Magic Smile

Chapter 9: Jackson Avery

I thought the on call room was empty when I flopped onto the bed in tears, but was surprised when I heard breathing. I looked up to see Jackson Avery looking down at me.

When I said I worked with my family that included Jackson. My dad met Jackson when he was a resident and took him under his wing. When that happened Jackson became an older brother to me.

I've known him for about six years now and met him just two years before medical school. Jackson was actually the one who helped me study when my parents or Aunt Callie were busy. Even though he was in Seattle, and I was in New York he'd make time to call me and help me study.

Whenever I couldn't fly out to Seattle to be with my parents, Jackson made me feel like I was home. And now here he was looking down at me as I cried into a pillow.

"Hey Eves, what's the matter?" He liked to call me by my middle name. Jackson climbed off the top bunk and pulled me into his side.

"I think I like someone and she's been avoiding me, but I feel so stupid because I shouldn't like her! Like I really shouldn't like her Jacks." Did I mention I called him Jacks? No one really had a nickname for him except me.

"Is it Arizona?" Was I that transparent?

"How'd you know?" I sobbed into his scrubs.

"Well considering you've only been here a few days, you're on Peds, and Arizona is someone you shouldn't like it only makes sense. I'm sorry y/n. I know it's hard when you can't be with the person you want." I knew he was talking about when April, his wife, almost married someone else, but this was different. April and Jackson were in the same intern class where as Dr. Robbins is my attending and almost ten years older than me.

She's not marrying anyone else and we barely know each other but there's no way she'd actually even consider being with me. I'm just an intern!

"I'm just an intern Jacks, there's no-"

"Don't you dare do that y/n. Don't sell yourself short just because she seems out of reach. Maybe this is just some little crush, but you won't know until you talk to her. You and I both know pushing your feelings down won't change anything. Be the change y/n. You're strong just like dad always says." Jackson was right! I'm not sure when Jackson started calling my dad, dad, but it was probably around the time my dad called him son.

They had spent so much time together when I was in med school that even now they sounded just alike.

"That sounds like something dad would say."

"Hmm, it does doesn't it. I know it has only been two days, but I miss him so much Eves. I bet he's tired of me talking to him already." Jackson laughed softly finally making me smile.

"There's that smile. You have dad's smile."

"Thanks you for being here Jackson. I really just needed someone to listen to me."

"You're the one who found me. But I'm always here y/n, you know that. Just like when you were in New York. Nothing's changed." I nodded and laid down feeling sleepy. Jackson tucked me in before climbing back up to the top bunk. Crying sure did take a lot out of me.

"Night Eves."

"Night Jacks."