Hi Everyone! This is a sequel to my other April/Jackson story called I Want This, so if you haven't read that, you should so you know what is going on in this story.
I want to thank all the readers who followed I Want This and I hope you enjoy this one shot sequel. I hope you all review and let me know what to think. I am thinking about starting a new Japril story soon, so encouragement always helps.
Thanks again everyone and enjoy!
I Want This Too
(Told from mixed point of views between April and Jackson)
The phone jarred Jackson from his sleep. He groaned as he looked at the clock. 3:34AM. Jackson grabbed the phone and grumbled, "Yeah."
"Dr. Jackson Avery?" a female voice asked.
"Yeah, I am not on call, am I?" he said, just now remembering that he shouldn't be contacted.
"Dr. Avery this is Rita Feinberg. I am on the board of directors for the Health Volunteer Organization," the voice said.
"Dr. Kepner is in Syria teaching," he said in annoyance. Why would they call at three in the morning?
"Dr. Avery, are you aware that you are listed as Dr. Kepner's emergency contact?" the voice asked gently.
Jackson sat up straight in bed and clicked the bedside lamp on.
"Yes," he said, his heart pounding in fear.
"Dr. Kepner has been wounded in action," the voice said.
"Wounded? Is she okay? What happened?" he demanded, getting up and blindly searching for shoes. He didn't know where she was but he needed to get to an airport and get to her.
"Dr. Kepner is currently in surgery and we will know the extent of her injuries later. She is being stabilized and then airlifted to Switzerland as soon as possible," the woman said calmly
"Where is she now? I am coming," he demanded, rifling through his and April's office for his passport.
"Dr. Avery, by the time you arrive, she will already have been out of surgery and on a plane to Geneva. I suggest you wait there. Would you like me to notify the rest of her family?" she offered.
"No, uh, just get her here. To me... please," he said, his voice cracking.
"I am very sorry Dr. Avery. I am going to give you my contact information so I can keep you apprised of every development," she said.
She gave Jackson her cell phone number and the name of the hospital April was being treated at. He cringed as he remembered the resources the Syrian doctors had. So limited. And no anesthesia. Jackson felt himself begin to gag in horror and he then remembered he needed to call her family. Her parents.
Jackson took a shaky breath in and out. He couldn't call them like this. Like a wreck. He got on his computer and began clicking away to order them red eye flights to Geneva, knowing they would drop everything for this. Once he had their tickets squared away and had collected himself he knew he needed to call them.
He picked up the phone and dialed her parents' house. He did the math. At least it wasn't an ungodly hour there. It was nine in the morning in Ohio, so her parent would already be up and running the farm. Her mom was probably at the school.
"Kepner residence," Beau answered.
Beau was a farmhand that helped Joe Kepner all year round on the farm.
"Beau, it's Jackson, I need to speak to Karen or Big Joe," he said seriously.
"Hang on," he said. Usually they would jaw back and forth about the farm or football, but Beau could apparently tell by Jackson's voice that it was urgent.
"Joe here," Joe Kepner answered.
"Yeah, Joe, it's Jackson," Jackson said.
"Jackson," Joe said, "Is my little girl back yet?"
"No, uh Joe, there was...an accident," Jackson said, his voice beginning to tremble.
"Don't tell me," Joe said, his voice going from easygoing to panic in seconds.
"She is in surgery now and they are bringing her back here," Jackson said, "I already have your tickets. I sent them to Karen's email. She will be here in a few hours."
Joe said, "How bad is it, Jackson?"
"I don't know. The lady didn't give me much information over the phone," Jackson said regretfully.
"We will be there," he said. He got all the flight information he needed from Jackson and then hung up the phone with him.
Jackson got up and dressed quickly. He called the hospital and told them that he would be unavailable indefinitely due to family emergency.
Jackson watched his phone, waiting for it to ring. He should be doing something. He should have gone with her. Jackson's phone rang and he snatched it up.
"Yes?" he said.
"Dr. Avery, April is stable and we are boarding her to Geneva. She will arrive in approximately three hours," Rita said.
Jackson told her which hospital he preferred and then hung up and debated on whether he should stay where he was or go to the hospital to wait for her. Her family might call here and he wouldn't be much use to anybody at the hospital right now.
So he stayed put. He got up, showered and cleaned up the apartment. He looked for a hotel room at the hotel around the corner from their apartment that Karen and Joe stayed at last time they visited. It was the first time Jackson had met them. And the first time that April had told them that they were dating and living together. It had gone over surprisingly well, though Big Joe Kepner did threaten run over Jackson with a tractor if he ever hurt his little girl.
Jackson decided to go to the market and buy the essentials for their apartment in case they ended up coming back here for food. He was thinking of everything April might do in this situation.
When there was nothing left to do, he went to the hospital with a bag full of his toiletries and some spare clothing and April's too. He went toward the closest on call room he could find to the helipad and parked inside it. This would be his new home until April was situated in a room.
Jackson sat on the phone with his phone in his hands, checking the battery. He looked through one of the bags he brought and extracted a charger, plugging it in. He then checked the reception and was satisfied with the four bars displayed.
The phone rang and Jackson immediately answered it.
"Dr. Avery, I just received word from our air team that there are complications. April is seizing. They are doing everything in their power to stabilize her, but I thought you should know there is likely some neurological damage," Rita said, her tone sympathetic.
"Neurological damage?" Jackson repeated, closing his eyes. "What else can you tell me?"
"Dr. Kepner's location was compromised and it is believed that she came in contact with chemical agent sarin, also known as GB," Rita said.
"Did you administer atropine and pralidoxime?" Jackson asked immediately.
"We did, however it seems that the deadly combination of sarin and the trauma she suffered...it's is taking longer for it to affect her system. Dr. Kepner was also caught in some stray rebel gunfire. From what I was told, her injuries weren't serious. A shot to the hip, but that will be treated as soon as she arrives in Geneva."
"Is she at least under?" Jackson asked, worried she would be in pain.
"She is sedated, yes," Rita answered.
Jackson nodded and bit his lip.
"Okay, how far out?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"About an hour," Rita said. Jackson nodded and said, "I am waiting here."
Rita paused and then said, "Dr. Avery, it is my obligation that I tell you that you are not to interfere with the medical treatment of Dr. Kepner. You are her loved one and not her doctor."
Jackson grinded his teeth and then bit out, "I understand. Thank you, Miss Feinberg."
He hung up the phone as his lip trembled and his eyes filled with tears. He felt so helpless.
His phone rang and he assumed it was Rita again, but instead it was his mother.
"Baby, I just got a call from Karen, I am taking the next flight out of Boston and will be there soon. What's her condition?" she asked.
Jackson told her everything he knew and his mother said, "It sounds good so far. We won't panic until we have to, baby. So stay calm because April needs you to. Okay?"
Jackson nodded and let a tear slip down his cheek as he fingered the box in his pocket.
"I know...I know it is going to be okay, because it has to. But what if..."
"Don't even say it," Catherine said over the phone in a harsh tone.
Jackson nodded and she gentled her tone and said, "Baby, stay strong until we get there."
He clicked the phone off and then extracted the velvet box in his pocket. He and April had discussed marriage in bed a few weeks ago.
They had gotten away for their first weekend off in a long time. April had wanted to get away before she went to Syria again. It was her seventh time going. They had been terrified the first time she went, not knowing what to expect, but now that it was practically routine. Jackson noticed that April would plan romantic weekends before she left to ease his worry or to get her fill of him until she got back.
He smiled as he remembered the first time they got away. A fellow plastic surgeon offered them his lodge on a lake they had heard was beautiful. Jackson had gratefully accepted and April and Jackson both had romantic ideas of what a Swedish lodge would be like. When they got there it was more of a one room run-down hut. But the scenery was beautiful and they had each other, which is all either of them wanted.
April and Jackson laughed about it now. Since the hut experience, they now went to resort lodges, embarrassed to be so American about it. But it was fabulous and gorgeous and everything both of them wanted. Cable, hot water, internet, couples' spa, gorgeous views, and gourmet food.
They had just made love that night by the fireplace in their suite at the lodge. April lay there, covered up to her waist and Jackson was mesmerized by the fire's light flickering against the soft skin of her beautiful breasts. Her drooped hazel eyes were satisfied, happy, and sleepy. Jackson leaned over and kissed her gently and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"You. Always you," she said, a small smile on her face as she draped one of her legs over his and rolled to her side.
"I think we should get married," he said suddenly. April's eyes popped out of her head and she said, "What?"
"I...I want to marry you. Will you marry me?" he asked, a small smile on his lips. April climbed on top of him, laying all her weight on him. She looked down in his eyes looking for something in them and smiled her most dazzling smile when she found it. April kissed him passionately and then said, "Yes, yes I will marry you."
Jackson smiled and then rolled them so he was on top of her and said, "You will?"
"Of course," April said, chuckling against his lips.
Jackson kissed her long and languidly and then maneuvered himself so he was at her entrance. "My wife...I can't wait to call you my wife," he murmured against her lips as he slowly slid inside of her.
She gasped, still sensitive from their latest exploits. She closed her eyes as he began a steady rhythm and said, "My husband," she groaned as her hips bucked against his. "I like the way that rolls off my tongue."
Jackson moaned and began pumping into her faster and she raised her legs and angled her hips to take him deeper. She was panting in pleasure. She was close. So close.
Jackson kissed along her collarbone and down to her perfect breasts. He took each one in his mouth and kissed them passionately, laving each one and giving them the attention they deserved. He would never get enough of them.
Jackson felt her flutter around him as she began to come and it was all he needed to release into her with loud grunts and sighs. He rested inside of her for a minute as they came down and April wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He kissed her lips softly then her forehead and pulled out of her.
April curled onto her side and Jackson wrapped his arm around her immediately, pulling her as close as possible. She was asleep in minutes.
Jackson smiled as he looked up at the lodge ceiling. April was going to be his wife. He had not had a plan to blurt that out. He had been thinking about it for some time. About a year. April and him were both finishing out their fellowships and Jackson...it was weird. He kept seeing her with a baby in her arms. His baby. He would imagine her pregnant with his child and it was something he wanted so badly now. He wanted April to be his wife and the mother of his children. He wanted his children to have her smile, her laugh, her generosity, and her grace.
Tonight, looking at her...he couldn't wait for it to start. He needed to tell her what he wanted. He wanted her to be his wife.
His wife, he thought, looking down at her. She was peacefully asleep against him and he buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. She was his wife. April owned him body and soul already.
Jackson's phone rang in his hand, snapping him out of his memory. "Dr. Avery. She is here and she is stable. We are taking her immediately into surgery," the Chief of surgery said without preamble.
Jackson said, "Please send me periodic updates. I will be in the waiting room."
Jackson stood and grabbed his phone, his pager, and his wallet and made his way down to the surgery waiting where the other family members were waiting for their loved ones.
Jackson watched the clock. As the second hand ticked on and on, the more agitated and nervous Jackson felt. There hadn't been an update in over an hour.
Jackson got up and paced, knowing if he sat, he would go crazy. He looked at his watch and noted that Joe and Karen and his mother all would be about halfway to Switzerland by now. Jackson felt a hand on his shoulder and he spun around, his frantic gaze fixating on the doctor in front of him.
"Just tell me," he broke out.
"It looks real good, Jackson. She is being moved to post op now, and you can see her shortly. She had a bullet in her hip and in her upper right shoulder, but there was amazingly very little damage. She may not even need physical therapy. The most alarming thing was the amount of sarin gas she was exposed to. As you know, it attacks the nervous system, but because the attack was so sudden, her atropine wasn't administered until people could get to her. She likely experienced the common early onset symptoms, blurred vision, runny nose, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath and she even suffered some convulsions and seizures. We will want to hold her and continue to monitor her intravenous medication and recovery. We can go and see her if you follow me," he said, patting Jackson's shoulder and guiding him to the ICU.
Jackson walked into April's room. Jackson sniffled as he saw her resting in her bed. She looked so small and there were tubes everywhere, even a set breathing for her.
He looked to doctor and asked, "Why is she on a ventilator?"
"It was the sarin. It can cause the lungs to struggle, so right now, she needs the ventilator until she can handle it on her own," he explained quickly.
Jackson nodded and walked to her bed. It was different doing it as a loved one. With his patients, he had no hesitancy. But as he stood beside her, he was almost afraid of touching her, even though he knew better.
He grabbed a chair and then took her hand in his. He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, wanting her to respond to him.
"How long...how long until she can do it on her own? Until she wakes up?" he asked.
The doctor shook his head, "It takes as long as it takes. She will wake up soon," he said reassuringly as he checked over her stats and recorded them into her chart.
Jackson nodded and said, "Thank you."
Jackson looked down at her hand and noticed that there was mud under her nails and many were broken. April was fastidious in her cleanliness and appearance. Her nails would never be so destroyed. April had struggled.
Jackson ran his fingers over her slender fingers and he felt his tears begin no matter how hard he tried to keep them at bay.
Jackson kissed her hand and then felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw an unfamiliar face looking at him.
"Dr. Avery? I'm Rita Feinberg. Can I bring you anything? Food? Coffee?" she asked kindly.
Jackson shook his head and she nodded and said, "I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know if you need anything I am at your disposal. I will leave you so you can have some privacy."
Jackson nodded and then looked down at April's hand once more and said, "Can you get me a manicure set? And stuff to clean her up with?"
Rita nodded and departed, no doubt to find what Jackson required.
Jackson stood and kissed April's forehead and whispered, "April?"
He looked into her face to see if she would respond, but there was no movement. "April, baby, I need you to wake up. Because I love you so much and I won't be happy until I see your eyes looking into mine. So wake up soon."
Jackson brushed his lips against hers when Rita walked back in with what he requested and a pillow and a blanket, presumably for him. "I have also asked a nurse to come in and bathe her for you," she said as she set everything down.
"No," he said, 'I...I want to do it."
Rita looked at him and nodded, grabbing the privacy curtain and closing it behind her along with the door.
Jackson picked up April's hand and kissed it, before beginning to clip her nails and file them. He cleaned and buffed the as best as he could and as close to what he thought she liked. He then gave her a sponge bath, also referred to as a bed bath in most hospitals. He hadn't done it since his internship.
He worked fastidiously until April was clean. He sat down next to her bed once more and held her hand, resting his head on the bed next to her leg.
Jackson yawned and stroked his thumb across her knuckled, not realizing he had fallen asleep. He woke up disoriented when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked into the face of Joe Kepner and realized how much time had passed if their parents were here.
Karen was standing on the other side of the bed with Catherine by her side, looking down at April in concern.
Jackson also looked her over and studied the monitors. Her stats were up since he had fallen asleep. His hand was still linked with hers and he squeezed it as if she would wake up from it.
Jackson yawned and said, "I am sorry I didn't hear my phone ring. Did you guys call when you got in?"
Joe and Karen shook their heads and said, "We left the airport and came straight here. We met Catherine in the lobby on the way."
Jackson nodded and said, "Thank you for coming."
They all nodded and Joe asked, "So what happened? What's wrong with her?"
"She was shot, but they extracted the bullets and the doctor told me that she got lucky because the bullets didn't hit anything serious. One in her hip and one in her right shoulder. The one in her right shoulder went clean through and the bullet that went into her hip managed to miss the intestines and kidney which...is incredible."
Joe smiled and nodded in relief.
"She was also exposed to a chemical that caused her breathing to become labored. It is a chemical used for terrorists' means," Jackson explained.
"While it can be serious, April was given the antidotes in enough time to combat the major symptoms. Now we wait," Jackson said.
Joe nodded and said, "Have the doctors said how long?"
Jackson shrugged and said, "She will wake up when she is ready."
"Oh my baby girl," Karen murmured, her voice shaking as she began to cry, reaching for April's hand. Joe made his way around the bed and wrapped her in his arms and said, "She is going to be fine, Karen."
"She isn't doing this anymore. Never again," Karen said sharply, as if April was awake to hear her mother's command.
"Karen," Joe said calmly.
"You all must be exhausted. I, uh, booked some rooms at that hotel you all liked and you can go and get some rest and freshen up. I will call with any changes," Jackson said.
Joe nodded and looked to Karen who seemed reluctant to leave her daughter's bedside.
"Honey, Jackson is here and will call us if anything happens. You are going to crash from the jet lag and being up for so long," Joe said, guiding his wife towards the door. She paused and turned to Jackson and then walked towards him and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, "Watch over her," she whispered.
She pulled away and Jackson nodded and she smiled and touched his cheek and said, "Thank you," before walking towards her husband once more and leaving.
Jackson turned to his mother who was now standing beside him and had her arm around his back and her head leaned on his shoulder.
"How are you holding up, baby?" she asked gently, her fingers skimming the dark circles he was sure was under his eyes.
"I'm fine. It's her we have to worry about," he said, looking down at April.
"She sounds like she is improving by the minute. Her stats are up since I have gotten here. Maybe you should get some decent sleep in an on call room while I sit here with her," his mother suggested.
"I am not leaving her," he said, shaking his head and sitting down to prove his point.
He reached in his pocket and handed his mother their apartment keys and said, "I thought you could just stay at our apartment."
"Oh honey, I am not leaving you here," she said, pulling a chair up beside him.
Jackson smiled and said, "You also have jet lag and have been up forever. So you should. I will call."
"You sure, baby?" she asked.
He nodded and said, "I am just going to be sleeping in here with her anyway."
Catherine nodded and said, "Okay. You call me. I am going to bring you some breakfast in the morning."
He nodded and responded, "Maybe she will be awake by then."
"Probably," Catherine said positively.
Jackson nodded and grabbed the pillow and blanket and covered himself with it. He leaned forward and rested his head on one arm and he held April's hand in another. He couldn't let it go for some reason. It just provided him with the comfort he needed.
Jackson fell asleep and when he woke up he felt someone jerking his hand. He scowled in his sleep as he tried to get back to sleep, but that was when he realized the hand that was jerking him was actually April's and he jerked awake, his neck and back protesting after being in such an awkward position for so long.
April face was moving slightly as if she was trying to wake up and her hand was moving in his.
"April?" he asked, standing and pressing the nurse call button.
He noticed that sometime in the night, the doctors must have come in and removed the breathing tubes. He hadn't even heard that he was so tired.
.
April's eyes fluttered open and she blinked several times.
"Hey gorgeous," he said gently, smiling down into her beautiful face.
April gave a small smile and her raspy voice said, "What...where are we?"
"You are in the ICU. Your HVO session was interrupted by a rebel attack. How are you feeling?" he asked, concerned by her lack of memory.
"Marvelous," she croaked out sarcastically. "Can I have some water?"
Jackson nodded and went to the pitcher they kept in the room and poured her a glass as the doctor came in along with interns and residents.
"April, good to see you awake. How are you feeling?" he asked as he began looking her over.
"My shoulder hurts," she said, grimacing as she tried to move it.
Jackson held the cup as she sipped out of the straw and smoothed back her hair tenderly.
"Getting shot does hurt," the doctor said as he wrote in her chart.
"I have been shot?" she asked in amazement.
"Twice. And exposed to toxic levels of sarin," Jackson said.
April's eyes widened and she asked, "Is there any serious damage?" as she looked down her body.
Jackson shook his head as the doctor said, "No, you are going to be fine."
April was looking at Jackson and said, "I am going to be fine?"
"More than fine," he murmured as he leaned in for a kiss.
April smiled a relieved smile and squeezed his hand. Jackson turned to an intern and said, "Can you please call her parents and my mother. The numbers are on file at the nurses' station."
The intern nodded and scurried away and April asked, "Our parents are here?"
He nodded and said, "They got in last night and so did my mom."
"Where are they now?" she asked.
"Your parents are at the hotel they stayed last time and mom is at our apartment," he said, knowing she was going to worry about the small details, "Don't worry about anything. I have handled it."
"You have?" she asked, amused and curious.
"My mom is in our clean apartment with basic groceries, while your parents are in their hotel sleeping off the jet lag. I have some of our toiletries and spare clothes here for us in an on call room upstairs," he said, shooting another glance to a different intern to go and retrieve the bags he brought. The intern scurried away in search of the bags.
April closed her eyes and nodded and Jackson turned to the doctor for reassurance that his fiancée was okay.
"She is fine. Her stats are good, her breathing is good. Her disorientation is temporary," he said. He looked to April who was listening and said, "We are keeping you for a while to make sure you recovery is fine and to keep you on, make sure that you aren't suffering any lingering effects of sarin, and treat and clean you GSW wounds. But you will be fine."
Jackson sighed in relief and turned to April and kissed her soundly. April kissed him back, but remembered they were in a room full of strangers, pulling away as she chuckled, embarrassed.
"Thank you, doctor," she said, blushing furiously.
He chuckled and nodded and said, "I am sending a nurse in shortly so we can move you from the ICU to a different floor."
Jackson and April nodded and he left, with the residents and interns following behind him.
Jackson sat on the edge of her bed and kissed all over her face.
"You are keeping me on my toes, Kepner," he said against her lips.
"Sorry," she whispered.
He smiled and said, "Its okay. I wouldn't want to be married to someone who didn't. Speaking of which," he said, reaching in his pocket and grabbing the box out.
"I got this while you were gone. I didn't expect to do it in a hospital while you have holes in you, but I can't wait a minute longer to get it on your finger," he said, opening the box.
April gasped and covered her mouth in shock, "J-Jackson, that is...gorgeous."
Jackson smiled and slid it on her finger, looking down at it as pride swelled inside of him. She was his. April held her hand up and smiled as her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you."
Jackson laughed and leaned forward and kissed her again and said, "I can't wait to marry you."
April looked back at her hand and then asked, "Did you do my nails? They are perfect...?"
Jackson laughed and nodded, leaning forward and kissing her softly.
April smiled up at Jackson after they broke apart. A cough interrupted their moment and Jackson and April looked up and noticed all their parents standing in the doorway with happy looks on their faces. Obviously they had witnessed their newly declared engagement.
"Congratulations baby," Jackson's mother gushed, walking over to Jackson and throwing her arms around him. April's parents were kissing April on both cheeks and Karen was gushing over the new ring.
Joe Kepner shook his hand and said, "Welcome to the family, son."
Jackson nodded and Joe Kepner pulled him into a hug. "She is my little girl. I know you'll take care of her," he murmured, his voice gruff, as he pulled back.
"I will do everything in my power to make her happy," Jackson promised.
Joe nodded as his wife shoved past him and embraced him in a hug as Catherine Avery approached April to hug.
A nurse came in to break up the mini celebration to move April to a different floor. Jackson, Catherine, and April's parents gathered everything up as the transporter team moved April as they all trailed her.
April looked over her shoulder and laughed as they moved. Jackson smiled as Karen and Catherine began planning their wedding and Jackson said, "April already has a plan," he said, remembering her talking about wildflowers and mints.
Catherine and Karen looked at him in confusion and Jackson knew April would have to set the maternal couple straight. He wanted April to have everything she wanted.
Jackson resettled everything in the new room and sat down as their parents went to the hospital cafeteria. April turned to him and said, "Jackson, will you do something for me?"
"Anything," he said immediately, raising her hand to his lips and looking at her as he waited for her request.
"Will you go home and get some rest? And take our parents with you?" she asked.
Jackson shook his head and said, "I'll send our parents, but I was going to stay here with you. Really I think that nurse said something about a cot she could bring in here."
April shook her head and said, "Baby, you need a decent night's sleep. You look ragged and exhausted. Please. I won't be able to rest knowing you aren't taking care of yourself."
Jackson looked down at her and said, "I...don't know if I can."
April smiled and said, "Afraid?"
He nodded seriously and said, "April...I could have lost you."
"Not even bullets could bring me down. I wouldn't leave you. Too stubborn," she reminded him with a smile, pulling him towards her. He sat on the edge of her bed and April carefully wrapped her arms around him, wincing as her shoulder protested.
"I love you, but you need to go home and shower, because...you smell so bad," she teased as she pulled away.
He laughed and then said, "I will try, but I can't make any promises on staying away."
April gave him an exasperated smile and he stood and kissed her. "Want anything from our house?"
"Some pajamas. And the socks you gave me; the warm fuzzy ones. And my pillow," she said.
He nodded and leaned down and kissed her once more as her parent made an appearance. "Jackson, I want to talk to my mom before you all go."
Everyone nodded, knowing that they would do anything for the redhead, and filed out of the room except Karen Kepner.
"Make sure he sleeps. Please? And cook him a decent meal. I bet he hasn't had anything to eat since he got the news," she asked her mother.
Karen nodded and said, "Of course honey. You rest and Catherine and I will take care of you future husband...I can't believe my baby girl is getting married," she said, her eyes welling up.
April smiled and said, "He makes me so happy, Mom."
"That's all I care about," she said, leaning forward and kissing April's forehead.
"Thanks, Mom."
"I will see you in the morning, honey," she said as she walked out of April's room.
April relaxed as they left and April looked to the empty chair Jackson had been in since she had been here. She shook her head and realized how unprepared she actually was. She had no will or trust set up and she wanted to make sure Jackson was on the receiving end of the majority of it.
She grabbed the phone and called the WHO. After a few requests she was finally directed to who she needed to speak to.
"Dr. Ekstrom, it's Dr. Kepner," she said.
Dr. Ekstrom said she had planned on stopping by the hospital within the next day or so to see April herself and see how she was doing. April told the doctor she was fine, but got right to the point.
"Dr. Ekstrom, the reason I am calling is because my contract ends at the end of the month. I am very flattered that you have offered to extend the contract, but I have to turn it down. I am going back to the states as soon as I am ready to travel and have finished out my contract. I hope you understand."
"I do, April. I am sorry to see you go. If you ever would like to resume your work with us, please know you have that option," she said.
April nodded and said thank you and hung up the phone. She sighed in relief and then made another call, "This is Dr. Hunt."
"Dr. Hunt, it's April Kepner," she said, smiling at her old mentor's voice.
April woke up the next morning, and began to stretch when she felt the pain shoot through her shoulder and her hip. She groaned in pain and frustration and began to reach for the controls to the bed so she was sitting up slightly when something caught her eyes. Jackson, sleeping soundly on a cot by her bed.
She reached down and gently stroked his face.
"Stubborn," she murmured, shaking her head with a small smile on her face.
April decided to let him sleep as long as she could. She practically scolded a clumsy nurse who dropped a chart right outside her door. The nurse shot April an apologetic look before closing the door.
When he did wake up he looked up at her immediately. She smiled and said, "Couldn't stay away?"
He shook his head and said, "After my shower I found that your mother had cooked a huge meal and almost began force feeding it to me. My mother was helping her and then after persistent nagging from both of them I went to sleep, but I couldn't stay asleep, so I snuck out of the apartment early this morning and came here."
"You were behind that, weren't you?" he asked, with a small amused smile.
"Guilty as charged. I thought you needed all the help in taking care of yourself as possible," she said.
He nodded and said, "Thank you, but I think we should both be worrying about the woman with two gunshot wounds."
"I made a couple calls," she said.
Jackson raised an eyebrow and waited for her to elaborate.
"I called Dr. Ekstrom and told her I wouldn't be renewing my contract. I also called Hunt to see if there was a place for me at Grey Sloan. But I want you to know that because you followed me here, the choice about where we go next is up to you. I just want you to know Seattle is an option for both of us if that's what you want," she said, reaching for his hand.
He kissed it and said, "We will have to talk, but it can wait for a bit."
April nodded and tugged on his arm gently. She scooted over on her bed as carefully as possible to make room for him and he slid in and wrapped her in his arms. "We are going to get caught. And then you dad will put two bullets in me."
She chuckled and said, "I will protect you," as she wrapped her arms around and breathed his clean scent in.
"Do I smell better?" he asked with a smile on his face.
"Much better," she said, "If we weren't in hospital room sans lock and I wasn't injured then you would be in danger, my man."
He smiled and said, "You are a tease."
She smiled and then said, "I love you Jackson."
"I love you," he said softly, kissing the crown of her head.
April felt her eyes close and she fell asleep in Jackson's arms, the most comfortable and safe she felt in days.
She felt him pull away when a nurse came in and he climbed out of the bed as she groggily opened her eyes. "Click that pain medicine button for me, will you?" she asked, wincing as she tried to reach for it. Jackson clicked it and April yawned as she looked at the nurse.
"I am sorry I woke you, Dr. Kepner. I need to check on a few things and then change your dressings," she said.
April nodded and the nurse worked as Jackson thought about what she had told him. He had been happy in Switzerland because he was with her, but he did miss home. And by home he meant Seattle and Grey Sloan. He did want to step back in and begin where he had left off two years ago when he had left.
He was settling down with April and Seattle is where he wanted to do it.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked him, pulling Jackson out of his thoughts.
"You. Always you. Me and you," he said, kissing her hand.
"Me and You."
One Year Later
April heard the door shut to their house in Capitol Hill, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Seattle. Jackson had found it and surprised April on a date with it after an orientation day.
"Hey beautiful, smells delicious," he said, coming up behind her and kissing her shoulder.
She smiled as she stirred their dinner and said, "Thank you."
April turned her face to hers and he kissed her lips softly.
"How was that cranial reconstruction?" she asked as she focused on their dinner once more.
"It went great. How was your day off?" he asked.
"It was wonderful," she said, smiling as she thought about her appointment. She then went and got her hair and nails done as a special treat to herself and even perused the maternity section.
"How long? Do I have time to shower?" he asked her taking a beer out for the both of them.
April eyed the beer and then said, "You have plenty of time."
He nodded and walked out of the kitchen and April made sure he was gone before she reached under the sink and extracted the box she had wrapped that contained his "World's Best Daddy" t-shirt she had made and copy of the pregnancy results she had confirmed by her doctor today.
As she finished the dinner up, she thought about everything that happened in the past year. They moved back to Seattle and both began at Grey Sloan within days. Jackson back in plastics and his old position on the board and April in trauma. She had worked there for seven months when Hunt called her in with Jackson, Meredith, and Bailey. Hunt was focusing solely on being Chief and they wanted to appoint April to Head of Trauma.
Then there was their wedding, which had been exactly what she had wanted. They got married on a truly beautiful day, at the top of a field covered in wildflowers. Only their family was with them as they said their vows, down the hill was the reception tent, filled with family and friends and delicious food. It was perfect. It even had the "Mint To Be" mints.
They had everything. Until now. Now they truly had everything. She just hoped Jackson thought so too. Everything had been so chaotic this year that they hadn't even had time to think about a baby.
April served up dinner and Jackson walked back in and said, "Oh I was going to set the table. Thank you for doing all this, baby."
April kissed him and they sat down. Jackson stood then and said, "Need a beer. Want one?" he asked.
"No, I am good," she responded as she took a bite of her dinner.
Jackson walked back in the kitchen and April set the box on his chair and then went back to eating, her heart pounding as she heard him close the fridge and come back to the dining room.
Jackson entered and smiled at the box and said, "What's that?"
"Don't worry, you didn't miss an anniversary or anything," she teased, "It's just something I saw I thought you would like."
Jackson nodded as he took a sip from his beer and sat down. He took a bite of dinner and then reached for her hand and kissed it. "Thank you, my wife."
"You're welcome, my husband. Now open it," she said, getting impatient and more nervous as the seconds ticked by.
As he opened it, she bit her lip and watched his slender, dexterous hands work to open the box. He pulled out the shirt envelope and set it aside as he reached for the t shirt. He unfolded it and read the shirt and April was going to explode any minute as his face transformed to casual enjoyment to shock.
He looked to April and asked, "You're...You're pregnant?" he asked, his face still shocked. April couldn't decipher if he was happy or upset. She nodded and said, "I am going to have a baby."
He broke out in the biggest smile and stood up and walked around the table and hugged her as he pulled her to her feet and in his arms. April smiled and couldn't help the tears that formed in her eyes the minute she saw his beautiful smile.
"We are having a baby! A baby!" he exclaimed, spinning her around and kissing her all over her face.
April laughed and he set her down and kissed her deeply, causing her to shiver and tingles to run up and down her body. He broke the kiss and ran his hands through her hair and said, "A baby...April..I love you."
She smiled and let two tears fall and said, "I love you, too."
He knelt down and stroked her stomach lovingly and said, "I think it's a boy."
She chuckled and said, "You think it's a boy. You don't even know how far along I am."
He chuckled and stood and said, "How far?"
"All the information I have is in that envelope. Go see and eat," she said.
Jackson kissed her one more time before helping her sit down again. "I am not fragile. I won't break because I am pregnant."
"Of course," he said, though he smiled. He grabbed his fork and tore open the envelope. He read through the results letter and smiled at the big word CONGRATULATIONS! Followed by: You are 5 weeks pregnant!
He set it down and said, "I am so happy. Are you?"
"Happier than I ever thought I could be...You want this? Really?" she asked nervously.
"I want this. It's all I have ever wanted," he said, taking her hand and squeezing it before he raised it to his lips and kissed it softly. "Me and you."
"Me and you," she said, her smile bright and her heart full.
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