It was Jackson Avery's first day performing surgery at Tacoma General Hospital. He had no intentions of quitting Seattle Grace. It had become home to him, all of his friends and the people he cared about worked there, even though he wasn't on the best of terms with all of them. However, he figured that this opportunity would provide him with extra practice, and he could use the experience if he was going to meet his mother's high expectations and become a medical "legend." Additionally, though he wouldn't only admit it to himself, he missed being a surgeon at a hospital with a trauma center. He missed the drama and urgency that shook up his day and made it interesting. He hoped to find some of that again working part-time in Tacoma.
"Okay" he said to himself as he looked over the information about his next patient. "Unidentified female, late twenties, blunt abdominal trauma, subgaleal hematoma, and pelvic organ prolapse."
Jackson calmly discussed strategy with the nurse as they scrubbed in. By the time they were finished, the patient was being wheeled in.
"Mam" he said comfortingly, knowing that she was probably unconscious or disoriented but wanting to put her at ease in case she was aware of her surroundings. "You're okay. You're in a hospital. I'm Doctor Avery. I'm going to be performing your surgery" he continued as he scanned the room assuring everything was in place.
"Can you tell me your name?" he added softly as he looked at her face for the first time.
"Oh God" he gasped as it registered in his mind what he was looking at. It was April. His April bloddied and bruised and lying on the operating table unconscious.
"April!?" he yelled as he knelt down next to her and took her hand. "April, it's me- it's Jackson. What happened to you?"
There was no response.
"April?" he said louder as he grabbed his notes and read closer. Before he didn't really care what had caused the injuries, he was just focused on the best way he could help the patient. But now? This was April and something terrible had happened.
"Was it a car crash?" Jackson asked the nurse urgently.
"I have no idea sir" she answered. "You know this woman?"
"Yes" Jackson answered as he fought tears.
"Then maybe you shouldn't perform the surgery" the nurse suggested.
"No" Jackson answered. "You're right. I shouldn't."
"It's going to be okay Kepner" he said to April as he stroked her hair. "I'll make sure the best damn doctor in this place works on you. And I'll be right here when you wake up."
He winced as he looked at her closer. "Oh God" he whispered to himself. "What happened to you April, what the hell happened to you?"
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