OblaDi...Life Goes On (Cardio Wing) [Altman/McKay]

[Dr. Teddy Altman]

It was early evening as Teddy sat on the steps of the stairwell ready to head to interim Chief Webber’s office. The plan was to talk to him about releasing her from her contract. It was imperative that she leave Seattle to get on with her life now that Owen had made his choice. For five long years she always loved Owen Hunt from a distance. As long as she was his friend, it was safe to do so. Now she waited too long and the opportunity passed her by. He loved Cristina and the hard part was that Teddy loved Cristina too. She was torn as a friend and the feelings were not letting her be the friend to Owen she used to be or needed to be now. Teddy had to move on.

A quick look at her watch told her she could not sit in self pity any longer. She wiped her eyes from the few tears that fell and composed herself to make it through the halls of the hospital without anyone knowing her true state. Teddy heard footsteps behind her climbing up the stairs. “Dr. Altman!” a voice shouted from behind. Turning she noticed it was her resident Jackson Avery.
“What is it Dr. Avery??” She stopped on the stairs.
“Look, I heard you are wanting to leave Seattle Grace. I mean, I know why you are. Just really think on this. You are an excellent surgeon. I learn more from you each and every day. You are valubale here. Even to Dr. Yang despite the obvious. It is being selfish of me, but I want you to stay. That is all I have to say. I just wanted to say it before you went up to the Chief’s office.”
Teddy looked at him with a raised eyebrow and turned to face him questioning his intentions.
“Is this about me leaving or is this about you and Dr. Yang?? Don’t think I don’t notice, Jackson.Do not bullshit with me. I’m not into playing high school games. I am thinking about what is best for me. So stay out of my personal life. In fact, do something useful. Go find Yang’s intern, Dr. McKay. Have her meet me at the Cardio desk in a half hour. I’ll let her scrub in on the valve replacement.”
Teddy left Dr. Avery on the stairs as she hurried upstairs.

Teddy made her way up to the Chief’s office, debating to go in. After a long talk, she agreed to stay until they find a replacement. That which might take sometime after the shooting made Seattle Grace Mercy West less desirable for any surgeon.
When she left, she headed into her office and looked at the charts and pre-op for her next surgery while she waited for Dr. McKay.

[Annie McKay]

Not a good day, not in the slightest, not for her. Dropping of her 8 year old had left her in a mood, after watching some of the children pointing at her, it wasn't their fault. After they were children, still learning that pointing and staring at a woman with a deep scar down her face wasn't socially acceptable. Though maybe the parents should learn a social skill or two, gossiping in those little groups.

She didn't have the time to muse on them, she was late as it was and today she was going to get it, today she was going to get on cardio. Taking a few extra turns, avoiding the bulk of Seattle Traffic, she pulled into the hospital parking lot. Locking the car as she ran, pressing those little remote lock switches, unhindered by shoes.

Skidding into the main reception, she shoved on her flats and headed as fast she could to the intern locker room. Getting in, she avoided the looks of the other interns as they finished up getting ready.

Slamming her hand onto the locker as she turned the key it popped open, showing a few pictures stuck to the inside.

Herself, sisters, brothers.
In her rush as she pulled out her clothes, she knocked a bottle of " vitamins" on to the floor.

" Eii!"

She shrieked in Japanese, annoyed with herself, as she picked them up and placed them back, saving two she knocked back. Glancing round she hoped no one had seen the truth, thankfully no one had.
Changing she ignored the stares at the scar tissue that covered her ankles to shoulder, a plastics dream surgery almost. Dressed she quickly tied her hair back, letting her sapphire slanted eyes look back at her via the mirror.

"Quick check... sh-t!"

She swore as she looked around to find herself alone, so again she bolted down the corridor. When she finally joined the rest she, rested her hands on her knees catching her breath, hiding at the back of the group.
Taking a final deep breath, she straightened up. Thanking her stars she was small and well hidden by the taller, bigger built interns. From where she stood, she could hear Yang giving them the morning talk, which was the usual " don't bother me unless it's important or cardio" talk.

[Dr. Teddy Altman]

Avery had come up behind Yang’s group of interns that she berated daily. He tugged at Annie’s arm gently and whispered in her ear.
“Altman wants to see you. Think she wants you to scrub in for that surgery she has schedule today.”

“Dr. Jackson??? Umm what are you doing with my intern??” Yang shouted over the group.
“Dr. Yang, Dr. Altman requested her for something. I’m just doing as I was told.” Jackson wickedly grinned at Cristina and Cristina shot back a snarled mouth glare.
“Fine. Whatever.. don’t just look at me everyone GO!!!” Cristina shooed everyone away, while Jackson walked with McKay to the Cardio wing.

Teddy was standing there going over the chart on her patient. “McKay.” She lifted her head and saw the young intern come closer.
“If you prep my patient for the OR, I’ll let you scrub in with Dr. Avery here.”

[Annie McKay]

Following behind Avery, Annie was mentally singing the praises of her Goddess for getting her out of Yang's soul sapping morning talks, as if she wasn't despised enough by her fellow interns.
More than that she may had just gotten the Cardio surgery she wanted for weeks, though how long before Christina tried to get on it was a matter of time she guessed.
The walk up to Cardio was enough for her to catch her breath and for her natural paleness to replace the flush she'd had in her effort to get there on time.


As soon as the words " scrub in" were mentioned, Annie's scarred face couldn't help but light up.

" Of course Dr Altman, it would be my honour to scrub in."

Inside she knew those words sounded like a kiss ass, but that was what the game was all about, anything to get that surgery. Her eager delicate hand held out to take the chart from Teddy. Though part of her wondered why it was her and not Christina doing this, everyone knew that when it came to Cardio Christina had not only married it but had it carved into her very soul, presuming she even had one ( the other theory was Christina had sold it to the Great Surgical Gods).
But for Annie Cardio was closer to her heart than it would be for Christina. For Annie it meant far, far more.
The sapphire eyes, Anglo-Japanese intern smiled brightly, despite her coming in late, things were looking up.

[Dr. Teddy Altman]

((OOC thought maybe you could interrupt the phone call and sorry this took so long))

The girl had promise and Teddy saw it in her eyes. She was well aware of Yang’s interns and a bit put off she was hard on them. Annie was quiet and it reminded Teddy of herself when she was an intern. She came in, did her work, and did not get involved in inappropriate behavior. Teddy was watching.

As far as not pulling Cristina in on the surgery, it was better for Avery to take over for a week or so until a replacement was set in. In a way, she did favor Cristina still by taking in her intern when she could have chosen from any other resident’s.

‘Well, let Dr. Avery know when he’s ready and I will see you in there.” Teddy flashed a smile but it quickly left as she caught a glimpse of Owen walking by staring at her. She caught her breath and headed back to her office sitting down and putting a hand to her head in frustration. Was this ever going to get better for her?? It had to soon. With a ring of the phone, her answer was coming.
“Dr. Altman..”
“Teddy…..” there was a familiar voice on the other end she hadn’t heard since a lifetime ago.
“Max?? God. Is this you??” The smile that came across Teddy’s face was beyond describable. She beamed from ear to ear hearing the voice of a ghost of a more innocent time of her life. Not one marred by war or unrequited love, but one of hope and a future.
After twenty minutes, the phone call had still been going on. She looked at her watch and noticed the time. “Max, I got to head into surgery. It’s been nice hearing from you.”

[Annie McKay]

It always assumed that Annie interacted with the patients at the bare minimum, maintaining her professionalism completely and a wrapping her persona as a doctor a little to tightly for anyone's standards.
But on her own, maybe with the odd nurse about, she would idly chat with the patient, making them feel special, but without getting to close. That was a skill taught to her by her mother, a woman trained to entertain, seduce or just make them feel like the center of attention.
Prepping Teddy's patient was no different, everything she did was accompanied with compliments or chatter. She even honored them with a bow as she left to let Avery know that the patient was ready. He in turn said he'd take them down if Annie went to get Teddy.
Passing by the Nurses station, she was passed a sticky note, a message that had been sent up to her.
As she adjusted her waist length hair, using a steel pair of chopstick style hair pins to keep it into place. Sure her scar was viewable to the world, but there was very little she could do about it and she just ignored the stares.
Instead she held up the note and read it, she would have to choose. She would have to decide and tell him, but it was a big deal and should would have to eventually fess up to it. No she couldn't, weakness was unacceptable to Annie, she couldn't let them know, they would think her unable to handle surgery or worse to be a doctor at all.
Once she reached the office, she politely chapped on the door before opening it.

" Dr Altman, we're ready for you. Dr Avery is taking the patient to the OR now."

She could see that Teddy was enjoying the conversation, now feeling bad that she interrupted. In her hand, she crumpled the note.

[Dr. Teddy Altman]

“Hey..before I go. Did you ever….??” Teddy could finish the sentence quick enough before Annie came to the door about the patient. Putting her hand on receiver she spoke to Annie “Go scrub in. I’ll be right there.” She nodded to Annie and waited for her to leave.
“Max, nevermind. I really do need to go scrub in on this valve replacement. Really. It was good hearing from you. I’ve missed you. I’ll call soon.” When her hand put down the phone she thought about Max and again, missed opportunities. Once again she never said anything to him about how she felt. Instead, they went on being friends and she got engaged to Stephen Reynolds.
The moment passed again when he almost went into the Medical Corps with her. She figure he had made his decision to stay and Teddy went on and forgot about him.
Teddy got into the elevator to head up to OR her thumb and forefinger pressed against the bridge of her nose. Thinking more seriously about leaving now wanting to have a life that didn’t involve Owen in it like it had for the past five years.
Owen had gotten on with her and told her Max was here, in the hospital and taking her job. Not only that every time she was with Owen, he always did or said something to make her leaving inevitable.
The worst part was she had to explain to Owen who Dr. Wilde was. That in itself was enough to have her on edge.

When she finally got into the scrub room Annie was finishing up. “Sorry I’m late. So everything’s ready then?” She saw Avery already waiting through the glass window. Never really noticing Annie before Teddy saw the back of her neck and just down her shoulder a bit. It was severely scarred. “Impress me today Dr. McKay and I’ll put in a good word with Dr. Wilde for you.”

[Dr. Teddy Altman]

((Annie we can move this to the OR threads)

[Annie McKay]

((Done))