A/N: Hey guys! I'm hoping that this will be a pretty long one. I've always felt that Jackson and April didn't get enough screen time after the shooting, especially because they were closest to Reed and Charles. So here is a fic dealing with how they react and grow closer from that whole thing, and eventually become lovers ;) Hopefully you guys enjoy!

Chapter One: The Aftermath

Jackson Avery couldn't sleep.

It had been three days since the shooting that rocked Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, three days since two of his closest friends were killed. As a surgeon, Jackson knew that life was fleeting. One minute a person is laughing and talking, the next, their heart stops. It was textbook, elementary- it only takes a second for a life to end. Jackson had always been able to comfortably ignore the fact that he and the people he loved weren't invincible. That is, until three days before, when Gary Clark put bullets into his best friends.

Jackson Avery couldn't sleep.

Which was why he was sitting alone in a booth at Joe's at two in the morning, cradling a beer in his trembling hands. A week ago, Jackson would've been at the hospital, picking up a shift in the ER, or at home, listening to Charles pine over Reed. Due to the hospital's indefinite shutdown, the first was not an option. As for the second, well.

Jackson looked around, eyelids heavy, taking in the dark tavern. It was mostly empty, save for a few lonely patrons. There was a dejected looking man sitting at the bar, frowning into his coke with rum. A middle aged blonde woman at a table near the door was tossing back shots like they were pieces of candy, hiccupping every couple of minutes. Jackson figured that he looked as pathetic as they did, sitting alone in a booth with dark circles under his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Sitting at Joe's for hours was better than going home to his and Charles' apartment. He felt like he saw the ghost of his roommate and friend everywhere he turned- in the magazines on the coffee table, in the ratty gym shoes next to the couch. Jackson couldn't escape his dead friend.

The sound of the door opening echoed through the silent pub. Jackson looked up to see a weary April Kepner entering the room. Her normally bright eyes were bloodshot and her long brown hair was pulled up in a haphazard ponytail, short tendrils escaping and falling around her pale face. He managed a strained smile at the girl, earning a halfhearted wave as she walked to the bar and ordered her drink. A few minutes later she arrived at his booth, setting her gin and tonic on the scuffed table. Jackson was surprised- April normally went for the fruity drinks, something Reed would endlessly tease her for. He watched as the brunette took a swig, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

"Hey," Jackson said, his voice gravelly.

"Hi," April returned quietly. She looked as tired as he felt, the dark ring around her eyes matching his. Jackson couldn't imagine how terrible April must've felt- while he and Charles were close, they were nowhere near as tight as April and Reed. The two girls had been the best of friends, together constantly. Reed Adamson was the closest thing April had to family in Seattle.

They sat together quietly, nursing their drinks in the dusty light. Jackson had never seen April like this before; the dark haired girl had always been perky and optimistic, no matter the situation. It was unsettling to see her so… human.

April was the first to break the silence. "I can't- I just- I can't be there." Jackson nodded in understanding. He wasn't the only one avoiding his apartment.

"I know."

"I'm scared," April whispered, so quietly that Jackson had to lean in to hear her.

"Me too."

"I'm scared that when I close my eyes…" April trailed off, looking down at her half finished drink.

"You'll see them," Jackson finished. April nodded.

"Yeah. I'll see them."

April was the one that found Reed in that supply closet three days before, lying on the floor with a bullet in her brain. April was the one that had to scrub her best friend's blood from her skin. Jackson couldn't help but feel guilty. All he did was stand in an OR with Hunt and Altman, cursed with the knowledge of the situation.

"You need sleep," Jackson advised. He knew that he was being a hypocrite, but April was different from him. She was innocent. Jackson couldn't help but worry about the girl.

"So do you," April replied, tipping the last sip of gin and tonic into her mouth.

Jackson nodded, finishing his beer. "So do I," he agreed.

The brunette looked up at him from under her dark eyelashes timidly. "Jackson, can I- can I stay at your place? I just… don't think I can handle going back there."

"Yeah, of course," Jackson replied earnestly. He would do whatever April needed of him, and he had to admit that it would be easier to face his flat with the girl by his side.

"Thank you," the girl let out a relieved breath. Jackson smiled softly at her as they stood up and left the bar. No, thank you, he thought as they walked quietly through the night to his apartment.

"You could take the couch, or Charles' room…" Jackson swallowed the bile that rose to his throat at the thought of his friend's empty bedroom. April bit her lip harshly.

"Um, I'm good with the couch," she replied quickly. April watched as Jackson pulled a pile of blankets out of the closet and placed them on the old couch. "Seriously, thanks again."

"It's no problem. It's better not to be alone."

April nodded. "Goodnight," she said quietly.

"Goodnight, April," Jackson replied. He gave the couch one last glance before he headed into his bedroom and settled down onto his bed.

Jackson's eyes were wide open two hours later when he heard the knocking on the bedroom door. No matter how much he tossed and turned, no matter how many sheep he counted, Jackson couldn't bring himself to shut his eyes and rest. "Come in," he whispered. The door opened slightly, revealing a teary April.

"I'm sorry," she blubbered quietly. "I'm sorry."

Jackson sat up in bed, motioning for the girl to come sit next to him. "Don't be," he murmured as she crumpled onto the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around his friend tightly, pulling her head to his chest as he rubbed her back soothingly. April was soft in his arms, a tiny bundle of warmth and comfort. For the first time in three days, Jackson allowed his eyes to flutter shut, and sleep overcame him.

Jackson woke up entangled in the brunette's arms, a sense of contentment flooding over him. For the first time since the shooting, he felt relaxed. April's head was resting on his chest, her long eyelashes casting a shadow onto her cheeks and her pink lips slightly parted. The brunette looked peaceful in her sleep, almost angelic. Jackson watched as she woke, eyes blinking quickly. Jackson smiled when she realized that she was using him as a pillow and quickly jumped off of him, mumbling an embarrassed apology.

"You apologize too much," the green eyed man accused playfully.

"Sorry," April replied before she could stop herself. Her grin was contagious, and soon Jackson found himself smiling along with her.

It became routine for April to find herself in Jackson's bed, his strong arms protecting her from the nightmares. Jackson wasn't sure when it happened, but it became impossible for him to sleep without the brunette curled against him. It made it easier to close his eyes, easier to calm down. For a few minutes, Jackson almost forgot about Charles and Reed.

Almost.

April sat on his couch, checking her email on Jackson's laptop. "Oh," she announced softly.

"What's up?" Jackson asked, plopping down next to her with a piece of toast.

"The hospital's opening back up in a few days. They want us to go to a therapy session and talk to a psychologist before we can go back to work."

Jackson cringed. The last thing he wanted was a deep talk about his feelings with some shrink. It was much simpler to just push everything back into the dark recesses of his brain, to try and shut out the pain the best he could.

"When?" he queried, looking down at his toast. He suddenly wasn't quite as hungry as he had been a few minutes ago.

April scrolled down, finishing the email. "In an hour." She bit her bottom lip nervously, looking up at Jackson.

"Crap," Jackson sighed.

"It makes sense, I guess…" April rambled anxiously. "I mean, they want to check for PTSD. Which is understandable. We are surgeons, after all. We can't be off our game during a procedure. I mean-"

Jackson laid a comforting hand on her arm. "April. It'll be fine. We'll be there together, okay?"

She looked up at Jackson, hazel eyes meeting green. Inhaling deeply, she nodded. "Okay."

Lexie's eyes were wild, panicked. "Which means we were a mass murder, because it happened in one place, by one person, and more than four people were killed," she finished, legs shaking.

The room was silent. Jackson looked across the circle to April, who stared back at him like a deer in the headlights. The girl had been trying her best to appear calm, but Jackson knew that Lexie's words had shaken her. "It's okay," he mouthed. April nodded quickly, keeping eye contact with Jackson. He was her anchor, the one thing that kept her from sprinting out of the hospital.

Dr. Perkins cleared his throat awkwardly. "Okay, that'll be it for today's session. You all can go." April stood up gratefully, walking across the room to meet Jackson. "Wait, can Dr. Kepner and Dr. Avery please stay back?"

April exchanged a confused look with Jackson as the rest of the surgeons filed out. The door swung shut behind their friends, leaving Jackson and April in the room with Andrew Perkins.

"I understand that you two were the closest to Dr. Adamson and Dr. Percy," the man said kindly.

"Yes," April confirmed, her voice catching in her throat.

"This must be extraordinarily hard on both of you," the psychologist remarked in a measured tone, his eyes searching them for their reaction.

"It is," Jackson replied warily. He didn't want some shrink analyzing him any more than necessary.

"Well, I just wanted you to know that there is extra help if you need it. Support groups, grief counseling…"

"Thank you for your concern, but we'll manage," Jackson replied, slinging his arm over April's shoulder protectively. Dr. Perkins' eyes followed his arm, a small smile forming on his face.

"Alright. Just know that you are both welcome to come speak to me at any time."

April quickly thanked the psychologist and scurried out of the room, Jackson by her side.

"Wow," April sighed. "That was… terrible."

"I'm suddenly very hungry for Mexican food," Jackson mused, recalling Cristina's earlier statement about tacos. April rolled her eyes at her friend.

"You're always very hungry for Mexican food," April pointed out.

"You got me there," Jackson grinned down at the shorter girl.

April shot him an exasperated smile. "Fine, lets go get some tacos," she relented. The pair walked out into the Seattle streets, Jackson's arm still around April's shoulders.

A/N: Thanks for reading! PLEASE leave a review telling me what you think about the direction this is going. I love your feedback!