Today Maggie found herself having to deal with an old classmate Kimberly Thompson. She had a bicuspid aortic valve and a thoracic aortic aneurysm requiring repair. She presented with weakening and dilation of the graft which was very serious and the scans had presented that she wouldn't even survive the replacement. She had gone to different doctors with everyone telling her they couldn't help. Kimberly found herself having to beg the girl she used to bully because life has a funny way of humbling us sometimes. Maggie enlisted the help of Meredith, the two worked on the case together and they successfully repaired the whole thing. They decided to go out and have some dinner just the three of them because they had been so busy, Amelia with her NYC trip they hadn't had time to hang out as sisters so Meredith texted Amelia letting her know they would be going out.

"So how are things with Robert" Maggie asked as the sisters sat having their food

"We are okay, I mean they are okay so we good"

"Hmmmm they are so good he has even met the kids" Amelia said

"What? When?" Maggie asked in excitement

"I told you last week when you lost Layla that I was planning on doing that but I guess you didn't hear a thing"

"Well that was the same day Jackson came home from LA after Collins kissed him so I probably didn't hear you"

"Collins did what?" Amelia asked

"He kissed Jackson" Meredith said

"How do you know that?" Maggie asked her sister

"Alex told me"

"Freakin Alex" Maggie said

"Wait, Collins did what? Why am I always finding out things late?"

"Because you are too busy having sex with Link to notice" Maggie shot her sister with a look

"I thought you said you were no longer doing that" Meredith interjected

"I am not, I mean I wasn't but then NY happened so right now we are just hanging out"

"So you are –dating?" Maggie said

"No we are not, I am not dating anybody, I am just hanging out with a friend that`s all"

"Shut up you two are dating, anywhere have you two set a date yet?" Meredith asked Maggie

"No, we haven`t, he just needs to deal with his father first and we will take it from there"

"You two should elope because planning a wedding is tedious" Meredith said

"There are wedding planners for that, don`t listen to her"

"I like the idea of a wedding planner, we are doctors so there is no way we can spend time planning a wedding, I would elope but my dad would be broken if he hears we eloped."

"And Catherine won`t forgive you either, that`s her only son" Meredith said

"So have you decided if you are taking his name?" Amelia asked

"Yeah, I am taking his name"

"Is this what you want Maggie?" Meredith asked showing concern

"Yes it is, I know it`s weird but yeah I am taking his name"

"Wow, this is huge. I thought you would at least hyphenate" Amelia said

"I know that and yes I will legally hyphenate but I will go by Avery. I know you are all thinking it's risky but we talked this through. We are just starting something knew so you two need to support me on this okay?"

"Okay" Amelia said as she looked at her sister "look at your 9 o`clock" Maggie tilted her head and there she saw Collins by the bar section. It had been over a week since all things went down. She had kept it professional with her, trying to be the bigger person and all. She watched her for a minute until Amelia told her to quit staring. A lot of thoughts ran through her mind but she ignored them as they continued eating their food. The sisters continued chatting with Maggie still checking at the direction of Collins.

"I will be back" she said standing up

"Maggie, no, that is not a good idea" Meredith`s words fell on deaf ears as Maggie walked towards Collins.

"Dr Collins" Maggie greeted her. She tilted her head to look at the person who was greeting her "Dr Pierce, hi, please call me Natalie"

"I hope this seat isn't taken" Maggie said as she sat next to her

"No its not, what are you doing here?"

"I am just out here with my sisters, you know having dinner" she looked over at them and Collins saw them

"Okay, listen Dr Pierce; I just want to apologize for my behaviour towards Jackson. He was kind to me and I took it too far. I just want you to know that I am sorry, what happened will never happen again"

"Good but that wasn't the reason I came over here, I noticed you have been here for a while all alone and I was wondering if you could come have a drink with us"

"Oh, let me just make a quick call and I will come join you"

Maggie walked back to her table while Collins stepped out to make a phone call.

"So what was that all about, I was expecting to see you throwing punches"

"I am not that type of girl"

"You punched a patient`s mother so we both know that`s a lie"

"That was different; I invited her over to come join us so you two better play nice okay. She is new around here, she has no friends so be kind" Meredith and Amelia looked at their sister puzzled; they both nodded their heads as Collins made her way to their table.

...

Jackson had gone to SF to meet his final team so they could get started, he decided to stop by LA to final confront his father. He walked in to the room where his father was; he couldn't believe what was in front of his eyes. He could barely recognize the man he had last seen in Montana. He still had his smile though; they had briefed him on how his condition was. Robert smiled upon seeing him

"Jackson" he said in his ailing voice

"Robert" Jackson said scanning through the room. He walked around checking the outside through the window. He moved and stood at the end of his bed watching him.

"You came"

"Are you surprised?" Jackson said "of course you are, after all you were not expecting to see my face"

"You are angry, I get it" he coughed a little "why don`t you sit down and maybe say exactly how you feel"

"You know I thought I was angry but then when I saw you I just felt nothing, I mean literally nothing" Jackson said calmly, he was caught by a picture of his parents with him as a baby posing in front of a Christmas tree displayed on a table on his bedside. He moved closer to look and saw more pictures of himself when he was now older.

"Where did you get these?" he said approaching the pictures

"Got some from your mum, and some I have always had them" he said pointing him to a box underneath. The box had a stack of photos, which weren't held together by anything. Jackson went through each one, most of them featuring his father, his mother, and him as a very small child. There were some with Harper on them as well. Jackson knew his father couldn't handle being an Avery but he believed it wasn't reason enough to walk away from his family. He had so many questions growing up of why he didn't fight to have him in his life. Countless times he had wondered if he had remarried and how he and his family were doing, eventually he had felt in some way he would be happier without him in his life. He went through all the pictures, without saying a word.

"His situation is tenuous; we are now just waiting for the day. We thought he had a month but these past days have indicated its way less than that" were the words he was told by the nurse when he asked about his condition. He didn't know how to feel about it, of course he was shocked when he saw him but that was it.

"Let me guess, you thought coming here would somehow clear things for you and it didn't"

Robert said looking at Jackson. He looked at him and said "I had so many things I wanted to say to you but then I honestly don`t even think it`s worth it" he said sitting on his bed. Robert was a little hurt by his words because Jackson`s reaction confirmed all his fears.

"So you were angry?"

"It`s not even that, I honestly thought I would feel some type of warmth or anything but to be honest with you I don`t feel anything"

"I get it"

"You do?" Jackson said with a surprised look

"That is how I felt when your mum reached out to tell me that your grandfather had died" Jackson gave him a stern look and said "that man was your father"

"Don`t you think I know that, I came to the funeral and watched from a distance. Went to his grave but just like you I felt nothing because we hadn't had a relationship in over thirty years. I tried to beat myself up but then I chose to let go of guilt and not to dwell in regrets. Instead I chose to make peace with my past"

"So you saw me at the funeral and you didn't reach out"

"I had the intention to reach out but then I immediately found out that I was sick and I vowed not to let you go through the same thing of trying to figure out how you feel about an absent father"

"You chose to leave your family behind; I didn't walk out on my father like you did"

"You were young Jackson, my father was not a kind man, sure you had to deal with the grandfather but I had to deal with him as my father, he was not as kind as you might remember"

"Yes, he was a piece of shit" Jackson said with a little smile that made Robert`s heart fill with warmth "but when I reflect on him, I just try to look at the good"

"Well for me I have to squint and use a magnifying glass to see the good you saw" he said as their eyes met and the two smiled at the little joke. The two continued joking a little about how Harper was with Jackson starting to understand where his father was coming from. He wasn't a bad guy but he was a good guy who had made bad choices and he was now dealing with those consequences. He was dying and he had no one by his side, he had to go through this at a hospice all alone and Jackson felt like that was punishment enough.

"Here is the thing, you were angry or should I say you are angry because you've had to succumb to so many people showing you sympathy and kindness after they heard your father was dying. Trust me all these people have their hearts in the right places, their reactions are only human and these small bursts of empathy are easy because it's how people cope with the shock of the terrible news of others. What angered you was having to explain that there is nothing to feel sorry for, that you aren't sad, that you feel next to nothing. Other peoples' kindness is sincere; your apathy makes them uncomfortable" Jackson raised his head looking at his father. He understood exactly how he felt, people expected him to feel something but he didn't.

"Well I hate to say it but you are right" he said as he looked at the ailing man

"This was honestly the reason I forbade your mother to tell you. I knew you would be conflicted and I didn't want you to. Look I can't change the past and clearly it`s too late for me to choose to learn and grow from it. I am not asking for anything from you but I just want you to have a happy fulfilling life"

"Thank you but I do have an amazing life"

"I know, you needed to hear that because I spent so much time resenting my father and it cost me my family. I just don`t want you to make the same mistake, I hope someday you will forgive me, in case you didn't know the only good thing that ever came out of my life was contributing to your existence and I am so glad at how you have made a wonderful life for yourself. Your mother did a wonderful job because I doubt you would have turned out this great if I was around" he said letting out a little chuckle. Jackson smiled back as he sat there without saying a word. Robert started coughing a little so he moved closer helping him with his mask. He held on to his hand and Jackson stopped as he felt his cold face. He watched him as he fought his eyes to stay open but he was struggling, he sat holding on his hand watching him close his eyes as someone falling asleep.

"It's okay" he said as Robert exhaled for the last time. It was as if he had been waiting for him. He felt little tears coming to his face; he stood there taking a long look at the man who had fathered him laying there lifeless. He took out his phone and dialled Catherine`s number

"Hey baby" she answered

"Hey ma"

"How are you honey?"

"I am okay, I just –" he paused a little gathering himself fighting off the tears that were about to fall off his cheeks "-I just want to say thank you"

"For what?"

"For everything –for being you -for never giving up on me –I am who I am because of you and for that I just wanted to say thank you" Catherine felt her heart drop a little as she listened to her son over the phone.

"Baby, it's my job and that is what every mother should do for their children"

"I know that sometimes it's not easy to deal with me, but you have never at one point given up on me, you are the strongest person I have ever met. I just wish Harriet would be at least as half strong as you are because you are my superhero. I love you mum, I just wanted to tell you that"

"Thank you honey and I love you too baby" Catherine said getting a little teary

"Okay mum, bye now" he said dropping the call