Doing The Dance (Jackson Avery Fanfic)

forty-four

2017

The van that had dropped us off three days ago was waiting for us all as we left the airport. It was the middle of the day, so we would be taken back, given time for lunch and then we were all expected to work until that evening until 5 pm. That was when the results for the exams were officially released, and we could not only see if we passed but our scores as well.

I was nervous to go back to the hospital. I hadn't answered any calls or texts from Jackson, I hadn't even turned my phone back on. I was actually surprised he didn't call someone like Jo, Richard, or even Steph to find out if I was okay. If he had, no one had mentioned it to me.

"Isn't it stupid that they're making us work while we wait for our results?" Jo said to the quiet van.

"I don't know, I think it's kinda fun. And a good way to take your mind off it" Ben said.

"Yeah, if it works to take your mind off it"

"You're all gonna be fine, stop stressing out" Richard said. I hadn't said much, and I knew they all thought it was because of my boards. I hadn't said anything to anyone about them, for fear that I would blurt out all the things from my past.

Admittedly, I was shaken by the way my boards had gone given the moderators I had. I was terrified I had stuffed it all up and ruined my chances of moving forward.

When the van pulled up in front of the hospital, I took a deep breath and got out, grabbing my bag. Jackson and Owen were there to greet us all. Jackson took one look at me and knew something was up. He was always able to read me, even back in 2010 with the shooting.

"Welcome back guys, I know you're all probably itching to know your results. So, the option is yours, hang out in the resident's locker room and wait or get to work. We like all our residents to be together when they open their results so that in case anyone does fail, they're surrounded by support from their peers" Owen said. Jo and Steph were cheering at the idea of not going to work, Ben was glad he could go see his wife. I walked straight into the hospital, put my bag down, changed into some scrubs, and made my way to the ER.

"Doctor Dawson! You're back" April greeted me.

"What needs to be done?"

"Okay, you don't want to talk about the boards, you know I get it and-"

"What needs to be done, Kepner?" April looked at me oddly, before brushing it off and handing me some charts.

"Bed three needs an ortho consult, bed six needs labs picked up and I'll need an assist with a critical patient coming in so find Hunt and tell him to meet me in the ambulance bay. Then the floor is yours"

"Can I scrub in instead?" April chuckled.

"I don't know if that's the best idea, Dawson, I mean you just-"

"Sat my boards? I know. I need my mind occupied. Running the damn floor isn't going to do it. I need my hands in a body" April nodded.

"I'll page Hunt to come run the show, you page Torres. Then meet me in the ambulance bay" I nodded and paged Callie to the ER. As soon as she was there, I spoke to her.

"Bed three, Hunt will be here soon to run things. I'm going into surgery with Kepner"

"Woah, woah, woah! Are you okay?" Callie grabbed my arm and looked at me.

"I'm fine, I need to get gowned and to the ambulance bay"

"Dawson, you just got back from LA where you sat your board exam. Are you sure you're okay to be here? You seem kind of off"