Story co-written with fanficgirl18. It takes place after the episode in which April leaves Matthew at the altar.
''You still sure about this?'' Jackson asked as he pulled up to the small chapel at Lake Tahoe, remembering her doubts earlier that day.
"I don't know. Every time I get the least bit happy I start to think of what everyone is going to think. Not to mention the fact that your mother is going to murder me."
''Oh my God, my mother!'' The comment she had made, made him remember all the people that this rash decision they had made were going to affect. Not just his mother - not just both their families, but their colleagues, their friends, and most importantly Stephanie and Matthew.
"Yes Jackson, your mother. Damn it why do you have to be such a hopeless romantic? If it weren't for you I'd be married by now!"
''Don't you think that if you really wanted to marry him that you would have stayed there instead of running away with me?!'' He shot back.
"Yes.. But... I love you Jackson but I don't know if I can handle the pressure of everyone else hating me."
He could see the pain of the internal conflict she was having on her face and he took her hand in his, ''they won't hate you. Yes, they might be angry and won't understand the decision you made, but don't you think our love is more important than what they think?''
''Of course it is. We are a stronger force than Grey Sloan Memorial.''
''Yes we are,'' he told her with a smile. Before she could respond they got distracted by a couple running out of the chapel hand in hand, smiling as they headed back to their car. ''So... you ready?''
She was now beginning to cry. Her skin toned blush was beginning to smear. She leaned in to kiss him, ''as ready as I'll ever be.''
Avery smiled at her as he got out of the car, rushing to the other side to hold the door open for her, ''my beautiful bride,'' he told her with a grin as she got out of the car as well.
''My handsome husband.'' The two ran hand and hand up the stairs to the chapel.
They couldn't contain their laughter as they practically burst through the door. The marriage officiant from the previous wedding was still standing there, as if he had been expecting them and had waited for them.
As they headed out of the chapel they looked just like the couple before them had, not even trying to hide their excitement over this. It wasn't until they were both back in the car that it sank in what they had just done. ''We're married...'' Avery said quietly, as if he was trying savor that particular moment
"I know, I'm Mrs. Jackson Avery." She said. She smiled. Her eyes sparkled. She didn't want to ruin the moment. However she couldn't wait to get back to the hotel.
''Yes you are!'' He told her as he grabbed her hand and gave it a kiss before starting the engine.
''Jackson, let's do something crazy...''
He looked at her as he started to drive away, looking back and forth between the road and her the entire time, ''what do you want to do?'' He asked her.
''Get tattoos,'' she said slyly. She moved closer to him and kissed his cheek.
''Tattoos?!'' He asked her and couldn't hide his shock. A doctor with tattoos, that was... pretty much unheard of. Despite his shock he knew that in his current of euphoria he wasn't going to deny April anything, especially not after she had run out of her own wedding to be with him.
''Yes tattoos, don't sound so shocked; doctors are human too. Besides it'll be another little secret. Our secret,'' she whispered in his ear.
''Okay,'' he said, hoping she couldn't hear the doubt in his voice, ''any ideas on what we could get?''
''Wedding bands...''
''Wedding bands?'' He repeated. He usually wasn't particularly fond of tattoos but he liked this idea. It would be as permanent as their love for each other.
''Yeah, we aren't going to be able to wear our wedding bands around the hospital, at least not yet. This way we'll always have them on. Even when we don't.''
''Aren't you worried about the people at the hospital seeing our tattoos before we're ready to tell them?'' He asked her with a frown.
''No. Screw what people see and think. It's us against the world Avery.''
He nodded in agreement as she showed him her biggest most contagious smile, ''lets do this,'' he told her as he turned the car around.
''Really?'' She squealed. She then cleared her throat, ''I mean drive, okay? Hit the gas!''
"You know maybe we shouldn't do this.. I think I was just in the heat of the moment um can we go back to the car now?'' April clung to Jackson's arm in nervousness.
Jackson looked over at her as the flood of unfamiliar sounds filled his ears. He had talked himself into doing this the entire car ride there. ''Come on, it was your idea and it'll be great. Something that'll bind us together for forever opposed to these rings which you can take off whenever you want,'' he told her.
"Come on. Let's just go. Besides there are more productive things we could be doing." She winked at him hoping to get a pleasant reaction.
''That can wait,'' he told her, hoping it didn't sound like he wasn't interested. ''This will be fun and even if some people will consider it a bit cheesy, it'll show how committed we are to each other,'' he could see the doubt in her eyes. ''What can I say to convince you this is a good idea?'' Jackson asked as he watched her look around the small, dark tattoo shop, ''how did you even come up with this in the first place?''
"Say that we won't end up like all of the marriage causalities of the hospital-''
''We won't,'' he answered, knowing that just those two simple words wouldn't be enough. ''I agree, the amount of divorces these day is... astonishing, to say the least, but no matter what has happened since I met you; I've always loved you. Even when we weren't together and were with other people, you still had my heart. And when I look into your eyes and you look back into mine I know that you feel the same way.''
''Ugh, there you go again. You know I feel the same way. Alright Romeo, let's do this.''
He could feel a grin spread across his face and it wasn't long before she smiled back at him, ''let's do this!'' Jackson repeated before approaching one of the tattoo artists.
"Jackson what the hell were we thinking? This hurts!'' The tattoo machine was going at full speed and tears were running her eyes.
Jackson quickly sat down in a chair next to her, taking her right hand in his as the tattoo artist continued working. ''Just look at me, try not to focus too much on the pain,'' he told her. He had had to comfort many patients over the years, however, seeing his wife in this much pain made the job quite a bit harder. ''April,'' he said as he noticed she was looking at her left hand, ''just keep looking at me.''
"Jackson I'm not your patient please just shut up." She shut her eyes tighter. Maybe if she just tuned everything out the pain would go away.
He let out a small sigh as he sat back, ''would it make you feel any better to know that as soon as he's done with you I'm next?'' He asked, knowing that because of - mostly - his decision, she was now in this pain, that must feel like payback of some kind.
"Jackson I swear if you say one more word you're sleeping alone for a week."
He bit his lip as he watched her in silence. It was hard to keep silent because now the she was finally his he just wanted to shout it from the rooftops - and if he couldn't do that, he at least wanted to be able to comfort her while she was in pain. So that was just what he did: comfort her while making sure he didn't say another word. He held her right hand a little tighter as she squeezed it, and he simply just watched her. That's how he waited patiently until the tattoo artist finally he announced he was done.
"It's gorgeous. I love it. " April gazed her finger and then at her husband. "I'm sorry babe, is there any way I can make it up to you ?"
''Ehm be there while I go through something that's apparently hell,'' he told her with a half smile, feeling a lot more nervous now that he was about to get his own wedding ring tattood.
"Deal "
He held their key in his one hand and the very little luggage he still hadn't taken out of the car before they left in the other as they made their way down the hallway to their room. He wouldn't admit it but he felt just the slightest bit nervous and he wasn't sure why. It could be because it had been so long since he had spent the night with April, it could be because she was now his wife and he wanted it to be great for her. The third - and very likely - reason for his problem could be that just two nights ago he had been laying in bed with Stephanie, making love to her. ''And now I'm thinking about my ex-girlfriend,'' he whispered to himself and shook his head, trying to 'shake' Stephanie out of his mind, knowing April didn't notice when he looked over at her.
"Hey you okay? You've been quiet ever since we left the shop," she was wondering if he was nervous. She had been laying the seductiveness on pretty thick. She just wanted him to know she was ready.
He wasn't surprised she had noticed he was nervous, for her he was nothing but an open book that only she would ever be able to read. He just had hope that she didn't know why he was nervous - knowing it would not exactly be a turn on for her. ''Yeah, I'm okay,'' he told her as he put down the bag and pushed the key in the locket, opening the door to one of the beautiful honeymoon suits the hotel had. He quickly threw the bag inside and turned to April, ''I know today did not exactly go as planned and there was nothing traditional about it,'' he told her as he quickly glanced down at their newly tattooed ring fingers, ''but we could still have some tradition: will you allow me to carry you over the threshold?''
She giggled. "Of courses I will."
He smiled at her as he quickly scooped her up into his arms with ease and carried her into the room - admiring how beautiful she looked in her dress at the same time, ''what do you think of the room?'' He asked her as he laid her down on the bed.
"It's beautiful. How on earth did you book this on such short notice?" The room looked amazing. Rose petals were placed everywhere and the room was bigger than both of their apartments combined.
''I pulled a few strings over the phone during one of our bathroom breaks on our way to the chapel,'' he told her as he laid down next to her and kissed her nose. ''I didn't know it would look this amazing though,'' he continued, admiring the room as well. Honestly, when he had called earlier that day he hadn't even gotten confirmation that the suite would be ready for them in time, the fact that it was, was just one more thing that made him feel like the luckiest man alive that weekend - and, as long as April was in it, maybe for the rest of his life.
"Jackson you're truly amazing," April then kissed his forehead.
''And you're wonderful,'' he replied, bringing her left hand up to his lips and kissing it softly while gazing into her eyes, wishing that moment would never end.
He was awakened by the sun shining bright in his eyes. He didn't mind though . He felt refreshed and on cloud 9. He couldn't believe he had gotten everything he could have possibly dreamed of in just 24 hours. He smiled as he felt April wiggling next to him in bed.
She looked up at him sleepily and smiled as he kissed her nose, ''good morning,'' she told him and could feel the butterflies in her stomach just by looking at him.
"Good morning,'' he said as he buried his face in her soft skin. ''Are you well rested?"
''Very well rested,'' she responded. ''I don't think I've slept this well since the last time I slept in your arms. I wish we could always sleep like this,'' she added as she laid her head on his chest.
"Me too, but soon we've got to get back to the reality. It sucks because I swear for a while it might be hell."
''Ugh I know. I wonder how long we'll have to wait until all the comments stop and we can break the news that we got married,'' April said. Looking down at her hand she let out a small sigh, ''I just hope that it is before anybody notices these,'' she added before grabbing his left hand as well.
Yes, I know. We'll just have to keep it under the radar Dr. Kepner." He hated calling her that.
She grinned at him, seeing the look on his face when he had said that made it very clear how he felt about their current 'situation'. ''Yes we do, Dr. Avery,'' she answered and she knew the look on her face - despite the fact that she had managed to keep somewhat of a straight face compared to him - showed that she hated the formality they had to use as well.
"However, until then you are all mine April Avery.'' He smiled and leaned in for a kiss. ''I vote that we make it last a little longer." He grinned seductively
''You have my vote as well,'' she said before kissing him back and rolling on top of him.
April reflected back on the day before as she opened the passenger door to the car and got in. Just yesterday morning she had been so ready to marry Matthew, and now she was married to Jackson, ready to start his life with him. As they both fastened their seat belts she looked over at him with a smile, ''ready to go home?''
"Yep as ready as I'll ever be my love." Jackson put on his sun glasses and then pecked April on the cheek.
''So have you thought about how we're going to break the news to everyone?'' April asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
"I guess it'll happen when the time is right."
''Yeah, I guess so,'' April replied. ''Don't you think we should tell your family though? Like right after we get back?''
"Eventually but my mother won't be so inviting . Don't you want to keep it a secret just a bit longer? It could be fun."
''We could be each other's little secret,'' April grinned at the idea. ''I feel like we're teenagers, sneaking around... It will be fun!''
"And hot!" Jackson added.
''Definitely!'' April said, feeling excited by the idea. She thought about what her plans for the rest of her life had looked like the day before yesterday; not only were they changed, they just got a million times better!
"Let's hit the road Mrs. Avery. Time to start the rest of our lives!"
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