#Greysanatomyfanfic

[amelialincoln]

Can you do a part 2 of your latest fic but they decide to have the baby and maybe a little of Amelia’s pregnancy during the pandemic? Like a time jump idk.

You and I Amelia stepped into the scrub room and peeled off her protective equipment. The inside of the hazmat suit was lined with condensation and she felt sweaty and gross. The hot flashes, her newest pregnancy symptom, were not helping. She washed her hands, enjoying the rare moment of peace and quiet though she wasn’t complaining. Most of her co-workers, even the ones that were chief of their department, had barely seen the inside of the OR in months. However, the extra layers in the midsummer Seattle heat were almost unbearable and in a stuffy operating room, it became a little too much. Link burst through the door as Amelia was drying her hands.

“Hey, how did it go? Did you have lunch? Are you feeling okay today?” He was practically breathless. Amelia’s hand flew to her forehead as an overwhelmed feeling washed over her.

“Link, I’m fine.”

“Have you had your temperature taken? You look flushed.” Amelia wasn’t sure why the concern in his voice was pissing her off beyond belief.

“We get our temp taken before every shift and it’s like eighty six degrees today.”

Link nodded, pulling her into a sticky, relieved hug. “You gonna take a couple hours off? Might be good to get a nap in.”

“No, I have patients to check in on.” She tried to keep herself calm. Link had been almost unbearable lately. Of course it was Amelia who’d end up pregnant in the midst of a global pandemic and she was stressed enough as it was. Link’s constant concern wasn’t helping anyone. She grabbed a new mask and secured it around her face.

“Let’s just get you something from the cafeteria.” He tried to pull her in that direction.

“Link!” Amelia had lost her temper. “I have about a million things that are more important than getting a stupid snack from the cafeteria!”

“I just find it funny how you seem to put everyone’s health over your own!” They were yelling now. The exhaustion was wearing down on the overworked couple and Amelia rubbed her temple to soothe an oncoming headache.

“Link, if I go get something to eat I’m just going to end up throwing it up anyways,” she tried to explain calmly. He raised an eyebrow at that.

“What have you eaten today?” He hadn’t been at the apartment that morning and was genuinely curious as to if Amelia would’ve eaten anything at all without him there to force her to. The look on her face told him everything. “Amelia!” She let out a groan of exasperation in response as she glanced around at the surrounding hospital staff that were starting to stare.

“I can’t be throwing up at work,” Amelia hissed. “I can’t risk taking my mask off around patients.”

“Well then maybe you shouldn’t be working at all!” This was brought up frequently in conversation between the two.

“This pregnancy could not even be viable. You honestly think I’m going to sit at home and put my health over hundreds for a baby that might not even make it into this world?” She knew she’d crossed the line when Link took a step back. Amelia hadn’t planned on getting pregnant again after the miscarriage. An anencephalic baby followed by a miscarriage had Amelia convinced that pregnancy was not for her. Apparently the universe had other plans. She was surprised by how hard Link had taken the accident. Not knowing that the sight of her curled up on the floor of their shower, her pants stained with blood, was forever ingrained in his mind. He scoffed at her before turning and walking away. She got a text from him a few minutes later that read, “I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt right now considering how pumped you are with hormones but I’m gonna try and give you some space and when you’re ready to act like an adult you can come find me.” She tried to ignore how much that stung.

On days like today Link enjoyed being an orthopedic surgeon more than anything. Owen raised his eyebrows as he watched the guy aggressively set another person’s bones into place. Link had never reminded Owen of the woman he’d taken the department over from until today. The man was obviously going through something and Owen couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do with Amelia. Suddenly, his eyes flew open and he raced over to a crouched Link.

“Hey, don’t you think you could do that in an OR?” He offered quickly. “With sedation?” Link glanced up at him blankly before seeming to snap into reality.

“Oh...yeah, probably.” He made eye contact with his patient. “I’ll see you later.” He motioned to Schmitt. “Can you prep him?” Before walking away and pushing into the first on call room he could find. He was surprised to find a familiar figure hunched over the side of a bunk bed, her hand cradling a non existent bump.

“You good?” He asked, his voice was stern. Amelia glanced up at him with teary eyes and Link melted. He couldn’t help but jump to the conclusion that it was happening again.

“Crampy,” she replied through gritted teeth. “It’s kind of all over so I can’t tell if it’s radiating from my stomach or not. All my muscles are tensing up.” “I’ll page Carina.”

Amelia winced as Link dug into her shoulder blade. Usually his back massages soothed her but this one was anything but comfortable.

“You’re severely dehydrated,” Carina stepped into the ultrasound room. “Even if you weren’t drinking enough and were just getting water from food, I don’t know how it could get this bad.” Amelia bit her lip and stared out the bright window.

“She hasn’t been eating.” Link shuddered as Amelia let out a tiny cry of pain and lessened the force of the massage. Carina raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” 

“I can’t keep anything down.” Her voice was quiet. Link couldn’t bear the idea of Amelia blaming herself if anything ended up being wrong with the baby.

“Baby looks okay.” Carina watched both of the surgeons breathe a sigh of relief. “There must be something that you can keep down.”

“Everything I’ve tried hasn’t. I can’t be throwing up at work.” 

“Then you shouldn’t be working.” Carina said the words that Amelia was actively praying that she wouldn’t. “I’ve already expressed my thoughts about you putting yourself at risk by being at the hospital. Pregnant women have compromised immune systems to begin with. It is not a good idea.”

“It’s the only distraction I have,” Amelia’s voice was so quiet it was barely heard. Link sighed, wrapping his arms around Amelia’s shaky chest.

“Amelia, I know it’s early but we have no reason to believe that this pregnancy is compromised.” Carina told the neurosurgeon, who was failing to meet eye contact. “However, the only thing you’re doing by working is increasing you and the father of your baby’s stress level. Not to mention putting yourself at the risk of this virus.”

The ride back to their apartment was silent. Amelia unloaded the small amount of groceries that they’d picked up on their way home while Link drew Amelia’s almost daily bath. Once the kitchen was tidy, Amelia made her way into the bathroom. She glanced at her lower abdomen, Carina said she should start showing over the next couple of weeks. Amelia desperately wanted that to be true. She slipped into the warm, bubbly water and allowed herself to relax for the first time in weeks. She tried not to replay the image of Tom’s exhausted face as she regretfully handed him her iPad and filled him in on the cases he’d be taking over. Tom hadn’t complained but it’s not like he was given the choice. Link cautiously joined her after about a half hour. He dunked his head under the water that was beginning to cool and shook his hair dry. He placed both of his hands over her stomach and breathed deeply.

“I talked to Bailey. She’s given me time off until this goddamn virus is over or until we can figure out a way to do this safely.”

“Link, you shouldn’t--”

“Amelia.” He cut her off sternly. “We’re not having this conversation. If I were to work, I’d be living in a hotel. Do you want that?” Amelia shook her head, moving her hands to cover his. Link breathed in the smell of her freshly shampooed hair and allowed himself to relax.

“What are we going to do with all this extra time?” A cheeky grin spread across his face even though she couldn’t it.

“I have a couple ideas,” Amelia laughed, rolling her eyes.

“What would those be?” 

“You’re unbelievable.”

“You love me.”

“Too much,” she replied, shaking her head. Link chuckled, his hands leaving her non-existent bump and pulling her closely into him affectionately.

“This will be good, Mia,” he said, almost absentmindedly. “I know it doesn’t seem like it but everything happens for a reason.” Amelia nodded, not ready to accept that she could be out of the OR and away from all of their friends for months.

“I won’t blame you if you want to drink.” She startled him with the topic. “All I can think about is how nice it would be to turn off my mind with a bottle of wine right now.” Link shook his head.

“If you can refrain from watching that awful reality TV when I’m around, I can refrain from a can of beer.”

“We’re going to be spending a lot of time together--”

“Amelia,” Link interrupted her. “If it really meant that much to me then we could have this conversation. I honestly couldn’t care less.”

“Okay.” The bath had just cooled beyond a comfortable temperature. Link got out first, wrapping himself in a towel before holding one out for Amelia.

“I think we’re going to need a bigger tub once the baby gets here.” Amelia nodded in response, imagining the three of them crammed into the ceramic bathtub. “You hungry?”

“Not particularly but I don’t really feel nauseous.”

“So what's the most calorie dense meal possible?” Link chuckled. Amelia rolled her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. As per usual she let Link tend to the cooking. She changed into sweatpants and a tank top and threw her curls into a bun. Her arms ached and she was surprised by how exhausted she was from just putting on clothing. She found Link hovered over the stove, pouring pasta into a pot of boiling water. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and allowed herself to relax into his sturdy frame.

“Hey.” He lowered the heat of the element and turned to cup her cheeks in his hands. “You look tired, babe.” Amelia yawned in response. 

“You making pasta?”

“I was thinking mac and cheese cause I remember you said something about craving it last week. I was going to bake it in the oven with the breadcrumbs, since you like that best, but I think you might pass out before it’ll be done.”  Amelia nodded, sheepishly. “Well, it’ll be good just on the stovetop too.”

“Thank you.” She bit her lip trying to refrain from breaking down out of exhaustion and guilt from how she’d been treating him. “I’m sorry about--”

“Don’t be,” he put firmly. “We’ve just had a lot of bad timing.” He turned back to stir the cheese sauce. “Doesn’t make me any less excited.” The image of Link holding a newborn baby flashed through Amelia’s head and she pushed it away.

“I’m trying so hard not to get my hopes up, Link.”

“Carina had doubts about the first one from the beginning,” he reminded her. “She prepared us for the worst.”

“Didn’t make it any less hard.”

“I know, but I trust her. There’s been no indication of anything being wrong.”

“I know.”

“And you’re twelve weeks tomorrow.”  

“I know.” Link grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and spooned the cheesy macaroni into it.

“Here,” he muttered, handing it to her before grabbing one for himself. “Water,” he reminded her as she began to walk towards the dining room table.

Amelia was surprised to keep the food down. “It’s definitely the cafeteria food that’s screwing me over,” she complained as her and Link walked into their bedroom.

“Baby already likes my cooking,” Link joked as he threw one of his oversized t-shirts at her to change into. Amelia slipped off her sweatpants and let out a little gasp.  

“You okay?” Link was immediately at her side. Amelia nodded, pointing at the mirror.

“I mean that could just be mac and cheese,” she laughed. Her hand went to her stomach, pressing the extremely tiny but firm bump over her uterus.

“Nah, your metabolism is out of this world,” Link chuckled. Amelia was surprised to find his eyes teary. “Sorry,” he looked away, rubbing his face with his hands. “Can I feel?”

“Sure.” She guided Link’s hand over her own and they both glanced at Amelia’s silhouette in the mirror.

“I’ve seen mac and cheese bloating before, this is definitely different.”

“Link,” Amelia shook her head with a smile. His hands were so gentle Amelia almost laughed, she knew that Link was about to treat her like a china glass doll for the remaining six months. She tried not to tease Link about how mezmorized he was by the situation as they both crawled into bed.

“You know it’s only going to get bigger,” Amelia sighed after an hour of being kept awake by Link’s refusal to take his hands off her stomach.

“That’s my baby,” Link pointed out.

“I’m aware, babe, and your baby’s mommy needs some sleep.” Link mumbled a disappointed apology in response, patting the place on his chest where she normally lay. 

“Goodnight babymommy.”

“No.” Amelia’s voice was firm, Link grinned.

[red-alien]

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: arizona robbins - Fandom, Grey's Anatomy, Alternative Universe - Fandom Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Arizona Robbins/Original Female Character(s) Characters: Arizona Robbins, Original Characters, Original Female Character(s) Additional Tags: Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Lesbians, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Love, Personal Growth, Suffering, Lesbian Relationship, Woman and woman, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, physical attraction, Greys anatomy fanfic, Sensuality, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, muscular, Eventual Romance, Slow Romance, Arizona Robbins - fandom - Freeform, Original Character(s), new romance - Freeform Series: Part 2 of The American and the Welsh Summary:

Arizona leaves for Africa and seems to be suffering a lot, specially for being alone in a place full of people who don't care if she's a Pediatrician from Hopkins. She gets stuck with a woman that won't make her time there pretty easy, but that will help her decide to stay there. What could happen to Arizona, now that she decided to stay through the whole Africa Program?

**this is a part 2 of my fanfic called "It's Impossible.".

[jordan202]

Maybe This Time - Part 8 (Finale)

Hey guys!

thank you so much for everyone who’s been through this with me. I am very grateful for every comment, every ask, every note, every message. I loved the feedback for this story and I hoped you guys had a good time with it as much as I had fun writing it. Here goes the last installment of this sweet ride! thanks for sticking with me until the very end :)

Link to previous chapters are HERE on the masterpost 

Maybe This Time – Part 8

“I think I might be pregnant.”

“Owen, this is the part where you say something,” Amelia tried to get him to speak after long seconds of silence.

But Owen looked like he was in shock. He kept staring at her frozen in time, unable to fully process the meaning of the news she’d just unexpectedly dropped.

Unbeknownst to her, Owen was trying to contain a nearly instinctive reaction of smiling and celebrating the news. He’d wanted for that to happen so badly and yet had been in that position so many times before only to ultimately be let down that he didn’t allow himself to rejoice in it just yet.

When his ex-wife had given him similar news, years before, Owen had been naïve enough to believe that his heart’s biggest desire might actually come true. The series of events that had happened after had only served to remind him in the cruelest way that sometimes, life could be taken before it was even given a chance.  He’d learned to mourn the loss of someone he’d never even got the chance to meet. And then years later, when he and Amelia had revisited the idea of parenthood, at first he’d been thrilled. Owen could remember all the details of the evening he’d gotten home and found her waiting for him with a pregnancy test. Back then, the trauma surgeon had kept his expectations high because he’d really believed that Amelia wanted it as much as he did. When the test turned out to be negative, Owen had taken her introversion as disappointment and had tried to console her, pointing out that they had just started trying and would have many chances to actually conceive a baby.

But then Amelia had unexpectedly changed her mind about the topic and left home, making him wonder how much she’d meant what she’d said in the few times they’d discussed becoming parents. From there on, their marriage had fallen apart, culminating with the discovery of her tumor. Little by little, they had been able to pick up most pieces. But up until that day, they hadn’t yet the discussed the idea of children. Owen had no idea where Amelia stood in it. Deep down, he knew he’d never truly give up on it, but the trauma surgeon had long ago told himself that he simply must learn to move on with his life and be happy even if he never got to be a dad because the possibility of that never happening was actually the likeliest one.

Owen knew Amelia was probably just as confused as he was about the news she’d just shared. Just as he knew her sudden change of heart about having a baby during a time they were together had probably been equally hard for her to understand. The details of her past remained blurry to him, but he was aware his wife had lost a son once. And while Owen was very good at obliterating his feelings, he wasn’t foolish enough to think that a person could come out of a situation like that and not have any scars. He supposed Amelia’s fears and hesitations had everything to do with the trauma of her past.

“Are you okay?” he gently tilted his head to the side, looking at her with concerned eyes.

Amelia couldn’t quite tell why, but she felt her heart sinking inside her chest.

“I… I don’t know,” she confessed with honesty.

“When did you find out?” Owen asked, gently reaching out to touch her so he could help Amelia sit on the patient’s gurney inside the room. Once she was properly settled, he pulled a metal stool and sat in front of her, not letting go of her hand.

“I just considered the possibility as I was filling out the form for the MRI scan. I realized it makes perfect sense,” Amelia confessed, feeling more anxious than when she’d first walked into that room. Owen’s reaction wasn’t anything like she’d anticipated and she couldn’t even tell why, because she didn’t know what she expected in the first place. “I didn’t confirm it yet.”

Owen instantly picked up on the fact she’d immediately come to him when she’d confronted the notion and that made him feel slightly better about the whole thing. But still, he didn’t dare to make anything out of the situation just yet.

“Do you want to find out for sure?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

Amelia was grateful for his obvious concern and for the way he was caring about her. She didn’t expect any less. But at the same time, the way Owen was keeping his distance was unnerving and very distressing.

The neurosurgeon narrowed her eyes, trying to understand him. It was hard to make sense of what he was feeling when she couldn’t figure out her own response to the situation. Was it possible that she was disappointed?

Was it possible that he was?

Owen had always wanted a child… Amelia had no idea how she felt about the entire thing but from the short trip from the radiology department to the ER, a thousand questions had run through her head. She had several doubts. But only one certainty: Owen would be thrilled.

She had been so sure of that that it was absolutely distressing to face his current reaction. Owen wasn’t indifferent. He was definitely apprehensive, so there had to be something there. But he hadn’t expressed any personal thought or emotion about the news she’d just shared and the slightest possibility that he might not be absolutely delighted with it made Amelia more agitated than she considered she could be.

Up until now, she hadn’t allowed herself to break down and be terrified for the single reason of having Owen there. They had talked and made up and realized that they loved each other and wanted to be together. No one was better at being there for her than he was. Amelia wasn’t sure if she was ready to face her fears with a new pregnancy but if a baby was already conceived, then there was no other alternative. And the only thing that kept her sane at that moment was to know she could lean on Owen.

But if he wasn’t fully on board with the idea then…

“Amelia?” Owen rubbed his thumb on her hand, trying to get her back from her thoughts. “I asked if you want to go to the lab? Or I can draw your blood here if you want?” he proposed. “Or if you want something less invasive we can try a urine test? What do you think?”

Amelia bit her lower lip. She didn’t know. She had no idea.

Why wasn’t he happy about this? Why wasn’t he thrilled and laughing and telling her everything was going to be okay, all the while making plans for them? That’s the only thing she expected… It was all she could think about at the moment.

“How far along do you think you should be?” Owen asked, realizing this time around it was her that seemed lost and shocked.

“I don’t know,” Amelia breathed in and out, trying to remain calm, but her distress became more obvious. “I don’t know, Owen, I don’t…”

“Shhh, it’s okay, calm down,” Owen got up and gently wrapped her in his arms, watching as Amelia buried her face in his chest and sniffed. She was obviously tense and he wished he knew more about how she felt so he could help her. But Owen really hoped this wasn’t another situation where he would have to convince the woman he loved to keep his baby. Because no matter how much he loved Amelia, if she really was expecting his child and decided not to take it forward, Owen didn’t have it in him to comfort her for the pain of making that decision.

Swallowing hard, he asked the universe for strength and straightened himself up, trying to remain as rational as possible. It just didn’t make sense… Everything he knew about Amelia and her personality, how caring and maternal she was… Owen knew the trauma of losing a child could shape a person, but he still couldn’t see her as someone who would reject a baby just because she feared losing them. It just didn’t make any sense.

“Amelia, look, I know you’re in way over your head right now,” he pulled apart just enough to look into her eyes, seeing they were sparkling with tears she stubbornly refused to shed. “But we need to know for sure, ok? We need to know for sure so we’ll know what we’re dealing with here,” he added, mistaking her pain for fear of actually being pregnant.

Amelia nodded affirmatively with her head, wiping her eyes as she listened to what he was proposing.

“We don’t have to go anywhere just yet,” Owen pointed with his eyes to a portable ultrasound machine inside the exam room. “Do you want to find out? We can do it here. Together.”

Amelia looked at the machine and then at him, unconsciously holding her breath. God, that was scary. It just felt so soon… But at the same time, it could be good to end that agonizing doubt if they could.

The neurosurgeon took a few seconds of hesitation, finally agreeing to his suggestion with a shy nod.

Owen tried not to think of what it would mean for them if she were indeed pregnant – or if she wasn’t – and kissed her head quickly before getting up to go get the machine. As he pulled the object towards them, Amelia lay on the table, awkwardly untying the knot on her scrub pants and slowly pulling it down to her underwear level at the same time she pulled up her top.

“You ready?” Owen asked, holding the transducer with one hand. When Amelia met his eyes and slightly nodded, he applied gel on her lower abdomen, unconsciously holding his breath too.

He had no idea what the result of that exam would mean for the two of them, both individually and as a couple. Owen didn’t realize his usually steady hand was having a hard time staying still so he could freeze a perfect image window. He couldn’t really focus on anything because just as he’d identified Amelia’s bladder, he was also able to find her uterus and the minuscule image that kept coming in and out of the screen as he moved the probe.

Amelia had thought about not looking at the screen, too scared about what she might find, but she simply had to know. As Owen ran the exam, she found herself in the position of a mere spectator, watching the images going in and out of the screen as she frantically moved her eyes, trying to make sense of anything.

It seemed very obvious what that little white image in amidst all that black meant.

A growing seed of hope? A better future?

But it was too good to be true.

Amelia had to know. She couldn’t live with the agonizing doubt any longer.

“Is that… Is that a baby?” she asked, at last breaking the heavy silence in the room.

When Owen turned his face from the screen to look at her, Amelia noticed how wet his eyes were. Long gone was his resolve to remain neutral to that situation. Owen had finally reached his limit and he couldn’t contain himself anymore.

“That’s our baby,” Owen answered with a whisper, looking into her eyes. When Amelia met his gaze, the intensity of the situation caught up with her and she was instantly overwhelmed.

Her silence alarmed him and Owen felt more anxious than he’d felt in a lifetime. Seeing that tiny image on the screen had messed more with his emotions than he ever imagined it would. His heart was bursting with joy and love and hope but he had no idea what to do with all of those because his fate – and the baby’s – depended entirely on Amelia’s reading of the situation and he wasn’t sure he could cope if the truth was that she wasn’t nearly as enchanted with that discovery and new prospect as he was.

Owen was very confused but when Amelia lifted her eyes and stared at him looking more fragile and vulnerable than he’d ever seen her, he realized that was just the beginning.

“Do you want the baby?” she asked with a sheepish voice, reaching out for his hand, as if afraid of his answer. “I know it’s not what you had planned right now.”

Owen looked at her hand, fiercely holding onto his and then into her eyes, trying to make sense of what she was asking.

“Do I want the baby?” he frowned, confused. “What do you mean, do I want the baby, of course I want the baby, Amelia…!” he dropped the ultrasound machine and held her in his arms, coming closer and he intensified his stare so she could see he meant what he was saying. “I want you and the baby. What are you even saying… How could I…”

When she broke down crying with what look like relief, Owen’s eyes grew wider in alarm and for a second, he had no idea what to do. But when he noticed Amelia really was anguished about the situation, he didn’t hesitate before standing up and wrapping his arms around her.

“Amelia,” Owen pulled apart just enough to look into her eyes, seeing they were drowning in tears. The way she looked so broken absolutely destroyed him. “What are you asking me, exactly?” he rubbed the side of her face with his thumb affectionately, expecting her to be as honest with him as she had been in the past few weeks.

His wife bit her lower lip in a mix of embarrassment, guilt, and insecurity. Owen gave her an encouraging half smile, hoping she would open her heart.

“It’s just that I… When I told you I thought I was pregnant, I thought you’d be happy,” she confessed. “I thought this is what you wanted.”

“This is what I want more than anything else I’ve ever wanted in my life,” Owen let her know.

“But you didn’t celebrate it,” Amelia’s voice faltered and she felt embarrassed for feeling like she was demanding something of him when she had no right to.

Owen furrowed his brows, trying to process the meaning of her words. She was opening her heart to him and being honest. The least he could do was to do the same.

“I wasn’t sure if I should,” he admitted. When he saw she hadn’t understood him, Owen hurried to explain. “You see, I didn’t know if youwanted it,” he exposed, gazing at her with what he hoped was comprehension instead of judgment. “I still don’t,” Owen confessed. “And it would be very hard for me to take such immense joy out something that would make me so happy but bring you more pain than happiness. What I’ve always dreamed of is for us both to want it... I thought you did too. But then everything happened,” he paused, taking a breath. Amelia knew he was talking about the way she’d left home after their pregnancy scare and how their marriage had derailed from there on. Never again had they ever brought up the baby issue and it was long overdue. “I know the news caught us off guard and I know it’s a lot to process but I am here for it, Amelia. I am here for it and for you. I want this baby and I want you,” he held her face between his hands, looking deeply into her eyes. “You two are everything I’ve ever wanted. Not just the baby,” he suggestively placed his hand on her lower abdomen. “But you too,” Owen breathed out, whispering in her ear at the same time he pulled her into an embrace. “I want us to be together. I want us to be in this as a family.”

Amelia held onto him with force, wondering if Owen had any idea how much it meant to her to hear what he was saying.

“I want that too,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on the tip of her toes to make up for their height difference. “I am so done being sad, Owen. I want us to be happy… I want us to have everything we planned,” Amelia knew they were locked in an exam room in the middle of a workday, but she didn’t care. A lot of doubts and questions were running through her head, and she still had a million what ifs that probably wouldn’t let her sleep anytime soon. But to know that she had Owen there, come what may, was all the reassurance she needed at that moment. “We’re having a baby,” she broke apart and looked into his eyes, smiling with sheer joy between heavy tears.

Owen chuckled, unable to believe that was actually happening. He wanted to scream, shout, laugh, hold her and never let go, all at the same time.

“We’re having a baby,” he repeated, almost as unable to believe it.

“Are you sure you saw it?” Amelia asked with a lighthearted tone. “I mean, I think I saw it too, but I…”

“I am not a radiologist but it was there, I saw it,” Owen interrupted her, frowning. “We should probably get a proper exam scheduled, though. Just to see if everything checks out.”

“Yeah, we should,” Amelia agreed, unable to stop smiling. She loved how he’d said “we” instead of “you”. The little subtitles in Owen made the entire difference and she loved him for them. “You know what, we should also work. I just realized I have a department to run. It’s almost noon and I haven’t begun my day upstairs yet.”

Owen reluctantly let her go. He wasn’t sure how he was going to focus on anything else other than the amazing news he’d just found out that morning, but the trauma surgeon was sure he was going to figure something out. Not only Amelia was pregnant with his child, but she was also fully on board with the idea of building a future with him. The two of them still had a lot to process but it felt like a new chapter of their lives was just about to begin and even though it seemed sudden and fast, at the same time it felt like it was long overdue. And Owen couldn’t wait for it.

.

When Amelia went home from the hospital that evening, she had a million questions running through her head. Once again, she was driving through the familiar streets that led to the house she’d spent the past weeks in. What would that pregnancy mean for she and Owen going forward? Even before Amelia had found out about it, the neurosurgeon was aware that’d be just a matter of time before she fully moved out of Meredith’s house back in with Owen again. Right now, it just felt like she had the best motivation to speed things up.

She thought back about the way Owen had held back right after she’d told him about her suspicion and her heart constricted inside her chest. It made perfect sense now… He wanted to be happy about it because just like she’d anticipated, having a baby was one of the things Owen longed for the most. But he had been disappointed so many times before that it was obvious he’d guard his heart this time and not build his hopes up again until he knew for sure what he should actually expect.

There was just so much to process… As Amelia parked the car in the garage, she took her hand to her lower abdomen, instinctively trying to protect what she didn’t even know yet but already loved more than life itself. God, she just hoped everything worked out this time around. She wasn’t sure she would be able to cope with another loss.

It was still early in the evening and she found the house empty. A couple of hours later, Owen arrived and the big smile on his face when he came through the door vanished every doubt Amelia could still have about whether or not he was excited about this. It was quite obvious now that Owen was having a hard time hiding just how absolutely delighted he was.

“So I was thinking,” he started, insisting that she just relaxed and let him prepare dinner. Amelia had a feeling that for the next months, she would have to remind him she was not in an invalid state but rather, simply pregnant. “Last time we thought about turning the office into a nursery, right? I mean, I suggested it. But I was thinking maybe we could just have the baby in our room with us for the time being… maybe until he or she is done waking up every couple of hours. Just so we won’t have to go from room to room in the middle of the night,” he kindly proposed.

“Okay,” Amelia agreed with a smile, even though she hadn’t really given it much thought. The brightness in his eyes as he spoke about it and went on making further plans completely captivated her attention and she couldn’t focus on anything else. To see Owen so into that new experience and realize she wasn’t alone in it made her completely in awe.

They had dinner still making plans and trying to discuss the changes that the new addition would cause in their lives. Owen noticed how he was doing most of the talking, but even though she was acting uncharacteristically introverted and guarded, Amelia seemed genuinely on board with the ideas he was suggesting. He could tell by the smile on her face that the idea of being a mom filled her heart with love and excitement, but at the same time, Owen could catch a glimpse of sadness lingering in the back of her eyes while they discussed the subject and that broke his heart. He couldn’t stand seeing her in pain. Especially because Owen had an idea, but didn’t fully know what was behind it.

But now it was time he understood it better.

He and Amelia were starting something amazing together and he didn’t want anything else standing on their way. Owen wanted them to be completely honest with each other and he knew she felt the same way. He wanted Amelia to know she could trust him for anything, and he also knew that in order to understand her better, it would do them good if he could fit every piece of the puzzle together.

The trauma surgeon on purpose waited until they went to sleep that night. Amelia lingered on the bathroom to brush her teeth, but once she came out and crawled in bed next to him, very suggestively leaning over to give him a peck on the lips and initiate something, Owen gently held her shoulders, keeping her within his grasp instead.

“I want to ask you something,” he started, not giving her the chance to protest. “And before I do, let me just say that it’s okay if you don’t want to talk about this now. We can wait until you want to… I would very much like to know, but if you feel like you don’t ever want to bring up this subject, it’s okay too… I am going to respect that,” he said, looking into her eyes so she could see he meant it.

Amelia found the seriousness in his tone of voice quite strange. She had been preparing herself to celebrate with him the amazing discovery they’d just made that day. His somber expression contrasted completely with what she expected.

“Owen, what is it?” Amelia asked with concern, trying to find the answer in his eyes.

The dim lights inside the room weren’t helping her vision much, but at the same time, they were enhancing Amelia’s every other sense. She felt the touch of Owen’s hand on her skin as he adjusted in bed, sitting up straight before asking with a low, caring voice.

“I am asking you about your son.”

Amelia wasn’t really expecting the subject to be brought up and her initial reaction was a mix of surprise and heartbreak at the mention of the subject. Owen noticed how she broke eye contact with him, apparently trying to process his question and maybe even think of what to say. He didn’t want to force her into a topic she didn’t feel comfortable discussing, but at the same time, he felt like it would be good for them if Amelia trusted him with the details of her past. He wondered if she ever discussed it with someone and if there was one thing he’d learned was that storing feelings, pain especially, could backfire in the worst possible way. It was better to let it all out. And if she could do with someone she felt comfortable with, who loved her… that should make an impossible situation a little less difficult. He’d learned that when Amelia had comforted him right after he’d found out about his sister being found alive.

“I know you lost a child but we never really talked much about this and… Well, I just figured that now, with us expecting a baby it would bring up all these painful memories that you probably try to forget,” he added, rubbing her arm affectionately. Amelia finally turned her head back and when their gazes met, Owen noticed that her eyes had accumulated heavy tears in mere seconds. The realization made him feel horrible about his resolve. Wondering if he just wasn’t being selfish, he hurried to add.  “You know what, I am sorry I brought it up. It was very insensitive of me, I shouldn’t be speaking about such a personal, difficult subject in a moment like this,” Owen saw she was in pain and immediately regretted putting her through all those memories again. “We can focus on-”

“He died the day he was born,” Amelia interrupted him, biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying. She’d barely begun but her throat already felt clogged. But she didn’t regret speaking. No matter how excruciating those memories were, she couldn’t describe how grateful she was that Owen had asked. Because deep down, she felt like she should have shared this with him long before and yet it was too hard for her to talk about it. Being a private, quiet guy, Owen had never really asked about it either and sometimes, Amelia wondered how much he was sparing her or how much he just didn’t understand or didn’t care. To consider he might lack interest had always hurt her, so to hear him asking about it meant more to her than he could ever imagine. “He was… he was born with anencephaly.”

Owen frowned, taken by absolute surprise. He knew Amelia’s child had lived briefly but he had no idea what the cause of death had been. Even though he had never really stopped to think about it, he had just assumed her baby had been born prematurely and hadn’t made it because of that.

“Amelia, I am so sorry,” he held her closer, making the connections. If Amelia had lost a child in that condition, it made a lot of sense she would fear getting something similar again in a future pregnancy. “I can’t imagine how that must have been like…” he confessed, looking into her eyes. “Was the father the man you told me about?”

Amelia nodded with her head, knowing Owen was talking about the time they were on that same bed and she had shared different confessions with him. At that time, they had made plans not to wait anymore and have a baby. A rollercoaster of events had happened in between. But now, everything they had dreamed of was finally coming true.

“Yes,” Amelia confirmed it, feeling the first tear rolling down her cheek at the memory of how difficult it had been for her to go through the pregnancy. “He died without knowing about it. I only found out that I was pregnant in my fifth month. It was very hard coming to terms with it,” she said. “But then what came afterwards was insanely harder.”

In the following minutes, Amelia took her time detailing to Owen what she’d been through and how she’d had her baby and fought to donate his organs. He listened very attentively, holding her in his arms through the entire time. The look on his face and the security of his embrace made Amelia feel more compelled to open her heart than she’d ever felt.

She didn’t remember crying that much in a long time. When Amelia was done sharing her memories, she then confessed all her reservations about a new pregnancy. And once Owen knew more about her past, he was finally able to fully make sense of her behavior during the entire past year.

“Sweetheart, I am so, so sorry,” he kissed her head, feeling awful about the way he’d treated her before. “I wish I knew this before. If I’d known this, I never would have…”

“Don’t,” Amelia smiled amongst her tears, touching her forehead to his. “You forgave me, and I forgave you, remember? We are done with the mistakes and the guilt, and all that. It was you who said it,” she closed her eyes and nudged her nose against his, smiling with renewed optimism. Owen let out a long breath, struggling to forgive himself just like he’d encouraged her to forgive herself once. “You know what’s the best thing about me being pregnant this time around? What’s making the entire difference now?” she asked, opening her eyes to meet his.

“What?” Owen asked with a hoarse voice.

“You,” she said with a girlish smile that completely stole his heart. “You are,” Amelia repeated, moving closer to sit between his legs. “Because I know you’re here and you want this baby like I do and that makes me happier than you can imagine,” she grasped Owen’s fingers and took his hand to her lower abdomen. It was still flat and none of them could feel a thing. But the vibration coming from their bodies was hard to miss and more powerful than any of them could ever have imagined. “What are you doing?” she laughed when Owen swiftly dipped his finger in her bellybutton.

“I am holding hands with the baby,” he smiled at her. It was such a silly, proud smile that it made Amelia giggle. “It’s a family hug.”

Amelia threw her head back in a fit of laughter. Owen was so enchanted with the idea of being a father that it was utterly adorable how he simply couldn’t hide it. She covered his hand with hers and idly played with his fingers between her own before asking while lost in thought.

“What are your expectations?”

“What do you mean?” Owen retorted, still focused on her inexistent baby bump.

“For the baby…” Amelia tried to explain. “How do you think he or she is going to be like?” she bit her bottom lip, containing her excitement. “Do you think they will be calm or naughty? Will they take after you or me? I just keep thinking about what kind of personality the baby will have and how exciting it will be for us to find out and see it taking shape… I know it’s soon but…”

Owen met her gaze and smiled widely in return. He knew exactly what she meant.

“I was wondering the same things,” Owen confessed, looking into her eyes with a mirthful smile. Amelia chuckled with delight. That was a detail about a pregnancy that was entirely new to her too. She felt happy and grateful that she could share that with him.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” she asked with a teasing smile, knowing it was an impossible question.

Owen looked at her with glowing eyes, drowning in love.

“Are you really going to let me have a say in things?” he playfully kissed the side of her neck, watching with pleasure as it caused her tickles. “Because if you leave it up to me, I will say I wanted the opposite of what we’re getting,” he looked into her very mischievously, “just so you think I am disappointed and then I get you pregnant again,” Owen concluded, with a pretend serious expression. “We can do it once a year.”

Amelia cracked up laughing, not doubting for a second that he meant exactly what he was saying.

“Once a year?” she raised her eyebrows, trying to sound horrified.

Amelia didn’t notice that her previous desire to seduce Owen into making love with her was long forgotten. For now, she was too satisfied and focused on lying beside him in bed, listening to the steady beats of his heart as she rested her head on his chest and he caressed her back while they made random plans for what was about to come. And she took satisfaction exactly in hearing what their daughter or son might turn out to be like or not.

.

Over the course of the following weeks, Amelia set up her consults of pre natal care. On the following week, she scheduled an ultrasound appointment with a technician, in which Owen was present, and much to their surprise they found out she was carrying not one, but two babies.

The news took them completely off guard and Amelia imagined she’d never forget the look on his face when they discovered they were having twins. It was as if Owen was so happy that nothing could ever make him sad or disappointed again in a lifetime. His excitement was contagious and soon enough, Amelia saw herself embarking on his plans to renovate the house. As it turned out, they had to turn the office into a nursery to accommodate better their newest family additions.

Even though Amelia was still terrified that something might be wrong like the last time she was pregnant, not only she knew that chances of recurrence were low, this time around she also had a lot of distraction to keep her busy. Every day she would come home from work and join Owen, be it for a shopping trip for a new project or just for staying at home cooking dinner. His presence and his support were comforting, reassuring and soothing. Whenever Amelia had doubts or her pregnancy symptoms got particularly bad, he was there for her.

A couple of times, she had to admit she felt pretty bad for taking out on him the result of her crazy hormones getting the best of her but Owen never took it personally. Like the time she’d accused him of not caring enough about her just because Owen had changed the bed sheets to a set she didn’t particularly like.

When Amelia was around her fourteenth week, she was finally able to put her biggest fear to rest when, through a sonogram, it was confirmed that none of her children suffered from the same condition as her first son. During the scan, Owen held her hand tighter, knowing this was probably the moment she’d been dreading and fearing the most.

“Owen, look at them,” Amelia smiled, feeling like she was suppressing a giggle. “They are both perfect,” her vision got blurry through the tears. “They are so perfect!”

“They are,” Owen looked back at her, unable to believe what he was seeing either.

It was still too early to tell the babies’ sexes and since there were two placentas, there was the chance that they were non identical twins. Amelia didn’t really have any preferences but she was so anxious to find out that she could barely wait any longer.

The neurosurgeon shared the news with Maggie and Meredith on the same day that she finally finished packing the rest of her stuff from her sister in law’s house. As expected, both women were thrilled for her.

A few months later, on a warm Thursday afternoon, Amelia gave birth first to a girl and then a boy. It wasn’t until she saw their healthy little faces and counted the fingers and toes on each of their hands and feet that she actually believed they were real and perfect and absolutely wonderful, in a way she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams.

The sleepless nights that followed fell short in contrast to the fulfillment and happiness that both Owen and Amelia took from being with the babies. They had quickly become the center of their parents’ universe and both adults didn’t regret it one bit.

“Look, it’s dad,” Amelia whispered to the fussy baby in her arms. Her daughter was still breastfeeding, but at the sound of her voice immediately opened her eyes. She was with the babies inside the bedroom but had heard the sound of Owen arriving at home.

“Hey,” Owen entered the room with a low voice, trying to be discreet. It was past nine and he knew there was a big chance both babies were asleep. At six weeks old, they would still wake up in regular hours to be fed, but the twins were relatively calm and didn’t usually cry unless they were hungry or needed to be changed. “Hey princess,” he gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead, enchanted when she looked at him with her big blue eyes. “How are things today?” Owen looked at Amelia, gently placing a lock of hair behind her shoulder.

“As good as usual,” Amelia replied with a satisfied smile. She was still on maternity leave. Even though she missed work, she didn’t plan going back to the hospital for a while, at least until the twins were old enough that they didn’t need to be exclusively breastfed. “Can you take her?” the neurosurgeon asked, carefully moving the baby from her arms to Owen. “My bladder is going to burst,” she chuckled, hurrying to the bathroom.

Owen took the baby and didn’t resist breathing her in. Babies just smelled so damn good. His babies especially. And his daughter was gorgeous. No matter what anyone else said or what other parents thought, he was convinced that his daughter was the most perfect little girl on the planet.

He settled her in his arms in a standing position, giving the baby gentle, soothing pats on her back as he took a step to the cradle inside the bedroom so he could check on his sleeping son. He was the second born, but within weeks his boy had grown to be bigger than his sister.

“Wow, so this is what walking around the house without carrying a human being in my arms feels like,” Amelia said in a lighthearted tone when she made her way back, drying her hands in a towel.

Owen looked at her with a smile. In the quick space of a few months, Amelia had become the most amazing mother he’d ever seen. Not only she was caring, affectionate and put their children’s well being above everything else, she was selflessly doing one hell of a job taking care of two babies at once. At first, he’d taken a couple of weeks off work to help, but ever since Owen had come back to the hospital, she would spend the majority of days alone with the twins and not once had she complained about it.

“I feel bad that I can’t help out more,” Owen sighed, watching as the baby in his arms quickly fell asleep.

“One of us has to work,” Amelia grinned, teasing him. “It won’t be me,” she smiled, knowing that if he could, Owen would love to spend more time with her and the twins at home.

“That’s unfair,” Owen retorted, pretending to be offended. He couldn’t keep his act much longer though and soon enough, both he and Amelia burst out laughing.

“Come here, I want to show you something,” she insisted.

Owen gently placed their daughter next to their son on the cradle and tucked her in. The twins liked snuggling together and their parents loved encouraging it. Once he was done, he turned around to find Amelia going through the closet and looked over her shoulder.

“What’s up?” he asked, narrowing his eyes to try and see it. “What are you doing?”

“Got it!” she finally gave him her attention, keeping her hands closed around something. “I was taking some time to unpack some boxes while the twins were sleeping this afternoon…”

“Because you’re not busy enough already, right?” Owen interrupted her with a playful smile.

Amelia didn’t say anything about his teasing remark but grinned and carried on with her explanation.

“And I found this in the box of things that I’d brought from my drawers at Meredith’s,” she bit her lower lip, adorably nervous about something. When she finally exposed what she’d been holding on the palm of her hand, Owen understood why. It was the wedding band that had once been on his finger. “I was wondering if… you know…” she looked up from the object to his eyes with a mix of embarrassment and love in her smile.

“If I want to put this back on?” Owen smiled widely at her, obviously on board with the idea.

“Yeah,” Amelia agreed. “If you want to marry me.”

He laughed, delighted and wrapped one arm around her waist at the same time he gave her his free hand so she could slide the wedding ring back on.

“I am already married to you,” he reminded her. They had never gotten divorced and for the past months, they had been living together like a married couple. The formalities were already taken care of. The only thing they hadn’t actually done was talking about it.

“Yeah, but I want to know if you want to be married to me forever,” Amelia held his face between her hands, kissing the smile on his lips.

“Forever?” Owen raised an eyebrow, unable to stop smiling.

“That means you can’t ever take it off,” she explained with an adorable grin. “Ever.”

“I do,” Owen said with conviction, pulling her closer. “Forever, then.”

“Well, where the hell is my wedding ring, then?” Amelia complained, playfully grabbing the collar of his shirt in pretend retaliation. “I put all this effort into being romantic and you…”

“I sold it,” Owen joked, trying not to laugh at the instant frown on her forehead. “Since you’re not working, I figured we could use the extra cash,” he made an effort to keep a straight face. “It was twenty four carat gold.”

“Silly,” Amelia pouted, knowing he was just messing with her.

“Come on, let’s go get it,” Owen suggested but didn’t let go of her waist. Instead, he led the way, gently guiding her in his arms.

Once he finally placed the wedding ring back on her finger, Amelia smiled with utter contentment. That past year had been one hell of a ride. Not only had she found out about a brain tumor and it had nearly destroyed her marriage, it had also served as a chance to start over and realize that some of the answers she needed didn’t lie in the tumor, but within herself.

Amelia was deeply grateful for everything she had accomplished. Right after she and Owen had decided to separate, never would she have imagined that they would be standing where they were today. But after a long road, here they were. Just like the first time, it had been work that had brought them closer together. It was thanks to her husband’s help that she had been able to take forward an ambitious project that had once saved the life of a little girl who meant a lot to Amelia and that now, helped to save lives of many other patients across the country who came looking for her.

Amelia’s career was skyrocketing. Her husband had believed in her and encouraged her. She knew she was a great surgeon, and whenever she commented with him that her newest project was soaring and she was grateful for his help, Owen would say that since she was the one doing all the work, the credit was entirely hers. But Amelia was humble enough to admit that Owen had had a great participation in that. His Polymer idea had been the seed that she’d needed to come up with the many roots and branches that now gave her recognition and a lot of satisfaction in her job. They were a great team together. And not just at work.

Because at home, once they’d partnered up, something even bigger and a thousand times more amazing had happened. Looking at her twin babies, Amelia knew that no professional accomplishment in the world would ever come nearly as close as making her as happy as those two little babies did. Her family was her everything.

If on one hand, Amelia couldn’t fully credit Owen for the success of her career, she was absolutely sure that her personal life had never been better either. Except this time, Amelia could safely say that her husband was entirely to account for.

--

thank you!

[amelialincoln]

Prompt: Can you please do a fic with Meredith and Maggie meeting the baby? Plz don’t forget to like and repost my fics if you enjoy, it makes all the difference! Also, please keep sending prompts and any questions. They make my day! Hope this lived up to expectations!💕

Guaranteed

Amelia was in awe of the tiny baby lying on her bare chest, his little head peeking through the neckline of her thin hospital gown. This baby was alive and breathing and not going to live for only forty-three minutes. She didn’t know whether she was relieved by this idea or even more scared, knowing that this baby would be a product of her own parenting.

“Hey, Mommy,” Link said softy, his forehead resting on the doorway as if he’d been standing there awhile. “You okay?”

“We’re good,” she answered before shrugging. “I can’t seem to get him to latch.”

“The nurse came?”

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “He was good for a bit but then stopped the minute that she left. I haven't been able to get him on since.”

“He’s sleeping?” Link asked.

“Yeah,” she replied, gazing down at the little resting infant on her chest. “He seems alright.”

“Maybe, he’s just not hungry.”

“Maybe.” Link moved to the bed, kissing her forehead and reaching behind her ear to tug at the elastic holding her hair in place. The chocolate curls came tumbling down from the loose bun.

“There we go.” He smiled. “I’m a lucky guy.” He met her deep blue eyes with a lopsided grin.

“I’ve never felt better in my life, sweaty and exhausted. Not to mention the horror movie scene going on below the covers.”

“They stitched you up?”

“While you were gone. Nothing like getting your vagina sutured without pain meds.”

“Amelia—” Link winced.

“Yeah, just you finally think the pain is over they inform you that they have to suture up all the perineal lacerations caused by your six foot two boyfriend’s baby coming out of your five foot three girlfriend’s vagina.” Link chucked, pulling Amelia’s hospital gown neckline towards him as he peeked at the little baby sleeping on her chest. “He wouldn’t fall sleep unless it was skin to skin contact. I had to take him out of his onesie and everything. You missed a lot of crying.”

“My kinda guy. Doesn’t settle for anything less than the skin to skin stuff.”

“Link.” Amelia rolled her eyes, stifling a yawn.

“You tired, babe? Want me to take him?” Link offered.

“Sure, but if he has a meltdown I’m leaving.”

“Oh so every time our baby cries, from now on, you’re just walking out?” He teased. “Don’t worry he knows his daddy.” As Link rolled up her gown and lifted the baby into his arms Amelia was shocked to see that he didn’t even stir. Instead, he only burrowed into Link’s chest further and babbled sleepily. “See? Daddy’s boy.” To which Amelia rolled her eyes. “Meredith and Maggie we’re asking about you and the baby. I told them I’d ask to see if you were up for a visit.”

Amelia’s eyes widened. “I completely forgot. Of course they can come meet him. It’s probably a good time since he seems so relaxed now.” She reached for her phone and sent a quick text to their sister group chat. “I’ll just get changed and maybe take a shower. Are they still at the hospital?”

“I’m not sure. They were in the attending lounge when I saw them. They could’ve gone home but I’m not sure.”

“Okay, well tell them I’m showering if they come and will be right out.” She leaned over to give their little boy a kiss on the forehead and Link a quick one on the lips. She entered the small bathroom attached to their room. Happy to get out of the thin and uncomfortable material of the hospital gown, she undressed quickly before stealing a look at herself in the mirror. She frowned as she studied her reflection. Her chest was enlarged, swollen and tender to the touch. Most likely from the failed attempts to get Jake to nurse. She ignored her stomach and was surprised to find her vaginal area discoloured with bruising. With Christopher her labor had been debatably easier and had experienced bruising but nothing like she was witnessing at that moment. Shrugging she turned on the shower and stepped in. She wasn’t shocked to find bleeding, which was minimal and normal.

She soothed her greasy scalp with the fragranceless shampoo and conditioner in the shower before washing the rest of her body cautiously and stepping out of the shower. She used the pathetically small towel hung up on the ring beside her before pulling on the pyjamas that Link had packed her. They’d decided on Jake Derek Lincoln after not only Addison’s husband, but the man who helped Amelia through her first pregnancy. Derek after the obvious. They’d talked about hyphenating their last names but it just seemed like too much of a mouthful and Amelia had made him promise that if he ever hurt her that she’d force him to sign off for it to be Shepherd immediately. To which he’d laughed before shrugging and saying that it didn’t matter that much to him anyways. When she opened the bathroom door she was surprised to find Meredith and Maggie in the hospital bed. Link glanced up at her from his chair.

“Still doing okay, babe?”

“All good,” she sighed, moving to the edge of the bed.

“Sorry, we couldn’t go home before seeing the baby. Maggie’s been complaining all day,” Meredith grumbled, a hint of joy, however, behind her eyes.

“I would’ve said you could come earlier—”

“It was worth it,” Maggie interrupted softy, her eyes not moving from the little bundle in her arms. “Hi baby. Have you guys decided on a name?”

“Jake Derek Lincoln, for now.” Amelia answered, narrowing her eyes at Link who chuckled.

“Until I screw up apparently,” Link teased, patting his lap for Amelia to come sit.

“Are you guys staying the night?” Meredith asked, eyeing the neurosurgeon’s obvious discomfort as she lowered herself slowly onto his lap. “Sorry, Amelia, come sit on the bed.” Amelia put a hand up and shook her head before leaning comfortably onto Link’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her legs up carefully.

“I’m trying to get Carina to let me go home. I feel almost safer in the presence of all of you than here,” she joked. “I just want to sleep in my own bed and we already have the crib set up and everything. Though, I doubt he’ll be leaving our arms for at least tonight.”

“Fair enough. You’re lucky your room is still yours. Since you’ve been at Link’s apartment so often Zola’s been begging for your room.” Meredith smiled before lifting the baby from Maggie’s arms and into hers.

“Hey...” Maggie whined. “I can go talk to Carina and then we could all leave together. We’re off until tomorrow.”

“Perfect,” Amelia nodded thankfully.

Prying the baby out of Maggie and Meredith’s grasp was almost impossible. Amelia had finally fallen asleep on the couch and Link has been attempting to convince them to give the baby up for the last half hour.

“You are the perfect baby,” Maggie cooed. She wasn’t wrong. Jake had hardly stirred other than to open his big blue eyes and gurgle happily, maybe grasping a finger before falling back into a motionless sleep. Although, to Amelia’s disappointment, was still having trouble relieving her of her swollen and sore chest.

“He has been pretty great today,” Link chuckled, running a hand distractedly through Amelia’s hair and wishing they could be upstairs so that he could be holding her and their newborn son. “I think they’re both pretty tired so we should probably head up now.”

“I could do this all night,” Meredith smiled, recalling on her days with Ellis curled up in her arms as Jake was now. “It’s weird to think these days are over...but probably for the best,” she laughed softy before handing Link his little boy.

“Thank you guys. Jake is really lucky to have a family like this to grow up in.” He was reminded of how little love had been shared between his parents during his childhood and promised silently to never raise his child the same way. As he glanced over at Amelia, sleeping soundlessly in his lap, he knew that it wouldn’t be difficult. “Hey babe,” Amelia yawned, her eyes opening into slivers. “Time to go upstairs. I’d carry you up but I don’t think I could manage you and the baby.”

“I guess those days are over,” Amelia mumbled tiredly.

“Goodnight, Amelia,” Maggie said as her and Meredith watched the two make their way out of the living room.”

“I can’t promise the kids won’t be all over the both of you tomorrow,” Meredith called. “They’ve been asking me about their new cousin constantly for the last couple of weeks. I’ll try to keep them at bay so that you can get some rest.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Amelia sleepily answered.

Once they were upstairs it took all of Amelia’s effort not to crawl into bed. She left Link to change Jake’s diaper and get him into pyjamas and walked into the bathroom. She changed into a loose pair of black shorts and an oversized t shirt. After washing her face, she examined the blood situation and returned to the room to find Link fast asleep with Jake babbling happily on his chest, playing with his father’s hair. “Oh so now you’re awake.” Amelia sighed. She lifted the baby into her arms and winced as Jake applied direct pressure on her chest.

“Usually when you complain about being sore a message helps,” Link teased, woken up by her groan.

“You’re not coming anywhere near my boobs for a very long time if this guy can’t get it together,” Amelia sighed.

“Well in that case let’s figure this out,” He smiled, pulling Amelia in between his legs and resting her back on his stomach. “I asked the nurse for some tips before leaving and she said you just have to try and cup it like this.” He wrapped an arm around her helping to guide Jake. “There we go buddy. Now here, Amelia, give me your hand. Like this, babe.”

“Oh,” she murmured as Jake finally latched on. “Why did you let me suffer through hours before telling me this.”

“Meredith and Maggie—”

“Could’ve waited!” Amelia exclaimed. Link laughed, burrowing his face in her neck apologetically and breathing in the sweetness of her perfume. Amelia relaxed into him. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” It wasn’t long before Amelia nodded off. Link removed the satisfied baby from her arms. Careful to not wake Amelia, he set Jake down, removing his scrubs and changing into a new pair boxers before crawling into bed. Not wanting to put Jake in his crib just yet, he placed the sleeping baby on Amelia, who cradled him in her sleep and wrapped his arms around her. Completely content with watching the both of them resting, he knew, that for himself, it would be a sleepless night.

[jordan202]

My Boys: Beyond the Horizon - Chapter 5

there you go @francescabuccino, upon your insistence! lol thanks @jia911 for proofreading this baby.

Previous chapters are HERE.

My Boys: Beyond the Horizon – Chapter Five

 Emily swallowed hard as she fell back on the chair, instantly noticing the look of recognition on Lucas’ face and just how absolutely stunned he seemed.

But as quickly as the surprise became evident on his face, it disappeared. The star soccer player easily pulled himself back together, allowing his momentary response to go unnoticed amidst a wave of questions and photography flashes.

The way Emily’s stomach churned as the car had pulled up to the stadium parking lot now made every sense. A few days before, the girl had heard Thomas saying his brother was back in town as well, but at first, Emily supposed it was only for a visit. The obvious dimension of what really was happening caught her off guard and yet now, the journalist couldn’t even properly process it, because she had a job to do and needed to focus on it.

Emily wasn’t one to believe in things such as fate or conspiracy from the universe, but right at that moment, she was wondering if maybe some of that could be true. After all, what possible reason could there be for her past to be catching up with her, all at once?

Across from the stand, Lucas leaned over the microphone and politely answered a long series of questions, once or twice flashing his most charismatic smile. He was genuinely happy to be back in Seattle and that was evident in every answer he gave the reporters gathered in the press conference.

But even though his eyes would sway back and forth according to the journalist whose turn it was to talk to him, his mind couldn’t let go of the figure seated in the third or fourth row, hiding in plain sight. Since he was much too experienced in those events, during the round of questions Lucas was able to figure out a few things. One, Emily was in a party of three journalists and amongst the entire audience, she seemed the least inclined to actually ask him anything, settled for making rapid notes on a yellow paper pad instead. Two, she was having a hard time keeping up with everything, he assumed, judging by how out of place in that environment she seemed to be.

And at last, not only did she seem uncomfortable to see him there - and Lucas felt absolutely surprised -, something about the way she’d so blatantly avoided his gaze made him wonder if Emily wasn’t as shocked as he was.

The conference extended for another thirty minutes. It ended with Lucas breaking protocol and instead of flashing the jersey number 3 with his name on it, the athlete actually took off his own shirt and put the jersey on, expressing to the fans that when it came to playing for the Sounders, his commitment wasn’t only because of his contract but rather to genuine devotion to the team.

By the time the interview was over, Emily planned to get out of there as soon as possible and hopefully take the rest of the day to come up with a piece that would thoroughly make use of all the information she’d gotten on her notepad. Some of the journalists had been able to plan an individual interview with the athlete for after the conference, and those were scheduled for the next hour, but Emily had no interest in being a part of it. The last thing she wanted that day was to face Lucas Hunt. Much to her dismay, she found the group of journalists being escorted to an adjoined room where a coffee break was taking place.

Before she left the auditorium, Emily had the distinct impression of watching from a distance as Lucas whispered something in the ear of a middle aged woman who was dressed as an executive figure for the team. The woman laughed, obviously delighted as the young athlete flashed her a satisfied smile.

Emily sighed impatiently, rolling her eyes. She bet those habits were too hard for him to let it go.

Fifteen minutes later, the journalist was about to suggest to her two colleagues that they left at once when the executive woman she’d noticed moments earlier discreetly came in her direction.

“Miss Spencer,” she started, noticing by the way Emily raised her eyes that she had come to the right person. “Will you please come with me?”

The unknown lady then gently made room for Emily to pass and before the journalist could take notice, she was being guided to a room across the auditorium. Emily was just about to ask what was going on when the woman walked in after her.

“Can I get you a coffee? Tea?” the stranger offered, looking at her with warm friendly eyes.

“No, thank you, I…”

“Please make yourself comfortable,” she smiled through the lenses of her glasses, moving around with the practicality of a businesswoman who didn’t waste unnecessary seconds on small talk. “We’ll be right with you.”

After saying the words, the executive left, leaving Emily alone in the room. She wondered if they’d made a mistake and gone to the wrong person, but her name had distinctively been said. After a few minutes of waiting that felt like an eternity in the state of mind she was in, the journalist decided to look for someone to ask why she’d been separated from her colleagues.

But just as her hand reached out to exit the room, the doorknob turned around and the one person Emily least expected to see walked into the room.

In a fraction of a second, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs, making Emily unconsciously hold her breath. Steely, blue eyes met hers and studied them carefully, taking their time to purposefully torment her with that thick silence.

The idea that the slight crease on the corner of lips could mean a smug smile was enough to make Emily lose her head with how impetuous, shameless and absolutely annoying her ex-boyfriend was.

“Spencer,” his voice broke the heavy atmosphere between them just as Emily was about to say something. She wondered if he had waited on purpose until she was just about to talk to interrupt her thoughts. “I am ready if you are,” he raised an eyebrow, politely pointing to a couple of comfortable chairs next to a coffee table.

Lucas secretly was having a hard time understanding what was going on. He had a million questions in his head. Why was Emily there? Wasn’t she in New York? Since when did she work covering sports news?

Emily’s confusion was evident on her face though, and she lost her patience completely.

“What the hell are you doing?” she asked when she saw Lucas taking a seat in one of the large chairs, crossing his long legs at his ankles as he leaned back on it.

“You’re a reporter, right?” he smiled almost wickedly. “I suppose that’s what you're here for. To interview me? Well, report away.”

“I’m not…”

The sound of the door opening interrupted Emily and she looked over her shoulder to find the expectant face of the same executive woman who’d led her there.

“Miss Spencer, you have fifteen minutes.”

Just like that, she left again, pretty much sentencing the girl to being stuck with Lucas in that private audience for the next quarter of hour with the risk of looking extremely unprofessional if she walked away like she’d been about to do.

Emily took a deep breath, trying to understand how she’d come to find herself in that situation to begin with. Her career was very important to her, but no more important than her dignity. So far, she didn’t have a concrete reason to leave the room, but if she had to, even though she couldn’t afford to lose that job, she wouldn’t hesitate to storm out.

“So… Are you planning to ask me any questions in the following fourteen minutes?” Lucas raised one eyebrow at her, his excessive confidence irritating the girl more than it should.

Emily followed the trail of his gaze and noticed the small round clock atop one of the high walls. Feeling undermined and angry, the journalist took a seat on the chair opposite to him.

As she did, their eyes made contact once again and she couldn’t help being assaulted by a flash of memory. Events of days past ran in front of her face like they’d happened just yesterday and Emily swallowed hard, refusing to go back there and open that box of feelings.

Reaching out to her pad, Emily scanned through the notes she’d taken. The journalist had conducted several interviews before, with many businessmen and women who ran the most notorious and influential companies and corporations in the country. She’d had publications printed on Forbes magazine, discussed economy policies with important CEOs and even debated state taxes with a senior senator.

But it was only while interviewing a soccer athlete that she had ever felt that nervous.

“Okay, this is obviously not working out very well,” Lucas pointed out, straightening in his chair and bending forward as he narrowed his eyes. Her silence was getting to him, more than he imagined it would. “I don’t have to explain to you how it works, do I?”

Emily looked up, directing at him her most despicable contempt.

“Five years later and you’re still the same obnoxious, condescending, cocky idiot, aren’t you?” Emily acidly replied before she could contain herself.

Lucas chuckled and the way he seemed delighted by her answer enraged Emily even more. She was irritated at him. Great, now they had walked into known territory.

“You know, Spencer, this is the very first time I see you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing,” he stated, looking from the notes on her lap to her fiery hazel eyes, exposing her lack of experience with the job she was supposed to perform.

And God… her eyes! Lucas had full conscience he wasn’t being the most pleasing person at the moment, but he couldn’t help it. For too long he’d been hoping for a twist in his life, something that would defy and test him, and get him out of his comfort zone. Moving from Los Angeles to Seattle had seemed like the toughest challenge of all.

But to see Emily Spencer so unexpectedly and realize she was still as gorgeous and stubborn as she’d ever been had completely thrown him off balance. Lucas had spent the past years convincing himself he was now indifferent to her and yet in less than five minutes, she had just proven him wrong.

The athlete kept staring at the girl with a satisfied smirk, watching as the fair skin on her face was now reddened with a flush of sheer anger. It was obvious he could still get to her, and the realization boosted Lucas’ desire to mess with her just as much as she didn’t know her presence was messing with him.

“I wish I could say that this is the first time I am seeing you and you’re not being a complete jerk, but unfortunately, I can’t,” Emily fired back, too upset. He had gone exactly where it stung her ego by attacking her professional abilities and she wondered if he was aware of it. But Emily wasn’t ever going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how easily he could get to her. “Now we got that sorted out, I am going to ask you a few questions so we can get this unpleasant encounter over with as fast as possible.”

Lucas chuckled, once again too amused by her bluntness. It was obvious she was just as uncomfortable as he was, but he had no idea what to take from it. He had never imagined they’d see each other again and yet, there she was, openly defying him in his own territory, calling him out on his own bullshit and refusing to be intimidated by what he said.

As she flipped opened her notepad and scribbled down the answer to her questions, refusing to make eye contact with him, Lucas took his time studying her.

At seventeen, Emily had been an adorable teenager, with cute hazel eyes hiding behind glasses and a charming smile that hardly ever made an appearance. Back then, on their first encounter, she’d made it pretty clear to Lucas that he needed her and she didn’t need him, embarking the two of them in a journey that lasted months before they could figure each other out and become aware of their own self worth.

Now, at twenty-four, she still looked just as stubborn and determined. But her eyes now sparkled with fury, her soft, straight auburn hair descended down her shoulders in easy cascades, adding a delicate fragility to her looks. And even though it was obvious she hadn’t grown an inch, still being adorably short, her figure had changed. Despite the fact she was wearing an appropriate formal business attire, it was very clear that time had been generous enough to add feminine curves to places Lucas really shouldn’t be looking at right now.

Feeling angry with himself for not being able to resist it, Lucas forced himself to focus on her question, unconsciously deflecting his anger on her.

“So you said being close to your family played a major role in signing with the Sounders,” Emily’s voice sounded impersonal and focused. “Do you think that could also potentially be a distraction for you when the season starts?”

“No.”

“Okay…” Emily waited for an elaboration, but Lucas just sat back on his chair, looking to be somewhere between bored and irritated. She couldn’t wait to get that over with and even though Emily hadn’t planned that interview, despite her mind being distracted, it was in her nature to give it her all and do the best she could, always. She might not have liked to be given that assignment, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to give her one hundred percent to come up with a good piece, like she always did. “I was wondering if you would authorize the Seattle Times to publish a childhood picture of you wearing the Sounders uniform? I think it could be a great way to tell the story of how you…”

“No,” Lucas cut her short, knowing exactly which image she was talking about. His mother had a picture of him all dressed up with the Sounders uniform in a frame somewhere in the living room of his parents’ house. Lucas must not have been more than four or five at the time. “My personal life is private,” he added with an angry tone, confusing Emily.

“I am sorry,” she sheepishly said, regretting having asked. She respected his privacy, but at the same time, her request hadn’t been outrageous enough to invoke such a negative reaction in him. Feeling like she’d had enough, the girl got up to leave.

“You know, I know it’s a little hard for you to understand that, Spencer, but in my family, our personal feelings are more important than our work.”

Emily frowned, completely taken aback by his outburst. She turned around, ready to face him and call him out on the nonsense.

“Why are you attacking me, I didn’t…”

“I hope you know I absolutely do not authorize you to report anything personal that you know about me other than the answers you got today.” Lucas defensively said, mistaking her intentions. He got up too, taking three large strides in her direction and easily catching up with her. It was then that became very obvious to Emily that he was nearly a foot taller than her.

“Why would I even…” Emily gasped, more confused than when she’d first arrived. “Are you accusing me of something, Hunt?” She scowled at him, infuriated. “Because if you are, stop being such a dick and just say it to my face!”

Lucas took another step towards her, engulfing her within his shadow. He hoped that would be intimidating enough for her to give up and retreat, but Emily just kept on proudly sustaining his gaze, looking at him with anger boiling in her eyes.

“I am not accusing you of anything,” Lucas cruelly affirmed, looking at her with the resentment that had been bottled up for years. “I am merely stating the truth that to you, your career is more important than people’s feelings, than family, than...”

“How dare you,” Emily interrupted him, feeling the low blow. Her stomach took a turn and she felt a sickening wave of nausea that momentarily left her lighthearted. “How dare you accuse me of that?” she asked, her wrath present in every word. “You’re nothing but a selfish, arrogant jock who’s never…”

“Yeah, I am.” Lucas stated, sounding convincing. “I am all of these things. It’s just easier to accept to truth than to be outraged by it, Spencer.” He narrowed his eyes with despise, bringing his face down just inches away from hers. “Just stop pretending you care about anyone when you obviously only worry about yourself.”

A small pair of hands pushed his chest with determination, claiming her personal space back.

“God, grow the hell up!” Emily shouted before turning around to grab her things.

How did he have the nerve to accuse her of not caring enough about the people she loved when she’d just turned her life upside down to be with her relatives? Emily wouldn’t tolerate that. Especially not today, when she’d just lost her mother.

She didn’t need to hear any of that. If that was the idea Lucas had of her, Emily wouldn’t give him the pleasure of knowing how destroyed she felt on the inside. Before the tears started to accumulate, she walked past him, striding towards the door with determination.

“Great, run away…” Lucas shouted, too irritated and ashamed of his own behavior. But he couldn’t help it. Even though he knew he was acting out, he couldn’t contain those feelings anymore. “Run away, Emily!” he added, unaware that for the first time that day, he’d called her by her first name and that long ago, their interaction had crossed the line between professional and absolutely personal. Lucas’ thoughts were still on the day when, five years before, she’d left him in the middle of a discussion to never again come back. “It’s what you always do, anyway.”

He expected her to lash out at him, to call him names or even come in his direction and shove him away with outrage.

Damn it, if he had to be honest, Lucas had to admit he pretty much hoped that she would.

But instead, she looked as if she was trying to stiffen up her lip and control her own reactions. A pool of tears had gathered in her eyes as she straightened to look at him, too proud to shed any of them.

“Screw you, Hunt,” her voice sounded hoarse and weak as she ended their discussion.

The last thing Lucas saw before she walked out the door was the way her hazel eyes were shinning. Except now, instead of fury, they were stained with nothing other than pain.

And Lucas wasn’t at all prepared to acknowledge how that absolutely bothered him.

.

“Did you bring your own body guards?”

Megan looked from Aaron’s adorable brown eyes to the spot over her shoulder that the boy had been staring at.

“Those are my brothers,” she smiled with contentment as she noticed Danny and Robbie engaged in a conversation with Claire on the top rows of the football field bleachers, occasionally throwing a glance in her direction. The twins were spending time at home during their summer break and today, they’d gone with Megan to watch the football practice.

“I know who they are,” Aaron smiled back at her. By the time he was a freshman, Megan’s twins brothers were seniors and both guys had played in the school football team. “Do they know we are going out?” he asked with careful expectancy.

Megan looked back at her brothers and then again at Aaron, an amused grin growing on her lips.

“Why?” she asked with unmistakable curiosity. “Are you scared of my brothers?”

“Of course not,” Aaron denied a bit too quickly. He’d only spent a year in the company of the Hunt twins, but even then he’d noticed they were very protective of their younger sister by the time he and her had made their high school debut. And judging by their size and shape, Danny and Robbie Hunt weren’t exactly the kind of people a guy would want to mess with. “I know they are not violent,” he winked at her, hoping to lighten the atmosphere.

“They are godsend angels compared to my dad,” Megan reminded him, hoping that didn’t sound like a challenge.

“Let’s slowly climb up the family hierarchy,” Aaron suggested, studying her brothers once again. Megan had four big brothers and a former military father. Judging by what Aaron knew about the guys, he wasn’t looking forward to meeting them just yet. Especially her dad. “At least, I am a guy with the best intentions,” he reminded her.

Megan looked at the twins, noticing Danny was now staring at her talking to a guy with narrowed eyes, and then back at Aaron.

“Yeah, they are not going to care about that,” she informed him, knowing it was true. It didn’t matter if she brought home the epitome of perfection. Her dad and brothers would always find a long list of faults in any guy who ever dared to date her.

Aaron seemed a bit alarmed, but by the time it seemed like he was going to say something, one of the assistant coaches called out the boys to the field. Megan planned to go up the bleachers and sit next to her brothers and Claire, but she saw her friend Marianne approaching.

“Hey, stranger,” Megan greeted the girl with a hug. “It’s good to finally see you here,” she mixed her censoring tone with a smile, hoping Marianne would understand she was just missed and Megan wasn’t reprimanding that for once, she and Claire weren’t their friend’s center of attention. “How have you been?”

“So good,” Marianne sighed happily, looking from Megan to the football field. “I think I am in love.”

Megan wasn’t sure whether she should laugh with joy or get seriously worried at the confession.  She followed her friend’s dreamy gaze with her eyes and noticed the object of her affection standing just a few feet away from them, putting on dark green cleats while being instructed by a coach.

“Meg…” Marianne hesitatingly started, clearly unsure whether she should go on or not. But the girl looked so obviously excited that Megan didn’t need to wait more than three seconds to hear the rest of her sentence. “I think I am going to do it. With JD.”

Megan frowned, unsure if she’d understood it correctly.

“You are?” the girl asked, trying not to sound too judgmental. Marianne was her friend and she didn’t want the girl to think she was against her. “Are you sure, Marianne? I mean… Have you thought this through?”

“What is there to think about?” Marianne asked as if it was obvious.

“This is your first time. It should be with someone special. Someone you care about, and who cares about you.” Megan stated firmly, absolutely sure of what she was saying.

The two girls knew that while Claire had lost her virginity to her boyfriend Steve the year before and most of their other girlfriends also weren’t virgins, they shared the common opinion that the first time they had sex it should be special, and not a random hookup with just any guy just for the sake of taking that step before school was over.

“Don’t you think about it?” Marianne asked her with interest. “With Aaron, I mean?” she raised her eyebrows, looking like a young child who was unsure of many things. “Do you two talk about it?”

“Aaron and I have gone out on three dates,” Megan reminded her. “I barely even know him yet. Really know him, I mean. If that’s the agenda he has for now, then there won’t be a fourth date.”

“Gosh, you make it all look so easy,” Marianne confessed with honesty. Megan had always been opinionated and didn’t just say things, but also lived by them. And she had everybody’s respect. Marianne always felt like her friend always knew exactly what to do.

“Why, is that guy pressuring you?” Megan asked, unable to contain the anger on her voice. Her eyes drifted to the bench and she spotted the tall figure of JD Callaghan as he put on his shoulder gear and then his helmet, ready to walk into the field. “If he is, I swear I am gonna…”

“No, he isn’t,” Marianne cut her short, thankful for her friend’s loyalty. “It’s that I really feel like I should do it.”

“If you are comfortable, then I will support you,” Megan said, studying her friend’s features to learn more than what she was really saying. Deep down, she feared Marianne was doing it for the wrong reasons. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

The girl lifted her shiny blue eyes and gave Megan a look of appreciation.

“Thank you, Meg… hey are those your brothers up there?” she changed subjects as quickly as customary. “Wow, they look hot.”

“I thought you just said you were in love with someone else,” Megan laughed, walking up the bleachers with her friend close behind.

“That doesn’t mean I am blind to all the other guys,” Marianne wisely pointed out.

From their place up in the highest rows, the small group had a privileged vision of the field. Claire wasn’t that much of a football fan like Megan, but she enjoyed coming to watch her boyfriend play.

“It’s good to see most of the freshmen stayed in the team,” Robbie pointed out after the round of warm ups was over. “And Cole made it to starting QB… I have to say I am surprised.”

“Why? Megan frowned heavily.

Robbie shrugged, keeping his eyes on the field. When he and Danny had last played at school, Aaron Cole was still a freshman and didn’t really have a space in the team yet.

“He has never really liked taking hits.”

“Does anyone?” Megan looked at her brother, hoping he’d do the same, but Robbie was still watching the practice.

“I meant he avoided it at all costs. He prioritized it over passing the ball. Cole seemed to have grown up and filled in a little, so that’s good.” Her brother admitted, closely studying the play. “And he has a good throwing arm, I see.”

“He led us to State finals last season,” Megan pointed out.

“I know you’re a big supporter of the team, but you can’t really compare these guys to the group we had back in the… wow.” Danny meddled the conversation but early on interrupted himself. “Who is that guy?” he asked, pointing to one of the defensive players who had just intercepted a pass Aaron Cole had thrown.

“Which one?” Megan frowned, secretly hoping her brothers didn’t have such a weak opinion of Aaron.

“The Free Safety,” Robbie answered instead of Danny. “Number twenty nine.”

Megan rolled her eyes, unwilling to believe her brothers had actually been impressed.

“That’s TJ Callaghan,” she said, unaffected. “He is new.”

“It’s JD,” Claire corrected her.

“Whatever,” Megan sighed impatiently.

At that point, Marianne had already made her way down the field to cheerfully scream the guy’s name in a celebration that was obviously exaggerated for the achievement in question. A few other girls around her did the same, chanting his name like the new guy had the potential to actually save their team, which wasn’t true, and Megan thought they looked pretty pathetic trying so obviously to get his attention. Especially considering he was a guy who judging by what she knew didn’t deserve it one bit. As she watched the scene, Megan overheard her brothers talking in the background, discussing the plays and the chances that that year’s team seemed to have.

Usually, Megan would be up for that kind of conversation, but right now, her mind was too distracted. She just couldn’t stop thinking about Marianne, the important news her friend had shared and how, considering Callaghan’s apparent indifference to Marianne’s attempts to get his attention, that situation slowly seemed to be boiling to an impeding disaster.

.

Lucas paced back and forth inside his room, nervously trying to come to terms with the events of the day. After an exhausting press conference and many interviews, the only thing that had stuck in his mind was the look of utter disappointment and heartbreak in Emily’s face by the time she’d left earlier that afternoon

He had so many questions... Why was she even there? Her presence had caught him completely by surprise and Lucas felt like he was going to explode if he kept all those feelings to himself.

Storming out his bedroom, he went downstairs, hopeful to find someone he could talk to.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Lucas diverted his gaze over his shoulder and found Thomas lying back on the couch with a laptop computer on his legs.

“I sort of did,” he confessed, finally putting an end to his nervous pacing. Lucas looked around, trying to make sure there weren’t any distractions before he finally added, “you won’t believe this, but I saw Emily today.” The athlete finally sat down. “Emily Spencer.”

He looked at his brother, expecting some sort of reaction, but Thomas kept staring at him, waiting for more details that didn’t come.

“How did that happen?”

Lucas was so immersed in his own confusion that he didn’t noticed his brother’s calm façade.

“She was at the press conference today,” the athlete shared, shaking his head in disbelief. “I… I don’t know what the hell is going on.”

“I do.”

Lucas stopped nervously running his hand through his hair and faced his brother with a puzzled expression. Thomas finally closed off his laptop screen and put it aside, dedicating his full attention to the oldest one.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything to you before,” Thomas said sincerely. “I really thought it would disturb you to hear it and you were busy enough with your move and everything.”

“You knew?” Lucas frowned, unable to believe it. “How come you didn’t tell me? Why would you even know that she…?”

“I ran into her at the hospital a few days ago,” Thomas explained, realizing how worked up his brother was getting. “I went there to sign some papers and I saw her near the main entrance.”

“Wait… I don’t…” Lucas raised his head to meet his brother’s gaze. “You never told me.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure if I should,” Tom said with honesty. “You said she was at your press conference today, though?” The young doctor found it just as strange, watching as his brother nodded in agreement. “That’s weird. When I ran into her I had the impression she wouldn’t stick around for long... At least not to the point of getting a job.”

“Why?”

“Well…” Thomas adjusted on the couch, not really knowing what the information would mean to Lucas. “Emily briefly filled me in on the reason why she came here,” he admitted, noticing by his brother’s expression that he was about to ask the question. “Her mother is sick. She has terminal stage cancer.”

“What?”

“It’s a long story but she told me her mom is too sick and she found out her sister had left the family in a nasty financial situation. So she came back to clean up the mess and set her mother’s hospital bills in order. I think she even left her job or something like that back in New York… I am sorry, Luke. I know you weren’t expecting to see her, I should have said something.”

“No…I get it.” The young athlete said, falling back on the couch with turbulent thoughts going on his mind.

Lucas was taken aback, feeling a mix of anguish and empathy. He then remembered the nasty way he’d treated Emily earlier that day and the things he’d accused her of.

“I hadn’t seen her in five years and when I walked out to the conference I spotted her face…” He confessed, reliving the moments. “I was so shocked to see her there, I didn’t even bother to ask why she…” his voice trailed off as he increasingly felt worse about himself. “And then when I finally got to talk to her, I was horrible.”

Thomas studied the expression on Lucas’s face, seeing how tormented he looked.

“What did you do?”

“I accused her of not caring enough.” Lucas ran both his hands through the sides of his hair. “I am such a dick…”

Now, it made every sense as to why Emily hadn’t fought back when he’d said all those horrible things to her.

Lucas wasn’t about to admit that to his brother, but he’d spent the past five years convinced that if he ever saw Emily Spencer again, he would be absolutely indifferent. She had been his first love, but they had grown out of it and he had long ago told himself that it was over.

But today she had walked back into his life and nothing occurred the way he had hoped it would. Her presence was still able to bring a lot of unresolved feelings back and the minute Lucas noticed he was looking at her in the least professional way possible, he just got too mad at himself for not being able to control his reactions. Then Emily had gone and indirectly made a reference to his childhood, bringing back all those memories of the happiest days Lucas had ever had.

And how she’d been a part of many of them.

Blinded by anger and resentment, Lucas had attacked her in a nasty way, unconsciously hoping for a fight. But after firing back some blows, Emily had walked out of that room looking the most defeated Lucas had ever seen her. He had never met anyone as proud and determined as Emily, so to see her show any sign of vulnerability had really messed with him. And afterwards, realizing how that vision so easily constricted his heart completely added to his restlessness.

“What did you do, Luke?” Thomas asked, concerned. “Did you bring up the fight you guys had all those years ago? You can’t possibly still be angry with her for it.”

Lucas opened his mouth to immediately answer no, but on a second thought, he held it back.

Was it possible that was the reason he had become so irrationally angry so suddenly?

“She left me, Tommy,” Lucas reminded his brother as familiar emotions got him worked up again. “Should I rejoice in the memory?” he asked sarcastically, too mortified to have indirectly admitted the event in the past had affected him so deeply.

“She didn’t leave you,” Thomas stated with security. “She didn’t agree with your decision at the time and then you two had a fight and she left. And you were too stubborn to do anything about it.”

Lucas rose to his feet, completely outraged.

“She and Mom plotted against me behind my back and tried to sabotage my career.” He stated, irritated at his brother for apparently taking their side.

“Don’t be such a baby and grow the hell up, Luke,” Thomas advised, unaffected by the tantrum. “Mom called her and she flew from Yale to Seattle to see you and just because she caught you in an uncomfortable situation it doesn’t mean that…”

“It means that she betrayed me,” Lucas heatedly replied.

“That happened five years ago,” Thomas reminded him. “You gotta get over that and move on.”

“I did!”

“Well, clearly you didn’t,” Thomas got up too, grabbing his computer and heading towards the stairs, “otherwise you wouldn’t be standing here regretting that you weren’t able to hold a conversation with her because you are still too angry to be reasonable.”

Lucas wanted to shout out at Tom and said he was totally wrong by making such accusations. But they were so absolutely true that he couldn’t even think of what to say.

As his brother left the room, Lucas stayed back, processing everything that had happened that day. When he felt like his mind was going to explode, he went to the back of the house, finding his mother in the kitchen preparing dinner in the company of his twin brothers.

“Mom… Do you have a second?”

Lucas’ unusually serious tone of voice interrupted the cheerful laughter that was taking place as three different pairs of blue eyes stared at him.

“Sure,” Amelia diverted her eyes from the stove to her oldest son. “Are you okay?”

“I am,” Lucas lied, deciding to go straight to the point. “I need to ask you a favor, actually… Can you get information about a patient for me?”

Amelia frowned, finding the request strange.

“A patient?”

“Yeah, it’s a forty something woman with pancreatic cancer… I have no idea where in the hospital she is.”

“Luke, baby, you know that patient information is confidential,” Amelia gently reminded him. “As a hospital employee, I am not authorized to…”

“It’s Emily’s mom,” Lucas cut her short. “She is at Grey Sloan. And apparently, she is not doing so well.”

Amelia stopped talking immediately, noticing by the dark shadow in her son’s features that something terrible was happening.

“I am right on it.”

Lucas watched as his mother grabbed her cell phone on the counter and started making phone calls. In the meantime, he dealt with his brothers’ curiosity and concern, briefly filling them in on what had taken place and the discoveries he’d made that day.

About a minute that felt like an eternity later, Amelia hung up and looked at her son with heavy eyes filled with sadness.

“Luke, I am so sorry…” she started, just as confused about the meaning of the situation, but aware now it wasn’t the best time to ask questions. “Mrs. Spencer passed away early this morning. The resident on call said her youngest daughter signed all the paperwork already,” the neurosurgeon shared. “Emily’s mom died today. I am so sorry.”

In any other moment, Lucas would notice the look of sympathy and concern on his mother’s face and be thankful for it. But at that moment he was so shocked that he simply couldn’t process anything.

Emily Spencer was back. She had dropped everything behind and come home because her sister had buried her family in a financial crisis and their mother was sick.

Earlier that morning, Emily had just lost her mom.

And on that very same day, Lucas had been the one to stand in front of her face and accuse her of horrible things, including being too selfish and focused on her career to care about anything else, family especially.

It was no wonder she had left that room looking so destroyed. Emily was already hurting. And he had only made it worse.

Feeling like the worst of human beings, Lucas turned around and grabbed his car keys, storming outside after making a quick stop at the living room to snatch an old photograph. His impulsiveness and unresolved issues had caused too much damaged already.

It was time to finally start repairing it.

  --

[jordan202]

My Boys: Beyond the Horizon - Chapter 2

Link to the previous chapter is HERE

thank you @jia911 and @em-m-j for help proofreading and to my dearest @bluebelle18 for helping me out!

My Boys: Beyond the Horizon – Chapter Two  

 Dear Kate,

It kind of breaks my heart not to know how you are doing. I am writing this email in the hopes it reaches you before your next destination.

I have decided to take the spot at Grey Sloan. I suppose I might regret this decision at some point, but I just long to be with my family for the time being. Koracick called me from Hopkins yesterday and my ears still ache after his thirty-minute monologue about how I am screwing up my entire future. I came to LA before heading back home. You won’t believe this, but Lucas is also moving to Seattle. I spoke to my mom this morning and she told me the twins are flying in from West Point next week. I haven’t seen them since Christmas, so I am excited we’re all going to be together again.

I also saw Joey today. He is still working as Lucas’ assistant while juggling his career at the agency. I honestly don’t know how he does it. I think they might have to canonize him before we understand why he puts up with my brother.

I wish I could tell you all of this in person.

Love,

Thomas.

.

“Are you seriously contemplating leaving?” Thomas asked with a smile at the same time he pulled up his sunglasses, revealing his light blue eyes that matched the clear water inside the pool he was in. “I honestly don’t see a reason to.”

Lucas looked around and smiled with a mix of mischief, pride and satisfaction.

Because of the time zone difference his body was still in, Thomas had woken up at six on that Saturday morning. He’d gone into the kitchen to get something to eat but to his surprise, had found his brother outside surrounded by a group of people he’d never seen before. He’d noticed that, as a general rule, none of them had much to say, but they were pretty interesting to look at.

Especially the girls, Thomas realized.

“Welcome to LA,” Lucas raised his glass in an imaginary toast and crossed his legs at his ankles, leaning back on his chair.

“I should have visited you more often,” Thomas decided when two young women left the pool exhibiting their shapely bodies.

“You never listened to me,” Lucas gave him a wink of wisdom.

The older brother wanted to ask if that meant Thomas was single now, but it wasn’t the right time or place to have that conversation. Lucas knew that while his brother was a normal guy and like any other noticed attractive women, never had he ever shown real interest in anyone besides his girlfriend. And Thomas and Kate were the steadiest couple he knew, so it seemed illogical to even consider that.

“Hey, do your team mates know you’re moving to Seattle?” Thomas asked with curiosity. Some of Lucas’ friends who were there were also athletes in his team but so far, no one had touched the subject.

“No, I can’t tell anyone before the Sounders make the public announcement,” Lucas explained. He was bound by a contract and couldn’t disclose the information until the following week, when the marketing department at his new team decided on a new campaign to promote their big hire.

“Is that why you haven’t called mom and dad yet?”

“Precisely,” Lucas replied with a wink. He couldn’t wait to share the news with the rest of the family but he knew how easily information could spread around if the secret was out. “Joey is going to bring me some documents to sign tonight and then I am officially released from my team. Then we can fly back home.”

“Awesome,” Tom replied, looking forward to seeing his old time friend again, but mostly to go home.

“We gotta go out to celebrate it,” Lucas decided, getting his phone to send a message to Joey.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Thomas noticed it was past ten am and his brother had been up and running since the previous evening. He knew Lucas had gone to a party the night before but judging by the mess on the terrace of his house, they had extended the fun to the afterhours. And now he was planning a new outing for that evening.

“I think I am just about to,” Lucas replied, struggling to contain a yawn. He was finally getting tired.

“Where is your… Your… Where is Rachel?” Thomas asked with curiosity, looking around in amidst of all the people.

“I don’t know,” Lucas answered with casualty, getting up from his chair in an obvious motion to leave.

“Wait, are you going to bed, just like that?” The young doctor looked over his shoulder, noticing there were at least a dozen friends of his brother still present. Judging by Lucas’ reaction, he planned to simply go inside and leave all the guests there. “What about all these people?”

“They can carry on with what they were doing,” Lucas shrugged, unaffected.

It wasn’t until a couple days of spending time with his brother that Thomas came to notice the situation wasn’t uncommon at Lucas’ place. The house felt pretty much like a summer camp, where a lot of people would come and go. Some would spend the night, some would stay during the day in a giant game room, playing videogames and pool, and others would simply spend the sunny afternoons inside his swimming pool. There was always someone to talk to, and Thomas found the situation quite unusual, but nonetheless entertaining.

When asked about it, Lucas had simply answered he liked having people around. But the shadow of sadness behind the playfulness of his brother’s eyes caught Thomas’ attention. He had no idea how much of that was involved in Lucas’ decision to move out. But Thomas only hoped that whatever it was that prevented his brother from being happy stayed in Los Angeles for good when they finally made it back home in a few days.

.

“I told you for the sixth time, already, Hunt. I am not going out with you tonight.”

“You know, there was a time in your life when you very much wanted me to take you out,” Lucas teased, sending a teasing flirtatious wink in Joey’s direction, misinterpreting his friend’s words on purpose.

Joey Avery rolled his eyes with playful impatience and followed his best friend to the terrace outside, holding a glass of expensive wine in one hand while carefully scanning his eyes through a long stack of documents.

“I wouldn’t go out with you if you were the last man left on Earth,” Joey replied, hiding his smile behind a sip of his drink. “You are way too straight.”

“That’s just mean,” Lucas said with pretend offense and sat down on the marble counter near the pool. “I liked you better when you were into me.”

“Oh, sweetheart, that ship has sailed long ago,” Joey couldn’t contain a chuckle. “You will always be the love of my life, but I haven’t been into you since the moment I experimented what was out there.”

“Still, I was the first guy you kissed,” Lucas gloated with a smile. He had spent the past seven years pestering Joey about it and probably would for the rest of his life. “I am going to tell Jonathan that,” he added, referring to Joey’s long time boyfriend.

“Yes, what was I thinking back then?” Joey replied with a look of self-criticism, not bothering to take his eyes off the document to deal with Lucas’ recurring jokes. “Jon already knows that story, by the way, smartass.”

The two remained in silence for long seconds while Joey carefully read through documents and Lucas played with the label of his wine bottle.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

It was the change of tone in Lucas’ voice rather than the question that made Joey finally look up to meet his friend’s eyes.

Joey Avery had known Lucas Hunt ever since they were little kids and they had always played soccer together but it wasn’t until adolescence that the two of them became best friends. Joey easily remembered the day when he, as a teenager confused by his sexuality, had misinterpreted Lucas’ words of encouragement and kissed the guy.

Back then, Joey had completely understood Lucas’ irritation with his impulsive move. And he’d sort of expected the guy to make fun of him or expose him to the rest of the soccer team. After all, in Joey’s opinion, despite having a crush on the boy, Lucas had always been a bit of an empty head that was way too popular and didn’t take anything seriously.

But instead, Lucas had offered him selfless support and been the first male friend Joey had come out to. During his senior year in school, Lucas had become one of Joey’s closest friends and the only one besides Kate Karev who knew about his struggle.

After Lucas had graduated and left school to go to University of Washington, Joey had only seen him in a few occasions. But then, when Joey had also moved out to go to UC Berkeley in Los Angeles, Lucas had dropped out of university to play for the LA Galaxy and before the two of them could even realize it, they were living in the same city and had become best friends.

And once inside a college campus and away from the judgment of everyone he knew and loved, Joey had been able to come out in public and embrace his sexuality, always leaning on Lucas’ full support. The youngest Avery kid had never dreamed of becoming a professional athlete, but he very much enjoyed sports and liked working with it. So while Lucas’ career skyrocketed, Joey finished his degree in college, only to slowly find himself being the one to represent his friend in his business deals and professional contracts, which later on became his own career.

“Oh, Luke, you know I hate leaving you alone, especially when I know you couldn’t cook spaghetti if your life depended on it,” Joey mocked Lucas at the same time he felt genuinely sorry to see his friend go. “But I have a company to run and how the hell am I going to run an LA based enterprise if I go back to Seattle?”

“I know, I know…” Lucas sighed, trying to accept it. He perfectly understood why Joey couldn’t go with him, but it didn’t mean he hated it any less.

“But, for all that’s worth, and we know it’s worth a lot,” Joey said with a sad smile, “Tom is also going to be there and I am going to count on him to take care of you.”

“How amazing is that?” Lucas asked with his most boyish smile, leaving Joey touched by how genuine his friend’s love for his brother was. “I couldn’t believe it when Tommy told me.”

“I couldn’t either.”

Lucas noticed in Joey’s expression that he knew more than he was trying to show and furrowed a brown in question.

“Hey, Joe, where is Kate?” Lucas tried to sound casual and realized instantly the discreet change in Joey’s expression. “Is she going to a different hospital for her residency?”

“I don’t think she has decided that yet,” Joey replied and Lucas sensed he was telling the truth.

“What’s going on between Tommy and her?” he straightforwardly asked. Kate was very close to Joey and if there was anyone she would have shared that with, it was definitely him.

Joey took a deep breath, apparently pondering what to say.

“Look, I don’t know the details, okay?” he said, and once again Lucas felt like he was being genuine. “All I know is that they had a big disagreement about what to do after the graduation. Kate told me they had a big fight and I think that’s why she traveled to London, to be away from everything…” Joey confessed with a heavy frown. “I am not even sure if they’re together anymore.”

Lucas scoffed with incredulity.

“What are you talking about, of course they are,” Lucas affirmed, unable to believe any other possibility. “I am sure this is just a phase. Tom and Kate are meant to be together… They are like Carl and Ellie, ok? If they can’t work it out, no one can.”

“Except life isn’t a Pixar movie, Luke,” Joey gently reminded him.

“It can be,” Lucas stubbornly chided. “For some people, it can be.”

Joey was just wondering if Lucas needed to believe in that fairy tale love because of his brother or for himself when Thomas walked outside, warmly greeting Joey.

“Hey, dude, I didn’t know you were already here.” He threw a censoring glance in Lucas’ direction, condemning his brother for not letting him know.

“We were talking business,” Lucas justified with excessive dignity.

“Actually, we were talking about Up, the movie,” Joey corrected him.

“It’s my favorite movie,” Lucas defensively scowled at his friend.

“Oh, so your favorite movie is a cartoon?” Thomas raised one eyebrow. “I can’t really say I am surprised…”

“It’s called an animated film, thank you,” Lucas grumpily answered.

Thomas looked from one to the other, trying to understand why his brother was in a foul mood and Joey was so quiet but none of them said anything else, so the youngest guy gave up soon after.

“So… Are we going out tonight or what?” he asked, getting a positive grin from his brother in return at the same time Joey raised his arms in surrender, realizing he had just been outnumbered.

.

“By the way… how was your date last Friday?”

Megan lifted her eyes from the computer on her hands to meet her best friend’s mysterious expression. Claire was Maggie Pierce’s only daughter and had been Megan’s best friend since the day they were born. There was nothing they didn’t tell each other and now, Claire had the same kind of expectant/joyful face as her mother often did when they were excited about something.

“I was going to wait until Marianne got here to ask you that because we’re dying to hear it, but I have no idea where she is and I can’t wait any longer,” Claire confessed with a wide smile.

Megan noticed the curiosity mixed with excitement and was amused by her friend’s clear high expectations.

“It was okay.”

“Okay?!” Claire asked with disappointment. “That’s a not good enough answer. I want all the details.”

Megan gently closed her laptop screen and looked at her friend. They were sitting in the living room of her house simply hanging out together as they often did during school breaks.

“Claire, you’ve known Aaron for as long as I do,” the girl stated with conviction. “What could I possibly tell you about him that you don’t already know?”

Claire seemed to think for a second and then nodded her head in acceptance. After years of vouching for everyone else’s happiness and acting like a modern version of Jane Austen’s Emma trying to bring couples together, Megan had finally accepted to go out with someone. Claire knew her standards were high and just because she was admired and well liked in school, Megan didn’t take advantage of it. So if her friend had said yes to Aaron, Claire expected him to be special. She was very pleased with the girl’s choice, considering they all knew each other since their earliest school years.

And the fact that Aaron played in the school’s football team with her own boyfriend also wasn’t a bad detail. Claire longed for double dates and she wasn’t one bit sorry for pushing Megan towards the guy in such an obvious manner.

“So, how serious is it?” Claire didn’t give up. “Are you officially dating him? Are you two seeing each other again? Did he kiss you?”

“Oh my God, slow down on the questions…” Megan answered with a chuckle, too entertained by her best friend’s devotion. “And yes, he did,” the teenage girl added, unable to prevent the rush of blood to the cheeks that became obvious on her very fair skin.

Claire had just opened her mouth to ask for more details when the doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts. Supposing it was their friend Marianne, who had been mysteriously absent for the past few days, Megan got up and fixed her shirt before distractedly opening the door.

But her eyes grew wide with shock and raw contentment when she spotted the two young men standing on the doorway with huge smiles on their faces.

“Megan, why are you squealing, I am trying to…”

Amelia’s words trailed off and her face transformed when she walked into the living room. Ignoring everything about the reprimand she was just about to give her daughter for disrupting the quietness when she was trying to focus on her reading, the neurosurgeon took large strides forward and immediately wrapped one arm around each of her son’s necks, nearly strangling them both.

“What are you guys doing here?” Megan asked with excitement, surrounding Thomas’s waist with her arms for another embrace.

“We wanted to surprise you,” Lucas said with mischief in his eyes, feeling his heart blissfully happy with the warm welcome. “Hey Claire girl,” he stepped inside the room while Amelia closed the door after them. “I haven’t seen you in a bit, how are you?”

Amelia watched as Tom dumped two duffel bags next to the couches and proceeded to greet Claire too.

“Where is dad?” her second son asked, looking around.

“He’s still at work. Does he know you were coming?” she asked with wide eyes, ready to murder her husband if he knew about it and hadn’t told her the news.

A few years before, Miranda Bailey had had to step down as Chief of Surgery and the position had been offered to Owen. At first, he’d been reluctant to take it back, but after an honest conversation with his wife, who’d wisely pointed out their kids were basically raised and he had more free time to pursue his own projects while she went further with her Harper Avery Award winning research, Owen had taken the position, ultimately finding pleasure again in it.

“Nope,” Lucas chuckled, reading the unsaid threat in his mother’s eyes. “He is in for a surprise just like you two.”

Amelia smiled and completely forgot about the paper she was planning to read, decided to focus on a much more pressing matter instead: her adored sons.

“But, wait, did you two set this up? Did you fly in at the same time…?” she asked with confusion.

“No, I actually went to LA a couple of days ago to meet Luke and then I was going to come here,” Thomas replied with a wide grin, anticipating his mother’s reaction with the news he was about to share. “I had no idea he planned to come too,” Thomas added with honesty. “But I had to be here in person to tell you about my news.”

Amelia knew her son had just graduated med school. A couple of weeks before she, Megan and Owen had flown to Boston to be there for the ceremony. Her other sons hadn’t been able to make it but they had been in touch during the entire week, catching up with Thomas’ remarkable achievement.

“What?” Amelia asked, excited and curious.

But as Thomas smiled grew wider by the second and he just kept staring into her eyes with the thrilling look of someone who had something amazing to share, Amelia had an epiphany.

“No way…!” she shouted with exhilaration, unable to believe. “Are you serious?! Are you…?”

When Thomas nodded yes with his head, Amelia let out a hysterical shout that Megan promptly classified as squealing and wrapped her son in a hug so tight that she left them both breathless.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re coming back home!” she added with sheer joy.

Thomas had been debating with his parents quite a lot in the past year about where he should apply and choose to go for his medical residency. Amelia knew her son wanted a career in neurosurgery and therefore he took into account everything she had to say about the matter. Unsurprisingly, Thomas had matched all the places he was interested in. And in the end, he’d narrowed down his choices to going to Hopkins to study under Tom Koracick, staying in Boston to go to Mas Gen where he knew everyone already or moving back to Seattle to work at Grey Sloan.

Amelia had been as impartial as possible while giving her son professional advice but in the end, she hadn’t been able to hide she favored Seattle as a choice, exactly because she wanted him near.

“I can’t believe this, I am the happiest I could be!” the surgeon proclaimed, unable to stop grinning like a child.

“Are you sure?” Lucas asked her with a teasing smile.

“Am I sure of what?” she looked in his direction, trying to interpret the meaning of his words and that smug smile on the corner of his lips.

“You couldn’t be happier than you are now?” he asked, looking her in the eyes with heartfelt joy.

“I don’t think that’s even possible,” Amelia answered with honesty.

“Well, what if I told you I am coming back to Seattle too?”

The silence that followed Lucas’ question let him know he had just left both his mother and sister in shock.

“I’d say you are kidding,” Amelia defensively looked at him, hesitant to believe it because it was too good to be true.

“I wouldn’t judge you on that,” Lucas playfully replied, knowing he had no credit whatsoever considering how often he was pranking people. “But yeah,” he looked into his mother’s eyes and saw how thrilled she got when he delivered the news. “This time it’s true. I am moving back to Seattle.”

“You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” she felt tears accumulating in her eyes and pulled Lucas in for a hug.

Amelia took a while to be convinced that those amazing moves were actually happening and sooner after, Owen returned home, proving to be just as surprised and pleased as she was. Together, they had dinner with Megan and the boys, eager to hear every single detail of the decisions.

When his parents inquired him about what Kate had decided for her residency, Thomas said that so far, she was still going for Mas Gen as her top choice but hadn’t fully made her up mind yet, only planning to do so when she returned from London in the following days.

Lucas kept staring at his brother, trying to pick up more than what Thomas was saying but he couldn’t achieve anything. When he looked sideways, he noticed Megan had been doing the same and the girl instantly met his eyes, silently agreeing that she was just as unconvinced as he was.

By the time dinner was over, the teenage girl had already decided the plans for the following days, unsurprisingly devoting most of her brothers’ time to her. Since Thomas and Lucas hadn’t yet made any living arrangements, they were very excited with the idea of moving back home temporarily.

And even though it had been a while since Amelia had had so many of her children together sharing a meal with her, when Lucas came with a horrible pun to tease his dad and Thomas made a sarcastic comment about it, it felt like nothing at all had changed.  

.

“Why do you have that sad look on your face?” Owen asked arranging the pillows near the bedframe as he looked at his wife. “I thought you would be smiling for days after the surprise the boys gave us tonight.”

“I know…” Amelia turned her head over the shoulder, standing near the window through which she’d been gazing outside, lost in her own thoughts. “It just kills me that Danny and Robbie aren’t here.”

Owen silently went in her direction and wrapped his arms around her from behind, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek before gently touching her shoulder with his chin. He didn’t say anything because there was nothing to be said. It took a toll on him too, but he knew that for Amelia, the twins’ departure had been especially worse. As she liked to say it herself, that day the twins had left for college, she’d “lost” two at once and that had it made it twice as hard to bear.

“They are okay,” Owen settled for saying, staring at the dark sky outside from behind her.

“I know they are,” Amelia intertwined her fingers with his and leaned backwards, putting the back of her head on his shoulder. “It’s me that is not.”

Owen chuckled lightly and gave her another kiss, settling for silently contemplating the quiet view outside. Sometimes, he couldn’t believe the amazing things he and his wife had built together and how far in their journey they’d come.

But all it took was one happy evening like the one they’d just had to remind him that, despite the absences and the time apart that their kids’ education demanded, he felt absolutely accomplished and proud of all five amazing people he and Amelia had raised together.

.

Thomas took large strides through the well-known halls of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. On his way to the education department, he passed by a lot of friendly acquaintances and had to make several stops to catch up with people he’d known all his life.

The soon to be intern knew that having his father as his boss and his mother as his direct mentor weren’t details that would exactly make his life easier, but all things considered, Thomas was up for the challenge. He supposed that, like his brother, he longed to be near his family after so many years living away from home.

He’d expected to see a lot of familiar faces during his time there, even on the first day he set foot inside the hospital. But there was one person Thomas had absolutely not imagined crossing paths with him that afternoon.

“Emily?” he frowned, confused, and hurried to catch up with the girl who walked in the same corridor, just a few yards ahead of him. “Emily Spencer?”

A short, petite woman with auburn hair turned around at the sound of her name. She had dark circles around her eyes but they were every bit as hazel as they’d ever been. And judging by the look on her face, Thomas supposed she was just as surprised to see him as he was to see her.

“Tommy?” she hesitated at first but after a second, a genuine smile lit up her entire face. “You’re… You’re… You’re so grown!” She chuckled, noticing the differences that time had invariably caused. Thomas looked just as friendly and angelical as ever, but his facial features were more evident and masculine. “Is that an attempt to a beard?” she teased, watching him laugh with delight.

“Is it really so bad?” he asked with consternation, running his hand through his own face trying to find almost inexistent facial hair. “When I asked my sister about it, she said that I aimed for Ryan Gosling and hit Mrs. Elliott,” Thomas confessed, making Emily crack up laughing at the mention of their high school chemistry teacher who now taught Megan too. The woman was a nightmare and students mercilessly made fun of her rough appearance as a way to rebel against her tyranny. “I suppose she didn’t mean it as a compliment to me,” he added with good humor.

“Or to Mrs Elliott,” Emily stated, trying to be serious but failing. Once she was finally able to stop laughing, she breathed in and added with genuine longing. “How is Megan?”

“She is great,” Thomas answered, happy that Emily had asked. “She is starting her senior year soon and she is determined to beat all my school records,” he added, unable to hide how proud he was of his sister.

“Sounds kind of impossible,” Emily teased him. Thomas had an outstanding school record. Even though Emily had graduated a year before him, everything Thomas had achieved before she left had already been remarkable.

“Nah, she is making me look like a dud,” Tom exaggerated, smiling with modesty. Megan was just as good as he’d been but she was a lot more organized and assertive going after what she wanted than he had been as a teenager.

“And how are you, Tommy?” Emily gave him a fraternal smile. She hadn’t seen him in five years and none of them were exactly active on social media to stay in touch through that time. “You look good.”

“I feel good,” Thomas said a bit quickly, hurrying to change the subject. “I’m actually here to hand in some documents,” he smiled, happy to share the news with Emily. “I got into the surgical program.”

“Oh, wow, really?” Her eyes got wide with amazement. “That’s great, Tommy, I’ve always known you’d achieve everything you set out for yourself…” she smiled, but the shadow beneath her eyes caught Thomas’ attention.

“Thanks, Emily…” he studied her further, unable to define her expression. “And what about you?” Thomas blinked to focus again on the conversation and stop seeing too much into things. The girl seemed hesitant to reply, even a bit uncomfortable, so he tried to make it easier for her to talk. “Are you back to visit your folks?”

The insistent hesitation from the girl alarmed him and it was then that Thomas realized the full extent of the context they were in.

As far as he knew, Emily Spencer lived in New York and had been doing so for the past years. He hadn’t heard much about her because she was a forbidden subject whenever Lucas was around and there was no one else Thomas could ask. But now, she was standing in the middle of a hospital corridor, back in her hometown, looking paler and more drained than Thomas ever remembering seeing her.

Almost instantly, a red flag rose in his mind and even though he knew he was being nosy, Thomas cared too much not to ask. Trying to be as gentle as possible and hoping to somehow be able to help her, the young doctor looked deeply into her eyes before asking.

“Emily… Are you sick?”

 --

[jordan202]

My Boys: Beyond the Horizon - Chapter 1

Hi guys!

So, it’s Saturday, and like I promised here is the first part of the new My Boys multichapter. This one follows up with the events of Bright Future, a few years after the latest installments. I won’t give any details of the plot because I think half the fun will be to slowly figure out what everyone is up to. 

Now, I have to point out that this story will be more like a multiple arc story than strictly an Omelia fanfiction. Writing about Owen and Amelia is and will always be my favorite thing to do but I am saying this in advance because my main goal with this piece is to keep the promise I made to the many readers who’ve asked me to write a sequel to the stories of Lucas and Emily, Thomas and Kate, Megan, the twins, etc. But of course Owen and Amelia will be a part of everything too, and I am going to include a lot of Omelia scenes!

Just a heads up for those who may not be familiar with sports teams: I often point out how the Hunts are fans of the Seahawks, a Seattle based American football team. The Seahawks share their stadium (and fans too) with the Sounders, which are a soccer team. I just thought I’d point that out so that people won’t get confused with the events about to unfold. 

Anyway, enough talking, let’s get to the point. Thank you @jia911 for proofreading this and everyone of you who’ve helped me somehow by suggesting prompts, supporting this sequel and taking your time to give me feedback!

Merry Christmas, everyone :)

 My Boys: Beyond the Horizon - Chapter 1

 “Are you sure you’re all set?”

“Yes, Addie, don’t worry,” Lucas flashed his most adorable smile, following his godmother to the living room of his own house. “I’ll be fine.”

“You know… How am I going to adapt to this new reality of not having you here anymore?” Addison asked, trying to contain stubborn tears from gathering in her eyes.

“I guess you’re just going to have to visit me often,” Lucas replied with a supportive expression.

Addison turned around one last time and wrapped the young man in a tight embrace before finally leaving for a work conference out of town.

As soon as she left, Lucas made his way to the back porch at the same time he took a sip from an overpriced beer. The sun was starting to set at the horizon, sending a vibrating orange shade to the full extension of the pool with an infinite border at his home. From a distance, he could hear Rachel’s excited voice, probably talking to one of her friends on the phone. He smiled to himself with satisfaction at the realization that the house wasn’t empty as he’d previously imagined and focused again on the street outside.

He watched as Addison got inside a city cab to make her way to the airport. Lucas couldn’t contain a smile when he remembered how worried about him she always was. He was really thankful that, while living distant from his mother, Addison had stepped up to play a maternal role in his life in a very natural way.

When Lucas had moved to Los Angeles, five years before, she had been fundamentally important in his adaptation away from his family and everything he knew. Back then, Lucas had been a naïve, gullible nineteen year old with a lot of promises in his heart and the innocence of a young man brought up in a household surrounded by love and support.

It didn’t take Lucas long to find out that the world wasn’t exactly that kind or generous. Outside the security of his home, he’d come to find viciousness, excessive competitiveness and even cruelty. Being a professional athlete wasn’t at all easy and he’d struggled with loneliness and unkindness during the beginning of the process. Several times, Lucas had thought about dropping everything and running back home.

But something inside of him had prevented Lucas from doing so. He couldn’t explain what it was, but there was a force within his heart that moved the boy in a way he couldn’t understand it himself. While to most people soccer was just a game, to Lucas it meant much more. Where most athletes saw consternation, he saw new possibilities. While the well established tactics were followed like the law by his coaches, Lucas had dared to question them. And when they had put his capacity to follow orders and lead into question, he’d proved to them that talent, innovation, creativity and hard work were the most basic secret to success.

At first, it had been a real struggle but now, at twenty four, Lucas was not only extremely successful as an a professional athlete, he was also charming, handsome and had more money than he would need in a lifetime, added to an indecent amount of charisma and the attractive liveliness he’d inherited from his mother, making him an irresistible combination.

“There is someone in the living room waiting for you,” Rachel went outside, distracting his thoughts. “Also, which one do you prefer?” she asked while holding a different dress with each hand.

“They look the exact same,” Lucas replied with casualty, putting the beer bottle back on the table beside the pool. “Who is there?” he asked with a puzzled expression, wondering why security hadn’t called to notify him that he had a visitor.

“They are so not the same,” Rachel followed him into the living room, wiggling the two midnight blue dresses. “This one is a Cartier and it’s made out of silky fabric,” she cheerfully explained, pointing to the piece with her eyes. “While this baby here is made entirely of satin.”

“This one,” Lucas randomly pointed to the first dress he saw. “Looks expensive,” he added, uninterested. At least he knew Rachel would like to hear that.

“You should know,” the young woman winked at him before they finally made it inside the house. “You paid for it.”

Lucas furrowed a brow, processing the information but before his mind could focus on what Rachel had said, his eyes captured the image of a young man who was almost as tall as him. The visitor’s eyes had the same shade of baby blue as Lucas’ father and his slim, athletic physique contrasted with his intelligent exterior.

“Tommy!” Lucas’ face transformed into a wide, heartfelt smile before he excitedly jumped forward, unceremoniously hugging his brother, “what are you doing here?”

Thomas hugged Lucas back just as warmly and only when the two young men pulled apart, he was finally able to explain with his usual serenity.

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“So you flew all the way from Boston to do that?” Lucas asked with a jovial grin, clearly knowing there was more to it.

“Well, not really,” Thomas confessed a bit awkwardly. His eyes went from his brother to the unknown companion in the room, the reason of his hesitation to talk more openly about his reason to be there.

“Oh,” Lucas belatedly realized how rude he was being. “Sorry. This is Rachel.”

“Hi,” Rachel leaned forward and in a clearly flirtatious manner, shook Thomas’ hand.

“That’s my brother Tom,” Lucas explained to her.

“Oh, the one who’s a doctor?” Rachel excitedly spoke, looking at Thomas with a whole new glance of interest. “Damn, Luke, you never said he was this handsome.”

“It’s the family genes,” Lucas gloated with a lazy smile.

Thomas frowned in confusion, obviously having a hard time figuring out what was going on.

“Anyways, I got to go get ready for the party tonight,” Rachel blew the two brothers a kiss and grabbed the dresses she’d left on the couch. “See you later, Tom,” She winked at him one last time before leaving.

Thomas waited until the gorgeous woman had made her exit before turning to his brother with the heaviest frown he ever remembered having.

“What the hell is going on?” he asked, torn between amusement and confusion. The woman had flirted with him in front of his brother and hadn’t even bothered hiding it. “Who is that?”

“Rachel,” Lucas replied with simplicity, going over to the mini fridge and grabbing two bottles of beer.

“Yeah but who is she?” Thomas asked, reluctantly accepting the bottle his brother was offering.

“A friend,” Lucas said like it was obvious. “She lives here.”

“Oh, she lives here?” Thomas shook his head in denial, ironically repeating Lucas’ words as if now they made sense. “So she’s not your girlfriend?”

The way Lucas mischievously smiled, without denying or confirming, made Thomas give up trying to understand his brother.

“Jesus Christ, will you ever change…” Thomas finally took a sip of his beer and sat down on the couch opposite to Lucas. “Anyway, nice place you have here.”

“I feel personally offended you haven’t come to visit me before.”

“I was in med school!” Thomas justified, not believing the act Lucas was putting. “When would I ever have time to catch a flight to Los Angeles while Harvard was whipping my ass every day?”

“Well, no one forced you to enroll in an accelerated program,” Lucas threw a couch pillow at him, clearly finding it hard to get rid of old habits. “How’s Kate?”

The silence that followed the question and his brother’s hesitation let Lucas know that something was wrong.

“She is fine, doing very well,” Thomas broke eye contact with his brother, uncomfortable with the subject.

“Why isn’t she here with you?” Lucas pushed.

“She went to London to visit a friend,” Thomas swallowed hard and took a deep breath before finally looking his brother in the eye again. “I mean, can you blame her?” He scoffed, trying to sound as natural as possible. “We spent the past years working our asses off, taking back to back courses… Now that we’ve just graduated, she wanted some time to breathe.”

Lucas studied his brother’s features, looking for the things that were left unsaid. He knew both his brother and Kate Karev had succeeded remarkably at Harvard, having just graduated at the young age of twenty-three. Lucas remembered from childhood how his brother and Kate had always been friendly competing with each other, challenging each other to do better, from kindergarten all the way through med school. Kate and Thomas’ relationship had always been steady as it could be and the fact that his brother had randomly showed up alone at his door made Lucas very alarmed.

“Anyways…” Thomas picked up on the uncomfortable lingering silence and tried his best to maintain a normal conversation. “I have news.”

“So do I,” Lucas smiled, having fun at how his brother sucked at hiding his feelings. “You go first,” he teased with a wicked smile.

Thomas took a deep breath and his eyes regained some of its usual brightness when he confessed:

“I applied for residency programs all over the country over the past year. In March I got my match results back. But yesterday I just made my final decision of where I want to go,” he saw the happiness and pride in Lucas’ eyes growing as his brother clearly reached the obvious conclusion, “I chose Grey Sloan.”

“You’re going there?” Lucas got up, excitedly celebrating. “What the hell, Tom, this is the best news!” Thomas could see how visibly happy his brother was for him. “Wait, does this mean you’re working under mom and dad now?!”

Thomas confirmed with an embarrassed head nod and Lucas had the time of his life mocking the younger one.

“Oh my God, you’re going to be mom’s little bitch!”

“Luke!”

“You are,” Lucas laughed heartily. “You’re still focused on the brain thing, right?”

“Yeah…” Thomas rolled his eyes with pretend impatience. “I still want to be a neurosurgeon.”

“That is perfect!” Lucas celebrated, making his brother wonder why he was so happy. Thomas expected Lucas to be supportive and happy for him but the oldest one’s reaction seemed a little exaggerated for what Tom’s news meant. “I haven’t told mom and dad this yet because I was going to surprise you all but…” The soccer player cheerfully confessed with a wide grin. “For the past two weeks my manager has been going back and forth with several contract proposals… Some dude flew in from Spain and offered us more money than you could possibly imagine for a two year contract.”

“Did you sign it?” Thomas’ eyes shone with excitement for his brother’s career.

“No, I did not,” Lucas swiftly turned around and opened the minibar again, trying to avoid his brother’s eyes. He didn’t want to be asked why he hadn’t signed with the prestigious Spanish team. “Instead, we got a new contract drafted. LA Galaxy can afford the difference but this time, it was me who didn’t want to sign again with them.”

“Why?” Thomas asked with interest. His brother had played there during his entire professional career. He was the biggest idol in the team and never before had Lucas mentioned anything that slightly made Thomas believe his brother wasn’t happy in Los Angeles.

“Because I got a new contract with the Sounders instead.”

It took Thomas a fraction of a second longer than usual to process the information.

“What?” he cheerfully celebrated, still finding it hard to believe. Now Lucas’s reaction made perfect sense. “You’re kidding me, right…? You’re not…?”

“I am,” Lucas interrupted him with a wide grin. The Seattle Sounders were their childhood soccer team. Lucas, Thomas and their siblings had gone to their games countless times and ever since he was a little boy, the oldest brother had dreamed of playing for them one day. “You can stick around to help me pack because I’m coming back home too, little brother.”

.

“Hey guys.”

Amelia lazily dumped her handbag on the couch and made her way to the back of the house after seeing that her husband and daughter were in the kitchen.

“Hey mom,” Megan gave her a smile at the same time Owen leaned over to give her a kiss on the head.

“Something smells good,” Amelia’s face was vivid with excitement as she went sniffing around the stove. “What is it?”

“It’s a new recipe dad and I are trying,” Megan explained with good humor, showing her mother a spoonful of the sauce but getting it out of her reach when Amelia tried to taste it. “You have to wait for dinner, no spoilers.”

Amelia laughed and left the two of them to do their usual cooking while she showered. About half an hour later, they had dinner together while casually talking about their days.

“Hey, the premiere of the new season of Jungle Survival is tonight, right?” Owen looked at Megan expectantly as Amelia got up to collect the dishes. They had always watched the show together on Friday nights since his daughter was barely a teenager. “Let’s go turn on the TV before your mom hides the remote.”

Amelia let out a chuckle at her husband’s playful attack at the same time her daughter’s smile slowly faded as she explained:

“Sorry, dad, I can’t,” the neurosurgeon noticed how the teenager looked away before adding. “I am going to the movies with my friends tonight.”

“Oh,” Owen tried not to sound too disappointed. “That’s okay,” he said with consternation but Amelia could tell how let down he was. They were in the first days of summer and it wasn’t surprising that Megan wanted to spend some time in the company of her friends after tough weeks of final exams in school, “we can save it to watch later.”

“Thanks, dad,” Megan blew him a kiss and hurried to the top floor through the kitchen stairs. “I already took Peanut for a walk earlier this afternoon and changed his bowl, so he should be good for the night.”

Amelia nodded assertively. The dog had been with them for years now and since her brothers had all left for college already, it was up to Megan to do most of the caretaking. The neurosurgeon waited a few minutes until Owen was distracted enough and followed her daughter upstairs.

“Hey,” she knocked on Megan’s room twice before entering, instantly noticing the girl was changing her outfit from yoga pants to something more appropriate to go out, “that shirt looks good on you.”

“Thank you, mom.”

“So,” Amelia stood behind her daughter, purposefully looking at her reflection in the mirror. “Now that we’ve established how good you look, will you care to tell me why you were lying to your dad?”

Megan swallowed hard, void of any reaction to be caught in the act. Slowly, she turned around and faced her mom.

“Was it that obvious?” the girl asked with an embarrassed grin.

“Well,” Amelia shrugged playfully, “not to your father, apparently,” she let out a chuckle before resuming the conversation. “So, what’s really going on?”

“I didn’t exactly lie,” Megan carefully explained, “I am going to the movies,” she reinforced, letting her mom know she hadn’t meant to break her parents’ trust. “But I’m not going with friends,” the teenager smiled with amusement before clarifying, “I’m going with a friend.”

“Megan,” Amelia tried to contain her laughter, “when will you tell your father you are going on a date with a boy?” she asked trying to keep serious. “He is a grown man, sweetheart. He can take it.”

“Can he?” Megan raised one eyebrow, obviously doubting her mother.

Amelia couldn’t help the fit of laughter that followed her daughter’s line and much to her own dismay, she agreed with Megan.

“Yeah, maybe you are right…” the neurosurgeon finally caved. “But just remember this the day you show up here with a boyfriend. It’s going to be much worse if you don’t give him at least a heads up first.”

“Don’t worry about it, mom,” Megan winked with an adorable smile. “I have a plan.”

.

Amelia waited until Megan was out to go join her husband in the living room. Owen was idly running through the channels on TV when she quickly got past him and sneakily stole the remote from his hands.

“You little…” Owen bent over her in an attempt to get it back but Amelia swiftly got it out of his reach.

“No jungle show tonight,” she interrupted him before her husband could finish his sentence. Amelia had spent the entire day in the OR and could use something to distract her mind. “Let’s watch something decent.”

“Amelia,” Owen growled, trying to regain the object from her hands, but his wife kept using all her four limbs to stay away from his reach.

Ultimately, Owen lost his patience and with a very mischievous grin easily wrapped both arms around her, keeping her tightly trapped inside his arms without any chance to free herself.

“You can hold onto the remote if you want,” he calmly told her while firmly keeping her in his grasp. “But I’ll also hold you so you can’t change the channel.”

Amelia blew her hair from her face in a clear sign of antagonism.

“You’ll tire out eventually,” she dared him.

Owen didn’t bother replying; instead he looked deeply into her eyes and suggestively raised one eyebrow. His wife still couldn’t move her arms and the way she angrily stared back at him, incapable of making any movements, was absolutely adorable. Amelia could say a lot with her eyes, especially when she was irritated.

“Oh, shut up,” she groaned after seeing the annoying smirk on his face.

“Are you ready to give me back the remote now?” Owen asked with a patronizing tone, provoking her.

“You’re not getting it back,” Amelia’s stubborn side got the best of her.

“Fine,” Owen dodged her attempt to bite him and tightened his grasp around her, leaning over to steal a kiss much to Amelia’s dismay. “We’ll just spend the rest of the night like this. Not that I’m complaining,” he looked at her with a playful grin. “I am very comfortable.”

The way her husband looked at her as if daring her to say the same annoyed Amelia more than she would imagine.

“Alright…” Amelia let out a breath through her nose, “I’ll give it back as long as you promise no football channel.”

“Fine,” he replied a little too quickly.

“Owen!” Amelia looked at him in disbelief.

“Alright, okay, I promise,” he finally gave his wife a genuine smile and slowly let go of his grasp around her.

Amelia caved and gave back the remote, settling for lying back on the couch with her feet propped on his lap while they watched the news. She thought about suggesting they put on the jungle survival show, but she knew that for Owen, watching it without their daughter wouldn’t be the same.

While the reporter went on about the most important news of the day, Amelia thought back about Megan and with a curious smile on her face, wondered how Owen would react when he finally found out that the teenager had gone out on a date with a guy.

.

Emily Spencer heard the buzz of her cell phone at the same time her notebook beeped with notifications. Reaching out, the young woman checked the small screen and dismissed the few emails she had yet to read.

Her mind was racing with the big change that was about to happen. Looking out the window, Emily caught a glimpse of the Central Park lawn, where tourists walked back and forth enjoying a carefree, fun afternoon. For a minute, she envied them but quickly the scattered objects around her brought Emily back to reality and she focused on the open bag on the bed.

She was going to miss New York. The vibration, the liveliness, the way the city never slept and how rushed life there always was. In New York, every new minute brought new information, countless opportunities and there was never time for distractions. Each day came with a new challenge and the crazy rhythm made Emily feel more alive than she could put in words.

But now, after two years of working for The Wall Street Journal, the Yale graduated journalist was finally leaving the city.

Shaking her head to clear those depressing thoughts, Emily heard the click of the front door and moments later, her fiancé walked into the room.

“Hey, you ready to go?”

“Yeah, I am just double checking if I got everything,” Emily coyly smiled.

Turning around, she took one last look through the window of the apartment she’d come to love and then left, hoping with all her heart that this wasn’t goodbye. Maybe someday soon, she would be able to come back. But right now, it was time to go. Thinking about her career and the fiancé she adored, Emily was sure that her entire future was there in that city, but sadly, for now it was going to stay on hold. Because at that moment, her past needed her the most.

And after so many years of staying away, it was finally time to go back to Seattle.

--

[jordan202]

My Boys Drabbles - White Christmas

Thank you @jia911 for taking your time to proofread this.

Here goes a sweet, romantic, overwhelmingly fluffy Christmas story. I hope you guys enjoy it!

The Prompt:

@bluebelle18 asked me to write a sweet Christmas drabble where Amelia would surprise Owen with a very special gift. Thank you for all the support and help you always give me with these stories, there is no way I could ever pay you back :)

Timeline:

This story sets after The Perfect Recipe and before Beneath the Surface. 

My Boys Drabbles – White Christmas

 Owen slowly opened his eyes, trying to regain full consciousness. He felt strangely cold and couldn’t quite figure out why.

His eyes scanned the surroundings of his bedroom and by the nightstand clock on his wife’s side of the bed he noticed it wasn’t even six in the morning. Too uncomfortable to go back to sleep, the trauma surgeon got up and realized why he was feeling so cold. At some point during the night, Amelia had hogged the covers and wrapped only herself in their comfortable duvet. But when Owen walked past the window to go to the bathroom, he gently pulled the curtains and was amazed by what he saw.

Big, thick snowflakes fell from the sky in a white cascade that was too dazzling not to watch. The weather had drastically changed overnight and that explained why the temperature inside the room dropped so suddenly. Winter snow wasn’t exactly rare in Seattle, but it’d been a while since Owen had seen it get this bad. Especially around the holidays. Inches and inches of snow were piled on the streets, rooftops and even on trees. And judging by the wind and the color of the sky, it didn’t look like the storm would give a break any time soon.

It was no wonder Amelia looked like a cinnamon roll wrapped in the blanket, Owen thought with a smile. She was always complaining he didn’t turn the thermostat up to a comfortable temperature and now even he had to admit that at this moment, she had a point.

Already completely awake, Owen gave up returning to bed and instead, settled for going downstairs. He had always been a big fan of Christmas but after becoming a father, the holiday had acquired an even more special meaning. Owen just loved seeing his kids’ happy little faces on Christmas morning and with that thought in mind, he took his time arranging the presents underneath the big tree in the living room.

For the past two weeks, he and Amelia had managed the incredible task of holiday shopping all the while juggling their busy schedules at work and the kids’ end of term at school. But Owen couldn’t complain about it for he loved every minute of that season. And he just couldn’t wait for the moment the kids woke up and see how the living room had transformed overnight.

Owen was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice time passing. Feeling hungry and particularly inspired, he went to the kitchen to make an attempt at breakfast. It was usually Amelia who took care of that meal, but he was hardly ever up before her, so maybe after making sure the kids were in for a surprise when they woke up, Owen could also do something special for his wife too.

 Amelia walked down the stairs, attracted by the amazing smell of hot fresh coffee. She’d woken up to find the bed unusually empty beside her but the biggest surprise had been the snowstorm outside. The neurosurgeon wondered if that would compromise their plans to go for lunch at Evelyn’s house but she didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on it, because once inside the kitchen, she focused completely on the present moment.

Owen was taken by surprise when slender, feminine arms surrounded his waist from behind as a soft body pressed against his.

“What are you doing there?” His wife’s sleepy voice asked at the same time she pulled him closer, touching the side of her face to his back.

Owen gently leaned backwards, covering her arms with his as he slightly turned his head to the side, talking to her over his shoulder.

“Making breakfast for you guys.” He replied before she kissed the skin on the back of his neck.

“I thought that was on me.” She smiled lazily. Amelia knew she was holding him too tightly and practically preventing him from moving around to resume his cooking. But at that moment she wasn’t willing to compromise anything because she felt too comfortable to leave the warmth of his body.

“Well… Merry Christmas.” Owen replied with a chuckle, watching as she laughed along.

“Merry Christmas.” Amelia closed her eyes still smiling. She breathed him in and rejoiced in the familiarity of the scent on his old college shirt. “Can we wake up the kids? I can’t wait for them to see the presents.”

“You know,” Owen gently raised one arm above her and swiftly pulled Amelia from behind him to his front, where he could fully look at her. “Sometimes I wonder who is the biggest kid, you or them.”

“That’s a silly question.” Amelia pretended to be offended but then a huge smile made her adorable dimples move on her cheeks. “Me, of course.”

“Why did I even doubt it?” Owen agreed, delighted. She looked younger and fresher than ever in dark leggings and an oversized sweatshirt making it almost all the way to her knees. He chucked her under the chin and brought her face closer, brushing his lips on hers before resuming his attention to the eggs he was preparing.

Amelia leaned backwards on the counter, soon after sitting on top of it with her legs crossed at the ankles bouncing back and forth.

“Do you think the weather is going to give a break?” She asked her husband while he moved around the kitchen, getting utensils from the cabinets and ingredients from the fridge. Earlier that week, the weather forecast had predicted the possibility of a snowstorm around Christmas time, but no one imagined it would get that bad. “I would hate to miss lunch at your mom’s.”

Owen and Amelia had gone to New York a few times to spend the holidays with her family, but they’d usually stay in Seattle and either have Evelyn over or go up to her house to be with the rest of the Hunt family. That year, a few of Owen’s cousins were supposed to go to his mother’s house for lunch too, but after taking another look at the heavy clouds outside, the neurosurgeon realized there was a big chance they’d have to change plans.

“I don’t know,” Owen frowned and looked over the window, preoccupied. It looked like the storm had gotten worse ever since he’d woken up that morning and he wasn’t sure how safe it’d be to drive through the streets in those conditions. “Let’s check the news.”

Amelia went to the living room and turned on the TV, being soon followed by her husband who arrived with two plates in his hands. Owen noticed it was a little before eight in the morning and yet the street outside still looked dark and damp.

“I can’t believe we’re snowed in.” Amelia sighed, catching Owen’s attention.

He looked at her and couldn’t help chuckling at his wife’s frustrated expression. Amelia sat on the smallest couch with her feet propped on it, giving him a lazy pout as she caught up with the weather updates on the news.

“It could still get better.” Owen tried to sound encouraging, taking a sip from his coffee.

“Babe, they just said we should expect eight inches of snow. That’s gotta be a record.” Amelia said, bothered with the idea. She was really looking forward to going to her mother in law’s and she had a particular good reason for that. “The kids are going to be disappointed.”

Owen very suggestively looked at the pile of presents underneath the tree and then back at his wife, raising one eyebrow in defiance to her latest statement.

“Yeah, point taken.” She agreed with his silent argument. “I love it that you took the time to put all the presents there already.” Amelia teasingly blew him a kiss. “It’s very neat.” She went on making fun of Owen’s orderliness tendencies.

Her husband was very organized and it was no surprise the wrapped boxes were perfectly placed underneath the tree. Amelia wondered if Owen consciously stacked them in proportional distances or if it was something that naturally came to him after so much time being a disciplined military man.

“If I left it up to you, the presents wouldn’t even be here at this point.” He scowled, knowing very well how impatient Amelia was to properly wrap each toy.

Owen expected a witty comeback but instead, his wife simply blew steam off her coffee, looking at him over the mug with an expression that mixed playfulness and mischief. He noticed her wiggling toes under the colorful socks and couldn’t hold back a smile. Amelia loved Christmas and she was always excited about it.

“Are you curious to find out what I got for you?” He asked from his couch opposite the TV, looking to the side to be facing her.

“I know what you got for me.” Amelia smiled widely, half lying, half sitting on her sofa. She saw the raised eyebrow on her husband’s face and chuckled, too relaxed to bother hiding she wasn’t serious.

Owen noticed her loose façade and genuinely smiled, well aware she had no idea.

“Well?” He playfully challenged her. “What is it, then?”

Amelia kept staring at him with mirth in her eyes and then gave in, heartily laughing at his overly suspicious expression.

“Your undying love and affection?” Amelia attempted, watching as her husband cracked up laughing.

“You already have that.” He slightly tilted his head to the side, looking at her with a loving gaze before it was replaced by a smug one. “Just admit it you have no idea what you’re getting.”

Amelia smiled with genuine contentment. Owen was teasing her, but he had no idea what he was in for.

Even though every year they went out together to shop for the kids, it wasn’t uncommon that both Owen and Amelia got each other’s presents and kept the surprise. The year before, Owen had surprised his wife with a new laptop computer. At the time, the present had come in very handy because their twin sons had spilled chocolate milk all over her keyboard while watching a cartoon on Netflix. Amelia had been grateful for this thoughtfulness and she’d hoped to be able to return the consideration but it was very rare for Owen to actually need something, considering how well he took care of his stuff.

The idea had then surged after a particularly slow day in the ER a few weeks before. At the time, Amelia had been paged for a consult. The patient was a former athlete who’d been hit on the head and briefly lost consciousness while coaching kids. After talking to the man for a few minutes, Amelia had found out he was actually a former player for the team her husband and kids were so crazy about and when the guy told her about the highlight of his career, she instantly recalled a memory Owen had once shared with her years before.

Amelia wasn’t a sports person all that much, but she particularly remembered one of the few moments Owen had ever let his guard down enough to talk about his childhood. They had been discussing what to do for Christmas and as she recalled the happiest holidays of her life, all of which had been spent after settling down with Owen in Seattle, he’d asked her about the few Christmases Amelia had spent in New York with her family as a young child. The neurosurgeon confessed she didn’t remember much, but she had a very good recollection of one holiday she’d spent with her father and the moment he’d picked her up to put her a bright star on top of the tree.

If Amelia closed her eyes, she could still vividly hear her beloved father’s rich voice calling her his “Tiny Hurricane” as he had fun with her perseverance to reach the highest spot on their living room huge Christmas tree. But those memories weren’t in Amelia’s mind at the moment. Instead, she was thinking about how Owen had followed up her confession with one of his own.

Her husband had also lost his father at a very young age, but he rarely talked about how that had affected his life or made him feel. Amelia knew that while she had a hard time hiding how much the loss of a parent had turned her life upside down in the cruelest way, Owen had taken to himself the task of looking after his mother and sister and simply move on. But he had been only a nine year old boy at the time and Amelia knew it was way too much for a kid to handle.

She remembered the shy smile on his face when he’d told her about the happiest childhood memory he had. On the eve of the last Christmas Owen would ever spend with his father, the man had taken him to a football game. According to her husband, the moment had been special not only because it had been his father’s last Christmas, but also because it was the first ever playoff game their team had ever been a part of. Owen had described to her how happy he felt to see his team winning but mostly, to witness that historic moment in the company of his father.

From that day forward, Amelia had gained a whole new understanding of why the sport and that team mattered so much to her husband, to the point of affecting his mood and contaminating even their children. And as she examined him going through the channels on the TV, unsuccessfully looking for something interesting to watch on that Christmas morning, a flash of a memory came to her mind.

 “Mr. Hughes?” Amelia made sure the guy was the patient she was supposed to see. “I see here on your file you had a trauma to the head while at work?”

“Yes,” a built middle-aged man with a radiant smile had welcomed her into the exam room. “I was just teaching one of the guys how to properly tackle a lineman when this klutzy kid ran into me and tackled me himself.” The senior guy laughed with forbearance. “I hit my head and felt dizzy. That’s why I came here.”

Amelia spent the following minutes collecting a history and examining the patient. He looked alright to her, but just to make sure, she’d ordered a head CT. And while they waited for the result, she remembered finding the guy’s history intriguing enough to make her want to ask:

“So, you coach football?” Amelia smiled, running her eyes on the screen before her.

“Yeah. High school kids.” The man nodded, proud of his work. “But I am a former player myself.”

“Oh, really?” Amelia had distractedly continued the conversation, too focused on examining the scans. “My husband is a die hard Seahawk fan.”

“I played for the Seahawks.” The guy smiled broadly at her, anticipating her reaction.

Amelia had a fun time laughing at the coincidences of life but just as she was about to discharge Mr. Hughes, his age on the files had caught her attention and she heard herself asking before she could contain it.

“Mr. Hughes.” Amelia laughed to herself to realize she had by accident become one of those people who stored football information like an encyclopedia. “Have you by any chance played in the Seahawks team that made to the Playoffs for the first time?”

The guy gave her a smug look, assuming the young surgeon in front of him was a big football fan too.

“If I played?” He smirked, too proud to hide it. “I scored the last touchdown in our first ever playoff game against the Denver Broncos.” The man smiled at her, gloating.

Amelia felt her heart racing as a crazy idea formed in her head. It was too much a coincidence that this guy had walked into her hospitals and been seen by her, of all neurosurgeons.

“Was it the Christmas Eve game?” She attempted, biting her lower lip to contain her excitement.

The guy mistook her reaction by fan admiration and held his head high, puffing out his chest.

“That very same one, young lady. We won thirty one to seven.”

“Yes, I know.” She smiled widely, thinking back about the day Owen had told her about this game and how he’d gone with his father. “I remember.”

“Aren’t you a bit too young to remember it?” The guy raised an eyebrow, suspicious.

Amelia stopped articulating a plan inside her mind and looked back at the guy, determined to make it happen. Judging by the smile on his face and how proud he felt to have his achievements recognized, she supposed he’d be up for what she was conjecturing.

“Mr. Hughes, I know you’re discharged but if you don’t mind sticking around, I’d love to buy you coffee.” Amelia smiled, charmingly guiding the guy outside the exam room. “I have a very special request for you...”

 “Amelia?”

Her husband’s voice brought the neurosurgeon back to the present moment and Amelia blinked twice before making eye contact with him.

“Hm, yeah?” she asked, embarrassed to admit she had no idea how long he’d been trying to get her attention.

“Come here look at this.” Owen’s voice resonated in the large living room and it was only then Amelia noticed he’d gone to stand by the window. “I know the snow is going to ruin our plans but we can’t deny it looks beautiful outside.”

Amelia dropped her forgotten mug with now cold coffee on the table and went in his direction, pulling the drapes even further to have the same view.

“Oh… wow.”

The scenery outside was indeed breathtaking and she smiled with contentment, wrapping one arm around Owen’s hips as she moved closer to him.

“We really are snowed in.” He stated, now utterly convinced.

“Yes…” Amelia smiled. At first she had rejected the idea but now that there was no alternative other than to accept the reality, she might as well enjoy it.

She collected the dirty dishes of their breakfast and took them the kitchen. By the time she made it back, Owen was resting on the couch watching an old Friends episode re run. As she passed through the Christmas tree, Amelia couldn’t help laughing at the insane amount of presents. As a rule, she and Owen hardly ever bought their kids stuff or stimulated them to be great consumers, choosing instead to place value on what they were rather than what they had. But at the same time, the two of them had a fairly comfortable financial situation, so they tended to go a bit overboard in the few occasions they allowed themselves to buy presents for their kids, such as birthdays and Christmases.

“Hey, did you get the twins that racket thing they were pestering about?” Amelia walked past him. For the past month, their six year old sons wouldn’t stop talking about the set.

“I did, but I am curious to see how they’ll try it out with this weather,” Owen pointed out.

“And did you remember it had to be in…”

“Green, yes, I remembered.” Owen finished the sentence for her, earning an adorable smile in response.

Amelia unceremoniously lay next to him, taking up all the space available.

“But you still don’t know what I got for you.” He teased, turning his neck to make eye contact with her while his wife moved next to him.

“I am pretending I don’t.” Amelia laughed. She had her back turned to the TV, completely facing her husband instead.

“You’re pretending you do.” He corrected her, too pleased with the soft hand that played with the collar of his shirt.

“I know what you got me,” she smiled mischievously. “It’s just what I needed,” Amelia added with a naughty grin, seeing the doubt in his eyes. “It’s a week off somewhere in the Caribbean. A break from everything. Seven days, only to myself…” the neurosurgeon laughed at her husband’s expression. “No kids, no Owen, no snow…” Amelia joked, loving that she had surprised him and her husband obviously didn’t have a witty comeback to that. “Just me and the sun and a lot of free time to do only what I want.”

“You already do only what you want.” Owen reminded her, playfully pulling one of her thighs to the top of his hips as he trapped her in his embrace.

“That’s true.” Amelia laughed in return, unable to hide his gentle bites were tickling the sensitive skin of her neck.

“Are you serious, though?” Owen asked, too confused to make sense of the situation. “Do you really want some time off alone? Because I had no idea that’s how you felt and I…”

His words were interrupted when familiar lips seized control of his own at the same time Amelia moved to his top, straddling his hips. Once his wife pulled apart, Owen saw the large smile on her face, added to a loving look in her eyes.

“Does it look like I want a break from you?” She asked as she bent to touch her forehead to his.

“No.” Owen smiled when her arms wrapped around his neck. “It looks like you want something else from me.”

Amelia threw her head back in a fit of laughter, unaware of how much that vision was pleasing her husband. He moved up on the couch just enough to sit back against the pillows, comfortably keeping her on his lap.

“You are cute,” Amelia playfully held his face between her hands, talking to him as if he were a child. She was still facing opposite the TV, but the neurosurgeon had watched that show so many times that she knew exactly which episode of Friends was on. “Oh my God, it’s the Christmas Armadillo!” Amelia laughed with anticipation, turning on his lap to finally face the television.

For the next minutes, she settled for watching the re run, having fun with it while playing with Owen’s fingers between her hands. The episode was almost over when a sleepy figure came down the stairs, surprised to find both her parents lazily lying down on the couch that Christmas morning.

“Good morning, sweetheart… Come here,” Amelia’s face showed how happy to see the child as she opened her arms to welcome their three-year old daughter.

Megan did as told, yawning on her way there, but as she passed through the presents under the tree, her eyes grew bigger with fascination.

“Santa was here!” The little girl celebrated, smiling from ear to ear as she reached her parents.

“He was,” Owen had fun with her innocence. Lucas and Thomas were already old enough not to buy the Santa idea anymore, but Megan and the twins still believed in it and Owen had to admit he loved that.

“Can we open the presents, dad?” Megan asked cheerfully, making herself comfortable on her father’s lap.

“You got to wait for your brothers.” Amelia smiled, leaning over to give her child an affectionate kiss on the head.

“Can we wake up the boys, then?” Megan reformulated her question, too excited to hide it.

Her parents weren’t surprised with her plot and laughed at the smart question.

“You be a good girl and let them rest for a while longer, okay?” Amelia replied after noticing it was a bit past nine in the morning. “I am sure they will be up soon.”

As Amelia had predicted, all four boys were up earlier than usual due to Christmas excitement. She was finishing making them pancakes for breakfast when she heard Owen explaining why they couldn’t go to their grandmother’s that day.

“What do you mean, we can’t go to Grandma’s? What about lunch?” Lucas asked, utterly alarmed. “What about Christmas lunch?!” The ten-year old boy looked from his father to his siblings, looking for support. “It’s the best meal of all, I look forward to this day all year long!”

Owen interrupted his task of picking up plates and cups for the kids in the cabinets and looked back at his oldest son, trying to hide his amused smile.

“Maybe mom can cook this year.”

Lucas’ scowl of disappointment transformed into one of absolute horror.

“What?”

“Dad is joking.” Thomas pointed out, laughing at his brother’s expense.

“He better be.” Lucas breathed in, noticing as their mother turned around from the stove and looked at them, extremely offended. “Christmas lunch is not something you joke about, Dad.” The boy added, reprimanding his father with a steel gaze.

“You know what, since dad is obviously the preferred cook, maybe he should take over breakfast.” Amelia suggested with a scowl, playfully sticking out her tongue in her husband’s direction when the kids couldn’t see her.

“Nooo, mom, your pancakes are the best. I want your pancakes!” Robbie intervened, oblivious to the bantering atmosphere around. “Please?”

Her son’s honest compliment made Amelia forget all about Owen and Lucas’ predicament. A while later, they finally gathered in the living room to open the presents and that was her favorite moment of the morning. Her kids’ happy little faces were always her favorite vision. And amongst piles of toys, costumes and sports gear, she finally got to find out what her husband had gotten for her.

Owen noticed the puzzled expression on her face as Amelia untied the knot to the small green box and then unwrapped it.

“What’s this?” Amelia narrowed her eyes, looking from the cute device that looked like a phone to her husband’s expectant gaze. She was having a hard time accepting that even after she’d gotten her present, she still had no idea what it was.

“You see this little play button right here?” Owen took a step in her direction to be heard, aware the kids were making a big mess around them with their new toys. Amelia nodded affirmatively in response, smiling with a mix of curiosity and excitement to find out the object wasn’t exactly a phone. “Click on it,” he instructed.

As she did so, Amelia’s smile grew wider when she heard the voice of her oldest son coming out of the device. With a startled expression, she looked from it to Owen, noticing how proud he looked.

“Just listen,” he answered, reading the unspoken question in her eyes.

For the following seconds, Amelia heard the record of Lucas narrating a familiar children’s book. When Owen noticed she’d recognized it, he skipped to the next file and this time around, Amelia heard another known voice reading a different book, only this time it was Thomas. Figuring it out, she skipped to the other files, delighted to find out each one of their kids had recorded their favorite story followed by a sweet message, even Megan who couldn’t even read yet.

“This is so absolutely amazing,” she smiled widely at her husband, stepping on the tip of her toes to give him a kiss on the lips. “How did you get this, where did you…?”

Owen breathed in the scent of her hair, far too amazed that she was genuinely enjoying his gift.

“Well, every night I see you reading your favorite books to them.” He shared, unable to hide how much that was special to him. “It soothes them, the kids love it and so do I,” he confessed, gently holding her chin between his finger and thumb. “So I thought, maybe you’d like to have them read the stories to you for a change. And now you can keep it and listen to it whenever you want.”

Amelia pulled him in for a tight hug, expressing with her actions how much she’d loved his thoughtful gift. Owen also gave her a cute gold bracelet and a box with her favorite brand of chocolate.

“Now it’s your turn.” Amelia smiled from ear to ear, picking from under the tree one of the few presents left. “Guys, come here.” She summoned her kids, wondering how they’d been able to keep the secret of the recorded books from her.

Owen noticed how anxious his wife looked and instantly figured out he was in for a surprise. The kids looked very excited too, so he winked at Megan, who looked at him with a large smile before he focused on the present in his hands.

“Ohh,” The trauma surgeon’s eyes got wide with appreciation when he saw what the package contained. “A Seahawks Jersey from the eighties…” He looked at his children with a wide grin. “Look, guys, that’s Krieg, number 17. He was the starting quarterback for the Hawks when I was your age.” Owen looked up and met his wife’s eyes. “I cant believe you found this. It’s amazing, babe, thank you.”

The kids reacted just as Owen had anticipated and he was too caught up telling them about the team that his wife had to slightly raise her voice to be heard.

“Babe,” Amelia stood beside him and gently caressed the hair on the back of his head as she looked from him to the Jersey. “Did you look on the inside to read what it says?”

Owen frowned in response, without the slightest clue what she was talking about. Flipping over the object, he looked for any kind of inscription that might be there and it was then that his eyes found dark letters that had been added with a permanent marker. To his delight, Owen recognized the signature of Dave Krieg, the starting quarterback who’d been an important part of his childhood. And next to it, a small handwritten note that completely threw him off his game.

Owen,

This is the Jersey I wore on the game that got the Seahawks through our first ever playoff game. I know you were there with your dad that Christmas eve and I appreciate your support. Have a Merry Christmas and Go Hawks!

Best wishes,

Dave Krieg, 17.

 Owen took a few seconds longer than usual to process the meaning of the whole gesture. Amelia thought it was a good thing her husband was sitting down, for Owen looked like he’d seen a ghost. Frowning heavily, he looked at his wife, knowing she could see he had a thousand questions in his eyes.

“Is this for real?” He managed to say after long seconds of hesitation. “Are you serious?”

“It’s very real,” Amelia replied with a giggle, having fun with how exasperated her husband looked.

Owen picked up the shirt again, holding the object like it was as fragile as crystal.

At that point, their kids had already gone back to their own presents and Amelia had to contain Danny and Robbie from destroying the house with a green racket each.

“But… How?” he looked up to find his wife’s loving eyes. “When? How did you do this?”

After looking around to make sure their kids couldn’t listen, Amelia bent down and whispered in her husband’s ear and replied to his question.

“I had to sleep with a few people,” she teased with a glowing smile. “Totally worth it, though.”

“Amelia!”

She laughed heartily and sat down by her husband’s side, briefly explaining how she’d come to treat a guy who’d played on the team and how he’d been able to pull a few strings and get her the jersey. After his initial shock had passed, Owen felt an immense gratitude for the lengths his wife had gone through to get him the present, and how amazing she had been to remember a story he’d long before shared with her.

“You’re amazing,” he told her, not the first time. Owen took another look at the shirt, thinking back about his father and how happy they’d both been on that winter day. “Come here.”

Amelia felt her husband’s arms tightly wrapping around her waist and she whispered loving words in his ears. They were just about to pull apart when the kids jumped in, making it a collective hug at the same time they loudly demanded their parents’ attention.

“Do you like the new videogames?” Amelia kissed Thomas’ hair and ruffled his hair affectionately before looking at the game in his hands. “Is it what you wanted?”

“It is, mom, thanks,” the boy replied, visibly satisfied.

“You have to thank Santa,” Megan corrected her brother, not letting go of the three cute dolls she was trying to hold at the same time. “Right, mom?”

“You’re right,” Thomas acquiesced to his sister’s reprimand. “Of course. I am sorry, Santa.” He said, before playfully rolling his eyes when Megan looked away.

For the rest of the day, Amelia had fun playing with her kids as they explored the new gifts they’d gotten that morning. Owen cooked them lunch and in the afternoon, when the storm gave a break after inches of snow were already gathered on the floor, she laughed at her sons’ failed attempt to orchestrate a snowball fight when their feet couldn’t even make it to the ground outside.

Amelia used one of the art craft kits the children had gotten to skillfully crop five different stars. She instructed the kids to write their wishes on each one and then hang them on the tree. When the neurosurgeon realized Megan was struggling to reach the high place the little girl had aimed for, she stepped up to pick up her daughter and helped her put the star on the highest branch, smiling to think that years before, she had been the little girl to go for the top of the tree.

After having a blast reading the wishes the boys had written on their stars, Amelia followed Owen upstairs and they helped the little ones get ready for bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she and Owen had spent the entire day with the kids inside their house and she figured out that that Christmas could very well be added to their list of favorite holiday memories.

“I can’t stand that movie anymore,” Amelia whispered in her husband’s ear, careful not to make too much noise. They were in the couple’s king size bed, surrounded by their five children who made themselves comfortable as they watched Home Alone on the TV. “How many times have we had to watch it? Half a dozen?”

“More, I think,” Owen looked at her, watching the way her eyes glowed in the dark. He looked around and noticed all five kids were half way to sleep, especially Megan who could barely keep her eyes open. “By the way, babe… thank you for everything.”

Amelia noticed in the change of his tone that Owen was speaking from his heart. She turned her head to the side and discreetly gave him a peck on the lips, grateful for the man she’d married and everything he meant to her.

“You don’t have to thank me,” she looked around at their kids, very suggestively. “I didn’t make them alone, you know?”

Owen chuckled and waited until her smile slowly vanished to add.

“I wasn’t talking about the kids. I meant the presents,” he explained, noticing in her eyes that she was well aware of that. “But thanks for the kids too, I guess.” Owen made eye contact with her, grinning widely.

Amelia took a deep breath and searched for his hand in the darkness of the room. She gave his knuckles a kiss before revealing.

“Ever since the day you told me about that Christmas, I realized how you rarely talk about your dad,” Amelia said, hoping not to upset him. Owen wasn’t very comfortable letting his walls down and she knew it. They were having a lovely day, so she didn’t want to force him into anything. “But then I saw the opportunity to make that memory even more special and I just couldn’t let it pass.”

“What do you mean?” Owen asked with curiosity, touched by her consideration.

“Well, it’s just that…” Amelia breathed in and out before looking into his eyes, “this jersey represents how special that Christmas with your dad was, right? So it got me thinking…” she confessed after seeing he agreed with her assumption. “Maybe some day you can wear it to a game on Christmas and take our kids... So that the best Christmas you’ve had when you were a boy could become our kids’ version of their happiest Christmas too.”

Owen processed her words, emotionally moved by her confession.

“That is very sweet,” he leaned over to kiss her, knowing in his heart that Amelia was the woman of his dreams. “Thank you, babe.” Owen wrapped one arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, feeling Amelia’s back gently colliding against his chest. He looked around and noticed the kids had already fallen asleep, all five too tired after the long day they’d had. “There is only one thing we got to add to that to make it the best moment, though.” He said, nibbling her ear before starting a trail of kisses on the column of her neck.

“Yeah?” Amelia raised her eyebrows, interested.

“You gotta be there too.”

She turned her head on the curve of his arm and looked up to find his expressive blue eyes.

“You can count on it,” Amelia affirmed, getting an affectionate smile in response. They moved on to the exhausting task of taking all the kids to bed and only after they were done, Amelia was able to properly lie down on her bed and relax. “Today’s been a good day.”

“It has,” Owen agreed, crashing beside her. She didn’t even need to look at him to notice how exhausted he was, because his voice already gave it away.

“Do you know what would make it even better?”

Owen frowned, looking at her with the same questioning eyes she’d just gazed him with moments before. Amelia was obviously up to something, or she wouldn’t be biting her lower lip like that.

“You know how we were watching that Friends episode earlier today and there was this Santa Claus costume that…”

“You can’t be serious,” Owen interrupted her, already laughing too much. On the episode Amelia was referring to, one of the characters asked her husband to keep a Santa Claus costume to be later used in the bedroom.

Amelia saw the amusement in her eyes and went further, determined to torment him. She rolled over in his direction and seductively blinked before whispering against his ear, knowing her words would be properly interpreted by her husband.

“I was a very good girl this year.”

Owen laughed at her shameless provocation and propped his head on his elbow, turning sideways to face her.

“You’re never good,” he reminded her.

“Ohh.” Amelia’s devilish smile made another appearance and Owen instantly realized he was in for another round of pestering. “I guess you’re going to have to do something about that, then.”

Owen laughed loudly, unable to hide how much he enjoyed her company. After kissing her lips, he placed one lock of hair behind her ear, gently caressing the side of her face with his knuckles as he looked into her eyes.

“So, which one is it going to be?” he narrowed his eyes and saw the way she laughed at his pretend seriousness. “Are you in need of a naughty Santa Claus or a disciplinary spanking?”

Amelia laughed her heart out, wrapping both arms around his neck to pull her husband closer for another kiss. She knew she was a handful, but what amused her the most was how positively Owen responded to that. There was no one else she’d rather spend that Christmas night with.

“You are all in one,” she let him know, looking at her husband with the loving eyes of someone who knew how fortunate she was. Amelia relaxed against her pillow, feeling the weight of Owen’s body on hers right before he kissed her neck, making her forget all about her playful fantasies. “Merry Christmas, babe.”

Owen looked up to see her eyes and smiled one last time before losing himself in the comfort of her arms. He’d had some pretty amazing Christmas memories throughout his life. But after Amelia had come to his life, she’d somehow manage to make that time of year have an even more special meaning to him. And he loved her for it.

“Merry Christmas.”

  ---

fact check: Dave Krieg really was the starter QB who led the Seahawks on their first ever playoff game (and playoff win!) against the Denver Broncos. And the timeline does fit Owen being a kid at the time before losing his father :) Everything I wrote about football history in this Drabble wasn’t made up, it really happened !

  Merry Christmas everyone! and Go Hawks!

[jordan202]

My Boys Drabbles - Thomas (Part Four - Final)

took me a while but here it is! @jia911 thanks for proofreading it!

Previous chapters can be found HERE. 

My Boys Drabbles – Thomas (Part Four)

“Has Lucas ever been this small?” Amelia asked with a contagious smile as she exposed an adorable white jumpsuit with cute little bears on it. “I honestly don’t remember.” She added, taking a look at their ten month old who crawled back and forth next to them making a mess.

They were sitting on the floor of Lucas’ bedroom, trying to sort through the drawers of baby clothes to figure out what could be of use for their new son. A few weeks before, Amelia had found out they were having another boy and she was very excited with the idea, considering the new one and Lucas would grow up close together.

“He’s still very tiny,” Owen replied, grabbing his son as the baby crawled past him and showering his head with kisses. Lucas struggled to break free at first, but when Owen blew ticklish kisses on his belly, the ten month old started to giggle.

“Owen, he is nearly as big as Harriet, and she is a year and a half older than him.” Amelia pointed out.

“I give it two years and he will be wearing your size of clothes, then.” Owen replied with an amused smile, making fun of Amelia’s petite measurements.

He laughed when she playfully threw a batch of onesies at him and realized how happy she seemed. Now that his wife was fully recovered from her surgery, Owen loved being able to enjoy the second pregnancy they were going through together.

Even though their first son was only ten months old, it was very clear he was picking up after his dad. Not only because of the color of his hair and his masculine features, but also due to his height and structure. Soon after their marriage, when Amelia had moved in, Owen had been challenged with living with a person who could pretty much camouflage anyplace around the house or fit anywhere. Sometimes, she insisted they went to work in her car, which was a nightmare because the vehicle didn’t allow him any legroom.

It was no secret that Owen liked to go for walks and in the few times Amelia had joined him, she had to ask him to slow down, because in her words she felt like a ‘poodle trying to keep up with a mastiff’. According to her, him being over six feet tall was the weapon he used to hide groceries on the top shelves. But Owen had absolutely no complaints about it. He found it adorable how tiny Amelia was. The way she would wrap her arms around his waist and rest her head on his chest entirely made up for it. And when she curled up next to him in bed, fitting perfectly inside his embrace like a little kid looking for comfort, Owen knew that having a short, petite wife wasn’t at all an issue.

“Did you hear this?” Amelia interrupted his thoughts. “I think Lucas said mama.”

Owen shifted his attention back to their son. For a while now, Lucas had been interacting with them a lot more, making sounds and blabbering syllables, paying attention to what they said and even recognizing names, songs and familiar faces. A couple of days before, Owen could swear he’d heard the boy say “dada” in an attempt to get to him but Amelia had been reluctant to acknowledge it.

“He did not,” Owen smiled mischievously, doing the same thing she’d done to him. “I think you heard what you wanted to hear.”

For the past weeks, the couple had been playfully competing to see who’d be honored by their son’s first ever comprehensible word. And now, Amelia seemed too determined to put any doubts aside and claim the winning spot.

“He clearly said it.” She insisted. Amelia knew that Lucas had indeed said something similar to dad not too long before but she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

“He did not.” Owen played along, giving her a pretend censoring look.

Amelia scowled so adorably that it made him laugh. Lucas seemed to pick up on the light atmosphere because the baby smiled and made an attempt at a solo walk, this time crashing into his father’s arms before he could hold balance. Amelia was just about to stimulate the baby to try his first steps in her direction when her phone buzzed.

“It’s Tom,” Amelia whispered to Owen before answering the call.

Across from his wife, Owen heard the senior neurosurgeon asking her through face time about any symptoms she might have experienced the past weeks and how her return to work had been. Amelia noticed the way Owen rolled his eyes once he realize who was on the phone, but she tried her best to hide her amused smile.

“Show me the scar.” Koracick couldn’t hide a smug smile on the corner of his lips and immediately resumed talking. “Oh that’s right, you can’t, because you don’t have one.”

“You’re so full of yourself.” Amelia couldn’t be bothered, well aware of Tom’s arrogance. She had to give it to him though, he had indeed done a wonderful job. Her incision site was nearly invisible, even if she pulled her hair to the side.

“Oh, look, it’s Bighead!” Amelia heard Koracick’s voice and saw his pestering smile when Lucas made an attempt for her phone, blocking the camera. “It looks like he is finally growing some teeth.”

“He has two now.” Amelia laughed at her former boss’s provocation, proudly flashing her baby’s smile to the phone.

“Yeah, those two white bulges make him look even creepier,” Tom replied with a smirk, unaware that everything he was saying could be heard by Owen. “And how is Little Thomas doing?”

“It’s a boy.” Amelia smiled, knowing that now more than ever Koracick would pester her about the name.

“You see, it’s fate.” Her mentor smiled arrogantly. “He is destined to be the new me. Thomas Koracick the second, write that down. You’re going to hear that name quite often in the future.”

Amelia rolled her eyes and was about to reply when Lucas successfully reached out his hand and grabbed her phone before she could stop him.

“Dada.”

“Oh, I knew it.” Amelia’s heard the muffled sound of Tom’s voice when Lucas took the stolen cell phone to his mouth. She had just gotten it back and cleaned the spit from it when the guy added. “Bighead is so jealous of Little Thomas that he is already calling me dad.”

“He was actually talking to Owen.”

Amelia’s dissatisfaction to admit Lucas’s first comprehensible word really had been “dad” was entirely made up by the look of alarm on Koracick’s face when he realized Owen had been listening to him the entire time.

“This is the moment I hang up.” Tom pulled himself back together and gave Owen a scowl of indifference, adding with sarcasm. “Take good care of my heir.”

Before Owen could even say something, Tom hung up. The trauma surgeon took a deep breath, trying to refrain from pointing out how obnoxious and unbelievably arrogant Amelia’s former mentor was.

“You can just say it.” Amelia read his thoughts and struggled to contain a smile.

Owen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hating to admit it.

“The guy is unbelievable.” He nodded his head in disapproval. He didn’t have enough words to describe what exactly he thought of Tom Koracick. “But…” Owen let out a heavy sigh, rolling his eyes. “We do look alike.” He accepted, much to his own dismay. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter, let’s get to what’s really important here,” his face transformed as a satisfied smile crept on his lips. “I guess we now have confirmation that this little man,” Owen leaned forward and easily captured Lucas with one of his arms, giving the boy a series of kisses on the cheek, “really has just said his first word.”

“I hate you.” Amelia grinned, unable to hide she hated to lose. But at the same time, she was the happiest she had ever been.

“No, you don’t.” Owen looked up to meet her eyes and returned her smile.

“I really don’t.” She laughed when he used his other arm to capture her too, keeping both her and their son trapped inside his embrace.

“What am I going to do with you three, huh? One is absolutely stubborn and unpredictable,” Owen looked at his wife and then diverted his gaze to Lucas. Their baby was just as willful and determined as his mother and just like Amelia, it felt like his energy never expired. “The other is already a little savage in the making.” He tried to keep his face serious. Lucas was always playing and exploring, demanding a lot of attention from his parents. It was hard to keep up and he knew the baby had taken after Amelia. “I just honestly hope your brother has a better disposition because I can’t with a third brat to watch out for.”

Amelia cracked up, shrugging her shoulders to defend herself from the ticklish kisses on her neck. She wrapped one arm around Owen’s torso, leaning against him on the floor of their children’s bedroom.

“Have you thought about any baby names yet?” She looked up to meet his eyes, unable to stop smiling.

“No, have you?” Owen gently caressed her hair, watching as Lucas seemed too caught up trying to chew a rubber toy.

“Emilio Shepherd.” Amelia replied with a giggle, making Owen crack up too. “How about that?”

“That is what I was going with too.” Owen replied with good humor. “Of course he will never get bullied for that.”

“Of course not.” Amelia played along, too entertained.

They spent the next minutes coming up with new suggestions, one worse than the other.

“Luke, what do you think we should name your brother?” Amelia held her baby and kissed his belly, being rewarded with a smile. “What is your choice?”

Lucas tried to be a part of the conversation, answering with a bunch of random syllables to his parents’ delight.

“So I am really torn now.” Amelia couldn’t contain her laughter. “Emilio Shepherd or La-la-la.”

“Do you want to name him Thomas?” Owen asked a little more seriously, making eye contact with his wife.

Amelia’s goofy manners vanished and she straightened up her body, sitting in front of him on the floor.

“No, of course not.” She frowned with a little more emphasis than necessary. “You hate Tom.” She pointed out.

Owen tried to refrain from agreeing with that sentence, so he just leaned forward and grabbed her thighs with his hands.

“It’s okay if you do.” He assured her, looking his wife in the eyes.

“But…” Amelia was genuinely confused. “You said so yourself. Tom is an egocentric jerk.” She used the words Owen had said on purpose.

“He did save your life, though.” Owen pointed out. He might not be the guy’s biggest fan, but he had to admit that. And most importantly, at this point, the trauma surgeon had already figured out what mattered the most. “And it doesn’t matter how much he likes to pretend that he is indifferent, it’s obvious he is worried about you.” Owen admitted, shrugging his shoulders with conformation. “It doesn’t change the fact that he is an idiot, but I really think deep down he is a good guy. I think he genuinely cares about you.” The trauma surgeon rolled his eyes, hating that he was able to be this rational. “And Thomas is a nice name.”

“It is.” Amelia bit her lower lip, touched by her husband’s accurate perception and selfless gesture. Owen never failed to amaze her.

“So, Little Thomas, huh?” Owen reluctantly smiled, well aware that by the time Koracick found out about it, they would be in for another round of insufferable teasing.

“Thomas Hunt, though.” Amelia looked lovingly at her husband. “Not Koracick or anything else.” She made sure to point out. “Little Thomas Hunt.” Amelia repeated, watching the way Owen’s eyes revealed how pleased he was to hear those words. He placed a lot of value in family and she knew her loyalty meant the world to her husband.

“I think if our son is half as smart as you are, then he will be just as smart as Koracick.” Owen gave her a wicked smile, absolutely satisfied to get back at the guy. “So I think Thomas fits.”

Amelia felt touched by his adorable compliment and reached out to give Owen a kiss on the lips.

“I love you.”

“I thought you just said you hated me?” He raised one eyebrow at her, smiling right after.

“Very smart.” She tilted her head, flirting with him before Owen’s hands went from her thighs to her face, pulling her in for another kiss.

.

Just like he’d done when his wife had been pregnant with Lucas, Owen made sure to assemble the new furniture for the nursery. Every day, Amelia asked herself how they were going to manage two young babies. Lucas seemed to sense that a big change was about to happen because he demanded a lot of attention every time his mother was with him.

After a particularly busy Sunday working on house renovations, Owen was exhausted. He took his time in the shower, enjoying the peaceful moment after a noisy day.

The trauma surgeon had just finished drying his hair with a towel and put on comfortable pants when his eyes caught a glimpse of his wife standing in their bedroom corner. Amelia had a heavy frown on her forehead as she worked her way around buttoning an old pair of pants, looking at it with a mix of disbelief and caution.

“Everything okay there?” Owen asked from a distance, amused with her struggle.

“Yeah,” Amelia was startled by his question before looking over her shoulder to reply. “It’s just…” She sighed, giving up completely. “Damn it, a bunch of my clothes don’t fit me anymore.”

Owen chuckled and walked to her, finding it funny how bothered by it she seemed to be.

“You’re twenty weeks along, babe.” He reminded her, giving his wife a gentle kiss on the temple as she stood in front of a mirror, looking back at their reflection. “It was bound to happen.” Owen smiled with his eyes before descending his gaze from her face to her now prominent bump. “And by the way, you look beautiful.” He added, brushing his lips on her cheek one more time before walking away.

Amelia lifted the tank top she was wearing and looked at her oversized abdomen. She turned to her side and bit her bottom lip with amusement, watching the transformation of her body. Her previously slim waist was now rounder and for some reason, it felt like her hips were larger too. Amelia had never been insecure about her looks or her body, she’d always known she was above average attractive. But she was confident enough to admit out loud that she didn’t think she looked her very best at the moment.

“Look at me,” She playfully asked for Owen’s attention. “I read somewhere this week that by now, the baby should be the size of a banana,” her eyes sparkled with playfulness before she added, “but for some reason it feels more like I have a watermelon inside of me.”

Owen was contaminated by her lightheartedness and easy smile. Amelia was able to laugh at herself without being demeaning. He loved that about her. In fact, he loved everything about her. From the black panties and fitted tank top she was wearing, to the adorable dimples dancing on her cheeks as she smiled widely at him.

“I think you look hot,” He winked discreetly at her, pulling the covers from the bed to lie down.

“You seriously don’t.” Amelia doubted him, smiling from ear to ear as she turned back to the mirror, amused by her own disproportional figure. “If Luke could speak properly, he’d ask me why I swallowed his new brother.”

“Amelia, don’t make me say it again. You look amazing.” Owen insisted, the smile on his lips going from sweet to seductive. “Come here.”

Amelia took one second longer looking into his eyes and with a chuckle, switched off the light before walking in his direction.

“What are you doing?” Owen asked before she reached the bed. “Turn the lights back on.”

“There’s no need to.” Amelia replied, stubbornly resuming her way.

“But I want to.” Owen firmly stated, stretching out his hand to turn on the lamp on his bedside table. When he saw the question in her eyes, the trauma surgeon explained. “I want to look at you.”

“Stop it, you’re just being silly,” Amelia felt her cheeks blushing but didn’t have time to process it because Owen captured her arms and pulled her to his lap. “You’re trying to make me feel good because while I get to do all the heavy work,” she touched her belly suggestively. “You got only the fun part.”

“True.” Owen whispered close to her ear, drawing a trail of kisses on the column of her neck right after. “I only participated in the fun part. But I am not trying to make you feel better, I seriously mean it.” He added, looking straight into her eyes so she could see he was being honest. He had never wanted her more than he did at that moment “You are a freaking turn on.”

“Owen,” Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and dug the tips of her fingers jn the back of his head, lazily caressing his hair. “How can you seriously think I look hotter now than I did before I was pregnant?”

“Because now you have a part of me inside of you.” Owen answered like it was very obvious. “Something that we made together.” He added, more rationally than emotionally. “Do you have any idea how amazing that is? Nothing can beat that.”

Amelia didn’t realize she’d held her breath, totally caught off guard by his sweet confession. The fact that Owen had said it so naturally overwhelmed her. Before she could process it, Amelia leaned over him and kissed his lips, wrapping both her legs and arms around the only man who’s ever made her feel so absolutely complete. She was so happy that for the night, she forgot all about her recent surgery, the still opened discussion about how they were going to deliver the new baby and how her body would still transform a lot more, focusing instead on the one responsible for bringing an insane amount of happiness to her days.

.

Summer was almost over when, on a sunny weekend, Amelia opened her door to find Addison Montgomery standing on her doorway with a big smile on her face.

Addison had never failed to be there for her when Amelia needed her the most and this time it was no different. Even though she and Owen had several times talked about the upcoming birth, never had they reached a conclusion. Amelia knew that no matter which choice they made, what mattered the most was having Addison there because she was the only one Amelia trusted for the task. And to her delighted surprised, she’d heard Owen confess he felt the same way.

“I can’t believe you are this big!” Addison said, playfully kissing Lucas. After the boy’s birth, she’d come to Seattle for his baptism, and just recently for his first birthday party and to check on Amelia. But she was always in touch and Amelia loved to see her devotion as godmother.

“I can’t believe Henry is this big!” Amelia chided, looking at the pictures on Addison’s phone. “I still don’t forgive you for not bringing him.”

“He goes back to preschool on Monday!” Addison justified. She didn’t know how long she would stay for and it wasn’t wise to make Henry unnecessarily fall behind in his classes.

“School never took anyone anywhere.” Amelia said unconvinced, opening the fridge to get a jar of orange juice. She was past thirty-eight weeks along now and even though the scans showed Thomas to be nearly as large as Lucas had been, she took comfort in knowing he seemed to be at least a little smaller.

“That’s great advice for your kids,” Addison replied with sarcasm, unable to hide her smile. “I can’t believe you are a mom of two, what the hell.”

“I know, right?” Amelia smiled mischievously, almost proud of herself. “Who would have guessed? I feel like I am not mature enough to be anyone’s mom.”

“That’s exactly my point.” Addison teased her and when they both laughed together, the surgeon added. “You know I am just kidding, don’t you?” She asked, looking deeply into Amelia’s eyes. “You’ve turned out amazing. You are one hell of a mom and I am damn proud of you.”

Amelia bit her bottom lip, touched by the words her friend had said. Despite not being biologically related to her brother’s ex’s wife, she still considered Addison much more of a sister than her blood sisters had ever been.

“Thank you, Addie.” Amelia replied, feeling unusually shy. Addison’s words meant a great deal to her and there was no point in trying to hide it, because her friend could easily read the  emotions on her face. “Still, though…” Amelia’s voice went back to its signature playfulness. “I am a mom.” She added empathically. “A mom. Of two, on top of that.” The neurosurgeon affectionately rubbed her belly.

“Keep going at this rate and soon enough it will be of three.” Addison raised one eyebrow in a big sister censoring mode.

“God, no!” Amelia refuted immediately. She was already having a hard time with one and soon enough, she would have to juggle two. “Before Owen and I got married I used to think I’d easily go for four or five kids but damn, I had no idea it’s this much work.” Amelia said, while going around the kitchen getting plates and a few snacks for the two of them. “I mean, it’s not just the heavy work… I am used to sleepless nights, but what is really consuming is the worry.” She defined, looking at Addison to see if the other could relate. Once Addison agreed with a head nod, Amelia went on venting. “I worry all the time.” She confessed. “Luke is the first thing in my mind when I wake up and the last one before I go to bed. His well-being is way on top of anything else and Thomas isn’t even born yet and I already feel the same way…” Amelia frowned, lost in thought. “I mean, it won’t ever stop. And it’s overwhelming to think that. Because I can’t control it.” The neurosurgeon gazed at nowhere, deeply immersed in her own thinking. “It’s crazy, it’s… it’s…”

“It’s being a mom.” Addison summarized for her and playfully raised her orange juice glass in a pretend toast. “I couldn’t have defined it better myself.”

“I guess.” Amelia agreed with a large smile, watching as Lucas stepped forward the minute he saw the glass of juice in her hand.

At fourteen months old, Lucas was not only walking, but his parents were already having a hard time keeping him from running. He wanted to explore everything and his vocabulary was impressively increasing by the day. Now, the baby understood a lot of different words and was able to communicate using his facial expressions, pointing to objects and even saying a handful of words he could now pronounce very clearly.

“So…” Addison turned the glass around in her hands, looking at Amelia with a more serious expression. “Have you and Owen reached a conclusion about the birth yet?”

Amelia wasn’t surprised with the question and took a deep breath, trying to think of what to say.

“Not really…” She replied honestly. “He is still insisting I have the C-section, I am still terrified with the idea.” The neurosurgeon added. “Unless you look me in the eyes and tell me that medically speaking, you think it’s going to be dangerous for the baby to have a natural delivery. In that case, I don’t care what I have to go through.” She said with certainty. “But if you think I can pass this baby, if you think the risk for him is smaller or equivalent to the one of a C-section, then I am not going through another surgery.”

Addison studied her friend’s expression, trying her hardest to be as impartial and sensible as possible.

“Amelia, do you remember what happened last time?” Addison asked without any judgment. “I am not asking this in a condescending way, I am asking you, do you really remember what happened?” The obstetrician breathed in and out. “You were unconscious for a big portion of it. That’s why I am asking.”

“I do,” Amelia replied insecurely. “I mean, I remember it was painful and that at some point I lost a lot of blood but…”

“Amelia, you nearly died.” Addison went straight to the point, looking into her eyes very seriously. “You nearly died and I think if you remembered exactly what happened you wouldn’t in your right mind want to submit yourself to that again.”

“Addie, I…”

“That being said,” Addison raised one of her hands in the air, silencing Amelia. “I am going to be honest with you and say that from a medical point of view…” The obstetrician struggled, knowing that despite not being comfortable with it, she owed Amelia nothing but her honest opinion. “Although knowing that having a history of uterine atony increases the chance for a new event in a following birth, it does not contraindicate a new natural delivery.” Addison sighed. “In your cases, we know it was Lucas’ size that probably caused your condition. If Thomas is smaller than him, it’s probably safer to go through with it.”

Amelia noticed how her friend was struggling with the confession and deeply appreciated her effort to be truthful at the same time she showed her concern.

“Thank you.”

Addison nodded assertively and for the rest of the day, the two surgeons caught up on each other’s lives. Just when Amelia thought the matter was decided, she found out that actually communicating Owen about her decision and the talk she’d had with Addison was turning out to be harder than she’d anticipated.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” The neurosurgeon carefully asked, sitting on their bed while her husband kept his silence with his back turned to her.

“There is nothing left to be said.” Owen replied dryly, avoiding looking at her.

“Owen, it’s not like that…” Amelia tried, hoping the conversation wouldn’t turn it into a fight. “I told you, I talked to Addison and she thinks that…”

“You’ve made up your mind and you informed me of your decision.” Owen looked at her over his shoulder. “You’re clearly certain about this and you know I don’t agree with it.” He added with consternation. “So the same way I can’t force you to take the safer route, please don’t expect me to be convinced that your way is better.”

Amelia figured the dimension of just how upset Owen was when he stood up and walked away, struggling to contain his irritation.

Amelia felt her throat constricting and fought really hard not to tear up. Not only were the hormones in her body making her emotionally liable, she was also feeling unsupported and alone for the first time ever since she’d found out she was pregnant. Having Owen by her side meant the world to her and it scared Amelia to death to think that he wasn’t on board with such a huge decision in their lives.

“Owen, please…” Amelia sniffed, still resisting the tears. “You have to try to understand it.” She begged, leaving the bed and going to him. “Please, I…”

“Don’t you get it?” Owen tilted his head and looked at her, livid. For the first time, he fully looked at her and the distress on her face broke his heart. Fighting an internal battle, Owen realized he’d lost it the moment the first tear rolled on her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you...” He roughly held her face in his hands.

“You won’t lose me,” Amelia cut him off.

“…I’ve had to see you nearly die too many times before!” Owen went on, ignoring her interruption. “First that time in the elevator,” He listed, thinking about the day early in their marriage when Amelia had gone into a collapsed building to rescue a patient and nearly got herself killed. “Then when Lucas was born I thought you were both going to die and it was the scariest day of my life… Then we found out you had a brain tumor…!” Owen took a break, overwhelmed with the memories. “How more many times am I going to have to sit around biting my nails, praying to God that someone won’t come to me to tell me that my wife has died?”

Long seconds of heavy silence went by as Amelia processed his point of view. She didn’t have an answer to that, because the one he wanted to hear was also the one that scared her the most.

“I won’t die!” Amelia chided, unable to hold her tears at his display of raw emotion. “You won’t lose me because I won’t die…” She insisted, unreasonably. “Addison is going to be there and if anything goes wrong, she will intervene and…”

“That’s what happened last time.” Owen interrupted her. “And you nearly died, anyway.” He recalled, thinking about the birth. “And Lucas too.” He added. “When he finally came out and I saw that he was blue, the first thought I had was that my baby had been deprived of oxygen for too long and too much damage was already done to be reversed.” Owen truthfully admitted.

He saw the look of horror on Amelia’s face and even though he felt cruel for resorting to that argument, considering Amelia would probably feel irrational guilt, he knew in his heart he needed to because too much was at stake and Owen wasn’t about to risk losing her or their baby.

“You don’t want to have surgery because you’re worried about the drugs and I get it, babe, I honestly get it…” He loosened the grip on her face and gently bent forward, kissing her temple with devotion. “I don’t want to see you in pain, that’s the last thing I want.” Owen added with sincerity. “But I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.” He wrapped her in her arms and held her so tightly that Amelia didn’t doubt him. “I won’t let anything happen to you under my watch, but Amelia, you gotta let me…” Owen nearly begged. “It’s not just me, you know?” He lifted his head from her neck to look into her eyes. “We have the kids to think about. If anything happens to you or to the baby, where does that leave us?” He raised his eyebrows, trying to make Amelia see it through his eyes. “Where does that leave Lucas? If you bleed out again and we can’t control it this time and I know… I know you think the chance isn’t that big but there is a chance… If it happens, how do I come home and tell Lucas that his mom isn’t coming home anymore?” Owen looked into her eyes, resorting to the most powerful feeling in Amelia’s heart. “If Thomas comes out and you bleed to death again, how do I raise them and tell them what happened?” He saw the way her eyes drowned in tears and secretly hated himself to be causing them, despite knowing it was necessary. “You can’t risk dying, Amelia, even if you think the chances are smaller, because they need you. I need you.” He added emphatically. “But they need you more than anyone else and I know you think you’re making the best decision for you both but you can’t risk not being there for them.”

Amelia was assaulted by a wave of tears and soon enough, heard herself sobbing.

“I am scared…” She confessed, seeking the comfort of his arms.

“You are not going to be on drugs again, Amelia. I promise.” Owen said with confidence. “I won’t let it happen.”

When Amelia had first found out about her brain tumor, she had submitted herself to surgery because she knew there was a big chance both she and her baby could die or be neurologically impaired in case she didn’t remove it and went on with her pregnancy. And while she’d received opioids during anesthesia, afterwards Amelia had bravely avoided them and endured post op almost pain free.

But now, a C-section would implicate not only in another round of pain block, but also a much wider and deeper surgical wound. Amelia would have to cope with it all the while caring for a newborn and an infant. And despite knowing she had a strong support system and a lot of help, the idea of being exposed to drugs in such a vulnerable moment scared the hell out of her, because Amelia knew she couldn’t predict her actions. She was sure she was in a better place than she’d ever been, and that was exactly why she wasn’t willing to risk letting her past compromise her future with a possible relapse.

And yet, at the same time Amelia hoped a natural birth would run smoothly because all medical signs pointed that way, there was the slim chance of things taking an unexpected turn like the previous time. If she was submitted to a C-section, they couldn’t predict all the risks, but it would be much easier to control a hemorrhage in case she had one. Not to mention there wasn’t the chance of Thomas being deprived of oxygen during birth in case she couldn’t pass him.

And when the idea of her son’s wellbeing being compromised came to mind, Amelia knew in her heart she’d just made her decision.

“Okay…” She sobbed loudly, unable to speak more than a whisper.

Owen let out a breath of utter relief and tightened his grip around his wife, thanking the universe for making Amelia take the safer route.

“You will be okay,” he promised, not realizing he was rocking her back and forth. “I promise you, you will all be okay.”

Owen had never failed to take care of her and Amelia knew in her heart he would keep his word. There wasn’t anyone in the world she trusted more than her husband, and no one had ever made her feel as safe as he did. So even though the idea of a new surgery still terrified her, she was aware that rationally, it made more sense for everyone affected.

When they informed Addison of the decision, Amelia could swear she saw relief stamped on her friend’s face. But being Addison, she quickly got practical and looked at the calendar, suggesting they scheduled a C-section for September 20th, in three days. Her plan included monitoring Amelia closely to make sure she didn’t go into labor before that, or else they’d have to rush with the procedure, considering the baby was already at full term.

But late that same evening, Amelia woke up with a backache. Initially, she didn’t give much thought to it and tried adjusting on the bed. Given her height and the size of her belly, lumbar pain wasn’t exactly an alarming symptom and she’d been experiencing it during her third trimester. But when the pain woke her up for the third time that night, Amelia gave up sleeping completely.

At some point, she decided to leave the bed and realized she was sweating, even though it wasn’t seven in the morning. The neurosurgeon abruptly took off her clothes, but the minute she stepped into the shower and felt something moist running down her legs before she had even turned on the water, Amelia figured out what was happening.

“Owen,” She called out, her voice calm and firm. “Owen, wake up. I think my water just broke.”

She had to laugh at how fast her husband went from deeply asleep to functionally up and running. In less then twenty minutes, they were already at the hospital and Addison requested the OR at the same time she stepped in to examine her friend in the obstetrics ward.

“Why are you making that face?” The neurosurgeon asked with alarm, trying to make sense of her friend’s worried glances.

Amelia noticed as Addison quickly stood up and discarded her gloves in the nearest bin.

“You’re already at ten centimeters.” The obstetrician explained.

“But I am not…” Amelia looked from her and then to Owen, who stood in the opposite side of the room, next to her shoulders. “I am not contracting yet.”

“You are.” Addison informed her, asking for help to transport the patient up to the OR.

“No, when I had Lucas it was different, it wasn’t like this…!” Amelia replied and the change of expression on her face was clear. She started to panic and sought help in her husband and friend’s figures. “Why is this happening…? Addie!”

Amelia noticed the way Addison rushed to get her gurney moved upstairs and Owen followed with a look of extreme worry on his face.

“You’re okay,” Addison touched her shoulder and looked her deeply into her eyes. “I’m taking you to the OR.” She looked from Amelia to Owen and then back to her friend. “I just don’t know if we’ll have enough time to block you and get the procedure going before the…”

Addison’s words were interrupted by a large scream of agony when Amelia felt the stinging familiar muscular pain in her back going with full force to her lower abdomen. She cried out a nasty word, making people around her frown in response, and closed her eyes with full force to endure the stabbing pain she knew was about to come.

Everything happened so fast that Amelia was surprised with how well it turned out to be. Considering this was her third labor, it was expected to progress faster but afterwards, she would come to realize that she had been in labor for at least six hours, ever since birth contractions disguised as back pain had started to hit.

And this time around, the birth progressed smoothly, much more so than Amelia and Owen could ever hope for in their most positive dreams.

“There he is…” Addison smiled between tears, wrapping a large pink baby in a dry towel before handing him over to his mother, who looked at her with effusive joy. “Look at him, Amelia, he is gorgeous.”

And the neurosurgeon had to fully agree. Newborns were usually so swollen and immersed in birth fluids that they didn’t look exactly pleasing. But Thomas looked so fragile and at the same time so cute that Amelia felt her heart fluttering with the purest emotions.

“Hi, sweetheart.” She held him for the first time, studying his adorable features. Thomas had large, round eyes and a very prominent dimple on his cheek that became even more evident when he tried to suckle. It was her dimple, Amelia realized. “You are so cute… Mom loves you so much…”

Owen was standing by her side but he was so overwhelmed with his emotions that he couldn’t say a word. Instead, he leaned forward and gave his wife a kiss on the forehead, getting closer to see his newborn son.

“I love you,” The trauma surgeon whispered in his wife’s ears, delicately touching the five toes on his baby’s foot. “I love you both so much.”

Amelia turned her head up to see him and smiled with contentment.

“Where is Lucas? He needs to meet his brother.”

“He is outside with Maggie.” Owen explained, unable to take his eyes off his new son. “Oddly enough, she is one of the few ones who isn’t out on maternity leave.”

Amelia laughed, knowing very well what he was talking about. Arizona Robbins had just gone back to work after a maternity leave period with her son, who had been born a few months before. April and Jackson had also given birth to a boy, not three weeks before. And Jo Wilson and Alex Karev were expected to welcome a daughter in the following month.

“Maggie has to meet Tommy too.” Amelia stated with a full smile. “She has to meet her godson. I want to see them… When can I see them?”

No more than thirty minutes afterwards, Amelia was already enjoying the company of her husband and friends in the private room inside the maternity wing. She couldn’t believe how well things had worked out. Not only jad she accidentally avoided a C-section but the natural birth had progressed better than she and Owen had predicted.

Now, they had not one, but two amazing and healthy baby boys who were able to exponentially multiply how much love they shared in their household.

 “Luke, be gentle!” Amelia asked, watching as her oldest son moved on her bed while she dressed his baby brother.

“Baby.” Lucas said with a wide grin, pointing to his brother but looking at his mom for approval.

“Yes,” the neurosurgeon looked back at him, trying to divide her attention between the two boys. “He is my baby and so are you.”

“Momma.” Lucas smiled at her, handing her one of the diapers that was next to him even though Amelia had already finished getting Thomas dressed. He looked pretty proud of himself. Amelia took the sweet gesture as a peace offering and laughed with effusive joy. “Luke helps.”

“Yes you do,” Amelia bent over and kissed him multiple times. “You are mommy’s favorite helper.”

“And Tommy too.”

“And Tommy’s favorite too.” Amelia smiled with enchantment at her son’s sneaky manners.

Thomas was yet too young to understand the conversation, but he already recognized people around him and made a fuss when he saw his brother, excitedly moving his arms and legs.

Amelia held his hands and gently helped the baby to sit. At five months, Thomas was starting to learn to hold balance on his own. The neurosurgeon ran her hand through his thin hair, speaking words of encouragement when he didn’t fall back after being helped up.

“Look who’s sitting up!”

“Jesus Christ!” Amelia’s eyes went wide with alarm when Owen unexpectedly surprised her behind her back. He always did that and she hated it. Throwing an unused pack of baby wipes at him as punishment, Amelia tried to control her racing heart. “Why can’t you announce yourself for once? You scare me every time.”

“Because it’s a lot more fun seeing you get worked up like that.” Owen had to dodge her playful attempt to once again hit him, this time with a pillow. Almost instantly, he was warmly welcomed by Lucas who was already pulling his pants to be picked up by his father. “Hey buddy.” Owen crouched and gave his son a warm hug before picking him up. “How are you? How was your day?”

“He was an amazing help to mommy today.” Amelia replied, looking at her son with proud eyes. Lucas noticed it, because his smile couldn’t hide how pleased he was.

“And this little man right here?” Owen sat on the edge of the king size bed his wife and younger son were in.

“He behaved like a gentleman too.” Amelia chuckled, observing her husband motion forward to give their baby a welcoming kiss.

“And what about you?” Owen pulled her by the hand, forcing Amelia down in his direction. He quickly stole a kiss before adding, “Did you behave today too?” He asked her playfully.

Owen knew that Amelia must have had a tough time spending a day entirely alone with the boys while he was at work. It was the first double shift he pulled after Thomas was born and he knew how overwhelming it could be to be at home with two babies for so many hours. But despite tired, she looked happy.

“I always behave.” She returned his loving gaze.

“No, you never do.” Owen looked at her with expectancy in his eyes and smiled lovingly at her. He was up to something and Amelia could tell. “Now, since you’ve been such a team player today and held it together like a champ,” he teased her, “I thought you could use a treat. Go check the kitchen.”

Amelia didn’t waste time wondering what was happening. Instead, she jumped out of bed and raced to the living room. Her face transformed with a smile when she noticed the takeover bags of her favorite restaurant piled on the kitchen counter. Owen had brought them dinner and she felt instantly thankful for him being so amazing.

And Amelia didn’t even need to open the first box to know what it contained. She could already smell her favorite crab cakes. Oh, how well her husband knew her.

“Owen Hunt!” She yelled from the kitchen, unable to see the smile of utter satisfaction on Owen’s face as he lay on the bed, holding both his sons in his arms as he listened to her, anticipating her happiness, which only added to his own before he took the boys to join her. “I love you!”

.

Epilogue

“Is this really him?” Tom asked with a heavy frown.

A baby’s birthday party was the last place on Earth Amelia would expect to find her mentor in and yet there he was, at her house, on her younger son’s first birthday. Everything around them was decorated with safari animals and Tom Koracick looked hilariously out of place standing in the middle of her living room, examining her baby like he couldn’t make up his mind about the boy.

“This is him.” Amelia smiled widely. A few weeks before, she had unpretentiously invited Koracick to  Thomas’s birthday party, not really expecting him to show up. But to her delighted surprised, her former boss showed up on her front step that day. He’d justified it by saying he was in town for a lecture at the University of Washington, but Amelia had a feeling his motives might not be entirely academic. “Tommy, say hi to Uncle Tom.” Amelia encouraged her son.

Tom Koracick stood in front of the boy, his narrowed eyes scanning the infant. With his silver blonde hair and his father’s eyes added to some of Amelia’s most delicate features, Thomas looked like a magazine cover baby.

“Is he a shark?” Koracick asked without any further due, still inspecting the kid. “Because if he is going to be the new me, he needs to be a shark. I want nothing but the very best, Shepherd.”

“He is not going to be you.” Amelia chuckled, watching as Tommy stared back at Koracick with the same intense gaze, not intimidated by the man. “And he is not a shark, he is actually very sweet.”

Koracick shrugged his shoulders.

“Don’t worry.” Tom smiled teasingly while looking into Amelia’s eyes. “There is still time for us to change that.”

From a distance, Addison observed the scene, having a great time. She was momentarily distracted by her son Henry who passed by her, quickly followed by Lucas.

“Take it easy, Luke!” Owen advised his two year old, getting to the fridge to get more ice cream for the kids outside. They had a full house today and he loved it.

“Amelia told me about Koracick and the way he suggested you guys named the baby after him.” Addison turned around on her kitchen stool, looking from the living room to Owen. “He really sounds like a piece of work.” The obstetrician smiled. She’d known Koracick through Amelia’s eyes for years but this was the first time she was seeing the man. And he was exactly what Amelia had painted.

“He is a jackass.” Owen summed up, cleaning a spoonful of dropped ice cream before closing the fridge. “But for some reason she admires him and at least he cares about her. I can’t take that for granted.”

Addison knew that just the year before, Tom Koracick had operated on Amelia, saving her life and allowing her to continue her pregnancy without any further complications.

“How is Amy handling it?” Addison asked with a wide grin. “Being the only girl in the house? She is not used to it.” Her long time friend pointed out. Amelia had grown up in a house full of sisters and this experience must be entirely new to her.

Owen processed the question and looked over at his wife, smiling in response. It was a hot summer day and Amelia looked more relaxed than ever happily chatting with their son on her arms.

“She is kicking ass.” Owen replied with pride. He examined her further and noticed the way her white shorts and burgundy top matched her bare feet. The combination only made her look even younger and fresher. Amelia was very attractive and yet she didn’t even need to put on tight clothes, heels or cleavages to appear feminine. Owen found her infinitely more adorable when she was being exactly her regular self. “You know her… She has never had a hard time adjusting to anything new. And she has always been good with girls and boys all the same.” Owen pointed out, examining her outfit once more. “Amelia is like a Tomboy Princess.”

His definition made Addison laugh and she looked over her shoulder, having the same vision as Owen and then nodding in response.

“Yup… That’s the perfect definition.” The obstetrician realized. “She always has been.” Addison looked at Owen with a final head nod and got up, going to her friend’s direction. “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but it’s my turn to hold this adorable birthday boy, isn’t it?” She asked, tickling Thomas.

Amelia proudly passed her baby onto Addison and quickly introduced her to Koracick afterwards.

“I heard a lot about you, but I don’t think we’ve met before.” Addison politely smiled.

“Yeah…” Tom looked at her with what looked like approval. “I don’t think so either.” He kept staring at her unceremoniously. “I definitely would have remembered you if we’d met.”

The minute Amelia noticed Tom was flirting with Addison, she stepped away, too amused at Addison’s frown of confusion. Only a guy like Tom Koracick would make such a move at a woman with a wedding band as large as the one Addison had on her finger.

“Having fun?” Owen asked her when she joined him in the kitchen.

“Very much,” Amelia smiled as she looked into his eyes, stepping forward to wrap on arm around his torso. She gently laid her head on him, feeling Owen’s arm surrounding her shoulders. They kept standing, watching from a distance as Tom Koracick made Addison laugh with whatever it was he was saying.

“So, Tommy is one now.” Owen gazed at her expectantly. “Remember what you said?”

“Owen…” Amelia couldn’t help chuckling at his adorable insistence.

“You said that when the boys were older we could do it.” He bargained. “Amelia, you said it, don’t you dare break your word.”

Amelia took a deep breath and held it, determined to pester him.

“Wait until he is a little older and we’ll do it.”

“What?”

That was not the answer Owen wanted to hear.

“You are so mean.” He stared at her with mock offense. “You are a mean witch.”

“When Tom is two we’ll do it.”

“You said when he was one we could do it.”

“Well, I had no idea we would be in for this much work,” she smiled at his frustration, deep down feeling sorry. Amelia didn’t want to disappoint him, but she had gotten her work back on track and there was no way she could take more time off in the near future.

“You owe me this, woman,” Owen looked at her and, unable to hold himself any longer, wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’ll charge you with interest.”

“I’ll be happy to fully pay my debt, then.” Amelia smiled when he used his lips to playfully touch the column of her neck.

“It’s a promise then,” Owen stated, planning on entirely holding her to it.

“Deal.” Amelia smiled, too in love with him to be rational about Owen’s crazy idea.

“So get yourself ready, babe.” Her husband warned her. Amelia chuckled and let out an unplanned giggle when he playfully pinched her bottom. It was almost time for the birthday cake and she had to get Owen back to the present moment, but not without hearing his sweet promise first. For the past few months, her husband had been insisting they went on vacation together and even though Amelia loved the idea, she knew that actually organizing everything and making it work with two young boys would be a challenge. But Owen’s happiness with the plan and his devotion to their family made everything worth it. She still had time to steal one quick kiss before he added, following her to the living room with a large cake in is hands. “Because next destination is Hawaii. And I am not taking no for an answer.”

--

 So that’s a wrap you guys! Thanks for making it all the way here :)

I suppose most of you are familiar with the following story on this timeline, but if not, here is what happens when Owen and Amelia finally go on that Hawaii Trip. 

[jordan202]

My Boys Drabbles - Thomas (Part Two)

hey guys! thank you for the responses with the first part of this story :) It can be found HERE. Thanks @jia911 for reviewing it for me. @em-m-j I answered your prompt in this one, I hope you like it. @bluebelle18 , I don't even have to say it, do I? :)

My Boys Drabbles – Thomas (Part Two)

“Look, the chief is coming here.”

“Damn, he looks pissed.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t think you guys are the target.”

Amelia distractedly overheard the conversation between two nervous interns and then Deluca’s tone of reassurance that the young doctors shouldn’t be concerned. The neurosurgeon noticed how alarmed everyone else around them was. Nurses, interns and even some attendings had immediately stopped what they were doing as they caught sight of the chief of surgery walking in their direction with a facial expression that indicated he wasn’t just upset.

He was mad.

And in that case, she knew it could mean one thing.

“AMELIA SHEPHERD.” Owen strode by them, making eye contact with his wife in a clear attempt to control himself. “In my office. Now.”

The last thing Amelia saw before leaving the station was the look of utter relief on everyone else’s faces to realize they weren’t the ones who’d have to face the chief’s wrath. She found it extremely amusing how people seemed to fear Owen when he was broody.

“Hi!” She said as she entered his office without knocking, probably a little more cheerfully than she should. “Why are you angry with me?”

Owen thought about replying but his patience was reaching its limit. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, he forced himself to calm down.

“Do you know what I just did in my lunch time, Amelia?” He asked ironically.

“I have no idea, darling.” She replied with a shameless smile, taking a seat in front of him. “That tie looks good on you, it really brings out the color of your eyes. I love it.”

“That’s because I didn’t have a lunch time,” Owen ignored her compliment and went on with his rant, emphasizing his displease with his tone of voice. “Do you know why?” He asked, still just as angry. “Because I had to endure a two hour meeting with the head of Human Resources complaining about you and how you completely disregard the daycare rules and drive all the employees there crazy.”

Owen wasn’t sure what made him angrier at the moment: the fact that it was probably the third or fourth time he was reprimanding Amelia on the same topic over the course of just a few weeks or the realization that she seemed completely unaffected by both his anger and the content of his complaint.

“Well, how about the fact that they drive me crazy?” Amelia stubbornly asked, sustaining her husband’s gaze with defiance. “Besides, their rules are stupid.”

“Amelia…” Owen sighed, taking his hand to his temple to fight a headache. They had been over that many times before.

“Do you know what I did on my lunch time?” Amelia asked with a smug smile. Unable to wait for his reply, she answered her own question. “I had lunch with our son. Then I played with him for another hour and returned him to daycare because I had an elective laminectomy at two.” She knew she was about to make him angrier but couldn’t resist. “You could have joined us, but you chose to endure non sense from other departments instead.”

“They have rules.” Owen dictated slowly, trying to control his temper. “There is a reason why they don’t advise parents to go there in the middle of the day and check out the kids.” He repeated what he’d said many times over before, this time pronouncing each word very slowly, as if trying his best to make her see it.

“Yeah, because it makes their job more difficult.” Amelia stated with a shameless grin. “That’s not a good enough reason for me, sorry, babe.”

“Amelia!”

“Look, you’re on the iron throne, right?” Amelia laughed at her own joke, wondering why Owen was wasting his time on that silly matter. “You call the shots. I don’t get why you’re so worked up over this.”

“Because I’m the one who has to endure long complaints about you!”

Amelia looked at him with an amused grin.

“A Lion doesn’t concern himself with the opinion of the sheep.”

“Stop quoting Game of Thrones!” Owen chided, nearly losing his rationality. “Amelia, for God’s sake, why can’t you just give me one day of peace when I don’t have to hear a complaint about my head of neurosurgery disrupting the order on my surgical floor?”

Amelia looked up to meet his eyes, still amused by her own jokes.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Owen took yet another deep breath, wondering how he hadn’t fired her yet.

“You checked Lucas out of daycare in the middle of the day, again.” He sighed. “The caretakers said he cried for ten minutes after you left. They think it was hard for him to say goodbye to you and that because of that, you are making it harder for him to adapt.”

“Do you know what would be harder on him?” Amelia stop goofing around and spoke seriously, irritated by the stupid rules at the hospital daycare. “To be without me. To be without his mom for ten straight hours at a time.��� She crossed her arms in front of her chest with determination. “I don’t care what these women say, Owen, I am not going to stop seeing my son and being with him just because they don’t want to be bothered. It’s better for Lucas to see me than not to see me, you know that. And eventually he will get used to it. He’s been there for barely a month and the hours aren’t steady. Babies need a routine. That’s why he is acting out, not because I am taking him. You know that as much as I do. Once things get on track, he won’t suffer from separation anxiety anymore.”

Right at that moment, what made Owen angrier the most was that she was absolutely right. But unfortunately, the daycare complaints weren’t the only topic he needed to discuss with her.

“Amelia.” The chief of surgery looked at her very seriously. “This morning you stole an OR from ophthalmology and said the order to give you the room was coming from me.” He sighed, trying to control himself while making a point on how impossible she was. “Don’t you see what you’re doing?” Owen frowned heavily.

“I did not say that.” Amelia looked at him with an almost offended expression. “I never told anyone the order came from you.”

“You told your resident to tell the other attendings that he’d been instructed by Dr. Hunt to clear OR three for neurosurgery!”

“Yes,” Amelia cheered with a satisfied smile, proud of herself. “Exactly.” She gloated.

Owen felt the beginning of a headache as he found himself unable to move forward with the subject. Amelia seemed to have a special talent to catch every loophole possible and make use of it just to outsmart everyone else. He knew that technically she had a point. A few months after they were married, his wife had decided to take on his name. And while she was officially Amelia Shepherd-Hunt now, at work, Amelia still went by Dr. Shepherd.

Perhaps with the exception of when she wanted to trick people into giving her ORs.

“And before you give me the moral speech, don’t even try to convince me that what they had going on was important, Owen.” She added, very seriously. “It was a freaking cataract surgery.” She said with disregard, as if proving her point.

“Amelia…”

“I really needed that OR!” She chided. Seeing she still hadn’t convinced him, Amelia insisted.  “I did!”

“What could possibly be so important that you had to reschedule an elective pituitary adenoma as an emergency booking?” He raised his eyebrows, ready to catch her in her scheme. Amelia’s surgery was set to be performed the following day and her patient didn’t have an urgent condition. There was no way she had any reasonable excuse as to why she had flat out stolen an OR to get her procedure done ahead of time other than her absolute disregard for rules and apparent willingness to make Owen’s already hard work even more difficult.

“I had to steal the OR because my adenectomy was scheduled at the same time as our sonogram tomorrow.” She said with a bright smile.

Owen instantly regretted every thought that had just ran through his mind. How could he have forgotten about that appointment? He was feeling like the worst of all men. And even though he knew he was totally biased to judge that matter in particular, stealing an OR with the purpose Amelia had claimed suddenly seemed entirely justifiable.

“Oh, that’s right…” He shyly went around the table, moving in her direction. “Oh my God, has it really been that long since the last one? It feels like you just told me about the pregnancy yesterday.”

As Owen hugged her, almost apologizing for his momentary relapse, Amelia smiled wickedly.

“Are you really making it that easy for me to get away with this?” She looked into his eyes, standing on the tip of her toes to touch her forehead to his. “Maybe I should play the pregnancy card more often…” The neurosurgeon teased, watching as Owen couldn’t help cracking up.

“Maybe,” he playfully pinched her bottom, “I should just fire you and put an end to all my work problems once and for all.” Owen brushed his lips on hers, amused by how shameless she was.

“But then you’d have no head of neurosurgery.” Amelia smiled with joy, feeling her heart burst with love.

“I can get Nelson to do it.” Owen looked at her with mock challenge. Amelia was easily irked by the slightest insinuation that someone in her department could take over the remarkable job she’d been doing for the past years and Owen knew it.

“You can’t do that.” Amelia kept a forced serious expression. “He’s my secret lover, remember? If you send me home and give him my position, it’s going to end our love affair.”

“Oh, your secret lover?” Owen possessively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Amelia often teased him about having the hots for Nelson, the most unattractive guy at the hospital in Owen’s opinion. “You’ll see what I’ll do about that.”

“What will you do…” Amelia stood on the tip of her toes and leaned forward, on purpose reaching his earlobe and nibbling it gently before whispering in his ear, “chief?”

Owen felt her warm breath on his skin and couldn’t contain himself. Seizing her face between his hands, he pulled her in for a kiss that left Amelia with her knees weak.

“Does your secret lover also leave you breathless?” He noticed she was trying to catch her breath and smugly asked, running his fingers through her dark mass of brown hair.

“No.” She smiled and Owen loved the brightness in her blue eyes. “Only you do.” She said, void of all the playfulness while looking lovingly at him.

Owen felt his defenses crumbling with her adorable confession and buried his face in her neck, breathing in her familiar scent that he loved so much. Amelia was his and no one else’s. During the day, he shared her with the world, but at night, she was only his. And while at work he called the shots, at their home it was Amelia who ruled his heart. Owen was completely under her spell and there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

“I am sorry that I deliberately made them think the order was coming from you.” Amelia humbly admitted as she gently caressed the hair on the back of his head while keeping Owen tightly wrapped in her arms. “I know I shouldn’t have done that.”

“You could have just explained to me why you needed the OR and I would have talked to the Ophthalmology guys and traded the hours.” Owen raised his head to make eye contact with her once again, but his tone was much gentler this time. “You annoying little brat. You’re making my work impossible. Stop.” He smiled, unable to resist her.

“Okay, I will.” Amelia bit her lower lip.

“No, you won’t,” Owen playfully rolled his eyes, already foreseeing that. “I know exactly who I married.” He pretended to be mad, but deep down he was thoroughly amused.

The neurosurgeon chuckled heartily, losing herself in Owen’s arms for the following minutes. Later that afternoon, she got held up at work to operate on a head trauma, watching as her husband went home with their son. But during the entire time she was in the OR, even though her mind was focused on the procedure ahead of her, all of Amelia’s heart was bursting inside of her chest, fueled by the happiness in the perspective of seeing her tiny baby again on screen the following day.

.

Amelia was so tired when she made it home later that she didn’t realize the same twitch she’d felt in her arm during surgery earlier that afternoon was the same one that now made it harder for her to fit the key in the lock. She knew she was feeling more tired than usual, but it was to be expected from a pregnant woman. The neurosurgeon had also noticed she felt exhausted more often now than she had been during Lucas’s gestation after a day spent in the OR, but considering she was juggling a new pregnancy all the while caring for an infant son, it wasn’t really that much surprising that she felt so drained all the time.

The house was unusually silent for that hour, considering Amelia expected to find Owen fixing them dinner while keeping Lucas close by. To her surprise, it wasn’t in the kitchen that she found them, but in the bedroom instead.

On the king size bed, father and son looked deeply disconnected from the world. Amelia noticed how peaceful her baby looked, lazily resting his head on Owen’s chest as he lay completely on top of his dad. Owen’s arm was protectively wrapped around the little boy, making sure he wouldn’t accidentally roll over. The realization made Amelia smile because even in his sleep, her husband didn’t quit looking out for them.

Unable to contain herself, Amelia slowly dropped her belongings on the floor before crawling on the bed next to her favorite duo. She gave Lucas a kiss before breathing in his delightful baby smell and then nested against Owen’s chest, wrapping an arm around her husband and son. A few seconds went by in which Amelia watched Owen oscillating between sleep and conscience.

“Hey…” He whispered blinking his eyes repeatedly against the sudden clarity he’d woken up to find. “What time is it?”

“A little past eight.” Amelia informed, noticing the look of complete shock on Owen’s face.

“No way, really?” Owen was genuinely surprised. If Amelia was telling the truth then it meant he’d slept for nearly two hours. “I blacked out here.”

“And so did he.” Amelia added with a smile, running her hand through Lucas’s hair in a soft caress.

“That’s because he spent the entire afternoon crawling into every place in the house he wasn’t suppose to go to.” Owen replied with an amused smile, looking from Lucas to his wife. He’d lost count of how many times he’d had to pick up Lucas after the baby swiftly made an escape under his father’s attentive eyes and then take him back to the playing mat with his toys. “How did everything go at the hospital?”

“It was okay.” Amelia shrugged, not really up to discuss that. For a moment there she’d been so exhausted during surgery that she felt like she would pass out, but if she confessed that to Owen, he’d probably worry too much or try to convince her to slow down. She was probably just a little dehydrated after a long day mostly spent in the OR.

“Are you hungry?” Owen asked, rubbing her arm gently with his free hand. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head before adding, “I have completely neglected dinner tonight. Do you want me to scrape something together for us to eat or do you want to order takeout?”

“Can you make that garlic sauce with pasta?” Amelia’s eyes got bright as she looked at her husband expectantly. “Please?”

“Only if you promise not to stir up more trouble at work.” Owen playfully bent over and kissed the tip of her nose.

“Na, na, na,” Amelia teasingly looked back at him, anticipating he would react to her next comment. “When you said you’d be chief again, remember how you said we wouldn’t talk about work in here, remember?”

“Why do I have a feeling you are already taking advantage of that?” Owen raised an eyebrow conspicuously.

“I am not.” Amelia shamelessly denied. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.” Amelia couldn’t hide the amusement on her face as she added. “You know, mixing work and play.”

Amelia heard the sound of Owen’s soft chuckles as he pretended to be offended after recognizing her line and leaned into her direction as much as Lucas’ body on top of his allowed him to.

“You are a nightmare.” Owen teased her, chucking her under the chin to steal a kiss before gently getting up trying not to wake up Lucas. “You’ll say anything to get away with what you want.”

“Well, not anything.” Amelia winked at him, following him to the kitchen already anticipating they wouldn’t have fifteen minutes to engage in a conversation before Lucas woke up demanding her attention.

.

Ben Warren frowned heavily as he watched his friend frantically bend over the scrub room sink, nearly digging his head into the drain.

“Are you trying to take a shower?”

Owen heard the voice loaded with incredulity and immediately stood up, nearly hitting his head on the mechanic pipe on his way up.

“Warren!” He gasped, not expecting to be found in such a disastrous moment. “Hmm.. How is Miranda?” The trauma surgeon asked, trying to pull himself back together.

Owen knew Bailey had already been submitted to curative surgery and thankfully, her cancer had been caught in an early stage. After a round of chemo and radiotherapy, she was expected to make a full recovery.

“She is fine.” Ben replied, still intrigued by Owen’s erratic behavior. “Catching up on all six seasons of Lost.” He chuckled, making Owen loosen up too. “She has just found out what the black smoke is and I can’t stop hearing about it.”

“It’s a good show.” Owen nodded in agreement.

“So, what were you doing in there?” Ben cut to the chase, crossing his arms as he casually leaned on the opposite wall. “You looked like you were busy.”

The chief of surgery smiled, looking embarrassed.

“I lost my wedding ring.” Owen rolled his eyes, wondering how in the world he could have been that stupid.

Owen had forgotten to take out his wedding ring before going to the scrub room to operate for the first time in what felt like weeks. But only when he’d already turned on the running water and added soap to his hands, the metallic sound of his ring hitting the drain had reminded him of his negligence.

Instead of the commotion Owen expected, Ben barely reacted to the information.

“You probably just left it with your clothes before you changed and scrubbed in.” The man pointed out, knowing it had happened to him a good dozen times before.

“No, I didn’t,” Owen let out a heavy sigh, desperate. “I forgot to take it off. I saw it going down the drain.”

“Oh,” Ben looked slightly more alarmed now but kept a joyous tone. “Well, I am sorry to say this, but I think snooping your nose into the drain won’t bring it back.”

“I don’t have any other choice, I have to find it.” Owen said with fierce determination, once again bending over to see if he could spot the golden band.

“Dude.” Ben tried to make his friend see it. “You’re not going to find it after it already went down. And even if you did, how would you recover it?” He peeked over Owen’s shoulder, watching his friend’s failed attempts at finding the object. “Why don’t you just get a new one? It’s easier. They can make an exact copy.” Ben spoke from experience, thinking about the time he’d gone to play basketball and lost the wedding ring on the gym locker room. His wife had never found out about it because Warren had quickly replaced it.

“You don’t get it,” Owen’s voice sounded distant as he went a little further, trying to reach the hole with a ballpoint pen. “Amelia has an ultrasound in forty five minutes and if I show up without my wedding ring, she is going to notice it.”

Ben frowned, not quite understanding the situation.

“Well, why don’t you just explain it to her?” Ben asked like it was obvious. “Tell her what happened.”

“Huh, have you been around pregnant women before?” Owen looked up and shook his head in disbelief before making his way down again.

“Yeah.” Ben replied emphatically. “Only all day, everyday.” He added.

Owen laughed, but didn’t take his eyes off his task. Ben Warren was now a fellow in OBGYN and dealing with women who were expecting was pretty much his daily routine.

“Well, have you been around pregnant Amelia?” Owen asked, not bothered by Ben’s dismissal of his problem. He finally gave up blindly reaching for the lost ring and stood back up. “You see, the thing is, if this was a normal circumstance, I wouldn’t be here like a fool trying to fish for something I am not even sure is there.” Owen pointed to the drain with his head. “Because I know that in a regular scenario, Amelia would understand that it was an accident and would probably offer an alternative solution.” The chief of surgery affirmed with conviction. “But now, however, she is in a moment where there is absolutely no way I can predict her reaction.” Owen informed the other guy while reaching out for his phone in his scrub pants and turning on the flashlight as he moved back in the direction of the sink. “She could very well completely disregard the incident and understand I made the common mistake of forgetting to take off my wedding band before scrubbing in and it simply fell on the sink or,” the chief shifted his phone to the right, trying to see a clearer angle inside the drain, “she could accuse me of taking it off on purpose to make it look like I am not married… Or even say I am not careful enough with our relationship or just crazy crap like that and that it’s all my fault.” Owen smiled as he saw a shiny glimpse. “Or even all of those I mentioned. In the course of ten minutes.”

“Alright, I think I get it…” Ben gave in, honestly convinced.

“Ha! Got it!” Owen celebrated after successfully hooking the ballpoint pen to the edge of the wedding ring inside the drain. “Quick, go inside the OR and get me a bone saw from Ortho. I don’t want to risk moving my phone and letting the ring escape down the pipe.”

“Uh, what do you need that for, exactly?” Warren asked with confusion.

“To get the ring out.” Owen informed as if it was obvious. “A simple suction pump won’t cover the pipe full length.”

“Are you telling me you will try to reach it with the saw?” Warren attempted, unable to believe the alternative.

“No.” Owen said with laidback authority. “I am expressly telling you I am going to take down this pipe and collect the ring. I can put both back on as soon as I am done.”

“Don’t you think that’s a bit too much?” Ben asked carefully, trying to process the idea of disassembling a surgical water pipeline in order to recover a ring.

“Think about my pregnant wife again, Warren.” Owen said, unaffected. He waited seconds to let his friend process the information and after a while, noticed in the man’s face he’d finally understood. “Now, breaking a pipe to get a ring back doesn’t seem too much, does it?”

“It does not.” Ben chuckled, seeing Owen Hunt had a point. “It really does not.”

.

“What took you so long?” Amelia grimaced in disapproval. “We’re late already!”

“Sorry!” Owen easily caught up with her, walking beside his wife to the OB ward where they had an ultrasound scheduled. It was still early to tell the baby’s gender but this particular scan was very important to find out if everything was okay with their child. Owen knew how worked up Amelia could get because of the events in her past and he let out a sigh, reprimanding himself for adding to her anxiety. “I got caught up with a… An OR situation.”

“What happened?” Amelia asked as her husband opened the door to the room in which they’d been instructed to wait for the technician.

“A pipe was leaking in the scrub room for OR two.” Owen said with audacity, on purpose hiding the fact he’d caused it. “It’s all good now.”

“Oh, okay.” Amelia distractedly replied, noticing her husband seemed eager to help her change into the patient gown. “Are you excited for this?” She asked with a smile, concerned about him.

“Yeah.” Owen answered with honesty, grabbing her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Are you?”

“Very much.” Amelia’s smile reached her eyes and her dimples became more evident, contaminating Owen with her positivity.

Back when she’d found out about being pregnant with Lucas, Amelia’s biggest fear was to go through something similar to the loss of her first son. At the time, she’d been in a really vulnerable place and the pain of burying a child had proved greater than any other tragedy the neurosurgeon had ever experienced.

Deep down in her heart, Amelia had always known she wanted to be a mother, but after tragically losing her first son, she wasn’t sure if she ever could go through the possibility of reliving something like that. At first, her unprocessed trauma had caused a lot of issues for her and Owen, especially when she’d run from home just a few months after they’d gotten married.

But after finding out the truth about what had really happened, Owen had proved exactly why he was the man Amelia loved and admired like no one else. Her husband had been there for her when she’d needed him the most. And months later, Owen had given her the biggest gift Amelia could ever hope for: A little boy she’d come to love more than life itself.

Now, less than a year later, they were about to multiply that love. And even though Amelia still had her reservations, after seeing how healthy and absolutely delightful Lucas was, the neurosurgeon had every hope that their second child would be just as wonderful and add as much happiness to their lives as their son did.

“Are you okay?” Owen asked, looking alarmed.

“Yeah, why?” Amelia replied with honesty, intrigued by her husband’s sudden concern.

“Your fingers are twitching.” Owen pointed out, interpreting it as a sign of nervousness.

But before Amelia could pay attention to her right hand, the technician walked into the room, very soon distracting them from their earlier thoughts.

Five minutes into the exam, it was with a sigh of relief that Amelia found out her baby looked absolutely healthy, from head to toe. She smiled beside Owen as they spent long seconds watching the steady beats of the baby whose heart already felt very much in synchrony with theirs.

Owen spent the rest of his day in absolute awe, constantly thinking back about the images on the screen. Even though they hadn’t been able to find out whether it was a girl or a boy yet, Owen had walked out of the exam room feeling like nothing could make him happier than knowing for sure that both his baby and wife were completely okay.

Which was why he was completely taken by surprise and shock when, hours later, Andrew Deluca’s voice echoed in the ER as he dodged patients and staff members to come in the chief’s direction with sheer alarm on his face.

“Dr. Hunt, you have to come, quickly!” The young surgeon stepped forward, catching his breath before adding in a hurry. “It’s Dr. Shepherd!” Owen started to panic as he processed the information. “She was in the OR operating on an aneurysm and in one moment she seemed fine, but then just passed out,” Deluca had to run to catch up with Owen, who was already racing upstairs. He felt sick to the stomach to be the one to deliver the bad news as he recalled the events of moments before when the attending neurosurgeon had lost consciousness on the operation room floor. “Sir, I am sorry, I think your wife just had a seizure!”

--

[jordan202]

My Boys Drabbles - Thomas (Part One)

Hi Guys!

After such a long hiatus, My Boys is back! And this time around, we are going to explore the only pregnancy I haven't fully written about. Thank you @jia911 for proofreading this so fast!

The Prompt: 

@cizavilation I think was the one who asked me to write about Thomas’s pregnancy.

Timeline:

This one sets just one or two days after The Return (the story when Cristina is back in Seattle). 

My Boys Drabbles – Thomas (Part One) 

Amelia let out a sigh of frustration, watching as a strand of hair was blown from her nose.

She was bored.

It was no secret she considered that mandatory hospital meeting a complete waste of time and judging by the yawns and amount of empty coffee cups around the big round table, her colleagues felt the exact same way.

One by one, Amelia examined the facial expressions of the other heads of department. Alex Karev seemed too entertained playing with a loose thread of his white coat sleeve. Meredith Grey repeatedly twisted the lid of her Starbucks drink, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Jackson Avery was having a hard time keeping his neck straight and not falling asleep. Only Maggie seemed to be paying attention to the words of the seventy-something infectious diseases specialist who gave that exact same lecture on infection control and prevention every trimester at the hospital.

Amelia knew that every hospital had an ICC, or Infection Control Committee, a division that worked both preventing and helping treat hospital related infections. Every three months, the ICC of Greys Sloan mandated that all hospital workers attended lectures on continued education programs. But the heads of each department had to sit through an exhaustive meeting where data was shown and discussed.

Amelia knew that the ICC head treated all health care workers like they were potential threats. But she had a particular despise for surgeons, reason why whenever she hosted the meeting with the surgical department, they were to expect a lot of frowns and criticism.

“So we were able to isolate two different strand of coagulase-negative staphylococci in three of the orthopedic surgery patients who have…”

Amelia rolled her eyes, uninterested in the rest of the talk. She was just considering what she would have for lunch when, across the big table, her eyes met Owen’s.

He was looking at her with a discreet smile on his lips and Amelia instantly smiled back, identifying the loving eyes in his expression. She supposed Owen would shift his attention back to the lecturer after her response, but instead, he kept staring at her, making Amelia feel like he could see through her soul.

Containing a chuckle, she pointed to the ICC speaker with her eyes and then gently moved her head, as if telling Owen to focus his attention back on the woman.

But all her husband did was lean back on his chair and defiantly keep looking at her with his heavy gaze, maintaining a smile on the corner of his lips.

Amelia noticed the amusement in his eyes and couldn’t help feeling her heart flutter. Owen was so silly. Why did he have to look at her with that loving expression, especially in a room full of people? Her husband wasn’t saying a single word, but the message he was communicating was very clear.

It was obvious he was very happy and Amelia knew exactly why.

Taking her hand to her lower abdomen, the neurosurgeon grinned widely. Just two days before, she had informed Owen that she thought she was pregnant. On the following day, Amelia had taken a blood test to confirm it and found out her assumption had been right. She indeed was carrying another child.

It was a crazy notion to think about. They had a seven month old at home and Lucas was still very much dependent on them, Amelia especially. Just a couple of weeks before, Amelia had gone back to work and she knew her baby was really resenting the sudden change. Right now, he was upstairs in daycare and Amelia couldn’t wait for lunchtime to see him.

Some of the caretakers at day care advised parents not to go see the kids during their breaks because it made it harder on them to adapt. Amelia thought it that was complete bullshit. The more she saw Lucas, be it fifteen minutes or an hour, the better for them both. She had to work because it was her job and she loved it. But her baby would always come first and Amelia didn’t want to be one of those parents who only saw their kids briefly at night before putting them to bed.

Her gaze fell back on Owen and she realized he was still staring at her with that same expression on his face. She knew that by now, he was teasing her. But the silly look he had on added to the charming smile on his lips distracted Amelia enough that she forgot all about where she was and couldn’t help letting out a loud chuckle.

“Dr. Shepherd, is there something you want to add?”

Amelia immediately turned her head in the direction of the acid voice that had asked her the angry question.

The ICC senior attending stared at her with a demanding face and a scowl of disapproval. The neurosurgeon knew she should be embarrassed to get called out in the middle of a lecture like a high school kid, but she was so amused by Owen’s now mortified expression that she just couldn’t be bothered.

“No, not all.” Amelia replied with a shameless grin. “I was just making a mental note to stay away from the Ortho wing.” Her voice fooled her forced seriousness as she added. “Don’t wanna catch that strain of Staph.”

A general round of laughter followed and Amelia took her time to try and make eye contact again with her husband, unsuccessfully. The lecturer still seemed displeased, but she resumed her speech as soon as the general uproar died down. Judging by the way his ears had turned red, Owen was extremely embarrassed and Amelia easily guessed why. She had been the one busted but he had been the one pestering her.

It was no wonder why now he was extremely committed to paying attention to what the eldest woman had to say, apparently determined not to cause any more distractions in the meeting.

.

The clock had ticked five in the afternoon when Amelia finished her accumulated charts on that gray Monday. After a quick trip to daycare, the surgeon picked up Lucas and followed to the ER. She and Owen often drove to work together and she didn’t mind waiting a bit for him if he was busy. But it took Amelia quite a while to find her husband and when she did, he looked like something alarming was on his mind.

“Hey,” Amelia caught up with him in a meeting room. “Are you ready to go or do you need a few more minutes?” It was then Amelia noticed her husband wasn’t alone. Two women she recognized from hospital administration were with him, and so was Richard Webber. Sensing something wasn’t adding up, Amelia fired the next question before Owen could reply to her previous one. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Owen tried to sound assuring, getting up at the same time he gave her a smile and proceeded to kiss the top of Lucas’s head affectionately. “I think I’m going to be a while here, do you mind driving home with Luke today? I’ll be a little late.”

Amelia looked into his eyes, quickly catching up on the fact something was wrong but Owen couldn’t tell her about it now. The way he’d blocked her view from the other people in the room and suggestively made eye contact with her while saying she should go home were the cues Amelia needed to know that whatever her husband was up to, it sounded serious.

“I’ll see you later at home, then.” She discreetly nodded, letting him know she’d understood the non-verbal message.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Owen promised, giving her a kiss on the forehead before giving his attention back to the people inside the room.

Lucas fussed in her arms, trying to reach out to his dad, but Amelia left the room before her baby could interrupt the meeting. She had no idea what they’d been discussing there, but judging by the seriousness in her husband’s face and overall thick atmosphere she’d found the men in, the news wasn’t good.

It was past eight in the evening when Owen finally made it home. He unlocked the front door to find Amelia sitting on the couch with their son in her arms, happily talking to the baby while the TV was on in the background.

“Hey guys” Owen smiled widely but the look of exhaustion was clear on his face. Amelia watched as her husband came over and gave her a kiss on the lips before turning his eyes to their boy. “Hey little man… How are you doing?”

After seeing his dad, Lucas’s happy face transformed into a big grin. Owen leaned over and kissed the side of his neck, loving to feel his adorable baby smell. It was a comfort to be welcomed like that by his family after an exhausting day at work.

“And how is this little one?” Owen sat on the couch by Amelia’s side, lazily rubbing her lower stomach.

“It’s too early for me to feel anything.” Amelia confessed, delighted by Owen’s obvious expectations. “But we’re both good. What’s up with you?” She asked, showing her concern by gently striking the hair at his nape. “You don’t look well.”

Owen took a deep breath and slowly let it out, grabbing his wife’s hand affectionately before giving it a kiss.

“I am afraid I have some bad news…” Owen’s tone of voice was too serious for Amelia’s taste. “Bailey is on an extended medical leave.”

“Why?” Amelia expressed her concern through a heavy frown. “What’s wrong with her?”

Despite not being personally close to their chief of surgery, Amelia respected and admired the woman.

“She recently found out that she has a mass on her breast. Yesterday they confirmed it is malignant. She starts treatment this week.”

“Oh.” Amelia felt deeply sorry for the woman. The neurosurgeon knew how nasty cancer could be, so she hoped for the best for Bailey. A few seconds went by before Amelia remembered the scene she’d witnessed earlier that day. “Is that why the hospital administration was talking to you today?” She furrowed her brow questioningly. “Wait, they are not allowed to disclose this type of information.”

“They didn’t.” Owen clarified. “Bailey told me herself this morning. And then she warned me they’d come after me.”

“But why?” Amelia couldn’t make any sense of the situation.

“Because Bailey is stepping down for at least a couple of months so she can focus on her treatment,” Owen explained, trying to be reasonable. “And they’ve asked me to fill in for her in the meantime.”

“You mean take care of the paperwork in her absence?” Amelia attempted, seeing the look of guilt on her husband’s face.

“No.” Owen said with serenity. “I am saying they actually want me to be chief again.”

The trauma surgeon had no idea how his wife would react to that, but he expected some sort of heated response.

Instead, silence was all he got.

“Amelia?” Owen tried to reason with her. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Did you take it?” She raised an eyebrow, sounding alarmingly suspicious. “The offer? Did you take it?”

“No.” Owen carefully answered, knowing he was going into dangerous territory. “I was going to talk to you first before considering it. Why are you mad?”

“I am not mad.”

“Well, you sound mad.” Owen refuted her, trying to be as gentle as possible with his choice of words.

Lucas chose that exact moment to play with his spit and reached out to grab Owen’s face with a happy giggle.

“I am not.” Amelia replied with a tone that pointed otherwise. She wasn’t actually sure what she was feeling at that moment. “I’m just… I don’t know. Are you going to take it?” Her voice went from defensive to insecure.

Owen took a deep breath and confessed:

“I don’t know… I mean, I have to be honest and say that despite the annoying bureaucratic part, I did like being chief once.” He cleaned up Lucas’s continuous spit bubbles from the baby’s now wet face. “I guess I just always thought that part of my life was over.” The trauma surgeon explained sincerely. “And at the same time I know this is awful timing, with us just adapting to having a baby and getting ready for a second but I also feel like I should be a team player and help our friends in a time of need. And besides, it’s temporary.”

“But you’re not the only one qualified for the job.” Amelia added, trying to figure out her own feelings. She supposed she didn’t want Owen gone for any time longer. They already worked busy hours. Being chief meant adding more to his workload. Not only would she miss him at home, but there was also Lucas to think about. As if being a parent wasn’t new and scary enough, very soon they’d have a second child and Amelia was terrified of not being able to handle everything. “I mean, why can’t Webber do it? If it’s only temporary.”

“Webber is in over his head with his colorectal fistulae trial.” Owen explained, knowing his wife was aware of what he was talking about. “The board was considering Jackson but he is too naïve and inexperienced to fill in for three without any prior training. I am the only one who knows the job and can perform it with such short notice.”

Amelia let out a heavy sigh. Logically, it made sense that Owen accepted the offer.

“But what would that mean for us?” She asked, hating to feel like she was being selfish.

“That’s exactly my problem with it.” Owen explained with honesty. He already worked long hours and wanted to enjoy the free time he had in company of his family. Every minute he missed with them was a minute he was never getting back and at this point the trauma surgeon already knew too well what his priorities in life were. “I know I’ll be working more hours but I told them the condition to accept this offer is to cut back my ER hours and focus mostly on the bureaucracy.”

“But that’s the part you like the least.” Amelia pointed out. “That arrangement would mean you’d barely operate at all.”

Owen shrugged, conformed.

“It doesn’t matter.” He smiled shyly. “This is the way I won't let down the people who need me both at work and at home. It’s just for a couple of months” Owen smiled, leaning a little closer to nudge his nose to his wife’s face. “And just for your information, I’d much rather be here with you guys than anywhere else.”

Amelia pretended not to be convinced but his charming charisma eventually won her over.

“Alright, fine!” She laughed when Lucas touched the side of her face with his lips on a messy kiss, prompting Owen to do the same on the other side. “Alright, alright, I am convinced…” Her giggles echoed louder in the living room, mixing with Lucas’. “Just promise me we’ll still see you.” Amelia instinctively took her hand to her belly.

“You will always come first.” Owen affirmed with security, giving Amelia one quick kiss before focusing his attention back on their son.

Twenty minutes later, Amelia noticed as Lucas started to get cranky and decided to go put him down while Owen went for a shower. The trauma surgeon also went for a quick meal before heading back to his bedroom, but to his surprise, he found Amelia in their bed with Lucas in it.

“I thought he was tired.” He raised one eyebrow questioningly, well aware of how hard it was for Amelia to let go of their son. He couldn’t blame her, though.

“He is, but he is also hungry.” Amelia justified still having Lucas on their bed.

Owen looked at their healthy seven-month old. Lucas was a big, fairly large baby. His indecently delicious chunky ankles proved to be almost irresistible and the way his blue eyes seemed to stand out on his round face was too much for both parents to bear. Owen had always wanted to be a father, but he had no idea how delightful it really was to get home after a heavy day at work and hear the sound of his baby’s laughter, or to see him throw himself in his dad’s arms, absolutely happy for nothing other than Owen’s presence.

“He is always hungry.” Owen pointed out, getting beneath the covers next to Amelia. He watched as Lucas didn’t let go of his mother’s breast while deeply staring at her the entire time he fed. “I think he is in love with you.” The trauma surgeon pointed out with a chuckle.

“Well, I am in love with him,” Amelia replied, wrapping her arms tighter around her baby. He was the most gorgeous baby in the entire planet and she was absolutely sure of it.

It didn’t take Lucas more than a few minutes after that to fall asleep. Much to her dismay, Amelia let Owen take him to his cradler in the room opposite to them. She had just finished setting up the baby monitor when her husband returned to their bedroom, startling her by unceremoniously pulling her and lying on her top in bed.

“You smell like rash cream.” Owen laughed, on purpose sniffing her hair.

“Someone had to do the dirty work.” Amelia teased.

“No one is complaining…” He smiled, leaning over to steal a kiss. “That being said… I think we’ve made it to the most important question of the night.” He held the suspense, being cute on purpose. “What are we doing for Valentine’s day?”

Amelia was absolutely surprised by the question and realized she had completely forgotten about the date. It seemed like for the past seven months (and even prior to that), she and Owen had been mostly devoted to Lucas. So much that they had spent less and less time alone together. But since their baby was already eating solids and tolerating more hours in the absence of his mother, it was reasonably fair that they asked either Evelyn or Maggie to watch him for a couple of hours just so they could sneak out of the house for a little bit and have some time to be together.

“You want to go out to that little restaurant down the street?” Amelia asked with excitement in her eyes. She and Owen used to go there quite often and they were already familiar with the couple’s personal preferences.

“I guess it makes sense, being so close to home. We won’t waste any time in traffic or anything.” Owen agreed, already looking forward to it.

“I think I am going to order the crab cakes and…”

“You always want the crab cakes.” Owen rolled his eyes playfully, pointing out he wasn’t surprised.

“That’s because they are the most delici-”

Amelia’s sentence was interrupted when her husband stole a kiss.

“You don’t want to talk about the appetizers?” She teased him, biting her lower lip while Owen gently slid a hand on the curve of her thigh, sneakily exploring.

“Not really,” he whispered against her ear before giving Amelia a kiss that would make her forget all about the restaurant menu. “I’d much rather just skip straight to dessert.”

.

Two days later, Amelia was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. After a long day at work, her entire body ached.

“I think my head is going to explode.” She told Owen as he got dressed after showering. “Now I know how Luke was feeling earlier this week.” Just days before, Lucas had come down with a nasty cold he’d caught at daycare. Apparently, Amelia had caught it too. “I can’t believe I am sick. Today of all days.” She complained.

“You don’t look too good.” Owen stopped putting on his shirt and studied Amelia’s expression a little closer. He’d spent the entire day at the hospital catching up with his new position duties, but when he’d left home that morning, Amelia didn’t have the dark circles around her eyes like she did now.

“Why, thank you.” His wife replied sarcastically, unsuccessfully trying to tie the strap of her high heel shoe.

“I mean it.” Owen ignored her willfulness. “Are you sure you’re okay to go out?”

Amelia let out a heavy sigh. For the past months, she had barely seen her husband and even at times when they could be together, she had had a hard time letting go of Lucas because being away from him devastated her. As expected, Owen had been nothing but understanding and hadn’t once complained or demanded more attention. But deep down, she knew he’d been craving for this night when, for at least a couple of hours, they would be able to have a conversation that didn’t involve diapers or spit bubbles. For the first time in a while, Amelia felt fairly comfortable to leave her child at home with his grandmother because the plan was perfect. They would be just a few blocks away, so in case of any eventuality, she could quickly make it back home.

But right now, her head felt like it would burst at any second, her throat was dry and sore and she was having a hard time gathering enough energy to even tie a shoelace.

“I am so sorry…”

Owen’s confusion was clear on his face when he heard Amelia’s sobs.

“Amelia?” He gave up buttoning his shirt and went to sit by her side on the bed, watching with shock as a couple of tears fell from her eyes. “Babe, are you okay?”

“I don’t think I can make it tonight.” Amelia said apologetically, sustaining his look with her bright blue eyes drowning in tears. Owen didn’t have enough time to process that before she buried her face on his neck. “I am sorry…”

He chuckled and surrounded her waist with his arms, pulling her closer. During Lucas’ pregnancy, Amelia had also been emotionally messy. Owen supposed it was the hormones that got the best of her.

“Hey, don’t worry, okay?” The trauma surgeon ran his hand on her back up and down, gently trying to soothe her. “It’s not your fault.”

Her voice sounded muffled against his shirt.

“Of course it is… I know how much you were counting on this and now…” Amelia sniffed, trying to pull herself back together. “It’s my fault that we’re not going on a date.”

“Well, I never wanted to go out on a date.” Owen said convincingly. Amelia was obviously surprised, because she lifted her head and looked into his eyes with a lot of questions on her face. “I wanted to be with you.” He stated, knowing that deep down it was true. Owen had indeed been looking forward to go out with her, but it was okay that they couldn’t go that night. They could do it the following week, or whenever they wanted. All he’d strived for was being with Amelia, and if that meant being at home, so be it. “I’ll tell you what,” Owen smiled, trying to cheer up his wife. “You can’t go on the date, but the date can come to you.”

“Owen, what the…?” Amelia frowned, watching as he got up and picked up one of his coats.

“You stay here and take some aspirin.” He instructed, picking up Lucas from the floor mat and then the baby’s coat and car keys. “We are the men of the house.” Owen said with a smile, giving Lucas a kiss on the cheek before looking back at his wife with his son in his arms. “We’re on it.”

Amelia gave up the dress and the fancy shoes as she spent the next forty minutes emptying a box of Kleenex as her runny nose wouldn’t give her a break. She had just felt the relief of being pain free after the aspirin kicked in when the sound of Owen’s car caught her attention.

To her absolute delight, her husband walked into the house carrying two large bags with take out food from their favorite restaurant. Somewhere along the way, he had called his mother to let her know they weren’t going out to dinner anymore.

“The crab cakes!” Amelia celebrated, picking up the box containing them. She had to dodge Lucas’ attempt to get his hand on the food before looking up at Owen with dreamy eyes. “You remembered!”

Owen smiled, glad to see she seemed a lot happier than before.

“Is this how it’s going to be from now on?” Amelia asked playfully, trying to juggle eating her food and containing Lucas on her lap at the same time.

“I surely hope so.” Owen replied, absolutely relaxed.

He and Amelia were sitting on the floor of their living room with several boxes opened on their coffee table. Lucas repeatedly tried to make moves for the food, even though he had just been fed, entertaining both his parents with his excessive gluttony.

“Do you think the new baby will be like him?” Owen asked, ruffling Lucas’ hair and being rewarded with a wide, toothless smile.

“I hope he or she is more like me.” Amelia chided. Lucas was physically similar to Owen. Only his eyes were like hers. It was only fair the new baby had some of her traits.

“Not gonna happen.” Owen teased her. In reality, he didn’t mind one bit if their next child took after Amelia.

“We’ll see about that.” Amelia replied challengingly. “And don’t say what you’re about to say. I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

“What?” Owen asked, genuinely confused.

“You think that just because you’re the boss now you can get away with things, but it’s not happening.” Amelia gave him her best devilish smile.

“I wasn’t thinking that.”

“Well, I was.”

Owen noticed the spark in her eyes at that moment but soon enough, his son’s happy giggles distracted him and thoughts about work quickly vanished his mind.

That valentine’s date in trio wasn’t exactly what they initially had in mind, but he had enjoyed it so much that he felt happier than he’d felt all day. He wouldn’t mind repeating it year after year. Owen hadn’t expected that they would have another baby so soon but now that he knew for sure his wife was pregnant, he was completely enjoying the idea.

And as he went to bed that night, Owen slept peacefully, without the faintest idea of just how much trouble his wife would cause, turning both his personal and professional lives completely upside down.

--

So Owen is the new chief and Amelia is his pestering pregnant wife. How is that going to work out? :)

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Twenty Four (Season Finale)

Previous chapters are HERE.  Thank you both @jia911 for your help proofreading and @bluebelle18 for always sorting out the timeline for me!

So guys, this chapter pretty much wraps season 11 for Omelia. Thank you all for the amazing ride and for sticking with me all the way to the end. You guys are awesome. I have to add, though, The Journey isn’t fully finalized. I am still going to write the chapters pertaining season 12. For now, I am just taking a break to write more for My Boys but I plan to come back and write the “second season” for this story. 

Timeline for Part 24:

It picks up exactly after the last scene of part 23. Owen and Amelia have spent the night together after he returns home and she keeps her sobriety. We will go through the events of 11x23 and 11x24 (and a little beyond that lol). I hope you all enjoy this last installment. Let’s go!

The Journey – Part Twenty-Four

Amelia woke up with her back slightly aching, as if she’d just spent too much time lying down in the same position.

Turning her head partially to the right, a coy smile crept on her lips as she slowly recalled the events of the previous evening. Despite the soreness in her muscles, this had actually been the first night in a really long time when she’d managed to get such deep, quality sleep. But happiness quickly faded from her face when she noticed she was alone in bed.

The sheets still felt warm beside her, so Amelia imagined Owen must not have left that long before. She was still trying to process his unexpected absence when an uncommon noise coming from the bottom floor caught her attention. Swiftly getting out of bed, the neurosurgeon wrapped herself in a comfortable sweatshirt and followed the lead of the sonorous muffled clacks. Once at the top of the stairs, Amelia rubbed her eyes to make sure she was getting a clear vision of the scene in the kitchen.

With his back turned to her, Owen leaned against the wooden cabinets opposite to the sink, apparently very caught up in whatever task he was performing that required the use of a hammer.

But Amelia wasn’t that much interested in what it was that Owen was fixing. Instead, her eyes were busy enough studying the outlines of his strong back and shoulders that his casual white shirt couldn’t hide.

As Owen moved his arms to apparently hook back in the defective door of one of the kitchen cabinets, Amelia couldn’t help noticing how his muscles flexed with the slightest movement. She knew the furniture of the house was mostly made of thick wood and therefore probably weighed a lot. But the way Owen would hold the door suspended in place with one hand while skillfully nailing it back with the other suddenly made Amelia think that not only did he repeatedly prove with his actions and decisions that he was a real man, sometimes when Owen engaged in physical labor like that she was reminded of how raw and masculine he could be.

And how that turned her on.

Swallowing hard, Amelia decided it was time to make her presence noted.

“What are you doing?” She asked with a sweet tone, raising one eyebrow in question to hide her look of appreciation.

At the sound of her words, Owen immediately drew his attention to her. She noticed how his cheeks pinked up as if he’d just been busted. The thought made her smile.

“I was just making us coffee.”  Owen explained, quickly finishing hitting the last nail and then finally opening and closing the cabinet door, satisfied to see the hinge now worked perfectly well.

“I see,” Amelia smiled lazily at him, taking a seat at one of the stools near the counter at the same time Owen turned his back to her and devoted his attention back to the coffee maker. “How long have you been up? You could have woken me.”

Owen turned on the machine and in a matter of seconds, a delicious smell of fresh coffee delighted them both. Truth was, he had gotten out of bed just nearly one hour before and decided to prepare breakfast for them. But as he’d been searching through the cabinets for a pair of mugs, he noticed how the hinges of one of the doors were dangerously loose, putting whoever might open the cabinet at risk for being hit on the head if it ever dislodged completely.

Without hesitation, Owen decided to fix it while Amelia still slept. She wouldn’t even need to know about it, because the trauma surgeon planned to get it over with in just a few minutes. But of course her timing was as precise as always and she’d caught him minutes after Owen had started the task.

“I woke up not too long ago.” He finally replied to her question, leaning on the opposite side of the counter facing her. “And I didn’t wake you up because you didn’t move a finger nearly the whole night. I don’t remember one single time when you didn’t hog the covers or accidentally punched me in our sleep. So I thought it was obvious you could use the rest.”

Amelia hid her shy smile behind the coffee mug and got busy drinking a sip of the steamy hot mug because she didn’t have an answer for that. It was impressive how Owen could still awe her. She didn’t know what touched her the most: The fact that he had stepped up to fix something at her house, the way he had considerately noticed how tired she was or how he’d decided to make her breakfast in the morning.

But maybe it was the mention of the many nights they’d spent in each other’s arms before.

The memories filled Amelia with longing and nostalgia and she suddenly felt a fit of anxiety. She simply had no idea where to go from there. Owen was just back from the army and she had finally started picking up her pieces after her brother’s death. And at the same time Amelia knew she was in no place to commit to anyone at the moment, it didn’t mean she wanted Owen out of her life.

“Don’t worry.” He stated calmly, looking deeply into her eyes. “You don’t have to make anything out of that.”

Amelia held her breath for a moment, taken aback by the intensity of his words. She felt exposed and vulnerable, as if by just looking at her Owen had been capable of breaking down her defenses and reading her mind. At the same time it alarmed her, Amelia also felt strangely... safe.

“You’re not going to the hospital today, are you?” She asked him carefully. Owen had just been back from long months of back to back work. Not only had it consumed physically, but probably mentally as well. To go from that to instantly resuming his position as chief of surgery at Grey Sloan without a moment’s rest certainly wouldn’t do him well.

“No, not yet.” Owen replied with his usual serenity. “There are a few things I want to get to in the trailer and then I’m probably in need of some time to clear my head as well.” He added with good sense. As much as Owen looked forward to operating inside an actual OR and not a makeshift tent in the desert, he could also use some time off to actually rest after the excruciating journey.

“You mean, more loose screws to fix?” Amelia’s dimples danced on her cheek when she asked the question, knowing it was both literal and metaphorical.

“Something like that.” Owen smiled back, fascinated by how easily adorable she was.

Amelia kept looking into his eyes, trying to think of what to say so they could prolong the moment. But invariably, their interaction would come to an end, and she had this awful feeling they had just gotten there.

“So, I guess the one night is over.” She stated with a sad smile. Amelia didn’t want to let go but she knew they should. Like she’d stated the evening before when she proposed they took a break from everything, in the morning, the issues would still be there.

And both of them needed to deal with their own baggage in order to figure things out.

“You know where to find me if you need me.” Owen gently placed his empty mug on the sink counter and went around it, standing just a few feet away from her.

Amelia noticed the expectant way in which he looked at her and unconsciously held her breath.

“The same goes to you.” She affirmed. Owen was usually a solid rock and she had to admit she’d gone to him a lot more often than he’d needed her. At least that she knew of. But only because she had a lot of stuff going on at the moment it didn’t mean that she would be any less available if he needed her there. Amelia cared about him and he had to know he could count on her too.

“Well… it is goodbye, then.” Amelia said awkwardly. Owen was standing just within her reach and she desperately wanted to feel the warmth of his embrace and lock herself inside of it. The hell, she wanted to suggest that they spend the entire day together, doing nothing. But now it was time to do the adult thing, and that meant taking the first step to rebuild her life.

The previous night, she’d gone home thinking that once again she would hit rock bottom. But it hadn’t been the case, and that motivated Amelia to grasp that new chance with everything she got. She needed to prioritize her well-being and that meant guarding her heart against any possible heartbreak. Especially one she wasn’t sure she could survive.

Before the neurosurgeon could process anything else, Owen took the initiative. She felt his hand reaching out for her face and gently striking her cheek as he seemed to struggle with his own feelings too.

“Take care, alright?” He nearly whispered, reluctant to let go. Amelia closed her eyes, preparing herself for the moment when he’d kiss her. “I want to see you happy.”

His hoarse voice was the last thing she became aware of as Owen abruptly pulled apart and left without saying another word.

Amelia stayed immersed in the silence of the room for long minutes, once again trying to make sense of something that no logic in the world could explain. Owen’s words from the previous night still echoed in her mind, but mostly, her heart still ached with the sad realization that they couldn’t be together now. And it was no consolation to know that despite being the best, this one decision definitely wasn’t the easiest.

.

Over the following week, Owen was caught by surprise with the news of Meredith’s return to Seattle. After quickly catching up with her at the house while Amelia was at work, the trauma surgeon found out that Meredith had had a child while she was gone, and during one particularly warm day, he got to meet baby Ellis and see both Zola and Bailey after a nearly one-year absence.

Owen could only imagine how that would add anxiety and more confusion to Amelia’s already messy feelings. He knew she would be thrilled to see the kids again but probably torn about seeing her sister in law, especially after the inconsiderate way Meredith had unplugged her brother and then left without looking back or at least informing Amelia of her departure.

During the next days, Owen kept busy working on his trailer and going on a solo fishing trip. He’d found out that being close to nature soothed him, and the handwork at home helped not only to clear his head but also made him exhausted enough to sleep very well at night.

On a Monday about two weeks after his return to Seattle, Owen went back to work. He spent most of his morning catching up with Richard. Throughout most of those few hours, the trauma surgeon cemented an idea that had been growing on him for the past week.

Hearing Richard talk about budget meetings and department issues only made him realize he didn’t miss any of that. Sure, it had been a challenge once, but the job felt like it was already deep in his past, finalized with a sense of closure. Owen didn’t want to go back to spending more than half his work hours engaged in bureaucracy. He still wanted to operate, of course, and to see and treat patients. But he also wanted more hours to dedicate to himself and his personal life. Even if he destined those to carpentry or fishing in the lake.

What he really wanted though was to devote more of his free time to the company of a certain petite brunette with the most gorgeous smile. Amelia’s eyes haunted him every night in his dreams and Owen longed to be able to touch her. But during the day, in the few times he’d occasionally seen her, she was usually surrounded by colleagues or awestruck residents who wanted to learn from her just as much as she wanted to teach them. He hadn’t yet been alone with Amelia ever since the morning he’d left her at the house, but they’d still bump into each other every now and then. And in all of those times, they had exchanged smiles but hadn’t really had a chance to talk. Owen wasn’t spending a lot of time at the hospital, but he’d noticed Amelia had cut back on her insane hours too. He supposed she probably spent the majority of her free time with her nieces and nephew, aware of how happy they made her.

And because Owen had just been back, he’d decided with Richard that the older surgeon should wrap all unfinished business before handing back the position, which was why Webber was still in charge of receiving the new interns, even after Owen’s return. On the morning of their arrival, Owen sat in an OR gallery beside many of his colleagues, most of whom had been taught by Richard and listened to that same speech years before.

While the experienced surgeons welcome the young doctors on the bottom floor, Owen’s gaze invariably traveled to the row above. When Amelia’s eyes met his, she quickly looked away at the same the neurosurgeon slightly blushed, making Owen wonder what she’d been thinking about. He had to admit it was a bit discouraging that Amelia didn’t seem to want to talk to him, but he quickly realized that was not the case when, moments after the speech was over and people had scattered around, she caught up with him in the corridor.

“Hey,” Amelia hurriedly dodged one of the nurses and went in Owen’s direction. “I haven’t seen you in a while. You look tanned.” She smiled, obviously teasing him.

“You mean burnt.” Owen reciprocated her mischievous smile. He’d been out by the lake for a few hours in the past week, which explained his current skin tone. “How’ve you been?”

“Good.” Amelia nodded with her head, walking beside him in the direction of the staircase that accessed the hospital’s entrance. “I’ve been seeing the kids a lot, so it’s been better. Loud.” She chuckled as she added the latest word.

“I suppose you’re enjoying it, then.” Owen replied casually, smirking to let her know he was teasing her too. Amelia had never been too quiet and they both acknowledged it.

“Yeah, a lot.” Amelia commented with lighthearted humor as they went down the stairs. She was just about to ask him what he'd been up to when they were suddenly interrupted by Arizona Robbins.

“Hunt. How much longer is Richard going to be interim chief? Because I want to expand my department, and he has a kind of different approach to the budget. So, when are you coming back?

Oh, Owen thought with resignation. There was the part he hadn’t missed at all.

“Uh, I am not.” He notified the pediatric surgeon, seeing how beside him, Amelia looked just as interested in his answer as Arizona. “The board is going to appoint a new chief.” Owen informed them, ready to resume his walk to the ER.

“We are? When?” Arizona sounded surprised.

“Why?” Amelia asked at the same time.

“Yeah, why?” Arizona showed her disapproval, looking at him with curiosity whereas in Amelia’s eyes Owen noticed a deeper interest in his answer.

“Because I’ve been chief long enough.” He affirmed, on purpose not explaining much. Owen didn’t have a thorough answer to give. All he knew was that he just couldn’t envision himself locked in an office for ten hours straight again. “And it’s time for something else,” he added mysteriously, nodding his head affirmatively before finally going his way.

Because he turned around, Owen missed the spot of fascination in Amelia’s eye, but she didn’t have enough time to ponder about his decision either. A collapsed tunnel had taken the lives of many people, and Amelia was one of the surgeons sent out to the field to assess injured patients.

Being in an accident site really hit too close to home to Amelia, but as if the situation wasn’t stressful enough, she’d had to work beside her sister in law, which only brought up more memories of her brother. Amelia saw a lot of patients that day, but there was one in particular that really messed with her emotions. Maggie, April and Meredith had all been beside her, trying to help Keith Gardner in any way that they could, but at some point, the other surgeons decided there was nothing else they could do for him and gave up when they felt like all options had been explored.

Amelia was taken over by an infuriating sensation of helplessness. When Meredith agreed with the others that the patient had no chance and they’d made the right call, Amelia couldn’t keep her feelings to herself any longer. Her passive-aggressive remarks were noticed by her sister in law and in that moment, Amelia saw the opportunity to finally confront the woman on issues that were long overdue.

For starters, she showed her disapproval but questioning Meredith on how she made the decisions to simply give up on situations and decide that someone no longer stood a chance. It was clear in her speech that she didn’t mean Keith Gardner, but Derek Shepherd. Meredith obviously picked up on it, but she was saved from having to answer by the arrival of an eager intern who notified Amelia she was needed on a procedure.

It wasn’t until later that Amelia was able to get everything off her chest. By confronting Meredith in a supply closet, the neurosurgeon finally let her feelings come to surface. Her tears had healing powers, and after confessing to Meredith how much it’d hurt that she hadn’t even been informed of her brother’s conditions before he was mercilessly unplugged, Amelia was at last able to think about the situation without a suffocating feeling inside her heart. That conversation had been long overdue and, after finally confessing how she felt, Amelia knew it still hurt. But at least now she could deal with her pain and finally move on.

Amelia had had quite some time to ponder about her personal life too, and she’d ultimately decided that it was better to remain single for a while. Her feelings for Owen still kept her up at night sometimes, leading her to confess to Callie during surgery that it was better not to date anyone they worked with. And from that moment on, Amelia tried really hard to believe her own words.

.

Taking another look at the clock, Amelia gave up calculating the number of hours she'd been up for. During the last months, she pulled shift after shift, but it was staying up with a baby and two young kids in the house that really worn her out. The neurosurgeon was busy catching up with charts when she noticed Owen arriving and standing by her side on the nurses’ station.

“He’s still alive?” She asked, curious about the boyfriend of the patient she’d just operated on.

“For now. And the girlfriend?”

“Out of surgery. Awake. Not paralyzed.” Amelia summed up.

“Excellent work.” Owen complimented her with a grin and held her gaze a moment longer until Amelia finally broke eye contact.

He’d just focused back on the document at his hand when her voice drew his attention again.

“Meredith told you she’s selling the house?”

“What, her house?”

Amelia noticed the astonishment in his voice and she wasn’t surprised. If Meredith had failed to properly inform her, who actually lived at the house, it was no wonder she hadn’t bothered to tell Owen either. And he had the right to know. After all, he lived in the property and would be affected by the move too.

“Yeah. It was news to me too.” She confessed to him.

“Where are you gonna go?” Owen frowned, unable to pay attention to his chart any longer. He watched as Amelia kept typing on her tablet.

“I’ll find something.” Amelia replied unaffectedly. She liked the house but it was filled with too many memories of her brother. Meredith’s decision to sell it had only reminded Amelia that she should have gotten her own place much sooner. But she’d always hated living alone. “Maybe she will let you keep the trailer.” Amelia added, looking at him with expectant mockery.

“Well, maybe I should just get a house that doesn’t get parking tickets.” Owen replied in the same lighthearted tone.

“Come on.” Amelia embarked on the playfulness. “You won’t miss being able to reach your toaster from your toilet?”

Owen wanted to give her a witty answer back but all he could do was chuckle. He loved seeing her happy and smiling.

“I might.” He settled for saying, thinking back about the many times she’d teasingly made fun of his trailer.

Amelia was assaulted by the same memories. Flashes of happy moments inside his place ran through her head so she forced herself to think about her patient, unsuccessfully.

“I really want this to work.”

The thought slipped her mind before she could hold it.

“Yeah?”

Amelia noticed the expectancy in Owen’s eyes and realized she’d probably confused him with her blunt confession.

“This family. All three of them.” She made up a good explanation.

“Right. Right.” Owen shook his head, hiding his consternation.

“What did you think I meant?” Amelia straightforwardly asked, consciously testing him. She was taking one day at a time now, but already felt a lot more in charge of her own life. Soon enough, she’d have to move out of the house and probably face loneliness again. And even though Amelia knew she wasn’t in the place to give Owen what he deserved in terms of a committed relationship, it didn’t mean she desired it any less.

So to think that he could probably feel still as drawn to her as she felt to him really touched her.

“Oh, nothing, no.” Owen replied, but he tried so hard to sound casual that Amelia picked up on his discomfort. It was clear he was lying. “That. Yeah. Me too.”

During the rest of the day, Amelia kept trying to process the meaning of his evasive reply. But her emotions were soon to be shaken up again when Meredith surprisingly gave her a cell phone containing Derek’s last voice mail message.

Her sister in law’s advice that Amelia should listen to it alone startled her. She knew the one single message it contained was from her brother and the perspective of listening to his voice again both scared and excited her.

She missed Derek deeply. Much more than words could ever explain. Despite all their differences and their fights, she’d always known that at the end of the day, her big brother would be there when it mattered. He was someone she could count on. Amelia had grown up without a father, but she’d always had Derek to lean on. Now he was gone too.

And Amelia had no idea if she was ready to finally, finally acknowledge that.

.

The next time Amelia was able to smile after that was at Richard and Catherine’s wedding. Somehow, amidst the loss and heartbreak everyone had gone through the past year, the goods things still found a way to crawl out and contaminate their spirits. Amelia was grateful for that.

During the ceremony, Owen sat on the row behind hers. While the sermon was conducted, he realized he was having a hard time focusing on the couple at the altar. It was much more interesting to study the profile of the woman in the black and white dress sitting a few feet in front of him.

Once the ceremony was over, everyone went back to Meredith’s for the reception. Owen had noticed that, despite seemingly doing better, Amelia still had a shadow of sadness behind her eyes. Whenever she looked at him smiling and Owen identified it, he wanted to go to her and hold her in arms to protect her from all harm in the world.

Being a trauma surgeon, Owen saw people suffering everyday. It was never easy or fun, of course. He knew he had good people skills and a lot of empathy. The surgeon had lost count of the many times he’d have to deliver bad news to family members, or even to patients themselves and still, being hard as it was, it didn’t make him lose his sleep at night.

But to see Amelia sad… That devastated him. It broke his heart. Owen couldn’t even explain why. But with her, it was different.

She was different.

Throughout the party, she seemed to be having a good time but her eyes weren’t sparkling with contentment and mirth like he’d seen many times. Her liveliness, high spirits and general good attitude with the world had once captivated Owen to the point of making him fall madly in love with her. He knew she was still that same person, but her bubbly personality was now overshadowed by a load of emotions she hadn’t so far fully processed but really needed to.

“Hey, Owen, can you do me a favor?” Meredith distractedly asked him. “I don’t know where my keys are, could you go get the spare set so I can open the backdoors to the terrace? It’s getting crowded here and we need more space.”

“Sure.” Owen replied with practicality. “Where are they?”

“Well, if no one took them while I was gone there should be an extra set in the second drawer of my nightstand.”

Owen nodded affirmatively and went upstairs, hoping to be done with the task as soon as possible. Meredith was hosting the reception for the newlyweds and the atmosphere at the party was generally good. The trauma surgeon had been spending a lot of time alone lately and he liked it. But sometimes, Owen missed social events like those.

He opened the door in a hurry, determined to get the keys but it caught him off guard to find out the bedroom wasn’t empty as he’d initially assumed.

Instead, Amelia sat down by the bench on the foot of the bed and she looked like she was struggling with something.

“I’m sorry, I was just…” Owen belatedly noticed she looked on the verge of tears. “Are you all right?”

“I was just about to listen to a message.” Amelia explained, fighting her emotions. She seemed embarrassed and tried to disguise it with a smile. “But I can’t seem to bring myself to hit play.” She confessed and looked deeply into Owen’s eyes, giving up trying to hide her emotions from him.

It had never worked, anyway.

Owen acknowledged the situation and closed the door behind him, gently sitting next to her afterwards. It was obvious something was up.

During most of the afternoon and evening, Amelia had walked around with the cell phone in her pocket, avoiding making the decision to listen to it for as long as she could. But then, once back to the house, she couldn’t help thinking of Derek. The way the place was filled with people, laughter and happiness made her heart ache for her brother, because she knew he would have loved to be there.

Owen didn’t need to ask why she couldn’t hit play. He recognized Meredith’s old phone in Amelia’s hand and figured it probably had something to do with his late friend. He waited for her to say something, but since she seemed to be struggling so much, Owen decided to end her agony.

Without thinking twice about it, the trauma surgeon reached out and pressed the play button. Derek’s voice resonated in the room and her heartfelt reaction didn’t surprise Owen.

He was just about to leave and give her privacy to process the memories of her brother when Amelia’s hand grasped him, firmly holding him in place. Owen understood that was Amelia’s way of asking him to stay and he didn’t hesitate to do so.

When the message was finally over, Amelia was completely in tears. But she didn’t seem sad.

In fact, she seemed relieved.

Owen was happy for her that she seemed to finally be able to cope with her brother��s death in a healthy way. Her response was genuine. Amelia wasn’t fighting the tears anymore. Instead, she was crying them. And by allowing her pain to be processed, she was finally moving on with her loss.

“You okay?” He sheepishly asked after seeing her wipe her eyes.

“Yeah.” Amelia nodded affirmatively. Among her tears, a smile finally showed. “Yeah.” She repeated, looking Owen in the eyes. “I am.”

He realized the amazing breakthrough Amelia had just had. She had also just noticed she was finally in a better place and seeing her genuinely smile made Owen happier than he’d felt all night.

The surgeon was just processing that when a small, warm hand cupped his cheek as Amelia shifted closer. He frowned in response, surprised by her move but didn’t have a lot of time to think it through because a second hand rubbed the other side of his face, pulling him nearer. Silver blue eyes stared deeply into his without saying a word before she finally leaned in.

Amelia covered his lips with hers, feeling the familiar sensation on her stomach whenever she touched him. Almost automatically, Owen’s hands circled her waist, pulling her closer. The way he warmly welcomed her kiss encouraged Amelia, making her move up and support her body on the bench on one knee to seize control of the kiss.

Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck as her lips forced his open, deepening their kiss at the same time she put both feet on the ground, standing between his knees.

When they finally pulled apart, Owen looked deeply into her eyes, trying to ignore the amazing sensation she was causing by lazily caressing the hair on the back of his head.

“What was that for?” He asked, confused but completely pleased.

“For being the man you are.” Amelia replied with no hesitation. She smiled as she closed her eyes and touched her forehead to his, taking a deep breath before adding. “For being here for me.”

“I’ll always be here for you.” Owen said with confidence.

Amelia pulled apart and opened her eyes. Owen saw the flicker of playfulness in them and his face was a telltale of how much he approved the way she’d used to thank him.

“I should give this back to Meredith.” She said with a mix of awkwardness and flirtation, gently stepping out of his reach.

“You probably should.” Owen returned her flirtatious smile, confused but embarking on the situation.

The last thing he saw was the way Amelia gently bit her lower lip and looked at him from head to toe before sneakily leaving the bedroom.

Damn it, Owen cursed with a heavy sigh. Just when he’d thought he was finally starting to accept their physical distance Amelia went and pulled a stunt like that. But he should have figured. She was unpredictable, untamable… and absolutely adorable.

Owen had no idea what the future reserved for them but when he picked up the keys in the drawer Meredith had mentioned, he tried to decide what was more latent at the moment: the throbbing rush of blood to this lower abdomen after her kiss or the way his heart was racing after realizing Amelia was finally her own person again.

.

It was past one am when the last guests finally left the wedding reception. Owen stayed to help clean up the house, but he didn’t see much of Amelia because she had taken on the task of putting the kids to bed.

On the following week, Meredith, Amelia and the kids would finally have to leave the house. Meredith had put it to sale and Owen knew he probably would have to get his own apartment soon too.

It was a shame, he thought, while taking a small cooler to the deck outside his trailer on a Sunday evening. The sun was just starting to set in the horizon. That had been a particular warm day for Seattle, and he didn't want it to be over. Being outside in the woods or by the lake enjoying the fresh air was definitely what Owen would miss the most in case he indeed have to move to the city so he settled for a final evening of sitting by his deck with a beer in his hand, silently enjoying the surroundings.

It wasn’t until minutes after, when the sun had already fully set, that he noticed a bright light coming through one of the living room windows of Meredith’s house. In a flash of a second, Zola came running through and moments after, Owen spotted Bailey doing the same.

The trauma surgeon smiled to himself, anticipating what was going to happen next. To his delighted surprise, Owen proved to be right in his assumption when he saw Amelia walking forth with baby Ellis on her arms.

Owen took a long sip of his beer, not quite believing it.

Over a year before, he’d sat outside on that same deck with the same drink on his hand, for the first time laying eyes on the woman he’d grown to love over the following months. Back then, Owen had been experiencing a painful break up with the ideals he thought to have build for his failed marriage. It had been hard to let go of his dreams, but after realizing he couldn’t keep living that unhealthy lifestyle any longer, Owen had divorced his ex-wife and ultimately been in peace with her parting ways.

On the same night he’d sat down to carefully process all of that and ease his pain with a few drinks, Amelia had walked into his life.

And she’d remained in it like she belonged there all along.

At the time, Owen had had no idea who she was, so he’d simply mistaken her for a babysitter. The way she would affectionately interact with the kids had warmed his heart. Back then Bailey was still a baby, and Ellis wasn’t even an idea yet. But now that one more kid had been thrown to the mix, he could firsthand witness how Amelia’s love and affection for them seemed to have multiplied.

On a chilly night months before, Owen’s soul had been just as cold as the autumn wind. But now, on that peaceful summer evening, the warmth in his heart made him feel whole. And it was Amelia the main responsible for that.

Owen kept staring at her, unable to wipe the smile off his face. Barefoot and wearing light blue shorts, the young neurosurgeon tried juggling caring for Ellis at the same time she gave attention to Zola and Bailey. Owen tilted his head to the side, carefully inspecting her shapely legs, slim waist and gorgeous pale skin.

The first time he’d seen her, he was guilty to have sexually desired the woman after just looking at Amelia. Now, months later, he was absolutely sure he wanted her even more. So much had happened between those two different nights that it was hard not to put things into perspective.

Every day, something unexpected could happen. Some people died, some people left, others were born. Owen noticed the short strands of blonde hair on top of Ellis’s head as Amelia brought the baby close to her face and breathed her in. If he could, he would keep that image forever in his head.

And that was when started to allow himself to picture Amelia doing the exact same thing, but to his baby instead.

She was so caring, so warm and loving that he’d had no doubt she would make a great mother. Just like him, Amelia was familiar with loss. But she hadn’t let the many heartbreaks in her life turn her into a bitter person. Instead, she’d maintained her liveliness, bright smile and child-like optimism to live her life knowing the things that mattered the most laid on a simple smile, or a possibility to be with the people they loved.

And Owen loved her.

He wanted them to have a shot happiness again. He still didn’t know how they would do that. Both still have a lot to figure out. But maybe after months of dancing around, of pushing and pulling, they could finally go through that journey together. Owen didn’t know much yet, but after watching how happy it made Amelia to be with the kids and how good she was with them, he had became sure of one thing.

He wanted her.

He wanted Amelia tonight in his bed, tomorrow at his breakfast table and every day in his heart. He wanted to go to sleep and wake up next to her, to make plans together. To celebrate her birthdays, to be surprised when he got home and found out she had booked an unexpected trip for them, or got them tickets to a concert. And maybe, someday, Amelia could also surprise him with the news that they would share the craziest adventure of a lifetime: parenting a child together.

Owen opened up another bottle and took a long sip, feeling better and more hopeful than he’d felt in the entire past year. Everything had been a mess, but the sun would always rise in the morning and every day was a new opportunity to try again. No matter how long it took him, he was getting Amelia back.

All the heartbreak and loss could remain in the past. Because he foresaw a better future. With Amelia by her side.

Finishing his beer, Owen got up and threw the empty bottle on the trash. He stretched his muscles and turned his head to fondly to gaze at the window on the house, only to realize that from the inside, Amelia had just opened it to look back at him.

And she smiled.

The dimples on her cheek broke all of Owen’s defenses and he knew right then that he was lost forever. Taking a deep breath, he locked eyes with her and took a step forward to the house and their future.

But this time, Owen was absolutely sure that the woman he’d spent the past hour admiring through a window had, somewhere along the way, already become the love of his life.  

And Owen just couldn’t wait for what would come next.

--

Thats it! Thank you guys for making it here :) 

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Twenty Three

thank you @jia911 and @bluebelle18 for your incredible help.

Previous chapters are HERE.

Timeline for Part 23:

It sets entirely between episodes 11x22 and 11x23. After Owen comes back and finds Amelia about to have a relapse, he comforts her and talks her out of it. Amelia then asked him to stay with her. What happens next? 

The Journey – Part Twenty-Three

Amelia paced back and forth in the kitchen, trying to concentrate on the task ahead. It was nearly nine in the evening and she was mixing ingredients while looking over her shoulder every two minutes.

After Owen had agreed to stay with her, he’d walked her inside, proceeding to unceremoniously flush the bag of oxy she’d given him down the toilet. Then, after repeatedly asking her if she was okay, Owen said he’d make a quick trip to his trailer to get cleaned up and drop his bag but would be back in no time to spend the evening with her.

Amelia had quickly gone upstairs, suddenly taken by the urge to look her best after the mess she’d just made of herself. The neurosurgeon had gotten in the shower, dried her hair and put on a pair of dark leggings and a fitted long sleeve shirt. Then, she went back to the ground floor and patiently waited. And when it felt like too much time had passed already and maybe that meant Owen had changed his mind about joining her, Amelia looked at the clock and noticed it had only been thirty minutes since he’d left.

Amelia had been so deeply immersed in her grief and the turmoil of emotions that she’d barely paid attention to anything else. Now, after crying tears that had been stored for long months, she finally felt lighter and somewhat even free. Sure, she was still grieving, and probably would be for a long time. But now Amelia also felt like she could do it in a healthy way, so that the pain she’d avoided for so long wasn’t going to destroy her like in previous moments.

And because she was in a better shape of mind, the neurosurgeon could shift the focus from that to more pressing matters. Owen had just come home from a long deployment and Amelia realized he was probably in need of care too. That man was so tough and so grounded that sometimes she forgot that at the end of the day, he was only human. No matter how talented Owen was at concealing his pain, it did not mean he was immune to it.

The neurosurgeon thought back about the first time she’d been alone with Owen in that house. It had been a random weekday, and he’d knocked on her door looking for her brother. Derek had been at work, just like his wife so Amelia had the house entirely to herself. And even though that wasn’t the original plan, Owen had stayed with her and entertained Amelia throughout one of the best evenings she’d had in Seattle.

Back then, she’d made waffles and Owen had complimented her. He was probably hungry after a long day of traveling and Amelia doubted he’d have anything to eat at home.

Feeling particularly inspired and unusually motivated, the neurosurgeon occupied the kitchen, quickly gathering the ingredients she would need. By the time Owen finally made it back, ending her agonizing anxiety, the house smelled like fresh food, making him instantly realize just how hungry he was.

“What are you doing?” Owen asked with a large smile, surprised to find Amelia in the kitchen looking reinvigorated.

“Cooking us dinner.” She returned his gaze and Owen felt his heart skip a bit. Oh, how he had missed that dimpled smile. “I figured you’d be hungry.” Amelia sheepishly added, slightly blushing.

Owen took a few steps in her direction, seeing she was putting golden, crispy waffles on two separate plates. Her consideration touched him immensely. She didn’t have to do anything, but it looked like she was trying to please him and the intention alone made Owen remind himself as to why he’d fallen for her in the first place.

The trauma surgeon smiled charmingly at her, communicating everything he wanted to say with his eyes. Amelia was flattered by the look of appreciation on his face.

“You know, since you have been gone for so long, I imagined you’d like some kind of homemade, traditional food.”

“So you made me Belgian waffles?” Owen raised one eyebrow, clearly teasing her by the way he smirked adorably.

“No,” the neurosurgeon returned his smile, feeling her heart fluttering with contentment just by having his company back. He had a point but she wasn’t going to give in that easily. “They are Amelia-waffles.”

“Ohh…” Owen pretended to be surprised and convinced. He leaned over, grabbed the small jar of syrup and poured some on the golden waffle before taking a bite. The way he nodded his head as his swallowed the piece showed how pleased he was. “Yeah… They are delicious.” Owen gazed at her, sustaining her look. “The kind I can only find right here at home.”

Amelia’s smile slowly transformed as she felt his eyes heavily lingering on hers. She was deeply pleased that he seemed to really like what she’d made especially for him.

“Do you want another?” She grinned contagiously.

“Sure.” Owen answered with honesty.

When they were done eating, Owen helped her with the dishes, despite Amelia’s protests that he should rest after the long day he’d had. Truth was, after the storm had come and gone, she felt a little awkward to be standing so close next to him without touching.

Just an hour ago, Amelia had broken down and cried in his arms, exposing her soul. And now, they seemed to be talking like two civilized people who were unsure of how to approach a difficult subject.

“So…” Amelia finished putting the last plate back in the cabinet near the sink. “What do you want to do now?”

Owen turned his head and met her eyes. The answer was very obvious to him.

He wanted to take her upstairs, close the door behind them and kiss every bit of her body until he felt her melting in his arms moaning his name as she was assaulted by the most incredibly sensations, just like it had happened many times in the past.

But he knew Amelia was in a particularly rough time of her life and he’d never take advantage of her fragile state.

“Be with you.” Owen settled for saying, watching with delight as her entire face transformed with a smile.

Amelia reached out her hand for him and Owen took it, following her to the living room in silence.

Now that she’d let her guard down and was finally allowing herself to be the woman he’d come to fall for, Owen couldn’t help noticing how her eyes were once again filled with the liveliness he adored so much about her. Not for the first time, he associated Amelia’s image with the one of a child, with such purity and innocence that it inspired the most primitive thoughts of protection and care in him.

But at the same time, there was nothing remotely childish about the way her clothes outlined her feminine body. As she curled up on the couch next to him, so close that he could feel her warmth, Owen felt his pulse racing. Her shapely thighs were covered but the fitting leggings left very little to imagination, especially when he could easily remember each one of her delicate curves.

There was something very domestic about the way she would relax with her back on the couch, gazing at the TV while distractedly flicking her hair. Owen could very well think they were frozen in time, redirected back to a moment when nearly a year ago, they’d spend nights just like that one, comfortably sitting beside each other while doing something as mundane as watching TV.

But of course, everything was different now. They weren’t together anymore and Owen couldn’t simply lean over and randomly kiss her, no matter how much he wanted to.

“Did you call your mom?”

Amelia’s voice interrupted his thoughts and Owen blinked repeatedly, trying to focus on the question before shifting his attention to her.

“Hm, I went to see her before I came here.” He replied, impressed that she’d bothered to worry about that. He saw the look of approval on her face and imagined if there was more to it. “Why?”

Amelia shrugged her shoulders, as if the subject embarrassed her, but decided to be honest nonetheless.

“She came to see me.” The neurosurgeon confessed, watching as a frown formed on Owen’s face. “She was desperate that she hadn’t heard from you,” Amelia explained, hoping Owen would understand. “She hadn’t heard from you and she told me…” Her voice trailed off as a lump formed on her throat. Evelyn’s words were replaying in Amelia’s mind and all the fear she’d felt was promptly coming back to her. “She said there were gunshots fired.”

Owen noticed the way Amelia bit her bottom lip at the same time she defensively wrapped her arms around legs that she was trying her best to keep her emotions in check. Without thinking, he reached out his hand and took hers, rubbing it with his thumb.

“I am sorry you had to hear that.” He said with honesty. Earlier that day, when Owen had gone to see her, his mother had already expressed how terrified she’d been after spending nearly two weeks without hearing from him, especially after knowing that his camp had been under attack. He had no idea Amelia had shared her concern, and could only imagine how that must have added to her stress.

“What happened?” Amelia asked with genuine interest, looking him in the eye with fear.

Owen smiled tenderly, touched by her reaction. There he was, safe and sound, but the idea of the danger he’d gone through was still enough to make Amelia so bothered that she couldn’t hide her reaction.

“It was nothing.” He replied with a gentle smile, determined not to worry her.

“Owen,” Amelia pleaded, getting nearer, “talk to me about it. Please.” Her fingers grabbed the palm of his hand that was still touching her. “You have to talk about it too. You need to.”

Owen took a deep breath and studied her gaze with interest. Amelia was genuinely concerned. He’d lived much worse than what had happened in this last tour, so he didn’t feel like he was unbalanced or too traumatized. But she surely couldn’t imagine that nearly being shot wasn’t the worst he’d been through.

“We were celebrating Christmas one night and this hmm… This rebel group that had been joining forces against the government for a while took advantage of the distraction caused by the holidays and opened fire against our camp, even though we were only in a medical mission.” He told her, watching as Amelia’s eyes enlarged with alarm. She looked so adorable worrying about him that Owen wanted to smile. “It is okay, it was no big deal.” He couldn’t contain a chuckle and leaned over, with every intention to hold her and make her not worry too much about it. She’d had enough on her plate already.

“Wait, what?!” Amelia fired back, splaying a hand on his chest to push him away. “Are you serious?”

Owen noticed how worked up she was and frowned in confusion.

“Are you honestly telling me that while I was worried to death that you had died you were getting aimed at by terrorists and it was no big deal?” Amelia’s voice lost its pitch as she stared at him with incredulity stamped all over her face. “After lecturing me on how I shouldn’t hide from my pain?” She stared at him accusingly. “You could have died! You could have been shot!” She closed her fist and hit the side of his arm. “I seriously want to punch you right now for being so… so…”  

Owen waited until she finished her sentence, but Amelia seemed unable to come up with an adjective that described what she was feeling, making him raise his eyebrows in a mock expectation. As anticipated, she didn’t take it very well, scowling with fury.

“God, why do you have to be so frustrating?” Amelia complained, breathing in and out irregularly. “Why can’t you just for once admit to how you feel?” She gazed into his eyes and asked with propriety. “You don’t have to be so tough all the time, you know? You can tell me things. I can take it.”

Owen’s smile slowly faded as he kept staring into her eyes. She was actually mad at him because he had dismissed what she considered to be a great trauma. Owen wasn’t naïve enough to think that this last tour hadn’t accounted to anything traumatic for him, but he also knew that it was far from being the worst he’d been through in a war zone. If he were to be completely honest, operating on Danny Hill while the boy fought for his life had been scarier than anything else, making the gunshot noises outside seem distant and oblivious.

But Amelia sat up straight with her back erect, furiously looking at him while accusing Owen of not letting his guard down. Deep down, he knew it was true. Owen was much more comfortable taking care of the people he loved than letting them be there for him.

And very few people had ever offered to do so, anyway.

In all honesty, less than very few people had ever given Owen the chance to actually feel secure enough to let his guard down and trust them with his vulnerabilities. But only one amidst them all had given him a good enough reason to do so.

And right now she stared at him with an almost pleading look, expecting him to reciprocate her bravery and actually access his emotions.

“The night we got attacked there was this kid who got shot.” Owen was surprised when he heard his own voice. He wasn’t sure what reaction exactly he was expecting, but in Amelia’s eyes he saw sympathy and understanding, so he felt comfortable enough to keep sharing. “He was nineteen years old.”

“God…” Amelia whispered, taking his hand between hers and giving it a reassurance squeeze. “Did you know him?”

“Yeah.” Owen let out a breath and distractedly looked around the room, too touched by the subject to sustain eye contact with her. “His name was Danny.”

“What happened to him?” Amelia asked with interest.

“I operated on him that same night.” Owen narrated the events, recalling the awful moments of tension. “Our supply room and ward area had just been completely destroyed by a bomb but he was bleeding, so I had to do something.” The trauma surgeon exhaled slowly, for the first time getting in contact with the emotions he’d felt at the time. “Danny had a grade four liver laceration and I had to use a Pringle Maneuver to make sure he wouldn’t bleed to death.” Owen scanned his eyes from the TV back to her face. “Our supply tent had also been nearly destroyed and of course in the middle of nowhere we didn’t have a blood bank. I was scared he was going to die in my hands, and all for nothing.”

“Owen, I am so sorry…” Amelia got closer to him and rubbed his forearm affectionately, deeply touched. “What did you do?”

“What I could.” Owen replied with honesty, letting out a heavy sigh. “After six hours and a full sternotomy to access the inferior cava so I could stop the bleeding, I was finally able to reconstruct the vessels.” Owen swallowed hard and nodded his head in denial, rejecting the fear he’d felt that night. “For a moment, after I closed I thought he wasn’t going to pull through…” His eyes got lost but then looked back at Amelia, finding an unknown needed comfort in her understanding gaze. “He was nineteen, Amelia… He took a bullet to warn us we were under attack. And his heroic action saved most of our lives.”

Amelia identified the distress in his face and quickly supported her weight on her knees, unceremoniously wrapping her arms around Owen’s neck to pull him for an embrace.

“He must be a really tough kid.” Amelia said, impressed. She thought about it and slowly pulled apart, gazing at Owen with renewed admiration. The technicalities of the surgery he’d performed would make any hepatic surgeon jealous. But his impressive skill wasn’t what touched her the most; it was his kind, decent heart. “I bet you made a huge difference to the many people you helped in these past months... It makes me so proud to know that.”

Owen looked at her, smiling discreetly for he didn’t know what to answer. Slowly, Amelia’s hand traveled from the back of his neck to his shoulders, discreetly splaying on his chest.

“Did you feel alone out there?” She asked, hating herself for wanting to know the answer to her next question. “I mean, did you have anyone to keep you company?”

Owen knew by the insecurity in her body language that she didn’t mean someone to talk to, or just some random co-worker. Amelia was actually asking if he had been emotionally or even physically involved with someone during the time he was gone. The realization completely threw him off his game.

“There hasn’t been anyone, Amelia.” He replied with honesty, looking deeply into her eyes. “No one since you.”

Amelia felt shivers running down her spine and sustained the intensity of his gaze. In her heart, she felt relieved at his confession, at the same time she felt stupid for letting the monster of jealousy consume her. But Amelia couldn’t help it. The thought of Owen being with anyone else annoyed her too much because she hated to think his care and his affection might have been shared with another woman who perhaps had been there for him when she couldn’t be.

She noticed how Owen kept staring at her, as if waiting for her to answer the same question he’d just had.

Amelia’s shaky voice confessed, failing to contain the intensity of her confession.

“You are the only one too.”

Her reply numbed him, but as he realized Amelia had spoken in present tense, Owen felt something bursting inside his chest and couldn’t help himself any longer. Leaning over her, this time he didn’t give Amelia any room to resist. But she didn’t seem to want to. Her expression showed how much she welcomed his touch when Owen held her face between his hands, looking deeply into her eyes as he gently laid her on the couch.

Amelia had just admitted that he was the only one who had occupied her thoughts and it was too much for Owen’s already fragile self-control. Giving in to the urge that had been consuming him for quite a while now, he covered her lips with his, feeling his entire body igniting at the familiar and yet mind blowing contact.

Slim, feminine arms wrapped around his neck, pulling Owen closer. He lost himself in the familiar touch of her lips, deepening their kiss as Amelia’s familiar scent numbed his senses. Owen couldn’t begin to explain how much she’d missed that proximity, the warmth of her touch and the affection she reserved for him whenever they were together.

Reaching out for it, his hand slipped under her shirt, urging to feel her closer. Amelia shivered as his open palm slid on the curve of her waist, gently giving her a firm squeeze before finally splaying on her back. When she felt the reaction of his body pressed against her thighs, Amelia took of one of her hands to his leg, unceremoniously pulling him closer to her body in an obvious signal she was fully on board with taking things further. The neurosurgeon had already lost her breath, eager to pull off Owen’s shirt when he abruptly pulled apart.

“No…Wait…”

Amelia was caught off guard and simply stared at him in confusion, watching as he stood up and kept his distance, running his fingers through his hair in obvious frustration.

“What’s wrong?” She slowly sat up, trying to make sense as to why she’d been so suddenly rejected.

Owen seemed to struggle but finally made eye contact with her. In his eyes, Amelia could see he was a tortured man.

“Nothing is wrong,” he whispered back at her, exhaling deeply. Owen tried to contain the intensity of his reactions at the same time he focused on keeping rational so he wouldn’t lose his mind. “The problem is just how right this is…”

Amelia kept staring at him in obvious confusion. Owen seemed to pick up on that because he took a deep breath before finally sitting down next to her.

“We can’t do this, Amelia.” He turned his head and looked into her eyes. “Not like this.”

“Why not?” She asked, hating to feel that insecure. Owen had just made her believe he’d missed her and he’d also just admitted he hadn’t been with anyone else. Amelia had interpreted that as a signal he was still into her, but maybe she’d misunderstood it?

“Because you’re grieving.”

The neurosurgeon frowned slightly. Owen noticed that was not what she expected to hear, so he forced himself to explain.

“You’ve just been through an emotional rollercoaster and you’re still too fragile.” He reached out for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve been distant from people and from human contact for all these months and it’s only normal that you’re craving for some intimacy.” Owen analyzed, noticing as she was following his trail of thoughts. “But, it’s not going to fix anything,” he affirmed with conviction before softening his expression, “and it’s most definitely not going to help both of us get back on track with our lives.”

“What do you mean?” Amelia asked, confused about his last statement.

“You’re not sure this is what you want.” Owen said with conviction. In his mind, he was pretty sure what he wanted. He had always been. Ever since they had started seeing each other, Owen had always been serious about dating her. But Amelia still had some personal things to work on before she could devote herself to a relationship and he had to respect that, for her sake and his. “And before you can work it out and figure out for sure what you want from now on, it’s not fair to me or to yourself that we keep confusing ourselves like this. Sex is only going to make this even more complicated.” He finalized, looking away to control his urges.

“I thought you wanted it too…” Amelia said with a broken voice, clearly thinking he’d rejected her.

Owen lost his patience completely.

“You think I don’t want you?” He breathed out nervously, digging one hand through her mass of dark hair to force her to look into his eyes. Amelia was startled with his reaction, but not intimidated. She sustained his gaze as he nervously kept on staring deeply into her eyes. “You think I haven’t spent every night in that goddamn hell house thinking about you? Wishing I had you?” Owen closed his eyes and sighed with frustration, unable to help himself. Pulling her closer, he fought the urge to crush her lips with his and settled for brushing them on her temple with agonizing gentleness. “Amelia, for God’s sake I want it more than anything… The problem is, I don’t want a one night stand with you.” Owen pulled apart to once again look into his eyes. He wanted a lifetime. But to go ahead, he had to be sure she was on the same page. “A one night stand is not enough and if I can’t have it all, then there is no point torturing me. Please, understand.”

Amelia didn’t notice she was tearing up. Owen’s eyes were exhaling so much intensity that she was awed by his raw honesty. She understood exactly what he meant. Being with him for the night and then having to figure out her entire life in the morning sounded too complicated. No matter how much Owen tried to deny it or pretend it didn’t matter, he was grieving too. Of course he was just as confused. And she knew he had a point.

“I am sorry.” She apologized for things not being as easy as she wished them to be. “I know you deserve better than all of this.”

Owen tilted his head in compassion. Amelia couldn’t seriously think she wasn’t worthy of him.

“So do you.” He affirmed with conviction. “You deserve better than going through all of this. You deserve better than not feeling good enough.” Owen kissed her forehead, hoping she believed his words. “I hope you know how much you deserve to be loved…” He confessed, thinking about the promise he’d made to Danny and not yet kept. “And maybe one day you will allow yourself to be loved.”

Amelia felt a familiar constriction on her throat at the sound of his sweet words. Somehow, Owen seemed to always know where to go to touch her the deepest.

“And if that day ever comes, you have to know one thing.” He used his index finger to gently tip her chin up, forcing the neurosurgeon to look into his eyes. “Whenever you’re ready, I am here.” Owen smiled gently, containing his overwhelming emotions. “And I will never say no to you.”

Amelia felt her heart fluttering at the meaning of his words. She knew he meant he would never reject her physical advances, but that was not all to it. Owen was admitting he wouldn’t reject loving her and she felt profoundly touched by his loyalty to protect both of their feelings when he could have easily given in to temptation.

Wrapping her arms around his torso, Amelia buried her face in his chest, feeling strong arms surround her in response.

“I know we shouldn’t go there,” her voice sounded muffled through the barrier of his shirt. “But can we please just give ourselves one night?” Amelia looked up to meet his expectant eyes. “I am not talking about sex, I am talking about you and me, just… Just staying here and going to bed without worrying about anything.” Her voice faltered. “Just like old times.” She smiled sheepishly, embarrassed about her proposal. “Maybe we can forget that my family is gone, or that you just came back from war or that… I don’t know… That everything is a mess and we don’t know what’s going to happen next.” Amelia listed, anxiously. “And maybe… maybe just give ourselves this night to take a break from everything?” She saw Owen’s eyes sparkling after hearing her proposal. “I know in the morning all the issues are still going to be there, but maybe tonight they don’t have to be here.” She looked around the room, eager to spend some time with his company. There was no one else in the world Amelia would rather be with and she wanted to enjoy that evening to the fullest. “Just be here.” She nearly begged, out of words to convince him further and then remembered of what he’d replied when earlier that evening she’d asked what he wanted to do “Be with me.”

Owen took a deep breath and exhaled slowly at the same time he took both his hands to her face and gently cupped her cheeks.

“I’d love that.” He smiled contagiously at her. Owen needed that break as much as she did and he wasted no time in letting her know it. “I haven’t had a good night of sleep in months.” He confessed, recalling the makeshift beds in the desert.

Amelia thought back about the past nine months in her life. She couldn’t remember one night in which she’d slept peacefully. Every day, she just felt more tired. But it was like her mind just wouldn’t shut down and she’d figure it was more productive to simply avoid sleep altogether than to lie awake in bed at night, staring at the ceiling while the worst thoughts ran through her head.

And then as Owen’s hand joined hers and they calmly went upstairs, she figured that even if she spent the entire evening awake, it would still be an upgrade just for having his company.

.

Once in her bedroom, Owen couldn’t help drawing some parallels. During the intense few weeks he had been with Amelia, they had spent nearly every night in his trailer, with the exception of the times one of them had to stay at the hospital or were engaged in something else. He’d been to Amelia’s room a few times before, but they’d never been together on her bed.

The surroundings were exactly like Owen remembered, except the room looked like it hadn’t been used in a while. The bed was made and everything was neatly in its place, which he knew wasn’t very much like Amelia.

“You’ve been cleaning.” He pointed out with an amused smile.

Amelia looked at him, blushing.

“Sometimes, when Richard kicked me out of the hospital for being there too long and I didn’t have anything to do, I’d tidy up my bedroom.”

She tried to make it sound unimportant but Owen could easily imagine Amelia engaged in an intense physical activity like heavy house cleaning just to clear her mind off disturbing thoughts.

“You must be exhausted.” She commented after seconds of silence. Owen was still looking around and Amelia felt her stomach churning once her eyes saw the vacant spot on the wall where a painting had once been. She followed his gaze and realized he’d just noticed it too, but was too polite to ask anything. “I… I accidentally broke it.” Amelia explained, feeling like somehow she owed him an explanation. After all, the object had been a present from him.

“It was too ugly, anyway.” Owen looked at her with a forced smile but Amelia could see his eyes were slightly clouded by something that resembled sadness. She felt guilty to remember she had angrily thrown the painting on a wall during a fit of rage.

Amelia felt like she should say something but she couldn’t quite figure out what. So she settled for looking at him while Owen pulled the covers to her bed. The neurosurgeon felt like an awkward atmosphere was forming so she let him do the task while going to one corner of the room looking for a comfortable shirt.

Owen had just finished arranging the pillows on the bed when he turned his head to ask Amelia if the temperature of the room was okay. But he wasn’t prepared for what he found instead.

With her back turned to him, Amelia had just finished taking off her top, unintentionally exposing to him the gracious curves of her body. Owen didn’t realize he held his breath at the very moment his eyes got a hold of her, or how his heart rate accelerated as he studied the familiar shape of her feminine waist.

Her skin looked as flawless as Owen remembered it to be, and he wanted more than anything to go to her, feel her warmth under his touch and bury his face on her neck, exploring every bit of her body. Her delicate round shoulders rotated in a gracious movement as she reached out for a piece of clothing inside a drawer. He hadn’t meant to look, but now that he was watching her, Owen couldn’t get himself to stop staring. The surgeon wondered if, even months later, being with her would still be as delightful as he remembered it to be.

And once Owen spotted the soft fabric of an old shirt swiftly hiding her tiny figure, he realized how dumb he must have been to ask himself a question to which the answer was very obvious.

Of course Amelia was as adorable as he remembered. And it physically hurt him that he couldn’t have her.

Feeling frustration building up in his stomach, Owen forced himself to divert his gaze and got inside the covers, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Soon after, Amelia asked if she could turn off the lights and when he nodded affirmatively in response, the neurosurgeon engulfed the room in total darkness, sneakily joining him in bed seconds after.

Owen felt the discreet movement on the opposite side of the mattress as she silently got beneath the covers. He desperately wanted to touch her, but had no idea if he should. Amelia had invited him there, but they’d made the promise not to cross any lines. And now Owen was starting to regret his decision of agreeing to spend the night there, because it felt like absolute torture to lie down next to her without touching or even speaking.

It was obvious Amelia was just as restless because she wouldn’t stop moving, apparently trying to get comfortable. But only when she finally turned to face him and her voice interrupted the silence, Owen figured out she was actually struggling with something.

“I am so sorry…” She cried with a broken voice, wrapping one arm around his chest at the same time she buried her face on his neck, like a kid who was too embarrassed after being caught. Owen was just about to ask what was happening when her muffled voice explained, “I didn’t accidentally break the cow… I threw it against the wall… I didn’t mean to…” Her voice faltered and Amelia didn’t realize she wasn’t making any sense, since she had consciously done it. Owen immediately held her closer to him, wondering why she seemed so affected and upset. “I didn’t want it to break and now it’s completely destroyed and…”

“Shh….” Owen kissed the top of her head to interrupt her, hating to see how distressed she was. Amelia’s delicate body was nearly shaking next to his and he wanted more than anything to end her suffering. But he still hadn’t made complete sense of the situation and in order to know what was going on, Owen needed to find out what had really happened. “Why did you throw it? What happened?” He asked patiently.

“I was mad at you.” Amelia sheepishly confessed, still unable to lift her eyes from the crook of his neck, too mortified at her childish reaction.

Owen couldn’t contain a chuckle as he gently lifted his upper body, directly forcing her to bring up her eyes to meet his gaze.

“You were mad at me?” He frowned, distinguishing her eyes even in nearly total darkness. How could she be mad at him if he had just returned home that same day?

“Because I thought you’d died.” Amelia hysterically admitted, hearing his fit of laughter following her irreverent confession.

Owen wrapped both his arms around her and brought her body closer to his. He just couldn’t believe how amazing that woman was. Amelia was so spontaneous and honest that it completely won him over. After kissing her forehead, he explained with a gentle tone.

“I plan to live for many more years, Amelia.” Owen struck her hair with one hand, while the other aimlessly played with her fingers on his chest. He wanted to add that he hoped to do it by her side, but perhaps that night wasn’t the best moment to do that. “I am not leaving you anymore. I promise.”

Amelia heard the comforting sound of his words, feeling her body and mind relaxing with the trustworthy words he’d spoken. It felt amazing to be in the security of his arms, because in that moment, Amelia was sure Owen would never let anything bad happen to her on his watch.

“I am so sorry I broke our painting.”

Her voice was nearly a whisper, but it was the way she claimed they shared possession of the object that made Owen’s heart sink in his chest.

“I’ll buy you another.” He stated, kissing her forehead. He would buy her the world if it meant seeing her smile again. “You can choose one that’s even uglier than the first.”

Amelia chuckled with lighthearted contentment, relaxing completely. She had just opened her mouth to reply, but exhaustion was winning the battle against her reason. It had been months since she had properly slept through the night. It would usually take her hours to fall asleep after going to bed.

And yet now, for some reason, being inside Owen’s embrace and hearing his reassuring words worked like magic to soothe her into calmly dozing off.

The sound of Amelia’s laughter was the last thing Owen focused on before the promise he’d made to Danny Hill came to mind. Owen knew that he had to keep it, because he’d given his word. And even though the sentiment was true, the trauma surgeon wasn’t sure if Amelia would be prepared to hear it.

But Owen also knew that if he kept overthinking, he wouldn’t get to do it, which would ultimately add more guilt and anxiety to his already restless heart. Taking a deep breath, he decided to gather up the courage and finally say it, before he missed the opportunity to do so.

“Amelia…” His voice sounded hoarse when Owen gently caressed her hair, unsuccessfully looking down in search of her face in the darkness of the room. “I love you.”

He held his breath in response, startled that the lack of response from her could mean she was rejecting his confession.

But her body language didn’t confirm Owen’s suspicion. She was still very much relaxed, leaning against him with an arm wrapped around his chest and the side of her face comfortably lying on his shoulder inside his embrace.

Owen stretched his neck looking for eyes, and it was only when he noticed they were closed that he realized Amelia had already been sleeping when he’d spoken the words. Lying against the soft pillow, the trauma surgeon let out a heavy sigh of relief to see she hadn’t freaked out like he feared she might have.

Owen still blinked a couple of times as he stared at the ceiling, thinking about how life had a funny way of doing things. He’d kept his promise, but Amelia hadn’t been able to hear it. Maybe they just weren’t meant to be. Maybe that one night was all he was ever going to get before they each went their own way. As much as it hurt, it was better to accept that.  

But as Owen closed his eyes, finally joining Amelia in a deep sleep, he failed to see that the happy smile lingering on her face after his confession proved the complete opposite.

--

.

Alright guys, so I know it took me a while to update this, so in case any of you are wondering or having a hard time figuring out the past references, here are some:

- The painting Owen buys for Amelia is a part of chapter 13.

- The first waffle scene is a part of chapter 6 

- the promise Owen makes to his patient is on chapter 21 

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Twenty One

Hey guys, we are back. Thank you @jia911 for proofreading this for me!

Previous chapters are HERE. 

Timeline for Part 21

This chapter continues to explore what happened to Owen and Amelia during the events of 11x22, when he left to a war zone and Amelia stayed behind working at the hospital. We will go forward and find out what they were up to in those long months apart. 

Author’s Notes: Kenan & Kel was a show I used to watch as a kid on Nickelodeon. I suppose most of you are not familiar with it.  The scene in which Amelia remembers her dialogue with Owen is a part of chapter 12. 

The Journey – Part Twenty One 

“Did you bring it?”

Amelia sneakily closed the door after herself, taking a good look at the eager little face staring back at her with enormous chestnut eyes.

“Of course I brought it,” she revealed the bottle she’d been hiding in her white coat, watching with delight as a smile transformed the little girl’s face.

“Who loves Orange Soda?”

Amelia heard the quote as she passed by the patient, receiving a high five before she sat down on the wardroom chair and propped both her legs on the frame of the bed, crossing them at the ankles.

“Am I late?” The neurosurgeon asked while serving two plastic cups with the bubbly drink.

“No, you’re just in time,” the girl replied with enchantment in her eyes, accepting the cup at the same time she turned up the volume on the TV.

Amelia kicked back on the chair with a smile on her face and focused on the small screen hung on the wall opposite to the patient’s bed.

Jamie Donovan was an eight-year old girl with an aggravating case of cystic fibrosis. With a full time working mom who had to juggle two jobs in order to afford her daughter’s medical insurance, Jamie spent most of her time at the hospital undergoing treatment. Amelia had met the girl a couple of months before during a neurosurgical consult for a particularly complicated lumbar tap. And since Amelia hardly ever left the hospital, she had slowly found out that spending her nights in the company of the kid was actually more enjoyable than spending it on busy on call rooms that had to be shared among other surgeons who were working during the night.

Amelia had gone back on two consecutive days for follow ups with the adorable patient and quickly become attached. After finding out Jamie spent most of her time alone or only with the nurses, Amelia instantly felt compelled to provide the kid some company, but it didn’t take long for her to find out that she actually enjoyed those excursions more than she’d initially assumed.

Because of the side effects of some of her medication, Jamie’s sleep pattern wasn’t regulated, making the young patient often sleep throughout the day and stay up all night. Since Amelia had come down with a case of insomnia since her brother had died, it was actually entertaining for her to spend her free time with Jamie. The girl was easier to talk to than anyone else in Amelia’s life at the moment because unlike the adults, the kid never demanded any satisfactions or criticized Amelia’s behavior. On the contrary. Her conversations with the eight year old patient were often much more honest than the ones Amelia would have with her friends and co-workers throughout the entire day.

Just a few days before, even her favorite resident had offered to take Amelia on a support group for people who were grieving, and that made the neurosurgeon feel even more isolated and lonely. From there on, she’d have to tone down her jokes too, and the prospect of controlling her spontaneity was exhausting. She didn’t want to have to measure her words, or think about everything she wanted to say before actually speaking.

But with Jamie, none of that had to happen. Amelia could just be herself.

In a matter of days, it had become almost a ritual that Amelia joined the young patient in the late hours of the night to play board games, read the Harry Potter books or simply watch old children shows on TV. Jamie’s favorite, Kenan & Kel, had made the eight year old curious about the taste of orange soda, something she’d never tried before. Amelia had promptly stepped up to sneak the forbidden drink into the pediatric wing, but after Jamie had a severe fit of cough after laughing incessantly at the show, the neurosurgeon started to second-guess her decision.

“What are you doing, you little brat?” She belatedly realized. “Put your CPAP back on.” Amelia commanded, referring to the breathing device Jamie must have on at all times.

“It’s really annoying.” Jamie complained with a scowl.

“It makes you breathe a lot better, so end of discussion.” Amelia said with a firm but gentle tone.

“Fine…” Jamie sighed, knowing there was no counter argument. “Just wait until I get my new lungs, then I will run out of here so fast that you won’t be able to catch me.”

“I sure hope so.” Amelia’s eyes met Jamie’s and when they did, both smiled at each other.

Half an hour later, the show was over and Amelia frowned when Jamie asked to change channels as soon as a series about a teenage couple began.

“What, you don’t like this show?” Amelia asked tactfully, finding it strange. It was a typical silly school show with shallow, dreamy romance and more often than not, high pitched songs. It was obviously aimed at young girls and Jamie was exactly the target audience.

“I don’t like boys.” The unwilling patient said, rebelliously folding her arms on her chest.

“Oh, you don’t like boys?” Amelia teased, raising one eyebrow as she playfully added, “may I ask why?”

“Because all they do is play with their stupid toys or pretend they are superheroes and they never listen.” Jamie complained, making Amelia laugh. “And also, they need help for everything.”

“Surely not all boys are that bad?” The neurosurgeon asked with delight, without the faintest idea that one day, she would raise four boys who would perfectly fit Jamie’s description.

“The ones in my school are.” Jamie replied, still not convinced. Even though the girl had stopped going to classes a few months before when her condition had worsened, she still hoped to go back someday.

Amelia looked at the little girl with a mix of amusement and comprehension.

“Well, you see, the good thing is that even though boys seem horrible now, one day you’ll grow up and you won’t think so anymore.” The neurosurgeon gently explained. “I know they can be immature and annoying, but they can also grow up to be quite nice.”

Jamie squinted before staring at Amelia questioningly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure.” The grownup smiled, thinking about how Derek would pick on her when they were younger and how later in life they’d become closer and actually shared things with each other.

“I don’t want a boyfriend, though.” Jamie decided.

“You don’t have to have a boyfriend if you don’t want to.” Amelia tried to contain a smile. Jamie would probably change her mind one day, but she was still at that age when boys and girls had constant feuds with one another and didn't mingle in any circumstances. “But boyfriends can be fun too.” She added, hoping to sound encouraging.

“I don’t see how.” Jamie replied with disbelief, giving Amelia a sideways glance, almost as if hoping her new friend would contradict her.

Amelia quickly picking up on the act and realized Jamie was much more interested in hearing what she had to say than she was letting it show. Decided to keep the light atmosphere, Amelia focused on her own surprising confession.

“Boyfriends can come in handy because they usually reach the higher shelves.” Amelia explained with a contagious smile, trying not to think about how, during the time they were together, Owen would often tease her by hiding the coffee pot in the top cabinet just so she would ask for his help in the morning. “And they give the best hugs, too.” Amelia daydreamed, being transported back to a time when she’d fall asleep feeling the safest she’d ever felt even when a strong storm would hit just because she was in Owen’s arms.

She tried to focus on Jamie instead of how much she missed those nights. Amelia couldn’t remember the last time she’d had quality sleep.

“It’s weird.” Jamie decided, completely rejecting the idea of being at good terms with boys.

“Sometimes it is,” Amelia smiled with patience, turning her eyes back to the TV. The young couple shouldn’t be more than sixteen and yet they were exchanging love vows and making promises of eternal love.

Jamie noticed how Amelia’s eyes captured the image on the TV and a smile lingered on her friend’s face.

“Do you love a boy?”

Amelia was caught completely off guard. She looked back to the little girl and tried to think of something to say to dodge the unexpected question but couldn’t. It was the first time in months that someone upfront asked Amelia about her feelings and the situation had become so unusual lately that she froze, unsure of how to react.

Her first instinct was to say no, but even though Amelia hadn’t exactly been allowing her feelings to blossom lately, she knew there was no point denying them. And she couldn’t lie. Not to Jamie.

“I do.” Amelia replied, feeling her eyes slightly tearing up. Deep down, she’d always known the answer, but actually voicing her feelings for the first time had an overwhelming effect on the surgeon. Her throat suddenly got constricted as she admitted with a hoarse voice, “very, very much.”

Amelia didn’t add the fact that the “boy” she loved was over six feet tall and had the prettiest pair of crystal blue eyes she had ever seen.

Jamie noticed the subtleties in Amelia’s reaction and her posture went from defensive to completely approving.

“Really?” She asked excitedly, eager to hear more. “Is he your boyfriend? Where is he?”

When Amelia realized she didn’t have answers to those questions, she realized it was time to call it a night.

“I think it’s past your bedtime, miss.” The neurosurgeon got up with a gentle smile, mysteriously walking over to the bed to help Jamie settle in.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Jamie replied with a begging face, obediently getting under the covers.

“Maybe some other time, ok?” Amelia said with a gentle voice. “I have to go get some rest now, but tomorrow I will be back and we can watch more Nick at Nite.”

“Will you stay for the Nicktoons tomorrow?” Jamie asked with a begging smile. “Please?”

“I’ll do my very best.” Amelia promised, blowing the girl a good night kiss before finally making her way to an on call room.

.

 Owen finished setting up the last bags of everything they were collecting to take onto the next trip. He couldn’t believe he was going to the third mission in a row. Despite rewarding, the whole thing was also very exhausting.

Both he and April Kepner had once again extended their tours. At first, despite the physical toll the humanitarian missions were taking on them, they had kept their spirits high, driven by the instant positive response in the population they were helping. But as weeks followed, it became harder to face the cruel reality that the more people they helped, the more needed their help, or so it felt like.

The number of human beings living in unsanitary and poor conditions in that area of the world was heartbreaking. Being there and being able to help humbled Owen. He felt a reinvigorated sense of purpose and strived to do his best, to be better every day. Sometimes, a case slipped through their fingers and the team felt the helplessness associated with being in an improvised facility with a very precarious health care system. But in most days, Owen went back to his tent feeling like his presence and his work had made the entire difference and that filled him with joy and contentment after long hours of work.

But then he’d lay his head on the pillow and his thoughts would involuntarily shift to a familiar pair of silver blue eyes and a dimpled smile that even after all that time would still haunt his dreams nearly every night.

Owen would speak to his mother on the phone pretty much every week, and from Kepner he’d hear updates on how life was going on back in Seattle. Mostly, April gave him updates on Jackson, sometimes even on Alex and Arizona. But the only one Owen really wanted to know more about was hardly ever mentioned in his friend’s conversations. He wasn’t sure exactly where Amelia was right now, but he supposed she was already back home with her family. Owen only hoped that, wherever she was, the neurosurgeon was happy, safe and doing better than she was when he’d last seen her.

It was hard finishing a day of work and watching all the other guys and few women calling back home to their loved ones, hearing encouraging words from their spouses and sweet messages from their kids. All of that forced Owen to once again face the cruel reality that he would probably never get to have any of that.

“Are you ready to go?” His friend’s voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing the trauma surgeon back to the present moment.

“Yes,” Owen replied, staring deeply into her eyes. “April, are you sure you’re up for this?” He asked carefully. Owen had witnessed several times how heated the conversations between Kepner and her husband had become over the months and the fact April was extending her tour yet another time had surely added more friction to the already fragile marriage. “I mean, maybe you should go back home, see Jackson… you can always come back, you know.”

“I know, but I have to do this now.” April informed him with resolution. “I have to, Owen.” She lowered her voice a bit. “There are so many people who need us, much more than in Seattle, and I…”

As her voice trailed off, Owen gave her a discreet nod of understanding. He got her. Just like him, April had gone there because at home, her reality was as heartbreaking as some of the scenes they were witnessing. The only difference is that there, in mission, they could actively change that reality.

“Have you told Hill to hurry up and get that bag of syringes on the back of the truck?” April nodded her head in disapproval, walking up to the young army private who was also deployed in mission. “Hill, how many times do I have to tell you to be careful with the bag of…?”

Owen chuckled to himself, watching the scene from a distance. It was amazing how April had grown in those few months they’d been in the Middle East. The leader in her had finally been allowed to make an appearance, and his friend had come to find out she was actually good at it. It gave Owen joy to realize that and he smiled to himself, grabbing two loads and carrying them to truck before it became too dark for them to evacuate the area.

.

Amelia dragged her feet through the empty hospital corridor. The night was cold and a chilly air was blowing, making the neurosurgeon wrap her arms around herself, cursing the white coat for not being warmer. As it happened every holiday season, people tended to avoid going to the ER, unless they were really in need of it. And without a certain male head figure, the emergency room felt particularly empty.

It was nearly midnight and Amelia’s shift had ended five hours before, but she’d stayed at the hospital as usual. That night, she caught up on all her charts and did some research for a paper she intended to publish, but the holiday spirits seemed to have contaminated everyone around her, and Amelia couldn’t stand more than two hours at a cafeteria table hearing everyone around her making plans to be with their loved ones.

The neurosurgeon had finished her coffee, grabbed her journals and aimlessly walked around the hospital halls, deep down hoping for something to do to keep her busy. Amelia definitely didn’t want go back home. She knew that at some point she would have to because the laundry was piling up and she was pretty sure she hadn’t washed the dishes in about a week, but that night it had started to snow and something about the white fluffy flakes falling from the sky reminded her of home.

For a minute, Amelia’s heart felt a little less cold as she was assaulted by memories of a happy childhood when she would gather around a huge Christmas tree with her parents and four siblings, eagerly waiting for Santa to bring her presents. The memory was so distant and so deeply buried into the past that Amelia wondered if she’d really lived it or made it up. It just seemed completely unfathomable now, especially considering her present moment. Her remaining family members were all scattered around and Amelia had no idea if they were keeping the tradition of getting together for Christmas.

Months ago, Amelia had stopped answering her mother’s calls and that had resulted in Carolyn Shepherd showing up at Seattle to check on her daughter. It had taken Amelia a couple of days to convince the woman she was fine and ever since, Amelia had been forcing herself to call her family in New York at least a couple times of a week to avoid similar reactions. She’d found out that five minutes of shallow dialogue over the phone did the trick and conditioned herself to memorized every answer her mother and sisters approved of, mastering the art of speaking a lot of words without actually saying anything at all.

At work, it was mostly the same. At times, Richard Webber and Maggie Pierce would check up on her. It didn’t take Amelia long to figure out what they were doing and similarly to what she’d done with her family, the young surgeon forced herself to sit down for lunch with them every now and then as she mechanically smiled and told them everything the duo expected to hear. Amelia dutifully participated on every attendings meeting, eagerly oversaw and drafted residents’ evaluations and at times, had even volunteered to conduct the presentation of cases in her department’s weekly case discussions. It had quickly become very obvious that the more Amelia did and the more she engaged socially, the less people bothered her, because they would simply assume she was doing very well. That way, Amelia kept everyone happy while moving on with her life avoiding everything she could possibly feel and instead, focusing only on what was rational.

Soon enough, people had gone from worrying about her to actually admiring how tough and incredibly strong Derek Shepherd’s sister was to so gracefully be able to handle his loss and the disappearance of his wife and kids while succeeding at keeping her professionalism and the quality of her work. Most people had no idea about her attachment to the former chief of surgery, so Owen’s name was hardly ever mentioned to her, but in nights as slow as that one, Amelia couldn’t help but to think of him and wonder if he was alive and well.

When all talks, discussions and procedures were over, and every voice in her head had been silenced, it became increasingly harder to ignore the void left untouched inside her heart ever since the day he’d gone away to join the Army. Amelia missed him more than she would dare to acknowledge.

Her gaze fell upon the nurses station, where the patient files remained neatly organized over the counter. Before Amelia could control her thoughts, a flash memory came to mind.

“Are you done here?” Owen had whispered very close to her ear.

“Nearly.” Amelia replied, melting at his presence.

“You know where I’ll be.”

The memory faded together with the comforting feeling that had warmed Amelia’s heart as she thought about the excitement she’d once felt to go meet him. There had been a moment in her life when Amelia knew exactly which place Owen was or would be. But now, she had absolutely no idea where in the world he was, or what kind of things he was going through.

As much as Amelia tried to obliterate her every feeling, every now and then she’d hear someone asking Jackson about April and the neurosurgeon couldn’t deny the fact that hearing Kepner was okay gave her a sense of relief, because she knew that Jackson’s wife was working alongside Owen. As long as Kepner had good news to tell, that had to mean her colleague was alive and well and Amelia relied on those little snippets of information to maintain the remainders of her mental sanity.

She had to make a superhuman effort not to ask Jackson directly, or even figure out a way to get in touch with Owen. For a few times, Amelia had drafted emails that she’d never sent. It was better this way, the neurosurgeon always told herself. The least involved she got, the less she would suffer.

After deciding to leave the ER, Amelia made her way to the elevators, thinking about going to see Jamie. The little girl’s condition had worsened in the last couple of months as she caught one infection followed by another. Earlier that week, Jamie had been discharged from the PICU after two weeks of treatment for a complicated pneumonia, only to be readmitted four days later with high fever and low blood sats.

As much as Amelia tried to remain uninvolved with the case, it had become impossible not to get attached. She ran into Jamie’s mother outside the PICU, instantly asking for an update on the case. After waiting for a couple of hours to see the young patient, Amelia finally settled for going to an on call room, already foreseeing the many hours of insomnia she’d face before a new day began.

.

Owen patiently waited until everyone was deeply engaged in heartfelt conversations and swiftly sneaked outside. It was nearly Christmas morning and that night, almost everyone was enjoying a break from work. The trauma surgeon had watched as the large team of healthcare professionals and volunteers reminisced about the past, talked about their family or suggested traditions they’d usually do at their own homes over the holidays.

Usually, Christmas was a time of the year that Owen really enjoyed. He loved the spirit of solidarity and selflessness that seemed to take over people during the holidays. Just like magic, everyone became more attentive, generous and gentler. Over there in mission it was no different. Even though they were in a country with no Christmas traditions, most of the workers were clearing their heads enjoying the popular date, some of them having actually had a couple of drinks after dinner.

Owen left the main tent and rejoiced in the cold air outside. At the desert, the temperature could drop to a nearly negative at night, but he didn’t mind. A couple of soldiers who were on duty that evening greeted their official as Owen passed by them and walked to a safe distance, enjoying his solitude on a top of a rock where he could sit by himself while still keeping an eye on the makeshift camp.

Owen let out a heavy sigh, trying his hardest to control his mood. It was almost impossible not to feel a bit depressed in a night like that, but he had no choice other than to toughen it up and remain on top of his game. After all, he had an entire unit to run, people who were relying on him, and letting them down was not a possibility.

As his eyes meticulously scanned the field looking for something slightly suspicious, Owen slowly relaxed in the quietness of the evening. From a distance, he could hear the soothing sound of the wind blowing against the tents, creating an inviting atmosphere to celebrate the fact they were all alive, well and almost ready to finally wrap up that mission. A few days following New Year’s Eve, that mission would be over and most soldiers were going home. After nearly one year of being out in the field, Owen had finally decided to go back too. He was chronically tired and his soul was crushed after seeing so much pain and misery in the eyes of the civilians they’d helped over those long months. But what Owen really hoped to take back home with him was the sense of accomplishment of someone who’d done his duty very well and been able to help thousands of innocents with only the few  resources they had.

As he thought about home, Owen wondered about his mom and realized he should take a few minutes to give her a call that night. It was Christmas, after all, and she would deeply appreciate hearing from him. As Owen made the decision to grab one of the stationed phones in a few minutes, his hand reached out for his pocket, grabbing a familiar folded photograph.

The trauma surgeon carefully opened it, seeing how worn out the picture was after so many months carefully kept inside his uniform. As usual, Amelia’s smile didn’t fail to dazzle him and Owen let out a heavy sigh. He thought about the evening in which she’d given him that picture, the way she’d met him at his place moments later and how they’d spent the night together. He’d had so many dreams back then. So much hope. And yet all had faded in a fraction of a second.

There hadn’t yet been a single night when Owen hadn’t spent long minutes thinking about her before finally falling asleep out of exhaustion. Every day he wondered how she was, if she was doing okay and the only thought that comforted his heart was that she was probably being well looked after by her mother and sisters.

But after a few months of deployment, Owen had casually heard Jackson including Amelia’s name as he told his wife about a surgery and that had made Owen wonder what exactly the neurosurgeon was up to. When he’d left, Owen had been sure she planned to go to New York, because Amelia herself had said so. But so many things had happened ever since, that he’d had no idea of what exactly was the situation in Seattle. If Amelia was operating, it could only mean she was somehow okay. It was hard not having any confirmation, but for now, even though it killed Owen, that comforting thought would have to be enough because he knew that in order to keep focused and doing his job well, it was better if he didn’t hear any details, or that could quickly escalate. As an experienced soldier, Owen had long ago learned that too much information could add an unwanted load of anxiety to his days, which would definitely compromise his ability to perform in duty.

But his time in the Army was soon to be over and Owen knew that once back at home, he wouldn’t be able to simply pick up where he’d left off. Too many things had happened in the past year, life changing events, and he knew that drowning in work once in Seattle wasn’t the solution. He wasn’t sure what exactly, but Owen knew he had to do something with his life. He’d spent the majority of the past months focusing on his job and the first thing he’d do once back home was to give his personal life a much needed new share of his attention.

“That your girl, Major?”

Owen looked up to the owner of the voice that had distracted his thoughts. His eyes found the broad smile of a nineteen year old who looked way too young to even be there.

Danny Hill was a skinny boy who was deployed in his first ever mission. The kid was as naïve as he was willing to learn and while most people quickly lost his patience with his eagerness, Owen found it amusing that a guy that young was actually willing to risk his life to serve his country.

He wondered if Hill had any idea of what he was signing up for when he’d first enlisted, but Owen supposed that probably not. No one really did. Not until they arrived there and saw it for themselves.

“What are you doing out here, Hill?” Owen gave him a polite grin, on purpose dodging the question. “I thought you were on post for the night.”

“Only until midnight, sir.” The boy cheerfully replied, taking a seat next to Owen while handing him a generous portion of chocolate chip cookies. “I brought this for you, Major.” Hill added considerately. “I saw you out here on your own and I thought you could use some comfort.”

Owen raised one eyebrow and thought it was probably better not to ask. But when he took the first bite and tasted the delicious flavor of the homemade goodies, his expression transformed. Before he could ask, Hill’s face lit up with a proud smile as he explained.

“Delicious, aren’t they? My girl Annie cooked them.” The eager nineteen year old grabbed a picture from his pocket and proudly flashed it at Owen. “She baked those for me and sent them because she knows they are my favorite.” The boy affectionately informed, looking from the picture to his official with enchantment in his eyes.

“She sounds like a catch.” Owen added with reluctant amusement, contaminated by the effusive joy in the young man’s words.

“Yeah, she is.” Danny Hill looked back the image of the smiling girl with a round face, shining eyes and a large white apron wrapped around her body. “She is studying to be a cook, you know? But not those fancy restaurant cooks, I am talking about a real cook, that makes all sorts of homemade stuff. You know, the kind you’d only find back at home in Indiana. She bakes the most delicious things, you wouldn’t believe it, sir.” He added with visible pride. The boy was so chatty that Owen thought if he just stayed there without saying a word, Danny Hill could probably go on all night. “You know, I asked Annie to marry me before I came here.” The boy held his head high and sat up expanding his chest. “And she said yes.” He added with unmistakable pride, talking as if he’d just achieved the world’s greatest accomplishment. “When I go back home to Indiana, I am going to marry her and we are going to live in a house that has a big porch. One of those wooden porches, you know, I am going to build it with my own hands.” He flashed Owen a smile. “And then someday when I am done building it, we are going to have our own family.”

Owen saw the effusive joy in the young man’s face and his amusement transformed into affection. Danny Hill was just a kid who was going through the hardest of times in a dangerous zone, and yet he could find happiness and a reason to smile in a world that was filled with viciousness and evil. Owen desperately hoped that boy kept his positivity, because the world needed more people like him. He only hoped the cruel reality of life didn’t corrupt him, because the way Hill spoke about his fiancé back home and the dreams he had for them made Owen root for his plans to work out.

“What about your girl, Major?” Danny asked, not discouraged by Owen’s sullen silence. “What does she do?”

Owen breathed in heavily. He knew the right thing was to tell Danny that Amelia was not his “girl”. Maybe she had been once, but not anymore. And he had no idea where exactly she was at the moment. But the idea of crushing the boy’s childlike dreams of happy endings after such a long mission went against everything Owen preached about group support. He knew that the promise of a happy ending was probably what kept the boy going and he just didn’t find it in himself to break such positive expectations.

“Hm…” Owen hesitated, unsure of what to say exactly. “Her name is Amelia. She is a doctor too.” He added, watching as Danny smiled with contentment, obviously pleased to be hearing the information. The boy’s face had a mix of appreciation and flattery to be having a one on one conversation with the male figure he’d come to look up to during those longs months in deployment. Danny kept staring at him, as if patiently waiting for Owen to give out more information. “I left her home in Seattle and I really, really hope that I will see her again when I go back.”

“It sucks to be gone this long, doesn’t it?” Danny said and Owen belatedly realized the boy was trying to comfort him, obviously assuming Owen was hurting too much to even talk about the woman he loved. The idea brought a smile to Owen’s face. “Don’t worry, sir, you’re going to see her in just a few days.”

“Yeah.” Owen replied with consternation, unwilling to contradict the kid, even if he wasn't the least bit sure.

“I can’t wait to go back to Indiana.” The boy resumed his chatter. “When I get there, first thing I’ll do is… Major! Look out!”

And then it happened so fast that Owen acted more out of instinct than anything else. After the first shot had been fired, he immediately jumped on Hill, knocking the boy on the ground as a group of rebels opened fire against their camp.

What had just seconds before been a party became a horror movie scene as the soldiers on post shot back against the insurgents that had for some reason attacked the Medicaid group. All the military personal inside the main tent quickly went out and before Owen could clear the scene, he felt something moist and warm staining his shirt.

And just like that, he knew.

“Hill!” he rolled over to the side, knowing the boy had been hit even before his eyes could see it. “Hill, talk to me!”

The kid’s large brown eyes were nearly invisible under the moonlight glow, but Owen could see the expression of panic in them as the teenager took his hand to his wounded abdomen and then to his face, spotting the red stains on his fingertips. His once blissful expression became a mask of sheer terror, and Owen easily lifted the skinny boy in his arms, sneaking out behind the barricades to safely access the inside of a medical tent in the opened camp.

Quickly enough, his trained team saw what had happened and in seconds, a gurney was brought over just as one of the nurses started to get a line on Hill’s arm while Owen assessed him. The gunshot wound to the abdomen had probably lacerated the patient’s liver and judging by the paleness in his face, the boy was losing too much blood, way too fast. Owen knew his condition required immediate intervention. Ignoring the gunshots being fired outside the tent, he looked up and saw Kepner at a close distant, holding her phone near while obviously being caught off guard by the rebels in the middle of a call.

“Kepner, we gotta pack up and bug out.” Owen said with authority, turning around to summon the anesthesiologist who was with their team. There was no time to be lost, if he didn’t act immediately, it was very likely the young man on the table would die. “Hill, look at me!” Owen commanded, staring deeply into the boy’s eyes with the intention to keep him conscious. “You’re going to be fine, okay? We are going to get you all fixed up, you hear me?”

“Major…” Danny Hill’s weak voice resonated in the room, and Owen had to lean over a little to be able to hear him. “Major, please…” The boy was nearly whispering. “You tell my girl that I love her, okay? You tell Annie that for me?” Danny’s eyes seemed to lose focus each second more, startling Owen. “Tell her that she doesn’t have to blame herself… That I did this for us…”

“No!” Owen held his hand and fiercely squeezed it, hoping with all his heart that Danny didn’t let go. “You’re going to tell her yourself, Hill…” Owen said with an authoritative voice, unable to believe that was actually happening. The life of a good, decent kid was on the line and Owen hadn't even properly processed how that had happened yet. But one thing he was sure of, Hill was not going to die on him. “You’re going back to Indiana and you’re telling her yourself.”

“I… I…” The boy’s face twitched in a scowl of pain when Kepner helped Owen cut his clothes and access his wound. The anesthesiologist was ready to put the patient under, but properly waited until the surgeon gave him the okay to do so. “Tell Annie I love her, sir… Please… You have to promise me.”

“You will tell her yourself, Hill.” Owen reinforced, too determinate not to let that boy go. Life was too fragile. It could end in a heartbeat. And it was too short to be wasted in stupid things like pride and fear. Perhaps making the most impulsive decision he’d made so far, Owen commanded. “We’re going to do it together, okay? You and me.” He tightened his grip on Hill’s hand, feeling the young man faintly squeeze his back in agreement. Encouraged by the positive reaction, Owen reinforced it. “We’ll both tell our girls when we get home, alright? Are you with me?”

“Promise?” Hill’s breath collided like vapor against the oxygen mask the anesthesiologist had put on his face. Instead of the determined eyes of an Army soldier, all Owen could see was the scared face of a terrorized nineteen year old boy. “Do you promise, Major?”

Owen knew the job very well. Medicine wasn’t an exact science. Doctors were trained to never make promises.

“I promise.” He held Hill’s hand and gave his colleagues a head nod, informing the anesthesiologist that he should begin the procedure.

For the following hour, Owen heard gunshot wounds outside but none of that mattered at the moment. It was Christmas and a young boy with a huge heart had his life hanging by a thread. He relied on Owen completely to save his life and the surgeon wasn’t letting go.

That kid couldn’t die. He deserved to live. He had to live.

And with that thought, Owen finally figured out that Danny Hill wasn’t the only one who needed the promise of a happy ending to endure the few days left until they finally went back home.

.

Back in Seattle, Amelia watched as everyone hoped for an early finish at work to go home spend Christmas Eve with their loved ones. Unsurprisingly, the neurosurgeon had volunteered to take the night shift at the hospital. Amelia finished the late rounds and sat by one of the stations, listening as a faint radio in the distance played Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas.

The melody unconsciously added to Amelia’s depressed mood. It was the first time she was completely alone for the Holiday.

During every other day of the year, being on her own had been a welcome situation. But that night specifically carried too much meaning to be spent in such a depressing mood.

Alex Karev had organized a reunion to at least invoke what was left of a holiday spirit in the discouraged group of surgeons. Amelia initially hadn't planned on accepting the invitation, but on a second thought it looked more appealing than spending the evening alone at the hospital.

The neurosurgeon had just made up her mind to go see other people in a social event for the first time in an eternity when her phone started buzzing.

Noticing she was being paged by Pediatrics, Amelia immediately dropped her plans for the night and ran upstairs. The message didn't specifically say it, but Amelia was pretty sure what the pager was about.

Jamie.

Rushing into the PICU, she found the little girl’s mom moving around in panic as a team of doctors and nurses gathered around the bed.

“What’s going on?” Amelia frantically asked, but no answer was needed. As soon as her eyes fell on the patient, she watched as the eight year old’s body contorted in uncoordinated movements. “When did she start having seizures?” The neurosurgeon asked, making her way among the other professionals at the same time one of the doctors ordered another round of drugs.

“In the past ten minutes.” One of the attendings replied. “We rounded on her just a couple of hours ago and she didn’t have this periorbital edema or unilateral ptosis… she’s on day three of treatment for a sinus infection, but…” the PICU doctor looked as confused and taken aback as Amelia, and he was visibly distressed by the unseen complication. “Her liquor culture was negative, she had no neurological deficits, she couldn't possibly have evolved with meningitis and gotten this worse in just two hours, I…”

“Book an OR for me, now!” Amelia interrupted him as she asked one of the nurses, immediately focusing her attention back on the attending. She knew he was telling the truth because just that afternoon she’d seen Jamie too and despite her nasty infection, the girl wasn't presenting those critical conditions. Amelia quickly did the math and reluctantly spoke, hoping with every fiber of her being that her diagnosis didn't represent a death sentence. “It’s not acute meningitis. I think Jamie has a cavernous sinus septic thrombosis. I am going to confirm it with a head CT, but I am pretty sure.” Amelia declared after a quick physical exam, knowing the awful complication was the likeliest possibility under those circumstances.

“Dr. Shepherd!” Jamie’s mom came running behind them as Amelia and the PICU team rushed with the patient to radiology. “What’s going on?” The desperation was visible in the mother’s eyes and the woman broke down crying, obviously worried sick about her daughter. “What’s happening to Jamie? Why… why is she having seizures?!”

Amelia felt her heart constricting and tried her best to remain as neutral as she could while speaking to the woman she’d inadvertently grown close to.

“Her intracranial pressure is too high, Mrs. Donovan. I need to take Jamie now to try to fix it before it’s too late.” Amelia explained feeling like she was being punched in the gut. “Her sinus infection formed a clot and it traveled to her brain. It’s compromising the blood flow. There is no time for anything, if I don’t do this now Jamie is not going to make it.” Amelia explained with sorrow in her voice.

“But… but…” The woman ran to catch up with them, lost for words. “Dr. Shepherd, please… Jamie is all I have. She is all I have.” The woman begged, watching as the team prepared the girl for the emergency CT. Grabbing Amelia’s elbow, Mrs. Donovan looked straight into the neurosurgeon’s eyes as she pleaded. “You have to save her. Please…” The woman broke down again, unable to control her emotions. “It’s my daughter… it’s my baby girl… Please…!”

The words hit Amelia harder than she anticipated. It was like once again a cold dagger was being buried into her heart. The neurosurgeon knew too well the pain of losing a child and she could relate to Jamie’s mom entirely.

A clot stuck in such a delicate portion of the brain most likely meant disastrous effects, including imminent death. Amelia had dealt with cases like that a few times in her career and nearly every patient had died from it. From what she’d just seen on the scans appearing on the screen, Jamie’s thrombosis was massive and it matched the way her symptoms had quickly progressed. The fact the girl had a severe underlying condition that compromised her oxygenation also didn't help.

But Amelia was determined to achieve the only outcome that mattered: keeping Jamie alive.

And the surgeon could only hope she was able to evacuate the area in time.

“I am going to do everything I can, Mrs. Donovan.” Amelia said with honesty, hoping for the best but expecting the very worst, feeling her heart break into a thousand pieces as she dodged the crying mother. “We have to go now.”

“But…”

“Now!” Amelia said, helping to push the gurney with a decisive tone.

Her entire system was on the verge of a collapse and Amelia knew that if she stopped to process what was happening, it was likely she would freak out. So instead, the neurosurgeon focused on the task ahead, keeping unusually calm because she knew the ultimate goal required every bit of her serenity.

That Christmas was already the worst one of her life.

And Amelia wasn’t about to let it get even worse.

---

who lives? who dies?  

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Seventeen

Thanks to everyone who waited patiently for this. @jia911 and @bluebelle18 thank you so much for your help. 

Previous chapters are HERE. 

Timeline for Part 17:

How much exactly happened between Amelia telling Derek she was in love with Owen at the end of 11x18 and the opening scene of 11x19? One night? Why not a little more than that? This chapters explores the interactions between these two episodes. And sadly, we are getting ready to say goodbye to Derek. 

The Journey – Part Seventeen 

“What’s this?” Amelia asked widening her eyes. Owen had just moved his leg up to better accommodate the two of them in bed and she couldn’t help noticing the long scar on the outside of his right thigh. “Who did this?” Her eyes scanned it with concern, noticing the poorly done surgical repair. “It’s a disaster,” she joked, outlining the thin mark with her index finger.

“What?” Owen distractedly asked, taking his eyes off the TV to focus on the woman in his arms. “Oh, that,” He chuckled, knowing she’d probably be horrified by his answer. “I got a nasty cut there once and got it stapled.”

Amelia’s scowl of sympathy for the painful procedure amused him. Even though there was nothing but a pink discreet line visible on his fair skin, as a surgeon she could obviously identify the evidence of a severe laceration that has bruised his leg once.

“Oh my God, where were you when this happened?” Amelia leaned over, unceremoniously pulling the fabric of his boxers up his thigh to take a closer look at the scar. She knew Owen had been to a warzone more than once and wasn’t sure she was prepared to hear his answer. “It looks like a carpenter did it.”

“I did it,” He replied and waited for the surprise on her face, that didn’t fail to come. “That’s why it looks that horrible. I was in a hurry and didn’t have that much of an angle.”

“Where in the world were you that you couldn’t properly suture this?” Amelia asked with sympathy, supposing it was a battle wound.

“At the hospital,” Owen surprised her and couldn’t help a fit of laughter at her nearly offended expression. “Right here in Seattle.”

“You were at the hospital and you did this to yourself?” Amelia’s voice was a pitch higher than usual. She looked almost angry. “What the hell, Owen?”

He shrugged and chuckled, amused by her protective reaction.

“I guess I wasn’t thinking much back then. I had just made it back from war and my head was not in a very good place,” Owen followed her eyes and ended gazing at the result of his impulsiveness with the stapler. “The cosmetic result doesn’t bother me that much but I suppose I should have at least gotten the area numb before stapling myself. I probably would have done a better job if I weren’t feeling every staple slicing my skin.”

Amelia was silent for a couple of seconds before she finally admitted.

“Well, I can’t judge you that much on that because I once did something similar,” She pointed to her left hand, where a virtually nonexistent scar served as a reminder of her messy drunken days. “But at least I had the decency to apply some local anesthetic to it first.” Owen laughed along with her, and he couldn’t help cracking up harder when she added, “not to mention I used real, grown up surgeon suture line and not a quick carpentry patch.”

Owen wrapped his free hand around her waist, pulling her back closer against his chest. They were in bed, half lying, half sitting. Amelia was between his legs, comfortably leaned on him. Owen had grown to love holding her every night. It felt perfect to have her tiny frame captured in his arms, to be able to breath her in and smell the amazing scent on her hair as they did something as mundane as watching an old action movie on television together on a random weeknight.

After her sassy comment, Owen stretched out his hand and grabbed hers, inspecting the almost imperceptible scar on its left side before taking it to his lips, kissing the area with delight mirth.

“Do I want to ask how you got that cut in the first place?” He turned his head sideways, meeting her eyes as Amelia accommodated the back of her head against his shoulder.

The neurosurgeon saw the raised eyebrow and pretended to think long and hard of what to say before replying:

“No.”

Owen chuckled at her response and saw the contained laughter in her eyes before burying his face on the crook of her neck.

“But you’ll tell me anyway,” he affirmed with conviction, playfully showering her shoulder and neck with kisses that made Amelia twitch her back in a ticklish response.

“Okay, okay…” Her giggles echoed through the small interior of Owen’s trailer as she surrendered. After catching her breath, Amelia finally confessed. “I was drunk and fell on a bar.” She met his eyes and noticed he was expecting something more. “Actually, I fell from the bar. Not that glorious, as you can see.”

“At least you were having fun.” He added, noticing she seemed to be avoiding sharing more details. Owen knew she was probably bothered because the memory was linked to her rock bottom days as an alcoholic. But he didn’t judge her for her condition. In fact, he thought her resilience and drive to overcome it everyday spoke a whole lot more than her addiction in the first place.

“Yeah, kind of…” Amelia grinned, thankful that she could now laugh about the situation that had once been so embarrassing. Her gaze had diverted back to the TV as once again she and Owen got caught up with the movie on screen when she felt his fingers idly rubbing the skin of her stomach beneath her shirt.

A lazy smile formed on her lips as Amelia relaxed even more in his arms, not making a lot of effort to contain a yawn. Over those past few days together, she’d come to notice how Owen’s hands were always seeking her back and belly under her shirt and she didn’t mind it one bit. In fact, Amelia found the act quite intimate and soothing. It felt amazing to feel the roughness of his hand against her skin, constantly reminding her that he was there.

His thumb was still distractedly rubbing the curve of her waist when Amelia intertwined her fingers with his, unconsciously offering him support as she heard the words slipping her mouth.

“How was it there?” She asked, unable to withhold the question much longer. “I know you’ve been to several tours but you never talk about your days in the army.”

Owen’s eyes were still on the screen but he was no longer paying attention to the movie.

“There is nothing much to tell,” He evasively answered, finally looking from the screen to her eyes. Amelia saw his discreet smile before he leaned over and kissed her temple with affection. “I spent most of my time there working at a campaign hospital, seeing patients and scrubbing in on surgeries the same way we work here every day.” Owen added.

It wasn’t exactly true and he knew it. Not only were the conditions at the war zone a lot different, it was a daily struggle to see the men and women he fought with having their lives hanging by a thread, or losing them despite his best efforts. Fighting alongside people he considered brothers and sisters was already hard enough, but being the one who worked on them when they were at their worst not knowing if at any moment he would turn out to the next victim was exponentially rough.

Owen had lived through a lot. He’d seen and heard everything. Those days were in his past and at the moment, he was much more interested in the present lying comfortably in his arms.

And who knew, maybe she might turn out to be his future too? Owen surely hoped so.

“Yeah, but you never bring it up.” Amelia gently insisted, thinking about his wellbeing. “It’s okay to talk about you, you know that, right?” She turned sideways in his arms, leaning the side of her head against his shoulder as she looked up to meet his eyes, feeling him adjusting to better hold her. “You should talk about it. I’m here if you want to.” She selflessly offered, waiting for his response, but all Owen did was to give her a quick peck on the lips.

“Thank you.” He smiled when they broke apart. “But I am okay,” he added, more worried about assuring her than about his own current status. Owen had been severely traumatized when he’d come back from his last tour, but a lot of hard work in therapy sessions and long years of taking care of himself had made that better.

It was impossible to talk about the war without bringing up some painful memories. Owen had lost people he cared too much about to it… Friends and family. Tonight, they were having a blissful moment, and he didn’t want to ruin it with memories that would only constrict his heart.

“Okay, then, but the offer still stands,” Amelia smiled genuinely at him, still playing with his fingers between hers. “Did you find what you were looking for?” She turned her head and looked deeply into his eyes. “In the army, I mean. Whatever made you join… Did you find what you were after?”

Owen slightly frowned, looking lost in thought. A lot of people asked him what had made him join in the first place, but no one had ever asked him that.

“I think so.” He was still surprised with the question, but tried to be as honest as possible while looking back into her eyes and speaking from the heart. “I don’t know, I guess I wanted to make a difference.”

“You can make a difference right here.”

The way Amelia said the words, without any hesitation while looking straight into his eyes moved Owen. In her shy smile, he learned the true meaning of her last sentence.

Feeling his heart being invaded by a warm, tender sensation, Owen wrapped his arms around her more tightly and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes as Amelia snuggled closer to his chest. Minutes went by before they finally began talking again.

“Are you really taking a day off tomorrow?” She asked, raising one eyebrow questioningly at him. Ever since she’d started working at the hospital, it was rare to see Owen taking a personal day. He’d have free time sometimes on weekends, but Amelia couldn’t think of a single weekday where her boss hadn’t been at the hospital.

“Yeah,” Owen awkwardly replied, looking like someone who’d just been busted. Unable to keep the information a secret any longer, he finally confessed. “Your brother is going to DC in a couple of days to finalize his work with his project there and he told me he’s taking this time to do all the things he loves the most… You know, like spending time with his family, or being back in the OR.” Owen explained. “But he also told me he loves the quietness and silence he first found when he got here. So Derek planned a fishing excursion for tomorrow and after telling me about it, he insisted I joined him.” The chief of surgery looked at Amelia conspicuously. “I have a feeling he suspects about us.” Owen added with a semi apologetic grin.

The neurosurgeon thought it was cute the way he was apparently blaming himself for it.

“Derek knows,” Amelia affirmed with conviction, watching the transformation in Owen’s face as he showed surprise with the information. “Well…” She bit her lower lip with doubt. “I am not sure how much he knows, to be honest.” The neurosurgeon confessed, thinking about the conversation she’d had with her brother. She had openly admitted to be falling in love with Owen, something Derek didn’t look so surprised with, but Amelia had never told him that the two of them were steadily seeing each other.

“Oh God,” Owen widened his eyes with discomfort. “Do you think that’s why he invited me?” Suddenly, a look of alarm was stamped all over the surgeon’s expression. “He’s not going to…You know…” Owen hesitated, visibly uncomfortable. “He’s not going to be asking me questions, is he?”

Amelia studied his expression, having fun with Owen’s predicament. Derek was obviously protective of her, but he’d made it clear he supported the romance between his sister and his friend. She really couldn’t see him grilling Owen about it, but it was fun to watch their boss being so terrified with anxiety.

“Well,” Amelia chuckled, seeing Owen growing worried by the minute. “I guess tomorrow you’ll find out.”

.

The sun was shinning high in the sky, casting a comfortable heat on them as Owen listened to Derek’s monologue about rods, reels and lines. After a few minutes, the two men sat beside each other inside the small boat. Owen found out that instead of the awkward conversation he was expecting, there was actually comfortable silence.

Both surgeons had learned how to cherish those moments of peace and quietness. Derek, being born and raised in New York, had grown accustomed to noise and busy streets. Owen on the other hand had learned the true value of tranquility during his first deployment, while spending months deprived of it. After Derek popped open the first two beers, both guys remained immersed in total silence, enjoying the rare day of clear skies in Seattle.

After what it felt like a couple of hours, it was Derek who finally started the conversation.

“This is nice,” The neurosurgeon casually commented, pulling out his rod and collecting the medium size trout that had bitten his bait. “We took too long to start doing this.” He added with an encouraging grin.

Owen watched as his friend skillfully prepared another hook.

“Yeah,” He agreed with a head nod, looking over his shoulder to Derek. Owen had to admit he was enjoying that day more than he would have expected. It felt good to take a break from everything and be closer to nature. “I had no idea how much I needed this.”

“The quietness?” Derek raised his eyebrows in a clear mocking smile. Owen recognized the expression, it was the same one Amelia had on whenever she was about to tease him. “I bet you did,” Derek tried to contain a smile. “I mean, it’s not like you can have a moment’s peace with Amelia. In fact,” the neurosurgeon looked playfully at the other guy, as if knowing how uncomfortable he was starting to feel. “She won’t shut up whenever she can help it.” Derek chuckled. “But I’m sure you’ve already picked up on it.”

Owen breathed in, hesitating for a moment while he thought of what to say. The tension was building up and he had been caught by surprise.

“Yeah, about Amelia…”

“Hey, don’t worry, alright?” Derek interrupted him with a lighthearted grin. “I know.” He said without adding details. And then, almost as if giving his blessing, the neurosurgeon nodded his head. “She told me.”

Owen didn’t know how to respond to that, so he simply remained silent. At the same time Derek had no saying in Amelia’s love life, he was her brother and Owen knew the two of them were close. He and Amelia hadn’t really defined what they were yet, but the chief of surgery wanted to believe she was just as invested in their relationship as he was. And if that were the case, Derek would probably be a significant part of his life from there on.

Almost as if reading his thoughts, Amelia’s brother commented:

“You know, you are welcome to park the trailer in my back yard for as long as you want,” Derek started, smiling mischievously. “But if you ever feel like you need more space, I heard the owners there have been trying to sell the place for years now,” He pointed to a squared flat land surrounded by high pine trees directly across the smaller portion of the lake. “I almost bought it, but I would have no use for it. Everything I need I already have right here.” He pointed to the house and the yard with his eyes, smiling affectionately. The expression on Derek’s face showed he was thinking about way more than he was actually saying. “But how nice would it be to be my neighbor?” The neurosurgeon hid his telltale smile behind a bottle of beer.

Owen looked at him suspiciously. It was obvious what Derek was implying.

“I am already your neighbor.” He pointed out, refusing to give the idea and everything it entailed too much thought, otherwise Owen knew he would quickly be seduced by it.

“I meant a grown up neighbor.” Derek teased him, looking from his friend back to the vacant land. “Amelia is a big city girl, though,” he continued, completely ignoring Owen’s grumpy protest. He knew he was seeing way too much into the future but after his latest epiphany, Derek felt like there was no time left to lose. Life was too precious and went by too fast to waste any time overthinking things that already made a lot of sense. “So don’t expect her to celebrate the idea of living out here in the woods on the long run,” The older brother finished his beer and smacked the leftover flavor on his lips. “Just promise her you’ll never make her sleep in a tent and she’ll be on board.” He looked at the chief of surgery like he’d just given him privileged information. “It’ll also earn you some extra points if you add a big bathtub in her suite.”

Even though Owen was trying really hard to stick to reality, it was incredibly difficult to refrain from actually picturing what Derek was saying. It had always been his dream to build a family and a home with a woman he loved and wanted the same things in life. Amelia came from a big family and it was obvious Derek enjoyed having her around. No wonder why the neurosurgeon was pretty much making plans for Amelia’s future and including Owen in it.

“And then when you two have kids, you can even…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Owen interrupted his friend, giving him a censoring look. “You should take a step back and come back to the present time.” The chief kept a heavy frown. “Actually, take several steps back.”

“What, you don’t want to have kids?” Derek playfully asked, smiling widely when he noticed the obvious answer in Owen’s eyes. The neurosurgeon was well aware of where his friends stood about having children, especially after closely witnessing how being deprived of them had contributed to put an end to his marriage.

“Of course I do.” Owen refuted him instantly.

“Then what’s the problem?” Derek spoke excitedly. “You know, Hunt, there will come a day when you’ll wake up one morning and find out there is no better feeling in the world than when your baby holds your face between their hands and smiles at you before saying dad.” His eyes were gleaming with mischief when Derek then finally added. “But then my mom will probably ring on your front door unexpectedly, or one of the kids will throw up on you and next thing you know, you’ll be wondering how you got yourself into this mess in the first place.”

Owen couldn’t contain a chuckle. He couldn’t deny how the idea was incredibly inviting. If things kept progressing the way they were, at some point he would love to embark on the idea of building the kind of life Derek had made for himself with Amelia. In a way, Owen already felt like they were already working on the foundation.

Truth was, Owen hadn’t been with Amelia for too long. And life had already taught him to be cautious and how to shield his heart from further disappointment. He had learned not to project his expectations into someone like he’d done in the past, because that didn’t work out. But with Amelia, it simply felt like he didn’t have to. So far, she had only given him reasons to believe she was everything he’d ever wanted and after months in her company, getting to know her and slowly falling in love with her, it became increasingly harder for Owen not to jump in Derek’s idea with both feet.

Involuntarily, his eyes searched across the lake and once again Owen spotted the piece of land Derek had just mentioned. It looked perfect. In a matter of seconds his brain filled in all the blanks. He could almost see a two-story house right by one of the corners, a small football field where he could play catch with his kids and they could ride their bikes on the summer. And right in the center of it all, he could see Amelia being the one right beside him building everything from scratch.

The thoughts remained on his mind for the following hours. Soon enough, he and Derek had already collected a bucket of fish and talked about enough topics to clear their heads. Feeling reinvigorated and more hopeful than he’d felt in years, Owen returned home with his friend, surprised when by the time he made his way to his trailer for the day, Derek insisted he had dinner at the house with the Shepherds later that evening.

.

The trauma surgeon was about to get dressed when something on the bed caught his attention. Narrowing his eyes with curiosity, Owen approached the bedroom, only to find a delicate white bra that certainly did not belong to him.

Reaching out underneath the blankets, Owen took the small piece and smiled affectionately. For the past week, Amelia had been spending pretty much every night with him. And even though it hadn’t been that long, her presence was already evident in every corner of his trailer.

Her forgotten lingerie was just one of the many traces she’d left behind. Now, his sink usually had two dirty coffee mugs instead of one. The smell of her hair was still very much imprinted on his sheets and the remote control on the opposite side of the bed where he usually laid on also gave away that lately, Owen hadn’t been sleeping alone.

After his eyes noticed the late hour, the trauma surgeon hurried to put the object he’d found inside his pocket and quickly finished getting dressed with dark slacks and a deep green button up shirt. When he rang the doorbell, Owen was surprised to find Zola opening the door right before Derek. He was escorted inside, served a beer and joined his friend on the living room couch, learning that Meredith had scrubbed in on a long surgery and would be home late that evening.

As for Amelia, Owen had no idea. He’d texted her a couple of times earlier that day, but she hadn’t yet replied. And he certainly wasn’t going to ask Derek. Just as Owen was wondering where she was, the front door opened in a hurry and the neurosurgeon barged in, looking absolutely surprised to find both men in the living room.

“Hi!” She recovered quickly from her initial shock, frowning in obvious confusion to what was going on. Amelia had her phone in her hand, and the way the looked from it to Owen let him know she’d just caught up with his messages. “How was fishing?” She asked, uncertain of what to say in that awkwardly surprising situation.

“It was good,” Owen replied evasively.

“Really good,” Derek replied at the same time, visibly more excited.

Amelia looked from her brother to her boss, carefully studying his expression. Owen didn’t seem exactly uncomfortable, but he seemed a bit guarded. As if he wasn’t entirely relaxed, even though the two men were simply watching a game on TV, like they’d done dozens of times before. And it was very obvious why.

Other than her childhood sweetheart, Amelia had never really introduced a guy to her family before but that situation was entirely different, because Owen was already friends with Derek by the time he got involved with Amelia. The younger neurosurgeon didn’t feel awkward to have her brother know about her romantic life, but she could see why a reserved, honorable guy like Owen would be hesitant to act intimate with his friend’s younger sister in his presence.

“So,” Derek looked from Owen to Amelia, determined to make the two of them feel as awkward and uncomfortable as possible for his own amusement. “Are we having dinner, or what?”

“Yeah,” Owen quickly stepped up to help, on board with the idea of having something to keep busy with.

“Good,” Derek nodded. “I am just going to take these little guys to bed first.” He picked up Bailey and called Zola. “Amy, why don’t you set the table?” The neurosurgeon gave his sister a not very subtle wink, clearly trying to embarrass her in front of Owen.

“Sure,” Amelia rolled her eyes at him, reading his intentions. As soon as Derek disappeared upstairs with the kids, she turned her head to the man left standing between the kitchen and the living room. “What’s gotten into you two?” She asked with good humor, trying to decipher Owen’s controlled expression. “You’re so secretive about your date today.”

“We went fishing today,” Owen said like that answered everything, openly ignoring the way she had mocked him by using the word ‘date’. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed Amelia into the kitchen, noticing the questioning look that still remained her eyes. “It was nice.” Owen tried again. He’d never really been that good with words and that whole day still felt very confusing.

“Did Derek give you a hard time?” Amelia asked accusingly. Being a big brother, she fully expected Derek to torment her as much as he could.

“No, it was actually very nice,” Owen repeated more emphatically this time. Memories of the future Derek had painted were still haunting his memory, and the surgeon was trying his best not to give into the temptation of fully investing in them without holding back. “We didn’t talk much but I guess… I don’t know…” Owen awkwardly hesitated and stopped laying the plates on the dinner table like he’d been doing. His eyes met Amelia’s and he took a deep breath before confessing. “I guess he was just trying to make sure I have good intentions about you… That we are not just fooling around, I mean.”

“Oh,” Amelia looked at the man in front of her, feeling touched by her brother’s devotion.

“And also, that I was sure I knew what I was getting myself into,” Owen added with a teasing smile.

Amelia scowled, rejecting his playful remark.

“Well, now he knows,” The neurosurgeon sighed in conformation. She had just realized that Derek knowing about she and Owen sort of officially meant they were something. Trying to contain her anxiety about the situation, for Amelia was not sure she was ready for a serious commitment yet, she resorted to playful banter to distract her mind. “You’ve always been the one to condemn our hiding and sneaking out.  Now it’s out in the open. Satisfied?”

“Yes,” Owen smiled with joy. Feeling particularly inspired, he took his hand to his pocket and slowly pulled out a white object that Amelia obviously recognized in an instant. “But mostly because of this.”

“What?” She chuckled, approaching him. “I was looking for that this morning!” The neurosurgeon tried to take the bra from his hands but Owen easily dodged her attempt. Amelia folded her arms in front of her body. “What are you doing?”

“You think you’re just getting it back like that?” Owen raised one of his eyebrows playfully and approached her, whispering with a seductive voice. “I don’t even get a thank you for returning it, first?”

Amelia was determined not to give into his bribery, but his charming ways and magnetic presence convinced her otherwise. With amused laughter, she wrapped one of her arms around his neck and pulled his head down towards her, kissing him with the same fiery passion she usually would when they were alone in bed at night.

Owen felt her lips forcing his apart and welcomed her sweet intrusion. Amelia stood on the tip of her toes and pressed against him, molding her body to his solid frame as she continued to explore and deepen the kiss.

“Now, that is a proper thank you,” Owen affirmed with a teasing voice as they slowly pulled apart. Her electric blue eyes were looking at him with desire and longing and he instantly regretted agreeing to that dinner instead of having her all to himself for the night. He was about to say it when they heard a noise coming from the living room and quickly went back to the boring task of setting the table.

As he entered the room, Derek looked from his sister to his friend, instantly picking up the animosity in the air. He smiled mysteriously, making Amelia believe she was in for a full round of teasing during dinner but to her surprise, Derek behaved impeccably, bringing up lighthearted topics that entertained the three adults while they shared a delicious hot meal.

As soon as they were done eating, Owen’s cell phone buzzed incessantly. Seeing it was the hospital, the chief of surgery excused himself for a moment, going into the living room to have more privacy as he answered the work call.

“You are unbelievable!” Amelia took advantage of Owen’s absence and immediately accused her brother, watching as he laughed with delight at her predicament.

“I thought you’d be happy!” Derek replied with pretend disbelief, knowing very well his sister was censoring the way he’d sneakily convinced Owen to spend time with him exactly after Amelia’s confession. “After all, you told me you were falling for the guy. All I did was try to set you up.”

“Derek!” Amelia lost her patience. “I am already going out with Owen.”

“You are?” Derek raised both eyebrows in an exaggerated reaction.

“Yeah, but somehow…” Amelia squinted, slowly reading into the situation. Derek was smiling like he knew better. “Something tells me you already knew that though, didn’t you?”

Amelia noticed the proud smirk lingering on her brother’s lips. She’d told Derek she was developing feelings for Owen, but she hadn’t given him any details of their relationship. It was obvious something was going on, but Derek couldn’t possibly know exactly what.

“Of course I know,” Derek playfully admitted, seeing the crossed look on his sister’s face as she realized she’d flagrantly failed to hide something from him. “I’ve known it since the day you two sneaked out through the back after throwing that noisy toy outside.”

“You saw us?!” Amelia asked with surprise. That had been Derek’s first night back in the city, exactly when she’d gone on her first official date with Owen to the auction.

“I very much did,” Derek laughed at her incredulity. “I am a neurosurgeon, Amelia. You wouldn’t believe how sharp my sight is.”

“Actually, I would.” Amelia replied, obviously butt-hurt by his sneaky insult to her neurosurgical sighting skills.

“You haven’t slept at home once in a full week.” Her brother cracked up with the busted look on her face. “No one has that many night shifts.” Derek logically explained. “Besides… how do you think I am so okay with this?” He asked, leaning on the kitchen counter to look into her eyes with an amused expression.

Amelia took her time digesting the meaning of his words.

“You don’t have to be okay with anything.” She playfully chided, even though she felt flattered with her brother’s concern. “It’s my life, not yours.”

“It’s my friend,” Derek pestered her.

“I stole your job, what makes you think I wouldn’t steal your friends?” Amelia wickedly smiled, determined to get back at him for his previous insult to her abilities as a surgeon.

“Well,” Derek shrugged in conformation. “At least Owen is an upgrade from Mark.”

“You know about Mark too?!” Amelia widened her eyes in shock, genuinely surprised. A few years before, she had once had a meaningless one-night stand with Mark Sloan.

“You think Mark would miss out on the chance to rub on my face that he slept with each one of my four sisters?” Derek grumpily asked, suddenly irritated with the topic.

Amelia didn’t miss out on the chance to get her revenge.

“Well, you’ve always known sleeping with Mark was a rite of passage,” she joked.

“Yeah but I expected him to keep his promise and not prey on you when you were still underage,” Derek scowled, still distressed with the idea.

“I was already a surgeon, Derek,” Amelia argued, laughing with his annoyance.

“So?” He dismissed her point, pretty much saying that to him, she would always be his kid sister.

Amelia was just about to reply to his smug comment when she spotted a movement with the corner of her eyes.

Owen stood by the door with his cell phone in his hand. His tight grip around the object didn’t go unnoticed and Amelia wondered how much of the conversation he’d heard.

“Is everything okay?” She asked, noticing the slightly irritated look on his face.

“Yeah,” Owen replied dismissively but didn’t smile back at her when Amelia sustained his gaze. “It’s actually getting a little late, I should probably go.” Amelia exchanged looks with Derek and instantly knew he was also wondering the same thing as her. “Thanks for dinner, Derek.”

“Anytime,” The neurosurgeon turned around and focused his attention back on the sink, clearly stepping out of the conversation.

Amelia made her way to the living room, noticing as Owen waited for her to catch up with him to walk towards the front door.

“Do you have to go back to the hospital?” She asked, hoping he hadn’t heard the last bit of her conversation with Derek and misinterpreted the situation. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing much, one of the ortho surgeons needs an OR for a last minute procedure and I had to talk Urology into giving it up,” Owen explained one of the perks of his position. He knew he was doing a lousy job at pretending nothing had changed but finding out Amelia had slept with Mark Sloan had completely thrown him off his game.

Not only it had just made Owen wonder if casually sleeping with her brother’s friends was a recurrent routine in Amelia’s life, which he chose to believe wasn’t, he also felt the stinging flavor of jealousy racing through his system.

“Don’t go just yet,” Amelia stretched her hand and touched his elbow, hopeful his apparent bad mood wouldn’t last too long. She had missed him and spent her day yearning for the moment she’d finally be alone with Owen. Deep down, Amelia was hopeful he would invite her to go join him. He seemed to be fighting an internal battle, so she quickly suggested the first idea that came to mind, taking the responsibility of being the one who extended the invitation. “I am going to take a shower. Why don’t you wait for me in my room? It’s not even ten pm yet,” she pointed out, hoping with all her heart he’d stay.

Owen was still unsure of what to feel or think, but saying no to her was almost impossible. Before he noticed, he was already inside Amelia’s bedroom for the second time in his life.

While she went to take a shower, Owen kept busy studying the place. He spotted the painting he’d gotten for her at the auction hanging on one of the walls. A smile accompanied by a sudden rush of warmth in his heart improved his mood. The chief of surgery lost track of time as he examined the furniture around him, noticing a pair of jeans and a couple of cardigans thrown over a chair by one corner. Next to it, there was a small study desk. Owen put his hands in his pockets and distractedly gazed through the opened books, spotting Amelia’s distinguished handwriting on a white sheet filled with surgical notes next to a small computer.

Without anything to keep him busy, Owen flipped through the pages of the heavy neurosurgery textbook Amelia had obviously used to prepare her classes for the residency program a while before. The volume looked a few years old, despite well kept. He was still aimlessly looking at the pictures when he reached a chapter about intracranial shunts. His eyes were too distracted with the words when suddenly, a squared piece of paper slid from between pages.

After reaching for the floor, Owen stood still for a moment, holding the old photograph in his hands. It had probably been taken a few years before, because Amelia’s hair was longer than he ever remembering seeing and she looked to be in her late twenties. Wearing dark pants and a light grey shirt, Amelia looked as casual as she looked worry-free. Owen couldn’t help smiling when he saw the image of her contaminating laughter flawlessly captured by the image. The picture depicted perfectly everything she was: lively, positive, spontaneous and contagiously happy.

“What do you have there?” Her curious voice trailed off his thoughts.

Owen turned around and saw her finishing drying her hair with a towel, looking more adorable than ever in dark leggings and an old Harvard T-shirt. He flashed her the picture, noticing the surprise in her eyes.

“It dropped from the textbook as I was going through the pages.”

“Oh,” Amelia smiled affectionately. “I didn’t even remember that one…” She was taken by surprised. “A residency colleague was passionate about photography… She’d just take the camera everywhere with her. And sometimes, she would capture some moments and have it printed for us. I think I was in my fifth year here.” She said, approaching him and unceremoniously stealing the picture from his hands to take a better look.

Owen noticed the look in her eyes as she studied the image. He could see she was being assaulted by old memories. And judging by her expression, they were good ones.

“I can see clearly nothing much has changed.” He commented charmingly. She still looked every bit as gorgeous as she had on the day the picture had been taken.

Amelia smiled at him, on purpose taking a step closer as she took his hands in hers and played with his fingers.

“You don’t have to be upset that I slept with Mark,” She decided to go straight to the point. With Owen, it felt like she could simply speak her mind and the feeling was liberating. “This is not the same as that.” Amelia explained, obviously meaning their relationship in comparison to her casual hook up with their colleague.

“I am not upset,” Owen lied. He knew he didn’t have any right to feel jealous about her dating history. But that didn’t stop him from feeling it. “You don’t have to explain it to me, Amelia.” He added, hoping to sound supportive.

“It didn’t mean anything and I was just trying to prove a point back then.” She went on, ignoring his words. Amelia wasn’t opening her heart because she felt like she owed Owen any explanations; she was telling him the truth because she wanted him to know how she felt. “You see, all my sisters had already done it, even Addie. And I didn’t want to be the odd man out. As always.” Amelia explained, biting her lower lip with mischief. She didn’t exactly regret sleeping with Mark, but it hadn’t felt too differently to driving her brother’s car or getting into Med School after all her four siblings had already done it. “But with you, it’s different.” She explained, slowly walking Owen to the bed and making him sit on it as she stood between his knees and held his face between her hands. He had just been seduced of the idea of hearing her sweet declaration reinforced when her words surprised him. “You can’t kiss or sleep with any of my sisters. Promise me.” She childishly demanded, watching as Owen’s face lit up with laughter. “I am serious.”

“I don’t even know your sisters, I…”

“Promise me!” Amelia interrupted him, feeling like she was starting to get worked up.

Owen gave up talking and looked into her eyes. She was frowning heavily, almost as if anxious with expectation. The reality that she too could be jealous of him completely won him over.

“I promise.” He smiled, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling her closer. Amelia was still holding the old picture of her residency days in her hands when he gently took it, giving it one last look before commenting. “You should have this framed. It’s too pretty to be hidden in an old textbook.”

“You keep it,” Amelia replied, not really bothered with the picture. She ran her fingers through the back of Owen’s head, watching as he smiled back at her with affection and contentment. “Are we going to your place or what?” She straightforwardly asked.

“Yes,” Owen took her hand and gently got up, feeling better than he had before. “Let’s go.” He added as Amelia led the way.

Owen had taken the day off and it had served the amazing purpose of clearing his head. After the conversation with Derek earlier that afternoon, he’d finally allowed his mind to go to places where only his heart had wandered so far. It turned out that his old dream of having someone he could share his life and build a family with was still very much alive, and he’d just discovered that. The prospect of having Amelia in it only boosted his desire to accomplish everything.

Taken over by an indescribable sensation of bliss, Owen climbed the steps to his trailer. The moment they entered it, he kicked the door behind them, instantly pulling her to his embrace. He then kissed Amelia with passion, watching her melting in his arms as she moaned his name. He felt absolutely sure that he wanted to do that every night for the rest of his life.

But what Owen couldn’t possibly imagine was that this was the last night he’d go back to his trailer with Amelia in his arms, happily kissing him back. Life and love were too fragile. Things could change in a matter of seconds. And Owen was just about to be reminded of that.

--

 If anyone is curious, I got inspired for the description of Amelia’s picture Owen keeps after stumbling across this image. 

[jordan202]

The Journey - Part Sixteen

whooooa its been so long I nearly forgot how to do this! haha sorry for the long wait guys, last week was insanely busy and I had no time to sit down and properly write. I hate making you guys wait for so long, I will do my very best not to take so many days in between updates next time.

thank you @jia911 for the amazing fast and accurate proofreading and @bluebelle18 for all the help with the timeline :) without you two there wouldn't be the journey. 

Previous chapters are on the Masterpost .

Timeline for Part 16:

This one sets entirely through the events of episode 11x18. A lot of fluff, romance and even Derek x Omelia coming your way. 

The Journey – Part Sixteen

Amelia spent the majority of her afternoon inside her bedroom, catching up on paperwork. She was taking nearly twice as much time to go through everything than she generally would and the reason behind that distraction was very obvious.

No matter how much she tried to focus, whenever she blinked, the neurosurgeon caught herself thinking about Owen and the amazing time they’d had together. Memories of the things he’d done to her body the previous night still made Amelia shiver. She just couldn’t wait to see him again. Unconsciously, her eyes traveled through the room until they met the infamous painting Owen had bought at the auction.

Instantly, a dazzling smile lit up her entire face as she kept distractedly gazing at the unusual portrait. The image completely stood out next to the rest of the decoration, but Amelia didn’t mind it one bit. She was going to keep it on her wall because every time she looked at it, it reminded her of one of the happiest evenings she’d ever had.

Her thoughts were still wandering far when three knocks on her door brought her back to reality.

“Come in.”

Less than a second later, Amelia watched as her brother quickly slipped into her room with a smile on his face. She couldn’t ignore the obvious fact that Derek looked happy. Even though she’d been on her own all afternoon, she knew that while Meredith was at work, her brother had spent time with his kids and that was probably adding to his good mood.

“Hey, are you okay? You’ve been locked here all day,” Derek started but before Amelia could open her mouth to reply, he added, “Look, if you’re not busy, could you watch the kids tonight?” After seeing his sister was about to ask, the neurosurgeon proceeded, “it’s just that I feel Meredith and I could use some time alone to properly talk… you know? And I feel like if we sit down at a restaurant or something, we will be less distracted than here at the house.”

“I guess,” Amelia carefully replied, fighting an internal battle. At the same time she didn’t want to say no to her brother, for she truly believed he and his wife had a lot to catch up on and some time off would do them good, she also didn’t want to stand Owen up. “Hm, at what time are you guys going?”

“I don’t know,” Derek shrugged, knowing he hadn’t even discussed it with Meredith yet. “Wait, you’re not on call tonight, are you?”

“No, but I…”

“Good,” Derek interrupted her with a silly smile, obviously too happy with his plans to notice Amelia’s slightly confused expression. “Thank you so much for doing this, Amy, I owe you one.”

And once again before Amelia could say anything, he left the room.

Roughly half an hour later, the young neurosurgeon was still pondering what to do. At the same time she couldn’t see a way out of her brother’s request because she knew he needed that time out and Amelia had always found it hard to say no to Derek, she also really didn’t want to cancel on Owen.

Ever since she’d made it back home that morning from his trailer, Amelia had been anticipating the moment when they would be together again. Memories of the previous evening returned to her mind and she found herself smiling like a fool, nervously playing with the phone in her hands.

Choosing to be practical, Amelia took a breath and anxiously typed a quick message asking Owen what time he’d planned to see her for dinner. Two minutes that felt like an eternity passed before her screen buzzed with his response.

Amelia bit her bottom lip and tried to concentrate on a solution. She was determinate to see Owen again that evening but she couldn’t bail out on babysitting her niece and nephew. Seconds later, the solution popped on her mind and it felt so obvious that she chuckled alone in her room when she finally realized it.

.

Derek and Meredith had already left the house that evening when the doorbell rang. Feeling a wave of excitement run through her body before her mind could even process what was going on, Amelia made her way to the door, unconsciously holding a breath.

“Hey,” She greeted Owen with a smile, noticing his face lit up after seeing her.

Their eyes met and Amelia suddenly felt like a teenage girl all over again. It was incredibly intimidating to be facing the man who’d made her scream his name with passion just the night before, but somehow the neurosurgeon wasn’t quite embarrassed. Instead, her heart felt swollen and she had to fight a sudden urge to throw herself in his arms and enjoy his undivided attention.

“Hi,” Owen whispered back with an affectionate grin, promptly walking into the house and closing the door after them when Amelia invited him in.

He found Zola and Bailey already in their pajamas, sitting on a mat on the floor surrounded by blocks, dolls and other toys.

“I am so sorry I had to cancel our dinner out tonight,” Amelia spoke and in her tone, Owen noticed she genuinely regretted changing their plans. “My brother just caught me completely off guard but I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Her concern in keeping her word touched Owen and he approached her, unable to spend another minute without touching her. His hand gently reached out for hers and Amelia quickly accepted his hold.

“It’s okay, you have nothing to be sorry about,” Owen assured her. It was obvious she hadn’t used the kids as an excuse to bail out on spending time with him otherwise she wouldn’t have invited him over.

“I know spending the evening in the company of small children is probably not what you had in mind,” She added. After the previous evening, she yearned to spend time alone with Owen and imagined he probably felt the same way.

“It’s been a while since I last saw these two,” He casually commented, looking from Amelia to the brother and sister distractedly playing with their toys. “I don’t mind it all.” Owen looked back at Amelia and smiled. “Have they had dinner yet?”

“Yes,” Amelia replied with a satisfied smile, watching as Zola got up and came in their direction, demanding attention.

For the following hour, Amelia watched as Owen interacted with the kids. It was obvious they knew him and felt comfortable in his presence, which was quite unusual. When she was in her latest teen years, two of Amelia’s sisters already had children so she’d come to know how toddlers were usually very intimidated by grown men, but Owen had his own particular way of being caring at the same time he inspired trust.

“Zola seems to really like you,” Amelia smiled at him after the little girl spent the previous twenty minutes monopolizing Owen’s attention and then ran to grab a book she insisted he read for her.

“I used to babysit her sometimes when she was younger,” He explained with a serene expression, looking up from the blocks Bailey was giving him. “Before you came here, they didn’t have a lot of help with the kids.” The trauma surgeon added, referring to Derek and Meredith.

“I thought Cristina used to be here all the time,” Amelia frowned, thinking back of what she’d heard from her sister in law during the past few months. Every now and then, in casual conversations, Meredith would mention that whenever she and Derek were busy, Zola would stay with Cristina.

“She didn’t really like kids,” Owen informed her with an evasive grin before looking back at the blocks and then at Bailey.

Amelia noticed the subject clearly made him uncomfortable, so she decided not to prolong it.

“Well,” She smiled mischievously when another trail of thoughts assaulted her mind. “I said Zola really likes you and I guess it’s pretty obvious why.”

“Yeah?” Owen looked up, finding it amusing when he saw the distinguished playfulness on Amelia’s face. “Why?”

“Because that’s the effect you have on us Shepherd girls,” Amelia shamelessly flirted, enjoying the way Owen’s face slightly turned red even though he tried to act normally. “Zola is not the only one whose heart you stole.”

“Oh, really?” Owen chuckled, feeling flattered with the obvious meaning of her words.

“Really.” Amelia smiled into his eyes and brought her head closer, nearly touching his nose with hers. The last thing she saw was a spark of delight on his face before Owen gently covered her lips with his.

The trauma surgeon felt his senses instantly igniting when Amelia completely embarked on the kiss, placing her hand on his nape to pull him closer. Owen loved it that she had no reservations to touch him. In fact, she was actually the most affectionate woman he’d ever met and he loved that about her. The way her fingers idly caressed the back of his head as she leaned over to deepen the kiss made Owen feel like at that moment she held all the power over him.

The sounds of Zola’s muffled footsteps returning to the living room made the two of them break apart. After the young girl made Owen read her three different books, she finally settled for being taken to bed upstairs. Amelia carried a half asleep Bailey while her niece excitedly led the way, at the same time Owen went to the kitchen with the promise of making them something to eat to replace the dinner they’d had to cancel.

The kids were so tired from a full day of playing that they dozed off in a matter of minutes. When Amelia finally returned downstairs, she entered the kitchen to find an adorable scene in front of her eyes.

Owen looked completely distracted as he worked on something that looked like tomato sauce. The smell was delicious and Amelia couldn’t stay away much longer. Silently entering the room, she stood right behind him and sneakily hugged his waist from behind. His obvious surprised made her chuckle with amused delight.

“This is revenge,” she playfully told him, still not letting go of his solid torso. “You’re always scaring me and sneaking up on me.” Amelia smiled as she looked up with her neck turned sideways, meeting his eyes. Owen had the annoying habit of surprising her and he always found it funny the way she easily got startled. “This is so you’ll know what it feels like.”

“So, it feels this good?” Owen turned around in her embrace and quickly wrapped his own arms around her, engulfing her with his shadow. “I had no idea,” he returned her smile, clearly referring to her touch and not the way she had surprised him.

“Very clever,” the neurosurgeon unknowingly enchanted him with her dimples, unable to believe how much she was enjoying herself that evening.

They ate their meal at the small table by the kitchen. Amelia knew it wasn’t necessarily what Owen had first had in mind when he’d invited her to dinner, but she could see he was having a good time anyway. A few minutes later, Owen went back home, but not without telling Amelia he absolutely expected her to join him after Derek and Meredith got home.

And it didn’t take five minutes after her brother and wife had turned in for the night for the youngest neurosurgeon to sneak outside. She couldn’t help keeping a smile on her face throughout the short journey from the porch to the trailer, eagerly crossing the yard in the darkness to be with Owen.

After a quick knock on the door, he welcomed her with an embrace that swept Amelia off her feet. She tried to verbally greet him, but Owen seized control of her lips, hungrily kissing her with the desire of someone who’d waited all day to do it.

Finally, he pulled apart and allowed Amelia to catch her breath. When he turned around to close the door after them, she noticed the buzzing sound coming from the TV and got distracted with the noise until she sensed his presence behind her back.

“You took too long,” Owen huskily whispered, cornering her between the kitchen counter and his own body. Amelia felt his fingers unceremoniously digging through the hair at her nape and pulling her locks to the side so that her neck was fully exposed. At the same his lips explored the sensitive region below her ear, his free hand slipped inside her shirt, drowning Amelia in a mix of sensations that completely numbed her every rational thought.

Owen felt his own breathing get heavier as he gently squeezed the soft skin of her stomach beneath his open palm. He kissed the column of her neck, watching as she shivered under his touch. Owen couldn’t wait to have her naked in his arms again. Amelia was so adorable, so delightfully feminine and delicately shaped that he couldn’t help himself every time he saw her. Especially not when she so eagerly returned his advances, melting at his touch and encouraging him to keep going as she looked back at him with those insanely gorgeous eyes.

He left a trail of gentle bites and intense kisses on the curve of her neck and shoulder, smirking with pride when he noticed the rosy marks at the exact spots his lips had touched. Amelia had gone from once holding back her desire for him to now completely giving in to the reactions he provoked in her.  Her abandon only made her look even more vulnerable, inspiring a sense of protection in him like no other Owen had ever felt before. He knew she was completely at his mercy and that only made him even more determined to give her everything she deserved and shield her from any harm.

He was still exploring her neck with his lips and her waist with his touch when her hand reached out for his. In an unplanned gesture, Amelia intertwined her fingers with his own, making Owen lose all control as he found in her trust the most amazing booster for his desire.

The way Amelia was selflessly embarking on the experience drove him crazy. Owen turned her around in his arms, cupping her bottom with his hands and roughly pulled her against his body, knowing she could tell how much he wanted her by the reaction of his body pressed against her belly.

“I was just about to go take a shower,” Owen informed her, between kisses. “Get in the shower with me.”

“What?” Amelia oscillated her level of consciousness, feeling his fingers sliding up on her back beneath her shirt. She wasn’t sure whether he’d really suggested what she thought to have heard or if it’d just been her imagination.

“The shower,” Owen whispered against her lips, guiding her through the small corridor inside the trailer. “I want you in it with me.”

Amelia didn’t protest and in a matter of seconds, she was unbuttoning his pants at the same time he got her rid of her clothes. She tied her hair up in a bun, losing her shoes immediately before getting into the shower. The cubicle looked incredibly small, making her wonder how Owen alone could manage his way in there, but once she joined him, she discovered why he’d thought it would be a good idea in the first place.

The lack of space forced them to touch through the entire extension of her bodies and the steamy hot water falling on her skin added to the delightful sensations his lips and hands were causing. Since Owen had just turned on the shower, the walls around them still felt cold and in order to avoid them, Amelia pressed her body harder against his, watching with delight the way his body immediately responded.

“Wait,” She wickedly stopped him from kissing her again. “You said you were going to take a shower,” She bit her bottom lip, stretching out a hand to grab a bottle of shampoo.

“Amelia…” Owen groaned, anticipating what she was about to do.

The combination of mischief and affection in her eyes seduced Owen and he stopped resisting, letting her have her way with him. Soon enough, her fingernails were playfully scratching his scalp, sending a fit of shivers through his spine.

“What is this stuff?” Amelia grabbed the bottle and quickly inspected it. “It smells so good, I will…”

Her words were interrupted when Owen stole her breath with another demanding kiss. The bottle quickly fell to the ground when her hands traveled from his hair to face. Amelia didn’t take long to wrap her arms around his shoulders, pulling him nearer at the same time Owen placed his hands on the curves of her waist.

“I love the color of your hair,” Amelia confessed, tenderly caressing the back of his head with her fingertips. “Sometimes it looks blonde, sometimes it looks…”

Owen’s chuckle interrupted her again but Amelia didn’t mind. She watched as he touched his forehead to hers, intimately gazing into her eyes. Owen couldn’t remember ever being treated with such affection before. He’d heard compliments from other women through his entire life, but he could nearly always identify the hidden agenda behind them. They’d usually say what they thought he wanted to hear or give him some kind of empty praise just to achieve something.

But Amelia every now and then would make these adorable confessions that touched his heart. Her words were so spontaneous and genuine that Owen knew she didn’t spend a single minute rehearsing a speech just to get into his good graces. She would simply say what was on her mind and the truthful way she stated how much he pleased her made Owen happier than any other compliment he’d ever gotten. Amelia didn’t pretend to be something she was not, and the realization filled him with joy. Because she didn’t need to change, neither Owen needed to adapt, seeking for a version of his expectations instead of the real one. She attracted him the exact way she was, with all her flaws, qualities and baggage.

He spent the following minutes laughing with amusement as Amelia continued on teasing him with her hands filled with soap. Owen let her rub his arms and shoulders, watching with delight as the water cascade smoothly ran through her breasts. Her small hands made their way to his chest, involuntarily making Owen contract his muscles in response to her touch. The sight of her naked body turned him on like nothing else and before he realized what he was doing, Owen had already turned her around, anxious to return what she’d done to him.

Using a handful of shower gel, he explored every bit of her body, taking his time especially on her breasts after noticing the pleased look on her face as he touched her with devoted experience. His hands sneakily made its way down, anticipating how she would respond. Even though Amelia had her eyes closed and was facing the wall opposite to him, Owen spotted the way she shyly blushed when he finally reached the middle of her thighs.

He expected her to resist his touch but to his surprise, Amelia placed her hand on top of his, not only encouraging, but also guiding. Owen took a while to process the explosive sensations she was causing. He’d planned to prolong that exchange of contact for as long as possible, but after long minutes of kissing and caressing her, he couldn’t wait any longer.

Amelia felt her back colliding against the cold tiles of the wall when Owen swiftly clutched her legs up, burying himself into her. She moved her hips forward welcoming him at the same she felt his firm grasp on her thighs. Her hands wrapped around his neck, leaning on him for support as Owen continued to motion back and forth, inebriating her with the most erotic sensations.

When it was over, Amelia collided on the bed next to him, feeling too exhausted to even collect their scattered clothes that had been left everywhere on the floor outside the bathroom. They quickly fell into a deep sleep and woke up the next morning realizing the weather outside hadn’t gotten any better.

Amelia spent most of her Sunday in Owen’s company, enjoying getting to know a little more about him as she told him more about her. They watched a movie in television together and she felt blissfully happy and strangely protected to be his arms. After they had lunch in bed, Owen taught her how to play rummy, a game of cards he’d learned while serving in the army, only to find out Amelia was more interested in learning how to succeed at cheating than at actually playing. When he realized her bad intentions, Owen quickly gave up playing cards to focus on the much more interesting game of seducing her.

Day and night went by too quickly for both of their liking and before Amelia realized it, it was Monday already. She loved her job but sometimes, she wished she could simply call in sick and spend all day in bed, doing nothing and everything, exactly like the perfect Sunday she’d had with Owen.

The chief of surgery kept mostly busy throughout all of his morning, failing to see Amelia again before lunch. He did however run into Derek, only to find out his friend planned to be back full time to Grey Sloan. Personally, Owen approved of the idea, knowing the guy was an excellent surgeon and would be a great addition back, not to mention he was also a part of the board. But he worried about how Amelia might feel, especially considering how devastated she’d been last time Derek had threatened to steal his old job back from her. As chief of surgery, Owen held the power to stop that from happening, but he couldn’t control Derek’s attempts to intimidate his sister if he decided to.

“You realize all this has to be approved?” Owen asked while walking alongside Derek through the hospital corridors. He’d just made it clear he was on board with the neurosurgeon returning, but ultimately, the head of department had to sign off on it.

“By whom?” Derek asked, frowning. “I am on the board, I have privileges,” He added, supposing the chief of surgery was concerned about the bureaucracy of having him work there before he had formally signed a contract.

“By Amelia.” Owen replied and his sheepish tone didn’t go unnoticed to Derek, just as the way the chief used her first name, instead of the usual your sister he’d generally use.

“Of course,” Derek watched as Owen nodded in approval and proceeded to go back to the ER. “I’ll ask Amelia,” he let out a heavy sigh, not exactly happy with the idea.

.

Amelia was also having the first taste of the busy day that was slowly unfolding. But much to her contentment, a group of adorable students met with her and she had the pleasure of watching the scowl on Derek’s face when one of the boys asked him if his sister was his boss and he had to humbly admit she was.

Ever since figuring out Derek had probably come back for good, Amelia had worried about what this would mean professionally for the two of them. After all, Derek was her older brother and he wasn’t used to having her in a more prestigious position as him. More than once, he’d reacted badly to it and Amelia really had a hard time believing this time it would be any different. So even after hearing her brother affirm he wasn’t after her job, Amelia still had her reservations for she really didn’t want to have another fight with Derek and possibly compromise their relationship. Especially not now that they seemed to be getting along better than ever.

But her first proof that maybe this time things would be different came when Derek settled for taking a minor case instead of insisting on being part of the trauma team that was working on robbery victims that day. Even though Derek had to admit clipping an aneurysm wasn’t nearly as challenging as working on trauma patients, he tried to keep a positive attitude after reminding himself of what had made him go back to Seattle in the first place.

His mind was processing his reasons as he prepared for surgery when the door to the scrub room opened and his boss walked in, apparently looking disappointed.

“Hey,” Derek casually greeted the man, wondering why he had that look on his face.

“Hey…” Owen cleared his throat, trying to sound as natural as possible. He’d looked at the names on the board five minutes before and had come to the OR with the intention of catching Amelia before she started her procedure so he could ask her to lunch at the cafeteria after she was done. “I thought Amelia…” The chief quickly caught his slip to have called the neurosurgeon by her first name. “I was looking for the other Dr. Shepherd,” he tried to fix it, sounding as professional as possible.

“She is busy with a trauma.” Derek informed the other man with a grin. It was obvious there was more to the situation than Owen bothered to say, but he kept quiet for the sake of avoiding any more problems.

“Ah,” The chief of surgery saw an opportunity to distract his friend from the obvious fact that he’d gone in there to look for his little sister. “Did you talk to her?”

“I did.” Derek replied evasively.

“And?” Owen asked with curiosity.

“I’m clipping an aneurysm for her,” Derek informed him, resuming scrubbing his hands.

“Huh.” Owen frowned, clearly puzzled. “And you’re good with that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s a far cry from mapping the brain for the president.” Owen pointed out, hoping it hadn’t become too obvious he knew for a fact that Amelia would have reservations about hiring her brother.

Last time Derek had quit the brain-mapping project, he had let his ego move him and ended up bruising his sister’s feelings with his careless actions and hurtful words. Owen still remembered how Derek had left Amelia hanging out to dry after she’d been mercilessly exposed about her drug addiction in front of the entire hospital and secretly, the memory still made him want to punch his friend. But a lot had happened after that and he’d learned it from Amelia herself that the two siblings were in better terms.

“She’s been talking to you.”

Derek’s words let Owen know the neurosurgeon had picked up on unsaid information and he didn’t bother lying. For Amelia’s sake, he would keep their relationship private until she felt comfortable disclosing it. But he wasn’t going to pretend something wasn’t true.

“A bit.” He answered evasively, not really lying but also not telling the full extension of what those words meant.

“I’m good with it.” Derek informed him. “Actually, I am a little nervous.”

“You sure you want to tell me that?” Owen asked goodheartedly.

“No, I mean, it’s a good nervous. A good, excited…” Derek trailed off. “I just haven’t operated in months, and… It feels really good to be back.”

“Well, I’m glad to have you back.” Owen replied sincerely, turning around to leave.

“Hey, Hunt,” Derek stopped him. “We should hang out more. Do you fish?”

Owen was surprised by the question and chuckled in response, wondering if Amelia had said a word to Derek about them the previous weekend while he’d been at the hospital to see his mother. But since he didn’t know for sure, he avoided talking about it.

“Never. Never have.”

“You should.” Derek added with a smile. “We will.”

“Okay,” Owen agreed, strangely satisfied with the outcome of that conversation. He planned on going forward with what he and Amelia had started and spending more time with the people who loved her seemed like a good way to do that.

“All right. Okay.” Derek smiled, immediately going back to what he was doing when Owen walked out.

.

Amelia’s day got progressively worse as they not only lost two injured cops during surgery, but also had to see the liver of one of them going to the person who had most likely shot them. The whole situation brought to surface bad memories about the way her father had been coldly murdered and even though gunshot patients were relatively common in a busy ER, that particularly case got to Amelia because not only she had to watch the victim die, exactly like her father had, she also saw the man believed to have been the responsible get away with a organ donated by the cop, of all people.

It also didn’t help much when she stood outside an ICU room, talking to her unwilling sister in law about her brother. Meredith seemed to believe Derek really was willing to start over and even though the conversation didn’t go exactly as the neurosurgeon planned, she decided to give her brother another chance.

Amelia was still processing everything about that day when Derek walked outside, meeting her on the porch of his house.

“It’s cold out here.”

“It’s quiet out here.” Amelia responded to her brother’s words, despite agreeing with him about the temperature. Secretly, she’d been waiting outside to see when Owen would finally arrive so she could met him at his place but that wasn’t something she would share with her brother.

“Mmm.”

“Ever since you’ve been back, you guys have been reconnecting. Vigorously.” Amelia took that opportunity to pester her brother, even though she had to confess she hadn’t spent that much time in the house in the past few days to really be bothered by his bedroom activities. “You should have built thicker walls.” She added, taking a sip of her coffee.

“You okay? Derek asked with concern. His sister’s teasing remark didn’t surprise him, but she lacked her usual lively energy and bright smiles. Something about her attitude was off.

“What do you mean?” Amelia asked with a sheepish smile, after realizing he looked honestly concerned.

“I didn’t want to ask you, and I’m not supposed to big-brother you. And you don’t need me to.” Derek explained, thinking about the heart to heart conversation they’d had in his living room after he’d been a jerk to her and how he’d admitted it scared him how Amelia didn’t need him to protect her anymore. She was a grown adult and he fully acknowledged it. But she was still his little sister, and he would forever worry about her wellbeing. “There was a robbery, two shootings, and you declared two men dead.” Derek summed up the hell of a day they’d had. “I kept thinking about dad.” He confessed, looking straight into her eyes. “I wanted to know if you’re okay.”

Amelia looked away, trying to think of what to say, but the wound was still very much open and she didn’t want to discuss it at that exact moment. Even though she appreciated her brother’s concern, Amelia didn’t want to deal with emotions about their father at the moment. Especially not when she was counting the minutes to be with Owen again and find in his arms the comfort for that particularly dreadful day.

“I’m happy for you.” Amelia swiftly changed the topic of the conversation, not really answering Derek’s question. “That you’re back, you’re making it work.” She explained and hesitated before adding, “that you’re not running.”

“What do you mean, running?” Derek asked with a frown.

“Hey, I am not judging.” Amelia replied, this time with her usual good humor. “We are runners. I ran from my engagement. You ran from Addison.” The youngest neurosurgeon looked down at her lap, recalling the many situations in her life when she’d ran away whenever something she didn’t want to deal with started to happen. It had been the same when she joined her fellowship, when James had asked her to set a date for their wedding... And she wasn’t the only one. Even though in a lesser scale, their three sisters would also react the same way to adversity. “I think, after dad, if something scares us, we sprint, as fast as we can.” Amelia clarified. “But you turned around this time.” She picked up her mug, trying to see the silver lining and added with a mischievous smile. “That’s something. I’m inspired.”

Derek smiled, processing her words and realizing they were nothing but true.

“Did mom tell you I went to go see her?”

“No. Wow.” Amelia was genuinely impressed as she watched her brother take a seat at the table next to her. “How did that go?”

“She said I was tired and miserable, which I was.” Derek confessed, hearing his sister’s amused laughter. “Told me to get it together.”

“No sympathy.” Amelia leaned back against the chair and folded her arms in front of her body to keep her hands warm. After the loss of their father, their mother had toughen up a lot and now Amelia understood that she’d needed to do so to be able to raise five kids on her own. But Carolyn Shepherd’s practical ways could sometimes be a bit too harsh and unforgiving.

“Oh, no, never. She said, ‘Derek, take a good, hard look at your life. If it’s not working, shut up and fix it.’” Derek confessed, once again hearing Amelia’s delighted laughter. He also was very aware of their mother’s rough but loving personality. Nodding his head in denial, the neurosurgeon added, “Amy, I’ve been missing out on everything in my life. I mean, I’m watching my kids grow up on a computer. I don’t want to miss my family. I don’t want to miss another second.” He confessed, watching as his sister seemed to approve of his words. The two of them had grown without a father and they knew how incredibly painful it could be. It wasn’t fair to Bailey or Zola that they had to go through something similar when Derek could very well be there. And it was obvious he had just realized he very much wanted to. “I want to coach soccer, go to ballet recitals. I don’t need to change the world. Clipping aneurysms, stopping bleeds, that’s the fun. That’s changing the world with our hands.” Derek affirmed as Amelia analyzed his words. “When did that stop being enough? Saving someone’s life? That’s more than enough.”

“I’m glad you’re back.” Amelia repeated, thankful for his insight. She agreed with everything he’d just said and was glad to hear it being put into words. And she was genuinely happy for Derek that he’d turned around and come back before it was too late.

“Me too.” Her brother said, playfully touching his beer to her coffee to simulate a toast.

From a distance, Amelia heard the discreet sound of Owen’s truck arriving. The sudden realization that after an extremely difficult day all she wanted was to be with him scared the hell out of her. Owen’s company had proven to be irreplaceable. His words and his touch were comforting like anything else she’d ever experienced and the way he could unconsciously lure her into feeling safe in his presence was highly addictive.

Touched by the way her brother had chosen to open up to her about his struggles, Amelia decided to finally confess.

“I think I’m falling in love with Owen Hunt.” She admitted, unable to look Derek in the eye as she said the words. The impact that new reality had in her was too intense and she needed some time to get used to the idea. Every single time something as good as Owen had ever happened in her life, it had ultimately turned out to be a complete disaster. Amelia was done losing. She wasn’t sure she could endure any more loss in a lifetime. And being with Owen meant also living with the risk to have her heart broken again. “And I’m really afraid that it’s going to destroy me.” She explained, finally turning her neck to look directly at her brother.

Derek heard her words and studied the expression on her face. He knew his sister had been through a lot. Amelia was one of the strongest people he knew and she certainly deserved to be happy. Earlier that day, Derek had picked up some hints that something he didn’t know yet might have been happening between Amelia and their boss. Derek knew Owen for quite some time now and even though the guy had his own issues, he was a decent and kind person. And even though Derek couldn’t know for sure that Owen would never hurt Amelia’s feeling, he was sure his friend would never be reckless on purpose.

“It wouldn’t be love if it didn’t.” He said with a supportive smile, watching in Amelia’s face how relieved she seemed to have voiced out her fears. Relationships could be complicated but they paid off and Derek was being reminded of it at that exact moment in his life. After taking another sip of his beer, he went on with the conversation. “You know, we never got to talk about this, but you did something remarkable with that astrocytoma.”

Amelia knew he was talking about Nicole Herman’s surgery and even though Derek did seem much less egocentric since his return, she still didn’t expect to hear such compliment.

“Thank you,” She frowned, unsure of how to react.

“I am not sure I could have done it better,” Derek added, confusing her even more.

“Really?” Amelia showed her disbelief, playing with the coffee mug in her hands. “Are you really saying you don’t think you could do what I did? Did I live to see this day come?”

“Don’t push it,” Derek grumpily replied and when their eyes met, both siblings started to laugh. “You know, Amy, I do think you did an amazing job but I am not talking just about the surgery.” He confessed. Amelia kept looking into his eyes, wondering what he meant. Her cell phone buzzed on the table at that exact moment and since it was dark around them, it was obvious Derek could read Owen’s name on the screen as his text popped up on her screen. Taking a deep breath after looking from the phone back to his sister’s face, Derek offered more of insight. “You had a situation that seemed impossible. Every time you’d been faced with stuff like this before, trying has failed. So you had every reason to believe it was hopeless this time too.” He added, smiling tenderly at her.

“I guess,” Amelia shrugged, not really giving it much thought.

“You know, the thing about an Astrocytoma as challenging as this one,” Derek looked at the phone very suggestively, clearly not talking about the tumor, “is that they don't come our way that often, you know? Sometimes they happen only once in a lifetime. In fact, some people live their whole lives without ever encountering one this big. The regular ones are out there by bunches but they don’t really cause any impact on us, do they? They don’t move us. You and I, we need the big, intense, intimidating ones to be happy. ”

“What…?” Amelia frowned, interested in what he had to say but not sure she was following his line of thought.

“My point is that even though you weren’t expecting it, it came your way…” Derek explained and Amelia was unsure if he was talking about Herman’s tumor, her feelings for Owen or both. “You didn’t see it coming, you weren’t looking for it, but one day you woke up and realized it was there… And you didn’t run.” He smiled at her, using the same points she’d made to cheer him up to try to console his sister. “You didn’t freeze in fear of what seemed impossible.” Derek added with an encouraging smile. “You built a plan. You saw the light, you saw a way. I am sure it wasn’t easy, there were probably several setbacks down the road. But it once looked unreal, unachievable, and yet you succeeded. You decided to make it work. You gave it your best,” Derek tilted his head. “And eventually it paid off.” He concluded. “It was an absolute success and you should be proud. I am proud.” Derek added, finishing his beer under his sister’s attentive eyes.

Amelia was in silence for long seconds, processing the literal and metaphorical meaning of his words.

“Are you really comparing Herman’s cancer to my feelings for Owen?” Amelia smiled with amusement, unwilling to admit Derek’s insight had genuinely offered a new perspective, but she felt really grateful for it.

“See, you got it!” He teased her back, “You really are smarter than I ever thought.”

“Shut up, Derek.” Amelia tried to sound offended but her smile betrayed her.

“Don’t let fear freeze you.” He advised, getting up from the chair with the empty bottle of beer in his hands. “You saw the amazing things that can happen when you don’t.” Derek added with a smile. At that exact moment, Amelia’s phone buzzed again and Owen’s name appeared on the screen as if that whole situation had been somehow orchestrated all along by the universe. “You should answer that.” The oldest Shepherd said, not bothering to hide he was peeking at the screen.

“Good night, Derek.” Amelia teasingly sent him away, picking up the phone as her brother made his way back inside.

“Good night, Amy.” He replied with a smile, closing the door at the same time Amelia finally picked up her phone to answer Owen’s call.

--

its out in the open now! Derek knows :) too bad we never got to see much of him with Omelia... or will we? :) up to you guys :))