Hey guys! Do you ever think about Jackson and April's missing moments that were never shown on the show? Me too! This is my version of the "gaps". I really hope you will enjoy my take on them.
Quick shout out to Missy (melissaeverdeen13) who has been giving me the best advice and enocuragement!

"I'd rather be reading Lange's Current Procedures than be here"

That is what April Kepner thought, sitting at the party organised by her fellow interns, celebrating the new exciting stage in their medical careers. Of course, she was absolutely thrilled to start her internship at Mercy West Medical Center and that is why she would rather be studying at her shared apartment right now. When she was leaving the hospital after the orientation this afternoon, she passed the OR board and spotted a couple of procedures scheduled for the following day. Cases that could possibly be some that the interns would be allowed to work on.

She thought about bringing the book to the party but her new roommate, and so far the only friend in Seattle, Reed, wasn't having it because 'that's not what people at parties do.' April knew that, of course, and could be celebrating and getting to know people who she was going to be spending the most of her time with, but she didn't feel like it. She saw the funny looks everyone was giving her when she was talking about herself earlier. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned her plans for her future family right off the bat, but that was her plan and she was proud of it. Plus, it always helped to say her goals and thoughts out loud. Maybe the explanations were too much for everyone else, but they calmed her down. It wasn't on her agenda to impress the rest of them by pretending to be the popular image of a great surgeon - cold and only caring about surgeries. No, that wasn't her.

She looked around to see where her friend was. After arriving at the party, Reed volunteered to get the drinks and 50 minutes later, she was still somewhere getting them. April spotted her in the corner talking to Andrew, one of the residents that was responsible in not letting them kill the patients. April smiled to herself and shook her head. When they saw him for the first time, Reed said that he was going to get her into surgeries.

"Reed!" April exclaimed, "This is so unethical. You can't sleep with the superiors".

"Who said that?", quipped Reed, "I'm going to do it the fun way, have work and pleasure".

April didn't want to admit it, but she kind of admired Reed in that moment. Even though it went against everything that April thought was acceptable.

The apartment where they were celebrating belonged to Jackson Avery, one of the interns in her group and also the son of Catherine Avery and the grandson of Harper Avery. She wondered how it felt to have such legends of surgery and management as your mother and grandfather. She couldn't even imagine how much he probably had learned from them already. She would never dare ask him though, as she thought she wouldn't be the first one and she didn't want to seem even more annoying in her co-workers' eyes.

April threw another glance at Reed, who was now battling for Andrew's attention with another girl from the group, and realized she was probably going home alone.

She decided to get herself a beer, so she left the corner she was occupying and headed towards the drink cases in the middle of the room. She picked one bottle out and just as she was about to retreat to her corner, Charles Percy, another intern from her group, stopped in front of her as he looked around.

"Hey, have you seen Jackson? Jackson Avery? I've been looking for him everywhere," he asked, looking crazier with every second passing.

"Uhm, no, I haven't," April said, thinking that Jackson Avery better stay where he was since it was obvious Charles wanted something from him, considering his gushing at the orientation.

"Okay, thanks," he answered, and left to probably continue his hunt for an Avery.

April looked back at her comfortable corner but a small group already occupied it. Jackson's apartment was very spacious and obviously expensive to rent; it wasn't very furnished though, with a lot of boxes scattered around. He was probably in the process of moving in.

Another group of people arrived at the place and April felt a little bit claustrophobic. For a second she thought that she needed to make an effort to mingle with people. So what, she had a couple of bad experiences in the past, but she was different, less neurotic, she thought, and people could be different too, nicer and more welcoming. But she looked around, and everyone already had someone to talk to. She felt awkward about going up to someone and joining a random conversation. She was looking around, observing the rest of the interns, when she spotted an empty corner with a door that looked like it led to an empty balcony outside. April felt a little bit hot and thought she would drink her beer in peace and then notify her friend about going home. She started walking in the direction of the balcony and had to work a little with opening the door. When the door finally moved to the side, she walked out into the night, the cold, fresh air hitting her skin nicely. She breathed and walked closer to the railing. Seattle looked exquisite in the evening. The apartment was on the 15th floor and it was a nice Space Needle preview, a place she still wished to visit when she had a little bit more free time from all the studying. She even dared to look down. She felt at peace in this city; she was handling living far away from her family better than she expected, despite wanting to leave the parents' nest for quite a while.

"So you're the girl who wants to raise kids, two boys and a girl," a voice behind her uttered making April jump a little. She felt like her soul left her body at that moment.

"Oh, Jesus almighty! You scared the crap out of me," April shrieked, putting her hand on her racing heart.

Jackson Avery was sitting in the far left corner on one of those comfortable expensive outdoor chairs. He put his beer on a glass coffee table beside him. Despite still feeling a little bit shaky, she wished he would have set his beer on a coaster.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't know how to start talking without scaring you, to be honest."

"I-it's fine. I'm, I'm fine now," April stuttered under her breath, sweeping her hair away from her face.

Jackson looked at her like he was expecting her to start crying, but April gathered herself and started slowly walking to another chair placed on the other side of the coffee table. She sat down, but for some reason she couldn't look at Jackson Avery, so she started rubbing her legs, feeling tense. She didn't have to wait long until he started speaking again.

"You know, I was expecting people to chat about surgeries, not kids. It was something… new," he said, and picked up his beer bottle to take a sip.

"Uhm yeah, family and work are equally important to me, so I'm just looking into the future," April said, finally turning her head a little to look at Jackson.

He was possibly the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Possibly, since Justin Timberlake was alive and well. She didn't know much about the people she was about to start working with, but if Charles Percy was searching for Jackson because of his looks rather than his position in the surgical world, she wouldn't be surprised. But she tried to usher these thoughts away and stay on topic.

"Don't take it the wrong way, but don't you think you're putting nails in your coffin already?" He half smiled and continued, "All I'm thinking about are surgeries, more surgeries. Don't you worry that you will get bored with the 9 to 5 approach?"

"No, I don't think so," April replied, expecting him to continue with his pro-surgery arguments.

"Well, you haven't had your first surgery yet, it might change your mind," he raised his brows and stretched as much as it was possible in that round chair.

"Is it really so important for you that I agree with you?" She arched her brow in return. "Maybe you're right. But how do you know constant surgeries won't bore me eventually?" She sipped a little of her beer. "Surgeries are difficult and exciting, I think, but for how long? Having a family and a job you love and feel dedicated to is challenging, and I love challenges. This will keep me on my toes and I won't get bored. How about that?" she said.

"How about that," repeated Jackson, smirking.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while.

"So, what is your dream specialty, Jackson Avery?" April said, finally finding the courage to ask Jackson something.

"Well, definitely not proctology," he answered, which made April scoff. "I'm a professional, and respect all realms of medicine. But there's a line, come on."

"But seriously?"

April noticed Jackson peeling the label of the bottle. She was surprised this question made him so nervous.

"But seriously, I'm not sure. Probably cardiology?" His answer sounded more like a question.

"Well, you have a lot of time to figure it out," April offered. "And besides, if you do choose cardiology, you have someone to look up to close by and ask all of the questions in the world," She finished excitedly, only to notice Jackson's annoyed face.

"It's not that easy as you might think," he mumbled, taking a couple of big gulps of beer. "My family… I don't even feel like I belong to this great surgical nobility. I don't really think they believe in me. I'm sure they were surprised when I got into school on my own."

"That's great, Jackson. You're already living up to the name, you didn't go the easy way. It's something to be proud of. And I'm sure they're very proud of you, I don't see how it can be otherwise," April replied genuinely. It had never crossed her mind that people in Jackson's position could feel powerless. He had the world at his feet but clearly didn't feel like it.

"Thanks," he replied. "But they paid, anyway, so it's not that big of a deal. I didn't earn that money."

"Stop doing that," April said, raising her voice a little.

It took Jackson by surprise. "Doing what?"

"Making your achievements smaller than they are." Jackson set his eyes on the floor finding something interesting in there, clearly feeling uncomfortable, but April persisted. He had to hear what she had to say. "Just because your parents paid for med school doesn't mean that you deserve the spot less than any student who's struggling with loans. It's an amazing opportunity you were given, to not worry about anything but your progress. Be grateful, but don't punish yourself for the possibilities you have. If you say you work hard, I believe you. But you have to believe it yourself."

Jackson straightened up and looked at April with an expression she couldn't decode.

She blushed feeling like she overstepped, after all, they were no one to each other.

"That was hell of a pep talk," he finally said. "I wasn't expecting that. Maybe you should reconsider and become a shrink."

"Well, thank you. I always give great advice." April smiled.

"Well, don't get too cocky now." he laughed.

Again, they took a moment to enjoy the silence and continue drinking their beers.

"So, did you make any friends?" Jackson asked, finishing the bottle and putting it on the floor near the table.

"Just one so far. Reed Adamson?" Jackson nodded, "She's very nice to me and very different from myself. I think I need that," she answered honestly. Somehow, it was so easy to open up to Jackson about things that were on her mind. She didn't know if she could read people well, but Jackson seemed like a really nice guy and she hoped they could eventually become good friends and colleagues.

"How so?" Jackson asked, and she was expecting it.

"Well, I have my views and sometimes it's hard for me to accept someone else's. I feel like Reed could be a person who would help me to… relax a little, stop overthinking. You know, I'm a great over-thinker." Jackson nodded. He switched his position a little to get more comfortable. April did the same, turning her body more towards him, tucking her legs under herself.

"You're good at making friends," Jackson stated.

April laughed and shook her head. "I don't think so, I mean, were you considering becoming my friend during the orientation?" she teased. Jackson playfully rolled his eyes. "You, on the other hand, seem like a friendly guy. Charles Percy was looking everywhere for you fifteen minutes ago and very determined to find you," she quipped.

Jackson sighed. "Yeah, he was very excited to meet an Avery. I don't really think he wants anything except for perks of being a friend of one."

"Maybe so," April hummed. "But maybe you should stop thinking about it that much and just enjoy people wanting to talk to you? Say no to favours once and I'm sure they'll lay off of you," she suggested.

"Okay, shrink. So how do I become one of the low-borns then?" he joked.

April rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't serious. "Well, start a conversation? Get a roommate? Insert yourself into the middle class, we're waiting with open hands." She bowed a little which made Jackson laugh very loud.

"Okay. How about you then?" Jackson asked.

"What about me?" April retorted, confused.

"Be my roommate? Help me take your own advice" Jackson waited expectantly.

April bit her lip. She liked Reed very much, but she couldn't help imagining how would it be to live with a guy. Of course, she was going to decline.

"Well, I'm sorry. But I'm rather taken. I share a two-room apartment with Reed." She looked at him, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's fine. I might ask Percy then, at least I know I can persuade him to do all the chores. I don't think it would have worked with you." He tilted his head, smiling.

"Nope," she answered smiling as she shook her head.

April looked at her watch, it was half past 10 and she knew she had to go if she wanted to do a little bedtime reading to prepare for the cases tomorrow.

"I think I'm gonna go now, it's out first day tomorrow. Gotta rest. You should too," she said, standing up and wiggling her legs a little after sitting for so long.

"Yeah… see you tomorrow then," he replied.

She smiled at him and turned around. She started to walk towards the door when she heard Jackson speaking up again.

"Surgery and love. I want both too, just so you know." April turned around to look at him, for some reason feeling a little too hot on this chilly Seattle evening. Jackson smiled at her turning his head away from her, looking out over Seattle.

"Appendectomy and cholecystectomy," April said out loud.

"What?" Jackson asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"Appendectomy and cholecystectomy. Those are two basic procedures I spotted on the OR board this morning. Perhaps, we could do with a little reading tonight so we could prepare for tomorrow."

"Thanks, that's very nice of you to mention," Jackson, shocked and impressed, nodded at April.

"Well, Jackson Avery," April looked up and then at Jackson again. "I can't help you with love, but maybe I can help you with surgery".