Code Blue • Jackson Avery

Chapter Eighty Seven

After dropping the oldest two off at ski school and the twins off at the daycare I met back up with Jackson who had texted me he was on his way back.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

"Horrible. I need a drink. There's a local bar up on the top of the mountain. Want to go get one?" Jackson asked changing out of his scrubs and into causal clothing.

"The bar on top of the mountain? Isn't it cold to walk? We can get a cab and drive into town" I suggested. I knew Jackson's dad was a touchy subject. He had walked out on him and his mother, never looking back. Growing up without a dad was hard for Jackson.

"It's fine come on" Jackson said. We both walked up to the bar where Jackson stopped.

"You okay?" I asked.

"My dad owns this" Jackson revealed. He waited for me to respond shocked but I didn't.

"I know. I kind of talked to him today" I said. "He doesn't know your here or that we are married. He only revealed his name to be as I was leaving"

Jackson let out a breath before walking in with his arm around me.

"Dr. Shepherd you're back. This your husband?" He asked. Jackson and I were shocked that he didn't recognize him.

"Two beers please" I said. We took a seat in the corner enjoying our time together.

"So what happened?" I asked about the failed transplant.

"The donor vocal cord was damaged, undetectable on the scans. There's nothing else I can do" Jackson explained.

His eyes shifted towards his father before back to me.

"I'm ready to spill my guts for you. Maybe just talk to him?" I asked sending Jackson was on edge. He looked nervous.

"Guts, that's it" Jackson said.

"What? I don't think throwing up will help" I said naive to what he was saying.

"No, using the patient's own gut, she's her own donor" Jackson explained.

"Has that every been done before?" I asked. A smile creeped up on Jackson's face. He shook his head no.

He quickly downed the last of his drink before standing up.

"Leaving so soon?" Jackson's dad asked. Jackson threw the money down on the table before talking my hand and walking out.

Later that night after the kids were picked up and put to bed, we ordered food to the room so we could work and study up on the planned surgeon for tomorrow.

"This should work"

"Should?" I asked.

"It will work" Jackson said giving me a big kiss. "You're a genius" he said.

"I think the genius is you" I said back smiling.

"Want to scrub in?" Jackson asked. I was caught off guard.

"Really? I've been meaning to talk you about going back. I know the twins are still young but I miss it. Gia and Jacob are in school now. The hospital has daycare. I think-"

"Hey, if you want to go back. Do it! I would never stop you from achieving your dreams" Jackson said. I smiled jumping to his lap.
———
The next morning I walked into the hospital ready for the surgery with Jackson by my side.

"Mrs. Avery it's so wonderful for you to join us" one of the doctors said.

"Shepherd and thank you" I said. We walked into the scrub in room.

"Can you believe this is being done for the first time and no one will see it? If this was at Grey Sloan there would be cameras and a gallery full of people watching"

"Hey, I'm here. I get to see it. We get to do it together" I said smiling. We patted our hands dry and entered the operating room.

"10 blade"

"Scalpel"

We both looked at each other before making the incisions.

After the surgery, we checked on the patient in here post op room. There I was able to meet the parents of the young girl, two moms anxiously waiting to hear their daughter talk for the first time.

"Mama" she muttered. The two moms bursting into tears. Each one hugged us both, thanking us for saving their daughter's life. I smiled, I had missed moments like this. Saving patients' lives and seeing the joy and happiness on their relatives' faces.
———
"You ready?" I asked as Jackson walked up the hill. He was holding Jacob's hand and holding one of the twins in his other arm. Gia was walking besides me while I had the other twin.

"Yeah" Jackson said. We walked up to the bar to find it was closing.

"Sorry we are closed" Robert said flipping the sign.

"I'm Jackson Avery, your son". Richard immediately turned around and unlocked the door ushering us all in. He pulled out a few chairs at a table and told us to sit down.

"Wow, just look at you. So you're a surgeon. Plastics and ENT correct?"

"Yeah"

"This is your wife. You got lucky with her" I awkwardly smiled. "So how are you? What do you do?"

"I work in Seattle at Grey Sloan-"

"No, what I mean I guess is are you happy? You seem happy with a wife and kids. How is your mother?" Richard asked. He was firing off questions faster than Jackson could answer.

"I'm happy. I wasn't for the longest time, not until I met Isabella" Jackson explained. I placed my hand on his shoulder showing I was here for support. "My mom is doing really good. She remarried"

"Oh wow that's nice to hear. So these are your children?"

"Gia, Jacob, Hadley and Mollie"

"Wow I am a grandfather" he said stunned.

"No" Jackson said catching me off guard. "My mother is a great grandmother. You walked out you don't get that title. My kids don't ask about you and they won't know you. They don't deserve to know that you walked on a commitment. They won't know what that feels like cause I refuse to do it to them" Jackson said. I was proud he was getting it off his chest.

"I couldn't handle the pressure, the galas, the tux. It wasn't for me. Your mother loved it, she thrived. You have to understand I fought for sole custody. I lost"

"It doesn't change anything" Jackson grabbing Hadley and Gia. I picked up Mollie and grabbed Jacob's hand. We left promptly heading to the car service that was waiting outside. We then headed to the private plane waiting at the airport.

"I'm proud of you" I whispered to Jackson during the flight.

"Thank you, for being there, for being you" he whispered back. I rested my head on his shoulder the rest of the flight.