That afternoon a very nervous Annie followed Teddy into the scrub room.
"Teddy what am I doing," asked Annie.
"Your going to scrub in so you can observe right beside me," Teddy explained, "you are not to touch the patient or any equipment unless I specifically ask you to. I am in charge of everything that happens in that room. No one does anything without my saying so. If anything goes wrong you will exit the OR the Lexie Grey is also observing . She will show you how to scrub out and you can finish watching in the gallery."
"Okay. How do I scrub," asked Annie.
"We start by washing hands, wrists and arms really well with a specific soap," replied Teddy, "take the spot beside me at the sink and do as I do. "
Annie stood beside Teddy and copied her movements. When she had scribed she continued to copy the process as they put on surgical gowns and gloves. She followed Teddy and Christina into the OR.
"What do I do," asked Annie.
"When Mr Jones is on the table and dr Warren has him under ansteathezia your going to stand about two steps behind my left shoulder so you can see exactly what I do," Teddy said, "dr Yang is going to show me how much she knows by narrating every step of the way. "
"Okay," Annie said.
"Yang are you ready," asked Teddy.
"Yes, Doctor Altman," Christina replied.
Teddy extended her hand ready to go ," ten blade please. "
Annie watched fascinated as Teddy opened the man's chest, cracked open his rib cage and exposed his beating heart.
"Annie, do you want to step forward and look at this," asked Teddy.
Annie practically jumped forward, "yes!"
"Then come on. Right beside me," Teddy said.
Annie stepped up towards the operating table.
At the edge of the table Teddy began to describe what Annie was seeing. Pointing out the parts of the heart and the vessels connecting to it. Annie remembered it all from their first meeting in November.
"Teddy, why does the man's heart have that black spot on it," asked Annie.
"Where," Teddy asked.
Annie pointed it out with her gloved hands above the man's heart.
"Good eye Annie," Teddy praised.
"Doctor Altman what do you need me to do," asked Christina.
"Take a biopsy and run it to pathology. I need the results now," Teddy commanded.
Christina asked for the supplies and did the biopsy.
Stepping back from the table Teddy said, we have to wait for the results before I can do anymore. If it's a tumor we're done until we know what exactly it is."
"Is this what you meant by something going wrong," asked Annie.
Teddy turned to look at Annie, "not yet. This is just something unexpected. "
"What could it be," Annie asked.
Teddy smiled under her mask at Annie's fascination with the whole surgical process. She knew bringing her daughter right into the OR was the correct choice. Teddy replied ,"it could be a lot of things. Nothing, a beginning spot, something cancerous, severe heart disease. I won't know until Christina comes back with the test results. "
"What would you call this going wrong," Annie asked.
"We don't talk about that until it happens," Teddy said , "I'll tell you to leave if it does."
"Okay," Annie replied, "how long does the testing take?"
"Hopefully not too long. I'm going to call down and tell the lab," Teddy said.
Teddy has the lab called and explained the situation. They had just gotten the sample and would do a preliminary check right away.
"Annie, Little Grey," Teddy said. I'm going to have to close until we have the results.
"Little Grey do you want to close," Teddy asked.
"Yes Doctor Altman," Lexie replied.
"What happens now," asked Annie.
"We do a temporary close on his ribs and wait until we have results. I'll keep him in ICU until I have results and can go in and fix it," Teddy explained.
Annie watched as Lexie and Teddy closed up what they could.
"I feel bad that he's going to feel worse when he comes out instead of better," Annie said.
"I do two Annie," Teddy said with a sad tone, "I don't like having to close without finishing but today for his safety we have to."
"Stitches to close the wound," asked Lexie
"Yes, nice and neat," Teddy said.
Lexie finished closing the man's chest.
As they left the OR Teddy commanded, "Lexie take the man to icu and stay with him until I say otherwise. Annie go to the nurses station and ask them to page Owen Hunt for you. I need to go explain to the wife what's happening and next steps. Owen will make sure you get to the skills lab with the medical students."
"Okay," Annie said.
She stood beside Teddy at the sink and followed her actions to wash up again. Annie felt like she was washing her hands constantly.
Annie walked towards the nurses station where she found Owen.
" hi Owen," Annie called out.
"Good morning Annie," he greeted, I thought you were in surgery with Teddy. "
"She had to send something to pathology so she wasn't able to do what she planned. The man is in ICU for now," Annie said.
"Did she close," asked Owen.
"She asked one of the doctor greys to close," Annie replied.
"Which doctor grey," asked Owen.
"They call her little grey. She's Christina's friend's little sister," Annie said.
"Lexi," Owen asked.
"Yes," Annie replied, "she was nice to me this morning. Her and a lady named April. "
"Kepner," Owen said , "she's new here. So far she seems pretty good."
"Teddy told me to find you and you'd have something for me to watch," Annie said.
"I have patients to check on but nothing planned. Part of being the head of trauma is that I don't know what's coming in," Owen said , "I usually run the emergency room. But 9 am Monday morning is typically a slow time. I was going to do a lab with the interns, second and third year residents on triage if you want to see that."
"Can I join the lab," asked Annie
"You could be a patient," Owen said ," I'll give you a list of symptoms to act out and they have to put you in the right group."
"Sounds good to me," Annie replied , "Teddy said I was taking a class on stitches at noon with the medical students and doctor Webber. "
"Richard is a great person to teach your first lesson on sutures," Owen said.
"I can sew," Annie said , " my grandma taught me so I could help her make costumes."
"Then you'll be ahead of most," Owen said.
A tall man with dark hair came around the corner , "hey Hunt. Who's the kid?"
"Derek Shepard I'd like you to meet Annie," Owen said.
Derek asked, "Teddy Altman's daughter?"
"Yes," replied Annie ," it's nice to meet you doctor Shepard"
Another man came around the corner and looked at Annie closely, "you must be Teddy's daughter. I'm Mark Salone."
"It's nice to meet you," Annie replied. She quickly realized that this man was who Teddy has been dating. The man who specialized in nose jobs and fake boobs. She thought that Teddy seemed to have more in common with Owen. Something about Mark made her uncomfortable.
Teddy came to Annie's rescue, "it seems like you've met most of my coworkers. We just need to introduce you to Callie and Arizona. But my next case is with Arizona. "
" she's welcome to come play an accident victim in my triage lab," Owen said.
"It's Annie's choice. She can come watch the process as Arizona and I fix a ten year olds heart or go lay on the floor with you," Teddy said.
"I want to see the heart thing," said Annie.
"Right choice. Let's go then we have a good walk to peds," Teddy replied, "you'll love Arizona."
Annie walked with Teddy towards the elevator and up to peds.
"I see you met a few of the other attendings," Teddy said to Annie.
"I did and I met a few residents this morning," Annie replied.
"Which residents did you meet," asked Teddy.
"The Grey sisters, April, Alex and Jackson," Annie answered.
"You saw both Greys," Teddy said , "let me guess Christina ignored you to gossip with Meredith?"
"She did. April helped me figure everything out," Annie said.
"I don't know April well but she seems like a nice person," replied Teddy.
"I liked her," Annie said.
Teddy walked into peds , "Arizona runs her peds ward with a lot of energy and likes to have fun with the kids. You'll like her."
Teddy approached the nurses station , "is doctor Robbins around?"
"I'll page her for you," the nurse replied.
A blonde woman about the same height as Annie slid down the hall on wheeled shoes. Annie could tell from the navy scrubs and white lab coat she was attending like Teddy. The colour coding worked for Annie, although she would prefer to wear the fellows royal blue to the residents pale blue.
Annie asked Teddy , "who is that in the wheely shoes?"
Teddy laughed, "that's Arizona Robbins. She's the head of peds surgery."
"Teddy and Annie," Arizona called, "ready to go help the tiny humans?"
Annie looked at Teddy confused , "tiny humans?"
"Kids," Teddy explained , "she calls them tiny humans. Reminds all of us their the patient and not to always deal with the parents"
"What are we doing today," asked Annie.
Arizona smiled, "were going to go to the OR and place a pacemaker and defibrillator for a 10 year old who was born with a heart defect that makes it so her body can't regulate her heart rhythm."
"Teddy are you operating," Annie asked , "do I get to watch?"
"I am the lead surgeon on this," Teddy said , " Arizona is my second on this one because it's her paitent. We're going to do what we did earlier and ask the parents if you may be in the OR. If they say no you'll sit in the gallery with Owen."
"I don't need a babysitter I'm 19," said Annie.
"He's not there to do anything more then to explain what is happening and stop the residents from grilling you again," Teddy replied. She could see Annie starting to get anxious and put her hand on Annie's back. She had learned that a hug or a hand on the shoulder quickly helped Annie to calm down.
"Who told you about this morning," Annie asked.
"Owen texted me," replied Teddy, "he heard Alex and Meredith talking. They didn't seem too happy. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I liked my conversation with April," replied Annie, "Jackson was nice two. But he decided to change right in front of me. It was weird."
"Jackson is still learning where to change," Teddy laughed, "I'm glad you liked April. Do you want me to change your schedule and put you with her tomorrow?"
"I'm with Meredith tomorrow aren't I," Annie confirmed.
"You are," Teddy said, " but I can change it. Although the chief of surgery and my boss is married to her so it would be hard to explain to Derek."
"I can do it," Annie replied, "you said she was in trauma this week and working with Owen. He doesn't seem to be the type to be okay with gossip or girl drama. "
"Your right on that one," Teddy said , "and he'll make sure you see the cool things that come in."
"Let's go see this kid so you can fix her heart," Annie said.
"Okay follow Robbins," Teddy directed.
Christina joined them.
"Yang I will need a word with you after we check in with this patient before surgery," Teddy hissed.
"Did I offend you Doctor Altman," asked Christina.
"Annie walk ahead with doctor Robbins," Teddy directed.
Annie picked up her pace. The blonde doctor paused for Annie to catch up.
Teddy slowed to talk to Christina. She was feeling annoyed that Christina would be at the center of the gossip about her daughter. Teddy growled at Christina , "what did you tell Meredith about Annie?"
"Nothing," Christina snapped, "other than her name, that she's your daughter and is premed. All facts you told me."
"Then why is it that your name was at the center of the gossip today," Teddy hissed.
"Meredith and Alex were pissed off that I've known since November and didn't tell them. Owen asked me not to, he said it was your story to tell when you were ready," Christina grumbled.
"You were protecting me. Why," asked Teddy.
"Your Owen's friend and my teacher," Christina replied.
"What are they saying about Annie," asked Teddy.
"They know she's 19. Annie told them herself when asked. They also know that she was adopted at birth," Christina said.
"What else is being said," Teddy pressed.
"They want to know how old you were when she was born," Christina said, "their guessing how old you are."
"You can settle that gossip then. I got pregnant before my 21st birthday and she was born in October," Teddy said , "too young and too alone. My age they can do the math."