You and I (Don't Let Go) | Grey's Anatomy x Criminal Minds

Chapter Twelve

Convincing Chief Strickland that hiring April Kepner was going just as well as she thought it would go. That is to say, Ivy was failing spectacularly. 

Ivy couldn't even tell you why she was so invested in this now.  It's been a week or so since the residents heard about their board results, and hearing that Kepner had all of her other offers rescinded kind of broke Ivy's heart.  And then finding out that Owen had fired her (even though he had sung her praises to everybody, and had even taken her on as a mentee of sorts), sparked a slightly vengeful, petty feeling in Ivy that she didn't care enough to ignore.  Logically she knew that he had his reasons, and not many people will keep on a resident who failed their boards, but Ivy seemed to throw logic out of the window when it came to Owen Hunt.  So here she was, stuck in a heated conversation with her Chief of Surgery.

"She's a good surgeon, Chief. I know she is because I taught her myself–"

"She failed her boards, Woods.  I'm sure she's a fine surgeon, but we many other excellent candidates who actually passed–"

"So what if they passed!  Jameson snapped when I asked her the same variation of a question three times in a row.  Morrison has very clear issues with female authority, Vaughn has a superiority complex and couldn't tell me the steps to a hernia repair, and Freeman had the organizational skills of a ten year old with a two-second attention span." Ivy ranted, listing off her very valid reasons as to why none of the surgical fellows she had interviewed thus far were hirable.

Dr. Strickland sighed heavily, running her hand down her face.  "Wha- he really forgot the steps to a hernia repair?"

Ivy nodded seriously.  "And he could barely remember how to do an appendectomy.  And then he asked me what the point was.  He's great on paper with all his fancy surgeries and good outcomes, but he thinks he's above the basics of our job."

"Alright, well," Deborah sighed again, having no choice but to accept the explanation.  "Well, what about Dr. Jameson?  What does not wanting to answer the same question three times have to do with her surgical skills?  I probably would have been pretty annoyed with you, too."

Ivy almost rolled her eyes with the look of badly disguised annoyance the Chief was giving her. 

"Chief, it isn't just about surgical skills, it's about their ability to run the ER efficiently.  How many drunk and disorderlies come into the ER, barely able to tell us their own name?  A lack of patience is a recipe for disaster.  And so is a lack of organizational skills, by the way, because I know you're going to ask about Freeman next.  I'm not risking someone losing a patient, or losing track of priority patients because they're a scatter-brain."

"Ivy..." Chief began, sounding tired.  Ivy didn't let her finish the sentence.

"Chief, I need someone I can trust.  And I'm not saying that Kepner is my only option, but I am saying she deserves a chance, because I know how trustworthy she is.  She's a damn good surgeon, and she does not belong on a damn farm.  She should be in a hospital saving lives, not helping cows give birth or riding horses or.. I actually don't really know what happens on farms but you get my point!"

Ivy held her breath after her rant, as she could see something miniscule change in the older woman's face. 

"Ivy," she began again, slowly.  "I need to be very clear.  Giving this position to Dr. Kepner means taking it away from another, board certified fellow.  You need to be very, very certain that giving it to Kepner would not be a mistake.  This is a highly coveted position, Woods, a lot of bright young minds would jump at the chance to learn from you.  You need to be sure you're picking the best person for a job."