Doing The Dance (Jackson Avery Fanfic)

fourteen

2015

Life seemed to finally be settling down after my hectic start at Grey Sloan six months ago. I was halfway through my third year of residency, chemo and working seemed to be somewhat harmonious and I was working with the respect of almost all my superiors. Alex Karev still had nothing nice to say and gave me no reassurance at all, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

Besides, I didn't need Alex anymore as someone to confide in within these walls. I had Luke. Luke and I were still living in that same apartment and we had really become the new Meredith and Cristina according to all the others who worked alongside us. We weren't bothered, even though both of us were more intent on becoming the new Luke and Taylor. I'd spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with his family, and now it was January. The weather was cold and snowy so there was no shortage of accidents and patients in the ER, where I had taken a more permanent post once April had finally returned basically full-time and had seen how I worked.

I liked April now that I was actually able to know her. I hadn't met her here as a patient before as she was from the Mercy West group and I only had one surgery here after the merger. But after meeting her as a doctor, I thought she was a capable doctor and really efficient at running the ER. After seeing me, she'd thought the same and now if ever she needed a resident's help, I was first asked.

Jo was a fan of Peds, no doubt because she was dating Alex and he was doing his fellowship. Stephanie was a lot like Cristina and enjoyed cardio so she followed Teddy every chance she got. Ben seemed to be interested in plastics so he was Jackson's lackey most days. And Luke had found his footing early with Meredith and Miranda so he was interested in pursuing general over anything it seemed. Of course, we all rotated and got our footing in other surgery practices but we all seemed to have an idea of where we would want to specialise once the moment came.

I found my way to neuro where I had been paged by Derek.

"You paged me, Doctor Shepherd?" Derek turned around with a grin. I was a little sceptical because on Derek Shepherd, that grin could mean everything.

"I did. I have an exciting opportunity for you Doctor Dawson" I cocked my head in slight confusion. He laughed and continued to speak. "I had Owen come in and watch you the last couple of times you assisted me in surgery. We both agreed, you're ready for a solo craniotomy" My eyes went wide.

"Oh no, no I can't do that"

"Well, why not?"

"Because a craniotomy involves drilling into someone's skull? I could kill someone!"

"Yeah but you won't, because you're good at your job. Owen agrees, you're ready" I shook my head.

"I'm not"

"You've flown solo before"

"Yeah on an appendix, not a freaking brain"

"I'll be right there in the OR" I sighed, looking away and then back to Derek.

"I'm not getting out of this am I?" He grinned, shaking his head.

"No chance"

"What about the other residents? How many of them are being offered solo surgeries?" Derek's grin slipped slightly. I groaned

"Come on, everyone here already hated me before. Giving me all the solo opportunities? It'll be like week one all over again"

"No other doctor in this hospital has worked as hard as you or learnt as quickly. I will say with 100% confidence and certainty that no other resident is ready to fly solo in my OR like you. It's not favouritism, it's skill. And you've got skill Doctor Dawson"