When Your Eyes Speak - Jackson Avery

twenty-three

"Addie! Addie, cut it out." Adeline looked at Christina, noticing her pleading look before nodding. She bounded out of the elevator as soon as it opened, waving down with every hallway she passed before making it to the double doors. They rushed through, making it into the first OR they could, April holding the door open. Christina pushed Derek over to the table, gesturing to Adeline to help her lift the man up. It took all their strength but the two managed to get him laying on the table.

"Prep him for OR. Teddy should still be on the floor, Addie and I will go find her. April will be here with you, okay. We'll be right back." Adeline was grateful for Christina, she was keeping calm and speaking smoothly, something she couldn't even begin to do. The two women krept into the hallway, noting how eerily quiet it was without a groaning Derek. "You check OR 2, I'll check OR 4." Adeline nodded, letting go of Christina and turned to the left, slowly approaching the door as her friend turned the opposite way. It was metres away but trying to keep her footsteps quiet and not make a sound made it seem ages away. The shooter could be down here, he could be near her.

"Jackson. Alex. Mark. Charles. Collins. Schmidt. Swan. Lexie. Meredith. Christina. April." Adeline took a step with each name she muttered, trying her best to control her breathing. She came closer to the door, starting the names all over again to help her calm down. Adeline lifted her hand up shakily, grabbing a hold of the door handle and pulling down slowly. The lights were turned on as it slowly streamed out. She gasped as a hand clasped onto her wrist, pulling her in, slamming their hand on her mouth as they closed the door. She was squealing against the hand, clasping onto it as he released her wrist. She was held against the man's chest, thrashing in his arms before relaxing when she saw three other people in the OR.

Jackson had heard some groaning and a series of footsteps from outside of his OR, moving himself tightly up against the door. He was seemingly calm as he began to hear whispering from outside his door. He slowly built up the courage as it grew louder the closer the person came and watched from his position on the left side of the door as the handle moved down. He didn't think twice before opening the door, pulling the person in and clasping his hand over their mouths. He almost didn't recognise Adeline from the blood in her hair, staining it a darker brown, but once he did he was relieved to know she was alive.

"Hey! Hey, shh! Addie, it's me! Shh." Adeline's eyes softened upon hearing the voice, quickly turning to look up at him. "Is that you're blood? Are you okay?"

"Jackson." She breathed, taking in his appearance. He was wearing his normal scrubs, looking over her and assessing all the blood in her hair, on her face and staining her attending coloured scrubs. "Jax, oh my God!" Adeline cried out, rushing into his arms as he tightly embraced her. Jackson didn't want to let go, he couldn't imagine what may happen if the two had separated. Adeline struggled to move away but had to in order to save Derek's life. "It's uh- It's Reeds. And Zeppelins and Derek's. O-Owen. And Teddy. We need them, where are they?" Adeline blurted out, looking around the room expecting to see the two attendings hiding away. "Jax?"

"They're not here. They left." Jackson wanted to pull her back in, protect her from outside. Judging by her looks she had seen and experienced a lot.

"Derek has a GSW to the chest and- April and Mere are in there prepping him and Christina is out there expecting to find one of them in the OR." Adeline ran a hand through her hair, the strands sticking to her hands before they pulled away.

"We have two nurses and an anesthesiologist." Jackson nodded his head to the three other women. Adeline looked over at them and nodded.

"I'll get Christina. Take them to OR one and tell them to set up for a cardiac procedure. We have a surgeon, we have Christina." Adelined needed to act fast. She set out of the room, Jackson rallying up the three other staff before setting up after her. She met with Christina in the hallway, simply shaking her head. "You are going to go in there and you are going to save Derek. Ok?" Christina seemed surprised by the sudden calmness.