Doing The Dance (Jackson Avery Fanfic)

thirty

2016

Waiting outside Richard's office with a now awoken Harriet was daunting. The five minutes I stood outside the hospital doors were bad but this was so much worse.

"Daddy!" I heard Harriet's little voice say, my eyes flicking up to find a confused Jackson walking towards us. I stood to my feet.

"Hey" I said, offering him a smile.

"Uh, hi? What are you doing here?" I understood his confusion, I'd only told him this morning that I wasn't ready to be back yet.

"My meeting was good and my therapist thinks I could be cleared to come back to work by Monday next week" Jackson's eyes lit up and he pulled me into a hug.

"Really? Tay, that's amazing!" I chuckled.

"Yeah, so I'm going to talk with Richard about it now"

"How are you doing being back here?" I sighed.

"It wasn't easy. But I'm just meeting Richard, not going to work. I think it might still be a while before I can step foot in the ER or an OR again, even if I come back next week" He nodded.

"Naturally" Harriet whimpered for Jackson and he smiled, pulling her out of the stroller and delivering a well-needed subject change.

"And how has this one been?"

"A dream. She woke up about half an hour after you left and snuggled me. She had a nap when we went to see Doctor Cavendish and then we went home for some lunch and a play before coming back down here" He smiled and pressed a kiss to Harriet's cheek.

"Good. We're slow today, so I should be home early enough to catch that stir-fry" I chuckled.

"Always thinking about food"

"Always. Here comes Webber, I'll see you at home?" I nodded as he handed Harriet back to me. She whimpered a little but I shushed her and she soon calmed down. I placed her back in the stroller and gave her a toy to play with as I greeted Richard.

"Doctor Dawson, it's good to see you again" I nodded with a smile, shaking his hand.

"Thank you, Chief, it kind of feels nice to be back here"

"Shall we?" We sat down in his office and I took a deep breath before he began speaking. "So you're feeling better then?" I nodded.

"I'm staying at Jackson's for a few days, he thought getting out of my apartment would be good for my brain. My therapist agrees"

"I agree too. What did your therapist say?"

"She thinks I could return to work as early as Monday next week" Richard's eyes went wide.

"Well that's good news" I nodded, a smile playing on my lips.

"I think so too. But I just wanted to talk with you because I don't think I can come back in all guns blazing. I don't know how much longer it'll be 'til I can enter the ER or an OR without freaking out"

"I wouldn't expect you to be able to come back fully straight away, not after the weeks you've just been through. But it would be good to have you back in here. Little by little Doctor Dawson"

"I'm glad we agree. He had to die in this hospital, right?" I chuckled. Richard chuckled himself and nodded.

"This hospital has faced its fair share of traumatic disasters." I nodded.

"And I've been here for a few of them." Richard laughed.

"Indeed you have. Well Taylor, if your therapist is happy and you're happy to return to work, I guess I'll be seeing you Monday morning. I'll keep you on light duties and you have an open pass to leave once it gets to be too much. Don't overwork yourself, or else I won't lose you for three weeks, it'll be for good" I nodded solemnly. He was right, pushing myself through it could just break me and throw away all the work I'd done to become a doctor.