Leo sat outside of the OR tent, his boots covered in dust and blood. He had thrown his uniform jacket carelessly to one side and was sitting in his camouflage pants and beige t-shirt messaging someone.

"Hey," a young blonde woman smiled approaching Leo.

"Theresa," Leo smiled.

"Hi," she said, "anything good at home?"

"Charlotte is annoyed with me and Allison is really pregnant," Leo said. His relationship with Charlotte was always on and off based on Charlotte's whims Leo being deployed didn't help.

"Charlotte is always annoyed ," Theresa confirmed, "and Allison?"

"True. It's just that Allison is my little sister," Leo replied, "her second baby. I've known for a while but she sent me pictures from today and I don't know if I'll get to meet my nephew."

"I thought Allison is a resident," Theresa said.

"She is," Leo replied, patting the sand beside him.

Theresa sat down, "do you ever think of it? Kids I mean?"

"My sisters have them and I love their kids," Leo said, "but Allie has a 10 year old daughter Ev turns 11 soon. She got pregnant her senior year of high school. "

"And she's a surgeon," Theresa gasped.

"Her husband Asher is great," Leo said, "great guy and wanted Allie to go to school. They sent me this today."

Leo showed Theresa, his best friend, the picture Allison had sent of her, Asher and Everly after her swim meet with Everly holding a trophy.

"Allison looks good," Theresa said, "how far along?"

"She said 30 weeks now ," Leo said, "she's excited. I've known for a while. I don't like missing them, not knowing if I'll ever meet my nephew or hug Ev, Ellie, Matt, Henry and Heather again. Ev and I have a different relationship than I do with the others. She's Allie's daughter. Allie and I are close, Annie and I not so much."

"Everly wears KAFOs," Theresa asked.

"Everly has Cerebral Palsy, hydrocephalus and a bicuspid aortic valve," Leo replied, "she's doing good. We face timed last night. She's in 5th grade, she's 10. She had a swim meet yesterday and won. They sent the picture."

"Paralympic," Theresa asked.

"Yes," Leo replied.

"I know you worry about Ev but I didn't know she had exceptionalities," Theresa said.

"She's Ev," Leo said, "she's usually pretty happy. She loves to swim and ride an adaptive bike. Her balance is a challenge. She had spastic dipalegic CP her legs are the worst of it and her left side is worse than her right. Her shunt isn't worrying. "

"You can talk to me," Theresa said, "I am ortho. Hunt."

"Atman-Hunt," Leo corrected.

"Hunt is faster," Theresa quipped.

"Sure Winquest," Leo teased, "you have plans for leave at the end of next month?"

"My parents are gone," Theresa reminded, "my aunt and uncle are out of town so they said I could stay at their house."

"Come home with me," Leo replied, "mom and dad will be happy to have you. Come meet Allie and Ash and Everly. Annie, my oldest sister will make a huge fuss because that's what Annie does."

"But Charlotte," Theresa asked.

"Don't worry about Char," Leo said, "I actually need to end it for good but don't know how."

"Face to face," Theresa suggested.

"She's been around for so much," Leo said, "and is so good to Everly. Char babysits and is close to my parents. Her step dad did his residency with Annie and her husband."

"How old is Annie," Theresa asked, Leo mentioned Annie but he wasn't as close to her as he was to Allison.

"53," Leo said, "we're 24 years apart. Annie is mom's from her college relationship. But because mom served, Annie spent most of her childhood in BC with her dad."

"And you and Allison are really close together," Theresa said.

"11 months," Leo replied, "she's January 30 and I'm Feb 27."

"So Allison is 28, married and has two kids," Theresa said, "Annie is married."

"She has 4 kids," Leo said, "you'll meet half of them. Ellie is at Columbia for medical school. Matt is away for college at Queens in Ontario Canada. Henry goes to UW and Heather is in ninth. Henry and Heather still live at home."

"Your parents must find it hard," Theresa said.

"They both served so they get it," Leo said, "they were in this unit here actually. 40 years ago but it was the Iraq war then and now it's the middle east conflict. Mom's background is a lot like yours. She lost her parents 11 months apart then her best friend in 9/11, mom had been working as a cardio attending at columbia and gave it up to join the army."

"I'm ortho but similar story," Theresa agreed.

"When we get to my place I'll have to introduce you to Jenna. She's Annie's half brother's wife but Chris and Jenna are just family," Leo said, "Jenna is neuro. And Chris was Canadian military, he flew medivac helicopters before becoming a trauma nurse when their son Tyler was born."

"So your family gets it," Theresa replied.

"They do," Leo answered, "I'll let mom know you're coming home with me."

Teddy got Leo's email the next morning.

"Leo is inviting Theresa Winquest home," Teddy said, "she has no family to go to."

"Bring her home," Owen agreed, "this could be hard with Charlotte."

"Thats when I knew I was in love with you,' Teddy smiled, 'the first time you brought me home."

"So,' Owen smirked.

"We meet her and make her feel at home like your mom did," Teddy replied.