"Cracks of my broken heart"
oOo
"Maybe we need just a little more time. Time that can heal what's been on your mind
You can find what we lost before it all slips away, we need time to mend from the mistakes I've made.
God only knows what a heart can survive, so many tears from all the pain in our lives
And where else could we go after all we've been through
I still believe my life is right here with you..."
oOo
Boston, MA:
It's been eleven months since April left Seattle to pursue the exchange program in Boston and she's due to come home in a few weeks time. A lot of things have had happened and it took her awhile to finally get to the page she's in now. She misses all of her friends terribly but moving away from them temporarily helped her put things back into perspective. She won't lie, her heart is still in Seattle, it still belongs to a certain Plastic Attending but she was serious when she said that she can't give the do over his asking for-yet. Leaving Jackson after he ardently confessed his feelings for her was one of the hardest thing she ever did in her life. The decision she made literally tore her heart into pieces but she knows that it was the right thing to do for them at the moment. They needed the time apart to fix what has been broken, they need the space for them to be able to grow so when the time comes that they finally reached the same page, the puzzle pieces can finally fall into their rightful places.
oOo
"Are you ready to go baby?" Catherine Avery asks as she walked towards April.
April closed her chart and turned towards Catherine; "Yep, I just have to endorse this to my resident that's on call" she replied with a smile.
Catherine smiled back; "I'll wait for you outside then but don't take long dear, we have reservations at Tangierino in an hour" she reminded.
April bit her bottom lip shyly; "You really don't have to do this, I mean, it's already more than enough that you let me stay at your house. I don't want to bother you more with—"
"Oh hush! It's your birthday for goodness sake!" Catherine admonished. She then shifted closer to the Trauma Surgeon and squeezed her arm; "And how many times do I have to tell you that it's alright? You need a place to live, I have more than enough space and I love having you around, you're practically family baby" she said.
April felt her eyes stinging as overwhelming emotions surged inside her chest; she moved closer and gently pulled the old surgeon into a tight hug. "Thank you—this means a lot to me" she whispered.
Catherine chuckled before rubbing April's back soothingly; "You are most welcome" she replied. She then pulled away and smiled; "Go now and find your resident" she said.
April took a step back and smiled brightly; "I'll see you in a bit" she replied.
Catherine nodded; she turned on her heels and began walking away.
April watched Catherine disappear from the E.R. doors before gathering her patients' charts to her chest; she then spun on her heels and began walking towards the Chief resident's office.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Make sure to monitor her vitals every hour and page me if anything goes wrong, okay?" Alex said.
Jo Wilson rolled her eyes before she began pushing her boyfriend/Ped's Attending out of the NICU; "I've got this, I'll page you if I need you, go now!" she said.
Alex raised his hands in surrender; "Fine, fine, I'm going" he said with a chuckle.
Jo took a step back before smiling widely; "Tell Dr. Kepner I said Hi and greet her for me too" she said.
Alex nodded; "I will, catch you later" he said before planting a soft kiss on his girlfriend's lips.
"Eewwww! Get a room! You guys are making me puke!" Cristina said with disgust.
Alex turned towards Cristina and rolled his eyes; "Is it ready yet?" he asked.
Cristina stuffed her hands inside her lab coat pockets and nodded; "Yep, Mer's already there" she replied.
"Let's go then" Alex said.
oOo
Boston, MA:
Catherine shook her head as she unlocks the door to their house; she then turned the knob and pushed the door open. "Well, you can't blame him for laughing, you were standing there like a fish out of water"
"I was caught off guard! I thought it was just you and I. You didn't tell me that you invited Jackson's grandfather!" April explained, clearly flustered.
Catherine laughed as she enters the threshold; she threw her keys inside a crystal bowl before turning towards April. "You've worked with him multiple times already baby, I don't get why eating with him makes you nervous"
April closed the door behind her and faced Catherine; she then began untying her trench coat before smiling shyly. "I don't know—he just makes me nervous" she admitted.
Catherine smiled mischievously; "Well, you better learn to ease up and get used to him" she replied.
April paused and tilted her head sideways; "Err—why?" she asked confusedly.
Catherine winked and began walking away; "Good night baby" she replied, deflecting her question.
April opened her mouth to speak but was cut off when her phone started ringing; she hastily shoved her hand inside her coat pocket and pulled it out. She grinned upon seeing the caller's name before tapping on the screen happily; "Hey!"
"Hey Apes! Where are you? Are you home?" Meredith Grey asked.
"I just arrived home, why?" April replied as she tugs off her coat.
"Can you go online?"
April walked across the living room before reaching the stairs; "I think so, why?" she asked.
"I have a case here that I badly need help with, I already exhausted all my ideas and still nothing" Meredith said.
April furrowed her brows as she climbs up; "Err—I'm quite flattered that you thought about me Mer, I really am, but it's kinda out of my league because I do Trauma not General. Did you try Dr. Webber or Bailey?" she asked.
"Bailey is on leave and I can't find Richard! I need your help Apes, please?"
April reached the second floor landing and began walking towards her room; "Fine, but can you give me 10 minutes? I need to charge my laptop because I left my Ipad at the hospital" she acquiesced.
"Perfect! Just log in to Skype and I'll just wait for you there, okay?"
April pushed her door open and stepped in; "Okay, talk to you in 10" she said before disconnecting the call.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Meredith pulled the phone from her ear and placed it on top of the conference table; "She'll be in, in 10 minutes" she said with a grin.
Alex reclined on his chair and smirked; "Nothing changed, Kepner is still gullible" he said.
"It's her birthday Alex, try to be nice" Meredith said.
Cristina chuckled.
Meredith turned her eyes towards her person; "That includes you too" she said. She then narrowed her eyes; "Have you seen Jackson? I told him this morning to be here, where is he?" she asked.
"Are you sure you reminded him? Because the last time I saw him was before lunch and he's on his way out" Alex said.
"What do you mean out?" Cristina asked.
Alex scratched his chin; "He left, he told me he's off for the day" he explained.
Meredith leaned back on her chair and groaned loudly; "I can't believe he did this! He bailed out!"
Cristina huffed; "Like what evil spawn said, nothing changed. If April is still gullible our McPretty is still a Eunuch" she said.
Alex shook his head in disappointment; "Well, let's just try to make her happy" he said.
"You're right" Meredith agreed. She then leaned forward and began logging in on her laptop.
oOo
Logan International Airport – Boston, MA:
"Massachusetts General Hospital and step on it."
The cab driver turned towards his passenger with worry; "Is everything alright? Are you alright?"
"I'm okay, I just need to get there as soon as possible"
The cab driver nodded; "Alright" he replied before pulling out of the taxi lane.
oOo
April sat crossed legged on her bed as she places her laptop on top of her pillow; she then angled the webcam before clicking on the call button. After a couple of rings, the window popped open but all she can see is a dark room; she moved closer to her screen and squinted; "Mer? Are you there? What am I looking at exactly?" she asked confusedly.
"SURPRISE!"
April eyes widen in shock as she watches the room instantly brighten; her breath was caught inside her throat as myriad of emotions started to swell inside her chest.
"Happy birthday Apes!" Cristina greeted with a huge smile.
April opened her mouth to respond but no words escaped her lips.
Meredith chuckled at April's reaction; "Come on Apes, do you really think I will bore you with work when it's your birthday?" she teased.
Tears began pooling in April's eyes as she moves her hands to her lips; "You guys-" she gasped.
Alex moved closer to the webcam and narrowed his eyes; "Are you crying? Why the hell are you crying? Aren't you happy to see us?" he asked incredulously.
April let out a giggle upon hearing Alex's familiar drawl; she hastily wiped her eyes and smiled widely. "Of course I'm happy to see you guys and yes I'm crying because I'm so happy! Thank you! I never expected you guys will remember! Oh gosh, I don't know what to say-thank you!" she rambled excitedly.
Cristina chuckled; "Calm down Apes, you're rambling again" she teased.
April laughed; "I'm sorry! I'm just so happy to see you guys! I miss you all!" she replied. She then narrowed her eyes as she stares at the table; "Is that—is that a cake?" she asked in disbelief.
Meredith moved the cake closer to her laptop and smirked; "Yeah, we bought you a cake, too bad you're not going to be able to taste it" she said.
Alex leaned forward and flicked his finger on top of it; he then brought it to his mouth and sucked on it happily. "Cream cheese frosting, not bad Mer"
"Is that red velvet with cream cheese frosting?" April asked.
"Yep and we're eating it all!" Cristina said.
April pouted; "I want cake!"
Meredith chuckled; "I'd save you a slice but you still have a month left so maybe next time" she replied.
April sighed before smiling again; "I can't wait to come home, I miss everything in Seattle! I even miss the rain and the Taco Truck!" she said.
"Then come home soon" Alex said. He then paused before smiling; "Oh I almost forgot, Jo says hi and happy birthday."
"Awwww...that's so sweet of her, tell her I said thanks" April replied.
Cristina snickered; "He'd be doing more than a thank you I'm sure, they can't take their hands off each other, it's nauseating!" she said.
Alex puffed out his chest and smirked; "You're just jealous!" he replied.
Cristina rolled her eyes; "Oh please!" she scoffed.
Meredith smiled at her friends antics before fixing her gaze on the red head on the screen; "How's your birthday so far? Did you go out? You look like you've been out" she asked.
April chuckled as she tucks a stray curl behind her ear; "I didn't have any plans but Catherine insisted on taking me out for dinner and you know how she is" she replied.
Meredith laughed; "How did that go? Did she set you up again?" she asked.
April grimaced; "This time I wish she did but she didn't, she bought Harper Avery instead" she replied.
Cristina's head snapped towards the screen as her eyes widen in surprise; "You had dinner with the Harper Avery?" she asked.
April nodded; "I did" she replied. She then leaned forward and whispered; "It was terrible and embarrassing!"
Alex laughed; "What did you do? Did you spew wine on him or something?" he asked.
April rolled her eyes at Alex; "Why do you always think the worst of me?" she asked.
Alex shrugged his shoulders; "You said it was terrible, I expected the worst. And we know how clumsy you can get when you're nervous, come on Apes" he said.
April thought for a second before tilting her head to the side, signalling that the Ped's Attending had a point; "I didn't spew wine all over him" she replied.
"Then what did you do?" Cristina asked curiously.
April chuckled awkwardly; "Nothing really" she replied.
Cristina narrowed her eyes as a smirk appeared on her lips; "Come on Apes, what did you do?" she asked.
"Err-"
"Ha! You did spew on him!" Alex chortled.
"Of course not! I just—err—stood there with my mouth agape and stared for 5 minutes without acknowledging him..."
Cristina burst out laughing; "Oh god! You really didn't change Apes, not one bit!" she said.
Alex nodded; "Like a fish out of water" he said.
"Hey!"
Meredith chuckled; "You and your weird staring habit, so what happened? What did he say?" she asked.
April made a face as she cleared her throat; "He laughed..." she admitted.
Cristina shook her head while smiling; "Look at the brighter side Apes, at least he finds you—amusing."
April scoffed; "Amusing your face! I'm quite sure he thinks I'm an idiot and a groupie!"
"We know you're not" Meredith said. She then smirked and winked; "You're Catherine's groupie" she jibbed.
"Meredith! You're terrible!" April said between giggles.
"It's the truth Apes, remember the first time she had a talk here about Penile Transplant? You are practically foaming in the mouth while singing her praises" Alex said.
"Stalker!" Cristina teased.
"You think she walks on water and trail blazer, remember?" Meredith said.
April's cheeks redden with embarrassment as she recalls her silliness; "Stop it! It's my birthday today, no bullying!" she shrilled.
Meredith shook her head; "Okay, okay. Fine, let's stop it guys, before she dies of embarrassment" she said.
April sat straighter and sniffed; "Thank you" she said.
Alex leaned forward and braised his elbows on top of the table; "You're coming home right?"
April nodded; "I'm so ready to come home" she replied.
Cristina smiled; "Did you learn a lot?"
April smiled brightly; "More than I could ever wish for! Dr. O'Brien is an excellent mentor, Chief Hunt was right" she beamed.
Meredith smiled indulgently; "I can feel your excitement up to here" she teased.
"You'd be here in a month?" Alex asked.
April nodded again; "Yep," she replied. She then paused and bit her lower lip.
Meredith raised her brow; "What's with the look?" she asked.
"Huh?"
Meredith leaned back on her seat and gestured towards the screen; "You have that pensive look all of a sudden, you were so happy a couple of seconds ago, what's wrong?"
April licked her lips; "How's—how's Jackson?" she softly asked.
Cristina averted her gaze just as Alex cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"He's fine" Meredith replied. She then sat straighter and leaned her arms on the arm rest; "Aren't you two talking?" she asked.
"Yeah—we talk but I haven't heard anything from him since last month" April admitted.
"Oh" Meredith replied.
"How is he? Where is he by the way?"
Meredith opened her mouth to respond but she can't seem to think of any excuses. Alex seeing his friend's reaction decided to butt in; "He left early this morning, he told me that he has an errand to run" he replied.
"Oh"
"I'm pretty sure it's an important errand because McPretty seldom leaves this place" Cristina said, trying to appease their friend.
April bit her bottom lip; "Yeah—I guess" she replied.
Meredith seeing April's reaction decided to change the topic; "Richard told me that Mass Gen adapted your checklist, is that true?"
April's demeanour instantly brightened upon hearing about her checklist; "Yes they did. Dr. O'Brien did a dry run and they loved it" she said proudly.
Cristina smiled; "Atta girl!"
Alex smirked; "Your neurosis and OCD paid off, Apes"
April laughed heartily.
oOo
Massachusetts General Hospital:
Jackson felt his chest tighten with anticipation and fear as he walks along the lobby; he took a deep calming breath before he stood right in front of the reception desk. "Hi good evening, I'm looking for Dr. April Kepner, is she in?" he asked politely.
The receptionist tore her eyes away from the computer and studied his face; she let out a surprised gasp upon recognizing the man standing right in front of her. "Dr. Avery!"
Jackson smiled; "Err—yeah" he replied.
The receptionist beamed; "It's so nice to see you again" she gushed. She then sat straighter and cleared her throat; "Err—you're looking for Dr. Kepner, right?" she asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yes, I am."
The receptionist moved her eyes back to her computer and began tapping on her keyboard; after a couple of seconds she shifted her gaze back to the surgeon. "I'm sorry Dr. Avery but she's not here, base from her schedule she got off at 5 this afternoon" she said ruefully.
"Oh I see" Jackson replied. He then squared his shoulders and smiled; "Thank you, have a good night then" he said.
"Have a good night too" The receptionist responded.
Jackson turned on his heels and began walking away; he was almost at the exit when he heard his name being called. He paused and turned his head towards the voice; "Grandpa?"
Harper Avery sauntered towards his grandson with a surprised look on his face; "Jackson, what are you doing here?" he asked.
Jackson retraced his steps and stood right in front of his grandfather; "Hi grandpa, good evening" he said with a tired smile.
Harper leaned forward and pulled the young surgeon into a hug; "You should've called!" he said. He then pulled away and stared at Jackson confusedly; "I didn't know you have a procedure here" he said.
Jackson shoved his hands inside his jeans; "I actually don't" he replied.
"You're here for a casual visit then?"
"Not quite" Jackson replied.
Harper raised his brow; "Don't misconstrue me, I'm happy to see you grandson but if you're not here to do a procedure then why on earth are you in this hospital at this hour?" he asked.
Jackson swallowed hard; "Err—"
"Out with it"
Jackson stared at his grandfather for a couple of seconds before sighing; "I came here to see April" he admitted.
Harper's eyes widen in surprise.
"She's my best friend as you know and it's been a long time since I last saw her and today's her birthday so I wanted to surprise her but she's not here so I guess I'm the one that's surprised—"
"You're rambling" Harper said with a chuckle.
Jackson snapped his mouth close as he felt his cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
Harper studied his grandson's face before smiling; "April went home after we had dinner so if you want to see her you have to go to your mother's" he explained.
"Oh" Jackson gasped as he stares at his grandfather with confusion.
Harper chuckled again before leaning forward and patting his grandson's right shoulder; "If you want to catch her awake, I suggest you go now" he said.
"You had dinner with her? Why?"
"Why not? It's her birthday"
Jackson raised his brow; "Do you normally do that?" he asked.
Harper rolled his eyes; "April is an exception, she's your best friend and your mother is very fond of her" he said. He then smirked before adding; "I like her, she's a fine young woman."
Jackson averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable discussing the Trauma Surgeon.
Harper noticed his grandson's reaction; "Go now, I'm sure she's still awake" he said.
Jackson moved his gaze back towards his grandfather before nodding; "Okay" he replied.
"Don't forget to see me again before you take off, okay?"
"Of course, good night Grandpa" Jackson said before pulling his old man in a one armed hug.
Harper patted Jackson's back and smiled; "Have a good night" he said with a hint of teasing.
Jackson rolled his eyes before pulling away; "I will, go home too, it's late" he said before turning on his heels.
Harper watched Jackson make a bee line towards the exit; he then shook his head and smiled wistfully. "Young love" he whispered to himself.
oOo
"—it was so cool! I haven't gotten the chance to encounter such Trauma there. Boston people are way over their head" April said with a laugh.
Cristina pouted; "I'm so jealous!" she said.
Meredith opened her mouth to speak but was cut off when the door to the conference room flung open; she turned her head sideways and smiled upon seeing the new comers. "You made it"
Derek strolled inside the room with Zola in his arms; he walked towards his wife and stood beside her chair and pointed at the screen. "Look Zozo, Aunt April is there, say Happy birthday Aunt April" he said while waiving his little girl's hand.
"Zozo!" April squealed in delight. "I miss you sweetheart! Give Aunt April a kiss" she cooed.
Zola giggled as tries her best to blow April a flying kiss.
April feigned catching it and threw one at the little girl; "That's so sweet"
Derek smiled at the red head surgeon; "Happy birthday" he greeted.
"Thank you Dr. Shepherd" April beamed.
Richard then entered the room with Bailey in his arms; he walked towards Derek and stood beside the Neurosurgeon; "There she is, Happy Birthday April" he said with a smile.
April's eyes widen; "Dr. Webber! You're also here! And Bailey!" she gasped.
Richard chuckled; "Of course we're here, we wouldn't miss it" he replied.
April felt tears pooling in her eyes again; she never thought her GSMH family will actually take time from their busy schedule to greet her. "Thank you!"
"Is that Kepner?" Callie Torres asked as she enters the room.
"It's her alright and she's about ready to bawl" Alex said with a smirk.
Callie chuckled as she walked towards the Ped's Attending; she stood behind his chair and waived cheerily. "Happy Birthday April"
April waived back as she tries to rein her emotions; "Thank you Callie, it's nice to see you" she replied.
"It's nice to see you too" Callie said. She then turned towards the door and smiled widely; "Someone wants to wish you a happy birthday too" she said.
April leaned towards her screen and squinted; "Who?"
Arizona came into view with Sophia in her arms; she stood beside her wife and angled Sophia towards the camera. "Say hi to Auntie April pumpkin, it's her birthday!"
"Oh god! You're all there! Hello sweetheart!" April said.
Arizona smiled; "Happy birthday April, we miss you"
April brought her hands to her lips to stifle a sob that badly wants to erupt from her lips; she gazed at the screen lovingly as she watches her second family smiling at her.
"Am I late?" Owen asked as he enters the room.
Cristina rolled her eyes before gesturing towards her husband; "Your mentor just arrived" she announced.
April couldn't hold it any longer as overwhelming joy flooded her chest; tears fell down her cheeks as a sob escaped her lips.
Owen stood behind his wife and narrowed his eyes; "Are you crying April?" he asked confusedly.
April lowered her head, trying to hide her tears. "Don't mind me Chief, I'm just so happy" she whispered.
Alex laughed; "Told you she'd be bawling like a bitch baby" he said.
"Alex!" Meredith scolded.
April wiped her cheeks while chuckling; "I am bawling like a bitch baby" she admitted. She then sniffed before smiling widely; "You guys...I can't believe you're all there-I—I don't know what to say-this is the best birthday gift-thank you—thank you so much"
"Buck up Kepner, you are a soldier and soldiers don't cry" Owen said with a teasing smile.
April laughed; "This is an exception Chief, all my superiors are making me cry, I need a free pass, it's my birthday after all" she joked.
The whole crowd laughed.
April smiled longingly at the screen; "I miss all of you terribly, Mass Gen has been great but it is nothing compared to our hospital, they've got nothing against you guys" she said.
"Except for out of this world Trauma's apparently" Cristina pointed out.
April laughed; "Yeah, I can't argue with that" she acquiesced.
"Are you ready to come home?" Owen asked his student.
April nodded excitedly; "I am. I have learned a lot here and I can't wait to share them with you guys" she replied.
Owen chuckled; "Well, that's good to hear"
"You only have a month left, right?" Richard asked.
"Sadly, yes. If only I can get away without finishing the remaining month I'd fly back there in a heartbeat" April joked.
"You can actually do that if you want, we can talk to Dr. Kurt and request for an early dismissal" Derek offered with a smile.
April's eyes widen; "Really?"
Derek threw her co-board members a look; Callie, Arizona, Cristina and Meredith all nodded. He then moved his eyes back towards the red head surgeon; "See?" he said.
April bit her bottom lip and thought about Derek's offer but after a couple of seconds she shook her head shyly; "As much as I want to take on your offer, I can't. You've already done so much for me and being here is a privilege that I'm very much thankful for. I wouldn't waste this opportunity just because I'm homesick" she explained. She then squared her shoulders and smiled brightly; "I just have a couple of weeks, I can handle it" she said.
"And Kepner is shooting rainbows again, ladies and gentlemen" Alex said.
Everybody laughed.
April raised her chin haughtily and threw Alex a smug smile; "Admit it Karev, you miss me and my rainbows"
Alex smiled indulgently; "You bet"
"Awww..." Cristina drawled.
The whole room erupted into fits of laughter.
oOo
Jackson got off the taxi and stood right in front of their gate; he straightened his jacket and rolled his shoulders. "You've already come this far man, suck it up" he said to himself. He then took a deep calming breath before pushing the doorbell.
"Who is it?" Catherine's familiar voice emitted from the speakers.
Jackson cleared his throat and leaned forward; he pressed the button below the door bell and spoke. "It's me Mom" he said.
"Jackson?" Catherine's surprised voice emitted from the speaker again.
"Err—Yeah, it's me" Jackson replied.
"What are you doing here? It's late! You didn't even call—did something happen? Are you—"
"Mom, can you let me in first? It's cold out here"
"Oh! I'm sorry baby, give me a sec" Catherine replied.
Jackson took step back as he waited for the gates to open; after a couple of seconds the sound of metal scraping resounded around him, not long after the gates opened automatically. He entered the driveway and surveyed his surroundings; it's been years since he last visited and he can't help but smile at the familiar atmosphere. He was halfway along the foyer when the double doors flung open.
"Welcome home baby!" Catherine said with a large smile.
Jackson smiled back as he walks towards his mother; he stood right in front of her and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. "Hi Mom"
Catherine chortled merrily as she pulled her baby boy into a tight hug; "This is such a pleasant surprise!" she gushed.
Jackson pulled away; "I'm sorry I didn't call" he said.
Catherine cupped Jackson's cheeks; "I missed you so" she said.
Jackson chuckled; "You just saw me last month mom" he replied.
Catherine pinched her son's cheeks fondly before pulling away; "You and your smart mouth"
Jackson shoved his hands inside his jeans and shook his head.
Catherine took a step back and narrowed her eyes; "Where's your luggage baby?" she asked curiously.
"I didn't bring one"
Catherine brows rose in surprise; "You flew all the way here without a luggage? But why?" she asked.
Jackson averted his gaze and began rocking on his heels; "Err—I just flew on impulse and I guess I forgot" he admitted shyly.
Catherine studied her son's demeanour before realization dawned on her; a slow smirk appeared on her lips as she crosses her arms on top of her chest. "You came here for April"
Jackson licked his lips nervously before meeting his mother's eyes; "Is—is she here?" he asked.
"She's upstairs, does she know that you'll be flying here tonight?"
Jackson scratched the back of his neck as he shook his head; "Err—no" he replied.
"Well what are you still doing here? Get up there and surprise her"
"Which room did you put her in?" Jackson asked curiously.
Catherine grinned; "Second floor, the guest room right across your room" she said slyly.
"Oh"
Catherine rolled her eyes at her son's reaction; when he didn't show signs of moving she clapped her hands loudly. "Go now! You flew all the way here, stop wasting more time!"
Jackson flinched before throwing his mother a look; he then cleared his throat and gestured towards the door. "I'll go see her now"
Catherine crossed her hands on top of her chest and nodded towards the same direction. "Go"
Jackson spun on his heels and began walking.
oOo
April was laughing at Zola's antics when she heard a faint knock; she threw her door a confused look before moving her eyes back towards the screen. "Err-guys, give me sec, someone's knocking at my door" she said.
"Oooohhhh! Kepner has a visitor in the middle of the night! This is good!" Cristina said while rubbing her hands together.
April rolled her eyes before she stood up from her perch; "Be back in a sec" she said. She didn't bother slipping on her robes since she's sure that it's only Catherine; she walked towards the door and pulled it open. "I'm sorry if I was too loud, I'm talking to—Jackson?"
Jackson shoved his hands inside his jeans as he smiled boyishly at April; "Surprise! Happy Birthday" he greeted.
April took a step back as her eyes widen in shock; "What are you—when did you—" she rambled incoherently.
Jackson licked his lips nervously; "I arrived an hour ago. I went to Mass Gen to surprise you but the receptionist informed me that you already went home so, here I am" he explained.
April opened her mouth to speak but she cannot seem to form any words.
Jackson took his right hand out of his pocket and scratched the back of his neck; "I know it's late and your probably sleeping, I just dropped by to greet you" he rambled.
April felt a tug on her lips upon hearing his silly explanation; after a couple of seconds a full blown smile erupted from her lips. "You flew all the way here at this hour to just drop by and greet me?" she teased.
Jackson realized how stupid his explanation sounded; "Okay that was lame" he said with a wince.
April laughed; "It was."
Jackson took a step towards the red head and smiled shyly; "I missed you" he whispered.
April felt tears stinging her eyes and before she realizes it, she's sobbing on Jackson's chest.
Jackson buried his face into her familiar curls as he pulled her closer; he closed his eyes and began rubbing her back soothingly. "Why are you crying?"
April wrapped her arms around his waist as tears trickled down her cheeks; "I'm just so happy...I missed you..."
Jackson smiled; "I knew this was a good idea" he said smugly.
April chuckled but didn't let go.
"HELLLLLLLO! ARE YOU STILL THERE? KEPPPPNNEERRRRR!"
Jackson pulled away and made a face; "Do I hear Yang?" he asked confusedly.
April chuckled as she wipes her cheeks; "Yep it's her. They surprised me with a video call, all of them" she said with a large smile.
Jackson smirked; "Meredith was able to pull it off, impressive" he said.
April nodded; "She did" she replied.
"APPPRRRRIIIILLLLLLL!"
April chuckled again upon hearing Cristina's frustrated drawl; she pulled Jackson's hand and began leading him towards her bed.
"Oooohhhh! Definitely a guy!" Cristina said upon seeing Jackson's dark jeans.
April laughed as she sat down on her bed; "He's definitely a guy" she chirped.
"Show me!" Cristina said excitedly.
April smiled at Jackson before tugging on his arm; Jackson rolled his eyes before sitting beside April. "Hi Yang" he drawled.
Cristina eyes widen in surprise; "Avery?" she asked. The loud chatter on the background died down in an instant as each surgeon inside the conference room turned their eyes towards the screen.
Jackson felt blood rush up to his cheeks upon seeing their colleagues staring at them; he cleared his throat nervously and tried his best to smile. "Hey guys"
"Oh!" Meredith gasped.
"So that's where you went!" Alex said with grin.
"I'm impressed!" Callie said with a huge smile.
Arizona pointed towards the screen; "Look there pumpkin, Uncle Jackson made it, Yey!"
Derek smiled at his best friend's prot; "You made it, good" he said.
"Well, I'll be damned" Richard said in amusement.
Owen laughed; "Well, I think we should wrap this up guys. Let's give them some privacy" he said.
Cristina smiled like a Cheshire cat; "I bet they'd want that!" she jested.
April choked as Jackson eyes widen with embarrassment.
Meredith saw the couple's reaction and she can't help but laugh; she then leaned towards her laptop and smiled widely. "I hope we made your birthday special Apes, we got to go" she announced.
"You did, thank you so much for doing this Mer and thank you guys for making time for me! I miss you all!" April said sincerely.
Alex smirked; "We got to go Kepner! Enjoy!" he said meaningfully.
Meredith winked at the screen before it went blank.
April took a deep breath before turning her head sideways; "I love them" she said breathlessly.
"It's obvious that they love you too" Jackson replied.
"I know now" April said. She then stared at Jackson; "Thank you too..."
"For what?"
"For flying all the way here, I appreciate it, it means a lot to me"
Jackson smiled; "I couldn't let this day pass without greeting you personally, we always celebrate our birthdays together" he said.
April smiled wistfully; "Since intern years" she said.
"Since intern years" Jackson repeated.
April bit her bottom lip; "How long will you be staying?" she asked.
"Hunt gave me until tomorrow but I'll be flying out by 7 P.M. because I have a procedure the next day, I can't cancel"
April pursed her lips; "You should've told me that you'll be here, I would've asked for a time off too" she said.
"Don't worry about it dear, I'll call Carlisle in the morning" Catherine said from the door way.
Jackson's head snapped towards the door; "How long have you been there?" he asked with a frown.
Catherine smiled; "I'm not eavesdropping" she said.
"I'm sure Jackson doesn't think that way" April said while throwing her best friend a look.
Jackson just rolled his eyes.
"Take time off tomorrow baby, I'll take care of it" Catherine said. She then spun on her heels and began walking away; "Don't stay up too late kids!"
April chuckled.
"What are we teenagers? We're 30!" Jackson replied loudly.
Catherine's laugh echoed through the hallway; "I know baby, your both old enough to know what I mean" she chimed.
April's eyes widen as her mouth hung agape.
Jackson closed his eyes tightly as he gritted his teeth; "She really knows no boundaries!" he hissed.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"I have to give it to Avery, when he decides to grow a pair, it's big" Cristina said while chuckling.
Callie wrinkled her nose; "That's disgusting Yang" she said.
Alex laughed loudly.
Arizona shook her head in amusement before turning towards the door; "I need to drop Sophia back to day care, save me a piece" she said to her wife.
Callie nodded; "Will do" she replied.
Richard stood up from his perch and smiled; "I have to go too, I can't let those new Residents run our pit by themselves" he said with a chuckle.
Owen planted a kiss on his wife's cheek before standing up; "I'll go with you" he said.
Richard nodded as he exited the room with Owen in tow.
Meredith began bouncing Bailey on her knees as she turned towards her husband; "Are you ready to go home?" she asked.
Derek wiped Zola's mouth before turning towards his wife; "Yep, are you?" he asked.
"I'm done for the day too" Meredith replied.
Alex plucked the last bite of cake from his plate and stuffed it inside his mouth; he then stood up and gathered his plate. "I gotta go too" he said.
Cristina stood up from her seat and stretched her arms above her head; "I need a shut eye, I'm on call tonight" she said.
Meredith nodded; "I'll see you tomorrow, good night"
Cristina walked towards her person and leaned forward; she planted a soft kiss on Bailey's chubby cheek before turning towards Zola. She leaned again and gave the little girl a loud smack on the cheek that made Zola giggle; "Good night Zozo!" she cooed. She then stood straight and began walking towards the door; "Good night people!" she said as she exited the room.
Callie waited for a couple of seconds before shaking her head; "I can't believe she doesn't want kids, I'm sure she's quite taken with ours" she said.
Meredith chuckled; "You know Cristina, she just wants to be the cool Aunt" she said.
Callie laughed.
oOo
Jackson reclined on his chair before taking a swig of his beer; he stretched his legs and crossed it by the ankles. "It's good to be home"
April turned her head sideways and smiled; "It's been awhile then?" she asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yeah"
April took a swig of her own beer; "How long?" she asked curiously.
Jackson placed his beer on top of the wrought iron table and furrowed his brows while in thought; "Before I started my internship with Mercy West"
April's eyes widen; "But that was 7 years ago!"
Jackson turned his head sideways and threw April a loop sided smile; "I was busy" he replied.
"Wow" April said as she leaned back on her chair.
Jackson moved his eyes towards the huge lawn right in front of them; "Do you miss Moline?" he asked.
April smiled upon hearing her old hometown's name; "I do"
"Do you have plans on visiting home? You can take a few days off if you want to see your family, I'm quite sure Hunt wouldn't mind"
"I'll think about it" April replied.
"Okay" Jackson replied while plucking his beer from the table again.
April took a swig of her beer before addressing the proverbial elephant in the room; "I'm happy that you came all the way here,"
"Me too"
April smiled; "I didn't expect you'd fly a thousand miles just to greet me"
Jackson turned his head sideways and smiled back; "I'd walk a thousand more just to see you"
April quickly averted her gaze as her cheeks started to flush.
"I'm sorry-I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable" Jackson said.
April bit her bottom lip; "I—I've been thinking" she said.
Jackson placed his beer back on the table and focused his attention on April; "About?"
"About us"
"And?"
April shifted to her side and met Jackson's eyes; "My feelings haven't changed—it's still the same" she admitted.
Jackson felt his heart soar with her admission so he let a large smile paint his lips; "I still love you, that didn't change too" he said earnestly.
April smiled; she then leaned forward and placed her hand on top of the table palm side up.
Jackson moved his and placed it on top of April's hand; gently intertwining their fingers.
April sighed contentedly.
"I like this..." Jackson said quietly.
"You like what?" April asked.
"I love holding your hand" Jackson replied.
April chuckled; "Just holding my hand?" she teased.
"I love everything else we did, of course" Jackson quickly clarified. He then stared at April seriously; "This is the first time we've held hands" he said.
"Oh-right" April gasped, her cheeks staining red.
Jackson smiled before continuing; "Our time apart made me realize a lot of things, it hurt but I think it was good for us" he admitted.
"Yeah—I know what you mean"
Jackson squeezed her hand comfortingly; "We've made a lot of mistakes along the way, mostly it was my fault—"
"I'm at fault too Jackson" April said, cutting him off.
Jackson thought for a moment before nodding; "Okay, we're both at fault" he relented.
April smiled; she then gestured for him to continue.
"We rushed into things head on; we didn't talk when we clearly needed to, we were not clear, well, I was not clear with what I want out of the relationship" Jackson said. He then stared deeply into her eyes before continuing; "I'm sorry I took you for granted and I'm sorry for bailing out when things get rough. You deserve much better than that, April" he said with sincerity.
April felt her eyes heating up with tears so she bit her lip.
Jackson shifted to face her fully; "I was selfish and I didn't think about your feelings. I was so caught up with myself that I didn't realize that my actions are hurting you. The only time you were honest with what you want between us I pushed you away. I was a bastard and I know for a fact that I don't deserve you April, not one bit."
Tears fell down April's cheeks; "What are you saying?" she asked fearfully.
Jackson squeezed April's hand; "I'm not giving up if that's what you're thinking" he joked.
April stared at Jackson before bursting into giggles; "You're awful!" she blurted out.
Jackson smiled; "I'm just brightening up the mood, I can see the wheels turning inside your head" he quipped.
April shook her head as she wipes her cheeks with her other hand.
"What I'm really trying to say is that you can take all the time you want because I will wait. We've rushed into things and that didn't work for us. I want us to take it slow because this time I want to make things right and I want this to work. I want you April, I want you in my life and I still believe that we can make this work."
April squeezed his hand back; "I want us to work too"
"Good"
April bit her bottom lip nervously; "So...you're really okay with waiting?" she asked.
Jackson nodded; "I am" he replied.
"I—I'm not there yet but I'm close. I just need a little more time" April said.
Jackson threw her an appeasing smile; "You can take all the time you need, I'm not going anywhere" he said.
April felt her heart jump in joy upon hearing Jackson's response; she then moved her other hand back to her face again, wiping the new set of tears that trickled down her cheeks.
Jackson stared at her tenderly before leaning towards the table; he flipped their hands and planted a soft kiss at back of her hand.
April's heart melted with his gesture and before she can stop herself, she blurted out the word's she'd been wanting to say ever since he arrived. "I love you"
Jackson lifted his gaze and met her eyes; a small smile creeps into his lips before responding. "I love you too" he said.
oOo
Catherine stepped out of the bathroom and made her way towards her bed; she pulled the duvet down and began arranging her pillows. She climbed up and covered her legs with her fluffy comforter; she then pulled the book on her side table and opened it to the page she dog-eared. She turned towards her side again to grab her reading glasses when her cell phone suddenly rang; she grabbed her phone instead and tapped on the screen before shifting it towards her ears. "Dad? Are you alright?" she asked with worry.
"I'm fine dear, I just called to check if Jackson arrived there safely?" Harper Avery asked.
Catherine felt herself relax before reclining on her pillows; "You saw him?" she asked.
"I did and I was surprised" Harper said with a chuckle. "Did he catch Dr. Kepner awake?"
Catherine chuckled; "He did"
"Good, he came all the way here and it would've been too bad if he had to wait until tomorrow to see her"
"You sound happy about it" Catherine said with interest.
Harper chuckled again; "It's refreshing to see Jackson work so hard just to see a girl" he said.
"I take it that you approve of his choice this time?"
"Dr. Kepner is smart and she is very beautiful, Jackson chose well this time"
Catherine grinned; "My thoughts exactly" she replied.
"It's late and I'm quite sure that they didn't have time to go out, will Dr. Kepner need time off work tomorrow?" Harper asked.
"Are you trying to meddle?"
Harper's laughs resounded on the phone loudly.
Catherine shook her head with amusement; "I told April that she can take time off, I'm calling Carlisle tomorrow morning to let him know" she replied.
"Don't bother, I'll handle it"
"You're aware that Jackson will be very upset with us if he finds out that we're both meddling right?" Catherine chimed.
"A little push in the right direction is not meddling dear and who will tell him?" Harper asked.
"Well not me, I've already learned my lesson with him" Catherine said with a laugh.
"What he doesn't know won't ignite his tantrums"
"Fine, but don't tell me I didn't warn you"
Harper laughed again; "Don't worry about it. Tell me how their day went, okay?"
"Okay"
"Goodnight dear"
"Good night Dad" Catherine replied before pulling the phone away from her ear. She then placed it back on top of her side table and grabbed her glasses. She perched it on top of her nose and began reading her book, a smile still present on her lips.
oOo
The next day:
Jackson shoved his hands inside his pockets after he knocked on his mother's door; "Mom? You awake yet?" he called out.
Catherine pulled her door open and smiled at her son; "Good morning baby, you're early" she said.
Jackson smiled back; "Morning" he replied while rocking on his heels.
Catherine raised her brow as she watches her son; "You need something, out with it" she said.
"Can I borrow a car?"
"Are you taking April out?"
Jackson rolled his eyes; "Yes I am" he replied.
Catherine smirked widely; "Just give a minute dear" she replied.
"Okay" Jackson replied.
After a couple of minutes Catherine returned with the car keys; "Here you go baby" she said.
Jackson accepted the keys and dangled it right in front of his face; he stared at it for a moment before his eyes widen in disbelief. "Jaguar?"
"Why do you look so surprised?" Catherine asked.
Jackson's eyes snapped towards his mother; "You bought a freaking Jaguar and you didn't even tell me?"
Catherine chuckled; "Oh hush! I didn't buy it! It was a gift" she explained.
Jackson narrowed his eyes; "Who in their right mind will buy you a car for a gift? And not just a car, a very expensive car" he said.
Catherine crossed her arms on top of her chest; "Who do you think?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm.
Jackson paused and thought for a moment; after a couple of seconds' realization sinks in. "Oh. Grandpa?"
"Yes"
"But he's stingy"
Catherine laughed; "He's not that bad and don't let him hear you say that, he bought you a hospital" she replied.
Jackson wrinkled his nose; "But why?" he asked.
"It's a congratulatory gift for the first successful Penile Transplant I did in your hospital"
"He gave you a Jaguar because of a penis?"
Catherine rolled her eyes; "No. He gave me a car because I gave a young man a functional penis that will give him a chance to have kids and enjoy sex with-"
"Okay, I get your point now. I don't need to hear about your patient's sex life" Jackson said, effectively cutting his mom off.
Catherine smirks as she leans on her doorframe; "What are your still doing here baby? Go now, scoot! Sweep April off her feet and don't go crazy over the car, drive safely" she said.
Jackson smiled at his mother before leaning forward and planting a chaste kiss on her cheek; "I will and thank you. We'll see you later" he said before turning on his heels.
Catherine smiled as he watches her son walk away.
oOo
April was applying the final touches to her make up when she heard a faint knock on her door; she hastily stepped out of her bathroom and walked towards her door. She stood right in front of it and straightened the imaginary creases on her dress; she took a deep calming breath before pulling it open.
Jackson smiled appreciatively upon seeing April in a dress; he seldom sees her wearing one so he knows for a fact that she made an effort for him. "You look beautiful" he said.
April felt her cheeks blush as she let out a shy smile; "Thank you, you look good too" she replied.
Jackson moved his eyes towards his attire and shrugged his shoulders; "I don't have anything else to wear, I forgot to bring clothes so its old clothes for me" he explained.
April giggled; "It fits you well" she said.
Jackson shifted his eyes back to April; "Thank you. Are you ready?"
April nodded; "Yep, let me just get my purse and we're good to go"
Jackson grinned; "Go on. I'll wait" he said.
April grinned back; "Just give me a sec" she replied before turning on her heels.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"I'm bored" Cristina said as she leans on top of the nurses' station.
Alex tore his eyes away from his chart and moved his head sideways; "Why are you still here? You were on call last night right?" he asked.
Cristina yawned; "I'm just waiting for Owen" she replied.
"He's not in yet?" Alex asked.
"He's here, he just got pulled into an emergency surgery"
"I see"
Cristina began rubbing her tired eyes; "Have you seen Mer yet?"
Alex shook his head; "Nope"
"I miss Kepner"
Alex just raised his brow in response.
Cristina pouted; "There's no one else to pick on" she said.
"Where's your intern?"
Cristina wrinkled her nose; "I have Mopey, she's no fun" she replied.
Alex chuckled; "Who is Mopey again?" he asked.
"Murphy"
"Oh. I have Mousey, will she make you feel better?"
Cristina thought for a moment before a smirk formed on her lips; "Send her to me" she said.
Alex laughed as he moves his eyes back to his charts.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Where are we going again?" April asked as she follows Jackson down the stairs.
"It's a surprise" Jackson replied mysteriously.
April chuckled; "You really don't have to do this you know, we can just hang out here and watch a movie or something, I know you're still jet lagged" she said.
Jackson stopped at the first's floor landing and turned towards April; "I forgot to buy you a gift because I was rushing to get here, the least thing I can do is to take you out" he said with a smile.
April descended the last step and stood right in front of him; "You being here is more than enough already" she replied.
Jackson felt his cheeks flush as he soaks up her endearing words; he then took a deep breath to calm his erratically beating heart.
"Jackson Avery, are you blushing?" April teased.
Jackson averted his gaze and cleared his throat; "Shall we?" he asked, trying to divert the topic.
April smiled widely; "Fine. Let's go" she acquiesced.
Jackson turned on his heels and began walking along the living room; once he reached the main door, he pushed it open and held it out for the red head.
April threw Jackson an appreciative smile before stepping out; she stood right outside the double doors and stared ahead. She felt her eyes widen upon seeing the vehicle that's parked right in front of them; she turned her head towards Jackson before pointing towards the car; "What is that?"
Jackson fell into step with April and shoved his hands inside his pockets; "It's our ride" he replied.
April raised her brow; "I thought you don't like frivolous things, hence the yellow school bus in San Francisco?"
Jackson turned his face sideways and smirked; "But my mom does, it's hers" he replied.
"Catherine has a Jaguar?" April asked aghast.
Jackson chuckles while nodding; "Apparently she has, she had it hidden somewhere here" he replied.
"Wow"
"Yeah, Wow"
April moved her eyes towards the luxury car again; "Are you sure she's okay with us, using it?"' she asked.
Jackson pointed the tiny remote control attached with the keys to the car; he waited for the headlights to blink before turning towards April; "I asked for a car and she gave this to me so I'm pretty sure she's very much okay with us using it"
"Oh"
Jackson walked towards the passenger door and pulled it open; he turned towards April and smiled widely. "Come on, our lunch awaits" he said.
April seems to snap out of her stupor and began moving towards it; she let Jackson guide her in and waited for him to close the door.
Jackson snapped the door close and began rounding the car; he pulled his door open and settled in. He inserted the key and switched on the engine; he excitedly braised his hands on the steering wheel before turning his head to his side. "Let's get this show on the road"
April shook her head with amusement before chuckling; "You and your big boy toys"
Jackson smiled boyishly.
oOo
Harper Avery sauntered along the halls of Mass Gen Hospital with a purpose; he turned around the corner and made a bee line towards the Chief of Surgery's office. He was a couple of steps away from it when the door flung open; he felt a smile tug on his lips upon seeing one of the person he's just wanting to see. "Carlisle! Just the person I want to see"
Carlisle's head snapped towards the voice as he closes the door behind him; "Dr. Avery, it's so nice to see you, how are you this morning?" he asked politely.
Harper shifted towards the Trauma Department Head and smiled; "I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"
Carlisle smiled; "I'm good. How can I help you?"
"Dr. Kepner will take time off today. My grandson-her best friend, just arrived last night and since it was her birthday yesterday, he's taking her out as a gift. That wouldn't be a problem, right?" Harper asked with a huge grin.
Carlisle chuckled; "Of course, that wouldn't be a problem" he replied.
Harper patted the other surgeon's shoulder; "Thank you" he said.
"You're welcome. Well, it was nice seeing you but I have to run. I need to have one of my Attendings' handle the pit since April is out"
Harper nodded; "I'll see you around" he said.
Carlisle nodded before turning around and walking towards the other direction.
Harper shifted towards the door and knocked.
"Come in!"
Harper turned the knob and pushed the door open; he stepped inside the office and cleared his throat.
Dr. Eric Kurt tore his eyes away from the documents his perusing when he heard throat clearing; he stood up from his chair and smiled widely at his visitor. "Harper! You didn't tell me you're coming in!"
Harper smiled as he walks towards his old friend's desk; he stood right in front of it and gestured towards the empty seat. "May I?"
Eric nodded as he took his seat; "So, how can I help you this morning?" he asked.
Harper grinned widely as he sat down; "I have an idea I want to run over with you" he said.
Eric leaned back on his chair and gestured for the other man to continue; "I'm all ears."
oOo
Jackson pulled the hand break and turned his head sideways; "We're here" he said.
April turned her head to the right and stared at the familiar street; "Boylston Street?" she observed.
"Yep" Jackson replied. He then unbuckled his seat belt and opened his door; he stepped out of the car and rounded to April's side. He pulled the door open and offered his hand; "Come on"
April accepted the proffered hand stepped out of the car; she then felt her breath hitch in her throat upon recognizing the restaurant right in front of them. "You took me to L'Espalier?" she asked incredulously.
Jackson smiled widely; "Do you like it?" he asked.
April stared at Jackson with amusement; "You sir, are full of surprises. Are you really Jackson?"
Jackson winked; "I'm just starting, you haven't seen the rest yet" he replied.
April's eyes widen; "There's more?"
Jackson ignored her question on purpose and turned towards the Valet attending standing before them; he handed his keys and turned towards April again. "Shall we?" he asked while offering his hand.
April placed her hand in his before smiling.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Chief, do you know where Avery is? I've been waiting for him for hours but I can't seem to find him" Miranda Bailey asked.
Richard lifted his gaze from the book his reading and stared Miranda; "He's in Boston, he won't be in until tomorrow" he replied.
Miranda braised her hands on her hips while furrowing her brows; "What's he doing there? He told my patient that her operation is tomorrow, do I need to cancel it?"
Richard shook his head; "No you don't have to. He'll be here, he's flying out of Boston by 7 tonight" he explained.
"He's only there for a day?" Miranda asked.
Richard smiled; "He is, he flew all the way there just to spend time with Kepner since it's her birthday yesterday"
Miranda raised her brow; "Why'd he do that? They already broke up" she asked.
"I don't know but a man who flies a thousand miles just to greet a woman a happy birthday is a man with a mission"
Miranda chuckled; "I just hope that the woman he traveled a thousand miles for is a forgiving woman" she replied.
Richard chuckled.
oOo
Boston, MA:
Jackson took a sip of his wine as he stares at April; he then grinned upon seeing the satisfied smile on her lips. "You like the dessert?"
April placed her spoon down before grabbing her wine; she took a small sip before placing it back on the table. "It's heavenly, thank you for ordering it for me. What do you call it again?" she asked with a huge smile.
"Through the Forest, it's my all time favorite dessert here" Jackson replied.
April chuckled; "It's good-really good"
Jackson nodded in agreement; "It is," he replied. He then took a sip of his wine again; "We haven't gotten the chance to catch up lately, I've been busy with work, how have you been?" he asked.
April leaned back on her chair; "Nothing's changed, still doing the work – home – work routine" she replied with a smile. "How about you?"
"Same as you, I guess. I can't even remember the last time I went to Joe's, it's been crazy lately" Jackson said with a chuckle.
April laughed; "You not going to Joe's? That's a first" she said.
"It's the truth, I simply don't have the energy to."
April cocked her head to the side; "You're that busy?"
Jackson wrinkled his nose with distaste before leaning back on his chair; "Yeah, paper works sucks, it piles up like crazy" he replied.
April winced; "I feel bad for you-" she then pauses when a thought hit her. "Should you even be here? Don't take it in a different way because I very much like it that you are, but what about work?"
"Don't worry about it, Derek, Arizona and Owen all promised me that they'll take care of it."
April smiled; "That's very sweet of them."
Jackson smirked; "They carry a torch for us apparently, so, they all volunteered in a heartbeat when I told them that I'm boarding a plane in an hour" he said.
April felt her cheeks flush so she quickly averted her gaze; she then leaned forward and plucked her wine glass from the table.
Jackson noticing her reaction cannot help but feel happy; after a couple of seconds he cleared his throat. "Are you ready to go? We still have another stop" he said.
April placed her glass back on the table before patting her lips with a napkin; "Yeah, I'm good. Where are we going next?" she asked curiously.
Jackson just smiled as a response and signaled for their check.
April bit her bottom lip as she tries to calm her erratically beating heart.
oOo
Catherine exited the elevator with her prot in tow; they rounded the corner and began walking towards the Chief of Surgery's office. "I want to introduce you personally to Sarah but she's not here yet so Eric will have to do it."
"Do you have a surgery?"
Catherine shook her head before smiling widely; "My baby boy is here and I'm spending time with him before he flies out tonight"
"Jackson is here?" Mara Keaton asked, surprise clearly written on her face.
Catherine turned her head sideways; "Yes, he arrived last night" she replied.
"He's just in for one day? Is he staying with you then?" Mara asked curiously.
Catherine paused and raised her brow; "Why do you seem so—interested?" she asked.
Mara quickly averted her gaze before clearing her throat; "Of course I'm not" she replied.
Catherine narrowed her eyes; she was about to delve further about the young surgeon's reaction but the door to the Chief's office opened.
"Catherine?"
Catherine's head snapped towards the door; "Dad?" she asked, confusion evident on her face.
Harper Avery closed the door behind him before walking towards his daughter-in-law; he stopped right in front of her and pulled her into a hug.
Catherine patted her father-in-law's back before pulling away; "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Harper took a step back; "I spoke with Carlisle about April then I went ahead and talked with Eric" he explained.
Catherine crossed her arms on top of her chest; "Eric?" she asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice.
Harper chuckled once he noticed how the other surgeon is looking at him; "I'm not meddling, I'm just giving a little nudge to the right direction, it wouldn't hurt"
Catherine's eyes widen; "You're at it! And you didn't even tell me!" she said accusingly.
Harper laughed heartily before waiving her off; "Don't think about it, just forget that I ever mentioned anything" he replied. He then stuffed his hands inside his pockets; "Where are they anyway? Do you have any idea?" he asked curiously.
Catherine smiled widely; "They took off quite early, it looks like their having lunch somewhere. I'm not sure about his plans after."
Harper nodded; "Good, good" he said thoughtfully. He then moved his gaze and saw another surgeon standing behind Catherine; "Who do you have here?" he asked.
Catherine ushered Mara to stand beside her; "Where are my manners, Dr. Avery please meet Dr. Mara Keaton. She will be Brigham's representative for the exchange program this year" she said proudly.
Harper held out his hand; "It's nice to meet you Dr. Keaton" he said.
Mara shook the other surgeon's hand with awe; "It's nice to meet you Dr. Avery, It's such a privilege" she said.
Harper chuckled before pulling away; "It's my pleasure" he replied. He then turned towards Catherine; "Remind Jackson to see me before he leaves, okay?" he said.
Catherine nodded; "I will"
Harper nodded; "You both have a good day" he said before strolling away.
Catherine watched her father-in-law disappear from her sight before turning towards the door; "Come on now dear, no time to waste" she said before walking towards the door.
Mara followed her mentor wordlessly, clearly still reeling from meeting a legend.
oOo
Jackson pulled the door open and leaned forward; "Here we are" he said while extending his hand.
April accepted it and stepped out of the car; she surveyed her surroundings before turning towards Jackson. "Are we in Harvard?" she asked.
Jackson closed the door behind them and locked the door with the remote; "Yep"
"Are you giving me a private tour?" April teased.
Jackson chuckled; "Not really, we're taking a walk" he said.
April raised her brow; "We'll be walking around the campus, you mean?"
"Nope, we're going to the park, Arnold Arboretum"
April's eyes widen in surprise; "I haven't been there,"
"Exactly and now's just the perfect time to visit since it's spring, you'll love the wild flowers" Jackson said.
April felt a sudden tug on her chest as she stares at Jackson with wonder; "You're actually taking me for a stroll in the park with wild flowers?"
Jackson smiled shyly; "You like wild flowers and butterflies right?"
April felt her heart brim with so much love for the man standing beside her; she never expected that he'll remember the trivial things she once told him. He was acting out of character but she can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, she's getting a glimpse of who the real "Jackson Avery" is.
"Err—don't you like it?" Jackson asked anxiously.
April turned her head sideways as she let out a full blown but teary eyed smile; "I love it, thank you for remembering" she said.
Jackson let out a relieved sigh; he then squared his shoulders and gestured towards the pathway. "Let's go then, we have a long way to go" he said.
April nodded; "Let's go,"
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Dr. Hunt, I'm sorry to disturb you sir but your secretary just called and told me that she received a call from Dr. Kurt and he wants you to call him back as soon as you're able."
Derek lifted his gaze; "It sounds urgent, he's the Chief of Surgery from Mass Gen right?"
Owen turned his head sideways; "Yeah, I wonder what he wants."
Derek shifted his gaze back towards his patient's open skull; "You'll find out once you talk to him, might be about the Exchange Program" he replied.
"I can't think of anything else" Owen replied. "More suction Ross" he said.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"This place is beautiful!" April gasped as she takes a picture of the landscape of trees covered in flowers.
"It's always like this every spring"
April threw him a smile before snapping a couple of more shots; "This place is amazing, thank you for taking me here" she gushed.
Jackson smiled when an idea crossed his mind; he pulled his phone out of his pocket and pointed it at the oblivious red head, taking a couple of shots of his own.
April turned her head upon hearing shutter sounds at her back; "Are you taking pictures as well?" she asked.
"Err—yeah"
April smiled before moving towards Jackson; she stood right in front of him and held out her hand. "Let me see."
Jackson cleared his throat and hastily pocketed his phone; "No need to see mine, I'm quite sure we have the same pictures, we're looking at the same landscape" he replied.
April pursed her lips; "Spoil sport"
Jackson rolled his eyes.
April bit her bottom lip; after a moment she shifted closer to Jackson and turned her back to him. "Let's take a picture, I just realized we don't have a picture together" she said.
"Really? I didn't realize that"
"Yep, so, come on" April cajoled.
Jackson lowered his head awkwardly next to hers, keeping a distance between their bodies; "Is this okay?" he asked.
April giggled; "Come a little bit closer, no need to be shy. We've already done enough stuff to be shy now" she teased.
Jackson chuckles as he took a step closer; he wrapped his arms around April's waist from behind before pressing his face next to hers. "Is this fine now?" he asked.
April felt her cheeks flush with his intimate action; "Yeah, that's fine" she replied. She then extended her hand right in front of them and angled the camera towards them. "I changed the settings a bit so there'll be like 10 continuous shots, feel free to move or smile or whatever" she said.
Jackson tightened his arms around April and pulled her closer; "Yeah, shoot" he replied.
April smiled; "Here we go" she said before clicking.
Jackson heard the shutter sound and decided to fool around; he smiled at the first couple of shots but he started making goofy faces after the next. On the fifth shutter sound, he pulled his face away from April and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
April eyes widen upon feeling Jackson's lips on her cheek but after a second she let out a bright smile. On the seventh shutter sound, she pulled her face away from him and pecked him on the cheek too.
Jackson smiled widely at the camera upon feeling April's lips on his cheek. On the ninth shutter sound, he shifted his face and pressed his lips on her temple.
April closed her eyes as a contented sigh escaped her lips.
Jackson pulled his face away; "I think our shots are done" he said.
April opened her eyes and lowered her arm; she then turned her head to the side and planted another kiss on his cheek. "I know you don't like taking pictures, so, thank you for giving into my caprices" she said sincerely.
Jackson smile back; "You better give me a copy Kepner" he said.
April laughed.
Jackson pulled away and fell into step beside her; he then shifted his hand towards hers and interlaced their fingers together. "Come on, you haven't seen the wooden bridge yet" he said.
April squeezed his hand; "Will I be pushing my luck if I say that I want some pictures at the bridge with you too?" she asked.
"You can have as many pictures as you want" Jackson replied.
April smiled brightly before tugging on his hand; "Come on then, no time to waste" she said giddily.
Jackson laughed.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Have you guys heard?" Heather Brooks asked.
Jo sat down on the bench right in front of her locker before stretching her arms up; "About what?" she asked.
Heather leaned on her cubby and smile dreamily; "Dr. Pretty eyes flew all the way to Boston just to wish Dr. Kepner a happy birthday, he can be the sweetest if he wants to" she said.
Jo smiled; "Alex told me, it is sweet" she agreed.
Leah huffed; "Did you guys forget how much he hurt Stephanie?"
Heather rolled her eyes; "Did you also forget that Stephanie broke up with him and now she's happily dating Shane?"
Leah crossed her arms on top of her chest; "Whatever, he's still a douche" she said.
"Who's the douche?" Stephanie asked as she walked towards her friends.
Leah moved her head sideways; "Your ex"
Stephanie chuckled.
Shane appeared behind his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind; "Why are you laughing?" he asked.
"Leah's being sour on Stephanie's behalf" Heather supplied.
Shane furrowed his brows and pulled away; "Did something happen?" he asked.
Jo waived her hand dismissively; "Nothing happened, we were just talking about Dr. Pretty eyes" she replied.
Stephanie turned her head towards her beau; "Have you heard? Jackson flew all the way to Boston just to greet your mentor a happy birthday" she said.
Shane smiled widely; "I've heard"
Stephanie smiled back; "I think it's sweet" she said.
Shane planted a kiss on Stephanie's temple; "It is" he agreed.
Stephanie giggled.
Leah made a face before turning on her heels; "I can't believe you guys!" she said before stepping out of the locker room.
Heather cocked her head to the side; "What crawled up her ass and died?" she asked.
Jo shrugged her shoulders as she laces her shoes; "Maybe she's a little bit lonely, she has no one to romanticize with" she said.
Heather crossed her arms on top of her chest; "I have no one too but I'm not acting like a bitch" she said.
"Well, you're one of kind Heather" Stephanie teased.
Heather rolled her eyes before turning towards her cubby; "Whatever"
oOo
Boston, MA:
April pulled on her seatbelt before turning towards Jackson; "Thank you for taking me here, I enjoyed it so much" she said with a grateful smile.
Jackson met her gaze and smiled indulgently; "You're welcome" he replied. He then switched on the ignition and shifted his gaze to the rear view mirror; "Do you mind if we drop by the hospital first, I promised Grandpa I'll see him before I take off tonight" he said as he navigates the car out of the parking space.
"Of course not" April replied.
Jackson turned the steering wheel before turning his gaze back to April; "It will be quick, so, we still have time to ourselves" he said.
April smiled shyly; "Okay" she said.
Jackson smiled back before shifting his gaze back on the road.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Cristina pushed the door to her husband's office and found him talking on the phone. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her; she walked towards the couch and plopped down.
"—that's actually great. Yes, I'll run it with the board, thank you. I'll talk to you soon, bye" Owen placed the phone back to its cradle.
Cristina yawned; "What do you need to run over with us?" she asked.
Owen stood from his chair and walked towards his wife; "Dr. Kurt from Mass Gen was on the phone, he discussed some ideas that he wants me to run over with you guys" he replied.
"Is this about the Exchange Program?"
Owen stuffed his hands inside his pockets; "Yep" he replied.
Cristina furrowed her brows; "Is he planning on shipping our whole staff to Boston?" she asked.
"No"
Cristina crossed her hands on top of her chest; "I don't understand why Mass Gen is so interested in us, we have the best roster I know, but it's insane. Maybe Jackson and Alex is right, maybe Mass Gen is full of crap" she huffed.
Owen chuckled; "Don't shoot down the idea before hearing it" he said.
Cristina wrinkled her nose before standing up; "Enough of this, I'm so tired, take me home" she said.
Owen pulled Cristina to his chest before planting a soft kiss on her head; "Come on, we'll get you to bed" he said.
Cristina closed her eyes as she wraps her arms around her husband's waist; "No sex for you, I'm dead tired" she mumbled.
Owen laughed.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Are you sure you'll be alright here? I could take you with me" Jackson said.
April rolled her eyes; "I work here Jackson, I'm quite sure I can handle myself here. Go now, shoo! Don't keep your Grandfather waiting" she said.
Jackson smiled; "I'll be back, I'll see you in a few" he said.
April smiled back; "You bet" she replied.
Jackson turned on his heels and began walking towards the elevators.
April watches Jackson as he boards the elevator; she then waived a little when he caught her looking.
"April?"
April turned around and saw Catherine walking towards her; "Dr. Ave—Catherine" she caught herself before the other surgeon can chastise her.
"Nice save" Catherine said while grinning widely.
April smiled; "Yeah, I know the drill by now" she joked.
Catherine laughed; she then stood right in front of April and studied her from head to toe. "You look beautiful baby" she complimented.
April's cheeks redden upon hearing the compliment; "T—thank you" she replied shyly.
Catherine leaned forward and pinched the Trauma Surgeon's cheek; "You're so cute when you blush!" she giggled.
April laughed.
"So tell me, did you have fun? Did my son do a good job?"
April nodded; "He did, I enjoyed it" she replied.
Catherine beamed in approval; she shifted closer and looped her arm around April's. "Join me for coffee baby, I'm quite sure Jackson will take awhile with his Grandpa"
April swallowed hard before smiling nervously; "O-okay" she acquiesced.
Catherine smile triumphantly; "Let's go to the cafeteria then" she said while stirring the young surgeon to the right direction.
oOo
Jackson took a deep breath before knocking on his Grandpa's office; he fixed his sleeves while waiting for a response.
"Come in"
Jackson took another calming breath before pushing the door open; he stepped inside the spacious office and closed the door behind him. "Hi Grandpa"
Harper closed the journal his reading and took off his glasses; he stood from his chair and began walking towards his grandson. "Jackson my boy! It's nice to see you again" he said as he opens his arms for a hug.
Jackson smiled as he walks towards his old man; he stepped into his arms and returned the hug. "It's nice to see too grandpa" he said.
Harper patted Jackson's back before pulling away; "Take a seat" he said while gesturing towards the chair.
Jackson shifted closer to the desk and sat down.
Harper walked back to his desk and sat on his chair; "I heard that you took April out on a date, how was it?" he asked bluntly.
Jackson choked; "W-what?"
Harper leaned back on his chair while chuckling.
Jackson gathered his bearings before narrowing his eyes; "Did mom tell you all this?" he asked.
"No, I figured it out on my own. And oh, you can thank me for talking to Carlisle. It was actually me who got April the time off today" Harper said smugly.
Jackson studied his grandfather's face; "Thank you, that was nice of you" he said.
Harper chuckled again; "You're welcome" he replied. He then gestured towards Jackson's clothes; "I take it that you took her somewhere nice?" he asked.
Jackson groaned; "I'm not talking about my date with you Grandpa, I never have and I never will."
Harper rolled his eyes; "Fine. Let's talk about something else then, how's the hospital?" he asked.
Jackson leaned back on his chair; "It's good, we're slowly picking up the revenue we had lost the previous year."
Harper nodded in approval; "That's good to hear, good job my boy" he praised.
Jackson smiled.
Harper then leaned towards his desk and placed his hands on top of it; "I spoke with Stanley Richards a couple of days ago, do you know him?" he asked.
Jackson's interest was piqued upon hearing the renowned Plastic Surgeon's name from his grandfather's lips; "Yeah, he's one of the top Plastic surgeons in this country."
"He's the new head of Plastics in USC and he's been a good friend of mine for years" Harper explained.
"Go on"
"He called me up to ask about you, it turned out that Mark Sloan was his favourite prot and he learned that you studied under his mentorship. He wants me to check with you if you're interested in collaborating with him on some of his rare cases."
A look of sadness washed through Jackson's features upon hearing his mentor's name.
"I told him that I'll give you his number and have you call him with your decision."
Jackson lowered his eyes to the floor as he remained silent.
Harper noticing his grandson's reaction continued; "Mark Sloan was a brilliant surgeon and an excellent mentor, I'm quite sure that he'd be happy knowing that you'll be working hand in hand with his own mentor."
Jackson lifted his gaze from the floor and met his grandfather's eyes; "I know," he said with a smile.
Harper smiled back; "Call him once you reach Seattle, he'll be thrilled to speak to you" he said.
Jackson nodded; "I will"
Harper then stood up from his chair; "Since that's settled, I won't take much of your time anymore. Go find April, I'm sure you'd want to spend the rest of your time here with her" he said jovially.
Jackson stood up from the chair and nodded; "I'll go then" he said. He then stood right in front of the desk and leaned forward; he hugged his old man for the last time and patted him at the back. "Thank you Grandpa, I'll see you soon"
Harper patted Jackson's back before pulling away; "I'll see you soon too" he said.
Jackson smiled before turning on his heels; he turned the knob and pulled it open.
"Jackson?"
Jackson paused and turned his head; "Yeah?"
"I know I have been hard on you this past few years and that pushed you away. But I want you to know now that I'm proud of what you have become and I'm even prouder that you're making your own name in the field you chose."
Jackson felt tears prickle at the back of his eyes; "T—thank you Grandpa-it's nice to finally hear you say it" he rasped.
Harper nodded; "You deserve to hear it, you've done well" he said.
Jackson smiled; "Thank you again"
Harper leaned back on his chair before grinning slyly; "April is an impeccable choice too but make sure to move faster grandson, don't let your poor old man die without seeing his great grand kids" he said while winking.
Jackson felt his cheeks flush; "Grandpa!"
Harper laughed loudly.
Jackson shook his head but a smile can be seen on his lips.
oOo
"So sweetheart, tell me, where did you guys go?" Catherine asked as she stirs her coffee.
April smiled shyly; "We had lunch at L'Espalier and he took me too Arnold Arboretum" she replied.
Catherine smiled; "Impressive, I didn't know my son had a romantic bone in his body."
April giggled; "I was surprised too"
"Did you enjoy yourself? Arnold Arboretum is the prettiest at this time of the year" Catherine chattered excitedly.
"I did. It was my first time to see flowering trees, it was breathtaking" April gushed.
Catherine smiled fondly; "I'm so happy for you sweetheart"
"Excuse me, Dr. Avery?"
Catherine turned her head sideways; "Dr. Keaton? Are you done talking with Sarah?"
Mara nodded; "Yes, I'm actually on my way out. I just want to say goodbye before I leave" she said. She then turned her eyes towards the other person occupying the table; "I'm quite sure I saw you before but I can't seem to remember" she said with a smile.
April smiled back before holding her hand out; "We've seen each other before, I'm Dr. April Kepner from Seattle Grace Mercy West" she explained.
Mara's eyes widen as realization sinks in; she accepted April's hand and shook it with a smile. "You're right, I remember now. It's good to see you again, are you working on a case here?"
April pulled her hand away; "I'm working here under the Exchange Program"
Mara smiled widely; "Really? That's wonderful! I heard that it was a success that's why I'll be joining the next batch this year" she explained.
April smiled; "That's good to hear, I'm sure you'll enjoy it"
Mara nodded; "I'm sure I will" she said. Her gaze suddenly moved towards the cafeteria door and gestured towards it; "Oh, is that Jackson?" she asked.
Catherine and April's head both turned towards the direction.
Jackson strode towards their table with his eyes fixed solely on April; he was only a couple of steps away from them when he tore his eyes away from her and noticed that there is another person standing at his mother's side.
April smiled at him brightly; "Hey Jackson, look who's here" she said while gesturing towards Mara.
Jackson turned his head sideways; suddenly his eyes widen as he recognizes the person standing beside his mother.
"Dr. Avery, it's nice to see you again" Mara said.
"D-ddr. Keaton it's nice to see you too" Jackson sputtered.
Mara giggled.
April raised her brow upon noticing Jackson's unease.
Catherine narrowed her eyes between her son and Mara; she then turned her gaze towards April and saw the suspicious look she's throwing Jackson. She moved her gaze back to her prot and clapped her hands loudly to get her attention; "Now that you already said goodbye, you can now go. I want to spend time with my son and April" she said with a little edge.
Jackson cleared his throat as he averted his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
Mara, noticing her mentor's tone decided to leave; "Err—It's nice seeing you again Dr. Kepner and Dr. Avery, I'll go now, have a good day" she said before turning on her heels and scurrying away.
"You okay?" April asked Jackson.
Jackson's head snapped towards April and smiled shakily; "Of course"
"You look a little shaken up" April observed.
Jackson shook his head; "I'm not, are you ready to go?" he asked, trying to divert her line of questioning.
April grabbed her coffee and leaned back on her chair; "I'm still having coffee with your mom, why don't you pull a chair and join us" she said.
Catherine threw her son a disapproving look; "Why don't you buy coffee first then join us"
Jackson swallowed hard before nodding; "That's a good idea, be back in a sec" he said before turning around.
Catherine waited for her son to be out of earshot before turning her eyes towards April; "Don't mind him baby, I'm sure it's nothing"
April took a sip of her coffee; "He slept with her" she said nonchalantly.
Catherine's eyes widen in shock; "I'm sorry—I'm not sure I heard you right."
April shrugged her shoulders; "Jackson slept with Mara" she repeated. "It's written all over his face" she added thoughtfully.
"Are you upset?"
April smiled; "Of course not" she replied.
Catherine studied April's face before nodding; "If you say so dear"
April took another sip of her coffee.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Where have you been?" Meredith asked as she watches her husband saunter towards her.
Derek stopped right in front of her and planted a soft kiss on her lips; "Just got off an emergency surgery" he replied.
Meredith placed her hands on his chest; "This early?"
Derek placed his hands on her hips; "Yep, ATV accident"
Meredith winced.
"Have you seen your twisted sister? She's been looking for you all morning"
Meredith shook her head; "Nope, I only saw Alex."
Derek leaned forward and pecked her on the lips again; "Well, you better find her then" he said with a smile.
Meredith smiled back; "Fine. I'll see you later" she said.
Derek pulled away; "I'll go check on the kids, catch you later" he said before turning around.
Meredith stuffed her hands inside her lab coat pockets and began moving towards the other direction.
oOo
Alex pulled his latex gloves off before turning towards his resident; "Page Ortho while waiting for the Xray results" he said.
Leah slung her stethoscope around her neck; "Okay" she said.
Alex moved towards the nurses' station and grabbed his tab; he tapped on it a couple of times before shifting his eyes towards the electronic tracking board.
"Alex!"
Alex turned his head sideways; "Hey Mer, what's up?" he asked.
Meredith stood beside her friend and gazed at the board with interest; "Slow day today?" she observed.
Alex placed his tab on top of the desk; "Yeah and it isn't even Monday" he replied.
Meredith nodded; "At least you get to relax" she said.
Alex faced Meredith; "Yang was looking for you this morning but it doesn't look urgent, she just looks bored"
Meredith laughed; "What did you guys do?"
Alex leaned his back on the desk before gesturing towards his resident with his pursed lips; "See that?"
Meredith turned and saw Leah assisting the patient; "Yeah, what's with Murphy?"
Alex smiled; "She's not my resident, I actually have Mousey for the day but Yang is yapping about missing Kepner and how she cannot pick on anyone so I offered a swap" he explained.
"You sacrificed Mousey so Cristina can have her fun, is that it?"
"Yeah."
Meredith wrinkled her nose in distaste; "You're horrible Alex!"
Alex chuckled; "I'm not, I'm just helping a friend"
Meredith rolled her eyes; "You and your twisted way" she said.
Alex wiggled his brows; "I have the twisted sisters, I can say that I learned from the best."
Meredith stared at her friend before bursting into laughter.
oOo
Boston, MA:
Jackson leaned back on his seat before placing his hands on the steering wheel; he waited for a couple of seconds before turning his head towards April. "Are you upset?"
April locked her seatbelt before turning her eyes towards Jackson; "Why would I be upset?"
"Because of Mara"
April cocked her head to the side; "Why would I be upset about her?"
Jackson's hand tightened on the steering wheel; "Because—because I slept with her before" he admitted.
"Oh"
"It didn't mean anything I swear. It was just a one time and we both know that it won't happen again and-"
April giggled.
Jackson paused upon seeing April's reaction; "Err—why are you laughing?"
April bit her bottom lip to stifle her giggles; "You're funny" she said bluntly.
Jackson stared at April confusedly.
April moved her hand towards his arm and gave it a soft squeeze; "Jackson, it's alright. Whatever happened between you and that British delight happened in the past, it doesn't bother me" she said with a kind smile.
Jackson felt the knot inside his chest loosen upon hearing her words; he let out relieved sigh before smiling. "British delight?"
April burst into fits of giggles again; "She's British and she's definitely delightful, well, at least to you" she jibed in good humour.
Jackson stared at her deeply as he moves his hand towards her cheek, cupping it with his palm; "She's not delightful in my eyes, not even a bit. You're the only one I can see now and I think you are the most beautiful woman I ever laid my eyes on" he said seriously. He then let out a boyish grin; "And oh, I happen to love the hell out of you too" he added thoughtfully.
April chuckled as she felt her heart soar; she moved her face and planted a soft kiss on his palm. "That's good to hear, now, why don't you be a good driver and take us home" she said.
Jackson laughed before pulling his hand away; "Yes Ma'am" he replied. He then turned his key and moved his eyes towards the side mirror.
"And Jackson?"
"Hmmnn?"
"I love the hell out of you too" April said cheekily.
Jackson chuckled as he steered the car out of the parking lot.
April smiled before focusing her gaze on the road.
oOo
Catherine entered their house warily; she knew for a fact that April's reaction to seeing the exchange between her prot and her son didn't go well. The Trauma Surgeon may have played it cool but she has known her for years and her reaction didn't mesh well with what happened; with that in mind she decided to scout the house to find her and try to convince her that it was nothing. She walked along the hallway with her heels clicking loudly; she was about to climb up the stairs when she heard faint laughing coming from the patio. She spun on her heels and made her way towards their garden; her eyes widen in surprise when she saw her son and April sitting closely together while browsing through her phone. A relieved smile crept towards her lips as she watched them; "I guess, there's nothing to worry about after all" she said.
April's head snapped towards the door; she then let out a bright smile upon seeing Catherine leaning on the door frame. "Hi Catherine"
Jackson turned his head towards the same direction; "You're home early" he observed.
Catherine crossed her arms on top of her chest; "I wanted to spend time with you before you fly out tonight"
Jackson smiled; "Awwww...you missed me after all" he teased.
Catherine chuckled; "When do I not miss you? I fly to Seattle regularly" she replied.
April chuckled; "I think you should come home more often" she said.
"I don't have to, she's always in Seattle"
"What are you guys doing?" Catherine asked curiously.
"We're just sorting the pictures we took" April replied.
Catherine smirked; "You were able to convince my baby to pose?"
Jackson rolled his eyes.
April threw the other surgeon a smug look; "Surprisingly he agreed without much coercion on my part" she said.
Catherine clapped her hands excitedly; "Very good dear! You have my son wrapped around your finger!"
Jackson just smiled while April's cheeks tinged red.
Catherine laughed; "What time do you need to check in?" she asked.
"My flight leaves at 7" Jackson replied. He then lifted his arm and took a peek at his watch; "I have to get ready in an hour" he said.
Catherine nodded; "Alright, well, I'll have Sophie fix us some snacks. I'll let her bring it out here, I'll be back and I'll just change into more comfortable clothes" she said.
April stood up; "I'll help Sophie"
Catherine waived her hand dismissively; "No baby just stay there and spend time with Jackson" she said.
"But-"
"You heard the boss, no sense arguing with her" Jackson said with a smile.
April pouted as she plops down; "Fine" she said.
Catherine chuckled before turning around and leaving the couple to their devices.
oOo
"So just hold on and it won't take long.
I hope that you can love me when the pain is gone.
I don't want us to fall through the cracks of a broken heart.
Don't want us to fall through the cracks of your broken heart..."
oOo
April bit her bottom lip as she watches Jackson talking with the airline staff at the counter; she moved her eyes to the floor and inserted her hands in her back pockets.
Catherine noticing April's reaction shifted closer; she touched the young surgeon's shoulder and smiled. "You only have a month left baby, next time we're here, you'll be flying back to Seattle"
April lifted her gaze; "I'm just not good with goodbyes" she admitted.
Catherine squeezed April's shoulder comfortingly; "It's not really a goodbye per se, it's more of see you soon" she said.
April's eyes prickled with tears but she let out a smile; "I'm being silly—I'm sorry"
Catherine pulled her hand away and smirked; "Are you two already official?"
"What do you mean official?" April asked confusedly.
"Are you a couple?"
April's eyes widen as her cheeks began flaming; "Err—no, we're not" she sputtered.
Catherine rolled her eyes; "You two are driving me insane" she huffed.
April chuckled as she shook her head; her initial predicament, temporarily forgotten.
"Hey-I'm already checked in" Jackson said as he fell into step with April.
April turned her face towards Jackson; "Good"
Catherine stepped towards her son and pulled him into an embrace; "I will miss you baby, have a safe flight" she whispered.
Jackson hugged his mom back; "I'll call you once I land safely" he said.
Catherine patted his back before pulling away; she then turned her eyes towards April and smiled. "I'll wait for you outside dear" she said before turning around.
Jackson turned to his side and smiled; "So this is it, I'm off" he said.
April bobbed her head as she rocks on the balls of her feet; "Yeah" she whispered.
"I will miss you"
"I will miss you too"
Jackson faced her fully and pulled April to his chest; he wrapped his arms around the other surgeon's waist and buried his face into her neck. "I meant what I said, take all the time you need because I'll be waiting for you and our do over" he whispered.
April wrapped her arms around Jackson and hugged him tightly; "Thank you for being understanding and for waiting, I'm almost there so you don't have to wait long" she responded.
Jackson shifted his head and planted a soft kiss on her shoulder; he pulled away but kept his arms around April's waist. "I love you and I can't wait" he said with a boyish smile.
April's tears trickled down her cheeks; "I love you too" she replied.
Jackson moved his hands towards April's cheeks and cupped it; he gently wiped the tears with the pad of his thumbs before pulling her face towards his. "I'll see you real soon"
April closed her eyes; "See you soon" she replied breathlessly.
Jackson smiled before pressing his lips to hers; after a couple of seconds he pulled away. He closed his eyes and kept his forehead to hers; "I have to go now because if I don't, I won't ever leave" he murmured.
April chuckled as she opened her eyes; "You won't hear the end of it if you don't leave, so, go now" she said.
Jackson pulled away and stuffed his hands inside his pockets; he then smiled before gesturing towards the boarding gates. "I should go"
April mirrored his action before smiling; "You should" she replied.
"Yeah"
"Yeah"
Jackson chuckled; "You go first," he said.
April shook her head; "The last time we parted, you watched me walk away, I won't have it again, so you go" she said.
Jackson let out deep breath before nodding; "Okay," he said.
April gestured towards the boarding gates with her pursed lips; "Go"
Jackson threw her one last look before turning on his heels; he gritted his teeth tightly as he willed himself not to look back because he knows that if he does, he won't be boarding that plane. Once he reached the gates, he pulled his passport and ticket from his back pocket and handed it towards the attendant; after the inspection, he collected it again and continued his trek without looking back.
April watched Jackson as he handed his ticket towards the attendant; she felt her chest tighten as she saw his back disappear from the gates. After a couple of seconds she took a deep breath and spun to her heels; she then closed her fists tightly to keep her emotions at bay.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Jackson stepped inside the elevator and punched the ground floor button; he yawned sleepily as he leans back on the railings. The door was about to close when an arm suddenly appeared between it, stopping the doors from closing. He lifted his gaze from the floor and let out a loud groan upon seeing his new companion.
Cristina slipped inside the elevator with a huge smirk on her face; she saddled up next to the Plastic Attending and nudged him playfully on his side. "Congratulations McPretty, you finally grew a pair and it's BIG. I'm proud of you. How was it? How's Kepner?"
Jackson couldn't help but smile with the other surgeon's antics; he shook his head but kept his mouth shut.
Cristina nudged him again; "Come on pretty boy, share some details! I'm dying here" she cajoled.
Jackson turned his head sideways; "There's nothing to share" he replied.
Cristina groaned as she crossed her arms on top of her chest in a petulant manner; "You're no fun!"
Jackson shoved his hands inside his pockets as he tries his best to ignore his pouting friend. His eyes shifted automatically to the door when the elevator bell dings; his smile instantly faltered while he mentally swore.
Alex tore his eyes away from his chart as he steps inside the elevator; he walked towards the vacant space beside Jackson and snapped his folder close. He turned his face sideways and grinned widely; "You grew BIG balls man, I'm proud of you" he said.
Jackson groaned; "You've got to stop talking about my balls!" he said exasperatedly.
Alex turned towards Cristina as he snickers; "Did he tell you anything?" he asked.
"Maybe pretty boy is holding out the details because he's waiting for Mer to join us so he doesn't have to repeat himself" Cristina said hopefully.
Alex leaned back on the railing; "We still have 1 floor to go, who knows, maybe Mer is on the next" he said.
The elevator bell chimed again as the door opens; Meredith placed her hand to keep the door from closing as she fires out instructions to Heather. "Make sure to monitor his vitals closely and page me as soon as possible if you see any irregularities with his stats. I don't want to hear my patient coding before I get that page, am I clear?"
"Yes, Dr. Grey" Heather replied.
"Good, now scoot" Meredith said before turning towards the elevator.
Jackson bowed his head; "Really?! Come on!" he mumbled to himself.
Meredith stepped inside the elevator with huge smirk on her face; she punched on the close button before standing right in front of Jackson. "Just the person I've been wanting to see" she said happily.
Jackson groaned while Alex and Cristina both snickered.
"How come you didn't tell us that you're flying all the way to Boston yesterday?" Meredith asked.
Jackson lifted his face and met Meredith's eyes; "Because of this!" he said while gesturing around them wildly.
Meredith laughed; "You didn't tell us because you think that we'll tease you about it?"
"I didn't think you guys will, I know you would!"
"We're not teasing you man, we're actually proud of you" Alex said.
Cristina nodded in agreement; "We've seen you mope for months and it's refreshing to see that you finally did something about it."
Jackson pursed his lips; "I'm not moping, I don't mope, I don't know what you guys are talking about."
Meredith raised her brow while crossing her arms on top of her chest; "Really? Not even once? That's weird, because I can distinctly remember you sitting in the stairwell and-"
"Fine! You've proved your point, just shut up about it! Geez!" Jackson yelped.
Meredith smirked; "Now that we have that cleared, why don't you be a good pretty boy and tell us what happened."
Jackson let out a defeated sigh; "It wasn't premeditated that's why I didn't tell you guys. I was doing some paper works when a thought hit me, so without even thinking twice I stormed into the Chief's office and told him that I'm leaving for Boston. Derek and Arizona just happened to be there so they knew where I went" he explained.
"What thought hit you?" Cristina asked curiously.
"It's actually quite cheesy, you guys don't have to hear it" Jackson said sheepishly.
"Now you made us curious, come on man, tell us" Alex said.
"Alex is right, tell us, we won't judge" Meredith coaxed.
Jackson eyed his friends before continuing; "We've been celebrating our birthdays together since Mercy West days—April and I—no matter how busy we are or if we're involved with other people, we both make sure we make time to celebrate it with each other so I flew all the way to Boston" he explained.
Meredith smiled; "I think it's sweet"
"I'm lost for words pretty boy, just, good job" Cristina said.
Alex nodded in agreement; "That's cool man, you have nothing to be ashamed of"
Jackson stared at his friends before shaking his head in disbelief; "And my day keeps on getting weirder and weirder" he thought.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Patient is stable for now, page Cardio, Neuro and Ortho and book O.R. 1" April instructed her resident before stepping out of the Trauma Room. She took off her gloves and threw it on the trashcan near the door; she took off her trauma gown next and stuffed it inside the bin provided.
"Dr. Kepner?"
April turned around and saw her mentor standing near the nurses' station; she let out a smile as she walks towards him. "Good morning, Dr. O'Brien"
Carlisle smiled at his student; "Good morning to you too, early trauma?" he asked.
"Biking accident"
Carlisle shook his head; "We've been receiving a lot of these cases lately, biking should be fun-not life threatening."
April nodded in agreement; "That's true"
Carlisle stuffed his hands inside his lab coat pockets and smiled; "Your training is almost up, are you ready to go home?" he asked.
"I am, I've learned so much from you and I can't wait to share it with my colleagues" April chirped excitedly.
Carlisle chuckled; "I learned so much from you too, your checklist is doing this E.R. wonders."
April smiled shyly; "I still can't believe you approved and implemented it" she admitted.
"Why wouldn't I? It makes my life easier and it keeps my residents on their toes. Your check list is actually very helpful when it comes to sorting out sloppy interns and lazy Attendings" Carlisle said with a wink.
"You remind me of someone from home" April said thoughtfully.
Carlisle eyed April with amusement; "Please don't tell me I resemble Hunt, I will be very offended" he joked.
April giggled; "Why? Dr. Hunt is a very fine man and he's a brilliant surgeon"
"And he has a receding hairline" Carlisle said. He then paused and grinned widely; "And he's also ginger" he added as an afterthought.
April stared at her mentor for a second before bursting into fits of laughter. "That's-you're awful!"
Carlisle laughed; "It's the truth, I always tease him about it when we're in Iraq" he said.
April shook her head as she continues laughing.
Carlisle smiled fondly at his student; "Don't tell him I told you that, he'll have my head for it"
April bit her lower lip hard to stifle her laughter; she then squared her shoulders and arranged her features into the most serious face she can muster. "I won't tell him, I promise"
Carlisle studied April's face before chuckling; "Catherine was right, you're not good in lying, you can't even make a decent poker face" he teased.
April raised her chin and threw her mentor a haughty look; "Of course I can!"
Carlisle shook his head before turning on his heels; "Practice makes perfect Kepner" he said while waving his hand.
April laughed as she watches him walk away.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Jackson entered the pit with Meredith, Cristina and Alex in tow; he walked towards Miranda and flashed her with an award winning smile. "Your patient has been moved to the recovery unit and she's good as new"
"Thank you Avery" Miranda said. She then peered behind the young surgeon's shoulder and raised her brow; "But did you need to bring my once sloppy interns to tell me all that?" she asked.
"Hey!"
"We're not sloppy!"
"And we're the best set of interns you ever had!"
"Well I'll be damned. You complete each other's sentences now; you're like Tweedledee and Tweedledum plus one. Avery do you have anything to add to their futile attempt to construct a decent rebuttal?" Miranda asked sarcastically.
"Err—"
Miranda braised her hands on her hips as she glares sternly at her former prots.
Alex cleared his throat and hastily turned on his heels, leaving without a word.
Meredith looped her arm around Cristina and took a step back; "We'll be going now, we still have rounds to do" she said while tugging on the other surgeon's arm.
Cristina followed Meredith's lead and also took a step back; "We'll see you guys later" she said before dragging her friend away.
Jackson swallowed hard; "I better go too, I—"
Miranda's face relaxes as a small smile appeared on her lips; "You should learn to fend them off when they keep on harassing you like parasites"
Jackson's eyes widen in surprise.
Miranda chuckled upon seeing Jackson's reaction; "I've known those three for years, seeing them follow you the way they did, is a sure sign that their trying to squeeze the details out of you" she explained.
Jackson let out a chuckle; "They're playing hard ball and I'm sure I'm so close to caving in, thank you for getting rid of them for me, I appreciate it" he said with sincerity.
Miranda shook her head; "It's only good for an hour or two, so duck and run towards the other direction if you see one of those three."
"I will, thank you again"
"Go, scoot!" Miranda instructed.
Jackson nodded before turning on his heel.
"Avery!"
Jackson paused and turned his head; "Yes?"
"I hope that your valiant gesture yesterday was not wasted, but either way you did good."
Jackson felt blood rush to his cheeks as he tries his best to look calm; "Err—it was not wasted" he replied shyly.
Miranda nodded in approval; "Good to hear, now, scoot" she said.
Jackson quickly averted his gaze and made a bee line towards the door.
Miranda chuckles as she watches the Plastic Attending flee in absolute mortification.
oOo
Boston, MA: Last day of the Exchange Program
Weeks passed by like a breeze and the day that April has been waiting for has finally come; today was her last day as an Attending in this hospital and by tomorrow evening she'll be back home. She can feel the giddiness hum through her body as she pulled the last stitch on her Rou-en-Y; she then shifted her gaze towards her resident and eyed him for a moment. "Arnolds, can you close him up?"
Dr. Arnolds' eyes widen in shock upon hearing his Attending's question; "Y—you're letting me close?" he sputtered.
April raised her brow; "Do you want to?"
Dr. Arnolds' bobbed his head excitedly; "Of course Dr. Kepner, I'll be very happy to do it" he said.
"Don't use staples it's sloppy and make sure you stitch him up carefully so the scarring is minimal, okay?"
"I'll do it"
April nodded; she then turned towards her intern and handed over her instrument. She was about to step away from the operating table when the clapping began. Her eyes widen in shock as the sound intensifies and rebounded inside the room; she felt tears pool in her eyes as she watches the O.R staff claps for her. "Not fair, you guys will make me cry like a bitch baby!" she joked between tears.
The clapping instantly seized and was replaced with laughter coming from her peers.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Meredith pushed the door open to Attendings' Lounge and was surprised to see her friends sitting around the table; she closed the door behind her and walked towards them. "What are you guys doing here? Is this an emergency assembly or something?" she asked.
Alex grumpily shoved his hand inside his bag of chips; "It's freaking Jambalaya's day at the cafeteria" he replied.
Meredith moved her eyes towards Cristina and saw her eating the same thing; "You're both eating junk food for lunch?"
Cristina threw Meredith a wistful look; "These are the times I miss Kepner the most, I miss her packed lunches"
Alex nodded in agreement; "We eat decent food when she's around."
Meredith pulled a chair and plopped down; "What date is today?"
Cristina plucked her phone from the table and checked her calendar lazily; "It's the 31st, why?"
Meredith leaned back on her chair and smiled knowingly.
Alex scrunched his face while looking at Meredith but after a couple of seconds, it hits him; "Today's Kepner's last day with Mass Gen, she'll be home by tomorrow."
Cristina's eyes widen; "Shoot, that's right!"
Alex laughed; "Hello turkey casserole and apple pies, McRainbowBright is back!" he said excitedly.
Meredith and Cristina both stared at Alex before bursting into laughter.
oOo
"Hey Avery, today's the last day of the exchange program right?" Callie asks as she washes her hand.
Jackson grinned as he wipes his hand with a towel; "Yep, all our Attendings' will be on a plane by tomorrow night"
Callie smirked; "You only want one Attending to be on that plane" she teased.
Jackson rolled his eyes but the smile never left his lips; "Of course not" he replied.
Callie shook her head; she then grabbed a towel and began drying her hand as well. "Are you picking her up from the Airport?"
Jackson's smile instantly turns into a frown; "I can't, we have that stupid board meeting, remember?"
Callie threw the towel on the provided bin and crossed her hands on top of her chest; "Oh yeah, If you're not picking her up then who would?"
"I'm not sure, I haven't spoken to April yet but if I'm not available then she'll have to get a cab"
Callie nodded; "Well I better go, I need to check on Sophia before my next surgery" she said before turning around.
"See you later" Jackson said.
oOo
Boston, MA:
April stepped out of the O.R. and took off her surgical cap; she walked along the hallways but paused when she saw her mentor standing near the elevator, grinning widely at her.
"I heard, the infamous Mass Gen O.R. clap" Carlisle whistled.
April smiled shyly; "Yeah, it was—I don't know what to say" she replied.
Carlisle chuckled as he punches the down button; "Not every Attending gets that clap, I couldn't be more proud" he said.
April shoved her hands inside her lab coat pocket and began rocking on her heels; "I know, I didn't think I'd get one"
"You deserve it" Carlisle said kindly. He then ushered April to step into the elevator before following shortly. Once their settled inside, he punched on the ground floor button and shoved his hands inside his lab coat pockets. "Today's your last day, I'm quite stumped, where did all the time go?"
April chuckled; "Time flies when you're having fun, I guess?"
Carlisle nodded; "That's about right" he replied. "You're done for the day right? That was your last surgery?"
"Yep, I just need to do all my endorsements then I'm good to go"
"You headed to the pit?"
"Yep"
Carlisle smirked when the bell chimed and the elevator doors opened; "Good, I'm heading the same way" he said.
April stepped out of the elevator and began walking along the familiar hallways towards the pit; "You have a consult?"
"Yep, Trauma Room 5" Carlisle replied.
April furrowed her brows; "Trauma Room 5? Is it functional already?" she asked confusedly.
Carlisle pushed the door open and held it for his student; "It is, do you want to join me before your post ops? It's just a simple consult, nothing dire or life threatening"
April smiled brightly; "You'll let me tag along?"
Carlisle rolled his eyes; "It's your last day, hell, I'll even let you do a valve replacement if you're up to it" he joked.
April laughed; "We both know how that could turn out"
Carlisle chuckled as he steers the other surgeon towards the right direction; once they reached the designated room, he stood behind April and cocked his head to the side. "Are you ready?"
"I am" April replied.
Carlisle smiled mischievously; "Okay then, what are you waiting for? Let's go" he said.
April nodded before pushing the door open; she stepped in and smiled widely. "Hi good afternoon I'm Doctor Kepner and-"
"SURPRISE!"
April eyes widen as her hands flew to her lips; she took a staggering step back as she saw the number of people inside the room. "Oh god" she gasped.
Carlisle laughed as he fell into step with his student; he then braises his arm around her shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. "Do you honestly think we're just going to let you leave without a proper send off?"
April's eyes prickled with tears as she stared at the smiling faces of her peers looking at her; "You brought the whole trauma team here! Redmond will kill me!" she said with a chuckle.
The small crowd laughed.
"And you got me cake!"
Carlisle nodded indulgently; "Red velvet with cream cheese frosting"
April turned her head towards her mentor; "I-I don't know what else to say" she gasped. She then shifted her eyes towards the other staff; "You guys are great-words will not be enough to describe how grateful I am for having the chance to work with all of you. Thank you-you've all been good to me and I will definitely miss you" she said while fighting her tears.
The head of Trauma nurse stepped forward and handed her a bouquet of yellow roses; "This is from the E.R. nurses, we wish you good luck Dr. Kepner" she said with a kind smile.
April accepted the flowers as she smiles tearfully; "Thank you so much"
The Chief Resident moved next and handed her another bouquet of roses, this time all white; "This—this-is from all of your residents Dr. Kepner, Bon Voyage!" he stuttered nervously.
"More like from you!" Another resident teased.
The Chief Resident hastily took a step back as his face turned into an angry shade of red.
April accepted the flowers as she chuckles; "Thank you Dr. Ford" she said. She then shifted her gaze towards the other resident's who's smiling back at her; "Thank you, all of you. You made my job easier in the pit, I hope you learned something from me because I for sure learned a lot from you" she said with a wink.
The resident's all beamed at her.
The group of interns stepped in next and handed her large doctor bear with a Mass Gen Lab Coat on; "This is for all the headaches we've caused you Dr. Kepner, we thank you for your patience and for keeping up with us" they said in unison.
"Awwwww..." April gushed as tears trickles down her cheeks.
Carlisle shifted closer and accepted the teddy bear from the interns since April's hands are full; "I'll hold this for you"
April threw her mentor an appreciative smile before moving her gaze back towards her students; "The headaches are worth it, you guys are an awesome bunch. Rally on and make your mentors proud" she said.
The interns all nodded.
"You've all been very nice to me and my time here has been spectacular, I hope in the near future I'll get the chance to work with you all again. Thank you!"
The whole room erupted with cat calls and thunderous claps.
April smiled fondly as she watches her peers cheering for her.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Grey and Yang! Get over here!"
Meredith stopped causing Cristina to pause as well; she then turned her head sideways and saw Callie and Derek beckoning them. "Callie and Derek are calling us"
Cristina turned her head towards the direction that Meredith is looking at; "I wonder what they want"
"Let's find out" Meredith said as she tugs on her person's arm.
Derek moved towards his wife and planted a chaste kiss on her lips; "I feel like I haven't seen you all day" he murmured.
Cristina untangled her arms from Meredith and moved towards Callie; "What's up?"
"Break it up!" Callie scolded the couple smooching beside them. She then turned towards the Cardio Surgeon; "We have a board meeting tomorrow" she said.
"Err—we know"
Derek wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder and pulled her into his side; "Avery is pouting"
Meredith turned her head sideways; "Tantrums?"
Callie crossed her arms on top of her chest before smirking; "Kepner is due to arrive tomorrow night and he wants to pick her up but he can't because of that meeting"
"Oh, right!" Cristina said.
"Callie and I are just talking about it and we want to suggest to let Jackson skip this meeting" Derek explained.
Meredith planted a kiss on Derek's cheeks before smiling; "You are playing cupid, I think it's sexy" she whispered.
Derek smiled.
"We want to ask the two of you if it's alright, I already talked to my wife and she's okay with it" Callie said.
"Yeah, that's fine" Cristina said. She then paused and smiled slyly; "Can we not tell him yet? Let's make him pout and squirm a bit?"
"Cristina!" Meredith said between giggles.
Derek shrugged his shoulders; "It's your call" he said.
Callie smiled at Cristina; "I'm with you, let's watch pretty boy squirm, it should be fun" she said.
Cristina cackled loudly.
oOo
"What do we have?" Jackson asked as he walked towards Stephanie.
Stephanie handed him a chart and pointed towards bed 4; "Cooking accident; patient was drenched in boiling water and has a sprained wrist, I already administered pain killers and I'm just waiting for the XRAY results."
Jackson read the chart and walked towards the bed; "Hi good afternoon, I'm Dr. Avery and I'll be your consult for today. I was told that you were drenched with boiling water?" he asked.
"Yeah, I was about to drain some spaghetti noodles when I slipped on the floor" The patient said while wincing.
Jackson pulled a swivel stool and sat down; he placed the chart at the foot of the bed and slipped on his latex gloves. "Let's take a look"
The patient nodded.
Jackson studied the burns for a couple of seconds before pulling the gown down; "You have second degree burns on your stomach and pelvis area but we can fix that. I would write you a prescription for systemic antibiotics and ointments that will help with the pain and swelling" he then paused and turned towards his resident. "Dr. Edwards, please bring me some antibiotic creams"
"Of course Dr. Avery, I'll be right back" Stephanie replied before turning on her heels.
Jackson plucked the chart from the patient's bed and grabbed his pen from his lab coat pocket; he was writing some notes on the chart when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He tore his eyes away from what he's doing and turned around; "Dr. Karev?"
Alex cleared his throat and shoved his hands inside his lab coat pockets; "Can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked.
Jackson turned towards his patient and stood up; "I'm sorry, I'll be right back"
Alex began walking towards the nurses' station and waited for his friend to follow him.
"What's up?" Jackson asked.
"Kepner's flying back tomorrow night right?" Alex asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yeah"
"We're planning on throwing her a welcome back party at my place this coming weekend, do you think she'd be cool with that?"
Jackson smiled; "You're loaning your place? Wow, you must've missed her so much" he teased.
Alex grinned; "I need to be on her good side so I can convince her to start packing her home cooked meals again, it's been a year since I last ate something that's not microwaveable" he said.
"Wilson doesn't cook?"
Alex peered behind Jackson's shoulders and started surveying their surroundings; once he's sure that his girlfriend is not within the vicinity, he scrunched his face. "She's a good doctor but her cooking? It's lethal man, I tell you"
"That bad?"
Alex shuddered; "That bad, I wouldn't even ask the stupidest intern to eat it"
Jackson laughed.
"My place this weekend then?"
"Yeah, that'll work" Jackson replied with a smile.
Alex nodded; he then furrowed his brows when he remembered something. "Are you picking her up from the Airport?"
Jackson's smile faltered as his shoulders slumps; "I wanted to but we have this stupid board meeting tomorrow night"
"I feel for you man" Alex said sympathetically.
Jackson sighed.
"Excuse me, Dr. Avery, I already have the antibiotic cream" Stephanie said while wiggling it right in front of him.
Jackson turned towards Alex; "I have to go, catch you later" he said before walking away.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Dr. Kepner, please come in" Eric Kurt said.
April smiled at the Chief of Surgery before stepping inside the room; she then closed the door behind her and began walking towards his desk.
Eric gestured towards the vacant chair; "Please sit down"
"Thank you" April said shyly before sitting down.
Eric leaned back on his chair and smiled at the Trauma Surgeon; "Today's your last day, everything already set?" he asked.
April nodded affirmatively; "Everything is set, I just got off my last surgery and all my endorsements has been made."
"Excellent" Eric said. He then cleared his throat; "I called you here because I want to personally congratulate you for successfully finishing the program and of course, to thank you as well for your contributions. You have excelled in your chosen specialty and it is an honour to have worked with you."
April smiled; "It's a privilege to have worked here, I have learned a lot under your tutelage and I wouldn't be what I am now without your help and for that I'm forever grateful" she said sincerely.
Eric smiled; "It's nice to know that we've helped you in honing your skills and that having said, I wanted to ask you something, if I may" he said.
"Of course" April said.
Eric sat straighter and shifted his clasped hand under his chin; "I've seen your work Dr. Kepner and I'm beyond impressed. You've only been here for a year and yet you've manage to streamline the E.R and cut the time intake in half and because of that our E.R is now working more efficiently than it did before" he paused. "You are aware that we are running another exchange program this year right?"
"Yes"
"What will you say if I offer you a permanent spot here in Mass Gen and let you facilitate the trauma program?"
April's eyes widen in shock as her jaw hangs open.
Eric chuckled at April's comical reaction.
April snapped her mouth close as she tries to digest what she was just told; she swallowed a couple of times before she was able to find her voice again. "I—I don't think I got what you just told me so let me clarify if I understood it right—did you just say that you're—you're giving me a spot here as an Attending and—and you're letting me facilitate the trauma program?"
Eric nodded; "Yes"
April felt her breath hitch in her throat; "But—but why?" she gasped.
"Why not? You're a brilliant surgeon and you're innovative, you're also an excellent administrator which is an added bonus. You're a complete package Dr. Kepner and Mass Gen will be lucky to have you"
April stared at Eric in bewilderment before leaning back on her chair, completely stunned.
Eric leaned forward and placed his clasped hands on top of his desk; "I'm not asking you to decide right away because I know this is a big decision to make. The offer can wait because the program will not run until July so you have a month, will you think about it?"
"Err-okay, I'll think about it" April replied, still clearly dazed.
Eric smiled; "That's what I want to hear" he said.
oOo
Seattle, WA: April's Departure
"Morning Avery" Owen greeted.
"Morning Chief" Jackson replied glumly.
Cristina smirked at her husband before shifting closer to Jackson; "Why do you look so sad pretty boy? Kepner is still arriving tonight, right?"
Jackson closed his charts and placed his tab on top of it; he inserted his pen inside his chest pocket before looking at Cristina. "Yeah, 8 P.M"
Cristina raised her brow; "Then why do you look like your favourite shoes have been nicked?"
"Nothing" Jackson said. He the gathered his things and turned on his heel; "We have a board meeting at 8 P.M, don't forget and don't be late" he said while walking away.
Owen crossed his arms on top of his chest; "I thought we're letting him skip the meeting so he can pick up Kepner?"
"We are"
Owen furrowed his brows; "Did you guys tell him that?"
Cristina turned towards her husband and smirked; "We haven't but we'll tell him after lunch, we're just making him squirm a bit."
Owen shook his head; "You guys are so mean"
Cristina walked towards her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist; "But you love me anyway, right?" she said with a pout.
Owen planted a soft kiss on Cristina's nose before smiling; "I do" he said with a smile.
Cristina smiled back.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Good morning baby, come here and join me for breakfast" Catherine beckoned.
April smiled as she walks towards the dining table; she pulled a chair and sat down. "Good morning, I'm sorry I woke up late"
Catherine waived her hand dismissively; "It's alright dear"
April grabbed her glass of orange juice and took a sip; after a couple of gulps she placed it back on top of the table.
"Did you finish packing?" Catherine asked.
"Yep, everything is set"
Catherine placed her fork down on her plate before staring at the April; "You're really leaving me today" she said with a hint of sadness.
"I know, I will miss you terribly" April replied with a sad smile.
"I will miss you too baby, this house will be so empty again" Catherine said. She then crossed her arms on top of her chest pouted; "If only I can move Grey Sloan here in Boston, I would've done it by now" she said.
April chuckled; "I know you would" she said. She then paused and bit her lower lip.
Catherine noticed the young surgeon's reaction; "What's wrong?" she asked.
April leaned back on her chair and eyed Catherine; "I need to tell you something but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone"
Catherine took note of the seriousness in April's voice; "Which translates to I can't tell Jackson, right?"
April nodded.
"Okay, I promise I won't tell him"
April took a deep breath; "Dr. Kurt offered me a permanent position in Mass Gen and he wants me to facilitate the next exchange program for trauma"
Catherine's eyes widen in surprise; "Oh"
April sighed; "He's giving me a month to decide and I don't know what to do" she admitted.
The wheels in Catherine's mind starts turning as she stares at April's slumped form; "When did he give you that offer baby?" she asked cautiously.
"Yesterday"
Catherine leaned back on her chair as she mentally cusses; "Harper you sly old man! You'll be in so much trouble if Jackson finds out that you're behind this!" she thought.
"I—I don't know what to do, the offer is really great but—but I love Seattle and my friends are all there-I'm so confused" April said dejectedly.
Catherine took pity on April's plight so she leaned forward and gave her arm a comforting squeeze; "It's a hard decision to make sweetheart but you have time to think. Don't worry about it too much because when the time is right, you'll know what you want"
April smiled faintly; "I should be jumping for joy because Mass Gen wants me but I'm not, what's wrong with me?"
"You have important factors to consider, don't be too hard on yourself."
April sighed again; "I guess"
Catherine pulled her hand away; "You don't have to make any decisions yet so let's bury it under the sand for now." She then smiled brightly; "Are you excited to go home?" she asked.
April's mood brightened a bit; "I am, god, I miss Seattle, I even miss the rain!"
"We don't get much rain here"
"We don't, we also don't have Taco Trucks here"
Catherine laughed; "You and your unhealthy choice of food!"
April laughed.
Catherine grabbed her fork again and speared a piece of fruit from her plate; "Who's picking you up at the Airport?" she asked.
April leaned forward and grabbed her cutlery; "I'm not sure yet, I can always grab a cab, that's not a problem"
Catherine raised her brow; "Jackson is not picking you up?" she asked.
April shrugged her shoulders; "I don't know I haven't talked with him yet" she said.
"Call him, I'm sure he won't mind"
"I will after breakfast"
Catherine nodded in approval before taking a bite of her melon.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Meredith, Cristina and Alex are all sitting around the table in the cafeteria when Arizona and Callie spotted them; the couple walked towards their table and stood right in front of them.
Meredith stopped laughing and moved her eyes towards the newcomers; "Hey guys, did you need something?" she asked.
Arizona crossed her arms on top of her chest and narrowed her eyes menacingly at her co-board members; "Did you already tell Avery that he can skip our meeting later?"
Alex raised his brow and turned towards his friends.
Callie took a step back and began gesturing frantically towards Meredith and Cristina.
Cristina scrunches her face as she tries to understand Callie's butchered sign language.
Arizona's head snapped sideways and glowered at her wife.
Callie dropped her hands instantly as a guilty look crossed her face.
Arizona shifted her eyes back to the table; "Well?"
Alex took pity at his friends so he decided to interfere; "They're actually on their way to find Jackson I just stopped them so I don't have to eat alone" he said.
Meredith cleared her throat; "Yeah—that's true"
"We don't want evil spawn to eat alone so we decided to sit with him" Cristina said.
Arizona raised her brow; "Karev seems to be done eating."
Cristina shot up from her chair and threw Meredith a look; "We're going" she said.
Meredith stood up from her chair too and took a step back from the table; "We'll find Avery" she said.
Cristina wrapped her hand around her friend's arm and began tugging her towards the exit; "See you later!" she said.
Meredith waived as she followed Cristina.
Arizona shook her head before shifting her gaze towards her prot; "You saved their asses"
Alex shrugged his shoulders before standing up; "Only because you look so damn scary" he said with a smile.
Arizona eyed Alex with amusement; "I am scary"
Alex chuckled; "I know" he quipped.
oOo
Jackson was doing some paper works inside the conference room when his phone started vibrating; he plucked it from the table and smiled when he saw the picture flashing on the screen. "Hey beautiful"
"Jackman!"
"You sound chipper than the usual, you excited to come home?"
"I am! All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go!" April said excitedly.
Jackson chuckled as he leans back on his chair; "Wow! You're quoting a song, you must be really happy" he said.
"I know!"
"Your plane lands at 8, right?" Jackson asked.
"Yep, about that, will you be picking me up?" April asked.
"I was supposed to and I want to but we have this stupid board meeting scheduled at the same time" Jackson groaned.
April giggled; "I understand, you have duties to tend to. I'll just grab a cab and I'll call you once I reach my apartment" she said.
Jackson sighed; "Did you remind your landlord that you'll be arriving tonight? Is everything set?" he asked.
"Yep, don't worry about it. I spoke with Emma just before I called you and she told me that everything is set"
"Good"
"Well, I have to cut this short, I still have things to do and I know you're busy too. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess?"
"I'll try to swing by your place if my meeting ends early, that okay?" Jackson asked.
"I have a better idea, I'll just drop by the hospital after I deliver my things to my apartment. I want to see each member of our dysfunctional family anyway, I missed them all so much"
"That'll work, call me once you arrive at your apartment, if my meeting is up, I'll pick you up"
"I live 15 minutes away from the hospital, you're not picking me up."
Jackson rolled his eyes; "Fine"
April chuckled; "See you in a couple of hours Jackman! Try not to scowl too much" she teased.
Jackson smiled; "I'll try my best"
"Bye!"
"Bye" Jackson replied. He then pulled the phone away from his ear and placed it back on top of the table. He grabbed the same document and started perusing it again.
"There you are!" Meredith said as she peeks her head inside the conference room.
Jackson turned his head towards the door and stared at Meredith confusedly; "Did you need anything?"
Meredith stepped inside the room and smiled; "April's flight is tonight, right?"
"Yeah"
"Will you be picking her up?" Meredith asked
Jackson lowered the documents to the table and pursed his lips petulantly; "I can't, we have a board meeting"
"Go pick her up"
"What?"
"You can go, you can sit out on this meeting" Meredith said.
Jackson's brows rose in surprise; "Are you serious?"
Meredith crossed her arms on top of her chest before raising her brow; "Do I look like I'm joking? If you don't want to then I'll just tell the rest that-"
"NO!" Jackson yelped as he shot up from his chair.
Meredith smiled; "Okay"
Jackson shoved his hands inside his pockets and bit his lower lip to keep himself from grinning like a fool.
Meredith rolled her eyes; "You can smile, I won't judge. It's as if I don't know how crazy in love you are with April"
Jackson met Meredith's gaze before letting a huge smile form on his lips; "You guys are the best"
"We are pretty awesome, aren't we?"
Jackson nodded vigorously; "You are, hand's up" he said earnestly.
Meredith chuckled.
oOo
Boston, MA:
Catherine grabbed her mobile phone from her side table before sitting on her bed; she then tapped a number from her speed dial list and shifted her phone to her ear.
"Catherine"
"Harper Avery Senior! You have some explaining to do!" Catherine said sternly.
Harper laughed.
"Did you ask Eric to offer April a spot at Mass Gen?"
"Eric offered April a spot? Interesting"
Catherine huffed; "He didn't just offer April a spot, he offered her to facilitate the trauma program!"
"Really?"
"He did! And Jackson will throw a humungous fit if he finds out about this! He'll think that I'm behind all of this, AGAIN!" Catherine shrilled.
"Calm down dear, I'm quite sure that—"
"No. I know my son and Jackson is not someone you can reason with especially if his mind is already set. He won't listen to any explanations and he'll think that all of this is a conspiracy to lure him back here" Catherine paused and sighed wearily; "I just need to know what you told him so I can do damage control"
"Contrary to your belief, I did not ask Eric to offer April a spot nor did I ask him to have her run the trauma program" Harper explained.
"You didn't do anything?"
Harper took a deep breath; "I admit, when I spoke to Eric we did talk about the program. I did give him some ideas about looking for a potential hire from the roster that Grey Sloan sent us but I didn't push for April."
"Oh"
"Whatever April did during the course of the program might've caught Eric's eyes that's why she's been offered a spot. April Kepner is a brilliant surgeon and she deserves the offer the Eric gave her, I can't say that I'm surprised because I'm not. "
Catherine collapsed back first on her bed and groaned; "I can't believe this is happening."
Harper chuckled; "Did my answer calm you down a bit?" he teased.
Catherine pouted; "Fine. I was wrong, I shouldn't have accused you for meddling"
Harper chuckled.
Catherine took a deep breath; "I don't know how my son will take this and I'm not sure which direction April is leaning at. I just don't want those two to be hurt again—they deserve to be happy"
"I'm confident that April will make the right decision for them, I just hope that my grandson can handle this maturely."
Catherine chuckled; "We can only hope" she said.
"That we can" Harper replied.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
"Avery? What are you still doing here?" Derek asked.
Jackson tore his eyes away from his tab and smiled upon seeing the Neurosurgeon that's walking towards him; "I'm just finalizing some stuff for the foundation" he replied.
Derek crossed his arms on top of his chest and leaned on the door frame; "If you're done, I suggest you go now, you don't want to get caught in traffic"
Jackson cleared his throat; "About that, I just want to thank you for letting me off the meeting, I appreciate it big time" he said sincerely.
Derek smiled; "You're welcome, did you tell April that you will be picking her up?"
Jackson smiled; "I haven't gotten the chance to. I spoke with her earlier but I told her that I couldn't be there because I thought I'm still stuck with our meeting."
"You're surprising her then?" Derek asked.
"You don't think it's a good idea?" Jackson asked with a wince.
Derek's smile widens; "It's a brilliant idea, did you already order flowers?"
Jackson paused and threw Derek a puzzled look; "Why?"
"Mark is rolling in his grave right now."
"Err-"
Derek shook his head in amusement before turning on his heel; "Buy her flowers before going to the Airport Avery"
Jackson's eyes widen as realization sinks in; "Yeah—right" he murmured to himself.
oOo
Boston, MA:
"Are you ready to go baby?" Catherine asked as she watches April haul the last of her luggage.
April smiled; "Yep, that's the last of my stuff" she replied.
Catherine shifted her eyes towards the suitcases and smiled smugly; "When you first came here, you only have one suitcase with you and now that you're leaving, you have four!"
April giggled; "And whose fault is it?"
Catherine chuckled; "I never enjoyed shopping before but shopping with you had been fun"
April rolled her eyes; "You only say that because I don't complain when you dress me up like a doll" she quipped.
"You love me that's why you don't complain"
April smiled fondly at Catherine; "That I do" she said.
Catherine smiled back; "Did you make sure that the taffy's and chocolates are securely packed? You don't want those to melt all over your clothes"
"It's sealed and ready to go"
Catherine nodded; "Okay then, I'll call David to load all your stuff in the car. We have to get going dear, we don't want to get caught in the afternoon rush" she said.
April took one more look around the house before nodding; "Let's go" she said.
oOo
Seattle, WA:
Jackson was rushing along the hallway when he accidentally bumped into someone.
Richard braised his hands on the younger surgeon's shoulder to steady him; "Slow down there, where's the fire?" he joked.
"I'm sorry Chief, I wasn't looking where I was going" Jackson apologized.
Richard pulled his hand away with a smile; "It's alright, you on your way to the Airport?" he asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yes I am" he replied.
"Okay, drive safely" Richard said.
Jackson smiled; "Will do, bye!" he said before storming towards the elevator.
Richard shoved his hands inside his lab coat pockets and shook his head in amusement.
"Is that Avery?"
Richard turned around and saw his former student walking towards him; "Yes it is"
Alex chuckled; "He's on his way to get Kepner then?"
"I think so,"
Alex grinned widely; "He's totally whipped, Kepner has him by the balls and she doesn't even know it"
Richard chuckled; "It's refreshing to see him working hard to woo a woman he likes" he said.
Alex nodded in agreement; "McPretty is quite enamored with McRainbowBright, I just hope he doesn't screw this up this time."
"You're hanging out with Yang and Grey too much" Richard said amusedly before turning on his heels.
Alex laughed.
oOo
Boston, MA: Logan International Airport
Catherine fiddled with her phone as she watches April talk with the airline staff at the check in counter; after a moment she tapped on the messaging application and began composing a text message for her son.
"All my things are checked in, I just need to wait for my flight" April said.
Catherine hit the send button and slipped her phone inside her coat pocket; "Are you sure you can manage with a cab? I mean, you have four luggages and they are heavy. I can call Richard to send his driver for you."
April smiled affectionately; "I'm a farm girl, I can manage hauling my things around, don't worry about it."
"Of course I'll worry, I see you as my own" Catherine said.
April's eyes prickles with tears as she stares at Catherine; after a moment, she leaned forward and pulled the old surgeon into a hug. "I will miss you. Thank you so much for having me at your house and for taking good care of me" she whispered.
Catherine wrapped her arms around April; "I will miss you too" she replied. "If ever you decided that you want to take the spot with Mass Gen, promise me that you'll stay with me"
April tightens her hug as tears fell down her cheeks; "I promise" she murmured.
Catherine began rubbing April's back soothingly; "Don't cry baby, you'll ruin your make-up"
April squeezed Catherine one more time before pulling away with a chuckle; "Really?" she said while wiping her cheeks.
"At least I got you to stop crying" Catherine said smugly.
April shook her head; "When will you be flying back to Seattle?" she asked.
"I'll be there after a week" Catherine replied.
April nodded; "Okay, that's great"
Catherine's attention was caught by the blinking electronic boards; "As much as I don't want you to leave, you have to if you want to be on that flight" she said.
April took a peek at her watch; "You're right" she said.
Catherine smiled; "I'll see you in a week?"
"See you in a week" April replied.
Catherine leaned forward and planted a kiss on the Trauma Surgeon's cheek; "You have a safe flight baby and call me as soon as your home, okay?"
April smiled; "I will, you should go too, it's late" she said.
Catherine nodded; "Bye baby" she said before turning around and walking towards the exit.
April turned on her heels and began walking towards the boarding gates.
oOo
Seattle, WA: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Jackson nervously fidgeted as he waited for April at the Arrival's Lounge; he began rocking on the balls of his feet as he stares at the bouquet of flowers in his hands anxiously.
"Jackson?"
Jackson's eyes widen upon hearing the familiar voice; he quickly turned around and hid the flowers behind him. "Hey, I didn't see you coming"
April chuckled as she leans on her luggage cart; "I came from the other side because I had to get my stuff" she explained. She then cocked her head to the side and stared at him confusedly; "What's wrong with your arm? Why are you hiding it behind your back?"
Jackson smiled before taking a few steps towards April; once he's close enough, he whipped his hand out from his back and placed it right in front of her. "Welcome home"
April gasped as her eyes widen in surprise; "You-you got me flowers?" she asked in disbelief.
Jackson scratched the back of his neck with his other hand nervously; "Err-yeah, I hope you like them-"
April stared at the bouquet with delight; "I love it!"
Jackson wiggled his hand; "Do you want to hold it?" he asked.
April smiled widely before pulling the bouquet from Jackson's hand; she shifted the flowers closer to her face and inhaled deeply. "You got me wild flowers! Where did you get wild flowers at this hour?"
"I knew you liked them so..." Jackson trailed off. He then peered at April's luggage cart and whistled; "Wow, you have a lot of luggage, good thing I came here to get you."
"I know, I was amazed myself to. I remember leaving Seattle with just one luggage and now I'm hauling four!"
Jackson chuckled as he steps towards the cart; he wrapped his hands around the handle and began tugging on it experimentally. "How in the world were you able to drag this stuff around? It's heavy! Did you bring home rocks or something?" he asked as he stares at the cart.
April chuckled; "I grew up in a farm, I'm used to dragging heavy stuff" she said. She then paused and handed the flowers back to Jackson. "You hold this"
Jackson pulled his hand away from the handle and accepted the bouquet; "Err-I thought you like the flowers?"
"I love them" April replied as she shifted closer to her luggage and wrapped her hands around the handle.
"What are you doing?"
April threw Jackson a side glance before smiling; "We have to go if we want to catch our people in the hospital."
Jackson placed the bouquet inside the cart and gestured for April to move over.
"But you have a bad shoulder, I can get this" April insisted.
Jackson rolled his eyes; "My shoulder is fine, Torres fixed it. Now, why don't you move your pretty little ass out of the way so we can go" he said.
April huffed as she pulls her hands off; "Fine but don't go complaining to me if your shoulder is sore" she said.
Jackson shook his head as he began pushing the cart; "Don't worry, I won't"
April rolled her eyes.
oOo
"Another exchange program? Wow, Mass Gen is on the roll" Arizona said.
"I was surprised too" Owen replied.
Meredith leaned back on her chair; "Will we be able call the dibs on the specialties this time?"
Owen nodded; "We will, Eric told me that since they had the first pick they will let us choose this time" he said.
"Ha! That's a first" Callie said.
Cristina crossed her arms on top of her chest; "Why do you think Mass Gen is so interested in us? Don't you think it's a little bit—suspicious?"
"Cristina—" Owen groaned.
Derek look pensive for a moment; "Cristina has a point though"
Cristina gestured towards Derek; "Thank you!" she emphasized.
Owen paused and furrowed his brows while thinking.
"Do we have to vote on this tonight? We still need to inform Jackson about this new development" Meredith said.
Callie snickered; "Good luck on that. I doubt Pretty Boy will like this" she said.
Arizona wrinkled her nose; "Yeah—I don't think he'll take this as a good news"
Cristina chuckled; "Everything that has anything to do with Mass Gen is bad news for him."
Meredith nodded in agreement.
"I haven't given Eric a response yet, I told him that we'll deliberate on this first, so, we have time." Owen said.
"Good, we should really think about this first" Derek said.
Owen nodded in agreement; "You're right."
oOo
"Are you sure can carry that? It's kinda heavy" Jackson said.
April threw Jackson a side glance; "You are aware that these are just chocolates and taffy's right?" she asked.
"Yeah"
"Your chivalry lately is going out of proportions."
Jackson laughed; "I can't help it, it was literally ingrained to me by my mom since birth"
"If it was ingrained to you since birth then how come I haven't seen it before?" April teased.
"You already did" Jackson replied smugly.
April raised her brow; "When?" she challenged.
Jackson threw April a loop sided smile; "The day I introduced my fist to Alex Karev's face."
"Jackson!" April gasped in mortification.
"What? I busted my fist that night, I fought for your honour!"
"We promised not to talk about that night!" April shrilled loudly.
Jackson laughed; "Fine, I won't mention it again, ever."
"Thank you!" April said. She then stepped inside the E.R. and smiled widely at the familiar ambiance; "It feels so good to be back! I miss this place!" she gushed excitedly.
Jackson pointed towards the secluded nurses' station near the Outpatient Procedure Room; "Let's put your stuff over there first before you start gushing like a love sick puppy again" he said with a smirk.
April rolled her eyes at him before she made a bee line towards the direction that Jackson is pointing at. Once she reached it, she hastily placed the bag on top of the counter and grinned widely when she saw a familiar face dozing off on a chair; "ALEX!" she yelled.
Alex's eyes snapped open as he automatically shot up from his chair; "I'mup-Wasrong -Kepner?"
April rounded around the desk and threw herself at the half awake Ped's Attending; "I'm back!"
Alex laughed loudly as he wrapped his arms around April's waist; he pulled her to his chest and lifted her of the floor. "Welcome back!" he said, fully awake now.
Jackson braised his elbows on top of the counter and smiled at Alex's rare display of affection.
April giggled.
Alex placed April back on the floor before grinning widely; "I can't believe I'm actually happy to hear your squeaky voice!" he said jovially.
April grinned as she muses Alex's hair affectionately; "You missed me, don't act all cocky on me. I missed you too!"
Alex laughed.
"Where are the others?"
"I'm not sure" Alex said.
Jackson pulled his phone from his pocket; "I'll text them and tell them that we're here"
April leaned forward and grabbed the giant bag from the counter; she gingerly placed it on the nurses' desk and began rummaging through it.
Alex braised his hands on his hips as he watches the red head with amusement; "What are you doing? And how the hell were you able to haul that much paper bag here?"
"She hauled four suitcases all the way from Boston, don't be surprised" Jackson said with a chuckle.
"Do you think I'll come here empty handed? I haven't seen you all for a year, of course I'll get you something" April said as she continues searching for Alex's paper bag.
Alex's eyes widen in surprise; "Really?"
April leafed through a couple of bags before she spotted one that's labelled with Alex's name; "Aha! There you are!" she said excitedly. She pulled out the bag and turned towards her friend; "Here you go!" she said.
Alex accepted the bag and excitedly opens it; his eyes widen upon seeing its contents before shifting his eyes towards April. "No way! You didn't!" he said in disbelief.
April smiles widely; "Yes way. I know you're a sucker for those"
Jackson leaned forward and tried peeking into the paper bag; "What did she get you?" he asked curiously.
Alex grinned like a little boy as he tilted his paper bag towards Jackson.
Jackson laughed; "That's a HUGE jar of Fluff Apes, you'll have Alex under your beck and call" he said.
April giggled.
Alex tipped the bag towards him again and continue delving under the jar; "You got me Junior Mints and taffy's! You are AWESOME Apes!" he chortled happily.
"I know right?" April chirped.
Alex grabbed a pack of mints and opened it; he titled it to his mouth and hummed happily.
"AAAPPRRRIIIIILLLLLL!"
April turned her head towards the hallways and saw her two friends walking towards her; "Meredith! Cristina!" she said excitedly.
Jackson turned towards the Ped's Attending but Alex just smiled as he continues munching his mints.
Meredith reached April first and engulfed her into a tight hug; "You're here!"
April laughed as she returns the hug; "I missed you!"
Meredith chuckled as she pulls away; "I missed you too" she replied.
April then turned towards Cristina; "You're not a hugger I already know that but I just came back!"
Cristina smirked before hugging the Trauma Surgeon; "That's the exact same thing you told me a year ago" she said.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I missed you and your awful name calling habits!" April said mirthfully.
Cristina cackled happily; "I missed your neurosis too!"
April laughed; "I bet you did!" she said.
"You two are weird" Jackson said.
"Oh! I got you something!" April said excitedly. She then turned towards the desk and began searching for Meredith and Cristina's name.
"What on earth is that?" Cristina asked curiously.
"Aha!" April said triumphantly. She turned towards the Cardio Surgeon and handed a huge paper bag; "This is for you and Chief Hunt" she said.
Cristina's eyes widen upon accepting the bag; "You bought us something? Why?"
April moved her eyes back towards the desk and began looking for Meredith's; "Of course I'll bring you something, I've been gone for a year" she said.
Cristina smiled at the Trauma Surgeon; "Thanks Apes" she said sincerely.
April paused and moved her eyes towards Cristina; "You're welcome" she replied. She then plucked another bag and handed it to Meredith; "This is for you and Dr. Shepherd, I included something for the kids as well" she said.
Meredith smiled fondly; "You didn't have to get us anything but thank you" she said.
April smiled back; "You're welcome. By the way, where's Callie and Arizona? And Chief and Dr. Shepherd?" she asked.
"Owen is with Derek, they fetched the kids from day care" Cristina replied.
"Look sweetie there's Auntie April!"
April peered behind Meredith's back and saw Arizona and Callie walking towards them. "Callie! Arizona! And you brought Sophia, come here baby girl!" she said while walking towards the couple.
Callie chuckled; "It's so nice to have you back April, we miss your perkiness around here" she said.
April laughed; "I miss you guys too!" she said. She then shifted towards Arizona and leaned towards the toddler in her arms; "Hey baby girl, did you miss Aunt April?" she cooed.
Arizona smiled affectionately at the red head; "Do you want to hold her?" she asked.
April opened her arms widely; "Come here, love"
Arizona handed their baby towards April and stood beside her wife.
April wrapped her arms securely around Sophia's tiny body and began peppering her face with butterfly kisses which earned a gleeful laugh from the toddler. She then turned towards Jackson; "Jackson, can you get their paper bag?" she said.
"Aye Aye Captain!" Jackson said while mock saluting.
Callie raised her brow at Jackson's perky behaviour; she then leaned towards her wife and whispered. "Someone's perky"
Arizona laughed; "Give Avery a break, we seldom see him this...happy" she said.
Callie chuckled as she shook her head.
Jackson leaned towards the desk and plucked the couple's gift bag; he then walked towards Callie and handed it to her. "Here you go"
Callie stared at April confusedly; "What's this?" she asked.
April stopped making goofy faces at Sophia and smiled at the Ortho Attending; "A little something from Boston" she said.
"You shouldn't have!" Arizona gasped.
Callie accepted the bag; "Thank you" she said with a grateful smile. She then shifted closer to her daughter and dangled the bag; "Look here pumpkin, Aunt April brought us something" she said.
Sophia giggled as she tries to swat the paper bag, when Callie moved it out of her reach, Sophia's face scrunched up and started to become fuzzy.
Arizona noticing Sophia's reaction threw Callie an exasperated look; she then moved towards April and opened her arms. "You better hand her over to me April, her face means business" she said.
April planted a kiss on Sophia's head before handing her over to Arizona. She then turned towards Meredith; "Where is Zozo and Bailey?" she asked.
"They'll be here in-look, they're here!"
April turned around and saw Derek and Owen approaching them; "There you are! I was wondering when I will see you"
Owen stopped in front of April and smiled at his student; "Welcome back" he said warmly.
April smiled back; "It's good to be back" she replied.
Derek fell into step with Owen and smiled; "It's nice to see you again April, ready to run the pit again?" he asked.
"I'm so ready I don't think I need to sleep!"
Derek laughed.
April moved her eyes and noticed Zola hiding behind her father's back; "Hey there Zozo, come here" she said as she crouches down.
Zola held on to Derek's shirt and smiled at April shyly.
"Aunt April is calling you Zozo, go on it's alright princess" Meredith cooed.
Zola slowly moved away from Derek's back and hobbled towards the red head.
April smiled at the little girl and opened her arms; "Give Aunt April a hug baby girl, I miss you" she said.
Zola walked towards April and slowly wrapped her tiny arms around her neck.
April hugged Zola and planted a soft kiss on her head; "I miss you love"
Zola giggled as she wriggles out of April's arm; the little girl walked towards her mother and raised her arms, asking her mother to pick her up.
Meredith leaned forward and lifted Zola from the floor; "You're getting too big for this Zozo" she teased.
Zola giggled and hid her face into her mother's neck.
"Where's Bailey?" April asks as she stood up.
"We had to leave him in the day care because he's napping" Derek said.
April nodded; "I see" she replied.
"You still have tons of paper bags here Apes, are you planning on giving every single staff here a gift?" Alex asked.
April turned towards Alex and smiled; "Not really, those are for the interns turned new residents and the Trauma team" she said.
"You are on in a million Kepner" Owen said while chuckling.
April raised her chin haughtily; "I am soldier, of course I'm one in a million" she said.
All her friends laughed at her statement.
oOo
April spent another hour with her friends before she decided to call it a night; she still has a lot of unpacking to do and she's a little bit jet lagged. She let out a tired yawn as they walk towards Jackson's car.
"You're sleepy?" Jackson asked.
April rubbed her eyes tiredly; "A little bit" she replied.
Jackson stopped beside his car and pulled the passenger door open; "Get in" he said.
April entered the car and sat down; she began tugging on the seatbelt but for some reason it won't budge.
Jackson closed the door shut and rounded the car; he pulled his door open and hastily sat down, pulling the door close after him. He then turned towards April and rolled his eyes; he leaned forward and helped her pull the seatbelt and fastened it for her. "There you go"
April smiled tiredly; "Thank you" she said.
Jackson turned on the ignition; "Time to sleep Kepner, you're about ready to collapse" he said.
April didn't argue and just bobbed her head in agreement.
Jackson chuckled before pulling out of his parking space.
oOo
"I know it's taking a while but every lesson, I've learned
and if your heart speaks tonight, I'll hear every word.
If you want to be free I'll never stand in your way
but with all that I am, I'm asking you to stay..."
oOo
The next day, April sauntered inside the pit with a bright smile on her face, she's still not due for work yet but she wanted to come by to continue distributing all the stuff she brought in last night.
"Kepner?"
April turned towards the line of beds and saw Miranda standing there holding a tab.
"Dr. Bailey! It's so nice to see you!" April chirped.
Miranda walked towards the perky Trauma Attending; "You're back, what are you doing here? You aren't due yet, right?" she asked.
"I'm not, I just came here to distribute some goodies I brought from Boston. Did Alex give you the paper bag I set aside for you, Dr. Warren and little Tucker?" she asked.
Miranda smiled; "Yes I did and thank you for that, I'm sure Tucker will love the salt water taffy's, it's his first time have those" she said.
April grinned; "I'm sure he will, I didn't even know it exists before" she joked.
Miranda chuckled; "Don't they have it in Moline?" she asked.
April shook her head; "Nope."
"I see"
April shoved her hands inside her pockets as she surveys their surrounding; "Are you piloting the pit today? Do you need any help? I can come in and-"
"Uh-uh you can't. You're not due till Monday and aren't you supposed to jet lagged or something?" Miranda asked
April pursed her lips; "I'm so bored at home, there's nothing to do" she complained.
"Well, you can't do anything here as well. Why don't you run along administration and find somebody you can bug, I'm sure Avery won't mind" Miranda said with hint of teasing.
April's cheeks flush; "Dr. Bailey!" she yelped.
Miranda chuckled upon seeing the young surgeon's reaction; "Oh Kepner, it's really good to have you back" she said.
April smiled; "It's good to be back"
"Dr. Bailey, incoming Trauma in 10 minutes, biking accident" The nurse called out.
"I often have these cases in Mass Gen, I wonder what's with the bikers nowadays" April said.
Miranda shook her head; "I don't know, I thought biking should be fun."
April sighed as she stares longingly at the E.R. doors.
Miranda noticed April's demeanor and took pity on her; "Scrub up and meet me by the E.R. doors in 5."
April's head snapped towards the General Attending, her eyes wide; "Really?" she asked hopefully.
Miranda rolled her eyes but a small smile is playing at her lips; "Show me what you've learned from that swanky hospital in Boston. Scoot and change into your scrubs now!" she barked.
April quickly spun on her heels and began running; "You won't regret this Dr. B! Meet you in 5!" she yelled.
Miranda laughs at April's enthusiasm.
oOo
"I wish could've been in that O.R." Shane said wistfully.
Stephanie took a sip of her soda and smiled at her beau; "So it's true, Dr. Kepner is back in action"
Shane smiled widely; "Yep she is and I can't wait to scrub in with her, I'm sure she has some new bad-ass techniques she learned from Mass Gen"
Stephanie chuckled.
"Who has bad-ass techniques?" Heather asks as she places her lunch tray on the table.
Shane turned towards their friend; "Kepner, she's back and she's operating now with Bailey" he replied.
Heather pulled a chair and plopped down; "I thought she's due on Monday? Why is she operating now?" she asked confusedly.
Stephanie threw Heather a side glance; "Bailey took her in"
"Oh"
Heather plucked her soda from the table and took a sip; "I haven't seen her yet, did you guys saw her?" she asked.
Shane shook his head; "Only the nurses and some E.R. staff" he replied.
Heather nodded; "She must've been here really early because I was at the pit this morning" she said.
"You know Dr. Kepner" Stephanie said with a smile.
"Why are you guys talking about Dr. Kepner?" Alex asks as he stood behind his girlfriend's chair.
Jo tilted her head upwards and smiled at her boyfriend; "Hey you, why are you here so early?" she asked.
Alex planted a kiss on Jo's forehead before narrowing his eyes menacingly at the residents; "Well?"
Shane cleared his throat; "We—we we're just talking about Dr. Kepner's surgery this morning" he sputtered nervously.
Alex scrunched his face in confusion; "She's in surgery?"
"Yes, she's assisting Dr. Bailey with the first trauma that came in this morning" Stephanie supplied.
Alex braised his hands on his hips; "She's not supposed to be in yet, stubborn as bull" he huffed. He then leaned forward and planted another kiss on Jo's head; "Got to go love, need to check on something" he said before turning on his heels.
"I hope we didn't get Dr. Kepner in trouble?" Heather said.
Jo raised her brow in amusement; "Knowing Alex? I doubt that" she said.
Shane groaned as Stephanie shook her head.
oOo
Alex pushed the door open to the pit and strolled in; he rakes his eyes around the whole place and saw two familiar figures talking near the exam room.
"Is he in yet? Kurt called Owen again this morning and he wants to know our decision" Cristina said.
Callie shuddered; "Not yet and I'm not looking forward on discussing it with him" she said.
"Did you guys know that McRainbowBright is elbow deep into someone's open cavity right now?"
Cristina turned her head sideways; "Huh?"
"You're into name calling too? Who the hell is McRainbowBright?" Callie asked.
Alex shoved his hands inside his lab coat pocket; "Kepner"
"Did you see her?" Cristina asked.
Alex shook his head; "The nosy residents are talking about her"
Callie raised her brows; "Are you sure they're not just gossiping? April is not due until Monday and you know that" she said.
"That's what I know but apparently Bailey let her scrub in for some unknown reason" Alex replied.
Cristina smiled; "Do you know which O.R. they're in?" she asked.
Callie reading Cristina's face smiled widely; "Let's go check the O.R. board" she said.
Alex spun on his heels; "I'm on it!" he said.
Callie and Cristina followed Alex.
oOo
"-we just need to clamp this off and we'll both get perfect visualisation of the damage, clamp please" April said.
Miranda watches as April put in the clamps; "Impressive Kepner, that's a neat technique, first time I ever saw it done" she said.
April chuckled; "I learned it from Dr. O'Brien, he's God's gift to Trauma" she said.
"Don't let Hunt hear you say that, he might get jealous" Miranda teased.
"I didn't mean it that way—Dr. Hunt is an awesome surgeon too and-"
"Don't worry Apes, I'll tell my husband how you feel"
April and Miranda's head snapped towards the gallery window and saw Cristina Yang waiving her hand at them somewhat gleefully.
"Torres, why did you bring Tweedledum and plus one with you?" Miranda asked.
Callie laughed as she shifted closer to the intercom; "We just wanted to make sure that the residents are not shitting us with what they saw. Kepner you're not supposed to be here yet!"
April smiled sheepishly; "I couldn't stay home all day" she replied.
"You and your OCD!" Alex said from the background.
April shifted her eyes back towards her patient and rolled her eyes; "Whatever Alex, you're still under my beck and call!"
Alex braised his hands on his hips; "I didn't agree on that!" he said defiantly.
"Lap pads, please" April said. She then smiled while tucking the pads; "Well, I just have to give the extra giant Fluff jar to Ross then" she said.
Alex scowled; "Fine."
Miranda snickered; "You got him the gooey marshmallow spread? You have him by the balls now, good job!"
"I love mean Kepner" Cristina said.
Alex groaned; "Whatever, I'm getting out of here" he said.
April shook her head in amusement.
oOo
"That's Alex" Meredith pointed towards the Ped's Attending who just came out of the observation room of O.R 2.
Derek nodded; "It's him alright, I wonder who's operating? Arizona?"
Meredith shook her head; "Let's come and see, if it's Arizona he should've been there with her" she said.
"You're right" Derek replied.
Meredith walked towards the door and turned the knob; she peeked her head inside the room and was surprised to see her person and Callie sitting on the chair. "Who are you watching?"
Cristina turned towards the door; "Bailey and Kepner" she replied.
Meredith frowned as she steps into the room; "Kepner is operating?"
Callie nodded; "She is"
Derek followed his wife and closed the door behind them; "But she's not yet due" he said.
"Exactly" Cristina said.
Meredith stood by the window; "And Bailey let her? Wow, she must've grovelled."
"I heard that Mer and I did not grovel! Dr. Bailey is just awesome that's why she let me scrub in!" April's voice resounded from the speaker.
Meredith's eyes widen.
Derek chuckled; "The speaker is on dear" he said.
"Why am I not surprised" Meredith said.
oOo
Jackson shrugged on his lab coat on as he enters the pit; he studied his surrounding and was surprised to see the Chief of Surgery updating the electronic board. "Chief?"
Owen tore his eyes away from his tab and turned towards the Plastics Attending; "Oh hey Avery" he greeted.
"Why are you updating that? I was suppose to co-pilot the pit with Bailey today, is she out?"
"Nope, she's operating with Kepner right now" Owen replied.
Jackson raised his brow; "April? Why would she be operating?" he asked confusedly.
Owen chuckled; "Apparently she was able to convince Bailey to let her scrub in" he said.
Jackson smiled as he shook his head; "She's impossible"
"Hey Avery! Why did you let your neurotic girlfriend come in today? You should've tied her to her bed!" Alex said.
Jackson turned around and saw Alex standing behind them; "What crawled up your ass and died?"
Alex braised his hands on his hips and turned his gaze towards Owen; "Sending her to Boston was a bad idea, they turned McRainbowBright into a conniving little blackmailer, what do they teach in that hospital?"
"Is she cashing out the Fluff ticket?" Jackson asked with interest.
"Fluff ticket? What on earth is that?" Owen asked confusedly.
Alex groaned; "She hasn't yet but she just has to tell me that she has another giant jar and she's giving it to Ross!"
Jackson laughed.
Owen shook his head before turning his attention back to his tab.
"She's really not giving it to Ross right? I'm much closer to her than the intern turned resident who almost killed her?"
Jackson rolled his eyes; "It's your jar, April bought you another one because she knows how addicted you are to that disgusting stuff."
Alex's face brightened as a large smile erupted from his lips; "I knew it!"
Jackson shook his head before turning towards the nurses' station to begin his day.
oOo
Miranda entered the room just as April was about to finish scrubbing out; she smiled at the red head before moving towards the sink. "Did you enjoy your Welcome Back surgery?"
April grabbed a towel and turned towards the General Attending with a large smile; "I love the flowers that Jackson gave me at the airport but this is awesome!"
"I didn't know Avery is the flower type of guy"
April's eyes widen in shock as the towel fell from her hands; "I—I—didn't just say that-Oh god-I-"
Miranda chuckled; she then grabbed herself a towel and began drying her hands. "So, you two are back together?" she asked.
April's cheeks went bright red as she tries her best to compose herself; "I—no—we're not a couple—we're—I-"
Miranda threw the used towel on the bin before braising her hands on her hips; "A man who flies a thousand miles just to greet a woman a happy birthday for just one night is not just a friend Kepner. His name may not be Ben but you might just have landed yourself a keeper" she said.
April stared at Miranda with her mouth agape.
Miranda laughed as she turns her back to the dumbfounded surgeon; she then began walking towards the door and pushed it open. "He might not have dorky flash mob dancers to tell you how he feels but he's also not the heart and flowers type of guy but he proved that he can be. Besides, you already sailed your maiden voyage with him, why not take it further, who knows, he might just be the one" she said before stepping out of the room.
April stared at Miranda's disappearing back before she's able to close her mouth.
oOo
"I already paged Yang and Grey and O.R. 3 has already been booked. Can you handle this Ross?" Jackson asked.
"Yes sir" Shane replied.
Jackson nodded; "Okay" he said before exiting the Trauma Room. He took off his gloves and threw it at nearest bin; he then walked towards the nurses' station and began updating the electronic board.
"You can go now, I'll be handling the pit while you take your lunch" Derek said as he pulled an empty chair behind the counter.
Jackson finished entering the data in his tab before placing it back on top of the desk; "Okay. Thanks."
Derek sat down and crossed his legs; "April just got off surgery, you taking her out for lunch?" he asked.
"Should I ask her or should I just take her out?"
Derek wrinkled his nose; "I thought you're good at this? Rumor around you always implied that you can sweep any woman off their feet" he said.
Jackson stared at Derek's face before licking his lips nervously; "Can I tell you something, off the record?"
Derek's brow rose in surprise but he nodded.
Jackson studied his surrounding first before leaning towards the desk; "April is different—she's not just any woman, she's—she's special, no very special to me and I don't want to screw it up" he said with honesty.
"You love her"
Jackson felt his cheeks flush but he nodded none the less; "Yeah..."
Derek gestured for him to continue.
Jackson swallowed hard; "I'm—I'm not good with this stuff because the women I used to date always takes rein. I mean, they pretty much do the first move and I just follow their lead but with April—she's new to this and I don't know which direction we're heading..."
Derek smiled; "She's your bestfriend, use that to your advantage."
Jackson furrowed his brows; "How?"
Derek crossed his arms on top of his chest; "April tells you things, right?" he asked.
Jackson nodded; "Right...?"
Derek saw confusion on the young man's face so he elaborated; "Let's put it this way, does April like flowers?"
"Yes, she loves wild flowers"
"Does she like chocolates?"
Jackson shook his head; "She prefers licorice"
Derek smiled; "There you go! Now you go from there" he said.
Jackson stared at Derek for a couple for a moment before a large grin formed on his lips; " I'll take her out for lunch then, you on the other hand are BRILLIANT" he said.
Derek chuckled; "I do what I can, now, go" he said.
Jackson tapped his hands on top of the desk before turning on his heels.
Derek shook his head.
oOo
"You done for the day?" Meredith asked with a smirk.
April zipped her jacket before turning towards her friend; "Yep"
Meredith collapsed on the couch and crossed her legs; "Does it feel different?" she asked curiously.
April moved towards Meredith and plopped down beside her; "What do you mean different?"
Meredith angled herself to face her friend; "Operating here again" she elaborated.
April smiled; "In some kind of weird way it's different—everything is familiar here and there's just this air that I can't explain—oh, don't mind me, I'm just crazy" she said.
Meredith smiled; "I get what you mean, you're not crazy. I guess we just consider this place as home is all"
April leaned back on the couch and stared at her lap pensively; "Yeah, our home, I love it here—so much" she said with a sigh.
Meredith noticed the shift in April's mood so she moved closer; she bumped her shoulder with hers and smiled; "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked.
April placed her palms on top of her thighs and began rubbing it; "Nothing, don't mind me" she replied with a smile.
Meredith didn't look convince but she let it pass; "Any plans tomorrow by chance?"
"Nope, do you need a babysitter? I can definitely drop by and gladly take the kids off your hands?" April offered somewhat excitedly.
Meredith thought for a second; "You won't mind? You sure?" she asked.
April nodded; "Yeah, I want to spend time with Zozo and don't get me started with Bailey! I want to hold him in my arms, he is just the cutest!" she gushed.
Meredith smiled warmly at the red head; "The kids will be at Alex's house tomorrow, is that okay?"
"Our old frat house? Why?" April asked.
"Err—we're doing some remodeling at our place that's why the kids are temporarily staying at Alex's"
April smirked; "I'm sure Alex loves that" she said.
Meredith chuckled; "He loves my kids, he doesn't mind one bit. So, you in?" she asked.
"Of course I'm in! Just text me or call me whenever you need me, okay?"
Meredith nodded; "I will" she said.
April was about to open her mouth to respond when the door to the Attendings' Lounge opened; Jackson pushed the door wider upon seeing them sitting on the couch and stepped in. "Hey, I was looking for you"
Meredith stood up from her perch as if on cue and began walking towards the Plastics Attending; when she reached Jackson she patted him good naturedly on the shoulder and winked at him. "She's all yours" she whispered.
Jackson chuckled; "See you later Mer" he said.
Meredith stepped outside the room and closed the door behind her.
"Hey!" April chirped.
Jackson shoved his hands inside his pockets and smiled; "I heard Bailey let you in to her surgery" he said.
April beamed; "She did and it was awesome" she said giddily.
Jackson chuckled upon seeing April's enthusiasm; "I'm on lunch, join me?"
April stood up from the couch and plucked her bag from the coffee table; "You buying?" she joked.
Jackson smiled boyishly; "I will, if you go out with me tonight?" he said.
April felt her cheeks flush; "Like—like a date?" she asked shyly.
"Yes, a date, I like the sound of that.—us dating I mean," Jackson said nervously.
April grasped her bag tightly; "So—we're dating?"
Jackson felt his cheeks burn but he still soldiered on; "If you want to date me then I guess we can date—no—we will be dating" he babbled.
April bit her bottom lip to keep herself from giggling; "You're babbling Jackman" she teased.
Jackson laughed tensely; "I guess I am—I'm sorry"
April smiled; "I think it's cute" she said.
Jackson smiled back; "So-let's go?" he asked.
April walked towards Jackson and stood right in front of him; "Yeah, lets" she said.
Jackson moved his hand towards April's and gently laced their fingers; "Now, we can go" he said.
April felt her heart skip a beat with his action so she averted her gaze and shifted it towards their clasped hands.
"Err—is this alright?" Jackson asked.
April lifted her gaze and smiled; "It's more than alright" she said.
"This is the second time I held your hand" Jackson said quietly.
"I know"
Jackson smiled brightly; "It's weird but it feels like just the first"
April felt her cheeks burn brighter; "I know"
Jackson squeezed her hand and began tugging on it; "Let's get out of here" he said.
April swallowed hard; "Lets"
oOo
Meredith stepped into the pit with a huge smile on her face; she walked towards Alex and tapped him on the shoulder.
Alex tore his eyes away from his patient's lab results; "Why are you smiling like a loon?"
Meredith smiled wider; "Problem solved, April will be at your house tomorrow" she said triumphantly.
Alex smiled back; "How did you do it?"
"I told her to be at your house tomorrow because I need a babysitter for the kids"
Alex laughed; "Let me guess, she volunteered in a heartbeat?"
Meredith nodded; "She did"
Alex shook his head; "She maybe a little bit feistier now but she's still gullible"
Meredith laughed; "That she is" she replied. She then shoved her hand inside her lab coat pockets and began rocking on the balls of her feet; "What are planning exactly?"
"Err-I thought you're planning?" Alex asked, confusion clearly written on his face.
"Alex!"
"I'll just order booze from Joe's" Alex replied.
Meredith narrowed her eyes; "How about the food? You can't have a party without food" she said.
"Oh that. Can you take care of it? I don't cook and you know that"
Meredith rolled her eyes; "I'll see what I can do, I'll go talk to Cristina about it, we'll figure something out" she said.
Alex snickered; "Yang? Are you sure you want Yang to cook?"
"Do you have a better idea then?"
"Fine. Go. Talk to the other twisted sister" Alex said.
Meredith spun on her heels and began walking away.
oOo
"I missed this place" April said before taking a sip of her Mimosa.
Jackson put his fork down and patted his lips with his napkin; "You miss everything about Seattle" he said.
"True"
Jackson smiled; "Even the rain?"
April smiled; "Even the rain"
Jackson shook his head before taking a sip of his soda.
"So-do you have any plans tomorrow?"
Jackson swallowed his drink; "Why? You asking me out on a date?" he said with a smirk.
April rolled her eyes; "I'm babysitting Mer's kids tomorrow, I'm wondering if you want to join me"
Jackson raised his brow; "Did Mer ask you?"
"Nope, I pretty much volunteered. I'll be heading to Alex's house though, she said that their remodelling the McDreamy house in the woods"
"Wow, Meredith is good" Jackson thought. He then bit his lower lip to keep from smiling;"Do you want me to babysit with you?" he asked.
"Two kids can be handful" April said sheepishly.
Jackson nodded; "Okay then, I'll help you"
April smiled widely; "Thank you" she chirped.
Jackson smiled back before shifting his eyes back to his food.
oOo
"—and Alex can't cook. So, what do you think?" Meredith asked.
"Let's put her to bypass" Cristina said. She then shifted her gaze towards Meredith; "You are aware that I can't cook as well right?"
Meredith crossed her arms on top of her chest; "I don't cook as well" she said.
Cristina moved her eyes to the heart monitor; "We'll order in and buy some cake, that'll do"
Meredith thought for a moment; "Yeah, that'll work" she said. "Since we have that figured out I'll go ahead and check on Callie, talk to you later"
"Okay" Cristina replied.
oOo
"We're here" Jackson said as he pulled on the hand break.
April unfastened the seatbelt and turned towards him; "Yep."
Jackson turned off the ignition and copied April's action; "Are you sticking around or are you going home?" he asked.
April furrowed her brows while thinking, after a moment she smiled; "I think I'll just distribute the remaining goodies then I'll head home" she said.
Jackson smirked; "You still need to prepare for our date later" he said.
"And that too" April replied. She then turned to her right and pushed the door open; "Come on, you're already late" she said.
Jackson rolled his eyes as he opens his door too; "I'm a board member, I'm sure it's alright" he said.
"Don't be too cocky Avery, your still an employee" April quipped.
Jackson chuckled; "That's also true."
April waited for Jackson before walking towards the door; she threw him a side glance before pointing towards the direction of the Attendings' Lounge; "Go now and change. I'll come find you once I'm done here" she said.
"Right away Ma'am" Jackson said before walking away.
April shook her head as she watches Jackson walk away.
"I've been wondering when I will get the chance to see you, welcome back Dr. Kepner"
April turned towards her right; "Ross!" she said happily.
Shane walked towards April and opened his arms; "Can I get a hug? I missed you, the E.R. hasn't been the same since you left" he said.
April giggles as she threw herself at her favourite student; "I missed you too!"
Shane chuckled as he patted his mentor's back; "It's good to have you back" he said.
"It's so nice to be back" April said before pulling away. She then peered behind Shane's shoulder and tried looking for the other residents; "Where are the others?"
"Steph and Leah are assisting Dr. Bailey in surgery. Heather is under Dr. Shepherd's service and Jo is in NICU" Shane explained.
"Let me guess, you're assigned here at the pit?"
Shane nodded; "I am"
April smiled; "Good. Oh! I got you guys something, are you busy now?" she asked.
Shane's eyes widen in surprise; "You got us something?"
April nodded; "Yep, so, are you busy or can you follow me? This won't take long so don't worry" she said.
Shane nodded; "Okay"
April spun on her heels and began walking towards the secluded nurses' station.
oOo
April stepped inside her apartment and locked the door behind her; she walked towards her couch and threw her bag on top of her coffee table. She plopped down lazily and turned to her side; she reached for her answering machine and tapped on the play button when she saw it blinking, prompting that she received a voicemail.
"Dr. Kepner, this is Eric Kurt from Mass Gen. I tried calling your mobile phone an hour ago but I can't seem to get through anyway, if you receive this message, please call me as soon as you're able. Thanks!"
April furrowed her brows as she leans towards the coffee table; she grabbed her bag and began searching for her phone. She plucked it from the side pocket and tapped on the screen; "That explains, you don't have any signal. I need to power cycle you again" she said to herself. She tinkered with her phone and placed it on top of her lap; she leaned back on the couch and began thrumming her fingers on the couch. After a couple of seconds she plucked the phone from her lap and began browsing through her phonebook; she tapped on the call button and shifted the phone to her ear.
"Dr. Kepner, good to hear from you" Eric Kurt said.
"Hi Dr. Kurt, I just heard your voicemail, I'm sorry it took me long to call back. Is something wrong? How can I help?" April asked politely.
"This is about the exchange program"
April bit her bottom lip anxiously; "What about it?" she asked.
Eric sighed; "I know I told you the last time we talked that you have a month to decide but there has been a change in our plan. We would actually need your answer in a week because Carlisle's wife just went into labor earlier today and he will be in Paternity leave. We are currently fixing this year's curriculum and we need an output coming from the Trauma point person and as you know, Carlisle handles that" he explained.
"I see"
"So, having said that, we would need to know your answer by next week so we could start working on it. I know this is soon and I didn't mean to put pressure in your decision making but my hands are also tied, so if you could give an answer by Monday next week I would really appreciate it"
April closed her eyes as she leans her head back; "I will give you answer on Monday" she said.
"Excellent, well I won't take much of your time then, you have a good evening" Eric said.
"You too Chief, bye" April said. She then pulled the phone away from her ear and tapped on the end call button; she threw her phone on top of her table and groaned loudly.
oOo
"Board meeting in 10 minutes, conference room in the west wing" Callie said as she walks by Jackson.
Jackson tore his eyes away from his patient's scans and turned his gaze towards Callie's back; "You just had one last night, what's going on?" he called out.
"Just be there in 10" Callie replied.
Jackson frowned as he shakes his head.
oOo
Owen waited for everyone to be seated before he sat down himself; "I know you're all wondering what this meeting is about since we just had one last night but there are things that we need to address and it cannot wait any longer I'm afraid" he said.
Jackson furrowed his brows as he stare at his co-board members one by one; "Care to enlighten me guys?"
Owen threw Derek a look which the Neurosurgeon understood; Derek angled his chair towards Jackson and cleared his throat. "Last night, Hunt informed us that he received a call from Dr. Kurt inquiring about the exchange program."
Jackson leaned back on his chair and stared at Derek; "What do they want?"
"They are planning on rolling it out again this year and Mass Gen is letting us choose the specialties this time"
"That's new, what gives?" Jackson scoffed.
Derek turned his gaze towards Owen, asking him to continue. Owen cleared his throat; "Nothing gives Avery, they just want to know if we're amenable to it" he said.
Jackson shifted his gaze towards the other board members; "What do you guys think?" he asked.
"We haven't decided anything yet because just like you, we're wondering about Mass Gens motives" Cristina said.
Jackson frowned; "And?"
"We haven't come up with anything yet" Meredith replied.
Jackson turned towards Owen; "How soon do they need an answer?" he asked.
Owen leaned back on his chair; "Dr. Kurt called me earlier and he told me we need an answer by Monday next week, their including Brigham to the exchange program this time" he said.
Cristina frowned; "And the ship just gets bigger and bigger" she said sarcastically.
Jackson nodded in agreement.
"I'm not asking you guys to decide right now because we have till Monday next week to let them know about our decision. I'm just letting you know about the details that Dr. Kurt told me today." Owen said. "Moving on to the next pressing issue-"
Jackson crossed his arms on top of his chest as he zones out.
oOo
April was slipping on her strappy sandals when she heard a knock on her door; she hastily grabbed her purse from the dresser and briskly walks to the door. Once she reached it, she stood right in front of it and straightened the creases on her dress; she took a deep breath before pulling the door open.
Jackson made a quick sweep of her dress before meeting her eyes; he let out an appreciative smile before pulling out the flowers from his back. "You look beautiful and this is for you"
April felt her cheeks flush with his intense gaze and accepted the flowers right away; she shifted her eyes towards the bouquet and smiled. "Where you keep getting these flowers at this hour, I'll never know but this is beautiful, thank you"
"I have my ways...are you ready to go?"
April nodded; "Yep, just let me put this away then we can go. Do you want to come in?" April asked as she opens her door wider.
Jackson shook his head; "It' okay, I'll wait for you here" he said.
April shrugged her shoulders; "Okay, just give me a sec" she said before turning around.
Jackson moved towards the open door and leaned on the door frame; he looked around the interior of April's apartment and shook his head in amusement upon seeing how neat it was.
"Why are you shaking your head?" April asks as she walks towards him.
Jackson smiled; "Your apartment still screams neat freak" he joked.
"You know me, I can't stand a messy room"
"I should take you to my apartment sometime, you know, to April-lize my things" Jackson joked.
April laughed; "Stingy Avery! You own a hospital, hire a housekeeper."
Jackson laughed; "Really? Stingy Avery?"
April pushed him outside her apartment and closed the door behind them; she turned towards it and locked it. "Well, I remember a certain yellow school bus" she said.
"That was Hunt's idea, not mine"
April turned to face him again; "You signed on it."
Jackson rolled his eyes before offering his hand; "Let's go, we have reservations we don't to be late" he said.
April clasped his hand in hers; "Where are you taking me again?" she asked curiously.
Jackson smiled; "It's a surprise."
April smiled; "Hearts and flowers Avery, I'm very impressed"
Jackson puffed out his chest proudly; "I may not be as rich as Christian Grey but I do know a thing or two" he said.
"You read that book?" April asked curiously.
Jackson face turned sheepish; "Not really"
April raised her brow; "You obviously read it because you knew where I got the hearts and flowers reference"
Jackson began tugging on April's hand, leading her towards the elevator; "I didn't! I just skimmed through it!" he said defensively.
April nodded; "Yeah, you just skimmed through it, right" she said with a hint of teasing.
Jackson stepped into the elevator and pulled April with him; he hastily pushed the ground floor button and waited for the doors to close.
April threw Jackson a side glance and noticed that her best friend is a little bit flustered; she smiled slyly before shifting her gaze to the doors as well. "It might have been fun if you actually read it you know, they have some interesting elevator scenes that'll blow your mind"
Jackson's eyes widen as his face turned redder; he cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with her line of topic. "Let's not talk about that book, please?"
"Okay" April said. She then bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing.
oOo
Meredith was busy writing on a piece of paper when Callie entered the Attendings' Lounge; she walked towards the distracted General Surgeon and pulled out a chair. "What are you doing?"
Meredith lifted her gaze from her list and stared at Callie; "I'm just writing some stuff that I need to order for April's surprise party tomorrow" she replied.
Callie gestured towards the paper; "May I?"
Meredith nodded; "Alex wanted to throw the party but he sucks at planning, all he ordered was booze."
Callie chuckled as she peruses the list; "Well, Alex is Alex, we shouldn't expect anything from him, he's a guy after all" she said.
"Too true"
"Everything looks perfect" Callie said. "Arizona and I can get the cake, we'll even have them put those squiggly messages that says welcome back"
Meredith smiled; "Let me guess, you don't want to see "Yay April on the cake"?"
Callie chuckled.
Meredith shook her head; "Do you think we can loop the residents to do the decorations a bit? I mean, they all seem to like April and they hang out at Alex's place most of the time."
"Ross is April's pet, you can pretty much ask him to do the whole decoration thing and he wouldn't mind"
Meredith chuckled; "That's true. Well, I'll ask them tomorrow morning."
Callie nodded; "Oohhh, have them buy some balloons too, April will love it and not to mention the kiddos" she said.
Meredith grinned before adding the balloons on her list; "Good idea" she said.
oOo
"Tomorrow's Dr. Kepner's party right?" Jo asks as she loops her arm around Alex's.
Alex turned his head sideways and smiled; "Yep"
"Do you need help in decorating?"
Alex scrunched his face in confusion; "Do we need to decorate the place?"
Jo threw her boyfriend an incredulous look; "It's not a party without the balloons and stuff!"
Alex grimaced; "You know that I'm not good with that crap."
Jo rolled her eyes; "I'll take care of it, I'll just ask the girls and Shane to help me"
Alex smiled; "I love you" he said.
Jo leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on his lips; "You're pretty much helpless without me" she said. "And oh, I love you too" she added as an afterthought.
Alex chuckled.
oOo
Jackson pulled a chair for April and waited for her to sit down; once she's settled, he rounded the table and sat on the opposite chair
April sweep her eyes around the place before turning her gaze to Jackson; "I've lived in Seattle for 7 years and this is the first time I've been to this place, where do you get this ideas from?" she asked, clearly in awe.
Jackson smiled; "It's my first time here too, Derek recommended this place" he said.
"Good evening, my name is John and I'll be your server for this evening. Welcome to Toulouse Petit"
April smiled; "Good evening John"
"Good evening" Jackson said.
John smiled and offered them the menu; "Here are the menus" he said.
April opened hers and began perusing the selection while Jackson did the same. After a couple of seconds Jackson cleared his throat; "You order first" he said.
"I think I'll start with a salad, I'll have Bibb Lettuce and Arugula Salad" April said to their server. She then turned her gaze towards Jackson; "How about you?"
"I'll have True French Onion Soup Lyonnaise" Jackson replied.
The server nodded; "How about for you main course?"
Jackson threw April a look; "What are you having?"
"I still haven't decided you go first" April said.
"Grilled New York Steak with Heirloom Tomatoes and Grilled Sweet Onions" Jackson said.
"I'll have Grilled Spring Lamb Chops in a Tuscan Marinade with Herb Roasted Fingerlings" April said.
"Excellent choice."
Jackson turned towards April; "Do you us to order a bottle of wine or just a glass?" he asked.
"I think a glass will do, I still need to wake up early tomorrow"
Jackson raised his brow; "You are aware that you're not due until Monday right?"
April rolled her eyes; "I have errands to run" she replied.
"Fine. We'll each have a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany our meal" Jackson said.
The server nodded; "And for dessert?"
April grinned widely; "Ooohhh, I'll have a slice of Red Velvet Cake" she said.
Jackson chuckled; "You and your addiction to red velvet cakes" he teased. He then turned towards the waiter; "Toulouse Bananas Foster for me"
The waiter nodded; "Let me just do a quick recap of your order if that's alright?" he asked.
April nodded; "Sure"
"For starters you'll have Bibb Lettuce and Arugula Salad and True French Onion Soup Lyonnaise. For the main course you'll have Grilled Spring Lamb Chops in a Tuscan Marinade with Herb Roasted Fingerlings and Grilled New York Steak with Heirloom Tomatoes and Grilled Sweet Onions. For dessert you'll have Red Velvet Cake and Toulouse Bananas Foster and all that will be accompanied by a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Is that all?"
"That's perfect, thank you" Jackson said.
The waiter nodded; "Thank you, I'll bring some breadsticks while you wait" he said before leaving.
"He's good, he remembered our order without batting an eyelash" April said in wonder.
Jackson nodded in agreement; "I don't think I can do that" he said.
"Me too" April replied.
Jackson relaxes back on his chair as he stares at April; after a moment he cleared his throat and spoke. "I'll be leaving Seattle for a day or two next week, I need to do something" he said.
April furrowed her brows; "Where are you going?"
"Just some errand" Jackson replied.
April studied Jackson's face; "Okay, when will you be leaving?" she asked.
"This Monday"
April pursed her lips; "You'll be out on my first day?" she asked.
Jackson smiled; "Yep, but I don't think you'll notice since it's your first day and I'm quite sure you'll be turning the pit upside down" he said.
April chuckled; "Of course I'll notice" she replied. "So, you'll be back Tuesday night, then?"
Jackson nodded.
"Do you need me to take to the airport or pick you up?"
"Nope, I'll just grab a cab from my apartment"
April nodded; "I see" she said. She then leaned back on her chair and bit her bottom lip; she thought about her own predicament and she knows that she has to tell him before he finds out from someone else. News like this doesn't stay under the covers long and she's quite sure that some of her co-attendings who joined the same program got offers as well. As a matter of fact today, before she went home, Anderson already approached her and asked her if she's partaking in this new endeavour with Mass Gen and to make things worse, Dr. Kurt personally called her to tell her that the one month period he gave earlier was shortened to a week.
Jackson saw the pensive look on April's face; "Penny for your thoughts" he said.
April met Jackson's gaze; "I actually need to tell you something as well but I can do that after our dinner" she said with a faint smile.
Jackson furrowed his brows; April wanting to talk is never a good omen for him. The last time he let her speak she pretty much screamed her head off and shipped herself to Boston right after he confessed how he felt. The time apart did help them along the way because it gave them room to breathe and time to reflect about their own actions. On his part, he was able to put things in perspective that somehow helped him understand where she's coming from. It was not a pleasant realization though, it made him see his and her faults which led him to believe that the major factor their lacking in their relationship was communication. Sure they talk, they actually talk a lot but that doesn't automatically mean that they understand each other. The epiphany he had months ago made him come up with new resolve and he'll try his damnest to stick with it, he'll listen to her this time—he'll listen to ever word that passes through her lips regardless if he likes it or not. He swallowed hard and let out a small smile; "Okay, we'll talk after dinner" he said.
oOo
The dinner went by smoothly because they were able to pretend that the proverbial elephant has left the room; they each talked about the stuff they did when they're apart and it didn't surprised them when they found out that they did the same thing.
Jackson took a large sip of his wine before looking at April directly; "So-what do you want to talk about?" he asked.
April licked her lips nervously; "I don't think this is the place to talk about it" she said.
"Oh" Jackson said. "This is definitely not a good sign" he thought. He then cleared his throat and swallowed hard; "Let me get the check then we'll go"
April nodded; "Yeah"
Jackson raised his hand and signaled for their check; he took another sip of his wine before turning his gaze to April again. "It's that serious, huh?"
April tried to hide her discomfort by forcing out a smile; "It's not something we can't handle." "I hope" she added in her mind.
Jackson nodded; "Yeah" he replied. He then turned towards the server and accepted their bill.
"We should split it" April said.
Jackson ignored her and handed his credit card; he then turned towards the red head and smiled. "We're on a date so it's on me" he said.
"It's 2013 not the 18th century, we can split the charges" April insisted.
Jackson waived his hand dismissively; "We can split the charges if you ask me out" he said.
April rolled her eyes; "Fine."
Jackson chuckled.
After a couple of minutes the waiter came back and handed him his card back. "Thank you for dining at Toulouse Petit, I hope we made your experience enjoyable" John said.
Jackson pulled a couple of bills from his wallet and handed it to John discreetly; "Thank you, you were superb" he said before standing up.
John smiled gratefully at Jackson and April before taking a step back; "You both have a pleasant evening" he said politely.
Jackson nodded; he then offered his hand towards April.
April laced her hands with his before smiling at their server; "Thank you John, have a good night too" she said.
John bowed.
Jackson smiled before leading April towards the door; "We should come back here again, the food was great" he said.
April nodded in agreement; "The lamb chops—I can't even describe it"
Jackson chuckled; "You don't have a sheep in your farm?" he teased.
April giggled; "Thankfully we don't, but if we have, I'll name it Sparkle" she said.
Jackson open the door and held it open for her; "Sparkle?"
April stepped out and threw Jackson a side glance; "Yep"
Jackson ushered them towards his car and unlocked it automatically; he pulled the door open and held it for her.
April threw Jackson a thankful look before climbing inside.
Jackson closed the door and rounded his car; he took a deep calming breath before he opened his door and settled in.
April pulled on her seatbelt and buckled herself in; she then placed her purse on top of her lap and threw Jackson a subtle look. She placed her purse on top of her lap and began fiddling with her fingers nervously. The time has come, she will come clean to him and tell him about the job that Mass Gen is offering her.
Jackson closed his door and pulled on his own seatbelt; he turned the ignition on and wrapped his hands tightly on the steering wheel. He then turned his head sideways and forced out a small smile; "Your place?" he asked.
April nodded; "Yeah" she said.
"Okay then," Jackson said as he manoeuvres his car into the busy Seattle streets.
oOo
Cristina rounded the corner just as Owen stepped out of his office; he glumly closed the door behind him and locked it.
"Hey—you ready to go?" Cristina asked.
Owen turned towards his wife and nodded; "Yeah—I'm tired" he said.
Cristina studied her husband's face and furrowed her brows; "What's wrong?" she asked.
Owen stood right in front of his wife and wrapped his arms around her; "It's a very tiring day."
Cristina frowned but she wrapped her hands around Owens's waist; "Did something happen?"
Owen buried his face into Cristina's familiar curls; "Off the record?"
"Off the record"
Owen pulled his face away but kept his hold around her; "Anderson tendered his 30 days notice this afternoon" he said.
Cristina's eyes widen; "Anderson? The new board certified surgeon from the Urology department?" she asked.
Owen nodded.
"Why? It's not even that time of the year yet" Cristina asked, clearly aghast.
Owen sighed; "He told me that he wants to continue his Fellowship at Mass Gen, looks like they offered him something. When I asked him what they're offering, he doesn't want tell me" he said.
Cristina hastily pulled away and scowled; "I knew it! I knew they're doing something like this! I can't believe that stupid hospital! I can't believe Anderson, that ungrateful twit!"
"Calm down, Cristina" Owen said.
Cristina shook her head defiantly; "That's it! We're not going through their stupid exchange program! They can shove it down their asses!" she said angrily.
Owen sighed; "We don't know what happened, we should give them a benefit of a doubt"
"No! Their luring our doctors there, using the exchange program as an excuse to scout talents and when they see that our doctors have strong potential in the field they need they offer them a spot! That's exactly what they're doing! I've seen it done before, it's piracy at its finest!"
Owen shook his head; "Let's not get over our head. Let's just go home and talk about this there, we don't want to cause a commotion without any basis yet. Off the record, right?"
Cristina huffed; "It's off the record, FOR NOW! We should have the board take a look at this once we're complete, this is serious Owen and you and I both know it" she said.
"I know" Owen replied. "Now can we go? I really want to go home"
"Fine. Let's go" Cristina said before turning her back and walking briskly towards the elevator.
Owen sighed before following.
oOo
Jackson parked his car right in front of April's apartment complex and switched the engine off; he turned his head sideways and stared at April. "We're finally here" he said.
"We are" April replied.
Jackson unbuckled his seatbelt and braised his hands on the steering wheel; "Are we talking here or do you want to go up? What do you want to do?"
April turned her eyes to her left and pointed her finger at the swing set that's adjacent to her apartment; "Let's go there instead" she said quietly.
Jackson turned his head towards the direction she's pointing at; "You sure?" he asked.
"Yes" April said.
Jackson took a deep breath before smiling at April; "Okay then" he said. He then pushed his door open and stepped out.
April copied his actions and pushed her door open; she gripped her purse tightly and closed the door behind her. She rounded the car and began walking towards the dimly lit swing set.
Jackson shoved his hands inside his pockets and followed April quietly. "This doesn't look good for you buddy but you have to stand by your word. You will not speak impulsively and you will listen to what she has to say. You will try your hardest to understand where she's coming from and you will not blow a gasket like you always do. Keep it calm, you can do this" he thought to himself.
April bit her bottom lip as she keeps on walking; her heart is beating wildly in her chest to the point that she can almost feel the dull thrumming in her throat. "You will tell him and you will be honest, whatever reaction he has you will have to deal with it and then you go from there. You're done running away Kepner, you are soldier, you can do this" she thought. Once she reached the swing set, she moved towards the first one and sat down.
Jackson followed her lead and occupied the next one.
April placed her purse on top of her lap and grasped the chains; she gently pushed herself backwards and stared to swing. "I haven't done this in like forever" she said.
Jackson chuckled; "Yeah, me too" he replied. He then threw her a side glance and smiled. "Why do people grow up so fast?"
"My thoughts exactly" April replied.
Jackson studied her for a couple of seconds before addressing the tension that's radiating from his bestfriend. "It won't go away you know-we have to talk about what you need to talk about."
April grasped the chains tighter as she puts herself into a halt; "I know" she said quietly. She then took a deep breath before shifting her gaze towards Jackson. "Mass Gen is offering me permanent spot in their Trauma Department. They want me to facilitate the exchange program for Trauma and they want me to decide in a week"
Jackson felt the wind got knocked out of him after listening to April's confession; "Oh" he gasped.
April swallowed hard before continuing; "I—I haven't decided yet and to be honest I don't know what to do" she admitted.
Jackson felt his chest grew heavier and his eyes stinging; he grasped the chains tightly as he tries to even out his breathing. "You will not speak impulsively and you will listen to what she has to say. You will try your hardest to understand where she's coming from and you will not blow a gasket like you always do. Keep it calm, you can do this" he repeated his earlier thoughts.
"Jackson?"
Jackson took a deep breath; "That's-that's actually great. A good career opportunity for you..."
April bit her bottom lip and stared at Jackson; she felt her heart ache upon seeing the storm brewing in his eyes. His eyes, his eyes are always a dead give away to what he really feels; he may not say it but she knows that she's hurting him again.
"You should seriously think about it—Mass Gen is Mass Gen" he said. "Whatever decision you make, I—I won't stand in your way and I'll support it" Jackson said before looking away.
April's eyes widen in shock upon hearing him say those words; "You—you're not mad? You will support me with whatever I choose?" she asked.
Jackson swallowed the lump in his throat before shifting his eyes back to April; "I'll admit, this news is upsetting but I won't throw a fit because I know now that it will not change anything. It took me awhile to understand that because I'm naturally stubborn but I get it now" he said. He then let out sigh before smiling sadly; "Whatever decision you come up with I'll support you 100% but if you'll ask me of course I want you to stay-but not in the expense of your own happiness, I can't do that, I won't stand between you and your dreams Apes, I won't be selfish again" he explained.
April felt tears prickle her eyes so she looked away; "I'm so confused-I don't know what to do" she said.
Jackson felt a pang in his chest as he watches April struggle with her own feelings; he knows for a fact that she's hurting too because he can clearly see it in her eyes. Having that in mind, he unclasped his left hand from the chain and moved it towards April; he placed it on top of her right hand and grasped it tightly. "Hey-it's okay. You don't have to rush things, you have a week to think it through"
April took her left hand from the other chain and wiped her cheeks with it; "Everything's just a mess-I'm a mess" she mumbled.
Jackson stood from his perch and kneeled right in front of April; he lifted his right hand and gently wiped the tears that trickled down her cheeks. "Look at me"
April sniffed and met his gaze.
Jackson smiled; "Me and you will be alright, you'll be alright" he said.
April lips began to wobble as her eyes started to water; she pulled her hand away from the other chain and threw her arms around Jackson's neck, hugging him tightly.
Jackson snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest; he buried his face into her neck and closed his eyes. "You'll be alright, we'll be fine" he cooed.
April finally let sobs escaped her lips as she pour everything into her cries.
oOo
April's Surprise Party:
Jackson sat up from his bed and blinked a couple of times; he hardly slept last night and now he needs to go to work. He robotically stood up and walked towards his bathroom; he took off his clothes and stepped inside the shower room. He turned the shower on and stepped under the cascading water; he braises his hands on the wall and closed his eyes.
Flashback...
April was charting at the nurses' station when Jackson saw her; he made a bee line towards her and leaned on the counter.
April placed her pen down and stared at Jackson; "I don't—I don't have the results yet. I told you I would text you."
"I'm in. All the way." Jackson said firmly.
April stared at him confusedly; "What?"
"Come on" Jackson said before pulling her towards the vacant procedure room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and faced April. "I know it might not be what you planned or how you planned it but we can do this. We'll get married, have an awesome kid, be amazing parents. I'm in" he said.
April stared at Jackson with wide eyes; after a couple of seconds she met his stare and shook her head. "Don't say that if you don't mean it"
"I mean it. We can do this"
"You really think that-?"
"You said it yourself, something that feels this good cannot be bad" Jackson said, cutting her off.
April swallowed hard; "So you-you really want this?" she stuttered.
Jackson walks towards April and places his hands on her arms. "I want this" he emphasized. He then took another step closer and smiled; "We get married, we have a house, we get a big yard" he said excitedly.
April smiled brightly; "And we have a wedding" she added.
Jackson smiled wider; "We have a huge freaking wedding."
"In a field with butterflies—I don't know..." April chirped.
"Butterflies, a field—whatever you want." Jackson offered.
April laughed with over pouring happiness.
"Okay? You're family's gonna be there. My family—I mean my crazy mom's gonna be there, he'll probably bring Webber, whatever that's fine" Jackson said giddily.
April chuckled; she then moved her hands towards Jackson's face and cupped it. "Oh my gosh" she said before pulling him for a kiss.
Jackson pulled her closer and smiled into the kiss.
April planted soft kisses on his lips before pulling away; "Are we really? You sure we can do this?"
Jackson met her gaze and smiled; "We can do this" he said.
April smiled back.
Jackson pulled her face to his again and continued kissing her.
April giggled between kisses.
Jackson wrapped his arms around April's waist and lifted her from the floor.
End of Flashback
Jackson's eyes snapped open; "Stupid! You're so stupid!" he huffed while hitting the wall with his palm.
oOo
April has been sitting on her bed for an hour now; she wanted to get up and fix herself breakfast but she doesn't seem to have the energy to do so. Her mind is still reeling about what happened last night and she's now regretting her decision to babysit Meredith's kids. She let out a puff of breath before collapsing back on her bed; she pulled the covers above her head and groaned out loudly.
oOo
"Are you guys in?" Jo asked.
Heather turned her head towards Jo and smiled; "I'm cool" she said.
"Thank you!" Jo said happily. She then turned her head towards her other friends.
Shane smiled widely; "Do you even have to ask me?" he asked.
Stephanie chuckled; "He's Dr. Kepner's pet, he'll do anything to remain on her good side" she said.
"I take it that you're both in" Jo said.
"Yeah" Stephanie replied.
Jo shifted her eyes towards her other friend; "Leah?"
Leah rolled her eyes; "You're all going, I don't have a choice"
Jo clapped her hands; "Perfect. We'll meet up here after our shift. I'll go tell Alex" she said before storming out of their locker room.
oOo
"Alex!"
Alex turned his head sideways and saw Meredith entering the Lounge; "What?" he asked.
Meredith walked towards the table and smiled; "About the decorations can we-"
"Jo and friends will take care of it" Alex said, cutting his friend off.
Meredith's eyes widen; "Really?" she asked.
Alex nodded; "Jo asked me about it last night and when I told her I don't know what she's talking about she volunteered to do it." He then lifted his hands to emphasize his next words; "According to her, it's not a party without balloons and decorations"
Meredith laughed; "You got yourself a keeper, don't screw it up" she said.
Alex lowered his hands and smiled; "I'll try" he said.
The Attendings Lounge door burst open as Jackson sauntered in; he ignored his friends and made his way towards his locker without a word.
Alex furrowed his brows and turned towards Jackson's direction; "You look like shit, what happened to you"
Jackson took off his jacket and shoved it inside his cubby; "I'm fine" he grumbled.
Meredith raised her brow; "You don't look fine" she said.
Jackson turned his back and pulled his shirt off; he grabbed his scrubs top and began shrugging it in. "I'm okay" he repeated. He then began unbuckling his belt and unbuttoned his jeans; he pulled it down hastily and threw it inside his locker.
Meredith shifted her eyes back to Alex and threw him questioning look.
Alex met his friend's gaze and shrugged his shoulders.
Meredith pulled out a chair and sat down; she leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms on top of her chest.
Jackson tugged his scrubs bottom up and began tying the strings; "I know you're looking at me Grey, quit it" he said.
"I'm not looking at you, I'm watching Alex"
Alex grunted.
Jackson huffed; "I can feel your eyes burrowing at the back of my head"
Alex rolled his eyes; "Can you blame her? Yesterday you were shooting rainbows from your ass now your acting like someone stole your Nikes"
Jackson turned around and braised his hands on his hip; "I'm not-"
"Dude did you even sleep? What the hell is wrong with your eyes?" Alex asked with a grimace.
Jackson frowned; "What?"
Meredith pointed towards his face; "You have bags under your pretty eyes and you're all frowny"
"I'm not frowny!" Jackson said petulantly.
Alex chuckled; "If you're not frowny then I'm just a ray of happy sunshine"
Jackson scowled at the Ped's Attending.
"Cut your crap and just tell us what's wrong. We're not gonna be able to help you fix it if you will be acting like an errant child who keeps on throwing temper tantrums" Meredith said sternly.
Jackson stared at Meredith before bowing his head.
Alex threw Meredith a look of approval; "Nicely done"
Meredith subtly smirked at Alex; she then arranged her facial expression before staring at the sulky Plastics Attending. "So?"
Jackson took a deep breath before meeting Meredith's eyes; "It's not something that we can fix" he said before walking towards the door and exiting the room.
Meredith stared at the spot that Jackson occupied just a couple of seconds ago before turning her gaze towards Alex. "What the hell just happened?"
Alex looked pensive; "I actually don't have any idea" he replied.
oOo
Derek was looking at his patient's brain scans when he heard someone stepped inside the room; he turned his gaze sideways and saw Jackson standing by the door. "Avery"
"Are you busy?" Jackson asked.
Derek studied Jackson's downtrodden demeanor and shook his head; "I'm not. Is something wrong?" he asked.
"Can I talk to you for a second then?"
"Of course" Derek replied.
Jackson stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He walked towards Derek and stood beside him, facing the scans instead of facing the Neurosurgeon.
Derek noticed the young surgeon's action and just copied it; he crossed his arms on top of his chest and fixed his gaze on the scans too.
"When you wrote that post it with Mer-was it hard?"
"It depends, which part are you referring to? Is it the part when I wrote it or the life time commitment behind what I wrote?" Derek asked.
"The life time commitment" Jackson clarified.
"It's hard."
Jackson inhaled sharply.
Derek noticed Jackson's reaction so he decided to change his approach; "Do you ride a bike?"
Jackson threw Derek a side glance; "Yes" he replied.
"Do you still remember how hard it is to ride it the first time you tried?"
Jackson shifted his gaze back to the scans; "Yeah"
"What happened?" Derek asked.
"I skinned my elbows and knees because I couldn't balance well" Jackson replied.
Derek nodded; "Right, because riding it will take full concentration and you will have to hold the handle firmly to learn to distribute your weight well because if not, you will topple over. Then your pedaling must also be in sync with your body's movement so you can reach full equilibrium, that's a lot of hard work and to think you're just learning to ride a bike."
"Right"
"That's how real marriage works"
Jackson turned towards Derek and stared at the other surgeon confusedly; "I don't get it"
Derek pulled his hands away from his chest and shoved it inside his lab coat pockets; "Marriage is a work in progress, not a one-time process. It's like riding a bike; it will need full focus and determination for you to be able to reach its equilibrium. You have to continue pedaling if you want to keep on moving forward so you can enjoy the thrill of the ride that you seek. You have to learn to balance between the front and the rear wheel because if you let up, you will definitely topple over and land face first" he explained. He then turned towards Jackson; "Commitment such as marriage is like that, you have to work hard for it to really work, you have to learn to balance between you and your partner so you can both enjoy the pleasure this type of commitment brings. It will not always be a smooth ride but it's always worth the skinned knees if you're pedaling with the right one."
Jackson crossed his arms on top of his chest and furrowed his brows, clearly in deep thought.
"Committing yourself to one person for the rest of your life is scary and it's never easy. But trust me, when you know, you just know and you'll definitely feel it"
"Feel what?"
Derek smiled mischievously; "For the decision to come naturally. It just like when you're just looking at one specific person and all you can think about is how you can't imagine living your life without that person."
Jackson's hands fell limp to his side.
Derek looked at Jackson thoughtfully before turning towards the scans again; "It's amazing how our brain ceases to think when our heart already made its choice."
"Thank you" Jackson said sincerely before hastily leaving the room.
Derek braised his hands on his hips as he continues perusing the scans.
oOo
Owen braises his hands on Cristina's shoulders and stared at her seriously; "I meant what I said last night Cristina. We're not going to tell the board yet, I will talk to Dr. Kurt and asked him about this new development first before we determine our next course of action, okay?"
Cristina pursed her lips in distaste; "Yeah, I promise" she replied.
Owen let out a sigh of relief before planting a chaste kiss on his wife's forehead; "Thank you"
"I'm only holding this off because I promised you and I don't want to sabotage Kepner's party later."
Owen pulled away; "I know"
Cristina sighed; "I have to go, I have to check on my patients" she said.
Owen nodded; "Go, I'll see you later" he said.
Cristina spun on her heels and began walking towards the other direction.
Owens's shoulder fell as he watches his wife leave.
oOo
April was lounging on her couch while watching one of her chick flicks when her cell phone rang; she leaned forward and fished it out of her coffee table. She checked the name before tapping on the screen to answer it; "Hey"
"Hey you! I'm just calling in to check if you're still babysitting my kids?" Meredith asked.
"Of course, what time should I be at Alex's?" April asked.
"You can go there by 7, that okay?"
"That will be perfect" April replied.
"Okay then, I'll see you in a few hours. Thank you again for doing this"
April smiled; "No problem. See you later" she chirped.
"Bye!"
April pulled the phone away from her ear and threw it on the table carelessly; "Spending time with the kids may not be a bad idea" she said to herself.
oOo
"Chief!"
Owen paused and turned towards his left; "Hey, Avery" he said.
Jackson ran towards Owen and fell into step with him; "I'm just reminding you that I'm still taking off on Monday and I'll be back by Wednesday."
Owen nodded; "I didn't forget, I instructed Peter to handle your Burn Center while you're away" he said.
"Perfect!" Jackson said.
"You seem excited about it, I didn't know you like travelling"
Jackson smiled; "I guess so" he replied. He then patted the Trauma Surgeon's back; "I need to find Peter's then, I have to remind him not to kill my patients while I'm gone"
Owen chuckled; "Go" he said.
Jackson nodded before turning around and walking away.
oOo
"Cristina! I've been looking for you!" Meredith said as she jogs towards her bestfriend.
Cristina paused and turned around; "I'm just doing rounds, what's up?" she asked.
Meredith fell into step with the Cardio Surgeon and smiled; "Everything is already set for tonight."
"Did evil spawn order the booze?" Cristina asked.
Meredith nodded; "He did and he even took care of the decorations"
Cristina smirked; "Impressive" she said.
Meredith chuckled; "If Wilson didn't offer I doubt Alex will even bother"
"True" Cristina said. "Did you already talk with Apes? Is she coming?"
"Yep, I just got off the phone with her, she'll be there by 7"
"Will Avery be there?" Cristina asked.
Meredith pursed her lips; "I hope he will. I don't know what's wrong with him this morning but Alex and I saw him in the Attendings' Lounge earlier and he's all frowny"
Cristina raised his brow; "Frowny?"
Meredith nodded solemnly; "Yes, frowny"
"I wonder what crawled up his ass and died. He was happy yesterday"
Meredith wrinkled his nose; "I coerced him to tell us so we can try to fix it but he told us that it's something we cannot fix, it's weird I tell you" she said.
Cristina looked pensive; "Interesting"
Meredith nodded; "Yeah"
oOo
Alex sauntered inside the pit and spotted Jackson standing by the electronic board; he made his way towards him and tapped him on the shoulder.
Jackson tore his eyes away and turned; "Is there something you need?" he asked.
Alex crossed his arms on top of his chest; "You still coming to Kepner's party later?"
"Yeah, why?"
Alex studied the Plastics Attending's face; "Nothing, just checking" he replied.
"Okay" Jackson replied.
Alex nodded before turning on his heel.
Jackson watched Alex leave before shaking his head; he then turned towards the board and continued updating the tracker.
oOo
April parked her car along Alex's street and turned off the engine; she unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed the door open. She stepped out of the car and locked it; she then made her way towards the uneven patio and furrowed her brows. "Looks like nobody's home" she murmured. She then hastily walked towards the foyer and stood right in front of the door; she tried peering inside the glass doors before knocking. When she didn't get any response, she shifted her hand towards the knob and experimentally turned it; "Why in the world will he leave his door open? He's such a slob!" she said. She then pushed the door open and stepped inside the house; she closed the door behind her and began walking along the dark hallway. "Alex? Meredith? Are you here?" she hollered. She then turned towards her left and squinted in the dark; "Alex?"
"SURPRISE!"
The lights instantly snapped open as confetti began pouring around her; April's hands flew towards her lips as her eyes widen in surprise. "Oh my god!"
Alex rolled his eyes playfully; "That's all you have to say?" he teased.
The crowd laughed.
April's eyes prickled but a large smile blossomed from her lips; "I—I thought I was babysitting tonight!" she gasped.
Meredith turned towards April with Bailey in her arms; she lifted her baby boy's hand and smiled. "You still can" she joked.
April laughed; she then began looking around and felt overwhelming happiness fill her chest upon seeing familiar faces. "You guys are all here! I can't believe it! Who's running the hospital?"
Owen chuckled; "Don't worry about the hospital it's your party"
"But-"
"No buts! The interns will page us if something comes up" Cristina said.
April chuckled; "Fine"
Alex gestured towards the food on the table; "Come on guys dig in! You don't want to receive a page from those dumb interns before you're able to eat something!"
"Alex!" Jo snapped.
Cristina cackled loudly; "I knew evil spawn will find his match"
Meredith laughed heartily; "I know right?" she said. She then shifted closer to her husband and leaned forward; "Do you know where Avery is? He's not here yet" she whispered.
"I saw him before we left and he told me that he'll finish checking on some of his patients before he comes here" Derek replied.
Meredith furrowed her brows; "That's what interns are for" she hissed.
Derek shrugged his shoulders.
April walked towards Alex and tapped him on the back; she stood right in front of him and waited for him to turn around.
Alex stuffed a chicken leg in his mouth before turning around; "Wut?" he mumbled.
April smiled widely and pulled Alex into a hug; "Thank you for doing this, you are a good man Alex" she whispered.
Alex laughed as he returns the hug; "Welcome" he replied. He pulled the chicken off his mouth and took a step back; "I'm still waiting for your Turkey Casserole and Apple Pie Kepner, you're not off the hook yet"
April chuckled; "I'll make you some this week" she promised.
Alex smiled boyishly; "Perfect!"
Jo saddled up to Alex and handed him a plate; "Stop acting like a caveman and use a plate, we have them for reason" she chastised. She then turned towards April and smiled; "It's nice to have you back Dr. Kepner and thank you for the goodies" she said.
April smiled back; "You are welcome and thank you for this"
"You are welcome" Jo replied.
"Did we surprise you?"
April turned around and saw her star pupil walking towards her; she let out a huge smile before nodding happily. "You bet. I thought I was coming over for babysitting!"
Shane winked; "It's a success then" he said.
Stephanie rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's cockiness; she then turned towards April and smiled. "Thank you for the goodie bag and welcome back Dr. Kepner"
"I hope you like them" April replied. She then smiled knowingly at Stephanie; "Some birdy told me that you guys are a couple, congratulations!"
Shane smiled widely and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist; "We are."
"I'm happy for you two"
Stephanie smiled; "Thank you" she said.
"APPPRRRIIILLLLLLL!"
April turned around and saw Cristina beckoning her to come over; she nodded towards the Cardio Surgeon before smiling at the group. "I better go, you know how Cristina is" she joked.
Alex smirked; "You better get your ass there, you don't want her dragging you" he said.
April laughed; "Laters!" she said. She then spun on her heels and began walking towards her other friend.
Cristina smiled widely at the Trauma Surgeon before handing her a shot glass; "Here you go"
"Tequila?" April asked with a smirk.
"Damn right! Drink with me!"
April raised her glass and clinks it with Cristina's; "Cheers" she said perkily.
"Bottoms up!" Cristina said before downing her own glass.
April made a face after swallowing the whole thing.
Cristina laughed; "You've always been a Jack Daniel's type of drinker" she said with a wink.
April burst out laughing; "You're awful! Don't remind me that!" she said.
Cristina smirked.
April placed her shot glass back on the table before raking the happy crowd with her eyes; "Err-Where's Jackson?" she asked casually.
Cristina poured herself another shot before turning her eyes towards the red head; "He's not here yet?" she asked.
"I haven't seen him yet" April replied.
Cristina took a sip of her drink; "He'll be here, post op ran long I guess" she said.
April nodded; "Yeah-I guess" she replied.
oOo
"Excuse me Dr. Avery?"
Jackson snapped out of his stupor and turned towards the door; "Is there something you need?" he asked.
The new intern cleared her throat nervously before opening the door wider; "Err—Dr. Grey called a couple of minutes ago and she wants me to pass a message" she said.
Jackson stood up from his chair and began arranging his desk; "What did she say?"
The intern averted her gaze and began fiddling with her hands anxiously; "I-I don't think I can pass it the whole message because it's kind of inappropriate-"
Jackson stacked the papers together; "I know Grey, you can say it and I won't take it against you, everybody knows she has no filter when it comes to me, so go on" he said.
The intern's face redden as she tries to clear her throat; "She-she told me to tell you to get your sulky ass to Dr. Karev's house before she comes here and drag you by the-by the balls" she said, clearly flustered.
Jackson laughed while shaking his head; "Well thank you for passing on the message. I will be on my way and don't forget to page us if anything goes wrong, okay?" he said.
The intern nodded; "Yes sir" she replied.
Jackson nodded; "Go now and try not kill anybody" he said.
The intern stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Jackson pulled his jacket off his chair and shrugged it on; "Time to face the music then" he said to himself.
oOo
"McRainbowBright is looking for McPretty, where the hell is he?" Cristina asks as she plops down beside Alex.
"He's not here yet?"
Cristina raised her brow; "Stupid question, would I be asking you if he's here?" she asked.
Alex frowned; "Where the hell is he? The last time I spoke to him he told me that he'll be here" he said.
Cristina leaned back on the couch and crossed her legs; "It's either he lied to you or he's on his way"
Alex turned his head sideways; "Did you ask Mer?" he asked.
"Oh yeah-I forgot. Go ask her" Cristina said.
Alex rolled his eyes before standing up; he walked towards his other friend and tapped her on the shoulder. "Do you know where Pretty Boy is?" he asked.
Meredith turned her head towards Alex; "I called his phone but he's not answering so I called the E.R. instead, I asked one of the interns to go find him and tell him to come here" she replied.
Alex scrunched his face; "He better be here or I'll kick his sulky ass" he said.
Meredith chuckled; "He will be, don't worry" she said.
Alex nodded; "Okay"
oOo
Jackson pushed the front door open and stepped inside Alex's house; loud chatters of his friends instantly filled his ears as he comes closer.
"There you are! We've been looking all over for you!" Cristina called out from the couch.
Jackson raised his brow before walking towards her; he plopped down beside her and turned his head sideways. "Are you drunk?" he asked, clearly amused.
"Not drunk enough to kiss you Pretty Boy" Cristina said before cackling.
Jackson wrinkled his nose; "Don't remind me about my temporary lapse in judgement"
Cristina laughed harder.
Jackson pulled the glass from Cristina's hand and took a huge gulp of her drink.
"Hey! Get your own!" Cristina protested.
Jackson handed the Cardio Surgeon her drink back before standing up; "Where's April?" he asked while looking around the room.
Cristina leaned back on the couch and began surveying the living room; "She's here somewhere, she's looking for you a while ago" she replied. "Evil Spawn! Where's McRainbowBright?"
Alex turned his head and smirked upon seeing Jackson; "She's in the kitchen with Bailey" he said.
Cristina turned her eyes towards Jackson; "There's your answer."
Jackson nodded to Alex and turned his head sideways; "Slow down on the alcohol, you have an early surgery tomorrow" he reminded.
Cristina rolled her eyes; "Yes Dad!"
oOo
April was sitting on a chair right in front of the dining table when Jackson found her; she was busy baby talking to the little boy perched on her lap and didn't notice him right away. He leaned sideways on the door frame and crossed his arms on top of his chest; he stared at her for a couple of minutes before he decided to speak. "You'll make an awesome mom someday"
April's head snapped towards the door and saw Jackson staring at her; she let out an awkward smile and wrapped her arms securely around Bailey's back. "You came"
"You don't think I will?"
"I hope you would" April replied.
Jackson smiled; "You're babysitting at your own party?"
"I'm not babysitting, I just want to get to know this baby boy for awhile" April replied. She then leaned forward and planted butterfly kisses on the baby's chubby cheeks, earning her a giggle.
"You've always been good with kids" Jackson said.
"I love kids they're cute as a button. Isn't that right love bug? You are the cutest, oh yes you are!" April cooed.
Jackson chuckled at April's antics.
April shifted her gaze back to Jackson; "Don't you like kids? Zola seems to like her Uncle Jackson" she teased.
"That I still don't understand" Jackson replied. He then pushed away from the door and began walking towards the table.
April giggled; "Well, you must've done something that earned you her affection" she said.
Jackson pulled a chair right in front of April and sat down; he then leaned forward and gently patted Bailey's back. "Hey buddy, what's up?"
April shifted the baby in her lap to have him face Jackson; she then wraps her arms around Bailey's tummy to keep him upright.
Bailey smiled toothily at Jackson and began wiggling his arms happily.
"He seems to like you" April said.
Jackson smiled at the baby and held out his two pointer finger for Bailey to grasp; "Come on buddy, hold my finger" he said.
Bailey leaned forward and began wrapping her tiny hands around Jackson's fingers.
"Good job munchkin! You're such a smart baby boy. I think you will grow up like your Mommy and Daddy, you will be good surgeon too, yes you are" April babbled while looking affectionately at Bailey.
Jackson stared at the giggling baby before shifting his gaze towards April's and seeing the contented look on her face; almost instantly, his heartbeat starts rising and his ears starts ringing. "Just like riding a bike-I think I can paddle, no I can paddle but only with April-I want to paddle" he thought to himself.
"Jackson?"
Jackson blinked a couple of times before he was able to focus again; "Err—yeah?"
April eyed at him worriedly; "Are you alright? You zoned out on me for a minute there"
Jackson gently pulled his hands away from Bailey and sat straight; "I'm good, just a little light headed for a moment there"
April furrowed her brows; "When was the last time you ate?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"What was the last thing you remember eating?"
"I had a granola bar and coffee" Jackson replied.
April shook her head before standing up; "I'll get you something to eat, just sit there and wait for me" she said before turning on her heels.
Jackson also stood up; "I can get it myself you don't have to-"
April threw him a side glance and narrowed her eyes at him; "Sit. Down"
Jackson automatically plopped down on his chair and raised both hands in surrender; "I'm sitting down now, no need to give me that look" he said.
April huffed before walking towards the living room.
oOo
Meredith was talking with Callie when she saw April entering the living room with her baby boy in her arms; she hastily excused herself and made a bee line towards the red head. "Where have you been hiding with my baby boy?"
April turned towards the General Surgeon and smiled widely; "Bailey and me just shared our first bonding moment in the kitchen" she said.
"Did you enjoy it?" Meredith asked.
April hugged Bailey to her chest; "Of course we did, didn't we little love bug?" she cooed.
Meredith smiled affectionately at April; "You're good with kids, I'm sure you'll be an awesome mother someday" she said.
April lifted her gaze towards Meredith; "That's what Jackson told me a couple of minutes ago. I sure hope so" she said with a smile.
"Jackson made it after all"
April nodded; "He did, and speaking of Jackson, can you take Bailey? I need to get that man some food, he's a little bit light headed" she said.
Meredith shifted closer and gathered her son into her arms; "Is he okay?" she asked.
"He will be after he eats, he's just food deprived" April replied.
Meredith smirked; "You'll not only make a good mother, you'll make a good wife too" she said.
April's eyes widen as her cheek started to redden; "Err—I'll just go now and get some food. Bye" she said hastily before scurrying away.
Meredith chuckled.
oOo
Jackson was staring blankly at the table when April entered the kitchen; she walked towards the table and laid the two plates full of food before him. "Eat"
Jackson's eyes widen upon seeing the amount of food in front of him; "I can't eat all of that!" he protested.
April sat down on her chair and placed some cutlery on top of the napkin; "Who says you'll be eating that on your own? I'm eating too, I'm starving" she said.
"Oh"
April plucks a fork and handed it to him; "Eat" she ordered.
Jackson accepted the fork and began poking the pasta on the plate closest to him.
April raised her brow; "What are you doing?"
"I'm allergic to mushrooms so I'm just checking if this one has some" Jackson said.
"It doesn't have mushrooms I already checked, you can eat that" April replied.
Jackson stared at April in wonder; "You knew?"
April takes a bite of her chicken and chewed it with relish; she let out an appreciative moan before swallowing. "Yeah, why?"
Jackson blinked a couple of times; "I'm just surprise, is all" he replied quietly.
April chuckled; "You eat everything I make Jackman, if I didn't know your allergies you would've been dead a long time ago" she said.
Jackson chuckled; "Fair point" he said.
April smiled before pointing her fork to her plate; "Try the chicken, its superb" she said.
Jackson moved his fork towards her plate and speared a leg; "Let's see" he said.
oOo
The people in the party starts to dwindle as pager after pager went off; April sat down on the front porch swing as she waives goodbye at to friends.
Alex stepped outside the house and padded towards the red head; "Did you enjoy your party?" he asked.
April turned to face Alex smiled affectionately; "It was an awesome party, thank you again" she said.
Alex smiled as he shoves his hands inside his jean pockets; "Where's Avery?" he asked.
"He's in the kitchen, he's helping Jo put some food away" April replied.
Alex nodded; he then shifted closer to the swing and sat down.
April stared at the Ped's Attending and pursed her lips while in thought.
Alex turned his head sideways; "What?" he asked.
April eyed him for a couple of seconds before speaking; "Why didn't you leave when Hopkins offered you a Dream Package?" she asked quietly.
Alex's eyes widen, clearly taken aback by April's question. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?"
April sighed before leaning back on the swing's backrest; "If I tell you a little secret will you promise me that you won't announce it to the whole hospital?" she asked.
Alex's curiosity was definitely piqued so he nodded; "I promise" he said.
April eyed Alex seriously; "You promise you won't tell? That includes your girlfriend"
Alex's brows rose; "Are you confessing your undying love for me Kepner?"
April's face twitches before a giggle escaped her lips; "You're an ass!"
Alex smiled; "I do what I can" he said. He then schooled his features and held up his pinkie finger; "I promise not tell anybody, pinkie swear"
April lifted her hand and wrapped her pinkie with Alex's; after a couple of seconds she pulled her hand away and her smiled vanished. "Mass Gen is offering me a Dream Package and they want me to decide by next week"
Alex's demeanour instantly changed as he averted his gaze; he then leaned forward and braised his elbows on top of his knees. "Does Avery know?"
"He does, I told him last night"
"That explains his sulky mood this morning" Alex said to himself.
"What?" April asked.
Alex shook his head; "Nothing" he replied. He then turned his head sideways; "Are you taking it?" he asked.
April sighed; "That's the thing, I don't know what to do, that's why I'm asking you" she said quietly.
Alex pursed his lips and averted his gaze again; he fixed his eyes on the vacant street and stared at it for a couple of seconds. "You know I can't decide for you, right?"
April nodded solemnly; "I know..."
Alex puffed out air; "I regretted not taking Hopkins offer" he said.
April inhaled sharply.
Alex turned his head sideways and met April's gaze; "At first" he clarified. He then shifted his eyes away and continued; "A lot of shit has happened to me in Seattle and I was just dying to leave it all behind. I wanted a fresh start and I know that Hopkins can give that to me, hell, it didn't also hurt that they're practically rolling out the red carpet for me and wanted to play fairy godmother" he chuckled.
April smiled upon remembering how Dr. Webber told Alex that they made an exemption just for Alex.
Alex took April's silence to continue so he did; "I was already at the Airport and was rushing to check in when I ran into Mer unexpectedly. I was not planning on saying goodbye because I suck at it and I've always believed that the easiest way to take off a band aid is to just rip it off—"
"You're not planning on saying goodbye? That's awful" April interjected.
Alex chuckled; "I know, I was awful" he said. "Mer and I argued because she wanted me to stay and I told her to get lost. After that heated argument in the middle of SeaTac I made my way towards the check in counter and did what I came to do. I walked towards the boarding gates and was in process of handing out my ticket and passport when it hit me."
April cocked her head to the side and stared at Alex expectantly.
"Mer and Cristina, regardless how much we bicker and don't see things eye to eye are my family. I even listed Cristina as my healthcare point person if something needs to be decided when it comes to my treatment plan. And Mer, she always had my back every time I screw up, hell, she even let me have her house after I got her fired" Alex said. He then turned his head and met April's eyes; "At that moment, just as the airline staff was tearing off my ticket I realized what made me stay all this years."
April swallowed hard; "What made you stay? What did you realize?"
Alex smiled; "Hopkins only wanted the doctor that I have become and not for who I really was. I doubt they'll be offering me those frivolous things if Cristina hadn't push me hard and if Mer didn't help me fix the things I screwed up. Seattle Grace and the people there have accepted the sloppy and arrogant intern I once was and gave me the best tutelage that moulded me to the surgeon that Hopkins covets."
"Oh"
"Sometimes life presents us with opportunities that come in shinny and extravagant packages that make us forget what we really want. What we fail to notice though is that we already have the same thing just sans the frills and ruffles" Alex said. He then stood up and shoved his hands inside his pockets; he then shifted and stood right in front of his stunned friend. "I'm not telling you to stay because of gratitude. All I'm saying is that you should choose what will make you happy in the long run."
April blinked a couple of times; "Are-are you happy?"
Alex grinned widely; "I am."
April smiled back; "I'm happy that you are"
"Whatever decision you come up with, we'll support you. Friends are the family we choose so you're pretty much stuck with all of us."
April's chin wobbles as her eyes started to water; she hastily bowed her head and covered her face with her hands. "I swore that I will not cry again tonight!"
Alex chuckled before plopping beside her again; he shifted closer and bumped his shoulder with April's. "Haven't I told you enough that your bawling is annoying?" he teased.
April snorted; "Like I'll ever forget something like that!" she quipped.
Alex laughed; he then lifted his arm and pulled the red head to his side. "I should change your nickname to McBawler"
April pulled her hands away and turned her face sideways; "McBawler? What's my nickname before that?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
Alex grinned; "McRainbowBright"
April opened her mouth to speak but she cannot form a single word, she closed it again and stared at his friend incredulously.
Alex laughed.
"You're an ass Alex, an ass!" April spat. She then bit her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling.
"I maybe an ass, but I'm your favourite ass" Alex said smugly.
April burst out laughing.
oOo
Jackson placed the remaining containers inside the fridge and closed it; "That's the last batch" he said.
"We're all set then" Jo said happily.
"Thank you again for doing this for April, I appreciate it" Jackson said sincerely.
Jo smiled back; "You are welcome, we want to do this for her too" she replied.
Jackson nodded; "Well, I don't want to impose longer than I should, I'll go find April then we'll be on our way" he said.
Jo waived her hand dismissively; "You're not imposing" she said.
Jackson smiled; "Thanks, you have a good night" he said.
"You too!" Jo replied.
Jackson spun on his heels and began walking out of the kitchen; when he reached the hallway, he saw Alex just stepping inside the house. "Hey man, have you seen April?" he asked.
Alex gestured towards the door with his thumb and left the door open; "She's there, you going home?" he asked.
Jackson nodded as he walks towards his friend; "Yeah, we don't want to intrude, Wilson is still in the kitchen" he said.
Alex rolled his eyes; "You're not intruding"
Jackson stopped right in front of the Ped's Attending; "Thanks for doing this man" he said seriously.
Alex patted him on the shoulder; "Anytime man and stop thanking me, it's creepy!" he joked.
Jackson chuckled; "Fine, have a good evening then" he said.
"Yeah, you too" Alex replied.
Jackson walked towards the door and pulled it wider; he stepped out to the foyer and closed the door behind him.
"Hey—ready to go?" April asked.
Jackson took a peek of his watch and nodded; "Yeah—I still have a meeting tomorrow" he said.
April stood up from her perch and furrowed her brows; "But it's Sunday" she said.
"I will be gone for two days, I won't get away unscathed" Jackson joked.
April giggled; "Well, let's go then. Did you bring your car? I can drop you off or something" she said.
Jackson pulled the keys from his pocket and dangles it with his fingers; "I brought my car"
April nodded; "Okay then, let's walk there together" she said.
Jackson nodded; he then walked towards April and fell into step with her. "Let's go"
April threw Jackson a side glance before moving her hand to his; slowly, she laced her fingers with his before grasping it tightly.
Jackson squeezed April's hand and smiled; "Lets" he said.
April tugged Jackson's hand and began walking towards the pathway; "What time is your flight on Monday?"
Jackson followed April's lead; "9 in the morning"
April threw him a teasing look; "Will you be able to wake up that early?"
Jackson chuckled; "I'll try my best" he replied.
April halted in her steps as they stood on the sidewalk; she then turned her head to her right and pointed towards her car. "My car is there" she said.
Jackson wordlessly pulled on her hand and began directing them towards it.
"You don't have to walk me there Jackman" April protested.
Jackson threw her side glance; "I know, I just want too" he replied.
April smiled; once they reached the side of her car, she leaned back on her door and faced Jackson fully. "We're here"
"I can see that" Jackson said with a smirk.
April stared at him for a moment before biting her lower lip nervously.
"What's wrong?" Jackson asked.
April seems to hesitate at first but she went ahead with it; "We're good right? Me and you, we're good?" she asked.
Jackson furrowed his brows; "Yeah, we're good, why?" he asked.
April grasped his other hand in hers before taking a deep breath; "I just feel like-I don't know..."
Jackson shifted closer and planted a kiss on her forehead; "We'll be alright" he said.
April squeezed his hands tightly before tilting her head; she then met his gaze for a second before capturing his lips with hers.
Jackson closed his eyes as he let himself get lost in the kiss; making him move closer and pin April to her car with his hips.
April hastily let go of Jackson's hands and snaked it around his neck; she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer.
Jackson groaned as he braises his hands on the car, holding the red head captive inside his arms. After a couple of minutes of heated kissing, he gently pulled away and leaned his forehead in hers. He slowly opened his eyes and planted a soft kiss on top of her nose; "I'm not complaining but what's that for?" he asked huskily.
April opened her eyes and met Jackson's intense gaze; "I just missed you is all..." she breathed out.
Jackson planted another kiss on her nose before moving his head away; he then quietly pulls April to his chest and hugged her tightly.
April buries her face into his chest as she wraps her arms around his waist; "I love you" she whispered.
Jackson planted another kiss on her head; "I know and I love you too" he whispered back.
oOo
The day before Jackson's flight:
Jackson switched off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt; he pushed his door open and grabbed the bouquets of flowers from the passenger seat. He stepped out of his car and locked the door behind with a flick of his thumb; he then walked towards the narrow pathway and stopped right in front of the two familiar headstones. He bends forward and placed the first bouquet of Peonies on the first grave; "Hey Lex, I got you your favorite" he said. He then shifted to his left and placed the second bouquet of Posies by his mentor's tomb; "I'm not mocking our namesake, I just can't think of a better flower to bring you" he said with a chuckle. He then stood straight and shoved his hands in his pockets; "It's been awhile since I last visited, I just got a bit distracted with work and my life I guess" he said. He then turned his eyes towards Mark's headstone; "I'm following your advice man, I'm manning up. I won't think about how this decision will burn my life to the ground or how it will cause problems, I love her and I'm no longer scared to say it out loud, I'll see what happens then I'll go from there" he paused and cleared the lump in his throat. "Thank you-I know I don't say it often because you normally give me shit when I do but I don't care now so I'll say it over and over. Thank you for everything you've done for me and for everything you taught me. Thank you for believing in my skills and for taking me under your wing when no else seems to see pass my last name and my pretty face. Lastly, thank you for being the closest thing I ever had to a father-yes I consider you as my pseudo father and you know I don't throw that title lightly. And that's also why I'm here today, I want to tell you personally that I'm asking April to marry me, I wanted you to be the first to know, so wish me luck and pray that she will say yes to me" he said. He then let out a deep breath and pulled his phone from his pocket; he browsed through his phonebook and stopped at a familiar number. He paused and turned his gaze to Lexie's grave; "I'm not proposing via phone Lex, so cool it down" he said with a chuckle. He then tapped on the screen and placed his phone to his ear; after a couple of rings he heard a familiar voice on the other line. "Hey mom, I need help with something, are you free tomorrow till Tuesday?"
oOo
Richard was suturing a grape when his mobile phone rang; he put down the instruments on the table and pulled his phone from his breast pocket. "Hello?" he answered.
"Richard dear, are you at the hospital?"
Richard took off his surgical glasses; "Yes I am, is something wrong?" he asked.
"No dear, I just need a little favour, if that's okay"
Richard chuckled; "Do you really have to ask? Come on, talk to me, what do you need?"
"I need the address of one of our Attending's, will you be able to get that for me dear?"
Richard furrowed his brows; "I'm not sure I heard you correctly, you need what?"
"I need to get April Kepner's address"
"Kepner's address? She still lives at the same apartment complex and I believe you've already been there."
"No honey, I need to get her house address in Moline"
"Ohio?" Richard asked confusedly.
"Yes honey, that address. Now, can you get it for me?"
Richard stood up from his perch; "I can get it but why on earth will you be needing her Ohio address?" he asked.
"I'll eventually tell you but not now honey. Can you send it to me via text?"
Richard stepped out of the skill's lab room and began walking along the almost empty hallway; "Yes, I'm on my way" he replied.
"You're not allowed to tell anyone about this, am I clear?"
Richard rolled his eyes; "I won't tell anyone."
"Perfect, now I got to run, I'll just wait for your text then. I love you and I'll see you soon, bye baby!"
"I love you too, bye" Richard replied. He then stopped right in front of the file room and began checking his surroundings, when he's sure that no one saw him, he pushed the door open and entered the room quietly.
oOo
Jackson was zipping his luggage when his phone rang; he plucked it from his bed and tapped on the screen. "Mom"
"I already took care of everything baby, I'll just see you tomorrow then"
Jackson smiled; "Thank you for helping with this mom, I owe you one"
"Oh hush! You don't owe me anything, I'm happy to do this for you. I can't believe my baby is all grown up and he's getting me a new daughter! I can already imagine my grandbabies running around the-"
"Mom, let's not get carried away, okay? I'm asking her to marry me, meaning, I'm still not sure what her answer will be so don't go crazy on me yet"
"April will definitely say yes, she's head over heels for you baby and she loves me too much to say no to you."
Jackson chuckled; "Well that's comforting. My future fiancé agreeing to my marriage proposal just because she loves my mother more"
"I'm pretty sure that's not the case"
Jackson shook his head; "I'm still packing, I'll call you tomorrow once I'm in SeaTac okay?" he said.
"Alright baby boy, I'll see you tomorrow. Aurevoire!"
Jackson disconnected the call and threw it back to his bed.
oOo
GSMH: April's first day:
April sauntered inside the Attendings' Lounge with a bounce in her step; she closed the door behind her and made her way towards the locker area.
"Look whose back" Cristina said upon spotting April.
April smiled brightly; "Good morning!" she chirped.
Alex shrugged his lab coat on and turned towards April with a smirk; "You're McRainbowBright today because I can literally see rainbows shooting out your ears."
Cristina laughed; "Do you have another nickname for her?" she asked curiously.
April rolled her eyes before turning towards her cubby; "He's calling me McBawler because according to Alex, I bawl all the time and it annoys the hell out of him" she said.
Cristina laughed louder; "Mean evil spawn! That's just plain mean!" she said.
Alex snickered; "Come on Apes, you know I just don't like seeing you cry and all"
April just shook her head in response but a small smile can been seen on her lips.
Cristina stood up from the bench and patted April's shoulder when she passed her by; "Good luck on your first day and make sure to kick some sloppy residents or sloppy intern ass"
April chuckles as she pulls off her jacket; "I'll try my best to channel you then," she joked.
Cristina cackled as she exits the locker area.
Alex slung his stethoscope around his neck and began walking towards the same direction as his other friend; "Show them what you've got McRainbowBright, kick ass and run them ragged" he said.
"I'll make sure to blind them with the colourful arrays of my rainbow"
Alex chuckled as he exits the locker; "Later Apes" he said.
April smiled as she pulled on her scrub top.
oOo
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport:
Jackson stepped away from the check in counter and made his way towards the waiting area; he sat down on one of the metal chairs and wheeled his luggage right beside him. He placed his passport and ticket on his lap before he pulled his phone from his jackets inside pocket; he scrolled through his speed dial list and tapped on the call button.
"Hey baby boy, where are you?"
"I'm already in SeaTac, I just checked in. Are you on your way to Logan?" Jackson asked anxiously.
"Not yet but I'm about to leave my house"
"Okay, I'll see you in a couple of hours then" Jackson said.
"Have a safe flight baby"
"You too"
"Bye!"
Jackson pulled his phone away from his ear and tapped on the screen; he checked the time and hastily stood up from his perch. "Lex and Mark, I'm counting on you guys, pray for me" he said to himself.
oOo
GSMH:
April stepped out of O.R with a huge smile on her face; she made her way towards the sink and began scrubbing off. She was half way finish when the door to the scrub room opened and admitted his mentor in. "Chief"
"That was impressive April, it's been a long time since I last saw that manoeuvre" Owen said to his student.
April smiled widely; "Dr. O'Brien's signature move" she said proudly.
Owen smiled back; "I know, it made me feel like I'm watching Carlisle in action. Makes me think about our glory days in Iraq" he said.
"That's exactly what he said when he saw me do the trick you taught me" April said while wiping her hands with a dry towel.
"Do you think I can scrub in your next surgery? I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic" Owen asked hopefully.
April threw the used cloth on one of bins; "Of course. I'll page you once a new trauma comes in but I can't promise that I'll be able to showcase Dr. O'Brien's nifty techniques all throughout surgery" she teased.
Owen laughed; "It doesn't have to be Carlisle's show, I'm pretty sure you have your own techniques that I haven't seen yet. I haven't operated with you in a long time and I would like to rectify that" he said.
April beamed; "I'll hold you to your word Hunt, I'll be paging you like crazy once trauma comes into my E.R." she said playfully.
Owen stared at his student amusedly; "You're on Kepner" he replied.
oOo
Meredith was reading her mother's journal while munching on her fries when Cristina plopped down on the chair right in front of her and stole a piece from her plate. She lazily tore her eyes away from the little black notebook and dog eared it; "How was your angiogram?"
"He lives a hundred more years if he lays off this blasted fries" Cristina replied.
Meredith chuckled as she places the journal beside her tray.
April popped out of nowhere and placed her lunch tray on top of the table; "Hey you guys" she greeted perkily.
Cristina turned her head sideways; "Still shooting rainbows, I see" she teased.
April pulled a chair and sat down beside the Cardio Surgeon; "Not really, I had to unleash my inner Cristina a couple of minutes ago, those interns are sloppy."
"Inner Cristina?" Meredith asked with amusement.
"I knew you would, come on, tell me, what did those imbecile do this time?" Cristina asked with interest.
April sighed; "I asked Spencer to start a central line and he just stared at me like I'm asking him to perform an angioplasty or something."
Cristina chortled happily; "Really? What do they teach in Med School nowadays?" she then paused. "Wait, Spencer? Who's that?"
"The intern that tops Jackson's shit list" Meredith supplied.
"Ooohhh, Dumbo!" Cristina said giddily.
"Dumbo? He's not huge" April said.
Meredith snickered; "Cristina calls him Dumbo because he is dumb, Apes, not because of his size."
"Oh" April said. She then wrinkled her nose in distaste; "That's awful!"
"Tell me about it" Cristina said.
April turned her head sideways; "I'm referring to your name calling" she said.
Cristina scoffed; "You get to work with him first hand, don't tell me you're impressed with his medical prowess"
"You have a point" April said before stuffing her mouth with chips.
Meredith chuckled; "You can't blame us for naming him that Apes, I mean, he did manage to make Jackson blew a gasket and you know how composed he is most of the time"
"What did he do?" April asked after swallowing.
"He paged Jackson 911 in the wee hours of the morning when he's not on call" Meredith said.
"McPretty was nice enough to come in though, the problem was, its not even his patient" Cristina finished while snickering.
April winced; "I bet that didn't turn out good. Was there shouting?"
Meredith took a fry from her plate and pointed it at April; "Oh there is shouting. Owen had to talk to Jackson after that incident because he almost made Dumbo pee in his pants" she said.
April's eyes widen.
"Don't worry McPretty didn't get into trouble, Owen just had to "talk" to him" Cristina said dismissively.
April nodded; "I see" she replied.
"Aside from Dumbo's blunder, anything exciting down there?" Meredith asked.
"Nah, just same old pit stuff" April replied as she plucks her soda from her tray.
"I bet you miss the crazies in Mass Gen" Meredith said with a smile.
Cristina scoffed but didn't say anything.
April took a sip of her drink; "Not really. It feels good to be back" she said with a smile.
Cristina threw April an approving look; "It's nice to hear that" she said.
Meredith rolled her eyes.
oOo
Toledo Express Airport; Toledo, Ohio:
"I still can't believe you were able to get us a rental car before our plane landed, you even got us a freaking driver!" Jackson said incredulously.
Catherine rolled her eyes; "How many hours does it take to reach Moline again?"
Jackson turned his head sideways; "4 hour, give or take" he replied.
"I can't wait to see the farm, I heard so much about it from April" Catherine said excitedly.
"I haven't been to a farm so I don't know what to expect."
"A barn full of animals?" Catherine offered.
Jackson laughed.
Catherine turned to her side to face her son fully; "Are you nervous baby?"
Jackson's smile faltered; "Who wouldn't be?" he joked.
Catherine leaned forward and gathered Jackson's hand in her lap; "You have nothing to worry about baby, any parents would love to have you as their son in law" she said.
Jackson rolled his eyes; "You only say that because you're my mother" he said.
Catherine threw her son a chastising look; "You always sell yourself short baby, that's not a good trait" she said.
"I didn't mean to sound so-self depreciating, I'm just nervous. I mean, I'm not even sure if April told her parents about us. The last time I talked with Karen and Big Joe was after April left for Boston and during that time, I was a little out of sort, I can't even remember if I left a good impression or-"
"Jackson baby calm down" Catherine said, cutting off her son's rant.
Jackson took a deep calming breath; "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound crazy."
Catherine smiled; "Look at me, a man who flies a thousand miles just to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage personally is a sign of how much that man respects them and how much he values their opinion. You are a good person baby and her parents will be able to see that too. They'll be happy to see that their daughter has found a man who loves her so much that he will brave talking to them without their daughter to filter whatever they may have to say."
Jackson squeezed his Mother's hand; "You think so?"
Catherine nodded; "I know so." She then smirked; "Now, make your Mama proud and be the man I raised you to be."
Jackson chuckled; "I'll use my Avery sparkle then" he said.
Catherine laughed.
oOo
GSMH:
Owen was going through some paper works when his pager went off; he lazily plucked it from his lab coat pocket and read the message. He hastily shot up from his chair and began walking towards the door; he yanked it open and began jogging towards the elevator.
"Where's the fire?" Derek asked as he stares at his friend amusedly.
Owen smiled; "I'm headed to the pit, I'm finally getting my hands dirty" he said somewhat giddily.
Derek threw Owen a confused look; "You just performed a surgery last night, why do you look like this will be your first in months?" he asked.
Owen smiled widely; "I'm operating with Kepner, I haven't operated with her for a year. I want to see her in action and I want to check what she learned from Carlisle" he said.
Derek chuckled; "Hoping you'll be able to relive your glory days, then?" he asked.
"Damn right" Owen replied.
Derek pointed towards the elevator doors when it chimed open; "Go, get your hands dirty" he said.
Owen waives his goodbye before stepping inside the metal contraption; he pressed the down button repeatedly before shoving his hands inside his lab coat pocket.
Derek shook his head.
oOo
"Somebody book O.R. 2, now!" April barked.
"I'm on it!" Shane said as he scurries towards the phone.
"What do we have here Kepner?" Owen asked as he enters the room.
April turned her head to her side; "Hunting trip accident, patient was mauled by a grizzly bear. Multiple lacerations on his chest and arms, miraculously, he doesn't have any head injuries but his bleeding on his stomach profusely. I already paged Grey and she'll be meeting us in O.R. 2" she said.
Owen slipped on some latex gloves and stepped closer to the exam bed; he checked the lacerations on the patient's stomach and winced. "That bear is really angry" he said.
A chuckle escaped April's lips before she was able to stop herself; "I'm sorry, Chief" she said before clearing her throat.
Owen threw April a smile before turning towards the trauma team; "Let's move him people, no time to waste" he said.
oOo
Moline, Ohio:
Karen Kepner just came from feeding the chickens when a car pulled over near their house; she hastily wiped her hands with her apron and began walking towards it.
"Are you sure you want to talk with them first? I can come with you baby, Karen likes me" Catherine offered.
Jackson unbuckled his seatbelt and smiled at his mother; "I'll talk with them first then I'll get you, okay?"
Catherine nodded; "Fine."
Jackson planted a kiss on Catherine's forehead before pushing the door open; "Wish me luck" he breathed out.
Catherine chuckled; "Good luck baby, don't forget to switch on the sparkle" she teased.
Jackson took a deep calming breath before climbing out of the car; he closed the door behind him and began straightening his clothes.
"Jackson?"
Jackson felt a jolt in his chest as he heard a familiar voice; he hastily turned around and let out a nervous smile upon seeing April's mother walking towards him. "Mrs. Kepner"
Karen eyes widen as a huge smile appeared on her lips; "It's you! April didn't tell me you were coming!"
"She doesn't know that I'm here" Jackson said shyly.
Karen stopped right in front of her daughter's best friend and pulled him into a motherly hug; "It's so nice to see you again. How are you dear?" she asked.
Jackson returned the hug; "I'm doing fine. Thank you for asking. How are you and Mr. Kepner?" he asked.
Karen chuckled as she pulls away; "How many times do we have to tell you to call us Karen and Joe?"
Jackson scratches the back of his head nervously; "I'm sorry, I always forget" he said. He then peered behind Karen's shoulder and began looking around; "Is Big Joe, around?"
"He's around here somewhere" Karen replied. She then turned her gaze towards the car's window and narrowed her eyes; "Is there someone with you?" she asked.
Jackson cleared his throat; "Err-yeah, it's my mom" he replied.
Karen's eyes widen in surprise; "Your mom is also here?" she asked.
Jackson nodded sheepishly.
Karen smiles before making her way towards the side of the car; she bends forward and peered inside; "Catherine Avery, I'm appalled that you're hiding inside your car, you come down here and give me a hug!"
Catherine smiled widely before moving towards the door.
Karen took a step back and waited for her friend to come down.
Catherine pushed the door open and climb out of the car; she threw her son an I-told-you-so look before opening her arms towards April's mom. "Karen! It's so nice to see you again!" she said.
Karen laughed before pulling the other woman into a hug; "You should've told me that you were coming over! I just spoke with you last week!"
Jackson raised his brow and threw his mother an inquisitive look.
Catherine laughed indulgently before pulling away; "It wouldn't be a surprise then?" she said.
Karen laughed as she pulls away; "You and your surprises. Joe and I would've picked you up from the airport if we only knew" she said.
Catherine waived her hand dismissively; "You don't have to bother" she replied.
Karen scoffed at Catherine playfully; she turned towards Jackson and smiled. "Why don't we go inside the house, it's kind of sunny out here" she said.
"That's perfect" Catherine said.
"Go get your driver to, I'll prepare lemonades for all of us" Karen said.
"I'll get him, you two go on ahead" Jackson offered.
Catherine smiled at her son; "Thank you baby" she said. She then looped her arm around Karen's arm; "I've heard so many stories from April about this farm but her description does not give justice, it's absolutely beautiful here!"
Karen laughed as leads Catherine towards the foyer.
oOo
GSMH:
"Murphy, can you close up?" April asked her resident.
Leah's eyes widen in surprise; "You'll let me?" she asked.
April nodded; "Do you want to?" she asked.
Leah nodded excitedly; "Of course, Dr. Kepner" she replied.
April stepped away from the Operating Table; "He's all yours then" she said. She spun on her heels and began walking towards the scrub room; she then stepped inside and took off her gloves.
Owen turned his head sideways and grinned at April widely; "You were fantastic there, Carlisle taught you well" he said.
April threw her gloves on the proper bin and took off her surgical gown; she then walked towards the sink and stood beside her mentor. "He taught me a lot of things but you saw my potential, I wouldn't be in Trauma right now if it weren't for you so Dr. O'Brien doesn't get all the credit" she said with a smile.
Owen smiled; "I'm proud of you soldier"
April turned towards Owen and saluted; "Thank you sir!" she said.
Owen laughed.
oOo
Moline, Ohio:
"Someone told me that they saw my wife hugging a dashing young man so I came back as soon as I can."
Jackson shot up from his chair; "Good afternoon sir" he said nervously.
Big Joe Kepner laughed as he walks towards Jackson; he offered his hand to the young man with a huge smile on his face. "It's nice to see you again son!"
Jackson smiled back and shook Joe's hand; "It's nice to see you too, Sir" he replied.
Joe pulled Jackson into a hug and patted his back; "Stop calling me Sir, it makes me feel old" he said while chuckling.
Jackson chuckled; "I always forget" he said.
Joe pulled away; he then turned towards his right and saw Catherine smiling at them from the sofa. "Catherine" he greeted.
Catherine waived her hand in greeting; "Joe" she said.
"It's nice to see you again, it's been a long time" Joe said.
"I know, it's nice to you too" Catherine replied.
Joe shifted towards the couch and sat down; he then patted the seat beside him and gestured for Jackson to sit down.
Jackson cleared his throat and sat down quietly.
Karen threw Catherine a knowing look before clearing her throat; "Now, I understand that you came here for something and this not just a casual visit" she said while looking at Jackson.
Jackson's heart was beating rapidly as his palms started to sweat; he threw his mother a look before clearing the lump in his throat.
Catherine smiled encouragingly at her son before nodding subtly.
"T—that's right-I—I came here today to ask—" he paused and cleared his throat again. "I came here today to ask for your permission and to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage"
Joe turned his head sideways and stared at Jackson.
Jackson swallowed hard and wiped the sweat off his forehead; he then faced April's father and met his gaze directly. "I love your daughter sir and she means the world to me. I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I promise to take care of her as long as I'm breathing."
Karen's hand flew to her lips as her eyes started prickling with tears.
Catherine smiled and gently patted Karen's thigh comfortingly.
"April-April is my best friend and I've been in love with her for as long as I can remember. She is the most beautiful woman I ever laid my eyes on and that beauty is skin deep. I'm so much in love with your daughter that I'm willing to do anything I can just to see her happy. I-I haven't told her about this if that's what you're thinking-I wanted to talk to you first because that's how much I respect you and Karen. So, if you will give me your blessing, I want to propose to her." Jackson said nervously.
Karen wiped the tears that trickled down her cheeks; "Thank you for talking to us first" she said with an affectionate smile.
Jackson turned his gaze towards Karen and smiled at her shyly.
Joe stood up from his perch and faced Jackson fully; "Get up" he said.
Jackson swallowed hard before following Joe's orders.
Joe stared at Jackson for a couple of seconds before a full blown grin appeared on his lips; he then pulled Jackson into a tight hug and patted his back. "Welcome to the family, I can now really call you son" he said jovially.
Jackson returned the hug with the same vigour as he felt the weight lifted from chest; he patted the old man's back as he let out a relieved breath.
Joe laughed before pulling away; "I scared you there for a second huh? You thought I will beat the crap out of you and pull out my gun?" he teased.
Jackson chuckled; "You got me bad Joe, you got me bad" he replied.
Karen stood from her perch and opened her arms; "Come here you, welcome to the family" she said.
Jackson smiled widely as he walks towards Karen; he leaned forward and hugged her future mother in law. "Thank you...this means so much to me" he whispered.
Karen rubbed Jackson's back comfortingly; "My daughter chose well, I'm happy that it's you" she whispered back before pulling away.
Catherine stood up from her perch and clapped her hands happily; "Our babies are getting married! We'll finally have grandbabies!" she said.
Jackson's eyes widen; "Mom!"
Karen turned towards Catherine and smiled widely; "Our babies will make pretty babies! I hope all of them will have Jackson's eyes" she gushed.
Catherine chortled happily.
"Come on son, let's leave them while we still can, you don't want to hear them planning your wedding even before you get the chance to propose" Joe offered.
Jackson threw his mother and Karen one last look before turning towards Joe; "I haven't been to a farm yet."
Joe grinned; "Let's get you acquainted then" he said.
"Lead the way" Jackson said with large smile.
oOo
Jackson's Arrival: Seattle-Tacoma Airport:
"Are you sure you don't want us to drop you off baby?" Catherine asked.
"Your mother's right Jackson, I don't mind" Richard said.
Jackson smiled; "My apartment is out of the way. I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I'm a grown man, I can get myself home."
Catherine pouted; "Fine. Be that way"
Jackson chuckled; he then walked towards his mother and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thank you for being the best mom any son can wish for" he whispered.
Catherine wrapped her arms around her baby boy's waist; "You are welcome baby" she replied.
Jackson pulled away and plated a kiss on Catherine's forehead; "I love you and have a good night" he said.
Catherine pinched Jackson's cheek before winking; "We'll definitely have a good night" she said.
Jackson groaned; "Too much information mom!"
Catherine chuckled; "Don't be a prude, we both know that you and Apr-"
Jackson began pushing Catherine towards Richard; "Take her home, please?" he said desperately.
Richard wrapped his arm around Catherine's shoulder and began ushering her away; "Now, now Catherine, let's leave Jackson's business alone" he said.
Jackson threw Richard a grateful look before grabbing his luggage and walking towards the other direction.
oOo
GSMH:
"Hey Apes," Alex said as he walks towards his cubby.
"Where have you been all day? This is the first time I've seen you" April said.
Alex took off his lab coat and threw it on top of the bench carelessly; "I've been in a 10 hours surgery with Cristina and I'm about ready to collapse from starvation" he groaned.
April shrugged on her jacket and grabbed her bag from her locker; "It's a good thing then,"
Alex plopped down on the bench and frowned; "It's not a good thing Kepner" he snapped.
April turned towards Alex and smiled widely; "It's a good thing that you're starving because there are 2 Tupperware containers inside the fridge that has your name on it" she said.
Alex's eyes widen as he shot up from his perch; he made a bee line towards the fridge and yanked it open.
April chuckled as she closes her locker; she then plucked Alex's coat from the bench and threw it on laundry hamper near the door. She then leaned on the door frame and watched Alex take off the lid on each container; "I've been looking for you the whole day because I made you those" she said.
Alex lifted his gaze from the food and smiled boyishly at April; "You made me Turkey Casserole and Apple Pie! Just like what I requested!" he said happily.
April chuckled; "You told me you wanted those, so, there" she replied.
"You are the best!" Alex said before sticking a fork inside the Turkey Casserole container; he took a large chunk and shoved it to his mouth.
April wrinkled her nose; "Err—you might want to heat that up first" she suggested.
Alex pulled a chair and sat down; "I'm so hungry I don't think I can stand the wait" he said.
April rolled her eyes; she then walked towards the table and plucked the containers off the table.
"Hey!"
April ignored Alex's rant and popped the casserole into the microwave; "You should heat it up so you can enjoy it" she said.
Alex pursed his lips as he leaned back on his chair; "But I'm so hungry!"
April was about to respond but the microwave beeped; she pulled the tiny door open and pulled out the container. She placed it right in front of Alex and gestured towards it; "There, eat."
Alex leaned forward and started to dig in.
April smiled at his reaction before popping the apple pie next; after a couple of minutes the microwave beeped again. She took it out and placed it on top of the table; "Well I better go now, I'll see you tomorrow"
Alex hastily swallowed his food; "Do you have a ride? I can drop you off" he offered.
April adjusted the strap of her shoulder bag; "Nah, I brought my car but thanks for offering though, I'll go ahead" she said with a smile.
"Thank you for the food Apes! Have a good night and drive safely!" Alex said.
April nodded before turning around and heading towards the door.
oOo
Jackson collapse back first on top of his bead with a large smile on his face; he finally did it, he got their blessing. Now, the only thing left to do is to buy the ring and think of a romantic way to propose. He was running some ideas through his head when his phone started ringing; he plucked it from his front pocket and smiled widely upon seeing the face that's flashing on the screen. He hastily tapped on the answer button and shifted the phone to his ear; "Hey beautiful, did you miss me?"
"I missed you! Are you home?" April asked.
"Yeah, I just got in, I was about to call you but you beat me to it and oh, I missed you too" Jackson said with a chuckle.
"Great, because I'm right outside your doorstep"
Jackson instantly sat up; "Huh? You're where?" he asked.
April chuckled; "I'm standing outside your apartment right now so if it's not asking too much, can you open the door because I'm carrying something kinda heavy"
Jackson stood up from his bed and began walking towards the door; "What in the world are you carrying?" he asked.
"Open that door and you'll find out"
Jackson stood right in front of his door and pulled it open; his eyes widen upon seeing April carrying a huge paper bag.
April pulled her phone away from her ear and smiled widely at Jackson; "Hey you!" she said.
Jackson smiled back and guided April inside his apartment; he closed the door behind them before facing April fully and planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "I missed you" he whispered.
April smiled; "You already said that but I missed you too" she said. She then lifted the paper bag she's carrying and held it out for Jackson to take; "I brought you food, I know you haven't eaten anything because you hate plane food" she said.
Jackson accepted the paper bag with a huge smile before peeking inside; "Smells good, what did you cook?" he asked.
"Turkey Casserole, Aglio E Olio and Apple Pie" April replied.
Jackson's eyes widen; "You didn't have to make all of this"
April chuckled; "I made the Casserole and Apple Pie as per Alex's request and the pasta is what I had for dinner, so it's no big deal"
Jackson smiled; "You always spoil us with your food Kepner" he teased.
"I do what I can" April quipped.
"Let's go to the kitchen so I can heat this up, I'm starving"
"At least you bother to heat it, Alex wanted to eat it straight from the fridge"
Jackson made a face.
April laughed.
oOo
Cristina just finished brushing her teeth when Owen stood by the door and leaned by the frame; "I will call for a board meeting tomorrow, I already spoke with Kurt."
Cristina turned around to face her husband fully; "What did he say?" she asked.
Owen sighs in defeat; "He offered spots to some promising Attendings' and it's not just Anderson" he said.
Cristina eyed Owen for a couple of seconds; "He-he offered April a spot too?" she asked.
"He did and they're playing hard ball for Kepner, Kurt told me that if Kepner accepts the offer, she will be facilitating the whole Trauma Unit for the exchange program."
Cristina's eyes widen in shock; "Did Kurt tell you if April accepted the offer yet?" she asked.
Owen shook his head; "He hasn't heard from April yet but by Monday next week, she'll have to give him an answer"
"But the exchange program doesn't run until July, it's only May"
Owen crossed his arms on top of his chest; "Carlisle's wife delivered their first born last week so he's on paternity leave. Kurt needs someone to step in Carlisle's place for the mean time so they can make a new curriculum for this year's program and it seems like April is his first choice."
Cristina sighed; "If I only knew that Mass Gen is trouble I should've voted them out the first time they offered that stupid program" she said.
"Avery will be in by tomorrow, we should all sit down and talk about this" Owen said.
"Jackson will not like this, not one bit. He'll pretty much blow a gasket if he finds out that Mass Gen is luring April away for the second time"
"I know, we'll just have to listen to his shouts then" Owen said.
Cristina chuckled; "Hell hath no fury to an Avery scorned" she joked.
Owen laughed.
oOo
"This is delicious Apes, you've always been a wonderful cook" Jackson said between bites.
April smiled before taking a sip of her wine; "I learned it from my mom" she said.
Jackson nodded in agreement; "Your mom is a wonderful cook" he replied.
April raised her brow; "How would you know? You haven't tasted my mom's cooking yet"
Jackson pauses mid bite and mentally swore; he swallowed his food and cleared his throat. "I know but if I'm basing it on how you cook then I must say that you learned from the best, right?"
April stared at him for a couple of seconds before nodding; "Yeah—that makes sense" she replied.
Jackson shoved another forkful of pasta in his mouth to keep himself from answering; "Nice save" he thought to himself.
"You seem a little bit sunburned from the last time I saw you" April said a little too nonchalantly.
Jackson took note of her tone and smiled at April; "Is that your subtle way of asking, where I went?"
"Of course not!"
Jackson chuckled.
April narrowed her eyes and began thrumming her fingers on top of the table; "Well?"
Jackson raised his brow in challenge; "Well what?"
"Where have you been?"
Jackson smirked; "I like this new you, I think it's cute" he said.
April scowled; "What do you mean, new me?"
"The openly jealous you" Jackson said in a-matter-factly-way.
April's eyes widen as her cheeks starts to flush; "I AM NOT JEALOUS!" she shrilled.
Jackson bit his lower lip to keep himself from smiling; "Okay then," he said.
April took another sip of her wine before crossing her arms on top of her chest; after a couple of seconds she spoke again. "Well-I maybe a tiny little bit-jealous" she admitted.
Jackson lifted his eyes from his food and stared at April; "Why?" he asked.
April pursed her lips; "It's been two days and you didn't even call me once. You didn't even want me to take you to the airport nor pick you up. And I don't think I would've seen you tonight if I didn't haul myself here."
Jackson's eyes widen in surprise; he didn't think that April will feel and think that way. He need to rectify this now because if he lets it stir longer, her crazy mind will start jumping into conclusions even before he's able to explain. "I was with my Mom the whole time. We went to someplace I can't really disclose and it's super sunny there that's why I got burned. I didn't call you during those two days because I pretty much didn't have time. You know my mom she can be really handful if she wants to be and I was on her beck and call. And about seeing you tonight, I knew you had a hectic day today because I called the E.R. from the airport and checked with the nurse on duty, I asked her so many questions about you and I'm quite sure that I freaked her out. I was really about to call you but you like what I said you beat me to it."
April winced; "I'm sorry..."
Jackson reached for April's hand and squeezed it; he then met her gaze and let out a smile. "You don't have to be sorry about anything. I'm actually glad that you told me about what you are feeling, we should make this a rule between us" he said.
April smiled shyly; "You sure you want to hear all my irrational rants?"
Jackson pulled April's hand and planted a kiss on top of it; "Nothing about what you say is irrational and yes I want to hear it all" he said.
April stared at Jackson before impulsively leaning forward and planting a chaste kiss on his lips; "You are just the sweetest" she murmured.
Jackson smiled.
April pulled her face away and wrinkled her nose; "You taste like garlic by the way"
Jackson instantly pulled away to check his breath.
April winked; "It's alright, I still love you and all your garlic-y goodness"
Jackson stared at April before bursting into laughter.
oOo
Both April and Jackson enjoyed a bottle of wine while talking about their respective days; April talking for the most part because Jackson is good in steering the conversation away from him and he made sure to throw a lot of questions to keep the love of his life going. Love of his life, wow, that sounded cheesy but it's the truth.
"And I had to scrub fast because-why are you looking at me like that?"
Jackson took a sip of his wine; "Like what?" he asked.
April raised her brow; "I don't know, your eyes gone glassy for a second there, are you sleepy?" she asked. She then took a peek of her watch and her eyes widen in surprise; "Oh gosh, it's really late, I didn't notice the time and I think—"
"I'm not sleepy, don't worry about it" Jackson said.
April emptied her wine glass before smiling at Jackson; "I know you're tired and jet lagged from whatever place you came from, so, I better leave" she said before standing up.
Jackson emptied his glass as well and stared at April; he licked his lips nervously before voicing out his thoughts. "You—you can stay over and just sleep with me—it's kinda late and I don't want you driving at this hour"
April felt her whole body stiffen but she was able to move her eyes towards Jackson.
Jackson saw the panic that crossed her face; he automatically shot up from his chair and braised her hands on April's shoulder. "No. I don't mean we should sleep together—well, we have no choice since I only have one bed in this apartment and my couch sucks" he then paused and winced; "I'm making a fool out of myself."
April bit her bottom lip to keep herself from giggling; "Well, you are rambling"
Jackson's cheeks started to flush so he averted his gaze.
"I think I get what you mean though"
Jackson shifted his eyes again and met April's gaze; "You do?"
April chuckled nervously; "Yeah-you want me to stay here to just sleep with you but not to actually sleep with you. No sex, in short, that's what you're trying to say right?"
Jackson let out a relieved sigh; "Yeah, that's it."
April bit her lower lip anxiously; "Are you sure we can do that? I mean, we've always had troubles in keeping our hands off of each other."
Jackson gazed into her eyes seriously before shifting closer; "As much as I want to take that step with you again I won't because I refuse to compromise what we have now for something as trivial as sex" he said. He then threw April an appeased smiled before continuing; "Yes, we can sleep together and we will keep our hands to ourselves because right now, all I really want to do is hold you in my arms until we both fall asleep."
April blinked her eyes multiple times; "You changed" she breathed out, clearly in a daze.
"Is that a bad thing?"
April shook her head before tugging on Jackson's hands and lacing their fingers together; "Nope but I love you more for it" she said with a smile.
Jackson smiled widely before pulling her into to his chest and hugging her tightly; "I'm trying my best to be the man you deserve and I'm almost there" he whispered.
April closed her eyes as she returns the hug; "We'll have that blasted do over by hook or by crook"
Jackson laughed.
oOo
GSMH: Wednesday
Jackson was browsing through his tab with huge smile on his face when Alex found him; he sneakily walked towards the oblivious Plastics Attending and peered behind his shoulders. "Dude, you're definitely putting a ring on it."
Jackson hastily tapped on his tab to close the browser and turned towards his friend; "What the hell?"
Alex chuckles as he leans towards the counter; "You grow steel balls Avery, steel balls" he said.
Jackson frowned at Alex; "Keep your mouth shut! You didn't see anything" he hissed.
Alex raised both hands in surrender; "Geez! Calm down lover boy, I'm not gonna rat you out" he said.
Jackson narrowed his eyes at the Ped's Attending; "I mean it Karev, not a single word"
Alex rolled his eyes before lowering his hands; "I won't ruin Kepner's ever after because I know I won't hear the end of it."
Jackson's face relaxes; "Thank you" he said.
Alex smirked; "So-any ideas on how to pop the question?" he asked.
Jackson stared at Alex for a moment before cringing; "Off the record?"
"Off the record"
"I'm floundering here and I don't have a fucking idea how to do this. The last man who proposed to her brought those dorky flash mob dancers, I mean, how do you top something like that?" Jackson ranted.
Alex winced; "If it makes you feel better, you're much prettier that Mr. Paramedic" he offered.
Jackson titled his head and groaned.
Alex chuckled; "Look, I'm not the most romantic person in this hospital. I freaking told Jo I loved her inside a supply closet and the last time I proposed I did it inside a patient's room with my ex wife being the actual "dying" patient, so no, I'm not good with those stuff. I think you'll have better luck asking McDreamy, he's the fairytale type of guy, he might have some ideas" he said.
Jackson righted his head and turned his eyes towards Alex; "You think?"
"Yeah"
Jackson took a deep breath before squaring his shoulders; "I'll try him then" he said.
Alex crossed his arms on top of his chest; "Before you think of a kick ass proposal buy her a ring first" he said.
"Oh, yeah, that's right"
Alex shook his head.
Jackson then placed his tab back on the cradle and cleared his throat; "Well, I better go, we have this stupid board meeting again. Thank you man, I appreciate it" he said.
"Anytime"
Jackson spun on his heels and began walking away.
"Avery?"
Jackson paused and turned his head towards Alex; "Yeah?"
Alex smiled sincerely; "I'm happy for you and don't screw it up" he said.
Jackson smiled back; "Thank you" he said before continuing his trek.
Alex turned towards the counter and plucked his own tab.
oOo
Owen waited for the last board member to enter the room before closing the door behind him; he took a deep calming breath before walking towards the table and took his seat.
Jackson threw Owen a look before smiling widely at his friends; "Before we start, I would like to thank each and every one of you for all the things you've done for me for these past couple of months. I know I haven't been carrying my full weight but I promise to do my best to change that."
"Awwww...McPretty is being sentimental" Cristina teased.
Jackson threw Cristina a smile before shaking his head. He then turned to Owen and gestured for him to take over.
Owen threw Jackson a smile before turning towards the other surgeons inside the room; "I know you're all wondering what this meeting is about, it's early and most of you guys hasn't been able to do your rounds yet—"
Callie groaned loudly but instantly stopped when she received a nudge from her wife. "Sorry—go ahead" she said sheepishly.
Owen cleared his throat before continuing; "There's some development with the Mass Gen issue and it needs to be addressed right now" he paused and braises himself. "I called their Chief of Surgery yesterday because one of our Attending's that joined the exchange program approached me and handed me his 30 days notice."
Derek furrowed his brows; "Who is it?" he asked.
"Anderson from the Urology Department" Owen replied.
Owen took Derek's silence to continue, so he did. "I confronted Kurt about this since Anderson mentioned that the reason why he's leaving Grey Sloan is because he received an offer from Mass Gen. Kurt was forthcoming with me, he admitted that he did offer some spots from the roster we sent them."
Arizona's eyes widen, clearly appalled; "They're pirating our doctors now? I can't believe this!" she said incredulously.
"Can they do that?" Callie asked with a frown.
Meredith crossed her arms on top of her chest, clearly ticked off; "I knew it! I knew Mass Gen is up to no good!" she spat.
Owen let out a defeated sigh; "Apparently they can. There are no rules against these things, it's really up to the doctors who received the offer to decide whether they'll stay or not."
"Who else?" Derek asked.
Owen turned his gaze towards Jackson; "They're playing hard ball to get Kepner" he said cautiously.
Meredith's head snapped towards Jackson and eyed the Plastics Attending apprehensively.
Callie threw her wife a look before turning towards her best friend's prot.
Jackson continues to stare at the table silently.
"Jackson" Cristina said gently.
All eyes turned towards the Cardio Surgeon in surprise; not because it's the first time that she called him by his first name, it's mainly because of the tone she used when she said it.
Jackson tore his eyes away from the table and met Cristina's gaze; he stared at her for a couple of seconds before sighing. "I—I already knew that Mass Gen is offering April a spot, she told me last Saturday" he said quietly.
"Is she taking it?" Cristina asked cautiously.
Jackson leaned back on his chair; "I don't have the slightest idea, all I know is she's still thinking about it."
"I see" Cristina said.
Meredith cleared her throat; "We're not taking their offer, they can shove that stupid program to their asses."
Derek nodded in agreement; "I didn't know that they're capable of doing this, it's very unethical in my opinion."
"I'm with the Shepherd's here" Callie said.
Owen turned towards Arizona; "Robbins?"
"I'm with them" Arizona replied.
"Cristina?"
"It's freaking no."
Owen turned his gaze lastly at Jackson; "Avery?"
All eyes turned towards Jackson; waiting for his response.
"I'll go with the other board members decision. So, no, we're not participating and we'll never participate again to whatever crap they offer."
Cristina smiled widely at Jackson; "Sing it Bossman!"
Jackson stared at Cristina with amusement; "When did you become so anti Mass Gen?"
"Since they started spouting crap" Cristina said. "And oh, their also trying to lure Rainbow Bright to the dark side, that's also not cool" she added as an afterthought.
Meredith smirked at her person; "I've always know that you hold a soft spot for April" she teased.
Cristina scoffed but a small smile can be seen on her lips; "Whatever!"
Jackson smiled as he shook his head.
Owen placed his clasped hand on top of the table; "So, it's settled. I'll call Kurt today and tell him that we will not be participating to any programs they will be rolling out" he said with a smirk.
"Can I join you?" Derek asked.
Owen turned towards Derek and nodded; "Of course" he replied.
Derek smiled; "Perfect."
oOo
"I've been here for almost an hour and you haven't even taken some time to see me? I'm beyond appalled, Dr. April Kepner!"
April eyes widen as she tore her eyes away from her tab; she quickly turned around and felt a huge smile tug on her lips upon seeing a familiar face. "You're here!"
Catherine raised her brow as she braises her hands on her hips; "I am. So, are you just gonna stand there? Aren't you giving Mama Avery a big warm hug?" she asked.
April giggles as she places her tab on top of the counter; she then made her way towards Catherine and engulfed other woman into a tight hug. "It's so nice to see you again, I missed you"
Catherine laughed as she returns the hug; "It's nice to see you again baby, my house hasn't been the same since you left"
April pulled away before smiling affectionately at Catherine; "I'm still not use to sleeping in my apartment, I miss my bed in your home."
Catherine lifted her hand and pinched the young surgeon's cheek; "I'm so happy to see you again" she said.
"I'm happy to see you too" April replied.
Catherine pulled her hand away and began surveying their surroundings; "It's not so busy here, let's go grab coffee so we can catch up a bit"
"I want to but I can't leave the pit without any-"
Catherine peered behind April's shoulder and saw a familiar face; she lifted her hand and snaps her fingers repeatedly to get attention. "Dr. Edwards! Please come here"
April gasped, clearly mortified.
Catherine ignored April's reaction and continued staring at the other doctor.
Stephanie placed her charts on top of the counter and made her way towards the Urologist; she then stopped behind April's back and stared at Catherine expectantly. "Is there something I can help you with Dr. Avery?" she asked politely.
"You're a resident now, is that right?"
"Yes." Stephanie replied.
"A very reliable and capable resident?"
April's eyes widen; "Catherine!" she shrilled.
Stephanie swallowed nervously; "Y—yes" she replied.
Catherine smiled widely; "Perfect! I will leave the pit in your capable hands for just about 30 minute's tops, I just need Dr. Kepner for a quick consult"
Stephanie let out a sigh of relief; "Of course" she said before smiling.
Catherine threw April a triumphant look; "There, it's now settled. Come on now, baby" she said before looping her arm around April's.
April threw her resident a side glance before smiling apologetically; "I'll be back as soon as possible, page me if anything comes up, okay?"
"I will" Stephanie said.
"Come now baby!" Catherine chirped happily.
oOo
"With everything said and decided, I guess there's nothing left to talk about, let's get back to work then" Owen said.
Callie turned towards Arizona; "Let's go visit Sophia first, that okay?" she asked.
Arizona stood up from her perch; "Of course" she replied.
Callie pushed away from the table and began walking towards the door; "See you guys later" she called out.
Cristina stood up and threw her husband a side glance; "I'll see you later, I haven't done rounds yet" she said.
Owen nodded; he then started gathering his stuff from the table.
Cristina turned her gaze towards Meredith; "You coming Mer?" she asked.
"Yeah" Meredith replied. She then planted a chaste kiss on her husband's lips and stood up from her perch.
Cristina exited the room as Meredith follows.
Derek stood up from his chair and faced Owen; "Page me if you're ready to call Kurt, I'm a free agent until lunch" he said.
"Will do" Owen replied.
Derek nodded and began exiting the conference room.
Jackson shot up from his chair and made his way towards the door; "Later, Chief" he said when he passed by Owen. He pushed the door open and began following the Neurosurgeon; "Shepherd!" he called out.
Derek halted in his steps and turned around; "Avery?"
Jackson jogged towards Derek and stood right in front of him; he shoved his hands inside his lab coat pockets and swallowed a couple of times.
Derek stared at the young surgeon with amusement; "Is there something you nee-"
"I'm riding the bike" Jackson blurted out.
Derek's eyes widen in surprise.
Jackson cleared his throat; "I-I want it. I'm ready for it regardless of how many skinned knees I'll get"
Derek smiled widely; he then leaned forward and patted Jackson's arm happily; "Congratulations are in order then! When did you ask April?" he asked.
Jackson's eyes widen in surprise; "How-how did you know that it's April?"
"Come on Avery, everybody who has eyes can see. Now, tell me. When did you ask her?"
Jackson threw Derek a sheepish look; "That's the thing-err—I haven't asked her yet" he admitted.
Derek's smile falters; "But you just told me that you're riding the bike?"
"That's what I want to talk to you about, do you have a minute? I badly need your help on something"
"Of course, let's go to my pseudo office then," Derek said kindly.
"Thank you" Jackson replied.
oOo
"So tell me honey, how have you been?" Catherine asked.
April placed her coffee back on table before responding; "I'm doing quite good, I'm still struggling with the time difference but I'm getting there."
Catherine chuckled; "You have to stay up four hours longer than what you're used to, it is a struggle but don't worry, you'll adjust soon.
April smiled; "I'm getting there" she replied.
Catherine smiled back; she then leaned on her chair and stared at April cautiously. "Carlisle's wife just gave birth last week, have you heard?" she asked.
April sensed the change in the atmosphere so she sat straighter; "Yes I've heard. Dr. Kurt called me last Saturday and told me" she replied.
"I see"
April wrapped her hands around her coffee cup and stared it; "The one month time frame he originally gave me has been shortened to a week. I only have five days left to decide and I still don't know what to choose..."
Catherine sighed; "I'm sorry that you have to go through this baby, I wish I could do something to help but-I don't know what to tell you as well" she said kindly.
April sighed dejectedly.
Catherine leaned forward and placed her hand on April's arm; "You still have five days to think baby, clarity will come your way soon."
April lifted her gaze and let out a small smile; "I hope so" she said.
Catherine just squeezed the young surgeon's arm comfortingly.
oOo
Jackson was stepping out Derek's office when April saw him; she made her way towards him as a large smile bloomed on her lips. "Consult with Dr. Shepherd this early? You must be busy" she said.
Jackson instantly smiled upon seeing the red head; "Nah, just boring board stuff. What are you doing here? Are you playing hooky?"
"I'm not, I just dropped your Mom off Administration"
Jackson furrowed his brows; "Is she bothering you again?"
April laughed; "Nope. We just grabbed a quick coffee and a did a little catch up, you know the usual stuff"
"Oh"
"Do you want to have lunch together?" April asked.
Jackson shifted closer and gently laced their fingers together; "Sure, just text me. I don't have surgeries scheduled for the day, I'm on board duties" he replied.
April wrinkled her nose; "More paper works?"
Jackson nodded; "Tons of paper works"
"I'm sorry, I know you hate it"
Jackson smiled; "It's okay, it's the least thing I can do."
April smiled; "Well I better go now, I still have a pit to run" she said.
"Alright, I'll just be waiting for your text then"
April nodded; she then untangled their hands and blew him a kiss. "See you later, bye!" she said before turning on her heels and walking towards the other direction.
Jackson watched April's back disappear from the corner before he started moving.
Derek's smiling face peered from his door; "You two will paddle perfectly together."
Jackson's head snapped towards the side; "You're spying on us?" he asked incredulously.
"You're talking just outside my door, it's not my fault that the walls are thin and I can hear you"
Jackson just shook his head and began walking away.
Derek pulled his head back inside the room and closed the door again.
oOo
Thursday:
"Come on man, I need someone with me to do the ring shopping. I don't want to bring my mother along because for sure she'll just choose the gaudiest and most expensive ring in Seattle and you know how April will love that" Jackson pleaded.
Alex snickered; "Dude, you own a hospital and you have a huge trust fund, I'm sure you can afford it" he replied.
Jackson pursed his lips; "I'd buy her the most expensive ring if that's what April wants but you know her Alex, she's not that type."
Alex leaned sideways on the wall; "What gave you the idea that I'm the best candidate to accompany you?" he asked.
"You've proposed once" Jackson said.
Alex scoffed; "And look how that turned out"
Jackson sighed as his shoulders fell.
Alex stared at Jackson's desperate form before rolling his eyes; "Fine. I'll come with you BUT make sure that you already know where we're going and what you will be looking for" he relented.
Jackson grinned; "I already found the design I want and I already have an idea which store to go to so I'll definitely not waste your time" he said.
"We'll be leaving after today's shift right?"
Jackson nodded; "Yes."
Alex pulled away from the wall and spun on his heels; "I'll go ahead and tell Jo then, catch you later" he said.
"Thanks man! I owe you one!" Jackson called out.
Alex chuckled.
Jackson turned on his heel and began climbing up the stairs; he's mid way to the next landing when his pager went off. He plucked it out of his pocket and read the message; "Hope this doesn't take long" he said to himself before jogging the rest of the way.
oOo
April was walking along the corridor when she saw Cristina walking towards her; she let out a sheepish smile before acknowledging her. "Hey Cristina"
"What are you doing here?" Cristina asked.
April halted in her steps and stood right in front of her friend; "I just dropped by to check on some charts" she replied.
"You are aware that it's your time off, right?"
"Yeah"
Cristina checked the time on her phone before shoving it back in her pocket; "Do you want to grab coffee? I just finished with my rounds and I don't have anything better to do yet" she asked.
"Sure, my charts can wait. Where's Mer by the way?" April asked.
Cristina resumed walking; "She got pulled into an emergency surgery an hour ago, I doubt she's finished yet, the patient was roughed up pretty badly so it would take her hours to fix him."
April began walking; "Street fight?" she asked.
Cristina shook her head; "Nope, the good old Seattle mugging"
April winced; "Poor man"
"Yeah" Cristina agreed.
oOo
"More lap pads, please" Meredith said. "Did anyone page Dr. Avery?"
"We already paged him Dr. Grey" The nurse replied.
"Thanks" Meredith replied. "More suction here"
The O.R. room door opens as Jackson saunters in; "How can I help you Dr. Grey?" he asked as he walks towards the table.
Meredith lifted her gaze from her patient's open cavity; "My patient's nose is crushed" she replied.
Jackson leaned forward and began examining it; "What happened to this guy?" he asked.
Meredith shifted her eyes back to her work; "The infamous back alley mugging" she replied.
Jackson cringed; "Poor guy but no worries, I can definitely build him a new nose" he replied.
"That's what I want to hear, poor guy deserves some good news after I save him" Meredith replied. She then gestured to Jackson, asking him to come closer; "I want to ask you something"
Jackson raised his brow but he shifted towards the bed; "What?"
Meredith shifted her gaze to Jackson; "Derek told me that you're finally riding a bike, it's that true?" she asked.
Jackson's eyes widen in shock, clearly caught off guard with the General Surgeon's question.
Meredith move her eyes back towards her patient; "Don't look so shocked, we're married of course we talk about things."
"I-I-err-"
Meredith chuckled; "For the record, I'm happy that you're finally taking that step and who you'll be taking the ride with."
Jackson cleared his throat; "T—thank you"
"Chose a bike yet?"
Jackson cocked his head to the side and stared at his friend confusedly; "What bike?"
"The bike you'll need to get to your destination" Meredith replied while wiggling her fingers suggestively.
"Oh, that bike, right. Err—I haven't yet but I'll be checking something out with Karev, after we're done for the day"
Meredith lifted her eyes and met Jackson's gaze; "You're taking Alex?"
Jackson crossed his hands on top of his chest; "Yep."
Meredith's eyes twinkled with mirth as she pauses; "Good luck with that. Don't let him bully you into buying subpar bikes, he's a gone cynical when it comes to riding bikes."
Jackson chuckled; "He won't have a say I promise. I just need him for the moral support and I think he can give me that. He's a little bit excited and happy for me if I dare say" he replied.
Meredith narrowed her eyes; "I just realized something Pretty boy, how come evil spawn knew and I'm left in the dark!"
Jackson cringed; "I didn't actually tell him you know, he sort of found out on his own"
Meredith moved her eyes back to her patient; "How?" she asked curiously. "More lap pads"
"I was browsing through some sites and he kinda popped out of nowhere and caught me off guard"
Meredith laughed; "The famous Karev way, always sneaking up on people. He kinda got me fired because of that" she joked.
Jackson chuckled; "You were fired" he pointed out.
"He means well, that's just his way of looking out for us, I guess" Meredith said fondly.
"I know" Jackson replied.
oOo
Cristina took a seat on the bench outside the E.R. and inhaled deeply; "I love hospitals but sometimes the antiseptic smell annoys the hell out of me."
April giggled as she sat down beside her friend; "True."
Cristina took a sip of her coffee and threw April a side glance; "I heard about Mass Gen" she said bluntly.
April took a deep breath before focusing her eyes on the pavement; "Anderson told me he already passed his 30 days notice" she replied.
"That he did."
April tightened her hold on her coffee cup and let out a chuckle.
Cristina raised her brow; "What's funny?"
"We're sitting at the exact same bench 12 months ago."
Cristina paused before chuckling; "Same predicament, as well, what do they call this again? De ja vu?"
"Yeah."
Cristina smiled before focusing her gaze on the sky; "I don't have a quarter with me this time though," she said.
April smiled faintly; "I know."
"Have you decided yet?"
April shook her head; "No, I haven't"
"I heard that they're playing hard ball for you" Cristina said. She then turned her head sideways and smiled sincerely at the red head; "You've come a long way Apes and I'm proud of you."
April stared at Cristina in surprise.
Cristina averted her gaze and took another sip of her coffee; "Don't look too shock. I know I've given you tons of crap and teased you mercilessly but that doesn't mean I don't see you as one of our own." She then turned towards the red head again and stared at her seriously; "I'm not telling you this because I'm a board member and I'm kissing your ass. I'm telling you this because you're one of the chosen few that I actually consider as my friend. Having you move thousands of miles away would suck, it would really suck."
April felt her eyes prickle as her chest started tightening with emotions; "You—you want me to stay?"
"Of course," Cristina said. "I mean, who will I tease and will shoot rainbows around here if you leave?"
April stared at Cristina for a moment before bursting into giggles.
Cristina smiled.
April smiled back.
"Whatever direction you choose though, I'll still support you" Cristina said.
"Thank you." April said sincerely.
Cristina nodded and turned her eyes back to the sky.
oOo
"Come on Avery! I don't have all day!" Alex said.
Jackson grabbed his satchel from his locker and snapped his locker close; "I'm done, let's go."
Alex smiled widely at his friend as he rubs his palms together; "Ready to max out your credit card?"
"As long as I'm not maxing it out on food to feed you, I'm good" Jackson quipped.
"I'm missing dinner with my girlfriend man so don't expect that the dinner will be cheap."
Jackson chuckled; "We both know how you love Wilson's cooking" he jabbed.
Alex laughed; "Shut your trap!"
oOo
April hit on the save button; "All done!" she chirped happily.
"Kepner?"
"Hey Callie!"
Callie furrowed her brows as she walks towards the nurses' station; she leaned forward and braised her elbows on top of the counter. "Why are you working today?" she asked.
"I forgot to add some notes on my patients' charts yesterday so I came in to update it before I forget"
"Workaholic Kepner should be your new nickname."
April smiled.
Callie stared at the Trauma Surgeon; "I know you're in a tight spot right now because Owen told us."
April leaned back on her chair dejectedly; "I haven't decided anything yet" she admitted.
Callie smiled reassuringly; "A piece of unsolicited advice, choose what makes your heart sing, you can never go wrong with that" she said.
April let out small smile; "I'll keep that in mind" she said.
Callie nodded; she then pushed away from the counter and thumped her hands on it. "Since you're done updating your charts, scoot! You're not supposed to be here! Go home and enjoy your day just like a normal person!"
April laughed as she shot up from her perch; "I'm going, I'm going!" she said.
Callie laughed before turning on her heels; "Your ass better not be here when I come back!"
oOo
Jackson took a sip of his wine as he watches Alex take a bite of his steak with relish; his friend has been most helpful in selecting the perfect bike. He didn't complain once, even when he decided to drag him from store to store just to compare designs and price tags.
"Don't stare at me like that, I don't want people to think we're gay and we're on our first date"
Jackson choked on his wine and began coughing.
Alex laughed.
Jackson hastily placed his glass on top of the table and grabbed his napkin; "You're an ass!" he spat.
Alex laughed louder; he then plucked his own glass from the table and took a sip.
Jackson wiped his mouth.
Alex took a few sips before grinning widely; "I'm just messing with you man" he said.
Jackson rolled his eyes as he places the napkin on the table.
"Now that we've already taken care of the ring, all you need to come up with is a kickass proposal that will top off the dorky paramedic's dance number-so, any ideas yet?"
Jackson leaned back on his seat; "As a matter of fact I do have an idea."
Alex's eyes widen as he leans forward; "Come on man, spill" he said excitedly.
Jackson smiled widely; "Good because I need all the help I can get to be able to pull it off" he said.
"I'm all ears, man"
oOo
April pulled on the hand break and switched off the ignition; she unbuckled her seatbelt and turned her gaze towards the place where she told Jackson about her predicament. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open; she climb out of her car and locked the door behind her. She stuffed the keys inside her pocket as she made her way towards the swing set; once she reached it, she sat on the same spot where she sat the last time. She grasped the chains in each hand and began swinging slowly; she tilted her head and closed her eyes.
Flashbacks:
April bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying as she rinses her hand; the first patient she ever scrubbed in after she was rehired just died on the operating table and now's she's more convinced that she's not cut out for this job anymore.
Alex sauntered inside the scrub room and began washing his hands along side with her.
April focused her eyes on her hands as she tries her hardest to make her face void of feelings.
Alex grabbed a towel and began wiping his hands; "The dude waited on tables, watched his life happen without him. He's probably better off" he said before exiting the room.
April braised her hands on the sink as a sob escaped her lips; she bowed her head as she let tears fall down her cheeks.
Derek entered the room and saw his distraught intern.
April hastily grabbed a cloth above the sink and began shaking her head; "I can't-I can't do this, I can't just—" she said hysterically.
Derek lifted his hand and began patting April's shoulder, trying to comfort her.
April lowered bowed her head as tears continue to trickle down her cheeks; "I can't just watch people die. I can't. I shouldn't have come back-I-I..."
Derek watched April for a moment before he carefully steadied his hand on her shoulder; "Listen... I made a mistake last year" he said.
April moved her face and met Derek's eyes.
Derek pulled away his hand when he saw that the surgeon is listening to him; "I almost walked away" he paused before continuing. "If you don't feel the losses...if they don't hurt you and they don't humble you. That's when you know you're not cut out for this kind of work" he said.
April swallowed hard and continued staring at Derek.
Derek fixed his eyes directly at April; "You can be a good surgeon, Kepner. It's why I brought you back" he said seriously.
April avoided his gaze but nodded.
"Here you go Apes, I was thinking I can take the trauma rooms and uh-we can split the beds" Alex said nicely as he placed the clipboards on top of the nurses' station.
April shifted her head sideways and scowled; "I can handle trauma Alex, it was one phone call it doesn't mean I can't practice medicine. I still have three great hospitals who want me."
Alex stared at April before patting the Trauma Surgeon back comfortingly; "Of course they do Apes."
April scrunched her face; "And don't call me Apes!" she snapped.
"Hell, we can add Spaghetti Wednesday to the list that I'm not gonna miss in this place" Jackson said.
Meredith laughed; "Are you kidding? It's the best thing in town and watch Alex as he goes through his 6th bowl already."
"Screw that" Alex said.
Meredith then turned toward her side and stared at Cristina; "Hey, I heard that Standford has an over the O.R table chef where you can text your order right from the O.R."
Cristina cleared her throat; "Err—I'll factor that in, still haven't made my decision."
"Well, it's gotta be Standford, where else would you go?" Meredith asked.
Cristina turned her head and met her person's eyes; "I don't know, I might stay, everything's on the table."
"She liking the Spaghetti too" Alex joked.
The whole table laughed.
"Tulane's got crawfish, that's a selling point. USC? What are they like?" Jackson asked.
Cristina took a bite of her salad; "Salt"
April's phone came to life and the whole table quieted down; April turned her gaze towards her phone and checked the screen. "212, its New York"
"Mount Sinai" Meredith said with an encouraging smile.
Cristina gestured towards the phone; "Answer it."
April shook her head; "Bad news is only bad news if you pick up the phone" she said before ignoring it.
Cristina stared at April before looking around the table; she then leaned forward and plucked the Trauma Surgeon's phone.
"April Kepner speaking" Cristina said perkily.
April stared at Cristina in shock; "Cristina!"
Meredith smiled wider as she watches the Cardio Surgeon's antics.
Cristina smiled; "Oh really? Okay."
April's eyes widen.
Alex stared at Cristina with a smile.
"Okay. Oh my gosh, okay. No-no-no, thank you" Cristina said perkily before disconnecting the call.
April stared at Cristina hopefully; "They didn't pull my offer?" she asked aghast.
"No they did" Cristina said before placing the phone back on the table.
April's face fell as her eyes started prickling with tears.
"I just figured that's how you'd sound like in the face of rejection" Cristina said as she grabbed her soda.
Alex saw their red head friend's reaction so he grabbed his fries and offered it to her; "Hey, you want my fries Apes?"
April gritted her teeth; "Not if they're pity fries" she snapped.
Alex swallowed; "They taste the same" he said.
Jackson turned sideways and placed his hands on April's arm, trying to provide comfort. "Nope, you still have Case Western Reserve and Seattle, you're gonna be fine" he said.
April pulled her hand away and shoved a piece of cucumber on her mouth.
Jackson noticed April's reaction so he decided to back off.
"So what does Sloan think about Tulane?" Cristina asked.
Jackson shifted his gaze towards Cristina; "He hasn't said anything yet but something's wrong with him, I think he's disturbed-"
Lexie shuddered and hastily shot up from her perch, taking her lunch tray with her.
Jackson turned his gaze back to April; "But then again, I'm pretty much disturbed myself these days" he said.
April glared at Jackson before returning her eyes to her food but before she's able to eat in peace again, her phone rang for the second time.
Cristina hastily plucked the phone from the table and checked the screen; "216, Cleveland" she said.
"Maybe Case Western is offering loan assistance" Meredith said.
Cristina offered the phone back to April and gestured for her to answer the call.
April shook her head.
Cristina tapped on the screen and answered it for the second time; "This is Kepner" she said stiffly.
Alex threw Cristina a look.
April watched Cristina's face.
Cristina's face hardened; "Oh yeah? You know what? I'm an awesome surgeon and I would've rock your stupid little program so it's your loss. Go to hell!" Cristina snapped.
April lowered her eyes as she felt her friend's eyes on her.
End of flashback
April opened her eyes and smiled; she then pushed the swing harder and continued her walk on memory lane.
Flashback
Callie tinkers with her drill; "Okay, so this, will hold his hand in place so I can see the tendons and nerve gap" she said before moving it towards the patient's mangled hand.
"The Chief doesn't realize that a lot of the work I do makes it possible for these surgeries to take place-" April ranted.
Callie paused and stared at the resident sitting right in front of her; she then shifted her eyes back to the hand began drilling.
April lifted her gaze and stared at Callie; "I mean all the staffing and scheduling, I mean, okay, maybe I'm not in the O.R. all the time but-"
"April!" Callie said.
April stopped chattering and stared at Callie.
Callie pulled the drill away and met April's gaze; "Do you want to be an administrative assistant? Is that what makes your heart sing?" she asked.
"No! Of course not!" April replied.
"Then stop being a whiner, stop hiding behind paper work. If you love it, do it, just get yourself in the O.R. don't sleep, don't eat" Callie paused and handed April the hand drill; "Just do this, here."
April accepted the drill; "You want me to place the K wire?" she asked.
"Will it make your heart sing?" Callie asked.
"Yes!" April said enthusiastically. "Yeah right, I'm ready to place the wire"
Callie chuckled before shifting her eyes back on the hand; "Oh, you're a little too far from the left" she gestured.
"Oh" April gasped before moving the drill.
"There you go, good."
Miranda chuckled as she watches April snapped her phone shut; "Okay, that's good. Now, give me my phone, I need to call Ben" she said.
April cocked her head to the side; "Who's Ben?"
"My ex, I dumped him, which is now I realized was a mistake" Miranda paused. "I want to call him and tell him I have needs coz he understood how to take care of my needs in a way my husband did not" Miranda slurred.
April looked away shyly.
Miranda began moving her hands towards her phone; "I want to tell him that so give me my phone"
April pulled the phone closer to her chest; "Are...are...are you sure about that?"
Miranda frowned; "Give me my phone."
"Coz you know, drunk dialling never ends well" April reason out.
Miranda tugged the phone away from April's hand; "You are a virgin."
April's eyes widen as she took a step away; "Wow. Word does really travel around here."
Miranda pursed her lips; "Come here, Kepner."
April took a step towards the bed and leaned forward.
Miranda gestured for the red head to move; "Come closer"
April leaned forward.
"Closer" Miranda said.
April shifted herself closer and placed her ear near Miranda's face.
"Alex Karev is not the boy you want to take your maiden voyage with." Miranda said loudly.
"Oh god!" April pulled away while cringing. "Yes, I know. I am aware. You don't have to tell me."
Miranda stared at April drunkenly; "You take your maiden voyage with a nice boy. A kind boy. A boy who loves you. A boy you love so much that you want to superglue yourself to him."
April nodded awkwardly, still uncomfortable with the conversation.
"You wait, you hear me? You keep your knees together cause believe me eventhough you haven't met your Ben yet, you will meet your Ben but not my Ben but your Ben, who might not be even called Ben" Miranda said with a chuckle.
April stared at Miranda before nodding again.
Owen was performing CPR on his patient's chest when he turned his eyes towards his student; "Did you say "Yes?" he asked.
April furrowed her brows; "Sir?"
"To Matthew. I helped with his proposal" Owen replied as he continues to revive the person.
April's eyes widen in surprise; "Oh, uh, yeah. Yes. I said "Yes" she stuttered.
Owen paused and stared at the heart monitor, after a few seconds he started compression again; "Good. He's a good guy, I like him. I mean, these guys, these first responders...they're all good guys"
April look down at the patient.
"Jackson!"
Meredith stepped inside the supply closet and stared at April before walking towards the supplies.
"Sorry. I thought you were..."
Meredith pulled a towel and smiled at the Trauma Surgeon; "You two having a sex date?" she teased.
April leaned on the rack; "We are not having a sex date. Not everything is about sex" she snapped.
Meredith noticed April's demeanor and stopped beside the door; she faced her friend and studied her face. "You okay?"
"Yes" April replied. She then shook her head right after. "No"
April faced Meredith as her eyes started to water; "Oh god."
Meredith took a step and stared at April worriedly; "April?"
"I have a plan. I was gonna be married and have a husband. Our wedding would have the-the mints. We'd be "mint to be" committed. I was gonna tell my husband that I was pregnant by giving him a T-shirt that said "World's Greatest Dad". Now look at me." April said between tears and panic.
Meredith lowered her gaze towards the red head's stomach then shifted it to her face; "You're pregnant?"
More tears fell down April's cheeks; "I think so..."
Meredith thought for a moment before speaking; "Well I don't know...Plans never work out the way you think they're going to, especially with babies. You try and try to get pregnant and you can't. And then a baby comes when you least expect it, probably because you didn't plan it. Plans don't mean anything" she said with a comforting smile.
End of Flashback
April buried her feet on the sand to stop the swing from moving; she pulled her right hand away from the chain and moved it towards her cheek. She pulled it away and stared at her wet finger; she titled her head upwards and saw that the sky is clear. "I'm crying" she chuckles to herself.
Flashback
April was charting at the nurses' station when Jackson saw her; he made a bee line towards her and leaned on the counter.
April placed her pen down and stared at Jackson; "I don't—I don't have the results yet. I told you I would text you."
"I'm in. All the way." Jackson said firmly.
April stared at him confusedly; "What?"
"Come on" Jackson said before pulling her towards the vacant procedure room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and faced April. "I know it might not be what you planned or how you planned it but we can do this. We'll get married, have an awesome kid, be amazing parents. I'm in" he said.
April stared at Jackson with wide eyes; after a couple of seconds she met his stare and shook her head. "Don't say that if you don't mean it"
"I mean it. We can do this"
"You really think that-?"
"You said it yourself, something that feels this good cannot be bad" Jackson said, cutting her off.
April swallowed hard; "So you-you really want this?" she stuttered.
Jackson walks towards April and places his hands on her arms. "I want this" he emphasized. He then took another step closer and smiled; "We get married, we have a house, we get a big yard" he said excitedly.
April smiled brightly; "And we have a wedding" she added.
Jackson smiled wider; "We have a huge freaking wedding."
"In a field with butterflies—I don't know..." April chirped.
"Butterflies, a field—whatever you want." Jackson offered.
April laughed with over pouring happiness.
"Okay? You're family's gonna be there. My family—I mean my crazy mom's gonna be there, he'll probably bring Webber, whatever that's fine" Jackson said giddily.
April chuckled; she then moved her hands towards Jackson's face and cupped it. "Oh my gosh" she said before pulling him for a kiss.
Jackson pulled her closer and smiled into the kiss.
April planted soft kisses on his lips before pulling away; "Are we really? You sure we can do this?"
Jackson met her gaze and smiled; "We can do this" he said.
April smiled back.
Jackson pulled her face to his again and continued kissing her.
April giggled between kisses.
Jackson wrapped his arms around April's waist and lifted her from the floor.
End of Flashback
April wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath; she fished out her phone from her back pocket and began browsing through her phonebook. When she found the number she's looking for, she tapped on the screen and shifted the device to her ear.
"Dr. Kepner, it's so nice to hear from you this early"
"Dr. Kurt, I made my decision."
"I'm happy to hear that, so what will it be?"
oOo
SGMH: Friday Morning:
"Good Morning Dr. K, you're early today" Shane said as he walked towards his Attending.
April tore her eyes away from her tab and smiled brightly at Shane; "Good Morning Shane!" she chirped happily.
Shane leaned sideways on the nurses' station and studied April's demeanour; "You're happy today" he observed.
April bit her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling further; "Nah, just a good day" she said.
Shane raised his brow, clearly not believing her.
April rolled her eyes; "Have you seen the other Attendings yet? I've been here for almost 20 minutes and I haven't seen anyone yet, it's weird"
Shane cleared his throat; "I'm not sure, I just got here myself. Well, I better go—err-I still need to check on my patient. Catch you later Doc!" he said before scampering away.
April stared at her resident confusedly before shaking her head; "What's wrong with him?" she asked herself.
oOo
Jackson took his time in closing the door behind him before taking a deep calming breath; he then turned towards the room with a nervous smile. "Good Morning everyone"
"Good Morning baby!" Catherine replied.
Jackson threw his mother a smile; "Morning Mom"
Cristina leaned back on her chair and stared at Jackson confusedly; "I'm not sure if this is a board meeting or a staff meeting but what exactly are we doing here this early?" she asked.
Jackson shifted closer to the head chair on the table and braised his shaking hands on it.
Derek and Meredith both threw him an encouraging smile as Alex nodded subtlety.
Jackson cleared his throat; "This-this is not a board meeting or staff meeting—err-I called you all here this morning because I want to ask a favour" he said.
"A favour?" Richard asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yes Richard, a favour."
Richard gestured for the young man to continue.
Jackson took another calming breath before speaking again; "I'm asking April to marry me today and I need your help in making it happen"
"Congratulations Avery!" Owen said with a smile.
"Finally!" Callie said.
"I'm happy for you Jackson" Arizona said.
"Awww...our McPretty is all grown up. FINALLY his balls turned to steel!" Cristina said happily.
Richard just smirked as he threw Catherine a knowing look.
"I'm impressed Bossman, Richard is right, a man who flies a thousand miles, means business" Miranda said as she leans back on her chair.
Jackson chuckled at the combined reaction of his friends; "Thank you all for taking it as good news. Now, back to my question, will you help me make it happen?" he asked.
Alex scoffed playfully; "Do you really need to ask them that? Come on man! We all know here how you got it bad for Kepner, we're just waiting when you'll put a ring on it" he said.
The whole room erupted with laughter.
Callie rubbed her palms together in excitement; "What do we need to do then?" she asked.
Jackson felt his chest tighten with so much affection for his second family; he stared at each and every one present inside the room and he can't help but thank God for leading him to Seattle. "Thank you" he breathed out.
"Don't start crying even before you get to tell us the game plan. Come on McPretty, buck up!" Cristina said.
Jackson stared at Cristina before bursting into laughter; "You, Cristina Yang are one in a million" he said.
Cristina grinned widely; "I already know that" she said cheekily.
Jackson pulled the chair and sat down.
oOo
"There's a light that can burn it exists in the heart.
You can feel it when you know love is true, if you could try to be strong.
And keep the light burning long, It took a lifetime but I found it in you..."
oOo
Miranda sauntered inside the pit and began looking around; when she saw April doing a consult she had to bit her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling widely.
"If you're going to act like a giddy girl around Kepner you should take a walk first to compose yourself" Richard whispered.
Miranda turned her face sideways and raised her brow at her mentor; "You think I can't handle Kepner?"
Richard chuckled; "Of course you can handle her, the question is, can you handle yourself around her?" he challenged.
Miranda stood straighter; "Stop being silly, of course I can handle myself."
Richard shook his head; "Well, page me if a Trauma comes in" he said before turning around and walking away.
April stood from her perch and smiled at her patient; she then spun on her heels and began walking towards Miranda's direction. "Good Morning Dr. Bailey"
Miranda nodded; "Morning, I'll be co-piloting the pit with you today" she said.
April furrowed her brows; "Err-Did something happen to Alex? He's suppose to be help today-"
"Do you have a problem working with me Kepner?" Miranda asked with a raised brow.
April shook her head as she clears her throat; "Of course not. I'll be-err—right back, I just need to take this to the lab" she said nervously.
"Go."
April didn't need to be told twice, she hastily walked passed Miranda and made a bee line towards the door.
Miranda stared at April's cowering form before smiling; "Told you I can handle it" she said to herself.
oOo
"Don't you think it's-too much?" Jackson asks as he stares at his close friends.
Meredith smiled at the Plastics Attending; "I think it's sweet" she replied.
"McDorky brought his dancing circus in this hospital, that's too much" Cristina said.
Alex reclines back on his chair as he raises his feet on top of the table; "You'll be fine just don't screw up your speech or something" he said.
Jackson looked sheepish as he grabs his coffee.
Alex narrowed his eyes; "You have a speech, right?'
Jackson took a couple of gulps of his drink; "Err-should I have one?"
"And the dream boat just sunk" Cristina said as she hits her forehead with the heel of her hand.
"You don't have anything prepared?" Meredith asked, clearly aghast.
Jackson placed the coffee back on the table; he then stood up from his chair and began pacing anxiously.
"The infamous pacing" Alex drawled.
"You're not helping man" Jackson snapped.
"Just tell her how you feel, that always works" Meredith suggested.
"Yeah and try not to mention anything about her neurosis and stuff" Cristina said.
Jackson paused; "Right, tell her how I feel and can't mention her crazies, I got it" he said.
Alex chuckled; he then pulled his feet away from the table and stood up. "I can't watch this, just page me if anything comes up" he said before exiting the room.
Jackson resumed his pacing; he shoved his hands inside his lab coat pockets as he took a deep calming breath.
"Did you make sure that no helicopters will be landing on our helipad any time of this day?" Meredith asked.
Jackson nodded; "Yeah"
"Did you make sure that the elevator near the pit is working?" Cristina asked.
"Yeah"
"Did you check if the other one is working so there would be no interruptions?" Meredith asked.
Jackson paused; after a couple of seconds, he nodded.
"Everything seems to be in order so will you please sit down. Your pacing is making me dizzy" Cristina chastised.
Jackson yanked the chair towards him and plopped down; "I'm sorry, I'm so nervous to the point that I want to vomit" he admitted.
Meredith chuckled; "You're about to propose, not to be executed, so calm down."
Jackson turned his gaze towards the General Surgeon and smiled; "Thanks" he said.
Cristina was about to open her mouth when her pager went off; she hastily plucked it from her pocket and read the message.
"Who is it?" Meredith asked curiously.
Cristina stuffed her pager back to her pocket before standing up; "It's Brooks, she needs a Cardio consult at the pit, Russell is not in yet" she explained. She then turned her gaze towards Jackson; "Hold your fort McPretty, everything will turn out right, you'll see" she said before walking out of the room.
Jackson watches as Cristina shuts the door behind her; "She never fails to amaze me" he said.
"That's part of the Cristina Yang Charm" Meredith said. She then smiled at Jackson; "She may pick on you and April a lot but she's fond of you two, especially April, Little Red Kepner manage to worm her way into Cristina's heart" she said with a chuckle.
Jackson grinned widely; "She manage to worm into my heart too"
Meredith laughed.
oOo
"Yep, I'll just wait for it. Thanks!" April chirped.
"Why are you doing intern's work?"
April turned around and saw Alex approaching her; "The pit is slow today and I have nothing else better to do" she replied. "About that, aren't you supposed to run it with me, why did Bailey tell me that she's with me today?"
Alex braised his hands on his hips; "Oh that—err—Robbins needs me at Ped's today" he replied.
"I see" April replied. She then peered behind Alex's shoulder; "Do you know if we have a VIP patient or something?" she asked curiously.
Alex furrowed his brows; "Why do you think that?" he asked.
April pointed towards the hallway to the lobby as a response.
Alex turned his head sideways and saw a couple of crew hefting flowers inside the hospital; he mentally swore before turning towards his oblivious friend. "Yeah—" he lied.
"I knew it!" April said ecstatically.
"Huh?"
"That's why I didn't see anyone inside the Attendings' Lounge when I arrived this morning. Chief Hunt probably called for an emergency board meeting-like what they did when we had Molly's case"
Alex let out sigh of relief; "Yeah, I guess"
April smiled; "Do you know who's the big fish? Is it Bono?"
Alex chuckled; "Why do people here always assume that it's Bono?"
April giggled; "I don't know" she replied.
Alex threw a brief look towards the lobby before shifting closer to April; he grasped her arm with his left hand and began tugging her towards the other direction. "Come on Apes, I'll walk with you" he said.
"But I still need to wait for the-"
Alex brushed off April's complaints and began dragging her along with him; "We can get one of those dorky interns to get it for you, that's what they're here for" he said.
April huffed; "Fine."
"So—talk to me, how's your day so far?" Alex asked.
April threw Alex a side glance before scrunching her face; "Err—fine but why are you asking me this?" she asked.
Alex chuckled; "Stop asking questions, just indulge me for once" he said.
"Okay then" April said before she began to chatter about her day.
oOo
"Baby, the flowers just arrived" Catherine said as she enters the room.
Jackson tore his eyes away from his laptop and smiled at his mother; "Good, they're right on time" he said.
Catherine walked towards the chair right in front of his desk and sat down; "Everything okay?" she asked.
"Yes" Jackson replied.
Catherine smirked; "Nervous?"
Jackson let out a chuckle; "Nervous is an understatement of what I feel right now. I mean, I don't even know if she'll say "Yes" to me" he said.
Catherine waived her hand dismissively; "April is head over heels for you for years, you already have it in the bag" she said.
"You think so?"
Catherine rolled her eyes at her son's insecurity; "I know so baby" she replied. She then leaned back on her chair and crossed her legs; "Your Grandpa just called me a couple of minutes ago, his already boarding his plane, so he'll be arriving right on schedule."
Jackson leaned towards his desk and braised his elbows on top of it; "Do you think it's a good idea to loop Grandpa along?" he asked worriedly.
"His one and only grandson is taking his next big step, of course it's a good idea" Catherine said. "And besides, he loves April and he's beyond thrilled that he's gaining her as his new granddaughter"
"I still can't believe that he likes April."
"Why? What's wrong with April? She's a sweetheart" Catherine said defensively.
"I don't mean it that way Mom and you know that" Jackson said while rolling his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Jackson clasped his hands together and braised his chin on top of it; "It's just that April is too perky for Grandpa's taste. The women he used to throw my way before are very different from her" he said.
Catherine chuckled; "April has this thing about her that makes it hard not to like her."
Jackson smiled; "I used to find her really annoying at first but I always find myself seeking her company regardless of how much she drives me nuts with her incessant crazies" he said.
"That's part of April's charm"
"I know" Jackson replied.
Catherine smiled; "It's refreshing to hear you talk about your feelings openly" she said.
Jackson chuckled; "April is rubbing off on me" he said.
"I'm quite sure you enjoy the rubbing" Catherine teased.
"Mom!" Jackson hissed before looking away, his cheeks flushing.
Catherine chortled happily.
oOo
Derek is standing right in front of the big electronic screen in the surgical floor when Meredith found him; she walked towards her husband and stood beside him. "What are you doing?"
Derek threw his wife a side glance; "Avery is going all out on his proposal" he said.
Meredith laughed; "He is, I think it's romantic."
Derek lifted his arm and pulled Meredith to his side; he then shifted his eyes back towards the screen and sighed wistfully. "If Mark was here, he would have been proud."
Meredith wrapped her arm around Derek's waist and placed a comforting kiss on his cheek; "He'd be over the moon" she whispered.
Derek smiled; "He'd be badgering Avery to make him his best man"
Meredith smiled; "Plastics Posses-"
"Forever" Derek finished.
oOo
Alex pushed the door to the pit and held it open for April; the red head threw him a thankful smile before stepping in. Alex followed her and began looking around the place; "You were not kidding when you told me that you have nothing better to do" he said.
"I told you so" April chirped.
Alex saw one of his former interns and waived him over; "Ross!"
April raised her brow as she watches Alex.
Shane placed his tab on top of a vacant hospital bed and made his way towards them; "Dr. Karev" he said.
"Dr. Kepner needs the lab result for one her patient's, can you get it for her?"
"Alex!" April said incredulously.
Shane nodded; "Of course, I'll get to it" he said before turning on his heels.
"What?" Alex asked.
"You just came here with me so you can boss around my residents! They have better things to do than fetch patient's lab results" April chastised.
"Like what? Playing Candy Crush on their tabs?" Alex asked sarcastically.
April wrinkled her nose; "Candy Crush? What in the world is that?"
Alex rolled his eyes; "You need to get a life McRainbowBright" he said before walking away.
April stared at Alex's retreating back before she spun on her heels and began walking towards the nurses' station.
oOo
"What time will it start again?" Cristina asked before she takes a bite of her sandwich.
"When a Trauma comes in" Alex said.
Meredith giggled; "Who gave him that idea? It's so cheesy!"
Cristina snickered; "But you have to give it to McPretty, its kinda original and never been done before. I just hope that McRainbowBright won't kill her patient accidentally because she's too busy listening to whatever song our pretty boy chose."
Alex nodded in agreement; "If I was operating and something cheesy like that happens, there will be hell to pay" he said.
"There's always hell to pay whenever someone messes with your O.R." Meredith said.
Alex thought for a moment; "True" he said before taking a sip of his soda.
Meredith turned towards Cristina; "Owen is supposed to drag Kepner along with his surgery right? Is he cool with what's happening? Won't he be distracted or something?" she asked curiously.
Cristina rolled her eyes; "He's ecstatic about it. Did it slip your mind that he actually helped with McDorky's dance proposal?"
"Oh right" Meredith said.
"McPretty has his knickers in a twist because of that, he thinks he can't top that" Alex said.
Cristina scoffed; "Oh please! All he has to do is bat his eyes" she said. "And besides, he's way much prettier than McDorky" she added as an afterthought.
Alex sniggered; "My thoughts exactly."
Meredith's pager went off; she plucked it from the table and began reading the message.
Cristina leaned forward curiously; "Who's paging you?" she asked.
Meredith took a sip of her drink before standing up from her chair; she pocketed her pager and smirked at her friends. "I'll get the chance to witness Round 1" she said before turning on her heels.
Alex laughed; "Don't choke Mer!"
Cristina snickered.
oOo
"Her liver is severely damaged and there's a bowel obstruction, we have to get in there before she goes into septic shock" Owen said.
April placed the phone back to its cradle; "O.R. 2 has already been prepped, you can go there now" she said.
"You're with me Kepner, go scrub in" Owen said. He then turned towards the trauma team; "Let's lift her, 1, 2, 3"
"But there's still another patient and—"
"Bailey will take care of it, you're coming with me, now move" Owen barked.
"Okay Chief!" April said as she started pulling on the gurney.
Shane smiled knowingly at the Chief of Surgery before he started pushing on the gurney.
oOo
"Round 1 has begun" Alex said as he leans on the door frame.
Jackson's eyes widen; "Why didn't I get paged?" he asked in panic.
Alex laughed; "Why do they need to page you? You don't need to do anything yet, it's all taken care off" he replied.
Jackson began fiddling with his hands anxiously; "I think this a stupid idea" he said.
Alex crossed his arms on top of his chest and narrowed his eyes at the Plastic Attending; "Don't tell me you're wimping out now Avery. You already bought a freaking ring, now's not the time to revert back to being a Eunuch!"
"I'm not talking about proposing Karev! I'm talking about the stupid O.R. thing! I shouldn't have listened to Shepherd!" Jackson snapped.
Alex scrunched his face; "This is McDreamy's idea?" he asked.
"It is!"
Alex shook his head while chuckling; "Now I can say that I've finally seen it all" he said.
Jackson scowled.
oOo
"Nice save Dr. Kepner" Owen said.
"Thanks Chief" April chirped.
"The liver is looking good, we just have to clean the bowel spill then we can pack her up" Owen said.
"Yep, can I have more lap pads here please" April said.
Owen smiled behind his mask before throwing Shane a knowing look; "Since the patient is stable and we still have an hour left before we can close up, do you mind if we play some music? I've read somewhere that it helps in—err—keeping the patient grounded to earth or something" he said.
Shane tried to stifle his laughter by clearing his throat.
Owen threw Shane a "suck-it-up-or-your-scrubbing-out" look.
"Just like what they do in Acupuncture Clinics?" April asked.
Owen turned his gaze back towards April; "Err-yeah" he replied.
April shrugged her shoulders; "I don't have any problem with that, go play what you want"
"Alright then," Owen said.
"You've been on my mind I grow fonder everyday put myself in time just thinking of your face God only knows, why it's taking me so long to let my doubts go, you're the only one that I want..."
April's eyes widen in surprise upon hearing a familiar song playing; she then pauses her work and stared at her mentor in disbelief. "Adele is in your playlist?"
Owen mentally cursed before meeting April's eyes; "Err-it's not my playlist, it's Callie's"
April eyes crinkled on the side, indication that she's smiling behind her mask; "I just love Adele, her songs are awesome. Nice choice of playlist Chief" she complimented before turning her eyes back to her work while humming with the song.
"-I dare you to let me be your one and only. I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms so come on and give me the chance to prove that I'm the one who can walk that mile until the end starts..."
Owen smiled behind his mask as he watches his student work meticulously.
"Do you know that the song she writes often talks about her personal experiences?" April asked.
"Lap pads" Owen said. "Really?"
"Yep. Most of her songs are for the broken heart though" April said.
"This one doesn't seem like it,"
April giggled; "Definitely not" she agreed.
"What do you think this song means, then?" Owen asked slyly.
"Ross, suction" April instructed. She cocked her head to the side; "I think she's proposing to the guy" she paused and listened some more. "Yep definitely proposing" she concluded.
Shane choked out a cough.
April threw her resident a concerned look; "Are you alright Shane? Do you need to step out for a bit?"
Shane cleared his throat; "No, I'm fine."
Owen laughed as he shook his head; "Suck it up Ross, we're almost done here."
oOo
"That's right, it needs to be here before 7 P.M" Jackson said to the phone. "Yeah, that will be all, thanks, bye."
"The song choice wasn't that bad and she gets it" Meredith said as she enters the room.
Jackson placed the phone back to its cradle with a smile; "Really?" he asked.
"Yep, she likes it. Round 1 goes to you" Meredith said with a smirk. She then sat down on the chair right in front of the desk; "Who are you talking to?"
"The strings quartet I hired for this evening" Jackson replied.
Meredith threw Jackson an amused look; "How were you able to arrange all of this in a short span of time?"
Jackson smirked; "It pays to have a meddling mother you know"
"So Catherine arranged this?"
"She just made some calls and the next thing I know, I just have to buy a ring and to ask you guys for help" Jackson said with a chuckle.
Meredith laughed; "Damn, you're lucky! You don't need to hire a wedding planner for your big day, saves you both money and time" she teased.
"I know" Jackson replied.
oOo
Owen was rinsing his hands inside the scrub room when April entered it; she walked towards the sink and began washing her hands alongside her mentor. "It's the first time I operated with music, I like it, I think I'll adapt it and make my own playlist" she said happily.
Owen pulled a cloth and began drying his hands; "I enjoyed it too but I think I'll stay away from Callie's playlist" he said with a chuckle.
April laughed and began drying her hands too; "Don't let Callie hear you say that" she said.
Owen laughed; "Time to give the family an update, care to join me?" he asked.
April discarded her used cloth on the provided bin; "Yeah—let's go" she said.
oOo
"Is this part of McPretty's plan? I don't want to carry this stupid tab if the screen saver keeps on popping fluttering butterflies, this might give me seizure or something" Alex said with a grimace.
"I think it's cute" Arizona said with a smile.
Alex rolled his eyes as he continues to tinker with it.
"Suck it up Karev, it's just for today" Arizona said.
"I don't have a choice" Alex replied.
oOo
"Thank you doctors"
"You are very much welcome Mr. and Mrs. Stanley" April replied kindly.
Their patient's parents threw them a smile of gratitude before departing.
Owen turned towards April; "You can take your lunch now, I'll grab something for myself. See you at the pit after an hour" he said.
"Okay, catch you later Chief" April chirped. She then turned on her heels and began walking towards elevator.
Owens' eyes widen; "Kepner!" he shouted.
April paused and turned her head; "Yeah?"
"Use the other elevator, that one is not working, it's being fixed today" Owen said.
"But I just used this one earlier" April replied.
"It was working earlier but—err—it stopped working an hour ago"
"I see, alright—thanks Chief" April said before walking towards the opposite direction.
Owen let out sigh of relief before turning on his heels.
oOo
"Order a 2d echo and an ECG. Page me if the results are in, okay?" Cristina asked her resident.
"Right away Dr. Yang" Heather said before moving towards the patient's bed.
Cristina stuffed her pen in her breast pocket and began walking towards the nurses' station; she plucked a tab from the cradle and instantly grimaces upon seeing it.
"Hey do you want to-what's wrong with your face?" April asks as she falls into step with her friend.
Cristina schooled her features and turned her head sideways; "Nothing, just stupid interns" she said.
April leaned forward and grabbed her tab; she placed it on top of the counter and tapped on the screen.
Cristina watched her friend's face and waited for a reaction.
April beamed; "This is soooo cute! I have butterflies as my new screensaver, I didn't know that we can do that" she said.
Cristina smirked; "Another point goes to McPretty" she thought.
April tapped on the screen with a huge smile on her face; after a couple of seconds, she tore her eyes from it and stared at her friend. "I'm gonna grab a quick bite, do you want to come?"
Cristina shrugged her shoulders and placed her tab back to its cradle; "Yeah sure," she replied.
"Let's go before a new Trauma enters this place" April said before making a bee line towards the door.
Cristina smiled before shaking her head in amusement.
oOo
"You paged Dr. Avery?" Jo asked as she enters the room.
"Yes-err-I actually need to ask for a favour, can you close the door" Jackson said.
Jo nodded and closed the door behind her.
oOo
Cristina placed her tray on top of the table and pulled a chair; "So you're telling me that the food their serving now are Ohio staples?"
April sat down on her chair and smiled widely; "Yes! I can't believe it as well! I can't even remember the last time I ate this" she said giddily.
Cristina sat down; "What do you call this sandwich again? Are you sure it won't kill me?"
April laughed; "It's called Jibarito and no, it won't kill you" she said. She then grabbed her sandwich and took a large bite.
Cristina watched her friend chew with relish before taking a bite of her own.
April swallowed her food and patted her lips with a napkin; "It tastes like home" she said.
"It's good" Cristina said after a moment.
April was about to tell the Cardio Surgeon I told you so but stopped when she heard music being played inside the whole cafeteria.
"I never had no one, I could count on. I've been let down so many times. I was tired of hurtin', so tired of searchin', 'til you walked into my life. It was a feelin', I'd never known and for the first time, I didn't feel alone..."
Cristina let out a small smile upon seeing April's stunned face; "They're playing music...Interesting" she said nonchalantly.
April furrowed her brows before turning towards her companion; "Is this a new technique you guys are trying?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" Cristina asked before taking another bite of her food.
"Chief Hunt told me that your incorporating music in this hospital-just like what they do Acupuncture Clinics, you know to soothe the patients and help them in recovery"
Cristina just stared at her friend blankly.
April just shook her head when she saw that her friend doesn't have the slightest idea of what she's talking about. "Never mind" she said before taking a bite of her own sandwich while listening to the familiar tune.
"You're more than a lover, there could never be another. To make me feel the way you do, Oh we just get closer, I fall in love all over. Every time I look at you and I don't know where I'd be without you here with me. Life with you makes perfect sense, you're my best friend..."
"Dude, why is Tim McGraw howling inside this place?" Alex asked as he pulls out a chair and placed his lunch tray on top of the table.
April threw Alex an amused look; "How do you know that it's Tim McGraw singing?" she asked.
Alex sat down and grabbed his bottled water; "My ex wife used to listen to his songs"
"I didn't know Izzie listens to music" Cristina said.
"She does and this is one of her favourites, unfortunately" Alex said.
"I think the song is beautiful, do you know the title?" April asked.
Alex took a swig of his water; "Best Friends or something" he replied.
Cristina threw Alex a knowing look before smirking; "Smooth" she said.
April turned towards Cristina; "What's smooth?"
"Nothing" Cristina said.
April brushed off Cristina's reaction and resumed eating her sandwich.
"Hairball incoming" Cristina said while pointing at Alex's back.
Alex rolled his eyes at Cristina before turning on his seat; "Hey"
Jo stood behind her boyfriend's chair; "Hey" she said.
"Did you eat already? You can have the half of my sandwich" Alex offered with a smile.
Cristina pretended to gag at her friend's uncharacteristic show of affection, earning her a giggle from April.
Jo ignored Cristina's jab and smiled brightly at the Trauma Attending; "I have something for you, it's a little thank you for the goodie bag you gave us" she said before holding out a small paper bag.
April's eyes widen; "You didn't have to!" she said as she wipes her hand with her napkin.
Jo waived her hand dismissively; "It's no big deal, just a little something" she said mischievously.
April accepted the bag and pulled it open; her eyes widen as she stares at its contents.
"What?" Cristina asked curiously.
April grinned widely as she shoved her hand inside the bag; "She got me liquorice and oh—fortune cookies!"
"-Coz I wanna wrap you up, wanna kiss your lips, I want to make you feel wanted. And I want to call you mine, wanna hold your hand forever and never let you forget it. I wanna make you feel wanted..."
Jo threw her boyfriend a cunning look before humming with the song that's currently playing.
April pulled the cookie bag out and placed it on top of the table; she excitedly pulled the package open and plucked one cookie. "Help your selves" she said.
"No offense Wilson but I'm not a fan of those little suckers" Cristina said.
Alex grabbed a piece and opened it; he crushed it with his fingers and pulled his paper.
April read her fortune with her eyes as she nibbles at her cookie.
Alex scrunched upon reading his; "What the hell?"
Jo leaned forward and pinched her boyfriend's shoulder; she then threw him a warning look before pasting a smile on her face. "You will win the lottery soon"
Cristina laughed.
Jo pinched Alex's shoulder again; "Err-Yeah, stupid cookie" he said. He then turned towards April; "What did yours say?"
April smiled brightly before reading the tiny note; ""Waiting is over, you're mint to be is just around the corner" they spelled the meant to be incorrectly though" said.
Cristina stopped laughing and threw Jo an amused look; "Awesome cookies Wilson" she said meaningfully.
Jo laughed.
"As good as you make me feel, I wanna make you feel better. Better than your fairytales, better than your best dreams. You're more than everything I need you're all I ever wanted, all I ever wanted..."
April took a sip of her soda before speaking again; "I think it's neat that we're trying this new thing about music but I'm a little bit weirded out because it keeps on playing love songs" she said.
Alex sniggered; "Maybe the one who's playing the music is thinking about proposing or something"
Cristina choked on her drink as Jo bit her bottom lip to keep herself from grinning widely.
April thought for a second before smiling brightly; "That's sweet!" she gushed.
Cristina wiped her mouth with her napkin; "You think so?" she asked.
April nodded; "If anyone would propose to me like that I'd say yes in a heartbeat" she said.
Alex grinned slyly; "Really? McDorky had to bring his flash mob dancers just to hear you say yes" he teased.
"His name is Matthew and not McDorky, thank you. And look how well that turned out" April said.
Cristina smiled; "He's not McPretty, that's why" she teased.
"Cristina!" April hissed as her cheeks started to flush.
"The wrong prince charming proposed, we get it" Alex said ribbed.
April hastily shot up from her chair and began gathering her things; "You guys are impossible!" she shrilled.
Cristina cackled; "Your face is as red as your hair Kepner"
April grabbed her paper bag and threw Jo an embarrassed look; "Err-thanks for this, I love it" she said before turning on her heels and scurrying away as fast as she can.
"Avery has it in a bag" Alex said.
Jo rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's statement.
"True" Cristina said with a large smile.
oOo
Jackson was shrugging on his jacket when his phone rang; he plucked it from his pocket and tapped on the screen. "Grandpa"
"Jackson, my plane just landed" Harper said.
Jackson pulled his satchel from his desk; "Good. Do you need me to pick you up? I'm still in the hospital and I can drop by"
"What are you still doing there boy? You should be home preparing" Harper said.
Jackson chuckled; "I'm not wearing a gown Grandpa, I just need to take a bath and suit up" he said.
Harper laughed; "You're right and no, you don't have to pick me up. Your mom sent me her driver and I'm heading straight to my hotel. I'll be there in time" he said.
"Okay" Jackson said. He then paused and tightened his hold on his phone; "Thank you for doing this Grandpa and I'm really happy that you're here even though I know that you're busy..."
"This is more important than work Jackson and I'm happy that I'm part of this. Now, we need to cut this short, you haul your ass to your apartment and make sure you look good, you hear me?"
Jackson chuckled as he pulls the door open; "I'm walking now, see you in a few."
"Drive safely son, bye" Harper said before disconnecting the call.
Jackson pulled his phone away from his ear and stuffed it inside his pocket; he made his way towards the elevator and punched on the down button.
"You're still here?"
Jackson turned his head and saw his mother standing by the nurses' station; "I'm going now and Grandpa's plane just landed, he's on his way to his hotel" he said.
Catherine smiled widely; "Okay then baby, see you in a few, drive safely" she said.
Jackson nodded before entering the lift.
oOo
"Now that the weight has lifted, love has surely shifted my way. Marry me, today and every day. Marry me if I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe say you will..."
"I hope she says "yes" to him" April murmured.
Owen stilled upon hearing April's words; "I'm sorry?"
April winced; "I said that out loud, didn't I?"
"You did—what's with the proposing stuff?"
April smiled sheepishly.
Owen narrowed his eyes; "Kepner?" he asked sternly.
"It's just that Alex and I talked about the type of music that's been playing around here"
"And?"
"He kinda said that the one who's choosing the songs must be proposing because honestly, all we've been hearing all day are love songs" April explained.
Owen cleared his throat; "Oh must be random" he said nonchalantly. He then placed his tab back to its cradle before shoving his hands inside his lab coats pocket; "You're already out by 6:30, right?" he asked.
"Yep."
"Can you stay and wait for me? I need to talk to you about something."
April bit her bottom lip; "Yeah sure, I also need to tell you something" she said.
Owen nodded; "I'll meet you by 7 then, don't leave without seeing me" he said.
April nodded; "Okay Chief" she replied.
oOo
"Wow...this place is just...wow" Meredith said in awe.
Cristina exited the elevator and surveyed her surroundings; "I wonder how pretty boy was able to assemble this" she said.
Meredith threw Cristina a side glance; "Catherine did the leg work" she said.
"I knew it! McMommy's name is written all over it."
"Let's just hope that it doesn't rain tonight or all of this will be for naught" she said.
Cristina sniggered; "I'm sure McMommy did something about that as well"
Meredith chuckled.
Cristina crossed her arms on top of her chest as she shifted closer towards the fairy lights; "Did you know that they're serving Ohio staple food in the cafeteria?"
"Really?"
Cristina nodded; "Yep and they're playing sappy love songs too" she said.
Meredith shook her head in amusement; "He's so whipped. All the effort-I just hope that April won't be too shock to give an answer" she said.
"Oh she will say yes, Avery has it in the bag"
Meredith raised her brow; "Why do you say that?"
Cristina smirked; "Let's just say that evil spawn subtly asked her about it and based from her reaction, its definitely a yes" she said.
Meredith's eyes widen; "Don't tell me you ruined Jackson's surprise?"
"Of course not! It's just an innocent question and I'm sure April didn't notice it because she's too busy flushing and shrilling"
Meredith let out a sigh of relief; "Good then," she said.
Cristina rolled her eyes.
oOo
Proposal Time: 6:45
April was just shrugging on her jacket when the door to the Attendings' Room opened; she grabbed her bag from her cubby and snapped it close.
Shane peered from the door; "Dr. K? Are you here?" he called out.
April rounded from the corner and smiled at her resident; "Hey Shane, I'm here, what's wrong?" she asked.
Shane pushed the door wider and stepped inside the room; "Chief Hunt asked me to get you, he's waiting for you" he said with a huge smile.
April raised her brows; "I told him I'll meet him there by 7, it's still early" she said.
Shane shrugged his shoulders; "I don't know but he's with someone" he said.
April walked towards Shane and furrowed her brows; "Do you know who?" she asked.
"I don't have the slightest idea."
"Let's find out then," April said.
oOo
Jackson kept on tugging on his sleeves as he keeps on throwing the elevator's door nervous looks.
"Stop tugging on your sleeves, you're ruining it" Catherine said as she swats her son's hand.
Jackson's hand fell limp to his side as he focused his eyes on his mother; "I think I'm gonna be sick" he said.
Catherine chuckled; she then shifted closer and cupped Jackson's face with her palms. "Listen to me, you don't have anything to be nervous about. April loves you and she will say yes, okay?"
Jackson closed his eyes and nodded; "You're right" he said.
Catherine planted a soft kiss on Jackson's cheek before stepping away; "I'll see you in a bit" she said.
"Where are you going?" Jackson asked.
Catherine raised her brow; "I'll be with Richard, we're on the 6th floor, remember?"
"Oh, yeah your right, sorry. Go on now"
Catherine shook her head as she walks towards the elevator; "Don't forget to breath baby and please don't choke" she said before stepping inside the metal contraption.
Jackson turned his head sideways; "Are you guys alright there?" he asked the string quartet.
The group of musicians just gave him a thumbs up.
Jackson shifted on his feet as he took deep calming breaths.
oOo
Shane tugged on April's arm as he stops a couple of feet away from Owen; "You go on right ahead, I—err—I need to do something" he said with a big smile.
April smiled; "Thank you Shane, I'll see you tomorrow" she said. She then resumed her pace and almost instantly she felt her heart drop to her stomach upon recognizing the person standing beside Owen.
"Oh look, there she is" Owen said.
April swallowed hard and tried her best to smile; "Dr. Avery, it's nice to see you-I-I didn't know you were coming" she said.
Harper threw the nervous red head a soothing smile; "It's nice to see you again...April" he said.
"Did he just call me April? There's something wrong here" April thought. She then stopped right in front of the two men awkwardly.
"I need to talk to you so I asked Dr. Hunt to make sure that you won't leave, is that okay?" Harper asked.
Alarm bells starts ringing inside her head; "Oh god, he's here to talk to me about Mass Gen, crap!" she thought. She cleared her throat and nodded; "Err-of course."
Harper then gestured towards the elevator to their left; "Dr. Hunt will be joining us and he's kind enough to lend us his office" he said before he started walking.
"Dr. Avery—that elevator is under maintenance, we can take the other-"
"It's alright Kepner, it's already been fixed" Owen interjected.
April threw Owen a confused look; "Are you sure Chief? We don't want to be stuck inside" she joked.
Owen chuckled; "I'm 100% sure" he replied.
"Okay then" April said as she began to follow the two men.
Harper punched on the button and shoved his hands inside his pockets; "How are you feeling this evening?" he asked.
April fell into step with the old doctor and smiled; "I'm good, it's a slow day at the E.R." she replied.
Harper nodded.
The elevator doors chimed open and Owen ushered them inside; he shifted closer to the control panel so he can block April's view. When the red head surgeon is not paying attention, he quickly pressed the button on each floor; he then shoved his hands inside his pockets and smiled. "Here we go" he said.
April smiled awkwardly at Harper and shifted her weight on her feet; she took a deep calming breath and cleared her throat.
Harper leaned back on the wall and let out a closed lip smile.
April turned towards Harper to start a conversation but paused when soft violin music emanated from the elevator speakers. She quickly turned her gaze towards Owen and was caught off guard when she saw that he was smiling widely at her. She opened her mouth to ask what's going on but then the elevator chimed open. She shifted her gaze towards the door and saw both Callie and Arizona standing on the other side; "Come right in, we still have space" she said with a smile.
Callie and Arizona just smiled at her before pulling out a white tulip that they're both hiding inside their lab coat.
April's eyes widen in shock.
The couple both wordlessly took a step forward and offered her the flowers.
April accepted the flowers with uncertainty and threw them a confused look; "What's this for?" she asked, but before they were able to answer the door started closing.
"I've waited a hundred years but I'd wait a million more for you. Nothing prepared me for, what the privilege of being yours would do..."
April turned towards Owen; "Chief? What's going on? Why did they give me flowers? And what's with the music?" she asked.
Owen ignored April's question and just focused his gaze on the door.
April felt her heart thump in panic as her palms begin to sweat; she turned her head towards Harper but the old surgeon just shrugged his shoulders, answering her unvoiced question.
3rd FLOOR
The elevator chimed again and the door slowly opened; April took a step back upon seeing Alex and Jo.
"Alex? What's going on?" April asked, panic evident in her voice.
Alex threw the red head a re-assuring smile before pointing a remote control towards the electronic screen behind him, activating it. Jo stepped forward and offered April 2 pink tulips with a smile.
April's heart is beating wildly inside her chest as she accepts the flowers; she shifted her eyes back to the screen and felt her breath hitch in her throat upon reading the message. "We are my mint-to-be, it's always been Me and You"
Alex and Jo waives goodbye silently as the door closes again.
"If I had only felt the warmth within your touch. If I had only seen how you smile when you blush or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough. Well I would have known what I was living for all along, what I've been living for..."
April grasped the flowers tightly in her hands as she felt her eyes started to sting.
4th FLOOR
The elevator chimed again and the door slowly opened, revealing Cristina; Owen casually strolled outside the elevator and turned to face them with a huge smile.
"Oh god" April gasped.
Cristina smirked at her friend as she pulls out 2 yellow tulips hidden behind her lab coat; she took a step forward and handed it to April. "Don't bawl now McRainbowBright" she joked.
Owen rolled his eyes at his wife's antics before clicking on his own remote, activating the screen behind him. "I won't just walk 500 miles, I'll walk with you 'til the end starts..."
April choked out a sob after reading the message; tears she's trying to hold back trickled down her cheeks as the door closes again.
5th FLOOR
"Your love is my turning page, where only the sweetest words remain. Every kiss is a cursive line, every touch is a redefining phrase..."
The elevator chimed again and the door slowly opened; this time, revealing the smiling faces of Meredith and Derek.
"You too?" April whispered as she wipes her cheek.
Derek stepped forward and handed his former student 2 purple tulips. Meredith clicked on her remote and smiled at April cheerfully.
April shifted her gaze towards the screen and read the next message; "I never believed in soul mates but unexpectedly, I found mine in you..."
April placed her right hand to her lips to stifle incoming sobs.
The door closes again and the elevator continues on its way.
Harper moved towards his future granddaughter in law and gently wrapped his arm on her shoulder to show support.
April sniffed and hastily wiped her cheeks; "I'm sorry-I don't have an idea that this is-"
Harper squeezed April's shoulder comfortingly; "My grandson chose well" he said.
April opened her mouth to respond but the door chimed open again, revealing an ecstatic Catherine and a beaming Richard.
6th FLOOR
"I surrender who I've been for who you are. For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart, If I had only felt how it feels to be yours, well I would have known what I've been living for all along, what I've been living for..."
Harper threw April a encouraging smile before stepping out of the elevator.
Catherine grinned widely before clicking the remote on her hand. Richard took a step forward and handed her 3 peach tulips.
April accepted the flowers with tears running down her cheeks; she then shifted her eyes towards the screen and read the last message. "I haven't gotten the chance to tell you this so I'm telling you now, I WANT YOU TOO and I want you with me..."
"Oh god..." April breathed out.
The door closes again as it continues it's ascend to its last stop; the rooftop.
April gripped the flowers tightly in her left hand as she wiped her cheeks with her right; she swallowed the lump in her throat and licked her lips nervously. She closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath; she opened her eyes again as the bell chimed. She braised herself and waited for the door to part; her eyes instantly widen as a gasp escaped her lips. "Oh my god"
The whole rooftop was decorated with wild flowers and tinkering fairy lights; the music that she's listening to inside the elevator resounded around the open air as the string quartet played their instruments with precision. April scanned her surroundings and almost instantly, her heart started beating faster when her eyes landed on a familiar figure standing in the middle of the helipad. She felt her lower lip wobble with so much emotions surging inside her chest so she bit on it hard; she made her way towards her best friend and stood behind him. "Jackson..."
"I've been waiting for you..." Jackson said. He slowly turned around and let out a smile; "Hi"
April let out a teary smile; "Hi"
Jackson lifted the lone red tulip his holding and offered it to April; "This is for you" he said shyly.
April accepted the flower with her shaky hand; "T—thank you"
Jackson gazed into April's eyes before taking a deep calming breath; he smiled at her tentatively before dropping on one knee.
April's eyes widen; "Oh god..." she breathed out.
Jackson pulled the small velvet box from his coat pocket and licked his lips nervously; he popped the box open and lifted it for April to see. "I know we haven't even tried dating yet but you've been my person for as long as I can remember. I-I'm not good at this and I didn't even prepare a speech-it's not because I'm lazy but it's because I want every word to come from my heart and not from my brain."
April bit her bottom lip again as tears started rolling down her cheeks.
"I love you April—I always have. I love everything about you and when I say everything, I meant everything" Jackson said, emphasizing the last word.
April smiled; "I know you're referring to my neurosis Jackman, do you think that will help your case?" she teased.
Jackson smiled boyishly; "I love your neurosis, your metaphors, your neat freak tendencies, name it, I love them all."
April giggled.
Jackson took a deep breath and gaze into April's eyes; "You are the kindest and sincerest person I got the privilege of knowing. You have a big heart that is capable of loving anyone-even the most undeserving. I know-I know I've hurt you multiple times and I don't deserve to ask you this but my heart is about ready to explode with so much feelings that I only have for you. You are my it April and I'm hoping that I'm yours too."
Tears trickle down April's cheeks as a soft sob escaped her lips.
Jackson smiled hopefully; "Can you spend forever with me? Can you put me out of my single-life misery and make me the happiest soon to be engaged man alive? Will you marry me?"
April fell down on her knees and threw her arms around Jackson; she nodded a couple of times before burying her face into the crook of his neck.
Jackson wrapped his arms around April's waist; "Is that a yes?"
April giggled between tears as she pulls away; "Of course that's a yes!"
Jackson let out a huge smile; "You'll be my wife?" he asked.
April planted a soft kiss on Jackson's nose before smiling; "You'll be my McPrettyPrettyHusband"
Jackson chortled happily; he then stood up from his perch and pulled his fiancé with him. He took the ring off the box and gently inserted it on her left ring finger; he stared at it for a couple of seconds before planting a soft kiss on it. "I love you-I love you so much"
April smiled lovingly at Jackson before pulling his face for the much awaited kiss; she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Jackson's neck.
Jackson moaned and pulled April to his chest; he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and began pouring his feelings into the kiss. After a couple of minutes of mind numbing loving, he pulled his face away; "I know you still have a decision to make about your career and it's not an easy one to make. I want you to know that whatever option you choose; I'm with you all way. My life is with you now April, wherever you go, I go and I'll be happy because I know that you're with me" he said sincerely.
April opened her eyes and met Jackson's gaze; she planted a chaste kiss on her fiances lips before smiling. "I love you for that but I already decided to stay. I love Seattle and the people in this hospital, I wouldn't trade it for anything else, besides, I have you with me too and that's more than enough."
Jackson smiled back; "I love you April Kepner, you're definitely worth fighting for."
April chuckled; "I love you Jackson Avery, you're definitely worth waiting for."
-END-
A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading the sequel. Thank you for all the reviews I received from the first installment, you're the reason why I wrote this one :) Again, tell me what you think. Thanks again! Cheers! :)