Allison had gotten her fellowship offers that morning and had shared them with Asher so they both had time to think before they presented them to the kids and talked as a family. She was leaning towards the offer at the university of Washington in orthopaedic surgery with a focus on cerebral palsy but the offer in Boston of paediatric orthopaedic surgery was tempting. Both were for a year. Asher could work elsewhere for a year, they could rent, Andy would adapt but Everly wouldn't and who knew what the new baby would do. For a moment Allison let herself grumble about not being able to move her daughter.

"So," Asher asked when Allison walked in after work.

"I'm torn," Allison admitted, "but I think for our family we need to stay here so I'll take the UW/ Grey Sloan partnership."

"Why," Asher asked, "Boston is only a year. We could do a year there. Allie, think about yourself. Think about what's going to make you happy."

"I have all day," Allison admitted, "very selfishly. But it's not about me or you it's about the kids."

Asher sighed, "we can bed for a year, rent there, rent out our house for the year."

"Baby girl," Allison sighed, "she needs family around. We can't do a new baby in a strange city with no support."

"How much can we rely on your parents this time," Asher asked, "with Ellie being single."

"My mom and I have talked," Allison replied, "they will be there and help us and baby girl. Between her finalising her retirement and trying to talk Annie down she's been busy."

"So your fellowship," Asher asked.

"Staying," Allison replied, "when I talked to UW its in partnership with Grey Sloan, I'm established there and I can continue my project. I can keep working on the hip mobilisation surgery and take it further. Hopefully get it to the point that Ev is a candidate."

"You want to keep working on the CP project," Asher confirmed.

"I do," Allison replied, "Ash that project is why I chose medicine. It may never help Ev but it will help families like ours. I have to do it. I can't leave that project now."

"If that's what you want," Asher confirmed.

"It is," Allison assured.

"So what do you do," Asher asked.

"I call and accept the UW one and thank the others for their offer and turn it down," Allison replied. She leaned against the counter and put her hands on her belly.

"How's our baby girl," Asher asked putting his hands with hers.

"Feel for yourself," Allison smiled as he slipped his hands under her top.

"Kids are home," Allison smiled as Asher rubbed her belly.

"After they go to bed," Asher asked.

"Maybe," Allison giggled. Even being on their third baby she didn't understand how Asher could find her attractive when she was so round. She was 35 weeks and felt heavier by the day. She knew what her body was doing this time. She was already starting to leak colostrum it was earlier than she had before but her body knew what to do now.

"How are you feeling," Asher asked.

"Exhausted," Allison admitted, "I don't have the energy to make dinner. I'm just going to throw some chicken strips in the oven, fries in the air fryer and make a salad."

"Sounds good," Asher replied, "can you push to stop working soon?"

"I'm off at 36 weeks," Allison replied, "5 days and I only work three of them. I'm not in the OR and am just doing hand off with the next chief resident and finishing my intern reports."

"What are you doing with Ellie's," Asher asked

"Being honest and giving her unsatisfactory," Allison replied, "she's aware so are the attendings."

"Your sister," Asher asked.

"Has no say but expects it," Allison replied, " you're okay to stay in Seattle?"

" I prefer it," Asher replied, " but is it 100% what you want?"

"It is. It's the cerebral palsy stuff," Allison replied, "I can help families like ours."

"Do what," Everly asked coming into the kitchen using one of her crutches.

"That's a new strategy," Allison smiled seeing the crutch only on Everlys left, her weaker side.

"The new physio showed me at school today in foods," Everly replied, so I can still use my right hand and stand in the busy school kitchen.

"What happened to your stool," Asher asked.

"The jerk boys keep stealing it," Everly replied.

"Do you want me to email again," Allison asked, her email signature with Dr and MD seemed to get the schools attention more than Asher's.

"No the years almost over," Everly shrugged.

"Then high school," Allison smiled, "we have your transition meeting tomorrow and I want you there. You are to mature and strong to have us make all the decisions for you. You have to self advocate."

"What about the PE exception," Everly asked.

"I don't know," Allison replied, "the high school has fitness for life and PE. It looks like you may be able to do fitness with adaptations. Fitness is yoga, Pilates, strength training, cycling and swimming. All things you can do."

"No more tripping over balls," Everly asked.

"None," Allison assured.

"Can you and dad stop always calling and fighting my teachers," Everly asked.

"We can," Asher agreed, "but you need to speak up as well. You have to self advocate like you do at home or the pool."

"But I don't like standing out," Everly argued.

"What parts of your IEP don't you want anymore," Allison asked.

"Can we try just note taking in my computer or iPad instead of teachers giving me print outs," Everly asked, "and no more giant copies of work sheets. And less EA hovering."

"All fair," Allison agreed, "I want them to add extra time between classes. 4 minutes isn't enough for you to cross the entire grounds. Or for scheduling to be so your classes are close together."

"Can I have elevator access," Everly asked, "that'll speed me up."

"We can ask," Asher promised, "do you want the school physio and OT to still check in and help adapt things?"

"Yes," Everly replied.

"And you have to decide if you want any honors classes," Allison replied, "I want you to try one or two."

"Math," Everly beamed.

"Of course," Allison smiled, "any others?"

"There's a math history elective," Everly said.

"Okay," Asher agreed.

"And I want to do show choir as my art," Everly replied, "or chorus."

"I thought so," Allison agreed, "you still love choir. Academic classes?"

"I guess honors English and science," Everly replied, "I don't want to do honors history or geography. I hate social studies."

"So did I," Asher replied.

"Language," Allison asked, "keeping your French? Intro Spanish?"

"French," Everly replied, "dad?"

"It's your call princess," Asher replied.

Andy ran into the kitchen, "mommy!"

"Hi buddy," Allison smiled at her son, "you ready for dinner?"

"No dinner," Andy said, "cookies."

"After dinner," Allison replied, "your having chicken strips, fries, carrots and cucumber."

"No carrots," Andy pouted.

"Peas," Allison offered, "then after dinner we'll have your bath and read a story."

Andy nodded his mischievous three year old smile.

"Baby," Andy smiled patting th bottom of Allison's belly.

"Yes," Asher smiled, "mommy has a baby in her tummy."

"Sissy," Andy kept patting Allison's belly.

"Yes your babysitter," Allison replied, "tomorrow I don't work. After preschool do you want to go to the petting zoo?"

"Ya," Andy smiled, "goats."

"We'll go see the goats," Allison promised, Andy was obsessed with animals, if it was up to him they would own every animal they saw on their walks and at the playground.

"Go skating," Andy asked.

"You have skating lessons after your nap," Allison replied.

"Can you skate," Andy asked.

"I can't until after the baby is born," Allison explained like she did every week, "it's not safe for mommy to skate right now."

"Mom, are we moving," Everly asked.

"No," Allison replied, "I picked the fellowship at UW working in their lab at Grey Sloan. I can keep working on the CP project."

"We're not moving," Everly confirmed.

"We're not," Allison promised.

"Our family is best in Seattle," Asher said, "and this is a job mom really wants."

After dinner Allison gave Andy his bath and tucked him in she sat on the side of his bed watching him sleep after he drifted off half way through his story. Andy never made it to the end of the book at bed time. She ran a finger tip over his cheek soaking in his features. He wouldn't be her baby for much longer. He was so excited to be a big brother. She knew how she parented Andy was different. It wasn't about him being a typical child, her and Asher were more mature, they were confident and settled. Their family had security, Allison didn't feel judged this time around, no one pitied her. Her only wish for the younger two was the her Nana had been able to meet them. She wished Evelyn had met Andy and could meet the new baby. She wished Evelyn had been able to hug them and smile at them. They're family was good, they would be great. She felt secure this time, she knew this was right.