"Mama I'm hungry," Leo whined.
"I know baby boy but you can't eat until after your surgery," Teddy soothed.
"I don't want a surgery," Leo wailed.
"You have to do it," Teddy said, "you need it to be healthy."
"Can you do it," Leo cried.
"I wish I could but I'm not allowed to," Teddy said holding the little boy close and rubbing his back.
"Daddy do it," Leo cried.
"I don't know how," Owen said, "hearts are mama's specialty."
"Nee," Leo cried.
"Not today but her and Josh are going to come see you before you go in," Teddy promised, "dr Maggie is going to be there with you and put the pacemaker in. Uncle Nathan is going to help her."
"I'm scared," Leo cried.
"It's okay baby boy," Teddy whispered, "Dr Maggie does these everyday. She's really really good at it."
"Can you come with me," Leo whimpered.
"We can do that," Owen promised. He knew it could take some bullying but he would go with his son to the OR and wait until he was under.
"Really," Leo asked.
"Really," Owen promised, "but mama and I have to put our scrubs on so I have to go change."
"Owen can you bring a set up here and my cap from my locker for me," Teddy asked.
"I will, I'll bring mine up," Owen replied, "and I have an idea."
Owen went to get their scrubs and caps from the attendings locker room. Coming back he had two of each of their caps.
Owen crouched beside the rocking chair so Leo could see him. Leo was in Teddy's lap with his face buried in her shoulder. She was rocking gently and rubbing his back.
"Leo," Owen said, "look at daddy."
Leo looked at Owen with a tear streaked face and snot streaming from his nose. The boy had been scared and sobbing and it broke his heart.
"I know you're scared to go in there and have your surgery. So I have a way mama or I can be right with you. When you go into the operating room your hair has to be covered. So I brought you two caps to choose from," Owen said, pulling two from his pocket, "you can wear one of mine or one of mamas. You choose."
"Both," Leo said.
"It might be too warm," Teddy said, "do you want camouflage like a soldier or birds?"
"Soldier," Leo said.
"One of daddy's caps it is," Teddy said.
"Daddy put it on," Leo demanded.
Owen put a camouflage print cap on his own head then the second on Leo.
"There Dr Altman-Hunt you're almost ready to operate," Owen said.
"You look just like your daddy," Teddy said, "their going to come get us soon can mama help you get ready?"
"No," Leo yelled.
"Leo we need to put some pajamas on and some stickers on your chest," Owen said.
"No it hurts," Leo cried.
"What hurts Leo," Teddy asked.
"Surgery," Leo cried.
His last one a year earlier they had struggled to get the right dose of pain medication, he had metabolized it quickly and everyone had been hesitant to over medicate.
"This time we know how to help you," Owen said.
"And you're only in the hospital one night," Teddy promised, "we can go home after lunch tomorrow."
"Don't leave," Leo sobbed.
"Never baby boy," Teddy promised, "daddy and I will stay here with you tonight."
They had been through the don't leave me years earlier with a 19 year old Annie and it was heartbreaking then but for their 3 year old it was devastating. It took Teddy everything she had not to burst into sobs herself. Instead she held Leo close and gently rocked him.
"Leo it's time to get changed," Owen whispered, "daddy is going to help you while mama gets her scrubs on."
"No," Leo cried, "mama."
Teddy sighed, "he's not going to let go of me Owen. He's holding onto my hair."
"Try standing up with him and sitting on the bed," Owen suggested.
Teddy started to move making Leo sob even harder. She shook her head.
Owen put one hand on Leo's back and used the other to try to untangle his hand from Teddy's hair.
"Come on buddy," Owen said, "come sit with me so mama can get ready to come with us."
"No surgery," Leo sobbed as Owen lifted him away from Teddy.
"You have to buddy," Owen said, "but this is the last one until you're a teenager."
Annie walked in, "hey Leo you almost ready?"
"No," Leo yelled.
"Have mama and daddy shown you this yet," Annie asked.
Teddy looked at what Annie had in her hand, a 3D printed model of a pacemaker. Teddy smiled and gave Annie the thumbs up. Annie passed it to Teddy.
"Leo this is what your pacemaker will look like," Teddy explained, "do you want to hold it?"
Leo nodded cautiously, Teddy passed him the device. She remembered Annie's project about figuring out how to turn children's fear into curiosity about the surgical process.
"Where," Leo asked.
Teddy took the model from him and placed it where it would go under his collar bone, "it will go here and the wires will go from here to your heart."
Teddy traced the path of the wires with her finger.
"Will it hurt," Leo asked.
"Maybe a little when you first wake up," Owen said.
"But you won't notice this is there after a week. Once the stitches are out you'll forget all about it," Teddy promised.
"Promise," Leo asked.
"Promise," Teddy smiled, "I do five or six of these a week. Annie does them two and she's still learning."
"What if Annie put the stickers on you," Owen suggested.
Annie looked at Owen.
"Leads," Owen mouthed.
"I can do that then mama and daddy can go get their scrubs on," Annie smiled, "then I have a story."
"A story," Leo asked.
"A funny story," Annie promised, "but I can't read until you have your pajamas on. Do you want dinosaurs or lions?"
"Lions," Leo roared.
"Let Annie help you and do your stickers daddy and I are going to change," Teddy said. She grabbed the two sets of scrubs from the table. Owen followed Teddy into the bathroom.
Half changed to scrubs Teddy began to cry.
"Teddy what's wrong," Owen asked.
"I'm scared," Teddy said, "what if it doesn't go well."
"It's Maggie, her record is impeccable," Owen said, "I'm worried about it two. He's going to be okay. He has Maggie, Nathan and Alex."
"What if we traumatize him further," Teddy asked.
"This is routine," Owen said , "you do them all the time. You can do 6 or 7 in a day."
"With Annie," Teddy replied, "on my own it's more like 9 or 10."
"What if we sat in the gallery," Owen asked, "so you can see him the whole time."
Teddy nodded, "I want to. And we'll be with him in pre and post op."
"Why do you think we're changing," Owen replied, "we can go right in the OR until he's under."
"I'd feel better staying with him," Teddy said, "I did it for Henry and supervised Christina."
"No Teddy we'll sit together. I need you with me," Owen admitted, "seeing him go in there I think about Annie's surgery and all of Meghan's."
"We can hold each other together," Teddy agreed, slipping her scrub top on.
"We've done it before for far bigger surgeries," Owen replied, wrapping his arms around Teddy and kissing the top of her head.
Teddy sighed, "how do you do that every time?"
"Do what," Owen asked.
"Calm me down when my head is racing and I can't think straight," Teddy replied leaning against him.
"You taught me," Owen said.
"How," Teddy asked.
"I watched you with patients then with our kids," Owen replied, "the same things you do to comfort the kids also work for you."
Teddy pulled back, "are you comparing me to our kids?"
"Maybe," Owen said, "they all learned from you."
"I hate Leo being so upset," Teddy replied.
"Annie should have him ready then you can cuddle him until they take him down," Owen replied.
"On his bed I think," Teddy replied, "if we go back to the rocking chair he won't let go of me."
Teddy and Owen returned to Leo's room and sat on either side of his bed. Annie wordlessly put the book in Leo's lap.
"Daddy read," Leo asked.
"I can read," Owen said, opening the book.
"I'm just going to go grab coffee do you want one," Annie whispered in Teddy's ear.
"Not until he's in the OR," Teddy replied.
Maggie came in, " Good morning Leo, Teddy, Owen."
Leo buried his face in Teddy's side.
"Leo can you say hi to Dr. Maggie," Teddy prompted.
"Hi," Leo mumbelled not looking up.
"Okay Leo," Maggie said, "I just need your mama and daddy to sign a couple more forms then you and I are going to the OR."
"We'll come with you until he's settled," Owen declared, "we're ready."
"I just noticed you're in scrubs," Maggie replied.
"Only until he's under," Teddy clarified.
"Have you told Bailey," Maggie asked.
"No and she won't question it," Teddy stated.
"I'm just going to send Jenna Silverstone up to prep Leo," Maggie said.
"She's neuro," Teddy replied.
"Who needs her last cardio rotation," Maggie declared.
"Leo, Jenna is going to come finish getting you ready," Owen said.
"You like Jenna," Teddy reminded.
"No mama do it," Leo yelled.
"I can help Jenna but she has to do it," Teddy replied, "I'll hold your hand and daddy will hold mine."
Jenna walked in, "Hi Leo, Dr. Altman, Dr. Hunt. Are we ready?"
"He just needs to be prepped," Teddy said, " Annie already placed the leads and his IV. He trusts his sister to do things no one else can with him."
"Is there a kid Annie can't work on," Jenna asked, "they just trust her."
"I don't know why," Teddy said, "I watch her she doesn't do anything special."
"She's Mary Poppins," Jenna laughed, "with her spoons full of sugar and disney songs."
"Her project should be interesting," Alex said, "I've been watching her and talking about her ideas."
"Mama," Leo whined, "don't go."
"I'll hold your hand until it's time for Dr. Maggie to operate," Teddy promised, "but you have to let Jenna get you ready."
"Let Jenna do it buddy," Owen said, "we're right here."
"Stay here," Leo yelled.
"We have to go to the OR," Teddy said.
"What if I carry you," Owen suggested.
"That's not done," Maggie said.
"It's peds were flexible to make them comfortable," Alex said.
"Daddy carry me," Leo said.
"When you're all ready I'll carry you and mama can hold your hand," Owen promised.
Jenna got Leo ready trying to keep up the Mary Poppins act she had seen her best friend do so many times. Jenna hummed the tune Annie often sang to kids, she didn't know the words to the French song.
Leo calmed down hearing the familiar tune.
Teddy had heard the words enough times and began to whisper them in Leo's ear.
"That's Nee's song," Leo said.
"It is," Teddy smiled.
"You don't sing it right," Leo replied.
"I don't speak French," Teddy said, "only Annie speaks french."
"I've heard her sing french lullabies to kids," Jenna said, "does she actually speak it."
"Quebec French," Teddy said, "her grandmere was a French Immersion teacher and taught Annie to speak, read and write it. She was almost fluent. When we went to Paris and Niece she translated."
"You two traveled a lot," Jenna said.
"We did," Teddy smiled.
"Annie had the pictures on instagram when we first met," Jenna said, "when I first met her I thought it was her and a cousin or big sister traveling together."
"We'd both have to fly so why not make it fun," Teddy smiled, "it was the one way she would let me spoil her when she was in school. I would fly her wherever."
"Our rotation in South Dakota when you would facetime I didn't really know that you were her mom," Jenna said.
"She almost didn't do that one," Teddy replied, "it was between that and something in the Canadian Arctic."
"I'm glad she did it," Jenna smiled, "how did you convince her?"
"It's Annie in the cold," Teddy said, "with nowhere to warm up."
"True," Jenna laughed, "yet she loves the ski and the snow."
"Can I ski," Leo asked.
"After your heart is all healed," Teddy promised.
"This year," Leo asked.
"This year," Owen promised.
"Okay Leo you're all ready," Jenna smiled.
"I'm going to push you down in your bed and mama is going to hold your hand," Owen said.
Annie and Josh had been listening in the hall.
"Nee," Leo called as they rolled out of his room.
"Ready Lion man," Annie asked.
Leo asked, "can you sing?"
"What am I singing," Annie asked.
"I butchered the lullaby you sing to him," Teddy replied, "my french stinks."
"How about I sing in the elevator," Annie replied, "too many people here it makes me nervous."
"Now," Leo begged.
"This once," Annie sighed before beginning the lullaby.
At the OR doors Annie stepped back ,"I'll see you after Lion."
"You'll meet us in the gallery," Teddy asked.
"We will," Josh agreed.
Teddy and Owen walked into the OR and helped transfer Leo, they waited while he was given the medications that would put him under general for the surgery. Before they draped him Teddy stopped to kiss his forehead. In the scrub room she began to cry.
"Teddy he's okay," Owen promised, "he has the best team we have."
"It's just our baby boy," Teddy sniffled, "I can bring other mom's babies in there but as soon as it's my baby on that table I can't do it."
"Every time I work on a kid I see ours," Owen admitted, "so I fight even harder to put them back in their dad's arms."
"He looks so tiny and fragile like that," Teddy sniffed.
"He does," Owen agreed, "but it's an hour procedure. He's had longer. You've done longer on him."
"Before he was ours," Teddy cried, "before I fell in love with our little boy."
"He'll be bouncing around in a couple days," Owen promised, "Teddy you could do this in your sleep that's how routine it is."
"On someone else's child not mine," Teddy cried
"Teddy, Teddy just breath," Owen whispered, "look at me."
Teddy stared into his blue eyes, "we can do this. But I don't think I should be in the gallery. I'm going to be telling Maggie how to do it."
"Let's go to your office," Owen said, "it's more comfortable than mine."
"Just us," Teddy said.
"Maggie will call us when she's done and he's in post op," Owen said, "we can sit with him there."
Teddy and Owen walked hand in hand to her office and sat on the couch in silence taking comfort in the others presence. They didn't need to talk, they knew each other so well that just being together was enough.
Teddy's phone vibrated.
Maggie, "he's all good. It went perfectly. Taking him to post op."
Teddy, "on our way."
"He's done," Teddy said, "Maggie said it went perfectly."
"Let's go see our son," Owen smiled.
They walked to post op hand in hand. Teddy paused at the door. Last time she had sat with her child in post op still intubated Annie was her only child.
"Teddy," Owen said, "it's a routine procedure he should be awake any moment."
"I just thought about," Teddy began.
"Annie," Owen said, "this is different. Leo had a perfectly routine surgery that was planned and it went perfectly."
"I know but every time he has a surgery and we wait I think about that night," Teddy whispered.
"It's the night we became parents," Owen said.
"I became mama that night," Teddy said, "you were uncle Owen."
"I'm still her uncle Owen," Owen smiled, "that was the night she became family."
"I know," Teddy replied.
"This isn't that Annie's surgery," Owen said, "breath and let's go see our son."
They walked into post op and Teddy ran her hand over Leo's head, "hi baby boy. Dr. Maggie said you did really well."
"Hey buddy," Owen said, "I'm right here with mama."
"Mama," Leo mumbled, "daddy."
"We're right her little man," Teddy promised.
"I thirsty," Leo whined.
"We can get some water soon," Owen promised, "let Dr. Maggie check on you first."
After Maggie checked Leo over and that his pacemaker was functioning properly, she let Teddy help her progam it before sending him up to the Peds floor.
"Teddy, Owen," Maggie said, "we'll keep him tonight as a precaution but I'm going to discharge him in the morning. He'll heal faster in his own home and after the couple days you've had home is best for all of you."
Teddy gave Maggie a quick hug, "thank you for doing this and looking after Leo."
"Any time," Maggie smiled. In the past couple years she had learned Teddy's weaknesses, her children and Owen. It didn't matter if it was her preschoolers or the resident Teddy was always mama to them first. She didn't understand the full history of Teddy and Owen even though Meredith had tried to explain it when Meghan came home.
They reached Leo's room and saw that it had been decorated with balloons and a new story book about lions with lion pjs sat on the nightstand. It was totally Annie's work. Annie had checked in with them but understood that they needed their space today. Teddy also suspected that Annie might still be a bit stressed and a basket case after the day before.
Annie texted, "glad Leo is doing great. Going to get Ali from Nana. We'll keep her tonight and let you relax with Leo."
Teddy, "are you sure?"
Annie, "treats, princess movies and popcorn she's fine mama. You worry about Leo. Ali and I are together and fine."
Teddy, "thank you sweetheart. Give her kisses for us."
Annie, "we will."
Teddy, "Leo loves his new book and pjs. He says thank you."
Annie, "he's very welcome. Give him a hug and a kiss for me."
Teddy, "I will. Thank you for being the best big sister."
Annie, "I love them. I told you I would make sure they knew their big sister loved them."
Teddy, "you did. They love you."
Teddy turned to Owen, "Annie and Josh are keeping Allison tonight. They were to take her for a few hours for your mom to go to dinner with her bible study group but they've decided to keep Allison and have a fun night with her."
Owen nodded, "I thought they might. Annie's good with her siblings but I hate relying on her so much as our babysitter."
Teddy shook her head, "she always offers. It's the family loyalty thing with her."
Owen replied, "so we're here with this buddy tonight then we go home tomorrow."
"We do," Teddy replied, "lots of cuddles and movies for him."
"We're both off until Monday," Owen said.
"You got Meghan to take your Sunday shift," Teddy asked.
"Kepner owed me one from when she went to visit her parents," Owen replied, "she can't say no to a sick kid."
"Mama," Leo said, "I'm hungry."
"We'll get you something to eat now," Teddy smiled.
Owen had been right this surgery was easier. Teddy let out a sigh of relief. Leo was playing with his stuffed Lion and bear on his bed and wanting food. As hard as it was to see her little boy needing surgery she knew this was the last one for years. He would be in his late teens or early twenties before this would need to be done again and hopefully by then the procedure would be even less invasive and simpler. They had made it through the day. Leo was happy, her girls were together, and she had Owen by her side.