The holidays past as Mark was now 2 years old. Jackson and Ava had been having a rough time as the two were arguing. Ava was still struggling with her brothers death but she had returned to work as it was one of the only times her and Jackson weren't arguing as he was angry that she had gone for 6 months.
Ava sat eating her dinner in silence opposite Jackson as they had just put Mark to bed. "So have you heard anything from your mom on the engagement?" Ava asks as Jackson just shakes his head not looking up at her.
"Jackson I'm tired of this and I'm so tired of fighting with you." Ava says as Jackson looks up at her.
"You think I want to fight with you. Do you think I like shouting at you. Ava I love you more than anything or anyone I hate it but you left for six months with barely any contact I've missed so much with Mark." Jackson says to her as Ava looks at him.
"I couldn't be here why don't you get that?" Ava snaps at him.
"I did get that Ava I gave you 6 months you think I didn't struggle coming home to an empty house missing holidays with you and Mark. It wasn't easy for me either and I get it you lost your brother but you pushed me away Ava and you continue to push me away and I don't understand why?" Jackson snaps back at her growing frustrated.
"I'm not doing this anymore I'm going to bed." Ava says as she goes upstairs.
"Yeah run away like you always do." Jackson snaps at her as she turns to look at him as Mark begins to cry from them shouting.
"Are you happy now?" Ava asks him as she goes to see Mark.
~
Ava had just finished up with her surgery as she made her way to the front desk as she heard shouting as she saw Amelia shouting at Richard.
"I do not have time for coffee.I do not have time for meetings.I don't... my job is not to make you feel better about me.My job is to make my patients get better.Do you know what can happen in the hour or two I would be wasting with you?An hour or two matters!They matter to me.They should matter to you.They matter to my patients.If I leave and my patient dies,it's not me who will suffer,it is his mother, his sisters, his friends, his wife, and they will hate me.With everything inside them,they will hate me and you and everyone here because they won't
understand why he is gone, why people always leave,
Why everyone you give a crap about walks away or is ripped from your world without warning, without reason,in convenience stores and plane crashes and podunk hospitals with podunk doctors who don't do what they are supposed to do,which is save people!" Amelia says as her eyes fall on Ava and then on Owen as she walks away from them all.
Ava quickly follows after Amelia as she pulls her into one of the conference rooms. "Hey are you okay?" Ava says as Amelia turns around to face her with tears in her eyes.
"I've got the dead-Derek thing completely managed.
I know people were worried.Since he died, everybody's been looking at me, waiting for me to fall apart or freak out or just become a mess.Like some bomb everyone thinks is supposed to go off. Mom was calling three, four times a day. Addison was calling... Everyone.It makes sense.It's natural.
Every man I've ever loved...Has died.Including my baby.Thank you, universe." Amelia says as breaks down as Ava wraps her arms around her as her tears escape.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been here for you." Ava says as Amelia shakes her head.
"Don't do that Ava. Your not dealing with your own grief I know moms told me and Jackson is so worried about you and so am I. This isn't you running away from problems that was me and Derek but you always stayed." Amelia says as she looks at her little sister concerned.
"Amy don't worry about me I'm fine okay I'm getting through it and I'm dealing with my grief. Everything is fine but I'm worried about you. Are you okay?" Ava asks trying to the topic off of herself as Amelia didn't want to push her sister as she was fragile and she knew how much Derek had meant to her.
"Yeah I think I'm going to be okay I've got surgery I'll see you later." Amelia says as she went back to her surgery.
~
Ava stood beside Owen with Mark in her arms as she saw her mother in law descending down the stairs which were covered in candles and roses.
"Richard Webber!" Catherine called out which had everyone's attention as she looked down at them all but mostly on Richard.
"Catherine?" Richard says looking at her completely confused.
"I'm mad at you!I'm doing something I swore I never would.I'm asking a question when I don't know the answer because you..." Catherine began to say to Richard.
"What's going on?" Owen asks as he looks at Ava who was smiling watching the scene unfold.
"Shh!" Some of the nurses snapped as Ava laughed lightly at Owen.
"Because you're worth me standing here like a fool, announcing how I feel...In front of the entire hospital!I love you, Richard Webber!I love you.
And I would very much like for you to be my husband.That is, of course, if you would like it, too." Catherine says as she looks at Richard waiting for an answer.
"Well, about damn time." Richard says as they all laugh clapping and cheering for the couple as they kiss.
Ava watched cheering as mark was clapping his hands as Ava smiled at him and kissed his head. "That is your grandmother Mark she's one of kind." Ava tells him as Catherine walked over to them as Ava handed her grandson to her as she held him in her arms.
"Congratulations to you both." Ava said as Richard made his way over to them too.
"Thank you Dr Shepherd-Avery." Richard says as Catherine smiled at her daughter in law as she held her grandson close.
~
Ava had put Mark to bed as Jackson had a late surgery as she stood finding herself staring at the table that held the photos. Her eyes fell on the one of Derek and Her when she had become a intern.
Ava felt every emotion drown her as everything she had try to block out came rushing in as she pushed off all the pictures on the table as they all went smashing into the floor as Ava sank to the floor let the tears stream from her eyes.
She hugged her knees as Jackson walked through the door as he saw her sat beside the smashed up photo as he ran towards her drawing her into his arms.
"I never even got to say goodbye." Ava managed to get out as she broke down her head resting against Jackson chest.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A/N- Jackson won't be cheating on Ava at all during the book as it doesn't seem like his character at all. Also I wanted to know if maybe Ava holds some anger to Meredith as well so I could add that in as she didn't get the chance to say goodbye to Derek and she also took away the kids.
YOU ARE READING
Youngest Shepherd
FanfictionAva Shepherd is the youngest Shepherd. Like all her siblings she is on her way to becoming an extraordinary surgeon but being the youngest didn't hold her back. Ava was born after her father had been killed. She was her mothers hope and her brothers...
