DINNER & DIATRIBES. . . JACKSON AVERY!

chapter eight: blink & i like you so much better when you're naked

"Sinclair!" Mark's sharp tone makes Briar stop in her tracks, slowly turning to face him with her hands up.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it." She says quickly, thinking on her feet. The last prank she pulled on him was quite some time ago, since she hasn't wanted to accidentally prank his daughter instead. Well, she kind of does, but not when the girl is pregnant.

"What? No, whatever. Look, I need your help."

Briar slumps in relief, really not in the mood for a prank war right now. "Alright, what's up?"

"Well, I had Lexie give Sloan an ultrasound, and he's got amniotic bands around his legs."

"Okay. . ." She says very slowly, dragging the word out as she tries to figure out what to say to that. She's really not sure why Mark came to her about it, instead of Arizona or someone working the OB floor today.

"I kicked the OB off the case, we're getting a fetal MRI. I called Addie in and–"

"I'm in." Briar declares as soon as Addie's name is brought up, before frowning. "Have you started the MRI yet?"

"No, I–"

"Okay. I am going to go do that, because I think it'll be better coming from me, and not your girlfriend. I love Lexie, but the focus right now has to be on Sloan, not on her constant bickering with Lexie. I will go take care of that, but you have to tell Hunt that I'm off his service for today."

"Thank you!" He shouts after her, Briar waving him off. She spent a good amount of time learning from Addison Montgomery when she was at Seattle Grace, and while she's not set on a neonatal specialty, she'll happily learn from the woman again.

"Lexie, out!" She says as soon as she's entered the room, giving a smile to Sloan, who looks really freaked out. "Seriously. Move it." She orders her, not having the time to play nice.

"Woah. Wish I could do that." Sloan says, watching Lexie leave.

"She was my intern, she's used to me ordering her around. Let's focus on you, alright? I'm going to be taking over your care until Dr. Montgomery arrives. Mark is busy right now, but anytime you want him in the room, let me know and I'll page him. Do you have any questions while we take the MRI?"

✦

"As the legs continue to grow, the bands will cut off his circulation." Addie explains, pointing at the picture on the monitor to show Sloan, who looks overwhelmed. "If we wait, we risk severe damage to the left leg, possible loss of the right entirely. But if we operate–22 weeks, it's–it's still risky."

"But if you don't operate, you're not gonna kill the baby?" Sloan asks.

"We can rehabilitate the remaining part of his leg after he's born, and we can fit him with a prosthesis." Arizona explains to Sloan, Briar grabbing her phone to pull up a study done on that. Sloan will likely want to do research; she would, if she had to make a decision like this. "It's entirely possible that he'll walk."

"Oh, my God." Sloan cries out, and Briar gives her a sympathetic look, unable to imagine how difficult this decision must be.

"Honey, we've got options here." Mark says, Briar shooting Addie a can-you-believe-this look while the two are distracted. Honestly, the fatherly look works for Mark, and it's sweet. "If we operate, Dr. Montgomery can remove the bands, he'll be just fine. Or we can wait a few weeks till he's bigger and stronger, and we know the surgery is less risky."

"Well, which one of you did he sleep with?" Sloan bursts, making Briar blink in shock, almost dropping the clipboard she's holding.

"Not me!" Arizona says brightly, shaking her head with a smug smile while Addie looks shocked.