Leo had flown in on a last minute flight and made it to Grey Sloan just in time. The family gathered around Evelyn's bed as the woman struggled for breath. Owen and Megan held her hands sitting on either side of the bed. David sat beside Megan holding Evelyn's shoulders and praying.
"Mom it's okay," Megan whispered, "mommy you can let go. It's okay we're fine. Owen and I are good. The kids are good."
"Mom it's time," Owen said, "go see dad. We love you."
"We love you Evelyn," Teddy said squeezing her mother in law's arm, " we love you and we're okay. We're going to be okay. You've been my mother for so long. We're okay. If you're ready you can let go."
"It's okay ma," Nathan said, "we'll be fine. I love you. You were my mom for so many years."
"Mom it's time," Owen said, "mom it's okay."
Annie stood at the foot of the bed with Leo, Allison, Faroke and Catrina. Matt, Henry, Heather and Ellie stood on either side. Josh, Asher and Nisha stood slightly behind their spouses.
"Nana it's okay," Annie said, "nana we love you. It's okay we love you. Give grandmere and papa hugs for me. Thank you for always accepting me as one of yours from the first time I appeared in your living room. I love you nana. I'm going to be okay. Nana we love you. It's okay, we're all going to be okay."
Annie gave the old woman's foot a squeeze.
"We're okay nana," Faroke said, "we're all together we're okay. We're going to be okay."
"I love you nana," Allison blubbered, "I love you and Everly loves you."
"Nana we'll be okay," Leo assured, "I love you."
"I love you nana," Catrina sobbed.
Everyone took their turn to say good bye and tell Evelyn they loved her.
Outside the door Bailey stood guard turning nurses away.
"No," Bailey barked, "that's Evelyn Hunt. Give the dying woman some peace with her family. Let them have peace. Let them say goodbye without you pushing in and interfering."
The family stood around the bed speaking softly to Evelyn assuring her that they were fine and she was very loved.
The monitor flatlined and Nathan turned it off.
"Time," Teddy sniffled.
Faroke checked his watch, "22:47."
"We should pray," David said.
Everyone nodded and held hands. David's voice broke as he prayed, tears spilling down his cheeks. When he finished the family collapsed sobbing in eachothers arms.
"Evelyn," a tall blonde woman with bright green eyes asked, "Evelyn Hunt?"
"Yes," Evelyn replied, "do I know you?"
"I'm June Altman," June introduced, "we haven't met but you know my daughter."
"You're Teddy's mom," Evelyn brightened.
"Yes," Jane said, "thank you for taking care of her for so long. She needed you."
"I love her," Evelyn said, "and I think you got to meet Annie."
"Our baby bear, yes," June said, "it broke my heart when Teddy decided to give her up. I knew it was best for Teddy and for Annie at the time but I'm so glad they found each other. They're quite a team."
"Yes," Evelyn agreed, "they are an incredible team."
"And your Owen is a wonderful man," Jane said, "he's what we wanted for Teddy her whole life. Someone who sees all of her and loves her for exactly who she is."
"She does the same for him," Evelyn agreed, "you never got to meet Leo and Allison."
"No,I wish we had, they make Teddy so happy, her kids are what makes her happy," June said, "but we watch them and Ellie, Matt, Henry, Heather and Everly. It's the best show I've ever watched."
"Do you know where we are," Evelyn asked.
"Heaven," June replied, "there is a man waiting for you. Your first husband wants to see you."
"Robert is here," Evelyn asked.
"He is," June assured, "he's missed you. We watch the kids together. Henry joins us sometimes. Henry has favourites."
"Teddy and Annie," Evelyn guessed.
"Annie," June replied, "as he said one time. Teddy is tough and she has you and her dad and Owen looking out for her. Annie needed a guardian angel so he gave himself that role. Owen really needs someone right now."
"Are they okay," Evelyn asked.
"Heart broken," June admitted, "Owen and Megan are having a hard time. So is David. Teddy will overwork herself trying to be everything to everyone."
"She does that when she's triggered," Evelyn replied.
"She always has," June agreed, "when we lost her dad. When she gave up Annie as a baby."
"Annie was so good for her and Owen," Evelyn said, "softened them in ways I didn't think possible. But skiing and Highland games, med school applications and first scrubbing in."
"I know," June agreed, "Teddy was at peace when she had Annie in her life again, when she could see her smile and hear her laugh. I want to know about our other grandchildren. I never got to meet Allison and Leo. I wish I got to hold our great grand kids."
"They're incredible," Evelyn replied, "Leo is the kindest boy. He went through a phase around when everly was born but he's great now. Allison is the most driven person I've met. How does this work watching them?"
"We see all of them but I can only see everything for Teddy and most of Annie," June explained, "my Robert can see all of Teddy and then some of Annie and the other kids. We think it has to do with who we knew and interacted with in life."
"Evelyn," Henry greeted, "status updates: kiddo is devastated but will be okay. She's learned how to do this sadly, me, Jessica, her grandparents, Leslie. Mama Bear is doing her over protective thing. Owen is a mess. That Josh guy is upset. I like him and little bear though."
"Henry," Evelyn smiled hugging the man.
"It's fun to appear in random places for them sometimes," Henry said, "I like OR 3."
"OR 3 why," Evelyn asked.
"I get to haunt it," Henry chuckled, "tell them how happy I am for them. I watched Annie operate on my nephew in there. She was a fellow. I told her she could do it the whole time. I watched her and Teddy do the first Altman's. I like the gallery."
"Evelyn," a man with red hair asked.
"Robert," Evelyn gasped, "Rob!"
"Ev," Robert Hunt smiled hugging her.
"But I," Evelyn said.
"I know you remarried," Robert said, "I never wanted you to be alone Ev. And the kids wow."
"We have grandchildren and great grandchildren," Evelyn said.
"I know we do," Robert smiled, "the great grand kids freaked Owen out at first."
"I know they shocked him," Evelyn said, "can you see them?"
"I can but Owen and Megan are clearest to me," Robert said, "we can watch the kids together."
"I almost lost Megan," Evelyn said, "she was with."
"I know exactly where she was," Robert said, "who do you think kept her safe and looked out for her. She was so scared."
"We all we're," Evelyn said, "thinking we lost her."
"You should have seen the first time she held Faroke when she adopted him," Robert said, "the way she scooped up that little boy and held him. He was so sick too. He had TB but she didn't care she just held him and treated him and comforted him."
"She's told me," Evelyn said.
"They're extraordinary," Robert said, "and have quite the cheering section."
"Really," Evelyn asked.
"The Altman's, Henry, Doug and Marie McKellar, Dan Mooney, Richard Webber checks in," Robert said, "we watch them together."
Allison woke up sobbing.
"Shh babe you're okay," Asher soothed.
"I miss nana," Allison bawled.
"I miss her too," Asher soothed, "she's in heaven. She's not sick anymore, she's not in pain."
"But watching her," Allison whimpered.
"That was hard," Asher agreed, "that was really hard."
"Is Ava still with Ev," Allison asked, "we have to tell her nana died. We've never talked to her about this."
"Ava is still on our couch," Asher assured.
"How do we tell Everly," Allison asked, "she doesn't know what death is. We haven't lost a pet in her lifetime, much less a person. I can't understand it."
"We have to plan a funeral," Owen said, woodenly getting dressed.
"Owen take some time," Teddy said, "grieve."
"She's gone," Owen said, "my mom is gone."
"I know," Teddy said, "I miss her too. It's okay to feel it. Owen let yourself feel it please."
"Dad," Owen asked.
"She'll get to see your dad," Teddy assured.
They all met in Teddy and Owen's kitchen for a late breakfast.
"Why are you sad," Everly asked Owen, giving him a hug.
"Nana died last night," Allison told Everly.
"What's died," Everly asked.
"Dying is when a person or an animal isn't alive anymore," Allison explained, "nana isn't alive."
"Can we call nana," Everly asked.
"No," Asher said, "she's gone. We can't phone nana or send her videos or go see her. Nana is dead when people die they don't come back. We believe that they go to heaven."
"We won't see nana again princess," Owen said, "nana isn't alive anymore. Her heart stopped beating and her brain and body shut down."
"She was very very old," Teddy told the little girl.
"We know Nana loved you very much and was always happy to see you," Allison said.
"No Nana ever," Everly asked.
"Yes," Asher said, "we won't see nana again."
"Nanas gone away," Everly asked.
"No," Teddy said, "Nana is dead. We can't see nana."
"No Nana ever," Everly cried.
"Yes," Allison said.
Everly began to cry.
"We feel really sad too," Allison said, taking Everly in her arms.
Leo joined them and the family huddled into a group hug.
"What happens next," Leo asked.
"We'll plan a funeral," Teddy replied, "you'll fly back afterwards."
"But you and dad need me," Leo said.
"I know you want to stay and be with us," Teddy assured, "Leo you have to go back to school. Dad and I have each other."
"What's a funeral," Everly asked.
"A funeral is a church service that helps us to say goodbye to nana," Teddy explained, "we'll go to Opas church and people will say nice things about nana and things they'll miss about her."
"Is Nana scared," Everly asked.
"No," Asher said.
"Is nana sleeping," Everly asked.
"No," Allison replied, "when you die your body stops working. All of your organs and your brain shut down, your heart stops."
"Can we see Nana," Everly asked.
"No princess," Allison replied, "you saw her three days ago at the hospital and you gave her a big hug and kiss then."
"Why did Nana die," Everly asked.
"She was very old," Allison said, "Nana was almost 100 years old. And she has been very sick for a long time."
"Grandma and Grandpa," Everly asked.
"I'm very healthy princess," Teddy assured.
"I'm healthy and strong, Ev," Owen promised.
"Where did Nana go," Everly asked.
"Her body was taken to somewhere called the morgue," Allison explained, "and we hope and we believe that her soul went to heaven."
"Nana is in heaven," Asher assured, "she's safe and healthy there. She's with Jesus."
"What about Opa," Everly asked.
"Opa is old but he's healthy," Owen assured, "we'll go see him later today. Grandma, Auntie Megan, Uncle Nathan and I have to go talk with Opa and get Nana's funeral organized."
"Let's eat," Teddy tried to offer.
"I'm not hungry," Allison said.
"Asher," Teddy asked.
"I'd never seen that before," Asher said.
"Your first one is hard," Teddy said.
"If you want to talk to us we're here," Owen said.
"I think I'll be okay," Asher replied.
"Evelyn had a very loving passing," Teddy said, "the people she loved and who loved her were there. We all got to say goodbye and tell her we loved her. She was not alone. She had the people who mattered to her."
"I saw one on an ICU rotation where the man was alone," Allison said, "it was sad."
"She went knowing she was loved," Owen said, "she knew she was loved."
At Annies they sat in the living room with Heather curled up in her mom's lap.
"Mom why couldn't they save Nana," Heather cried.
"She was very old," Annie soothed, "she had a lymphoma it's a type of cancer. For her age to live as long as she did with it. Then she got pneumonia."
"What's pneumonia," Henry asked.
"It's when theres too much fluid in the lungs so it makes it hard to breath and for the body to get enough oxygen," Josh explained, "in elderly people like nana it can be fatal. Nana was very sick and very old. Her body was septic, her kidneys and liver were shutting down. She was in a lot of pain for a long time."
"It was better for her," Ellie sniffled.
"It is," Annie agreed, "and it's really hard and really sad for us."
"But Grandmere and Granny," Ellie asked.
"You were all too young to come with us to say good bye at the hospital," Annie replied, "nana and Grandmere were so surrounded by love. Nana went with the people she loves in the room. She heard how much she was loved, how important she was to all of us."
"But she's dead," Matt said.
"She is and we can feel sad," Annie said, "we can miss her."
"Why do people die," Henry asked.
"Because the body isn't designed to live forever," Annie said, "eventually it wears out. There is only so much the body can handle we can do a lot and medicine is getting better all the time but there is a limit. And we hate it."
"But why," Henry asked, "could we live forever?"
"I don't know," Josh said, "medicine hasn't figured it out yet."
"Why couldn't nana have a transplant like Faroke or Auntie Megan," Ellie asked.
"Because it wouldn't have cured her," Annie replied, "transplants don't fix everything. They can do a lot but the underlying disease has to be looked at. When it's just one organ like Faroke's heart it makes a different but Nana's cancer affected her whole body."
"Could people live forever," Ellie asked, "could we figure it out."
"Dr Frankenstine don't get any ideas," Matt teased.
"I'm just curious," Ellie said.
"What happens when you die," Heather asked.
"We believe that Nana's soul goes to heaven," Josh said, "that's what they teach us at church."
"Just her soul," Heather asked.
"Her body will be cremated," Annie replied.
"What's cremated," Heather asked.
"They burn the body," Josh replied, "and reduce it to ashes. Then we take the ashes somewhere special for nana and sprinkle them."
"The cabin," Ellie suggested.
"Probably," Annie agreed, "Grandpa and Auntie Meg will make the final decision with Opa."
"Is it like Grannys," Matt asked.
"It will be here in Seattle," Annie said, "and probably more like Grandmere's or Papa's. Our family will be there and some of grandpa's cousins and their families. People will tell stories about nana and how amazing she was."
"Can we," Henry asked.
"I'm sure you can have a turn," Josh assured.
"The national," Ellie said.
"We'll save it for Heather," Annie replied.
"Nana made it," Ellie said.
"She did," Annie agreed, "it's a special family heirloom."
"Nana wanted us to keep that in the family," Ellie said, "and add the next users name to the vest."
"We will in time," Annie replied, "Heather is next then maybe Khitam."
"What about Everly," Heather asked.
"Everly won't dance," Annie replied.
"But what do we say to her," Heather asked.
"You let her bring it up," Annie replied.
"Mom why did Nana look grey," Heather asked.
"Because her body wasn't getting enough oxygen and her blood wasn't circulating because her heart was shutting down," Annie replied, "are you okay?"
"She didn't look like a person," Heather said, "she didn't look like nana she didn't smile."
"No she didn't," Josh agreed, "she knew we were there and she knows we love her and she was loved."
"Do we have to go to school," Henry asked.
"We're all staying home tomorrow," Annie replied, "then we'll let you decide about school the rest of the week. If you want to go you can and if you need more time you take more time."
"It's buddies week," Heather said, "I get to work with Everly."
"Not until Friday," Annie replied, "let Allie and I talk."
"We should eat," Josh said, "Annie I'm just going to order food. We don't have the energy to cook but you need to eat."
"We all do," Annie agreed.
Sad chapter but Evelyn can't be immortal. In this story she's in her late 90s when she passes, having gotten to live a long life full of love.