In mid September the travel restrictions were finally lifted after nearly two years.
"That's not something I ever expected to see," Jordan said as he walked towards the base with max.
"Moms in uniform," Max asked, "or auntie Teddy with her kids?"
Jordan stared at the blonde woman pushing a stroller while two preschoolers walked beside her. As she walked people stopped to salute her.
"That's my sister," Jordan asked.
"At work she's one of the most powerful people here," Max said, "the red headed woman walking with her is Meghan Hunt the head of trauma and auntie Teddy's sister in law."
"Can we say hi," Jordan asked.
"Probably better after she takes her kids to daycare," Max said, "I walk with them in the morning sometimes. I'm supposed to go there tonight for Uncle Owen to tutor me in math but with you showing up last night."
"Your mom is angry," Jordan said.
"I know grandpa is still pissed at me," Max said.
"You followed my dad and your aunt," Jordan said, "my dad was an army doctor. Thea got his bravery."
Teddy heard the name Thea and spun around.
"Jordan," Teddy asked.
"Dad in this context she has to make the first move," Max hissed.
"Jordan Altman," Teddy repeated.
"Thea," Jordan called.
Teddy ran towards her brother, "it's is you."
Jordan paused and looked at his sister. Yes Teddy had aged since he had last seen her in 2001 but she looked good even in her drab green uniform. Her hair was still blonde and the bun somehow suited her. She seemed taller and more confident then he had ever seen his sister.
"Mommy, who is he," Leo asked.
"Leo this is my brother," Teddy responded, "your uncle Jordan."
"Hi," Leo said.
"Jordan these are my kids," Teddy beamed, "Leo, Allison and Daniel."
"Max," Leo jumped up at his cousin.
"Good morning Leo," Max greeted, "Auntie Teddy, would you like me to walk them to daycare?"
"I'll do it," Teddy replied, "I need to talk to Daniel's teacher. Thank you for offering."
"Can we walk with you," Jordan asked.
"I'll go with my sister in law Megan to walk the kids to daycare," Teddy said, "Max you have work to do today. Jordan Max usually comes to our place after the kids go to bed on Wednesdays for Owen and I to tutor him to help him upgrade his math. Why don't you both come for dinner tonight."
"We can't put you out," Jordan said.
"It's not," Teddy replied.
"Teddy," Jordan tried.
"You got my name right finally," Teddy teased.
"Teddy we can't just show up for dinner," Jordan said.
"5:30 our place," Teddy commanded, "Max you'll show your dad the way and bring your math book still."
"Thea," Jordan said.
"It's Teddy, Dr Altman or Colonel Altman," Teddy snapped, "I do not respond to Thea, not after Paul. I'm taking my kids to daycare then I'm in surgery most of the day. I will see you for dinner."
Teddy turned on her heel and walked away. Jordan was blown away by the confidence his sister now had. She was a force to be reckoned with now. This wasn't the shy sister he had grown up with, the one he had easily pushed around. Teddy was confident and poised.
Teddy dropped her kids off and walked in silence to work having sent Megan ahead of her. She wondered when she got taller than her brother, Jordan seemed stooped and broken. Her boots werent that tall, just her regulation ones. She knew she had options in her uniform but she liked the standard one and blending in visually. Her brother looked old, did she look that old? Jordans brown hair was now almost grey but she was still blonde. Yes she had a few highlights but that was more for her then covering greys. Reaching the hospital she ducked into the bathroom near her office locking the door behind her, she looked at herself in the mirror, there were lines now around her eyes and mouth. She knew she had never lost all of the weight she had gained with Daniel but she was still slim. She was slowly getting back into shape, at the same time she knew Owen liked the changes in her hips and chest. Looking in the mirror she knew she was aging. Did she look as old and worn as Jordan? She was only 10 minutes older than her brother.
Megan walked into the truma meeting, "hey dumb dumb have you talked to your wife?"
"Fiance and not today," Owen said, "I got called in at three this morning. I gave her a kiss and left."
"We ran into her brother outside day care," Megan said, "she went into the bathroom by her office pretty quickly."
"How is she," Owen asked.
"Go see her and I'll start the meeting," Megan said.
"What did he look like," Owen asked.
"She's taller," Megan said, "he's stooped, grey hair, he looks old. I can't believe they're twins."
"Start the meeting and I'll slip back in," Owen said.
"Where are you going sir," a young resident asked.
"Colonel Altman wants me in her office," Owen replied.
Owen walked to the bathroom near their offices and knocked, "Teddy?"
Teddy unlocked the door and threw herself into Owen's arms.
"Hey," Owen said, "what's going on."
"Jordan is here," Teddy sobbed, "he looks old. We're old."
"You're not old," Owen said, "we had a baby a year ago our youngest is one."
"Not just that," Teddy said, "my brother is here. He called me Thea."
"You hate that name," Owen said.
"I miss my mom," Teddy sobbed as Owen held her, "I want my mom. I saw him and all I could think about was mom and dad.
"I know," Owen said, "I'm here. What do you want to do?"
"I invited them for dinner so we can still help Max," Teddy said.
"I'll be with you," Owen said.
"Don't leave me with him," Teddy begged.
"I won't," Owen said, "Teddy be proud of everything you've done. You are amazing. Be proud of your self. Show off our kids."
"Three compared to 13," Teddy said, "our babies won't impress him."
"Our babies are the best things we've ever done," Owen said.
"They are," Teddy smiled, "our three. I just wish my parents could be here."
"I know," Owen said, "because I want my dad to see our kids."
"20 years," Teddy said, "it's been 20 years since I saw my mom and seeing Jordan it felt like I lost her yesterday."
"You never got to deal with it together," Owen said.
"No," Teddy sobbed, "he came with Faith and the kids for the funeral then went back to wherever they were living at the time. I was alone to deal with it all. Clean out mom's apartment everything. I had to clean out the apartment we grew up in alone."
"Alone," Owen said, "Teddy there wasn't a friend that could go with you?"
"Allison was going to, she started it with me then 9/11," Teddy said, "so I boxed up all our photos and keepsakes and sent them to Jordan before I was sent to training."
"Teddy," Owen whispered, "I would have been there."
"We hadn't even met yet," Teddy said shaking her head.
"Tonight," Owen asked.
"I'll do a roast chicken," Teddy said.
"Pick up a couple," Owen said, "call them now. Don't stress about cooking. Get the roast chicken we like."
"It's easier with working all day and I need to do a major clean up when we get home," Teddy groaned.
"Toys and blankies," Owen smiled.
"Kid stuff," Teddy agreed, "I like the kid stuff everywhere most days."
"Not the lego," Owen said, "I hate stepping on the lego."
"That hurts," Teddy agreed, "but 4.5, 3 and 1. Owen we did it."
"We got through the first year with three," Owen agreed.
"We're in a rhythm now," Teddy agreed, "but my brother in our home?"
"We have my sister all the time," Owen said.
"It's Megan and she loves us," Teddy said.
"We were separated for 10 years," Owen pointed out.
"Neither of you chose that," Teddy argued, "Jordan chose. He chose to ignore me, he wanted nothing to do with me. He turned his back on me after Paul, he blocked me after I enlisted. He's only here because Max is here."
"Hear him out Teddy," Owen said, "it's our home you're in charge. It's our home and our family."
"Don't leave me alone with him," Teddy pleaded.
"I won't," Owen promised.
"He scares me," Teddy whispered, "I almost lost everything because of him."
"You won't be alone with him and you won't lose our family," Owen assured.
"You'll be home on time," Teddy asked.
"I might even be able to get out early," Owen said, "a couple general surgeries today but no traumas yet and Meg can take those."
"I have one surgery in an hour but it's a long one," Teddy said.
"What do you have," Owen asked.
"Community case that was referred to us," Teddy replied, "CBAG with valve replacements ."
"Have fun," Owen said, "Alone?"
"Dyer is scrubbing in it's her first day back," Teddy replied.
"Enjoy your surgery," Owen said.
"Check my email then go scrub," Teddy said.
"Go," Owen said, "I'll see you later."
"Don't you have a trauma meeting," Teddy asked.
"Meg said you needed me," Owen said.
"Meeting," Teddy directed, "go."
"Enjoy your surgery," Owen said, "I'll go listen to my sister think shes the boss of me. I don't like being the same rank as Meg."
"I don't like you being below my rank," Teddy agreed, "I recommended you last week for promotion."
"What," Owen asked.
"I did my once a year promotions recommendations," Teddy said, "I put you up for one. I didn't do many this year. We've been surviving and I was out of the hospital for so much of it."
"I did a lot," Owen said.
"I know you did," Teddy said, "you were my eyes and ears here. If I saw your recomendation I put it forward."
"I knew you would sign off on my recommendations," Owen said, "but I do have to go to the meeting. Megan can only stall so long."
"Go hunt," Teddy commanded. She walked into her office and checked her email before going to scrub in for surgery.
"Sargent Dyer," Teddy greeted in the change room.
"Ma'am," Julia Dyer greeted.
"Ready for this," Teddy asked.
"First surgery back and it's a big one ma'am," Julia replied.
"How's your daughter," Teddy asked.
"Brynne is happy at daycare but I miss her," Julia said.
"I miss mine as well," Teddy agreed, "leaving my daughter for the first time at daycare she was fine, I wasn't."
"Your daughter is your middle child," Julia said.
"Allison is our middle child," Teddy agreed, "we adopted Leo when Ali was a few months old."
"You said your youngest was your third baby," Julia said.
"He is," Teddy said, "it was a long time ago, I lost a little boy he had VHL."
"Your other children," Julia asked.
"No VHL," Teddy said, "my second husband had VHL and passed from complications of it. Our son developed VHL before he was born and the tumor stopped his heart."
"I'm sorry ma'am," Julia said.
"It just makes me hold my three tighter," Teddy said, "being a mom isn't easy. Julia don't try to be a hero. Have Chris help you and lean on him."
"We're switching to formula and I feel guilty about it," Julia said as they scrubbed.
"I've always supplemented with it," Teddy said, "feed Brynne. Happy, healthy and growing. Keep talking to me and Megan Hunt is happy to talk."
"Major Hunt is opinionated," Julia said, "I don't want her to know she'll judge me."
"Cassie has had formula from day one," Teddy said, "I know that. Fed and happy. Makes it easy for me to babysit Cassie."
"You babysit for Major Hunt," Julia asked.
"She's my best friend and sister in law we help each other out with our kids," Teddy replied.
"How do you deal with the guys making comments about you being a mom," Julia asked.
"I'm most of their boss so it's a bit different," Teddy said, "but you be proud of your self. Doing what we do and raising our babies is hard. They have no idea how much harder it is. Chris maybe but that's it. Keep talking to him. I've heard him defend you. Julia I recommended you for promotion. I see how hard your working, how much your learning. You worry about me and Dr Riggs."
"The Hunts," Julia asked.
"They see it," Teddy agreed, "and the harassment you tell them to stop and you report any and all harassment. We will change the culture but we will change it. It starts with us."
Teddy finished scrubbing and led the way into the OR to begin the surgery. She liked being in the OR it was something she missed as she got more administrative duties, she liked operating and tried to book herself at least one big case every couple weeks and always took incoming cardio traumas as they came in. She preferred to lead by example and to be right in the thick of things.
