Monday morning the alarm went off much earlier then Annie was used to. Luckily Teddy had given her a warning so she had showered and French braided her hair the night before.
Annie walked into the kitchen and her jeans and sweater, "good morning Teddy."
"Good morning," greeted Teddy, "I have fruit, yogurt and toast for breakfast."
Annie hopped up on the stool at the counter, "sounds good ," she yawned.
"What do you like on your toast? I have peanut butter, jam, normal butter," Teddy offered.
"I usually have peanut butter," Annie said.
Teddy finished making breakfast and set the two pieces of toast and containers of yogurt on the counter so they could eat. She placed filled travel mugs of coffee in front of both plates.
"What time do we leave," asked Annie.
"We need to be out of here by 6:10," replies Teddy, " you have about 20 minutes."
"Okay, I'm almost ready," Annie said, "I'm kind of nervous. Sending me with Christina when your in your meeting is like feeding me to the wolves. "
"Of all the residents I know her the best," Teddy reassured Annie, "just call her Dr. Yang and do exactly what she asks you to do."
"I can do that," Annie said.
They finished their breakfast and got into the car a few minutes ahead of schedule. Annie placed her back pack on the back seat beside Teddys bag. She had her runners, a lunch and a couple changes of clothes just in case." They had decided that it would be best for Annie to wear her contacts but have her glasses in her bag in case the day went long.
Annie followed teddy into the hospital, quietly taking in the early morning bustle of doctors and nurses moving around. Annie asked, "Teddy why are some of the doctors in navy and some in light blue?"
"We do that so we can see who is an attending and who is a resident and still in training," Teddy explained, "attending doctors are in navy, have fully finished all of their training. Fellows wear royal blue. Because they have more experience than the residents and can be the attending on some cases. Residents who are in training wear light blue. I have one fellow and two residents right now. "
They met christina at the nurses station.
"Good morning," Annie greeted.
"Good morning thing one," replied Christina.
"Thing one," asked Teddy.
"It's Dr Seuss. Thing one and thing two are in the cat in the hat," Annie said, "why am I thing one?"
"Most important medical student today," said Christina, "and you're here first."
"Rounds in 15. We all need to get ready," said Teddy, "Annie go with Christina. "
"Thing one lets go," said Christina turning in her heel and walking the opposite direction from Teddy.
Annie followed with her backpack still on her back, "dr Yang where are we going?"
Christina responded , " residents locker room. You'll put your bag in an empty cubby and get changed into scrubs."
"Okay," replied Annie.
The entered the locker room. Christina called out, "hey Mer this is Teddys daughter. I'm calling her thing one."
Meredith looked around the open door of her locker, "hi thing one. Do you have a name?"
"I'm Annie mcKellar ," replied Annie, "what's your name?"
"Meredith Grey," said Meredith, "this is my sister Lexie. That's Alex Karev."
"Wait Altman has a daughter," asked Alex.
"Don't worry evil spawn," said Christina , "she's only here for a few days. Observing with Teddy and Owen."
"But since when has Altman had a daughter," Alex pressed.
"I'm 19," said Annie, " I was adopted at birth and connected with Teddy in October." Annie said clearing up the mystery as best she could.
April chimes in, "it's nice to meet you Annie I'm April Kepner. It looks like Christina is busy chatting with Meredith and Alex. Let's find somewhere to put your coat and back pack. Are you joining the medical students this week?"
"I am for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and possiblyThursday ," said Annie, "it's reading break at UBC. I just have to be home by Friday at lunch time. I'm night skiing on Friday with a boy from my chem class."
"Where is home," asked April.
"Cloverdale BC, it's about an hour out of Vancouver," said Annie,"where are you from. "
"I've been to cloverdale for a rodeo years ago. My sister was barrel racing in the rodeo," replied April, "I grew up on a farm in Iowa."
"Rodeo is the busiest weekend of the year," Annie said, "I'm not a big fan. It's too loud and too many drunk people."
"Most rodeos are like that," agreed April. She turned to another young man, "Jackson Avery this is Annie. Dr Altman's daughter is spending a few days with us observing."
"Altman has a kid," Jackson said.
"I was just saying the same thing," called out Meredith, "all we know is she's 19 and Altman gave her up for adoption at birth and now she's back."
"I always knew I was adopted but my parents couldn't give me Teddy's information until I turned 19. They've been in touch with her once a month my whole life. We both wanted to talk to each other sooner but she couldn't reach out to me first and the agreement was I had to be 19 first. I first contacted her in October a week after my birthday and met her in person when she came to UBC in November," Annie said, "we talk every day now. I've always wanted to be a doctor so I was really excited when she invited me to come observe for as long as I wanted this week. I came down Saturday after I finished teaching ballet and highland for the day. We had a great weekend. Pike Place market, exploring down town Seattle, riding the ferries and dinner with Owen, Christina and Mrs Hunt. "
Meredith turned to Christina, "you knew about this and didn't say anything?"
" Owen didn't know how much Teddy wanted people to know about Annie so asked me not to say anything. But yes I saw her in November at the conference at UBC. I didn't know who she was when I saw teddy sitting with her in the university library, Owen didn't know who Annie was when we first saw her. I wanted to talk to Teddy but he told me to let her and the girl be. Then she came with Teddy to Sunday dinner last night at owen's moms," Christina said.
"You knew and didn't tell me," ranted Meredith, "I'm your person. "
"Ask McDreamy," Christina countered, "your husband approved this."
Annie whispered to April, "her person? Who's mcdreamy?"
"Christina speak for best friend. We don't get between Christina and cardio or Christina and Meredith. McDreamy is Derek Shepard our chief of surgery and Merediths husband," April explained, "has Dr. Altman said which resident your with?"
"I'm with Dr Yang today," Annie said, "dr Grey Tuesday ,I'm hoping it's the brown haired one she looks nice, then she said Dr Kepner Wednesday and if I stay for Thursday she'll figure it out. "
"She has you seeing different types of surgery, and hanging out with me on Wednesday. I'm on peds with Dr. Robbins this week," April said, "but we have 5 minutes to rounds you need scrubs and your sneakers on. "
"At dinner last night Christina said she had scrubs for me. Teddy asked her to do it. I have my runners in my back pack with my note book and pen," Annie said.
"Yang throw me Annie's scrubs," called April.
Christina looked relived to have some one else mentoring the teenager for a moment. She was only being nice to stay on Teddy's good side. She called across the room, "annie catch. "
Annie caught the blue pants and top that were thrown to her. She asked April ,"where can I change?"
"This is the change room," April said.
"But there's guys in here," Annie states looking uncomfortable.
"We're all doctors," shouted Alex ,"nothing we haven't seen before."
Just then Jackson pulled his red T-shirt off to change into his scrub shirt. Annie blushed, her cheeks turning scarlet as she turned away.
"Shit," Lexie shouted , "we've made mini Altman blush. She's going to tell Altman."
April then noticed the cross hanging at the girls throat. She noticed the simplicity of the plain silver cross, this one had meaning to the girl, it's simplicity meant it could be worn everyday like the simple gold one April wore. April pointed to the showers, "there's two private showers over there. Go change there. If you have a T-shirt or tank top on, leave them under the scrub top it'll make changing later easier if you get dirty."
"Thank you," replied Annie. She walked towards the showers and changed.
"Dr Yang I'm ready when you are," Annie said, coming to stand beside Christina.
"Let's go thing one," Christian turned and strode our of the room, "rounds in the cardiac surgery wing. Dr Altman hates waiting."
Annie followed Christina to where Teddy was waiting at the nurses station.
Teddy smiled seeing Annie in scrubs. Her blonde hair was pulled into a single French braid that hung over one shoulder. Teddy had watched Annie braid her hair the night before, she had started the braid then sat on the foot of teddy's bed to chat while she finished the long rope of hair. In the light blue scrubs Annie could have been any resident.
"Yang, Annie are you ready for rounds," Teddy asked. She was trying not to be sentimental and a "sappy mom" Bailey and Arizona had told her to be cool and not a total sap or Annie wouldn't want to do this again.
"Yep," said Annie, can you let me know what's happening in plain English?"
"I will little bear," replied Teddy, "you know the parts of the heart and how they work."
Annie followed Teddy into the first patients room. Teddy spoke to the elderly gentleman in the bed, "good morning Mr. Jones. I'm doctor Thodora Altman the head of cardio surgery. This is my resident doctor Christina Yang and a pre med student who is observing this week Annabeth McKellar."
"Doctor Altman why is John here," asked the mans wife looking anxious.
"What's your name," asked Teddy.
"I'm Maureen," said the elderly lady.
"It's nice to meet you Maureen," Teddy said , I'm going to have doctor Yang go through your husband's case and explain the medical terms. As you know we are a teaching hospital and residents are very involved in all care here. Yang present. "
Christina spoke confidently explaining the man's condition.
"Will he need surgery ," asked Maureen.
"He does," said Teddy, "I need to open up three arteries as well as implant a pacemaker. It was a good thing you came In when you did last night. Dr Cooper my fellow ran the tests and sent me all of the information last night. This will greatly improve your health John and your quality of life. "
"When will you do the surgery," asked John.
"I want to do it today," said Teddy.
"Is that why they haven't fed me yet," asked John.
"Breakfast isn't served for another half hour," replied Christina, "with having surgery today you won't be able to eat until we are finished. "
"What time will you operate," asked the wife.
"As soon as I can get an operating room," replied Teddy, "Yang go book and OR this is emergent. Then prep Mr. Jones for surgery."
"One last question doctor," said Maureen, "are you and your premed student at all related? You look a lot alike. "
"Annie is my daughter," Teddy replied, "knowing that are you both okay if she observes John's procedure in the OR?"
"Annie your a lucky girl to have a mom who can show you this," Maureen said.
"I am," replied Annie.
"Let the young one learn," said John, "she can watch. I was a biology teacher in a high school I would have loved to give my students this opportunity to see the human body in action."
"Okay Annie your scrubbing in," Teddy said.
Annie choosing to play along with the version of events the old couple was conjuring replied, "okay mom. I'm excited. "
Teddy did her best to keep her composure. When the left the room and the door closed softly behind them Teddy put her hand on Annie's shoulder and whispered, "as much as I've always wanted to hear you call me that you don't have to to smooth things over with my patients. "
"I didn't want to embarrass you and have them question why I call you Teddy," Annie said , "I know your biologically my mom but I'm not fully sure how I feel about calling you mom yet. Maybe one day?"
Teddy said, "it's your choice but I don't want to step on your moms toes. She's always going to be the mom who rocked you to sleep, kissed your boo boos, went to every dance event and school concert. Cried with you over your first broken heart. "
"The last one hasn't happened yet," replied Annie, "boys don't like me remember. "
"The right one will when it's time," Teddy assured Annie.