Alice ✧ [a. karev]

35. on its axis

The sun in Los Angeles was mild and the humidity was low. A perfect day for a fellowship tour.

"How'd you think it went?" Jade asked Jackson excitedly when he finally exited the building.

"I'm not coming here," he said immediately, loosening the tie around his neck as they bounded down the steps.                                                

"Why not?" She asked incredulously, her heels clicking rapidly against the concrete. "I loved it. They have an amazing research facility. Did they show you the cath lab?" She spoke a mile a minute.

"They only want me because I'm an Avery," he complained angrily as they slipped into the back of a taxi, the blast of the air conditioner a cool invitation.                            

"Who cares," she laughed slightly, high on the possibilities life held for her right now. "Most places will. Embrace it."                                            

Jackson just rolled his eyes, shaking his head as they took off for the airport. His sour mood about it didn't shake, but neither did Jade's giddy one, and the conversation about it continued at lunch the next day in Seattle.                                        

Jackson stabbed at his fruit angrily, a few grapes spilling over as he recounted the visit.            

"You're a name brand," Alex shrugged. "You're like the freakin' Ritz-Carlton of surgery. Who cares if that's why they want you?" He said casually.    

"That's what I said," Jade chimed in from next to him, leaning across him and pointing her spoon at Jackson. "And pushing that aside you have to admit UCLA was great."

"He knows deep down he's more of a roadside motel," Cristina added making a few of them laugh.                                            

"At least you've got interviews," Alex complained.

"Yeah, what is Robbins doing?" Jade asked, turning in her chair and bringing her leg up. "You could be interviewing at places like Yale, Brown, UCLA," she wiggled her eyebrows. "Why is she sending you to hospitals outside of nowhere Ohio?"            

"Why don't you ask her that."                                        

"She should take a page out of her wife's book. Callie got me an interview at Baylor tomorrow."

Alex groaned, pushing his tray away as he slumped back in his chair and Jade was about to say something more helpful before Mark walked over.

"Get up," he ordered Jackson, grabbing him by the ear.

"What are you doing?"

"Clair Hiatt just called to tell me you walked out on your interview," Mark scolded. "Call her back, apologize."    

"Look, I respectfully withdrew my application," Jackson shrugged.

"You want me to drag you out by your ear?" Mark threatened and Jackson shot an annoyed glance at Jade.

"He'll do it," she whispered and Jackson rolled his eyes, grabbing his tray and standing up.

"Freakin' Robbins," Alex hissed, pushing his own chair back.

"Tell her to call UCLA!" Jade called after him as he left the cafeteria.

✧                                    

UCLA, Seattle Grace, and Columbia. Those were Jade's top three choices. That was the prize she was keeping her eye on as she stood on the tarmac, less than 48 hours away from taking her oral boards.