Hello Readers!

Thank you for the support and reading my story I really hope you like it.

This is dedicated to all the AK2 fans on my tumblr who have been patient with me, and have seen me go crazy about Japril and putting AK2 on the back burner but NO MORE!

Disclaimer: I don't own this characters, I just created this AU.

Happy Reading!

Chapter One

"Fresh Meat"

Alex Karev loved his job, that was a fact. He liked to take the scumbags off the street, he went home every night with the satisfaction that every one of them got exactly what was coming to them. But as much as he loved his job, he hated it just as much. Why, you may ask? One word... Paperwork. Those damn reports he had to write up every time he made an arrest. You'd think that with his willingness to contribute to society, serve the community, or whatever, they would make it relatively painless. Clearly, that was too much to ask. So here he was, at his desk, finishing yet another stupid report when his partner came over.

"We have fresh meat." He looked up to see Jackson Avery leaning against his desk as he slowly nursed an ice coffee.

"What?" Alex asked as his eyes moved from the computer to his partner. "What the hell are you drinking?"

"It's an ice coffee… " he said. "It's good."

"That crap's for chicks," he scowled. The other officer just shrugged offering it to him to which he shook his head quietly.

"Stop looking at me like that and see for yourself." Jackson easily ignored him taking another sip.

"Hide it before someone sees you," Alex muttered rolling his eyes before he went back to his report. "And you wonder why they call you pretty boy."

"When did my drink become relevant to this conversation? I came over to tell you that we have ourselves a case." He paused for a moment for dramatic effect. "And she's a redhead," Jackson said suggestively.

"Good, because you need to get laid." He waited impatiently as the printer hummed to life, adding the file to the growing pile in front of him.

"I have a girlfriend," Jackson reminded him. "You know, I'm here trying to do something nice for my partner so he can call dibs before anyone else does."

"Save the nice guy acts for your girlfriend, Avery" Alex stood up and put the file in its rightful place, Jackson following not far behind him. "Who is she? This woman that you seem to know so much about."

Jackson couldn't help but smirk. So, his partner was interested. "New Social Worker, her name is Dr. April Kepner"

"Doctor?" Alex looked at Jackson curiously.

"Yeah, apparently she has a Ph.D on Social Work and she's a farm girl or something" Jackson informed him as he mixed his drink with the straw.

"Do you have a freaking file on her or something?"

"No…It just helps to have a girlfriend who's in on the hiring," Jackson's smirked. The trademark 'smartass' smile that came across his lips made Alex roll his eyes. "Hey, here she comes," he whispered as he quickly cleared his throat. "So, did you finish that report?"

Alex wanted to punch Jackson right then, acting like a school girl and changing the subject because some girl was within earshot. But what he hated more was that he actually found himself playing along. "Uh.. Yeah," Alex simply said as his eyes fell on the girl they were just talking about. She really did look new. It was the fact that she also looked young, and she wore a smile that told you she's never been broken or tainted. He couldn't help but hate the fact this job would probably take that away from her. What a shame, he had to admit he kind of liked it. The smile. And in no time at all it would probably fade.

"Officer Avery, officer Karev," Captain Owen Hunt addressed his men. "This is Dr. April Kepner. She's a social worker who will be working with us directly. Hopefully we'll be able to help each other with cases."

"April is fine. If I'm going to be working with your unit so much, it's better if we get familiar right from the start. This way, we can get right to the plans I have for us," April said not at all masking her excitement.

Great, Alex thought. She's perky and has plans. "Officer Alex Karev," he introduced himself holding his hand out, which April took immediately and shook it. He would never admit it out loud, and hardly to himself, how quickly he took note of the softness of her hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," April said as she took her hand back. "Actually, I have a list of cases I've been assigned to and a lot of them are in an area the two of you often patrol."

Of course she makes lists too, Alex internally rolled his eyes. " Where exactly is that?"

"Parkview East," she said as she opened a manila folder to double check. "Yep, Parkview East"

"You were assigned to Limbo?!" Jackson finally spoke "Jackson Avery, Karev's partner," he said holding out his hand, which April shook.

"Nice to meet you…Um, what's this about limbo?" April looked at Captain Hunt for an answer.

Hunt scowled. "The officers here call it that because it's the worst part of town. Limbo being that place between Earth and the other side," Owen reluctantly told her

"Is that supposed to scare me?" April laughed, not affected by their words at all.

"It should, having a healthy dosage of fear. That kinda stuff keeps you alive, in this job" Alex said, feeling like he obviously had something to teach this yet still green girl.

"Yet you still go there and get your job done," April said defensively already knowing the next part of this conversation… It was always about being a woman.

"I'm a cop, it's my job," Alex answered shrugging off her tone of annoyance.

"It's my job too, I'm a social worker." Who did this guy think he was? What was it with men in uniform that made them think that a woman wasn't cut out for things like this? It seemed to be a common pattern with men who carried badges.

"Captain with all do respect I think you should let someone else take cases her cases. Limbo is not a place for women like her" Alex told his captain not caring if he hurt the redhead's feelings or not.

I'm right here! "You sexist pig!" April could beat this cop with a stick right about now. Instead, she put her folder into her back and politely smiled at the man "If you'll excuse me, I have some people to see," she said offering a polite smile as she quietly made her exit.

"Where is she going?" Alex asked Hunt.

"Where do you think? Obviously, you gave her something to prove." Owen shook his head. Sometimes he felt like he was dealing with kids. "Try not to pick a fight with her again, this is not pre-school where you don't get to pick on the girl you like."

Before Alex could correct him, Captain Owen Hunt was gone. "Avery, go be useful without a partner. I'm going to go and make sure miss strawberry shortcake doesn't get herself killed."

April walked to her car angrily. She was so sick of the same thing happening to her every time she had a new unit to work with. It was as though all her work had been thrown at the window and the fact that she had ovaries instead of male parts made her inadequacy to do "a man's job". Yes she was short and yes she was skinny, and yes she could probably get knocked out with one punch. But they always forgot that she wasn't a cop, that she wasn't going to see people to beat them up. It was one thing for a male authority to feel like he had a duty to protect her, but another one entirely for him to actually say that she didn't belong somewhere because she was female. The nerve of that guy.

"Hey Blaze, wait up!" someone called from behind.

April raised her brow and turned to see who it was that had called to her, of course it was that Karev guy. "It's Dr. Kepner!" she yelled back without stopping as she made her way to the car.

Alex rolled his eyes and ran towards her, finally catching up "I thought you said April was okay."

"Yet you managed to fail calling me that, so it's Dr. Kepner for you," she replied as she swung her car door open.

"Whatever, look, I'm sorry I hurt your feelings with what I said but—"

"You're sorry you hurt my feelings?!" April said in disbelief and laughed at his statement. "Is that the best you can do? You're not sorry about what you said. You're just sorry that I'm a sensitive woman and got upset."

Alex wanted to open his mouth and say something to shut her up, but she managed to do it first. Dammit, why does she have to be right…? Freaking A "I'm sorry about what I said, but it has nothing to do with you. Parkview East it's just one of those places you should avoid. Look, I'm sure you're real good at your job but I think you should consider switching some cases."

"Would you do it? Switch your assigned area because it's not safe? She asked him.

"No" he said easily. When did this become about him?

"Then why do you expect me to do it? We don't come into these types of jobs to take the easy route. We take these jobs to make the world a better place That means dealing with the horrors of reality and making it better for everyone. Now please, if you're done trying to stop me from doing my job, I'm going to go do it."

"I'm coming along." … Crap. What was wrong with him?

"…Really?!" April stopped to look at him.

"Yeah…" He said, silently scolding himself for volunteering. "They need to know we're looking out for you."

"Okay… We can do that," April agreed. "But I do all the talking," she said unlocking the passenger door. "Hope you don't have a problem with a woman driving" she said sliding into the driver's seat.

"There's nothing wrong with a woman taking the lead, 'specially when they're on top." He couldn't help himself, slipping a dirty joke into the conversation was kind of his thing. But again, this was not Jackson Avery sitting next to him.

"You're a pig," April muttered as she backed the car out of the parking spot, keeping an eye on the road as she tried to turn into it.

"Well, the sexist is gone. At least we're making progress." He really couldn't help teasing her. It was just too easy. April Kepner would be making a job he already loved just that much more fun.

"I'm sorry… I'm sure you are very nice but you struck a nerve" she said while driving.

"I'm not, but that's okay I'm good at my job."

"Have you been doing this long?" she asked, trying to make friendly conversation.

"Yeah, I've been around the block a few times." He wasn't about to go dipping into the finer details yet. He would settle for never if he could help it.

"Do you give such vague answers when it comes to details of your life?" She made the observation out loud, turning it into a question as she parked her car.

"Do you always psychoanalyze everything?"

"Sorry… It's hard to turn it off. It's like any job. I bet you never stop thinking like a cop just because you are out of uniform."

"Whatever," he mumbled. He really hated how right she always seemed to be. He followed her to the door step of a small beaten up home. He was very alert, taking in the scenery and making sure there was nothing that was going to surprise him. The house looked at lot like the one he grew up in, the sight of it making him freeze momentarily before he shook himself of the thought.

April knocked on the door and waited for a response, which came soon after "Dr. K!" greeted a man in his 40's. He had a wife beater on as he opened the door. "You brought a cop for this?"

"It's this new protocol"She quickly made up an excuse "Just ignore him" she said, gaining a not so pleasant look from Karev which she successfully ignored.

"You know each other?" Alex asked.

"Yes, this is Mr. White," April said to Alex "He was let out a couple of days ago and part of his parole agreement is to go to some A.A and D.A.A. meetings."

"Please come in," Mr. White said as he moved aside "It's not much but, it's a lot better than jail."

"Don't be ridiculous, it's fine," April said politely as she walked into the room with Alex following close behind.

"I still don't know how you know him," he hissed as he followed her to the couch that she moved to sit on.

"I held some A.A. meetings and D.A.A for a while at the correctional he was in," she supplied as she took out some papers out of her bag.

"Yeah, Dr. K was the best," Mr. White said. "We all thought it was a joke when she came in, but she turned out to be a tough cookie."

Alex found himself smirking despite himself. So Blaze could hold her own. Good for her, but there was no way he would let her do her runs without him there. The fact that she was good at what she did didn't make it a less dangerous environment.

"I like to think I haven't changed much. Here are some places where you could find the meetings at different times. Your parole officer also informed me that part of you agreement is getting a job so I wanted to make sure you have a meeting regardless what times you will be working. I've also highlighted my meetings if you'd prefer going to one of those. But please, don't turn down a job just because it conflicts with my meetings. I would gladly do checkups on you if that would make you feel better but you need your meetings." April handed over the packet she'd put together for him. "In there you will also find a letter of recommendation for when you start looking for work. I know how hard it is to get a job after you've done time. I thought I would go ahead and make it a little easier," she smiled. "You have the resources and people on your side, okay? I'm here rooting for you."

"Thank you, Dr. K," he said quietly, the older man obviously moved by the petite woman.

"You're welcome," April said with a quiet nod as she stood up. "I would stay and chat but I have other people to help."

"See you, Dr. K" Mr. White said as the two parted.

Alex had to admit, at this very moment he couldn't help but be left slightly in awe of the redhead. "Do you treat everyone like that or was he a favorite?"

"Sometimes people need someone to believe in them, to want more from and for them. Sure that's not always the case, but sometimes all they need is someone who cares and the proper help. They have to do their part, and you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped. But I also have a duty. And that is to try to make it as easy as possible so they can get in a good place. I like to see them succeed." She could tell by his look that he was skeptical about everything that was coming out of her mouth. Like she was talking about pots of gold at the end of the rainbows and unicorns. She rolled her eyes at him "Let me show you something." She unlocked her car and opened the back seat door and put her bag inside and reached for something. It was some sort of portfolio "Open it," she ordered him as she handed it to him.

Alex took it and for one of very rare occasions, he did what he was told. He opened the portfolio to find pictures of April with random people. "Who are they?" he asked as he flipped through them.

"They are my success stories and some are letters that were sent to me by the people I've helped," she said proudly. "I know I look young and naive and like this is not a job for me. But I didn't get to where I am without busting my ass, without being good at this. And when I have one of those days, and we all have them, I look back at this and remind myself that the toll that my life takes is nothing compared to everything else that I am doing. And when I want to give up and do something easier, they return the favor when I look at this; they rise me back up. I do more than save them, Officer Karev. I give them second chances in a world where people won't allow them to forget their mistakes. And the looks on their faces? That's why I do what I do. Most are nothing but thankful," she said with a smile that showed the happiness and joy that this work brought her.

She was good, a good and decent person and maybe he shouldn't be surprised but he has seen too much that can't un-see, he couldn't help but question. "Well, aren't you Seattle's own Mother Theresa."

April was visibly insulted by his comment. Just when she thought they were getting somewhere, he goes and cracks a joke. "Nevermind," she muttered snatching the portfolio from him and putting it in the back seat.

"Hey, I was kidding." Shit, he really was being an asshole. "I'm sorry Blaze, I didn't mean that."

"No, I don't accept your apology. You need to learn how to talk to people! You can't just go and say things like that. insulting my profession. You have absolutely no social skills."

Alex grabbed her shoulder and turned her around "It's just surprising to see someone that can just care like that. I mean, sure it's your job, and yeah we cops are the good guys but I know a lot of cops that aren't," he said explaining himself as best he could. "And the last social worker we had, his name was Stark, and he looked like he hated every minute of his job and here you are acting like you're curing world hunger."

"People are hungry for change, for good things," she said lamely.

"See what I mean? It's just… It's refreshing to see that. I'm not exactly good at handling new things or people," he shamefully admitted.

"You don't say," she said with a small laugh. "Alex." Her tone was more serious now. "I don't know what happened to you to make you think that everyone has their own agenda. In your world it seems we might as well all be terrible people. But there are good people too. I can assure you of that."

"This is not about me and my past," he said defensively as he took a step back, obviously not comfortable with the new subject.

"All I'm saying is that there are such things as good people in the world. Some of them just don't know how to be good" April shrugged.

"And there is no one better than you, Blaze to teach them right?" He asked teasingly.

"I am pretty good at what I do," she bragged.

"Don't get cocky now. It's only your first day."

"My first day with you," she corrected. "Obviously I've been around the block myself," she retorted before unlocking the car "Now get in. I have more lives to change."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. But once again he did what he was told and got in the car.

Review please, and tell me what you think!

I had a lot of fun writing this, I hope you enjoyed reading it.

If there are something you'd like to see, leave a comment about it. Maybe I'll use it!

Stay Tuned!