Doing The Dance (Jackson Avery Fanfic)

thirty-three

2017

"Why does it have to be this cold in the winter?" I'd just walked through the front door and was shaking snow off myself, prompting Jackson to chuckle.

"Come on Tay, you've lived in Seattle for how long? Surely you're used to it by now!" I rolled my eyes.

"I was, then I unconditioned myself in LA and now it's freezing again"

"Isn't this like your fourth Seattle winter since you've been back?"

"Third"

"No excuses then, you should be climatized by now" I chuckled and hung my coat at the front door. We'd been living together for a few months now. I'd called Luke's parents and apologized for giving up the apartment but to my surprise, and Jackson's delight, they agreed with Jackson that it wasn't me giving up the good memories. I still had those inside me, but I was torturing myself by staying there.

"Are we having Harriet this weekend?" Jackson sighed and shook his head.

"April's conveniently going to Ohio to see her parents and her sister"

Admittedly, since her return, April had been even harsher on Jackson's time with Harriet and was fighting for full custody. It had become ugly and I was kind of glad that I was able to distract Jackson from it as often as I could by living here now. He felt less alone and less saddened by it this way.

I stepped further into the house and the sight before me took me by surprise.

"Jackson Avery, are you cooking?" He chuckled as he stood at the stove.

"I knew you'd be finishing late, judging by the look on your face as I left. Figured you deserved a night off"

"Well, that depends on whether your food is good or not" Jackson threw a meatball at my face in protest, making me chuckle. "Watch it! I clean this place, remember?"

"And? I'll throw meatballs at you if you insult me"

"Well if it's any consolation, it smells good"

"It's every consolation. Grab a glass of wine and wait? Or shower" I grinned.

"A shower sounds perfect, I'll only be ten minutes" I put my things down in my room and grabbed some clean sweats to change into after a shower. The hot water was phenomenal, undoing the stresses of the day. Ever since she'd discovered Jackson and I were living together, April's harshness towards Jackson had slightly extended to me in the ER. She expressed her dislike for me still not being back in surgery and frequently. I knew if any other resident could run the ER anywhere near as well as I could, I'd be out of trauma.

I hadn't told Jackson about this, because I didn't want anyone to think I was abusing my friendship with the director of the board just to complain about little challenges in my work life. If I ever left Grey Sloan, I need to be able to stand on my own two feet and not rely on friendships higher up in the ranks.

"God that feels better" I announced as I walked back into the kitchen.

"So what was happening at work when I left?"

"A family came in after their roof collapsed from the snow. The dad had a broken leg already so he couldn't get up and shovel it off. They're all okay but it was kind of an influx and we were battling hypothermia, external injuries, and potential internal ones as well. Real think on your feet moment" Jackson smiled as I poured two glasses of wine.

"Well it's lucky you're good at that kind of thinking"

"I guess it is. April just seemed a bit frantic and it didn't help that Owen wasn't in today, it was just us"