"How are you today, Dr. Altman?" Carina DeLuca welcomed Teddy into her office with a warm smile.
Teddy smiled shyly.
"Just ready to open those results…" she replied.
"Have a seat, Teddy." Carina said as she gestured to a seat in front of her desk.
Teddy was a bit confused and concerned as to why Carina was being so formal, she figured she'd just pick up the envelope with the results and go.
"Is…everything okay?" Teddy asked as she sat down.
"Everything is perfectly fine but you must know, the results didn't come out as accurate as I would have liked." She stated.
Teddy's heart dropped. What did she mean, not as accurate? Did that mean Owen wasn't the father, was the DNA sample provided not good enough?
"What does that mean?" Teddy asked sharply.
"It means, that if you want results with 99.9% accuracy, I need a newer sample. If you're seriously not worried about who the father is and you just had this test done for your, or someone else's peace of mind," Carina said awkwardly, "then these results are perfectly fine to go by."
Carina handed Teddy the envelope. She opened it quickly and immediately went to the results section of the page.
"75.8%," she breathed, "there's a 76% chance that Owen is the father." She gasped as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Teddy rubbed her belly lovingly.
"Is that good enough for you, Dr. Altman? Or would Dr. Hunt prefer a more accurate result?"
At this point Teddy was really crying. Sure, this was enough for her but was it enough for Owen? She didn't know, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out.
"I haven't seen him in weeks," Teddy said quietly, "I'm supposed to meet with him today and give him these test results, to prove to him once and for all that he's the father of this baby…"
Teddy shook her head. She was so scared and didn't know what her next steps would be. Owen would be even more doubtful if the test had to be run again, or would he? Maybe he would understand that the sample was too old and couldn't give the best reading? Her mind was spinning.
"If I know Owen, he'll want a more accurate result." Teddy said.
Carina nodded with a soft smile.
"Okay well, contact Owen and let him know that we have to run the test again, just to be sure and please don't forget to remind him that the previous sample was a little too old, that's all. It doesn't mean he's not the father." Carina said.
"Okay." Teddy said, getting top and gathering her things.
"Also, Dr. Altman? If he could provide a vile of his blood, that would give the most accurate result."
"I'll ask him." Teddy replied and left Carina's office to call Owen.
"Hey." Owen picked up on the second ring.
Teddy swallowed.
"Hey…" she replied softly.
"Is…everything okay?" He asked. "Did you get the results?"
"I did, but Owen…"
"But, there's a but?" Owens tone changed dramatically.
"Owen, just listen to me please? The results were not as accurate as Carina would have liked because the sample I provided was too old." Teddy rambled off.
"I didn't think that was possible but, okay…"
"Well apparently it is. The results say there's a 75.8% chance that you're the father, but if we want a 99.9% result, we need to run another test. Preferably with a vile of your blood, if you're willing." She stated.
Owen was silent for a moment. Truthfully, he didn't want to go through all of this if it turned out that he wasn't the father. But the other side of him thought that 75.8% wasn't so far fetched and with a new test with a fresh sample, he'd get the answer he was hoping for.
"Are you at the hospital now?" He asked.
"Yes, I just left Carinas office." Teddy replied.
Owen took a deep breath, he was about to see Teddy for the first time in months.
"Go back in there and tell Carina I'll be there in fifteen minutes and see if she can prepare another test, please."
A smile stretched across Teddys face. She hoped that Owen would consider taking another test but she assumed he'd need a few days to think about it, nonetheless meeting her here in person.
"Okay, I'll go right now." She stated in a chipper tone.
"See you soon babe." And he hung up.
Babe. Babe? Owen hadn't called Teddy babe since…well since the day of their wedding. What had come over him? Nevertheless, Teddy sprinted back into Carinas office.
"Back so soon Dr. Altman?" Carina laughed.
"Owens coming! He's coming here, to run a blood test and submit a new paternity test!" Teddy beamed.
"I take it the conversation went well?" Carina asked.
"Better than I expected, that's for sure." Teddy smiled. "So, do you have time to run another test?"
"I did get paged, a laboring mother is on her way but she's not very far along it sounds like. I could squeeze this in before I see her."
"Thank you." Teddy said.
"When will Dr. Hunt be here?" Carina asked as she started to prepare what she could for the test.
"He said he's fifteen minutes out." Teddy replied."
"I think it'll be sooner than that…" Carina smirked nodding towards the doorway where Owen was standing.
Teddys heart took a leap. He hadn't changed, other than the fact that he had a bit more facial hair than usual.
"Owen!" Teddy greeted him.
"Hey Teddy." He smiled gently as he walked over to her.
She wanted to wrap her arms around him so badly. She wanted to hug him, kiss him and scream at the top of her lungs how sorry she was for everything she had done to him and put their family through. But she remained still, and simply smiled back at her fiancé.
Owen looked her up and down and stared lovingly at her little bump, he couldn't help it, he found pregnancy to be so beautiful, especially on her.
"How are you Dr. Hunt?" Carina greeted, "its been awhile."
"Doing okay actually…" Owen huffed and shot a warm look towards Teddy.
"Great! Well, let's get started. I already have everything prepared, all I need is your sample of blood and I'll put a rush on these test results just as I did before." Carina said.
"Perfect." Owen said and rolled up his sleeves.
Within minutes a second paternity test was on its way to the lab. Carina promised she'd have the results by the end of the day for her VIP patient. Owen was willing to grab a coffee with Teddy and talk while they waited for Carina's phone call.
Things were quiet at first. The sun was shining and the Seattle streets were buzzing but Teddy and Owen sat in an awkward silence, not sure who should speak first.
Teddy took a sip of her decaf caramel mocha latte when Owen broke the silence.
"Do you remember the day you told me you were pregnant with Allison, you asked if we could grab a cup of coffee after surgery?" Owen asked.
Teddy had completely forgotten about that, all she remembered was the deafening silence in the OR when she broke the news to Owen in the middle of surgery.
"I actually don't, I just remember blurting it out in the middle of our surgery." Teddy laughed softly, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah…" Owen nodded and laughed too.
Silence again.
"Teddy…"
"Owen…"
They spoke at the same time.
"You first…" Teddy said and gestured for Owen to go on.
"Okay. Teddy, I want to apologize…" he began.
Apologize? For what, she thought. She's the one who broke his trust, slept with another man, a man who he already hated and vice versa. Not to mention on their wedding day and shaking up their whole family. Oh, and throwing another surprise pregnancy into the mix as well.
"What could you possibly be sorry for?" Teddy asked.
"Teddy, there's no doubt that I'm extremely hurt and still angry with you over what you did with Koracick behind my back. However, I'm not a saint. I know I've hurt you over and over, and I know you've had fears and doubts about my commitment to you before. I know you fear that I chose you because of Allison, and when Amelia got pregnant I can see why you got scared that I'd leave you for her if she was having my baby. Not to mention, I didn't pay attention to the signs that you were struggling with your PTSD and depression. If I had been more present…maybe you wouldn't have doubted our love, our relationship…" Owen said sadly.
Teddy started crying. Her heart broke even more seeing Owen so sad, that defeated look on his face…
"Owen," she reached for his hands gently and he allowed it, their first physical contact in months. "You have nothing to apologize for, this was all me. Do you hear that? All me. You have done nothing but prove your love, loyalty and commitment since the moment you told me how much you love me as I gave birth to our daughter and when you proposed. You have done everything right. You have been the perfect man, even though you say you're not. I never should have doubted you, but my pain and trauma got the best of me. Tom got in my head and I allowed it. Owen, I'm so sorry…I don't know how you can or ever will love or trust me again but I will do everything in my power to show you how much I love and trust you. I'm going to get help, I'm going to conquer these demons that I've never properly handled. I'm going to be a good parter to you and mother to our children and I am never, ever going to make the same mistakes I did again. Ever."
Owen nodded like he accepted her words.
"Teddy, I forgave you a long time ago, I was just too proud and angry to admit it. And I still want to give Koracick a piece of my mind but…I love you too damn much to ever let you go and let him win. I never stopped loving you and I never will. No matter what happens, my answer will always be that I love you. I love you, Teddy. And if the baby isn't mine…we'll figure it out, because I can't leave you. Fate brought us together from the moment we shared that OR in Iraq, when Henry passed, when you moved to Germany, when Amelia and I divorced, when I flew to Germany and we made love for the very first time and created our beautiful daughter…that was all meant to be and I'm not chancing that for anything." Owen stated.
By now Teddy was crying her eyes out. She wasn't sure if it was Owens words, the hormones or a combination of both, all she knew was she felt the biggest wave of relief and loved Owen more in this moment than she ever had before. She would never take this love for granted again.
Owen took her face in his hands and wiped away her falling tears with his thumbs.
"Come here…" he said as he smashed his lips with hers for the first time in a long time.
They kissed and kissed, both crying at this point. They missed each other so much. People were staring but they didn't care. They kissed for a good hour straight, full audience and all.
"What do you say we go back to the house, wait to hear from Carina?" Owen suggested with a mischievous smile.
Teddys second trimester hormones were craving Owen and by now the kissing was simply not enough.
"I think that's a great idea!" Teddy beamed.
Once back at the house, Teddy settled in while Owen scanned the rooms.
"I almost forgot what this place looked like…" Owen muttered.
"Yeah, not as clean as I would have liked but with toddler and a baby, things don't stay clean and organized for long." Teddy said awkwardly.
"Yeah," Owen laughed softly, "I'm sorry I wasn't around much to help you these last couple of months Teds…"
Teddy walked over to Owen and kissed him deeply.
"Its fine, you needed time. You're here now, that's all that matters." She smiled.
"Theres just one more room I have yet to see…" Owen said.
Teddy giggled and brought him to their bedroom. They didn't show it but they worried that it would be uncomfortable at first, having sex for the first time but it wasn't. They fell together in perfect synchrony. Kissing slowly and tearing eachothers clothing off piece by piece. Owen appreciated Teddy from every angle, giving extra care and love to her growing up. Teddy grazed Owens chest and torso, scratched his back and pulled at his fiery hair with all the love and passion in the world. She didn't moan frivolously like she did with Tom, she screamed. Screamed for the passion and ecstasy only Owens touch could give her.
They made love over and over again for hours until Teddys phone rang.
Carina. The final results were in.