I've been locked in my bedroom for what feels like days on end. And in reality, it has been. I was barely functioning as a human being. Going to work in a zombie state of mind that at one point Bailey and Teddy felt like I couldn't be useful at this time for trauma. They both told me separately and then together to take some time off, to gather myself.
Teddy was nine months pregnant and not stopping. I should be there, everyday, helping her. And I haven't been.
I felt like a despicable human being. Depressed over losing Leo, which I have a right to be and everyone gets that, yet I have this beautiful little girl ready to come into the world any day now and I haven't even given her or her mother the attention they deserve over the last several months.
Sure, I've been to appointments with Teddy. The first ultrasound at 17 weeks after she told me she was pregnant, then at 22 weeks when we found out we were having a girl, a few weeks ago at 33 weeks just to make sure everything was okay. And now she's at 39 weeks and could go into labor at anytime. She's still running trauma, with help if needed of course but this amazing woman, my dearest friend and mother of my child is doing the whole damn thing. And what I have I been doing? Huddled angry and sad under the covers day after day thinking about how I lost my potential son.
Dammit Hunt...you're going to have a daughter, with Teddy no less, isn't that enough?! I thought to myself...
Yes. It should be.
Amelia left. We crumbled apart but amicably after the kids were taken back home to Britney's parents. We didn't have a foundation without them and we finally realized that. Plus, Amelia told me time and time again that I needed to focus more on Teddy and the baby.
I really screwed up this time. I thought I screwed up in Germany, when I came back to Seattle...but this time I've really done it. Even though I didn't know Teddy was pregnant until she was four months along, I had plenty of time to be there. I never even got to feel our little girl's first movements...something I imagined my whole life. I know Teddy will say that I was there plenty, that it was more than enough, but it wasn't. Not enough for me, not enough for her, and especially not enough for my baby girl.
I sluggishly began to make myself a cup of coffee, at 8p.m. Fuck it. My sleep schedule was already screwed up anyway. Then my cell phone rang. I didn't pick it up or bother to see who was calling. I felt worthless. I didn't want to talk to anybody.
The phone rang two more times, along with my text messages blowing up. Finally on the third ring, I answered. Teddy.
"Owen, Owen are you there?" She said kind of panicked.
"Yeah, Yeah. Teddy I'm sorry, I was in the middle of something. Is everything okay?" I asked, worried.
"Yes and no," she said quickly, "my water broke."
I froze. My heart leaped with excitement for a moment, the first shred of happiness I've felt in weeks, but then back to panic. Where was she?
"Teddy, are you alone? Where are you?" I asked.
"I am. I'm at my hotel room and ahhhh..." a contraction must have hit, "and Tom's in surgery." Teddy winced.
Tom. I didn't particularly care for how involved he has been with Teddy and our baby, and to be honest, I felt slightly relieved he wasn't with her. This was our moment.
"Teddy. Just keep breathing, don't move! I'll be there in a few minutes!" I said, trying to remain calm.
"Okay." Teddy sounded more relaxed for the time being, and I could almost hear the smile in her voice.
"Hey," I said smiling, "We're gonna have a baby." And I hung up the phone.
I raced over to Teddy's hotel which was in downtown Seattle, not too far from the hospital but far enough in which I was worried we may not make it by the time I get there. I pull into the first spot I see and sprint inside. I also let the front desk know that a woman is in labor and to call 911.
Once I get up to Teddy's room with a master key the front desk gave me after Teddy confirmed who I was, I swing the door open to see Teddy on the bed. She looked so beautiful but so in pain. She was already drenched in sweat, her face pink and her perfect lips in a circle as she breathed through a contraction.
"Owen!" She tried smiling, as she winced with another contraction clutching her belly.
"I'm here, I'm here!" I said and wiped some sweaty hair out of her eyes.
"Owen, she's coming...she's really coming." Teddy said sweetly.
Just then Teddy squeezed my arm so hard I thought she just might yank it off.
"Teddy, let me check you out, see how far you are. The ambulance should be here soon..." Where was that damn ambulance I thought to myself...
"Okay." Teddy breathed, leaned back on the beds headboard and I helped her undress from the waist down.
"Oh my god! Teddy, you're just about 10 centimeters. This little girl is coming now!" I gasped.
"What?! But my water JUST broke!" Teddy shot back.
"You must have been in labor for hours, why didn't you call me sooner?!" I yelled.
"I-I thought they were Braxton Hicks! I had no idea I was in labor, Owen. I have a high pain threshold, you know that!" Teddy cried.
"Okay, okay. It doesn't matter now. We're doing this. We're having this baby." I got up and grabbed some clean towels, and filled the ice bucket with hot water.
I got back over to Teddy as quickly as possible.
"Owen, Owen I need to push." Teddy panted.
I looked down. She was ready.
"Okay, on the count of three you push. And hold it for as long as you can okay?" I said.
Teddy nodded and closed her eyes, taking a breath.
"Okay, one, two, three, push!" I instructed.
Teddy was a trooper. She was so strong. She pushed and pushed until finally our little girls head started to emerge.
"Okay Teddy, I see her head. Oh my god she's almost here." I said with tears in my eyes.
Teddy pushed two more times and our little girls head popped out.
"Just one more Teddy, just one more and she'll be here!" I exclaimed.
Teddy sat up slightly and pushed the hardest she could and miraculously our daughter shot out into my arms, seconds later letting out the most beautiful cry I had ever heard.
"Oh my god!" Teddy yelled sobbing and smiling.
Right away I placed our little girl on Teddy's chest, her screams quieted down to sweet whimpers.
"She's perfect, Owen. Thank you." Teddy beamed.
"No, thank you." I smiled at Teddy then proudly at my daughter.
Teddy and I started at one another, tears in our eyes. All of my guilt started to wash away, because I received the greatest gift. Not only do I have a daughter now, I got to be the one to deliver her.
After a few moments of marveling at our daughter, Teddy looked up at me, sweet and exhausted.
"Owen I-" she began.
I couldn't contain myself, I kissed her passionately and she didn't break away. I think we were both thinking the same thing.
Our bubble was popped when paramedics burst in the room.
"She's okay, mother and baby are doing just fine!" I yelled proudly.
One paramedic carefully took the baby out of Teddy's arms, cleaned her off, checked her vitals and wrapped her up to take her to the hospital, another paramedic attended to Teddy.
"Nice going man, congratulations." The young paramedic said with a wink.
"Thank you." I smiled.
A few hours later, me, Teddy and our perfect baby girl were all relaxing together in a private room at Grey Sloan. People were in and out all day, hearing the story of our baby's birth over and over.
"You're a hero Teddy, you both are," Meredith smiled as she held our baby, "and you, little girl, are beautiful."
She was beautiful. Our Allison Evelyn Altman-Hunt was absolutely beautiful. She had soft peach fuzz colored hair, which would surely turn into a perfect strawberry-blonde mix, full puckered lips and big round eyes that clearly would become bright green like Teddy's.
This is a new start. For all of us. If Teddy agrees to start this new life with our gorgeous daughter, together, as a couple, as a family...I'm going to marry that girl.