Paradise-Grey's Anatomy AU Book 8

Chapter Five

"The human body is designed to compensate for loss. It adapts, so it no longer needs the thing it can't have. But sometimes the loss is too great, and the body can't compensate on its own. That's when surgeons get involved. We're so hopeful at the beginning of things. It seems like there's only a world to be gained, not lost. They say the inability to accept loss is a form of insanity, it's probably true. But sometimes, it's the only way to stay alive" 

"there's something about her hand holding mine"

Aurora was making eggs when Owen came into the kitchen. He stood behind her and started kissing her neck. She smiled and turned around. She pecked his lips and took the frying pan off the stove. She divided the eggs into two plates and gave him one. He started eating them. "Do you want some more?" she asked him.

"I actually want something else"

He got up and started kissing her.

Beck entered the kitchen where Cristina was already eating breakfast. "Morning", Cristina said.

"You know what's weird?"

"No, but I bet you're gonna tell me"

"Jackson tried to get me on a trip out of town just as his mom is coming into town"

"Why, you wanna meet her?"

"No, of course not. I just don't understand why he's worried. It's not like we're serious or anything"

"Yeah, but does he know that?"

Meredith, Cristina, Lucy and Alex took their seats in the lecture room. "I can't believe Altman postponed our surgery for grand rounds", Cristina complained. "It's just a boring lecture". "Owen told me it was mandatory", Aurora said. "One more hour of sleep, that's what it is", Alex said, folding up his lab coat to create a make-shift pillow. "Oh, no. It's not gonna be boring", April replied. "This is Jackson's mother, Catherine Avery". "She's a urologist, right?" Lucy asked Jackson.

"Yeah. I met her when I was an intern at Mercy West. She's amazing"

"She is a lunatic", Jackson corrected.

"No, she's not. She's brilliant. She says these things that shock you, but then when you think about them later, they change your whole life"

"Or they ruin your whole life. She's toxic. She's a meddler. My mom has no boundaries. Be warned"

"Oh, is that why you tried to ship me out of the state?" Beck asked him. "What? You tried to send Beck away? Wow", Aurora muttered. "Who hides his girlfriend under a rock while his mom comes into town?" Cristina wondered. "I'm not his girlfriend", Beck corrected her. "He's got a hypercritical surgeon for a mom", Kelly said. "I get it". "Is your mom ambidextrous?" Cristina asked him. "I bet she is. All the best surgeons are". "Wait a second. How often do you talk to my mom?" Jackson asked April. "We're Facebook friends", she replied.

"You're... You and my mother?"

"She's a brilliant surgeon and woman. She's a trailblazer"

"And she's got a stalker", Beck finished.

"Hey, you know what? Just meet her. You'll see"

"Wake up, everybody", Catherine said, making her way onto the stage. "I know, I know, it's grand rounds, where we have to sit and listen to somebody talk about how somebody did something and here's how they did it, and there's not enough coffee in Brazil for this. Well, not today. Today we are going to do. Today I'm going to change a life and maybe make medical history, too". Jackson started to sink down in his chair making Beck smile in amusement. "And I can't do it alone, so who wants to step into the future with me?" Catherine asked. April cheered but no one else did. She sunk into her chair with embarrassment. "Okay. That's alright. That's a start", Catherine continued. "Let's see if I can get a few more. Ryan, honey, would you come out here, please? Everybody, this is Ryan" A man in a robe came out on stage. "Ryan, could you show everybody what we're here to do today?" Catherine asked him. He took off his robe revealing Catherine's intention. Everybody looked at it, shocked. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to invite a few very lucky residents to scrub in on this country's first penis transplant", Catherine announced.