Annie and Josh were finally feeling better after their bout of mono. It had been good for them to slow down and be home with each other. They had used the down time to work on wedding plans and decide what they wanted for their wedding the following summer. They were looking forward to Nathan and Meghan's wedding in a few weeks.

"Why did mama ask us to come for a family meeting," Annie asked.

"I don't know they're your parents," Josh said.

"I wonder what's wrong," Annie said.

"Probably just want to talk a couple things over with us," Josh said, "they are offering to pay the big ticket items at our wedding."

"I appreciate that," Annie said, "we're not as bad as a lot of our friends but we do have student loans and we don't make a ton as residents."

"Our rent is reasonable with having Duncan around," Josh said, "and that we share grocery shopping helps."

"That's why I wanted us all to share food," Annie replied.

"No you like to control what we eat," Josh said.

"You and Duncan eat like crap if I'm not around," Annie replied, "but I want to know why they want to meet with us."

"Then let's go in and find out," Josh said.

Annie opened the door and yelled, "we're here."

"Kitchen," Teddy called back.

"You wanted to talk to us," Annie said as she walked into the room.

"Good to see you too sweetheart," Teddy laughed.

"We did," Owen replied, "why don't we have a seat. Dinner just went in the oven."

Owen sat down on the couch with Teddy. Annie and Josh took the love seat.

"What's going on," Annie said.

"No need to panic," Teddy said, "just an idea we want to talk through with you before we move forward."

"Another sibling," Annie guessed, "we love Allison."

"It is another sibling," Owen said.

"But i'm not having another baby," Teddy added, "my girls are enough babies for me."

"Then what are you thinking about," Annie asked.

"Little Leo," Owen said, "we've been talking to the social worker and when he's discharged we want to foster him."

"You want to foster the baby I've spent the last month or so looking after," Annie asked.

"we're looking at foster to adopt," Teddy explained.

"He has to be in the foster system for one year with no blood relative coming forward before we can legally adopt Leo," Owen explained.

"He's a sweet little boy but he's so sick and needs a few more surgeries," Annie said, "mama how can you fix his heart if you're his mama?"

"Nathan or Maggie can do the repairs," Teddy said, "you'll stay as his resident. I've done the hardest part."

"What would this mean as a family," Annie asked.

"A little brother," Teddy said, "we want both of you on board."

"Leo needs a family," Annie said.

"He needs better then bouncing from foster to foster," Josh said.

"What do you think Annie," Owen asked.

"If you and mama want to do it I'm happy to have a little brother," Annie said, "he's a sweet little boy. He kind of looks like Owen."

"The red curls and blue eyes," Teddy laughed, "he could be ours. But really sweetheart I want you to think about it."

They all sat silently for a few moments before Annie spoke, "if you want to do it I'm happy for you. Bring him home."

"What are we looking at with him being adopted, how did that work with having your parents' biological children around," Owen asked.

"Honestly there were days it sucked," Annie began, "and it wasn't not understanding why mama gave me up. Leslie and Dan tried to explain that to me, that she was too young and wasn't ready to be a mom. It was seeing how Jessica and Chris matched Leslie and Dan. the obvious physical things I understood as I got older and learned more about genetics. I didn't fully understand until I was 19 and mama came to UBC to see me. There were personality things, likes and dislikes that just didn't match. Like why I love cilantro but they all hate it. I used to feel second best, that I was the second choice to my sister."

"Cilantro is genetic," Teddy said.

Annie continued, "it got worse as we got older. I don't know if it wasn't Jessica's issues causing some of that. On the surface they kept everything equal. We had the same opportunities, everything was equal but I was expected to do more at home which could be being the oldest and I had to be flawless to be worthy of attention."

"I didn't know," Owen said.

"I don't talk about it," Annie replied, "I don't like to. I was too young to understand and to stand up and say something. I always felt like I had to work to be accepted to match my siblings. It was the McKellar kids, we were a trio and I was always slightly off time."

Josh wordlessly pulled Annie closer to him. He knew talking about her sister upset her."

"I could be twisting things with time and distance. The last time I saw them I was 21," Annie said, "I haven't talked to them since the day we ran into Jessica. I don't even get replies to my email. They chose me then chose to forget me."

"I know babe," Josh whispered into Annie's hair, " you're okay. I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I love you."

Annie nodded.

"I think maybe after dinner it's time you and I read some of Leslie's letters to me," Teddy said.

Annie asked, "I thought you were saving them for later."

"We need them now," Teddy said, "just a few maybe your first year or two."

"Okay," Annie agreed.

"We'll go in batches," Teddy said.

"I'd like to see them," Owen said.

"That's up to Annie," Teddy replied.

"I don't know what they say," Annie admitted, "I wanted to write to Teddy but I was never old enough. I only ever chose a few of the photos in my grade 12 year. I don't know what you have."

"We'll look together," Teddy said, "decide what you want to share after you read them."

"Do you want to do that," Josh asked.

"I do," Annie said, "I want to see what Leslie said about me."

Owen brought them back on topic, "Annie how do we make sure neither Leo or Allison feels the way you did?"

"Treat them as individual children. They may be the Altman-Hunt kids but they're not a matched pair; they have their own personalities. Let them be their own people. His success is not an attack on her and her failings are not because he wasn't a good enough big brother. They are their own people. They need time with you one on one, not just father son and mother daughter time," Annie began to cry, "you're choosing Leo. once you choose him you have to hold onto him and never let go. We can't turn our backs on him because you disagree with his choice or Allison and I disagree with what he chooses. Once he's family he's family and we have to fight to hold onto him no matter what. Whatever happens wherever Leo goes he has to know we love and care for him. This isn't for now, or for a set period of time. You're choosing to have him for life, not 21 years. He has to be loved, protected and fought for. And you as the parents who are choosing him have to be the ones to make that work. When he runs, when he pulls away you have to hold on tighter and chase after him."

Teddy was wipping tears from her eyes, "we will. Annie we will never let any of our kids go. You, Allison, Josh and hopefully Leo we will fight for you until our last breaths. I promise we will never let any of you go."

Annie continued to cry.

Allison toddled over to Annie, "nee?"

"Hi baby bean," Annie said, picking up Allison.

"Hug," Allison asked.

"I need a hug bean," Annie said.

The little girl put her arms around Annie's neck. Annie held her baby sister close, her tears falling on the red curls.

"We won't let him go Annie," Owen promised, "once he comes home he's ours and we will fight to our last breaths to keep him. We're going to keep fighting to bring him home."

"Sweetheart you were the one that found him," Teddy said, "it was your care for him that brought him to our attention beyond being a patient. You saw what he needed and cared for him. You saw beyond the medical to a little boy who needs so much love and you've been there to love him. We want to bring him home and make him part of our family, add to it, give you and Allison a brother."

"If I get a vote I think we do it," Annie said, "I can do one more little sibling. But I don't live here. Yes I hang out a lot but the final choice is up to you."

"We've been waiting to talk to you," Owen said, "we have a couple things with the social worker we need both of your support on."

"What do you need," Josh asked.

"If you are open to it we need to give at least two couples who would be our back up they have to be over 25 and under 75," Owen said.

"Back up," Annie said, "so if you got sick or something happened to you we would look after both kids?"

"The social worker is worried about Leo," Teddy said, "but yes both kids. We want to put you two as well as Meg and Nate."

"If anything happens I won't let them leave our family," Annie said.

"You don't have to decide tonight," Owen said, "talk about it together at home and let us know."

"I know where I stand," Annie replied, "but we'll talk and let you know."

"I grew up with my most reliable person being Nathan or my grandparents," Josh said, "I'm with Annie. They need to know we're here and care."

Annie looked at Josh, "I'm in if you are."

"We're in," Josh said, "I know that Allison is my sister in law or will be but I love her and Leo has really grown on me."

"We've both fallen for Leo," Annie said.

"You're okay with this," Teddy asked, "you weren't totally enthused about Allison."

"That caught me off guard," Annie said, "at my graduation you were single with no interest in dating. Loving what you were doing in Germany. Six weeks later you're back in Seattle, telling me you're pregnant and in less than 48 hours after that you and Uncle Owen were dating and you're moving home. I didn't know how to respond."

Josh added, "that year was a whirlwind."

"New job, first real job, move across the continent to a city I've visited but never lived in, new relationship, living with Josh after always having female roommates, mama moved back, new step father, and a baby sister. My head was spinning," Annie said.

"All of our heads were spinning," Owen agreed.

"This is much slower paced," Annie said, "one thing at a time."

Teddy said, "I need you to be clear, are you okay with us adopting Leo?"

"I am," Annie replied, "and with being back up for both Allison and Leo."

Teddy smiled, "I'm glad. We really want to do this but needed to know we had your support."

"You always had my support with Allison," Annie said, "and marrying uncle Owen. I just sucked at showing it."

"We just did it, we didn't exactly tell you," Teddy said.

"Owen talked to me on the chair lift before he proposed," Annie said.

"We're going to call the social worker tomorrow and tell her we're ready to go ahead," Owen said, "they may need your information and to talk to you."

"Just give her my number," Annie said, "I'm happy to help however I can."

"Please give her my number," Josh said.

"Will we be good enough for a social worker," Annie asked.

"Yes," Teddy said, "you are both doctors, stable loving relationship, well educated, stable jobs."

"We rent," Annie said.

"And if anything happens to me that house is yours," Teddy said, "it was like that from when I first bought it. I've never changed it."

"Why me," Annie asked.

"You're my daughter. That's the house I first got to know you in, that was our home together it's your home now," Teddy explained.

"Remember the summer we painted it," Annie smiled.

"You wanted to do your room in some shade of neon blue, I talked you into a softer shade," Teddy laughed.

"Our room is still blue," Annie replied.

"A soft blue it's almost grey," Teddy said.

"It is," Annie replied, "it's cozy and comfortable "

"That house is where you first came to me when you needed to run," Teddy said, "where we talked about boys and practiced for interviews, celebrated acceptances and planned for you to go to med school."

"That's where you taught me to bake, and we sat up all night chatting," Annie added, "uncle Owen would randomly appear with takeout."

"I would," Owen said, "it felt like home. But you'd always disappear after dinner."

"You two were flirting," Annie said, "it was awkward so I did home work in my room or read."

Teddy laughed, "maybe we did."

"Ha you finally admit it," Annie yelled.

Owen looked shocked, "finally?"

"I knew the first time I came down to stay with mama and she would send me to work with you when I couldn't go with her," Annie said, "who sends their child they don't know well to work with someone they don't trust completely. Then he brought Thai food over after you ran into my biological father and the two of you flirted all night."

"What did you do," Owen asked.

"Calculus homework," Annie replied.

"Nerd," Josh teased.

"Like you weren't," Annie said, "we're all nerds."

"I was," Teddy admitted.

"How long until you hear about Leo," Annie asked.

"A few weeks," Teddy replied, "he has to be medically stable enough to go home with us."

"How long will that take," Annie asked.

"We have to do two more cardio procedures on him," Teddy said, "he's so young I have to stage his operations."

"Can I scrub in on him," Annie asked.

"You've done his other ones I think you should finish it with me," Teddy said.

"We're not saying much to people at work yet until we know," Owen said, "you're the first people we've talked to."

"We'll keep it quiet," Annie promised.

"Dinner should be done," Owen said.

"What is it," Annie asked.

"Enchiladas," Teddy said.

The family gathered around the table. Annie laughed as she tried to help Teddy feed Allison dinner. Allison had sauce smeared around her mouth and was smashing her fingers in her refried beans.

"Beans for baby bean," Annie laughed.

"She's just playing with them," Teddy laughed.

"She's a mess," Annie laughed.

"Somewhere upstairs I have a picture of you covered in pasta sauce," Teddy smiled, "you can't talk."

"It's not beans and salsa," Annie replied, "she needs a bath."

"Do you want to give her a bath," Teddy offered.

"Maybe," Annie said, "she is pretty funny with bubbles."

"Bubbles," Teddy asked.

"I let her have bubbles when she stays over," Annie smiled, "it's cute."

"I don't have bubbles for her," Teddy said.

"I use mine," Annie replied, "just in the kitchen sink."

"I don't have any bubble bath," Teddy replied, "it's a treat for Nee's house."

"Okay," Annie laughed, "I'll give her a bubbleless bath. Those are just sad when you're a kid."

After dinner Annie took Allison upstairs while Teddy cleaned the kitchen. Josh and Owen sat in the living room to talk.

"Annie will be okay with this," Josh said, "she's fought so hard for Leo at the hospital he was her main patient before she got mono."

"Is she okay," Owen asked.

"She will be," Josh said, "tonight could be rough after what came out today. But it's just us home."

"Still having nightmares," Owen asked.

"Only when the McKellars come up," Josh said.

"Take care of her," Owen said.

"I will," Josh replied, "she takes care of me two."

"Teddy takes care of me," Owen said.

Upstairs Annie was giggling as she gave Allison her bath. The little girl splashed in the warm water and pushed her ducky around.

"Duck," Allison yelled.

"That's a duck," Annie smiled, "do you want the boat?"

"Duck," Allison yelled.

After a few more minutes of splashing Annie finished washing Allison's hair and lifted the baby out of the tub. She dressed her in the pajamas Teddy had laid out and carried her downstairs and met Teddy in the kitchen.

"Mama," Annie asked, "can we look at the letters one night when it's just the two of us and a bottle or two of wine."

"We can do that," Teddy smiled, "you okay?"

"I think so," Annie replied, "it's always hard to talk about before."

"You can talk about it with us," Teddy said, "thank you for supporting us in this."

"I'm happy to," Annie smiled, "a baby brother. I'll be the oldest of 5."

"Five," Teddy puzzled.

"Me, Chris, Jessica, Leo, Allison," Annie listed, "I have four little siblings in two families."

"And some big age gaps," Teddy reminded.

"24 or 23.5 with Leo," Annie asked.

"His Birthday is mid February ," Teddy replied, "so 24."

"Three kids," Teddy said, "I thought for years I'd only have one baby. Then that it would just be me and you."

"Now there's three of us," Annie said, "Leo will come home and we'll celebrate then. Let me plan that. The day an adopted kid comes home should be special. We always celebrated the day I came home. It took almost 6 weeks to bring me home. November 15 was homecoming day."

"November 15," Teddy smiled, "I didn't know that."

"It's home coming day," Annie smiled, "mom would make whatever I wanted for dinner and chocolate cake with pink icing."

"Should we celebrate your new one in February," Teddy asked, "it was Feb. 18 when you came down to see me for the first time."

"August," Annie said, "I came to spend that first summer with you on August 1. That's when I moved into the cottage with you."

"I like February," Teddy said, "first time you scrubbed in with me."

Josh came into the room, "Annie we have to be ready for pre rounds by 4:30."

"We should go," Annie agreed.

"Good night," Teddy said, "thank you both of you."

"Any time," Annie said, "family is family."

"Our family is the most important thing in my life," Teddy said, "I love what we have."

"Our family is amazing," Annie agreed.

Annie and Josh put their shoes on and said good night to everyone.

In the car Annie said, "that wasn't what I was expecting."

"Are you really okay with it," Josh asked.

"I'm excited," Annie said, "Leo is a special little guy. Mama and Uncle Owen that's where he fits."

"You fell in love with that kid the day Karev assigned him to you," Josh pointed out.

"I did," Annie said, "I just felt a connection to him."

"I know," Josh said, "I could have been him. My parents were always high or drunk. If it wasn't for my grandparents and Nathan I would have been in foster care. Then when my grandparents passed in highschool Nathan supported me as best he could and spent every leave he could with me. Before Meghan disappeared they would spend half their leaves in Seattle with Evelyn and half in Portland with me to take care of me. Leo needs our family."

"He does," Annie agreed, "are you okay with being the caregivers for my siblings if something happens to Mama and Uncle Owen."

"They're our family," Josh replied, "if they need us we will always be there for them for anything."

"Are you sure," Annie asked.

"I am," Josh replied, "if they need us we will be there together."

"I love you," Annie said.

"I love you more," Josh smiled.