Teddy Bear and her Boys

"Here's to one whole year with our Teddy Bear." Harry beamed as he raised his glass high. His was joined by five glasses, held by his best friends, his brothers, each one smiling at the only girl sat at their table. Teddy was smiling, and Harry she could see her blushing a little too. Teddy raised her glass.
"And here's to my boys." They all clinked glasses before taking a drink.

Dan looked across the table at Teddy. Her green eyes lit up with her smile at something Harry was saying. When she replied, a loud, belly laugh erupted from Harry as Mitch, who was sat at the other side of Teddy, yelled 'Burn!'. That girl could dish it out as well as any of the guys. It was hard to believe it had only been a year since Teddy had come into their lives. She had been so shy then, so quiet. She was still as private now, she kept so much to herself, but she could be just as loud and boisterous as the guys, And, boy, did she know how to put all six of us in their place. 

Dan and the boys had been a tight-knit group for over ten years, since school, and the group had always been all male. That was until Teddy. All the guys looked at Teddy like a little sister. Someone to protect. All of them - except Dan. He damn sure wanted to protect her but it was not brotherly love that Dan felt for Theadora Louise McCallum. He wanted to explore every inch of the curves of her body; to hear her tell him that she loved him the way that he loved her and he was constantly fighting the urge to grab her and kiss her and more. A lot more. Nope, nothing brotherly about it. Teddy looked up and her eyes locked with his, and she smiled. Dan smiled back. Something passed between them and he knew he should look away. He knew that if they kept this up, she'd work out what was going on with him. Dan saw a blush creep across Teddy's face,
"You know, Teddy, it's been a whole year and we know sweet F.A. about your life before us. You never talk about it." Mitch piped up. Teddy turned to look at him, breaking whatever was going on between her and Dan.
"Mitch. Leave it." Dan didn't raise his voice, but made it clear he was to be listened to. The guys had made a deal: no asking Teddy about her foster homes. Why the fuck would Mitch bring it up now?
"It's OK." Teddy's voice broke through Dan's anger. "I'm actually surprised you guys have never asked about it before." The boys all looked at Dan, the main reason the subject had never been broached.
"It was tough." Teddy looked down at her hands, which were clasped and resting on her lap. "Waiting to be adopted, but instead, being moved from foster home to foster home. Some were good, some...not so much. One that lead to too many hospital visits." Teddy glanced up to see six jaws, clenched in anger at the thought of her being hurt, She looked at Dan, his hand was in a fist and his eyes were darker. He wanted to hit something. Seeing how the boys reacted, she was reminded that she had found people who truly cared about her. Finally,
"Then there was my last foster home, with Jean and Paul. They took care of me, they really tried. But I was sixteen, and angry. My walls were too high and I was only there a little over a year, I never let them in. Jean died and Paul went not long after. Broken heart from losing his Jeanie." Teddy could feel the tears welling in eyes. "By that time, I was eighteen, and had a part time job, Social services didn't need to find me a new placement. I was on my own. I worked and went to college. Then I met Harry-Bo here," she smiled at the man who had introduced her to this band of brothers. He beamed back. "Then I met the rest of you clowns, and now, here we are," She looked around at her boys, smiling. "I guess, I never had anyone that I meant that much to," she shrugged. "until I met you guys."
"Aaahhh." Will, who was sat to Teddy's left, got up, walked up behind Teddy and wrapped her into a massive hug. "We love you, Teddy Bear."
"Yeah, we don't let any girl join our fun." Eddie piped up from his seat next to Dan. Teddy laughed and joked with the guys for a few minutes, but after talking about it all, some of the thoughts and memories had surfaced. Most of them painful. She tried to push them to the back of her mind.

The thoughts, combined with the noise and the crowd in the bar, began to get to Teddy and a feeling of claustrophobia was starting to set in. She told the guys she'd be back and headed for the door. She just needed to stand outside for a few minutes to get some air in the quiet street.

Dan had seen Teddy get uncomfortable and when she left the table, he went after her. He needed to tell her, and now was his chance. He loved the guys but being part of group who were always together had it's disadvantages. Not getting a chance to talk to Teddy alone, for example. Not without questions being asked anyway. Dan caught up to Teddy after she had left the bar. 

"Oh hi, Dan. You needing some fresh air too?"
"Not exactly."
Dan looked at Teddy in the eyes and grinned. He stepped closer to her and cupped her cheek with one hand, while the other arm wrapped around her waist. He leaned in and his lips met her's in a gentle kiss. The kiss intensified when he felt Teddy's hands hold him to her: one hand on his shoulder, the other on the back of his neck. Dan pulled back slightly.
"Just so you know, you don't mean 'that much' to me." he said shrugging the way Teddy had when she'd used the same phrase. Dan saw the hurt flash in those beautiful green eyes.
"You mean damn near everything to me." He held her tightly to him, both arms wrapped around her waist, not wanting to let her go. His forehead touching her's and he could see a smile that reached her eyes spread across her face. She tilted her head back slightly and gently pulled his down until his lips touched her's again.