forty

who turned around to face them as she went to take a seat, "Jackson Avery really has a bigger say than any of us in running this hospital?"

"That can't be true." Cristina commented as Arizona passed one of the folders, "Can it?"

Derek replied, "Well, he's a voting member of the management team and the Harper Avery Foundation."

"And their 175 million bucks." Callie sighed, as she sat down next to Arizona.

"As opposed to our 15 million a piece." Arizona sighed, while Allison kept her opinions to herself, feeling the obvious drift between the board members and Jackson.

"According to Stan, not only does he have the deciding vote, he can veto ours."

"This is ridiculous." Cristina sat down next to Allison, "He's a fellow."

"So are you." Meredith reminded her.

"But he's a plastics fellow." Cristina corrected, "And I'm me."

Allison spoke up, "Well, let's not overreact. I mean, it's Jackson. He's not some corporate stranger. He's one of us."

"No, you're right." Derek nodded, "He's a smart kid. He's gonna follow our lead."

"Yes." Allison nodded as she smiled at Derek, "He will—"

"No. No, we made this plan." Callie disagreed, "We pulled it together." She reminded, causing Allison to raise a brow at her, "Look, I'm grateful to the Harper Avery for infusion of cash, but I'm—I'm not gonna let some—-some..."

Cristina looked at Callie, "Plastics fellow?"

"Plastics fellow tell me how to run my service 'cause his mommy said he could."

"Preach." Arizona agreed as she flipped through the papers in their proposal. Allison looked at Derek who gave her a small shrug and an apologetic look—at least he tried. Allison sighed as she flipped the paper in front of her not believing how quickly they were switching on someone they know.

***

"Okay, so we agree that the Peds and adult E.R.s will be combined to save on personnel?" Arizona went over what they have discussed, without Jackson, who was running late.

Everyone agreed, as Jackson walked into the room with binders and pink box. "I'm sorry, guys." He apologized as he set down everything on the table, "I was running on time, and then my last round's patient turned into a crier." He smiled as he put the box in the middle full of donuts, "Pow."

Allison could feel the awkward tension inside the room. Deciding to fill him in, Allison spoke up, "We were discussing the reopening of the E.R. and the trauma department."

"Oh, yes." Jackson said, looking through the folders and binders in front of him, "Um, I'm not ready for that just yet."

"If you need more time with the material, we can go ahead—-"

Jackson raised a hand to stop him, "No, no, I've—-I've read it. Uh, it's just that the foundation feels like the E.R. is not a forgone conclusion. They need a site visit, a chance to look over the numbers. It could be a month before a decision."

"Okay." Arizona chuckled, while Meredith took a donut handing one to Allison, "The foundation knows we plan on getting our level I trauma designation back, right?"

"They know that's the idea." Jackson nodded, ,"Yeah."

"It's the fact." Callie corrected.

"I think we should table this until we can bring in Owen." Cristina suggested, "He'll have a lot of thoughts on this, too."

"That's—That's the other thing." Jackson interrupted.

"What thing?" Derek asked, causing the other surgeons to look up at Jackson.

Jackson noticed the looks from the doctors as he let out an exhale, "Since we are starting fresh, the thought is that new leadership would be good for morale."

Cristina raised her brow at him, tilting her head, "What, like, uh, Chief of Surgery?"

"Oh, no way." Callie shook her head, disagreeing not wanting to fire Owen.

Meredith frowned her eyebrows, "Firing Owen."

Jackson tried to explain, "Okay, well, the foundation thinks that—-"

"Your mother." Callie corrected.

"The Harper Avery Foundation—-"

"Your mother, Avery. Just say it." Callie voiced.

Allison tried to fix the tension, "Guys, we should—-"

"It's a recommendation."

"It's an inappropriate one." Cristina nodded, not wanting to believe they would do this to Owen.

"Oh." Callie nodded at Cristina before looking at Jackson, "Tell your mom that. This is bull—"

"And this isn't going nowhere." Arizona shook her head as she got up, "I have surgery."

"Me too." Derek agreed, "We should get back to this."

"You know, I don't care who's giving you your marching orders, this thing with Owen is not happening." Cristina warned Jackson as everyone began to stand up.

"Well, say what you want, but without the Harper Avery Foundation, none of us are here." Jackson reminded them.

"And we appreciate that." Meredith nodded, "But no one expected them to come in and start dictating policy."

"Yeah, well" Jackson felt hisfrustration rise, without thinking he uttered the words, "No one asked you to sue the hospital into bankruptcy either."

"For the plane crash that killed Lexie?" Meredith narrowed her eyes at him, as she and Cristina walked out of the room leaving Allison and Jackson alone.

Allison looked at him in shock, he knew how it affected all of them and that wasn't fair. "I know you feel the frustrationabout the foundation but you weren't there."

Jackson sighed, sincerely looking into her eyes, "I know. I'm sorry." He sat down on the chair, "It's all getting to me, being here as a board member and—"