Chapter Text
“I’m going back to Iraq,” Megan stated.
“Why?” Owen questioned.
Megan looked at her mom and Nathan before taking a deep breath. “My children are there.”
The room fell silent.
“Children?” Evelyn gasped as she took her daughter’s hand.
“We’ll give you some privacy,” Richard said as he nodded his head towards the door; Meredith and Richard left the Hunts and Nathan to their conversation.
“I have a son, Farouk, he’s 10. His parents were Syrian fighters and I took him in when they were killed 6 years ago and I have two daughters, Saleema and Zara. Zara is 4 and Saleema is 8 months,” Megan explained as she choked back a sob. “I never adopted Farouk formally and I don’t have birth certificates for the girls so they’re with the army but I can’t get them out of Iraq quite yet. I need to get back to my kids.”
“Megan…” Evelyn started.
“I’m ok now, Mom.”
“No, not that… you’re…” the older woman gestured to her breasts. “You’re leaking.”
Megan pulled the blanket up over her chest.
“Are you sore? Do you need to pump?” Nathan asked, trying so very hard to not think about how that baby came to be.
“Please; Saleema was still nursing and now that I can’t be with her…I just don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll get a pump,” Nathan said as he kissed her head. The brown- haired man left the room, leaving Megan with her brother and mother.
The rest of the family sat in silence, unsure of how to proceed.
“Megan…” Owen started, finally finding his voice.
“His name was Ahmed. I didn’t love him but he protected me from the others. He said if I had sex with him, he’d keep me and Farouk safe. So I did it. I don’t regret it because I’d have to regret my children and keeping them safe and I don’t. Anyhow, he’s dead. The same bombing that left me with this,” she said as she motioned to her stomach.
“I’ll get your kids back,” Owen simply stated as he pulled his sister into a hug.
“Success!” Nathan exclaimed as he walked in, brandishing a very sophisticated breast pump and attachments.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Owen said as he stood. “I have a few phone calls to make.”