawl yet?"

"Not quite but she's sitting up," Teddy said.

Thursday afternoon Evelyn came early to help Teddy and Annie cook.

They had music on as they cooked and set the table.

Leslie and Dan knocked on the door.

"Mom, dad, jessie, come in," Annie said.

"Are we at the right place," Jessie asked.

Teddy came into the entry, "hi Jessica. You are at the right place. When I bought the house it was just me, then it fit for me and Annie. It's our home."

"Jessica," Leslie scolded, "be nice."

"How's grade 12 Jessie," Annie asked.

"It's good," Jessie replied, "the snowball is coming up."

"Are you going to the snow ball," Annie asked.

"I am with a group of friends, boys are overrated," Jessica replied.

Henry laughed, "that's the one thing those girls agree on."

Evelyn asked, "I thought Annie had Kevin."

"Nope," Teddy said, " she dumped him because he was pestering her and holding her back. But she's been hanging out with Josh Riggs who is apparently just a friend."

Owen looked shocked, "Riggs? Like Nathan?"

"My daughter has made friends with Nathan's nephew," Teddy said, "they're in the same rotation group."

"She can't date a Riggs," Owen whispered.

"She says just friends but they've texted all day," Henry said.

"All about classes," Annie said, "want to see?"

"I trust you," Teddy said.

Henry handed everyone except Jessica a glass of wine.

Jessica snapped, "why does Annie get wine and I don't?"

"Annie is 21," Evelyn said matter of factly, "you are still 17."

"Dinner," Teddy called.

They all made their way to the table and found seats.

Evelyn was watching Annie closely, this wasn't Annie. This girl was shy and reluctant to talk. She had seen this at Annie's grad party with her parents but not to this extreme.

Evelyn decided to get Annie talking, "Annie what's the best part of boston?"

"I like the history in the city and exploring some of the older neighborhoods, Josh and I have been going for a different bike ride every weekend," Annie replied.

Dan asked, "have they had you in a hospital or doctors office yet?"

"We go twice a week as part of our schedule," Annie said, "I prefer observation afternoons to being in the classroom."

The conversation continued talking about Boston and what Annie was liking about school. She kept the challenges she talked to Teddy about away from the dinner table.

Over pumpkin pie and coffee Jessica snapped, she had been frustrated that Annie seemed to have this whole family that she didn't have to share. Teddy and Henry, Owen and his mom along with Callie and Arizona all knew Annie and seemed to think her sister was wonderful, even the baby liked Annie.

Annie had brought her desk chair out of her room to sit on which bothered Jessica.

Jessica began to rant, "why does Annie get a room here it's not like she lives here."

Teddy replied, "it's important that she has a space of her own when she's here."

"She gets everything," Jessie replied, "a second family, living in Boston, medical school, boy friends, she's the smart one."

Leslie tried to cut her off, "Jessica you need to stop and let your sister be. You were lucky to be invited to this."

Annie was trying to make herself smaller. Teddy who was refilling wine glasses stopped when she got to Annie's glass and whispered, "no turtles."

Jessica continued her tirade with multiple people trying to shut her down. Jessica stood up to go to the washroom, on her way back she tried to knock Annie's chair over.

"Hands to ourselves ladies," Owen said, Annie had heard that commanding tone before, she knew that Owen expected immediate compliance. Luckily she had only had it directed at her once when she tried to do too much after her surgery the summer before.

"I didn't do anything," Jessica said.

"I saw you try to push Annie's chair towards the fireplace," Owen said firmly."

Annie looked at her lap and played with the hem of her black skirt.

"She deserved it," Jessica said.

"Jessica we do not touch others without their permission," Dan said.

Callie added, " your sister was just sitting there leave her alone."

"I don't get why everyone likes the nerd so much," Jessica snapped.

Arizona scolded, "Jessica we do not use the word nerd here, you are in a room of doctors. You are choosing not to be kind to your sister. You can make a different choice."

Dan tried to rescue the situation, "it's just how our girls joke around."

Annie gave a weak smile.

Arizona managed to turn the evening around by suggesting they play a game, luckily Annie had left a few at the house in the summer.

After everyone left and Henry had gone to bed Teddy asked Annie to sit on the couch with her.

"Mama is everything okay," Annie asked.

"I want to talk to you about something Henry and I are thinking of," Teddy said. She poured each of them a large glass of wine.

"Are you moving," Annie asked, "you're drinking so you're not pregnant."

"No sweetheart," Teddy said, "getting to know you has made me want another baby."

"A sibling," Annie asked, "I'd be more of the cool aunt than big sister."

"You would have a big age gap," Teddy said, "but there's still a shot that I could have another baby."

"Are you asking for my permission," Annie asked.

"Would you be okay with it," asked Teddy.

"It's not like I would be around much," Annie said, "I'm at school most of the time. I guess a baby brother would be cute."

"You know you don't get to pick," Teddy said.

"I can hope," Annie said, "I prefer brothers to sisters."

"Would you be upset," Teddy asked.

"Do I get baby cuddles when I come home," Annie asked, "and no diaper duty?"

"We can do that," Teddy replied, "but it's an if. Henry and I are just starting to talk about it. We want one but I wanted to know if you would be okay with it. We don't even know if it's possible with my age and his VHL, we have some things to figure out."

"Do I really get a say," Annie asked, "it's not my body."

"It affects your life and I want you to be happy," Teddy said.

"Mama if you want another baby go for it," Annie replied, "I won't be hurt. I just don't want any gory details. You're my mother."

"No gory details got it," Teddy said, "but you would be okay with it?"

"If you and Henry are happy," Annie said.

"You're scared I'll replace you," Teddy said.

"Maybe," Annie said, "you caught me off guard."

"You will always be my Annie," Teddy said, "no matter how old you are or where you are. Until I knew you I never pictured myself as a mom. But you make me believe that I could be a mom."

"Promise you won't forget me," Annie said.

"Never baby girl," Teddy promised, "I went 19 years without you because of my choices I won't lose you again."

"A baby brother could be cool," Annie said.

Teddy laughed, "a whole semester of med school and you still don't understand that you can't pick."

"My experience with my sister is awful," Annie said, "my brother is cool."

"I see where you're coming from," Teddy said.

"Can I approve the name," Annie teased, "I don't trust a woman named Theodora to name a baby."

Teddy laughed, "that was my parents, Annabeth. I would have named you Grace. But i'm going to bed. We've had a lot of wine."

"It's not tequila," Annie replied.

"That stuff is gross and you stuck to wine tonight," Teddy said.

"You had nothing else so I had to be grown up, but I might be tipsy," Annie agreed.

"Just a little," Teddy laughed.