Code Blue • Jackson Avery

Chapter Seventy

"You paged?" I asked as I entered my dad's office. It was cozier now that boxes were unloaded.

This prestigious project with the president and the United States was just another thing added to the list of reasons why I admired my dad.

"Can I finish reading you my speech? You know one neurosurgeon to another?" He asked with a smile.

"Let me hear it" I said sitting down on the couch next to Bailey who was in a car seat carrier.

"Yes this is a U.S project but I believe our best approach is to open our doors to welcome your participation. You know we're trying to gain a comprehensive understanding of the most complex object in the world - our brain. We are willing to take every great mind we can access to do it - your minds. We welcome you. Thank you for joining us"

"Bailey what do you think? I think it was great" I said getting a noise from the baby.

"Your sure?" He asked shuffling the cards back in order.

"It's perfect. C'mon on dad I haven't seen you stress this much since we waited to hear back on my mcat scores. Which not to toot my horn were impressive" I said.

"I went up to daycare to find my son missing" Meredith said.

"I needed an audience. Here sit down" my dad explained.

"I have work to get back to but great job. I'm looking forward to the meeting later" I said exiting the room. Meredith and I smiled at each other as I walked out.

I headed to find Jackson who was in the peds unit today.

"Hey is Jackson in there?" I asked Bailey and April who were waiting at the nurses station.

"He should be coming out any minute" April said. I gave her a soft smile. She walked towards the door to  enter, getting ready to prep the patient for surgery.

The patients door opened and out came Jackson while April went in.

"Well it's a potts puffy tumor. He should get to surgery right away, get it drained" he slurred.

"Jackson are you okay? You look horrible" I said placing my hand on his forehead.

"Yeah correct you look horrible. What's going on with you?" Bailey asked.

"Oh nothing. My stomach's a little screwy. I'm fine.  I'm gonna book an O.R. though" he said leaning on the counter.

"Are you nuts. You need to go home. Bailey can drain the tumor" I said stroking his back as his body practically collapsed onto the counter.

"I'm fine I can take care of myself" he muttered.

"I'm calling your mother and having her watch Gia tonight. The last thing we both need is you and her sick" I said pulling out my phone. 

"I'm going home" he said picking himself up off the counter.

We both walked to the break room where I threw all his stuff into his backpack.

"Just go home and lay in bed. Gia is staying at your mom's tonight. I'll be home later" I said.

"I know how to be sick. Okay" he sassed almost on the verge of delusion.

"I'll see you later" I said placing my hand on his cheek before he walked away.

I headed back to the nurses station to grab an iPad.

"Ah Dr.Shepherd you are needed on a consult in O.R. 3" one of the nurses said.

"Okay tell dr?"

"Kepner"

"Okay um tell Dr. Kepner I'll be right there"

I headed to the O.R.

"You paged?"

"You are the only neurosurgeon left. There's a tumor that needs to be resected from the brain" Kepner said.

I shook my head and headed into the scrub room. Once the resection was done I looked at the clock.

"Can you close up?" I asked April.

"Yeah go ahead" she said.

I rushed out of the O.R, scrubbed out and rushed to the meeting.

As I swiftly turned the corner I saw Meredith pacing back and forth.

"Did he start yet?" I asked slightly out of breath.

"No actually the opposite. He's sick laying in a hospital bed upstairs with an I.V hooked up to him. I don't know what to do"

"Do you have his notecards?" I asked. She shook her head no.

"I know his speech by heart. I mean I should I've heard it so many times" I said entering the room.

"Welcome" I began.

———
I headed up to my dad's room after the speech to find him slight delirious still from being dehydrated.

"I have to go give a speech" my dad called out to the nurse who was struggling to keep him in the bed.

"Dad, enough the meeting is over" I said. The nurse helped him back in before leaving.

"I missed it? Did you send them all home?" He asked.

"I think they enjoyed your speech actually. Many are looking forward to getting in touch with you in the near future" I explained. I sat down on the edge of his hospital bed and handed him an iPad.

It was a recorded video of me giving his speech.

"Oh Bella you didn't have to"

"Your work deserved to be heard. This was the least that I could for you. Here I'll leave this here with you to watch. I'm heading home to check up on Jackson. He's sick just like you" I explained.

"Goodnight" my muttered before turning his attention back to the iPad.

I smiled and dimmed the lights as I walked out. I headed home for the night.

When I walked into the house it was pitch black. I slowly crept up the stairs and entered our bedroom.

"Hey your home?" Jackson asked in his dazed state.

"How are you feeling?" I asked sitting on the bed next to him.

"Okay" Jackson muttered.

"You want soup?" I asked. I was about to make myself some dinner.

Jackson pushed the covers off of him and we both headed to the kitchen. Jackson sat at the island counter while I made soup.

It was strange having the house to ourselves. The days before Gia were born.

We sat together in the dimly lit kitchen at midnight sipping on soup together.