12:30 PM, August 27th
April sat at the banquet table drumming her fingers along the tablecloth as she pored over the orientation materials. She and Jackson were joined by that group of four from the opening convocation, as well as an attractive guy- well, attractive in that frat boy way. He'd probably been in a frat, April thinks for a moment, before shaking her head and looking down once again at their introductory packet. Flipping papers over, occasionally one would fall over onto Jackson's empty plate, but he just patiently moves it aside. They were all going to be in the same section, and so were placed at the same table for their welcoming lunch.
"So we have Contracts with Baylow, Torts with Nelson…" April begins, scanning the list.
"And we have Civil Procedure with Bailey," George finishes helpfully, and April smiles up at him. She thinks she's going to like him. He'd been polite and helpful throughout the morning, and while it was obvious just from the couple of hours they had spent together that he had a giant crush on Meredith Grey, April appreciated his company already.
"And both our Legal Methods and Legal Practice Workshop professors are still TBD. TBD! How can that not be determined yet?" April questions anxiously.
"Man, Webber needs to get his shit together," the frat guy who turned out to be named Alex scoffs.
"He's fine. Webber's fine, and his shit is together," Meredith speaks up, slightly scowling. Jackson raises his eyebrows. "Do you know each other? I didn't realize you two were so close," he jokes, tilting his head and chuckling.
"We're not close. We're not," Meredith responds, exchanging a careful glance with Cristina. "He and my mom both went to Seattle Grace Law, and they worked together on a few medical malpractice suits ages ago. He's an old family friend," she finally states diplomatically, but with enough of an edge to her voice that even April can tell there's more to the story. Their food arrives, so April quickly put her papers away as they begin to eat, explaining their stories to one another.
Meredith is in the middle of telling them why her going to law school is so defiant when Jackson interjects. "You're a law student. You're going to be a lawyer. That's not exactly fighting the system," Jackson points out, carefully spearing a carrot with his fork.
"It is when you're Ellis Grey's daughter-" Izzie begins, eyes rolling to the ceiling as Meredith finishes her sentence.
"Who has no intention whatsoever of pursuing medical law." April was surprised. Ellis Grey had been the preeminent medical malpractice lawyer of the past two decades; April somewhat remembers hearing about Ellis Grey representing some hospital or another on the national news even when she was a kid. Furthermore, April was pretty sure they were going to study a few of Ellis Grey's cases at some point during their tenure at Seattle Grace Law.
"Plus, there's all the stuff that I did while I was traveling across Europe..." Meredith continues.
"What did you do in Europe?" April asks in a hushed whisper.
Meredith tilts her head, considers April. "You can't handle what I did in Europe." Alex chortles at that, and George's eyes grow wide.
As it turns out, Meredith and Cristina had gone to college together and were best friends, and Meredith had met George when they worked together after graduation, who'd gone to college with Izzie, who was currently dating Alex. April was somewhat keeping track of the convoluted history… and kinda not, before they discussed potential specialties.
"Well, you're looking at a future Supreme Court justice, so soak it in before I'm too famous to talk to any of you," Cristina says brashly, taking a big sip of iced tea.
"Watch, you'll be one of the first to flame out," Alex smirks.
"Oh, Evil Spawn can speak now? And where were you this morning? Plucking up the courage to come here?" Alex opens his mouth to respond, but April interjects, because she does not enjoy conflict in any way shape or form. "What about you? What specialty are you thinking about?"
Alex turns to her, looking her up and down. "Business law all the way, specifically corporate."
"I'm planning on environmental law, but that could change," Izzie says with a shrug.
Jackson smiles. "Constitutional law." That's all he says, but like Cristina, he says it so confidently no one could doubt him. And while April envies his confidence, she can't help but wonder if those are his words or his grandfather's.
"Well, I'm thinking family law, or maybe media law, I'm not 100% sure yet. I mean, there's a lot to consider, isn't there? I hope once we've taken a few classes it'll be more clear." April says, and that's true. She would look at all the different specialties there were, and she'd be so conflicted. She knew hours were going to be crazy as a lawyer, whatever specialty you were, but she also knew that someday she'd want to have babies and be a mother; she wasn't sure which specialties were the most amenable to that.
April is interrupted from her train of thought as Webber steps forward again, clapping his hands excitedly. "Welcome, once again, and I hope you have enjoyed our little luncheon and your first day of orientation. Over the course of the next few days, our orientation sessions will continue to prep you for your first day of class. Before we depart, however, I'd like to introduce a special guest. Please join me in welcoming our visiting professor for the year, Derek Shepherd of the Montgomery & Shepherd law firm!" An extraordinarily handsome man strolled out, waving to the students and Meredith chokes on her water. April herself was flustered. He was going to be one of their professors this year? How was she supposed to concentrate? Jackson was abnormally handsome, but she'd spent enough time with him over the years to get used to it (she'd sometimes still be taken aback occasionally) and Karev has this roguish sort of charm about him. But this was different.
"Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no." Cristina starts cackling. "Isn't that the guy from last night?" she turns to Meredith, who is still coughing.
"Wait, you hooked up with him?" George's eyes grow wide once more, before shooting between Meredith and Shepherd.
"Nice, Mer. Shacking up with the professor. Now we know who won't be failing 1L," Alex laughs, before Izzie smacks him on the shoulder. April quells the disappointment which had slowly unfurled inside her. Just because Derek Shepherd had such dreamy eyes, and such fantastic hair… She glances over at Jackson, wondering how he's handling the sudden awkwardness at the table. His eyes meet hers, and they playfully widen, and April chuckles. That was another reason April was so glad they were doing this together. To have somebody to look at when things get awkward.
Webber continues, "Professor Shepherd will be teaching our 1L Legal Methods and Legal Practice Workshop classes in the fall, and will be teaching our Legal Practice Workshop II this spring. And, most excitingly, he will be leading our 1L Moot Court. Our competitive 1L Moot Court is where some of you will be gaining your first practical experience in a courtroom. Make the most of this opportunity," Webber advises, and murmurs break out through the hall, while Meredith slumps further in her seat.
"Derek Shepherd is one of the leading international law experts on the West coast, and he specializes in maritime law as well. We are very honored and proud to have him among our faculty this year," Webber finishes, turning to Shepherd. "Anything you'd like to add?"
Shepherd steps forward, smiling around the room, when his eyes catch on Meredith's. He gives a small chuckle, before saying, "I'm excited for this opportunity to share my expertise with each and everyone of you. Please feel free to ask me any questions during my office hours or during class. I look forward to working with you, and finally, I'd just like to say it's a beautiful day to practice law."
"He's amazing," April says dreamily, and Jackson turns to her with an amused smile.
"Looks like someone's got a crush," he says in a sing-song tone.
"Shut up," she whispers, smacking him on the arm. Ok, Derek Shepherd may be an incredibly respected, extremely smart lawyer who also happened to be one of their professors for the year and who also happens to be one of the most handsome men April has ever seen, but that doesn't mean she has a crush. It doesn't.
"So, have you seen anything good in the listings yet for a 2 bedroom?" April asks, trying to change the subject, as the luncheon ends and everyone starts gathering their belongings. Both she and Jackson had had to move out of their apartments they shared with Reed and Charles respectively; they were just too far from the law school to make sense in terms of the everyday commute. April and Jackson had looked at apartments individually, but hadn't found anything, and so were now looking together, and April was starting to get desperate.
"Nothing yet. It shouldn't be this hard," Jackson complains, sliding his phone into his pocket.
Meredith's gaze flits between April and Jackson, "You know, I have two rooms available to rent in my house, if you're interested. It's really close to campus, and it's a fair rent."
"Is there still room in that place?" Cristina asks, looking over with a smirk.
"Well, yeah, now that Alex and Izzie are sharing a room, and George is still in the attic- there's the room on the first floor, and the one on the second… if you're interested," Meredith says with a smile.
Jackson looks over at April, and she shrugs. "We'll come take a look at the place, but it sounds great so far," he says politely, before turning to leave with April. They walk out onto the courtyard, and the sun is shining; the brick of the campus looks gorgeous. April takes a deep breath in. This is what she'd been waiting for since junior year, when she ultimately decided she did want to go to law school.
"Are you sure you want to live with them? They seem a bit… crazy," April says, wrinkling her nose.
"I think it'll be fine. Plus, you know what they say- keep your friends close and your enemies closer," Jackson says with a smirk. "They're the competition, and their outlines would be in the same house as us, if we need to take a look."
April smiles up at him. "Your mind does work in devious ways."
"I'm an Avery. We're sharp like that."