"Morning Sleepy head." There was a smile in Lexie Grey's tone, and April blinked the blurriness out of her eyes.
"I want another Doctor." April's voice was still groggy as she spoke, and Lexi's grin faded quickly from her face.
"I-" April couldn't bring herself to feel remorseful. She wanted a quick discharge, and fought the urge to pull out he IVs.
"I know that you get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing me in distress, and that humiliating me makes you feel good . But Lexi, please grab somebody else. Preferably an attending. Actually grab anybody else, just get out of my face." April was near to tears as she was begging.
"Grey out," Chief Webber entered the room, with Teddy Altman and Jackson Avery at his heels
"Dr. Webber, I feel so much better-"
"Nope, you don't talk. Dr. Kepner. You're the patient. Dr. Altman, present." Webber scolded April, pointing at her, and barely held his comments about her lack of personal care.
"Dr. Webber likes to forget that I am an attending," She teased him, keeping her voice light she continued. "Kind of like how you forget to eat. And sleep."
April avoided looking at all of them, "Luckily, was able to catch you before we added head injury to the list. Dr. Sheppard did a preliminary check anyway, but aside from exhaustion and minor malnourishment , your fine."
"Then I can leave?"
"When can we leave?" Jackson asked before they had even entered the house.
"Jackson, you're the one who insisted on dinner-"
"I know, I know, but if you just so happen to get sick after appetizers, I wouldn't be mad."
"I'll keep that in mind," She knocked on the door before quickly, before she could lose her nerve. He snuck a kiss before they were ushered into the house by the Avery's ancient housekeeper.
"You're late ," She said as she helped April with her coat without any warning." They just sat down."
"Come now , haven't you missed me?" He stole a kiss from the woman's cheek and proceeded to pull April down the hall.
"That's Mary, she's been here as long as I can remember." April nodded, she felt overwhelmed. Jackson never flaunted his wealth, downplaying it, especially once he learned about her scholarship status.
April breathed deeply as he lead her around the corner and into the dining room. She sent up a brief prayer and braced herself to meeting the man she loves family.
Jackson's mother was regal, and April felt that her smile was forced. With manners her Grandmother would cry with joy over, she attempted to make conversation. "You have a lovely home ."
"Thank you dear, It was a wedding gift. More Jackson's fathers taste than mine, but it does it's job I suppose." April had no clue what to say to that, and kept her mouth shut as Jackson pulled out a chair for her.
"Where is Harper?"Jackson broke the brief silence between them.
"He was called away, it's just going to be the three of us tonight." April felt her heart sink. Maybe she would get sick during appetizers, but then Dr. Avery might think that she is pregnant, which she wasn't. She was as 'not pregnant' as someone could get. April turned red, embarrassed at the direction her thoughts went.
Jackson made painful small talk with his mother. He usually made the point to remain silent at family functions, but he wanted to take the heat off of his looked beautiful tonight, her hair was swept up, her face free of make up. On their first date April tried wearing it, she bought makeup, and put on blue eyeshadow for the first time in her life. When Jackson picked her up she was in tears and wouldn't let him open the door. He managed to talk her out, and talked her into washing her face, telling her she didn't need it. Recalling it made him smile.
Catherine abruptly turned the conversation towards April, "So where are you from dear?"
"Moline, Ohio, it's about two hours from,"
"And what's your GPA?"
"I have a 3.9 at the moment," Catherine looked at her skeptically.
"What do your parents do?"
Aprils heart sank, she had no desire to admit she was a lowly farm girl, "My mother is a teacher and my father is a farmer."
"Can I get you a glass of wine?"
"No thank you," April was shocked that she was offered alcohol.
"Jackson, can drive you home tonight, have a glass." Catherine pushed.
"I would rather not, I know it's not a problem in your own home but," April was cut off by Catherine's hysterical laughter. "Are you alright Dr. Avery?"
"April honey, you would laugh too if you knew my son. Jackson she is just a baby!" Jackson and April tensed at her words.
"Mom!" Jackson's voice became sharp in defense of a April.
"Just how old is she Jackson? I know you Avery men like em' young, but this just takes the cake. 23 is too old for you to be screwing around" Dr. Avery continued her brutal assault.
"And you have the audacity, to bring her into my home as though she actually is more than just a common dalliance who wants to capitalize on your name. End it Jackson."
"Excuse me," April made a move to leave the room.
Jackson reached out to grab her hand, effectively stopping her from bolting, "Mom, stop it."
Catherine put her hand out, "Jackson I am sure she is lovely-"
"She is mom. She is lovely, and if you would take the time to get to know her, then you would see that." Catherine was about to continue, but Jackson knew this was it. He was putting it all out there. His mom was so disconnected from him, and he wasn't about to let a stranger come between him and the love of his life.
"No, I am talking. You're listening. You always talk about how you are a pioneer of women in medicine, yet you are being the biggest hypocrite right now. April, she's the one. I don't care that she is 18, I don't care that she has braces, and I don't care that she wants to wait to have sex until we get married."
"Jackson," April was beet red as she tried to cut him off.
"Sorry babe, but she needs to know, that your it. I love her mom, she matters more than anything. More than medicine, and more than you. That's why we wanted to come tonight, to show you that. And seeing, as you refuse to give April a chance, we will be leaving." They were silent as Jackson pulled her out of the room and to the car.
The car ride back to April's dorm was tense. When they pulled up Jackson turned to her, "I am so sorry April, I didn't know she would react like that."
The silence that followed caused panic to build up in Jackson, the only sound in the car an old Beatle's Song. Before Jacksons panic could overwhelm him, April raised her hand to his cheek. April took a breath, and Jackson knew real fear, "You told your mom that I am a virgin."
A surprised laugh bursted through Jackson's lips, he looked only slightly apologetic. She joined him with feminine giggles.
April went silent, and looked at Jackson with adoration, "You also told her that you love me."
Jacksons gaze turned jokingly thoughtful, "I guess, I did."
"Will you say it again," Jackson smiled at the hesitance in her tone, and said the words quickly and with confidence.
"I love you too," Was barely out of her mouth before Jackson kissed her.
Jackson could help but wonder about her sanity, " you just slept for 48 hours. You're staying admitted for at least one more day."
"I wasn't asking you Jackson." April snapped embarrassed that he was seeing her like this. She always thought that at the time they saw each other again, that she would be strong. April knew it would happen, she had just hoped that it would wait until she was a board certified surgeon.
"I'm not accusing you of anything April, I just, I mean. April you're 10 lbs. lighter than you were the last time I saw you." Teddy and Richard were confused relieved to have become invisible as the exchange went on.
"You haven't seen me in-"
"8 years, in March, how have you been? I noticed that your braces are gone" He said it casually hoping that she would take the bait and give him something.
April shut her eyes as if in pain, "I don't want to do this Jackson." She felt his hand on his cheek. "Jackson don't make me do this." He put his arms around her as she pleaded. She was warm against him and he was thrilled that she hadn't pulled away.
"April, it's going to be okay-"
"No! Jackson it's not going to be okay," He flinched at the tears in her voice, the other doctors standing in shocked still in shocked silence.
"Because you're here, and I hate you. But I don't hate you, and Samuel's dead and Reid is dead and I feel dead, and I don't hate you. You're here and everyone else is gone and I cannot bring myself to hate you. Don't make me do this. Please don't make me do this" Don't make me feel. But it was Jackson.
Jackson rocked his sobbing wife in his arms, he hummed to her. Teddy felt that she was intruding on a private moment as he began to sing quietly into her ear, "Here comes the sun do-a-do-a, it's alright" His voice was breaking yet he continued his whisper song, calming their coworker.
Teddy nudged Webber and together they left the room thinking they were giving them privacy. They had no a clue that they were really leaving them to share in their grief for the first time.
Little darling, It's been a long and lonely winter.
A/N: Jackson may seem a little bit OCC, I am just trying ampliphy his regular characteristics by a million. The past parts could get intense with his ire. If you folks have any ideas, let me know! Thank you for reviewing, I hope i answered some of your questions :)
