Lighthouse (Jackson Avery)

Puzzle With A Piece Missing

Tomorrow came and went. Then another tomorrow, and another, until a whole month had passed. Plans were made, things secretly starting to be packed away, and eventually, it came time to announce the move.

Neither Solace, nor Jackson, knew how they should drop a bomb like that, which made things, awkward at work. It was hard to have conversations, make future plans, and even be involved in board meetings. Everyone noticed, but no one knew why the two were acting so sketchy.

The stress of the move, the upcoming announcement, and still trying to juggle work and home life, Solace was more than her usual amount of stressed. She had practically made herself sick with all the anxiety. She finds herself in a constant state of battling nausea and fatigue.

It doesn't help that the new head of cardio looks at her husband like he's fresh meat. Of course, Solace hasn't mentioned this to anyone, because she's not jealous, so theres not a reason to be.

And because Jackson would make fun of her.

"Miss Zola!" Solace smiles as she enters the cafeteria, seeing the little girl sitting on Merediths lap.

"Can you say hi to Auntie Solly?" Mer questions the girl, Zola following up with a wave and toothy grin, mouth full of banana. Solace smiles as she picks the girl up.

Derek, in all his wisdom, introduces the cardio doctor to Solace, "Dr. Pierce, you've met Dr.Adler, correct?"

"No, not officially. It's nice to meet you." The dark skinned doctor holds out her hand, but Solace just smiles tightly, holding Zola tighter, "You too."

Derek notices the stiffness of Solace and sends her a questioning glance, Meredith, who also has been standoffish to the new doctor looks to Dr.Pierce's lunch, "Isn't that going to get cold?"

"You can join us." Derek continues to be nice, not understanding his wife and his faux sisters aloofness to the new doctor.

"Oh, thats-- I need to talk to Dr.Webber actually. Thank you. Another time." Dr.Pierce gives him a strained smile, leaving the awkward group. Derek turns to the two women next to him, "What was that?"

"What was what?" Meredith questions. Solace refuses to look at him, continuing to feed Zola parts of her lunch.

Derek scoffs, "That-- you were being mean girls."

"We are mean girls." Meredith jokes, earning a pointed look from her husband. Solace finally looks up, "We weren't being anything."

"Well you weren't being welcoming." Derek accuses, "She's new. And I know she took Cristina's spot--"

"She didn't take her spot, Cristina left and Dr.Pierce filled the position." Meredith rolls her eyes. "And we were welcoming. We said hello. We don't have to be overly friendly."

Derek just continues to watch the two women as both of them pretend that whole interaction wasn't weird. Wondering why they don't like the new girl. He decides not to push his luck though, changing the subject and enjoying the rest of his lunch with some of his favorite people.

___

"I don't want to do interviews." Solace sighs, resting her head on Jacksons shoulder, "Cristina left the position to Alex, which means it should be his."

Jackson laughs, "It's more of a formality then anything."

Solace huffs, "We can't have Bailey be on the board. Not after all the crap she's pulled. She's Still on probation for goodness sakes! And lets not forget how she treated us after the crash--"

"I know," Jackson sits up a bit more, pulling the woman into his chest when she slips from his shoulder, "I know. But we have to go through the motions. It's part of the job."

"Yeah, a sucky part." Solace pouts, looking up at him. Jackson just smiles, lightly kissing her pout as he rubs her back, sighing himself and letting her lay her head back on his chest.

"A part we only have to play a little longer." He reminds her. The two doctors had just signed their new contracts for John Hopkins Sibiley earlier that morning, and in just under a month, they would officially be DC residents. They plan on telling the board after tonight's vote for who will fill Cristina's seat.

After a moment of silence, Jackson speaks up again, "Are you feeling better?"

"No." Solace groans before pulling away from him, "If anything I feel worse. Headache, nausea, anxiety— I took a 3 hour nap today instead of doing my charts!"

Jackson laughs, but there's a furrow of worry between his brows, "maybe we should run a blood test, just to be sure?"

"I bet it's just stress." Solace shakes her head, but Jackson raises his brow, rebutting under his breath, "Last time it wasn't nerves."

"Last time I was pregnant." The woman rolls her eyes. At Jackson's quietness, Solace says "I'm not pregnant, Jackson. And if I am, you better run."

"Hey, it takes two to tango!" The man in questions puts both his hands up.

Solace just sighs, kissing his cheek as she gets up from the couch in the resident lounge and walking towards the door, "Yeah, but if I have to carry a child for nine months, you're taking the blame. And you know how angry I was with Finn."

Jackson's eyes go wide at the reminder, getting up to follow after her, "It's just nerves! Right, Solace? Right?!"

———

Solace is relaxing in the bath, eyes closed, trying to fight off her never ending headache and sore muscles. The board meeting was long, far too long, and even though the vote was close, she was relieved Alex was appointed Cristina's seat. She couldn't leave in good conscience knowing Bailey was going to be on the board.

The meeting ran over due to the interviews and the back and forth of who should be on the empty seat that Solace and Jackson weren't able to announce their plans for departure either. They know not only will it be a shock that the two are leaving, moving across the country, but that they plan on appointing two people outside of the hospital to take their seats. Due to the foundation's involvement, they think it's the best decision, and solace really didn't want to get into that with everyone tonight.

As Solace opens her eyes again, faintly hearing Jackson talking to Finn in their room, she looks over to the test she had taken before getting into the warm bath on the bathroom counter, the one Jackson forced in her hand after they realized it was far too late to run a proper blood test, her hand absentmindedly rubbing her flat stomach, fingers tracing the stretch marks left from when she was pregnant the first time.

It's not ideal timing. In fact, it's probably the worst time for it, but as she hears Finn's loud giggles echoing off the bedroom walls, followed shortly by her husbands, she knows despite the bad timing, everything is going to be okay. It's all going to work out.

Or maybe it is good timing. They are embarking on a new adventure, so why not add this into the mix.

And maybe this time, it'll be a girl, and she won't be out numbered anymore.

Wouldn't that be fun.