The next morning they walked into the conference center Annie walked with the other residents until she noticed Teddy talking to a woman with short brown hair.
"I'll be back," Annie said.
"Where are you going," Jenna asked.
"Mama is talking to an old prof of mine from UBC. I want to say hi," Annie said.
Annie walked to where Teddy was talking to Dr Milner.
"Dr Milner it's good to see you," Annie said.
"Annie," dr Milner beamed, "Annie McKellar?"
"Grace Altman now but yes," Annie replied, "it's good to see you."
"What are you doing now," dr Milner asked.
"Surgical residency. Peds cardio," Annie replied.
Dr Milner gave Teddy a high five, "another cardio goddess Teddy?"
"A few more years but yes," Teddy beamed, "it started in your lab."
"I learned to read EKGs in your labs," Annie said, "now I don't even think about what I'm seeing anymore. I just do it."
"You've both been in Seattle how long and neither of you came to see me," Dr Milner asked.
"Almost three years," Teddy replied, "Annie's starting her fourth year of residency soon."
"So what's life like for the Altman's," dr Milner asked.
"I married Owen almost two years ago. We have a three year old son and two year old daughter," Teddy said.
"Owen like your army buddy," Dr Milner asked.
"Yes," Teddy smiled, "so three kids now. And my oldest Annie gets married in August. Her fiancé is also a resident at our hospital."
"Annie tell me about this fiancé," Dr Milner said.
"His name's Josh Riggs, he's in trauma surgery we met in medical school," Annie said, "at orientation."
"Your med school sweetheart," dr Milner smiled, "that's the doctor version of high school sweethearts. Are you happy ?"
"Very," Annie smiled, "are you still working with dancers?"
"The funding ran out and I couldn't prove what I wanted to,"'dr Milner admitted, "but I have great information about cardiac function in young women between 18 and 24."
"TEDDY, Thing One," a loud voice called through the conference center.
Annie turned to Teddy who smiled, "Christina Yang."
"Dr Yang," Teddy greeted.
"Teddy, Thing One," its good to see you, "what are you doing here?"
"I'm presenting on cardiac trauma and my daughter is my resident," Teddy beamed.
"Cardio goddess," Christina.
"I'm still a resident Dr. Yang," Annie said respectfully, "I just finished my third year."
"Your badge says Altman," Chrsitina pointed out.
"I changed my name in medical school for personal reasons, I use Grace Altman now," Annie replied.
"What are you doing Christina," Teddy asked.
"Presenting on LVADs for cardiac trauma," Chrsitina said, "if only Bailey could see me now after Izzy Stevens cut an LVAD when we were interns."
"I'll come see that," Teddy said, "Annie?"
"Probably," Annie agreed.
"What else are you doing," Teddy asked, trying to stall not knowing if anyone had told Christina she had married Owen and they had two children."
"Working," Christina said, "all I really do is work and talk to Mer. She's kept me updated about everything at Grey Sloan. I knew as soon as you went back to Seattle."
"We're happy," Teddy said.
"That's all I wanted when I left was for him to be happy. I'm not a monster," Christina said.
"I know Yang," Teddy said, "I taught you not to be."
"You threw your 19 year old at me," Christina laughed.
"You did kinda feed me to the wolves with her, Grey and Karev," Annie laughed, "thank god for Kepner."
Annie's friends were waving at her.
"Mama, Dr. Yang the residents discussion panel is about to start. I really want to see that it's about trauma and fellowships," Annie said, "I'm going to go sit with Julia, Jenna and Rachel. I'll see you before your presentation," Annie said.
"Enjoy and take good notes for Josh," Teddy said.
"I will," Annie replied, "he won't be happy if I don't and an unhappy fiancé is not a good thing."
"Enjoy thing one," Christina said.
Annie joined the other girls.
"Is that Christina Yang," Julia asked, "Dr. Grey talks about her constantly."
"It is," Annie replied, "mama taught her at Grey Sloan when I was 19-21. She's an amazing cardio surgeon."
"What's her story with you and your mama," Rachel asked.
"Long," Annie laughed, "when I was 19 uncle Owen married Christina after the hospital shooting. Then I don't know why but they split my second year of med school."
"Annie who are you talking about and who is Teddy talking to," Meghan asked walking up to them.
"That's Christina Yang," Annie replied.
"Christina, Christina, the one my brother married," Meghan asked.
"Yes," Annie said, "go see her and mama tell them thing one sent you."
"Thing one," Meghan asked.
"Her nickname for me. Chris was thing two," Annie smiled.
"You had a nick name from Dr. Yang," Rachel gasped.
"She gave it to me when I was 19," Annie said, "she wasn't impressed the first time I came to scrub in with mama. She was asked to teach me and you know that's mama's check for fellows and cardio attendings can they teach me."
"It's getting harder," Jenna said.
"It was better when we were junior residents," Annie said, "but Toews the new fellow passed her test."
"Toews seems like a different guy," Rachel said.
"He's a mennonight guy," Annie said, "married young, wife and a couple kids. This is very outside of our realm of normal."
"Our," Julia asked.
"I grew up in a mennonite family," Annie said, "I went to a mennonite school from kindergarten to grade seven. Did the baptism thing when I was 14."
"You," Rachel said, "you were living with Josh as an intern and were just starting to date what happened?"
"Med school and moving out of my parents house," Annie laughed, "but I ran into one of my college roommates yesterday and spent two or three hours catching up with Alice. She was in my community youth group. That one used to be fun."
"Youth group like church teenagers getting together to read the bible and pray," Julia asked.
"We went to camp in the summer, played games, our youth pastor planned a weekly event on Saturdays, swimming, skating, service projects, board games, lock-ins at the church, movie nights, volleyball, pizza parties," Annie said, "it was fun. My brother and I went every week, we didn't have a choice."
"You had a really sheltered life," Rachel asked.
"Raised by an elementary school teacher and a school principal," Annie replied, "I was the oldest of three there was no putting a toe out of line."
"Still the oldest of three," Julia teased.
"But I'm the angle child compared to preschooler freak outs and toddler tantrums," Annie laughed.
"I'm not in the inner circle with Mini Altman and Riggs Jr," Rachel said, "how does that work? How did it all happen?"
"You don't know the story of mama Altman and Hunt," Jenna asked.
"No," Rachel said, "I was too jealous of Grace as an intern. First the most demanding attending the one everyone said to be scared of was only nice to Grace and Josh."
"If you're joining the trauma team you get to call me Annie," Annie smiled, "because in trauma they just yell Annie."
"I was jealous of you," Rachel said, "Hunt yelled at everyone but was nice to you. The whole time you did that appy and nearly killed your patient he was texting someone a play by play. He ran to meet you in the scrub room after. Then there was the VIP military hero that turned out to be Meghan and he didn't ask anyone, just demanded that you meet him and go with him. Then this blonde woman appeared and was all over Hunt at the coffee cart and you basically jumped on her and I didn't know it was your mama."
"Then she got the cardio position and you didn't like it," Annie said, "I remember the gossip about her giving up her job for her boyfriend. I avoided the locker room for weeks because I knew things that weren't public knowledge. Mama had moved back into the cottage as we call my house and uncle Owen was there by default because she clung to him. She put on the army surgeon badass at work but at home she clung to uncle Owen. She needed him."
"You've always seen sides of them we don't," Jenna said.
"They're both marshmallows," Annie laughed.
They found seats in the room with their conference session and sat down. Annie pulled out her iPad and began taking notes.
"Christina, I'd like you to meet Dr Meghan Hunt," Teddy introduced as they walked into a session on teaching residents to deal with trauma.
"Owens sister," Christina asked.
"Yes," Meghan replied, "Annie already told me who you were. I've heard stories about you over the years. It's nice to put a face to the name."
"I hear a lot about you as well," Chrisitina said, "more from your mom and Teddy."
"It was hard on Owen," Teddy said, "the most he would talk about it was watching Annie dance or ski."
"The new years we had thing one and thing two at the cabin," Christina said, "was the most I heard about you."
"Thing two," Meghan asked, "Annie brought Josh to the cabin?"
"Chris," Teddy said, "Annie and her brother are thing one and thing two."
"They are really close," Meghan said, "Chris should be here in a few weeks for the wedding."
"Wedding whos getting married," Chrisitina asked.
"Annie," Teddy said, "she's 27 and gets married in August."
"Mer said thing one was getting married," Christina said, "I didn't know it was so soon."
"It is," Teddy smiled, "we're happy for her and Josh. He's a trauma surgery resident."
"Cardio and trauma," Christina laughed.
"It's a good match," Meghan agreed.
"Annie and Josh are a good team," Teddy said, "they met in medical school, got the same residency, it's a surgical fairy tale."
"And you are still a romantic at heart," Chrisitina laughed.
"I am," Teddy admitted, "it's been fun watching my daughter do it."
"Still protective of her," Christian pointed out.
"Always will be. Of all three of them," Teddy smiled.
"Do you have pictures," Christina asked, "Meredith tells me what's happening but never has pictures."
"Don't get her started," Meghan teased.
"I have the family photos from a couple weeks ago on my phone," Teddy laughed, "theres the one of all 10 of us I love."
"Ten," Christina said looking shocked.
Teddy took her phone out of her pocket and opened the picture, "Evelyn, Nathan, Meghan, Faroke, Annie, Josh, Leo, Allison , Owen and I."
"She's always been like that," Christina said, "bring up Annie and she couldn't stop. But I was surprised when I found out about Annie."
"It wasn't a normal situation," Teddy said, "but she's always been my girl."
"The first time I saw her it was seeing mini you," Christina said.
"No the first time I met Annie Owen screamed Altman across the tarmac I thought I was going to see Teddy then Annie appeared looking very shy," Meghan said.
"She warmed up to you when I came home," Teddy laughed.
"The first time I saw personality from her she basically jumped on you yelling mama," Meghan smiled.
"She was excited she knew she could trust you when I came," Teddy said.
"Still shy," Christina asked.
"She is," Teddy said, "Allison is my outgoing one."
"I hear Annie is a damn good surgeon though," Christian said, "another cardio goddess?"
"She will be. Peds cardio," Teddy smiled, "is there any one special for you?"
"No," Christina said, "I don't have time to really date. The odd fling."
"There is life beyond surgery," Teddy scolded, "I thought I taught you better than that."
"You tried," Christina laughed.
They enjoyed the conference sessions and learned lots.
"That was a lot of information," Annie said as they walked out at the end of the day. She had enjoyed her day with friends but being in BC still made her slightly uncomfortable she hadn't been able to fully relax knowing Jessica knew she was up in Whistler.
"You look tense are you okay," Teddy asked.
"I am," Annie replied, "it's strange being back here after so long."
"It is," Teddy agreed, "but you saw Alice and we're having fun with your friends."
"Moms been texting all day," Annie said, "she wants me to call her but I'm still angry about them cancelling."
"I would be," Teddy said, "but I made dinner plans with Anne and Christina your welcome to come they both want to catch up with you."
"We're going for dinner then bowling," Annie laughed, "Shepard and Meghan are coming."
"What time were you eating," Teddy asked.
"We have a reservation for all of us. We thought you were coming at 6," Annie said.
"Who made it," Teddy asked.
"Meghan," Annie answered, "tell her dr Milner and Christina want to come."
"I'd like to get out of Christina," Teddy admitted, "Owens ex wife."
"Your all time favorite student," Annie pointed out, "at least tell him."
"I did," Teddy replied, "he doesn't care. I think his hands are full."
"He's going out with Josh and Nathan tonight. Faroke is babysitting," Annie laughed, "Josh is worried. Owens going to give some final don't you hurt her speech before the wedding."
"You've talked to Josh," Teddy asked.
"Texted. I'm going to call him. I miss him," Annie said.
"I know you two are attached at the hip," Teddy laughed.
"He's my person," Annie said.
"I know. Owen's mine," Teddy smiled.
"What did Chrsitina mean this morning about cardio and trauma," Annie asked.
"Cardio and trauma surgeons tend to attract each other," Teddy said, "it's similar levels of intensity."
"I think she may have been jealous," Annie said.
"Maybe," Teddy agreed, "but it's the past."
"It was," Annie said, "but thing one really can you tell her to stop."
"You're stuck with it," Teddy laughed, "to have a nickname from her is an honour. I'm the only one she respects enough to call Dr Altman. It's Chrisitina she always did what she wanted."
"How did it go with her and Meghan," Annie asked.
"Pretty good," Teddy laughed, "they both knew of each other."
"Good to finally put faces to names," Annie said.
"It is," Teddy smiled, "but I need to call Owen and say hi to Ali and Leo."
"Tell them I say hi," Annie replied, "I'm going to go call Josh."