to Massachusetts General Hospital, which he can arrange, but the younger Avery refuses. In the aftermath of a mass shooting at SGMW, in which 11 people are killed, Avery suffers PTSD. For comfort, he and Kepner both take rooms in the large house of fellow resident Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). Also living there are her husband, Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), resident Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and intern Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), her half-sister. For some time, Avery suffers because of the death of his friend Percy in the shooting, and having assisted in surgery on Shepherd while being threatened at gunpoint by the shooter. The seventh season shows Avery's emerging interest in Meredith's sister, Lexie Grey, and they start a relationship. Avery also starts working with chief of plastic surgery Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), who had previously had a relationship with Lexie. She is discomfited by the two men working together and, when she later shows that she still has feelings for Sloan, Avery breaks up with her. As the end of the fifth year of residency is near, the surgical residents, including Avery, prepare for their board certifications as they prepare for fellowships. The night before taking the exam, Jackson and April Kepner have sexual intercourse. However, Kepner is a virgin and regrets having broken her promise to Jesus to stay a virgin until marriage; the two have sex again during the period of the exams. During the exam, Avery is supported by his mother, Catherine, who happens to be a tester at the exams. Avery, Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), and Alex Karev eventually pass their boards, while Kepner fails. Although Avery has true feelings for her, she pushes him away because she believes that he feels guilty for having sex with her. In the season eight finale, Avery reveals to April that he is taking the position at Tulane Medical Center, despite feeling sick for leaving Seattle Grace Mercy West and her behind. As a celebration of the conclusion of their residencies, the former chief of surgery Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr.) organizes his annual dinner for them. The eighth season ends with Avery, Karev, Kepner, and Webber waiting for Meredith and Yang. They are victims of an aviation accident in which Lexie Grey and eventually Mark Sloan die of their injuries. After the accident, Avery stays at Seattle Grace and continues his work in plastic