"Jackson, please, stop."

"No, April, I won't. It's her first birthday. I think we, better than anyone, are aware how you can't get these for granted."

A deep silence felt over the wooden table. The redhead was staring at her lap, hands still holding the silverware. She could feel the tears pooling up behind her waterline, but was determined to not let them fall. April could feel Jackson's eyes staring at her skull, and she could picture exactly how guilt and apologetic they were at the moment. Unfortunately, the anger that was overcoming the sadness in her chest didn't let her care. She saw his hand lay the fork over the table and try to reach hers right in front of him, as she wouldn't meet his eyes, but all the woman could do was to release her utensils and put them away.

They both were startled by someone clearing its throat. While April didn't give it any attention, Jackson looked to his left to stare at Richard who was now wearing a tight smile while motioning his head in a way that was meant for Jackson to leave it. Turning to his right, cheeks flushed with embarrassment for realizing what was happening at his mother's house, he looked at the hostess, who was wearing a closed expression.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"This is not fair, Jackson." April finally spoke, cutting him. He knew he had hurt her, but didn't expect her voice to be filled with venom while she kept staring down. "You can't just pull out the Samuel card whenever you want…"

"It's not a card, it's the truth…" He turned at her, eyes wide, his own voice rising at how unfair she was being. He really thought they were over that by now.

"And if you are trying to guilt trip me onto this…"

"Are you serious?"

"Okay, that's enough. I'm serving the desert."

"No, Catherine, thank you very much, but I think I'm going home now…" April moved back her chair and stood up, putting the white napkin by her plate's side.

"April, come on…" Jackson had not moved yet, his arms laying defeated by his side.

"Catherine, Richard, dinner was lovely. Thank you for having me here. I'm sorry for everything, but I really need to go home now…"

"It's okay, darling, we understand."

"No, we don't." Jackson finally snapped, tossing angrily his own napkin in the middle of the table while standing up. "I really thought we could have a family dinner to discuss birthday plans without you making it all about yourself, April, but this was too much to ask, right?"

"How can you say this to me? I gave you everything. I gave my life so Harriet could live! So you could have her! For one, two, God knows how many years. The only thing I am asking is for you not make a big fuss about Harriet's birthday just because Samuel couldn't have his!"

"But that's the thing April, he couldn't. He didn't make a single fucking day. Nothing in this world is gonna change that. He died! Excuse me if I want to celebrate the fact that my daughter is healthy, and happy, and fucking alive."

A small crying sound entered the living room and their ears, obligating the younger couple to stare at the room for a second and situate themselves. Richard and Catherine were still sitting at their respective chairs, looking anywhere but at the two standing. They knew how the subject was tender and no one should have a world on it, even if it was happening at their house. Jackson and April, though, were deeply embarrassed. They had fought in public before, but it was not something they were proud of or trying to repeat.

"I'm gonna pick her." April said, looking at her feet while slowly leaving the room in direction of the hall.

"I'll start the car." Jackson nodded and turned around to face who was left in the room with him. "I'm sorry again, mom. This was supposed to be a nice dinner, and now…"

"Shh, baby, it's okay." Catherine stood up, holding her son's face with both her hands, staring at him with teary eyes. "You two go home, rest, and talk. You both have overcome so much, your babies deserve you to resolve this too."

She kissed his left cheek at the same time April came in again, with a sleepy Harriet wrapped in a white blanket snuggling in her chest, trying to go back to rest. They had obviously disturbed her with their loud voices, making both parents stare at her guiltily.

The ride home was silent, only disrupted by the white noise coming from the radio. Harriet had fallen asleep again on her chair, Jackson checking on her every five minutes from the rear-view mirror. He also kept looking discreetly at April in his side view, as he knew she didn't want to engage on conversation at the risk of waking their kid again. The redhead stared at the window the entire trip, only moving to check on the baby herself.

April closed the door behind her after putting the little nugget into her crib, and locked eyes with Jackson who was standing in front of her, laying against the cold wall, arms crossed over his chest while staring at his feet. April released a deep breath, laying against the door herself, also looking down. She was exhausted from their fight, not wanting to talk about it or it's reasons once more that night, but she knew that avoiding it was worse. Samuel was going to be a soft spot to them for the rest of their lives, but when they decided to give them another chance after Montana, they put out in the open everything concerning their griefs, pain, and decisions. They were finally able to see from each other's eyes and put it behind. Their love was stronger than any pain they had unwillingly caused to the other, or so she believed. She really thought they would be over it by now.

"I love you, April…" Her head snapped up and their eyes met again. His were filled with hurt, just as much as his voice. "I love you and I forgive you and I also hope you love and forgive me back…"

"I do, Jackson, of course I do…"

"But I need you to trust me. You have to trust me that I regret the divorce as much as I trust you to regret leaving me behind. You have to trust me that I don't hold it against you anymore, that I understand that you were trying to be better for me. For us. And that I understand that you finally came back and is never leaving again. You have to trust me that as much as I needed my space and my time to realize what life made of us, now I am ready to stay too. You have to trust that I want the whole damn thing."

April couldn't contain the small smile that pierced her lips, and she had to look away from his shining eyes to take a breath. He had understood it before her. It was not him who was guilty tripping her. It was herself. Deep down in her heart, she hasn't forgiven herself completely for letting things go in some ways. Maybe she hasn't forgiven herself over letting Samuel go. Maybe she hasn't accepted that it wasn't her fault at all.

"I'm sorry…" Her smile had fallen again, to be replaced by a gasp followed by tears. She felt her body leave the door and navigate towards Jackson's, hiding her face in his neck while he wrapped his large arms around her small figure, one hand diving in her red curls. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

"It's okay, babe… I am sorry too…"

"Happy Birthday to you…"

"Happy Birthday to you…"

"Happy Birthday dear Harriet…"

"Happy Birthday to you…"

The couple was staring down at the crib while Harriet slowly woke up, arms sprawled over her mattress, then little hands rubbing sleepy eyes and finally reaching for them. As April curved to pick her up, Jackson's arms still around her waist, Harriet gave them the loveliest toothless smile. Her mother immediately gave her face a thousand kisses, while her father wrapped the baby in his embrace too, kissing her forehead.

"You are the cutest nugget, and now you are one-year-old!"

"Thanks to you we are getting a new table from your Aunt Meredith!" Jackson kept staring at the baby but couldn't help his smirk after getting hit in the chest by April.

"Talking about tables, Alex and Owen must be here soon to help you get the house ready."

"You sure we need help? I mean… Hattie is going to take a nap or two before her party… We certainly could make the best of it…" The hand over the redhead waist slowly went up, tracing the outlines of her breast, making April shiver when his thumb slightly crossed over her nipple.

Just as the woman opened her mouth in order to reply, the doorbell rang, making Jackson turn his eyes and April laugh, bouncing Harriet on her hip and stepping away from the man's arms, knowing how weak of mind she was when he was touching her.

"Get your mind out of the gutter. It's very unbecoming of an Avery to leave guests waiting… Or to have sex at your daughter's birthday party."

"I don't know about the later, how does she think she was conceived at first?"

"Thank got she doesn't, but when the time comes I guarantee you I'll send her to you."

"Dude, you bought your one-year-old a Mini? What will you give her at sixteen? Her own private jet?"

"Nah, they already have one. How about a hospital? It's not like Averys can help themselves"

Jackson rolled his eyes at Alex and Callie while nursing his scotch. Even though all his friends kept teasing him about how overboard he went with the party, he couldn't help but smile from the kitchen at it all. The entire house was covered with pink and white balloons, ribbons, and drapes. The cake table where they had sung Happy Birthday five minutes before now being assaulted by tiny hands covered in chocolate, marshmallow and sugar, matching their faces and clothes. A game was playing on the huge television, but his attention was focused solely on Harriet, dressed in pink satin, sitting at her mother's lap at the couch, surrounded by their friends and family, while opening the gifts.

"Putting a ring on it or are you going to wait for her next wedding to stand up again?"

Jackson choked on his drink to Callie's delight, making those closer to stare at the scene. The man composed himself quickly enough to witness Karev and Torres high-fiving each other before starting to walk in direction of the main attraction.

"Anyway, thank you for coming over to the party. It means a lot for me to have Sofia here…"

"I know… Mark would have killed me if I kept the plastic posse kids away from each other… And don't be shocked if I contact you later this month about a position in Grey Sloan" She winked at him before stepping away and joining in conversation with Arizona. Just as he and April, Jackson knew they would figure a way back to each other, no matter how long it would take.

Smiling, he fell on the sofa by April's side, receiving a loud complain from her as he was smashing all the wrap paper. Rolling his eyes, he tickled her with his left hand while the right arm rested over her shoulders on the back of the sofa. Harriet's attention was no longer with them, now being too busy trying to pull the paper from her mother's hand and rip it a bit more.

"So… how is the party so far?"

"You bought her a car! She can barely sit straight!"

"Thank god you haven't seen her new shoe's closet then…"

"Jackson!"

"Oh, let the man spoil his baby girl…" Catherine was all smiles while standing over them with Richard by her side, her hands going straight to Harriet to pick up the girl and her new favorite toy. "How can you not? Look at this face! Oh, April, we should buy her the world…"

"What would she do with it? Drown everyone in drool?"

"At least no one would be thirsty…" April went for his chest again, but Jackson was faster this time, closing his hands over hers and pulling her up on his lap, against his chest. While April complained about his actions with their house filled with guests, he touched her head with his nose, smelling her hair, feeling his heart swell with the recognition. His hands held her tighter and she relaxed against his arms, looking up at him, hands resting on the sides of his neck.

"Hey… What happened?"

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"For the party, for letting me throw this huge thing to someone who can't even sit…"

"We talked about it… It's okay, and It's beautiful, I'm so glad for it… I should be thanking you…"

"No, no… let me finish…"

"Okay…"

"Thank you for the party, and for the reason we are having it… Thank you for Harriet, but also thank you for being alive… If I have lost you a year ago… I wouldn't have a reason to celebrate either, April… Thank you for not leaving me… I love you."

"I love you too, Jackson. Thank you for letting me in again."

A/N: Hello, everyone! :D First of all.. Happy Birthday, Nancy ( alyssbliss) 3 this is for you!

Second... this is a new collection of OS, all written as gift prompts for my sisters on the japril group 3 I hope you enjoy it and I can correspond to your expectations xD It's filled with love. 3