"Dr Altman can you and I talk," Bailey asked.
"What is it Miranda," Teddy asked.
"I'm thinking of stepping down as Cheif. I miss surgery and I miss research." Bailey explained.
"Meghan would be an excellent candidate," Teddy suggested, "or Nathan."
"I was actually thinking of you," Bailey replied, "you've acted as interim Chief when I needed you two. You're the one that figured out the problems with the residents' schedules and getting the fourth years to commit to specialties. You've run way bigger operations for the army."
"Not with two preschoolers at home," Teddy said, "Leo will be four in February and Allison is three in January. When I did that I was a single mother with a child in medical school. I have to consider my marriage and my children."
"Consider it," Bailey said, "I can't think of anyone else who would be a better leader for this hospital."
"I need to talk to my family," Teddy said, "this takes me away from my kids who need me now more than ever. And it's not fair to Owen to put it all on him."
"Talk to your family because I'm going to put your name to the board," Bailey said.
"I would be doing so restructuring to make things more efficient some of the same things I put in place in Germany and I want a deputy Chief of surgery that I nominate," Teddy said.
"Who would you nominate," Bailey asked.
"Meghan Hunt," Teddy replied, "she's a big picture thinker."
"You work well together but you wouldn't ask Owen," Bailey asked.
"Owen did his time as chief But didn't enjoy it. He was miserable doing the admin part," Teddy explained, "I need him as head of trauma that's where he's best."
"Will you consider it," Bailey asked.
"I will but not until after Annie's wedding," Teddy said,
"New job and finishing her wedding will be tough."
"When is the wedding," Bailey asked.
"The first weekend in August then they're off for ten days after," Teddy said.
"Discuss it with your family and let me know," Bailey said, "I meet with the board in two weeks."
"I will let you know," Teddy said, "I need to talk to Owen. Four years ago I would have jumped at it but my kids need me."
"The oldest is getting married," Bailey said.
"My preschoolers really need me," Teddy said, "it's Annie she still needs me in her own way always will."
"Consider it," Bailey said.
Teddy found Owen in the pit standing at the nurses station waiting for something to happen.
"Hey do you have a minute," Teddy asked.
"There's nothing incoming," Owen replied.
"I need to talk to you about something an opportunity for me," Teddy said.
"Is seattle," Owen asked.
"Right here," Teddy said, "Bailey wants to step back as Cheif and offered it to me."
"Teddy take it," Owen said, "you'd be a brilliant Cheif. We need your leadership."
"You, the kids," Teddy said.
"You schedule your days so you come in later and see them in the morning or start really early and see them at night. Teddy we can do this," Owen said, "it's the right fit for you. You've done this job before."
"It's about what I did at med com," Teddy agreed, "but I'd want a deputy someone to be my right hand and share the load."
"I could do it," Owen offered.
"I need you running trauma and training residents for it," Teddy declared.
"Who were you thinking about," Owen asked.
"Meg," Teddy suggested, "we work well together she a stickler for order and doing things well."
"Would she Faroke has needed a lot of her time lately," Owen said.
"Lets decide if I accept the job or not before I talk to her," Teddy said.
"Your taking it Teddy," Owen said, "our kids will be fine."
"I told Bailey I couldn't do it until after the wedding," Teddy said.
"That's fair," Owen agreed.
"But what about you Owen," Teddy said, "we've both done this job it's all consuming your never really off or getting down time. It worked when I was single and Annie was in med school. But I don't want to do that to our marriage. It's hard on a relationship for one of us to be working like that. I love leading cardio and what I do but I love you more. You, our family, that's what makes me happy, not a job not a title. I can't do this if you have any reservations."
"Teddy I think you should take it," Owen said.
"Annie," Teddy said, "is it fair to her to have me as Cheif her most important two years of residency?"
"Teddy don't hold yourself back for our kids," Owen encouraged, "think about it. I heard about what you did in Germany. You were amazing and got so many things going and restructured so much so it worked better, do that here. You don't have to do the job the way it's always been done. Make it yours."
"I don't think it's the right time," Teddy said, "Allison and Leo are so young. They need mama not the chief of surgery. It might work for Annie but it's not fair to Ali and Leo. They need me home and engaged with them. Why can't they ask Pierce or Grey?"
"Because you have the experience," Owen said, "you know how to do this."
"I can make it my own," Teddy asked.
"You can," Owen said, "use your department chiefs, find a deputy, someone to help you out, not an admin assistant but a surgeon."
"I would like to do this," Teddy admitted, "but the timing feels wrong."
"When is timing ever right, Ted," Owen asked.
"Ours never," Teddy laughed.
"Tell Annie and take it," Owen said, "give her the heads up that you're going to transition to chief in the next few months."
"Could we do a slow transition," Teddy asked.
"Suggest it," Owen said, "they want you. You hold the power. Be commanding, you know how to run a hospital."
"We're top ten but I could make us top five," Teddy said.
"Come up with your plan and how you would do it your way," Owen said, "take Bailey your plan."
"I will," Teddy said, "I can only do this with your support and if it affects our kids negatively in any way I step down. Our babies have to come first Owen."
"They will," Owen said, "they know mama loves them."
"The big one two," Teddy said.
"She'll be fine," Owen said, "if a little opinionated."
"That's good," Teddy said, "she's using her voice and standing up. She had to learn to talk with the family and now she's using it here."
"How many years of coaching did that take," Owen asked.
"Eight," Teddy laughed, "she had to deal with her past first. We started halfway through her intern year."
"Take it Teddy," Owen said, "our family will be fine. I promise you. I'm proud of you."
"I'll go talk to Annie first," Teddy said, "but she's so preoccupied right now."
"Wedding and what," Owen asked.
"Reconnecting with Alice and trying to talk to Cassie," Teddy said, "her best friends from highschool and college."
"That takes courage for her to connect with anyone from before," Owen said.
"She's really happy talking to Alice," Teddy smiled, "Cassie is angry Annie left and for good reason. They just need to talk about it. Annie didn't handle leaving well. She just cut off all contact. She panicked and ran."
"Like her mama," Owen laughed.
"Exactly," Teddy said, "I didn't realize how many bad habits she learned from me until recently."
"She'll learn for herself," Owen said, "she's got Josh."
"She's never had walls up when she's with him," Teddy said, "she's never been a turtle with him."
"She doesn't turtle often now," Owen said.
"She did in Whistler with Christina which surprised me," Teddy said.
"When was the last time they saw each other. The cabin after the stabbing," Owen said.
"Christina guest taught one of her classes for two days in med school," Teddy said, "the week before the conference I found out who Josh was."
"Incoming trauma 10 minutes out," a voice yelled.
Owen dashed for the ambulance bay grabbing a trauma gown on the way out.
Teddy watched as Annie dashed for the ambulance bay.
"What's incoming," Teddy asked her daughter.
"Kid, collapsed on the soccer field," Annie called, "probably surgical."
"Page me if you need me," Teddy said, "I'm on call for cardio today."
"I will," Annie said, "but I'm going to take this from end to end even."
"Do it then," Teddy smiled. She liked the confidence her daughter was showing.
Annie met Owen in the ambulance bay.
"Sorry mama tried to side track me, she looked like she wanted to talk," Annie said.
"She does when you have time," Owen said.
"Big changes again," Annie asked.
"So, so," Owen said, "it's good really good."
"The last time you said that you proposed to her," Annie said.
"Not that good but good," Owen said as the ambulance pulled up, "it's a kid, collapsed with chest pain Annie run it."
Annie met the gurney coming off the ambulance and seeing the kid ordered chest x-rays and the portable ultrasound.
"Hey buddy what's your name," Annie asked.
"Blake," the little boy said.
"Okay Blake," Annie said, "I'm Dr. Altman but you can call me Dr. Grace if it's less scary."
"Where's my mom," Blake cried.
"She's coming," Annie said, "she should be here soon. I'm going to get some pictures taken so we can see your ribs, heart and lungs."
Annie ordered the tests she needed and listened to the boys chest.
"I haven't heard this before," Annie told Owen, "page Mama."
"Done," Owen said.
Teddy came in as the mother arrived and asked the mother a few questions.
"Any medical history," Teddy asked.
"A febrile seizure at 18 months," the mother said.
"Did his asthma get better or worse as he got older," Teddy asked.
"Worse," the mother replied.
"And when you brought him home did he scream a lot," Teddy asked.
The mother nodded, "for the first two years."
"Annie book an OR," Teddy commanded.
"Are you a mother Dr. Altman," the mom asked.
"I am," Teddy said, pointing at Annie, "she's my oldest."
Annie came back, "there's a free OR if we go now."
"Move him," Teddy commanded.
"What is it Dr. Altman," the mother asked.
"Cardiac Asthma," Teddy said, "he's having a heart attack. I can fix it if we move now."
While they scrubbed in, Annie asked, "how do we fix it?"
"I'll show you," Teddy said, "ready to work for it."
"I am," Annie smiled, "I like when we operate together."
"I had one of these when I first got to this hospital when you were 18," Teddy said, "my first procedure with Chrsitina Yang. She hated me that day until I did this procedure with her. She wanted Owen to send me back to the desert."
"Really," Annie asked.
"She wasn't impressed," Teddy smiled, "she thought she knew everything and didn't want to learn from me because my name wasn't on google."
"Why did you come here," Annie asked, "you could have gone back to Columbia."
"I didn't leave Columbia very professionally," Teddy admitted, "but the real reason I took the job when Owen suggested it was it put me close to you. I realized I could be only a few hours from you, we would be in the same time zone."
"You chose to go somewhere across the country from where you had always lived on the hope I would reach out," Annie asked.
"I had to sweetheart. The only person who still cared if I lived or died was Owen and I hoped and prayed that maybe, you would want to know me," Teddy said.
"How did you know I would reach out," Annie said.
"My gut," Teddy said, "more accurately my mom's voice in the back of my head told me that when you were ready you would."
"I'm glad you took that job then," Annie said.
"So am I," Teddy smiled as they walked into the OR in surgical gowns and gloves, "you're going to open."
Annie held out her hand, "ten blade."
Annie opened then Teddy took over leading the surgery. Showing Annie how to repair the defect. After they scrubbed out and updated the family they walked towards the nurses station.
"Annie can I talk to you about an opportunity that's come up for me," Teddy asked.
"You're not leaving are you," Annie asked.
"No I'd be staying right here," Teddy said.
"The last time you told me you had an amazing opportunity you were going to Germany," Annie said, "without talking to me about it."
"I'm staying here," Teddy said, "in this hospital if I take it."
"What is this opportunity," Annie asked looking curious.
"Bailey's job," Teddy smiled, "chief of surgery."
"Congratulations," Annie shouthed hugging Teddy, "you're going to take it?"
"I'm still thinking," Teddy said, "what it could do to your career with me as chief and you as a senior resident looking towards fellowships. Ali and Leo need me more than ever, I can't do what I did in Germany running a hospital and having two little kids. I could do that with you as a med student but Ali and Leo need me. I have to consider my family."
"We'll be great," Annie said, "Josh and I can help out with Ali and Leo if you're firm about resident hours."
"First change I would make," Teddy said.
"When," Annie asked.
"Bailey meets the board in two weeks if I accept," Teddy said, "then in the fall. I want to do a slow transition. Build trust. That's even if I take it. I have to decide. I have to look at my family and if it's what's right for all of us."
"We'll be fine," Annie said, "don't worry about me. I can handle it. Those that are jealous can learn to deal like they always have."
"My marriage, I spend years waiting for something like this, wanting Owen," Teddy said, "I won't jeopardize our family for my ambition."
"Uncle Owen loves you," Annie said, "what did he say?"
"He wants me to take it," Teddy said.
"Mama you have to take it," Annie said.
"I'll think about it," Teddy said, "I want to do it but I worry about my family."
"We will be fine," Annie said, "think about it Mama. My vote is you take it."
"I'll think about it," Teddy said, "I have a lot to think about. I wouldn't take it until after your wedding."
"The wedding is one day," Annie said, "I need you for the day and the few days leading up to it."
"I want to do all of it with you," Teddy said.
"I need my mama and uncle Owen for my wedding," Annie said, "you're my parents."
"We are," Teddy smiled.
"Take the chief job Mama," Annie said.
"I'm thinking about it," Teddy said, "I want to but I need to think about Ali and Leo."
"Take it," Annie said.
"Maybe," Teddy smiled, "I want to but there's a lot to consider."
"Just do it," Annie said.
"Maybe," Teddy agreed.