Chapter 1

Dr. Jackson Avery walked into his apartment kicking off his shoes. He wanted to get a hot shower and kick back on his sofa watching a basketball game. He was lucky because his two-year-old daughter was with her mother tonight. He had thought that he would be having dinner with his girlfriend, Dr. Maggie Pierce, but she was either home with her sisters, or in a surgery.

Jackson dropped his bag near his front door and walked upstairs to his bedroom in order to take that shower he so desperately wanted. When he walked into his bedroom he was shocked to see his tiny toffee colored girlfriend with the head full of dark curls asleep in his bed.

Jackson stood in the doorway smiling. He loved that woman. If he had things his way she would be his wife one day soon. She would be the step mother to his daughter, and the mother of the rest of his children.

Quietly walking into the room and into the bathroom Jackson made quick work of showering. After drying off and slipping into a pair of black Calvin Klein boxer briefs. Jackson climbed into bed behind Maggie taking her into his arms.

Maggie blindly searched for his hand under the covers. She wove their fingers together and rested them on her cami covered stomach. She said, "Hmm, you smell good. Did you just get home? What time is it?"

Jackson nudged her curls. He then said, "It's about ten thirty now. I got home not too long ago. It was a pleasant surprise to find you here babe, I thought you were at home, or at least in surgery. Why didn't you come find me before you left."

Maggie rolled onto her back. She said, "I didn't come find you because I wanted to surprise you. You had a cleft palate surgery today. How did it go? Alex scrubbed in with you?"

"The surgery went very well and yeah Karev scrubbed in with me." Jackson answered as he kissed on her neck.

"I was going to come watch, but I had to assist Amelia with a surgery. Anyway, I decided I didn't want to waste tonight. You don't have Harriet tonight so I figured we can spend some time together before she comes tomorrow." Maggie explained.

Jackson was silent for a moment then he said, "You know, I was thinking. Maybe it's time that you be formerly introduced to Harriet as my girlfriend. I know that she won't really understand, but she needs to start getting used to the idea of you being around. What do you think?"

Maggie was silent. It wasn't that she didn't like children. It wasn't even that she didn't enjoy being around children. In a lot of ways, she related well to children. Her sister Meredith had three children. Two girls and a boy. Her sister Amelia had adopted a little boy with her ex-husband. Maggie relished spending time with her nieces and nephews. Even on the occasions when she'd seen Harriet the exchange had always been pleasant.

Maggie's problem was that every single day her relationship with Jackson got more and more real. That terrified Maggie. Maggie had been engaged before, but the love she had for Jackson was big. It was unlike anything that she had experienced before.

"Babe talk to me. Tell me what's going through that pretty head of yours," Jackson responded to her silence.

Maggie played with Jackson's fingers as she said, "I'm scared. Introducing me to your daughter will make what we share really real, you know?"

Jackson smiled down at Maggie. He said, "Babe, you do know that what we have is already really real. I love you very much, and I know you love me very much too. It's ok. We're good. I'm committed to staying and working things out with you through the good bad and the ugly. It took me while, but I have learned to fight for love. I will always fight for us babe."

Maggie looked up into the blue eyes that she loved so much. After a moment she smiled asking, "What do you have in mind for this formal introduction?"

Jackson leaned down and kissed Maggie softly on the lips. Then he asked, "Well, what does your day look like tomorrow? I would like to spend the afternoon with my two favorite girls."

Maggie thought for a moment. Then she said, "My day is pretty light. I actually don't really have anything schedule. I was going into the lab to work on my rechargeable hearts."

"Great, my day is light too. So, I was thinking we could take Harriet to the aquarium, and then go to Pike Place and pick up some things so that we can make some dinner." Jackson suggested.

Maggie smiled. She was more excited about going to the aquarium than Harriet would be. She asked, "Is April ok with this?"

"Ok with what? April knows that we're in a relationship." Jackson said with a confused expression on his face.

Maggie shook her head, "No, I know that she knows that, but does she know that I'll be spending time with her daughter?"

"Harriet is my daughter as well, and April knows that I wouldn't bring someone around Harriet unless it's someone I have real feelings for. At this point in my mind and my life I pretty much have my mind set on you. I know I want to be with only you. I know that I want to build a future with you. I want you in my daughter's life," Jackson said with all sincerity.

Maggie stared into Jackson's eyes while hers were swimming with tears. Maggie loved Jackson, but he reminded her of something her mother said on her death bed. Diane had told her to fall in love with someone who loved her just a little more than she loved him.

Make no mistakes, Margaret Piece loved the hell out of Jackson Avery, but she had never seen anyone love a person the way that he loved her. In a way Maggie felt like Diane knew that Jackson would be the man just for her.

Maggie hadn't seen her relationship with Jackson coming, but it was the single best thing to happen to her other than her sisters who she adored.

Maggie placed her hands on the sides of Jackson's face. She said, "I love you."

Jackson leaned over taking Maggie's lips with his. The kiss was hot. It was full of passion. It held all of the love that these two held in their hearts for one another. Jackson ran his hands under her cami touching her flat stomach and then her bare breast.

They broke the kiss to get some air in their lungs. Jackson whispered in Maggie's ear, "Did you eat?"

Maggie pecked his lips again before saying, "No, but I am hungry. I'm just not hungry for food. I'm hungry for you."

Jackson tugged on one of Maggie's curls before saying, "I'm hungry for you too, but we should eat first. I don't want you passing out on me Dr. Pierce."

Maggie laughed saying, "Ok, but lets make it something quick. I want to spend some time showing you just how much you mean to me."

Jackson stood from the bed pulling Maggie along with him. He said, "Alright, so leftovers it is."

Maggie giggled as they walked down the stairs. She said, "But you hate leftovers."

Jackson slapped Maggie softly on the bottom saying, "I think I'll survive."