Teddy and Family

Chapter 17

A/N: What's happening here in the States is ruining my will to write as I'm scared out of my mind, but I figure we all need to laugh so I forced myself to break through and write again.

To all my fellow Americans who are as furious and scared as I am about being our Election being hacked and bought and paid for by Russia. And Idiocrasy is happening before our very eyes! Up the Rebels! Viva La Resistance! Oh and on a lighter note Happy Holidays! Happy New Year and fingers crossed for 2017!

Thank you for all the favs, follows, and reviews!

Cin

Disclaimer: EL James and sometimes SMeyer (I love to play with her characters but with my AU spin on them from my other story. Sorry folks I don't do Cannon ever. Like, Love it, Hate it…you have been warned ^^) own it all I'm just having fun with the characters, but the OC ones and story ideas are all mine

Teddy

I should have settled for having Teddy bears on my clothes, cos it's a lot better than having ta where a suit that makes me look like a penguin! I can't growl about it either, cos I'm a big boy now and they gotta wear suits and even ties that choke you! Daddy wears them all the time when he's CEO and I don't get why? They are the worst things in the world! When GEH is mine it's gonna be t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jeans, and sneakers! Lelliot gets ta wear jeans and stuff so why can't the CEO?

"Doesn't Teddy look sharp in his tux, Paul?" JB is torturing me with suit after stupid suit! I hope that Hope's suffering as much as I am right now! Nana Ella and my new Grandpa Marcus are getting married in our backyard in momma's meadow. I'm the ring bearer and Hope and Ava are both flower girls. So we gotta dress all fancy. Daddy's gonna look crazy all dressed up in a tux that looks sort of like shorts on one side, cuz he's got that bad owie on his whole leg!

"He's Chris's mini-me." Paul is grinning from where he's getting pinned and stuff by the tailor guy and I'm not talkin about Jason…This guy makes suits and stuff and flew all the way from some savy row place.

"Why isn't Gabe here too?" I grumble.

"Because Mimi is being a royal pain and wouldn't let him come with us." JB snarks, rolling his eyes.

"The Princess Brat needs to get over herself. Mom is finally marrying the man that she's been in love with since she and I were born. Twenty some odd years is long enough of a wait to tie the knot. Marcus has been asking her since her high school graduation." Daddy is really mad at Aunt Mia and so is the rest of the family. "Simons, this isn't going to work. I'll look ridiculous with just one pant leg."

JB is circling Daddy and he's got that look that's kinda nutty. "We could do a Magic Mike to your pants?"

"Stripper pants at my Mom's wedding and that's better than half a pant leg?" Daddy's not liking this idea or whoever this magic guy is. Now as for stripper pants not a clue on that one.

"I modified your suits for you the last time you injured yourself, so a Tux won't be any different." Simons the suit guy is circling daddy now too.

"Why can't you use one of those?" Paul frowns.

"I donated them as soon as the cast was taken off. I wasn't planning on breaking myself again, so I didn't see the need." Daddy looks like he wants to run in terror from them.

"Daddy loves to decorate our house big time." I chime in my take.

"That he does, Teddy. That he does." Paul chuckles.

"And he does it so big that it bites him in the ass…" I quote what Uncle Lelliot said to the Grandpas while drinking that yucky brown drink and playing cards.

"Theodore Raymond Grey! That's not a nice word never say that again or Daddy will be dead, okay pal." Daddy and all of them are staring at me with their eyes really big and their mouths are open like a fish.

"Sorry, Daddy…" I sniffle. I don't want mommy to kill Daddy. The thing is that they all say these naughty words when they think that we can't hear them, but they can say them, cos they're adults.

"It's not like he can help it, Chris. Once he hears it then it's stuck there in his little head." Paul frowns.

"This is all Elliot. The man has no filter." JB frowns.

"Nope. I hear it from all of you guys…" I sniffle loudly. "Being little bites!"

"TEDDY!"

"What?! I don't even know what that means! I don't get what any of the naughty words mean! Nothing like that makes sense! If you don't want me to say them then don't let me hear you say it! Get this off! I'm done! I missed my snack!" I stomp all around. I feel trapped! It's not fair that I have ta wear this and Gabe doesn't!

"Theodore Raymond Grey that's enough!" Daddy catches me by my collar and then scoops me up with his good arm. "We get that getting fitted for your suit isn't fun, yes, you've heard words that are never to be repeated out of your little mouth and that's on us. You, little man, know better than to say them and are only throwing a tantrum because you're bored out of your little mind. I get that you missed your snack and I'm sorry, but we're not doing this to torture you. This is what you have to wear on special days. Weddings, balls, galas, award ceremonies will more often than not require a tux and work requires that you dress accordingly as well…"

"Nope! When GEH is mine it's gonna be t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jeans, and sneakers! No suits!" I grumble.

"Sorry, Pal, but everyday can't be casual Friday. CEO's have to wear suits, it's just how it is. You aren't taken seriously in Jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie in the big bad business world." Daddy shoots me down. "You won't mind them when you get older, even Barney has to wear them to work for important meetings."

"Fine. Can we go now? We've been in here forever." Suits for life. It's so not fair! I don't wanna grow up! Ever!

"I've got him." Paul takes me from Daddy. "Let's get you back into your comfy clothes, Teddybear."

"We're finished, Christian. I'll see about getting you some modified suits as well." Mr. S is done! Finally! Snack time here I come! "The other men in the wedding party have already had their fittings and all will be well on the big day. I'll have the rest of what you requested done hopefully by Christmas…"

"The wedding is priority. The other, well, take your time seeing as the person it's for is not in any hurry to wear them anytime soon." Daddy shakes his hand and then starts changing back to his normal clothes like everyone else in the room.

Ana

I look down at the text from Chris and burst out in a giggle fit. Teddy's put his little foot down when it comes to wearing suits or ties of any kind. He's even touting changing the GEH dress code to casual Friday everyday.

"What?" Angel looks over at me from where she's changing Ari.

"Teddy threw a snit downstairs and Chris is texting me all about it."

"Teddy no likes monkey suit." Hope chimes in all the while trying to help Angel change Ari. "Teddies bad enough. Now monkey too?" She wrinkles her tiny little nose in distaste that her guy is being forced to wear an actual monkey suit!

Angel and I burst out laughing.

"It true! Why he have ta wear a suit like monkey?" She's not at all amused and climbs down from the steps beside the changing table to shoot us both a hands on hips glare.

"Sweetie, this is what Teddy's wearing to the wedding." I show her a photo that Chris sent me of Teddy in his white tux.

"That no looks like monkey?" She frowns. "Why he call it that it not?"

"It's just a name that tuxedo's are sometimes called by those who don't like wearing them. Teddy must have heard it from one of his Uncles." I bend down and kiss the top of her head.

"Oh, like George wears sometimes in book and show?" She blinks up at me with those big aqua eyes then nods and goes back to help Angel with Ari.

"Something like that." I grin and scoop up Alex out of his crib. He's such a happy little guy and his diaper emergencies are few and far between now that he's on formula and his tummy is happy again. "Teddy's being silly, Alex. You didn't even whimper when we tried on yours for Nana Ella's wedding." He just wants to snuggle so I set him against me in his wrap. Then head over to check on Rory.

"Hope! GG has snacks!" Teddy's shout echoes up the stairs.

"Teddy!" That's all it takes for Hope to make a mad dash out the open doorway. "Snacks!"

"Walk please!" Chris's gentle growl echoes outside the doorway. "And no running down the stairs either!"

"Sorry! Uncle Chris!" Hope shout's back. "Buts it's my Teddy and Snacks!"

"Nevertheless, safety first!" He calls back trying to keep the chuckle out of his voice and failing miserably. The guys downstairs are roaring with laughter and it is echoing throughout the quiet house.

Angel and I are trying to stem our own giggling, so as not to startle the babies.

"The boy is doomed…heaven help us all when they hit their teens…" Angel giggles, shaking her head.

"We're in for it alright." I grin back.

"Karma is paying us back bigtime, baby." Chris gimps into the nursery with a grin a mile wide on his face, as he comes over to take over changing Rory's diaper like a seasoned pro. "Still on the fence about the upstairs flat for Adam and Angel?"

"So far they've been happy with skype. Don't jinx us." I narrow my eyes at him.

"We'll be fine as long as they get to see each other during the day for extended periods of time. Logan and Barney tweaked her purple bear so that it sounds like Teddy is talking to her whenever she hugs it, so that helps too." Angel backs me up on this issue.

"The Supergirl bracelet that Logan made for Hope complete with tracking device and silent alert when she tries to escape is a plus too." I add that while getting out a fresh little hooded outfit for Rory to wear with little kitty faces all over it in pink.

"Teddy makes it as far as the bottom steps, but the baby gates have silent alarms on them as do the puppy doors that only activate if something other than the pups or kittens go through them. Security is determined that there will be no escapees on their watch." Chris blows raspberries on our baby girl's belly and she kicks her tiny feet and reaches to grab a fist full of his hair.

Rory has this thing about trying to pull her daddy's hair out and I'm not only talking the hair on his head either. Nope, she loves to pull out his chest hair when he's cuddling her against him.

"OW! Easy, princess! Daddy likes his hair on his head!" Chris yelps, as I gently pry her tiny fingers from his hair, so that I can finish dressing her.

Alex is enjoying the show from the baby wrap and happily chewing on his fingers.

Ari's contently sucking on her pacifier in Angel's arms looking all around her.

"It's your fault, Babe." I grin at him. "She loves your hair and you were in targeting range."

Alex loves my hair too, but likes to hide in it instead of pull it from the roots like our Rory loves to do with her Daddy.

"It could be worse. At least they aren't freaked out over my casts, so I'll take her obsession with my hair any day of the week over that." Chris has her snuggled against his chest in a baby wrap.

"Daddy! Nana Ella is here with Grandpa Marcus! They both wearing rings like you's and Mommy's!" Teddy shouts up the stairs to announce that we have company.

"They brought's yummy cake!" Hope echoes after him.

"Yay! No Monkey suit for me!" He continues.

"And no silly Dress!" She concludes.

"Well, Ana, looks like I don't have to endure labor after all!" Chris is grinning like a Cheshire cat, eyes dancing.

"I didn't think that Ella was gonna go through with what Alice had planned." Angel smirks.

"Frozen Fantasia did sound over the top." I agree, rolling my eyes at Chris. I made the bet so that he had an out, besides I really wasn't in the mood to actually experience labor again. So it's win-win in my eyes. "I'll just cancel the Tesla Roadster 3.0 that I ordered for your push present." That said I breeze out of the nursery to go greet the happy couple and congratulate them.

"You stepped right into that one, big brother." Angel chuckles behind me.

"Huh!? But…But…Baby…it's the thought that I was going to do it that counts!" He's actually whining like Teddy does when he can't have a cookie before dinner.

"True, but seeing as I went through emergency surgery again to have your progeny, it's only fitting that I get the car instead." I blow him a kiss and then head down the stairs.

"I already got you your push present! You'll get it Christmas Eve!" Chris growls down at me from the top of the stairs. He can't do stairs yet, so he can't give chase.

I arch a brow staring up at him from the first floor landing. "Quit while you're ahead, babe."

"Wow! Mommy's gettin a helicopter like the president, a new boat bigger than the Grace, and now a car! She sure gets choice gifts for having my siblings…"

"Well, she had to grow them in her belly all that's time…he's gots ta give her lots of presents…" Hope chimes in her divine wisdom.

"Teddy?" I can't believe what he just said to me. "Did Daddy sink our boat and hasn't told me yet?"

I brace myself for his answer. I mean, the Grace isn't even four years old and he went and commissioned a bigger one?! It sleeps eight! How much bigger do we need?! The Helicopter made more sense than the boat.

"No, Mommy. The Grace is in the big boat house. Daddy didn't sink anything…" Teddy stares wide eyed at me like I'm losing my mind.

"Anastasia Rose Grey! I can't believe that you even…The Grace wasn't designed with our growing family in mind…No! I did not sink our boat! I was asked to crew for the America's Cup! How can you even…We love being on the water and the Grace isn't big enough for us, so I commissioned Ray to build the Anastasia Rose because you mean the moon and the stars to me! And no! That wasn't your push present and neither was the Helicopter, again expanding family! Charlie Tango wasn't designed with multipole babies in mind!" His tone is lethally low as not to spook the babies, but his pewter gray eyes say it all. "Your Push Present has taken them a few weeks to come up with something that I could approve of and that's the only reason why I've waited until now to give it to you!"

"Mommy, you went halfsies with Masen's Daddy to give Daddy the Mariners and Hawks for Christmas and that's like a whole baseball and Football team! The Annie Rose is big but it can't be watched on TV! It's big like really big, but nothin like stadium with lots and lots of people watching big." Teddy's spilling all kinds of secrets, the little devil. He's got the ears of a bat when it comes to listening in on conversations.

"Theodore that was supposed to be surprise for Daddy…" Chris is stunned that the reason that Edward has been stalling him is because me and Ros bribed him to keep it a secret with the secret recipe for my peanut butter fantasy fudge that he became obsessed with during his stay here with us. That and just about every peanut butter recipe that I have. The man is addicted to the stuff and not to brag or anything, but those are third generation prize winning recipes. They won National competitions back in the day. I even made him sign an NDA not to spill it to anyone outside the family circle. He laughed at me and said that he was by far one of the best secret keepers on the planet, but signed it anyway.

"Sorry, Mommy, but Daddy was winning in the gift giving stuff and I wanted to even the, um, playing field." Teddy blinks innocently up at me.

"It's not about winning. It's about giving something to someone you love, baby boy. Daddy and I aren't competing on whom can top whom in gifts."

Chris is still in shock. Come to think of it so are Angel and the happy couple who have come in to mediate between Chris and I if need be.

"Doesn't look like it ta me." Hope blinks up at me all the while munching on a reindeer sugar cookie. "He gots you big presents, but you gots him big, big, big, presents!"

"Daddy and I drew plans for the Annie Rose, so that be from both Daddy and me. Daddy and me also drew the neck thingy and charm thingy's …then Mr. Jewel guy took it to get made and everything, so that from me and Daddy too for giving us the babies. You's going halfsies with Mason's Daddy to give him his dream, well, that's way bigger than just a present…"

"Santa's gonna get you lots and lots of presents under the tree for giving a dream." Hope nods sagely before biting off Santa's head on her cookie and skipping off to the kitchen for more snacks.

"Daddy, you's get to cross that off yours bucket list or that's what Ros told Mommy on Skype."

"Chris? Honey? You alright?" Ella's waving her hand in front of Chris's face, but he's frozen there in shock.

"Ana got him half of the Mariners and the Sea Hawks for Christmas, sweetheart. The boy's in shock." Marcus is taking his pulse.

"He offered up both for the price of one. Well, that and all of Great-Great Nana, Great Nana, and Nana Steele's award wining peanut butter recipes sweetened the pot a lot. He got a taste of them when he was here and was hooked. The only catch being that Chris is a silent partner for now until Edward thinks he's ready to take on the sharks with him. Ros and I sealed that deal while he was still in a giving mood. He's more mercurial than Chris and that's saying something." I babble, biting my lip, because Chris is starting to worry me.

Did I break him by buying him his dream teams?

"Mommy? I think you broke Daddy." Teddy's pulling on Chris's limp good hand and still nothing.

Rory's not liking that her Daddy isn't moving and is voicing her concern and finally he blinks and starts gently patting her back. Her job done. She settles back to sleep.

Marcus takes him by the arm and leads him to his chair in the Great Room. "Have a seat for a while until the initial shock wears off."

"Both teams…I've got nothing that even comes close…Phone…I need my phone…and my laptop…" Chris isn't even able to form complete sentences.

"Chris, I'm living my dream everyday. My dream was to own my own Publishing House, Marry you, and raise a family. I'm thrilled that Ros and I were able to convince him to make good on his promise in time for Christmas. I'm more into giving than receiving and that you and Teddy both put your hearts into my gifts is more than enough for me." I go over and carefully curl up beside him so as not to awaken the babies in their wraps.

"Silent partner, huh?" Chris smirks, finally snapping out of his daze.

"For now anyway."

"That's fine until I'm fully healed and at a hundred percent again, after that it's game on." He growls softly in my ear, sending shivers up my spine. Then proceeds to clue me in on my push present "Thank you, Baby. Just for full disclosure your I-8, push present number one, will be here on Christmas Eve along with a matching mini versions for both our little smarty pants. The Anastasia Rose will be here in all her glory, weather permitting, Christmas day. Ray, Fin, and Seamus can't wait to show her off and neither can I. She's a work of art, with all hybrid technology, making her footprint nearly nonexistent." His eyes light up with excitement.

"It's got like 6 floors, special bunks for us kids, and the babies have a nursery. You and Daddy's room has got a big bed, no bunks for you. Then there's a playroom for when it's really wavy. I've got a little pool on deck and then there's this tub with lots of bubbles too. In the back there's place for lots of water toys. There's a place to land Charlie not so sure about the big one…no sails but then Daddy says that the engines make it really fast… It's got so much more than the Grace…." Teddy's just as excited as Chris about our new yacht, as what he's describing is close to super yacht in size.

"We're gonna need a hanger size boat house by the sounds of it…but she sounds beautiful…" I smile at my guys. "I love that you thought of my passion for fast cars, but something small would have worked too. I was kidding about the Tesla it's coming on Christmas Eve too. No wonder Jason was arranging two power stations in the garages. We both had the same thing in mind."

"Our inlet is sheltered enough so she'll be protected if we moor her here for the winter instead of leaving her at the Steele Marina. She's a beauty…We still have the Grace if we want to go sail… " Chris crows about his work of art.

"Wow, babe. That's impressive…" I blow out a breath. When my man upgrades he never thinks small. "Can Finn and the boys handle crewing something that size?"

"It's handled, baby. Finn, Seamus, and your Dad have already vetted the new crew. Jason, the big brothers, and our Dads took her out fishing for her test run and are enamored with the new boat. Dad's offered to Moor her at Grey Manor and Ray wants to keep her at Steele Manor."

"Chris our Mothers are gonna string you up, because our Dads are gonna be MIA fishing every chance they get."

"She's got plenty of things to keep our mothers content while they fish, so they won't feel like fishermen's widows every weekend. We'll be lucky if they even let us use it. They love it so much."

"Our Moms love her too?" I find that hard to believe that my mother who gets sea sick even if a boat is moored to a pier is also enamored by our new boat.

"Chris, Marcus and I would like to put our request in for a week…" Ella chimes in.

"Late Spring if possible." Marcus looks like a puppy that wants a bone. Is this boat really that nice?

"That's really up to Ana. It's her boat." Chris shrugs.

"Chris, she's a super yacht and by the sounds of it poor Finn and Seamus are gonna be living on her as much as the family wants to use her." I snort, rolling my eyes.

"Mommy, they both live on houses with floats on them already and the Annie Rose is so much bigger than the floating houses. It's like a house that moves. They wouldn't be mad if they had to stay on it. They helped make it." Teddy's sulking that I'm not jumping up and down about the new boat.

"Baby, trust me. It's handled. Relax."

I can't help but cringe every time he says those words. "Like I really have much choice. Though, next time I want full disclosure and to be a part of the process. I loved building and helping in the design of the Grace. We were a team."

"Baby, we are a team. Steele/Grey forever." Chris's eyes widen in alarm and he's quick to do damage control. "Teddy needed an outlet. You couldn't play with him as much and were told to be careful during the first trimester. Ray and GEH were launching the new greener boat and ship designs. He had already drawn up a rough design with all of the family and kids in mind. Teddy saw him working on it, saw the name of the boat, and couldn't wait to show it to me when I came to pick him up from Steele Manor. That's how the Annie Rose was born. We were all worried and needed a focus that was it."

"I liked building Mommy's boat at Grandpa Ray's shop. They no have to wear suits and its fun. Daddy and Teddy time was fun too." Teddy is also trying to soothe my feelings and is making his stand on formal wear loud and clear to all.

"So she was a keep busy so mommy doesn't go crazy project was she?" I smirk.

"More like so Mommy doesn't kill daddy for hovering, but yeah, pretty much." Chris winks at me, flashing me his heartbreaker grin.

"It kept Daddy sane." Teddy nodded biting his lip.

"Well, seeing as it was a matter of life and death, I'll let being left out of the loop on a major family project go this time, but from now on we are Team Grey. Understand me boys."

"Yes, Mommy." Teddy hugs my legs.

"Committed to memory, baby."

"Now that we have that settled who wants cake?" Gail calls from the kitchen.

"ME!" Teddy and Hope make a beeline for the kitchen.

"Let's go celebrate your nuptials." I smile at Marcus and Ella. "Then I'll break the news to Alice."

"Already handled. She still wants to throw a party for us, but after Christmas." Ella smiles.

"We can have it here at the Meadows on New Years Eve." I offer.

"We missed your wedding, but we're gonna celebrate the heck out of it with an end of year blast. Weather permitting we might be able to have it on the Annie Rose." Chris grins.

"With Mia's sour attitude about the wedding, my heart just wasn't in a lavish affair. I wanted simple, small, and would have had the two of you there but you've got your hands full with the kids and Chris is healing. Well, that and Phoebe and Theo are still sailing the world and I really wanted them here...Grace and Cary got it all video for everyone and we had a lovely brunch to celebrate, before coming here to break the news gently with cake."

"You and Marcus can take the Annie Rose for an extended Honeymoon when the weathers nice and warm again, as a present from Chris, the kids, and I."

"Yeah, Mom, she can cruise you up and down the west coast or even to Hawaii." Chris is all smiles boasting about his new pride and joy.

"We're building on to the boat house. There is no way that we're going to have a floating target in front of the house."

"I've talked to Emmett about it and a bigger hanger for the helicopters seeing as El's down, and banned from the Meadows for the foreseeable future. Like I said, it's handled."

I roll my eyes and head off into the kitchen.