**Last chapter is posted. As I talked to my friends a week ago, I wrote the last two chapters in one piece of 10,000 words but concerned whether I should split it up, hence you have the previous chapter which was somewhat controlversial.
To Beth: wow that was a highly critical review, if I don't want to say hateful review. But it's okay, I guess a few readers would have the same feeling like you. I'm gonna post it anyway because seemed like you asked for my permission to hurt me and I let you. Just to let you know I decide to not change a single word in the previous chapter and this chapter after reading your comment. So check out and you can understand more my point of view about Crowen.
Last but not least, enjoy the last chapter my dear readers.
"Meredith, have you seen my wife?" Owen talks to Meredith on the phone.
"Yeah, we're hitting Joe's now." Looking up at the clock, Owen sighs to realize it's 8:30 p.m. He has spent the whole afternoon making a delicious dinner of clam chowder and steak in mushroom sauce as he waited for Cristina to come home, and now it seems his effort is a complete waste. Owen puts on his jackets then drives to Emerald City Bar. The slow and relenting jazz on the radio calms his mind as he enjoys the leisure drive to the bar to pick up his wife.
The bell jingles as Owen lightly opens the door, letting a swift cool breeze entering the chaotic atmosphere. He sends his gaze around the room, searching for the familiar delicate frame covered by the thick curly hair. Owen spots Cristina sitting at the counter together with Meredith and Callie. He intends to walk towards her when someone grips his shoulder and stops him.
"Come here." Jackson crooks his fingers. Owen follows him and sneaks in between the tiny booths to reach a table at the far corner of the bar. Alex Karev and Derek Shepherd are already waiting for him.
"Welcome back, Hunt. We can't wait until you resume your Chief position. Bailey treated the hospital as if it were her concentration camp." Alex slides a mug of beer to Owen.
"Ah, thanks, but I need to talk to Cristina first." Owen kindly refuses.
"Come on, you can always talk to her later tonight. We know she's abandoning you sex and we have plans to help you." Derek rubs his hands excitedly.
"Who said she's abandoning me sex?" Owen jumps on the chair and swallows a large gulp of beer.
"How can you have sex if you're in a cold war?" Jackson furrows his eyesbrows.
"Oh we are not having…." Owen shakes his head embarrassedly.
"You just got out of your cave. And you've been ignoring your wife. And it's understandable. I mean sometimes we need to be away from the women to have a new, fresh perspective." Alex smiles at Owen.
"How do you know about the cave?" Owen stares at Alex.
"Don't be embarrassed, Hunt. Look at what you did when you were by yourself. You initiated a promising research within four days. That's incredible. So we're gonna help you with some good themes that you can enjoy with Cristina tonight." Derek pats Owen's shoulder.
"You should arrange some scented candles in the room. They will spice your night up." Jackson purses his lips.
"I know how to spice things up." Owen shakes his head amusedly.
"No, I'm serious. The candles will do good to you. Trust me." Jackson reassures Owen.
"Have you tried having intimacy in the bathroom? It's hot." Derek beams at Owen.
Owen sighs and giggles before composing himself and staring at his guy friends.
"Okay, I don't really want to say this. But since you guys really want to help me, I think I need to spit it out. Avery, April wonders the point of having candles when you only stare at her boobs."
"Wait, what…" Jackson flushes as he hears what Owen just said.
"And Derek, Meredith has dry skin and she complains that it's hard to reach an orgasm under the hot water." Owen mumbles.
"How can she tell you…" Derek shakes his head in embarrassment.
"I got to know about your stories just as much as you know about mine. So, thanks for the incentive, but we should focus on our own problems, guys." Owen pats Derek's shoulder in support.
"I agree." Derek drinks the rest of his vodka.
"Indeed." Jackson nods in agreement.
Far away from where the men are sitting, Cristina orders the second shot of tequila and gulps in the liquid all at once. Callie is whirling the olive stick in her martini, she looks up and furrows her eyebrows: "Are you okay, Cristina?"
"She's okay. She's actually happy now." Meredith smiles at Callie in response.
"Did she get laid?" Callie chuckles.
"Uh huh. And she was contented after reading Owen's research booklet. I'm not sure what happened, but yeah, she's good." Meredith purses her lips.
Cristina chuckles as she rests her elbow on the counter and places her chin against the palm. In the midst of the fuzziness, she recalls driving to Grey Sloan hospital after a heated but angry sex. It was one of the strangest intercourses she's ever been with Owen. In one way, it was a steamy and amazing reunion because they had missed being in each other's embrace for two weeks; in another way, it was a fierce and outrageous fight since either was unwilling to start up the conversation and surrender.
Feeling she was at a standstill, Cristina drove to Grey Sloan to find her person, hoping she could sort things out in between the shopping and the tequilas. She was still sad about Owen until Dr. Bailey handed her the letter from USAISR and the research booklet.
"Pass them to Hunt, Yang. This is one hell of a research conducted in four days. Even it's just in the initiation stage, it's a brilliant and promising project. This hospital is proud of him."
Reluctantly, Cristina slowly flipped through the research booklet as she sat down at a bench, waiting for Meredith to finish her shift. She ran her fingers on the navy hard cover engraved with golden letters: Anesthetics and PTSD Development, A Critical Introduction. Owen was always an exemplary and solicitous person with a classic taste. His personalities were reflected on the sophisticated cover as well as the professionalism of the content.
Cristina gently flipped over the hard cover. She held her breath as she gazed at the italics dedication on the first page:
To my dear wife Cristina Yang,
Who is my better half, my partner in crime,
And who volunteers to be Stephen Hawking's wife for me if I were ever recommended to unplug my life support:
Your love and kindness healed my war wound, mended my PTSD and inspired me to fight to be a better individual for our society.
I conduct this research with your love as the main input, in hope that many mentally injured soldiers of our country will benefit from this and return home with an intact soul.
Cristina almost shed a tear when she read the emotional inscription. Even the research was just in its initial stage and waiting to be funded, she knew it would be groundbreaking given the effort and commitment Owen put into it. Happiness fluttered in her chest as his dedication to the research revived her passion to contribute to the face of medicine. Cristina smiled sheepishly, thinking about how they could be childish, sulking and fighting like foolish teenagers. She recalled one of the reasons that bind them tightly together in the first place: the greater love for medicine.
Cristina sat daydreaming for a little while until Meredith came to find her. They spent the rest of the evening going to the mall to pick up her gown, having a marvelous dinner at one of the finest Seattle restaurants and visiting Joe's to meet with their close circle of acquaintance.
Now at the Emerald City Bar, Owen slowly worms his way through the crowd towards Cristina at the counter. He observes her placing her chin against the palm, talking and smiling cheerfully to Meredith and Callie, and a smile graces on his lips. The uniquely hot, stuffy air and the chaotic sound of this pub always make his heart beat faster. The atmosphere reminds him one of the nights at the same place when he gazed at Cristina's beauty and sheepishly expressed his wish to be around her forty years from then. Now that twenty years have passed, wouldn't it be time to renew his wish to be with her for another forty years?
Owen sneaks in the tiny space between Cristina and Meredith at the counter. He clears his throat and murmurs .
"Hey, I know you're mad but you just can't sit here and drink all night. I initiated the conversation, see? I surrender this war. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings and I would love to make up to you if you agree to…"
Cristina chuckles as she hears Owen's apology. She recalls the day Owen failed her Chief of Resident interview and later tried to make it up to her at this same counter. She turns to him and plants an abrupt kiss on his lips in the middle of his sentence.
"I'm so happy that you are recovering well, Owen. You're the love of my life and it's stupid that we keep pretending..."
Owen stares at Cristina yearningly as she speaks before cupping her face and planting on her the second kiss, also in the middle of her sentence.
"Erhem. Get a room." Callie clears her throat.
Cristina chuckles. "I forgot. Dr. Bailey gave you these." Cristina searches in her handbag and hands Owen an envelope along his original research booklet. He anxiously tears off the envelope and reads the letter.
"I get the research grant, Cristina. One million. I really can't believe this because I only had four days to assemble all the resources I had." He grins happily and Cristina hugs him.
"You did a great job, Owen."
"What is that hugging?" It's Derek's voice from behind. Owen turns around to the guys and shares them the great news.
"Great. We have another reason to celebrate tonight. Why don't you guys join us at the bigger table?" Jackson gestures towards the table the guys sat earlier.
"Oh I thought you guys don't want to talk to me because you wanna be me but you can't." Cristina laughs sarcastically.
"Tonight is an exception, Cristina. Just tonight. We celebrate your husband's complete recovery and his research getting funded. We are still enemies, Yang." Derek smirks.
"Fine. I'm ready to resume competitor mode whenever you want." Cristina smiles mischievously.
'By the way, I think my daughters are with your children?" Jackson furrows his eyebrows as he glances at the watch.
"Uh huh, Jane is having a good time with my son." Cristina mocks Jackson.
"I knew it." Jackson shakes his head and sighs.
"Come on, Avery. My son is a good guy. Don't be too tough on him." Owen pats Jackson's shoulder.
"My son is also a good guy, Hunt. Don't be too tough on him." Derek pats Owen's back as he repeats the exact same words.
Meredith, Cristina and Callie move over to the big table to join the men with more beers, peanuts and casual chitchats. As the door opens, the bell jingles a merry sound and another cool breeze sweeps inside the bar. Cristina shudders and buttons up her sweater. Owen gently pulls his chair closer to hers; his arm wraps her shoulder and his warmth radiates over her body. Cristina tenderly places a small hand on his lap under the table and enjoys the sacred simplicity of him by her side, healthy, robust and cheerful.
"I really want a dress like that." Teddy looks at Cristina in the Elie Sabb gown and purses her lips.
"She used Dad's credit card to shop that dress." Faith stares at her mother and joins her sister's conversation.
"That's to make up for what I sacrificed during the last twelve days." Cristina says as she turns around in front of the mirror.
"Do I really need to go?" Theo grimaces as he adjusts his bow.
"Dad, you said you would make up for the time I took care of you. When can you give me your credit card?" Teddy yells into her parents' bedroom.
"I can't afford another Ellie Sabb. I'm broke, Teddy." Owen yells back at her.
"I never really like banquet." Theo sighs.
"This is not a banquet. It's just a casual, friendly dinner with my business partner." Cristina scolds at her son.
It is the day after Owen finished his radiation treatment and a limousine arrives at the front door of Owen's house to take everyone to the Seattle Space Needle. Owen realizes Theo has been nervous since Cristina asked the children to attend the dinner with her last night. He isn't sure why Theo confided he doesn't like to go to the banquets, given he and Cristina took the children to Grey Sloan's fundraising events several times and Theo was perfectly fine.
As they finally arrive and stand waiting for the elevator at the base of the tower, Theo mumbles."I really can't, I'm sorry."
Cristina immediately realizes what is happening to his son. She puts her arm around his shoulder and gently reassures him.
"Don't worry, Theo, I understand that riding this specific elevator scares you. We're gonna wait until we find a crowded elevator so that you don't have to look at the view outside the glass, okay?"
Theo quietly nods and takes a deep breath.
The family patiently waits as the elevators come and leave the ground until Theo finds one that looks acceptable to him. Cristina and Owen sneak into the confined space first, then Theo reluctantly walks in and eventually so do his sisters. Teddy gently grips her brother's elbow while Theo closes his eyes, waiting for this terrifying moment to pass.
They arrive at the 500 feet height of the Seattle Space Needle and a family greets Cristina and Owen at the entrance of the restaurant. Cristina introduces Owen to a tall and solid man.
"Darling, this is Mr. Bob Hughes, former Executive Committee Member of Washington State Board of Education. He was very interested in my project of building the medical school; and his family had generously sponsored for the Banner Simulation Center facility." Cristina smiles gently as if she's the most tender and graceful wife on Earth.
"This is Dr. Owen Hunt, my husband, Mr. Hughes. And these are my children: Faith, Theo and Teddy."
Teddy and Theo smile at the children of Mr. Hughes who turn out to be twins as well.
"It's a great coincidence that my children are also twins. This is Eleanor Hughes, my wife. This is Austin and Addison."
Austin Hughes has beautiful brown eyes behind his glasses. He smiles at Teddy as he shakes her hand.
The two families settle at a big table at the center of the restaurant. Theo secretly sighs in relief as he doesn't have to look around and see the city below. He starts to enjoy the conversation with Mrs. Hughes and Addison Hughes, who turn out to be nice and elegant ladies.
"Now as we wait for the appetizer, I would like to ask how far you have progressed in building the medical school."
"Kraums Institute had successfully signed a contract with Kleins Co. to start the first phase of the construction, sir." Cristina smiles gently at Mr. Hughes.
"Kleins Co.? That's an excellent choice, Dr. Yang. What a coincidence Kleins formed a partnership with Scraze and Winters to build this Seattle Space Needle as we sit here." The gentleman kindly responds.
"Indeed. We signed the contract with Kleins because I'm always impressed with the rapid and efficient work of the company. With the construction progress they propose, the medical school will be finished in fourteen months."
"Congratulations, Dr. Yang. That said, you're working on the submitting the name of the school to the board, as well as recruiting your personnel?" Mr. Hughes wonders.
"Yes, I am, sir." Cristina turns her head right to look at Owen and a graceful smile forms on her lips. She gently exhales and continues. "The name of the medical school will be Yang and Hunt College of Medicine."
Owen almost suffocates to hear the words leaving Cristina's lips. He glances at her secretly, trying to not look so freaked out in surprise. Mr. Hughes raises his glass of champagne and smiles: "To Yang and Hunt College of Medicine, the second medical school of Washington State."
Cristina gently holds Owen's hand as she joins everyone to raise their champagne: "To Yang and Hunt College of Medicine."
The two families have a quite joyful dinner as they discuss about the upcoming medical school as well as the projects that Cristina and Owen are working on. As the adults talk about their work, the children discuss about their school work and hobbies. Cristina was reluctant at first when Mr. Hughes invited the whole family over dinner; yet the idea that once sounded awkward turns into a warm and friendly meeting that lasts until the restaurant closing time.
"What the hell, Cristina." Owen exhales as the meeting is finally over and the whole family is standing, waiting for an elevator.
"What?" Cristina rolls her eyes.
"Yang and Hunt College of Medicine. You made me speechless." Owen pulls Cristina closer and hugs her.
"I still can't believe it, Mom. I thought the name would be Seattle West School of Medicine or something." Faith shrugs in disbelief.
"You made us almost suffocate." Teddy laughs out loud.
"That's amazing, Ma." Theo gently smiles. He feels much relaxed after the dinner.
Owen and his family stand for fifteen minutes or so but they can't find an elevator crowded enough to enter. Eventually, Theo sighs and mumbles.
"It's okay, Ma. I can just close my eyes. It's late and most of the visitors left for good already."
Owen grips Theo's shoulder. "It's okay, son. We have plenty of time. WE can wait until the employees of the restaurant leave and join them."
Theo shakes his head."No, I'm fine, Dad. I should confront my fear and learn to ride an elevator again sooner or later. I would just close my eyes if I feel nervous."
"Alright then, we can talk about things as we ride the elevator." Cristina smiles at him.
The family enters the next available elevator which turns out to be empty. As before, Cristina and Owen enter the elevator first. They lean against the glass walls, in hope that it covers a large part of the view for Theo. Theo turns his back to his parents and faces the steel doors, leaving the splendid view behind him. Teddy and Faith eventually step in and stand at both sides of Theo, trying to talk to make him forget his fear of height.
"I like the Hughes family. Mrs. Hughes and Addison are very lovely." Faith compliments the guests.
"Yeah. I like them, too. They seem make a very happy family. I wonder if the twins fight as hard as me and Theo." Teddy laughs out loud.
"I'm nice to you, Teddy. I'm not just a fine brother, I'm a great brother." Still closing his eyes, Theo defends himself.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hughes are old yet they look very happy hand in hand. They're as cute as a young couple falling in love for the first time." Faith smiles as she thinks about Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. Owen and Cristina quietly listen to their children and chuckle.
"Dr. Hunt and Dr. Yang, I hope you two will be like them." Teddy turns around and playfully scolds at her parents.
"I guess they believe in happily ever after." Still closing his eyes, Theo recalls the caring gestures of the old couple throughout the dinner.
"I don't believe in happily ever after." Teddy shakes her head and sighs.
"I don't believe in happily ever after, either." Faith also shakes her head as she crosses her arms.
"Oh come on, you two are too young to be cynical and bitter about love." Owen groans out loud and Cristina giggles. She leans her head on his shoulder as she listens to the conversation amusedly.
"Don't tell me you believe in happily ever after, Dad." Still facing the steel doors of the elevator, Theo raises his voice.
"I do, son, I do believe in happily ever after." Owen speaks up with determination. He wants his children to be more positive about life and love.
"Well, maybe you do, but Ma doesn't. She's realistic. And I'm with her." Teddy purses her lips.
Owen chuckles. He gently turns his head around and looks at his wife. "Well, do you or do you not, Cristina?"
Teddy and Faith patiently wait for their mother's answer. As Cristina is still leaning on Owen's shoulder, she shifts her sight to the breathtaking view of Seattle at night outside the shiny glass. The entire lively city is soaked up in the bright and cheerful shades of yellow lights. Happiness flutters in her chest as she reviews the beautiful journey of twenty years she has shared with Owen and their children. A tender smile graces on her lips and her fingers intertwine with his. Eventually, Cristina turns her head towards Owen and stares at his blue eyes. She exhales with great satisfaction:
"I do, Owen. I do believe in happily ever after."
So, "happily ever after", my dear readers, that's it for now :) I really wish I could go on, but I have to resume school and work next week, and I know many of you do, too. So, I would like to call this a semi-closure, which means if you are reading up to this chapter, you will feel satisfied that there's a sense of closure to the Hunt family story, but you can also come back for more.
Acknowledgement: that dedication to Cristina of Owen's project took me half an hour to write. My English sucks :))
I found immense joy in writing this sequel Today Has Been OK because I got to make friends with some amazing readers. So whoever you are, you know I'm talking about you, and thank you for your companion in my course of writing. Thank you for those times when I was lack of mood to write and you gave me inspiration just by complimenting how handsome Owen is or how steamy Crowen's sex is, lol.
I would say the story is quite a ride and things amazingly don't turn out as I planned. I have so much more to tell you about Theo and Jane, Faith and Daniel, Teddy and Bailey, Cristina and Owen, the parents vs. the children, and last but not least the professional careers they are pursuing. I want to tell you more about Theo's trauma, about how Faith comes to love Daniel, and so on. You think you like Teddy the most among the three because I put effort into writing her. I have beautiful storylines for Faith and Theo, too; I just don't have time and energy to do them now. Each event for each couple would require a chapter, and it will take me another 20 chaps or so to completely tell their stories.
That said, I have to stop here and hopefully resume it later. If you really enjoy my fanfic, please follow me, follow the story, and we can meet again sometimes, Thanksgiving or Cristmas for example, and together we'll enjoy the journey that Cristina, Owen and their children have offered to share with us.
It's funny within a chapter, I receive many contradicting reviews. Some said my Cristina was too tough on their children, others said my Cristina was too family focused. Similarly, Teddy was praised to be adorable with her caring heart, and the next chapter when I decided to make her go crazy, she started to lose a few readers' empathy. Just want to let you know it was my intention to write about a family that is less than ideal. The Hunt family members, just like any ordinary family member, have moments of being selfish, greedy, whined or even out of mind. What important is they understand one another in those less than perfect moments and stick together and fight together as a family. I believe Cristina and Owen are the parents who will teach their children that lesson. I hear your POV about Crowen, and I thank those who share my POV about them. It feels great to know someone out there in the Crowen fandom have a similar mind to me.
Finally, friendly reminder that I love to read your reviews, anonymous or not, English or Chinese. And last but not least: Crowen Forever.