Three weeks after Josh had visited Teddy and Owen he was loading his jeep for the drive to Whitbey island. In the front pocket of his backpack he had the ring he planned to give Annie. He knew that she was the one, but he was nervous only his future in-laws knew what he had planned. Josh didn't want to risk telling any of their friends because they would gossip and somehow it would get back to Annie and she had to be surprised.

"Are you almost ready to go," Josh asked Annie.

"I wish I knew where we were going," Annie said, "that way I would know what to pack."

"I told you cozy, comfortable," Josh said, "nothing fancy."

"I have a couple cute outfits and one dress," Annie said. She smiled at him knowing this was their first trip as a couple. She had bought some very sexy things, she wanted to surprise him. It was something she had rarely done, it wasn't something she felt very confident doing.

"We've never been away together," Josh said.

"Three nights away just you and I is going to be amazing," Annie grinned, "to be a normal couple."

"What do normal couples do," Josh asked teasingly as they carried the last couple things to the jeep.

"Cuddle, go for walks, watch movies," Annie guessed, "not talk about surgery. Wear real clothes. Cook together."

"Kiss, hang out in bed," Josh suggested.

"We can do that," Annie giggled.

"Should we get going we have a ferry to catch," Josh asked.

Annie looked puzzled, "where would we take a ferry to?"

"You'll see," Josh said.

"Have either of us been there before," Annie asked.

"I haven't," Josh said, "it hasn't come up in any of your stories."

"Can I have a hint," Annie asked.

"Forest, ocean, just us," Josh said.

"I don't know Washington well enough to guess yet," Annie said, "but you said ferry so it has to be an island."

"You're on the right track," Josh laughed.

"The only island I can think of is Whitbey island," Annie said, "grandma and grandpa used to take me for a weekend every summer just me until I went to UBC."

"You figured it out," Josh said, "we have a little place I found through airbnb right by the water."

"I really thought we were going to baker," Annie said.

"No we're going somewhere new," Josh said, "an adventure just you and I."

"What about Milo," Annie asked.

"Duncan will feed the cat and keep his litter box clean," Josh promised.

"Only time I like having a roommate," Annie said, "he can pet sit. But I think it's time to bug him about moving out."

They drove for a while and caught the ferry. They carried the stuff into the little cabin before Josh suggested a walk on the beach.

"I packed a picnic for tonight," Josh said, "we haven't had one since we moved out here."

"I've missed our picnics," Annie smiled, "where are we going?"

"There's supposed to be a lighthouse with stairs down to the beach about a mile down the path are you up for the walk," Josh said. He had tonight planned, they would walk to the lighthouse and either picnic there or down on the beach depending on the tide and how windy it was. After dinner he would ask her. He even had a bottle of Prosecco and the chocolate filled raspberries in the cooler for when they got back. The fact that she had been working and had only been home a few hours after her 36 hour shift meant he had time to prepare.

Josh grabbed the picnic basket he had filled and checked one more time that the box was in his pocket. Annie grabbed the picnic blanket making sure it was rolled up tightly. Hand in hand they headed down the trail. As they walked they chatted and caught up trying to avoid hospital gossip and the topic of surgery. It was easy for them to obsess over work and they often felt like they lived and breathed medicine 24/7 it was nice to connect and be a normal couple. They chatted about some of the friends they missed from school and the latest updates from their families.

They spread out the picnic blanket on the beach and unloaded the picnic basket. It was simple like the ones they had enjoyed in school. Fresh bread, meats and cheeses, cut up fruits and vegetables and a bottle of wine. They took turns feeding each other. Eventually they cleaned up their picnic and cuddled on a log watching the sun set and the waves roll into the shore slowly creeping towards them.

Annie sighed, "this is perfect."

Josh kissed the top of her head, he loved when she let herself relax enough to cuddle like that. Her head on his shoulder and arms around him, sitting in his lap.

"Annie," Josh whispered, "sit up and look at me for a minute."

"Is everything all right," Annie asked sitting up and scooting onto the log next to him.

"Better than all right," Josh promised. He took a deep breath.

"Josh you're making me nervous," Annie said, "why do you look nervous?"

Josh began, "Annie I've loved you from the day we met. I knew you were incredible the moment you sat beside me in orientation. You smiled at me across the room and I melted. I know it took me four years to tell you how I felt and that I loved you as soon as I got to know you. Annie you are the absolute love of my life. I can't imagine my life without you. I love you, I will always love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Annie had tears in her eyes," Josh what are you saying?"

Josh slid off the log to kneel in the sand taking the box from his pocket, "Annie, Grace Annabeth Altman. Will you marry me?"

Annie threw her arms around him and kissed him, "yes. I do."

Josh kissed her back passionately before saying, "I need your hand babe."

Annie gave him her left hand and he slid the ring out of its box onto her finger. It glimmered in the setting sun.

"It's perfect," Annie said, "absolutely gorgeous."

The ring was simply a slim white gold band with a round stone and a tiny stone on either side. The simplicity of the band allowed the central stone to shine.

"Do you like it," Josh asked.

"I love it," Annie said, "it's perfect. We're engaged. We going to get married."

"We are," Josh beamed at her.

"That's why you were so nervous," Annie said.

"I didn't know what you would say," Josh replied.

Annie kissed him again, "yes. Always and forever yes."

"Do you want to walk back and call Teddy," Josh asked.

"Let's walk back and light the fire place," Annie suggested, "I want tonight just us. We're having dinner with mama and everyone Sunday after we get back. We can tell them then I want to see her reaction. This weekend I'm going to spend time with my fiancé doing normal, just engaged couple things."

"What are those," Josh asked.

"Let's start by cuddling in front of the fire at the cabin and enjoy being together," Annie suggested.

They walked back hand in hand, Josh noticing the ring on her left hand as they walked, it felt different then holding her hand to walk to the beach a few hours before. At the cabin Josh brought out the container of raspberries and the bottle of Prosecco.

"Another bottle," Annie laughed, "we already finished one at the beach."

"Just some Prosecco to celebrate with," Josh said.

"You got mama to make the raspberries," Annie asked, seeing the container on the table."

"I got her to tell me how," Josh replied.

Annie asked, "does she know?"

"She knows we're going away just the two of us because we've never been away, just us. That I wanted to have a romantic weekend with you," Josh smiled, "our only vacations since we started dating have been family ski trips. Which I like but I love having you all to myself."

"It's nice to be just us," Annie agreed, "we need it."

"We do," Josh agreed.

Josh popped the cork on the prosecco and poured two glasses bringing them to the couch. They snuggled and sipped the sparkling wine and fed each other the chocolate filled raspberries.

A while later Annie whispered, "why don't we get ready for bed?"

Josh kissed her before replying, "I like that idea."

Annie grabbed her bag and took it into the bathroom. She ran her brush through her hair deciding to leave the curls loose for tonight knowing how much her fiancé loved her curls loose over her shoulders. She grabbed the silky, sexy, pink lingerie she had packed knowing this would be the perfect thing to end off the night. Annie had no idea Josh would propose that weekend he had got her totally off guard but it felt right. This was her forever.

Josh wondered what was taking Annie so long as he brushed his teeth in the kitchen sink. Her phone was on the coffee table so she wasn't texting Teddy. He was a little surprised she hadn't told her mother yet. Annie always told Teddy everything.

Josh's jaw dropped when Annie came out of the bathroom. She was always gorgeous but this was sexy. In seconds she was kissing him and her legs were wrapped around his waist. He carried her to the bed and laid down with her. They continued kissing and soon the few items of clothing were scattered across the floor.

At the hospital Nathan was nervously checking his phone every few minutes in the attendings lounge.

Meghan sat down beside him, "Waiting for a call Nate?"

"Josh," Nathan replied, "I want to know what she said."

"Stop being nosy Nate," Meghan teased, "if anyone hears tonight it'll be Teddy."

"Who was the first person you told," Nathan asked.

"In Iraq Teddy and Owen were both there," Meghan said, "here after I came home my mom. Annie will tell Teddy. I was just in the OR with Teddy. I don't know what she knows. Teddy mentioned them going away this weekend for the first time and that Annie has no clue where they're going but was really excited."

"I know he asked for their blessing," Nathan said, "he didn't know which one to talk to."

"Teddy," Meghan said, "Owen and Annie are close but he's her stepfather. Teddy is her mama."

"He talked to both," Nathan said, "he said they were both happy for them. I think Teddy and Owen know it's coming. Annie is the only one in the dark."

Meghan shook her head, "I wouldn't want to ask Owen that."

"Why do you think I never did," Nathan said, "or your mom."

"It sounds like Annie was raised in a very traditional, possibly very Christian house. It might matter to her that he talked to Teddy," Meghan said.

Teddy walked into the room , "Dan and Leslie belong to a Mennonite church of some sort. Annie grew up with that. She went to Christian school until she went to grade 8. I went to church with them a few times when I visited."

"That's a departure for her," Meghan said, "traditional Christian family moves across a continent for school then lives with her boyfriend."

Teddy nodded, "one reason I was the one to go with her to figure out things in Boston. Medical school was okay but not across the continent and in another country."

"They didn't approve," Meghan asked, "what parent isn't thrilled their child gets into medical school anywhere much less Harvard."

"They had two younger kids," Teddy said, "the sister is mentally ill. She's not capable of empathy or rational thought. They couldn't leave Jessica in BC to go with Annie and Jessica wasn't capable of going with them. Once Annie connected with me at 19 I was her go to for a lot of things."

Meghans pager went off for the pit.

"I have to go," Meghan said, "Nathan put your phone away."

Teddy sat down in the chair Meghan had left.

"Altman who would have thought we'd be here," Nathan said.

"With both Owen and Meghan ," Teddy said.

"And my nephew with your daughter," Nathan said, "I never expected Josh to go to medical school."

"The day I ran into you in Boston when they were first starting out," Teddy said, "I was surprised to see you. Then to hear that you were there for the same reason I was."

"I was confused why you were there with your daughter," Nathan said, "getting to know Annie and hearing her story from Josh I understand now. But you had someone with you in Boston. A man you were holding hands and kissing."

"My first husband Henry," Teddy said, "that was the only trip him and I ever took. He accepted Annie, he loved her because she was mine. He called her kiddo. "

" You looked happy," Nathan said, "but I think you're happier now."

"I am. I loved Henry but part of me has always loved Owen," Teddy said, "Owen was who I should have been with if I was braver when I first met him."

"It was only ever Meghan," Nathan said.

"Do you remember that trauma conference in Boston a few years ago," Teddy asked.

"You were sitting with Annie in my lecture. I watched Annie and Josh working together and the way they talked and teased each other and I thought of you and Owen. I was watching a rerun of Teddy and Owen," Nathan said.

"I thought there was more when I saw them," Teddy admitted, "she was afraid of him rejecting her. She just wasn't sure if he would love her for her. By then I was the only family she really had."

Nathan smiled, " he thought the same thing. It was better to have her as his best friend then risk losing her."

Teddy nodded, "they've worked through a lot together. He came to see Owen and I a couple weeks ago. He asked for our blessing."

"I know," Nathan replied, "he had a whole plan. I'm waiting to hear from him."

Teddy nodded, "she hasn't messaged me at all tonight just where they were going and that they made it. That's not like Annie."

Nathan asked, "do you think he asked her?"

Teddy smiled, "probably. I'll let you know if I hear anything. Annie would call me though. She texted me after their first kiss. I'm sure she'll tell me as soon as it happens."

Nathan laughed, "I heard about the first kiss. I finally kissed her uncle Nathan."

Teddy laughed, "I got a longer message then that. But Owen was at my place in Germany that night. So I didn't reply."

"Wait Annie and Josh and you and Owen on the same night," Nathan asked.

"I know my daughter there was no more than a kiss the night they started dating, "Teddy smiled, "we had Allison nine months later."

"I remember sitting in the sand and you saying how much you just wanted to see her one more time to see her smile," Nathan said.

"I wanted to give her a hug and tell her I had always loved her," Teddy said, "I was back 2 months before she emailed me her 19th birthday. They gave her my information like we had agreed and then we emailed and Skyped for 6 weeks before a conference took me up to UBC. She agreed to meet me in the library. She was the sweetest kid. In her second year of undergrad only 19. That was November. I finally got to hug her and really talk to her. In December I went to a couple dance performances. In February she came down for 5 nights on her reading break and scrubbed in with me, I took her for a Sunday dinner at Evelyn's. Owen insisted I bring Annie Evelyn loved Annie from the moment she walked in the door and tried to hide behind me. Owen wouldn't let her hide."

"I can't believe josh is the same scrawny kid I used to babysit because my brother and his wife were too high to care. I almost didn't go to medical school to look after Josh. I remember the first time I took Meg to Portland with me. Josh was 6. He clung to us and begged us to take him to Boston. If I could have supported him I would have. But we already shared an apartment with Owen. Josh clung to Meghan. She was more a mother to him then his own mom. He would write to both of us uncle Nathan and auntie Meghan. I remember him crying when we left because the whole week we were there she had read him a story and tucked him in at night," Nathan said.

"I told Meghan about Annie first," Teddy said, "I had just gotten a letter from Leslie and Dan with new photos. I hadn't had photos in six months. I was reading the letter with the photos spread out on my bed and she asked about my niece. Her only response when I said it was my daughter was to move the pictures to sit with me and hug me. She wanted to know all about my daughter and for the first time in years someone listened and I could talk about my baby girl and all my hopes for her."

"They just took our two in haven't they," Nathan asked.

"Owen calls Annie our daughter and our oldest. Never have I heard him use the word step for her. He refuses to make that distinction between the girls," Teddy said.

"Josh is our nephew," Nathan said, "and Faroke has been with Meg longer but he's my son. No step, not adopted he's mine."

"Make sure he knows that," Teddy advised, "we've had to really work on building relationships with Annie. She still trusts me more than she trusts Owen. It's coming but it'll take time."

"That conference in Boston I was disappointed when Annie told you she had brunch plans with Owen and you shut me down saying it was family time," Nathan said.

"It was family time for that point for family she had me Owen and Chris. She needed time with us," Teddy explained, "she didn't know I was going to that and Owen had emailed her about brunch . He didn't know I was going either and was going to check up on her for me. I didn't tell him so I could surprise Annie."

"I told Josh and that I wanted to meet his friend Annie he wouldn't shut up about. I'm going to admit I wasn't thrilled to find out she's your daughter," Nathan said, "I knew when you put it together you'd tell her your side of the story."

"I knew she was close to Josh," Teddy said, "but didn't know how close Josh was to you. I warned her but also told her not to be like me and let him get away because she was scared."

"I used you and Owen as a cautionary tale as well," Nathan said, "they figured it out. I think we'll be planning a wedding soon."

"I have a good feeling," Teddy agreed, "as if our family wasn't complicated enough with the four of us. My daughter and your nephew. Will I be Josh's mother in law? Or his step aunt?"

"Is Meghan Annie's husband's aunt or her step aunt. The hunts cause the confusion here," Nathan laughed.

Owen appeared at that moment, "how do we cause confusion. We're the trauma dream team and we solve the problem."

"Annie and Josh," Teddy said , "specifically with Meghan whose aunt is she?"

"Have you been drinking," Owen asked, "I have a feeling you've had a very weird conversation."

"Just talking about Annie and Josh and how you and Meghan never questioned you just made them family," Teddy said.

"She is family," Owen replied, "first because she was yours then I got to know her. I miss seeing Annie bouncing down the halls."

"She hasn't bounced around here since she was 20," Teddy laughed.

"How many times did I yell McKellar we walk in the hospital," Owen laughed.

Teddy laughed, "she learned eventually. But I'm waiting for Allison to bounce around here. I think we save scrubbing in until she's 19 and shows an interest."

"Why 19," asked Nathan who was still sitting there.

"Maturity and Annie was 19 I'm trying to keep some things fair between the girls," Teddy said.

Teddy's phone rang and she was disappointed, it wasn't Annie. It was an outlying hospital looking for a consult. She began arranging for the patient to be moved to her, knowing that the patients best shot was if they came to Grey Sloan.