A booming sound thundered through the bay amplified by the long narrow body of water. A plume of thick black smoke began to rise from one of the other camps. In the kitchen the old marine radio crackled with a distress signal.
"Let's move," Owen roared, "any first responders and surgeons get what gear you can."
Annie, Josh, Teddy and Jenna sprang up, the women pulling the hair elastics off their wrists and turning ponytails into messy buns to get their hair out of their way. The McKellar family watched as Owen and Teddy instantly took control of the situation directing people to gather the materials needed and deciding who would be part of the team that would go. They knew from the previous spring that Teddy ran the entire hospital and had heard a couple days before that both Owen and Teddy had served in the american military together.
"Mama," Annie asked, "full field trauma."
"Hunt is our head of trauma, he's running the scene. Shannon I want you and Jenna on triage, Chris rescue teams. Annie, Josh you know what to do," Teddy commanded.
"How can I help," Dan asked.
"Ellie and Tyler," Annie said, "Dan I have to go to work. We need you to babysit."
"Take my boat," Dan said, "there's a first aid kit in the center seat."
"Get everything we can carry from the first aid room," Owen commanded, "surgeons any personal kits need to come."
Annie and Josh dashed back to their cabin for the small portable kits they both carried and their stethoscopes.
"Can we come," Allison asked.
"No Allison," Teddy said, "we have to go save people. You need to stay here with the other kids and listen to the adults. Dad and I can't worry about you out there."
"Teddy I have them," Dan said, "I can do four kids and will have help."
"Tyler has a couple bottles in the fridge," Jenna called jogging past.
"Ellie has a sippy cup in the fridge for bedtime if we're not back," Annie added, "she can have cows milk or water in a sippy cup with dinner. Do not give her juice, she gets cranky with too much sugar."
Those with medical and emergency training loaded into the boats and sped down the bay to see how they could help. They arrived to mass chaos and panic. Young guides trying to move equipment but leaving injured people.
"Who's in charge here," Owen demanded.
"Robert owns the place," a kid said pointing to the man yelling to save the equipment.
Owen and Teddy jogged over.
"Sir," Owen said, "I'm Major Owen Hunt US Army Medical Command, this is Major Theodora Altman. We're both surgeons and want to help. We brought a team of surgeons and first responders from the Otter Bay Cannery. Do you want us to help?"
"Please," the man said, "can you help?"
"We can," Teddy replied, "we have three more surgeons all of us trauma trained, one is a neuro suregon, myself and my daughter are cardio, Owen and Josh are trauma, we have four paramedics, a nurse and five firefighters."
Annie joined them, "has the coast guard been called?"
"I don't know," Robert said.
"We need the coast guard to send the chopper and the big cutter," Annie said, "Josh is already working on stabilizing a crush injury. Jenna has an open head laceration, with blown pupils. She needs a drill."
"A drill," Robert asked.
"Dewalt works," Owen said, "I'll help Jenna with burr holes."
"How do we know you can help us," Robert asked.
"Sir," Teddy said, "I've served 10 years with medical command, Owen served 8. We're all surgeons. I'm chief of surgery at a major research hospital in Seattle. We've done this before. We can help if you'll let us."
"Please," Robert replied.
"We'll get this setup then," Teddy commanded.
"Chief what's the plan," Owen yelled.
"We need triage set up," Teddy replied, "away from the blast site. Close to the dock."
"Fire fighters are already trying to get the blaze out," Owen said, "paramedics are with Chris moving people."
"Do you have any fire fighters or paramedics on your team," Teddy asked Robert.
"I have two medical students," Robert declared.
"Send them to us," Teddy said, "we will use them where we can."
"Chief" Owen said.
"It's hands Hunt," Teddy declared, "I took Annie into blast injuries as a med student."
"Your daughter with you. You knew what she could do," Owen barked.
"Throw them in," Teddy replied, "we have Katie helping. Hunt it's go time. You run it, Mass traumas are your thing."
Teddy and Owen jogged to where triage and treatment were happening.
"I need a chest tube," Annie yelled, "second hands."
Katie knelt beside Annie, "can I help?"
"Hold him still," Annie said, "I have no anesthetic, it's going to hurt and he's going to fight it."
"What can I do," Katie asked.
"Hair back and under your hat," Annie commanded, "gloves first."
"Annie," Katie looked panicked.
"Dr Altman here," Annie snapped, "gloves and a mask now."
Katie grabbed gloves and a mask and held the man still while Annie placed a chest tube.
"Katie what do you hear," Annie asked.
"I don't know," Katie said.
"Listen to the heart, we know the left lung collapsed," Annie replied, "the chest tube will help his breathing."
"It sounds like a heart," Katie said.
"No theres a murmur," Annie declared, "watch him closely."
"How do you know," Katie asked.
"Close your eyes and listen Katie," Annie directed, "block the rest of the sounds out."
"Not the time Dr. Altman," Teddy directed, "I need your hands here for a penetrating chest wound."
"We can't operate, we can stabilize," Annie replied.
"I know," Teddy agreed.
They worked quickly getting the injured people stabilized almost two hours later the coast guard ship that could evacuate the injured people arrived.
"Who did this," the coast guard officer asked.
Teddy strode towards him, "Major Theodora Altman, US Army Medical command. I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon and chief of surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial in Seattle. I have a team of my surgeons."
"Thank you mam," the coast guard officer replied, "I'm Captain Drummond."
"Captain do you want your teams to take over," Teddy asked.
"What do you have here mam," Captain Drummond asked.
"Major Owen Hunt is a trauma surgeon, his fellow Dr. Joshua Riggs, my fellow Dr. Grace Altman, a neuro fellow Dr. Jenna Silverstone, a nurse, four paramedics and three medical students," Teddy replied.
"You travel with your fellow," Captain Drummond said.
"She's also my daughter," Teddy replied, "we're on a family vacation then when we heard the explosion we had to come help. Hunt and I are married and so are my daughter and Dr. Riggs."
"How many patients," Captain Drummond asked.
"15 so far," Owen replied joining them.
"Two more sir," Chris yelled.
"Six red, 7 yellow, two green," Annie yelled.
"Two possibly red," Chris said.
"We can take 10 out now," Captain Drummond said, "the chopper should be coming and we will call for a second boat."
"Get any rescue vessels you can in," Teddy commanded.
"We put the call out," Captain Drummond said, "coming from Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Nanimo, Campbell river and Nootka. Can you keep your team here to help mam?"
"We will stay until the last patient is safely on their way to the hospital," Teddy declared.
They heard a helicopter coming in, the pilot decided he could take two patients and the two most critical were prepared for transport. They worked until late in the evening, with batteries and powerful spotlights being brought up from the Otter Bay Cannery."
"Dan," Annie yelled, "why are you here?"
"Setting up lighting for you and stabilizing this dock," Dan barked.
"You were in charge of Ellie and Tyler," Annie screamed.
"My mom has them," Dan said, "Annie it's an all hands on deck emergency. Grandmere and Wendy have all the kids. Ellie ate dinner and had a fully sippy cup of normal milk. My mom will give her her other cup and put her to bed with a story and a song."
"Grandmere doesn't mind," Annie asked.
"Your grandmere is happy to," Dan said, "she loves babies and little ones. Seven kids 23 grand kids 8 great grand kids she knows what she's doing."
"Annie you have a patient coming," Owen commanded, "with me. Josh goes with Teddy on the other."
Dan watched as the two teams took on working with their patients.
"Black," Annie whispered, "we don't have the equipment here."
"What can we do," Owen asked, "think Annie."
"If we had an OR," Annie said, "we don't even have pain meds."
"Comfort," Owen said.
"He was too close to the blast," Annie whispered.
"I know," Owen agreed, "what could you try?"
"You told that story about laying on the person," Annie remembered.
"We cant lose a surgeon to that," Owen said, "not with only five of us."
"Dan," Annie suggested, "Chris?"
"Chris is leading rescue efforts," Owen said, "I don't think Dan is metally ready but we need him."
"Ask," Annie said.
"You go," Owen said.
"What if we tie off the legs tourniquet above the knee," Annie suggested.
"That will help," Owen agreed.
"I'm not a trauma surgeon," Annie said, "I haven't done trauma since Jessica."
"I know," Owen said, "you can do this."
"Dan," Annie called, "we need you."
"What can I do," Dan asked.
"Help Owen hold pressure on the abdomen while I stop the bleeding," Annie said.
"Dan," Owen said, "it's a long shot without an OR. He's a big guy, you're going to use your body weight to keep pressure so we can work."
Dan held body weight on the patient while Annie worked with Owen to try to save him.
"I lost his pulse," Annie declared.
"Pupils," Owen said.
"Nothing," Annie said, "he's gone."
"Call it," Owen commanded.
Annie checked her watch, "time of death 21:45."
"Annie," Dan said, "are you okay."
Annie stood and rolled her shoulder's back, "there wasn't much we could do here."
"It was a long shot in the hospital," Owen said, "you made the right call Annie."
"I hate losing them," Annie admitted.
"I know," Owen said, "I do two. We don't lose many. This is our only loss out of 20. We saved 19 so far. Grab some water and move on."
Annie walked to get water.
"Is she okay," Dan asked.
"She takes losses hard," Owen said, "it takes years to learn to separate them from life. She's still learning. Annie is highly sensitive. She doesn't do loss well yet. She cries over kids she can't save. Dan, we can use your hands if you stay calm and follow directions. We will be another few hours. Don't treat Annie as our daughter doing this, stick with Dr. Altma, it helps her separate work and home."
"Do you always do that," Dan asked.
"We do," Owen replied, "every day at work. Never first names at work unless we're taking a break."
"Really," Dan said.
"Always," Owen said, "now we need to get back to work. Dan it's a long night."
Around two in the morning they finally finished working and the last patient was transported away they loaded into their boats and headed back.
Papa was waiting at the top of the ramp, "there's food in the kitchen."
"I need a shower," Annie said.
"You look like it," Wendy said.
"Shower a piece of toast and bed," Jenna said.
"I agree," Annie said.
"When did you last eat," Wendy asked.
"I don't know but I'm too tired to eat," Annie said.
They made their way in silence down the boardwalk. Grandmere was sitting in the main room of the cabin cradling Ellie.
"She won't stay down," Grandmere said, "she wants you."
"Can you hold her for five more so I can shower," Annie asked.
"Go shower," Grandmere said, "Jenna if you want to go to our building and use that shower it will speed things up."
"Chris was using the one at the cannery," Jenna said.
"Josh was using that one as well," Annie replied, "he may be back before I'm done in the shower. Did she have her milk?"
"I tried," Grandmere said, "she doesn't know me bear. She had about half the cup."
"When I'm not covered in blood, I'll try snuggling her to sleep. I may let her stay in our bed tonight," Annie said.
"Go get cleaned up," Grandmere said, "do you want me to get your pajamas?"
"Please," Annie said, "we'll have a big load of laundry in the morning."
"You can do that," Marie smiled.
"Are you sure it's not too late for you," Annie asked.
"Go shower bear," Marie directed, "Jenna get your stuff and go shower. I'll listen for Tyler."
"Thank you," Jenna yawned.
"We're tired," Marie remarked.
"It was long and physical," Annie said, "let us shower then we'll take the kids to bed."
Annie walked into the bathroom and stripped off her blood soaked clothes.
Josh came back wrapped in a towel.
"Annie is showering," Marie said, "she needs clean clothes she just wanted her dirty stuff off."
"I'll get dressed and grab it," Josh said.
Josh closed the door to their room and pulled on a pair of sweats before grabbing clean clothes for Annie and letting himself into the bathroom with her clothes, stepping out he took Ellie from Marie.
"Daddy," Ellie mumbelled.
"Why are you awake Ellie bug," Josh asked.
"She wants you and Annie," Marie said, "I tried all my usual songs and she would be almost asleep and as soon as I put her in her bed she woke back up."
"She does that," Josh replied, "I'll take her. Thank you so much Marie."
"I love time with them," Marie smiled, "you two were needed to save lives. Did it go well?"
"22 patients total and 21 survived," Josh said, "Annie will need time in the morning. One of hers didn't make it."
"Is she okay," Marie asked.
"We see this. She never likes it," Josh said, "she'll just be quiet."
"Hi," Annie said, stepping out of the bathroom while brushing her hair.
"Feel better," Josh asked, wrapping his arm around her.
"Much," Annie said, "you?"
"Mommy," Ellie mumbleed.
"Hi Ellie bug," Annie said, taking the baby.
"Thank you so much grandmere," Annie said hugging the old woman with her free arm.
"Rest," Marie said, "have a slow morning and I'll see you when your up."
"Good night," Annie and Josh said together before walking into their room and closing the door.
"Milk," Ellie mumbled.
"Sleep baby," Annie suggested.
"Milk," Ellie whined.
"Did she eat," Josh asked.
"Dinner and half her sippy cup," Annie said, "I might bring her into our bed."
"Tonight," Josh replied.
"Let's lay down and cuddle," Annie whispered to Ellie.
Teddy who had been on the last boat back came in. she had sent Annie, Josh, Chris and Jenna back first knowing they were anxious to get back to their babies.
"Your two are sound asleep," Marie told Teddy, "you shower and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Thank you," Teddy replied, "were they good for you?"
"They were," Marie said, "helpful with Ellie and Tyler. They played nicely with the other kids, ate their dinner and cleared the table without being asked."
"Good," Teddy gave a tired smile, "they help with clean up at home."
"I can tell you spend a lot of time with them," Marie said, "they're polite good kids. They had two stories and a couple songs before bed. They knew my lullabies. How would they know my old french ones?"
"Annie sings them," Teddy said, "has to Allison since she was first born, and Leo from the time we met him. I have other ones my mom sang I use. I need to shower and so does Owen."
"Of course," Marie said, "once Jenna is back I'll go to bed."
"Grandmere I have Ty," Chris said coming in, "thank you for looking after him."
"It's how I could help today so you could save lives," Marie said, "we each had a job to do. I'm going to go to bed myself. Good night."
"Good night," Teddy and Chris replied.
"Good work tonight Chris," Teddy praised.
"We all did our jobs," Chris answered, "I'm going to go check on Ty. He'll be awake soon.
"Good night," Teddy said as Chris walked away.
The next morning none of the first responders emerged from their cabins before noon.
"We should debrief," Teddy mumbled over brunch.
"We should," Brian agreed.
They spent a couple hours discussing the day before.
"Dan are you okay," Annie asked.
"It was amazing to see you work like that," Dan said, "watching what you can all do."
"Our patient," Annie said, "are you okay?"
"That was tough," Dan said, "how do you do it everyday?"
"He was a black card when I started working on him," Annie said, "we did what we could. He wouldn't have made it in the hospital. He was too far gone."
"You're okay with that," Dan asked.
"No," Annie said, "but we compartmentalize that's one reason I'm not a trauma surgeon. His blast injuries were too much. Dan we did everything we could. We gave him comfort and he wasn't alone."
"Annie," Katie asked, "can we talk?"
"Sure," Annie replied, "what did you want to talk about?"
"What we did last night," Katie said.
"Sure," Annie said, "I need more coffee."
"So do I," Katie said, "I live on caffeine."
"We did in med school and residency," Annie said, "Josh still does. I've been limiting mine for two years now."
"How did you pick surgery," Katie asked as they poured their coffee.
"I was 19," Annie said, "mama had me start scrubbing in with her. My first trip down I watcher her do a heart transplant and Uncle Owen had me hold a retractor the same day. Being in the OR with them I knew. Do you have an idea what you want to specialize in?"
"I was thinking of a pediatrician or family doctor but after yesterday I don't know," Katie said.
"Do you have more time for summer," Annie asked.
"Two weeks after this," Katie said.
"Let me check with mama but I don't see why you can't come down and observe and maybe scrub in with me," Annie offered.
"But you're a heart surgeon," Katie said.
"Pediatric cardio," Annie clarified, "why family medicine?"
"I want to work with people at all points in their life. I like all areas so it gives me a bit of everything," Katie said.
"Nice hours," Annie said, "shorter residency, no fellowship."
"Two years after medical school," Katie said.
"Compared to five of residency for surgery and two to three as a fellow," Annie replied, "we're not done yet," Annie said, "Josh has a year and I have atleast two left because I took time for Ellie."
"She needed you," Katie observed.
"We needed that time," Annie acknowledged, "Katie promise me that no matter what you choose to specialize in you will still live. I see so many of my friends who think medicine is the only thing that matters. Mama lived that way for a long time. I love what I do and being a surgeon but that's not the most important thing in my life. My family is. I'm happiest with my husband and daughter. Katie you need to live."
"There's no time to date," Katie complained.
"We sorta dated," Annie said, "Josh was my best friend, my favourtie human in school and it slowly built to the romantic side. We moved in together as interns because it made sense. He proposed out second year of residency and we got married at the start of our fourth."
"You moved fast," Katie commented.
"We knew eachother so well we didn't need to do the slow dating thing," Annie replied, "Katie you don't have to follow my path. Mine is different and complicated in parts. I have two totally different sets of parents to navigate which is tricky. I'm closer to mama and uncle Owen who I've called dad for the last year but can't up here."
"When did you stop calling Dan dad," Katie asked.
"Before Ellie was born but after Jessica's surgery," Annie said, "he didn't act like it. He's starting to again slowly."
"Dad said he goes to seattle alot," Katie commented.
"Grand kids," Annie said, "Chris and I are down there with our families."
"Can I ask you some school things from cardio class," Katie asked.
"Totally," Annie smiled, "I love cardio."
"Your mama was using Altman for you last night," Katie said, "in the text books there's something called heart in a box credited to T. Altman and there was an article about the Altman method with T and G altman."
"Mama is Teddy or Theodroa Altman," Annie replied, "T Altman in the book is her. I'm the G Altman in the article. Did the mother daughter team tip you off?"
"I still think of you as McKellar," Katie admitted.
"I haven't been in 9 or 10 years," Annie said, "next time it comes up brag a little. G Altman is your cousin, you get to come on long weekends and scrub in with me. I will answer any questions about that."
"Really," Katie asked.
"We have one scheduled in two weeks do you want to watch," Annie offered, "I might have OR room and a scrub cap for you."
"You'd do that," Katie asked.
"Only for family," Annie replied, "I just need to ask my Chief of surgery if you can scrub in."
Teddy walking past interrupted, "go for it."
"Done," Annie said, "give me dates the Chief said go for it."
"That's your mother," Katie said.
"And my chief," Annie replied, "why do you think we called her Chief yesterday and I was Altman."
"Why aren't you a McKellar," Katie asked.
"Jessica told me I wasn't part of the family anymore when I was 21," Annie said, "so I became Grace Annabeth Altman."
"Did medical school feel like you were still doing the same thing and all your high school friends had real lives," Katie asked.
"Where are you living," Annie asked.
"At home," Katie admitted, "it's cheaper."
"It is," Annie said, "it was different. I was on the other side of the continent living with a roommate. Mama was in Germany and uncle Owen was in Seattle."
"You did it alone," Katie said.
"I had Josh and Steph in Boston," Annie replied.
"How did you have that option," Katie asked.
"I have dual citizenship. I was born in Texas," Annie replied, "think ten years from now where do you want to be?"
"Realistically a pediatrician with my own practice," Katie said, "in a perfect world Meredith Grey or Christina Yang."
"Grey and Yang really," Annie asked, "they work at Grey Sloan. Mama trained Yang. Technically I'm Yang's fellow."
"What about them do you admire," Annie asked.
"They're not that old and have Harper averys and have done amazing things," Katie said, "what are they like?"
"Best friends attached at the hip," Annie said, "mama and uncle Owen call them The twisted sisters. Yang only thinks about hearts, wine and tequila. I've actually worked a lot with Grey. Not surgically but as a mentor. Her mom was Ellis Grey. Mama and I aren't the only parent child team at our hospital. We have Richard Webber and Margaret Pierce then Catherine Fox and Jackson Avery."
"Fox, Avery," Katie gasped.
"Come spend a few days," Annie offered, "scrub in with me. I can introduce you to your idols. Well have a good few days. Stay with us."
"Come scrub with me," Josh said, joining them.
"Really," Katie said.
"Anytime," Annie and Josh said together.
"We had family that brought us into the OR as much as possible as students," Annie said, "I know applying to residencies my name helped."
"Third year cardio class," Josh chuckled.
"What happened," Katie asked.
"There was a big cardio and trauma conference at Harvard. Mama had flown in from Germany to present and was asked to teach our cardio class for a couple days," Annie said.
"But you didn't know she was coming," Josh explained.
"No we sat down and the prof told us a bit about our guest teacher for the next couple days with mama hiding in the wings," Annie said.
"Then I had to stop you from running onstage for a hug," Josh teased.
"I hadn't seen her in like 4 or 5 months," Annie said.
"No one knew that was your mama until she came and said you would be the one to show her around," Josh said.
"I hated the whispers," Annie groaned.
"Then uncle Nathan freaked after trauma class," Josh said.
"That was funny," Annie smiled, "I got you can't be that close to Josh Riggs. He's a Riggs."
"Why didn't you tell me your so called best friend was Annie Altman. Altman come on," Josh laughed.
"What am I missing," Katie asked.
"Meghan and Nathan's story but it's too long for today," Annie said, "we should find our daughter."
"Owen," Josh replied.
"Annie," Katie asked, "did you want to leave?"
"You're asking the hard questions today," Annie replied, "I wanted to go to medical school, I wanted Harvard, that wasn't the question. I didn't understand what I was choosing when I left. I didn't know that I was choosing to go 8 years without seeing my parents. 7 and a half without hugging grandmere. Katie I didn't choose not to be part of this family. I did what I had to to stay alive. I was being physically assaulted by Jessica for years before I left. I will always have the scars from it. I always wanted to come back to visit. I was told no one wanted me, that I wasn't welcome so I gave up to protect myself. I regret not trying harder but I can't go back."
"You're here now," Katie said.
"We are," Annie said, "it's good to be back for a visit. It will always be a visit. My home is in Seattle now."
"With Josh and Ellie," Katie smiled.
"Yes," Annie said, "I would love to talk more Katie but I really need time with my daughter. I missed her yesterday."
"She's a beautiful baby Annie," Katie smiled, "I want more time with her."
"Thank you. You can have all the Ellie time you want when you come visit," Annie promised. She stood up and gave Katie a quick hug before walking to find Owen, Teddy, Ellie and the littles down on the beach.
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