"Dad let's go," Leo yelled standing by the door with his backpack on.

"We'll go in a minute," Teddy said, "I need to take your first day of school picture first."

"Teddy," Owen said.

"Yes," Teddy said holding up the chalk board.

"You didn't," Owen said.

"One for all three," Teddy smiled, "so they'll all be the same."

"Did you do Allison's," Owen asked.

"Not yet," Teddy said, "next week when she starts."

Owen read the board Teddy had for Leo with his school, grade and teacher and his favourite things

When I grow up I want to be : an army man

My favourite food: ice cream

Book: The Gruffalo

Toy: lego

Activity: swimming

Best friend: Faroke

Place: the cookie store

Teddy had laughed when Leo had said the cookie store, she missed the bakery as well and real gingerbread.

They took their pictures on the front steps and each holding one of Leo's hands walked to school.

Reaching the classroom door Leo began to cling to Teddy.

"Come on buddy," Teddy coaxed, "you were so excited."

"Leo lets go see if we can find some lego," Owen suggested.

"Owen," a woman said.

Owen spun around, "Beth?"

"What are you doing here," Beth asked.

"My son is starting kindergarten," Owen said, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm the vice principal," Beth replied, "which one is yours?"

"Leo Hunt-Altman," Owen said, "I think you must have met my wife Teddy 20 years ago."

"You worked with her," Beth said.

"We still work together," Teddy said standing up, "it's been a long time."

"How long have you been married," Beth asked.

"A month," Teddy answered, "but together 4 years now."

"If Leo is in kinder," Beth said.

"He's adopted," Owen said, "it's all in his file. What are you doing these days?"

"Working here, mentoring new teachers," Beth said.

"Married, kids," Teddy asked.

"Single and my son is 12," Beth said, "do you have other kids?"

"Two," Teddy said, "Allison is 4 and Daniel is 2."

"Adopted as well," Beth asked.

"No," Teddy said, "Leo is our only adopted one. We know we're older but life and the army had other plans for us. We just moved back from Landsthul. I was chief of staff for medical command in the hospital there, running all of Europe and the Middle East. Owen was my deputy."

"You stayed in the army," Beth asked.

"I had a about a two year break," Teddy said, "Owen was here 7 or 8 years, did another year was home 2 years then just did three years."

"And you had kids in there," Beth said.

"It's been busy," Owen said, "but we're happy. Your son?"

"He's in seventh, loves playing hockey," Beth said, " he's taller than me all ready."

"Don't tell me that," Teddy said, "ours are great right now."

"I should go," Beth said, "lot's of new families to greet."

"It was good to see you," Owen said.

"You as well," Beth replied walking away.

"Daddy who is that," Leo asked.

"Ms. Whitman is your vice principal," Teddy said, "dad knew her a long long time ago."

"Let's go into your classroom," Owen said, "you came and looked around last week. Should we find the lego?"

"Lego," Leo asked.

"Lot's of lego," Teddy promised.

"Lets go," Leo cheered.

They walked into the classroom that was full of children and their parents. Once Leo settled with a couple other boys by the lego bin Teddy and Owen slowly moved to the back of the classroom.

"One in school," Teddy said.

"Two more to go," Owen said.

"Next year then two years after that," Teddy smiled.

"Your first to start school," another mom asked.

"Yes," Teddy said, "I'm Teddy Altman."

"Morgan Boles," Morgan smiled.

"It's nice to meet you," Teddy smiled, "is this your first to go to school?"

"No," Morgan said, "my youngest."

"How old is your oldest child," Teddy asked.

"He's in fifth," Morgan said, "do you have others?"

"4 and 2," Teddy said.

"Busy," Morgan commented, "which one is yours?"

"Leo is over there," Teddy pointed, "yours?"

"That's Heather," Morgan said pointing out a small girl with brown pigtails, "where do you work?"

"Grey Sloan," Teddy replied, "you?"

"County," Morgan said, "what department?"

"Cardio surgery," Teddy replied, "you?"

"ICU," Morgan smiled, "you're a nurse?"

"Suregon," Teddy answered, "you?"

"ICU physician," Morgan replied, "why haven't we met at some of the local conferences?"

"My husband and I have been with the army in Germany," Teddy said, "I was there 10 years."

"Big change," Morgan noted.

"The kids are starting school, it was time to come home," Teddy replied, "we want them educated here."

"Why Seattle," Morgan asked.

"My husband Owen grew up here and his mom is here," Teddy answered.

"Today the 40 minutes where we can stay with them this is the easy day," Morgan said," Tomorrow when we have to leave them for an hour will be harder."

"Leo is used to daycare and likes being with other kids," Teddy answered, "he'll be okay."

"It's not hard for them," Morgan said, "for you."

"If I can get through putting my 12 week old babies in daycare I'll be fine," Teddy said, "he likes school."

"It's hard to balance with what we do," Morgan commented.

"It is," Teddy agreed, "I've negotiated only one weekend a month so I can be home with my kids. Our residents and fellows are pretty good which helps."

"We're not a teaching hospital so that works against us," Morgan said, "my husband works from home which helps a lot."

"What does he do," Teddy asked.

"Greg is an accountant," Morgan answered, "yours?"

"Trauma surgeon," Teddy answered, "he's mainly teaching residents right now. He gets more nights and weekends than I do but it's all our family knows. Does the gradual entry really work?"

"I don't know," Morgan said, "Heather has hardly been away from us she went to preschool three days a week but she's been home with Greg since his company closed their office in 2020. He does the stay at home dad thing with her. I couldn't do it."

"I liked my months as a stay at home mom with my three," Teddy said, "I was expecting our youngest when COVID hit and we didn't know how it would affect pregnancies so I only did admin work online and trying to get supplies from home. It was great having that time with them. A few other officers laughed when I had a preschooler or a toddler in my lap during a meeting but the kids needed mom cuddles."

"Heather sat in Greg's lap and drew during meetings," Morgan said.

"It was crazy and stressful but I wouldn't change it," Teddy said, "those months to just be with my kids. I wasn't back in the hospital until January of 2021, I had almost a year with my kids."

"When was your youngest born," Morgan asked.

"September of 2020," Teddy replied, "I was supposed to go back in December but we pushed it a month of doing gradual return until the daycare reopened."

Across the room Owen was talking to another dad.

"Only two dads here," the other man commented.

"I'm Owen Hunt," Owen introduced himself.

"Blake Williams," Blake said, "which one's yours?"

"Leo," Owen pointed, "yours?"

"Beside him, Oliver," Blake said, "his mom couldn't make it?"

"My wife Teddy is over there," Owen pointed, "Olivers mom?"

"We lost her to the virus 2 years ago," Blake said.

"It's been hell," Owen said, "I'm sorry."

"I wish everyday Amanda was here," Blake said, "she would have been so happy to see him start school."

"How are you doing," Owen asked.

"We manage," Blake said, "Oliver is the only way I made it. What do you do?"

"Trauma surgeon,"" Owen said, "you?"

"I teach high school wood shop," Blake said, "you must have seen a lot."

"We did," Owen agreed, "my wife is a surgeon as well."

"How do you manage with your son," Blake asked.

"We have three it's hectic and my mom is a huge help," Owen said, "do you have others?"

"Lily is in third," Blake said, "it can be busy. My brother and his wife are huge parts of the kids lives."

"My sister was when we were stationed in Germany," Owen said, "she got transferred to LA and Teddy and I stepped down."

"Germany where else did you serve," Blake asked.

"Iraq and Afghanistan," Owen said, "some time in Jordan. Teddy was in the Middle East then Germany."

"I was near falujah and bagdhad," Blake said.

"Same area," Owen said, "what did you do?"

"Medic with the marines," Blake replied.

"We might have worked together," Owen said.

"I knew things were okay when we saw the real doctors," Blake said.

"We were all a team," Owen said.

"What's your last name," Blake asked.

"Hunt," Owen said.

"Any relation to Lt Megan Hunt," Blake asked.

"My sister," Owen replied.

"They found her," Blake asked, "I was on the search team. I looked for over a year."

"A few years ago. She was held captive for 10 years," Owen said, "she's in LA with her fiance and two kids. She was here a few weeks ago to visit. She's good."

"I'm glad to hear she made it home alive," Blake said.

"More than just alive," Owen said.

"Who," Teddy asked.

"Meg," Owen replied, "Blake was on the search team."

"Where was she found," Blake asked, "I looked for over a year, we left no stone unturned."

"A basement 10 miles from where she was captured," Teddy answered, "she says she had been moved around a few times never more than six months in one spot."

"We had a lead for a town about 10 miles out of where she was taken but it didn't seem likely, we didn't do a through enough search. I'm sorry," Blake said.

"Don't appologize," Owen replied.

"Sir I failed to bring Lt Hunt home," Blake said.

"No sir here," Owen said we've both retired from active service. What rank?"

"Major," Blake said.

"It's just Owen," Owen said, "I'm a major. Teddy out ranks us."

"Ma'am," Blake siad,.

"Teddy Altman," TEddy introduced herself.

"Blake Williams," Blake said.

"His son is at the lego table with Leo," Owen replied.

Leo ran over with a lego creation.

"Mommy daddy look what I made," Leo yelled.

"Tell me about it," Teddy smiled.

"It's our house in Germany," Leo said.

"I see it," Owen said, "the stairs, and our balcony. And auntie Megan's."

"It does look like our old place," Teddy smiled.

"Can we go back," Leo asked.

"Maybe we can go visit one day but we won't live there again," Teddy said, "I miss it two."

"Who were you playing with," Owen asked.

"Oliver," Leo said.

"Your teacher is calling you for a story," Teddy said, "go sit with Oliver."

At the end of the school day Teddy texted Megan, "took Leo to his first day of school. That was hard."

Megan, "you okay?"

Teddy, "he's growing up. My Leosaursus."

Megan, "I know he's been a total mommy's boy for the last year."

Teddy, "i know he's my little side kick. He's been bad since the move.

Megan, "school will help. Boys go through clinging to mom phases."

Teddy, "how are you doing?"

Megan, " Faroke is happy to be back at school. He missed other kids, a few of his old friends are at the school. I'm good. Cassie is clingy. I think she knows something is changing."

Teddy, "Allison did. She understood but couldn't verbalize it."

Megan, "will Cassie be okay?"

Teddy, "she will. Just be with her."

Megan, "anything interesting at the first day of school?"

Teddy, "the guy who lead the search for you has a son in Leo's class. He tried to apologize a few times."

Megan, "next time you see him tell him I forgive him."

Teddy, "maybe when you come for Christmas you'll make it to the concert."

Megan, "Christmas at our place this year. I don't want to risk travelling then."

Teddy, "okay. Then we host next year."

Megan, "Easter?"

Teddy, "you'll have newborns."

Megan, "beginning of Febuary that'll be late march."

Teddy, "we always want to see you. Daniel keeps asking for you."

Megan, "I miss him."

Teddy, "we all miss you."

Megan, "we miss you two."