Friday after Annie finished her last final for the semester she sat down at her desk with a glass of wine to skype with Teddy, who had asked to talk to her as soon as possible.
"Mama what do you mean you're leaving Seattle," Annie asked.
"Owen fired me when he heard I was going to turn down MedComm," Teddy said, "I have to go."
"Where will we live," Annie asked.
"You'll stay in Boston," Teddy said, "I'll be in Landstuhl Germany."
"Germany," Annie said, "why Germany?"
"Because that's where the army needs me," Teddy said.
"Back to the Army," Annie said, "you promised you wouldn't go back."
"Sweetheart this is the job of a lifetime," Teddy said.
"Why did Owen fire you," Annie asked.
"To make me take it," Teddy said, "I didn't have the courage to accept it on my own. But we talked and we worked some stuff out. It's okay. Owen will be your emergency contact in the states."
"I don't want to lose you," Annie said.
"You're not losing me," Teddy said, "it's only a 4 hour flight to see me."
"It's another continent," Annie said.
"It is," Teddy said, "think you'll get to come see me in Germany, we can explore Europe from there."
"But it's europe," Annie said.
"It is," Teddy said, "it's exciting. They came to me for this job. It's running all of cardio in Europe and the Middle East."
"That is exciting," Annie said, "I just wish you weren't on another continent."
"It's okay," Teddy said, "you won't have much down time coming up a couple weeks here and there but no long stretches. These are your biggest two years. You wont need me or have time for me."
"I'll still need you," Annie said.
"I know and I'll miss you," Teddy said, "but we're going to work things out. I've told my Commanding Officer about you which surprised him. I had worked with him in Iraq."
"So he didn't know I existed," Annie said.
"Exactly," Teddy said, "he assumed I had an infant or toddler. When I said my daughter. He thought I went home to a boyfriend waiting for me and had a baby."
"Nope," Annie said, "just a 21 year old. How will it work if I want to come visit? Chris lives on the base and needs permission for anyone to visit."
"I won't be living on the base," Teddy said, "I'm going to find an apartment that's nearby but I don't want to live on it. You can come visit when it works. You will be able to come on the base with me as long as I give them the information ahead of time. I've lived on it before and it's just not me anymore."
"Will you get to travel," Annie asked.
"I will," Teddy said, "often into war or conflict zones. I'll have to go see the hospitals I'm responsible for that are on the front lines. I don't plan on staying at my desk. I want to be in the action and in the OR."
"I don't like the battlefield idea," Annie said.
"I've done it before," Teddy said, "as a doctor they can't purposely target me. I probably won't be going into the thick of things as much as I did before."
"When do you go," asked Annie.
"Six weeks," Teddy replied, "I have a few things to do."
"Sell the house," Annie asked.
"Not yet," Teddy said, "i'm going to put most of our stuff in storage. My contact is for 2 years then I'll see what I want to do. I would go back to seattle and try another hospital there."
"That apartment Steph and I found isn't furnished," Annie siad, "instead of helping me get new furniture we could somehow get my stuff to Boston?"
"We could send your bedroom stuff and the couch," Teddy said.
"I'll talk to Steph," Annie said, "her parents were somehow sending a table and chairs up from Texas."
"I like the idea of you using the stuff rather than it sitting in storage," Teddy said, "we just have to figure out how to get it to you."
"What about all the pictures, yearbooks and scrapbooks," Annie asked.
"Evelyn agreed to me putting a few boxes of sentimental things in her attic," Teddy said, "I'll put your sentimental stuff there as well."
"Will she mind," Annie asked.
"Not at all," Teddy said.
"Am I the last to know," Annie asked.
"You are," Teddy said, "I was waiting for you to finish finals. I knew a week ago."
"Why didn't you tell me," Annie asked.
"I was waiting for you to finish finals," Teddy said, "I know you've struggled this semester even though your trying not to tell me."
"It's been hard to focus and the probation thing keeps bugging me," Annie said.
"If it's missing Henry you can tell me," Teddy said, "he was your step dad and you two had a bond. You're allowed to grieve."
"I miss him," Annie said, "but I don't want to bug you with it."
"I miss him two," Teddy said, "that's one reason I need out of Seattle for now. I need to be somewhere I don't expect to see him around every corner. The house is too big for just me."
"I just need to pass psych and geriatrics," Annie said, "those are my worst classes. They bore me. I had a hard time with the old people dying component of geriatrics because some people don't get to be old. Some people are skiing with their family then gone a month later. We had such a good ski trip."
"That's our last trip with him," Teddy said, "it's a good memory. Hold onto it. When I miss him I remember our drive to the mountain with us drinking hot chocolate and singing in the truck."
"I miss him," Annie said, "and I'm worried that if I don't do well in geriatrics I'll be asked to leave."
"It's okay," Teddy said, "as long as you pass your okay. When is the probation hearing?"
"Tomorrow," Annie replied, "I have all of the evidence I gave in October. Steph wants to come and say what she heard. But I don't think that looks good, her coming forward now."
"You're right that you need to do this yourself," Teddy said, "you've proven your integrity the rest of the year. You will be fine. When do you get exam marks?"
"I have some but the ones I'm worried about probably Friday or Monday," Annie replied.
"You'll be fine," Teddy said, "your marks going in were okay. Not like you but a bad semester after what happened is okay."
"Do you have weekend plans," Annie asked.
"Ladies night out with Bailey, Callie and Arizona," Teddy replied, "last one before I go."
"You'll miss them," Annie said.
"I will," Teddy agreed, "are you hanging out with Josh this weekend?"
"I might," Annie said, "his uncle Nathan is in town for a few days. Josh doesn't know what the plan is. I'll probably go for a long run tomorrow morning. Then Steph and I need to figure out what we need for the new place."
"What's happening with you and Josh," asked Teddy.
"He's my best friend," Annie said, "he couldn't like me. Josh is a typical guys guy tall, strong, smart, kind, funny. He accepts me for me, dorkiness and all. I'm not messing with a friendship like that."
"I get that feeling," Teddy said, "sounds a bit like Owen."
"Not a ginger," Annie said, "he has brown hair."
"Are you sure there's nothing between you," Teddy pressed, "you spend a lot of time with him."
"Josh is just a friend," Annie said, "I'm not dating right now. I need to sort out my other stuff. I've had too much going on to try to meet guys. I haven't felt like it."
"Just because I lost Henry," Teddy said, "doesn't mean you stop dating."
"I had enough on my plate with classes,"Annie said, "and I haven't felt like being with people with everything that happened with Jessica and then Henry and my anxiety."
"You just needed your space," Teddy said, "still seeing friends?"
"I'm going out with friends," Annie said, "I went to a salsa dance class last weekend."
"You found a dance class," Teddy said.
"I found a drop in ballet class as well," Annie replied, "it feels good to dance. Peaceful."
"Then keep going to ballet," Teddy said.
"What are you doing to make yourself happy," Annie asked.
"I've been running," Teddy said, "swimming laps. Reading I like all the books you've left behind."
"Do you really have to go to Germany," Annie asked.
"I do," Teddy replied, "I need the new start. Annie this challenge is amazing and this is a once in a lifetime job. I will never get a chance like this again. I got the offer two weeks ago. I only accepted yesterday. You were the only thing that stopped me from accepting on the spot."
"I was a factor," Annie asked.
"You were the biggest factor," Teddy said, "I had to figure out what would be best for both of us. It's you and me. We both need to be happy. Germany is not much further from Boston than Seattle."
"Are you happy mama," Annie asked.
"Yes and no," Teddy said.
"What do you mean," asked Annie.
"I'm excited for the new job. This is an honour for me," Teddy said, "but I don't want to be separated from you again. We've had a tough few months."
"We have," Annie said, "are you sure you're okay to move halfway across the world?"
"I am," Teddy said, "where are things on the name change papers?"
"I have my new Canadian SIN Card and Passport, I need to get a driver's license here but I have to wait for my American SSN and Passport. I have a temporary BC drivers license," Annie replied.
"So how long do you think it will take," Teddy asked.
"I don't know," Annie replied, "Ottawa was quicker than I thought. I still haven't told my parents."
"Why haven't you told them yet," Teddy asked.
"Because they haven't actually had a conversation with me since February," Annie replied, "they tell me what happens there but don't know about my life. They know I'm alive. I call once a week but never actually say anything."
"You have to tell them," Teddy said.
"Do I really," Annie asked.
"You do," Teddy said, "email if you want. Get a new email address using Grace Altman and email them."
"I will," Annie replied, "it's a good start. I've started using it to introduce myself."
"Can I still call you Annie," Teddy asked.
"Anything but kiddo or little bear," Annie said.
"Good you're still my Annie," Teddy said, "always will be."
"Only family can keep Annie," Annie replied, "and really close friends."
"So Steph and Josh," Teddy said.
"Pretty much," Annie said.
"I need to make a call to my commanding officer and confirm something," Teddy said, "on my list is to put you down as Grace Altman, I can keep you on my medical until you graduate."
"I'll talk to you soon," Annie replied, " congratulations on the new job!"
"Thanks sweetie," Teddy replied, "I'm planning to come through Boston on my way to Germany."
"We'll celebrate then," Annie said, "talk to you later mama."
"Have a good night sweetheart," Teddy said. She closed her computer and grabbed her phone to call her supervisor. Annie had taken that better than she had thought, she was skeptical about the distance but she would be okay.
"Annie hows your mama," Stephanie asked, "I thought I heard her voice."
"She's doing better," Annie replied, "she got a new job running Med Com in Germany."
"What is she doing," Stephanie asked.
"She's moving to germany to run hospitals for the army. Cardio surgery her speciality," Annie replied, "she's coming for a visit in a couple weeks then off to her new job."
"Will you get to go see her in Germany," Stephanie asked.
Annie shrugged, "we haven't got there yet."
"We should go on one of our breaks," Stephanie said, "we get two weeks after Christmas."
"We'll see," Annie said, "my brother is deploying in August and will be in eastern europe. I'm hoping if he gets a couple days near Christmas he can join Mama and I. But that's a long time from now."
"Have you got your clinical schedule," Stephanie asked.
"I do," Annie said, "starting with psych."
"I have surgery," Stephanie said.
"Jealous," Annie said.
"You get enough surgery," Stephanie said, "you took the extra OR sessions this term and how many times have you been in the OR with your mama."
"As much as she can and if I can't be in the OR I sit with residents in the gallery," Annie replied, "have you started thinking of a speciality?"
"Family medicine," Stephanie said, "or OB."
"Babies are cute," Annie agreed, "I like the OR. It's dynamic."
"You'll follow your mother won't you," asked Stephanie.
"I'd like to," Annie replied, "but my semester hasn't been great. I'm worried about passing geriatrics."
"It's old people," Stephanie said, "you'll be fine."
"I hope so," Annie replied, "I meet the probation board Monday."
"I wrote a letter months ago," Stephanie said.
"When," Annie asked.
"After Amy admitted it through her door," Stephanie replied.
"Why," Annie asked.
"Because she was wrong," Stephanie said.
"But it's our word against hers," Annie said, "I just have to go in there, stay calm and be honest and polite."
"That's your plan," Stephanie asked.
"It's all I have," Annie said, "yelling and having a hissy fit won't help. Calm and honest will."
"How did you learn that," Stephanie said.
"Jessica," Annie replied, "you grow up with a mentally ill sibling you learn to deal with it. But at least in Canada I'm not Annie McKellar anymore, for Jessica I no longer exist."
"You went through with it," Stephanie asked.
"The papers should be here soon," Annie replied, "I'll be Grace Altman. A fresh start."
"What did your mama say," Stephanie asked.
"She's happy with it," Annie replied, "It's what I would have been named if she had kept me. I kept Annabeth as my middle name. It's more a reorder and new last name."
"What about your parents in Canada," Stephanie asked.
"I'll tell them when they pick up the phone and stop letting Jessica run the show," Annie replied, "but it's Friday. Let's go to the bar down the street and celebrate the end of finals."
"Make sure you look hot Altman," Stephanie called, "we're meeting guys."
"I will," Annie called back.
"That means heels," Stephanie said.
"I have the perfect dress," Annie replied before walking into her room.