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Chapter Four

Arizona really liked Mark's little sister, April. Although she knew that April was the reason that Mark up and left for a month without every informing her or her wife, Callie, the reason why. She couldn't help but think that April was a good person. Sure, she agreed with Callie on the fact that there was more than wanting to be closer to Mark behind April's reasoning for moving to Seattle, but she wasn't as overprotective as Callie. Callie was a full on momma bear when it came to Sofia and Mark. Arizona knew it stemmed from the car accident and blaming herself for what happened, and from being a concerned best friend. Callie had seen what happened to Mark when Sloan left, and from what they both could tell April hadn't exactly been in Mark's world for the past few years. Callie was determined that once April was done with residency she would leave Seattle and disappear from Mark's life again, but Arizona could tell that April wasn't going to disappear into the night again. She could tell behind her brown eyes that she missed Mark and that from the worried glances that Mark sent April, Arizona could tell that he wasn't going to let his sister go easily again. So, if Callie wasn't going to welcome their daughter's only aunt into their family, she would.

"April," Arizona smiled as she approached the third year resident who was currently at the nurse's station. "I have an interesting case in pediatrics today, do you wanna scrub in?" Arizona asked. If Callie would come around, April would be the most connected resident at the hospital. With Mark as her older brother, and being the aunt to Sophia, she was related to three attendings. Plus, Derek was also very protective of her, which meant that she could have her choice of services.

April was obviously shocked but after a few moments it faded away. "I was supposed to be on general today with ," April replied.

"Well, it's a good thing my patient is need of a bowl reconstruction," Arizona stated, "It's still general surgery just on a tiny human, which makes things much more interesting," she added quickly. April wasn't meant for general, Arizona could already tell. She had a bounce in her step that didn't quite fit with the description of a general surgeon .

"When you put it that way, I guess I can't turn it down," April remarked with a smile on her face.

"Good, let's walk," Arizona said, and like a good resident, April followed as they began to navigate their way through the walls of Seattle Grace.

Not wasting anytime, Arizona informed April the patient's history and diagnosis. Before, Arizona knew they were in the operating room performing surgery on the infant that had traveled over an hour for surgery. April wasn't Karev, but unfortunately her favorite resident needed a few more hours in other specialities, so he was off her service for the day. However, Arizona could tell that April was pretty competent when it came to dealing with tiny humans. Honestly, Arizona wondered why Callie was so hesitant with letting her be around Sofia. April had talked to their patient calmly with a comforting smile on her face, while they put the infant under anesthesia. Her demeanor was perfect for someone to watch over Sofia, and so on a whim she asked April to babysit. Hesitantly, April accepted, but Arizona felt like it was a good step in the right direction. Rather Callie liked it or not, April was their daughter's aunt, and she would be in Sofia's life one way or another.

April yawned as she padded out of her room at Mark's apartment. She had been asleep for a few hours after working a shift that started at midnight and ended at noon. It was an odd shift time, but she didn't mind the time. The past few weeks she had been avoiding Jackson, and working at night allowed her to do just that. It wasn't that she didn't like him, it was just she was taking time for herself. Apart of that, was going to therapy with and a support group of women who had been physically abused. Abused, that's term that she had began to identify with. What happened to her wasn't a random attack, but was numerous incidents perpetrated by someone she trusted. She had been in denial for so long about the fact that she was abused that once she finally did admit it, everything seemed to finally sink in. The move to Seattle wasn't to be closer to Sofia and Mark, it was to escape from abuser. Relationships would no longer be carefree, instead something she entered into cautiously. The abuse had changed her, and now she would have to accept those changes.

"Oh," April said as she entered the main area of the apartment to see Jackson sitting at the kitchen table. Mark was nowhere to be seen, and she wondered why Jackson was simply sitting at her kitchen table books surrounding him. "I didn't know Mark had a guest over," April drawer out as she looked at Jackson. Suddenly, she felt vulnerable in her short sleep shorts and an old ratty Columbia t-shirt. Her hair was tied up on top her head without a care in the world, and she had only splashed some water on her face after waking up.

"Yeah," Jackson his blue eyes filled with hesitation. "He was helping me study for the Boards, but he got called in for an emergency burn case," Jackson paused. "Mark said to stay here and that he shouldn't be long."

Silence filled the air, and she realized that this was the first time she had talked to Jackson in a month. Somehow she had avoided him for all of October, which was shocking since he was Chief Resident, and now they were in the same room. April knew this moment wold happen, she had talked about this moment in group and in her sessions with Dr. Wyatt. From each meeting she had been told the same thing, all she needed to be was honest, and if Jackson was the man she truly hoped he was, he would understand.

"I know, I am," April took a deep breath trying to think about what to say. "I've been avoiding you," she stated.

Jackson simply nodded. "I kinda got the drift when you've been request night shifts," Jackson said. "Look, I don't know if I came on too strong, but if you-

"It's nothing you did," April interrupted as she crossed her arms. Nervously she shifted from foot to foot. "I am," she sighed as she looked at him. "I had a really bad relationship in Chicago, and I like you. I just don't want you to get caught up in everything I am dealing with," April admitted.

Jackson's eyes soften in understanding. The way in which she stated her words, made out her relationship to be more then just a bad breakup, and what it really was, abuse. "Is it something you want to talk about?" He slowly questioned, not shying away from the subject.

April moved to sit in the empty seat next to him. "Not right now," April answered honestly. She knew she would have to tell Jackson one day, but right now she was still trying to cope with what happened on a personal level. "I'll stop avoiding you, I just think I need you to be my friend right now," she said.

Shockingly, Jackson beamed. Most guys didn't like the idea of being just friends, but Jackson didn't seemed disturbed with the idea. It seemed he cared enough abut what she needed that he put aside his own wants. "I like the sound of that," Jackson stated with a grin on her face.

Taking a flashcard, April peered over the notes on the card. "Need help studying for the boards?" The test was still months away, but she knew being Chief Resident took up most of Jackson's time. However, he thrived in the administrative role and still managed to get in surgery time. He was truly going to be a great surgeon one day, and she wished he would see himself the way she saw him. Jackson Avery, April was slowly decided, wasn't perfect to the masses, but he was perfect for her.

The boards were still months away, but the fifth year surgical residents were determined to pass the grueling tests. Jackson sat sandwiched in between Karev and Christina on Meredith's living room couch. Meredith sat across from them, as they went through questions as if they were the board examiners. As much as he wanted to concentrated he couldn't get his mind off of April. She wasn't ready to date, and he respected. There were many details that he was missing, but he knew if he wanted to be with her, prying wouldn't be the best strategy. However, he wanted to know because Jackson wanted to be the person that helped put her back together. From some reason, he felt pulled to her. Maybe it was because she was his complete opposite, or the fact that he felt like she didn't see him as Harper Avery's grandson. When April looked at him, he felt like he was just simply a guy who liked a girl. He was a grown ass going on thirty man, and he would admit he liked April Sloan.

"Jackson," Meredith snapped looking at him. "It's your turn to ask me a question," she said giving him a concerned look. "What's on your mind?"

"Yeah Pretty Boy you've been spacey today," Karev remarked looking at him. "Is Sloan's sister still avoiding you like the plague?" He scoffed.

Jackson shoved Karev a little, at his comment. April wasn't avoiding him, she was just going through things that he would never fully be able to understand, no matter as much as he wanted too. "No, we're just going to be friends," he admitted.

"Wait, what?" Christina questioned, shifting so she was angled to look at him. "She is all googly eye over you, and you act like you're a high school boy around her," she paused. "What gives?"

Jackson shrugged, not wanting to give the real reason why they weren't going to date right now. "It's just it's already November," he muttered giving glance to all of them. "If we start dating now, and it turns into something serious I might not be here come June."

It was partly why he wasn't so heartbroken by April's rejection. Deep down, he knew their relationship could have a very short lifespan. He didn't know where he was going to be in a few months, and April couldn't afford to transfer residency programs again. If they were to start dating, it could turn into long distance soon and Jackson wasn't sure how two surgeons could have a successful relationship if they were living in different cities.

"Then stay in Seattle," Meredith said looking at him as if he was dumb. "If she ends up being good for you, and I think she would, just stay here," she added as if it the easiest solution in the world.

"They're not even dating," Karev butted in.

"But they could be," Christina countered.

Jackson groaned and leaned back on the couch. "I will literally schedule you all to scut, if you do no stop taking about me and April," he threatened. It was a half-hearted threat, he didn't like puling the Chief Resident card. However, sometimes it was necessary and it was the only way to get them to cooperate.

"Teddy would come rescue me in a matter of moments," Christina said looking at Jackson with a stern glance. "So, we are going to continue to talk about your relationship with April."

Jackson sighed, sometimes he really hated the dysfunctional people he called friends. They literally lived and worked together, or for the time being. Meredith and Derek were trying to get Zola back, so Jackson and Alex had realized it was perhaps time to find another place to live. Honestly, Jackson needed the space from the dysfunctional group of people, sometimes his small bedroom just wasn't enough. However, he knew he was lucky to have people looking after him. With a determine single mother and elitist grandfather, Jackson knew his last name would do most of the work when it came to finding a spot as at attending at any hosptial he choose. Now, as he was bombarded with questions about April, he thought maybe leaving Seattle in a few months would be a mistake.

April sat criss cross on the couch in Jackson's office. The Chief Resident was typing away a paper on his computer or maybe scheduling, April wasn't quite sure. All she knew was the pizza he had delivered in the midst of their on-call night. It had been a few days since their encounter with Mark, and it seemed things were back to normal between them. They still flirted and talked, but there was no pressure to act on their feelings. She knew they were walking a thin line, but April was okay with the thin line. Walking the thin line meant that she could still have Jackson in her life, and she wanted him in her life. As odd as it seemed, Jackson had quickly become her best friend. She felt as if she could be herself around him, and that's what she need in her life more than anything.

"Did you know Addison was coming into town?" Meredith questioned as she walked into the office looking at Jackson. April groaned as she realized that Addison's name was probably up on the schedule for two days from now, when she would have surgery.

"I am Chief Resident, not Chief of Surgery," Jackson stated looking up from his computer.

Meredith turned to April. April gulped as she swallowed her piece of pizza. From what she knew, Addison and Meredith had a rocky relationship. She didn't know if they were cordial or they hated each other guts. "She's here to do a surgery?" April hesitated, waiting for Meredith to explode.

Meredith just sighed and grabbed a pizza out of the pizza box in April's lap. "I've never know how to act around her," Meredith stated before taking a large bite of the pizza. "I mean I married to her ex-husband and we have a kid together, I don't know rather to say hey or avoid her."

"I would say hello," April replied. It was odd to think that she knew Derek longer than Meredith, but at the same time, Derek was different here in Seattle. He was happier, lighter, and he wasn't going through the motions. "I don't think she hates you, besides I think she has a thing with this guy down in California but do not quote me on that."

Suddenly, April felt questioning looks from both Jackson and Meredith. "You people forget that I grew up with those three," April stated. "Addison and I video chat like once a week now," she paused. "I am actually the reason she's here?" April admitted.

"I thought you said she was here for a surgery," Jackson said looking at her, his blue eyes darken with concern.

April nodded, and she saw Meredith's lips press into a thin line. She hadn't really discussed the fact to anybody that she was having a semi-elective procedure. Her left ovary had been destroyed and the fallopian tube had been as well. Addison had suggested removal for the fact that they were no longer useful. "I have some issues, nothing major, it's just Addison's known me my whole life. She wouldn't have anyone else performing surgery on me," she rattled out.

Suddenly, the air in the room seemed to thicken. "Damn it," Meredith said, as her pager went off. "My patient's coding," she exclaimed as she went off running. For a moment there, April had wished it was her patient that was coding. It was a horrible thought, but felt like she and Jackson were about to have a conversation she wasn't ready to have.

"So, surgery," Jackson said as he wheeled his chair around the desk so he was no longer hiding behind it. "Should I be concerned?" He asked.

April shook her head. "No, it's pretty routine. I'll be in out and back to work in a few days," she stated despite how scared she was actually. It didn't matter that she was a surgical resident, she had never been under the knife herself. Plus, the added risks of maybe having a harder time to have children when the time came didn't make her worries go away.

"Alright," the word slowly rolled off his tongue. "Do you need anything, do you want me to be there when you wake up or anything?" Jackson asked hesitantly as if he was thinking that he was crossing the thin line they were balancing on.

"I wouldn't mind if you there when I woke up," April answered, honestly. Thin line be damned, she wasn't going to wake up without somewhere there to tell her how things went. Even though she had Mark and Addison, deep down she truly wanted Jackson. Jackson didn't have to be there out of obligation, he wanted to be there. Perhaps, it was selfish keeping him at arms length when he truly cared about her. April though just kept believing that if they were meant to be, he would be there when she was ready.

"You are not going to go in there and dragging him out, Mark!" Addison Montgomery yelled in the middle of the hallway. It had been a few hours since April's surgery, and Jackson Avery was at her bedside, which Mark wasn't happy about. He wanted the younger man out of his sister room, and she couldn't help but find him ridiculous. Addison knew Mark was overprotective, but Addison could tell by the way that April talked about Jackson Avery that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Despite, April's caution on entering a relationship, Addison was for it. She knew the younger woman had resigned herself to be just friends with Jackson, but Addison felt that Jackson could be the man to show April how a man was truly suppose to treat a woman.

"Addison! She is going to get her pretty little head invested in that boy and-

"Let's stop right there," Derek said interrupting Mark's rant before he could spill the beans about April's true reason for moving. For the first time since they divorce, it seem that she and Derek were on the same team, which was Team April and Jackson. They could both tell that Jackson was a good guy for April, while Mark was just so fearful of what happened to his little sister in the past that he was just seeing red. Also, they both weren't happy with Mark keeping the incident to himself.

"She's just a kid, and so is he!" Mark exclaimed. "She's going to need me when she wakes up," he added.

Addison's eyes soften. For the first time in April's life, Mark wasn't the man she was leaning enduring a tough situation. She was finally growing up and relying on someone other than her brother or herself. "Mark she's an adult, and she told me that Jackson would be there for her in recovery."

"Well, forgive me for being concern that the little girl that three of us practically raised together might be making another mistake!" Mark yelled.

Addison crossed her arms, and looked at Derek. It was obvious that they were drawing a few concern glances from other staff members. "Mark, you like Jackson," Derek said simply. "Look, the three of us screwed up when we left the kid alone in New York. We were selfish and it took us a long time to rediscover ourselves Mark, and you haven't taken the moment to realize that April might not need as long as we did."

Leave it to Derek to have the words of wisdom when it came to sisters. With four of his own, Derek had a lot of practice. "Derek's right, Mark. April is smart, and Jackson is freaking Harper Avery's grandson, what more could want for your sister's boyfriend the President of the United States or something?" Addison questioned.

"He's not her boyfriend," Mark huffed as he looked at both of them. "I lost my kid sister along this mess up path, so excuse me if I don't think any guy is going to be a good enough for her," he shot back.

Addison rolled her eyes at the comment. "You're acting like your the only one who is affected by this! I lost the closest thing I have to a kid too, Mark!" She exclaimed as she stared at him. "Let's time I check you have a kid, she's a baby who needs you for every little thing. April is your sister Mark, you twenty-seven year old sister. She doesn't need to be protected!"

Addison could tell Mark was pissed and by the look of rage on his face. "You have your own life, Mark, let April be a part of your life not the center of it. She doesn't need to be anymore, you did your job with her," Addison softly said.

Derek look between the two of them and nodded. "Why don't you take Julia out for a date or something, April will call you when she's up and ready to see you," he stated calmly. Derek was always the voice of reason for Mark.

Mark simply nodded and walked slowly away from in the opposite direction of April's room. Apparently, something they had said had registered into Mark's stubborn brain. Addison knew deep down that Mark was struggling with April being so close, but not being a little kid anymore. The last time they had been in the same city together, she was in medical school and still acting like a college kid who needed guidance. Now, she was an adult with a job, and Mark was having a hard time letting go. It was easier for her because at the end of the day she was just the woman who had known April for all of her life. She had no blood relation to her, but it was still hard knowing how easily she could be cut out of April's life. At the end of the day to Addison, all that matter was the kid didn't end up screwed up because of any of their actions. After all, they were the reasons why choose Northwestern and didn't choose Seattle Grace.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, I recently got very busy and it's been hard to find time to write! Thank you so much for reading and I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to leave any comments, concerns or questions about the story that you may have.

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