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Amelia Shepherd’s day had been completely normal so far. She’d woken up in bed alone, like usual, had some coffee that Teddy had already made to keep away the grouch she usually was in the morning, and went to work. She hadn’t had any surgeries that day, although she did have a brain tumor to remove in two days. That meant days, if not weeks, of prepping and going over the plan over and over with Helm, plus meeting with the patient again to make sure everything was still good and their vitals were stable.
So everything had been going fine. Amelia had even gotten in her second cup of coffee at her usual time after rounds, provided by Helm who was trying to appease Amelia before the surgery, probably hoping to stay on the impulsive neurosurgeon’s good side. However, it was during this second cup of coffee when she heard a distinct voice. A voice that was so, so familiar and caused a wave of dread to instantly crash over her.
She was walking past the second floor desks when she heard the voices of her sisters, the dreaded, insufferable Shepherd women. Amelia’s feet instantly froze as she turned around in her spot to find where exactly these voices were coming from. Was she making things up? Was this another brain tumor?
Just my luck to get a second brain tumor, Amelia thought as she scanned the second floor.
But just when she thought she was becoming schizophrenic, she saw them. Kathleen and Nancy were rounding the hallway, her mother following close behind. They were all too busy talking to notice Amelia standing there, watching them with wide blue eyes like a deer caught in headlights.
What the fuck was her family doing here? They hated her, she hated them. Amelia thought that they had come to a mutual hatred last time they had seen each other? Had they not shamed and made fun of her enough? Did they come back for a second round?
And then she remembered. The memory of the last time she had called her mother hit her like a brick, when Carolyn Shepherd had mentioned wanting to come up to Seattle to meet Amelia’s new significant other. The significant other she had made up on one of her usual crazy whims. A significant other that just so happened to share names with her roommate.
The conversation was clear in her mind as she thought back to it.
“So how is everything going?” Her mother asked. “Anyone new you’re dating?” Amelia and her mother had resolved most of their problems the last time they had seen each other, but that didn’t stop Amelia’s annoyance at her questions. It seemed like everytime she talked to someone from her family, they were questioning her relationship status.
It was as if they didn’t believe she could hold a good, steady relationship with someone without it falling apart. Well, they weren’t wrong, but Amelia was still sick of the question and the condescending tone they always asked it with.
“Actually yes,” Amelia’s mouth moved before her brain could process exactly what she was doing. “We’re living together.”
Her mother’s surprise was clear through the phone. “Oh really? What’s his name?”
Amelia mentally cursed herself for everything she’d done in the past few seconds. What name could she possibly give her mother? Well, she could go as truthfully with this as she could.
“Teddy. It’s Teddy.” She did live with Teddy. They weren’t a couple, but it wasn’t a complete lie to the woman she had just come onto good terms with.
“Well, maybe I can take a trip up there soon to meet this Teddy. He sounds like a nice man.” She could tell her mother was trying to be as nice as possible about her situation, but Amelia just wanted to hang up and have someone slap her in the face for the situation she’d just gotten herself into.
That phone call had happened a month ago, completely pushed to the back of Amelia’s brain with all her surgeries and hospital drama in the front. It seemed that her mother had decided to cash in that visit now, along with her sisters.
And then it hit her.
Teddy.
Teddy was supposed to be her girlfriend, or “boyfriend” like her mother had thought. Shit. She couldn’t let them think that another one of her relationships had failed, Amelia just couldn’t handle their ridiculing about her life once more.
Before she really realized what she was doing, Amelia’s feet were taking her in the opposite direction of her family. She needed to talk to Teddy right now. Immediately. She needed to explain this shitty situation Amelia had put herself in and to convince the blonde surgeon to play along with her masochistic plan.
She felt her legs take her up the stairs onto the third floor, not even caring about the “no running” rule of the hospital. Amelia breezed past Webber, past a confused Meredith and Jo probably flirting with each other again, and past Maggie who was doing rounds. She ran past all of them until she finally found herself entering one of the radiology rooms she had seen Teddy in just a while ago.
When Amelia entered the room, she saw Teddy staring at a scan on the screen, green eyes focused and lips frowning slightly. However focused the woman seemed, though, Amelia needed to tell her about the situation she had gotten them into.
It wasn’t until Amelia closed the door behind her that Teddy turned away from her scans to look at the neurosurgeon. What Teddy saw was a frazzled looking Amelia with extremely wide blue eyes. The picture before Teddy made concern bloom in her chest.
“Hey, what’s wrong-” Teddy started, before Amelia cut in with a very long, very confusing explanation.
“Ok, so a month ago my mom called me and-well, you see my family is really judgemental and I hate how they talk to me and treat me. You’d understand if you met them. Well, you probably will meet them if they can help it. But, anyway, my mom called me and asked me if I was dating anyone and, I don’t know why, but I said yes for some reason. Maybe I just didn’t want to be judged anymore-”
“Amelia!” Teddy cut in before the woman hurt herself with all the ranting she was doing. Amelia, who had started pacing in front of Teddy, suddenly stopped at hearing her name. “What’s wrong?”
Amelia took a deep breath and smoothed back her black hair that was up in a ponytail as if that would calm her anxiety. “I told my mom that I was dating someone named Teddy and that we lived together, and now I think they all came here to meet you and make sure you’re real.”
Amelia watched as Teddy’s face contorted into complete shock, her jaw dropped and green eyes completely blank. She couldn’t help but notice that Teddy looked particularly pretty today, with her blonde hair falling in curls around her shoulders and her white coat perfectly pressed over her dark blue scrubs.
“Excuse me, what? You told your family that...I’m your girlfriend?” Teddy’s heart was beating a hundred miles a minute, Amelia’s words filling up her head over and over again. Amelia’s family thought they were dating. This was Teddy’s nightmare...or dream.
She would never admit it out loud, but over the past four months of rooming together for money’s sake, Teddy had slowly fallen for Amelia Shepherd. The small woman with black hair, the most beautiful blue eyes, and a crazy personality had come into her life in a way that surprised Teddy. Before, Amelia had simply been her competition, her nemesis. The neurosurgeon that Owen had feelings for for some reason. Well, over the past few months, Teddy could definitely see why Owen had had feelings for Amelia.
So yeah, Teddy couldn’t tell if this was her nightmare or dream.
“I’m so sorry, Teddy. I completely understand if you just want to tell them the truth.” Amelia stared at Teddy with big eyes and a slightly pouty look that pulled at Teddy’s heartstrings. How could she ever say no to a face like that?
Amelia watched with hope as Teddy rolled her eyes and let out a small laugh, real sounding enough to not raise questions about her mental state at the moment. “It’s fine. I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend if I must.” Teddy teased as Amelia let out a breath she’d been holding. “I probably won’t even see them so…”
The neurosurgeon nodded her head at Teddy’s words, trying to stop her heart from racing even faster than before. Amelia wasn’t stupid. She knew that she was more than a little attracted to Teddy, the beautiful army surgeon that for some reason she had seemed to really dislike before. Now that dislike had seemed to turn into...something else. In the back of her mind, Amelia knew that there was a reason her mind had gone immediately to Teddy when confronted about who she was dating. But she also knew that Teddy was probably just another straight girl she would fall for in the course of her extremely bisexual life.
So Amelia pushed down the fluttering butterflies in her stomach at seeing Teddy’s radiant, comforting smile and let the woman turn back to her scans, knowing she had interrupted Teddy’s work with her problem.
“Ok, well, I’ll let you get back to work. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to strategically avoid the three Furies for the rest of the day. If I’m not, I probably won’t get home till after dinner. They’ll want to catch up, no matter how miserable that would be.” Amelia rolled her eyes and headed back towards the door. Teddy smiled slightly to herself at Amelia’s use of the word “home.” Teddy had thought many times throughout the last four months that her apartment with Amelia was like how a home should feel. It was where they both kicked back and relaxed. Where Teddy could walk around in sweats without judgement and Amelia could go without brushing her dark hair all day. It was home.
Amelia smiled as she watched Teddy one last time before opening the door. What she was met with, however, instantly wiped the smile off her face.
“Amy, there you are!” Kathleen and Nancy stood just a few feet away from the door, their mother coming up behind them to greet her youngest daughter. Amelia feigned surprise as they neared, dread filling her stomach.
“Wow, what...what are you guys doing here?” Amelia stood awkwardly in the doorway, half trying to conceal who sat in the room and half trying to act normal. She smiled at them, rather fakely, as she spoke.
Kathleen and Nancy returned fake smiles of their own as their mother answered Amelia’s question. “Hi, honey, it’s so good to see you.” Carolyn Shepherd smiled genuinely as she moved forward to hug Amelia just a little stiffly. The two of them were still working out all of their problems, so it was always one step at a time. “I’ve been meaning to come down and visit you, and meet Teddy, and the girls wanted to tag along, too.”
Teddy, from inside the radiology room, listened in shock to the conversation occuring between the Shepherd women. She could practically feel the awkwardness coming off of Amelia. The brunette was already shifting around uncomfortably and twiddling her fingers behind her back.
Anxiety coursed through Teddy’s vein as she watched Amelia visibly stiffen as her family talked. Before she could really realize what she was doing, Teddy was making her way towards the doorway.
Without warning, Teddy appeared in the door and placed a hand on the small of Amelia’s back. Amelia, though startled, seemed to visibly relax under Teddy’s touch. As for Teddy, she simply stared at Amelia’s stuck up sisters with a sickly sweet smile.
“Hi, I’m Teddy, actually. Amelia’s girlfriend.”
Teddy had to admit that, despite everything, appearing in that doorway was totally worth seeing the looks on Kathleen and Nancy’s faces. Kathleen stared at them with a look of horror and Nancy looked completely caught off guard. Carolyn, to her credit, looked confused but still offered Teddy a polite smile.
“Teddy’s a girl?” Nancy asked, completely dumbfounded.
“You’re gay ?” Kathleen’s question was directed at Amelia, who took it in with a slight frown at her sister’s condescending tone. Teddy scowled, immediately knowing she didn’t like Kathleen. Well, that was an understatement, really.
Teddy was about to speak up when Amelia suddenly cut into the conversation again. “I’m not gay, I’m bisexual, Kathleen. And yes, Teddy is in fact a girl, as you can see.” Amelia looked up and smiled at Teddy, extremely grateful and yet scared out of her wits that the woman had decided to make an appearance.
“Is this some sort of joke?” Nancy asked, her eyes narrowing as she sent Kathleen a knowing smile. “This isn’t the first time Amy would pull a ridiculous stunt like this. You know her track record-”
“Excuse me, but this isn’t a joke.” Teddy began to boil with anger at Amelia’s rude sisters, a scowl on her face. “We’re dating. Me and Amelia. In fact-”
Amelia hadn’t seen it coming. Well, she should’ve. Her and Teddy were pretending to be girlfriends after all. However, one minute Teddy had been defending her honor (something Amelia could definitely get used to) and the next Teddy’s fingers were softly pulling Amelia’s chin towards her and Teddy’s extremely soft lips were on her own. Amelia instinctively closed her eyes as her mouth moved against Teddy’s so perfectly it was almost as if they had done it before. The kiss was short but Amelia could’ve sworn there was a spark there. As if a shock of electricity had transferred between their lips, just a bit of warmth that sent chills down Amelia’s spine.
Wow, Teddy thought to herself. That was…
Teddy couldn’t even finish her thought. It had been an impulsive thing to kiss Amelia. Something only to wipe those annoying looks off of Kathleen and Nancy’s faces, but...wow. Teddy almost wished they were alone so that kiss could have lasted longer than two seconds.
After Teddy pulled away almost reluctantly (was Amelia just imagining that look on Teddy’s face?), Amelia turned towards her sisters to find them staring wide-eyed at her. Amelia had to gather her thoughts for a moment, before finally being snapped back to the present.
“Well, that’s that. You all met Teddy, so I guess I’ll see you next time. Christmas?” Amelia began to turn away with urgency but Nancy’s snort immediately brought the anger back to her.
“Of course. Amelia, you always do this. You drop a bomb and then you leave. Nancy and I haven’t heard from you in months. We didn’t even know you were…” Nancy looked in between Teddy and Amelia with a look that set Amelia’s blood on fire.
“Honey,” Carolyn interrupted, seeing how Amelia’s face was turning bright red with anger, “we’re only here for two days and I was hoping we could have dinner?”
Normally, Amelia would turn the three of them down instantly, no hesitation or qualms. She really hated being constantly dragged on by her sisters. But this time...she sort of owed her mom for all those bad things she’d done. The least she could do was dinner.
Before Amelia could answer, however, Teddy was speaking, a toothy smile on the blonde’s face directed towards her mom. “We can do dinner. At our apartment. Is tonight at 6:30 ok?”
The Shepherd women all seemed satisfied with the plans and, after painful last remarks, Amelia and Teddy were finally left alone standing in the doorway of the radiology room. As Amelia turned her head to look at Teddy, those green eyes vibrant with emotions she couldn’t quite place, she couldn’t tell if she should scowl or smile. Looking at Teddy, Amelia couldn’t imagine doing anything but smiling.
Oh God, that was so cheesy, Amelia thought.
“So-” Teddy started but Amelia quickly cut in.
“Thank you, Teddy!” Amelia’s hands held onto Teddy’s arm and the woman couldn’t help but look down where she could feel Amelia’s warm skin through her coat. “You saved my ass there. So for dinner…”
Teddy rolled her eyes and offered Amelia a small smile. “Don’t worry, I’m cooking.” It was no secret to the two of them that Amelia was the worst cook in the world. Her first night at the apartment she had wanted to make dinner for Teddy and had burned the whole meal. The whole meal. Although Amelia had been devastated, Teddy had found the whole situation hilarious and made a mental note to never let Amelia cook for fear of burning down the apartment.
Amelia sighed and returned Teddy’s smile. She didn’t want to think about the dinner they would have tonight. A dinner that would probably be the death of her. All she wanted to do was spend hours thinking about how amazing that kiss had been.
It was 6:15 pm and Amelia was scared shitless. Teddy had just finished the food and was upstairs changing while Amelia hung out around the dining area, checking over and over again that there was nothing wrong with it.
Her hands were slightly shaky and palms sweaty and she couldn’t help it when her mind kept going back to Teddy. After their very eventful time outside the radiology room, Teddy and Amelia had gone their separate ways, Amelia having to continue her rounds and Teddy needing to finish her analysis of her patient’s scans.
However, out of sight did not mean out of mind for either woman. The kiss had replayed in Teddy’s head all day, too, the way Amelia’s lips had moved against her own, how her fingers had touched the brunette’s soft skin of her cheeks and jaw. If Teddy worked hard enough, she could almost feel the ghost of Amelia’s lips on her own.
Shit, Teddy thought, Just five minutes into this fake relationship and I’m already fantasizing.
Granted, Teddy had had a lot (too many really) fantasies about Amelia over the past four months. Some were innocent like eating breakfast together, sharing smiles and kisses in the hospital hallways, Amelia standing on her tiptoes to reach Teddy’s mouth or cheek. Then there were the less than innocent ones, ones that included tongues, teeth, fingers, and a very skilled and bossy Amelia that left Teddy blushing and frustrated all day.
Amelia herself had similar fantasies, although hers were a bit more scandalous and blush-inducing, making her stumble over her words and avoid Teddy for a certain amount of time so as not to combust from overheating. It was times like that that made Amelia question what had happened to her “sexually confident” self, as her friend Violet used to describe her back in LA.
At exactly 6:23, Amelia stood in the kitchen, pacing nervously, when she heard high heels coming towards her. Should she have worn heels? Amelia herself had only worn black skinny pants and a white blouse that she was sure complimented her hair, currently falling straight down past her shoulders. However, all thoughts of herself fled from her mind as she saw Teddy walk into the room.
Teddy looked...beautiful. She wore a tight black dress that ended above her knees, the material showing off every curve and dip the blonde woman had. The black color brought out the woman’s golden skin and magnificent green eyes so beautifully that…Amelia had to stop herself from drooling as she stared at Teddy, shutting down all those thoughts in her head immediately.
Teddy herself was stunned by Amelia’s appearance. It was a simple outfit but it fit Amelia perfectly, complimenting her glossy black hair and making her eyes look even more insanely blue than usual. “Wow, you look amazing.” Teddy’s voice sounded almost out of breath, but Amelia didn’t let herself consider why the woman was staring at her like that. Teddy would never like her like that. Right?
“And you…” Amelia couldn’t even come up with the words to say, which was strange because usually she said too many words. “You look hot.” Yup, there was her no-filter. Teddy simply blushed and chuckled as they stood awkwardly in the kitchen together.
“Ok, so I should warn you again,” Amelia began, “Kathleen and Nancy are like vultures. They will probably bring up a lot of stuff, make me feel guilty for the past, and generally be bitches. My mom will be nice cause, you know, she’s my mom. Just, please, ignore them and, you know, be all girlfriend-y.”
Teddy quirked an eyebrow. “Girlfriend-y?”
Amelia just rolled her eyes nervously. “Yeah, you know, holding hands, kisses on the cheek, smiles. Like we’re real girlfriends.” Amelia felt a pang in her chest at those words. God, tonight was really going to kill her. If Teddy so much as touched her hand, Amelia was sure she would melt where she stood, especially after that kiss. That would definitely shock Kathleen and Nancy.
Just as Teddy was about to reply, a knock came at the door and Amelia lost all color in her face. She couldn’t tell if she was more nervous around Teddy or her family. However, Amelia didn’t have much time to think it over before she was opening the door, revealing the faces of the Shepherd clan.
Twenty minutes later, all five of them were seated at the dining table. There was some small talk, but the room was mostly filled with awkward silences and sighs, making Teddy cringe at the vibe of the room.
“So, Teddy,” Amelia’s mother began, obviously trying to rid the room of tension, “How long have you been working at Grey-Sloan Memorial? And you haven’t mentioned how you two met yet.”
Teddy chuckled slightly as she looked Amelia, looking into the blue eyes to see how much she should divulge. The open look on Amelia’s face, though, told her to just say whatever she thought best. Teddy felt a warm hand slide into her own and she suddenly felt as if her whole body were filled with butterflies.
“Well, after 9/11 I signed up for the army and did a tour in Bagdad, which is where I met Owen. After my tour finished, Owen gave me a call and offered me a position at the hospital. I was there for about a year and a half before I decided to go travel the world, you know?” Teddy offered a smile towards Carolyn as she saw the woman’s compassionate expression. Amelia and her mother had never gotten along, but the neurosurgeon had told her that her mother was very kind and amazing. Teddy could see exactly what Amelia meant now. “I came back about two years ago, when Amelia was married to Owen and...things got a little complicated, but I think everything turned out for the better. Owen and I never worked out the way Amelia and I did. I can’t even imagine now how I could ever not be with her.”
Teddy knew her mistake the minute she spoke. She hadn’t exactly meant to mention the “Owen dating both of them” part, but it had slipped out. Teddy turned her head slightly to glimpse Amelia’s panicked expression and Nancy’s unbelieving one.
“So, if I’m hearing this correctly, you both dated Owen?” Amelia could tell that Nancy was already judging them with her quirked eyebrow and the downward set of her mouth. Before Amelia could speak, however, her mother was chiming in, getting over the shock of the confession.
“Love comes around in unconventional ways sometimes. I’m glad you two were able to find each other through all of it.” Carolyn nodded her head in Amelia and Teddy’s directions. “And thank you for your service, Teddy.”
Amelia cleared her throat and offered Teddy a small smile, as if to reassure her that she hadn’t messed up. “I actually call her G.I. Jane sometimes. She’s a cardio goddess, especially with all her years in the army.” Teddy felt herself blushing at Amelia’s praising words filled with...Teddy couldn’t quite place the emotion lacing Amelia’s voice. “It’s kind of funny how we seemed to almost hate each other when we first met, constantly fighting over Owen. But now…”
Amelia turned her head to look Teddy in the eye and they both shared a smile. “I could never hate you.” Teddy stated firmly, Amelia automatically believing her. Now that she thought about it, she had never hated Teddy either. Dislike, maybe. Hatred, never.
Suddenly a cough from Kathleen pulled their focus away from each other, Teddy and Amelia blushing instantly from the small moment they’d shared.
“Who would’ve thought little hurricane Amy would marry a soldier?” And immediately the moment was gone.
“You know I hate that nickname.” Ice flooded through Amelia’s voice and blood as Kathleen was already opening her mouth again. Teddy felt Amelia’s grip on her hand tighten.
“Well you definitely earned it. Remember that time you got drunk at my wedding and got in a fight with one of my bridesmaids during the toasts?”
Amelia huffed at Kathleen’s words, not wanting Teddy to hear about her past, especially those three years that had been the worst. “She wouldn’t stop throwing insults at me. You would know if you paid any attention to who you choose as friends.” Amelia hadn’t meant the insult, but now she had said it and she had only fanned the flames of her sisters’ wrath.
“Or what about when you crashed Derek’s car while you were high?” Nancy’s words cut through the room like a knife. Teddy could see Carolyn was ready to cut into the conversation but Amelia’s voice didn’t allow her to.
“I was dead for three minutes, do you really want to bring up that memory?”
“Or when you were caught writing a prescription for yourself with a stolen doctor’s prescription pad-”
“Or the time you showed up high to Lisa’s funeral-” By now Amelia’s eyes were brimming with tears and she was sure her face was red with anger and humiliation. She had never wanted Teddy, or any of her friends, to see her like this, to hear how she used to be in her early 20’s and teens.
“-when you woke up on the front lawn after that night you went to the club.”
“Also when you-”
“Enough!” Everyone in the room jumped at Teddy’s hard voice, the voice Amelia had only heard her use in the OR or when a trauma was coming in and people were getting in the way. “Did you come here just to insult Amelia?”
Kathleen and Nancy stayed quiet, staring at Teddy with wide eyes. Carolyn stayed quiet, too, her attention turned on Amelia’s “girlfriend” as well.
“Amelia is one of the best people I’ve ever met.” Teddy started, her voice strong despite not knowing exactly what she was going to say next. “She is the kind of neurosurgeon people all over the country hear about. She is head of her department and an inspiration to all her students and fellow doctors. Amelia is incredibly strong, even stronger because of her past. It takes an amazing person to get over addiction and it takes a brilliant person to become a neurosurgeon after everything she’s been through.”
When nobody talked, Teddy figured she still had the floor. “Your sister is a neurosurgeon, for God’s sake. Amelia has one of the most brilliant minds of our time. Not to mention she’s incredibly kind and beautiful and a freaking miracle worker. Yeah, she might be a little crazy sometimes, but the best people always are.”
Amelia felt tears coming to her eyes once again, but this time for a completely different reason. Teddy looked beautiful and strong as she stared down Amelia’s sisters, green eyes blazing with fire. A certain feeling bloomed in the brunette’s chest, a feeling that Amelia knew all too well.
I love this woman, Amelia thought as she stared at Teddy. The thought ran through her head at lightning speed, shocking yet sounding so right. Amelia had thought her feelings for Teddy just resembled a strong crush, but staring at her in this minute...Amelia knew she loved Teddy Altman.
Carolyn’s voice suddenly interrupted Amelia’s imaginary declaration of love for the blonde. “I think you two have done enough damage for the night.” Their mother threw Kathleen and Nancy glares across the table as she stood up. “We should probably go.”
Amelia only stood up when her mother, Kathleen, and Nancy were getting up and walking towards the door. However, Amelia only hugged her mother goodbye and walked to her bedroom, leaving Teddy at the table.
Once Kathleen and Nancy had left the apartment, Teddy noticed Carolyn still standing in the doorway, looking around. Teddy tentatively approached her, the only Shepherd besides Amelia that seemed to be kind.
“I’m really sorry about my outburst, I didn’t…” Teddy’s voice trailed off as she saw Carolyn smile at her, a smile that reminded her so much of Amelia’s goofy one.
“You were just defending Amelia. Thank you for that. Amelia needs someone in her corner.” Before Teddy knew what was happening, Carolyn had pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug that she couldn’t help but return. When the woman pulled away after a few seconds, taking her warmth with her, she smiled one last time at Teddy.
“For what it’s worth,” Carolyn started, offering Teddy a kind smile. “I can tell you two really love each other. I look forward to visiting again, alone next time.”
With that, the three Shepherds were gone from the apartment, leaving behind a blushing Teddy whose thoughts were racing over the words she’d just heard.
The next day, Amelia found herself avoiding Teddy. From the minute she’d woken up, Amelia had known she couldn’t face the blonde surgeon. Teddy had heard the horror stories of her drug addicted years, the years that never stopped weighing on Amelia’s conscience. Only her family and a select few people knew about how bad Amelia’s addiction had really been. The last thing she wanted was for Teddy to look at her differently now that she knew.
So that morning, Amelia had found herself sneaking around Teddy, not even stopping to get coffee or have breakfast in the kitchen. She just got ready in her room, slipped on her clothes, and basically ran out the door.
Teddy herself had been wanting to talk to Amelia about what had happened the previous night, how what she had learned and what she felt didn’t change anything. However, before she could even think of what to say, Teddy saw a small figure with dark hair zip out the front door.
As Amelia went through her rounds for the day, she found her mind constantly drifting back to Teddy. The way the woman had kissed her, had stood up for her. Amelia couldn’t deny how much her heart swelled everytime she even just thought of the woman. Yup, Amelia was a goner and completely fucked.
Just as she was standing in line to get another cup of coffee from the coffee stand, her phone started buzzing loudly in her coat pocket. Sighing, Amelia saw on the called ID that it was her mom and answered reluctantly.
“Hey, mom.” Amelia dragged out the words in typical Amelia fashion, trying not to let her conflicted spirits get in the way of her usual sarcasm.
After a second, she heard the voice of Carolyn Shepherd on the other side of the phone. “Hi, Amy. I just wanted to let you know that we decided to go back early. We’re at the airport right now.”
Amelia couldn’t help the slight pang of hurt in her chest. Not for her sisters, who she’d be happy never to see again, but for her mom. They had never been close, but now that they were trying to fix everything between them, Amelia had been hoping for more time with her.
“Oh, yeah, I understand. Totally.” As if hearing the disappointment in her youngest daughter’s voice, Carolyn quickly replied.
“Sweetie, I’m sorry about what happened last night. Your sisters...I warned them before we arrived, but it seems like they just can’t let go of the past.”
Amelia just shrugged, even though she knew her mom couldn’t see her. When it was her turn in line, she quickly ordered her usual and got back to the phone. “Yeah, well, it seems like all of us have that in common.”
There was a silence on the other end of the phone.
“Amy, I know I haven’t been there for you like I should have and yesterday was a disaster, to say the least...but you and Teddy are beautiful together. I can tell you two really love each other.”
Amelia felt tears spring to her eyes at how true and yet false her mother’s words were. In that moment, Amelia wanted to spill the truth about everything, to ask her mom what to do about her feelings. But, for what seemed like the first time in her life, Amelia kept up her filter.
“I really like Teddy.” Carolyn said, a hint of admiration in her voice. “She’s a strong one, that woman. You both are.”
Amelia smiled wryly at her mom’s words. “Thanks, mom.”
“And promise to invite me to the wedding? For a second chance?” Amelia’s brain instantly filled with images of Teddy in a white dress and flowers in her hair and she couldn’t help it when her heart swelled in her chest again.
“I feel like all us doctors have had our fill of weddings, but yes, I will invite you.” As a second thought, Amelia threw in “As long as you don’t invite the two furies.”
She heard a chuckle on the other end and with a quick but warm goodbye, Amelia was off the phone and grabbing her coffee from the barista. However nice the call had been, her mother’s words had only left more questions in Amelia’s head.
Did Teddy like her, too? What did her mom mean that looked like they love each other? Were they really that convincing? And why did she-
Amelia shook her head of all the questions. She did not need this today. Amelia had a very complicated surgery that she needed to prepare for the next day, which Helm was already practicing in the skills lab for, plus she had charts to write up, new scans to take of another patient, and she needed time to overthink every single thing that had happened the day before.
She couldn’t lie to herself, Amelia felt very overwhelmed.
“Traitorous feelings.” She angrily muttered to herself as she made her way towards the skills lab.
That night, Teddy found herself on their couch with a beer bottle in her hand. It was her third beer and she would soon switch to whisky or tequila if she ran out. Teddy had thought long and hard all day about Amelia. About her beautiful blue eyes, her goofy smile, and how whenever she entered a room Teddy’s heart almost gave out.
“Oh god.” Teddy groaned to herself as she took another sip of her beer. She was just drunk enough to probably reveal all of her secrets, whether she wanted to or not. Honestly, Teddy wasn’t sure what to do. There had definitely been a spark in that kiss and those smiles...those smiles Amelia reserved just for her had to mean something, right? At least, Teddy tried to convince herself of that.
Suddenly, the front door of the apartment opened behind her and in walked Amelia. However, unlike the usually happy Amelia with a grin on her face, Teddy was met with an Amelia that was soaking wet from the rain outside, as if she’d just been standing out in the open for too long. Her black hair hung limp around her face, her nose pink and her eyes rimmed with red as if she’d been crying.
“Oh my god, Amelia. Are you ok?” Teddy set her beer down and quickly ran over to the small woman, instinctively wanting to wrap her arms around her. However, before she could, Amelia was backing away from her slowly. Teddy felt a pang of sadness at Amelia’s broken face.
“Ye-” Amelia’s voice cut off as she tried to say yes. She looked down at her feet, not allowing Teddy to see the beautiful stormy eyes she loved. “No. No, I’m not ok because I need to tell you something. I need to do this now before it consumes me even more.”
Teddy’s heart sped up as Amelia tried to keep talking. The blonde simply stood a foot away from her, waiting with baited breath to hear what had Amelia in tears.
“I never hated you, Teddy.” Amelia’s voice cracked as she said her name, but at least now she was looking into Teddy’s eyes, flaming green meeting intense blue. “Despite everything with Owen, all that drama...I never hated you. I actually liked you. Too much. It took me a while to realize that my feelings for you weren’t new or just springing up when I moved in. They’ve been there for...years. From the first moment I saw you, you were strong and beautiful and everything I wanted. Everything I needed.”
Amelia looked like she could keep talking, but her voice was breaking and tears were already spilling down her pale cheeks again. Teddy just wanted to reach out and wipe them away along with her sadness.
But Teddy stood there frozen, taking in Amelia’s startling words. Did she hear her correctly? Did Amelia...the expectant look on Amelia’s face told Teddy all she needed to know.
“I love you, Teddy. I can’t help it. And I know I’m crazy and that you heard all those stories about me yesterday. But that’s not me anymore. I’m still crazy, I’m still...a little bit of hurricane Amy, but you make me better. You make me grounded.”
Amelia offered Teddy a lopsided smile and Teddy couldn’t help but break out into a grin at her words. The amount of love she felt for the short woman in front of her was nothing like Teddy could imagine. Teddy took Amelia’s silence as her turn to respond, to confess to Amelia what had been rattling around in her brain and heart for months.
“I thought after Henry and Owen...that I would never be able to love again. I thought…” Teddy felt tears begin streaming down her face as she stared at Amelia’s expectant look, her eyes bright and pink lips in a small pout. “But then I met you, Amelia. Really met you. And you changed everything. I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time, too, and it just took me a while to realize.”
There was a moment of complete silence between the two women, Amelia shivering from her soaking wet clothes and hair, Teddy warm and just a bit tipsy. Amelia watched as Teddy bit her soft looking lip slightly and she was gone.
Amelia surged forward and captured Teddy’s lips in her own, standing on her tiptoes with her hands in the blonde waves. Teddy couldn’t help but moan at the taste of Amelia, feeling that spark from before reappear, but this time tenfold.
She felt Amelia’s fingers curl into her hair and her hands instantly went to the woman’s hips, wanting to pull her against her body completely. Teddy didn’t care about the wet clothes or tear-covered face. She pulled Amelia flush against her body, Amelia moaning from the warmth Teddy provided.
As Amelia pulled away, her eyes slowly fluttering open, Teddy moved her hands up to Amelia’s cheeks, wiping away the leftover streaks of tears.
“You love me?” Amelia whispered, tilting her head in her Amelia fashion and staring at Teddy with so much emotion she thought she would melt right where she stood. “You really love me?”
Teddy just nodded, green eyes shining bright with her own emotions. “Yes.” Her voice broke, fragile from the overwhelming situation thrust upon her.
Four months.
It had taken Teddy four months to fess up about her feelings. Four months of imaginary conversations and longing looks and small little actions, like making Amelia coffee or leaving notes for her in all the places the woman would find them, to show how much she loved her without actually saying the words. Teddy had always thought that she was never one that liked tearful conversations or mess or craziness in her life.
But, standing in front of Amelia, the woman she loved whose eyes were so bright under the apartment lighting and whose soaking black hair stuck to her cheeks and neck, Teddy realized she loved all those things. As long as she had those tearful conversations with Amelia and the woman was the mess and craziness in her life, Teddy could definitely love those things.