Thursday morning Teddy smiled seeing both Leo and Allison in the back of the truck, they were both going to observe and scrub in at the hospital today.

"How does this work," Leo asked.

"You're with me," Teddy said, "I get everyone's first scrub in. Then Allie you're with dad today."

"I have to be ready to go at 3," Allison said.

"You will be," Owen said, "we're going into remove a bowel obstruction. I think you might be ready for a retractor."

"When did Annie get a retractor," Leo asked feeling competitive.

"She was 19," Owen said, "first time she scrubbed in with me."

"I'm 20," Leo said.

"You haven't asked until now," Teddy said, "we wait for you to ask to come into the OR with us. You're scrubbing in with me today. The first time everyone scrubs in is with me. I get that as your mother."

"Everyone," Leo asked.

"Yes," Teddy said, "when you first start asking to scrub in you get to come in the OR with me."

"What about scrubs," Leo asked.

"A resident will have them for you," Allison said, "and dad had a scrub cap for me the first time I scrubbed in."

"Dad," Leo asked.

"I pick all of your first cap," Owen said, "it's in my bag you can have it when we get to the hospital."

"What's on it," Leo said, "what did Allie get?"

"I have sunflowers," Allison smiled.

"You can see when I give it to you," Owen chuckled.

"I like this," Teddy said, "all of us going together."

"Where's Everly," Leo asked.

"Ash is off and spending the day with her," Allison said.

Asher put Everly in her jolly jumper and answered his phone, "hey mom."

"You and Allison aren't coming until 4 or 4:30 we eat at 5, " Michelle said.

"Allison has to do her hospital volunteer shift until 3," Asher said.

"It's thanksgiving," Michelle argued.

"She needs the hours to get into medical school," Asher said, "she can only get there once every couple weeks and only for a couple hours at a time. She has to do her OR time when there is something and someone who can take her into the OR with them. She's with Owen today."

"So she runs off on your daughter," Michelle said.

"No," Asher said, "I'm home. She's making up hospital time from when I was working out of town. I work Allie goes to school, does the majority of the parenting and works. Ev is with family when we work or Allie is at school. Allie's parents, Annie, Megan, her cousin Nisha is a great babysitter and has been taking Ev once a week. Ev loves Nisha. But Owen is still Ev's favourite. Don't bring up day care with Allie tonight."

"Why not a structured program," Michelle said.

"She can start early intervention the fall she's 2 so next fall," Asher said, "that's 3 days a week for 2.5 hours. So we're hoping to line up Allie's school schedule with that. Then we'll have family help out the other days and times. Allison has gotten really good at balancing everything. Ev will be in full day preK or kindergarten when Allie starts med school and if we have to do before and after school care then we will."

"How is Ev doing we haven't seen her in a while," Michelle said.

"She's bouncing in her jolly jumper," Asher said, "she can push off her feet now when her weight is supported but she's 18 months. She's going to need support for a while. She's standing with support now. We don't know when she'll walk. Physio is hopeful she will walk with mobility aids."

"What do we tell you siblings," Michelle asked.

"That Everly is doing well," Asher said, "she's gotten really talkative now. She has lots of words and a few 2 and 3 word phrases. Lub dada is my favourite or want cookie."

"Tonight what do we need for her," Michelle asked.

"She eats everything," Asher said, "her favourite food is what's on Allie's plate even if Ev has the same thing she wants Allie's. A highchair is helpful for dinner but we have a folding one we can bring."

"Is she sitting," Michelle asked.

"She sits, stands with help, crawls and scoots, rolls," Asher said, "doesn't stop talking. We understand what she's saying. Iten for the kitten. Teddy and Owen just got a new kitten and Everly is obsessed. If you could make sure theres nothing on the floor for her to eat or get stuck crawling over would be great."

"I will and we'll see you later," Michelle agreed.

"Can you ask Renee to put the purity crap away for one night and just be nice to Allie," Asher asked.

"I will remind her," Michelle agreed.

"Thank you," Asher said, "we'll see you later."

At the hospital Teddy commanded, "Allison show your brother where to get scrubs."

Allison led Leo to the resident's locker room.

"You have both here," Annie said, "all of us?"

"All three," Teddy beamed, "I want a picture of this."

"Mama," Annie groaned, "it's cute for those two. Me not so much."

"I want one of the three of you in scrubs and caps," Teddy said, "all five of us."

"This once," Annie grumbelled, "no social media."

In the resident's locker room Allison took two sets of scrubs out of the machine and chucked a set at Leo.

"Large," Leo asked.

"Unisex," Allison said, "mine are smalls."

"Are you really changing here," Leo asked as Allison pulled her shirt off.

"We're siblings and it's the only change room," Allison said, "change mom and dad don't wait."

"Here really," Leo asked.

"Yes," Allison said, "go fast. I have more to worry about than you anyway."

"Hows Asher," Leo asked with his back to Allison.

Allison answered "good. We're talking about another 2-3 week out of town stint in January or February. We hate it and it sucks but the money is good."

"Do you need him to," Leo asked.

"It works out to triple time when he's away," Allison said, "the money is needed. We don't have a lot of extras and Ev's extra stuff is expensive. We're okay. We're doing better. He's only going to take a 2 week out of town one then he goes to school in March for a month so if he can go in January for a couple weeks it gives us a cushion."

"Mom and dad," Leo asked.

"Help when we need them to," Allison said, "but we're really trying."

In scrubs they met their parents at the nurses station.

"That's something to see," Bailey smiled at them all.

"All three here," Teddy beamed, "scrubbing in today."

"I don't know what I have after my valve," Annie said, "I'm on call today so we'll see and I thought I was covering all of cardio?"

"I'm here," Teddy said, "anything big we'll do together."

"Leo is with you," Annie said, "Allie want to come do a valve?"

"Valve with Annie or my bowel resection," Owen asked.

"Bowel," Allison said, "you promised a retractor."

"My valve is in 10," Annie said, "I was going to scrub. The bowel is after my valve you could do both."

"Can I," Leo asked.

"We can catch the second half of the bowel," Teddy said, "we're doing a pacemaker. But all of you together in scrubs."

"All of us," Annie said.

Teddy got Bailey to take the pictures of her three kids in scrubs together for the first time then of the five of them.

"Happy," Owen whispered.

"Yes," Teddy beamed, "the three of them will be quite the team."

"She'll teach them won't she," Owen said.

"I think she will," Teddy said, "we taught Annie and she'll teach her siblings. It's time for us to step back more and let Annie's generation do more teaching."

"I'm residency director," Owen said, "but yes they're ready to step up."

"The first class I took from start to finish," Teddy said.

"Can you two stop making me feel short," Annie asked, standing on her tip toes with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry little sister," Leo teased before crouching beside Annie.

"That's better Lion man," Annie smiled putting her arm on top of his head.

"Rarr," Leo laughed.

Annie laughed, "Bean let's go scrub."

"Let go," Allison said, jamming her cap on her head.

Annie put on her own cap and led Allison to the scrub room.

"Thats a first," Teddy said, "the girls scrubbing in together. I feel old all of a sudden. Owen I'm old!"

"No," Owen promised, "you are my Teddy."

"I'm proud of them," Teddy smiled.

"Me two," Owen said, "now we have the final scrub cap for our kids. Leo?"

"The first time," Leo asked.

"Yes," Owen said, "the first time you get to scrub in. I chose this one for you, I've chosen all of yours. All three. This one is different, our only boy, our son."

"What is it," Leo asked.

Owen took the scrub cap out of his lab coat pocket, "this is yours."

Leo took the cap from his dad, on it was a pirate's treasure map.

"A treasure map," Leo said.

"A treasure map," Owen said, "we've had a journey getting here and it's not over yet. Leo we are proud of you. You found us in the most unconventional way and from the first night I sat with you you were mine. You're our adventurer travelling and trying new things away from here away from us. We are so proud of you and want you to go on your adventures and see the world. Go out and make a difference and you can always come home to us."

"Leo," Teddy said, "the map is to remind you that no matter how far you travel, how far you go there is always a way home. We are always going to be here and love you. You are going to go on big adventures and do big things. We know you are going to be the one who goes on the big adventures and calls and emails home to tell us all about it. We are so proud of the man you're becoming. The growth we've seen in the last two years I am impressed. Leo you are a wonderful young man. I am so proud of you and your strength."

"Thanks," Leo said, he put his cap on, "how do I look."

"Like a surgeon," Teddy smiled wiping tears from her eyes.

"Mom don't cry," Leo said.

"My last baby to scrub in for the first time," Teddy sniffled.

"Mom," Leo groaned, "you have Ellie next."

"No," Teddy said, "Annie will get her first scrub in. You scrub in first with your mom. Annie, you, Allie with me. Faroke scrubbed in with Megan first. Bailey got Joey and Tuck, Grey with Zola and her Bailey. Kepner and Harriett. We have a tradition here. You're the last of my three. Let's go buddy."

"What do we need to do," Leo asked.

"I need to introduce you to the patient and let them know I have a pre med student today," Teddy explained, "I only reveal that you're my son if asked. It's the tradition."

"Annie," Leo asked, "Allison?"

"Allison people knew right away," Teddy replied, "they will with you two. But when Annie was pre med she was still using McKellar. It wasn't as obvious."

"In the OR," Leo asked.

"You stand on my left, 2 steps over and one step back," Teddy directed, "stay out of the way of my arm. And out of my range of motion. I will tell you when to come closer. You can ask questions but other than that you are silently observing. I will ask you to join the conversation when it's a good time for you two. What ever chatter happens in the OR stays in the OR."

Annie and Allison scrubbed into OR 4, Owen stood in the gallery above and smiled down at his daughters. He snapped a picture of the two of them, suddenly so alike.

"Ready bean," Annie asked.

"Ready Nee," Allison responded.

Annie held out her hand, "10 blade."

The scrub nurse put the scalpel in her hand and Annie made her first incision.

"McRae you can separate the ribs," Annie directed her resident, "Allison tell me what you see."

"Blood," Allison said.

"What else," Annie asked.

"The muscle looks different then when I scrub in with mom," Allison said.

"Ped's patient," Annie said, "we're replacing a bicuspid aortic valve."

"Everly," Allison said.

"Why I wanted you to scrub with me today," Annie said, "this patient is 8 and a worst case scenario. Ev comes for an echo in 2 weeks but I think she's good."

"Why today," Allison asked.

"Because your ready and I'm in the OR on a day you're here," Annie smiled, "one day I want to bring both of you in and have Mama and Uncle Owen in the gallery."

"As residents," Allison said, "the three of us. One day can all 5 of us?"

"Maybe," Annie agreed, "that would be cool but there's not a lot of overlap with Mama and I now. It's rare that we get to operate together. When you do your residency if you are here I want to teach you. I think you'll be a great fit in peds. Your experience as a mom is going to make you a great peds surgeon."

In the other scrub room Teddy turned to Leo, "do exactly as I do."

"I've watched you wash your hands my whole life," Leo groaned.

"Scrubbing is different," Teddy said, "do as I do."

Leo copied his mom to scrub in and followed her into the OR.

"Ready," Teddy asked Leo.

"I'm ready," Leo agreed.

Teddy took her place at the OR table with Leo at her elbow, "10 balde."

The scrub nurse handed Teddy the scalpel.

"Leo last chance if your feeling squeamish," Teddy said.

"No," Leo said, "I've had 2 in my life I can do this."

"You can," Teddy said, "you're ready. I wouldn't ask you to scrub in with me and dad wouldn't have given you your cap if you weren't."

"The girls were younger," Leo said.

"You're all on your own paths," Teddy said, "Leo as long as you are happy and healthy."

That afternoon Allison rushed inside to shower after Annie drove her home.

"You're late," Asher said.

"I know," Allison said, "the bowel resection went long and mom and Leo joined dad and I because there was a cardiac complication. Asher, I'm going to be a surgeon. This will happen as I'm training. I need 20 to shower and dry my hair. My outfit is on our bed."

"My mom wanted us as early as possible," Asher sighed.

"Then let me get ready and I'll do my make up in the car," Allison said.

Allison rushed through getting ready while Asher got Everly dressed.

They pulled into Asher's parents driveway and Allison tensed.

"If they're rude we'll leave," Asher promised, "Allie we won't put ourselves through that."

"Renee," Allison said.

"We'll go in and be nice," Asher said, "they just want to see Ev."

"I know," Allison said getting out and unbuckling Everly, she held the baby on her hip.

"Mama down," Everly said.

"Inside," Allison said.

"Stand," Everly tried.

"Inside," Allison promised.

They let themselves into the house and slipped into the living room trying not to be noticed.

"There's Everly," Mark smiled reaching for the baby.

"She just wants to go down," Allison said, "she's asking to stand."

"Let see her standing," Michelle said.

Allison knelt on the living room floor and set Everly on her feet keeping one hand around the little girl's waist.

"Mama down," Everly said.

Allison moved her hand away and Everly stayed standing. Slowly Allison lowered her arm.

"Ash," Allison gasped, "she's standing on her own."

"She is," Asher smiled, "she did it. She's standing."

"She's standing," Allison beamed, "take a picture Ash."

Asher took a picture.

"She's getting strong," Mark agreed.

Then Everly lost her balance and tumbelled backwards towards the floor. She began to scream when she hit the floor.

Allison scooped her up, "that was scary wasn't it? You were so strong standing princess. You are getting so strong. I'm proud of you."

Allison held Everly close as the baby cried.

Asher put his arms around both of them, "Ev it's okay. You're okay. We have you. Did she hit her head?"

Allison ran her fingers gently over the back of Everly's head.

"I feel a bump," Allison said, "I'm calling mom and Jenna. Her shunt."

"Give it a minute," Asher suggested.

"I'm texting," Allison said.

She texted Jenna what happened and was told to watch for symptoms of the shunt malfunctioning but that 95% it would be fine.

"Is she okay," Michelle asked.

"We'll watch but she's settled," Allison smiled at her daughter, "can I help?"

"Just carrying the last couple things to the table," Michelle said, "Ev does she like a fork or a spoon?"

"Both," Allison said, "but usually her fingers. We're working on it."

"Cup," Michelle asked.

"We have her sippy cup," Allison said, "I just need water for it."

"Water," Michelle asked.

"Or milk," Allison said, "but we're trying to do water with meals."

"She's your baby sweetheart," Michelle said.

"Not a baby anymore," Allison sighed.

"Always your baby," Michelle said.

The rest of the evening passed surprisingly smoothly. It seemed like Asher's family had taken them not being round seriously and that they now understood that Asher and Allison would not tolerate being bullied.