Chapter 4: Exes and Hexes

Thanks for all of the comments and favorites, greatly appreciated. How did you like last Thursday's episode? Catherine was off the chain! Do you think we've seen the last of her for a while? Me neither. Anyway, here's the next installment, sorry it took so long, hope you love it.


Matthew backed up and said, "I'll wait outside," then quickly closed the door. He knew that April and Jackson were still together, the other paramedics had told him as much, but he never expected to walk in on them together. Matthew had left town the day of the wedding, only packing a few things from his apartment, which he had shipped out to his new home in Port Angeles.

"I thought you locked the door?" April was beyond embarrassed. Her ex-fiancé had just walked in on her about to have sex with her husband.

"I must have forgot. How was I supposed to know he, or anybody else would walk through the door? April just calm down alright."

"Calm down? The man I nearly married just walked in on me going at it with the man I did marry! I can't believe this happening! I need to go pray, I need Jesus right now!"

"April!" Jackson yelled. He walked over to her, both of them now fully clothed again. "Babe, you've got to get a grip. I know you didn't expect for this happen, but it's happening and we have to figure out how to handle it. Okay?" He put his hands on her shoulders to help steady her breathing. When she was calm enough, he put his hands down and pulled her into a hug. Standing so close, she whispered in his ear.

"You're right, Jackson. I didn't expect this to happen, but it is now and we have to deal with it." She pulled away from him before continuing.

"Actually, I have to figure this out. Jackson, I'm the one who left him at the altar. We were gonna get married that day and I just left him there, confused and hurt. I owe him the decency to at least explain myself. So I will talk to Matthew and you will get back to work. Okay?"

"Alright," he replied,"but page me if you need anything." She nodded her head, leaned up and gave him a kiss before walking out into the hallway. When she saw Matthew standing there across the hall, she suggested they head outside to talk, no interruptions. They walked in silence all the way through the ER, to the front doors of the clinic before Matthew spoke.

"Look I'm sorry about that," Matthew said, "I didn't mean to walk in without knocking. But I didn't expect to see that when I did. God, April! You are in the hospital and you're having sex in on-call rooms with your boyfriend! The boyfriend you left me for. The boyfriend that stood up at our wedding and said—"

"He's my husband, Matthew! Jackson is my husband, not my boyfriend." She saw the hurt in his eyes and knew right then that he had no idea she and Jackson were married.

"When did that happen?"

"That day, after we left the wedding. I thought that I was making a mistake, but Jackson helped me realize that I wasn't and we decided to get married. Drove to Lake Tahoe that very night. I did not want to tell you like this, I'm sorry. But Jackson is my husband and I do love him. I loved you, too, Matthew. I really did, but when I saw Jackson standing there, I knew that it was the only chance we had left."

"Is this supposed to be making me feel better? You're telling me that I was left feeling miserable because of your stupid mistake? Look April, I came to let you know that I don't really care what you do. I'm a Christian so I do forgive you, but I will never trust you again. I have to go. Goodbye, April." He started to walk away towards the parking lot.

"Oh and please, do not call me anymore. It's still too hard to hear your voice."

April could feel the tears coming to her eyes. As she watched Matthew, it all became real to her. She really did hurt him and caused him to leave his home, his friends, and his job. April just sat down on the cold ground and cried. The loud sound of the ambulance sirens jogged her back to reality: she had a job to do. Knowing it wouldn't be easy, she pushed thoughts of Matthew to the back of her mind and strolled back into the hospital.


A large explosion at downtown fast-food joint had caused over 50 victims to be brought through the doors of Grey Sloan Memorial. All attendings and residents were called down to assist. With multiple fractures, head wounds, and extensive burns, everyone stayed busy for the rest of the day. Police arrived around 8:00 to inform all doctors and victims, that the explosion was deliberate. Someone had planted a homemade bomb under the store's counter, set to go off with the push of a button. April was thankful that she and Jackson both had the day off tomorrow and had a date to go to the carnival near the Space Needle.

The next day...

Jackson held April's hand as they walked around the carnival. They had talked briefly about her conversation with Matthew and decided that they couldn't dwell on it anymore. What's done is done, and nothing can erase what they did.

Thankful to have the day to spend with his wife, Jackson smiled every time she pointed to the different games and rides. They stopped at a basketball shooter.

"Come on babe, you can do it!" April yelled as Jackson began to throw the balls up, making all five shots. He won and let April pick out a prize.

"Which do you want?"

"I want...the Scooby Doo." The vendor handed over the stuffed animal. They thanked him and kept walking. That's when she saw it: a fortune teller.

"Jackson come on. Let's go in." She gave a sad face, sticking out her bottom lip. He smiled, gave her a kiss, and nudged her towards the entrance.

"I'll wait for you out here," he told her.

When April stepped inside, she noticed how crazy decorated the tent was. There were mixes of purples and pinks all over the walls.

"Come sit child. Madame Serena will tell you everything you want to know. Come sit." The mysterious lady was signaling April with her hand. She pulled out the chair for her to sit down.

"Give me your hand, dear." April reached her hand over for Madame Serena to take. "You are a newlywed yes?"

"That's right." April wanted to be surprised but realized the ring on her finger could've given that away.

"You hurt other people to be together; one of them has already forgiven you and the other one is still harboring ill feelings, though it's hard to see which one. There are some that still don't support your marriage and some crap is going to hit the fan really soon."

"What do you mean?" April's eyes were wide open as the woman continued to look at her palm.

"A great joy will come to both of you, but it will be at a great price. That is all you need to know, the answers will come when the time is right." She let go of April's hand and watched as she walked out of the tent.

"Hey," Jackson called to her, "so did the Great Madame Serena tell you anything interesting?"

April wondered if she should tell him what the mysterious woman had foreseen. But then decided that she didn't want to worry him with something so silly.

"Nothing. Just that I found true love and would live happily ever after," she giggled.

"We spent twenty bucks for her to tell you what you already know? What a flake!" She playfully hit him in the stomach, and they continued to walk around. They decided to stop for food before leaving and going home. While riding in the car, April still debated telling Jackson what Madame Serena had said to her in the tent. The feeling of dread washed over her again, and she turned her head to look at Jackson. She smiled watching him. He had this funny look on his face whenever he was driving, the same one he had when he was performing surgery.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, noticing out of the corner of his eye.

"Because...I just like to watch you sometimes. It makes me realize how happy I really am that I have you in my life."

"I know what you mean. You look tired, maybe you should take a nap when we get home, huh?" It was then that he realized she was already sleeping. He laughed it off and kept driving.


Two months later

It was a bright and early Monday morning in Seattle. The doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial were gearing up to start another shift, and check on the remaining patients from the restaurant explosion. Some of the patients still had outstanding injuries, especially the burn victims. Everyone had their morning pick-me-ups and seemed excited, but April just felt drained. She was standing at the nurses station in a daze. Her face was pale and she seemed to be sweating.

"April," Arizona noticed her friend's appearance, "are you alright?"

"I don't know. I feel like my stomach is doing cartwheels. I can't keep any food down, my head hurts, and I'm really tired." She didn't even see Arizona roll her eyes. She gently touched her back and whispered for her to come to the viewing room across the hall.

"Maybe you're pregnant." Arizona realized she could sugarcoat the situation but why would she? They were friends after all.

"I'm not pregnant. Pregnant woman don't have fevers."

"Wait you have a fever? April how long have you been feeling like this?"

"Just a couple of days."

"Okay, come on let's get you over to the clinic. They'll monitor you until your fever breaks. I'll page Jackson—"

"No!" April yelled. "Look, he's busy upstairs in the burn unit. And I don't want to bother him. Let's just go to the clinic."

Arizona agreed and escorted April over to the clinic. She was immediately taken to an empty bed where a nurse came over to ask her about what brought her in. April repeated the symptoms and was handed a small cup to have her urine tested. After about twenty minutes of waiting, the nurse came back with her results.

"Alright, Dr. Kepner. It seems that you have Walking Pneumonia. We are going to give you antibiotics to take and send you home for the rest of the day. Also, you might want to take a few more days off."

"What? No I have a trauma center to run and patients coming in from everywhere I can't!"

"Dr. Kepner, if you want to get better, and not pass this on to your patients, then you will do what we are asking. I've already sent your prescription over to the hospital pharmacy. You can pick it up in about fifteen minutes. Have a good day! Rest!" The nurse yelled as she left April and Arizona alone.

"Well, you heard the nurse, and I completely agree. So go get changed and go home."

"I can't go home. Jackson drove us both here today. I have to stay and wait for him." April told her.

"Okay then I will take you home. We can tell Jackson before you go. Now let's get back to lounge so you can change your clothes. Go!" Arizona yelled as she and April slowly made their way back into the main hospital.

Little did they know, the nurse was still hanging on to the file getting ready to key it into the computer, needed for documentation. She noticed a part of the results that she had not seen before. A peak in a hormone level that could only mean one thing:

Dr. April Kepner-Avery is pregnant...


Jackson had been looking for April for the past hour. Robbins had text him earlier saying that they were in the clinic and that April was sick. She told him not to worry and finish his work, which he did, since he trusted Robbins. She and April had grown so close, so he knew his wife was being taken care of. But now he just wanted to see her for himself. When he entered the Attending's Lounge, relief washed over him as he saw April putting her white coat into the cubby with her name on it.

"April," he called out as he walked over and wrapped her in his arms. "I was so worried about you. Baby, what happened are you alright?"

"I'm fine Jackson. I wasn't feeling so good so Arizona made me go to the clinic. I have Walking Pneumonia, and they gave me some medicine so that I could go home and rest. I already told Hunt that I have to take a few days off to get better. Arizona is going to take me back to our place. You just do what you have to do so that you can come home home to me tonight. I love you."

"I love you, too. Go home and rest, I'll be home as soon as all of the patients are taken care of." He kissed the top of her head and watched Robbins escort his wife out. He wanted to go with her, but he knew April would not let him abandon his duties as a doctor. He ran back up to burn unit, so that he could finish his patients.

When April got home, Arizona made her some soup and gave her a dose of medicine before heading back to the hospital. April felt really tired, but could not sleep. Those words the fortune teller said a couple of months back still danced in her head whenever she was trying to relax: a great joy will come, but at a price.

"For God's sake, April! That was two months ago," she yelled to herself. Still she couldn't help but wonder if the mysterious woman really was telling the truth. She turned on the TV and tuned out those crazy thoughts, before falling asleep.


5 Hours Later...

An ambulance was speeding up to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Owen Hunt, Jo Wilson, and Shane Ross waited for the back doors to fly open, but instead the driver got out of the vehicle.

"Dr. Hunt, is Kepner here?" The young man asked Owen.

"No, she left earlier today, she wasn't feeling well. Had to be sent home. Look, do you have someone back there or not?" Owen was getting a little impatient.

"Yea, we do." Just then the doors burst open and a gurney was brought down to reveal an unconscious man who was covered in blood and barely breathing.

"Is that—" Jo started.

"It can't be, Dr. Hunt...," Shane was a little dazed.

"Damn it. It's Jackson!"