This Chapter has Teddy's interaction with Annie's bio father. Warning strong language and conflict.
Annie had joined in a late afternoon skills lab while Teddy had caught up on paperwork. Teddy watched Annie from the viewing room over the skills lab loving the one way glass that allowed her to observe her daughter without being seen. In the lab Richard Webber has been teaching medical students how to use scalpels to separate layers of flesh on whole salmon.
"Dr Webber are we supposed to filet and skin the fish," Annie asked when her salmon was placed in front of her.
"We are going to skin them then remove all of the bones," Richard replied.
"Do you have a fileting knife," Annie asked.
In the viewing room Teddy laughed out loud. She had seen pictures and heard stories of her daughter fishing and hunting. She wouldn't be surprised that Annie could filet the fish in front of her.
"Today you are using the scalpel," Webber said.
Annie suppressed a groan. She knew she would do a better job with the proper knife.
"You each have two fish, one you are going to use the scalpel or any of the tools on your station to create two filet. The second you are going to follow my lead," Webber instructed.
Annie picked her fish up by the tail and laid it with its head looking to her left. She saw that the fish had yet to be cleaned. Teddy watched her grab the large bone knife off the table and in a swift motion detach the head. Annie places the head in the waste bucket. Holding the fish firmly she slid the knife along the belly and emptied the guts into the bin with the head. Teddy was amazed her petite, insecure daughter was the furthest ahead in the lab. Anne found a knife with a similar shape to her filet knife and slid it along the fishes spine she carefully detached the side from the spine her movements were sure and measured no effort was wasted. Teddy watched in amazement as Annie lifted the side of the fish away and lay it on the table in front of her. Richard pauses at Annie's table and watched as she did the second side with quick precise movements.
"You've done that before," Richard stated.
"I have," Annie replied.
"Who taught you to filet like that," he asked.
"My dad did. These aren't my best work. I didn't have the filet knife I'm used to," Annie said.
"The work is impressive for your age and education," Richard praised.
"Thank you sir," Annie responded, " I've been doing this since I was 10."
In the viewing room Teddy beamed the last two days had told her she was right Annie was a natural surgeon. Her daughter would follow in her footsteps in some way. Teddy opened her laptop and quickly tapped out a message to Leslie saying how proud she was of Annie and the growth she had seen in the girl over the last four days. Teddy was working with Leslie; they both wanted Annie to become less of a turtle and feel like she could be out of her shell. Teddy was pleased with the growing confidence she saw in Annie when she entered the skills lab or OR. Annie would be just fine.
Leaving Annie to finish her lab torturing fish and then fruit teddy walked towards her office. She paused as she turned the corner into the cardio surgery wing. She recognized the man standing in the hallway shouting into his phone. It was Steven, Annie's biological father.
Teddy quickly texted Owen "Annie's bio dad is in the cardio hallway. Please meet her after the skills lab and take her to the pit. She can't see Steven."
Owen replied, "Webber is still lecturing. Will meet Annie. Can I send her with Kepner and then come check on you?"
Teddy texted back, "okay. But my daughter is not to come into this wing until I go get her or ask some one "
Teddy approached the man. Praying he wouldn't recognize her after 20 years, " sir I'm going to ask you to take your call outside. The volume is disturbing staff and patients. "
He spun around, " who are you to tell me what I can fucking do?"
"I'm Dr Theodora Altman the head of cardio thoracic surgery at this hospital," Teddy states , " this is my wing. Please take your call outside , lower your volume or I will ask security to escort you out. "
"Your nothing but a dirty slut who got herself knocked up," Steven shouted.
"You need to leave," Teddy stated. She texted Owen to send security up.
"If you had gotten the abortion like I told you two you would be in a much better hospital than this shit hole, Steven ranted.
Teddy countered , " I chose Seattle Grace Mercy West after serving my country in Iraq and being an attending at Columbia. I chose this hospital because it's one of best in the country and it's close to the most important people in my life."
Steven continued to berate Teddy, "by that do you mean your bastard daughter who you threw away then came crawling back to me when she got sick and you wanted my medical information. "
"Annie has always been and always will be my daughter," Teddy said firmly, "you were the one that chose to walk away. You were the one that didn't want to be tied down. You were the one that took the easy way out and left. I called you to save her life you were useless and mean. I want you out of my hospital."
"Where is the fucking kid now," Steven asked, "you called me and it sounded like she was going to die."
"She's in the hospital learning," Teddy stated, "you are not to be on the same floor as Annie. "
"Teddy she's a fucking adult," Steven screamed, "she should be the same age you were when you got knocked up."
"She's 19," Teddy said honestly ,"and an amazing girl. Your the one whose missed out by throwing her and I away. You left you didn't want to be a parent, you wanted me to kill my baby."
"Your still a slutty bitch Teddy Altman," he raged ,"they can give you all the titles and prestige in the world but nothing will ever change that."
"Sir you need to leave this hospital," Derek said, "as chief of surgery I am telling you to leave and to stop harassing my staff."
"I will do whatever I want," Steven raged, "you have no clue who you're dealing with."
Owen joined the kerfuffle, "I'm Major Owen Hunt United States Army Medical Command. You heard the chief. Leave the hospital or we will have the police come escort you out. "
"You're not even a Doctor," Steven taunted.
"I'll try that again, Doctor Owen Hunt Chief of Trauma surgery here at SGMW," Owen replied, his tone was commanding.
Steven continued to shout, "I don't care who you are any of you. You need to know what she is!"
"Dr Altman is my best friend, kind, loyal, funny, compassionate, driven and hard working," Owen retorted, "that's who she is. I've worked with her in this hospital and on the battle field. I know who Dr. Altman is."
"Then you're an idiot. She's a slut with a bastard child," Steven shouted.
Richard joined in, "we do not call Teddy or Annie those things. They are beloved members of our surgical family. Your daughter is smart, curious, as beautiful inside and out as her mother. You sir are the one who is mistaken. We are proud to have Teddy and Annie here. Hunt please take Altman to the attendings lounge. She doesn't need to be part of this any longer."
"Yes sir," replied Owen. He put his arm around Teddy and guided her away from the scene.
Steven's mom tottered out of her room holding onto a walker, "Steven what are you doing? Why are you terrorizing Dr. Altman?"
"Because Teddy is a slut and she got herself knocked up 20 years ago and kept the baby," Steven ranted.
"Son I heard everything you shouted in this hallway," Mrs. Thompson said.
"Mom you don't understand," Steven said.
"I understand," Mrs. Thompson replied, " 20 years ago you took the cowards way out. You walked away from your girlfriend and child. I raised you better than that. You took the easy way out and walked away."
Steven replied, "mom you have no idea what happened. Teddy was a slut."
"Son you know that girl was always loyal to you. You know that. She loved you she would have married you and given up medical school for your dreams," Mrs. Thompson admonished, "Teddy was the only girl who truly loved you. You've driven everyone else away. Your alone, you've been alone for 20 years. Somewhere in this hospital you have a daughter and you just blew your chances of your ex ever letting you see that girl. I would like to see my granddaughter."
"Mom that isn't a choice. Teddy gave her up for adoption," Steven responded.
"You heard them say that my granddaughter was here in this hospital with her mom," Mrs. Thompson said.
"I want nothing to do with that child," Steven said.
"Why don't you want to see her or her mother," Mrs. Thompson asked.
"Because I wasn't good enough for Teddy," Steven said, "she was too smart and too driven for me. I thought that not keeping that baby would destroy her. Make her weak but she's only gotten stronger."
"Then son that's your problem to work out," Mrs. Thompson stated, "I raised you better than to tear other people apart so you feel better about yourself. You are the one who was a coward and messed up. The last few days I've seen a strong woman who I am proud of. And I saw a young woman walking with her this week, I knew seeing her from the window of my room that she was Teddy's daughter. She's a beautiful girl and full of life."
"Mom you don't understand," Steven said.
"Your right I don't understand," Mrs. Thompson said, " where I went wrong and raised such a coward and a jerk. Steven, you need to leave the hospital. I don't want you here, you made a decision 20 years ago that you don't want a family and now you've lost the only person on the planet who cared about you. Wendy will be here with me when Dr. Altman does the surgery."
When they were out of earshot Teddy whispered, "Owen where's Annie? I need to know where my daughter is."
"In the pit with April Kepner," Owen replied, "they seem to have connected today. April was going to finish some stitches then they were going to the cafeteria with the other residents."
"So she's safe," asked Teddy.
"Completely I told Christina to keep an eye on her two. Lexie was there and so was Karev. They will all look out for her," Owen said.
"Thank you," Teddy whispered, "I just need a minute."
They had reached the attendings lounge and Teddy sat on the couch. She slid her feet out of her shoes and curled into a ball in the corner.
"Teds talk to me," Owen said , "tell me what's going on?"
"That was Annie's sperm donor. He never believed she was his child. He wanted me to kill her. But I couldn't kill my baby," Teddy sobbed, "all the things he called me are the things he said when I got pregnant. I never had a chance and Friday I have to operate on his mother. He never told his family about Annie. He told me not to."
"Teds that's his problem," Owen soothed, "he's the one who was out of line. Derek called the police."
"Why did he call the police and not security," asked Teddy.
"Shepard thought he was a threat to you or patients," Owen explained , "the hospital may press charges."
Teddy continued to cry, "I'm so embarrassed. That was a part of my life none of you were ever supposed to see or know about."
"Teddy you were there for me when Meghan was taken, you were there when Dan died. I'm standing with you for this," Owen said. He sat on the couch and rubbed his friends back in a gesture of support the same way she had to comfort him in Iraq.
"Do we have to tell Annie what happened," Teddy asked.
"That's up to you. Does she know anything about him," asked Owen.
"Just that he didn't want children and wants nothing to do with me," Teddy said.
"I would let her know he's here and not to be in the cardio wing without an attending or resident," Owen said, " she looks too much like you. It's too obvious whose child she is. Today in an or gown and your scrub cap I could have sworn it was you."
"You stole one of my scrub caps for her," Teddy looked surprised.
"I did. I thought she needed some connection to you the first time she got to touch a patient or instruments. You have 4 identical caps. It was easy to grab one," Owen said.
"I wish I had seen that," Teddy said.
"I knew you would want to. I had April take a picture," Owen said. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to show Teddy the picture of Annie by the scrub sink with Annie's hair hidden under Teddy's cap. Owen continued , "see beautiful, smart and strong just like her mom. "
"Send that to me please," Teddy said, "I want to send it to Leslie."
"I did learn that when she's ready for a cap of her own we should get her one with sea otters in it. They're her favorite animal," Owen said.
"We," Teddy questioned.
"Your daughter is my family two," Owen said smiling at Teddy, "today cool Uncle Owen had her do her first hands on surgery. She was hesitant but she did it and had the biggest smile. Annie was proud of herself today. You would have been so proud of her. She was excellent Teddy. One day your daughter will give Christina a run for her money."
Teddy relaxed hearing the love and support her best friend had for her and her daughter and not for the first time wished that Owen had chosen her instead of Christina. Teddy whispered , "thank you for teaching Annie and listening to me."
Owen only had one word in response , "always."