⇢ CHAPTER 83

glancing down at her patient who suffered a multitude of injuries which caused him to remain paralyzed in his gurney, "would you like me to remove the vent?"

The patient, glancing at his wife one last time before his eyes landed on his doctor, nodded— all the while, Cristina could not help herself but think of how things would be if they ended differently. 

☁

Walking to the Nurses' Station with defeat, Cristina placed her patient's tablet in the chargers to join the rest in beautiful formation as she sighed.

Cristina blinked, looking around at the doctors in front of her as everything slowed.

Her face lit up— catching the sight of Owen walking up to the elevator before pressing a button. 

Taking a deep breath of courage, Cristina smiled softly to herself as she approached him, ignoring Jackson's cry of pain once the sound of a crack from the bones in his hands broke the silence. 

"Oh, God." Jackson winced, holding his injured hand with the other as Meredith rushed over, worried.

"Jackson—" Meredith's eyes widened while Cristina spoke to Owen, admitting her love for him, "I-I'll go get Holly."

☁

"I'm sorry." Derek apologized while Holly sympathetically looked at Jackson, softly holding onto his previously-injured-now-healed hand, "I know how painful it is. I've been through it myself, but it's been over two years since the injury, and at some point, you just have to say enough is enough."

"What?" Jackson scoff, "No. Y-You have no idea where—"

"L-Look," Holly interrupted, offering him a smile, "your hand just needs more time, okay?"

"Just give your hand rest," Callie added, nodding, "throw yourself into the rehab."

"I've done the rehab!" Jackson outburst, sighing softly as Holly flinched— making him lower his voice, "I-It's been two years... it's done, okay? I'm good enough to operate. I mean, what is this?" He looked at the board members, frowning his brows before he sighed and relaxed his face, sitting back in his chair, "Is this about Mr. Willenstein? That was a routine—"

"The decision has been made." Derek finalized, raising his voice, "You can keep your administrative duties, but you are not cleared to operate. You're not going back into the O.R."

Jackson softly scoffed, eyes looking around the room at the doctors before he abruptly stood and stormed out of the room, too angry to speak anymore.

Glancing up from the table, Holly cleared her throat, "I'll go calm him down— the meeting's over, right?" Derek gave Holly a nod, making the redhead run after her husband. Catching up with him, she spoke, "Jackson—"

"It was a routine..." Jackson spoke, cutting himself off as his voice quivered while he turned to Holly, "It—"

"I know." Holly assured, holding onto his hand before she dragged the two of them into an on-call room, placing both of her hands at the sides of his face as she glanced up at him through her eyelashes, "I , y-you don't need to convince me, okay? I'm with you."

Jackson exhaled deeply, looking at his previously injured hand before speaking with a defeated voice, "I feel like I can't do anything."

"Jackson," Holly interrupted his thoughts as she grasped onto his hand, "you can do what you want just—"

"Just not surgery?" Jackson muttered in slight anger, prompting Holly to pause before he closed his eyes and inhaled, "I'm sorry, I—"

"I get it." Holly nodded, lightly tightening her hold on the hand, "I'd be pissed too if I couldn't do surgery anymore— but Jackson," She grinned as her eyes softened, "you're  smart—y-you're  at the administrative side of things and I know if you put your focus into it, you might actually start to like it again." She beamed, "Or at least try for me?"

Jackson squinted at her with a smile, shaking his head, "Did they pay you?"

"Nope." Holly cheekily remarked, walking over to the door and locked it before making her way to her husband, "But, you know what? I think I can do something to get your mind off of things."

"?" Jackson chuckled, finding himself lip-locked with his wife as his back hit the cushiony surface of the on-call room bed while his hand trailed to her hip— their activity just beginning.

☁

"It's so not fair." Holly mused, squinting her eyes at Cristina and April as Jackson continued to look over the files for the hospital, " 'belly buddies'— what am I?" Holly scoffed, gesturing to her small pregnant bump, "Left alone, that's what."

"I'm here." Jackson reminded, looking away from the files to kiss his wife's cheek, "And I think you're forgetting about a certain  that prevented you from joining them."

"I guess." Holly rolled her eyes, scoffing as she looked at Jackson, "I'm never letting Derek drive again." 

Jackson chuckled, kissing her cheek again as he nodded, "Yes, dear."

"What's got you so lovey-dovey?" Holly quirked a brow, turning to face him with a smile, "Not that I don't love it— but what's up."

"Frodo's certified." Jackson informed, watching as the smile brightened Holly's glow. 

"Really?" She chuckled, "Now he'll be with us at work— I-I mean, he'll be around the Peds patients, but I'm excited! Yay!" She grinned, thinking over their dog walking around the hospital, "Go Frodo!"