In March Teddy paced the kitchen ranting.
"Teddy calm down," Owen said, "there's nothing we can do about this."
"They want us doing COVID patients ," Teddy snapped, "we have two kids! And no support."
"Call the general," Owen said, "talk to him that you can't work in COVID wards."
"If you do your in a hotel," Teddy said, "I need you here. I need you with me."
"Call," Owen said, "tell him."
"He doesn't know about peanut," Teddy said, "we've never formally announced this one."
"Call," Owen said.
"We can't even bring your mom out, they've shut down every flight into and out of America," Teddy sobbed, "we were supposed to have our family. We were supposed to be together and welcome this one properly. Your mom was supposed to meet this grand baby as a new born and bring Leo and Allison to meet their little brother."
"It's March," Owen soothed, "August is months away. Mom should be able to come then."
Teddy put her arms around his neck and clung to him sobbing.
"Do we want to call her," Owen asked.
"I want a mom," Teddy sobbed, "I want my mom. I did it alone once. This time we need family here I need family here. I can't do it alone again. I want my mom."
"I know you do," Owen said, "I want my mom here and I want my dad to see our kids. And you won't be alone because I'm here."
"I miss my parents," Teddy sobbed, "20 years since I said goodbye to my dad and I still miss him. I want him to hold the kids and tell them they can't have a gerbil."
"No gerbils," Owen agreed.
"I wasn't allowed pets," Teddy said, "my dad didn't want me to have to lose them."
"He loved you too much," Owen said.
"I miss them," Teddy whined.
"I know you do," Owen said, "I wish I could have met them."
Teddy nodded into his shoulder.
"Was that him," Owen asked.
"Our son has been kicking all day," Teddy said.
"He wants to make mommy happy," Owen said, "does he do that often?"
"More and more," Teddy said, "I've felt him for about three weeks now."
"How was she," Owen asked.
"She liked to wiggle two," Teddy said.
"That's the first time I've felt him like that," Owen said.
"Daniel," Teddy whispered.
"Daniel," Owen said, "for Dan?"
"For Dan Mooney," Teddy smiled.
"I like it," Owen said, "Daniel Hunt."
"Altman-Hunt," Teddy countered, "all three should be."
"Leo is Hunt and Allison is Altman," Owen said, "this one can be both."
"We can change her last name," Teddy said, "and Leo's?"
"All three hyphenated," Owen suggested.
"Maybe hyphenate mine," Teddy suggested, "so it matches the kids."
"Do you want to," Owen said.
"I'm thinking of it," Teddy admitted.
"It's your choice," Owen said, "I like the idea but it's your choice."
"I want to be connected to you," Teddy said.
"I think Daniel likes it," Owen said, he still had one hand on Teddy's stomach.
"He likes when you put your hand there," Teddy said, "I would do that with Allison put my hand where she was kicking and she would press against my hand."
Owen knelt on the floor in front of Teddy and began talking to her tiny bump.
"Hi Daniel," Owen said, "mommy and I are so excited to meet you. Your mommy is the best. She's my best friend. You have a big brother named Leo and Allison is your big sister."
"Owen," Teddy sighed, "stop being cute."
Owen planted a soft kiss on her stomach and stood up.
"Daddy why did you kiss mommy's tummy," Leo asked.
"Come here buddy," Owen said, "come sit with mom and I."
They sat down on the window seat leaving Allison playing with some blocks.
"You know that mommy and I said you would be getting a baby brother," Owen said.
"Yes," Leo said.
"The baby grows in my tummy," Teddy explained.
Leo looked closely at Teddy, "where?"
Teddy put both hands on her bump, "right here."
"There's no baby," Leo said.
"It's very very tiny," Teddy said, "it won't be here until the end of the summer. The baby comes at the end of August."
"Now," Leo asked.
"No," Owen said, "in 5 months."
"Where baby," Leo asked again.
This time Teddy took the little boy's hand and put it against where the baby was kicking, "that's your little brother kicking mommy."
"Baby," Leo asked.
"Yes," Teddy said, "that's the baby."
Leo tried to look under Teddy's shirt.
"Leave my shirt Leosaurus," Teddy said, "the baby will come soon but first mommy's tummy has to get really big."
"How big," Leo asked.
"Like a beach ball," Teddy said.
"How big was it with Allison," Owen asked.
"Big," Teddy said, "I've never been that big in my life. And she was so heavy."
"How can I help Teddy," Owen asked.
"Right now just be here," Teddy smiled, "I'm feeling good. Owen stop worrying. I'm good. Daniel is good. You saw him yesterday on the ultrasound. He's good."
"Why is the baby in mommy," Leo asked.
"Because mommies have special eggs," Teddy said, "and daddies do something special to help the egg start to grow. Then the baby grows in mommy's tummy for almost a year."
"Did I grow in your tummy," Leo asked.
"No," Teddy said, "daddy and I chose you to be our son."
"I chose you Leo," Owen said, "so did mommy. We love you."
Teddy's phone range on the counter.
"Sir," Teddy said as she picked up the phone.
"Altman," the general barked.
"Yes sir," Teddy replied, "I'm here."
"Why do I hear laughing in the back ground," the general asked.
"Owen is tickling our son," Teddy replied.
"You and Hunt have two kids," the general said.
"Yes and another on the way," Teddy said, "I'm due August 29th."
"Congratulations," the general said.
"Thank you sir," Teddy replied.
"You and Hunt just got married didn't you," the general said.
"We're engaged and we live together with our kids," Teddy said, "it's good. It's Saturday, what's going on sir?"
"We need you to start taking COVID patients," the general commanded.
"I will partition part of the hospital off and a designated ICU," Teddy replied, "I've been watching it and I won't put Hunt or myself in there and risk bringing it home to our kids when we have people who live alone."
"Your training is cardiothoracic," the general said.
"Sir I'm 20 weeks pregnant," Teddy replied, "I can't risk my child. I can research, guide and oversee but I can not be right with covid patients. We don't know enough about this disease yet."
"Hunt," the General said, "he's your second in command."
"And we have a 3 year old and a nearly 2 year old," Teddy said, "Leo is asthmatic. I can't risk my kids. We don't have family nearby to help and couldn't get Owen's mom here if we wanted to because she's in Seattle."
"You must have a care plan for your kids," the general said.
"Major Meghan Hunt and Dr Nathan Riggs if both of us have to go into their field or Evelyn Hunt ," Teddy said, "both require having the kids go to the relative or some one flying to us. I was told after I had Allison that I wouldn't go back into the field so the plan is loose."
"Not your family," the general pressed.
"My parents passed 20 years ago and I was an only child," Teddy said, "my cousin is in England but the borders are closed so I can't get Amanda here."
"Can you run everything without being right in the COVID ward," the general asked.
"We can," Teddy replied, "leave Owen doing normal traumas and move the other trauma surgeons over if we need to. I'll make it work and not expose my people with young children."
"How many have young children," the general asked.
"Several nurses, five surgeons and a few other doctors," Teddy replied, "I will get the numbers for you sir."
"You know your hospital and team, Altman I trust you," the general said.
"Thank you sir," Teddy replied.
"Enjoy your Saturday," the general said.
"You as well sir," Teddy replied before the man hung up.
Teddy turned to Owen looking panicked, "we're becoming a COVID center. You and I won't be on COVID wards not with the kids and no support. Single and childless staff will have to do it first."
"You can't," Owen said, "you're pregnant."
"I know that," Teddy replied, "and everyone will know in the next couple weeks. This is faster than it was with Alison."
"You are gorgeous," Owen said.
'
"Not now, Teddy snapped, "we need to come up with a plan by the time the first arrive on Monday. Call all the leaders in I need your help to get chiefs and team leads there in the next two hours. I want everyone there by four and we work through the night if we have to. I want COVID patients in the south wing because it's ventilation is separate from the rest of the hospital."
"South that's med surg," Owen said, "there's one of the ICUs there."
"It's now the COVID wing," Teddy snapped, "they need a separate icu and the isolation rooms are there. It has positive pressure air flow. The numbers I'm seeing I need ever vent we can get moved to the south wing. Turn the cafeteria there into overflow. We're opening to the community."
"We never turn the community away," Owen said.
Both of their phones buzzed with an email.
"Day care closed," Teddy said, "fuck!"
"I'm calling Sarah, she was subbing, we can have her nanny," Owen said.
"We have to," Teddy said, "and we'll have to decontaminate as soon as we get home from anywhere."
"I'm ordering sanitizer," Owen said.
"If we can get it," Teddy said.
"I'll find it," Owen said, "you need to breathe. Teddy hold my hand."
"What," Teddy asked.
"Just hold my hand," Owen said.
Teddy took his hand.
"See I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere," Owen soothed.
"You, the kids, the baby," Teddy whimpered.
"We will all be okay," Owen promised, "maybe you can work from home running all the logistics if it gets bad and I'll do what you can't from home."
"We need to call everyone in," Teddy said.
"You get dressed and do your hair I'll send the mass alert." Owen said.
"I want to stay in leggings," Teddy whined, "more comfortable"
"Do you have another uniform," Owen asked.
"I do," Teddy said, "but it's ugly. I'll just change to scrubs which are comfortable when we get there."
"Stay in scrubs at work then," Owen suggested.
"I should have held onto my maternity clothes from Allison," Teddy groaned, "but she was to be my one and only so I donated them."
"Go shopping, buy what you want," Owen said, "we have the money."
"I'll order," Teddy said, "the stores will all close soon. I think we'll be ordering everything."
"Groceries," Owen asked.
"I don't know," Teddy said, "we have enough canned stuff but it's veggies, meat, milk and bread we won't."
"How long," Owen asked.
"China locked down for a month. Italy and England are locking down so is Seattle and New York. We're going to war against a virus," Teddy declared, "and I can't be on the front lines. I always go first to lead my teams always take the hardest patients the worst injuries."
"Right now you're going to keep you and our kids healthy," Owen said, "that's priority one."
"Your mom," Teddy said.
"Will be okay," Owen said, "I'll ask Grey and Webber to check in."
"Megan, Riggs and Faroke," Teddy asked.
Teddy's phone went again.
"Megan," Teddy answered, her voice still shaking.
"Are you guys okay," Megan asked, "it's bad there."
"We're okay," Teddy said, "we have to become a COVID center."
"But your pregnant," Megan said.
"20 weeks," Teddy said, "little man is active and growing by the day."
"Little man," Megan gasped, "it's a boy? When did you find out?"
"Yesterday," Teddy said, "name will be released when he arrives. We're excited. Are you all safe?"
"We're locking down Faroke's school is closed," Megan said, "Nathan has to work but I've been put on research and work from home because I'm on anti rejection meds."
"We want to move me to work from home if we can," Teddy said, "Owen's idea. Daycare is closed. Keeping me home with the kids is best for all of us."
"Can you," Megan asked.
"I'm going to ask," Teddy said, "not off but working from home. I can do all my admin work from my lap top operating is only about 25% of my job and I can take on more of Owen's admin work so until this is over I just administrate. It can't go on for too long. Maybe a couple months?"
"They just have to stop the spread," Megan agreed, "locking down for a few weeks and it should stop."
"It's spreading fast," Teddy said, "we don't know how to treat it or what stops it. Healthy young people are dying. We lost two this week."
"So have we," Megan said, "that's why I'm not in the hospital until we know more."
"I need to work that out," Teddy said, "you have a good reason. My general didn't like my kids reason."
"There's no data about what it could do to your baby," Megan said.
"We know," Teddy agreed, "I've been looking. I just wanted this to be normal. Things were finally lining up for me and this baby. I'm with Owen, we have our kids, your mom is so excited she calls me every other day to make sure I'm okay and I've been sending her photos as he grows. I can't wear my uniform pants already. He's kicking and Owen can feel it. I thought this time I could do it properly with my fiance, anxious grandma happy auntie and uncle."
"We are still all those things," Megan said, "and by August mom will be able to come see you like you planned. And I'm coming out to teach at the end of September and staying with you and your kids."
"This has to end soon," Teddy said, "Italy's numbers are disturbing, it's so fast."
"New York," Megan said.
"I know," Teddy said, "we have to go in and oversee turning one wing into a COVID wing and setting up surge capacity."
"Be careful," Megan said, "and send me pictures of little man."
"We will," Teddy said before hanging up.