"I don't want to go today," Annie complained.
"Why," Josh asked.
"Stupid interns," Annie groaned, "that don't do what their told and can't be out of my sight."
"Who's really being punished," Josh asked.
"Me for my lack of leadership," Annie groaned, "I just thought mama would have let up by now on them but it's been 4 weeks and no matter what I do they don't improve."
"You have lemons," Josh said, "they shouldn't have been accepted."
"I'm proposing an intern switch up the groups are too comfortable they've gotten complacent," Annie said.
"Mine are fighting like siblings," Josh groaned, "we were great interns. We didn't leave or get caught in the clinic or supply closet. Mine are poaching patients from the clinic and bringing them to the ER and trolling for traumas."
"At least they take initiative," Annie replied as she locked the door behind her and headed to the car.
"You're driving yourself," Josh asked.
"You're off before me. You only have 12 I have 16 today," Annie said.
"I don't mind waiting," Josh replied.
"I Was hoping to go to Joes with Jenna after," Annie said.
"I might go shoot hoops with Jeremy and Max then," Josh replied.
"Have fun," Annie smiled.
"Plan for your interns," Josh asked.
"Another day of I say jump and wait for them to do it," Annie replied, "they are allowed to touch patients again but no surgery which is getting to me because it shuts me out of the OR if there's no gallery."
"Have fun," Josh said, "have you talked to Teddy about it again?"
"I don't want to," Annie replied, "I don't want another chief lecture from her."
"I think you should," Josh said, "I see you doing everything to get your interns moving and to respect you and they just don't give a shit."
"Maybe we can switch groups for a week," Annie suggested.
"Ask Teddy and Dr Webber," Josh said, "I think it's your group not you."
"I don't want them to think I'm making excuses but I meet with them at nine," Annie said, "I need to find them something to do."
"I'm running the clinic today," Josh said, "it's vaccination day I need all the hands I can get for flu shots."
"Do you mind if I send you the least trustworthy three," Annie asked, "Jenna is taking two to Shepard's lab with her."
"Which two," Josh asked.
"Plant and Cosco," Annie replied, "but we should get going or I'm going to be late for rounds and it's mama."
Annie drove to the hospital yelling her frustrations at the windshield. She was doing everything that her mother and Richard asked of her but the interns just weren't responding. She wondered if it was too little too late.
"Dr. Altman," Teddy greeted.
"Chief," Annie replied, this was their new game, how long could they go through their day before cracking and using nicknames.
"Where are your interns for rounds," Teddy asked.
"They haven't arrived yet," Annie replied, "I've completed pre rounds and gone over the overnight labs. It's all in the charts."
"What time did you arrive," Teddy asked.
"5:00," Annie replied, "I was to meet my interns at 5:30. I like time to get prepared and look over everything before I meet them."
"Have your second cup of coffee," Teddy asked.
"Some days," Annie replied, "today was too busy. We have the off pump CABG at 10 and a meeting at 8:30. We should get through rounds."
"What time did you ask them to meet you," Teddy asked.
"They were told to meet me at the nurses station no later than 5:30, I was ready for them by 5:10," Annie replied, "they know I pre round at 5:30 and to be ready."
"I know you do," Teddy said, "you've been first in since you were an intern."
"So is Josh," Annie replied.
"We all notice," Teddy replied, "but let's get rounds done then you need to think of what to do with your interns."
"The surgery ban hasn't worked," Annie replied, "I'd like to do a full suspension because they have no respect for not just me but the whole process. They should be like Josh's group down poaching patients in the clinic or pit. Or Cassidy's who don't go home unless she walks them out. Jenna's got in a fist fight over removing chest tubes. "
"I'm seeing there could be a challenge with your group," Teddy admitted.
"Josh and I threw around the idea of shuffling the groups," Annie replied, "none of the groups have clicked to be a team. We thought a shuffle of them at the halfway point could be helpful."
"It's a thought," Teddy said, "break up the groups that don't work well."
"Even if they rotated residents for two weeks," Annie replied, "but I'm not giving up or running away."
"I can see you have a point," Teddy said, "you've been doing everything we asked of you and more but they don't respond."
"I think me being who I am, they feel safe," Annie replied.
"What do you mean," Teddy asked.
"Something I overheard in the cafeteria," Annie replied, "just gossip really but there's always a grain of truth to it."
"Something about me not being able to hold you accountable so they won't be," Teddy said, "I've heard it two."
"They will be," Annie said, "I just need time to come up with something suitable."
"Suitable," Teddy asked.
"They don't show up, they're chronically late," Annie replied, "I've debated personal wake up calls but that's a pain in my ass. Leslie had this song she would sing when we wouldn't get up for school. I want to record myself singing it for them and send it every day with enough time to get here for pre rounds."
"Irritating is not going to help," Teddy replied.
"Right now I'm angry with them," Annie replied, "We know I don't make the best choices when I'm angry."
"At least you know it," Teddy replied.
"Rounds and we can talk later in your office," Annie suggested.
"It's quick to round just you and I," Teddy replied, "you've been thorough you always are."
"You and Nathan taught me well," Annie replied, "I'm actually faster without interns."
"We'll talk with Dr. Webber," Teddy replied.
"Can we actually talk at some point today," Annie asked, "I got another weird message from Leslie."
"Back to Leslie that's never good," Teddy replied, "but we can talk later. Bring your lunch to my office and we'll chat. We haven't had a good talk in a couple weeks."
Annie and Teddy went through their rounds and Annie began prepping the patient for surgery.
"Dr Altman, how can I help," Cosco asked.
"You can't," Annie replied, "you missed rounds. You were late and did not answer my calls."
"So that means I can't scrub in," Cosco asked.
"Not at all," Annie replied, "you can go to the clinic and see Dr Riggs, Josh the resident he can use you for vaccination day. I'll let him know your coming."
"You're sending me to your husband because you're mad at me," Cosco asked.
"You made me look like a fool in front of the new chief," Annie said, "you are very lucky that I pre round before everyone else and had the extra time to do it. This will not happen again. Tomorrow you will be here no later than 5am when I arrive, sober and ready to work. I can smell the alcohol on you from here. Before I can send you to the clinic you have to pass the blood alcohol test."
"What," Cosco spluttered.
"You smell like vodka, your slurring, and your balance is off," Annie replied, "your voice is abnormally loud and your hands are shaking. All symptoms that lead me to the diagnosis of alcohol intoxication. You will take a test now."
"Or what," Cosco insinuated, "tell your mommy."
"You don't want me to page her but I can," Annie replied.
"You don't want to do that," Cosco said, "because I know who you really are Annabeth McKellar."
"Enough," Annie snapped, "you do not know me or my story."
"My girlfriend in Vancouver told me all about you orphan Annie," Cosco slurred, "I think you know her as your sister Jessica McKellar."
"You will not speak to me that way nor about my personal life," Annie replied, "right now you have shown up at work to practice medicine under the influence of alcohol. You will not be in contact with any patients today. I will be reporting this to both chief Bailey and chief Altman as well as Dr. Webber."
"Because you were a second choice for everyone in your life. Your precios mama threw you away, your parents forgot you and didn't care enough to go to your wedding. You have what ? A brother and maybe a husband if you're lucky to keep him," Cosco sneered.
"That is enough Dr. Cosco," Annie replied, "you have no business discussing my personal life. I will be reporting this to Dr. Webber and both chiefs. I am meeting with them in 5 minutes."
Richard came around the corner at that moment, "Dr Atlman what were you going to report to me?"
"Dr Cosco is under the influence of alcohol," Annie replied, "he has been informed that he is not to be near a single patient today and must take a drug and alcohol test."
"I'll take it from here Dr. Altman," Richard replied, "thank you."
"You're welcome Dr. Webber," Annie replied, "I'm going to report this to Chief Altman."
"Please do Dr. Altman," Richard replied, "she should be in her office preparing for our meeting."
"Yes sir," Annie replied, "I'll see you there."
"Please tell your mother I will be late dealing with this," Richard replied.
"I will," Annie replied, "I'm sure she'll understand."
"She is a very understanding person," Richard replied.
Annie walked out of the cardio wing and towards Teddy's office on the catwalk, she knocked on the door.
"Come in Dr. Altman," Teddy called, she knew it was Annie and didn't bother getting up from her desk.
"Chief," Annie replied, "sorry I'm late Dr. Webber is running behind as well dealing with a situation with one of my interns. I apologize."
"What happened Annie," Teddy said, giving Annie her serious glare.
"Dr. Cosco is under the influence," Annie replied.
"Have you reported it," Teddy asked.
"To Dr. Webber and to you now," Annie replied, "he was informed that he is not to be near a patient until he is sober and has met with Dr. Webber or you."
"What's your plan beyond that," Teddy asked.
"Suspension minimum, probation and possible expulsion from the program," Annie replied, "and he knows about Annie McKellar. He's dating Jessica."
"That answer's somethings, how did that come out," Teddy asked.
"He called me little orphan Annie," Annie replied, "only Jessica ever called me that."
"I will address this," Teddy replied, "but we may need to be prepared to fully expose our whole history."
"We may have to," Annie replied, "including the beating and stabbing."
"We may," Teddy replied, "call Chris first we can buy time. Dr. Cosco is suspended immediately."
"I thought as much," Annie replied, "how does this reflect on me? And what we've been working on?"
"This was his decision," Teddy replied.
"But I obviously let them think it's okay," Annie said.
"When do you take time other than your honeymoon," Teddy asked, "you lead this part by example and you're directing your interns. I'm seeing that they're not ready for this program."
"What am I going to do," Annie asked, "how do I move them forward?"
"We need to talk to all of them when they are sober," Teddy said, "but any of yours that are seen today will need a drug test."
"I can't trust them again," Annie said.
Bailey let herself in, "yours didn't cut LVAD wires."
"That wasn't just a rumor," Teddy asked, "I never believed it."
"Izzy Stevens, George O'Malley, Meredith Grey, Alex Karve and Chrsitina Yang," Bailey said, "I could have murdered them all."
"What did you do," Annie asked.
"I let the chief handle it but oh did they have to work to get back in my good graces," Bailey said, "I didn't let them breath."
"We have a CABG to do," Teddy said, "we will pick this up after. Miranda can you and Richard handle it until I'm finished."
"We can," Bailey replied.
"See this is why this is a two person job," Teddy replied, "Annie let's go."
Annie and Teddy walked to the OR floor and scrubbed in as they set the patient up for the operation Annie ranted, "so much for my fresh start. She always manages to mess everything up. Why now? Things were going well. I was happy and now this. Why can't she ever let me be happy. So she has to find one of my interns and date him because that's how she's going to punish me for my happiness."
"It's weird," Teddy replied.
Annie continued, "now I have to reveal my whole personal history to a lot of people who didn't know. Only family , Jenna, Julia and Cassidy know. Now the whole hospital will. This is bull shit mama. Because Jessica can't get her life together she has to find ways to destroy mine. Destroy my career. He even insinuated that my marriage won't last."
"He said what," Teddy asked.
"He said that I might have a husband to go crawling back to but that's a big if," Annie ranted.
"This is an intern dating someone you haven't seen in 7 years," Teddy said, "someone who has never met Josh, never seen the strength of your relationship. I think you need to call Chris and see what he knows."
"He's deployed," Annie replied, "I'll email him to call me when we're done."
Richard appeared ," Dr Altman, Dr. Altman, I am suspending Dr. Cosco pending a board review of his case. It was not just alcohol in his tox screen. He also had some deeply personal information about Grace Altman that could easily become hospital gossip that we should discuss."
"Scrub in Dr. Webber," Teddy said, "we'll come up with a PR plan here."
"I want Josh," Annie said.
"That will look like your hiding," Teddy said, "you have me."
"I need to know I still have a husband to go home to," Annie replied.
"I'll page him," Richard said, "some one else can run vaccination day. He should hear this."
"He knew me as Annie McKellar," Annie said, "first year of med school."
"I treated your initial injury when you were 19. I did all the surgical followup," Webber said, "you were a good patient. Compliant, polite, took your meds without complaint."
"Except the two of you decided that iron infusions were a good idea that sucked," Annie replied, "sit in a chair for two or three hours while it dripped in."
"We gave you a mobile IV pole for the last couple and let you sit in the gallery," Teddy replied.
"True," Annie replied, "I want any gossip about me stopped before it can hurt either of us."
"Then we tell the story we want to tell," Teddy said, "the version I've always used professionally."
"Which is," Richard asked.
"I was 21 when she was born and in my first semester of med school, I was young, terrified and completely alone," Teddy said, "I was not equipped to care for a baby let alone give her the life I wanted for her so I chose a couple that could give her the life I wanted for her. But there wasn't a day that Annie wasn't my first thought in the morning or last prayer at night. Richard I never stopped loving Annie, it was an act of love to give her up, it ripped my heart in two, I mourned the loss of my baby even though she was alive and thriving. The day she emailed me and wanted to get to know me is one of the best days of my life. The day I met Annie in the library at UBC and she hugged me, I didn't know what to do."
"So you squeezed me really tight," Annie replied.
"It was 19 years of love in one hug," Teddy laughed.
"Then we tell people that version," Richard said, "but what about the name change."
"I'd like to sit with mama and Josh and tell Dr Cosco my side of the story before it's public. He should hear it from me," Annie said, "but we explain Jessica is mentally ill and violent. Most people have seen my scars. We tell them the truth and that I changed my name to protect my physical safety. I chose Altman because it felt right to me. By the time I did it it was just me and mama, we were the only family each other had. My original middle name was Grace. I just reordered my first and middle name."
"I was surprised to hear Annabeth as your middle name at your wedding," Richard smiled, "I remember writing your med school reference for Annabeth."
"I always hated that name," Annie said, "stuffy and old fashioned. Grace is better."
"It was the family middle name,me, my mom, grandma and great grandma all had Grace for a middle name," Teddy replied, "I would have used it for Annie's first or middle name. Anything had to be better than Theodora."
"Annabeth," Annie groaned.
"We're a pair," Teddy replied.
"I'm going to go tell Bailey the plan and you two can meet with the two of us later and we'll figure out how to get this information out with the least amount of gossip," Richard agreed.
"Thank you Dr. Webber," Annie replied.
"Thanks Richard," Teddy said.
I have a plan for about 5 or 6 chapters from now but need some smaller linking ideas again. Ideas would be greatly appreciated.