April was much more observant of him now, especially the way he interacted with patients and how effectively he worked in the operating room. Before, she saw him as a heartless monster who didn't care because he didn't have the time. Now when she observed him, be it a body distance or from the observation deck, she couldn't help but take in his little ticks. April was most impressed with how he maintained his composure under pressure. She realized the world could explode around him and it wouldn't make a difference. As a surgeon, Stark would remain calm throughout.

On a more personal note, she had seen little cracks in his composure. Nothing that she was too alarmed by, but it was enough to grab her attention. Like, this morning, when she had met him in the parking lot. He had been surprised to turn around her see her, perhaps a little leery of the people around them. Or the night before, when he had felt things were escalating too far again and had put some respectable distance between them. He was clearly a man who did not like bringing his personal relationship into the workplace, and she could understand that. His cautious approach to publicizing the relationship—was it a relationship, she couldn't be sure—was not unnecessary considering her response the last time their interactions were made known to the entire hospital.

He had broken his promise, though, and didn't treated her like he treated every other resident; he treated her better, and she realized with a smile after a few moments, that it wasn't because of their relationship but because she was chief resident. She was above all the others, and to him, the title in itself demanded respect.

But she couldn't spend as much time with him as she wanted. Administrative duties took her away from surgeries where she could see his skill and brilliance shine through. Now she worked with him behind the scenes, in places where he was more analytical and leery. It wasn't like surgery where he knew what he was doing and didn't have to think about. Scheduling with him, she realized, was a difficult task for him, one that required thought and consideration. He took his time. And, she realized, his medical arrogance at times made it difficult to work with him.

"Dr. Stark—"

"You asked me what I thought, and I told you. I don't want to work with him, have Dr. Robbins do it."

"You can't just decide not to work with him because you don't like him."

"I think I just did."

"Robert—" She stopped herself once she saw his smirk. With a sigh, she continued, "Dr. Stark—"

"I like Robert better."

"I know you do, but—"

"You know, no one else is around." He waved toward his office. "We're the only ones in here, you don't have to be that formal with me."

"I thought you said out there it's informal, in here it is."

"Right, but it's just you and me this time. No one else is around, no one else knows."

"Focus," she ordered, smiling when he shrugged her off. "I'm trying to get a point across here!"

"And so am I! I'm not working with someone I can't stand! Dr. Robbins can handle the procedure. Besides," he flipped through one of the schedules in front of him, "look here. Dr. Hendricks is doing that surgery next Tuesday morning."

"You don't have anything to do then."

"Yet."

April sighed. "Honestly, you're worse than a little kid right now, Dr. Stark. You're making this so difficult."

"Would you work with someone you didn't want to be around?"

"If that's what was required of me, yes. If that's what was best for the patient, yes."

Stark smiled. "You think I'm what's best for the patient surgically wise?"

"Well, you are talented at what you do."

"All right, put me down for the surgery then, I'll do it."

"Really?"

Stark nodded. "Your guilt trip and faith in me was enough to change my mind. Congratulations."

"I'm glad that I can have that affect on you. So, the Collins surgery—"

"What about it?"

"Jackson Avery wants in on it, and he asked me to pass along the message to you."

"What? He doesn't have the guts to—" Stark stopped at her cold stare and put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I'm sorry. Do I already have someone assisting?"

"No."

"Then you can tell him that it's his. But, the next time he wants in, tell him to ask me, not go through you."

"You know, the more people who go through me, the more times you get to see me."

Stark paused to think for a moment. "As intriguing and tempting as that is, your fellow surgeons needs to learn how to ask for something when they want it. They need to be more assertive when it comes to getting in on surgeries."

"Oh, I see. You don't want to see me."

"Now, don't go twisting my words around, Dr. Kepner."

"No, no. It's fine, Dr. Stark, really. I understand perfectly." She stood up and moved to collect her things when he sprang from his seat and stopped her. April looked at him closely and smiled when he shook his head. "What?"

"There's nothing I'd rather have more than to see you."

"So what's the problem?"

"It's about letting the little kids play on the playground by themselves. Eventually they need to be let go and play by themselves. Besides, just because they don't go through you doesn't mean you and I can't see each other."

"Kind of like right now?"

He nodded. "Did I tell you yet today how beautiful you are?"

"No."

"Oh, well you are." He smiled when she blushed slightly. "Was-Was that all you needed, Dr. Kepner? Scheduling the surgery with Hendricks and giving your friend a boost?"

"Yes."

"So I can kiss you now?"

"I thought you wanted to put that boundary between us personally and professionally."

"Like I said, no one else is around." They were in his office. It wasn't like they were at the nurse's station or even in the on-call room. It was private in here, and no one would come barging in without knocking. He could kiss her for as long as he wanted without interruption.

"What if someone walks in?"

"They wouldn't dare."

April chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not so sure about this, Robert."

"Why not?"

"Well, the last time someone found out about us, word got around and…Well, I think we know how that turned out."

"This time isn't like last time. You and I have an understanding this time around."

"And I appreciate that, I really do—"

"So what's the problem?" He paused and asked, almost heartbroken, "Are you embarrassed or something? Because if you are—"

"Robert, it's not like that."

"Then what is it?" Before she could answer, his pager went off. With a roll of his eyes, he told her, "Look, I've got to take this. I…We'll talk later, all right?"

"Is it an emergency?"

"We're going to find out." He sighed, kissed her cheek gently, and left the office to go deal with a first year resident who probably had no idea what he was doing. Stark had thought this mess would end when the residents became attendings, but apparently he had miscalculated. This torture would never end.


"April, what's wrong?" Lexie hadn't expected anyone to be in the on-call room, let alone April. She quickly went to her friend's side, laying down beside her on the cot. "You don't look so hot right now."

"Just a little…confused."

"About what?"

April sighed and looked at Lexie. "You promise not to make fun of me?"

"Promise."

"Last night when you called…I wasn't necessarily alone."

"What were you?"

"With..someone."

Lexie chuckled. "Is that someone a cranky pediatric surgeon who has a stick up his butt?"

"He's a nice guy once you get to know him."

"I'm sure he is," Lexie remarked softly, sighing when April shot her a cold glare. "So, uh, sparing me the dirty details of your little tryst last night, what happened?"

"We became…Well I don't know what we became."

"Did you kiss him?"

"Yes."

"Did he kiss you?"

"Oh yeah." She smiled when Lexie's face turned to one of disgust. "But that's the thing. We…"

"Played tonsil hockey."

"I wouldn't put it quite that eloquently," April countered with a hot glare before she continued, "And now we're, I don't know, trying to set boundaries at work. I kind of want to keep it under wraps and away from everyone else. And he…I don't think he does. He thinks I'm like ashamed or embarrassed by it."

"You were the first time around, April."

"But it's different this time around."

"You haven't proven that to him," Lexie told her. "As far as he knows, you're still the same person that rejected him a few months ago. He might see your resistance to publicize it as…embarrassment."

"How do I prove to him that it's not?"

"Well, that's going to be difficult to do without actually publicizing it."

"What if we tell only a few people?"

"April, if there's one thing you should have learned from this place, it's that nothing stays a secret. You tell one person and ten minutes later the entire hospital knows."

"So by telling you will the entire hospital know?"

"No. I'm going to tell Jackson and that's it," Lexie answered. "And I'll swear him to secrecy. He doesn't rat on people."

"That's what makes him such a great friend."

"It's frustrating when I'm trying to get gossip from him, but…" She smiled when April laughed. "Just…Talk to Stark. I'm sure he won't be such a grouch about this, if you explain it to him."

"You think so?"

"Hey, you know him better than I do."

April sighed. She had no idea what she was going to do now. He made it clear how he felt, now it was her turn to react. She just didn't want to hurt his feelings, especially not because of her own nervous fears. He didn't deserve for that to happen to him twice, not after how slow he was moving just so she could have a little bit of comfort.


April didn't get the opportunity to see him the rest of the day. With complications surrounding his patients, he was forced to perform an emergency surgery that lasted four hours. Followed with that, he was whisked into another procedure that Dr. Robbins needed help with and then finally, when he had settled into his office to get some paperwork done, he was again interrupted by the mistakes of first year residents.

April didn't find him until she was ready to leave for the night, dressed in her normal clothes. He looked exhausting, standing at the nurse's station surrounding by doctors who were consulting with him on a specific case. She decided as she watched him handle their questions with ease that she found him more attractive in jeans and a t-shirt than in scrubs and a lab coat. Each represented two sides of him; she respected the doctor side and was attracted to the human side. It seemed a win-win situation for her to experience both on a daily basis.

April decided now was the time to act, if she wanted to prove herself to him. With a breath of confidence, she advanced toward him. "Dr. Stark?"

He turned at the sound of his name and smiled. "Dr. Kepner."

Her actions were quick as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him; she knew if she had moved slow, he would stop her. Now he had no other response except to fall into her embrace. She kissed him like they were the only two people in the room and she ignored everyone else because right now, in this moment, he was the only one here who mattered. Finally, she pulled away from him and smiled at his surprised face. "I'm coming by later, all right?"

"Oh-kay."

Stark watched her leave, not turning back to the doctors around him until she was out of sight. Their surprised and amused faces didn't catch him off guard. He scowled. "Don't you people have somewhere to be?"

They were gone within seconds; however, word soon spread around the hospital like wildfire. Everyone knew, and Stark didn't care because it was her decision, and that was what had made the difference. She had consciously put their relationship out there and wasn't afraid for anyone to know.

Nothing could ruin the rest of his day.