Hey, folks! Here's another AU story that I hope you guys will be interested in. It combines two things I love - Grey's and The Hunger Games, so if you like both (and especially Japril), I hope you'll give it a shot. Not my first time writing AU, but this is a very different universe and your feedback would be much appreciated :)

This fic is for Hidge cause she's been badgering me about this for a long time lol.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything from Grey's or THG. It's all in good fun!

Reaping Day.

It was an event all twelve districts of Panem were required to participate in once a year in the middle of summer. The Hunger Games was an annual event organized by the Capitol as a punishment for a former rebellion in which the thirteenth district was destroyed in the process. Of the twelve districts that remained, one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen would be chosen in a lottery to represent their homes as tributes in a battle to the death until one person emerged as the victor. The Capitol built a new outdoor arena every year where the tributes would fight and the Games were televised for everyone to see.

The Capitol, a totalitarian government, was the wealthiest and most powerful location in Panem. Under the leadership of President Richard Webber, the Capitol dictated all twelve districts. Their citizens didn't participate in the Games and viewed the event purely as entertainment.

It was now the 74th annual Hunger Games. For April Kepner, this particular year could bring either good news or bad news for her. At eighteen years old, it marked her final year in the lottery. However, she wasn't the only person she worried about being chosen. Her younger sister Kimmie was fifteen and the baby of the group, Alice, had just turned twelve. She refused to believe either of them would be picked. It had been painful enough when her older sister Libby was sent to the Games.

She lived in District 4, which was mainly known for fishing. Located along the coast, its citizens were highly skilled with nets and tridents and they created their own fishhooks. They were considered the best swimmers and experts in identifying sea life. Because of how productive the district was, they were also one of the wealthier districts in Panem after District 1 and District 2.

April's father was a fisherman who raised his four daughters alone after their mother passed away ten years ago. He taught them how to gut the fish he caught, set up equipment in the water and steer his vessel when they were old enough. Joe Kepner was a hardworking man. He started from the bottom, gradually moving his way up to the top. And he made sure all of his daughters pitched in with the daily chores at home and out at sea on his vessel.

"Oww! Dammit," April angrily muttered to herself after she accidentally pricked her finger with her fishing hook. A drop of blood appeared on her finger and she partially slipped her fingertip into her mouth to numb the stinging pain. She had decided to go fishing to pass the time prior to the reaping. It was the only thing that helped her relax. Sitting in a small row boat with her best friend, she dropped her line into the water. "I should've just brought a net. I hate working with hooks."

"That's because you're clumsy as hell," Reed Adamson teased, drawing an eye roll from her friend. Both of them were quite nervous about being reaped, but she was more easily relaxed than April. "How's your dad feeling? You know, since three Kepners are in the lottery?"

"Don't remind me," she groaned. "We came out here to avoid talking about later, remember? Let's keep it that way."

Like many citizens in every district, April loathed the Hunger Games. There was nothing entertaining about watching innocent teenagers attempt to kill each other on live television. It was disgusting and shameful. She hated everything the Games stood for.

And she was the least violent person she knew. There was no way she could survive in that arena, let alone force herself to kill a fellow tribute. Hiding until everyone died would be her best strategy.

She felt a tug on her fishing pole causing her to grin. "Hey, I already got something." As she reeled in her line, there was resistance coming from underwater. "This one's fighting. It must be a huge fish."

Suddenly, a figure popped out of the water causing both girls to scream. They were greeted by Jackson Avery, one of the most popular boys in their school. "How's it goin', ladies?" he smoothly stated, grinning widely as they wiped water away from their faces.

The same age as April and Reed, he was well-known in District 4, thanks to his family. The Averys controlled the largest fishing industry and they were the wealthiest family in the district. Everyone adored them.

The girls at school especially admired Jackson due to his attractive physical features. His olive skin always glistened under the sunlight and his eyes were a mix of blue and green, which easily hypnotized his female peers. He had a charming smile that made their knees grow weak. It didn't hurt that he was built athletically. Most of the ladies swooned over his chiseled abs and pecs. He was nicknamed Pretty Boy by his friends. Everyone at school bowed down to him – except for one person.

"What the hell do you want?" April retorted, scowling at her classmate. Since elementary school, she thought he was obnoxious and annoying. His gorgeous face and perfectly crafted body didn't fool her. "Shouldn't you be in town flirting with every desperate girl that comes your way?"

"Nah, thought I'd go out for a swim before the reaping," he casually said. Jackson held up a shiny, white pearl with his thumb and index finger. "I found this earlier in an oyster. You want it?"

"No, I'm allergic."

"To pearls?"

Reed extended out her hand and smiled. "I'll take it," she gleefully answered. He handed her the pearl and she softly squealed in excitement. "Thank you, Jackson. So… the rumor floating around is you're volunteering yourself for the Games this year."

"Maybe," he hinted, smiling as he ran his hand across the top of his shaved head. "I like to think I can win it. I'm not intimidated."

"That's so brave of you," the brunette complimented. "And if you want my opinion, you would definitely win."

April shook her head disappointedly. "Why anybody would want to volunteer is beyond me. You're basically volunteering to die. What's so brave about that?" she complained, folding her arms. "Stupid is what it is."

"Libby volunteered," Jackson noted.

"To save Kimmie," she irritably replied. "She was only thirteen. No way she would've survived. And what are you still doing here? Nobody invited you to come over here, so go away."

"Why are you always so cold towards me?" he questioned curiously. "What did I do?"

"Ah, let's see…" She started counting on her fingers. "When we were five you cut off my pigtail with scissors. At seven, you tripped me and I fell in the mud, ruining my new dress. When we were ten years old you told all of the boys I kissed you – and I totally didn't."

Reed playfully nudged April's side with her elbow. "That's not the worst rumor in the world, you know," she whispered.

The redhead ignored her comment and continued listing Jackson's past annoyances. "Thirteen, you threw a fish at my face-"

"That was an accident," the pretty boy interrupted with a chuckle. "You just got in the way."

"And I told you to leave us alone," she agitatedly responded, prying Jackson's fingers off of her row boat. April shot a glare at him as he waded in the water. "Just because my father works for yours it doesn't mean we have to be friends. I don't care how many girls fall for your fake charm. You're a pest."

He rolled his eyes and moved away from the boat. "Fine. Whatever. See you at the reaping, ladies."

As Jackson swam away from the twosome, Reed lightly slapped April's arm. "He was being sweet. Why did you make him leave?"

"Because I can't stand him and this is supposed to be best friend bonding time. One of us could be reaped this afternoon, so this could be the last time we hang out," she dejectedly explained.

"Oh, gosh. You're so dramatic, April. We're two people out of at least a thousand other girls," her best friend pointed out. "The odds of us being chosen isn't that high."

"Tell that to Kimmie. None of us thought she'd get chosen, but she did and Libby pretty much forced herself to volunteer to save her life."

April huffed as she tossed her line back into the water. She refused to think about the possibility of having to volunteer for either of her younger sisters. It wasn't that she wouldn't do it. Of course she would because she refused to let them compete in such an inhumane game, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. As selfish as it sounded, some other girl deserved to be reaped. The Kepners had already experienced the anguish of watching one of their own in the arena.

Carrying a couple of fish attached to a hook, April strolled into the Victors' Village, the neighborhood solely reserved for those who won the Hunger Games and their families. She lazily pushed open the front door, walking into her three-storied home. "Dad, I'm home," she called out and peeked inside of the living room for her father.

Joe was seated on the couch reading the newspaper. He set it aside and smiled at the sight of the fish his daughter caught. "Well, look at that. You caught yourself some good ones," he acknowledged, standing up and approaching her.

Her father was a tall guy compared to her petite size. The older man sported a brown and gray beard to match the short hair on his head. He looked like a man who was raised to be a fisherman, while she was the exact opposite. But amongst the Kepner girls, April was the closest to her father even prior to her mother's death. There wasn't a particular reason why, but she was clearly the daddy's girl of the group.

"Can I help you start lunch?" she asked, pressing her cheek against his chest as he engulfed her with his large arms.

"Actually, your sister is waiting for you upstairs. She already helped Kimmie and Alice get dressed and ready for the reaping, so you're the only one left," he answered, taking the fish from her.

"Libby can wait a little longer," April groaned and slightly pouted. "Let me help. You're probably still tired from yesterday's shift."

Joe waved his hand and smiled. "I'm not tired, firebug. You go ahead, okay? It's a big day." He placed a gentle kiss against her forehead, then ushered her out of the living room. "I'll let you all know when lunch is ready."

She never really bothered to argue with him because he always won, so she followed his orders and went upstairs. Her sisters were gathered inside of her older sister's bedroom. Kimmie and Alice both had their hair done by Libby, neatly braided in the back and decorated with small seashell hairpins. The two were sprawled out on the bed and skimming through a scrapbook.

"Finally," Libby impatiently greeted April. "I was about to think you ran away to District 8 or something."

Two years ago, the eldest Kepner daughter won the 72nd Hunger Games at eighteen after she volunteered for Kimmie. In the beginning, people were skeptical of her abilities to win because she wasn't the strongest competitor that year. She was considered a dark horse. She hadn't exposed any of her strengths until about half of the tributes had died in the arena. Libby was smart, making allies with the right people and letting the arena take care of them without having to kill anybody. Rather than using her hands to kill, she managed to manipulate her allies into turning on each other. With about five people left, a tidal wave destroyed the majority of the arena and because she was an expert swimmer, she was the only person to survive.

She returned home barely scathed and was an instant local hero just like the district's past victors. Libby was now an icon in District 4, appearing on television shows and making frequent visits to the Capitol as a celebrity. She acted as a mentor for the tributes chosen after her, helping them prepare for the Games mentally and physically.

But at home, she remained that bossy older sister April despised half the time. As much as she was grateful that Libby came home via train and not in a casket, she couldn't help but feel a little jealousy towards her. Her sister was already popular growing up and winning made her even more popular. She never had the same high confidence in herself like she did, making them almost opposites.

The only thing they had in common besides their parents was their auburn hair.

"I went fishing with Reed," the second Kepner replied, rolling her eyes.

"I'm aware," Libby teasingly stated, pinching her nose shut. "April, go take a shower first. You stink."

April inhaled sharply as she left the bedroom, listening to her little sisters giggle at her in the background. She spent the next ten minutes taking a shower and drying her hair before returning to Libby's bedroom to have her hair fixed. Wearing a white robe, she took a seat in front of a mirror while her sister stood behind her.

"Nervous?" the victor questioned, running her fingers through April's damp hair.

"I'm trying not to think about it at all." She slightly turned her head to look up at her sister. "Did you think you'd make it out of that arena alive when you volunteered for Kimmie?"

Libby softly laughed, shaking her head. "God, no. But I didn't think about dying either." She adjusted April's hair, letting it hang over her shoulders. "Hmm… maybe I'll leave it down today, pull it back a little. I'll put a little flower in your hair. Maybe you'll draw attention from the boys."

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "None of the boys ever notice me regardless of how I look."

"Jackson Avery does," she hinted. "He's gorgeous. Why haven't you gone out on a date with him?"

"Because he doesn't count and it's not like he's ever asked me out," April argued. "Do you not remember all of the horrible things he did to me when we were kids? I don't see him the way all of the other girls do. He's what I call a beautiful nightmare."

"But you agree that he's gorgeous, so that's a positive." Libby brushed April's hair and chuckled. "For a while, I was beginning to think you and Reed were more than best friends."

She looked at her older sister through the mirror, furrowing her eyebrows. "Shut up. I like boys. I just don't know how to talk to them without embarrassing myself."

"It's quite simple, actually. All you say is, 'Hey, how are you?', and continue on from there. What's so hard about that?" Libby smirked as April rolled her eyes at her. "You'll never find a husband if you act this stubborn."

"You don't even have a husband," she sneered.

"Yeah, but I have my options," she gloated, lightly tapping the top of April's head with her fingertips. Libby opened her jewelry box and picked up a pair of pearl earrings. "Wear these for good luck."

April eyed the earrings suspiciously. "Are those Mom's?" She watched her sister nod, then she shook her head. "I can't. I… I don't want to accidentally lose them. You know how clumsy I can be."

Libby sighed in frustration. "I guess this means I'll be putting them on for you later."

The two of them joined the rest of their family downstairs for lunch after the eldest Kepner finished doing April's hair. Joe and the younger Kepner daughters were patiently waiting for them in the dining room. He had cooked the fish she caught earlier along with some crab cakes and leftovers of the district's official seaweed bread.

The four daughters sat beside and across from each other, while Joe was seated at the end of the table. He smiled at all of them, admiring the hairstyles Libby had done for each of them. "You all look lovely, girls," he complimented.

"Libby let me wear her peach seashell hairpin," Alice proudly stated.

"And it suits you perfectly," she politely responded. Libby gestured her hand towards April. "How does April look in Mom's pearl earrings? I almost had to sit on her in order to put them on her ears."

Joe simply nodded. "You look just like your mother."

"See? I told you," she said, smirking at the second Kepner daughter.

"Hey, Dad? What if one of us gets chosen for the Games again?" Alice questioned with a frown.

There was an awkward silence in the dining room. All of their eyes wandered towards each other, but nobody knew exactly how to answer her question. Joe cleared his throat, picking up the bread basket and holding it out to Libby. "All we can do is hope none of your names are picked later."

"Except my name's in there seven times this year," April muttered. For every year a potential tribute ages without being chosen, their name is added one more time each year until they reached eighteen. Kimmie was fifteen, so her name was in the lottery four times.

"You're not the only eighteen year old in that bowl," her father reminded her. "Keep that in mind."

"Besides, someone might end up volunteering anyway," Libby noted with a shrug.

"From the boys' side," April added. "The girls in our district aren't as enthused about volunteering unless they're willing to save a family member like you did. Not everybody is lucky like that."

"All you have to do is not think about being chosen, okay? Stop being so negative."

Joe nodded in agreement, patting the back of April's hand. "Your sister's right. Have some faith, sweetheart."

The reaping was in two hours, but all April could think about was that damn bowl containing sealed pieces of paper of every eligible person's name, some multiple times. She knew she couldn't relax until her name was cleared in her last year of eligibility.

Town square was prepped and ready for the 74th reaping of the Hunger Games. The Capitol sent their own crew of Peacekeepers and workers to control the event. Each individual between the ages of twelve and eighteen were required to check-in to ensure they were in attendance by providing a drop of blood, so their DNA could be matched with the correct name. The boys and girls were divided into two sides with age groups organized from oldest to youngest. Parents and other family members were placed directly behind the potential tributes.

The entire district was gathered in front of the Hall of Justice where their mayor and victors from past Hunger Games were seated on a stage. Also on the stage were two large glass bowls, each filled with names of the boys and girls eligible for the Games. Cameras were set up at every angle possible for the live broadcast of the reaping.

April glanced down at the white sundress Libby forced her to wear. It wasn't her preferred outfit, but her sister claimed it was an eye catcher with the opposite sex. She felt quite uncomfortable with how visible her cleavage was. "I can't believe she made me wear white. I might as well wear a sign that says, 'Kill me now', and hang it around my neck," she grumbled.

"Whatever. You look stunning," Reed insisted, then she reached up and lightly touched her best friend's hair. "And I really like what she did with your hair. If Libby wasn't required to be a mentor, she would totally be a stylist. Maybe she'd work in the Capitol."

"Yeah, and when she comes home she'll be completely unrecognizable with her fake wig and overdone makeup," she scoffed, looking up at the Capitol escort assigned to District 4.

The woman on stage had mint green hair to accompany her emerald green dress, which appeared to be an expensive imitation of seaweed. Her high heels could literally break a normal person's ankles because they were so tall. Her face was almost ghost white due to the thick layers of makeup on her face. She also seemed overly perky and thrilled to be in the presence of one of the richer districts. None of the escorts ever felt excited to be assigned to districts lower than District 4.

Her name was Arizona Robbins. She had been last year's District 4 escort and returned for another round of reaping.

"Welcome, welcome! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor," she excitedly greeted everyone, clapping her glove covered hands together. "Before we begin, we have a special film brought to you all the way from the Capitol, courtesy of President Webber."

It was the same routine every year. Prior to the actual reaping, a film was shown on a large screen about the history of the Hunger Games and its significance. April zoned out the voice of President Webber narrating the film as her eyes wandered elsewhere. First, she looked at Libby, who appeared bored out of her mind on stage. Beside her was Finn Dandridge, a victor who won the Games twenty years ago before the eldest Kepner girl was born. He served as a co-mentor with Libby and he had trained her when she was a tribute. The rest of the victors were retired, mostly in their mid-sixties or older. Two of them had already fallen asleep in their chairs.

She gazed over at the boys' side and noticed Jackson staring at her, to her dismay. He wore a half-buttoned up white dress shirt and khaki colored pants. The redhead was surprised he had bothered to wear a shirt since he seemed to prance around town topless almost every day. He loved to flaunt his fit physique, but she thought maybe his mother forced him to cover himself up. Although, he barely buttoned his top, so he still managed to show off his assets like he was a big shot model. The pretty boy smiled and playfully waved at her causing her to turn her head away immediately.

Once the short film ended, Arizona faced the crowd and grinned widely. "Now, it's time to select one courageous young man and woman to represent District 4 in the 74th annual Hunger Games. Ladies first," she announced, her heels clanking against the wooden stage as she approached the first bowl. Sifting through the various pieces of paper, she carefully picked up a name with two fingers and glided back to the microphone. After opening it, she took a deep breath and joyfully recited, "April Kepner."

April Kepner.

Her eyes grew wide as the people surrounding her turned to face the newest tribute. She desperately hoped someone would pinch her and wake her up from this nightmare. It couldn't be her. It wasn't supposed to be her!

"April Kepner, where are you, dear?" Arizona inquired, scanning the crowd for her face.

Slowly slithering her way through the group of girls, April stepped into the aisle dividing the two sexes and swallowed hard. She mentally told herself continuously not to cry because she didn't want the outside world to see her vulnerable side. Peacekeepers brought her to the stage, helping her up the steps and positioning her beside Arizona. She briefly gazed over at Libby, who frowned at her. Neither of them had truly expected for this scenario to happen. She then spotted Joe in the crowd and despite the far distance between them, she could see tears in his eyes. Another one of his baby girls was going into the arena. Only this time, their family might not be as fortunate.

"And now for the boys," the peppy, green haired woman continued.

"I volunteer!" Jackson shouted, raising his hand as he pushed his way through the crowd. He stood in the middle of the aisle, placing his hands behind his back. "I'd like to volunteer as tribute."

"Ah! Very well, sir. We have a volunteer!" Arizona chirped, applauding his courageous move. There was little applause from the rest of the district as the pretty boy was taken to the stage. "And what is your name, you handsome man?"

He slightly leaned sideways close to the microphone. "Jackson Avery."

April noticed many of the girls weeping for Mr. Popular and she rolled her eyes. Some of them began chanting his name, yet it didn't seem to have an effect on him. His jaw was clenched as he stared straight ahead. No charming smile or playful winks to the ladies. He didn't look like the overconfident boy who was boasting about winning the Games earlier that morning. Something felt off.

But she decided it was pointless trying to figure him out since he would eventually kill her anyway.

"There you have it. Our tributes from District 4, April Kepner and Jackson Avery. Shake hands, you two," Arizona happily ordered, frighteningly grinning once again like a person high on drugs.

Jackson reached out his hand to April, who reluctantly extended her hand out to his. He firmly shook it, offering a half-smile at her in the process. She quickly moved her hand away and stared down at her shoes. There was no reason to be smiling.

One of them was going to die in a week. And she knew very well that between the two of them, she had little chance of surviving the first day.

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